Reading, Writing and Xi Jinping Thought: China’s Students Learn Leader’s Philosophy
Universities and high schools promote the study of newly enshrined doctrine
Students at Peking University can now study the political philosophy of their country’s leader, Xi Jinping. Above, a scene from the commencement ceremony in July. SHEN BOHAN/XINHUA/ZUMA PRESS
By Te-Ping Chen
March 23, 2018 5:30 a.m. ET
BEIJING—While President Xi Jinping extends his influence over the Chinese government, his signature political philosophy is becoming standard fare in the country’s classrooms.
Dozens of universities have founded centers devoted to studying the doctrine known as Xi Jinping Thought since October, when the Communist Party inscribed it in its charter alongside Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory.
The Xi Effect
Producing scholarly works about the Chinesepresident's thinking and policies has become aboom industry.
Published academic articles with 'Xi Jinping'in the title
Source: China Knowledge Resource IntegratedDatabase
2012
’13
’14
’15
’16
’17
0
2,500
5,000
7,500
10,000
12,500
15,000
In the fall, high-school students will be required to take lessons in Mr. Xi’s philosophy, according to the Ministry of Education.
Alongside changes that consolidate power with the president and allow him to rule indefinitely, the curriculum revamp is another step toward installing Mr. Xi as a guiding light in the Communist Party’s pantheon.
The Chinese government has been pushing patriotic education in its classrooms since after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. For millions of Chinese students, that has meant hours spent memorizing dry political theory such as former leader Jiang Zemin’s Three Represents and Mao’s thinking on agrarian socialism.
Under Mr. Xi, Beijing has pushed to make such topics more palatable, urging professors to adopt a livelier instruction style.
Five years into his tenure, the government is claiming success.
Last year, the Education Ministry sent experts to listen in on ideology classes at 2,500 universities and surveyed 30,000 students. The conclusion: the vast majority of students found the classes edifying, Education Minister Chen Baosheng told a recent press conference.
“Some schools’ ideology classes are now as hard to get into as nabbing a high-speed rail ticket during the Lunar New Year,” he said.
It is difficult to ascertain the accuracy of such polls amid a current climate of zeal surrounding Mr. Xi, in which state media has aired minutes-long footage of people clapping for him on the nightly news and those voicing contrary views can face swift discipline.
Images of Xi Jinping are ubiquitous in Chinese state media and on streets such as this one in Beijing in February.
Images of Xi Jinping are ubiquitous in Chinese state media and on streets such as this one in Beijing in February. PHOTO: GREG BAKER/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
Xi Jinping Thought is a 14-point theory that emphasizes the party’s “people-centric” approach to governance, as well as its supreme leadership over everything in China. Enthusiasm for studying it has been mixed. Beijing’s prestigious Peking University this month scrapped an undergraduate course on Xi Jinping Thought, citing insufficient interest, according to cancellation notices reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and a student who had signed up for the class.
Only about half a dozen students had registered, with 350 seats available, according to information on a university web portal. Neither Peking University nor the professor in charge of the course responded to requests for comment.
For students, the new emphasis on Mr. Xi’s ideology adds to already burdensome set of political requirements.
One third-year student at Peking University said she already had to memorize a lengthy report Mr. Xi delivered during the fall party congress for a mandatory Marxism class and wasn’t interested in taking on another course on the leader’s philosophy.
Another Beijing undergraduate called the ideology requirement “stupid”—but said such classes have become more engaging, with debates and use of multimedia such as opera performances and student-made videos. State media has also touted other efforts, including rap music devoted to Marx and virtual-reality simulations of the Long March.
Beijing’s prestigious Peking University—one campus building is shown here in 2016—canceled a course on Xi Jinping Thought this month, citing insufficient interest.
Beijing’s prestigious Peking University—one campus building is shown here in 2016—canceled a course on Xi Jinping Thought this month, citing insufficient interest. PHOTO: THOMAS PETER/REUTERS
Not all ideology study is as overtly political as Mao Zedong theory; some classes focus on topics such as history and law. “Some classes are dull and you just have to memorize, but others aren’t bad,” a Beijing student said. “It depends on the teacher.”
At the same time, professors need to stick to the party line, with punishments meted out to those who stray.
Well-known writer Chen Xiwo was demoted from his position as professor at Fujian Normal University this month because of his “political criticism,” according to his Hong Kong-based publisher, Harvey Thomlinson. Mr. Chen declined to comment, as did the school, which cited privacy concerns.
Cheng Ran, a university instructor in Hunan province, was disciplined for making comments that defamed the party and the country’s leaders, according to a provincial committee notice posted in February. Mr. Cheng couldn’t be reached for comment.
The education minister is exhorting schools to do more to integrate political education across the curriculum, as he heeds a call by Mr. Xi to turn Chinese universities into Communist Party strongholds. At a conference later this year, universities will be asked to demonstrate how they are showcasing Mr. Xi’s thinking in their classrooms.
Xi Jinping Clear to Rule Indefinitely as China Scraps Presidential Term Limits (March 11, 2018)
China Steps Up Ideology Drive on College Campuses (Sept. 25, 2017)
Three Wise Men: Xi Seeks to Join Mao and Deng in China’s ‘Holy Scripture’ (Oct. 20, 2017)
China Economy Draws More Students Back From Abroad (March 1, 2017)
Mr. Xi’s influence extends further into academia: The number of scholarly articles with “Xi Jinping” in their title increased by more than 30% last year, according to the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database.
Renmin University education professor Cheng Fangping said a broader political emphasis across disciplines could help inspire a sense of pride in Chinese achievement, such as the contributions of scientists such as 2015 Nobel Laureate Tu Youyou. That would help answer Mr. Xi’s call to raise Chinese cultural confidence, he said.
Still, such a focus shouldn’t be excessive, he said: “We can’t destroy the study of different majors by making everything a political class.”
—Chun Han Wong and Kersten Zhang contributed to this article.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Apple Is About to Release a Cheaper iPad to Take on Microsoft and Google - TIME Business
Apple Is About to Release a Cheaper iPad to Take on Microsoft and Google
Posted: 23 Mar 2018 08:04 AM PDT
Apple Inc. is preparing to introduce new low-cost iPads and education software next week in a bid to win back students and teachers from Google and Microsoft Corp.
In its first major product event of the year, Apple will return to its roots in the education market. The event on Tuesday at Lane Technical College Prep High School in Chicago will mark the first time Apple has held a product launch geared toward education since 2012 when it unveiled a tool for designing e-books for the iPad. It’s also a rare occasion for an Apple confab outside its home state of California.
In Chicago, the world’s most-valuable technology company plans to show off a new version of its cheapest iPad that should appeal to the education market, said people familiar with the matter. The company will also showcase new software for the classroom, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private plans. Apple declined to comment.
Steve Jobs made schools a priority for Apple early in its life. But as the company has driven toward mass-market and higher-margin products in recent years, Google and Microsoft have had success breaking into classrooms with inexpensive laptops and tablets. Last year, the global educational technology market generated $17.7 billion in revenue, according to research firm Frost & Sullivan.
Apple accounted for 17 percent of mobile computing shipments to American students in kindergarten through high school, according to data from the third quarter published by Futuresource Consulting. Devices running Google’s operating systems on Chromebooks or Android tablets held 60 percent of the market, and Windows PCs had 22 percent. While Macs and iPads make up less than 20 percent of Apple’s sales combined, students and teachers are a key market to drive future purchases.
A new, cheaper MacBook laptop is in the works and likely destined to replace the MacBook Air at a price less than $1,000, but it probably won’t be ready in time for next week, the people said. The MacBook Air, introduced about a decade ago, hasn’t seen a major change since 2010, the same year the iPad came out. Although the laptop is popular with college students, it has languished as Apple focuses on more expensive Macs.
Rival laptops have made inroads into the education market lately, a field that originally helped Apple make its name. The sector is prized among industry giants because students learn to use a certain type of device, then head into the workforce and spread the technology wider.
With a recent advertising onslaught, Apple is hoping to capture more young minds with the iPad. The company has revised its tablet strategy over the years by releasing different versions at a variety of price points. That’s helped the iPad business return to growth after multiple declining quarters. Still, demand for tablets is weak. According to research firm IDC, the market shrank by about 7 percent in 2017. Apple grew 3 percent last year and leads the industry with about a quarter of the market.
Apple currently offers a slew of different education-related software. The company’s Classroom app for the iPad lets teachers manage Apple devices that are assigned to students for their classwork. There’s also an iTunes U app that lets teachers issue homework, grade assignments and post lessons online. It also lets students complete assignments and take tests. The company offers a software coding curriculum via the Swift Playgrounds app and sells interactive textbooks through its e-book store.
More software is coming. Apple is working on a new version of the iBooks app that’s more in line with the design of the App Store, though it’s unclear if it’ll be shown next week, people familiar with the project have said.
