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Klobuchar has ‘please clap’ moment, says CNN’s Chris Cuomo ‘creeping’ over shoulder during town hall

2020 presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., saw a couple of viral moments during a televised town hall on Monday night.

The first: what critics and analysts have called her “please clap” moment. Klobuchar was boasting that in each of her elections she won every congressional district in her state, including that of former Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Republican.

After the audience didn’t react to her victories, Klobuchar gave them permission to be excited.

“It’s when you guys are supposed to cheer, okay?” Klobuchar grinned, which prompted applause and some laughter.

Many on social media have drawn comparisons to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who famously told a town hall crowd to “please clap” on the campaign trail during the 2016 election.

STIREWALT: TRUMP SUPPORTERS UNFAZED BY MUELLER REPORT RELEASE

Later on, the Minnesota Democrat had an awkward encounter with CNN anchor and town hall moderator Chris Cuomo.

While discussing how to address climate change with rural voters, Klobuchar stressed how important it was and told Cuomo that she wanted to “finish” her thought before he interrupted.

She then, however, felt a little creeped out by Cuomo’s presence.

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“I feel you creeping over my shoulder,” Klobuchar told the CNN anchor. She jokingly clarified, “not in a Trumpian manner.”

Klobuchar was referring to the second presidential debate in 2016. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton later accused then-candidate Donald Trump of being a “creep” for approaching behind her on the debate stage and claimed her “skin crawled” in her memoir, “What Happened.”

Source: Fox News Politics

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Japan’s Abe expected to visit Trump at the White House

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a press conference standing next to the calligraphy 'Reiwa' which was chosen as the new era name at the prime minister's office in Tokyo
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a press conference standing next to the calligraphy 'Reiwa' which was chosen as the new era name at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Japan, April 1, 2019. Franck Robichon/Pool via Reuters

April 17, 2019

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on April 26, a month ahead of Trump’s planned visit to Tokyo in late May, an administration official said on Thursday.

Trade and U.S.-led efforts to contain North Korea’s nuclear program are likely to be high on the agenda for the meeting.

Abe is one of Trump’s closest allies on the world stage. Japan was the first stop on the president’s November 2017 Asia tour and the two leaders played golf there.

A similar golf outing could be in the offing for Abe’s visit to Washington.

Trump is planning to visit Tokyo in late May to greet Crown Prince Naruhito, who will become emperor on May 1, a day after the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito.

That visit could include a Trump-Abe visit to a sumo championship.

The White House declined to comment.

(Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

Source: OANN

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Shadow margin loans make a sly return as China stocks sizzle

FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: An investor looks at an electronic board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Shanghai
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: An investor looks at an electronic board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Shanghai, China September 7, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo/File Photo

March 22, 2019

By Shu Zhang and Samuel Shen

SINGAPORE/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – On a cloudy March morning in Shanghai’s glitzy financial district of Lujiazui, Ye Lixia was knocking on the doors of potential clients, offering loans to bet on a surging stock market.

“We provide money to investors who need quick funding to capitalize on the market rally,” Ye told Reuters.

Ye, in her 30s and a general director at Bo Ying Asset Management, is one of the thousands of gray market lenders operating in the shadows of China’s colossal capital markets.

A stock market that shot up 25 percent in the last three months has revived the undercover margin lending business that was notoriously responsible for China’s 2015 boom-bust market volatility.

In defiance of warnings from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), shadow lenders pitch their business via cold telephone calls and social media advertisements, dangling the prospects of a reversal of fortune.

“In China, speculators adopt very aggressive trading strategies, gaming the rules… and pushing policy-makers’ tolerance to the limit,” said Stephen Huang, vice president of Shanghai See Truth Investment Management Co.

The Shanghai index’s swift recovery from last year’s heavy losses has been primarily driven by signs of an end to the long-running Sino-U.S. trade war.

Beijing’s efforts to lower the cost of lending in a slowing economy, and foreign investment inflows after the inclusion of Chinese A-shares in global equity benchmarks encouraged the rally.

