Upcoming shows
Real News

NOW ON AIR
Now On Air

Real News with David Knight

9:00 am 12:00 pm



Maga First News

Upcoming Shows

Join The MAGA Network on Discord

0 0

Putin builds his ‘authoritarian axis’: Kim Jong Un summit the latest move designed to damage US power abroad

Almost anywhere in the world where the United States is pushing back against a despotic or rogue regime – from Iran, Syria and North Korea to Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Sudan – Russia has made no secret of its efforts to step in and provide a lifeline to the other side.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin upped the ante, following a failed February summit between President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, by hosting talks with the Chairman. While the Kremlin insisted that they are by no means attempting to undermine Trump’s diplomatic efforts, many geopolitical analysts argue it’s all part of a broader Putin power plan.

“What Putin is trying to build is nothing short of an authoritarian axis, or a group of like-minded states that all share one goal: trying to damage or dilute US power and influence all over the world,” Harry J. Kazianis, policy expert and the director of Korean studies at the Center for the National Interest, told Fox News.

KARRY KAZIANIS: PUTIN AND KIM JONG UN SEEK IMPROVED RELATIONS IN SUMMIT

According to James Carafano, Vice President for National Security and Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation, its first and foremost a quest to hollow U.S. control over the situation.

“Putin is the ultimate scrounger. He is always looking for ways to show he is relevant and a key player on the international stage. Russia and North Korea have had a relationship for decades, and if there was game-changer that they could have pulled off, they would have done that a long time ago,” he said. “Russia’s embrace of dictators helps advance its own strategic interests, not least of which is countering U.S. regional goals.”

While nothing concrete seems to have stemmed from the Kim meeting itself, with many critics labeling it a show of hot air and optics, many contend that this is merely a piece of a potentially dangerous puzzle. Although still steeped under hefty U.S. sanctions and a troubled economy, Russia’s distinction as a permanent member to the U.N Security Council – thus its potent ability to veto resolutions that would otherwise hold rogue regimes accountable for their misdeeds and crimes against humanity – is a ticket highly coveted by leaders under fire to retain power.

“For Putin, the meeting underscores Russia as a great power, as well as having a long and deep relationship with North Korea,” said John Wood, analyst and author of “Russia, the Asymmetric Threat to the United States." “Sticking it to the U.S. over its inability to get a deal done is merely icing on the cake.”

And while Russian foreign policy staunchly centers on the notion of sovereignty and the idea that outside countries should stay out of meddling in internal affairs, it also perceives itself as a mediator and broker of peace in places like Syria, Afghanistan and possibly Venezuela if the U.S. gets its wish in driving Nicolas Maduro out of power.

WHY RUSSIA, CHINA ARE FIGHTING U.S. PUSH AGAINST VENEZUELA'S MADURO

But it is not only outlier governments that Russia has routinely propped up. The Kremlin too has aligned itself with various rebel factions, including the likes of the Taliban in Afghanistan, which Moscow in recent years came to consider a national security ally fighting burgeoning threats such as ISIS coming closer to its doorstep.

Then there is the hot-button matter of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from the Ukraine and support of separatist fighters elsewhere in the bordering country, of which the U.S. and much of the international community has rallied vehemently against, while Russia has remained resolute in digging its heels in for the long-haul.

TRUMP TEAM VOWS TO HIT BACK AGAINST RUSSIA AND CHINA’S 'POLAR SILK ROAD' WITH ARCTIC DEFENSE STRATEGY

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro during a meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on December 5, 2018.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro during a meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on December 5, 2018. (AFP/Getty)

Other experts also view the incessant Russian involvement against U.S. positions as an image issue. While it has been almost 30 years since the Cold War came to an end and the Soviet Union crumbled, the quest to climb back into the ranks of global power status is one that defines Putin’s ambitions and cements his popularity in the homeland.

“All of these political decisions are a form of Russian nation building. This is Russia's desire to show its importance in the geopolitical sphere. It’s really a post-Soviet search for identity and the construction of Russia as a player on the world stage,” noted Vitali Shkliarov, a Russia-U.S. political analyst. “This is not a play or a desire to start a war, but rather a pathway to greater importance. Of course, a major tool in this plan is the distortion and destabilization of the West in order that Russia will not appear like a failing or collapsing state.”

