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Mohamed Abrini: Paris Attacks Key Suspect Arrested in Belgium

Roy Siemens
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Mohamed Abrini: Paris Attacks Key Suspect Arrested in Belgium

Mohamed Abrini – the key remaining suspect in November’s Paris terror attacks – has been arrested, Belgian media say.

He is also likely to be the “man in the hat” seen on CCTV before the blasts in the Brussels airport departure hall on March 22, sources cited in Belgian media say.

Belgian prosecutors confirmed that several arrests had been made in connection with the Brussels attacks.

The attacks on the Brussels airport and a metro station left 32 dead.Mohamed Abrini arrested

The gun and bomb attacks in Paris on November 13 killed 130 people.

Although the Belgian federal prosecutor confirmed that “there have been several arrests in the course of the day in connection with the attacks on the airport and metro”, they would give no further details.

Local media reports suggest that Mohamed Abrini, on the run for five months, was arrested in the Anderlecht district of Brussels.

The Associated Press quoted French police as saying that Mohamed Abrini was one of the arrested men. He had not been directly linked to the Brussels attacks until today.

Some media say that one of the other men arrested is suspected of helping suicide bomber Khalid el-Bakraoui at the Maelbeek metro station, but this has not been confirmed.

On April 7, Belgian authorities had released new video footage of the “man in the hat”, appealing for the public’s help in finding him.

The individual in the footage was seen beside the two suicide bombers at Brussels airport. He left the airport shortly before the blasts.

Mohamed Abrini, 31, a Belgian national of Moroccan origin, is believed to have been filmed at a petrol station with Salah Abdeslam, another arrested Paris attacks suspect, two days before the attacks there.

He and brothers Salah and Brahim Abdeslam were all childhood friends from Brussels.

Mohamed Abrini is believed to have driven twice with the brothers from Belgium to Paris and back on November 10 and 11.

White House 2016: Pope Francis Invites Bernie Sanders to Vatican

Diane A. Wade
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White House 2016: Pope Francis Invites Bernie Sanders to Vatican

Bernie Sanders has been invited to the Vatican by Pope Francis, his campaign announced.

The Vermont senator and Democratic presidential hopeful, who is Jewish, accepted an invitation to Rome for a conference at the end of next week.

Bernie Sanders’ visit to the Vatican is four days before the primary contest in New York, a competitive battle between him and front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The Democratic presidential hopeful said he was not sure whether he would meet Pope Francis but he was a big fan of the pontiff.

Bernie Sanders said they share the same views on inequality: “He’s trying to inject this sense of morality into how we do economics… and we need that absolutely desperately.”

He will attend a conference on social, economic and environmental issues and give a speech on April 15, his campaign said.

Bernie Sanders and Pope Francis have similar views on fighting income inequality and he was “very moved” by the invitation from the Vatican.

He said he and the pope disagree on women’s rights and gay rights, but Pope Francis has “injected a moral consequence into the economy”.

Bernie Sanders is trailing Hillary Clinton but gaining momentum after a string of wins, most recently in the Wisconsin primary.

In the last few days, a mostly civil fight between the two became more personal as Bernie Sanders accused Hillary Clinton of not being “qualified” to be president.

Pope Francis said on April 8 that the Catholic Church should be less strict and show more compassion to “imperfect” Catholics.

The pontiff called on the Church to be welcoming to gay Catholics but did not change the Church’s views on LGBT families and marriage.

Amoris Letitia: Pope Francis Publishes New Family Life Guidelines

Diane A. Wade
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Amoris Letitia: Pope Francis Publishes New Family Life Guidelines

Pope Francis has urged the Church to show more understanding of modern realities as he published new guidelines on family life.

The document, based on two Synods on the issue, was eagerly awaited by the world’s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics.

Entitled “The Joy of Love”, it does not change Catholic doctrine.

The document opens the way for bishops in each country to interpret doctrine to suit their own culture.

Pope Francis urges priests to exercise careful discernment over “wounded families” and be merciful, rather than judgemental.

The pontiff criticizes the individualism that has led many in the West to value their own personal satisfaction over the needs of their spouse.Pope Francis Amoris Letitia 2016

While saying yes to s** education, he argues it must be within a framework of education about love.

The emphasis throughout is on better pastoral care: better preparation for couples on what marriage involves, and more understanding from parish priests and others for human frailty.

The document is the culmination of three years’ work by Pope Francis, who sent a questionnaire to families across the world asking them about their hopes and their fears.

Pope Francis then brought bishops and cardinals together for two Synods in Rome, at which he encouraged them to debate and even to disagree over issues that divide the Church in many countries.

Among the most divisive issues are offering communion to the divorced and remarried, contraception and the treatment of gay Catholics.

Liberals had hoped he would tell the Church to show a more merciful attitude to those whose families do not conform to the current Catholic ideal.

Conservatives had maintained it would devalue the principle established by Jesus of marriage being indissoluble.

At the conclusion of the 2015 Synod, Pope Francis castigated Church leaders who, he said, buried their heads in the sand over the issue. He argued that their adherence to rigid doctrine was over-riding their concern for the suffering of families.

The document, formally known as a papal exhortation, has been trending worldwide on Twitter under its Latin name, #AmorisLaetitia.

In another development, US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders announced he would attend a conference at the Vatican on April 15. It was not immediately clear if he would meet Pope Francis himself.

Janet Jackson Pregnant? Singer Postpones All Tour Dates to Have A Baby

Sonia Pantiss
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Janet Jackson Pregnant? Singer Postpones All Tour Dates to Have A Baby

Janet Jackson has postponed all upcoming tours as she is planning to become a mother.

The singer’s announcement comes a month after she scrapped concerts in Europe, and affects 55 further concerts in the US and Canada this summer.

Speaking in a Twitter video, Janet Jackson, 49, told her fans: “My husband and I are planning our family – so I’m going to have to delay the tour.

“Please, if you can, try and understand that it’s important that I do this now.

