No sign of Russia withdrawal, says Nato
Nato and the US say there is no sign of a withdrawal of Russian troops from areas bordering Ukraine.
The Kremlin earlier announced units in the Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk areas would return to their permanent bases.
Correspondents say removing some of the estimated 40,000 Russian troops could help de-escalate the Ukraine crisis.
Ukrainian government forces continue to clash with pro-Russia separatists who have taken over government buildings in southern and south-eastern Ukraine.
A statement from the Kremlin had said: "In connection with the completion of the planned spring phase of military training... at ranges in Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk regions, [President Vladimir] Putin ordered the defence minister to withdraw the troops that took part in the exercises."
No indication was given as to troop numbers or a timetable.
However, Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: "Unfortunately, we have not seen any evidence at all that Russia has started withdrawal.
"I strongly regret that because a withdrawal of Russian troops would be a first important contribution to de-escalating the crisis."
Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told Reuters news agency: "We have seen no indication of any movement."
One senior US official told Agence France-Presse that Washington would want to see "clear, firm evidence of this move before we make any judgement".
Russia has made two statements about withdrawals in the past.
Source-BBC
More Than 100 Hackers Arrested, Half A Million Computers Infected
Hackers using a sophisticated malware infected more than half a million computers in more than 100 countries leaving several victims questioning their safety when using their computer.
The malware lets cybercriminals take over a computer and hijack its webcam, US authorities said as charges were announced today against more than 100 people worldwide.
The FBI described its investigation in criminal complaints unsealed in Manhattan federal court against five individuals.
Meanwhile, police worldwide said they had recently arrested 97 people in 16 countries suspected of using or distributing the malicious software called BlackShades.
"This case is a strong reminder that no one is safe while using the Internet," said Koen Hermans, an official representing the Netherlands in the European Union's criminal investigation coordination unit, Eurojust.
"It should serve as a warning and deterrent to those involved in the manufacture and use of this software."
The FBI said the BlackShades Remote Access Tool has been sold since at least 2010 to several thousand users. The agency said one of the program's co-creators is now cooperating with the government and had provided extensive information.
The malware lets hackers steal personal information, intercept keystrokes and hijack webcams to make secret recordings of users. BlackShades also can be used to encrypt and lock a computer's data files, blocking the rightful owners from regaining access unless they pay a ransom.
Security experts have linked the program to attacks on Syrian dissidents in 2012 and attempts to steal data from more than a dozen French organizations last year. The low cost of the hacking tool has made it increasingly popular across the hacker underground, where variants have been circulating online for years.
Last year, security firm Symantec said that use of BlackShades was going up, with licenses for the program going for $40 to $100.
French officials said raids occurred last week after the FBI arrested two BlackShades developers and distributed a list of customers who had purchased the malware.
Law enforcement coordination agencies Europol and Eurojust, based in The Hague, Netherlands, said Monday that police in 13 European countries — Austria, Belgium, Britain, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Moldova, the Netherlands and Switzerland — as well as in the United States, Canada and Chile raided 359 properties and seized cash, firearms, drugs and more than 1,000 data storage devices.
The two European agencies declined to provide country-by-country breakdowns of arrests, details of items seized or the specific days when last week's raids occurred.
In Paris, the state prosecutor's office said French detectives arrested more than two dozen people during May 13 raids and described the global nature of the arrests and searches as an unprecedented "new form of judicial action." It said those arrested were identified by the FBI as French "citizens who had acquired or used this software."
In a BlackShades-related investigation before the latest global arrests, Dutch police earlier this year arrested an 18-year-old man for using the malware to take pictures of women and girls using about 2,000 computers.
Source-AP
US Coast Guard suspends search for missing British sailors
The United States Coast Guard says it has suspended its active search, pending further developments, for four Britons, whose yacht capsized in the Atlantic Ocean as they made their way back to the United Kingdom from the Caribbean over the weekend.
The Coast Guard said the crew of the 40 foot sailing vessel, ‘Cheeki Rafiki’, was returning from what is considered to be one of the world’s most prestigious regattas in Antigua, when the four sailors went missing in treacherous conditions.
