MANAMA – The Trump administration launched a $50 billion economic formula for Israeli-Palestinian peace yesterday, saying an investment programme for the Palestinians was a precondition for ending the decades-old conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner opened a two-day international meeting in Bahrain to rally support for the blueprint, which has met broad disdain from Palestinians and others in the Arab world although regional U.S. allies such as Saudi Arabia discreetly support it.

“We can turn this region from a victim of past conflicts into a model for commerce and advancement throughout the world,” Kushner told the gathering, attended by the heads of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was scathing about its prospects: “Money is important. The economy is important … The political solution is more important.”(Reuters)…[+]

A six-year-old boy was stung by a scorpion while at school on Monday. Masood Ali was sitting in the First Year classroom of Rochard Douglas Presbyterian School when the scorpion stung him on his left foot around 2 p.m. The Express was told by the child’s mother, Maltee Ali, that her son was discharged from hospital as he did not show signs of poisoning.

Ali met her son at the health centre when he was being examined by doctors, then accompanied him to the San Fernando General Hospital where he was examined further and kept for several hours for observation. The child was discharged from hospital on Monday night. Speaking with the Express yesterday at the family’s home in Barrackpore, Ali said her son is feeling well and should return to school this week.(Trinidad Express)…[+]

VIENNA  Austria’s Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a decision granting a U.S. request to extradite Ukrainian tycoon Dmytro Firtash, paving the way for him to face trial in the United States over bribery allegations. Firtash, who denies wrongdoing, is a former business partner of veteran U.S. Republican political operative and convicted felon Paul Manafort. He is also a former supporter of Ukraine’s ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovich. Firtash made a fortune selling Russian gas to the Kiev government.

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia held a memorial on Tuesday for the army chief of staff slain with four other senior officials in weekend attacks that posed the biggest threat yet to the prime minister’s reforms. Abiy Ahmed, who survived a grenade attack at a rally in his honor last year, sat in the front row at the memorial and wiped tears from his eyes with a white handkerchief.

Abiy took power 15 months ago and has won widespread international praise for kickstarting political and economic reforms, but his shake-up of the military and intelligence services has earned him powerful enemies at home. His government is also struggling to contain discontent from Ethiopia’s myriad ethnic groups fighting the federal government and each other for greater influence and resources. The foiled plot to seize control of the northern Amhara region and the assassinations in the national capital Adis Abeba underscored the threat of spiraling violence in Africa’s second-most populous nation. In addition to the killing of the chief of staff in the capital, Amhara state president Ambachew Mekonnen and an adviser were killed in the region’s main city Bahir Dar.(reuters)…[+]

Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith says that the Intelligence agencies have revealed that there are over 50 “ shooters”, linked to various gangs, with most being active in taking out hits on opposing gang members. And this has proven to be the root cause of a significant number of homicides in this country via gang activity, he says. These individuals walk around with their firearms, knowing quite well that if held, it is usually a simple case of going to court next day, acquiring bail, and being issued with another firearm, to carry out their trade; which involves killing persons in cold blood, according to Griffith.

In a statement yesterday, Griffith said the Bail Amendment Bill was a critical tool to providing both a strong deterrent as well as ensuring that if and when such criminal elements are held, they can remain where they belong. In the last decade, over 75% of homicides were carried out by persons with illegal firearms in this country, and most by a select few, he said. Presently, anyone who is apprehended with a firearm, could be released on bail and be free to possibly assassinate the same person who was the informant that caused their initial arrest.(Trinidad Express)…[+]

The UN says tens of thousands of Islamic State fighters and family members being held in Iraq and Syria must be tried or released. Human rights chief Michelle Bachelet also called on countries to take responsibility for their citizens and take them back if not charged.