“I have to rest up [on] doctor’s orders. I will continue the tour as soon as I possibly can.”

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Janet Jackson went on to thank her “supportive and loving” dancers and musicians, and to her fans for their “undying love” and “loyalty”.

Michael Jackson’s sister, who returned to the top of the Billboard charts in 2015 with her eleventh album, Unbreakable, is married to fashion tycoon Wissam Al Mana.

Although Janet Jackson has been married twice before – to musicians James DeBarge and Rene Elizondo – she has no children.

Her world tour has been beset by health problems.

In December 2015, Janet Jackson postponed 29 US dates after being advised to have surgery. She later denied rumous that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

Before that, the concerts received rave reviews, and were listed as one of the top 20 highest-earning tours in a chart compiled by Pollstar.

Janet Jackson last played at the Dubai World Cup on March 26.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QreIAI6zoLA

Panama Papers: Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri Pledges to Assert His Innocence

Clyde K. Valle
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Panama Papers: Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri Pledges to Assert His Innocence

Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri has pledged to assert his innocence when he appears before a federal prosecutor to explain his financial dealings.

An investigation began on April 7 after it transpired Mauricio Macri was mentioned in the Panama Papers, leaked files of law firm Mossack Fonseca.

According to local media reports, Mauricio Macri was listed as director of an offshore company in the Bahamas.

In a TV address, President Mauricio Macri vowed to prove he had done nothing wrong.

He said he wanted to co-operate fully with any inquiry.Mauricio Macri on Panama Papers

“I know there are some people concerned about these allegations in the Panama Papers that have come out and involve me,” the president said.

“I want to say one more time that I am very calm, I have complied with the law, I have told the truth and I have nothing to hide.”

Mauricio Macri said that he had made clear in his initial declaration that he did not have any shares and did not receive any payment for acting as a director of offshore companies.

He said that on April 8 he would be submitting a judicial “declaration of certainty” so that prosecutors can see he is telling the truth.

Mauricio Macri’s office has insisted that he had no shares in the company in question and never received any income from it.

Argentina’s national tax authority and anti-corruption office will be asked to provide information to the inquiry.

Prosecutor Federico Delgado said he wanted to determine if Mauricio Macri had “omitted, with malicious intent” mentioning his reported role in the Bahamas-registered offshore company Fleg Trading.

La Nacion, one of the newspapers examining some of the leaked documents, reported that Mauricio Macri was listed as a director of Fleg Trading from 1998 until 2009.

He did not list the company in his 2007 financial declaration, when he became mayor of Buenos Aires or in his 2015 declaration when he became president.

On April 5, Mauricio Macri’s office confirmed that a business group owned by the president’s family had set up an offshore company through the law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers scandal.

However, the president’s office argued that because he had never received any income from it there had been no reason to mention it in the financial declarations.

Mauricio Macri campaigned on a promise to combat corruption.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfYwDuyhllQ

What Are the Panama Papers?

Clyde K. Valle
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What Are the Panama Papers?

Panama Papers are a leaked set of 11.5 million confidential documents that has lifted the lid on how the rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth.

The files were leaked from one of the world’s most secretive companies, a Panamanian law firm called Mossack Fonseca.

The documents show how wealthy individuals, including public officials, hide their money from public scrutiny.What are Panama Papers

At the time of publication, the papers identified five then-heads of state or government leaders from Argentina, Iceland, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates as well as government officials, close relatives, and close associates of various heads of government of more than forty other countries.

Among the documents are details about:

  • Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko
  • Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri
  • Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, who had an undeclared interest linked to his wife’s wealth. He has now resigned
  • Three of four children of Pakistan’s PM Nawaz Sharif
  • The late father of UK Prime Minister David Cameron
  • The brother-in-law of China’s President Xi Jinping

Panama Papers scandal also touches soccer’s world governing body, FIFA.

The leaked documents have been passed to German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which then shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

Mossack Fonseca says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and never been accused or charged with criminal wrong-doing.

Panama Papers: UK’s PM David Cameron Accused of Hypocrisy in Offshore Trust Row

Clyde K. Valle
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Panama Papers: UK’s PM David Cameron Accused of Hypocrisy in Offshore Trust Row

UK’s PM David Cameron of “hypocrisy” after he revealed he had owned shares in an offshore trust set up by his late father.

On April 7, David Cameron said he sold the shares before he enter Number 10 in 2010 and had paid all UK taxes due on profits from the £30,000 ($45,000) sale.

The prim minister said the company, Blairmore Holdings, had not been set up to avoid tax.

Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson said David Cameron had called people who invested in similar schemes “morally wrong”.

There have been days of headlines about Blairmore Holdings – a fund for investors which until 2006 used “bearer shares” to protect its clients’ privacy – following the leak of 11 million documents held by Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The papers show that David Cameron’s father, Ian, was one of five UK directors who flew to board meetings in the Bahamas or Switzerland.

Downing Street and PM David Cameron had issued four statements on whether he had any financial involvement with Blairmore Holdings before the PM told ITV News on April 7 about the shares he had owned.

Tom Watson said David Cameron could not be blamed for his father’s actions but added: “He can for hypocrisy. He said that sunlight is the best disinfectant and wasn’t entirely straight with the British people about what his own financial arrangements were.

“That wouldn’t be so bad if he hadn’t also been lecturing very prominent people about their own tax arrangements, some he called morally wrong for being invested in similar schemes.

“People don’t like that and they want a lot more answers from David Cameron before this scandal goes away.”

Shadow Treasury minister Richard Burgon called on David Cameron to make a statement on his tax affairs to Parliament on April 11.

“He must now further clarify whether or not he or his family were benefiting directly or indirectly in 2013 when he was lobbying to prevent EU measures to better regulate trusts as a way to clamp down on tax avoidance,” he said.

In his interview on April 7, David Cameron told ITV News: “I don’t have anything to hide. I’m proud of my dad and what he did and the business he established… I can’t bear to see his name being dragged through the mud.”

