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Egypt: Archaeologists uncover ancient tomb with mummies

Egypt says archaeologists have uncovered an ancient tomb with mummies believed to date back about 2,000 years in the southern city of Aswan.

The Antiquities Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the tomb is from the Greco-Roman period, which began with Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.

It is located near one of Aswan's landmarks, the Mausoleum of Aga Khan, who lobbied for Muslim rights in India and who was buried there after his death in 1957.

The statement said archaeologists found artifacts, including decorated masks, statuettes, vases, coffin fragments and cartonnages — chunks of linen or papyrus glued together.

Egypt often announces new discoveries, hoping to spur the country's tourism sector, which has suffered major setbacks during the turmoil following the 2011 uprising against autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Source: Fox News World

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Winds of change will never blow away Augusta tradition, says chairman

LPGA: Augusta National Women's Amateur - Final Round
Apr 6, 2019; Augusta, GA, USA; Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley during the awards presentation of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament at Augusta National GC. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

April 10, 2019

By Steve Keating

AUGUSTA, Ga. (Reuters) – The winds of change continued to blow through Augusta National on Wednesday but chairman Fred Ridley made it clear that some things will never alter at the home of the Masters.

While tradition remains the bedrock of one of the world’s most exclusive clubs, Augusta National is willing to embrace new ideas when it suits as it did last week when hosting a first women’s tournament.

More changes, big and small, in both attitude and design are on the horizon.

Much of the talk coming into the year’s first major has centered on tweaks to the fifth hole, which has been stretched 40 yards with the potential to be the most difficult on the iconic layout.

While the course has undergone almost continuous renovations, some holes will never change, such as Amen Corner which Ridley declared a “sacred place”.

Outside the Augusta National walls, however, there are no such concerns.

The club has spent hundreds of millions of dollars gobbling up land for a new mega-project — building a digital broadcast compound that will require the construction of a tunnel under Washington Road — that Ridley described as the first of its kind in the State of Georgia.

“As we state every year, we’re bound to a tradition of constant improvement,” said Ridley during the chairman’s annual address. “We maintain (former club and tournament chairman) Mr. Roberts’ philosophy that nothing stands still.”

In contrast to Ridley’s forward thinking, time has often appeared to stand still at Augusta National, which did not welcome its first woman member until seven years ago.

Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and opened for play in January 1933, there were no mobile phones then and none are allowed on the property now.

Billy Payne, the previous Augusta chairman, said smartphones would never be welcome on the course as long as he was in charge and Ridley, who took over as the top man in 2017, sees no reason to change that policy.

The zero-tolerance mobile phone policy is one that Augusta National zealously monitors.

Anyone caught on the grounds with a cell phone is removed and there have been reports of offenders having their badge privileges revoked for life.

“I think our patrons appreciate our cell phone policy,” said Ridley. “I know that we have now become an outlier, if not the only outlier in golf, as well, at allowing cell phones.

“I don’t believe that’s a policy that anyone should expect is going to change in the near future, if ever.

“I can’t speak for future chairmen, but speaking for myself, I think we got that right.”

Manners and golf etiquette, which have slowly disappeared from many other tournaments, will also never go out of style at Augusta National, Ridley said.

No running, no pictures, no laying down on the grass and certainly no boorish or ill-timed comments are tolerated.

“We encourage our patrons to exhibit proper decorum,” said Ridley. “It’s right on the pairing sheet.

“There’s a great quote from Bobby Jones about that, and the importance of good behavior and how distressing it is for someone to applaud a bad shot, which you do hear from time to time at other places.

“There’s something about Augusta National when someone walks through the gates, they know that it’s a place of respect, of beauty, and honoring traditions and values of the game.”

(Editing by Toby Davis)

Source: OANN

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Call to Action: March 2 – Human Wall of Patriots on Border to Support Trump’s Emergency Declaration

BEGINNING SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019, STAND ON THE BORDER IN DEFENSE OF THIS NATION, STAND IN SUPPORT OF A WALL, STAND IN SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY, AND STAND IN SUPPORT OF HIM DEPLOYING THE MILITARY EN MASS TO STOP THE INVASION OF OUR NATION!

This is essentially a Trump rally on the border!   But with a specific focus on border security and the side benefit of sending a strong message to the cartels that we, the American people, will defend our nation.  

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ Then said I, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ (Isaiah 6:8 KJV).

UPDATE: This is a call to action issued by Oath Keepers, but Bikers for Trump has also joined in with their full support, and they are now a co-sponsor of this event.  I have also reached out to Latinos for Trump and hope they will join in as well.  If your group would like to jump on as a participant, supporter or co-sponsor, please contact us.  [email protected]

Oath Keepers and all other like minded patriots, you are  called to action beginning Saturday, March 2, 2019 to stand along the border with Mexico to show your support for President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to BUILD THE WALL!