Dan Hoffman, former CIA Chief of Station and Fox News contributor, concurred that Putin himself is deeply “nostalgic” of the Soviet era and has set about white-washing history books, but also pointed out that not all interests between the U.S. and Russia are out of sync.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking to the media after his talks with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un talk in Vladivostok, Russia, Thursday, April 25, 2019. President Vladimir Putin says after talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that Pyongyang is ready to proceed toward denuclearization, but that it needs serious security guarantees to do so.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking to the media after his talks with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un talk in Vladivostok, Russia, Thursday, April 25, 2019. President Vladimir Putin says after talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that Pyongyang is ready to proceed toward denuclearization, but that it needs serious security guarantees to do so. (Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool Photo via AP)

“We have lots of interests which are in common such as counter-terrorism and arms control,” he said. “But for Russia, it is a zero-sum game. When the U.S. is strong, Russia is going to feel weak.”

GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Yet whether or not Putin’s apparent long-term plan of global supremacy will come to fruition, is yet to be determined.

“Moscow has undertaken a major military modernization project that has shifted the balance of military power in key regions – undermining American security and increasing the chances America will confront a military conflict we could struggle to win,” said Brad Bowman, Senior Director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Putin’s success or failure will depend primarily on how the U.S. and our allies respond.  If we restore U.S. military supremacy, strengthen our alliances, and reassert American international leadership, I am optimistic. If not, we could find ourselves in costly conflicts we could have prevented.”

Source: Fox News World

0 0

Ex-officer charged with fatally shooting woman in his car

A former vice squad officer in Ohio has been charged with fatally shooting a woman who was sitting in his unmarked police vehicle in what the man says was an act of self-defense.

Columbus police say officer Andrew Mitchell shot and killed 23-year-old Donna Castleberry in 2018 after she stabbed him in the hand during an undercover prostitution investigation.

A grand jury on Thursday charged Mitchell with murder and involuntary manslaughter.

Mitchell's attorney has defended his actions, saying it was a proper use of force.

Mitchell is also facing federal charges of forcing women to have sex with him under threat of an arrest, pressuring others to cover up crimes and lying to the FBI by saying he'd never had sex with prostitutes. He has pleaded not guilty.

Source: Fox News National

0 0

Blue State Blues: Illinois Considers ‘Music Tax’ & Higher Gas Taxes

Despite residents rapidly fleeing Illinois, the state is considering a ‘music tax’ to try to stop the hemorrhaging of its pension funds.

Illinois is looking into a new tax on Internet streaming as well as raising its vehicle registration and gas taxes to almost the highest in the nation.

The state is buckling under a staggering $134 billion in over 650 unfunded pensions, mainly for police and fire departments.

A state bill entitled the Video Service Tax Modernization Act would impose taxes on Internet streaming such as Spotify and Netflix “for the privilege to witness, view, or otherwise enjoy the entertainment.”

The tax is similar to Chicago’s “amusement tax” forced on city residents back in November to watch Netflix and play Playstation games on-line, as previously reported.

“The legality of Chicago’s ‘Netflix tax’ is dubious,” stated IllinoisPolicy.org. “The Liberty Justice Center, the Illinois Policy Institute’s litigation partner, sued the city on behalf of streaming service customers in 2015, after the expansion of the tax to online services went into effect.”

“The Center argued expanding the tax to online services violates the 1998 Internet Tax Freedom Act, a federal law.”

This federal law prohibits states from enacting taxes against electronic commerce, meaning that Illinois’ proposed statewide law could be struck down.

Illinois is also considering hiking its gas and transportation taxes.

“Legislation introduced last week proposes the state’s first gas tax increase since 1990 and could raise an additional $2 billion in revenue each year, the Chicago Tribune reported,” read an article from the AP. “But it also would hike the electric-vehicle fee from $17.50 to $148, and increase truck registration fees by $100.”

