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NEWS SATURDAY, FeBRUARY 16, 2019 2 A human chain was formed in front of National Press Club yesterday protesting termination of 150 laborers without any salary. Photo : TBT Vasilyev no longer Monaco's vice-president Vadim Vasilyev has been released from his role as vice president and CEO following a six-year stint at Ligue 1 struggling side Monaco, the club's president Dmitry Rybolovlev announced through a statement on Thursday, reports UNB. Rybolovlev said that over the six years of Vasilyev's tenure at Monaco, they had come a long way together and achieved much success, including the team's first Ligue 1 title in 17 years and a semifinal appearance in the Champions League. "However, over the past year, serious mistakes had been made that have led to the team's worst performance in seven years," he said. The 2017 French champions languish at 18th after 24 rounds this season. The team at this position need to contend for a top-flight spot next season through the School teacher injured in attack in Narayanganj NARAYANGANJ : A school teacher was injured in an attack by some young men over a trifling matter at Dhamgarh Malamat in Bandar upazila on Friday, reports UNB. The injured was identified as A Rob alias Hasan, 65, a teacher of Kuripara High School of the upazila. Rafiqul Islam, officer-incharge of Bandar Police Station, said Hossain, and alleged criminal and an associate of death-row convict Patha Samsur, used the pond of the teacher for cultivating fish without giving him any money. Recently, the teacher asked Hossain to free his pond as he wanted to fill up the pond. Angered by the incident, Hossain swooped on the teacher in the morning and beat him up with a hockey stick, leaving him injured. He was taken to the upazila health complex. Man held with arms in playoffs. "Since recently, I have had to deal with the club's problems. I took a number of difficult, but, in my opinion, necessary decisions. "In particular, I called Leonardo Jardim myself, apologizing for the mistake made back in October and asking him to return to lead the team. I have approved all of his proposals in relation to the acquisition of new players during the winter transfer window," Rybolovlev pointed out. Jardim was fired as head coach last October, but took the helm again just three months later. "Now it is time for change. Changes relate not only to the players, but also to the top management of the club," Rybolovlev talked about Vasilyev's departure, adding that "I am very Hailie Deegan spent more time at Daytona 500 media day than any other driver. The 17-year-old was a guest host for NASCAR.com, trading in her firesuit for a microphone and interviewing one Cup Series star after another. It was the closest Deegan will get to the action at Daytona International Speedway during Speedweeks, reports UNB. It also might be the last year she's a spectator. Deegan has her sights set on driving in the entry-level ARCA Series in 2020, a precursor to what she hopes will be a lengthy racing career that rises to the premier Cup Series. NASCAR will do all it can to help, even putting the teenager in front of the camera on one of the sport's busiest days. And with fan favorite Danica Patrick missing from Daytona for the first time since 2011, Deegan, Natalie Decker and others have a void to fill. "At the end of the day, there's a reason why there hasn't been a girl or woman winning in NASCAR's highest level," Deegan said. "There's a lot of room for improvement. For sure, I want to be the first to do it and hopefully more girls will end up winning. But I want to be the first." grateful to Vadim for all that he has done for our club, and I wish him all the best." Rybolovlev said that he's planning to submit a new candidate for the posts of vice president and CEO to the club's board of directors for consideration on February 22. "It is not the first time that Monaco finds itself in a crisis situation. Seven years ago we managed to get through it. We are striving to repeat that success," Rybolovlev said. Showing his gratitude to Rybolovlev and supporters, Vasilyev added that "during this time, I did my best to ensure that the club achieved the results we expected." "Despite the challenges of recent months, I am proud of the results that we achieved over these six intense years. No female drivers in Daytona 500, but pipeline has potential DHAKA : The new executives of Indian Media Correspondents Association,Bangladesh (IMCAB) have been elected unopposed for the year 2019-2020, reports UNB. Bashudeb Dhar of the Daily Statesman (Kolkata), Quddus Afrad (Daily Anandabazar Patrika, Kolkata) and Rafiqul Islam Sabuj (Daily Desher Katha, Agartala) have been elected president, vice president and generalsecretary respectively. The other elected office-bearers are: joint general secretary- Sahidul Hasan Khokon (The India Today), treasurer Masum Billah (Daily Jugashankha, Kolkata/Assam) and organizing secretary Mir Afroz Zaman(United News of India- UNI), said a press release on Friday. Executive members are Anisur Rahman(Press Trust of India-PTI), Aminul Hoq Bhuiyan (Daily EiSomoy), Layek Uzzaman (Daily Din Darpon, Kolkata), Rajib Khan (Zee Akash Media) and Abu Ali (Daily Jagaran, Agartala). Dip Azad, general secretary ofoutgoing committee of