Swedes Puzzle Over Fox News’ Fake Swedish ‘Security Advisor’ (Video)

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February 28, 2017 10:40 am

NEW YORK — A trans-Atlantic wave of puzzlement is rippling across Sweden for the second time in a week, after a prominent Fox News program featured a “Swedish defense and national security advisor” who’s unknown to the country’s military and foreign-affairs officials.

Swedes, and some Americans, have been wondering about representations of the Nordic nation in the U.S. since President Donald Trump invoked “what’s happening last night in Sweden” while alluding to past terror attacks in Europe during a rally Feb. 18. There hadn’t been any major incident in Sweden the previous night.

Then, Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly convened an on-air faceoff Thursday over Swedish immigration and crime between a Swedish newspaper reporter and a man identified on screen and verbally as a “Swedish defense and national security advisor,” Nils Bildt.

Bildt linked immigration to social problems in Sweden, lamented what he described as Swedish liberal close-mindedness about the downsides of welcoming newcomers and said: “We are unable in Sweden to socially integrate these people,” arguing that politicians lacked a systematic plan to do so.

But if viewers might have taken the “advisor” for a government insider, the Swedish Defense Ministry and Foreign Office told the newspaper Dagens Nyheter they knew nothing of him. Calls to Swedish officials Saturday weren’t immediately returned.

Bildt is a founding member of a corporate geopolitical strategy and security consulting business with offices in Washington, Brussels and Tokyo, according its website. His bio speaks to expertise on defense and national security issues, saying his experience includes serving as a naval officer, working for a Japanese official and writing books on issues ranging from investment and political climates to security issues in working in hostile environments.

But security experts in Sweden said he wasn’t a familiar figure in their ranks in that country.

“He is in not in any way a known quantity in Sweden and has never been part of the Swedish debate,” Swedish Defence University leadership professor Robert Egnell said by email to The Associated Press on Saturday. He and Bildt – also known then as Nils Tolling – were in a master’s degree program in war studies together at King’s College London in 2002-2003, and Bildt moved to Japan soon after, he said.

The executive producer of “The O’Reilly Factor” said Bildt was recommended by people the show’s booker consulted while making numerous inquiries about potential guests.

“After pre-interviewing him and reviewing his bio, we agreed that he would make a good guest for the topic that evening,” executive producer David Tabacoff said in a statement.

The network said O’Reilly was expected to address the subject further on Monday’s show.

Bildt didn’t respond Saturday to email inquiries; a person who answered the phone at his company agreed to relay one. He told Dagens Nyheter on Friday that he was a U.S.-based independent analyst, and Fox News had chosen its description of him.

“Sorry for any confusion caused, but needless to say I think that is not really the issue. The issue is Swedish refusal to discuss their social problems and issues,” he added in a statement to the news website Mediaite, explaining his profession as being an independent political adviser.

Trump’s initial remark about “last night in Sweden” stirred a burst of social media mockery, while Trump explained on Twitter that he was referring to a Fox News piece on immigration and Sweden that he’d seen the night before.

Trump and his supporters, though, saw vindication when a riot broke out Monday after police arrested a drug suspect in a predominantly immigrant suburb of Stockholm. Cars were set on fire and shops looted, and one policeman was slightly injured.

Trump took to Twitter again Monday to declare that large-scale immigration in Sweden was “NOT!” working out well, upsetting many Swedes.

Story: Jennifer Peltz

Togo’s Kone Saves Opposing Goalie’s Life in Czech League (Video)

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Associated Press

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February 28, 2017 10:23 am

PRAGUE — For the fourth time in his career, striker Francis Kone rushed to the rescue on the soccer field to help save someone’s life.

The Togo international jumped into action on Saturday when the opposing goalkeeper in a Czech league match was lying motionless after a collision with a teammate.

