MARCH 18, 2018 / 7:39 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO
Majority believe Japan PM bears some responsibility for altered documents: poll
Reuters Staff
TOKYO (Reuters) - A majority of Japanese believe Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bears some responsibility for altered documents at the center of suspicions of a cover-up linked to cronyism, according to an opinion poll on Sunday that also showed his support sliding.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tells reporters at his office in Tokyo on March 12, 2018, that he deeply apologizes to the public over the Finance Ministry's alternations of documents over a state land sale. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS
In his worst crisis since taking office in 2012, Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso have been under fire since the finance ministry said on March 12 it had altered records relating to a discounted sale of state-owned land to school operator Moritomo Gakuen, which had ties to Abe’s wife, Akie.
References to Abe, his wife, and Aso were removed from the finance ministry’s records of the sale, copies of documents released by the ministry showed.
Both men have denied any wrongdoing in the affair.
But 66.1 percent of respondents to a poll conducted by Kyodo news agency on Saturday and Sunday said they felt the premier had some responsibility for the altered documents. Only 25.8 percent said they thought he didn’t.
Police officers try to control protesters during a rally denouncing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso over a suspected cover-up of a cronyism scandal in front of Abe's official residence in Tokyo, Japan March 14, 2018. REUTERS/Issei Kato
Protesters have flocked to the streets by the prime minister’s office every night since the ministry admitted altering the documents, with some 2,000 on Friday calling for Abe and Aso to resign.
The poll also showed Abe’s support slipping by 9.4 percent to 38.7 percent in the two weeks since the last poll was conducted, while 48.2 percent said they did not support him.
A Friday survey had a similar drop in support but only 40.4 percent said then that they did not support Abe.
Opposition parties are calling for Aso to resign, while the affair could dash Abe’s hopes of winning a third three-year term as head of his Liberal Democratic Party in a September party leadership election. Abe took office in December 2012.
Aso has repeatedly refused to resign and has said the responsibility for the land sale lay with Nobuhisa Sagawa, who stepped down as tax chief ten days ago. Sagawa headed the division that submitted the documents before he became tax agency chief in July.
But the finance ministry announced on Friday that Aso will not attend a meeting of G20 finance leaders this week. A ruling party source told Reuters this was so he can address parliament on Monday about the scandal.
Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Nick Macfie
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Putin heads to the polls: Russian president is confident of victory as he casts in ballot in Moscow - Daily Mail
Putin heads to the polls: Russian president is confident of victory as he casts in ballot in Moscow - despite election monitors reporting irregularities across the country
Russians are facing intense pressure to turn out to vote in Russia's presidential election on Sunday
Although Putin's victory isn't in doubt, there's a question of whether he'll get a convincing mandate
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would consider any percentage of votes a success
Election monitors reported irregularities despite authorities being told to ensure voting was free and fair
By Khaleda Rahman For Mailonline and Ap
PUBLISHED: 19:51 AEDT, 18 March 2018 | UPDATED: 20:07 AEDT, 18 March 2018
Vladimir Putin was confident as he headed to cast his ballot in Russia's presidential election.
Putin is certain to win in Sunday's election, so voter apathy is widespread.
But although Putin's victory isn't in doubt, the only real question is whether voters will turn out in big enough numbers to hand him a convincing mandate for his fourth term - which many Russians are facing intense pressure to do so.
Authorities have spent unprecedented funds to get out the vote to ensure he has a strong mandate for his next six years in office.
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would consider any percentage of votes a success. 'The program that I propose for the country is the right one,' he said.
Vladimir Putin was confident as he headed to cast his ballot at a polling station in the Russian Academy of Sciences headquarters in Moscow on Sunday +22
Vladimir Putin was confident as he headed to cast his ballot at a polling station in the Russian Academy of Sciences headquarters in Moscow on Sunday
Vladimir Putin holds his ballot paper at a polling station during the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday +22
Vladimir Putin casts his ballot at a polling station during Russia's presidential election in Moscow on Sunday +22
Although Putin's victory isn't in doubt, the only real question is whether voters will turn out in big enough numbers to hand him a convincing mandate for his fourth term. Pictured, the Russian president casts his ballot in Moscow
Election monitors were reporting irregularities at voting stations across Russia, even though election authorities were under orders to ensure that the voting was free and fair after violations marred Putin's last election in 2012.
Back then, Putin faced a serious opposition movement, but since then he has boosted his popularity thanks to Russian actions in Ukraine and Syria.
Now, he faces seven challengers but no serious threat to his rule.
Riddle of the 'missing four hours' is key to solving the...
Analytics firm with Trump campaign ties 'worked with Russian...
Murder of strangled Putin critic IS linked to Skripal nerve...
Voters were casting ballots across the world's largest country, from the Pacific coast to Siberia and Moscow.
In Ukraine, security forces are surrounding Russian facilities amid anger over the Ukrainian government's refusal to allow ordinary Russians to vote for president.
Ukrainian police are guarding the Russian Embassy in Kiev and consular offices in Odessa and other cities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin exits a polling booth as he prepares to cast his ballot in the presidential election on Sunday
Russian President Vladimir Putin exits a polling booth as he prepares to cast his ballot in the presidential election on Sunday
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would consider any percentage of votes a success. 'The program that I propose for the country is the right one,' he said +22
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would consider any percentage of votes a success. 'The program that I propose for the country is the right one,' he said
The Ukrainian government announced that only Russian diplomatic officials would be allowed to cast ballots in Sunday's vote.
Millions of ethnic Russians live in Ukraine but the number of registered Russian voters in Ukraine is unclear.
Ukraine is protesting voting in Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine four years ago. Ukraine is also angry over Russian support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, where a deadly conflict continues.
Russian authorities are appealing to the United Nations and Council of Europe to intervene, according to Russian news agencies.
Voting will conclude at 8pm (6pm GMT) in Kaliningrad, the Baltic exclave that is Russia's westernmost region, and initial results are expected soon afterward.
Activists and supporters of different Ukrainian nationalist parties perform with a figure depicting Vladimir Putin in Kiev +22
Activists and supporters of different Ukrainian nationalist parties perform with a figure depicting Vladimir Putin in Kiev
Security forces are surrounding Russian facilities amid anger over the Ukrainian government's refusal to allow ordinary Russians to vote for president +22
Security forces are surrounding Russian facilities amid anger over the Ukrainian government's refusal to allow ordinary Russians to vote for president
The Ukrainian government announced that only Russian diplomatic officials would be allowed to cast ballots in Sunday's vote +22
The Ukrainian government announced that only Russian diplomatic officials would be allowed to cast ballots in Sunday's vote
Putin is so certain of winning that authorities are investing instead in massive get-out-the-vote efforts to produce a turnout that would embolden the Russian leader both domestically and internationally.
Election monitoring group Golos and online groups set up to record violations reported scores of problems Sunday.
They included discrepancies in ballot numbers, ballot boxes placed out of sight of observation cameras and last-minute voter registration changes likely designed to boost turnout.
The central election commission released midway turnout figures for far eastern and Siberian regions ranging from 28 to 100 percent.
But the figures meant little because the population is heavily concentrated farther West in European Russia.
Some 145,000 observers were monitoring the voting in the world's largest country, including 1,500 foreigners and representatives from opposition leader Alexei Navalny's political movement. Navalny himself is barred from running.
Vladimir Putin smiles upon receiving a souvenir after voting in the presidential elections a a polling station in Moscow, Russia
Russia's incumbent president Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with local election commission chairman Viktor Lyndin in the Russian Academy of Sciences headquarters +22
Russia's incumbent president Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with local election commission chairman Viktor Lyndin in the Russian Academy of Sciences headquarters
Putin shakes hands with a member of the election commission as he arrives to vote at a polling station in Moscow on Sunday +22
Putin shakes hands with a member of the election commission as he arrives to vote at a polling station in Moscow on Sunday
Election monitors were reporting irregularities at voting stations across Russia, even though election authorities were under orders to ensure that the voting was free and fair after violations marred Putin's last election in 2012 +22
Election monitors were reporting irregularities at voting stations across Russia, even though election authorities were under orders to ensure that the voting was free and fair after violations marred Putin's last election in 2012
Back in 2012, Putin (pictured) faced a serious opposition movement, but since then he has boosted his popularity thanks to Russian actions in Ukraine and Syria +22
Back in 2012, Putin (pictured) faced a serious opposition movement, but since then he has boosted his popularity thanks to Russian actions in Ukraine and Syria
Voters also faced billboards celebrating Russian greatness - a big theme of Vladimir Putin's (pictured) leadership +22
Voters also faced billboards celebrating Russian greatness - a big theme of Vladimir Putin's (pictured) leadership
Many voters said they were under pressure from their employers to vote.
Yevgeny, a 43-year-old mechanic voting in central Moscow, said he briefly wondered whether it was worth voting.
'But the answer was easy,' he said. 'If I want to keep working, I vote.'
He said his bosses haven't asked for proof of voting but he fears they will. He spoke on condition that his last name not be used out of concern that his employer would find out.
Yevgeny Roizman, the mayor of Russia's fourth-largest city, Yekaterinburg, said local officials and state employees have all received orders 'from higher up' to make sure the presidential vote turnout is over 60 percent.
'They are using everything: schools, kindergartens, hospitals - the battle for the turnout is unprecedented,' said Roizman, one of the rare opposition politicians to hold a significant elected office.
A doctor at one of the city's hospitals told the AP how one kind of voting pressure works.
Russian military personnel are seen as they line up to cast their ballots in the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday
Russian military personnel are seen as they line up to cast their ballots in the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday
Many voters said they were under pressure from their employers to vote. Pictured, a Russian woman is abut to cast her ballot
Many voters said they were under pressure from their employers to vote. Pictured, a Russian woman is abut to cast her ballot
Some said they voted because they understood that not showing up at the polling place would endanger their jobs. Pictured, an elderly Russian woman casts her ballot +22
Some said they voted because they understood that not showing up at the polling place would endanger their jobs. Pictured, an elderly Russian woman casts her ballot
The doctor, who gave her name only as Yekaterina because of fears about repercussions, said she and her co-workers were told to fill out forms detailing not only where they would cast their ballots, but giving the names and details of two 'allies' whom they promised to persuade to go vote.
