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# Michigan court rejects challenges to Trump's spot on 2024 primary ballot December 14, 2023. 7:06 PM EST --- LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Court of Appeals said Thursday it won't stop former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state's 2024 Republican primary ballot, turning aside challenges from critics who argue that his role in the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol disqualifies him. The court affirmed two lower court rulings without determining whether Trump falls under the insurrection clause in the Constitution's 14th Amendment. "Who to place on the primary ballot is determined by the political parties and the individual candidates," the appeals court said in a 3-0 opinion, citing Michigan law. The court further said Trump's possible spot on a general election ballot was not ripe for consideration. The two-sentence clause in the 14th Amendment has been used only a handful of times since the years after the Civil War. It's likely that one of the lawsuits challenging Trump eventually will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has never ruled on the insurrection clause. The Michigan court decision was similar to one from the Minnesota Supreme Court, which said Trump could stay on that state's primary ballot there because the election is a party-run contest. In one of the Michigan lawsuits, the anti-Trump plaintiffs included Bob LaBrant, a longtime Republican who was a lawyer and political strategist for decades at the state Chamber of Commerce. In a statement, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said, "The Soros-funded Democrats have once again failed in their desperate attempt to interfere in the election via a bad-faith interpretation of the 14th Amendment."
# Man accused of making death threats to Ramaswamy released, can't have contact with any candidate December 14, 2023. 2:23 PM EST --- CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A judge on Thursday released from jail a New Hampshire man accused of sending text messages threatening to kill a presidential candidate. Tyler Anderson, 30, of Dover, was arrested Saturday and charged with sending a threat using interstate commerce. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday. A federal prosecutor argued to keep Anderson in detention pending his trial, saying "very violent, concerning language" was used. But both the prosecution and defense lawyers said Anderson acknowledged that he had no intent to follow through on his texts. Anderson also has no criminal record. The judge set forth several conditions for his release, including that he avoid contact with any presidential candidate and their political campaigns. Anderson, who is receiving mental health treatment, must also take all of his prescribed medications. Guns in his home, belonging to a roommate, must be removed. The U.S. Attorney's office did not name the candidate. However, a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said Monday that the texts were directed at his campaign. According to court documents, Anderson received a text message from the candidate's campaign notifying him of a breakfast event in Portsmouth on Monday. The campaign staff received two text messages in response, according to an FBI agent affidavit. One threatened to shoot the candidate in the head, the other threatened to kill everyone at the event and desecrate their corpses.
# Israeli military veteran tapped as GOP candidate in special election to replace George Santos By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE December 14, 2023. 5:47 PM EST --- ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Republicans have picked a little-known county lawmaker who once served in the Israeli military as their candidate in a special election to replace ousted New York congressman George Santos, party officials said Thursday. Nassau County legislator and former Israeli paratrooper Mazi Pilip will face off against Democratic former congressman Tom Suozzi in a Feb. 13 special election for the seat, which includes northern parts of Queens and Long Island. The selection pits Pilip, a relatively unknown local lawmaker originally from Ethiopia, against a political veteran in Suozzi, who previously represented the district for six years during a lengthy career in Long Island politics. In a statement, Republicans in Queens and Nassau County loosely outlined some of her potential policy positions and said she would bring a new perspective to the House. "Pilip is an effective tax fighter who will prioritize public safety, economic recovery, border security and tax relief in Congress," the statement read. "She will bring a fresh new perspective to Washington, starkly contrasting her from the candidate for the other major political party." The party will hold a formal announcement ceremony for Pilip on Friday. She did not immediately return a message left at her office. The election is expected to draw significant attention as both parties zero in on New York as a potential battleground for control of the House. Republicans picked Pilip after vetting a number of potential candidates following the expulsion of Santos from Congress earlier this month for fabricating much of his life story and being criminally charged with defrauding donors. The selection process appeared to be slowed after media began digging into the personal and professional histories of potential candidates, revealing damaging information that could become public during a campaign. Politico reported last week that Pilip is a registered Democrat, though she holds her current position as a Republican and has been backed by Republicans when she was running for county office. The arrangement is not entirely uncommon in states that have closed primaries, where so-called crossover voters who identify with one party register under another so they can vote in primary elections. Suozzi was tapped by Democrats last week after emerging as the party's frontrunner for the nomination. His extensive political experience could be a major advantage when it comes to name recognition and fundraising for the special election. Suozzi, a centrist Democrat, was elected to the House in 2016 and won reelection in 2020, before leaving to launch the unsuccessful campaign for governor. He also served as the mayor of Glen Cove from 1994 to 2001, and as Nassau County's elected executive from 2002 to 2009.
# North Carolina Rep. Nickel won't seek reelection due to remapping, points to 2026 Senate bid By GARY D. ROBERTSON December 14, 2023. 5:17 PM EST --- RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel said Thursday he won't seek reelection to Congress next year, the result of congressional redistricting by Republican state legislators this fall that's likely to shift North Carolina's delegation to the right. And Nickel said he is interested in a U.S. Senate bid in an election that is almost three years away. The decision by the first-term congressman on the day before candidate filing ends for the March primary means three incumbent House Democrats from North Carolina won't run in 2024. Each of them blamed the reconfigured lines by GOP lawmakers - now the subject of litigation - that they say make it futile for them to run. Democratic Reps. Jeff Jackson of Charlotte and Kathy Manning of Greensboro already said they wouldn't seek reelection. Nickel's decision should benefit national Republicans in their efforts to retain a U.S. House majority in 2025. "Here in North Carolina, Republicans have rigged the system to favor themselves, and I do not have a path for re-election in the 13th District. But I'm not giving up and neither should you," Nickel told supporters at an event in Cary. Nickel, a lawyer and state senator from Cary before his 2022 victory, said he would now work next year to help get Democrats elected up and down the ballot and talk about what he considers illegal gerrymandering. "Then for me, in January 2025, I'm going to look to flip our U.S. Senate seat blue," Nickel said to cheers from supporters, adding that legislative Repubilcans "can't gerrymander a statewide election." 2026 is the next time a Senate seat is scheduled for North Carolina ballots. GOP Sen. Thom Tillis currently holds that seat. In a text before his speech, Nickel said he planned to file paperwork soon with the Federal Election Commission to shift his House campaign committee to a Senate committee. But he declined to say that he had already decided to run in 2026. A Nickel news release said that he would "explore a path forward" in the Senate. The 2022 elections were conducted under a map for the state's 14 congressional seats drawn by state judges that resulted in Democrats and Republicans winning seven seats each. One of the seven belongs to Nickel, who narrowly won in the closely competitive Raleigh-area 13th District. But the Republican-dominated General Assembly, emboldened by a state Supreme Court ruling that tossed out previous partisan gerrymandering claims as outside the courts' purview, enacted a map that made it likely for the GOP to win at least 10 of the 14 seats, according to election data. The recalibrated 13th Congressional District is now considered a strongly leaning Republican district and two other districts adjoining the 13th are heavily Democratic and where Democratic incumbents Deborah Ross and Valerie Foushee are seeking reelection. At least 10 Republicans have filed as candidates for the new 13th District, which, while still including parts of Raleigh, wraps around Wake County and stretches north to the Virginia border and south into several rural counties. Jackson, the 14th District incumbent, is running instead for state attorney general. Manning, who currently represents the 6th District, said last week that she would change her mind and run again for Congress should litigation alleging the retooled 6th District is an illegal racial gerrymander succeeds. Nickel has been particularly vocal about the congressional map, declaring that litigation was needed to strike it down. More than 20 Black and Latino voters sued over the 6th and three other congressional districts earlier this month, but it appears unlikely that any resolution of the lawsuit will occur in time to delay the congressional primary elections. Absentee ballots for the primary start getting mailed to requesters on Jan. 19. Republicans backing U.S. House candidates were pleased with Nickel's departure. "Wiley Nickel just gave Republicans an early Christmas gift with another pickup in the battle for the House majority," Delanie Bomar, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a news release.
# US Rep. Drew Ferguson, a Georgia Republican, says he won't seek reelection in 2024 By JEFF AMY and RUSS BYNUM December 14, 2023. 6:42 PM EST --- ATLANTA (AP) - Republican Rep. Drew Ferguson said Thursday he won't seek reelection to his Georgia seat in 2024. "Julie and I look forward to spending more time with our children and grandchildren while continuing to work to keep Georgia the best state in America to live and do business," Ferguson said in a statement. He said he plans to serve the remainder of his fourth term representing western Georgia's 3rd District, which expires at the end of next year. The announcement comes two months after Ferguson said his family had received death threats amid the inner turmoil Republicans faced in electing a new House speaker following the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California. The threats came after Ferguson publicly withdrew his support for GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a favorite of hard-right conservatives. Ferguson said he refused to support "a bully" for speaker and that the threats were "unacceptable, unforgivable, and will never be tolerated." A former mayor of West Point, Ferguson was elected to Congress in 2016 in a district west of Atlanta that hugs the Georgia-Alabama state line. Ferguson later moved from his hometown to a house in Pike County, south of Atlanta, near the rural town of The Rock. He served in the House GOP leadership as the chief deputy whip from 2018 through 2022 and holds a seat on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. But his attempts to rise in the House leadership were spurned by fellow Republicans. He lost a three-way race for whip to Minnesota Representative Tom Emmer in 2022. Ferguson's retirement is likely to set off a scramble among ambitious Republicans who would like to go to Congress. Ferguson was already being challenged by Jim Bennett, a Republican activist from Carroll County who had criticized Ferguson as insufficiently conservative. Other Republicans who said they were considering bids Thursday include state Sen. Matt Brass of Newnan, state Rep. David Jenkins of Grantville and former state Rep. Philip Singleton, who wrote on Facebook that "We are very open to a run." Singleton lost a challenge to Ferguson in the 2018 Republican primary before serving two terms in the state House and being redistricted out of office by a GOP leadership who didn't like his hard-right politics and confrontational style. Republican state senators who represent other parts of the district, including Mike Dugan of Carrollton and Randy Robertson of Cataula, could also be contenders. Neither immediately responded to text messages Thursday asking about their interest. Others could include Brian Jack, a former White House political director for President Donald Trump and former aide to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and Chris West, a Republican who lost a bid for southwest Georgia's 2nd Congressional District in 2022 to longtime Democratic incumbent Sanford Bishop. West recently moved from Thomasville to Newnan. West called Ferguson "a great friend and fighter for the 3rd District of Georgia" on Facebook Thursday, but didn't say anything about his own plans. Ferguson's 3rd District seat leans solidly Republican. He easily fended off a GOP primary challenger last year before winning reelection to a fourth term with 69% of the vote. State lawmakers in recent weeks redrew Georgia's congressional map under a federal judge's order to add a majority-Black district. But the Legislature's Republican majority produced a map that didn't change the boundaries of the 3rd District, which runs from Carrollton south to Columbus along the Alabama state line and skirts the southwestern edge of Atlanta's suburbs, stretching to Griffin and Barnesville. The map overall would maintain the GOP's 9-5 hold on the state U.S. House delegation and protect Republican incumbents. However, those who successfully sued to overturn Georgia's congressional districts have asked a federal judge to reject the plan and draw his own. Those challengers have suggested changes that could bring big changes to the 3rd District, injecting uncertainty into the decisions of possible candidates.
# Janet Yellen says the Trump administration's China policies left the US more vulnerable By FATIMA HUSSEIN December 14, 2023. 8:33 PM EST --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said former President Donald Trump 's policies toward China left America "more vulnerable and more isolated" in the global economy, a rare jab by her at the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination. Yellen, at a U.S.-China Business Council event Thursday night, said the Trump administration "failed to make investments at home in critical areas like infrastructure and advanced technology, while also neglecting relationships with our partners and allies that had been forged and strengthened over decades." Her comments come as the U.S. rebuilds its relationship with the Asian superpower, including a November meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco. The two nations agreed to curb the production of illicit fentanyl, a deadly component of drugs sold in the United States, and agreed to resume military-to-military communications. "Proceeding purposefully and carefully to responsibly manage our economic relationship" is the Biden administration approach on China, she said. Yellen, who rarely comments on the previous administration's approach on trade, said Trump-era policies on China "left America more vulnerable and more isolated in a competitive global economy that demands that nations take exactly the opposite approach." "It damaged our global standing and meant significant missed economic opportunities for American firms and workers," she says. In her speech, Yellen highlighted the Biden administration's strategy of strengthening relationships with like-minded nations through "friend shoring" with nations like South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, India and Indonesia. And establishing economic working groups between China and the U.S. that meet regularly to exchange information is an achievement, she said. "Over the past three years, the Biden administration has course-corrected," she said. "We're investing at home through President Biden's Investing in America agenda," she noted, citing new laws on infrastructure, climate and semiconductors, among others. The Biden administration has, however, kept in place some major Trump-era policies that are punishing to China, including tariffs on select Chinese goods imported into the United States. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal in May, Yellen said the U.S. wouldn't likely lower the tariffs. "I can imagine some adjustments taking place to rationalize the tariff structure, but my sense is the general feeling in the administration is that it's not appropriate to lower the tariffs," she said. In addition, Biden signed an executive order over the summer designed to regulate and block high-tech U.S.-based investments going toward China, a move his Democratic administration said is based on protecting national security. And in 2022, the U.S. moved to block exports of advanced computer chips to China. Eswar Prasad, a Cornell trade policy professor, said there are major differences between the way the two administrations have approached the U.S,-China economic relationship. "The Biden administration has maintained a tough but constructive approach toward China, prioritizing national security considerations but also seeking avenues of cooperation and progress in areas with mutual benefits," Prasad said. "The Trump administration took a more hostile and aggressive approach that was not tempered by a recognition of shared interests between the two countries." Goods and services traded between the two nations totaled a massive $758.4 billion in 2022, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. However, Chinese investment in the U.S. is decreasing, to $28.7 billion in 2022, down 7.2% from the prior year. Yellen said that in 2024, the U.S. "will aim to continue to responsibly manage the U.S.-China bilateral economic relationship" but the "relationship will face continued challenges." She said China still deploys unfair economic practices and is too slow in resolving relief plans for debt-distressed countries. "We seek not to resolve all our disagreements nor avoid all shocks," she said. "This is in no way realistic. But we aim to make our communication resilient so that when we disagree, when shocks occur, we prevent misunderstanding from leading to escalation and causing harm."
# Ex-President Trump endorses new candidate McDowell for central North Carolina congressional seat December 13, 2023. 10:41 PM EST --- RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Former President Donald Trump endorsed a health insurance industry lobbyist for a central North Carolina congressional seat on Wednesday, choosing him before the candidate had publicly unveiled his bid. Trump said on his Truth Social account that he was backing Republican Addison McDowell in the 6th Congressional District, writing that if elected McDowell will "work hard to Secure the Border, Defend the Second Amendment, Lower your Taxes, Grow our Economy, and Strengthen the Military." McDowell, a registered lobbyist for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, previously worked for GOP Rep. Richard Hudson's campaign and as a district staffer for then-Rep. Ted Budd, who is now a U.S. senator. Trump chose McDowell over other Republican candidates, at least four of whom have already filed candidacy papers to get on the March 5 primary ballot, including Bo Hines, whom Trump had endorsed for the 13th District seat in 2022. Hines narrowly lost in the general election to Democrat Wiley Nickel. Also in the 6th District GOP field is former Rep. Mark Walker, who represented a Greensboro-area district for six years through 2020. Walker ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2022, losing to the Trump-endorsed Budd. Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning, who represents the current 6th District, said last week she wouldn't seek reelection in 2024 because she said redistricting enacted by the state legislature this fall is slanted toward Republicans and prevents her from winning. As of mid-Wednesday, no Democrat had filed for the nomination in the reconfigured district, which includes parts of Greensboro, Salisbury and Concord, among other communities. McDowell highlighted the endorsement when he put out his own release to announce that he was running for the seat minutes after Trump's message. McDowell visited Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida to meet with the ex-president on Tuesday, campaign adviser Jonathan Felts said. McDowell, a native of Davidson County - one of the six counties that comprise the reconfigured 6th District - had not filed as a candidate as of late Wednesday. Felts said that McDowell would turn his candidacy papers at the State Board of Elections before the candidacy filing period ends at noon Friday. McDowell filed other paperwork with federal election officials on Tuesday.
# Some 2024 GOP hopefuls call for 'compassion' in Texas abortion case but don't say law should change By MEG KINNARD, CHRISTINE FERNANDO, and MICHELLE L. PRICE December 13, 2023. 4:08 PM EST --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Some of the Republicans seeking their party's 2024 presidential nomination have said the case of a Texas woman whose health deteriorated as she unsuccessfully sought an abortion should be handled with "compassion," but they did not criticize the state's law. It's the latest indication that the candidates see the politics surrounding abortion as a delicate - and fraught - issue for the GOP after the Supreme Court's reversal of constitutional protections for the procedure helped power Democrats to unexpectedly strong performances in the 2022 midterms. While campaigning Tuesday, both former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed sympathy for Kate Cox, a mother of two who sought an abortion after learning the baby she was carrying had a fatal genetic condition and suffering health complications of her own. Her request for an exemption from Texas' ban - one of the most restrictive in the U.S. - was ultimately denied by the state Supreme Court, and Cox left the state to seek an abortion elsewhere. Asked about Cox's case at a CNN town hall, DeSantis, who signed a six-week ban in his state earlier this year, said that "these are very difficult issues" and pointed to Florida's exceptions allowing abortions when the mother's life is in danger or for a "fatal fetal abnormality." "We have to approach these issues with compassion," said DeSantis, though there have been reports in Florida of women who have not been able to obtain abortions under the exception because their doctors, facing steep penalties if they are wrong, were unwilling to perform the procedure. The window of time for women to make the wrenching choice is also limited. Haley also spoke of compassion and suggested Texas' medical board review the case. But she notably did not call for the law to be changed. "You know I'm pro-life. I welcome the states that have become pro-life. But this is exactly why I've said you have to show compassion and humanize the situation," said Haley, who signed abortion restrictions after about 20 weeks into law as South Carolina governor in 2016. "We don't want any women to sit there and deal with a rare situation and have to deliver a baby in that sort of circumstance, any more than we want women getting an abortion at 37, 38, 39 weeks" - a rare occurrence generally due to grave medical complications. President Joe Biden has called the Texas ruling "simply outrageous" and said what happened to Cox "should never happen in America, period." Many Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, have been reluctant to stake out clear positions on what restrictions they support, including bans on abortion even when doctors determine a pregnancy is not viable and a baby will not survive outside the womb. Much of that reluctance may be due to public sentiment, which favors abortion rights. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll this past summer found that about two-thirds of Americans said abortion should generally be legal. Voters have either affirmed abortion access or turned back attempts to undermine it in all seven states where the question has been on the ballot since Roe v. Wade's reversal. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was alone among the 2024 Republican candidates in declaring that the Texas Supreme Court erred in denying the abortion. He said Texas legislators should change their law. "I think the Texas Supreme Court was wrong. And I think that, in a situation like this, you're not protecting any life because the child clearly has been diagnosed with having a fatal illness," Christie told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "So all you're doing is putting the life of the mother at risk by making her carry it to term." Former President Donald Trump, who has taken credit for appointing the Supreme Court justices who helped overturn national abortion protections, has not issued any statement on the Texas case, and his campaign did not respond to messages Wednesday inquiring about his stance. Another GOP presidential candidate, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, has not spoken out about Cox's case. He said in a video on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday night that the Supreme Court was correct to overturn Roe, that states should decide their own abortion restrictions and that Republicans should campaign on the idea of "sexual responsibility for men" by allowing any woman who carries a pregnancy to term to legally make the father solely responsible for caring for the child. Cox's case and others like hers "prove exceptions don't exist in reality," said Angela Vasquez-Giroux, vice president of communications and research for the national group Reproductive Freedom for All. "If politicians like DeSantis and Haley really believed in exceptions and in compassion, they would have been fighting to find ways to work with doctors to clarify these laws and to help people facing these nightmarish situations in their own states to access care," she said. "They threw compassion out the window the moment they signed these bans." Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America, also called for "compassion and care and dignity" for the mother and child but said Texas' law gives doctors the ability to perform an abortion if they determine a woman has a life-threatening condition or is in risk of impairment of a major bodily function. The Texas law, however, is vague on how close to death a patient must be to get the procedure, and lawmakers have refused to clarify and amend the measure. Christie, who is anti-abortion, nonetheless believes regulations on the procedure should be left to the states, not the federal government. He said the Texas case demonstrates "why so many people don't trust certain members of my party with this issue, because either they are completely unmovable on it, no matter what the facts are, or they say nice words but are unwilling to take a position."
# Trump rails against opponents while urging Iowans to 'put big numbers up' in caucuses next month By THOMAS BEAUMONT and MICHELLE L. PRICE December 13, 2023. 9:09 PM EST --- CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) - Donald Trump on Wednesday made his third trip to Iowa this month and urged his supporters to turn out in "big numbers" when Republicans cast the first presidential nomination votes in 33 days. The former president, who has remained far ahead of his rivals in national polls and those of likely Iowa caucusgoers, pressed his supporters not to be complacent despite his frontrunner status. "We have to put big numbers up, really big numbers," Trump said. Addressing Iowa voters directly, he said: "We are leading by a lot but you have to go out and vote. That margin of victory is so, so powerful." He also insulted his GOP rivals and President Joe Biden and boasted about everything from keeping Iowa at the forefront of the Republican nominating process to bringing back the phrase "Merry Christmas," though he didn't offer details explaining when he thought it had gone missing. He vowed that if he won the November 2024 election, the economy would be thriving again by Christmas of that year. Though he has faced a bevy of legal problems, including four criminal cases, Trump campaigned regularly in the Iowa throughout the autumn, far more than in any other early-voting state for the 2024 Republican nomination. Wednesday marks his 11th visit since September. His "Commit to Caucus" event in the eastern city of Coralville near Iowa City was part rally, part "caucus 101." Besides Trump's address, it featured an explanatory video featuring an animated character and panel of local organizers instructing Iowa Republicans on how and where to participate in the in-person meetings. Before Trump arrived, hundreds wound around the hotel, waiting to enter the ballroom where he was to speak. About a quarter of the crowd of more than 1,000 people raised their hands to indicate that it was their first time participating in a caucus. "That is an expansion of the electorate only President Trump can do," Republican state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, an Iowa adviser for Trump's campaign, said onstage. Trump closed out his remarks with a performance he has been frequently tacking onto his speeches, where he speaks in a soft, lilting voice over an instrumental song that adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory have claimed as their anthem. Speaking over the music rising and falling, Trump described America as a country in ruin, "where free speech is no longer allowed and where crime is rampant" and where "once revered airports, those beautiful, beautiful airports, are dirty." "And now they sit and wait for hours and then are notified that the plane won't leave. And they have no idea when they will." "With you at my side, we will demolish the 'deep state.' We will drive out the globalists. We will cast out the communists. We will throw off the sick political class. We will rout the fake news media. We will drain the swamp and we will liberate our country from the tyrants and villains once and for all," he said, drawing whoops and cheers. Though Trump has increasingly embraced fringe elements and authoritarian and violent rhetoric, his campaign organization is more disciplined in the mechanics of the process as he seeks the nomination a third time. When he first ran in 2016, the businessman and reality television star was unfamiliar with a caucus, and the need for intense organization to turn out supporters at hundreds of local meetings around the state. Trump lost Iowa in 2016. In a foreshadowing of the false claims of fraud he still relentlessly makes about the 2020 presidential election, he claimed rival Ted Cruz stole the caucus based on "fraud" and demanded a do-over. He didn't provide proof of fraud in the caucus results but pointed to a mailer sent by Cruz's campaign that aimed to drive voters to the polls by showing their voting history and a false rumor spread by a Cruz surrogate warning that another candidate was dropping out. Trump's campaign has already started reviving the fraud claims in 2024's Iowa race, with his campaign firing off a statement over the weekend that said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife had a "plot to rig the Caucus through fraud." In an interview on Fox News on Friday, Casey DeSantis issued a call for supportive "moms and grandmoms" to come to Iowa, saying that people "do not have to be a resident of Iowa to be able to participate in the caucus." The Iowa Republican Party limits the selection process to residents. Casey DeSantis posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, attempting to clarify her remarks by noting that while voting was limited to Iowa residents, others can volunteer. Ron DeSantis echoed that rationale when speaking to reporters, but the Trump campaign on Saturday condemned the comments. DeSantis has wagered his candidacy's future on Iowa, and has predicted he will win there. A Des Moines Register NBC News Mediacom Iowa Poll taken last week showed the Florida governor running a distant second with support from 19 percent of likely GOP caucusgoers, the same support he had in the Register's August survey, and trailing Trump by 32 percentage points. DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley are battling for second place.
# DeSantis goes after Trump on abortion, COVID-19 and the border wall in an Iowa town hall By JONATHAN J. COOPER December 12, 2023. 10:56 PM EST --- Donald Trump "flip-flipped" on abortion, overreached in response to COVID-19 and failed to uphold his campaign pledge to get Mexico to pay for a wall on the southern U.S. border, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday in Iowa. DeSantis, who is in a distant second place behind Trump in most national polls in the battle for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, stepped up his case against the former president during a CNN town hall in Des Moines five weeks before the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses. He zeroed in on abortion in a state where evangelical voters form the backbone of the GOP, contrasting Trump's recent skepticism about strict anti-abortion laws with his earlier comments about protecting the sanctity of life. "You should be consistent in your beliefs, especially on something that's very fundamental, and he has not been consistent," DeSantis said. "And there's a lot of voters in Iowa who really care about this, who need to know how he's changed his position." DeSantis last month picked up the endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats, a prominent Iowa evangelical leader who has also questioned Trump's commitment to the anti-abortion movement. Trump has responded by emphasizing his support from more than 150 pastors around the state. Abortion has become a flashpoint in U.S. politics since a Supreme Court majority shaped by Trump's three appointments eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, helping to power unexpectedly strong Democratic performances in the 2022 midterms. Trump has not backed a national abortion ban and has criticized the way many Republican politicians talk about the issue. He has implied that a Florida law DeSantis signed, which outlaws abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, is " too harsh." Asked about the case of Kate Cox, a Texas woman who sought an abortion when her health deteriorated as she carried a fetus with a fatal condition, DeSantis was vague. He said "these are very difficult issues" and pointed to the Florida law's exceptions allowing abortions when the mother's life is in danger, though in Cox's case, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that her pregnancy complications did not constitute the kind of medical emergency under which abortions are allowed. DeSantis has staked his campaign on a strong showing in Iowa's leadoff caucuses on Jan. 15, but he's struggled to break out of a distant second place. Like most of his rivals, he has largely treated the front-runner gingerly, avoiding direct criticism of Trump, who remains popular with GOP primary voters. But sprinkled through the CNN town hall was a case to Trump-supporting voters that it's time to move on. Trump, he said, is no longer the colorful "America First" advocate whom Republicans embraced in 2016. "Now a lot of it's about him," DeSantis said. And he worked to pierce rosy memories of Trump's tenure in the White House. He said Trump erred in his response to COVID-19, an issue that helped catapult DeSantis to GOP prominence when he refused to go along with strict lockdowns that most other governors imposed early in the pandemic. "The first three years of the Trump administration, the economy's better than it has been, but that last year with COVID, I think was mishandled dramatically," DeSantis said. "Shutting down the country was a huge mistake. Printing trillions and trillions of dollars was a huge mistake." DeSantis also took aim at one of the defining themes of Trump's first run for the White House: his promise to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and have the Mexican government pay for it. "That didn't happen," DeSantis said. "And why didn't it happen? Well, one, I think he got distracted, and he didn't do it on day one. But, two, he didn't utilize the levers of power that he had."
# Congressional candidate's voter outreach tool is latest AI experiment ahead of 2024 elections By ALI SWENSON December 12, 2023. 6:57 PM EST --- A phone-banking tool powered entirely by artificial intelligence is getting its first real-world test in a Pennsylvania Democrat's congressional campaign. The chatbot, named Ashley, calls voters and engages in two-way, interactive conversations about candidate Shamaine Daniels, one of seven Democrats running so far in next year's primary. The voice tool from the startup Civox represents one of many ways AI technology is breaking into politics ahead of the 2024 campaigns, but experts say its direct contact with voters could threaten data security and has the potential to undermine voter trust. Daniels announced the partnership with Civox on Tuesday, saying the the first-of-its-kind political campaign tool had already completed more than 1,000 calls with likely Democratic primary voters in Pennsylvania's 10th House district, which includes the state capital, Harrisburg. Unlike other robocallers, Ashley doesn't use canned responses or give call recipients a menu of options. Instead, it uses generative AI technology to devise immediate humanlike responses to voter questions. The tool was created by Civox in partnership with another new company, Conversation Labs. Civox CEO Ilya Mouzykantskii and co-founder Adam Reis, who also founded Conversation Labs, said they tested it rigorously to ensure it could accurately answer questions about Daniels' policies and what differentiates her from other candidates in the race. The founders said they decided to give the tool a machine-like voice because in internal testing, call recipients preferred that to other, more realistic voices. "It's often not the voice itself that influences how natural or human-feeling the conversation is," Reis said. "It's often the nuances of interactions and how quickly it responds and the language it uses." In a demonstration with Ashley on Tuesday, the tool disclosed that it was powered by AI and that the call was being recorded. When prompted, it clearly and accurately shared Daniels' positions on affordable health care and education reform. It tactfully answered pointed questions about election integrity and the Republican who holds the seat, six-term incumbent Rep. Scott Perry, pausing only a few seconds before each response. But when asked off-topic questions, the tool sometimes got tripped up and shared false information. In a conversation about snacks, it said Cheetos were "known for being both delicious and health-conscious." That's an example of an AI " hallucination " - a problem with still-evolving generative AI technology in which large language models tend to make statements that sound convincing but are false or made up. Mouzykantskii said the mistake was fascinating but "not representative" of voters' experiences with the tool so far. "We have tested Ashley much more extensively on political topics than on the topic of food and nutrition," he said. Voters' responses so far to Ashley have been mixed, said Joe Bachman of Indigo Strategies, a spokesperson for Daniels. He noted that while some call recipients engaged in thorough conversations, many stuck to one-word answers as one might in a phone conversation with a banking chatbot. "There's not a replacement for live one-on-one conversations, either on the phone or at doors," he said. "It's a new technology. It's going to take voters some time to get used to it, just as when campaigns started using SMS text messaging to communicate with voters." He said the campaign felt the chatbot, which can speak over 20 languages, was a good opportunity to reach voters in the southern Pennsylvania district, which has a significant refugee population. Mouzykantskii and Reis said they created Ashley using a combination of over 20 AI models, including both open-source and proprietary models. They declined to share what data its AI models are trained on and would not say whether they incorporated systems from OpenAI or other high-profile AI companies that have rules against usage in political campaigning. Other entrepreneurs at the intersection of AI and politics said they were skeptical about Ashley's direct interaction with voters and more often advise campaigns to use the rapidly advancing technology on the back end of campaigns, such as in drafting advertising copy. "The guidance I've offered and seen from most people is that they are steering away from AI personalities when it comes to politics and campaigns this cycle," said Betsy Hoover, a founding partner at the progressive tech accelerator and venture capital firm Higher Ground Labs. "You don't need people to be less trustful of politics right now. In fact, we need the opposite, and so this is not the cycle to try that." Mike Nellis, CEO of the progressive digital agency Authentic, said he was concerned about the possibility of the chatbot making mistakes in conversations and didn't believe there was enough data to say whether its calls would be effective in motivating voters. The data the tool gathers through its phone calls is another concern, he said. "Right now, that large language model knows sensitive voter information and knows the voters' responses to it," Nellis said. "I don't know how safe and secure that is." Mouzykantskii said Civox protects voter information in line with "political campaign, technology, industry standards" and added that he encourages regulators to pay attention to these emerging tools and set stronger guidelines for them. Daniels, 45, is an immigration lawyer and member of the Harrisburg City Council making her second run for the congressional seat, which is in a Republican-leaning district. The state's primary election is April 23. Perry beat Daniels in 2022 by 8 percentage points, easily outspending her.
# Haley gets endorsement from Gov. Chris Sununu ahead of pivotal New Hampshire primary By MEG KINNARD and HOLLY RAMER December 12, 2023. 10:52 PM EST --- MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu endorsed Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Tuesday, six weeks before the state's pivotal first-in-the-nation primary. Sununu appeared with Haley during a campaign town hall at a ski area in Manchester, where he said she has shown she understands the values Republicans associate with the state's "Live Free or Die" motto, including low taxes, limited government and local control. "This is an opportunity for New Hampshire to lead this country, for New Hampshire to say we're not looking in the rearview mirror anymore," Sununu said. His message for Donald Trump: "Thank you for your service, Mr. President, we're moving on. This is New Hampshire, and we go forward." "This is a race between two people: Nikki Haley and Donald Trump," Sununu told reporters after the event. "That's it. Nikki's spent the time on the ground here, she's earned people's trust, and that's going to be the real decider." Joining Sununu, Haley called it "about as rock solid as an endorsement as we could hope for." "It's a great night in New Hampshire, I mean it doesn't get any better than this," she said. The endorsement, first reported by WMUR-TV, comes as Haley angles to whittle away at Donald Trump's wide lead for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. A New Hampshire poll conducted in November by CNN and the University of New Hampshire found that Haley was in second place, well behind Trump, but slightly ahead of fellow candidates, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. It's unclear how Sununu's endorsement will affect the race. While he remains popular in the state, Sununu has faced pushback from more conservative and libertarian-leaning factions within the New Hampshire Republican Party. Candidates he endorsed in last year's U.S. Senate race and a congressional race lost their primaries to candidates more closely aligned with Trump. The nominees then lost to Democrats in the general election. Haley said that track record doesn't bother her. "What I care about is that he's won four terms here, he knows New Hampshire like the back of his hand, he's one of the most popular governors in the country and he's got a high approval rating here," she told reporters. "I'm thrilled to have his endorsement." Sununu's backing of Haley comes a month after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed DeSantis for president ahead of that state's first-in-the-nation caucuses, saying he was best poised for victory in the general election. Trump, meanwhile, has been endorsed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who heads the fourth state on the GOP voting calendar. DeSantis praised Sununu Tuesday as "a good guy" and "a good campaigner" whose support will benefit Haley, but he said it won't be enough to convince conservatives she will deliver for them. "Even a campaigner as good as Chris is not going to be able to paper over Nikki being an establishment candidate," DeSantis said during a CNN town hall in Iowa. Haley on Tuesday kicked off a three-day campaign swing through New Hampshire, where she has campaigned steadily since launching her bid in February. Last week, she went up with the first ads of a $10 million television, radio and digital buy across that state, as well as Iowa, spending designed to give the former United Nations ambassador an advantage over DeSantis at a critical moment in the GOP nomination fight. The ads have called on Republicans "to leave behind the chaos and drama of the past" - a reference to her frequent critique of the "chaos" that follows Trump - as well as her pledge to shore up America's military strength. Trump, who has led the Republican field since launching his campaign a year ago, remains the heavy favorite in early polls of likely GOP voters in New Hampshire, although some polls suggest his position in those states is not quite as strong as his national standing. Sununu, a frequent Trump critic, himself passed on entering the 2024 presidential race, arguing in June that Republican candidates with "no path to victory must have the courage to get out" of their party's primary in order to stop Trump. "People are frustrated. Over the last eight years, we've had a president that's more concerned about nap time and we've had a president that's worried about his jail time. We've got to be able to move forward. That's drama. That is chaos," he said Tuesday. "So we're not going to as a party bring someone forward that is constantly distracted with whatever nonsense and drama that the former president brings to the table." At the time Sununu decided against running, a broad field of GOP candidates was angling for the party's nomination, something Sununu argued only helped Trump's effort. Since then, the size has dwindled, a consolidation that in part has helped boost Haley, coupled with momentum from her performance in the four candidate debates. Trump won New Hampshire's 2016 GOP presidential primary with just 35% of the vote. He went on to lose the state to his Democratic challenger in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. Sununu, who is in his fourth two-year term, has stumped with several 2024 hopefuls - including Haley, DeSantis and Christie - as they've campaigned in his state, saying he would ultimately endorse one of the three. Of the three, Christie has been by far the most critical of Trump. "This puts us down one vote in New Hampshire," Christie spokesperson Karl Rickett said of Sununu's endorsement. "And when Gov. Christie is back in Londonderry tomorrow, he'll continue to tell the unvarnished truth about Donald Trump." Asked whether Haley has been doing a sufficient job confronting Trump, Sununu said, "Oh, sure." He acknowledged Christie has built his campaign around criticizing Trump, but said Haley has gone beyond telling voters what not to vote for. And Haley insisted she has explained her differences with Trump, including economic woes she blames on his administration. "Anti-Trumpers don't think I hate him enough, pro-Trumpers don't think I love him enough," she said. "At the end of the day, I put my truths out there and let the chips fall where they may." In November, Americans for Prosperity - the political arm of the powerful Koch network - formally endorsed Haley's campaign, promising to commit its nationwide coalition of activists and money to helping Haley defeat Trump.
