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U.S. envoy blames Houthis for Yemen peace deal delays

FILE PHOTO: U.S. ambassador to Yemen on Capitol Hill in Washington
FILE PHOTO: Matthew Tueller, U.S. ambassador to Yemen on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

March 21, 2019

ADEN (Reuters) – The U.S. ambassador to Yemen blamed the Iran-aligned Houthi movement on Thursday for the stalling of a U.N.-led peace deal in the main port of Hodeidah and said the group’s weapons pose a threat to other countries in the region.

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Houthis reached a ceasefire and troop withdrawal deal for Hodeidah, which is under Houthi control, at talks in Sweden in December. The pact was the first major breakthrough in efforts to end the four year war.

While the truce has largely held, the troop withdrawal by both parties has yet to materialize with each side blaming the other for lack of progress. The deal aimed to avert a full-scale assault on the port which is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis facing starvation.

“We are greatly frustrated by what we see as delays and stalling on the part of the Houthis in implementing what they agreed to in Sweden, but I have great confidence in the UN envoy and what he is doing,” ambassador Matthew Tueller told a televised news conference in the southern port of Aden, where the internationally recognized government is based.

“We are willing to work with others in order to try to implement these (Sweden) agreements and see whether the Houthis can in fact demonstrate a political maturity and start to serve the interests of Yemen rather than acting on behalf of those who seek to weaken and destroy Yemen,” he said.

Tueller said he had “not given up hope” that the deal would be implemented in Hodeidah, where thousands of Yemeni forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition are massed on the outskirts.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the war which pits the Houthis against other Yemeni factions backed by the Saudi-led coalition loyal to the government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The Houthis ousted Hadi’s government from power in the capital Sanaa in late 2014.

The conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Houthis, who control Sanaa and most population centers, deny being puppets of Tehran and say their revolution is against corruption.

The United States has sided with the Yemeni government against the Houthis and provides military support to the Saudi-led coalition, including help with targeting for Saudi air strikes.

“SEVERE DANGER” TO REGION

The Sunni Muslim coalition twice tried to seize the port last year in a bid to weaken the Houthis by cutting off their main supply line. The United Nations and aid groups fear a full-on offensive may disrupt operations at the port that handles the bulk of Yemen’s imports and trigger mass starvation.

The alliance led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates accuses Iran of smuggling weapons, including missiles which have targeted Saudi cities, to the Houthis. The group and Tehran deny the accusations.

Tueller said the United States was working with Yemeni authorities to prevent arms smuggling from Iran and to strengthen local security institutions.

“The fact that there are groups that have weapons, including heavy weapons and even weapons that can threaten neighboring countries, and those weapons are not under the control of the institutions of the state – this is a severe danger to the region as well as to Yemen,” he said.

The United States does not support groups that “seek to divide Yemen”, Tueller said, in an apparent reference to southern separatists whose forces have been taking part in coalition operations under the leadership of the UAE.

The complex war has revived old strains between North and South Yemen, formerly separate countries which united into a single state in 1990. A separatist leader warned this month that any peace deal that fails to address the south’s wish for self-determination could trigger a new conflict.

(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli and Ghaida Ghantous in Dubai; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

Source: OANN

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Beto praises ‘courage’ of Biden accusers, questions whether former VP should enter 2020 race

Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke became the latest 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful to weigh in on the allegations of unwanted touching and kissing leveled against former Vice President Joe Biden.

O’Rourke, who currently sits third in the polls alongside Sen. Kamala Harris of California and behind Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, praised the “courage” of the women who have come forward to accuse the former vice president of inappropriate behavior.

“We need to listen to those who are raising their stories who have the courage to come forward to share their experience and also to be part of the conversation about either his candidacy or how he fares as a contender for the nomination if he jumps in,” O’Rourke said Wednesday during an appearance at the National Action Network conference.

O’Rourke added: “I think ultimately that will be a decision for him to make but I’m glad people are willing to and have the courage to step up. They must be heard and must be listened to.”