David Cameron said much criticism was based on a “fundamental misconception” that Blairmore Investment was set up to avoid tax.

“It wasn’t. It was set up after exchange controls went, so that people who wanted to invest in dollar denominated shares and companies could do so, and there are many other, thousands of other unit trusts set up in this way,” he said.

Downing Street said the Cameron family bought their holding in April 1997 for £12,497 and sold it in January 2010 for £31,500.

In 2010, the personal allowance before capital gains tax was paid was £10,100 per person.

Brussels Attacks: New Footage of Third Airport Suspect Released

Roy Siemens
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Brussels Attacks: New Footage of Third Airport Suspect Released

A new footage of the key surviving Brussels airport attacks suspect, showing the route he took after leaving the area, has been released by Belgian prosecutors.

Prosecutors have asked members of the public who saw the man to come forward.

The man was tracked on CCTV footage until 09:50 local time and was wearing a hat and a light-colored jacket, officials said.

His trail was lost close to the EU institutions in Brussels’ city center, not far from Maelbeek metro station.

Prosecutors said the man had discarded the jacket, and have asked the public to report if it has been found.

Photo Belgian Police
Photo Belgian Police

The Brussels attacks killed 32 people on March 22.

Three attackers are believed to have targeted the airport, with two dying in the bomb blasts. Another died in the metro attack.

The “man with the hat”, as prosecutors called him, was captured pushing a trolley at Brussels airport next to the two suicide bombers in previously released CCTV footage.

The new footage shows the suspect briefly running amongst passengers as they try to escape the scene at the airport, before walking some 6 miles over a two-hour period.

He was last seen about 40 minutes after the Maelbeek metro bombing.

Federal prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt asked for those who “might have filmed or taken a photograph of the suspect” or believe they have any useful information, to call 0800 30 300 FREE (in Belgium) or 00 32 25544488 (from abroad).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k36JsnVxLtw

White House 2016: Hillary Clinton Responds to Bernie Sanders’ Comments

Diane A. Wade
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White House 2016: Hillary Clinton Responds to Bernie Sanders’ Comments

Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton has dismissed as “ridiculous” a charge by rival Bernie Sanders that she is “unqualified” to be president.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders stood by his comments, pointing to Hillary Clinton’s Wall Street links and her vote for the war in Iraq.

Bernie Sanders said Hillary Clinton started the latest war of words by attacking him first.

The two candidates will do battle in a New York showdown in two weeks, a state where both have strong links.

Bernie Sanders beat Hillary Clinton in the Wisconsin primary contest on April 5, and could pick up more delegates in Wyoming on April 9 before the greater prize of New York is up for grabs.

The latest row began on April 6 when Hillary Clinton was asked if Bernie Sanders was qualified to be president, after he gave a newspaper interview in which he appeared to struggle to answer some questions.Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton row

“I think he hadn’t done his homework and he’d been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hasn’t really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions,” Hillary Clinton told MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

On the same day, Bernie Sanders told a crowd of supporters at Temple University that Hillary Clinton had accused him of being unqualified.

“Well let me, let me just say in response to Secretary Clinton, I don’t believe that she is qualified if she is, through her super PAC [fundraising committee], taking tens of millions of dollars in special interest funds,” the Vermont senator said.

“I don’t think you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your super PAC.”

Bernie Sanders went on to list her backing of the Iraq War and her support of trade agreements as other disqualifications. On April 7, he repeated his comments.

The Clinton campaign hit back, with spokesman Brian Fallon tweeting: “Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was <<not qualified>>. But he has now, absurdly, said it about her. This is a new low.”

One of Hillary Clinton’s senior aides, Christina Reynolds, said it was “a ridiculous and irresponsible attack for someone to make” against one of the most qualified candidates ever to run.

On the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton told Politico she explains things in a way more “open and truthful than my opponent,” and said she explains what she would do as president rather than “lots of arm-waving and hot rhetoric”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vht0NWT9qOQ

Mossack Fonseca Leaks: Panama Creates Panel of Experts to Improve Transparency

Clyde K. Valle
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Mossack Fonseca Leaks: Panama Creates Panel of Experts to Improve Transparency

Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela has announced his country is creating an international panel to help improve transparency in its offshore financial industry.

The announcement follows the leak of millions of documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, showing it helped some clients evade tax and avoid sanctions.

Several countries are probing possible financial crimes by the rich and powerful in the aftermath of the leak.

In a TV address, President Juan Carlos Varela said Panama would work with other countries over the revelations.

“The Panamanian government, via our foreign ministry, will create an independent commission of domestic and international experts,” he said.

Photo PA News
Photo PA News

The panel would examine working practices and propose measures that could be shared to strengthen the transparency of the financial and legal systems.

Correspondents say President Varela is eager to defend his country against a “media attack” by wealthy countries that he says are unfairly stigmatizing him following the leak.

Mossack Fonseca, for its part, says that it has been the victim of a hack.

The company’s partner, Ramon Fonseca, insisted the leak was not an “inside job”.

Mossack Fonseca had been hacked by servers based abroad.

It has now filed a complaint with the Panamanian attorney general’s office.

Mossack Fonseca has accused media organizations reporting the leak of having “unauthorized access to proprietary documents and information taken from our company” and of presenting this information out of context.

The revelations have already sparked political reaction in several countries where high-profile figures have been implicated.

On April 5, Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson resigned after the documents showed he owned an offshore company with his wife but had not declared it when he entered parliament.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson says he sold his shares to his wife and denies any wrongdoing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElZTj0ESppo

EU-Ukraine Partnership Deal Rejected by Netherlands Referendum

Diane A. Wade
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EU-Ukraine Partnership Deal Rejected by Netherlands Referendum

A referendum in the Netherlands has rejected an EU partnership deal to remove trade barriers with Ukraine.

The referendum turnout was low, 32.2%, but above the 30% threshold for the vote to be valid. The deal was rejected by 61.1% of votes compared with 38% in favor.