Come to the Rio Grande just South of Eagle Pass, TX to help send a clear message to Pelosi, Schumer and all of Congress that the crisis is not made up and that true American Patriots demand the wall NOW. Tell the world we are fed up with the crap spewing from the main-stream media and the open borders liberal left (and from the open border RINO’s too). We are fed up with the cartel orchestrated crime, human trafficking, sex slavery, terrorism, rape, and murder committed not just along the border, but also inflicted on the the entire USA. It must end!  We will stand guard and live /camp out of our vehicles spread along TX1021 south of the intersection with TX2644 (just South of Eagle Pass), going south toward Laredo.

This will be an ongoing operation, so if you can’t be there on the kickoff date, jump in as soon as you can.   You can spend a day, a couple days, a week, or as long as you like with us.   Bring friends! Updates will be posted on this website and on our Facebook and Twitter pages.


The President is now focused on the southern border after declaring a national emergency, but the Democrats are determined to stop him by any means necessary.
NOTE:  We are kicking this off in Texas (God bless Texas!), just South of Eagle Pass, but we will also announce locations in the other border states – CA, AZ, NM – over the next few days where Americans can also rally in support of the President.

KICKOFF DATE:  Saturday, March 2, 2019

TIME:  High Noon.

Location:  Rally point at Intersection of TX1021 and TX 2644  (just south of Eagle Pass, TX).  We will deploy roadside to the south along Texas Highway 1021 (aka El Indio Highway), with our vehicles facing the border.

Given the just announced surge in illegal crossings in Eagle Pass, after Mexico closed the shelter for the caravan on the other side of the border, and given the reality that MS-13 gang members are in that caravan, we are starting in the Eagle Pass area to help defend against this invasion.

(Rally points in other states will be announced shortly.)

Again, this will be an ongoing operation, lasting as long as Americans are willing to come stand with us.  Join Oath Keepers, Bikers for Trump, and other patriotic Americans on the border!  You are welcome to join us for up to a week or however long you can spare.

To RSVP for the Texas operation, email us at:  [email protected]

To volunteer to help in California, email us at:  [email protected]

For Arizona, email us at: [email protected]

For New Mexico, email us at: [email protected]

If you cannot participate in person we will miss you. Please consider making a donation to Oath Keepers to defray our costs associated with this operation to help fund those who can show up.

We will stand in a “human wall” of patriots to show our support and to help deter illegal entry into our nation.  Drug mules, human traffickers, criminals, terrorists, etc. WILL be deterred by your presence!  If women and children approach claiming asylum, we will call border patrol and let them handle it.  We will issue our more detailed ROEs and protocols to you when you arrive.  We want only calm, cool, collected patriots.  No hot-heads. Remember, the eyes of the nation and the world will be on you, and your behavior will reflect on all of us, and on the President.  So come ready to be professional but resolute!

We encourage you to bring a section of orange plastic fencing (comes in rolls) to hold up along with other volunteers.   Like this:

Call to Action: March 2 - Human Wall of Patriots on Border to Support Trump's Emergency Declaration

We also encourage you to bring American flags, Texas flags, or the state flag of wherever you are from, military branch flags, Don’t Tread on Me flags, “Come and Take It” Gonzalez flags, Oath Keepers and Bikers for Trump flags, etc.

Remember, many American patriots from all over the United States answered the call to stand at the Alamo, from as far away as New England.   Be likewise.  Come stand with Texans today.

White nationalists, Neo-Nazis, or other racial discrimination focused groups are NOT welcome at this rally in support of the President.  Go somewhere else if that is your mindset.   At least 1/4 of the Trump supporters at the recent Trump rally in El Paso were Hispanic-American patriots, and we expect to see many of them again at our event.  If you are a white-nationalist, you will not be in good company to say the least.

This is not about race.  It is about preserving our sovereignty, our American culture of individual liberty under our Constitution and laws, preserving to each state a republican form of government, preventing the socialist/communist takeover of America, and preventing the cartels and their illegal alien allies from spreading their crime, terror, and slavery.

And in Texas, it is also about preserving the great state and Republic of Texas, which was born in fire and blood (of both Tejanos and Anglos – TEXANS ALL!).  Texas WILL remain free and will never be a socialist state!

SPECIAL NOTE TO TEXANS:  

Texans, the eyes of the nation are upon you, just as they were back in 1835.  Does the spirit of the Alamo still beat in your hearts?   If so, you need to saddle up and ride to the border to stand together, to show not just the nation, but also your Governor and your state legislature that you INSIST on the wall being built and your border with Mexico secured, and that you are willing to serve in defense of your state and nation.

Call to Action: March 2 - Human Wall of Patriots on Border to Support Trump's Emergency Declaration

Remember the Alamo!  Remember Their Spirit and Sacrifice.  Don’t Let it Be in Vain.  