'People were indignant at first, said: `They're violating our rights' ... but what can you do?' she said at a cafe on Saturday.
Yekaterina said she wasn't sure what she would do with her ballot, musing that 'maybe I'll just write `Putin is a moron.''
But she understood that not showing up at the polling place on Sunday would not only endanger her job, but would reflect badly on her boss, whom she likes.
She said she wouldn't go to vote if she wasn't forced to. 'What's the point? We already know the outcome. This is just a circus show,' she said.
Russian servicemen line-up to vote in the Russian presidential election in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Sunday morning +22
Russian servicemen line-up to vote in the Russian presidential election in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Sunday morning
Voters walk past a poster showing the eight candidates in the presidential election. Among Putin's challengers is Ksenia Sobchak (pictured right), a 36-year-old TV host who has campaigned on a liberal platform and criticised Putin's policies.
Voters walk past a poster showing the eight candidates in the presidential election. Among Putin's challengers is Ksenia Sobchak (pictured right), a 36-year-old TV host who has campaigned on a liberal platform and criticised Putin's policies
A person points to the eight candidates in the presidential election in Moscow. Pictured fourth from left, incumbent president Vladimir Putin
Authorities were also appealing to patriotic feelings by holding the vote on the anniversary of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
Polls show that most Russians continue to see the takeover of that Black Sea peninsula as a major achievement despite subsequent Western sanctions.
The eight presidential candidates were barred from campaigning on Sunday, but much-loved entertainers appealed to voters in a televised message aired throughout the day to fulfill their civic duty and go to the polls.
Voters also faced billboards celebrating Russian greatness - a big theme of Putin's leadership.
As US authorities investigate alleged Russian interference in President Donald Trump's 2016 election, Moscow has warned of possible meddling in the Russian vote.
A woman studies her ballot paper as she prepares to cast a vote in the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday +22
A woman studies her ballot paper as she prepares to cast a vote in the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday
A woman is pictured in the polling booth as she prepares to cast her ballot in the presidential election in which Vladimir Putin is seeking a fourth term in the Kremlin +22
A woman is pictured in the polling booth as she prepares to cast her ballot in the presidential election in which Vladimir Putin is seeking a fourth term in the Kremlin
Turnout-boosting efforts have been the most visible feature of the campaign - and all come from taxpayers' pockets.
In Moscow alone, authorities spent 50 million rubles ($870,000) on balloons and festive decorations at polling stations.
First-time voters in the Russian capital were being given free tickets for pop concerts, and health authorities were offering free cancer screenings at selected polling stations.
In the southern city of Tambov, the state-sponsored Youth Parliament backed an Instagram competition. Voters who take selfies at polling stations and post them under the designated hashtag will be able to enter a raffle for high-end electronics, including an iPhone X.
Ella Pamfilova, chairwoman of the Central Election Commission who was appointed to clean up Russia's electoral system, vowed to respond to complaints about being coerced to vote.
Putin has traveled across Russia pledging to raise wages, pour more funds into the country's crumbling health care and education and modernize dilapidated infrastructure.
Among Putin's challengers is Ksenia Sobchak, a 36-year-old TV host who has campaigned on a liberal platform and criticised Putin's policies.
Some see Sobchak, the daughter of Putin's one-time patron, as a Kremlin project intended to add a democratic veneer to the vote and help split the ranks of Kremlin critics.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5514853/Putin-heads-polls.html#ixzz5A5ga7WvY
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Russians are facing intense pressure to turn out to vote in Russia's presidential election on Sunday
Although Putin's victory isn't in doubt, there's a question of whether he'll get a convincing mandate
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would consider any percentage of votes a success
Election monitors reported irregularities despite authorities being told to ensure voting was free and fair
By Khaleda Rahman For Mailonline and Ap
PUBLISHED: 19:51 AEDT, 18 March 2018 | UPDATED: 20:07 AEDT, 18 March 2018
Vladimir Putin was confident as he headed to cast his ballot in Russia's presidential election.
Putin is certain to win in Sunday's election, so voter apathy is widespread.
But although Putin's victory isn't in doubt, the only real question is whether voters will turn out in big enough numbers to hand him a convincing mandate for his fourth term - which many Russians are facing intense pressure to do so.
Authorities have spent unprecedented funds to get out the vote to ensure he has a strong mandate for his next six years in office.
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would consider any percentage of votes a success. 'The program that I propose for the country is the right one,' he said.
Vladimir Putin was confident as he headed to cast his ballot at a polling station in the Russian Academy of Sciences headquarters in Moscow on Sunday +22
Vladimir Putin was confident as he headed to cast his ballot at a polling station in the Russian Academy of Sciences headquarters in Moscow on Sunday
Vladimir Putin holds his ballot paper at a polling station during the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday +22
Vladimir Putin casts his ballot at a polling station during Russia's presidential election in Moscow on Sunday +22
Although Putin's victory isn't in doubt, the only real question is whether voters will turn out in big enough numbers to hand him a convincing mandate for his fourth term. Pictured, the Russian president casts his ballot in Moscow
Election monitors were reporting irregularities at voting stations across Russia, even though election authorities were under orders to ensure that the voting was free and fair after violations marred Putin's last election in 2012.
Back then, Putin faced a serious opposition movement, but since then he has boosted his popularity thanks to Russian actions in Ukraine and Syria.
Now, he faces seven challengers but no serious threat to his rule.
Riddle of the 'missing four hours' is key to solving the...
Analytics firm with Trump campaign ties 'worked with Russian...
Murder of strangled Putin critic IS linked to Skripal nerve...
Voters were casting ballots across the world's largest country, from the Pacific coast to Siberia and Moscow.
In Ukraine, security forces are surrounding Russian facilities amid anger over the Ukrainian government's refusal to allow ordinary Russians to vote for president.
Ukrainian police are guarding the Russian Embassy in Kiev and consular offices in Odessa and other cities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin exits a polling booth as he prepares to cast his ballot in the presidential election on Sunday
Russian President Vladimir Putin exits a polling booth as he prepares to cast his ballot in the presidential election on Sunday
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would consider any percentage of votes a success. 'The program that I propose for the country is the right one,' he said +22
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would consider any percentage of votes a success. 'The program that I propose for the country is the right one,' he said
The Ukrainian government announced that only Russian diplomatic officials would be allowed to cast ballots in Sunday's vote.
Millions of ethnic Russians live in Ukraine but the number of registered Russian voters in Ukraine is unclear.
Ukraine is protesting voting in Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine four years ago. Ukraine is also angry over Russian support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, where a deadly conflict continues.
Russian authorities are appealing to the United Nations and Council of Europe to intervene, according to Russian news agencies.
Voting will conclude at 8pm (6pm GMT) in Kaliningrad, the Baltic exclave that is Russia's westernmost region, and initial results are expected soon afterward.
Activists and supporters of different Ukrainian nationalist parties perform with a figure depicting Vladimir Putin in Kiev +22
Activists and supporters of different Ukrainian nationalist parties perform with a figure depicting Vladimir Putin in Kiev
Security forces are surrounding Russian facilities amid anger over the Ukrainian government's refusal to allow ordinary Russians to vote for president +22
Security forces are surrounding Russian facilities amid anger over the Ukrainian government's refusal to allow ordinary Russians to vote for president
The Ukrainian government announced that only Russian diplomatic officials would be allowed to cast ballots in Sunday's vote +22
The Ukrainian government announced that only Russian diplomatic officials would be allowed to cast ballots in Sunday's vote
Putin is so certain of winning that authorities are investing instead in massive get-out-the-vote efforts to produce a turnout that would embolden the Russian leader both domestically and internationally.
Election monitoring group Golos and online groups set up to record violations reported scores of problems Sunday.
They included discrepancies in ballot numbers, ballot boxes placed out of sight of observation cameras and last-minute voter registration changes likely designed to boost turnout.
The central election commission released midway turnout figures for far eastern and Siberian regions ranging from 28 to 100 percent.
But the figures meant little because the population is heavily concentrated farther West in European Russia.
Some 145,000 observers were monitoring the voting in the world's largest country, including 1,500 foreigners and representatives from opposition leader Alexei Navalny's political movement. Navalny himself is barred from running.
Vladimir Putin smiles upon receiving a souvenir after voting in the presidential elections a a polling station in Moscow, Russia
Russia's incumbent president Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with local election commission chairman Viktor Lyndin in the Russian Academy of Sciences headquarters +22
Russia's incumbent president Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with local election commission chairman Viktor Lyndin in the Russian Academy of Sciences headquarters
Putin shakes hands with a member of the election commission as he arrives to vote at a polling station in Moscow on Sunday +22
Putin shakes hands with a member of the election commission as he arrives to vote at a polling station in Moscow on Sunday
Election monitors were reporting irregularities at voting stations across Russia, even though election authorities were under orders to ensure that the voting was free and fair after violations marred Putin's last election in 2012 +22
Election monitors were reporting irregularities at voting stations across Russia, even though election authorities were under orders to ensure that the voting was free and fair after violations marred Putin's last election in 2012
Back in 2012, Putin (pictured) faced a serious opposition movement, but since then he has boosted his popularity thanks to Russian actions in Ukraine and Syria +22
Back in 2012, Putin (pictured) faced a serious opposition movement, but since then he has boosted his popularity thanks to Russian actions in Ukraine and Syria
Voters also faced billboards celebrating Russian greatness - a big theme of Vladimir Putin's (pictured) leadership +22
Voters also faced billboards celebrating Russian greatness - a big theme of Vladimir Putin's (pictured) leadership
Many voters said they were under pressure from their employers to vote.
Yevgeny, a 43-year-old mechanic voting in central Moscow, said he briefly wondered whether it was worth voting.
'But the answer was easy,' he said. 'If I want to keep working, I vote.'
He said his bosses haven't asked for proof of voting but he fears they will. He spoke on condition that his last name not be used out of concern that his employer would find out.
