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The Latest: White House says no talk of firing Mueller

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation (all times local): 2:25 p.m. The White House is continuing to deny that President Donald Trump is looking to oust special counsel Robert Mueller. Spokesman Hogan Gidley tells reporters aboard Air Force One that, “there are no conversations or discussions about removing” Mueller. And he says Trump’s recent tweets criticizing Mueller’s team are part of his “well-established frustration for more than a year this has been going on.” Trump this weekend lashed out at Mueller on Twitter for the first time by name. Some congressional Republicans feared that was a signal Trump might be considering firing Mueller. On Monday Trump called the probe “a total WITCH HUNT with massive conflicts of interest!” Gidley says Trump “believes this is the biggest witch hunt in history.” Trump cannot directly fire Mueller. Any dismissal would have to be carried out by deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein. __ 1:24 a.m. The White House says President Donald Trump isn’t thinking or talking about firing special counsel Robert Mueller. That’s the word from White House lawyer Ty Cobb in a statement late Sunday after a series of Trump tweets revived chatter that the frustrated president may be preparing to have Mueller fired. Mueller is investigating whether Trump’s actions, including last year’s ouster of FBI Director James Comey, amount to obstruction of justice. Trump believes the probe is biased against him, a point he made clear in weekend tweets that jabbed Mueller directly. Cobb says: “In response to media speculation and related questions being posed to the Administration, the White House yet again confirms that the President is not considering or discussing the firing of the Special Counsel, Robert Mueller.”

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-19 13:37:26

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/19/the-latest-white-house-says-no-talk-of-firing-mueller/

Women seek to add to Senate numbers, but challenges await

PHOENIX (AP) — A record number of women are on track to run for the U.S. Senate, though it will be a challenge to capture those seats and help make the chamber more diverse. Many face uphill campaigns and two Democratic incumbents in particular among the 23 women in the Senate are seen as politically vulnerable in the November election. In Wisconsin, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican state Sen. Leah Vukmir were expected to file for the race on Wednesday. If so, 42 Republican and Democratic women — the most ever — would have qualified to 19 Senate seats. That’s according to an Associated Press analysis of data collected by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University and candidate qualifying information released by states. In 2016, 40 women ran for the Senate. “It’s not going to be a huge gain,” said Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University. But, she said, the Senate “is a body more open to incremental changes.” For more than two centuries, men have dominated the Senate, which has seated only 52 female members in its history. Adding women or even holding the line can mean maintaining pressure on the Senate to act on issues important to female voters, such as health care and family economic policies. A potent force behind the surge in female participation is the #MeToo movement, ignited by allegations of sexual misconduct by men in entertainment, politics, journalism and other sectors. There’s also the criticism of President Donald Trump’s policies and his alleged conduct toward women. “All of these sparks are working in different ways, and one of the giant sparks has been the #MeToo movement,” said former Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, among four women elected in 1992. That tripled their Senate ranks, due in part, she said, to a backlash by female voters against the confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. He had been accused of sexual harassment. In Arizona, odds are a woman will succeed retiring Republican Sen. Jeff Flake. Six women are running in the August primaries. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., who filed her candidate petitions Tuesday, demurred when asked about the role that gender plays in her candidacy. “For me, my public service has never been about my gender or really any other characteristic,” Sinema told The Associated Press. In a recent ad, Sinema credits her single mother for shepherding her family through tough times, echoing themes of family security, a priority for some female voters. In Wisconsin, Baldwin could face Vukmir, who faces a competitive August primary. The biggest hurdle for female candidates is the electoral map. Of the 13 Democratic women seeking re-election, four are in states that Trump won in 2016 and where he is expected to weigh in heavily. Seen as most vulnerable are first-term Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, which Trump carried by almost 36 percentage points in 2016, and second-term Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, which Trump won by more than 18 percentage points. At the same time, women stand a chance of picking up a seat in Nevada, where Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen is challenging Republican Sen. Dean Heller. In Tennessee, Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Trump devotee whom the president raised money for Tuesday night in Nashville, faces former Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, for the seat being vacated by the retiring GOP Sen. Bob Corker. Limited opportunities for women to make gains are nothing new. But the 1992 election helped usher in changes championed by female senators, including the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Violence Against Women Act. Given the challenges to women hoping to increase their numbers in the Senate this year, the election can be as much about defending policy achievements, said Kelly Dittmar of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers. “It’s not just about advancing. We need to hold the line,” she said. “We need to prevent a backslide on these policies.” The early cadre of women in the Senate began meeting for dinner at each other’s homes. The social bonds defied political differences by including the then-lone Republican Sen. Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas, helping “create a community” that the Senate’s women today are building upon, said former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, an Illinois Democrat who in 1992 was the first African-American woman elected to the Senate. In April, the Senate took an incremental but noteworthy step that reflects the changes, sometimes slow-moving, that women in the Senate have achieved. Senators voted unanimously to allow babies of members on the Senate floor. That change was inspired by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who gave birth to a girl in April. The move, Duckworth said at the time, helps “bring the Senate into the 21st Century.” To Braun, “the march toward gender equity in the Senate is inexorable. It’s a matter of attitude, and sends the message to young women they can do whatever they want or can.” ___ Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press writer Christina Almeida Cassidy in Atlanta contributed to this report.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-20 00:00:00

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/more-women-than-ever-run-for-senate-but-hurdles-remain/

Merck CEO stepping down from American Manufacturing Council

NEW YORK (AP) — The CEO of the nation’s third largest pharmaceutical company is resigning from the President’s American Manufacturing Council citing “a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.” President Donald Trump lashed out almost immediately Monday at Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier on Twitter, saying Frazier “will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!” Frazier’s resignation comes shortly after a violent confrontation between white supremacists and protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left one person dead and 19 injured. Frazier said in a tweet on Monday that the country’s leaders must “honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy.” Trump is being criticized for not explicitly condemning the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 08:06:41

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/merck-ceo-stepping-down-from-american-manufacturing-council/

Arizona lawmakers haggle over funding before teacher strike

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona policymakers have yet to agree how to increase teacher pay or education funding ahead of a first-ever statewide walkout this week, prompting calls from Democrats and even one Republican to generate new tax revenue in the conservative state. Republicans who control the state Legislature have yet to fully back Gov. Doug Ducey’s plan for a 20 percent teacher raise, which would cost $650 million by 2020. Many have shared concerns about the rosy revenue projections Ducey is using to cover the increase. Teachers have protested for weeks and took a vote on whether to launch the first statewide strike after Ducey unveiled his plan, saying they’re concerned it doesn’t increase funding for classrooms and students. With Ducey and legislative leaders meeting behind closed doors to negotiate a deal, Republican state Rep. Noel Campbell offered a plan for a sales tax increase. He said the three-year boost of 1 percent would generate $1 billion annually. Campbell said he’s concerned the governor’s proposal is too optimistic and believed the hike would bring in money to support all-day kindergarten, technical training and lower in-state tuition at public universities. Most lawmakers agree higher pay and school funding is a good idea — the issue is how to fund them, he said. The governor and many Republicans have taken pledges against tax hikes. “There’s no way that we’re going to get an income tax increase through this body, it’s not gonna happen,” he said. “You have to make a choice here. Do you want to have a perfect bill that doesn’t pass or do you want to have a good bill that might have some chance?” The relative novelty of a Republican calling for a sales tax increase contrasts with Democrats warning against any such hike. They raised concerns about rural towns that already have 10 percent sales tax rates. “Another increase would unfairly put the burden on the poor and working class, who pay an inordinately larger share of their income on sales tax,” Senate Minority Leader Katie Hobbs said. Instead, Democrats called for funding from new revenue streams, such as taxing new products or reversing income tax cuts on wealthy residents. New dollars are necessary to meet a key demand: $1 billion to return school funding to levels seen before the Great Recession, said Joe Thomas, president of the Arizona Educators Association, the largest teacher membership group. Ducey spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said the governor’s plan goes a long way toward addressing classroom funding concerns. It includes $371 million phased in over five years that districts can decide where to direct — that money could be used for support staff raises or other needs, Scarpinato said. “The only way to get back to 2008 levels is to continue driving up the dollars we put into education,” he said. “This is a big, sustained step toward the overall goal.” The political dealing comes as some of the state’s largest school districts plan to close Thursday and Friday due to striking teachers, who are among the lowest-paid in the U.S. Over a dozen of Colorado school districts, including the 10 largest, also will shut down both days because of teacher protests. The two states are part of a movement that started in West Virginia, where a strike garnered a raise, and spread to Oklahoma, Kentucky and beyond. In the run-up to Arizona’s statewide strike, parents and community members have been supportive, said Melissa Girmscheid, a science teacher at Centennial High School in suburban Phoenix. They’re giving gift cards for support staffers who may not be paid, and some teens are volunteering to watch teachers’ children so they can go to a rally Thursday, she said. “We’ve had a lot of parents who’ve stepped up to the plate,” Girmscheid said. Thomas, with the teachers association, said teachers were pushed to the drastic step. “Every educator wishes this didn’t have to happen,” Thomas said. “But nothing has worked. Phone calls, emails, letters, many rallies, days at the Capitol where we go down and bring 100 people. Nothing has worked. We have been absolutely ignored, and they’re not going to be able to ignore us Thursday.”

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 18:38:08

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/arizona-lawmakers-haggle-over-funding-before-teacher-strike/

Crank or Stank! Kelsea Ballerini "Legends"

Weeknights at 6:30, we play a brand new song! Call, text or vote here! If you love it, tell us to CRANK IT! If you don’t love it, tell us it STANKS!

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 19:00:20

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/crank-stank-kelsea-ballerini-legends/

Current lava flows are hottest, fastest of latest eruption

HONOLULU (AP) — The hottest and fastest-moving lava of Kilauea volcano’s latest eruption spread across new parts of the Big Island Wednesday, forcing officials to order evacuations in two coastal neighborhoods over fears that the rapidly advancing flows could cut off dwindling escape routes. Overnight, the lava was moving fast enough to cover about six football fields an hour, according to U.S. Geological Survey scientist Wendy Stovall. “Hawaii County Civil Defense decided to evacuate all of lower Puna to ensure that people would be able to get out,” Stovall said. Lava gushed across and then along a roadway that leads from the commercial center of Pahoa toward smaller towns and rural farmlands to the east. About two dozen recent fissures in that area have created towering lava fountains and bone-rattling explosions throughout the eruption. The lava that is currently coming to the surface is the hottest and most fluid to date. “This is the hottest lava that we’ve seen in this eruption, even just a matter of 50 degrees centigrade makes a big difference in how quickly lava flows can move and how they behave once the magma exits the vent,” Stovall said. In fact, the current lava eruptions in Puna are as hot as Hawaii’s lava will ever get. “It can’t get hotter than where we are,” Stovall added. “We are pretty much tapping mantle temperatures right now.” One fissure was observed early Wednesday morning spouting lava over 200 feet (61 meters) into the air. Hawaii County officials said lava destroyed the electric utility’s equipment on the highway, which knocked out power to Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots. “You are at risk of being isolated due to possible lava inundation,” the Hawaii County Civil Defense agency advised the public. There were several small earthquakes at Kilauea’s summit Wednesday, where the vent inside the volcano’s Halemaumau Crater has grown along with a series of explosive eruptions that have sent rock and ash thousands of feet into the sky. The U.S. Geological Survey released drone footage Wednesday of another fast-moving lava flow that trapped a man in Leilani Estates over the weekend. As lava rushed past the property, a USGS crew that was flying the drone used the aircraft to lead rescue teams to the stranded person. The person was safely evacuated. A man was arrested in Leilani Estates after police say he fired a gun and assaulted another man after demanding that the man and his friends leave the area Tuesday. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park remains closed because of the volcanic activity at the summit and the ongoing eruptions on Kilauea’s eastern flanks. Park officials said that crews are working on clearing another roadway on the south side of the park that was covered by lava from previous eruptions. They hope the roadway will provide an alternative escape route if lava cuts off more roads to the north. Strands of volcanic glass called as Pele’s hair was accumulating on the ground in Leilani Estates and surrounding neighborhoods, and winds may blow lighter particles farther away, scientists said. The strands can cause irritation and respiratory problems when it comes in contact with people. Pele, known as the goddess of volcanoes and fire, is an important figure in Hawaiian culture. Volcanic gas emissions remain high from the eruption. Wind conditions for Wednesday were forecast to result in widespread vog — or volcanic smog— over the Big Island. ___ Follow AP’s complete coverage of the Hawaii volcano here: https://apnews.com/tag/Kilauea Follow AP’s Hawaii correspondent Caleb Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalebAP

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-31 03:35:23

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/31/current-lava-flows-are-hottest-fastest-of-latest-eruption/

Eli Manning looks forward after worst season of career

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) — Eli Manning is looking ahead. Who wouldn’t after the year he just had? Manning comes off the worst season of his professional career that dates back to being the top overall selection in the 2004 draft. His Giants went from likely contender after making the 2016 playoffs to one of the NFL’s worst. They were ravaged by injuries, dissension in the locker room, and then-coach Ben McAdoo even benched his quarterback in Week 13, ending Manning’s 210-game starting string. McAdoo was fired the next week, the usually well-run franchise was embarrassed as badly as for any of the 13 defeats in 2017, and though Manning immediately got his job back, the Giants ended the year as one of the NFL’s biggest flops. “It was a great reminder that nothing is guaranteed,” Manning said Friday. “No matter what you did the year before — win your division, make the playoffs, whatever — it has no effect on the next year. “So there’s no reason we can’t win 11 or more games this year. We made a lot of changes and will make more, and if we stay healthy and win some of those close games you always get in, who knows?” Besides, that lost season serves as an impetus for the future. “When you have a tough year, you use it as motivation,” he said. “Get back in there and do whatever you need to do to make changes. Make a commitment again to playing at a higher level. It challenges you and makes you hungrier.” The two-time Super Bowl MVP has a new coach in Pat Shurmur, who like McAdoo has a background as a QB guru. Unlike the rough-edged McAdoo, though, Shurmur has a smoother style and also is more open in his thinking and planning for running an offense. To Manning, 37, an opportunity to expand the attack is much welcomed. “We’ve talked a bit, getting to know each other, but there’s a limit how much you can meet and talk,” Manning said. “I am excited to start learning the offense and the playbook and how Pat will use our skillsets. He’s got a combination of Norv Turner, Andy Reid and Chip Kelly in there from the places he’s been. “There’s definitely an adjustment, but if you’ve played the game long enough, there are only so many new plays you can put in.” Manning smiled when he said that, knowing Shurmur isn’t about to design a Russell Wilson/Cam Newton type of offense for him. There’s been much speculation that Manning could be traded and the Giants would use the second overall pick in April on one of the highly rated quarterbacks in this draft. The choice of Shurmur and ownership’s devotion to Manning seems to have made Manning’s departure unlikely. Asked if he’d encourage new general manager Dave Gettleman to take an offensive lineman to offer the kind of protection he doesn’t get often enough, Manning laughed and replied, “I won’t complain.” He certainly won’t complain about getting back his prime target, Odell Beckham Jr. The spectacular receiver was lost in early October to a broken ankle. Beckham is enough of a difference maker that New York might have had a few more victories had he been available all season. “He’s a tremendous player, and when he gets back and is healthy, he impacts games,” Manning said. “It’s tough when guys you work with all spring and summer and you lose them and have all new guys. Odell, Brandon (Marshall), Sterling (Shepard).” Manning spent part of the day welcoming visitors to a Courtyard by Marriott experience whose contest winners will spend Saturday night sleeping in a luxury suite at U.S. Bank Stadium. He joked that he can’t ever remember sleeping in a stadium, but that waking up the morning of the Super Bowl at the venue would be “pretty neat to do.” Then he wondered just how quiet the stadium would be on Super Bowl eve. “You’re right there in the dome and get to see all the behind-the-scenes stuff,” he said. “Then you wake up on Super Bowl Sunday right there. Has to be a wonderful experience.” Considering he is 2-0 in the big game, Manning knows about wonderful Super Bowl experiences. ___ For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

newcountry923.fm

2018-02-03 10:58:29

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/02/03/eli-manning-looks-forward-after-worst-season-of-career/

Dems divided on when to fight over fate of young immigrants

WASHINGTON (AP) — For Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a passionate, liberal Democrat of Puerto Rican descent, there is no more important issue in the year-end budget showdown than protecting from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children — and who have only known America as their home. The fate of these “Dreamers,” as they are commonly known, is one of the trickiest issues to resolve as the White House and Congress seek to avert a Christmas government shutdown that nobody says they want. House Democrats, and their leader, Nancy Pelosi, insist that the Dreamers be dealt with as part of a broader package that combines unfinished legislative business, including military spending, disaster aid and low-cost health care for children. “You want a bipartisan budget and you want my vote? Then make it an American budget, one that includes a pathway to freedom for our Dreamers,” Gutierrez said. “It’s the right thing to do.” Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer cares about Dreamers, too, but he isn’t playing hardball over immigration. At the top of his list of political concerns are the re-election bids next year of 10 Senate Democrats running in states that President Donald Trump won in 2016. Many of them want nothing to do with shutting down the government over immigration. “I understand the passion on that. I’m not in favor of voting to shut down the government,” said Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, where Trump won almost 70 percent of the vote. “There are a lot of things I feel passionate about. But I’m not going to make 300 million people suffer because I can’t get the process working the way it should.” House and Senate Democrats stand divided as leaders look to wrap up a sweeping spending deal by Dec. 22 and avoid a debilitating shutdown. At issue is Trump’s decision to rescind Barack Obama’s executive order creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which gave protected status to about 800,000 young immigrants in the country illegally. In scrapping the DACA order, Trump gave Congress until March to come up with a legislative solution. In September, the president told Pelosi and Schumer he would support the DREAM Act — Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors — which offers childhood immigrants a pathway to citizenship, as part of a broader immigration agreement. But this fall, progress stalled. That led liberals such as Gutierrez to pressure leadership to use Democratic leverage — their votes are needed to pass legislation such as the budget or next year’s increase in the government borrowing — to ensure that Trump lives up to his promise. Republicans want to separate immigration from the year-end agenda, in part to avoid the appearance of getting muscled by Democrats like Pelosi and in part to try to get a better deal. “We are certainly willing to enter into those good-faith negotiations, but they do not belong in an end-of-the-year spending appropriations debate,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. “We do want to resolve this, but it’s not going to be before the end of this year.” For her part, Pelosi won’t commit to helping Republicans keep the government open unless the DACA issue is dealt with. “We will not leave here without a DACA fix,” she told reporters last week. Indeed, just 14 Democrats joined House Republicans in voting for a two-week stopgap spending bill last week. But in the Senate, the dynamic among Democrats was wholly different, with Democrats voting for the stopgap measure by a 5-to-1 margin. Aides to lawmakers in both parties say the DACA issue was discussed only briefly at a White House meeting between Trump and top congressional leaders. “There was no disagreement that it should be done. The question was when, where, how and why, and those discussions are continuing,” Schumer told reporters Friday. “We hope to get it done before the end of the year.” Schumer spokesman Matt House says Schumer is genuinely optimistic that Senate negotiations over a hybrid package blending the DREAM Act with additional border security measures are going well. House talks, meanwhile, appear stalled. The differing perspectives, at their core, seem rooted in the different dynamics facing House and Senate Democrats. Schumer’s red-state Democrats must win re-election by appealing to independents, and they hope to win at least some crossover support from Republicans. But many House Democrats represent congressional districts with large populations of minorities. Others represent solidly Democratic suburbs with constituencies that are sympathetic to immigrants. Their re-election bids are dependent on cementing the Democratic nomination from a primary electorate rather than winning independents or GOP crossovers. Pelosi faces her own constituency, too. With 31 members, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus represents 16 percent of the House Democratic Caucus — a base that Pelosi is loath to cross. “It’s her belief, of course, but it’s the caucus she represents as well,” said Nadeam Elshami, Pelosi’s former chief of staff. “The caucus wants this.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-12 02:32:41

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/12/dems-divided-on-when-to-fight-over-fate-of-young-immigrants/

Andre Iguodala out for Golden State in Game 1 of NBA Finals

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State forward Andre Iguodala will miss Game 1 of the NBA Finals as he recovers from a bone bruise in his left knee that cost him the last four games of the Western Conference finals. Iguodala’s absence is a huge blow to the Warriors’ defense as it works to stop LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden State coach Steve Kerr said several players will be called upon Thursday to handle the load that is James, making his eighth straight finals appearance. “He was MVP of the series in 2015, largely because he took that role on of guarding LeBron. But also because of what he did offensively,” Kerr said. “He’s doing a little bit better today. Some encouraging signs, but we have ruled him out for Game 1. We’ve got lots of guys who can take on that job. It’s a group effort, anyway, guarding LeBron. So, KD (Kevin Durant), Draymond (Green), Klay (Thompson), Shaun Livingston, they’ll all see time on him.” The Warriors said Iguodala, who was injured in Game 3 against the Rockets on May 20, was evaluated Tuesday and is making progress but still has the bruise and inflammation of the nerve surrounding his knee. Kerr has said Iguodala wouldn’t play until he can run without pain. He will be re-evaluated ahead of Sunday’s Game 2. Iguodala said he doesn’t have any doubts he will be able to return during the finals, though his patience is tested. He has sought multiple opinions for the injury. “Just trying to figure out how to move in general,” Iguodala said. “But making some progress. Slower than we expected but we’re just being realistic.” Kevon Looney has been starting in Iguodala’s place. Looney planned to talk to Iguodala about the task of guarding James. “I’ll pick his brain about some things … some tendencies of LeBron, the fact of the switches or small things like that to help me out,” Looney said. “He’s one of the best defenders in the league.” That’s why everybody on the Warriors realizes it will be a joint effort guarding James. “What he brings to us on the defensive end will definitely be missed,” Green said. “But it just means other guys have got to step up. Other guys have done that thus far. The task gets even harder but I know guys will and it will be a collective effort in hopes that we keep trekking along until he’s ready to come back.” Forward Kevin Love’s status for Cleveland remained unclear as he continues to go through the NBA’s concussion protocol. Love was injured in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against Boston that the Cavs pulled out in seven. He wasn’t scheduled to attend media day Wednesday at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors host the series opener in the fourth straight finals meeting between the rivals. “He’s going to go do some things today and see how he feels,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. “But he is in the protocol still, so we’ll see how he feels.” Both teams practiced Wednesday on Golden State’s home floor, where the defending champions have won 17 of their last 18 postseason games. James certainly understands what the Warriors are missing without Iguodala’s presence and athleticism. “First of all he has very, very quick hands,” James said. “That doesn’t get talked about a lot, his ability to read and react to the ball either in flight or while you’re dribbling or when you pick the ball up.” ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 20:23:01

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/andre-iguodala-out-for-golden-state-in-game-1-of-nba-finals/

After failure of SC nuke plant, backers seek federal aid

WASHINGTON (AP) — Proponents of nuclear power are pushing to revive a failed project to build two reactors in South Carolina, arguing that the demise of the $14 billion venture could signal doom for an industry that supplies one-fifth of the nation’s electricity. Even though the nation’s 99 commercial nuclear reactors supply about 20 percent of U.S. electricity, no new nuclear plant has been built from scratch in more than 30 years. Supporters were alarmed when two South Carolina utilities halted construction on a pair of reactors that once were projected to usher in a new generation of nuclear power to provide reliable, cost-effective, carbon-free electricity for decades. Instead the project was plagued by billions of dollars in cost overruns, stagnant demand for electricity, competition from cheap natural gas and – most importantly – the bankruptcy of Westinghouse Electric, the lead contractor. The July 31 suspension of the partly completed V.C. Summer project near Columbia, South Carolina, leaves two nuclear reactors under construction in Georgia as the only ones being built in the U.S. The collapse of the nearly decade-old project in South Carolina could cost ratepayers billions of dollars for work that ultimately provides no electricity and could signal that new nuclear plants are impossible to complete in the United States. “These reactors failing would be the end of a nuclear renaissance before it even started,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Graham and other lawmakers from both parties are urging Congress to extend a production tax credit that would provide billions of dollars to the South Carolina project and the two Georgia reactors. The House approved an extension in June, and Graham is pushing for a Senate vote after Congress returns from its August recess. “I’m mad as hell that you spend all this money and you can’t get it done,” Graham said. The Vogtle plant in Georgia faces similar economic and competitive threats, including the Westinghouse bankruptcy. The plant’s operator, Atlanta-based Southern Co., has said it will decide in coming weeks whether to finish the two reactors, which are years behind schedule and billions of dollars above projected costs. Southern CEO Tom Fanning called Vogtle “the last (nuclear) project standing in America” and said it “goes beyond economics” to affect national security. “If you want a world safe from nuclear proliferation,” construction of nuclear plants “is how we maintain nuclear technology,” said Rich Powell, executive director of ClearPath, a conservative-leaning clean energy group. Besides the production tax credit, nuclear supporters want the extension of an Energy Department loan guarantee program that has helped Vogtle and other energy projects secure funding. Vogtle received an $8.3 billion loan guarantee under the Obama administration – the largest ever issued by the loan program and a deal that some critics say could end up biting taxpayers. “We’ve said it for eight years: These massive nuclear reactor projects were doomed from the start, and taxpayer money should not be risked on them,” said Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group. The Summer plant did not receive a loan guarantee, but the parent company of South Carolina Electric & Gas, one of the utilities building it, tried to get a federal grant worth up to $3 billion before abandoning the project. SCANA CEO Kevin Marsh said he and other executives had “very direct discussions” with the White House and Energy Department, including Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and “explained the need for support for these projects because of the national security interest.” A spokeswoman for Perry said the project’s failure has not dimmed Perry’s belief in nuclear power. “Secretary Perry remains optimistic about the future of nuclear energy in America and continues to watch this issue closely,” said spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes. The Energy Department invited the S.C. utility to apply for a loan guarantee, but “that invitation was ultimately turned down by the project’s representatives,” Hynes said. Marsh, speaking at an Aug. 1 hearing before the South Carolina Public Service Commission, said a loan “doesn’t help the situation we’re in.” The loan guarantees typically serve as long-term incentives for companies to take on major energy projects. While President Donald Trump backs nuclear energy, the administration eliminated the loan guarantee program in its proposed budget for the next fiscal year. The program was a frequent target of GOP lawmakers during the Obama administration, especially a $535 million loan to the failed solar company Solyndra. The White House supports extension of the production tax credit, saying it would “fulfill the president’s commitment to the continuation of nuclear energy as a major contributor to our nation’s energy production and security.” The current credit requires plants to be operational by 2020 – a deadline neither the South Carolina nor Georgia project will come close to meeting. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., called suspension of the South Carolina project a shame. “I can tell you, wind and solar are not going to provide the kind of power that nuclear energy provides,” he said. ___ Associated Press writer Seanna Adcox in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Matthew Daly: http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 11:40:59

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/after-failure-of-sc-nuke-plant-backers-seek-federal-aid/

Brock Lesnar tells UFC he is retired from competition

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has informed the mixed martial arts promotion that he is retired from competition. The UFC confirmed Lesnar’s decision Wednesday. The decision doesn’t affect Lesnar’s professional wrestling career, where he has spent most of the past five years. He returned from a 4 1/2-year MMA absence last July to beat Mark Hunt at UFC 200, but the result was overturned after Lesnar failed two doping tests. He was subsequently suspended from competition for a year by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which administers the UFC’s doping policy. Lesnar’s decision to retire means he has been removed from USADA’s drug-testing pool, which monitors the fighters year-round. If Lesnar decides to return to competition, he would have to serve the remaining five months of his suspension.