Kone, who plays for Czech club Slovacko, reacted quickly and was able to stop Bohemians goalkeeper Martin Berkovec from swallowing his tongue, allowing him to breathe freely. The incident happened in the 29th minute after Berkovec collided with teammate Daniel Krch.

After the match, Kone revealed it was the fourth time he had been able to help in such circumstances following two incidents in Africa and one in Thailand.

Berkovec thanked Kone on Facebook “for his quick action in saving me.”

The league called Kone the “hero” of the match.

Higher Booze Tax Doesn’t Mean Higher Booze Tax: Tax Office

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Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

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February 27, 2017 7:32 pm

BANGKOK — Changes to alcohol taxes won’t leave a sour taste for consumers, tax authorities said Monday.

While new alcohol tax rates have yet to be finalized, the Excise Department says don’t expect alcohol to be taxed at the newly raised cap of up to 150 percent of retail price.

Different types of alcohol will be assessed at various rates, which will raise the possible tax across the board except for wine, which will actually fall.

The biggest change is coming to how the taxes are assessed. Instead of being levied on the price out of the factory, the new structure will be imposed on retail prices.

Top tax man Somchai Poolsawat insisted the tax won’t be collected at the maximum level, and won’t be passed along to consumers.

Somchai said the new draft did not seek to increase taxes but make the structures more transparent and consistent with international standards. He added the government will also consider lowering the tax rate after the law comes into effect.

The new rate will go along with a new Excise Tax Bill already approved by the junta-appointed legislature and expected to come into effect mid year. It will replace the former version used since 1984 six months after it is officially published in the Royal Gazette.

The new law will replace seven separate ones that regulated excise taxes for liquor, tobacco, playing cards and more.

N. Korea Executes 5 Senior Security Officials

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Associated Press

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February 27, 2017 4:25 pm

In this Oct. 10, 2015, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers remarks at a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea. Photo: Wong Maye-E / Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea executed five senior security officials with anti-aircraft guns because they made false reports that “enraged” leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea’s spy agency said Monday.

The comments by the National Intelligence Service in a private briefing to lawmakers come as Malaysia investigates the poisoning death of Kim’s estranged elder half brother, Kim Jong Nam. That investigation is still going on, but South Korea says it believes Kim Jong Un ordered the assassination, which took place Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur’s airport.

The spy agency told lawmakers that five North Korean officials in the department of recently purged state security chief Kim Won Hong were executed by anti-aircraft guns because of the false reports to Kim, South Korean lawmaker Lee Cheol Woo said. It’s not clear what false reports they allegedly made, and the NIS didn’t say how it got its information.

South Korean spies have a spotty record when reporting about high-level events in authoritarian, cloistered North Korea.

North Korea fired Kim Won Hong in January, presumably over corruption, abuse of power and torture committed by his agency, Seoul said earlier this month. The fallen minister had been seen as close to Kim Jong Un. North Korea has not publicly said anything about Kim Won Hong or about the alleged executions in his department.

Lee also cited the NIS as saying that Kim Won Hong’s dismissal was linked to those false reports, which “enraged” Kim Jong Un when they were discovered.

Since taking power in late 2011, Kim Jong Un has reportedly executed or purged a large number of high-level government officials in what rival Seoul has called a “reign of terror.”

Review: With ‘Planet Lam,’ Paradise Bangkok Takes Thai Country to Next Level

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Mongkorn Timkul, Correspondent

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February 27, 2017 4:17 pm

Chris Menist and Maft Sai had just finished warming things up with vinyl selections of spiritual jazz, disco, Thai funk and roots reggae when the lights dimmed and out walked drummer Phusana Treeburut and guitarist Piyanart Jotikasthira.

But it was the sight of master phin musician Kammao Perdtannon walking onto the stage Thursday night that saw the crowd erupt into applause.

Seeing a Bangkok crowd get hyped up by an Isaan country legend’s lute solo was another reminder of how different things are since the Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band, which was at Rockademy to debut its second release, arrived on the scene.

