The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is finally set to become operational this month. The fifth-generation stealth fighter plane was originally conceived in 2001 to upgrade the U.S. military's aging tactical fleet. The price tag for the F-35 program, however, is nearly $400 billion for 2,457 planes -- almost twice the initial estimate. Three years behind schedule and some $200 billion over its original budget, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is finally set to become operational this month. The fighter jet has been in development for nearly 15 years, weathered half a dozen years of testing and experienced myriad hardware malfunctions and software glitches along the way. Once it’s declared ready for combat, it will be the most expensive weapons system in world history. It will also be the most advanced in the sky. The F-35, also referred to as the Joint Strike Fighter, is touted as the most lethal and versatile aircraft of the modern era. It combines advanced stealth capabilities, radar-jamming abilities, supersonic speed, extreme agility and state-of-the-art sensor fusion technology. But after all that time and money, supporters are no closer to quelling the detractors who blast the F-35 as a waste. The fifth-generation stealth fighter plane was originally conceived in 2001 to upgrade the U.S. military’s aging tactical fleet to ensure that rivals couldn’t challenge the United States in the air. “Air superiority is an essential tenet in our national defense strategy,” said Rep. Jeff Miller, a Florida Republican whose district is home to the nation’s primary F-35 training facility. “We have a whole host of aging air platforms, some with technology dating back to the ’60s and ‘70s.” Related video China shows off new stealth fighter jet He singled out Russia and China as the key reasons the U.S. has been trying to advance its air power while it retires old platforms. Related video Russian military activity worries NORAD “Air superiority was not an issue in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Miller noted. “But with the President’s strategy to rebalance our forces back to the Pacific, and given China’s territorial aggression in the South China Sea and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, having this air superiority proves to be a strategic deterrent against near-peer threats.” Japan moves closer to more assertive military role as lawmakers pass bills In place of the specialized roles performed by older aircraft, the single-seat F-35 can conduct air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, according to Lockheed Martin, the JSF’s primary contractor. The military this month is expected to declare the Marine Corps’ version of the F-35 “ready for combat,” meaning it is developed enough and has past the proper tests to be flown on combat missions. While the Marines don’t expect to actually deploy the plane for another year, the declaration is a major milestone for the program in that it technically is ready for deployment. And it has a host of other innovative features: The F-35 is uniquely designed to allow pilots to immediately share data with one another and their commanders; it can penetrate enemy territory without being detected by radar; and its specialized helmet display gives pilots a 360-degree view of their surroundings. “The F-35 will deliver revolutionary capability to the U.S. and its allies for decades to come,” said Michael Rein, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin. U.S. intercepts Russian bombers off coast of Alaska, California The price tag for all of these benefits, however, is nearly $400 billion for 2,457 planes – almost twice the initial estimate. To maintain and operate the JSF program over the course of its lifetime, the Pentagon will invest nearly $1 trillion, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). And it could climb even higher, as the path to its launch has already been strewn with schedule delays and disappointing test results – and more could be on the way. On June 29, the website War is Boring published excerpts of a test pilot’s leaked report finding that the F-35 was “at a distinct energy disadvantage” in a mock dogfight in January and unable to turn quickly enough to engage the plane it is expected to replace, the F-16. F-16 jet, Cessna plane collide over South Carolina; 2 dead Lockheed Martin said War is Boring’s presentation of the pilot’s report is incomplete, insisting the aircraft used during this test was not equipped with the software, weapons system or stealth coating that make up today’s production-ready F-35s. “The F-35’s technology is designed to engage, shoot, and kill its enemy from long distances, not necessarily in visual ‘dogfighting’ situations,” the company said in a statement, pointing to “numerous occasions” in which the JSF has beaten the F-16 in simulated combat. But the test pilot’s scathing critique was only the latest round of bad news. In 2014, the entire fleet of F-35s was grounded following an engine fire during testing, and the program has experienced persistent software problems that have slowed mission testing and resulted in schedule delays. There were also setbacks at key milestones, including the start of the flight test program, delivery of the first production-ready aircraft and testing of critical missions systems, according the GAO. “I don’t think we anticipated the number of issues that were going to arise out of testing, be it issues with the frame, the fuselage, the engines or the integrating of the software or the weapons systems,” said Jerry Hendrix, senior fellow at the Center for New American Security. And it’s likely that the difficulties are far from over. An April GAO report says future technical issues – likely to drive costs up even further – can be anticipated, as nearly 40% of the program’s developmental testing must be still be completed. Related video Helmet lets pilots see through plane The list of flaws and deficiencies is extensive, according to Democratic California Rep. Jackie Speier. She said that the F-35’s logistics system is 80% unreliable, its engine stability is “extremely poor” and electronics in the individually sculpted $400,000 pilot’s helmet is currently unable to distinguish friend from foe. “At best, when the services declare ‘initial operating capability’ this summer, we will be launching an unstable plane that cannot perform many of its core missions for years,” Speier said. “At worst, it’ll hurt people or we’ll ground it in the hangar and spend billions on a retrofit.” Lockheed spokesman Michael Rein took issue with Speier’s claims. “We see a very different F-35 program. Our top (Pentagon) leaders state the jet is performing well and it will change the way we’ll fight future wars,” Rein said. He added that he believes the majority of difficult technical issues are in the past. “There are no technical issues holding back the program,” he said, noting that the Marine Corps is on track to declare its version of the F-35 operational in July as currently scheduled. Because the plane has slightly different forms and capabilities for each military branch, even once the Marines’ version is declared operational this summer, it still won’t be available for combat use for at least another two years, with several branches not prepared to use it until even later. “No one is declaring victory,” Rein told CNN, referring to the amount of testing and development still left to be completed. “At the end of the day, we are not building this jet to go to air shows and take pretty pictures. It’s built to defend the U.S. and its allies, if necessary.” Adding to the frustration of those who have watched the F-35 program stumble and balloon in costs is that the Pentagon has seen this movie before. Experts and contractors agree that unexpected issues arise in the testing phase of any weapons system hoping to integrate cutting-edge technology, but some say many of the challenges experienced by the F-35 could have been avoided if manufacturers and lawmakers applied lessons learned during the development of its other fifth-generation fighter, the F-22. And not only the F-22. “It is not just going back to the F-22 and the challenges we faced with the F-22,” said Hendrix, who stressed that there is always “a high risk” of some production problems when implementing such new technology. “There are larger issues that go to airframe design and mission that go back decades, that, quite frankly, we should have seen coming as well.” Related video The U.S. Air Force's high-speed stealth fighter Preceding the F-35, the F-22 was initially also intended to replace aging tactical aircraft that had been used since the 1980s. The Pentagon planned to replace these older aircraft with a smaller number of more expensive, but more capable, stealth aircraft, according to a 2007 GAO report. After development of the F-22 began, threat conditions changed, new ground attack and intelligence-gathering requirements were added, and its unit costs more than doubled, according to the GAO. Related video See the stealth fighter that's bombing ISIS Highlighting the fact that the F-22 and F-35 were “big bangs” and “quantum leaps” in technology and capabilities, GAO Director of Defense Weapons System Acquisition Michael Sullivan said manufacturers ran into issues when they began production on both aircraft before the technology was developed. This strategy of early production ahead of the available technology, as employed with the F-22 and F-35, is called concurrency. In this approach, fewer planes are produced and tested early in the development process. The production rate is then increased each year as the technology matures. These aircraft then require some retrofits after test-flight discoveries, but Lockheed Martin said this approach allows them to deliver the planes to each military branch more quickly. Speier differed with Lockheed Martin’s claim that concurrency helps to expedite the production process and argued that was the main factor responsible for the program’s cost increases. “We rushed to buy an aircraft with a huge amount of testing concurrency, then hid future costs by deferring testing, upgrades and retrofits,” Speier said, referring to the F-22. “The result was a program we had to cancel after producing 555 fewer planes than the Air Force initially wanted.” Speier said a similar trend is evident in the development of the F-35. “The magnitude of these deferrals is staggering,” she said of the F-35. “The price of adding all the testing, retrofits and capabilities the program office has deferred will be higher than the entire cost of the F-22 program.” The Pentagon spent nearly $67 billion to design, engineer and deploy 187 F-22s between 1997 and 2012. However, the average price of each individual plane rose to $412 million by 2014 due to added modernization costs that ultimately led to a halt in production, according to the GAO. While the JSF’s total program cost already exceeds that of the F-22 program, it is expected to yield significantly more planes, at an average cost close to $135 million each, the GAO estimated. But the GAO warned of the risk of future F-35 cost increases and schedule delays, given the extent of concurrency in the program. Lockheed Martin defends its use of concurrency, however. Rather than completely shutting down production during each testing phase, Lockheed Martin’s supply chain has been able to mature as the technology matures, Rein said. “That’s why it’s a better approach than the linear method of build a little, test a little, then try to start up again.” Either way, the F-22 and F-35 program stumbles caused a ripple effect through the entire strategy of the Department of Defense (DOD) to modernize its tactical air force, according to the 2007 GAO report. The report said that the schedule delays and reductions in aircraft purchased meant funds had to go toward modifying existing aircraft in order to keep them operationally relevant. Whenever questions are raised about the wisdom of continuing a costly weapons system, especially one straight on the heels of a program that presaged many of the same delays and funding issues, someone in Washington is likely to point to campaign donations as a reason for its green-lighting. “JSF is a big program for the contractors and they don’t want it to end,” Viveca Novak of the Center for Responsive Politics said, pointing out that contractors have an advantage in being able to appeal to many different lawmakers since parts of the airplane are being built all across the country. Defense contractors are regularly among the top campaign contributors, as political action committees representing these firms distribute millions of dollars to the campaigns of members of the leadership on both sides of the aisle. These individual donations have grown significantly since the JSF began development in 2001, consistently linking F-35 supporters on Capitol Hill to some of the biggest names in the defense industry. According to Novak’s organization, 2014 was a record year for contributions by the JSF’s main contractor, Lockheed Martin ($4.1 million), as well as for JSF subcontractors Northrop Grumman ($4.1 million), United Technologies ($2.1 million) and BAE ($1.4 million). The House Armed Services Committee, House Appropriations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee were the biggest targets for all of these companies; lawmakers on those committees received totals of $1.7 million, $1.3 million and $658,499, respectively, according to the Center for Responsive Politics’ analysis. “The contractors seem to be targeting pretty powerful lawmakers,” Novak said. “Given how troubled the program has been, it could be that the contributions are trying to overcome apparent defects in the system.” Lockheed Martin’s top campaign contribution recipient was Texas Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who received $75,900 from the defense giant in 2014. His campaign also received an additional $29,000 from Northrop Grumman last year. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Ohio Rep. Michael Turner, chairman of the House Armed Services oversight subcommittee, and Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the committee, have all received significant contributions as well. Thornberry, McConnell, Turner and Smith didn’t respond to request for comment or declined to speak to CNN on the record. Florida Rep. Jeff Miller’s campaign committee received $11,000 from Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems in 2014. Miller has been a consistent JSF supporter and was also instrumental in helping establish Eglin Air Force Base, in his home district, as the primary F-35 training facility in the U.S., according to his website. Miller, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, staunchly opposed an amendment that Speier put forth in April that would have cut six F-35 aircraft from the Air Force’s buy order. “I favor a transparent reporting system that allows constituents to see who has supported an elected official’s campaign,” Miller said when asked about the influence of campaign donations on political priorities. “I feel most donors expect an elected official that does their best to make government work and who will use their own judgment to make legislative and policy decisions.” Many lawmakers and staffers share Miller’s belief that campaign donations do not directly dictate policy decisions or significantly sway political goals at the expense of the American people. “That kind of allegation (shows) an ignorance of the committee’s history on the F-35,” an aide for the Armed Services Committee who spoke on condition of anonymity told CNN in response to Novak’s criticism, pointing out that the committee has been a driver of the GAO fact-finding reports. “Members are very focused on the consequences of the wrong policy, especially in national security,” the aide said. “There is an overwhelming concern for the troops and keeping the country safe.” Whatever the role of campaign contributions, it’s clear that many experts and lawmakers who were wary of the F-35’s business plan when the program began in 2001 still have misgivings, leading them to question the JSF’s long-term and future affordability. Related gallery U.S. military assets used against ISIS “After suffering years of unacceptable cost growth and schedule delays, the program appears to have started to stabilize. Still, cost, affordability and technological challenges remain,” said Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, a long-time critic of the F-35 program, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in March. “This committee will continue to closely scrutinize the overall management and performance of the F-35 program, and we will hold individuals accountable,” he said. Miller countered that such ambitious programs always have pitfalls. “One would be hard-pressed to find the perfect government program, and I’m sure some of my colleagues were more skeptical than others in the early stages of the JSF program,” he said. Lockheed Martin openly acknowledges the JSF’s controversial history, particularly during the early and mid-2000s, when program managers made “overly optimistic assumptions” about its testing and production schedule, according to Rein, the Lockheed Martin spokesman. “They didn’t leave much margin if anything was discovered or anything didn’t go as planned,” he said. But the company says costs have been coming down across the board since the program’s base costs were reevaluated by manufacturers and lawmakers. “The F-35 program has not asked Congress for one more dime than what is already in the budget,” since the program was re-baselined in a way that Lockheed Martin would pay for any cost overruns, said Rein. “What we have to do is ask people to judge the program that’s out there today and not the one of 2007 or 2008.” Not everyone is convinced that the program is ready to increase production levels. Still, Speier and other critics think the program is too far along and the need for an upgraded aircraft is too great for it to make sense to end all together. Related video Bombs over Syria Despite criticizing the JSF and the F-22 program for adopting a buy-before-you-fly production approach, and even recommending that the F-35 program be delayed at the outset due to concerns over the aircraft’s initial concept design, Sullivan of the GAO said that his agency never suggested that it be terminated all together, nor would it recommend scrapping the program now. “JSF is pretty much a done deal as the program is already well into production … so we don’t think it would be smart to terminate the program,” Sullivan said. However, the GAO recommended that the Defense Department assess the affordability of its plan to significantly increase the number of F-35s it will purchase over the next several years, as its current projections reflect various assumptions about technical progress and future funding of the program that might prove erroneous. “It is going to be a great aircraft, but the business case they had at the outset was one where they rushed things and are paying for it now,” Sullivan said.