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-15 08:32:04

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/15/brock-lesnar-tells-ufc-he-is-retired-from-competition/

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Sanders 'sickened,' shooter possibly linked to '16 campaign

WASHINGTON (AP) — The man who shot a congressman and four other people Wednesday had apparently volunteered for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, the Vermont senator said Wednesday before assailing violence as “unacceptable in our society.” “I am sickened by this despicable act,” said Sanders, an independent. Sanders, 75, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination against Hillary Clinton. He ran a passionate, anti-establishment campaign that won support from many younger, liberal voters and gave Clinton a closer race than many expected, but he eventually backed her candidacy. The senator spoke hours after a man identified as James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois, opened fire on Republican lawmakers, aides and others practicing baseball in suburban Alexandria, Virginia. Officers shot Hodgkinson, who later died. Sanders issued a two-paragraph statement on the shooting and read it nearly verbatim on the Senate floor. He ignored a reporter’s attempt to ask him questions, walking briskly out of the Capitol after a vote. “Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society, and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms,” Sanders said. “Real change can only come about through nonviolent action, and anything else runs against our most deeply held American values.” Robert Becker, director of Sanders’ Iowa campaign, said staff workers could not recall Hodgkinson. Hodgkinson was said to have been among 1,000 volunteers around Davenport, but Becker said, “Nobody has a recollection of this guy coming in.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-14 15:03:05

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/14/sanders-sickened-shooter-possibly-linked-to-16-campaign/

Mario Batali tripped up by sexual misconduct allegations

NEW YORK (AP) — Mario Batali is giving up oversight of the daily operations at his restaurant empire following reports of sexual misconduct by the celebrity chef over a period of at least 20 years. The online site Eater New York reported Monday that the incidents involve at least four women, three whom worked for Batali. In a prepared statement sent to The Associated Press, Batali said that the complaints “match up” with his past behavior. “I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family,” Batali said. A spokesperson for Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group says an employee reported inappropriate behavior by Batali in October. The company told Eater it was the first formal complaint against Batali and that he was reprimanded and required to attend training. Batali will also take leave from his ABC cooking show, “The Chew.” “We have asked Mario Batali to step away from The Chew while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,” the network said Monday. “ABC takes matters like this very seriously as we are committed to a safe work environment. While we are unaware of any type of inappropriate behavior involving him and anyone affiliated with the show, we will swiftly address any alleged violations of our standards of conduct.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 09:58:46

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/mario-batali-tripped-up-by-sexual-misconduct-allegations/

60 migrants refused by Italy and Malta arrive in Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A rescue ship carrying 60 migrants arrived Wednesday in a Spanish port after being refused entry by Italy and Malta, the second time in a month that a humanitarian group has been forced to travel for days to unload people rescued in the central Mediterranean. The Italian government is blocking private rescue boats that it blames for encouraging human traffickers to launch unseaworthy boats loaded with migrants toward Europe. But the aid groups deny having any link to smugglers in Libya or elsewhere, and say they are being forced to leave unattended the busy migrant sea transit route where deaths are mounting while they make the long journey to Spain. The Open Arms rescue ship completed a four-day journey to Barcelona, in northeastern Spain, after it saved 60 people Saturday from a rubber boat floating in waters north of Libya. The migrants come from 14 different countries and include five women, a 9-year-old boy and four older teenagers, some of them unaccompanied. The Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms said they were generally in good health but some may have fuel burns. The group’s founder, Oscar Camps, refused to celebrate bringing the rescued migrants to port. He said he was angry about being turned away by European Union countries and having to leave behind other migrants who reportedly drowned. “We haven’t saved 60 people,” he said. “We have let 340 people die.” The migrants were going through health checks and identification procedures. Authorities granted them a 30-day permit to apply for residence or asylum in the European Union. Many have relatives in Germany, Belgium or France. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 500 people have died trying to cross from Libya since the Aquarius, another charity rescue ship, was blocked from ports in Italy and Malta in early June. Its 630 migrants were finally taken in by Spain and France. Doctors Without Borders blamed the deaths on the European Union’s inaction. “The EU is abdicating their responsibilities to save lives, blocking search and rescue and condemning people to be trapped in Libya,” the group said in a tweet Wednesday. “Any deaths caused by this are now at their hands.” In all, IOM says 1,405 people have died in the dangerous Mediterranean Sea crossing this year. The Open Arms docking in Barcelona was followed closely by the Astral, a sister boat run by the same organization where four European Parliament lawmakers witnessed the rescue operation. Lawmaker Javier Lopez of Spain said the rescue boat’s arrival was a reason “to celebrate life” but deplored the mounting death toll in the Mediterranean. Lopez said Europe should be able to manage the number of migrants arriving by sea this year— around 50,000 so far into Spain, Italy and Greece. “Aren’t we, 500 million Europeans, able to manage the arrival of 50,000 people?” he said. __ Parra reported from Madrid.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 11:20:33

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/60-migrants-refused-by-italy-and-malta-arrive-in-barcelona/

US-based climate scientists to take research to France

PARIS (AP) — It is a dream come true for U.S.-based climate scientists — the offer of all-expenses-paid life in France to advance their research in Europe instead of in the United States under climate skeptic President Donald Trump, two of the winners say. American scientist Camille Parmesan and British scientist Benjamin Sanderson are among the 18 initial winners, including 13 based in the U.S., who were named recipients of French President Emmanuel Macron’s “Make Our Planet Great Again” climate grants. Macron congratulated the winners during a brief ceremony in Paris on Monday evening, ahead of a climate summit that gathers more than 50 world leaders in the French capital Tuesday. In an interview with The Associated Press, Parmesan expressed elation at the prospect of spending the next five years doing her research in France instead of the United States. A scientist from the University of Texas at Austin, she is a leader in the field on how climate affects wildlife. She lived for a few years in the United Kingdom for family reasons and was considering returning to the U.S. until Trump’s election. “He very, very rapidly has been actively trying to erode science in the U.S.A. and in particular climate science,” she said. “And it’s hard for two reasons: Funding is becoming almost impossible, and in a psychological sense.” Parmesan answered with enthusiasm Macron’s appeal for climate researchers to come work in France, minutes after Trump’s rejection of the Paris climate accord. “It gave me such a psychological boost, it was so good to have that kind of support, to have the head of state saying I value what you do,” she said. Parmesan, who said she is looking forward to improving her French, will be working at an experimental ecology station in the Pyrenees mountains. Sanderson, who also worked in the U.S., told the AP that he found it “very reassuring” that France is “openly encouraging climate research.” He said his application was motivated by “the fact that France is making a stand on prioritizing climate change research, but also it’s increasingly hard to get research funding in the U.S.” Sanderson used to work at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, on risks and uncertainties under climate change. For the next few years, he will be living in Toulouse, in southern France, where the country’s national meteorological service is based.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 23:12:06

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/us-based-climate-scientists-to-take-research-to-france/

Trial beginning for US agent in cross-border killing of teen

PHOENIX (AP) — A rare second-degree murder trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent accused of shooting across the international boundary into Mexico and killing a teenager is set to get under way with jury selection. Lonnie Swartz is accused of killing 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez five years ago. The teenager was on the street in Nogales, in the Mexican state of Sonora, just across the border from Nogales, Arizona. An autopsy showed the unarmed teen was hit 10 times, mostly from behind. The trial starting in U.S. District Court in Tucson on Tuesday comes amid President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration and his promise to build a wall along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) U.S.-Mexico border. Jury selection was set for Tuesday, with opening statements either later that day or on Wednesday, said Cosme Lopez, spokesman for the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Lee Gelernt, a New York-based lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, said he believes Swartz will be the first border agent prosecuted by the U.S. Justice Department in a fatal shooting across the international border. Gelernt is handling a civil lawsuit for the teen’s mother, who is seeking monetary damages against Swartz. “This historically important trial is coming at a time when all eyes are on the border,” he said. Prosecutors say Swartz opened fire at about 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2012, through the metal poles of a 20-foot (6-meter) fence that sits on a 25-foot (about 7.6-meter) embankment above Mexico’s Calle Internacional, a street lined with homes and small businesses. About 20,000 people live on the Arizona side and about 300,000 live on the Mexico side, but the two communities linked by family members, trade and culture have long been referred to locally as “Ambos Nogales” — “Both Nogales” in Spanish. Swartz’s lawyers have said Elena Rodriguez threw rocks just before he was shot in an attempt to create a distraction for drug smugglers and that the officer was justified in using lethal force. They want jurors to visit the site at night to experience the area after dark. Witnesses from the Mexico side of the border said they did not see the teen throw rocks and his relatives have denied he was helping drug smugglers, saying he was walking home after playing basketball. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has said it won’t dispute that the boy was throwing rocks, but it’s unknown if he had any link to drug smugglers. They argue an unreasonable amount of force was used. Swartz pleaded not guilty after being indicted by a federal grand jury in 2015 and is currently on administrative leave and free on his own recognizance. The Border Patrol has not said if he is continuing to receive his salary. Defense attorney Sean Chapman has declined to comment while the trial is ongoing. A spokesman for the agents’ union, the National Border Patrol Council, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The case is expected to last more than a month and activists who oppose U.S. border policies say they will rally outside the courthouse. “For so long, prosecutors have been reluctant to charge Border Patrol agents with violent crimes,” said John Fife, a retired Presbyterian minister who was active in the sanctuary movement that sheltered citizens of Central American countries who came to the U.S. in the 1980s fleeing civil war. “Now we will see if they can be held accountable.”

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-20 02:05:25

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/20/trial-beginning-for-us-agent-in-cross-border-killing-of-teen/

Furor over Charlottesville follows Trump home to Manhattan

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump is back in the New York skyscraper that bears his name as the furor over his reaction to race-fueled clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend shows few signs of dying down. Protesters on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue tried to spoil Trump’s homecoming Monday night with signs bearing messages like “stop the hate, stop the lies” and chanting “shame, shame, shame” and “not my president!” After two days of public equivocation and internal White House debate, the president condemned white supremacist groups by name on Monday, declaring “racism is evil”. In his initial remarks on the violence Saturday, Trump did not single out the groups and instead bemoaned violence on “many sides.” Those remarks prompted stern criticism from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-15 02:56:02

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/15/furor-over-charlottesville-follows-trump-home-to-manhattan/

Rumor the German shepherd wins best in show at Westminster

NEW YORK (AP) — Rumor the German shepherd has become America’s top dog. Cheered loudly all around the ring by a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden, Rumor was picked as best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club on Tuesday night. Rumor became just the second German shepherd to win the nation’s most prestigious pooch parade, joining the fittingly named Manhattan in 1987. Rumor retired after a near-miss at Westminster last year, but she returned a month ago to give it another try. The 5-year-old Rumor is named for the Adele hit song “Rumor Has It.” This was the 104th career win for Rumor, and handler and co-owner Kent Boyles said earlier in the day that this would definitely, for real, be her last major show. There were nearly 2,800 dogs entered in the 141st Westminster canine competition, spread across the 202 eligible breeds and varieties. Rumor beat out a Norwegian elkhound, a Pekingese, a miniature poodle, an Irish setter, a boxer and a Norwich terrier in the final ring.

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-14 22:48:59

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/14/rumor-the-german-shepherd-wins-best-in-show-at-westminster/

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EU set to approve trade deal with Canada

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s parliament is set to approve a landmark trade deal with Canada, with the bloc’s executive extolling the pact as a sign of international cooperation at a time when many political forces, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, are trying to halt globalization. Hundreds of protesters were outside the EU parliament building in Strasbourg, France, arguing Tuesday that instead of growth and jobs, such a deal will erode the bloc’s environmental, labor and consumer standards. EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom tried to assuage concerns that the deal uniting the markets of 500 million Europeans with 35 million Canadians would cut into the independence of EU decision-making. She said it “will not change food safety standards or any other EU requirements, only the EU institutions can do that.” The vote for a major trade agreement comes at a time when populist parties in Europe and Trump in the U.S. have been looking increasingly inwards, thwarting a trade deal with Pacific countries and floating the idea of tariffs on imports. “With President Trump in the White House we see a clear change in U.S. policy,” said liberal ALDE legislator Marietje Schaake. “Leadership for open economies and societies must come from us in Europe.” “We cannot imagine a better partner than Canada, the most European country outside the union,” she said. Three of the four major groups in parliament are backing the deal — the EPP Christian Democrats, the ECR Conservatives and the ALDE liberals. Confident the deal would pass, Canadian International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne was already in Strasbourg and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to address the legislature on Thursday. Trade between the EU and Canada amounts to more than 60 billion euros ($63 billion) a year, and the EU expects the so-called CETA deal to boost this by 20 percent by removing almost all tariffs. Outside the legislature, the concerns were palpable among demonstrators. “What will happen is more and more deregulation, less social protection for citizens, for small companies, for independent workers,” said Maika Fernandes, who had traveled from Alicante, southern Spain. “No one will be able to compete with the multinationals. It will be a financial Europe that will favor only big multinationals.” ___ AP video journalist Oleg Cetinic contributed from Strasbourg, France.

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-15 04:39:55

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/15/eu-set-to-approve-trade-deal-with-canada/

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India asks WhatsApp to prevent misuse after mob killings

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s government says it has asked WhatsApp to take “immediate action” to prevent the social media platform from being misused to spread rumors and irresponsible statements like those blamed for recent deadly mob attacks in the country. At least 20 people have been killed in mostly rural villages in several Indian states by attacking mobs that had been inflamed by social media. Victims were accused in the viral messages of belonging to gangs trying to abduct children. The brutal attacks, which began in early May, have also left dozens of people injured. Although Indian authorities have clarified that there was no truth to the rumors and the targeted people were innocent, the deadly and brutal attacks, often captured on cellphones and shared on social media, have spread across the country. India’s ministry of electronics and information technology said in a statement late Tuesday that the lynchings were tied to “irresponsible and explosive messages” circulated on WhatsApp. It wasn’t specific on the preventative measures it expected to be taken by WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook. “While the law and order machinery is taking steps to apprehend the culprits, the abuse of platforms like WhatsApp for repeated circulation of such provocative content are equally a matter of deep concern,” the ministry said. The ministry said WhatsApp “cannot evade accountability and responsibility.” “The government has also conveyed in no uncertain terms that WhatsApp must take immediate action to end this menace and ensure that their platform is not used for such malafide activities,” the statement said. “Deep disapproval of such developments has been conveyed to the senior management of the WhatsApp and they have been advised that necessary remedial measures should be taken to prevent proliferation of these fake and at times motivated/sensational messages.” WhatsApp said in a blog post that it would institute awards for research on “spread of misinformation” on its platform. “We will seriously consider proposals from any social science and technological perspective that propose projects that enrich our understanding of the problem of misinformation on WhatsApp,” the post said. The Indian Express, an English-language daily newspaper, quoted a WhatsApp spokesman as saying, “The situation is a public health problem which will require solutions from outside the company as well, including the government.” The official said that the “responsibility is beyond any one technology company” and “requires partners,” according to the paper. “I think it’s up to the Indian government to decide what is the right mechanism to address the spate of killing that is occurring. It is going to have to be a collaboration,” the official said.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 03:42:52

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/india-asks-whatsapp-to-prevent-misuse-after-mob-killings/

The sad duty now his, Trump calls for unity after shooting

NEW YORK (AP) — It was a sadly familiar ritual: an American president addressing the nation at an unsettling time, decrying violence while urging citizens to set aside their differences and pray for the recovery of victims. But this time, it was President Donald Trump who was called upon to speak words of comfort in such a troubled moment, one fraught with the overtones of gun politics and the heated rhetoric of a nation sharply divided along party lines. Trump’s measured response to Wednesday’s shooting at a congressional baseball practice stood in stark contrast to his inflammatory reactions to some previous acts of violence. He delivered a brief address from the White House Diplomatic Room in which he denounced the shooting of a top House Republican and others as a “very, very brutal assault.” He said that “many lives would have been lost without the heroic action” of Capitol Police officers who took down the gunman. “We may have our differences, but we do well in times like these to remember that everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country,” Trump said. “We can all agree that we are blessed to be Americans, that our children deserve to grow up in a nation of safety and peace and that we are strongest when we are unified and when we work together for the common good.” Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana was shot in the early morning fusillade of gunfire, and several other people, including members of Scalise’s security detail, also were wounded. The gunman was killed. On Wednesday evening, the president and first lady Melania Trump visited MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where Scalise remains in critical condition. “The president entered the room, spoke with Scalise’s family members and sat by his bedside with Mrs. Trump,” Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, describing the scene in the intensive care unit as emotional. Scalise and his wife, Jennifer, have two children. The president was briefed by Scalise’s medical team and also visited with Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner, who was shot in the ankle during the attack. Back at the White House, Trump tweeted: “Rep. Steve Scalise, one of the truly great people, is in very tough shape – but he is a real fighter. Pray for Steve!” He wrapped up the long day by celebrating his 71st birthday by having dinner with his family at the White House. Trump was informed of the shooting minutes after it occurred. The White House press office quickly put out a brief statement noting that Trump was “deeply saddened by the tragedy,” and the president followed up with a tweet: “Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.” Wanting to present the president as a steadying hand and avoid any distractions after the shooting, the White House then quickly canceled a presidential event on apprenticeships at the Labor Department and scuttled any plans for a briefing. Instead, aides drafted the short, somber remarks Trump delivered from the Diplomatic Room. The president praised Scalise as “a very good friend” and “a patriot,” telling the legislator he had “not just the prayers of the entire city behind you, but the entire nation and frankly the entire world.” He praised Capitol Police officers and first responders who mobilized at the softball field where the Republican baseball team was practicing ahead of Thursday night’s charity game against the Democrats. “Their sacrifice makes democracy possible,” he said. Trump also broke the news that the shooter, 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson of Illinois, had died. Hodgkinson had a history of lashing out at Republicans and apparently had volunteered for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign. Several prominent Republicans, including the president’s eldest son, were quick to link the gunfire to anti-Trump rhetoric from the left. But in the hours after the shooting, the president, whose pugnacious style has come to define this era of bruising partisanship, avoided any mention of the political debate surrounding the shooting. Trump showed little of that restraint when reacting to acts of violence during his campaign. He drew sharp criticism a year ago when he tweeted “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism” in the wake of the shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 49 people dead. He also was accused of inciting violence when he warned that the “Second Amendment people” among his supporters might find a way to stop his opponent, Hillary Clinton, from rolling back gun rights. Earlier this month he used Twitter to denounce the mayor of London in the wake of a terror attack that left seven dead there. Trump’s brief speech at the White House was reminiscent of the more than a dozen times that his predecessor had to address the nation after a mass shooting. Some of the most indelible images of Barack Obama’s presidency followed an act of violence, including the tears in his eyes while mourning the 26 people, including children, killed in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 and his rendition of “Amazing Grace” while delivering a eulogy after nine churchgoers were killed in Charlestown, South Carolina, three years later. While Obama’s statements of mourning were frequently paired with a plea for stricter gun control laws, Trump did not mention firearms regulations. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report. __ Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-15 00:15:10

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/15/trump-to-make-statement-from-white-house-on-scalise-shooting/

Russia makes new request to Greece for cybercrime suspect

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Russian authorities have sent a new extradition request to Greece for a Russian cybercrime suspect also sought on criminal charges by the U.S. and France. Alexander Vinnik, 38, a former bitcoin platform operator, was informed of the new Russian request by Thessaloniki court officials Wednesday, and is not contesting it. Russia initially sought Vinnik on lesser fraud charges. The new request raises the amount allegedly involved to 750 million rubles ($12 million). Greece’s supreme court has already approved Vinnik’s extradition to the United States for allegedly laundering billions of dollars using the virtual currency. Vinnik had fought that decision. Another court ruled for his extradition to Russia based on the first request. France wants him on charges including cybercrime and money laundering. Greece’s justice minister will rule on the requests.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 09:21:13

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/russia-makes-new-request-to-greece-for-cybercrime-suspect/

Munich officials want train station to have air taxi parking

BERLIN (AP) — A group of city counselors in Munich say they want the southern German city’s main train station to have a landing pad for flying taxis. Five city council members from the Christian Social Union party submitted a motion Wednesday calling on rail company Deutsche Bahn to consider the space needed for flying taxis in its plans for a future redesign of the station. In their motion, they write that “it is to be expected that within a few years technology will have advanced so far that flying taxis can be used to transport people.” The party, which has a majority across Bavaria but is in opposition in the state capital’s assembly, has recently been championing the idea of flying taxis as a future means of travel.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 13:51:24

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/munich-officials-want-train-station-to-have-air-taxi-parking/

Renewable energy push in sunny Arizona draws political fight

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s largest utility is fiercely opposing a push to mandate increased use of renewable energy in the sun-drenched state, setting up a political fight over a measure funded by a California billionaire. Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona aims to ask voters whether they want the state Constitution to require half of Arizona’s electricity come from renewable sources like wind and solar by 2030. The group plans to file more than 225,000 signatures Thursday get the question on the November ballot. Billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer is financing the initiative through his NextGen Climate Action group, which supported similar efforts in Nevada and Michigan. But only the Arizona measure spawned a political battle, with the Republican-controlled Legislature passing a rule to help insulate utilities and the parent company of the state’s largest electricity provider bankrolling opposition messaging. Steyer, known for climate advocacy as well as his push to impeach President Donald Trump, says he’s backing the proposal because of the benefits it will bring to Arizona. “It actually will lead to lower costs and save a lot of money for consumers,” Steyer said. “It leads to clean air and a lot better health outcomes for Arizonans, and it should create literally tens of thousands of jobs in the state of Arizona. So it’s hard to understand why these people are fighting it.” Supporters of the initiative say Arizona hasn’t taken advantage of its role as the sunniest state in the nation to develop more solar energy, saying it derives just 6 percent of its energy from solar. Arizona Public Service Co. says the proposed constitutional amendment will cause customers’ utility rates to skyrocket and harm reliability. Its parent company, Pinnacle West Capital Corp., funneled $1.18 million to Arizonans for Affordable Energy to oppose the initiative in the first three months of the year. Multiple chambers of commerce, Tucson Electric Power and Chicanos Por La Causa also oppose it. “Everyone supports renewable energy,” said Matthew Benson, spokesman for the utility-funded opposition initiative. “The question is whether we are going to have an Arizona plan that is created and implemented by Arizona leaders and officials, or whether we’re going to have a plan crammed down our throats by a political activist from California.” Campaign finance records show Steyer’s group gave $750,000 in cash and more than $200,000 in goods and services to the renewable energy campaign. Opponents have used the #StopSteyer hashtag in the run-up to Thursday’s deadline for petition signatures. Legislative Republicans also cast him as an “out-of-state billionaire” when they passed a law that limits the cost of not complying with renewable energy mandates. Steyer disagrees that he’s dictating policy. The National Resources Defense Council, Mi Familia Vota, and various in-state health and climate groups have endorsed the initiative as a way to bring more renewable energy to Arizona. “When concentrated corporate interests put themselves and their bottom line ahead of the people, I don’t like that,” Steyer said. “And that’s what I suspect is happening here. And I think the people of Arizona should be asked what they think, and that’s what we’re trying to enable.” Arizona is one of three states where the billionaire’s NextGen Climate Action group pushed ballot initiatives for higher renewable energy standards. Nevada’s measure hasn’t drawn the same uproar, and the effort in Michigan ended after two utilities decided to increase investments in renewable energy. Benson says Arizona is different partly because of the numbers — the Michigan initiative had a 30 percent renewable mandate compared with 50 percent in Arizona. The Arizona Corporation Commission already requires electric utilities to generate 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2025. APS also warned that the initiative’s higher renewable standard would force its nuclear power plant to close. Nuclear wouldn’t count toward the 50 percent mandate, and APS says its Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station is the largest electricity producer in the U.S. Jeff Burke, APS director of resources planning, says customers would see 6 to 14 percent increases on their bills if the company is forced to ratchet up renewable use ahead of schedule. “We continue to add renewables to our system, but they have to make sense,” Burke said. “It’s not really about a target, it’s about what makes sense for our customers’ usage and what makes rates affordable and what keeps our system reliable.” Thirty-two states with renewable standards didn’t have, on average, a correlated rate increase, according to Wesley Hersche, an associate director of research with Arizona State University’s Global Security Initiative. “These issues involve a complex interaction of factors, and we should be careful not to oversimplify things,” Hersche wrote in April. “But renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, and battery storage have become so cheap recently that this finding is not all that surprising.”

