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Trump calls Russia probe ‘a big hoax,’ says Dems have ‘done a lousy job’

President Trump, in an interview that aired Saturday on “Fox & Friends,” called the FBI Special Counsel’s Russia investigation “a big hoax” and claimed that Democrats are keeping up pressure on the Justice Department to release the report sooner because “they’ve done a lousy job.”

“You know there's no collusion, OK? The famous word 'collusion.' There's no obstruction because they put a decision and the attorney general made the decision, he said no obstruction,” Trump told Fox News’ Griff Jenkins. “So there's no collusion, there's no obstruction. There's no nothing.”

TRUMP DECLARES 'COUNTRY IS FULL' IN FOX NEWS INTERVIEW, SAYS US CAN NO LONGER ACCEPT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

“It's all a big hoax and the Democrats want to keep playing it because they've done a lousy job,” he said.

Attorney General William Barr last month revealed his summary of the Mueller report, which stated that the special counsel found no evidence of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians during the 2016 presidential election. The special counsel did not come to a conclusion on obstruction of justice, but Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said the evidence was “not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.”

But as the White House declared "complete exoneration," Democrats have kept up the pressure in demanding the release of the full report. Barr has said he wishes to review the report with the special counsel’s team to determine details to be redacted prior to its release to Congress.

Democrats had set a deadline of April 2 for the full report to be released to Congress and to the public. That deadline was missed and Barr has said he intends to release the report by “mid-April, if not sooner.”

On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines Wednesday to authorize subpoenas for the full report. Meanwhile, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has claimed that there is evidence of collusion with the Russians.

HOUSE JUDICIARY DEMOCRATS AUTHORIZE SUBPOENAS FOR MUELLER REPORT

“There is plenty of evidence of collusion and corrupt co-mingling of work between the Trump campaign and the Russians,” Schiff said during an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Wednesday. “But I fully accept that as a prosecutor that he couldn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that crime.”

On Friday, Trump said that he was president because Democrats “haven’t governed well.”

“They haven't governed well again that's why I'm here,” he said. “The way they governed is the reason that I'm president and we are doing a great job.”

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He also took aim at Schiff and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., for their responses to the Barr letter.

“Schiff and Nadler they keep playing their game,” he said. “They can't get off it and they were very disappointed but it was a very easy decision.”

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Anna Hopkins contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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Potential GOP primary challenger Hogan takes aim at Trump, calls Mueller report ‘very disturbing’

Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland took aim at President Trump on Tuesday during a visit to New Hampshire, claiming there was “some very disturbing stuff” in the findings of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia Investigation report.

In doing so, Hogan appeared to open the door a bit more to a 2020 primary challenge against the Republican president, saying it’s under “serious consideration” as he spoke at "Politics and Eggs," a must stop for White House hopefuls visiting the first-in-the-nation presidential primary state.

TRUMP PRIMARY CHALLENGER WELD ENVISIONS 'MCCAIN STYLE CAMPAIGN

Speaking with reporters after the event, Hogan pointed to the Mueller report and highlighted, “I think there was certainly evidence that he [Trump] attempted to” commit obstruction of justice.

“It certainly did not completely exonerate the president, as he has said. There were some very disturbing stuff found in the report. And just because aides did not follow his orders, that’s the only reason we don’t have obstruction of justice,” Hogan said.

“There was some really unsavory stuff in the report that did not make me proud of the president and there was certainly nothing to crow about and nothing to celebrate in that at all,” Hogan added.

And he criticized his fellow Republicans for not speaking out against the president.

“It’s very frustrating. And I know that there are a number of my colleagues, both governors and senators and members of the House that privately will say they’re very concerned but won’t say anything publicly. And I think it’s because they’re afraid. There’s no profiles in courage here. They’re afraid of being primaried. They’re afraid of being tweeted about,” he said.

But Hogan wasn’t advocating for impeachment.

