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Medical News Thirdhand Smoke Affects Weight, Blood Cell Development in Mice A new Berkeley Lab-led study found that the sticky residue left behind by tobacco smoke led to changes in weight and blood cell count in mice. These latest findings add to a growing body of evidence that thirdhand smoke exposure may be harmful. – Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Scientific Reports, Feb. 3, 2017 Embargo expired on 03-Feb-2017 at 05:00 ET Monoclonal Antibody Given to Preterm Babies May Reduce Wheeze Later Preterm babies given the monoclonal antibody palivizumab to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also appear less likely to develop recurrent wheeze, at least until the age of six, according to new research published online, ahead of print in th... – American Thoracic Society (ATS) American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Embargo expired on 03-Feb-2017 at 00:15 ET Sleep Deprivation Handicaps the Brain's Ability to Form New Memories, Study in Mice Shows Studying mice, scientists at Johns Hopkins have fortified evidence that a key purpose of sleep is to recalibrate the brain cells responsible for learning and memory so the animals can "solidify" lessons learned and use them when they awaken -- in the... – Johns Hopkins Medicine Science; S10OD021844, 5P50MH100024 Embargo expired on 02-Feb-2017 at 14:00 ET Skin Sodium Content Linked to Heart Problems in Patients with Kidney Disease • Elevated sodium content in the skin correlates closely with left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with chronic kidney disease. – American Society of Nephrology (ASN) doi: 10.1681/ASN.2016060662 Embargo expired on 02-Feb-2017 at 17:00 ET UW Sleep Research High-Resolution Images Show How the Brain Resets During Sleep Striking electron microscope pictures from inside the brains of mice suggest what happens in our own brain every day: Our synapses – the junctions between nerve cells - grow strong and large during the stimulation of daytime, then shrink by nearly ... – University of Wisconsin-Madison Science Embargo expired on 02-Feb-2017 at 14:00 ET Under and Misuse of Hormone Therapy Decreasing, but Still High A nationwide cancer registry of almost one million patients treated for hormone-sensitive breast cancer shows that one out of six women who should have received post-surgical treatment known as adjuvant endocrine therapy did not get this recommended ... – University of Chicago Medical Center JAMA Oncology, Feb. 2, 2017 Embargo expired on 02-Feb-2017 at 11:00 ET UW Scientists Find Key Cues to Regulate Bone-Building Cells The prospect of regenerating bone lost to cancer or trauma is a step closer to the clinic as University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have identified two proteins found in bone marrow as key regulators of the master cells responsible for making new... – University of Wisconsin-Madison Stem Cell Reports Feb. 2 2017 Embargo expired on 02-Feb-2017 at 12:00 ET New Zika Vaccine Candidate Protects Mice and Monkeys with a Single Dose A new Zika vaccine candidate has the potential to protect against the virus with a single dose, according to a research team led by scientists from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As reported in Nature this week, pr... – Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania UC6-AI058607; U19AI057229; T32 AI007632-14; R01-AI050484; R01-AI124429 ; R01-AI084860 Embargo expired on 02-Feb-2017 at 11:00 ET Mount Sinai Neurobiologist Illuminates the Underexplored Potential of Cannabis to Address Opioid Addiction A number of animal studies and a small human pilot study have revealed that cannabinoids, extracts of cannabis legally sold as medical marijuana, could reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms in heroin users. – Mount Sinai Health System Embargo expired on 02-Feb-2017 at 12:00 ET Simple Ways to Beat Weight Gain, Breeder Develops Genetic Path to Tastier Tomatoes, Dietitian Talks Solving the Over-Consumption of Sugary Drinks in the U.S., and More in the Food Science News Source Click here to go to the Food Science News Source – Newswise VIDEO AVAILABLE: Science of the Super Bowl LI Newswise Live Expert Panel Event ON-DEMAND VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE: Thursday, February 2 at 2 pm ET, featuring a panel of experts that will scientifically analyze the various aspects of this major pop culture event. – Newswise Who Is Responsible for the Health of NFL Players, Why, and What Can Be Done to Promote Player Health? A groundbreaking report out of Harvard University explores who is responsible for the health of NFL players, why, and what ca be done to promote player health. The authors of the report are available for interviews. – Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) UAB Study Shows Children and Parents Over-Report Leukemia Medication Adherence New research from UAB suggests that young patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL — the most common type of pediatric cancer — and their parents are likely to report to their physician that they took more of their anti-cancer medication ... – University of Alabama at Birmingham Blood Research Connects Overeating During National Events to Medical Problems People who overeat during national holidays and national sporting events – like this weekend’s Super Bowl – are 10 times more likely to need emergency medical attention for food obstruction than any at other time of the year, according to a new... – University of Florida Growth Factor Shown to Protect the Retina in Early Stage Diabetes Researchers from