OTHER 2020 DEMS SAY THEY BELIEVE BIDEN ACCUSER LUCY FLORES

The mounting scandal surrounding Biden, who has yet to officially enter the 2020 Democratic fray despite being seen as the frontrunner to challenge President Trump in the general election, started with allegations made by former Nevada state assemblywoman Lucy Flores that Biden kissed her on the back of her head during a 2014 campaign rally supporting her bid for lieutenant governor.

Flores made the accusations in a piece in New York magazine in which she accused the former vice president of approaching her from behind, putting his hands on her shoulders, sniffing her hair and kissing her on the back of the head.

"The vice president of the United States of America had just touched me in an intimate way reserved for close friends, family, or romantic partners — and I felt powerless to do anything about it," she wrote.

Since then three other women have come forward to accuse Biden of unwanted touching during public events.

Amy Lappos, a former aide to Connecticut Democrat Rep. Jim Himes, claims Biden grabbed her during a $1,000-per-plate October 2009 fundraiser.

“It wasn’t sexual, but he did grab me by the head," Lappos said. “He put his hand around my neck and pulled me in to rub noses with me. When he was pulling me in, I thought he was going to kiss me on the mouth.”

PRO-TRUMP PAC ATTACKS 'CREEPY JOE' BIDEN IN AD RECALLING CLINTON CAMPAIGN

The New York Times reported that writer D.J. Hill said Biden in 2012 put his hand on her shoulder, then dropped it down her back in a way that made her "very uncomfortable" while Hill and her husband posed for pictures with him at a fundraiser in Minneapolis. Former college student Caitlyn Caruso also told the paper that Biden "rested his hand on her thigh — even as she squirmed in her seat to show her discomfort — and hugged her 'just a little bit too long' at an event on sexual assault at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

Biden’s prospective Democratic opponents have been quick to weigh in, with many expressing support for his accusers while questioning whether or not Biden should enter the 2020 race.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., told ABC's “This Week” on Sunday that she has no reason to doubt the allegations made by Flores. Sanders said during an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation” – when only Flores’ allegation was made public - that while he has no reason not to believe Flores, he doesn’t believe that “one incident alone” would disqualify Biden from running for the White House.

“That’s a decision for the vice president to make," Sanders said. "I’m not sure that one incident alone disqualifies anybody."

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Biden – who is expected to soon launch his 2020 presidential bid – has denied ever acting inappropriately toward Flores and his spokesperson referred Fox News' requests for comment on the new allegation to Biden's earlier statements.

"In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort," Biden said in his own statement Sunday. "And not once -- never -- did I believe I acted inappropriately.  If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention."

Biden added: "I may not recall these moments the same way, and I may be surprised at what I hear. But we have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention. And I will.”

Fox News’ Bryan Llenas and Gregg Re contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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Payments giant Worldpay targets growth in Australia and New Zealand

FILE PHOTO: A Worldpay booth is shown on the exhibit hall floor during the Money 20/20 conference in Las Vegas
FILE PHOTO: A Worldpay booth is shown on the exhibit hall floor during the Money 20/20 conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. on October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo

March 27, 2019

By Paulina Duran

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Payments group Worldpay said on Wednesday it was expanding its business in Australia and New Zealand, a new heavyweight disruptor vying for the business of the established payment networks and banks servicing most local firms.

The payment technology giant will open two offices in Australia as it seeks to benefit from rapid growth in the country’s almost $30 billion e-commerce industry, Worldpay General Manager of Global eCommerce for Asia Pacific, Phil Pomford, said.

“We see growth opportunities to come into a market where there is rising employment, great population growth, and where the shift into the e-commerce and mobile commerce is significant,” Pomford told Reuters in a telephone interview.

It will first target businesses in the online retail, travel, digital content and online gaming industries.

Worldpay is a major player in card and alternative payments globally, and particularly in Britain.

It was this month acquired by Fidelity National Information Services Inc in the biggest deal to date in the fast-growing electronic payments industry, valuing the company at $43 billion.

In Australia, the Ohio-based company already provides services for a number of digital-centric businesses such as travel websites Lonely Planet and Webjet, and online social gaming company Virtual Gaming World.

“[With the new offices] we will be better able to attract new customers and service them going forward,” Pomford said.

