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Alabama man gets 40 years for scalding 2 children in bathtub

An Alabama man accused of intentionally scalding two children in a bathtub has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to serve 40 years in prison.

News outlets report that 33-year-old Derrick Defoe pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of aggravated child abuse just before opening statements in his trial were set to begin. Other charges against him were dropped as part of a plea agreement.

The children's mother, Amanda Reyer, was sentenced in November to serve 40 years after she also pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated child abuse. Reyer and Defoe were dating at the time of the 2015 scalding.

The 5-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl survived. Authorities have said the girl had burns over at least 70 percent of her body and her skin peeled off.

Source: Fox News National

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NCAA roundup: FSU overwhelms Morant, Murray State in rout

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Second Round- Florida State vs Murray State
Mar 23, 2019; Hartford, CT, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Mfiondu Kabengele (25) dunks and scores against the Murray State Racers during the second half of game in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

March 24, 2019

Florida State’s depth and height proved way too much for upstart Murray State and star guard Ja Morant on Saturday night, as the fourth-seeded Seminoles reached the West Region semifinals of the NCAA Tournament with a 90-62 rout in Hartford, Conn.

Senior guard Terance Mann paced Florida State’s starters (29-7) with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Mfiondu Kabengele came off the bench to net 22 points, going 10 of 12 from the field, and Raiquan Gray chipped in 11 to go along with five steals.

The Seminoles, who will meet top-seeded Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif., canned nearly 51 percent of their field-goal tries and were 11 of 27 on 3-pointers. They also dominated the much smaller Racers on the glass, earning a 45-33 advantage.

Morant, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard who would likely be a lottery pick if he declares for the NBA Draft this summer, poured in a game-high 28 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists. But he made just 8 of 21 shots from the field after a hot start, as Florida State’s length appeared to bother him. Murray State’s season ended at 28-5.

WEST REGION

No. 1 Gonzaga 83, No. 9 Baylor 71

Brandon Clarke had a historic performance with a career-high 36 points and five blocked shots to lead the Bulldogs over the Bears in the second round in Salt Lake City.

Clarke, who entered the NCAA Tournament leading the nation in field-goal percentage (.693), made 15 of 18 shots, including five dunks. The 6-foot-8 senior also had eight rebounds, three assists and two steals for Gonzaga (32-3). Baylor’s season ended at 20-14.

Clarke broke the school record for points in an NCAA Tournament game (Adam Morrison, 35) and became the third player in NCAA history with at least 35 points and five blocks, joining Navy’s David Robinson and LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal. The NCAA started tracking blocked shots as an official stat in the 1985-86 season.

No. 2 Michigan 64, No. 10 Florida 49

Jordan Poole scored a game-high 19 points and the Wolverines pulled away with an 11-0 run to start the second half as they bagged a win over the Gators in the second round in Des Moines, Iowa.

Isaiah Livers came off the bench to add 10 for Michigan (30-6), which will face No. 3 Texas Tech or No. 6 Buffalo in the West Region semifinals on Thursday in Anaheim, Calif. Michigan, which owned the boards 42-29, overcame 42.1 percent shooting from the field.

Jalen Hudson was the only double-figure scorer for the Gators (20-16) with 11 points, but he made just 4 of 15 shots from the floor and was 3 of 10 from the 3-point line. Florida fired away to no avail, hitting only 19 of 55 field-goal tries (34.5 percent) and 9 of 26 from 3-point range.

EAST REGION

No. 2 Michigan State 70, No. 10 Minnesota 50

After failing to get out of the first weekend in each of the previous three seasons, the Spartans started quickly, then followed star guard Cassius Winston to a victory over the Golden Gophers in Des Moines, Iowa.

Michigan State (30-6) advances to the regional semifinals for the 14th time under coach Tom Izzo and for the first time since 2015, when the Spartans reached the Final Four. Winston finished with 13 points and nine assists.

Minnesota, which was without senior Jordan Murphy for all but four minutes due to a bad back, ended its season at 22-14.

No. 3 LSU 69, No. 6 Maryland 67

Tremont Waters made a tie-breaking layup with two seconds left as the Tigers held off the Terrapins in a second-round game in Jacksonville, Fla.

Waters’ basket created the final separation in a tight game in which the score was tied six times in the last 6 1/2 minutes. Defense dominated the game as both teams shot below 40 percent from the floor.

The Tigers (28-6), who edged 14th-seeded Yale 79-74 on Thursday, will face No. 2 seed Michigan State in a regional semifinal next weekend in Washington, D.C. Skylar Mays added 16 points for LSU. Maryland’s season ended at 23-11.

SOUTH REGION

No. 3 Purdue 87, No. 6 Villanova 61

Carsen Edwards recorded career highs with nine 3-pointers and 42 points as the Boilermakers eliminated the defending champion Wildcats with a victory in a second-round game in Hartford, Conn.

Matt Haarms collected 18 points and nine rebounds, and Ryan Cline added 12 points for Purdue (25-9), which went 16-for-30 from 3-point range to advance to the Sweet 16 for the third straight year. Purdue will face the winner of Sunday’s contest between second-seeded Tennessee and No. 10 Iowa.