PM Mark Rutte said the government may have to reconsider the deal, although the vote is not binding.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko insisted his country would “continue our movement towards the EU”.

The vote was widely seen in the Netherlands as a test of public opinion towards the EU.EU Ukraine deal rejected by Netherlands

It was triggered by an internet petition begun by Eurosceptic activists that attracted some more than 400,000 signatures.

The result creates a headache for the Dutch government as the Dutch parliament ratified the EU association agreement with Ukraine in 2015. All the other 27 EU member states have already ratified the deal.

“My view is that if the turnout is more than 30%, with such a victory for the <<No>> camp, ratification cannot go ahead without discussion,” Mark Rutte said in a televised reaction.

Geert Wilders, who leads the anti-EU and anti-Islam Freedom Party, said the result was the “beginning of the end for the EU”.

The vote comes less than three months before British citizens decide in their own referendum whether to leave the EU altogether.

The Russian government was vehemently opposed to the EU deal with Ukraine and was widely thought to have pressed then-President Viktor Yanukovych to reject it in November 2013.

Viktor Yanukovych’s decision prompted protests in Kiev that ultimately led to his downfall.

The Ukrainian president stressed the non-binding nature of the vote.

“I am sure that strategically this event is not an obstacle on Ukraine’s path towards Europe,” Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Petro Poroshenko as saying.

One of the Dutch Eurosceptics behind the referendum, Thierry Baudet, had warned the government to heed a “No” vote on the deal.

“It is not good for the Netherlands, not good for Europe and not good for Ukraine,” he said on TV on the eve of the vote.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had described the stakes in the run-up to the vote as being high, warning that a “No'” vote could trigger a wider crisis in the 28-member bloc.

A Checklist to Help Make Moving Home Less Stressful

Dana R
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A Checklist to Help Make Moving Home Less Stressful

Moving home is an incredibly stressful thing to do. However, that doesn’t mean it have to be daunting. It is about being organized! Think about the things that you need, such as looking into storage Arlington VA facilities if you need them, getting your boxes ready, throwing things away and more.

Moving home costs money and takes a lot of time. That is what you would expect. However, being properly organized can make a huge difference. You may think lists are a bit retentive, but they do really work. Consider that you need at least six weeks for a move to go by comfortably, so why not make a list for each week, so that you are sure you won’t forget anything. Remember that there is packing to do, administrative things to complete and more. And leave some time for the unexpected things as well.

When you start packing, see it as a chance to spring clean. Do you really need those things that have been in your basement for years? And do also enjoy reminiscing while you are packing, by the way. Physically moving things is also something that you have to consider. There are certain things that will definitely be too bulky for you to carry on your own. Plus, if you have any concerns, don’t engage in heavy lifting at all. Something to put on your checklist: find some friends to help with the lifting!

Naturally, you can also choose to work together with a removal company. If so, make sure that you book the well in advance. There are some very busy moving times during the year, and moving companies can be booked up months before already. At the same time, you have to properly research the different companies. A few things to put on your checklist are the things to look for in a removals company (do they provide boxes, are they insured, are they registered with a professional body, what kind of experiences have other people had?). Similarly, if you will use a storage facility, you also have to do some research in terms of where to go. Perhaps you already use a storage facility, in which case you don’t really have to add this one to your checklist.

Then, there is your administration. You have to change addresses with all your standard affairs, such as your banks and insurance companies. Take the time to compare the market in terms of your home utilities (gas, water, electricity, internet, telephone, television) and things such as home insurance. You also need to think about your medical registrations, such as your family physician, dentist, and pharmacy. Depending on where you are moving to, you may have to change them. The same is true for your children’s schools and yours and their hobbies and pursuits. Think about things such as the gym, swimming pools, libraries, clubs and so on.

These things should really help you to make the move at least a little bit easier.

Kesha’s Sony Music Slavery Case Dismissed by New York Court

Sonia Pantiss
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Kesha’s Sony Music Slavery Case Dismissed by New York Court

A New York court has refused to overturn a ruling from February and dismissed claims Kesha is now a “slave” to Sony Music.

Kesha has accused her former producer, Dr Luke, of abuse, something he has denied.

Her lawyers claimed she was the victim of a hate crime, but the judge disagreed.

The case has been rolling on for months with other performers, including Adele and Taylor Swift, publicly supporting Kesha’s attempts to leave Sony Music.

The latest ruling in New York has also led to new questions about how the legal row began.

It’s been widely reported Kesha first filed a case against Dr Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, in 2014 after which he countersued.

However, the latest ruling suggests it was, in fact, the other way around with Kesha’s abuse case coming after Likasz Gottwald tried to sue her for breach of contract.

Photo Twitter
Photo Twitter

Kesha has said she can’t work with a “monster” and is accusing Dr Luke of raping her a decade ago after giving her a pill that knocked her out.

The singer said her producer bullied her to lose weight until she was so traumatized that she developed an eating disorder and spent two months in a rehabilitation clinic in 2014.

The latest ruling found holes in several legal arguments being made by Kesha’s lawyers.

Manhattan State Supreme Court Justice Shirley Werner Kornreich said rape isn’t necessarily an act of gender hatred, so can’t be considered a hate crime.

In her ruling, Judge Kornreich wrote that although Lukasz Gottwald’s alleged actions were directed at Kesha, the singer has not suggested the producer has specific hostility towards women in general.

Kesha’s lawyers had also argued it was “slavery” to force her to work for companies, which although owned by Sony, are controlled by Dr Luke.

However, the judge decided Kesha’s human rights were not being violated because Sony has promised to keep Kesha “insulated” from Dr Luke.

Previously Sony has said it is “not in a position to terminate the contractual relationship between Luke and Kesha” and that the singer can record “without any connection, involvement or interaction with Luke whatsoever”.

