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Betsy DeVos to visit struggling South Carolina schools

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is visiting a South Carolina area known as the "Corridor of Shame" due to its underperforming schools, making a trip to an area that's been held out as an example of the need to make reforms to the state's schools.

DeVos plans to travel on Thursday to Florence County, one of several dozen districts along Interstate 95 once bestowed the nickname "Corridor of Shame" because of their substandard schools.

Along with U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Mitchell Zais — who headed up South Carolina's schools from 2011 to 2015 — Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman, DeVos will visit Timmonsville Educational Center, as well as the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing & Technology, which focuses on matching up workforce training programs with local industry needs.

They'll also be joined by U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, whose office told The Associated Press on Wednesday he's discussed the importance of technical schools with DeVos in the past and has been working to get her to the district to get a firsthand look at improvements.

The visit comes amid ongoing debate on how to improve South Carolina's education system, with legislative leaders and the governor saying they're placing a priority on the issue this session. Gov. Henry McMaster, who has asked officials for a study of the decades-old formula that determines how districts are funded, pledged in his State of the State address last month that "the words 'Corridor of Shame' will be a distant memory."

The area was part of a decades-old lawsuit over education funding. In 2014, the state Supreme Court ruled that rural schools had violated the state Constitution by failing to provide each student with quality education. Last year, the high court dismissed the suit, voting 3-2 to close a legal case that examined whether the Legislature provides enough money and support for poor and rural schools, ruling that officials had resolved the overarching dispute.

In a 1999 ruling, justices coined the phrase "minimally adequate education," immediately bothering many people who thought South Carolina should aspire to being more than adequate at something as important as public education.

The legal case led to the 2005 "Corridor of Shame" documentary, which depicted decrepit conditions. Politicians and public officials have made pilgrimages to the area, including then-Sen. Barack Obama, who in 2007 toured a school, a portion of which was still in use and dated to the late 19th century.

Upon taking office in 2017, McMaster launched a tour of some of the schools seen in the film to push for his ideas on education reform.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

Source: Fox News National

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Supreme Court Weighs Fate of 40-Foot Cross Built as War Memorial

A 40-foot cross in the middle of a Washington-area intersection is the U.S. Supreme Court’s new focus in the centuries-old fight over the role of religion in public life.

The concrete cross, completed in 1925 as a World War I memorial, will be at the center of a high court argument set for Wednesday.

The court has struggled to lay out clear rules governing when religious symbols are permissible on public land. Supporters of the monument in Bladensburg, Maryland, say the Constitution generally allows religious displays, while opponents say the government can’t show favoritism toward particular faiths.

A federal appeals court said the cross “endorses Christianity -- not only above other faiths, but also to their exclusion.” The ruling, if it stands, could force removal of the monument.

The American Legion and an area park commission are appealing. President Donald Trump’s administration is supporting them in a move that could help the president build enthusiasm among his evangelical base as the 2020 election approaches.

The monument, known as the Peace Cross, was erected to honor 49 local men who died in World War I. The American Legion completed the project in 1925 and owned it for several decades before the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission took over ownership in 1961.

The cross now sits on a grassy island where three major roads converge, a location that offers prominence, if not accessibility. It rests on a base that includes a weathered plaque with the names of the men and a quote from President Woodrow Wilson. The words “courage,” “valor,” “devotion” and “endurance” are engraved around the foot of the cross, above the base.

Across a road are memorials commemorating veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. In the opposite direction, a monument describes the British victory at the Battle of Bladensburg during the War of 1812.

Coercion Test

The cross’s supporters say the monument conveys a secular message. If the high court agrees, it could preserve the cross without carving out much new legal ground.

But some backers of the monument are urging the court to issue a more sweeping decision that would narrow the Constitution’s ban on government establishment of religion. The Trump administration says opponents of religious displays on public property should have to show that the government is coercing people.