the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear have shown that a slight increase in transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), which is present in preclinical animal models with diabetic eye disease, protects retinal... – Massachusetts Eye and Ear American Journal of Pathology Mayo Clinic Researchers Find Association Between Therapy for Autoimmune Disease and Bone Marrow Disorders Mayo Clinic researchers have found that azathioprine, a drug commonly used to treat autoimmune disease, may increase the risk of myeloid neoplasms. Myeloid neoplasms include a spectrum of potentially life-threatening bone marrow disorders, such as my... – Mayo Clinic Giant Study Finds Rare, but Influential, Genetic Changes Related to Height International study of more than 750,000 people probes deeper into height than ever before – Boston Children's Hospital Nature Volunteering Eases Veterans' Transition to Civilian Life Led by a Saint Louis University researcher, the first peer-reviewed and published national study of civic service among U.S. vets who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan found volunteering improved their health and social life. – Saint Louis University Medical Center Psychiatry Research, Feb 2017 The Best Treatment for Laryngeal Cancer? This Approach Helps Decide After a decade of using a novel approach to select patients for laryngeal cancer treatment, researchers are reporting "exceptional" survival rates nearing 80 percent, even for the most advanced patients. – Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan JAMA Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery; CA097248 ; CA046592 Yale Scientists Identify Key Defect in Brain Tumor Cells In a new study, Yale Cancer Center researchers identified a novel genetic defect that prevents brain tumor cells from repairing damaged DNA. – Yale Cancer Center Research Connects Overeating During National Sporting Events to Medical Problems People who overeat during national holidays and national sporting events – like this weekend’s Super Bowl – are 10 times more likely to need emergency medical attention for food obstruction than any at other time of the year, according to a new... – University of Florida Gastroenterology Report Researchers Find Unhealthy Gut Microbes a Cause of Hypertension Researchers have found that the microorganisms residing in the intestines (microbiota) play a role in the development of high blood pressure in rats. The study is published in Physiological Genomics. It was chosen as an APS select article for Februar... – American Physiological Society (APS) TSRI Chemists Unveil Versatile New Method for Making Chiral Drug Molecules Chemists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have invented a new technique for constructing chiral drug molecules. – Scripps Research Institute 2R01GM084019 Study Points to a Universal Immune Mechanism as a Regulator of Sleep Sleep—one of the most basic, yet most mystifying processes of the human body—has confounded physicians, scientists and evolutionary biologists for centuries. – Harvard Medical School Brain Plasticity: How Adult-Born Neurons Get Wired-in Does the brain create additional synapses from the cortical neurons to the new granule cells, or do some cortical neurons transfer connections from mature granule cells to the new granule cells? Researchers have found that the connections are transfe... – University of Alabama at Birmingham NS098553; NS064025; NS065920 ; NS047466 Drug Discovery Researchers Awarded Grant to Refine Malaria Drug A research team from the Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery has received a $431,126 two-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to make improved versions of a promising compound called MMV008138, or 8138 for short. – Virginia Tech Interview with a Scientist: Thomas O’Halloran, Metal Maestro In a video interview, Thomas O’Halloran discusses the roles of metals in the body with a focus on how zinc regulates egg cell maturation and fertilization. – NIH, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Houston Methodist Hospital Offers the World’s Smallest Pacemaker A pacemaker the size of a nickel can now be implanted in patients. – Houston Methodist Wanted: Self-Driving Cells to Pursue Deadly Bacteria Researchers are setting out to design and test troops of self-directed microscopic warriors that can locate and neutralize dangerous strains of bacteria. – Johns Hopkins University The Medical Minute: Minimally Invasive Treatments for Structural Heart Disease Although blockages in the arteries of the heart, also known as coronary artery disease, are the best known, there are many other diseases that may involve the actual structures inside the heart. – Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Grocery Shop Like a Cardiologist It's Heart Month. See how cardiologist Susan Smyth tackles her grocery list to maximize heart health. – University of Kentucky Peak of Flu Season Starts This Month – Are You Ready? [Video] In a season of a serious flu, UCLA's Dr. Dennis Woo explains why it's not too late to get the vaccine. Expert Available – University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences Clear Communication Can Make Doctor Visits Successful for Children with Autism Doctor visits can be a challenge for patients with autism, their families and health care providers. Kristin Sohl, associate professor of child health at the University of Missouri, offers several steps providers and families can take to make medical... Expert Available – University of Missouri Health Ebola Grant Expanded From $12 Million to $24 Million Supplemental funding