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Brazil minister says U.S. ‘gesture’ on beef imports insufficient

An employee works at the assembly line of jerked beef at a plant of JBS S.A, the world's largest beef producer, in Santana de Parnaiba
FILE PHOTO: An employee works at the assembly line of jerked beef at a plant of JBS S.A, the world's largest beef producer, in Santana de Parnaiba, Brazil December 19, 2017. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

March 20, 2019

By Chris Prentice and Ayenat Mersie

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Brazil’s farm minister said on Wednesday that a U.S. agreement to conduct further inspections on the country’s meatpacking system is a step toward reopening the United States to fresh Brazilian beef, but is not sufficient.

The statements from Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina Dias came after a visit to Washington alongside Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as the new president seeks to boost his relationship with the Trump administration. On Tuesday, Brazil announced a tariff-free quota for wheat imports and steps toward allowing U.S. pork imports.

The United States in exchange ceded little ground, agreeing to pursue further inspections of Brazil’s fresh beef producers as a “gesture” of goodwill toward reopening the beef market.

“This is really not a concession, it’s a technical issue…I do not consider it an exchange,” Dias said in an interview with Reuters in New York.

The United States halted fresh beef imports from Brazil in June 2017 after discovering issues with the meat in the wake of a scandal alleging Brazil’s meatpackers bribed inspectors for favorable results.

Dias clarified that the tarrif-free wheat quota that was agreed to during the Washington visit was for all global wheat exporters and not only the United States. The United States is seen as the major beneficiary of the quota, although Brazil has recently reopened to importing Russian wheat.

Brazil and the United States said in their joint statement that they had “agreed to science-based conditions” that could pave the way to eventually opening Brazil to U.S. pork exports.

The next step would be for Brazil to send inspectors to the United States, although no date has been set for such a trip, Dias said.

A potential trade deal between the United States and China that would boost U.S. purchases is a concern, but any agreement would need to be evaluated, Dias said.

Dias said she would travel to China, potentially in May, with her goals including strengthening relations to benefit the soy trade.

SUGAR FOR ETHANOL

U.S. officials wanted to discuss renewal of tariff-rate quota access when it expires in August, Dias said. A renewal of the tariffs of 20 percent would be a blow to the already struggling U.S. ethanol industry. Brazil is the top importer of U.S. ethanol.

That would have to be linked to boosting access to the U.S. sugar market for Brazil’s producers, which the United States does not appear ready to do, Dias said.

“That’s why we didn’t progress,” she said.

(Reporting by Chris Prentice and Ayenat Mersie in New York; Additional writing by Jake Spring; Editing by Susan Thomas and Marguerita Choy)

Source: OANN

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Florida man threatened to destroy town with army of turtles: police

A self-proclaimed “saint” was arrested in a coastal Florida town Sunday after screaming obscenities and threatening to unleash an army of turtles, an arrest affidavit reportedly said.

Authorities received multiple calls about a man who was disturbing the peace at several businesses in Indialantic, a town about 75 miles southeast of Orlando, the affidavit said. The suspect, later identified as 61-year-old Thomas Devaney Lane, was calling himself “the saint” and allegedly said his army of turtles would “destroy everyone,” WKMG reported.

FLORIDA KEYS BRIEFLY WITHOUT POWER AFTER SAILBOAT HITS POWER LINE, OFFICIALS SAY

Lane accompanied a responding officer back to police headquarters where he pounded on the walls and glass before leaving the station, police said. Officers later found him in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven where he allegedly cursed out customers and called 911, Orlando's Fox 35 reported.

Lane allegedly told the 911 operator that the responding officer “needed to leave now or you will all be sorry you f---ed with the saint,” the report said.

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Police said Lane refused to exit his vehicle and was taken out by force. During that ordeal, Lane allegedly continued to shout obscenities while warning passers-by about an impending army of turtles, Fox 35 reported.

