>>4653628 lb
This week is last weeks next week- Bugs Bunny
Trump administration downgrades EU mission to US
The Trump administration has downgraded the diplomatic status of the European Union's delegation to the United States, an EU official has confirmed to DW. The demotion happened at the end of last year without notice
The unannounced move by the US State Department, which has not previously been reported, downgraded the EU delegation's diplomatic status in Washington from member state to international organization.
"We don't exactly know when they did it, because they conveniently forgot to notify us," an EU official who is familiar with the matter told DW in an interview.
"I can confirm that this has not been well received in Brussels," the person said, adding that the issue and an official EU response was still being discussed.
After the delegation noticed that the EU's Washington ambassador had not been invited to certain events late last year, officials organizing the state funeral for the late President George H.W. Bush provided final confirmation to EU diplomats that the status of the representation had in fact been downgraded. Diplomats believe the downgrade must have been implemented in late October or early November.
https://www.dw.com/en/trump-administration-downgrades-eu-mission-to-us/a-46990608
Opinion: What's to become of Deutsche Bank?
A little over a year until its 150th anniversary, Germany's biggest lender is facing trying times. Still struggling to emerge from the financial crisis, Deutsche Bank can't find a cure to its ills, says Henrik Böhme.
The picture Deutsche Bank presents these days is sad indeed. Among the 30 blue-chip companies listed in the DAX stock market index, there's not a single one to be had cheaper than the once mighty German lender. The bank's stock barely holds its ground above €7 ($7.9) a share — what a disaster!
Its market value has slumped to just €14 billion, which makes comparing Germany's biggest lender to its former US rivals almost a joke. Today America's biggest bank is worth €296 billion.
In a normal world of finance, a lender of Deutsche's current size would merely qualify for being taken over, with the transaction easily funded out of a bigger competitor's pocket money. But no one wants to buy the ailing bank.
Just this Thursday, Swiss bank UBS politely turned down the offer, with its chairman, Axel Weber, saying in a roundabout way that hopes for a merger were "merely part of scenarios" under discussion. Weber, the former head of the German central bank, the Bundesbank, told the Zurich-based newspaper Tages-Anzeiger that speculation about a tie-up was just talk, and that UBS wanted to grow on its own, despite weighing other business options.
https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-whats-to-become-of-deutsche-bank/a-46951301?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
The Trump effect Good for America
Chinese acquisitions of US companies fell a drastic 95 per cent in 2018 amid trade war
Major buyers including HNA and Anbang have pulled back since 2016 as Beijing looked to bring capital back to encourage domestic growth
The sharp decline contrasted with an increase in global mergers and acquisitions by Chinese buyers, including a large buying spree in Europe
Chinese acquisitions of American companies plummeted 95 per cent last year from its peak two years ago as the escalating trade war dampened deal-making activity.
Purchases of US firms by Chinese buyers dropped to US$3 billion in 2018, continuing a descent from US$55.3 billion in 2016 and US$8.7 billion in 2017, according to the global research group Mergermarket.
https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/2181096/chinese-acquisitions-us-companies-fell-drastic-95-cent-2018
That did give me a chuckle ,, I hope it pissed them off real good kek
Closer Everyday
2018: The Rise of Spying Transit Police (Updated)
Today's Public Transit Police Departments offer a frightening glimpse into the future of commuter surveillance.
Last year the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) was accused of creating an app that spied on commuters travel plans, texts and emails. At the same time the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority began a pilot program that used facial biometric body scanners to spy on commuters.
Also in 2017 the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) unveiled their new SEPTA Transit Watch app that allows commuters to "discretely" spy on anyone. The app also sends commuters BOLO or "Be On the Look Out" alerts, essentially turning commuters into Transit Police spies.
In New Jersey politicians considered cutting Transit Police Department funding from $88 million to $48 million. To find out what happened scroll down to 2018.
In 2016, I warned commuters that the NJ Transit secretly installed microphones and cameras to spy on commuters. Privacy advocates called it a "monumental invasion of privacy."
The Reno Nevada Transit Police and the the Maryland Transit Administration also use microphones and surveillance cameras to spy on commuters. (Click here to find out how Las Vegas buses spy on passengers in real-time.)
In 2015, I warned everyone that buses were being equipped with ten DHS surveillance cameras that can identify commuters license plates and their faces.
Things have not gotten any better for commuters in fact they have gotten worse.
https://massprivatei.blogspot.com/2018/09/2018-rise-of-spying-transit-police.html
Ocasio-Cortez Blasts Politifact, WaPo for Fact Checking: ‘I Say True Things All the Time’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) on Monday blasted multiple fact-checking media sources for their coverage of her statements, saying, "I say true things all the time."
Ocasio-Cortez, who was sworn into office last Thursday, is evidently not happy about the scrutiny she's received from fact-checkers. In a Twitter thread, she targeted the Washington Post and Politifact, saying "false equivalency [and] bias creeps in" with their fact checks.
"For example, it looks like @PolitiFact has fact-checked Sarah Huckabee Sanders and myself the same amount of times: 6. She’s been serving for almost 2 years. I’ve served 4 days," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "Why is she fact-checked so little? Is she adhering to some standard we don’t know about?"
https://freebeacon.com/politics/ocasio-cortez-blasts-politifact-wapo-for-fact-checking-i-say-true-things-all-the-time/