TRUMP'S WET DREAM

Putin targets U.S. social media, secret agent leaks and protests with new laws


MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin signed an array of laws on Wednesday handing Russia new powers to restrict U.S. social media giants, label individuals "foreign agents", and to crack down on the disclosure of its security officers' personal data.

© Reuters/SPUTNIK FILE PHOTO: Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting outside Moscow

The laws, which also introduce new restrictions for protests, cap a year of constitutional reforms allowing Putin, 68, to stand for two more six-year terms in the Kremlin instead of stepping down in 2024 as he had been legally required to do.

Other reforms such as one granting former presidents lifelong immunity from prosecution have kept analysts guessing about his plans as Moscow's ties with the West have come under new strain over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

One of Wednesday's laws enables Russia to block or restrict access to sites that "discriminate" against its media, part of a campaign under Putin to increase Russia's internet "sovereignty" that has fuelled fears of creeping China-style controls.

Twitter currently labels some Russian media "state-affiliated media", a move decried by Moscow. The law's backers cited complaints made about prejudice shown by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.


Video: Russia opens new criminal case against Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny (Reuters)

A second law introduces hefty fines of up to 20% of their previous year's Russia-based turnover for sites that repeatedly fail to remove banned content, something that YouTube and Facebook have often failed to do according to Russian lawmakers.

A third law prohibits the disclosure of the personal data of Russian security officials, records that are sometimes leaked online and have been used by investigative journalists to track clandestine operations.

Earlier this month, investigative website Bellingcat used flight records and other data to identify a group of alleged Federal Security Service agents whom Navalny has accused of trying to poison him in August, an allegation denied by Moscow.

Other new laws introduced jail sentences of up to two years for slander online as well as new regulations that would prohibit the funding of protests by "foreign agents" and allow rallies to be banned due to emergencies.

Another law granted authorities new powers to label individuals "foreign agents" and also jail them for five years if they fail to report their activities correctly.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; editing by Angus MacSwan)

A 'very tough conversation' and a rockin' New Year’s Eve: In The News for Dec. 31

FDA: Pet food recalled after at least 28 dogs die
Jack Ma's wealth tumbles by $12 billion in 2 months as China seeks to shrink the billionaire's financial empire

© Shu Zhang/Reuters Alibaba founder Jack Ma. Shu Zhang/Reuters

Alibaba founder Jack Ma's wealth has fallen by $12 billion in just two months, from about $62 billion to $50.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Ma's net worth has dropped as China tightens rules for the financial technology industry in the country.
Beijing wants more oversight of Ma's financial empire: Ma's Ant Group has reportedly been forced to create a separate holding company for the group's financial operations.

The holding company will be regulated by China's central bank, potentially curbing its ability to expand at the rate it has been in the past few years

Jack Ma's net worth has dropped $12 billion since October, when China's regulators began implementing new rules for the fintech industry.

The 56-year-old Ma's stake in Alibaba and his many other ventures took his wealth to about $62 billion this year in October, setting him on track to become the richest man in Asia. But he has since dropped to 25th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which tracks the 500 wealthiest people in the world.

His net worth currently stands at $50.9 billion, according to the index.

Regulators in October implemented new rules for the financial technology industry and online lenders, directly impacting the lucrative lending and credit business for Ma's Ant Group.

The rules are aimed at preventing monopolistic behavior by the country's large internet firms. Officials said there were "major issues" with Ant's planned IPO under the new rules, leading to its suspension.

Over the weekend, Chinese regulators ordered Ant Group to revamp parts of its business and "return to its payment origins," multiple outlets reported. Regulators met with company executives, the Telegraph reported, instructing the firm to rectify its "illegal" financial services, such as its lucrative online lending business.

Ant's consumer lending unit, wealth management services, and other profitable businesses will soon form a separate financial holding company regulated by the People's Bank of China, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.

Under the new structure, the fintech would be subject to further capital restrictions that may suppress its ability to expand at the rate it has been in the past few years, Bloomberg reported.

Furthermore, China is seeking to potentially secure a larger stake in Ma's businesses than he himself owns, according to the Wall Street Journal. The billionaire is the controlling shareholder of Ant, while Alibaba holds a roughly 33% non-controlling share in the group.

Pan Gongsheng, a deputy governor at China's central bank, said Ant had become indifferent to China's regulations, accusing the fintech of "turning a blind eye to compliance requirements," the FT reported.

Although Ant has transformed its business multiple times in accordance with regulatory oversight, the central bank deputy governor said this weekend that it "must integrate its development into the overall plan of the country's development."

