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<p />
<p>On Wednesday night, they get one chance to make them all worth it.</p>
<p>The Cubs and Indians will play the 38th decisive World Series Game 7, and the previous 37 have included some remarkable moments.</p>
<p>Can Corey Kluber or Kyle Hendricks make like Jack Morris with wire-to-wire domination? Will Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman channel Madison Bumgarner with a 15-out save? Can the Indians give Cleveland a long-awaited party at home? Will the Cubs get a GOAT or just another goat?</p>
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<p>Nothing left to do but find out. In the meantime, here’s a little history to fill the hours until first pitch. The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 8-0 in the first conclusive Game 7 in 1909, with rookie Babe Adams getting a shutout and this third victory in that Series.</p>
<p>The next 36 included momentous homers, significant saves and a whole lot of champagne. Plus, a couple of clunkers — Dizzy Dean and Bret Saberhagen both won 11-0 romps.</p>
<p>Here’s a look at seven notable World Series Game 7s:</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>MAZ SINKS THE YANKS</p>
<p>1960: Pittsburgh Pirates 10, New York Yankees 9</p>
<p>Between 1947 and 1962, the Yankees won 10 championships, but Bill Mazeroski and the Pirates stole one away with a wild Game 7 at Forbes Field that included the first ever Series-ending homer. Pittsburgh led 4-0 after two innings, but Mickey Mantle and the Yanks roared back for a 5-4 lead after six. New York added two more runs before the Bucs rallied in the eighth, with Hal Smith’s homer putting Pittsburgh ahead 9-7. Mantle and Yogi Berra had RBIs in the ninth to tie it 9-9, setting the stage for Mazeroski’s celebrated blast. The undersized future Hall of Famer led off the ninth with a shot to left against Ralph Terry, putting his helmet in hand and waving his arms as he rounded the bases.</p>
<p>MORRIS’ MOMENT</p>
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<p>1991: Minnesota Twins 1, Atlanta Braves 0, 10 innings</p>
<p>Jack Morris made one of the most memorable starts in baseball history by dominating for 10 innings against the upstart Braves at the Metrodome. The 37-year-old retired the final seven batters he faced, including a double play to escape a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning — Lonnie Smith got lost while running the bases earlier in the inning, costing Atlanta a sure run. Pinch-hitter Gene Larkin won it in the 10th, singling to deep left-center to score Dan Gladden and give Minnesota its second title in five years. John Smoltz countered Morris with a solid outing, pitching 7 1/3 fine innings, but Alejandro Pena and the bullpen couldn’t outlast Minnesota’s durable righty.</p>
<p>BUMGARNER’S BIG SAVE</p>
<p>2014: San Francisco Giants 3, Kansas City Royals 2</p>
<p>Madison Bumgarner cemented himself as one of the World Series’ best-ever pitchers with a remarkable five-inning save just three days after throwing a shutout in Game 5. Michael Morse broke a 2-2 tie with an RBI single in the fourth inning, and after getting one more inning out of left-hander Jeremy Affeldt, manager Bruce Bochy gave the ball to Bumgarner in the fifth and never came back for it. Bumgarner struck out four and allowed just two hits, getting Salvador Perez to pop up in foul territory with a runner on third in the bottom of the ninth for the final out. The big lefty won the opener, too, and easily took Series MVP honors.</p>
<p>D’BACKS GET TO MO</p>
<p>2001: Arizona Diamondbacks 3, New York Yankees 2</p>
<p>Mariano Rivera, baseball’s most feared closer of all time, also suffered through one of the Series’ most crushing blown saves. Yankees manager Joe Torre asked Rivera to get the final six outs in a one-run game at Arizona, but Rivera couldn’t come through. Tony Womack’s double tied it with one out in the ninth inning, and two batters later, Luis Gonzalez blooped a single into center and jumped his way to first base before being mobbed by teammates. It was the fifth and most recent game-ending hit in a Game 7.</p>
<p>THE GAME 7 LETDOWN</p>
<p>1986: New York Mets 8, Boston Red Sox 5</p>
<p>Game 7s aren’t always the most memorable in the Series, and in 1986, the finale lacked the drama of perhaps the most famous Game 6 ever. Following Bill Buckner’s game-ending error two days earlier, New York struggled initially against left-hander Bruce Hurst in Game 7, but Keith Hernandez put the Mets on the board with a two-run single in the sixth and Gary Carter drove in another run to tie it at 3. Boston went to the bullpen for the seventh, and Series MVP Ray Knight led off with a go-ahead homer. New York later added on, with Darryl Strawberry taking his time getting around the bases after a home run, and Jesse Orosco pitched two innings for a save to clinch the Mets’ second World Series title.</p>
<p>CUBS’ LAST WORLD SERIES GAME 7</p>
<p>1945: Detroit Tigers 9, Chicago Cubs 3</p>
<p>AL MVP Hal Newhouser and the Tigers spoiled the Cubs’ most recent Game 7 in the World Series, striking out 10 in a complete game at Wrigley Field. Hank Borowy started for Chicago but was lifted after three runs and no outs, and Detroit led 6-1 after 1 1/2 innings. Doc Cramer had three hits for Detroit, and Hall of Fame slugger Hank Greenberg won his second World Series a year after returning from the U.S. Army. The Cubs hadn’t been back to the World Series since until this season, and they’re still seeking their first Game 7 World Series victory.</p>
<p>INDIANS’ LAST WORLD SERIES GAME 7</p>
<p>1997: Florida Marlins 3, Cleveland Indians 2, 11 innings</p>
<p>Many fans in Cleveland — unfortunately for them — remember the Indians’ previous World Series Game 7 well. In the 11th inning, Edgar Renteria hit a soft liner off pitcher Charles Nagy’s glove into center field for a single, scoring Craig Counsell from third base to give Florida a championship in its fifth season of existence. The Indians had a chance to wrap up the game in the ninth inning, but Counsell hit a deep sacrifice fly off Jose Mesa to score Moises Alou. Florida’s Robb Nen struck out Omar Vizquel, Manny Ramirez and David Justice in the 10th, and then Jay Powell ended the 11th by getting Jim Thome to ground into a double play before Renteria’s game-ending hit.</p>
| false | 2 |
wednesday night get one chance make worth cubs indians play 38th decisive world series game 7 previous 37 included remarkable moments corey kluber kyle hendricks make like jack morris wiretowire domination andrew miller aroldis chapman channel madison bumgarner 15out save indians give cleveland longawaited party home cubs get goat another goat advertisement nothing left find meantime heres little history fill hours first pitch pittsburgh pirates beat detroit tigers 80 first conclusive game 7 1909 rookie babe adams getting shutout third victory series next 36 included momentous homers significant saves whole lot champagne plus couple clunkers dizzy dean bret saberhagen 110 romps heres look seven notable world series game 7s ___ maz sinks yanks 1960 pittsburgh pirates 10 new york yankees 9 1947 1962 yankees 10 championships bill mazeroski pirates stole one away wild game 7 forbes field included first ever seriesending homer pittsburgh led 40 two innings mickey mantle yanks roared back 54 lead six new york added two runs bucs rallied eighth hal smiths homer putting pittsburgh ahead 97 mantle yogi berra rbis ninth tie 99 setting stage mazeroskis celebrated blast undersized future hall famer led ninth shot left ralph terry putting helmet hand waving arms rounded bases morris moment advertisement 1991 minnesota twins 1 atlanta braves 0 10 innings jack morris made one memorable starts baseball history dominating 10 innings upstart braves metrodome 37yearold retired final seven batters faced including double play escape basesloaded jam eighth inning lonnie smith got lost running bases earlier inning costing atlanta sure run pinchhitter gene larkin 10th singling deep leftcenter score dan gladden give minnesota second title five years john smoltz countered morris solid outing pitching 7 13 fine innings alejandro pena bullpen couldnt outlast minnesotas durable righty bumgarners big save 2014 san francisco giants 3 kansas city royals 2 madison bumgarner cemented one world series bestever pitchers remarkable fiveinning save three days throwing shutout game 5 michael morse broke 22 tie rbi single fourth inning getting one inning lefthander jeremy affeldt manager bruce bochy gave ball bumgarner fifth never came back bumgarner struck four allowed two hits getting salvador perez pop foul territory runner third bottom ninth final big lefty opener easily took series mvp honors dbacks get mo 2001 arizona diamondbacks 3 new york yankees 2 mariano rivera baseballs feared closer time also suffered one series crushing blown saves yankees manager joe torre asked rivera get final six outs onerun game arizona rivera couldnt come tony womacks double tied one ninth inning two batters later luis gonzalez blooped single center jumped way first base mobbed teammates fifth recent gameending hit game 7 game 7 letdown 1986 new york mets 8 boston red sox 5 game 7s arent always memorable series 1986 finale lacked drama perhaps famous game 6 ever following bill buckners gameending error two days earlier new york struggled initially lefthander bruce hurst game 7 keith hernandez put mets board tworun single sixth gary carter drove another run tie 3 boston went bullpen seventh series mvp ray knight led goahead homer new york later added darryl strawberry taking time getting around bases home run jesse orosco pitched two innings save clinch mets second world series title cubs last world series game 7 1945 detroit tigers 9 chicago cubs 3 al mvp hal newhouser tigers spoiled cubs recent game 7 world series striking 10 complete game wrigley field hank borowy started chicago lifted three runs outs detroit led 61 1 12 innings doc cramer three hits detroit hall fame slugger hank greenberg second world series year returning us army cubs hadnt back world series since season theyre still seeking first game 7 world series victory indians last world series game 7 1997 florida marlins 3 cleveland indians 2 11 innings many fans cleveland unfortunately remember indians previous world series game 7 well 11th inning edgar renteria hit soft liner pitcher charles nagys glove center field single scoring craig counsell third base give florida championship fifth season existence indians chance wrap game ninth inning counsell hit deep sacrifice fly jose mesa score moises alou floridas robb nen struck omar vizquel manny ramirez david justice 10th jay powell ended 11th getting jim thome ground double play renterias gameending hit
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<p>Smith spent a dozen years as Pence’s chief of staff while the current vice president was a congressman and later Indiana governor. He’s expanding his lobbying practice into the nation’s capital now that Donald Trump and Pence hold the White House. In a photo on his firm’s website, Smith and Pence are seen huddling in close consultation on an airplane. “It’s a new world,” the site declares.</p>
<p>The “new world” of Trump’s Washington was supposed to be one with fewer Bill Smiths. But the lobbyists, consultants and ex-government officials who make their living selling their influence aren’t dissuaded by that piece of Trump’s agenda.</p>
<p>Former campaign aides and other associates, like many before them, are setting up shop in Washington, eager to trade on their connections. This migration happens anytime a new president comes to town. Still, it demonstrates the uncomfortable reality Trump faces if he is serious about his promises to “drain the swamp” of those who use their ties to public officials to make “a fortune.”</p>
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<p>It also belies a reality of such perennial promises to clean up Washington: No one, even those knee-deep in it, considers himself or herself to be part of “the swamp.”</p>
<p>Smith said his experience with Pence will prove valuable to clients and that it makes sense for those already with relationships to help shape the new Washington. Smith works with technology, defense, energy and insurance companies, among others.</p>
<p>Does that mean he’s part of what Trump described as the swamp?</p>
<p>“It’s really up to him to determine what’s in the swamp and what’s not,” Smith said. He said he senses among government relations types “a desire to be sensitive to the desires of the new administration when it comes to how they want to interact.”</p>
<p>The Trump campaign was far smaller and newer to politics than most, meaning those who have not gone into the administration are in hot demand by companies and industry groups hoping to make inroads with the new president.</p>
<p>Scott Mason, who was Trump’s chief liaison to the House through the campaign and transition, joined the government affairs firm Holland &amp; Knight as a senior policy adviser this month.</p>
<p>“There’s that Trump campaign bond that’ll be beneficial to me, to Holland &amp; Knight and ultimately to our clients,” Mason said. He’s not worried about how his old boss will feel about his new job.</p>
<p>“There’s the red-meat rhetoric, and there’s the reality, and President Trump has an extraordinarily good grasp of both,” he said. “I think he will come to realize that the government affairs professionals add value and add perspective — an important perspective.”</p>
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<p>Indeed, neither Trump nor top advisers has condemned any of the former Trump team members’ spin through the revolving door of Washington.</p>
<p>Trump’s communications aides did not respond to requests for comment.</p>
<p>Lobbyists and trade groups were banned from contributing to the inauguration. But judging by the swarms of influencers who made appearances at official events this week, the new White House isn’t eager to wage an immediate war.</p>
<p>Trump’s first campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, and campaign adviser Barry Bennett hung out their lobby-shop’s shingle just down the road from the White House. Their budding firm Avenue Strategies says it has already has signed clients, including the incoming governor of Puerto Rico.</p>
<p>Lewandowski eagerly promotes his ties to Trump. “I had the privilege of sitting on the President’s Platform to witness the swearing in of @realDonaldTrump as POTUS. What an amazing day!” Lewandowski wrote on Twitter.</p>
<p>Trump also gave prime access to Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, who contributed more than $20 million to the presidential race in its closing weeks. The Adelsons were front and center during the swearing-in, and then they dined with the new president and lawmakers at a congressional lunch that is usually reserved for family, lawmakers and their spouses, and other dignitaries.</p>
<p>When the business of the Trump presidency begins on Monday, the Trump-tinged lobby world will be ready.</p>
<p>One-time Trump national political director Jim Murphy recently joined the firm BakerHostetler as a senior adviser for federal policy. Trump’s former campaign national field director, Stuart Jolly, signed on as president of Sonoran Policy Group and has already helped connect the firm’s clients, including the New Zealand embassy, with new administration.</p>
<p>Jolly, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, said confidence in his own character — which he described as not swamp-like at all — leaves him with no qualms about his work in the influence industry.</p>
<p>“I’m still me,” Jolly said.</p>
<p>Some inside Trump’s White House also have close ties to the government relations world that Trump derided during the campaign.</p>
<p>Communications aide Hope Hicks’s father, Paul Hicks, is a managing director in the New York office of the Glover Park Group, a strategic communications firm with a large Washington presence. White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s wife, Rebecca Spicer, has spent a decade with the influential trade group National Beer Wholesalers Association, serving as its chief communications officer.</p>
<p>Two of Trump’s most senior campaign and transition advisers, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, have their own tightly entwined histories of government service and high-paying jobs leveraging that experience.</p>
<p>Gingrich immediately followed up his two decades in the House by helping to connect paying clients to his former colleagues. He’s not taking a job in the Trump administration but says he will provide Trump strategic advice.</p>
<p>Giuliani also will work as an unpaid adviser to Trump, leading his efforts on cybersecurity for the private sector. The role appears to mirror his paid gigs, as chairman of global cybersecurity practice at Greenberg Traurig and chairman and chief executive officer of security consulting firm Giuliani Partners.</p>
<p>He’s keeping those day jobs.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Brian Slodysko in Indianapolis contributed to this report.</p>
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smith spent dozen years pences chief staff current vice president congressman later indiana governor hes expanding lobbying practice nations capital donald trump pence hold white house photo firms website smith pence seen huddling close consultation airplane new world site declares new world trumps washington supposed one fewer bill smiths lobbyists consultants exgovernment officials make living selling influence arent dissuaded piece trumps agenda former campaign aides associates like many setting shop washington eager trade connections migration happens anytime new president comes town still demonstrates uncomfortable reality trump faces serious promises drain swamp use ties public officials make fortune advertisement also belies reality perennial promises clean washington one even kneedeep considers part swamp smith said experience pence prove valuable clients makes sense already relationships help shape new washington smith works technology defense energy insurance companies among others mean hes part trump described swamp really determine whats swamp whats smith said said senses among government relations types desire sensitive desires new administration comes want interact trump campaign far smaller newer politics meaning gone administration hot demand companies industry groups hoping make inroads new president scott mason trumps chief liaison house campaign transition joined government affairs firm holland amp knight senior policy adviser month theres trump campaign bond thatll beneficial holland amp knight ultimately clients mason said hes worried old boss feel new job theres redmeat rhetoric theres reality president trump extraordinarily good grasp said think come realize government affairs professionals add value add perspective important perspective advertisement indeed neither trump top advisers condemned former trump team members spin revolving door washington trumps communications aides respond requests comment lobbyists trade groups banned contributing inauguration judging swarms influencers made appearances official events week new white house isnt eager wage immediate war trumps first campaign manager corey lewandowski campaign adviser barry bennett hung lobbyshops shingle road white house budding firm avenue strategies says already signed clients including incoming governor puerto rico lewandowski eagerly promotes ties trump privilege sitting presidents platform witness swearing realdonaldtrump potus amazing day lewandowski wrote twitter trump also gave prime access sheldon miriam adelson contributed 20 million presidential race closing weeks adelsons front center swearingin dined new president lawmakers congressional lunch usually reserved family lawmakers spouses dignitaries business trump presidency begins monday trumptinged lobby world ready onetime trump national political director jim murphy recently joined firm bakerhostetler senior adviser federal policy trumps former campaign national field director stuart jolly signed president sonoran policy group already helped connect firms clients including new zealand embassy new administration jolly retired army lieutenant colonel said confidence character described swamplike leaves qualms work influence industry im still jolly said inside trumps white house also close ties government relations world trump derided campaign communications aide hope hickss father paul hicks managing director new york office glover park group strategic communications firm large washington presence white house press secretary sean spicers wife rebecca spicer spent decade influential trade group national beer wholesalers association serving chief communications officer two trumps senior campaign transition advisers former house speaker newt gingrich former new york mayor rudy giuliani tightly entwined histories government service highpaying jobs leveraging experience gingrich immediately followed two decades house helping connect paying clients former colleagues hes taking job trump administration says provide trump strategic advice giuliani also work unpaid adviser trump leading efforts cybersecurity private sector role appears mirror paid gigs chairman global cybersecurity practice greenberg traurig chairman chief executive officer security consulting firm giuliani partners hes keeping day jobs ___ associated press writer brian slodysko indianapolis contributed report
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<p>ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - President Donald Trump's plan to open America's oceans to petroleum drilling drew condemnation from West Coast and Florida governors but was welcomed in the state where most lease sales could be held.</p>
<p>Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, an independent facing re-election this year, embraced Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's proposed 19 lease sales in the state, including six in the potentially oil rich but environmentally sensitive Arctic Ocean waters.</p>
<p>"The Department of Interior's draft five-year offshore leasing plan is an important step toward allowing Alaskans to responsibly develop our natural resources as we see fit," he said Thursday.</p>
<p>But the big question is whether oil companies will commit the substantial resources it would take to invest in a frontier area where the cost of drilling is extremely high compared to other regions - and simultaneously face the wrath of environmental groups fiercely opposed to Arctic offshore drilling.</p>
<p>Royal Dutch Shell spent $2.1 billion on Chukchi Sea leases in 2008, invested another $5 billion overall in U.S. Arctic waters, and pulled out after drilling a dry hole in 2015. Oil companies closely watched Shell's experience, said Mark Barteau, director of the University of Michigan Energy Institute.</p>
<p>"There's lower hanging fruit elsewhere," Barteau said. "It's all about going after the easy stuff first."</p>
<p>Shell has no current plans to pursue future offshore Alaska exploration, said Shell spokesman Curtis Smith in an email. It was too early to know how Trump's draft five-year plan would play into future portfolio decisions.</p>
<p>"Given the desire to keep pace with natural field decline and the inherent uncertainty associated with exploration, more options are always preferable when it comes to potential lease acreage - both on and offshore," he said.</p>
<p>The Beaufort Sea, off Alaska's north coast, holds an estimated 8.9 billion barrels of oil, and the Chukchi, off Alaska's northwest coast, holds an estimated 15.4 billion barrels.</p>
<p>Arctic waters also provide habitat for threatened polar bears, walruses and bowhead whales and are the home of Inupiat villages. Hanging over any Arctic water sales is the question of whether spills - which drilling critics say are inevitable - can be cleaned up in ice-choked or ice-covered water along coastline with negligible infrastructure compared to the Gulf of Mexico and other drilling regions. Alaska's bitter cold, fierce storms and darkness in winter add to the challenge.</p>
<p>"With an oil spill impossible to contain or clean up in these remote waters, today's decision needlessly places in harm's way the wildlife, cultures and communities that have long called this region home," said Brad Ack, the World Wildlife Fund's senior vice president for oceans.</p>
<p>Environmental groups delayed Shell's exploratory drilling with successful lawsuits challenging the federal government's inadequate environmental review of Arctic waters preceding the 2008 sale. Two years later, after the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, federal regulators negotiated strict Arctic operating rules to prevent a similar disaster off Alaska.</p>
<p>The requirements include a shortened drilling season, second drilling rigs stationed nearby that could drill relief wells after blowouts and an armada of support vessels ready to cap blowouts or clean up spills.</p>
<p>The aftermath of Shell drilling in 2012 gave critics another Alaska drilling problem to highlight. A Shell drilling barge, the Kulluk, broke loose from its towing vessel and ran aground near Kodiak Island. And the company Shell hired to drill at a second site paid $12.2 million after pleading guilty to eight maritime pollution and safety counts.</p>
<p>Shell finally completed an exploratory well in 2015 but it was dry. Citing the disappointing results, and challenging and unpredictable federal regulatory environment, the company abandoned drilling in U.S. Arctic waters.</p>
<p>The Trump administration could loosen Arctic drilling operating rules but bidders would still face environmental opposition. Protesters in 2015 boarded a Shell drilling rig as it crossed the Pacific Ocean and hung from a bridge in Portland, Oregon, to block a company vessel from leaving for Alaska. Companies drilling off northern Alaska could face similar public relations issues.</p>
<p>"I suspect that's one of the things they would consider," Barteau said.</p>
<p>With Shell's departure, former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell suspended additional planned Arctic lease sales and left them out of the Obama administration five-year drilling plan, citing a lack of interest.</p>
<p>Walker, overseeing an oil-dependent state desperate to find ways to refill the trans-Alaska pipeline that once transported 2.1 million barrels daily but averaged 527,000 in 2017, took hope from Zinke's announcement.</p>
<p>Walker said he looked forward to working with the federal government to unleash Alaska's energy potential while taking into account environmental and safety concerns.</p>
<p>ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - President Donald Trump's plan to open America's oceans to petroleum drilling drew condemnation from West Coast and Florida governors but was welcomed in the state where most lease sales could be held.</p>
<p>Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, an independent facing re-election this year, embraced Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's proposed 19 lease sales in the state, including six in the potentially oil rich but environmentally sensitive Arctic Ocean waters.</p>
<p>"The Department of Interior's draft five-year offshore leasing plan is an important step toward allowing Alaskans to responsibly develop our natural resources as we see fit," he said Thursday.</p>
<p>But the big question is whether oil companies will commit the substantial resources it would take to invest in a frontier area where the cost of drilling is extremely high compared to other regions - and simultaneously face the wrath of environmental groups fiercely opposed to Arctic offshore drilling.</p>
<p>Royal Dutch Shell spent $2.1 billion on Chukchi Sea leases in 2008, invested another $5 billion overall in U.S. Arctic waters, and pulled out after drilling a dry hole in 2015. Oil companies closely watched Shell's experience, said Mark Barteau, director of the University of Michigan Energy Institute.</p>
<p>"There's lower hanging fruit elsewhere," Barteau said. "It's all about going after the easy stuff first."</p>
<p>Shell has no current plans to pursue future offshore Alaska exploration, said Shell spokesman Curtis Smith in an email. It was too early to know how Trump's draft five-year plan would play into future portfolio decisions.</p>
<p>"Given the desire to keep pace with natural field decline and the inherent uncertainty associated with exploration, more options are always preferable when it comes to potential lease acreage - both on and offshore," he said.</p>
<p>The Beaufort Sea, off Alaska's north coast, holds an estimated 8.9 billion barrels of oil, and the Chukchi, off Alaska's northwest coast, holds an estimated 15.4 billion barrels.</p>
<p>Arctic waters also provide habitat for threatened polar bears, walruses and bowhead whales and are the home of Inupiat villages. Hanging over any Arctic water sales is the question of whether spills - which drilling critics say are inevitable - can be cleaned up in ice-choked or ice-covered water along coastline with negligible infrastructure compared to the Gulf of Mexico and other drilling regions. Alaska's bitter cold, fierce storms and darkness in winter add to the challenge.</p>
<p>"With an oil spill impossible to contain or clean up in these remote waters, today's decision needlessly places in harm's way the wildlife, cultures and communities that have long called this region home," said Brad Ack, the World Wildlife Fund's senior vice president for oceans.</p>
<p>Environmental groups delayed Shell's exploratory drilling with successful lawsuits challenging the federal government's inadequate environmental review of Arctic waters preceding the 2008 sale. Two years later, after the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, federal regulators negotiated strict Arctic operating rules to prevent a similar disaster off Alaska.</p>
<p>The requirements include a shortened drilling season, second drilling rigs stationed nearby that could drill relief wells after blowouts and an armada of support vessels ready to cap blowouts or clean up spills.</p>
<p>The aftermath of Shell drilling in 2012 gave critics another Alaska drilling problem to highlight. A Shell drilling barge, the Kulluk, broke loose from its towing vessel and ran aground near Kodiak Island. And the company Shell hired to drill at a second site paid $12.2 million after pleading guilty to eight maritime pollution and safety counts.</p>
<p>Shell finally completed an exploratory well in 2015 but it was dry. Citing the disappointing results, and challenging and unpredictable federal regulatory environment, the company abandoned drilling in U.S. Arctic waters.</p>
<p>The Trump administration could loosen Arctic drilling operating rules but bidders would still face environmental opposition. Protesters in 2015 boarded a Shell drilling rig as it crossed the Pacific Ocean and hung from a bridge in Portland, Oregon, to block a company vessel from leaving for Alaska. Companies drilling off northern Alaska could face similar public relations issues.</p>
<p>"I suspect that's one of the things they would consider," Barteau said.</p>
<p>With Shell's departure, former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell suspended additional planned Arctic lease sales and left them out of the Obama administration five-year drilling plan, citing a lack of interest.</p>
<p>Walker, overseeing an oil-dependent state desperate to find ways to refill the trans-Alaska pipeline that once transported 2.1 million barrels daily but averaged 527,000 in 2017, took hope from Zinke's announcement.</p>
<p>Walker said he looked forward to working with the federal government to unleash Alaska's energy potential while taking into account environmental and safety concerns.</p>
| false | 2 |
anchorage alaska ap president donald trumps plan open americas oceans petroleum drilling drew condemnation west coast florida governors welcomed state lease sales could held alaska gov bill walker independent facing reelection year embraced interior secretary ryan zinkes proposed 19 lease sales state including six potentially oil rich environmentally sensitive arctic ocean waters department interiors draft fiveyear offshore leasing plan important step toward allowing alaskans responsibly develop natural resources see fit said thursday big question whether oil companies commit substantial resources would take invest frontier area cost drilling extremely high compared regions simultaneously face wrath environmental groups fiercely opposed arctic offshore drilling royal dutch shell spent 21 billion chukchi sea leases 2008 invested another 5 billion overall us arctic waters pulled drilling dry hole 2015 oil companies closely watched shells experience said mark barteau director university michigan energy institute theres lower hanging fruit elsewhere barteau said going easy stuff first shell current plans pursue future offshore alaska exploration said shell spokesman curtis smith email early know trumps draft fiveyear plan would play future portfolio decisions given desire keep pace natural field decline inherent uncertainty associated exploration options always preferable comes potential lease acreage offshore said beaufort sea alaskas north coast holds estimated 89 billion barrels oil chukchi alaskas northwest coast holds estimated 154 billion barrels arctic waters also provide habitat threatened polar bears walruses bowhead whales home inupiat villages hanging arctic water sales question whether spills drilling critics say inevitable cleaned icechoked icecovered water along coastline negligible infrastructure compared gulf mexico drilling regions alaskas bitter cold fierce storms darkness winter add challenge oil spill impossible contain clean remote waters todays decision needlessly places harms way wildlife cultures communities long called region home said brad ack world wildlife funds senior vice president oceans environmental groups delayed shells exploratory drilling successful lawsuits challenging federal governments inadequate environmental review arctic waters preceding 2008 sale two years later deepwater horizon spill gulf mexico federal regulators negotiated strict arctic operating rules prevent similar disaster alaska requirements include shortened drilling season second drilling rigs stationed nearby could drill relief wells blowouts armada support vessels ready cap blowouts clean spills aftermath shell drilling 2012 gave critics another alaska drilling problem highlight shell drilling barge kulluk broke loose towing vessel ran aground near kodiak island company shell hired drill second site paid 122 million pleading guilty eight maritime pollution safety counts shell finally completed exploratory well 2015 dry citing disappointing results challenging unpredictable federal regulatory environment company abandoned drilling us arctic waters trump administration could loosen arctic drilling operating rules bidders would still face environmental opposition protesters 2015 boarded shell drilling rig crossed pacific ocean hung bridge portland oregon block company vessel leaving alaska companies drilling northern alaska could face similar public relations issues suspect thats one things would consider barteau said shells departure former interior secretary sally jewell suspended additional planned arctic lease sales left obama administration fiveyear drilling plan citing lack interest walker overseeing oildependent state desperate find ways refill transalaska pipeline transported 21 million barrels daily averaged 527000 2017 took hope zinkes announcement walker said looked forward working federal government unleash alaskas energy potential taking account environmental safety concerns anchorage alaska ap president donald trumps plan open americas oceans petroleum drilling drew condemnation west coast florida governors welcomed state lease sales could held alaska gov bill walker independent facing reelection year embraced interior secretary ryan zinkes proposed 19 lease sales state including six potentially oil rich environmentally sensitive arctic ocean waters department interiors draft fiveyear offshore leasing plan important step toward allowing alaskans responsibly develop natural resources see fit said thursday big question whether oil companies commit substantial resources would take invest frontier area cost drilling extremely high compared regions simultaneously face wrath environmental groups fiercely opposed arctic offshore drilling royal dutch shell spent 21 billion chukchi sea leases 2008 invested another 5 billion overall us arctic waters pulled drilling dry hole 2015 oil companies closely watched shells experience said mark barteau director university michigan energy institute theres lower hanging fruit elsewhere barteau said going easy stuff first shell current plans pursue future offshore alaska exploration said shell spokesman curtis smith email early know trumps draft fiveyear plan would play future portfolio decisions given desire keep pace natural field decline inherent uncertainty associated exploration options always preferable comes potential lease acreage offshore said beaufort sea alaskas north coast holds estimated 89 billion barrels oil chukchi alaskas northwest coast holds estimated 154 billion barrels arctic waters also provide habitat threatened polar bears walruses bowhead whales home inupiat villages hanging arctic water sales question whether spills drilling critics say inevitable cleaned icechoked icecovered water along coastline negligible infrastructure compared gulf mexico drilling regions alaskas bitter cold fierce storms darkness winter add challenge oil spill impossible contain clean remote waters todays decision needlessly places harms way wildlife cultures communities long called region home said brad ack world wildlife funds senior vice president oceans environmental groups delayed shells exploratory drilling successful lawsuits challenging federal governments inadequate environmental review arctic waters preceding 2008 sale two years later deepwater horizon spill gulf mexico federal regulators negotiated strict arctic operating rules prevent similar disaster alaska requirements include shortened drilling season second drilling rigs stationed nearby could drill relief wells blowouts armada support vessels ready cap blowouts clean spills aftermath shell drilling 2012 gave critics another alaska drilling problem highlight shell drilling barge kulluk broke loose towing vessel ran aground near kodiak island company shell hired drill second site paid 122 million pleading guilty eight maritime pollution safety counts shell finally completed exploratory well 2015 dry citing disappointing results challenging unpredictable federal regulatory environment company abandoned drilling us arctic waters trump administration could loosen arctic drilling operating rules bidders would still face environmental opposition protesters 2015 boarded shell drilling rig crossed pacific ocean hung bridge portland oregon block company vessel leaving alaska companies drilling northern alaska could face similar public relations issues suspect thats one things would consider barteau said shells departure former interior secretary sally jewell suspended additional planned arctic lease sales left obama administration fiveyear drilling plan citing lack interest walker overseeing oildependent state desperate find ways refill transalaska pipeline transported 21 million barrels daily averaged 527000 2017 took hope zinkes announcement walker said looked forward working federal government unleash alaskas energy potential taking account environmental safety concerns
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<p>Jan 23 (Reuters) - Ybroad Co Ltd :</p>
<p>* Says it will sell land and building located in Incheon Metropolitan City worth 10.9 billion won</p>
<p>Source text in Korean: <a href="https://goo.gl/6quGPq" type="external">goo.gl/6quGPq</a></p>
<p>Further company coverage: (Beijing Headline News)</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - The Federal Reserve may change decades-old rules that require banks to lend to low-income borrowers as part of a broader effort to revise a range of banking regulations, the U.S. central bank’s head of regulation and supervision said on Monday.</p> Randal Quarles, Federal Reserve board member and Vice Chair for Supervision, takes part in a swearing-in ceremony for Chairman Jerome Powell at the Federal Reserve in Washington, U.S., Febuary 5, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein
<p>Changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) may be necessary due to the rise of online lenders, known as “fintech” firms, as well as industry consolidation, that has reshaped the community lending landscape, Randal Quarles, the Fed vice chair for supervision, said in remarks prepared for delivery to a conference in Atlanta.</p>
<p>“We continue to study these shifts and share the common goal of improving the current supervisory and regulatory framework for CRA to further the statute’s core objective of promoting access to credit and financial inclusion,” he added.</p>
<p>Enacted in 1977, the CRA aims to promote financial inclusion by encouraging banks to extend mortgages and other types of credit to low-income communities where they take deposits.</p>
<p>The law was originally conceived to stamp-out “redlining,” a practice in which banks refuse to lend in certain poor neighborhoods, effectively discriminating against minority residents.</p>
<p>Banks say the rules are bureaucratic and outdated. They have been pushing for regulators to review the CRA amid a broader pledge by President Donald Trump’s administration to slash red tape across the financial sector.</p>
<p>The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the other top U.S. banking regulator, has said it plans to issue a consultation on revising the CRA in coming weeks.</p>
<p>Reporting by Michelle Price; Editing by Leslie Adler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>ULSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor’s ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=005380.KS" type="external">005380.KS</a>) union chief warned its workers may face a similar crisis to the one hitting General Motors’ ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GM.N" type="external">GM.N</a>) South Korean unit as sales in key markets slide, adding that electric cars were ‘evil’ and will destroy jobs.</p> Ha Bu-young, Hyundai Motor's South Korean union chief speaks during an interview with Reuters in Ulsan, South Korea, March 23, 2018. Picture taken March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Hyunjoo Jin
<p>South Korea’s auto industry, known for its robust unions whose workers tend to be paid more and have better benefits than their compatriots in other sectors, has come to a crossroads.</p>
<p>Blaming high labor costs and falling sales, General Motors ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GM.N" type="external">GM.N</a>) plans to close one of its plants in the country by May and is weighing options for its three other factories.</p>
<p>“We’re feeling job anxiety. We’re feeling a sense of crisis,” Ha Bu-young, the head of the Hyundai Motor union, South Korea’s biggest and most powerful union, told Reuters in an interview late last week.</p>
<p>He said that at three of Hyundai’s five plants in Ulsan, the world’s biggest car factory complex, some workers had been asked to take longer holidays as sales of sedans and older model SUVs like the Santa Fe slow in the United States and other markets.</p>
<p>Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=000270.KS" type="external">000270.KS</a>) were also hit by diplomatic tensions between Seoul and Beijing last year, leading to a slump in sales in the world’s biggest auto market. The two automakers have flagged only modest global sales growth in 2018. &#160;</p>
<p>Longer term, Ha worries about the advent of electric cars, which when they go mainstream could wreak havoc on traditional auto jobs as they don’t require engines and transmissions.</p>
<p>Hyundai’s union has predicted a drastic shift into electric cars could lead to a loss of 70 percent of Hyundai jobs in a worst case scenario.</p>
<p>“Electric cars are disasters. They are evil. We are very nervous,” he said.</p>
<p>Ha said the union is studying how cars of the future might be built without slashing headcount and has proposed the automaker revive a committee to review the impact of new vehicles and new technology on jobs.</p>
<p>He also noted that some 30,000 workers out of 50,000 union members will retire in 15 years, which could cushion the impact that cars of the future could have on staffing levels.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=005380.KS" type="external">Hyundai Motor Co</a> 152500.0 005380.KS Korea Stock Exchange +3,000.00 (+2.01%) 005380.KS GM.N 000270.KS FREE TRIPS TO EUROPE
<p>At GM’s South Korean unit, the threat of potential plant closures has led its union to offer to freeze wages and skip bonuses while about 15 percent of its employees have applied for a voluntary redundancy package.</p>
<p>While there is a sense of crisis at Hyundai’s union, the situation is not that dire.</p>
<p>Hyundai’s management has proposed the scaling back of some benefits such as free week-long trips to Europe for 500 workers annually as well as support for some employees’ sporting events - a proposal that the union plans to oppose, a union official said.</p>
<p>But the union will for the first time seek pay raises for temporary workers this year that are higher than those of full-time auto workers, responding to criticism that regular auto works are generously paid.</p>
<p>It will ask for a 7.4 percent wage increase for temporary workers versus a 5.3 percent wage raise for regular workers, Ha said, in line with a policy advocated by the umbrella union for South Korea’s metal workers.</p>
<p>Last year Hyundai’s union initially demanded annual wage increases of 7 percent for its full-time workers and won a raise of less than 5 percent after tense negotiations that involved strikes.</p>
<p>The shift towards improving pay for non-full time workers could invite opposition within the union, said Ha, adding that he was trying to right old wrongs.</p>
<p>Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Edwina Gibbs</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - U.S. gunmaker Remington Outdoor Co has obtained commitments for nearly $300 million from its existing lenders, including some of the biggest U.S. banks, after new sources of funding dried up in the months leading up to its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.</p>
<p>During that time, the company’s investment bank, Lazard Ltd ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=LAZ.N" type="external">LAZ.N</a>), approached more than 30 possible lenders, according to court documents.</p>
<p>“The vast majority of lenders contacted, however, indicated they were reluctant to provide financing to firearms manufacturers,” said Lazard banker Ari Lefkovits in the papers.</p>
<p>Most of the banks providing the bankruptcy funding were lenders to Remington before its current financial problems, according to court records. Without the funds, Remington may have been forced to go out of business and the banks could have seen their investment crash in value.</p>
<p>The company and its investors have been under heightened scrutiny after 17 were killed in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida in February.</p>
<p>Remington filed for bankruptcy one day after hundreds of thousands of Americans took to the streets to demand tighter gun control measures.</p>
<p>Banks often sell troubled loans to hedge funds when a borrower is heading into bankruptcy, but one source told Reuters that even as the Remington loans were heavily discounted, buyers were scarce.</p>
<p>The company’s bankruptcy lenders include Bank of America Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BAC.N" type="external">BAC.N</a>), Wells Fargo &amp; Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WFC.N" type="external">WFC.N</a>), JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=JPM.N" type="external">JPM.N</a>) and Deutsche Bank AG ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DBKGn.DE" type="external">DBKGn.DE</a>), according to court documents.</p>
<p>Remington disclosed the loan details in its Sunday bankruptcy filing, which the company said will allow it to cancel $775 million of debt and bring it out of Chapter 11 as soon as May.</p>
<p>Smaller banks Regions Financial Corporation ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=RF.N" type="external">RF.N</a>), BB&amp;T Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=BBT.N" type="external">BBT.N</a>), Synovus Financial Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SNV.N" type="external">SNV.N</a>) and Fifth Third Bancorp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FITB.O" type="external">FITB.O</a>) have also committed to help fund Remington’s bankruptcy loans, court documents show. An affiliate of investment manager Franklin Templeton Investments, another lender, is also providing funds.</p>
<p>Bank of America, Regions, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan and Synovus declined to comment.</p>
<p>BB&amp;T declined to comment on its lending relationships. The bank said part of its consideration is to listen to its clients and stakeholders, who have a wide range of opinions.</p> FILE PHOTO: A man walks with his Remington 870 Express 12 gauge shotgun during a pro-gun and Second Amendment protest outside the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., January 19, 2013. REUTERS/Joshua Lott/File Photo
<p>“We’re deeply concerned with the increasing amount of gun violence in our schools and communities,” the bank said.</p>
<p>The others, along with Remington, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>
<p>The company ran into trouble after borrowing to ramp up production in 2016 in anticipation of greater industry demand, according to court filings.</p>
<p>The expectation of higher sales was in part driven by fears of a Hillary Clinton presidency and tighter gun controls. With the election of Donald Trump, who has said he strongly supports gun ownership, the firearms industry was stuck with a glut of weapons and higher levels of debt.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=LAZ.N" type="external">Lazard Ltd</a> 52.54 LAZ.N New York Stock Exchange +1.77 (+3.49%) LAZ.N BAC.N WFC.N JPM.N DBKGn.DE
<p>Remington, which said in January it was nearly out of cash, plans to tap the loans from the banks to help pay corporate expenses, including payroll, during its bankruptcy filing.</p>