Worldpay competes against established credit card payment providers such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, merchant payment services issued by Australian banks, as well as with Dutch tech competitor Adyen.

It processes over 40 billion transactions annually through more than 300 payment types across 146 countries and 126 currencies, according to its website.

The company has also been granted a new payments license in New Zealand, Pomford said.

(Reporting by Paulina Duran; Editing by David Evans)

Source: OANN

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Car smashes into pedestrians in Tokyo, killing 2 on bicycle

Japanese police say a car driven by an 87-year-old man has smashed into pedestrians at a Tokyo intersection, killing a woman and a girl on a bicycle and overturning a garbage truck. Eight people were reportedly injured.

The Metropolitan Police Department said the woman and child were pronounced dead at a hospital after the accident Friday.

The Mainichi newspaper said eight other people were injured. Police did not have details on the injuries and were still confirming the identities of the dead. The cause of the crash was being investigated.

Photos showed a smashed car, the overturned garbage truck and a bicycle on the pavement. A straw hat and a helmet were lying nearby.

Source: Fox News World

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Crusaders drop knights, consider name change in Super Rugby

The Crusaders Super Rugby team has dispensed with the knights on horseback which have been traditional mascots in pre-match entertainment after attacks on two mosques in Christchurch provoked criticism of the name and symbolism.

New Zealand Rugby says the branding the Christchurch-based club has used since Super Rugby began in 1996 is "no longer tenable" after the mosque shootings which left 50 dead. A marketing company has been engaged to examine alternatives, including a name change or a change of branding which might make the name less contentious.

"In the wake of the Christchurch attacks, it is apparent that the symbolism the club has used, combined with the Crusaders name, is offensive to some in the community due to its association with the religious Crusades between Christians and Muslims," NZR chief executive Steve Tew said on Wednesday.

The Crusaders had delayed making changes after the March 15 shootings, arguing that the decision should be reserved until a less sensitive time.

But, urged by national rugby authorities, Crusaders chief executive Colin Mainsbridge accepted the club had an obligation to urgently but thoroughly address a divisive issue and he was "committed to do the right thing."

"This is an event that rocked our community and brought some important issues to the fore," Mansbridge said. "One of the contentious issues that has been brought up in the aftermath of the Christchurch attacks is the name of our rugby team — the Crusaders.

"Because of our desire to be the best we can be and to support our community, we are treating the question around the appropriateness of our brand extremely seriously."

Mainsbridge said the club would have to take into consideration the feelings of fans who have a strong emotional tie to the name. He accepted others in the community saw the name as a reference to the religious crusades of the 11th and 13th centuries when Christian and Muslim armies clashed over the ownership of holy sites in the eastern Mediterranean.

"Our challenge is that the name Crusader has come to mean something quite different to many of the team's supporters," Mainsbridge said. "The region has been through a number of tragic and trying events and the team has played an important role in helping galvanize the community and raise spirits following significant events. Through these events, the Crusaders name has become more reflective of a positive crusade."

But Tew said the current symbolism, which included the use of the crusading knights on horseback, would have to change.

"Maintaining the status quo in terms of the Crusaders name along with the current imagery of knights on horseback is, in our view, no longer tenable," he said. "That is therefore not one of the options that we will be considering."

Tew said marketing experts would investigate two options: either retaining the Crusaders name but changing the branding and associated imagery, or undertaking a complete rebranding.

____

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Source: Fox News World

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Figure skating: Papadakis, Cizeron tango to ice dance lead

ISU World Figure Skating Championships
ISU World Figure Skating Championships - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - March 22, 2019. France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron in action during the Ice Dance – Rhythm Dance. REUTERS/Issei Kato

March 22, 2019

By Elaine Lies

TOKYO (Reuters) – Reigning world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France took a decisive step toward a fourth ice dancing crown on Friday after clinching a strong lead with an elegant tango-themed rhythm dance.

Skating last before a packed house in Saitama, the Olympic silver medalists — who narrowly missed gold at Pyeongchang after a mishap with Papadakis’s costume in the short program — were awarded 88.42 points for their sultry routine.