China's order comes after Ma suggested giving up parts of Ant to the Chinese government. "You can take any of the platforms Ant has, as long as the country needs it," the billionaire told regulators at a November 2 meeting, according to the Journal.

But his offer failed to win acceptance, as China was unwilling to give up on a full crackdown.

Alibaba's shares have fallen by almost 23% since regulators pulled down Alibaba affiliate Ant's IPO plans.

China holds sway in Nepal as rival communist factions create crisis
By Gopal Sharma and Rupam Jain 

© Reuters/POOL FILE PHOTO: 

China's President Xi shakes hands with Nepal's PM Oli in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Alarmed that a political crisis in Nepal could endanger China's strategic interests and Belt and Road projects, a Chinese Communist Party emissary has held days of talks to try to stop the Himalayan country's ruling communist party from tearing itself apart.

The crisis erupted on Dec. 20 when Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, decided he could no longer work with rival factions within his Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which was formed in 2018 to unite the Marxist-Leninist and main Maoist parties following their success in elections in late 2017.

With two years of his term to run, Oli dissolved parliament and called for fresh elections in a move that foreign diplomats say caught China by surprise and plunged the impoverished nation of 30 million people into uncertainty.

Seven ministers quit Oli's government, and anger over the descent into political infighting at a time when the economy is reeling from the coronavirus sparked protests at which effigies of the prime minister were burnt.

Within days, Beijing dispatched to Kathmandu Guo Yezhou, a vice-minister in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) International Liaison Department, which manages relationships with foreign political parties of all hues, both in power and opposition.

"It is evident that China is angered by Oli's abrupt move amid a pandemic ... they are clearly concerned about the massive investments they have pledged," said a senior European diplomat.

"They are shocked as to how Oli could make a bold political move without prior consultations," said the diplomat, requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Oli has recommended an election be held in two phases in April and May, but what happens next could be in the lap of the Supreme Court, as his opponents have challenged the dissolution of parliament as unconstitutional. A hearing will resume in January.

SPEAKING TO ALL SIDES

Guo has held separate meetings with Oli, and rivals in the communist party to get their sides of the story, as well as leaders of the main opposition party and other politicians.

Commenting on the delegation's visit to Kathmandu, China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China hoped "all the various parties in Nepal can put national interest and the overall situation first, and proceed from there, while properly handling internal differences and working towards political stability and the country's development."

Madhav Kumar Nepal, a former prime minister and one of the main critics of Oli within the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), was high on Guo's dance card, and Ram Karki, the NCP's deputy chief of the foreign affairs attended their meeting.

"They want to listen more than they speak. They wanted to know the reason leading to the split in the party," Karki said of the Chinese delegation.

"China always wants stability in Nepal. Since the CCP has a fraternal relationship with the NCP, they are concerned about the present situation. Certainly, they tried to know whether there is any possibility of uniting the party," Karki said.

Guo also held talks with the opposition Nepali Congress Party leader and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

"Irrespective of any change in Nepal, China wants to continue its relationship with all political parties and its economic cooperation including the Trans-Himalayan Multi Dimensional Connectivity Network,” Dinesh Bhattarai, a Deuba aide present at the meeting, told Reuters.

The network - involving the construction of ports, roads, railways, aviation and communications - was agreed during a visit by China's President Xi Jinping to Nepal in October 2019. And the multi-billion dollar investment in infrastructure could be a godsend for Nepal's ailing economy.

INFLUENCE ON DISPLAY

Still, some foreign diplomats in Kathmandu viewed Guo's mission as a brazen demonstration of China's growing influence over Nepal's internal affairs.

"Why would a country rush a delegation to a neighbouring nation amid a pandemic? It's rather obvious they control the internal politics of Nepal as they want to expand investments in near future," a senior Western diplomat said.

An Asian diplomat struck a similar note.

"They have been buying land and investing in large-scale infrastructure projects by keeping a tight control on the ruling party and the opposition," said the Asian diplomat.

"A lot is at stake for Beijing," he said.

Sandwiched between India and China, Nepal's tilt into China's orbit is a growing concern for India.

Oli has raised border disputes between Nepal and India at a time when India is already dealing with the worst tensions in decades along sections of its long frontier with China in the Himalayas.

"India has its own history of interference in Nepal but has taken a back seat this time, leaving China more exposed to a growing feeling of resentment among Nepalis," said Constantino Xavier, an analyst at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, an independent think thank in New Delhi.