<p>Remington’s bondholders are also providing some of the bankruptcy loan and will receive a stake in the company when it exits bankruptcy.</p>
<p>Their identities were redacted in court documents.</p>
<p>The company also asked the court to seal the letters detailing the fees the lenders will earn from the loans, saying that the sums are commercially sensitive, according to filings in the bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware.</p>
<p>The court records also showed that Remington’s business faces new hurdles in the wake of the Florida shooting.</p>
<p>The company cited a risk to its business from restrictions placed on gun sales by retailers such Walmart Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WMT.N" type="external">WMT.N</a>), Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=DKS.N" type="external">DKS.N</a>) and Kroger Co ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=KR.N" type="external">KR.N</a>).</p>
<p>Walmart accounted for 11 percent of Remington sales in 2017, according to court documents.</p>
<p>Remington also said sales could be hurt by more government regulation, including enhanced background checks and a broader definition of “dealer” under current gun laws. Remington said if the 1994 federal assault weapons ban were re-enacted it would have an adverse effect on the business.</p>
<p>Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Jessica DiNapoli in New York</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Crude oil futures slipped on Monday as investors cashed in some profits from last week’s rally but concerns about Saudi-Iran tensions kept losses in check.</p> FILE PHOTO: An oil pump is seen operating in the Permian Basin near Midland, Texas, U.S., May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
<p>Brent crude futures LCOc1 slipped 33 cents, or 0.5 percent, to settle at $70.12 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 also lost half a percent, or 33 cents, to end at $65.55.</p>
<p>Last week, Brent gained 6.4 percent and WTI rose 5.7 percent, the strongest weekly gains since July.</p>
<p>“I don’t see anything extraordinarily bearish in the market today. I think some folks here are just ... happy to take profits,” said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York.</p>
<p>Although crude and product futures slipped on Monday, most share prices for energy companies, especially refiners, were up, Yawger said. The S&amp;P Energy Index .SPNY was up more than 1 percent.</p>
<p>Global stocks came off six-week lows on reports that the United States and China would begin trade talks, easing fears of a trade war. Analysts had been concerned that a trade war could hurt oil demand.</p>
<p>U.S. President Donald Trump last week signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to $60 billion of imports from China.</p>
<p>“The (oil) market is pulling back after pushing strongly high last week. I think the $70 level in Brent, $67 for WTI ... start to trigger worries of increased U.S. production levels,” said Gene McGillian, manager of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut.</p>
<p>The number of active U.S. oil rigs rose to a three-year high of 804 last week, implying further rises in future production. C-OUT-T-EIA</p>
<p>“With U.S. crude production likely to be close to 10.5 million barrels per day by now and NGL (natural gas liquids) output also increasing strongly, there is a clear chance that year-on-year supply growth in the U.S. could at least temporarily hit 2 million bpd over the summer months,” JBC analysts wrote.</p>
<p>The market found support from rising Middle East tensions.</p>
<p>Saudi air defenses shot down ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia on Sunday, some of which targeted Saudi capital Riyadh.</p>
<p>In Asia, Shanghai crude oil futures made a strong debut in terms of volume as investors and commodity merchants bought into the world’s newest financial oil trading instrument.</p>
<p>Hedge funds and other money managers raised their net long U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to March 20 after two weeks of cutting bullish bets, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar in London and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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jan 23 reuters ybroad co ltd says sell land building located incheon metropolitan city worth 109 billion source text korean googl6qugpq company coverage beijing headline news standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters federal reserve may change decadesold rules require banks lend lowincome borrowers part broader effort revise range banking regulations us central banks head regulation supervision said monday randal quarles federal reserve board member vice chair supervision takes part swearingin ceremony chairman jerome powell federal reserve washington us febuary 5 2018 reutersaaron p bernstein changes community reinvestment act cra may necessary due rise online lenders known fintech firms well industry consolidation reshaped community lending landscape randal quarles fed vice chair supervision said remarks prepared delivery conference atlanta continue study shifts share common goal improving current supervisory regulatory framework cra statutes core objective promoting access credit financial inclusion added enacted 1977 cra aims promote financial inclusion encouraging banks extend mortgages types credit lowincome communities take deposits law originally conceived stampout redlining practice banks refuse lend certain poor neighborhoods effectively discriminating minority residents banks say rules bureaucratic outdated pushing regulators review cra amid broader pledge president donald trumps administration slash red tape across financial sector office comptroller currency top us banking regulator said plans issue consultation revising cra coming weeks reporting michelle price editing leslie adler standards thomson reuters trust principles ulsan south korea reuters hyundai motors 005380ks union chief warned workers may face similar crisis one hitting general motors gmn south korean unit sales key markets slide adding electric cars evil destroy jobs ha buyoung hyundai motors south korean union chief speaks interview reuters ulsan south korea march 23 2018 picture taken march 23 2018 reutershyunjoo jin south koreas auto industry known robust unions whose workers tend paid better benefits compatriots sectors come crossroads blaming high labor costs falling sales general motors gmn plans close one plants country may weighing options three factories feeling job anxiety feeling sense crisis ha buyoung head hyundai motor union south koreas biggest powerful union told reuters interview late last week said three hyundais five plants ulsan worlds biggest car factory complex workers asked take longer holidays sales sedans older model suvs like santa fe slow united states markets hyundai motor affiliate kia motors 000270ks also hit diplomatic tensions seoul beijing last year leading slump sales worlds biggest auto market two automakers flagged modest global sales growth 2018 160 longer term ha worries advent electric cars go mainstream could wreak havoc traditional auto jobs dont require engines transmissions hyundais union predicted drastic shift electric cars could lead loss 70 percent hyundai jobs worst case scenario electric cars disasters evil nervous said ha said union studying cars future might built without slashing headcount proposed automaker revive committee review impact new vehicles new technology jobs also noted 30000 workers 50000 union members retire 15 years could cushion impact cars future could staffing levels hyundai motor co 1525000 005380ks korea stock exchange 300000 201 005380ks gmn 000270ks free trips europe gms south korean unit threat potential plant closures led union offer freeze wages skip bonuses 15 percent employees applied voluntary redundancy package sense crisis hyundais union situation dire hyundais management proposed scaling back benefits free weeklong trips europe 500 workers annually well support employees sporting events proposal union plans oppose union official said union first time seek pay raises temporary workers year higher fulltime auto workers responding criticism regular auto works generously paid ask 74 percent wage increase temporary workers versus 53 percent wage raise regular workers ha said line policy advocated umbrella union south koreas metal workers last year hyundais union initially demanded annual wage increases 7 percent fulltime workers raise less 5 percent tense negotiations involved strikes shift towards improving pay nonfull time workers could invite opposition within union said ha adding trying right old wrongs reporting hyunjoo jin editing soyoung kim edwina gibbs standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters us gunmaker remington outdoor co obtained commitments nearly 300 million existing lenders including biggest us banks new sources funding dried months leading filing chapter 11 bankruptcy time companys investment bank lazard ltd lazn approached 30 possible lenders according court documents vast majority lenders contacted however indicated reluctant provide financing firearms manufacturers said lazard banker ari lefkovits papers banks providing bankruptcy funding lenders remington current financial problems according court records without funds remington may forced go business banks could seen investment crash value company investors heightened scrutiny 17 killed school shooting parkland florida february remington filed bankruptcy one day hundreds thousands americans took streets demand tighter gun control measures banks often sell troubled loans hedge funds borrower heading bankruptcy one source told reuters even remington loans heavily discounted buyers scarce companys bankruptcy lenders include bank america corp bacn wells fargo amp co wfcn jpmorgan chase amp co jpmn deutsche bank ag dbkgnde according court documents remington disclosed loan details sunday bankruptcy filing company said allow cancel 775 million debt bring chapter 11 soon may smaller banks regions financial corporation rfn bbampt corp bbtn synovus financial corp snvn fifth third bancorp fitbo also committed help fund remingtons bankruptcy loans court documents show affiliate investment manager franklin templeton investments another lender also providing funds bank america regions deutsche bank jpmorgan synovus declined comment bbampt declined comment lending relationships bank said part consideration listen clients stakeholders wide range opinions file photo man walks remington 870 express 12 gauge shotgun progun second amendment protest outside arizona state capitol phoenix arizona us january 19 2013 reutersjoshua lottfile photo deeply concerned increasing amount gun violence schools communities bank said others along remington immediately respond request comment company ran trouble borrowing ramp production 2016 anticipation greater industry demand according court filings expectation higher sales part driven fears hillary clinton presidency tighter gun controls election donald trump said strongly supports gun ownership firearms industry stuck glut weapons higher levels debt lazard ltd 5254 lazn new york stock exchange 177 349 lazn bacn wfcn jpmn dbkgnde remington said january nearly cash plans tap loans banks help pay corporate expenses including payroll bankruptcy filing remingtons bondholders also providing bankruptcy loan receive stake company exits bankruptcy identities redacted court documents company also asked court seal letters detailing fees lenders earn loans saying sums commercially sensitive according filings bankruptcy court wilmington delaware court records also showed remingtons business faces new hurdles wake florida shooting company cited risk business restrictions placed gun sales retailers walmart inc wmtn dicks sporting goods inc dksn kroger co krn walmart accounted 11 percent remington sales 2017 according court documents remington also said sales could hurt government regulation including enhanced background checks broader definition dealer current gun laws remington said 1994 federal assault weapons ban reenacted would adverse effect business reporting tom hals wilmington delaware jessica dinapoli new york standards thomson reuters trust principles new york reuters crude oil futures slipped monday investors cashed profits last weeks rally concerns saudiiran tensions kept losses check file photo oil pump seen operating permian basin near midland texas us may 3 2017 reutersernest scheyderfile photo brent crude futures lcoc1 slipped 33 cents 05 percent settle 7012 barrel us west texas intermediate wti crude futures clc1 also lost half percent 33 cents end 6555 last week brent gained 64 percent wti rose 57 percent strongest weekly gains since july dont see anything extraordinarily bearish market today think folks happy take profits said bob yawger director energy futures mizuho new york although crude product futures slipped monday share prices energy companies especially refiners yawger said sampp energy index spny 1 percent global stocks came sixweek lows reports united states china would begin trade talks easing fears trade war analysts concerned trade war could hurt oil demand us president donald trump last week signed memorandum could impose tariffs 60 billion imports china oil market pulling back pushing strongly high last week think 70 level brent 67 wti start trigger worries increased us production levels said gene mcgillian manager market research tradition energy stamford connecticut number active us oil rigs rose threeyear high 804 last week implying rises future production coutteia us crude production likely close 105 million barrels per day ngl natural gas liquids output also increasing strongly clear chance yearonyear supply growth us could least temporarily hit 2 million bpd summer months jbc analysts wrote market found support rising middle east tensions saudi air defenses shot ballistic missiles fired yemens iranaligned houthi militia sunday targeted saudi capital riyadh asia shanghai crude oil futures made strong debut terms volume investors commodity merchants bought worlds newest financial oil trading instrument hedge funds money managers raised net long us crude futures options positions week march 20 two weeks cutting bullish bets us commodity futures trading commission cftc said friday additional reporting ahmad ghaddar london henning gloystein singapore editing marguerita choy david gregorio standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>In the wake of Trump’s victory, thousands of protesters crowded the streets of Manhattan (where Trump got fewer votes than he did on Staten Island, where the population is a third smaller) outside Trump Tower. It’s hard to know how many were there, but let’s assume it was 5,000 people. That would mean that a fraction of a percent of the city took time to ride the train in and make their voices heard, assuming no one came in from anywhere else. Protests of thousands of people in New York really aren’t that uncommon, honestly, which could have been a reasonable thing to point out if you wanted to brush the event away.</p>
<p>That’s not the angle that Trump and his supporters took. Instead, the president-elect and his backers decided to dismiss the protests in New York and other cities — cities that contain hundreds of thousands of people who mostly voted against Trump — as being the work of “paid protesters.” In a tweet, Trump decided that the “professional protesters,” in his formulation, were also “incited by the media,” which doesn’t make much sense.</p>
<p>Before we debunk the sketchy rumors about anti-Trump protesters being paid, let’s be up front about why this is a useful argument for Trump and his supporters to make.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Donald Trump will enter the White House with very few checks on his power. He has a Congress controlled by members of his own party, save for a clutch of Democrats in the Senate who can use the filibuster to stand in his way — unless the filibuster is eliminated. The executive branch has gobbled up more power for itself over the past decade and a half, and Trump will find little disincentive to maintain and expand that process. Unless Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suddenly feels stunningly magnanimous toward the outgoing administration, Trump will get to appoint a Supreme Court justice in the first few months of his presidency, re-establishing a conservative majority on the bench that will, in most cases, presumably side with Trump’s political philosophy.</p>
<p>The main obstacles to Trump are two-fold. The first is the plurality of voters who opposed his candidacy and views him skeptically. The second is a news media that reports accurately on the conflicts between what he says and reality. And that’s why Trump wants to undercut them.</p>
<p>In his interview with “60 Minutes,” Trump dismissed the former by insisting that his victory was a cakewalk, that he “won it easily, I mean I won easily. That was big, big.” The same day that interview aired, he tweeted repeatedly about how badly the New York Times was losing subscribers due to its “BAD coverage” of him. (In reality, the Times gained subscribers at a rapid clip.)</p>
<p>But let’s return to the protests. The idea that the protesters were paid has been a recurring theme among Trump backers, pointing to various nebulous reports as proof. RT.com, the outlet founded by Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, cites a press release from MoveOn as proof of a link back to George Soros (who has funded the group). Others have pointed to Craigslist ads suggesting jobs to “STOP TRUMP.” A story at the pro-Trump site ZeroHedge, lifted up by the Drudge Report, shows a video recording a line of buses in Chicago, suggesting that the buses were used to bring protesters in from Wisconsin to protest Trump.</p>
<p>Think about that. Trump won Wisconsin. Someone needed to bus people in from Milwaukee (population: 600,000) to protest in Chicago (population: 2.7 million)? There’s no evidence offered that the line of buses has anything to do with the protests, mind you. And a quick glance at Google Street View, captured in October, reveals that there’s always a line of buses in that same place.</p>
<p>There was one report from last spring suggesting that people from MoveOn were behind a protest in Chicago and that protesters had been paid $16 an hour to attend. That unsubstantiated report came from longtime Trump ally Roger Stone, who has been known to share misinformation in the past.</p>
<p>There are clearly progressive organizations that are hoping to use Trump’s election as a tool for organizing. Advocacy organizations often hire staff to help organizing activities around elections, which appears to be what those Craigslist ads are. The phone number on several that were passed around link back to Community Outreach Group, which was mostly hiring for campaign work. MoveOn is certainly hoping to leverage the current moment to its advantage, which includes trying to fundraise from Trump’s win, as its main webpage suggests right now. Yes, it supports the protests and encourages its members to participate; that’s organizing. That said, the idea that money pours into progressive groups so that they can hire folks to dispatch around the country lacks any grounding in reality.</p>
<p>But it has captured the imagination of the right, bolstered by web sites friendly to the president-elect. Trump benefited over the course of the entire campaign from the idea that the mainstream media wasn’t trustworthy and that loosely articulated conspiracy theories articulated by friendly websites and distributed by the Drudge Report reflected reality. It has been enormously helpful to him, increasing people’s uncertainty about what is and isn’t true — helpful for a politician who doesn’t always embrace accuracy.</p>
<p>There’s simply no credible evidence that the opposition to Trump is spurred by anything other than legitimate concern about what his presidency might entail. Such concern could and does admittedly stem from accurate reporting by objective media outlets.</p>
<p>Trump has a choice: He could accept that a large chunk of the country — including his own hometown — is frustrated at the prospect of his presidency, and work to build their trust and respect. Or he could wave it all away as being contrived and part of a grand conspiracy against him. Which path he chooses moving forward will define what sort of leader he hopes to be.</p>
<p>trump-protests</p>
| false | 2 |
wake trumps victory thousands protesters crowded streets manhattan trump got fewer votes staten island population third smaller outside trump tower hard know many lets assume 5000 people would mean fraction percent city took time ride train make voices heard assuming one came anywhere else protests thousands people new york really arent uncommon honestly could reasonable thing point wanted brush event away thats angle trump supporters took instead presidentelect backers decided dismiss protests new york cities cities contain hundreds thousands people mostly voted trump work paid protesters tweet trump decided professional protesters formulation also incited media doesnt make much sense debunk sketchy rumors antitrump protesters paid lets front useful argument trump supporters make advertisement donald trump enter white house checks power congress controlled members party save clutch democrats senate use filibuster stand way unless filibuster eliminated executive branch gobbled power past decade half trump find little disincentive maintain expand process unless senate majority leader mitch mcconnell suddenly feels stunningly magnanimous toward outgoing administration trump get appoint supreme court justice first months presidency reestablishing conservative majority bench cases presumably side trumps political philosophy main obstacles trump twofold first plurality voters opposed candidacy views skeptically second news media reports accurately conflicts says reality thats trump wants undercut interview 60 minutes trump dismissed former insisting victory cakewalk easily mean easily big big day interview aired tweeted repeatedly badly new york times losing subscribers due bad coverage reality times gained subscribers rapid clip lets return protests idea protesters paid recurring theme among trump backers pointing various nebulous reports proof rtcom outlet founded vladimir putins press secretary cites press release moveon proof link back george soros funded group others pointed craigslist ads suggesting jobs stop trump story protrump site zerohedge lifted drudge report shows video recording line buses chicago suggesting buses used bring protesters wisconsin protest trump think trump wisconsin someone needed bus people milwaukee population 600000 protest chicago population 27 million theres evidence offered line buses anything protests mind quick glance google street view captured october reveals theres always line buses place one report last spring suggesting people moveon behind protest chicago protesters paid 16 hour attend unsubstantiated report came longtime trump ally roger stone known share misinformation past clearly progressive organizations hoping use trumps election tool organizing advocacy organizations often hire staff help organizing activities around elections appears craigslist ads phone number several passed around link back community outreach group mostly hiring campaign work moveon certainly hoping leverage current moment advantage includes trying fundraise trumps win main webpage suggests right yes supports protests encourages members participate thats organizing said idea money pours progressive groups hire folks dispatch around country lacks grounding reality captured imagination right bolstered web sites friendly presidentelect trump benefited course entire campaign idea mainstream media wasnt trustworthy loosely articulated conspiracy theories articulated friendly websites distributed drudge report reflected reality enormously helpful increasing peoples uncertainty isnt true helpful politician doesnt always embrace accuracy theres simply credible evidence opposition trump spurred anything legitimate concern presidency might entail concern could admittedly stem accurate reporting objective media outlets trump choice could accept large chunk country including hometown frustrated prospect presidency work build trust respect could wave away contrived part grand conspiracy path chooses moving forward define sort leader hopes trumpprotests
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<p>FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2015 file photo, President Barack Obama speaks with House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., right, during a commemoration ceremony for the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which abolished slavery in the United States, in Emancipation Hall on Capitol Hill in Washington. Congressional leaders and the White House reached an agreement on a massive year-end tax and spending package last week, without shutting down the government. The deal represented something once commonplace in Washington: a compromise, with elements for all sides to like and dislike. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)</p>
<p>WASHINGTON - Five days after Paul Ryan was sworn in as House speaker, the White House promised to invite him to meet President Barack Obama for a perfunctory but traditional photo opportunity. It would be a chance for the leaders to shake hands for the cameras and exchange pledges to work together.</p>
<p>Ryan never got that invitation.</p>
<p>It turns out the White House didn't want a photo marking the advent of a new Republican speaker. And despite the new leadership, neither side was eager to signal a reset in relations. Instead, both Republican and White House officials say they picked up this fall where Obama and former House Speaker John Boehner left off.</p>
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<p>As Ryan himself put it, the House has an agenda and "it doesn't require the president."</p>
<p>The mutual lack of interest has taken hold with little drama.</p>
<p>Seeing scant reason to dig in and fight, congressional leaders and the White House reached an agreement on a massive year-end tax and spending package last week, without shutting down the government. The deal represented something once commonplace in Washington: a compromise, with elements for all sides to like and dislike.</p>
<p>But no one is talking about the dawn of a new era of cooperation.</p>
<p>"Kudos to him," Obama said of Ryan's work in "actually" passing a budget the way Congress used to. In his year-end press conference, the president said he had "some optimism" on "a narrow set of issues."</p>
<p>After years of battling an unruly opposition, Obama long ago let go of the notion that he could find a secret to working with Congress. As "charm offensives," dinners, and golf with Boehner yielded little, the White House relied on executive actions and negotiations with foreign leaders to advance its agenda. With just a year left in office, Obama has pared down his legislative expectations to two major pieces of business - final approval of the massive Pacific Rim free trade deal and a criminal justice reform bill.</p>
<p>Republicans complain of a president eager to thwart Congress' prerogatives, but his allies on Capitol Hill endorse the strategy.</p>
<p>"He's tried, and thank goodness he came to the realization that the crazy Republicans won't help him on anything," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid told The Associated Press.</p>
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<p>From the perspective of Hill lawmakers - Republicans, and some Democrats - their interests are only drifting further away from a lame-duck president.</p>
<p>Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell see few areas of potential overlap. McConnell has sent mixed signals on criminal justice reform and poured cold water on the prospect for a major Asia trade bill. His goal for 2016 is to get the annual appropriations process back on track and promoting and protecting vulnerable Senate Republicans.</p>
<p>He blames Obama.</p>
<p>"The president's a smart, capable guy but he's very, very liberal," McConnell told The AP. "So you're left - when you have a president who's this liberal - with a smaller set of things that you can agree to do."</p>
<p>Ryan says he wants to put together a "bold" GOP agenda that shows what the party stands for and offers an alternative to Democrats in a campaign year.</p>
<p>That does not include passing legislation intended to win Obama's signature.</p>
<p>"We owe the country a fresh approach, a new plan, and that's what we're going to do," Ryan said. "And so no, it doesn't require the president."</p>
<p>There was reason to believe the Ryan era might have ushered in warmer relations. White House officials consider the new speaker an earnest negotiator and have voiced respect for his interest in policy. He was recruited by his party to be a unifier between the conservative and moderate factions in the House, and has shown success wrangling his members.</p>
<p>But the White House hasn't changed its approach to Congress very much to account for the new leadership.</p>
<p>"The question should be less about the relationship between two people and the public perception around that, and more about what is possible with the current makeup of the Republican caucus," White House communication director Jennifer Psaki said.</p>
<p>Obama doesn't see a point in wooing lawmakers, especially because his public advocacy can serve to repel Republican support. That partly explains Ryan's delayed invitation for the photo opportunity, said an official familiar with the president's strategy.</p>
<p>Sometimes the best thing the president can do is get out of the way, said the official, who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and demanded anonymity.</p>
<p>The speaker also isn't focused on White House invitations, Ryan spokesman Brendan Buck said. The leaders have talked by telephone a handful of times. Ryan attended a White House reception for lawmakers. They chatted at a ceremony on Capitol Hill.</p>
<p>After Congress passed its budget deal last week, Obama called to congratulate Ryan. He also invited the speaker to dinner at the White House, Ryan's office said.</p>
<p>No date was set, however.</p>
| false | 2 |
file dec 9 2015 file photo president barack obama speaks house speaker paul ryan wis right commemoration ceremony 150th anniversary ratification 13th amendment us constitution abolished slavery united states emancipation hall capitol hill washington congressional leaders white house reached agreement massive yearend tax spending package last week without shutting government deal represented something commonplace washington compromise elements sides like dislike ap photoandrew harnik washington five days paul ryan sworn house speaker white house promised invite meet president barack obama perfunctory traditional photo opportunity would chance leaders shake hands cameras exchange pledges work together ryan never got invitation turns white house didnt want photo marking advent new republican speaker despite new leadership neither side eager signal reset relations instead republican white house officials say picked fall obama former house speaker john boehner left advertisement ryan put house agenda doesnt require president mutual lack interest taken hold little drama seeing scant reason dig fight congressional leaders white house reached agreement massive yearend tax spending package last week without shutting government deal represented something commonplace washington compromise elements sides like dislike one talking dawn new era cooperation kudos obama said ryans work actually passing budget way congress used yearend press conference president said optimism narrow set issues years battling unruly opposition obama long ago let go notion could find secret working congress charm offensives dinners golf boehner yielded little white house relied executive actions negotiations foreign leaders advance agenda year left office obama pared legislative expectations two major pieces business final approval massive pacific rim free trade deal criminal justice reform bill republicans complain president eager thwart congress prerogatives allies capitol hill endorse strategy hes tried thank goodness came realization crazy republicans wont help anything senate minority leader harry reid told associated press advertisement perspective hill lawmakers republicans democrats interests drifting away lameduck president ryan senate majority leader mitch mcconnell see areas potential overlap mcconnell sent mixed signals criminal justice reform poured cold water prospect major asia trade bill goal 2016 get annual appropriations process back track promoting protecting vulnerable senate republicans blames obama presidents smart capable guy hes liberal mcconnell told ap youre left president whos liberal smaller set things agree ryan says wants put together bold gop agenda shows party stands offers alternative democrats campaign year include passing legislation intended win obamas signature owe country fresh approach new plan thats going ryan said doesnt require president reason believe ryan era might ushered warmer relations white house officials consider new speaker earnest negotiator voiced respect interest policy recruited party unifier conservative moderate factions house shown success wrangling members white house hasnt changed approach congress much account new leadership question less relationship two people public perception around possible current makeup republican caucus white house communication director jennifer psaki said obama doesnt see point wooing lawmakers especially public advocacy serve repel republican support partly explains ryans delayed invitation photo opportunity said official familiar presidents strategy sometimes best thing president get way said official wasnt authorized speak publicly demanded anonymity speaker also isnt focused white house invitations ryan spokesman brendan buck said leaders talked telephone handful times ryan attended white house reception lawmakers chatted ceremony capitol hill congress passed budget deal last week obama called congratulate ryan also invited speaker dinner white house ryans office said date set however
| 544 |
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time in his presidency, Barack Obama will stand before a Republican-led Congress to deliver his State of the Union address and try to convince lawmakers newly empowered to block his agenda that they should instead join with him on education, cyberprotection and national security proposals.</p>
<p>With Obama firmly in the legacy-building phase, his address is expected to be as much about selling a story of U.S. economic revival as it is about outlining initiatives. The approach reflects the White House’s belief that it has been too cautious in promoting economic gains out of fear of looking tone deaf to the continued struggles of many Americans.</p>
<p>White House advisers have suggested that their restraint hindered Democrats in the November elections and helped Republicans take full control of Congress for the first time in eight years. But with hiring up and unemployment down, the president has been more assertive about the improving state of the economy in the new year and his prime-time address Tuesday will be his most high-profile platform for making that case.</p>
<p>“America’s resurgence is real, and we’re better positioned than any country on Earth to succeed in the 21st century,” Obama said Wednesday in Iowa, one of several trips he has made this month to preview the speech.</p>
<p>Tuesday is the second-to-last time Obama will take part in the pageantry of the annual presidential address to Congress and a televised audience of millions. By the time he stands before lawmakers next year, Americans will have begun voting in the primary campaigns that will determine his successor.</p>
<p>Mindful of Obama’s fading share of the spotlight, the White House has tried to build momentum for his address by rolling out, in advance, many of the proposals he will outline. Among them: making community college free for many students; ensuring paid sick leave for many workers; cutting the cost of mortgage insurance premiums for some home buyers; pressing for cybersecurity legislation in the wake of the hacking on Sony Pictures Entertainment, which the U.S. has blamed on North Korea.</p>
<p>Some proposals are retreads. Most stand a slim chance of getting congressional approval.</p>
<p>The real battle lines between Obama and the Republican-led Congress will be on matters long fought over.</p>
<p>Buoyed by their new majority, Republicans are moving forward on bills to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline, change Obama’s health care law and dismantle his executive orders on immigration. The White House has threatened vetoes.</p>
<p>Republicans say that’s a sign of a president who didn’t get the message from voters trying to relegate his party to minority status in the November election. New Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the president still has a chance to change his tone.</p>
<p>“Tuesday can be a new day,” McConnell said. “This can be the moment the president pivots to a positive posture, this can be a day when he promotes serious realistic reforms that focus on economic growth and don’t just spend more money we don’t have. We’re eager for him to do so.”</p>
<p>Obama isn’t expected to make any major foreign policy announcements. He is likely to urge lawmakers to stop the pursuit of new penalties against Iran while the U.S. and others are in the midst of nuclear negotiations with Tehran. In a news conference Friday, Obama said legislation threatening additional penalties could upend the delicate diplomacy.</p>
<p>“Congress should be aware that if this diplomatic solution fails, then the risks and likelihood that this ends up being at some point a military confrontation is heightened — and Congress will have to own that as well,” he said.</p>
<p>The president also is expected to cite his recent decision to normalize relations with Cuba, as well as defend the effectiveness of U.S. efforts to stop Russia’s provocations in Ukraine and conduct air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Julie Pace at <a href="http://twitter.com/jpaceDC" type="external" /> <a href="http://twitter.com/jpaceDC" type="external">http://twitter.com/jpaceDC</a></p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time in his presidency, Barack Obama will stand before a Republican-led Congress to deliver his State of the Union address and try to convince lawmakers newly empowered to block his agenda that they should instead join with him on education, cyberprotection and national security proposals.</p>
<p>With Obama firmly in the legacy-building phase, his address is expected to be as much about selling a story of U.S. economic revival as it is about outlining initiatives. The approach reflects the White House’s belief that it has been too cautious in promoting economic gains out of fear of looking tone deaf to the continued struggles of many Americans.</p>
<p>White House advisers have suggested that their restraint hindered Democrats in the November elections and helped Republicans take full control of Congress for the first time in eight years. But with hiring up and unemployment down, the president has been more assertive about the improving state of the economy in the new year and his prime-time address Tuesday will be his most high-profile platform for making that case.</p>
<p>“America’s resurgence is real, and we’re better positioned than any country on Earth to succeed in the 21st century,” Obama said Wednesday in Iowa, one of several trips he has made this month to preview the speech.</p>
<p>Tuesday is the second-to-last time Obama will take part in the pageantry of the annual presidential address to Congress and a televised audience of millions. By the time he stands before lawmakers next year, Americans will have begun voting in the primary campaigns that will determine his successor.</p>
<p>Mindful of Obama’s fading share of the spotlight, the White House has tried to build momentum for his address by rolling out, in advance, many of the proposals he will outline. Among them: making community college free for many students; ensuring paid sick leave for many workers; cutting the cost of mortgage insurance premiums for some home buyers; pressing for cybersecurity legislation in the wake of the hacking on Sony Pictures Entertainment, which the U.S. has blamed on North Korea.</p>
<p>Some proposals are retreads. Most stand a slim chance of getting congressional approval.</p>
<p>The real battle lines between Obama and the Republican-led Congress will be on matters long fought over.</p>
<p>Buoyed by their new majority, Republicans are moving forward on bills to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline, change Obama’s health care law and dismantle his executive orders on immigration. The White House has threatened vetoes.</p>
<p>Republicans say that’s a sign of a president who didn’t get the message from voters trying to relegate his party to minority status in the November election. New Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the president still has a chance to change his tone.</p>
<p>“Tuesday can be a new day,” McConnell said. “This can be the moment the president pivots to a positive posture, this can be a day when he promotes serious realistic reforms that focus on economic growth and don’t just spend more money we don’t have. We’re eager for him to do so.”</p>
<p>Obama isn’t expected to make any major foreign policy announcements. He is likely to urge lawmakers to stop the pursuit of new penalties against Iran while the U.S. and others are in the midst of nuclear negotiations with Tehran. In a news conference Friday, Obama said legislation threatening additional penalties could upend the delicate diplomacy.</p>
<p>“Congress should be aware that if this diplomatic solution fails, then the risks and likelihood that this ends up being at some point a military confrontation is heightened — and Congress will have to own that as well,” he said.</p>
<p>The president also is expected to cite his recent decision to normalize relations with Cuba, as well as defend the effectiveness of U.S. efforts to stop Russia’s provocations in Ukraine and conduct air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Julie Pace at <a href="http://twitter.com/jpaceDC" type="external" /> <a href="http://twitter.com/jpaceDC" type="external">http://twitter.com/jpaceDC</a></p>
| false | 2 |
washington ap first time presidency barack obama stand republicanled congress deliver state union address try convince lawmakers newly empowered block agenda instead join education cyberprotection national security proposals obama firmly legacybuilding phase address expected much selling story us economic revival outlining initiatives approach reflects white houses belief cautious promoting economic gains fear looking tone deaf continued struggles many americans white house advisers suggested restraint hindered democrats november elections helped republicans take full control congress first time eight years hiring unemployment president assertive improving state economy new year primetime address tuesday highprofile platform making case americas resurgence real better positioned country earth succeed 21st century obama said wednesday iowa one several trips made month preview speech tuesday secondtolast time obama take part pageantry annual presidential address congress televised audience millions time stands lawmakers next year americans begun voting primary campaigns determine successor mindful obamas fading share spotlight white house tried build momentum address rolling advance many proposals outline among making community college free many students ensuring paid sick leave many workers cutting cost mortgage insurance premiums home buyers pressing cybersecurity legislation wake hacking sony pictures entertainment us blamed north korea proposals retreads stand slim chance getting congressional approval real battle lines obama republicanled congress matters long fought buoyed new majority republicans moving forward bills approve keystone xl oil pipeline change obamas health care law dismantle executive orders immigration white house threatened vetoes republicans say thats sign president didnt get message voters trying relegate party minority status november election new senate majority leader mitch mcconnell rky said president still chance change tone tuesday new day mcconnell said moment president pivots positive posture day promotes serious realistic reforms focus economic growth dont spend money dont eager obama isnt expected make major foreign policy announcements likely urge lawmakers stop pursuit new penalties iran us others midst nuclear negotiations tehran news conference friday obama said legislation threatening additional penalties could upend delicate diplomacy congress aware diplomatic solution fails risks likelihood ends point military confrontation heightened congress well said president also expected cite recent decision normalize relations cuba well defend effectiveness us efforts stop russias provocations ukraine conduct air strikes islamic state fighters iraq syria ___ associated press writer laurie kellman contributed report ___ follow julie pace httptwittercomjpacedc washington ap first time presidency barack obama stand republicanled congress deliver state union address try convince lawmakers newly empowered block agenda instead join education cyberprotection national security proposals obama firmly legacybuilding phase address expected much selling story us economic revival outlining initiatives approach reflects white houses belief cautious promoting economic gains fear looking tone deaf continued struggles many americans white house advisers suggested restraint hindered democrats november elections helped republicans take full control congress first time eight years hiring unemployment president assertive improving state economy new year primetime address tuesday highprofile platform making case americas resurgence real better positioned country earth succeed 21st century obama said wednesday iowa one several trips made month preview speech tuesday secondtolast time obama take part pageantry annual presidential address congress televised audience millions time stands lawmakers next year americans begun voting primary campaigns determine successor mindful obamas fading share spotlight white house tried build momentum address rolling advance many proposals outline among making community college free many students ensuring paid sick leave many workers cutting cost mortgage insurance premiums home buyers pressing cybersecurity legislation wake hacking sony pictures entertainment us blamed north korea proposals retreads stand slim chance getting congressional approval real battle lines obama republicanled congress matters long fought buoyed new majority republicans moving forward bills approve keystone xl oil pipeline change obamas health care law dismantle executive orders immigration white house threatened vetoes republicans say thats sign president didnt get message voters trying relegate party minority status november election new senate majority leader mitch mcconnell rky said president still chance change tone tuesday new day mcconnell said moment president pivots positive posture day promotes serious realistic reforms focus economic growth dont spend money dont eager obama isnt expected make major foreign policy announcements likely urge lawmakers stop pursuit new penalties iran us others midst nuclear negotiations tehran news conference friday obama said legislation threatening additional penalties could upend delicate diplomacy congress aware diplomatic solution fails risks likelihood ends point military confrontation heightened congress well said president also expected cite recent decision normalize relations cuba well defend effectiveness us efforts stop russias provocations ukraine conduct air strikes islamic state fighters iraq syria ___ associated press writer laurie kellman contributed report ___ follow julie pace httptwittercomjpacedc
| 744 |
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) - For Congress, 2015 was a year of ideological clashes, showdown votes and harsh words. And that was just among Republicans.</p>
<p>It was the first year of Barack Obama's two presidential terms when the GOP ran both the House and Senate. That meant a blend of compromise and confrontation. Each side won some priorities and blocked the others', a hallmark of divided government.</p>
<p>Republican infighting overshadowed everything for most of the year. Even interventions from on high - a first-ever papal address to Congress by Pope Francis and a Florida man's unauthorized landing of a gyrocopter near the Capitol - barely distracted from the GOP upheaval.</p>
<p>"There were a number of procedural snafus and dysfunctional moments that made this year much more difficult," said moderate Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa.</p>
<p>Congress enacted bipartisan deals recasting federal education policy, restricting government access to bulk phone records, extending highway programs, easing approval of future trade agreements and resolving a vexing problem of how Medicare reimburses doctors.</p>
<p>Before adjourning for the year, Congress sent Obama legislation Friday boosting defense and domestic spending in 2016, lifting a 1970s-era ban on U.S. oil exports and extending dozens of expiring tax cuts.</p>
<p>"The Republican Senate majority is proving that you can still get a lot done with a president from a different party," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Saturday in his party's weekly address.</p>
<p>But Republicans failed to repeal Obama's health care law, eliminate Planned Parenthood's federal money or block the international agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program. They fell short on closing the door to Syrian refugees, forcing the president to allow construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline and blocking regulations on clean water, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<p>Obama, in in his weekly address, said the 11th-hour spending and tax bills he signed were "a pair of Christmas miracles in Washington."</p>
<p>Some of the year's turmoil flowed from the GOP's presidential campaign, in which Donald Trump and others have profited by targeting the political establishment. It was bad enough when Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, one White House candidate, took to the Senate floor to accuse his McConnell, his own party's chief, of telling him "a flat-out lie" about scheduling a controversial vote.</p>