“I don’t think that [the House of Representatives] should begin impeachment proceedings. I don’t think they would be productive. I think most people in America are tired of this whole two-year investigation,” he stressed.

Hogan, who was just overwhelmingly re-elected last November to a second term steering reliably blue Maryland, said his decision on a potential primary challenge against Trump “really wouldn’t be based on that report. It’s really about seeing what people think out there and whether there’s any path to victory and whether or not they’re really interested in having an alternative.”

Hogan opened his address by declaring that “I’m not here to make any official announcements.”

“I just thought April would be a beautiful time to visit New Hampshire,” he joked.

Speaking to reporters later, Hogan was asked about mounting a long-shot primary challenge against Trump, who remains very popular with most Republican voters.

“I’m not interested in just running to hurt the president, bruise the president. I’m out here talking about things that I think are important. I care about the future of my party. I care about the country,” Hogan said. “I would not run just to be a spoiler for the president. I’ve got a state to run.”

“A growing number of people have been asking me to give it serious consideration and I felt an obligation that I needed to do that,” he explained.

Hogan said he’s already been to 10 states and has 16 more to visit. But he added he’s in no rush to decide.

“The filing deadline in New Hampshire is November 15. A shorter field would be better for a challenger that didn’t have as much money,” he said. “There’s no rush to jump in. I know the Democrats are all jumping in and they have to fight each other. I don’t feel any pressure to get in any earlier than what the law says you have to get in.”

And he pointed to New Hampshire and other states that allow non-Republicans to vote in GOP presidential primaries, while citing his appeal with independents. Taking aim at Trump, he argued, “if you’re going to nominate someone who can’t win the general election, that’s not good for the Republican Party.”

Still, Hogan is not polling strongly at this stage.

Hogan arrived in the Granite State the day after a new University of New Hampshire poll put him at 1 percent in a hypothetical GOP primary matchup. The poll indicated the president with 76 percent support; former Ohio Gov. John Kasich -- a vocal Trump critic who’s seriously mulling a 2020 primary challenge -- at 10 percent; and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld – who’s launched a primary campaign against Trump – at 5 percent.

Asked by Fox News about his standing in the survey, Hogan pointed to his high approvals in polls in Maryland.

“In the only state where they know both of us, where we’ve both been on the ballot, I’m about 50 points ahead of the president. So it’s like I’ve never been to New Hampshire. This is my second trip up. Nobody knows who I am yet,” he answered.

Hogan said he also wasn’t overly concerned about attracting the wrath of the president if he launches a primary challenge.

“It’s probably not the most pleasant thing to go through I’m sure. But I’ve battled cancer for 18 months. I can probably take it,” he said.

Source: Fox News Politics

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Ohio finds numerous problems at troubled county jail

An Ohio county jail where prisoners are locked down for days because of staff shortages, dietary restrictions are ignored and toilets and showers go unrepaired has received mostly failing grades during its latest state inspection, according to a report released this week.

The Cuyahoga County Corrections Center in downtown Cleveland has been under increasing scrutiny since the deaths of seven prisoners over a four-month period last year and the release of a scathing report by the U.S. Marshals Service in late November that called conditions at the jail "inhumane" and unsafe for prisoners and staff.

The inspection by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction found nearly two-thirds of 135 state standards out of compliance. Only six standards were judged non-compliant by the same state inspector in 2017.

The 2018 state inspection report was released after the U.S. Marshals Service concluded that "life and safety concerns as well as inhumane conditions of confinement" at the jail violate prisoners' constitutional rights. Both inspections highlight a growing number of issues troubling state and county jails across the United States.

The FBI is conducting a civil rights investigation of prisoner treatment at the jail. The agency and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are also investigating allegations of public corruption regarding current and former Cuyahoga County officials, including issues surrounding the jail.

The Marshals Service has removed federal detainees from the downtown jail and now places them at a smaller county facility in the Cleveland suburb of Euclid.

Brandy Carney, Cuyahoga County chief of public safety and justice, noted in a statement that previous state inspections "held us in compliance."