Feyzi Ismail, a researcher at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, suspected China could be disappointed if it maintains backing for Oli in the hope of restoring political stability.

"Protests against Oli's authoritarianism, his clamping down on civil liberties are likely to intensify," said Ismail.

(Reporting by Rupam Jain in Mumbai; Additional reporting by Gabriel Crossley in Beijing; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

WORST DAY OF 2020; TRIFECTA 
Meteorite Lights up Sky Above Mexico As Hurricane Delta Hits and Earthquakes Strike Country 

AND DON'T FORGET THE PANDEMIC

BY ARISTOS GEORGIOU ON 10/7/20

A fireball was spotted in the night sky above north-eastern Mexico on Tuesday, as Hurricane Delta made landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula and several minor earthquakes struck the country.

The fireball was most visible above the states of Nuevo León, Coahuila and Tamaulipas, which border the U.S., around 10:14 p.m. local time, according to the Global Atmospheric Monitoring Agency—part of Mexico's Institute of Geological and Atmospheric Research.

Some amazed eyewitnesses—as well as some security cameras, webcams and doorbell camss—managed to capture footage of the fireball as it blazed through the atmosphere

Cameras in Monterrey—the state capital of Nuevo León—captured images of the fireball briefly illuminating the night sky above the city.

Fireballs are unusually bright meteors—the streaks of light that appear in the sky when small pieces of asteroids or comets enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up. If these objects avoid completely disintegrating and manage to reach the ground they are known as meteorites.

Local reports suggest that the meteorite fell near Ciudad Victoria, the capital of the state of Tamaulipas. Mexican news outlet Milenio reported that the meteorite set fire to bushes in the area where it fell, with local firefighter teams responding to the incident.

The fall of the meteorite cuame as Hrricane Delta made landfall in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, bringing winds of around 110 miles per hour.

The Category 2 hurricane struck the coast in between the popular tourist resorts of Cancún and Playa del Carmen, accordion to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC.)

The NHC has said that Delta will bring a "life-threatening storm surge" and "dangerous winds" to parts of the northern Yucatán into early Wednesday morning. This could lead to significant flash flooding that will affect the northern part of the peninsula through early Thursday.Stock image showing an artist's illustration of a fireball. A fireball was spotted in the night sky above northeastern Mexico on Tuesday evening.ISTOCK

After passing the Yucatán, Delta is predicted to move northwards toward the U.S. Gulf Coast as it grows in size, "where there is an increasing likelihood of life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds beginning Friday, particularly for portions of the Louisiana coast," the NHC said.

In addition to these natural phenomena, Mexico was also struck by several earthquakes on Wednesday, with 14 measuring 4.0 or more in magnitude on the Richter scale. The most powerful of these, which struck in the southern state of Oaxaca, had a magnitude of 4.3, which is classified as a "light" earthquake. These are often felt but only cause minor damage.

Mexico is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, located at the meeting point of three large tectonic plates—vast chunks of the Earth's crust. The movement of these plates leads to earthquakes and volcanic activity.

In fact, in the past three months Mexico has experienced an average of just over 30 earthquakes above magnitude 1.0 every day, according to Volcano Discovery.

Worst Year Ever Series: In 1348, a deadly plague swept Europe and anti-Semitism festered

Was 2020 the worst year ever? The National Post puts a silly question to a serious test by stacking 2020 up against other years of plague, war, genocide, and human misery, all to answer the unusually urgent question of what makes a bad year the worst.

© Provided by National Post The year 1348, one of the worst years in history.

Borat made his big return to the little screen in 2020.

Promoting his sequel that was released just before the U.S. presidential election, the actor Sacha Baron Cohen caused a fuss at a right wing “March For Our Rights” in Olympia, Washington, in June, by getting on stage in full hillbilly getup to sing a call and answer song, where the reply to “Obama, what we gonna do?” is “Inject him with the Wuhan Flu,” and so on.

This was a familiar prank. The first time he pulled this stunt as Borat was in the early 2000s at a country bar in Tucson, Arizona, when he got enthusiastic crowd response for his song “In My Country There is Problem” with its singalong refrain of “Throw the Jew down the well, so my country can be free.”

Just as the Wuhan Flu song tapped into 2020’s rising bigotry toward Chinese people, Borat’s original racist country song was a richly detailed survey of European anti-Semitic tropes.

“You must grab him by his horns,” the song goes. “You must grab him by his money.”

Like a truly bad year, it was funny but also not funny.

