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Sheltering in place during a wildfire a dicey strategy

For Californians who might have to escape wildfire again this year, the options are perilous. Many live in?communities that don't have well-thought-out?public evacuation plans and?lack the road?capacity that's needed to get everyone out fast.?

Does this mean people should just shelter?in place?

Absolutely not, except as a last-ditch resort, according to wildfire experts.?

In many cases, only luck determines whether a temporary refuge ends up being scorched by a fast-moving, powerful and unpredictable wildfire. The safest alternative? Evacuate and do it early, experts say.?

"I would never want to delude someone into thinking that they can ride out a fire and live to tell about it,"?said Roy Wright, president and CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety and a vocal opponent of shelter-in-place approaches.?

"We should be teaching the public to get out of harm's way," said Wright.?Several of his own relatives were living in Paradise, California, when the Camp Fire roared through in November 2018. Those family members safely evacuated, he said.

Even information distributed to residents of San Diego County's Rancho Santa Fe development - a so-called "shelter-in-place community" where every home's materials and all landscaping is designed to the highest fire-resistant standards - strongly urges that early evacuation should always be the?first move.

Cliff Hunter, who retired as fire marshal of the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District in 2011, said wildfires typically flash through in 20 minutes or so. The district's homes are built to withstand those blazes, while vegetation is meticulously maintained to "defensible space" standards.

Despite all that, Hunter said, "we recommend evacuation because we don't know how that homeowner will react when that wildland fire comes there."

Wildfires?"are very noisy, very loud. Things are hitting your windows. It gets pretty scary and it gets difficult to breathe. If (people) don't know how to function in that kind of environment, they panic" and may abandon their home after it's too late, fleeing into the worst of the fire, he said.

Still, relatively defensible places can become lifesavers when the better options are gone.

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'WHAT WORKS IN ONE CASE DOESN'T WORK IN OTHERS'

The increasing frequency of wildfires means "we'll need more shelter because there'll be more intense fires burning closer to communities and offering less time" to evacuate, said Tom?Cova, a professor of geography at the University of Utah who has studied wildfire's impact on public safety.?Equipping homes with the latest fire-resistant features?_?including upgraded roofs, windows and landscaping?_?is a necessary part of the equation, he said.??

When evacuation is deemed too dangerous, that?"shelter will become more important, as a backup plan," Cova said. "Or maybe, if you don't have your mobility, shelter is your first choice."??

"Almost every outcome has happened, which is why we can't ever come up with the ultimate protective action. We can't say, 'just do this,' because the scenarios vary so much that what works in one case doesn't work in others."?

In recent years, there have been several instances?where?fire officials said?advance planning and quick decision-making led to shelter-in-place efforts gone right:??

— With thousands of patrons inside, just one road out and the 2003 Cedar Fire advancing fast in the middle of the night, San Diego County fire officials knew it wasn't possible to evacuate the Barona Resort and Casino in time. Instead, they put the expansive complex surrounded by protective parking lots on lockdown, using the casino's loudspeakers to tell patrons to stay put. Outside, fire trucks sprayed water on hundreds of cars to keep them from igniting.?"It wasn't the preferred thing to do. It was kind of what they were forced to do in those challenging circumstances," said John Todd, deputy chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department. "A lot of people died in that fire. And probably if they had evacuated the Barona Casino, that toll would have gone up."?

— Howling winds during the 2008 Tea Fire pushed that blaze to the campus of Westmont College near Santa Barbara,?destroying several residence halls and classrooms. More than 200?students, faculty and staff were evacuated to the Murchison Gymnasium, where they stayed the night. Although the gym was smoky and hot, the building didn't burn and there were no fatalities.?

— Hundreds of students sought temporary refuge at Pepperdine University in Malibu last November, even as much of the community surrounding the campus went up in flames during the Woolsey fire. University leaders had encouraged?_?but not required?_?students to stay in the Payson Library and Tyler Campus Center rather than join roads full of others?trying to escape. The 830-acre campus's?low-slung buildings are surrounded by "hundreds of yards of grass" which served as a natural buffer from the wildfire, said?Todd.?The school's practice of having students shelter in?fire-resistant structures on campus is backed?by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, but the decision still raised?controversy, as The Desert Sun reported?at the time.

