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Wisconsin teen who gunned down grandparents had ‘plan to cause harm’ at high school, officials say

A Wisconsin teen who admitted he fatally shot his grandparents also had plans to "cause harm" at his high school, officials said.

Alexander M. Kraus, 17, was arrested Sunday at his grandparent's home in Grand Chute after police responded to a welfare check and found the bodies of 74-year-old Dennis Kraus and 73-year-old Letha Kraus.

The Grand Chute Police Department said in a news release a 911 call had been placed from the home, but did not release details.

MARINE ACCUSED OF SHOOTING, KILLING ANOTHER MARINE IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Kraus, who lives in nearby Neenah, admitted to investigators he shot the couple, Officer Travis Waas told the Associated Press.

Alexander M. Kraus, 17, was arrested Sunday after the bodies of his grandparents, 74-year-old Dennis Kraus and 73-year-old Letha Kraus, were found in their home in Wisconsin.

Alexander M. Kraus, 17, was arrested Sunday after the bodies of his grandparents, 74-year-old Dennis Kraus and 73-year-old Letha Kraus, were found in their home in Wisconsin. (Outagamie County Jail/Grand Chute Police Dept.)

After killing the couple, officials said the 17-year-old had additional plans for violence at Neenah High School, where he was a junior.

In a statement released to FOX11, the school district said that police informed school officials Kraus "had a plan to cause harm at Neenah High School."

"Police have indicated that there is no danger to students and staff at the high school and the school day on Monday will proceed as normal," the statement read. "Additional counselors are available to students and there is an extra police presence as an additional precaution."

SUSPECT WHO SHOT, KILLED WASHINGTON DEPUTY IS KILLED IN SHOOTOUT WITH POLICE

Grand Chute, a city of 22,000, lies about 110 miles northwest of Milwaukee. Neenah, home to 26,000, is about 15 miles south of Grand Chute.

Kraus also had a "plan to cause harm at Neenah High School," according to officials.

Kraus also had a "plan to cause harm at Neenah High School," according to officials. (Google Street View)

Wisconsin is one of six states that treat 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system.

Kraus was being held in the Outagamie County Jail and has not yet been charged. Police said in a news release that he could be charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, with each charge carrying the possibility of life in prison.

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An initial court appearance was set for Tuesday afternoon, according to FOX11.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News National

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Bangladesh building fire exposes safety vulnerabilities

Authorities in Bangladesh imposed tougher safety rules after more than 1,100 people died when a garment factory complex collapsed near Dhaka in 2013. But continued corruption and lax enforcement have caused many more deaths from safety lapses since the Rana Plaza disaster, including a fire Thursday at an illegally constructed high-rise office building that killed 25 people and left dozens injured.

The fire in Banani, a busy upscale commercial district, exposed the vulnerabilities hidden behind the glass towers that have become symbols of Bangladesh's rapid growth. While the economy has expanded by more than 6 percent annually in the last decade, safety regulations and enforcement have lagged behind, experts say.

Source: Fox News World

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Pope: Women have ‘legitimate claims’ for justice, equality

Pope Francis says women have "legitimate claims" to seek more justice and equality in the Catholic Church, but has stopped short of endorsing more sweeping calls from his own bishops to give women decision-making roles.

Francis on Tuesday issued a document inspired by an October 2018 meeting of bishops on better ministering to today's young Catholics. The meeting was marked by demands for greater women's rights, and the final document called the need for women to claim decision-making positions in the church "a duty of justice."

In the lengthy document "Christ is Alive," Francis endorses no such conclusion. He writes that the church must be attentive to women's "legitimate claims" for equality and must better train men and women with leadership potential.