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 12:40:16

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/renewable-energy-push-in-sunny-arizona-draws-political-fight/

Who's on deck for baseball's next big deal? Red Sox, Cubs?

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — No matter how much their fans imagined Giancarlo Stanton bashing balls over the Green Monster, the Boston Red Sox never came close to getting the NL MVP. But does anyone really expect the Red Sox or the Cubs and other top contenders to stand still after seeing the slugger join the dreaded New York Yankees? “We’re looking for a middle of the order bat,” Dave Dombrowski, Boston’s president of baseball operations, said Monday at the winter meetings. “That hasn’t changed. First base or DH.” A couple of big hitters just happen to be available, too. J.D. Martinez, who launched four home runs in a game for Arizona last season, is a free agent. So is Eric Hosmer, coming off a career year in Kansas City. Who knows, maybe the Cubs think bopper Kyle Schwarber might fit better somewhere else. Chicago already seems to have a target at this swap-and-sign gathering: pitcher Alex Cobb, who could possibly take Jake Arrieta’s spot in the rotation for the NL Central champs. Remember, Dombrowski pulled off a lightning strike at these meetings last year, getting ace Chris Sale from the White Sox. And certainly the Red Sox could use power — they won the AL East despite hitting a major league-low 168 homers. Stanton thumped 59 homers for Miami. With a no-trade clause in his contract, he gave the Marlins a list of teams where he’d be willing to go — Yankees, Astros, Dodgers and Cubs, the clubs that reached the AL and NL Championship Series. “They’re winners. They’re young and they’re in a good position to win for a long time, and I lost for a long time,” the 28-year-old outfielder said. “So I want to change that dynamic and be a winner.” Dombrowski said the Red Sox weren’t in the Marlins mix, with Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi in the lineup. “I think their basic conversations with us, they looked at our outfield and thought they really probably weren’t a fit for our ballclub,” Dombrowski said. The last-place Phillies got busy, reacquiring reliever Pat Neshek. A person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press that Neshek will get a $16.5 million, two-year contact pending a successful physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement on the agreement. The 37-year-old Neshek was an All-Star last year in his first season in Philadelphia. The Phillies traded the side-slinging righty to playoff-contending Colorado in late July for three prospects. Texas reached a $4 million, two-year deal with right-handed reliever Chris Martin, a person with knowledge of the contract told the AP. Martin spent the last two seasons in Japan after stints with the Yankees and Colorado. Also, the Oakland Athletics traded infielder Joey Wendle to Tampa Bay for a player to be named or cash. ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 19:23:24

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/whos-on-deck-for-baseballs-next-big-deal-red-sox-cubs/

Court oversight of Chicago police reforms sought in lawsuit

CHICAGO (AP) — Several leading community groups, including a local Black Lives Matter organization, filed a class-action lawsuit against Chicago on Wednesday in a bid to bypass or even scuttle a draft agreement between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice that seeks to reform the nation’s second largest police force without federal court oversight. The 132-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago argues that an overhaul of Chicago’s 12,000-officer force in the wake of a damning civil rights report in January can’t work without the intense scrutiny of a court-appointed monitor answerable to a judge. “Absent federal court supervision, nothing will improve,” the lawsuit says. The civil litigation is also a signal that longtime advocates of far-reaching police reforms don’t trust President Donald Trump’s administration. While Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has expressed skepticism about court involvement, President Barack Obama’s administration saw it as vital to successful reforms. Obama’s Justice Department typically took a city reform plan to a judge to make it legally binding in the form of a consent decree. The lawsuit filed on behalf of seven groups and six individuals asks for a court to intervene to end what the plaintiffs describe as “abusive policies and practices undergirding the alleged constitutional and state law violations.” Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration said earlier this month that a draft deal negotiated by the city and the Justice Department — one that foresees a monitor not selected by a court — is being reviewed in Washington. Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor and one of the more than a dozen plaintiff attorneys involved in the legal action, said reports about the draft agreement — which he called “a backroom deal without any teeth” — influenced the decision to sue now. “This is the community stepping up when the government refuses to act and when it has long been clear that the city is incapable of acting on its own,” he said. Emanuel’s chief city lawyer, Edward Siskel, said Chicago officials would have preferred court oversight but were left little choice because the Trump administration didn’t favor it. “We wish the Department of Justice would have followed through with their commitment to a consent decree — but we are not there,” he told reporters Wednesday. He contended that reforms outside of court supervision had “a proven track record of success.” Futterman said the city does have a choice now that the lawsuit is filed: Emanuel could give up on the Justice Department altogether and decide to hammer out a court-enforced reform plan with the groups that are suing. Even if the city sticks with the Justice Department, the judge presiding over the new lawsuit could side with the community groups and mandate reforms via a court order. “This is a real test for the mayor as to whether he is truly committed to police reform in Chicago,” Futterman said. Before Trump’s inauguration in January, the Justice Department issued a scathing 161-page report that found deep-rooted civil rights violations by Chicago police, including racial bias, excessive use of force and a “pervasive cover-up culture” among officers. Emanuel committed to a consent decree in a joint statement with Justice Department officials at the time. The Justice Department launched its civil rights investigation in 2015 after the release of police dashboard camera video showing a white officer shooting a black teenager, Laquan McDonald, 16 times. The video of McDonald’s 2014 death prompted protests and demands for sweeping reforms. The officer who shot the 17-year-old was charged with first-degree murder and is awaiting trial. Since then, Emanuel has said repeatedly that Chicago will push ahead with reforms, no matter what. His administration has established a new police oversight agency and adopted other practices to hold officers accountable. Addressing reporters Wednesday, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson also cited the decision to fit all patrol officers with body cameras. “I’m not a lawyer, so I won’t speak about the litigation,” he said. “I’m just a cop trying to make this police department better.” Using lawsuits to prompt overhauls of police departments is rare. A lawsuit filed by community groups in Cincinnati in 2001 did play a central role in kick-starting police reforms that eventually were overseen by a federal court. Chicago officials point to Washington, D.C., as a city that enacted successful police reforms without a judge. But another plaintiff attorney in the Chicago case, Sheila Bedi, said successful reforms without court scrutiny are “very, very rare.” Only judges, free of political pressure, can rule that police aren’t complying with agreed-to reforms and force them to do so, Bedi said. The Chicago Police Department is the largest in the U.S. to be investigated by the Justice Department court-enforced reforms could end up costing the city more than a deal cut with Trump’s administration. But Andrew Stroth, another plaintiff attorney, said a police force with deeply engrained problems that aren’t fixed will see more unjustified shootings and more lawsuits that cost city taxpayers. According to the lawsuit, more than 1,600 people have been shot by Chicago police since 1996, more than 90 percent of them black. And lawsuits that alleged police abuses have cost Chicago more than $640 million on settlements. “Chicago will save money and save lives by having federal judicial oversight,” Stroth said. ___ Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mtarm

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-14 18:26:29

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/14/groups-sue-seeking-court-oversight-of-chicago-police-reforms/

Waffle House suspect: Erratic behavior years before shooting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Those who know the suspect in Tennessee’s Waffle House shooting say Travis Reinking began displaying erratic behavior years before police say he showed up nearly naked at the Nashville restaurant and killed four people with an assault-style rifle. Friends and relatives have told authorities that the onetime construction crane operator was excellent at his work but that he suffered from delusions, sometimes talking about plans to marry singer Taylor Swift. He was arrested outside the White House last year after asking to speak to President Donald Trump, and his bizarre actions seemed to intensify in recent days. Reinking is charged in Tennessee with four counts of criminal homicide after Sunday’s attack. He’s been jailed without bond.

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 22:10:50

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/waffle-house-suspect-erratic-behavior-years-before-shooting/

Ohio man charged in 2 killings is charged in 3 more slayings

NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio (AP) — Ohio authorities say a suspect in the slayings of five people in two cities has now been charged in all five deaths. Police in the Cleveland suburb of North Royalton say 45-year-old George Brinkman Jr. was charged Wednesday with aggravated murder, kidnapping and tampering with evidence in the deaths of a mother and her two college-age daughters. The bodies of 45-year-old Suzanne Taylor, 21-year-old Taylor Pifer and 18-year-old Kylie Pifer were found Sunday in their home. Police haven’t said how they died. Brinkman was charged Tuesday with murder in the slayings of his employers, 71-year-old Rogell Eugene John and 64-year-old Roberta Ray John. The couple’s bodies were found Monday in their North Canton home. Authorities say they apparently were shot. Court records don’t list an attorney for Brinkman.

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-14 18:15:33

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/14/cops-suspect-in-3-deaths-may-be-involved-in-2-more-killings/

The Latest: Spokesman: George HW Bush responding, recovering

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the health of former President George H.W. Bush (all times local): 12:10 p.m. A family spokesman says former President George H.W. Bush is still “responding and recovering” as doctors treat him for an infection that’s spread to his blood. Bush has been hospitalized since Sunday, a day after attending the funeral of his wife, Barbara. Family spokesman Jim McGrath issued the update Tuesday. He says previous updates also still stand, in that the 93-year-old former president is responding to treatments and appears to be recovering. Bush has a form of Parkinson’s disease along with a history of pneumonia and other infections. He’s being treated at Houston Methodist Hospital. ___ 3 a.m. A spokesman says former President George H.W. Bush is eager to get well so he can get to his summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. Jim McGrath says the 93-year-old Bush is “the most goal-oriented person on this planet.” Bush has been hospitalized in Houston with an infection, just after attending the funeral of his wife, Barbara. McGrath said Monday that Bush is “responding to treatments and appears to be recovering.” McGrath says he was admitted Sunday morning to Houston Methodist Hospital after an infection spread to his blood. He wouldn’t elaborate on the 41st president’s condition Monday night, saying updates will be issued “as events warrant.” Bush uses a wheelchair and an electric scooter for mobility after developing a form of Parkinson’s disease. Barbara Bush was laid to rest Saturday.

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 12:09:22

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/the-latest-spokesman-george-hw-bush-responding-recovering/

Medicare will require hospitals to post prices online

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare says it plans to require hospitals to post their standard prices online and to make electronic medical records more readily available to patients. The head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Seema Verma, said Tuesday the initiative reflects the Trump administration’s effort to encourage patients to become decision makers in their care. Hospitals are required to disclose prices publicly, but the latest change would put that information online in machine-readable format that can be easily processed by computers. Likewise, many health care providers already make computerized records available to patients, but starting in 2021 Medicare would base part of a hospital’s payments on how well they do. Verma also announced Medicare is starting a comprehensive review of how it will pay for costly new forms of immunotherapy.

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 17:07:20

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/medicare-will-require-hospitals-to-post-prices-online/

Giuliani says he's counseled Trump against firing Sessions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rudy Giuliani says he has repeatedly counseled President Donald Trump against firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions despite the president’s ongoing anger over Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe. Giuliani tells The Associated Press that Trump has asked him multiple times — before and since the former New York City mayor joined the president’s legal team last month — about whether Sessions should have been fired. He says he doesn’t think the president should do it, and says he’s told him so. The former mayor adds that he does not believe Trump will fire Sessions.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 17:06:06

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/giuliani-says-hes-counseled-trump-against-firing-sessions/

Texas A&M abruptly cancels planned white nationalist rally

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M University late Monday abruptly canceled a planned white supremacist rally on its campus next month, amid bipartisan pressure from state lawmakers who said hatred should be rejected in all forms — despite First Amendment protections. An announcement on the House floor by Republican Rep. John Raney said A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp had opted to scuttle the event set for Sept. 11 because of concerns police would be stretched thin providing security. The A&M System confirmed the cancellation and was working on a statement. A former A&M student named Preston Wiginton had been organizing a “white lives matter” rally in College Station, Texas, saying he was inspired by Saturday’s “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, when a vehicle plowed into a group of counterprotesters, killing at least one and injuring 19. Wiginton said he’d invited prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer to address the Texas rally. Spencer spoke at an A&M event in December, when he was met by hundreds of protesters, many of whom gathered at Kyle Field football stadium to hear music and speeches highlighting diversity and unity to counter Spencer’s appearance. Word of the cancellation came hours after Dallas Democratic Rep. Helen Giddings gave a House floor speech while nearly all of the chamber’s 150 members stood beside her. She urged university administrators to “unequivocally denounce and fight against this violent group” adding “all of us in the state of Texas want to say with one voice, Texas will not stand for hate.” Rep. Paul Workman, an Austin Republican, added that a petition being circulated for A&M graduates in the House was attempting to “keep this from happening on our campus.” The chammber then held a moment of silence for victims killed and injured in Charlottesville. Similar sentiments came from the Texas Senate, which also held its own moment of silence. Sen. Charles Schwertner, a Republican whose district includes College Station, has said he had planned to attend a counter protest of the A&M rally. Although the group may be allowed to meet on campus, Schwertner said, “The First Amendment also allows us to respond in kind, to stand up and say what we believe as a society, as Americans and as Texans. We should not stand for bigotry, for violence, for racism.” Sen. Royce West, a Dallas Democrat who is black, said he’ll also go to the Texas A&M campus on Sept. 11. “We will do everything in our power to make sure those days gone by will not be repeated. I’m confident they won’t be,” he said, recalling the Jim Crow-era of segregation and discrimination. “We will stand strong against those hate groups, neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan.” West added: “My 17-year-old grandson asked me yesterday, ‘Should my generation be more like Martin Luther King or Malcom X? I had to pause and listen to the hurt in his voice and doubt in his ability to pursue the American dream. I didn’t answer the question … That’s where we are in America today.'” __ Eds: Associated Press writers Jim Vertuno and Paul J. Weber in Austin and David Warren in Dallas contributed to this report.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 17:36:00

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/texas-am-abruptly-cancels-planned-white-nationalist-rally/

Lawyer who alleged 'plot' to frame Trump joins legal team

WASHINGTON (AP) — A lawyer who has suggested that FBI officials were part of a “brazen plot” to exonerate Hillary Clinton and frame Donald Trump has been added to the president’s legal team. Joseph diGenova, a former United States attorney in the District of Columbia and a frequent television commentator, will join the team at a sensitive moment as Trump’s lawyers weigh whether to make the president available for an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller and under what terms. He will work alongside attorneys John Dowd and Jay Sekulow, who said in a statement Monday that he was confident that diGenova will “be a great asset in our representation of the president.” Mueller is investigating potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign and possible obstruction of justice by the president. DiGenova, who will start later this week, declined to comment to The Associated Press on Monday. Though the White House and Trump legal team has spoken publicly of its cooperative relationship with Mueller’s office, that rapport appeared frayed over the weekend when Dowd said that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein — who appointed Mueller and oversees his team of prosecutors — should “bring an end” to the investigation. Dowd said he was speaking for just himself, but his emailed statement appeared to reflect the frustration of the president, who lashed out at the investigation in a series of weekend tweets, including one in which he mentioned Mueller by name. As Mueller seeks an interview with the president, the addition of diGenova could signal a more combative stance, if past comments are any indication. In a January interview on Fox News, for instance, he said that anti-Trump text messages exchanged between two FBI officials who were once on Mueller’s team reflect a “brazen plot to illegally exonerate Hillary Clinton, and if she didn’t win the election, to then frame Donald Trump with a falsely created crime. “Everything that we have seen from these texts, and from all of the facts developing, shows that the FBI and senior (Justice Department) officials conspired to violate the law and to deny Donald Trump his civil rights,” he added. The addition of diGenova was first reported by The New York Times. ___ Associated Press writer Chad Day contributed to this report.

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-19 16:07:57

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/19/lawyer-who-alleged-plot-to-frame-trump-joins-legal-team/

Game on: Tragedy won't stop annual baseball game

WASHINGTON (AP) — The game will go on. The annual Congressional Baseball Game, which dates to 1909 and is a summertime tradition on Capitol Hill, will be played Thursday despite Wednesday’s shooting at the GOP squad’s practice in Alexandria, Virginia. It’s an annual tradition in which aging former Little Leaguers don their spikes and dust off their gloves in a game played for bragging rights and to benefit several charities. It’s also a somewhat rare example of bipartisanship in an increasingly polarized Washington. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., assured lawmakers assembled at a members’ briefing that the game will be played as scheduled, prompting a standing ovation. “It will be ‘Play Ball!’ tomorrow night at 7:05,” said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, the longtime manager of the GOP squad. Once a relatively cozy affair, played at a minor league ballpark in Maryland, the game has gone big time in recent years and has been played at Nationals Park, just a few blocks from the Capitol. “We do it for really three reasons. We do it for fellowship amongst ourselves. We do it for charity,” Barton said. “We raise a lot of money for three charities. And we do it because we like to play baseball and try to recapture a little bit of our youth. It’s a positive thing. Of all the things Congress does, this is one of the most benign, positive activities.” Members of Congress practice for months for the event, and typically don the jerseys of a team from back home. The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call sponsors the game and awards a trophy once a side wins three of five games. “It’s a good way raise money for charity and for members to get to know each other,” said Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., whose election in 2010 upended the competitive balance of the annual event. Richmond played baseball in college and kicked off his congressional career with a one-hitter in 2011 and has been the game’s dominant player pretty much since then. Last year, however, Democrats lost the game 8-7, ending a seven-game winning streak that mostly coincided with Richmond joining the Democratic side. “I was fresh off of surgery, but they made more plays than we made last year,” Richmond told reporters. “This was a year we wanted to get even.” Congressional leaders typically attend the event and former President Barack Obama — famous for shunning opportunities to rub shoulders with lawmakers — even went two years ago, watching from the Democratic dugout. Obama’s appearance came as he was struggling to win Democratic votes for an unpopular trade-related measure. President Donald Trump will not be attending Thursday’s game, however, due to security concerns. “While the president would like to attend the game and show his support for all of these brave public servants, he has been advised that there is not enough time to follow Secret Service protocols,” Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday. To lawmakers, the annual game is one of the better opportunities for lawmakers to get to know each other outside of their partisan roles. “The things that used to bring members together, whether it’s travel – that’s frowned upon. If you belong to the gym, they think ‘well, that’s a perk you shouldn’t have,'” said Rep. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania, the manager of the Democratic team. “All the chances to interact with each other outside our suits, and outside floor debate, are few and far between.” ___ Online: https://www.congressionalbaseball.org/

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-15 02:56:28

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/15/game-on-tragedy-wont-stop-annual-baseball-game-2/

Helicopter pilot beaten during French criminal's escape

PARIS (AP) — The helicopter pilot who was taken hostage in the escape of one of France’s most notorious criminals said the convict’s accomplices beat and threatened him during his kidnapping. Stephane Buy told RTL radio on Wednesday that two men at a flying club near Paris on Sunday “forced me (to take off) and warned me my family was in danger.” First, they made him touch down in a field so others on the breakout team could get onboard. At that point, the engine of the helicopter from the 1960s didn’t restart. Buy said the men hit him on the head and he briefly fell unconscious. After several attempts, the engine restarted and they headed to Reau Prison to hustle Redoine Faid to freedom. Buy was later released north of Paris.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 03:40:17

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/helicopter-pilot-beaten-during-french-criminals-escape/

Escaped boa constrictor found in owner's upstate NY home

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (AP) — A 6-foot-long boa constrictor reported loose in Binghamton, New York, has been found — beneath the owner’s kitchen sink. A Facebook post by the Broome County Humane Society on behalf of the owner said the pet snake escaped its enclosure earlier this week and was last seen near the high school. The county office of emergency services issued a statement Tuesday saying people should “exercise caution and keep small children and small animals away” if they came across the snake. But on Wednesday morning, the reptile’s owner told local media that Bella the boa had apparently never left his apartment building and was found safe in his kitchen. Red-tailed boa constrictors eat small mammals, killing their prey by squeezing them to death. They’re typically docile as pets.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 11:06:26

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/escaped-boa-constrictor-found-in-owners-upstate-ny-home/

The Latest: Sanders says Trump already addressed allegations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on sexual misconduct allegations against President Donald Trump (all times local): 2:55 p.m. The White House is pushing back on sexual misconduct allegations against President Donald Trump, saying he has already denied them. Three women who previously accused Trump of sexual harassment shared their stories Monday on NBC’s “Megyn Kelly Today.” They’re calling for a congressional investigation. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump “has addressed these accusations directly and denied all of these allegations.” She says the people decided in November to elect him regardless. Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks are among the women who have alleged harassment by Trump. The White House has called the claims false and “totally disputed in most cases.” The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has said the women should be heard. ___ 10:30 a.m. Three women who have previously accused President Donald Trump of sexual harassment are sharing their stories on NBC’s “Megyn Kelly Today.” Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks on Monday told of alleged harassment by Trump spanning decades. The White House called the claims false and “totally disputed in most cases.” It said “the timing and absurdity of these false claims speak volumes.” One of the accusers, Rachel Crooks, called the White House statement “laughable.” Crooks says of sexual misconduct: “I think politicians seem to be immune to this.” The women, who first shared their stories before the November 2016 election, were holding a press conference later Monday to call for a congressional investigation into Trump’s alleged behavior.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 19:55:42

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/the-latest-sanders-says-trump-already-addressed-allegations/

Masseuse accuses Marvel's Stan Lee of fondling himself

CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago masseuse is suing Marvel Comic’s Stan Lee, accusing him of inappropriate behavior during two massages in 2017. Maria Carballo filed the lawsuit Monday seeking more than $50,000 in punitive damages and attorney fees from the 95-year-old comic book writer. The Chicago Tribune reports that Lee’s attorney, Jonathan Freund, called the lawsuit “a shakedown” and says Lee denies the allegations. Carballo also filed a complaint with Chicago police, who are investigating. According to the complaint, Lee fondled himself during the first massage and moaned so much during the second that Carballo stopped the treatment. Lee stood up and angrily demanded Carballo keep massaging him. The complaint also says Carballo was massaging Lee with her feet when he grabbed her foot and touched it to his genitals. ___ Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 10:16:16