Lane was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace, resisting arrest without violence and misusing 911, Florida Today reported. He taken into Brevard County Jail Complex later released on bail, the report said.

Source: Fox News National

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Brazil markets lashed as storm clouds gather over Bolsonaro

U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro hold a joint news conference at the White House in Washington
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro speaks during a joint news conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

March 22, 2019

By Jamie McGeever

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Standing beside U.S. President Donald Trump on a crisp afternoon outside the White House in Washington this week, a smiling Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro enjoyed a moment in the sun.

Less than three months since taking office and with the Brazilian stock market at a record above 100,000 points, the former army captain was cementing his place on the world stage. He is following his U.S. trip with visits to Chile and Israel.

Back home, however, a political, economic and market storm was brewing that would turn the week into one of the most foreboding for his young administration, which has been slow to confront the mounting challenges to his ambitious reform agenda.

Brazilian financial markets reeled at the arrest of former president Michel Temer on corruption charges on Thursday and the unveiling on Wednesday of cuts in the military budget that were much more modest than expected. An opinion poll also showed plunging support for Bolsonaro’s government.

Even before the latest developments, investors were uneasy about a global slowdown and a string of Brazilian economic indicators showing the tepid recovery from a 2015-16 recession is losing steam. The central bank took a dovish turn this week and the government cut its 2019 growth forecasts.

The Bovespa stock index shed 5 percent this week, its biggest weekly loss since August. On Friday, the 10-year bond yield jumped more than 25 basis points and the real slumped 2.5 percent, both their biggest moves since November.

(GRAPHIC: Bovespa index – weekly change – https://tmsnrt.rs/2OhZkVD)

(GRAPHIC: Brazil’s 10-year bond yield – daily change – https://tmsnrt.rs/2UOvw5p)

(GRAPHIC: Brazilian real – https://tmsnrt.rs/2UR8sTk)

Investors are more focused than ever on Bolsonaro’s signature proposal to overhaul the pension system in hopes of shoring up public finances, boosting growth and generating over 1 trillion reais ($257 billion) of savings over the next decade.

“The next three to four months are crucial for the country,” XP Investimentos credit analysts wrote in a note to clients on Friday, adding they remained optimistic that “transformational” reform will be passed.

“However, we anticipate volatility, with tough negotiations ahead for pension reform and a series of risks that may increase tensions, like we saw this week,” they said.

ALL EYES ON PENSIONS

Economists, traders, analysts, politicians and central bankers agree Brazil’s economic fate lies largely with pension reform, and progress on that front appears to be slowing.

The Temer scandal has the potential to damage the pension reform drive. A close Temer confidant, who was also arrested, is married to the mother-in-law of Rodrigo Maia, speaker of the lower house of Congress and chief architect of the coalition to pass pension reform.

Investors were also underwhelmed by a government proposal on military pensions that would save around a tenth of what was promised last month due to salary hikes. That raised the prospect of other groups hardening demands in negotiations.

“This could create challenges for the administration in Congress as they were arguing this is a reform that fights privileges from public servants,” wrote Morgan Stanley economists.

Bolsonaro’s eroding support will also make it harder for him to close the deal on pension reform. An Ibope poll this week showed his government’s popularity plummeted to the worst approval rating at this early stage of any administration since Brazil returned to democracy three decades ago.

All of that has investors and policymakers putting off hopes for a more robust economic recovery.

In keeping interest rates at a record low of 6.50 percent this week, the central bank highlighted the economy’s weak performance and downgraded the inflation threat level.

On Friday, the Economy Ministry also cut their 2019 forecasts for growth, inflation, average interest rates and the real’s average exchange rate.