Source: Fox News World

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Venezuela congress’ finance committee authorizes PDVSA 2020 bond payment

FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Cutouts depicting images of oil operations are seen outside a building of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA in Caracas
FILE PHOTO: Cutouts depicting images of oil operations are seen outside a building of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA in Caracas, Venezuela January 28, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo/File Photo

April 24, 2019

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s opposition-controlled National Assembly’s finance committee on Wednesday authorized a $71 million interest payment on state-owned oil company PDVSA’s 2020 bond, which is backed by shares in its crown jewel overseas asset, U.S. refinery Citgo.

The full parliament is expected to vote on the payment next week. The interest payment is due on April 27, but there is a 30-day grace period.

(Reporting by Mayela Armas; Writing by Luc Cohen)

Source: OANN

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Clapper: Mueller couldn’t find ‘active collusion’ but there was ‘passive collusion’

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Thursday said that there was “passive collusion” between the Trump campaign and Russia despite Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s findings that conclude there was no conspiracy.

Clapper began by defending the foundation of the Russia probe, telling CNN anchor Anderson Cooper that there was “good reason” for intelligence agencies and law enforcement “to be concerned about whether or not there was some kind of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians.”

GEORGE CONWAY CALLS TRUMP A CANCER THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED IN BLISTERING OP-ED

The top Obama official blasted President Trump for claiming that President Obama “did nothing” to prevent Russia’s interference during the 2016 election, saying his former boss “directly confronted Putin” and “asked him to stop the interference.”

He claimed that Russia’s social media campaign “turned the election in Trump’s favor” in targeted states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, adding that the Mueller Report “substantiates that.”

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“If there wasn’t active collusion proven, then I think what we have here is a case of passive collusion where in some cases, unwittingly, to include candidate Trump himself, who retweeted messages that had been planted by the Russians in social media,” the CNN national security analyst told Cooper. “That’s a small, but important, example of how members of the campaign were used and manipulated by the Russians.”

Source: Fox News Politics

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Sri Lanka bombings on Easter Sunday claim lives of 3 of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen’s children

Three of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen’s four children were among the nearly 300 people killed on Easter Sunday when Islamic suicide bombers attacked hotels and churches in Sri Lanka, a spokesperson for Povlsen's company confirmed.

Holch Povlsen, his wife Anne Holch Povlsen and the couple's four children were in Colombo during the Easter holiday when the suicide bombing occurred. They were staying at the Shangri-La hotel, which was targeted by two suicide bombers Sunday, Forbes reported.

"Unfortunately, we can confirm the reports," Bestseller spokesperson Jesper Stubkier told Forbes. "We ask you to respect the privacy of the family and we, therefore, have no further comments."

Anders Holch Povlsen and his wife Anne Holch Povlsen's three children were among the hundreds killed in the Sri Lanka attacks.

Anders Holch Povlsen and his wife Anne Holch Povlsen's three children were among the hundreds killed in the Sri Lanka attacks. (Getty Images)

The spokesman did not provide further information on where the Holch Povlsen family was when the attacks occurred. The identities of the children were not released.

SRI LANKA ON EDGE AFTER LOCAL ISLAMIC MILITANT GROUP BLAMED FOR EASTER SUNDAY ATTACKS: REPORT

An Instagram account identified as belonging to one of Holch Povlsen’s children featured a post from several days ago showing her and two of her siblings. The Instagram post has since been flooded with condolences for the family, though it's unclear if those pictured were the children who died.

The 46-year-old business tycoon is the richest person in Denmark with a net worth of $7.9 billion. He is the biggest shareholder of British online retailer Asos and the largest landowner in Scotland. Holch Povlsen also holds significant stakes in Zalando and Klarna.

Bestseller CEO Anders Holch Povlsen's three of four children were killed.

Bestseller CEO Anders Holch Povlsen's three of four children were killed. (Getty Images)

Sunday’s coordinated bombings, which ripped through churches and luxury hotels, were carried out by seven suicide bombers from a militant group believed to be National Thowfeek Jamaath, Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said.

SRI LANKA CHURCH, HOTEL MASSACRE VICTIMS INCLUDE TV CHEF, MOTHER AND SON, AMERICANS

Senaratne said the international intelligence agencies warned of attacks several times since the start of April, but Sri Lankan officials still failed to stop the deadly bombings.