IMCAB will remain as member of the executivecommittee according to the constitution of the organization. The election of the executive committee of IMCAB was scheduled to beheld on February 17 in the biennial general meeting. Decker has a head start. The 21-year-old Toyota driver will make her Truck Series debut Friday night at Daytona, one of three women in the field. Jennifer Jo Cobb and Angela Ruch are the others. Decker failed to qualify for a trucks race at Martinsville Speedway in 2016 and spent the last two years in ARCA. She had nine top-10 finishes in 20 starts last season for Venturini Motorsports. She moved to DGR- Crosley this season and will run 12 Truck Series races as well as a combination of NASCAR K&N and two more ARCA events. She finished sixth in the ARCA season opener at Daytona last weekend. She got behind the wheel of the No. 12 Tundra for the first time Thursday, taking part in two practices. "I was really nervous," the ultra-positive Decker said. "I was trying to hide it." "I'm going in trying to learn as much as I can for next year," she added. "But I really want to win a race." Decker could be in as many five series in 2019. She has five starts planned in the Trans Am road-racing series and will learn in late March whether she lands one of 18 spots in the W Series, an all-female developmental series set to launch in Europe. IMCAB gets new executives According to election schedule the date of submission of nomination papers was on February 12. But it was seen that eleven candidates submittednominations papers for eleven posts, one candidate for eachpost, said the press release. On this ground, Haroon Habib, Chairman and Khairuzzaman Kamal,member of the committee formed to run the election declared the candidates elected unopposed. The other elected office-bearers are: joint general secretary- Sahidul Hasan Khokon (The India Today), treasurer Masum Billah (Daily Jugashankha, Kolkata/Assam) and organizing secretary Mir Afroz Zaman(United News of India- UNI), said a press release on Friday. Executive members are Anisur Rahman(Press Trust of India-PTI), Aminul Hoq Bhuiyan (Daily EiSomoy), Layek Uzzaman (Daily Din Darpon, Kolkata), Rajib Khan (Zee Akash Media) and Abu Ali (Daily Jagaran, Agartala). Dip Azad, general secretary ofoutgoing committee of IMCAB will remain as member of the executivecommittee according to the constitution of the organization. The election of the executive committee of IMCAB was scheduled to beheld on February 17 in the biennial general meeting. SSC examinee abducted outside exam centre, stabbed near pond MADARIPUR : A Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination was stabbed in front of his examination centre in Shibchar upazila on Thursday, reports UNB. The injured Shuvo Haolader, 16, who was supposed to sit for Thursday's Finance and Banking examination, was rushed to Shibchar Upazila Health Complex and later, moved to Faridpur Medical College Hospital considering the severity of his injury. Family and hospital sources said Shuvo, son of Ali Mia Haolader, hailing from Bhanga upazila, reached the exam centre at Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Government Girls' High School around 9:30am. An alleged terrorist Nahid and another called Shuvo while he was entering the centre and brought him to the bank of a nearby pond. Later, the culprits stabbed Shuvo on his legs indiscriminately with Chinese axe, leaving him severely injured. Medical Officer of Shibchar Upazila Health Complex Dr Imdadul Haque said the extent of Shuvo's injury was fatal. The tendon of his right leg might have been cut off. Officer-in-Charge of Shibchar Police Station Zakir Hossain said police are trying to arrest the accused. College student stabbed dead in Barishal: One held BARISHAL : A college student was killed and another injured in an attack by a young man at Bangabandhu Udyan in the city on Thursday, reports UNB. The deceased was identified as Rubel Hossain, 1st year student of Brajamohon College and son of Gias Uddin of Ujirpur upazila. Quoting victim's family, police said Mehedi Hasan Rony, ex-husband of Sauda, daughter of Nesar Ali, used to disturb Sauda and a general diary was lodged with the local police station in this regard. On Thursday, Sauda along with his younger brother Rafasan and Rafsan's friend Rubel and Mitul went to Bangabandhu Uddyan. At one stage, Rony swooped on Sauda with a sharp weapon. When Rafsan and his friends tried to save Sauda, Rony hit Rubel with a sharp weapon, leaving Rubel and Mitul injured. Later, they were taken to Sher-e-Bangla Medical college Hospital where doctors declared Rubel dead. On information, police went to the spot and arrested Rony, said Nurul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station. 