scott
Page: 5
FILE PHOTO: Renaud Laplanche, (2nd R) Founder and CEO of Lending Club, celebrates with company executives after ringing the opening bell during their IPO at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., December 11, 2014. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
April 15, 2019
By Anna Irrera
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. online lenders such as LendingClub Corp, Kabbage Inc and Avant LLC are scrutinizing loan quality, securing long-term financing and cutting costs, as executives prepare for what they fear could be the sector’s first economic downturn.
A recession could bring escalating credit losses, liquidity crunch and higher funding costs, testing business models in a relatively nascent industry.
Peer-to-peer and other digital lenders sprouted up largely after the Great Recession of 2008. Unlike banks, which tend to have lower-cost and more stable deposits, online lenders rely on market funding that can be harder to come by in times of stress.
Their underwriting methods also often include analysis of non-traditional data, such as education level of borrowers. While platforms see that as a strength, it has yet to be tested in times of crisis.
“This is very top of mind for us,” LendingClub Chief Executive Officer Scott Sanborn said in an interview, referring to the possibility of a recession. “It’s not a question of ‘if,’ it’s ‘when,’ and it’s not five years away.”
Sanborn and executives at some half a dozen other online lenders who spoke to Reuters said worsening economic indicators and forecasts have made them more cautious.
Their worries are the latest sign that fears a U.S. downturn is nigh are growing. Economists polled by Reuters in March saw a 25 percent chance of U.S. recession over the next 12 months. More recently, some executives said, a Federal Reserve decision to halt interest rate hikes reinforced those fears.
“We were seeing economists bringing up some warning signs, and we were following the Fed signals and that they were becoming more dovish,” said Bhanu Arora, the head of consumer lending at the Chicago-based lender Avant. “We wanted to be prepared and ready.”
To position itself better for recession, Avant came up with a plan late last year that includes tightening credit requirements for segments it identified as higher risk, Arora said.
To be sure, the executives said they are not yet seeing glaring signs of trouble in their loan books.
A downturn is also far from certain. On Friday, JPMorgan Chase & Co, the country’s largest bank by assets, eased fears of a recession after it posted better-than-expected quarterly profits driven by what it described as solid U.S. economic growth.
If a downturn hits, however, it would separate the stronger online lenders from the weaker ones.
“All these different platforms say they can underwrite in unique ways,” said Robert Wildhack, an analyst at Autonomous Research. “This will be the first chance we have to see who is right and who might have been taking shortcuts.”
TIGHTENING CREDIT
In February, LendingClub, one of the pioneers of peer-to-peer lending, offered growth projections for 2019 that fell short of Wall Street expectations, partly a sign of growing caution. LendingClub does not provide loans directly to consumers but earns fees by connecting borrowers and investors on its online marketplace.
Sanborn said the company has gotten more stringent about credit standards for borrowers on its platform and is attracting investors with broader risk appetites in case the more cautious participants pull back.
It is also outsourcing more of its back-office operations and relocating some staff to Utah from San Francisco to reduce expenses, he said.
SoFI, an online lender that refinances student loans and then securitizes them, has been focusing on making its portfolio more profitable, even if that may mean lower origination volumes, CEO Anthony Noto told reporters in late-February.
EXTRA CUSHION Some companies are building more room on their balance sheets and trying to secure funding farther into the future.
Small business lender BlueVine Capital Inc, for example, is seeking credit facilities with extended durations. Given a choice to pay 10 basis points less or get a line of credit that lasts an additional year, BlueVine would choose the latter, said Eyal Lifshitz, the company’s chief executive.
“We are making sure we are locking in capital for longer periods of time, and from providers that we trust and we know are going to be around,” Lifshitz said.
BlueVine offers invoice factoring, where companies exchange future cash flows for current financing, as well as lines of credit that last up to a year. It is postponing the launch of longer-term products because of economic concerns, Lifshitz said.
Atlanta-based Kabbage, which lends to small businesses, recently completed a $700 million asset-backed securitization. The company said it raised the funding to meet growing borrower demand, but also partly as preparation in case of worsening economic conditions.
“We have been waiting for the next recession to happen for the past five years,” said Kathryn Petralia, co-founder and president. “More people feel confident that it’s imminent.”
(Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Paritosh Bansal)
Source: OANN
A man carries containers used to filled them with fuel that is sold on the black market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 24, 2019. Picture taken February 24, 2019. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado
April 14, 2019
By Anthony Esposito
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – A dispute between Haiti and a U.S. energy trading firm is leading to long blackouts and fuel shortages in the Caribbean nation, feeding anger at President Jovenel Moise’s government following the collapse of a supply deal with Venezuela last year.
The capital Port-au-Prince’s fragile power grid was dealt a blow when Novum Energy Trading Corp suspended shipments in February, leaving residents without electricity for days and many gas stations with no fuel at the pumps.
Novum says the government owes it $40 million in overdue payments for fuel. Haitian officials did not reply to requests for comment.
The Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation, Haiti long relied on fuel shipments from nearby OPEC member Venezuela, which offered cheap financing to several Caribbean nations to buy its gasoline, diesel and other products through a program called Petrocaribe.
But the scheme fell apart last year due to economic turmoil in Venezuela, forcing Haiti – a nation of 11 million people – to return to international markets.
Novum, which has supplied Haiti with fuel for more than four years, stepped up its shipments as the Petrocaribe deal unravelled. Novum said it supplied 80 percent of Haiti’s gasoline and diesel needs last year.
On Feb. 27, Novum anchored a vessel carrying 150,000 barrels of gasoline off Port-au-Prince until the payment dispute could be resolved. The cargo was equivalent to roughly half of Haiti’s monthly consumption of gasoline, according to industry experts.
After more than a month waiting, Novum on April 4 said the situation was “untenable” and sent the vessel to Jamaica to take on provisions.
Youri Chevry, mayor of Port-au-Prince, a sprawling city of more than 2.6 million people, said electricity and gasoline shortages had grown worse over the past month as Haiti waited for the shipment.
“It’s a very bad situation … It has a lot of repercussions,” he said.
Chris Scott, Novum’s chief financial officer, said the vessel would not dock until the government could pay. He said Novum had taken such measures “fairly regularly” since mid-2018 as Haiti started to fall behind on payments after the Petrocaribe program collapsed.
“They need to pay in order for us to be able to discharge,” Scott said.
A government official, who asked not to be identified, said fuel distribution companies in Haiti had not paid the government for gasoline and diesel it purchased on their behalf from Novum. That in turn meant the government could not pay the U.S. company for the fuel.
The official said other companies were still supplying Haiti with fuel. He did not provide details.
The scarcity of fuel and growing economic problems has put basic necessities increasingly out of reach for many Haitians, despite a $229 million loan program from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached last month.
“I’m barely surviving,” said 40-year-old Amos, one of scores of hawkers selling black market gasoline on a busy street in the capital. On bad day, he earns little more than 50 cents. “It’s going to be difficult to see change in this country.”
PROTESTS
Protesters have for months agitated to remove Moise, a former businessman who took office in February 2017. They blame him for inflation running at around 17 percent, the depreciation of the gourde currency, and for not investigating alleged misuse of Petrocaribe funds by public officials.
Between Feb. 7 and Feb. 27, the protests claimed at least 26 lives and injured more than 77 people, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, though the situation has calmed since then.
Moise has refused to step aside, saying in February he would not hand power to the leaders of violent protests. He pledged his government would take steps to address people’s grievances.
Corruption is a perennial concern in Haiti. The nation ranked 166 from 183 countries in Transparency International’s global survey of perceptions of corruption last year – only Venezuela had a worse ranking in the Western Hemisphere.
International pressure has grown for an investigation. In a March 20 letter, 104 member of the U.S. Congress asked President Donald Trump’s government to support investigations into Petrocaribe in Haiti, pointing to the alleged misuse of $2 billion in low-interest loans under the scheme.
At the height of the Petrocaribe program, Venezuelan fuel covered nearly 70 percent of Haiti’s needs. Venezuela provided long-term financing for the oil on flexible terms, with a maximum 2 percent interest rate and a two-year grace period.
Petrocaribe included a fund for infrastructure and social projects in member countries.
By April 2018, Venezuela was no longer exporting fuel to Haiti, according to documents from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA seen by Reuters.
After the program lapsed, Haitian energy companies lacked the hard U.S. currency to be able to buy fuel on international markets, said an executive at one firm, who asked not to be identified.