A Sri Lankan Police officer inspects a blast spot at the Shangri-la hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

A Sri Lankan Police officer inspects a blast spot at the Shangri-la hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (AP)

Among those killed was Dieter Kowalski, a 40-year-old man from Denver, Colo., who landed in the country on Sunday, his employer confirmed to FOX31.

“We mourn Dieter deeply today. We pray for his soul, and for his family and friends,” the email from Pearson’s CEO John Fallon said. “We pray, too, for our colleagues in Sri Lanka, and Denver, and Boston, and in Pearson offices around the world.”

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The Daily Telegraph reported five British nationals are among the dead, including Shantha Mayadunne, a TV chef, and her daughter, Nisanga.

Shantha Mayadunne's website identified her as the first chef to host a live cooking show in Sri Lanka. She also had published multiple books.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Source: Fox News World

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Biden launch sets up 2020 nomination fight with fellow front-runner Sanders

The reaction came fast and furious.

Soon after Joe Biden officially launched his much anticipated and long awaited 2020 presidential campaign, a leading progressive group slammed the former vice president.

JOE BIDEN OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES 2020 PRESIDENTIAL BID

“Joe Biden stands in near complete opposition to where the center of energy is in the Democratic Party today,” the Justice Democrats wrote on their Twitter feed.

Taking aim at Biden -- who’s perceived to be more moderate than many of the current contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, including progressive favorites Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts – the group argued that “we can't let a so-called 'centrist' like Joe Biden divide the Democratic Party and turn it into the party of 'No, we can’t.'”

Justice Democrats -- who also called Biden “out-of-touch” –  is an increasingly influential group among the left of the party. They’ve championed progressive rock-star Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York as well as Sanders. The group was founded by members of Sanders 2016 presidential campaign.

PROGRESSIVE GROUP TAKES AIM AT BIDEN SOON AFTER LAUNCH

While Sanders himself didn’t torch Biden as he jumped into the race, it’s clear that many of his progressive supporters view the former vice president as a threat.

Biden’s entry into the race – at least in the early going – sets up a battle between himself and Sanders, who thanks to his fierce fight with eventual nominee Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Democratic nomination, enjoys name ID on the level of the former vice president.

EX-SANDERS STAFFER SAYS BIDEN'S RECORD WILL BE USED AGAINST HIM

But it's not just Sanders supporters who are targeting Biden.

The head of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee – which has backed Warren -- also took aim at Biden, who enters the race as the front runner in most national polls and early primary and caucus voting state surveys, slightly atop of Sanders and well ahead of the rest of the large field of 20 contenders.

"With billionaires deciding not to run, progressive candidates have been in need of a foil. If Joe Biden positions himself as the political insider from yesteryear who says big ideas like universal child care, student debt relief, and a wealth tax on ultra-millionaires are not possible, he would be an easy foil, Adam Green, the co-founder of PCCC, told Fox News.

These kind of jabs from progressive groups could be the appetizer for a building clash between the progressive and establishment sings of the party.

Biden has pushed back against the perception that he's a moderate in a party that's increasingly moving to the left. Earlier this month he described himself as an “Obama-Biden Democrat.”

BIDEN SAYS HE ASKED OBAMA NOT TO ENDORSE HIM

Former President Barack Obama, Biden’s boss for eight years, remains extremely popular with Democrats.

And Biden said he'd stack his record against "anybody who has run or who is running now or who will run."

Highlighting his early public push for same-sex marriage, he said, "I'm not sure when everybody else came out and said they're for gay marriage."

Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile – a Fox News contributor – highlighted that “Joe Biden can occupy his own lane in large part because he’s earned it. He’s earned the right to call himself whatever.”

But she emphasized that “elections are not about the past, they’re about the future…I do believe he has the right ingredients. The question is can he find enough people to help him stir the pot.”