In her ruling, Justice Kornreich wrote: “[Kesha’s] claims of insults about her value as an artist, her looks and her weight are insufficient to constitute extreme, outrageous conduct intolerable in a civilized society.”

Kesha’s lawyers have not responded to the ruling.

Justice Kornreich also said the New York court had no jurisdiction over the case because the alleged abuse happened in California.

There was also a problem because the claims date back beyond the legal time limit, known as a statute of limitations.

Kesha’s lawyers say she was too afraid of him to speak up at the time.

Lukas Gottwald has produced some of the biggest pop hits of the past decade, working with stars including Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson and Nicki Minaj.

Dr Luke says Kesha has made up the allegations to ruin his reputation in hopes of getting out of her five-album contract.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ihz1TqMYx4

Brussels Attacks: Najim Laachraoui Worked as Cleaner in EU Parliament

Roy Siemens
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Brussels Attacks: Najim Laachraoui Worked as Cleaner in EU Parliament

One of the Brussels bombers once worked as a cleaner at the European Parliament, officials say.

The man had month-long summer jobs there in 2009 and 2010, the EU Parliament said, without revealing his identity.

However, sources say he is Najim Laachraoui, one of the airport bombers.

Belgian PM Charles Michel has defended his country’s approach to fighting terror threats, insisting Belgium is not a “failed state”.

Charles Michel said everyone in authority had to take a share of the blame for failings before and after March 22.

Najim Laachraoui, already a major suspect on the run after the Paris attacks in November, was named as one of the two bombers who targeted Zaventem airport.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

The EU Parliament said the cleaning company had provided proof that the person hired had no criminal record at the time.

PM Charles Michel said 30 measures were being put place in Belgium, including a ban on pre-paid mobile phone cards.

“Our key message today is we return to normal life in Brussels and in Belgium,” the Associated Press quoted him as telling reporters.

“When there is an attack like that of course that’s a failure and nobody can deny this,” he said.

“[But] I cannot accept the idea that we’re a failed state.”

Belgium has been accused of taking an un-co-ordinated approach to terror threats because it has multiple institutions representing the country’s complex linguistic and political makeup.

The Brussels region alone has six police zones.

According to Belgium’s De Tijd newspaper, Charles Michel said it was “short-sighted to say a unified police force could have prevented the attacks”.

He said there had been some successes like the recent arrest of the surviving suspect of the Paris attacks last November, Salah Abdeslam, adding it had taken 10 years to track down al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks in the US.

The search for the March 22 attackers is not yet over as pictures taken at Zaventem airport show three men entering the terminal building with explosives.

Najim Laachraoui and Ibrahim el-Bakraoui detonated their bombs and the third is thought to have escaped.

Mossack Fonseca Leaks: UEFA Offices Searched by Police

Clyde K. Valle
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Mossack Fonseca Leaks: UEFA Offices Searched by Police

UEFA offices have been searched by Swiss police.

It follows the naming of ex-secretary general Gianni Infantino – now president of world soccer’s governing body FIFA – in papers leaked from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Meanwhile, a FIFA official also named in the papers – Juan Pedro Damiani – has resigned.

Gianni Infantino has denied wrongdoing while the European soccer’s governing body says it is helping police.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

While working for UEFA, Ganni Infantino co-signed a TV rights deal in 2006 with two businessmen who have since been accused by the FBI of bribery.

Cross Trading – owned by Hugo Jinkis and his son Mariano – bought TV rights for UEFA Champions League football in 2006 for $111,000 and immediately sold them to Ecuadorian broadcaster Teleamazonas for $311,170.

The company also paid $28,000 for the rights to the UEFA Super Cup, selling those to Teleamazonas for $126,200.

The contract came to light after 11 million documents were leaked from Mossack Fonseca.

A statement from Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said a “co-operative search” of the Nyon building took place “for the purpose of securing evidence”.

It said its criminal proceedings were connected to the acquisition of television rights and were “directed against persons unknown, meaning that for the time being, no specific individual is being targeted”.

The statement added: “The suspicion is based on the result of findings that have emerged from other proceedings, as well as the corresponding financial analyses carried out by the OAG.

“Current publications in the media subsequently revealed still other elements that made it possible to complement the existing findings in a decisive manner.

“The final impetus was provided, in particular, by confirmation on the part of UEFA that it had concluded contracts with Cross Trading SA.”

Merle Haggard Dies of Pneumonia on His 79th Birthday

Sonia Pantiss
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Merle Haggard Dies of Pneumonia on His 79th Birthday

Merle Haggard has died of pneumonia on his 79th birthday, his manager confirmed.

The singer is credited with helping to define the “Bakersfield sound”, country music with a distinctive twang and lack of sophisticated production.

Merle Haggard wrote songs, sang and played fiddle and guitar, usually singing about American pride and outlaws.

The country music legend was a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame with dozens of albums and top hits.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Merle Haggard, who battled lung cancer in 2008, had recently cancelled April tour dates due to illness and said he hoped to be back on the road in May.

Rolling Stone magazine has described him as “the backbone of one of the greatest repertoires an all of American music, plain-spoken songs populated by the kinds of working people Merle Haggard grew up with: farmers, hobos, convicts, widows, musicians and drunks”.

Merle Haggard’s top hits include Mama Tried, The Fugitive, If We Make It Through December and Okie From Muskogee.

He was born in California in 1937, living in a converted boxcar with his family and quitting school at a young age to hop freight trains across the south western part of the US.

Merle Haggard spent three years in prison for breaking into a cafe while drunk, Rolling Stone notes. Then-governor of California, Ronald Reagan, expunged his criminal record in 1972.

Musicians gave their tributes to Merle Haggard on Twitter shortly following the news of his death.

WHO Report: Diabetes Affects One in Eleven Adults Worldwide

Kathryn R. Bown
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WHO Report: Diabetes Affects One in Eleven Adults Worldwide

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes now affects nearly one in 11 adults.

In a major report, the WHO warned cases had nearly quadrupled to 422 million in 2014 from 108 million in 1980.