A decade ago it would be difficult to imagine a Bangkok crowd going mental over a master of the khaen like Sawai Kaewsombat, who walked out in shades and a flat cap with all the divine cool of a Blues boss.

Read For Love of Country: Having Conquered Bangkok, DJ Maft Sai Takes Thai Music Global

The band’s two hour set took audiences on a journey and captured the essence of Isaan while introducing them to the new material of “Planet Lam” that sets a new benchmark for mo lam music.

For those who don’t know the story, the band was formed in 2012 by DJ Maft Sai and his creative partner Menist. It came out of their Paradise Bangkok and Isan Dancehall parties that shattered barriers to make country music cool in the capital.

<a href="http://theparadisebangkokmolaminternationalband.bandcamp.com/album/planet-lam" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Planet Lam by The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band</a>

The band made famous the sounds of ‘60s and ‘70s mo lam and brought new audiences – and renewed careers – to renowned musicians Kammao Perdtannon and Sawai Kaewsombat. Their debut “21st Century Molam” was praised by critics and since its release in 2014, the band has toured extensively including top-tier festivals such as Glastonbury.

In “Planet Lam,” the formula is tweaked to incorporate elements of electronica and Dub along with the band’s signature phin solos and khaen melodies.

It definitely has a more polished feel from “21st Century.” The new album retains its ability to captivate, and despite the addition of more sounds, still transports listeners to the rice fields and dirt roads of the northeastern Rice Basket.

The album also reflects the musical fetishes of Maft Sai, paying homage to the different sounds heard in his vinyl-only DJ sets. Give a listen to “Lai Wua (Chasing the Cow)” and hear four-to-the-floor funk, while “Waterfalls” embarks on a psychedelic dub excursion.

“The differences between this album and our first is the production style, the use of electronica [and] the use of different rhythms to create Molam as well as more experimenting with Isan instruments,” Maft Sai explained.

pb01 — The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band plays Thursday night at Rockademy in Bangkok. Photo: Brady Weeks

Kammao Perdtannon, at right. Photo: Brady Weeks

Piyanart Jotikasthira. Photo: Brady Weeks

Fake Tickets Pour Cold Water on Lottery Fever (Photos)

By

Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

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February 27, 2017 3:44 pm

Two men check lottery tickets for authenticity Monday morning in Chanthaburi province.

CHANTHABURI — A rash of fake lottery tickets earlier this month in several provinces prompted a surge of distrust that has vendors seeking to repair confidence two days before the next big draw.

Four people were arrested mid-month in Nakhon Pathom for selling nearly 700 fake tickets, news of which soon had police checking tickets for authenticity there and in other provinces, including Nong Khai and Khon Kaen, where sales fell.

Two days before the next numbers are called, vendors at Chanthaburi’s Sui Market, where most tickets in the province are sold, said Monday that not only were buyers undeterred, but sales had increased.

“They found fake lottery tickets in Nakhon Pathom and Khon Kaen provinces, but that hasn’t affected our ticket sales badly,” said Rapee Naksuriyan, one of the market’s hundreds of ticket vendors.

201702271231134 20160711155856 e1488184671357 — Rapee Naksuriyan at her lottery ticket stall Monday morning at Sui Market in Chanthaburi province.

Rapee said the crisis of confidence had a silver lining for regular vendors.

“We’re selling even more tickets because repeat customers trust their regular ticket sellers, especially if they sell at the same place,” Rapee said. “Every ticket I sell here comes straight from the Government Lottery Office. No fakes.”

On Feb. 16, the day of the lottery results of the last round, police arrested four people for selling 693 fake lottery tickets in Wat Sawang Arom in Nakhon Pathom.

The four arrests on Feb. 16 came after two disgruntled 70-year-old women realized they had been conned into buying fake tickets and called in the cops.

Forged lottery tickets periodically appear to cause suspicion and panic among regular gamblers who have elevated the lottery to a national pastime.