Brazile pointed out that “the party now has a very vocal and sizeable number of millennials who are not old school. They want someone who can lead their generation as opposed to someone who can lead the country.”

And she spotlighted that Biden’s “challenge is going to be to convince a new generation of Democrats that he can represent their views as well.”

A leading Republican strategist suggested that Sanders could have the upper hand over Biden.

“I predict a slow and steady drop in the polls for Joe Biden. A politician who has been in the public eye since before Watergate is going to find a far different Democratic Party than even the one he remembers from even the Obama-Biden years,” argued Colin Reed, a veteran of presidential and senate campaigns who later served as executive director of the pro-Republican opposition research shop America Rising.

Reed claimed that age is a bigger factor for the 76-year old Biden that for Sanders, who’s a year older.

“Bernie Sanders is pushing 80 years old, but his socialist policy prescriptions are the present and future as far as liberal primary voters are concerned,” Reed spotlighted. “All the Beltway chatter about Biden's perceived strength in a general election means nothing if he can't get through the raucous primary contest before him.”

With slightly more than nine months to go until the first votes are cast in Iowa and New Hampshire, it's far from a sure thing that Biden and Sanders will remain standing atop the rest of the pack.

“While Bernie and Biden have some advantages, there is a lot of time for other candidates to break through. In other words, we will see if the two front-runners have peaked too early,” noted Wayne Lesperance, vice president of academic affairs at New England College.

And University of New Hampshire political science professor Dante Scala said he’s “not convinced that those two combined, take all the oxygen out of the room and then it becomes a two person race.”

And he questioned Biden’s staying power more than that of Sanders, saying “I’m still curious whether Biden’s appeal to moderate Democrats is going to be as enduring as Sanders is so far among progressives.”

Source: Fox News Politics

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Representatives of Russian Transneft, Ukranian Ukrtransnafta, Polish Pern and Belarusian Belneftekhim gather to hold talks on fixing tainted oil supplies to Europe, in Minsk
Representatives of Russian Transneft, Ukranian Ukrtransnafta, Polish Pern and Belarusian Belneftekhim gather to hold talks on fixing tainted oil supplies to Europe, in Minsk, Belarus April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

April 26, 2019

By Katya Golubkova and Andrei Makhovsky

MOSCOW/MINSK (Reuters) – Russia is confident it can soon resolve a problem of polluted Russian oil contaminating a major pipeline serving Europe and affecting supplies as far west as Germany, a senior official said on Friday at talks with importers about the issue.

Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin did not give a precise timeframe but Moscow has previously said it would pump clean oil to the border with Belarus from April 29, seeking to end a crisis hitting the world’s second-largest crude exporter.

Sorokin was speaking at talks with officials from Belarus, Poland and Ukraine in Minsk on the issue. Belarus said the issue had cost it $100 million, while analysts say alternative supply routes for refiners cannot fully fill the gap.

Poland, Germany, Ukraine and Slovakia have suspended imports of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline. Halting those supplies has knock-on effects further along the network.

The problem arose last week when an unidentified Russian producer contaminated oil with high levels of organic chloride used to boost oil output but which must be separated before shipment as it can destroy refining equipment.

Russia’s Energy Ministry said pipeline monopoly Transneft and other Russian companies had a plan to mitigate the effects of the contaminated oil. It did not give details.

Russian officials have said contaminated oil has already been pumped into storage in Russia and Friday’s talks would focus on how to partially withdraw the tainted crude from the Druzhba pipeline running via other countries.

The suspension cuts off a major supply route for Polish refineries owned by Poland’s PKN Orlen and Grupa Lotos, as well as plants in Germany owned by Total, Shell, Eni and Rosneft.

Some refiners have outlined plans for alternative supplies, but analysts say other routes cannot meet the shortfall.

OIL PRICES

Ukraine’s Ukrtransnafta suspended the transit of oil through the pipeline on Thursday, closing supplies via Druzhba’s southern route to Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

The pipeline issue, which has supported global oil prices, lifted Russian Urals crude differentials to an all-time high on Thursday.