“The fees for driver’s licenses would double under the proposal, from $30 to $60, while passenger vehicle registration would increase from $98 to $148.”

Two billion dollars is roughly only 1.5% of the amount needed to fund the state’s pension funds, however.

Additionally, another problem plagues Illinois: all these new taxes are motivating residents to flee the state.

Not only is Illinois within the top five states with the highest tax burdens, it’s also one of the top five states residents are moving out of.

In other words, if Illinois increases taxes, residents will move out, thus shrinking the tax revenues.



Big Tech has gained power by absorbing personal data from its users.

Source: InfoWars

0 0

Factbox: After Indonesia election, new crop of leaders in focus for 2024 vote

FILE PHOTO - Indonesia's President Joko Widodo (R) shakes hands with Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan (L) during Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) first-phase launching at Bundaran HI station in Jakarta
FILE PHOTO - Indonesia's President Joko Widodo (R) shakes hands with Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan (L) during Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) first-phase launching at Bundaran HI station in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 14, 2019 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A/ via REUTERS

April 21, 2019

By Tabita Diela and Yerica Lai

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Even with Indonesia’s current presidential election result still to be officially confirmed, attention is turning to the next race for the top job in 2024 with some rising political stars and well-connected figures in the frame.

Sample vote counts by private pollsters from last week’s poll show that incumbent President Joko Widodo is headed for a second and final term in office though the results are being disputed by his challenger, ex-general Prabowo Subianto.

There are, however, a string of new leaders waiting in the wings for their chance including some who, like Widodo, cut their teeth running cities or provinces across the archipelago, and also the offspring of ex-leaders being groomed to take over.

Still, a candidate needs at least 20 percent of seats in parliament or 25 percent of the popular vote to stand, meaning it is conceivable for this year’s challenger Subianto, who is chairman of the Gerindra party, to run for a third attempt.

“We have a lot of potential leaders… The threshold should be lowered to give these people an open opportunity,” said Arya Fernandes, a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Here are some of the possible contenders for the 2024 vote.

Anies Baswedan, 49, is the governor of Jakarta. The former education minister, with backing from opposition parties and some hardline Islamist groups, defeated the popular ethnic-Chinese, Christian governor of the capital in a vote marred by religious tensions. Still, the Fulbright Scholar who comes from a family of moderate Muslim scholars is seen as appealing to younger voters and representing a more modern face of Islam.

Sandiaga Uno, 49, was elected vice governor of Jakarta in 2017, but stood down to be the vice presidential running mate for Prabowo. His private equity fortune made to a large degree with investments in Indonesia’s coal industry helped fund Prabowo and his campaign. Though a relative newcomer to politics, the campaign has allowed him to raise his profile across Indonesia and he proved a hit with millennial and female voters.

Ridwan Kamil, 47, is governor of Indonesia’s most populous province West Java and an ally of Widodo. A trained architect, he was previously mayor of Bandung where he is credited with rebranding the city to encourage creativity and use of technology. He has successfully used social media to connect with voters and has more than 10 million followers on Instagram.

Puan Maharani, 45, is a minister for human development and cultural affairs. She has political pedigree as the daughter of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and granddaughter of Indonesia’s charismatic first leader, Sukarno. Her mother chairs the biggest party in parliament, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which is in the ruling coalition.

Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, 40, is the eldest son of former president and Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The Harvard-educated politician followed his father by having a military career and despite his inexperience ran in the Jakarta governor race in 2017 where he lost in the first round. The Democratic Party has also not fared so well this year.

Other names being circulated by pollsters or the media include regional leaders such as Ganjar Pranowo, 50, the governor of Central Java, Tri Rismaharini, 57, mayor of Surabaya, and East Java governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, 53.

In eastern Indonesia, Nurdin Abdullah, 56, the South Sulawesi governor, is also seen as a contender.

Deputy parliament speaker and vice chairman of the Gerindra party Fadli Zon, 47, is also seen as a possible candidate as a Prabowo loyalist.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, 52, the ex-governor of Jakarta, still has many supporters if he did try to get back into politics even with a blasphemy conviction for insulting the Koran.