Texans, as you stand on the border, you need to urge Governor Abbot to act decisively as the Governor of Texas and declare an emergency of his own here in Texas (or otherwise act as the commander in chief in Texas), and deploy all available state military and law enforcement assist to the border.    He has the Texas National Guard, as well as the Texas Guard (state defense force) and his LEO assets.   He needs to use them to the utmost extent of his power.  By doing so, he backs President Trump in a way that will strengthen his position in both the federal Courts and in the court of public opinion.   President Trump can then point out that the Governor of Texas agrees that this is an emergency.

And Texans, you need to urge your legislature and your Governor to get behind, support, pass, and sign TX Rep. Kyle Biedermann’s bill for Texas to fund and build its own border wall.  Texas needs to step up so President Trump is not standing alone, and so Texas defends itself.   May the spirit of the Alamo never die!

Jesus Christ tells us (John 10:1 NIV) that: “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were the lawyers and ruling class of Israel. We will send the unmistakable message to our leaders and all foreign invaders (criminals, drug cartels and human traffickers) that entry to our “sheep pen” must be by legal means through the port of entry “gate”. “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people making widows of their prey and robbing the fatherless.” (Isaiah 10:1-2 NIV)

As the great American patriot Teddy Roosevelt said, we value and respect those who want to accept our culture and seek to be Americans, but we reject those who refuse to assimilate and refuse to adopt the American creed.   We also reject those who come only to steal, pillage and rape.  And we further reject those traitors to America who assist illegal aliens. We are the sheepdogs who assist the Good Shepherd and protect our sheep from the wolves who seek to devour us. The Apostle John tells us (1 John 3:16 NIV): “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Shall We Gather at the River

Robert Lowry

Shall we gather at the river,

Where bright angel feet have trod,

With its crystal tide forever

Flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,

The beautiful, the beautiful river;

Gather with the saints at the river

That flows by the throne of God.

Come to the river prepared to live out of your vehicle along the side of a road. This mission is not without risk. Criminals, along with human traffickers and drug traffickers avoid ports of entry and they often carry weapons. They cross the river in the evening and move quickly inland overnight avoiding detection by CBP, DPS and local law enforcement located close to the river. We will be “the wall” that disrupts their ability to move overnight to locations 20 or more miles inland where they are picked up and transported further inland to San Antonio and other cities to prey on our citizens. The critical time of vigilance will be from sunset to sunrise. Although we pray it is not necessary to use them, bring your weapons and personal protective equipment. Carrying and use of firearms must be legal according to Texas law. Not only must we be concerned about the foreign invaders, but we can also expect protestors who oppose Trump’s wall. Some protestors could be violent.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ (Isaiah 6:8 NIV) We ask that volunteers arrive at the intersection of TX1021 and TX2644 beginning at noon on Saturday 2 March. We will  have a sign-in sheet of all who participate in order to have an accurate headcount. Rules of engagement with illegal aliens and protestors will be provided at check-in.

Again, if you cannot participate in person, please consider making a donation to Oath Keepers to defray our costs associated with this operation.  Every donation helps, and many hands make light work!

We would also love to have you as a member of Oath Keepers!  Remember, you don’t need to be prior service military, police, or first responder to join.  You can join even if you are simply a patriotic American who loves your country and supports the Constitution.  Join now while we have membership deals and also drawings for prizes.  The more members we have, the stronger we are, and the more we can do.  Join today!

We look forward to seeing you on the border.

For the Republic, and God bless,

Stewart Rhodes

Founder of Oath Keepers

U.S. Army Airborne veteran, Yale Law School graduate

Source: InfoWars

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Arizona woman, daughter accused of killing family matriarch

A body found in a central Arizona home Tuesday is believed to be that of a 77-year-old woman who may have been dead since 2017 and her daughter and granddaughter both have been arrested on suspicion of murder and other charges, police said.

Police arrested Tara Aven, 46, and Briar Aven, 24, after finding what they suspect is the body of Sandra Aven in her home.

The mother and daughter are suspected of cashing numerous checks sent to Sandra Aven for several years, according to police.

They said the two women have been booked into the Yavapai County Jail on suspicion of fraud schemes and evidence tampering. Tara Aven is also accused of facilitation of first-degree murder.

It was unclear Tuesday night if either woman had a lawyer yet.

Police reported receiving a call from a Prescott resident who said he hadn't seen Sandra Aven for a long time and was worried about her welfare.

Tara Aven and her daughter live next door to Sandra Aven and were questioned about her whereabouts.

Briar Aven initially told officers that her grandmother was out of town and unavailable, police said.

After the women gave inconsistent information, officers entered Sandra Aven's home to check on her.