<p>Plenty of GOP senators defended McConnell, but things got worse.</p>
<p>After years hounding by tea party conservatives, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, abruptly announced his resignation in September. It took a tumultuous month and public begging by GOP elders to persuade Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the youthful 2012 vice presidential nominee, to take the post.</p>
<p>At the eye of the Republican maelstrom was the House Freedom Caucus, numbering about 40 hard-right lawmakers. They made Boehner's life miserable because they felt he didn't challenge Obama enough.</p>
<p>In an early sign of trouble, 25 conservative Republicans cast symbolic votes last January against making Boehner speaker, a job he had held since 2011.</p>
<p>The following month, 52 of them abandoned GOP leaders and joined Democrats to oppose a bill financing the Homeland Security Department. They were angry that the measure did not curb Obama's immigration policies. In a symbolic warning, conservative Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., proposed ousting Boehner in July with a nonbinding motion accusing Boehner of "diminishing the voice of the American people."</p>
<p>Relations between the two camps never healed.</p>
<p>Conservative Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., said Boehner would be "on very thin ice" if he relied on Democratic votes to pass bills opposed by conservatives. Leadership stalwart Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., accused the rebels of "playing fantasy football with their voting cards."</p>
<p>So deep were the GOP divisions that Republican perspectives on 2015 depended on who was asked.</p>
<p>Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., an ally of GOP leaders, said the year was "the most productive Congress in five years." But conservative Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., called the year-end spending bill "an early Christmas gift for Donald Trump" that would feed anti-establishment GOP frustration.</p>
<p>For many Republicans, major accomplishments were partly measured by what did not happen.</p>
<p>A chief goal that Boehner and McConnell attained was preventing battles with Obama from escalating into a government shutdown or federal default - fights viewed as unwinnable and potentially damaging for the GOP in the 2016 elections.</p>
<p>That prompted scoffing from Democrats, who said passing basic legislation financing federal agencies and renewing the government's borrowing authority were hardly worthy of boasting.</p>
<p>"Our heroic accomplishments ought to be routine," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.</p>
<p>But neither was 2015 a picnic for Democrats.</p>
<p>It began inauspiciously on New Year's Day when their Senate leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, lost the sight in his right eye in an exercise accident. Several Democratic priorities went nowhere by year's end, including eased immigration restrictions and - despite more mass shootings - tightened gun curbs.</p>
<p>Ryan, aided by compromises Boehner struck with Democrats before leaving Congress, capped the year by steering budget and tax bills through the House. That cheered many Republicans, but conservatives said they will be watching.</p>
<p>"Paul inherited this and I think we've got to give him some grace on it," conservative Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., said of the year-end budget work. "I think after the first of the year, though, what we do from that point on, he owns it."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP Congressional Correspondent Erica Werner and Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor, Matthew Daly, Mary Clare Jalonick and Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) - For Congress, 2015 was a year of ideological clashes, showdown votes and harsh words. And that was just among Republicans.</p>
<p>It was the first year of Barack Obama's two presidential terms when the GOP ran both the House and Senate. That meant a blend of compromise and confrontation. Each side won some priorities and blocked the others', a hallmark of divided government.</p>
<p>Republican infighting overshadowed everything for most of the year. Even interventions from on high - a first-ever papal address to Congress by Pope Francis and a Florida man's unauthorized landing of a gyrocopter near the Capitol - barely distracted from the GOP upheaval.</p>
<p>"There were a number of procedural snafus and dysfunctional moments that made this year much more difficult," said moderate Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa.</p>
<p>Congress enacted bipartisan deals recasting federal education policy, restricting government access to bulk phone records, extending highway programs, easing approval of future trade agreements and resolving a vexing problem of how Medicare reimburses doctors.</p>
<p>Before adjourning for the year, Congress sent Obama legislation Friday boosting defense and domestic spending in 2016, lifting a 1970s-era ban on U.S. oil exports and extending dozens of expiring tax cuts.</p>
<p>"The Republican Senate majority is proving that you can still get a lot done with a president from a different party," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Saturday in his party's weekly address.</p>
<p>But Republicans failed to repeal Obama's health care law, eliminate Planned Parenthood's federal money or block the international agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program. They fell short on closing the door to Syrian refugees, forcing the president to allow construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline and blocking regulations on clean water, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<p>Obama, in in his weekly address, said the 11th-hour spending and tax bills he signed were "a pair of Christmas miracles in Washington."</p>
<p>Some of the year's turmoil flowed from the GOP's presidential campaign, in which Donald Trump and others have profited by targeting the political establishment. It was bad enough when Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, one White House candidate, took to the Senate floor to accuse his McConnell, his own party's chief, of telling him "a flat-out lie" about scheduling a controversial vote.</p>
<p>Plenty of GOP senators defended McConnell, but things got worse.</p>
<p>After years hounding by tea party conservatives, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, abruptly announced his resignation in September. It took a tumultuous month and public begging by GOP elders to persuade Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the youthful 2012 vice presidential nominee, to take the post.</p>
<p>At the eye of the Republican maelstrom was the House Freedom Caucus, numbering about 40 hard-right lawmakers. They made Boehner's life miserable because they felt he didn't challenge Obama enough.</p>
<p>In an early sign of trouble, 25 conservative Republicans cast symbolic votes last January against making Boehner speaker, a job he had held since 2011.</p>
<p>The following month, 52 of them abandoned GOP leaders and joined Democrats to oppose a bill financing the Homeland Security Department. They were angry that the measure did not curb Obama's immigration policies. In a symbolic warning, conservative Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., proposed ousting Boehner in July with a nonbinding motion accusing Boehner of "diminishing the voice of the American people."</p>
<p>Relations between the two camps never healed.</p>
<p>Conservative Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., said Boehner would be "on very thin ice" if he relied on Democratic votes to pass bills opposed by conservatives. Leadership stalwart Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., accused the rebels of "playing fantasy football with their voting cards."</p>
<p>So deep were the GOP divisions that Republican perspectives on 2015 depended on who was asked.</p>
<p>Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., an ally of GOP leaders, said the year was "the most productive Congress in five years." But conservative Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., called the year-end spending bill "an early Christmas gift for Donald Trump" that would feed anti-establishment GOP frustration.</p>
<p>For many Republicans, major accomplishments were partly measured by what did not happen.</p>
<p>A chief goal that Boehner and McConnell attained was preventing battles with Obama from escalating into a government shutdown or federal default - fights viewed as unwinnable and potentially damaging for the GOP in the 2016 elections.</p>
<p>That prompted scoffing from Democrats, who said passing basic legislation financing federal agencies and renewing the government's borrowing authority were hardly worthy of boasting.</p>
<p>"Our heroic accomplishments ought to be routine," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.</p>
<p>But neither was 2015 a picnic for Democrats.</p>
<p>It began inauspiciously on New Year's Day when their Senate leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, lost the sight in his right eye in an exercise accident. Several Democratic priorities went nowhere by year's end, including eased immigration restrictions and - despite more mass shootings - tightened gun curbs.</p>
<p>Ryan, aided by compromises Boehner struck with Democrats before leaving Congress, capped the year by steering budget and tax bills through the House. That cheered many Republicans, but conservatives said they will be watching.</p>
<p>"Paul inherited this and I think we've got to give him some grace on it," conservative Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., said of the year-end budget work. "I think after the first of the year, though, what we do from that point on, he owns it."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP Congressional Correspondent Erica Werner and Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor, Matthew Daly, Mary Clare Jalonick and Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.</p>
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washington ap congress 2015 year ideological clashes showdown votes harsh words among republicans first year barack obamas two presidential terms gop ran house senate meant blend compromise confrontation side priorities blocked others hallmark divided government republican infighting overshadowed everything year even interventions high firstever papal address congress pope francis florida mans unauthorized landing gyrocopter near capitol barely distracted gop upheaval number procedural snafus dysfunctional moments made year much difficult said moderate rep charlie dent rpa congress enacted bipartisan deals recasting federal education policy restricting government access bulk phone records extending highway programs easing approval future trade agreements resolving vexing problem medicare reimburses doctors adjourning year congress sent obama legislation friday boosting defense domestic spending 2016 lifting 1970sera ban us oil exports extending dozens expiring tax cuts republican senate majority proving still get lot done president different party senate majority leader mitch mcconnell rky said saturday partys weekly address republicans failed repeal obamas health care law eliminate planned parenthoods federal money block international agreement curbing irans nuclear program fell short closing door syrian refugees forcing president allow construction keystone xl oil pipeline blocking regulations clean water air pollution greenhouse gas emissions obama weekly address said 11thhour spending tax bills signed pair christmas miracles washington years turmoil flowed gops presidential campaign donald trump others profited targeting political establishment bad enough sen ted cruz rtexas one white house candidate took senate floor accuse mcconnell partys chief telling flatout lie scheduling controversial vote plenty gop senators defended mcconnell things got worse years hounding tea party conservatives house speaker john boehner rohio abruptly announced resignation september took tumultuous month public begging gop elders persuade rep paul ryan rwis youthful 2012 vice presidential nominee take post eye republican maelstrom house freedom caucus numbering 40 hardright lawmakers made boehners life miserable felt didnt challenge obama enough early sign trouble 25 conservative republicans cast symbolic votes last january making boehner speaker job held since 2011 following month 52 abandoned gop leaders joined democrats oppose bill financing homeland security department angry measure curb obamas immigration policies symbolic warning conservative rep mark meadows rnc proposed ousting boehner july nonbinding motion accusing boehner diminishing voice american people relations two camps never healed conservative rep matt salmon rariz said boehner would thin ice relied democratic votes pass bills opposed conservatives leadership stalwart rep devin nunes rcalif accused rebels playing fantasy football voting cards deep gop divisions republican perspectives 2015 depended asked rep tom cole rokla ally gop leaders said year productive congress five years conservative rep tim huelskamp rkan called yearend spending bill early christmas gift donald trump would feed antiestablishment gop frustration many republicans major accomplishments partly measured happen chief goal boehner mcconnell attained preventing battles obama escalating government shutdown federal default fights viewed unwinnable potentially damaging gop 2016 elections prompted scoffing democrats said passing basic legislation financing federal agencies renewing governments borrowing authority hardly worthy boasting heroic accomplishments ought routine said rep jerrold nadler dny neither 2015 picnic democrats began inauspiciously new years day senate leader harry reid nevada lost sight right eye exercise accident several democratic priorities went nowhere years end including eased immigration restrictions despite mass shootings tightened gun curbs ryan aided compromises boehner struck democrats leaving congress capped year steering budget tax bills house cheered many republicans conservatives said watching paul inherited think weve got give grace conservative rep gary palmer rala said yearend budget work think first year though point owns ___ ap congressional correspondent erica werner associated press writers andrew taylor matthew daly mary clare jalonick deb riechmann contributed report washington ap congress 2015 year ideological clashes showdown votes harsh words among republicans first year barack obamas two presidential terms gop ran house senate meant blend compromise confrontation side priorities blocked others hallmark divided government republican infighting overshadowed everything year even interventions high firstever papal address congress pope francis florida mans unauthorized landing gyrocopter near capitol barely distracted gop upheaval number procedural snafus dysfunctional moments made year much difficult said moderate rep charlie dent rpa congress enacted bipartisan deals recasting federal education policy restricting government access bulk phone records extending highway programs easing approval future trade agreements resolving vexing problem medicare reimburses doctors adjourning year congress sent obama legislation friday boosting defense domestic spending 2016 lifting 1970sera ban us oil exports extending dozens expiring tax cuts republican senate majority proving still get lot done president different party senate majority leader mitch mcconnell rky said saturday partys weekly address republicans failed repeal obamas health care law eliminate planned parenthoods federal money block international agreement curbing irans nuclear program fell short closing door syrian refugees forcing president allow construction keystone xl oil pipeline blocking regulations clean water air pollution greenhouse gas emissions obama weekly address said 11thhour spending tax bills signed pair christmas miracles washington years turmoil flowed gops presidential campaign donald trump others profited targeting political establishment bad enough sen ted cruz rtexas one white house candidate took senate floor accuse mcconnell partys chief telling flatout lie scheduling controversial vote plenty gop senators defended mcconnell things got worse years hounding tea party conservatives house speaker john boehner rohio abruptly announced resignation september took tumultuous month public begging gop elders persuade rep paul ryan rwis youthful 2012 vice presidential nominee take post eye republican maelstrom house freedom caucus numbering 40 hardright lawmakers made boehners life miserable felt didnt challenge obama enough early sign trouble 25 conservative republicans cast symbolic votes last january making boehner speaker job held since 2011 following month 52 abandoned gop leaders joined democrats oppose bill financing homeland security department angry measure curb obamas immigration policies symbolic warning conservative rep mark meadows rnc proposed ousting boehner july nonbinding motion accusing boehner diminishing voice american people relations two camps never healed conservative rep matt salmon rariz said boehner would thin ice relied democratic votes pass bills opposed conservatives leadership stalwart rep devin nunes rcalif accused rebels playing fantasy football voting cards deep gop divisions republican perspectives 2015 depended asked rep tom cole rokla ally gop leaders said year productive congress five years conservative rep tim huelskamp rkan called yearend spending bill early christmas gift donald trump would feed antiestablishment gop frustration many republicans major accomplishments partly measured happen chief goal boehner mcconnell attained preventing battles obama escalating government shutdown federal default fights viewed unwinnable potentially damaging gop 2016 elections prompted scoffing democrats said passing basic legislation financing federal agencies renewing governments borrowing authority hardly worthy boasting heroic accomplishments ought routine said rep jerrold nadler dny neither 2015 picnic democrats began inauspiciously new years day senate leader harry reid nevada lost sight right eye exercise accident several democratic priorities went nowhere years end including eased immigration restrictions despite mass shootings tightened gun curbs ryan aided compromises boehner struck democrats leaving congress capped year steering budget tax bills house cheered many republicans conservatives said watching paul inherited think weve got give grace conservative rep gary palmer rala said yearend budget work think first year though point owns ___ ap congressional correspondent erica werner associated press writers andrew taylor matthew daly mary clare jalonick deb riechmann contributed report
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<p><a href="" type="internal" />Friends Anh Nguyen and Tammie Nguyen have some different ideas about banana bread.</p>
<p>And cheesecake.</p>
<p>And, for that matter, the kind of food and atmosphere that will appeal to Duke City denizens.</p>
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<p>The pair last week opened the SweeTea Bakery Cafe at Montgomery Plaza, an eatery that blends their Vietnamese heritage with cuisine from around Asia and beyond. Their concept includes a host of sweet and savory baked goods, plus heartier made-to-order fare like banh mi sandwiches, vermicelli noodles, rice bowls and spring rolls. They also do coffee drinks and – of course – teas, including flavored and milk versions.</p>
<p>“We feel like this is the right time to enter the market and bring the different regions together in one store,” Anh says.</p>
<p>Anh, a pharmacist, and Tammie, a former software engineer, spent the past year honing the concept and developing their restaurant expertise. They even traveled back to Vietnam earlier this year to learn baking techniques and took care to refine recipes to suit Albuquerque’s high altitude and low-humidity climate.</p>
<p>They will stock their cases with a changing array of baked goods, and their repertoire includes cinnamon rolls, shredded pork buns, flan, custard buns, matcha-flavored tiramisu, Tokyo cheesecake – an airier version of the common dessert – and what they call “Not Your Typical Banana Nut Bread,” a treat made with fresh, rum-soaked bananas and baguette soaked in coconut milk.</p>
<p>Customers can pick out most of the treats – save for the refrigerated options – from a series of self-serve cases. The owners based the setup in part on places they’ve seen elsewhere, including the 85°C bakery chain, a worldwide operation with a heavy presence in California.</p>
<p>But they say they have veered in a slightly different direction by also adding the heartier dishes. Customers at the counter can, for example, order a grilled sausage banh mi ($6.25), a pair of grilled chicken spring rolls ($4.50) or a steamed pork bun ($4.25).</p>
<p>SweeTea took over the 1,810-square-foot space last used by House of Pho, which closed earlier this year after the owners were killed by an estranged family member. Anh and Tammie say they were somewhat uneasy with the history, but the space, which they found with broker Anthony Johnson’s help, suited them well in terms of location, size and visibility. They spent several months – and what Anh says is approaching $200,000 – to completely transform it, upgrading everything from the baseboards to the light fixtures to the bathrooms.</p>
<p>While they expect to be mostly a “grab-and-go” establishment, they have seating for about 15 people, divided between countertops and a roomy red sectional sofa they had custom-made.</p>
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<p>“We wanted a different atmosphere – something new, something fresh, something modern and welcoming,” Tammie says.</p>
<p>SweeTea is located at 4656 San Mateo NE, at Montgomery. It is open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The phone number is 582-2592.</p>
<p>Snow crab on Silver Ave.</p>
<p>There’s a new seafood stop in Downtown.</p>
<p>Crackin’ Crab is now serving buckets of king crab legs, clams, shrimp and more in a new 64-seat location in the Imperial Building. The local restaurant chain, owned by Rack and Vanh Mingkhamsavath, now has three locations across the city. A fourth is still in the works for Winrock Town Center, according to Richard Gallegos Jr. of SVN Team Southwest, who represents the chain in real estate deals.</p>
<p>Viengxay Kongphouthakhoun, left, and her sister Vanh Mingkhamsavath, right, own Crackin’ Crab, a seafood restaurant in the Imperial Building. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>The family started Crackin’ Crab last year in a spot near the Century Rio 24 movie theater, inside a space they had previously run as a sushi restaurant. They expanded to the West Side by the end of 2015.</p>
<p>They sell most seafood by the pound at market price, flavoring it with lemon pepper sauce or the house blend, described as a “garlic spicy Cajun sauce.” Owners say customers tend to prefer the house blend, with some literally drinking the remains from the bucket after finishing all the meat.</p>
<p>The most popular menu item is the “family pack,” with a pound each of snow crab and black mussels, a half-pound each of scallops and shrimp, and one sausage, one potato and a piece of corn. (Current price: $44.98.)</p>
<p>Tables inside the restaurant are covered in butcher paper and most everything on the menu – including the “No Crackin’ Needed” options like oysters, calamari and hot wings – is eaten without a fork.</p>
<p>“No one’s judging you,” said Cathy Kongphouthakhoun, who is running the Downtown location with her mom, Viengxay, sister of owner Vanh. “Just get messy.”</p>
<p>Crackin’ Crab also has a list of sides and 12 beers on tap. Owners plan to add wine, too.</p>
<p>It is located at 205 Silver SW. Its hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-8 p.m. Sunday.</p>
<p>Goodbye, cat cafe</p>
<p>Albuquerque’s first cat cafe is soon to be history.</p>
<p>Gatos y Galletas is set to close – likely today – after about seven months in business.</p>
<p>While the spot in East Downtown had some fervent fans, owner Julia Grueskin says it was not making enough money to cover expenses.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t going to in the right direction as far as that was concerned, unfortunately,” Grueskin says.</p>
<p>Payroll proved particularly costly since it was a staffing-intensive operation; given a divided setup – there was a cat side and a restaurant side – it generally required at least three workers at all times.</p>
<p>Grueskin says there remains a possibility a new owner could buy in and take over, but nothing had been settled as of last week. Grueskin, who specializes in vegetarian food, says she plans to go back to personal chef and catering gigs.</p>
<p>The cafe did change some feline lives during its brief run at 412/414 Central SE; Grueskin estimates that the cafe helped facilitate the adoption of 10 rescue cats.</p>
<p>In other news:</p>
<p>• Old Jerusalem Cafe has signed a lease for a defunct Pizza 9 at 13400 Wenonah SE, according to the property’s listing broker, Atuoma Ezeh of Allen Sigmon Real Estate Group.</p>
<p>The building sits just southeast of the Four Hills Village Shopping Center, which has welcomed a trio of big tenants – Sprouts Farmers Market, Icon Cinema and Burke’s Outlet – as part of a redevelopment effort kick-started by the Daskalos family’s 2014 purchase of what had been a largely vacant property.</p>
<p>Ezeh said he had multiple users interested in the 2,400-square-foot pizzeria space prior to signing the Middle Eastern restaurant.</p>
<p>“Not only is the Four Hills (Village) Shopping Center bringing attention, it’s also affecting the adjacent centers, as well,” he said.</p>
<p>• Hot dog purveyor Wienerschnitzel has opened a new location at 2551 Corona NW, near the Walmart at Coors and Interstate 40. The restaurant, operated by local franchisee Jason Albritton, is just the second location anywhere in the chain to feature the Heritage design, a new model that hearkens back to the company’s 1960s A-frame architecture. Wienerschnitzel now has five Albuquerque locations, but the two-year plan includes more sites in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Los Lunas, according to a spokeswoman.</p>
<p>• Nob Hill’s Schushop is celebrating its fourth anniversary by hosting a shoe drive Wednesday through Sunday to benefit The Barrett Foundation. Those who donate gently worn shoes will get a 15 percent discount on their purchase at the store, located at 109-B Carlisle SE.</p>
<p>If you have retail or restaurant news to share, contact me at [email protected] or 823-3864. For more on Albuquerque shopping and dining news, visit my blog at abqjournal.com or follow @abqdyer on Twitter.</p>
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friends anh nguyen tammie nguyen different ideas banana bread cheesecake matter kind food atmosphere appeal duke city denizens advertisement pair last week opened sweetea bakery cafe montgomery plaza eatery blends vietnamese heritage cuisine around asia beyond concept includes host sweet savory baked goods plus heartier madetoorder fare like banh mi sandwiches vermicelli noodles rice bowls spring rolls also coffee drinks course teas including flavored milk versions feel like right time enter market bring different regions together one store anh says anh pharmacist tammie former software engineer spent past year honing concept developing restaurant expertise even traveled back vietnam earlier year learn baking techniques took care refine recipes suit albuquerques high altitude lowhumidity climate stock cases changing array baked goods repertoire includes cinnamon rolls shredded pork buns flan custard buns matchaflavored tiramisu tokyo cheesecake airier version common dessert call typical banana nut bread treat made fresh rumsoaked bananas baguette soaked coconut milk customers pick treats save refrigerated options series selfserve cases owners based setup part places theyve seen elsewhere including 85Âc bakery chain worldwide operation heavy presence california say veered slightly different direction also adding heartier dishes customers counter example order grilled sausage banh mi 625 pair grilled chicken spring rolls 450 steamed pork bun 425 sweetea took 1810squarefoot space last used house pho closed earlier year owners killed estranged family member anh tammie say somewhat uneasy history space found broker anthony johnsons help suited well terms location size visibility spent several months anh says approaching 200000 completely transform upgrading everything baseboards light fixtures bathrooms expect mostly grabandgo establishment seating 15 people divided countertops roomy red sectional sofa custommade advertisement wanted different atmosphere something new something fresh something modern welcoming tammie says sweetea located 4656 san mateo ne montgomery open 7 am7 pm monday friday 9 am6 pm saturday sunday phone number 5822592 snow crab silver ave theres new seafood stop downtown crackin crab serving buckets king crab legs clams shrimp new 64seat location imperial building local restaurant chain owned rack vanh mingkhamsavath three locations across city fourth still works winrock town center according richard gallegos jr svn team southwest represents chain real estate deals viengxay kongphouthakhoun left sister vanh mingkhamsavath right crackin crab seafood restaurant imperial building marla brosealbuquerque journal family started crackin crab last year spot near century rio 24 movie theater inside space previously run sushi restaurant expanded west side end 2015 sell seafood pound market price flavoring lemon pepper sauce house blend described garlic spicy cajun sauce owners say customers tend prefer house blend literally drinking remains bucket finishing meat popular menu item family pack pound snow crab black mussels halfpound scallops shrimp one sausage one potato piece corn current price 4498 tables inside restaurant covered butcher paper everything menu including crackin needed options like oysters calamari hot wings eaten without fork ones judging said cathy kongphouthakhoun running downtown location mom viengxay sister owner vanh get messy crackin crab also list sides 12 beers tap owners plan add wine located 205 silver sw hours 11 am9 pm monday thursday 11 am10 pm friday saturday noon8 pm sunday goodbye cat cafe albuquerques first cat cafe soon history gatos galletas set close likely today seven months business spot east downtown fervent fans owner julia grueskin says making enough money cover expenses wasnt going right direction far concerned unfortunately grueskin says payroll proved particularly costly since staffingintensive operation given divided setup cat side restaurant side generally required least three workers times grueskin says remains possibility new owner could buy take nothing settled last week grueskin specializes vegetarian food says plans go back personal chef catering gigs cafe change feline lives brief run 412414 central se grueskin estimates cafe helped facilitate adoption 10 rescue cats news old jerusalem cafe signed lease defunct pizza 9 13400 wenonah se according propertys listing broker atuoma ezeh allen sigmon real estate group building sits southeast four hills village shopping center welcomed trio big tenants sprouts farmers market icon cinema burkes outlet part redevelopment effort kickstarted daskalos familys 2014 purchase largely vacant property ezeh said multiple users interested 2400squarefoot pizzeria space prior signing middle eastern restaurant four hills village shopping center bringing attention also affecting adjacent centers well said hot dog purveyor wienerschnitzel opened new location 2551 corona nw near walmart coors interstate 40 restaurant operated local franchisee jason albritton second location anywhere chain feature heritage design new model hearkens back companys 1960s aframe architecture wienerschnitzel five albuquerque locations twoyear plan includes sites albuquerque rio rancho los lunas according spokeswoman nob hills schushop celebrating fourth anniversary hosting shoe drive wednesday sunday benefit barrett foundation donate gently worn shoes get 15 percent discount purchase store located 109b carlisle se retail restaurant news share contact jdyerabqjournalcom 8233864 albuquerque shopping dining news visit blog abqjournalcom follow abqdyer twitter 160
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<p>WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is huddling with congressional Republicans, Cabinet secretaries and aides at Camp David this weekend to discuss their 2018 legislative priorities.</p>
<p>A long list of high-stakes topics are on the agenda, including the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the 2018 midterm elections.</p>
<p>"We're going to Camp David with a lot of the great Republican senators, and we're making America great again," Trump said Friday afternoon as he left the White House for the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains. He is being joined by Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, among others.</p>
<p>The session's first meeting between Trump and the top congressional Republicans was held Friday afternoon. The White House said they discussed "the shared priorities that will shape the 2018 legislative agenda and soon be outlined in the President's State of the Union Address at the end of the month."</p>
<p>Republicans are beginning the new year with newfound optimism after finally scoring a win by passing the tax bill at the end of last year.</p>
<p>They face a pile of unfinished business that was punted into this year during the push on taxes. Just two weeks remain until a Jan. 19 government funding deadline, and there is little visible progress on several contentious issues, including a budget deal to boost spending on both the Pentagon and nondefense agencies and to extend protections for immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.</p>
<p>Talks are also expected to touch on a range of other issues, including the opioid epidemic and health care. And lawmakers are expected to hash out the order in which they plan to tackle two top White House priorities: a long-delayed infrastructure drive and welfare reform.</p>
<p>Senate Republicans are already dismissing a promised push by House conservatives to curb benefit programs like welfare and food stamps, and it's unclear what agenda items would get the requisite Democratic support for success, particularly in the Senate.</p>
<p>Politics, too, is on the agenda, GOP officials say, with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., slated to lead a discussion on the political landscape for House Republicans, who are at risk of losing the majority they've held since 2011. McConnell, R-Ky., will do the same for the Senate, where GOP losses are possible, too, though many more Democratic incumbents are up for re-election.</p>
<p>The group will be joined Saturday by a number of top administration officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is huddling with congressional Republicans, Cabinet secretaries and aides at Camp David this weekend to discuss their 2018 legislative priorities.</p>
<p>A long list of high-stakes topics are on the agenda, including the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the 2018 midterm elections.</p>
<p>"We're going to Camp David with a lot of the great Republican senators, and we're making America great again," Trump said Friday afternoon as he left the White House for the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains. He is being joined by Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, among others.</p>
<p>The session's first meeting between Trump and the top congressional Republicans was held Friday afternoon. The White House said they discussed "the shared priorities that will shape the 2018 legislative agenda and soon be outlined in the President's State of the Union Address at the end of the month."</p>
<p>Republicans are beginning the new year with newfound optimism after finally scoring a win by passing the tax bill at the end of last year.</p>
<p>They face a pile of unfinished business that was punted into this year during the push on taxes. Just two weeks remain until a Jan. 19 government funding deadline, and there is little visible progress on several contentious issues, including a budget deal to boost spending on both the Pentagon and nondefense agencies and to extend protections for immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.</p>
<p>Talks are also expected to touch on a range of other issues, including the opioid epidemic and health care. And lawmakers are expected to hash out the order in which they plan to tackle two top White House priorities: a long-delayed infrastructure drive and welfare reform.</p>
<p>Senate Republicans are already dismissing a promised push by House conservatives to curb benefit programs like welfare and food stamps, and it's unclear what agenda items would get the requisite Democratic support for success, particularly in the Senate.</p>
<p>Politics, too, is on the agenda, GOP officials say, with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., slated to lead a discussion on the political landscape for House Republicans, who are at risk of losing the majority they've held since 2011. McConnell, R-Ky., will do the same for the Senate, where GOP losses are possible, too, though many more Democratic incumbents are up for re-election.</p>
<p>The group will be joined Saturday by a number of top administration officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.</p>
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washington ap president donald trump huddling congressional republicans cabinet secretaries aides camp david weekend discuss 2018 legislative priorities long list highstakes topics agenda including budget infrastructure immigration welfare reform 2018 midterm elections going camp david lot great republican senators making america great trump said friday afternoon left white house presidential retreat marylands catoctin mountains joined vice president mike pence senate majority leader mitch mcconnell house speaker paul ryan among others sessions first meeting trump top congressional republicans held friday afternoon white house said discussed shared priorities shape 2018 legislative agenda soon outlined presidents state union address end month republicans beginning new year newfound optimism finally scoring win passing tax bill end last year face pile unfinished business punted year push taxes two weeks remain jan 19 government funding deadline little visible progress several contentious issues including budget deal boost spending pentagon nondefense agencies extend protections immigrants brought country illegally children talks also expected touch range issues including opioid epidemic health care lawmakers expected hash order plan tackle two top white house priorities longdelayed infrastructure drive welfare reform senate republicans already dismissing promised push house conservatives curb benefit programs like welfare food stamps unclear agenda items would get requisite democratic support success particularly senate politics agenda gop officials say house majority leader kevin mccarthy rcalif slated lead discussion political landscape house republicans risk losing majority theyve held since 2011 mcconnell rky senate gop losses possible though many democratic incumbents reelection group joined saturday number top administration officials including secretary state rex tillerson defense secretary jim mattis department homeland security secretary kirstjen nielsen education secretary betsy devos washington ap president donald trump huddling congressional republicans cabinet secretaries aides camp david weekend discuss 2018 legislative priorities long list highstakes topics agenda including budget infrastructure immigration welfare reform 2018 midterm elections going camp david lot great republican senators making america great trump said friday afternoon left white house presidential retreat marylands catoctin mountains joined vice president mike pence senate majority leader mitch mcconnell house speaker paul ryan among others sessions first meeting trump top congressional republicans held friday afternoon white house said discussed shared priorities shape 2018 legislative agenda soon outlined presidents state union address end month republicans beginning new year newfound optimism finally scoring win passing tax bill end last year face pile unfinished business punted year push taxes two weeks remain jan 19 government funding deadline little visible progress several contentious issues including budget deal boost spending pentagon nondefense agencies extend protections immigrants brought country illegally children talks also expected touch range issues including opioid epidemic health care lawmakers expected hash order plan tackle two top white house priorities longdelayed infrastructure drive welfare reform senate republicans already dismissing promised push house conservatives curb benefit programs like welfare food stamps unclear agenda items would get requisite democratic support success particularly senate politics agenda gop officials say house majority leader kevin mccarthy rcalif slated lead discussion political landscape house republicans risk losing majority theyve held since 2011 mcconnell rky senate gop losses possible though many democratic incumbents reelection group joined saturday number top administration officials including secretary state rex tillerson defense secretary jim mattis department homeland security secretary kirstjen nielsen education secretary betsy devos
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<p>U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, second left, National Security Council point person on the Middle East Robert Malley, 3rd left, and European Union Political Director Helga Schmid. 4th left, head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation Ali Akbar Salehi 2nd right, and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif right wait for the start of a meeting at a hotel in Lausanne Switzerland on Thursday March 26, 2015 during negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool)</p>
<p>LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The United States is considering letting Tehran run hundreds of centrifuges at a once-secret, fortified underground bunker in exchange for limits on centrifuge work and research and development at other sites, officials have told The Associated Press.</p>
<p>The trade-off would allow Iran to run several hundred of the devices at its Fordo facility, although the Iranians would not be allowed to do work that could lead to an atomic bomb and the site would be subject to international inspections, according to Western officials familiar with details of negotiations now underway. In return, Iran would be required to scale back the number of centrifuges it runs at its Natanz facility and accept other restrictions on nuclear-related work.</p>
<p>Instead of uranium, which can be enriched to be the fissile core of a nuclear weapon, any centrifuges permitted at Fordo would be fed elements such as zinc, xenon or germanium for separating out isotopes used in medicine, industry or science, the officials said. The number of centrifuges would not be enough to produce the amount of uranium needed to produce a weapon within a year — the minimum time-frame that Washington and its negotiating partners demand.</p>
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<p>The officials spoke only on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the sensitive negotiations as the latest round of talks began between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif. The negotiators are racing to meet an end-of-March deadline to reach an outline of an agreement that would grant Iran relief from international sanctions in exchange for curbing its nuclear program. The deadline for a final agreement is June 30.</p>
<p>One senior U.S. official declined to comment on the specific proposal but said the goal since the beginning of the talks has been “to have Fordo converted so it’s not being used to enrich uranium.” That official would not say more.</p>
<p>The officials stressed that the potential compromise on Fordo is just one of several options on a menu of highly technical equations being discussed in the talks. All of the options are designed to keep Iran at least a year away from producing an atomic weapon for the life of the agreement, which will run for at least 10 years. U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz has joined the last several rounds as the negotiations have gotten more technical.</p>
<p>Experts say the compromise for Fordo could still be problematic. They note it would allow Iran to keep intact technology that could be quickly repurposed for uranium enrichment at a sensitive facility that the U.S. and its allies originally wanted stripped of all such machines — centrifuges that can spin uranium gas into uses ranging from reactor fuel to weapons-grade material.</p>
<p>And the issue of inspector access and verification is key. Iran has resisted “snap inspections” in the past. Even as the nuclear talks have made progress, Iran has yet to satisfy questions about its past possible nuclear-related military activity. The fact that questions about such activity, known as Possible Military Dimensions, or PMDs, remain unresolved is a serious concern for the U.N. atomic watchdog.</p>
<p>In addition, the site at Fordo is a particular concern because it is hardened and dug deeply into a mountainside making it resistant — possibly impervious — to air attack. Such an attack is an option that neither Israel nor the U.S. has ruled out in case the talks fail.</p>
<p>And while too few to be used for proliferation by themselves, even a few hundred extra centrifuges at Fordo would be a concern when looked at in the context of total numbers.</p>
<p>As negotiations stand, the number of centrifuges would grow to more than 6,000, when the other site is included. Olli Heinonen, who was in charge of the Iran nuclear file as a deputy director general of the U.N’s International Atomic Energy Agency until 2010, says even 6,000 operating centrifuges would be “a big number.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Asked of the significance of hundreds more at Fordo, he said, “Every machine counts.”</p>
<p>Iran reported the site to the IAEA six years ago in what Washington says was an attempt to pre-empt President Barack Obama and the prime ministers of Britain and France going public with its existence a few days later. Tehran later used the site to enrich uranium to a level just a technical step away from weapons-grade until late 2013, when it froze its nuclear program under a temporary arrangement that remains in effect as the sides negotiate.</p>
<p>Twice extended, the negotiations have turned into a U.S.-Iran tug-of-war over how many of the machines Iran would be allowed to operate since the talks resumed over two years ago. Tehran denies nuclear weapons ambitions, saying it wants to enrich only for energy, scientific and medical purposes.</p>
<p>Washington has taken the main negotiating role with Tehran in talks that formally remain between Iran and six world powers, and officials told the AP at last week’s round that the two sides were zeroing in on a cap of 6,000 centrifuges at Natanz, Iran’s main enrichment site.</p>
<p>That’s fewer than the nearly 10,000 Tehran now runs at Natanz, yet substantially more than the 500 to 1,500 that Washington originally wanted as a ceiling. Only a year ago, U.S. officials floated 4,000 as a possible compromise.</p>
<p>One of the officials said discussions focus on an extra 480 centrifuges at Fordo. That would potentially bring the total number of machines to close to 6,500.</p>
<p>David Albright of Washington’s Institute for Security and International Security says a few hundred centrifuges operated by the Iranians would not be a huge threat — if they were anywhere else but the sensitive Fordo site.</p>
<p>Beyond its symbolic significance, “it keeps the infrastructure in place and keeps a leg up, if they want to restart (uranium) enrichment operations,” said Albright, who is a go-to person on the Iran nuclear issue for the U.S. government.</p>
| false | 2 |