Eric Paschall scored 19 points and Phil Booth added 15 on 5-of-13 shooting from the field for the sixth-seeded Wildcats (26-10), who were denied in their bid for a third NCAA title in four years.

MIDWEST REGION

No. 2 Kentucky 62, No. 7 Wofford 56

Reid Travis scored 14 points, including a pair of clutch free throws, as the Wildcats fended off the Terriers in a second-round game in Jacksonville, Fla.,

Kentucky (29-6) goes to the Sweet 16 on Friday night in Kansas City, Mo., to face either third-seeded Houston or No. 11 Ohio State. The Cougars and Buckeyes play Sunday.

Wofford’s Fletcher Magee, the NCAA’s leader in career 3-point baskets, was 0-for-12 from beyond the arc, including eight misses in the second half. The Southern Conference Player of the Year finished with eight points for the Terriers (30-5), whose school-record 21-game win streak ended.

No. 5 Auburn 89, No. 4 Kansas 75

Senior guard Bryce Brown made his first six shots, five from 3-point range, to ignite a first-half tear as the Tigers crushed the Jayhawks in the second round at Salt Lake City.

The win was the 10th straight for Auburn (28-9), which advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003. The Tigers will head to Kansas City to face the winner of Sunday’s second-round game between No. 1 North Carolina and No. 9 Washington.

Auburn surged to a commanding 51-25 halftime bulge, the worst deficit Kansas has ever faced at the break in 155 NCAA Tournament games. The Jayhawks (26-10) reached double-digit losses for only the second time in 16 seasons under coach Bill Self.

–Field Level Media

Source: OANN

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TSX futures fall on global cues

The Toronto Stock Exchange sing is seen in Toronto
The Toronto Stock Exchange sign is seen in Toronto, Ontario, Canada July 6, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren

February 26, 2019

(Reuters) – Stock futures for Canada’s main index edged lower on Tuesday, taking cues from world markets, which took a breather after scaling a five-month high.

March futures on the S&P/TSX index inched down 0.02 percent at 7:10 a.m. ET.

World shares took a breather on Tuesday having scaled a five-month high, while Britain’s pound charged to a one-month top on renewed speculation that UK Prime Minister Theresa May was being bundled towards delaying Brexit.

The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX rose 44.02 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 16,057.03 on Monday.

Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures were down 0.37 percent at 7:10 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures edged down 0.21 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures were down 0.28 percent. [.N]

TOP STORIES [TOP/CAN]

Bank of Nova Scotia, Canada’s third-biggest lender, reported a lower-than-expected adjusted quarterly profit on Tuesday, hurt by higher non-interest expenses and lower income from its domestic business.

Bank of Montreal reported a 10 percent increase in first quarter earnings, benefiting from a strong performance at its personal & commercial banking business in the United States.

Thomson Reuters on Tuesday reported a 9 percent rise in quarterly revenue, stripping out the impact of currency, helped by higher sales at its Legal and Tax & Accounting businesses.

ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS [RCH/CA]

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc: RBC raises price target to C$86 from C$80.

George Weston Ltd: RBC raises price target to C$139 from C$138.

Trevali Mining Corp: CIBC cuts rating to neutral from outperformer.

COMMODITIES AT 7:10 a.m. ET [COM/WRAP]

Gold futures: $1,324.3; fell 0.17 percent [GOL/]

US crude: $55.48; was unchanged 0 percent [O/R]

Brent crude: $65.2; rose 0.68 percent [O/R]

U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON TUESDAY

0830 Building permits: number for Dec: Expected 1.290 mln; Prior 1.322 mln

0830 Build permits: change mm for Dec: Prior 4.5 pct

0830 Housing starts number for Dec: Expected 1.250 mln; Prior 1.256 mln

0830 House starts mm: change for Dec: Prior 3.2 pct

0900 Monthly home price mm for Dec: Prior 0.4 pct

0900 Monthly home price yy for Dec: Prior 5.8 pct

0900 Monthly Home Price Index for Dec: Prior 269.2

0900 Caseshiller 20 mm SA for Dec: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior 0.3 pct

0900 Caseshiller 20 mm NSA for Dec: Prior -0.1 pct

0900 Caseshiller 20 yy for Dec: Expected 4.5 pct; Prior 4.7 pct

1000 Consumer Confidence for Feb: Expected 124.7; Prior 120.2

1000 Rich Fed Composite Index for Feb: Prior -2

1000 Rich Fed, Services Index for Feb: Prior 6

1000 Rich Fed Manufacturing Shipments for Feb: Prior -8

1030 Texas Service Sector Outlook for Feb: Prior -4.8

1030 Dallas Fed Services Revenues for Feb: Prior 14.9

(Reporting by Hrithik Kiran Bagade in Bengaluru; Editing by James Emmanuel)

Source: OANN

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What’s it all about, Mr. Schultz?


**Want FOX News Halftime Report in your inbox every day? Sign up here.**

On the roster: What’s it all about, Mr. Schultz? - I’ll Tell You What: None of us are doing enough - Tim Ryan, Ohio centrist, joins 2020 Dem field - DOJ defends Barr summary of Mueller report - You move! No, you move!

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, MR. SCHULTZ?
KANSAS CITY – Howard Schultz has the most fundamental kind of question with which to deal tonight: What’s the point?