They found the body, but police said it hasn't been positively identified yet and there was no information on a possible cause of death.

Source: Fox News National

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New England Patriots Owner Arrested for Role in Human Trafficking

Spread the love

According to CBS 4 in Boston:

Police said Kraft was involved in two incidents in the last month at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter and there is video evidence of both showing the Patriots owner in the act. Kraft is one of 25 people who will be charged by Jupiter Police in this specific bust.

The incidents are part of a larger crackdown on human trafficking and prostitution at several spas in the West Palm Beach area. Kraft faces two misdemeanor charges of soliciting another for prostitution. Police said they are in the process of issuing an arrest warrant in the case.

Once the warrant is issued, Kraft will get a summons in the mail to appear in court.  He could face up to a year in jail, probation or fines.

However, a spokesman for Mr. Kraft “categorically denied” that the longtime NFL owner had engaged in any “illegal activity:”

Additional reports claim that the police not only possess surveillance video of Kraft. They also claim to have video of Kraft “in the act.”

The investigation, of which Kraft is allegedly a part, is part of an ongoing police investigation stretching back over the course of several months.

Kraft has been the Patriots owner for the last 25 years. During that time, New England has been to ten Super Bowls and won six of them.

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Smart Tech in New Homes Can Provide Savings, Convenience

Recently released numbers from the U.S. Department of Commerce show that new home sales were up 4.9% this past February, in the midst of a thriving real estate market — and it’s a good time for new property owners. That’s because today’s recent construction is more likely to be fully equipped with smart home technology and that can bring real savings. From smart thermostats to leak detection technology, home ownership is more sustainable and affordable than ever before.

Built-in smart home technology is not only a money saver, but it’s also a purchase incentive. According to research, 81% of homeowners would be more inclined to buy a house with these devices already installed. This is a sign of growing acceptance among American homeowners as such devices become more familiar, as well as being associated with the increase in millennials purchasing their first homes.

Affordable Upgrades

It’s important to be clear: not all smart technology saves homeowners money. Home security, for example, may occasionally earn homeowners insurance credits, but in most cases, it’s a cumulative cost with few financial advantages, while voice-controlled speakers may actually lead to reckless spending. Smart LED lighting and thermostats, on the other hand, are affordable options with sizeable savings potential and wide appeal.

Just how much savings do these basic upgrades promise? According to the property management experts at Green Residential, who manage a variety of homes and apartments across the Houston, Texas area, a basic smart thermostat saves homeowners between $131 and $145 per year. LED lights, on the other hand, save owners more as the number in use grows. Each will save owners $13 a year on average, but the average homeowner has at least five lights that can be converted to LED, and likely many more.

Sensing Serious Risks

While LED lights and smart thermostats are affordable options, even for those seeking to upgrade older homes, new construction offers more advanced and complicated options not ordinarily available. Just recently, Semtech announced new radio frequency technology that monitors changes in humidity and temperature to identify invisible water leaks.

In the past, such leaks could cause serious structural damage before they became visible to the naked eye, as well as fostering mold growth. By identifying leaks before they progress, however, this new technology can save homeowners the cost of major repairs and renovations.

Additional Savings

Smart home technology provides savings through cumulative changes, much as any sustainability efforts do, but having that technology pre-installed is where homeowners achieve the biggest savings.

According to HomeAdvisor, it costs an average of $189 to install a new smart home appliance, which means it will take over a year to recoup the costs of the average device. Depending on how disruptive that installation process is, this can be a deterrent to homeowners.

When smart home devices are preinstalled in new construction, the homes typically don’t cost more — the new technology simply displaces old technology - but the savings begin to accrue immediately. Homeowners are saved the disruption, but also the added cost of purchasing and installing these tools.

Time Is Money

Finally, while smart home devices provide clear financial savings, they’re also tools of convenience and, as the saying goes, time is money. By automating an array of tasks, smart appliances save homeowners time, with an average estimate of thirty minutes a day. While that’s not much on any individual day, over the course of a week, that’s three and a half hours of time that can be committed to other activities, along with added peace of mind, and increased sustainability.

In the next few years, the majority of homes on the market, whether new construction or older, renovated homes, will be expected to contain at least basic smart home devices — it will be the only way to compete. That’s good news for buyers, tech companies, and the environment, a rare advance in which benefits accrue to all participants.

Larry Alton is a professional blogger, writer, and researcher. A graduate of Iowa State University, he's now a full-time freelance writer and business consultant.Currently, Larry writes for Entrepreneur.com, Inc.com, and Forbes.com, among others. In addition to journalism, technical writing and in-depth research, he’s also active in his community and spends weekends volunteering with a local non-profit literacy organization and rock climbing. Follow him on Twitter (@LarryAlton3), at LinkedIn.com/in/larryalton, and on his website, LarryAlton.com. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.