us secretary state john kerry left us secretary energy ernest moniz second left national security council point person middle east robert malley 3rd left european union political director helga schmid 4th left head iranian atomic energy organisation ali akbar salehi 2nd right iranian foreign minister mohammad javad zarif right wait start meeting hotel lausanne switzerland thursday march 26 2015 negotiations iranian nuclear programme ap photobrendan smialowski pool lausanne switzerland united states considering letting tehran run hundreds centrifuges oncesecret fortified underground bunker exchange limits centrifuge work research development sites officials told associated press tradeoff would allow iran run several hundred devices fordo facility although iranians would allowed work could lead atomic bomb site would subject international inspections according western officials familiar details negotiations underway return iran would required scale back number centrifuges runs natanz facility accept restrictions nuclearrelated work instead uranium enriched fissile core nuclear weapon centrifuges permitted fordo would fed elements zinc xenon germanium separating isotopes used medicine industry science officials said number centrifuges would enough produce amount uranium needed produce weapon within year minimum timeframe washington negotiating partners demand advertisement officials spoke condition anonymity authorized discuss details sensitive negotiations latest round talks began us secretary state john kerry iranian foreign minister mohammed javad zarif negotiators racing meet endofmarch deadline reach outline agreement would grant iran relief international sanctions exchange curbing nuclear program deadline final agreement june 30 one senior us official declined comment specific proposal said goal since beginning talks fordo converted used enrich uranium official would say officials stressed potential compromise fordo one several options menu highly technical equations discussed talks options designed keep iran least year away producing atomic weapon life agreement run least 10 years us energy secretary ernest moniz joined last several rounds negotiations gotten technical experts say compromise fordo could still problematic note would allow iran keep intact technology could quickly repurposed uranium enrichment sensitive facility us allies originally wanted stripped machines centrifuges spin uranium gas uses ranging reactor fuel weaponsgrade material issue inspector access verification key iran resisted snap inspections past even nuclear talks made progress iran yet satisfy questions past possible nuclearrelated military activity fact questions activity known possible military dimensions pmds remain unresolved serious concern un atomic watchdog addition site fordo particular concern hardened dug deeply mountainside making resistant possibly impervious air attack attack option neither israel us ruled case talks fail used proliferation even hundred extra centrifuges fordo would concern looked context total numbers negotiations stand number centrifuges would grow 6000 site included olli heinonen charge iran nuclear file deputy director general uns international atomic energy agency 2010 says even 6000 operating centrifuges would big number advertisement asked significance hundreds fordo said every machine counts iran reported site iaea six years ago washington says attempt preempt president barack obama prime ministers britain france going public existence days later tehran later used site enrich uranium level technical step away weaponsgrade late 2013 froze nuclear program temporary arrangement remains effect sides negotiate twice extended negotiations turned usiran tugofwar many machines iran would allowed operate since talks resumed two years ago tehran denies nuclear weapons ambitions saying wants enrich energy scientific medical purposes washington taken main negotiating role tehran talks formally remain iran six world powers officials told ap last weeks round two sides zeroing cap 6000 centrifuges natanz irans main enrichment site thats fewer nearly 10000 tehran runs natanz yet substantially 500 1500 washington originally wanted ceiling year ago us officials floated 4000 possible compromise one officials said discussions focus extra 480 centrifuges fordo would potentially bring total number machines close 6500 david albright washingtons institute security international security says hundred centrifuges operated iranians would huge threat anywhere else sensitive fordo site beyond symbolic significance keeps infrastructure place keeps leg want restart uranium enrichment operations said albright goto person iran nuclear issue us government
| 632 |
<p>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The protesters rallied for days in Iran, chanting against government corruption and demanding justice.</p>
<p>That was last year, when depositors who lost their savings in the collapse of major government-run credit union took to the streets, shouting "Death to (Valiullah) Seif," Iran's Central Bank governor.</p>
<p>In the past 10 days, there were new protests, the largest in Iran since its 2009 disputed presidential election, fueled by young people angry over their bleak prospects. This time, they shouted slogans against President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a figure seen as subordinate only to God by hard-liners.</p>
<p>The new unrest appears to be waning, but anger over the economy persists. The protests in dozens of towns and cities also showed that a sector of the public was willing to openly call for the removal of Iran's system of rule by clerics — frustrated not just by the economy but also by concern over Iran's foreign wars and general direction.</p>
<p>That sentiment likely extends beyond those who took to the streets. But the protests also showed the constraints on discontent. Fear of reprisals probably kept some people away from the protests, but so did worry over chaos that might result from unrest and hope that gains could still be made within the system.</p>
<p>Without drastic change in people's livelihoods, unrest over the economy will only intensify, becoming perhaps the greatest challenge for the Islamic Republic as it nears its fourth decade of existence and a new era of leadership looms.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>ECONOMIC WOES</p>
<p>The collapse last year of the Caspian Credit Institute, which promised depositors returns often seen in Ponzi schemes, showed the economic desperation faced by many in Iran. Retirees unable to make ends meet on their pensions can be found driving many of the taxis crowding Tehran's roads. Universities turn out students with no hope of employment in their fields, while those lucky enough to have work often have a second or even a third job.</p>
<p>Banks remain saddled with bad loans, a warning repeatedly sounded by the International Monetary Fund. Some of this stretches back to the days of nuclear sanctions, while others find themselves mired in the murky finances of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which is estimated to control a third of the total economy.</p>
<p>Inflation, initially brought under control by Rouhani, has slipped back into double digits, according to recent figures. He cut some subsidies offered by his hard-line predecessor, the Holocaust-questioning populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Those subsidies benefited rural and poor voters in the provinces, the same people who appear to have taken to the streets in the recent protests, initially sparked by food prices.</p>
<p>The government likely will offer either subsidized food prices or new cash handouts to soothe anger in the provinces, although how that comes about remains to be seen. But the unrest has had one benefit: it has helped boost global oil prices to over $60 a barrel, providing desperately needed hard currency to the OPEC-member nation.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>BATTLEFIELD SUCCESS</p>
<p>The recent protests saw some marchers chant against Iran's foreign wars, demanding the government focus first on those at home.</p>
<p>Since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, Iran has expanded its presence across the Middle East as a counter to the American bases that dot the Arab Gulf countries surrounding it. The U.S. military accused Iran of training insurgents in Iraq who targeted its troops with roadside bombs, and Tehran has powerful influence over Iraq's Shiite-led government.</p>
<p>The rise of the Islamic State group, as well as the Syrian civil war, threatened Iran's allies, and it responded by sending the Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds expeditionary force into both Iraq and Syria.</p>
<p>In Iraq, Iranian advisers turned Shiite militias into a powerful ground force against IS extremists.</p>
<p>In Syria, President Bashar Assad appeared to be on the ropes until Iran fully entered the conflict. He held onto his presidency with Quds force generals leading foreign fighters from Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well Iranian-supported Hezbollah guerrillas from Lebanon.</p>
<p>In Yemen, the United States and other Western powers accused Tehran of supplying Shiite rebels with ballistic missile technology.</p>
<p>Protesters denounced the money going to support these groups rather than helping people in Iran.</p>
<p>But the success abroad also is used by the state to drum up support. Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani has been elevated to a folk hero among some Iranians. An assault in June by the Islamic State group targeting Tehran — a rare terror attack in the Iranian capital — also galvanized support by the public, which fears a return of the bombings and unrest that immediately followed the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iranians also see the aftermath of wars in the region as serving to protect the Islamic Republic's Shiite-dominated government.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>NEW ERA LOOMS</p>
<p>Approaching the 40th anniversary of the revolution, Iran will increasingly consider who will follow the 78-year-old Khamenei, who underwent prostate surgery in 2014. Among those under consideration is Rouhani, himself a cleric. Both the U.S. and analysts studying Iran say hard-liners initially fomented the economic protests to put pressure on Rouhani but quickly lost control of them.</p>
<p>Iranian law bars Rouhani from seeking a third term, so Iran's 2021 presidential election will see a wide-open field. Hard-liners at one point called for an earlier presidential election, saying Rouhani's policies had failed, although that bid went nowhere.</p>
<p>The economic resentment seen in recent days could prompt the rise of another Ahmadinejad-style hard-line populist — if Iran's clerical leadership allows such a candidacy.</p>
<p>It's hard to tell right now who emerged stronger after the protests — Rouhani or his hard-line opponents.</p>
<p>Each tried to wield anger over the economy against the other. Weeks before the protests, Rouhani publicly complained that large parts of the government budget went to religious institutions, largely seen as power bases of the hard-liners, seeking to deflect blame over the economy. From the other side, it is widely believed that the hard-liners were the ones who initially stoked the protests to embarrass Rouhani, only to see the demonstrations turn against the entire ruling establishment.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>PROTESTS WANE, ANGER REMAINS</p>
<p>Authorities managed to stifle the protests in part by blocking access to the messaging app Telegram through which demonstrators organized the rallies and shared images from the streets. The Revolutionary Guard's volunteer Basij force also was deployed and police have arrested hundreds; more than 20 protesters were killed, although security forces did not engage in the level of bloodshed that followed the 2009 protests.</p>
<p>Both President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they supported the protesters, without apparently providing any aid. The protests quickly raised the hopes of those abroad who want to see an end to the Islamic Republic.</p>
<p>But for now, that won't be happening. Instead, Iran's ruling system faces a future of grappling with the effects of economic woes that have proven to be unpredictable and potentially volatile.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>EDITOR'S NOTE — Jon Gambrell, an Associated Press reporter since 2006, has covered the Middle East from Cairo and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, since 2013. Follow him on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jongambrellap" type="external">www.twitter.com/jongambrellap</a> . His work can be found at <a href="http://apne.ws/2galNpz" type="external">http://apne.ws/2galNpz</a> .</p>
<p>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The protesters rallied for days in Iran, chanting against government corruption and demanding justice.</p>
<p>That was last year, when depositors who lost their savings in the collapse of major government-run credit union took to the streets, shouting "Death to (Valiullah) Seif," Iran's Central Bank governor.</p>
<p>In the past 10 days, there were new protests, the largest in Iran since its 2009 disputed presidential election, fueled by young people angry over their bleak prospects. This time, they shouted slogans against President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a figure seen as subordinate only to God by hard-liners.</p>
<p>The new unrest appears to be waning, but anger over the economy persists. The protests in dozens of towns and cities also showed that a sector of the public was willing to openly call for the removal of Iran's system of rule by clerics — frustrated not just by the economy but also by concern over Iran's foreign wars and general direction.</p>
<p>That sentiment likely extends beyond those who took to the streets. But the protests also showed the constraints on discontent. Fear of reprisals probably kept some people away from the protests, but so did worry over chaos that might result from unrest and hope that gains could still be made within the system.</p>
<p>Without drastic change in people's livelihoods, unrest over the economy will only intensify, becoming perhaps the greatest challenge for the Islamic Republic as it nears its fourth decade of existence and a new era of leadership looms.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>ECONOMIC WOES</p>
<p>The collapse last year of the Caspian Credit Institute, which promised depositors returns often seen in Ponzi schemes, showed the economic desperation faced by many in Iran. Retirees unable to make ends meet on their pensions can be found driving many of the taxis crowding Tehran's roads. Universities turn out students with no hope of employment in their fields, while those lucky enough to have work often have a second or even a third job.</p>
<p>Banks remain saddled with bad loans, a warning repeatedly sounded by the International Monetary Fund. Some of this stretches back to the days of nuclear sanctions, while others find themselves mired in the murky finances of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which is estimated to control a third of the total economy.</p>
<p>Inflation, initially brought under control by Rouhani, has slipped back into double digits, according to recent figures. He cut some subsidies offered by his hard-line predecessor, the Holocaust-questioning populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Those subsidies benefited rural and poor voters in the provinces, the same people who appear to have taken to the streets in the recent protests, initially sparked by food prices.</p>
<p>The government likely will offer either subsidized food prices or new cash handouts to soothe anger in the provinces, although how that comes about remains to be seen. But the unrest has had one benefit: it has helped boost global oil prices to over $60 a barrel, providing desperately needed hard currency to the OPEC-member nation.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>BATTLEFIELD SUCCESS</p>
<p>The recent protests saw some marchers chant against Iran's foreign wars, demanding the government focus first on those at home.</p>
<p>Since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, Iran has expanded its presence across the Middle East as a counter to the American bases that dot the Arab Gulf countries surrounding it. The U.S. military accused Iran of training insurgents in Iraq who targeted its troops with roadside bombs, and Tehran has powerful influence over Iraq's Shiite-led government.</p>
<p>The rise of the Islamic State group, as well as the Syrian civil war, threatened Iran's allies, and it responded by sending the Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds expeditionary force into both Iraq and Syria.</p>
<p>In Iraq, Iranian advisers turned Shiite militias into a powerful ground force against IS extremists.</p>
<p>In Syria, President Bashar Assad appeared to be on the ropes until Iran fully entered the conflict. He held onto his presidency with Quds force generals leading foreign fighters from Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well Iranian-supported Hezbollah guerrillas from Lebanon.</p>
<p>In Yemen, the United States and other Western powers accused Tehran of supplying Shiite rebels with ballistic missile technology.</p>
<p>Protesters denounced the money going to support these groups rather than helping people in Iran.</p>
<p>But the success abroad also is used by the state to drum up support. Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani has been elevated to a folk hero among some Iranians. An assault in June by the Islamic State group targeting Tehran — a rare terror attack in the Iranian capital — also galvanized support by the public, which fears a return of the bombings and unrest that immediately followed the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iranians also see the aftermath of wars in the region as serving to protect the Islamic Republic's Shiite-dominated government.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>NEW ERA LOOMS</p>
<p>Approaching the 40th anniversary of the revolution, Iran will increasingly consider who will follow the 78-year-old Khamenei, who underwent prostate surgery in 2014. Among those under consideration is Rouhani, himself a cleric. Both the U.S. and analysts studying Iran say hard-liners initially fomented the economic protests to put pressure on Rouhani but quickly lost control of them.</p>
<p>Iranian law bars Rouhani from seeking a third term, so Iran's 2021 presidential election will see a wide-open field. Hard-liners at one point called for an earlier presidential election, saying Rouhani's policies had failed, although that bid went nowhere.</p>
<p>The economic resentment seen in recent days could prompt the rise of another Ahmadinejad-style hard-line populist — if Iran's clerical leadership allows such a candidacy.</p>
<p>It's hard to tell right now who emerged stronger after the protests — Rouhani or his hard-line opponents.</p>
<p>Each tried to wield anger over the economy against the other. Weeks before the protests, Rouhani publicly complained that large parts of the government budget went to religious institutions, largely seen as power bases of the hard-liners, seeking to deflect blame over the economy. From the other side, it is widely believed that the hard-liners were the ones who initially stoked the protests to embarrass Rouhani, only to see the demonstrations turn against the entire ruling establishment.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>PROTESTS WANE, ANGER REMAINS</p>
<p>Authorities managed to stifle the protests in part by blocking access to the messaging app Telegram through which demonstrators organized the rallies and shared images from the streets. The Revolutionary Guard's volunteer Basij force also was deployed and police have arrested hundreds; more than 20 protesters were killed, although security forces did not engage in the level of bloodshed that followed the 2009 protests.</p>
<p>Both President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they supported the protesters, without apparently providing any aid. The protests quickly raised the hopes of those abroad who want to see an end to the Islamic Republic.</p>
<p>But for now, that won't be happening. Instead, Iran's ruling system faces a future of grappling with the effects of economic woes that have proven to be unpredictable and potentially volatile.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>EDITOR'S NOTE — Jon Gambrell, an Associated Press reporter since 2006, has covered the Middle East from Cairo and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, since 2013. Follow him on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jongambrellap" type="external">www.twitter.com/jongambrellap</a> . His work can be found at <a href="http://apne.ws/2galNpz" type="external">http://apne.ws/2galNpz</a> .</p>
| false | 2 |
dubai united arab emirates ap protesters rallied days iran chanting government corruption demanding justice last year depositors lost savings collapse major governmentrun credit union took streets shouting death valiullah seif irans central bank governor past 10 days new protests largest iran since 2009 disputed presidential election fueled young people angry bleak prospects time shouted slogans president hassan rouhani supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei figure seen subordinate god hardliners new unrest appears waning anger economy persists protests dozens towns cities also showed sector public willing openly call removal irans system rule clerics frustrated economy also concern irans foreign wars general direction sentiment likely extends beyond took streets protests also showed constraints discontent fear reprisals probably kept people away protests worry chaos might result unrest hope gains could still made within system without drastic change peoples livelihoods unrest economy intensify becoming perhaps greatest challenge islamic republic nears fourth decade existence new era leadership looms ___ economic woes collapse last year caspian credit institute promised depositors returns often seen ponzi schemes showed economic desperation faced many iran retirees unable make ends meet pensions found driving many taxis crowding tehrans roads universities turn students hope employment fields lucky enough work often second even third job banks remain saddled bad loans warning repeatedly sounded international monetary fund stretches back days nuclear sanctions others find mired murky finances paramilitary revolutionary guard estimated control third total economy inflation initially brought control rouhani slipped back double digits according recent figures cut subsidies offered hardline predecessor holocaustquestioning populist mahmoud ahmadinejad subsidies benefited rural poor voters provinces people appear taken streets recent protests initially sparked food prices government likely offer either subsidized food prices new cash handouts soothe anger provinces although comes remains seen unrest one benefit helped boost global oil prices 60 barrel providing desperately needed hard currency opecmember nation ___ battlefield success recent protests saw marchers chant irans foreign wars demanding government focus first home since usled invasion iraq 2003 iran expanded presence across middle east counter american bases dot arab gulf countries surrounding us military accused iran training insurgents iraq targeted troops roadside bombs tehran powerful influence iraqs shiiteled government rise islamic state group well syrian civil war threatened irans allies responded sending revolutionary guards elite quds expeditionary force iraq syria iraq iranian advisers turned shiite militias powerful ground force extremists syria president bashar assad appeared ropes iran fully entered conflict held onto presidency quds force generals leading foreign fighters afghanistan pakistan well iraniansupported hezbollah guerrillas lebanon yemen united states western powers accused tehran supplying shiite rebels ballistic missile technology protesters denounced money going support groups rather helping people iran success abroad also used state drum support revolutionary guard gen qassem soleimani elevated folk hero among iranians assault june islamic state group targeting tehran rare terror attack iranian capital also galvanized support public fears return bombings unrest immediately followed 1979 islamic revolution iranians also see aftermath wars region serving protect islamic republics shiitedominated government ___ new era looms approaching 40th anniversary revolution iran increasingly consider follow 78yearold khamenei underwent prostate surgery 2014 among consideration rouhani cleric us analysts studying iran say hardliners initially fomented economic protests put pressure rouhani quickly lost control iranian law bars rouhani seeking third term irans 2021 presidential election see wideopen field hardliners one point called earlier presidential election saying rouhanis policies failed although bid went nowhere economic resentment seen recent days could prompt rise another ahmadinejadstyle hardline populist irans clerical leadership allows candidacy hard tell right emerged stronger protests rouhani hardline opponents tried wield anger economy weeks protests rouhani publicly complained large parts government budget went religious institutions largely seen power bases hardliners seeking deflect blame economy side widely believed hardliners ones initially stoked protests embarrass rouhani see demonstrations turn entire ruling establishment ___ protests wane anger remains authorities managed stifle protests part blocking access messaging app telegram demonstrators organized rallies shared images streets revolutionary guards volunteer basij force also deployed police arrested hundreds 20 protesters killed although security forces engage level bloodshed followed 2009 protests president donald trump israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said supported protesters without apparently providing aid protests quickly raised hopes abroad want see end islamic republic wont happening instead irans ruling system faces future grappling effects economic woes proven unpredictable potentially volatile ___ editors note jon gambrell associated press reporter since 2006 covered middle east cairo dubai united arab emirates since 2013 follow twitter wwwtwittercomjongambrellap work found httpapnews2galnpz dubai united arab emirates ap protesters rallied days iran chanting government corruption demanding justice last year depositors lost savings collapse major governmentrun credit union took streets shouting death valiullah seif irans central bank governor past 10 days new protests largest iran since 2009 disputed presidential election fueled young people angry bleak prospects time shouted slogans president hassan rouhani supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei figure seen subordinate god hardliners new unrest appears waning anger economy persists protests dozens towns cities also showed sector public willing openly call removal irans system rule clerics frustrated economy also concern irans foreign wars general direction sentiment likely extends beyond took streets protests also showed constraints discontent fear reprisals probably kept people away protests worry chaos might result unrest hope gains could still made within system without drastic change peoples livelihoods unrest economy intensify becoming perhaps greatest challenge islamic republic nears fourth decade existence new era leadership looms ___ economic woes collapse last year caspian credit institute promised depositors returns often seen ponzi schemes showed economic desperation faced many iran retirees unable make ends meet pensions found driving many taxis crowding tehrans roads universities turn students hope employment fields lucky enough work often second even third job banks remain saddled bad loans warning repeatedly sounded international monetary fund stretches back days nuclear sanctions others find mired murky finances paramilitary revolutionary guard estimated control third total economy inflation initially brought control rouhani slipped back double digits according recent figures cut subsidies offered hardline predecessor holocaustquestioning populist mahmoud ahmadinejad subsidies benefited rural poor voters provinces people appear taken streets recent protests initially sparked food prices government likely offer either subsidized food prices new cash handouts soothe anger provinces although comes remains seen unrest one benefit helped boost global oil prices 60 barrel providing desperately needed hard currency opecmember nation ___ battlefield success recent protests saw marchers chant irans foreign wars demanding government focus first home since usled invasion iraq 2003 iran expanded presence across middle east counter american bases dot arab gulf countries surrounding us military accused iran training insurgents iraq targeted troops roadside bombs tehran powerful influence iraqs shiiteled government rise islamic state group well syrian civil war threatened irans allies responded sending revolutionary guards elite quds expeditionary force iraq syria iraq iranian advisers turned shiite militias powerful ground force extremists syria president bashar assad appeared ropes iran fully entered conflict held onto presidency quds force generals leading foreign fighters afghanistan pakistan well iraniansupported hezbollah guerrillas lebanon yemen united states western powers accused tehran supplying shiite rebels ballistic missile technology protesters denounced money going support groups rather helping people iran success abroad also used state drum support revolutionary guard gen qassem soleimani elevated folk hero among iranians assault june islamic state group targeting tehran rare terror attack iranian capital also galvanized support public fears return bombings unrest immediately followed 1979 islamic revolution iranians also see aftermath wars region serving protect islamic republics shiitedominated government ___ new era looms approaching 40th anniversary revolution iran increasingly consider follow 78yearold khamenei underwent prostate surgery 2014 among consideration rouhani cleric us analysts studying iran say hardliners initially fomented economic protests put pressure rouhani quickly lost control iranian law bars rouhani seeking third term irans 2021 presidential election see wideopen field hardliners one point called earlier presidential election saying rouhanis policies failed although bid went nowhere economic resentment seen recent days could prompt rise another ahmadinejadstyle hardline populist irans clerical leadership allows candidacy hard tell right emerged stronger protests rouhani hardline opponents tried wield anger economy weeks protests rouhani publicly complained large parts government budget went religious institutions largely seen power bases hardliners seeking deflect blame economy side widely believed hardliners ones initially stoked protests embarrass rouhani see demonstrations turn entire ruling establishment ___ protests wane anger remains authorities managed stifle protests part blocking access messaging app telegram demonstrators organized rallies shared images streets revolutionary guards volunteer basij force also deployed police arrested hundreds 20 protesters killed although security forces engage level bloodshed followed 2009 protests president donald trump israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said supported protesters without apparently providing aid protests quickly raised hopes abroad want see end islamic republic wont happening instead irans ruling system faces future grappling effects economic woes proven unpredictable potentially volatile ___ editors note jon gambrell associated press reporter since 2006 covered middle east cairo dubai united arab emirates since 2013 follow twitter wwwtwittercomjongambrellap work found httpapnews2galnpz
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<p />
<p><a href="" type="internal" />“I think this is unprecedented,” said Michael J. Armstrong, CEO of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards which is generating the changes.</p>
<p>The single most significant change would be a new path labeled “licensure upon graduation,” which would be a structured, streamlined approach to becoming an architect. Another change that’s already underway is a redesign of the Intern Development Program, which is a major step in the journey to become an architect.</p>
<p>One starting point for the overhaul of the licensing requirements is a single statistic: The average age at which a person gets licensed or registered as an architect is 34. In addition, only about half of the graduates from architecture schools go on to be licensed, Armstrong said.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>For a 17- or 18-year-old college prospect looking at careers in today’s economy, spending the next 16 years to become a licensed architect can seem pretty old school compared to what might be achieved over the same period of time in information technology, Armstrong said.</p>
<p>The Cristo Rey Catholic Church in Santa Fe is one of the churches featured by a new book about John Gaw Meem’s Southwest churches. (Albuquerque Journal File)</p>
<p>“We hear from people who have a lot of career options when they go to school,” he said. “There are choices out there that didn’t exist before.”</p>
<p>David Dekker, principal of Studio Southwest Architects in Albuquerque, was licensed at age 26, or about as fast as it could be achieved in the early 1980s. He credits his comparatively fast track to licensure largely to his upbringing.</p>
<p>“My dad was an architect. From the time I was 10 years old, I was running blueprints in the office. Later I worked summers in construction and did drafting for my dad,” said the Texas Tech College of Architecture graduate. “That kind of background allowed me to take the exam and pass it.”</p>
<p>The proposed licensure-upon-graduation path would require a buy-in from architecture schools. Preliminary indications are that licensure upon graduation could be done within six years of entering a program, Armstrong said. Thus, a traditional college student could become a licensed architect at age 24 instead of an average of 34.</p>
<p>“This type of program would be highly structured,” he said. “It would take a highly disciplined student to complete it.”</p>
<p>Established in 1919, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards is made up of the licensing boards of the 50 states, including the New Mexico Board of Examiners for Architects, and some U.S. territories.</p>
<p>Among the winners in the annual AGC Best Buildings contest was George Pearl Hall, University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning. (Courtesy of AGC)</p>
<p>The council’s main job is to design the tools and procedures that can be used at the state level for licensing architects. States don’t have to adopt the council’s recommended tools and procedures or can make changes as they see fit.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Members of the state Board of Examiners for Architects have followed development of a licensure-upon-graduation path, but “has not made a thumbs up or thumbs down on that proposal,” said board Director Wren Propp.</p>
<p>The architecture profession didn’t come into its own in New Mexico until about the 1880s, when most of the architects’ buildings were generated by the Atchison, Topeka &amp; Santa Fe Railway, according to a history of the role of architects in the state posted at the state Board of Examiners for Architects website.</p>
<p>Anyone could call themselves an architect back in those days, which eventually resulted in the state Legislature passing a law establishing the state board of examiners in 1931. In the first year, 29 architects were registered, a word that is synonymous with licensed.</p>
<p>A major supporter of the law was John Gaw Meem, the Santa Fe architect who turned vernacular pueblo-style architecture into an iconic symbol of New Mexico.</p>
<p>The profession was initially comprised of Anglo men. The first woman was licensed in 1950. The first state resident with a Hispanic surname was licensed in 1952. In 1972, the University of New Mexico established a separate School of Architecture, according to the history document.</p>
<p>There are currently 2,131 licensed architects in New Mexico, about a third of whom actually live here, Propp said. Most licensees are out-of-state architects who want to be qualified to do projects here.</p>
<p>A 100 years ago, most architects learned the profession through apprenticeships rather than by attending architecture school. Apprenticeships were imbedded into licensing process through what’s now called the Intern Development Program.</p>
<p>Las Cruces architect Jim Vorenberg is a throwback to the apprenticeship era.</p>
<p>He’s a college graduate but didn’t attend architecture school, learning the profession entirely the old-fashioned way by working under fellow Las Cruces architect Rembert Alley. It took six rigorous years of apprenticeship before he passed the architect registration exam, he said.</p>
<p>“He was a hard taskmaster, but it paid off,” Vorenberg said. “I enjoy this work.”</p>
<p>That old-fashioned apprenticeship path to an architect’s license is now closed. A degree from an accredited architecture school is now a prerequisite.</p>
<p>The architect registration exam has evolved substantially over the years and more changes are planned. When Dekker took it, the exam was two consecutive eight-hour days. In 1997, the exam switched from pencil and paper to computer.</p>
<p>Currently, the exam is divided into seven tests that are taken separately. On average, aspiring architects spend two years working their way through the tests. By the end of 2016, Armstrong said the exam will be reduced to six tests, each 2 to 4 hours long depending on subject area.</p>
<p>A context for the effort to streamline the licensing of architects is the immense impact that technology has had on the profession. Sophisticated calculators, at least by the standards of the day, were the workhorse tool for Dekker when he was in architecture school. Go back further, the go-to tool was a slide rule.</p>
<p>“We’re trying to acknowledge that technology has modernized the profession,” Armstrong said. “Architects used to spend days doing things they don’t even do anymore. A computer does it for them.”</p>
<p />
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think unprecedented said michael j armstrong ceo national council architectural registration boards generating changes single significant change would new path labeled licensure upon graduation would structured streamlined approach becoming architect another change thats already underway redesign intern development program major step journey become architect one starting point overhaul licensing requirements single statistic average age person gets licensed registered architect 34 addition half graduates architecture schools go licensed armstrong said advertisement 17 18yearold college prospect looking careers todays economy spending next 16 years become licensed architect seem pretty old school compared might achieved period time information technology armstrong said cristo rey catholic church santa fe one churches featured new book john gaw meems southwest churches albuquerque journal file hear people lot career options go school said choices didnt exist david dekker principal studio southwest architects albuquerque licensed age 26 fast could achieved early 1980s credits comparatively fast track licensure largely upbringing dad architect time 10 years old running blueprints office later worked summers construction drafting dad said texas tech college architecture graduate kind background allowed take exam pass proposed licensureupongraduation path would require buyin architecture schools preliminary indications licensure upon graduation could done within six years entering program armstrong said thus traditional college student could become licensed architect age 24 instead average 34 type program would highly structured said would take highly disciplined student complete established 1919 national council architectural registration boards made licensing boards 50 states including new mexico board examiners architects us territories among winners annual agc best buildings contest george pearl hall university new mexico school architecture planning courtesy agc councils main job design tools procedures used state level licensing architects states dont adopt councils recommended tools procedures make changes see fit advertisement members state board examiners architects followed development licensureupongraduation path made thumbs thumbs proposal said board director wren propp architecture profession didnt come new mexico 1880s architects buildings generated atchison topeka amp santa fe railway according history role architects state posted state board examiners architects website anyone could call architect back days eventually resulted state legislature passing law establishing state board examiners 1931 first year 29 architects registered word synonymous licensed major supporter law john gaw meem santa fe architect turned vernacular pueblostyle architecture iconic symbol new mexico profession initially comprised anglo men first woman licensed 1950 first state resident hispanic surname licensed 1952 1972 university new mexico established separate school architecture according history document currently 2131 licensed architects new mexico third actually live propp said licensees outofstate architects want qualified projects 100 years ago architects learned profession apprenticeships rather attending architecture school apprenticeships imbedded licensing process whats called intern development program las cruces architect jim vorenberg throwback apprenticeship era hes college graduate didnt attend architecture school learning profession entirely oldfashioned way working fellow las cruces architect rembert alley took six rigorous years apprenticeship passed architect registration exam said hard taskmaster paid vorenberg said enjoy work oldfashioned apprenticeship path architects license closed degree accredited architecture school prerequisite architect registration exam evolved substantially years changes planned dekker took exam two consecutive eighthour days 1997 exam switched pencil paper computer currently exam divided seven tests taken separately average aspiring architects spend two years working way tests end 2016 armstrong said exam reduced six tests 2 4 hours long depending subject area context effort streamline licensing architects immense impact technology profession sophisticated calculators least standards day workhorse tool dekker architecture school go back goto tool slide rule trying acknowledge technology modernized profession armstrong said architects used spend days things dont even anymore computer
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<p>The Dec. 5 edition of ABC’s “ <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/week-transcript/story?id=12316479" type="external">This Week</a>” played host to a heated discussion about the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” legislation. Claims pinged back and forth regarding the recent <a href="http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2010/0610_gatesdadt/DADTReport_FINAL_20101130%28secure-hires%29.pdf" type="external">Pentagon investigation</a> of troop attitudes toward the law. But we caught several people putting the wrong figures with the wrong questions, or otherwise misrepresenting the results.</p>
<p>First, Gen. Wesley Clark misrepresented how many service members thought having an openly gay colleague would not affect their combat performance:</p>
<p>Clark: And what the survey showed is that essentially all of the service members, 92 percent, agree that they could serve — they could serve in a unit in combat, and they could work together effectively, and it wouldn’t compromise mission readiness.</p>
<p>In fact, of respondents with deployment experience since Sept. 11, 2001, 69.5 percent said that having openly gay coworkers would have a positive effect, no effect, or equal positive and negative effects in an “intense combat situation.” For other combat scenarios, the numbers were even lower. Respondents who hadn’t been deployed in the past 9 years were a bit more optimistic – about 80 percent thought having an openly gay unit member would have a positive, mixed or no effect. Outside of a combat situation, 70.4 percent of respondents anticipated that repeal of "don’t ask, don’t tell" would have a positive, mixed or no effect on how well a unit worked together, and 78.8 percent thought it would have a positive, mixed or no effect on the unit’s immediate readiness.</p>
<p>Clark was referring to a question put to a subset of respondents, those who said they had served with someone they believed was gay. Of those, 92 percent reported a positive, mixed or no effect on unit effectiveness. But that number is quite different from the number who felt they could work with an openly gay unit member in the future. And on the whole, troops who had served or were serving with someone they believed to be gay had a higher estimation of the effects of repeal. On the "intense combat situation" question, for instance, 73.9 percent of respondents who thought they were currently serving with a gay person predicted a positive or neutral effect, versus 66.9 percent of those who said they were not serving with a gay person.</p>
<p>Tammy Schultz, Marine Corps War College director of national security and joint warfare, also didn’t quite have the right number to match the survey question she described.</p>
<p>Schultz: And the survey shows that 84 percent of Marine combat veterans who worked with somebody who were gay or lesbian said it did not affect their ability to get the job done.</p>
<p>Schultz, who is also a proponent of repeal, is probably referring to the percentage of troops in Marine combat arms units (infantry, armor and artillery) who said that a unit in which they served with someone they believed to be gay had a good or neutral ability to work together. That number is 84 percent. But only 46.2 percent of total Marines who believed that someone they served with in combat was gay or lesbian said that situation had affected unit performance “not at all.” About 48 percent said it had affected performance “a lot,” “some” or “a little” – but only half of those said the effect was mostly negative. The others said that it was positive or mixed.</p>
<p>When asked to assess their unit’s performance, however, 95.6 percent of Marines who had at some point been in combat with a suspected gay service member said that unit performance was good, very good, or neither good nor bad.</p>
<p>Schultz was more accurate later in the program:</p>
<p>Schultz: Well, I think it’s important to point out that, although the Marine Corps was the least supportive of the services, there was still out of those surveyed 60 percent that said this isn’t a big issue. … Now, I do appreciate that the combat service numbers, the combat arms were less supportive. However, when you take away the stereotypes and you ask them about actual experience of dealing with somebody who believe they — they believe to be gay or homosexual or lesbian, overwhelmingly the numbers were positive.</p>
<p>Schultz is right that 60 percent of Marines, on average, thought that various aspects of service would be positively affected, not affected, or affected both positively and negatively by repeal. Marine combat arms personnel, by contrast, averaged 46 percent on the same questions. But of Marine respondents who had served with someone they and others in their unit believed to be gay or lesbian, 90.4 percent said that their unit’s performance was very good, good or neutral; 88.1 percent said the same of unit cohesion; and 83.4 percent of unit morale. Numbers were similar for Marines who had served under a leader they thought was gay or lesbian.</p>
<p>And Schultz’s assessment of the effects of stereotyping accords with the conclusions drawn by the study’s authors. They write:</p>
<p>Pentagon report, Nov. 30: When Service members talk about a unit member they believe to be gay or lesbian, their assessment of that individual was based on a complete picture and actual experience, including the Service member’s technical and tactical capabilities and other characteristics that contribute to his or her overall effectiveness as a member of the military and as a colleague.</p>
<p>By contrast, when asked about serving with the imagined gay Service member who is “open” about his or her sexual orientation …[s]tereotypes motivated many of the comments we heard.</p>
<p>Repeal opponent Elaine Donnelly, founder and president of the Center for Military Readiness, misrepresented the makeup of the study, and did some cherry-picking with her claim about Marines’ attitudes:</p>
<p>Donnelly: And people who do clerical work at the Pentagon may have a view that that’s not going to affect me, but the combat troops are the ones who matter.</p>
<p>In the Army combat troops and Marines, the infantry, and the Marine Corps combat troops in general, 57 percent, 67 percent opposed. Those — those troops said that there would be a negative effect.</p>
<p>Donnelly’s characterization of the non-combat respondents as “people who do clerical work at the Pentagon” is inaccurate. All troops currently in Iraq, for instance, are non-combat troops. And the numbers she cites are not from Marine Corps "combat troops" — i.e. troops currently in combat — but combat arms troops (infantry, armor and artillery). The Pentagon confirmed for us that "combat arms" is a job description that is irrespective of deployment status, so troops described as "combat arms" might not be in combat currently.</p>
<p>And while Marine Corps combat arms troops were without a doubt the most pessimistic about the effects of repeal, the numbers only reached the heights Donnelly cites in one scenario. When Marine combat arms personnel were asked about a unit’s effectiveness “in a field environment or out at sea,” 67 percent said that the presence of openly gay service members would negatively affect performance. But in a different scenario, “an intense combat situation,” only 48 percent predicted a negative effect. Donnelly’s “67 percent opposed” figure comes from the highest-opposition question in the highest-opposition group represented in the survey.</p>