# DeSantis' campaign and allied super PAC face new concerns about legal conflicts, AP sources say By STEVE PEOPLES and THOMAS BEAUMONT December 12, 2023. 4:16 PM EST --- CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - Ron DeSantis has visited each of Iowa's 99 counties. He has the endorsement of the governor and boasts the largest get-out-the-vote operation in the state. And he has predicted victory in Iowa's Jan. 15 caucuses. But as the Florida governor works to project strength in the Republican primary and cut into former President Donald Trump's huge lead, DeSantis' expansive political machine is facing a churn of leadership, stagnant polling numbers and new concerns about potential legal conflicts. Specifically, there has been concern in recent weeks among some within DeSantis' operation that interactions between his campaign and his network of outside groups are blurring the lines of what's legally permissible. Multiple people familiar with DeSantis' political network said that he and his wife had expressed concerns about the messaging of Never Back Down, the largest super PAC supporting the governor's campaign, in recent months as his Iowa polling numbers stagnated in late summer and autumn. The governor and his wife, Casey, who is widely considered his top political adviser, were especially frustrated after the group took down a television ad last month that criticized leading Republican rival Nikki Haley for allowing a Chinese manufacturer into South Carolina when she was governor. DeSantis' team shared those messaging concerns with members of Never Back Down's board, which includes Florida-based members with close ties to the governor, according to multiple people briefed on the discussions. Some of the board members then relayed the DeSantis team's wishes to super PAC staff, which was responsible for executing strategy, the people said. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions. Federal laws prohibit coordination between presidential campaigns and outside groups. There is no known lawsuit or federal complaint alleging DeSantis' campaign broke the law. And in the super PAC era that began with the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision, murky relationships between campaigns and allied outside groups have become commonplace. Still, Adav Noti, legal director for the Campaign Legal Center, said that the reported communication between DeSantis' team and the super PAC goes "too far." Noti suggested the communications could draw the scrutiny from the Federal Election Commission, which is responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws but has been gridlocked by internal divisions. "To actually have a conversation with the candidate's agents and the super PAC's agents about strategy - there is no plausible argument that that is legal," Noti said. "This is not a gray area." DeSantis' campaign has strongly denied the governor has tried to influence the network of outside groups supporting him given the federal laws prohibiting coordination. Asked for comment, DeSantis spokesman Andrew Romeo described the AP's reporting as "more nonsense from unnamed sources with agendas." "While the media continues to obsess over attacking DeSantis with anonymous tabloid trash to support a false narrative, we remain focused on organizing in Iowa and sharing our vision for how to help the many Americans struggling this holiday season," Romeo said. Never Back Down founder Ken Cuccinelli dismissed questions about DeSantis' political operation as insignificant in the overall campaign, saying "not a single voter gives a flying rat's tail about personnel stuff." "We're going to be backing the governor all the way through this thing," Cuccinelli said in an interview at last Wednesday's GOP debate in Alabama. "We're not going anywhere, and I fully expect to be right there for it." Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general, also made clear he was speaking of his own personal experience when asked directly if he felt any pressure from the DeSantises about the super PAC's strategy. "No, not to me. No, no, I don't play those games. I just don't play those games," Cuccinelli told The Associated Press. "I've met the governor, and I've encountered Casey at events, but I don't have those conversations." Five Never Back Down senior officials have either been fired or quit in the past two weeks, including two chief executives, the chairman and the communications director. The group has not explained the departures publicly. At the same time, DeSantis' Florida allies created a new super PAC, Fight Right, which quickly earned the public blessing of the DeSantis campaign. DeSantis said he was unfamiliar with Never Back Down's ads last week when asked at an event in Cedar Rapids - an event sponsored by the super PAC, which has hosted him on campaign stops across the state - about how well he thought they represent him. "I don't know. I don't see them, to be honest with you. I don't watch a lot of TV. So, I don't know. I can't really speak to that," DeSantis told reporters, pivoting to and praising his own campaign-financed ads. The Florida governor is relying on super PACs more than any other leading presidential candidate in the brief history of the outside groups, which exploded in importance after a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2010. Never Back Down has spent nearly $43 million on paid advertising so far this year, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact. By contrast, DeSantis' formal campaign, which he does legally control, has spent just $4.4 million. In Iowa alone, Never Back Down has spent more than $16 million on advertising. That's more than any other political entity, campaign or super PAC in Iowa. The group was airing several ads in November, some promoting DeSantis and others critical of Haley. Never Back Down remains responsible for many of DeSantis' campaign stops and get-out-the-vote efforts. DeSantis has visited all of Iowa's 99 counties, a traditional gesture some candidates make before the caucuses to demonstrate their commitment to Iowa. Never Back Down hosted DeSantis at events in 92 of the counties he visited, according to the group's schedule. Super PACs can accept unlimited donations, while campaigns have strict limits. The big catch: Groups like Never Back Down cannot legally coordinate with the formal campaigns on how to spend that money. And a candidate is barred from controlling a super PAC. But as is the case with most candidate-focused super PACs in 2024, those who lead outside groups are usually close to the candidate. Many of Never Back Down's original top staff and officers, including most of those who left this month, did not have longstanding relationships with DeSantis. Late last week, Phil Cox, who managed DeSantis' 2022 reelection, was named a senior adviser to the super PAC. DeSantis on Friday praised Never Back Down, which claims 26 paid staff in Iowa and says it has collected written commitments from more than 30,000 Iowa Republicans to caucus for DeSantis next month. That's a significant figure for a contest in which the record number of participants was 186,000, in 2016. Iowa's caucuses traditionally reward well-organized campaigns. DeSantis' allies hope the months of effort will help them overcome expectations from polls suggesting Trump will be dominant on Jan. 15. "I think the idea was that they would be able to really focus on this organization," including in all 99 counties, DeSantis said on Iowa PBS's "Iowa Press" Friday. "So I think it was smart that they did that." Many voters who gathered to see DeSantis at a crowded bar along Iowa's border with Nebraska late last week said they were not aware of the apparent turmoil. And those who were said they weren't particularly concerned. "That happens with every campaign. It's early. Shakeups with people are going to happen," said 57-year-old Sally Madsen of Council Bluffs. Madsen, who previously supported Trump, has already decided to caucus for DeSantis. She said Trump lost her support in the final year of his presidency for how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic and his failure to help who she described as "innocent" Jan. 6 rioters, many of whom have been convicted and some sent to prison. "He didn't do anything for them," Madsen said of Trump. "I don't know if he could even attract good people to work for him at this point."
# Early, often and unequivocally: How Whitmer's fight for abortion rights helped turn Michigan blue By JOEY CAPPELLETTI December 12, 2023. 9:56 AM EST --- LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Ten years ago, as Michigan's Republican-led Legislature was on the verge of passing one of the nation's most restrictive anti-abortion laws at the time, a 42-year-old state senator from East Lansing took to the Senate floor to speak out against what she knew was about to happen. Minutes into her speech, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer tossed aside her prepared remarks and revealed for the first time publicly that she had been raped while attending college. Had she become pregnant, Whitmer said, she would not have been able to afford an abortion under the proposed law. The bill, which Whitmer had derisively called "rape insurance" because it required women to declare when buying health insurance whether they expected to receive an abortion, passed anyway. But Whitmer, now in her second term as Michigan's governor after winning reelection by nearly 11 percentage points in 2022, this week removed the requirement from state law with the stroke of a pen after Michigan's Democratic-controlled Legislature sent her a bill tossing it aside. "It's kind of a stunning full-circle moment where it does reinforce that these fights are worth having and they're winnable, even if sometimes it takes a little longer than it should," Whitmer said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press. Whitmer recalled the hundreds of calls and emails she received after her 2013 speech as a turning point for her, the moment when she realized how much people care about protecting a woman's right to choose whether she should have an abortion. It's a lesson she hopes to drive home all over the country as one of the nation's leading abortion rights advocates during what could prove to be a pivotal election year for the issue in 2024. "The voters speak loud and clear," she said. "And so I do think that in this moment, in this country, this is an important, crucial issue for a lot of people." Abortion rights moved to the political forefront after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had long preserved them as a constitutional right. The court gave states the power to decide for themselves whether abortion should be legal. Conservative states across the country moved quickly to enact abortion bans in various forms, leading to a wave of legal fights in places such as Texas, where a pregnant woman whose fetus has a fatal condition was forced to leave the state this week to obtain an abortion. Some Republicans, including several contenders for the GOP presidential nomination, have also called for a national abortion ban. The political fallout at the ballot box has mostly gone in the opposite direction. Democrats did better than expected in last year's midterms, limiting their House losses and maintaining a narrow Senate majority, and defending abortion rights worked in Democrats' favor in several states again this year. When constitutional questions about abortion rights appeared on the ballot, even voters in Republican-leaning states from Kansas to Ohio rejected GOP-backed efforts to curb them. Whitmer says Democrats have won in Michigan by running unapologetically on the issue. Her party controls all levels of state government for the first time in 40 years after flipping both chambers of the Legislature last November. That success was fueled by a citizen-led ballot initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. Whitmer and other Michigan Democrats emphasized their support for the initiative in their 2022 election campaigns. President Joe Biden's reelection campaign views the defense of abortion rights as a winning issue for Democrats in 2024. They are quick to make note of boasts by former President Donald Trump that his appointment of three conservative Supreme Court justices instigated the court's reversal. Biden himself is less outspoken on the issue than other members of his party, and occasionally seems personally conflicted. "I happen to be a practicing Catholic. I'm not big on abortion," he said during a June fundraiser. "But guess what? Roe v. Wade got it right." Biden's hesitancy comes as his reelection campaign faces vulnerabilities. Michigan was a critical component of the so-called blue wall of states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, that Biden returned to the Democratic column, helping him win the White House in 2020. The president's support in the state has wavered since the 2020 election, however, and a CNN poll released Monday showed that only 35% of respondents approved of the job he's been doing. Michigan is also home to one of the largest Arab-American and Muslim communities in the nation, and many of their leaders have been vocal about saying that his pro-Israel stance on the war that began with an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 could jeopardize his chances to win in Michigan again. Whitmer, who is co-chair of Biden's reelection campaign and has herself been frequently mentioned as a future presidential candidate, deflected questions Monday about his chances in Michigan, insisting that she was only going to "focus on reproductive rights today." Whitmer also said she understands that talking about abortion is "not comfortable for everyone." But she said the chances of Republicans pushing for a federal ban on abortion should be taken seriously. For her, that's reason enough to talk about abortion rights early, often and unequivocally. "The prospect of a national abortion ban is real," she said. Using other words to talk about reproductive rights or being overly cautious about the issue, she said, "dilutes the importance of the moment." In June, Whitmer launched a "Fight Like Hell" federal PAC to raise money for Democratic candidates who are "unapologetic in their fight for working people and their basic freedoms" heading into the 2024 election. The PAC will support candidates for Congress and other offices but also will provide financial support for Biden's reelection bid. A group of eight U.S. House Democrats seeking reelection in competitive districts were announced on Tuesday as the PAC's first endorsements. Since winning full legislative control, Michigan Democrats have struck down the state's 1931 abortion ban, prohibited Michigan companies from firing or retaliating against workers for receiving an abortion and lifted regulations on abortion clinics. For Whitmer, those successes help justify her decision a decade ago to discuss abortion in such personal terms. "I think about my daughters who I was so worried to hear that their mom had been raped when they were 10 and 11 years old," Whitmer said. "And now they're 20 and 21, and I know they're proud to see that I've stayed in this fight, and I'm trying to make life better for other women."
# After losing Houston mayor's race, US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to seek reelection to Congress December 11, 2023. 5:40 PM EST --- HOUSTON (AP) - Two days after losing her bid to be Houston's next mayor, longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee announced on Monday she will seek a 16th term in Congress in 2024. Jackson Lee first took office in 1995. Her district includes downtown Houston and some of the city's historically Black neighborhoods, including Third and Fifth Wards. "I am enthusiastic about the prospect of continuing our shared journey to uplift the 18th Congressional District," Jackson Lee, a Democrat, said in a statement. "Your support has been invaluable, and I eagerly welcome it as I strive to further serve and represent our community with my ability to get the job done." Jackson Lee's announcement comes after she was handily defeated by state Sen. John Whitmire in a mayoral runoff election on Saturday. She had sought to be Houston's first Black female mayor. Jackson Lee was heavily outspent by Whitmire in the campaign and also had to deal with fallout from the release in October of an unverified audio recording that purportedly captured her profanely berating staff. In her reelection bid to Congress, Jackson Lee will be facing at least one challenger in the Democratic primary: former Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards, who once was an intern in the congresswoman's office.
# Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general vows to defend potential 2024 Trump victory in court December 11, 2023. 4:00 PM EST --- MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general vowed Monday to defend a potential Donald Trump victory in the swing state next year, saying he's confident that the state's election systems work. Trump, a Republican, refused to concede that Democrat Joe Biden won Wisconsin in 2020. Multiple court challenges and a partial recount ultimately confirmed Biden's victory. Attorney General Josh Kaul defended the results in court. Kaul told The Associated Press on Monday that the legal challenges over the 2020 election showed that Wisconsin's election systems accurately reflect the will of the voters. Asked if he would defend the 2024 results even if they show that Trump won the state, Kaul said: "We're going to defend the results regardless of who wins the election. What is paramount is the will of the voters prevails."
# Ramaswamy was the target of death threats in New Hampshire that led to FBI arrest, campaign says By KATHY McCORMACK and HOLLY RAMER December 11, 2023. 8:39 PM EST --- CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire man has been accused of sending text messages threatening to kill a presidential candidate ahead of a scheduled campaign event Monday, federal prosecutors said. The U.S. Attorney's office did not name the candidate. However, a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said Monday that the texts were directed at his campaign. "We are grateful to law enforcement for their swiftness and professionalism in handling this matter and pray for the safety of all Americans," Stefan Mychajliw, deputy communications director, said in a statement. Tyler Anderson, 30, of Dover, was arrested Saturday and charged with sending a threat using interstate commerce. He did not speak at his initial court appearance Monday other than telling the judge he understood the proceedings, and his court-appointed attorney declined to comment afterward. A detention hearing was scheduled for Thursday. Ramaswamy went on to hold his event at the Roundabout Diner & Lounge in Portsmouth. According to court documents, the man received a text message from the candidate's campaign on Friday notifying him of Monday's breakfast event in Portsmouth. The campaign staff received two text messages in response, according to an FBI agent affidavit. One threatened to shoot the candidate in the head, the other threatened to kill everyone at the event and desecrate their corpses. The cellphone number was traced to the man, the FBI said. Agents executed a search warrant at the man's home on Saturday. The texts were found in a deleted folder, the affidavit said. The man told the FBI in an interview that he had sent similar texts to "multiple other campaigns," the affidavit said. The document includes a screenshot of texts threatening a mass shooting in response to an invitation to see a candidate "who isn't afraid to tell it like it is." Republican Chris Christie calls his events "Tell it Like It Is Town Halls." In a statement, a spokesperson for the Christie campaign thanked law enforcement officials for addressing those threats. The charge provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
# Biden's focus on bashing Trump takes a page from the winning Obama and Bush reelection playbooks By WILL WEISSERT December 10, 2023. 8:44 AM EST --- WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden's campaign manager recently sent a fundraising email meant to reassure supporters worried about the Democrat's reelection chances, urging them to take a "quick walk down memory lane." Julie Chavez Rodriguez noted that many Democrats 12 years ago questioned whether President Barack Obama would win a second term. Biden was Obama's vice president. "Flash forward to November 6, 2012. I think you may remember the day," she wrote. Underneath was a photo of the Obamas and Bidens celebrating their election victory. More than a nostalgic message, that sentiment can increasingly be seen in Biden's strategy for winning in 2024. Biden is trying to focus the campaign on former President Donald Trump's comments and policy proposals, sometimes more than his own. It's a time-worn strategy of White House incumbents to try to negatively define their rivals in the public's eyes. In 2012, Obama and his allies did it with Republican Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and current Utah senator. In 2004, President George W. Bush was successful against Democratic nominee John Kerry, then a Massachusetts senator. But Trump, the current front-runner for the Republican nomination, is already better defined than perhaps any figure in U.S. politics. And even as Trump's promises to seek retribution and references to his enemies as "vermin" animate many Democrats, Biden faces low approval ratings and questions about his age and his handling of the economy and foreign affairs. "You can't really run a playbook for the last election, or what worked previously," said Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist who was Romney's 2012 senior adviser and spokesman. "I think Trump is an entirely different, nonlinear opponent compared to an Obama vs. Romney." Some prominent Democrats have suggested that there's a danger in making the race too much about Trump. They say Biden should play up parts of his own record and focus on abortion rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Abortion was an issue credited with helping the party exceeding expectations in last year's midterms and several races this year. After spending much of his presidency declining to refer to Trump by name, Biden has stepped up his warnings about his predecessor. Biden's campaign has in recent weeks blasted Trump's suggestions that he wouldn't rule as a dictator "other than Day 1," that he would again pursue a repeal of Obama's health care overhaul, and that he would stage massive raids to try to deport millions of people. Biden recently told a crowd of donors in Massachusetts, "We've got to get it done. Not because of me." "If Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running," Biden said. "We cannot let him win." Trump's campaign did not respond to messages seeking comment. Biden's campaign says defining clear contrasts between the president and Trump is key to its strategy. "Next year's election will be a choice between President Biden's proven track record of lowering costs and delivering for middle class families, and Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans' bleak vision of dividing us," Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa said, referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement. "We're going to do the work to ensure voters understand the enormous stakes of next year's election." Obama's 2012 campaign relied heavily on grassroots organizing and television ad spending to motivate voters. Biden, though, is working to prioritize unconventional ways to reach voters in line with significant shifts in Americans' media consumption habits, particularly about political issues. The dynamics of the 2024 race are also different from 2012. Biden has a record of legislative accomplishments on popular issues such as infrastructure. In 2012, Americans were sharply divided over Obama's signature accomplishment, the health care law often called "Obamacare," though it is now viewed more positively. Biden's aides also point to low unemployment and other signs of economic strength, although polls show Americans don't feel the economy is strong and they rate Biden poorly on the issue. Obama campaign veterans hold key roles in Biden's political operation, from White House senior adviser Anita Dunn, who worked in the Obama White House, to Chavez Rodriguez, a former Obama campaign volunteer and administration official. Another, Kate Bedingfield, who was deputy campaign manager for Biden's 2020 campaign and then White House communications director, said presidents always want to "make the campaign about their opponent and not their own record." That is because governing means making compromises that can be sometimes harder to communicate in ways that resonate with voters, she said. "They want to shift the dynamics of the race to be about the threat that their opponent poses," Bedingfield said. "For the Biden campaign, in Donald Trump they have an almost existential threat." Obama built his winning campaign around attacking Romney months before Romney was formally the GOP nominee and defining him as a corporate raider willing to slash jobs to boost profits. In 2004, Bush won reelection despite the growing unpopularity of the war in Iraq by portraying Kerry as a flip-flopper while pro-Bush groups ran a series of ads raising questions about Kerry's record as a swift boat commander in Vietnam. Biden has kept a relatively light schedule of campaign rallies, holding just one in the first four months after launching his reelection campaign. He has held dozens of private fundraisers and spent the past week raising money in Boston, Washington, and Los Angeles. Obama didn't hold his first reelection campaign rally until May 2012. One of the most memorable pro-Obama ads featured an Indiana plant worker who described being asked to help build a stage from which the plant's employees were told they were being laid off. The plant worker blamed Romney and his private investment firm for making more than $100 million by shutting down the plant, a claim that the fact-checking site Politifact rated "mostly false." Efforts to vilify Romney only intensified when video emerged of him saying 47% of people would vote for Obama because they were "dependent upon government" and "believe that they are victims." Biden's team has similarly picked up on economic themes to slam Trump, including promoting the story of electronics giant Foxconn. Trump promised as president that the company was building a major plant that would create thousands of jobs in the critical swing state of Wisconsin. Those jobs never materialized. A year before the 2012 election, however, polls suggested Romney's public image could be shaped by negative ads in a way that Trump's cannot. A Quinnipiac University poll conducted in late 2011 found voters were somewhat more likely to have a favorable than an unfavorable opinion of Romney, 36% to 31%. Notably, another 31% said they hadn't heard enough about Romney to have an opinion. A recent Quinnipiac poll found 42% of registered voters said they had a favorable opinion of Trump and 55% had an unfavorable opinion. The same poll found only 37% having a favorable opinion of Biden while 59% had a unfavorable opinion. Bedingfield agreed that many voters have already made up their mind about Trump. But she said Biden was able to use Trump's well-defined political brand against him in 2020 and could do the same next year. "People looked at what he had done and said, 'We don't want more of this,'" she said of Trump. "That gives the Biden campaign a really strong roadmap." Stuart Stevens, who was Romney's chief strategist, said that the country is now far more polarized than in 2012 and that the focus on Biden's low polling numbers "is in the framework of a pre-Trump era." "I think we're really in a very different world," Stevens said, adding that 2024 "is inevitably going to be more of a referendum on Trump."
# At DC roast, Joe Manchin jokes he could be the slightly younger president America needs By AAMER MADHANI December 10, 2023. 1:58 AM EST --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Joe Manchin used a weekend Washington roast to tease a potential third-party run for the White House, joking that the nation could use someone slightly younger than the leading contenders. Speaking Saturday night during the Gridiron Club's winter dinner, Manchin said the country could benefit from a younger leader than President Joe Biden or the 2024 GOP frontrunner, former President Donald Trump. "With all due respect, the president is 81 years old. Donald Trump is 77," said Machin, a West Virginia Democrat who announced last month he would not run for reelection in 2024. "I truly believe the American people are ready to pass the torch to a new generation, somebody younger. I'd say maybe someone close to 76 that doesn't look a day over 70." The retiring lawmaker is 76. Manchin previously indicated he could potentially launch a run for the White House, saying in an NBC "Meet the Press" interview in November that he would "absolutely" consider a run for president. Some Democrats have expressed concern that a run by the centrist Manchin as an independent could cut into Biden's support and pave the way for Trump winning a second term in the White House. The annual dinner in Washington of the Gridiron Club and Foundation, which traces its history to 1885, features songs and speeches from Democrats, Republicans and journalists that are expected to "singe" but "not burn" the capital's political elite. In his remarks, Manchin also poked fun at the notion he could be a spoiler if he decides to run. "I've heard it all. You all heard it all," Manchin said. "Most of you probably told me. They say that my running would throw the election to Trump. Others say my running might help Biden. Hell, I'm trying to find out how it would help me." Manchin also used humor to offer a defense of the political organization No Labels, a group with which Manchin has long ties and is weighing running a third-party slate for the White House. Supporters of Manchin and another retiring senator, Republican Mitt Romney of Utah, have launched an effort to encourage the pair to seek the No Labels' nomination. "You'd think that No Labels is the cause of every problem that we have in Washington," Manchin said. "How did you end up with so many classified documents in Mar-a-Lago? It was No Labels." Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina offered the Republican response at the dinner.
# Peek inside Joe Biden's campaign fundraisers, where big money mingles with old jokes in swanky homes By CHRIS MEGERIAN and WILL WEISSERT December 9, 2023. 8:16 AM EST --- LOS ANGELES (AP) - If you're a Democrat with money to burn and friends in high places, you can spend thousands on tickets to a fundraiser with President Joe Biden. If not, keep reading to see what you're missing. With an election year around the corner, Biden is accelerating his fundraising to prepare for an astronomically expensive campaign. (Think billions, not millions.) In this rarefied world, money equals access, and supporters regularly pay top dollar for a personal glimpse of the world's most powerful man. Biden is collecting cash across the Los Angeles area this weekend, and his first stop was a sprawling estate where the host joked "it's just a normal Friday at our house" as hundreds of donors sipped wine in the backyard. "You're the reason why we're gonna win, God willing, in 2024," Biden told the audience. Each fundraiser is a little different, but there's a similar script. A look at what it's like inside the presidential money hunt. ## The setting Fundraisers are a rare glimpse at the lives of the country's wealthiest and most influential. Biden's motorcade has rolled up to a mountain villa in Park City, Utah, a townhouse in New York City and a sprawling estate at the top of Hollywood Hills. In a Manhattan apartment with floor-to-ceiling views of Central Park, reporters were required to slip disposable covers over their shoes before they could enter the living room where donors nibbled on crustless tea sandwiches. At Friday's fundraiser in Los Angeles, attendees wore colored wrist bands that indicated where they should sit. Ushers held up red, green, blue and orange signs to direct them to the right place. The press corps can enter fundraisers only to hear Biden's formal remarks; no cameras are allowed. When Biden is mingling with supporters or answering their questions, reporters are sequestered in a garage, home gym or spare bedroom. Sometimes they are kept outside on the sidewalk. ## The introduction The lucky host often gets the privilege of introducing the president. Usually, these remarks are predictably laudatory, but sometimes they get spicy. Randi McGinn, a prominent New Mexico lawyer, joked about the attractiveness of the president's Secret Service detail and referenced Donald Trump's dalliance with a porn star. Biden smiled - or grimaced, it was hard to tell - and made the sign of the cross as she spoke. The president always thanks his hosts and any elected officials present. If he spots any children, Biden often jokingly warns them "this is going to be boring, boring, boring for you." ## The unexpected Although fundraisers are often run-of-the-mill occasions, careful reporters know to stay attentive. Biden has a history of being more candid than usual when surrounded by deep-pocketed supporters. During a June fundraiser in California, Biden upset China by describing President Xi Jinping as a "dictator." Biden also said Xi was unaware that a Chinese balloon that floated over the United States was being used for spying. "The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment is he didn't know it was there," Biden said. In Park City in August, Biden ruminated about his signature legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. "I wish I hadn't called it that," Biden said, "because it has less to do with reducing inflation than it does to do with dealing with providing for alternatives that generate economic growth." And on Tuesday in Weston, Massachusetts, the 81-year-old president suggested he might not be seeking reelection if it weren't for Trump's comeback bid. "If Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running," Biden said. "But we cannot let him win, for the sake of the country." ## The stories Donors pay top dollar to hear Biden speak at private events, but reporters can rattle off some of his well-worn lines from memory. The president says he's "never been more optimistic" about the country as long as we "remember who in hell we are." He cites his legislative accomplishments, from limiting prescription drug costs to investing in infrastructure such as roads and bridges. He says the rich need to "pay their fair share" of taxes. He warns that the U.S. is at "an inflection point." He usually talks about meeting with Xi while they each served as vice presidents of their respective countries. In Biden's telling, Xi asked him to define America. "I said, 'I can do it in one word - possibilities,'" Biden says. A centerpiece of Biden's fundraisers is his story of deciding to run for president against Trump in 2020. He talks about "people coming out of the woods, carrying torches" during the 2017 marches in Charlottesville, Virginia, and "chanting the same antisemitic bile that was chanted in Germany in the '30s." When Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides" of the violence, Biden says, "that's when I decided I couldn't remain silent any longer." ## The attacks Fundraisers are an opportunity for Biden to rile up his supporters and score points on his opponents in a friendly environment. He often says "this is not your father's Republican Party," and he warns about "the extreme right, the MAGA movement," referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. Sometimes he avoids mentioning Trump's name by making oblique references to "my predecessor." But given Trump's standing as the clear front-runner for the Republican nomination in 2024, Biden has seen little reason to hold back. Biden generally warns about the potential for cuts to health care or rollbacks to environmental programs if Trump wins next year. And Biden always keeps the focus on what he describes as a threat to the country's institutions. "Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans," Biden said in Minneapolis last month, "are determined to destroy this democracy."
# GOP presidential candidates share stories of family and faith. Offstage, their sharp edges reemerged By HANNAH FINGERHUT December 9, 2023. 8:43 PM EST --- SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) - A trio of Republican presidential candidates shared stories of family and faith before hundreds of voters in northwest Iowa on Saturday, having congenial individual conversations with their hosts not long after dueling at the campaign's latest fractious debate. But off the stage at a small Christian college in Sioux Center, the rivals' sharp edges reemerged. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy leaned on their families to drive home their origin stories, without other candidates interrupting, at the event held in a rural, conservative corner of a state that holds the leadoff contest on the election calendar in about a month. Later, DeSantis and Ramaswamy both went after Haley, a further sign that her opponents see her as a growing threat in the 2024 race where former President Donald Trump, who skipped the event, is the front-runner in polls of Republicans nationwide and Iowa, where the caucuses are set for Jan. 15. After DeSantis' time with the moderators, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra and his wife, Lynette, he returned to a recurring campaign theme: Haley's campaign is funded by liberal Democrats and Wall Street donors and she is "taking positions that are more palatable to those folks." Ramaswamy told reporters that his criticisms of Haley at Wednesday night's debate were intended to illustrate the "deep ideological divide" in the Republican Party. He said he was unfairly being criticized himself for targeting Haley, the only woman in the race. "It's part of a double standard that the people in this country are sick of when it comes to identity politics," he said. "The good news is - I'm not letting them get away with that." Haley did not speak to the news media after her appearance. Steve Rehder, 59, was relieved to hear from candidates without the "crossfire." He said he is deciding between supporting Haley or DeSantis, but "really likes" Haley and her debate performance. "The way she had to stand while she was being attacked at the last debate. I know she just wanted to come unglued at the guy, but she stood there," said the livestock farmer from Hawarden. On the stage before about 750 people, including many students from Dordt University, each candidate discussed faith, family and politics. Also appearing was pastor Ryan Binkley, who has not qualified for any debates. DeSantis was accompanied by wife, Casey. Haley sat with her 25-year-old daughter, Rena. Ramaswamy brought his 3-year-old son, Karthik. Feenstra said it was a unique chance for people to hear the candidates' principles and positions, unlike the debates that left little time for real answers from candidates because of infighting and bickering. Feenstra said he may endorse in the race, but has not yet. "I want them to make their own decision based on what they're hearing," he told reporters. "They can make that decision on their own without some politician telling them this is what has to happen." The three candidates are making stops across Iowa all weekend as pressure mounts for an attention-grabbing performance in the caucuses. As for the absent Trump, "I'd love to hear his stance on faith and family," Feenstra said. "I think that'd be very important to northwest Iowa and all of Iowa." Rehder agreed, saying it was admirable for candidates to come to Sioux County and share their faith values. While Trump was the "right guy at the right time" and was a great president, Rehder said, "he needs to shut his mouth." "I don't know how he would handle this kind of setting," Rehder said about the "faith and family" event. "But maybe he should be here so we could see that part."
# Nikki Haley looks for a strong showing, not necessarily a win, in Iowa caucuses By HANNAH FINGERHUT December 8, 2023. 10:22 PM EST --- SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - For Nikki Haley, a win in Iowa doesn't necessarily mean a win in the state's Republican presidential caucuses. "The way I look at it, we just need to have a good showing in Iowa," the former South Carolina governor said Friday in response to a question during a town hall event in Sioux City. "I don't think that means we have to win necessarily, but I think that means we have to have a good showing." The comments stand in stark contrast to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who declared decisively that "we're going to win Iowa" on NBC's "Meet the Press" last Sunday. DeSantis wouldn't say whether he would end his campaign if he didn't finish first or second. DeSantis and Haley are likely battling for a second-place finish, since former President Donald Trump continues to sit comfortably atop the field in polls of Republicans in Iowa and nationwide. The DeSantis campaign has largely focused on Iowa, hoping to deny Trump a big win in the caucuses. A super PAC supporting DeSantis has invested more than $16 million in advertising and more on building a campaign organization. But DeSantis has faced growing pressure from Haley, who is piquing the interest of donors and voters looking for an alternative to Trump. She recently won the support of the Koch network, the largest conservative grassroots organization in the nation. Dan Dykstra asked Haley the question Friday, wondering what percentage she'd need to get in Iowa to be satisfied. Dykstra acknowledged that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is supporting DeSantis, but "that doesn't mean I have to," the 68-year-old attorney said. The Sioux City Republican will likely choose Haley or DeSantis on Jan. 15, but he hasn't committed just yet. What he really wanted to know: How would Haley, or any candidate, deny Trump the nomination? Haley said a strong showing in Iowa would tee up a favorable match-up between her and the former president in her home state of South Carolina. "If she can beat DeSantis and keep the momentum going," Dykstra said, "then I think that's a big deal."
# Indiana secretary of state appeals ruling for US Senate candidate seeking GOP nod December 8, 2023. 8:31 PM EST --- INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indiana secretary of state is appealing a ruling that a law stipulating voting requirements for a candidate's party affiliation is unconstitutional in a decision that lifted the hopes of a U.S. Senate hopeful who wants to run as a Republican. The Indiana attorney general's office filed the notice of appeal Friday with the Indiana Supreme Court on behalf of Secretary of State Diego Morales. The filing came a day after a Marion County judge granted an injunction sought by John Rust, the former chair of the egg supplier Rose Acre Farms who is running to replace Sen. Mike Braun. Rust filed a lawsuit in September against Morales, the Indiana Election Commission and Jackson County Republican Party Chair Amanda Lowery to challenge the law and ensure the possibility of his place on the ballot. The law in question says a candidate's past two primary elections must be cast with the party the candidate is affiliated with or a county party chair must approve the candidacy. In court documents, Rust argued that this statute "should be struck down as being unconstitutionally vague and overly broad." A phone message seeking comment from Rust was left Friday evening by The Associated Press. Rust voted as a Republican in the 2016 primary but as a Democrat in 2012. He did not vote in the 2020 Republican primary because of the pandemic and the lack of competitive Republican races in Jackson County, the lawsuit said. Rust said his Democratic votes were for people he personally knew. Lowery, the county's Republican Party chair, said in a July meeting with Rust that she would not certify him, the lawsuit said. Rust has said Lowery later cited his primary voting record. In a November hearing, Rust said the law keeps legitimate candidates who have recently moved to Indiana or have switched political identifications from running for office. In his ruling, Marion County Superior Court Judge Patrick J. Dietrick said the law "unduly burdens Hoosiers' long recognized right to freely associate with the political party of one's choosing and to cast one's vote effectively." Should Rust prevail, he still faces an uphill challenge for the GOP nomination. U.S. Rep. Jim Banks has received the endorsement of the Indiana Republican Party and former President Donald Trump. Rust must also fulfill a signature quota for the nomination. Casting himself as a conservative gay man with an "outsider's voice" to Washington, D.C., Rust is the former chair of his family business Rose Acre Farms in southern Indiana. Rose Acre Farms identifies itself as the second-largest egg producer in the U.S. The company was one of four major egg producers in the country accused of fixing the price of eggs in the 2000s. A jury in an Illinois federal court recently ruled the producers conspired to limit the domestic supply of eggs to increase prices between 2004-2008 and ordered the companies to pay $17.7 million in damages. Rose Acre Farms has denied any wrongdoing. Sen. Mike Braun is vacating the seat in his bid for governor.
# US envoys work for new hostage release deal, scale-down of Israel-Hamas war but say no timetable By MELANIE LIDMAN, TARA COPP, and SAMY MAGDY December 18, 2023. 8:31 PM EST --- TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) - The head of the CIA jetted to Europe for talks with Israeli and Qatari officials Monday, sounding out the potential for a deal on a new cease-fire and the release of hostages in Gaza, as the U.S. defense secretary spoke to Israeli military leaders about scaling back major combat operations against Hamas. Still, there was no sign that a shift in the war was imminent after more than two months of devastating bombardment and fighting. Fierce battles raged in northern Gaza, where residents said rescue workers were searching for the dead and the living under buildings flattened by Israeli strikes. Pressure is growing, as France, the U.K. and Germany - some of Israel's closest allies - joined global calls for a cease-fire over the weekend. Israeli protesters have demanded the government relaunch talks with Hamas on releasing more hostages after three were mistakenly killed by Israeli troops while waving a white flag. U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concern about the large number of civilian deaths in Gaza. But after talks with Israeli officials Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, "This is Israel's operation. I'm not here to dictate timelines or terms." The U.S. has vetoed calls for a cease-fire at the U.N. and has rushed munitions to Israel. The U.N Security Council delayed a vote to Tuesday on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a halt to hostilities to allow unhindered access to humanitarian aid. Diplomats said negotiations were taking place to get the U.S. to abstain or vote "yes" on the resolution. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel will keep fighting until it ends Hamas rule in Gaza, crushes its formidable military capabilities and frees hostages still held in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7 attack inside Israel that ignited the war. Militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted 240 others in the attack. The war has killed more than 19,000 Palestinians and demolished much of the north into a moonscape. Some 1.9 million Palestinians - nearly 85% of Gaza's population - have fled their homes, with most packing into U.N.-run shelters and tent camps in the southern part of the besieged territory. ## HOSTAGE TALKS In an apparent sign that talks on a hostage deal were growing more serious, CIA Director William Burns met in Warsaw with the head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and the prime minister of Qatar, a U.S. official said. It was the first known meeting of the three since the end of a weeklong cease-fire in late November, during which some 100 hostages - including a number of foreign nationals - were freed in exchange for the release of around 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the talks were not "at a point where another deal is imminent." Aiming to increase public pressure on the Israeli government, Hamas released a video showing three elderly Israeli hostages, sitting in white T-shirts and pleading for Israel to bring their immediate release. The comments were likely made under duress, but the video signaled Hamas wants to move on to discussions of releasing sick and elderly men in captivity. Israel has said it wants around 19 women and two children freed first. Hamas says the women include soldiers, for whom it is expected to demand a higher price in terms of prisoner releases. Hamas and other militants are still holding an estimated 129 captives. Hamas has said no more hostages will be released until the war ends. ## SCALING DOWN THE WAR Austin, who arrived in Israel with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, said he and Israeli officials exchanged "thoughts on how to transition from high intensity operations" in Gaza and how to increase the flow of humanitarian aid. American officials have called for targeted operations aimed at killing Hamas leaders, destroying tunnels and rescuing hostages. U.S. President Joe Biden warned last week that Israel is losing international support because of its "indiscriminate bombing." Speaking alongside Austin, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said only that "the war will take time." Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said the Israeli chief of staff met with Austin and Brown and presented "plans for the continuation of the battle in the coming stages." European countries appear to be losing patience. "Far too many civilians have been killed in Gaza," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell posted on X. Under U.S. pressure, Israel provided more precise evacuation instructions earlier this month as troops moved into the southern city of Khan Younis. Still, casualties have continued to mount and Palestinians say nowhere in Gaza is safe as Israel carries out strikes in all parts of the territory. Israel reopened its main cargo crossing with Gaza to allow more aid in - also after a U.S. request. But the amount is less than half of prewar imports, even as needs have soared and fighting hinders delivery in many areas. Israel blocked entry off all goods into Gaza soon after the war started and weeks later began allowing a small amount of aid in through Egypt. ## MORE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION At least 110 people were killed in Israeli strikes Sunday on residential buildings in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, Munir al-Boursh, a senior Health Ministry official, told Al Jazeera television. Fierce fighting continued Monday in Jabaliya and the Gaza City districts of Zaytoun and Shijaiyah, where tens of thousands of Palestinians remain trapped, crowded in homes or schools. In Jabaliya, first responders and residents searched the rubble of many collapsed buildings. "They use their hands and shovels," said Amal Radwan, who is staying at a U.N. shelter there. "We need bulldozers and above all the bombing to stop." More than 19,400 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry, which has said that most are women and minors and that thousands more are buried under rubble. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel's military says 127 of its soldiers have been killed in the Gaza ground offensive. It says it has killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas, saying it uses them as human shields. But the military rarely comments on individual strikes. ## REGIONAL TENSIONS In Bahrain early Tuesday, Austin said that the U.S. and other nations have created a new force to protect commercial ships passing through the Red Sea from attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The Houthis say their attacks aim to end Israel's offensive in Gaza, and their campaign has prompted a growing list of companies to halt operations in the major trade route. "This is an international challenge that demands collective action," Austin said in statement. Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah have traded fire along the border nearly every day since the war began. And in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, over 300 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, including four overnight during an Israeli military raid in the Faraa refugee camp, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. This has been the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since 2005. Most have been killed during military raids, which often ignite gunbattles, or during violent demonstrations.
# Pentagon announces new international mission to counter attacks on commercial vessels in Red Sea By TARA COPP and LOLITA C. BALDOR December 18, 2023. 8:02 PM EST --- MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) - The U.S. and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced early Tuesday in Bahrain. The seriousness of the attacks, several of which have damaged the vessels, has led multiple shipping companies to order their ships to hold in place and not enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the security situation can be addressed. The U.S. military's Central Command reported two more of the attacks on commercial vessels Monday. A strike by attack drone and ballistic missile hit a tanker off Yemen, at roughly the same time a cargo ship reported an explosive detonating in the water near them, the military said. "This is an international challenge that demands collective action," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in statement released just after midnight in Bahrain. "Therefore today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative." The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain will join the U.S. in the new mission, Austin announced. Some of the countries will conduct joint patrols while others provide intelligence support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Several other countries have also agreed to be involved in the operation but prefer not to be publicly named, a defense official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss additional details of the new mission that have not been publicly announced. The mission will be coordinated by the already existing Combined Task Force 153, which was set up in April 2022 to improve maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden. There have been 39 member nations in CTF 153, but officials were working to determine which of them would participate in this latest effort. Separately, the United States has also called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against the attacks. In a letter to council members obtained Monday by The Associated Press, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Houthi attacks targeting commercial vessels legally transiting the international waterways continue to threaten "navigational rights and freedoms, international maritime security, and international commerce." The 15 council members discussed the Houthi threat behind closed doors Monday but took no immediate action. Two U.S. warships - the USS Carney and the USS Mason, Navy destroyers - have been moving through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait daily to help deter and respond to attacks from the Houthis. The move to set up the expanded operation came after three commercial vessels were struck by missiles fired by Iranian-back Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 3. Those attacks were part of an escalating campaign of violence that also included armed and other drones launched in the direction of U.S. warships. To date the U.S. has not struck back at the Iranian-back Houthis operating in Yemen or targeted any of the militants' weapons or other sites. On Monday Austin did not answer a question as to why the Pentagon had not conducted a counterstrike.