In an invitation to the Chicago event, Apple said it will introduce “creative new ideas for teachers and students.” Having a venue where attendees can see the new technology in action inside a classroom would be a sound strategy for a company that focuses its announcements on live demonstrations.
Next week’s event will also provide an opportunity for Apple to boast about the work it’s doing with Chicago schools. In December, the company partnered with the city’s public school system and City Colleges of Chicago on a coding curriculum for thousands of local students. Apple has also discussed additional education-related programs with the city, people familiar with the talks said.
According to Apple’s website, the school where the event will take place is not an “Apple Distinguished School,” a designation given to institutions with curriculum that uses Apple products and provides iPads to all students.
Apple has tried citywide iPad deals for students in the past, with little success. In 2013, the Los Angeles Unified School District said it would spend $30 million to provide some students with iPads. The deal was expected to become a $1.3 billion initiative to give every student in the district an iPad, but it fell apart.
Such a deal won’t be announced with Chicago next week, people familiar with the plans said. But the city could see more of Apple in the future. According to a recent Bloomberg analysis, the company could be eyeing the Midwest for a major new office.
Here's what CEOs and other leaders are saying at the China Development Forum in Beijing - CNBC News
25/3/2018
Here's what CEOs and other leaders are saying at the China Development Forum in Beijing
Cheang Ming | Weizhen Tan | Martin Soong
CNBC.com
The following is a roundup of major figures in business, economics and politics who spoke with CNBC at the China Development Forum in Beijing on Sunday.
Tune into CNBC on air Monday and Tuesday for the broadcast of these interviews, and get more details starting Monday at CNBC.com.
Douglas Peterson, CEO of S&P Global
"Blunt force instruments" like tariffs won't go as far with China as talks will, said Peterson of financial services firm S&P Global, as the U.S. moves ahead with levies on Chinese imports.
"Clearly there are aspects to access to the Chinese market that people have been frustrated with," Peterson acknowledged in his interview with CNBC. "On the other hand, I don't know if this is really the right approach to have ... the United States coming in unilaterally to put in place tariffs and sanctions on trade."
William Cohen, former US Defense secretary
There are good reasons to be skeptical about a bilateral meeting that's supposed to take place between the U.S. and North Korea, Cohen said.
U.S. President Donald Trump made the surprise decision earlier this month to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by May, although specific details of that meeting have yet to be announced. Cohen maintained that, based on personal experience, he still had reservations over what could possibly follow.
Laurent Guyot, CEO of Thales China
The executive for the French defense giant, which operates in China, said safeguarding the company's technology is important, but the effort is no barrier to his firm's success there.
Guyot reframed the issue to place it outside of the hot-button topic of "technology transfer."
"The new rule of success is to co-develop in China," he said. "It's to generate technology from China together with Chinese partners. In that case, we don't talk about transfer of technology — we talk about building value in China, for China and also for the group."
Vasant Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis
Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis will move toward making a decision on the fate of Alcon — its eye care business — in the first half of 2019, Narasimhan reiterated.
"With Alcon ... we look forward to taking a potential action, moving toward a potential decision in the first half of 2019. And that's still the timeline that we will maintain and no change on that," Narasimhan told CNBC.
Takehiko Nakao, president of the Asian Development Bank
There is much that China can do to create more equality in its society, and to let its people enjoy the fruits of its growth and technological development, said Takehiko Nakao.
"To me, my challenge is how to make society more equal? How to make the older population enjoy better life from the fruits of this technological development, growth and also globalization?" he asked.
Here's what CEOs and other leaders are saying at the China Development Forum in Beijing
Cheang Ming | Weizhen Tan | Martin Soong
CNBC.com
The following is a roundup of major figures in business, economics and politics who spoke with CNBC at the China Development Forum in Beijing on Sunday.
Tune into CNBC on air Monday and Tuesday for the broadcast of these interviews, and get more details starting Monday at CNBC.com.
Douglas Peterson, CEO of S&P Global
"Blunt force instruments" like tariffs won't go as far with China as talks will, said Peterson of financial services firm S&P Global, as the U.S. moves ahead with levies on Chinese imports.
"Clearly there are aspects to access to the Chinese market that people have been frustrated with," Peterson acknowledged in his interview with CNBC. "On the other hand, I don't know if this is really the right approach to have ... the United States coming in unilaterally to put in place tariffs and sanctions on trade."
William Cohen, former US Defense secretary
There are good reasons to be skeptical about a bilateral meeting that's supposed to take place between the U.S. and North Korea, Cohen said.
U.S. President Donald Trump made the surprise decision earlier this month to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by May, although specific details of that meeting have yet to be announced. Cohen maintained that, based on personal experience, he still had reservations over what could possibly follow.
Laurent Guyot, CEO of Thales China
The executive for the French defense giant, which operates in China, said safeguarding the company's technology is important, but the effort is no barrier to his firm's success there.
Guyot reframed the issue to place it outside of the hot-button topic of "technology transfer."
"The new rule of success is to co-develop in China," he said. "It's to generate technology from China together with Chinese partners. In that case, we don't talk about transfer of technology — we talk about building value in China, for China and also for the group."
Vasant Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis
Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis will move toward making a decision on the fate of Alcon — its eye care business — in the first half of 2019, Narasimhan reiterated.
"With Alcon ... we look forward to taking a potential action, moving toward a potential decision in the first half of 2019. And that's still the timeline that we will maintain and no change on that," Narasimhan told CNBC.
Takehiko Nakao, president of the Asian Development Bank
There is much that China can do to create more equality in its society, and to let its people enjoy the fruits of its growth and technological development, said Takehiko Nakao.
"To me, my challenge is how to make society more equal? How to make the older population enjoy better life from the fruits of this technological development, growth and also globalization?" he asked.
Jeff Sessions announces rule effectively banning bump stocks - CBS News
CBS NEWS March 23, 2018, 5:23 PM
Jeff Sessions announces rule effectively banning bump stocks
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Friday that the Department of Justice is officially proposing a change to federal regulations to ban bump stock devices, devices that transform legal, semi-automatic firearms into automatic weapons. A bump stock device was used in last year's deadly Las Vegas shooting.
Specifically, the DOJ is looking to change the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives regulations to clarify that bump stocks do actually fall under the definition of "machinegun." Mr. Trump has repeatedly said he would ban the devices. Mr. Trump announced that the regulations were being crafted last month.
Mr. Trump tweeted about this step in banning bump stocks on Marine One, on his way to Mar-a-Lago.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Obama Administration legalized bump stocks. BAD IDEA. As I promised, today the Department of Justice will issue the rule banning BUMP STOCKS with a mandated comment period. We will BAN all devices that turn legal weapons into illegal machine guns.
7:50 AM - Mar 24, 2018
In announced the proposed regulation change, Sessions said the proposed rule is a "critical step in our effort to reduce the threat of gun violence."
"Since the day he took office, President Trump has had no higher priority than the safety of each and every American," Sessions said in a statement. "That is why today the Department of Justice is publishing for public comment a proposed rule-making that would define 'machinegun' to include bump stock-type devices under federal law—effectively banning them. After the senseless attack in Las Vegas, this proposed rule is a critical step in our effort to reduce the threat of gun violence that is in keeping with the Constitution and the laws passed by Congress. I look forward to working with the president's School Safety Commission to identify other ways to keep our country and our children safe, and I thank the President for his courageous leadership on this issue."
The proposed rule comes a day before thousands are expected to march on Washington, D.C., and cities across the country to protest gun violence, after the Parkland, Fla., shooting that left 17 dead.
Jeff Sessions announces rule effectively banning bump stocks
Share Tweet Reddit Flipboard Email
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Friday that the Department of Justice is officially proposing a change to federal regulations to ban bump stock devices, devices that transform legal, semi-automatic firearms into automatic weapons. A bump stock device was used in last year's deadly Las Vegas shooting.
Specifically, the DOJ is looking to change the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives regulations to clarify that bump stocks do actually fall under the definition of "machinegun." Mr. Trump has repeatedly said he would ban the devices. Mr. Trump announced that the regulations were being crafted last month.
Mr. Trump tweeted about this step in banning bump stocks on Marine One, on his way to Mar-a-Lago.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Obama Administration legalized bump stocks. BAD IDEA. As I promised, today the Department of Justice will issue the rule banning BUMP STOCKS with a mandated comment period. We will BAN all devices that turn legal weapons into illegal machine guns.
7:50 AM - Mar 24, 2018
In announced the proposed regulation change, Sessions said the proposed rule is a "critical step in our effort to reduce the threat of gun violence."
"Since the day he took office, President Trump has had no higher priority than the safety of each and every American," Sessions said in a statement. "That is why today the Department of Justice is publishing for public comment a proposed rule-making that would define 'machinegun' to include bump stock-type devices under federal law—effectively banning them. After the senseless attack in Las Vegas, this proposed rule is a critical step in our effort to reduce the threat of gun violence that is in keeping with the Constitution and the laws passed by Congress. I look forward to working with the president's School Safety Commission to identify other ways to keep our country and our children safe, and I thank the President for his courageous leadership on this issue."