Yevgeny Roizman, the mayor of Russia's fourth-largest city, Yekaterinburg, said local officials and state employees have all received orders 'from higher up' to make sure the presidential vote turnout is over 60 percent.
'They are using everything: schools, kindergartens, hospitals - the battle for the turnout is unprecedented,' said Roizman, one of the rare opposition politicians to hold a significant elected office.
A doctor at one of the city's hospitals told the AP how one kind of voting pressure works.
Russian military personnel are seen as they line up to cast their ballots in the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday
Russian military personnel are seen as they line up to cast their ballots in the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday
Many voters said they were under pressure from their employers to vote. Pictured, a Russian woman is abut to cast her ballot
Many voters said they were under pressure from their employers to vote. Pictured, a Russian woman is abut to cast her ballot
Some said they voted because they understood that not showing up at the polling place would endanger their jobs. Pictured, an elderly Russian woman casts her ballot +22
Some said they voted because they understood that not showing up at the polling place would endanger their jobs. Pictured, an elderly Russian woman casts her ballot
The doctor, who gave her name only as Yekaterina because of fears about repercussions, said she and her co-workers were told to fill out forms detailing not only where they would cast their ballots, but giving the names and details of two 'allies' whom they promised to persuade to go vote.
'People were indignant at first, said: `They're violating our rights' ... but what can you do?' she said at a cafe on Saturday.
Yekaterina said she wasn't sure what she would do with her ballot, musing that 'maybe I'll just write `Putin is a moron.''
But she understood that not showing up at the polling place on Sunday would not only endanger her job, but would reflect badly on her boss, whom she likes.
She said she wouldn't go to vote if she wasn't forced to. 'What's the point? We already know the outcome. This is just a circus show,' she said.
Russian servicemen line-up to vote in the Russian presidential election in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Sunday morning +22
Russian servicemen line-up to vote in the Russian presidential election in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Sunday morning
Voters walk past a poster showing the eight candidates in the presidential election. Among Putin's challengers is Ksenia Sobchak (pictured right), a 36-year-old TV host who has campaigned on a liberal platform and criticised Putin's policies.
Voters walk past a poster showing the eight candidates in the presidential election. Among Putin's challengers is Ksenia Sobchak (pictured right), a 36-year-old TV host who has campaigned on a liberal platform and criticised Putin's policies
A person points to the eight candidates in the presidential election in Moscow. Pictured fourth from left, incumbent president Vladimir Putin
Authorities were also appealing to patriotic feelings by holding the vote on the anniversary of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
Polls show that most Russians continue to see the takeover of that Black Sea peninsula as a major achievement despite subsequent Western sanctions.
The eight presidential candidates were barred from campaigning on Sunday, but much-loved entertainers appealed to voters in a televised message aired throughout the day to fulfill their civic duty and go to the polls.
Voters also faced billboards celebrating Russian greatness - a big theme of Putin's leadership.
As US authorities investigate alleged Russian interference in President Donald Trump's 2016 election, Moscow has warned of possible meddling in the Russian vote.
A woman studies her ballot paper as she prepares to cast a vote in the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday +22
A woman studies her ballot paper as she prepares to cast a vote in the presidential election in Moscow on Sunday
A woman is pictured in the polling booth as she prepares to cast her ballot in the presidential election in which Vladimir Putin is seeking a fourth term in the Kremlin +22
A woman is pictured in the polling booth as she prepares to cast her ballot in the presidential election in which Vladimir Putin is seeking a fourth term in the Kremlin
Turnout-boosting efforts have been the most visible feature of the campaign - and all come from taxpayers' pockets.
In Moscow alone, authorities spent 50 million rubles ($870,000) on balloons and festive decorations at polling stations.
First-time voters in the Russian capital were being given free tickets for pop concerts, and health authorities were offering free cancer screenings at selected polling stations.
In the southern city of Tambov, the state-sponsored Youth Parliament backed an Instagram competition. Voters who take selfies at polling stations and post them under the designated hashtag will be able to enter a raffle for high-end electronics, including an iPhone X.
Ella Pamfilova, chairwoman of the Central Election Commission who was appointed to clean up Russia's electoral system, vowed to respond to complaints about being coerced to vote.
Putin has traveled across Russia pledging to raise wages, pour more funds into the country's crumbling health care and education and modernize dilapidated infrastructure.
Among Putin's challengers is Ksenia Sobchak, a 36-year-old TV host who has campaigned on a liberal platform and criticised Putin's policies.
Some see Sobchak, the daughter of Putin's one-time patron, as a Kremlin project intended to add a democratic veneer to the vote and help split the ranks of Kremlin critics.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5514853/Putin-heads-polls.html#ixzz5A5ga7WvY
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Trump's lawyer on Mueller's Russia probe: "Just end it" - CBS News
March 17, 2018, 11:28 AM
Trump's lawyer on Mueller's Russia probe: "Just end it"
President Trump's personal lawyer has said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should "bring an end" to special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation "in light of recent revelations." His assertion comes on the heels of Attorney General Jeff Sessions decision to fire former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe late Friday night.
John Dowd, in an email to CBS News, said he's speaking for himself and "not the president" by calling on Rosenstein to end the "alleged Russia Collusion investigation." The Daily Beast first reported that Dowd was calling for an end to the investigation. Dowd refers to Rosenstein as the "acting attorney general," when he in reality is the deputy attorney general.
"I pray that Acting Attorney General Rosenstein will follow the brilliant and courageous example of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and bring an end to alleged Russia Collusion investigation manufactured by McCabe's boss James Comey based upon a fraudulent and corrupt Dossier," Dowd wrote to CBS News.
"Just end it on the merits in light of recent revelations," he added.
President Trump rejoiced in McCabe's firing in an early Saturday morning tweet, calling it a "great day for Democracy." The president had frequently criticized McCabe and the FBI generally, over the Russia probe and other matters.
@realDonaldTrump
Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!
3:08 PM - Mar 17, 2018
McCabe, who was set to retire on Sunday, is expected to be criticized in an upcoming Department of Justice Inspector General's report. McCabe has said his dismissal was part of the Trump administration's "war on the FBI."
"It is part of this administration's ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the special counsel investigation, which continue to this day," McCabe said in a statement. "Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the special counsel's work."
@realDonaldTrump
THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HAS, AFTER A 14 MONTH LONG IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION, FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION OR COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA TO INFLUENCE THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
11:49 AM - Mar 13, 2018
Dowd's statement also comes a few days after Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee claimed they had completed the interview phase of their own investigation into Russian interference and any ties to Trump associates, and found no collusion. Mr. Trump interpreted that as vindication.
But Mueller's probe appears far from over. His team recently subpoenaed documents from the Trump Organization.
@MarkWarner
Every member of Congress, Republican and Democrat, needs to speak up in defense of the Special Counsel. Now. https://twitter.com/woodruffbets/status/975008116805898240 …
1:52 AM - Mar 18, 2018
On Saturday, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, responded to Dowd's remarks with a call on fellow lawmakers to speak up "in defense of the Special Counsel. Now."
— CBS News' Steven Portnoy contributed to this report.
Trump's lawyer on Mueller's Russia probe: "Just end it"
President Trump's personal lawyer has said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should "bring an end" to special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation "in light of recent revelations." His assertion comes on the heels of Attorney General Jeff Sessions decision to fire former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe late Friday night.
John Dowd, in an email to CBS News, said he's speaking for himself and "not the president" by calling on Rosenstein to end the "alleged Russia Collusion investigation." The Daily Beast first reported that Dowd was calling for an end to the investigation. Dowd refers to Rosenstein as the "acting attorney general," when he in reality is the deputy attorney general.
"I pray that Acting Attorney General Rosenstein will follow the brilliant and courageous example of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and bring an end to alleged Russia Collusion investigation manufactured by McCabe's boss James Comey based upon a fraudulent and corrupt Dossier," Dowd wrote to CBS News.
"Just end it on the merits in light of recent revelations," he added.
President Trump rejoiced in McCabe's firing in an early Saturday morning tweet, calling it a "great day for Democracy." The president had frequently criticized McCabe and the FBI generally, over the Russia probe and other matters.
@realDonaldTrump
Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!
3:08 PM - Mar 17, 2018
McCabe, who was set to retire on Sunday, is expected to be criticized in an upcoming Department of Justice Inspector General's report. McCabe has said his dismissal was part of the Trump administration's "war on the FBI."
"It is part of this administration's ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the special counsel investigation, which continue to this day," McCabe said in a statement. "Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the special counsel's work."
@realDonaldTrump
THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HAS, AFTER A 14 MONTH LONG IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION, FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION OR COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA TO INFLUENCE THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
11:49 AM - Mar 13, 2018
Dowd's statement also comes a few days after Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee claimed they had completed the interview phase of their own investigation into Russian interference and any ties to Trump associates, and found no collusion. Mr. Trump interpreted that as vindication.
But Mueller's probe appears far from over. His team recently subpoenaed documents from the Trump Organization.
@MarkWarner
Every member of Congress, Republican and Democrat, needs to speak up in defense of the Special Counsel. Now. https://twitter.com/woodruffbets/status/975008116805898240 …
1:52 AM - Mar 18, 2018
On Saturday, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, responded to Dowd's remarks with a call on fellow lawmakers to speak up "in defense of the Special Counsel. Now."
— CBS News' Steven Portnoy contributed to this report.
Pompeo at State Would Send a Bad Message Globally - Bloomberg
Pompeo at State Would Send a Bad Message Globally
The world is watching. It may not like what it sees.
March 14, 2018, 9:40 AM GMT+11
Maybe not the right man for the job. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
At 5:44 a.m. Tuesday morning, President Trump tweeted, “Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State.” Unfortunately, both the choice and the tweet send the wrong message to the rest of the world about how the U.S. plans to conduct itself at home and abroad.
First, choosing someone from the CIA for the post suggests that the State Department will pursue its goals using the kinds of tools wielded by the intelligence community -- like spycraft and subterfuge -- rather than through traditional diplomacy. Foreign governments will likely be especially concerned that Pompeo has a record of advocating the use of dubious measures abroad.
