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Interim President Juan Guaido has taken to the streets, with the activist Leopoldo Lopez, in a military uprising. AP has the story.

Kellyanne Conway and officials in President Donald J. Trump's administration have expressed their support for the uprising, Operation Liberty. CBS News has the story.

Also at Stratfor.

Japan's 'revolutionary' Emperor Akihito to abdicate, leaving imposing legacy for his son

When Emperor Akihito abdicates Tuesday, he will become the first Japanese monarch to do so in more than two centuries.

Akihito, 85, will step down after more than 30 years on the Chrysanthemum Throne.

His reign has seen Japan continue its post-war modernization and win a bid to host the Olympic Games in 2020, but has also been marked by lows such as the economic crash of the 1990s and severe natural disasters.

He is widely revered for bringing the imperial family closer to the people, and has also won respect for his efforts to heal the nation’s post-World War II wounds. In a sign of Akihito's popularity, a record crowd packed into the grounds around the Imperial Palace in early January for his final New Year's public appearance.

This imposing legacy, combined with shifts in the nation’s politics and rising regional tensions, leave Akihito’s eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, facing numerous challenges after he assumes the symbolic role May 1, experts say.

Knives found at Japan prince's desk days before abdication

Police in Japan have launched an investigation after two knives were found near the school desk of Emperor Akihito's 12-year-old grandson, local media report.

The knives were discovered on Friday in a classroom at a junior high school attended by Prince Hisahito.

Police are probing CCTV footage of a man trespassing on the school grounds.

Prince Hisahito is set to become second in line to the throne after Emperor Akihito's abdication next week.

Police believe the unidentified man caught on camera, who was dressed in blue and wearing a helmet, posed as a construction worker to access the building at Ochanomizu University.

Prince Hisahito and his classmates were in another part of the school when the knives are believed to have been planted.

Security ahead of coronation stepped up after knives found in Japanese prince's classroom

The two kitchen knives, which had been taped to either end of a stick and whose blades were reportedly painted pink, were discovered balanced between Hisahito's desk and his neighbor's, Japan's Asahi Shimbun reported. Nothing indicating a motive, or a claim of responsibility was left with the contraption.

Each desk has the name of its occupant written on it, making the prince's desk easily identifiable, the newspaper said.

A knife for both the prince and his neighbor. Is it symbolic, or were they meant to fight each other to the death with them? I'm sensing good anime potential in this. Or pay-per-view blood sport with kidnapped constitutional monarchs/offspring and other elites. #CringeWorthy

Anita Hill says she wants 'real accountability' from Joe Biden

A woman who accused a Supreme Court nominee of sexual harassment has rebuked White House candidate Joe Biden, who chaired the 1991 hearings.

Anita Hill said Mr Biden must show "real accountability" for his handling of her complaints during Clarence Thomas' confirmation in Congress.

Ms Hill told the New York Times the former vice-president had called her before announcing his presidential bid.

But she said his apology was not enough without "real change".

Joe Biden Declines to Directly Apologize to Anita Hill for His Handling of 1991 Hearing

In his first sit-down interview of his presidential campaign, Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Friday repeatedly declined to directly apologize to Anita Hill for his handling of the 1991 Clarence Thomas hearings, instead delivering a broad statement of remorse for how she was treated during the combative questioning she faced from an all-male Senate committee that he led.

Appearing on ABC’s “The View,” which is heavily watched by women, Mr. Biden was asked by one of its hosts, Joy Behar, about his reluctance in recent months to offer a straightforward apology to Ms. Hill for his own judgment and leadership during the hearings. Ms. Behar suggested that Mr. Biden should say, “I’m sorry for the way I treated you, not for the way you were treated.”

“I’m sorry for the way she got treated,” Mr. Biden responded. “If you go back to what I said, and didn’t say, I don’t think I treated her badly.”

Biden Gives Bumbling Apology as ‘The View’ Confronts Him on Creepy Touching, Anita Hill

Biden was initially greeted by The View hosts with a very warm welcome by the panel and extremely friendly audience. But the tone shifted halfway through the chat when co-host Sunny Hostin brought up recent accusations from multiple women that he invaded their personal space and made them feel “gross.”

“We’re in a different time now,” Hostin asked. “We’re in the #MeToo movement. Are you sorry for what you did? Are you prepared to apologize to those women?”

The former veep replied that “everybody has to be more [aware] of the private space of men and women” before awkwardly asking the all-woman panel if he can hug them, noting that he wasn’t sure what to do when he walked out.

'He gave me permission': Joe Biden jokes about touching complaints

Joe Biden has twice made joking references to complaints from women that his physical behavior made them uncomfortable.

The former vice-president’s comments on Friday came during his first public appearance since the allegations began to surface last week. Taking the stage in Washington at a gathering of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Biden was introduced by the president of the union, Lonnie Stephenson. Biden quipped: “I just want you to know – I had permission to hug Lonnie.”

The crowd, which was mostly male, erupted in laughter. Later, Biden made a similar joke after inviting a group of children onstage and putting his arm round a young boy. “By the way, he gave me permission to touch him,” the former vice-president said, again to laughter. “Everybody knows I like kids more than people,” Biden said.