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A CENTRAL GATHERING SPOT AS LAST RESORT

During the Camp Fire in Paradise, hundreds of desperate residents sought shelter in precarious and unlikely spots.??

Some people fled to Paradise Alliance Church, one of two city-designated gathering points.

A fire truck protected the sanctuary?as the wind-driven blaze whipped and raged just beyond the building's doors.?The church, along with the residents who sought refuge there, survived.?

The other designated disaster gathering spot was a large?parking lot?between the 765-seat Paradise Performing Arts Center?and the Paradise Senior Center on Nunneley Road.

The concert venue still stands. The senior center?was destroyed, although no deaths were reported there.

During the height of the Camp Fire disaster, with the main road to safety jammed, fire officials also directed dozens of motorists to a grocery store's large?asphalt parking lot. It wasn't designated in advance, but the ad hoc solution worked.

After several harrowing hours amid the smoke, heat and ashes, the wildfire passed, leaving everyone in the parking lot alive.?

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NEW PROPOSALS RAISE QUESTIONS

Still, the bias for early evacuation prevails nearly everywhere. That makes a proposal in Squaw Valley, a dramatic setting in the mountains on the northwest perimeter of Lake Tahoe, somewhat unique.

Like many others, resident Peter Schweitzer worries that should a wildfire ever reach the community where he's lived for 10 years, motorists evacuating?on?the area's main exit - the winding?and narrow Squaw Valley Road - could run into dangerous delays.?

But an alternative proposed by the Placer County town's fire officials - having residents and visitors shelter-in-place in the ski resort community's 5,000-car parking lot - makes him even more nervous.?

"We've seen how these fires can grow so quickly," said Schweitzer. He fears chaos could ensue if authorities tried to direct thousands of panicked people to the designated shelter-in-place spot.??

And, he asked, once residents reached that parking lot, would they really be safe???

"Am I going to stay in the parking lot ... while the fires burn around?me?and propane tanks explode and embers are flying and cars catch fire?" said Schweitzer. "I just don't know. I think I'd try to get out."?

While that scenario has never occurred in Squaw Valley, the potential is fresh in the minds of many people who live in California's wildfire country, where the new fire season is already arriving.?

In Santa Barbara County, Deputy Fire Marshal Rob Hazard?has spent time thinking about where people could go if they couldn't get out.

"In the real world," Hazard said, members of the public may have waited too long to evacuate, must retreat due to wildfire, or can't evacuate because their exit?road is?blocked.??

His department is now devising alternatives for people whose evacuation routes are dicey because they?live in?remote locations along winding mountain roads.

Hazard said the department?has scouted out large, undeveloped meadows on private land that could serve as a temporary refuge from high-intensity wildfires that often pass through quickly. "We could put 50 people in here in their cars and they could probably ride it out," he said.

Source: Fox News National

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Revulsion in Northern Ireland over riot, fatal shooting

The dramatic riot in Londonderry last week was starkly reminiscent of the violence that plagued Northern Ireland for decades before the 1998 peace agreement. The result was both tragic and familiar: the death of a young journalist, apparently hit by a stray bullet.

Here are answers to some questions about the Thursday night riot:

HOW WAS THE JOURNALIST KILLED?

The riot started Thursday evening, after police in Northern Ireland moved into the Creggan housing complex in Londonderry, searching for weapons and members of dissident groups. They were pelted with gasoline bombs and other objects, and several armored police cars were set alight.

The riot attracted a crowd of residents and journalists. At one point, a gunman wearing a balaclava stepped out from behind a building, fired shots at the police and then took cover. No police were hit, but a bullet struck 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee in the head, killing her.

McKee had been well known for writing about the struggles of growing up gay in Belfast and about the legacy of violence in Northern Ireland. Her funeral is scheduled for Wednesday in Belfast.

