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Trump vows to release FISA docs; Border at 'breaking point' 3.28.19 #MAGAFirstNews with @PeterBoykin

Trump vows to release FISA docs; Border at 'breaking point' 3.28.19 #MAGAFirstNews with @PeterBoykin TRUMP VOWS TO RELEASE FISA DOCS USED IN RUSSIA PROBE - President Trump, in an exclusive wide-ranging interview Wednesday night on Fox News' "Hannity," vowed to release the full and unredacted Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants and related documents used by the FBI to investigate his campaign, saying he wants to "get to the bottom" of how the ... See More long-running Russia collusion narrative began ... Trump told anchor Sean Hannity that his lawyers previously had advised him not to take that dramatic step out of fear that it could be considered obstruction of justice. The president also accused FBI officials of committing "treason" -- slamming former FBI Director James Comey as a "terrible guy," former CIA Director John Brennan as potentially mentally ill, and Democrat House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff as a criminal.

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U.N. Court sentences Karadzic to life in prison on appeal

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic appears before the Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (
Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic appears before the Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals ("Mechanism") ruling on a appeal of his 40 year sentence for war crimes in The Hague, Netherlands, March 20, 2019. Peter Dejong/Pool via REUTERS

March 20, 2019

THE HAGUE (Reuters) – U.N. appeals judges on Wednesday sentenced former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic to life in prison for genocide.

The appeals judges upheld Karadzic’s conviction for genocide over the Srebrenica massacre in 1995 during the Bosnian War and said the 40-year sentence ordered by trial judges was too light given the gravity of his crimes and the weight of his responsibility.

(Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Catherine Evans)

Source: OANN

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Convicted of sexual abuse, Australian Cardinal Pell faces sentence hearing

Cardinal George Pell is seen at County Court in Melbourne, Australia
Cardinal George Pell is seen at County Court in Melbourne, Australia, February 26, 2019, AAP Image/David Crosling/via REUTERS

February 26, 2019

By Sonali Paul

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Cardinal George Pell, the most senior Catholic clergyman worldwide to be convicted for child sex offences, will on Wednesday return to court for a sentence plea hearing.

Pell – a former top adviser to Pope Francis – was in December found guilty of five charges of child sexual offences committed more than two decades ago against 13-year-old boys.

Pell denies the allegations and lawyers have lodged an appeal, which if successful could lead to a retrial. The verdict was made public on Tuesday after prosecutors dropped a second abuse case against Pell.

Each of the five offences carries a maximum 10 years in jail.

While a final sentence is not due on Wednesday, Pell will return to court in Melbourne where the judge is expected to hear arguments on a prison sentence.

Pell, who has been out on bail throughout his trial, could be remanded in custody until his sentence is decided.

Pell’s appearance is expected to draw large crowds, focusing global attention once more on the conviction of the high-ranking Vatican official.

The Catholic church is under mounting pressure to deal with a growing child sexual abuse crisis, following scandals in the United States, Chile, Germany and Australia.

The pope ended a conference on sexual abuse on Sunday, calling for an “all out battle” against a crime that should be “erased from the face of the earth”.

(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Howard Goller)

Source: OANN

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South Korean tanker Stellar Daisy found on ocean floor 2 years after it sank, explorers say

The Stellar Daisy, a massive South Korean tanker that sank in March 2017, was spotted on the floor of the South Atlantic Ocean nearly two years later, the CEO of an ocean exploration company revealed Sunday.

This discovery could shed new light on exactly what caused the vessel to tilt and sink and provide some closure to the families of the 22 crew members who died.

“We are pleased to report that we have located Stellar Daisy, in particular for our client, the South Korean Government, but also for the families of those who lost loved ones in this tragedy," Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Plunkett said. "Through the deployment of multiple state of the art (autonomous underwater vehicles), we are covering the seabed with unprecedented speed and accuracy.”

An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (UAV) surveying the ocean floor.

An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (UAV) surveying the ocean floor. (Ocean Infinity)

The Stellar Daisy sank on March 31, 2017, nearly 2,500 miles east of Uruguay, while transporting iron ore from Brazil to China. Only two of its 24 crew members were rescued.