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/masseuse-accuses-marvels-stan-lee-of-fondling-himself/

Rockets blast LeBron, disconnected Cavs 120-88

CLEVELAND (AP) — Chris Paul had 22 points and 11 assists, Ryan Anderson added 21 points and the Houston Rockets became the latest team to thump Cleveland on national TV, beating the disconnected Cavaliers 120-88 on Saturday night. James Harden only scored 16 — 15 below his league-leading average — but Houston rolled to its fourth straight win and improved to 11-2 since Jan. 8. Meanwhile, the Cavs’ downward spiral accelerated. Since losing at Golden State on Christmas, LeBron James and his teammates are 0-8 in network broadcasts and have been embarrassed in several matchups against quality teams. They lost by 28 at Minnesota, 34 in Toronto, 24 at home to Oklahoma City and 32 to the Rockets, who toyed with the defending Eastern Conference champs. James finished with just 11 points and didn’t play in the fourth quarter as the Rockets were too far ahead. Isaiah Thomas scored 12 for Cleveland. The Cavs played their second game without injured All-Star forward Kevin Love, who could be out two months with a broken left hand suffered earlier this week. Love’s injury hurts, obviously, but there are far bigger issues with a Cleveland team that has lost 12 of 18 and appears to be tearing apart at the seams. With the Rockets up 35 in the third quarter, the Cavs didn’t even bother to huddle during a timeout. Thomas and J.R. Smith sat at the middle of the scorer’s table while James and other players wandered near the bench area as coach Tyronn Lue and his staff tried to figure what to do next. The Cavs actually did a decent job on Harden, who recorded the first 60-point triple-double earlier in the week against Orlando. Harden went just 5 of 14 from the field. Down 26 at halftime, James and the Cavs walked off the floor hearing boos from Cleveland fans who have grown tired of their lack of defense, chemistry and commitment. With the trade deadline on Thursday, Cleveland might need to make a major move to have any chance of getting back to its fourth straight Finals. This group isn’t getting it done. Lue said it would be a “team challenge” to slow down Harden. “‘You have to show him different looks,” Lue said before the game. “I just don’t think you can let a great player get comfortable showing him the same kind of defensive schemes. You’ve got to mix it up to keep him off balance, just try to make him make field goals and not free throws.” Early on, Cleveland tried several players on Harden, but Paul did the damage. He made three 3-pointers in the first quarter, helping ignite the Rockets and push them to a 14-point lead. Houston opened the second quarter with three more 3s — the Rockets started 8 of 12 behind the arc — and when Anderson drained another 3-pointer, the Rockets’ lead had swelled to 48-23. TIP-INS Rockets: Harden, who went 1 for 11 on 3s, tweaked his ankle in the third quarter, but stayed in. … Attempted 51 3-pointers, making 19 — the most ever against the Cavs. … Paul passed Andre Miller (8,624) for ninth place on the career assists list. … G Eric Gordon (lower back stiffness) missed his second consecutive game, but coach Mike D’Antoni expects the team’s second-leading scorer to play Tuesday in Brooklyn. … Paul is closing in on 2,000 career steals. When he reaches the plateau, he’ll join Gary Payton, Jason Kidd and John Stockton as the only players with 8,000 assists and 2,000 steals. Cavaliers: Love met with reporters before the game and acknowledged he’s “still down” after suffering his third broken hand in 10 seasons. He said the previous two times he recovered more quickly than expected. … Dwyane Wade passed Payton (21,813) points and moved into 32nd place on the career list. .. General manager Koby Altman was back in plenty of time for tip-off after attending the St. John’s-Duke game in New York. The No. 4 Blue Devils were upset at Madison Square Garden. UP NEXT Rockets: Visit Brooklyn on Tuesday. Cavaliers: At Orlando on Tuesday, starting a stretch of four of five games on the road before the All-Star break.

newcountry923.fm

2018-02-03 21:54:18

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/02/03/rockets-blast-lebron-disconnected-cavs-120-88/

Dam in western North Carolina that prompted evacuation as storm Alberto passed is deemed safe; evacuation order canceled

Dam in western North Carolina that prompted evacuation as storm Alberto passed is deemed safe; evacuation order canceled

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 09:30:08

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/dam-in-western-north-carolina-that-prompted-evacuation-as-storm-alberto-passed-is-deemed-safe-evacuation-order-canceled/

EPA chief signs proposal limiting science used in decisions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has signed a proposed rule that would restrict the types of scientific studies regulators can use to determine the impact of pesticide and pollution exposure on human health. Pruitt says the change would increase transparency in the agency’s decision-making by requiring all underlying data used in scientific studies to be made publicly available. Critics, including former EPA administrators and scientists, say Pruitt’s move is designed to restrict the agency from citing peer-reviewed public-health studies that use patient medical records required to be kept confidential under patient privacy laws. The embattled EPA administrator signed the proposed order at EPA headquarters Tuesday in an event that was livestreamed on the agency’s website but not open to press coverage.

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 15:09:42

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/epa-chief-signs-proposal-limiting-science-used-in-decisions/

LISTEN: Sweet Becca from the Country Mecca 4/24

Every morning at 6:36,7:36, 8:36 Becca updates us on what’s trending in country music. Luke Combs talks about challenges he faces while on the road AND FGL talks about their single with Bebe Rexha. Jason Aldean has one of his best weeks ever AND $20 concert tickets!

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 08:44:55

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/listen-sweet-becca-from-the-country-mecca-4-24/

Study: Most drivers, not just young, are taking risks

DETROIT (AP) — Young drivers aren’t alone in behaving badly on U.S. roads, a trend that could be contributing to a spike in highway deaths. Well over half of drivers in every age group have texted behind the wheel, run a red light or driven faster than the speed limit in the last 30 days, according to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Younger drivers are the worst offenders. Eighty-eight percent of drivers ages 19 to 24 admitted to at least one of those behaviors. But even mature drivers skirted the rules more often researchers expected. For instance, 10 percent of drivers between 60 and 74 have texted or sent email from behind the wheel, while 37 percent of drivers over 75 said they’d driven through a light that had just turned red. “It was a surprise that there were relatively high rates of these behaviors among the drivers we think of as safer,” said Lindsay Arnold, a research associate with the AAA Foundation. Arnold said the responses were similar to those in past years, indicating a troubling trend. In 2015, U.S. traffic deaths rose 7 percent to 35,092, the largest single-year increase in five decades. They’re expected to rise again in 2016 when that data is finalized. “It points to the need to improve driver behavior if we’re going to reverse this alarming trend,” Arnold said. Teen driver education campaigns have had some success, foundation spokeswoman Tamra Johnson said. Now the organization is considering the best ways to reach drivers of other ages. The study found broad agreement on some issues. Eighty-seven percent of drivers said they have never driven when they thought they were close to the legal alcohol limit. Ninety-five percent said they had never driven within an hour of using marijuana. Eighty-eight percent of drivers say it’s unacceptable to drive without a seat belt, and 82 percent support laws requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets. But drivers’ behavior sometimes contradicted their own instincts. More than three-quarters of drivers say it’s unacceptable to text or email while driving, but 31 percent had done so in the last month and 8 percent do so often. Ninety-six percent of drivers say drowsy driving is a serious safety threat, but 29 percent had recently driven when they were so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open. The study questioned 2,511 licensed drivers aged 16 and over. Among its findings: — The youngest drivers — those ages 16 to 18 — were less likely to engage in speeding, running red lights or texting while driving than drivers in their 20s through 50s. — Eighty-three percent of drivers — and 86.5 percent of drivers 75 or older — said they were more careful than other drivers on the road. — Just over half of drivers feel seriously threatened by drivers talking on cell phones, but 68 percent made a call while driving in the last 30 days. — Drivers ages 40-59 were the most likely to use a hands-free phone in the car. Drivers ages 16-18 and 75 or older were the most likely to hold their phones and talk while driving. — Twenty-three percent of drivers — and 36 percent of those ages 19 to 24 — think it’s acceptable to drive 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway. Forty-six percent of drivers say they have driven that fast on a freeway in the last 30 days. — Sixty percent of drivers say people who drive after using illegal drugs are a serious threat, but just 34 percent say the same about people who drive after using prescription drugs.

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-14 23:10:33

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/14/study-most-drivers-not-just-young-are-taking-risks/

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In big shift, Trump assesses Kim Jong Un as 'very honorable'

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Kim Jong Un wants a historic, high-stakes meeting as soon as possible and suggested the North Korean dictator has been “very open” and “very honorable,” a sharply different assessment of a leader he once denounced as “Little Rocket Man.” The United States and North Korea have been negotiating a summit between Trump and Kim to be held in May or June to broker a deal on Pyongyang’s nuclear program. Trump, who has struck a decidedly optimistic tone on the situation in recent days, said Tuesday that the United States and North Korea were having “good discussions.” “We have been told directly that they would like to have the meeting as soon as possible. We think that’s a great thing for the world,” Trump said at the White House alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. “Kim Jong Un, he really has been very open and I think very honorable from everything we’re seeing.” Trump cautioned that North Korea had not followed through on previous promises, but credited tough steps from his administration — including sanctions and organizing pressure from international allies — for having forced Pyongyang to hold talks. And he again suggested that he would “leave the table” if the negotiations were not productive or if North Korea was not operating in good faith. “We’ll see where that all goes,” the president said. “Maybe it will be wonderful or maybe it won’t.” Trump’s comments came days after a flurry of moves from North Korea that the White House was anxious to promote as signs that its coercion campaign was working. On Saturday, North Korea announced it will close its nuclear testing facility and suspend nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests — a move welcomed by Trump as “big progress.” However, the North stopped short of suggesting it will give up its nuclear weapons — as Trump suggested in a weekend tweet — or scale back its production of missiles and their related components. When pressed Tuesday on what he meant by the goal of “denuclearization,” Trump said, “It means they get rid of their nukes. Very simple.” “It would be easy for me to make a simple deal and declare victory. I don’t want to do that,” the president said. This week, U.S.-allied South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim will hold a summit in the Demilitarized Zone between the Koreas that could lay the ground for Trump’s planned meeting with the North Korean dictator. The leaders of the U.S. and North Korea have never met during six decades of hostility since the Korean War. The exact date and location of the possible summit has not been determined. As diplomacy gathered pace, White House officials and congressional aides said the Trump administration was considering nominating Adm. Harry Harris, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, as ambassador to South Korea. That key position has been vacant since Trump took office 15 months ago. It would entail a shuffle in the administration’s plans for key diplomatic assignments. Harris has already been nominated to be ambassador to Australia. His Senate confirmation hearing for the Australia position had been due to take place Tuesday but was postponed. One of the congressional aides said both the State Department and governments in both Australia and South Korea were informed that the administration is looking at a switch of postings for Harris, although nothing has been made official yet. The aide and other officials requested anonymity to discuss the plans as they were not authorized to discuss them. CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who is Trump’s choice for secretary of state, told his own confirmation hearing this month that the vacancy in Seoul needed “immediate attention.” The man earlier tipped for the post, Korea expert Victor Cha, was passed over in January. He later voiced concern the administration was considering military action against North Korea. Harris has spent nearly 40 years in uniform and has a reputation as a straight talker. In testimony last month before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Harris said that the U.S. could not be “overly optimistic” about outcomes for the planned Trump-Kim summit. “We have to go into this, eyes wide open,” he told lawmakers. Last year, the U.S. spearheaded through the U.N. Security Council the toughest international sanctions yet against North Korea in response to three long-range missile launches and its most powerful nuclear test explosion yet. The Trump administration supplemented those restrictions with unilateral U.S. sanctions against firms that had conducted illicit trade with the North. This year, Kim has pivoted from confrontation to diplomacy and, according to South Korea and China, has expressed a commitment to denuclearization. There is still uncertainty about what he seeks in return. Trump’s praise for Kim on Tuesday stood in stark contrast to his previous bellicose rhetoric toward the North Korean leader. Beyond dubbing him “Little Rocket Man” from the rostrum of the United Nations last fall, Trump has threatened to deliver “fire and fury” upon North Korea and taunted Kim on Twitter that his own nuclear “button” was larger than the one in Pyongyang. Later Tuesday, Trump sidestepped a question as to why he would use the word “honorable” to describe Kim, who has been accused of starving his own people, executing his political opponents and ordering the killing of a member of his own family. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Ken Thomas and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 18:22:49

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/trump-north-korea-wants-meeting-as-soon-as-possible/

Mother: Caring for girl amid brain-death debate 'worth it'

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The mother of a girl at the center of a medical and religious debate over brain death said she does not regret moving from California to New Jersey so her daughter could receive care after being declared dead. Nailah Winkfield told reporters Tuesday that she gave up everything for daughter Jahi McMath. “Everything that I did, from selling my house, to quitting my job, to moving across the country and taking all that time away from my family, it was all worth it,” Winkfield said. She has said doctors declared Jahi dead on June 22 from excessive bleeding and liver failure after an operation to treat an intestinal issue. Jahi had been declared dead in December 2013 at age 13 after suffering irreversible brain damage during surgery in California to remove her tonsils. A coroner signed a death certificate. Winkfield refused to accept the conclusion and took Jahi to New Jersey, which accommodates religions that don’t recognize brain death. Winkfield said Tuesday that her daughter grew and went through puberty — evidence she was not dead. “There’s no way in the world that I would be holding onto a corpse for 4½ years,” she said. She also described her final moments with Jahi. Winkfield said she gave her daughter permission to “go” if she was tired, telling her not to worry about her mom. “I said, ‘You have my permission. You can go,'” she said. “I said, ‘My husband will see about me, your siblings will see about me. Don’t worry.'” She said Jahi died hours later. “It’s going to be hard without her,” she said. “She was a sweet girl.” Jahi will be buried Friday in Hayward, California, the San Francisco Chronicle reported . Conservative religious groups rallied behind Winkfield and helped raise money for Jahi’s continued care. Winkfield and her lawyers have been trying to rescind the California death certificate as part of a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital where Jahi had her tonsillectomy.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 15:35:54

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/mother-caring-for-girl-amid-brain-death-debate-worth-it/

Thai appeals court dismisses case against British activist

BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai court of appeals has dismissed criminal defamation charges against a British labor rights activist who was sued by a fruit packaging company after he alleged human rights violations at its factory. Andy Hall’s protracted legal battle stemmed from a 2013 report he researched for Finnish consumer organization Finnwatch that alleged labor abuses at Natural Fruit’s pineapple canning operation. It employed migrant workers from Myanmar who said the company abused them and broke labor regulations. Sunya Joongdee, a lawyer for Hall, said Thursday’s court ruling dismissed the criminal defamation case, which also resulted in the collapse of a related computer crime case. He says the court accepted that Hall’s interviews with migrant workers revealed information that should be made public.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-31 01:23:26

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/31/thai-appeals-court-dismisses-case-against-british-activist/

Russia's Putin lands in Egypt in sign of growing ties

CAIRO (AP) — Making his second visit to Egypt since 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin flew to Cairo on Monday for talks with his Egyptian counterpart on the two countries’ rapidly expanding ties and regional issues. Egypt’s general-turned-president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, has visited Russia three times since the ouster of his Islamist predecessor in 2013. After taking office, el-Sissi has bought billions of dollars’ worth of Russian weapons, including fighter jets and assault helicopters. The two countries are also in the late stages of negotiations over the construction by a Russian company of Egypt’s first nuclear energy reactor. Last month, Russia approved a draft agreement with Egypt to allow Russian warplanes to use Egyptian military bases, a significant leap in bilateral ties and evidence of Moscow’s expanding military role in a turbulent Middle East. Putin flew to Cairo after a brief and previously unannounced visit to a Russian military air base in Syria, according to Russia’s Tass news agency. The air base has served as the main foothold for the air campaign Russia has waged since September 2015 in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad against armed groups opposed to his rule. Egypt’s currently close ties with Russia harken back to the 1950s and 1960s, when Cairo became Moscow’s closest Arab ally during the peak years of the Cold War. Egypt changed allies in the 1970s under the late President Anwar Sadat, who replaced Moscow with Washington as his country’s chief economic and military backer following the signing of a U.S.-sponsored peace treaty with Israel. Egypt has since become a major recipient of U.S. economic and military aid. In what would have been unthinkable during the Cold War, Egypt has under el-Sissi been able to maintain close ties with both Russia and the United States. Egypt, however, has not been able thus far to persuade Russia to resume its flights to Egypt, suspended since October 2015 when a suspected bomb brought down a Russian airliner over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. Egypt has since spent millions of dollars to upgrade security at its airports and undergone numerous checks by Russian experts to ascertain the level of security at the facilities. The suspension of Russian flights has dealt a devastating blow to Egypt’s vital tourism industry. Britain, another major source of visitors, has since the Russian airliner’s crash also suspended flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, a Red Sea resort in Sinai from which the Russian airliner took off shortly before it crashed. “Your Excellency: When will Russian tourism return to Egypt?” read the front-page banner headline in a Cairo daily loyal to the government, in both Arabic and Russian. There have been speculations that el-Sissi and Putin might during the visit finalize and announce a deal on the construction of the nuclear reactor on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast after months of wrangling over technical and financial details. Egypt and Russia have already initialed an agreement for a $25 billion Russian loan to finance the construction.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 05:02:52

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/russias-putin-lands-in-egypt-in-sign-of-growing-ties/

Danish PM: Trump has "unilateral focus" on defense spending

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s prime minister says a letter from President Donald Trump accusing Danes of not spending enough on NATO has “a unilateral focus on military spending as a percentage of the gross domestic product on defense.” Ahead of a July 11-12 NATO summit, Trump sent letters to several NATO allies demanding they boost their defense spending. In an email Wednesday to The Associated Press, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said he “was not surprised by the letter” where Trump wrote “the United States is increasingly unwilling to ignore the European failure to meet shared security commitments.” After Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, NATO allies agreed to stop cutting defense budgets and start moving toward a goal of devoting 2 percent of GDP to defense within a decade.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 04:18:14

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/danish-pm-trump-has-unilateral-focus-on-defense-spending/

The Latest: Cooperation needed for migration to Europe

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The Latest on migration into Europe (all times local): 11:55 a.m. The Portuguese picked as the next leader of the U.N.’s migration agency predicts that the number of migrants heading from North Africa to Europe will grow and that European countries will increasingly refuse to let them in. Antonio Vitorino says “I have no illusions. I know that in coming years the flow of migrants will increase and (destination) countries will close in on themselves.” Vitorino told Portuguese television channel SIC that cooperation between the migrants’ countries of origin and European Union countries “is the only response” that will solve the issue of migration to Europe. He says refugees seeking asylum must be guaranteed protection. He says the admittance of economic migrants depends on whether European labor markets can absorb them. Vitorino was selected last week as the next director-general of the International Organization for Migration and takes office Oct. 1. ___ 10:45 a.m. A rescue ship carrying 60 migrants has arrived in a Spanish port after being refused entry by Italy and Malta, the second time in a month that a humanitarian group has been forced to travel for days to unload people rescued in the central Mediterranean. The Open Arms ship docked Wednesday in the northeastern port of Barcelona, where the group — including 5 women, a 9-year-old toddler and four teenagers — will be going through health checks and identification procedures. The Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms said the migrants come from 14 countries and are in good health. Doctors Without Borders says more than 500 people have died in the Mediterranean since the Aquarius, another rescue ship, was blocked from ports in Italy and Malta in June.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 04:59:53

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/the-latest-cooperation-needed-for-migration-to-europe/

China's premier urges US to 'act rationally' over trade

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang appealed to Washington on Tuesday to “act rationally” and avoid disrupting trade over steel, technology and other disputes, promising that Beijing will “open even wider” to imports and investment. “No one will emerge a winner from a trade war,” said Li, the No. 2 Chinese leader, at a news conference held during the meeting of China’s ceremonial legislature. Li made no mention of a possible Chinese response in the event U.S. President Donald Trump raises import barriers over trade complaints against Beijing, but other officials say President Xi Jinping’s government is ready to act. Trump’s government has raised import duties on Chinese-made washing machines and other goods and is investigating whether Beijing pressures foreign companies to hand over technology, which might lead to trade penalties. That could invite Chinese retaliation. “What we hope is for us to act rationally rather than being led by emotions,” the premier said. “We don’t want to see a trade war.” Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said March 11 that China will “resolutely defend” its interests but gave no details. Business groups have suggested Beijing might target U.S. exports of jetliners, soybeans and other goods for which China is a major market. Asked whether Beijing might use its large holdings of U.S. government debt as leverage, the premier said its investments are based on market principles and “China will remain a responsible long-term investor.” Li promised more market-opening and other reforms as Xi’s government tries to make its cooling, state-dominated economy more productive. He said Beijing will make it easier to start a business and will open more industries to foreign and private competition. The ruling Communist Party promised in 2013 to give a bigger role to market forces and entrepreneurs who generate most of China’s new jobs and wealth. Reform advocates complain they are moving too slowly. Private sector analysts say Xi, who took power in 2012, might accelerate reform after focusing for his first five-year term as party leader on cementing his status as China’s most dominant figure since at least the 1980s. “If there is one thing that will be different from the past, that will be that China will open even wider,” said Li. Beijing plans to “further bring down overall tariffs,” with “zero tariffs for drugs, especially much-needed anti-cancer drugs,” the premier said. Li repeated a promise he made at the March 5 opening of the legislature to “fully open the manufacturing sector” to foreign competitors. “There will be no mandatory requirement for technology transfers and intellectual property rights will be better protected,” he said. The government has yet to say how that might change conditions for automakers and other manufacturers that are required to work through Chinese partners, which requires them to share technology with potential competitors. In a sign of Li’s reduced status as President Xi Jinping amasses power, the premier was flanked by eight newly promoted economic officials, in contrast to previous years when he appeared alone at the annual news conference. They included Liu He, a Harvard-trained Xi adviser who was named a vice premier Monday and has told foreign businesspeople he will oversee economic reform. Neither Liu nor any of the other officials spoke at the event. The premier traditionally is China’s top economic official but Xi has stripped Li of his most prominent duties by appointing himself to lead ruling party bodies that oversee economic reform and finance policy.