"Since the Marshal's report, we have been aggressively working on fixing each issue raised and have made significant progress," Carney said.

JoEllen Smith, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, which inspects local jails, said Ohio's minimum standards are "significantly different" from those of the Marshals Service. She said 29 of the 84 non-compliant standards found during the latest inspection involved failures to provide documentation.

Smith said state officials reviewed the marshals' report "in an effort to identify potential areas of overlap that could impact the findings of the state inspection."

Brian Klak, a longtime Cuyahoga County corrections officer and union official with the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, said overcrowding has been a problem at the downtown jail, which consists of two towers, for years. He said it became more acute when the county took over the city of Cleveland's jail operations early last year.

Persistent lockdowns called "red zoning," which result in prisoners being forced to remain in their cells for periods exceeding 24 hours, began in 2015 when the county took over two suburban jails, reducing the number of correction officers at the downtown facility, Klak told The Associated Press. During red zoning, one corrections officer might be required to keep watch on as many as four housing units while the prescribed staffing plan is one officer for each unit, Klak said.

"This didn't evolve in a couple of months or a couple of years," he said.

During the latest state inspection on Nov. 6, there were 2,202 inmates in a facility meant to hold 1,765.

Both state and federal inspectors said prolonged lockdowns deprive prisoners of access to showers, recreation, educational and substance abuse programs, family visits and conferences with their attorneys.

The state inspection report found juveniles housed with adults; temperatures between 52 and 60 degrees in housing units, menus developed without regard for special dietary or religious needs, showers infested with insects and unsanitary conditions in food service areas.

David Fathi, director of the ACLU's national prison project, said he wasn't aware of problems at the Cuyahoga County jail. He said the ACLU is involved in litigation over conditions at a number of large urban jails, including Maricopa County in Arizona, Broward County in Florida and Baltimore's city jail.

The Justice Department this month asked its inspector general to investigate conditions at a federal lockup in New York City where prisoners were forced to live without heat or electricity during frigid weather over a weeklong period earlier this year.

Civil rights lawsuits filed by jail prisoners claiming mistreatment prompted Ohio's Montgomery County, which includes Dayton, to hire consultants who detailed jail overcrowding and staffing problems there last summer.

The ACLU's Fathi said there are thousands of local jails in the U.S. that largely operate with no oversight or outside supervision.

"Some are well run and protect detainees' health safety and human dignity," he said. "And there other jails with truly Third World levels of squalor and misery."

Source: Fox News National

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NFL notebook: TE Eifert returns to Bengals

NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons
Sep 30, 2018; Atlanta GA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert (85) is carted off the field with an injury early in the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/The Cincinnati Enquirer via USA TODAY NETWORK

March 17, 2019

Injury-plagued tight end Tyler Eifert is re-signing with the Cincinnati Bengals, he announced on Twitter on Saturday. Eifert is signing a one-year contract, according to multiple reports.

Eifert, a product of Notre Dame, was the No. 21 overall selection by the Bengals in 2013 and played 15 games that season. Since then, he has only reached double-digit games in a season once.

That was 2015, when he scored 13 touchdowns in 13 games. He made the Pro Bowl that year, but an ankle injury in that game limited his action the following season.

Eifert, 28, has had season-ending surgery each of the past three seasons. In 2018, it was a broken ankle suffered in Week 4 that sent him to injured reserve.

–The Oakland Raiders released veteran left tackle Donald Penn in what was called a mutual decision.

Penn, who turns 36 next month, indicated that he wants to return for a 13th NFL season elsewhere in 2019.

Penn missed 12 games with a groin injury in 2018 and was slated to count $7.2 million against Oakland’s salary cap this season.

–New Orleans Saints center Max Unger retired in a surprising development, multiple outlets reported.

Unger, who turns 33 next month, completed his 10th NFL season and earned his third Pro Bowl selection in 2018. He had one year left on a three-year, $22 million contract and was set to earn $5.1 million in base salary in 2019.