The central image of a well was no accident. Sacha Baron Cohen knows his cartoonish racist imagery, and the image of Jews skulking around poisoning wells, sickening the volk, is part of a cultural reservoir of racist imagery with early medieval origins that survive to the present day. It has inspired real pogroms and fake protocols and the modern resurgence of blood and soil identity politics.

Conspiracy theories about Jews have a long history, going back at least as far as the Crusades. For example, the blood libel about ritual sacrifice was already current by the 12th century. This was the context in which the anti-Semitic slander of well-poisoning really took off in what was very arguably the Worst Year Ever, 1348 CE.

The Black Death, the bubonic plague outbreak in Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, which reached Italy in 1348, was the most deadly pandemic the world has ever known. Perhaps 100 million people died.

This outbreak of Yersinia pestis bacteria is what inspired Giovanni Boccaccio to later write The Decameron , a collection of stories told by rich Florentines as they wait out a plague in louche comfort in the Tuscan hills. This classic enjoyed a boost among pandemic readers this year, as did The Masque of the Red Death , a 19th-century Gothic reinterpretation of older plague themes by Edgar Allan Poe.

Those living at the time did not know it, but the Black Death was carried by fleas on rats. It had been in Sicily for a few months, and arrived in Genoa and Venice on trading ships from the Black Sea in January 1348. Soon, it was everywhere. Grasping for an explanation, some suspicion settled on a convenient minority.

For Christians, demonizing Jews with well-poisoning stories marked an important development in anti-Semitism, whose most influential practitioners have always reached deep into historical culture for their justifications, in some cases literally as far back as Christianity goes.

In that image of the well, from Bocaccio’s time to Borat’s, ideas about the dark subterranean netherworld mingled with ideas about money and wealth, via the mythology of Pluto, Greek god of both wealth and the underworld, whose other name is Hades, the “unseen one.”

Horns, wells, Hell, money, the unseen, the unknown. All of this helped the well-poisoning stories cast the Jews of medieval Europe as sinister interlopers among Christians. It was a powerfully evil idea that took off during a plague year and has simply never gone away.

Other years in the series:

Worst Year Ever Series: 536 CE had plague, natural disasters and a dying empire. It was the pits, start to finish

1781

1919

1945

THIRD WORLD USA 

Opinion: Paid leave protections are about to expire. Congress needs to act

When the pandemic hit in March, Congress recognized the urgent need for paid leave and quickly passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, granting workers two weeks of emergency paid sick leave at their full rate of pay or two weeks of paid leave at two-thirds their regular rate of pay for the purposes of caregiving and up to an additional 10 weeks of emergency paid childcare leave at two-thirds their regular rate of pay

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© Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg/Getty Images A parent helps her son attend an online class from home in Miami, Florida, U.S., on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. In a victory for state education leaders, an appeals court said Monday that Floridas school reopening order did not force students back to campus, nor teachers back into classrooms, and should remain in effect while the lawsuits challenging its constitutionality move through the court system.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was a historic policy package that served as a lifeline for millions of Americans, but like most legislation it was far from perfect. Loopholes and regulations set by the Trump administration excluded more than 100 million workers -- including many essential employees -- from using the paid leave they deserved.

Paid leave should be a no-brainer. One recent study found there were 400 fewer coronavirus cases per day in the states that gained access to paid leave from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Paid leave is one of the best policy solutions for slowing the spread of the virus and helping to get this pandemic under control.

Not only will giving workers the capacity to stay home when they're sick help curb the spread of this virus, but it also gives workers peace of mind that they won't be forced to choose between their health and their job. With roughly 19 million Americans still out of work, we need to do everything we can to protect people's livelihoods. Paid leave can help do that by securing employment in the event workers or their families contract this virus and become sick.

Paid leave also helps boost broader economic recovery and growth. With strong paid leave policies in place -- along with local public health precautions and nationwide vaccine distribution -- consumers can go back to restaurants and stores without the fear of coming in contact with a sick employee. It stops the spread, keeps workers in their jobs and helps build confidence our country can reopen safely.

Paid leave also eases many inequalities that have only deepened during this pandemic. Not only will it help the women and caregivers who may have been pushed out of the workforce because of this crisis, but it will also offer relief to the frontline workers most vulnerable to the virus, as well as low-income workers, underserved communities and people of color.

In short, paid leave saves jobs and saves lives.

The United States remains one of the only countries in the industrialized world where workers still have to choose between their jobs and health, between their paychecks and caring for their family and between potentially infecting others or facing financial ruin. These are impossible scenarios that no American should be forced to consider.