2 Rohingyas held with 14,000 Yaba pills in Cox's Bazar DHAKA : Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested two Rohingyas along with 14,000 Yaba tablets from Balukhali in Ukhia upazila on Thursday, reports UNB. The arrestees are as Sohel, 21, son of Osman and Nur Halim, 22, son of Sirajul Iqbal. Tipped off, a team of Rab-7 conducted a drive in the area and arrested them along with 14,000 Yaba tablets worth Tk 70 lakh in the afternoon. The arrestees were handed over to Ukhia Police. The arrestees are as Sohel, 21, son of Osman and Nur Halim, 22, son of Sirajul Iqbal. Bangladesh signs 2 MoUs with Netherlands for watersector capacity building DHAKA : Bangladesh and the Netherlands have signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for capacity building of the water sector in Bangladesh, reports UNB. The Water Resources Ministry signed the MoUs-one with Deltares, a prominent Dutch research organisation involved in waterrelated research, and the other with the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, a world famous Dutch institution involved in pertaining education, training and research in the water sector. Water Resources Secretary Kabir Bin Anwar and Science Director of Deltares Jaap Kwadijk and Rector of IHE Delft Prof Dr Eddy Moors signed the MoUs on behalf of their respective sides on February 13, said the Bangladesh Embassy in The Hague on Friday. Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands Sheikh Mohammed Belal joined the signing ceremony at the IHE Delft while Director General of Bangladesh Water Development Board Engr Md Mahfuzur Rahman was, among others, present. The MoU with the Deltares will enable the Bangladesh ministry to have support from Deltares in water research, particularly in the fields of delta planning, river management, policy planning and implementation, management of floods and droughts, water quantity and quality, disaster management, coastal polder management as well as geotechnical, river and coastal engineering, etc. The MoU with the IHE Delft will enable capacity development of future young water professionals from Bangladesh through tailor-made short courses, MSc and PhD programmes, including training courses on basin-wide water resources management; joint action research to identify innovative and practical solution for water resources management in Bangladesh; and collaboration regarding proposed international training institute by the Water Resources Ministry for water resources development and management. During his visit to IHE Delft, Secretary Anwar, Ambassador Belal and members of Bangladesh delegation exchanged views with Bangladeshi students at the institute. They discussed the modalities how to increase the number of students in the Netherlands and particularly in IHE Delft. These initiatives could be seen as a followup work of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's official visit to the Netherlands in 2015 as well as preparatory work for the implementation of Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, said the embassy. Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands Sheikh Mohammed Belal joined the signing ceremony at the IHE Delft while Director General of Bangladesh Water Development Board Engr Md Mahfuzur Rahman was, among others, present. The MoU with the Deltares will enable the Bangladesh ministry to have support from Deltares in water research, particularly in the fields of delta planning, river management, policy planning and implementation, management of floods and droughts, water quantity and quality, disaster management, coastal polder management as well as geotechnical, river and coastal engineering, etc. The MoU with the IHE Delft will enable capacity development of future young water professionals from Bangladesh through tailor-made short courses, MSc and PhD programmes, including training courses on basin-wide water resources management; joint action research to identify innovative and practical solution for water resources management in Bangladesh; and collaboration regarding proposed international training institute by the Water Resources Ministry for water resources development and management. Cover of a book titled ' Dakterbari' was uncovered at Sinha Lounge of Dhaka Club yesterday. Photo : TBT Thai party fields transgender candidate for prime minister As Pinit Ngarmpring, he was a CEO and sports promoter, well known in the world of Thai soccer. Now, under her preferred new name of Pauline Ngarmpring, she's pursuing a bid to become the country's first transgender prime minister. The 52-year-old is one of three candidates put forward by a political party for the post in next month's general election, reports UNB. She says she wants her nomination to bring hope to the marginalized and to open up political space for future generations of LGBT people. With over a month to go before the March 24 polling day, she campaigned this week in one of Bangkok's more infamous nightlife areas. Many vulnerable or exploited people work in this twilight zone of go-go bars, cheap hotels and massage parlors. It's exactly the constituency the Mahachon party seeks to represent, and she's eager to hear their concerns. "Our welfare, mostly. Health," masseuse Wassana Sorsawang says are her concerns, as she stands outside a shop in an alley off the street. She complains that she and her colleagues often work double shifts, and it affects their health. The Mahachon party is contesting some 200 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives. About 20 of the candidates are openly LGBT. Pauline joined only last November. Now, as their second-ranked nominee for prime minister, she finds herself a political trailblazer, a unique symbol of the fight for equality. It's fine, she said, even if she cannot achieve her goal of becoming prime minister "because I am the first one who dares enough to announce . 