“We’re very pleased with this performance, because we skated really well. We love this program, we love the choreography, we love working on it,” Papadakis said.

“There is a mandatory rhythm every year and it works for us every time more or less … This time, the Tango theme was right up our alley, that is a theme that we love.”

The pair have also been European champions every year since the 2014-2015 season but had to settle for Olympic silver last year when the clasp on Papadakis’s costume came loose.

More than five points behind after a clean, sharp routine were Russians Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov, who were only fourth in the European Championships but clinched gold at the Russian nationals and silver at the Grand Prix Final.

“I am overwhelmed with emotions,” said Sinitsina, after the two took 83.94 points.

“I am trying to restrain myself and concentrate on our elements, our program, but the emotions just burst out of me. It is a true joy to skate here.”

In third place were fellow Russians Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin, fourth in the 2018 Grand Prix Final and second in the European Championships.

Bukin fell to the ice when their routine ended and mouthed “Wow!” when their score, a season’s best 83.10, came up.

“We have made an attempt to fix the mistakes that we have made at the Russian nationals and the European Championship,” he said.

“We wanted to skate heartily and enjoy our performance.”

The World Championships continue at the arena north of Tokyo on Friday evening with the ladies free skate, where Olympic gold medalist Alina Zagitova has a commanding lead.

American skater Mariah Bell on Wednesday made contact with South Korean rival Lim Eun-soo in a practice, leaving the Korean with a cut leg and fanning memories of the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan affair in the 1990s.

But the International Skating Union (ISU) ruled that the incident was unintentional and Korean skating officials said the two might meet later on Friday so Bell could apologize.

(Reporting by Elaine Lies, Editing by Nick Mulvenney)

Source: OANN

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French court ruling due in UBS $6 billion tax case

FILE PHOTO: Logo of Swiss bank UBS is seen in Zurich
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Swiss bank UBS is seen in Zurich, Switzerland October 25, 2018. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

February 20, 2019

By Inti Landauro and Emmanuel Jarry

PARIS (Reuters) – A French court will rule on Wednesday whether UBS, Switzerland’s largest bank, helped wealthy French clients evade taxes between 2004 and 2012 and launder the proceeds.

French prosecutors are demanding a 3.7 billion euro ($4.2 billion) fine, while the French state is seeking an additional 1.6 billion euros in damages. Such a combined penalty would be a record for France and exceed the Swiss bank’s 2018 net profit.

UBS denies any wrongdoing and the case could drag on for years if appealed by either side. It has set aside $2.46 billion to cover potential losses from litigation and regulatory requirements.

The French trial follows a similar case in the United States, where UBS accepted a $780 million settlement in 2009 and in Germany, where it agreed to a 300 million euro fine in 2014. UBS last month reported a 2018 net profit of $4.9 billion.

European banks have come under pressure from regulators to tighten compliance with anti money laundering rules since the financial crisis and will scrutinize the ruling, analysts say.

“Bankers in Europe are watching this case closely and will try to assess how exposed they are to similar risk,” Thierry Bonneau, a banking law professor at Paris Pantheon-Assas University, said ahead of the ruling.

The penalty French prosecutors are seeking is high by European standards, although in the United States judges have levied higher fines including the $8.9 billion a U.S. court in 2015 ordered BNP Paribas to pay for violating U.S. economic sanctions against Sudan, Cuba and Iran.

GOLF AND HUNTING

The French court ruling marks the culmination of a seven-year investigation and aborted settlement negotiations.

French prosecutors say UBS sent Swiss bankers to golf tournaments, classical music concerts and hunting parties to solicit new clients illegally, while the bank is also alleged to have helped its clients launder the money involved.

The prosecutors said UBS was “systematic” in its support to tax-evading customers and that the laundering of proceeds from the tax fraud was done on an “industrial” scale.

Under French law, those convicted of money laundering can be ordered to pay a fine totaling half the amount laundered. The prosecution estimates UBS’s customers hid billions of euros from the French tax authorities.

Prosecutors told the court that UBS’s bankers would hand over business cards without any logo and used computers which carried software allowing data to be quickly erased.