Source: NewsMax America

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Watch the game or have a pint? World Cup fans may face a choice

FILE PHOTO - England v Japan
FILE PHOTO - Rugby Union - England v Japan - Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, Britain - November 17, 2018 Japan fans inside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

February 20, 2019

By Jack Tarrant

TOKYO (Reuters) – When an estimated 400,000 rugby fans descend on Japan later this year for the Rugby World Cup, finding a place to quench their thirst will not be a problem. Finding a bar to watch the game, however, could be.

Government figures show that while Tokyo has 217 bars per 100,000 people, the majority are ‘izakayas’, informal Japanese-style pubs where customers sit on the floor, at tables or at the bar to eat, drink and chat.

Watching live sport at an izakaya would be an alien concept to many and several of these establishments told Reuters they had no intention of screening games during the Sept. 20 to Nov. 2 rugby showpiece.

Hiroshi Matthews, who spent much of his childhood in Australia, says he loves not having the distraction of live sport blaring from a television when he is out with friends.

“I like that we meet in izakayas just to talk and don’t have to worry about people shouting at the television or listening to the commentary,” he said on a night out with three friends.

“I am a big basketball fan but I prefer to watch games at home, where I can fully concentrate on them.”

While some businesses are sticking their heads in the sand, others are rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of cashing in on one of world sport’s biggest events.

A study commissioned by Japan Rugby 2019 last year predicted the tournament could deliver nearly 216.6 billion JPY ($1.9 billion) of additive value to the Japanese economy.

Tsuyoshi Ohta, the president of a nationwide chain of British-style pubs that regularly show international sport, said ‘Hub’ had learned from Japan’s experience during the football World Cup in 2002 and that their 107 venues across the country were taking steps to prepare for the influx of rugby fans.

“We found that foreigners drink in the daytime, not like us who drink at night, usually at izakaya-style bars,” Ohta told Reuters in an interview. “We don’t have that kind of culture.

“So we have decided to open the store from noon and we would like to offer a casual setting for people to drink from lunchtime.”

Ohta also highlighted figures that showed Hub venues make 80 percent of their sales on drinks while at izakayas that figure is only 40 percent.

In preparation for the seven-week tournament, Hub has encouraged their staff to join an English language program and is opening a new venue just for the tournament in Fukuoka, which will host three World Cup matches, said Ohta.

A TURNING POINT

While football World Cups are often marred by fan violence, the rugby equivalent typically passes off without major incident and Ohta said there was a clear difference in the atmosphere at Hubs during the screening of the sports.

“Fans who come and watch rugby games are, in general, gentlemen and they are more likely to clap their opponents too. I don’t see that kind of scenario during soccer games,” said Ohta.

“I have seen a lot of people come to watch rugby games and I realised they are gentlemen. So, how they drink will be gentle as well.

“I am not really worried about bad behavior as much as I was when we have the soccer games.”

By bringing the Rugby World Cup to Asia for the first time, those at the top of the game hope it will ignite interest in the sport across the world’s most populous continent and open up new revenue streams.

Some 25 million people in Japan watched their Brave Blossoms team play against Samoa at the 2015 World Cup but World Rugby hope to smash that record at the 2019 tournament.

Establishing a Super Rugby team in Tokyo, the Sunwolves, was another move aimed at gaining a foothold in a potentially lucrative market and some fans think the World Cup could have a huge impact on not just the sport but how people enjoy it.

“It could change how people want to watch sport,” said Hiro Takeda, part of a small group of die-hard Sunwolves fans watching their team on television at a Hub near the club’s Chichibunomiya Stadium.

“It is better to watch together and I am looking ahead to watching with people visiting for the Rugby World Cup.”

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO: Supporters of the Spain's far-right party VOX wave Spanish flags as they attend an electoral rally ahead of general elections in the Andalusian capital of Seville
FILE PHOTO: Supporters of the Spain’s far-right party VOX wave Spanish flags as they attend an electoral rally ahead of general elections in the Andalusian capital of Seville, Spain April 24, 2019. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo/File Photo

April 26, 2019

By John Stonestreet and Belén Carreño

MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s Vox party, aligned to a broader far-right movement emerging across Europe, has become the focus of speculation about last minute shifts in voting intentions since official polling for Sunday’s national election ended four days ago.

No single party is anywhere near securing a majority, and chances of a deadlocked parliament and a second election are high.

Leaders of the five parties vying for a role in government get final chances to pitch for power at rallies on Friday evening, before a campaign characterized by appeals to voters’ hearts rather than wallets ends at midnight.

By tradition, the final day before a Spanish election is politics-free.

Two main prizes are still up for grabs in the home straight. One concerns which of the two rival left and right multi-party blocs gets more votes.

The other is whether Vox could challenge the mainstream conservative PP for leadership of the latter bloc, which media outlets with access to unofficial soundings taken since Monday suggest could be starting to happen.