'hey, we can do it!'" "We are not saying we are better than male or female," she said. "We just want to say we are equal." Until three years ago, Pauline was Pinit: a father of two, a reporter turned businessman who became well known by founding a soccer fan association that became influential in Thai sporting circles. Since her gender transition she's made it her mission, she said, to educate society. Her new political role gives her the perfect platform to counter those who still view LGBT rights - and her candidacy - with skepticism. "Nowadays people say, 'Oh you are transgender? You want to become our prime minister. It's going to be funny, it is going to be a very strange story,'" she said. "But I don't think that way," she said. "Whatever you are, you have your value. You love yourself and then you share with people." The party hopes its human rights-based agenda will appeal in particular to Thailand's large LGBT and sex worker population. One policy is to legalize prostitution. The result, Pauline says, could be up to 10 lawmakers in Parliament, thanks to a new electoral system that allocates some of the seats through proportional representation. But, even given the country's traditionally accepting view of sexual fluidity, she knows she is not destined to lead the country. "I will not be a prime minister. But it doesn't matter. It will take some time and it is not going to be the end of the world after the next election," she said. "It doesn't have to be me. It can be the next generation." The Mahachon party is contesting some 200 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives. About 20 of the candidates are openly LGBT. Pauline joined only last November. Now, as their second-ranked nominee for prime minister, she finds herself a political trailblazer, a unique symbol of the fight for equality.
INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2019 3 A 12-year-old boy carries soap supplied by the UN in the Bani Harith neighbourhood of Sana'a in Yemen. Photo : AP Nearly 24 mln Yemenis need aid: UN The United Nations and its humanitarian partners on Thursday released a needs assessment for Yemen, reporting nearly 24 million people in need of "some form of humanitarian or protection assistance," a UN spokesman said, reports UNB. "The crisis remains the worst in the world with an estimated 80 percent of the population -- that's nearly 24 million people -- in need of some form of humanitarian or protection assistance, including 14.3 million people who are in acute need," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. "The number of acute need people is now 27 percent higher than it was last year," he told reporters at a regular briefing, in announcing a pledging conference sponsored by Sweden, Switzerland and the world organization set for Feb. 26. "More than 20 million people across the country are food insecure, half of them with extreme levels of hunger," Dujarric said. "For the first time we have confirmed pockets of catastrophic hunger, with 238,000 people affected in some locations." The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have been warning for several weeks that the Arab country is on the brink of famine, a result of a nearly four-year-old civil war. "Some 3.2 million people require treatment for acute malnutrition, 2 U.S. moving troops for "military adventure" against Venezuela: Cuba The Cuban government on Thursday criticized the recent U.S. troop movements in the Caribbean, saying that Washington is preparing for a military intervention in crisis-hit Venezuela, reports UNB. In a statement, Havana said that between Feb. 6 and 10, there were flights of military transport aircraft to the airport in Puerto Rico, the San Isidro Air Base in the Dominican Republic, and to "strategically located" Caribbean islands. It said the flights originated from U.S. military installations where its Special Forces units and Marines operate and these forces are often used in "covert actions, including against leaders of other countries." The statement also described possible U.S. military actions in Venezuela as "a military adventure disguised as humanitarian intervention." Venezuela is currently troubled by a political crisis. Opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president on Jan. 23 and was recognized by the United States and some other countries. Guaido's declaration came about two weeks after President Nicolas Maduro, who won the 2018 presidential vote, was inaugurated for a second term on Jan. 10. Havana in its statement also accused Washington of seeking a "coup d'etat in Venezuela through the illegal self-proclamation of a president." In addition, it said U.S.