Shenzhen’s start-up board ChiNext, traditionally a hotbed for speculation, has surged more than 30 percent this year.

In the official margin financing market, in which stock investors borrow money from brokerages, outstanding loans have jumped nearly 30 percent since the end of January to 911.6 billion yuan ($136.08 billion). That is just a third of the 2.27 trillion yuan record hit in June 2015.

But unofficial margin financing, in which small investors borrow from grey market lenders, is thriving.

Hui Ju Ying, a margin lending platform, lures clients with suggestions of “returns of 100 percent.” Another platform, www.zfpz.com, says: “young people shouldn’t resign to mediocrity; margin financing can change your fate.”

The CSRC said in late February that it was closely monitoring the situation. But regulators have so far taken a soft approach towards such lending.

“Last year, the government was talking about reducing leverage. Now, the government is talking about steadying leverage, which is good for us,” said Ye, whose company borrows money from banks and lends it to investors.

NO DEJA VU?

Managers at five margin lenders said they began aggressively marketing loans over the past few weeks to investors eager to make outsized stock market bets.

Such lending helped the Shanghai stock index double between 2014 and mid-2015, forcing the authorities to crack down on shadow lending and causing a 40 percent decline in stocks over six months.

Some of the lenders this time around are newcomers. Others are survivors of the last crackdown, emboldened by the belief that regulators, focused on enabling funding for struggling private firms, will look the other way.

“The loans we make are deals between us and investors and are none of brokerages’ business,” said Xiao Xiao, a saleswoman at shadow financing platform xianniuwang.com.

The financing has been a boon to risk takers like Zhang, who more than doubled his investment capital via shadow margin loans through leveraged bets on 5G-related China tech stocks.

With 50,000 yuan in hand, Zhang, who was willing to disclose only his family name, borrowed 500,000 yuan from a gray-market lender named Gu Zhang Gui six months ago. He has earned 56,000 yuan in net returns so far, he told Reuters.

Zhang pays a daily interest rate of 0.06 percent, which translates to an annualized cost of funding of 22 to 24 percent.

“Stocks are rallying so we investors are making money. And then we want to make even more money, so we are turning to those lenders who can leverage our funding,” he said.

Individual investors account for about 80 percent of total stock market turnover. Many are day-traders, frequently churning their holdings for quick returns.

Regular broker financing is regulated and limited at 1:1 leverage – the maximum amount they can borrow is equal to their principal. Shadow margin loans allow for a leverage of up to 10 times the capital the investor provides, and lenders do not dictate what stocks investors can buy.

“No qualification is needed,” said an executive who used to work for Beijing-based Yueda Investment, a gray-market lender. “Investors just come to our office to take a look and then we sign loan contracts.”

Operating in the shadows carries risks, he said, notably that they cannot use the courts to recover losses.

A director at another Shanghai-based margin lender said his company charges interest of 11.5 to 15.5 percent on money that cost them about 9.5 percent.

(For a graphic on ‘China margin lending rises sharply as market jumps’ click https://tmsnrt.rs/2HD8Jqa)

BANK INVOLVEMENTTwo of the gray-market margin financiers interviewed by Reuters said their initial funding came from banks. Banks are prohibited from directly financing stock market investment but use complex product structures to bypass regulations.

Both declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. The names of banks lending to trust companies are never revealed on shadow margin loan contracts.

On March 15, the Taizhou branch of China’s banking watchdog fined two lenders for allowing bank money to flow illegally into the stock market. The Guangdong branch of the CSRC has banned brokerages from cooperating with shadow lenders.

That caused a 4 percent drop in China stocks, their worst day in five months.

Domestic brokerage Shenwan Hongyuan Securities estimated there were about 10,000 grey market lenders running 1-1.5 trillion yuan in margin financing in 2015. Volumes are much lower this time, which is why analysts expect regulators look away for a while longer.

