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Latvia violated EU law in removing ECB policymaker, court rules

FILE PHOTO: Latvia's central bank governor Rimsevics arrives at the news conference in Riga
FILE PHOTO: Latvia's central bank governor Ilmars Rimsevics arrives at the news conference in Riga, Latvia February 20, 2018. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

February 26, 2019

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) – Latvia violated European Union law by barring from office its central bank governor, who is also a European Central Bank policymaker, the European Court of Justice ruled on Tuesday in a widely expected decision.

Ilmars Rimsevics was suspended early last year on charges of corruption, leaving Latvia without a vote at ECB policy meetings and challenging a key plank of central bank independence.

“The Court annuls the decision suspending the Governor of the Central Bank of Latvia from office,” the Court said in a statement. “Latvia has not adduced evidence of the serious misconduct imputed to the governor of its central bank.”

The court’s decision comes after Advocate General Juliane Kokott argued in December that Latvia had failed to provide evidence of corruption — which Rimsevics denies — and that suspending him from office during the investigation amounted to his removal.

In a case without precedent for the ECB, Rimsevics was detained last February on accusations of soliciting a bribe and was even prevented for months from appointing a deputy to represent Latvia in ECB policy meetings.

Rimsevics and the ECB both took Latvia to court, arguing that removing a central bank chief without proving guilt in the case of serious misconduct violates central bank independence.

While the ruling is a win for Rimsevics, he is unlikely to be reinstated and Deputy Governor Zoja Razmusa will represent Latvia at ECB meetings until the Governor’s term ends later this year.

(Reporting by Michele Sinner; Writing by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Catherine Evans)

Source: OANN

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Hudson News chief James Cohen to buy National Enquirer: report

U.S. tabloid newspaper the National Enquirer display rack is seen in Washington
U.S. tabloid newspaper the National Enquirer display rack is seen in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2019. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

April 18, 2019

(Reuters) – American Media Inc (AMI) is selling its tabloid the National Enquirer for $100 million to James Cohen, chief executive of Hudson News , the Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the agreement.

The National Enquirer had admitted to paying hush money to help U.S. President Donald Trump get elected and been accused of attempting to blackmail Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The weekly tabloid along with two sister publications will be purchased by the head of Hudson News known for its airport newsstands, the report said.

This comes a week after AMI had said it was looking at “strategic options” for the National Enquirer, as well as for the Globe and the National Examiner brands.

The sale is expected to reduce AMI’s debt to $355 million, the Washington Post report said.

Last week, the New York Times reported that owners of the National Enquirer were in talks to sell the tabloid to the California billionaire Ronald Burkle.

According to media reports, Paul Pope, one of the heirs of the National Enquirer founder Generoso Pope Jr, had also been in the list of bidders.

On Tuesday, Pope, according to the New York Post, dropped his bid to buy the supermarket tabloid from American Media.

Over its 92-year history, the National Enquirer has enticed readers in supermarket checkout lines with sensational headlines and photos about celebrities. The tabloid’s website claims it reaches an audience of 5 million.

Earlier in February, Amazon.com Inc CEO Bezos accused the publication of trying to blackmail him with the threat of publishing intimate photos.

The National Enquirer and Hudson News did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Arjun Panchadar and Vibhuti Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

Source: OANN

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Bear Grylls faces possible fine after killing, boiling frog in Bulgaria: report

British adventurer Bear Grylls may be in hot water.

The famous survivalist is facing a possible fine for killing and boiling a frog in Bulgaria in 2017, reports said Friday.

Grylls was filming an episode of his Running Wild series with "Dancing With the Stars" dancer Derek Hough, when the pair was seen killing, gutting and cooking the frog on a camping stove, Agence France-Presse reported. The incident occurred at Rila National Park, a protected area in south-western Bulgaria, the report said.

SUPREME COURT BEGINS NEW TERM SHORT-HANDED, WITH A FOCUS ON FROGS

"It is evident from the film material that during the shooting there were breaches to the regulations and rules of conduct in protected areas: entering and swimming in the water basin of the Karakashevo lake, lighting a fire, and catching and killing an animal," the Bulgaria environment ministry said in a statement obtained by the outlet.

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The series' production company faces a possible fine of between $567 to $5672, while Grylls and Hough could face fines between $283 to $2836, the report said.

