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Queen to rock Oscars with live performance

Media preview of this year's Academy's Governors Ball in Los Angeles
An Oscar statue is seen during a media preview of this year's Academy's Governors Ball in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

February 18, 2019

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – British rock band Queen will perform live at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony, organizers said on Monday, following the blockbuster success of best picture nominee “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? We welcome @QueenWillRock and @adamlambert to this year’s Oscars!,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on its official Twitter feed.

The band, whose late frontman Freddie Mercury is the subject of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” is now made up of original members Brian May and Roger Taylor with former “American Idol” star Adam Lambert taking on vocals.

“Queen and @adamlambert will ROCK YOU,” the band tweeted in response, giving the Feb. 24 date of the Oscars ceremony in Hollywood.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” has five Academy Award nominations, including a best actor nod for Rami Malek, who takes on the role of Mercury in the film. Mercury died of AIDS in London in 1991 at the age of 45.

The movie has taken more than $854 million at the global box office to become the most successful musical biopic ever.

The academy did not say what songs Queen would perform or when they would appear on stage during the telecast, which is going ahead without a host for the first time in 30 years.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is not nominated for its songs or soundtrack, but other musical performances at Sunday’s ceremony will include Lady Gaga and actor-director Bradley Cooper singing their Oscar-nominated song “Shallow” from movie “A Star is Born,” while Bette Midler will sing best original song contender “The Place Where Lost Things Go” from the film “Mary Poppins Returns.”

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

Source: OANN

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California runner slips on ice, falls 180 feet to his death from San Gabriel Mountains, officials say

A runner in California slipped on a patch of ice on a mountain trail Sunday morning — and fell roughly 180 feet to his death from a mountain peak, officials said.

Ernesto Alonzo Rodriguez, 38, died at Mount Wilson, a peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, located northeast of Los Angeles, KTLA reported.

Rodriguez went on the workout with three other runners, and two of joggers tried to climb down the ravine to help him, the Pasadena Star-News added.

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Fox 11 reported that officials were in the process of notifying his relatives.

Click for more from Fox 11.

Frank Miles is a reporter and editor covering geopolitics, military, crime, technology and sports for FoxNews.com. His email is Frank.Miles@foxnews.com.

Source: Fox News National

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2nd case dismissed amid review of Houston cop's work

Prosecutors have dismissed a second case being re-examined because it involved a Houston officer accused of lying in an affidavit that led to a drug raid last month that killed a married couple.

Court records show the drug case against Treveon Cornett was dismissed Monday. Another case was dismissed last week.

Cornett's case is one of 27 active cases tied to Officer Gerald Goines. They're among more than 1,400 being reviewed by the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

The district attorney's office said Cornett's case was dismissed in the "interest of justice." Goines did not arrest Cornett but was at the scene.

An attorney for Cornett didn't immediately return a call Monday. Cornett was arrested in July for possessing less than one gram of cocaine.

Source: Fox News National

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Ocasio-Cortez draws bigger crowd at SXSW than 2020 candidates Warren, Klobuchar

Several 2020 presidential candidates of all political stripes appeared at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, on Saturday. But it was U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez -- who at 29 years old is ineligible to seek the White House -- who drew the largest crowd.

The New York Democrat attracted more interest than a bill that included U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, former Starbucks CEO and potential candidate Howard Schultz, and former Republican Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, event organizers told KRIS-TV of Corpus Christi.

Other Democratic candidates slated to speak Sunday included Julian Castro, the former Cabinet secretary in the Obama administration and former San Antonio mayor, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., takes part in a "Conversations About America's Future" program at ACL Live during the South by Southwest Interactive Festival on Saturday, March 9, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., takes part in a "Conversations About America's Future" program at ACL Live during the South by Southwest Interactive Festival on Saturday, March 9, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)

Ocasio-Cortez's audience packed a ballroom at the nine-day music and media festival, with some being turned away, according to the station.

During an interview with Briahna Gray, senior politics editor for the Intercept, the freshman congresswoman chastised political moderates, touched on racism, capitalism, class and the wealth gap and took a question from Bill Nye – known as Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Later Saturday, Ocasio-Cortez reacted to a tweet that said Starbucks boss Schultz was greeted with silence upon his criticism of the Green New Deal while at SXSW.