“I think regulators want to see more active trading… Investors or speculators are all welcome,” said a senior manager at domestic brokerage Industrial Securities.

(Reporting By Shu Zhang in SINGAPORE and Samuel Shen in SHANGHAI; Editing by Vidya Ranganathan and Gerry Doyle)

Source: OANN

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Report: School officials delayed alerting police about rapes

Officials at a Maryland high school waited hours to tell police that a football player had been credibly accused of raping a teammate with a broomstick, despite an agreement with police requiring the immediate reporting of sexual assaults.

The Washington Post reports that Damascus High School officials instead launched their own investigation, questioned students and uncovered a total of four suspects and four victims. The report says the victims weren't given medical care then, and their parents weren't immediately notified. Police later sent the victims to be medically evaluated.

Four teens are being prosecuted as juveniles on charges of rape and attempted rape. According to statements to police and text messages, as many as 10 other junior-varsity players watched and laughed at the "brooming" attacks last October.

___

Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com

Source: Fox News National

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NHL roundup: Islanders down Sabres, clinch playoff spot

NHL: Buffalo Sabres at New York Islanders
Mar 30, 2019; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier (18) celebrates his goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the second period at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports

March 31, 2019

Anthony Beauvillier scored twice Saturday night for the New York Islanders, who capped one of the most remarkable stories of the NHL regular season by clinching a playoff berth with a 5-1 win over the visiting Buffalo Sabres.

Jordan Eberle, Michael Dal Colle and Ryan Pulock also scored for the Islanders (46-26-7), who will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 thanks to a raucous victory in a building they thought they’d left in the spring of 2015.

The Islanders moved from Nassau Coliseum to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center following the 2014-15 season but began splitting their home schedule between the two arenas this season as they wait for construction to begin on a proposed hockey-only building at the Nassau/Queens border.

The Islanders are 12-6-2 at the Coliseum and will close out their home schedule there Monday. They will be hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs and former teammate John Tavares in the home finale. All first-round home games will be played at the Coliseum. Should New York advance, it will head back to Barclays Center for home games in subsequent rounds.

Hurricanes 5, Flyers 2

Carolina scored twice on power plays in a victory in Raleigh, N.C., which eliminated Philadelphia from playoff contention.

Teuvo Teravainen, Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Jaccob Slavin and Brock McGinn scored for the Hurricanes, who strengthened their hold on the top Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

The Hurricanes scored two goals in a 21-second span in the first period to wipe out a one-goal deficit and later added two empty-net goals.

Blue Jackets 5, Predators 2

Cam Atkinson scored twice to tie the franchise record for goals in a season, and Artemi Panarin collected four assists to set a team record for points in a campaign as visiting Columbus beat Nashville to remain in a playoff spot.

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots for the Blue Jackets (44-30-4, 92 points), who have won four straight and are one point back of the Hurricanes for the first wild-card spot. Columbus is tied with the Montreal Canadiens, but holds the second wild-card spot with the tiebreaker.

Nashville’s two-game winning streak was snapped on a night the Predators (44-29-6, 94 points) failed to take advantage of an opportunity to claim the top spot in the Central Division.

Canadiens 3, Jets 1

Joel Armia, Jeff Petry and Jordan Weal all scored as visiting Montreal held on to claim a win over Winnipeg that was crucial to their playoff hopes.

Montreal goalie Carey Price stopped 23 shots in a victory that keeps his team in the thick of the playoff race, along with fellow wild-card candidates Carolina and Columbus.

Montreal (42-29-8, 92 points) is on a 5-1-1 roll, though the Canadiens have one fewer game remaining than the Hurricanes and Blue Jackets.

Senators 4, Maple Leafs 2

Anthony Duclair scored twice, including an empty-netter, as Ottawa defeated visiting Toronto, which missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth.

Craig Anderson made 42 saves for the last-place Senators, who improved to 6-7-1 under interim coach Marc Crawford.