Source: Fox News World

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Dems who fumed at Nunes for jeopardizing ‘sources and methods’ now demand Mueller report in full

Congressional Democrats are stepping up calls for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report to be released in full -- even preparing subpoenas -- despite complaining just over a year ago that Republicans were jeopardizing “sources and methods” with their decision at the time to release a memo on alleged government surveillance abuse.

Now, the roles are reversed.

Republicans, many of whom still want the report released, are deferring to Attorney General Bill Barr as he says he needs time to vet with his team what information can and cannot be made public. But Democrats have shown little patience for that process, blasting Barr for releasing only a four-page summary and imposing an April 2 deadline for Mueller to turn over the full report to Congress, demanding “full transparency.”

BARR TO RELEASE MUELLER REPORT TO CONGRESS BY 'MID-APRIL, IF NOT SOONER;' WILL NOT TRANSMIT TO WH FOR PRIVILEGE REVIEW

“Congress has asked for the entire Mueller report, and underlying evidence, by April 2. That deadline stands,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said Friday, after Barr said he would provide the full Mueller report to Congress by mid-April. “In the meantime, Barr should seek court approval (just like in Watergate) to allow the release of grand jury material.”

He added: “Redactions are unacceptable. #ReleasetheReport.”

But Schiff, D-Calif., is one of several Democrats who blasted then-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif. during the last Congress for releasing a GOP memo on alleged abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which described the unverified Trump "dossier" as critical for obtaining surveillance warrants to spy on a Trump campaign aide.

The GOP memo, which was also four pages long, was released in an unredacted and declassified format, with White House approval.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said at the time that President Trump's decision to release an unredacted version of the memo was a danger to national security.

"President Trump has surrendered his constitutional responsibility as Commander-in-Chief by releasing highly classified and distorted intelligence," Pelosi said in a statement on Feb. 2, 2018. "By not protecting intelligence sources and methods, he just sent his friend Putin a bouquet."

Following the release of the report, Schiff, who was the ranking member of the committee at the time, joined with Democrats on the committee to declare the GOP memo “risks exposure of sensitive sources and methods for no legitimate purpose.”

Among the House Intelligence Committee Democrats who signed onto that statement was Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.

Fast forward to today, and both Swalwell and Schiff are urging the release of the full Mueller report.

“No summaries. Show us the FULL report Mueller sent over. Every word. Every comma. Every period. #MuellerReport,” Swalwell tweeted last week.

Barr's summary said the special counsel found no evidence of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians during the 2016 presidential election. Schiff has faced GOP pressure to step down from his post for his repeated allegations of collusion during the course of that investigation, but fellow Democrats have stood by him.

Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., who also blasted Republicans for issuing their FISA memo last year, announced Monday that his panel would vote to authorize subpoenas for Mueller’s report later this week.

“Congress requires the full and complete Special Counsel report, without redactions, as well as access to the underlying evidence,” Nadler said in a statement Monday.

The Judiciary Committee cited “historical precedent” for the full release of the Mueller report—specifically Watergate, when a judge ordered a 55-page grand jury roadmap to be provided to the committee; and during the Ken Starr investigation of former President Bill Clinton, when a 455-page report, along with evidence including grand jury material was provided to the panel.

JOHN BRENNAN, EX-CIA CHIEF, MEETS WITH REP. HOYER, DEMOCRATS TO DISCUSS 'NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES,' IN WAKE OF MUELLER REPORT 

Yet Barr has indicated he plans on sharing much of the report itself. Last week, Barr said the Justice Department and the special counsel were “well along in the process of identifying and redacting” sensitive material, including material that “by law cannot be made public” -- covering “material the intelligence community identifies as potentially compromising sensitive sources and methods; material that could affect ongoing matters, including those that the Special Counsel has referred to other Department offices; and information that would unduly infringe on the personal privacy and reputational interests of peripheral third parties.”

Barr said the report, which is more than 300 pages long, would be released to Congress by mid-April, “if not sooner.”

Barr added that: “Although the President would have the right to assert privilege over certain parts of the report, he has stated publicly that he intends to defer to me and, accordingly, there are no plans to submit the report to the White House for privilege review."

The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Ranking Member Doug Collins, R-Ga., slammed the Democrats for "setting arbitrary deadlines," in a written statement:

“Judiciary Democrats have escalated from setting arbitrary deadlines to demanding unredacted material that Congress does not, in truth, require and that the law does not allow to be shared outside the Justice Department. It’s unfortunate that a body meant to uphold the law has grown so desperate that it’s patently misrepresenting the law, even as the attorney general has already demonstrated transparency above and beyond what is required.”

Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed to this report. 

Source: Fox News Politics

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South Korea considering sending special envoy to North Korea

South Korea says it is considering dispatching a special envoy to North Korea in an apparent effort to revive stalled nuclear talks.

Negotiations over North Korea's nuclear program have remained stalemated since a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam last month ended without any agreement.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is to travel to Washington next week to discuss the nuclear diplomacy with Trump.

Moon facilitated the U.S.-North Korean talks last year.

Moon's national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, told lawmakers on Thursday that his government is also considering sending a special envoy to North Korea. He didn't elaborate.

Moon's government wants reconciliation with North Korea and a negotiated solution of the nuclear dispute.

Source: Fox News World

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Are Biden and Bernie for real?


On the roster: Are Biden and Bernie for real? - Trump seeks to make the most Mueller for 2020 - McConnell sidesteps health insurance imbroglio - Pelosi popularity strong among Dems - An Odie-ous mystery solved

ARE BIDEN AND BERNIE FOR REAL?
U.S. News: “Three months into the 2020 presidential race, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have maintained their positions as dual Democratic front-runners, one without even being a declared candidate. And yet there's an abiding sense among some Democrats and Republicans that the predominant positions of the two septuagenarians are eminently fragile, largely based on name recognition and prone to crumble as more voters dial in and sort through the bountiful options before them. The burgeoning candidacies of Sen. Kamala Harris of California and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke look like the strongest initial threats to the polling leaders' supremacy, both decades younger, fresher and offering that intangible ingredient of organic excitement. ‘Kamala had the best rollout. Bernie probably surprised people that he still had such a strong following in terms of fundraising. I think he showed a lot of muscle,’ says the Rev. Al Sharpton… ‘I think it's between Bernie and Kamala: They had the best first three months.’”

Harris’ big dollar donors are raising some questions - RCP: “Harris will leave the campaign trail to headline the April 1 fundraiser hosted by [multimillionaire Angelo] Tsakopoulos in Sacramento. The lieutenant governor and daughter of the real estate developer, Eleni Kounalakis, will also attend. The dinner runs between $1,000 and $2,800 a plate, according to the Sacramento Bee. And the meal raises an awkward question: Are wealthy donors with questionable pasts a political liability in an increasingly progressive Democratic presidential primary? Does it matter? … The public certainly thinks money in politics is a problem. … Harris has skipped that primary posturing. She is digging for donor gold in the Golden State right now. Of course, even if she finds some, a single donor won’t be enough. The influencers that will surround the senator in Sacramento can only give a maximum of $5,600 — half for the primary, the other half held in reserve for the general.”

Booker hometown rally to kickoff national campaign swing - Fox News: “Presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker’s heading home to kickoff what he’s calling a ‘Justice for All Tour.’ The Democrat from New Jersey announced on Friday that he’ll hold a hometown kickoff in downtown Newark on Saturday, April 13. Booker served as the mayor of the Garden State’s largest city for two terms before winning his Senate seat in 2013. Booker declared his candidacy for the White House in February, but as is often the practice, an official presidential campaign announcement is followed by formal kickoff event at a later date. The practice allows a candidate to grab extra media attention and hopefully build more excitement among supporters. The event in Newark is the first in a two-week cross-country tour that Booker’s campaign said will be used ‘to highlight his message of reigniting our sense of common purpose to build a more just country for the American people.’”

Hickenlooper’s different drummer - Politico: “[John] Hickenlooper is certainly different. Nothing about his appearance, from his rumpled shirts to the crooked row of bottom teeth to the untamed wisps of gray flopping over his forehead, seems especially presidential. He speaks in frenetic bursts, beginning one word before concluding its predecessor, his rhetorical pacing off-key like a garaged piano. Every question asked of him invites a story, often with no guarantee of a thematic circling back to the subject at hand. He says things like, ‘I’m not the smartest guy out there,’ not exactly standard fare for an aspiring leader of the Free World. … The candidate’s friends call him ‘odd,’ ‘quirky,’ ‘eccentric.’ For anyone who watched Hickenlooper’s recent CNN town hall—a prime-time event capable of jump-starting a longshot candidacy—these descriptors seem generous.”