With pipeline supplies to Europe shut, Russia faces a challenge of how to divert about 1 million barrels per day (bpd) that was meant to be shipped through the network to other destinations at the time when export capacity is at its limits.

State-run Russian Railways held talks with energy firms on using up to 5,000 rail tankers to transport crude, RIA news agency reported on Friday.

Concerns about the quality of Urals crude also caused delays in loadings at the Baltic port of Ust-Luga, when buyers refused to lift cargoes, resulting in a brief shutdown of the port on Wednesday and Thursday. An Ust-Luga official and traders said on Friday loadings had resumed.

Russian loading plans indicate it aims to boost Urals exports in May before the expiry of a deal on output cuts agreed with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, Reuters calculations and Energy Ministry data show.

The provisional loading plan for Russia’s Baltic Sea ports and Novorossiisk in May show exports rising to 10.7 million tonnes, the highest level in half a decade.

Minsk estimated its loss from lower oil product exports due to contaminated Russian oil at around $100 million, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported on Thursday, citing Belarusian state oil company Belneftekhim.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, in charge of government energy policy, said this week that those found responsible for contaminating the oil could be fined. He did not provide names.

(Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko in WARSAW, Sandor Peto in BUDAPEST, Jason Hovet in PRAGUE, Matthias Williams and Natalia Zinets in KIEV, Katya Golubkova, Olesya Astakhova, Gleb Gorodyankin, Olga Yagova and Maxim Rodionov in MOSCOW, Andrei Makhovsky in MINSK; writing by Katya Golubkova; editing by Michael Perry and Edmund Blair)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO - A worker sits on a ship carrying containers at Mundra Port in the western Indian state of Gujarat
FILE PHOTO: A worker sits on a ship carrying containers at Mundra Port in the western Indian state of Gujarat April 1, 2014. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo

April 26, 2019

(Reuters) – India has once again delayed the implementation of higher tariffs on some goods imported from the United States to May 15, a government official said on Friday.

The new tariff structure was to come into force from May 2, the spokeswoman said without citing reasons for the delay.

Angered by Washington’s refusal to exempt it from new steel and aluminum tariffs, New Delhi decided in June last year to raise the import tax from Aug. 4 on some U.S. products including almonds, walnuts and apples.

But since then, New Delhi has repeatedly delayed the implementation of the new tariff.

Trade friction between India and the U.S. has escalated after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans earlier this year to end preferential trade treatment for India that allows duty-free entry for up to $5.6 billion worth of its exports to the United States.

In a further blow, U.S. on Monday demanded buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May or face sanctions, ending six months of waivers which allowed Iran’s eight biggest buyers including India to continue importing limited volumes.

(Reporting by Manoj Kumar in New Delhi and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva and Raissa Kasolowsky)

Source: OANN

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One of Joe Biden’s newly-hired senior advisers has seemingly had a very recent change of heart.

Symone Sanders, a prominent Democratic strategist and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., staffer in 2016, was announced as one of the big-name members of Team Biden on Thursday.

But Sanders, who has also served as a CNN contributor, is seen in resurfaced footage from November 2016 expressing her opposition to a white person leading her party after Donald Trump’s election.

“In my opinion, we don’t need white people leading the Democratic party right now,” Sanders told host Brianna Keilar during a discussion on Howard Dean potentially becoming DNC chairman.

BIDEN HIRES FORMER BERNIE SANDERS’ SPOKESPERSON AS SENIOR ADVISER

“The Democratic party is diverse, and it should be reflected as so in leadership and throughout the staff, at the highest levels. From the vice chairs to the secretaries all the way down to the people working in the offices at the DNC,” she said.

Sanders wrapped up her remarks by saying: “I want to hear more from everybody. I want to hear from the millennials and the brown folks.”