Sensors mounted on gun holsters would activate the body camera They would also signal nearby body cameras to start recording Police body camera footage can be instrumental when investigating officer-involved shootings. But what happens when an officer does not activate his body camera? A major manufacturer of body cameras is taking steps to address that scenario. Axon, formerly known as Taser International, plans to release new body cameras in late September that start recording automatically the moment a gun leaves its holster. The Axon Signal Sidearm Holster is a device that will “alert all Axon cameras within a 30-foot radius” to start recording. Company spokesman Steve Tuttle said the device has a sensor that mounts to the outside of the holster and detects when the gun is drawn. “This technology lets police officers focus on what’s important, which is public safety,” Tuttle said. “They aren’t there to be film directors.” Tuttle said the sensor emits a signal that lasts 30 seconds. Any other Axon body cameras that enter the 30-foot radius within those 30 seconds will also be activated. Just like typical body cameras already in use, the new devices will save the 30 seconds of footage prior to their activation. Several law enforcement agencies are currently beta testing the new body cameras. One of them is the Richland County Sheriff’s Department in South Carolina. Sheriff Leon Lott said in an email that his department already uses body cameras that start recording when a deputy takes out a stun gun as well as “when blue lights are activated.” The existing devices, he said, also send signals out to all Axon body cameras within a 30-foot radius. However, Lott said, he is “very excited” about the new equipment. “This type of body cam will provide a new level of transparency to our agency,” Lott said. “This benefits the deputies as well as our community.” Lott said the “sensor is not obstructive to the holster” and that it does not impact an officer’s ability to draw the gun. A spokesman for Blue Lives Matter, which works to build public support for police officers, said he sees the technology as a “positive advance in technology.” Lt. Randy Sutton said the device would free officers from having to think about activating their body cameras in high-risk situations. “There have been a number of times when a life-or-death situation arises and there is no warning,” Sutton said. “It happens unexpectedly, so officers don’t have the ability at that particular moment to activate their bodycams.” Police use of body cameras has come under fire in the wake of the officer-involved shooting death of an Australian woman, Justine Ruszczyk, in Minnesota earlier this month. Both officers involved in the shooting were wearing body cameras during the incident, but they didn’t turn them on until after the shooting. The squad car camera was never turned on. Minnesota Police Department policy states officers should turn on body cameras “as soon as it is safe to do so” before any use of force or during “any contact involving criminal activity.” Axon provides the body cameras the Minnesota Police Department currently uses. MPD spokesman Scott Seroka said the department is “not in a position to speak publicly on the topic at the moment” although it “is exploring new BWC (body-worn camera) technology.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota said the new body cameras are “very promising” but that they don’t address the real problem. “We’ve pushed for some more mandatory policies for when the officer should manually activate the body camera,” interim Executive Director Teresa Nelson said. “If you have it more mandatory that every encounter you activate the body camera, it becomes more routine.” Nelson also said the 30 seconds of recording prior to the draw of the gun “may not be enough to provide context,” but that it is better than no footage at all. Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, raised another concern about the new body cameras: cost. “We have a policy that says that they should’ve turned on those cameras,” Gross said. “Now the community will have to pay for something they could’ve done themselves but chose not to. I expect it will be expensive.” Tuttle said that Axon has yet to set a price for the device. CNN’s Carma Hassan, Holly Yan, Brad Parks, Emanuella Grinberg, Dakin Andone, Stella Ko, Brad Parks, Jessica Suerth and Ryan Young contributed to this report.