“Ah yes, because we‘ve all drawn upon the rich inspiration of American leaders who‘ve inspired a nation in crisis by saying, “No, You Can’t,” she tweeted.

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Ocasio-Cortez has become one of the most recognizable political figures in Congress, in part because of her use of social media and her outspoken personality. They have also made her the subject of criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, one of her supporters, recently said in an interview that the Constitution's age requirement to become president – 35 years old – should be amended so Ocasio-Cortez can launch a White House bid. 

Like Ocasio-Cortez, Moore also took issue with moderates, telling them to “Take a position.”

Source: Fox News Politics

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Hungary’s Orban told: Win back trust to stay in EU center-right bloc

European conservative party leader Manfred Weber gives a news conference inside the main synagogue in Budapest
FILE PHOTO: European conservative party leader Manfred Weber gives a news conference inside the main synagogue in Budapest, Hungary, March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

March 15, 2019

BERLIN (Reuters) – Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban still needs to do more to avoid the expulsion of his anti-immigration Fidesz party from the main European conservative group, its leader was quoted on Friday as saying.

Thirteen conservative parties have demanded Fidesz be expelled from the European People’s Party (EPP) over an anti-immigration and anti-EU campaign that attacked European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a fellow EPP member, and U.S. philanthropist George Soros.

Orban, a strident nationalist, has written letters of apology to EPP politicians but Manfred Weber, the German who leads the grouping in the European Parliament, said the Hungarian prime minister had to do more.

“If Viktor Orban doesn’t manage to create trust in coming days among the EPP parties and his critics, then things will be difficult,” Weber told Der Spiegel, according to extracts of an interview published on Friday.

Tearing down the posters “is a start, but no more”, he said, referring to Orban’s move to take down posters that suggest Juncker and Soros are conspiring to flood Europe with illegal immigrants from Muslim countries.

The EPP, made up of the main center-right parties from across Europe, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, is the largest grouping in the European Parliament.

With the EPP preparing now for EU elections in May, Weber – accused by some of having been too conciliatory toward Orban and Fidesz – hopes to replace Juncker later this year as president of the Commission, the EU executive.

The EPP gains from an electorally successful central European party like Fidesz in its ranks, while Orban benefits from having a large group in the European Parliament to shield him from censure there.

However, his anti-immigrant and anti-EU rhetoric has infuriated many moderate conservatives around Europe. The EPP will hold a secret ballot next Wednesday to decide whether to expel Fidesz from the grouping.

The EU has long criticized Fidesz over policies it says threaten the rule of law by imposing party control over the judiciary, media and other institutions. Fidesz rejects this.

Some European politicians also condemn Orban’s attacks on Soros, who is Jewish, as anti-Semitic, which Fidesz also rejects.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Gareth Jones)

Source: OANN

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U.S.-backed forces capture Syria suspects tied to American deaths: sources

FILE PHOTO: Dignified transfer ceremony for four Americans killed in Syria is attended by President Trump at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware
FILE PHOTO: The casket carrying the remains of Scott Wirtz, a civilian employee of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency killed along with three members of the U.S. military during a recent attack in Syria, sits in a military vehicle during a dignified transfer ceremony as they are returned to the United States at Dover Air Force Base, in Dover, Delaware, U.S., January 19, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

March 19, 2019

By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S.-backed forces have captured Islamic State fighters tied to a January suicide bombing in Syria that killed four Americans, U.S. officials say, generating concrete leads for Washington about the deadliest attack to date there against U.S. personnel.

The bombing killed Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Farmer, Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician Shannon Kent and Scott Wirtz from the Defense Intelligence Agency. It also killed Ghadir Taher, a naturalized U.S. citizen working as a civilian interpreter for a U.S. contractor.

One of the officials told Reuters the number of people detained was in the “single digits.” A second official said there were several “initial detentions” made in February, without offering a specific number. The detentions have not been previously reported.

“Those initial detentions have provided some leads and opportunities that we are continuing to exploit,” the second official said, speaking on condition of anonymity and declining to offer additional details.

“The investigation is ongoing as are efforts to bring all of those terrorists responsible to justice.”

The attack was the worst single incident involving U.S. personnel in Syria since they deployed on the ground there in 2015 and took place at a cafe in the town of Manbij, which was controlled by a militia allied to U.S.-backed Kurdish forces.