Magnus Paajarvi and Cody Ceci also scored for Ottawa, which took a 2-0 lead into the third period before the Maple Leafs tied it with goals 27 seconds apart. Brady Tkachuk and Colin White each had two assists for the Senators.

Capitals 6, Lightning 3

Alex Ovechkin scored twice to eclipse the 50-goal mark, and Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie each had two goals and an assist as visiting Washington beat Tampa Bay.

Ovechkin scored from the low slot at 14:35 of the third period, marking the eighth time he has reached the 50-goal milestone, and his 51st came less than two minutes later on the power play. Only Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy, each with nine, have more 50-goal seasons.

Goaltender Braden Holtby stopped 25 shots to win his 31st game for the Capitals, who have won 14 of their last 19 and salvaged the final meeting in the three-game season series (1-1-1) over 15 days against Tampa Bay.

Sharks 4, Golden Knights 3 (OT)

Brent Burns’ power-play goal 22 seconds into overtime lifted San Jose over visiting Vegas, ending a season-worst losing streak at seven games.

Burns one-timed a pass on the Sharks’ first possession in the offensive zone in overtime. San Jose held a 4-on-3 advantage after Colin’s Miller’s hooking penalty on Evander Kane with less than a minute to play in regulation.

Tomas Hertl, Kane and Marc-Edouard Vlasic tallied goals, while Logan Couture had two assists for the Sharks, who split the four-game season series against Vegas. Martin Jones made 23 saves to win for the first time in seven decisions.

Blues 3, Devils 2 (OT)

Defenseman Vince Dunn scored 4:56 into overtime as visiting St. Louis recorded its 11th straight victory over New Jersey, in Newark, N.J.

With time winding down in overtime, Dunn skated into the offensive zone and tucked the puck between the pads of Cory Schneider for his fifth career game-winning goal and his fourth this season.

Tyler Bozak scored to record his 400th career point, and rookie Robert Thomas also tallied for the Blues (42-28-8), who have won five of their last six games. Jake Allen finished with 25 saves to improve to 7-0-0 in his career against New Jersey.

Ducks 5, Oilers 1

Rickard Rakell notched a natural hat trick in the second period, and visiting Anaheim all but eliminated Edmonton from the playoffs for the 12th time in 13 seasons.

Goalie John Gibson made 30 saves for the Ducks (33-37-10, 76 points), who have long been eliminated from the playoff picture.

The chances of Edmonton (34-35-9, 77 points) reaching the postseason were on life support, but the loss essentially sealed the club’s fate. The Oilers are eight points out of a playoff position with four games remaining.

Canucks 3, Stars 2 (SO)

Markus Granlund’s goal in the eighth round of the shootout gave Vancouver a home-ice win over Dallas.

Granlund slipped the puck through Dallas goaltender Anton Khudobin’s legs. Granlund was the lone scorer in the shootout.

The Canucks (34-35-10, 78 points) won their second straight game, but the victory was moot because they were eliminated from NHL playoff contention on Friday. The Stars (41-31-7, 89 points) missed a chance to clinch a postseason berth, as they suffered their first loss in four games and their first road setback in eight games.

Kings 3, Blackhawks 2 (OT)

Drew Doughty scored with 12 seconds remaining in overtime as Los Angeles dealt a major blow to visiting Chicago’s fading playoff chances.

Playing with a one-man advantage after a late penalty by the Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews, Doughty powered in his game-winner from the top of the right circle and through Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford. It was Doughty’s seventh goal of the season.

Austin Wagner and Michael Amadio also scored for the Kings. Amadio’s goal with just over four minutes remaining in regulation sent the game into overtime.

Panthers 4, Bruins 1

Boston’s 12-game home-ice win streak was snapped by visiting Florida.

The Bruins’ streak was their longest since 2008-2009. It was the first Bruins home loss since Jan. 31.

Riley Sheahan and Troy Brouwer scored once, and Evgenii Dadonov scored twice, including an empty-netter, for the Panthers. Roberto Luongo earned the win by making 30 saves.