Lucy Flores isn’t alone. Joe Biden has a long history of touching women inappropriately.

Democrat Lucy Flores was preparing to give one of her final stump speeches in a race for lieutenant governor in Nevada when she felt two hands on her shoulders. She froze. “Why is the vice-president of the United States touching me?” Flores wondered.

Flores recounts her experience with Joe Biden in a first-person essay for New York magazine, describing an incident in 2014 when Biden came up behind her, leaned in, smelled her hair, and kissed the back of her head.

“Biden was the second-most powerful man in the country and, arguably, one of the most powerful men in the world,” Flores wrote. “He was there to promote me as the right person for the lieutenant governor job. Instead, he made me feel uneasy, gross, and confused.”

[...] Flores’s experience isn’t unique. It is no secret in Washington that Biden has touched numerous women inappropriately in public. It’s just never been treated as a serious issue by the mainstream press.

Sleepy Joe or Creepy Joe?

Pop Star’s Illicit Kiss Becomes Fodder for Government Ads in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong government does not usually weigh in when the tabloids catch a pop star cheating.

But this week, after the city was riveted by the scandal of a married singer caught on video kissing an actress, some government agencies were criticized for using it as fodder for jokes in public service announcements.

Government officials expose their own lack of workload.

What France Has Money For

A journalist sarcastically asked Philippe Martinez, the leader of a major labor union, whether the flood of donations was evidence of trickle-down economics. “Money doesn’t trickle down for everything,” Mr. Martinez answered, adding that the outburst of generosity from French billionaires only exposed the inequalities that divide the country.

Such gifts aren’t just a private matter; they cost the state, too. For one thing, and certainly in the eyes of some Yellow Vests, these philanthropists are offering only a small fraction of enormous fortunes they have amassed partly by avoiding taxes otherwise needed to fund basic public services. And since their proposed gifts are destined for France’s national heritage, the bulk of them could benefit from major tax exemptions — up to 90 percent if a proposed bill presented this week were to pass.

Notre-Dame’s Safety Planners Underestimated the Risk, With Devastating Results

Unlike at sensitive sites in the United States, the fire alarms in Notre-Dame did not notify fire dispatchers right away. Instead, a guard at the cathedral first had to climb a steep set of stairs to the attic — a trip Mr. Mouton said would take a “fit” person six minutes.

Only after a blaze was discovered could the fire department be notified and deployed. That means even a flawless response had a built-in delay of about 20 minutes — from the moment the alarm sounded until firefighters could arrive and climb to the attic with hundreds of pounds of hoses and equipment to begin battling a fire.

Europe is looking forward to seeing a new influential player in the legal entertainment industry.

A second round of the Ukrainian presidential election will be held on April 21. According to public polls, amazing candidate Volodymyr Zelensky, who does have no experience in politics, economy, social sciences and management, will likely achieve a victory. However, he has a wide range of abilities that would allow him to turn Ukraine into a new European dreamland. These are not the behooved origin or business or political links, but rather the ideas that would allow an explosive growth of the Ukrainian economy.

From the White House:

LENDING PARENTS A HELPING HAND: President Donald J. Trump’s tax cuts are helping parents with the costs of raising a family.

• The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) increased and improved the Child Tax Credit to help parents as they raise a family.
• The Child Tax Credit was doubled from $1,000 to $2,000 per qualifying child, providing a financial boost to American families.
• The TCJA expanded eligibility for the Child Tax Credit, allowing more families to benefit.
• The refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit was increased to help middle and lower income families.
  • The refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit was increased from $1,000 to $1,400.
  • This change helps families who do not have enough income tax liability to offset the full amount of the credit

HELPING FAMILIES’ BOTTOM LINE: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act kept in place or expanded a number of provisions aimed at helping American families’ finances.

• The TCJA maintained key tax benefits that help American families, including:
  • The Adoption Tax Credit that helps Americans who have the joy of adopting a child into their hearts and their homes.
  • The Child and Dependent Care Credit that helps families with the costs of child care and care for older dependents.
  • The Earned Income Tax Credit that helps lower-income Americans working to build a better life for themselves and their families.
  • Popular retirement savings options, such as 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts, that help Americans save for their future.
• American families benefited from an expanded medical expense deduction in tax years 2017 and 2018.
• Thanks to the TCJA, families are seeing lower utility bills, in addition to lower tax bills.
  • At least 100 utility companies across the country have announced plans to lower rates for their customers due to the law.

INVESTING IN OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included reforms to help give parents more financial flexibility to send their children to the schools of their choice.

• Thanks to the TCJA, parents have a new way of saving for their children’s primary and secondary educations.
• The TCJA expanded the types of qualified expenses for 529 Savings Accounts to allow parents to use the accounts to pay for their child’s education at primary and secondary schools.
• Under the law, up to $10,000 can be used annually from a 529 Savings Account to pay for tuition.
• By using these accounts, parents will be able to save to help ensure their children receive the best quality education possible.

This is the end of my Presidency. I’m fucked.

This isn't a report, it's a steamy novel!

You all can make a big thing out of this if you want. To me, it's nothing out of the ordinary, just another day at the office in Washington D.C.

Here's the perfect visualization

And here's a preemptive SHHH! for anybody that complains about the source