This crisis calls for a substantive, pragmatic response from Congress. The only question before us now is whether or not we can answer that call by finally passing paid leave for all. We believe we can, but it can only be done together.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the paid leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Workers can either receive two weeks of emergency paid sick leave at their full rate of pay or two weeks of paid leave at two-thirds their regular rate of pay for the purposes of caregiving. In addition, they can receive up to 10 weeks of emergency paid childcare at two-thirds their regular rate of pay.

MUST USE FLORIDA AS ENTRY POINT?
Dozens of Cuban migrants protest at US-Mexico border, seek asylum

Dozens of Cuban migrants assembled near the U.S. port of entry between Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday demanding entry into the U.S. for the purpose of seeking asylum, Reuters reported.

© Istock silhouettes of immigrants walking with luggage

The protest, which reportedly continued late into the night, involved as many as 200 people who walked up to the closed bridge separating El Paso and Juarez where they remained on the other side of a barrier for hours, according to Reuters.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed to The Hill that the protest ended and traffic on the bridge resumed around 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Some of those who took part in the demonstration told Reuters that their anger resulted from being forced to wait in Mexico for nearly two years as part of the Trump administration's "remain in Mexico" policy for asylum-seekers, which forces many asylum-seekers to wait in temporary housing in Mexico for extended periods of time while their futures remain uncertain.

Video: Group gives healthcare to migrants on way to US (Associated Press)

President-elect Joe Biden has in recent weeks vowed to send a bill during his first 100 days in office reforming the U.S. immigration system and rolling back many of the Trump administration's efforts to cut down on immigration, but members of his transition team have cautioned that much of the Trump administration's work will not be overturned overnight.

"We will be able to take some steps to change policies right away. Others will take time to put in place, and the situation at the border will not transform overnight due in large part to the damage done over the last four years," Biden's incoming domestic policy director, Susan Rice, said in a recent interview. "But we are committed to addressing it in full."

REACTIONARY REPORT EXPANDING TRUMP DOCTRINE
A report released by the Department of Homeland Security in October called for significant reform to the U.S. immigration system, projecting in part that "until fundamental changes are made to the immigration enforcement process, including legislation that addresses current legal loopholes that incentivize high levels of illegal immigration, the United States will periodically experience additional humanitarian and border security crises."

Full Cold Moon to Rise Days Before Peak of Quadrantids Meteor Shower

Winter's astronomical calendar is starting with what is known as a full cold moon, days before the quadrantids meteor shower is set to streak across the sky.

© Getty A stock image shows the waxing crescent moon as seeing from the southern hemisphere. The winter astronomical calendar starts with the Full Cold Moon.

All this comes after skygazers were treated to the once in a lifetime sight of the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn last week, when the gas giants appeared to come close in our night sky, forming what was dubbed a "Chrimstas Star." By coincidence, the event landed on December 21, or winter solstice.

December's full moon will hit its peak at 10:28 p.m. EST on Tuesday, December 29, according to NASA. It will be the 13th and last moon of 2020, and also the highest in the night sky as viewed from Earth.

Why is it called the cold moon?

The name comes from the Mohawk Native Americans of the northeastern area of what is now New York State, southern Canada and Vermont, who used the term to mark to the chilly temperatures that characterize the winter season.

Names of a similar vein are used by the Cree, who traditionally call it the Hoar Frost Moon, the Haida and Cherokee who name it the Snow Moon, the Winter Maker Moon used by the Western Abenaki, and the Long Night Moon of the Mohicans, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. In some parts of Europe it is traditionally known as the Moon After Yule.

When can I see the Quadrantids meteor shower?

The Quadrantids peak annually in early January. In 2021, that will happen on January 3 at 14:30 UTC, according to a prediction by the International Meteor Organization. The Quadrantids have been active since December 28, and will continue to be until January 12.

But unlike Perseid or Geminid meteor showers that peak for days, the Quadrantids only do so for six hours. The so-called shooting stars (although they are really just space rocks) will be spotted at an average hourly rate of 25 during this time period. Generally, they do not have strong trains but often produce bright fireballs.

The shower is thought to be one of the best yearly meteor showers. But this prospect can be hampered by poor weather conditions, and they are not seen so easily in the southern hemisphere.

According to Earthsky.org, western North America will see the shower at its best on January 3 during predawn, while mid-northern far-northern latitudes also have a fair chance of spotting them.