High blood sugar levels are a major killer – linked to 3.7 million deaths around the world each year, it says.

WHO officials said the numbers would continue to increase unless “drastic action” was taken.

The report lumps both type 1 and type 2 diabetes together, but the surge in cases is predominantly down to type 2 – the form closely linked to poor lifestyle.Diabetes report 2016

As the world’s waistlines have ballooned – with one-in-three people now overweight, so too has the number of diabetes cases.

Failing to control levels of sugar in the blood has devastating health consequences.

Diabetes triples the risk of a heart attack and leaves people 20 times more likely to have a leg amputated, as well as increasing the risk of stroke, kidney failure, blindness and complications in pregnancy.

The disease itself is the eighth biggest killer in the world, accounting for 1.5 million deaths each year.

A further 2.2 million deaths are linked to high blood sugar levels. And 43% of the deaths were before the age of 70.

In the 1980s the highest rates were found in affluent countries.

In a remarkable transformation, it is now low and middle income countries bearing the largest burden.

The Middle East has seen the prevalence of diabetes soar from 5.9% of adults in 1980 to 13.7% in 2014.

More than three quarters of teenagers in the region are doing less than the recommended level of exercise.

The WHO report said the solution required the whole of society to act.

It is only by keeping blood sugar levels in check that the deadly complications of the disease can be contained.

The report showed that two thirds of low income countries were not able to provide blood sugar monitors or drugs such as insulin or metformin for most people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfOHJLVF5WI

Pfizer Scraps Allergan Deal amid US Tax Law Change

Clyde K. Valle
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Pfizer Scraps Allergan Deal amid US Tax Law Change

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has scrapped a planned merger with Ireland’s Allergan amid plans to change US tax laws.

The decision comes two days after the US Treasury announced fresh plans to prevent deals known as “inversions”, where a US company merges with another company in a country with a lower tax rate.

The Pfizer-Allergan deal, valued at $160 billion, would have been the biggest example of an “inversion”.

It would also have been the biggest pharmaceutical deal in history.

Pfizer said the move was “driven by the actions announced” by the US Treasury.Pfizer scraps Allergan deal

The company’s chairman and chief executive Ian Read said: “Pfizer approached this transaction from a position of strength and viewed the potential combination as an accelerator of existing strategies.”

He added that the company could look at splitting off part of the business.

“We plan to make a decision about whether to pursue a potential separation of our innovative and established businesses by no later than the end of 2016, consistent with our original timeframe for the decision prior to the announcement of the potential Allergan transaction.”

Pfizer said it would pay Botox-maker Allergan $150 million “for reimbursement of expenses associated with the transaction”.

Under the proposed acquisition, Pfizer would have moved its headquarters to Dublin, where the tax bill would have been lower than in the US.

The corporation tax rate in the Republic of Ireland is 12.5%, compared with 35% in the US.

On April 5, President Barack Obama weighed in on the inversion trend, saying “these companies get all the rewards of being an American company without fulfilling their responsibility to pay their fair share of taxes”.

In 2014, American fast-food chain Burger King bought Canadian coffee and doughnut chain, Tim Hortons. The merged group moved to Ontario in Canada, where the corporate tax rate is at 26.5%.

Analysts had said that Pfizer needed to look at acquisitions to help grow its business and revenue.

Pfizer made an offer to buy UK drugs group AstraZeneca in 2014.

However, AstraZeneca rejected the offer, arguing it undervalued the company.

Panama Papers: Banking Giants Deny Helping Clients to Avoid Taxes

Clyde K. Valle
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Panama Papers: Banking Giants Deny Helping Clients to Avoid Taxes

The leaked Panama Papers have revealed that international banking giants are helping clients to avoid tax by using complicated offshore arrangements.

HSBC, Credit Suisse and the Royal Bank of Scotland-owned Coutts Trustees have denied allegations.

The revelations in are based on more than 11 million documents leaked from the law firm Mossack Fonseca.

They name lenders said to have helped to set up structures making it hard for tax officials to pinpoint money flows.

They also name institutions alleged to have helped companies that were subject to international sanctions.

Rami Makhlouf is the cousin of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and has reported wealth of $5 billion.

Photo EPA
Photo EPA

In 2008 the US Treasury imposed sanctions on him because it deemed him to be a “regime insider” and someone who “manipulated the Syrian judicial system and used Syrian intelligence officials to intimidate his business rivals”.

Mossack Fonseca continued to front six businesses – including one company called Drex Technologies – for Rami Makhlouf after the restrictions were put in place.

The files also show the Swiss branch of HSBC provided financial services for the company.

In 2010, two years after the sanctions were imposed, HSBC wrote to Mossack Fonseca saying it believed Drex Technologies was a company of “good standing”.

An internal email from Mossack Fonseca’s compliance department also suggests HSBC staff dealing with Drex Technologies knew who Rami Makhlouf was.

The email, dated February 17, 2011, says: “We have contacted HSBC who stated that they are very aware of the fact that Mr. Makhlouf is the cousin of the President of Syria.

“The HSBC compliance department of the bank not only in Geneva but also in their headquarters in London know about Mr. Makhlouf and confirm that they are comfortable with him.”

In response HSBC said: “We work closely with the authorities to fight financial crime and implement sanctions.

“Our policy is clear that offshore accounts can only remain open either where clients have been thoroughly vetted (including due diligence, ‘Know Your Customer’, source of wealth, and tax transparency checks), where authorities ask us to maintain an account for the purposes of monitoring activity, or where an account has been frozen based on sanctions obligations.”

The Panama leaks has revealed that more than 500 banks, including their subsidiaries and branches, registered nearly 15,600 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca.

Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam said: “We do not condone structures for tax avoidance. Whenever there is a structure with a third party beneficiary we insist to know the identity of that beneficiary.”

Tidjane Thiam added: “We as a company, as a bank only encourage the use of structures when there is a legitimate economic purpose.”