Miami gets first Dem debates - Miami Herald: “Miami won’t be the home of the 2020 Democratic convention, but the city will get to host the first debates among the top 20 candidates hoping to win the party’s nomination. The Democratic National Committee announced Thursday that it has selected Miami to host the party’s first debates, on June 26 and 27. … The debates are scheduled over two nights as the DNC expects to make room for as many as 20 candidates. Participants in a given debate will be selected randomly, so headliners like Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris could be on stage with fringe candidates like Andrew Yang or even Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam.”

THE RULEBOOK: NATURALLY 
“When men exercise their reason coolly and freely on a variety of distinct questions, they inevitably fall into different opinions on some of them. When they are governed by a common passion, their opinions, if they are so to be called, will be the same.” – Alexander Hamilton or James MadisonFederalist No. 50

TIME OUT: ALOHA 'OE
Smithsonian: “Born in 1838, [Queen] Liliʻuokalani [the last monarch of the Hawaiian Islands] began her musical training at around age seven as part of her schooling. … In 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown by a group led by U.S. Government Minister John L. Stevens, and Queen Liliʻuokalani was put under house arrest at the ‘Iolani Palace as a result. During her time there, she composed many pieces mourning the treatment of her homeland and people. One such song was ‘Mai Wakinekona a Iolani Hale.’ Liliʻuokalani anonymously wrote the song’s lyrics and published them in a weekly Hawaiian language newspaper, subversively messaging how she came to be imprisoned. The following week, someone published a response in song lyrics, ‘We have heard you, oh heavenly one, our ruler, and we support you.’ … This piece was only recently discovered. Many of the Queen’s lesser-known compositions are now being newly appreciated as the Hawaiian language is making a comeback after years of oppression.”

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: 52.4 percent
Net Score: -9.8 points
Change from one week ago: up 0.6 points 
[Average includes: 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; CNN: 43% approve - 51% disapprove.]

TRUMP SEEKS TO MAKE THE MOST MUELLER FOR 2020  
Atlantic: “[Special Counsel RobertMueller might be done with his investigation, but [PresidentTrump and company are loath to let it drop. They want to capitalize on the president escaping criminal charges and make Mueller’s findings a core piece of 2020 campaign messaging. … Yet many Republican lawmakers and strategists fear that Trump would be fixating on the wrong message at the wrong time. They worry that Trump risks repeating the same strategic blunder he made in the midterm elections, which culminated in Republicans losing control of the House. Rather than spotlight economic gains rung up on his watch, the president might wind up dwelling on collateral issues of scant interest to voters. … Trump allies see Barr’s letter as a kind of Swiss Army knife—a tool useful in all kinds of situations. Not only is it exculpatory, they say, but it also implicitly rebukes the press for its coverage of the Russia investigation, inoculating Trump from any future scandal that reporters might unearth.”

Trump campaigns in Michigan, attacks opponents - Fox News: “In his first major rally since Special Counsel Robert Mueller cleared him of any collusion with Russia, President Trump took the stage before a boisterous full house at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday night -- and proceeded to tear into Democrats and the FBI as unintelligent ‘frauds’ who tried desperately to undermine the results of the 2016 election. ‘The Democrats have to now decide whether they will continue defrauding the public with ridiculous bullsh--,’ Trump said to thunderous applause, ‘-- partisan investigations, or whether they will apologize to the American people.’ Trump continued to unload on his opponents… Addressing counterprotesters outside the arena and progressives in general, Trump asked: ‘What do you think of their signs, 'Resist?' What the hell? Let's get something done.’”

Mueller or no Mueller, Trump approval stays steady - Pew Research Center: “The public’s views of Donald Trump have changed little over the course of his presidency… The survey by Pew Research Center, conducted March 20-25 among 1,503 adults, finds that 40% approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president, little changed since January (37%). … Trump’s job rating was not significantly different in the days following the release of Barr’s report… Trump’s job rating continues to be more stable – and more polarized along partisan lines – than those of past presidents. Currently, 81% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents approve of Trump’s job performance, while 88% of Democrats and Democratic leaners disapprove.”