-led humanitarian aid to Venezuela, if any really, is far from making up for the damage made by Washington's economic blockade against Caracas. million under 5 (years of age) and more than 1 million pregnant and lactating women, for a total of 17.8 million people who lack access to safe water and sanitation," he said. "Almost 20 million people lack access to adequate health care." An estimated 3.3 million people remain displaced in Yemen, up from 2.2 million last year, and this includes 685,000 people who fled fighting in Hodeidah and on the west coast from June onward, the spokesman said. Hodeidah is a key west coast port city and home to the Red Sea Mills, housing enough grain to feed millions of people for a month, but presently inaccessible to aid workers, the UN has said. Negotiations between government and rebel representatives were suspended last week for leadership consideration of a tentative accord on demilitarizing the port to allow access to humanitarian aid and the distribution of it to those in need. "The number of acute need people is now 27 percent higher than it was last year," he told reporters at a regular briefing, in announcing a pledging conference sponsored by Sweden, Switzerland and the world organization set for Feb. 26. "More than 20 million people across the country are food insecure, half of them with extreme levels of hunger," Dujarric said. "For the first time we have confirmed pockets of catastrophic hunger, with 238,000 people affected in some locations." The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have been warning for several weeks that the Arab country is on the brink of famine, a result of a nearly four-year-old civil war. "Some 3.2 million people require treatment for acute malnutrition, 2 million under 5 (years of age) and more than 1 million pregnant and lactating women, for a total of 17.8 million people who lack access to safe water and sanitation," he said. "Almost 20 million people lack access to adequate health care." An estimated 3.3 million people remain displaced in Yemen, up from 2.2 million last year, and this includes 685,000 people who fled fighting in Hodeidah and on the west coast from June onward, the spokesman said. Hodeidah is a key west coast port city and home to the Red Sea Mills, housing enough grain to feed millions of people for a month, but presently inaccessible to aid workers, the UN has said. Negotiations between government and rebel representatives were suspended last week for leadership consideration of a tentative accord on demilitarizing the port to allow access to humanitarian aid and the distribution of it to those in need. Indonesia land-burning fines unpaid years after fires Indonesian plantation companies fined for burning huge areas of land since 2009 have failed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties meant to hold them accountable for actions that took a devastating environmental and human toll, reports UNB. The palm oil and pulp wood companies involved in fires owe more than $220 million in fines and the figure for unpaid penalties for environmental destruction swells to $1.3 billion when an illegal logging case from 2013 is included, according to separate summaries of the cases compiled by Greenpeace and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Indonesia's annual dry season fires were particularly disastrous in 2015, burning 2.6 million hectares (10,000 square miles) of land and spreading health-damaging haze across Indonesia, Singapore, southern Thailand and Malaysia. The World Bank estimated the fires cost Indonesia $16 billion and a Harvard and Columbia study estimated the haze hastened 100,000 deaths in the region. President Joko Widodo and other senior officials vowed action but repeated legal appeals by the 10 companies taken to court by the environment ministry have dragged the cases out for years. The ministry has issued statements trumpeted progress in sanctioning companies involved in land fires. But the two companies mentioned in those statements that have paid fines totaling $2 million involved environmental damage from open cast mining, not fires, the ministry's law enforcement director-general, Rasio Ridho Sani, told The Associated Press. Greenpeace Indonesia said the unpaid fines are money owed to the Indonesian people that could pay for large-scale forest restoration and for health and emergency infrastructure for when the fires strike again. "By not enforcing these laws the government is sending a dangerous message: company profit comes before law, clean air, health and forest protection," forests campaigner Arie Rompas said in a statement Friday. In a case that cited fires between 2009 and 2012, palm oil company Kallista Alam appealed its 336 billion rupiah ($24 million) fine all the way to the Supreme Court and then sought a judicial review of the Supreme Court decision against it. Fires intentionally set by the company in 2012 to clear land for palm oil tore through the Tripa peat swamp in Aceh on the island of Sumatra, killing wildlife including endangered Sumatran orangutans and blanketed surrounding areas in a thick haze. Indonesia's annual dry season fires were particularly disastrous in 2015, burning 2.6 million hectares (10,000 square miles) of land and spreading health-damaging haze across Indonesia, Singapore, southern Thailand and Malaysia. The World Bank estimated the fires cost Indonesia $16 billion and a Harvard and Columbia study estimated the haze hastened 100,000 deaths in the region. President Joko Widodo and other senior officials vowed action but repeated legal appeals by the 10 companies taken to court by the environment ministry have dragged the cases out for years. Thick haze from forest fires shroud Palangka Raya in central Borneo in October 2015. Photo : AP Brazil proposes minimum retirement age amid social security reform Brazil proposes that the social security reform