# UN Security Council delays vote on resolution urging cessation of hostilities in Gaza to deliver aid By EDITH M. LEDERER December 18, 2023. 4:55 PM EST --- UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. Security Council delayed until Tuesday morning a vote on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a halt to hostilities in Gaza to allow for urgently needed aid deliveries to a massive number of civilians as members intensified negotiations to try to avoid another veto by the United States. The council said Monday's 5 p.m. EST vote would not take place, and diplomats said negotiations were taking place to get the United States, Israel's closest ally, to abstain or vote "yes" on the resolution. A key issue is how to implement and sustain a desperately needed aid operation. Human Rights Watch accused Israel earlier Monday of deliberately starving Gaza's population by blocking the delivery of water, food and fuel, a method of warfare that it described as a war crime. The United Nations' food agency reported on Dec. 14 that 56% of Gaza's households were experiencing "severe levels of hunger," up from 38% two weeks earlier. The draft on the table Monday morning called for an "urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities" for humanitarian access to deliver aid. But this language is expected to be watered down to a "suspension" of hostilities or something possibly weaker to satisfy the Americans, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions have been private. The U.S. vetoed a Security Council resolution on Dec. 8 that was backed by almost all council members and dozens of other nations demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. The 193-member General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a similar resolution on Dec. 12 by a vote of 153-10, with 23 abstentions. The importance of a Security Council resolution is that it is legally binding, but in practice many parties choose to ignore the council's requests for action. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but though they are a significant barometer of world opinion. The draft resolution that was being considered by the 15 council members on Monday recognizes that civilians in Gaza don't have access to sufficient food, water, sanitation, electricity, telecommunications and medical services "essential for their survival." Also, it would express the council's "strong concern for the disproportionate effect that the conflict is having on the lives and well-being of children, women and other civilians in vulnerable situations." More than 19,400 Palestinians have been killed according to the Gaza Health Ministry since Israel declared war on the Palestinian militant Hamas group following its surprise attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7 that killed about 1,200 people - mostly civilians - and took about 240 hostages. Hamas controls the Gaza Strip and its Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Thousands more Palestinians lie buried under the rubble in Gaza, the U.N. estimates. Israel says 116 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive. The proposed council resolution reiterates its demand that all parties comply with international humanitarian law, especially protecting civilians and the infrastructure critical for their survival including hospitals, schools, places of worship and U.N. facilities. The draft, obtained by The Associated Press, demands the parties to the conflict - Hamas and Israel - fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law and enable "the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip." It "calls for an urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access" in Gaza and also "firmly condemns all violations of international humanitarian law, including all indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian objects, all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism." The draft also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all Hamas-held hostages. The draft confirms its "unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution," and stresses "the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority." The draft is being negotiated by the United Arab Emirates, which is the Arab representative on the Security Council, and requests U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres establish am expeditious mechanism to monitor all humanitarian shipments to Gaza by land, sea and air.
# Iceland volcano erupts weeks after thousands were evacuated from a town on Reykjanes Peninsula By DAVID KEYTON December 18, 2023. 9:42 PM EST --- STOCKHOLM (AP) - A volcanic eruption started Monday night on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, turning the sky orange and prompting the country's civil defense to be on high alert. The eruption appears to have occurred about four kilometers (2.4 miles) from the town of Grindavik, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Grainy webcam video showed the moment of the eruption as a flash of light illuminating the sky at 22:17 local time. As the eruption spread, magma, or semi-molten rock, could be seen spewing along the ridge of a hill. "The magma flow seems to be at least a hundred cubic meters per second, maybe more. So this would be considered a big eruption in this area at least," Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland's Civil Protection and Emergency Management told the Icelandic public broadcaster, RUV. In November, police evacuated the town or Grindavik after strong seismic activity in the area damaged homes and raised fears of an imminent eruption. Iceland sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic and averages an eruption every four to five years. The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and grounded flights across Europe for days because of fears ash could damage airplane engines. Scientists say a new eruption would likely produce lava but not an ash cloud. Iceland's foreign minister, Bjarne Benediktsson said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that there are "no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open." A coast guard helicopter will attempt to confirm the exact location - and size - of the eruption, and will also measure gas emissions. Grindavik, a fishing town of 3,400, sits on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik and not far from Keflavik Airport, Iceland's main facility for international flights.
# Elon Musk restores X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones By The Associated Press December 10, 2023. 6:08 AM EST --- Elon Musk has restored the X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, pointing to a poll on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that came out in favor of the Infowars host who repeatedly called the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax. It poses new uncertainty for advertisers, who have fled X over concerns about hate speech appearing alongside their ads, and is the latest divisive public personality to get back their banned account. Musk posted a poll on Saturday asking if Jones should be reinstated, with the results showing 70% of those who responded in favor. Early Sunday, Musk tweeted, "The people have spoken and so it shall be." A few hours later, Jones' posts were visible again and he retweeted a post about his video game. He and his Infowars show had been permanently banned in 2018 for abusive behavior. Musk, who has described himself as a free speech absolutist, said the move was about protecting those rights. In response to a user who posted that "permanent account bans are antithetical to free speech," Musk wrote, "I find it hard to disagree with this point." The billionaire Tesla CEO also tweeted it's likely that Community Notes - X's crowd-sourced fact-checking service - "will respond rapidly to any AJ post that needs correction." It is a major turnaround for Musk, who previously said he wouldn't let Jones back on the platform despite repeated calls to do so. Last year, Musk pointed to the death of his first-born child and tweeted, "I have no mercy for anyone who would use the deaths of children for gain, politics or fame." Jones repeatedly has said on his show that the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 children and six educators never happened and was staged in an effort to tighten gun laws. Relatives of many of the victims sued Jones in Connecticut and Texas, winning nearly $1.5 billion in judgments against him. In October, a judge ruled that Jones could not use bankruptcy protection to avoid paying more than $1.1 billon of that debt. Relatives of the school shooting victims testified at the trials about being harassed and threatened by Jones' believers, who sent threats and even confronted the grieving families in person, accusing them of being "crisis actors" whose children never existed. Jones is appealing the judgments, saying he didn't get fair trials and his speech was protected by the First Amendment. Restoring Jones' account comes as Musk has seen a slew of big brands, including Disney and IBM, stop advertising on X after a report by liberal advocacy group Media Matters said ads were appearing alongside pro-Nazi content and white nationalist posts. They also were scared away after Musk himself endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory in response to a post on X. The Tesla CEO later apologized and visited Israel, where he toured a kibbutz attacked by Hamas militants and held talks with top Israeli leaders. But he also has said advertisers are engaging in "blackmail" and, using a profanity, essentially told them to go away. "Don't advertise," Musk said in an on-stage interview late last month at The New York Times DealBook Summit. After buying Twitter last year, Musk said he was granting "amnesty" for suspended accounts and has since reinstated former President Donald Trump; Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, following two suspensions over antisemitic posts last year; and far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was kicked off the platform for violating its COVID-19 misinformation policies. Trump, who was banned for encouraging the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, has his own social media site, Truth Social, and has only tweeted once since being allowed back on X.
# European Union investigating Musk's X over possible breaches of social media law By KELVIN CHAN December 18, 2023. 2:48 PM EST --- LONDON (AP) - The European Union on Monday made Elon Musk's online platform X the first tech company to face an investigation under Europe's tough new regulations designed to clean up social media and protect people from toxic online content. "Today we open formal infringement proceedings against @X" under the Digital Services Act, European Commissioner Thierry Breton said in a post on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Musk, in response, questioned whether the EU would also scrutinize other social media sites. The 27-nation bloc is ratcheting up the pressure on X after asking the company in October for information on its handling of hate speech, misinformation and violent terrorist content related to the Israel-Hamas war. The case presents the first test for the Digital Services Act, part of a set of pioneering regulations that the EU has drawn up to rein in the power of tech companies. The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, "will now investigate X's systems and policies related to certain suspected infringements" of the DSA, spokesman Johannes Bahrke told a press briefing in Brussels. "It does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation." The San Francisco-based social media platform says it is "committed to complying with the Digital Services Act, and is cooperating with the regulatory process. It is important that this process remains free of political influence and follows the law." "X is focused on creating a safe and inclusive environment for all users on our platform, while protecting freedom of expression, and we will continue to work tirelessly towards this goal," the company said in a statement. Musk has touted the platform as a place for free speech to thrive, but changes that the billionaire Tesla CEO made to the site after he bought it a year ago - such as cutting the number of content moderators and restoring the banned accounts of divisive public personalities - have turned off users and advertisers, who have fled over concerns about hate speech appearing alongside their ads. He has also pulled the platform out of a voluntary EU pact against disinformation. The EU's investigation will look into whether X failed to do enough to curb the spread of illegal content - such as hate speech or incitement of terrorism - to its 112 million users in Europe. That includes the effectiveness of X's tools for users to flag up illegal material in posts and ads so that it can be swiftly removed, as well as whether the company is following its own policies on restricting "sensitive content." The investigation also will examine whether X's measures to combat " information manipulation," especially through its crowd-sourced Community Notes fact-checking feature, were effective within the European Union. Another area of investigation is transparency. The EU said there are "suspected shortcomings" in researchers' access to X's publicly accessible data" as well as its ad database, both of which are required by the DSA. Lastly, the investigation will look into whether users are being tricked by suspected "deceptive design" of X's interface, including for its blue check subscription service. The blue checkmarks once signified that the person or institution behind an account was genuine, such as a celebrity, athlete or journalist, but now merely indicate someone pays $8 a month to boost their posts above unchecked users. "Are you taking action against other social media?" Musk tweeted in response to Breton. "Because if you have those issues with this platform, and none are perfect, the others are much worse." The EU has called out X as the worst place online for fake news, and officials have exhorted owner Musk to do more to clean it up. Now, it's taking official steps under the Digital Services Act, a set of far-reaching rules designed to keep users safe online and stop the spread of harmful content that's either illegal or violates a platform's terms of service, such as promotion of genocide or anorexia. A raft of big tech companies faced stricter scrutiny after the DSA took effect earlier this year, threatening penalties of up to 6% of their global revenue - which could amount to billions - or even a ban from the EU. Fines are, however, considered a last ditch resort, and Brussels could first use "interim measures" to force companies to comply. There's no deadline for a decision on the investigation into X, and the commission said it would continue to gather evidence, carry out interviews and conduct inspections.
# Texas governor signs bill that lets police arrest migrants who enter the US illegally By VALERIE GONZALEZ and PAUL J. WEBER December 18, 2023. 9:24 PM EST --- BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) - Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday approved sweeping new powers that allow police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the U.S. border and give local judges authority to order them to leave the country, testing the limits of how far a state can go to enforce immigration laws. Opponents have called the measure the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since a 2010 Arizona law - denounced by critics as the "Show Me Your Papers" bill - that was largely struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, and Texas' law is also likely to face swift legal challenges. The law, which takes effect in March, allows any Texas law enforcement officer to arrest people who are suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, they could either agree to a Texas judge's order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Migrants who don't leave could face arrest again under more serious felony charges. Abbott, who signed the law in front of a section of border fence in Brownsville, predicted the number of people crossing illegally into Texas would drop by "well over 50%, maybe 75%." He did not offer evidence for that estimate. "The consequences of it are so extreme that the people being smuggled by the cartels, they will not want to be coming into the state of Texas," he said. The law adds another tension point over immigration amid a struggle between the White House and Senate negotiators to reach a deal on border security. Republicans in Congress are demanding changes to the immigration system in exchange for any help for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs. Texas Republicans have increasingly challenged the U.S. government's authority over immigration, saying President Joe Biden's administration isn't doing enough to control the 1,950-mile (3,149-kilometer) southern border. Texas has bused more than 65,000 migrants to cities across America since August 2022 and recently installed razor wire along the banks of the Rio Grande, which has snagged and injured some asylum-seekers. The U.S. government on Monday temporarily shut down two railroad border crossings in Texas, a move that rail operators said would hamper trade ahead of Christmas. Troy Miller, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's acting commissioner, said the closures at Eagle Pass and El Paso were a response to more migrants traveling on freight trains, particularly over the last week. Miller said authorities are seeing "unprecedented" arrivals at the border, topping 10,000 crossings on some days this month. Shortly after Abbott signed the new law, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas said it would challenge the measure in court. More than 20 congressional Democrats also signed a letter urging the U.S. Justice Department to sue to stop the law, known as Senate Bill 4. "SB 4 is dangerous for the people of Texas and interferes with the federal government's exclusive authority over immigration and foreign affairs," the letter read. Mexico's government also has rebuked the measure. Under bilateral and international agreements, Mexico is required to accept deportations of its own citizens, but not those of other countries. Under the Texas law, migrants ordered to leave would be sent to ports of entry along the border with Mexico, even if they are not Mexican citizens. In September and October, Venezuelans were the largest nationality arrested for illegally crossing the U.S. border. During debate in the Texas House in November, GOP state Rep. David Spiller pushed back against concerns that the law would be used as a dragnet to arrest immigrants statewide. He said enforcement would mostly take place in border counties. But he also rebuffed several efforts by Democrats to narrow the law, including a proposed carve-out for police on college campuses. Because the illegal entry charge is a misdemeanor, which has a statue of limitation of two years, Spiller has said the law will not be used to target immigrants who have long been settled in the U.S. "This is not, 'Round up everyone who is here illegally and ship them back to Mexico,'" he said during debate over the bill. Opponents have accused Texas Republicans of using the law as a vehicle to force the Supreme Court's new conservative majority to revisit its landmark 2012 Arizona decision. At the time, Justice Anthony Kennedy said Arizona may have "understandable frustrations" with immigrants who are in the country illegally but that it can't pursue policies that "undermine federal law."
# Marvel, Disney drop actor Jonathan Majors after he's convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend By JENNIFER PELTZ, JAKE OFFENHARTZ, and JAKE COYLE December 18, 2023. 7:58 PM EST --- NEW YORK (AP) - Jonathan Majors was convicted Monday of assaulting his former girlfriend after a trial that he hoped would vindicate him and restore his status as an emerging Hollywood star. It did just the opposite: Marvel Studios and the Walt Disney Co. dropped him hours after the verdict. A Manhattan jury found Majors, 34, guilty of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation stemming from his March confrontation with then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. She said he attacked her in a car and left her in "excruciating" pain; his lawyers said Jabbari was the aggressor. Majors, who was acquitted of a different assault charge and of aggravated harassment, looked slightly downward and showed no immediate reaction as the verdict was read. He declined to comment as he left the courthouse. His lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, said in a statement that he "still has faith in the process and looks forward to fully clearing his name." While he was convicted of an assault charge that involves recklessly causing injury, she said his team was grateful for his acquittal on the other assault count, which concerned intentionally causing injury. "Mr. Majors is grateful to God, his family, his friends and his fans for their love and support during these harrowing eight months," Chaudhry said. Marvel and Disney immediately dropped the "Creed III" star from all upcoming projects following the conviction, said a person close to the studio who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Before his arrest, Majors had been on track to become a central figure throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the antagonist role of Kang. Majors had already appeared in "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and the first two seasons of "Loki." He was to star in "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty," dated for release in May 2026. Majors, whose credits include "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," "Devotion" and "Da 5 Bloods," had been one of the fastest-rising stars in Hollywood. The Yale School of Drama graduate also starred as a troubled amateur bodybuilder in "Magazine Dreams," which made an acclaimed debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January and was set to open in theaters this month. Ahead of Majors' trial, Disney-owned distributor Searchlight Pictures removed "Magazine Dreams" from its release calendar. Majors' sentencing was set for Feb. 6. He faces the possibility of up to a year in jail for the assault conviction, though probation or other non-jail sentences also are possible. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that the trial "illustrated a cycle of psychological and emotional abuse, and escalating patterns of coercion." The dispute between Majors and Jabbari began in the backseat of a chauffeured car and spilled into the streets of Manhattan. Jabbari, a 30-year-old British dancer, accused Majors of hitting her in the head with his open hand, twisting her arm behind her back and squeezing her middle finger until it fractured. Majors' lawyers alleged that she flew into a jealous rage after reading a text message - from another woman - on his phone. They said Jabbari had spread a "fantasy" to take down the actor, who was only trying to regain his phone and get away safely. But as Majors sought vindication from the jury, the trial also brought forth new evidence about his troubled relationship with Jabbari, whom he met on the set of "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" two years ago. Prosecutors shared text messages that showed the actor begging Jabbari not to seek hospital treatment for an earlier head injury. One message warned "it could lead to an investigation even if you do lie and they suspect something." They also played audio of Majors declaring himself a "great man," then questioning whether Jabbari could meet the high standards set by the spouses of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama. Majors' attorneys countered that Jabbari had surreptitiously recorded her boyfriend as part of a plot to "destroy" his career. Over four days of tearful testimony, Jabbari said Majors was excessively controlling and prone to fits of explosive rage that left her afraid "physically quite a lot." She broke down on the witness stand as a jury watched security footage of him pushing her back into the car after the backseat confrontation. Prosecutors described the video as showing Majors "manhandling" her and shoving her into the vehicle "as if she was a doll." Majors arrived in the courtroom each morning carrying a gold-leaf Bible, accompanied by family members and his current girlfriend, actress Meagan Good. Expressionless for much of the testimony, he wiped away tears as Chaudhry urged jurors during her closing arguments on Thursday to "end this nightmare for Jonathan Majors." Majors did not take the stand. But Chaudhry said her client was the victim of "white lies, big lies, and pretty little lies" invented by Jabbari to exact revenge on an unfaithful partner. The attorney cited security footage, taken immediately after the shove, that showed Majors sprinting away from his girlfriend as she chased him through the night. Jabbari then followed a group of strangers she'd met on the street to a dance club, where she ordered drinks for the group and did not appear to be favoring her injured hand. "She was revenge-partying and charging Champagne to the man she was angry with and treating these strangers to fancy Champagne she bought with Jonathan's credit card," Chaudhry alleged. The next morning, after finding Jabbari unconscious in the closet of their Manhattan penthouse, Majors called police. He was arrested at the scene, while Jabbari was transported to a hospital to receive treatment for the injuries to her ear and hand. "He called 911 out of concern for her, and his fear of what happens when a Black man in America came true," Chaudhry said, accusing police and prosecutors of failing to take seriously Majors' allegations that he was bloodied and scratched during the dispute. In her closing arguments, prosecutor Kelli Galaway said Majors was following a well-worn playbook used by abusers to cast their victims as attackers. "This is not a revenge plot to ruin the defendant's life or his career," Galaway said. "You were asked why you are here? Because domestic violence is serious."
# NFL suspends Steelers safety Damontae Kazee for the rest of the season after illegal hit vs. Colts December 18, 2023. 6:14 PM EST --- NEW YORK (AP) - The NFL suspended Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee without pay for the remainder of the season for what the league described as "repeated violations" of rules designed to protect player safety. The ruling, issued by NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan on Monday, means Kazee will miss Pittsburgh's final three regular-season games and any potential playoff games if the Steelers (7-7) advance to the postseason. Kazee was ejected from Pittsburgh's 30-13 loss to Indianapolis on Saturday after hitting diving Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in the second quarter. Pittman laid out to try and catch a pass and Kazee made contact with Pittman's head. Pittman left the game and went into the concussion protocol. Runyan wrote in a letter to Kazee that illegal contact with Pittman "could have been avoided." Runyan pointed to Kazee's repeated violations of safety rules as one of the driving forces behind the suspension. Kazee, a seven-year veteran, has been fined nearly a half-dozen times by the league this season. He will forfeit around $208,000 in game checks by missing Pittsburgh's final three games. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Monday before the NFL announced Kazee's suspension that he would not speculate on any potential discipline, saying it "doesn't help me, help (Kazee) or football itself." The suspension means Pittsburgh will be without both of its starting safeties against the Bengals. Minkah Fitzpatrick is already out with a knee injury. Kazee can appeal the decision to hearing officers Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, who have been appointed by the NFL and NFLPA to decide appeals of on-field player discipline.
# Judge criticizes Trump's expert witness as he again refuses to toss fraud lawsuit By PHILIP MARCELO December 18, 2023. 9:01 PM EST --- NEW YORK (AP) - Former President Donald Trump has lost his latest bid to end the business fraud lawsuit he faces in New York as he campaigns to reclaim the White House. Judge Arthur Engoron issued a written ruling Monday denying the Republican's latest request for a verdict in his favor in a lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. And in doing so, the judge dismissed the credibility of one of Trump's expert witnesses at the trial, a professor who testified that he saw no fraud in the former president's financial statements. The trial is centered on allegations Trump and other company officials exaggerated his wealth and inflated the value of his assets to secure loans and close business deals. In the three-page ruling, Engoron wrote that the "most glaring" flaw of Trump's argument was to assume that the testimony provided by Eli Bartov, an accounting professor at New York University, and other expert witnesses would be accepted by the court as "true and accurate." "Bartov is a tenured professor, but the only thing his testimony proves is that for a million or so dollars, some experts will say whatever you want them to say," Engoron wrote. Bartov, who was paid nearly $900,000 for his work on the trial, said in an email that the judge had mischaracterized his testimony. Trump took to his defense, calling Engoron's comments about Bartov a "great insult to a man of impeccable character and qualifications" as he excoriated the judge's decision. "Judge Engoron challenges the highly respected Expert Witness for receiving fees, which is standard and accepted practice for Expert Witnesses," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. During testimony earlier this month, Bartov disputed the attorney general's claims that Trump's financial statements were filled with fraudulently inflated values for such signature assets as his Trump Tower penthouse and his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Bartov said there was "no evidence whatsoever of any accounting fraud." But Engoron, in his ruling Monday, noted that he had already ruled that there were "numerous obvious errors" in Trump's financial statements. "By doggedly attempting to justify every misstatement, Professor Bartov lost all credibility," the judge wrote. In an email to The Associated Press, Bartov said he never "remotely implied" at the trial that Trump's financial statements were "accurate in every respect," only that the errors were inadvertent and there was "no evidence of concealment or forgery." Bartov also argued that he billed Trump at his standard rate. Closing arguments are scheduled for Jan. 11 in Manhattan.
# G League player and girlfriend are arrested in killing of woman found dead near Las Vegas December 18, 2023. 4:22 PM EST --- LAS VEGAS (AP) - A player with the Sacramento Kings' G League affiliate and his girlfriend have been arrested in the killing of a woman whose remains were found earlier this month near Las Vegas, authorities said. Chance Comanche, 27, and Sakari Harnden, 19, face charges of murder and kidnapping in the killing of 23-year-old Marayna Rodgers, Las Vegas police announced Sunday. Rodgers was reported missing on Dec. 7 and her remains were later found in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, police said. Authorities have not released a cause of death or discussed a possible motive, but police said investigators suspected foul play and obtained evidence to arrest Harnden and Comanche. Police said Harnden was a friend of Rodgers, who was a medical assistant from Washington state. According to police, Rodgers was out with friends in Las Vegas on Dec. 5 and had a prearranged meeting with Harnden, who brought Comanche with her. Harnden was arrested Wednesday in Las Vegas and was being held without bail. Clark County Public Defender Marissa Pensabene said Monday in an email that she had no comment on Harnden's behalf. Comanche was taken into custody Friday by the FBI in Sacramento, California, and was being held without bond. Police say he is awaiting extradition to Nevada and is scheduled to appear Tuesday in a Sacramento court. A lawyer for Comanche was not listed Monday in court records. The prosecutor's office in Clark County, Nevada, didn't immediately respond to a message seeking further information. And the public defenders' offices in Las Vegas and Sacramento didn't immediately reply to Monday phone messages asking whether either was representing Comanche. Comanche had been playing for the Stockton (California) Kings, the NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings, and averaged 14 points and seven rebounds in 13 games. Comanche, a power forward and center, played college basketball at the University of Arizona from 2015-17 before declaring for the NBA draft. He went undrafted and signed a free-agent contract with the Portland Trail Blazers last April but played only one game. Sacramento signed Comanche in October but waived him 10 days later, at which point he joined Stockton.
# Earthquake in northwestern China kills at least 116 people in Gansu and Qinghai provinces By KEN MORITSUGU December 18, 2023. 11:01 PM EST --- BEIJING (AP) - An overnight earthquake killed at least 116 people in a cold and mountainous region in northwestern China, the country's state media reported Tuesday. Search and rescue operations were underway in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai provinces. The earthquake left more than 500 people injured, severely damaged houses and roads, and knocked out power and communication lines, according to the media reports. The magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck in Gansu at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (six miles) just before midnight on Monday, the China Earthquake Networks Center said. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the magnitude at 5.9. By mid-morning, 105 people had been confirmed dead in Gansu and another 397 injured, including 16 in critical condition, Han Shujun, a spokesperson for the provincial emergency management department, said at a news conference. Eleven others were killed and at least 140 injured in Qinghai, according to state media. The earthquake was felt in much of the surrounding area, including Lanzhou, the Gansu provincial capital, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of the epicenter. Photos and videos posted by a student at Lanzhou University showed students hastily leaving a dormitory building and standing outside with long down jackets over their pajamas. "The earthquake was too intense," said Wang Xi, the student who posted the images. "My legs went weak, especially when we ran downstairs from the dormitory." The quake struck in Gansu's Jishishan county, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the provincial boundary with Qinghai. The epicenter was about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) southwest of Beijing, the Chinese capital. There were nine aftershocks by 10 a.m., about 10 hours after the earthquake, the largest one registering a magnitude of 4.1, a Gansu official said. Tents, folding beds and quilts were being sent to the disaster area, state broadcaster CCTV said. It quoted Chinese leader Xi Jinping as calling for an all-out search and rescue effort to minimize the casualties. The overnight low in the area was minus 15 to minus 9 degrees Celsius (5 to 16 degrees Fahrenheit), the China Meteorological Administration said. At least 4,000 firefighters, soldiers and police officers were dispatched in the rescue effort, and the People's Liberation Army Western Theatre set up a command post to direct its work. Han, the Gansu spokesperson, said the rescue work was proceeding in an orderly manner and asked people to avoid going to the quake-hit areas to prevent traffic jams that could hinder the effort. A video posted by the Ministry of Emergency Management showed emergency workers in orange uniforms using rods to try to move heavy pieces of what looked like concrete debris at night. Other nighttime videos distributed by state media showed workers lifting out a victim and helping a slightly stumbling person to walk in an area covered with light snow. Middle school student Ma Shijun ran out of his dormitory barefoot without even putting on a coat, according to a Xinhua report. It said the strong tremors left his hands a bit numb, and that teachers quickly organized the students on the playground. CCTV reported that there was damage to water and electricity lines, as well as transportation and communications infrastructure. Earthquakes are somewhat common in the mountainous area of western China that rises up to form the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. Last year in September, at least 74 people were reported killed in a 6.8 magnitude earthquake that shook China's southwestern province of Sichuan, triggering landslides and shaking buildings in the provincial capital of Chengdu, where 21 million residents were under a COVID-19 lockdown. China's deadliest earthquake in recent years was a 7.9 magnitude quake in 2008 that killed nearly 90,000 people in Sichuan. The tremor devastated towns, schools and rural communities outside Chengdu, leading to a years-long effort to rebuild with more resistant materials.
# 'Max Payne' and 'Rescue Me' actor James McCaffrey dies at 65 December 18, 2023. 7:48 PM EST --- NEW YORK (AP) - James McCaffrey, who voiced "Max Payne" in the popular video game franchise and also starred in television shows including "Rescue Me," has died, according to his agent. He was 65. McCaffrey's talent agent David Elliot confirmed Monday that the New York native passed away Sunday surrounded by family and friends. His wife, actor Rochelle Bostrom, told The Hollywood Reporter that he died at home in Larchmont, a New York suburb of Manhattan, following a battle with myeloma, a form of cancer that affects white blood cells. Fellow New York actor and "Entourage" star Kevin Dillon was among those who took to social media to honor McCaffrey. "#rip James McCaffrey we were lucky to have known you," he wrote Sunday in an Instagram post that included a photo of the two. McCaffrey had a 35-year career in television and film that also included roles in the television shows "Blue Bloods" and "Suits." On the FX drama "Rescue Me," he portrayed a New York City firefighter killed on Sept. 11 who appears to Denis Leary's main character, who is also a firefighter, over the series' seven-season run, which ended in 2011. McCaffrey also famously voiced Max Payne, the former NYPD officer who becomes a vigilante after his family is killed, in the video game series of the same name during the early 2000s. "Trained at the Actor's Studio, he never lost his love for creating characters; however, his good looks often pushed him toward leading man roles," Elliot wrote in a message. Besides his wife, McCaffrey is survived by his daughter, Tiernan McCaffrey, and other family members.
# North Korea's Kim threatens 'more offensive actions' against US after watching powerful missile test By HYUNG-JIN KIM December 18, 2023. 10:38 PM EST --- SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened "more offensive actions" to repel what he called increasing U.S.-led military threats after he supervised the third test of his country's most advanced missile designed to strike the mainland U.S., state media reported Tuesday. Kim's statement suggests he is confident in his growing missile arsenal and will likely continue weapons testing activities ahead of next year's presidential election in the United States. But many observers say North Korea still needs to perform more significant tests to prove it has functioning missiles targeting the U.S. mainland. After watching Monday's launch of the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, Kim said the test showed how North Korea could respond if the United States were to make "a wrong decision against it," according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Kim stressed the need to "never overlook all the reckless and irresponsible military threats of the enemies ... and to strongly counter them with more offensive actions," KCNA said. The Hwasong-18 ICBM is a developmental, solid-fueled ICBM that is considered North Korea's most powerful weapon. Its built-in solid propellant makes launches harder for outsiders to detect than liquid-fueled missiles, which must be fueled before liftoffs. But many foreign experts say North Korea still has some other technological hurdles to master to acquire reliable nuclear-tipped ICBMs, such as one to protect warheads from the harsh conditions of atmospheric reentry. KCNA said the Hwasong-18 missile, launched on a high angle to avoid neighboring countries, flew a distance of 1,002 kilometers (622 miles) for 73.5 minutes at a maximum altitude of 6,518 kilometers (4,050 miles) before landing in an area off the North's east coast. It said Kim expressed "great satisfaction" with the launch, which verified again the reliability of "the most powerful strategic core striking means" of North Korea. It was the North's third test of the Hwasong-18 missile. Its two previous launches occurred in April and July. "Based on their statement, this looks to have been an exercise in signaling and a developmental test in one," said Ankit Panda, an expert with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "There's nothing new here technically as far as I can tell at this early stage, but they're certainly growing increasingly confident in their new solid propellant ICBM." Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said the North's latest ICBM test is yet another indicator of how far its missile engine technology has progressed, but added there are limits to what North Korea can learn from lofted trajectory firings. "Demonstrating warhead targeting and reentry capabilities would involve provocative launches across greater distances," Easley said. "So more significant tests of both technology and diplomacy are likely in the New Year." KCNA said its Hwasong-18 test was meant to issue a warning over its rivals' confrontational military moves on North Korea. It said a recent U.S.-South Korean meeting to discuss their nuclear deterrence plan openly revealed their intention to hold joint drills with a simulated nuclear attack on North Korea. It also referred to the second Nuclear Consultative Group meeting between senior U.S. and South Korean officials last Friday. During their meeting in Washington, the two countries agreed to update their nuclear deterrence and contingency strategies and incorporate nuclear operation scenarios in their combined military exercises next summer, according to officials in Seoul. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said during a Cabinet Council meeting on Tuesday that a "nuclear-based, powerful Korea-U.S. alliance" would be formed soon. The consultative body is responsible for sharing information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans and joint operations, though the U.S. will retain operational control of its nuclear weapons. The group's establishment was part of U.S. efforts to ease South Korean worries about North Korean provocations while keeping Seoul from pursuing its own nuclear program. Since last year, North Korea has performed more than 100 ballistic missile tests in violation of U.N. bans in what outside experts call an effort to upgrade its nuclear arsenal and win greater U.S. concessions. The North has still avoided fresh international sanctions as China and Russia blocked the U.S. and others' efforts to toughen U.N. sanctions on the country. North Korea also faces outside suspicions that it receives sophisticated weapons technologies from Russia in return for supplying conventional arms to support Russia's war in Ukraine. The United States and South Korea have expanded their military training and increased the temporary deployments of powerful U.S. military assets in South Korea. On Tuesday, South Korea, the U.S. and Japan began putting into operation the sharing of real-time missile warning data on North Korea and established details of their trilateral exercises in coming years, South Korea's Defense Ministry said in a statement. It added the three countries will beef up their three-way cooperation to cope with regional challenges and promote peace in the region.
# Here's what you need to know about the deadly salmonella outbreak tied to cantaloupes By JONEL ALECCIA December 18, 2023. 2:44 PM EST --- Hundreds of people in the U.S. and Canada have been sickened and at least 10 people have died in a growing outbreak of salmonella poisoning linked to contaminated whole and pre-cut cantaloupe. Health officials are warning consumers, retailers and restaurants not to buy, eat or serve cantaloupe if they don't know the source. That's especially important for individuals who are vulnerable to serious illness from salmonella infection and those who care for them. High-risk groups include young children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is especially concerned because many of the illnesses have been severe and because victims include people who ate cantaloupe served in childcare centers and long-term care facilities. Here's what we know about this outbreak: ## How many people have been sickened in the cantaloupe salmonella outbreak? Overall, at least 302 people in the U.S. and 153 in Canada have been sickened in this outbreak. That includes four killed and 129 hospitalized in the U.S. and six killed and 53 hospitalized in Canada. ## When did the cantaloupe outbreak begin? The first U.S. case was a person who fell ill on Oct. 16, according to the CDC. The latest illness detected occurred on Nov. 28. Canadian health officials said people fell ill between mid-October and mid-November. The first recalls were issued Nov. 6 in the U.S., according to the Food and Drug Administration. Multiple recalls of whole and cut fruit have followed. ## Where did the cantaloupes come from? The cantaloupes implicated in this outbreak include two brands, Malichita and Rudy, that are grown in the Sonora area of Mexico. The fruit was imported by Sofia Produce LLC, of Nogales, Arizona, which does business as TruFresh, and Pacific Trellis Fruit LLC, of Los Angeles. So far, more than 36,000 boxes or cases of cantaloupe have been recalled. On Dec. 15, Mexican health officials temporarily closed a melon-packing plant implicated in the outbreak. Roughly one-third of FDA-regulated human food imported into the U.S. comes from Mexico, including about 60% of fresh produce imports. The average American eats about 6 pounds of cantaloupe a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. ## How did the cantaloupes get contaminated? Health officials in the U.S. and Canada are still investigating, but cantaloupes generally are prone to contamination because they are "netted" melons with rough, bumpy rinds that make bacteria difficult to remove. Salmonella bacteria are found in animals' intestines and can spread if their waste comes in contact with fruit in the field. Contamination can come from tainted water used in irrigation, or in cleaning and cooling the melons. Poor hygienic practices of workers, pests in packing facilities and equipment that's not cleaned and sanitized properly can also lead to contamination, the FDA says. The Mexico growing area saw powerful storms and hurricanes in late summer and early fall that resulted in flooding that could be a factor, said Trevor Suslow, a produce safety consultant and retired professor at the University of California, Davis. Once the melons are contaminated, the nubby rinds harbor nutrients that can help the salmonella bacteria grow, Suslow said. If the cantaloupe become moldy or damaged, the bacteria can move from the outside of the rind to the inner layer or into the flesh. Also, when the fruit is sliced - in a home kitchen, grocery store or processing plant - the bacteria can spread to the flesh. Cut fruit in a tray or clamshell package can harbor the bacteria. If the fruit isn't kept very cool, the germs can grow. ## How should consumers handle cantaloupe? It is difficult to remove disease-causing bacteria from cantaloupe at home. Food safety experts recommend rinsing whole melons in cool water and scrubbing them with a clean produce brush and then drying completely. Blanching the cantaloupes briefly in very hot water is another method, Suslow said. And Purdue University researchers found that household items such as vinegar and iodine diluted in water could reduce exterior contamination with salmonella by 99%. For high-risk people, it might be best to avoid cantaloupe, especially pre-cut cantaloupe and especially during an outbreak, said Amanda Deering, a Purdue University food scientist. Understanding that certain foods can pose a serious health risk is key, she added. "As consumers, we just assume that our food is safe," she said. "You don't want to think that a cantaloupe is what's going to take you out."
# Trump campaign lawyer testified in Nevada fake electors case to avoid prosecution, transcripts show By RIO YAMAT and GABE STERN December 18, 2023. 11:30 PM EST --- LAS VEGAS (AP) - The lawyer who helped orchestrate the Trump campaign's fake elector scheme in 2020 was a target in a criminal investigation in Nevada, but his name was removed from the indictment in exchange for his cooperation with authorities, according to newly released transcripts of secret grand jury proceedings in Las Vegas. The documents made public Sunday show that in late November, Kenneth Chesebro testified to a grand jury in Clark County, Nevada, about the plot that ultimately led to the indictments this month of six Nevada Republicans, who made a last-ditch attempt to keep then-President Donald Trump in power by sending a phony electoral certificate to the National Archives. The fake electors - involved in the GOP at the state or county level - are charged in state court with offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument. Chesebro's deal with state Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford's office, which investigated the case, comes on the heels of Chesebro's plea agreement with prosecutors in Georgia, where he was charged alongside Trump and 17 others with participating in efforts to overturn Trump's 2020 loss in Georgia. Ford's office declined to comment on the cooperation deal Monday. Chesebro pleaded guilty in Georgia to one felony charge of conspiracy to commit filing false documents just as jury selection was getting underway in his trial. As part of the deal, prosecutors agreed to dismiss six other counts. In the Nevada case, Chesebro told the grand jury that he sent the state GOP an "organized step-by-step explanation of what they would have to do" to sign certificates falsely stating that Trump, not President Joe Biden, had won their state. Chesebro also admitted in his testimony that he viewed Nevada as "extremely problematic" to the fake elector plot that spanned seven battleground states - Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. "It requires the meeting of the electors to be overseen by the Secretary of State, who is only supposed to permit electoral votes for the winner of the popular vote in Nevada," Chesebro said, reading a portion of one of his memos to the grand jury. The transcripts show that the grand jury was seated in the case on Nov. 14, nearly three years after the six Nevada Republicans gathered in Carson City, Nevada, on Dec. 14, 2020, and signed the fake certificate. The grand jury convened two more times before handing up the indictment. According to the transcripts, the grand jury also heard testimony from a National Archives employee, a U.S. Postal Service inspector, investigators on the case and Mark Wlaschin, the deputy secretary of state for elections in Nevada. Wlaschin, who is deeply involved in Nevada's electoral processes, described a "level of disbelief" when receiving the false slate of electors claiming Trump won Nevada. He said he reached out to the National Archives to let them know that the documents would likely be sent to them as well. "It wasn't legal size or a package or a box or anything like that," he told the grand jury of the folder he received containing the documents. "Inside it it had a number of documents. It looked like bizarro documents, frankly." Wlaschin wrote a letter to Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, one of the indicted fake electors who communicated with Trump directly about the plot, upon receiving the false documents a day after the fake electors signed them. "We are returning these documents as they do not meet the statutory requirement for filing with our office," he wrote. All six fake electors in Nevada pleaded not guilty Monday. Their trial is scheduled for March.
# Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards gives final end-of-year address By SARA CLINE December 18, 2023. 8:22 PM EST --- BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards delivered his final end-of-the-year address Monday, highlighting some of his accomplishments in office over the past eight years and his vague plans for the future. Edwards, first elected in 2015 and currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, was unable to run for reelection this year due to consecutive term limits and Republicans seized the opportunity to regain the governor's mansion. Among his accomplishments during his two terms in office, Edwards touted the state's Medicaid expansion, infrastructure investments, the state's unemployment rate reaching record lows and helping take the state from a more than $1 billion budget shortfall to having surplus funds this past legislative session. "A lot has happened over the last eight years that I have been governor," Edwards said during his address at the governor's mansion in Baton Rouge. "I can tell you that by any metric you can come up with and objectively speaking, we are much better off today than the day I first took office." While Edwards said much has been accomplished over the past eight years, there are some goals that were not completed, including increasing the minimum age, adding exceptions to the state's near total abortion ban and eliminating the state's death penalty. Edwards said he is going to continue to talk about these issues on the way out of office in hopes of setting them up for success in the future - an uphill battle in the GOP-dominated Legislature. Monday's address was the second-to-last public event for the governor. His final public event will be his farewell address in his hometown of Amite on Jan. 3. When asked about life after he leaves office, Edwards - who before entering the political world had opened a civil law practice - said he plans to move back to Tangipahoa Parish with his wife and go "back into private business." He added that he is "genuinely pulling for" Gov.-elect Jeff Landry and wants him to do a "wonderful job." Landry is a Republican who Edwards has repeatedly butted heads with over political issues. While Edwards said that he has "no expectation or intention" to run for political office in the future, he didn't completely rule it out. "I don't leave here intending to run for office again, but I don't say 'never' because I don't know exactly what my situation is going to be. ... I also don't know what the situation is going to be with the state," Edwards said. Landry will be inaugurated Jan. 8.