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WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HER DEATH?

A small group called the New IRA admitted responsibility Tuesday for the journalist's death and apologized to McKee's partner and family. The unusual apology may be seen as a response to the overwhelming public condemnation of the shooting and the nearly universal grief at McKee's death.

The New IRA, which has been increasingly violent in recent years, does not accept the Irish Republican Army's historic decision to lay down its arms and pursue a political settlement, a strategy that led to the signing of the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. The New IRA believes challenging the British presence in Northern Ireland is the best way to achieve its longtime goal of a united Ireland.

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WHERE IS THE POLICE INVESTIGATION NOW?

Two teenagers were arrested in the case last weekend but were released without being charged. A 57-year-old woman was arrested under the Terrorism Act on Tuesday morning but has not been identified or charged. Police have not said what role she is suspected of playing

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IS THE 'NEW IRA' THE SAME AS THE OLD IRA?

No. The IRA that spearheaded decades of violence in Northern Ireland known as "The Troubles" was extremely well organized and had some international political support as well as overseas connections that provided weapons and explosives. The IRA and its political leaders Gerry Adams and the late Martin McGuinness declared a cease-fire in 1994 and, through its political wing Sinn Fein, helped bring about the 1998 agreement that set up a power-sharing government that includes those who want a united Ireland and unionists who want continued ties with the United Kingdom.

The IRA no longer functions as an armed movement, but some small dissident groups have not put down their arms. Of these, the New IRA has the highest profile, but they have very little political support in the general population.

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WILL THE VIOLENCE GET WORSE?

The use of firearms aimed at police Thursday night marked an escalation, and follows a trend set in January when the New IRA was responsible for a car bombing that caused no injuries in Londonderry, which is typically called Derry by residents who resent the British presence.

The group also claimed responsibility for a series of letter bombs sent to the British mainland recently. British security services are spending more time and resources monitoring dissidents in Northern Ireland and have judged the threat of more terrorism in Northern Ireland as "severe."

But the dissident groups do not seem to be gaining public backing and the apparently accidental killing of McKee seems to have sparked a backlash against violence.

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IS BREXIT MAKING IT WORSE?

There is great uncertainty about whether a hard border will be put into place between Ireland and Northern Ireland when Britain leaves the European Union. After Brexit time, that now-invisible border will also become the border between the U.K. and the EU, which may necessitate identity and customs checks.

Politicians, academics and police have warned that any new border posts may well become targets for dissident groups — much like they were back in the violent "Troubles" era.

Source: Fox News World

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Former Afghan hostage being tried on assault against wife

Former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle has gone on trial in Canada on charges that he repeatedly assaulted his wife.

Boyle faces 19 charges, including sexual assault. A partial gag order was lifted as the trial started Monday, revealing that all but one of the 19 charges relate to his American wife, Caitlan Coleman of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania.

Boyle and his wife were taken hostage in 2012 by a Taliban-linked group while on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan. The couple had three children during their five years in captivity. The family was rescued in 2017 by Pakistani forces.

Boyle was arrested in December that year.

Source: Fox News World

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Trump says he will have to call up more military at U.S.-Mexico border

FILE PHOTO - U.S. President Trump visits U.S.-Mexico border in Calexico, California
FILE PHOTO - People stand on the other side of the fence in Mexico as President Donald Trump visits the U.S.-Mexico border in Calexico, California, U.S., April 5, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

April 10, 2019

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would have to mobilize more of the military at the U.S. border with Mexico after listening to stories from people attending a Republican fundraiser about migrants crossing the border.

“I’m going to have to call up more military,” Trump said.

The president said some of the people crossing the border were ending up dead from the journey on Americans’ ranches.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Source: OANN

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Saudis release three women’s rights activists from jail temporarily amid international pressure

Three Saudi women who have been jailed nearly a year for their activism and for speaking to foreign journalists were granted temporary release Thursday but still face a trial.