It was the largest ship by volume that sank in 2017.

Polaris Shipping reportedly reached a compensation agreement later that year with 17 of the missing sailors and two of the rescued crewmembers.

Search teams said the tanker was located nearly 1,800 miles west of Cape Town, South Africa, at a depth of 3,461 meters -- over 2 miles.

Scientists on the Seabed Constructor, an offbed vessel, used four autonomous underwater vehicles (UAV) which are controlled remotely and don't require pilots onboard.

A closer view of some of the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (UAVs) used in the search.

A closer view of some of the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (UAVs) used in the search. (Ocean Infinity)

Ocean Infinity announced it was working with the South Korean government on Dec. 30, 2018. During that time, the company remained hopeful. “For the sake of all involved we sincerely hope that we can find Stellar Daisy and be able to collect as much evidence about her loss as we can," said Plunkett. "As always with deep sea search there can be no guarantee of success as neither the precise location nor the specific circumstances of her loss are known."

The Seabed Constructor had set sail from Cape Town on Feb. 8, 2019. After 72 hours it had explored nearly 500 square miles.

Ocean Infinity crews are set to conduct an extensive survey using 3D-imaging technology before they try recovering the Stellar Daisy's voyage data recorder, according to the company.

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EU suspends Slovak tax on retail food sector pending outcome of in-depth investigation

FILE PHOTO: European Union and Slovakian flags are seen outside the Bratislava Castle (Hrad) ahead of an upcoming European Union summit in Bratislava
FILE PHOTO: European Union and Slovakian flags are seen outside the Bratislava Castle (Hrad) ahead of an upcoming European Union summit- the first one since Britain voted to quit- in Bratislava, Slovakia, September 15, 2016. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

April 2, 2019

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission said on Tuesday it suspended a Slovak tax on the food retail sector pending the results of an in-depth investigation into whether certain exemptions from the tax gave some retailers a selective advantage over their competitors.

The tax, which applies to food retailers that operate in Slovakia, entered into force on 1 January 2019 and the first payment would have been due by the end of April 2019.

“The Commission … issued an injunction, requiring Slovakia to suspend the application of the measure until the Commission has concluded its assessment under EU State aid rules,” the EU executive said in a statement.

Under the tax, food retailers would pay a quarterly tax amounting to 2.5 percent of their total turnover, but they would be fully or partially exempted if they fulfill one of several conditions on size, geographic scope of operation in Slovakia and/or type of activities.

Retailers in trading alliances or franchises would not pay the tax, even though their combined turnover is comparable to that of the largest retailers.

The Commission said the construction of the tax meant it would be paid only by seven food retailers, six of which were foreign-owned, and the only Slovak-owned retailer subject to the tax would have a significant part of its turnover exempted.

“The Commission does not question Slovakia’s right to introduce a tax applicable to the food retail sector. At the same time, the tax system should respect EU law, including State aid rules, and should not unduly favor a particular type of companies, for example, companies operating in a smaller number of districts or members of trading alliances,” it said.

(Reporting By Jan Strupczewski)

Source: OANN

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U.S. official sees likely third Trump summit with North Korea’s Kim

Panel discussion after a Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) conference
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Under Secretary of State Andrea Thompson attends a panel discussion after a Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) conference in Beijing, China January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/Pool

March 11, 2019

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A top U.S. Department of State official on Monday said she thinks there will be another summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but no date has been set.

Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson made the comment in a speech at the Carnegie Nuclear Conference in Washington.

(Reporting by Arhsad Mohammed; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

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Emergency FOIA request filed seeking public release of Mueller report, related docs

A nonprofit organization has filed the first known Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit seeking the immediate and total public disclosure of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's completed report, echoing bipartisan calls for transparency following his nearly two-year probe into whether the Trump campaign illegally colluded with Russia.

The lawsuit, filed Friday night, comes as Fox News confirms that House Democrats will conduct a conference call at 3 p.m. E.T. Saturday with “chairs of relevant committees” to discuss next steps regarding the Mueller report and messaging. New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will host as Caucus Chair.