POLL: HUGE MAJORITY WANTS FULL MUELLER REPORT
NPR: “Days after Attorney General William Barr released his four-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation report, overwhelming majorities of Americans want the full report made public and believe Barr and Mueller should testify before Congress, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Only about a third of Americans believe, from what they’ve seen or heard about the Mueller investigation so far, that President Trump is clear of any wrongdoing. … At the same time, 56 percent said Mueller conducted a fair investigation, and 51 percent said they were satisfied with it. That included 52 percent of independents who said they were satisfied with the investigation. It's one of the rare questions in the first two years of the Trump presidency in which a majority of independents sided with Republicans instead of Democrats on a subject. … Overall, three-quarters said the full Mueller report should be made public. That included a majority of Republicans (54 percent). Just 18 percent overall said Barr's summary is enough.”

How did Trump avoid a special counsel interview? - WaPo: “In the end, the decision not to subpoena the president is one of the lingering mysteries of Mueller’s 22-month investigation… An interview with the president would have been pivotal to helping assess whether the president had corrupt intent, a key element of such a charge, legal experts said. It is an open question whether a subpoena would have survived the court challenge that Trump’s lawyers say they would have mounted. The Supreme Court has never issued definitive guidance on issuing a subpoena to a president, but had Mueller pursued one, the courts could have established a precedent for future presidents. In assessing whether to pursue such a high-stakes move, the special counsel was not operating with complete autonomy. That was a contrast with predecessors such as Kenneth Starr, who investigated President Bill Clinton and had broad leeway under the now-expired independent counsel statute.”

MCCONNELL SIDESTEPS HEALTH INSURANCE IMBROGLIO 
Politico: “Mitch McConnell has no intention of leading President Donald Trump’s campaign to transform the GOP into the ‘party of health care.’ ‘I look forward to seeing what the president is proposing and what he can work out with the speaker,’ McConnell said in a brief interview Thursday… Now in divided government, with the Senate majority up for grabs next year and McConnell himself running for reelection, another divisive debate over health care is the last thing McConnell needs. … So the Kentucky Republican and his members are putting the onus on the president to figure out the next steps. McConnell’s clear reluctance toward trying to draft a sweeping health care bill in the Senate reflects his political instincts: that it’s better to focus on perceived Democratic weaknesses — the left’s push on ‘Medicare for All’ — than to struggle to unify his own party on a plan almost certain to be rebuffed by Senate Democrats and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).”

Trump’s ask: A ‘spectacular’ plan - Bloomberg: “President Donald Trump said he asked a group of U.S. senators to create a health-care plan to replace Obamacare, as his administration seeks to have the law signed by his predecessor invalidated in court. Republicans John Barrasso of Wyoming, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rick Scott of Florida are developing the plan, Trump told reporters Thursday as he departed the White House for a political rally in Michigan. ‘They are going to work together, come up with something that’s really spectacular,’ Trump said. ‘Maybe we’ll even get support in the House from Democrats. But it’s going to be far better than Obamacare,’ the president added, calling the law a ‘disaster.’”

Judge blocks Trump plan to let employers work around ObamaCare rules - AP: “A federal judge has struck down a small-business health insurance plan widely touted by President Donald Trump, the second setback in a week for the administration's health care initiatives. U.S. District Judge John D. Bates wrote in his opinion late Thursday that so-called ‘association health plans’ were ‘clearly an end-run’ around consumer protections required by the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. On Wednesday, another federal judge blocked the Trump administration's Medicaid work requirements for low-income people. The plans at issue in Bates' ruling Thursday allow groups of small businesses and sole proprietors to band together to offer lower-cost coverage that doesn't have to include all the benefits required by the ACA, often called ‘Obamacare.’ They also can be offered across state lines, an attempt to deliver on a major Trump campaign promise.”

PELOSI POPULARITY STRONG AMONG DEMS
Pew Research Center: “As the new Congress approaches the 100-day mark, the public generally has negative views of both Democratic and Republican leaders. Just a third approve of the job performance of Democratic congressional leaders, while 59% disapprove. Job ratings for GOP leaders are similar (31% approve, 63% disapprove). House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s job rating is somewhat more negative than positive: 40% approve of her job performance while 46% disapprove. Still, Pelosi’s job rating is more positive than then-Speaker Paul Ryan’s was two years ago. At similar points during their tenures as speaker, John Boehner and Newt Gingrich had evenly divided job ratings. The partisan gap in views of Pelosi’s job rating is generally wider than those of her predecessors. Democrats are about four times as likely as Republicans to approve of Pelosi’s job performance than are Republicans (62% vs. 15%). … Early in her tenure as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi’s job rating is deeply divided along partisan lines. … About six-in-ten Democrats (62%) approve of Pelosi’s job performance.”