# A group representing TikTok, Meta and X sues Utah over strict new limits on app use for minors By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM December 18, 2023. 8:09 PM EST --- SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A trade group that represents TikTok and other major tech companies sued Utah on Monday over its first-in-the-nation laws requiring children and teens to obtain parental consent to use social media apps. Two laws signed in March by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox will prohibit minors from using social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. unless authorized by a parent - and require age verification to open and maintain a social media account in the state. The restrictions are designed to protect children from targeted advertisements and addictive features that could negatively impact their mental health. Both laws take effect March 1, 2024. The NetChoice trade group argues in its federal lawsuit that although Utah's regulations are well-intentioned, they are unconstitutional because they restrict access to public content, compromise data security and undermine parental rights. "We are fighting to ensure that all Utahns can embrace digital tools without the forceful clutch of government control," said Chris Marchese, Director of the NetChoice Litigation Center. The trade association includes many of the world's leading social media companies, including TikTok, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta, and X, formerly known as Twitter. Cox predicted there would be lawsuits challenging both bills but said he wasn't worried because there is a growing body of research that demonstrates how social media use can negatively impact the mental health outcomes of children. "I'm not going to back down from a potential legal challenge when these companies are killing our kids," Cox argued earlier this year. The governor's office did not immediately respond Monday to emails seeking comment on the lawsuit. The office of Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes will represent the state in court. "The State of Utah is reviewing the lawsuit but remains intently focused on the goal of this legislation: Protecting young people from negative and harmful effects of social media use," spokesperson Richard Piatt said. In another lawsuit filed by NetChoice, a federal judge temporarily blocked Arkansas from enforcing its new law requiring parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts. Similar laws in Texas and Louisiana have not yet taken effect. Utah's state laws impose steep fines for social media companies that do not comply with the age-verification rule, which NetChoice says may lead companies to collect an excess of personal information from users that could end up threatening their online safety. The state regulations prohibit companies from using any design or feature that causes a child to become addicted to their app. Under the laws, parents will have access to their children's accounts and can more easily sue social media companies that they claim have caused their children harm. The laws shift the burden of proof from the families onto the social media companies, requiring them to demonstrate that their products were not harmful. Any social media platform with at least five million users is subject to the new regulations. The lawsuit also challenges the state-imposed social media curfew, arguing that it could negatively impact children by cutting them off from the news, study tools and communications with their peers. NetChoice has asked a federal judge to halt the laws from taking effect while its case moves through the legal system.
# Fresh off reelection in Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Beshear presents budget plan in televised speech By BRUCE SCHREINER December 18, 2023. 9:19 PM EST --- FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Looking to build on his resounding reelection victory, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear took his budget directly to the voters in a televised speech Monday night as he pressed for a massive boost in education funding, child care support and continued investments in infrastructure. The holiday message - coming about two weeks before the Republican-dominated legislature reconvenes - represents the Democratic governor's effort to turn political capital into more of a mandate for his top policy priorities, especially in public education. Beshear also proposed pay raises for state workers and increased funding for public universities, economic development and foster care. He proposed hiring more state troopers and social workers, building more juvenile detention centers and investing more in regional airports. Beshear said the state can afford that and more, without tapping into its vast budget reserves. Tax collections have surged in Kentucky even as its individual income tax rate has been lowered. "This budget aims to meet our families where they are, to address the concerns they worry most about," Beshear said in his address, less than a week after being sworn in for a second term. "Look, Kentuckians don't wake up every morning thinking about Democrat or Republican, and neither does this budget." Public education - including higher teacher pay and access to universal pre-K - ranked atop his wish list, as Beshear presented his blueprint for the state's next two-year budget in a statewide speech on Kentucky Educational Television. Beshear's November reelection win in GOP-leaning Kentucky sets him up to be on the national radar in coming years when the country looks for a new generation of leaders. The speech's timing reflected the friction of divided government in Kentucky. Governors traditionally reveal their budget plans in a televised speech when the legislature is in session. This time, the governor opted for a pre-session speech after House Republicans preempted him in early 2022 by unveiling their budget plan before the governor presented his blueprint. In his new two-year proposal, Beshear called for pumping more than $2.5 billion of additional funding into preschool through high school education. Topping his requests is an 11% pay raise for teachers and all other public school employees. He also recommended an 11% increase in the minimum teacher salary. "It's simple, you cannot give a child every opportunity if they don't have a teacher in every classroom," Beshear said. "We won't have enough bus drivers unless we pay a better wage. And we cannot remain competitive with other states if we don't pay our teachers and other employees what they're worth." The investments would lift Kentucky to the middle of the pack nationally in average teacher starting pay and average teacher pay. The state now ranks near the bottom in both categories, he said. Another Beshear priority is providing preschool for every 4-year-old in Kentucky. The governor's budget plan includes $172 million each year of the two-year budget to accomplish that. Similar proposals previously made no headway with lawmakers. The program would extend preschool education to an estimated 34,000 additional 4-year-olds, he said. "This will be an unprecedented investment for Kentucky's children," Beshear said. "Imagine the difference it'll make when every single Kentucky child enters kindergarten prepared to learn." The governor's plan also would increase per-pupil funding under the state's main funding formula. It would fully fund teacher pensions and student transportation. Another key Beshear proposal calls for spending about $141 million over two years for child care assistance, in part to help cushion child care programs from the loss of pandemic-era federal subsidies. Meanwhile, his budget calls for a nearly 8% increase in the base budgets of public universities, which endured state budget cuts for several years. For the state's workforce, Beshear proposed awarding a 6% across-the-board pay raise effective next July 1, followed by a 4% raise the next year. He proposed using $500 million in state funds for water and wastewater projects statewide and $300 million for major transportation projects - with an eye toward widening the Mountain Parkway in eastern Kentucky and building an Ohio River bridge between western Kentucky and Indiana. To build on the state's record pace of economic development, the governor proposed allocating another $200 million to help land new employers. Half the amount would go to prepare mega-development projects and the rest would aid county and regional site development. Beshear proposed building two female-only juvenile detention centers and to retrofit other detention centers. As with any governor's proposal, the legislature will have final say on the budget - the state's main policy document. Republican House Speaker David Osborne said lawmakers have been preparing for the next budget since finishing their last one. Now they can delve into details of Beshear's rendition. "While we are not aware of any of the governor's requests, we welcome his early submission and are hopeful that it includes information that we have asked for over the past several months," Osborne said. The state's next two-year budget period starts next July 1.
# Mississippi local officials say human error and poor training led to election-day chaos By MICHAEL GOLDBERG December 18, 2023. 8:28 PM EST --- JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The county election officials under whose watch ballot shortages hampered voting in Mississippi's largest county said technical mishaps and insufficient training were to blame for election day chaos in November. At a meeting with representatives from a coalition of statewide and national civil rights organizations, Hinds County election commissioners said Monday that their mishaps caused several polling locations in Hinds County to run out of ballots. They admitted to sharing the wrong voter data with the company they contracted to print ballots, which directly led to the ballot shortages. "Complete human error. I hate that the citizens of Hinds County had to experience that," said Commissioner RaToya Gilmer McGee. But the commissioners, all Democrats, also pointed to what they said was inadequate guidance from Secretary of State Michael Watson, a Republican. The commissioners said they had to rely on a training manual written for election officials across the state. "If there are 82 counties in the state of Mississippi, there are 82 ways to do things. And so there is no streamlining, there are no checks and balances, there are no policies and procedures," Gilmer McGee said. In Mississippi's Nov. 7 general election, up to nine voting precincts in Hinds County ran out of ballots. People waited up to two hours to vote as election officials made frantic trips to office supply stores so they could print ballots and deliver them to polling places. Voting groups and political parties filed legal papers that aimed to keep polls open later or prevent them from staying open. Hinds County is majority Black and a Democratic stronghold. It's unclear how many people left without voting and the political affiliations of the most affected voters. When Hinds County resident Monica Taylor got to the polls, someone told her there were no ballots. She asked when there would be ballots, but nobody knew. "My grandfather is in the civil rights museum. This is what he fought for. So I'm not a person you can tell 'we don't have any ballots' and think I'm going to walk away," Taylor said at a public meeting last week. "I'm not going to walk away." With the 2024 election less than a year away, the situation in Hinds County has drawn the attention of the congressional committee with direct oversight over federal elections and civil rights leaders. Derrick Johnson, the national president of the NAACP who attended college in Jackson, said he hoped the episode wouldn't depress voter turnout in future elections. "Voting is the tool to ensure one's voice is heard in this country. It is our currency in this democracy," Johnson said in an interview. "You don't quit, you continue to move forward to make sure this democracy works." The commissioners said they didn't receive enough specific guidance on how to print the right number of ballots for the populous county's "split precincts," polling locations where voters use different ballots based on their residential address. In a statement after the meeting, Secretary of State Michael Watson said his office was open to providing more training, but that Hinds County was unique in its election management troubles. "We are always happy to answer questions and will gladly spend time training those who need additional help. Heading into the 2023 election, all 82 counties received the same training and resources from our office," Watson told The Associated Press. "No other county experienced the issues we saw in Hinds County." The five-member Commission agreed to Monday's meeting after the civil rights coalition said they had failed to provide enough information about what went wrong on election day. After the meeting, Leah Wong, an attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said she hoped the Commission would agree to future meetings ahead of the 2024 election. "Clearly, there are a lot more things to troubleshoot to be better for 2024. We are looking forward to working with them," Wong said. Harya Tarekegn, policy director for the non-profit legal group Mississippi Center for Justice, said Hinds County could have smoother elections with the right policy changes. "That's what people fought for during the Civil Rights Movement, that's what people continue to fight for," Tarekegn said. "Our ancestors fought for it, we continue to fight for it, and there will be a day when Mississippi runs the best elections. When Hinds County runs the best elections."
# Colorado releases first 5 wolves in reintroduction plan approved by voters to chagrin of ranchers By JESSE BEDAYN December 18, 2023. 10:35 PM EST --- GRAND COUNTY, Colorado (AP) - Somewhere on a remote mountainside in Colorado's Rockies, a latch flipped on a crate and a wolf bounded out, heading toward the tree line. Then it stopped short. For a moment, the young female looked back at it's audience of roughly 45 people who stared on in reverential silence. Then she disappeared into the forest. She was one of five gray wolves Wildlife officials released in a remote part of Colorado's Rocky Mountains on Monday to kick off a voter-approved reintroduction program that was embraced in the state's mostly Democratic urban corridor but staunchly opposed in conservative rural areas where ranchers worry about attacks on livestock. The wolves were set free from crates in a Grand County location that state officials kept undisclosed to protect the predators. It marked the start of the most ambitious wolf reintroduction effort in the U.S. in almost three decades and a sharp departure from aggressive efforts by Republican-led states to cull wolf packs. A judge on Friday night had denied a request from the state's cattle industry for a temporary delay to the release. The group watched as the first two wolves - 1-year-old male and female siblings with gray fur - were set free. The male bolted up the golden grass, running partially sideways to keep an eye on everyone behind, then turning left into the trees. The crowd watched in silence, then some hugged each other and low murmurs started up. When the latch on the second crate flipped, the wolf didn't budge. Everyone waited as Colorado Gov. Jared Polis peeked into the cage. After roughly 30 seconds, those around the crates stepped back, giving the wolf space. The female slowly rose then bounded up a snowy divot in the dirt road, looking back before disappearing into an aspen grove. Wolves "have larger-than-life places in human imagination, in the stories we all grew up with and tell each other," said Polis. "To see them in their natural habitat, and turn around look curiously at us ... is really, really a special moment that I will treasure for my entire life." The other three wolves released were another pair of 1-year-old male and female siblings, as well a 2-year-old male. The wolves were all caught in Oregon on Sunday. When the final crate opened, the 2-year-old male with a black coat immediately darted out, making a sharp right past onlookers and dashing into the trees. He didn't look back once. When it all ended, a small round of applause broke out. Colorado officials anticipate releasing 30 to 50 wolves within the next five years in hopes the program starts to fill in one of the last remaining major gaps in the western U.S. for the species. Gray wolves historically ranged from northern Canada to the desert southwest. The carnivores' planned release in Colorado, voted for in a 2020 ballot measure, has sharpened divides between rural and urban residents. City and suburb dwellers largely voted to reintroduce the apex predators into the rural areas where prey can include livestock that help drive local economies and big game such as elk that are prized by hunters. The reintroduction, starting with the release of up to 10 wolves in coming months, emerged as a political wedge issue when GOP-dominated Wyoming, Idaho and Montana refused to share their wolves for the effort. Colorado officials ultimately turned to another Democratic state - Oregon - to secure wolves. Excited wildlife advocates have started a wolf-naming contest, but ranchers in the Rocky Mountains where the releases will occur are anxious. They've seen glimpses of what the future could hold as a handful of wolves that wandered down from Wyoming over the past two years killed livestock. The fear is such attacks will worsen, adding to a spate of perceived assaults on western Colorado's rural communities as the state's liberal leaders embrace clean energy and tourism, eclipsing economic mainstays such as fossil fuel extraction and agriculture. To allay livestock industry fears, ranchers who lose livestock or herding and guard animals to wolf attacks will be paid fair market value, up to $15,000 per animal. Hunting groups also have raised concerns that wolves will reduce the size of elk herds and other big game animals that the predators eat. Meanwhile, Colorado residents who backed the reintroduction are going to have to get used to wildlife agents killing wolves that prey on livestock. Some wolves were already killed when they crossed from Colorado into Wyoming, which has a "predatory" zone for wolves covering most of the state in which they can be shot on sight. Joanna Lambert, professor of wildlife ecology and conservation biology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said she lost her breath when she saw the wolves gallop into the woods on Monday. For years, Lambert and wolf advocates have been working to get wolf "paws on the ground" and "all the sudden, it happened." "This is a moment of rewilding," Lambert said, "of doing something to stave off the biodiversity extinction crisis we are living in."
# Court date set in Hunter Biden's California tax case December 18, 2023. 7:07 PM EST --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Hunter Biden is set to appear in a California courtroom next month on nine tax counts, the latest fallout from a special counsel investigation into his business affairs. President Joe Biden's son is scheduled for an initial appearance at an arraignment in Los Angeles on Jan. 11, according to a federal court calendar posted Monday. He is facing three felony and six misdemeanor counts, including filing a false return, tax evasion, failure to file and failure to pay. Prosecutors say he spent millions on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills. His defense attorney has said that prosecutors bowed to political pressure in bringing the case and Hunter Biden was targeted because of his father's political position. The cases come after the implosion of a plea deal involving tax and gun counts that would have spared him jail time. Instead, Hunter Biden is now also charged with federal firearms courts in Delaware alleging he broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018. The cases are now on track to possible trial as his father campaigns for reelection.
# Biggest solar flare in years temporarily disrupts radio signals on Earth By MARCIA DUNN December 15, 2023. 3:00 PM EST --- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A NASA telescope has captured the biggest solar flare in years, which temporarily knocked out radio communication on Earth. The sun spit out the huge flare along with a massive radio burst on Thursday, causing two hours of radio interference in parts of the U.S. and other sunlit parts of the world. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was the biggest flare since 2017, and the radio burst was extensive, affecting even the higher frequencies. The combination resulted in one of the largest solar radio events ever recorded, Shawn Dahl of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said Friday. Multiple pilots reported communication disruptions, with the impact felt across the country, according to the space weather forecasting center. Scientists are now monitoring this sunspot region and analyzing for a possible outburst of plasma from the sun, also known as a coronal mass ejection, that might be directed at Earth. This could result in a geomagnetic storm, Dahl said, which in turn could disrupt high-frequency radio signals at the higher latitudes and trigger northern lights, or auroras, in the coming days. The eruption occurred in the far northwest section of the sun. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught the action in extreme ultraviolet light, recording the powerful surge of energy as a huge, bright flash. Launched in 2010, the spacecraft is in an extremely high orbit around Earth, where it constantly monitors the sun. The sun is nearing the peak of its 11-year or so solar cycle. Maximum sunspot activity is predicted for 2025.
# Geminids meteor shower peaks this week under dark skies By MARCIA DUNN December 13, 2023. 2:38 PM EST --- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - The year's best meteor shower, the Geminids, peaks this week. Skygazers may see as many as one or even two a minute streaking across dark skies. The meteors will reach their frenzy Thursday. But Wednesday night should provide a cosmic spectacle as well. This week's new moon will make for prime viewing anywhere in the world where skies are clear and in spots without light pollution. NASA urged observers to look everywhere in the sky since meteors don't come from any particular direction. Between 60 and 120 meteors are expected every hour at peak time, weather permitting. NASA meteoroid expert Bill Cooke said he loves that the Geminids have a greenish hue as they speed across the sky and burn up. Most meteors appear to be colorless or white depending on their chemical makeup. Green usually comes from oxygen, magnesium and nickel. Most meteor showers originate from comets. But the Geminids come from the sun-orbiting asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Either way, when Earth passes through these leftover bits of comets or asteroids, the fragments encounter Earth's atmosphere and put on quite the show.
# Asteroid will pass in front of bright star Betelgeuse to produce a rare eclipse visible to millions By MARCIA DUNN December 8, 2023. 3:00 AM EST --- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - One of the biggest and brightest stars in the night sky will momentarily vanish as an asteroid passes in front of it to produce a one-of-a-kind eclipse. The rare and fleeting spectacle, late Monday into early Tuesday, should be visible to millions of people along a narrow path stretching from central Asia's Tajikistan and Armenia, across Turkey, Greece, Italy and Spain, to Miami and the Florida Keys and finally, to parts of Mexico. The star is Betelgeuse, a red supergiant in the constellation Orion. The asteroid is Leona, a slowly rotating, oblong space rock in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Astronomers hope to learn more about Betelgeuse and Leona through the eclipse, which is expected to last no more than 15 seconds. By observing an eclipse of a much dimmer star by Leona in September, a Spanish-led team recently estimated the asteroid to be about 34 miles wide and 50 miles long (55 kilometers wide and 80 kilometers long). There are lingering uncertainties over those predictions as well as the size of the star and its expansive atmosphere. It's unclear if the asteroid will obscure the entire star, producing a total eclipse. Rather, the result could be a "ring of fire" eclipse with a miniscule blazing border around the star. If it's a total eclipse, astronomers aren't sure how many seconds the star will disappear completely, perhaps up to 10 seconds. "Which scenario we will see is uncertain, making the event even more intriguing," said astronomer Gianluca Masa, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project, which will provide a live webcast from Italy. An estimated 700 light-years away, Betelgeuse is visible with the naked eye. Binoculars and small telescopes will enhance the view. A light-year is 5.8 trillion miles. Betelgeuse is thousands of times brighter than our sun and some 700 times bigger. It's so huge that if it replaced our sun, it would stretch beyond Jupiter, according to NASA. At just 10 million years old, Betelgeuse is considerably younger than the 4.6 billion-year-old sun. Scientists expect Betelgeuse to be short-lived, given its mass and the speed at which it's burning through its material. After countless centuries of varying brightness, Betelgeuse dimmed dramatically in 2019 when a huge bunch of surface material was ejected into space. The resulting dust cloud temporarily blocked the starlight, NASA said, and within a half year, Betelgeuse was as bright as before. Scientists expect Betelgeuse to go supernova in a violent explosion within 100,000 years.
# Penguin parents sleep for just a few seconds at a time to guard newborns, study shows By CHRISTINA LARSON November 30, 2023. 2:09 PM EST --- WASHINGTON (AP) - It's a challenge for all new parents: Getting enough sleep while keeping a close eye on their newborns. For some penguins, it means thousands of mini-catnaps a day, researchers discovered. Chinstrap penguins in Antarctica need to guard their eggs and chicks around-the-clock in crowded, noisy colonies. So they nod off thousands of times each day - but only for about four seconds at a time - to stay vigilant, the researchers reported Thursday in the journal Science. These short "microsleeps," totaling around 11 hours per day, appear to be enough to keep the parents going for weeks. "These penguins look like drowsy drivers, blinking their eyes open and shut, and they do it 24/7 for several weeks at a time," said Niels Rattenborg, a sleep researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence in Germany and co-author of the new study. "What's surprising is that they're able to function OK and successfully raise their young," he said. Chinstrap penguins, named for the thin line of black facial feathers resembling a chinstrap, usually lay their eggs in pebble nests in November. As with many other kinds of penguins, mated pairs share parenting duties. One parent tends to the eggs and chicks alone while the other goes off fishing for family meals. While the adults don't face many natural predators in the breeding season, large birds called brown skuas prey on eggs and small fuzzy gray chicks. Other adults may also try to steal pebbles from nests. So the devoted parents must be always on guard. For the first time, the scientists tracked the sleeping behavior of chinstrap penguins in an Antarctic breeding colony by attaching sensors that measure brain waves. They collected data on 14 adults over 11 days on King George Island off the coast of Antarctica. The idea for the study was hatched when Won Young Lee, a biologist at the Korean Polar Research Institute, noticed breeding penguins frequently blinking their eyes and apparently nodding off during his long days of field observations. But the team needed to record brain waves to confirm they were sleeping. "For these penguins, microsleeps have some restorative functions - if not, they could not endure," he said. The researchers did not collect sleep data outside the breeding season, but they hypothesize that the penguins may sleep in longer intervals at other times of the year. "We don't know yet if the benefits of microsleep are the same as for long consolidated sleep," said Paul-Antoine Libourel, a co-author and sleep researcher at the Neuroscience Research Center of Lyon in France. They also don't know if other penguin species sleep in a similar fragmented fashion. Scientists have documented a few other animals with special sleeping adaptions. While flying, frigatebirds can sleep one half of their brain at a time, and northern elephant seals can nap for 10 or 15 minutes at a time during deep dives, for example. But chinstrap penguin microsleeps appear to be a new extreme, researchers say. "Penguins live in a high-stress environment. They breed in crowded colonies, and all their predators are there at the same time," said Daniel Paranhos Zitterbart, who studies penguins at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts and was not involved in the study. Microsleeping is "an amazing adaptation" to enable near constant vigilance, he said.
# After years of decline, the Biden administration says environmental enforcement is on the upswing By MATTHEW DALY and MICHAEL PHILLIS December 18, 2023. 6:30 PM EST --- WASHINGTON (AP) - The Environmental Protection Agency conducted more on-site inspections of polluting industrial sites this year than any time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency said Monday as it seeks to reinvigorate its enforcement program after more than a decade of budget cuts. EPA opened nearly 200 criminal investigations this year, a 70% increase over 2022, the agency said in a report. It completed nearly 1,800 civil settlements, a 9% increase over 2022. More than half the inspections and settlements involved poor and disadvantaged communities long scarred by pollution, the agency said, reflecting the Biden administration's emphasis on environmental justice issues. But some parts of EPA's enforcement efforts still lag. In 2023, for example, it charged 102 defendants criminally. The Trump administration charged more every year, although most years only marginally. Nearly 200 defendants were charged in the latter years of the Obama administration. There is, however, an uptick in the number of criminal cases they've opened recently. EPA said its enforcement and compliance work have resulted in the reduction, treatment, elimination or minimization of 1.84 billion pounds of pollutants, and required violators to pay over $704 million in penalties, fines, and restitution. The dollar amount is a 57% increase over 2022. The increase comes as EPA's enforcement staff remains far below its peak of more than a decade ago, even as officials move to add about 300 positions. EPA eliminated approximately 950 enforcement positions following budget cuts imposed since 2011. The 2011 budget and debt deal, which included automatic spending cuts, "hit all agencies hard, but hit EPA especially hard," said David Uhlmann, EPA's assistant administrator for enforcement. Enforcement efforts were further hampered by an inability to complete many on-site inspections during the pandemic, which began nearly four years ago, and a series of actions by former President Donald Trump to roll back environmental regulations. "While our work is not complete, EPA's revitalized enforcement program is making a positive difference in communities across America, particularly for people living in underserved and overburdened communities that for too long have borne the brunt of pollution," Uhlmann said in a statement. Uhlmann, who was confirmed as EPA's enforcement chief in July after a two-year delay, said in an interview that enforcement efforts are "still a struggle" at the environmental agency. "We can't replace a decade of staff cuts in one year, but I feel good that enforcement levels are back up to where they were prior to the pandemic," he said. "EPA has increased enforcement activities across the nation," he said. "Polluters who broke the law are being brought to justice." EPA sued Norfolk Southern railway over a train derailment in eastern Ohio that spilled hazardous chemicals and forced thousands of people to evacuate. Federal officials want to ensure the company pays for the cleanup. The agency also sued Denka Performance Elastomer LLC, arguing that its petrochemical operations in southern Louisiana posed an unacceptable cancer risk to the mostly-Black community nearby. The EPA has demanded that the company reduce toxic emissions from its plant that makes synthetic rubber. The Biden administration also went to court to try to help the troubled Jackson, Mississippi, water system, which suffered a near-total collapse in 2022 after a heavy rainstorm. In May, the EPA reached a deal with a BP subsidiary that required the company to reduce harmful pollution from its refinery in Indiana. The company also agreed to pay a $40 million penalty under the Clean Air Act. The agency has set climate change and environmental justice as top priorities for enforcement, along with dangerous chemicals known as PFAS that are linked to a broad range of health issues, coal ash contamination, safe drinking water, prevention of toxic air pollution and chemical accident prevention, Uhlmann said. Uhlmann, a longtime environmental law professor at the University of Michigan Law School, declined to give a letter grade to the agency's overall efforts. But given budget constraints and other issues, his staff was "hitting it out of the park" over the past year, he said. Eric Schaeffer, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project and former head of the EPA's Office of Civil Enforcement, said he'd give the administration a "B" grade. They've increased enforcement and made some real improvements, but more is needed, he said. "I have not seen a breakthrough in terms of the enforcement actions. You are talking about a pretty low bar when you start with Trump as a point of comparison," he said. Democrats and environmental groups blasted the Trump administration's enforcement efforts, especially during COVID-19, with one senator saying a "pandemic of pollution" had been released. The EPA under Trump weakened regulations dealing with fuel efficiency and mercury emissions and waived enforcement on a range of public health and environmental mandates, saying industries could have trouble complying with them during the pandemic. The rollbacks were among dozens of actions by the EPA to ease requirements on industry to monitor, report and reduce toxic pollutants, heavy metals and climate-damaging fossil fuel emissions. Despite complaints from the oil and gas industry about a suite of rules aimed at methane and other greenhouse gases, Uhlmann said EPA was "committed to fair and robust enforcement of the law. We're not looking to put anybody out of business." EPA said it has obtained approximately $1.1 billion from so-called Superfund cleanup and cost recovery settlement agreements. This brings the total value of Superfund enforcement actions to $50 billion since the program began in 1980. More than 3,900 Superfund sites have been identified across the country.
# Book Review: 'Reading Jane: A Daughter's Memoir,' by Susannah Kennedy By ANITA SNOW September 5th, 2023. 12:53 PM GMT-4 --- "Reading Jane: A Daughter's Memoir," by Susannah Kennedy (Sibylline Press) When her mother Jane, a healthy 75-year-old, shockingly decides to take her own life, Susannah Kennedy is left reeling with innumerable questions. There are also 45 years worth of diaries that contain some answers and ultimately reveal some surprising secrets. This elegantly written memoir by Kennedy, a former newspaper reporter-turned-anthropologist, opens a window into the complicated relationships that can exist between mothers and daughters, especially when the mother is a narcissistic single parent. Jane is a charismatic woman who had a successful post-divorce career teaching in the inner city. She is widely liked and admired but has a fraught relationship with her daughter, Susannah, especially after the girl reaches puberty and becomes a rival for male attention. One of the constants in the pair's lives are Jane's diaries, each one marked by the year it was filled with her remarks about every day over four and a half decades. The notebooks aroused the young daughter's curiosity, but Jane never shared their contents, in the same way she kept many of her feelings under lock and key. "Mommy, can I read your diaries?" the daughter sometimes asked. "Someday," the mother replied. Then, "Maybe." Then, "Probably never." Kennedy never knows for sure if her mother intended for her to read the journals, to be Jane's confessor or interpreter. But they were all there stuffed into an Asian chest of intricately carved wood in her mother's San Francisco apartment after the suicide. So after returning to the U.S. in the wake of her mother's death with her German husband and three children, Kennedy reads all of the volumes over a year. She learns more about her late father, a violent alcoholic who often beat her mother. Kennedy also learns more about her mother's younger disabled sister, Helen, who died at age 4, shaping forever Jane's feelings about life and dying. "No wonder I take such comfort in the idea of death," her mother wrote in one diary entry on March 4, 2008. "But with Helen, long years in a vegetative state awaited us, coloring my childhood irreversibly and irrevocably informing my old age." Kennedy also gets a look at her mother's intense loneliness through her entries about a longstanding affair with a married man and her refusal to let him leave his wife. There are stunning revelations about the death of Jane's mother, who had been undergoing radiation for lymphoma. And there was the surprising envy Jane demonstrated for her teenage daughter's blossoming beauty during their glamorous summer vacations in Italy. Later, there was harsh criticism as her daughter became a mother herself, no longer the svelte blonde who turned every head in the room. "As I read the diaries, I find entry after entry complaining about me, almost as if she were obsessed. Why was she so concerned with how I looked? So invasive in her judgements?" the daughter writes. Jane's obsession with death was well known to those who loved her, but they nevertheless thought she would live well into her nineties. "We figured she would nag on about suicide as a safety net from illness because it made her feel better to imagine control over the ending," Kennedy writes. "We didn't think she would actually do it. " But her mother did, choosing a San Francisco motel for her last moments and leaving her papers in order, down to the self-written obituary. Reading Jane's diaries afterward brings Kennedy closer to her mother, more sympathetic to her circumstances so many years before, and more cognizant that our parents will always be with us. We don't ever "get over" them, she learns. We absorb them and move on.
# Powerful quake in Morocco kills more than 600 people and damages historic buildings in Marrakech By SAM METZ and MOSA'AB ELSHAMY September 9th, 2023. 3:44 AM GMT-4 --- RABAT, Morocco (AP) - A rare, powerful earthquake struck Morocco late Friday night, killing hundreds of people and damaging buildings from villages in the Atlas Mountains to the historic city of Marrakech. Morocco's Interior Ministry said Saturday morning that at least 632 people had died, mostly in Marrakech and five provinces near the quake's epicenter. Another 329 people were injured. Casualty figures were expected to rise more as the search continues and as rescuers reach remote areas. Moroccan television showed scenes from the aftermath, as many stayed outside fearing aftershocks. Anxious families stood in streets or huddled on the pavement, some carrying children, blankets or other belongings. Emergency workers looked for survivors in the rubble of buildings, their reflective yellow vests illuminating the nighttime landscape. The quake ripped a gaping hole in a home, and a car was nearly buried by the chunks of a collapsed building. Baskets, buckets and clothing could be seen amid scattered stones in the remains of one building. Moroccan media reported that the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, one of the city's most famed landmarks, suffered damage, but the extent was not immediately clear. Its 69-meter (226-foot) minaret is known as the "roof of Marrakech." Moroccans also posted videos showing damage to parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city in Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The head of a town near the earthquake's epicenter told Moroccan news site 2M that several homes in nearby towns had partly or totally collapsed, and electricity and roads were cut off in some places. Abderrahim Ait Daoud, head of the town of Talat N'Yaaqoub, said authorities are working to clear roads in Al Haouz Province to allow passage for ambulances and aid to populations affected, but said large distances between mountain villages mean it will take time to learn the extent of the damage. Local media reported that roads leading to the mountain region around the epicenter were jammed with vehicles and blocked with collapsed rocks, slowing rescue efforts. Al Haouz is known for scenic High Atlas landscapes and Amazigh villages built into mountainsides. Messages of support began to roll in from around the world on Saturday. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz posted condolences on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently hosting the Group of 20 summit of the world's largest economies, wrote that "India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time." A U.N. spokesperson said that "the United Nations is ready to assist the government of Morocco in its efforts to assist the impacted population." The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11 p.m. (2211 GMT), with shaking that lasted several seconds. The U.S. agency reported a magnitude-4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later. The epicenter of Friday's tremor was near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, roughly 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) south of Marrakech. The USGS said the epicenter was 18 kilometers (11 miles) below the Earth's surface, while Morocco's seismic agency put it at 11 kilometers (7 miles) down. Such shallow quakes are more dangerous. Initial reports suggest damages and deaths were severe throughout the Marrakech-Safi region, which is made up of a mixture of cities, small towns and open land and 4,520,569 call home, according to state figures. Earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa. Lahcen Mhanni, Head of the Seismic Monitoring and Warning Department at the National Institute of Geophysics, told 2M TV that the earthquake was the strongest ever recorded in the mountain region. In 1960, a magnitude 5.8 tremor struck near the Moroccan city of Agadir and caused thousands of deaths. The Agadir quake prompted changes in construction rules in Morocco, but many buildings, especially rural homes, are not built to withstand such tremors. In 2004, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake near the Mediterranean coastal city of Al Hoceima left more than 600 dead. Friday's quake was felt as far away as Portugal and Algeria, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and Algeria's Civil Defense agency, which oversees emergency response.
# Phoenix is on the cusp of a new heat record after a 53rd day reaching at least 110 degrees this year September 8th, 2023. 7:29 PM GMT-4 --- PHOENIX (AP) - Phoenix is on the cusp of yet another heat record this summer after an additional day of 110-degree weather. The National Weather Service said the desert city on Friday saw 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) for the 53rd day this year, tying it with the record set in 2020. If Phoenix reaches 110 degrees or more as expected Saturday, it would mark a record 54 days in one year. An extreme heat warning is in effect for the entire weekend, with temperatures forecast as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 Celsius) on Saturday and 111 degrees Fahrenheit (43.8 Celsius) on Sunday. A high of 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42.7 Celsius) is forecast for Monday. In July, Phoenix set a record with a 31-day streak of highs at or above 110 degrees. The previous record was 18 straight days, set in 1974. It was part of a historic heat wave that stretched from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California's desert. Phoenix has now seen over 100 days with 100-degree Fahrenheit-plus (37.7 C-plus) temperatures this year as of Wednesday. That's in line with the average of 111 days hitting triple digits every year between 1991 and 2020. Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and the most populous county in Arizona, also appears headed toward an annual record for heat-associated deaths. County public health officials said Wednesday that there have been 194 heat-associated deaths confirmed for this year as of Sept. 2. An additional 351 are under investigation. Maricopa County confirmed 425 heat-related deaths in 2022.
# Appeals court scales back order squelching Biden administration contact with social media platforms By KEVIN McGILL September 8th, 2023. 8:19 PM GMT-4 --- NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A federal appeals court Friday significantly whittled down a lower court's order curbing Biden administration communications with social media companies over controversial content about COVID-19 and other issues. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Friday said the White House, the Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and the FBI cannot "coerce" social media platforms to take down posts the government doesn't like. But the court threw out broader language in an order that a Louisiana-based federal judge issued on July 4 that effectively blocked multiple government agencies from contacting platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) to urge that content be taken down. Even the appeals court's softened order doesn't take effect immediately. The administration has 10 days to seek a Supreme Court review. Friday evening's ruling came in a lawsuit filed in northeast Louisiana that accused administration officials of coercing platforms to take down content under the threat of possible antitrust actions or changes to federal law shielding them from lawsuits over their users' posts. COVID-19 vaccines, the FBI's handling of a laptop that belonged to President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit, which accused the administration of using threats of regulatory action to squelch conservative points of view. The states of Missouri and Louisiana filed the lawsuit, along with a conservative website owner and four people opposed to the administration's COVID-19 policy. In a posting on X, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry called Friday's ruling "a major win against censorship." In an unsigned 75-page opinion, three 5th Circuit judges agreed with the plaintiffs that the administration "ran afoul of the First Amendment" by at times threatening social media platforms with antitrust action or changes to law protecting them from liability. But the court excised much of U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty's broad July 4 ruling, saying mere encouragement to take down content doesn't always cross a constitutional line. "As an initial matter, it is axiomatic that an injunction is overbroad if it enjoins a defendant from engaging in legal conduct. Nine of the preliminary injunction's ten prohibitions risk doing just that. Moreover, many of the provisions are duplicative of each other and thus unnecessary," Friday's ruling said. The ruling also removed some agencies from the order: the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency and the State Department. The case was heard by judges Jennifer Walker Elrod and Edith Brown Clement, nominated to the court by former President George W. Bush; and Don Willett, nominated by former President Donald Trump. Doughty was nominated to the federal bench by Trump.
# Powerful quake in Morocco kills more than 2,000 people and damages historic buildings in Marrakech By SAM METZ and MOSA'AB ELSHAMY September 9th, 2023. 6:03 PM GMT-4 --- MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) - A rare, powerful earthquake struck Morocco, sending people racing from their beds into the streets and toppling buildings in mountainous villages and ancient cities not built to withstand such force. More than 2,000 people were killed, and the toll was expected to rise as rescuers struggled Saturday to reach hard-hit remote areas. The magnitude 6.8 quake, the biggest to hit the North African country in 120 years, sent people fleeing their homes in terror and disbelief late Friday. One man said dishes and wall hangings began raining down, and people were knocked off their feet. The quake brought down walls made from stone and masonry, covering whole communities with rubble. The devastation gripped each town along the High Atlas' steep and winding switchbacks in similar ways: homes folding in on themselves and mothers and fathers crying as boys and helmet-clad police carried the dead through the streets. Remote villages like those in the drought-stricken Ouargane Valley were largely cut off from the world when they lost electricity and cellphone service. By midday, people were outside mourning neighbors, surveying the damage on their camera phones and telling one another "May God save us." Hamid Idsalah, a 72-year-old mountain guide, said he and many others remained alive but had little future to look forward to. That was true in the short-term - with remnants of his kitchen reduced to dust - and in the long-term - where he and many others lack the financial means to rebound. "I can't reconstruct my home. I don't know what I'll do. Still, I'm alive, so I'll wait," he said as he walked through the desert oasis town overlooking red rock hills, packs of goats and a glistening salt lake. "I feel heartsick." In historic Marrakech, people could be seen on state TV clustering in the streets , afraid to go back inside buildings that might still be unstable. The city's famous Koutoubia Mosque, built in the 12th century, was damaged, but the extent was not immediately clear. Its 69-meter (226-foot) minaret is known as the "roof of Marrakech." Moroccans also posted videos showing damage to parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. At least 2,012 people died in the quake, mostly in Marrakech and five provinces near the epicenter, Morocco's Interior Ministry reported Saturday night. At least 2,059 more people were injured - 1,404 critically - the ministry said. "The problem is that where destructive earthquakes are rare, buildings are simply not constructed robustly enough to cope with strong ground shaking, so many collapse, resulting in high casualties," said Bill McGuire, professor emeritus of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London. In a sign of the huge scale of the disaster, Morocco's King Mohammed VI ordered the armed forces to mobilize specialized search and rescue teams and a surgical field hospital, according to a statement from the military. The king said he would visit the hardest hit area Saturday, but despite an outpouring of offers of help from around the world, the Moroccan government had not formally asked for assistance, a step required before outside rescue crews could deploy. The epicenter of Friday's tremor was near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, roughly 70 kilometers (44 miles) south of Marrakech. Al Haouz is known for scenic villages and valleys tucked in the High Atlas Mountains. Police, emergency vehicles and people fleeing in shared taxis spent hours traversing unpaved roads through the High Atlas in stop-and-go traffic, often exiting their cars to help clear giant boulders from routes known to be rugged and difficult long before Friday's earthquake. In Ijjoukak, a village in the area surrounding Toubkal, North Africa's tallest peak, residents estimated nearly 200 buildings had been leveled. Couch cushions, electric cords and grapes were strewn in giant piles of rubble alongside dead sheep, houseplants and doors wedged between boulders. Relatives from the town and those who had driven from major cities cried while they wondered who to call as they reckoned with the aftermath and a lack of food and water. "It felt like a bomb went off," 34-year-old Mohamed Messi said. Morocco will observe three days of national mourning with flags at half-staff on all public facilities, the official news agency MAP reported. World leaders offered to send in aid or rescue crews as condolences poured in from countries in Europe, the Middle East and the Group of 20 summit in India. The president of Turkey, which lost tens of thousands of people in a massive earthquake earlier this year, was among those proposing assistance. France and Germany, with large populations of people of Moroccan origin, also offered to help, and the leaders of both Ukraine and Russia expressed support for Moroccans. In an exceptional move, neighboring rival Algeria offered to open its airspace to allow eventual humanitarian aid or medical evacuation flights to travel to and from Morocco. Algeria closed the airspace when its government severed diplomatic ties with Morocco in 2021 over a series of issues. The countries have a decadeslong dispute involving the territory of Western Sahara. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11 p.m. (22:11 GMT), with shaking that lasted several seconds. The U.S. agency reported a magnitude 4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later. The collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates occurred at a relatively shallow depth, which makes a quake more dangerous. Earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa. Lahcen Mhanni, Head of the Seismic Monitoring and Warning Department at the National Institute of Geophysics, told 2M TV that the earthquake was the strongest ever recorded in the region. In 1960, a magnitude 5.8 tremor struck near the Moroccan city of Agadir and caused thousands of deaths. That quake prompted changes in construction rules in Morocco, but many buildings, especially rural homes, are not built to withstand such tremors. In 2004, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake near the Mediterranean coastal city of Al Hoceima left more than 600 dead. Friday's quake was felt as far away as Portugal and Algeria, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and Algeria's Civil Defense agency, which oversees emergency response.
# Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis apologize for 'pain' their letters on behalf of Danny Masterson caused September 9th, 2023. 7:14 PM GMT-4. --- LOS ANGELES (AP) - Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis apologized Saturday for character letters the celebrity couple wrote on behalf of fellow "That '70s Show" actor Danny Masterson before he was sentenced for rape this week. A judge in Los Angeles on Thursday sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003. In a video posted on Instagram, Kutcher and Kunis said they were sorry for the pain they may have caused with the letters, which were made public Friday. Kutcher said the letters that asked for leniency "were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or retraumatize them in any way. We would never want to do that and we're sorry if that has taken place." Kutcher said Masterson's family approached them after the actor was convicted in the rapes in May and asked them to write character letters describing "the person that we knew for 25 years." The letters were posted online by The Hollywood Reporter and other digital publications. Masterson starred with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Topher Grace in "That '70s Show" from 1998 until 2006. He had reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix comedy "The Ranch," but was written off the show when the Los Angeles Police Department investigation was revealed the following year. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo handed down the sentence to Masterson, 47, after hearing statements from the women, and pleas for fairness from defense attorneys. Kutcher described Masterson as a man who treated people "with decency, equality, and generosity," he wrote in his letter dated July 27, 2023. Kunis in her letter to Olmedo called Masterson "an outstanding role model and friend" and an "exceptional older brother figure." Both rapes took place in Masterson's Hollywood-area home in 2003 when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox network sitcom "That '70s Show." The victims testified that Masterson drugged them before violently raping them. Kunis said in the apology video that their letters did not mean to undermine the testimony of victims. "Our heart goes out to every single person who's ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape," she said.
# 'That '70s Show' actor Danny Masterson gets 30 years to life in prison for rapes of 2 women By ANDREW DALTON September 7th, 2023. 10:01 PM GMT-4 --- LOS ANGELES (AP) - A judge sentenced "That '70s Show" show star Danny Masterson to 30 years to life in prison Thursday for raping two women, giving them some relief after they spoke in court about the decades of damage he inflicted. "When you raped me, you stole from me," said one woman who Masterson was convicted of raping in 2003. "That's what rape is, a theft of the spirit." "You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent," she said. "The world is better off with you in prison." Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo handed down the sentence to the 47-year-old Masterson after hearing statements from the women, and pleas for fairness from defense attorneys. The actor, who has been in custody since May, sat in court wearing a suit. Masterson watched the women without visible reaction as they spoke. He maintains his innocence and his attorneys plan to appeal. The other woman Masterson was found guilty of raping said he "has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused." She told the judge, "I knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with. I am so sorry, and I'm so upset. I wish I'd reported him sooner to the police." After an initial jury failed to reach verdicts on three counts of rape in December and a mistrial was declared, prosecutors retried Masterson on all three counts earlier this year. Masterson waived his right to speak before he was sentenced and had no visible reaction after the judge's decision, nor did the many family members sitting beside him. His wife, actor Bijou Phillips, was tearful earlier in the hearing. At his second trial, a jury found Masterson guilty of two of three rape counts on May 31. Both attacks took place in Masterson's Hollywood-area home in 2003, when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox network sitcom "That '70s Show." They could not reach a verdict on the third count, an allegation that Masterson also raped a longtime girlfriend. The judge sentenced the actor after rejecting a defense motion for a new trial that was argued earlier Thursday. The sentence was the maximum allowed by law. It means Masterson will be eligible for parole after serving 25 1/2 years, but can be held in prison for life. "I know that you're sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence, and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you," Olmedo told Masterson before handing down the sentence. "But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person's voice, and choice. One way or another you will have to come to terms with your prior actions, and their consequences." The defense sought to have sentences for the two convictions run simultaneously, and asked for a sentence of 15 years to life. The prosecution asked for the full 30 years to life sentence Masterson was eligible for. "It's his life that will be impacted by what you decide today," Masterson's lawyer Shawn Holley told the judge before the sentencing. "And the life of his 9-year-old daughter, who means the world to him, and to whom he means the world." After the hearing, Holley said in a statement that "Mr. Masterson did not commit the crimes for which he was convicted." She said a team of appellate lawyers has identified "a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues" with his convictions, which they are confident will be overturned. Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence in the Church of Scientology - where all three women were also members at the time - to avoid consequences for decades after the attacks, and the women blamed the church for their hesitancy in going to police about Masterson. At the sentencing hearing, one of the women, who like Masterson was born into the church, said she was shunned and ostracized for going to authorities in 2004. "I lost everything. I lost my religion. I lost my ability to contact anyone I'd known or loved my entire life," she said. "I didn't exist outside the Scientology world. I had to start my life all over at 29. It seemed the world I knew didn't want me to live." The church said in a statement after the trial that it has "no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone - Scientologists or not - to law enforcement." It has also denied ever harassing any of the women. No charges came from the woman's 2004 police report, but she returned to authorities when she learned they were investigating Masterson again in 2016. The other two women had waited more than 15 years before reporting him to anyone other than church officials. The women testified at both trials that in 2003, they were at Masterson's home when he drugged them before violently raping them. They said Thursday that the trauma plagued them for the decades that followed, hurting their relationships and filling their lives with fear. But they said his sentencing gave them some relief. "I don't have to carry your shame around with me anymore," the first woman who spoke said. "Now you have to hold that shame. You have to sit in a cell and hold it." Masterson starred with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Topher Grace in "That '70s Show" from 1998 until 2006. He had reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix comedy "The Ranch," but was written off the show when the Los Angeles Police Department investigation was revealed the following year. While that investigation began before a wave of women shook Hollywood with stories about Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, the conviction and sentencing of Masterson still represents a major #MeToo era success for Los Angeles prosecutors, along with the conviction of Weinstein himself last year.
# Updated COVID shots are coming. They're part of a trio of vaccines to block fall viruses By LAURAN NEERGAARD September 9th, 2023. 10:48 AM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Updated COVID-19 vaccines are coming soon, just in time to pair them with flu shots. And this fall, the first vaccines for another scary virus called RSV are rolling out to older adults and pregnant women. Doctors hope enough people get vaccinated to help avert another "tripledemic" like last year when hospitals were overwhelmed with an early flu season, an onslaught of RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, and yet another winter coronavirus surge. COVID-19 hospitalizations have been steadily increasing since late summer, although not nearly as much as this time last year, and RSV already is on the rise in parts of the Southeast. Approval of updated COVID-19 shots is expected within days. They are among the tools the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says will help put the U.S. in "our strongest position yet" to avoid another chaotic respiratory season. "There will be a lot of virus this winter. That's why we want to get ahead of it," CDC chief Dr. Mandy Cohen said. Here is what you need to know about fall vaccinations: ## WHY MORE COVID-19 SHOTS? The ever-evolving coronavirus isn't going away. Similar to how flu shots are updated each year, the Food and Drug Administration gave COVID-19 vaccine makers a new recipe for this fall. The updated shots have a single target, an omicron descendant named XBB.1.5. It's a big change. The COVID-19 vaccines offered since last year are combination shots targeting the original coronavirus strain and a much earlier omicron version, making them very outdated. Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax all have brewed new supplies. The FDA will soon decide if each company has met safety, effectiveness and quality standards. Then the CDC must sign off before vaccinations begin. A CDC advisory panel is set to meet Tuesday to make recommendations on how best to use the latest shots. Earlier this month, European regulators authorized Pfizer's updated vaccine for this fall, for adults and children as young as 6 months. ## WILL THEY BE EFFECTIVE ENOUGH? Health officials are optimistic, barring a new mutant. As expected, XBB.1.5 has faded away in the months it took to tweak the vaccine. Today, there is a soup of different coronavirus variants causing illness and the most common ones are fairly close relatives. Recent lab testing from vaccine makers and other research groups suggest the updated shots will offer crossover protection. Earlier vaccinations or infections have continued to help prevent severe disease and death but protection wanes over time, especially against milder infections as the virus continually evolves. While the FDA did allow seniors and others at high risk to get an extra booster dose last spring, most Americans haven't had a vaccination in about a year. "The best thing people can do to maintain a normal way of life is to continue to get their booster shots," said Duke University vaccine expert David Montefiori. ## WHO ALSO NEEDS A FLU VACCINE? The CDC urges a yearly flu shot for pretty much everyone ages 6 months and up. The best time is by the end of October. Like with COVID-19, influenza can be especially dangerous to certain groups including the very young, older people and those with weak immune systems and lung or heart disease. There are multiple kinds of flu vaccines to choose from, including a nasal spray version for certain younger people. More important, there are three shots specifically recommended for seniors to choose from because they are proven to do a better job revving up an older adult's immune system. ## CAN I GET A FLU SHOT AND COVID-19 SHOT AT THE SAME TIME? Yes. The CDC says there is no difference in effectiveness or side effects if people get those vaccines simultaneously, although one in each arm might be more comfortable. ## WHAT IS THIS NEW RSV VACCINE? RSV is a cold-like nuisance for most people, and not as well-known as the flu. But RSV packs hospitals every winter and can be deadly for children under 5, the elderly and people with certain high-risk health problems. Most notorious for inflaming babies' tiny airways, leaving them wheezing, it's also a common cause of pneumonia in seniors. RSV vaccines from GSK and Pfizer are approved for adults 60 and older. The CDC is advising seniors to ask their doctor if they should get the one-dose shot. The FDA also has approved Pfizer's RSV vaccine to be given late in pregnancy so moms-to-be pass the protection to their newborns. CDC recommendations on that use are expected later this month. Also still to come: advice on whether RSV vaccines should be given together with flu and COVID-19 shots. ## WHAT ABOUT BABIES AND RSV? There is one more new shot parents may hear about this fall: an injection of lab-made antibodies to guard babies from RSV. That is different than a vaccine, which teaches the body to make its own infection-fighting antibodies, but is similarly protective. The FDA recently approved Beyfortus, from Sanofi and AstraZeneca. The one-dose drug is recommended for all infants younger than 8 months before their first RSV season.
# Morocco earthquake: A look at the deadliest quakes over the past 25 years By The Associated Press September 9th, 2023. 5:47 PM GMT-4 --- The earthquake that struck Morocco late Friday has killed more than 2,000 people, with the death toll expected to increase as rescuers struggle to reach some areas. Here's a look at the deadliest earthquakes over the past 25 years: - Sept. 8, 2023: In Morocco, a magnitude 6.8 temblor kills more than 2,000 people. - Feb. 6, 2023: In Turkey and Syria, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake kills more than 21,600 people. - April 25, 2015: In Nepal, more than 8,800 people are killed by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. - March 11, 2011: A magnitude 9.0 quake off the northeast coast of Japan triggers a tsunami, killing more than 18,400 people. - March 11, 2011: A magnitude 9.0 quake off the northeast coast of Japan triggers a tsunami, killing more than 18,400 people. - May 12, 2008: A magnitude 7.9 quake strikes eastern Sichuan in China, resulting in over 87,500 deaths. - May 27, 2006: More than 5,700 people die when a magnitude 6.3 quake hits Indonesia's Java island. - Oct. 8, 2005: A magnitude 7.6 earthquake kills over 80,000 people in Pakistan's Kashmir region. - Dec. 26, 2004: A magnitude 9.1 quake in Indonesia triggers an Indian Ocean tsunami, killing about 230,000 people in a dozen countries. - Dec. 26, 2003: A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits southeastern Iran, causing more than 20,000 deaths. - Jan. 26, 2001: A magnitude 7.6 quake strikes Gujarat in India, killing as many as 20,000 people. - Aug. 17, 1999: A magnitude 7.6 earthquake hits Izmit, Turkey, killing about 18,000 people.
# Morocco's African Cup qualifier postponed in wake of deadly earthquake September 9th, 2023. 11:45 AM GMT-4 --- AGADIR, Morocco (AP) - Morocco's qualifying game for the African Cup of Nations was postponed on Saturday in the wake of the earthquake that struck the country, killing more than 1,000 people. Morocco had been scheduled to play Liberia in Agadir on the country's western coast, but the Moroccan soccer federation said the game had been postponed indefinitely after an agreement with the Confederation of African Football. The earthquake that struck late Friday night also damaged buildings from villages in the Atlas Mountains to the historic city of Marrakech. Agadir is roughly 170 kilometers (105 miles) southwest of the epicenter of Friday's tremor near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province. The Gambian national team was in Marrakech during the earthquake ahead of a decisive qualifying game against Congo on Sunday. Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet told BBC World Service that he initially thought an airplane had crashed into the team's hotel. "It seems it was only 30 seconds but it felt endless. It was really scary," Saintfiet said. "The walls were really shaking and things were falling down from the ceiling and the walls. I never in my life saw a building moving like that. When it stopped, I started running and checking if my team members were also out of their rooms." No team members were reported injured. Marrakech was hosting the game because of stadium problems in Gambia. CAF did not immediately respond to an email about the status of Sunday's match. Morocco star player Achraf Hakimi took to social media to offer his condolences to victims of the earthquake. "It is time to help each other to save as many lives as possible. My condolences to all who lost a loved one," Hakimi wrote on Instagram. The magnitude-6.8 quake was the biggest to hit the North African country in 120 years. On Friday morning, the Morocco team arrived in Agadir and then trained at Adrar Stadium in the afternoon. The Atlas Lions made a historic run at last year's World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals, where they lost to France. Morocco has already qualified for the 24-team African tournament, which begins in January in Ivory Coast. The team was also scheduled to play a friendly match in France against Burkina Faso on Tuesday.
# Coco Gauff wins the US Open for her first Grand Slam title at age 19 by defeating Aryna Sabalenka By HOWARD FENDRICH September 9th, 2023. 7:06 PM GMT-4 --- NEW YORK (AP) - This was what so many folks figured Coco Gauff would do at some point. Didn't matter how young she was. Didn't matter whether there were setbacks along the way. Those outsized expectations did not make the task of becoming a Grand Slam champion as a teenager any easier - especially when that chorus was accompanied by voices of others who doubted her. She did it, though. At age 19. At the U.S. Open, where she used to come as a kid with her parents to watch her idols, Serena and Venus Williams, compete. Gauff set aside a so-so start and surged to her first major championship by coming back to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the U.S. Open final on Saturday to the delight of a raucous crowd that was loud from start to finish. When it was over, when she had shed tears of joy, when she had hugged Mom and Dad as they cried, too, Gauff first thanked them, and her grandparents, and her brothers, one of whom failed to answer a FaceTime call from her right after the match. And then Gauff took the microphone during the ceremony to address anyone who might have questioned if this day would arrive. "Thank you to the people who didn't believe in me. Like a month ago, I won a (tour) title and people said I would stop at that. Two weeks ago I won a (tour) title and people were saying that was the biggest it was going to get. So three weeks later, I'm here with this trophy right now," said Gauff, who is on a career-best 12-match winning streak. "Tried my best to carry this with grace, and I've been doing my best, so honestly, to those who thought they were putting water in my fire: You were really adding gas to it and now it's really burning so bright right now." Gauff, who is from Florida, is the first American teenager to win the country's major tennis tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. If last year's U.S. Open was all about saying goodbye to Williams as she competed for the final time, this year's two weeks in New York turned into a "Welcome to the big time!" moment for Gauff. She burst onto the scene at 15 by becoming the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history and making it to the fourth round in her Grand Slam debut in 2019. She reached her initial major final at last year's French Open, finishing as the runner-up. What appeared to be a step back came this July at the All England Club, where she exited in the first round. Since then, she's won 18 of 19 contests while working with a new coaching pair of Brad Gilbert and Pere Riba. The No. 6-seeded Gauff did it Saturday by withstanding the power displayed by Sabalenka on nearly every swing of her racket, eventually getting accustomed to it and managing to get back shot after shot. Gauff broke to begin the third set on one such point, tracking down every ball hit her way until eventually smacking a putaway volley that she punctuated with a fist pump and a scream of "Come on!" Soon it was 4-0 in that set for Gauff. At 4-1, Sabalenka took a medical timeout while her left leg was massaged. Gauff stayed sharp during the break - it lasted a handful of minutes, not the 50 during a climate protest in the semifinals - by practicing some serves. When they resumed, Sabalenka broke to get within 4-2. But Gauff broke right back, and soon was serving out the victory, then dropping onto her back on the court. She soon climbed into the stands to find her parents. "You did it!" Gauff's mom told her, both in tears. Sabalenka came into the day with a 23-2 record at major tournaments in 2023, including her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. The 25-year-old from Belarus already was assured of rising from No. 2 to No. 1 in the WTA rankings for the first time next week. But she was reduced to the role of foil by the fans. As often happens when an American plays in America, Gauff was the recipient of by far the most support from the seats in 23,000-capacity Arthur Ashe Stadium. Her pre-match TV interview, shown on the video screens in the arena, was drowned out by the sound of applause and cheers reverberating off the closed retractable roof. Even in the early stages, winners by Gauff were celebrated as if the match were over. So were Sabalenka's miscues. Her faults and, especially, double-faults - and there were six in all, three in her first two service games alone, plus another to hand over a break in the second set -- and assorted other mistakes, including one over-the-shoulder backhand volley into the net and what appeared to be a much simpler forehand volley. By the end, Sabalenka had made 46 unforced errors, far more than double Gauff's total of 19. Here's another way to view it: Gauff only needed to deliver 13 winners to accumulate 83 points Saturday. When Sabalenka has everything calibrated just right, it's difficult for any foe to handle it - even someone as speedy, smart and instinctive as Gauff, whose get-to-every-ball court coverage managed to keep her in points few other players would be able to extend. Somehow, Gauff began doing that again and again. And Sabalenka began to miss again and again, frequently slapping her thigh, muttering or shaking her head afterward. They traded early breaks to 2-all, before Sabalenka grabbed the next four games to take that set. During that stretch, there was a thrilling point that had the audience making noise before it was over. Gauff scrambled to keep getting Sabalenka's strokes back over the net, including somehow deflecting a booming overhead on the run, before a second, unreachable overhead bounced off the ground and into the stands. Sabalenka raised her left hand and wagged her fingers, telling the folks in the stands to give her some love. But soon, Gauff was playing better, Sabalenka was off-target more, and the love was being showered only on one of them, the sport's newest Grand Slam champion.
# Trump, DeSantis and other 2024 GOP prospects vie for attention at the Iowa-Iowa State football game By THOMAS BEAUMONT and HANNAH FINGERHUT September 9th, 2023. 5:23 PM GMT-4 --- AMES, Iowa (AP) - Donald Trump crossed paths with several Republican rivals Saturday as he attended Iowa's in-state college football grudge match, one of the former president's few visits so far to the state that holds the first nominating caucus next year. Trump waded into one of the state's largest sports crowds at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, where Iowa State was hosting Iowa. Also at the game were Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and several other candidates, putting in face time with Iowa's elected officials and football fans. With the race entering its traditional ramp-up after Labor Day, Trump has largely skipped holding town halls or participating in many of the state's cherished campaign traditions, but has not paid a price so far. Trump remains far ahead of DeSantis and other rivals in Iowa and nationally. Trump has made a habit of visiting Iowa on the same day as DeSantis, whom Trump treats as his main threat. Both were in and around the stadium before kickoff, reminiscent of the scene last month when Trump drew huge crowds to the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines while DeSantis addressed smaller audiences and hit the midway rides with his family. Trump on Saturday emerged from the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, an agricultural house in the middle of Iowa State's fraternity and sorority neighborhood, where he met privately with students first, to the cheers of hundreds pressing to get photos with the former president outside the red-brick house. Trump basked in the adoration, pumping his fists to the chants of "Trump, Trump, Trump" and "U.S.A, U.S.A." before strolling to a grill and raising a spatula holding a hamburger. He stopped to autograph photos and about a dozen footballs, which he tossed, both underhand and overhand, into the crowd of cheering students before departing for the game. During the fraternity scrum, Trump approached a reporter with the Republican-leaning Right Side Broadcasting Network, who asked what he thought of the scene. "I guess the youth likes Trump," Trump said, straining to be heard above the din of the crowd. Trump endured some targeted hits during the day. As Trump's motorcade rolled on to the college campus before game time, some football fans walking the streets of Ames to the game made profane gestures as it passed. A prop plane flew over the stadium carrying a banner that read, "Where's Melania?" And hired performers wearing inflatable costumes, one posing as Trump and the other infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, held hands as they roamed the parking lot in face masks. Meanwhile, DeSantis met fans of both schools at tailgates and said he would be attending the game with Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has not endorsed a candidate but often has appeared with DeSantis and his wife, Casey. "We're having a good time," DeSantis said to reporters. "It's quite an atmosphere, probably a little bit more civilized than the Florida-Georgia game." As he wandered from one tailgate to another, DeSantis was flanked by fans cheering and waving campaign signs from a booth hosted by the pro-DeSantis Never Back Down super PAC. Volunteers with Iowans for Trump similarly set up several booths around the parking lots, with both teams working to get fans to sign caucus pledge cards. Also appearing before the game were candidates Doug Burgum, the North Dakota governor, and Asa Hutchinson, a former Arkansas governor, who greeted each other at a tailgate honoring veterans, where Sen. Joni Ernst camped out for most of the afternoon. Asked who he was rooting for, DeSantis said he wasn't going to "do anything to upset" Reynolds, who is an Iowa State graduate. Hutchinson said he was rooting for the "underdog because I'm an underdog in this race and I want underdogs to win," and Burgum noted his North Dakota State Bison were playing today, though he didn't risk showing up in Ames wearing his gear. While fans Saturday showed up for football, not for politics, voters have had the chance to see most candidates who regularly appear at Iowa cattle calls and meet-and-greets. DeSantis is increasingly focused on winning or placing high in Iowa and says he's visited more than half of the state's 99 counties already. Trump, meanwhile, has made only five visits to Iowa this year. At the game, Trump was sitting in a stadium suite with Iowa casino powerhouse Gary Kirke, an influential Republican donor. Instead of large-scale rallies, Trump is relying on state party events that offer large, friendly audiences at no cost to his campaign, while his political organization pays millions of dollars in legal expenses as he faces four criminal indictments. He was in neighboring South Dakota on Friday night appearing at a state party fundraiser with Gov. Kristi Noem, who endorsed him. Trump's campaign has also used digital outreach. Last week, Trump held a conference call with tens of thousands of Iowans. He has done some in-person events with voters. In June, he handed out Dairy Queen "Blizzards" while also confessing aloud that he did not know what the soft-serve treats were. There is no comparable example in Iowa political history to a former president running to reclaim his old office while also under indictment for more than 90 felony counts. But other high-profile candidates and strong front-runners have done the town halls and retail campaigning for which Iowa and other early primary states are well-known. In 2007, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton entered the race for the 2008 Democratic nomination as a national celebrity and the party's heavy favorite in national polling. Drawing larger crowds, Clinton sought to meet the demand by holding smaller meetings with local activists before speaking to packed gyms and halls. Clinton also attended party events with her lesser-known rivals to demonstrate her willingness to undergo the rigor that Iowans typically demand. Ultimately, she lost the 2008 caucus to then-Sen. Barack Obama, who eventually won the nomination and the White House. Trump has foregone all but one such event in Iowa this year. The exception was the Iowa Republican Party Lincoln Dinner in July, a marquee event that helps to finance the caucus.
# Police announce 2 more confirmed sightings of escaped murderer on the run in Pennsylvania September 9th, 2023. 3:32 PM GMT-4 --- WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) - Police on Saturday reported two more confirmed sightings of an escaped murderer on the run for more than a week in southeast Pennsylvania amid a search by hundreds of law enforcement officers. Danelo Souza Cavalcante, 34, escaped from the Chester County Prison while awaiting transfer to state prison on Aug. 31 after being sentenced to life for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in 2021. Prosecutors say he wanted to stop her from telling police that he's wanted in a killing in his home country of Brazil. Authorities, who have described Cavalcante as extremely dangerous, didn't release details about the sightings but said they occurred Friday within the search area focused around the now-closed Longwood Gardens botanical garden in East Marlborough Township, where the fugitive inmate has been spotted several times. Authorities believe Cavalcante, spotted almost a dozen times since his escape, has managed to obtain clothing and other supplies. Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said Friday that about 400 personnel were taking part in the search of the southeastern Philadelphia suburbs, farmland and the vast botanical garden, including tactical teams in full combat gear, tracking dogs, and officers on horseback as well as aircraft. Longwood Gardens, closed indefinitely after the sightings, sprawls across nearly 200 acres (80 hectares), with paths winding through gardens, an outdoor theater, ponds, fountains and meadows, and structures including indoor gardens, treehouses and a restaurant. Officials in Kennett Square, about 6.5 miles (10 kilometers) away from the county prison, said the annual mushroom festival would go on as scheduled this weekend despite the ongoing search, assuring visitors that "all necessary precautions and protocols" were in place. They said they felt it was important to go ahead with the festival because "bringing our community together is essential, especially during these challenging times." Officials on Friday announced the firing of the prison tower guard on duty when Cavalcante scaled a wall by crab-walking up from the recreation yard, climbed over razor wire, ran across a roof and jumped to the ground. His escape went undetected for more than an hour until guards took a headcount. The guard, a corrections officer for 18 years who was put on administrative leave after the escape, also had his personal cellphone on him at the time, a violation of jail protocol, county spokesperson Michelle Bjork said. There's now a $20,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Cavalcante, whose escape has attracted international attention and became big news in Brazil. The main newspaper in Rio de Janeiro ran a lengthy story Wednesday with the headline "Dangerous hide-and-seek." Prosecutors in Tocantins state have confirmed that a criminal case attributes "the crime of double qualified homicide to the defendant Danilo Souza Cavalcante." Authorities allege that Válter Júnior Moreira dos Reis was killed in 2017 in Figueirópolis over a debt the victim owed Cavalcante in connection with repair of a vehicle. The case is being handled by a court specialized in combating violence against women and crimes against life.
# Terrorism suspect who escaped from London prison is captured while riding a bike By BRIAN MELLEY September 9th, 2023. 12:43 PM GMT-4 --- LONDON (AP) - A former British soldier facing terrorism charges who snuck out of a London prison on a food delivery truck was captured Saturday, police said. Daniel Abed Khalife was nabbed while riding a bicycle along a canal path west of London after a four-day manhunt. Khalife escaped from the Wandsworth Prison kitchen Wednesday and got outside the gates by strapping himself to the bottom of a catering truck. Khalife, 21, was awaiting trial on charges of violating Britain's Official Secrets Act by gathering information "that could be useful to an enemy" and planting fake bombs at a military base. He was discharged from the British army after his arrest earlier this year and denied the allegations. His trial is set for November. The breakout ignited a storm of criticism as political opponents linked the escape to years of financial austerity by the United Kingdom's governing Conservative Party. The government said an independent investigation would determine how Khalife escaped the medium-security prison that opened in 1851 during the reign of Queen Victoria. "We need answers about how on earth a prisoner charged with terror & national security offences could have escaped in this way," Yvette Cooper, a member of the Labour Party in the House of Commons, wrote on social media Saturday. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thanked the police and public and said the inquiry would get to the bottom of how Khalife got away. The escape prompted extra security checks at major transport hubs, particularly in and around the Port of Dover, the main boat crossing from England to France, and led to the shutdown of a major highway at one point. London counter-terror police had offered a 20,000 pound ($25,000) reward for information leading to his arrest. It was not immediately clear if anyone was in line for the reward. Police on Friday had announced a breakthrough in the search after a witness reported seeing Khalife at a busy intersection near the prison shortly after the escape. Metropolitan Police's counterterrorism commander Dominic Murphy wouldn't say if the sighting was confirmed by surveillance cameras, but London has one of the most robust security camera networks in the world and any footage could have helped track his whereabouts. "In terms of the investigation, it really gathered momentum yesterday afternoon, with a number of calls from the public, but really took a different course last night, when we did an intelligence-led search in the Richmond area in the early hours of this morning," Murphy said. "Whilst we didn't find him at that search, while we were at that search, we had a number of calls from the public over the next hour or two, giving us various sightings of him." Police had received reports he was seen in the Chiswick area of west London and they descended there on Saturday morning, with police cars and vans swarming the area and helicopters hovering overhead. Paul Wade said he opened his curtains to find five police officers outside his home. "They said 'I expect you know why we are here,'" he said. "They were checking everybody's gardens." But Khalife was nowhere near there when a plainclothes officer ultimately made the collar in the late morning, Murphy said. Khalife was pulled off a bicycle along the canal near the community of Northolt, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from where he escaped. Murphy said he was cooperative when arrested. He now faces additional charges of being unlawfully at-large and being an escaped prisoner.
# New Mexico governor issues order suspending the right to carry firearms in public across Albuquerque By MORGAN LEE September 9th, 2023. 12:05 AM GMT-4 --- SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday issued an emergency order suspending the right to carry firearms in public across Albuquerque and the surrounding county for at least 30 days in response to a spate of gun violence. The Democratic governor said she expects legal challenges but was compelled to act because of recent shootings, including the death of an 11-year-old boy outside a minor league baseball stadium this week. Lujan Grisham said state police would be responsible for enforcing what amount to civil violations. Albuquerque police Chief Harold Medina said he won't enforce it, and Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said he's uneasy about it because it raises too many questions about constitutional rights. The firearms suspension, classified as an emergency public health order, applies to open and concealed carry in most public places, from city sidewalks to urban recreational parks. The restriction is tied to a threshold for violent crime rates currently only met by the metropolitan Albuquerque. Police and licensed security guards are exempt from the temporary ban. Violators could face civil penalties and a fine of up to $5,000, gubernatorial spokeswoman Caroline Sweeney said. Under the order, residents still can transport guns to some private locations, such as a gun range or gun store, provided the firearm has a trigger lock or some other container or mechanism making it impossible to discharge. Lujan Grisham acknowledged not all law enforcement officials were on board with her decision. "I welcome the debate and fight about how to make New Mexicans safer," she said at a news conference, flanked by law enforcement officials, including the district attorney for the Albuquerque area. John Allen said in a statement late Friday that he has reservations about the order but is ready to cooperate to tackle gun violence. "While I understand and appreciate the urgency, the temporary ban challenges the foundation of our constitution, which I swore an oath to uphold," Allen said. "I am wary of placing my deputies in positions that could lead to civil liability conflicts, as well as the potential risks posed by prohibiting law-abiding citizens from their constitutional right to self-defense." Enforcing the governor's order also could put Albuquerque police in a difficult position with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding a police reform settlement, said police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. "All of those are unsettled questions," he said late Friday. Lujan Grisham referenced several recent shootings in Albuquerque in issuing the order. Among them was a suspected road rage shooting Wednesday outside a minor league baseball stadium that killed 11-year-old Froyland Villegas and critically wounded a woman as their vehicle was peppered with bullets while people left the game. Last month, 5-year-old Galilea Samaniego was fatally shot while asleep in a motor home. Four teens entered the mobile home community in two stolen vehicles early on Aug. 13 and opened fire on the trailer, according to police. The girl was struck in the head and later died at a hospital. The governor also cited an August shooting death in Taos County of 13-year-old Amber Archuleta. A 14-year-old boy shot and killed the girl with his father's gun while they were at his home, authorities said. "When New Mexicans are afraid to be in crowds, to take their kids to school, to leave a baseball game - when their very right to exist is threatened by the prospect of violence at every turn - something is very wrong," Lujan Grisham said in a statement. The top-ranked Republican in the state Senate swiftly denounced the governor's actions Friday to restrict guns as a way to stem violent crime. "A child is murdered, the perpetrator is still on the loose, and what does the governor do? She ... targets law-abiding citizens with an unconstitutional gun order," Sen. Greg Baca of Belen said. Miranda Viscoli, co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, applauded the governor's order as a courageous and necessary step to curbing gun violence, even if the measure's legal fate is uncertain. "If it saves one life, then it's worth doing," Viscoli said. Since 2019, Lujan Grisham has signed a raft of legislation restricting access to guns, including a 2020 "red flag" law allowing police or sheriff's deputies to ask a court to temporarily remove guns from people who might hurt themselves or others, an extension of background-check requirements to nearly all private gun sales. She also signed a ban on firearms possession for people under permanent protective orders for domestic violence. Friday's order directs state regulators to conduct monthly inspections of firearms dealers statewide to ensure compliance with gun laws. The state Department of Health will compile a report on gunshot victims at New Mexico hospitals that includes age, race, gender and ethnicity, along with the brand and caliber of firearm involved and other general circumstances.
# Parenting advice YouTuber Ruby Franke and business partner to remain jailed on child abuse charges By AMY BETH HANSON September 8th, 2023. 6:46 PM GMT-4 --- A Utah mother of six who gave parenting advice via a once-popular YouTube channel called "8 Passengers" made her initial court appearance Friday on charges that she and the owner of a relationship counseling business abused and starved her two young children. The proceedings were delayed by about 45 minutes due to technical difficulties after more than 1,300 people sought to log in to watch the virtual hearing, said Tania Mashburn, spokesperson for the Utah State Courts. Ruby Franke, 41, and Jodi Hildebrandt, 54, were charged with six felony counts of aggravated child abuse after their arrests on Aug. 30 at Hildebrandt's house in the southern Utah city of Ivins. Both appeared before Judge Eric Gentry via video from jail wearing orange striped uniforms and spoke little. Their attorneys waived reading of the charges and the women did not enter pleas. Gentry ordered them to remain jailed without bail and scheduled their next hearings for Sept. 21. Their attorneys - Lamar Winward for Franke and Douglas Terry for Hildebrandt - said they were going to ask for bail hearings. Due to the strong interest in the case - which also included people calling in to listen to the hearing - officials allowed about 50 people in the courtroom as well, Mashburn said. The charges were filed after Franke's 12-year-old son escaped Hildebrandt's house and asked a neighbor to call police, according to the 911 call released by the St. George Police Department. The boy was emaciated and had duct tape around his ankles and wrists, but wouldn't say why, the caller reported. "I think he's been ... he's been detained," the caller said, his voice breaking up. "He's obviously covered in wounds." As the dispatcher was asking questions, the boy said he didn't know where his mom was and that his dad was not in the area. The boy said two siblings, ages 10 and 14, were still at Hildebrandt's house. "He says everything's fine with them," the caller told the dispatcher. "He says what's happened to him is his fault." While waiting for police and paramedics, the caller expressed concern that Hildebrandt may come looking for the boy. Prosecutors allege the women either caused or allowed someone to torture Franke's son and injure her 10-year-old daughter. Both children were starved and harmed emotionally, court records said. It's unclear why the children were at Hildebrandt's home. The 12- and 10-year-old were taken to the hospital, police said. They along with two other of Franke's children were taken into the custody of child protective services. Franke was known for sharing her family's life on their video blog. Among the 1,300 attendees on the virtual hearing were people livestreaming on TikTok and providing real-time commentary, an illustration of the fascination with the case in online communities where Franke was already a divisive figure before her arrest. The Franke family was criticized for their parenting decisions, including banning their oldest son from his bedroom for seven months for pranking his younger brother. In one video, Ruby Franke talked about refusing to take lunch to a kindergartener who forgot it at home. Another showed her threatening to cut the head off a young girl's stuffed toy to punish her for cutting things in the house. In one video, Franke said she and her husband told their two youngest children that they would not be getting presents from Santa Claus because they had been selfish and weren't responding to punishment like being kept home from school and cleaning the floorboards. "It's because they're so numb, and the more numb your child is, the bigger the outcome they need to wake them up," Franke said in a video. Some critics started an online petition asking child protective services to get involved. The Franke's oldest daughter, Sherri Franke, cut ties with her parents, she has said in social media posts. The YouTube channel, which was started in 2015, ended after seven years. Police records from Springville, Utah - where the Franke family lived - show Sherri Franke called police on Sept. 18, 2022, to report her brothers and sisters had been left home alone for days. Police also spoke with neighbors, but were unable to contact the children. A report was made to Child and Family Services, according to the police report. Records show officers stopped by the house four more times from Sept. 22 through Oct. 3. Hildebrandt owns a counseling business called ConneXions. The business' website said Franke provides content for social media and podcasts. ConneXions videos featuring Hildebrandt and Franke were removed from YouTube after the women were charged. The state of Utah began efforts to try to "take appropriate action" on Hildebrandt's clinical mental health counseling license after her arrest, said Melanie Hall, spokesperson for the Department of Commerce, which includes the state's Professional Licensing Division. If someone facing professional discipline declines to surrender their license, they are given an opportunity to respond and a hearing can be held, she said. The agency is working with the Attorney General's Office about possibly holding an emergency hearing of the licensing board in Hildebrandt's case, Hall said.
# Dutch police cleared out climate protesters blocking a highway over fossil fuel subsidies By ALEKSANDAR FURTULA September 9th 2023. 11:46 AM GMT-4 --- THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - Several thousand climate activists blocked a Dutch highway on Saturday in anger at billions of euros in government subsidies for industries that use oil, coal and gas - before police dispersed them with water cannons. A report earlier this week detailed 37.5 billion euros ($40.5 billion) in such subsidies in the Netherlands, notably related to the shipping industry, prompting calls for a quick halt to the practice. The protesters - from Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace and other organizations - broke through a police barrier Saturday morning and sat on a main road in The Hague heading to the temporary venue for the lower house of parliament. They threatened to stay until the subsidies are lifted, and to come back every day if the police remove them. "This is much larger than any one of us. This concerns the whole world," activist Yolanda de Jager said. The activists brandished signs with sayings like "Fossil Fuel Subsidies are Not Cool," and warned that the extreme temperatures seen around the world this summer are a sign of the future, if fossil fuels aren't abandoned. After several hours, police moved in and fired volleys from water cannons at the crowd, and picked up or dragged some protesters away, wheeling them away in special orange wagons. Protesters on the front line held up their fists in resistance or put their heads down to protect themselves from the jets of water. Those farther back danced and jumped up and down under the spray, appearing to enjoy the shower on an unusually hot September day for the Netherlands The roadblock is part of a series of protests led by Extinction Rebellion targeting the Dutch parliament. The report published Monday said the Dutch government spends tens of billions per year in subsidies to industries that use fossil fuels. It was published by the The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, known as SOMO, the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth and Oil Change International. The country is often seen as a leader in renewable energy and progressive climate policies, and Minister for Climate and Energy Rob Jetten acknowledged that the country has to end the subsidies, but has offered no timeline. The report calls on lawmakers to begin phasing out the subsidies before the country's Nov. 22 general election. A new protest is planned for Sunday.