We get what the point could be. If both major parties nominate radical populists, as they might, that would make Schultz — working-class Brooklyn kid turned Seattle billionaire Starbucks CEO — the lone voice in the field arguing that America still works. He’s been dangling the possibility of that kind of centrist independent candidacy for months now. 

But Schultz hasn’t so far been comfortable in that space. His point has seemingly been that he’s hoping the two major parties sort themselves out so that he doesn’t have to run.

It’s the “I will pull this car over...” version of a presidential campaign.

Now that’s not to say that there isn’t an appetite for that kind of norm enforcement in the electorate. We’ve had so much upheaval in recent political memory that there would surely be many who would savor Schultz’s promise that he might be the kind of president whom you might forget about from time to time. After two celebrity presidents, maybe boring could be beautiful.

What voters are unlikely to embrace, however, is a contingency candidacy.

There is a substantial minority of American voters who deeply distrust both parties. But while the percentage of the electorate that is affiliated has steadily grown, it’s important to remember that most voters are deeply committed partisans. “None of the above” would have considerable appeal in a contest between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, but it’s hard to imagine the state or states Schultz could actually win.

Tonight, as he answers questions from our colleagues Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum as well as the audience here in Kansas City, Schultz will have his best opportunity yet to start making a case for his candidacy as something more than disaster preparedness.

What’s on his punch list? Is it about balancing the budget? Is it about sustainable growth? Is it about bridging the partisan divide that is tearing the country apart?

If he expects to be viable as an alternative next year, he can’t wait to start sorting that out with voters. Even if it’s a small number of committed supporters, Schultz has to start building an army.

Ross Perot used his own group, United We Stand, as a grassroots outfit in 1992. When folks signed up for Perot, they knew they were signing up for balanced budgets, trade restrictions and lots and lots of charts. 

What does a prospective Schultz voter get? 

He started putting a little substance forward in a framing speech in Miami last month, but he’s still a long way from having an identifiable brand.

We may be more than a year away from the vote, but if he’s serious, time is already running short. To get 45 million or so people to vote for you, especially starting from essentially zero name identification, takes a lot more than just being the least bad alternative.

[Watch Fox: Special coverage of the Howard Schultz town hall kicks off at 6 pm ET.]

THE RULEBOOK: TOGETHER WE CAN 
“Nothing can be more evident than that the thirteen States will be able to support a national government better than one half, or one third, or any number less than the whole.” – Alexander HamiltonFederalist No. 13

TIME OUT: IN AND OUT 
History: “[On this day in 1841] Only 31 days after assuming office, William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the United States, dies at the White House. The cause of death was officially reported as pneumonia. Born in Charles County, Virginia, in 1773, Harrison served in the U.S. Army in the old Northwest Territory and in 1800 was made governor of the Indian Territory, where he proved an able administrator. … In the War of 1812, Harrison gained his greatest fame as a military commander… In 1816, he was elected to the House of Representatives and in 1825 to the Senate. Gaining the Whig presidential nomination in 1840, he and his running mate, John Tyler, ran a successful campaign under the slogan ‘Tippecanoe and Tyler, too.’ At the inauguration of America’s first Whig president, on March 4, 1841, a bitterly cold day, Harrison declined to wear a jacket or hat, made a two-hour speech, and attended three inauguration balls.”

Flag on the play? - Email us at HALFTIMEREPORT@FOXNEWS.COM with your tips, comments or questions.

SCOREBOARD
Trump job performance 
Average approval: 
42.6 percent
Average disapproval: 52.8 percent
Net Score: -10.2 points
Change from one week ago: down 0.6 points 
[Average includes: NBC/WSJ: 43% approve - 53% disapprove; Pew Research Center: 41% approve - 55% disapprove; NPR/PBS/Marist: 44% approve - 50% disapprove; Quinnipiac University: 39% approve - 55% disapprove; Fox News: 46% approve - 51% disapprove.]

I’LL TELL YOU WHAT: NONE OF US ARE DOING ENOUGH
This week Dana Perino and Chris Stirewalt unpack misconduct allegations against Joe Biden, the latest at the U.S.- Mexico border, and what happens when Dana tries to stay out past her bedtime. Plus, Dana has some trivia, and Chris reads questions from the mailbag. LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE HERE

TIM RYAN, OHIO CENTRIST, JOINS 2020 DEM FIELD 
Cleveland.com: “U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan on Thursday officially added his name to the list of Democrats vying to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in 2020. The Youngstown-area Democrat enters a crowded field with a significant name recognition deficit compared with the other high-profile candidates. Ryan announced he was running on his new campaign website just prior to an appearance on ABC’s ‘The View.’ ‘A quiet revolution is happening in this country,’ Ryan said on his website. ‘One that is driven by compassion and the independent spirit our nation is known for. It’s time for us to invest in our values so we can focus on what really matters: healing and uniting our nation.’ Ryan, 45, becomes the 18th Democrat to have either entered the race or formed an exploratory committee. Over the past two years, Ryan has discussed bringing mindfulness into politics and wanting to court the ‘yoga vote’ – practitioners of which are overwhelmingly women. That was likely part of the reason he decided to appear on the women-centric daytime talk show just after announcing.”