Footage of the interview was resurfaced by RealClearPolitics.

After news of her hiring broke on Thursday, Sanders backed her new boss on Twitter.

TRUMP ASSESSES 2020 DEMS; TAKES SWIPES AT BIDEN, SANDERS; DISMISSES HARRIS, O’ROURKE; SAYS HE’S ROOTING FOR BUTTIGIEG

“@JoeBiden & @DrBiden are a class act. Over the course of this campaign, Vice President Biden is going to make his case to the American ppl. He won’t always be perfect, but I believe he will get it right,” she wrote.

The hiring of Sanders has been viewed as another indication of the expected tough fight that Biden and Sanders are in for as the two frontrunners battle a deep Democratic field.

While Sanders himself didn’t torch Biden as he jumped into the race, it’s clear that many of his progressive supporters view the former vice president as a threat.

Biden’s entry into the race – at least in the early going – sets up a battle between himself and Sanders, who thanks to his fierce fight with eventual nominee Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Democratic nomination, enjoys name ID on the level of the former vice president.

BIDEN VOWS THAT ‘AMERICA IS COMING BACK,’ SPARKING ‘MAGA’ COMPARISONS

Justice Democrats — who also called Biden “out-of-touch” – is an increasingly influential group among the left of the party. They’ve championed progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York as well as Sanders. The group was founded by members of Sanders 2016 presidential campaign.

Biden has pushed back against the perception that he’s a moderate in a party that’s increasingly moving to the left. Earlier this month he described himself as an “Obama-Biden Democrat.”

And Biden said he’d stack his record against “anybody who has run or who is running now or who will run.”

Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile – a Fox News contributor – highlighted that “Joe Biden can occupy his own lane in large part because he’s earned it. He’s earned the right to call himself whatever.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

But she emphasized that “elections are not about the past, they’re about the future…I do believe he has the right ingredients. The question is can he find enough people to help him stir the pot.”

Fox News Andrew O’Reilly contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, who is facing increased calls for her immediate resignation, remains in poor health and is not “lucid” enough to decide whether to step down, her attorney told reporters late Thursday.

Steve Silverman, speaking outside one of Pugh’s residences which was raided by the FBI and IRS earlier in the day, said the embattled city leader could make a decision as early as next week.

“She is leaning toward making the best decision in the best interest in the citizens of Baltimore City,” he said, adding that Pugh has “several options” to consider.

“She just needs to be physically and mentally sound and lucid enough to make appropriate decisions.”

BALTIMORE MAYOR CATHERINE PUGH, ON LEAVE AMID BOOK PROBE, HAS HOMES AND CITY HALL OFFICE RAIDED BY FEDS

Silverman said Pugh met with a doctor at home Thursday and plans to do so again Friday, the Baltimore Sun reported.

In the latest image-tarnishing scandal for struggling Baltimore, the first-term Democratic mayor faces accusations that she used children’s book deals to cover up kickbacks for favorable treatment as a state lawmaker and city leader that earned her roughly $800,000 over several years.

BALTIMORE’S ACTING MAYOR SAYS HE ‘WOULD HATE TO SEE’ EMBATTLED MAYOR RETURN AFTER BOOK SCANDALS

As a state senator, 69-year-old Pugh sold $500,000 worth of her self-published “Healthy Holly” illustrated paperbacks to the University of Maryland Medical System, a major state employer whose board she sat on for nearly 20 years.

Baltimore police officers stand outside the house of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in Baltimore, MD., Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Pugh and also in City Hall. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Baltimore police officers stand outside the house of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in Baltimore, MD., Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Pugh and also in City Hall. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

UMMS reportedly paid Pugh for 100,000 copies of her books between 2011 and 2018 with the stated intention of distributing the books to schools and day care centers. But some 50,000 copies remain unaccounted for and officials are probing if they were even printed.

Pugh also made $300,000 in bulk sales to other customers including health carriers that did business with the city of Baltimore.

BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL CALLS ON EMBATTLED MAYOR CATHERINE PUGH TO RESIGN IMMEDIATELY

The politically isolated Pugh slipped out of sight on April 1 after a hastily organized press conference where she called her no-contract book deals a “regrettable mistake.” That same day, Maryland’s governor called on the state prosecutor to investigate allegations of “self-dealing.”

Pugh took an indefinite leave of absence, citing her health deteriorating intensely after a bout with pneumonia.

Federal agents arrive at the Maryland Center for Adult Training in Baltimore. MD, Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and in City Hall, as well as the office of her lawyer and the home of a top aide.

Federal agents arrive at the Maryland Center for Adult Training in Baltimore. MD, Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and in City Hall, as well as the office of her lawyer and the home of a top aide. (Loyd Fox/Baltimore Sun via AP)

On Thursday morning, agents with the FBI and IRS searched her two Baltimore homes, her City Hall offices, and a nonprofit organization she once led. The home of at least one of Pugh’s aides was also scoured.

Silverman said federal agents also served a subpoena at his law firm, retrieving Pugh’s original financial records. They did not seek any attorney-client privileged communications, he said.

Pugh’s attorney said she was “emotionally extremely distraught” following the searches by FBI and IRS agents.

“There was nothing incriminating that came out of her home,” Silverman said.

UMMS spokesman Michael Schwartzberg told reporters that the medical system received a grand jury witness subpoena seeking documents and information related to Pugh.

Other probes against Pugh include a review by the city ethics board and the Maryland Insurance Administration.

BALTIMORE MAYOR’S $500G DEAL FOR ‘HEALTHY HOLLY’ CHILDREN’S BOOKS DRAWS SCRUTINY

In recent weeks, the calls for Pugh’s resignation have intensified with the strongest voice coming from Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who did not mince words after Thursday’s early morning raids.

“Now more than ever, Baltimore City needs strong and responsible leadership. Mayor Pugh has lost the public trust,” he said. “She is clearly not fit to lead. For the good of the city, Mayor Pugh must resign.”

Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service agents search the home of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in Baltimore, MD., Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and in City Hall.

Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service agents search the home of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in Baltimore, MD., Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and in City Hall. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun via AP)

Many of her fellow Democrats, including those on Baltimore’s demoralized City Council and state lawmakers, are also insisting that Pugh put the citizens’ interests above any attempt to preserve her political career.

City Council member Brandon Scott called the Thursday raids “an embarrassment to the city.”

However, only a conviction can trigger a mayor’s removal from office, according to the city solicitor. Baltimore’s mayor-friendly City Charter currently provides no options for ousting its executive.

Six of Pugh’s staffers joined her on paid leave earlier this month; three of them were fired this week by the acting mayor.

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Pugh came to office in late 2016 after edging out ex-Mayor Sheila Dixon, who had spent much of her tenure fighting corruption charges before being forced to depart office in 2010 as part of a plea deal connected to the misappropriation of about $500 in gift cards meant for needy families.

She would certainly face a bruising 2020 Democratic primary if she were to return and run for reelection. Veteran City Council leader Bernard “Jack” Young, who is serving as acting mayor, said as she went on leave that he would merely be a placeholder. But this week, before the raids, he said “it could be devastating for her” if she tried to return.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News National

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Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations has blasted the United State and the European Union for imposing sanctions on his country, describing them as “economic terrorism.”

Bashar Ja’afari made his comments Friday in the Kazakh capital of Astana where Russia, Turkey and Iran held a new round of talks with the Syrian government and the opposition on steps to bring peace to the country.

His comments came as government-held parts of Syria are witnessing widespread fuel shortages that are largely the result of Western sanctions on Syria and its key ally Iran.

Ja’afari says: “This is economic terrorism that is escalating through unilateral economic measures.”

A final statement issued at the end of Astana’s 12th round rejected President Donald Trump’s formal recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over Syria’s occupied Golan Heights.

Source: Fox News World

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