Pelosi backs new DCCC hiring policy against progressives’ pleas - National Journal: “Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leaders expressed support Thursday for a new Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee hiring policy that progressives claim will blackball vendors who work for primary challengers against incumbent Democrats. That comes after a tense meeting Wednesday afternoon between DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos and leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, who want Democrats to rescind the rule. The policy states they will neither hire nor recommend to House offices any political vendors who work to oust sitting Democrats. ‘I support the chair of the DCCC,’ Pelosi said, when asked whether she backs the policy. In the private meeting, progressives invoked Pelosi as an example of a leader who understands their concerns as members from left-leaning districts, as opposed to Bustos, who represents a district that supported President Trump, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.”

PLAY-BY-PLAY
Senate approves GOP budget AP

McConnell sets up debate next week to make confirmation of Trump nominees easier Roll Call

Brexit is beaten for third time Friday, no sign if Britain will leave the EU WaPo

Rep. Dan Crenshaw could be the GOP’s answer to progressive House Dems - National Review

AUDIBLE: NAME DROPPING  
“As a former seven-year Reagan administration Justice Department official, I kind of think that the president's early steps in this administration have gone well beyond anything President Richard Nixon ever did.” – Former Republican Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld talking about President Trump with Shannon Bream on “Fox News @ Night.” Weld plans to make a decision on running for president in April.  

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
This weekend Mr. Sunday will sit down with Counselor to the President, Kellyanne Conway. Watch “Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.” Check local listings for broadcast times in your area.

#mediabuzz - Host Howard Kurtz has the latest take on the week’s media coverage. Watch #mediabuzz Sundays at 11 a.m. ET.

FROM THE BLEACHERS
“Sometimes I just don’t get [The Rulebook]. The first sentence is easy enough. I don’t follow the meaning of the second sentence. Would it be possible to get a ref’s interpretation of [Thursday’s] rule? ‘The natural cure for an ill-administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men. A guaranty by the national authority would be as much levelled against the usurpations of rulers as against the ferments and outrages of faction and sedition in the community.’ – Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 21.” – Mike Tardif, Santa Ana, Calif.

[Ed. note: When we look at the Federalist Papers we are reading impassioned arguments from the proponents of the Constitution for the creation of a federal republic to replace the confederacy that was in place from 1781 to 1789. When Hamilton wrote those words in December of 1787 he was attacking the then-governing charter, the Articles of Confederacy, as insufficient. A chief problem, he argued, was that the national government lacked the authority or practical ability to enforce the laws that it passed or to guarantee the rights of its citizens. Some 4,000 armed rebels led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays had staged a nearly year-long insurrection in western Massachusetts that ended just six months before Hamilton was writing. Shays & Co. were protesting what they said were heavy-handed taxation and tax collection by the government of the state of Massachusetts. Their goal was the violent overthrow of the government of the commonwealth before they were eventually crushed by a private army raised by the anxious citizens of Boston led by Revolutionary Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. Rage mobs fighting private armies is not exactly conducive to good order and predictable governance. Hamilton argued that the loose affiliation of the confederacy and weak central government was an invitation to further problems of this kind and that the national government needed the power to enforce the basic rules and keep order. What he’s saying in the passage we quoted is that in a republic the remedy for bad state government remains the same – an election – but that the federal government would serve as a counterweight against bad state leaders or “usurpations of rulers” as much as it will provide protection from rage mobs attacking the rule of law itself, “the ferments and outrages of faction and sedition.”]    

“I get as much enjoyment from your response to the ‘Bleachers’ as I do from the ‘Report.’ You would be a great diplomat. Two more for your ‘creel.’  I was born in Parcoal and spent my early youth in No. 4 (a town on 1947 WV maps, and not even a wide place in the road now), both in Webster County.” – Rod Steorts, Sutton, W. Va.

[Ed. note: Sweet fancy Moses! I of course knew of Parcoal, which I have passed through several times on my way to Kumbrabow State Forest and Helvetia (near another favorite of mine: Czar, W.Va.). But I knew nothing of No. 4, W.Va. That’s a fine catch indeed.]

“Chris, Read with interest your list of West Virginia datelines in the response to the gentleman from Rhodelia. Having been raised at Mud, W.Va. (post office no longer exists), which is just over the hill from Big Ugly, I was pleased to see it made your list. One of my favorite headlines from the Hamlin Lincoln Journal has always been: ‘Big Ugly Woman Injured in Auto Accident.’” – Billy Atkins, Morgantown, W. Va.