The attorney for former CIA officer Jerry Lee defended his client from claims that he shared US secrets with the Chinese government after a hearing in Virginia federal court Tuesday. “Mr. Lee is not a Chinese spy, he’s a loyal American who served his country in the military and in the CIA,” Edward MacMahon, Lee’s attorney, told reporters. At an initial appearance in the US district courthouse in Alexandria, Magistrate Judge Ian Davis ordered Lee detained before his preliminary hearing, which was set for March 19 at 2 p.m. Related article Former CIA officer is arrested, accused of stashing top secret info Lee, a 13-year veteran of the spy agency, is charged with unlawful retention of national defense information and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Lee has not been charged with espionage. Appearing Tuesday unshackled in a tan T-shirt tucked into khaki pants, Lee acknowledged the charge and the potential time he faces. An attorney for the government, Neil Hammerstrom, argued Lee should remain in detention because he is a permanent resident of Hong Kong and a flight risk. Lee was traveling to the United States on business when he was arrested last month at JFK airport and has no US address, Hammerstrom said. Hammerstrom added that he would argue at a future detention hearing that Lee is also a danger to the community. MacMahon in court pushed back on the characterizations. “He’s not a flight risk or a danger to anybody,” he said. MacMahon declined a proposed date for earlier bond and preliminary hearings, and Lee waived his rights to timely ones, because, MacMahon said, he needed more time to prepare a bond package and to access the classified information that would be part of the case.


For "Classroom Portraits," Julian Germain tries a new twist on the school picture "It's about society and what a government's responsibility should be," he said After photographing 500 classrooms in 21 countries over eight years, Julian Germain started to see commonalities – “sameness in the diversity,” as he calls it. The elongated room filled with chairs, tables and desks, an adult standing in front of a chalkboard or interactive whiteboard. “Everything about their world – the building, schoolbooks – is built by adults,” he said. “The underlying theme is the responsibility of adults for their future.” For “Classroom Portraits,” the British photographer staged his shoots from the teacher’s perspective. The effect is a new twist on the class portrait, one that ditches the tiered rows and nondescript backdrop for a more natural setting. Germain’s shoots took place in Africa, North and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Russia – mainly, places he was already visiting between 2004 and 2012 for his work as a documentary and portrait photographer. He released a collection of the portraits in a book in 2012. Currently, they are on display at Towner Art Gallery in East Sussex, England, through January. Each shoot lasted a single class period, with Germain spending most of the time setting up equipment while the children went about their lessons. He spent the last 15 minutes or so getting students into place in a “careful choreography” to make sure each one had their own space and was not hiding behind another classmate. Finally, he placed the camera as close as possible to eye level for a realistic look. “The easy way would be to put the camera high above them and look down at the group, but it’s an unreal viewpoint, and you get unpleasant angles,” he said. “I like to think the camera takes the role of teacher, and the camera becomes a metaphor for teacher.” By using a long exposure for depth of field to capture detail in the signs on the walls, he managed to accomplish the feat of getting children to sit still for seconds at a time, creating a sense of intimacy. “That moment when the picture is actually made is quite lovely and intense because everybody’s concentrating,” he said. Like most photography, it’s political, too. “To me, it’s about the sensation of being challenged to feel we are responsible for the community; they are our responsibility, and it’s not just our own children we should be thinking about,” he said. “It’s about society and what a government’s responsibility should be and what a people’s responsibility should be.”

government's responsibility for education


When it comes to air travel, the stories never seem to stop. Whether it’s over a brawl, a dead giant rabbit or a pie in the face, airlines are taking a drubbing these days. CNN Opinion asked our well-traveled contributors to weigh in on the good, the bad and what they think should change about air travel. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the authors. Share your story: what’s the best or worst airline experience you’ve ever had? We want to know. Text or WhatsApp us on +1-347-322-0415. Flying today is worse than going to the dentist, even for a root canal. I hate flying. Gone are the days when air travel was a fun adventure, a chance to get work done, or catch up on much-needed sleep. For me, the stress begins at the airport security line, and doesn’t end until I reach my destination. When I hear a TSA agent say: “I love your hair,” I know the hair war is on. That’s become code for “search this woman.” Nothing has caused me more consternation, or missed flights than the “extra” security that’s become protocol for black women with big hair: braids, dreadlocks, or, a big fluffy afro like the one I proudly sport today. Despite what the TSA says about changing this policy, this black hair profiling still happens every day at airports across the country. Usually, my hair is searched by at least two agents, and X-rayed multiple times. The agents comb their gloved hands through my hair, wand it repeatedly and yank my head around, asking: “Are you carrying anything in your hair?” Then all of my hair products are opened and searched. First class, business class, back of the plane, doesn’t matter – the drill is still the same. As I stand off to the side in the hair detention area, I watch other women pass by with big hair – sprayed up Dolly Parton do’s, giant bouffants, Hasidic women in wigs, or Amish with women wearing bonnets. Never are they hair searched. I’m traveling again soon. And I sure hope I see the friendly American Airlines agent I met two years ago at JFK. Not only did he compliment my hair – he had dreadlocks – he upgraded me to first class, helped me condense my bags so I wouldn’t have to pay extra and gave me one bag free. Thanks, dude, people like you give me hope. Roxanne Jones, a founding editor of ESPN Magazine and former vice president at ESPN, writes frequently for CNN Opinion. Not so very long ago, air travel was widely viewed as a comfortable – even glamorous – mode of transportation in the United States. For sure there were occasional problems. I remember someone once warning me that you should never fly on major holidays because the “B” team was in charge on those days. I never believed this until I was flying out of Worcester Airport in Massachusetts on one of those puddle jumpers that used to fly from Worcester to New York City. The pilot suddenly terminated the takeoff run, explaining that someone had left the cargo door open and it would just take him a moment to close it. He got out of the plane himself and did so and we then took off. He may have been on the “B” team, but he at least knew how to fix the problem. Everyone was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, particularly when the flight attendants gave us all free drinks as an apology for the unscheduled stop. The passengers were willing to forgive that mishap because in those days, airline passengers were generally treated very well. You didn’t have to be in first class to enjoy reasonable leg and elbow room. Snacks and meals were often free and the flight attendants treated passengers with respect. No one was getting beaten up or dragged off airplanes. There were no stories of passengers being trapped on runways for hours at a time because of unexplained flight delays. No one had to be bribed to give up their seats because if you paid for a seat, the airline provided a seat. I was going to close by saying airline travel is as bad as the subway these days. Such a comment, however, would be unfair to the subway. In New York, at least, the train I take to the plane is likely to be the most civilized and comfortable portion of the trip. Paul Callan is a CNN legal analyst, a former New York City homicide prosecutor and currently is of counsel at the New York law firm of Edelman & Edelman PC, focusing on wrongful conviction and civil rights cases. Follow him on Twitter @paulcallan. I fly a lot. I spend more time in planes than cars and passed the million miles flown a while ago. For the most part, I’ve had very good experiences flying. And when I haven’t, it’s either because of something the airline can’t control – like turbulence; or something that’s just as hard to control – turbulent attitudes of other passengers. The best experience I have ever had? Simple – it’s anytime the captain comes out of the cockpit, stands at the top of the aisle and greets us over the loud speaker before we leave the gate. There’s nothing better than a funny, relaxed and optimistic pilot to put you at ease. Even if his or her debrief includes a warning about turbulence, it puts everyone at ease to see and her from the person who’s in charge of flying this metal tube. The worst experience? Other passengers being selfish, loud or unkind to the airline staff or other travelers. It’s not cool. We are all in this together. Delays are frustrating. Weather is a factor. No one is trying to screw you. Can’t we just agree to be kind to one another when we fly. Oh and leave your shoes on and bare feet on the floor. Seeing someone’s bare, scaly feet on a plane…yuck. What would I change? Two things. All pilots start with that in-person welcome from the aisle and checking luggage would be free. Why? Simple, it would change how people board. Right now, we try to drag it all on board so there’s a huge surge and rush to get on a plane because of the limited overhead space. Check a bag for free, and charge people to bring more than one carry-on on the plane. I think it would solve a lot of problems and seasoned travelers like me would pony up the $25 to bring my carry-on aboard. Mel Robbins is a CNN commentator, legal analyst, best-selling author and keynote speaker. Ah, air travel! Yes, it’s often irritating, even infuriating. It’s also occasionally terrifying. But if you don’t find it sublime, you’re not paying attention. To me, boarding a plane, gliding across the sky and arriving in a different land has never lost its magic. But the adventure is not always one I would choose to repeat. There was that trip to Somalia, back in the days of “Black Hawk Down.” The country was in chaos, the population starving and warlords stealing food supplies. I hitched a ride aboard a Canadian military C-130. There were no civilian flights. To leave the country, my colleague Gayle Young and I spent hours running from one airplane to another, asking the pilots of we could have a lift to Nairobi. At long last, the pilot of a tiny South African plane working for an aid organization said, “Sure, come along!” When he saw we had luggage, he shook his head. The plane was already overweight. But they took us anyway. The next day, flying from Nairobi to Cairo, the strange doings continued. Our plane made a mysterious, unscheduled stop in Sudan, where another brutal war was raging. The crew offered no explanation. But perhaps my most memorable flight was in the US, in Atlanta. As my Delta flight took off and we immediately heard a small explosion. All of us on board became very serious and quiet. The plane started listing. I waited for the pilot to announce, as in “Airplane,” the movie, that there was no reason to panic, so we could all panic. I looked out the window and saw a dark stream coming out of the wing. We were flying at 4,000 feet, the pilot later told us, dumping fuel in preparation for an emergency landing. Turns out a tire had blown on takeoff, sending chunks of rubber into one of the engines. We were flying with a missing tire and a broken engine! I don’t know how long we flew before that emergency landing. It felt like hours. Sign up for CNN Opinion’s new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook I’m here to tell the story. Nobody was hurt. And an hour later I was back in the air. Since then, no takeoff has ever been the same. I notice more vibrations, more sounds. But when the plane finally reaches cruising altitude, it’s still as magical as ever. Frida Ghitis is a world affairs columnist for The Miami Herald and World Politics Review and a former CNN producer and correspondent. I have to confess: as fun as it is to bash the airlines, when flying works, most of the time it is not all that bad.  These days, airports have become theme parks, food courts and shopping malls. Paradoxically, while the airports have gussied up, the passengers have given up. Completely. Though there are plenty of savvy, efficient, respectful travelers, it only takes one shirtless nudnik and his carry-on steamer trunk to jam up the works. Here’s one huge improvement airlines could make for free: they could drop the condescension and the profiteering.  Why don’t airlines treat us like we have common sense? The seat-back-up-for-landing rule is absurd.  My own back can’t even detect the negligible difference between recline and up anymore – if we go skidding off the runway, will it really make a difference that I’m 1 inch fore or aft in my seat? As if that’s not bad enough, now the crew is also blaring pitches for credit cards and rewards programs at 90 decibels. It’s why passengers lose their cool: They go from being treated like adult humans outside the airport, to being treated like schoolchildren … and marketing targets … who might want to sign up for a low-interest credit card. Oh, and don’t drag passengers off planes if you can help it.  But the airlines probably already have learned that one. Danny Cevallos (@CevallosLaw) is a CNN Legal Analyst and an attorney practicing in the areas of personal injury, wrongful conviction,   and criminal defense in New York, Pennsylvania, and the US Virgin Islands.