The proposed rule comes a day before thousands are expected to march on Washington, D.C., and cities across the country to protest gun violence, after the Parkland, Fla., shooting that left 17 dead.
Nobody Handles Twitter Trolls Better Than Stormy Daniels - New York Magazine
23/3/2018
Nobody Handles Twitter Trolls Better Than Stormy Daniels
By
Madeleine Aggeler
@mmaggeler
Stormy Daniels. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
If politics has devolved into a bad reality-TV show, Twitter is the confessional where cast-members go to advance their own narratives, and say things like, “I didn’t come here to make friends.” And no one has mastered the art of the tweet quite like Stormy Daniels.
Daniels, an adult-film actress, screenwriter, and director, has more or less dominated the news cycle since news broke that she was allegedly paid $130,000 to keep quiet about an affair with President Trump. And like many of the women who have dared to speak out against the president, Daniels has been the target of widespread ire and condemnation. But Daniels doesn’t seem to mind. Unlike Trump, whose tissue-paper-thin skin leads him to tweet lies about how many people watched his State of the Union address, and about female journalist’s alleged face lifts, Daniels can not only take the garbage people throw at her, she can spin it into gold.
Daniels regularly retweets critics and trolls, and her responses are honest, viciously funny, and wholly unapologetic. When a woman tweeted at her “@StormyDaniels Slut,” Daniels responded simply, “Yes.”
This week, her response to a troll who wrote “@StormyDaniels why don’t you just disappear. No one cares you were a slut and slept with POTUS 12 yrs ago,” was liked over 205,000 times, and retweeted over 45,000.
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Technically I didn't sleep with the POTUS 12 years ago. There was no sleeping (hehe) and he was just a goofy reality TV star. But I digress...People DO care that he lied about it, had me bullied, broke laws to cover it up, etc. And PS...I am NOT going anywhere. xoxoxo https://twitter.com/inkedskindawg/status/976200725809319936 …
8:22 AM - Mar 21, 2018
There is nothing Daniels loves more than clapping back at people who try to criticize or discredit her for her career in porn.
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Technically, it is my job to get dicks to grow...which I have a pretty good record of doing judging by my long career in front of/behind the camera in porn. I got some cool awards, too! https://twitter.com/kevinryan333/status/976474162427580416 …
2:06 AM - Mar 22, 2018
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
I was curious about this too. I really question the priorities of someone more worried about the quality of a pornstar than a president. The only decisions I'm really responsible for is what position I want to do next & what color lipgloss best compliments my costar's penis. SMH https://twitter.com/acobyevo/status/976470800084684802 …
1:54 AM - Mar 22, 2018
11K
2,458 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
At least the sewer won't reject you although you're probably used to rejection by now. https://twitter.com/JoeyBenedetto5/status/976460923530633216 …
1:14 AM - Mar 22, 2018
And she will never apologize for enjoying herself.
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Does heaven have a maximum dick-taking number? More importantly, does hell have a minimum? Just want to check that my quota is on track. https://twitter.com/anetizyn/status/974348004214956034 …
5:22 AM - Mar 16, 2018
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Damn it! Hold my beer! https://twitter.com/CJgrandstaff/status/974350390480244736 …
5:24 AM - Mar 16, 2018
And sometimes, like all humorists, she falls back on a good old DMV joke.
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Then you have never been to the DMV https://twitter.com/lcmantra33/status/974368376033128449 …
6:37 AM - Mar 16, 2018
As Rhonda Garelick noted in the Cut, Daniels is the anti-Donald Trump, “gloriously authentic for all her inauthenticity.” Perhaps nowhere is this more apparent than on Twitter.
This weekend, Daniels’s 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper will air on CBS. If her Twitter is anything to go by, it should be interesting.
Nobody Handles Twitter Trolls Better Than Stormy Daniels
By
Madeleine Aggeler
@mmaggeler
Stormy Daniels. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
If politics has devolved into a bad reality-TV show, Twitter is the confessional where cast-members go to advance their own narratives, and say things like, “I didn’t come here to make friends.” And no one has mastered the art of the tweet quite like Stormy Daniels.
Daniels, an adult-film actress, screenwriter, and director, has more or less dominated the news cycle since news broke that she was allegedly paid $130,000 to keep quiet about an affair with President Trump. And like many of the women who have dared to speak out against the president, Daniels has been the target of widespread ire and condemnation. But Daniels doesn’t seem to mind. Unlike Trump, whose tissue-paper-thin skin leads him to tweet lies about how many people watched his State of the Union address, and about female journalist’s alleged face lifts, Daniels can not only take the garbage people throw at her, she can spin it into gold.
Daniels regularly retweets critics and trolls, and her responses are honest, viciously funny, and wholly unapologetic. When a woman tweeted at her “@StormyDaniels Slut,” Daniels responded simply, “Yes.”
This week, her response to a troll who wrote “@StormyDaniels why don’t you just disappear. No one cares you were a slut and slept with POTUS 12 yrs ago,” was liked over 205,000 times, and retweeted over 45,000.
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Technically I didn't sleep with the POTUS 12 years ago. There was no sleeping (hehe) and he was just a goofy reality TV star. But I digress...People DO care that he lied about it, had me bullied, broke laws to cover it up, etc. And PS...I am NOT going anywhere. xoxoxo https://twitter.com/inkedskindawg/status/976200725809319936 …
8:22 AM - Mar 21, 2018
There is nothing Daniels loves more than clapping back at people who try to criticize or discredit her for her career in porn.
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Technically, it is my job to get dicks to grow...which I have a pretty good record of doing judging by my long career in front of/behind the camera in porn. I got some cool awards, too! https://twitter.com/kevinryan333/status/976474162427580416 …
2:06 AM - Mar 22, 2018
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
I was curious about this too. I really question the priorities of someone more worried about the quality of a pornstar than a president. The only decisions I'm really responsible for is what position I want to do next & what color lipgloss best compliments my costar's penis. SMH https://twitter.com/acobyevo/status/976470800084684802 …
1:54 AM - Mar 22, 2018
11K
2,458 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
At least the sewer won't reject you although you're probably used to rejection by now. https://twitter.com/JoeyBenedetto5/status/976460923530633216 …
1:14 AM - Mar 22, 2018
And she will never apologize for enjoying herself.
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Does heaven have a maximum dick-taking number? More importantly, does hell have a minimum? Just want to check that my quota is on track. https://twitter.com/anetizyn/status/974348004214956034 …
5:22 AM - Mar 16, 2018
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Damn it! Hold my beer! https://twitter.com/CJgrandstaff/status/974350390480244736 …
5:24 AM - Mar 16, 2018
And sometimes, like all humorists, she falls back on a good old DMV joke.
Stormy Daniels
✔
@StormyDaniels
Then you have never been to the DMV https://twitter.com/lcmantra33/status/974368376033128449 …
6:37 AM - Mar 16, 2018
As Rhonda Garelick noted in the Cut, Daniels is the anti-Donald Trump, “gloriously authentic for all her inauthenticity.” Perhaps nowhere is this more apparent than on Twitter.
This weekend, Daniels’s 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper will air on CBS. If her Twitter is anything to go by, it should be interesting.
Berkshire Finally Reveals Price of Its Only Major Deal in 2017 - Bloomberg
Berkshire Finally Reveals Price of Its Only Major Deal in 2017
By
March 20, 2018, 8:00 PM GMT+11
Warren Buffett said his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. made only one “sensible” stand-alone acquisition last year, and it didn’t do much for his growing pile of cash.
Berkshire paid $2.76 billion for its 38.6 percent stake in Pilot Travel Centers LLC, the owner of the Pilot Flying J truck stop chain, according to an insurance filing. Berkshire didn’t disclose the purchase price when it announced the deal in October, and hasn’t revealed the figure in subsequent reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Buffett is seeking large investments that will eat into his excess cash and earn better returns. The company ended last year with $116 billion in cash and Treasury bills amid what Buffett called a “drought” in deals. He told Berkshire shareholders in his annual letter in February that the company’s only “sensible stand-alone purchase” in 2017 was the travel center operator Pilot Flying J, and that Berkshire will need to make one or more “huge acquisitions” to boost earnings from non-insurance-related businesses.
Berkshire will eventually become a bigger shareholder in Pilot Travel Centers. The company agreed to increase its stake in the firm to 80 percent in 2023. Pilot Flying J has been run by Jimmy Haslam, the son of Pilot Corp. founder Jim Haslam, since 1996. The Haslam family will retain a 20 percent stake in the parent company.
— With assistance by Noah Buhayar
By
March 20, 2018, 8:00 PM GMT+11
Warren Buffett said his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. made only one “sensible” stand-alone acquisition last year, and it didn’t do much for his growing pile of cash.