201702271231133 20160711155856 e1488184662313 — Customers peruse lottery tickets at Rapee Naksuriyan’s stall.

As news of the fakes spread faster than lucky numbers from a magic tree, vendors elsewhere complained their sales took a hit.

“Sales aren’t so good this round. Some walk over and ask if my tickets are fake,” said Suthep Petchsuk, a 53-year-old vendor in Khon Kaen province. “I guarantee mine are 100 percent real! I’ll even tell you how to spot fakes, which is by dipping tickets in water to see if the ink runs.”

Even at Sui Market, concerned customers were seen checking the authenticity of tickets by holding then up to the light to search for the Vayukapaksa bird watermark, similar to that used by the Finance Ministry or Krung Thai Bank logo. Authentic tickets must also be printed with waterproof ink, have unique barcodes and be made of paper that doesn’t tear or dissolve when wet.

201702161316472 20090121143059 e1488184632884 — Pornpaween Keawwongwan, 70, and Suwimon Srisa-ard, 70, complain about fake tickets on Feb. 16 to Nakhon Pathom police.

201702161316473 20090121143059 e1488184642616 — Water causes the ink to run on fake lottery tickets purchased by two senior women in Nakhon Pathom province.

201702161000031 20161102133616 e1488184616178 — A stand for lottery ticket sellers Feb. 16 on Maliwan Road in Khon Kaen.

201702161000166 20161102133616 e1488184624483 — Customers check the numbers Feb. 16 at a lottery ticket market in Khon Kaen province.

201702160900491 20050312155220 e1488184597454 — A police officer checks lottery tickets on Feb. 16 in Nong Khai.

Krabi Coal Protesters Vow Return if Gov’t Breaks Promise

By

Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

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February 27, 2017 3:10 pm

Five leaders of Save Andaman from Coal group are freed on Feb. 19 in front of the Government House where their fellow protesters were assembled for a third day.

Update: The military government Monday evening made public documents showing it scrapped the original project review as promised and will conduct a new, more inclusive impact assessment.

KRABI — Environmental activists in Krabi plan to resume their protest in Bangkok if the military government breaks its promise to scrap the review process for a coal plant near their idyllic beaches.

A week after returning home confident in victory, the group Save Andaman from Coal said Monday it had yet to see the government’s make good on its promise to restart the approval process, a promise the government says was open to interpretation.

The group is now demanding that a written order be issued by Tuesday scrapping the project’s original environmental impact report.

“If the government still refuses to express its sincerity, the Save Andaman from Coal network will return to protest,” it said in a statement. “As we told the commander of the 1st Army Area during negotiations, if the government does not keep its promise, he will have to pay our travel costs to come back.”

Read: Anti-Coal Activists Return to Krabi Confident of Victory

A three-day protest in front of the Government House ended Feb. 19 after activist leaders were released after being held overnight. A deal was struck for the hundreds of demonstrators to return home to Krabi province. In return, the government said it would throw out the original review that was its basis to move forward stalled plans to build the 800-megawatt plant.

The site for the plant is not far from the natural scenery that Krabi’s tourism industry relies upon. Protesters said it was ill-advised and faulted the review for not taking their input. Members of the ruling junta have said it’s the only way to meet the region’s power needs.

Protest leader Prasitthichai Nunual said that if the assessment was done accurately and without interference, he’s confident the plant would not be approved.

The group said Monday that agencies involved in the project were still revising the original study. Because their compromise was only formalized verbally by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, it wants to see a written order to make it effective.

Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Tuesday that the Ministry of Energy had responded to the prime minister’s promise to improve the review process by making it more inclusive.

He said the compromise might have had different interpretations, but the result would be the same.

Sansern said whether the government was “revising” the plan or “resetting” it to zero, as the activists insist, the meaning is the same.