“History shows that the Framers understood the Establishment Clause as prohibiting the coercion of religious belief or adherence, but not the acknowledgment of religion in public life,” Deputy Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall argued in court papers. “Passive displays generally fall on the permissible side of that line.”

The American Legion is urging the court to discard a test favored by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, once the court’s swing vote on questions involving religion. In two cases during the 1980s, O’Connor said the key question was whether a display amounted to an “endorsement” of religion. The court hasn’t used the test since O’Connor’s 2006 retirement.

There is a “a whole lot of confusion, and I think it’s confusion that’s unhealthy,” said Rick Garnett, a constitutional law professor at the University of Notre Dame. “Justice O’Connor has been off the court for 13 years now, and the court has not told us in these 13 years what the status of that test is.”

The American Humanist Association and three area residents are challenging the cross, saying it commemorates Christians to the exclusion of others.

‘Watershed Change’

Richard Katskee, legal director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said a ruling backing the cross would require a “watershed change in the law.” He said justices from across the ideological spectrum have said that the government can’t favor one religion over another.

“When the government chooses to honor people who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, it should recognize them all equally,” Katskee said.

The court’s conservative leanings could make that a tough argument to win. Garnett says he doubts any of the court’s nine members will fully embrace the challenge to the cross.

“I’m pretty confident that not one of the justices will say that this memorial has to come down,” he said.

The cases are American Legion v. American Humanist Association, 17-1717, and Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission v. American Humanist Association, 18-18.

Source: NewsMax America

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California GOP picks Latina woman to lead historic 'Republican comeback'

The California Republican Party chose 38-year-old Jessica Patterson as its leader on Monday, and the first-ever woman to chair the state GOP wasted no time in vowing to "take the fight to Democrats" and lead a "Republican comeback" in the liberal stronghold.

Patterson's appointment comes as state Democrats are foundering on a series of high-profile issues on the national stage, with the White House suggesting it will sue the state to reclaim billions of federal dollars wasted on the state's constantly delayed -- and eventually abandoned -- high-speed rail project.

"Let's serve notice to the Democrats in California that we are back and we are ready to deliver on the Republican comeback," Patterson, who also became the first Latina to ever chair the state GOP, said after winning. "Then let's dig in and make it happen."

She added: "We’re going to take the fight to Democrats. We’re going to fight them in the press, at community gatherings ... and we’re going to beat them in elections.”

Patterson has a lengthy career in Republican politics, and previously directed the organization California Trailblazers, which prepares new candidates to run for office. She previously worked for the administrations of former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as the campaign of gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, among others.

Jessica Patterson, candidate for chair of the California Republican Party, speaks to delegates after her nomination during the party convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

Jessica Patterson, candidate for chair of the California Republican Party, speaks to delegates after her nomination during the party convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

The state, however, has shifted markedly leftward in recent years. California Democrats hold all statewide offices and a veto-proof supermajority in the state legislature, and Republicans have not won statewide office since 2006. The GOP ranks as third party status in voter registration behind Democrats and independents.

The 2018 election pushed the party further toward the brink of extinction in the nation's most populous state, with Democrats flipping seven U.S. House seats once considered GOP strongholds and Republicans holding less than a quarter of state legislative seats.

"We're going to be about one thing: Winning."

— Jessica Patterson

The results stunned Republicans, with then-House Speaker Paul Ryan calling the outcome "bizarre." Despite holding substantial leads on Election Day, many Republican candidates in California saw their advantage shrink, and then disappear, as late-arriving Democratic votes were counted in the weeks following the election.

HOW A MINOR CHANGE IN CALIFORNIA'S ELECTION LAW MAY HAVE DOOMED REPUBLICANS' CHANCES

Some Republicans blamed a newly legal practice called "ballot harvesting." Two years ago, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law AB1921, which legalized the so-called practice of “ballot harvesting.” Previously, only a family member or someone living in the same household was permitted to drop off mail ballots for a voter, but the new allowed anyone – including political operatives – to collect and return them for a voter.