Andre Michel, an opposition leader looking into the alleged corruption surrounding Petrocaribe, said it was difficult to estimate how much was stolen but the signs of misused of funds appeared compelling.
“No serious projects have been completed: no hospitals, no campus for students, no roads, no housing projects,” he said.
An oft-heard lament on the streets of Port-au-Prince is that while politicians pilfer billions, Haitians go hungry. Roads in the city are potholed and the vestiges of a deadly 2010 earthquake can still be seen at practically every corner.
Destine Legagneur, a small business owner, whose shop is a stone’s throw from the presidential palace, said Haitians would be scarred by the Petrocaribe scheme for years to come.
“That money is going to have to be paid to Venezuela one way or another,” he said. “If it’s not me, it’s my kids that are going to have to pay.”
(Reporting by Anthony Esposito in Port-au-Prince; Additional reporting by Marianna Parraga in Mexico city; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Lisa Shumaker)
Source: OANN
Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott on Sunday repeated his call for military intervention in Venezuela, saying the United States needs to “consider” using military force to get aid to those starving there.
In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Scott said “there is genocide going on in Venezuela right now.”
“[Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro is intentionally starving his citizens,” he said. “We’ve got to really consider whether we do military help getting this aid in to save the starving people in Venezuela. Eighty percent of the kids under 5 have malnutrition, 90% of households don’t have food. This is genocide, and Maduro is doing it.”
It’s not the first time Scott has suggested military intervention. Last week, Scott also urged that U.S. military get involved with helping aid cross the border.
“There is only one option left to get aid to the people of Venezuela. It is something that no one is willing to talk about,” Scott saidat the American Enterprise Institute in Washington last Thursday, the Miami Herald reported. “It is becoming clear that we will have to consider the use of American military assets to deliver aid. Maduro and his thugs have left us no choice.”
Scott also decried the “politics” of aiding Puerto Rico.
“I’ve been eight times after the hurricane and I want to take care of Puerto Rico to the extent I can,” he said, adding: “The first thing I did on the senate floor was talked about the food stamp program for Puerto Rico. We’ve got to strike a compromise. It’s frustrating to me. To me this is all politics. This is [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer [D-N.Y.] saying he cares about Puerto Rico more than President [Donald] Trump does.”
Source: NewsMax Politics
FILE PHOTO: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rick Scott addresses supporters at his midterm election night party in Naples, Florida, U.S. November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Joe Skipper
April 14, 2019
By Michelle Price
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump may have threatened to transport illegal immigrants to so-called sanctuary cities to “make everybody crazy” and generate media attention, Republican U.S. Senator Rick Scott said on Sunday.
Trump said on Friday he was considering sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities, prompting U.S. mayors to accept such an offer as the battle over border security rages.
Sanctuary cities are local jurisdictions that generally give undocumented immigrants safe harbor by refusing to use their resources to help enforce federal immigration laws that could lead to deportations. Many such jurisdictions are Democratic strongholds.
Speaking to CNN’s “State of the Union,” Scott said he did not know if transporting immigrants to these jurisdictions was legal or illegal, adding: “I mean maybe he’s just saying this to make everybody crazy, make everybody talk about it on their shows.”
Scott, a former Florida governor who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November, has generally kept his distance from Trump and criticized him in the past over immigration policies and other issues.
Frustrated by rising numbers of undocumented immigrants arriving at the southern border and a failure to get Congress to fully fund a U.S.-Mexico border wall, Trump taunted Democrats by dangling the possibility of an influx of illegal immigrants into their communities.
“Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
On Sunday, Scott said sanctuary cities themselves were illegal and that the administration had to comply with the law in addressing the influx of migrants at the southern border.
“I’m sure the president is very frustrated because we’re not securing our border, the Democrats are stopping this. But we have to comply with every law.”
(Reporting by Michelle Price; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
Source: OANN
FILE PHOTO: Employees walk by the end of a 737 Max aircraft at the Boeing factory in Renton, Washington, U.S., March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson/File Photo
April 14, 2019
By Tracy Rucinski
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Normally U.S. airlines compete to sell tickets and fill seats during the peak summer travel season. But operators of the grounded Boeing 737 MAX are facing a different problem: scarce planes and booming demand.
The grounding of Boeing Co’s fuel-efficient, single-aisle workhorse after two fatal crashes is biting into U.S. airlines’ Northern Hemisphere spring and summer schedules, threatening to disarm them in their seasonal war for profits.