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dec 5 edition abcs week played host heated discussion repeal dont ask dont tell legislation claims pinged back forth regarding recent pentagon investigation troop attitudes toward law caught several people putting wrong figures wrong questions otherwise misrepresenting results first gen wesley clark misrepresented many service members thought openly gay colleague would affect combat performance clark survey showed essentially service members 92 percent agree could serve could serve unit combat could work together effectively wouldnt compromise mission readiness fact respondents deployment experience since sept 11 2001 695 percent said openly gay coworkers would positive effect effect equal positive negative effects intense combat situation combat scenarios numbers even lower respondents hadnt deployed past 9 years bit optimistic 80 percent thought openly gay unit member would positive mixed effect outside combat situation 704 percent respondents anticipated repeal dont ask dont tell would positive mixed effect well unit worked together 788 percent thought would positive mixed effect units immediate readiness clark referring question put subset respondents said served someone believed gay 92 percent reported positive mixed effect unit effectiveness number quite different number felt could work openly gay unit member future whole troops served serving someone believed gay higher estimation effects repeal intense combat situation question instance 739 percent respondents thought currently serving gay person predicted positive neutral effect versus 669 percent said serving gay person tammy schultz marine corps war college director national security joint warfare also didnt quite right number match survey question described schultz survey shows 84 percent marine combat veterans worked somebody gay lesbian said affect ability get job done schultz also proponent repeal probably referring percentage troops marine combat arms units infantry armor artillery said unit served someone believed gay good neutral ability work together number 84 percent 462 percent total marines believed someone served combat gay lesbian said situation affected unit performance 48 percent said affected performance lot little half said effect mostly negative others said positive mixed asked assess units performance however 956 percent marines point combat suspected gay service member said unit performance good good neither good bad schultz accurate later program schultz well think important point although marine corps least supportive services still surveyed 60 percent said isnt big issue appreciate combat service numbers combat arms less supportive however take away stereotypes ask actual experience dealing somebody believe believe gay homosexual lesbian overwhelmingly numbers positive schultz right 60 percent marines average thought various aspects service would positively affected affected affected positively negatively repeal marine combat arms personnel contrast averaged 46 percent questions marine respondents served someone others unit believed gay lesbian 904 percent said units performance good good neutral 881 percent said unit cohesion 834 percent unit morale numbers similar marines served leader thought gay lesbian schultzs assessment effects stereotyping accords conclusions drawn studys authors write pentagon report nov 30 service members talk unit member believe gay lesbian assessment individual based complete picture actual experience including service members technical tactical capabilities characteristics contribute overall effectiveness member military colleague contrast asked serving imagined gay service member open sexual orientation stereotypes motivated many comments heard repeal opponent elaine donnelly founder president center military readiness misrepresented makeup study cherrypicking claim marines attitudes donnelly people clerical work pentagon may view thats going affect combat troops ones matter army combat troops marines infantry marine corps combat troops general 57 percent 67 percent opposed troops said would negative effect donnellys characterization noncombat respondents people clerical work pentagon inaccurate troops currently iraq instance noncombat troops numbers cites marine corps combat troops ie troops currently combat combat arms troops infantry armor artillery pentagon confirmed us combat arms job description irrespective deployment status troops described combat arms might combat currently marine corps combat arms troops without doubt pessimistic effects repeal numbers reached heights donnelly cites one scenario marine combat arms personnel asked units effectiveness field environment sea 67 percent said presence openly gay service members would negatively affect performance different scenario intense combat situation 48 percent predicted negative effect donnellys 67 percent opposed figure comes highestopposition question highestopposition group represented survey
| 667 |
<p>Jan 23 (Reuters) - Matrrix Energy Technologies Inc:</p>
<p>* MATRRIX ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES INC SAYS ANNOUNCES A REORGANIZATION THAT SEES LYLE WHITMARSH ASSUME ROLE OF PRESIDENT &amp; CEO Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Friday that he would closely watch the United States’ move to impose tariffs on up to $60 billion of Chinese goods.</p> FILE PHOTO - Japan's Finance Minister Taro Aso answers a question during an upper house parliamentary session in Tokyo, Japan March 19, 2018. REUTERS/Issei Kato
<p>Aso made the comment just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum that will target Chinese imports, though only after a 30-day consultation period that gives China space to respond.</p>
<p>The threatened tariffs and possible investment restrictions on China stem from a U.S. investigation of alleged theft of U.S. intellectual property by Chinese companies.</p>
<p>“Japan, as well as the United States, understands the importance of strengthening and effectively enforcing protection of intellectual property,” Aso told reporters after a cabinet meeting.</p>
<p>Aso added that he needed to examine the U.S. memorandum in detail.</p>
<p>The yen hit a 16-month high against the dollar on Friday as traders sought safety in the Japanese currency after the U.S. announcement caused worry over global trade tensions, triggering a selloff on Wall Street and stock markets in Asia.</p>
<p>The dollar fell to as low as 104.635 yen, its lowest since November 2016, in early Asian trade as the safe haven Japanese currency pushed higher.</p>
<p>Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga warned against yen’s gains on Friday, saying that he would closely monitor market movements “with a sense of urgency”.</p>
<p>The top government spokesman also said it would be extremely regrettable if U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum apply to Japan, and that he would continue to urge the United States to exempt his country.</p> Related Video
<p>Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, which are tied to Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, go into effect on Friday. Canada and Mexico have been given initial exemptions from the 25 percent steel and 10 percent aluminum tariffs.</p>
<p>U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told U.S. lawmakers on Thursday that the European Union, Argentina, Australia, Brazil and South Korea, would also be exempted.</p>
<p>Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Additional reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Eric Meijer</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China urged the United States on Friday to “pull back from the brink” as President Donald Trump’s plans for tariffs on up to $60 billion in Chinese goods brought the world’s two largest economies closer to a trade war.</p>
<p>The escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington sent shivers through financial markets, as investors foresaw dire consequences for the global economy if trade barriers start going up.</p>
<p>Trump is planning to impose the tariffs over what his administration says is misappropriation of U.S. intellectual property. A probe was launched last year under Section 301 of the 1974 U.S. Trade Act.</p>
<p>Responding the U.S. import tariffs on steel and aluminum that went into effect on Friday, though announced by Trump earlier this month, China unveiled plans to levy additional duties on up to $3 billion of U.S. imports including fresh fruit, wine and nuts.</p>
<p>“China doesn’t hope to be in a trade war, but is not afraid of engaging in one,” the Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement on Friday.</p>
<p>“China hopes the United States will pull back from the brink, make prudent decisions, and avoid dragging bilateral trade relations to a dangerous place.”</p>
<p>In a presidential memorandum signed by Trump on Thursday, there will be a 30-day consultation period that only starts once a list of Chinese goods is published.</p>
<p>That effectively creates room for potential talks to address Trump’s allegations on intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers.</p>
<p>Trump said he views the Chinese as “a friend”, and both sides are in the midst of negotiations.</p>
<p>The inevitable fall in demand from a full-blown trade war would spell trouble for all the economies supplying the United States and China.</p>
<p>Feeling the chill, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 2.4 percent, tracking a large overnight fall in Wall Street shares, but perceived safe havens such as government bonds gained.</p>
<p>“The upshot is that today’s (U.S.) tariffs amount to no more than a slap on the wrist for China,” Mark Williams, Chief Asia Economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a note. “China won’t change its ways. Worries about escalation therefore won’t go away.”</p>
<p>Williams estimated that the $506 billion that China exported to the United States drove around 2.5 percent of its total gross domestic product, and the $50-60 billion targeted by the U.S. tariffs contributed just around 0.25 percent.</p> FILE PHOTO - A worker checks steel wires at a warehouse in Dalian, Liaoning province, China May 15, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer
<p>Trump, however, appears intent on fulfilling election campaign promises to reduce China’s huge trade surplus with the United States.</p>
<p>“The American and Chinese governments should resolve existing trade frictions in a way that averts a trade war and promotes open markets and fair economic exchange,” said AmCham Shanghai President Kenneth Jarrett.”</p>
<p>“As our members increasingly tell us, however, the current trading relationship is neither open nor fair. It is time for China to take remedial action and show that it is a true partner in global trade.”</p> ‘DRAWING ITS BOW’
<p>Alarm over Trump’s protectionist leanings mounted earlier this month after he imposed hefty import tariffs on steel and aluminum under Section 232 of the 1962 U.S. Trade Expansion Act, which allows safeguards based on “national security”.</p>
<p>That measure had not targeted Chinese imports alone.</p>
<p>On Friday, the Chinese commerce ministry said China will levy duties on up to $3 billion of U.S. imports in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs, which appeared modest by comparison to the U.S. penalties.</p>
<p>“With the restrained response, China hopes Trump can realize his errors and mend his ways,” said Xu Hongcai, deputy chief economist at the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges, a Beijing think tank.</p>
<p>“If we really want to counter, the strongest response would be to target soybean and automobiles. This would hurt the U.S.,” said Xu. “China is ‘drawing its bow but not firing. We still have some cards to play.”</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-usa-trade-china-relations/china-urges-u-s-against-taking-trade-relations-to-dangerous-place-idUSKBN1GZ05X" type="external">China urges U.S. against taking trade relations to 'dangerous place'</a>
<a href="/article/us-usa-trade-japan/japans-aso-says-closely-watching-u-s-tariff-moves-against-china-idUSKBN1GZ004" type="external">Japan's Aso says closely watching U.S. tariff moves against China</a>
<a href="/article/us-usa-trade-eu/eu-leaders-receive-positive-news-on-trump-tariffs-idUSKBN1GY02V" type="external">EU leaders receive positive news on Trump tariffs</a>
<p>In retaliation for the U.S. tariffs in steel and aluminum, China is considering levying an additional 15 percent tariff on U.S. products including dried fruit, wine and steel pipes and an extra 25 percent duty on pork products and recycled aluminum.</p>
<p>China has assembled a list of 128 U.S. products in total that could be targeted if the two countries are unable to reach an agreement on trade issues, the ministry said.</p>
<p>The commerce ministry said China would implement the measures in two stages: first the 15 percent tariff on 120 products including steel pipes and wine worth $977 million, and later, the higher 25 percent tariff on $1.99 billion of pork and aluminum.</p>
<p>U.S. wine exports to China last year were $79 million, according to data from the U.S. Wine Institute, which represents Californian wine makers.</p>
<p>The Chinese list also included close to 80 fruit and nut products. U.S. exports of fruits, frozen juices and nuts to China amounted to $669 million last year, and it was the top supplier of apples, cherries, walnuts and almonds.</p>
<p>Reporting by Ryan Woo and Adam Jourdan; Additional reporting by Wang Jing, Lusha Zhang, John Ruwitch, Elias Glenn and Dominique Patton; Editing By Simon Cameron-Moore</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Steve Wynn, the former chief executive of Wynn Resorts Ltd, is selling all his remaining 8 million shares in the firm in a dramatic exit of the casino and hotel enterprise he founded over 16 years ago.</p> Steve Wynn, Chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake
<p>In a surprise move, Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment said it has agreed to buy 5.3 million shares of Wynn Resorts at $175 per share, giving them around a 5 percent stake in the operator which has resorts in Las Vegas and Macau.</p>
<p>Galaxy is one of six licensed operators in the world’s largest gambling hub of Macau and competes with Wynn along with Sands China, MGM China and Melco Resorts.</p>
<p>The casino mogul’s share sale comes a week after Wynn Resorts said Steve and Elaine Wynn, who has a 9.26 percent stake, had scrapped a shareholder agreement that prevented them from selling their stakes.</p>
<p>Steve Wynn resigned as CEO of the Las Vegas-based company last month, following claims he subjected women who worked for him to unwanted advances. He has denied the accusations.</p>
<p>In a joint statement by Galaxy and Wynn on Wednesday, Galaxy Vice Chairman Francis Lui said it was a unique opportunity to “acquire an investment in a globally recognized entertainment corporation with exceptionally high quality assets and a significant development pipeline.”</p>
<p>A Galaxy spokeswoman could not comment further on whether Galaxy would look to increase its holding in the future.</p>
<p>Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox said Galaxy shared many of the same core “operating philosophies and values.”</p>
<p>The announcement also follows the settlement two weeks ago of long standing litigation between Wynn Resorts and Universal Entertainment Corporation.</p> An exterior view Wynn hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Steve Marcus WYNN IMPACT
<p>Wynn, who started in Las Vegas casinos in the 1960s, created some of Las Vegas’ most iconic landmarks – the Mirage, Bellagio and Treasure Island.</p>
<p>He was forced to sell his multi-billion dollar operation Mirage Resorts to tycoon Kirk Kerkorian in a hostile takeover in 2000. Kerkorian then created MGM Mirage and Wynn went on to create Wynn Resorts with his ex-wife in 2002.</p>
<p>The 76 year old businessman, whose signature denotes the company’s logo, had built two lavish resorts in the former Portuguese colony of Macau where only six firms have licenses to operate casinos.</p>
<p>Vitaly Umansky, analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein in Hong Kong, said the implications of the Galaxy’s investment goes beyond what looks like a passive move at this stage.</p>
<p>“Wynn and Galaxy may be looking at collaborating on future development opportunities in Asia, with Japan being the critical development initiative.”</p>
<p>Galaxy’s octogenarian founder Lui Che Woo, one of Asia’s wealthiest billionaires, has a net wealth of $22 billion according to Forbes. Lui who started his career in construction has grown his casino company into one of Macau’s biggest operators over the past decade.</p>
<p>“There are other large gaming companies who do not have a presence in Macau, but who desperately want to be in Macau, and we would not be surprised to see them angling for a seat at the acquisition table too,” said Grant Govertsen, analyst at Union Gaming in Macau.</p>
<p>While Galaxy has been primarily focused on Macau with its three casinos, it this week received a license to operate a roughly $500 million resort in Boracay, the Philippines most famous holiday island.</p>
<p>Wynn, which operates a resort on Cotai and Macau’s main peninsula, focuses on premium and VIP customers, while Galaxy targets both the high end segment and the broader mass. Both companies have reported strong earnings growth in the fourth quarter with Galaxy posting a 67 percent surge in 2017 profit.</p>
<p>Shares in Wynn Macau and Galaxy dropped 3.9 percent and 2.9 percent respectively on Friday against the benchmark Hang Seng Index which was down 3.1 percent.</p>
<p>Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and Philip George in Bengaluru; Editing by Shri Navaratnam</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to replace his national security adviser H.R. McMaster on Thursday was the latest high-level departure from the Trump administration.</p> FILE PHOTO: National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster speaks at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, U.S., March 15, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
<p>Here is a partial list of officials who have been fired or quit since Trump took office on Jan. 20, 2017, as well as people nominated by him for a position who did not take the job.</p> 2018
<p>H.R. McMaster - The national security adviser was replaced on March 22 with John Bolton, according to a tweet sent by the president.</p>
<p>Rex Tillerson - The secretary of state was fired by Trump on March 13 after a number of public rifts between the two over North Korea, Russia and Iran.</p>
<p>Gary Cohn - The director of the National Economic Council and former Goldman Sachs Group Inc president said on March 5 he will resign in a few weeks. His decision came after he lost a fight to try to stop Trump from imposing import tariffs on steel and aluminum.</p>
<p>Hope Hicks - The White House communications director, one of Trump’s longest-serving and most trusted aides, resigned on Feb. 28. She was the fourth person to hold the post since Trump became president.</p>
<p>Rob Porter - The White House staff secretary, a senior adviser in charge of much of the documentation that went to Trump for his signature, resigned in early February following accusations of domestic abuse from two former wives.</p> 2017
<p>Richard Cordray - The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s first director resigned in November. Trump designated White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney as acting director, but Cordray named a deputy director as his replacement, triggering a political and legal battle. Four days later, a federal court ruled in Trump’s favor.</p>
<p>Tom Price - The Health and Human Services secretary resigned under pressure from Trump on Sept. 29 in an uproar over Price’s use of costly private charter planes for government business.</p>
<p>Stephen Bannon - Trump’s chief strategist, who had been a driving force behind the president’s anti-globalization and pro-nationalist agenda that helped propel him to election victory, was fired by Trump in mid-August. He had repeatedly clashed with more moderate factions in the White House.</p>
<p>Reince Priebus - The former chairman of the Republican National Committee was replaced by John Kelly as Trump’s chief of staff in July. Trump lost confidence in Priebus after major legislative items failed to be approved by Congress.</p>
<p>Anthony Scaramucci - The White House communications director was fired by Trump in July after just 10 days on the job, following profanity-laced comments to The New Yorker magazine.</p>
<p>Walter Shaub - The head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, who clashed with Trump and his administration, stepped down in July before his five-year term was to end.</p>
<p>Michael Short - Senior White House assistant press secretary, resigned in July.</p>
<p>Sean Spicer - Resigned as White House press secretary in July, ending a turbulent tenure after Trump named Scaramucci as White House communications director.</p>
<p>James Comey - The Federal Bureau of Investigation director, who was leading a probe into possible collusion between the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and Russia to influence the election outcome, was fired by Trump in May.</p>
<p>James Donovan - A Goldman Sachs banker nominated by Trump as deputy Treasury secretary, withdrew his name in May.</p>
<p>Michael Dubke - Resigned as White House communications director in May.</p>
<p>Mark Green - Trump’s nominee for Army secretary withdrew his name from consideration in May.</p>
<p>Todd Ricketts - The co-owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team and Trump’s choice for deputy secretary of commerce withdrew from consideration in April.</p>
<p>Katie Walsh - The deputy White House chief of staff was transferred to the outside, pro-Trump group America First Policies in March, according to Politico.</p>
<p>Philip Bilden - A private equity executive and former military intelligence officer picked by Trump for secretary of the Navy, Bilden withdrew from consideration in February because of government conflict-of-interest rules.</p>
<p>Michael Flynn - Resigned in February as Trump’s national security adviser after disclosures that he had discussed U.S. sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to the United States before Trump took office and had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.</p> Related Video
<p>Gerrit Lansing - The White House chief digital officer stepped down in February after failing to pass an FBI background check, according to Politico.</p>
<p>Robin Townley - An aide to Flynn, Townley was rejected in February after he was denied security clearance to serve on the U.S. National Security Council, according to Politico.</p>
<p>Vincent Viola - The Army veteran and former chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange was nominated by Trump to be secretary of the Army, but withdrew his name from consideration in February.</p>
<p>Caroline Wiles - Trump’s director of scheduling, resigned in February after failing a background check.</p>
<p>Sally Yates - Trump fired the acting U.S. attorney general in January after she ordered Justice Department lawyers not to enforce Trump’s immigration ban.</p>
<p>Reporting by Washington Newsroom; Writing by Lindsay Dunsmuir and Jason Lange; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Toni Reinhold</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| false | 2 |
jan 23 reuters matrrix energy technologies inc matrrix energy technologies inc says announces reorganization sees lyle whitmarsh assume role president amp ceo source text eikon company coverage standards thomson reuters trust principles tokyo reuters japanese finance minister taro aso said friday would closely watch united states move impose tariffs 60 billion chinese goods file photo japans finance minister taro aso answers question upper house parliamentary session tokyo japan march 19 2018 reutersissei kato aso made comment hours us president donald trump signed presidential memorandum target chinese imports though 30day consultation period gives china space respond threatened tariffs possible investment restrictions china stem us investigation alleged theft us intellectual property chinese companies japan well united states understands importance strengthening effectively enforcing protection intellectual property aso told reporters cabinet meeting aso added needed examine us memorandum detail yen hit 16month high dollar friday traders sought safety japanese currency us announcement caused worry global trade tensions triggering selloff wall street stock markets asia dollar fell low 104635 yen lowest since november 2016 early asian trade safe japanese currency pushed higher chief cabinet secretary yoshihide suga warned yens gains friday saying would closely monitor market movements sense urgency top government spokesman also said would extremely regrettable us tariffs steel aluminum apply japan would continue urge united states exempt country related video trumps steel aluminum tariffs tied section 232 1962 trade expansion act go effect friday canada mexico given initial exemptions 25 percent steel 10 percent aluminum tariffs us trade representative robert lighthizer told us lawmakers thursday european union argentina australia brazil south korea would also exempted reporting tetsushi kajimoto additional reporting kaori kaneko editing changran kim eric meijer standards thomson reuters trust principles beijingshanghai reuters china urged united states friday pull back brink president donald trumps plans tariffs 60 billion chinese goods brought worlds two largest economies closer trade war escalating tensions beijing washington sent shivers financial markets investors foresaw dire consequences global economy trade barriers start going trump planning impose tariffs administration says misappropriation us intellectual property probe launched last year section 301 1974 us trade act responding us import tariffs steel aluminum went effect friday though announced trump earlier month china unveiled plans levy additional duties 3 billion us imports including fresh fruit wine nuts china doesnt hope trade war afraid engaging one chinese commerce ministry said statement friday china hopes united states pull back brink make prudent decisions avoid dragging bilateral trade relations dangerous place presidential memorandum signed trump thursday 30day consultation period starts list chinese goods published effectively creates room potential talks address trumps allegations intellectual property theft forced technology transfers trump said views chinese friend sides midst negotiations inevitable fall demand fullblown trade war would spell trouble economies supplying united states china feeling chill mscis broadest index asiapacific shares outside japan dropped 24 percent tracking large overnight fall wall street shares perceived safe havens government bonds gained upshot todays us tariffs amount slap wrist china mark williams chief asia economist capital economics wrote note china wont change ways worries escalation therefore wont go away williams estimated 506 billion china exported united states drove around 25 percent total gross domestic product 5060 billion targeted us tariffs contributed around 025 percent file photo worker checks steel wires warehouse dalian liaoning province china may 15 2017 reutersstringer trump however appears intent fulfilling election campaign promises reduce chinas huge trade surplus united states american chinese governments resolve existing trade frictions way averts trade war promotes open markets fair economic exchange said amcham shanghai president kenneth jarrett members increasingly tell us however current trading relationship neither open fair time china take remedial action show true partner global trade drawing bow alarm trumps protectionist leanings mounted earlier month imposed hefty import tariffs steel aluminum section 232 1962 us trade expansion act allows safeguards based national security measure targeted chinese imports alone friday chinese commerce ministry said china levy duties 3 billion us imports response steel aluminum tariffs appeared modest comparison us penalties restrained response china hopes trump realize errors mend ways said xu hongcai deputy chief economist china centre international economic exchanges beijing think tank really want counter strongest response would target soybean automobiles would hurt us said xu china drawing bow firing still cards play related coverage china urges us taking trade relations dangerous place japans aso says closely watching us tariff moves china eu leaders receive positive news trump tariffs retaliation us tariffs steel aluminum china considering levying additional 15 percent tariff us products including dried fruit wine steel pipes extra 25 percent duty pork products recycled aluminum china assembled list 128 us products total could targeted two countries unable reach agreement trade issues ministry said commerce ministry said china would implement measures two stages first 15 percent tariff 120 products including steel pipes wine worth 977 million later higher 25 percent tariff 199 billion pork aluminum us wine exports china last year 79 million according data us wine institute represents californian wine makers chinese list also included close 80 fruit nut products us exports fruits frozen juices nuts china amounted 669 million last year top supplier apples cherries walnuts almonds reporting ryan woo adam jourdan additional reporting wang jing lusha zhang john ruwitch elias glenn dominique patton editing simon cameronmoore standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters steve wynn former chief executive wynn resorts ltd selling remaining 8 million shares firm dramatic exit casino hotel enterprise founded 16 years ago steve wynn chairman ceo wynn resorts speaks milken institute global conference beverly hills california us may 3 2017 reutersmike blake surprise move macau casino operator galaxy entertainment said agreed buy 53 million shares wynn resorts 175 per share giving around 5 percent stake operator resorts las vegas macau galaxy one six licensed operators worlds largest gambling hub macau competes wynn along sands china mgm china melco resorts casino moguls share sale comes week wynn resorts said steve elaine wynn 926 percent stake scrapped shareholder agreement prevented selling stakes steve wynn resigned ceo las vegasbased company last month following claims subjected women worked unwanted advances denied accusations joint statement galaxy wynn wednesday galaxy vice chairman francis lui said unique opportunity acquire investment globally recognized entertainment corporation exceptionally high quality assets significant development pipeline galaxy spokeswoman could comment whether galaxy would look increase holding future wynn resorts ceo matt maddox said galaxy shared many core operating philosophies values announcement also follows settlement two weeks ago long standing litigation wynn resorts universal entertainment corporation exterior view wynn hotelcasino las vegas nevada us february 7 2018 reuterssteve marcus wynn impact wynn started las vegas casinos 1960s created las vegas iconic landmarks mirage bellagio treasure island forced sell multibillion dollar operation mirage resorts tycoon kirk kerkorian hostile takeover 2000 kerkorian created mgm mirage wynn went create wynn resorts exwife 2002 76 year old businessman whose signature denotes companys logo built two lavish resorts former portuguese colony macau six firms licenses operate casinos vitaly umansky analyst sanford c bernstein hong kong said implications galaxys investment goes beyond looks like passive move stage wynn galaxy may looking collaborating future development opportunities asia japan critical development initiative galaxys octogenarian founder lui che woo one asias wealthiest billionaires net wealth 22 billion according forbes lui started career construction grown casino company one macaus biggest operators past decade large gaming companies presence macau desperately want macau would surprised see angling seat acquisition table said grant govertsen analyst union gaming macau galaxy primarily focused macau three casinos week received license operate roughly 500 million resort boracay philippines famous holiday island wynn operates resort cotai macaus main peninsula focuses premium vip customers galaxy targets high end segment broader mass companies reported strong earnings growth fourth quarter galaxy posting 67 percent surge 2017 profit shares wynn macau galaxy dropped 39 percent 29 percent respectively friday benchmark hang seng index 31 percent reporting farah master hong kong philip george bengaluru editing shri navaratnam standards thomson reuters trust principles washington reuters us president donald trumps decision replace national security adviser hr mcmaster thursday latest highlevel departure trump administration file photo national security adviser hr mcmaster speaks united states holocaust memorial museum washington us march 15 2018 reutersbrendan mcdermidfile photo partial list officials fired quit since trump took office jan 20 2017 well people nominated position take job 2018 hr mcmaster national security adviser replaced march 22 john bolton according tweet sent president rex tillerson secretary state fired trump march 13 number public rifts two north korea russia iran gary cohn director national economic council former goldman sachs group inc president said march 5 resign weeks decision came lost fight try stop trump imposing import tariffs steel aluminum hope hicks white house communications director one trumps longestserving trusted aides resigned feb 28 fourth person hold post since trump became president rob porter white house staff secretary senior adviser charge much documentation went trump signature resigned early february following accusations domestic abuse two former wives 2017 richard cordray consumer financial protection bureaus first director resigned november trump designated white house budget director mick mulvaney acting director cordray named deputy director replacement triggering political legal battle four days later federal court ruled trumps favor tom price health human services secretary resigned pressure trump sept 29 uproar prices use costly private charter planes government business stephen bannon trumps chief strategist driving force behind presidents antiglobalization pronationalist agenda helped propel election victory fired trump midaugust repeatedly clashed moderate factions white house reince priebus former chairman republican national committee replaced john kelly trumps chief staff july trump lost confidence priebus major legislative items failed approved congress anthony scaramucci white house communications director fired trump july 10 days job following profanitylaced comments new yorker magazine walter shaub head us office government ethics clashed trump administration stepped july fiveyear term end michael short senior white house assistant press secretary resigned july sean spicer resigned white house press secretary july ending turbulent tenure trump named scaramucci white house communications director james comey federal bureau investigation director leading probe possible collusion trump 2016 presidential campaign russia influence election outcome fired trump may james donovan goldman sachs banker nominated trump deputy treasury secretary withdrew name may michael dubke resigned white house communications director may mark green trumps nominee army secretary withdrew name consideration may todd ricketts coowner chicago cubs baseball team trumps choice deputy secretary commerce withdrew consideration april katie walsh deputy white house chief staff transferred outside protrump group america first policies march according politico philip bilden private equity executive former military intelligence officer picked trump secretary navy bilden withdrew consideration february government conflictofinterest rules michael flynn resigned february trumps national security adviser disclosures discussed us sanctions russia russian ambassador united states trump took office misled vice president mike pence conversations related video gerrit lansing white house chief digital officer stepped february failing pass fbi background check according politico robin townley aide flynn townley rejected february denied security clearance serve us national security council according politico vincent viola army veteran former chairman new york mercantile exchange nominated trump secretary army withdrew name consideration february caroline wiles trumps director scheduling resigned february failing background check sally yates trump fired acting us attorney general january ordered justice department lawyers enforce trumps immigration ban reporting washington newsroom writing lindsay dunsmuir jason lange editing kevin drawbaugh toni reinhold standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Atlanta Falcons know they'll have to win three consecutive road games to get a chance for Super Bowl redemption.</p>
<p>The Falcons already nabbed the first victory by spoiling a festive night in Los Angeles, and they seem quite confident about their chances to run the table in other people's buildings on the way to Minneapolis.</p>
<p>Matt Ryan passed for 218 yards and hit Julio Jones for an 8-yard touchdown with 5:48 to play, and the defending NFC champion Falcons advanced from the wild-card round with a 26-13 victory over the upstart Rams on Saturday night.</p>
<p>Devonta Freeman rushed for an early score and Matt Bryant kicked four field goals for the Falcons (11-6), who dropped to the sixth seed in the conference after finishing one game out of first place in the NFC South. Atlanta went only 5-3 on the road in the regular season.</p>
<p>But judging from a comprehensively solid performance against the hungry Rams (11-6), that tough division race and last season's deep playoff run prepared Atlanta for the grind necessary to win back-to-back NFC titles.</p>
<p>"We don't care where we play these games, because we know it's about us, not the crowd or the opponent," Atlanta safety Ricardo Allen said.</p>
<p>The next place they're headed is Philadelphia: The Falcons advanced to face the top-seeded Eagles on Jan. 13.</p>
<p>"Doesn't matter where we're going, we're going," Ryan said. "And that's the most exciting part."</p>
<p>Atlanta's journey to the Super Bowl last season ended infamously with that blown 28-3 lead against New England. In their first playoff game since, the Falcons spoiled the Rams' first playoff game in 13 years with a methodical performance derived from hard-earned experience.</p>
<p>The Falcons' defense held the NFL's highest-scoring offense to one touchdown while muzzling Todd Gurley and harassing Jared Goff, who went 24 for 45 in his playoff debut.</p>
<p>Jones caught nine passes for 94 yards for Atlanta, which never trailed while winning playoff games in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. Against an opponent that had just six players on its roster with prior postseason appearances, the Falcons' experience showed through.</p>
<p>"I think having gone through these situations, understanding what it's like, the atmosphere, those kinds of things, knowing that it's going to be tough, all those things kind of carry forward," Ryan said. "But at the end of the day, experience or no experience, you've got to execute."</p>
<p>A raucous crowd of 74,300 packed the Coliseum on a crisp evening for the first NFL playoff game in the nation's second-largest city since early 1994. Los Angeles went 21 years without pro football before the Rams returned last season, and the franchise emphatically ended a 13-year streak of non-winning seasons this fall with an inspiring run to the Rams' first division title since 2003.</p>
<p>Robert Woods caught nine passes for 142 yards, but rookie Cooper Kupp scored the Rams' only touchdown late in the first half. Pro Bowl kick returner Pharoh Cooper also muffed a punt and fumbled a kickoff return early, leading to 10 points for the Falcons.</p>
<p>LA LETDOWN</p>
<p>The Falcons ruined a celebratory night for the Rams, who rebounded from a rough homecoming season in 2016 with an outstanding debut year under 31-year-old Sean McVay, the youngest head coach to reach the playoffs in NFL history. A celebrity-studded crowd attended the game and watched a halftime performance from Long Beach's own Snoop Dogg, but the Rams couldn't come through.</p>
<p>"You see why the Falcons are the defending NFC champs," McVay said. "Certainly this is a humbling game. ... This is an experience that we can learn from. But I don't think this game was too big for our guys."</p>
<p>The Rams are just 4-11 at the Coliseum since returning to LA last season.</p>
<p>EATING CLOCK</p>
<p>The Falcons dominated the game by controlling the ball for 37:35, patiently running the ball with Freeman and Tevin Coleman. The Rams' defense simply couldn't get off the field in the third quarter, whether due to missed tackles or clever play-calling by the Falcons.</p>
<p>BAD FIELD</p>
<p>The Coliseum turf was noticeably slippery for both teams, and many players changed cleats at halftime to combat the conditions. The field at the venerable stadium isn't known for being particularly bad, but new sod and January dew apparently made it more perilous than usual.</p>
<p>The Falcons shook it off.</p>
<p>"We had to be prepared for everything," Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu said. "We saw it wasn't good conditions early, so we had our minds ready for it."</p>
<p>GETTING GURLEY</p>
<p>Gurley got just 43 of his 101 yards rushing in the first three quarters, and the Falcons eliminated him from the passing game almost entirely, giving up only four receptions for 10 yards despite 10 targets of the NFL's leader in yards from scrimmage.</p>
<p>"They did a great job," Gurley said of the Atlanta defense. "They have great players. They're not the reigning NFC champs for no reason."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Atlanta Falcons know they'll have to win three consecutive road games to get a chance for Super Bowl redemption.</p>
<p>The Falcons already nabbed the first victory by spoiling a festive night in Los Angeles, and they seem quite confident about their chances to run the table in other people's buildings on the way to Minneapolis.</p>
<p>Matt Ryan passed for 218 yards and hit Julio Jones for an 8-yard touchdown with 5:48 to play, and the defending NFC champion Falcons advanced from the wild-card round with a 26-13 victory over the upstart Rams on Saturday night.</p>
<p>Devonta Freeman rushed for an early score and Matt Bryant kicked four field goals for the Falcons (11-6), who dropped to the sixth seed in the conference after finishing one game out of first place in the NFC South. Atlanta went only 5-3 on the road in the regular season.</p>
<p>But judging from a comprehensively solid performance against the hungry Rams (11-6), that tough division race and last season's deep playoff run prepared Atlanta for the grind necessary to win back-to-back NFC titles.</p>
<p>"We don't care where we play these games, because we know it's about us, not the crowd or the opponent," Atlanta safety Ricardo Allen said.</p>
<p>The next place they're headed is Philadelphia: The Falcons advanced to face the top-seeded Eagles on Jan. 13.</p>
<p>"Doesn't matter where we're going, we're going," Ryan said. "And that's the most exciting part."</p>
<p>Atlanta's journey to the Super Bowl last season ended infamously with that blown 28-3 lead against New England. In their first playoff game since, the Falcons spoiled the Rams' first playoff game in 13 years with a methodical performance derived from hard-earned experience.</p>
<p>The Falcons' defense held the NFL's highest-scoring offense to one touchdown while muzzling Todd Gurley and harassing Jared Goff, who went 24 for 45 in his playoff debut.</p>
<p>Jones caught nine passes for 94 yards for Atlanta, which never trailed while winning playoff games in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. Against an opponent that had just six players on its roster with prior postseason appearances, the Falcons' experience showed through.</p>
<p>"I think having gone through these situations, understanding what it's like, the atmosphere, those kinds of things, knowing that it's going to be tough, all those things kind of carry forward," Ryan said. "But at the end of the day, experience or no experience, you've got to execute."</p>
<p>A raucous crowd of 74,300 packed the Coliseum on a crisp evening for the first NFL playoff game in the nation's second-largest city since early 1994. Los Angeles went 21 years without pro football before the Rams returned last season, and the franchise emphatically ended a 13-year streak of non-winning seasons this fall with an inspiring run to the Rams' first division title since 2003.</p>
<p>Robert Woods caught nine passes for 142 yards, but rookie Cooper Kupp scored the Rams' only touchdown late in the first half. Pro Bowl kick returner Pharoh Cooper also muffed a punt and fumbled a kickoff return early, leading to 10 points for the Falcons.</p>
<p>LA LETDOWN</p>
<p>The Falcons ruined a celebratory night for the Rams, who rebounded from a rough homecoming season in 2016 with an outstanding debut year under 31-year-old Sean McVay, the youngest head coach to reach the playoffs in NFL history. A celebrity-studded crowd attended the game and watched a halftime performance from Long Beach's own Snoop Dogg, but the Rams couldn't come through.</p>
<p>"You see why the Falcons are the defending NFC champs," McVay said. "Certainly this is a humbling game. ... This is an experience that we can learn from. But I don't think this game was too big for our guys."</p>
<p>The Rams are just 4-11 at the Coliseum since returning to LA last season.</p>
<p>EATING CLOCK</p>
<p>The Falcons dominated the game by controlling the ball for 37:35, patiently running the ball with Freeman and Tevin Coleman. The Rams' defense simply couldn't get off the field in the third quarter, whether due to missed tackles or clever play-calling by the Falcons.</p>
<p>BAD FIELD</p>
<p>The Coliseum turf was noticeably slippery for both teams, and many players changed cleats at halftime to combat the conditions. The field at the venerable stadium isn't known for being particularly bad, but new sod and January dew apparently made it more perilous than usual.</p>
<p>The Falcons shook it off.</p>
<p>"We had to be prepared for everything," Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu said. "We saw it wasn't good conditions early, so we had our minds ready for it."</p>
<p>GETTING GURLEY</p>
<p>Gurley got just 43 of his 101 yards rushing in the first three quarters, and the Falcons eliminated him from the passing game almost entirely, giving up only four receptions for 10 yards despite 10 targets of the NFL's leader in yards from scrimmage.</p>
<p>"They did a great job," Gurley said of the Atlanta defense. "They have great players. They're not the reigning NFC champs for no reason."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL" type="external">www.twitter.com/AP_NFL</a></p>
| false | 2 |
los angeles ap atlanta falcons know theyll win three consecutive road games get chance super bowl redemption falcons already nabbed first victory spoiling festive night los angeles seem quite confident chances run table peoples buildings way minneapolis matt ryan passed 218 yards hit julio jones 8yard touchdown 548 play defending nfc champion falcons advanced wildcard round 2613 victory upstart rams saturday night devonta freeman rushed early score matt bryant kicked four field goals falcons 116 dropped sixth seed conference finishing one game first place nfc south atlanta went 53 road regular season judging comprehensively solid performance hungry rams 116 tough division race last seasons deep playoff run prepared atlanta grind necessary win backtoback nfc titles dont care play games know us crowd opponent atlanta safety ricardo allen said next place theyre headed philadelphia falcons advanced face topseeded eagles jan 13 doesnt matter going going ryan said thats exciting part atlantas journey super bowl last season ended infamously blown 283 lead new england first playoff game since falcons spoiled rams first playoff game 13 years methodical performance derived hardearned experience falcons defense held nfls highestscoring offense one touchdown muzzling todd gurley harassing jared goff went 24 45 playoff debut jones caught nine passes 94 yards atlanta never trailed winning playoff games consecutive seasons first time franchise history opponent six players roster prior postseason appearances falcons experience showed think gone situations understanding like atmosphere kinds things knowing going tough things kind carry forward ryan said end day experience experience youve got execute raucous crowd 74300 packed coliseum crisp evening first nfl playoff game nations secondlargest city since early 1994 los angeles went 21 years without pro football rams returned last season franchise emphatically ended 13year streak nonwinning seasons fall inspiring run rams first division title since 2003 robert woods caught nine passes 142 yards rookie cooper kupp scored rams touchdown late first half pro bowl kick returner pharoh cooper also muffed punt fumbled kickoff return early leading 10 points falcons la letdown falcons ruined celebratory night rams rebounded rough homecoming season 2016 outstanding debut year 31yearold sean mcvay youngest head coach reach playoffs nfl history celebritystudded crowd attended game watched halftime performance long beachs snoop dogg rams couldnt come see falcons defending nfc champs mcvay said certainly humbling game experience learn dont think game big guys rams 411 coliseum since returning la last season eating clock falcons dominated game controlling ball 3735 patiently running ball freeman tevin coleman rams defense simply couldnt get field third quarter whether due missed tackles clever playcalling falcons bad field coliseum turf noticeably slippery teams many players changed cleats halftime combat conditions field venerable stadium isnt known particularly bad new sod january dew apparently made perilous usual falcons shook prepared everything falcons receiver mohamed sanu said saw wasnt good conditions early minds ready getting gurley gurley got 43 101 yards rushing first three quarters falcons eliminated passing game almost entirely giving four receptions 10 yards despite 10 targets nfls leader yards scrimmage great job gurley said atlanta defense great players theyre reigning nfc champs reason ___ nfl coverage wwwpro32aporg wwwtwittercomap_nfl los angeles ap atlanta falcons know theyll win three consecutive road games get chance super bowl redemption falcons already nabbed first victory spoiling festive night los angeles seem quite confident chances run table peoples buildings way minneapolis matt ryan passed 218 yards hit julio jones 8yard touchdown 548 play defending nfc champion falcons advanced wildcard round 2613 victory upstart rams saturday night devonta freeman rushed early score matt bryant kicked four field goals falcons 116 dropped sixth seed conference finishing one game first place nfc south atlanta went 53 road regular season judging comprehensively solid performance hungry rams 116 tough division race last seasons deep playoff run prepared atlanta grind necessary win backtoback nfc titles dont care play games know us crowd opponent atlanta safety ricardo allen said next place theyre headed philadelphia falcons advanced face topseeded eagles jan 13 doesnt matter going going ryan said thats exciting part atlantas journey super bowl last season ended infamously blown 283 lead new england first playoff game since falcons spoiled rams first playoff game 13 years methodical performance derived hardearned experience falcons defense held nfls highestscoring offense one touchdown muzzling todd gurley harassing jared goff went 24 45 playoff debut jones caught nine passes 94 yards atlanta never trailed winning playoff games consecutive seasons first time franchise history opponent six players roster prior postseason appearances falcons experience showed think gone situations understanding like atmosphere kinds things knowing going tough things kind carry forward ryan said end day experience experience youve got execute raucous crowd 74300 packed coliseum crisp evening first nfl playoff game nations secondlargest city since early 1994 los angeles went 21 years without pro football rams returned last season franchise emphatically ended 13year streak nonwinning seasons fall inspiring run rams first division title since 2003 robert woods caught nine passes 142 yards rookie cooper kupp scored rams touchdown late first half pro bowl kick returner pharoh cooper also muffed punt fumbled kickoff return early leading 10 points falcons la letdown falcons ruined celebratory night rams rebounded rough homecoming season 2016 outstanding debut year 31yearold sean mcvay youngest head coach reach playoffs nfl history celebritystudded crowd attended game watched halftime performance long beachs snoop dogg rams couldnt come see falcons defending nfc champs mcvay said certainly humbling game experience learn dont think game big guys rams 411 coliseum since returning la last season eating clock falcons dominated game controlling ball 3735 patiently running ball freeman tevin coleman rams defense simply couldnt get field third quarter whether due missed tackles clever playcalling falcons bad field coliseum turf noticeably slippery teams many players changed cleats halftime combat conditions field venerable stadium isnt known particularly bad new sod january dew apparently made perilous usual falcons shook prepared everything falcons receiver mohamed sanu said saw wasnt good conditions early minds ready getting gurley gurley got 43 101 yards rushing first three quarters falcons eliminated passing game almost entirely giving four receptions 10 yards despite 10 targets nfls leader yards scrimmage great job gurley said atlanta defense great players theyre reigning nfc champs reason ___ nfl coverage wwwpro32aporg wwwtwittercomap_nfl
