News Lelemuku

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - Before the new coronavirus began spreading around the world, Serra Sowers was thinking about what she would do after high school.

The 17-year-old from Florida had planned to visit seven colleges this spring to help her decide where to continue her education.

In the United States, high school students often visit colleges and universities they might attend before they officially seek admission. But like so many things during Sowers’ final year of high school, the coronavirus pandemic has pushed the process online.

Sowershas had to depend on virtual visits, learning about schools through video meetings with college officials.

Her mother, Ebru Ural, says she worries how the pandemic might affect her daughter’s college experience itself in a few short months.

“We’re dealing with the unknown, and we’re trying to make such a huge decision. She invested the better part of the last year trying to earn acceptance to these institutions,” Ural said, but “we really don’t know what we’re buying right now.”

The pandemic has affected plans for millions of students, both in the United States and overseas. Many are making virtual visits to schools while dealing with concerns about paying for a college education in an economic downturn. They also are wondering whether college campuses will even reopen by late summer.

Boston University, for example, has already canceled all "in-person summer activities" at its main campus. And the university’s plan for dealing with the pandemic states that if health officials say it is unsafe to re-open this year, it may wait until January 2021.

Earlier this month, Harvard University’s president said Harvard is considering several possible plans of action. Yet the future is still very unclear. Oregon State University and University of Arizona officials have expressed hope their schools would re-open, but shared similar concerns about what the future holds.

In efforts to keep student enrollment numbers up, colleges are offering interactive one-on-one online meetings, using video services like Zoom. Hundreds of schools have given families more time to decide by delaying the date of their first required payment from May 1 to June 1.

In addition, the Associate Press reports that the two leading college admissions tests – the SAT and the ACT – have been cancelled. So a growing number of schools are removing admissions test requirements for students entering college.

But for all the schools’ efforts, many families say it is difficult to look forward when students are still finishing high school from home.

Opinion studies have found that large numbers of American high school seniors plan to spend at least a year working or traveling before attending college.

Studies also have shown that many Americans may decide against the first-choice school on their list of colleges because it is too costly. Others say they would feel safer attending a school closer to home.

About 3.7 million American students are expected to graduate from high school this year. Nearly70 percent expected to start college in the late summer.

Lauren Kohler of Connecticut was planning to spend her high school’s spring break visiting three universities. They are the University of South Carolina, Florida State University and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Kohler visited South Carolina last year. But now the 18-year-old is depending on virtual visits and friends’ experiences to learn about Florida State. She also recently walked around an empty UMass Amherst campus.

“I’m a big believer that you can walk on a campus and say, ‘This is my school,’ or ‘This is not my school,’” said Kohler. “It really depends on the feeling and the type of people that are there.”

Grace Malloy of Oregon did get a chance to visit to Long Island University Post in New York. But her spring break visits to Nebraska Wesleyan University and the University of Northern Colorado were canceled.

Malloy also wanted to see six other schools. Now she is worried she will not know how to reduce the number of choices on her list.

“Decision-making is not my strong suit,” she said after completing her third virtual visit of the week. (VOA)

JAKARTA, LELEMUKU.COM - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has instructed Indonesian Minister of Agriculture Syahril Yasin Limpo to start exporting rice next year.

For the record, the Government has 4,776,000 tons of rice stock despite a deficit between national rice production and consumption in November and December.

According to Syahril, regarding preparation to export rice, Ministry of Agriculture will take several steps starting from seedlings, land preparation, irrigation, so the quality of rice to be exported is on par with that from other countries.

“We have to use trade diplomacy and trade agriculture and I am confident that I will be able to carry out the President’s instruction,” Syahrul said, adding that as many as 100,000 tons up to 500,000 tons of rice will be exported next year.

The Minister added that March and April next year will see the peak of the harvest season with rice production expected to reach more than 4,255,000 tons of rice.

“Therefore, if rice stocks in March alone reach 6,752,000 tons and the consumption is 2,400,000 tons every month, we will have an overstock of rice at 6,800,000 tons,” Syahrul said.

The Minister also ensured rice stocks and food security ahead of Christmas and New Year this year, including those stored in at the warehouse of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), trade warehouses, and in markets with the total amount reaching approximately 4.7 million tons. (Setkab)

LOS ANGELES - A quake with a magnitude as large as 7.1 jolted much of California, cracked buildings, set fires, broke roads and caused several injuries, authorities and residents said.

The quake, preceded by Thursday’s 6.4-magnitude temblor in the Mojave Desert, was the largest Southern California temblor in at least 20 years and was followed by a series of large and small aftershocks.

It hit at 8:19 p.m. and was centered 11 miles from Ridgecrest in the same area where the previous quake hit. But it was felt as far north as Sacramento, as far east as Las Vegas and as far south as Mexico.

Early magnitude estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey wavered between 6.9 and 7.1. It was measured at 7.1 by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Agency.

Multiple injuries, fires

The area in and around Ridgecrest, trying to recover from the previous temblor, took the brunt of damage.

Megan Person, director of communications for the Kern County Fire Department, said there were reports of multiple injuries and multiple fires, but she didn’t have details.

The county opened an emergency shelter. Meanwhile, a rockslide closed State Route 178 in Kern River Canyon, where photos from witnesses also showed that a stretch of roadway had sunk.

San Bernardino County firefighters reported cracked buildings and one minor injury.

In downtown Los Angeles, 150 miles away, offices in skyscrapers rolled and rocked for at least 30 seconds.

Gov. Gavin Newsom activated the state Office of Emergency Services operations center “to its highest level.”

“The state is coordinating mutual aid to local first responders,” he said.

Lucy Jones, a seismologist at the California Institute of Technology and a former science adviser at the Geological Survey, tweeted that Thursday’s earthquake was a “foreshock” and that Friday’s quake was on the same fault system as the earlier quake.

“You know we say we have a 1 in 20 chance that an earthquake will be followed by something bigger? This is that 1 in 20 time,” she tweeted.

Firefighters around Southern California were mobilized to check for damage.

An NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas was stopped after the quake. Speakers over the court at the Thomas & Mack Center continued swaying more than 10 minutes after the quake.

In Los Angeles, the quake rattled Dodger Stadium in the fourth inning of the team’s game against the San Diego Padres.

The quake Friday night happened when Dodgers second baseman Enrique Hernandez was batting. It didn’t appear to affect him or Padres pitcher Eric Lauer.

Hours earlier, seismologists had said that quake had been followed by more than 1,700 aftershocks and that they might continue for years.