Mueller is not recommending any further indictments as part of his inquiry, which effectively ended Friday, according to a senior Justice Department official. Attorney General William Barr notified key congressional leaders in a letter Friday evening that Mueller finished his investigation, adding that a summary of the probe’s findings may be provided to lawmakers as soon as this weekend.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) wrote in an emergency complaint filed in a Washington, D.C., federal district court that the "public has a right to know the full scope of Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election and whether the president of the United States played any role in such interference."

The lawsuit continued: "The public also has a right to know whether the president unlawfully obstructed any investigation into Russian election interference or related matters. The requested records are vital to the public’s understanding of these issues and to the integrity of the political system of the United States.”

The delivery of the Mueller report, which a DOJ official called "comprehensive," does mean the investigation has concluded without any public charges of a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and Russia or of obstruction by the president.

Attorney General William Barr leaves his home in McLean, Va., on Friday, March 22, 2019. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to present a report to the Justice Department any day now outlining the findings of his nearly two-year investigation into Russian election meddling, possible collusion with Trump campaign officials and possible obstruction of justice by Trump.

Attorney General William Barr leaves his home in McLean, Va., on Friday, March 22, 2019. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to present a report to the Justice Department any day now outlining the findings of his nearly two-year investigation into Russian election meddling, possible collusion with Trump campaign officials and possible obstruction of justice by Trump. (AP)

That's good news for a handful of Trump associates and family members dogged by speculation of possible wrongdoing. They include Donald Trump Jr., who had a role in arranging a Trump Tower meeting at the height of the 2016 election campaign with a Kremlin-linked lawyer, and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who was interviewed at least twice by Mueller's prosecutors.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA, PUNDITS MELT DOWN ON NEWS MUELLER WON'T ISSUE ANY MORE INDICTMENTS

Still, some key details remain unanswered, EPIC said, prompting its litigation. EPIC first filed a FOIA request seeking access to Mueller-related documents in November 2018 and requested expedited processing, citing the "overwhelming" public interest in the case. But the Justice Department, on behalf of Mueller's office, wrote back that EPIC could effectively take a hike because the DOJ could not “identify a particular urgency to inform the public about an actual or alleged federal government activity."

"Today—March 22, 2019—is the 92nd working day since the DOJ received EPIC’s FOIA request," the complaint stated, charging that "the DOJ has failed to make a determination regarding EPIC’s FOIA request within the time period allowed" by federal law.

EPIC's lawsuit demanded not only the full release of the Mueller report but also any supporting exhibits and documentation relied upon by Mueller's team, including "all drafts, outlines, exhibits, and supporting materials associated with any actual or planned explanation for any investigative or prosecutorial step."

House Democrats, meanwhile, have somewhat downplayed the Mueller probe and suggested that the left-leaning lawmakers themselves might take on the job of trying to prove collusion, not ruling out the possibility of Mueller being asked or subpoenaed to testify before congressional committees.

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“If the Justice Department doesn't release the whole report or tries to keep parts of it secret, we will certainly subpoena the parts of the report and we will reserve the right to call Mueller to testify before the committee or to subpoena him,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said in a statement.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller arrives at his office building, Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Washington. Mueller has concluded his investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with associates of President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Special Counsel Robert Mueller arrives at his office building, Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Washington. Mueller has concluded his investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with associates of President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

While the Mueller probe’s conclusions are not yet known, the investigation already has led to indictments, convictions or guilty pleas for nearly three dozen people and three companies. All told, Mueller charged 34 people, including the president's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn; and three Russian companies. Twenty-five Russians were indicted on charges related to election interference, accused either of hacking Democratic email accounts during the campaign or of orchestrating a social media campaign that spread disinformation on the internet.

Five Trump aides pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with Mueller, and a sixth, longtime confidant Roger Stone, is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to Congress and engaged in witness tampering.

OPINION: WHY ALL AMERICANS SHOULD REJECT THE MUELLER REPORT

Despite all that prosecutorial activity, though, no Americans have been charged with improperly conspiring with Russia. In a series of posts on Twitter on Friday, journalist Glenn Greenwald -- who also called for the release of the Mueller report -- repeatedly emphasized that point, and condemned pundits for hyping the Mueller report irresponsibly for nearly two years.