–Field Level Media

Source: OANN

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Judge denies lower bond for ex-priest accused of abuse

A St. Louis County judge has refused to lower bail for a former Catholic priest who was previously imprisoned and labeled sexually violent.

Fred Lenczycki of suburban Chicago was charged in February with two counts of sodomy for allegedly abusing two boys in the early 1990s at a north St. Louis County parish. He is jailed on $500,000 cash-only bond and sought an unspecified reduction.

Circuit Judge Gloria Glark Reno declined the request at a hearing Monday.

Lenczycki is 74. He was removed from the ministry in 2002, when he was charged with sexually abusing three boys in Hinsdale, Illinois, in the 1980s. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Court and church files say Lenczycki admitted abusing up to 30 boys in Illinois, Missouri and California over 25 years.

Source: Fox News National

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Russia dismisses speculation about its ‘specialists’ in Venezuela

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova listens during the annual news conference in Moscow
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova listens during the annual news conference of the Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (not pictured) in Moscow, Russia January 16, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

March 30, 2019

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has clearly stated the purpose of the “specialists” it has sent to Venezuela under a military cooperation deal, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday, dismissing U.S. concerns about their presence.

“The Russian side clearly stated the purpose of the arrival of its specialists to Caracas. This is not about any ‘military contingents’,” Zakharova said in a statement.

“Thus, the speculations about the conduct of certain ‘military operations’ by Russia in Venezuela are absolutely groundless.”

Russia has said its “specialists” pose no threat to regional stability, brushing aside a call from the United States to remove all its military personnel from Venezuela.

(Reporting by Polina Devitt; Editing by Catherine Evans)

Source: OANN

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Afghan President Ashraf Ghani speaks during the inauguration of the newly-elected parliament in Kabul
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani speaks during the inauguration of the newly-elected parliament in Kabul, Afghanistan April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani

April 26, 2019

By Rupam Jain and Hameed Farzad

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani encouraged newly-elected lawmakers to participate in the peace process with the Taliban as he opened on Friday the first session of parliament since a controversial election.

Ghani has invited thousands of politicians, religious scholars and rights activists to an assembly known as a loya jirga next week to discuss ways to end the 17-year war.

Several opposition leaders have said they will boycott the four-day assembly in Kabul, saying it was pulled together without their input and is being used by Ghani as he seeks a second term in a September presidential election.

“We have presented the peace plan on a regular basis and we are committed to it,” Ghani said in the first session since parliamentary elections marred by technical problems, militant attacks and accusations of voting fraud last year.

“Based on this plan, there will be no peace deal and negotiation that does not have the green card of the parliament,” he added.

Officials from the United States and the Taliban have held several rounds of talks to end the Afghan war.

U.S. negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, has reported some progress toward an accord on a U.S. troop withdrawal and on how the Taliban would prevent extremists from using Afghanistan to launch attacks as al Qaeda did on Sept. 11, 2001.

The insurgents have so far rejected U.S. demands for a ceasefire and talks on the country’s political future that would include Afghan government officials.

The loya jirga, a centuries-old institution used to build consensus among competing tribes, factions and ethnic groups, is an attempt by Ghani to influence the peace talks and cement his position for a second term, Afghan politicians and Western diplomats say.

Amid growing political divisions in Kabul, opposition politicians have demanded that Ghani step down when his mandate ends next month, and give way to an interim government to oversee peace talks with the Taliban. Ghani has ruled that out.

The country’s top court said last week Ghani can stay in office until the presidential election in September.

(Reporting by Hameed Farzad, Rupam Jain, Editing by Darren Schuettler)

Source: OANN

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Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Thursday defended special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation while slamming former President Barack Obama’s administration for being slow to take action on Russian interference in U.S. elections and ex-FBI Director James Comey for telling Congress the agency was investigating collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

“Our nation is safer, elections are more secure, and citizens are better informed about covert foreign influence schemes,” Rosenstein said in a speech to the Armenian Bar Association, marking his first public remarks after the Mueller report was released, reports CBS News.