They and about 10 other women’s rights activists were arrested and held by security forces who report to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Although the official Saudi press agency did not identify the women in its announcement, other media said that Aziza al-Yousef, a former professor; Eman al-Nafjan, a linguistics professor; and a third woman, Roqaya al-Muhareb, had been granted temporary release after bail hearings on Thursday.

The move could mark a turning point for other women’s rights activists still detained, notably because two of those released, al-Yousef and al-Najfan, were vilified in state-linked media as traitors and foreign enemies soon after their arrest in May.

About 10 other women activists remain in jail, and could be released in coming days, according to The New York Times. They include  Loujain al-Hathloul, Hatoon al-Fassi, Samar Badawi and Naseem al-Sada.

FIRST SAUDI FEMALE AMBASSADOR REPLACES KING'S SON IN U.S.

Saudi authorities had accused the women of being spies for foreign governments and being a threat to national security.

The release of the three women comes on the heels of growing international pressure on the powerful crown prince to let them go. Among those applying pressure were nine U.S. senators who appealed to the Saudi government for the women’s release.

Human rights groups expressed a mix of cautious optimism and skepticism over the release.

“While they’ve been released, their sham trial is still going,” said Rothna Begum of Human Rights Watch to the New York Times. “We really don’t know what the authorities are going to do next. But we hope that the ordeal will be over soon.”

In this March 29, 2014 file photo, Aziza al-Yousef drives a car on a highway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of a campaign to defy Saudi Arabia's then ban on women driving.  (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File)

In this March 29, 2014 file photo, Aziza al-Yousef drives a car on a highway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of a campaign to defy Saudi Arabia's then ban on women driving.  (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File)

Thursday’s development comes as the crown prince continues to face widespread international criticism over the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last year in an operation planned by two of the prince’s top aides. Eleven men are on trial in Saudi Arabia for the killing.

Since Khashoggi’s grisly murder, the imprisonment of the women activists has drawn widespread criticism from members of the U.S. Congress, the British Parliament and other Western capitals. Nine U.S. senators urged King Salman in a letter last week to release political prisoners to demonstrate “belated yet welcome respect for human rights.”

The senators' letter said: "For too long, human rights have taken a back seat in Saudi Arabia. Not only have reputable international organizations detailed the arbitrary detention of peaceful activists and dissidents without trial for long periods, but the systematic discrimination against women, religious minorities, and mistreatment of migrant workers and others has also been well-documented. We have also been troubled by the regular use of the Specialized Criminal Court and counterterrorism law to target peaceful activists and human rights defenders, as well as reports of flawed investigations, coerced confessions, and the use of torture."

"We urge the unconditional release of detained women’s rights activists Samar Badawi, Loujain al-Hathloul, Eman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Yousef, Nouf Abdelaziz, Mayaa al-Zahrani, Nassima al-Saada, Hatoon al-Fassi, Shadan al-Onezi, and Amal al-Harbi, some of whom were reportedly tortured during detention, and a supporter of the women’s movement, Mohammed al-Rabea."

Most of the women had appeared in a Riyadh courtroom on Wednesday to submit their defense. Several people with knowledge of the cases said the women have been charged in connection with their efforts to promote women’s rights and of having contact with accredited foreign reporters, diplomats and human rights groups.

In the presence of their husbands, parents and children, the women told a panel of three judges about the physical and sexual abuse they say they were subjected to by masked interrogators during their imprisonment.

The government has denied charges of abuse as “wild claims” that are “simply wrong.”

Prior to their arrest, several women said they received calls from an aide to Prince Mohammed telling them not to speak to foreign media outlets. Several were surprised to also learn they had been barred from leaving the country. Concerned for their safety, the women stopped posting on Twitter and other social media sites.

As activists faced pressure to keep silent, credit for social reforms like the decision to allow women the right to drive, had largely gone to the crown prince.

The women’s arrest in May — a month before Saudi women were allowed to drive — may have also been a way to convey that top-down decision-making, and not activism, determines the scope and pace of change in Saudi Arabia.

The women activists had long pushed for the right to drive. They also called for an end to restrictive male guardianship laws, which give male relatives final say over a woman’s ability to travel abroad, obtain a passport, marry or undergo certain medical procedures.