($1 = 3.8897 reais)

(Reporting by Jamie McGeever; Editing by David Gregorio)

Source: OANN

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Exclusive: Loeb’s Third Point building stake to pressure Sony – sources

FILE PHOTO: Loeb, founder of Third Point LLC, participates in a panel discussion during the Skybridge Alternatives Conference in Las Vegas
FILE PHOTO: Daniel S. Loeb, founder of Third Point LLC, participates in a panel discussion during the Skybridge Alternatives (SALT) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada May 9, 2012. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo

April 8, 2019

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Liana B. Baker

(Reuters) – Daniel Loeb’s hedge fund Third Point LLC is building a stake in Sony Corp to push for changes, the second time in six years it has targeted the Japanese electronics maker, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

Once a market leader in consumer electronics, Sony is now in the midst of a turnaround effort spearheaded by Kenichiro Yoshida, its chief executive who formerly served at its chief financial officer.

The maker of the iconic Walkman and Trinitron TV fell behind the likes of Apple Inc in innovation after the release of the iPod in 2001 and the iPhone in 2007. Sony over the past decade has reinvented itself as an entertainment company with stable revenue from music content and its video game platform.

Investors are now searching for its next source of growth as Sony’s gaming business shows signs of slowing, with its popular PlayStation 4 (PS4) console nearing the end of its cycle.

Third Point’s amassed stake in Sony thus far could not be learned. The hedge fund, which has about $14.5 billion in assets under management, is raising a dedicated investment vehicle, targeting between $500 million and $1 billion in capital, so it can buy more Sony shares, the sources said.

Third Point wants Sony to explore options for some of its business units, including its movie studio, which the hedge fund believes has attracted takeover interest from the likes of Amazon.com Inc and Netflix Inc, the sources said. The hedge fund also wants clarity on how the semiconductor and insurance divisions fit in with the rest of the company.

The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Sony and Third Point declined to comment.

Sony reported lower-than-expected profit in February, dragged down by its previously thriving gaming business, even as a one-off gain related to its acquisition of music publisher EMI pushed the quarterly result to a record high.

Third Point last exited a stake in Sony in 2014 with a roughly 20 percent gain after spending a year and a half pushing for Sony to spin off its entertainment division, writing in a letter to investors that the division “remains poorly managed.”

Later Loeb changed his tune, praising the company for cutting costs at the entertainment division and having made management changes.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss in Boston and Liana B. Baker in New York; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)

Source: OANN

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Kushner says to give Trump immigration plan in coming days

FILE PHOTO: White House adviser Jared Kushner at the
FILE PHOTO: White House adviser Jared Kushner at the "2019 Prison Reform Summit" in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 1, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo

April 23, 2019

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – White House senior adviser Jared Kushner plans to present an immigration proposal to President Donald Trump at the end of the week or early next week, Kushner told a Time Magazine forum.

Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, has been holding listening sessions with conservative groups and has been working with White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett and policy adviser Stephen Miller on a plan that addresses border security and merit-based immigration.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

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Facing hurdles from U.S., war crimes judges reject Afghan probe

FILE PHOTO: Public Prosecutor Bensouda attends the trial of Congolese warlord Ntaganda at the ICC in the Hague
FILE PHOTO: Public Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda attends the trial of Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda at the ICC (International Criminal Court) in the Hague, the Netherlands August 28, 2018. Bas Czerwinski/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

April 12, 2019

By Toby Sterling and Stephanie van den Berg

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Just days after the United States government revoked the visa of the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor, ICC judges rejected her request to open an investigation into alleged atrocities in the war in Afghanistan, citing practical reasons.

The decision on Friday, which prosecutor Fatou Bensouda may appeal and which angered human rights groups, means that neither the Taliban, the Afghan government, nor the United States will face any investigation at the international court for alleged crimes, which dated mostly from 2003-2004.

In an unusual ruling, judges said Bensouda’s case seemed to have met the court’s criteria for jurisdiction and admissibility, but given an array of practical considerations that made chances of success remote, it did not make sense to pursue it further.

They cited a failure to gather evidence at an early stage, a lack of cooperation from governments involved, and the likely costs as prohibitive.