Six former UBS executives, including its former head in France, Raoul Weil, could be fined of between 50,000 and 500,000 euros and suspended jail terms if convicted. The six have all pleaded not guilty in the case.

Lawyers for UBS have called the magnitude of the possible penalty “irrational” and “extravagant” and said prosecutors failed to bring material evidence against the bank.

UBS, whose lawyers said the case had become politicized, turned down a settlement offer of 1.1 billion euros, an amount the bank was later requested to pay as a court bond.

($1 = 0.8851 euros)

(Reporting by Inti Landauro, Emmanuel Jarry and Angelika Gruber; editing by Richard Lough)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO: Small toy figures are seen in front of a displayed Huawei and 5G network logo in this illustration picture
FILE PHOTO: Small toy figures are seen in front of a displayed Huawei and 5G network logo in this illustration picture, March 30, 2019. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

April 26, 2019

By Charlotte Greenfield

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – China’s Huawei Technologies said Britain’s decision to allow the firm a restricted role in building parts of its next-generation telecoms network was the kind of solution it was hoping for in New Zealand, where it has been blocked from 5G plans.

Britain will ban Huawei from all core parts of 5G network but give it some access to non-core parts, sources have told Reuters, as it seeks a middle way in a bitter U.S.-China dispute stemming from American allegations that Huawei’s equipment could be used by Beijing for espionage.

Washington has also urged its allies to ban Huawei from building 5G networks, even as the Chinese company, the world’s top producer of telecoms equipment, has repeatedly said the spying concerns are unfounded.

In New Zealand, a member of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network that includes the United States, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in November turned down an initial request from local telecommunication firm Spark to include Huawei equipment in its 5G network, but later gave the operator options to mitigate national security concerns.

“The proposed solution in the UK to restrict Huawei from bidding for the core is exactly the type of solution we have been looking at in New Zealand,” Andrew Bowater, deputy CEO of Huawei’s New Zealand arm, said in an emailed statement.

Spark said it has noted the developments in Britain and would raise it with the GCSB.

The reports “suggest the UK is following other European jurisdictions in taking a considered and balanced approach to managing supplier-related security risks in 5G”, Andrew Pirie, Spark’s corporate relations lead, said in an email.

“Our discussions with the GCSB are ongoing and we expect that the UK developments will be a further item of discussion between us,” Pirie added.

New Zealand’s minister for intelligence services, Andrew Little, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

British culture minister Jeremy Wright said on Thursday that he would report to parliament the conclusions of a government review of the 5G supply chain once they had been taken.

He added that the disclosure of confidential discussions on the role of Huawei was “unacceptable” and that he could not rule out a criminal investigation into the leak.

The decisions by Britain and Germany to use Huawei gear in non-core parts of 5G network makes it harder to prove Huawei should be kept out of New Zealand telecommunication networks, said Syed Faraz Hasan, an expert in communication engineering and networks at New Zealand’s Massey University

He pointed out Huawei gear was already part of the non-core 4G networks that 5G infrastructure would be built on.

“Unless there is a convincing argument against the Huawei devices … it is difficult to keep them away,” Hasan said.

(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO: The logo commodities trader Glencore is pictured in Baar
FILE PHOTO: The logo of commodities trader Glencore is pictured in front of the company’s headquarters in Baar, Switzerland, July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

April 26, 2019

(Reuters) – Glencore shares plunged the most in nearly four months on Friday after news overnight that U.S. regulators were investigating whether the miner broke some rules through “corrupt practices”.

Shares of the FTSE 100 company fell as much as 4.2 percent in early deals, and were down 3.5 percent at 310.25 pence by 0728 GMT.

On Thursday, Glencore said the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is investigating whether the company and its units have violated some provisions of the Commodity ExchangeAct and/or CFTC Regulations.

(Reporting by Muvija M in Bengaluru)

Source: OANN

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Well, Joe Biden didn’t exactly clear the field.

I don’t think it matters much that Biden waited until yesterday to become the 20th Democrat vying for the nomination, even though it exposed him to weeks of attacks while he seemed to be dithering on the sidelines.