“The revenue is right in front of them. They can see it, but they can’t meet it,” said Mike Trevino, spokesman for Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and an aviation industry veteran.
Southwest Airlines Co, the world’s largest MAX operator, and American Airlines Group Inc with 34 and 24 MAX jetliners respectively, have removed the aircraft from their flying schedules into August.
Southwest’s decision will lead to 160 cancellations of some 4,200 daily flights between June 8 and Aug. 5, while American’s removal through Aug. 19 means about 115 daily cancellations, or 1.5 percent of its summer flying schedule each day.
Low-cost carrier Southwest, which unlike its rivals only flies Boeing 737s, had estimated $150 million in lost revenue between Feb. 20 and March 31 alone due to MAX cancellations and other factors.
So far airlines have said it is too soon to estimate the impact of the MAX grounding beyond the first quarter, but the extended cancellations signal that they do not expect a quick return of Boeing’s fast-selling jetliner. The 737 MAX was grounded worldwide in March following a fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash just five months after a Lion Air crash in Indonesia. All on board both planes were killed.
Boeing is under pressure to deliver an upgrade on software that is under scrutiny in both crashes and convince global regulators that the plane is safe to fly again, a process expected to take at least 90 days.
The timing of a prolonged grounding could not be worse for Northern Hemisphere carriers. Planes run fullest during June, July and August, when airlines earn the most revenue per available seat mile, according to U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
In a letter to employees and customers on Sunday, American Airlines’ top executives said they believed the MAX would be recertified “soon” but wanted to provide their customers reliability and confidence during “the busiest travel period of the year.”
American was cancelling about 90 flights per day through early June, but runs more flights and has less fleet flexibility in the peak summer travel months.
“We’re not denying that it’s going to be a challenge for us,” American spokesman Ross Feinstein said. “That is why if we have to extend cancellations based on aircraft availability we will do so as far in advance as possible.”
A decline in seat capacity could mean higher last-minute summer fares, particularly for business class travelers, aviation consultants and analysts said.
United Airlines, with 14 MAX jets, has largely avoided cancellations by servicing MAX routes with larger 777 or 787 aircraft, but the airline president, Scott Kirby, warned last week that the strategy was costing it money and could not go on forever.
Overall the MAX represents just 5 percent of Southwest’s total fleet and even less for American and United, but the strain on fleets increases as additional MAX deliveries remain frozen.
Southwest has 41 MAX jets pending delivery for 2019, while American has 16 and United 14.
To compensate, global MAX operators have added a flight or two to other aircrafts’ daily schedules and deferred some non-essential maintenance work. Some airlines are also weighing extending aircraft leases and bringing back idled planes, but with unclear MAX timing, no option is clear-cut or cheap, consultants said.
United is due to publish first-quarter results on April 16, followed by Southwest on April 25 and American on April 26.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chris Sanders and Susan Thomas)
Source: OANN
Apr 13, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (19) hits an RBI double against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
April 14, 2019
Chris Davis had three hits and four RBIs to end his record skid with a flourish as the Baltimore Orioles snapped a four-game losing streak with a 9-5 win over the host Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Davis, who entered the contest hitless in his last 54 at-bats dating to last season, hit a two-run single in the first inning to end his hitting drought. He added a tiebreaking double in the fifth inning and another double in the eighth, his first three-hit game since Aug. 28.
Andrew Cashner (3-1) once again played stopper for the Orioles, giving up three runs on three hits in five-plus innings. It was the third straight win for Cashner, who similarly ended a four-game Orioles’ losing streak his last time out against the Oakland A’s.
Christian Vazquez hit a two-run home run and had four RBIs for the Red Sox, whose first winning streak of the season was snapped at two games. Rick Porcello (0-3) struggled with his command through four-plus innings, walking five and allowing three runs on six hits.
Yankees 4, White Sox 0
CC Sabathia pitched five sharp innings in his season debut, Luke Voit delivered a pinch-hit bases-loaded RBI single, Aaron Judge added his first homer of the season at Yankee Stadium and New York halted a four-game losing streak with a shutout victory over Chicago.
Sabathia was activated Saturday from the injured list and held the White Sox to one hit. He struck out three, did not issue a walk and retired 15 of the 16 hitters he faced in a 62-pitch outing.