In addition, “the current circumstances of the situation in Afghanistan are such as to make the prospects for a successful investigation and prosecution extremely limited,” the judges said in a 2-1 ruling.

“An investigation into the situation in Afghanistan at this stage would not serve the interests of justice and (the chamber) accordingly rejects the request,” the judges said.

Bensouda said her office would “consider all available legal remedies” against the decision.

International legal experts saw the ruling in part as a recognition of the realities the court faces in conducting prosecutions.

Human rights groups were incensed.

The decision “is insane and politically charged,” Karine Bonneau of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said in a tweet. She added the ruling was “an affirmation of double standards. This situation was exactly why the court was created.”

Kevin Jon Heller, associate professor of International Criminal law at Amsterdam University, said the decision appeared to impose significant hurdles on any case before the ICC in terms of the chances of a successful prosecution.

“If these are the criteria they are never going to open an investigation”, he said.

COURT WAS ‘LAST HOPE’

In 2006, Bensouda’s predecessor, Luis Moreno Ocampo, opened an examination into alleged war crimes by all parties in the conflict in Afghanistan, including the possible role of U.S. personnel in relation to the detention of suspects.

Bensouda took over the dossier in 2010 but did not request a formal investigation until November 2017.

The United States revoked Bensouda’s entry visa earlier this month, after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in March that Washington would withdraw or deny visas to any ICC staff investigating possible war crimes by U.S. forces or allies in Afghanistan.

ICC prosecutors said in 2015 they had evidence suggesting international forces in Afghanistan had caused serious harm to detainees by subjecting them to physical and psychological abuse.

They also noted that there was evidence of violations committed by Taliban and forces that supported the Afghan government.

U.S.-backed forces drove the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in 2001 at the start of a war that has dragged on for 17 years.

Human rights and victims’ organizations in Kabul called the ICC ruling “absolutely shocking”.

“We the Afghan people have suffered so much and the court was a last hope for all of us in a country which is completely lacking justice,” Hadi Marifat of the human rights group AHRDO told Reuters.

“This decision was taken on political rather than legal grounds.”

The ICC is a court of last resort with 122 member states. It acts only when countries within its jurisdiction are found to be unable or unwilling to seriously investigate war crimes, genocide or other serious atrocities.

The court has convicted three men for war crimes and crimes against humanity since it was set up in 2002: Congolese warlords Germain Katanga and Thomas Lubanga and a former Islamist rebel who admitted wrecking holy shrines during Mali’s 2012 conflict.

There have been repeated negotiations in recent months between the Taliban and U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to try to broker a deal to end the Afghan conflict. So far the Taliban has refused to meet directly with the Afghan government, which they dismiss as a U.S. puppet regime.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Additional reporting by Toby Sterling, Anthony Deutsch and Bart Meijer.; Editing by Alison Williams and Frances Kerry)

Source: OANN

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Watch Sunday Show Live! MSM Claims Reporting On Islamic Easter Bombing Massacre Is Racist

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Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond looks on during an interview with Reuters at the British Ambassador's residence in Beijing
Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond looks on during an interview with Reuters at the British Ambassador’s residence in Beijing, China April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Pool

April 26, 2019

BEIJING (Reuters) – British finance minister Philip Hammond said on Friday that he had a “very constructive meeting” with his counterpart in the opposition Labour Party before leaving for Beijing and that he was optimistic about finding common ground.

Hammond, speaking on the sidelines of a summit on China’s Belt and Road initiative in Beijing, said talks with Labour aimed at finding a way forward on Brexit had not stalled.

“I’m optimistic that we will find common ground,” he said. “Both sides have got clear positions and both sides will have to compromise in order to reach an agreement.”