Billionaire businessman Erick Thohir, 48, who orchestrated last year’s Asian Games and Widodo’s 2019 presidential campaign, has also been mentioned though he has denied interest in a political career and up to now lacks governance experience.

(Reporting by Tabita Diela and Yerica Lai; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

Source: OANN

0 0

Univision anchor Jorge Ramos explains why Venezuela's Maduro detained him

A day after he was detained by disputed President Nicolas Maduro's regime in Venezuela, Univision anchor Jorge Ramos detailed to Fox News on Tuesday what exactly happened when the socialist dictator detained him, along with members of his press team, in the country against their will.

Speaking on "Hannity," Ramos explained that during his roughly 17-minute interview at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas on Monday, he showed the embattled president of Venezuela video footage he had taken of children digging through garbage on the streets in search of food — a sight Maduro "couldn't stand."

"He stood up, he tried to cover the image so the cameras wouldn’t be able to see it," the 60-year-old said, noting that he asked Maduro: "Why don’t you answer the questions? What you are doing is what dictators do."

BERNIE SANDERS REFUSES TO CALL VENEZUELA'S MADURO 'DICTATOR,' SAYS 'DEMOCRATIC OPERATIONS TAKING PLACE'

Maduro then suddenly shut the interview down. According to Ramos, Maduro left and "one of his ministers came back. They confiscated four cameras ... they took our tape cards where we actually store the interviews, and then they detained us for two hours."

Ramos said Maduro's regime took away he and his team's phones, but later got his back. His colleagues, however, weren't so lucky.

Univision on Monday night announced that Ramos, along with journalists María Martínez, Claudia Rondón, Francisco Urreiztieta, Juan Carlos Guzmán and Martín Guzmán, were detained by Maduro because he "didn't like the questions" they were being asked and later released.

Maduro, who began his second term as president in January, is not recognized by the U.S. or dozens of other countries as the legitimate president of Venezuela.

The U.S. and other nations have demanded Maduro step down and have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's rightful leader. Venezuelans also have staged large protests to pressure Maduro to leave.

OPINION: VENEZUELA'S POWER STRUGGLE HAS CAPTURED WORLD'S ATTENTION BUT MOST CITIZENS WORRY ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE — FOOD

Ramos told Fox News that the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, led by former President Hugo Chavez 20 years ago, "has failed completely."

He said that there's a "terrible" humanitarian crisis taking place in Venezuela right now. "The minimum wage ... is $5 — not $5 an hour, or $5 a day — $5 a month. That’s the minimum wage, so that’s why there’s so much hunger."

Ramos added that in Venezuela, there has been no freedom for political discord like the U.S. has seen.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"You can criticize the president of the United States and I can go home and nothing happens to me. But, if I criticized the dictator of Venezuela, they confiscate my cameras, they take my interviews, they detain me and then they expel me from the country," the news anchor said. "Those are two big, big differences."

Ramos thanked the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Caracas because, he said, "thanks to them, I'm here today in Miami."

Source: Fox News World

0 0

Nobody Hates Diversity More Than Rich Liberals

TUCKER CARLSON: What if someone you hated offered to pay off your mortgage? Put your kids through college? Or delivered a tractor-trailer full of Snickers bars to your house? You would be confused at first, and suspicious. Why is an enemy giving you the gift of a lifetime? In the end, if you were smart you would take the gift. It would be too good to pass up. Something like that happened in Washington last night. The "Washington Post" reported that the Trump administration has been debating moving some of the thousands of migrants amassing on our southern border into various self-proclaimed sanctuary cities across the U.S. The president confirmed that as true in a tweet. As of tonight that, that policy remains under consideration. Talk about great news for blue America. The left loves impoverished immigrants from the developing world. And why wouldn't they? They make our cities safer, they tell us, they improve our schools, provide the backbone of the economy, they do the work that we won't do, they are diverse, they are our strength, they're the best of America even though technically they're not Americans. Sanctuary cities love them best of all, why they've become sanctuaries for illegal immigrants. Every Democrat now running for president has affirmed this repeatedly...