He also pointed out that the investigation revealed a pattern of computer hacking and the use of social media to undermine elections as “only the tip of the iceberg of a comprehensive Russian strategy to influence elections, promote social discord, and undermine America, just like they do in many other countries,” reports The Wall Street Journal.

The Obama administration also made “critical decisions,” including choosing not to publicize the full story about Russian hackers and social media trolling, “and how they relate to a broader strategy to undermine America,” said Rosenstein.

He noted that the Mueller probe began after Comey disclosed during a hearing before Congress that President Donald Trump “pressured him to close the investigation and the president denied that the conversation occurred.”

Rosenstein said two years ago, when he was confirmed, he was told by a Republican senator that he would be in charge of the probe and that he’d report the results to the American people.

However, he said he didn’t promise to do that, because it is “not our job to render conclusive factual findings. We just decide whether it is appropriate to file criminal charges.”

Source: NewsMax Politics

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FILE PHOTO: The Huawei logo is pictured outside its Huawei's factory campus in Dongguan, Guangdong province
FILE PHOTO: The Huawei logo is pictured outside its Huawei’s factory campus in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China, March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo

April 26, 2019

By Ben Blanchard

BEIJING (Reuters) – Britain must get to the bottom of the leak of confidential discussions during a top-level security meeting about the role of China’s Huawei Technologies in 5G network supply chains, British finance minister Philip Hammond said on Friday.

News that Britain’s National Security Council, attended by senior ministers and spy chiefs, had agreed on Tuesday to bar Huawei from all core parts of the country’s 5G network and restrict its access to non-core elements was leaked to a national newspaper.

The leak of secret discussions has sparked anger in parliament and amongst Britain’s intelligence community. Britain’s most senior civil servant Mark Sedwill has launched an inquiry and written to ministers who were at the meeting.

“My understanding from London (is) that an investigation has been announced into apparent leaks from the NSC meeting earlier this week,” said Hammond, speaking on the sidelines of a summit on China’s Belt and Road initiative in Beijing.

“To my knowledge there has never been a leak from a National Security Council meeting before and therefore I think it is very important that we get to the bottom of what happened here,” he told Reuters in a pooled interview.

British culture minister Jeremy Wright said on Thursday he could not rule out a criminal investigation. The majority of the ministers at the NSC meeting have said they were not involved, according to media reports.

Hammond said he was unaware of any previous leak from a meeting of the NSC.

“It’s not about the substance of what was apparently leaked. It’s not earth-shattering information. But it is important that we protect the principle that nothing that goes on in national security council meetings must ever be repeated outside the room.”

Allowing Huawei a reduced role in building its 5G network puts Britain at odds with the United States which has told allies not to use its technology at all because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying. Huawei has categorically denied this.

There have been concerns that the NSC’s conclusion, which sources confirmed to Reuters, could upset other allies in the world’s leading intelligence-sharing network – the Five Eyes alliance of the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

However, British ministers and intelligence officials have said any final decision on 5G would not put critical national infrastructure at risk. Ciaran Martin, head of the cyber center of Britain’s main eavesdropping agency, GCHQ, played down any threat of a rift in the Five Eyes alliance.

(Writing by Michael Holden; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: OANN

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President Trump on Friday said “no money” was paid to North Korea for Otto Warmbier, after reports that the U.S. received a $2 million hospital bill from Pyongyang for the late American prisoner’s care.

“No money was paid to North Korea for Otto Warmbier, not two Million Dollars, not anything else. This is not the Obama Administration that paid 1.8 Billion Dollars for four hostages, or gave five terroist[sic] hostages plus, who soon went back to battle, for traitor Sgt. Bergdahl!” Trump tweeted Friday.