Unger started 130 regular-season and 12 postseason games with the Seattle Seahawks (2009-14) and Saints (2015-18).

–When suspended Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman David Irving shared a post — in which he appeared to be smoking marijuana — on Instagram and announced his retirement last week, it was with coach Jason Garrett’s encouragement, he said.

“He told me I should just quit, smoke all the weed I want, the team didn’t need me,” Irving told USA Today in an interview. “I’m a distraction to the team.”

Irving said he suffers from mental illnesses that he attributes to football and that players should have the option to treat their ailments with cannabis.

“People need to understand I’m not doing this — I didn’t quit football to smoke weed,” Irving said. “That would be idiotic. I understand that. … It’s about wellness, about rights. People need to understand that.”

–The Jacksonville Jaguars stayed busy in free agency, announcing the signings of wide receiver Chris Conley and offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi. Contract terms for the two players were not announced.

Conley, 26, played for the Kansas City Chiefs over his first four seasons, making 104 catches for 1,238 yards and six touchdowns. He emerged as a scoring target for Patrick Mahomes last season, catching 32 passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns.

Ogbuehi, 26, started 25 of 35 games over his first four seasons, all with the Cincinnati Bengals, but appeared in just two games last season.

–New head coach Bruce Arians is bringing a familiar face to Tampa Bay, with the Buccaneers signing offensive lineman Earl Watford to a one-year deal.

Watford, who spent last season with the Cleveland Browns, was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2013 and spent his first five seasons playing for Arians.

Watford, 28, has played both guard spots and right tackle over his NFL career, which spans 55 games and 22 starts. Financial terms of his deal were not disclosed.

–Field Level Media

Source: OANN

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Eddie Gallagher case: Republicans call on Navy to review treatment of SEAL being held on war crimes charges

Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw and 17 other House Republicans sent a letter to the Secretary of the Navy this week urging him to review the pre-trial confinement of Eddie Gallagher amid concerns the decorated Navy SEAL has been receiving limited access to food, medical care and his legal team, Crenshaw's office exclusively told Fox News.

The message comes as Gallagher – accused of killing an injured ISIS prisoner of war in Iraq, amongst other charges – has passed the 6-month mark of detention at Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar in California. He is not expected to emerge until the start of his war crimes trial on May 28.

“Chief Gallagher is a decorated warfighter who, like all service members, is entitled to the presumption of innocence while awaiting court-martial,” the Republicans wrote in their letter to Richard Spencer. “We have received reports that Chief Gallagher’s access to counsel and access to food and medical care may have been restricted. As a result, we respectfully request that you review the Navy policies governing pretrial confinement for Chief Gallagher and other service members to ensure compliance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”

NAVY SEAL'S BROTHER, WIFE, SAY 'DIRTY GAMES' BY GOVERNMENT LED TO POSTPONEMENT OF GALLAGHER'S TRIAL

The letter was signed by Crenshaw, Mac Thornberry (Texas), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Kelly Armstrong (N. D.), Jim Banks (Ind.), Paul Cook (Calif.), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Jody Hice (Ga.), French Hill (Ark.), Brian Mast (Fla.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Pete Olson (Texas), Guy Reschenthaler (Pa.), Austin Scott (Ga.), Greg Steube (Fla.), Van Taylor (Texas) and Michael Waltz (Fla.).

A Navy spokesperson told Fox News he hadn’t heard of the letter, but the “Navy has nothing to add." The spokesperson previously has declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing legal proceedings.

Gallagher, 39, is facing premeditated murder and aggravated assault charges stemming from the alleged killing of the ISIS prisoner and alleged instances of him intentionally firing sniper rounds at civilians.

During his 19 years of service, Gallagher earned the Bronze Star with V for Valor twice, a Meritorious Unit commendation, and a trio of Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals -- among other recognitions and decorations.