The right’s loose three-party alliance is led by the PP, the traditional conservative party that has alternated in office with outgoing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialists since Spain’s return to democracy in the 1970s.

The PP stands at around 20 percent, with center-right Ciudadanos near 14 percent and Vox around 11 percent, according to a final poll of polls in daily El Pais published on Monday.

Since then, however, interest in Vox – which will become the first far-right party to sit in parliament since 1982 – has snowballed.

It was founded in 2013, part of a broader anti-establishment, far-right movement that has also spread across – among others – Italy, France and Germany.

While it is careful to distance itself from the ideology of late dictator Francisco Franco, Vox’s signature policies include repealing laws banning Franco-era symbols and on gender-based violence, and shifting power away from Spain’s regional governments.

TRENDING

According to a Google trends graphic, Vox has generated more than three times more search inquiries than any other Spanish political party in the past week.

Reasons could include a groundswell of vocal activist support at Vox rallies in Madrid and Valencia, and its exclusion from two televised debates between the main party leaders, on the grounds of it having no deputies yet in parliament.

Conservative daily La Vanguardia called its enforced absence from Monday’s and Tuesday’s debates “a gift from heaven”, while left-wing Eldiario.es suggested the PP was haemorrhaging votes to Vox in rural areas.

Ignacio Jurado, politics lecturer at the University of York, agreed the main source of additional Vox votes would be disaffected PP supporters, and called the debate ban – whose impact he said was unclear – wrong.

“This is a party polling over 10 percent and there are people interested in what it says. So we lose more than we win in not having them (in the debates),” he said

For Jose Fernandez-Albertos, political scientist at Spanish National Research Council CSIC, Vox is enjoying the novelty effect that propelled then new, left-wing arrival Podemos to 20 percent of the vote in 2015.

“While it’s unclear how to interpret the (Google) data, what we do know is that it’s better to be popular and to be a newcomer, and that Vox will benefit in some form,” he said.

For now, the chances of Vox taking a major role in government remain slim, however.

The El Pais survey put the Socialists on around 30 percent, making them the frontrunners and likely to form a leftist bloc with Podemos, back down at around 14 percent.

The unofficial soundings suggest little change in the two parties’ combined vote, or the total vote of the rightist bloc.

That makes it unlikely that either bloc will win a majority on Sunday, triggering horse-trading with smaller parties favoring Catalan independence – the single most polarizing issues during campaigning – that could easily collapse into fresh elections.

(Election graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/2ENugtw)

(Reporting by John Stonestreet and Belen Carreno, Editing by William Maclean)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO: The logo of the OPEC is seen at OPEC's headquarters in Vienna
FILE PHOTO: The logo of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at OPEC’s headquarters in Vienna, Austria December 5, 2018. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo

April 26, 2019

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he called the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and told the cartel to lower oil prices.

“Gasoline prices are coming down. I called up OPEC, I said you’ve got to bring them down. You’ve got to bring them down,” Trump told reporters.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

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Sonia Bompastor, director of the Olympique Lyonnais womenÕs Youth Academy, leads a training at the OL Academy near Lyon
Sonia Bompastor, director of the Olympique Lyonnais womenÕs Youth Academy, leads a training at the OL Academy in Meyzieu near Lyon, France, April 16, 2019. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

April 26, 2019

By Julien Pretot

MEYZIEU, France (Reuters) – Olympique Lyonnais president Jean-Michel Aulas was wringing out his women’s team shirts in the locker room on a rainy London day eight years ago when he decided it was time to take gender equality more seriously.

It was halftime in their Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal at Meadow Park with 507 fans watching and Aulas realized that his players did not have a another kit for the second half.

“Next time, there will be a second set just like for the men, that’s how it’s going to work from now on,” he said.

Lyon have since won five Champions League titles to become the most successful women’s team in Europe and recently claimed a 13th consecutive domestic crown.

They visit Chelsea on Sunday in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final, with a fourth straight title in their sights.

At the heart of their achievements is a pervasive ethos that promotes gender equality throughout the club, starting in the youth academy.

In 2013, Aulas appointed former Lyon and France player Sonia Bompastor as head of the Women’s Academy — the female equivalent of one of France’s top youth set-ups that has produced players such as Karim Benzema, Alexandre Lacazette and Hatem Ben Arfa.

At the Youth Academy, girls and boys share the same facilities.

“Pitches, physiotherapy rooms are the same for all,” the 38-year-old Bompastor told Reuters.

As the girls train under the watch of former Lyon and France international Camille Abily, the screams of the boys practicing can be heard nearby.

The boys and girls also benefit from the same psychological support that includes hypnosis sessions and yoga.