But without substantive evidence of electoral misconduct, the California Republican Party's delegates had to look inward and decide where the party would go next with its leadership. A majority of about 1,200 delegates chose Patterson, who previously headed a Republican candidate recruitment and training program.

Patterson argued bringing the Republican message into new communities would be the key to success and said she would push candidates to focus on California issues rather than the president's message.

Her two rivals, former state Assemblyman Travis Allen and party activist Steve Frank, said energizing the party base that loves President Trump was the key to success. Both are strident backers of the president.

Stephen R. Frank, candidate for chair of the California Republican Party, speaks to delegates after his nomination during the party convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

Stephen R. Frank, candidate for chair of the California Republican Party, speaks to delegates after his nomination during the party convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

But Patterson had the backing of most elected officials, including top Trump supporters like GOP House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. She was viewed as the candidate better prepared to raise money and do the grunt work required of a chair.

Her opponents argued she represents more of the same leadership that led the party into decline. Both charged the state party has not advocated for strong conservative values and shied away from full-throated Trump support. Allen came in second and Frank placed third.

CALIFORNIA NEWS CREW SURPRISED AS ROBBERS DRIVE UP, ROB THEM, SHOOT THEIR GUARD IN LEG

"California Republicans are every bit as Republican as Republicans across the country," Allen said in an interview last week. "It's about time we have a Republican party that stands for our values, our ideals and supports our Republican president."

After the vote, Allen said only that he hopes "the Republican party starts fighting again for the good of all Californians."

Patterson said prior to the election she supports Trump. Beyond McCarthy, she had the backing of key Trump supporters such as U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes and the state's two Republican National Committee members.

Jessica Patterson, right, shares a moment with her mother Julie Millan, after being nominated for chair of California Republican Party during their convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

Jessica Patterson, right, shares a moment with her mother Julie Millan, after being nominated for chair of California Republican Party during their convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

But some of Trump's most fervent California supporters were disappointed by the outcome. Stephanie Sporcich, a teacher, said she got involved with the state party because of Trump's election. She cast her vote for Allen, and saw the chairmanship race as a battle between the grassroots and the establishment.

"We're the ones that are the strongest Trump supporters with Trump values," she said, adding she and other new activists have already successfully infiltrated the party structure and will keep working to do so.

ANALYSIS: CALIFORNIA POLITICS WILL GET CRAZY IN 2019. WHAT'S THE SILVER LINING FOR THE GOP?

But Elizabeth Patock, another teacher, liked Patterson's focus on bringing "non-traditional Republicans" into the party. Patock did not vote for Trump and said she dislikes how ugly national politics have become.

She said Patterson "has a positive message."

U,S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson speaks to delegates during the California Republican Party convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

U,S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson speaks to delegates during the California Republican Party convention in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

Patterson is the first Latina to lead the state party. She did not make her personal heritage a major piece of her campaign, but said the party needs to use "new messengers."

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California Republicans have struggled to appeal to the state's growing Latino and Hispanic population because of the party's position on illegal immigration, among other things. Patterson did not provide specifics Sunday on how she will deal with that issue.

As a gesture of goodwill, she named Frank and Allen as co-chairs of a voter registration committee. Both had highlighted the party's outsourcing of voter registration activities as a major flaw. And she called for unity among California Republicans.

"Our success will be a team effort, no egos, no personal agenda, no drama," she said. "We're going to be about one thing: Winning."

Fox News' Alex Pappas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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Nissan panel to propose bigger role for external directors in Ghosn scandal’s wake

FILE PHOTO: Former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn sits inside the car as he leaves his lawyer's office after being released on bail from Tokyo Detention House, in Tokyo
FILE PHOTO: Former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn sits inside the car as he leaves his lawyer's office after being released on bail from Tokyo Detention House, in Tokyo, Japan, March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo

March 26, 2019

By Naomi Tajitsu

TOKYO (Reuters) – A committee tasked with revamping corporate governance at Nissan Motor Co is expected to recommend on Wednesday a bigger role for external directors in overseeing the Japanese automaker following Carlos Ghosn’s arrest and ouster as chairman.