The missing sailors, who are presumed dead, are Andrew Bridge, 21, James Male, 23, Steve Warren, 52, and Paul Goslin, 56.
British Daily Mail newspaper reported that the men had been sailing the Cheeki Rafiki, a Beneteau performance racer yacht, back from the Antigua Sailing Week regatta.
The US Coast Guard said it had searched the waters for the missing sailors about 1,000 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, up to 5:00 am (local time) on Sunday.
The Coast Guard said it was told by the United Kingdom representatives of the ‘Cheeki Rafiki’ the last message they received from the crew on Friday indicated they were taking on water with four people on board.
The Coast Guard said on Sunday, they located an overturned hull that matched the description of the Cheeki Rafiki, but no signs of the sailors.
“We appreciate the assistance of the US Air Force, Canadian and the three merchant vessels helping us to conduct a thorough search so far from shore,” said Captain Anthony Popiel, 1st Coast Guard District Chief of Response.
“We are extremely disappointed that we were not able to locate the sailors during the course of this extensive search. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families during this difficult time,” he added.
The sailors on board the Cheeki Rafiki were described as “very experienced offshore yachtsmen””.
Source-CMC
Dominican Republic on the right path according to poll
Dominican Republic is headed in the right direction, according to 58.3 percent of its citizens, while 39.9% say no way.
The results are from a survey of more than 1,200 Dominicansby pollster Asisa Research Group conducted from May 9 to 11 and published by El Caribe, in which 1.8% declined comment.
The survey sought to establish the population’s beliefs regarding the country’s advances, and its expectation on the future.
The poll, with 1,213 interviews and a margin of error of +/-2.83%, also found marked differences between youngsters and adults as to how they perceive the country’s direction, as well among men and women.
Last week a poll by Penn Shoen & Berland found nearly identical percentages.
Dominican Republic on the right path according to poll
Dominican Republic is headed in the right direction, according to 58.3 percent of its citizens, while 39.9% say no way.
The results are from a survey of more than 1,200 Dominicansby pollster Asisa Research Group conducted from May 9 to 11 and published by El Caribe, in which 1.8% declined comment.
The survey sought to establish the population’s beliefs regarding the country’s advances, and its expectation on the future.
The poll, with 1,213 interviews and a margin of error of +/-2.83%, also found marked differences between youngsters and adults as to how they perceive the country’s direction, as well among men and women.
Last week a poll by Penn Shoen & Berland found nearly identical percentages.
Dunkley to be sworn in as Premier
Premier Craig Cannonier has quit over the political firestorm surrounding the long-running Jetgate row.
His deputy, National Security Minister Michael Dunkley, has been named the news Premier, and will be sworn in this morning.
Governor George Fergusson, said last night: “The Hon Michael Dunkley has informed me, following a meeting of his party colleagues, of his intention to form a Government. I am satisfied that Mr Dunkley is best able to command the confidence of a majority of the members of the House of Assembly.
“I have asked Mr Dunkley to continue in the role of Acting Premier, pending a formal swearing in as Premier of Bermuda tomorrow morning.”
Mr Dunkley last night called it “a bittersweet moment”.
“As you’re aware Craig Cannonier stepped down tonight as Premier,” said Mr Dunkley. “I’ve just had a meeting with my parliamentary colleagues and they have supported me to be Premier going forward.”
Speaking shortly before 11pm, Mr Dunkley said he’d taken the position of Acting Premier about an hour earlier, and would be signed in as Premier in due course.
“Obviously it’s very difficult - and perhaps it’s important for me to mention that Craig and I are good friends. It’s not only difficult for him; it’s very difficult for me.”
Mr Cannonier announced he was stepping down as leader amid mounting controversy of the Jetgate affair.
And this evening he left Cabinet Office for the last time as Premier to tender his resignation to Governor George Fergusson.
The move came after several hours of meetings at Cabinet Office, which ran late into the night.
Mr Fergusson confirmed the change: “I have asked the Deputy Premier, the Hon. Michael H. Dunkley, JP, MP, to carry out the role of Acting Premier on an interim basis.”
Mr Cannonier will continue to serve as an OBA MP.