Jones said aftershocks from the new main quake could occur for three years.

Changes to alert system

Earlier Friday, Los Angeles had revealed plans to lower slightly the threshold for public alerts from its earthquake early warning app. But officials said the change was in the works before the quake, which gave scientists at the California Institute of Technology’s seismology lab 48 seconds of warning but did not trigger a public notification.

“Our goal is to alert people who might experience potentially damaging shaking, not just feel the shaking,” said Robert de Groot, a spokesman for the USGS’s ShakeAlert system, which is being developed for California, Oregon and Washington.

Construction of a network of seismic-monitoring stations for the West Coast is just over half complete, with most coverage in Southern California, San Francisco Bay Area and the Seattle-Tacoma area. Eventually, the system will send out alerts over the same system used for Amber Alerts to defined areas that are expected to be affected by a quake, de Groot said.

California is partnering with the federal government to build the statewide earthquake warning system, with the goal of turning it on by June 2021. The state has spent at least $25 million building it, including installing hundreds of seismic stations throughout the state.

This year, Newsom said the state needed $16.3 million to finish the project, which included money for stations to monitor seismic activity, plus nearly $7 million for “outreach and education.” The state Legislature approved the funding last month, and Newsom signed it into law.(VOA)

JAKARTA, LELEMUKU.COM - The Indonesian Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konsitusi (MK) has rejected a lawsuit filed by Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidate pair Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno on the 2019 Presidential Election’s result.

“(the Court) has adjudicated and decided to reject all the plaintiffs’ claims,” Chief Justice of the MK Anwar Usman said when reading the ruling of the Court, at the Constitutional Court Building, Jakarta, Thursday (27/6).

The decision affirmed the result of national election vote recapitulation of the General Election Commission (KPU) announced on Thursday (21/5) which declared Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidate pair Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Ma’ruf Amin as the winners of the 2019 Presidential Election.

MK argued that processing Prabowo’s claims on alleged structured, systematic and massive electoral fraud is not their authority, but the Elections Supervisory Agency’s (Bawaslu). In the meantime, the authority of MK based on provisions of the laws is on election’s vote-counting dispute.

In addition, MK also explained that the plaintiffs have failed to present proper evidence to support their claims, thus the Court declared the case did not have proper legal standing.

Previously, MK has considered accepting Prabowo-Sandi revised version of their lawsuit which was submitted on 10 June 2019, though Constitutional Court Regulation Number 4 of 2018 stipulated that MK shall not allow plaintiffs of Presidential Election dispute case to revise their file. (Setkab)

BISMARCK, LELEMUKU.COM - Native American voters face poor access to polling sites, discrimination by poll workers and unfair identification requirements, tribal leaders told members of Congress who traveled Tuesday to a reservation in North Dakota where voting rights were a key issue in last year's U.S. Senate race.

A House elections subcommittee's meeting at the Standing Rock reservation was the latest in a series of on-site visits across the country on voting-rights issues. Activists told the panel that obstacles still remain more than five decades after Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which aimed to eliminate such impediments for minority voters.

“There continues to be barriers -- interpersonal and systemic -- at our polling locations in our tribal communities and for our Native voters across the state,'' said activist Prairie Rose Seminole, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation in northwestern North Dakota.

The bulk of the two-hour hearing focused on North Dakota's voter ID requirements, which have led to two federal lawsuits by tribes who allege the rules are discriminatory and suppress the American Indian vote, which leans Democrat in a Republican-dominant state.

The voter ID dispute drew national attention last fall because of a U.S. Senate race in North Dakota that was seen as critical to Republicans' chances to keep control of the Senate. Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer defeated Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, who was seeking a second term.

North Dakota requires that a voter ID include a provable street address, which Secretary of State Al Jaeger says guards against fraud. Tribes allege the moves by state GOP leaders disenfranchised members who live on reservations where street addresses are uncommon or unknown and where post office boxes are the primary addresses.

“The state knew this and they used it to suppress tribal voters,'' said Charles Walker, CEO of the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation.

State officials have denied that. The U.S. Supreme Court in October allowed the state to continue requiring street addresses on voter IDs, though Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said in a dissent that “the risk of voter confusion appears severe.''

The decision led to an intense effort by tribes and advocacy groups to get tribal members to the polls with proper ID during November's general election. It was largely successful but cost the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock tribes a combined $14,000, in part because they waived normal fees for tribal IDs.

“Fifteen dollars is milk and bread for a week for a poor family,'' said Turtle Mountain Chippewa attorney Alysia LaCounte, who broke down in tears during her testimony.

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, an Illinois Republican, noted during the hearing that Cramer won handily despite high Native American voter turnout.

Native American Rights Fund attorney Jacqueline De Leon responded: “We don't think that outrage is a get-out-the-vote strategy, right?''

“There are voter suppression issues going on throughout Indian Country that aren't nearly getting the attention or resources that were poured into North Dakota because it just so happened that Sen. Heitkamp was running for re-election, and the Senate balance of power elevated this issue to the national stage,'' DeLeon said.

Davis replied, “So this was all a conspiracy to beat Heidi Heitkamp?''

North Dakota Republican leaders have denied that Heitkamp's surprise 2012 win influenced state voter ID law.

OJ Semans Sr., co-executive director of the Four Directions advocacy group, which has been successful in voting rights lawsuits in South Dakota and other states, implored the subcommittee to work to increase federal dollars that states can dedicate to helping Native American voters.

“The backbone of democracy is going to be given a brace, because people are going to vote,'' he said. (VOA)

PARIS, LELEMUKU.COM - The fire that tore through Notre-Dame cathedral was probably caused by accident, French prosecutors said on Tuesday after firefighters doused the last flames in the ruins overnight and the nation grieved for the destruction of one of its symbols.

More than 400 firemen were needed to tame the inferno that consumed the roof and collapsed the spire of the eight-centuries-old cathedral. They worked through the night to extinguish the fire some 14 hours after it began.

Paris public prosecutor Remy Heitz said there was no obvious indication the fire was arson. Fifty people were working on what would be a long and complex investigation. One firefighter was injured but no one else was hurt in the blaze which began after the building was closed to the public for the evening.

From the outside, the imposing bell towers and outer walls, with their vast flying buttresses, still stood firm, but the insides and the upper structure were eviscerated by the blaze.

Firefighters examined the gothic facade and could be seen walking atop the belfries as police kept the area in lockdown.

Investigators will not be able to enter the cathedral's blackened nave until experts are satisfied its stone walls withstood the heat and the building is structurally sound.