will allow three partner institutions to perform additional site visits, conduct more education and training courses, as well as build a special pathogens research network. – University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) UVA, CHKD Form Regional Collaborative for Cardiac Care University of Virginia Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters have appointed Dr. Jay Gangemi as surgical director of the new regional collaborative for cardiac care at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. The ... – University of Virginia Health System 2018 and 2019 Van Wagenen Fellows Announced Fellowship Awardees Announced for the William P. Van Wagenen Fellowship for the next two years. – American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Child Health Institute of New Jersey Awarded $5 Million Grant From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The Child Health Institute of New Jersey has been awarded a $5 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which will expand and enhance its core mission to improve children’s health through the scientific study of pediatric illnesses, i... – Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Case Western Reserve Appoints Bernard Boulanger, MD, as Senior Associate Dean for the Metrohealth System Case Western Reserve School of Medicine has appointed Bernard Boulanger, MD, MBA, as senior associate dean for The MetroHealth System. In his new role, effective March 1, Dr. Boulanger will oversee the planning, assessment, and implementation of the ... – Case Western Reserve University Johns Hopkins Medicine Alliance for Patients Announces Renewed Participation in Medicare Program The Johns Hopkins Medicine Alliance for Patients (JMAP), the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) of Johns Hopkins Medicine, announces that it has been selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to renew its participation in the Medica... – Johns Hopkins Medicine UC San Diego Researcher to Study Most Effective Treatment for Kawasaki Disease Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at University of California Davis have received a $2 million grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes R... – University of California San Diego Health Sciences Tween Clothing Retailer Justice’s National Holiday Fundraising Campaign Raises More Than $1 Million for Nationwide Children’s Hospital Tween clothing retailer, Justice presented Nationwide Children’s Hospital officials with a check totaling $1,472,837. The amount represented the total dollars raised during Justice’s national holiday campaign that benefited The Research Institute... – Nationwide Children's Hospital Mayo Clinic Names Dr. Karl Nath Editor-in-Chief of Medical Journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings Mayo Clinic has named Karl Nath, M.B.,Ch.B., editor-in-chief of its peer-reviewed medical journal, Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Dr. Nath succeeds William Lanier, M.D., who has served as editor-in-chief since 1999 and is retiring from the role. Proceeding... – Mayo Clinic The Brain Injury Research Center at Mount Sinai Appoints New Director Clinical neuropsychologist Kristen Dams-O’Connor, PhD, has been named Director of The Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) – Mount Sinai Health System Seattle Children’s Sets GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for DNA Experiment at Groundbreaking for New Research Building Seattle Children’s Research Institute succeeded in a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt for most people conducting a DNA isolation experiment simultaneously. – Seattle Children's Hospital Science News Story Tips from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, February 2017 Vacuum insulation panels prove cost-effective solution for DOD; ORNL noise filter puts end to unwanted EMI; NYC focus of ORNL green commuting study; ORNL process speeds battery production process; ORNL study sheds new light on traditional welding tec... – Oak Ridge National Laboratory Lab Specializes in Analyzing Brittle Portion of Polar Ice Cores Tiny air bubbles compressed within a polar ice core make some sections brittle to the touch, but one ice core lab knows how to handle this delicate part of the chemical analysis, thus making the dating of the entire ice core possible. – South Dakota State University Climate of Past, 12, 7690786, doi10:5194; Naure, 50, 661-665, doi:10.1038; Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 118, 7459-7466, doi:10.1002; , Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 6764-6769, doi:10.1021... SLAC Study Helps Explain Why Uranium Persists in Groundwater at Former Mining Sites A recent study led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory helps describe how uranium cycles through the environment at former uranium mining sites and why it can be difficult to remove. – SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Bone et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 09 January 2017 (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1611918114) Supercomputing, Experiment Combine for First Look at Magnetism of Real Nanoparticle Researchers working with magnetic nanoparticles approached computational scientists at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to help solve a unique problem: to model magnetism at the atomic level using experimental data from a real nanoparticle. – Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sandia Battling Corrosion to Keep Solar Panels Humming Sandia National Laboratories researchers study corrosion to help industry develop