“We have a ‘mental ability’ cell and the hypnotist acts on the girls’ subconscious, on their deeply held beliefs after observing them on and off the pitch,” Bompastor added.

SAME TREATMENT

One message the Academy staff are trying to convey is that girls are as good as boys.

“Women’s nature is such that we have low self-esteem. So self-esteem is a big topic for our girls,” said Bompastor.

This is not the case with the boys, she added.

“Some 14, 15-year-old boys still think they would beat our professional players, we tell them this would not be happening. We still need to work on those beliefs,” she said.

Female players also have to face questions that their male counterparts do not, Bompastor explained.

“In France there is a problem with the way women are considered, there are high aesthetic expectations. So we get heavy questions on femininity, intimate questions that men don’t get,” she said.

OL’s Academy has been held up as a shining example for others to follow, even in the U.S., where women’s soccer has a wider audience than in Europe.

“About one third of the (senior women’s) squad comes from the Academy, we have a good balance,” said Bompastor.

“I’m getting tons of requests from American universities and foreign clubs, who want to come and visit our facilities.”

‘ONE CLUB’

The salaries of the senior players is one area where there remains a large discrepancy between Lyon’s men’s and women’s teams.

While the three best-paid women players in the world are at Lyon with Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg earning 400,000 euros ($445,520) a year, this figure is dwarfed by the around 4 million euros earned annually by men’s player Memphis Depay.

There is, however, a level of interaction between the men’s and women’s players that is not present at many other clubs.

“When you talk about OL you talk about women and men, you talk about one club and you feel it when you are here or outside in the city,” Germany defender Carolin Simon told Reuters.

“We see it when we play in the big stadium. It’s not ‘normal’ for women’s football,” the 26-year-old, who joined the club last year, added.

Lyon’s female players also enjoy respect from their male counterparts, Simon said.

“It’s very cool, it’s a big honor to feel that it doesn’t matter if you are a professional man or woman. We talk with the men, there are handshakes, it’s a good atmosphere and it’s also why we are successful,” said Simon.

“The men respect us and it’s not just for the cameras.”

Her team mate, England’s Lucy Bronze, sees the men’s respect as key to improving women’s football.

“We might not be paid the same but they are just normal with us, they see us as footballers the same as they are,” Bronze told Reuters.

“Being at Lyon has really opened my eyes. To improve women’s football, it starts with having the respect of your male counterparts. It’s the biggest thing because they can influence so many people.”

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO: Ethiopian migrants, stranded in war-torn Yemen, sit on the ground of a detention site pending repatriation to their home country, in Aden, Yemen
FILE PHOTO: Ethiopian migrants, stranded in war-torn Yemen, sit on the ground of a detention site pending repatriation to their home country, in Aden, Yemen April 24, 2019. REUTERS/Fawaz Salman/File Photo

April 26, 2019

GENEVA (Reuters) – Yemeni authorities have rounded up about 3,000 irregular migrants, predominantly Ethiopians, in the south of the country, “creating an acute humanitarian situation,” the U.N. migration agency said on Friday.

“IOM is deeply concerned about the conditions in which the migrants are being held and is engaging with the authorities to ensure access to the detained migrants,” the International Organization for Migration said.

The migrants are held in open-air football stadiums and in a military camp, it said in a statement.

The detentions began on Sunday in the city of Aden and the neighboring province of Lahj, which are under the control of the internationally recognized government backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Iran-aligned Houthi rebels control Sanaa, the capital, and other major urban centers.

Both sides are under international diplomatic pressure to implement a United Nations-sponsored ceasefire deal agreed last year in Sweden and to prepare for a wider political dialogue that would end the four-year-old war.

Thousands of migrants arrive in Yemen every year, mostly from the Horn of Africa, driven by drought and unemployment at home and lured by the wages available in the Gulf.

(Writing by Maher Chmaytelli, Editing by William Maclean)

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U.S. dollar notes are seen in this picture illustration
U.S. dollar notes are seen in this November 7, 2016 picture illustration. Picture taken November 7. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

April 26, 2019

(Reuters) – Following are five big themes likely to dominate thinking of investors and traders in the coming week and the Reuters stories related to them.

1/DOLLAR JUGGERNAUT

The dollar has zipped to near two-year highs, leaving many scratching their heads. To many, it’s down to signs the U.S. economy is chugging ahead while the rest of the world loses steam. After all, Wall Street is busily scaling new peaks day after day.

Never mind the cause, the effect is stark. The euro has tumbled to 22-month lows against the dollar and investors are preparing for more, buying options to shield against further downside. Emerging-market currencies are also in pain, with Turkish lira and Argentine peso both sharply weaker.