To try to catch them, NASA advises finding a spot that isn't affected by light pollution, and lying flat on your back with your feet pointing northeast. After around 30 minutes your eyes will adjust to the light and you will be able to see meteors.

Related Article
Stunning Photos Show Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn Making 'Christmas Star'

Colombia sets new record in eradicating coca production

LEARN FROM BOLIVIA END THE WAR ON DRUGS

THE WAR ON DRUGS FUNDS THE POLICE STATE

Colombia beat its record for eradicating coca crops for the second year in a row, the government said Wednesday, although the country still remains the world's leading producer of cocaine.

© Juan BARRETO A Colombian police officer hugs a dog during an operation to eradicate illicit crops in Tumaco, Narino Department on December 30, 2020

"We have achieved the highest level of manual coca eradication ever recorded by Colombia: 130,000 hectares (321,000 acres)," President Ivan Duque said in a statement to the press.

That area, roughly the same size as the city of Los Angeles, exceeds the last record set in 2019, when the government got rid of 94,000 hectares of coca, the main ingredient of cocaine.

In 2019, 1,137 tons of cocaine were produced in Colombia, a number slightly higher than the previous year, the UN reported. Figures for 2020 are still not available.

Duque said his country also set other "historic records" in 2020, such as 498 tons of cocaine seized and 5,447 laboratories destroyed.

Since taking office in August 2018, Duque's conservative government has prioritized fighting drug trafficking and also launched a plan meant to cut the land area of coca cultivation in half between 2022 and 2023

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© Juan BARRETO In 2019 1,137 tons of cocaine were produced in Colombia

Although Duque says he has reached targets set thus far, total surface area of coca eradication has only decreased by nine percent, according to the UN.

Experts estimate that replanting replenishes nearly 50 percent of the amount of crop taken out of production.

Duque also plans to resume the practice of aerial spraying using the herbicide glyphosate, an initiative applauded by the United States under outgoing President Donald Trump, who has deployed soldiers to Colombia to support the fight against drug trafficking.

© Juan BARRETO Colombia is the world's leading cocaine producer, making about 70 percent of the global supply

Former Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos ended glyphosate spraying in 2015 after the World Health Organization said it was "probably carcinogenic."

Despite four decades of concerted efforts fighting drug trafficking, Colombia is still the world's leading cocaine producer, making about 70 percent of the global supply. The United States as the leading consumer.

The government also accuses armed groups, financed by drug trafficking, of being responsible for the worst wave of violence the country has seen since signing a peace deal with the country's Marxist FARC guerrillas in 2016.

© Juan BARRETO Colombian Defence Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo (C) and US Ambassador to Colombia Philip Goldberg (L), look at coca plants during an operation to eradicate the illicit crop in Tumaco, Narino Department, on December 30, 2020

jss//bfm/qan

UPDATE

Two suspects identified in theft of jade boulder in British Columbia: RCMP

CACHE CREEK, B.C. — The RCMP say they've identified two suspects in an investigation into the theft of a massive slab of low-grade jade from outside a gift shop in B.C.'s southern Interior earlier this month

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© Provided by The Canadian Press

Heidi Roy, the owner of Cariboo Jade and Gifts in Cache Creek, says she's thrilled the 1,300-kilogram boulder is back in her possession after a member of the public spotted it about a week after it was taken.

Roy says the metre-wide slab was found lying in a tangle of brush and snow by someone who recognized it because of the publicity the theft received.

She says the slab is largely intact but chipped along its sides and she hasn't yet decide how it will be reinstalled.

Police say the slab is valued at between $20,000 and $50,000, while Roy says it's made of low-grade jade and its value is mostly sentimental.

She says the slab was mined in the Dease Lake area of northern B.C. and brought to Lillooet before her father acquired it in the mid-1980s for the Cache Creek shop, where it's been on display ever since.

The shop has been getting calls from people all over B.C. and beyond since the theft, said Roy, speculating that their interest could be tied to family memories.

"People remember coming through as a child, coming through Cache Creek and stopping at a jade store and so now they come through in the summer with their grandchildren or their children," she said in an interview.

Jade is the official gemstone emblem of B.C., said Roy, adding that the slab makes for a showpiece since mines are remote and most people won't have a chance to see jade in its raw form.

Police say they've identified two suspects in the theft reported on Dec. 19 after surveillance video captured a pickup truck pulling a trailer with an excavator that was used to lift the slab.

The trailer and truck were later found abandoned in different locations.

Roy said it's her guess the thieves didn't realize the effort involved in cutting up the slab and that they might have thought it was worth more.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2020.

The Canadian Press