The fire swiftly ripped through the cathedral's timbered roof supports, where workmen had been carrying out extensive renovations to the spire's wooden frame.

The Paris prosecutor has opened an investigation into "involuntary destruction by fire." Police on Tuesday began questioning the workers involved in the restoration, the prosecutor's office said.

Hundreds of stunned onlookers had lined the banks of the Seine river late into the night as the fire raged, reciting prayers and singing liturgical music in harmony as they stood in vigil.

"Yesterday we thought the whole cathedral would collapse. Yet this morning she is still standing, valiant, despite everything. It is a sign of hope," said Sister Marie Aimee, a nun who had hurried to a nearby church to pray as the fire spread.

It was at Notre-Dame that Napoleon was made emperor in 1804, Pope Pius X beatified Joan of Arc in 1909 and former presidents Charles de Gaulle and Francois Mitterrand were mourned.

Messages of condolence flooded in from around the world.

Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, was praying for those affected, the Vatican said, adding: "Notre-Dame will always remain - and we have seen this in these hours — a place where believers and non-believers can come together in the most dramatic moments of French history."

Britain's Queen Elizabeth expressed deep sadness while her son and heir Prince Charles said he was "utterly heartbroken."

Vow to rebuild 

President Emmanuel Macron promised to rebuild Notre-Dame, considered among the finest examples of European Gothic architecture, visited by more than 13 million people a year.

Notre-Dame is owned by the state. It has been at the center of a years-long row between the nation and the Paris archdiocese over who should finance badly needed restoration work to collapsed balustrades, crumbling gargoyles and cracked facades.

It was too early to estimate the cost of the damage, said the heritage charity Fondation du Patrimoine, but it is likely to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The rival billionaire owners of France's two biggest luxury fashion empires, Francois-Henri Pinault of Kering and Bernard Arnault of LVMH, pledged 100 million euros and 200 million euros to the restoration respectively. Oil company Total pledged 100 million. The city of Paris said it would provide 50 million.

Paolo Violini, a restoration specialist for Vatican museums, said the pace at which the fire spread through the cathedral had been stunning.

"We are used to thinking about them as eternal simply because they have been there for centuries, or a thousand years, but the reality is they are very fragile," Violini said.

Human chain

The company carrying out the renovation works when the blaze broke out said it would cooperate fully with the investigation "All I can tell you is that at the moment the fire began none of my employees were on the site. We respected all procedures," Julien Le Bras, a representative of family firm Le Bras Freres.

Officials breathed a sigh of relief that many relics and artworks had been saved. At one point, firefighters, policemen and municipal workers formed a human chain to remove the treasures, including a centuries-old crown of thorns made from reeds and gold, and the tunic believed to have been worn by Saint Louis, a 13th century king of France.

"Notre-Dame was our sister, it is so sad, we are all mourning," said Parisian Olivier Lebib. "I have lived with her for 40 years. Thank God that the stone structure has withstood the fire." (VOANews)

BANGKOK, LELEMUKU.COM - A dog found swimming more than 220 kilometers (135 miles) from shore by workers on an oil rig crew in the Gulf of Thailand has been returned safely to land.

A worker on the rig belonging to Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Vitisak Payalaw, said on his Facebook page that the dog was sighted last Friday swimming toward the platform.

The crew managed to rescue the dog by putting a rope around its neck and hauling it up. He said the crew speculated it might have fallen off a fishing trawler, and dubbed him “Boon Rod,” or “Survivor.”

The dog landed Monday at the southern port of Songkhla and was declared in good shape after being delivered to the animal protection group Watchdog Thailand. (AP-VOAnews)

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM -United Kingdom (UK) Police say they have arrested more than 120 people after climate change protesters blocked major bridges and intersections in central London, bringing traffic to a standstill.

The group Extinction Rebellion is organizing several weeks of civil disobedience against what it says is the failure to tackle the causes of climate change.

Chief Supt. Colin Wingrove said police were dealing with a number of demonstrations in central London which had had a significant impact on public transit. He said 55 bus routes had to be shut down and roughly 500,000 people had been affected.

"At this time, ongoing demonstrations are causing serious disruptions to public transport, local businesses and Londoners who wish to go about their daily business," he said, adding that police expect the protests to last several weeks.

On Monday, demonstrators blocked sites including Waterloo Bridge over the River Thames, the busy Oxford Circus intersection and Parliament Square, and vandalized the headquarters of oil company Shell.

After hours of disruption, police ordered the group to confine protests to Marble Arch, beside Hyde Park. Scores of demonstrators who refused to move were arrested – 122 by early Tuesday afternoon – and traffic movement was slowed in several parts of central London.

Extinction Rebellion said "over 100 brave rebels" had been arrested. It said protests would continue. (AP-VOAnews)

JAKARTA, LELEMUKU.COM - Indonesia has recorded a trade balance surplus of US$540 million in March this year, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

The total value of exports in March this year was recorded at US$14.03 billion, an 11.71% increase compared to that of last month.

Meanwhile, the total value of imports in March reached US$13.49 billion, rose by 10.31 percent compared to that of last month or declined by 6.76 percent compared to that of the same month last year, BPS Head Suhariyanto said in a press conference at the BPS office, Jakarta.

Suhariyanto went on to say that the increase in exports was driven by an increase in non-oil and gas exports by 13 percent to US$12.93 billion. Meanwhile, oil and gas exports fell 1.57 percent from US$1,110.2 million to US$1,092.8 million.

“The decline in oil and gas exports was driven by the decline in oil output exports of 10.44 percent to US$82.4 million and crude oil exports of 23.37 percent to US$120.3 million, while gas exports rose by 3.35 percent to US$890.1 million,” Suhariyanto said.

The biggest increase in non-oil and gas exports in March 2019 against last month, according to Suhariyanto, was recorded in mineral fuels at 24.21 percent or amounting to US$401.3 million, while the biggest decline was in jewelry/gems at 4.84 percent or amounting to US$31.8 million.

Other commodities whose export value also increased include iron and steel amounting to US$186.7 million (40.38 percent); ore, crust and metal ash amounting to US$162.9 million (110.41 percent); paper/cardboard amounting to US$69.9 million (21.32 percent); and organic chemicals amounting to US$69.9 million (33.41 percent).

In addition to jewelry/gems, others commodities also declined including pulp/leftovers from food industry amounting to US$27.3 million (38.12 percent); iron and steel objects amounting to US$9.6 million (9.81 percent); locomotives and railroad equipment amounting to US$8.2 million (76.55 percent); and salt, sulfur, lime amounting to US$6.2 million (18.30 percent).