For example, as a congressman, Pompeo argued that “enhanced interrogation techniques” used by the intelligence agency in terrorism investigations were legal, even though Human Rights Watch describes them as “forms of torture” which were previously prohibited under international and U.S. law. (During his confirmation hearing to become CIA director, he later said he would refuse to bring back the techniques.) Pompeo also supported the continuation of secret “black site” prisons abroad, where such techniques were used on suspected terrorists who were held without charges.
This isn’t the kind of experience and philosophy the U.S. should be looking for in a top diplomat. The role of the secretary of state should be to promote goodwill around the world through the use of soft power. Joseph Nye, who coined the term, described soft power as “the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments.”
One element of public diplomacy, at least historically, has been the use of propaganda. Scholars now refer to people who advocate such an approach as part of the “tough-minded school.” Pompeo’s background in intelligence and his national security hawkishness suggest he’d be of this persuasion. But such tactics don’t stand to be very effective, because people don’t like being propagandized and therefore resist it.
For example, the U.S. government still reports the news from an American point of view in many parts of the world, including on Radio Sawa and Alhurra Television in the Middle East. But one study of students across the region found that students who tuned in to these stations had slightly less favorable opinions of U.S. policy. “If you try to manipulate people’s perceptions, it can be counterproductive,” the researcher behind the study told The New York Times. “The very knowledge of being manipulated, of knowing you are being manipulated, can really backfire.”
Modern diplomats are therefore increasingly changing their approaches to engaging with people abroad. Those in the “tender-minded” school of public diplomacy advocate two-way communication, since dialogue can promote understanding between the U.S. and foreign people and governments. This is what leads to trust and allows the U.S. to achieve its policy goals without coercion. The country needs someone with these kinds of skills in the role of secretary of state.
Trump’s tweet is also likely to lead foreign governments to some troubling conclusions about the president’s commitment to democratic institutions at home. His claim that Pompeo “will become” the next leader of the agency suggests that he doesn’t respect the process by which members of his cabinet are appointed. While Trump may nominate Pompeo, it’s up to the Senate to confirm him. This statement, too, will breed alarm and resentment abroad, especially in the many countries the U.S. is pushing to respect democracy themselves. It will be perceived as especially disturbing since it comes on the heels of Trump’s recent statement that the U.S. may one day have a “president for life” like China.
To achieve its foreign policy goals, America needs to make friends abroad, not enemies. Attempts at diplomacy through deception, coercion or manipulation will only breed distrust and pushback. The practices of an intelligence director have no place in the office of a secretary of state.
The world is watching. It may not like what it sees.
March 14, 2018, 9:40 AM GMT+11
Maybe not the right man for the job. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
At 5:44 a.m. Tuesday morning, President Trump tweeted, “Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State.” Unfortunately, both the choice and the tweet send the wrong message to the rest of the world about how the U.S. plans to conduct itself at home and abroad.
First, choosing someone from the CIA for the post suggests that the State Department will pursue its goals using the kinds of tools wielded by the intelligence community -- like spycraft and subterfuge -- rather than through traditional diplomacy. Foreign governments will likely be especially concerned that Pompeo has a record of advocating the use of dubious measures abroad.
For example, as a congressman, Pompeo argued that “enhanced interrogation techniques” used by the intelligence agency in terrorism investigations were legal, even though Human Rights Watch describes them as “forms of torture” which were previously prohibited under international and U.S. law. (During his confirmation hearing to become CIA director, he later said he would refuse to bring back the techniques.) Pompeo also supported the continuation of secret “black site” prisons abroad, where such techniques were used on suspected terrorists who were held without charges.
This isn’t the kind of experience and philosophy the U.S. should be looking for in a top diplomat. The role of the secretary of state should be to promote goodwill around the world through the use of soft power. Joseph Nye, who coined the term, described soft power as “the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments.”
One element of public diplomacy, at least historically, has been the use of propaganda. Scholars now refer to people who advocate such an approach as part of the “tough-minded school.” Pompeo’s background in intelligence and his national security hawkishness suggest he’d be of this persuasion. But such tactics don’t stand to be very effective, because people don’t like being propagandized and therefore resist it.
For example, the U.S. government still reports the news from an American point of view in many parts of the world, including on Radio Sawa and Alhurra Television in the Middle East. But one study of students across the region found that students who tuned in to these stations had slightly less favorable opinions of U.S. policy. “If you try to manipulate people’s perceptions, it can be counterproductive,” the researcher behind the study told The New York Times. “The very knowledge of being manipulated, of knowing you are being manipulated, can really backfire.”
Modern diplomats are therefore increasingly changing their approaches to engaging with people abroad. Those in the “tender-minded” school of public diplomacy advocate two-way communication, since dialogue can promote understanding between the U.S. and foreign people and governments. This is what leads to trust and allows the U.S. to achieve its policy goals without coercion. The country needs someone with these kinds of skills in the role of secretary of state.
Trump’s tweet is also likely to lead foreign governments to some troubling conclusions about the president’s commitment to democratic institutions at home. His claim that Pompeo “will become” the next leader of the agency suggests that he doesn’t respect the process by which members of his cabinet are appointed. While Trump may nominate Pompeo, it’s up to the Senate to confirm him. This statement, too, will breed alarm and resentment abroad, especially in the many countries the U.S. is pushing to respect democracy themselves. It will be perceived as especially disturbing since it comes on the heels of Trump’s recent statement that the U.S. may one day have a “president for life” like China.
To achieve its foreign policy goals, America needs to make friends abroad, not enemies. Attempts at diplomacy through deception, coercion or manipulation will only breed distrust and pushback. The practices of an intelligence director have no place in the office of a secretary of state.
Germany's Seehofer says EU 'patronizing' eastern members on migrants - Reuters
MARCH 18, 2018 / 3:03 PM / UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO
Germany's Seehofer says EU 'patronizing' eastern members on migrants
Reuters Staff
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has accused the European Union of adopting a patronizing stance in talks with eastern European members about the distribution of migrants.
FILE PHOTO: Leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Horst Seehofer during a statement before the start of coalition talks at the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, January 26, 2018. REUTERS/Christian Mang/File Photo
Seehofer, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CSU Bavarian allies, made the comments in an interview with German Sunday newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag, days after sparking a public outcry by saying Islam did not belong to Germany.
The former Bavarian premier is keen to show his party is tough on migration abuses ahead of October state elections in Bavaria, to win back voters who defected in large numbers to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Sept. 24 national election. The AfD has also been critical of the EU.
Seehofer called for continued German border controls as long as the EU is unable to protect its external borders, and criticized the European Commission for what he called a “moralizing” tone toward eastern European states who have refused to take in asylum seekers under an EU-wide quota system.
Such an attitude was “counter-productive,” Seehofer said, adding, “Every country has its pride.”
The conservative politician, whose party has long been to the right of Merkel’s Christian Democrats, urged the EU to stop making decisions “over the heads” of member states.
“The EU commission is often patronizing,” he told the newspaper. “We need to put more energy into dialogue on the distribution of refugees. If we keep negotiating patiently, a majority of countries will support (it).”
Other countries could contribute in other ways, perhaps by sending more personnel to the EU borders, or by contributing more for joint border patrols, he said.
Seehofer’s remarks could exacerbate tensions in the uneasy new “grand coalition” between Merkel’s conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats.
Merkel firmly rebuffed Seehofer last week, saying that Germany’s 4 million Muslims belonged to the country, as did their religion. Leading SPD members also criticized his remarks on Islam.
Johannes Kahrs, a member of parliament and spokesman for the conservative wing of the SPD, accused Seehofer of using his new ministerial post to campaign for the CSU in Bavaria.
“Building bridges and not digging trenches is the responsibility of all decent Germans,” he told the Handelsblatt newspaper.
Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Hugh Lawson
Germany's Seehofer says EU 'patronizing' eastern members on migrants
Reuters Staff
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has accused the European Union of adopting a patronizing stance in talks with eastern European members about the distribution of migrants.
FILE PHOTO: Leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Horst Seehofer during a statement before the start of coalition talks at the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, January 26, 2018. REUTERS/Christian Mang/File Photo
Seehofer, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CSU Bavarian allies, made the comments in an interview with German Sunday newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag, days after sparking a public outcry by saying Islam did not belong to Germany.
The former Bavarian premier is keen to show his party is tough on migration abuses ahead of October state elections in Bavaria, to win back voters who defected in large numbers to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Sept. 24 national election. The AfD has also been critical of the EU.
Seehofer called for continued German border controls as long as the EU is unable to protect its external borders, and criticized the European Commission for what he called a “moralizing” tone toward eastern European states who have refused to take in asylum seekers under an EU-wide quota system.
Such an attitude was “counter-productive,” Seehofer said, adding, “Every country has its pride.”
The conservative politician, whose party has long been to the right of Merkel’s Christian Democrats, urged the EU to stop making decisions “over the heads” of member states.
“The EU commission is often patronizing,” he told the newspaper. “We need to put more energy into dialogue on the distribution of refugees. If we keep negotiating patiently, a majority of countries will support (it).”
Other countries could contribute in other ways, perhaps by sending more personnel to the EU borders, or by contributing more for joint border patrols, he said.
Seehofer’s remarks could exacerbate tensions in the uneasy new “grand coalition” between Merkel’s conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats.
Merkel firmly rebuffed Seehofer last week, saying that Germany’s 4 million Muslims belonged to the country, as did their religion. Leading SPD members also criticized his remarks on Islam.
Johannes Kahrs, a member of parliament and spokesman for the conservative wing of the SPD, accused Seehofer of using his new ministerial post to campaign for the CSU in Bavaria.
“Building bridges and not digging trenches is the responsibility of all decent Germans,” he told the Handelsblatt newspaper.
Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Hugh Lawson
Why You Should Never Sleep on Long Flights: Travel Tips From a Marine - Bloomberg
Why You Should Never Sleep on Long Flights: Travel Tips From a Marine
Iraq war veteran, extreme athlete, and author Akshay Nanavati gives advice for adventure travelers.