[Ed. note: But was she?]

“Oh Chris why would you not want the Cubs to have a great season? We are in first place at the moment. Love the Halftime Report and I make sure I read it every day no matter how long it is.” – Anne Purcell, Chicago

[Ed. note: Ms. Purcell, I am a devout supporter of the National League franchise in St. Louis. For there to be true harmony in my baseball universe it’s not just necessary for the Cardinals to win but for the Cubs to lose. You could say that it’s small of me, but the crackle of that rivalry has warmed my heart even late in seasons like last year after hope was gone for the pennant to return to where it belongs, 700 Clark Ave. And something tells me that this year’s battle between our two warring tribes may indeed be one for the history books. See you in September!]

“Chris — Thanks for the humanity — and I would add, ‘Christianity’ except that the idea of love for the ‘aliens resident among’ us springs from the Hebrew Bible — in your response to a writer insisting on the ‘illegals’ label. Blessings!” – Rev. John Johnson, Tucson, Ariz.

[Ed. note: I will only quote theologian and Pastor Tim Keller back to you, Rev. Johnson: “Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it.”]

“Why on Fox Nation with Brianna and Chris is the horseshoe hanging pointing down allowing the luck to run out? Been wondering.” – Steve Adams, Bellefonte, Pa.

[Ed. note: You caught me, Mr. Adams! The horseshoe is not there for luck, as I am not the superstitious type. It is there to remind me to be worthy of my heritage. It was made by my great-grandfather, James. He was by all evident results a pretty poor farmer and lacked the instincts for business. But he was, by the accounts I have heard, a very good farrier, a man on whom his neighbors relied to keep their horses afoot. Old Jim Stirewalt was a poor man and perhaps not a particularly gifted one, but he found a way to keep himself and his family going. When I don’t know what to write or what to say, I am reminded to stoke the fire, grab the tongs and hammer away.]

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

AN ODIE-OUS MYSTERY SOLVED
AFP: “For more than 30 years bright orange ‘Garfield’ phones have been washing up on the French coast to the bemusement of local beach cleaners …the novelty landline phones, modelled on the prickly feline cartoon character, that have plagued the northern Finistere beaches for decades. ‘Our association has existed for 18 years and in that time we have found pieces of Garfield telephones almost each time we clean,’ said Claire Simonin, the head of local beach cleaning group Ar Viltansou in Brittany. But it wasn't until a local resident revealed that he had discovered the container after a storm in the 1980s that they were finally able to locate it -- wedged in a partially submerged cave only accessible at low tide. … ‘Under the boulders in front of the entrance, we found 23 complete handsets with electronics and wires. They were everywhere,’ she added.”

AND NOW, A WORD FROM CHARLES…
“‘If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen’ [Barack Obama said.] … To say all individuals are embedded in and the product of society is banal.” – Charles Krauthammer (1950-2018) writing for the National Review on July 20, 2012.

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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Vegas signs KHL’s Gusev for playoffs

FILE PHOTO: 2018 IIHF World Championships
FILE PHOTO: Ice Hockey - 2018 IIHF World Championships - Group A - Russia v Slovakia - Royal Arena - Copenhagen, Denmark - May 14, 2018 - Nikita Gusev of Russia in action. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor/FIle Photo

April 14, 2019

Nikita Gusev, the reigning MVP of the Kontinental Hockey League, is joining the Vegas Golden Knights for their playoff run.

He signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Golden Knights on Sunday and is expected to practice with the team on Monday.

Vegas and the San Jose Sharks were tied 1-1 in their best-of-7 series entering Sunday’s Game 3 in Las Vegas.

“He’ll join our group (Monday) and we’ll see where it goes,” Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant told reporters. “I’m not going to make any promises either way. We’ll see what happens. I like our team. I’ve liked our team all year. If we think we need him to put in the lineup, we’ll see where it goes.”

Gusev, 26, has been on the roster of SKA St. Petersburg since the 2015-16 season. He led the league in scoring this season with 82 points (17 goals, 65 assists). He was released from his contract this week after SKA St. Petersburg was eliminated in the KHL conference finals.

He has played nine seasons in the KHL and was part of Russia’s gold-medal team in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

The Tampa Bay Lightning drafted him in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Draft. Vegas acquired his rights in a trade with Tampa Bay during the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.

–Field Level Media

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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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