The increase in non-oil and gas exports in March 2019 compared to that of last month, Suhariyanto added, occurred in all main export destination countries, namely China (28.47 percent); Japan (13.52 percent); Taiwan (55.77 percent); the United States (8.47 percent); (10.37 percent); South Korea (8.21 percent); Thailand (5.73 percent); Malaysia (3.98 percent); Italy (17.56 percent); the Netherlands (5.24 percent); Australia (8.51 percent); Germany (6.54 percent) and Singapore (0.72 percent).

“Of the total figure, non-oil and gas imports in March 2019 reached USD11.95 billion, increasing by 12.24 percent compared to that of last month and fell by 2.29 percent compared to that of the same month last year. Oil and gas imports in March 2019 reached US$1.54 billion or declined by 2.70 percent compared to that of last month,” said Suhariyanto.

The biggest increase in non-oil and gas imports in March 2019 compared to that of last month, according to Suhariyanto, was machinery and electrical equipment amounting to US$11.2 million (17.04 percent), while the biggest decline was marine vessels and floating buildings of US$47.8 million (67.32 percent).

The decline in oil and gas imports, Suhariyanto added, was driven by the decline in the value of oil and gas imports of USD72.2 million (6.68 percent) and USD51.8 million (27.05 percent) respectively. Meanwhile, the value of crude oil imports increased to US$81.2 million (26.03 percent).

In the meantime, the three largest non-oil and gas import goods suppliers from January to March 2019 were China with a value of US$10.42 billion (29.01 percent), Japan of US$3.97 billion (11.05 percent), and Thailand of US$2.42 billion (6.75 percent). Non-oil and gas imports from ASEAN countries were recorded at 19.21 percent, while those of the European Union were at 8.37 percent. (Setkab)

JAKARTA, LELEMUKU.COM - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Sunday (14/04/2019) met with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman in a bilateral meeting held at the Palace of the Crown Prince in Riyadh. The meeting then continued with a state banquet.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi who accompanied the President during the bilateral meeting said that Indonesia-Saudi Arabia have agreed to establish a leader-level consultation mechanism and hold meetings once a year.

“Indonesia-Saudi Arabia also agreed to immediately hold a meeting to discuss investment and other economic cooperation,” Retno said, adding that Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest to collaborate in the fields of energy and petro chemistry.

In the meantime, President Jokowi said that Indonesia is eager to be part of the implementation of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. “The Crown Prince also appraises ​​Indonesia’s stable political stability and positive economic growth,” said Retno.

On that occasion, the Crown Prince delivered the decision to add 10,000 hajj pilgrimage quotas for Indonesia.

After conducting a series of meetings with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the President and First Lady Ibu Iriana left for Mecca to perform umrah or minor pilgrimage. (Setkab)

JAKARTA, LELEMUKU.COM - Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto dismissed a rumor saying that there would be chaos and riots during the upcoming general elections, which provoked an exodus of Indonesian citizens abroad.

“The weekly graph shows that there is no surge of Indonesian people going or coming from abroad,” the Minister said after leading a video conference of Final Preparedness Coordination Meeting of the 2019 General Elections Security at Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Jakarta, Monday (15/04/2019).

According to him, there are a total of approximately 70 thousand Indonesian citizens who are going abroad and there are 74 thousand Indonesian citizens who return to the country. This means, the people are eager and enthusiastic to cast their votes in the election.

“The public does not need to be afraid and worried because the police, assisted by the TNI (Indonesian National Defense Forces), will guard the elections,” Wiranto said.

Furthermore, the Minister stated that the lack of electoral equipment due to unexpected things—such as flooding and due to the increase in polling stations—had been overcome by sending the intended equipment this morning.

On that occasion, he also asked the public not to immediately celebrate victory of presidential and vice-presidential candidate in a parade after the quick count is carried out. “It is better not to do this because it can spark a commotion,” he added.

Regarding the discrepancy ratio on the allocated time and the voters abroad that resulting dismissal of queuing voters, the Minister emphasized that even though the time is up but if there are still registered voters who are present, they will be given time to cast their vote. “So, it is not limited to 13:00 local time,” he said.

Also attending the meeting were Commander of the TNI Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, Chief of the Indonesian National Police General Tito Karnavian, Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Arief Budiman, Chairman of the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Abhan, Chairman of the Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) Harjono, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo, Minister of Communication and Informatics Rudiantara, the Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo, Chief of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Budi Gunawan, Chairman of the National Cyber and Encryption Agency (BSSN) Djoko Setiadi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs A.M. Fachir, and representatives of related ministries and agencies. (Setkab)

SHANGHAI, LELEMUKU.COM - Automakers are showcasing electric SUVs and sedans with more driving range and luxury features at the Shanghai auto show, trying to appeal to Chinese buyers in their biggest market as Beijing slashes subsidies that have propelled demand.

Communist leaders wanting China to lead in electric vehicles have imposed sales targets. That requires brands to pour money into creating models to compete with gasoline-powered vehicles on price, looks and performance at a time when they are struggling with a Chinese sales slump.

General Motors, Volkswagen, China's Geely and other brands on Tuesday displayed dozens of models, from luxury SUVs to compacts priced under $10,000, at Auto Shanghai 2019. The show, the global industry's biggest marketing event of the year, opens to the public Saturday following a preview for reporters.

On Monday, GM unveiled Buick's first all-electric model for China. GM says the four-door Velite 6 can travel 301 kilometers (185 miles) before the battery needs charging.

VW showed off a concept electric SUV, the whimsically named ID. ROOMZZ, designed to travel 450 kilometers (280 miles) on one charge. Features include seats that rotate 25 degrees to create a lounge-like atmosphere.

Communist leaders have promoted "new energy vehicles'' for 15 years with subsidies to developers and buyers. That, along with support including orders to state-owned utilities to blanket China with charging stations, is helping to transform the technology into a mainstream product.

"People's mindset and governmental policies are more encouraging toward e-cars than in any other country,'' said VW CEO Herbert Diess.

Electric vehicles play a key role in the ruling Communist Party's plans for government-led development of Chinese global competitors in technologies from robotics to biotech.

Those ambitions set off Beijing's tariff war with President Donald Trump. Washington, Europe and other trading partners complain Chinese subsidies to technology developers and pressure on foreign companies to share know-how violate its market-opening commitments.

Electric car subsidies end next year, replaced by sales quotas. Automakers that fall short can buy credits from competitors that exceed their targets or face possible fines.