By
October 25, 2017, 9:35 PM GMT+11
Courtesy of Akshay Nanavati
At Bloomberg Pursuits, we love to travel. And we always want to make sure we’re doing it right. So we’re talking to globe-trotters in all of our luxury fields—food, wine, fashion, cars, real estate—to learn about their high-end hacks, tips, and off-the-wall experiences. These are the Distinguished Travel Hackers.
Iraq war veteran Akshay Nanavati joined the Marines after overcoming drug addiction in high school; his role in Iraq was to walk in front of convoys to find IEDs, or improvised explosive devices. On his discharge, Nanavati was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and considered suicide before turning to extreme sport as an answer. Since then, he has run ultramarathons, skied across the world’s second-largest ice cap, and climbed in the Himalayas.
Together, those experiences form the basis of his current career as a coach and motivational speaker, as well as the backbone of his new book, Fearvana: The Revolutionary Science of How to Turn Fear into Health, Wealth and Happiness.
Nanavati spends much of his year traveling, whether between his two home bases—the U.S. and India—or on extreme expeditions in Greenland, Alaska, or Bolivia. His favorite carriers are Southwest and Lufthansa. Of the German airline, he says, “The service is great, and it flies locally to Newark, and it’s convenient for places like India where my family’s at.” He lives in Basking Ridge, N.J., with his wife.
Approach air travel like a workout
When you travel with the Marines, you don’t get the luxury of time off to relax and recover, whether this is going to San Diego for Marine Corps boot camp or flying to Kuwait in preparation for the war. You’ve got to hit the ground running. So I took lessons from that: If I’m flying to a destination at night, to combat the jet lag and ensure I get back into the rhythm, I force myself to stay awake on a long flight. I use pre-workout supplements with caffeine in them like Gnarly Maximus.
The other thing I’ve started doing to keep me going and keep my energy and my blood flowing is to find a corner of the plane somewhere and knock out pushups every so often. I’ve gamified it, so depending on the mileage of the journey, I’ll tell myself: one pushup for every 10 or 100 miles of the journey. You’ll get funny stares from people eyeing you in that back corner, but I think usually it’s often a smile of admiration.
Carry a good MacGyver tool
My favorite travel companion is a Bear Grylls Gerber, a small, simple one—that’s my go-to MacGyver tool. Having a multitool always comes in handy to fix any little things that might break on my adventures. It’s got a little knife on it and a pair of pliers. Pliers are useful for everything—when my [suitcase] zip came loose, I used the pliers to zip it shut again. If nothing else, it also just serves as a useful bottle opener.
Bring an extra water bottle on cold camping trips
In cold environments, like when I was mountaineering in Alaska, it really helps to have a pee bottle. The first time I heard this, it kind of grossed me out. But then the first time I had to get out [of my tent] in a cold mountain environment to go pee radically changed that thought. The best way is to take a yellow Nalgene bottle and mark big Xs all over it because you do not want to confuse it with your regular water bottle. You learn how to pee in a pee bottle very effectively. And it also becomes like a hot water bottle you can keep with you in your sleeping bag, which was helpful in Greenland, where it’s minus-30 degrees.
Pack a runner’s kit
As soon as I landed in Kerala [recently], I went on a 10-mile run in the pouring rain, and it was beautiful. I absolutely loved it. I have a Ziploc bag in my running kit, where I put my iPod and these little 100-calorie packets, Gu Gel, that runners use for ultra-endurance sports. There’s a very specific formula I follow: You want to take anywhere from 250 to 300 calories an hour, so I take two per hour.
Get uncomfortable as soon as you can
As I like to put it, seek out a worthy struggle on every trip. I find that traveling to a new place and meeting new people is not worth it if you do everything you can to stay in your comfort zone, like never leaving the confines of a luxury resort or eating the same meals you would eat back home, for example. Sometimes it can just be staying at a lower-end Airbnb instead of a luxury hotel.
I did that when I was in Andorra. I did a whole run from the northern tip to the southern tip of Andorra, so I essentially saw the whole country when I ran through it—a 20-mile run. There’s a lot of gorgeous, gorgeous nature and so you can do all these amazing hikes, but it’s also like this beautiful, quaint little city and the towns there. I’ve paid the price for this also: I was in the Indian Himalayas after a mountaineering trip, and my mom said, “Don’t eat the vegetables here, because those could be raw.” I thought, “I’ll be fine,” and I had severe dysentery for four days.
Take trips in strategic pairs
Another thing I learned from the Marines: When you really push your mind, body, and spirit, the feeling of rest after that is so much more relaxing. So I like to strategically plan my vacations. I pair trips—one that’s physically or emotionally intense, then one that allows you to relax. I’ve learned that when you relax on vacation after a hard [trip], it’s the best feeling in the world because there’s no greater rest than the rest that is really truly earned. I did a one-month ski across Greenland: 350 miles while dragging a 190-pound sled. After that, I was ready to relax, so we planned a vacation with my family to South Africa and went on a very nice safari and to Cape Town, too.
Prepare for monotony
The first time I took a polar expedition, I wasn’t prepared for the monotony: You’re just skiing into empty, white nothingness every day, for 8 to 12 hours. You have to deal with your mind a lot, which goes everywhere, because it’s wandering. So now, to train for an adventure trip, I practice stillness. An endurance cyclist friend of mine told me to sit and stare at the wall, with no music, no TV, no paintings even. No stimuli to engage you. He would do that for 24 hours, then go riding for 24 hours. It’s a hard thing to do; surprisingly, it brings up a lot of stuff, all the demons and everything else. But you kinda grow from it.
Courtesy of Akshay Nanavati
Immerse yourself in the community
There’s a website called Explorers Web, which is where I follow communities of the things I want to engage in. Once I figure out who the top explorers or mountaineers are, I follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and all that. I really want to visit Patagonia, for example, so I learned of this Norwegian explorer called Børge Ausland who leads trips to the Patagonia ice caps.
Pack a secret sauce
In Iraq, we would have Cajun powder, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. We would put it on almost everything to flavor it all. The unit I went to deploy with was a Louisiana-based unit, so that’s why. I put a little of that hot sauce powder in my washbag. And sometimes when you travel, it’s hard to eat healthy, so I also pack vegetable powders like Athletic Greens.
Iraq war veteran, extreme athlete, and author Akshay Nanavati gives advice for adventure travelers.
By
October 25, 2017, 9:35 PM GMT+11
Courtesy of Akshay Nanavati
At Bloomberg Pursuits, we love to travel. And we always want to make sure we’re doing it right. So we’re talking to globe-trotters in all of our luxury fields—food, wine, fashion, cars, real estate—to learn about their high-end hacks, tips, and off-the-wall experiences. These are the Distinguished Travel Hackers.
Iraq war veteran Akshay Nanavati joined the Marines after overcoming drug addiction in high school; his role in Iraq was to walk in front of convoys to find IEDs, or improvised explosive devices. On his discharge, Nanavati was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and considered suicide before turning to extreme sport as an answer. Since then, he has run ultramarathons, skied across the world’s second-largest ice cap, and climbed in the Himalayas.
Together, those experiences form the basis of his current career as a coach and motivational speaker, as well as the backbone of his new book, Fearvana: The Revolutionary Science of How to Turn Fear into Health, Wealth and Happiness.
Nanavati spends much of his year traveling, whether between his two home bases—the U.S. and India—or on extreme expeditions in Greenland, Alaska, or Bolivia. His favorite carriers are Southwest and Lufthansa. Of the German airline, he says, “The service is great, and it flies locally to Newark, and it’s convenient for places like India where my family’s at.” He lives in Basking Ridge, N.J., with his wife.
Approach air travel like a workout
When you travel with the Marines, you don’t get the luxury of time off to relax and recover, whether this is going to San Diego for Marine Corps boot camp or flying to Kuwait in preparation for the war. You’ve got to hit the ground running. So I took lessons from that: If I’m flying to a destination at night, to combat the jet lag and ensure I get back into the rhythm, I force myself to stay awake on a long flight. I use pre-workout supplements with caffeine in them like Gnarly Maximus.
The other thing I’ve started doing to keep me going and keep my energy and my blood flowing is to find a corner of the plane somewhere and knock out pushups every so often. I’ve gamified it, so depending on the mileage of the journey, I’ll tell myself: one pushup for every 10 or 100 miles of the journey. You’ll get funny stares from people eyeing you in that back corner, but I think usually it’s often a smile of admiration.
Carry a good MacGyver tool
My favorite travel companion is a Bear Grylls Gerber, a small, simple one—that’s my go-to MacGyver tool. Having a multitool always comes in handy to fix any little things that might break on my adventures. It’s got a little knife on it and a pair of pliers. Pliers are useful for everything—when my [suitcase] zip came loose, I used the pliers to zip it shut again. If nothing else, it also just serves as a useful bottle opener.
Bring an extra water bottle on cold camping trips
In cold environments, like when I was mountaineering in Alaska, it really helps to have a pee bottle. The first time I heard this, it kind of grossed me out. But then the first time I had to get out [of my tent] in a cold mountain environment to go pee radically changed that thought. The best way is to take a yellow Nalgene bottle and mark big Xs all over it because you do not want to confuse it with your regular water bottle. You learn how to pee in a pee bottle very effectively. And it also becomes like a hot water bottle you can keep with you in your sleeping bag, which was helpful in Greenland, where it’s minus-30 degrees.
Pack a runner’s kit
As soon as I landed in Kerala [recently], I went on a 10-mile run in the pouring rain, and it was beautiful. I absolutely loved it. I have a Ziploc bag in my running kit, where I put my iPod and these little 100-calorie packets, Gu Gel, that runners use for ultra-endurance sports. There’s a very specific formula I follow: You want to take anywhere from 250 to 300 calories an hour, so I take two per hour.