Prior to the announcement, one source said that Mr Cannonier was “finished” as leader — and that there was “no way back” from the Jetgate controversy.
Earlier, the writing was on the wall as Mr Cannonier’s Parliamentary colleagues failed to line up behind their embattled leader — and took a “wait and see” approach as party chiefs carry out an internal investigation into the year-long row over a trip to see wealthy Maryland-based Nathan Landow aboard the tycoon’s private jet.
Leah Scott — who publicly apologised to her constituents over the affair — said she had “no comment” on whether Mr Cannonier should stand down.
She added she had no plans to quit the OBA whip or politics over Jetgate and said: “At this time, I’m not.”
But Ms Scott, the junior Education Minister, declined to voice support for Mr Cannonier to stay on at Cabinet Office.
OBA backbencher Susan Jackson said: “I really believe in the internal review. I know there are people looking into this in great detail and we know the chairman will report when the results are available and I’m going to wait for that.”
Ms Jackson also declined to say what her political future might be.
“I was elected by the constituents of Pembroke South West and I would have to speak to them and seek the direction of my constituency,” she said.
Former Environment Minister Sylvan Richards, now junior Home Affairs Minister, added: “I’m not making any comments on what’s going on with the OBA at the moment.”
OBA backbencher Suzann Roberts-Holshouser, when asked if Mr Cannonier should go, said: “I would prefer to answer that question later.”
She added: “One has to think long and hard and not take anything lightly — time is needed by me in order to be comfortable.”
Devonshire North West backbencher Glen Smith also declined to comment on Mr Cannonier — but said: “I would not drop out.”
Jeanne Atherden, the backbench MP for Pembroke West, added: “I’m not prepared to give any comment at the current time.”
When asked if she would consider her future with the party, she said: “I would have the same response. To talk about anything we’re doing right now is not productive.”
The crisis deepened last week after Mr Landow confirmed he and a group of other US businessmen had donated around $300,000 to assist the 2012 OBA election campaign — although the cash was reported to have been given to a group called the Bermuda Political Action Club and not directly to the OBA.
Three months after the December 2012 election victory, Mr Cannonier, along with Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell and Attorney General Mark Pettingill, as well as the Premier’s business manager Stephen DaCosta, flew for a meeting in the US with Mr Landow and his associates.
Mr Cannonier repeatedly denied any wrongdoing — but the pressure on him and the party, elected on promises of clean and open government — proved too much to stand.
Source-Royal Gazette
Attorney banned for two years
Attorney At Law Arlean Beckford has been banned for two years from practising law as a result of what the General Legal Council (GLC) described as "professional misconduct".
The GLC, in a newspaper advertisement yesterday, announced that the licence of the St Andrew-based lawyer had been suspended after she was found guilty of professional misconduct for a second time.
The GLC said that after hearing evidence in the latest breach from a complainant identified as Winston Rowe, it ruled that the attorney had acted unprofessionally.
The ban became effective on May 1 and Beckford is not entitled to practise until her suspension has expired.
Prior to the ban, the GLC had taken disciplinary action against the lawyer in 2005 for professional misconduct regarding a real estate deal.
She was reportedly fined $250,000 and ordered to pay the complainant's attorney's fee of $50,000.
Following the 2005 disciplinary action, Beckford was twice accused of defrauding her clients, and, in both instances, was arrested and charged with fraudulent conversion and taken before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.
She was first arrested and charged in February 2011 following allegations that she defrauded one of her clients of more than $5 million in a real estate deal. It is alleged that she sold a house for the complainant in 2008 and failed to hand over a cheque, which she had received for the sale of the house.
Beckford was later arrested and charged in March 2013 following fresh allegations that she failed to turn over $1.8 million given to her by a client in July 2012 to effect a land transaction in St Catherine.
Source-Observer
Cuba mobile email experiment causes chaos
On an island where most people have no Internet access, the arrival of mobile phone email service was embraced with joy.
Tens of thousands of Cubans began emailing like crazy in March - for days, until the service started to fail, taking much of Cuba's already shaky voice and text-messaging mobile service down with it
The island's aging cellphone towers became swamped by the new flood of email traffic, creating havoc for anyone trying to use the system. Users had to make eight or nine attempts to successfully send an email. Even voice calls by non-subscribers' began to drop mid-conversation. Callers sounded like they were phoning from the bottom of the sea. Ordinary text messages arrived days late, or not at all.