"Most of the traditional car makers are under huge pressure to launch NEVs,'' said industry analyst John Zeng of LMC Automotive.

Last year's Chinese sales of pure-electric and hybrid sedans and SUVs soared 60% over 2017 to 1.3 million, or half the global total. At the same time, industry revenue was squeezed by a 4.1% fall in total Chinese auto sales to 23.7 million vehicles.

That skid that worsened this year. First-quarter sales fell 13.7% from a year ago.

Still, China is a top market for global automakers, giving them an incentive to go along with Beijing's electric ambitions. Total annual sales are expected eventually to reach 30 million, nearly double last year's U.S. level of 17 million.

Under Beijing's new rules, automakers must earn credits for sales of electrics equal to at least 10% of purchases this year and 12% in 2020. Longer-range vehicles can earn double credits. That means some brands can fill their quota if electrics make up as little as 5% of sales.

Also Tuesday, Nissan Motor Co. and its Chinese partner displayed the Sylphy Zero Emission, an all-electric model designed for China. Based on Nissan's Leaf, the lower-priced Sylphy went on sale in August.

Mercedes Benz displayed its first all-electric model in China, the EQC 400 SUV. The Germany automaker says it can travel 400 kilometers (280 miles) on one charge and can go from zero to 100 kph (62 mph) in 5.2 seconds.

Mercedes plans to release 10 electrified models worldwide, with most built in China, according to Hubertus Troska, its board member for China.

Some Chinese rivals have been selling low-priced electrics for a decade or more.

China's BYD Auto, the biggest global electric brand by sales volume, unveiled three new pure-electric models last month. All promise ranges of more than 400 kilometers (280 miles) on one charge.

Last week, Geely Auto unveiled a sedan under its new electric brand, Geometry, with an advertised range of up to 500 kilometers (320 miles) on one charge.

Geely's parent, Geely Holding, launched a joint venture with Mercedes parent Daimler AG in March to develop electrics under the smart brand. Geely Holding is Daimler's biggest shareholder and also owns Sweden's Volvo Cars.

Beijing wants to force automakers to speed up innovation and squeeze out producers that rely too heavily on subsidies. But the technology minister acknowledged in January that China faces a difficult transition as that spending is ending.

Keeping development on track "will be a challenge,'' said Miao Wei, according to a transcript on his ministry's website.

The shift creates an opportunity for fledgling Chinese automakers that lag global rivals in gasoline technology. They have just 10% of the global market for gasoline-powered vehicles but account for 50% of electric sales.

The end of subsidies should lead to dramatic changes, said Zeng of LMC Automotive. He said longer-range, feature-rich models from global majors will replace small producers that cannot survive without subsidies.

Electric vehicles "will be much more competitive,'' said Zeng.

As the cost of batteries and other components falls, industry analysts say electrics in China could match gasoline vehicles in price and become profitable for manufacturers in less than five years.

EVs carry a higher sticker price in China than gasoline models. But industry analysts say owners who drive at least 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) a year save money in the long run, because maintenance and charging cost less. (AP-VOANews)

MOSCOW, LELEMUKU.COM - The lower chamber of Russia's parliament has passed in the third and final vote a controversial bill that critics say is part of efforts by President Vladimir Putin to expand government control over the internet.

Lawmakers in the State Duma on April 16 voted 307 to 68 to pass the proposed legislation that critics fear could herald a new era of widespread censorship.

The second reading is when amendments are finalized. The bill must now go to the upper house, the Federation Council, before being signed into law by Putin.

The so-called "sovereign Internet" bill would require Russian web traffic and data to be rerouted through points controlled by the state, and for the creation of a domestic domain-name system.

Backers of the bill say it will make what they call the Russian segment of the Internet -- known as the RuNet -- more independent. They argue it is needed to guard Russia against potential cyberattacks.

Critics say the bill will deal a large blow to Internet freedom in Russia. The proposed move sparked protests of several thousand people in Moscow last month.

The legislation would require the installation of specialized equipment that would make it easier to block websites banned by the government with greater efficiency.

Last week, the chief of Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor said the bill would in fact target a popular messaging app.

Aleksandr Zharov told the TASS news agency on April 9 that the bill "prevents the spread of banned information."

"It's obvious that one of the elements of this prevention will be fighting against" online resources including the Telegram messaging app, Zharov was quoted as saying.

At least four online news outlets, including the Rossiiskaya Gazeta government daily, deleted his remarks, according to a Telegram channel monitoring efforts by Roskomnadzor to block the messaging app.

In April 2018, Russia blocked Telegram after the popular messaging app refused to comply with a Russian court order to give security services access to users' encrypted messages.

Amnesty International said that blocking Telegram - used by senior government officials and Kremlin foes alike - would be "the latest in a series of attacks on online freedom of expression" in Russia.

Many Russians took to the streets to protest Kremlin efforts to silence the messaging app. (VOA)

ALGIERS, LELEMUKU.COM - The head of Algeria's constitutional council stepped down Tuesday after weeks facing the ire of protesters, state television reported.

Tayeb Belaiz informed the council, which will play a key role in upcoming presidential elections, that "he presented his resignation... to the head of state".

Algerians have called for Belaiz and other top figures to quit in mass demonstrations which prompted the departure of veteran president Abdelaziz Bouteflika earlier this month.

Protesters have targeted the "3B" -- Belaiz, Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, and Abdelkader Bensalah who served as upper house speaker until being appointed interim president after Bouteflika's resignation.

Bensalah has defended his appointment under constitutional rules and has pledged a transparent vote, to be held on July 4.

The constitutional council is tasked with vetting election candidates, as well as ensuring the regularity of the polls.

Belaiz has served as a minister almost without interruption for 16 years and was appointed head of the constitutional council for the second time on February 2.

Later that month Algerians took to the streets to rally against Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term in polls initially schedule for April.

The demonstrations swelled and spread nationwide, with protesters calling for a broad overhaul of the political system following the president's departure. (VOA)

TAIPEI, LELEMUKU.COM - Taiwan is not intimidated by China's military drills this week, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday, after the latest Chinese military maneuvers were denounced by a senior U.S. official as "coercion" and a threat to stability in the region.

China's People's Liberation Army said its warships, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft had conducted "necessary drills" around Taiwan on Monday, although it described them as routine.

Tsai said Taiwan was not intimidated by the drills.

"As you may be aware, China's armed forces yesterday sent a large number of military aircraft and naval vessels into our vicinity. Their actions threaten Taiwan and other-like minded countries in the region," Tsai said.