# Rescue begins of ailing US researcher stuck 3,000 feet inside a Turkish cave, Turkish officials say September 9th, 2023. 3:26 PM GMT-4 --- TASELI PLATEAU, Turkey (AP) - Rescue teams began the arduous process Saturday of extricating an American researcher who became seriously ill while he was 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) below the entrance of a cave in Turkey, officials said. It could take days to bring Mark Dickey to the surface since rescuers anticipate he will have to stop and rest frequently at camps set up along the way as they pull his stretcher through the narrow passages. "This afternoon, the operation to move him from his camp at 1040 meters to the camp at 700 meters began," Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate, AFAD, told The Associated Press. The 40-year-old experienced caver began vomiting on Sept. 2 because of stomach bleeding while on an expedition with a handful of others in the Morca cave in southern Turkey's Taurus Mountains. Rescuers from across Europe rushed to the cave to help Dickey and to extract him, including one Hungarian doctor who treated him inside the cave on Sept. 3. Doctors gave Dickey IV fluids and 4 liters (1 gallon) of blood inside the cave, officials said. Teams comprised of a doctor and three or four others take turns staying with the American at all times. There are 190 personnel from eight countries assisting in the rescue effort, including doctors, paramedics and experienced cavers, Mersin Gov. Ali Hamza Pehlivan told media on Saturday. He said 153 of them were search and rescue experts. "We have received information that his condition is getting better, thanks to medical intervention. He has been in stable condition as of yesterday," he said. Speaking with the AP before rescue operations began, Recep Salci, head of AFAD's search and rescue department, said the rescue will depend on Dickey's condition. "If he feels well, we will assist him, and he will come out (of the cave) fast. But if his condition worsens, we will have to bring him up on a stretcher." He said bringing Dickey up in a stretcher could take up to 10 days. Yusuf Ogrenecek of the Speleological Federation of Turkey says that one of the most difficult tasks of cave rescue operations is widening the narrow cave passages to allow stretcher lines to pass through at low depths. "Stretcher lines are labor intensive and require experienced cave rescuers working long hours," Ogrenecek said, adding that other difficult factors range from navigating through mud and water at low temperatures to the psychological toll of staying inside a cave for long periods of time. In Rome, Federico Catania, the spokesman for Italy's National Alpine and Speleological Rescue, described the cave as one of the deepest in the world. "The cave is made up of many vertical shafts, so many sections that are extremely vertical with few horizontal sections where (the) rescuers are setting up temporary camps," he said. Turkish authorities made a video message available that showed Dickey standing and moving around on Thursday. While alert and talking, he said he was not "healed on the inside" and needed a lot of help to get out of the cave. He thanked the caving community and the Turkish government for their efforts to rescue him.
# Moroccans sleep in the streets for 3rd night following an earthquake that took more than 2,100 lives By SAM METZ and MOSA'AB ELSHAMY September 10th, 2023. 6:08 PM GMT-4 --- AMIZMIZ, Morocco (AP) - People in Morocco slept in the streets of Marrakech for a third straight night as soldiers and international aid teams in trucks and helicopters began to fan into remote mountain towns hit hardest by a historic earthquake. The disaster killed more than 2,100 people - a number that is expected to rise - and the United Nations estimated that 300,000 people were affected by Friday night's magnitude 6.8 quake. Amid offers from several countries, including the United States and France, Moroccan officials said Sunday that they are accepting international aid from just four countries: Spain, Qatar, Britain and the United Arab Emirates. "The Moroccan authorities have carefully assessed the needs on the ground, bearing in mind that a lack of coordination in such cases would be counterproductive," the Interior Ministry said in a statement. While some foreign search-and-rescue teams arrived on Sunday as an aftershock rattled Moroccans already in mourning and shock, other aid teams poised to deploy grew frustrated waiting for the government to officially request assistance. "We know there is a great urgency to save people and dig under the remains of buildings," said Arnaud Fraisse, founder of Rescuers Without Borders, who had a team stuck in Paris waiting for the green light. "There are people dying under the rubble, and we cannot do anything to save them." Help was slow to arrive in Amizmiz, where a whole chunk of the town of orange and red sandstone brick homes carved into a mountainside appeared to be missing. A mosque's minaret had collapsed. "It's a catastrophe," said villager Salah Ancheu, 28. "We don't know what the future is. The aid remains insufficient." Residents swept rubble off the main road into town and people cheered when trucks full of soldiers arrived. But they pleaded for more help. "There aren't ambulances, there aren't police, at least for right now," Ancheu said, speaking about many parts of the region on Sunday morning. Those left homeless - or fearing more aftershocks - slept outside Saturday, in the streets of the ancient city of Marrakech or under makeshift canopies in hard-hit Atlas Mountain towns like Moulay Brahim. Both there and in Amizmiz, residents worried most about the damage in hard-to-reach communities. The worst destruction was in rural communities that rely on unpaved roads that snake up the mountainous terrain covered by fallen rocks. Those areas were shaken anew Sunday by a magnitude 3.9 aftershock, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It wasn't immediately clear if it caused more damage or casualties, but it was likely strong enough to rattle nerves in areas where damage has left buildings unstable and residents feared aftershocks. In a region where many build bricks out of mud, Friday's earthquake toppled buildings not strong enough to withstand such a mighty temblor, trapping people in the rubble and sending others fleeing in terror. A total of 2,122 people were confirmed dead and at least 2,421 others were injured - 1,404 of them critically, the Interior Ministry reported. Most of the dead - 1,351 - were in the Al Haouz district in the High Atlas Mountains, the ministry said. Flags were lowered across Morocco, as King Mohammed VI ordered three days of national mourning starting Sunday. The army mobilized search and rescue teams, and the king ordered water, food rations and shelters to be sent to those who lost homes. He also called for mosques to hold prayers Sunday for the victims, many of whom were buried Saturday amid the frenzy of rescue work nearby. Though it said for the first time Sunday that it would accept aid from four countries, Morocco has not made an international appeal for help like Turkey did in the hours following a massive quake earlier this year, according to aid groups. Aid offers poured in from around the world, and the U.N. said it had a team in Morocco coordinating international support. About 100 teams made up of a total of 3,500 rescuers are registered with a U.N. platform and ready to deploy in Morocco when asked, Rescuers Without Borders said. Germany had a team of more than 50 rescuers waiting near Cologne-Bonn Airport but sent them home, news agency dpa reported. A Spanish search-and-rescue team arrived in Marrakech and headed to the rural Talat N'Yaaqoub, according to Spain's Emergency Military Unit. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said in a radio interview that Moroccan authorities asked for help. Another rescue team from Nice, France, also was on its way. Officials in the Czech Republic earlier said the country was sending about 70 members of a rescue team trained in searching through rubble after receiving an official request from the Moroccan government. Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said three military planes were prepared to transport the team. In France, which has many ties to Morocco and said four of its citizens died in the quake, towns and cities have offered more than 2 million euros ($2.1 million) in aid. Popular performers are collecting donations. The epicenter of Friday's quake was near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, about 70 kilometers (44 miles) south of Marrakech. The region is known for scenic villages and valleys tucked in the High Atlas Mountains. Devastation gripped each town along the High Atlas' steep and winding switchbacks, with homes folding in on themselves and people crying as boys and helmet-clad police carried the dead through the streets. "I was asleep when the earthquake struck. I could not escape because the roof fell on me. I was trapped. I was saved by my neighbors who cleared the rubble with their bare hands," said Fatna Bechar in Moulay Brahim. "Now, I am living with them in their house because mine was completely destroyed." There was little time for mourning as survivors tried to salvage anything from damaged homes. Khadija Fairouje's face was puffy from crying as she joined relatives and neighbors hauling possessions down rock-strewn streets. She had lost her daughter and three grandsons aged 4 to 11 when their home collapsed while they were sleeping less than 48 hours earlier. "Nothing's left. Everything fell," said her sister, Hafida Fairouje. The Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity was coordinating help for about 15,000 families in Al Haouz province, including food, medical aid, emergency housing and blankets, the state news agency MAP quoted the organization's head, Youssef Rabouli, as saying after he visited the region. Rescuers backed by soldiers and police searched collapsed homes in the remote town of Adassil, near the epicenter. Military vehicles brought in bulldozers and other equipment to clear roads, MAP reported. Ambulances took dozens of wounded from the village of Tikht, population 800, to Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech. In Marrakech, large chunks were missing from a crenelated roof, and warped metal, crumbled concrete and dust were all that remained of a building cordoned off by police. Tourists and residents lined up to give blood. "I did not even think about it twice," Jalila Guerina told The Associated Press, "especially in the conditions where people are dying, especially at this moment when they are needing help, any help." She cited her duty as a Moroccan citizen. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11 p.m., lasting several seconds, the USGS said. A magnitude 4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later, it said. The collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates occurred at a relatively shallow depth, which makes a quake more dangerous. It was the strongest earthquake to hit the North African country in over 120 years, according to USGS records dating to 1900, but it was not the deadliest. In 1960, a magnitude 5.8 temblor struck near the city of Agadir, killing at least 12,000. That quake prompted Morocco to change construction rules, but many buildings, especially rural homes, are not built to withstand such tremors. In 2004, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake near the Mediterranean coastal city of Al Hoceima left more than 600 dead.
# A US Navy veteran got unexpected help while jailed in Iran. Once released, he repaid the favor By ERIC TUCKER September 10th, 2023. 4:20 PM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Michael White had only recently arrived in a grim Iranian jail when a curious fellow prisoner, an English-speaking Iranian, approached him in the courtyard for a conversation. The American did not reveal much at first, but it was the beginning of an unlikely friendship between White, a Navy veteran imprisoned on spying charges he says were unfounded, and Mahdi Vatankhah, a young Iranian political activist whose positions on social issues had drawn his government's ire. As the men connected behind bars over a shared interest in politics and human rights, they developed a bond that proved vital for both. Vatankhah, while in custody and after his release, helped White by providing White's mother with crucial, firsthand accounts about her son's status in prison and by passing along letters White had written while he was locked up. Once freed, White did not forget. He pushed successfully for Vatankhah's admission to the United States, allowing the men to be reunited last spring inside a Los Angeles airport, something neither could have envisioned when they first met in prison years earlier. "He risked his life to get the information out for me when I was in the prison in Iran. He really, really did," White said in an interview alongside Vatankhah. "I told him I would do everything I could in my power to get him here because I felt, one, that would be for his safety in his own life. And also I felt he could be a great contributing member of society here." This year, White received permission for Vatankhah to live temporarily in the U.S. under a government program known as humanitarian parole, which allows people in for urgent humanitarian reasons or if there is a significant public benefit. Vatankhah told AP he had dreamed about coming to the U.S. ever since he could remember. When he landed, "It was like the best moment of my life. My whole life changed." White, 50, a Southern California native who spent 13 years in the Navy, was arrested in Iran in 2018 after traveling to the country to pursue a romantic relationship with a woman he met online. He was jailed on various charges, including espionage accusations that he calls bogus, as well as allegations of insulting Iran's supreme leader. He endured what he says was torture and sexual abuse, an ordeal he documented in a handwritten diary that he secretly maintained behind bars, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in what the U.S. government has said was a wrongful detention. Vatankhah, now 24, said he had been in and out of prison since he was a teenager because of his involvement in left-leaning causes and vocal criticism of the Iranian government, including through protests, social media posts and university newspaper pieces. He met White in 2018 after one such arrest when Vatankhah faced accusations of spreading propaganda against Tehran's government. Though Vatankhah was later released, he was arrested again, this time winding up in the same cell as White in Iran's Mashhad prison. During the course of their friendship, Vatankhah helped White navigate his imprisonment and better understand the judicial system, functioning as an interpreter to help him communicate with guards and other inmates. In early 2020, while Vatankhah was out on furlough, he also became a vital conduit to the outside world for White. Using contact information White had given him, Vatankhah got in touch with Jonathan Franks, a consultant in the U.S. for families of American hostages and detainees who was working on White's case and later helped spearhead the humanitarian parole process for Vatankhah. He also spoke with White's mother and smuggled out letters White had written. The detailed information about White, his status and his health - he suffered from cancer and COVID-19 in prison - came at a crucial time, providing a proof-of-life of sorts at a time of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran due to a U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who led the expeditionary Quds Force of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. White was released in a June 2020 prisoner swap, exchanged for an American-Iranian physician imprisoned in the U.S. for violating American sanctions laws. Vatankhah, released the same year, made his way to Turkey. White argued in his March application on Vatankhah's behalf that his friend met the criteria for humanitarian parole because, despite having relocated to Turkey, he was continuing to face harassment on account of his political viewpoints. Vatankhah wrote in his own petition that the situation was unsafe for him in Turkey. He noted that Turkish police had raided his home and that he remained at risk of deportation to Iran. Paris Etemadi Scott, a California lawyer who has worked with White and Vatankhah and filed the humanitarian parole application on the Iranian's behalf, said Vatankhah's assistance to an American - a veteran, no less - enhanced the legitimacy and urgency of his petition because it added to the potential that Vatankhah could face imminent harm. While many applicants do not have significant supporting documentation, "Mahdi had this amazing amount of evidence to show that he was in fact incarcerated over and over again," she said. A State Department spokesman said in a statement that the office of the department's special presidential envoy for hostage affairs had worked hard to secure White's release in 2020, and after learning of Vatankhah's case, "worked hand-in-hand with multiple partners in the U.S. government," including the White House National Security Council and Department of Homeland Security, to ensure his arrival in the U.S. Vatankhah is now living in San Diego, where White is from. Vatankhah said his humanitarian parole is good for one year, but he already has applied for asylum, which would allow him to remain in the U.S. He's obtained a work permit and found work as a caregiver. He's also enjoying freedom to share his political views freely without fear of retribution. "I like to express my ideas here where I can. I can continue to use my freedom to talk against the Iranian regime."
# Hawaii volcano Kilauea erupts after nearly two months of quiet September 11th, 2023. 1:56 AM GMT-4 --- HONOLULU (AP) - Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, began erupting Sunday after a two-month pause, displaying glowing lava that is a safe distance from people and structures in a national park on the Big Island. The Hawaii Volcano Observatory said the eruption was observed in the afternoon at the summit of Kilauea. The observatory said gases released by the eruption will cause volcanic smog downwind of Kilauea. People living near the park should try to avoid volcanic particles spewed into the air by the eruption, the observatory said. The volcano's alert level was raised to warning status and the aviation color code went to red as scientists evaluate the eruption and associated hazards. In June, Kilauea erupted for several weeks, displaying fountains of red lava without threatening any communities or structures. Crowds of people flocked to the Big Island's Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which offered safe views of the lava. Kilauea, Hawaii's second-largest volcano, erupted from September 2021 until last December. A 2018 Kilauea eruption destroyed more than 700 homes.
# Djokovic celebrates No. 24 with a tribute to Kobe Bryant, who wore that number and became a friend By BRIAN MAHONEY September 10th, 2023. 10:23 PM GMT-4 --- NEW YORK (AP) - Novak Djokovic couldn't think about No. 24 without thinking of Kobe Bryant. So after winning the U.S. Open on Sunday night for a historic 24th Grand Slam title, Djokovic put on a blue T-shirt that honored the Los Angeles Lakers great. The shirt read "Mamba Forever" on the front, along with pictures of Bryant and Djokovic. On the back in purple was the No. 24, one of two numbers Bryant wore during his Hall of Fame career. Djokovic said he came up with the idea about a week ago as a way to honor his friend. He said he received advice on his own career from Bryant, who died in 2020 in a helicopter crash that also killed his daughter, Gianna, and seven others. "Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the winner's mentality when I was struggling with injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game," Djokovic said. "He was one of the people that I relied on the most." "He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice, any kind of support in the most friendly way," Djokovic continued. "So of course what happened a few years ago and him and his daughter passing hurt me deeply, and I thought 24 is the jersey he wore when he became a legend of the Lakers and world basketball, so I thought it could be a nice, symbolic thing to acknowledge him for all the things he's done." Bryant's widow, Vanessa, congratulated Djokovic with an Instagram post, saying that "Real recognize Real" with the hashtag MambaMentality.
# Giants fall flat against Cowboys after entering the season with high expectations By TOM CANAVAN September 11th, 2023. 1:29 AM GMT-4 --- EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - After being one of the NFL's biggest surprises last season and making the playoffs for the first time since 2016 under new coach Brian Daboll, the New York Giants came into the season looking to take that next step. They did in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, and it was a major step backward. Despite drafting impact players at cornerback, center and wide receiver, trading for explosive tight end Darren Waller and signing several free agents to shore up the defense, Daboll and the Giants fell flat Sunday night while being embarrassed by the Cowboys 40-0. "I think there is a little bit of anger, a little bit of embarrassment," defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. "I think we obviously didn't come out here and perform the way we wanted to. But at the same time, I think we prepared well this camp, we prepared well for this week. And I think what we put on display today is not us. The leaders in this room know that, and this team knows that. "And I think we're going to make sure we don't let something like that happen again." This was a game the Giants' offense looked great for most of the opening drive - and then it all went south at the Cowboys 8. Faced with third-and-short, there was a motion penalty, a bad snap and then the totally unexpected. A missed block on a 45-yard field goal attempt led to a blocked kick that Noah Igbinoghene picked up and returned 58 yards for a touchdown. "It was a game shift as you started to see after that happened," Igbinoghene said. "I felt like we were going to do it anyway, but that was an amazing start." Things only got worse for the Giants after that. After a field goal by the Cowboys, DaRon Bland scored on a 22-yard interception return later in the first quarter on a play set up when Trevon Diggs hit Saquon Barkley as he was attempting to catch a pass from Daniel Jones. The ball popped in the air and Bland grabbed it. The Cowboys' defense took over after that and forced two more turnovers and sacked Daniel Jones seven times in Dallas' biggest shutout win ever. "We got skunked in the National Football League against Dallas, and at home, but I don't think that takes away anything from what we did in training camp," said Barkley, who ran for 51 yards on 12 carries. "I feel like we had a good week of practice. We came out and we just didn't execute and play to the level we could play to." Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said the sacks were the key for his team after New York fell behind and had to throw. "They were going to pound the ball and challenge our run defense over and over again and soften up the pass rush," McCarthy said. "The pass rush was relentless tonight. We gave up contain a couple of times early but after that, it was in total control of the game." Waller, who was acquired in a trade with Las Vegas and is supposed to be a game breaker for the offense, finished with a team-high three catches for 36 yards. "I tell the guys I've been on the losing end of games like this before, and it's (about) how you come in, is your head is high, and are you picking guys up?" he said. "Are you making sure you're not pointing the finger at other people, (but) knowing your part and taking personal accountability? That's how you move forward." No one felt the pain more than Jones, who was also hit 12 times on a night he was 15 of 28 for 104 yards. "We are certainly frustrated and extremely disappointed with how we performed tonight, and I know I certainly am with myself, so a lot to work on and clean up," he said in his first start after signing a four-year, $160 million contract. "We are going to be critical of ourselves and look to correct it and get back on the right page."
# UN atomic watchdog warns of threat to nuclear safety as fighting spikes near a plant in Ukraine By SAMYA KULLAB September 9th, 2023. 11:58 AM GMT-4 --- KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - The United Nations atomic watchdog warned of a potential threat to nuclear safety from a spike in fighting near Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, whose forces continued pressing their counteroffensive on Saturday. The International Atomic Energy Agency said its experts deployed at the Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant reported hearing numerous explosions over the past week, in a possible indication of increased military activity in the region. There was no damage to the plant. "I remain deeply concerned about the possible dangers facing the plant at this time of heightened military tension in the region," IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi warned in a statement issued late Friday. He noted that the IAEA team was informed that staff at the nuclear power plant had been reduced temporarily to minimum levels due to concerns of more military activity in the area. "Whatever happens in a conflict zone, wherever it may be, everybody would stand to lose from a nuclear accident, and I urge that all necessary precautions must be taken to avoid it happening," Grossi said. The IAEA has repeatedly expressed concern that the fighting could cause a potential radiation leak from the facility, which is one of the world's 10 biggest nuclear power stations. The plant's six reactors have been shut down for months, but it still needs power and qualified staff to operate crucial cooling systems and other safety features. As Ukrainian forces pressed to expand their gains after recently capturing the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region, the U.K. Defense Ministry noted in its latest report that Russia has brought in reinforcements to stymie the Ukrainian advances. "It is highly likely that Russia has redeployed forces from other areas of the frontline to replace degraded units around Robotyne," it said. "These redeployments are likely limiting Russia's ability to carry out offensive operations of its own along other areas of the front line." The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War noted that the Russian military has made notable changes to its command and control structure to "protect command infrastructure and improve information sharing." Russian forces have continued their barrage across Ukraine. The regional authorities in the northeastern region of Sumy that borders Russia said that the latest Russian shelling left four people wounded, one of whom later died in a hospital. The Kremlin reaffirmed Saturday that Russia will not extend a landmark deal allowing Ukraine to export grain safely through the Black Sea until the West fully meets Moscow's demands regarding its own agricultural exports. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on reports that Western powers were allegedly discussing a deal that would allow the Russian Agricultural Bank to open a subsidiary that would be reconnected to the SWIFT payment system and meet other Russian demands. He said that Moscow expects the West to fulfill the original agreements to facilitate Russian agricultural exports that were reached in July 2022. "For instance, they are now saying that the West is allegedly ready to promise to open SWIFT for a subsidiary of the Russian Agricultural Bank, but the thing is that the agreements envisage SWIFT access for the Russian Agricultural Bank, not its subsidiary," Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. He added that "because they have already made a lot of promises, we considered ourselves entitled and obligated to wait first for the implementation before resuming the deal." Russia refused to extend the deal in July, complaining that a parallel agreement promising to remove obstacles to Russian exports of food and fertilizer hadn't been honored. It said restrictions on shipping and insurance hampered its agricultural trade, though it has shipped record amounts of wheat since last year. Ukraine and its Western allies have dismissed the Kremlin's demands as a ploy to advance its own interests. On Saturday, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi arrived to Ukraine for an official visit and prayed at a church in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, where some of the worst atrocities of Russia's war occurred early during the invasion. "I am grateful to Japan for remaining our key partner in Asia and supporting Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Speaking after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Hayashi pledged that "Japan will go hand in hand with Ukraine until peace returns to its beautiful land." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that while Japan cannot provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, it has "already demonstrated that it can do many other important things to improve our security." Japan has given Ukraine more than $7 billion in assistance since the start of the full-scale invasion. As part of its assistance, Tokyo provided two transformers to help Ukraine restore its energy systems after relentless Russian strikes, and donated 24 trucks to help Ukraine clear unexploded ordnance.
# Movie Review: In 'Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,' the wedding's in Greece and the formula feels ancient By JOCELYN NOVECK September 8th, 2023. 3:30 PM GMT-4 --- "We're getting married!" This rather inevitable line crops up early in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3," and if you're like me, it will inspire mixed reactions. First: Wait, so soon? We didn't know anyone was even engaged! And second: Phew, it's about time! Because, just like there can be no sunrise over the glittering Ionian sea without a sun, there can be no "big fat Greek wedding" movie without ... you know. Yet the mere fact that a wedding is so crucial to the DNA of this trilogy - which surely will morph into a quadrilogy and then a quintology - raises its own issues. Which Greek philosopher was it who said there's no problem that can't be solved with a wedding? Right, that would be Nia Vardalos, the franchise star, writer and now director, too. But is she also saying a wedding is the only possible happy ending? That would be out of sync with certain obvious efforts in this script - some more swallowable than others - to modernize a formula that worked so well in the beloved, hugely successful 2002 original. It's a formula that lost luster with that first, deflating sequel in 2016, a whole 14 years later. And if "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" felt like a pale imitation of the buoyant original, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3" feels sorta like a pale imitation of that pale imitation. Or, to analogize with a favored franchise food item: like a thrice-warmed piece of baklava. Then again, even thrice-warmed baklava can be worth the calories. So too this sequel will prove worthwhile for those most eager to reconnect with characters they loved, and willing to overlook clunky pacing and dialogue and sometimes absurd plot machinations. On the plus side: Vardalos and crew are really, really good at staging weddings. For those who need a refresher: The last film left us at an NYU dorm room, dropping off Paris, teen daughter of Toula (Vardalos, empathetic and appealing as usual) and her wholesomely hunky husband Aidan, oops, Ian (John Corbett, wink wink). Paris' choice to leave her hometown of Chicago for college provided much of the half-boiled suspense in the first sequel. She got her way, but perhaps also her punishment when the whole extended family - aunts, uncles, cousins - came to drop her off. Ugh! Because it's hard to let go of things that worked so well in the original - did we mention it was a ginormous hit? - Vardalos hasn't, really. The Portokalos family is still loving, boisterous and invasive. We've sadly lost patriarch Gus ( Michael Constantine, who died in 2021). But wife Maria is still there (Lainie Kazan has only a cameo here) and Toula is still married to hunky Ian. Everyone still uses Windex to clean objects and cure diseases. And the clan is on the move, led by spunky, oversharing Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin, still by far the the funniest onscreen presence), this time to ... Greece! Yes! The ostensible reason: a family reunion in their lovely ancestral mountain village (shooting was done in Corfu). The plan is to find Gus' childhood friends and fulfill his wish of giving them a precious journal he kept. Why that journal shouldn't stay with Gus' adoring children is not truly explained - but neither is much else. Subplots are introduced and then largely ignored. A handful of new characters arrive with little backstory - like Victory (Melina Kotselou), the young, nonbinary mayor of the village - and even less character development. The same lack of detail plagues the story arcs of returning characters. Toula's brother Nick (Louis Mandylor) - poor Nick - has been saddled with an ugly habit, namely trimming nose hairs and toenails at the family table. Why? Who knows? As for Ian, he's still a nice, patient husband, with little else to distinguish him. Toula's still the glue holding everyone together. As for their marriage, it's fine. That's perhaps a problem. In most rom-com relationships, you don't get through three movies without some meaty conflict - we need the breakup to have the makeup! Vardalos doesn't want to go there. Or maybe she's just in a rush to get to the altar. That, we can understand. Here in Greece, all roads lead to ... the wedding. The party's in the quaint village square. The candlelit table is gorgeous, the food sumptuous. And the dancing is a joyous mix of Greek and Syrian tradition - one of the spouses-to-be is a migrant from Syria, a nod to contemporary Greek politics. Other efforts to contemporize include the briefest of nods to Victory's nonbinary status - one line from Aunt Voula - just as the first sequel introduced a gay couple, equally briefly. But how contemporary are we getting if nothing brings resolution but a wedding? And more importantly, who will be married in the inevitable "Greek Wedding 4?" Will Paris (Elena Kampouris), whose own turbulent existence is quickly hinted at, marry the cute young Aristotle? (Yes, that's his name). Will there be a big fat Greek alternative wedding? Who knows, but if there's a movie, there will be a wedding. "My Big Fat Just-Cohabiting-For-Now" doesn't quite cut it. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3," a Focus Films release, has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association "for suggestive material and some nudity." Running time: 91 minutes. Two stars out of four.
# Movie Review: Oh, sister, what happened? 'The Nun II' is a face-plant horror splat By MARK KENNEDY September 7th, 2023. 12:51 PM GMT-4 --- "The Conjuring" Universe celebrates 10 years in business this fall with the dull "The Nun II," a movie that seems destined to pound a nail into this franchise's undead coffin. A new directing and writing team fails to shock or scare with a color-by-numbers plot and a meandering, languid wannabe frightfest. A few audience members fired up their phones halfway through a recent preview, a bad sign for anyone hoping for a gripping experience. A sequel to "The Nun" - the top-earning film in the franchise, with more than $366 million worldwide - was never going to be denied and the sequel hews carefully to the previous success. You could even say it's haunted by its better precedent. This time it is 1956 - four years after the events of "The Nun" - and a demon is once again stalking Europe. It's the same horrific Valak we met last time and suspected didn't die, despite being splashed by the blood of Christ. "The demon lives," we are told. Returning are Taissa Farmiga - younger sister of "The Conjuring" star Vera Farmiga - as wide-eyed Sister Irene, and Jonas Bloquet as Maurice, the French-Canadian hero dripping with charm. The filmmakers attempt to give us more backstory for Sister Irene - mostly flashbacks to her mom - but it doesn't add much. New this time is Storm Reid as a skeptical novice who smokes and doesn't really buy the water-into-wine story. She is well introduced and seems a good foil to Sister Irene's devoted nun but is soon abandoned and never has her come-to-Jesus moment. The screenplay by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing and Akela Cooper sets most of the action in a boarding school in the South of France as Maurice tries to create a new life with a love interest but a terrible secret threatens his happiness. The characters are thin and there's lots of padding but the ancient towns the location department found are terrifically eerie and foreboding. The fatal mistake is that Sister Irene gets lost in her own film. Director Michael Chaves, who also helmed "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It," oversees a few great moments - a possessed newsstand with all the magazine pages frantically flipping is awesome - but it's mostly the same flashlights-and-heavy-footsteps stuff. Wait for the quick cut, jump, wait, repeat. "The Nun II" apes the structure of its predecessor as our heroine needs to find a powerful relic to defeat the demon - and maybe Satan also, who appears as a goat but weirdly can be hindered by a strong wooden door. There's a Dan Brown-esque feel as Sister Irene searches for clues in ancient Vatican archives. Is it mere coincidence that this year also marks a truly poor "Insidious" outing? Both these low-budget, Patrick Wilson-connected horror franchises need a good startling. Or CPR paddles. "The Nun II," a Warner Bros. Pictures release, is rated R for "violent content and some terror." Running time: 110 minutes. One star out of four.
# Movie Review: Pinochet as a vampire in surreal, frightening 'El Conde' By LINDSEY BAHR September 6th, 2023. 4:03 PM GMT-4 --- The Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet is not dead in Pablo Larraín's "El Conde." He is instead a 250-year-old vampire living in semi-exile and wishing for death in this audacious allegory about history's tendency to repeat itself, shot in sublime, otherworldly black and white. It is fitting that the film, in theaters Friday and on Netflix Sept. 15, is being released around the 50-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 1973 coup which brought Pinochet to power for almost 17 years. Pinochet's regime tortured, killed and disappeared 3,065 people in the name of fighting communism, but for some in Chile the legacy is now remembered as not all bad. Evil ideas, Larraín cautions, have a tendency to live on, to mutate and to infect societies again and again even many years after they're supposedly dispelled and destroyed. Kind of like vampires living in stark, hellish exile as greedy heirs circulate to try to claim what's theirs and keep the money flowing. Larraín, the 47-year-old filmmaker behind "Spencer," "Jackie" and "No," has always considered himself a political filmmaker and has already gestured at Pinochet in previous films. In "El Conde," which he co-wrote, he uses "the language of satire and political farce" to show the world the true nature of a dictator who "never faced true justice," he said in his director's statement. Pinochet stepped down in 1990 after Chileans voted against military rule, only to assume the role of commander-in-chief of the army and, later, the self-created position of lifelong senator until he resigned in 2002. He died in 2006 without being convicted in Chilean courts. That he was not brought to justice is conceived in the film as placing the country in a kind of eternal limbo, doomed to continue suffering at the hands of the General and his disciples. Jaime Vadell, who is a vibrant 87, plays Pinochet. He flies around Chile like an evil, aging superman, unsure if he wants to hunt or starve himself of blood and let his clock run out. He is world weary but also prideful; He gets especially aggravated when it's suggested that he's a thief (murder, he was essentially fine with). Alfredo Castro is his devoted butler, who also hungers for blood. And Gloria Münchmeyer is composed and sinister as his string-wielding wife Lucía, trapped with their mid-age, lazy, entitled offspring as a pretty, young accountant/nun (Paula Luchsinger) attempts to take stock of the general's assets but also exorcise him. Her character, who masks her shrewdness with a wide-eyed earnestness is styled and shot with nods to Renée Jeanne Falconetti in "The Passion of Joan of Arc." "El Conde" is obviously not a history lesson, but information flies at you fast nonetheless. It could rival "His Girl Friday" in words per minute, which can be challenging to process in subtitles but this is where the Netflix of it all comes in handy - the dialogue is so sharp, you don't want to miss a word. There is also an English-speaking narrator (whose identity will be revealed eventually), giving it a whimsically macabre, storybook feel. In this fantastical, allegorical nightmare, sense and logic should be the last thing on your mind - especially when engrossed in cinematographer Ed Lachman's ("Carol," "The Virgin Suicides") splendid photography. He apparently shot with a camera made especially for the film (an Arri Alexa Monochrome for anyone interested). "El Conde" might stretch its gimmicky premise a little past its welcome, but it is an intoxicating, overwhelming and gruesome cinematic experience nonetheless, which would make a fitting double feature with last year's great historical legal thriller "Argentina 1985." "El Conde," a Netflix release in theaters Friday and streaming on Sept. 15, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for "some graphic nudity, gore, rape, language and sexual content, strong violence." Running time: 110 minutes. Three stars out of four.
# Movie Review: Denzel Washington's vigilante battles the Italian mafia in 'Equalizer 3' By JAKE COYLE August 30th, 2023. 3:07 PM GMT-4 --- There's an awful lot of talk about the end of movie stars considering Denzel Washington is right over here, walking around. Antoine Fuqua's "Equalizer 3," a taut and textured sequel to Washington's vigilante series, isn't one of the actor's best films. It wouldn't crack his top 10. But it vividly encapsulates Washington's formidable on-screen potency. You might think this would be in the movie's brutal action sequences, but no. It's the scenes of Washington fastidiously having a cup of tea at a sidewalk cafe or strolling the streets of a Sicilian town. This is a movie stitched together less by its plot mechanics than the pleasure of watching Denzel smirk, scowl and smile, in leisurely scenes mixed in with all the murder. In that way, the "Equalizer" movies (the third of which is certainly the best of a so-so bunch), remind me of those great Walter Matthau thrillers like "Charley Varrick" and "Hopscotch" - movies about old men with expressive eyebrows who are set in their ways but have plenty of tricks left up their sleeve. (Washington, now 68, also took over Matthau's role in the remake of "Pelham One Two Three.") There's no shortage these days of older stars plying their special sets of skills in action thrillers. Throw a stone in a movie theater and you're likely to hit (and risk drawing the lethal ire of) Liam Neeson, Harrison Ford or Tom Cruise. "Equalizer 3," an all-in-all good entry in the genre, is on the bloodier end of the spectrum. Yet curiously neither the fight sequences (rapid and grotesque) nor the film's sense of suspense (perfunctory) are much of a selling point. The film, scripted by Richard Wenk, opens with a trail of bodies through the main house of an Sicily vineyard. In the wine cellar calmly sits Robert McCall (Washington), who shrugs, "Wouldn't let me in, so..." "The Equalizer" is loosely based on an 1980s TV series about a former intelligence service agent who spends his retirement bringing the scales of justice back in balance for regular folks he happens to encounter. And there's a pleasantly episodic quality to the third film in the series. A bullet in the back leaves McCall laid up in recovery after he's taken in by a kindly village doctor named Enzo (Remo Girone). We're in Southern Italy. Most of the film was shot along the Amalfi coast, specifically the enchanting medieval fishing village of Atrani. If there's one truly implausible thing about "Equalizer 3," it's the fact that there isn't a tourist in sight. McCall, who once out of bed strolls the village's cobbled steps with a cane, seems to be the only American in town. He's quickly charmed by the people who warmly welcome the "Americano." And the same time, the Camorra mafia is pushing harder into the village, with intentions of driving out locals to make room for hotels and casinos. They make a small army of designer-dressed, tattoo-covered thugs, and they descend on the village, unaware of the lurking elite vigilante quietly sipping tea across the street from their shakedowns or eating pasta at the next table. The well-traveled Fuqua, who helmed both prior "Equalizer" movies and first directed Washington in "Training Day," is in his genre wheelhouse here. He trails McCall patiently and soaks up the local color, with a few touches of Christian imagery from the church above the town. There's a sinister, ominous sense of evil scourges - a heinous drug from Syria, sold by the mafia is funding terrorists cells - seeping into a society of "good people." The clear dichotomy of good and bad is cozy, and so, too, is Washington's savage, untroubled dispatching of the mafia ring. There are CIA officials in the mix, too, including Dakota Fanning's desk clerk turned operative. But they are mostly following McCall's lead. He - Washington really - is in a league of his own, and "Equalizer 3," smartly, doesn't even try to suggest it's a close race. Not all are created equal, after all. "Equalizer 3," a Sony Pictures release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for strong bloody violence and some language. Running time: 109 minutes. Three stars out of four.
# Movie Review: 'Bottoms' is a gonzo gay high-school comedy that comes out on top By JAKE COYLE August 23rd, 2023. 6:06 PM GMT-4 --- The rites and rituals of the raunchy high-school comedy can be as prescribed as a class syllabus. But what makes Emma Seligman's "Bottoms" such an anarchic thrill is how much it couldn't care less. Sure, come to "Bottoms" with your expectations of house parties and hijinks. But you'll be leaving with a field full of bloodied football players. Seligman's film, which opens in theaters Friday, instead follows its own demented logic in a winding and surreal comedy of adolescent absurdity. The brash PJ ( Rachel Sennott ) and the more hesitant Josie ( Ayo Edebiri ) are longtime best friends who, in reaching senior year at Rock Ridge High, have either finally attained a much sought-after status ("We're finally hot," insists PJ) or bottomed out at the low end of the high-school totem pole. "Could the ugly, untalented gays please report to the principal's office?" the principal (Wayne Pére) announces over the PA. PJ and Josie, accepting that description, meekly make their way down the hall. But PJ plans to put up a fight. While Josie is more resigned to her lonely fate ("I'm not trying to sow my oats," she says), PJ is resolved to stir it up in her final year. They have no high-minded goals or even an especially coherent plan. "Bottoms" likewise aspires to be no paragon of lesbian representation or female empowerment. It would rather be sillier, more gleefully un-PC and way bloodier than your average high-school comedy. PJ and Josie would most of all like to make more headway with their cheerleader crushes. Josie likes Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and PJ swoons for Brittany ( Kaia Gerber ). Neither shows even the slightest interest in PJ or Josie; Isabel is dating the football quarterback Jeff ( Nicholas Galitzine ). In the history of high school comedies, football jocks have never been seen quite like this; they're outlandish, ridiculous people. They're also babies. When the girls' car ever so slightly taps Jeff on the knee, it's taken as a near-death experience, bringing down the principal's wrath and prompting rumors (stoked by PJ) that the girls are a violent duo who killed someone in "juvie." This might have been a little running gag for most movies, but Seligman and Sennott's script takes it as a linchpin for the rest of movie. Playing off their bad reputation, PJ launches a self-defense group - a "fight club" - for girls, hoping that Brittany shows up, too. Of course, it would be implausible if such a student group didn't have a school-sanctioned advisor. Enter their divorcing social studies teacher Mr. G ( Marshawn Lynch ), who's in the midst of derisively giving a lesson on feminism. Yes, one of the few adults in "Bottoms" is the former NFL all-star running back known as "Beast Mode" - and he's hysterical. This is the second movie by Seligman, whose 2020 "Shiva Baby" (also starring Sennott) was a clever and highly anxious debut about a bisexual Jewish woman attending a shiva with her family. Her follow-up is more antic and off-the-cuff but similarly allergic to falling back on the expected. "Bottoms" can feel slapdash and unmodulated. But it's always its own unhinged thing. There's one student here (Ruby Cruz, charming) planting pipe bombs. There isn't a line reading by Edebiri, currently everywhere, that doesn't have its own unique rhythm. And Sennott, a frizzy-haired ball of mayhem, is a comedy star in the making. Not all the jokes land but they do fly. "Bottoms," a queer comedy with a chaotic beat, is here to break stuff - and that's a very good thing. "Bottoms," an MGM release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for crude sexual content, pervasive language and some violence. Running time: 92 minutes. Three stars out of four.