The veteran Sabathia had knee surgery and angioplasty in the offseason.
Astros 3, Mariners 1
Jose Altuve homered for the fifth consecutive game, and Justin Verlander pitched six dominant innings as Houston defeated host Seattle. Robinson Chirinos also homered for Houston, which won its eighth consecutive game.
The Mariners lost their second in a row following a six-game winning streak. The two teams wrap up their three-game series Sunday afternoon.
Verlander (2-0) allowed one run — a solo homer by Mitch Haniger — on two hits. The right-hander didn’t walk a batter and struck out 11. He threw 105 pitches, 76 for strikes.
Reds 5, Cardinals 2
Derek Dietrich hit a home run to lead off the seventh inning and drove in three runs as Cincinnati recorded its fourth straight win, defeating St. Louis in Monterrey, Mexico.
Jesse Winker launched an opposite-field solo homer with one out in the sixth inning for Cincinnati’s first hit of the contest. Scott Schebler ripped an RBI single, and Joey Votto had a double to reach base for the 17th straight game against St. Louis.
Jared Hughes (1-0) struck out one in two-thirds of an inning to secure the win for the Reds, who have outscored the opposition 26-3 during their winning streak.
Blue Jays 3, Rays 1
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a two-run double in the seventh inning and Toronto came back to defeat visiting Tampa Bay.
Teoscar Hernandez added an RBI single in the eighth for Toronto. The teams have split the first two games of the three-game set.
Thomas Pannone (1-2) pitched around two errors in the seventh inning to earn the win in relief. Ken Giles pitched around a single in the ninth and had two strikeouts to earn his fourth save in five opportunities.
Royals 3, Indians 0
Homer Bailey threw seven sterling innings for Kansas City in a victory over visiting Cleveland. The Royals won back-to-back games after snapping a 10-game losing streak with an 8-1 win on Friday.
Bailey entered the game with just one win in his last 22 home starts, compiling a 1-14 record with a 7.49 ERA over that span. He had not won in an American League ballpark since May 19, 2012, when he was victorious at Yankee Stadium as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.
Bailey gave up only a single and a double to No. 8 hitter Brad Miller. He threw 102 pitches. Bailey allowed seven runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings Monday vs. Seattle in his previous start.
Giants 5, Rockies 2
Kevin Pillar hit his fourth home run in the last six games and Madison Bumgarner (1-2) carried a lead into the eighth inning as San Francisco made it three in a row over visiting Colorado which has lost eight straight.
Reyes Moronta stranded the potential tying run in scoring position in the eighth before the Giants tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the inning, sending San Francisco to a triumph in a game that began barely 12 hours after a marathon 18-inning Giants win had ended earlier in the morning.
Pillar, acquired in-season from Toronto, contributed a sacrifice fly to a two-run third inning against Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (1-3) before adding a solo shot in the fifth, taking the left-hander into the left field bleachers for his fourth home run of the season.
Marlins 10, Phillies 3
Rookie Austin Dean went 4-for-4 with a homer and five RBIs as host Miami broke out of a slump and defeated Philadelphia.
Caleb Smith (1-0) pitched six scoreless innings, overcoming a shaky first frame in which he tossed 29 pitches. In all, he threw 99 pitches and allowed three walks and just one hit — a double by Andrew McCutchen — while striking out six.
Dean, who was recalled from Triple-A on Friday, fell a triple short of the cycle and helped the Marlins snap a five-game losing streak, as Miami belted a season-high 18 hits. Miami had scored just twice in its previous four games but plated four runs in Saturday’s third inning on homers by Brian Anderson, Neil Walker and Dean.
Twins 4, Tigers 3
Eddie Rosario had two hits and drove in two runs, and three relievers combined to pitch three shutout innings to help lead Minnesota to a victory over visiting Detroit.
Michael Pineda (2-0) picked up the win, allowing three runs on eight hits over six innings while striking out five.
Trevor Hildenberger and Taylor Rogers each followed with a scoreless inning of relief. Blake Parker overcame a one-out walk to Gordon Beckham and a wild pitch in the ninth by striking out JaCoby Jones and Josh Harrison to pick up his third save of the season.
Angels 6, Cubs 5
Zack Cozart had three hits, and closer Cody Allen notched an adventurous four-out save to help Los Angeles to a victory against host Chicago.