Berkshire paid $2.76 billion for its 38.6 percent stake in Pilot Travel Centers LLC, the owner of the Pilot Flying J truck stop chain, according to an insurance filing. Berkshire didn’t disclose the purchase price when it announced the deal in October, and hasn’t revealed the figure in subsequent reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Buffett is seeking large investments that will eat into his excess cash and earn better returns. The company ended last year with $116 billion in cash and Treasury bills amid what Buffett called a “drought” in deals. He told Berkshire shareholders in his annual letter in February that the company’s only “sensible stand-alone purchase” in 2017 was the travel center operator Pilot Flying J, and that Berkshire will need to make one or more “huge acquisitions” to boost earnings from non-insurance-related businesses.
Berkshire will eventually become a bigger shareholder in Pilot Travel Centers. The company agreed to increase its stake in the firm to 80 percent in 2023. Pilot Flying J has been run by Jimmy Haslam, the son of Pilot Corp. founder Jim Haslam, since 1996. The Haslam family will retain a 20 percent stake in the parent company.
— With assistance by Noah Buhayar
Trade War Fears Deal U.S. Stock Market Its Worst Week in 2 Years - TIME Business
Trade War Fears Deal U.S. Stock Market Its Worst Week in 2 Years
Posted: 23 Mar 2018 03:54 PM PDT
Stocks around the world plunged Friday as investors feared that a trade conflict between the U.S. and China, the biggest economies in the world, would escalate. A second day of big losses pushed U.S. stocks to their worst week in two years.
Investors fear that if China responds in kind to sanctions on $60 billion worth of Chinese imports the White House announced on Thursday, it will be a first step toward a full-blown trade war that could damage the global economy and slash profits at big U.S. exporters like Apple and Boeing.
The market’s two biggest sectors slumped the most. Technology stocks have made enormous gains over the past year, but since they do so much business outside the U.S., investors see them as particularly vulnerable in a trade dispute. The sector dropped 7.9 percent this week.
Banks also fell sharply. Amid the trade-war rumblings, investors fled to the safety of bonds and drove down yields, a potential negative for bank profits. That marked a reversal from earlier in the week, when banks rose as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates.
It wound up being the worst week for U.S. indexes since January 2016. The S&P 500 index sank 6 percent. Among notable decliners was Facebook, which lost 13.9 percent, or $68 billion in value, as outrage mounted over its handling of user data. That’s about as much as the company was worth in in 2012, the year of its initial public offering.
Stocks sagged at the start of this month after tariffs on aluminum and steel were announced, but they quickly recovered as the administration said the tariffs wouldn’t be as severe as they first looked. The losses this week were worse, and investors are hoping for hints the sanctions on China are more of a negotiating tactic.
“There could be a possibility of a bounce back if, as this progresses, both sides look like they’re negotiating,” said Lisa Erickson, chief investment officer at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. “There could be further decline if people get a sense there could be more trade restrictions in place.”
The S&P 500 index dropped 55.43 points, or 2.1 percent, to 2,588.26 on Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 424.69 points, or 1.8 percent, to 23,533.20. The Nasdaq composite fell 174.01 points, or 2.4 percent, to 6,992.67.
Germany’s DAX lost 1.8 percent and the French CAC-40 fell 1.4 percent. The FTSE 100 in Britain dipped 0.4 percent. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunged 4.5 percent and South Korea’s Kospi tumbled 3.2 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 2.5 percent.
Big U.S. companies tend to get more of their revenue from foreign customers than small companies do, and that makes them more vulnerable to damage from a trade war. With nearly 1.4 billion people, China is a big market for the largest U.S. businesses.
Not every company breaks out how much of its revenue comes from abroad, but FactSet estimates that 30.5 percent of revenue at big companies in the S&P 500 comes from outside the United States. For the smaller companies in the S&P 600 index, it’s just 19.5 percent. Smaller companies are also getting a bigger benefit from the recent cut in corporate tax rates.
“We think a lot of the areas in the market with the greatest potential for earnings improvement this year are small- and mid-cap stocks, things that have the biggest benefit from tax reform and are less subject to trade wars,” said Eric Marshall, portfolio manager at Hodges mutual funds.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks sank 33.79 points, or 2.2 percent, to 1,510.08, but it’s flat this month while the S&P 500 is down 4.6 percent.
Sales outside the U.S. are especially important for technology companies. Roughly $1 of every $5 in Apple’s sales came from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in its last year. That doesn’t take into account how much of the manufacturing and assembly of Apple products is done in Chinese factories, which could be affected if trade restrictions start piling up. On Friday chipmakers fared especially badly.
Investors kept buying bonds, sending prices higher and yields lower. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.81 percent from 2.83 percent.
In another sign investors are nervous, gold and silver prices jumped. Gold climbed $22.50, or 1.7 percent, to $1,349.90 an ounce and silver gained 20 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $16.58 an ounce. The dollar fell to 104.82 yen from 105.61 yen. The euro rose to $1.2367 from $1.2307.
Defense contractors including Raytheon and Lockheed Martin climbed after President Donald Trump signed a new government funding bill that provides increases in military spending. He had tweeted a threat to veto the measure.
The price of oil climbed $1.58, or 2.5 percent, to $65.88 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard for oil prices, added $1.54, or 2.2 percent, to $70.45 a barrel in London.
Wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to $2.04 a gallon. Heating oil added 3 cents to $2.02 a gallon. Natural gas dipped 3 cents to $2.59 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Posted: 23 Mar 2018 03:54 PM PDT
Stocks around the world plunged Friday as investors feared that a trade conflict between the U.S. and China, the biggest economies in the world, would escalate. A second day of big losses pushed U.S. stocks to their worst week in two years.
Investors fear that if China responds in kind to sanctions on $60 billion worth of Chinese imports the White House announced on Thursday, it will be a first step toward a full-blown trade war that could damage the global economy and slash profits at big U.S. exporters like Apple and Boeing.
The market’s two biggest sectors slumped the most. Technology stocks have made enormous gains over the past year, but since they do so much business outside the U.S., investors see them as particularly vulnerable in a trade dispute. The sector dropped 7.9 percent this week.
Banks also fell sharply. Amid the trade-war rumblings, investors fled to the safety of bonds and drove down yields, a potential negative for bank profits. That marked a reversal from earlier in the week, when banks rose as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates.
It wound up being the worst week for U.S. indexes since January 2016. The S&P 500 index sank 6 percent. Among notable decliners was Facebook, which lost 13.9 percent, or $68 billion in value, as outrage mounted over its handling of user data. That’s about as much as the company was worth in in 2012, the year of its initial public offering.
Stocks sagged at the start of this month after tariffs on aluminum and steel were announced, but they quickly recovered as the administration said the tariffs wouldn’t be as severe as they first looked. The losses this week were worse, and investors are hoping for hints the sanctions on China are more of a negotiating tactic.
“There could be a possibility of a bounce back if, as this progresses, both sides look like they’re negotiating,” said Lisa Erickson, chief investment officer at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. “There could be further decline if people get a sense there could be more trade restrictions in place.”
The S&P 500 index dropped 55.43 points, or 2.1 percent, to 2,588.26 on Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 424.69 points, or 1.8 percent, to 23,533.20. The Nasdaq composite fell 174.01 points, or 2.4 percent, to 6,992.67.
Germany’s DAX lost 1.8 percent and the French CAC-40 fell 1.4 percent. The FTSE 100 in Britain dipped 0.4 percent. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunged 4.5 percent and South Korea’s Kospi tumbled 3.2 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 2.5 percent.
Big U.S. companies tend to get more of their revenue from foreign customers than small companies do, and that makes them more vulnerable to damage from a trade war. With nearly 1.4 billion people, China is a big market for the largest U.S. businesses.
Not every company breaks out how much of its revenue comes from abroad, but FactSet estimates that 30.5 percent of revenue at big companies in the S&P 500 comes from outside the United States. For the smaller companies in the S&P 600 index, it’s just 19.5 percent. Smaller companies are also getting a bigger benefit from the recent cut in corporate tax rates.
“We think a lot of the areas in the market with the greatest potential for earnings improvement this year are small- and mid-cap stocks, things that have the biggest benefit from tax reform and are less subject to trade wars,” said Eric Marshall, portfolio manager at Hodges mutual funds.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks sank 33.79 points, or 2.2 percent, to 1,510.08, but it’s flat this month while the S&P 500 is down 4.6 percent.
Sales outside the U.S. are especially important for technology companies. Roughly $1 of every $5 in Apple’s sales came from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in its last year. That doesn’t take into account how much of the manufacturing and assembly of Apple products is done in Chinese factories, which could be affected if trade restrictions start piling up. On Friday chipmakers fared especially badly.
Investors kept buying bonds, sending prices higher and yields lower. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.81 percent from 2.83 percent.