The last IS strongholds fell in March and some 55,000 people are being held, including thousands of foreigners. But many nations have shown reluctance to bring their citizens back. The countries fear prosecutions of IS fighters may be difficult and public opinion is often strongly against repatriation. Some countries have also refused to recognise the children of IS members born in Syria and Iraq as citizens, despite their parents having nationality. Ms Bachelet said that children in particular had suffered “grievous violations” of their human rights.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said there should be no doubt about what must happen to those being detained. “Accountability through fair trials protects societies from future radicalisation and violence,” she said, adding that continuing to detain individuals not suspected of crimes was not acceptable. She added: “Foreign family members should be repatriated, unless they are to be prosecuted for crimes in accordance with international standards.”(BBC)…[+]

LOS ANGELES– Disney’s domination over the box office only seemed to strengthen this weekend as “Toy Story 4” easily topped box office charts. The fourth entry in Pixar’s animated series collected $118 million in ticket sales when it debuted in 4,575 North American theaters. While that haul is significantly below expectations, which anticipated a start near $140 million, it’s hardly a disappointment for the critically acclaimed movie.

Despite glowing reviews, box office prognosticators suggest that “Toy Story 4” underperformed because audiences were wary about the need for another chapter after “Toy Story 3” wrapped up the series so perfectly. The domestic debut is only a slight jump on that entry, which bowed nearly a decade ago with $110 million. However, strong word of mouth will likely keep “Toy Story 4” in theaters long throughout the summer.

“Toy Story 4’s” bow ranks as the fourth-biggest launch for an animated movie behind “Incredibles 2” ($182 million), “Finding Dory” ($135 million), and “Shrek the Third” ($121 million). It’s also only the third movie this year to cross $100 million in receipts during its opening weekend. The other two — “Captain Marvel” and “Avengers: Endgame” — were both Disney releases as well.(Reuters)…[+]

Another prominent victim of the Windrush scandal has died without receiving compensation or a personal apology from the UK government. According to London-based newspaper, the Guardian, a former Middlesex bowler Richard Stewart had been waiting for his case to be resolved so he could travel back to Jamaica for the first time in half a century and visit his mother’s grave, but he died a week ago, aged 74.

His son, Wesley Stewart, said the cause of death was unknown, adding that his father had become stressed and depressed during the protracted process of attempting to sort out his paperwork and prove the government’s errors had caused him severe problems for years. He later described his father as “a pioneer of cricket for the Windrush generation, and a gentleman”. Stewart said his father had never wanted to see Britain as a racist country, but his views had changed as a result of his treatment by the Home Office. “It was blatant discrimination. The government made him feel like: you’re black, you shouldn’t be here, full stop,” he said.(Jamaica Observer)…[+]

Spain’s Supreme Court has ruled that an attack on a teenage woman that shocked Spain was gang rape, rather than an earlier verdict of sexual abuse. The five men, known as the “wolf pack”, were originally given nine years in jail when they were cleared of rape.

But prosecutors appealed to the Supreme Court to upgrade the conviction and judges increased their sentences to 15 years. The attack prompted Spain to announce a review of its rape laws. All five had been on provisional release since last year pending the Supreme Court decision. Prosecutors had asked for their jail terms to be doubled to 18 years. Reports say that at least two of the men were detained after the verdict and arrest warrants have been issued for the rest. The court ruled decisively that the five had carried out the attack in “a genuinely intimidating scenario”. Under current Spanish rape law use of intimidation is key to a rape conviction.

In July 2016, when the city of Pamplona was holding its traditional San Fermin bull-running festival, the 18-year-old woman was dragged into the hallway of a residential building. The five men removed her clothes and had unprotected sex with her. Some of them filmed it on their phones. The woman’s phone was also stolen and she was found reportedly in a distraught state.(BBC)…[+]

WASHINGTON – Walmart Inc said yesterday it will pay $282 million to settle a seven-year-long investigation into whether its overseas units in Mexico, Brazil, China and India violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The retailer will pay more than $144 million to settle charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission and about $138 million to resolve parallel criminal charges by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to court and regulatory filings.

In a separate regulatory filing, Walmart said the $282 million was part of a “global settlement” and ended all FCPA-related investigations into the retailer and its overseas businesses. The Justice Department launched an investigation of the retailer after a series of New York Times articles in 2012 described alleged bribes paid by Walmart in Mexico to obtain permits to build stores there.

The reports spurred a wide-reaching investigation by the department into the behavior of Walmart subsidiaries around the globe, including in Mexico, Brazil, China and India. “Walmart profited from rapid international expansion, but in doing so chose not to take necessary steps to avoid corruption,” Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said on Thursday.(Reuters)…[+]