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-20 00:33:25

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/20/chinas-premier-promises-wider-opening-of-economy/

N. Carolina governor offers 'compromise' repealing LGBT law

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper proposed Tuesday what he called a compromise to repeal the state’s so-called bathroom bill, saying a new measure is designed to allay fears by some over public bathroom safety. But a powerful leader in the Republican-controlled General Assembly dismissed it, signaling that any agreement between the governor and GOP lawmakers is still distant. Even a close Cooper ally in the gay rights movement said he didn’t support the governor’s idea, calling the proposal a distraction from a repeal of what’s known as House Bill 2. The law approved last March by GOP lawmakers and then-Gov. Pat McCrory triggered backlash from businesses and LGBT advocates who say it’s discriminatory because it requires transgender people to use restrooms in public buildings that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates. It also excludes sexual orientation and gender identity from local and statewide antidiscrimination protections. A federal trial to decide HB2 is scheduled to begin later this summer. Cooper’s proposal comes as New Orleans welcomes the NBA All-Star game this weekend. The city of Charlotte was supposed to host multimillion-dollar event, but the NBA pulled out after the law was passed. The NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference also moved several sporting events and businesses such as PayPal decided not to expand in North Carolina. “It will bring back the NCAA, it will bring back the ACC, the NBA and it will bring back jobs,” Cooper said. The proposal does away with House Bill 2 and increases penalties for crimes in public bathrooms, the governor said at a news conference with the top Democratic leaders in the House and Senate. It would also tell local governments seeking ordinances covering sexual orientation and gender identity to give legislators 30 days’ notice before doing so. Lawmakers passed HB2 weeks after the Charlotte City Council voted to expand a local ordinance protecting people based on sexual orientation and gender identity at hotels, restaurants and other public buildings. HB2 supporters have argued letting people choose public bathrooms based on gender identity can be used as a pretense by sexual predators. The U.S. Justice Department and HB2 critics have said the threat is practically non-existent. Senate leader Phil Berger said the stronger punishments for crimes in bathrooms aren’t enough. “What is the governor’s position on whether or not men should be allowed to share restrooms, lockers and showers with women and girls?” Berger told reporters. “I don’t see this as a compromise. I don’t see this as anything different that what he’s been saying all along.” Cooper’s proposal represents a change in tactics by the new governor, who has been seeking a repeal-only bill. Cooper said HB2 “doesn’t do anything to protect anybody.” His proposal appeared designed to pull in more votes from Republicans wavering on keeping the law. “Regardless of whether I believe House Bill 2 addresses that problem in any way, I want to say this: I hear you and I have a proposal that specifically addresses your concerns,” the governor said. In December, an apparent deal between Cooper — then the governor-elect — and the legislature to repeal HB2 collapsed. Interest picked up in recent days after a statewide sports development association warned legislators in a letter that action must be taken very soon or the state would be disqualified from hosting NCAA events for the next five years. Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality North Carolina, said the 30-day waiting period for local governments was unnecessary, saying Charlotte leaders deliberated publicly for a long time on their ordinance. And new penalties aren’t needed because LGBT people are not a public safety risk, he said. “I don’t support the proposal. I think that what we need to do is be squarely focused on the repeal of HB2,” Sgro told reporters. “Every other piece of this conversation is a distraction.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-14 17:34:16

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/14/n-carolina-governor-offers-compromise-repealing-lgbt-law/

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Vonn beats rival Goggia for bittersweet 80th World Cup win

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Lindsey Vonn edged Sofia Goggia in a foretaste of the Pyeongchang Olympic downhill on Saturday, raising her career total to 80 World Cup victories. The American standout beat Goggia by two hundredths of a second as their ongoing rivalry in Alpine skiing’s fastest discipline continued. “It’s a big number,” Vonn said of her 80 wins, which is just six short of the all-time record set by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark in the 1980s. “I remember when I got my 50th here, I never thought I would even get close to Annemarie Moser-Proell’s record (of 62 wins) and now I am getting close to Stenmark’s. It’s incredible,” she said. “Also the timing of this win, coming into the Olympics,” Vonn added. “I really feel strong mentally and physically. I never thought in my life I would get 80 wins so it’s a big day.” Vonn skied a solid run but didn’t seem to go to the limits as she trailed Italian rival Goggia by 0.08 at the last split time. However, Vonn overcame the deficit in the final section. “I definitely skied aggressively, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t leave all the cards on the table,” Vonn said. “I hold those extra aces for the Olympics.” It was Vonn’s second straight downhill win after Cortina, Italy, two weeks ago. She and Goggia are the only racers with more than one downhill victory this season. Cornelia Huetter of Austria was 0.13 behind in third, while Vonn’s American teammate Breezy Johnson finished fourth for her career best result. Earlier Saturday, Johnson and Vonn posted the fastest times in a mandatory training session two hours before the race, after training was canceled on the previous two days. Vonn’s joy was tempered, however, by a crash that ruled her teammate Jacqueline Wiles out of the Olympics with a knee injury. Shortly after completing her run and taking the lead in the race, Vonn saw on a large video screen in the finish area how Wiles lost balance after skiing off the course, fell and went into the safety netting. Wiles had to be transported off the hill by helicopter. The 25-year-old Wiles was set to compete in her second Olympics. She had her second career podium by placing third in the race that Vonn won in Cortina two weeks ago. Earlier, Lauren Ross, who’s working her way back after a severe knee injury, also crashed hard but she stood up and eventually skied down. “It was really hard to actually be happy and excited and celebrate because Jackie is in the hospital,” said Vonn about Wiles, who has been financially supported by Vonn’s foundation. “It’s a really rough day for the whole team,” Vonn said. “I am happy that Lauren wasn’t hurt. I think she will be really sore tomorrow but at least her knee is OK.” Another downhill on the Kandahar course is scheduled for Sunday, the last World Cup race before the Olympics, and Vonn was expecting another close duel with Goggia. The Italian edged Vonn in both speed races that were held as test events on the Olympic hill in South Korea last year. “She is always risking everything, she’s the person that I have to beat,” said the American, who is chasing another Olympic downhill medal to add to the gold she won in Vancouver 2010. “She is a personality that is really needed on the World Cup,” Vonn added. “We are playing a little game with each other: who has the hundredths, you know. It makes it more exciting for us and also for the spectators.” Goggia was smiling and hugged Vonn afterward. “From the start gate to the red finish line, it’s a battle. But after, we are friends,” Goggia said. “This is the rivalry that I like. It’s really fun and challenging for me.” The Italian’s daredevil style of racing has sometimes been seen as similar to Bode Miller’s approach, but Goggia laughs off any comparisons with the American great. “It would be a great honor just to have 1 percent of Bode,” she said. “I am far away from him. I am a show girl on the skis sometimes and I think that’s the only thing we have in common. He has a class that I will never reach.”

newcountry923.fm

2018-02-03 10:44:21

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/02/03/vonn-beats-rival-goggia-for-bittersweet-80th-world-cup-win/

3 Trump accusers speak out, call for congressional probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three women who have previously accused President Donald Trump of sexual harassment shared their stories on NBC’s “Megyn Kelly Today.” Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks on Monday told of alleged harassment by Trump spanning decades. The White House called the claims false and “totally disputed in most cases.” It said “the timing and absurdity of these false claims speak volumes.” One of the accusers, Rachel Crooks, called the White House statement “laughable.” Crooks said of sexual misconduct: “I think politicians seem to be immune to this.” Holvey described the pain the women felt after Trump’s victory. “We are private citizens and for us to put ourselves out there, to try to show America who this man is, and especially how he views women, for them to say, ‘Meh, we don’t care,’ it hurt.” The women, who first shared their stories before the November 2016 election, were holding a press conference later Monday to call for a congressional investigation into Trump’s alleged behavior. They cited the recent revelations of sexual misconduct by prominent men in business, media, and politics, for their decision to speak out publicly against Trump once again. “The environment’s different,” Holvey said. “Let’s try again.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 09:55:53

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/3-trump-accusers-speak-out-call-for-congressional-probe/

Suicide bombings kill 6 in northwestern Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Two suicide bombings in northwestern Pakistan killed at least six people on Wednesday following an almost three-month-long lull in the volatile region. A breakaway Taliban faction claimed responsibility for one of the attacks — a bombing that targeted the area’s administrative tribal headquarters. Three policemen and two passers-by died in that attack, which took place in the Mohmand tribal region near the Afghan border. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, or Freedom Movement, claimed the attack in a text message sent to The Associated Press. The same militant faction had said it was behind a deadly suicide bombing earlier this week in Lahore. The explosion went off at the main gate of the tribal headquarters in Ghalanai in the Mohmand tribal region, just as the workday was about to start, said Hameedullah Khan, a local government official. Khan, whose office is inside the compound, said the grounds are home to residences, offices and training facilities for the local administration and police employees. Hundreds of local residents come daily on business to the tribal headquarters, located 45 kilometers (28 miles) outside Peshawar, the provincial capital. The bombing was followed by gunshots, Khan added. The Pakistani army said the bomber was accompanied by another militant, who tried to force his way into the compound after the explosion went off but that security guards opened fire and killed him. The army statement said there was a higher level of vigilance among the local security forces following intelligence that would-be attackers had infiltrated the area from neighboring Afghanistan. Hours later, a suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying local judges and judicial officials in the northwestern city of Peshawar. Police official Sajjad Khan said a driver was killed and five others were wounded in that explosion. Earlier, a would-be suicide bomber died when he prematurely detonated his explosives near a security convoy about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the tribal headquarters, police officer Suhail Khalid said. No one was hurt in that explosion. The Lahore bombing on Monday targeted policemen who were escorting a protest march. That attack killed 13, including seven policemen. A former chief of the province’s counter-terrorism department was also among those killed. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is based in the Mohmand area — part of rugged, lawless regions along the Afghan border which have long served as safe havens for local and al-Qaida-linked foreign militants. Pakistan has waged several offensives against militants in recent years, including a major operation that started in mid-2014 in the last key insurgent sanctuary of North Waziristan. The authorities declared the offensive a success, saying it uprooted militants, killed hundreds and forced many to flee across the border into Afghanistan. Others went into hiding in Pakistani urban areas where they have a vast support network of seminaries and religious groups. A U.S. drone campaign also helped the offensive by targeting the Taliban. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar emerged in late 2014, when a leadership crisis fractured the Pakistani Taliban movement — which is separate from the Afghan Taliban — and splintered it into various groups. The group’s most recent attacks came in late 2016, after Washington declared it a terrorist organization. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is led by militant known as Omar Khaled Khorasani, whose real name is Abdul Wali Khan. A former Pakistani Taliban spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, is a key commander in the group, which also has links with several Pakistani militant and sectarian groups and has expressed support for the Islamic State group. ___ Shahzad reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, contributed to this report.

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-15 06:50:55

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/15/suicide-bombings-kill-6-in-northwestern-pakistan/

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Same-sex marriage a key issue as Costa Ricans go to polls

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Costa Ricans vote Sunday in a presidential race that has been turned on its ear by an international court ruling saying the country should let same-sex couples get married. Evangelical candidate Fabricio Alvarado recently vaulted into first place in the polls after he took a strong stance against gay marriage, which about two-thirds of Costa Ricans also oppose. His closest rivals are agri-businessman Antonio Alvarez of the opposition National Liberation Party and Carlos Alvarado of the governing Citizens’ Action Party. A recent survey showed that more than a third of likely voters were undecided. If no candidate gets 40 percent or more, the top two finishers advance to an April 1 runoff. The January decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has come to play a central role in the campaign. It also ordered the country to grant same-sex couples rights such the ability to inherit estates and adopt children. Political analyst Francisco Barahona told The Associated Press that it came as an “external shock” for Costa Rica, a majority Roman Catholic nation. Fabricio Alvarado, a 43-year-old journalist, preacher and Christian singer, called the ruling a “sovereign violation” and saw his support balloon in the polls as socially conservative voters gravitated to that message. Carlos Alvarado — no relation — is the only major candidate to openly back gay marriage and has picked up some support recently from socially liberal voters. A 38-year-old also trained as a journalist, he got his start in politics as communications director for Citizens’ Action and also was labor minister under current President Luis Guillermo Solis. Alvarez, a two-time president of the Legislative Assembly and a Cabinet minister under the first presidency of Oscar Arias in 1986-1990, says he opposes gay marriage but backs recognizing certain other rights for gay couples. Voters will also be selecting the 57 delegates that make up the Assembly.

newcountry923.fm

2018-02-03 23:04:16

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/02/03/same-sex-marriage-a-key-issue-as-costa-ricans-go-to-polls/

China's Xi strikes nationalistic tone in parliament address

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has struck a stridently nationalistic tone in his closing address to the annual session of the ceremonial parliament at which term limits on his rule were abolished. Xi told the nearly 3,000 delegates to the National People’s Congress on Tuesday that “not one inch” of Chinese territory would ever be separated from the nation. He declared that any attempt to separate Taiwan from the Chinese nation was “doomed to failure,” despite the self-governing island democracy’s de-facto independent status. He said Chinese are “closer now than at any time in history to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese people.” The congress’ most significant achievement was the passage of a constitutional amendment ending term limits on the president and vice president, allowing Xi to rule indefinitely.

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-19 21:24:43

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/19/chinas-xi-strikes-nationalistic-tone-in-parliament-address/

Wa Wa Nee lead singer Paul Gray dies of cancer at age 54

SYDNEY (AP) — Paul Gray, lead singer of the 1980s Australian pop band Wa Wa Nee, has died of cancer, his brother said on Wednesday. He was 54 years old. He musician died on Tuesday of multiple myeloma, his brother and fellow band member Mark Gray said in a statement. “It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that we announce that Paul Gray passed away peacefully,” Mark Gray said. “We would like to thank all the doctors, hospital staff, relatives, friends and fans for the overwhelming support given to Paul and our family while he heroically battled multiple myeloma,” he added. Wa Wa Nee formed in the early 1980s and had an Australian hit with their single, “Stimulation,” in 1986. The band later charted in the United States with the song “Sugar Free.” The band’s broke up in 1989, but re-formed in recent years to perform at 1980s revival concerts and to support British group The Human League on their Australian tour last year.

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 21:23:25

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/wa-wa-nee-lead-singer-paul-gray-dies-of-cancer-at-age-54/

CAA to form legal defense fund for harassment victims

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The powerful Hollywood talent agency CAA is canceling its annual Golden Globe Awards party and planning to form a legal defense fund to assist workplace harassment victims across all industries. A person with knowledge of the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly said Monday that the funds normally used for the Globes party, which would celebrate nominated clients like Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Tom Hanks, will be instead be redirected to establish the fund. The agency has also committed itself to establishing gender parity in its leadership by the year 2020, following the lead of ICM Partners. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news. The Golden Globes will be handed out Jan. 7 and will be followed by several after-parties.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 20:00:42

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/caa-to-form-legal-defense-fund-for-harassment-victims/

Phoenix faces Arizona law that bars sanctuary-city status

PHOENIX (AP) — As some cities reaffirm support for sanctuary policies that protect immigrants, Phoenix finds itself in an unusual position to push back against any immigration actions by the new White House. The Phoenix City Council on Wednesday will discuss a petition to adopt the sanctuary label, following the lead of Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and others in a city with one of the nation’s largest populations of immigrants in the country illegally. But the effort is complicated by the fact that Arizona’s landmark 2010 immigration law, known as SB1070, bars any Arizona city from becoming a sanctuary. The Phoenix metro area is home to about 250,000 immigrants in the country illegally, according to a report last week from the Pew Research Center. The report is based on data from 2014. New York, Los Angeles and Houston have the highest number of immigrants who lack legal status. Cities are doubling down on sanctuary policies in light of an order by President Donald Trump requiring immigration authorities to arrest and deport more people. The city policies vary but essentially bar local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Phoenix has a Democratic, immigrant-friendly mayor who has denounced Trump, but his hands are tied because of SB1070. The law requires local police to question the immigration status of people suspected of being in the country illegally while enforcing other laws or in the course of an investigation. Most of the law was gutted by the courts, but city leaders say the surviving sections prevent local government agencies from restricting the enforcement of federal immigration law. Still, pressure has mounted on Mayor Greg Stanton from immigrant advocacy groups who want the city to adopt sanctuary policies and from police and Republican leaders who oppose the measure. City attorney Brad Holm says in a letter to the city manager that the petition for sanctuary status is “legally impermissible.” “It demands that the council break state law. If the petition were adopted, a court could fine the city for breaking the law, and the attorney general could seek forfeiture of state-shared revenue,” Holm wrote. Stanton last week blasted the Trump administration over the deportation of 35-year-old Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a Phoenix-area woman who until now had been granted leniency by Obama policies that aimed to protect immigrants without violent pasts and who have ties to the community. Garcia de Rayos was arrested in Phoenix during a routine check-in with U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement and was deported the next day to Nogales, Mexico. “Rather than tracking down violent criminals and drug dealers, ICE is spending its energy deporting a woman with two American children who has lived here for more than two decades and poses a threat to nobody,” Stanton wrote on Twitter. Stanton denounced Garcia de Rayos’ deportation, but immigration activists called on him to use his power and not just his voice. “If there was ever a time when we need your courage and we need you to stand up and we need you to put actions behind saying that Phoenix PD is not gonna become a mass deportation machine, it’s now,” said Francisca Porchas, of Puente Arizona, an immigrant rights group. “This is when we need Mayor Stanton, the city council, the state, everybody who is of conscience to stand up and defy this racist law.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-15 03:38:00

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/15/phoenix-faces-arizona-law-that-bars-sanctuary-city-status/

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Comedy Central's Klepper gathers with gun activists

NEW YORK (AP) — Comedy Central’s Jordan Klepper is planning a slumber party for young activists pushing for action on gun control Klepper plans to host Thursday’s episode of his show, “The Opposition,” from a bedroom of a private home in Bethesda, Maryland. That’s where young people are gathering in preparation for Saturday’s March For Our Lives on Washington to oppose gun violence. Klepper took special interest in the issue even before he began hosting the show last fall. He did several stories on gun control when he was part of “The Daily Show.” He plans to stay in character, as a right-wing conspiracy theorist, as he interviews the activists.

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-19 15:24:57

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/19/comedy-centrals-klepper-gathers-with-gun-activists/

Santa Fe Indian Market fuses tradition with contemporary art

For nearly a century, American Indian jewelers, potters and other artists have been gathering in the heart of northern New Mexico to show off their creations as part of one of the nation’s most prestigious art markets. The annual Santa Fe Indian Market begins Saturday as organizers push ahead with raising the bar for showcasing what they say are some of the best examples of art that has evolved from centuries-old traditions. Some artists and their families have participated for years, but this marks the first time organizers have shifted entirely to a juried application process that has resulted in fierce competition. Events related to Native film, literature and fashion are scheduled throughout the week leading up to the market. The festivities typically draw about 100,000 people.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 13:29:31

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/santa-fe-indian-market-fuses-tradition-with-contemporary-art/

Polish media regulator fines US-owned news channel $420,000

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s media regulator has imposed a fine of nearly 1.5 million zlotys ($420,000) on a private news channel for what it alleges was unfair reporting during a political crisis last year. The broadcaster, TVN24, said it will appeal what it called an “unfounded” penalty. The move comes amid reports that Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party is seeking a state takeover of TVN24, which is owned by an American company, Scripps Networks Interactive, and whose reporting is sometimes critical of the government. The National Broadcasting Council said in a statement Monday that TVN24 coverage of street protests in December 2016 violated the law by “propagating illegal activities and promoting behavior that threatens security.” Scripps Networks Interactive, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, is being bought out by Discovery Communications.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 11:56:25

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/polish-media-regulator-fines-us-owned-news-channel-420000/

The Latest: Demonstrators briefly detained at World Cup

MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest at the World Cup (all times local): 3:03 p.m. Russian police have briefly detained several activists protesting political repressions outside a World Cup arena. Police moved quickly to round up four teenagers outside the stadium where Sweden knocked out Switzerland on Tuesday. The four were released a few hours later. Lika Petrovskaya, a 16-year-old who wore a bloodied white dress at the protest, said their goal was “to attract attention to the political repressions,” including the imprisonment of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov. Another five activists were also detained Tuesday while they were distributing leaflets calling for Sentsov’s release. Sentsov, a vocal opponent of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, was sentenced in 2015 to 20 years for conspiracy to commit terror acts. He denied the charges and has been on a hunger strike since mid-May. ___ 2:43 p.m. After impressing at the World Cup, Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson has been sold by Danish team FC Randers to Azerbaijan champion Qarabag. Iceland exited the tournament at the group stage but Randers’ sporting director Soeren Pedersen says the performance of the 34-year Icelander “hasn’t gone unnoticed.” Halldorsson’s tournament was highlighted by saving a penalty kick from Lionel Messi in a 1-1 draw with Argentina. Pedersen said Wednesday that the club got “a concrete bid from Qarabag, which we have accepted.” Details of the deal were not released. Halldorsson, who played 69 games for the team, said “it is time for me to try something else and embark on a new adventure.”

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 07:14:23

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/the-latest-demonstrators-briefly-detained-at-world-cup/

Thomas picks the right major at the right time to win

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The son and grandson of golf professionals, Justin Thomas couldn’t think of a better major to win than the PGA Championship. And at age 24, he couldn’t think of a better time. Youth is taking over the highest level of golf, and there were times Thomas felt left behind. Rory McIlroy already had four majors when he was 25. Closer to home was Jordan Spieth, a close friend since they were 14. Spieth won his third major at the British Open last month to give him three legs of the career Grand Slam. “Frustration probably isn’t the right word,” Thomas said. “Jealously definitely is. I wanted to be doing that, and I wasn’t.” Sunday at Quail Hollow was his moment. Starting the final round two shots out of the lead, Thomas closed with a 3-under 68 for a two-shot victory to capture the final major of the year. It required a little bit of good fortune, like when his tee shot bounced out of a tree and into the fairway on the par-5 10th hole, which ended with his 8-foot putt teetering on the edge of the cup for 12 seconds before gravity finally took over and the ball dropped for birdie. “I didn’t even see it go in,” said Thomas, who had his back turned to the cup as he was asking caddie Jimmy Johnson how it didn’t go in. Players are allowed reasonable time to get to the ball, and then they get 10 seconds before they hit the next shot, so he was well within the limit. He seized control on the back nine with a chip-in for birdie from 40 feet on the par-3 13th hole. Above all, it required plenty of grit, and Thomas showed plenty of that. The key moment in his victory came along the infamous “Green Mile” at Quail Hollow, a brutal stretch of holes where players are trying to hang on with pars. Thomas had a one-shot lead over Hideki Matsuyama when he drove into the rough, and his approach tumbled into a bunker. He did well to get that out to 6 feet. Matsuyama was spared by the thick rough behind the green that kept his ball from going into the water, and he had a good lie that allowed him to chip to 5 feet. Thomas wasted no time over the putt and drilled into the center of the cup. Matsuyama missed and fell two shots behind. And then Thomas effectively ended it with a 7-iron so pure that he let the club swirl through his hand as the ball soared over the water, onto the green and rolled out to 15 feet on the 221-yard shot to a peninsula green. His birdie putt swirled into the cup, and the rest was easy. He finished with a bogey — his first since the third hole — when it no longer mattered. Thomas finished at 8-under 276. He won by two shots over Francesco Molinari (67), Patrick Reed (67) and Louis Oosthuizen (70), none of whom were a serious threat as they played the 18th. His real challenge was Matsuyama playing next to him, and Kevin Kisner, the 54-hole leader in the group behind him. Kisner ran off two important birdies on the 14th and 15th holes to get within one shot, but the final stretch is no place to make up more ground. He three-putted from 100 feet on the 16th hole to fall two back, couldn’t convert from long range on the 17th and hit into the water because of mud on his ball on the 18th. Among those waiting for Thomas alongside the 18th green were his father and Spieth. Mike Thomas, the longtime pro at Harmony Landing outside Louisville, Kentucky, spread his arms wide as he approached his only son and wrapped them around him. He also made sure to collect an important part of history. Ever since his son was in elementary school, he has been collecting golf balls from his victory. The total is now 131. Asked if he made sure to get the ball Thomas used to tap in the final putt, Mike Thomas reached into his pocket, smiled and said, “You mean this one?” The PGA Championship was important to Thomas to take his place among the young elite in the game, and it was important to his family. His grandfather, Paul Thomas, also was a club pro and has been a PGA of America member for 60 years. He was the first person Thomas called. “As a kid growing up, you want to win all the majors. You want to win any major,” Thomas said after his two-shot victory. “For me, the PGA definitely had a special place in my heart, and maybe a special drive. It’s just a great win for the family, and it’s a moment we’ll never forget — all of us.” Spieth was there, too, wanting to celebrate with his friend. The week began with Spieth’s bid to complete the career Grand Slam, and it never got out of the gates. Thomas, endlessly referred to as “Spieth’s close friend,” emerged from his shadow with a major of his own. “So awesome, dude,” Spieth told him. Spieth and Thomas first became close when they played the Junior Evian Masters in 2007. Thomas won the 36-hole event and got to play the pro-am the next day with LPGA great Juli Inkster. Spieth caddied for him. Ten years later, they have won consecutive majors and head into the FedEx Cup playoffs battling for PGA Tour player of the year. Longtime friends, now both are major champions.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 01:12:26

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/thomas-picks-the-right-major-at-the-right-time-to-win/

Asian stocks rise after Koreas, US make diplomatic overtures

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares rose Tuesday as both Koreas and the U.S. appeared to indicate a willingness to defuse the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear program. A rally on Wall Street, on the back of strong technology shares, also helped. KEEPING SCORE: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 1.3 percent to 19,789.13 in morning trading. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.5 percent to 5,757.50. South Korea’s markets were closed for a national holiday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.2 percent to 27,308.04, while the Shanghai Composite was up 0.2 percent at 3,242.26. NORTH KOREA: North Korea said Tuesday leader Kim Jong Un was briefed on his military’s plans to launch missiles into waters near Guam. But the comments also appeared to signal a path to defuse the deepening crisis with Washington, holding out the possibility that friction could ease if the U.S. made some gesture that Pyongyang considered a move to back away from previous “extremely dangerous reckless actions.” WALL STREET: The S&P 500 jumped 24.52 points, or 1 percent, to 2,465.84. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 135.39 points, or 0.6 percent, to 21,993.71. The Nasdaq composite added 83.68 points, or 1.3 percent, to 6,340.23. THE QUOTE: “The markets continue to recover from last week’s disorder as U.S. equities orchestrated a splendid showing recouping some of the sharp losses from last Friday, as investor confidence returns with the de-escalation of North Korea tension,” says Stephen Innes, head of trading for Asia at OANDA. ENERGY: U.S. crude oil added 2 cents to $47.61 a barrel. It lost $1.23 to $47.59 a barrel in New York Monday. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 4 cents to $50.77 a barrel in London. CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 110.40 yen from 109.57 yen late Monday in Asia. The euro fell to $1.1756 from $1.1816. ___ This story has been corrected to say South Korean markets were closed Tuesday. ___ Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama Her work can be found at https://www.apnews.com/search/yuri%20kageyama