establishes a minimum retirement age of 65 for men and 62 for women, the government announced Thursday, reports UNB. A bill on the new social security regime, which has a transition period of 12 years, will be sent to Congress for approval on Feb. 20, said Rogerio Marinho, secretary of labor and social security at Ministry of Economy. The social security reform requires changes to the Brazilian Constitution. To be approved, an amendment requires a majority of three fifths in both houses. Brazilians currently do not have a minimum retirement age. Men are qualified to retire once they work for a minimum of 35 years and women 30 years. They can also retire at 65 after contributing at least 15 years to the social security system. Some categories, such as teachers, policemen and rural workers, are allowed to retire slightly earlier. In Brazil, life expectancy at birth in 2016 is 71 years for men and 79 for women, according to the World Health Organization. With the proposed reform, in addition to the required years of contribution, workers have to obey the minimum age requirements, which will lead to many citizens working for over 40 years before retirement. Full details of the reform bill will only be known on Feb. 20. Though the government has said that the reform is necessary for the country to resume growth, critics think that the new system will put an excessive burden on poorer workers. In Brazil, life expectancy at birth in 2016 is 71 years for men and 79 for women, according to the World Health Organization. With the proposed reform, in addition to the required years of contribution, workers have to obey the minimum age requirements, which will lead to many citizens working for over 40 years before retirement. Death toll in deadliest car bombing in Kashmir climbs to 41 Security officials say the death toll from a car bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir has climbed to 41 after rebels fighting against Indian rule struck a paramilitary convoy in the single deadliest attack in the divided region's volatile history, reports UNB. India's paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force spokesman Sanjay Sharma said Friday that at least 41 soldiers died in Thursday's attack. The attack is likely to ratchet up tensions between already hostile India and Pakistan, who administer parts of the territory but claim it entirely. Kashmir has experienced renewed attacks and civilian protest against Indian rule in recent years as a new generation of Kashmiri rebels has revived the armed rebellion. Officials said a local Kashmiri militant rammed an explosives-laden van into a bus as the convoy reached Lethpora, a town outside Srinagar. Indian paramilitary soldiers stand by the wreckage of a bus after an explosion in Pampore, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Security officials say at least 10 soldiers have been killed and 20 others wounded by a large explosion that struck a paramilitary convoy on a key highway on the outskirts of the disputed region's main city of Srinagar. Photo : AP Netanyahu leaves Poland after plane mishap delayed departure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to spend an extra night in Warsaw after his plane was damaged following an airport mishap shortly before departure. He departed around noon Friday, marking an inauspicious ending to a turbulent visit, reports UNB. The prime minister and his entire entourage were on-board a chartered El Al plane the night before after a twoday visit to a high-profile security conference, when a vehicle towing the aircraft on the runway crashed into it. A photo circulated to traveling journalists showed large scrapes in the underbelly of the aircraft. Netanyahu and his wife were taken off the plane and ushered back to their hotel. Other aides, including Netanyahu's national security adviser and his military secretary, spent the night on the aircraft, saying they did not want to go through the hassle of pre-boarding security checks again. A replacement plane was dispatched from Israel to urgently return the prime minster before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath at sundown. The mishap happened as Netanyahu's government is trying to purchase an official plane for the prime minister to use. It capped a tumultuous visit for Netanyahu, who was in Poland for a U.S.-sponsored security conference attended by several high-profile Arab officials from Gulf countries. Netanyahu had hoped to use the gathering to showcase his budding ties with the Gulf Arabs. But a verbal gaffe and a video leaked by his office threatened to overshadow the event. On the eve of the meeting, Netanyahu appeared to call on other participants to prepare for "war with Iran." His office later said he had been mistranslated and only called on other countries to "combat" Iranian influence in the US envoy says talks made headway The Latest on China-U.S. trade talks in Beijing (all times local): Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says U.S. and Chinese negotiators "made headway on very, very important" issues in talks on a technology dispute, reports UNB. Lighthizer expressed optimism but gave no details after President Donald Trump's economic adviser said he yet to decide whether to go ahead with a March 2 tariff increase. Business groups and economists said the two days of talks in Beijing were unlikely to be enough time to resolve the sprawling dispute. They said China's goal probably was to persuade Trump they were making enough progress to postpone the penalties. In a courtesy call on Chinese President Xi Jinping after the talks wrapped up, Lighthizer said, "We feel we have made headway on very, very important and difficult issues. We have additional work we have to do but we are hopeful." Two days of U.S.