He fought in Iraq and Afghanistan several times, reaching the status of what his brother Sean described as a “modern-day war hero” in a past interview with "Fox & Friends." But it was during Gallagher’s last combat deployment in 2017 he lost his way, prosecutors say, and reportedly “decided to act like the monster the terrorists accuse us of being.”

The concerns in the Republicans’ letter echo statements made by Gallagher’s brother Sean in a February op-ed published by Fox News, in which he implores President Trump to “review Eddie’s case, reunite him with his family, and place him back on the front lines where he belongs."

Sean Gallagher wrote that his brother is “confined with a population of convicted sex offenders, routinely denied access to his lawyers, medical appointments, and visits with his fellow soldiers."

He added: “The brig where he’s confined begins to isolate him because of all the attention he’s getting."

The Republicans, in their letter, also say “Chief Gallagher and other pretrial service members are intermingled with convicts who have been tried at court-martial, found guilty and sentenced to confinement.”

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They conclude by asking Spencer to weigh whether Gallagher should be held at Miramar – or somewhere else.

“We therefore request that you review the underlying reasons for co-locating pretrial and post-trial confinees at Consolidated Brig Miramar and whether the current arrangement fundamentally disadvantages Chief Gallagher and other pre-trial service members,” they said. “Furthermore, we request that you consider whether other locations are more appropriate for pretrial confinement.”

Source: Fox News National

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Country stars shine in Vegas at Academy of Country Music awards

54th Academy of Country Music Awards- Show - Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
54th Academy of Country Music Awards- Show - Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 7, 2019 - Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn present the entertainer of the year award to Keith Urban. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

April 8, 2019

By Chris Michaud

(Reuters) – Country music royalty turned out in force on Sunday for a glittering night of live performances and honors at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music awards.

Host Reba McEntire, marking a record 16th time in the job, wasted no time in addressing one of the evening’s touchy subjects – the lack of women nominees in some top categories.

Noting recent snow in Las Vegas, where the awards were held in a live, performance-heavy broadcast, McEntire quipped “it was so cold it froze us women out of entertainer of the year.”

Grammy award album of the year winner Kacey Musgraves was glaringly absent from the all-male nominees top category.

The honor went to Keith Urban, whose wife actress Nicole Kidman appeared genuinely shocked at his win.

But Musgraves took home both the album of the year and female artist of the year awards.

Accepting the latter, Musgraves said “I’m so thankful for the chance to share my political perspective,” dedicating the award to women who felt pressure to silence themselves.

And women ruled the MGM Grand Garden Arena stage as Chrissy Metz, of hit NBC show “This Is Us,” made her live TV performance debut, alongside country stars Lauren Alaina, Mickey Guyton and Maddie & Tae for a stirring rendition of “I’m Standing With You.”

Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line opened the show with a rousing performance of “Can’t Hide Red,” but some on social media took offense to Tyler Hubbard’s American flag suit, branding it a “disgrace” besmirching a sacrosanct national symbol.

Dan + Shay scored three straight early wins, for song of the year and single of the year for “Tequila,” also winning duo of the year.

Male artist of the year went to Thomas Rhett.

The star-laden three-hour show marked an upbeat return to celebrating country music after last year’s awards assumed a somber note following the October 2017 mass shooting, also in Las Vegas, that killed 58 people at a country music festival.

Aldean, who was performing when shooting broke out, received the ACM artist of the decade award.

Other A-list country stars performing included Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Urban, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, McEntire and George Strait.

(Editing by Michael Perry)

Source: OANN

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Trump Tweets He Has Not Read Mueller Report

President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had not read Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report investigating contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia.

"I have not read the Mueller Report yet, even though I have every right to do so," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Only know the conclusions, and on the big one, No Collusion."

Source: NewsMax Politics

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Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner said Tuesday that a detailed plan for a merit-based immigration system will be presented to President Trump, giving priority to skilled immigrants rather than those with family ties to the U.S.