"These actions only serve to strengthen our resolve. Our military forces have the capacity, determination, and commitment to defend Taiwan and not allow coercion to dictate our own future," she said.

Tsai also said the Trump administration had notified Taipei of its third arms sale to Taiwan, the training of pilots at the Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

"It enhances their abilities to defend our air space. I want to express my appreciation to the U.S. government for the announcement," she said.

Tsai was speaking at a forum co-hosted by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mark the 40th anniversary of Taiwan-U.S. ties under the Taiwan Relations Act, following Washington's decision to ditch formal recognition of Taiwan in favor of China in 1979.

The event was attended by a delegation led by Paul Ryan, the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Taiwan scrambled jets and ships to monitor the Chinese forces on Monday, its defense ministry said, accusing Beijing of "trying to change the status quo of the Taiwan Strait."

'Encirclement patrols'

The goal of the drills was to practice a "combined firepower assault" that included electronic jamming from aircraft under the protection of fighter jets, the People's Liberation Army Daily reported on Tuesday.

Bombers "screamed" towards the area and carried out "sudden attacks" while warships occupied assault positions and conducted attacks on "enemy" fire points, the official paper of China's military said. Landing forces reached specified waters, which were circled by helicopters at low altitude.

The paper cited a Chinese military representative as saying the drills were annual, planned exercises that were "completely within the normal legal rights of a sovereign country."

China has repeatedly carried out what it calls "island encirclement patrols" in the past few years.

Ryan said the United States considers any military threat to Taiwan a concern and urged China to stop, saying the moves were counterproductive.

The United States has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help provide the island with the means to defend itself and is its main source of arms.

China has stepped up pressure on Taiwan and suspects Tsai is pushing for the island's formal independence. That is a red line for China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

Tsai says she wants to maintain the status quo with China but will defend Taiwan's security and democracy.

The visit by U.S. officials comes just weeks after Tsai said the United States was responding positively to Taipei's requests for new arms sales to bolster its defenses in the face of growing pressure from China.

Washington sent Navy and Coast Guard ships through the narrow strait separating the island from the mainland last month, part of an increase in the frequency of U.S. movement through the strategic waterway to show support for Taipei. (VOA)

LIMA, LELEMUKU.COM - A Peruvian prosecutor said on Monday he plans to ask a judge to order former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski to spend three years in jail before trial while he is being investigated for allegedly taking bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht SA.

Kuczynski, 80, has already spent five days in jail without charges, after a judge granted the prosecution's request to order him to spend 10 days in pretrial detention last week. The prosecution has argued Kuczynski is a flight risk and would try to obstruct the investigation unless he is jailed.

Kuczynski has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in connection with Odebrecht and said he has cooperated fully with the probe.

​In a televised courtroom hearing on Kuczynski's appeal of the 10-day jail order, prosecutor Hernan Mendoza mentioned that he plans to ask a judge to jail Kuczynski for 36 months while charges are prepared.

Mendoza will make arguments for the so-called "preventive prison" request for Kuczynski at a hearing scheduled to start on Tuesday.

In Peru, suspects can be jailed without trial for up to three years if prosecutors show evidence that would likely lead to a conviction and that the suspects would likely try to flee or obstruct their work.

Judges have ordered several prominent politicians in Peru to pretrial detention since Odebrecht sparked Latin America's biggest graft scandal by admitting publicly in late 2016 that it had secured construction contracts across the region with bribes.

Ernesto Blume, the president of Peru's top court the Constitutional Tribunal, has warned that preventive prison should only be granted in exceptional cases and warned judges not to overuse it.

A former Wall Street banker who renounced his U.S. citizenship to run for Peru's presidency, Kuczynski narrowly won the 2016 election but resigned a year ago in the face of near-certain impeachment by the opposition-controlled Congress.

Prosecutors have accused Kuczynski of helping Odebrecht win contracts for a highway and an irrigation project when he was a cabinet minister in the government of former President Alejandro Toledo, in exchange for bribes disguised as consulting fees. (VOA)

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - Key Democratic lawmakers on Monday accused the Trump administration of "a bizarre and unlawful attempt to score political points" with a possible plan to send undocumented immigrants detained at the U.S.-Mexican border to congressional districts represented by Democrats.

Congressmen Jerrold Nadler, Elijah Cummings and Bennie Thompson, all chairmen of House of Representatives committees investigating President Donald Trump's administration, demanded documents and communications about the plan to move migrants from the border to hundreds of communities throughout the United States.

Local officials in areas across the country have declared their jurisdictions are sanctuary cities for migrants, with policies limiting how much they cooperate with federal immigration enforcement and in some cases allowing undocumented immigrants to access city services and obtain identification cards.

Federal law does not require local police to detain people based on their immigration status, and local law enforcement officials in sanctuary areas have said they would rather immigrant communities not fear interacting with police.

Some states have gone the other direction, passing anti-sanctuary laws requiring cities to work with federal immigration authorities.

Trump suggested again Monday he wants to move the immigrants detained at the border to the sanctuary cities and states after saying over the weekend he wants them "to take care of the Illegal Immigrants -- and this includes Gang Members, Drug Dealers, Human Traffickers, and Criminals of all shapes, sizes and kinds."

The Democratic lawmakers said, "It is shocking that the president and senior administration officials are even considering manipulating release decisions for purely political reasons."

The government's Department of Homeland Security has said that Congress has not appropriated any money to transport the migrants from the border to far-flung sanctuary cities, while the Immigration and Custom Enforcement agency has called the idea an "unnecessary operational burden."

But Trump, who is often at odds with Democratic lawmakers over border security funding, revived the idea in recent days, claiming that opposition Democrats who favor what he calls "open borders" ought to approve of accepting the migrants into their communities. Some local Democratic officials have said the migrants, mostly from Central America, are welcome in their cities, while other party officials have claimed that Trump has no legal right to single out specific communities for an influx of migrants.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told the U.S. cable news program Fox News Sunday, "We certainly are looking at all options as long as Democrats refuse to acknowledge the crisis at the border."

Trump, in one of several Twitter comments on border security in recent days, said, "The USA has the absolute legal right to have apprehended illegal immigrants transferred to Sanctuary Cities. We hereby demand that they be taken care of at the highest level, especially by the State of California, which is well known (for) its poor management & high taxes!"

Washington state Governor Jay Inslee told NBC's Meet The Press that his state welcomes people who are awaiting their asylum hearings.

"You can't threaten somebody with something they're not afraid of. And we are not afraid of diversity in the state of Washington," Inslee said.