longer-lasting photovoltaic panels and increase reliability. – Sandia National Laboratories SDSC’s ‘Comet’ Supercomputer Surpasses ‘10,000 Users’ Milestone Comet, the petascale supercomputer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), an Organized Research Unit of UC San Diego, has easily surpassed its target of serving at least 10,000 researchers across a diverse range of science disciplines, from as... – University of California San Diego ACI 1341698 UAH, HudsonAlpha Team as Part of National $31.5 Million Genetics Effort Research by The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology will help scientists can better understand how our cells work. The research is part of a four-year, $31.5 million National Institutes of Health (NIH... – University of Alabama Huntsville Researchers Trying to Get Handle on Campus Pigeon Population The Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Departments are collaborating with the Operations Division to devise a humane method of studying and mitigating the bird’s numbers and effects on facilities. – Texas Tech University Wichita State Joins NASA's Advanced Composites Consortium Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research has joined NASA's Advanced Composite Consortium (ACC), a public-private partnership focused on advancing knowledge about composite materials and improving the performance of future a... – Wichita State University NYU’s Panozzo Wins NSF CAREER Award New York University Professor Daniele Panozzo has won a 2017 Faculty Early Career Development award from the National Science Foundation. – New York University National Science Foundation Berkeley Lab Gets $4.6M in Functional Genomics Catalog Project Berkeley Lab is set to receive nearly $4.6 million over four years as part of an ongoing, federally funded project to create a comprehensive catalog for fundamental genomics research. This latest expansion of the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE)... – Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 1UM1HG009421-01 Ourmazd to Join Advisory Committee of U.S. Department of Energy Abbas Ourmazd, a UWM distinguished professor of physics, has been appointed to serve on the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Lifestyle & Social Sciences America's Biggest Secret or Life in a Culture of Pay Secrecy? My eight-year-old daughter received the classic Hasbro Game of Life as a holiday gift this past year. What caught my attention right away while playing the game with her were the salaries. – American Sociological Association (ASA) ASA Section on Economy, Work, and Inequality, August 2016 WIU's LaFrance Releases New Policing Book Western Illinois University Associate Professor of Political Science Casey LaFrance has released a timely book examining decision making by police officers. – Western Illinois University To Lose Weight, and Keep It Off, Be Prepared to Navigate Interpersonal Challenges A new study highlights an unexpected challenge for those who have made a new year’s resolution to lose weight: the people around you may sabotage your efforts. The study also uncovered strategies that people use to navigate interpersonal challenges... – North Carolina State University Health Communication, Feb-2017 Book by MSU Researcher Focuses on K-12 Education Issues An award-winning Mississippi State education faculty member is the author of a new guide for all involved in the kindergarten-high school learning process. – Mississippi State University The Secret Behind Darden Capital Management’s Success Beating Benchmark Returns A feature on UVA Darden School of Business' Capital Management, the club and class that gives students the ability to manage part of the endowment, and shows great results. – University of Virginia Darden School Foundation Economic Sabotage Found in New Examination of Nixon Tapes University of Delaware economics professors Burton Abrams and James Butkiewicz recently took another listen to recordings Richard Nixon made while in the White House. They emerged with evidence that Nixon knew his 1971 New Economic Policy was dangero... – University of Delaware Faculty Experts Available to Discuss Abraham Lincoln Legacy as Birthday Nears To mark Abraham Lincoln’s birthday Feb. 12 – he was born in 1809 in Kentucky – DePaul University experts are available to discuss the 16th president’s depiction in photography and art, and his relevance in modern times. Expert Available – DePaul University Wake Forest University Names Former EPA Official to Lead Graduate Programs in Sustainability Wake Forest University has appointed alumnus and former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official Stan Meiburg (’75) as director of graduate programs in sustainability. Meiburg served as Acting Deputy Administrator for the EPA from 2014 to 201... – Wake Forest University UC Irvine Cross-Campus Collaboration Delivers New Certificate Program Aimed at Arts and Creative Professionals UC Irvine’s top ranking Paul Merage School of Business and national leader Claire Trevor School of the Arts unveiled today the brainchild of their collaborative efforts – The Certificate in Arts Management Program. Grounded in foundational busine... – University of California, Irvine, The Paul Merage School of Business Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to Speak at UC San Diego Commencement The University of California San Diego, one of the top 15 research universities in the world and recognized for its contributions to the public good, in partnership with The Friends of the Dalai Lama Foundation, founded by Ven. Lama Tenzin Dhonden th... – University of California San Diego