Anti-Coal Activists Return to Krabi Confident of Victory

Coal Plant Protest Leaders Arrested

Gov’t Gives Green Light to Krabi Coal Plant, Activists Vow Resistance (Photos)

Krabi Coal Opponents Allege Gov’t Astroturfing

On Way to New Life in Khao Yai, Bear Falls to Death

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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February 27, 2017 11:52 am

A helicopter transports a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Photo: Richard Lake / U.S. National Park Service

BANGKOK — After nearly a decade being rehabilitated for a life in the wild, a bear set to be freed in Khao Yai National Park two weeks ago never made it.

She fell out of the helicopter taking her there and died.

It was actually Feb. 11 that the 80-kilogram bear’s new life was cut short by the unexpected plunge, but park officials only announced the incident Saturday. An investigation has been launched to find out how it happened, according to the regional park agency director. He defended the use of the helicopter, saying this was the agency’s first airborne gaffe.

“This never happened before. It’s the first time a mistake like this happened,” said Wirach Chutupanaporn, head of Prachinburi’s wildlife conservation agency. “We have to figure out the lesson, what went wrong, so that we don’t have this kind of mistake again.”

He said the inquiry will take up to 30 days.

Wirach also hinted that no official would be punished, even if the investigation faults human error, because such accountability would be demotivating.

“This is not about finding who’s in the wrong. Everyone had a desire to accomplish their mission,” Wirach said. “If we tell people that when there’s a mistake and someone is made guilty over it, there won’t be people with the courage to carry out missions.”

According to park officials, the bear was confiscated from someone keeping it illegally about a decade ago. She is an Asiatic black bear, a species considered “vulnerable.”

The bear, who was unnamed, spent 10 years in wildlife rehabilitation with the goal of being released back into the wild. When that day came on Feb. 11, a vet drugged the animal, rangers strapped it into a net, and a helicopter flew it into the heart of Khao Yai National Park.

But something went wrong along the way, and the bear fell to her death. Although media reports suggest the bear might have awakened and struggled during the flight, Wirach said they were wrong. He said the vet and rangers involved were experienced in transporting live animals.

“This is not true. They aren’t amateurs,” Wirach said. “We don’t do shoddy work.”

He said it’s common for the park department to transport dangerous animals by helicopter over dense patches of jungles where other choices of travel are impossible.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the head of National Park Department said he was surprised to only learn about the incident from media reports. He said that after signing approval for the bear to be transported on Feb. 11, the officials in charge of the operation never notified him of the bear’s death.

“I just found out after the incident was reported in the news,” Thanya Nethithammakul said, adding that he has already reprimanded Wirach for the incident.

Man United Wins League Cup as Ibrahimovic Nets Brace

By

Associated Press

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February 27, 2017 11:30 am

United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrate with the trophy after winning the English League Cup final soccer match between Manchester United and Southampton FC, Sunday at Wembley stadium in London. Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth / Associated Press

LONDON — Zlatan Ibrahimovic powered in a late header to win the League Cup for Manchester United on Sunday, sealing a 3-2 victory over Southampton after a two-goal lead was thrown away by Jose Mourinho’s side.

It was Ibrahimovic’s second goal in the final after putting United ahead from a free kick, taking the 35-year-old Swede’s tally to 26 goals in an incredible first season at United where his performances have more than lived up to the swagger.

That bravado was flaunted on the Wembley Stadium pitch amid the celebrations.

Asked by a television reporter if something special was unfolding at United, Ibrahimovic replied: “I came. That’s special.”

The free summer transfer window recruit ensured Mourinho became the first manager in United history to win a trophy in his first season, adding to his three League Cup triumphs with Chelsea.

“(It) is quite a sense of relief,” Mourinho said.

United’s fragile defense, though, nearly contrived to throw away the chance of glory. Although Jesse Lingard extended United’s lead in the 38th minute, Southampton fought back with goals either side of halftime from Manolo Gabbiadini. But as Southampton pushed for its first major trophy since beating United in the 1976 FA Cup trophy, Ibrahimovic produced the bullet header in the 87th minute from Ander Herrera’s cross.