In their second court hearing Wednesday, nearly a dozen of the women on trial in Riyadh told the presiding judge how they were caned on their backs and thighs, electrocuted and waterboarded by masked men who did not identify themselves.

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One of the women said that several men, who seemed intoxicated, appeared late one night and took her from her place of detention in Jiddah to a nearby secret location. It was there that the women say they were tortured.

Some women have said they were forcibly touched and groped, made to break their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and threatened with rape and death. One of the women attempted suicide, according to information provided to the AP by people with knowledge of the cases.

Journalists working for foreign media, diplomats and other independent observers have not been allowed to sit in on the hearings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News World

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Puerto Rico oversight board loses bid to extend claims filing deadline

FILE PHOTO: The Capitol building is seen in San Juan
FILE PHOTO: The Capitol building is seen in San Juan, Puerto Rico May 4, 2017. REUTERS/ Alvin Baez

April 24, 2019

By Luis Valentin Ortiz

SAN JUAN (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Wednesday denied a request by Puerto Rico’s federally created financial oversight board to extend a looming deadline to file claims, the latest hurdle for its plan to recoup billions of dollars paid to bondholders of potentially invalid debt issued by the island’s government.

Judge Laura Taylor Swain, who is hearing Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy cases, declined to extend a two-year statute of limitations that runs out on May 2, saying it was “not something I’m persuaded this court is allowed to do.” Edward Weisfelner, a lawyer for the board, said this could mean the board could be forced to file hundreds of lawsuits by that deadline against bondholders in order to preserve its claims.

The board, which filed bankruptcy for the U.S. commonwealth in May 2017 in an effort to restructure about $120 billion of debt and pension obligations, had requested more time, arguing that the judge had to rule first on the validity of certain debt before claims against scores of bondholders could be filed. Extending the deadline would have avoided unnecessary and costly litigation, according to the board. 

The judge also rejected a request by a creditors committee to pursue claims for fraud and other infractions against advisers, underwriters and public officials involved in potentially illegal Puerto Rico debt sales. The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, which includes labor unions, as well as suppliers and contractors to the Puerto Rican government, argued that the board would not pursue these claims. 

But Weisfelner told Swain 27 underwriters, nine law firms, and five accounting firms were being targeted for fraud and other claims.

In her denial, Swain said that “the ability to propose a confirmable plan of adjustment” was at stake and that the oversight board had not consented to the committee’s motion.

The court has yet to decide on the board’s January motion to void more than $6 billion of general obligation bonds sold in 2012 and 2014 on the basis they were issued in violation of debt limits in Puerto Rico’s constitution. Creditor groups involved in the bankruptcy have also sought to invalidate debt issued by the Public Buildings Authority and bonds sold for the island’s Employees Retirement System.

Several banks were ordered last week to comply with the board’s request for customer information that would be used in recovering bond payments.

During Wednesday’s court hearing, Martin Bienenstock, an attorney for the board, told Swain that negotiations to restructure about $9 billion of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s (PREPA) debt were “very promising.” He also reported that transmission and distribution contracts with private companies are expected to be finalized in 2020’s second quarter.

Meanwhile, the oversight board this week filed a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to overturn a Feb. 15 appeals court ruling that determined its members were unconstitutionally appointed. The board also asked the First Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the 90-day deadline it set to allow President Donald Trump and the Senate to constitutionally validate the appointments or reconstitute the board.

(Reporting by Luis Valentin Ortiz in San Juan Additional reporting by Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

Source: OANN

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‘Avengers: Endgame’ movie directors plead: ‘Don’t spoil it’

FILE PHOTO: Directors Joe and Anthony Russo pose for a portrait while promoting the film
FILE PHOTO: Directors Joe (L) and Anthony Russo pose for a portrait while promoting the film "Avengers: Endgame" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 6, 2019. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

April 16, 2019

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The directors of “Avengers: Endgame” pleaded with fans on Tuesday not to spoil the movie by giving away storylines after reports that some scenes had leaked online.