Since then, the state telecom monopoly Etecsa has issued a rare apology and the troubles have eased. But problems with the service, dubbed Nauta, offer a rare window into the Internet in Cuba, where the digital age has been achingly slow to spread since arriving in 1996, leaving the country virtually isolated from the world of streaming video, photo-sharing and 4G cellphones.
Cuba's government blames the technological problems on a U.S. embargo that prevents most American businesses from selling products to the Caribbean country. Critics of the government say it deliberately strangles the Internet to halt the spread of dissent. Other observers offer a less political explanation: a government desperate for foreign exchange is investing little in infrastructure improvements while extracting as much revenue as possible from communications services largely paid for by Cubans' wealthier overseas relatives.
Experts say that last explanation appears to be the primary culprit in the case of Nauta, in which the government tried to open connections with the world but floundered due to apparent poor planning and underinvestment.
"Cuba is extremely broke," said Larry Press, a professor of information systems and expert on Cuban telecommunications at California State University, Dominguez Hills. "If they had access to tons of capital they would probably expand (Internet service) further."
About 100,000 people - around 5 percent of Cuban cellphone users - had subscribed to the service even though it cost 50 times that of many U.S. data plans.
Radio scriptwriter Lisandra Ayala, 36, stood in line for hours in March outside an Etecsa office, dreaming of zipping emails back and forth with her favorite cousin in Canada. Like many Cubans, she has long had a smartphone - a status symbol frequently brought in by visiting relatives.
She paid $1.50 to sign up for a Nauta contract that was supposed to let her send emails with the ability to attach photos, but not send video or check the Web. Even the price of $1 per megabyte, many times higher than in virtually any developed country, didn't deter her.
"I was so excited at first, but then the experience turned into a total disaster," Ayala said. After a week of decent service, she found it impossible to open the icon for Nauta without trying at least six times; voice calls dropped or didn't go through and text messages disappeared mid-air.
"We have been preparing for more than a year," Hilda Arias, director of Etecsa, told official media late last month. "Customers' expectations really exceeded our vision ... this provoked an overload."
She promised that the situation would improve, albeit slowly.
With cellular rates as high as 35 cents a minute for domestic calls, Etecsa earned roughly $500 million last year, revenue that's been rising slowly since 2008, according to Emilio Morales, a systems engineer who heads the Miami-based Havana Consulting Group, a private consultant that analyzes Cuba's scanty public information about government revenues and operations to produce estimates widely considered reliable by Cuba-watchers.
"There are few businesses in Cuba that work as well as Etecsa," he said.
The group's studies show that 54 percent of payments to Etecsa come directly from the Cuban diaspora. Morales believes Cubans pay much of the rest out of the estimated $2.6 billion a year in remittances from abroad. And, while most state workers only make $20 a month, a new class of roughly 400,000 independent businessmen and their employees also make heavy use of cellphones for advertising with text-message as well as ordinary business calls.
Authorities here say they are trying to offer a range of new Internet services by year's end, including mobile Web access and unrestricted home Internet access, currently limited to select government officials and employees of foreign businesses and embassies.
But customers remain wary.
"Nauta failed and stopped the whole mobile communication system from working properly," said Indira Perez, a 24-year-old university employee "If they don't prepare themselves better when they want to broaden Internet access, it's going to be total chaos."
Source-AP
Jackson, Timberlake own Billboard Music Awards
The King of Pop and a likely successor, prince of pop Justin Timberlake, ruled the Billboard Music Awards - though Michael Jackson made a splash via hologram and Timberlake accepted his awards via video from overseas.
A hologram of Jackson made its debut Sunday, mirroring the late icon's signature slick dance moves as some members of the audience became emotional, while Timberlake won seven prizes, including top artist and Billboard 200 album, and accepted the honors outside of the country where he was on tour.
"All the other finalists, Miley, Imagine Dragons, Bruno, Katy, I love you guys, it's not a competition, but if it is, I won!" Timberlake exclaimed, dancing with his band. "I want to thank everybody on Earth, everybody on Earth, except, except Donald Sterling."