British Prime Minister's first name was spelled without "h" in meeting schedule White House communications staff quickly scrambled to correct the error The start of a renewed special relationship between the UK and United States hit a snag as White House staff misspelled Prime Minister Theresa May’s first name ahead of her sit-down with Donald Trump. May will be the first foreign leader to meet Trump since his inauguration a week ago. But White House staff omitted the “h” in the British leader’s first name in its rundown of the Washington meeting. The emailed schedule of events showed May’s first name spelled incorrectly in three instances – in the introduction as well as two later references during the bilateral meeting between the two leaders and a working lunch. Communications staff quickly scrambled to correct the error, sending an “update” to its guidance a little more than an hour later. The clarification made no reference to the spelling inaccuracy. CNN didn’t immediately receive comment from the White House on the matter. Trump, May: Another ‘special relationship’? Related article May praises Trump but pledges end to 'failed' foreign wars As May headed to Washington, members of Parliament urged her to confront Trump on several of his more contentious policies, including climate change, women’s rights and the use of torture. “What I think is important is that when I sit down, I will talk about how I can build on this special relationship. He has already said to me that he wants to see a very strong relationship between the US and the UK in the future,” May said in the days before the meeting. She has said the pair would discuss the countries’ future trade relations, the importance of NATO and the Syrian conflict. CNN’s Angela Dewan contributed to this report.


The "continuous bomber presence mission" was planned in advance and was "not in response to any current event," the Air Force said North Korea's state media outlet responded: "The gangster-like US imperialists are ceaselessly resorting to their frantic nuclear threat and blackmail" US Air Force B-1 bombers, accompanied by fighter jets from South Korea and Japan, conducted a flyover near the Korean peninsula on Thursday, according to a statement from the US Air Force  – a move that has drawn harsh criticism from North Korea ahead of President Donald Trump’s trip to the region. Two B-1B Lancers from Anderson Air Force Base in Guam rendezvoused with the Japanese and South Korean jets as part of the planned “bilateral integration” exercise – at one point flying over South Korea. The “continuous bomber presence mission” was planned in advance and was “not in response to any current event,” according to Air Force spokesperson Capt. Candice Dillitte. Related article US warns of N Korean 'provocations' as it sends bombers, carriers to region US B-1 bombers flying from Guam have been seen regularly over the Korean Peninsula amid escalating tensions with Pyongyang – running regular training flights with Japanese and South Korean fighter jets that often provoke the ire of the North Korean regime. Pyongyang again issued a harsh response in the wake of Thursday’s flight through its state-run media outlet KCNA claiming the exercise was a trial run for a surprise nuclear attack. Related article US bombers conduct drills off both coasts of Korean Peninsula “The gangster-like US imperialists are ceaselessly resorting to their frantic nuclear threat and blackmail to stifle the DPRK with nukes at any cost,” a post from KCNA said. “On Thursday they let a formation of B-1B nuclear strategic bombers stationed at the Anderson Air Force Base on Guam stealthily fly into South Korea again to stage a surprise nuclear strike drill targeting the DPRK.” The flyover comes after two more US aircraft carriers joined the Japan-based USS Ronald Reagan in the Asia-Pacific region last week. The Pentagon said the movement of the carriers and their accompanying strike groups was long planned, as the USS Nimitz heads back to the US West Coast after a deployment in the Middle East and the USS Theodore Roosevelt heads to that area to replace it. But Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters last week the three carrier groups would conduct a joint exercise to demonstrate their “unique and powerful capability,” the first time that’s happened in the Pacific in a decade. The aircraft carriers will take part in drills on November 13, officials said. Analysts say all these assets – the aircraft carriers, the submarine, the B-2s, B-1s, F-22s and F-35s – would play key roles in any strike on North Korea. The highly versatile, supersonic B-1 is considered the backbone of the US long range bomber fleet and carries the largest conventional payload of any aircraft in the US Air Force. But while it packs a punch, the B-1 remains disarmed of nuclear weapons. The US has maintained a significant military presence near the Korean peninsula ahead of Trump’s visit to the region next week. On Monday, US, South Korean and Japanese officials issued a statement urging North Korea to “refrain from irresponsible provocations” and walk away from its “destructive and reckless path” of weapons development. That same day, the first two of 12 US Air Force F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets arrived in Okinawa where the group of stealth fifth-generation aircraft will begin a six-month deployment in Japan as part of Pacific Command’s “theater security” program, a spokesperson for the service confirmed to CNN. Related article US F-35 fighter jets arrive in Japan ahead of Trump visit Last weekend, the US Air Force sent one of its B-2 stealth bombers on a mission to the Pacific, according to a statement from US Strategic Command. The B-2 flew from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, the Air Force said, without revealing where in the vast area of Pacific Command the bat-winged jet went. B-2s have operated in the past out of Andersen Air Force Base on Guam and the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. In 2013, B-2 bombers flying from Missouri participated in exercises over South Korea. Writing for CNN last month, Adam Mount, a senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists, said recent US actions “seem based on an idea that raising the risk of war can force China or North Korea to capitulate to Washington’s demands, ignoring recent history.” “The last 10 months of vague threats and sporadic military provocations prove Kim Jong Un cannot be frightened into surrendering his nuclear arsenal,” he said. “If the Trump administration can cease its careless threats, the US and its allies could begin a real conversation about whether new deployments of unambiguously defensive military forces are needed to deter North Korea.”

United States military presence near Korean peninsula


Sens. Lindsey Graham and Dianne Feinstein responded to James Comey's firing Their committee grilled Comey last week on Russian meddling into the US election Democratic senators sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to fire FBI director James Comey on Tuesday, with some calling for a special prosecutor to investigate Russian meddling into the 2016 US election and any connection to Trump’s aides. “Mr. President, with all due respect, you are making a big mistake,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters he told Trump when the President called him earlier. Schumer added that it’s time for a special prosecutor to lead an investigation and that “this investigation must be run as far away as possible from this White House.” Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, said Tuesday evening that he wanted the Senate panel to hear from Comey as part of its investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections and questions about potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. “I still want him to come and testify, even as former FBI director,” Warner said in an interview on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront.” Describing Trump’s move as “outrageous,” Warner issued a call to public servants and legislators to stand against overreach he compared to the Nixon era. “What happened during the Nixon period, there were people of principle who stood up against some of then-President (Richard) Nixon’s actions,” Warner said. “I’m hoping in the coming days that we’ll see either out of the administration, and frankly from a lot of my colleagues, a willingness to rise above partisanship.” Other prominent Democrats across Washington cited Nixon’s behavior more than 40 years ago to describe Trump’s decision to sack Comey following the recommendation of the attorney general and deputy attorney general. “This is Nixonian,” Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey said in a statement. “Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein must immediately appoint a special counsel to continue the Trump/Russia investigation.” Casey cited Comey’s testimony last week before Congress where he confirmed the Department of Justice’s investigation of Russian meddling included “investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination.” “We are careening ever closer to a Constitutional crisis, and this development only underscores why we must appoint a special prosecutor to fully investigate any dealings the Trump campaign or administration had with Russia,” said Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, in a statement. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi called for “an independent, bipartisan commission” following Comey’s firing. “The President’s sudden and brazen firing of the FBI Director raises the ghosts of some of the worst Executive Branch abuses,” Pelosi said in a statement. “We cannot stand by and watch a coverup of the possible collusion with a hostile foreign power to undermine American democracy.” RELATED: 10 things we learned from FBI Director James Comey’s Senate hearing At last week’s hearing, Comey confirmed that the FBI’s investigation into possible coordination between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russian officials was continuing.