In another sign investors are nervous, gold and silver prices jumped. Gold climbed $22.50, or 1.7 percent, to $1,349.90 an ounce and silver gained 20 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $16.58 an ounce. The dollar fell to 104.82 yen from 105.61 yen. The euro rose to $1.2367 from $1.2307.
Defense contractors including Raytheon and Lockheed Martin climbed after President Donald Trump signed a new government funding bill that provides increases in military spending. He had tweeted a threat to veto the measure.
The price of oil climbed $1.58, or 2.5 percent, to $65.88 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard for oil prices, added $1.54, or 2.2 percent, to $70.45 a barrel in London.
Wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to $2.04 a gallon. Heating oil added 3 cents to $2.02 a gallon. Natural gas dipped 3 cents to $2.59 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Should we hurt 300,000 soy farmers to help 150,000 steelworkers? - NBC News
American farmers in Trump-voting states may get hit hardest by a trade war
Should we hurt 300,000 soy farmers to help 150,000 steelworkers?
by Ben Popken / Mar.24.2018 / 9:00 PM ET
Rob Shaffer, an Illinois farmer, examines his soybean crop growing on the land his great-grandfather bought in 1920.Amy Roady /
President Donald Trump's trade war with Beijing has U.S. farmers — especially soybean growers, whose number one export market is China — concerned for their future.
China has threatened to target the crop as part of a tit-for-tat over Trump's $60 billion in tariffs against Chinese imports, announced Thursday. Experts say that while everyday consumers won't see an immediate impact, it could knock 300,000 soy farmers out of the market, with long-term negative effects for their communities.
"When my dad taught me and his dad taught him how to farm, they didn't have to worry about China," said Rob Shaffer, a 48-year-old soy bean farmer in Illinois. Along with his brother, Shaffer grows soy, corn, and raises Angus cattle on the land his great-grandfather bought in 1920.
"Now we're on the global market," he said. "Everything I do is impacted by what's happening outside the U.S."
Trump seeks new China tariffs as trade war worries mount
In any potential trade war, he's on the front lines. When the proverbial butterfly flaps its wings in Asia, the ripple immediately shows up in the price of soybeans on the Chicago Board of Trade, determining whether Shaffer will be able to profitably load his beans on a container ship to China in the fall.
In a press conference announcing the tariffs, Trump spoke of how China violated U.S. intellectual property rights while raising steep tariffs against American goods. "They're taking advantage of the United States, we're not going to let that happen," he said.
The announcement, combined with Facebook's privacy woes, sent the Dow Jones plunging 700 points.
On Friday, China fired back at Trump, saying it could slap retaliatory tariffs on billions of dollars of American products. In particular, it's coming after the $14 billion soybean business. And, as the number one buyer of U.S. soybeans, China has leverage.
American shoppers likely wouldn't see the impact of any trade war in the price they pay for Wheaties. If anything, losing an export partner could cause an increase in the existing commodities surplus and theoretically bring down prices for consumers. But there are ripple effects that can affect them down the line.
When the farmer gets hit, so does the corn seller, fertilizer seller, tractor sales office, and hardware store who depend on him for their business. It can hurt the income of the entire local community built up around them, slowing economic growth.
"There's collateral damage," said William Reinsch, Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the former president of the National Foreign Trade Council.
Related
RELATED:
Trump seeks new China tariffs, as trade war worries mount
"If [a farmer] can't unload his soybeans, he loses money. Then the bank loses money if he has trouble paying his loans. The tax base in his community suffers," which can lead some communities to cut back on services like police, fire, and schools.
"If you look at communities in distress because of trade, there's a ripple effect," said Reinsch. "The people who are prosperous run out of money, and that erodes the tax base."
Trump says he is taking these measures to protect workers in the steel and metal industries, workers who largely voted for him.
But other voters in "Trump country" wonder whether the president is fulfilling the campaign promise that they want him to.
"The rural people of this country elected Trump on the basis that he would help put value back into small communities all over this country and bring a sense of pride and authenticity back to the slogan Made in America," Brandon Whitt, a Tennessee soy farmer, told NBC News.
"Tariffs on American soybeans will be a crushing blow" with a "ripple-down effect sure to come in all facets," said Whitt, who wrote in John Kasich in the 2016 presidential election.
This is exactly what China has in mind, said Wang Jiangyu, an international law associate professor at the National University of Singapore.
“This is China’s strategy: Those agricultural products that China included in its new tariffs were targeted at Trump's supporters, those states and people who supported Trump. Now the farmers have to suffer. It's a direct siege on Trump's political base — to wake him up,” said Wang.
And economists say that it doesn't make sense to hurt the nation's 300,000 soybean farmers to help its 150,000 steelworkers.
"If there was an epidemic of baldness, would we help hairdressers by putting a small tax on Rogaine?" said Sharon Traiberman, an assistant professor of economics at NYU. "We have a progressive tax system, and we should be making it more progressive and then using the proceeds to either directly compensate dislocated workers through unemployment insurance, or we can retrain them, or we can help them move to locations with better labor market prospects."
Back in Illinois, Shaffer says he's not sure how he'll weather the economic storm on the horizon. And he's less confident than his grandfather and father before him that he'll be able to pass the farm down to the next generation. But he has hope.
"The farmer is the eternal optimist. He puts seed in the ground in spring and hopes there's product in the fall," he said.
Should we hurt 300,000 soy farmers to help 150,000 steelworkers?
by Ben Popken / Mar.24.2018 / 9:00 PM ET
Rob Shaffer, an Illinois farmer, examines his soybean crop growing on the land his great-grandfather bought in 1920.Amy Roady /
President Donald Trump's trade war with Beijing has U.S. farmers — especially soybean growers, whose number one export market is China — concerned for their future.
China has threatened to target the crop as part of a tit-for-tat over Trump's $60 billion in tariffs against Chinese imports, announced Thursday. Experts say that while everyday consumers won't see an immediate impact, it could knock 300,000 soy farmers out of the market, with long-term negative effects for their communities.
"When my dad taught me and his dad taught him how to farm, they didn't have to worry about China," said Rob Shaffer, a 48-year-old soy bean farmer in Illinois. Along with his brother, Shaffer grows soy, corn, and raises Angus cattle on the land his great-grandfather bought in 1920.
"Now we're on the global market," he said. "Everything I do is impacted by what's happening outside the U.S."
Trump seeks new China tariffs as trade war worries mount
In any potential trade war, he's on the front lines. When the proverbial butterfly flaps its wings in Asia, the ripple immediately shows up in the price of soybeans on the Chicago Board of Trade, determining whether Shaffer will be able to profitably load his beans on a container ship to China in the fall.
In a press conference announcing the tariffs, Trump spoke of how China violated U.S. intellectual property rights while raising steep tariffs against American goods. "They're taking advantage of the United States, we're not going to let that happen," he said.
The announcement, combined with Facebook's privacy woes, sent the Dow Jones plunging 700 points.
On Friday, China fired back at Trump, saying it could slap retaliatory tariffs on billions of dollars of American products. In particular, it's coming after the $14 billion soybean business. And, as the number one buyer of U.S. soybeans, China has leverage.
American shoppers likely wouldn't see the impact of any trade war in the price they pay for Wheaties. If anything, losing an export partner could cause an increase in the existing commodities surplus and theoretically bring down prices for consumers. But there are ripple effects that can affect them down the line.
When the farmer gets hit, so does the corn seller, fertilizer seller, tractor sales office, and hardware store who depend on him for their business. It can hurt the income of the entire local community built up around them, slowing economic growth.
"There's collateral damage," said William Reinsch, Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the former president of the National Foreign Trade Council.
Related
RELATED:
Trump seeks new China tariffs, as trade war worries mount
"If [a farmer] can't unload his soybeans, he loses money. Then the bank loses money if he has trouble paying his loans. The tax base in his community suffers," which can lead some communities to cut back on services like police, fire, and schools.
"If you look at communities in distress because of trade, there's a ripple effect," said Reinsch. "The people who are prosperous run out of money, and that erodes the tax base."
Trump says he is taking these measures to protect workers in the steel and metal industries, workers who largely voted for him.
But other voters in "Trump country" wonder whether the president is fulfilling the campaign promise that they want him to.
"The rural people of this country elected Trump on the basis that he would help put value back into small communities all over this country and bring a sense of pride and authenticity back to the slogan Made in America," Brandon Whitt, a Tennessee soy farmer, told NBC News.
"Tariffs on American soybeans will be a crushing blow" with a "ripple-down effect sure to come in all facets," said Whitt, who wrote in John Kasich in the 2016 presidential election.
This is exactly what China has in mind, said Wang Jiangyu, an international law associate professor at the National University of Singapore.
“This is China’s strategy: Those agricultural products that China included in its new tariffs were targeted at Trump's supporters, those states and people who supported Trump. Now the farmers have to suffer. It's a direct siege on Trump's political base — to wake him up,” said Wang.
And economists say that it doesn't make sense to hurt the nation's 300,000 soybean farmers to help its 150,000 steelworkers.