-Chinese trade talks have ended with no immediate indication whether they made progress on a battle over Beijing's technology ambitions. Delegations led by U.S. Trade Representative region. Late Thursday, his office briefly leaked a video showing Bahrain's foreign minister, and representatives of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates playing down the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and harshly criticizing Iran. Netanyahu's office said the video's release was a "technical error" and quickly deleted it. Vadim Vasilyev has been released from his role as vice president and CEO following a six-year stint at Ligue 1 struggling side Monaco, the club's president Dmitry Rybolovlev announced through a statement on Thursday. Rybolovlev said that over the six years of Vasilyev's tenure at Monaco, they had come a long way together and achieved much success, including the team's first Ligue 1 title in 17 years and a semifinal appearance in the Champions League. "However, over the past year, serious mistakes had been made that have led to the team's worst performance in seven years," he said. The 2017 French champions languish at 18th after 24 rounds this season. The team at this position need to contend for a top-flight spot next season through the playoffs. "Since recently, I have had to deal with the club's problems. I took a number of difficult, but, in my opinion, necessary decisions. "In particular, I called Leonardo Jardim myself, apologizing for the mistake made back in October and asking him to return to lead the team. I have approved all of his proposals in relation to the acquisition of new players during the winter transfer window," Rybolovlev pointed out. Jardim was fired as head coach last October, but took the helm again just three months later. "Now it is time for change. Changes relate not only to the players, but also to Robert Lighthizer and his Chinese counterpart, Vice Premier Liu He, met at a government g.uesthouse. They left without talking to reporters. Earlier, President Donald Trump's top economic adviser said he has yet to decide whether to go ahead with a March 2 tariff increase on Chinese imports from China. Companies and investors worry the fight between the two biggest global economies could drag on weakening world growth. U.S. and Chinese envoys are holding a second day of trade talks after the top economic adviser to President Donald Trump said he has yet to decide whether to go ahead with a March 2 tariff increase on imports from China. Business groups and economists say the two days of negotiations due to run through Friday are too brief to resolve a sprawling dispute over Beijing's technology ambitions. They say China's goal is to persuade Trump to push back the March 2 deadline. Trump's economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, told reporters in Washington the "vibe is good" in the talks, but he said Trump has made no decision on whether to escalate the dispute by letting the March 2 tariff hike go ahead. the top management of the club," Rybolovlev talked about Vasilyev's departure, adding that "I am very grateful to Vadim for all that he has done for our club, and I wish him all the best." Rybolovlev said that he's planning to submit a new candidate for the posts of vice president and CEO to the club's board of directors for consideration on February 22. "It is not the first time that Monaco finds itself in a crisis situation. Seven years ago we managed to get through it. We are striving to repeat that success," Rybolovlev said. Showing his gratitude to Rybolovlev and supporters, Vasilyev added that "during this time, I did my best to ensure that the club achieved the results we expected." "Despite the challenges of recent months, I am proud of the results that we achieved over these six intense years. "I am convinced that the group is on the right track and that by the end of the season the players will have had the opportunity to show their best to save this wonderful club," he said. The prime minister and his entire entourage were on-board a chartered El Al plane the night before after a twoday visit to a high-profile security conference, when a vehicle towing the aircraft on the runway crashed into it. A photo circulated to traveling journalists showed large scrapes in the underbelly of the aircraft. Netanyahu and his wife were taken off the plane and ushered back to their hotel. Other aides, including Netanyahu's national security adviser and his military secretary, spent the night on the aircraft, saying they did not want to go through the hassle of pre-boarding security checks again. A replacement plane was dispatched from Israel to urgently return the prime minster before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath at sundown.
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