In an open letter posted on Twitter under the hashtag #DontSpoilTheEndgame, Joe and Anthony Russo said they and the vast cast of the upcoming Marvel superhero movie “have worked tirelessly for the last three years with the sole intention of delivering a surprising and emotionally powerful conclusion” to the saga.

“When you see Endgame in coming weeks, please don’t spoil it for others, the same way you wouldn’t want it spoiled for you,” they added.

Walt Disney Co’s “Avengers: Endgame” marks the conclusion of a story told across 22 Marvel films. The plot has been shrouded in secrecy, with no advance screenings for the entertainment press. Sales of advance tickets earlier this month surpassed those of 2015 movie “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

The film, which brings together multiple comic book characters, starts its rollout on April 24 in Australia and China before arriving in the United States on April 25.

Some fans said on Tuesday they had seen brief, grainy scenes on Reddit, YouTube and other platforms, but the footage was swiftly removed. Reuters has not seen the leaked scenes and Disney declined to comment.

The #DontSpoilTheEnding hashtag was one of the top Twitter trends on Tuesday. Some fans who said they had viewed the leaks said they only increased their anticipation for the movie.

“I was upset for about 0.2 seconds then realized how cool it was and it made me so hyped,” a person with the user name thestaggie posted on Reddit.

Chris Smith, a contributor to the BGR.com entertainment and tech news site, wrote that he had seen a leak but that it “doesn’t really give away the ending” of the movie, although it contained scenes that had not been shown in any of the trailers or official clips released so far.

“I don’t consider that the leak has actually ruined the movie for me. It just makes me want to watch it even more than I already did,” wrote Smith.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO: Customers shop in a Sainsbury's store in Redhill
FILE PHOTO: Customers shop in a Sainsbury’s store in Redhill, Britain, March 27, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo

April 26, 2019

By James Davey

LONDON (Reuters) – With Sainsbury’s dream of creating Britain’s biggest supermarket group in tatters, its chastened CEO Mike Coupe needs to reassure investors he has the plan to arrest a sales decline when he presents annual results next week.

Britain’s competition regulator blocked Sainsbury’s 7.3 billion pound ($9.4 billion) takeover of Walmart’s Asda on Thursday, saying the deal would increase prices. Sainsbury’s shares fell 5 percent and are down 22 percent over the last three months.

For Sainsbury’s fourth quarter to March 9 analysts are on average forecasting a 1.6 percent fall in like-for-like sales, which would follow 1.1 percent decline over the Christmas period.

Monthly industry data from researcher Kantar has also shown Sainsbury’s as the weakest performer of the big four grocers this year and this month it lost its status as Britain’s No. 2 supermarket group by market share to Asda.

While Sainsbury’s has struggled, market leader Tesco has gained momentum, this month reporting a 34 percent jump in full year profit.

Prohibition of the deal was a major blow to Coupe, its architect and Sainsbury’s boss since 2014.

Martin Scicluna became Sainsbury’s chairman last month and when bedded-in may decide that if the group needs a major shake-up it is best carried out by a new leader.

Much will depend on the attitude of 22 percent shareholder the Qatar Investment Authority, which has so far declined to comment, as well as Coupe’s own appetite to continue after 15 years at the group.

THE RIGHT STRATEGY?

Coupe said on Thursday he was confident Sainsbury’s was pursuing the right strategy.

That was a clear indication that Wednesday’s results statement will not include radical changes to the group’s plans, such as a big margin reset — sacrificing profit to drive sales.

However, sources connected to Sainsbury’s said Coupe would likely acknowledge that more needs to be done on prices, so the supermarket business can better compete with its big four rivals – Tesco, Asda and No. 4 Morrisons – as well as German-owned discounters Aldi and Lidl.

Coupe’s strategy is based on differentiating Sainsbury’s food offer, growing its general merchandise, clothing business and bank, while investing in convenience and online channels.

Some analysts believe major change is needed.