# Movie Review: Filmmakers behind biopic 'Golda,' starring Helen Mirren, get lost in a swirl of smoke By MARK KENNEDY August 23rd, 2023. 4:08 PM GMT-4 --- Golda Meir was many things - modern Israel's first and only female head of government and a wartime prime minister. And she now she's provided the vehicle for Helen Mirren to try to earn some more acting awards. The great English actor dons prosthetics and an air of sourness in "Golda" to portray Meir facing two tragedies by fire - leading Israel's counterattack in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war while also undergoing cancer treatment. The war's outcome laid the groundwork for a peace agreement, but Israel suffered heavy losses and Meir was criticized for the government's lack of preparation and slowness to act on intelligence indicating an attack was imminent. She resigned the following year. Director Guy Nattiv and writer Nicholas Martin don't have much to say about Meir's childhood or early adulthood in "Golda." We find her very late in life, with terrible decisions to make as Israel is attacked on the holy day of Yom Kippur from two sides. This movie is mostly a snapshot of a few demanding weeks. The filmmakers have seized on one recurring - and eventually irritating - image: smoke. Meir was a chain-smoker and that has given them license to have her lighting up at every turn; the crack of metal lighters and burning of paper seem to end every scene. There is even a half-hearted attempt to combine her cigarette smoke with artillery fire from the front lines, a dubious effort at best. It's not clear why smoking is so important to the filmmakers. Perhaps it's to show Meir's stubbornness or single-mindedness or stress release - she even smokes on the hospital table while enduring treatment for lymphoma - but it just becomes a filmmaking crutch, like real nicotine. Mirren - following in the sturdy, lace-up work shoes of previous Meir actors like Anne Bancroft, Judy Davis and Tovah Feldshuh - does an admirable job lurching from war meeting to war meeting and tossing off great lines like: "All political careers end in failure" and "I will not be taken alive." (Mirren has so far largely avoided the criticism that Bradley Cooper has faced for playing Leonard Bernstein, though they are both non-Jews using prosthetics.) But the script gives Mirren little insight into what is going on inside Meir. We watch her diligently note each soldier and equipment loss in a little notebook and have panic attacks, yet what the war means to her is lost in prosthetics, the clicking of typewriters and wisps of smoke. Another ham-fisted way the filmmakers try to instill empathy in their Meir is, bizarrely, through one of the stenographers whose son is fighting in the Suez Canal. While the men blithely natter on about troop movements and casualties, Meir will glance at the stenographer, sadly. Liev Schreiber is very good as an amused Henry Kissinger - her few scenes with him give a welcome jolt to the movie - and Camille Cottin is very strong as Meir's patient aide, washing her back and administering soup and medicine. "Golda" has seeds of interesting insights, like the suggestion that she was betrayed by some of the men she relied on during the war and yet protected them. Or how false intelligence is nothing new when it comes to Middle Eastern conflicts. Or how female leaders inevitably face catch-22s. But none of these is taken. There is one moment that punctures Mirren's dour portrayal, and it comes at the very end. The credits feature footage of the real Golda Meir, smiling and laughing with Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat. Here, finally, is the complex, multidimensional woman Mirren had been chasing but failed to land. "Golda," a Bleecker Street release that is in theaters Friday, is rated PG-13 for "thematic material and pervasive smoking." Running time: 100 minutes. Two stars out of four.
# Movie Review: 'Strays' is furry, foul, filthy, feculent - and occasionally funny By JOCELYN NOVECK August 17th, 2023. 6:52 PM GMT-4 --- Hey there, fellow obsessive dog owner. Ever wonder what your beloved pooch is thinking? Of course you do. If they could only tell us what's on their minds, right? Well, in "Strays," an aggressively raunchy, gleefully gross and only occasionally truly funny comedy voiced by Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, we find out. Turns out our canine friends are endlessly curious about why we collect their poop in little plastic bags. It must be for something really important, they surmise. But what? And why do we keep needing more? It's actually one of the film's cleverer jokes, and Foxx's Boston terrier, Bug, has an opinion on the matter - but we won't elaborate because it's kinda gross. There's a lot of gross, both kinda and mega, over this film's 93-minute running time. Also a lot of poop jokes, and penis jokes, both canine and human. You get the picture. Although some of these pictures may stay in your mind for way longer than you'd like. "Strays," directed by Josh Greenbaum with a script by Dan Perrault, begins with its star, Reggie, a border terrier with a furiously upbeat attitude, declaring that "today is the best day ever - because every day is the best day ever!" Hmmm, where else have we heard virtually that same line .... Oh yes, in "Barbie"! The resemblance pretty much stops there. Reggie, voiced by Ferrell with relentless puppy-like innocence, loves his owner, Doug. But Doug doesn't love him back. Let's stop here to note that in this film, real dogs play the four leading canines - kudos to their hardworking trainers - and humans appear in supporting roles, including one celebrity cameo and also Will Forte as the most odious dog owner you've ever met. Forte's Doug is particularly vile to Reggie, because it's Reggie who dug up (literally) incriminating evidence that Doug was two-timing his girlfriend, leading to her exit. Doug held onto her dog solely out of spite. He never plays with Reggie or takes him outside, except to play a profanely titled "game" in which Doug drives him somewhere and tosses a tennis ball, then drives away, hoping he won't return. But he always does. But one day Doug takes Reggie far, far away and the poor pooch can't find his way back. In this gritty urban setting, he meets the strays - led by Bug (Foxx). Not exactly strays, but taking some time in the streets for various reasons, are sexy Australian Shepherd Maggie (Isla Fisher), and Hunter (Randall Park), a Great Dane with anxiety issues. The group welcomes Reggie, who wants nothing more than to get home, and introduces him to the adventurous life of a stray. Rule number one: If you want to own something, pee on it. The other rules are too risqué to describe here. Reggie's new friends soon make him understand that his owner actually abandoned him. It's a tough moment. "Maybe I should talk to him, since I'm a therapy dog," says Hunter. Suddenly, though, this makeshift family is on a mission. Reggie, newly aware of Doug's mendacity, is determined to get back home and, well, bite off Doug's favorite body part. This is an experience the rest of the pack refuses to miss. Us, we could maybe pass. Anyway, the journey will include, among other things: Reggie and Bug getting dragged into the sky by a giant (computer-animated) eagle; the pack eating a forest worth of psychedelic mushrooms and mauling bunnies while high; and everyone falling prey to a dog-catcher. At the pound, it is Reggie who inspires the captive dogs to break free with the memorable slogan: "Let's all poop to freedom!" What ensues is one of the grosser scenes you'll have witnessed in a while, but that's child's play compared to the harrowing (and somewhat tonally imbalanced) finale, a painful scene involving four dogs, one human, one baseball bat and one Miley Cyrus song ("Wrecking Ball") which you may now want to skip for a while. The moral of the story, if you're a dog: Family is everything, but sometimes you find it where you least expect. Love your owner but not unconditionally, because he could be a terrible human. Also: stay away from psychedelic mushrooms. And those plastic poop bags? Still a mystery. "Strays," a Universal Studios release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association "for pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and drug use." Running time: 93 minutes. Two stars out of four.
# Movie Review: 'Blue Beetle' is a little more than a bug in the superhero system By JAKE COYLE August 17th, 2023. 11:19 AM GMT-4 --- Franz Kafka never realized how close he came to kickstarting a superhero franchise. Ever since Gregor Samsa awoke in his bed to find himself transformed into a monstrous dung beetle in "The Metamorphosis," we've had spider-men, wasps, ant-men, crime-fighting ticks and mighty mantises - such a super swarm of insectoids that you might be tempted to reach for a fly swatter. We're now back to the beetle with the new DC Comics film "Blue Beetle," which opens in theaters Thursday. But what distinguishes "Blue Beetle" isn't its place in the bug brigade but the person doing the metamorphosizing. Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is the first Latino superhero in a leading role in a DC film. It's not just token casting, either. "Blue Beetle," directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, is firmly rooted in the experience of the Reyes clan, a close-knit Mexican-American family scraping by in the shadow of the gleaming Miami-like fictional metropolis of Palmera City. Jaime is their first college graduate - "And last!" cheerfully chimes his sister, Milagro (the very funny, scene-stealing Belissa Escobedo). The parents, Alberto (Damián Alcázar) and Rocio (Elpidia Carrillo) are broke and on the cusp of losing their home to the encroaching, all-powerful Kord Industries. Also living with them are Jaime's grandmother (Adriana Barraza) and his truck-driving uncle (George Lopez, having a ball). "We used to have the other side of the tracks," says Milagro. "Now they want that, too." Despite big post-college ambitions, Jaime is stuck cleaning hotel rooms with his sister. Given what his family has sacrificed for him, he's saddled with guilt. So after a chance encounter with Jenny Kord (the Brazilian actress Bruna Marquezine), niece of the company's imperial chief executive Victoria (Susan Sarandon), Jaime jumps at the chance of a job opportunity. He happens to turn up at Kord headquarters just as Jenny is fleeing with Victoria's prized discovery: a blue metallic scarab from outer space called the Khaji da that she's using to create an privatized robotic army. It's admittedly quite a jump from the real estate business, but, well, interest rates are sky high. Before you know it, Jaime, tasked with hiding the beetle by Jenny, is looking down at the thing when it sinks itself onto his face and quickly seeps into his body. Gregor's initial response to changing into a beetle was simply to turn over ("How about if I sleep a little bit longer and forget all this nonsense"), but Jaime is afforded no such chance. He's immediately rocketed through the roof and into space. In the broadly sketched but spirited "Blue Beetle," much of what follows is as you'd expect. There's getting used to the new outfit (and the sentient being that communicates Venom-style within Jaime). A recent past to uncover. The inevitable climactic battle between two hunks of CGI. But "Blue Beetle," the final entry in a now defunct wave of DC films, distinguishes itself in other ways. Jaime's family is continually along for the ride, making up his supporting cast when the big fight comes. (The grandmother's younger days as a revolutionary emerge, comically.) Superheroes are ultimately empowerment fantasies, though they've often got away from that. "Blue Beetle" manages to come closer than most in evoking the thrill of the powerless suddenly handed cosmic strength. Soto plays it fast and loose, mixing in a little lewdness ("Activate bug fart" is a new addition to the often solemn DC universe) and shades of neon blue and purple along the way. "Blue Beetle" doesn't have much originality going for itself and Maridueña doesn't make a significant impression. But the film crucially gets that superhero movies don't need to be self-serious to make a serious point. "Blue Beetle," light, lively and sincere, is a tribute to the tenacity and indomitability of Mexican-American families that have clawed their way into an often inhospitable society. Family members, usually plot points of some animating trauma in superhero movies, are here a central part of the action. (Lopez gets countless cracks in, and most of them land.) It's a time of self-inquiry for the superhero movie after hints of a new downward trend (despite some notable exceptions like the blistering "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," with its Afro-Latino protagonist ). "Blue Beetle," which had at one point been destined to go straight to streaming, falls in the middle of this new uncertain terrain. After a string of disappointments, future DC installments will take the comic book franchise in new directions. So it remains to be seen if "Blue Beetle" can be much more than a bug in the system amid larger industry shifts. But I'd wager there will be plenty of moviegoers - especially young Hispanic ones not accustomed to seeing reflections of themselves in Hollywood comic book spectacles - who'll grin all the way through the breezy "Blue Beetle." If even a low-stakes, fairly derivative superhero movie like this can charm thanks to its warm Hispanic perspective and winning supporting cast, there's plenty of hope yet for the genre - bugs and all. "Blue Beetle," a Warner Bros. release is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for sequences of action and violence, language, and some suggestive references. Running time: 127 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
# Movie Review: Gal Gadot turns superspy in 'Heart of Stone' By JAKE COYLE August 10th, 2023. 10:10 PM GMT-4 --- It's turning out to be quite a summer for superspies and supercomputers. A month after the action feast of "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part I," in which Tom Cruise faced off with an AI supervillain called "the Entity," comes a very "MI"-like international espionage thriller with an equally fancy and powerful machine. "Heart of Stone" stars Gal Gadot as Rachel Stone, an agent for an elite and clandestine intelligence agency called the Charter. Like "Mission: Impossible," "Heart of Stone" hits glamorous global destinations (the Italian Alps, Lisbon, Senegal, Iceland) and features lengthy actions sequence including a wingsuit skydive. Whereas "Dead Reckoning" pushed old-school filmmaking to extremes for a gripping theatrical experience, "Heart of Stone" revels in its digital wizardry, feels vaguely algorithm-y in its conception and was made for Netflix. Both films, interestingly, are products of the same production company, Skydance. "Mission: Impossible" was born out of the Cold War, but "Heart of Stone" conjures a peacekeeping spy unit outside of nationhood in the hopes of kickstarting a new franchise uncluttered by governments - a globetrotting spy movie without all those pesky geopolitics; a borderless intelligence agency for a borderless streaming era. That may sound too harsh. After all, there have been countless lackluster espionage thrillers with little connection to the real world. ("Dead Reckoning," for all its thrills, has about as much to do with today's international politics as its star has to do with lengthy interviews with journalists.) And "Heart of Stone," directed by Tom Harper ("Wild Rose," "The Aeronauts"), does have a few nifty moves of its own. The film's opening sequence begins in a very Bond-like Alpine hotel where Gadot's Stone is part of an MI6 mission posing as an inexperienced tech, not a field agent. This allows for plenty of "She can do that?" looks when the operation falls apart and Stone begins flashing Cruise-level skills while rushing off with a glowing parachute down the darkened slopes in slinky, snowy chase. To the credit of Harper, cinematographer George Steel and production designer Charles Wood, the action is generally fluid in "Heart of Stone." The film's handsomest design comes in Charter's secret weapon: the Heart, the so-named quantum computer with supreme hacking abilities that can process chance-of-success scenarios in real time. Its operator (Matthias Schweighöfer), like a new-age John King, contorts a room full of pixels with the wave of his hand, while guiding Charter agents from afar. Also in the mix is Jamie Dornan's Parker, the leader of the MI6 unit that Stone is initially masquerading in - though his affiliations are also murky. The trouble is kicked off by a hacker of mysterious intentions played by Alia Bhatt, a Bollywood star making her Hollywood debut. Glenn Close pops in as the head of the CIA. I'm not sure any of them get a chance to do all that much, though Bhatt is charmingly mischievous in her scenes. Not for the first time, the actor I most wish was center stage is Sophie Okonedo, who, as a Charter leader, is the most soulful presence in a not particularly soulful film. Gadot makes for a slinky if unspectacular spy. The plot, from screenwriters Greg Rucka and Allison Schroeder, revolves around the threat of the Heart falling into the wrong hands. This means that "Heart" is spoken of so much that you have expect the Wilson sisters to turn up eventually. But there is nothing in the impressively generic "Heart of Stone," right down that title, that is even a little bit unexpected. All the pieces here are fine but nothing is distinct from dozens of films before it. You would swear that the movie's star AI wrote it - and even gave itself first billing, too. "Heart of Stone," a Netflix release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for sequences of violence and action, and some language. Running time: 123 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.
# Movie Review: The movie version of a beach read arrives in Amazon's 'Red, White & Royal Blue' By LINDSEY BAHR August 10th, 2023. 12:02 PM GMT-4 --- "Red, White & Royal Blue" is a harmlessly enjoyable fantasy rom-com. It's not Nora Ephron or Nancy Meyers, nor is it really trying to be. It's more in line, aesthetically, tonally, emotionally (in other words not really emotional at all), with one of those early aughts trifles where a normal American girl discovers she's actual royalty or a not-normal American girl (usually the president's kid) starts dating. This is "What a Girl Wants" meets "First Daughter" except this time the romantic partners are men. The movie, directed by Matthew López, the Tony-winning playwright of "The Inheritance," who co-wrote the script with Ted Malawer, is based on a popular novel by Casey McQuiston that quickly became a New York Times bestseller upon its debut in 2019 and got the attention of Amazon Studios. McQuiston's story dealt a hate-turns-to-love story between the son of the American president (a woman) and a senator who begins a secret romantic affair with a British prince. Prince Henry is gay. Alex Claremont-Diaz isn't quite sure how he identifies. But both are certainly closeted. Other characters are trans and pansexual, though not solely defined by that. The president is a woman, married to a man of Latino heritage. The LA Review of Books described it as "propulsive" and "pulpy" and "fantastical." López keeps "Red, White & Royal Blue" in a solidly fantastical space. You don't ever quite believe anything you're seeing - from Prince Henry's ability to go undercover at a Texas bar by simply putting on a baseball hat, to the horrendously fake snow adorning a pivotal New Year's Eve scene. And yet, like a beach read, it goes down easy and has enough surprising wit and edge that makes it a cut above a lot of mediocre rom-coms. Plus, this has Stephen Fry as the King, Uma Thurman as the U.S. president and an ethically dubious Politico reporter. Taylor Zakhar Perez (of "The Kissing Booth") and Nicholas Galitzine (of "Cinderella") star as Alex and Henry, who met once years before in an unseen "Pride and Prejudice"-style misunderstanding that have our two strapping leads hating one another from the start. This is a bit overdone, but at a royal wedding Alex gets quite drunk and he and the prince end up bumping into the $75,000 wedding cake which comes crashing down on them. The incident becomes known as the Buttercream Summit and has both countries scrambling to prove that they are still friends with some forced photo opportunities and interviews with the quarrelling men. Have you heard this one before? Of course you have and at almost two hours it starts to wear thin by the end. "Red, White & Royal Blue" tries to keep things modern and cool, with its best approximations of CW-style "West Wing"- meets-"Veep" White House and campaign staffers who say things like "you're yucking my yum." Sometimes they work. There's no "Call Me By Your Name" or "Passages"-level passion here, but López and his actors do go well beyond what their prudish predecessors ever attempted, which is not nothing. We even get a cheeky cutaway to the Washington Monument. And yet these characters also leave a lot to be desired. Alex, who we're told has a working-class chip on his shoulder, wears Le Labo's Santal 33 and throws an annual New Year's Eve party that looks like something Paris Hilton would have attended in Georgetown in the George W. Bush-era. And Prince Henry has a real, heartbreaking dilemma that is given the most minimal, palatable space possible. There were more opportunities that could have been explored, but "Red, White & Royal Blue" chose a more vanilla soft serve version. Prince Henry also gets points in Alex's book for being a David Bowie fan (which seems about as unique as being a "Star Wars" fan). Credit goes to Amazon, López and Berlanti Productions (also behind the teen rom-com "Love, Simon") for releasing this with an R-rating (though I can't imagine a similar movie with a heterosexual couple getting that). Ultimately, it's not earth shattering but it's also perfectly pleasant for what it is and what it knows it isn't. "Red, White & Royal Blue" is a beach read in movie form and one that can and should be watched with friends. "Red, White & Royal Blue," an Amazon Studios release streaming Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for "language, some sexual content and partial nudity." Running time: 118 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
# Republicans' opposition to abortion threatens a global HIV program that has saved 25 million lives By EVELYNE MUSAMBI, FARNOUSH AMIRI, CARA ANNA, and ELLEN KNICKMEYER September 9th, 2023. 1:40 AM GMT-4 --- NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - The graves at the edge of the orphanage tell a story of despair. The rough planks in the cracked earth are painted with the names of children, most of them dead in the 1990s. That was before the HIV drugs arrived. Today, the orphanage in Kenya's capital is a happier, more hopeful place for children with HIV. But a political fight taking place in the United States is threatening the program that helps to keep them and millions of others around the world alive. The reason for the threat? Abortion. The AIDS epidemic has killed more than 40 million people since the first recorded cases in 1981, tripling child mortality and carving decades off life expectancy in the hardest-hit areas of Africa, where the cost of treatment put it out of reach. Horrified, Republican U.S. President George W. Bush and Congress two decades ago created what is described as the largest commitment by any nation in history to combat a single disease. The program known as the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, partners with nonprofit groups to provide HIV/AIDS medication to millions around the world. It strengthens local and national health care systems, cares for children orphaned by AIDS, and provides job training for people at-risk. Now a small number of Republican lawmakers are endangering the stability of the program, which officials say has saved 25 million lives in 55 countries from Ukraine to Brazil to Indonesia. That includes the lives of 5.5 million infants born HIV-free. At the Nairobi orphanage, program manager Paul Mulongo has a message for Washington. "Let them know that the lives of these children we are taking care of are purely in their hands," Mulongo says. The issue of abortion has been a sensitive one since PEPFAR's inception in 2003. But each time the program came up for renewal in Congress, Republicans and Democrats were able to put aside partisan politics to support a program that's long been seen as the vanguard of global aid. "Most eras in countries are measured by loss of life in war and famine and pandemic," said Tom Hart, president of the ONE Campaign, a nonpartisan organization that worked with Bush to create the program. "This era has been measured in lives saved." The campaign has published a letter from dozens of faith leaders to Congress calling PEPFAR "a story of medical miracles and mercy." But lawmakers' bipartisan support is cracking as the program is set to expire at the end of September. The trouble began in the spring, when the Heritage Foundation, an influential conservative Washington think tank, accused the Biden administration of using PEPFAR "to promote its domestic radical social agenda overseas." The group pointed to new State Department language that called for PEPFAR to partner with organizations that advocate for "institutional reforms in law and policy regarding sexual, reproductive and economic rights of women." Conservatives argued that's code for trying to integrate abortion with HIV/AIDS prevention, a claim the administration has denied. In language echoing the early, harsh years of the epidemic, Heritage called HIV/AIDS a "lifestyle disease" that should be suppressed by "education, moral suasion and legal sanctions." It recommended halving U.S. funding for PEPFAR, saying poor countries should bear more of the costs. Shortly after that, Republican Rep. Chris Smith, a longtime supporter of PEPFAR who wrote the bill reauthorizing it in 2018, said he would not move forward with reauthorization this time unless it bars NGOs who use any funding to provide or promote abortion services. His threat comes with weight as he chairs the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee with jurisdiction over the program's funding. But since that proposal faces stiff opposition from Democrats in Congress, Smith, with support from prominent anti-abortion groups, wants to cut PEPFAR's usual five-year funding to one year if that ban is not included. He said that would allow lawmakers annually to revisit contracts with partners they believe may support or provide abortion services. "It's a false narrative that says that you can't do (the program) year by year as we try to protect the unborn child," Smith told The Associated Press. Supporters of the program say that under existing U.S. law, partners are already prohibited from using its funding for abortion services. The head of PEPFAR, John Nkengasong, told the AP he knew of no instance of the program's money going directly or indirectly to fund abortion services. He warned that any instability in the flow of U.S. funding for PEPFAR could have dangerous implications for health globally, including in the United States. The key to controlling AIDS, he said, is the assurance that infected people have a pill to take each day. Without that, the virus could come back, "and about 20 million lives might be lost in the coming years," he said. "The fragile gains that we've achieved will be lost." In Africa, many PEPFAR partners and recipients in largely conservative countries don't support abortion either because of religious beliefs. But the idea that the program reliant on the steady supply of HIV drugs could be subject to political winds is a cause for alarm. "If PEPFAR goes, who is going to meet that cost?" asked Josephine Kaleebi, who leads an organization in Uganda that helped the program's first-ever recipient of HIV treatment medication. "We are proud to say that the first recipient is alive," Kaleebi said. The group, Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative, was founded by members of Uganda's Catholic Church, which is against abortion. In the reception area, portraits of priests line the walls. But Reach Out helps anyone who walks in needing HIV drugs, Kaleebi said. About 6,000 people are served, many of them "the extremely most vulnerable" from one of the poorest areas of the capital, Kampala. Mark Dybul, who helped create and lead PEPFAR under Bush, warned that weakening PEPFAR would also hurt the diplomatic goodwill the U.S. has created in developing regions. "It's no secret that we are in a geopolitical struggle for influence in Africa with Russia and China," he said. "And our biggest influence in many ways, visible and most impactful, is PEPFAR." A spokesperson for former president Bush declined comment. In neighboring Kenya, Bernard Mwololo believes he is alive because of the drugs that PEPFAR provides. "Sometimes it's so crazy when you hear people saying that these HIV drugs should be bought by the local government," he said. "I am telling you, they can't manage it." The 36-year-old, now an HIV activist, has lived most of his life at the Nairobi orphanage after his parents died of AIDS. He recalled arriving and learning that he could have hope. He was enrolled in a better school, was given a bicycle and ate balanced meals. The number of children in sub-Saharan Africa newly orphaned by AIDS reached a peak of 1.6 million in 2004, the year that PEPFAR began its rollout of HIV drugs, researchers wrote in a defense of the program published by The Lancet medical journal last month. In 2021, the number of new orphans had dropped to 382,000. And deaths of infants and young children from AIDS in the region have dropped by 80%. Now the orphanage is transformed. Children dart around playing soccer or swing in the colorful play area. Some are among the 1.4 million children and adults living with HIV in Kenya, according to UNAIDS. More than 1 million have received free HIV drugs because of PEPFAR. Stopping PEPFAR would be like committing "global genocide," said Mulongo, the orphanage program manager. He recalled how helpless he felt watching children die before HIV drugs were readily available. Almost two decades ago, they would lose at least 30 children a month to AIDS. Elsewhere in Nairobi, 16-year-old Idah Musimbi is part of a generation that has grown up without the fear that an HIV diagnosis was a likely death sentence. She displayed the pills that have given her a sense of normalcy. She contracted HIV at birth. "I don't think I would live for long if these drugs stopped coming. My grandparents cannot afford to buy food every day, let alone these ARVs," she said. Her grandfather David Shitika, a pastor, said he owes the lives of his granddaughter and her mother to PEPFAR. His daughter was diagnosed with HIV in 1995, when many people were dying. "It was called the slimming killer disease," he said. "Nobody wanted to live with an infected person, and those who died were wrapped in nylon bags before burial" for fear of infection. Now he hopes that the Republicans' threat to PEPFAR will fade, and that his granddaughter will go on to study law and achieve her dream of becoming a judge. "I want to tell the American people, God bless you," Shitika said. "I do not know why you decided to help us."
# Biden, Modi and EU to announce rail and shipping project linking India to Middle East and Europe By AAMER MADHANI and JOSH BOAK September 9th, 2023. 4:09 AM GMT-4 --- NEW DELHI (AP) - President Joe Biden and his allies on Saturday were to outline plans for a rail and shipping corridor that would connect India with the Middle East and ultimately Europe - a possible game changer for global trade to be announced at the Group of 20 summit. The project would include the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the European Union and other countries in the G20, said Jon Finer, Biden's principal deputy national security adviser. Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plan to announce the project as part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment. The rail and shipping corridor would enable greater trade among the countries, including energy products. It could also be one of the more ambitious counters to China's massive infrastructure program, through which it has sought to connect more of the world to that country's economy. Finer laid out three big rationales for the project. He said first that the corridor would increase prosperity among the countries involved by increasing the flow of energy and digital communications. Second, the project would help address the lack of infrastructure needed for growth in lower- and middle-income nations. And third, Finer said it could help "turn the temperature down" on "turbulence and insecurity" coming out of the Middle East. "We see this as having a high appeal to the countries involved, and also globally, because it is transparent, because it is a high standard, because it is not coercive," Finer said. Von der Leyen was expected to describe the project as "nothing less than historic" and as an "India - Middle East - Europe economic corridor" that will make trade between India and Europe 40% faster, according to a draft of her prepared remarks. The project will include a rail link as well as an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline and a high-speed data cable, according von der Leyen's prepared text, which also describes the project as "a green and digital bridge across continents and civilizations." She is also expected to announce a "Trans-African Corridor" that will connect the Angolan port of Lobito with Kananga province in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the copper-mining regions of Zambia. Biden participated in the summit's first session, which focused on the theme of "One Earth." The U.S. president plans to draw on the theme to push for more investments to address climate change, such as his own domestic incentives to encourage the use of renewable energy, Finer said. Biden also wants to make the case that Russia's war in Ukraine is hurting many other nations, which have had to cope with greater food and energy costs as well as higher interest rate costs on their debt. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been a regular presence at international summits, including last year's G20 in Indonesia, since Russia invaded his country more than 18 months ago, was not invited by Modi's government to this year's gathering. Zelenskyy has the used the high-profile gatherings to argue for continued economic and military support for his country. India is one of the most prominent U.S. allies that has largely stayed on the sidelines of the war, and has even dramatically increased its purchases of Russian oil. Finer said White House officials pushed for Zelenskyy's inclusion at the summit. "Ultimately, it is not our decision," Finer said. "But you can expect that the United States and our other partners who are working with Ukraine so closely ... We'll make that case quite forcefully in the context of these conversations." The summit's second session is about "One Family." Biden plans to use this portion to discuss his request to Congress for additional funding for the World Bank that could generate more than $25 billion in new lending for economic development, Finer said. The White House more broadly is trying to strengthen the G20 as an international forum, while Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin decided not to attend. Still, China and Russia are represented at the summit and that could make it difficult for the G20 to produce a joint statement on the war in Ukraine. "Really it's incumbent upon the Chinese government to explain why a leader would or would not participate," Finer said.
# Georgia special grand jury recommended charges against 39 people, including Sen. Lindsey Graham By KATE BRUMBACK September 8th, 2023. 6:47 PM GMT-4 --- ATLANTA (AP) - The special grand jury that investigated efforts by Donald Trump and others to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results recommended indictments against twice as many people as the 19 ultimately charged by prosecutors, leaving South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham among those not indicted. The grand jurors' report released Friday showed they recommended racketeering charges against 39 people, including Graham, former U.S. Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue of Georgia and former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. Charging recommendations against others included false statements and writings, influencing witnesses and criminal solicitation to commit election fraud. Released at the request of the special grand jury, the report provides insight into one of the most expansive investigations into Trump, who is also facing two federal indictments along with unrelated state charges in New York City. While critics have accused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis of launching an unwieldy, overly broad investigation, the report suggests she used her discretion to streamline the case. There are many reasons Willis might have chosen not to charge all those recommended, including immunity deals with some, federal protections for others or insufficient evidence to prove charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Anthony Michael Kreis, a law professor at Georgia State University who has been closely following the case, speculated that Willis took some of the special grand jury's vote breakdowns into consideration when deciding who to ultimately go after. "If you have a jury and a group of folks who have pored over evidence for eight months and there's still a 50-50 divide or a two-thirds divide ... I don't think that's something that you'd look at and say, we have a high probability of a conviction there," Kreis said. Of the 19 people ultimately indicted, only one was not included in the special grand jury's recommendations. A former White House aide who served as the director of Trump's Election Day operations, Michael Roman, was involved in efforts to put forth a set of fake electors after the 2020 election. The special grand jury accused Graham and others of violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law -- a statute most commonly associated with mobsters -- saying they tried to overturn the state's 2020 election, which Trump, the incumbent Republican, lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The South Carolina senator, who was chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger shortly after the November election, and Raffensperger has said Graham asked him whether he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots. Perdue and Loeffler were sitting U.S. senators who had failed to win enough votes in the November 2020 general election and were forced into a January 2021 runoff, which they ultimately lost to Democratic challengers. In the weeks after Trump lost and they were pushed into runoffs, they cast doubt on the validity of the election results. In an interview on a right-wing cable news channel in mid-December 2020, Flynn said Trump "could take military capabilities" and place them in swing states and "basically rerun an election in each of those states." He also traveled in November 2020 to the South Carolina home of conservative lawyer Lin Wood, where Wood has said meetings were held to discuss possible ways to influence the election results in Georgia and elsewhere. The special grand jury also recommended charges for Wood. Trump, the early front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, blasted the report on his Truth Social site, saying, "They wanted to indict anybody who happened to be breathing at the time." Graham, who has denied wrongdoing, said, "It should never be a crime for a federal elected official, particularly the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who will have to vote to certify a presidential election, to question and ensure the integrity of that election." Loeffler, who has stayed involved in politics by founding and funding a Republican-aligned group called Greater Georgia, said she was speaking up for people who felt disenfranchised in the 2020 election. "Trying to jail your party's leading political opponent ahead of 2024 is election interference. Speaking out in defense of election integrity is not," she said on X, formerly Twitter. Flynn pointed to his lawyer Jesse Binnall's post on X: "General Michael Flynn will continue to fight for the truth, for America First principles, and for Donald Trump's return to The White House in 2024." Wood, who testified to the special grand jury, said, "It seems unfair to me that I get smeared as someone that is recommended for indictment when the people with the power to look at the evidence and indict did not indict me." Representatives for Perdue didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The special grand jury foreperson, Emily Kohrs, spoke of her experience in an interview with The Associated Press in February that was followed by interviews with other news outlets. She said she appreciated the weightiness of the responsibility but also enjoyed moments of levity, like joking with Graham. She said the grand jury recommended charges against multiple people and that there would be few surprises. While Kohrs' whirlwind media tour was attacked by Trump's lawyers at the time and raised fears among some Trump critics that it could jeopardize the investigation, the judge overseeing the special grand jury made clear that grand jurors are free to talk about anything but their deliberations. The panel heard testimony from some 75 witnesses before completing a report in December with recommendations for Willis on charges. She had no obligation to follow their recommendations, and she ultimately decided to go to a regular grand jury to obtain indictments. The release of the identities of people recommended for indictment is a departure from ordinary grand jury protocol, which dictates that prosecutors do not disclose the names of individuals investigated but not charged so as to prevent potentially innocent subjects from being unduly maligned. Special grand juries in Georgia are relatively uncommon and are essentially an investigative tool. They can subpoena witnesses and evidence but do not have the power to bring an indictment. Instead, they can produce a report with nonbinding recommendations. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ordered the partial release of the report in February but declined to immediately release the panel's recommendations on who should or should not be prosecuted. The judge said at the time that he wanted to protect people's due process rights. McBurney said in a new order filed Aug. 28 that the due process concerns were moot since a regular grand jury had indicted Trump and 18 other people under the state's anti-racketeering law. All have pleaded not guilty. Many of those indicted - including former New York Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows - are known to have testified before the special grand jury. Trump was never called. Late Friday, a judge in Atlanta denied Meadows' request to move his case to federal court. The parts of the report previously released in February included its conclusions, as well as a section with the grand jurors expressing concerns that one or more witnesses may have lied under oath and urging prosecutors to seek charges for perjury.
# Gov. Kristi Noem endorses Trump as he visits South Dakota By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES September 8th, 2023. 11:21 PM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem endorsed former President Donald Trump at a party fundraiser in Rapid City Friday night that doubled as an opportunity for Noem to showcase herself as a potential vice presidential pick. As his rivals held town halls and meet-and-greets in early voting states, Trump headlined the South Dakota Republican Party's "Monumental Leaders Rally" in Rapid City, where Noem, once considered a potential 2024 candidate in her own right, instead threw her support behind the former president. "I will do everything I can to help him win and save this country," Noem said as she formally offered her endorsement before Trump took the stage. She said all the other Republican presidential candidates had been invited to the event. "All of them told us that they had better things to do. But when President Trump was invited to come be with you tonight, he said, 'I will be there,'" she said. Trump, for his part, praised Noem as "one of the most successful governors in the entire nation" and said her endorsement "means a lot." Trump's decision to headline the event underscores his dominance in the early stages of the GOP presidential primary even as he faces four separate indictments and 91 felony counts. South Dakota holds a late primary and isn't a competitive general election state. But with a huge lead, Trump is skipping much of the traditional primary campaign. Instead of the large-scale rallies that dominated his past runs, he is this time relying on state party events that offer large, friendly audiences at no cost to his political organization, which is facing millions of dollars in legal expenses. Friday's event looked like a typical Trump rally, but was paid for by the state Republican Party. Those in the audience purchased tickets and paid to attend. The visit was also something of an audition for Noem. She planned the event as a way to both offer her endorsement and maximize face time with Trump as he considers potential 2024 running mates and cabinet members, according to two senior Republicans familiar with her thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement. Noem will be term-limited in 2026 and, after declining to run for president this year, is eyeing her next move to maintain prominence in the GOP. Allies had hoped her appearance alongside Trump would create an image that looked like a potential presidential ticket. And they seemed to get what they desired: Several people sitting behind Trump held "Trump-Noem 2024" signs and, at one point, their names appeared together on a screen behind the stage at The Monument ice arena, captured in a photo by an NBC reporter. Voting won't begin until next year and Trump's historic indictments and upcoming criminal trials create an unprecedented situation that many strategists argue could influence the race in unexpected ways. That hasn't stopped those who are keen to be considered as Trump's running mate from openly jockeying for the position and trying to curry favor with him and his aides. Aides caution it is far too early for serious discussions. But Trump has indicated in conversations that he is interested in selecting a woman this time around. Others whose names have been floated include New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn. Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and two of Trump's current rivals, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, have also been mentioned. "What we're focused on is just locking up this primary and pivoting towards the general election," said campaign spokesman Steven Cheung. Trump has spent far less time campaigning in early-voting states than most of his rivals. But he will return to Iowa, the first state on the GOP nomination calendar, on Saturday to attend the college football game between Iowa and Iowa State. Noem was long considered a potential White House contender in her own right and had told The New York Times in November that she didn't believe Trump offered "the best chance" for the party in 2024. But she has since said she saw no point in joining the crowded field running for the nomination given Trump's dominant position. "Well the fact is, none of 'em can win as long as Trump's in the race. And that's just the facts. So why run if you can't win?" she said in an interview with Fox News in August. Asked this week whether she would consider joining a potential Trump ticket if invited, Noem told Newsmax she "would in a heartbeat." "President Trump needs a strong partner if he's going to take back the White House, and he's going to need somebody who knows what it's like to run a business, to be an employee, earn a paycheck, but also having a wife, mom and a grandma isn't bad either," she said. Michael Card, a longtime observer of South Dakota politics, suggested Noem might make a future National Rifle Association president or conservative commentator, but said her best opportunity may lie with Trump. "I think Donald Trump has a 50-50 shot of getting elected at this point, so why not hitch your wagon to him if you can?" he said. The visit was Trump's first to South Dakota since the summer of 2020, when he headlined a fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day. The then-president had been looking for a venue to turn the page after a summer of pandemic lockdowns and racial justice protests, and Noem's event at Mount Rushmore was notably devoid of pandemic restrictions. She also gifted him a miniature replica of Mount Rushmore with his likeness carved alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. A former member of Congress, Noem rose to national prominence with a mostly hands-off approach to the pandemic. Trump has often praised that approach, cheering her rejection of policies aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 and arguing that she did a better job than his leading rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who often touts his own efforts to reopen businesses and reject mandates. Despite not running for president, Noem has continued to position herself nationally. She has been an outspoken champion for the NRA, even bragging at a spring convention for the gun-rights group that her 1-year-old granddaughter "already has" firearms. During the first GOP presidential debate, she appeared in an ad to encourage businesses and families to move to what she calls "the freest state in America." South Dakota GOP chair John Wiik said he had expected about 7,000 people to attend the sold-out fundraiser, which was first envisioned as a Lincoln Day-style dinner commonly held by local Republican groups. "I did get a lot of questions at first," Wiik said about Trump's decision to travel to his state just as the primary season kicks into its traditional post-Labor Day overdrive. "But the more you look at it, Trump is a media event wherever he lands," Wiik said. "He could do a rally on the moon and he'd spread his word and get just as many people, so I'm just glad he chose South Dakota."