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-15 01:23:55

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/15/asian-stocks-rise-after-koreas-us-make-diplomatic-overtures/

At least 18 killed in attack on restaurant in Burkina Faso

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Suspected Islamic extremists opened fire at a Turkish restaurant in the capital of Burkina Faso late Sunday, killing at least 18 people in the second such attack on a restaurant popular with foreigners in the last two years. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the violence, which continued into the early hours Monday. Gunfire could be heard almost seven hours after the attack began. Communication Minister Remi Dandjinou told journalists that at least 18 people were dead and eight others wounded, according to a provisional toll. He said two of the attackers were also killed. The victims came from several different nationalities, he said. At least one of the dead was French. Security forces arrived at the scene with armored vehicles after reports of shots fired near Aziz Istanbul, an upscale restaurant in Ouagadougou. The attack brought back painful memories of the January 2016 attack at another cafe that left 30 people dead. Police Capt. Guy Ye said three or four assailants had arrived at the Aziz Istanbul restaurant on motorcycles, and then began shooting randomly at the crowds dining Sunday evening. Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in West Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. It shares a northern border with Mali, which has long battled Islamic extremists. The three attackers in the 2016 massacre were of foreign origin, according to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, which claimed responsibility in the aftermath along with the jihadist group known as Al Mourabitoun. But the terror threat in Burkina Faso is increasingly homegrown, experts say. The northern border region is now the home of a local preacher, Ibrahim Malam Dicko, who radicalized and has claimed recent deadly attacks against troops and civilians. His association, Ansarul Islam, is now considered a terrorist group by Burkina Faso’s government.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 00:34:48

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/at-least-17-killed-in-attack-on-restaurant-in-burkina-faso/

Atkinson scores in OT to lift Blue Jackets past Bruins, 5-4

BOSTON (AP) — Cam Atkinson scored 2:55 into overtime to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 victory over Boston on Monday night for their eighth straight victory, spoiling a splendid NHL debut for Bruins forward Ryan Donato. Sonny Milano, Boone Jenner, Thomas Vanek and Artemi Panarin also scored for the Blue Jackets. Nick Foligno had two assists, nd Vanek and Jenner each added one. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 34 shots. Atkinson cut in on the left wing and fired a wrister past Rask for the game-winner. Columbus moved into a tie with Philadelphia with 85 points, but the Flyers hold the tiebreaker for third place in the Metropolitan Division and the Blue Jackets hold the first wild card in the Eastern Conference. Donato had a goal and two assists for Boston, which moved a point behind idle Tampa Bay for first in the Atlantic. Riley Nash, Brad Marchand and David Krejci also scored for the Bruins, and Tuukka Rask finished with 19 saves. The Blue Jackets trailed by two late in the second period before scoring three consecutive goals to take a 4-3 lead. Just 25 seconds after Nash had give the Bruins a 3-1 lead, Milano redirected Ryan Murray’s slap-pass from the right point to pull Columbus within one with just over three minutes remaining in the middle period. Vanek tipped in a shot from the slot, tying it 5:38 into the third, and Panarin put the Blue Jackets ahead off a faceoff with 8:30 left in regulation. However, Donato slipped a short pass from the right circle to Krejci, who got the tying goal 20 seconds later while falling to one knee. Jenner got Columbus on the scoreboard first when he redirected Vanek’s pass by Rask 4:15 into the game. The Bruins scored three straight goals in the second to take the lead. Marchand tied it with his team-leading 31st of the season when he got the puck at the end of a 2-on-1 break, shifted to his right and tucked it behind Korpisalo 5:41 into the middle period. Donato, a Hobey Baker Finalist after leading Harvard in scoring this season, pushed Boston ahead with a one-timer that slipped inside the near post from the right faceoff circle at 7:28. The leading scorer on the U.S. team at the Pyeongchang Olympics signed a two-year, entry-level contract on Sunday. Nash’s power-play goal increased it to 3-1 as he banged home a rebound from the top of the crease with 3:28 remaining. NOTES: Boston F David Pastrnak got his 70th point on Marchand’s goal, matching his career-high. … Bruins F Rick Nash was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. … The Blue Jackets entered with the league’s second-worst power play and went 0 for 2 against the Bruins. … Local Olympians, including eight from the women’s Gold medal-winning hockey team, were honored during a ceremonial puck drop. … Bruins captain Zdeno Chara missed his third straight with an upper-body injury. … Columbus D Seth Jones missed his second straight with an upper-body injury. UP NEXT Blue Jackets: At the New York Rangers on Tuesday. Columbus won the only other meeting, 3-1 at home on Oct. 13. Bruins: At St. Louis on Thursday in the first of a four-game road trip.

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-19 21:19:31

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/19/atkinson-scores-in-ot-to-lift-blue-jackets-past-bruins-5-4/

Trump plans to go ahead with steel, aluminum tariffs on EU

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to impose tariffs on European steel and aluminum imports after failing to win concessions from the European Union, a move that could provoke retaliatory tariffs and inflame trans-Atlantic trade tensions. The tariffs are likely to go into effect on the EU with an announcement by Friday’s deadline, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The administration’s plans could change if the two sides are able to reach a last-minute agreement, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Trump announced in March the United States would slap a 25 percent tariff on imported steel, and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum, citing national security interests. But he granted an exemption to the EU and other U.S. allies; that reprieve expires Friday. Europe has been bracing for the U.S. to place the restrictions even as top European officials have held last-ditch talks in Paris with American trade officials to try to avert the tariffs. “Realistically, I do not think we can hope” to avoid either U.S. tariffs or quotas on steel and aluminum, said Cecilia Malmstrom, the European Union’s trade commissioner. Even if the U.S. were to agree to waive the tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, Malmstrom said, “I expect them nonetheless to want to impose some sort of cap on EU exports.” European officials said they expected the U.S. to announce its final decision Thursday. The people familiar with the talks said Trump could make an announcement as early as Thursday. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross attended meetings at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris on Wednesday, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer joins discussions in Paris on Thursday. The U.S. plan has raised the threat of retaliation from Europe and fears of a global trade war — a prospect that is already weighing on investor confidence and could hinder the global economic upturn. If the U.S. moves forward with its tariffs, the EU has threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. orange juice, peanut butter and other goods in return. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire pledged that the European response would be “united and firm.” Besides the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, the Trump administration is also investigating possible limits on foreign cars in the name of national security. “Unilateral responses and threats over trade war will solve nothing of the serious imbalances in the world trade. Nothing,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in an impassioned speech at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. In a clear reference to Trump, Macron added: “These solutions might bring symbolic satisfaction in the short term. … One can think about making voters happy by saying, ‘I have a victory, I’ll change the rules, you’ll see.'” But Macron said those “who waged bilateral trade wars … saw an increase in prices and an increase in unemployment.” Tariffs on steel imports to the U.S. can help local producers of the metal by making foreign products more expensive. But they can also increase costs more broadly for U.S. manufacturers who cannot source all their steel locally and need to import the raw material. That hurts the companies and can lead to more expensive consumer prices, economists say. Ross criticized the EU for its tough negotiating position. “There can be negotiations with or without tariffs in place. There are plenty of tariffs the EU has on us. It’s not that we can’t talk just because there’s tariffs,” he said. He noted that “China has not used that as an excuse not to negotiate.” But German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier insisted the Europeans were being “constructive” and were ready to negotiate special trade arrangements, notably for liquefied natural gas and industrial goods, including cars. Macron also proposed to start negotiations between the U.S., the EU, China and Japan to reshape the World Trade Organization to better regulate trade. Discussions could then be expanded to include other countries to agree on changes by the end of the year. Ross expressed concern that the Geneva-based World Trade Organization and other organizations are too rigid and slow to adapt to changes in global business. “We would operate within (multilateral) frameworks if we were convinced that people would move quickly,” he said. Ross and Lighthizer seemed like the odd men out at this week’s gathering at the OECD, an international economic agency that includes the U.S. as a prominent member. The agency issued a report Wednesday saying “the threat of trade restrictions has begun to adversely affect confidence” and tariffs “would negatively influence investment and jobs.” ___ Charlton and Corbet reported from Paris. Masha Macpherson and Oleg Cetinic in Paris and Paul Wiseman and Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 23:29:39

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/trump-plans-to-go-ahead-with-steel-aluminum-tariffs-on-eu/

First workouts underway for MLB pitchers and catchers

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Even for an accomplished veteran like Justin Verlander, the start of spring training can be special. “I usually sleep pretty well. I woke up early today,” the Detroit ace said Tuesday. “On one hand, you want to appreciate everything as much as you can. It’s not such a whirlwind anymore — you kind of know what to expect. But in the same aspect, every day is pretty much the same thing I’ve done for 12 years, so it also starts going faster.” Verlander’s Tigers were among 15 teams with their first scheduled workouts for pitchers and catchers Tuesday. As major leaguers took the field in Florida and Arizona, that familiar sound of balls popping into mitts served as a reminder that in baseball at least, winter is finally over. While Verlander and the Tigers went through their routine at their newly renovated facility in Lakeland, the Boston Red Sox were about 115 miles to the south, holding their first workout of the post-Papi era. It’s Boston’s first season without David Ortiz since the Red Sox signed him in January 2003, but Big Papi’s retirement may not be too big a blow to a team that added star left-hander Chris Sale. Over in Arizona, the Cleveland Indians began preparing to defend their American League title. Cleveland won the AL Central by eight games last year and made it to the World Series before losing to the Chicago Cubs in seven games. “This time of year, everyone is at glass half full,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “We have good reason to be.” Hopes are always high at the start of spring training, but occasionally there’s some injury news on the first day. Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said right-hander Chris Tillman had a platelet-rich plasma injection on his right shoulder and won’t start the season until April 7 at the earliest. The Kansas City Royals said left-hander Brian Flynn broke a rib and had three minor vertebrae fractures in a bizarre offseason injury. Flynn is expected to miss two months after falling through a barn roof at his Oklahoma residence. The Royals and Miami Marlins begin this season with heavy hearts following the deaths of pitchers Yordano Ventura last month and Jose Fernandez in September, and now the Arizona Diamondbacks are dealing with a serious health concern. Their bench coach, former Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, has prostate cancer and is set to have surgery. He said doctors believe they caught the cancer early. The Diamondbacks went 69-93 and are one of a handful of National League teams that started workouts Tuesday amid tepid expectations. The Phillies, Reds and Rockies also finished well out the postseason hunt in 2016, but that doesn’t mean they can’t set goals for themselves. Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin wants to see his team play .500 baseball deeper into the season after the Phillies lost 91 games in 2016. For the first time since 2009, the Giants are entering an odd-numbered year without a World Series title to defend, but San Francisco made the playoffs last year as a wild card and looks like a contender again in 2017. Manager Bruce Bochy, needless to say, was upbeat Tuesday. “It’s a day you look forward to, getting a chance to see everybody and hear the sound of the bat, watch these guys work out again, so it’s a good day,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s a beautiful day, to work out with. Great to be here.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-14 17:30:23

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/14/first-workouts-underway-for-mlb-pitchers-and-catchers/

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Portugal cuts budget deficit to lowest level in 4 decades

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s government has proved its critics wrong, slashing the debt-heavy country’s budget deficit to its lowest level in more than 40 years despite warnings that its anti-austerity policies could spell financial disaster. Finance Minister Mario Centeno said Wednesday the deficit last year was no higher than 2.1 percent — well within the 2.5 percent ceiling stipulated by European authorities. Some other eurozone countries expressed alarm when the center-left Socialist government, with the support of the Communist Party and Left Bloc, took power in 2015 on an anti-austerity platform. Portugal needed a 78-billion euro ($82 billion) bailout in 2011, after recording a deficit of more than 11 percent the previous year, and eurozone officials feared it could go into another debt spiral under the Socialists.

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-15 05:43:23

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/15/portugal-cuts-budget-deficit-to-lowest-level-in-4-decades/

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Tampa Bay's Nathan Eovaldi has no-hitter through 6 innings

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tampa Bay right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has not allowed a hit through six innings against Oakland in his first start since having a second Tommy John surgery. Eovaldi has four strikeouts and 70 pitches. The only hitter to reach so far is Matt Chapman, who drew a one-out walk in the first inning. Rays center fielder Johnny Field made a diving catch on a sinking liner from Mark Canha in the third. Right fielder Carlos Gomez made a similar play to take a potential hit away from Chad Pinder in the sixth. Eovaldi last pitched in the majors on Aug. 10, 2016, for the Yankees. Nine days later, he underwent a second elbow surgery. Eovaldi also had Tommy John surgery in 2007 when he was a junior in high school.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 23:02:40

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/tampa-bays-nathan-eovaldi-has-no-hitter-through-6-innings/

Trump remaking federal policy on women's reproductive health

WASHINGTON (AP) — Step by methodical step, the Trump administration is remaking government policy on reproductive health — moving to limit access to birth control and abortion and bolstering abstinence-only sex education. Social and religious conservatives praise the administration for promoting “a culture of life.” But women’s-rights activists and some medical experts view the multi-pronged changes as a dangerous ideological shift that could increase unintended pregnancies and abortions. “When I ran for office, I pledged to stand for life,” President Donald Trump said in a recent speech to the Susan B. Anthony List, which backs political candidates who oppose abortion. “And as president, that’s exactly what I’ve done. And I have kept my promise, and I think everybody here understands that fully.” Most of the changes involve rules and regulations under the administration’s direct control, such as a proposal to forbid federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions and separately allowing more employers who cite moral or religious reasons to opt out of no-cost birth control for women workers. Trump also is appointing numerous new federal judges endorsed by anti-abortion groups. Justice Neil Gorsuch, the president’s only appointment to the Supreme Court so far, has a sparse record on abortion, but has drawn praise from anti-abortion groups and criticism from abortion rights supporters. Unlike regulatory changes, judicial appointments cannot be reversed by a future president. Democrats say Trump is changing policy in ways that could disrupt access to family planning for some women. A recently proposed rule would make major changes to Title X, the family-planning program, including banning clinics from sharing physical space and financial resources with abortion providers. Providers like Planned Parenthood could be forced out. “It’s across the spectrum of women’s health services,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Col. “They’re proposing abstinence-only sex education —which study after study has shown doesn’t work— restrictions to family planning, and more and more restrictions to abortion.” Title X serves about 4 million low-income people, mainly women. Disruptions could affect women’s access to long-acting contraceptives, such as implants and IUDs. Those are more effective than daily pills that can be forgotten but also much more expensive up-front. Eight professional groups representing doctors, nurses, midwives and physician assistants say the Title X proposal “dangerously intrudes” on the patient-provider relationship. That could lead to more unplanned pregnancies, medical complications and undiagnosed diseases. “The strange thing about this is that people who want to decrease the number of abortions are taking away access to the very services that help prevent them,” said Dr. Hal Lawrence, CEO of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, one of the eight groups. Among the others are the American College of Nurse-Midwives and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The administration says it supports family planning and isn’t cutting funding — merely drawing a “bright line” between birth control and abortion. Officials say the doctor-patient relationship is protected because if a woman asks for an abortion referral, Title X doctors could offer a list of pregnancy services providers, including some who perform abortions. Abortion is legal, but under longstanding law and regulations, taxpayer money cannot be used to pay for abortions. Planned Parenthood, a major provider of both kinds of services, can receive federal family-planning grants while separately providing abortions. Trump’s changes come at a time when U.S. rates of births overall, births to teens, and abortions are low. “If we were seeing skyrocketing abortion rates and wildly high numbers on teen births, you could say we have a crisis, but this is just the opposite,” said Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama, and a supporter of abortion rights. “This is playing politics and putting people in a very precarious situation.” In addition to the proposed changes to Title X, other regulatory actions include: — Proposing a shift in the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program to emphasize an abstinence-only approach. — Proposing new criteria for federal family-planning grants that would favor applicants who promote “natural family planning” and abstinence. — Expanding a ban on U.S. funding to foreign organizations that promote or provide abortions. Professor Michael New, who teaches economics at Ave Maria University in Florida, agrees there’s a major policy shift. But New, who opposes abortion, dismisses claims of dire consequences as “false and frankly absurd.” “President Trump is decidedly pro-life and it is his administration’s prerogative to use federal funding rules to incrementally build a culture of life,” said New. “The administration is seeking to redirect tax dollars away from entities like Planned Parenthood that treat abortion as a method of family planning and toward entities that affirm life and provide more holistic health care services.” Planned Parenthood, which survived attempts by congressional Republicans to deny it funding, says the administration’s proposed changes to Title X could be another way of achieving the same goal. Planned Parenthood serves 41 percent of program clients, and operates 13 percent of the clinics. Such facilities have become a specialized niche. Research from Texas after that state moved to oust Planned Parenthood showed that other local providers like community health centers were not able to easily fill the gap. Dr. Stephanie Ho works for Planned Parenthood at a clinic in Arkansas that will have to stop offering medication abortions because of a state law that the Supreme Court this week allowed to take effect. The combination of state restrictions and administration actions worries her. “They’re pushing their views on everyone,” she said. “They’re ignoring scientific evidence and expert medical opinion.” Top Planned Parenthood officials say they will fight to remain in Title X, and will consider litigation if necessary to challenge new rules. HHS is expected to announce funding awards for the $260-million program this fall. At a time when social mores on human reproduction continue changing across the world, some see the U.S. in a time warp. “A lot of social conservative activists are still fighting the battles from the ’60s and the sexual revolution,” said Adam Sonfield, policy manager at The Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights. “That’s their ultimate goal — that some people will just give up and stop having sex.” But Kristi Hamrick, spokeswoman for Students for Life of America, said one result of the policy changes “may be that American women will find that life goes on without Planned Parenthood.” ___ Crary reported from New York.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 12:39:08

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/trump-remaking-federal-policy-on-womens-reproductive-health/

Protests, vigils around US decry white supremacist rally

SEATTLE (AP) — Protesters decrying hatred and racism converged around the country on Sunday, saying they felt compelled to counteract the white supremacist rally that spiraled into deadly violence in Virginia. The gatherings spanned from a march to President Donald Trump’s home in New York to candlelight vigils in several cities. In Seattle, police arrested three men and confiscated weapons as Trump supporters and counter-protesters converged downtown. Some focused on showing support for the people whom white supremacists condemn. Other demonstrations were pushing for the removal of Confederate monuments, the issue that initially prompted white nationalists to gather in anger this weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. Still other gatherings aimed to denounce fascism and a presidential administration that organizers feel has let white supremacists feel empowered. “People need to wake up, recognize that and resist it as fearlessly as it needs to be done,” said Carl Dix, a leader of the Refuse Fascism group organizing demonstrations in New York, San Francisco and other cities. “This can’t be allowed to fester and to grow because we’ve seen what happened in the past when that was allowed.” “It has to be confronted,” said Dix, a New Yorker who spoke by phone from Charlottesville Sunday afternoon. He had gone there to witness and deplore the white nationalist rally on a Saturday that spiraled into bloodshed. In Seattle, a rally previously planned for Sunday by the conservative pro-Trump group known as Patriot Prayer drew hundreds of counter protesters. A barricade separated the two groups as police officers stood by dressed in black riot gear. At one intersection, police ordered crowds to disperse. Police said they used pepper spray and blast balls to disperse crowds after fireworks were thrown at officers. In a statement police say they observed some people in the counter protest carrying axe handles and two-by fours-as they infiltrated the hundreds of peaceful demonstrators. In Denver, several hundred demonstrators gathered beneath a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in City Park and marched about two miles to the state Capitol. In Fort Collins, Colorado, marchers chanted “Everyone is welcome here. No hate, no fear.” One demonstrator’s sign said, “Make racists ashamed again.” In New York, protesters marched from several locations in Manhattan to Trump Tower, demanding the president denounce white nationalist groups involved in the violent confrontations in Charlottesville. One sign read: “Call out evil.” Helen Rubenstein, 62, was among hundreds of people who marched through downtown Los Angeles. She said her parents were Holocaust survivors, and she’s worried that extremist views were becoming normal under Trump’s presidency. “I blame Donald Trump 100 percent because he emboldened all these people to incite hate, and they are now promoting violence and killing,” Rubenstein said. Charlottesville descended into violence Saturday after neo-Nazis, skinheads, Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists gathered to “take America back” and oppose plans to remove a Confederate statue in the Virginia college town, and hundreds of other people came to protest the rally. The groups clashed in street brawls, with hundreds of people throwing punches, hurling water bottles and beating each other with sticks and shields. Eventually, a car rammed into a peaceful crowd of anti-white-nationalist protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. A Virginia State Police helicopter deployed in a large-scale response to the violence then crashed into the woods outside of town. Both troopers on board died. A crowd gathered on the street where the crash happened for a vigil Sunday evening. They sang “Amazing Grace” and prayed around piles of flowers that mark the spot where Heyer was killed. Prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer, who attended the rally, denied all responsibility for the violence. He blamed the counter-protesters and police. Trump condemned what he called an “egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides,” a statement that Democrats and some of the president’s fellow Republicans saw as equivocating about who was to blame. The White House later added that the condemnation “includes white Supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups.” Some of the white nationalists at Saturday’s rally cited Trump’s victory, after a campaign of racially charged rhetoric, as validation for their beliefs. Some of the people protesting Sunday also point to the president and his campaign, saying they gave license to racist hatred that built into what happened in Charlottesville. “For those who questioned whether ‘oh, don’t call it fascism’ … this should resolve those issues,” Reiko Redmonde, an organizer of a Refuse Fascism protest planned in San Francisco, said by phone. “People need to get out in the streets to protest, in a determined way.” ___ Peltz reported from New York. Associated Press writers Dake Kang in Florence, Kentucky; Jonathan Drew in Durham, North Carolina; Jennifer Kay in Miami Beach, Florida, and Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire; and Dan Elliott in Denver contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show the last name of the San Francisco protest organizer is Redmonde, not Redmond.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 00:19:05

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/protests-vigils-around-us-decry-white-supremacist-rally/

Cubs draft son of woman killed in 2015 church shooting

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have drafted Chris Singleton, whose mother was among those killed two years ago during the shooting inside a South Carolina church. Singleton was selected Wednesday by the defending World Series champions with the final pick of the 19th round, No. 585 overall. He is a right-handed-hitting center fielder at Charleston Southern University. The outfielder’s mother, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, was one of nine people killed by Dylann Roof on June 17, 2015, during a Wednesday night Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, one of the South’s first African-American churches. Coleman-Singleton, who was 45, was a track coach at Goose Creek High School. In a news release detailing the amateur draft, Major League Baseball says Chris Singleton was honored by the New York Yankees during the team’s annual HOPE Week in 2015, “following his courageous response to the tragic shooting inside a Charleston, South Carolina church that claimed the life of his mother.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-15 01:21:14

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/15/cubs-draft-son-of-woman-killed-in-2015-church-shooting/

MVP Jose Altuve, Astros finalize $163.5M, 7-year contract

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jose Altuve sat behind a table set up on the field at the Houston Astros’ spring training complex, and his teammates looked on as the World Series champions announced his $163.5 million, seven-year contract, the longest in team history. “You made me more nervous, because I don’t like talking in front of a lot of people. You know that,” he said Houston finalized a deal Monday that guaranteed the AL MVP an additional $151 million over five seasons. “Certainly a fan favorite. Our fans love Jose,” owner Jim Crane said. “Winner, MVP — what else can you say? He always leads by example. When I talk to the guys in the locker room, everybody is better because of Jose, and he’s a great leader. So, Jose, you’re the heart of the team. We’re happy to have you for the long-term.” The 27-year-old second baseman had been among baseball’s best bargains. He agreed in 2013 to a deal that originally guaranteed $12.5 million from 2014-17 and included club options for 2018 at $6 million and 2019 at $6.5 million. His new deal keeps those salaries and adds a $21 million signing bonus, of which $1 million is payable upon the deal’s approval by the commissioner’s office and $10 million each on July 1 in 2018 and 2019. He gets annual salaries of $26 million from 2020-24. “This a very important day for me,” he said. “It was a priority, because that way it doesn’t take attention from the season.” Altuve would have been eligible for free agency after the 2019 season. The 5-foot-6 Altuve hit .346 last season to win his second straight AL batting title and third in four seasons. He had 24 homers, 82 RBIs and 32 stolen bases. “There’s some stability that comes with writing Jose’s name in the lineup every single day,” manager A.J. Hinch said, “and to think that he’s going to be the franchise player for years to come is good for him, it’s good for the organization, it’s obviously good for me as a manager and most importantly is good for his teammates because he’s the most reliable player I’ve ever been around.” After winning its first World Series title, Houston also hopes to reach more long-term deals. Pitcher Dallas Keuchel and designatted hitter Evan Gattis are eligible for free agency after this season. Houston added pitcher Justin Verlander for its stretch run last fall and Gerrit Cole in a trade during the offseason. “We’d love to keep all the guys I’m looking at here for their entire careers,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “Jim is committed to keeping the best team on the field for as long as possible and giving us a chance to win multiple championships, and part of that is developing our own players and keeping our own players and bringing in the right types of players. And we’ve done that. We’ll see what the future holds but we certainly have a desire and an intention to keep our core together as long as possible.” ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-19 15:20:26