The independent panel will announce the results of its three-month audit of Nissan’s governance-related procedures, as the company seeks to draw a line under a near two-decade-long period during which Ghosn wielded outsized influence in his dual roles as its chairman and CEO for much of that time.

To decentralize the power structure at Japan’s second-largest automaker, the seven-member committee will likely also suggest that the company establish committees for board member nominations, auditing and for determining executive pay, according to a person familiar with the matter.

It may also recommend splitting the positions of company chairman, a role held by veteran top executives, and chairman of the board, who presides over board meetings, and that the latter position should be held by an external director.

The committee was not immediately reachable for comment, but has previously declined to comment on the matter. It will hold a briefing on Wednesday evening to release the recommendations.

Like executives at many Japanese companies, Ghosn held both chairmanship positions at Nissan, adding to his influence at the automaker.

Nissan has said that too much power had been concentrated on Ghosn, one of the most feted executives in the global auto industry who orchestrated Nissan’s financial recovery in the early 2000s and created the blueprint for the automaking alliance between Nissan and France’s Renault SA.

At the time of his arrest in Tokyo in November on financial misconduct allegations, Ghosn held the chairmanship at Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors Corp, which together form one of the world’s biggest automakers, while also serving as Renault CEO.

Ghosn is facing charges related to under-reporting his Nissan salary by around $82 million over nearly a decade, and for temporarily shifting personal financial losses onto Nissan’s books during the global financial crisis.

He denies the charges and has argued that his arrest and ouster from Nissan were orchestrated by executives at the company who were opposed to his plans for closer ties with Renault.

REBALANCED ALLIANCE

Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors are retooling their partnership to create a more equal footing between them. Bound by complex cross-shareholdings, the three companies aim to leverage their combined scale to reduce costs for development, procurement and production.

Earlier this month, the three automakers announced they would create an operating board headed by top executives from each of the companies which would oversee the partnership’s operations and governance – a role largely held by Ghosn alone in the past.

The newly appointed chairman of Renault, Jean-Dominique Senard, will serve as head of the alliance but – in a critical sign of the rebalancing – not as company chairman of Nissan, a position which could be left vacant for now, according to people with knowledge of the issue.

Nissan is considering asking ex-Toray Industries chief and Japan Inc heavyweight Sadayuki Sakakibara, who served on the reform committee, to take on the role of chairman of the board at the automaker.

(Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

Source: OANN

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Bill O’Reilly to Newsmax TV: Sanctuary City Bus Plan Would Backfire

President Donald Trump's plan to send asylum seekers to sanctuary cities is a function of his "perpetual campaign mode" – but would backfire because they would end up remaining in the United States "forever," political commentator Bill O'Reilly said Monday.

In remarks on Newsmax TV's "The Wayne Allen Root Show," O'Reilly, host of the "No Spin News" podcast at billoreilly.com, said the president has a "great idea," but it is one that "can never actually be done."

"What's important on this story . . . is that Donald Trump is in perpetual campaign mode," he said. "He governs, but also has an eye on 'I'm campaigning; I want to be re-elected.'"

"So, this is a big issue for Trump's crew, they all like that sanctuary cities be punished," he continued, saying Trump's theory is "'I might send these people to San Francisco, let's hear them howl.'

"But if you did that, then you would guarantee that everybody you bussed to San Francisco or Seattle or [Los Angeles] or New York City, that every one of those people would remain in the United States forever," O"Reilly said.

"Look, people who come here illegally are gonna settle where they know people," he explained. "That's what happens. Most people who are coming here from Central America and Mexico, they already know people here. That's where they're going to go. You want to drop off them off in San Francisco? Fine. But they're going to high-tail it out of there to wherever their folks are, wherever their friends are."

Important: Newsmax TV is now carried in 65 million cable homes on DirecTV Ch. 349, Dish Network Ch. 216, Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 1115, U-verse Ch. 1220, FiOS Ch. 615 or More Systems Here.