Ly San spent six years interviewing elderly Cambodians to recover the country's lost Khmer recipes. He now hopes to re-educate Cambodians about their traditional food culture. It was while studying in France that Ly San, now 29, decided to resurrect traditional Khmer cuisine. Missing the tastes of his homeland Cambodia, he began to research traditional Khmer food but found that written accounts of the country’s native recipes and ingredients were hard to find. He realized that much of this information had been lost during the civil war of the early 1970s and subsequent barbaric rule of the Khmer Rouge, which saw hundreds and thousands of people die from execution and starvation. “We ate little (during that period) and that’s why people lost their (culinary) education,” he tells CNN. “People also were killed. So the food that we ate was Cambodia cuisine: What it’s like to cook and eat a tarantula Determined to find out more, San spent six years interviewing elderly Cambodians about the recipes they had loved before political turmoil tore apart the nation’s kitchens. The food … is one of the identifiers of Cambodian culture. Ly San, owner, Kraya Angkor restaurant In 2016, San opened a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Kraya Angkor, where he serves these dishes. He realized that his country’s cuisine was far richer than even he had realized. “The food – no one can forget it. It’s one of the identifiers of Cambodian culture.” Before San, a lawyer who teaches at the Royal University of Law and Economics, in Phnom Penh, began his project he thought Cambodian cuisine “to be simple.” His research, however, in his hometown of Siem Reap, where he interviewed the elderly there about the dishes they grew up with, changed his perception. “This passion popped up and pushed me to learn more,” he explains. “As I gained more knowledge about Khmer food, I started to realize the major impact (of it on people’s lives) as well as the importance of the Khmer culture of food.” After one elderly lady taught him how to cook “na tang” – a dish usually reserved for royalty – San decided to broaden his search, traveling across Cambodia to interview and cook with older citizens. Best 23 cities for street food Six years later, San has interviewed 26 Cambodians, and written two lengthy books – one of recipes and the other detailing ingredients. “I only learn from old folk who have been cooking for many generations,” he tells CNN. “I go to meet them, I go to their house and cook food with them. “They teach me, they tell me about the taste of these foods. I take a lot of pictures, and learn how to make these foods spicy or salty, things like that.” Broths, curries, relishes, roasted meats and dipping sauces. These, San discovered, are all part of traditional Khmer cuisine. He also learned the three Khmer classifications for food – royal, elite and peasant. Royal food – such as na tang, a starter of deep-fried sticky rice with a sauce made from minced pork, chilli and coconut milk – was once primarily served to people in Cambodia’s royal palace. The ingredients in such dishes are richer, more diverse and contain more meat. Elite dishes, which were mostly for the country’s officials and wealthy citizens, are less complicated and made using lower quality meats and ingredients. Cambodia: Insider Travel Guide Peasant, or everyday, food – such as “kor kou”, a fish soup that remains popular in the country – is made using simple, easily accessible ingredients. Fragrant and delicate, all of these dishes rely heavily on galangal, garlic, lemongrass, kaffir lime  leaves and turmeric for flavor. The subtlety makes Khmer cooking distinct from other southeast Asian cuisines, such as Thai, with its strong flavors. “The way that we cook is very different from other countries and it reflects how our country developed,” says San “Khmer food is very … good for your health.” Cambodia’s famous Angkor temples are stunning reminders of the country’s rich heritage and culture, despite a modern history scarred by war. After the communist Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975, their Marxist leader Pol Pot embarked upon a dramatic regime of social engineering, sending people from the cities to communal farms in the country. Intellectuals and middle-class citizens were tortured and executed while hundreds of thousands of people died of disease and starvation from the famine Pol Pot’s revolutionary policies induced. The way that we cook … reflects how our country developed. Ly San, owner, Kraya Angkor restaurant Scars of the Khmer Rouge: How Cambodia is healing from a genocide Records of the country’s cuisine were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, and people ate purely for survival, living on what little was available at the time. “Cambodian people just ate in groups, eating porridge and small foods and a lot of water to stay stable,” says San. Although San won’t elaborate on whether his elderly tutors shared their experiences of Cambodia’s struggle, it’s clear that what started out as a personal project has taken on greater significance. “This experience is very important. It has taught me how to protect Cambodian culture,” says San. His restaurant, Kraya Ankor, serves dishes from all three categories of Cambodian cuisine, and counts Cambodia’s Princess Norodom Buppha Devi among its regulars. He is also working on turning the two Khmer books he wrote into one comprehensive cookbook, and hopes to eventually have it published in French and English. “I want to show Cambodian people their food and enable them to taste real Cambodian food.”


President Donald Trump was infuriated after it quickly leaked that he had been directly instructed by his national security advisers in briefing materials not to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his recent election victory during their call Tuesday morning, a source familiar with the President’s thinking said. Trump was fuming Tuesday night, asking his allies and outside advisers who they thought had leaked the information, noting that only a small group of staffers have access to those materials and would have known what guidance was included for the Putin call, the source said. According to the source, the incident resurfaces his long-held belief there are individuals inside his administration – especially in the national security realm – who are actively working to undermine him. Related article Why Trump won't call Putin's election win a 'sham' White House chief of staff John Kelly also is furious that a confidential presidential briefing became public knowledge, a White House official said, and intends to address the matter Wednesday as aides try to figure out who disclosed the warning. “If this story is accurate, that means someone leaked the President’s briefing papers. Leaking such information is a fireable offense and likely illegal,” another senior White House official told CNN Wednesday. The Washington Post first reported Tuesday that Trump congratulated Putin despite warnings from multiple national security advisers and briefing materials that said “DO NOT CONGRATULATE.” The White House declined to officially comment to CNN on the matter, with an official adding that they “cannot comment on alleged classified deliberative documents allegedly provided to the President.” The President often makes calls to foreign leaders while he is still in the residence during what has been dubbed “executive time.” National security adviser H.R. McMaster has been known to join Trump in the residence during these calls, and was present during his Tuesday morning call with Putin. According to the public schedule released by the White House Tuesday, the President was not scheduled to be in the West Wing until noon, when he greeted the Saudi crown prince. The leak, which one source said contributes to the ongoing atmosphere of paranoia in the West Wing, irked White House aides as well. Though the reaction has been described as “rattled,” a White House official said it is more like anger and disappointment. “This is unacceptable,” the White House official said, speaking about the leak that some believe was an attempt to embarrass the President and McMaster. Another called it “ridiculous.” Related article Cillizza: The real problem for Donald Trump in the 'DO NOT CONGRATULATE' story One of the White House officials described anger and disappointment in the West Wing over the leak. It is still unclear if Trump actually read the guidance that was given to him by his advisers. Multiple officials have noted that he often follows his own path during his calls with world leaders. The substance of the call was not seen as a major deal by national security staffers, but the leak certainly was. Another White House official didn’t dispute to CNN Tuesday the language on the notes provided by members of Trump’s National Security Council, but said Trump didn’t read or see the notecard. The official added that Trump often disregards advice in calls with foreign leaders. Trump’s comments drew significant criticism among US politicians, including by Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain, a noted Russia hawk, who said “an American president does not lead the free world by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections.” The leak comes as McMaster’s standing in the West Wing remains in question. After Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Twitter last week, speculation intensified that McMaster was next to be ousted. The White House denied last week that McMaster was on his way out. CNN’s Dan Merica contributed to this report.


A van plowed into a crowd of people in Barcelona near Las Ramblas, an area popular with tourists The deadly attack in Spain claimed at least 13 lives Vice President Mike Pence said in the wake of an attack in Barcelona on Thursday that images of the aftermath “sicken us all.” President Donald Trump, meanwhile, offered his condolences on Twitter and referenced a debunked anecdote about a historical US general. “The latest scenes of carnage and mayhem sicken us all,” Pence said during remarks from Panama. Pence said the US condemned the “terror attack” and offered the nation’s support and prayers to the people of Spain. Barcelona terror attack: Live updates Pence delivered further comments later Thursday from Panama, saying the attack reminded the world about the threat that exists. “Whoever is responsible should know the United States of America, along with our allies, will find and punish those responsible and drive the evil of radical Islamic terror from the face of the Earth,” Pence said. In his initial response on Twitter, Trump offered similar thoughts. “The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!” Trump said. The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you! He went on to reference a debunked story he told on the campaign trail. “Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!” Trump said. Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years! Several fact-checking sites have already run down the story. Trump, speaking in South Carolina during the campaign, told a story of Gen. John Pershing who, he said, shot 49 Muslim prisoners dead with bullets dipped in pigs’ blood then ordered the one remaining prisoner to tell others what had happened. Trump said: “In 25 years, there wasn’t a problem.” Snopes previously found a lack of evidence the story, which has circulated online for years, and Politifact rated Trump’s comment as “pants on fire,” saying the facts of the story were lacking and the point he was making was wrong. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered US support to Spain, and said the US mission there was assisting American citizens affected by the attack. “Terrorists around the world should know that the United States and our allies are resolved to find you and bring you to justice,” Tillerson said. Democrats and Republicans likewise took to Twitter to condemn the attacks and offer their thoughts. “Pure evil in #Barcelona. We stand with the people of Spain, and send our prayers to the victims of this horrible terrorist attack,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said. Pure evil in #Barcelona. We stand with the people of Spain, and send our prayers to the victims of this horrible terrorist attack. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said, “My thoughts are with all suffering after the terror attack in #Barcelona. Praying for the victims, their loved ones and the people of Spain.” My thoughts are with all suffering after the terror attack in #Barcelona. Praying for the victims, their loved ones and the people of Spain. “U.S. Senate community expresses condolences to the victims of the #Barcelona terrorist attack. America stands united w/ the people of Spain,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. U.S. Senate community expresses condolences to the victims of the #Barcelona terrorist attack. America stands united w/ the people of Spain. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “My prayers are with #Barcelona after the terror attack. We stand firmly with you and against this awful violence.” My prayers are with #Barcelona after the terror attack. We stand firmly with you and against this awful violence. https://t.co/wOIA31YoyM CNN’s Laura Koran and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.