ENERGY NEWS

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Iran thumbs nose at Washington on oil

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Iran is still able to get its crude oil to the international market and increase production despite souring U.S. relations, an Iranian official said Friday.

Iran tensions again lift oil prices slightly

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Increased geopolitical tensions are adding support to crude oil prices early Friday, though the market remains highly volatile so far.

Russia keeps key rate unchanged

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- An expectation of slow growth despite better-than-expected recovery on the bank of an oil price rebound in 2016 means stable rates, Russia's Central Bank said.

More gas from North Sea for Statoil

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Norwegian energy company Statoil said Friday it found more gas in part of a field it discovered two years ago in the North Sea.

Vitol claims first for gas offshore Ghana

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The christening of a floating production platform in Ghana could mark the dawn of a new era from its natural resource economy, energy company Vitol said.

SocGen: U.S. oil market a bit bearish

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. crude oil market is turning bearish as stockpiles build up in response to rising imports, a review of data from Societe Generale said.

Audit leaves Johan Svedrup estimate unchanged

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Though it remains one of the larger prospects in the North Sea, appraisal data of the Johan Sverdrup field yielded no change in reserve estimates, Oslo said.

Early rally in oil fizzles on Libyan rebound

Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf offered support to crude oil prices early Thursday, though renewed work in Libya could undermine the rally.

Russia could move quicker on oil production declines

Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Russia could move quicker than expected on trimming oil production under the terms of an OPEC-led agreement, the country's energy minister said Thursday.

WORLD NEWS

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Russia warns South Korea of consequences if THAAD deployed

Russia's ambassador to South Korea warned Moscow would take measures if Seoul chooses to go ahead and deploy the U.S. missile defense system THAAD.

Brazil names new judge to lead corruption probe

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Minister Edson Fachin was assigned to lead investigations into a massive political and business corruption ring, the court said.

Avalanche in Iran kills three, more missing

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Three bodies were found after an avalanche struck Bewran, Iran, an Iranian Red Crescent Society official said Friday.

Report: North Korea requiring Chinese residents to idolize Kims

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Chinese nationals living in North Korea are not exempt from Kim idolization, according to a recent report.

Colombia's ELN exchanges hostage for two captured rebels

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Colombia's ELN rebel group freed its second-to-last remaining hostage, former Congressman Odín Sánchez, which will allow peace negotiations to begin.

Stocks connected to billionaire missing in China fall

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Stocks owned by the holding company of missing businessman Xiao Jianhua, believed abducted by Chinese police, fell sharply in trading Friday.

EU proposes supporting Libya to tackle migrant crisis

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- EU leaders in Malta proposed supporting the Libyan coast guard and increasing actions against human smugglers in efforts to curb an inflow of migrants.

French soldier shoots man outside Louvre after attempted attack

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- French officials shut down a Paris museum after a soldier shot a man when he was denied entry with two backpacks.