"There is no such thing as an illegal human." Good point, Kirsten Gillibrand, we appreciate the eloquence. Oakland's mayor believes that so deeply, that last year she warned illegal immigrants in her city, including several criminals, that an I.C.E. raid was coming, she wanted to give them time to flee and they did. She later said she had no choice, all good people want more illegal immigrants in their cities...

In Oakland, they're welcoming, in fact, the whole state is welcoming. In his inaugural address this spring, Gavin Newsom, the incoming governor, echoed those words, everyone can come to California he said, absolutely everyone...

The left really couldn't be clearer on this question. All immigration is good. More immigration is better. There is no distinction between legal and illegal varieties of immigration. If you disagree with this you are a white nationalist. That's what they've said almost every day for the past two years. We've watched carefully and so have you. Now, here, completely out of the blue comes the man they despise most in the world, Donald J. Trump, offering them the one thing they want more than anything, more immigrants, immediately, delivered right to their door at federal expense. Well, it must have been like Christmas morning. You think you're getting another pair of socks and there it is, a pony, tethered to your mailbox, holy smokes, amazing, best day of your life. That's not how they responded.

The left wasn't happy about Trump's offer, they were shocked, and they were completely enraged. You know what this is, they said? It's dumping, they said. Dumping, like what you do with garbage or used truck tires in the woods. The headline of Mother Jones read "Donald Trump Wants To Dump Asylum Seekers On The Streets Of Democratic Cities." "Bussing people," wrote "The Washington Post's" Greg Miller, "to dump them in cities. Just to punish political rivals." In the view of Harry Siegel of the Daily Beast, the "White House wanted to dump refugees in sanctuary cities." He called that idea "nasty."

Almost simultaneously, as if in concert, both CNN and MSNBC ran headlines accusing the White House of dumping immigrants into cities. What's the message the left is sending us, that immigrants are trash? Something you drop off as a cruel prank like a flaming bag of dog waste? If you wanted to defile someone's city, you "dump" immigrants on it? Whoa, that sounds a little, searching for the word here, racist, a lot racist actually.

But Nancy Pelosi agrees with it, in fact. She lives in one of these cities that might be "dumped" on. So she immediately issued a statement, quote, "the extent of this administration's cynicism and cruelty cannot be overstated. Using human beings, including little children, as pawns in their warped game to perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants is despicable."

Wait for a second, this is getting really confusing, it doesn't seem to make sense. How can the presence of immigrants, quote, "perpetuate fear"? Immigrants aren't dangerous, they told us that a thousand times, they're safer than you are. They're amazing, much more amazing than you are. Pelosi says that a lot. Why is it bad that Trump wants to send more immigrants to San Francisco. San Francisco is a sanctuary city, it's subverted federal law in the hope that more illegal immigrants would come there. Now they may be coming. But San Francisco is upset.

Well, say the news anchors, Trump's plan is illegal. You can't just send migrants to American cities, they tell us. There's a process. Really? Do the people of Lewiston, Maine go through the process when an entire population of Somalis was moved from a refugee camp in Kenya to their beleaguered city? Nope, no process, nobody asked them, the government just did it. Same thing happened in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, and countless other places across this country. That's how it always works. When you try to do the same thing to the city where Nancy Pelosi lives, it's, quote, "illegal."

This is getting confusing. Let's make it easier for everyone. Here's a list of neighborhoods that could use immediate refugee resettlement. These are affluent places, they're politically liberal, as most affluent places are. As a matter of policy and conviction, they love impoverished immigrants from abroad, but they just don't really have any yet. Let's change that.

First in line would be Beacon Hill in Boston. That neighborhood has a median income of over $120,000, more than double the national average. Strikingly it is not very diverse, so it would be of course greatly strengthened by thousands of migrants. As John Kerry, who lives in Beacon Hill warned us two years ago, quote, "fear of the outsider, fear of someone who isn't you, fear of someone who doesn't look like you is an attack on America itself." Whoa, that's heavy, let's stop that attack by sending half of the most recent migrant caravans to John Kerry's zip code. He will be thrilled. He will have to be thrilled.