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<p>WASHINGTON — Days before he was fired by Donald Trump, FBI Director James Comey requested more resources to pursue his investigation into Russia’s election meddling and the possible involvement of Trump associates, U.S. officials said Wednesday, fueling concerns that Trump was trying to undermine a probe that could threaten his presidency.</p>
<p>It was unclear whether word of the Comey request, put to deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, ever made its way to Trump. But the revelation intensified the pressure on the White House from both political parties to explain the motives behind Comey’s stunning ouster.</p>
<p>Trump is the first president since Richard Nixon to fire a law enforcement official overseeing an investigation with ties to the White House. Democrats quickly accused Trump of using Comey’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation as a pretext and called for a special prosecutor into the Russia probe. Republican leaders brushed off the idea as unnecessary.</p>
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<p>Defending the firing, White House officials said Trump’s confidence in Comey had been eroding for months. They suggested Trump was persuaded to take the step by Justice Department officials and a scathing memo, written by Rosenstein, criticizing the director’s role in the Clinton investigation.</p>
<p>“Frankly, he’d been considering letting Director Comey go since the day he was elected,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, a sharply different explanation from the day before, when officials put the emphasis on new Justice complaints about Comey.</p>
<p>Trump’s daring decision to oust Comey sparked comparisons to Nixon, who fired the special prosecutor running the Watergate investigation that ultimately led to his downfall. And Trump’s action left the fate of the Russia probe deeply uncertain.</p>
<p>The investigation has shadowed Trump from the outset of his presidency, though he’s denied any ties to Russia or knowledge of campaign coordination with Moscow.</p>
<p>Trump, in a letter to Comey dated Tuesday, contended that the director had told him “three times” that he was not personally under investigation. The White House refused Wednesday to provide any evidence or greater detail. Former FBI agents said such a statement by the director would be all but unthinkable.</p>
<p>Outraged Democrats called for an independent investigation into the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia’s election interference, and a handful of prominent Republican senators left open that possibility. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, with the support of the White House, brushed aside those calls, saying a new investigation would only “impede the current work being done.”</p>
<p>The Senate intelligence committee on Wednesday subpoenaed former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn for documents related to its investigation into Russia’s election meddling. Flynn’s Russia ties are also being scrutinized by the FBI.</p>
<p>The White House appeared caught off guard by the intense response to Comey’s firing, given that the FBI director had become a pariah among Democrats for his role in the Clinton investigation. In defending the decision, officials leaned heavily on a memo from Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, that criticized Comey’s handling of the Clinton investigation.</p>
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<p>But Rosenstein’s own role in Comey’s firing became increasingly murky Wednesday.</p>
<p>Three U.S. officials said Comey recently asked Rosenstein for more manpower to help with the Russia investigation. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said that while he couldn’t be certain the request triggered Comey’s dismissal, he said he believed the FBI “was breathing down the neck of the Trump campaign and their operatives and this was an effort to slow down the investigation.”</p>
<p>Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores denied that Comey had asked Rosenstein for more resources for the Russia investigation.</p>
<p>Trump advisers said the president met with Rosenstein, as well as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, on Monday after learning that they were at the White House for other meetings. One official said Trump asked Rosenstein and Sessions for their views on Comey, then asked the deputy attorney general to synthesize his thoughts in a memo.</p>
<p>The president fired Comey the following day. The White House informed Comey by sending him an email with several documents, including Rosenstein’s memo.</p>
<p>It’s unclear whether Rosenstein was aware his report would be used to justify the director’s ouster.</p>
<p>White House and other U.S. officials insisted on anonymity to disclose private conversations.</p>
<p>The president kept a low profile Wednesday, relying largely on Twitter to defend his actions. In a series of morning tweets, he said both Democrats and Republicans “will be thanking me.”</p>
<p>In an awkward twist of timing, the only event on the president’s public schedule was a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Oval Office. Among those participating in the meeting were Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, whose contacts with Trump advisers are being scrutinized by the FBI, and Henry Kissinger, who served as Nixon’s secretary of state.</p>
<p>In brief remarks to reporters, Trump said he fired Comey because “he wasn’t doing a good job. Very simply. He was not doing a good job.”</p>
<p>Trump’s assessment marked a striking shift. As a candidate, he cheered Comey’s tough stance on Clinton’s use of a personal email and private internet server during her tenure as secretary of state. He also applauded the director’s controversial decision to alert Congress of potential new evidence in the case 10 days before the election — an announcement Clinton and other Democrats blame in part for election results that put Trump in the White House.</p>
<p>Sanders attributed Trump’s shift to the difference between being a candidate and president. She said Trump became concerned about Comey’s efforts to work outside the Justice Department’s chain of command during the Clinton investigation, citing congressional testimony from last week that provided more details of his actions last year.</p>
<p>Yet as recently as last week, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Trump had “confidence” in Comey.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a farewell letter from Comey that circulated among friends and colleagues said he does not plan to dwell on the decision to fire him or on “the way it was executed.”</p>
<p>He said in the letter that though he’ll be fine, he will miss the FBI and its mission “deeply.” Comey said that “in times of turbulence, the American people should see the FBI as a rock of competence, honesty, and independence.”</p>
<p>He also said “it’s very hard to leave a group of people who are committed only to doing the right thing.”</p>
<p>The letter was posted online by CNN Wednesday night. A person who had seen the note confirmed the online version as authentic to the AP.</p>
<p>Trump is only the second president to fire an FBI director, underscoring the highly unusual nature of his decision. President Bill Clinton dismissed William Sessions amid allegations of ethical lapses in 1993.</p>
<p>The White House said the Justice Department was interviewing candidates to serve as interim FBI director while Trump weighs a permanent replacement. Sanders said the White House would “encourage” the next FBI chief to complete the Russia investigation.</p>
<p>“Nobody wants this to be finished and completed more than us,” she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>AP writers Darlene Superville, Ken Thomas, Vivian Salama, Catherine Lucey and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.</p>
| false | 2 |
washington days fired donald trump fbi director james comey requested resources pursue investigation russias election meddling possible involvement trump associates us officials said wednesday fueling concerns trump trying undermine probe could threaten presidency unclear whether word comey request put deputy attorney general rod rosenstein ever made way trump revelation intensified pressure white house political parties explain motives behind comeys stunning ouster trump first president since richard nixon fire law enforcement official overseeing investigation ties white house democrats quickly accused trump using comeys handling hillary clinton email investigation pretext called special prosecutor russia probe republican leaders brushed idea unnecessary advertisement defending firing white house officials said trumps confidence comey eroding months suggested trump persuaded take step justice department officials scathing memo written rosenstein criticizing directors role clinton investigation frankly hed considering letting director comey go since day elected white house spokeswoman sarah huckabee sanders said sharply different explanation day officials put emphasis new justice complaints comey trumps daring decision oust comey sparked comparisons nixon fired special prosecutor running watergate investigation ultimately led downfall trumps action left fate russia probe deeply uncertain investigation shadowed trump outset presidency though hes denied ties russia knowledge campaign coordination moscow trump letter comey dated tuesday contended director told three times personally investigation white house refused wednesday provide evidence greater detail former fbi agents said statement director would unthinkable outraged democrats called independent investigation trump campaigns possible ties russias election interference handful prominent republican senators left open possibility senate majority leader mitch mcconnell support white house brushed aside calls saying new investigation would impede current work done senate intelligence committee wednesday subpoenaed former trump national security adviser michael flynn documents related investigation russias election meddling flynns russia ties also scrutinized fbi white house appeared caught guard intense response comeys firing given fbi director become pariah among democrats role clinton investigation defending decision officials leaned heavily memo rosenstein deputy attorney general criticized comeys handling clinton investigation advertisement rosensteins role comeys firing became increasingly murky wednesday three us officials said comey recently asked rosenstein manpower help russia investigation sen dick durbin dill said couldnt certain request triggered comeys dismissal said believed fbi breathing neck trump campaign operatives effort slow investigation justice department spokeswoman sarah isgur flores denied comey asked rosenstein resources russia investigation trump advisers said president met rosenstein well attorney general jeff sessions monday learning white house meetings one official said trump asked rosenstein sessions views comey asked deputy attorney general synthesize thoughts memo president fired comey following day white house informed comey sending email several documents including rosensteins memo unclear whether rosenstein aware report would used justify directors ouster white house us officials insisted anonymity disclose private conversations president kept low profile wednesday relying largely twitter defend actions series morning tweets said democrats republicans thanking awkward twist timing event presidents public schedule meeting russian foreign minister sergey lavrov oval office among participating meeting russian ambassador us sergey kislyak whose contacts trump advisers scrutinized fbi henry kissinger served nixons secretary state brief remarks reporters trump said fired comey wasnt good job simply good job trumps assessment marked striking shift candidate cheered comeys tough stance clintons use personal email private internet server tenure secretary state also applauded directors controversial decision alert congress potential new evidence case 10 days election announcement clinton democrats blame part election results put trump white house sanders attributed trumps shift difference candidate president said trump became concerned comeys efforts work outside justice departments chain command clinton investigation citing congressional testimony last week provided details actions last year yet recently last week white house press secretary sean spicer said trump confidence comey meanwhile farewell letter comey circulated among friends colleagues said plan dwell decision fire way executed said letter though hell fine miss fbi mission deeply comey said times turbulence american people see fbi rock competence honesty independence also said hard leave group people committed right thing letter posted online cnn wednesday night person seen note confirmed online version authentic ap trump second president fire fbi director underscoring highly unusual nature decision president bill clinton dismissed william sessions amid allegations ethical lapses 1993 white house said justice department interviewing candidates serve interim fbi director trump weighs permanent replacement sanders said white house would encourage next fbi chief complete russia investigation nobody wants finished completed us said ___ ap writers darlene superville ken thomas vivian salama catherine lucey eric tucker washington contributed report
| 726 |
<p>BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts officials moved quickly to seize a potentially lucrative opportunity after Amazon announced its plans to build a second North American headquarters, but declined to choose a favored location and strategized about overcoming obstacles such as the region’s high housing costs.</p>
<p>The prize is a $5 billion investment and 50,000 jobs promised by Amazon.</p>
<p>The Associated Press reviewed thousands of pages of emails and documents related to the state’s formal Amazon bid obtained through a public records request and spoke to agencies involved in the bid.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>QUICK OUT OF THE GATE</p>
<p>The news that broke early on Sept. 7 that Amazon <a href="" type="internal">was seeking a second North American headquarters</a> created an immediate buzz at the highest state levels of state government.</p>
<p>Before 8 a.m., Secretary of Housing and Economic Affairs Jay Ash emailed Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s chief of staff and another top cabinet secretary informing them of the announcement and suggesting they meet to discuss. Minutes later, Baker’s deputy chief of staff fired off an email to top officials asking “if there was interest in putting together a team similar to GE effort.”</p>
<p>That reference was to a successful push by state and Boston officials in 2016 to convince General Electric to move its world headquarters from Connecticut to the city’s Seaport District with $145 million in property tax and other incentives.</p>
<p>Along with internal conversations came a flurry of emails from developers, consultants and local officials eager to climb on the bandwagon. One of the first came from Thomas O’Brien, managing director of The HYM Investment Group, the owner of Suffolk Downs. O’Brien wrote Baker and Ash suggesting the former horse track was “perhaps the only Massachusetts site,” that could fit all of Amazon’s criteria.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>NO ONE SITE</p>
<p>Suffolk Downs in East Boston emerged as the preferred site in the city of Boston’s proposal to Amazon. But the internal documents reveal how the state settled on its strategy to promote Massachusetts in general, abstaining from picking a favored location and “pitching the whole state,” as one official wrote in an email.</p>
<p>To make the pitch, data was collected to showcase Massachusetts’ highly educated workforce and technology-driven economy. Officials also weighed the inclusion of other facts ranging from the state’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, renowned cultural and historical sites, and even the 10 championships won by its pro sports franchises since 2000.</p>
<p>Mayors and town managers were encouraged to submit their own bids if they met the company’s stated preferences, which included proximity to a large metropolitan area and international airport.</p>
<p>The state’s Amazon proposal would ultimately include 26 potential sites stretching from Boston to the Berkshires.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>HOUSING HEADACHES</p>
<p>The shortage of and high cost of housing in Greater Boston was the “Achilles heel” of Massachusetts’ efforts to lure Amazon, concluded a report circulated by state officials in late September.</p>
<p>“There is a high probability that adding 50,000 new jobs for one employer over the next 15 years will dramatically exacerbate the situation, making the current housing and transportation challenges even greater,” the report warned.</p>
<p>The report appeared to arrive unsolicited under the heading of “How to win the bid for the new Amazon Headquarters.” Its authors included Ted Carman, president of a local company that consults with municipalities on housing and zoning policies, and Barry Bluestone, a Northeastern University economist with an expertise in housing.</p>
<p>The authors suggested the state commit enough funding to a recently-created Workforce Housing Trust Fund to create 50,000 new units of housing — or one for each new job that Amazon would bring.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>HERE, RUFUS</p>
<p>The state’s pursuit of Amazon HQ2 was code-named Project Rufus by state officials.</p>
<p>Rufus was a much-beloved canine who achieved celebrity status of sorts during the early days of Amazon, accompanying his owners — the company’s editor-in-chief and principal engineer — to work nearly every day.</p>
<p>Before his death in 1999, Rufus wiled away his days strolling hallways, sitting in on meetings and chasing tennis balls, according to his official biography on Amazon.com.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>PUBLIC RESOURCES</p>
<p>The state paid nearly $177,000 to a consultant, Vanesse Hangen Brustlin Inc., to help shape Massachusetts’ pitch, according to MassDevelopment, the state’s semi-independent economic finance agency.</p>
<p>It’s not clear if other state money was spent on the bid.</p>
<p>BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts officials moved quickly to seize a potentially lucrative opportunity after Amazon announced its plans to build a second North American headquarters, but declined to choose a favored location and strategized about overcoming obstacles such as the region’s high housing costs.</p>
<p>The prize is a $5 billion investment and 50,000 jobs promised by Amazon.</p>
<p>The Associated Press reviewed thousands of pages of emails and documents related to the state’s formal Amazon bid obtained through a public records request and spoke to agencies involved in the bid.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>QUICK OUT OF THE GATE</p>
<p>The news that broke early on Sept. 7 that Amazon <a href="" type="internal">was seeking a second North American headquarters</a> created an immediate buzz at the highest state levels of state government.</p>
<p>Before 8 a.m., Secretary of Housing and Economic Affairs Jay Ash emailed Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s chief of staff and another top cabinet secretary informing them of the announcement and suggesting they meet to discuss. Minutes later, Baker’s deputy chief of staff fired off an email to top officials asking “if there was interest in putting together a team similar to GE effort.”</p>
<p>That reference was to a successful push by state and Boston officials in 2016 to convince General Electric to move its world headquarters from Connecticut to the city’s Seaport District with $145 million in property tax and other incentives.</p>
<p>Along with internal conversations came a flurry of emails from developers, consultants and local officials eager to climb on the bandwagon. One of the first came from Thomas O’Brien, managing director of The HYM Investment Group, the owner of Suffolk Downs. O’Brien wrote Baker and Ash suggesting the former horse track was “perhaps the only Massachusetts site,” that could fit all of Amazon’s criteria.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>NO ONE SITE</p>
<p>Suffolk Downs in East Boston emerged as the preferred site in the city of Boston’s proposal to Amazon. But the internal documents reveal how the state settled on its strategy to promote Massachusetts in general, abstaining from picking a favored location and “pitching the whole state,” as one official wrote in an email.</p>
<p>To make the pitch, data was collected to showcase Massachusetts’ highly educated workforce and technology-driven economy. Officials also weighed the inclusion of other facts ranging from the state’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, renowned cultural and historical sites, and even the 10 championships won by its pro sports franchises since 2000.</p>
<p>Mayors and town managers were encouraged to submit their own bids if they met the company’s stated preferences, which included proximity to a large metropolitan area and international airport.</p>
<p>The state’s Amazon proposal would ultimately include 26 potential sites stretching from Boston to the Berkshires.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>HOUSING HEADACHES</p>
<p>The shortage of and high cost of housing in Greater Boston was the “Achilles heel” of Massachusetts’ efforts to lure Amazon, concluded a report circulated by state officials in late September.</p>
<p>“There is a high probability that adding 50,000 new jobs for one employer over the next 15 years will dramatically exacerbate the situation, making the current housing and transportation challenges even greater,” the report warned.</p>
<p>The report appeared to arrive unsolicited under the heading of “How to win the bid for the new Amazon Headquarters.” Its authors included Ted Carman, president of a local company that consults with municipalities on housing and zoning policies, and Barry Bluestone, a Northeastern University economist with an expertise in housing.</p>
<p>The authors suggested the state commit enough funding to a recently-created Workforce Housing Trust Fund to create 50,000 new units of housing — or one for each new job that Amazon would bring.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>HERE, RUFUS</p>
<p>The state’s pursuit of Amazon HQ2 was code-named Project Rufus by state officials.</p>
<p>Rufus was a much-beloved canine who achieved celebrity status of sorts during the early days of Amazon, accompanying his owners — the company’s editor-in-chief and principal engineer — to work nearly every day.</p>
<p>Before his death in 1999, Rufus wiled away his days strolling hallways, sitting in on meetings and chasing tennis balls, according to his official biography on Amazon.com.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>PUBLIC RESOURCES</p>
<p>The state paid nearly $177,000 to a consultant, Vanesse Hangen Brustlin Inc., to help shape Massachusetts’ pitch, according to MassDevelopment, the state’s semi-independent economic finance agency.</p>
<p>It’s not clear if other state money was spent on the bid.</p>
| false | 2 |
boston ap massachusetts officials moved quickly seize potentially lucrative opportunity amazon announced plans build second north american headquarters declined choose favored location strategized overcoming obstacles regions high housing costs prize 5 billion investment 50000 jobs promised amazon associated press reviewed thousands pages emails documents related states formal amazon bid obtained public records request spoke agencies involved bid ___ quick gate news broke early sept 7 amazon seeking second north american headquarters created immediate buzz highest state levels state government 8 secretary housing economic affairs jay ash emailed republican gov charlie bakers chief staff another top cabinet secretary informing announcement suggesting meet discuss minutes later bakers deputy chief staff fired email top officials asking interest putting together team similar ge effort reference successful push state boston officials 2016 convince general electric move world headquarters connecticut citys seaport district 145 million property tax incentives along internal conversations came flurry emails developers consultants local officials eager climb bandwagon one first came thomas obrien managing director hym investment group owner suffolk downs obrien wrote baker ash suggesting former horse track perhaps massachusetts site could fit amazons criteria ___ one site suffolk downs east boston emerged preferred site city bostons proposal amazon internal documents reveal state settled strategy promote massachusetts general abstaining picking favored location pitching whole state one official wrote email make pitch data collected showcase massachusetts highly educated workforce technologydriven economy officials also weighed inclusion facts ranging states commitment reducing greenhouse gas emissions renowned cultural historical sites even 10 championships pro sports franchises since 2000 mayors town managers encouraged submit bids met companys stated preferences included proximity large metropolitan area international airport states amazon proposal would ultimately include 26 potential sites stretching boston berkshires ___ housing headaches shortage high cost housing greater boston achilles heel massachusetts efforts lure amazon concluded report circulated state officials late september high probability adding 50000 new jobs one employer next 15 years dramatically exacerbate situation making current housing transportation challenges even greater report warned report appeared arrive unsolicited heading win bid new amazon headquarters authors included ted carman president local company consults municipalities housing zoning policies barry bluestone northeastern university economist expertise housing authors suggested state commit enough funding recentlycreated workforce housing trust fund create 50000 new units housing one new job amazon would bring ____ rufus states pursuit amazon hq2 codenamed project rufus state officials rufus muchbeloved canine achieved celebrity status sorts early days amazon accompanying owners companys editorinchief principal engineer work nearly every day death 1999 rufus wiled away days strolling hallways sitting meetings chasing tennis balls according official biography amazoncom ___ public resources state paid nearly 177000 consultant vanesse hangen brustlin inc help shape massachusetts pitch according massdevelopment states semiindependent economic finance agency clear state money spent bid boston ap massachusetts officials moved quickly seize potentially lucrative opportunity amazon announced plans build second north american headquarters declined choose favored location strategized overcoming obstacles regions high housing costs prize 5 billion investment 50000 jobs promised amazon associated press reviewed thousands pages emails documents related states formal amazon bid obtained public records request spoke agencies involved bid ___ quick gate news broke early sept 7 amazon seeking second north american headquarters created immediate buzz highest state levels state government 8 secretary housing economic affairs jay ash emailed republican gov charlie bakers chief staff another top cabinet secretary informing announcement suggesting meet discuss minutes later bakers deputy chief staff fired email top officials asking interest putting together team similar ge effort reference successful push state boston officials 2016 convince general electric move world headquarters connecticut citys seaport district 145 million property tax incentives along internal conversations came flurry emails developers consultants local officials eager climb bandwagon one first came thomas obrien managing director hym investment group owner suffolk downs obrien wrote baker ash suggesting former horse track perhaps massachusetts site could fit amazons criteria ___ one site suffolk downs east boston emerged preferred site city bostons proposal amazon internal documents reveal state settled strategy promote massachusetts general abstaining picking favored location pitching whole state one official wrote email make pitch data collected showcase massachusetts highly educated workforce technologydriven economy officials also weighed inclusion facts ranging states commitment reducing greenhouse gas emissions renowned cultural historical sites even 10 championships pro sports franchises since 2000 mayors town managers encouraged submit bids met companys stated preferences included proximity large metropolitan area international airport states amazon proposal would ultimately include 26 potential sites stretching boston berkshires ___ housing headaches shortage high cost housing greater boston achilles heel massachusetts efforts lure amazon concluded report circulated state officials late september high probability adding 50000 new jobs one employer next 15 years dramatically exacerbate situation making current housing transportation challenges even greater report warned report appeared arrive unsolicited heading win bid new amazon headquarters authors included ted carman president local company consults municipalities housing zoning policies barry bluestone northeastern university economist expertise housing authors suggested state commit enough funding recentlycreated workforce housing trust fund create 50000 new units housing one new job amazon would bring ____ rufus states pursuit amazon hq2 codenamed project rufus state officials rufus muchbeloved canine achieved celebrity status sorts early days amazon accompanying owners companys editorinchief principal engineer work nearly every day death 1999 rufus wiled away days strolling hallways sitting meetings chasing tennis balls according official biography amazoncom ___ public resources state paid nearly 177000 consultant vanesse hangen brustlin inc help shape massachusetts pitch according massdevelopment states semiindependent economic finance agency clear state money spent bid
| 906 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Repairs on Superstorm Sandy-damaged rail tunnels used by trains linking New York with the rest of the Northeast Corridor could cause a service nightmare for hundreds of thousands of people.</p>
<p>Weekend crews have been working on two tunnels, under the Hudson River and the East River, but Amtrak engineers have found that damage from flooding in the 2012 storm was more extensive than first thought, requiring extended closures.</p>
<p>That's bad news not only for Amtrak passengers but also those on the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit using the tunnels. About 400,000 passengers ride trains through the tunnels each weekday.</p>
<p>Longer closures to do the work would cut service on Amtrak from 24 trains an hour to six, railroad officials said Thursday.</p>
<p>"The idea of going from 24 trains an hour to six trains an hour is really something that no one wants to see," Amtrak spokesman Craig Schulz said, adding that it would create a ripple effect on the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington.</p>
<p>Amtrak made the announcement as it released an engineering report detailing the damage to structural components from saltwater that inundated the tunnels during the storm, which was spawned in October 2012 when Hurricane Sandy merged with two other weather systems. While the report found no evidence that the tunnels were unsafe, it concluded that the saltwater has caused significant damage to the track, signal, electrical and mechanical systems.</p>
<p>The Amtrak spokesman said it would take a year to do the prep work for closing an East River tunnel, then another year to do the work. For the major repairs, one tube of the two Hudson River tunnels would have to be shut down for a year.</p>
<p>The report did not offer a firm timetable for the repairs.</p>
<p>It underscores the need for a new tunnel under the Hudson River known as the Gateway Project, which includes plans for two new tunnels to Manhattan's Penn Station. Amtrak proposed the Gateway Project in 2011, saying it would cost billions of dollars.</p>
<p>The railroad's preferred option for the Hudson tunnel would be to build the Gateway tunnel before closing the Hudson tunnel, Schulz said.</p>
<p>The report "puts an exclamation point" on the need to build a new tunnel, he said. "That is absolutely our best-case scenario."</p>
<p>Such a plan would allow trains to enter a new tunnel with two tubes while the existing tube is down for the necessary work, Schulz said.</p>
<p>Officials said they expected insurance to cover the estimated $689 million repair costs.</p>
<p>Only two of the four tubes of the East River tunnel, which runs from Penn Station to Queens, were damaged in the storm.</p>
<p>The Hudson River tunnel's two tubes link North Bergen, New Jersey, with 10th Avenue in Manhattan.</p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Repairs on Superstorm Sandy-damaged rail tunnels used by trains linking New York with the rest of the Northeast Corridor could cause a service nightmare for hundreds of thousands of people.</p>
<p>Weekend crews have been working on two tunnels, under the Hudson River and the East River, but Amtrak engineers have found that damage from flooding in the 2012 storm was more extensive than first thought, requiring extended closures.</p>
<p>That's bad news not only for Amtrak passengers but also those on the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit using the tunnels. About 400,000 passengers ride trains through the tunnels each weekday.</p>
<p>Longer closures to do the work would cut service on Amtrak from 24 trains an hour to six, railroad officials said Thursday.</p>
<p>"The idea of going from 24 trains an hour to six trains an hour is really something that no one wants to see," Amtrak spokesman Craig Schulz said, adding that it would create a ripple effect on the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington.</p>
<p>Amtrak made the announcement as it released an engineering report detailing the damage to structural components from saltwater that inundated the tunnels during the storm, which was spawned in October 2012 when Hurricane Sandy merged with two other weather systems. While the report found no evidence that the tunnels were unsafe, it concluded that the saltwater has caused significant damage to the track, signal, electrical and mechanical systems.</p>
<p>The Amtrak spokesman said it would take a year to do the prep work for closing an East River tunnel, then another year to do the work. For the major repairs, one tube of the two Hudson River tunnels would have to be shut down for a year.</p>
<p>The report did not offer a firm timetable for the repairs.</p>
<p>It underscores the need for a new tunnel under the Hudson River known as the Gateway Project, which includes plans for two new tunnels to Manhattan's Penn Station. Amtrak proposed the Gateway Project in 2011, saying it would cost billions of dollars.</p>
<p>The railroad's preferred option for the Hudson tunnel would be to build the Gateway tunnel before closing the Hudson tunnel, Schulz said.</p>
<p>The report "puts an exclamation point" on the need to build a new tunnel, he said. "That is absolutely our best-case scenario."</p>
<p>Such a plan would allow trains to enter a new tunnel with two tubes while the existing tube is down for the necessary work, Schulz said.</p>
<p>Officials said they expected insurance to cover the estimated $689 million repair costs.</p>
<p>Only two of the four tubes of the East River tunnel, which runs from Penn Station to Queens, were damaged in the storm.</p>
<p>The Hudson River tunnel's two tubes link North Bergen, New Jersey, with 10th Avenue in Manhattan.</p>
| false | 2 |
new york ap repairs superstorm sandydamaged rail tunnels used trains linking new york rest northeast corridor could cause service nightmare hundreds thousands people weekend crews working two tunnels hudson river east river amtrak engineers found damage flooding 2012 storm extensive first thought requiring extended closures thats bad news amtrak passengers also long island rail road new jersey transit using tunnels 400000 passengers ride trains tunnels weekday longer closures work would cut service amtrak 24 trains hour six railroad officials said thursday idea going 24 trains hour six trains hour really something one wants see amtrak spokesman craig schulz said adding would create ripple effect northeast corridor boston washington amtrak made announcement released engineering report detailing damage structural components saltwater inundated tunnels storm spawned october 2012 hurricane sandy merged two weather systems report found evidence tunnels unsafe concluded saltwater caused significant damage track signal electrical mechanical systems amtrak spokesman said would take year prep work closing east river tunnel another year work major repairs one tube two hudson river tunnels would shut year report offer firm timetable repairs underscores need new tunnel hudson river known gateway project includes plans two new tunnels manhattans penn station amtrak proposed gateway project 2011 saying would cost billions dollars railroads preferred option hudson tunnel would build gateway tunnel closing hudson tunnel schulz said report puts exclamation point need build new tunnel said absolutely bestcase scenario plan would allow trains enter new tunnel two tubes existing tube necessary work schulz said officials said expected insurance cover estimated 689 million repair costs two four tubes east river tunnel runs penn station queens damaged storm hudson river tunnels two tubes link north bergen new jersey 10th avenue manhattan new york ap repairs superstorm sandydamaged rail tunnels used trains linking new york rest northeast corridor could cause service nightmare hundreds thousands people weekend crews working two tunnels hudson river east river amtrak engineers found damage flooding 2012 storm extensive first thought requiring extended closures thats bad news amtrak passengers also long island rail road new jersey transit using tunnels 400000 passengers ride trains tunnels weekday longer closures work would cut service amtrak 24 trains hour six railroad officials said thursday idea going 24 trains hour six trains hour really something one wants see amtrak spokesman craig schulz said adding would create ripple effect northeast corridor boston washington amtrak made announcement released engineering report detailing damage structural components saltwater inundated tunnels storm spawned october 2012 hurricane sandy merged two weather systems report found evidence tunnels unsafe concluded saltwater caused significant damage track signal electrical mechanical systems amtrak spokesman said would take year prep work closing east river tunnel another year work major repairs one tube two hudson river tunnels would shut year report offer firm timetable repairs underscores need new tunnel hudson river known gateway project includes plans two new tunnels manhattans penn station amtrak proposed gateway project 2011 saying would cost billions dollars railroads preferred option hudson tunnel would build gateway tunnel closing hudson tunnel schulz said report puts exclamation point need build new tunnel said absolutely bestcase scenario plan would allow trains enter new tunnel two tubes existing tube necessary work schulz said officials said expected insurance cover estimated 689 million repair costs two four tubes east river tunnel runs penn station queens damaged storm hudson river tunnels two tubes link north bergen new jersey 10th avenue manhattan
| 560 |
<p>GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — A 15-year-old who shot and killed his foster father and another man at a remote Oregon cabin in 2012 never meant to kill anyone and never should have been around loaded guns due to his lack of maturity after years of abuse and other problems, a defense lawyer says.</p>
<p>The boy made admissions Wednesday in Grant County Court in Canyon City to the juvenile equivalent of manslaughter. A judge ordered him into state custody until he turns 25, when he will be eligible for release, defense attorney Kathie Berger said.</p>
<p>The boy told authorities he got scared and accidentally shot the men — foster father Michael Piete of Baker City and Piete's uncle, Kenneth Gilliland — during a hunting trip.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately, two people died as a result of some decisions that when you look back on them, you are left just shaking your head: 'What in the world were you thinking?'" Berger said.</p>
<p>Grant County District Attorney Ryan Joslin did not immediately return a call for comment.</p>
<p>Berger said the boy was abused as a young child and went into a series of foster homes and juvenile care facilities, where he displayed behavioral problems.</p>
<p>He was sent to live with the Piete and his wife despite a lack of local treatment services available to him. When he started high school — the first public school he ever attended on his own — he was soon tossed out.</p>
<p>Piete had planned a hunting trip with his uncle and friends. Rather than place the teen with someone else while he was gone, he took him along to do chores as a sort of punishment, Berger said.</p>
<p>Events at the cabin are unclear, and the boy's statement to state police conflicts with the evidence in some respects, Berger said.</p>
<p>According to his statement, which was played in open court at an earlier hearing, the boy got hold of a loaded .44 Magnum revolver. He had heard there were wolves around, and thinking he saw a pair of eyes in the darkness, he fired, hitting Gilliland.</p>
<p>Then he went inside the cabin, where he got more scared because people were yelling at him. The boy fired wildly toward the upstairs loft, where others in the party were sleeping. A bullet passed through a bookcase and hit Piete, who was standing after being awakened by the gunfire.</p>
<p>The boy grabbed a rifle on his way out the door, and while outside, fell and shot himself in the leg with the revolver.</p>
<p>Using the rifle as a crutch, he made his way back to the cabin. One of the other men had driven to the little town of Granite to call 911. Another taped the boy to a chair until deputies arrived.</p>
<p>The boy was taken to a Boise hospital, where he was interviewed by a state police detective. The Associated Press is withholding the boy's name due to his age.</p>
<p>"Was it reckless for him to pick up guns? Yes it was," Berger said. "Was it reckless for him to shoot the guns? Very reckless.</p>
<p>"When you look through the decisions made by professional people and adults who were supposed to be looking out for (the boy) due to his needs, it's just a tragedy."</p>
<p>The boy originally was held on juvenile charges of aggravated murder, and prosecutors tried to have him tried as an adult. A judge denied the request after experts examined the boy and found he had the maturity of a 9-year-old. State law bars anyone younger than 12 from being tried as an adult.</p>
<p>GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — A 15-year-old who shot and killed his foster father and another man at a remote Oregon cabin in 2012 never meant to kill anyone and never should have been around loaded guns due to his lack of maturity after years of abuse and other problems, a defense lawyer says.</p>
<p>The boy made admissions Wednesday in Grant County Court in Canyon City to the juvenile equivalent of manslaughter. A judge ordered him into state custody until he turns 25, when he will be eligible for release, defense attorney Kathie Berger said.</p>
<p>The boy told authorities he got scared and accidentally shot the men — foster father Michael Piete of Baker City and Piete's uncle, Kenneth Gilliland — during a hunting trip.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately, two people died as a result of some decisions that when you look back on them, you are left just shaking your head: 'What in the world were you thinking?'" Berger said.</p>
<p>Grant County District Attorney Ryan Joslin did not immediately return a call for comment.</p>
<p>Berger said the boy was abused as a young child and went into a series of foster homes and juvenile care facilities, where he displayed behavioral problems.</p>
<p>He was sent to live with the Piete and his wife despite a lack of local treatment services available to him. When he started high school — the first public school he ever attended on his own — he was soon tossed out.</p>
<p>Piete had planned a hunting trip with his uncle and friends. Rather than place the teen with someone else while he was gone, he took him along to do chores as a sort of punishment, Berger said.</p>
<p>Events at the cabin are unclear, and the boy's statement to state police conflicts with the evidence in some respects, Berger said.</p>
<p>According to his statement, which was played in open court at an earlier hearing, the boy got hold of a loaded .44 Magnum revolver. He had heard there were wolves around, and thinking he saw a pair of eyes in the darkness, he fired, hitting Gilliland.</p>
<p>Then he went inside the cabin, where he got more scared because people were yelling at him. The boy fired wildly toward the upstairs loft, where others in the party were sleeping. A bullet passed through a bookcase and hit Piete, who was standing after being awakened by the gunfire.</p>
<p>The boy grabbed a rifle on his way out the door, and while outside, fell and shot himself in the leg with the revolver.</p>
<p>Using the rifle as a crutch, he made his way back to the cabin. One of the other men had driven to the little town of Granite to call 911. Another taped the boy to a chair until deputies arrived.</p>
<p>The boy was taken to a Boise hospital, where he was interviewed by a state police detective. The Associated Press is withholding the boy's name due to his age.</p>
<p>"Was it reckless for him to pick up guns? Yes it was," Berger said. "Was it reckless for him to shoot the guns? Very reckless.</p>
<p>"When you look through the decisions made by professional people and adults who were supposed to be looking out for (the boy) due to his needs, it's just a tragedy."</p>
<p>The boy originally was held on juvenile charges of aggravated murder, and prosecutors tried to have him tried as an adult. A judge denied the request after experts examined the boy and found he had the maturity of a 9-year-old. State law bars anyone younger than 12 from being tried as an adult.</p>
| false | 2 |
grants pass ore ap 15yearold shot killed foster father another man remote oregon cabin 2012 never meant kill anyone never around loaded guns due lack maturity years abuse problems defense lawyer says boy made admissions wednesday grant county court canyon city juvenile equivalent manslaughter judge ordered state custody turns 25 eligible release defense attorney kathie berger said boy told authorities got scared accidentally shot men foster father michael piete baker city pietes uncle kenneth gilliland hunting trip unfortunately two people died result decisions look back left shaking head world thinking berger said grant county district attorney ryan joslin immediately return call comment berger said boy abused young child went series foster homes juvenile care facilities displayed behavioral problems sent live piete wife despite lack local treatment services available started high school first public school ever attended soon tossed piete planned hunting trip uncle friends rather place teen someone else gone took along chores sort punishment berger said events cabin unclear boys statement state police conflicts evidence respects berger said according statement played open court earlier hearing boy got hold loaded 44 magnum revolver heard wolves around thinking saw pair eyes darkness fired hitting gilliland went inside cabin got scared people yelling boy fired wildly toward upstairs loft others party sleeping bullet passed bookcase hit piete standing awakened gunfire boy grabbed rifle way door outside fell shot leg revolver using rifle crutch made way back cabin one men driven little town granite call 911 another taped boy chair deputies arrived boy taken boise hospital interviewed state police detective associated press withholding boys name due age reckless pick guns yes berger said reckless shoot guns reckless look decisions made professional people adults supposed looking boy due needs tragedy boy originally held juvenile charges aggravated murder prosecutors tried tried adult judge denied request experts examined boy found maturity 9yearold state law bars anyone younger 12 tried adult grants pass ore ap 15yearold shot killed foster father another man remote oregon cabin 2012 never meant kill anyone never around loaded guns due lack maturity years abuse problems defense lawyer says boy made admissions wednesday grant county court canyon city juvenile equivalent manslaughter judge ordered state custody turns 25 eligible release defense attorney kathie berger said boy told authorities got scared accidentally shot men foster father michael piete baker city pietes uncle kenneth gilliland hunting trip unfortunately two people died result decisions look back left shaking head world thinking berger said grant county district attorney ryan joslin immediately return call comment berger said boy abused young child went series foster homes juvenile care facilities displayed behavioral problems sent live piete wife despite lack local treatment services available started high school first public school ever attended soon tossed piete planned hunting trip uncle friends rather place teen someone else gone took along chores sort punishment berger said events cabin unclear boys statement state police conflicts evidence respects berger said according statement played open court earlier hearing boy got hold loaded 44 magnum revolver heard wolves around thinking saw pair eyes darkness fired hitting gilliland went inside cabin got scared people yelling boy fired wildly toward upstairs loft others party sleeping bullet passed bookcase hit piete standing awakened gunfire boy grabbed rifle way door outside fell shot leg revolver using rifle crutch made way back cabin one men driven little town granite call 911 another taped boy chair deputies arrived boy taken boise hospital interviewed state police detective associated press withholding boys name due age reckless pick guns yes berger said reckless shoot guns reckless look decisions made professional people adults supposed looking boy due needs tragedy boy originally held juvenile charges aggravated murder prosecutors tried tried adult judge denied request experts examined boy found maturity 9yearold state law bars anyone younger 12 tried adult