Now Ibrahimovic has won a major trophy in a fifth country after honors in France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

Although Wayne Rooney went up to collect the trophy as captain, that was his only role at Wembley. The 31-year-old forward was forced to watch from the bench as his older teammate produced an ageless, match-winning contribution.

“This is what I came for, I came to win and I am winning,” Ibrahimovic said. “I have to keep going because the more I win, the more satisfied I get.”

The striker didn’t cost United any transfer fee when he joined in the summer transfer window as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain. He sought another final challenge, even in the twilight of his career, rather than an easy-pay day in an inferior league.

“You appreciate winning more the older you get, it’s all about winning and collecting trophies,” he said. “This is my 32nd trophy. Wherever I have been, I have won.”

It was Southampton which had the ball in the net first, though. Gabbiadini beat goalkeeper David de Gea in the 11th minute only for referee Andre Mariner to harshly penalize Ryan Bertrand for being offside when the Southampton defender wasn’t interfering with play.

Compounding the frustration was Ibrahimovic putting United in front eight minutes later by curling a free kick around the defensive wall past outstretching goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

United at the back, though, was living dangerously, and allowing far too much space for Southampton to push for the equalizer. De Gea sprang into action to block a low shot from James Ward-Prowse and he used his legs to deny Dusan Tadic.

United leading by one goal wasn’t reflecting this contest, but Southampton fell further behind from another lapse.

Lingard was given so much time and space that he could take a touch to control Marcos Rojo’s pass before slotting past Forster. Adding to strikes in the FA Cup final and Community Shield in 2016, Lingard now has three goals in three Wembley appearances.

Game over? Southampton had other ideas, sensing United’s fragile defense was ripe for exploiting. And in first-half stoppage time, Gabbiadini produced the goal he had been denied earlier in the final.

Rojo was exposed again at left back as Ward-Prowse whipped in a cross that was met by Gabbiadini, who put the ball through De Gea’s legs.

United’s halftime response was to replace Juan Mata and place Michael Carrick as the shield in front of its defense.

But the Southampton goal threat persisted after the break, with Nathan Redmond’s volley turned wide by De Gea and Claude Puel’s team leveled from the resulting corner. Gabbiadini swiveled past Smalling to strike low into the net to make it five goals in three games since joining from Napoli.

There would be no hat trick as Gabbiadini was substituted and watched from the bench as Ibrahimovic had the final say as extra time was looming.

“(Puel) has reason to be really sad and disappointed because he did a fantastic work, his team did fantastic, his team deserved extra time,” Mourinho said. “To lose in minute 87 with very little time to try to react, as they did in the first half, is a little bit unfair on them.”

But it is United now on course for a treble, still in contention for the FA Cup and Europa League.

The bigger target, though, is returning to the Champions League through winning the Europa League or by finishing in the Premier League’s top four. United is currently sixth.

Story: Rob Harris

Former NASA Mathematician, 98, Gets Her Moment at Oscars

By

Associated Press

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February 27, 2017 10:39 am

From left, Janelle Monae, Taraji P. Henson, and Octavia Spencer pose with Katherine Johnson, seated, backstage at the Oscars on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo: Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — She said only “thank you,” but it was one of the more moving moments of Sunday’s Oscars ceremony.

Katherine Johnson, 98, the former NASA mathematician played by Taraji P. Henson in the movie “Hidden Figures,” was brought on stage to thunderous applause. She was introduced by Henson, Janelle Monae and Octavia Spencer, who all star in the film as female black mathematicians who helped put NASA ahead in the space race against the Soviet Union. “Hidden Figures” was nominated for best picture.

The 98-year-old Johnson wore a blue dress and was brought out in a wheelchair during Sunday’s ceremony.

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