A spokesman for Coutts Trustees said the bank followed the highest standards when complying with regulation.

He added: “We require all clients to be tax compliant as a condition of receiving our products and services and take a risk-based approach to identify and prevent tax evasion that relies upon extensive anti-money laundering systems and controls, including the requirement to understand the source of clients’ wealth.

“The provision of trust and administration services is an entirely legitimate and key aspect of wealth management and succession planning.”

 

White House 2016: Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders Win Wisconsin Primary

Diane A. Wade
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White House 2016: Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders Win Wisconsin Primary

Ted Cruz has won the Wisconsin primary for the Republican presidential nomination.

In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders scored a strong victory over Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin.

Donald Trump is still the frontrunner in the Republican field, but could fall short of the number of delegates needed to secure the party’s nomination.

His rivals have pinned their hopes on a contested convention.

At a contested convention, GOP leaders, not voters, would choose the nominee.

Donald Trump said on April 5 he would prevail despite the loss and took aim at his rival.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

“Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet – he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination,” the Trump campaign said in a statement.

GOP leaders are concerned that Donald Trump would be a weak candidate in the general election and could harm other Republicans lawmakers on the ballot.

Polls show that the real estate tycoon is extremely unpopular among key voting blocs including women, Latinos and young people.

On the Democratic side, Wisconsin adds to a recent spate of wins by Bernie Sanders campaign, giving the Vermont senator a boost before key races in New York and Pennsylvania.

Bernie Sanders won nearly every county in the state except Milwaukee, but as delegates are awarded proportionally he will not gain a significant advantage over Hillary Clinton.

Of the 86 Wisconsin delegates, Bernie Sanders is on course for at least 44, but Hillary Clinton will have at least 28.

Addressing supporters in Wyoming, which holds its primary on April 9, Bernie Sanders stressed momentum was on his side and that his outsider candidacy could change the status quo.

“Real change never takes place from the top down; it always takes place from the bottom up,” he told supporters.

Hillary Clinton still holds a sizeable lead and most analysts say she will eventually become the Democratic nominee despite her recent losses.

While Tuesday’s loss was a setback for Donald Trump, his campaign has time to rebound

The campaign now moves to large north-eastern states, where polls show Donald Trump holds significant leads.

Donald Trump’s loss in Wisconsin comes after a rocky week for the campaign, particularly with female voters.

He repeatedly struggled to articulate his position on abortion. At one point, he called for women to be punished for having abortions, then quickly changed his mind.

Meanwhile, outside groups opposed to Donald Trump’s nomination stepped up their efforts in Wisconsin, running negative television adverts.

Popular state leaders such as Governor Scott Walker and influential talk radio program hosts also opposed the Trump campaign and threw their support behind Ted Cruz.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Resigns After Panama Leaks

Diane A. Wade
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Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Resigns After Panama Leaks

Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has resigned after the Panama Papers leaks shed an embarrassing spotlight on the world of offshore finance.

The so-called Panama Papers leaked from Mossack Fonseca showed Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson owned an offshore company, Wintris, with his wife.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson was accused of concealing millions of dollars’ worth of family assets.

The agriculture minister is to take Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson’s place.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson is one of dozens of high-profile global figures caught up in the huge Mossack Fonseca leak.

Pressure for Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson to quit had intensified since the leaked material was first published on April 3.

News of Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson’s resignation came from Agriculture Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson, who announced he would be taking over.

Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson is deputy leader of the governing Progressive party.

The Panama Papers show that Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson and his wife bought Wintris in 2007.

He did not declare an interest in the company when entering parliament in 2009. He sold his 50% of Wintris to his wife, Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir, for $1 (70p), eight months later.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson says no rules were broken and his wife did not benefit financially.

The offshore company was used to invest millions of dollars of inherited money, according to a document signed by Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir in 2015.

Court records show that Wintris had significant investments in the bonds of three major Icelandic banks that collapsed during the financial crisis which began in 2008.

Some of Icelanders’ anger is believed to stem from the perceived conflict of interest.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson was involved in negotiations about the banks’ future and had characterized foreign creditors who wanted their money back as “vultures”, while Wintris itself was a creditor.

He had kept his wife’s interest in the outcome a secret.

A spokesman for the prime minister said on April 4 that Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir had always declared the assets to the tax authorities and that, under parliamentary rules, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson did not have to declare an interest in Wintris.

Donald Trump Wants to Cut off Money Sent to Mexico

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Wants to Cut off Money Sent to Mexico

Donald Trump has said he would cut off money sent to Mexico to force them to pay for a border wall with the US.

In a memo to the Washington Post, the Republican presidential hopeful says he would threaten to change a law to cut off cash transfers.

The prospect of losing a vital source of income would force Mexico into a “one-time payment” of $5-10 billion, says Donald Trump.

Voters in Wisconsin are picking their presidential candidates.

They are going to the polls in a vote that could reshape the Republican race, with front-runner Donald Trump facing a strong challenge from Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Asked about the memo at a campaign stop in Wisconsin, Donald Trump said he stood by it.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

“Absolutely, 100%,” he told reporters.

“The wall is a fraction of the kind of money in many ways that Mexico takes from the US.”

Building a border wall with Mexico has been a core message of Donald Trump’s campaign but until now he has not said in much detail how he would make Mexico pay for it.

Mexico’s central bank said that money sent home from overseas hit nearly $24.8 billion in 2015, more than its oil revenues.

The law Donald Trump wishes to changes, as outlined in his memo, is part of the US Patriot Act – he would stop anyone living illegally in the US from sending money overseas.

Just the threat of enacting this would make Mexico “immediately protest,” the Trump memo reads, and they would be compelled to pay for the wall.

Donald Trump also proposed raising visa fees and cancelling visas for Mexicans.

If Ted Cruz wins in Wisconsin, as polls suggest, it will help him close the gap on Donald Trump in the all-important delegate count.

Delegates represent their states at the GOP’s convention in July and are accumulated by the votes in each state.