Get uncomfortable as soon as you can
As I like to put it, seek out a worthy struggle on every trip. I find that traveling to a new place and meeting new people is not worth it if you do everything you can to stay in your comfort zone, like never leaving the confines of a luxury resort or eating the same meals you would eat back home, for example. Sometimes it can just be staying at a lower-end Airbnb instead of a luxury hotel.
I did that when I was in Andorra. I did a whole run from the northern tip to the southern tip of Andorra, so I essentially saw the whole country when I ran through it—a 20-mile run. There’s a lot of gorgeous, gorgeous nature and so you can do all these amazing hikes, but it’s also like this beautiful, quaint little city and the towns there. I’ve paid the price for this also: I was in the Indian Himalayas after a mountaineering trip, and my mom said, “Don’t eat the vegetables here, because those could be raw.” I thought, “I’ll be fine,” and I had severe dysentery for four days.
Take trips in strategic pairs
Another thing I learned from the Marines: When you really push your mind, body, and spirit, the feeling of rest after that is so much more relaxing. So I like to strategically plan my vacations. I pair trips—one that’s physically or emotionally intense, then one that allows you to relax. I’ve learned that when you relax on vacation after a hard [trip], it’s the best feeling in the world because there’s no greater rest than the rest that is really truly earned. I did a one-month ski across Greenland: 350 miles while dragging a 190-pound sled. After that, I was ready to relax, so we planned a vacation with my family to South Africa and went on a very nice safari and to Cape Town, too.
Prepare for monotony
The first time I took a polar expedition, I wasn’t prepared for the monotony: You’re just skiing into empty, white nothingness every day, for 8 to 12 hours. You have to deal with your mind a lot, which goes everywhere, because it’s wandering. So now, to train for an adventure trip, I practice stillness. An endurance cyclist friend of mine told me to sit and stare at the wall, with no music, no TV, no paintings even. No stimuli to engage you. He would do that for 24 hours, then go riding for 24 hours. It’s a hard thing to do; surprisingly, it brings up a lot of stuff, all the demons and everything else. But you kinda grow from it.
Courtesy of Akshay Nanavati
Immerse yourself in the community
There’s a website called Explorers Web, which is where I follow communities of the things I want to engage in. Once I figure out who the top explorers or mountaineers are, I follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and all that. I really want to visit Patagonia, for example, so I learned of this Norwegian explorer called Børge Ausland who leads trips to the Patagonia ice caps.
Pack a secret sauce
In Iraq, we would have Cajun powder, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. We would put it on almost everything to flavor it all. The unit I went to deploy with was a Louisiana-based unit, so that’s why. I put a little of that hot sauce powder in my washbag. And sometimes when you travel, it’s hard to eat healthy, so I also pack vegetable powders like Athletic Greens.
The Richest Man in Hong Kong, an 89-Year-Old Wartime Refugee Worth $34 Billion, Is Retiring - TIME Business
The Richest Man in Hong Kong, an 89-Year-Old Wartime Refugee Worth $34 Billion, Is Retiring
Posted: 16 Mar 2018 10:20 AM PDT
Li Ka-shing, a wartime refugee who used to sweep factory floors in Hong Kong for a living, retired after a career spanning more than half a century amassing one of Asia’s biggest fortunes from building skyscrapers to selling soap bars.
The 89-year-old chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. and CK Asset Holdings Ltd. will stay an adviser to the group after stepping down in May. Elder son Victor, 53, will take over a conglomerate that touches the lives of practically everyone in Hong Kong — the family’s Power Assets Holdings Ltd. generates their electricity and ParknShop supermarkets sell their groceries. The group also operates mobile-phone stores and Superdrug and Savers in the U.K., owns ports around the world and a controlling stake in Husky Energy Inc. in Canada.
“Looking back all these years, it’s my honor to have founded Cheung Kong and to have served society,” Li told a packed room of journalists in Hong Kong on Friday. It’s been “my greatest honor,” he said.
The retirement came on a high note as Li’s four biggest companies — CK Hutchison, CK Asset, CK Infrastructure Holdings Ltd. and Power Assets Holdings Ltd. — reported higher 2017 profits. All four stocks rose, though announcement — including two of the earnings — came after the end of trading in Hong Kong.
With a fortune of about $34 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Li has been a fixture as the city’s richest man for an entire generation of Hong Kongers and spearheaded an era defined by a handful of swashbuckling Chinese immigrants who built large empires across Asia. For many, he is the face of the changing fortunes of Hong Kong as the former colony’s British elite gave way to Chinese dynasties.
“Li’s retirement symbolizes the end of an era,” said Joseph P.H. Fan, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who has researched family-run businesses for two decades. “No one can replace Li Ka-shing as the legendary founder of the largest conglomerate in Hong Kong.”
His retirement announcement illustrates his confidence over business continuity, given that he has prepared his son for several decades, Fan said.
He went from sweeping factory floors to a fortune of about $34 billion. Now, 89-year-old Li Ka-shing plans to retire https://t.co/OHIxw92aCz pic.twitter.com/sjsnG7lYtT
— Bloomberg (@business) March 16, 2018
Uber-Capitalist
Li personifies some of the conflicts that came from the region’s rise: Dubbed “Superman” by local media for his business acumen, he symbolizes inequality in a city with one of the most lopsided wealth demographics on the planet. He is a property developer who has won admiration for his entrepreneurial skills and a manager with companies so dominant that they often stifle smaller competition.
He also is an uber-capitalist who courted communist leaders. A major figure in China’s emergence as an economic superpower, Li is the most prominent among a generation of Hong Kong tycoons who charged across the border after Deng Xiaoping and his successors promoted economic reforms. His investments in the mainland span across industries ranging from energy to retail and infrastructure.
Starting with some well-timed local property investments that cemented his wealth, Li built a business empire that included retail, energy, ports, telecommunications, media and biotechnology companies worldwide. Overseas, Li-controlled companies are among the biggest foreign investors in the U.K.
For many in Hong Kong, Li is a dealmaker and investment guru on par with the likes of Warren Buffett. Li’s track record includes a $15 billion profit on the sale of his Orange mobile-phone unit in the U.K. to Germany’s Mannesmann AG in 1999. He is a major investor in technology startups such as Facebook, Spotify and Siri. During public appearance, he’d routinely be asked for prognostications on stocks, the real estate market and the economy.
From Orange to Duet
Even toward the end of his career, he didn’t slow down his dealmaking. In 2015, the mogul restructured his major holdings into two companies, one housing his property assets and the other holding the rest. He followed with the A$7.4 billion ($5.8 billion) takeover of Australian power provider Duet Group in 2017.
Li was born July 29, 1928 in Chaozhou, a city in southern China’s Guangdong Province. His father was a school principal but the young Li’s formal education stopped at high school as invading Japanese troops reached Guangdong. Fleeing war-torn China for Hong Kong in 1940, Li found factory work while also caring for his ailing father, who soon died from tuberculosis. By the time he was a teenager, Li was working 16 hours a day at a plastics trading company.
After the war, Li made his first fortune as a manufacturer of plastic flowers. His career as property mogul began in the late 1950s when, unable to renew his lease, he bought the site of his factory.
Political Connections
In the years to come, Li invested in local real estate as others sold, most notably in 1967, when riots inspired by Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution in China rocked Hong Kong and sent property prices plunging.
His most symbolic coup as a businessman may have come in 1979, when he bought control of trading house Hutchison Whampoa from Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Li quietly negotiated with the bank, now called HSBC Holdings Plc, to buy Hutchison shares for less than half their book value. HSBC agreed and Li became the first person of Chinese origin to own one of the British-founded companies that had dominated the local economy since the colony’s founding in 1841.
That reputation helped Li make inroads in China, where he mixed extensive political connections with financial interests. Li was a senior adviser to the Chinese government on Britain’s 1997 handover of Hong Kong and served on the committee that drafted the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution under Chinese rule.
16-Hour Workday
Close Chinese ties had their downside too, particularly in the U.S., as critics including former President Ronald Reagan’s defense secretary to ex-Republican Senate leader Trent Lott voiced concerns about Li’s relationship with China — allegations denied by Li’s camp. The concerns got real enough for a U.S. national security review to thwart Li’s bid to buy part of Global Crossing Ltd., which operated a fixed-line communications network in North America, in 2003.
Li maintains an intense schedule well into his 80s, saying in a 2016 Bloomberg interview that he works as many as 16 hours daily, seven days a week. Long after he became a billionaire, Li wore a simple Seiko watch rather than a Rolex or other luxury brands preferred by his wealthy peers. In his 80s, he made a small upgrade to a Citizen that cost around $400, he told Bloomberg in 2016, but even then chose something simple and durable.
Li is no stranger to tragedy. His wife died in 1990 and his son Victor was kidnapped in 1996. The kidnapper was apprehended and executed in China.
Wrestling With Inequality
Then there was Hong Kong’s inequality, which Li wrestled with during his latter years.
“If the government set policies through the emotive lens of populist sentiments, it might make you feel better, but not necessarily fare better,” Li said in a 2014 interview with Chinese media group Caixin. “When a society is mired in discord, it will dent its economic vitality, which is hardly good for anyone.”
In 2014, just days before the start of student-led democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong, he traveled to Beijing and met with President Xi Jinping. After the protests began, Li urged the students and their supporters to go home, saying their message had been heard.
Russia spy row: UK lab could be poison source, says ambassador - BBC News
18/3/2018
Russia spy row: UK lab could be poison source, says ambassador
Russia's EU ambassador has suggested a UK research laboratory could be the source of the nerve agent used in the attack on an ex-spy and his daughter.
Vladimir Chizhov told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that Russia had "nothing to do" with the poisoning in Salisbury of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
He said Russia did not stockpile the poison and that the Porton Down lab was only eight miles (12km) from the city.
The government dismissed his comments as "nonsense."
Retired military intelligence officer Mr Skripal, 66, and Yulia, 33, remain critically ill in hospital after being found slumped on a bench in Salisbury city centre on 4 March.
What are Novichok nerve agents?
Russian spy: What we know so far
Czechs reject Russia spy poisoning claims
UK Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs that personnel from the Defence Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Centre at Porton Down in Wiltshire had identified the substance used on them as being part of a group of military-grade nerve agents developed by Russia known as Novichok.