"If there was an epidemic of baldness, would we help hairdressers by putting a small tax on Rogaine?" said Sharon Traiberman, an assistant professor of economics at NYU. "We have a progressive tax system, and we should be making it more progressive and then using the proceeds to either directly compensate dislocated workers through unemployment insurance, or we can retrain them, or we can help them move to locations with better labor market prospects."
Back in Illinois, Shaffer says he's not sure how he'll weather the economic storm on the horizon. And he's less confident than his grandfather and father before him that he'll be able to pass the farm down to the next generation. But he has hope.
"The farmer is the eternal optimist. He puts seed in the ground in spring and hopes there's product in the fall," he said.
March for Our Lives: Eleven-year-old stuns crowd with speech honouring black girls - Independent
24/3/2018
March for Our Lives: Eleven-year-old stuns crowd with speech honouring black girls
'My friends and I might still be 11, and we might still be in elementary school but we know,' she says. 'We know life isn’t equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong'
Alexandra Wilts Washington DC
Where in the world is the Tian Tan Buddha?
McCartney remembers Lennon at New York gun control rally
Students warn Congress about their voting power at gun control marches
Why March For Our Lives is US's best ever chance of changing gun laws
Eleven-year-old Naomi Wadler stunned many with her March for Our Lives speech honouring black girls whose stories don’t make the news, with some calling her their president and “our future”.
The fifth grader from Alexandria, Virginia was chosen to speak at the main event in Washington after she organised a walkout at her elementary school to protest gun violence and honour the 17 lives lost during a shooting last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
“I am here to acknowledge and represent the African-American girls whose stories don’t make the front page of every national newspaper, whose stories don’t lead on the evening news,” Ms Wadler said. “I represent the African-American women who are victims of gun violence, who are simply statistics instead of vibrant, beautiful girls full of potential.”
Why March For Our Lives is US's best ever chance of changing gun laws
She and her friends may be 11, she said, but “we know life isn’t equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong.”
“We also know that we stand in the shadow of the Capitol, and we know that we have seven short years until we too have the right to vote,” Ms Wadler added.
The fifth grader has made waves on Twitter.
Now This News wrote that “this brilliant 11-year-old girl is doing more to address gun violence and systemic racism than most adults.”
“Wow wow Naomi Wadler,” another person wrote. “She is ELEVEN YEARS OLD. And smarter than us all. #marchforourlives”.
The more than three-hour event in front of Capitol Hill was led by students of Stoneman Douglas.
They, along with several other young speakers affected by gun violence, called on members of Congress to pass tighter gun control laws.
Unless legislators acted, they would be voted out of office, the students said.
NowThis
✔
@nowthisnews
This brilliant 11-year-old girl is doing more to address gun violence and systemic racism than most adults
12:43 PM - Mar 22, 2018
Jessica Valenti
✔
@JessicaValenti
Wow wow Naomi Wadler. She is ELEVEN YEARS OLD. And smarter than us all. #marchforourlives
4:16 AM - Mar 25, 2018
Michael Eric Dyson
✔
@MichaelEDyson
Young Ms. Naomi Wadler just rocked my world and thrilled the nation. Her eloquence and intelligence, her exquisite poise and dignity, and her insistence that little black girls not be left behind, was a searing call to justice for those who are often forgotten! A star is born!
4:20 AM - Mar 25, 2018
Emma Cummings, 24, and Katie Whittum, 23, said it was impressive that all of the speakers were young, were from different places across the US and had such different experiences.
“I thought that made the impact greater,” Ms Cummings told The Independent.
March for Our Lives: Eleven-year-old stuns crowd with speech honouring black girls
'My friends and I might still be 11, and we might still be in elementary school but we know,' she says. 'We know life isn’t equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong'
Alexandra Wilts Washington DC
Where in the world is the Tian Tan Buddha?
McCartney remembers Lennon at New York gun control rally
Students warn Congress about their voting power at gun control marches
Why March For Our Lives is US's best ever chance of changing gun laws
Eleven-year-old Naomi Wadler stunned many with her March for Our Lives speech honouring black girls whose stories don’t make the news, with some calling her their president and “our future”.
The fifth grader from Alexandria, Virginia was chosen to speak at the main event in Washington after she organised a walkout at her elementary school to protest gun violence and honour the 17 lives lost during a shooting last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
“I am here to acknowledge and represent the African-American girls whose stories don’t make the front page of every national newspaper, whose stories don’t lead on the evening news,” Ms Wadler said. “I represent the African-American women who are victims of gun violence, who are simply statistics instead of vibrant, beautiful girls full of potential.”
Why March For Our Lives is US's best ever chance of changing gun laws
She and her friends may be 11, she said, but “we know life isn’t equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong.”
“We also know that we stand in the shadow of the Capitol, and we know that we have seven short years until we too have the right to vote,” Ms Wadler added.
The fifth grader has made waves on Twitter.
Now This News wrote that “this brilliant 11-year-old girl is doing more to address gun violence and systemic racism than most adults.”
“Wow wow Naomi Wadler,” another person wrote. “She is ELEVEN YEARS OLD. And smarter than us all. #marchforourlives”.
The more than three-hour event in front of Capitol Hill was led by students of Stoneman Douglas.
They, along with several other young speakers affected by gun violence, called on members of Congress to pass tighter gun control laws.
Unless legislators acted, they would be voted out of office, the students said.
NowThis
✔
@nowthisnews
This brilliant 11-year-old girl is doing more to address gun violence and systemic racism than most adults
12:43 PM - Mar 22, 2018
Jessica Valenti
✔
@JessicaValenti
Wow wow Naomi Wadler. She is ELEVEN YEARS OLD. And smarter than us all. #marchforourlives
4:16 AM - Mar 25, 2018
Michael Eric Dyson
✔
@MichaelEDyson
Young Ms. Naomi Wadler just rocked my world and thrilled the nation. Her eloquence and intelligence, her exquisite poise and dignity, and her insistence that little black girls not be left behind, was a searing call to justice for those who are often forgotten! A star is born!
4:20 AM - Mar 25, 2018
Emma Cummings, 24, and Katie Whittum, 23, said it was impressive that all of the speakers were young, were from different places across the US and had such different experiences.
“I thought that made the impact greater,” Ms Cummings told The Independent.
March For Our Lives: Huge gun-control rallies sweep US - BBC News
25/3/2018
March For Our Lives: Huge gun-control rallies sweep US
Emma Gonzalez demonstrated the power of silence during her speech
Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across the US to call for tighter gun control.
The March For Our Lives movement arose after 17 deaths in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last month.
Student leader and Parkland survivor Emma Gonzalez gave a powerful speech at the main Washington DC event.
After listing the names of the victims, she stayed silent on stage for six minutes, 20 seconds - the time it took for them to be killed.
'Our message to the world is...'
More than 800 sister protests were planned nationwide and abroad, with solidarity events taking place in Edinburgh, London, Geneva, Sydney and Tokyo.
As events began to draw to a close on the US east coast, they continued on the west, including a major demonstration in Los Angeles.
As it happened: March For Our Lives
In pictures: Marches across the US and worldwide
What happened in Washington?
Huge crowds - including a high proportion of young people and children - gathered along Pennsylvania Avenue, with placards reading "Protect kids not guns" and "Am I next?".
Singers Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man behind hit musical Hamilton, performed on a stage erected in front of the US Capitol building.
Jennifer Hudson - who has lost her mother, brother and nephew to gun violence - sang Bob Dylan's The Times They Are a-Changin
The music was interspersed with speeches from impassioned youth leaders.
"We will continue to fight for our dead friends," said speaker Delaney Tarr, a Parkland student.
Media caption"He pulls out a silver pistol and points it in my face" - student Mya Middleton speaks of her chilling encounter with a gunman
Some came from children who are just 11 years old, including Naomi Wadler, from Virginia, who spoke "to represent African-American girls whose stories don't make the front page of every national newspaper".
The 11-year-old American with a rallying cry
'My lost soulmate'
By Marianna Brady, BBC News, Washington
The crowds started to gather in the early hours of the morning outside the US Capitol. Chants for "no more NRA" and "no more guns" erupt every few minutes at random.
"He was my soulmate," said Victoria Gonzalez, looking down at a sign of her boyfriend Joaquin Oliver.
Valentine's Day - 14 February - started off as a great day for Victoria. "Joaquin and I exchanged gifts in the morning and he walked me to class. I was so happy."
Later that day, she would learn that Joaquin was one of 17 people shot and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas school.
"It wasn't real," she said, standing in a crowd of several thousand ahead of the march.
"It's taken a while for it to sink in. I'm here today so no-one ever has to face this again. It gives me a lot of hope seeing how many people are out here supporting us. It feels like the whole entire world is on our side," Victoria said.
Read on: 'It feels like the world is on our side'
How did the movement start?