A Wisconsin defeat would make it is far less likely that Donald Trump will have the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination.

It would raise questions about the strength of his campaign, after a week of adverse headlines.

Donald Trump’s unpopularity with sections of his party means he could be deprived of the nomination at the summer convention if he does not get the number he needs.

Currently, Donald Trump has 735 delegates, Ted Cruz 461 and Ohio Governor John Kasich 143.

Panama Leaks: Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Calls for Parliament Dissolution

Diane A. Wade
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Panama Leaks: Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Calls for Parliament Dissolution

Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has asked President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson to dissolve parliament after allegations he concealed millions of dollars worth of investments in an offshore company.

The prime minister faced growing pressure over documents showing he and his wife owned offshore company Wintris.

A big protest was held in front of parliament in Iceland on April 4.

Dozens of high-profile global figures are named in a huge leak from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson put his request to President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson after the opposition proposed a no-confidence motion.

However, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson is reported to be delaying a decision until he has spoken to the main political parties.

After refusing to resign on April 4, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson appeared to come under increasing pressure from within his governing coalition too.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The prime minister took to Facebook on April 5 to outline his latest position.

“I told the leader of the Independence Party that if the party’s parliamentarians think they cannot support the government in completing joint tasks, I would dissolve parliament and call a general election,” Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson wrote.

The so-called Panama Papers leaked from Mossack Fonseca show that Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson and his wife bought Wintris in 2007.

He did not declare an interest in Wintris when entering parliament in 2009.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson sold his 50% of Wintris to his wife, Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir, for $1, eight months later.

The prime minister says no rules were broken and his wife did not benefit financially.

The offshore company was used to invest millions of dollars of inherited money, according to a document signed by Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir in 2015.

The leaked documents, published on April 3, show that Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson was granted a general power of attorney over Wintris – he could manage the company “without any limitation”.

His wife had a similar power of attorney.

Court records show that Wintris had significant investments in the bonds of three major Icelandic banks that collapsed during the financial crisis which began in 2008.

As prime minister, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has been involved in negotiations about the banks which could affect the value of the bonds held by Wintris.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson kept his wife’s interest in the outcome a secret.

A spokesman for the prime minister said on April 4 that Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir had always declared the assets to the tax authorities and that, under parliamentary rules, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson did not have to declare an interest in Wintris.

Jacob Zuma Impeachment: South African Parliament Debates Opposition’s Motion

Diane A. Wade
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Jacob Zuma Impeachment: South African Parliament Debates Opposition’s Motion

The South African parliament is debating the impeachment of President Jacob Zuma after a court ruling against him in Nkandla private residence case.

The impeachment motion is sponsored by the opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The DA says Jacob Zuma is unfit to govern after failing to repay public money used to upgrade his private residence.

The governing African National Congress (ANC) is expected to defeat the motion.

Opposition lawmakers called for speaker Baleka Mbete to step down, after accusing her of taking sides.

Baleka Mbete announced a short adjournment to consult parliamentary officials, delaying the start of the debate.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The ANC has denounced the impeachment proceedings as a publicity stunt.

The DA said it would demand a secret ballot in the hope that ANC backbenchers would defy the party by helping it obtain the two-thirds majority – 267 lawmakers out of 400 – required in the lower house, the National Assembly, to impeach Jacob Zuma.

However, Baleka Mbete has rejected the proposal, saying it is not allowed in terms of parliamentary rules, local media reports say.

The DA has 89 seats in parliament and all opposition parties combined 151.

Jacob Zuma is the first president to face an impeachment vote since minority rule ended in 1994.

He has been dogged by allegations of corruption since before he was elected president in 2009.

Jacob Zuma was accused of taking bribes over an arms deal but he denied the allegation and the charges were controversially dropped just before he took office.

He later found himself at the center of controversy over the use of $23 million of public money to upgrade his private home in the rural area of Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal province.

In 2014, South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog Thuli Madonsela ordered President Jacob Zuma to repay a portion of the money.

Jacob Zuma had “unduly benefited” from the building of a swimming pool, amphitheater, cattle enclosure and chicken run, Thuli Madonsela said.

The DA and left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party went to the Constitutional Court to challenge Jacob Zuma’s refusal to pay the money.

The court ruled against Jacob Zuma, and said the law was the “sharp and mighty sword that stands ready to chop the ugly head of impunity from its stiffened neck”.

It also condemned parliament for failing to hold Jacob Zuma accountable, and rejecting the public protector’s findings.

In a TV address to the nation on April 1, Jacob Zuma apologized for the “frustration” caused by the long-running controversy and said he would abide by the ruling.

Mossack Fonseca Leaked Papers Name Chinese Leaders’ Close Relatives

Clyde K. Valle
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Mossack Fonseca Leaked Papers Name Chinese Leaders’ Close Relatives

Papers leaked from Mossack Fonseca have revealed close relatives of seven current or former Chinese leaders have links to offshore companies.

The Panama documents name family members of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, and two other members of China’s elite Standing Committee, Zhang Gaoli and Liu Yunshan.

Relatives of the three men are listed as directors or shareholders in companies located in known tax havens.

The names appeared in a mass leak of files from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.Panama leaks China

Chinese state media are blocking reports of the families’ offshore dealings, and the news is being censored on Chinese social media outlets.

It is not illegal for Chinese citizens to set up offshore companies. However, China’s Communist officials are discouraged from profiting from their ruling positions and their family members are not supposed to profit from their ties, according to the party’s constitution.

More than 300,000 party officials were punished last year under an ongoing anti-corruption campaign, orchestrated by President Xi Jinping.

All three leaders have in-laws who are listed as directors or shareholders in companies located in known tax havens, including the British Virgin Islands.

It is widely known that many of China’s elite families have succeeded in the business world and their wealth is well documented.

However, the leaked files from Mossack Fonseca divulge how much of that wealth is managed overseas, in opaque corporate structures that until now remained hidden from public view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3RzQyEsMGs

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