Biden team moves ahead despite allegations - Fox News: “…Biden World is flashing signals that it's all systems go for 2020. The former vice president personally sought to tamp down the controversy with a Twitter video late Wednesday vowing to be ‘more mindful about respecting personal space in the future.’ Moments later, a Washington Post story relayed the accounts of three more women claiming improper contact, on the heels of four similar allegations. But a source close to the former vice president said the controversy, if anything, ‘has strengthened his resolve.’ Asked if the developments would slow Biden’s decision-making process, the adviser answered: ‘Absolutely not.’ The source … added that a Biden announcement could likely come in late April – after Easter – or soon afterward. The release of the video on Wednesday came amid allegations from numerous women that Biden had made them feel uncomfortable with what was described as inappropriate touching.”

First 18 days of Beto’s campaign brings in $9.4 million - NYT: “Former Representative Beto O’Rourke of Texas raised $9.4 million over the first 18 days of his presidential bid, his campaign said on Wednesday, the latest sign of his ability to attract online donors even within a packed Democratic field. The total, which represents Mr. O’Rourke’s fund-raising haul for the first quarter of the year, is smaller than the first-quarter numbers of two rivals, Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Kamala Harris of California. But Mr. O’Rourke only joined the presidential race in mid-March. Mr. O’Rourke, who proved to be an extraordinary online fund-raiser during his unsuccessful run for Senate last year, received 218,000 contributions, with an average donation of $43, his campaign said. It also said that a majority of donors to his presidential bid had not donated to his Senate campaign.”

Sanders readies grassroots program - Politico: “Bernie Sanders' campaign will unveil a slate of top hires and organizing kickoff events Wednesday — the latest sign that he plans to harness his record-breaking grassroots army earlier and more strategically than he did during his first run for the White House. More than 1 million people have signed up to volunteer for his campaign, aides said, and the Sanders team will ask them Wednesday to host house parties across the country on April 27, a date that will double as the official launch of Sanders' 2020 organizing program. … The campaign will provide volunteers at the gatherings with specific strategies and methods to begin helping Sanders. The Vermont senator will tape a ‘special broadcast’ for supporters to watch at the parties.”

Michael Bennet diagnosed with prostate cancer, still mulling 2020 run - WaPo: “Ahead of the launch of an anticipated White House bid, Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.) announced Wednesday that he has prostate cancer and will undergo surgery later this month. ‘Late last month, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer,’ the 54-year-old said in a statement posted to Twitter late Wednesday. ‘While hearing news like this is never easy, I am fortunate it was detected early, and as a result, my prognosis is good.’ If he is cancer-free after the surgery, Bennet said he still plans to join the ever-growing pool of Democratic presidential hopefuls, according to the Colorado Independent. On Twitter, Bennet said he will have surgery in Colorado during the coming Senate recess, which starts next week. … ‘This unanticipated hurdle only reinforces how strongly I feel about contributing to the larger conversation about the future of our country...’”

DOJ DEFENDS BARR SUMMARY OF MUELLER REPORT
Politico: “The Department of Justice on Thursday defended releasing an initial summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian collusion, saying it couldn’t disclose the full report because it contained protected grand jury information. The statement came after some members of Mueller's team were reportedly unhappy with Attorney General William Barr's characterization of their investigatory work. A Justice Department spokeswoman said Barr provided the initial findings ‘with the understanding that the report itself would be released after the redaction process’ and ‘does not believe the report should be released in serial or piecemeal fashion.’ … Reports in The New York Times and The Washington Post late Wednesday indicated that Mueller's team members told associates that their report contained ‘acute’ evidence that Trump obstructed the investigation of Russian links to his 2016 campaign. Both reports also noted that Mueller's team had prepared summaries meant to be made public, but none of which have emerged.”

MORE INDICTMENTS LOOM FOR N.C. GOP CORRUPTION PROBE
Charlotte Observer: “Federal indictments against the chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, a top political donor and two of his associates on bribery charges could be just the beginning of the scandal that’s rocked the state’s political landscape once again. ‘There could be more indictments to come,’ said Republican Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, the public official who the four are accused of trying to bribe. ‘We don’t know what may happen. And with a case this complex and complicated, it may takes months and months and months or years to get everything sorted out.’ Causey, in an interview with The Charlotte Observer, acknowledged the existence of recorded conversations between him and political donor Greg Lindberg, associates John D. Gray and John V. Palermo, and NC GOP chairman Robin Hayes — the four men indicted for attempting to bribe Causey through campaign contributions from Lindberg funneled through the state party.”

GOP Rep. Mark Walker caught up in the mess - Politico: “Republican Rep. Mark Walker has been caught up in a federal corruption probe that has rocked the North Carolina Republican Party and led to the indictment of former Rep. Robin Hayes. A Walker-controlled political committee received $150,000 from business owner Greg Lindberg at the same time Lindberg allegedly asked him to pressure North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey to replace his deputy, according to a criminal indictment unsealed on Tuesday. Walker, a member of GOP leadership, is not named in the indictment. However, POLITICO has identified him as ‘Public Official A’ using the indictment and Federal Election Commission records.”