United States response to Barcelona terror attack


Two Australian drug traffickers on death row in Indonesia have had legal bids rejected The men were seeking to challenge President Widodo's decision to refuse clemency in their cases Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are members of the "Bali Nine" drug syndicate An Indonesian court has rejected a bid by two Australian drug smugglers – members of the “Bali Nine” – to challenge their planned executions. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are awaiting death by firing squad on Indonesia’s “execution island” for their role in a failed 2005 heroin smuggling plot. A panel of three judges in the state administrative court in Jakarta on Monday confirmed an earlier ruling that it lacked the jurisdiction to hear challenges against President Joko Widodo’s refusal to grant clemency. Lawyers for the pair had argued that Widodo had failed to individually consider their cases. One of the condemned men’s lawyers, Leonard Aritonang, said he was disappointed with the rulings but would respect the court’s decision. He said his team would file a further review, asking the Constitutional Court to explain Widodo’s obligations regarding granting clemency. “I’m hoping the government still respects… any ongoing proceedings,” he said. Tony Spontana, a spokesman for the Indonesian attorney general’s office, told CNN that the state administrative court’s ruling was “a relief.” “We had predicted it will be rejected because clemency is a prerogative right of the President, as head of the government, not an object of a suit at the administrative court,” he said in a message. “With this decision, it’s a step closer towards the scheduled execution.” Australia has repeatedly appealed for clemency for the pair and has unsuccessfully proposed a prisoner swap with Indonesia as a way of avoiding their deaths. Indonesia has long taken a hard line on drug smugglers, and since assuming office in October, Widodo has made it clear he intends to be tough on those found guilty of such crimes. Related video Indonesia President: 'No compromise' for drug executions In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in January, he said there would be “no compromise” on drug dealers. “Indonesia is in a drug emergency, so we need to have something that’s firm,” said Widodo. “They can ask for amnesty from the President. … But I’m telling you there will be no amnesty for drug dealers.” In December, six prisoners convicted of drug offenses were killed by firing squad, including five foreigners from Brazil, the Netherlands, Malawi, Nigeria and Vietnam. Chan and Sukumaran have been jailed since April 2005 for a failed bid to smuggle more than 8 kilograms of heroin from Bali to Australia. The Bali Nine were arrested after Indonesian police received a tip from Australian Federal Police. Chan, 31, was called the ringleader of the plot, while Sukumaran was described as Chan’s collaborator. Seven other people who participated in the plan are serving lengthy prison sentences. Police caught four people at the Denpasar airport with more than 8 kilograms of heroin strapped to their bodies. Another four – including Sukumaran – were arrested at a hotel in the village of Kuta. Chan was detained after boarding a plane to Sydney; he wasn’t carrying any drugs but was named by others as the mastermind of the plot. Opinion: Why executions won’t win Indonesia’s drug war Sukumaran and Chan have become model prisoners during their time behind bars, according to fellow inmates and the jail’s chief warden. Sukumaran is studying fine arts and has set up a class for fellow inmates. Chan has found spirituality, which he uses to counsel inmates with drug problems. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said that their rehabilitation is genuine. Australians have shown public support for the men, with politicians and members of the public turning out for a dawn vigil to demonstrate opposition to the planned executions. Australia lodges formal complaint over Bali Nine transfer CNN’s Euan McKirdy contributed to this report.

Indonesia's death penalty policy on drug traffickers


Official readout emphasized both country's commitment to fighting ISIS and terrorism But many areas of ongoing tension between Turkey and the US were left unmentioned President Donald Trump reiterated US support for Turkey as a “close, long-standing” partner, during a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday. It was the two leaders’ first conversation since Trump took office in January. Trump welcomed Turkey’s efforts in the battle against ISIS, according to a White House readout of the conversation, and spoke of both countries’ commitment to fighting terrorism “in all its forms.” The conversation lasted 45 minutes, local media reported. But areas of ongoing tension were notably absent from the readout, including the latter’s extradition request for exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen and US support for Kurdish groups in Syria. “Unpleasant issues that aren’t mentioned include the future of Syria, who leads it, US relations with Iran, and all these are important in terms of the future of Turkey-US relations,” Research Fellow at Sydney’s Lowy Institute Rodger Shanahan said. “They’re trying to highlight the issues of common interest, which aren’t that many, which is why they mention the Islamic State.” The relationship between Turkey and the US has grown increasingly complicated since a foiled coup in Turkey in July 2016. In response to the coup, Erdogan cracked down on the military and judiciary. Related video Turkey welcomes more refugees Erdogan demanded the US hand over Gulen, whom he blamed for the coup attempt, but the Obama administration asked for proof of his involvement. Trump praised the Turkish leader’s handling of the coup in a July interview with the New York Times. “I give him great credit for being able to turn that around,” he said. The Trump administration’s controversial travel ban, enacted in January 2017, has become another point of difference between the two countries. Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek posted on his official Twitter on January 29 that refugees were welcome in Turkey. “We’d happily welcome global talent not allowed back into #USA,” he wrote. But Trump will need close relations with Turkey if he is going to enact one of his campaign promises to create “safe zones” in the war-ravaged country of Syria. Related article Trump wants 'safe zones' set up in Syria. But do they work? The Trump administration has yet to detail exactly what the safe zones will entail but, given Turkey’s close proximity and military involvement, the US President will need their help. “Trump’s safe zone plan relies on Turkish cooperation and Trump has said unequivocally there will be safe zones,” Shanahan said. “There’s a potential political win-win in this and Erdogan would know that it’s a bone he could throw Trump for better relations at a relatively minimal cost.” The two leaders are expected to meet face-to-face at the European summit of NATO leaders in May, which Trump attend despite his previous criticism of the security pact.


Editor’s Note: David Wheeler is a freelance writer, a journalism professor at the University of Tampa and the editor of the online magazine AliveTampaBay.com. Follow him on Twitter: @David_R_Wheeler. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. David Wheeler: People freaked out about picture of Trump in Saudi Arabia with hands on glowing orb. I'm not freaked. The glowing orb is a friend of mine He says he met the orb at Burning Man and it told him three predictions about the orange being who would one day touch the orb Everyone’s freaking out about Donald Trump’s involvement with the glowing orb, on which he placed his hands during his visit to  Saudi Arabia Sunday – along with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud,and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi – to officially open, we’re told, the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology. But I’m here to put everything into context. I know the glowing orb. The glowing orb is a friend of mine. The orb – whose name is Orville, by the way – appeared to me in a beautiful hallucination at Burning Man back in ’95. We’ve been in touch ever since – sometimes in dreams, sometimes over email. It turns out that, as long as we all behave according to Orville’s strict instructions, and follow his orders blindly and unquestioningly, we’ll be fine. You might be interested in three predictions Orville made that have already come true. Prediction No. 1: America will empower an orange being in November of 2016. “Ha,” I scoffed when the orb told me this in the Nevada desert on the first night of Burning Man in 1995 (back when Burning Man was still cool). “We would never do that, Orville.” But, sure enough, America put a tangerine-tinted man in the Oval Office, despite his description of Mexican immigrants as criminals and “rapists.” And despite his boasts of groping women without their permission. And despite his hints that Second-Amendment-loving gun owners could “do something” if his opponent were elected. You guys, Orville was right. Prediction No. 2: The orange being will put three fingers in the Pacific Ocean in May of 2017. Related video Trump, Tillerson dance in Saudi Arabia This prediction came to me via my Outlook email inbox during his inauguration. It had been three or four years since I’d heard from Orville – he sent me some photos of his backpacking excursion through Europe – and I was glad to hear from my old friend. Initially, of course, I thought Orville was talking about the literal ocean, and I expected a photo op sometime this month, perhaps involving Trump shaking hands with blue-collar workers at the Port of Los Angeles. But then, bam, there was Orville, all over TV and the Internet. And guys, did you see where Trump’s fingers were? IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN section of Orville’s surface. I emailed Orville the now-famous image, complimented his photogenic appearance, and asked if this was his prediction coming true. He wrote back, “Yes, and don’t fall for the storyline that the Saudis were trying to kiss up to him by shrinking the Earth just to make his hands look bigger.” “Orville,” I said, “Two of your predictions have come true. Is there a third? “Yes,” he wrote back. “Can we switch to Facebook direct messaging?” “Sure,” I wrote back. Then, in a Facebook direct message, Orville gave me the third prediction. Prediction No. 3: Those who disobey Orville the Orb will be destroyed. “Wait, this doesn’t sound like you,” I typed back. “You’re usually so fun-loving and easy-going. You’re not the type to threaten people.” Related video Melania's controversial outfits in Middle East “Well, I appreciate you saying that,” he wrote. “But it’s time to take extreme measures. After watching a lot of Fox News, I’ve decided that the best way forward is to promote chaos, drive wedges between people, and thereby empower the orange being. As you can see, the orange being has pledged allegiance to me.” “Orville,” I wrote back, “that’s ridiculous. You, the orb, are supposed to be against extremism. That’s what the whole Riyadh photo op was about.” “Silence, mortal,” he wrote back, using a tone I’d never heard from him before. “I’m becoming impatient with the gridlock in Washington. Therefore, I believe we should undermine faith in our institutions, such as a free press and an independent judiciary, and let the orange being reign. This is my declaration.” “What happens if we refuse?” I asked timidly. “You don’t want to find out, buddy boy.” Then he used an obscene emoji. But guys, I think everything is fine. Really. Like I said, I’ve known Orville for years. Plus, maybe he was just joking. That Orville can be a real kidder sometimes.