| 628 |
<p>ATLANTA (AP) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium is about to be on perhaps its largest national stage — Monday night's College Football Playoff title game — and fans say Atlanta's new $1.5 billion facility is living up to the hype despite a series of construction setbacks that delayed its opening.</p>
<p>The game at the glitzy stadium features two teams that already have played there: rivals Georgia and Alabama.</p>
<p>Mercedes-Benz Stadium drew record-breaking crowds for a number of major sporting events, including the Atlanta Falcons NFL games and United MLS matches. Some of music's top performers from Garth Brooks to Trisha Yearwood had a packed concert at the state-of-the-art venue.</p>
<p>Some fans are calling the stadium <a href="https://youtu.be/YanfcsR3-Xg" type="external">"beautiful" and a "great central location"</a> in downtown Atlanta. The stadium is located near Centennial Olympic Park, where Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform a free show during halftime.</p>
<p>So far, the stadium is winning attendees over despite its signature feature, the retractable roof, being opened a couple times during events since the opening in August. The roof, which opens and closes like a camera lens, is one of the many attractions of the stadium including the massive 360-degree, 63,000-square-foot halo video board and cheap food pricing.</p>
<p>"I think probably the biggest thing you take away for me was the halo board," Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. "Seeing that for the first time, seeing the size and scope of it, how clear the picture is, the graphics they can put on it, it's pretty special."</p>
<p>So special, Atlanta will host next year's Super Bowl.</p>
<p>The stadium will also host SEC championship football games for the next 11 years along with 2019's Super Bowl and the NCAA men's Final Four in 2020.</p>
<p>Some of the milestones since it opened:</p>
<p>RECORD-SETTING</p>
<p>This year, Atlanta has become a hotbed for US soccer. Fans flocked to United games in record numbers. The United drew a crowd of 71,874 for their regular-season finale on Oct. 22, more than any other single game in MLS history. The team set the previous record five weeks earlier with its first 70,000-plus turnout. During the playoffs, the team also set a MLS postseason-record with 67,221. With the growing popularity of the sport, the stadium will host the MLS 2018 All-Star game in August.</p>
<p>TOP 5 CROWDS</p>
<p>The Atlanta Falcons were beat out at home by college football and Garth Brooks when it came to who drew the largest attendance at the stadium. The SEC championship football game between Auburn and Georgia in November was No. 1 (76,534). The Chick-fil-A Kickoff games had the second and third highest turnout with 76,330 ( <a href="https://collegefootball.ap.org/article/no-1-alabama-smothers-no-3-florida-state-opener-24-7" type="external">Alabama-Florida State</a> on Sept. 2) and 75,107 ( <a href="https://collegefootball.ap.org/article/no-25-tennessee-pulls-remarkable-42-41-win-over-ga-tech" type="external">Tennessee-Georgia Tech</a> on Sept. 4). Garth Brooks' concert was attended by 74,353 people and the Falcons drew 74,141 in a game against the Carolina Panthers on Dec. 31.</p>
<p>ENTERTAINMENT HUB</p>
<p>Thousands turned out for concerts just as much as the sporting events at the Mercedes-Benz stadium. In the first concert at the stadium, more than 74,300 attended the Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood show in mid-October. The concert was one of the top 5 draws at the facility. In 2018, the stadium is looking to host more concerts with Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney and Ed Sheeran as headliners.</p>
<p>THE BACKYARD</p>
<p>After the Falcons' former home the Georgia Dome was demolished in November, the 24-year-old stadium is being replaced with a 13-acre park. It's expected to be completed by fall this year. The multi-purpose greenspace would be used on game days as a tailgating area and parking lot for about 850 cars. The area will feature a zone that will comprise of a 3-pier, dual-level, shaded deck pavilion on event day and offer additional amenities such as picnic areas for the public on non-game days. A 35-foot high mirrored sculpture of a soccer ball that will sit by the north entrance can be viewed from the greenspace area.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This story has been corrected to reflect that retractable roof has been opened a couple of times during events since August, not once.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Jonathan Landrum Jr. on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/MrLandrum31" type="external">http://twitter.com/MrLandrum31</a> .</p>
<p>ATLANTA (AP) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium is about to be on perhaps its largest national stage — Monday night's College Football Playoff title game — and fans say Atlanta's new $1.5 billion facility is living up to the hype despite a series of construction setbacks that delayed its opening.</p>
<p>The game at the glitzy stadium features two teams that already have played there: rivals Georgia and Alabama.</p>
<p>Mercedes-Benz Stadium drew record-breaking crowds for a number of major sporting events, including the Atlanta Falcons NFL games and United MLS matches. Some of music's top performers from Garth Brooks to Trisha Yearwood had a packed concert at the state-of-the-art venue.</p>
<p>Some fans are calling the stadium <a href="https://youtu.be/YanfcsR3-Xg" type="external">"beautiful" and a "great central location"</a> in downtown Atlanta. The stadium is located near Centennial Olympic Park, where Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform a free show during halftime.</p>
<p>So far, the stadium is winning attendees over despite its signature feature, the retractable roof, being opened a couple times during events since the opening in August. The roof, which opens and closes like a camera lens, is one of the many attractions of the stadium including the massive 360-degree, 63,000-square-foot halo video board and cheap food pricing.</p>
<p>"I think probably the biggest thing you take away for me was the halo board," Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. "Seeing that for the first time, seeing the size and scope of it, how clear the picture is, the graphics they can put on it, it's pretty special."</p>
<p>So special, Atlanta will host next year's Super Bowl.</p>
<p>The stadium will also host SEC championship football games for the next 11 years along with 2019's Super Bowl and the NCAA men's Final Four in 2020.</p>
<p>Some of the milestones since it opened:</p>
<p>RECORD-SETTING</p>
<p>This year, Atlanta has become a hotbed for US soccer. Fans flocked to United games in record numbers. The United drew a crowd of 71,874 for their regular-season finale on Oct. 22, more than any other single game in MLS history. The team set the previous record five weeks earlier with its first 70,000-plus turnout. During the playoffs, the team also set a MLS postseason-record with 67,221. With the growing popularity of the sport, the stadium will host the MLS 2018 All-Star game in August.</p>
<p>TOP 5 CROWDS</p>
<p>The Atlanta Falcons were beat out at home by college football and Garth Brooks when it came to who drew the largest attendance at the stadium. The SEC championship football game between Auburn and Georgia in November was No. 1 (76,534). The Chick-fil-A Kickoff games had the second and third highest turnout with 76,330 ( <a href="https://collegefootball.ap.org/article/no-1-alabama-smothers-no-3-florida-state-opener-24-7" type="external">Alabama-Florida State</a> on Sept. 2) and 75,107 ( <a href="https://collegefootball.ap.org/article/no-25-tennessee-pulls-remarkable-42-41-win-over-ga-tech" type="external">Tennessee-Georgia Tech</a> on Sept. 4). Garth Brooks' concert was attended by 74,353 people and the Falcons drew 74,141 in a game against the Carolina Panthers on Dec. 31.</p>
<p>ENTERTAINMENT HUB</p>
<p>Thousands turned out for concerts just as much as the sporting events at the Mercedes-Benz stadium. In the first concert at the stadium, more than 74,300 attended the Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood show in mid-October. The concert was one of the top 5 draws at the facility. In 2018, the stadium is looking to host more concerts with Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney and Ed Sheeran as headliners.</p>
<p>THE BACKYARD</p>
<p>After the Falcons' former home the Georgia Dome was demolished in November, the 24-year-old stadium is being replaced with a 13-acre park. It's expected to be completed by fall this year. The multi-purpose greenspace would be used on game days as a tailgating area and parking lot for about 850 cars. The area will feature a zone that will comprise of a 3-pier, dual-level, shaded deck pavilion on event day and offer additional amenities such as picnic areas for the public on non-game days. A 35-foot high mirrored sculpture of a soccer ball that will sit by the north entrance can be viewed from the greenspace area.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This story has been corrected to reflect that retractable roof has been opened a couple of times during events since August, not once.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Jonathan Landrum Jr. on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/MrLandrum31" type="external">http://twitter.com/MrLandrum31</a> .</p>
| false | 2 |
atlanta ap mercedesbenz stadium perhaps largest national stage monday nights college football playoff title game fans say atlantas new 15 billion facility living hype despite series construction setbacks delayed opening game glitzy stadium features two teams already played rivals georgia alabama mercedesbenz stadium drew recordbreaking crowds number major sporting events including atlanta falcons nfl games united mls matches musics top performers garth brooks trisha yearwood packed concert stateoftheart venue fans calling stadium beautiful great central location downtown atlanta stadium located near centennial olympic park grammywinning rapper kendrick lamar perform free show halftime far stadium winning attendees despite signature feature retractable roof opened couple times events since opening august roof opens closes like camera lens one many attractions stadium including massive 360degree 63000squarefoot halo video board cheap food pricing think probably biggest thing take away halo board falcons quarterback matt ryan said seeing first time seeing size scope clear picture graphics put pretty special special atlanta host next years super bowl stadium also host sec championship football games next 11 years along 2019s super bowl ncaa mens final four 2020 milestones since opened recordsetting year atlanta become hotbed us soccer fans flocked united games record numbers united drew crowd 71874 regularseason finale oct 22 single game mls history team set previous record five weeks earlier first 70000plus turnout playoffs team also set mls postseasonrecord 67221 growing popularity sport stadium host mls 2018 allstar game august top 5 crowds atlanta falcons beat home college football garth brooks came drew largest attendance stadium sec championship football game auburn georgia november 1 76534 chickfila kickoff games second third highest turnout 76330 alabamaflorida state sept 2 75107 tennesseegeorgia tech sept 4 garth brooks concert attended 74353 people falcons drew 74141 game carolina panthers dec 31 entertainment hub thousands turned concerts much sporting events mercedesbenz stadium first concert stadium 74300 attended garth brooks tricia yearwood show midoctober concert one top 5 draws facility 2018 stadium looking host concerts taylor swift kenny chesney ed sheeran headliners backyard falcons former home georgia dome demolished november 24yearold stadium replaced 13acre park expected completed fall year multipurpose greenspace would used game days tailgating area parking lot 850 cars area feature zone comprise 3pier duallevel shaded deck pavilion event day offer additional amenities picnic areas public nongame days 35foot high mirrored sculpture soccer ball sit north entrance viewed greenspace area ___ story corrected reflect retractable roof opened couple times events since august ___ follow jonathan landrum jr twitter httptwittercommrlandrum31 atlanta ap mercedesbenz stadium perhaps largest national stage monday nights college football playoff title game fans say atlantas new 15 billion facility living hype despite series construction setbacks delayed opening game glitzy stadium features two teams already played rivals georgia alabama mercedesbenz stadium drew recordbreaking crowds number major sporting events including atlanta falcons nfl games united mls matches musics top performers garth brooks trisha yearwood packed concert stateoftheart venue fans calling stadium beautiful great central location downtown atlanta stadium located near centennial olympic park grammywinning rapper kendrick lamar perform free show halftime far stadium winning attendees despite signature feature retractable roof opened couple times events since opening august roof opens closes like camera lens one many attractions stadium including massive 360degree 63000squarefoot halo video board cheap food pricing think probably biggest thing take away halo board falcons quarterback matt ryan said seeing first time seeing size scope clear picture graphics put pretty special special atlanta host next years super bowl stadium also host sec championship football games next 11 years along 2019s super bowl ncaa mens final four 2020 milestones since opened recordsetting year atlanta become hotbed us soccer fans flocked united games record numbers united drew crowd 71874 regularseason finale oct 22 single game mls history team set previous record five weeks earlier first 70000plus turnout playoffs team also set mls postseasonrecord 67221 growing popularity sport stadium host mls 2018 allstar game august top 5 crowds atlanta falcons beat home college football garth brooks came drew largest attendance stadium sec championship football game auburn georgia november 1 76534 chickfila kickoff games second third highest turnout 76330 alabamaflorida state sept 2 75107 tennesseegeorgia tech sept 4 garth brooks concert attended 74353 people falcons drew 74141 game carolina panthers dec 31 entertainment hub thousands turned concerts much sporting events mercedesbenz stadium first concert stadium 74300 attended garth brooks tricia yearwood show midoctober concert one top 5 draws facility 2018 stadium looking host concerts taylor swift kenny chesney ed sheeran headliners backyard falcons former home georgia dome demolished november 24yearold stadium replaced 13acre park expected completed fall year multipurpose greenspace would used game days tailgating area parking lot 850 cars area feature zone comprise 3pier duallevel shaded deck pavilion event day offer additional amenities picnic areas public nongame days 35foot high mirrored sculpture soccer ball sit north entrance viewed greenspace area ___ story corrected reflect retractable roof opened couple times events since august ___ follow jonathan landrum jr twitter httptwittercommrlandrum31
| 816 |
<p>LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday touted Michigan's economic and fiscal gains under his watch, saying his tenure has had "huge ups and downs" but that the state is in better shape than before he took office.</p>
<p>In his eighth and final State of the State address, the Republican recapped his time as governor but said he has an ambitious agenda for his last year, with a focus on the workforce, infrastructure and the environment. He also pushed back against ongoing calls for a tax cut.</p>
<p>"During this period, we've had huge ups and downs. It hasn't been a straight line. But overall, there is no question that Michigan is a far better state today than 2010," Snyder told a joint session of the Legislature toward the end of the 53-minute speech.</p>
<p>Next week, he will unveil five major policy initiatives related to rural broadband access, recycling, Asian carp in the Great Lakes, water infrastructure and the replacement of bond money that has dried up for environmental cleanup. And in February, he will propose a budget with more spending on roads and bridges than is called for under a 2015 transportation funding deal, along with the largest increase in base per-pupil funding in the last 15 years.</p>
<p>He will detail a "Marshall Plan" for developing a talented workforce next month as well.</p>
<p>"This is going to lay the groundwork for a new way of producing talent in Michigan," said Snyder, who briefly touched on Flint — where lead-contaminated drinking water was blamed primarily on his administration's failures in 2014 and 2015. Two members of Snyder's Cabinet are among those facing criminal charges over the man-made disaster, which experts suspect was also tied to a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak.</p>
<p>Snyder said tests show the city's water is now comparable to other Michigan cities, old lead service pipes are being replaced and Flint is seeing economic development.</p>
<p>His speech came less than a week after the GOP-led Legislature overwhelmingly overrode one of his vetoes for the first time, enacting a speedier tax cut for people who trade in a car for a new one. He made no mention of the override in his remarks. But he indirectly sought to dampen lawmakers' push for a separate cut to individual taxes while he talked about "fiscally responsible government."</p>
<p>The Senate voted earlier Tuesday to create an income tax credit for dependent care, after last week passing a bill that would gradually raise the personal tax exemption to $5,000, with future inflationary adjustments.</p>
<p>Snyder has proposed keeping intact and boosting Michigan's personal exemption to $4,500 to offset unintended consequences of the federal tax cuts. But he has budgetary concerns with going beyond that.</p>
<p>"We have broken culture in our political world where it's OK to say, 'We can spend money or we can cut our taxes, and do that now for short-term benefit, and leave the bill for the kids and their family.' I don't think that's right," Snyder said. "If we're going to do something, let's make sure we're paying for it."</p>
<p>Gilda Jacobs, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy, an advocacy group for the poor, said Snyder has "done a lot of good things" but his fiscal legacy will be at risk if legislators "disinvest" and cut taxes.</p>
<p>"We've got to make sure that the next 11 months don't unravel the good that's been done," she said, saying the state cannot develop talented students without spending on infrastructure, schools and higher education.</p>
<p>Democrats criticized Snyder's depiction of the economy in a state that has added 540,000 private-sector jobs in his tenure and seen a 28 percent growth in per-capita income— both sixth-most in the country.</p>
<p>"The governor paints a pretty picture of Michigan, but too many families aren't seeing it," said Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich of Flint. "Instead, they're seeing crumbling roads, aging schools and dangerous water contamination issues creeping up all over the state. We hear a lot of talk, but action doesn't follow."</p>
<p>Snyder cited successes such as more preschool spending, the Pure Michigan tourism initiative, a boost in funding for arts, a vocational program for prisoners and his anticipation of a groundbreaking for the future Gordie Howe International Bridge in Detroit this summer. He also renewed his call for an A-to-F letter grade system for public schools.</p>
<p>Democrats running for governor such as Gretchen Whitmer criticized his record, however, and Republican candidates such as Attorney General Bill Schuette said the 4.25 percent income tax should be cut to 3.9 percent to spur growth — despite Snyder noting that households making under $60,000 will qualify for an expanded and more generous property tax credit under the 2015 road funding deal.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow David Eggert on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00" type="external">https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00</a> . His work can be found at <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/search/David%20Eggert</a> .</p>
<p>LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday touted Michigan's economic and fiscal gains under his watch, saying his tenure has had "huge ups and downs" but that the state is in better shape than before he took office.</p>
<p>In his eighth and final State of the State address, the Republican recapped his time as governor but said he has an ambitious agenda for his last year, with a focus on the workforce, infrastructure and the environment. He also pushed back against ongoing calls for a tax cut.</p>
<p>"During this period, we've had huge ups and downs. It hasn't been a straight line. But overall, there is no question that Michigan is a far better state today than 2010," Snyder told a joint session of the Legislature toward the end of the 53-minute speech.</p>
<p>Next week, he will unveil five major policy initiatives related to rural broadband access, recycling, Asian carp in the Great Lakes, water infrastructure and the replacement of bond money that has dried up for environmental cleanup. And in February, he will propose a budget with more spending on roads and bridges than is called for under a 2015 transportation funding deal, along with the largest increase in base per-pupil funding in the last 15 years.</p>
<p>He will detail a "Marshall Plan" for developing a talented workforce next month as well.</p>
<p>"This is going to lay the groundwork for a new way of producing talent in Michigan," said Snyder, who briefly touched on Flint — where lead-contaminated drinking water was blamed primarily on his administration's failures in 2014 and 2015. Two members of Snyder's Cabinet are among those facing criminal charges over the man-made disaster, which experts suspect was also tied to a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak.</p>
<p>Snyder said tests show the city's water is now comparable to other Michigan cities, old lead service pipes are being replaced and Flint is seeing economic development.</p>
<p>His speech came less than a week after the GOP-led Legislature overwhelmingly overrode one of his vetoes for the first time, enacting a speedier tax cut for people who trade in a car for a new one. He made no mention of the override in his remarks. But he indirectly sought to dampen lawmakers' push for a separate cut to individual taxes while he talked about "fiscally responsible government."</p>
<p>The Senate voted earlier Tuesday to create an income tax credit for dependent care, after last week passing a bill that would gradually raise the personal tax exemption to $5,000, with future inflationary adjustments.</p>
<p>Snyder has proposed keeping intact and boosting Michigan's personal exemption to $4,500 to offset unintended consequences of the federal tax cuts. But he has budgetary concerns with going beyond that.</p>
<p>"We have broken culture in our political world where it's OK to say, 'We can spend money or we can cut our taxes, and do that now for short-term benefit, and leave the bill for the kids and their family.' I don't think that's right," Snyder said. "If we're going to do something, let's make sure we're paying for it."</p>
<p>Gilda Jacobs, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy, an advocacy group for the poor, said Snyder has "done a lot of good things" but his fiscal legacy will be at risk if legislators "disinvest" and cut taxes.</p>
<p>"We've got to make sure that the next 11 months don't unravel the good that's been done," she said, saying the state cannot develop talented students without spending on infrastructure, schools and higher education.</p>
<p>Democrats criticized Snyder's depiction of the economy in a state that has added 540,000 private-sector jobs in his tenure and seen a 28 percent growth in per-capita income— both sixth-most in the country.</p>
<p>"The governor paints a pretty picture of Michigan, but too many families aren't seeing it," said Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich of Flint. "Instead, they're seeing crumbling roads, aging schools and dangerous water contamination issues creeping up all over the state. We hear a lot of talk, but action doesn't follow."</p>
<p>Snyder cited successes such as more preschool spending, the Pure Michigan tourism initiative, a boost in funding for arts, a vocational program for prisoners and his anticipation of a groundbreaking for the future Gordie Howe International Bridge in Detroit this summer. He also renewed his call for an A-to-F letter grade system for public schools.</p>
<p>Democrats running for governor such as Gretchen Whitmer criticized his record, however, and Republican candidates such as Attorney General Bill Schuette said the 4.25 percent income tax should be cut to 3.9 percent to spur growth — despite Snyder noting that households making under $60,000 will qualify for an expanded and more generous property tax credit under the 2015 road funding deal.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow David Eggert on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00" type="external">https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00</a> . His work can be found at <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/search/David%20Eggert</a> .</p>
| false | 2 |
lansing mich ap gov rick snyder tuesday touted michigans economic fiscal gains watch saying tenure huge ups downs state better shape took office eighth final state state address republican recapped time governor said ambitious agenda last year focus workforce infrastructure environment also pushed back ongoing calls tax cut period weve huge ups downs hasnt straight line overall question michigan far better state today 2010 snyder told joint session legislature toward end 53minute speech next week unveil five major policy initiatives related rural broadband access recycling asian carp great lakes water infrastructure replacement bond money dried environmental cleanup february propose budget spending roads bridges called 2015 transportation funding deal along largest increase base perpupil funding last 15 years detail marshall plan developing talented workforce next month well going lay groundwork new way producing talent michigan said snyder briefly touched flint leadcontaminated drinking water blamed primarily administrations failures 2014 2015 two members snyders cabinet among facing criminal charges manmade disaster experts suspect also tied deadly legionnaires disease outbreak snyder said tests show citys water comparable michigan cities old lead service pipes replaced flint seeing economic development speech came less week gopled legislature overwhelmingly overrode one vetoes first time enacting speedier tax cut people trade car new one made mention override remarks indirectly sought dampen lawmakers push separate cut individual taxes talked fiscally responsible government senate voted earlier tuesday create income tax credit dependent care last week passing bill would gradually raise personal tax exemption 5000 future inflationary adjustments snyder proposed keeping intact boosting michigans personal exemption 4500 offset unintended consequences federal tax cuts budgetary concerns going beyond broken culture political world ok say spend money cut taxes shortterm benefit leave bill kids family dont think thats right snyder said going something lets make sure paying gilda jacobs president ceo michigan league public policy advocacy group poor said snyder done lot good things fiscal legacy risk legislators disinvest cut taxes weve got make sure next 11 months dont unravel good thats done said saying state develop talented students without spending infrastructure schools higher education democrats criticized snyders depiction economy state added 540000 privatesector jobs tenure seen 28 percent growth percapita income sixthmost country governor paints pretty picture michigan many families arent seeing said senate minority leader jim ananich flint instead theyre seeing crumbling roads aging schools dangerous water contamination issues creeping state hear lot talk action doesnt follow snyder cited successes preschool spending pure michigan tourism initiative boost funding arts vocational program prisoners anticipation groundbreaking future gordie howe international bridge detroit summer also renewed call atof letter grade system public schools democrats running governor gretchen whitmer criticized record however republican candidates attorney general bill schuette said 425 percent income tax cut 39 percent spur growth despite snyder noting households making 60000 qualify expanded generous property tax credit 2015 road funding deal ___ follow david eggert twitter httpstwittercomdavideggert00 work found httpsapnewscomsearchdavid20eggert lansing mich ap gov rick snyder tuesday touted michigans economic fiscal gains watch saying tenure huge ups downs state better shape took office eighth final state state address republican recapped time governor said ambitious agenda last year focus workforce infrastructure environment also pushed back ongoing calls tax cut period weve huge ups downs hasnt straight line overall question michigan far better state today 2010 snyder told joint session legislature toward end 53minute speech next week unveil five major policy initiatives related rural broadband access recycling asian carp great lakes water infrastructure replacement bond money dried environmental cleanup february propose budget spending roads bridges called 2015 transportation funding deal along largest increase base perpupil funding last 15 years detail marshall plan developing talented workforce next month well going lay groundwork new way producing talent michigan said snyder briefly touched flint leadcontaminated drinking water blamed primarily administrations failures 2014 2015 two members snyders cabinet among facing criminal charges manmade disaster experts suspect also tied deadly legionnaires disease outbreak snyder said tests show citys water comparable michigan cities old lead service pipes replaced flint seeing economic development speech came less week gopled legislature overwhelmingly overrode one vetoes first time enacting speedier tax cut people trade car new one made mention override remarks indirectly sought dampen lawmakers push separate cut individual taxes talked fiscally responsible government senate voted earlier tuesday create income tax credit dependent care last week passing bill would gradually raise personal tax exemption 5000 future inflationary adjustments snyder proposed keeping intact boosting michigans personal exemption 4500 offset unintended consequences federal tax cuts budgetary concerns going beyond broken culture political world ok say spend money cut taxes shortterm benefit leave bill kids family dont think thats right snyder said going something lets make sure paying gilda jacobs president ceo michigan league public policy advocacy group poor said snyder done lot good things fiscal legacy risk legislators disinvest cut taxes weve got make sure next 11 months dont unravel good thats done said saying state develop talented students without spending infrastructure schools higher education democrats criticized snyders depiction economy state added 540000 privatesector jobs tenure seen 28 percent growth percapita income sixthmost country governor paints pretty picture michigan many families arent seeing said senate minority leader jim ananich flint instead theyre seeing crumbling roads aging schools dangerous water contamination issues creeping state hear lot talk action doesnt follow snyder cited successes preschool spending pure michigan tourism initiative boost funding arts vocational program prisoners anticipation groundbreaking future gordie howe international bridge detroit summer also renewed call atof letter grade system public schools democrats running governor gretchen whitmer criticized record however republican candidates attorney general bill schuette said 425 percent income tax cut 39 percent spur growth despite snyder noting households making 60000 qualify expanded generous property tax credit 2015 road funding deal ___ follow david eggert twitter httpstwittercomdavideggert00 work found httpsapnewscomsearchdavid20eggert
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<p>The pressure is mounting on the Justice Department to appoint such a prosecutor to probe Russian interference in the presidential election and contacts between the Russian government and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.</p>
<p>Senior Democrats and some Republicans stepped up their calls this week, after The Washington Post reported that Attorney General Jeff Sessions failed to disclose meetings he had with the Russian ambassador last year. Facing conflicts of interest, Sessions recused himself Thursday from any campaign-related probes.</p>
<p>While appointing a special counsel may be an obvious path forward in light of those revelations, it’s proven over the years to be a deeply flawed mechanism.</p>
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<p>The investigations are costly and unusually time consuming for white collar investigations, and sometimes expand far beyond their original missions.</p>
<p>The reason, critics have suggested, is the extraordinary public pressure placed on an independent counsel to come up with something or at the least, to exhaust all possibilities that there might be something to come up with before calling it quits.</p>
<p>Perhaps most notoriously, Kenneth Starr’s probes of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s real estate dealings and the suicide of Deputy White House Counsel Vince Foster expanded to include a broad range of unrelated allegations, and eventually gave way to the totally unrelated Monica Lewinsky scandal.</p>
<p>Leaks have abounded, in part because the secrecy imposed by the law on grand jury proceedings does not apply to witnesses who testify before grand juries.</p>
<p>Starr later conceded that his investigation was too long, “horribly chaotic” and beset by leaks, as “witnesses would come out of the third floor of the grand jury room” and “meet the press.”</p>
<p>“It’s become so politicized now,” former special counsel James C. McKay, who probed alleged influence peddling in the Reagan administration, said in 1998. “The ‘ins’ hate it and the ‘outs’ love it just for the purpose of bringing the ‘ins’ down. That’s the part that will turn the public sour.”</p>
<p>The role of special counsel has its roots in the Watergate scandal in the 1970s. At the time, the Nixon administration confronted a situation in which it would have been investigating itself had the attorney general pursued the matter.</p>
<p>Under pressure from Congress, the Justice Department appointed Harvard Law School professor Archibald Cox as “special prosecutor,” with the assurance that the White House wouldn’t interfere with his investigation. When Cox tried to subpoena secret tape recordings from the Oval Office, however, President Richard Nixon ordered him fired (see “The Saturday Night Massacre”) and tried to abolish the position.</p>
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<p>In the wake of Watergate, Congress passed an ethics law that created a new “independent counsel” role with broad power to investigate wrongdoing by government officials. Under the law, the attorney general or Congress could request an independent counsel, but to shield it from political meddling, the law mandated that a panel of federal judges appoint the prosecutor and oversee his or her work.</p>
<p>Both Democrats and Republicans grew to despise the arrangement, which morphed into something of a political weapon for both sides of the aisle. The law survived a Supreme Court challenge in the 1990s, but Congress let it lapse in 1999, following the investigations against Clinton and his impeachment.</p>
<p>Since then, the power to appoint a special counsel, as it’s known in the current federal regulations, has rested solely with the attorney general.</p>
<p>In the current situation, it’s up to Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente to decide what to do, now that Sessions has recused himself.</p>
<p>If Boente or some other deputy does appoint someone, that official could still wield considerable power over the scope of the investigation should he choose to. Under the current regulations, he can define the special counsel’s “prosecutorial jurisdiction,” and has the ability to reverse almost any of the special prosecutor’s “significant actions.”</p>
<p>Boente, or whoever Trump nominates to become deputy attorney general permanently, could also remove the special counsel for a range of reasons, including “incapacity” or “other good cause.”</p>
<p>Appointing a special counsel also carries the risk of obscuring information Democrats and others are seeking to bring to light. A special counsel’s job is to look for evidence of a possible crime, not expose wrongdoing to the public. If a special counsel decides there isn’t enough evidence to bring criminal charges, anything gleaned during the investigation is supposed to stay hidden, no matter how damning it may otherwise be.</p>
<p>The issue came up in the mid-2000s, when the Justice Department appointed Patrick Fitzgerald to investigate the leak of a CIA officer’s identity by officials in the Bush administration. His probe led to a limited prosecution of the vice president’s chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, not a sweeping case against the high ranks of the White House that critics had hoped for, as David Corn previously noted in Mother Jones. Fitzgerald was barred by rules governing criminal investigations from releasing any evidence that didn’t relate directly to Libby’s indictment and prosecution.</p>
<p>“Everything else he had unearthed via subpoenas and grand jury interviews had to remain secret,” Corn wrote. “Repeatedly, Fitzgerald said that his hands were tied on this point. A special prosecutor, it turns out, is a rather imperfect vehicle for revealing the full truth.”</p>
<p>Peter Zeidenberg, who served as assistant special counsel in Libby’s prosecution, argues that in the Trump administration’s case, appointing a special counsel would “likely be a mistake.” Such a move could actually wind up burying information related to the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to the Russian government, he wrote Thursday in an essay for The Post.</p>
<p>“If, after a full criminal investigation, it was determined that a crime occurred but the critical evidence was not obtainable – say, for purposes of argument, that this evidence was in Russia, unobtainable by subpoena – then it would be improper to seek an indictment,” Zeidenberg wrote. “Critically, the entire investigation would then remain secret. It would be a violation of law for a prosecutor to make public the results of a grand jury investigation that did not result in an indictment.”</p>
<p>The problem, as others have suggested, is there’s no better alternative for situations when an administration is being called upon to investigate itself.</p>
<p>While many insist that career prosecutors, who are not political appointees, are perfectly capable of conducting full and fair investigations, the fact that they report to political appointees whose survival may depend on the outcome of a probe casts a shadow of public distrust over their work.</p>
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pressure mounting justice department appoint prosecutor probe russian interference presidential election contacts russian government donald trumps presidential campaign senior democrats republicans stepped calls week washington post reported attorney general jeff sessions failed disclose meetings russian ambassador last year facing conflicts interest sessions recused thursday campaignrelated probes appointing special counsel may obvious path forward light revelations proven years deeply flawed mechanism advertisement investigations costly unusually time consuming white collar investigations sometimes expand far beyond original missions reason critics suggested extraordinary public pressure placed independent counsel come something least exhaust possibilities might something come calling quits perhaps notoriously kenneth starrs probes bill hillary clintons real estate dealings suicide deputy white house counsel vince foster expanded include broad range unrelated allegations eventually gave way totally unrelated monica lewinsky scandal leaks abounded part secrecy imposed law grand jury proceedings apply witnesses testify grand juries starr later conceded investigation long horribly chaotic beset leaks witnesses would come third floor grand jury room meet press become politicized former special counsel james c mckay probed alleged influence peddling reagan administration said 1998 ins hate outs love purpose bringing ins thats part turn public sour role special counsel roots watergate scandal 1970s time nixon administration confronted situation would investigating attorney general pursued matter pressure congress justice department appointed harvard law school professor archibald cox special prosecutor assurance white house wouldnt interfere investigation cox tried subpoena secret tape recordings oval office however president richard nixon ordered fired see saturday night massacre tried abolish position advertisement wake watergate congress passed ethics law created new independent counsel role broad power investigate wrongdoing government officials law attorney general congress could request independent counsel shield political meddling law mandated panel federal judges appoint prosecutor oversee work democrats republicans grew despise arrangement morphed something political weapon sides aisle law survived supreme court challenge 1990s congress let lapse 1999 following investigations clinton impeachment since power appoint special counsel known current federal regulations rested solely attorney general current situation acting deputy attorney general dana boente decide sessions recused boente deputy appoint someone official could still wield considerable power scope investigation choose current regulations define special counsels prosecutorial jurisdiction ability reverse almost special prosecutors significant actions boente whoever trump nominates become deputy attorney general permanently could also remove special counsel range reasons including incapacity good cause appointing special counsel also carries risk obscuring information democrats others seeking bring light special counsels job look evidence possible crime expose wrongdoing public special counsel decides isnt enough evidence bring criminal charges anything gleaned investigation supposed stay hidden matter damning may otherwise issue came mid2000s justice department appointed patrick fitzgerald investigate leak cia officers identity officials bush administration probe led limited prosecution vice presidents chief staff lewis scooter libby sweeping case high ranks white house critics hoped david corn previously noted mother jones fitzgerald barred rules governing criminal investigations releasing evidence didnt relate directly libbys indictment prosecution everything else unearthed via subpoenas grand jury interviews remain secret corn wrote repeatedly fitzgerald said hands tied point special prosecutor turns rather imperfect vehicle revealing full truth peter zeidenberg served assistant special counsel libbys prosecution argues trump administrations case appointing special counsel would likely mistake move could actually wind burying information related trump campaigns alleged ties russian government wrote thursday essay post full criminal investigation determined crime occurred critical evidence obtainable say purposes argument evidence russia unobtainable subpoena would improper seek indictment zeidenberg wrote critically entire investigation would remain secret would violation law prosecutor make public results grand jury investigation result indictment problem others suggested theres better alternative situations administration called upon investigate many insist career prosecutors political appointees perfectly capable conducting full fair investigations fact report political appointees whose survival may depend outcome probe casts shadow public distrust work
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<p>SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Pope Francis accused victims of Chile's most notorious pedophile of slander Thursday, an astonishing end to a visit meant to help heal the wounds of a sex abuse scandal that has cost the Catholic Church its credibility in the country.</p>
<p>Francis said that until he sees proof that Bishop Juan Barros was complicit in covering up the sex crimes of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, such accusations against Barros are "all calumny."</p>
<p>The pope's remarks drew shock from Chileans and immediate rebuke from victims and their advocates. They noted the accusers were deemed credible enough by the Vatican that it sentenced Karadima to a lifetime of "penance and prayer" for his crimes in 2011. A Chilean judge also found the victims to be credible, saying that while she had to drop criminal charges against Karadima because too much time had passed, proof of his crimes wasn't lacking.</p>
<p>"As if I could have taken a selfie or a photo while Karadima abused me and others and Juan Barros stood by watching it all," tweeted Barros' most vocal accuser, Juan Carlos Cruz. "These people are truly crazy, and the pontiff talks about atonement to the victims. Nothing has changed, and his plea for forgiveness is empty."</p>
<p>The Karadima scandal dominated Francis' visit to Chile and the overall issue of sex abuse and church cover-up was likely to factor into his three-day trip to Peru that began late Thursday.</p>
<p>Karadima's victims reported to church authorities as early as 2002 that he would kiss and fondle them in the swank Santiago parish he ran, but officials refused to believe them. Only when the victims went public with their accusations in 2010 did the Vatican launch an investigation that led to Karadima being removed from ministry.</p>
<p>The emeritus archbishop of Santiago subsequently apologized for having refused to believe the victims from the start.</p>
<p>Francis reopened the wounds of the scandal in 2015 when he named Barros, a protege of Karadima, as bishop of the southern diocese of Osorno. Karadima's victims say Barros knew of the abuse, having seen it, but did nothing. Barros has denied the allegations.</p>
<p>His appointment outraged Chileans, badly divided the Osorno diocese and further undermined the church's already shaky credibility in the country.</p>
<p>Francis had sought to heal the wounds by meeting this week with abuse victims and begging forgiveness for the crimes of church pastors. But on Thursday, he struck a defiant tone when asked by a Chilean journalist about Barros.</p>
<p>"The day they bring me proof against Bishop Barros, I'll speak," Francis said. "There is not one shred of proof against him. It's all calumny. Is that clear?"</p>
<p>Francis had defended the appointment before, calling the Osorno controversy "stupid" and the result of a campaign mounted by leftists. But The Associated Press reported last week that the Vatican was so worried about the fallout from the Karadima affair that it was prepared in 2014 to ask Barros and two other Karadima-trained bishops to resign and go on a yearlong sabbatical.</p>
<p>According to a Jan. 31, 2015, letter obtained by AP from Francis to the executive committee of the Chilean bishops' conference, the plan fell apart and Barros was sent to Osorno.</p>
<p>Juan Carlos Claret, spokesman for a group of Osorno lay Catholics who have mounted a three-year campaign against Barros, questioned why Francis was now accusing the victims of slandering Barros when the Vatican was so convinced of their claims that it planned to remove him in 2014.</p>
<p>"Isn't the pastoral problem that we're living (in Osorno) enough to get rid of him?" Claret asked.</p>
<p>The reference was to the fact that — guilty or not — Barros has been unable to do his job because so many Osorno Catholics and priests don't recognize him as their bishop. They staged an unprecedented protest during his 2015 installation ceremony and have protested his presence ever since.</p>
<p>Anne Barrett Doyle, of the online database BishopAccountability.org, said it was "sad and wrong" for the pope to discredit the victims since "the burden of proof here rests with the church, not the victims — and especially not with victims whose veracity has already been affirmed."</p>
<p>"He has just turned back the clock to the darkest days of this crisis," she said in a statement. "Who knows how many victims now will decide to stay hidden, for fear they will not be believed?"</p>
<p>Indeed, Catholic officials for years accused victims of slandering and attacking the church with their claims. But up until Francis' words Thursday, many in the church and Vatican had come to reluctantly acknowledge that victims usually told the truth and that the church for decades had wrongly sought to protect its own.</p>
<p>German Silva, a political scientist at Santiago's Universidad Mayor, said the pope's comments were a "tremendous error" that will reverberate in Chile and beyond.</p>