And he’s not the only one affected by it - Politico: “A growing number of lawmakers are donating the contributions that their political committees received from a recently indicted businessman in North Carolina, the latest fallout from a federal corruption scandal that has roiled the state's GOP. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) plans to give the $15,000 he took in from Greg Lindberg to several different local charities benefiting soldiers at Fort Bragg, which is in his district. The GOP lawmaker says he didn't do anything wrong, but just wants to avoid the appearance of any impropriety. … GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina has already returned his contributions from Lindberg to the Cleveland County Rescue Mission, a local charity in his district, while Florida Democrat Rep. Charlie Crist plans to give his donations to the Special Olympics. And North Carolina Rep. Ted Budd (R) has decided to donate his entire contribution to The Dragonfly House Children's Advocacy Center located in Mocksville.”

THE JUDGE’S RULING: IS OBAMACARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL?
This week Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano explains the Constitutional history behind the Affordable Care Act: “The legal battle over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act – ObamaCare – will soon be back in court due to the largely unexpected consequences of a series of recent events. When the ACA was enacted in 2010, it was a stool with four legs. … When the legal challenge to the ACA was before the Supreme Court in June 2012, the core issue was the Commerce Clause of the Constitution – which delegates to Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce – empower the Congress to compel people to engage in it by purchasing a health insurance policy. As the late President George H.W. Bush liked to ask: Can Congress force me to eat broccoli? … But the Supreme Court is infallible because it is final, as Justice Robert Jackson once observed. It can do what it wants and call a penalty or an assessment or a command to eat broccoli a tax. By doing so, the ACA was saved.” More here.

PLAY-BY-PLAY
House Panel Chair Rep. Richard Neal requests six years of Trump’s tax returns - WSJ

Report: Feds investigating possible Chinese spying at Mar-a-Lago - Miami Herald

U.S. ready to send funds to Venezuela if leadership changes - Bloomberg

AUDIBLE: HMMM… 
“I refused to concede because, here's the thing: Concession needs to say something is right and true and proper. … You can’t trick me into saying it was right.” – Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams discussing her 2018 loss against Republican Gov. Brian Kemp during an event in New York City on Wednesday. 

FROM THE BLEACHERS
“The other day, one of your faithful readers brought up the subject about how you have chosen the 5 polls you use for tracking the president’s ‘popularity.’ Having been down this road myself, I am content with the criteria you have used in making your selections. My new bone to pick at is a little more ‘wonkish’ - You never put the ‘margin of error’ spread in, which are published with each poll you list. The polling companies (and the occasional university) you use do admit that there is always errors in the samples and using weighting factors can only do so much to smooth out these errors. The good polling companies you are using all approach polls as having 95% confidence, with an error margin of +/- 3% (which is a total swing of 6 points.) This may not seem like much to most people, but it became the nightmare in 2016 when Mr. Trump broke the margins in several key states (we don’t anoint presidents, we elect them - sorry Hillary.) Even though it appears on the surface that Trump is not a well-liked person, it’s the underlying policies that the majority of voters are really looking at. All that being said, publishing the margins of error for each poll might give us a little better idea on where the country really is regarding his popularity. Error margins are extremely important particularly as Election Day comes closer. Just a thought... Oh, and yes, I am a faithful reader myself, and enjoy the clear and unbiased commentary you express to us every Monday through Friday. You are always thoughtful and don’t ‘talk down’ to us. Keep fighting the good fight - we’re all in this together.” – John William Gibson, Coos Bay, Ore.

[Ed. note: I certainly take your point, Mr. Gibson. A couple of thoughts: Since you can’t tabulate an average margin of error for a polling average, I tend to think that including the numbers would be distracting. We’ve already got quite a few geegaws and gimcracks in there already. Secondly, the way to think about margins of error is that the top line number represents the midpoint on a spectrum. It is the result in which the pollster has the highest confidence. In 2016, national polling was actually more accurate on average than in 2012. There were certainly some misses on the state level, but generally speaking, the polls held up in 2016. Unfortunately for Clinton, national numbers are indicative but not what decide our presidential elections.] 

“I too, believe the polls you choose to use are skewed. You say you don’t use Rasmussen but which was the most accurate poll during the 2016 election? Was it not Rasmussen?” – Carlton Clunn, Eureka, Mont.

[Ed. note: It was not. The survey conducted by The University of Southern California was the most predictive. But even if Rasmussen had been on the nose, it still wouldn’t merit our attention. I could guess the height of the St. Louis Gateway Arch and might get pretty close, but that wouldn’t make my guesswork a substitute for measuring.

Share your color commentary: Email us at HALFTIMEREPORT@FOXNEWS.COM and please make sure to include your name and hometown.

YOU MOVE! NO, YOU MOVE!
Fox News: “Two drivers in California were willing to waste a good chunk of their day duking it out for a parking spot… The encounter took place in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles on Monday… Dubbed the ‘black car’ and the ‘silver car,’ drivers in each vehicle appeared to spend close to two hours — from 6:20 p.m., seemingly until past 8 p.m. — trying to parallel park along a sidewalk. The first photo showed the two cars vying for a spot. … The drivers of both vehicles waited in the street, eventually turning on their hazard lights and backing up traffic because of their standoff. … As horns beeped, the two vehicles hadn't moved as of 7:19 p.m. … But shortly after 7:30 … a third vehicle … left its spot, freeing up space for both the black and silver cars to park on the road. Both the black and silver cars quickly parked, before sitting in their cars for some time before getting out. … The driver of the silver car eventually got out of their car … leaving the dramatic scene after 8 p.m.”