Allen worked around a walk, a double and a run-scoring outfield fielding error in the ninth, ending the game with strikeouts of Willson Contreras and Kyle Schwarber with runners at second and third. Schwarber was called out on a checked swing, and teammates restrained him from charging after third base umpire Gabe Morales as the game ended.
Justin Bour and Brian Goodwin added two hits apiece for the Angels, who evened the three-game series at 1-1. Javier Baez doubled three times for the Cubs, and Jason Heyward had two hits.
Braves 11, Mets 7
Touki Toussaint earned the win by tossing six solid innings of one-run relief in his season debut as host Atlanta scored four runs apiece in the first and second innings of a victory over New York.
The Braves, who lost the first two games of the four-game series, have won four of six. The Mets had a three-game winning streak snapped despite scoring at least six runs for a team-record seventh straight game.
Both starters were chased early Saturday. Mets left-hander Jason Vargas recorded just one out in the first inning and Braves southpaw Sean Newcomb exited after 1 1/3 innings.
Padres 5, Diamondbacks 4
Franmil Reyes hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning, and Kirby Yates picked up his ninth save after fellow reliever Trey Wingenter worked out of a wild, seventh-inning jam as San Diego defeated Arizona to stretch its winning streak to four straight games.
Reyes hit a towering drive to off Matt Andriese that landed in the stands in right-center field, just beyond the reach of Diamondbacks center fielder Ketel Marte. It was Reyes’ second game-winning homer on the Padres’ 7-2 road trip, which ends Sunday.
Arizona drew three walks and had a hit batter in the bottom of the seventh against Padres relievers Robert Stock and Wingenter but failed to score.
Nationals 3, Pirates 2
Adam Eaton hit his first homer of the season and Howie Kendrick also added a blast with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning as Washington rallied to beat visiting Pittsburgh.
Eaton (three hits) and Kendrick went back-to-back against Richard Rodriguez (0-1), who took over for starter Chris Archer.
The winning pitcher was Wander Suero (1-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth, while Sean Doolittle got the save despite allowing two baserunners in the ninth. Melky Cabrera hit a solo homer off Washington starter Anibal Sanchez in the sixth to break a 1-1 tie.
Brewers 4, Dodgers 1
Mike Moustakas and Orlando Arcia hit solo home runs and visiting Milwaukee handed Los Angeles its sixth straight loss.
Brewers starter Zach Davies (2-0) threw seven innings in the second game of the three-game series, allowing one run and eight hits. He struck out six and didn’t walk a batter while lowering his ERA to 1.53. Davies benefited from three double plays in the first five innings.
Dodgers left-hander Caleb Ferguson (0-1) came out of the bullpen to make his fourth major league start and went 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run and four hits.
Rangers, Athletics, ppd.
Saturday night’s game between Texas and visiting Oakland was postponed after a nearly hour-long rain delay, before it ever got started. The game will be made up as part of a split day-night doubleheader on Saturday, June 8. In between those games, the Rangers will retire Adrian Beltre’s No. 29.
–Field Level Media
Source: OANN
Halloween has apparently become the most perfect date for the Brexit nightmare to end, at least social media users think so.
After the European Union agreed to give the UK prime minister a “flexible extension” of the Brexit horror story until 31 October, Chancellor Philip Hammond said Theresa May will remain in office until she takes the country out of the bloc.
Ever since the announcement, social media has been inundated with memes and jokes on the date set for the UK’s divorce, which ironically coincides with Halloween, and has caused many to wonder whether Brussels was trolling London:
Yeah! #Halloween is a great day to do #Brexit. It means that those who voted for it, get to come back and see it enacted! pic.twitter.com/oFQyGL7xb5
— phill smuth (@phillmoog) April 11, 2019
Choosing Halloween for the #flextension date maybe the greatest bit of trolling in the history of the Internet…? pic.twitter.com/gZSss1tGah
— Fire In The North (@AFireInTheNorth) April 11, 2019
Prepare for #HalloweenBrexit 🎃
(https://t.co/hadNxmIbQn) pic.twitter.com/a28NLDNE8q— Manuel Sintubin ⚒️ (@ManuelSintubin) April 11, 2019
Halloween Brexit
Ht @ARICHTALL pic.twitter.com/pzMQHaUraB
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) April 12, 2019
Brexit extension offer is…. Halloween 👻 🎃
We are being trolled and we deserve it pic.twitter.com/RMO78gzdmv
— article 50 challenge (@A50Challenge) April 10, 2019
Netizens were simply left no other choice but to troll the “zombie” prime minister and her government, as well as the “Nightmare on Downing Street”.