A much greater warning sign, in my view, is the largely negative tone surrounding his debut. He is, after all, a former vice president, highly praised by Barack Obama, who has consistently led in the early primary polls, and beating President Trump in head-to-head matchups. Yet much of the press is acting like he’s an old codger and it’s just a matter of time before he keels over politically.

This is all the more remarkable in light of the fact that the vast majority of journalists and pundits know and like Joe Biden and his gregarious personality.

The reason is that Biden, after a half-century in politics, lacks excitement, and the press is magnetically attracted to novel and unorthodox types like Beto and Mayor Pete. You don’t see Biden on the cover of Vanity Fair, and a grind-it-out win by a conventional warrior doesn’t set journalistic hearts racing.

JOE BIDEN ANNOUNCES 2020 PRESIDENTIAL BID: 3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT

For many in the media, Biden isn’t liberal enough, at least not for the post-Obama era. He doesn’t promise free college and free health care and has a history of working with Republicans, such as John McCain (whose daughter Meghan loves him, and Biden will hit “The View” today.)

What’s more, Biden’s campaign style — speak at rallies, rack up union endorsements — seems hopelessly old-fashioned when we measure popularity by Instagram followers. News outlets are predicting he’ll have trouble getting in the online fundraising game, leaving him reliant on big donors, which used to be standard practice.

And then there’s the age thing. Biden would be the oldest president to be inaugurated, at 78, and he looked a step slow in encounters with reporters yesterday and a few weeks ago.

But what if the journalists are in something of a Twitter bubble, and the actual Democratic Party is much more moderate? We saw that with the spate of allegations by women of unwanted touching, which dominated news coverage until polls showed that most Dem voters weren’t concerned. In that wider world, the Scranton guy’s connection to white, working-class voters could help him against Trump in the industrial Midwest.

SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE’S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF OF THE DAY’S HOTTEST STORIES

Biden denounced the president’s term as an “aberrant moment” in his launch video, saying four more years would damage the country’s character and “I cannot stand by and watch that happen.”

But first, he’d have to win the nomination in the face of an unenthusiastic press corps.

A New York Times news story said Biden would be “marshaling his experience and global stature in a bid to lead a party increasingly defined by a younger generation that might be skeptical of his age and ideological moderation.”

The Washington Post quoted Democratic strategists as saying that Biden faces an “uphill battle” and “isn’t necessarily the heir apparent to Obama, despite being his No. 2 in the White House for eight years. They argue voters will judge Biden by the span of his decades-long career and are worried the veteran pol hasn’t yet found a winning formula for his own candidacy.”

The liberal Slate said the ex-veep’s rivals view him as a “paper tiger”:

“Biden is something more like a 2016 Jeb Bush: a weak establishment favorite whose time might be past … Biden’s biggest challenge in the primary will be a compromised past spanning nearly 50 years.”

“Compromised” suggests a history of scandal, yet what Slate means is political baggage, such as his backing of a Clinton-era crime bill unpopular with black voters today. Yet I think the rank and file isn’t as concerned about a vote back in 1994, or even the Anita Hill hearings, as the chattering classes.

BIDEN’S SENATE RECORD, ADVOCACY OF 1994 CRIME BILL WILL BE USED AGAINST HIM, EX-SANDERS STAFFER SAYS

One of the few left-leaning pundits to suggest the press is underestimating Biden is data guru Nate Silver at 538:

“Media coverage could nonetheless be a problem for Biden. Within the mainstream media, the story of Biden winning the nomination will be seen as boring and anticlimactic. That tends not to lead to favorable coverage. Meanwhile, some left-aligned media outlets may prefer candidates who are some combination of more leftist, more wonkish, more reflective of the party’s diversity, and more adept on social media.

“If Biden is framed as being out of touch with today’s Democratic Party and that narrative is repeated across a variety of outlets, it could begin to resonate with voters who don’t buy it initially. If he’s seen as a gaffe-prone candidate, then minor missteps on the campaign trail could be blown up into big fumbles.”

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Look, it’s entirely possible that Biden could stumble, get lapped in fundraising and just be outclassed by younger and savvier rivals. He was hardly a great candidate in 1987 and in 2008.