Britain’s claim that Moscow was behind the poisoning of a former Russian spy faced fresh scrutiny Wednesday when it emerged the UK government had deleted a tweet blaming Russia for producing the nerve agent used in the attack. The UK Foreign Office acknowledged it had removed the social media post, which stated that British chemical weapons experts believed Russia made the nerve agent, Novichok, used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. A Foreign Office spokesperson told CNN that the tweet was removed because it was “truncated and did not accurately report” a briefing by the British ambassador to Moscow last month. The revelation came as the UK government was already on the defensive on the issue. On Tuesday, the chief executive of the Porton Down defense laboratory in the UK said scientists could not confirm where the nerve agent  was made. The British government insisted that additional material from intelligence sources led it to the conclusion that Russia was behind the attack. Russia, which has repeatedly denied involvement in the attack and has sought to blame Britain instead, seized on the developments. The Russian embassy in London tweeted: “Why would @foreignoffice delete this tweet from 22 March?” The controversy centered on a briefing on the Salisbury poisoning given by the British ambassador to Moscow, Laurie Bristow, on March 22. In it, he said “the analysts at Porton Down, the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory in the UK, established and made clear that this was a military-grade chemical weapon. One of the Novichok series; a nerve agent as I said produced in Russia.” A tweet, which the Foreign Office said was published in “real time”, paraphrased the comments, saying: “Analysis by world-leading experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down made clear that this was a military-grade Novichok nerve agent produced in Russia.” The tweet was deleted sometime before March 27. An identical tweet by the UK embassy in Russia, was also deleted. The Foreign Office spokesperson said the decision to delete the tweets did not change the UK government’s assessment that Russia was responsible for the “brazen and reckless act” of poisoning the Skripals. Britain and its allies, including the US, France and Germany, have expelled more than 100 Russian diplomats from their countries over the poisoning, prompting a series of reciprocal expulsions of foreign diplomats from Russia. News of the deleted tweets came a day after  Gary Aitkenhead, the head of the Porton Down laboratory said that while scientists were sure that only a “state actor” could have accessed the nerve agent, they could not say definitively where it was made. “We have not identified the precise source, but we have provided the scientific info to government, who have then used a number of other sources to piece together the conclusions you have come to,”  Aitkenhead told Sky News. He added: “It is our job to provide the scientific evidence of what this particular nerve agent is. We identified that it is from this particular family and that it is a military grade, but it is not our job to say where it was manufactured.” His comments contradicted remarks made by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who was asked last month how the government was able to quickly conclude that Russia was the source of the nerve agent. “When I look at the evidence, the people from Porton Down, the laboratory, they were absolutely categorical,” Johnson told the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. “I asked the guy myself, I said: ‘Are you sure?’ And he said: ‘There’s no doubt.’ So we have very little alternative but to take the action that we have taken,” said Johnson. The brewing controversy over the tweets threatened to overshadow an emergency summit of the world’s chemical weapons watchdog in The Hague on Wednesday to discuss the poisoning of the Skripals. The British delegation to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) slammed a Russian proposal for a joint investigation into the incident as “perverse,” describing it as a “diversionary tactic” aimed at evading questions over Moscow’s alleged role in the attack. Speaking at the meeting, called at Russia’s request, the UK said the Kremlin’s response to the Skripal case, as well as chemical weapons attacks allegedly committed by the Syrian regime, were proof of its disdain for international monitors. “It seems clear that Russia will never accept the legitimacy of any investigation into chemical weapons use unless it comes up with an answer Russia likes,” said John Foggo, the UK representative to the OPCW. The European Union’s representative at the chemical weapons meeting, Krassimir Kostov, also backed the UK’s assessment that it was “highly likely” Russia was behind the attack, telling delegates of the EU’s “shock at the offensive use of any military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, for the first time in European soil in over 70 years.” CNN’s Sheena McKenzie contributed to this report.


Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a clear message of Beijing’s disapproval over growing ties between the United States and Taiwan by ordering live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The drills, to be held this coming Wednesday, will mark the first time the Chinese Navy has held drills with live ammunition in the strait since September 2015, in the lead-up to the self-ruled island’s presidential election. Prior to those elections, relations between the two were at a high point after Xi met with then-President Ma Ying-jeou, the first such meeting in history between leaders of the two governments. But since then, tensions between China and the island it views as a breakaway province have become strained under Ma’s successor, President Tsai Ing-wen. The new Trump administration has sought closer ties to President Tsai’s government, angering Beijing by signing two deals in the past month to tighten ties with the island, including a travel act which will allow more official visits between the US and Taipei. “(China) wants to highlight that the Chinese navy is ever ready and secondly, it is a signal to the government in Taipei you better not go further,” Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ Maritime Security Program, told CNN. The planned live-fire exercises follow a massive show of force by the PLA Navy on April 10 and 11, which conducted the country’s largest military drills ever in the South China Sea. Chinese President Xi personally reviewed the troops himself from the deck of the Chinese destroyer Changsha on Thursday, speaking to the troops about the need for the navy to become “world-class.” Responding to the news of the upcoming live-fire drills, the Taiwanese Defense Military said in a statement the drills were taking place in a “routine” military zone and reiterated their national army could protect the island from any threat. “Our people please rest assured,” the statement said. Taiwan has been self-governed since a bloody civil war ended in 1949, forcing the defeated nationalists to flee to the island and continue to rule under the banner of the Republic of China. Though both Taipei and Beijing view the island as part of China, neither government recognizes the legitimacy of the opposing side, and there is a strong pro-indepedence sentiment within the current ruling party in Taiwan. This prospect is anathema to Beijing, prompting it to warn that it could retake the island by force if necessary. Related article With option to rule for life, China's Xi sets sights on Taiwan The two governments have a long history of international brinksmanship in their efforts to gain economic opportunities and diplomatic support from governments around the world. The United States maintains close unofficial links with the island and provides them with arms under the Taiwan Relations Act, but it maintains formal diplomatic relations only with Beijing. While Washington does not challenge Communist China’s claim over Taiwan, the official US policy simply states that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait recognize there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. But under US President Donald Trump, the United States’ has appeared enthusiastic to move closer to Taiwan, a move which has caused deep concern in Beijing. “Every inch of our great motherland’s territory cannot be separated from China,” President Xi said during a nationalistic speech at the National People’s Congress in March, drawing huge applause. China’s state media has followed Xi’s tone, with the tabloid Global Times writing in an editorial that the mainland needed to “prepare for a possible military clash.” “Despite a number of people being against reunification by force, the number that is pro-force and anticipating a cross-Straits war is growing unprecedentedly,” the editorial said. While Beijing has only grown more powerful in recent years, due to record economic growth and military modernization, the Taiwanese population has grown less and less interested in reunification with the mainland. “That’s a dangerous trend,” Richard McGregor, senior fellow at Sydney’s Lowy Institute, told CNN. “(Taiwan’s) not going to cede the lifestyle and virtual independence they’ve got now, so for China it gets more and more difficult in some respects.” One day after the PLA drills were announced, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen reviewed the island’s navy during exercises off their eastern coast, simulating an invasion of Taiwan. According to Taiwanese state media CNA, it was the first time Tsai has been on a warship since she took power in May 2016. Boarding a Kidd-class destroyer, Tsai reviewed the Taiwanese navy’s combat readiness and rapid response capabilities, state media said. The developments follow a surprise move by the Trump administration to facilitate direct communication with Tsai in December 2016, the first known contact between a US president and a Taiwanese leader since the US broke diplomatic relations with the island in 1979. Though that call created diplomatic ruptures with China, in recent months Trump has looked to build closer ties between Washington and Taipei. Earlier this month, the US administration authorized American manufacturers to sell submarine technology to Taiwan, drawing praise in Taipei and fury in Beijing. On April 12, US Secretary of State designate Mike Pompeo reiterated the importance of US arms sales to Taiwan during his confirmation hearings in Washington. Issuing a word of caution, Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at CSIS, said China’s forthcoming military drills were likely planned months in advance and were unlikely to be tied to recent events. “(But) it is a useful signal, whether it was intended to be as such, to both Taiwan and the United States, to not challenge China’s core interests on sovereignty and not to challenge red lines when it comes to Taiwan,” she said. The confrontational drills in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait come as Chinese President Xi is at the height of his power, only a month after the government removed term limits allowing him to effectively rule for life. Now China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, Xi has set his sights on reasserting his country’s power on the international stage, including building a combat-ready military and navy. McGregor said 20 years ago Beijing’s navy would have been vulnerable in the Taiwan Strait – now, accompanied by the country’s first aircraft carrier the Liaoning, it was no longer a problem. “Now they have the military capabilities, they want to display them … they want to display their power,” he said. Related article Xi Jinping's China shows off force in South China Sea China would vastly prefer a peaceful reunification of Taiwan, McGregor said, due to the sheer size of the undertaking and number of risks involved. Not least of which, if war were to break out between Beijing and Taipei, there’s no guarantee whether or not Washington would join the island’s defense. “You can’t simply take Taiwan over … (China’s) trained for it, they’ve built their military for it but they sure as hell don’t want to do it because how risky it is,” he said. But as China’s military strength continues to grow, including its second aircraft carrier which will go to sea trials within a month, the balance of power could shift in Beijing’s favor, Zhang Baohui, a professor of political science at Lingnan University, told CNN in March. “After 20 years, by 2040, if China’s achieved military parity then it may be feasible if they could win at a low cost,” he said. This piece has been amended to better reflect the US’ public position on the “One China” policy. CNN’s Steven Jiang, Joshua Berlinger and Steve George contributed to this write.