Loving the #Halloween images coming out over the #Brextension news this morning.
Total gift for the media. And a Nightmare on Downing Street, indeed#HalloweenBrexit #Brexit pic.twitter.com/5lnspDbkUO— Mummy Central (@Mummy_Central) April 11, 2019
EU leaders agree to delay Brexit until 31 October – meaning we are stuck with a zombie government till Halloween https://t.co/QtpBMYjF9N pic.twitter.com/aViWVUZ3dS
— ⚘Are We All Asleep ?#funnytinge⚘ ⚘▀▄▀▄▀▄⚘▄▀▄▀▄▀⚘ (@demindblower) April 12, 2019
Halloween Brexit x May x Fixed Term Parliaments Act means we really are stuck with a zombie government. pic.twitter.com/nlOBOLdqqC
— Helen Dale (@_HelenDale) April 11, 2019
Brexit has been delayed until Halloween. Trick or Treaty?🤦🏼♀️🤨
#brexit #HalloweenBrexit #halloween pic.twitter.com/MIl3jBOJVq
— 𝐘𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐧 ♥ (@MissYjw1) April 11, 2019
Many social media users revealed what costumes they are going to wear for #HalloweenBrexit:
Can’t wait to dress as Brexit for Halloween this year. Basically I’ll turn up to parties, say I’ll make them better, ruin everything and shout at people for complaining about it.
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) April 11, 2019
At Halloween, I am going to dress up as a European and frighten the sh*t out of all Brexiteers. #brexit
— Aodhán Ó Coileáin 🇵🇸 🇮🇪 🇪🇺 (@CapersColly) April 11, 2019
What will everyone be dressing as for Brexit Halloween? I’m going as an indicative vote
— Stephen Canning (@EssexCanning) April 10, 2019
Asking for a friend: how does one dress as Crippling Anxiety for Brexit Halloween? #RevokeA50Now #BrexitHalloween
— Requin (@sassyrequin) April 11, 2019
Some poked fun at the situation, coming up with a bunch of hilarious names for a hypothetical horror movie about the Halloween Brexit:
Halloween Brexit x name a better horror film x
— Aleesha (@a_leesha1) April 10, 2019
Friday The 13th….No Wait, March 29th….No, June 30th….Okay, October 31st.
— Scott Grady (@DaRefScottGrady) April 11, 2019
I still know what you did last referendum
— joe (@Joe17Smoking) April 11, 2019
The Brexorcist.
— FlipTop #GTTO (@FlipTop27) April 10, 2019
The night before no deal
— Adam (@Adam14250194) April 11, 2019
The UK was supposed to leave the European Union on 29 March, but Theresa May decided to request an extension since she failed to gain support from British lawmakers for the withdrawal deal she had previously negotiated with Brussels.
(Image Credit: @ianbremmer/Twitter)
Source: InfoWars
Tiger Woods hits from a sand trap on the second hole during first round play of the 2019 Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
April 13, 2019
By Steve Keating
AUGUSTA, Ga. (Reuters) – Augusta National was bracing for the return of Tiger-mania on Saturday with Tiger Woods going toe-to-toe against an all-star leaderboard in what is expected to be an extraordinary day of golfing theater.
Italy’s Francesco Molinari, South African Louis Oosthuizen, American Brooks Koepka and Australians Jason Day and Adam Scott — major winners all — share top spot on a glittering Masters leaderboard but Woods is the man lurking one shot behind that everyone is coming to see.
It has been 11 years since Woods won the last of his 14 major titles and many expect to see him end the drought on
Sunday with what would be a fifth Green Jacket after he surged into contention on Friday behind a brilliant four-under 68.
But the path to the Green Jacket will not be easy with a pack of major winners in front of him at seven under.
Woods will begin the third round at 2:15 pm ET (1815 GMT) with little-known South African Justin Harding but the names following him out will all be familiar.