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/19/altuve-astros-finalize-163-5m-7-year-contract/

Q&A: How walkout by Arizona teachers is expected to play out

PHOENIX (AP) — Tens of thousands of Arizona teachers are poised to walk off the job this week to demand more funding for public education, an unprecedented action in this conservative state without many union protections. Educators who are among the lowest-paid in the U.S. have organized weeks of protests seeking raises and a boost in overall school funding, culminating in a vote for the first-ever statewide strike. It comes despite a plan from Republican Gov. Doug Ducey to increase teacher pay 20 percent by 2020. Teachers are concerned about a lack of stable funding and a failure to address other demands. A grass-roots teachers group mobilized the #RedforEd campaign, with backing from the Arizona Education Association, the largest teacher membership group. But the association lacks the power to collectively bargain with school districts or require mandatory participation in this right-to-work state. That has led to a disparity across school districts in how to handle the walkout and could lead to fallout for Arizona educators. Here’s a look at what’s happening: WHAT’S A WALKOUT AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN? A walkout is a job action that can be used as a protest, and teachers plan to launch it statewide Thursday, with no end date set. With 78 percent of roughly 57,000 educators voting in favor last week, tens of thousands of teachers are expected to participate. Many are expected to attend a rally at the state Capitol. Their participation could have consequences. Some states, like New York, prohibit strikes outright, but Arizona’s situation is less clear. The education association has warned its 20,000 members about a 1971 Arizona attorney general opinion saying a statewide strike would be illegal under common law and participants could lose their teaching credentials. No school district has said they would fire educators who strike or revoke teaching certificates. Teachers in some districts have been advised to take personal leave time to participate. WHAT ARE THE DEMANDS? The one that received the most attention is a 20 percent raise for teachers. They also want yearly raises until their salaries reach the national average and competitive wages for all classified staff members. Another demand is a return to pre-Great Recession spending levels, which would be roughly a $1 billion increase annually. Part of that includes the goal of driving down class sizes to a 23:1 ratio. The fifth demand is a freeze on tax cuts until spending on each student reaches the national average. A May 2017 report from the National Education Association says per-pupil spending in Arizona was $8,296, compared with $12,572 nationally. HOW ARE THE GOVERNOR AND LAWMAKERS RESPONDING? Ducey has offered teachers a 20 percent raise by 2020 and pledged to see his proposal through despite concerns by lawmakers of his own party. He vetoed 10 Republican measures recently to push the Legislature to send him a budget with the pay increase. Ducey’s plan relies on higher-than-expected state revenue. Republican legislative leaders have expressed concern about where the money might come from and are negotiating the plan this week. WHAT DOES THE WALKOUT MEAN FOR SCHOOLS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS? The state’s nearly 200 public school districts can try to keep schools open or can close them down. Districts were still determining their plans, but the state’s largest district in suburban Phoenix and many others have warned parents they will shut down at least Thursday and Friday. Schools could be open if enough teachers, staff or administrators show up. Many parents will have to make child care plans. Community groups have opened registration for day camps, while some stay-at-home parents are volunteering to watch others’ children. Local parent-teacher associations also are putting together food boxes for kids who rely on free breakfast and lunch at school. Hourly workers like custodians might not get paid if their schools close, but they would get a paycheck if the days are made up at the end of the school year. WHAT’S HAPPENED IN OTHER STATES? The Arizona campaign took inspiration from West Virginia, where teachers went on strike and got a raise. The movement also spread to Oklahoma, Kentucky and most recently Colorado, where over a dozen school districts are closing Thursday and Friday because of planned teacher protests. Arizona has seen a unique blend of grass-roots uprising, with help from the teachers association. Unions mobilized teachers in other states, though they also had little collective bargaining power with districts. Like Arizona, Oklahoma is a right-to-work state, where teachers spent two weeks on strike, even after money was approved for teacher raises and more school funding. West Virginia officials said a strike was illegal, but the nine-day action led to a 5 percent pay increase, much lower than what Arizona teachers have been offered.

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 15:30:53

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/qa-how-walkout-by-arizona-teachers-is-expected-to-play-out/

Judge considering fraud investigator in NFL concussion case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal judge in Philadelphia heard arguments Wednesday in the NFL’s request for a special investigator to look into what the league says are fraudulent claims in a $1 billion concussion settlement. The league last month cited an independent study it said found that more than 400 claims had been recommended for denial based on evidence of fraud by attorneys, doctors and former players. Plaintiffs’ lawyers contend the league is not awarding settlement funds fast enough, and at least two of the attorneys Wednesday said the investigator is unnecessary. The league says attempts to scam the system are responsible for delays. The NFL has asked that the investigator be granted subpoena power and the ability to compel testimony to determine whether more punitive actions are necessary upon fraud findings.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 12:19:37

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/judge-considering-fraud-investigator-in-nfl-concussion-case/

Pro-Brexit group chief denies breaching electoral rules

LONDON (AP) — The former head of the official “leave” campaign in Britain’s 2016 vote on European Union membership denied breaking spending rules on Wednesday ahead of a report from the country’s electoral watchdog. The Electoral Commission has not yet published its report on Vote Leave. But Matthew Elliott, who headed the group, said the commission has concluded that Vote Leave broke rules by donating more than 600,000 pounds ($800,000) to another group then using the money for its own activities. Elliott denied wrongdoing, saying Vote Leave acted “both within the letter of the law and also the spirit.” He told the BBC that Vote Leave planned to challenge the Electoral Commission report in court. The commission said it was “unusual” for Vote Leave to issue a public reaction to its initial findings. It said it would publish its full report “at the earliest opportunity.” The watchdog has conducted several investigations into the referendum, which was won by those wanting Britain to leave the EU. Another pro-Brexit organization, Leave.EU, was fined 70,000 pounds in May for overspending and filing inaccurate records. The probes have become entangled with inquiries into Facebook’s use of users’ data because the Brexit campaigns allegedly had contact with the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, which used data from tens of millions of Facebook accounts to help U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign. Former Cambridge Analytica and Vote Leave staffers have alleged that the group used its undeclared donation to pay a Canadian data firm, Aggregate IQ, for targeted messaging services. Opponents of Brexit say campaigners’ skulduggery may have unfairly influenced the outcome of the June 2016 referendum.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 08:04:27

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/pro-brexit-group-chief-denies-breaching-electoral-rules/

The Latest: Play starts on Day 3 at Wimbledon

LONDON (AP) — The Latest from Wimbledon (all times local): 11:45 a.m. Play is underway on Day 3 at Wimbledon, with former finalist Milos Raonic of Canada among the early starters as the second round begins at the All England Club. The 13th-seeded Raonic was playing John Millman of Australia as he bids to reach the third round for a sixth straight year. He lost the 2016 final to Andy Murray and reached the quarterfinals last year. No. 10 Madison Keys of the United States was the highest-seeded woman in early action, playing Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand. Roger Federer and Serena Williams were both set to play on Centre Court later. ___ 10:45 a.m. Roger Federer and Serena Williams are both back on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Wednesday as they look to advance to the third round. Federer will play Lukas Lacko of Slovakia as he continues his quest for a record-extending ninth title at the All England Club. Williams then faces Bulgarian qualifier Viktoriya Tomova as she goes for a 16th straight match win at the tournament — having missed last year while pregnant. Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki and last year’s men’s runner-up, Marin Cilic, are also back in action as they try to avoid more upsets at the tournament. Three of the top-10 seeded men lost in the first round, while former champions Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova also went out on Tuesday. The forecast calls for more sunny skies, although there is a 30 percent chance of rain showers in the afternoon. ___ More AP tennis coverage: https://www.apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 05:53:22

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/the-latest-play-starts-on-day-3-at-wimbledon/

US arrests Mexican immigrant 'dreamer' in Seattle

SEATTLE (AP) — A man who was brought to the U.S. illegally as a child but was protected from deportation by the Obama administration has been taken into custody in the Seattle area in what could be the first case of its kind in the country. Daniel Ramirez Medina, 23, was arrested Friday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who went to the suburban Seattle home to arrest the man’s father. ICE spokeswoman Rose Richeson said in a statement that agents were there targeting a “prior-deported felon.” Ramirez, however, was brought to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 7 and has a work permit under Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He also has a job, a young son and no criminal record, Northwest Immigrants Rights Project Legal Director Matt Adams said. Ramirez is being held in Tacoma. Richeson said Ramirez told agents he was a gang member and based on those statements and being a “risk to public safety,” he was taken into custody. But Mark Rosenbaum, one of Ramirez’s lawyers, responded later Tuesday that Ramirez “unequivocally denies being in a gang” and that the statement from Richeson is inaccurate. “While in custody, he was repeatedly pressured by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to falsely admit afiliation,” Rosenbaum said. Adams said Ramirez is the first person he knows of with DACA status who has been detained. “This appears to be a complete one-off. We certainly haven’t seen this with our other hundreds of clients who have DACA status as well.” Attorneys for Ramirez challenged his detention in federal court in Seattle Monday, arguing the arrest violates his constitutional rights to live and work in this country without the fear of arrest and deportation so long as he satisfies DACA requirements. “Trust in our government depends upon the Executive Branch keeping its word,” Ramirez attorney Mark Rosenbaum, director of Public Counsel’s Opportunity Under Law Project, said in a statement. “Bait and switch sullies the integrity of our nation’s core values.” Emily Langley, a spokeswoman for the US attorney’s office in Seattle, said Tuesday afternoon it would be premature to comment on the lawsuit. Recent sweeps by U.S. immigration agents across multiple states have netted some immigrants with no criminal records, a departure from enforcement actions in the last decade. Under the Obama administration, agents focused more narrowly on individuals who posed a security or public safety threat. President Donald Trump made illegal immigration a cornerstone of his campaign, saying he will build a wall along the Mexican border and deport millions of people, although actual plans have yet to be revealed. He has said he wants to focus on people who have committed crimes. During an interview with Time magazine late last year, Trump expressed sympathy for the more than 740,000 people in the DACA program, which started in 2012. “We’re going to work something out that’s going to make people happy and proud,” he told the magazine. Trump can withdraw the promised protection right away through an “operational memo” because Obama implemented it through one, William Stock, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said previously. Adams said he believes Ramirez was apprehended by mistake. “I don’t think this has to do with any change in policy; I just think it was an enforcement procedure gone wrong,” Adams said. “Hopeful they’re going to come to their senses.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-14 20:42:53

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/14/us-arrests-mexican-immigrant-dreamer-in-seattle/

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Jayhawks looking to peak in Week 2 of NCAA Tournament

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The only thing Bill Self seemed pleased about from a first-round NCAA Tournament win by Kansas was, well, the fact that his top-seeded Jayhawks had won. He wasn’t a whole lot more impressed with their second-round win. But in a tournament gone goofy with upsets, where two No. 1 seeds are already out, simply surviving should be reason for applause. And the fact that Self thinks the best is yet to come should give the Jayhawks confidence as they head to the Midwest Region semifinals. “Well, I think in the NCAA Tournament you don’t worry as much if you played well or if you played poor,” Self said. “You worry more about, ‘Did we advance?’ And I think that’s all we did is we advanced.” Kansas will play red-hot Clemson on Friday night in Omaha, Nebraska. “I don’t think we were good against Penn, except for short stretches, and I don’t think we were very good (against Seton Hall), except for short stretches,” Self said. “But we put ourselves in position where hopefully we’ll play much better next week and play our best ball. Certainly we’re going to have to be better, obviously, on Friday.” It would help the Jayhawks’ cause if Udoka Azubuike is closer to 100 percent against the Tigers. The 7-foot sophomore played 22 minutes against Seton Hall, and the Jayhawks needed all of them against Pirates big man Angel Delgado. But while Azubuike was effective after missing most of two weeks with a ligament injury to his left knee, there were still times that he was laboring. “He’s probably not close to 100 percent, to be honest, but the way his attitude has been, the way he’s been rehabbing, that allowed him to get out there,” Kansas star Devonte Graham said. “You can’t duplicate having ‘Doke in the game. He’s a big piece of our offense.” Now, Azubuike will have another week to get his feet — or rather his knee — under him. Self said the plan was to rest him Sunday and Monday, practice Tuesday through Thursday, and be ready to go against a fifth-seeded Clemson team that ran roughshod over No. 4 seed Auburn. “Coach is trying to limit my time sometimes, and I’m like, ‘Coach, I’m good. I’m good to go,'” Azubuike said with a smile. “I’m feeling good right now. I feel good to be back with the team. And like, as soon as I stepped on the court, I felt good and I was just good to go.” Still, the Jayhawks (29-7) have only had one person step up offensively each of their first two NCAA Tournament games, and that’s cause for concern. When they’ve struggled this season, such as losses to Washington and Arizona State, nobody in their talented backcourt came through in the clutch. Against Penn, it was Graham who shouldered the load. He scored 29 points, dished out six assists with six rebounds, and played all but one minute in a game tight until the second half. Against Seton Hall, the Big 12 player of the year was largely silenced, perhaps in part by a shot to the head he took from his own teammate. But sophomore Malik Newman took over, the Big 12 Tournament’s most valuable player hitting four 3-pointers and pouring in 28 points in an 83-79 victory. “With the four guards and with the big man, I think anybody — any one of our starting five — always have a chance to go out and get 20-plus,” Newman said. “Lot of weapons we have to our arsenal.” They’ll likely need more than one of them Friday night. Clemson closed the first half against Auburn with a 25-4 run, was lights-out on offense and brutal on defense, and was never threatened the rest of the way in an 84-53 romp that sent coach Brad Brownell’s program to its first Sweet 16 in 21 years. “That was probably as impressive of a performance as anyone has had in the tournament so far and there have been some great performances,” Self said. “They dominated Auburn in every area — perimeter play, speed, rebounding and in the paint. Watching them was like watching a clinic. “They’ve played against some unbelievable teams all year long,” he added. “This will be a difficult game. A game that will require us to play a lot better than we did this past weekend.” ___ More AP college basketball: https://collegebasketball.ap.org ; https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 and https://www.podcastone.com/ap-sports-special-events

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-19 15:18:12

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/19/jayhawks-looking-to-peak-in-week-2-of-ncaa-tournament/

Holocaust memorial vandalized for second time this summer

BOSTON (AP) — The New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston has been vandalized for the second time this summer. Police say someone smashed a glass panel on the memorial on Monday. A suspect was taken into custody. It’s the second time the memorial has been damaged in the past few months. In June, police say James Isaac used a rock to shatter a roughly 9-foot-tall (3-meter-tall) glass panel on one of the memorial’s six 54-foot-high (16-meter-high) towers. Isaac has pleaded not guilty to vandalism charges. The six glass towers are lit internally and etched with millions of numbers that represent tattoos on the arms of many Jews sent to Nazi death camps. The repaired memorial was rededicated in July. Democratic Mayor Marty Walsh says he’s “saddened to see such a despicable action.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 19:40:32

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/holocaust-memorial-vandalized-for-second-time-this-summer/

The Latest: Greek island wildfires prompt state of emergency

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The Latest on wildfires in Europe (all times local): 1:20 p.m. Authorities in Greece have declared a state of emergency on the island of Zakynthos where wildfires are burning for a fourth day. The Fire Service says that the blazes are burning on 12 fronts and not threatening homes or resorts on the island, which is popular with tourists. A statement from the office of Zakynthos Mayor Pavlos Kolokotsas said there were “clear indications that fires were caused by an organized campaign of arson.” Arson-related fires near populated areas in Greece are often associated with illegal development, especially near Athens and around holiday resorts. ___ 12:05 p.m. A large wildfire north of Athens is threatening homes as it sweeps through pine forest for a second day, uncontained due to high winds. Fire Service officials two planes and five helicopters are fighting the blaze at Varnava, 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of the Greek capital, while a main road in the area is closed to traffic to give fire trucks better access. The fire burned out of control for a second day Monday after damaging at least 20 homes the previous day and forcing the evacuation of holiday campsites used in the area for children’s vacations. No one was hurt, and Fire Service spokeswoman Brigade Manager Stavroula Maliri described all the evacuations as precautionary.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 05:23:50

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/the-latest-greek-island-wildfires-prompt-state-of-emergency/

Top US military officer warns NKorea that US military ready

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The top U.S. military officer is warning during a trip to Seoul that the United States is ready to use the “full range” of its military capabilities to defend itself and its allies from North Korea. A spokesman says Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford also told his South Korean counterparts Monday that the North’s missiles and nukes threaten the world. Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is also meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. He will then travel to Japan and China. The trip follows a week in which President Donald Trump waged a war of words with North Korea, declaring the U.S. military “locked and loaded.” North Korea, meanwhile, has threatened to lob four intermediate-range missiles into the waters near the U.S. territory of Guam.

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 03:45:18

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/top-us-military-officer-warns-nkorea-that-us-military-ready/

'Alternative facts' remark tops 2017 list of notable quotes

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — The use of the term “alternative facts” by Kellyanne Conway, an adviser to President Donald Trump, tops a Yale Law School librarian’s list of the most notable quotes of 2017. The statement Conway made when asked why Trump’s then-Press Secretary Sean Spicer mischaracterized the size of inauguration crowds is one of many Trump-related quotations on the list, assembled by Fred Shapiro, an associate director at the library. “I actually had to limit the amount of Trump-related quotations on the list so as not to have the list overwhelmed by him,” Shapiro said. The yearly list is an update to “The Yale Book of Quotations,” which was first published in 2006. Shapiro chooses quotes that are famous or revealing of the spirit of the times, and not necessarily eloquent or admirable. ___ THE LIST 1. “Sean Spicer, our press secretary, gave alternative facts.” — Kellyanne Conway, interview on NBC “Meet the Press,” Jan. 22. 2. “Alternative facts are not facts, they’re falsehoods.” — Chuck Todd, interview of Kellyanne Conway on “Meet the Press,” Jan. 22. 3. “I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job. I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.” — Trump, as reported by The New York Times, explaining the firing of James Comey to visiting Russian officials, May 10. 4. “With respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual.” — Sallie Hofmeister, spokeswoman for Harvey Weinstein, Oct. 10. 5. “Make our planet great again.” — Emmanuel Macron, statement on the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate agreement, June 1. 6. “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.” — Robert McNair, owner of the Houston Texans football team, describing players protesting the national anthem, as quoted in ESPN The Magazine, Oct. 27. 7. “Yes.” — Elizabeth Warren, responding to Jake Tapper’s question on whether the 2016 Democratic primaries were rigged in favor of Hillary Clinton, in an interview on CNN’s “The Lead,” Nov. 2. 8. “And the Academy Award … for Best Picture … La La Land.” — Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, mistakenly reading the wrong winner for Best Picture in an envelope mix-up, Academy Awards ceremony, Feb. 27. 9. “It’s a shame the White House has become an adult day care center.” — Bob Corker, Republican senator from Tennessee, in a tweet, Oct. 8. 10. “There is too much money in the world.” — Lawrence Luhring, art dealer, reacting to the sale of a painting possibly by Leonardo da Vinci for over $450 million, as quoted in The New York Times, Nov. 16.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 23:15:01

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/alternative-facts-remark-tops-2017-list-of-notable-quotes/

Authorities: 3 Alaska hikers injured in bear run-in

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Three hikers have been injured following a run-in with a bear at a campground near Alaska’s largest city. Anchorage authorities say four young people were hiking in the woods around the Eagle River campground when three of them were injured by a grizzly bear with two cubs. They were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Anchorage police said in a news release say that while responding officers were searching for the hikers they were charged by the bear and shot at it. The bear’s status was not immediately known.

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-14 16:56:39

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/14/authorities-3-alaska-hikers-injured-in-bear-run-in/

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Boxer Floyd Mayweather says on Instagram that he’ll fight UFC star Conor McGregor on Aug. 26 in Las Vegas. Share this: Facebook Twitter Google Reddit Pinterest

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-14 16:42:43

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/14/ap-newsalert-2/

Game on: Tragedy won't stop annual baseball game

WASHINGTON (AP) — The game will go on. The annual Congressional Baseball Game, which dates to 1909 and is a summertime tradition on Capitol Hill, will be played on Thursday despite Wednesday’s shooting at the GOP squad’s practice in Alexandria, Virginia. It’s an annual tradition in which aging former Little Leaguers don their spikes and dust off their gloves in a game played for bragging rights and to benefit several charities. It’s also a somewhat rare example of bipartisanship in an increasingly polarized Washington. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., assured lawmakers assembled at a members’ briefing that the game will be played as scheduled, prompting a standing ovation. Once a relatively cozy affair, played at a minor league ballpark in Maryland, the game has gone big time in recent years and has been played at Nationals Park, just a few blocks from the Capitol. “We do it for really three reasons. We do it for fellowship amongst ourselves. We do it for charity,” said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, the longtime GOP manager. “We raise a lot of money for three charities. And we do it because we like to play baseball and try to recapture a little bit of our youth. It’s a positive thing. Of all the things Congress does, this is one of the most benign, positive activities.” Members of Congress practice for months for the event, and typically don the jerseys of a team from back home. The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call sponsors the game and awards a trophy once a side wins three of five games. “It’s a good way raise money for charity and for members to get to know each other,” said Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., whose election in 2010 upended the competitive balance of the annual event. Richmond played baseball in college and kicked off his congressional career with a one-hitter in 2011 and has been the game’s dominant player pretty much since then. Last year, however, Democrats lost the game 8-7, ending a seven-game winning streak that mostly coincided with Richmond joining the Democratic side. “I was fresh off of surgery, but they made more plays than we made last year,” Richmond told reporters. “This was a year we wanted to get even.” Congressional leaders typically attend the event and former President Barack Obama — famous for shunning opportunities to rub shoulders with lawmakers — even went two years ago, watching from the Democratic dugout. Obama’s appearance came as he was struggling to win Democratic votes for an unpopular trade-related measure. ___ Online: https://www.congressionalbaseball.org/

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-14 14:18:19

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/14/game-on-tragedy-wont-stop-annual-baseball-game/