The bombing occurred nearly a month after President Donald Trump confounded his own national security team and allies with a surprise decision on Dec. 19 to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, declaring Islamic State had been defeated there.

Critics seized on the killings as clear evidence that the Islamic State still posed a threat.

Trump backtracked in February, agreeing to leave a small U.S. presence to help keep pressure on Islamic State during what the U.S. military believes will be a critical stabilization phase in Syria. The United States is seeking contributions from allies including Britain and France to remain in Syria.

INSURGENCY THREAT

The U.S. military has warned that Islamic State may still count tens of thousands of fighters, dispersed throughout Iraq and Syria, with enough leaders and resources to present a menacing insurgency in the months ahead.

The Pentagon’s own internal watchdog released a report last month saying Islamic State remained an active insurgent group and was regenerating functions and capabilities more quickly in Iraq than in Syria.

“Absent sustained (counterterrorism) pressure, ISIS could likely resurge in Syria within six to 12 months and regain limited territory,” the report from the Pentagon’s inspector general said.

The report, citing information from U.S. Central Command, said Islamic State would portray the withdrawal as a “victory” and conduct attacks on American personnel during the pullout process.

A report by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Islamic State has transformed into a covert network, but is still a threat with centralized leadership, up to $300 million at its disposal and thousands of fighters.

It said the group was interested in attacking aviation and using chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials and that there were up to 18,000 Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, including up to 3,000 foreign fighters.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Tom Brown)

Source: OANN

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Border crisis may soon impact fruit, vegetable prices, experts say

MCALLEN, Texas — The issues on the U.S.-Mexico border could soon start impacting the price of fruits and vegetables.

For fresh produce, time is of the essence. Now that wait times have increased on border crossings -- because of a shift in personnel to address the border crisis -- it's been tougher for U.S. companies to bring fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico.

And experts say that will impact prices.

Fruit and vegetable distributors that stock the shelves of grocery stores throughout America, including tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, carrots, pineapples, among others —rely on farms in Mexico for that produce. Forty-three percent of all U.S. fruit and vegetables come from Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Carlos Ayala, Amore Produce owner, shows Fox News produce refrigerated stockroom

Carlos Ayala, Amore Produce owner, shows Fox News produce refrigerated stockroom (Fox News)

“(The) Mexican border, it’s one of the most important crossings to the United States,” said Joshua Duran, Amore Produce sales representative.

“It's going to be felt at the grocery stores when we start paying more for limes and our avocados at the grocery store,” Contreras said.

“It's going to be felt at the grocery stores when we start paying more for limes and our avocados at the grocery store,” Contreras said. (Fox News)

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But over the past three weeks, distributor Amore Produce truck drivers carrying that produce have seen up to three times the wait at the border, stuck in sometimes 15 hours of log-jam traffic to cross into the U.S. as they carry produce in their trucks. Duran said truck drivers are seeing only one or two gates open at the border.

“Now we are having a lot of problems in the border,” Duran said. “So, let’s say we used to have like five hours. We’re getting 10 or 15 hours to pass that truck to the United States…one or two (gates) are not enough to get all the entire trucks coming from Mexico and not only for produce, for all the products that people here in the United States get from Mexico.”

“Now we are having a lot of problems in the border,” Duran said. “So, let’s say we used to have like five hours. We’re getting 10 or 15 hours to pass that truck to the United States…one or two (gates) are not enough to get all the entire trucks coming from Mexico and not only for produce, for all the products that people here in the United States get from Mexico.” (Fox News)

“Now we are having a lot of problems in the border,” Duran said. “So, let’s say we used to have like five hours. We’re getting 10 or 15 hours to pass that truck to the United States…one or two (gates) are not enough to get all the entire trucks coming from Mexico and not only for produce, for all the products that people here in the United States get from Mexico.”

BORDER HITS 'BREAKING POINT' IN EL PASO, CBP COMMISSIONER SAYS

It’s caused the McAllen produce distributor, located just 20 minutes from the border, to have less produce than usual. Duran said the company is not able to deliver the fresh produce to the 10 states they distribute to, including Florida, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Colorado—because their truck drivers are waiting longer which gives more time for the produce to rot quicker and not make it fresh to the consumer.