He criticized what he called immigration solutions based on "trolling on the internet" and instead promoted a system to process more asylum claims, a path to citizenship for those already living in the United States who came to the country illegally, and having an overall "acceptance of refugees because we're a humane nation."

The United States now houses thousands of migrants at the border but is running out of beds and instead is releasing new arrivals into the country on their promise to appear at asylum hearings that might not occur for two years. (VOA)

PARIS, LELEMUKU.COM - The world reacted with shock, tears and prayers as it watched images of the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral burning in Paris on Monday.

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation just before midnight. "I tell you solemnly tonight: We will rebuild this cathedral,” he vowed.

He said he would seek international help, including from the "greatest talents'' in the world for the task.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain was ready to help. He called the fire a "catastrophe for France, for Spain and for Europe.''

On the streets of Paris, hundreds gathered, some wept, as they watched the flames engulf the cathedral's spire.

Paris resident Lisa Sussman, originally from Atlanta, in the U.S. state of Georgia, said, "It’s horrible. It really is the center of Paris. I was at the apartment with my friends. It really hurts everyone’s heart — they really feel that connected to it. I feel it, too. It was really tragic to watch the spire fall."

Nearby, another Parisian resident, George Castro, said he was in shock.

"I’m a Christian, a Catholic. I think it’s really, really sad to see this happening right now. Right now, we don’t have many symbols, and this is a huge symbol for the West. It’s very, very sad," he said.

Pope Francis issued a statement late Monday expressing the Vatican’s “shock and sadness” at “the news of the terrible fire that devastated the Cathedral of Notre Dame, a symbol of Christianity in France and in the world.”

Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan prayed at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan for intercession. "God preserve this splendid house of prayer, and protect those battling the blaze,'' Dolan said in a statement.

The Russian Orthodox Church's secretary for inter-Christian relations Hieromonk Stefan called the fire "a tragedy for the entire Christian world and for all who appreciate the cultural significance of this temple,'' the state news agency RIA-Novosti reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump called it a "terrible, terrible fire'' that devastated "one of the great treasures of the world.'' He also had advice for the French on how to fight the fire. "Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!," Trump said on Twitter.

France's Civil Security agency said that wasn't possible. "Hundreds of firemen of the Paris Fire Brigade are doing everything they can to bring the terrible #NotreDame fire under control. All means are being used, except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral,'' the agency tweeted in English.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama, in a tweet, called Notre Dame "one of the world’s great treasures, and we’re thinking of the people of France in your time of grief. It’s in our nature to mourn when we see history lost – but it’s also in our nature to rebuild for tomorrow, as strong as we can." He also posted an old photo of himself, his wife Michelle and their two daughters lighting candles in the cathedral.


Celebrities also poured their grief and dismay in tweets. American actress Laura Dern said she was moved to tears. “I’m weeping. Our gift of light,” she wrote. “Notre Dame on fire. My heart is breaking. My grandmother’s and mother’s heart home.”

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote, “Standing here next to you, heartsick for Notre Dame,” (VOA)

CARACAS, LELEMUKU.COM - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has met obstacles at nearly every turn since he declared presidential powers in a bid to end socialist President Nicolas Maduro's rule, and his visit to this once-thriving oil center was no different.

He was forced to take a boat to outmaneuver police roadblocks and reach throngs of supporters waiting to hear him speak in the sweltering heat in Maracaibo, a city now infamous for its blackouts.

Security forces had blocked the bridge across Lake Maracaibo just as Guaido arrived on Sunday. Undeterred, the 35-year-old opposition leader and his entourage boarded a private boat and sped off across the water.

While Guaido has gained backing from the United States and some 50 other nations, Maduro remains firmly entrenched nearly three months into the struggle for control of Venezuela. Guaido has been stripped of his immunity and faces the looming threat of arrest — something he warned would be a "big mistake."

"It would only deepen the crisis," Guaido told The Associated Press as the boat crossed the choppy waters. "The consequences would only hurt the regime."

Maracaibo, Venezuela's second-largest city of 1.5 million where refineries that once hummed with constant activity have fallen into disrepair, is a window into a nation that has plunged into chaos.

The power has returned for most of Venezuela after a massive electrical grid failure that blanketed most of the country's 30 million residents for days starting March 7. But Maracaibo hasn't bounced back.

The city is a crumbling version of its former self. Gushing oil wells that helped make a nation with the world's largest oil reserves flush with cash have given way to broken-down oil platforms that sit idle as nearby shores are black with oozing crude.

Maracaibo has endured rampant blackouts for more than a year, leaving residents of a city where temperatures regularly reach 100 degrees without air conditioning and refrigerators, spoiling food. In the streets, residents spend hours searching for water, and schools barely open.

Frustration spilled over for several days in mid-March, with mass looting by mobs that overran shopping centers sacking 523 stores — many of which have not reopened their doors.

Residents say they live in fear of a serious illness or injury. Doctors in the main emergency hospital tell patients to bring their own water to clean wounds and even the most basic items like aspirin are lacking.

Guaido's first visit to Maracaibo since declaring presidential powers on Jan. 23 comes at a time when he seeks to tap into popular frustration and anger to re-energize his campaign.

Some fear he's leading yet another fatally stalled opposition movement unable to break free from Maduro. Guaido has failed to win a critical mass of the armed forces away from Maduro or bring in international shipments of humanitarian aid.

The masses of supporters who flooded the streets in the capital, Caracas, immediately after Guaido declared presidential powers aimed at toppling Maduro have begun to wane.

But in Maracaibo, a historic opposition stronghold, he was met Sunday by thousands who turned out at a series of rallies to hear him speak even as his voice turned hoarse. Several thousand followers waited more than four hours in the middle of one of the city's main avenues.

The visit came as pressure on Guaido is only tightening. The National Constituent Assembly, stacked with Maduro loyalists, withdrew Guaido's parliamentary immunity earlier this month, opening the path to prosecute and arrest him for allegedly violating the constitution. Days earlier Guaido's chief of staff was jailed as an accused terrorist.

Guaido said he has urged his international backers to adopt a stance of "zero tolerance" toward Venezuela's rampant corruption and the mismanagement of its resources.

Maduro boasts support from Russia, China and Turkey, but Guaido dismissed that as "more of a show" than having any substance amid Venezuela's crisis. Guaido refuses to negotiate with Maduro.

"There's no possibility of a dialogue with Maduro," Guaido said. "He's the problem.''