Journalists consider response to errors after Trump attacks

NEW YORK (AP) — Some stinging mistakes in stories involving President Donald Trump have given him fresh ammunition in his battle against the media while raising questions about whether news organizations need to peel back the curtain on how they operate. The president tweeted six attacks on what he calls “fake news” over the weekend, saying the “out of control” media puts out purposely false and defamatory stories. That led to a contentious exchange at Monday’s White House press briefing between press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and CNN’s Jim Acosta. “Journalists make honest mistakes,” Acosta said. “That doesn’t make them fake news.” When Sanders responded that reporters should own up to their mistakes, one said, “we do.” “Sometimes, but a lot of times you don’t,” she said. “There’s a very big difference between honest mistakes and purposely misleading the American people.” Trump has his own issues: the Washington Post’s fact-checking blog counted 1,628 false or misleading claims made by the president in his first 298 days in office. Still, it was an undeniably bad week for news organizations reporting on investigations into the Trump campaigns dealings with Russia. ABC News suspended Brian Ross for incorrectly reporting the timing of a Trump directive to Michael Flynn. Several news outlets wrongly reported that Trump and his family’s bank records were the subject of the special prosecutor’s subpoena. And CNN corrected a story on the timing of a tip to the Trump campaign about damaging information on Democrats. With the hyper-speed of the modern news environment, the stories spread swiftly beyond their original source. News organizations corrected themselves but fell short in their explanations, said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a communications professor and the director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “When a mistake is made, the public really needs to understand why it was made and what corrections have been put in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” she said. In announcing Ross’ four-week suspension, ABC News issued a two-paragraph statement saying the story “had not been fully vetted through our editorial standards process.” Executives were not made available to explain to the public what exactly that meant. Ironically, the only time ABC News President James Goldston’s reaction to the error was heard came from a leaked tape of him talking to staff members obtained by CNN’s media reporting team. Sanders specifically cited Ross’ story when asked for an example of one that was purposely misleading. When CNN made its mistake a week later, its own executives did not talk publicly about it — even when the topic was discussed on the network’s weekend show about the media, “Reliable Sources.” Network representatives, speaking with allowing a name to be attached, blamed the error on sources that provided information to reporters Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb. That still left questions: New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen wondered, for example, how it was possible that different sources made the same error about a date. CNN earlier this year fired journalists involved in a discredited story about former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci. CNN said — again, without allowing a name to be attached— Raju and Herb followed the network’s procedures for sensitive stories. In the Scaramucci case, the reporters didn’t. Again, it was up to consumers to decipher precisely what that meant. CNN’s communications staff, responding Monday to Trump’s tweet that he once called anchor Don Lemon “the dumbest man on television,” said “in a world where bullies torment kids on social media to devastating effect on a regular basis with insults and name calling, it is sad to see our president engaging in the very same behavior himself. Leaders should lead by example.” With politicians targeting journalists, it is more important than ever to be clear, Jamieson said. People need to know that there are consequences when reporters make mistakes, and what those consequences are, she said. She pointed to The Washington Post, which last Friday began what it said will be an occasional series of videos about its operations. The first, titled “How to Be a Reporter,” featured interviews with two journalists who worked on the newspaper’s story about Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore dating young girls. The reporters explained how they were tipped to the story and went about reporting it. “As corny as it sounds, the agenda is to find out what the reality is, what the truth is of the story,” said reporter Stephanie McCrummen. “That’s it.” Over the weekend, Trump demanded an apology from the Post for a photo that he said was deceptive about the number of people who attended his Florida rally, since it had been taken while people were waiting outside. Post reporter Dave Weigel apologized; Trump later said he should be fired. On Monday, Trump said a Times story exaggerated the amount of time he watched television each day, and that he seldom watched CNN or MSNBC. The Times said its story was based on interviews with 60 people, “including many who interact with President Trump every day.” ___ Associated Press reporter Kenneth Thomas in Washington contributed to this report.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 15:00:22

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/trump-disputes-report-he-watches-hours-of-television-daily/

Uncertainty still hanging over White Sox as spring begins

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Chicago White Sox are a work in progress as spring training begins. Finally committing to a rebuilding project after four consecutive sub-.500 seasons, the White Sox are without former ace Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton, who were dealt away for some of baseball’s top prospects. Still here, perhaps surprisingly, are closer David Robertson and Jose Quintana, who would replace Sale as the staff ace – assuming the All-Star lefty is still here. General manager Rick Hahn said trade talks will likely not fade away. “We expect them to continue,” Hahn said Tuesday after the official reporting day for pitchers and catchers at Camelback Ranch. “We’re going to keep an open mind and where there are conversations to be had we’ll pursue them. As we sit here today, there’s nothing gnawing at us or appealing enough to make us move.” Robertson, the Sox’s closer for the last two years, was part of the discussions over the winter. “I can’t do anything about it. I’m just going to try my best to stay here,” Robertson said. “If I stay here, great. If I get moved, it’s their decision.” Robertson, who has two years remaining on a four-year deal worth a total of $46 million, is happy to be pain free following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in November. He had 37 saves for Chicago last season with a 3.47 ERA along with seven blown saves. He’s also excited about pitching for the United States in the World Baseball Classic next month. “It’s a chance to represent my country, try something different,” the 31-year-old right-hander said. It’s going to be a lot of fun to meet a bunch of guys I played against for a while and be on the same team. It’s going to be different and fun and it kind of breaks up spring training a little bit. I’m excited about it.” Manager Rick Renteria, promoted from bench coach to replace Robin Ventura, said his message to the team during the first meeting of the spring was “nothing newer than any manager has ever said to his players.” Renteria said he stressed discipline in the meeting but also emphasized having fun. He said he hasn’t talked to any of the players rumored to be on the trading block specifically about that subject, at least not yet. “I think if as the spring goes along and if I feel it might be something that’s weighing on him, I’ll have a conversation,” Renteria said. Some of the prospects the White Sox acquired for Sale and Eaton were on display Tuesday. Yoan Moncada, a 21-year-old infielder from Cuba who was the key acquisition in the Sale deal with Boston, is in camp early and took some swings in the batting cage. Lucas Giolito was part of the deal with Washington for Eaton. The 6-foot-6-inch right-hander, the Nationals’ first-round pick in 2012, developed into a top prospect but his introduction to the majors was rough. He had a 6.75 ERA in four starts and allowed seven homers in 21 1/3 innings. “I experienced a lot of hardship in the big leagues. I didn’t pitch well and got hit pretty hard,” Giolito said. “I learned a lot from that, being able to make adjustments on the fly, slowing things down. I’m trying to take everything I’ve learned and apply that.” That will likely apply to several members of the White Sox as they retool with new personnel. “We all have that same goal in mind, we want to develop together,” Giolito said.

newcountry923.fm

2017-02-14 17:35:31

http://newcountry923.fm/2017/02/14/uncertainty-still-hanging-over-white-sox-as-spring-begins/

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Trump's tariffs risk jobs and profits in working-class areas

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s escalating dispute with China over trade and technology is threatening jobs and profits in working-class communities where his “America First” agenda hit home. The Commerce Department has received more than 2,400 applications from companies seeking waivers from the administration’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which may result in duty payments of millions of dollars for larger businesses. The department has begun posting the requests online for public comment; several of the applications released so far suggest deep misgivings with Trump’s protectionist strategy, especially in areas where he won strong support during the 2016 election. The tariffs are aimed primarily at China for flooding the global market with cheap steel and aluminum. But they’ve also led to confusion and uncertainty, according to Associated Press interviews and a review of records. In Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin, for example, businesses operating in the furniture, energy and food sectors have outlined the financial difficulties they’d face if they’re not excused from the steel tariff. In Okmulgee, Oklahoma, dozens of jobs hang in the balance as office furniture giant Steelcase waits to hear back from the Commerce Department. A Steelcase subsidiary, PolyVision, operates a plant in Okmulgee that uses a special type of steel from Japan to manufacture a durable glass-like surface for whiteboards and architectural purposes. PolyVision “cannot and will not be able to procure” from U.S. companies the cold-rolled steel it requires “in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or of a satisfactory quality,” Steelcase said. Trump won most of the votes cast for president in Okmulgee County. Without a waiver, Steelcase warned, the “economic viability of PolyVision (and) the small town of Okmulgee” would be jeopardized. The waiver request also indicates that a $15 million plant expansion may be at risk. Steelcase and PolyVision are on the verge of making the investment, which would create new construction and manufacturing jobs, according to the request. Roger Ballenger, Okmulgee’s city manager, said he and other local officials are “very concerned about the situation with PolyVision.” The tariffs — 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum — are designed to protect and rebuild the U.S. companies that manufacture the metals. The U.S. temporarily exempted several major trading partners, including the European Union, Mexico and Canada. China, which was left on the target list, retaliated by imposing tariffs on $3 billion in U.S. products, including apples, pork and ginseng. Trump responded by adding more protectionist measures as punishment for Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property. And Beijing punched back by proposing tariffs on $50 billion in U.S. products including small aircraft and soybeans — a direct threat to rural areas that were key to Trump’s victory. Economists Joseph Francois and Laura Baughman estimated last month that the tariffs would increase employment in the U.S. steel and aluminum industries by more than 26,000 jobs but also lead to the loss of 495,000 other jobs throughout the rest of the American economy. John Hritz, CEO of JSW Steel USA in Baytown, Texas, said his company is in lockstep with Trump’s approach. “We’re in favor of growing the steel industry in this country,” Hritz said. JSW Steel, owned by Indian conglomerate JSW Group, is embarking on a $500 million overhaul of the plant that it says will create hundreds of jobs. The growth would be welcomed in Baytown, where unemployment is 9.8 percent, more than double the national rate. Baytown is located partly in Harris County, which Democrat Hillary Clinton won, and partly in Chambers County, which Trump handily won. The future is much murkier for another Baytown steel business, Borusan Mannesmann Pipe. Without a waiver, Borusan may face tariffs of $25 million to $30 million annually if it imports steel tubing and casing from its parent company in Turkey, according to information the company provided to the AP. Borusan said the Baytown production line would no longer be competitive and “jobs would be threatened” if it cannot import 135,000 metric tons of steel annually over the next two years. The pipes Borusan produces are used primarily as casing for oil and natural gas wells. But if Commerce says yes, Borusan will be able to unlock a $25 million investment in the Baytown facility as it seeks to become a “100 percent domestic supplier,” according to the waiver request. An additional $50 million expansion in pipe fabrication capacity would follow, the company said, leading to as many as 170 new jobs. Seneca Foods Corporation, the nation’s largest vegetable canner, said in its waiver application that it’s unclear, at best, if U.S. suppliers have the ability or willingness to expand their production in the long term to meet the company’s annual demand for tinplated steel. But “clearly they cannot meet demand in the short term,” Seneca told Commerce officials. That means Seneca has to buy a portion of what it needs from overseas. A person with knowledge of Seneca’s situation said the company would face a $2.25 million duty if the Commerce Department doesn’t approve its waiver request for 11,000 metric tons of tinplate it already agreed to purchase from China. The material is to be delivered this year and next, according to the waiver request. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Seneca said it employs more than 400 people at can-making facilities in Wisconsin and Idaho and near its headquarters in New York’s Wayne County, where Trump bested Clinton. The company doesn’t warn layoffs are imminent if the waiver isn’t approved. Instead, the tariffs would likely come out of Seneca’s bottom line, the person said. ___ Contact Richard Lardner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/rplardner

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 10:24:56

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/aimed-at-china-trumps-tariffs-are-hitting-closer-to-home/

Protesters oppose return of disputed art in Catalonia

LLEIDA, Spain (AP) — Clashes have erupted between police and protesters in Spain’s northeastern Catalan city of Lleida after a judicial ruling ordered the city’s museum to return 44 pieces of religious art to the neighboring regional government of Aragon. Regional police cordoned off the area around Lleida Museum early Monday as technicians prepared to remove the disputed artwork. Several hundred people turned up to protest the transfer and there were brief scuffles and police baton charges as officers tried to move them further away from the museum. An Aragon provincial court had given till Monday for the museum to hand over the art — which was originally housed in the region’s Sijena monastery — following a 2015 court ruling. Catalonia bought the art from nuns in 1983 but the court ruled the sale illegal.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 04:11:25

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/protesters-oppose-return-of-disputed-art-in-catalonia/

Scandal-plagued Weinstein Co. files for bankruptcy protection with buyout offer in hand

NEW YORK (AP) — Scandal-plagued Weinstein Co. files for bankruptcy protection with buyout offer in hand. Share this: Facebook Twitter Google Reddit Pinterest

newcountry923.fm

2018-03-19 21:03:51

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/03/19/scandal-plagued-weinstein-co-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-with-buyout-offer-in-hand/

The Latest: Cosby jury to begin deliberating Wednesday

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — The Latest on Bill Cosby’s sexual assault retrial (all times local): 6:10 p.m. The jury in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault retrial is expected to begin deliberating the comedian’s fate on Wednesday. Judge Steven O’Neill says jurors indicated they were exhausted after listening to more than five hours of closing arguments on Tuesday. Cosby is charged with drugging and molesting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. The 80-year-old comedian says his encounter with Andrea Constand was consensual. His lawyers told the panel of seven men and five women Tuesday that Constand made up the assault allegation as part of a scheme to file suit and extract millions of dollars from Cosby. Prosecutor Stewart Ryan urged jurors to “look that man in the eye and tell him the truth about what he did.” The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission. Constand has done so. ___ 5:30 p.m. A prosecutor is attacking Bill Cosby’s star defense witness. Prosecutor Stewart Ryan said in his closing argument Tuesday that Marguerite Jackson’s testimony was “fictional.” Jackson is a Temple University academic adviser who testified that Cosby’s chief accuser, Andrea Constand, once spoke of falsely accusing a high-profile person of sexual assault so she could file a lawsuit. Ryan called it a “fictional conversation.” He also rejected the defense explanation that Cosby paid nearly $3.4 million to settle Constand’s civil lawsuit in 2006 because it was a nuisance and he feared bad publicity. Cosby is charged with drugging and assaulting Constand at his home outside Philadelphia. He says their sexual encounter was consensual. His lawyers say Constand framed him so she could file suit. The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission. Constand has done so. ___ 3:30 p.m. A prosecutor at Bill Cosby’s sexual assault retrial says he used his good-guy image as America’s Dad to gain unsuspecting women’s trust before knocking them out with powerful drugs and violating them. Prosecutor Kristen Feden delivered closing arguments Tuesday, saying Cosby is “nothing like the image that he played on TV.” She says Cosby led a secret life that ran counter to the wholesome image he projected as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on his top-rated 1980s sitcom. Cosby is charged with drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. He says the encounter was consensual. His lawyers have called his chief accuser a con artist who falsely accused Cosby in hopes of a big payday. Feden says Cosby is the true con artist. The jury is expected to begin deliberating later Tuesday. The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission. Constand has done so. ___ 12:10 p.m. Bill Cosby’s lawyers are urging a jury to acquit the 80-year-old comedian of sexual assault charges they say are based on “flimsy, silly, ridiculous evidence.” The defense at Cosby’s retrial gave its closing argument Tuesday. His lawyers slammed chief accuser Andrea Constand as a “pathological liar.” They highlighted more than a dozen inconsistencies in what Constand has said over the years about her relationship with Cosby and her allegations that he drugged and molested her at his suburban Philadelphia home. Cosby’s wife of 54 years was in the courtroom for his lawyers’ arguments. Prosecutors will deliver their closing argument next. The jury is expected to get the case later Tuesday. Cosby says his encounter with Constand was consensual. A jury deadlocked on the charges last year, setting the stage for a retrial. The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission. Constand has done so. ___ 9:50 a.m. Bill Cosby’s spokesman says the comedian’s wife will be in the courtroom for the defense closing argument. Cosby arrived for the 12th day of his sexual assault retrial Tuesday morning accompanied for the first time by Camille, his wife of 54 years. Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt says he didn’t want Camille and other family members there for the rest of the trial. Wyatt says she’s in court to support defense lawyers Tom Mesereau and Kathleen Bliss as they deliver their closing argument, just as she was there to support her husband’s lawyer during closing arguments at last year’s trial. That jury deadlocked on the charges. Cosby is charged with drugging and molesting a woman in 2004. He says it was consensual. ___ 8:45 a.m. Bill Cosby has arrived for the 12th day of his sexual assault retrial, accompanied for the first time by his wife of 54 years. The 80-year-old and his wife, Camille, didn’t talk to reporters as they entered the suburban Philadelphia courthouse, where closing arguments and deliberations are expected Tuesday. The comedian is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault. The charges stem from Andrea Constand’s allegations that he drugged and molested her at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in January 2004. Cosby’s lawyers devoted part of their case to travel records they say prove he couldn’t have been there when she says the alleged assault happened. They argue that any encounter there with Constand would have happened earlier, outside the statute of limitations. The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done. ___ 12:10 a.m. Bill Cosby’s sexual assault retrial will soon be in the hands of a jury. Closing arguments and deliberations are set for Tuesday. The defense rested Monday after Cosby said he wouldn’t testify. The comedian is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault. The charges stem from Andrea Constand’s allegations that he drugged and molested her at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in January 2004. Cosby’s lawyers devoted part of their case to travel records they say prove he couldn’t have been there when she says the alleged assault happened. They argue that any encounter there with Constand would have happened earlier, outside the statute of limitations. The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.

newcountry923.fm

2018-04-24 17:09:39

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/04/24/the-latest-cosby-arrives-at-courthouse-with-wife-camille/

Baby milk maker orders global recall over salmonella fears

PARIS (AP) — French baby-milk maker Lactalis has ordered a global recall of millions of products over fears of salmonella bacteria contamination. The company, one of the largest dairy products group in the world, says it has been warned by health authorities in France that 26 infants have become sick since Dec. 1. Spokesman company Michel Nalet told The Associated Press on Monday that the “precautionary” recall both in France and abroad affects “several million” products made since mid-February. The company said a possible source of the outbreak has been identified in a tower used to dry out the milk at a production site. Lactalis employs 75,000 employees in 85 countries, with a turnover of 17 billion euros ($20 billion.) The symptoms of salmonella infection include abdominal cramps, diarrhea and fever.

newcountry923.fm

2017-12-11 02:49:03

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/12/11/baby-milk-maker-orders-global-recall-over-salmonella-fears/

Harvey Weinstein indicted on rape, criminal sex act charges

NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein has been indicted on rape and criminal sex act charges for alleged attacks on two women in New York. Wednesday’s indictment furthers the first criminal case to arise from a slate of sexual misconduct allegations against the former movie mogul. Weinstein’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, says he will “vigorously defend” against the indictment and ask a court to dismiss it. He calls the allegations “unsupported” and says that Weinstein strongly denies them. The indictment came hours after Weinstein’s lawyer said the film producer would decline to testify before the grand jury because there wasn’t enough time to prepare him and “political pressure” made an indictment unavoidable. Weinstein was charged Friday with raping one woman and committing a criminal sex act by compelling oral sex from another.

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-30 23:02:45

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/30/harvey-weinstein-indicted-on-rape-criminal-sex-act-charges/

2 dead after tree branch falls on crowd at fireworks show

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (AP) — Two people died and several others were injured after a branch measuring in parts more than 8-feet (2.5 meters) around fell on spectators during a fireworks display in western Illinois, authorities said. Rock Island County Sheriff Gerald Bustos said Wednesday that the branch fell from an oak tree that’s believed to be about 100 years old. It fell about 25 feet (8 meters) during Tuesday night’s “Red, White and Boom” event outside the courthouse in Rock Island. Dozens were sitting near the tree watching the fireworks when the branch fell, crushing some of the spectators. Some of those who weren’t hurt tried to lift the branch to free the people trapped beneath. Bustos said Daniel Mendoza Sr., 61, of Rock Island was pronounced dead at the scene. Lawrence R. Anderson, 72, of Moline died at a hospital. Authorities have not provided the causes of death, but Bustos said autopsies were planned for later Wednesday. Six other people were taken to a local hospital, including a 21-year-old pregnant woman from East Moline who was near term. Bustos said the woman gave birth, and she and her baby are reported to be in good health. The others were treated Tuesday night and released from the hospital. Two people from Maysville, Iowa, and their 2-year-old son suffered minor injuries, including scratches to the face. A 3-year-old boy from Bettendorf, Iowa was treated for a suspected concussion, while a Moline woman also had a suspected concussion and scratches. Melanie Brown Ledbetter told KWQC-TV she was with sitting about 50-feet (15 meters) from the tree with family and friends, watching the fireworks. “I was turned talking to my friend and heard the loud crackle of the tree breaking and saw it fall,” she said. She said her husband was among those who tried to help people who were hurt or trapped. “People were screaming and crying,” Ledbetter said. “A lot of people rushed over to help and a lot of people immediately packed up and fled the scene.” Bustos said his office is investigating, and he will provide an update Thursday afternoon.

newcountry923.fm

2018-07-04 14:35:16

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/07/04/2-dead-after-tree-branch-falls-on-crowd-at-fireworks-show/

UK official: Parliament will open June 21, signaling a deal to keep Conservatives in power has been reached

UK official: Parliament will open June 21, signaling a deal to keep Conservatives in power has been reached

newcountry923.fm

2017-06-15 05:00:02

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/06/15/uk-official-parliament-will-open-june-21-signaling-a-deal-to-keep-conservatives-in-power-has-been-reached/

Contract for Vegas casino employees nears expiration

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The two largest resort operators in Las Vegas would lose more than $10 million a day combined if housekeepers, cooks and others go on strike, a possibility starting Friday, the union representing thousands of casino workers said. The Culinary Union detailed how it thinks a one-month strike would impact MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, which operate more than half the properties that would be affected if 50,000 workers walk off the job. Workers last week voted to authorize a strike as disputes over workplace training, wages and other issues have kept the union and casino operators from agreeing on new contracts. The union conceded that it is difficult to estimate how the strike at more than 30 casino-hotels would affect Las Vegas overall because the last citywide strike took place in 1984, when the city had 90,000 fewer hotel rooms and only about 12.8 million annual visitors. Last year, more than 42.2 million people visited. But it says MGM and Caesars would see a 10 percent reduction in revenue because of the loss of group and independent travelers. A strike also could happen as fans head to Las Vegas for the Stanley Cup Final. “Furthermore, one might assume a 10 percent worsening of operating margins due to the use of less experienced and less skilled replacements … to keep the doors open, rooms cleaned, food cooked, and cocktails served, not to mention other factors such as the disruptions to management staff’s regular work,” the union wrote. Using the companies’ earnings reports for the first three months of the year, the union’s estimates show a one-month strike could reduce MGM’s earnings before interest, taxes and other items by more than $206 million and Caesars’ by over $113 million. Contracts expire at midnight Thursday for bartenders, housekeepers, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks and other kitchen workers at properties on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas, including Caesars Palace, Bellagio, Stratosphere, Treasure Island, The D and El Cortez. Dealers are not part of the Culinary Union. Casino-resorts that would not be affected by the strike include Wynn Las Vegas, Encore, The Venetian and Palazzo. MGM, which employees 24,000 of the workers, said it met with union negotiators Monday and has more talks scheduled this week. The company says it remains confident that it “can resolve the outstanding contract issues and come to an agreement that works for all sides.” Caesars said it “expects to agree to a new 5-year contract with the Culinary Union on or about June 1 when the current contract expires.” About 12,000 of its workers are part of the negotiations for new five-year contracts. The union said it is asking for training on new skills and job opportunities as the companies adopt technology that can displace workers. It also wants an independent study to analyze the workload of housekeepers and contract language that would protect workers if properties are sold. “What is going to happen to my position?” said Fernando Fernandez, a guest runner at Caesars Palace. “I think they are going to be disappearing it, because robots are going to be available to deliver everything.” He said he wants training to fix or program the robots that he believes could eventually replace him. The union says it has asked MGM for average annual wage increases of 4 percent for each of the five years. A document says the company has countered with an approximate 2.7 percent increase. Caesars workers are asking for an increase of 4.2 percent effective Friday, and annual increases of about 4 percent thereafter. Another document shows the company has offered an approximate 2.8 percent increase for each of the five years. The average hourly wage of union workers is $23, including benefits such as premium-free health care, a pension and a 401(k) retirement savings plan and $25,000 down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. ___ Follow Regina Garcia Cano on Twitter at https://twitter.com/reginagarciakNO

newcountry923.fm

2018-05-31 01:19:52

https://newcountry923.fm/2018/05/31/contract-for-vegas-casino-employees-nears-expiration/

Paul Ryan opponent says he believes 'pizzagate' conspiracy

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan’s Republican challenger says he believes an unfounded right-wing online conspiracy theory dubbed “pizzagate.” Paul Nehlen voiced his opinion during an online question-and-answer session with voters earlier this month on Reddit. He was asked, “What are your thoughts on Pizzagate?” In response, Nehlen wrote, “I believe it is real.” The conspiracy theory claims Democrats harbor child sex slaves at a pizza restaurant in Washington, D.C. The false internet rumor led a gunman to fire an assault weapon inside the pizzeria in December. Nehlen did not explain in the Aug. 3 session why he believed the conspiracy theory. But he tried to explain himself in a series of Twitter messages Monday to The Associated Press. “I believe in the broader possibility that there are those in positions of power to which laws do not equally apply to them, and therefore, I pray (Attorney General Jeff) Sessions unleashes the full power of his assets to root out and prosecute EQUALLY those who prey on children, including human trafficking narco-terrorists, and those in positions of power,” Nehlen said. In the same Reddit conversation from earlier this month, Nehlen disparaged another person in the online conversation as “amazingly retarded.” The original comment that elicited the response from Nehlen was deleted. Nehlen told AP on Monday he was being sardonic. Nehlen lost to Ryan by 68 points last year and is seeking a rematch next year. Nehlen ran to the right of Ryan last year and initially won the endorsement of then-candidate Donald Trump, who later backed Ryan. Ryan campaign spokesman Zack Roday said Nehlen “has consistently proven himself irrelevant” and said his “retarded” remark was “wrong and it is hurtful.” Roday also said Nehlen should not “trade in conspiracy theories.”

newcountry923.fm

2017-08-14 15:55:37

https://newcountry923.fm/2017/08/14/paul-ryan-opponent-says-he-believes-pizzagate-conspiracy/