Mr Chizhov's comments come after a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said the UK was one of the most likely sources of the nerve agent, along with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden or possibly the United States.
Maria Zakharova said a large number of ex-Soviet scientists had gone to live in the West "taking with them the technologies that they were working on".
Czech foreign minister Martin Stropnicky said the claims were "unsubstantiated" and "a classic way of manipulating information in the public space", while Sweden also "forcefully" rejected the suggestion.
Mr Chizhov told the BBC that Mr Skripal could "rightly be referred to as a traitor" but "from the legal point of view the Russian state had nothing against him".
Asked how the nerve agent came to be used in Salisbury, he said: "When you have a nerve agent or whatever, you check it against certain samples that you retain in your laboratories.
"And Porton Down, as we now all know, is the largest military facility in the United Kingdom that has been dealing with chemical weapons research. And it's actually only eight miles from Salisbury."
But pressed on whether he was suggesting Porton Down was "responsible" for the nerve agent in the attack, Mr Chizhov said: "I don't have evidence of anything being used."
He added: "I exclude the possibility of any stockpiles of any chemical weapons fleeing Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but there were certain specialists, including some scientists who today claim to be responsible for creating some nerve agents, that have been whisked out of Russia and are currently residing in the United Kingdom."
Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, are in a critical condition in hospital
The Foreign Office said there was "not an ounce of truth" in his suggestion of a link to Porton Down.
A spokesperson said: "It's just another futile attempt from the Russian state to divert the story away from the facts - that Russia has acted in flagrant breach of its international obligations."
The Russian government has denied any involvement in the attack.
A look around Porton Down, Britain's military research base in to chemical and biological attacks
On Saturday, the Russian foreign ministry said UK staff would be expelled from Moscow within a week in response to Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats.
It also said it would close the British Council in Russia, which promotes cultural ties between the nations, and the British Consulate in St Petersburg.
Writing in the Sun on Sunday, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson described the closures as "futile" and said they would "only punish ordinary Russians" by depriving them of opportunities to learn English and apply for visas to visit Britain.
He added: "We have consistently taken a strong and principled stand against the Kremlin, and galvanised the international response...
"So I believe that what happened in Salisbury was, at least in part, the Kremlin's way of hitting back at Britain for standing firm against its appalling behaviour."
Theresa May said the UK government would consider its next steps "in the coming days, alongside our allies and partners".
Theresa May: "We will never tolerate a threat to the life of British citizens and others on British soil"
She said: "Russia's response doesn't change the facts of the matter - the attempted assassination of two people on British soil for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable."
Addressing the Commons last week, Mrs May said the decision to point the finger at Moscow was also based on "Russia's record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations and our assessment that Russia views some defectors as legitimate targets for assassinations".
Also on Saturday, counter-terrorism police renewed their appeal for sightings of Mr Skripal's burgundy BMW 320D saloon car, registration HD09 WAO, in Salisbury on the morning of Sunday, March 4.
Russia spy row: UK lab could be poison source, says ambassador
Russia's EU ambassador has suggested a UK research laboratory could be the source of the nerve agent used in the attack on an ex-spy and his daughter.
Vladimir Chizhov told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that Russia had "nothing to do" with the poisoning in Salisbury of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
He said Russia did not stockpile the poison and that the Porton Down lab was only eight miles (12km) from the city.
The government dismissed his comments as "nonsense."
Retired military intelligence officer Mr Skripal, 66, and Yulia, 33, remain critically ill in hospital after being found slumped on a bench in Salisbury city centre on 4 March.
What are Novichok nerve agents?
Russian spy: What we know so far
Czechs reject Russia spy poisoning claims
UK Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs that personnel from the Defence Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Centre at Porton Down in Wiltshire had identified the substance used on them as being part of a group of military-grade nerve agents developed by Russia known as Novichok.
Mr Chizhov's comments come after a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said the UK was one of the most likely sources of the nerve agent, along with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden or possibly the United States.
Maria Zakharova said a large number of ex-Soviet scientists had gone to live in the West "taking with them the technologies that they were working on".
Czech foreign minister Martin Stropnicky said the claims were "unsubstantiated" and "a classic way of manipulating information in the public space", while Sweden also "forcefully" rejected the suggestion.
Mr Chizhov told the BBC that Mr Skripal could "rightly be referred to as a traitor" but "from the legal point of view the Russian state had nothing against him".
Asked how the nerve agent came to be used in Salisbury, he said: "When you have a nerve agent or whatever, you check it against certain samples that you retain in your laboratories.
"And Porton Down, as we now all know, is the largest military facility in the United Kingdom that has been dealing with chemical weapons research. And it's actually only eight miles from Salisbury."
But pressed on whether he was suggesting Porton Down was "responsible" for the nerve agent in the attack, Mr Chizhov said: "I don't have evidence of anything being used."
He added: "I exclude the possibility of any stockpiles of any chemical weapons fleeing Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but there were certain specialists, including some scientists who today claim to be responsible for creating some nerve agents, that have been whisked out of Russia and are currently residing in the United Kingdom."
Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, are in a critical condition in hospital
The Foreign Office said there was "not an ounce of truth" in his suggestion of a link to Porton Down.
A spokesperson said: "It's just another futile attempt from the Russian state to divert the story away from the facts - that Russia has acted in flagrant breach of its international obligations."
The Russian government has denied any involvement in the attack.
A look around Porton Down, Britain's military research base in to chemical and biological attacks
On Saturday, the Russian foreign ministry said UK staff would be expelled from Moscow within a week in response to Britain's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats.
It also said it would close the British Council in Russia, which promotes cultural ties between the nations, and the British Consulate in St Petersburg.
Writing in the Sun on Sunday, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson described the closures as "futile" and said they would "only punish ordinary Russians" by depriving them of opportunities to learn English and apply for visas to visit Britain.
He added: "We have consistently taken a strong and principled stand against the Kremlin, and galvanised the international response...
"So I believe that what happened in Salisbury was, at least in part, the Kremlin's way of hitting back at Britain for standing firm against its appalling behaviour."
Theresa May said the UK government would consider its next steps "in the coming days, alongside our allies and partners".
Theresa May: "We will never tolerate a threat to the life of British citizens and others on British soil"
She said: "Russia's response doesn't change the facts of the matter - the attempted assassination of two people on British soil for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable."
Addressing the Commons last week, Mrs May said the decision to point the finger at Moscow was also based on "Russia's record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations and our assessment that Russia views some defectors as legitimate targets for assassinations".
Also on Saturday, counter-terrorism police renewed their appeal for sightings of Mr Skripal's burgundy BMW 320D saloon car, registration HD09 WAO, in Salisbury on the morning of Sunday, March 4.
Miami bridge: Meeting over crack held hours before collapse - BBC News
Miami bridge: Meeting over crack held hours before collapse
17 March 2018
Several vehicles remain firmly buried under the 862-tonne bridge
Florida officials were told "there were no safety concerns" about a crack in a Miami university bridge, hours before it collapsed killing six people.
Florida International University (FIU) said a meeting on Thursday morning involved the engineering and construction companies, as well as Florida's transport department.
University officials say they were told that the crack "did not compromise the structural integrity" of the bridge.
It later fell on eight vehicles.
In a statement, the university said the "engineer of record" from the contractor FIGG gave a technical presentation regarding the crack.
Miami bridge collapse witness: 'This is crazy'
'Obviously the cracking is not good'
The 862-tonne, 174ft (53m) pedestrian bridge had been newly built the previous Saturday in just six hours. "FIU is about building bridges and student safety. This project accomplishes our mission beautifully," the university had said in a press release.
@FIU
First-of-its-kind pedestrian bridge “swings” into place. “FIU is about building bridges and student safety. This project accomplishes our mission beautifully,” -President Mark B. Rosenberg. http://bit.ly/2IihmUm #worldsahead
4:49 AM - Mar 11, 2018
On Thursday afternoon, it collapsed on top of an eight-lane motorway.
The following day it emerged that lead bridge engineer Denney Pate had warned of a crack in the structure in a voicemail left with the state's department of transport two days before the disaster.
But the employee was away on assignment, and did not hear the message until after the bridge had fallen.
In his voicemail, Mr Pate had said there was no concern "from a safety perspective".
But "obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done", he said.
The voicemail made headlines when it was released by the transportation department - but there was no mention until Saturday of the meeting held on the morning of the collapse.
Miami rescue workers search for survivors
Cause of collapse still unclear
The US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, and has not yet determined what led to the bridge coming down.
"A crack in the bridge does not necessarily mean it's unsafe," Robert Accetta, an NTSB investigator, told the Miami Herald.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio tweeted that workers had been tightening cables supporting the bridge at the time it collapsed.
Miami bridge collapse witness: 'This is crazy'
The number of victims is thought likely to rise as workers clear the rubble from the 862-tonne structure, which was erected days before as a walkway for university students.
On Saturday, police said the bodies of three of the victims had been recovered from two cars and taken away for identification.
One other person died earlier in hospital, and several vehicles remain under the destroyed bridge.
Eight people were taken to hospital in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Speaking on Saturday, police said they had "an idea of who is in the vehicles" but the victims had to be formally identified by medical examiners.
Students at FIU are planning a memorial vigil to be held on Wednesday.
17 March 2018
Several vehicles remain firmly buried under the 862-tonne bridge
Florida officials were told "there were no safety concerns" about a crack in a Miami university bridge, hours before it collapsed killing six people.
Florida International University (FIU) said a meeting on Thursday morning involved the engineering and construction companies, as well as Florida's transport department.
University officials say they were told that the crack "did not compromise the structural integrity" of the bridge.
It later fell on eight vehicles.
In a statement, the university said the "engineer of record" from the contractor FIGG gave a technical presentation regarding the crack.
Miami bridge collapse witness: 'This is crazy'
'Obviously the cracking is not good'
The 862-tonne, 174ft (53m) pedestrian bridge had been newly built the previous Saturday in just six hours. "FIU is about building bridges and student safety. This project accomplishes our mission beautifully," the university had said in a press release.