“I do believe that the president’s position on immigration has been maybe defined by his opponents by what he’s against as opposed to what he’s for,” Kushner said at the Time 100 Summit in New York City. “What I’ve done is I’ve tried to put together a very detailed proposal for him.”

KUSHNER: RUSSIA INVESTIGATION HAD ‘HARSHER IMPACT’ ON US THAN ELECTION MEDDLING

Kushner announced that the new immigration proposal, which Trump will receive this week or next, will resemble the point-based systems in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and will unify people by ensuring strong wages and secure borders while protecting humanitarian values.

“We want to protect our country’s humanitarian values. We want to make sure we’re reunifying families, and we want to do this in a way that allows our country to be competitive long term,” he said. “And my hope is we can really do something that unifies people around what we’re for on immigration.”

“We want to protect our country’s humanitarian values. We want to make sure we’re reunifying families, and we want to do this in a way that allows our country to be competitive long term. And my hope is we can really do something that unifies people around what we’re for on immigration.”

— Jared Kushner

JARED KUSHNER RESPONDS AFTER HASAN MINHAJ CALLS OUT HIS TIES TO SAUDI PRINCE

Kushner denied in the same talk that he has clashed with White House staffer Stephen Miller, who’s seen as tougher on immigration than others, adding that the plan was concocted with the help of Miller and Kevin Hassett, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.

“And I say that If that if I can get Stephen Miller and Kevin Hassett to agree on an immigration plan, then Middle East peace will be easy by comparison,” Kushner joked, referring to the Israel-Palestine peace plan he’s working on.

“And I say that If that if I can get Stephen Miller and Kevin Hassett to agree on an immigration plan, then Middle East peace will be easy by comparison.”

— Jared Kushner

After the plan gets presented to Trump, it will likely undergo some changes and then he will decide when to proceed with it, Kushner said.

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“It’s very, very complicated, but it’s a very interesting issue, and if we can solve it, I do think it’s a critical component for America’s long-term competitive advantage,” he added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday said his government must make men aware of the dangers of poor hygiene after expressing dismay over the 1,000 penis amputations that apparently occur in his country each year.

“In Brazil, we have 1,000 penis amputations a year due to a lack of water and soap,” he said while speaking to reporters in Brasilia after visiting the Education Ministry. “We have to find a way to get out of the bottom of this hole.”

The far-right leader called the figure “ridiculous and sad,” Reuters reported. A spokeswoman for the Brazilian urology society told the news agency the number is based on its official data for penis amputations.

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The amputations were conducted out of necessity over untreated infections, along with complications from HIV and various cancers, she said.

Source: Fox News World

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A top Russian diplomat says Russia is willing to negotiate a new nuclear weapons treaty with the United States and China.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Friday Moscow is closely following reports in the United States that the U.S. would like to reach a nuclear weapons deal with both Russia and China, and is “willing” to negotiate. The story was reported by CNN earlier Friday.

Ryabkov also said that Russia “would like to convince” the U.S. to adopt a joint statement that would condemn any use of nuclear weapons.

Ryabkov’s comments come just months after the U.S. withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a cornerstone of the post-Cold War security, and Russia followed suit. Each claims breaches by the other.

Source: Fox News National

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Government dysfunction and an intelligence failure that preceded the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka are traced to simmering divisions between the president and prime minister after a weekslong political crisis that crippled the country last year.

The government has admitted to a “lapse of intelligence” after officials failed to act upon near-specific information received from foreign agencies. Suicide bombers exploded themselves last Sunday in three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 253 people and wounding 400 more. Authorities said eight Muslim militants blew themselves up at their targets while the wife of one of the attackers blasted herself on being rounded up by police.

The carnage has brought forth arguments that worshippers and holidaymakers fell victim to the rivalry and a lack of communication between the country’s two leaders — President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Cabinet led by Wickremesinghe says neither he nor his ministers were informed of the intelligence received by the defense authorities. Sirisena is the head of state, defense minister, minister in charge of the police and head of the armed forces. He also chairs the National Security Council, which includes the heads of security agencies and departments. Traditionally the prime minister also plays an important role on the council.