Haley 'condemns' Russia for Ukraine fighting, Crimea

Feb. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley made her first appearance at the U.N. Security Council, where she condemned Russia for ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine.

U.S. NEWS

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11 arrested during NYU protest over Gavin McInnes event

The New York City Police Department said 11 people were arrested outside New York University during a protest against conservative comedian Gavin McInnes.

U.S. Treasury announces new sanctions on Iran

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury announced new economic sanctions against Iran for a ballistic missile test the United States views as a violation of a U.N. resolution.

BMW recalls cars dating to 2000 for airbag investigation

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- BMW of North America announced a recall of cars dating to the year 2000 for possible driver-side airbag issues, it said Friday.

Poll: Americans split on media's treatment of Trump

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Americans are nearly evenly split on the question of whether the media has been too rough or not tough enough on President Donald Trump.

U.S. economy shows strong job gains, wages stagnate in January

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. economy added a robust 227,000 jobs in January, surpassing economists' predictions, though there was virtually no growth in workers' wages.

Nordstrom drops Ivanka Trump-branded products

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Retailer Nordstrom Inc. announced it will drop Ivanka Trump's clothing and shoe brand, citing poor sales.

House votes to roll back rule to prevent mentally ill from buying guns

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to repeal an Obama administration rule aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of people with mental illnesses.

Trump to Israel: New settlements may not help efforts for peace

Feb. 2 (UPI) -- The White House issued a gentle warning to Israel Thursday night that continuing to expand or build new settlements may make the peace process 

François Hollande leads attacks on Donald Trump at EU summit

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François Hollande has led a series of damning attacks on Donald Trump by EU leaders arriving at a summit in Malta to discuss the future of the union.

The French president described recent comments by the US president as unacceptable and warned there would be no future for Europe’s relations with the US “if this future isn’t defined in common”.

The Austrian chancellor, Christian Kern, said Trump’s ban on travellers from some Muslim-majority countries was “highly problematic”.

Dalia Grybauskaitė, the Lithuanian president, offered a withering verdict on the recent meeting between Trump and Theresa May. “I don’t think there is a necessity for a bridge. We communicate with the Americans on Twitter,” she said.

European parliament leaders call on EU to reject Trump's likely ambassador pick

 

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The British prime minister, with the UK’s recently appointed permanent representative to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow, by her side, was one of the few leaders not to comment as she entered through the door of the Grand Masters Palace, where the 28 member states are holding talks.

Hollande was scornful of Trump’s first days in the Oval office, and warned him to stay out of the EU’s internal affairs. “It cannot be accepted that there is, through a certain number of statements by the president of the United States, pressure on what Europe ought to be or what it should not be,” he said.

On Thursday the Guardian revealed that leaders of the parties in the European parliament were seeking to block the expected appointment of Ted Malloch as the US ambassador to the EU following his claim that he intended to “tame” the union.

Asked what he thought of EU leaders, like those of Hungary and Poland, who were leaning towards Trump, Hollande said: “Those who want to forge bilateral ties with the US are of course well understood by the public.

“But they must understand that there is no future with Trump if it is not a common position. What matters is solidarity at the EU level. We must not imagine some sort of external protection. It exists through the Atlantic alliance, but it cannot be the only possible route, because who knows what the US president really wants, particularly in relation to the Atlantic alliance and burden-sharing?

“We in France have a defence policy. We fear nothing … We must have a European conception of our future. If not, there will be – in my opinion – no Europe and not necessarily any way for each of the countries to be able to exert an influence in the world.”

Donald Trump's first 100 days as president – daily updates

 

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The European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, said he did not feel “threatened” by Trump, but voiced his concern that the US administration was not on top of world affairs. “There is room for explanations because of the impression that the new administration does not know the EU in detail, but in the European Union details matter,” he said.

Austria’s leader, Kern, said of Trump’s decision to ban nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries: “We should win these countries as allies in the fight against [radical] Islamism, not as adversaries, and we shouldn’t corner them.”

He went on to highlight what he described as America’s “responsibility for the refugee flows through the way it intervened militarily”.