But if the former vice president finds his footing and the field narrows, the press will be forced to change its tune, and we’ll see a spate of stories about how Joe Biden has “grown.”

Source: Fox News Politics

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South Africa's 400m Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Wayde van Niekerk looks on as he attends South African Championships in Germiston
South Africa’s 400m Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Wayde van Niekerk looks on as he attends South African Championships in Germiston, South Africa, April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

April 26, 2019

GERMISTON, South Africa (Reuters) – Olympic 400 meters champion Wayde van Niekerk has backed South African compatriot Caster Semenya in her battle with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which now appears to have taken a new twist.

Semenya, a double 800 meters Olympic gold medalist, is waiting for the outcome of her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to halt the introduction of new regulations by governing body IAAF that would require her to take medicine to limit her natural levels of testosterone.

The IAAF wants female athletes with differences of sexual development who run in events from 400 meters to a mile, to reduce their blood testosterone level to below five (5) nmol/L for a period of six months before they can compete, saying they have an unfair advantage.

“She’s fighting for something beyond just track and field, she’s fighting for woman in sports, in society and I respect her for that,” Van Niekerk told reporters.

“I will support her and with the hard work and talent that she’s been putting into the sport. With what she believes in and what she’s dreaming for, I’ve got a lot of respect for her.

“I really hope and pray that everything just goes from strength to strength for her.”

Semenya has sprung a surprise at the on-going South African Athletics Championships though, ditching the 800 meters and instead competing over 1,500 and 5,000-metres – the latter one would not require her to medically lower her testosterone level.

She stormed to victory in the 5,000-metres final in a modest time of 16:05.97, but looked to have lots left in the tank as she passed the finish line.

Semenya beat fellow Olympian and defending national 5,000m champion Dominique Scott in Thursday’s final but the latter admitted she is unsure whether the 800m specialist could be a serious Olympic contender over the longer distance.

“Honestly‚ I have no idea‚” Scott said. “Before today I probably would have said no. It’s hard to compare a 5,000 at altitude to a 5,000 at sea level.

“But I think she’s an amazing runner and I don’t think there’s any limit or ceiling on what she can do.”

Van Niekerk, the 400m world record holder, had to abort his comeback from a knee injury, that had sidelined him for 18 months, following a combination of cold weather and a wet track.

“We are trying to take the correct decisions now early in the year so as not to put myself in any harm,” he said.

“It was a bit chilly this entire week prepping and coming through here as well it was quite cold and it caused bit of tightness in my leg. We decided to not risk it.

“My recovery is going well and I would like to be back in competition this year, but will only do so if I can deliver a good performance.

“I am a competitor and respect my opponents, so I need to be at my best when I return.”

(Reporting by Nick Said, additional reporting by Siyabonga Sishi; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)

Source: OANN

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The suspected leader of the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka died in the Shangri-La hotel, one of six hotels and churches targeted in the attacks that killed at least 250 people, authorities said.

Police said Mohamed Zahran, leader of the National Towheed Jamaat militant group, had been killed in one of the bombings. The group’s second in command was also arrested, police said.

Zahran amassed an online following for his hate-filled sermons. Some were delivered before a banner depicting the Twin Towers.

Sri Lankan authorities said Friday that Islamic cleric Mohammed Zahran died in the blast at the Shangri-La hotel during the Easter Sunday atatcks that killed at least 250 people. 

Sri Lankan authorities said Friday that Islamic cleric Mohammed Zahran died in the blast at the Shangri-La hotel during the Easter Sunday atatcks that killed at least 250 people.  (YouTube)

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Friday that the attackers responsible for the bombings were supported by the Islamic State group. Around 140 people in Sri Lanka had connections to ISIS, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said.

“We will completely control this and create a free and peaceful environment for people to live,” he said.

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Investigators determined the attackers received military training from someone called “Army Mohideen.” They also received weapons training overseas and at some locations in Sri Lanka, according to authorities.

A copper factory operator arrested in connection with the bombings helped Mohideen make improvised explosive devices, police said. The bombings have led to increased security throughout the island nation as authorities warned of another attack.

Source: Fox News World

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