Next, head to the Upper East Side of New York, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg still lives there, he loves poor immigrants. Unfortunately for him, virtually none of them actually live in his neighborhood, in a city where kids speak close to 200 different languages in the New York City public schools, Michael Bloomberg's zip code is shockingly lacking in diversity. Let's change that, shall we? While we're at it, let's integrate that city's two most famous private schools, Collegiate and Spence, one for boys and one for girls. Both of those schools are famously and rigorously progressive, they know diversity is our strength. But how many newly arrived Guatemalan immigrants have they enrolled this year? Not enough. Let's see if we can get that number to over 50% by September. Eisenhower did something similar at Central High School in Little Rock in 1956, let's see if Trump can do it with Collegiate and Spence.

Finally, we'll go to the Kalorama neighborhood right here in Washington, Barack Obama's neighborhood. As he once put it, we are a nation of immigrants, it's always given America a big advantage over other nations. That may be true and yet there are virtually no poor immigrants in Kalorama where he lives. What do you say we import a few thousand from the border tomorrow and drop them in? How could Obama say no? Of course he would say no. He would be livid, he would stop it. Nobody hates diversity more than rich liberals. The very people pushing it. Let's hope immigrants are watching this on TV and drawing their own conclusions. The left can say they love you, but if they don't want you in their neighborhood, going to school with their kids, they're lying.

0 0

Household Research Council 13th Annual Values Voter Summit Remarks by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Family Research Council  13th Annual Values Voter Summit  Remarks by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo   Speaker: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Location:  Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.   Time:  2:06 p.m. EDT Date:  Friday, September 21, 2018   Transcript By Superior Transcriptions LLC www.superiortranscriptions.com   (Cheers, applause.)   SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO:  Thank […]

NOW ON AIR
Now On Air

Real News with David Knight

9:00 am 12:00 pm



FILE PHOTO: Customers shop in a Sainsbury's store in Redhill
FILE PHOTO: Customers shop in a Sainsbury’s store in Redhill, Britain, March 27, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo

April 26, 2019

By James Davey

LONDON (Reuters) – With Sainsbury’s dream of creating Britain’s biggest supermarket group in tatters, its chastened CEO Mike Coupe needs to reassure investors he has the plan to arrest a sales decline when he presents annual results next week.

Britain’s competition regulator blocked Sainsbury’s 7.3 billion pound ($9.4 billion) takeover of Walmart’s Asda on Thursday, saying the deal would increase prices. Sainsbury’s shares fell 5 percent and are down 22 percent over the last three months.

For Sainsbury’s fourth quarter to March 9 analysts are on average forecasting a 1.6 percent fall in like-for-like sales, which would follow 1.1 percent decline over the Christmas period.

Monthly industry data from researcher Kantar has also shown Sainsbury’s as the weakest performer of the big four grocers this year and this month it lost its status as Britain’s No. 2 supermarket group by market share to Asda.

While Sainsbury’s has struggled, market leader Tesco has gained momentum, this month reporting a 34 percent jump in full year profit.

Prohibition of the deal was a major blow to Coupe, its architect and Sainsbury’s boss since 2014.

Martin Scicluna became Sainsbury’s chairman last month and when bedded-in may decide that if the group needs a major shake-up it is best carried out by a new leader.

Much will depend on the attitude of 22 percent shareholder the Qatar Investment Authority, which has so far declined to comment, as well as Coupe’s own appetite to continue after 15 years at the group.

THE RIGHT STRATEGY?

Coupe said on Thursday he was confident Sainsbury’s was pursuing the right strategy.

That was a clear indication that Wednesday’s results statement will not include radical changes to the group’s plans, such as a big margin reset — sacrificing profit to drive sales.

However, sources connected to Sainsbury’s said Coupe would likely acknowledge that more needs to be done on prices, so the supermarket business can better compete with its big four rivals – Tesco, Asda and No. 4 Morrisons – as well as German-owned discounters Aldi and Lidl.

Coupe’s strategy is based on differentiating Sainsbury’s food offer, growing its general merchandise, clothing business and bank, while investing in convenience and online channels.

Some analysts believe major change is needed.