Kern said: “It’s not acceptable for the international community if America shirks responsibility. We need to make this clear to our American friends. I’m convinced that there will be a high degree of unanimity [among EU leaders] on this question … The tangible aspects of Trump’s politics are raising some concern.” He added that Trump could be a catalyst for a stronger Europe.

Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg’s PM, said it was too soon to draw conclusions on Trump but his were “not the values I’m fighting for in politics”.

The European commission’s high representative, Federica Mogherini, said the EU did not “believe in walls and in bans”, and claimed the union would be a reference point for the world. She said: “We are and we will remain friends with the American people and the American administration on the basis of our own strong values, principles and interests.”

The European commissioner Günther Oettinger warned the EU not to allow Trump to divide them. “First of all, we must be careful not to accept his game,” Oettinger, a German, told Deutschlandfunk radio.

AFP contributed to this report

Philippines' Duterte Ends Cease-fire With Communist Rebels

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The Philippines is withdrawing from its cease-fire agreement with the country's communist rebels.

President Rodrigo Duterte told the country's troops Friday to get ready to fight.

The military says six soldiers have died in fresh fighting with the rebels.

General Eduardo Ano, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, welcomed the lifting of the cease-fire, saying, "We will go after the communists … and we will hit them hard."

Duterte's announcement came just two days after the communists announced their decision to end their self-declared truce.

The communists had demanded Duterte release 400 jailed guerrillas. Duterte called the demand "unreasonable."

The communist insurgency began in 1968. It is one of the longest-running insurrections in the world and has killed at least 30,000 people.

The two sides have engaged in peace negotiations brokered by Norway, with another round slated to begin in April.

The rebels said the ending of the cease-fire did not mean they wanted to pull out of the peace talks, saying it was possible to "talk while fighting."

Philippine miners say closures to hit 1.2 million people, vow to fight back

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By Enrico Dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr | MANILA

The planned closure of 23 Philippine mines, mostly nickel producers, and the suspension of five others will affect about 1.2 million people, miners said, as some vowed to take legal action to contest the decision.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez ordered the closures and suspensions on Thursday as she announced the results of a months-long audit on the country's 41 mines aimed at halting mining operations judged to have harmed the environment.

Artemio Disini, chairman of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, told a briefing that the first option for affected miners would be to appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte "before going to the courts".

"We have a total 1.2 million people affected including family members," Disini said.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said on Friday he would meet shortly with other cabinet members to check if they have "emergency employment programs" that could absorb workers who will lose jobs.

"My next concern is the impact on local government finances because (miners) pay a lot of taxes to local governments," Dominguez told reporters.

Enrique Fernandez, president of suspended nickel miner Eramen Minerals Inc, which has now been ordered to close, said staff levels had already fallen to 150 from more than 1,000 previously and more workers could go by the end of the month.

"The problem is the relationship between the government and the industry. The government is more of a regulator rather than a partner in development," Fernandez told Reutres.

TRADING HALT

Still largely unexplored, the Philippines is the world's top nickel ore supplier, but the mining sector contributes less than 1 percent to the overall economy.

Only 3 percent of 9 million hectares (22 million acres)identified by the state as having high mineral reserves is currently being mined, according to government data.

Ronald Recidoro from the Chamber of Mines said on Thursday that affected miners would "definitely" seek legal action if President Rodrigo Duterte denied their appeal to overturn Lopez's orders.

Duterte, who last year said the Philippines could survive without a mining industry, on Thursday threw his support behind Lopez's latest action.

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Lopez "took it upon herself to be the judge and the executioner of the mining industry," said Vicente Lao who owns chromite producer Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corp, which has also been ordered to close.

Most of the miners say they have yet to receive any official instruction from Lopez's agency.

"Accordingly, our mining operations continue," gold miner Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co, which was ordered suspended, told the stock exchange. Lepanto said it "has not violated any environmental laws."

BenguetCorp Nickel Mines Inc, a unit of Benguet Corp, said it would use "various legal options available to it to nullify the baseless closure order upon its receipt."

The Philippine Stock Exchange halted trading for one hour on Friday on shares of five miners which were either ordered shut or suspended, or their subsidiaries, including major nickel ore producers Nickel Asia Corp and Marcventures Holdings Inc.

(Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr.; Editing by Richard Pullin)