AND NOW, A WORD FROM CHARLES…
“Not quite the 18th-century elegance of ‘Don’t Tread on Me,’ but the age of Twitter has a different cadence from the age of the musket. What the modern battle cry lacks in archaic charm, it makes up for in full-body syllabic punch.” – Charles Krauthammer (1950-2018) writing for National Review on Nov. 19, 2010.  

Chris Stirewalt is the politics editor for Fox News. Brianna McClelland contributed to this report. Want FOX News Halftime Report in your inbox every day? Sign up here.

Source: Fox News Politics

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ECB can delay rate hike again if needed: Draghi

FILE PHOTO: 28th Frankfurt European Banking Congress (EBC) takes place in Frankfurt
FILE PHOTO: European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi speaks at the 28th Frankfurt European Banking Congress (EBC) at the Old Opera house in Frankfurt, Germany November 16, 2018. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski/File Photo

March 27, 2019

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The European Central Bank is willing to further delay a planned interest rate hike if necessary and may look at measures to mitigate any side effects of negative interest rates, ECB President Mario Draghi said on Wednesday.

Reversing course earlier this month amid an unexpected slowdown, the ECB has put plans to ‘normalize’ policy on hold, providing banks with even more liquidity and delaying a rate hike from record lows until next year.

“Just as we did at our March meeting, we would ensure that monetary policy continues to accompany the economy by adjusting our rate forward guidance to reflect the new inflation outlook,” Draghi told a conference in Frankfurt.

Draghi added that conditions for its new bank loan facility, called targeted longer-term refinancing operations or TLTRO, will also be calibrated to reflect evolving economic conditions.

Although Draghi said the economic soft patch does not necessarily foreshadow a serious slump, the euro area was now experiencing a more persistent deterioration of external demand, which seems to be dragging down investment.

Addressing complaints from banks that negative rates are hurting bank lending, Draghi said the ECB would look at whether mitigating measures are needed but said that negative weak profits are not an automatic result of low rates.

“If necessary, we need to reflect on possible measures that can preserve the favorable implications of negative rates for the economy, while mitigating the side effects, if any,” Draghi said. “That said, low bank profitability is not an inevitable consequence of negative rates.”

(Reporting by Balazs Koranyi and Francesco Canepa)

Source: OANN

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Frank Cali, reputed Gambino crime family boss, fatally shot outside Staten Island home: reports

Francesco “Franky Boy” Cali, the 53-year-old reputed Gambino crime family boss was reportedly shot dead Wednesday night outside his home in Staten Island, which would mark the highest-ranking believed mob figure to be killed in the city in years.

Cali was shot several times in the torso in the tony Todt Hill section of Staten Island around 9:20 p.m., the New York Post reported. He was rushed to Staten Island University Hospital North, where he was pronounced dead.

No arrests have been made as police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The 53-year-old became the notorious crime family’s acting boss in 2015, replacing then 68-year-old Domenico Cefalu, according to the New York Daily News.

Cali, who had roots in Sicily and ties to the Sicilian Mafia, was the highest-ranking organized crime figure to be murdered in New York City since 1985, when Paul Castellano was assassinated as he arrived as Sparks Steakhouse in Manhattan, according to WPIX-TV.

Source: Fox News National

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American journalist detained by Venezuelan officers then freed talks about detention

The American journalist who was detained in Venezuela Wednesday spoke exclusively to Fox News about his detention and release.

Cody Weddle, 29, told David Asman on “Cavuto Live” Saturday about the chain of events that included his arrest and aftermath. He recalled being detained on early Wednesday before being freed several hours later then deported. He heard the doorbell to his apartment ring but thought it was somebody delivering water to his residence.

“And when I opened that door I saw three armed men. They had rifles, they had handguns and then there was also a woman there as well and they gave me an order that said I was under investigation for espionage for extracting military equipment and also for treason to Venezuela and they ended up raiding my apartment,” Weddle told Fox News.

When asked what he thought triggered the arrest, Weddle said he was asked about some reporting he did regarding the “current state of Venezuela security forces.”

AMERICAN JOURNALIST DETAINED IN VENEZUELA RELEASED, MOTHER SAYS

“I did reporting that showed the rank-and-file members of Venezuela security forces are suffering from the effects of this economic crisis of the humanitarian crisis,” Weddle said. “They are paid measly salaries and I spoke to a few members of the security forces, anonymously and they all said that the rank and file are ready to see change in the country but that they can’t rise up in any way because the top generals remain with [President Nicolas Maduro] and there is intense surveillance by people like these counterintelligence services so they started asking the context I had in the military, contacts I had with all types of security forces so I think, although they never said explicitly, I think that was perhaps the reason this all happened.”

When asked if he gave up any specific names, Weddle said he did not. He said authorities went through his phone and computer but he did not give them extra information.