Now U.S. data need to keep surprising on the upside or even just meet expectations. The International Monetary Fund sees U.S. growth at 2.3 percent this year. For Germany, the forecast is 0.8 percent. The U.S. economy’s rude health has given rise to speculation the Fed might resume raising interest rates. Unlikely. But as other countries — Canada, Sweden and Australia are the latest — hint at more policy easing, there seems to be one way the dollar can go. Up.

(GRAPHIC: Dollar outperforms G10 FX – https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dz17S5)

2/FED: UP OR DOWN?

Wall Street is near record highs and recession worries are receding, so as we mentioned above, investors might wonder if the Federal Reserve will start raising rates again.

Such a pivot is unlikely after the Fed killed off rate-rise expectations at its March meeting. And the latest Reuters poll all but puts to bed any risk of rates will go up this economic cycle, given inflation remains below the Fed’s alarm threshold and unemployment is the lowest in generations.

Before the March rate-pause announcement, a preponderance of economists penciled in one or more increases this year. But that has flipped. A majority of those surveyed April 22-24 see no further tightening through December and more are leaning toward a cut by the end of next year.

Indeed, interest rate futures imply Fed Funds will be below the current 2.25-2.50 percent target range by this December.

Recent positive consumer spending and exports data have eased market concerns of a sharp economic slowdown. But inflation probably needs to run hot for a long period to panic policymakers off their wait-and-see course.     

(GRAPHIC: Federal funds and the economy – https://tmsnrt.rs/2DzjTZz)

3/HEISEI TO REIWA

Next week ends three decades of Japan’s Heisei era. Heisei, or Achieving Peace, began in 1989 near the peak of a massive stock market bubble and closes with the country trapped in low growth, no inflation, and negative interest rates.

The new era that dawns on May 1 is called Reiwa, meaning Beautiful Harmony. It begins when Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne. But do investors really want harmony? What they want to see is a bit of economic growth and inflation to shake up the status quo.

The Bank of Japan’s stimulus toolkit to revive a long-suffering economy is anything but harmonious and yet it’s set to stay. The central bank confirmed recently rates will stay near zero for a long time. But the coming days may not be harmonious or peaceful for currency markets. A 10-day Golden Week holiday kicks off on April 29 and investors are fretting over the risk of a “flash crash” – a violent currency spasm that can occur in times of thin trading turnover.

The year has already seen two yen spikes and many, including Japan’s housewife-trader brigade – so-called Mrs Watanabes – appear to have bought yen as the holiday approaches. Their short dollar/long yen positions recently reached record highs, stock exchange data showed.

(GRAPHIC: Japan stocks: from Hensei to Reiwa – https://tmsnrt.rs/2W6a7Fe)

4/EARNING TURNING

Quarterly earnings were supposed to be the worst in Europe in almost three years, but with a third of results in, things are looking a little rosier.

Two-thirds of companies’ results have beat expectations, and they point to earnings growth of 4.5 percent year-on-year. Financials have delivered the biggest surprises, according to analysis by Barclays.

That might just show how low expectations were. In fact, analysts are still taking a red pen to their estimates.

The latest I/B/E/S data from Refinitiv shows analysts on average expect first-quarter earnings-per-share for STOXX 600-listed companies to fall 4.2 percent. That would be their worst quarter since 2016 and down sharply from an estimated 3.4 percent just a week earlier.

Those estimates may end up being a little too bearish as earnings season goes on, quelling worries that Europe is heading toward a corporate recession.

GSK and Reckitt Benckiser will give the market a glimpse of the health of the consumer products market and spending on everything from toothpaste, washing powder and paracetamol.

(GRAPHIC: Earnings forecasts – https://tmsnrt.rs/2DuO2ZF)

5/WAITING FOR THE OLD LADY

Sterling has gone into the doldrums amid the Brexit delay and unproductive talks between the UK government and the opposition Labour party on a EU withdrawal deal. The resurgent dollar, meanwhile, has taken 2 percent off the pound in April. It is unlikely the Bank of England will be able to rouse it at its May 2 meeting.

Despite robust retail and jobs data of late, the economic picture is gloomy – 2019 growth is likely to be around 1.2 percent, the weakest since 2009, investment is down and Governor Mark Carney says business uncertainty is “through the roof”.

Indeed, expectations for an interest rate increase have been whittled down; Reuters polls forecast rates will not move until early 2020, a calendar quarter later than was forecast a month ago. The hunt for a new governor to replace Carney in October adds more uncertainty to the mix.

The recent run of UK data has fueled hopes of economic rebound. That’s put net hedge fund positions in the pound into positive territory for the first time in nearly a year. The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street might temper some of that optimism.

(GRAPHIC: Sterling positions – https://tmsnrt.rs/2XJwUXX)

(Reporting by Alden Bentley in New York, Vidya Ranganathan in Singapore; Karin Strohecker, Josephine Mason and Saikat Chatterjee in London; compiled by Sujata Rao; edited by Larry King)

Source: OANN

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