Hammond added that he absolutely did not favor a no deal exit from the European Union.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; editing by Darren Schuettler)

Source: OANN

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Police secure the area where the body of a woman was discovered near the village of Orounta
Police secure the area where the body of a woman was discovered near the village of Orounta, Cyprus, April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Stefanos Kouratzis

April 26, 2019

NICOSIA (Reuters) – Cypriot police searched on Friday for more victims of a suspected serial killer, in a case which has shocked the Mediterranean island and exposed the authorities to charges of “criminal indifference” because the dead women were foreigners.

The main opposition party, the left-wing AKEL, called for the resignation of Cyprus’s justice minister and police chief.

Police were combing three different locations west of the capital Nicosia for victims of the suspected killer, a 35-year-old army officer who has been in detention for a week.

The bodies of three women, including two thought to be from the Philippines, have been recovered. Police sources said the suspect had indicated the location of the third body, found on Thursday, and had said the person was “either Indian or Nepali”.

Police said they were searching for a further four people, including two children, based on the suspect’s testimony.

“These women came here to earn a living, to help their families. They lived away from their families. And the earth swallowed them, nobody was interested,” AKEL lawmaker Irene Charalambides told Reuters.

“This killer will be judged by the court but the other big question is the criminal indifference shown by the others when the reports first surfaced. I believe, as does my party, that the justice minister and the police chief should resign. They are irrevocably exposed.”

Police have said they will investigate any perceived shortcomings in their handling of the case.

One person who did attempt to alert the authorities over the disappearances, a 70-year-old Cypriot citizen, said his motives were questioned by police.

The bodies of the two Filipino women reported missing in May and August 2018 were found in an abandoned mine shaft this month. Police discovered the body of the third woman at an army firing range about 14 km (9 miles) from the mine shaft.

Police are now searching for the six-year-old daughter of the first victim found, a Romanian mother who disappeared with her eight-year-old child in 2016, and a woman from the Phillipines who vanished in Dec. 2017.

The suspect has not been publicly named, in line with Cypriot legal practice.

A public vigil for the missing was planned later on Friday.

(Reporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Gareth Jones)

Source: OANN

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An employee looks up at goods at the Miniclipper Logistics warehouse in Leighton Buzzard
FILE PHOTO: An employee looks up at goods at the Miniclipper Logistics warehouse in Leighton Buzzard, Britain December 3, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

April 26, 2019

LONDON, April 26 – British factories stockpiled raw materials and goods ahead of Brexit at the fastest pace since records began in the 1950s, and they were increasingly downbeat about their prospects, a survey showed on Friday.

The Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) quarterly survey of the manufacturing industry showed expectations for export orders in the next three months fell to their lowest level since mid-2009, when Britain was reeling from the global financial crisis.

The record pace of stockpiling recorded by the CBI was mirrored by the closely-watched IHS Markit/CIPS purchasing managers’ index published earlier this month.

(Reporting by Andy Bruce, editing by David Milliken)

Source: OANN

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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks at the opening ceremony for the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks at the opening ceremony for the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Florence Lo

April 26, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Fewer than half of Malaysians approve of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, an opinion poll showed on Friday, as concerns over rising costs and racial matters plague his administration nearly a year after taking office.

The survey, conducted in March by independent pollster Merdeka Center, showed that only 46 percent of voters surveyed were satisfied with Mahathir, a sharp drop from the 71 percent approval rating he received in August 2018.

Mahathir’s Pakatan Harapan coalition won a stunning election victory in May 2018, ending the previous government’s more than 60-year rule.

But his administration has since been criticized for failing to deliver on promised reforms and protecting the rights of majority ethnic Malay Muslims.

Of 1,204 survey respondents, 46 percent felt that the “country was headed in the wrong direction”, up from 24 percent in August 2018, the Merdeka Center said in a statement. Just 39 percent said they approved of the ruling government.

High living costs remained the top most concern among Malaysians, with just 40 percent satisfied with the government’s management of the economy, the survey showed.

It also showed mixed responses to Pakatan Harapan’s proposed reforms.

Some 69 percent opposed plans to abolish the death penalty, while respondents were sharply divided over proposals to lower the minimum voting age to 18, or to implement a sugar tax.