HSBC analyst David McCarthy reckons Sainsbury’s needs a margin reset, should allocate more space for core lines and needs to drive better store standards. He said Sainsbury’s might consider closing down space in some of its larger stores and reducing its non-food offer.

For the full 2018-19 year analysts are on average forecasting a pretax profit of 626 million pounds, up from 589 million pounds in 2017-18 – a second straight year of profit growth. A full year dividend of 10.5 pence per share is forecast versus 10.2 pence last time.

Bank and lawyer fees related to the proposed combination with Asda were 17 million pounds in the first half and have reportedly jumped to around 50 million pounds.

(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Keith Weir)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: A Canadian dollar coin commonly known as the
FILE PHOTO: A Canadian dollar coin, commonly known as the “Loonie”, is pictured in this illustration picture taken in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 23, 2015. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/File Photo/File Photo

April 26, 2019

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada posted a budget surplus in the first 11 months of the 2018/19 fiscal year compared to a deficit the year earlier as revenues increased mostly on higher tax incomes, the finance department said on Friday.

The surplus for April-February was C$3.1 billion, compared to a deficit of C$6 billion in the same 2017/18 period. Revenues climbed by 8.5 percent, mainly due to higher tax receipts, while program expenses rose by 4.8 percent.

The surplus for February was C$4.3 billion compared with C$2.8 billion in February 2018. Revenues jumped by 12.2 percent while program expenses posted a more modest 6.9 percent gain.

Last month, the Liberals unveiled their new budget, projecting a C$14.9 billion deficit in 2018/19, with the deficit rising to C$19.8 billion in fiscal 2019/20.

(Reporting by Julie Gordon in Ottawa; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

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President Trump said Friday he would beat Joe Biden “easily” in the 2020 presidential election, suggesting the former vice president could not have enough “energy” to hold the post—taking an apparent swipe at his age.

The president, departing the White House, was asked about Biden’s entrance into the Democratic primary field. Biden announced his presidential bid early Thursday morning, marking his third attempt at the White House.

JOE BIDEN OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES 2020 PRESIDENTIAL BID

“I think we’d beat him easily,” Trump told reporters Friday.

Trump, 72, said he feels “young” and is ready for 2020, and another term for his administration.

“I feel like a young man. I am a young, vibrant man,” Trump said. “I look at Joe, I don’t know about him.”

The president’s comments seemingly were a shot at the age of Biden, who is 76.

BIDEN ENTERS WHITE HOUSE RACE WITHOUT OBAMA’S ENDORSEMENT

“I would never say anyone’s too old,” Trump said. “I know they’re all making me look very young both in terms of age and in terms of energy.”

Biden became the 20th candidate to join the crowded Democratic primary field Thursday. But Biden is not the oldest in the pack. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is 77 and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is 69.

Should Trump be re-elected, he would be 74 on Jan. 20, 2021—Inauguration Day. Should the presidency go to one of the elder Democrats in the field—Biden would be 78; Sanders would be 79; and Warren would be 71.

Meanwhile, in a wide-ranging interview on “Hannity” Thursday night, Trump dismissed Biden’s candidacy, nicknaming him “Sleepy Joe,” and saying he’s “not the brightest bulb.” Trump also said that while the former vice president has name recognition, he won’t “be able to do the job.”

Source: Fox News Politics

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Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas
Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela April 8, 2019. REUTERS/Manaure Quintero

April 26, 2019

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s foreign minister and a Venezuelan judge, according to a statement on the department’s website.

Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and a judge, Carol Padilla, were targeted over the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, the Treasury Department said, the latest in a list of officials blacklisted by U.S. authorities for their role in President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey, Makini Brice and Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

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Avengers fans gather at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to attend the opening screening of
Avengers fans gather at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to attend the opening screening of “Avengers: Endgame” in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Blake

April 26, 2019

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Marvel Studios superhero spectacle “Avengers: Endgame” hauled in a record $60 million at U.S. and Canadian box offices during its Thursday night debut, distributor Walt Disney Co said.

Global ticket sales for the film about Iron Man, Hulk and other popular characters reached $305 million for the first two days, Disney said.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

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