According to Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne, Sirisena has not included Wickremesinghe in national security affairs since a dispute between them came into the open in October last year. This is an unusual departure from the protocol, he said.

Senaratne said that Sirisena was overseas when the attacks took place and even after that, the National Security Council refused to meet with Wickremesinghe as he tried to give them instructions.

Sirisena has also said that he was not informed of the intelligence received and vowed to overhaul the leadership of the defense forces.

The top bureaucrat at the Defense Ministry, Hemasiri Fernando, has resigned at Sirisena’s insistence.

“It is a major factor,” said Jehan Perera, the head of local activist group National Peace Council, referring to the alleged lack of coordination between the leaders contributing to the failure to prevent the attacks.

“The primary responsibility has to be taken by the president, he did not give the information and he did not act,” Perera said. “He had the Ministry of Defense, took the police from the prime minister, chaired the National Security Council meetings and did nothing,” Perera said.

Kusal Perera, a journalist and political commentator, says security and intelligence officials should have acted on the information whether or not they received orders from politicians.

“If they (Wickremesinghe and his party) were not invited to the National Security Council, why did not they say in Parliament that they were not responsible for the security of the country any longer,” said Perera, who is not related to Jehan Perera.

“Saying that now is taking political advantage, not taking responsibility,” he said.

Sirisena and Wickremesinghe belong to different political parties but came together for Sirisena’s presidential campaign in 2015. Their relationships broke down and their differences exploded last year when Sirisena suddenly sacked Wickremesinghe as prime minister and appointed in his place former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, whom he defeated in the presidential election. The crisis crippled the country for more than seven weeks to the point of not being able to pass this year’s national budget on time.

A court decision compelled Sirisena to reappoint Wickremesinghe, but the two leaders have been rivals within the same government.

Rajapaksa, who is the minority leader in Parliament, blames the government for weakening intelligence and dropping its guard, which he had maintained to defeat the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels 10 years ago to end the 26-year-old civil war. He also criticized the government for the detention of intelligence officers accused of extrajudicial killings and abductions during the closing days of the war, which he said crippled the security apparatus before the bombings. According to conservative U.N estimates, some 100,000 people were killed in Sri Lanka’s conflict.

Sirisena summoned an all-party conference Thursday to which Wickremesinghe was also invited. At the conference, Sirisena stressed “setting aside all the political beliefs and difference (so that) everybody should collectively commit towards building a peaceful environment within the country,” a statement from his office said.

“It is not a secret that the disagreements between me and the government aggravated over the past two years,” Sirisena told the country’s media executives Friday. “One of the reasons for that is weakening of military intelligence and arresting military officials unnecessarily and my speaking up against it within and outside the government.”

Jehan Perera said that the security threat could prove politically advantageous to Rajapaksa and his family, with a presidential election scheduled at the end of this year. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, a younger brother of Mahinda, was the powerful defense secretary during his brother’s reign and has expressed his interest to join the contest.

“People are saying we want a stronger leader and they are talking about Gotabhaya. It (the blasts) has worked to their benefit,” Perera said.

Source: Fox News World

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Cyprus police are intensifying a search for the remains of more victims at locations where an army officer, who authorities say admitted to killing five women and two girls, allegedly had dumped their bodies.

Police said Friday’s search will concentrate on a military firing range, a reservoir and a man-made lake near an abandoned mine approximately 32 kilometers (20 miles) west of the capital Nicosia.

On Thursday, the 35-year-old suspect told investigators that he had killed four more people than he had previously admitted to. All the suspect’s alleged victims are foreign nationals.

Police have already found the bodies of a 38-year-old Filipino woman and two as yet unidentified women.

Search crews are now looking for the daughter of the 38-year-old, a Romanian mother and daughter and another Filipino woman.

Source: Fox News World

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