“We couldn’t get it here and we couldn’t send it to the customers in the north,” Duran said.

Amore Produce, the McAllen produce distributor, located just 20 minutes from the border, has less produce than usual.

Amore Produce, the McAllen produce distributor, located just 20 minutes from the border, has less produce than usual. (Fox News)

Marabella Produce owner Alejandro Knight has to throw produce out because by the time it gets to him, he notices they will spoil when they’re delivered to the customer and hit grocery store shelves. Knight said his fridge warehouse is almost always full, even with the floor covered in pallets. It hasn’t been like that recently, as floors have been bare and some parts of the facility have been empty.

“We cannot deliver a fresh product anymore if we have to wait for each load to cross, five to six days, it's impossible to work like this,” Knight said.

BORDER SLOWDOWN LEAVES PORTS OF ENTRY VULNERABLE TO DRUG TRAFFICKING, CRITICS SAY

Knight said the Mexican growers are now “afraid” to send the fruit (and veggies) because of the border wait time, so they keep the produce in Mexico.

Marabella Produce normally sends seven to 10 loads with 1,800 cases of produce per week. But now, it just has three to seven loads a week. The company usually distributes to Chicago, North Carolina, Maryland, Atlanta—but lately, has had to limit the shipments to Texas.

Knight said his fridge warehouse is almost always full, even with the floor covered in pallets. It hasn’t been like that recently, as floors have been bare and some parts of the facility has been empty.

Knight said his fridge warehouse is almost always full, even with the floor covered in pallets. It hasn’t been like that recently, as floors have been bare and some parts of the facility has been empty. (Fox News)

“They won't get fresh produce in their houses, they won’t get fresh tomatoes or pineapples, or they will have very ripe fruit in their stores, so it’s not the same,” Knight said.

If this keeps up, it could lead to everyday American consumers finding produce more expensive with the supply drying up. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley economist, Salavador Contreras, said Americans are likely to feel the effects of these longer wait times.

“It's going to be felt at the grocery stores when we start paying more for limes and our avocados at the grocery store,” Contreras said.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol temporarily reassigned 545 CBP officers from ports around the nation’s border to help Border Patrol in the surge of apprehensions of family units and unaccompanied minors from Central America that have “overwhelmed Border Patrol capabilities and facilities.”

Over the past three weeks, distributor Amore Produce truck drivers carrying that produce have seen up to three times the wait at the border, stuck in sometimes 15 hours of log-jam traffic to cross into the US with the produce in their trucks. Duran said their truck drivers are seeing only one or two gates open at the border.

Over the past three weeks, distributor Amore Produce truck drivers carrying that produce have seen up to three times the wait at the border, stuck in sometimes 15 hours of log-jam traffic to cross into the US with the produce in their trucks. Duran said their truck drivers are seeing only one or two gates open at the border. (Fox News)

“Facilitation of legitimate trade and travel remains a priority for CBP at its 328 ports of entry nationwide," a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson said. "While the current southwest border security and humanitarian crisis is impacting CBP operations, we are working to mitigate the effects as much as possible…Travelers are urged to plan accordingly and check the CBP wait times page for the most up-to-date border crossing information."

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said the long wait times vary from location and time of day. They update their data hourly.

CBP anticipated this and advised border communities late March of the changes: “There will be impacts to traffic at the border. There will be a slowdown in the processing of trade, there will be wait time increases in our pedestrian and passenger vehicle lanes.”

Contreras said reducing the number of customs agents at the border has an economic impact on the U.S. economy.

“It’s been estimated that staffing one to three additional booths increases U.S. GDP by $2 million and adds roughly 33 additional jobs,” Contreras said. “So, trade flows are very important for the U.S. economy. They have a big impact on the U.S. economy. And if we reduce the number of agents at customs and increase the wait times, then that would have the opposite effect of reducing U.S. GDP and then reducing U.S. jobs.”

Vehciles wait in line on bridge leading to US. “Facilitation of legitimate trade and travel remains a priority for CBP at its 328 ports of entry nationwide," a US Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson said. "While the current Southwest border security and humanitarian crisis is impacting CBP operations, we are working to mitigate the effects as much as possible."