Source: NewsMax America

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China’s CDH targets raising $1 billion in venture capital arm: sources

CDH Investments founding partner Wang Lin speaks during an interview with Reuters in Hong Kong
CDH Investments founding partner Wang Lin speaks during an interview with Reuters in Hong Kong, China November 15, 2018. Picture taken November 15, 2018. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

February 27, 2019

By Julie Zhu

HONG KONG (Reuters) – China’s CDH Investments is aiming to raise nearly $1 billion in dollar and yuan funds through its venture and growth capital arm to invest in sectors including healthcare and logistics, said people with direct knowledge of the matter.

The move by CDH, one of China’s largest alternative investment firms, underscores its confidence that investors are still keen on China’s fast-growing new-economy sectors despite its economic slowdown and tighter liquidity following Sino-U.S. trade tensions and Beijing’s war on debt.

CDH’s arm, CDH VGC, is in talks with prospective investors to raise a dollar-denominated fund of $500 million and looks to secure the first tranche of commitments by the first half of 2019, said one of the people.

It is also raising a yuan-denominated fund with a target size of about 3 billion yuan ($448 million), according to the person.

The dollar fund will complement its onshore investments by focusing on Chinese firms using overseas structures such as variable-interest entities, said another person.

CDH declined to comment. The people declined to be named as the capital raising plans were not public.

China-focused private equity and venture capital managers raised a combined $37 billion last year in dollar-denominated funds, slightly down from $40 billion in 2017, according to data provider Preqin.

Beijing-based CDH Investments, co-founded by chairman Wu Shangzhi and CEO Jiao Shuge in 2002 as one of China’s earliest private equity firms, is best known for its dealmaking in traditional industries such as consumption and manufacturing in the early years.

It now manages about $18 billion in assets and has been a major investor in the world’s largest pork supplier, WH Group, and leading appliance maker, Midea Group.

In 2015, it established CDH VGC in a bid to deepen its push into the country’s new-age sectors and build up its expertise in venture- and growth-stage investments. CDH VGC closed its first fund of $850 million in committed capital in December 2016.

FOCUS ON BIOTECHS

In an interview separate to the fundraising plans, CDH VGC’s founding partner Wang Lin said the first VGC fund invested more than $600 million in about 30 start-ups as of the end of 2018, with healthcare-related deals accounting for half of the spending.

Among them are HitGen Ltd, a biotech platform for early-stage drug discovery research based on its DNA-encoded libraries, and Elpiscience Biopharmaceuticals, a biotech firm that develops immunotherapies to fight cancer.

According to Wang, a focus on biotechs has been a key strand of the firm’s investment strategy as he sees immense potential for innovative drug developers in the world’s second-largest drug market.

CDH VGC is also looking for opportunities in other innovative and high-growth sectors, notably logistics and artificial intelligence.

Apart from being an early investor in China’s leading AI firm SenseTime Group, it has also backed domestic couriers including U.S.-listed ZTO Express, and new entrants Yimidida and Shansong Express.

“In industries such as logistics which are worth over 1 trillion yuan, there are quite a few young companies that have the potential to develop quickly into elephant-sized firms,” Wang said.

(Reporting by Julie Zhu; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

Source: OANN

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Erdogan: Istanbul's Hagia Sophia could be turned into mosque

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Istanbul's Hagia Sophia — a Byzantine-era cathedral that was turned into a mosque and now serves as a museum — could be reconverted into a mosque.

Erdogan spoke during a television interview Sunday ahead of Turkey's March 31 local elections.

The former Byzantine cathedral was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453. Turkey's secular founder turned the structure into a museum in 1935 that attracts millions of tourists each year.

There have been increasing calls for the government to convert the symbolic structure back into a mosque, especially following reports that the gunman who killed Muslim worshippers in New Zealand left a manifesto saying the Hagia Sophia would be "free of minarets."

Source: Fox News World

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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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