HSBC analyst David McCarthy reckons Sainsbury’s needs a margin reset, should allocate more space for core lines and needs to drive better store standards. He said Sainsbury’s might consider closing down space in some of its larger stores and reducing its non-food offer.

For the full 2018-19 year analysts are on average forecasting a pretax profit of 626 million pounds, up from 589 million pounds in 2017-18 – a second straight year of profit growth. A full year dividend of 10.5 pence per share is forecast versus 10.2 pence last time.

Bank and lawyer fees related to the proposed combination with Asda were 17 million pounds in the first half and have reportedly jumped to around 50 million pounds.

(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Keith Weir)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: A Canadian dollar coin commonly known as the
FILE PHOTO: A Canadian dollar coin, commonly known as the “Loonie”, is pictured in this illustration picture taken in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 23, 2015. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/File Photo/File Photo

April 26, 2019

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada posted a budget surplus in the first 11 months of the 2018/19 fiscal year compared to a deficit the year earlier as revenues increased mostly on higher tax incomes, the finance department said on Friday.

The surplus for April-February was C$3.1 billion, compared to a deficit of C$6 billion in the same 2017/18 period. Revenues climbed by 8.5 percent, mainly due to higher tax receipts, while program expenses rose by 4.8 percent.

The surplus for February was C$4.3 billion compared with C$2.8 billion in February 2018. Revenues jumped by 12.2 percent while program expenses posted a more modest 6.9 percent gain.

Last month, the Liberals unveiled their new budget, projecting a C$14.9 billion deficit in 2018/19, with the deficit rising to C$19.8 billion in fiscal 2019/20.

(Reporting by Julie Gordon in Ottawa; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!

President Trump said Friday he would beat Joe Biden “easily” in the 2020 presidential election, suggesting the former vice president could not have enough “energy” to hold the post—taking an apparent swipe at his age.

The president, departing the White House, was asked about Biden’s entrance into the Democratic primary field. Biden announced his presidential bid early Thursday morning, marking his third attempt at the White House.

JOE BIDEN OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES 2020 PRESIDENTIAL BID

“I think we’d beat him easily,” Trump told reporters Friday.

Trump, 72, said he feels “young” and is ready for 2020, and another term for his administration.

“I feel like a young man. I am a young, vibrant man,” Trump said. “I look at Joe, I don’t know about him.”

The president’s comments seemingly were a shot at the age of Biden, who is 76.

BIDEN ENTERS WHITE HOUSE RACE WITHOUT OBAMA’S ENDORSEMENT

“I would never say anyone’s too old,” Trump said. “I know they’re all making me look very young both in terms of age and in terms of energy.”

Biden became the 20th candidate to join the crowded Democratic primary field Thursday. But Biden is not the oldest in the pack. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is 77 and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is 69.

Should Trump be re-elected, he would be 74 on Jan. 20, 2021—Inauguration Day. Should the presidency go to one of the elder Democrats in the field—Biden would be 78; Sanders would be 79; and Warren would be 71.

Meanwhile, in a wide-ranging interview on “Hannity” Thursday night, Trump dismissed Biden’s candidacy, nicknaming him “Sleepy Joe,” and saying he’s “not the brightest bulb.” Trump also said that while the former vice president has name recognition, he won’t “be able to do the job.”

Source: Fox News Politics

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas
Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela April 8, 2019. REUTERS/Manaure Quintero

April 26, 2019

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s foreign minister and a Venezuelan judge, according to a statement on the department’s website.

Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and a judge, Carol Padilla, were targeted over the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, the Treasury Department said, the latest in a list of officials blacklisted by U.S. authorities for their role in President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey, Makini Brice and Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
Avengers fans gather at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to attend the opening screening of
Avengers fans gather at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to attend the opening screening of “Avengers: Endgame” in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Blake

April 26, 2019

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Marvel Studios superhero spectacle “Avengers: Endgame” hauled in a record $60 million at U.S. and Canadian box offices during its Thursday night debut, distributor Walt Disney Co said.

Global ticket sales for the film about Iron Man, Hulk and other popular characters reached $305 million for the first two days, Disney said.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
Current track

Title

Artist