The 14 February massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland was one of a long line of school shootings in the US but the worst since Sandy Hook in 2012, when 26 people were killed.
Campaigning by Parkland students gained widespread support, with Ms Gonzalez one of the most outspoken figures, gaining more than a million Twitter followers in a matter of weeks.
A tearful Emma Gonzalez during her minutes of silence
Survivors of other shootings have also joined the movement, alongside relatives of gun violence victims and anyone moved by their stories.
The students staged a nationwide school walk-out earlier this month.
They want to seize on public outrage to convince US politicians to take decisive action such as banning the sale of assault weapons.
The teenagers taking on the US gun lobby
On Thursday, 16-year-old Jaelynn Willey died, after being shot in the head by a classmate in Maryland earlier in the week. A second student was injured in the attack.
How much support do they have?
Although the turnout during Saturday's marches has been huge, the issue still divides Americans.
The right to bear arms is protected under the second amendment of the US constitution and the National Rifle Association (NRA) gun lobby remains highly influential.
Why I'm marching on Washington
America's gun culture in 10 charts
On Saturday afternoon, the White House released a statement praising the "many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights today".
It outlined steps the government is taking to tackle gun violence:
Banning bump stocks (devices which allow semi-automatic rifles to fire like machine-guns)
Enacting the STOP School Violence Act, which seeks to improve school security
Increasing training for students, staff and local law enforcement.
Improving criminal background records so gun buyers are properly vetted before making a purchase
Some protesters were disappointed that President Donald Trump, who is at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for the weekend, did not personally tweet a message of support during the protests.
What do young conservatives think?
How did other cities join in?
Media captionSandy Hook survivors march with Parkland
There were protests all across the nation, from New York and Los Angeles to Houston and Anchorage, Alaska.
A demonstration was also held in Parkland, with relatives of the victims speaking to crowds.
In Scotland, families affected by the 1996 school shooting in Dunblane held a solidarity gathering outside the US consulate in Edinburgh.
In London, several hundred people - a mix of US immigrants and allies - also met at the new US embassy in Vauxhall.
Media captionProtesters around the world are supporting stricter US gun laws
What other steps have been taken since Parkland?
The state of Florida passed a gun control law that raises the legal age for buying rifles but also allows the arming of school staff. The NRA sued the state, saying the law was unconstitutional
Several major companies cut ties with the NRA amid a #BoycottNRA campaign, while chains like Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods announced new restrictions on gun sales.
Some 69% of Americans think gun laws should be tightened, according to a new poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, up from 61% in October 2016.
March For Our Lives: Huge gun-control rallies sweep US
Emma Gonzalez demonstrated the power of silence during her speech
Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across the US to call for tighter gun control.
The March For Our Lives movement arose after 17 deaths in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last month.
Student leader and Parkland survivor Emma Gonzalez gave a powerful speech at the main Washington DC event.
After listing the names of the victims, she stayed silent on stage for six minutes, 20 seconds - the time it took for them to be killed.
'Our message to the world is...'
More than 800 sister protests were planned nationwide and abroad, with solidarity events taking place in Edinburgh, London, Geneva, Sydney and Tokyo.
As events began to draw to a close on the US east coast, they continued on the west, including a major demonstration in Los Angeles.
As it happened: March For Our Lives
In pictures: Marches across the US and worldwide
What happened in Washington?
Huge crowds - including a high proportion of young people and children - gathered along Pennsylvania Avenue, with placards reading "Protect kids not guns" and "Am I next?".
Singers Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man behind hit musical Hamilton, performed on a stage erected in front of the US Capitol building.
Jennifer Hudson - who has lost her mother, brother and nephew to gun violence - sang Bob Dylan's The Times They Are a-Changin
The music was interspersed with speeches from impassioned youth leaders.
"We will continue to fight for our dead friends," said speaker Delaney Tarr, a Parkland student.
Media caption"He pulls out a silver pistol and points it in my face" - student Mya Middleton speaks of her chilling encounter with a gunman
Some came from children who are just 11 years old, including Naomi Wadler, from Virginia, who spoke "to represent African-American girls whose stories don't make the front page of every national newspaper".
The 11-year-old American with a rallying cry
'My lost soulmate'
By Marianna Brady, BBC News, Washington
The crowds started to gather in the early hours of the morning outside the US Capitol. Chants for "no more NRA" and "no more guns" erupt every few minutes at random.
"He was my soulmate," said Victoria Gonzalez, looking down at a sign of her boyfriend Joaquin Oliver.
Valentine's Day - 14 February - started off as a great day for Victoria. "Joaquin and I exchanged gifts in the morning and he walked me to class. I was so happy."
Later that day, she would learn that Joaquin was one of 17 people shot and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas school.
"It wasn't real," she said, standing in a crowd of several thousand ahead of the march.
"It's taken a while for it to sink in. I'm here today so no-one ever has to face this again. It gives me a lot of hope seeing how many people are out here supporting us. It feels like the whole entire world is on our side," Victoria said.
Read on: 'It feels like the world is on our side'
How did the movement start?
The 14 February massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland was one of a long line of school shootings in the US but the worst since Sandy Hook in 2012, when 26 people were killed.
Campaigning by Parkland students gained widespread support, with Ms Gonzalez one of the most outspoken figures, gaining more than a million Twitter followers in a matter of weeks.
A tearful Emma Gonzalez during her minutes of silence
Survivors of other shootings have also joined the movement, alongside relatives of gun violence victims and anyone moved by their stories.
The students staged a nationwide school walk-out earlier this month.
They want to seize on public outrage to convince US politicians to take decisive action such as banning the sale of assault weapons.
The teenagers taking on the US gun lobby
On Thursday, 16-year-old Jaelynn Willey died, after being shot in the head by a classmate in Maryland earlier in the week. A second student was injured in the attack.
How much support do they have?
Although the turnout during Saturday's marches has been huge, the issue still divides Americans.
The right to bear arms is protected under the second amendment of the US constitution and the National Rifle Association (NRA) gun lobby remains highly influential.
Why I'm marching on Washington
America's gun culture in 10 charts
On Saturday afternoon, the White House released a statement praising the "many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights today".
It outlined steps the government is taking to tackle gun violence:
Banning bump stocks (devices which allow semi-automatic rifles to fire like machine-guns)
Enacting the STOP School Violence Act, which seeks to improve school security
Increasing training for students, staff and local law enforcement.
Improving criminal background records so gun buyers are properly vetted before making a purchase
Some protesters were disappointed that President Donald Trump, who is at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for the weekend, did not personally tweet a message of support during the protests.
What do young conservatives think?
How did other cities join in?
Media captionSandy Hook survivors march with Parkland
There were protests all across the nation, from New York and Los Angeles to Houston and Anchorage, Alaska.
A demonstration was also held in Parkland, with relatives of the victims speaking to crowds.
In Scotland, families affected by the 1996 school shooting in Dunblane held a solidarity gathering outside the US consulate in Edinburgh.
In London, several hundred people - a mix of US immigrants and allies - also met at the new US embassy in Vauxhall.
Media captionProtesters around the world are supporting stricter US gun laws
What other steps have been taken since Parkland?
The state of Florida passed a gun control law that raises the legal age for buying rifles but also allows the arming of school staff. The NRA sued the state, saying the law was unconstitutional
Several major companies cut ties with the NRA amid a #BoycottNRA campaign, while chains like Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods announced new restrictions on gun sales.
Some 69% of Americans think gun laws should be tightened, according to a new poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, up from 61% in October 2016.
Vote Leave broke spending limits in Brexit referendum, activist claims - BBC News
25/3/2018
Vote Leave broke spending limits in Brexit referendum, activist claims
Shahmir Sanni told Channel 4 News that the official Brexit campaign used a different group, BeLeave, to overspend
Vote Leave broke the law during the EU referendum by exceeding legal spending limits, a Brexit activist has claimed.
Shahmir Sanni told Channel 4 News that the official Brexit campaign used a different group, BeLeave, to overspend.
Vote Leave chief Dominic Cummings has already denied the claim and said he checked with the Electoral Commission before donating money to the group.
Mr Sanni has also criticised Vote Leave manager Stephen Parkinson, his ex-boyfriend, for outing him as gay.
"I know that, that Vote Leave cheated… I know that, that people have been lied to and that the referendum wasn't legitimate," Mr Sanni told Channel 4 News.
"Leaving the European Union, I agree with.
"But I don't agree with losing what it means to be British in that process; losing what it means to follow the rules; losing what it means to be quite literally a functioning democracy."
Mr Sanni told the Observer that Vote Leave donated £625,000 to the founder of BeLeave, Darren Grimes, before the June 2016 referendum.
Vote Leave would have gone over its campaign spending limit of £7m if it had spent the money.
Mr Sanni claimed Mr Grimes was not in control of how the money from Vote Leave was spent and everything they did they passed through ground campaign manager Mr Parkinson - who is now the prime minister's political secretary.