Given the fading anti-government protests and the opposition's refusal to open a dialogue with Maduro, the option of some sort of U.S. military deployment — starting with efforts to bolster humanitarian aid deliveries to Venezuela — has been gaining strength, especially among some figures in Washington.

"It is becoming clear that we will have to consider the use of American military assets to deliver aid," Florida Sen. Rick Scott said last week at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. "Maduro and his thugs have left us no choice."

The Trump administration is determined to see Maduro removed from power, preferably through diplomatic and economic pressure. The White House has slapped dozens of officials in Maduro's government with financial sanctions and targeted Venezuela's oil industry, its most important source of revenue. But while White House officials have repeatedly warned that "all options are on the table," no plan appears to be in place backing up the tough talk.

Reaching the other side of Lake Maracaibo, Guaido hit another police roadblock. His entourage abandoned their cars and turned to local residents to help them navigate around backroads.

Guaido spoke at several rallies, urging Venezuelans not to give into Venezuela's collapsing public services. Rather, he said, they need to keep the protests alive throughout the country, rejecting Maduro's government.

"We're not going to bend our knees — if that's what they tell us to do,'' Guaido said, as the mass of people cheered in support. "Yes we can!" they shouted. (VOA)

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - Attorney General William Barr has provided only a glimpse of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on the inquiry into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election, with many details expected to emerge when the document is finally released.

Barr on March 24 sent a four-page letter to lawmakers detailing Mueller's "principal conclusions" including that the 22-month probe did not establish that President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team conspired with Russia. Barr said he found insufficient evidence in Mueller's report to conclude that Trump committed obstruction of justice, though the special counsel did not make a formal finding one way or the other on that.

The attorney general told Congress he hopes to release the nearly 400-page report this week, with portions blacked out to protect certain types of sensitive information.

Here are five things to look for when the report is issued.

Obstruction of Justice: Why No Exoneration?

Perhaps the biggest political risk for Trump is the special counsel's supporting evidence behind Mueller's assertion that while the report does not conclude the Republican president committed the crime of obstruction of justice it "also does not exonerate him" on that point.

According to Barr's March 24 letter, Mueller has presented evidence on both sides of the question without concluding whether to prosecute. Barr filled that void by asserting there was no prosecutable case. But Barr's statement in the letter that "most" of Trump's actions that had raised questions about obstruction were "the subject of public reporting" suggested that some actions were not publicly known.

Democrats in Congress do not believe Barr, a Trump appointee, should have the final say on the matter. While the prospect that the Democratic-led House of Representatives would begin the impeachment process to try to remove Trump from office appears to have receded, the House Judiciary Committee will be looking for any evidence relevant to ongoing probes into obstruction of justice, corruption and abuse of power by the president or others in the administration.

Barr's comment that most of what Mueller probed on obstruction has been publicly reported indicates that events like Trump's firing of James Comey as FBI director in May 2017 when the agency was heading the Russia inquiry are likely to be the focus of this section of the report.

Russian 'Information Warfare' and Campaign Contacts

The report will detail indictments by Mueller of two Kremlin-backed operations to influence the 2016 election: one against a St. Petersburg-based troll farm called the Internet Research Agency accused of waging "information warfare" over social media; and the other charging Russian intelligence officers with hacking into Democratic Party servers and pilfering emails leaked to hurt Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

With those two indictments already public and bearing no apparent link to the president, the focus may be on what Mueller concluded, if anything, about other incidents that involved contacts between Russians and people in Trump's orbit. That could include the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York in which a Russian lawyer promised "dirt" on Clinton to senior campaign officials, as well as a secret January 2017 meeting in the Seychelles investigated as a possible attempt to set up a back channel between the incoming Trump administration and the Kremlin while Democrat Barack Obama was still president.

Any analysis of such contacts could shed light on why Mueller, according to Barr's summary, "did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

Manafort, Ukraine Policy and Polling Data

In the weeks before Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was sentenced in March to 7-1/2 years in prison mostly for financial crimes related to millions of dollars he was paid by pro-Russia Ukrainian politicians, Mueller's team provided hints about what their pursuit of him was really about.

Prosecutor Andrew Weissmann told a judge in February that an Aug. 2, 2016 meeting between Manafort and Konstantin Kilimnik, a consultant Mueller has said has ties to Russian intelligence, "went to the heart of" the special counsel's investigation.

The meeting included a discussion about a proposal to resolve the conflict in Ukraine in terms favorable to the Kremlin, an issue that has damaged Russia's relations with the West. Prosecutors also said Manafort shared Trump campaign polling data with Kilimnik, although the significance of that act remains unclear.

One focus will be on what Mueller ultimately concluded about Manafort's interactions with Kilimnik and whether a failed attempt to secure cooperation from Manafort, who was found by a judge to have lied to prosecutors in breach of a plea agreement, significantly impeded the special counsel's work.

National Security Concerns

While Mueller did not find a criminal conspiracy with Russia, according to Barr, there is a chance the report will detail behavior and financial entanglements that give fodder to critics who have said Trump has shown a pattern of deference to the Kremlin.

One example of such an entanglement was the proposal to build a Trump tower in Moscow, a deal potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars that never materialized. Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer, admitted to lying to Congress about the project to provide cover because Trump on the campaign trail had denied any dealings with Russia.

In the absence of criminal charges arising from Mueller's inquiry, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff has shifted his focus to whether Trump is "compromised" by such entanglements, influencing his policy decisions and posing a risk to national security.

Some legal experts have said the counterintelligence probe Mueller inherited from Comey may prove more significant than his criminal inquiry, though it is not clear to what degree counterintelligence findings will be included in the report.

Barr also has said he planned to redact material related to intelligence-gathering sources and methods.

Middle East Influence and Other Probes

Another focus is whether Mueller will disclose anything from his inquiries into Middle Eastern efforts to influence Trump.

One mystery is what, if anything, came of the special counsel's questioning of George Nader, a Lebanese-American businessman and consultant to the crown princes of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia who started cooperating with Mueller last year.

Nader attended the Seychelles meeting. He also was present at a Trump Tower meeting in August 2016, three months before the election, at which an Israeli social media specialist spoke with the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., about how his firm Psy-Group, which employed several former Israeli intelligence officers, could help the Trump campaign, according to the New York Times. Mueller's interest in Nader suggested the special counsel looked into whether additional countries sought to influence the election and whether they did so in concert with Russia.

A lawyer for Nader did not respond to a request for comment. Barr has said he will redact from the Mueller report information on "other ongoing matters," including inquiries referred to other offices in the Justice Department. That makes it unclear if any findings related to the Middle East will appear in the report. (VOA)