The journalist said, when he got to the Miami airport, he was asked if the accents of those who detained him were Cuban or Venezuelan. Asman asked him if there was “any indication that the Cubans were involved” in his detention.

“I didn’t run into any Cubans there or hear any Cuban accents and where I was arrested, but certainly that we know that Cuba has been involved in the security especially of President Maduro, but it’s something that is very vague and we don’t have a lot of information about that or to what extent that exists in the country,” Weddle said.

AMERICAN JOURNALIST BASED IN CARACAS DETAINED BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AMID VENEZUELA UNREST

The Virginia native said it was hard to tell if Maduro’s government could last but said he expected a transition to be coming.

Weddle has lived in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital city, since 2014, and has worked as a freelancer for multiple news stations and newspapers, including the Miami Herald.

Weddle’s detainment comes after Univision journalist Jorge Ramos and five others were briefly detained after they interviewed Maduro at the Miraflores Palace.

Fox News’ Nicole Darrah contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News World

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Multiple people died Thursday when a semitrailer plowed into stationary traffic that resulted in explosions and flames on a Colorado freeway, authorities said.

The incident occurred just before 5 p.m. in the Denver suburb of Lakewood when a truck driver lost control while traveling east on Interstate 70, according to a preliminary investigation. The collision started a chain reaction and a diesel fuel spill, Lakewood police spokesman Ty Countryman told the Denver Post.

“This is looking to be one of the worst accidents we’ve had here in Lakewood,” he said.

The driver of the runaway truck survived. At least one truck was carrying lumber, another was hauling gravel and the third may have been carrying mattresses, KDVR-TV reported.

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Lakewood police tweeted there were multiple fatalities but did not give a specific number. Six people were taken to a hospital. Their conditions were not released, according to the paper.

Lanes in both directions were closed and expected to remain so into Friday morning.

Source: Fox News National

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President Trump will address members and leaders of the National Rifle Association on Friday at the group’s annual convention in Indiana.

Around 80,000 gun enthusiasts and more than 800 exhibitors are expected to pack the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis for the three-day event, the Indianapolis Star reported. It will mark the third straight year that Trump will deliver the keynote address, where he is expected to champion the rights of gun owners.

“Donald Trump is the most enthusiastic supporter of the Second Amendment to occupy the Oval Office in our lifetimes,” Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (ILA), said in a statement. “President Trump’s Supreme Court appointments ensure that the Second Amendment will be respected for generations to come. Our members are excited to hear him speak and thank him for his support for our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.”

“Donald Trump is the most enthusiastic supporter of the Second Amendment to occupy the Oval Office in our lifetimes.”

— Chris Cox, executive director, NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action

COLORADO ENACTS ‘RED FLAG’ LAW TO SEIZE GUNS FROM THOSE DEEMED DANGEROUS, PROMPTING BACKLASH

President Donald Trump speaks at the National Rifle Association annual convention in Dallas last year. (Associated Press)

President Donald Trump speaks at the National Rifle Association annual convention in Dallas last year. (Associated Press)

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at last year’s convention in Dallas. During his speech, Trump assured gun owners that he would protect their Second Amendment rights, according to the paper.

“Your Second Amendment rights are under siege,” Trump told the cheering audience in Dallas. “But they will never, ever be under siege as long as I am your president.”

Trump has supported some gun control measures in the past. Last year, his administration imposed a ban on bump stocks, attachments that enable semiautomatic rifles to fire in rapid bursts. Although, he most recently threatened to veto two Democratic gun control bills.

This year’s convention comes as the NRA faces outside pressure and internal problems. The group has seen its legislative agenda stall amid a series of mass shootings — including a massacre at a Parkland, Fla., high school in February 2018 that left 17 dead and launched a youth movement against gun violence.

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It’s also grappling with infighting in its ranks, money problems and investigations into whether Russian agents courted officials and funneled money through the group.

“I’ve never seen the NRA this vulnerable,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control measure.

The convention will run through the weekend and conclude Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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FILE PHOTO: Shoppers walk past the Debenhams department store on Oxford Street in London
FILE PHOTO: Shoppers walk past the Debenhams department store on Oxford Street in London, Britain December 15, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

April 26, 2019

(Reuters) – Ailing British retailer Debenhams said two proposed company voluntary arrangements (CVA) could see all its stores remaining open during 2019, with 22 closures planned for next year, putting about 1,200 jobs at risk.

Debenhams’ lenders took control of the retailer earlier this month in a process designed to keep its shops open at the expense of shareholders.

(Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO: Xiaomi branding is seen on a carrier bag at a UK launch event in London
FILE PHOTO: Xiaomi branding is seen on a carrier bag at a UK launch event in London, Britain, November 8, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville

April 26, 2019

BENGALURU (Reuters) – Chinese brands controlled a record 66 percent of Indian smartphone market in the first quarter, led by Xiaomi Corp, a report showed, with volumes rising 20 percent on the back of popularity for brands like Vivo, RealMe and Oppo.

Xiaomi’s India shipments fell by 2 percent over last year, but the Beijing-based company was still the biggest smartphone brand in the country, followed by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, according to Hong-Kong based Counterpoint Research.

Shipment volumes for Vivo jumped 119 percent, while those of Oppo rose 28 percent.