He told the newspaper that most of the donation went to Canadian data firm Aggregate IQ, which has been linked to Cambridge Analytica - the firm facing claims it amassed the data of millions of people without their consent.
Mr Sanni said he and two other pro-Brexit friends reported the overspending allegation to the Electoral Commission on Thursday.
Vote Leave chief denies Cambridge Analytica links
Cummings hits out
"In effect they used BeLeave to overspend, and not just by a small amount… Almost two thirds of a million pounds makes all the difference and it wasn't legal," said Mr Sanni, who first worked as a Vote Leave outreach volunteer before working for BeLeave.
"They say that it wasn't coordinated, but it was. And so the idea that… the campaign was legitimate is false."
Vote Leave has previously said it made the donation to Mr Grimes because it was coming up to its £7m spending limit and wanted a way of using the £9.2m it had raised from individuals and companies on campaigning activities.
The campaign separately spent £2.7m on the services of AIQ in the run-up to the EU referendum.
Skip Twitter post by @Channel4News
Channel 4 News
✔
@Channel4News
“We’re going on a path of Brexit based on lies, based on cheating, based on essentially a scam”. Brexit insider accuses Vote Leave of cheating- in response the PM’s political secretary denies the claims and “outs” the accuser as gay #TheBrexitWhistleblower https://www.channel4.com/news/brexit-campaign-was-totally-illegal-claims-whistleblower …
6:30 AM - Mar 25, 2018
BeLeave was set up to give young pro-Brexit campaigners a voice during the referendum.
Separate campaign groups could spend up to £700,000 if they registered as permitted participants.
The foreign secretary - and leading campaigner for Vote Leave - Boris Johnson has dismissed the claims as "utterly ludicrous".
8:00 AM - Mar 25, 2018
Boris Johnson
✔
@BorisJohnson
Observer/C4 story utterly ludicrous, #VoteLeave won fair & square - and legally. We are leaving the EU in a year and going global #TakeBackControl #GlobalBritain
9:39 AM - Mar 25, 2018
In a blog on Friday, Mr Cummings denied allegations of links between his campaign and Cambridge Analytica and said the claims were "factually wrong, hopelessly confused, or nonsensical".
Lawyers for AIQ told Channel 4 News that it had "never entered into a contract with Cambridge Analytica" and it had "never knowingly been involved in any illegal activity".
'Misleading'
In a "personal statement" issued to Channel 4 News, Stephen Parkinson denied the allegations and said he was confident he had stayed within the law and spending rules "at all times".
He said he was "saddened" by the "factually incorrect and misleading" statements from Mr Sanni, who now works for the Taxpayer's Alliance.
Earlier, Mr Sanni said - in a statement issued through his lawyers - that Mr Parkinson had outed him as gay in his original response.
Mr Sanni, a British Pakistani, said he was forced to tell his family and that relatives in Pakistan could be in danger as a result.
Channel 4 News
✔
@Channel4News
“The idea… that the campaign was legitimate is false.” A Brexit insider accuses Vote Leave of cheating - in response the PM’s political secretary denies the claims and “outs” the accuser as gay. #TheBrexitWhistleblower https://www.channel4.com/news/brexit-campaign-was-totally-illegal-claims-whistleblower …
In his original statement, published on Mr Cummings' blog on Friday, Mr Parkinson said he dated Mr Sanni for 18 months, before splitting up in September 2017.
"That is the capacity in which I gave Shahmir advice and encouragement, and I can understand if the lines became blurred for him, but I am clear that I did not direct the activities of any separate campaign groups," he said.
Mr Grimes told Channel 4 News he denied the allegations.
A solicitor for Vote Leave told the programme the campaign had been cleared twice on this issue by the Electoral Commission.
The Electoral Commission said: "The commission has a number of investigations open in relation to campaigners at the EU referendum; it does not comment on live investigations."
Vote Leave broke spending limits in Brexit referendum, activist claims
Shahmir Sanni told Channel 4 News that the official Brexit campaign used a different group, BeLeave, to overspend
Vote Leave broke the law during the EU referendum by exceeding legal spending limits, a Brexit activist has claimed.
Shahmir Sanni told Channel 4 News that the official Brexit campaign used a different group, BeLeave, to overspend.
Vote Leave chief Dominic Cummings has already denied the claim and said he checked with the Electoral Commission before donating money to the group.
Mr Sanni has also criticised Vote Leave manager Stephen Parkinson, his ex-boyfriend, for outing him as gay.
"I know that, that Vote Leave cheated… I know that, that people have been lied to and that the referendum wasn't legitimate," Mr Sanni told Channel 4 News.
"Leaving the European Union, I agree with.
"But I don't agree with losing what it means to be British in that process; losing what it means to follow the rules; losing what it means to be quite literally a functioning democracy."
Mr Sanni told the Observer that Vote Leave donated £625,000 to the founder of BeLeave, Darren Grimes, before the June 2016 referendum.
Vote Leave would have gone over its campaign spending limit of £7m if it had spent the money.
Mr Sanni claimed Mr Grimes was not in control of how the money from Vote Leave was spent and everything they did they passed through ground campaign manager Mr Parkinson - who is now the prime minister's political secretary.
He told the newspaper that most of the donation went to Canadian data firm Aggregate IQ, which has been linked to Cambridge Analytica - the firm facing claims it amassed the data of millions of people without their consent.
Mr Sanni said he and two other pro-Brexit friends reported the overspending allegation to the Electoral Commission on Thursday.
Vote Leave chief denies Cambridge Analytica links
Cummings hits out
"In effect they used BeLeave to overspend, and not just by a small amount… Almost two thirds of a million pounds makes all the difference and it wasn't legal," said Mr Sanni, who first worked as a Vote Leave outreach volunteer before working for BeLeave.
"They say that it wasn't coordinated, but it was. And so the idea that… the campaign was legitimate is false."
Vote Leave has previously said it made the donation to Mr Grimes because it was coming up to its £7m spending limit and wanted a way of using the £9.2m it had raised from individuals and companies on campaigning activities.
The campaign separately spent £2.7m on the services of AIQ in the run-up to the EU referendum.
Skip Twitter post by @Channel4News
Channel 4 News
✔
@Channel4News
“We’re going on a path of Brexit based on lies, based on cheating, based on essentially a scam”. Brexit insider accuses Vote Leave of cheating- in response the PM’s political secretary denies the claims and “outs” the accuser as gay #TheBrexitWhistleblower https://www.channel4.com/news/brexit-campaign-was-totally-illegal-claims-whistleblower …
6:30 AM - Mar 25, 2018
BeLeave was set up to give young pro-Brexit campaigners a voice during the referendum.
Separate campaign groups could spend up to £700,000 if they registered as permitted participants.
The foreign secretary - and leading campaigner for Vote Leave - Boris Johnson has dismissed the claims as "utterly ludicrous".
8:00 AM - Mar 25, 2018
Boris Johnson
✔
@BorisJohnson
Observer/C4 story utterly ludicrous, #VoteLeave won fair & square - and legally. We are leaving the EU in a year and going global #TakeBackControl #GlobalBritain
9:39 AM - Mar 25, 2018
In a blog on Friday, Mr Cummings denied allegations of links between his campaign and Cambridge Analytica and said the claims were "factually wrong, hopelessly confused, or nonsensical".
Lawyers for AIQ told Channel 4 News that it had "never entered into a contract with Cambridge Analytica" and it had "never knowingly been involved in any illegal activity".
'Misleading'
In a "personal statement" issued to Channel 4 News, Stephen Parkinson denied the allegations and said he was confident he had stayed within the law and spending rules "at all times".
He said he was "saddened" by the "factually incorrect and misleading" statements from Mr Sanni, who now works for the Taxpayer's Alliance.
Earlier, Mr Sanni said - in a statement issued through his lawyers - that Mr Parkinson had outed him as gay in his original response.
Mr Sanni, a British Pakistani, said he was forced to tell his family and that relatives in Pakistan could be in danger as a result.
Channel 4 News
✔
@Channel4News
“The idea… that the campaign was legitimate is false.” A Brexit insider accuses Vote Leave of cheating - in response the PM’s political secretary denies the claims and “outs” the accuser as gay. #TheBrexitWhistleblower https://www.channel4.com/news/brexit-campaign-was-totally-illegal-claims-whistleblower …
In his original statement, published on Mr Cummings' blog on Friday, Mr Parkinson said he dated Mr Sanni for 18 months, before splitting up in September 2017.
"That is the capacity in which I gave Shahmir advice and encouragement, and I can understand if the lines became blurred for him, but I am clear that I did not direct the activities of any separate campaign groups," he said.
Mr Grimes told Channel 4 News he denied the allegations.
A solicitor for Vote Leave told the programme the campaign had been cleared twice on this issue by the Electoral Commission.
The Electoral Commission said: "The commission has a number of investigations open in relation to campaigners at the EU referendum; it does not comment on live investigations."
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