British Open winner Molinari and Australian former world number one Day will be on the course at 2:45 pm ET ahead of two-time defending U.S. Open champion Koepka and 2013 Masters winner Scott.
They will be followed by South African British Open winner Oosthuizen and Dustin Johnson, who ended the second round at six under alongside Woods.
(Editing by Clare Fallon)
Source: OANN
Golf – Masters – Augusta National Golf Club – Augusta, Georgia, U.S. – April 12, 2019 – Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa finishes on the 18th hole during second round play. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
April 13, 2019
AUGUSTA, Ga. (Reuters) – Louis Oosthuizen put himself firmly in Masters contention with a career-best 66 at Augusta National on Friday but while he was happy to share the lead after the second round he said his focus was on getting it right over the closing nine holes on Sunday.
Oosthuizen, whose sole major win came at the 2010 British Open, leads the way at the Masters on seven-under 137, alongside fellow major winners Francesco Molinari, Jason Day, Brooks Koepka and Adam Scott.
His round of 66, which featured seven birdies and a solitary bogey, was a five-stroke improvement over his first-round performance and the 36-year-old hoped the third round would offer a little more consistency.
“I just need a decent, solid round tomorrow, not play yourself out of it and stay in touch with everyone,” said Oosthuizen, who won the South African Open for the first time in December.
“This golf course, you win it on the back nine on Sunday. We’ve seen over the years anything can happen on the back nine.”
While few would bat an eyelid at seeing Oosthuizen in contention for the Green Jacket, the same cannot be said for countryman Justin Harding, who is just one shot off the lead at the first men’s major of the year.
Five birdies on the back nine helped Harding to a second consecutive 69 and the 33-year-old told reporters he was making the most of his maiden trip to the Masters, even if he is still struggling to believe he is even playing at the prestigious tournament.
“Look, it still gives me the giggles just being here,” said Harding. “I’ve got a couple of friends out here, family is out watching, as well. We’re just having a nice time and enjoying the birdies.”
(Reporting By Amy Tennery; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Source: OANN
Golf – Masters – Augusta National Golf Club – Augusta, Georgia, U.S. – April 12, 2019 – Adam Scott of Australia finishes on the 18th hole during second round play. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
April 13, 2019
By Andrew Both
AUGUSTA, Ga. (Reuters) – Adam Scott became the first Australian to win the Masters when he took the Green Jacket in 2013 and he was back in unfamiliar territory at Augusta National on Friday when he ended the second round tied at the top of the leaderboard.
His five-way share of the lead marked the first time Scott has either led or co-lead after 18, 36 or 54 holes at Augusta National. He lurked close to the lead in 2013 before timing his run to beat Angel Cabrera in a playoff.
On Friday, it was a mighty two-iron at the 15th hole that gave Scott a taste of the lead.
His drive found the fairway at the par five, leaving him 230 yards from the hole when play was halted because of rain. During a 40-minute delay the wind shifted into his face, making for a much more precarious shot over the pond guarding the green.
He thought it through and decided not to go for the smart option.
“My shot got significantly longer, and it was now instead of a four-iron, it was now a two-iron, and I was thinking whether I should be smart and lay it up or not,” he told reporters.
“I had that discussion with the caddie, but it was kind of a perfect number for a two-iron, if there is such a thing, on 15 at Augusta, and hit a great shot, which set up an eagle.
“These are the kind of momentum things that you have to sometimes make happen to put yourself in a good position. When you’re swinging well, you have to go for it. I don’t know if it was the smartest decision, but it certainly paid off.”
The eagle took Scott into the sole lead at eight-under par, but he missed a three-foot par putt at the next hole and squandered a great birdie chance at the last.
He shot 68 to join compatriot Jason Day, American Brooks Koepka, Italian Francesco Molinari and South African Louis Oosthuizen at seven-under 137, with Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson among a group one behind.
“I think it’s going to be an incredible weekend no matter what happens now,” said the 38-year-old.
“There are so many great players in with a chance, and I think my game plan has to be the same as where I started the week.
“I wanted my ball‑striking to kind of show up this week a little more than it has any other week this year, and it looks like it has.
“I’m tied for the lead in the Masters. You can’t ask to be in a better position.
“I believe I’ve got the game to match it with everyone these days. It’s always a knife edge on who comes out on top of these things.”
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Source: OANN
MAGA One Radio