@FIU
First-of-its-kind pedestrian bridge “swings” into place. “FIU is about building bridges and student safety. This project accomplishes our mission beautifully,” -President Mark B. Rosenberg. http://bit.ly/2IihmUm #worldsahead
4:49 AM - Mar 11, 2018
On Thursday afternoon, it collapsed on top of an eight-lane motorway.
The following day it emerged that lead bridge engineer Denney Pate had warned of a crack in the structure in a voicemail left with the state's department of transport two days before the disaster.
But the employee was away on assignment, and did not hear the message until after the bridge had fallen.
In his voicemail, Mr Pate had said there was no concern "from a safety perspective".
But "obviously some repairs or whatever will have to be done", he said.
The voicemail made headlines when it was released by the transportation department - but there was no mention until Saturday of the meeting held on the morning of the collapse.
Miami rescue workers search for survivors
Cause of collapse still unclear
The US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, and has not yet determined what led to the bridge coming down.
"A crack in the bridge does not necessarily mean it's unsafe," Robert Accetta, an NTSB investigator, told the Miami Herald.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio tweeted that workers had been tightening cables supporting the bridge at the time it collapsed.
Miami bridge collapse witness: 'This is crazy'
The number of victims is thought likely to rise as workers clear the rubble from the 862-tonne structure, which was erected days before as a walkway for university students.
On Saturday, police said the bodies of three of the victims had been recovered from two cars and taken away for identification.
One other person died earlier in hospital, and several vehicles remain under the destroyed bridge.
Eight people were taken to hospital in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Speaking on Saturday, police said they had "an idea of who is in the vehicles" but the victims had to be formally identified by medical examiners.
Students at FIU are planning a memorial vigil to be held on Wednesday.
Andrew McCabe: Ex-FBI deputy director gave notes to Russia inquiry - BBC News
18/3/2018
Andrew McCabe: Ex-FBI deputy director gave notes to Russia inquiry
Mr McCabe was fired on Friday, two days short of his expected retirement date
Ex-FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe has given memos about conversations he had with President Donald Trump to an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election, US media say.
They say the memos could support allegations that the president sought to obstruct justice.
Mr McCabe was fired from the FBI on Friday following an internal inquiry. Mr Trump had accused him of bias.
The president has also dismissed the Russia investigation as a "witch hunt".
The investigation is led by special counsel Robert Mueller, himself a former FBI director. He has so far indicted 19 people.
Who's who in Russia-Trump inquiry?
Trump Russia: Key questions answered
What is Mueller's special counsel?
Also on Saturday, the president's lawyer John Dowd issued a statement saying it was time for the special counsel's investigation to end.
Why was McCabe fired?
Mr McCabe had been under internal investigation by the FBI and had already stepped down from his deputy post in January pending the review.
He was sacked just two days short of his 50 birthday on Sunday, when he was expected to retire with a federal pension.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the "extensive and fair investigation" had concluded that Mr McCabe "made an unauthorised disclosure to the news media and lacked candour - including under oath - on multiple occasions".
The White House said it would leave the decision to fire Mr McCabe (right) to Mr Sessions (left)
Although the decision to fire Mr McCabe was made by Mr Sessions, Mr Trump had criticised him for months.
He has publicly pointed to donations that Mr McCabe's wife, a Democrat, received from a Clinton ally when she ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in 2015 as evidence that Mr McCabe was politically biased.
@realDonaldTrump
Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!
3:08 PM - Mar 17, 2018
In December Mr Trump tweeted: "FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"
He welcomed the news of his dismissal almost immediately after Mr Sessions announced it, calling the move a "great day for democracy".
Mr Trump's tweet about the firing provoked an angry response from former CIA director John Brennan, who implied Mr McCabe was being made a scapegoat.
nBrennan
When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history. You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but you will not destroy America...America will triumph over you. https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/974859881827258369 …
11:00 PM - Mar 17, 2018
What could the memos say?
News that Mr McCabe had kept records of his conversations with Mr Trump and FBI Director at the time James Comey emerged on Saturday.
US media say the memos will support Mr Comey's account of the circumstances of his dismissal last May.
Comey's most revealing moments
Mr Comey has testified that Mr Trump had asked him for his "loyalty" and requested he drop an inquiry into his former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
He too has said he kept contemporaneous notes of his dealings with the president.
In a statement responding to his firing on Friday, Mr McCabe vehemently denied wrongdoing.
"I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey," his response said.
Republican memo accuses FBI of abusing power
Trump renews attack on 'disgraceful' FBI
The statement alleges that the justice department report recommending his firing was "accelerated" after he indicated that he would corroborate Mr Comey's version of events.
On Saturday Mr Comey - who is due to release a book - said Americans would soon be able to judge for themselves "who is honourable or not" after the president again criticised him on Saturday.
@realDonaldTrump
Replying to @realDonaldTrump
The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!
11:12 AM - Mar 18, 2018
What did Trump say on Saturday?
The president continued posting about Mr McCabe's departure on social media, saying there had been "leaking, lying and corruption" at the FBI, as well as the defence and state departments.
In an email to The Daily Beast website, Mr Dowd said he prayed that Acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein would follow the "brilliant and courageous example" set by Mr Sessions to bring the investigation to an end.
He initially said the statement was made on behalf of the president, before backtracking and saying the comments had been made in a personal capacity.
@MarkWarner
Every member of Congress, Republican and Democrat, needs to speak up in defense of the Special Counsel. Now. https://twitter.com/woodruffbets/status/975008116805898240 …
1:52 AM - Mar 18, 2018
Mr Dowd's statement provoked an angry response from Democrats.
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice-Chairman Mark Warner called for a bipartisan defence of Mueller's Russia probe.
The statement was echoed by Sen Patrick Leahy, who said the Senate Judiciary Committee should hold a hearing on the "attempted politicisation of the FBI".
Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff tweeted: "Obstruction of justice is no less a threat to our democracy when done in the open than behind closed doors."
Andrew McCabe: Ex-FBI deputy director gave notes to Russia inquiry
Mr McCabe was fired on Friday, two days short of his expected retirement date
Ex-FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe has given memos about conversations he had with President Donald Trump to an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election, US media say.
They say the memos could support allegations that the president sought to obstruct justice.
Mr McCabe was fired from the FBI on Friday following an internal inquiry. Mr Trump had accused him of bias.
The president has also dismissed the Russia investigation as a "witch hunt".
The investigation is led by special counsel Robert Mueller, himself a former FBI director. He has so far indicted 19 people.
Who's who in Russia-Trump inquiry?
Trump Russia: Key questions answered
What is Mueller's special counsel?
Also on Saturday, the president's lawyer John Dowd issued a statement saying it was time for the special counsel's investigation to end.
Why was McCabe fired?
Mr McCabe had been under internal investigation by the FBI and had already stepped down from his deputy post in January pending the review.
He was sacked just two days short of his 50 birthday on Sunday, when he was expected to retire with a federal pension.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the "extensive and fair investigation" had concluded that Mr McCabe "made an unauthorised disclosure to the news media and lacked candour - including under oath - on multiple occasions".
The White House said it would leave the decision to fire Mr McCabe (right) to Mr Sessions (left)
Although the decision to fire Mr McCabe was made by Mr Sessions, Mr Trump had criticised him for months.
He has publicly pointed to donations that Mr McCabe's wife, a Democrat, received from a Clinton ally when she ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in 2015 as evidence that Mr McCabe was politically biased.
@realDonaldTrump
Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!
3:08 PM - Mar 17, 2018
In December Mr Trump tweeted: "FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"
He welcomed the news of his dismissal almost immediately after Mr Sessions announced it, calling the move a "great day for democracy".
Mr Trump's tweet about the firing provoked an angry response from former CIA director John Brennan, who implied Mr McCabe was being made a scapegoat.
nBrennan
When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history. You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but you will not destroy America...America will triumph over you. https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/974859881827258369 …
11:00 PM - Mar 17, 2018
What could the memos say?
News that Mr McCabe had kept records of his conversations with Mr Trump and FBI Director at the time James Comey emerged on Saturday.
US media say the memos will support Mr Comey's account of the circumstances of his dismissal last May.
Comey's most revealing moments
Mr Comey has testified that Mr Trump had asked him for his "loyalty" and requested he drop an inquiry into his former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
He too has said he kept contemporaneous notes of his dealings with the president.
In a statement responding to his firing on Friday, Mr McCabe vehemently denied wrongdoing.
"I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey," his response said.
Republican memo accuses FBI of abusing power
Trump renews attack on 'disgraceful' FBI
The statement alleges that the justice department report recommending his firing was "accelerated" after he indicated that he would corroborate Mr Comey's version of events.
On Saturday Mr Comey - who is due to release a book - said Americans would soon be able to judge for themselves "who is honourable or not" after the president again criticised him on Saturday.
@realDonaldTrump
Replying to @realDonaldTrump
The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!
11:12 AM - Mar 18, 2018
What did Trump say on Saturday?
The president continued posting about Mr McCabe's departure on social media, saying there had been "leaking, lying and corruption" at the FBI, as well as the defence and state departments.
In an email to The Daily Beast website, Mr Dowd said he prayed that Acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein would follow the "brilliant and courageous example" set by Mr Sessions to bring the investigation to an end.
He initially said the statement was made on behalf of the president, before backtracking and saying the comments had been made in a personal capacity.
@MarkWarner
Every member of Congress, Republican and Democrat, needs to speak up in defense of the Special Counsel. Now. https://twitter.com/woodruffbets/status/975008116805898240 …
1:52 AM - Mar 18, 2018
Mr Dowd's statement provoked an angry response from Democrats.
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice-Chairman Mark Warner called for a bipartisan defence of Mueller's Russia probe.
The statement was echoed by Sen Patrick Leahy, who said the Senate Judiciary Committee should hold a hearing on the "attempted politicisation of the FBI".
Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff tweeted: "Obstruction of justice is no less a threat to our democracy when done in the open than behind closed doors."
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