Vehciles wait in line on bridge leading to US. “Facilitation of legitimate trade and travel remains a priority for CBP at its 328 ports of entry nationwide," a US Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson said. "While the current Southwest border security and humanitarian crisis is impacting CBP operations, we are working to mitigate the effects as much as possible." (Fox News)

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced bipartisan legislation early this month to address the border personnel shortages by hiring officers until 2020 “until the agency’s staffing needs are met.”

In the meantime, produce distributors are hopeful things will turn around quickly.

“I hope the authorities open their eyes and notice that this is affecting not only in economic terms but also in every family,” Knight said. “The United States, all the people should be served the best produce on the tables. They won’t get it like this.”

Source: Fox News National

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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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Funeral of journalist Lyra McKee in Belfast
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn attends the funeral service for murdered journalist Lyra McKee at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast, Northern Ireland April 24, 2019. Brian Lawless/Pool via REUTERS

April 26, 2019

LONDON (Reuters) – The leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, said on Friday he had turned down an invitation to a state dinner which will be part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Britain in June.

“Theresa May should not be rolling out the red carpet for a state visit to honor a president who rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric,” Corbyn said in a statement.

He said maintaining the relationship with the United States did not require “the pomp and ceremony of a state visit” and he said he would welcome a meeting with Trump “to discuss all matters of interest.”

(Reporting by Andy Bruce; Writing by William Schomberg)

Source: OANN

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Libyan Minister of Economy Ali Abdulaziz Issawi speaks during an interview with Reuters in Tripoli
Libyan Minister of Economy Ali Abdulaziz Issawi speaks during an interview with Reuters in Tripoli, Libya April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Hani Amara

April 26, 2019

By Ulf Laessing

TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya’s U.N.-recognized government has budgeted up to 2 billion dinars ($1.43 billion) to cover costs of a three-week-old war for control of the capital, such as treatment for the wounded, to be funded without new borrowing, the economy minister said.

Ali Abdulaziz Issawi suggested the government hoped for business to continue more or less as usual despite the assault on Tripoli, in the country’s northwest, by forces tied to a parallel administration based in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Once Africa’s third largest producer of oil, Libya has been riven by factional conflict since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with the country now broadly split between eastern-based forces under Khalifa Haftar and the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, in the west, under Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj.

Still, with Haftar’s Libyan National Army forces unable so far to pierce defenses in Tripoli’s southern suburbs, normal life and business activities continue in much of the capital and western coastal towns.

Issawi, in an interview with Reuters in his Tripoli office, also said Libya’s commercial ports and wheat imports were still functioning normally, although some roads have been blocked.

He said the Serraj government estimates it will spend up to 2 billion dinars extra on medical treatment for wounded, aid for displaced people and other “emergency” war costs.

He said this was not military spending but analysts believe that the sum will also cover expenditures such as pay for allied armed groups or food for fighters.

“We could actually spend less,” he added, in comments that gave the first insight into the economic impact of the fighting.

Issawi said the Tripoli government, which controls little territory beyond the greater capital region, would not incur new debt to fund the war costs, sticking to a plan to post a 2019 budget without a deficit.

Tripoli derives revenue largely from oil and natural gas production, interest-free loans from local banks to the central bank, and a 183 percent surcharge on foreign exchange transactions conducted at official rates.

But with centralized tax collection greatly diminished, public debt has piled up – to 68 billion dinars in the west, including unpaid state obligations such as social insurance.

Some analysts expect Serraj’s government will be forced to raise new debt if the war for control of Tripoli drags on.

With much of Libya dominated by armed factions that also act as security forces, the public wage bill for both the western and eastern administrations has soared as fighters have been made public employees in efforts to buy their loyalty.

The east has sold bonds worth 35 billion dinars outside the official financial system as the Tripoli central bank does not fund the parallel government apart from some wages.

Despite its limited reach, the Tripoli government still runs an annual budget of around 46.8 billion dinars, mainly for public salaries and fuel subsidies.

“This year we cannot finance via debt…we will not borrow (by agreement with the central bank),” Issawi said.

According to International Monetary Fund data, Libya’s central government debt-to-GDP ratio is 143 percent, making it one of the most heavily indebted in the world on that measure.

Issawi declined to say what parts of the budget would be trimmed to support the extra outlay for war costs.