Malaysian government, undersea search company sign deal for further exploration Ocean Infinity could net up to $70 million should they find the plane; nothing if they don't The Malaysian government has awarded a “no-find, no-fee” contract to a private US-based tech company to resume the search for Malaysian Airlines flight 370, one of the most enduring aviation mysteries of the modern era. Ocean Infinity will only receive payment if it’s successful in finding the remains of the plane, which went missing in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. The 90-day search will initially take place over an area of 25,000 square kilometers (just under 10,000 square miles) off Australia’s west coast, to the northeast of the original search area. The payment is on a sliding scale. If the debris field, cockpit voice recorder or flight recorder are discovered within the first 5,000 sq km (1930 sq mi) searched, Ocean Infinity will command a fee of $20 million, rising to $70 million if any of those items are found outside the initial 25,000 sq km area. The agreement was signed by the Malaysian government and Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Plunkett at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday, attended by the families of some of the missing passengers. Australia led the initial search, after analysis showed the plane was most likely to have sunk to the bottom of the ocean off the coast of West Australia. Ocean Infinity, which specializes in the collection of “high resolution geophysical seabed data,” said in a press release that its command vessel, Seabed Constructor, is en route and “close to” the search area. In addition to the Ocean Infinity’s 65 crew members, two personnel from the Royal Malaysian Navy will accompany the search as representatives, Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Wednesday. All costs would be borne by the Malaysian government, Lai said, but the search must be successfully completed within 90 days for the company to claim its reward. The original search, which covered 120,000 sq km (46,000 sq mi), cost roughly $150 million. Lai said that he hoped the wreckage would be found “as soon as possible,” to “bring some closure” to the families of those who perished. In December 2016, an Australian government report confirmed that teams searching for the missing aircraft had been very likely been looking in the wrong place. New analysis suggested the search area in which Ocean Infinity will focus. Search for MH370: Where is the missing plane? The search will be undertaken by a fleet of eight autonomous underwater drones “packed with sensors,” whose data from the seabed is then analyzed on board the surface vessel, Plunkett said. The drones – Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) – do not need to be towed by surface ships, as was the case with previous searches, which, according to Ocean Infinity, makes their search capabilities more effective. “The ability to operate untethered independent missions allows the AUVs to go deeper and collect higher quality data, making this technology ideal for the search,” the Ocean Infinity press release states. Plunkett said Wednesday that discounting the already searched areas and employing Ocean Infinity’s AUV technology gave him confidence the company would discover the wreckage of the plane where others have failed. He said the drones could cover 1,200 sq km a day, enabling the team to search beyond the initial search area, should nothing be found there. Plunkett added that since the first underwater drones were delivered in 2017, his team has logged 6,100 hours of AUV dive time in a variety of projects. The submersibles had reached a depth of 5,680m, he said. The mystery of MH370 has gripped the world since its disappearance on March 8, 2014. The flight was carrying individuals and families from 14 different countries, though most of the passengers and crew were from China and Malaysia. Some debris definitively linked to the plane has been found, but for the most part its whereabouts remain unknown. Competing theories have surfaced as to what led to the plane’s disappearance, though none are conclusive. In its final report, released in October 2017, investigators for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was “almost inconceivable” that authorities were no closer to knowing its ultimate fate. The Australian government didn’t rule out a future resumption of the search if “credible new information” came to light.


Vladimir Putin brought his Labrador into a meeting with Germany's Angela Merkel in 2007 The German leader is reportedly scared of dogs after one bit her in 1995 Putin told a German paper he had no intention of scaring Merkel, and had apologized Russian President Vladimir Putin has told a German newspaper he did not mean to scare Chancellor Angela Merkel when he brought his pet Labrador in to meet her during an infamous press conference nine years ago. Merkel, reportedly fearful of dogs since one attacked her in 1995, was photographed looking distinctly uncomfortable when Putin brought his large black Labrador Koni into a meeting at his summer residence in Sochi, Russia, in January 2007. The Russian leader appeared to smirk as he watched his pet approach his uneasy VIP guest. Now, years on, Putin has told German newspaper Bild he had no intention of intimidating Merkel. “I wanted to do something nice for her,” he told the newspaper, in an interview published Monday. “When I found out that she doesn’t like dogs, of course I apologized.” Putin’s treatment of Merkel, in office for less than two years at the time, reportedly rankled the German press corps. According to a 2014 New Yorker profile of the German leader, Merkel responded to Koni’s presence by quipping, in Russian: “It doesn’t eat journalists, after all.” The magazine reported she had later told journalists: “I understand why he has to do this – to prove he’s a man. … He’s afraid of his own weakness. Russia has nothing, no successful politics or economy. All they have is this.” Related video Angela Merkel: Germany's beloved 'Mom' Elsewhere in the Bild interview, Putin was complimentary of the German leader although he denied having said he admired her. “I never said that. I value her as very professional and open,” he said. Putin said that, despite tensions with the West, both sides had a shared interest in fighting Islamic terrorism. “We should stand together much more globally in the fight against terror, which is a big challenge,” he said. “Even though we don’t agree every time and on every subject, no one should take that as an excuse to declare us enemies.” CNN’s Stephanie Halasz contributed to this report.


Australian politician boasts to parliament that he ate elephant he shot on hunting trip to Africa MP Robert Borsak claims meat was tasty, but critics call his act "disgusting" First he shot and killed an elephant in Africa. Then he fried it in butter and ate it. But don’t ask Australian lawmaker and proud huntsman Robert Borsak for any apologies, despite the backlash he’s getting for admitting it to parliament. “What do you think happens to elephant carcasses that are killed under license?” Borsak, a member of parliament of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (SFF), asked CNN. “They are the property of the traditional owners, they value the meat as one of their only sources of protein.” He was speaking to parliament in New South Wales about animal rights Tuesday night when Green Party MP Jeremy Buckingham interrupted him, asking if he ate the dead elephant pictured with him in a hunting photo. Borsak said he did, and later confirmed to CNN that he found it tasty. The politician says he ate one meal of cooked elephant, but then ate more “mostly as biltong for a few days afterwards whilst hunting.” Biltong is a type of dried cured meat, similar to jerky. Buckingham took to Twitter, calling the act “disgusting.” Tonight in NSW Parliament @sffAustralia MP Robert Borsak admitted to eating the elephant he shot. True & disgusting pic.twitter.com/8WFUQhpKpJ But Borsak fired back on social media, showing a photo of Buckingham chowing down on Borsak’s venison sausages at a parliamentary barbeque. You didn't find Borsak's venison disgusting. @jde3521 @bondi_izzy @hey_jocelyn @kurtzwalt @TomOfNors pic.twitter.com/h6ulhdPME2 Animal rights groups such as the UK’s Labour Animal Welfare Society have been retweeting the news, but Borsak’s hunting supporters are standing behind him. The controversy over legal elephant trophy hunting has raged for many years, with countries such as Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa and Mozambique allowing controlled hunts. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) allows several African countries to legally export hundreds of ivory tusks annually. But due to poaching, wildlife protection group WildAid estimates 33,000 elephants are killed each year.