“In our opinion, the results appear to indicate a public that favors the status quo, and thus requires a robust and coordinated advocacy efforts in order to garner their acceptance of new measures,” Merdeka Center said.

The survey also found 23 percent of Malaysians were concerned over ethnic and religious matters.

Some groups representing Malays have expressed fear that affirmative-action policies favoring them in business, education and housing could be taken away and criticized the appointments of non-Muslims to key government posts.

Last November, the government reversed its pledge to ratify a UN convention against racial discrimination, after a backlash from Malay groups.

Earlier this month, Pakatan Harapan suffered its third successive loss in local elections since taking power, which has been seen as a further sign of waning public support.

Despite the decline, most Malaysians – 67 percent – agreed that Mahathir’s government should be given more time to fulfill its election promises, Merdeka Center said.

This included a majority of Malay voters who were largely more critical of the new administration, it added.

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Source: OANN

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The German share price index DAX graph at the stock exchange in Frankfurt
The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Staff

April 26, 2019

By Medha Singh and Agamoni Ghosh

(Reuters) – European shares slipped on Friday after losses in heavyweight banks and Glencore outweighed gains in healthcare and auto stocks, while investors remained on the sidelines ahead of U.S. economic data for the first quarter.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 0.1 percent by 0935 GMT, eyeing a modest loss at the end of a holiday-shortened week. Banks-heavy Italian and Spanish indices were laggards.

The banking index fell for a fourth day, at the end of a heavy earnings week for lenders.

Britain’s Royal Bank of Scotland tumbled after posting lower first quarter profit, hurt by intensifying competition and Brexit uncertainty, while its investment bank also registered poor returns.

Weakness in investment banking also dented Deutsche Bank’s quarterly trading revenue and sent its shares lower a day after the German bank abandoned merger talks with smaller rival Commerzbank.

“The current interest rate environment makes it challenging for banks to make proper earnings because of their intermediary function,” said Teeuwe Mevissen, senior market economist eurozone, at Rabobank.

Since the start of April, all country indexes were on pace to rise between 1.8 percent and 3.4 percent, their fourth month of gains, while Germany was strongly outperforming with 6 percent growth.

“For now the current sentiment is very cautious as markets wait for the first estimates of the U.S. GDP growth which could see a surprise,” Mevissen said.

U.S. economic data for the first-quarter is due at 1230 GMT. Growth worries outside the United States resurfaced this week after South Korea’s economy unexpectedly contracted at the start of the year and weak German business sentiment data for April also disappointed.

Among the biggest drags on the benchmark index in Europe were the basic resources sector and the oil and gas sector, weighed down by Britain’s Glencore and France’s Total, respectively.

Glencore dropped after reports that U.S authorities were investigating whether the company and its subsidiaries violated certain provisions of the commodity exchange act.

Energy major Total said its net profit for the first three months of the year fell compared with a year ago due to volatile oil prices and debt costs.

Chip stocks in the region including Siltronic, Ams and STMicroelectronics lost more than 1 percent after Intel Corp reduced its full-year revenue forecast, adding to concerns that an industry-wide slowdown could persist until the end of 2019.

Meanwhile, healthcare, which is also seen as a defensive sector, was a bright spot. It was helped by French drugmaker Sanofi after it returned to growth with higher profits and revenues for the first-quarter.

Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES led media stocks higher after it maintained its full-year outlook on the back of the company’s Networks division.

Automakers in the region rose 0.4 percent, led by Valeo’s 6 percent jump as the French parts maker said its performance would improve in the second half of the year.

Continental AG advanced after it backed its outlook for the year despite reporting a fall in first-quarter earnings.

Renault rose more than 3 percent as it clung to full-year targets and pursues merger talks with its Japanese partner Nissan.

(Reporting by Medha Singh and Agamoni Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Gareth Jones and Elaine Hardcastle)

Source: OANN

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