However, with some 70 percent of the budget allocated to public wages, fuel subsidies and other welfare benefits, a portion devoted to infrastructure is most likely to be axed.

Widespread lawlessness has meant there have been no major infrastructural projects since 2011, when a NATO-backed uprising overthrew dictator Muammar Gaddafi, leaving schools, hospitals and roads in acute need of restoration.

FOREX SURCHARGE

Issawi said the government planned to raise as much as 30 billion dinars by the end of 2019 from hard currency deals after imposing in September a 183 percent surcharge on commercial and private transactions done on the official rate of 1.4 to the U.S. dollar. That fee has effectively devalued the official rate to 3.9, much closer to the black market equivalent.

Some 17 billion dinars have been raised since then, with hard currency allocated for import credit letters now issued without delays, Issawi said. The forex fee has helped the government forecast a budget in the black for 2019.

Despite the narrowing spread between the two rates, the black market continues to thrive. Dozens of traders remained at their favorite spot behind the central bank headquarters in Tripoli when Reuters reporters visited it last week.

But traders said it could take time for the Serraj government to register the extra forex receipts as official banking channels were taking up to six months to approve import financing, keeping the black market in play for dealers.

Issawi said authorities planned to lower the forex fee from 183 percent, without saying when. The black market rate has dropped from 6 to around 4.1 since September but it has hardly moved of late as demand for black market cash remains high.

The Tripoli government has stopped subsidizing food and bread, which used to be cheaper than drinking water in Libya. Wheat imports are now being arranged by private traders and there are surplus stocks of flour at the moment, Issawi said.

(Reporting by Ulf Laessing in Tripoli with additional reporting by Karin Strohecker in London; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: OANN

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Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., threatened possible jail time for White House officials refusing to comply with subpoenas to testify before the House Oversight Committee.

Connolly, a member of the House panel, made his comments during an interview on CNN on Thursday. He said that “if a subpoena is issued and you’re told you must testify, we will back that up.”

He added: “And we will use any and all power in our command to make sure it’s backed up — whether that’s a contempt citation, whether that’s going to court and getting that citation enforced, whether it’s fines, whether it’s possible incarceration.”

“We will go to the max to enforce the constitutional role of the legislative branch of government.”

His comments came after three officials have refused to comply with congressional requests to testify, CNN noted.

Trump told The Washington Post that his staff should not testify on Capitol Hill, explaining that the White House cooperated fully with special counsel Robert Mueller and “there is no reason to go any further, especially in Congress where it’s very partisan.”

Source: NewsMax Politics

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“Outdated laws” need fixing to deal with the surge in illegal immigrant families crossing the U.S. border with Mexico, a top Border Patrol official said Friday.

Migrant families face no consequences if apprehended trying to cross the border illegally under present law, Border Patrol chief of Operations Brian Hastings claimed during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.”

“We need a change in the current outdated laws that we’re dealing with for this current demographic and this crisis that we have,” he said.

Hastings said as of Thursday there have been 440,000 apprehensions along the southwest border. There were 396,000 apprehensions all of last year.

SOUTHERN BORDER AT ‘BREAKING POINT’ AFTER MORE THAN 76,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TRIED CROSSING IN FEBRUARY, OFFICIALS SAY

And those numbers continue to rise, he said.

Historically 70 to 90 percent of apprehensions at the border were quickly returned to Mexico, Hastings said.

Now, 83 percent of those apprehended have come from the Central American northern triangle which includes Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, and of those 63 percent are “family units” and children who cannot be returned, he said.

“There are no consequences that we can apply to this group currently,” Hastings said. “We’re overwhelmed. If you look at agents there doing a tremendous job trying to deal with the flow.”

The law dictates children have to be released after 20 days of detention.

FLORIDA SHERIFF ON BORDER CRISIS AFTER MAJOR DRUG BUST: ‘IT MAKES ME ABSOLUTELY CRAZY’

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., says that has forced immigration officials to release entire families because “you don’t want to separate families.”

Recently, he said he is drafting legislation that would allow children to be detained for more than 20 days.

Hastings said agents are frustrated with the situation but are doing the best they can with the resources they have.

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“Up to 40 percent of our agents are processing at any given time,” he said. “That should say that in and of itself is pulling from those border security resources.”

Source: Fox News National

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