Timberlake's idol was featured in hologram form, and it performed "Slave to the Rhythm," a song from Jackson's new posthumous album "Xscape," along with a plethora of background dancers, beaming lights and fire blasts. It was easily the biggest moment at the awards show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
"We tried to do as best we could what we thought Michael would have loved, and those of us who knew Michael really well, we had a good perspective on it," Epic Records CEO L.A. Reid said backstage. Reid worked on the album and released it. "But the truth is, you can't ever really know because he wasn't there."
Robin Thicke, who won four awards including top Hot 100 song for "Blurred Lines," debuted a new song called "Get Her Back," aiming to win over his actress-wife Paula Patton after they announced in February they were separating. He sang on bended knee and ended with the line: "I gotta get her back tonight."
"And most importantly I'd like to thank my wife for her love and support and for putting up with me all these years," Thicke said onstage when he accepted top R&B song.
The night featured a number of collaborative performances, including an explosive duet from Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, while double winner Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line were crowd favorites when they performed "This Is How We Roll." Even Underwood and her hockey player-husband Mike Fisher sang along.
Miley Cyrus performed The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" with Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips remotely from the United Kingdom, where she was on tour.
"I have to of course thank all of my amazing fans. ... Thank you everybody for making this (expletive) possible - oops. I'm on ABC, sorry," she said when accepting top streaming artist, sticking out her tongue at the end.
Katy Perry, who won top female artist, also performed remotely. Imagine Dragons, however, was present in Las Vegas, where the Billboard Music Awards marked a homecoming for the band. The Las Vegas-based rockers won five honors, including top duo/group and rock artist.
"We wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for people that believed in our band, in our small band that started here in Las Vegas from the very beginning," leader Dan Reynolds told the audience. He then thanked radio, family and management for their support, adding with a yell at the end: "And Billboard!"
Lorde was a double winner, taking home trophies for best new artist and rock song for the ubiquitous hit "Royals."
"This whole thing started for me with a song that was written when I was 15, which I know everyone knows, but what I want to say is I am 17 and a half now and I'm so thankful," she said as some of the crowd laughed. "That wasn't a joke. I'm so thankful that I've had the opportunity to learn and grow as a new artist in the spotlight."
Lorde performed her new hit "Tennis Court" in her signature black - and showcased her signature twitchy dance moves. Other performers included John Legend, who sang his current No. 1 hit "All of Me" on piano, a semi-racy Ariana Grande, a sultry Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, who received the icon award and performed at the beginning and end of the three-hour show.
While musicians dominated the awards show, Kendall Jenner turned some heads when she fumbled over her words - almost pulling a John Travolta - when introducing Australian pop group 5 Seconds of Summer.
"And now we welcome ... One ..." the 18-year-old reality star said, seeming to almost say One Direction, as she put her head down.
"Guys, I'm the worst reader."
Jason Derulo for Sumfest
American pop singer Jason Derulo is one of the headliners for the 22nd Reggae Sumfest, scheduled for Catherine Hall in Montego Bay from July 13–19.
Derulo is set to perform on July 18, International Night I. His song, Take me to The Other Side, is currently number two on the American pop chart.
Derulo has been in the music business since age 16. He started his career as a producer and writer for acts such as Danity Kane, Sean Kingston, Lil Wayne, Cassidy, Iyaz and Lady Gaga.
As a singer, he is known for hits such as Talk Dirty, Ridin Solo, In My Head, and Whatcha Say. Executive producer of Summerfest Productions, Johnny Gourzong, says following strong performances from Usher, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida, Derulo was a natural choice for Sumfest.
“We have received overwhelming requests for Jason, so we are pleased to announce his confirmation on our lineup. It’s going to be another great show this year,” Gourzong told the Observer.
Born to Haitian parents in Florida, Derulo's third album, Tattoos, was released last September. His latest set, Talk Dirty, was released last month.
Reggae Sumfest kicks off with its traditional beach party on July 13 at Aquasol Beach, followed by the All White Party on July 15 at Pier 1, both in Montego Bay.