NORTH KOREA GAVE US $2M HOSPITAL BILL OVER CARE OF AMERICAN OTTO WARMBIER, SOURCES SAY

The Washington Post first reported that North Korean authorities insisted the U.S. envoy sent to retrieve Warmbier, 21, who was a student of the University of Virginia, sign a pledge to pay the bill before allowing Warmbier’s comatose body to return to the United States. Sources confirmed the bill and the amount to Fox News on Thursday.

Sources told the post that the envoy signed an agreement to pay the medical bill on instructions from the president, but a source told Fox News that the U.S. did not ever pay money to North Korea.

The White House declined to comment when asked on the bill, with Press Secretary Sarah Sanders saying in a statement that: “We do not comment on hostage negotiations, which is why they have been so successful during this administration.”

Meanwhile, the president added: “’President[sic] Donald J. Trump is the greatest hostage negotiator that I know of in the history of the United States. 20 hostages, many in impossible circumstances, have been released in last two years. No money was paid.’ Cheif[sic] Hostage Negotiator, USA!”

Warmbier was on tour in North Korea when he allegedly stole a propaganda sign from a hotel. He was arrested in January 2016 and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor in March 2016. Warmbier, for unknown reasons, fell into a coma while in custody and was held in that condition for an additional 17 months.

North Korean officials did not tell American officials until June 2017 that Warmbier had been unconscious the entire time. He died less than a week after he returned to the U.S. North Korean officials, though, have repeatedly denied accusations that Warmbier was tortured, instead claiming that he had suffered from botulism and then slipped into a coma after taking a sleeping pill.

AMERICAN PRISONERS HELD IN NORTH KOREA ON THEIR WAY HOME AFTER POMPEO VISIT, TRUMP SAYS

Fred and Cindy Warmbier sued North Korea over their son’s death and in December were awarded $501 million in damages – money that the Hermit Kingdom will probably never pay.

While the Warmbiers blamed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump has said he believes Kim’s claims that he did not know about the student’s treatment.

Trump and Kim have met in two separate summits. The most recent, held in February, ended without an agreement on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, told Fox News: “Otto Warmbier was mistreated by North Korea in so many ways, including his wrongful conviction and harsh sentence, and the fact that for 16 months they refused to tell his family or our country about his dire condition they caused.  No, the United States owes them nothing. They owe the Warmbier family everything.”

Last year, the Trump administration was also able to save three American prisoners held by North Korea. Kim Dong Chul, Tony Kim, and Kim Hak Song were all detained in North Korea. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo brought the three Americans home last May, and said they were all in “good health.”

Fox News’ John Roberts, Rich Edson, Nicholas Kalman, and Mike Emanuel contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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Park Yoo-chun, a K-pop idol singer, arrives at the Suwon district court in Suwon
Park Yoo-chun, a K-pop idol singer, arrives at the Suwon district court in Suwon, South Korea, April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

April 26, 2019

SEOUL (Reuters) – K-pop and drama star Park Yu-chun was arrested on Friday on charges of buying and using illegal drugs, a court said, the latest in a series of scandals to hit the South Korean entertainment business.

Suwon District Court approved the arrest warrant for Park, 32, due to concerns over possible destruction of evidence and flight risk, a court spokesman told Reuters.

Park is suspected of having bought about 1.5 grams of methamphetamine with his former girlfriend earlier this year and using the drug around five times, an official at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said.

Park has denied wrongdoing, saying he had never taken drugs, and he again denied the charges in court, Yonhap news agency said.

Park’s contract with his management agency had been canceled and he would leave the entertainment industry, Park’s management agency, C-JeS Entertainment, said on Wednesday.

Park was a member of boyband TVXQ between 2003 and 2009 before leaving the group with two other members, forming the group JYJ.

A scandal involving sex tapes, prostitutes and secret chat about rape led at least four other K-pop stars to quit the industry earlier this year.

The cases sparked a nationwide drugs bust and investigations into tax evasion and police collusion at night clubs and other nightlife spots.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Additional reporting by Heekyong Yang; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Source: OANN

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