“Vivo’s expanding portfolio in the mid-tier range ($100 to $180) drove its growth along with aggressive Indian Premier League cricket campaign,” Counterpoint analysts said.

India is the world’s fastest growing market for smartphones, where affordable pricing coupled with features like “selfie” cameras and big screens have popularized Chinese brands.

Video streaming services like Netflix Inc and Hotstar, as well as heavy usage of messaging apps like Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp have further spurred demand.

“Data consumption is on the rise and users are upgrading their phones faster as compared to other regions,” Counterpoint’s Tarun Pathak said.

“As a result of this, the premium specs are now diffusing faster into the mid-tier price brands. We estimate this trend to continue leading to a competitive mid-tier segment in coming quarters.”

(Reporting By Arnab Paul in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)

Source: OANN

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Good morning and welcome to Fox News First. Here’s a look at what you need to know today …

EXCLUSIVE: Trump says ‘Sleepy Joe’ Biden doesn’t have what it takes

President Trump, in a wide-ranging, exclusive phone interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, dismissed the launch of former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, nicknaming him “Sleepy Joe” and saying he’s “not the brightest bulb.” Biden, the president said, has name recognition but he won’t “be able to do the job.” When asked about Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Trump criticized his record, saying Sanders had “misguided energy” and asserted that Sanders “talks a lot” but hasn’t accomplished anything. The president referred to former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas as “a fluke” who had lost much momentum and outright dismissed Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg — although he said he was “rooting” for Buttigieg. (Trump could address Biden and the other Democratic presidential candidates when he speaks today before the National Rifle Association.)

The Democratic Party’s youth movement: Biden’s biggest challenge?
Former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair Howard Dean warned Joe Biden about the troubles he may face in his presidential campaign, especially from the “35-year-olds” who Dean says have been running the party — a clear nod to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and fellow freshmen Democrats. “This is a very different party than even the party Joe Biden ran in in 2012. Very different,” Dean continued. “A lot of people could win this race. There’s 20 people in there. I think it’s going to take $20 million to get to the starting line. If you can’t raise $20 million, you’re gone, and I think that’s going to take care of about six or eight of these folks. … But it is not the same party that it was five years ago.” A progressive political group that boosted Ocasio-Cortez’s bid for Congress last year vowed to oppose Biden and blasted him as part of the “old guard.”

More tales from the FBI texts
Text messages between former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page indicate they discussed using briefings to the Trump team after the 2016 election to identify people they could “develop for potential relationships,” track lines of questioning and “assess” changes in “demeanor” – language one GOP lawmaker called “more evidence” of irregular conduct in the original Russia probe. Fox News has learned the texts, initially released in 2018 by a Senate committee, are under renewed scrutiny, with GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley and Homeland Security Committee chair Ron Johnson sending a letter Thursday night to Attorney General Bill Barr pushing for more information on the matter. President Trump, speaking on Fox News’ “Hannity” Thursday night, responded to this report by accusing Strzok and Page of an attempted “coup.” “They were trying to infiltrate the administration,” he said.

Kim accuses US of acting in ‘bad faith’
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, fresh off his summit with  Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the U.S. has been acting in “bad faith” since his Hanoi meeting with President Trump over the stalemated issue of North Korean denuclearization. The North Korean leader told the Korean Central News Agency that, “the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the region is now at a standstill and has reached a critical point,” the Straits Times of Singapore reported. Kim warned that the situation “may return to its original state as the U.S. took a unilateral attitude in bad faith at the recent second DPRK-US summit talks,” the Korean Central News Agency added.

NFL Draft 2019: It’s all about defense
The first round of the 2019 NFL Draft saw a run on defensive players, with eight of the top 12 picks in Nashville coming from that side of the ball. After Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray was taken first overall by the Arizona Cardinals, the San Francisco 49ers started a run of four straight front-seven players by taking Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa with the second overall pick — the highest draft slot for any Buckeye since left tackle Orlando Pace went No. 1 overall to the St. Louis Rams in 1997.

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TODAY’S MUST-READS
Fox News’ Ed Henry recalls spending time with Celtics great John Havlicek.
Massachusetts judge accused of helping illegal immigrant evade ICE pleads not guilty.
Rosenstein slams Obama administration for choosing ‘not to publicize full story’ of Russia hacking.
F.H. Buckley: What Democrats have forgotten about citizenship.

MINDING YOUR BUSINESS
Amazon crushes earnings expectations, but revenue growth slows.
Low-tax states among best places to make a living in 2019.
Construction job market booming: These states are hiring.

#TheFlashback
2018: Bill Cosby is convicted of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004; it is the first big celebrity trial of the #MeToo era.
1986: An explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine causes radioactive fallout to spew into the atmosphere. (Dozens of people are killed in the immediate aftermath of the disaster while the long-term death toll from radiation poisoning is believed to number in the thousands.)
1977: Notorious nightclub Studio 54 opens in New York.

SOME PARTING WORDS

Watch the “Special Report” panel take a look at former Vice President Joe Biden’s decision to run for president a third time and the battle for the “soul” of America.

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CLICK HERE to find out what’s on Fox News programming today and over the weekend!

Fox News First is compiled by Fox News’ Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Have a good day and weekend! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Monday morning.

Source: Fox News National

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