President Donald Trump talks with reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, March 22, 2019, in Washington. Special counsel Robert Mueller on Friday turned over his long-awaited final report on the contentious Russia investigation, ending a probe that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency with no new charges but launching a fresh wave of political battles over the still-confidential findings. 

President Donald Trump talks with reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, March 22, 2019, in Washington. Special counsel Robert Mueller on Friday turned over his long-awaited final report on the contentious Russia investigation, ending a probe that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency with no new charges but launching a fresh wave of political battles over the still-confidential findings.  (AP)

"It's truly fascinating to watch Dems grapple with the fact that Mueller finished his work without indicting a single American for conspiring with Russia over the election: everything from "nobody has read his report!" (irrelevant to that fact) to 'sealed indictments!' (unhinged)." Greenwald wrote.

In another post, he criticized media outlets for promoting the anti-Trump rhetoric of partisan commentators like ex-CIA Director John Brennan -- an Obama appointee whose security clearance was revoked last year because, the Trump administration said, he was using it to lend credence to political attacks.

"You can't blame MSNBC viewers for being confused," Greenwald continued. "They largely kept dissenters from their Trump/Russia spy tale off the air for 2 years. As recently as 2 weeks ago, they had @JohnBrennan strongly suggesting Mueller would indict Trump family members on collusion as his last act. ... Oh gosh - turns out that if you hire ex-CIA Directors to be 'news analysts,' they'll abuse our airwaves to disseminate self-serving disinformation."

A copy of a letter from Attorney General William Barr advising Congress that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation, is shown Friday, March 22, 2019 in Washington. Robert Mueller on Friday turned over his long-awaited final report on the contentious Russia investigation that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency, entangled Trump's family and resulted in criminal charges against some of the president's closest associates. 

A copy of a letter from Attorney General William Barr advising Congress that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation, is shown Friday, March 22, 2019 in Washington. Robert Mueller on Friday turned over his long-awaited final report on the contentious Russia investigation that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency, entangled Trump's family and resulted in criminal charges against some of the president's closest associates.  (AP)

He concluded: "How - if you're an MSNBC viewer (or consumer of similar online content) - can you not be angry & disoriented having been fed utter [bulls--t] like this for 2 straight years with basically no dissent allowed? Just listen to what they were telling you to believe & how false it was."

JEROME CORSI CELEBRATES END OF RUSSIA PROBE, SAYS HE'S VINDICATED IN DECISION TO RESIST MUELLER BULLYING

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared it "imperative" to make the full report public, a call echoed by several Democrats vying to challenge Trump in 2020.

"The American people have a right to the truth," Schumer and Pelosi said in a joint statement.

Democrats also expressed concern that Trump would try to get a "sneak preview" of the findings.

"The White House must not be allowed to interfere in decisions about what parts of those findings or evidence are made public," they said in a joint statement.

A presidential helicopter takes off in a practice run as the White House is reflected in a puddle, Friday March 22, 2019, in Washington, amid news that special counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with associates of President Donald Trump. 

A presidential helicopter takes off in a practice run as the White House is reflected in a puddle, Friday March 22, 2019, in Washington, amid news that special counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with associates of President Donald Trump.  (AP)

It was not clear whether Trump would have early access to Mueller's findings. Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders suggested the White House would not interfere, saying, "We look forward to the process taking its course." But Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, told The Associated Press Friday that the legal team would seek to get "an early look" before they were made public.

Giuliani said it was "appropriate" for the White House to be able "to review matters of executive privilege." He said had received no assurances from the Department of Justice on that front. He later softened his stance, saying the decision was "up to DOJ and we are confident it will be handled properly."

The White House did receive a brief heads-up on the report's arrival Friday. Barr's chief of staff called White House Counsel Emmet Flood Friday about 20 minutes before sending the letter went to the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate and House Judiciary committees.

Fox News' Mike Emanuel, Brooke Singman, Jake Gibson, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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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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