# Inside the brand new White House Situation Room: Cutting-edge tech, mahogany and that new car smell By COLLEEN LONG September 8th, 2023. 1:05 PM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House Situation Room - a space of great mystique and even greater secrecy - just got a $50 million facelift. Actually, "room" is a misnomer. It's a 5,500-square-foot (511-square-meter), highly secure complex of conference rooms and offices on the ground floor of the West Wing. These are rooms where history happens, where the president meets with national security officials to discuss secret operations and sensitive government matters, speaks with foreign leaders and works through major national security crises. Where President Barack Obama and his team watched the raid that took down al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in 2011. Where President Donald Trump monitored the 2019 operation that killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Where President Lyndon Johnson went over Vietnam War plans. The latest redo was no small update: The total gut renovation took a year to complete. The White House opened the classified space to a group of reporters this week for a rare visit to check out the new look. President Joe Biden got a tour on Tuesday and then received an intelligence briefing in the space, said Marc Gustafson, the Situation Room director. "He loved it, he thought the update was fantastic," Gustafson said. "Folks, the newly renovated White House Situation Room is up and running," Biden said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "My thanks to everyone who worked on this incredible facility. The renovated space has a modern-but-vintage vibe. Old floors, furniture, computers and other tech were stripped out and replaced with pristine mahogany paneling from Maryland, stonework from a Virginia quarry, LED lights that can change colors and flat-screen panels. See-through glass offices fade to opaque with the press of a button. The whole space has that new car smell. But there are still plenty of landline phones: No cellphones are allowed in the secure space for security reasons. (There are cubbies to stow phones near a door leading outside, where a baggie with some cocaine was found earlier this year.) Access is tightly controlled and generally restricted to the president's national security and military advisers. Anyone listening in on classified briefings needs clearance. Even the contractors working on the renovation had to get temporary security clearances. Illuminated signs flash green for declassified and red for classified. The hush-hush complex was created in 1961 by the Kennedy administration after the Bay of Pigs invasion. President John F. Kennedy believed there should be a dedicated crisis management center where officials could coordinate intelligence faster and better. That was an upgrade, to be sure. But it wasn't exactly comfortable: Nixon administration national security adviser and then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger described the space as "uncomfortable, unaesthetic and essentially oppressive." After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the White House did a significant Situation Room update, along with a broader upgrade to presidential communications on Air Force One and the presidential helicopter. Presidents used the complex for secure video conferences before such tech became more portable. The last renovation was in 2007. The complex is staffed around the clock by military and civilian personnel who monitor breaking developments worldwide. It has a reception area with a U.S. seal in stonework. Behind that is the main conference room, known as the "JFK room." To the right are a smaller conference room and two soundproof "breakout rooms." To the left is the "watch floor," a 24-7 operations center. "It's a marriage of the traditional and the modern," Gustafson said of the new space. Workers dug five feet underground to make more room and install cutting-edge technology allowing White House officials to bring together intelligence from different agencies with the push of a few buttons. "Now we have all the capabilities," Gustafson said. For those in the know, referring to the "sit room" is out. It's the "whizzer," stemming from the complex's acronym: WHSR. (Washington does love a good acronym.) Gustafson said the goal is to never need a complete renovation again. The new space was designed so panels can be removed and updated and new technology swapped in, usually with less space needs. A room once taken up by computer servers has become a smaller conference room. The JFK room has a long wooden table with six leather chairs on each side and one at the head for the president. Leather armchairs line the walls. A giant, high-tech screen runs the length of the back wall. A 2-foot (0.6-meter) seal is positioned at the president's end of the room, larger than the old seal. There aren't many photos of the Situation Room, but one of the most famous is the image of Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Biden and others watching the bin Laden operation. That took place around the corner from the JFK room in a smaller conference room that no longer exists. It's been cut out entirely from the space and sent off to Obama's presidential library, Gustafson said. In its place are two smaller rooms. Another item preserved for history is an old phone booth that stood in the complex. It was sent to storage for Biden's eventual presidential library. Gustafson didn't know if anything had been sent to Trump. Gustafson said staff members have to be ready to prepare rooms for classified briefings on a moment's notice, and Biden has been known to pop in to meetings unexpectedly, particularly as Russia was invading Ukraine. While the area was closed for renovation, White House officials used other secure spots on the campus. Gustafson said the renovated Situation Room is having a soft opening of sorts: About 60% of the staff are back in the space with more coming every day. One cosmetic upgrade Gustafson pointed out is the ability to swap out the different 2-foot-diameter seals that hang on the JFK room wall, depending on who is in the meeting. Seals for the president, vice president and executive staff are kept in a nearby closet and can be quickly subbed. Gustafson said visitors previously remarked that the room didn't reflect Hollywood's grand imagining of the space. He said they now declare: "This looks like the movies."
# Biden and Modi working in 'warmth and confidence' to build ties as Chinese leader skips G20 By AAMER MADHANI and JOSH BOAK September 8th, 2023. 1:47 PM GMT-4 --- NEW DELHI (AP) - President Joe Biden opened his visit to India on Friday by meeting privately with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian leader's home in a session the White House said was marked by "undeniable warmth and confidence" in one another going into the annual Group of 20 summit where climate, economic security and more will dominate the weekend's talks. Biden spent 52 minutes with Modi after a lavish welcome ceremony at the airport, and Kurt Campbell, a Biden adviser on the Indo-Pacific, told reporters afterward that warm sentiments have replaced a sense of distrust and uncertainty that previously defined relations between the two countries. "What I have seen grown over time is an undeniable warmth and confidence between the two leaders," Campbell said. Another adviser, Eileen Laubacher, senior director for South Asia at the White House National Security Council, added that Biden and Modi were "so comfortable discussing, really, the breadth of things that we're trying to accomplish together." A joint statement issued after the meeting reaffirmed U.S.-India partnerships on several fronts, especially with regard to computer chips, telecommunications, higher education, access to shipping lanes in the Indo-Pacific and the reduction of carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. Biden also congratulated Modi on India's recent moon landing. While India was disappointed that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to attend the G20, those absences could give Biden the space to further stitch together U.S. and India ties. "There are undeniable opportunities here for the United States," Campbell said. "We fully intend to strengthen and deepen our relationship. We leave it to China, in particular, to discuss and explain why they're not here." Campbell also suggested that a that a major infrastructure and communications project to connect India with the Middle East and Europe will be announced soon. But when asked if Biden pushed Modi on press access and broader democratic issues in India, Campbell said Biden tries to be clear about issues critical to the health of democracy. Still, Campbell declined to get into specifics, saying the president "has determined that he wants to conduct that dialogue in a dignified, respectful way." The U.S. president received a Bollywood-style greeting after Air Force One landed, with dancers in flowing purple outfits gyrating to pop music. Having feted Modi with a state visit to Washington in June, Biden is banking on the idea that successful diplomacy depends on personal connections. But it's a relationship largely being explored in private. White House reporters traveling with Biden were denied access to the leaders' meeting. Indian state media shared visuals of the meeting on social media. Biden and Modi have had more than a dozen in-person or virtual engagements since 2021 as both look to tighten the U.S.-India partnership amid shared major concerns. Those include an increasingly assertive China and monumental challenges posed by climate change, artificial intelligence, global supply chain resilience and other issues. Modi has heavily branded the summit as his own. The prime minister has his image posted along the highway from the airport, greeting G20 delegates with quotes about climate change, innovation and India's unique role as an advocate for developing countries. As a result, Biden was something of a houseguest when he met his Indian counterpart. Modi held the meeting at his residence, "so it is unusual in that respect," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Thursday aboard Air Force One. Biden, a center-left Democrat, and Modi, a conservative Hindu nationalist, are hardly ideological soulmates. Yet, both leaders are increasingly drawn together by China's military and economic maneuverings in the Indo-Pacific. India late last month lodged an objection through diplomatic channels with Beijing over China's new standard map that lays claim to India's territory along their shared border. The version of the Chinese map published by the Ministry of Natural Resources website shows Arunachal Pradesh and the Doklam Plateau - over which the two sides have feuded - included within Chinese borders, along with Aksai Chin in the western section that China controls but India still claims. The Philippines and Malaysia have also lodged protests over the new Chinese map. The map was released just days after Modi and Jinping met on the sidelines of a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - and agreed to work to de-escalate tensions at their disputed border. The administration was eager to build on the momentum from Modi's June state visit, which included announcements on climate, health care and space as well as some major private sector projects. The two sides set the groundwork for U.S.-based General Electric to partner with India-based Hindustan Aeronautics to produce jet engines for Indian aircraft in India and the sale of U.S.-made armed MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones. U.S.-based Micron Technology agreed to build a $2.75 billion semiconductor assembly and test facility in India, with Micron spending more than $800 million and India financing the rest. The administration also plans to discuss civil nuclear issues. The White House has sought to play down Biden and Modi 's differences over Russia's war in Ukraine. India abstained from voting on U.N. resolutions condemning Russia and refused to join the global coalition against Russia. Since the start of the war, the Modi government has dramatically increased its purchase of Russian oil. Biden's effort to pull India closer has been shadowed by concerns from activists and some American lawmakers about India's human rights record under Modi. The prime minister has faced criticism over legislation amending the country's citizenship law that fast-tracks naturalization for some migrants but excludes Muslims, over a rise in violence against Muslims and other religious minorities by Hindu nationalists, and the recent conviction of India's top opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, for mocking Modi's surname. India also ranks 161st out of 180 countries in this year's Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.
# Biden nominates a former Obama official to run the Federal Aviation Administration By DAVID KOENIG September 7th, 2023. 10:01 PM GMT-4 --- President Joe Biden on Thursday nominated a former Obama administration official to lead the Federal Aviation Administration after his first choice withdrew in March after running into opposition from Republican senators. The White House said Biden nominated Michael G. Whitaker, a former deputy administrator at the FAA. He is currently the chief operating officer of a Hyundai affiliate working to develop an air taxi aircraft. Whitaker's nomination had been expected for months, and Biden's announcement was praised by several industry and labor groups. The FAA, which regulates airline safety and manages the nation's airspace, has been run by back-to-back acting administrators since March 2022. The agency faces a number of challenges including a shortage of air traffic controllers, aging technology, and alarm over close calls between planes at major airports. In addition, Congress is deliberating over legislation that will direct the agency's operations for the next five years. Whitaker worked as a lawyer for TWA, which was absorbed by American Airlines, spent 15 years at United Airlines, where he became a senior vice president and oversaw international and regulatory affairs, then moved to InterGlobe, a travel company in India. He was deputy FAA administrator - a job that does not require Senate approval - from 2013 to 2016. He is currently the chief commercial officer for Supernal, a Hyundai subsidiary that is working on an electric-powered air taxi - which would need FAA certification to fly in the United States. The White House said Whitaker holds a private-pilot license. Last year, Biden nominated Denver International Airport CEO Phillip Washington, but he withdrew in March after his nomination stalled in the Senate Commerce Committee. Republicans and independent Kyrsten Sinema argued that Washington lacked adequate aviation experience - his background is mostly in city transit systems, having held the Denver airport job only since mid-2021. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who led the GOP opposition to Biden's first pick, gave a noncommittal statement about the second choice. "We must carefully evaluate Mike Whitaker's qualifications, experience, and temperament to determine whether he is the right person to lead the agency at this critical juncture," Cruz said. The FAA has lacked a Senate-confirmed leader since early last year, when Stephen Dickson, who was chosen by President Donald Trump, quit midway through his five-year term. Since then, the agency has been run by two successive acting administrators. The first, Billy Nolen, who left FAA in June to join another air taxi company, Archer Aviation, praised Whitaker's nomination in a recent interview. "I can't think of a better choice," he said. "He will do an amazing job." Earl Lawrence, a former senior official at the FAA who now works for Xwing, which is developing pilotless planes to carry cargo, said Whitaker's appointment would be a win for companies making drones and autonomous aircraft - in part because of Whitaker's time at Supernal. "He knows how to support the airlines because he worked at the airlines, and he has worked with the drone folks," Lawrence said. He will "create the environment that it's OK to move forward" with new technologies. A range of industry groups praised Whitaker as somebody they can work with - which could raise questions about FAA independence from the companies it regulates. Nicholas Calio, president of the trade group Airlines for America, said Whitaker has extensive experience including on modernizing the air traffic system. He said Whitaker appreciates "the collaborative partnership between industry and government" to keep air travel safe. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, urged the Senate to confirm Biden's pick quickly. "Whitaker has the experience to step into the role and immediately lead us forward," she said.
# Nancy Pelosi says she'll seek House reelection in 2024, dismissing talk of retirement at age 83 By LISA MASCARO September 8th, 2023. 5:27 PM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that she will seek reelection to Congress in 2024 as Democrats try to win back the majority. Pelosi, 83, made the announcement before volunteers and labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years. "Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery," Pelosi said in a tweet. "Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection - and respectfully ask for your vote." Republicans now control the House, but just narrowly, with a 222-212 majority and one vacancy. Democrats believe they have a chance to regain power as President Joe Biden runs for a second term. Pelosi's announcement quells any talk of retirement for the long-serving leader, who, with the honorific title of speaker emeritus, remains an influential lawmaker, pivotal party figure and strong fundraiser for Democrats. It also unfolds as Washington is grappling with the sunset of a political era as an older generation of leaders, including Biden, 80, face questions about their age. This past week, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, 81, said he would finish his term as leader and senator despite concerns about his recent health episodes. Pelosi has long charted her own course, from her arrival in Congress as one of few women elected to the House to her tenure as one of the most powerful women in U.S. politics. First elected to Congress in 1987, Pelosi made history becoming the first female speaker in 2007, and in 2019 she regained the speaker's gavel. Pelosi led the party through substantial legislative achievements, including passage of the Affordable Care Act, as well as turbulent times with two impeachments of Republican President Donald Trump and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Her announcement comes as House Republicans are preparing to launch an impeachment inquiry into Biden over the business dealings of his son, Hunter. Pelosi stepped away from the day-to-day political limelight after a younger generation of Democrats led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took charge in 2023, but she remains a political force and keeps a robust schedule of public and private events. According to a person familiar with Pelosi's thinking about her 2024 decision, Pelosi believes democracy hangs in the balance in the upcoming election as she works to reelect Biden and make Jeffries the next House speaker. "Our Democracy is at stake. I just say that, very sadly, with no fear of exaggeration of it," Pelosi told supporters in San Francisco. "We have in the Congress right now, a Congress that is determined to shut government down." Pelosi is among the party's most prolific fundraisers for the House and key political strategists. She has said she does not intend to hover over the new Democratic House leadership team, but she and Jeffries are often seen huddling quietly on the House floor. It's rare, but not unprecedented, for former party leaders to continue in Congress as members. Back in California, Pelosi's decision to seek another term is sure to disappoint other Democrats who have wanted a run for the congressional seat. But Pelosi has priorities she is trying to secure for her home state and especially San Francisco as the city works to recover from the coronavirus pandemic-era closures that have also dimmed other metro downtowns. San Francisco faces a delicate moment, Pelosi believes, and needs federal resources to continue its recovery, said the person familiar with her thinking, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. Pelosi said certain stretches of the city's downtown, such as the Tenderloin District, have been inflicted with crime, violence and drugs and said she would fight for the resources to address them, but also pushed back on broad portrayals of San Francisco as unsafe and crime-ridden. "Our city has been through a lot, will come through this very well, but it's confined to a certain part of town, and I wish people would recognize that because our city is beautiful and clean and we would love for them to visit," she told Nicole Wallace on MSNBC. One of the state's long-serving leaders, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 90, has announced she would not seek another term. Pelosi has long been portrayed as a political villain by Republican critics, who view her as a far-left liberal and raise vast sums of their own using her image and actions. Last year, her husband, Paul Pelosi, was seriously injured when an attacker broke into the family's San Francisco home, seeking the Democratic leader at a highly divisive time in American politics. A trial is expected.
# Hundreds of military promotions are on hold as a Republican senator demands end to abortion policy By KEVIN FREKING and TARA COPP September 7th, 2023. 12:53 PM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Top defense officials are accusing Republican Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville of jeopardizing America's national security with his hold on roughly 300 military promotions, raising the stakes in a clash over abortion policy that shows no signs of easing. Tuberville brushed off the criticism, vowing he will not give in. "We're going to be in a holding pattern for a long time," he said, if the Pentagon refuses to end its policy of paying for travel when a servicemember goes out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. It's a classic Washington standoff with rippling effects across the country, placing the lives of servicemembers effectively on hold as they await what has traditionally been routine Senate approval for their promotions. Frustration mounting, the secretaries of the Navy, Air Force and Army wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post this week saying Tuberville's efforts were not only unfair to the military leaders and their families but also "putting our national security at risk." They noted that three military branches - the Army, Navy and Marine Corps - have no Senate-confirmed chiefs in place. Those jobs are being performed without the full range of legal authorities necessary to make decisions that will sustain the United States' military edge, they wrote. In a CNN interview, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro accused Tuberville of "playing Russian roulette with the very lives of our servicemembers by denying them the opportunity to actually have the most experienced combat leaders in those positions to lead them in times of peace and in times of combat." Looking ahead, the secretaries said in their op-ed that prolonged uncertainty and political battles over military nominations "will have a corrosive effect on the force." "The generals and admirals who will be leading our forces a decade from now are colonels and captains today," they wrote. "They are watching this spectacle and might conclude that their service at the highest ranks of our military is no longer valued by members of Congress or, by extension, the American public." Tuberville took umbrage with the three defense secretaries. He said they should have spoken with him first "if you're gonna run your mouth in the paper." "I have not heard from any of them," he said. If they were truly worried about readiness at such a dangerous time for the world "you would think they would be calling, 'Coach, let's work this out.' Zero," said Tuberville, a former college football coach. However, there have been multiple attempts by both the department's top civilian leaders and its top uniformed personnel to try and show Tuberville how the holds are doing harm, a senior military official and defense official said. A senior military official familiar with previous meetings with Tuberville said that despite telling the senator about the real-world and personal challenges that his hold has created on servicemembers, Tuberville has not seemed willing to change his position. Tuberville said that during the August break, he visited six states, and "I didn't have one negative comment from anybody. I had questions, but I didn't have any negative comments." He insisted that he would lift his hold on the military nominations only after the Pentagon rescinds the policy that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin put into place in October, after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years. Once the Pentagon returns to pre-memo policies on travel reimbursement, Democratic leaders could bring up for a Senate vote whatever replacement policy they want to enact, he said. "Move it back," Tuberville said of the current reimbursement policy. "And then have them write up what they want to vote on, and I will accept whichever way it goes. The holds are off. Let's go to work." Tuberville's blockade is unique because it affects hundreds of military nominations and promotions. Democratic leaders would have to hold roll call votes on every one to get around the hold, an unwieldy and time-consuming process in a chamber that already struggles to finish its basic business. It's a decades-long tradition for the Senate to group military nominations and approve them by voice vote, avoiding lengthy roll calls and reserving valuable floor time for other important issues. But, while unusual, Tuberville's office notes that lawmakers from both parties have threatened holds on military promotions over the years. What's truly unprecedented is the length of time it has gone on with Tuberville. Austin has called Tuberville three times about the holds, the last time was on July 18, and the Pentagon's legislative affairs staff continues to engage, a defense official said on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue. Also, Defense Department staff met with Senate Armed Services Committee staff in July to go over the details of DOD's reproductive healthcare policy. But Steven Stafford, a spokesman for Tuberville, said there has been no contact with the Biden administration about the holds at the principal or staff level since July 18, and no further communications are planned. The Pentagon to date has not provided data on the number of servicemembers who have relied on the new policy to get access to an abortion citing privacy issues. It emphasizes that the new policy was in response to the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, which created a situation where federal troops serving in one state may not have access to the same type of reproductive services available in others. As many as 650 nominations could be affected by the end of the year if the impasse continues. But if Republican leaders are pressuring Tuberville to end his holds, they are not doing so publicly. "I'm hoping that the conversations that occur this week and the conversations that Senator Tuberville has had with the military leadership will lead to a breakthrough at some point," said Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. The Pentagon said the number of promotions on hold in the Senate has reached 98 in the Air Force, 91 in the Army, 86 in the Navy, 18 in the Marines and 8 in the Space Force. Some Republicans have suggested that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., could hold votes on some of the most critical nominations. But Schumer rejected that approach. "The bottom line is this is a problem created by Republicans and it's up to them to solve it," Schumer said. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he would like for Schumer to schedule a vote on the Pentagon reimbursement policy, but if it fails, which it most assuredly would, "it's now time to get these people promoted." "I'd like to vote to rescind the policy, but I'm not going to hold the military up in perpetuity," Graham said. Sen. Roger Wicker, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services committee, was asked if he had any recommendations or guidance for Tuberville that could resolve the impasse. "I'm out of ideas," Wicker said.
# Congress returns to try to prevent a government shutdown while the GOP weighs an impeachment inquiry By STEPHEN GROVES and MARY CLARE JALONICK September 5th, 2023. 7:02 AM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - After months of struggling to find agreement on just about anything in a divided Congress, lawmakers are returning to Capitol Hill to try to avert a government shutdown, even as House Republicans consider whether to press forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. A short-term funding measure to keep government offices fully functioning will dominate the September agenda, along with emergency funding for Ukraine, federal disaster funds and the Republican-driven probe into Hunter Biden's overseas business dealings. Time is running short for Congress to act. The House is scheduled to meet for just 11 days before the government's fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, leaving little room to maneuver. And the deal-making will play out as two top Republicans, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, deal with health issues. The president and congressional leaders, including Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, are focused on passage of a months-long funding measure, known as a continuing resolution, to keep government offices running while lawmakers iron out a budget. It's a step Congress routinely takes to avoid stoppages, but McCarthy faces resistance from within his own Republican ranks, including from some hardline conservatives who openly embrace the idea of a government shutdown. "Honestly, it's a pretty big mess," McConnell said at an event in Kentucky last week. Here are the top issues as lawmakers return from the August break: ## KEEPING THE GOVERNMENT OPEN When Biden and McCarthy struck a deal to suspend the nation's debt ceiling in June, it included provisions for topline spending numbers. But under pressure from the House Freedom Caucus, House Republicans have advanced spending bills that cut below that agreement. Republicans have also tried to load their spending packages with conservative policy wins. For example, House Republicans added provisions blocking abortion coverage, transgender care and diversity initiatives to a July defense package, turning what has traditionally been a bipartisan effort into a sharply contested bill. But Democrats control the Senate and are certain to reject most of the conservative proposals. Senators are crafting their spending bills on a bipartisan basis with an eye toward avoiding unrelated policy fights. Top lawmakers in both chambers are now turning to a stopgap funding package, a typical strategy to give the lawmakers time to iron out a long-term agreement. The House Freedom Caucus has already released a list of demands it wants included in the continuing resolution. But they amount to a right-wing wish list that would never fly in the Senate. The conservative opposition means McCarthy will almost certainly have to win significant Democratic support to pass a funding bill - but such an approach risks a new round of conflict with the same conservatives who in the past have threatened to oust him from the speakership. Democrats are already readying blame for the House GOP. "The last thing the American people deserve is for extreme House members to trigger a government shutdown that hurts our economy, undermines our disaster preparedness, and forces our troops to work without guaranteed pay," said White House spokesman Andrew Bates. In a letter to his colleagues Friday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote that the focus when the Senate returns Tuesday will be "funding the government and preventing House Republican extremists from forcing a government shutdown." It leaves McCarthy desperate to get the votes to keep government offices running and avoid the political blowback. As he tries to persuade Republicans to go along with a temporary fix, McCarthy has been arguing that a government shutdown would also halt Republican investigations into the Biden administration. "If we shut down, all of government shuts it down - investigations and everything else - it hurts the American public," the speaker said on Fox News last week. ## IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY Since they gained the House majority, Republicans have launched a series of investigations into the Biden administration, with an eye towards impeaching the president or his Cabinet officials. They have now zeroed in on the president's son, Hunter Biden, and his overseas business dealings, including with Ukrainian gas company Burisma. The inquiries have not produced evidence that President Biden took official action on behalf of his son or business partners, but McCarthy has called impeachment a "natural step forward" for the investigations. An impeachment inquiry by the House would be a first step toward bringing articles of impeachment. It is not yet clear what that may look like, especially because the speaker does not appear to have the GOP votes lined up to support an impeachment inquiry. Moderate Republicans have so far balked at sending the House on a full-fledged impeachment hunt. But Donald Trump, running once again to challenge Biden, is prodding them to move ahead quickly. "I don't know how actually how a Republican could not do it," Trump said in an interview on Real America's Voice. "I think a Republican would be primaried and lose immediately, no matter what district you're in." ## UKRAINE AND DISASTER FUNDING The White House has requested more than $40 billion in emergency funding, including $13 billion in military aid for Ukraine, $8 billion in humanitarian support for the nation and $12 billion to replenish U.S. federal disaster funds at home. The request for the massive cash infusion comes as Kyiv launches a counteroffensive against the Russian invasion. But support for Ukraine is waning among Republicans, especially as Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism of the war. Nearly 70 Republicans voted for an unsuccessful effort to discontinue military aid to Ukraine in July, though strong support for the war effort remains among many members. It is also not clear whether the White House's supplemental request for U.S. disaster funding, which also includes funds to bolster enforcement and curb drug trafficking at the southern U.S. border, will be tied to the Ukraine funding or a continuing budget resolution. The disaster funding enjoys wide support in the House, but could be tripped up if packaged with other funding proposals. ## LEGISLATION ON HOLD The Senate is expected to spend most of September focused on funding the government and confirming Biden's nominees, meaning that major policy legislation will have to wait. But Schumer outlined some priorities for the remaining months of the year in the letter to his colleagues. Schumer said the Senate would work on legislation to lower the costs of drugs, address rail safety and provide disaster relief after floods in Vermont, fires in Hawaii and a hurricane in Florida. Senators will also continue to examine whether legislation is needed to address artificial intelligence. Schumer has convened what he is calling an "AI insight forum" on Sept. 13 in the Senate with tech industry leaders, including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, the CEO of X and Tesla, as well as former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. ## HEALTH CONCERNS Senate Republicans will return next week to renewed questions about the health of their leader, McConnell. McConnell, 81, faces questions about his ability to continue as the top Senate Republican after he has frozen up twice during news conferences in the last two months since falling and suffering a concussion in March. During the event in Kentucky last week, he fell silent for roughly 30 seconds as he answered a question from a reporter. Dr. Brian Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician, said Thursday that McConnell is cleared to work. But the question of whether McConnell - the longest-serving party leader in Senate history - can continue as Republican leader has sparked intense speculation about who will eventually replace him. Meanwhile, the health of California Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 90, has visibly wavered in recent months after she was hospitalized for shingles earlier this year. She suffered a fall at her San Francisco home in August and visited the hospital for testing. And in the House, Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 Republican, disclosed last week that he has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma and is undergoing treatment. Scalise, 57, said he will continue to serve and described the cancer as "very treatable."
# No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise is diagnosed with blood cancer and undergoing treatment August 29th, 2023. 10:57 PM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, said Tuesday he has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma and is undergoing treatment. Scalise, 57, said he will continue to serve in the House. He described the cancer as "very treatable" and said it was detected early. The Louisiana Republican was among several people wounded in 2017 when a rifle-wielding attacker fired on lawmakers on a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, outside Washington. Scalise was shot in the hip and endured lengthy hospitalizations, multiple surgeries and painful rehabilitation. The cancer diagnosis came, Scalise said, after he had not been feeling like himself in the past week. Blood tests showed some irregularities and after additional screening, he said he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. "I have now begun treatment, which will continue for the next several months," Scalise said in a statement. "I expect to work through this period and intend to return to Washington, continuing my work as Majority Leader and serving the people of Louisiana's First Congressional District." Scalise also thanked his medical team and said he was "incredibly grateful we were able to detect this early and that this cancer is treatable." "I will tackle this with the same strength and energy as I have tackled past challenges," Scalise said. The White House said President Joe Biden called Scalise Tuesday afternoon to express his best wishes for a swift recovery. Colleagues in the House and members of Louisiana's congressional delegation offered Scalise and his family their encouragement in response to the announcement, some recalling his determination following the 2017 shooting. "The same faith, family support, and internal strength that made Steve such an inspiration to others after he was shot will bring him through this illness and once more inspire us all," said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. "I spoke with him today and he's in good spirits, as nothing - not a gunshot and certainly not cancer - will stop him from accomplishing what he sets his mind to," said House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the diagnosis "devastating news." "Our hearts and prayers go out to the congressman and his family," Jean-Pierre said. "Clearly, he's gone through a lot over the past couple of years."
# Judge denies Mark Meadows' request to move his Georgia election subversion case to federal court By KATE BRUMBACK September 8th, 2023. 8:28 PM GMT-4 --- ATLANTA (AP) - A judge on Friday denied Mark Meadows' request to move his Georgia election subversion case to federal court, ruling that the Trump White House chief of staff must fight the charges in state court instead. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones in Atlanta wrote in a 49-page ruling that Meadows "has not met even the 'quite low' threshold" to move his case to federal court, noting that the question was whether the actions at issue were related to his role as a federal official. "The evidence adduced at the hearing establishes that the actions at the heart of the State's charges against Meadows were taken on behalf of the Trump campaign with an ultimate goal of affecting state election activities and procedures," Jones wrote. "Meadows himself testified that working for the Trump campaign would be outside the scope of a White House Chief of Staff." The ruling is a big early win for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who spent 2 1/2 years investigating and building the case against former President Donald Trump, Meadows and 17 others before obtaining the sweeping indictment under Georgia's anti-racketeering law. She has said she wants to try all the defendants together. Trump has indicated that he is considering asking for his trial to be moved to federal court, and several other defendants have already made the request. The ruling by Jones against Meadows could signal that the others may struggle to meet the burden required to win removal when their lawyers make their arguments before the judge later this month, though Jones made clear that he will assess each of those cases individually. The practical effects of moving to federal court would be a jury pool that includes a broader area than just overwhelmingly Democratic Fulton County and a trial that would not be photographed or televised, as cameras are not allowed inside federal courtrooms. But it would not open the door for Trump, if he's reelected in 2024, or another president to issue pardons because any conviction would still happen under state law. Meadows filed a notice of appeal Friday night. In a court filing earlier this week, he asked to separate his case from the other defendants in the case and to halt his proceedings in the state court until a final determination is reached on his attempt to move to federal court, "including through appeal, if an appeal is taken." A spokesperson for Willis declined to comment. Meadows, Trump and the others have pleaded not guilty to charges they participated in a sprawling scheme to illegally try to overturn Trump's 2020 presidential election loss in Georgia, even though the state's voters had selected Democrat Joe Biden. Meadows said his actions were taken as part of his role as chief of staff to the Republican president. He and his lawyers also argued that, since he was a federal official at the time, the charges against him should be heard in federal court and, ultimately, dismissed for lack of merit. Prosecutors said the actions laid out in the indictment were meant to keep Trump in office after he lost to Biden. They said the acts were explicitly political in nature and are illegal under the Hatch Act, which restricts partisan political activity by federal employees. As such, they said, the case should stay in Fulton County Superior Court. Meadows served as Trump's fourth and final chief of staff after being tapped in March 2020 to replace Mick Mulvaney. Before being elevated to the position of the president's top aide, Meadows was a congressman representing North Carolina. First elected in the post-Tea Party wave of 2012, Meadows quickly established himself as a leader of a new generation of conservative Republicans on Capitol Hill. He served as chairman of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, and his actions in the House helped spur Speaker John Boehner's sudden retirement. As Trump ascended in 2016, Meadows switched from his earlier backing of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and became a Trump supporter. Jones wrote that the evidence "overwhelmingly suggests" that most of the actions attributed to Meadows in the indictment did not fall within "his scope of executive branch duties." "Even if Meadows took on tasks that mirror the duties that he carried out when acting in his official role as White House Chief of Staff (such as attending meetings, scheduling phone calls, and managing the President's time) he has failed to demonstrate how the election-related activities that serve as the basis for the charges in the Indictment are related to any of his official acts," the judge wrote. Jones also made clear that he was making no judgment on the merits of the case against Meadows or any defense he might offer.
# Supreme Court is asked to reject limits on a drug used in the most common method of abortion By MARK SHERMAN September 8th, 2023. 6:08 PM GMT-4 --- WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court is being asked to reverse an appellate ruling that would cut off mail-order access to a drug used in the most common method of abortion in the United States. The case would be the first major abortion dispute decided by the Supreme Court since it overturned Roe v. Wade last year. That ruling has led to bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy in 15 states, with some exceptions, and once cardiac activity can be detected, which is around six weeks, in two others. In appeals filed Friday, the Biden administration and New York-based Danco Laboratories, the manufacturer of mifepristone, argued that federal judges should not second-guess the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the drug or the conditions under which it is dispensed. A federal appeals court ruling in August would revoke approval for sending the drug through the mail and would shorten, from the current 10 weeks to seven weeks, the time during which mifepristone can be used in pregnancy. The justices previously intervened in the case in April to assure the availability of mifepristone while a challenge proceeds in the federal courts. The Supreme Court is widely expected to agree to hear the case and have the final word, probably by early summer 2024 and in the middle of presidential and congressional campaigns. In urging the justices to reverse the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, lawyers for Danco wrote, "For the women and teenage girls, health care providers, and States that depend on FDA's actions to ensure safe and effective reproductive health care is available, this case matters tremendously." The Justice Department said the appeals court ignored a scientific judgment about mifepristone's safety and effectivness since its approval in 2000. "To the government's knowledge, the decisions below mark the first time any court has restricted access to an FDA-approved drug based on disagreement with FDA's expert judgment about the conditions required to assure that drug's safe use - much less done so after those conditions had been in effect for years," Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, wrote. Abortion opponents filed their challenge to mifepristone in November and initially won a sweeping ruling in April revoking the drug's approval entirely. The appeals court left intact the FDA's initial approval of mifepristone. But it would reverse changes regulators made in 2016 and 2021 that eased some conditions for administering the drug. When the high court voted in April to block any changes until a final decision, Justices Samuel Alito, the author of last year's decision overturning Roe, and Clarence Thomas said they would have allowed some restrictions to take effect while appeals played out. Women seeking to end their pregnancies in the first 10 weeks without more invasive surgical abortion can take mifepristone, along with a second drug, misoprostol. The pills are now used in more than half of all abortions in the U.S. Misoprostol also is used to treat other medical conditions. Health care providers have said they could switch to misoprostol if mifepristone is no longer available or is too hard to obtain. Misoprostol is somewhat less effective in ending pregnancies. The FDA has eased the terms of mifepristone's use over the years, including allowing it to be sent through the mail in states that allow access and reducing the dosage that is needed to end a pregnancy.
# Trump lawyers move 'insurrection' clause lawsuit aiming to bar him from the ballot to federal court By NICHOLAS RICCARDI September 8th, 2023. 6:09 PM GMT-4 --- DENVER (AP) - Attorneys for former President Donald Trump moved a lawsuit seeking to bar him from running again for the White House from state to federal court in the first step of what promises to be a tangled legal battle that seems destined for the U.S. Supreme Court. The liberal group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed the initial lawsuit on Wednesday in Colorado state court, arguing a Civil War-era clause prohibiting higher office for those who once swore an oath to the Constitution and then engaged in "insurrection" prevents Trump from running in 2024. The initial state judge in Denver assigned the case recused himself for an unspecified conflict of interest, and then Trump's attorneys on Thursday moved the case to federal court - asserting that the matter should be adjudicated at the federal level since it raises a constitutional issue. The plaintiffs in the case will argue it should first go back to state court, but both sides anticipate that ultimately the top echelons of the federal system will have to consider the issues the lawsuit raises. "Plaintiffs' challenge to Colorado's ability to place Donald Trump on the presidential ballot depends solely on the Fourteenth Amendment," Trump's lawyers wrote. "Trump's basis for removal of the state court action is federal question jurisdiction under Section 3 of Fourteenth Amendment." CREW's case is the first of what's expected to be many challenges filed in various states by the group and Free Speech for People, another liberal nonprofit. Activists in other states have filed lawsuits in which they represent themselves, but legal observers contend the more robust complaints by the nonprofits are more likely to end up at the nation's highest court, which has never ruled on the clause. Trump on Friday slammed the liberal organization, contending it's affiliated with a number of his critics and people with whom he clashed as president. He called the group "TRUMP DERANGED CREW" on his social media network Truth Social said it was "ridiculously" and "Unconstitutionally" trying to disqualify him CREW said it will ask a federal judge to return the case to state court. It has also requested a speedy ruling on the issues before Colorado's Republican primary ballot is finalized on Jan. 5.
# Gov. DeSantis and Florida surgeon general warn against new COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine September 7th, 2023. 6:49 PM GMT-4 --- JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday criticized recent efforts across the U.S. to tamp down a recent jump in COVID-19 cases through temporary restrictions or masking, and his state surgeon general warned against getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to be available this month. The criticism from DeSantis at news conference in Jacksonville, Florida, arrived the same day that his campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination sent out an email to supporters vowing to "fight back against every bogus attempt the Left makes to expand government control" when it comes to COVID-19 precautions. At the Jacksonville news conference in an Irish pub, DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo promised Florida won't be joining states, cities or school districts across the U.S. in temporarily closing schools or mandating mask-wearing because of the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases. "People are lurching toward this insanity again," DeSantis said. "As we see these things being orchestrated ... there needs to be pushback." Lapado said there were no arguments for getting the latest vaccine. "There are a lot of red flags," he said. Ladapo's previous warnings against COVID-19 vaccines merited a public letter from federal health agencies saying his claims were harmful to the public. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent the letter in March to Ladapo, a DeSantis appointee who has attracted national scrutiny over his close alignment with the governor in opposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other health policies embraced by the federal government. Ladapo last year released guidance recommending against COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children, contradicting federal public health leaders whose advice says all children should get the shots. "It is the job of public health officials around the country to protect the lives of the populations they serve, particularly the vulnerable. Fueling vaccine hesitancy undermines this effort," said the letter signed by FDA Commissioner Robert Califf and then-CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. DeSantis' news conference in Jacksonville came almost two weeks after three Black people were fatally shot by a 21-year-old white supremacist who authorities say left behind ramblings that read like "the diary of a madman." At a vigil the day after the shootings, DeSantis was booed by the crowd during his speech. This year, DeSantis signed a bill allowing people to carry guns without getting a state permit. He has antagonized civil rights leaders by deriding "wokeness." During a question-and-answer period at Thursday's news conference, an unidentified man suggested the governor's policies contributed to the shootings. The governor responded angrily, saying he shouldn't be blamed for the actions of "some madman." "I'm not going to allow you to accuse me of committing criminal activity," DeSantis said. "I'm not going to take that! I'm not going to take that!"
# Michigan Democrats are lining up to replac By JOEY CAPPELLETTI September 7th, 2023. 11:51 AM GMT-4 --- LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A battleground House race in Michigan that national Democrats are eyeing to help them flip the chamber in 2024 is growing increasingly crowded after Carl Marlinga announced Thursday he will again challenge Republican U.S. Rep. John James for the seat. Marlinga's 2024 campaign in Michigan's 10th Congressional District, which was announced in a news release provided to The Associated Press, comes after the Democrat lost last year by half a percentage point to James, who had a significant fundraising advantage. In seeking the rematch with James in the suburban district north of Detroit, Marlinga is hoping to extend his party's recent winning streak in Michigan. Democrats have taken control of the governor's office and both chambers of the Legislature for the first time in decades, though they fell 1,600 votes short of claiming the 10th District in 2022. National Democrats have already said they will target the GOP-held seat next year as they look to flip control of the U.S. House, where Republicans have a 10-seat majority. A former Macomb County judge and prosecutor, Marlinga beat out four other Democrats last year to win the party's nomination. He said in a statement that his campaign this year will focus on growing the economy, protecting the Great Lakes and standing up for abortion rights. He attacked James, saying the Republican is "out of step with our community." Before a rematch with James, Marlinga will first need to escape a primary that's expected to grow increasingly crowded. Diane Young, a financial planner from Macomb County, has already secured a number of endorsements, including one from prominent state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the campaign arm of House Democrats, has said the district is one of 31 GOP-held seats they will "aggressively target" in 2024. They are also looking to hold an open seat in Michigan's 7th District after Elissa Slotkin announced a run for the U.S. Senate. Republicans in Michigan have struggled to win both state and congressional races in recent years. Last year, Democrats swept statewide races, flipped the state House and Senate and won three of four U.S. House races that were expected to be competitive. While turmoil within the state party is expected to continue, Michigan Republicans hope that a high-profile race for the state's open U.S. Senate seat will help candidates further down on the ticket next year. While Donald Trump won the state in 2016, Joe Biden won it in 2020 by nearly 3%. James has long been seen as a rising star in the Republican Party and was seen as a prime candidate to run for an open U.S. Senate seat in the state before announcing in February that he would run for the House again. The 42-year-old Republican, however, has struggled to win elections in a state that has increasingly trended Democrat. James lost U.S. Senate races in 2018 and 2020 before narrowly winning the House race while holding significant advantages in name recognition and fundraising. In a statement, Will Reinert, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, criticized Marlinga's "disgusting record" as a prosecutor that will "be on full display as voters reject him once again." Marlinga was Macomb County's elected prosecutor for 20 years until 2004, when he was charged with helping a man obtain a new rape trial in exchange for contributions to Marlinga's failed 2002 congressional campaign. A federal jury acquitted Marlinga in 2006.

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