<p>Patricio Navia, political science professor at Diego Portales University in Santiago, said Francis had gone much further than Chilean bishops in acknowledging the sexual abuse scandal, which many Chileans appreciated.</p>
<p>"Then right before leaving, Francis turns around and says: 'By the way, I don't think Barros is guilty. Show me some proof,'" Navia said, adding that the comment will probably erase any good will the pope had won over the issue.</p>
<p>Navia said the Karadima scandal had radically changed how Chileans view the church.</p>
<p>"In the typical Chilean family, parents (now) think twice before sending their kids to Catholic school because you never know what is going to happen," Navia said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Peter Prengaman and Eva Vergara contributed to this report.</p>
<p>SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Pope Francis accused victims of Chile's most notorious pedophile of slander Thursday, an astonishing end to a visit meant to help heal the wounds of a sex abuse scandal that has cost the Catholic Church its credibility in the country.</p>
<p>Francis said that until he sees proof that Bishop Juan Barros was complicit in covering up the sex crimes of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, such accusations against Barros are "all calumny."</p>
<p>The pope's remarks drew shock from Chileans and immediate rebuke from victims and their advocates. They noted the accusers were deemed credible enough by the Vatican that it sentenced Karadima to a lifetime of "penance and prayer" for his crimes in 2011. A Chilean judge also found the victims to be credible, saying that while she had to drop criminal charges against Karadima because too much time had passed, proof of his crimes wasn't lacking.</p>
<p>"As if I could have taken a selfie or a photo while Karadima abused me and others and Juan Barros stood by watching it all," tweeted Barros' most vocal accuser, Juan Carlos Cruz. "These people are truly crazy, and the pontiff talks about atonement to the victims. Nothing has changed, and his plea for forgiveness is empty."</p>
<p>The Karadima scandal dominated Francis' visit to Chile and the overall issue of sex abuse and church cover-up was likely to factor into his three-day trip to Peru that began late Thursday.</p>
<p>Karadima's victims reported to church authorities as early as 2002 that he would kiss and fondle them in the swank Santiago parish he ran, but officials refused to believe them. Only when the victims went public with their accusations in 2010 did the Vatican launch an investigation that led to Karadima being removed from ministry.</p>
<p>The emeritus archbishop of Santiago subsequently apologized for having refused to believe the victims from the start.</p>
<p>Francis reopened the wounds of the scandal in 2015 when he named Barros, a protege of Karadima, as bishop of the southern diocese of Osorno. Karadima's victims say Barros knew of the abuse, having seen it, but did nothing. Barros has denied the allegations.</p>
<p>His appointment outraged Chileans, badly divided the Osorno diocese and further undermined the church's already shaky credibility in the country.</p>
<p>Francis had sought to heal the wounds by meeting this week with abuse victims and begging forgiveness for the crimes of church pastors. But on Thursday, he struck a defiant tone when asked by a Chilean journalist about Barros.</p>
<p>"The day they bring me proof against Bishop Barros, I'll speak," Francis said. "There is not one shred of proof against him. It's all calumny. Is that clear?"</p>
<p>Francis had defended the appointment before, calling the Osorno controversy "stupid" and the result of a campaign mounted by leftists. But The Associated Press reported last week that the Vatican was so worried about the fallout from the Karadima affair that it was prepared in 2014 to ask Barros and two other Karadima-trained bishops to resign and go on a yearlong sabbatical.</p>
<p>According to a Jan. 31, 2015, letter obtained by AP from Francis to the executive committee of the Chilean bishops' conference, the plan fell apart and Barros was sent to Osorno.</p>
<p>Juan Carlos Claret, spokesman for a group of Osorno lay Catholics who have mounted a three-year campaign against Barros, questioned why Francis was now accusing the victims of slandering Barros when the Vatican was so convinced of their claims that it planned to remove him in 2014.</p>
<p>"Isn't the pastoral problem that we're living (in Osorno) enough to get rid of him?" Claret asked.</p>
<p>The reference was to the fact that — guilty or not — Barros has been unable to do his job because so many Osorno Catholics and priests don't recognize him as their bishop. They staged an unprecedented protest during his 2015 installation ceremony and have protested his presence ever since.</p>
<p>Anne Barrett Doyle, of the online database BishopAccountability.org, said it was "sad and wrong" for the pope to discredit the victims since "the burden of proof here rests with the church, not the victims — and especially not with victims whose veracity has already been affirmed."</p>
<p>"He has just turned back the clock to the darkest days of this crisis," she said in a statement. "Who knows how many victims now will decide to stay hidden, for fear they will not be believed?"</p>
<p>Indeed, Catholic officials for years accused victims of slandering and attacking the church with their claims. But up until Francis' words Thursday, many in the church and Vatican had come to reluctantly acknowledge that victims usually told the truth and that the church for decades had wrongly sought to protect its own.</p>
<p>German Silva, a political scientist at Santiago's Universidad Mayor, said the pope's comments were a "tremendous error" that will reverberate in Chile and beyond.</p>
<p>Patricio Navia, political science professor at Diego Portales University in Santiago, said Francis had gone much further than Chilean bishops in acknowledging the sexual abuse scandal, which many Chileans appreciated.</p>
<p>"Then right before leaving, Francis turns around and says: 'By the way, I don't think Barros is guilty. Show me some proof,'" Navia said, adding that the comment will probably erase any good will the pope had won over the issue.</p>
<p>Navia said the Karadima scandal had radically changed how Chileans view the church.</p>
<p>"In the typical Chilean family, parents (now) think twice before sending their kids to Catholic school because you never know what is going to happen," Navia said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Peter Prengaman and Eva Vergara contributed to this report.</p>
| false | 2 |
santiago chile ap pope francis accused victims chiles notorious pedophile slander thursday astonishing end visit meant help heal wounds sex abuse scandal cost catholic church credibility country francis said sees proof bishop juan barros complicit covering sex crimes rev fernando karadima accusations barros calumny popes remarks drew shock chileans immediate rebuke victims advocates noted accusers deemed credible enough vatican sentenced karadima lifetime penance prayer crimes 2011 chilean judge also found victims credible saying drop criminal charges karadima much time passed proof crimes wasnt lacking could taken selfie photo karadima abused others juan barros stood watching tweeted barros vocal accuser juan carlos cruz people truly crazy pontiff talks atonement victims nothing changed plea forgiveness empty karadima scandal dominated francis visit chile overall issue sex abuse church coverup likely factor threeday trip peru began late thursday karadimas victims reported church authorities early 2002 would kiss fondle swank santiago parish ran officials refused believe victims went public accusations 2010 vatican launch investigation led karadima removed ministry emeritus archbishop santiago subsequently apologized refused believe victims start francis reopened wounds scandal 2015 named barros protege karadima bishop southern diocese osorno karadimas victims say barros knew abuse seen nothing barros denied allegations appointment outraged chileans badly divided osorno diocese undermined churchs already shaky credibility country francis sought heal wounds meeting week abuse victims begging forgiveness crimes church pastors thursday struck defiant tone asked chilean journalist barros day bring proof bishop barros ill speak francis said one shred proof calumny clear francis defended appointment calling osorno controversy stupid result campaign mounted leftists associated press reported last week vatican worried fallout karadima affair prepared 2014 ask barros two karadimatrained bishops resign go yearlong sabbatical according jan 31 2015 letter obtained ap francis executive committee chilean bishops conference plan fell apart barros sent osorno juan carlos claret spokesman group osorno lay catholics mounted threeyear campaign barros questioned francis accusing victims slandering barros vatican convinced claims planned remove 2014 isnt pastoral problem living osorno enough get rid claret asked reference fact guilty barros unable job many osorno catholics priests dont recognize bishop staged unprecedented protest 2015 installation ceremony protested presence ever since anne barrett doyle online database bishopaccountabilityorg said sad wrong pope discredit victims since burden proof rests church victims especially victims whose veracity already affirmed turned back clock darkest days crisis said statement knows many victims decide stay hidden fear believed indeed catholic officials years accused victims slandering attacking church claims francis words thursday many church vatican come reluctantly acknowledge victims usually told truth church decades wrongly sought protect german silva political scientist santiagos universidad mayor said popes comments tremendous error reverberate chile beyond patricio navia political science professor diego portales university santiago said francis gone much chilean bishops acknowledging sexual abuse scandal many chileans appreciated right leaving francis turns around says way dont think barros guilty show proof navia said adding comment probably erase good pope issue navia said karadima scandal radically changed chileans view church typical chilean family parents think twice sending kids catholic school never know going happen navia said ___ associated press writers peter prengaman eva vergara contributed report santiago chile ap pope francis accused victims chiles notorious pedophile slander thursday astonishing end visit meant help heal wounds sex abuse scandal cost catholic church credibility country francis said sees proof bishop juan barros complicit covering sex crimes rev fernando karadima accusations barros calumny popes remarks drew shock chileans immediate rebuke victims advocates noted accusers deemed credible enough vatican sentenced karadima lifetime penance prayer crimes 2011 chilean judge also found victims credible saying drop criminal charges karadima much time passed proof crimes wasnt lacking could taken selfie photo karadima abused others juan barros stood watching tweeted barros vocal accuser juan carlos cruz people truly crazy pontiff talks atonement victims nothing changed plea forgiveness empty karadima scandal dominated francis visit chile overall issue sex abuse church coverup likely factor threeday trip peru began late thursday karadimas victims reported church authorities early 2002 would kiss fondle swank santiago parish ran officials refused believe victims went public accusations 2010 vatican launch investigation led karadima removed ministry emeritus archbishop santiago subsequently apologized refused believe victims start francis reopened wounds scandal 2015 named barros protege karadima bishop southern diocese osorno karadimas victims say barros knew abuse seen nothing barros denied allegations appointment outraged chileans badly divided osorno diocese undermined churchs already shaky credibility country francis sought heal wounds meeting week abuse victims begging forgiveness crimes church pastors thursday struck defiant tone asked chilean journalist barros day bring proof bishop barros ill speak francis said one shred proof calumny clear francis defended appointment calling osorno controversy stupid result campaign mounted leftists associated press reported last week vatican worried fallout karadima affair prepared 2014 ask barros two karadimatrained bishops resign go yearlong sabbatical according jan 31 2015 letter obtained ap francis executive committee chilean bishops conference plan fell apart barros sent osorno juan carlos claret spokesman group osorno lay catholics mounted threeyear campaign barros questioned francis accusing victims slandering barros vatican convinced claims planned remove 2014 isnt pastoral problem living osorno enough get rid claret asked reference fact guilty barros unable job many osorno catholics priests dont recognize bishop staged unprecedented protest 2015 installation ceremony protested presence ever since anne barrett doyle online database bishopaccountabilityorg said sad wrong pope discredit victims since burden proof rests church victims especially victims whose veracity already affirmed turned back clock darkest days crisis said statement knows many victims decide stay hidden fear believed indeed catholic officials years accused victims slandering attacking church claims francis words thursday many church vatican come reluctantly acknowledge victims usually told truth church decades wrongly sought protect german silva political scientist santiagos universidad mayor said popes comments tremendous error reverberate chile beyond patricio navia political science professor diego portales university santiago said francis gone much chilean bishops acknowledging sexual abuse scandal many chileans appreciated right leaving francis turns around says way dont think barros guilty show proof navia said adding comment probably erase good pope issue navia said karadima scandal radically changed chileans view church typical chilean family parents think twice sending kids catholic school never know going happen navia said ___ associated press writers peter prengaman eva vergara contributed report
| 1,028 |
<p>LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Justin Verlander has won Cy Young Awards and MVP honors. He also know it is time to make some changes.</p>
<p>The 33-year-old right-hander was injured most of the first half of last season and ended up with a 5-8 record in 2 starts. He isn’t used to that, but knows he isn’t the same pitcher he was 10 years ago. Verlander used to throw heat but things have changed as his arm has gotten older.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t say I’m not a power pitcher anymore,” he said. “I hit 99 (on the radar gun) last year. But I feel like I am learning to throw differently to adjust. Different grips, different ways of pitching.”</p>
<p>It seems to be working so far this spring.</p>
<p>Verlander allowed one hit and struck out five in four innings Tuesday, extending his scoreless string to nine innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-6.</p>
<p>Tigers manager Brad Ausmus caught for the Houston Astros and worked with Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens as their careers were heading down the home stretch. He said that, like the those two stars, Verlander will adapt.</p>
<p>“He is adjusting and transitioning,” Ausmus said. “It’s just a natural progression of things. Things just change. Pettitte was a two-pitch pitcher. By the time he was done, he was throwing five different pitches. Clemens was already old when he came (to Houston) and he was making changes. Verlander will be fine.”</p>
<p>As for the actual changes, Verlander wasn’t giving away any secrets.</p>
<p>“New grips on my pitches?” Verlander asked. “I wouldn’t tell you if there was.”</p>
<p>J.D. Martinez homered for the third straight day to increase his spring total to four, and James McCann also homered for the Tigers. Ian Kinsler doubled to improve his spring average to .385.</p>
<p>The Tigers led 6-0 in the third inning and coasted down the stretch.</p>
<p>New closer Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless inning in his second outing of the spring.</p>
<p>Bud Norris started for the Braves and watched his spring ERA balloon to 7.88 after allowing six earned runs in three innings. Ender Inciarte had two RBIs for Atlanta.</p>
<p>STARTING TIME</p>
<p>Norris got rocked but Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said that numbers can lie.</p>
<p>“You look at the numbers and they were worse than he looked” Gonzalez said. “He did a great job getting out of a jam in the first inning and he knows how to minimize damages. He gave up two in the first, but he’s a professional guy and knows how to get things done.”</p>
<p>Norris started 22 games last year for Baltimore and San Diego.</p>
<p>WHAT A RELIEF</p>
<p>Rodriguez retired all three batters he faced. He is expected to be a savior for a Tigers bullpen which has consistently struggled in recent years.</p>
<p>“I’m not even where I need to be yet,” Rodriguez said. “I still have time to get stronger. My location is there but not my velocity yet. I am going to get an extra gear on my fastball.”</p>
<p>Ausmus likes what he is seeing from Rodriguez even though the pitcher was held up reporting to camp due to visa issues.</p>
<p>“He has great arm action, especially on the changeup,” Ausmus said. “Velocity is important but not as important as throwing with the same motion as his fastball. He’s a pitcher now.”</p>
<p>Rodriguez saved 38 games for the Milwaukee Brewers last season.</p>
<p>HOT HITTER</p>
<p>Braves infielder Hector Olivera leads all major leaguers in hits this spring with 14 and has a .438 average. He has gotten hits in 10 of 11 games. Olivera played in 24 games for the Braves last season, batting .253.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Braves: RHP Jhoulys Chacin will square off against St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia at Walt Disney World on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Tiger: RHP Jordan Zimmerman will face the Astros in his third spring start. Brad Peacock will start for Houston in Kissimmee.</p>
<p>LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Justin Verlander has won Cy Young Awards and MVP honors. He also know it is time to make some changes.</p>
<p>The 33-year-old right-hander was injured most of the first half of last season and ended up with a 5-8 record in 2 starts. He isn’t used to that, but knows he isn’t the same pitcher he was 10 years ago. Verlander used to throw heat but things have changed as his arm has gotten older.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t say I’m not a power pitcher anymore,” he said. “I hit 99 (on the radar gun) last year. But I feel like I am learning to throw differently to adjust. Different grips, different ways of pitching.”</p>
<p>It seems to be working so far this spring.</p>
<p>Verlander allowed one hit and struck out five in four innings Tuesday, extending his scoreless string to nine innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-6.</p>
<p>Tigers manager Brad Ausmus caught for the Houston Astros and worked with Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens as their careers were heading down the home stretch. He said that, like the those two stars, Verlander will adapt.</p>
<p>“He is adjusting and transitioning,” Ausmus said. “It’s just a natural progression of things. Things just change. Pettitte was a two-pitch pitcher. By the time he was done, he was throwing five different pitches. Clemens was already old when he came (to Houston) and he was making changes. Verlander will be fine.”</p>
<p>As for the actual changes, Verlander wasn’t giving away any secrets.</p>
<p>“New grips on my pitches?” Verlander asked. “I wouldn’t tell you if there was.”</p>
<p>J.D. Martinez homered for the third straight day to increase his spring total to four, and James McCann also homered for the Tigers. Ian Kinsler doubled to improve his spring average to .385.</p>
<p>The Tigers led 6-0 in the third inning and coasted down the stretch.</p>
<p>New closer Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless inning in his second outing of the spring.</p>
<p>Bud Norris started for the Braves and watched his spring ERA balloon to 7.88 after allowing six earned runs in three innings. Ender Inciarte had two RBIs for Atlanta.</p>
<p>STARTING TIME</p>
<p>Norris got rocked but Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said that numbers can lie.</p>
<p>“You look at the numbers and they were worse than he looked” Gonzalez said. “He did a great job getting out of a jam in the first inning and he knows how to minimize damages. He gave up two in the first, but he’s a professional guy and knows how to get things done.”</p>
<p>Norris started 22 games last year for Baltimore and San Diego.</p>
<p>WHAT A RELIEF</p>
<p>Rodriguez retired all three batters he faced. He is expected to be a savior for a Tigers bullpen which has consistently struggled in recent years.</p>
<p>“I’m not even where I need to be yet,” Rodriguez said. “I still have time to get stronger. My location is there but not my velocity yet. I am going to get an extra gear on my fastball.”</p>
<p>Ausmus likes what he is seeing from Rodriguez even though the pitcher was held up reporting to camp due to visa issues.</p>
<p>“He has great arm action, especially on the changeup,” Ausmus said. “Velocity is important but not as important as throwing with the same motion as his fastball. He’s a pitcher now.”</p>
<p>Rodriguez saved 38 games for the Milwaukee Brewers last season.</p>
<p>HOT HITTER</p>
<p>Braves infielder Hector Olivera leads all major leaguers in hits this spring with 14 and has a .438 average. He has gotten hits in 10 of 11 games. Olivera played in 24 games for the Braves last season, batting .253.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Braves: RHP Jhoulys Chacin will square off against St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia at Walt Disney World on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Tiger: RHP Jordan Zimmerman will face the Astros in his third spring start. Brad Peacock will start for Houston in Kissimmee.</p>
| false | 2 |
lakeland fla ap justin verlander cy young awards mvp honors also know time make changes 33yearold righthander injured first half last season ended 58 record 2 starts isnt used knows isnt pitcher 10 years ago verlander used throw heat things changed arm gotten older wouldnt say im power pitcher anymore said hit 99 radar gun last year feel like learning throw differently adjust different grips different ways pitching seems working far spring verlander allowed one hit struck five four innings tuesday extending scoreless string nine innings detroit tigers beat atlanta braves 106 tigers manager brad ausmus caught houston astros worked andy pettitte roger clemens careers heading home stretch said like two stars verlander adapt adjusting transitioning ausmus said natural progression things things change pettitte twopitch pitcher time done throwing five different pitches clemens already old came houston making changes verlander fine actual changes verlander wasnt giving away secrets new grips pitches verlander asked wouldnt tell jd martinez homered third straight day increase spring total four james mccann also homered tigers ian kinsler doubled improve spring average 385 tigers led 60 third inning coasted stretch new closer francisco rodriguez pitched scoreless inning second outing spring bud norris started braves watched spring era balloon 788 allowing six earned runs three innings ender inciarte two rbis atlanta starting time norris got rocked braves manager fredi gonzalez said numbers lie look numbers worse looked gonzalez said great job getting jam first inning knows minimize damages gave two first hes professional guy knows get things done norris started 22 games last year baltimore san diego relief rodriguez retired three batters faced expected savior tigers bullpen consistently struggled recent years im even need yet rodriguez said still time get stronger location velocity yet going get extra gear fastball ausmus likes seeing rodriguez even though pitcher held reporting camp due visa issues great arm action especially changeup ausmus said velocity important important throwing motion fastball hes pitcher rodriguez saved 38 games milwaukee brewers last season hot hitter braves infielder hector olivera leads major leaguers hits spring 14 438 average gotten hits 10 11 games olivera played 24 games braves last season batting 253 next braves rhp jhoulys chacin square st louis starter jaime garcia walt disney world wednesday tiger rhp jordan zimmerman face astros third spring start brad peacock start houston kissimmee lakeland fla ap justin verlander cy young awards mvp honors also know time make changes 33yearold righthander injured first half last season ended 58 record 2 starts isnt used knows isnt pitcher 10 years ago verlander used throw heat things changed arm gotten older wouldnt say im power pitcher anymore said hit 99 radar gun last year feel like learning throw differently adjust different grips different ways pitching seems working far spring verlander allowed one hit struck five four innings tuesday extending scoreless string nine innings detroit tigers beat atlanta braves 106 tigers manager brad ausmus caught houston astros worked andy pettitte roger clemens careers heading home stretch said like two stars verlander adapt adjusting transitioning ausmus said natural progression things things change pettitte twopitch pitcher time done throwing five different pitches clemens already old came houston making changes verlander fine actual changes verlander wasnt giving away secrets new grips pitches verlander asked wouldnt tell jd martinez homered third straight day increase spring total four james mccann also homered tigers ian kinsler doubled improve spring average 385 tigers led 60 third inning coasted stretch new closer francisco rodriguez pitched scoreless inning second outing spring bud norris started braves watched spring era balloon 788 allowing six earned runs three innings ender inciarte two rbis atlanta starting time norris got rocked braves manager fredi gonzalez said numbers lie look numbers worse looked gonzalez said great job getting jam first inning knows minimize damages gave two first hes professional guy knows get things done norris started 22 games last year baltimore san diego relief rodriguez retired three batters faced expected savior tigers bullpen consistently struggled recent years im even need yet rodriguez said still time get stronger location velocity yet going get extra gear fastball ausmus likes seeing rodriguez even though pitcher held reporting camp due visa issues great arm action especially changeup ausmus said velocity important important throwing motion fastball hes pitcher rodriguez saved 38 games milwaukee brewers last season hot hitter braves infielder hector olivera leads major leaguers hits spring 14 438 average gotten hits 10 11 games olivera played 24 games braves last season batting 253 next braves rhp jhoulys chacin square st louis starter jaime garcia walt disney world wednesday tiger rhp jordan zimmerman face astros third spring start brad peacock start houston kissimmee
| 770 |
<p>LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - It couldn't have gone any better for Virgil van Dijk on his Liverpool debut.</p>
<p>Signed last week for $100 million as the world's most expensive defender, Van Dijk scored an 84th-minute winner against Everton - Liverpool's fierce local rival - in front of the storied Kop stand at Anfield in the third round of the FA Cup on Friday.</p>
<p>"Playing at Anfield for Liverpool is a dream for every player," the Netherlands defender said after the 2-1 win in the 230th Merseyside derby. "To score a goal is even more special."</p>
<p>Manchester United also left it late to qualify for the fourth round, with in-form midfielder Jesse Lingard and striker Romelu Lukaku scoring in the final six minutes of regulation time in a 2-0 victory over second-tier Derby County at Old Trafford.</p>
<p>The third round continues across Saturday, Sunday and Monday.</p>
<p>Here's a closer look at Friday's two games as English soccer's two most decorated clubs advanced:</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>VAN DIJK'S DREAM START</p>
<p>Kevin Keegan, Michael Owen, Luis Suarez and Mohamed Salah are among those to have scored on their Liverpool debuts.</p>
<p>Add Virgil van Dijk to the list.</p>
<p>Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said the center back wasn't "fine-tuned" following his big-money move from Southampton and he wasn't even going to start him until the morning of the match, when he changed his mind.</p>
<p>Van Dijk looked a bit rusty with the ball at his feet but was commanding in the air throughout, no more so than when he leapt in front of Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at a corner to head the ball into an empty net.</p>
<p>"I think something like that is quite special," Klopp said.</p>
<p>James Milner put Liverpool ahead in the 35th minute by converting a penalty, contentiously awarded after Adam Lallana fell to the ground after Mason Holgate placed his hands on the chest of the Liverpool midfielder.</p>
<p>Everton barely threatened in the first half but was much more dangerous after the break, equalizing through Gylfi Sigurdsson after a counterattack following a Liverpool corner.</p>
<p>The most explosive incident in a typically high-octane derby came just after Milner's goal when Holgate shoved Roberto Firmino into - and over - the advertising boards. A clearly unhappy Firmino vaulted back onto the field and sprinted toward Holgate, swearing in Portuguese, and was lucky that referee Bobby Madley stepped in between them to intervene.</p>
<p>Holgate then became aggrieved, and appeared to complain to Madley that he had been verbally abused by Firmino. Madley spoke to his the fourth official, before play continued.</p>
<p>Liverpool hasn't lost to Everton in 16 matches - a club record - and Everton's winless run at the home of its great rival extended to 21 games, dating back to 1999.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>LATE SHOW AT OLD TRAFFORD</p>
<p>Jesse Lingard's latest scintillating strike for Man United came as Jose Mourinho's team looked set to be taken to a replay.</p>
<p>In the 84th minute, Lingard teed himself up and smashed home a swerving volley for his eighth goal in 10 games. He spent time on loan at Derby in 2015.</p>
<p>Lukaku added a second in the 90th minute when he controlled Paul Pogba's long clearance on his chest in midfield, played a one-two with Anthony Martial and scored with a powerful strike.</p>
<p>A quarterfinal exit in the League Cup and a 15-point deficit to leader Manchester City in the Premier League has placed extra importance on the FA Cup for United, which fielded a strong lineup.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Steve Douglas is at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/sdouglas80" type="external">www.twitter.com/sdouglas80</a></p>
<p>LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - It couldn't have gone any better for Virgil van Dijk on his Liverpool debut.</p>
<p>Signed last week for $100 million as the world's most expensive defender, Van Dijk scored an 84th-minute winner against Everton - Liverpool's fierce local rival - in front of the storied Kop stand at Anfield in the third round of the FA Cup on Friday.</p>
<p>"Playing at Anfield for Liverpool is a dream for every player," the Netherlands defender said after the 2-1 win in the 230th Merseyside derby. "To score a goal is even more special."</p>
<p>Manchester United also left it late to qualify for the fourth round, with in-form midfielder Jesse Lingard and striker Romelu Lukaku scoring in the final six minutes of regulation time in a 2-0 victory over second-tier Derby County at Old Trafford.</p>
<p>The third round continues across Saturday, Sunday and Monday.</p>
<p>Here's a closer look at Friday's two games as English soccer's two most decorated clubs advanced:</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>VAN DIJK'S DREAM START</p>
<p>Kevin Keegan, Michael Owen, Luis Suarez and Mohamed Salah are among those to have scored on their Liverpool debuts.</p>
<p>Add Virgil van Dijk to the list.</p>
<p>Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said the center back wasn't "fine-tuned" following his big-money move from Southampton and he wasn't even going to start him until the morning of the match, when he changed his mind.</p>
<p>Van Dijk looked a bit rusty with the ball at his feet but was commanding in the air throughout, no more so than when he leapt in front of Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at a corner to head the ball into an empty net.</p>
<p>"I think something like that is quite special," Klopp said.</p>
<p>James Milner put Liverpool ahead in the 35th minute by converting a penalty, contentiously awarded after Adam Lallana fell to the ground after Mason Holgate placed his hands on the chest of the Liverpool midfielder.</p>
<p>Everton barely threatened in the first half but was much more dangerous after the break, equalizing through Gylfi Sigurdsson after a counterattack following a Liverpool corner.</p>
<p>The most explosive incident in a typically high-octane derby came just after Milner's goal when Holgate shoved Roberto Firmino into - and over - the advertising boards. A clearly unhappy Firmino vaulted back onto the field and sprinted toward Holgate, swearing in Portuguese, and was lucky that referee Bobby Madley stepped in between them to intervene.</p>
<p>Holgate then became aggrieved, and appeared to complain to Madley that he had been verbally abused by Firmino. Madley spoke to his the fourth official, before play continued.</p>
<p>Liverpool hasn't lost to Everton in 16 matches - a club record - and Everton's winless run at the home of its great rival extended to 21 games, dating back to 1999.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>LATE SHOW AT OLD TRAFFORD</p>
<p>Jesse Lingard's latest scintillating strike for Man United came as Jose Mourinho's team looked set to be taken to a replay.</p>
<p>In the 84th minute, Lingard teed himself up and smashed home a swerving volley for his eighth goal in 10 games. He spent time on loan at Derby in 2015.</p>
<p>Lukaku added a second in the 90th minute when he controlled Paul Pogba's long clearance on his chest in midfield, played a one-two with Anthony Martial and scored with a powerful strike.</p>
<p>A quarterfinal exit in the League Cup and a 15-point deficit to leader Manchester City in the Premier League has placed extra importance on the FA Cup for United, which fielded a strong lineup.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Steve Douglas is at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/sdouglas80" type="external">www.twitter.com/sdouglas80</a></p>
| false | 2 |
liverpool england ap couldnt gone better virgil van dijk liverpool debut signed last week 100 million worlds expensive defender van dijk scored 84thminute winner everton liverpools fierce local rival front storied kop stand anfield third round fa cup friday playing anfield liverpool dream every player netherlands defender said 21 win 230th merseyside derby score goal even special manchester united also left late qualify fourth round inform midfielder jesse lingard striker romelu lukaku scoring final six minutes regulation time 20 victory secondtier derby county old trafford third round continues across saturday sunday monday heres closer look fridays two games english soccers two decorated clubs advanced ___ van dijks dream start kevin keegan michael owen luis suarez mohamed salah among scored liverpool debuts add virgil van dijk list liverpool manager juergen klopp said center back wasnt finetuned following bigmoney move southampton wasnt even going start morning match changed mind van dijk looked bit rusty ball feet commanding air throughout leapt front everton goalkeeper jordan pickford corner head ball empty net think something like quite special klopp said james milner put liverpool ahead 35th minute converting penalty contentiously awarded adam lallana fell ground mason holgate placed hands chest liverpool midfielder everton barely threatened first half much dangerous break equalizing gylfi sigurdsson counterattack following liverpool corner explosive incident typically highoctane derby came milners goal holgate shoved roberto firmino advertising boards clearly unhappy firmino vaulted back onto field sprinted toward holgate swearing portuguese lucky referee bobby madley stepped intervene holgate became aggrieved appeared complain madley verbally abused firmino madley spoke fourth official play continued liverpool hasnt lost everton 16 matches club record evertons winless run home great rival extended 21 games dating back 1999 ___ late show old trafford jesse lingards latest scintillating strike man united came jose mourinhos team looked set taken replay 84th minute lingard teed smashed home swerving volley eighth goal 10 games spent time loan derby 2015 lukaku added second 90th minute controlled paul pogbas long clearance chest midfield played onetwo anthony martial scored powerful strike quarterfinal exit league cup 15point deficit leader manchester city premier league placed extra importance fa cup united fielded strong lineup ___ steve douglas wwwtwittercomsdouglas80 liverpool england ap couldnt gone better virgil van dijk liverpool debut signed last week 100 million worlds expensive defender van dijk scored 84thminute winner everton liverpools fierce local rival front storied kop stand anfield third round fa cup friday playing anfield liverpool dream every player netherlands defender said 21 win 230th merseyside derby score goal even special manchester united also left late qualify fourth round inform midfielder jesse lingard striker romelu lukaku scoring final six minutes regulation time 20 victory secondtier derby county old trafford third round continues across saturday sunday monday heres closer look fridays two games english soccers two decorated clubs advanced ___ van dijks dream start kevin keegan michael owen luis suarez mohamed salah among scored liverpool debuts add virgil van dijk list liverpool manager juergen klopp said center back wasnt finetuned following bigmoney move southampton wasnt even going start morning match changed mind van dijk looked bit rusty ball feet commanding air throughout leapt front everton goalkeeper jordan pickford corner head ball empty net think something like quite special klopp said james milner put liverpool ahead 35th minute converting penalty contentiously awarded adam lallana fell ground mason holgate placed hands chest liverpool midfielder everton barely threatened first half much dangerous break equalizing gylfi sigurdsson counterattack following liverpool corner explosive incident typically highoctane derby came milners goal holgate shoved roberto firmino advertising boards clearly unhappy firmino vaulted back onto field sprinted toward holgate swearing portuguese lucky referee bobby madley stepped intervene holgate became aggrieved appeared complain madley verbally abused firmino madley spoke fourth official play continued liverpool hasnt lost everton 16 matches club record evertons winless run home great rival extended 21 games dating back 1999 ___ late show old trafford jesse lingards latest scintillating strike man united came jose mourinhos team looked set taken replay 84th minute lingard teed smashed home swerving volley eighth goal 10 games spent time loan derby 2015 lukaku added second 90th minute controlled paul pogbas long clearance chest midfield played onetwo anthony martial scored powerful strike quarterfinal exit league cup 15point deficit leader manchester city premier league placed extra importance fa cup united fielded strong lineup ___ steve douglas wwwtwittercomsdouglas80
| 718 |
<p>Jan 24 (Reuters) - Varian Medical Systems Inc:</p>
<p>* VARIAN REPORTS RESULTS FOR FIRST QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 2018</p> * Q1 GAAP LOSS PER SHARE $1.22 FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS
<p>* Q1 REVENUE $679 MILLION VERSUS I/B/E/S VIEW $640.2 MILLION</p>
<p>* Q1 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW $0.98 — THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S</p>
<p>* Q1 NON-GAAP EARNINGS PER SHARE $1.06 FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS</p>
<p>* SEES FY 2018 REVENUE GROWTH RANGE OF 4 PERCENT TO 7 PERCENT</p>
<p>* FY2018 REVENUE VIEW $2.77 BILLION — THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S</p>
<p>* FY2018 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW $4.24 — THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S</p>
<p>* VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS - SEES FY 2018 NON-GAAP EARNINGS PER DILUTED SHARE RANGE OF $4.24 TO $4.36 Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a Mississippi law that enacted the tightest restrictions on abortion in the United States, in a ruling handed down a day after the governor signed the measure.</p> FILE PHOTO: Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, arrives at B.B. King's funeral in Indianola, Mississippi, U.S., May 30, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
<p>The Mississippi law would prohibit abortion after 15 weeks of gestation, with some exceptions. It went into effect immediately after Republican Governor Phil Bryant signed it on Monday. State law previously banned abortion at 20 weeks after conception, in line with limits in 17 other states.</p>
<p>The judge’s ruling blocks the measure for 10 days, while he considers arguments on whether to stop the law from taking effect until the outcome of a full legal challenge.</p>
<p>“The Supreme Court says every woman has a constitutional right to ‘personal privacy’ regarding her body,” U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves in Jackson, Mississippi, said in a two-page ruling that quoted from the high court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion.</p>
<p>The judge said a stay was justified because the Mississippi law’s proposed 15-week limit is outside of the medical consensus about when fetus becomes vital, raising questions about whether it violates the U.S. Constitution.</p>
<p>Abortion rights groups say anti-abortion organizations could use the case to test limits on abortion all the way to the Supreme Court. The court in the past has struck down prohibitions on abortion before fetal viability, usually considered to be about 20 weeks of gestation.</p>
<p>The Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the only clinic providing abortions in Mississippi, sued to block the measure on Monday.</p>
<p>“We will fight this unconstitutional ban and ensure that women can access legal and safe abortion care, no matter their zip code,” the New York City-based Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing the clinic in court, said in a statement on Twitter after the ruling.</p>
<p>In 2016, the Supreme Court refused to uphold an Arkansas law that banned abortion after 12 weeks’ gestation as well as a North Dakota six-week law.</p>
<p>The Mississippi governor called the judge’s ruling on Tuesday disappointing.</p>
<p>“House Bill 1510 protects maternal health and will further our efforts to make Mississippi the safest place in America for an unborn child,” Bryant said in a statement. “We are confident in its constitutionality and look forward to vigorously defending it.”</p>
<p>The Mississippi law includes an exception in the case of severe fetal abnormality or a medical emergency.</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>AUSTIN/SCHERTZ, Texas (Reuters) - A package bomb blew up at a FedEx distribution center near San Antonio on Tuesday, the fifth in a series of attacks that have rocked Texas this month and sent investigators on a frantic search for what they suspect is a serial bomber.</p>
<p>The package filled with nails and metal shrapnel was mailed from Austin to another address in Austin and passed through a sorting center in Schertz, about 65 miles (105 km) away, when it exploded on a conveyer belt, knocking a female employee off her feet, officials said.</p>
<p>It was the fifth explosion in Texas in the past 18 days and the first involving a commercial parcel service.</p>
<p>“We do believe that these incidents are all related. That is because of the specific contents of these devices,” interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley told members of the Austin City Council, the Austin American-Statesman reported.</p>
<p>A second package sent by the same person was discovered and turned over to law enforcement, FedEx Corp said in a statement. Meanwhile police had surrounded yet another FedEx location in the Austin area after discovering a suspicious package there.</p>
<p>The series of bombings have unsettled Austin, the state capital of some 1 million people, and drawn hundreds of federal law enforcement investigators to join local police. Schertz lies on the highway between Austin and San Antonio.</p>
<p>Speaking through the media, officials have appealed to the bomber to reveal the motives for the attacks. They have also asked the public for any tips, offering a $115,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit.</p>
<p>White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a tweet: “We are committed to bringing perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice. There is no apparent nexus to terrorism at this time.”</p>
<p>The White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether it was ruling out both international and domestic terrorism.</p>
<p>“This is obviously a very, very sick individual, or maybe individuals,” President Donald Trump told reporters. “These</p> Law enforcement personnel are seen gathering evidence outside a FedEx Store which was closed for investigation, in Austin, Texas, U.S., March 20, 2018. REUTERS/Sergio Flores
<p>are sick people, and we will get to the bottom of it.”</p>
<p>Investigators were trying to come up with a theory or intelligence regarding the motive for the bombings or identity of the bomber or bombers, a U.S. security official and a law enforcement official told Reuters.</p>
<p>The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the FedEx package explosion as if there were a connection to the Austin bombings, the law enforcement official said. Both sources declined to be identified.</p>
<p>The individual or people behind the bombings are likely to be highly skilled and methodical, said Fred Burton, chief security officer for Stratfor, a private intelligence and security consulting firm based in Austin.</p> Slideshow (18 Images)
<p>“This is a race against time to find him before he bombs again,” Burton said.</p>
<p>The four previous explosions killed two people and injured four others.</p>
<p>The first three devices were parcel bombs dropped off in front of homes on in three eastern Austin neighborhoods. The fourth went off on Sunday night on the west side of the city and was described by police as a more sophisticated device detonated through a trip wire.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-texas-blast-whitehouse/no-known-link-to-terrorism-in-texas-bombings-white-house-idUSKBN1GW293" type="external">No known link to terrorism in Texas bombings: White House</a>
<p>The four devices were similar in construction, suggesting they were the work of the same bomb maker, officials said.</p>
<p>Federal authorities at the scene of Tuesday’s blast offered few details, telling reporters their probe was in the early stages and that the building would be secured before investigators could gather evidence.</p>
<p>The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were among those working with local officials in Austin, Schertz and San Antonio.</p>
<p>“We have agents from across the country. We have our national response team here. We have explosive detection canines here. We have intel research specialists,” Frank Ortega, acting assistant special agent in charge of the San Antonio ATF office, told reporters. “We’ve been working around the clock.”</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Mark Hosenball and Lisa Lambert in Washington; Writing Daniel Trotta; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Tom Brown</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said on Tuesday that Facebook Inc chief executive Mark Zuckerberg should testify in Congress about his company’s treatment of users’ data.</p> FILE PHOTO - Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Alumni Exercises following the 366th Commencement Exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
<p>“Fifty million people lost their privacy,” Feinstein told reporters at the U.S. Senate, amid mounting calls in Congress for the social media company to account for the mining of its users’ personal data by a political consultancy hired by President Donald Trump’s campaign.</p>
<p>“I think that we ought to have the head of Facebook, not their lawyer, not their number two, but their number one, come... state if they’re really prepared to lead the industry to some controls that prevent all this from happening,” she said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Nick Zieminski</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SAN FRANCISCO/LONDON (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said Tuesday it faced questions from the lead U.S. consumer regulator about how its users’ personal data was mined by a political consultancy hired by Donald Trump’s campaign.</p>
<p>U.S. and European lawmakers have demanded an explanation of how the consultancy, Cambridge Analytica, gained access to the data in 2014 and why Facebook failed to inform its users, raising broader industry questions about consumer privacy.</p>
<p>Facebook said on Tuesday it had been told by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that it would receive a letter this week with questions about the data acquired by Cambridge Analytica. It said it had no indication of a formal investigation.</p>
<p>“We remain strongly committed to protecting people’s information. We appreciate the opportunity to answer questions the FTC may have,” Facebook Deputy Chief Privacy Officer Rob Sherman said.</p>
<p>The FTC, the regulatory agency in charge of consumer protection, is reviewing whether Facebook violated a 2011 consent decree it reached with the authority over its privacy practices, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters.</p>
<p>“We are aware of the issues that have been raised but cannot comment on whether we are investigating. We take any allegations of violations of our consent decrees very seriously as we did in 2012 in a privacy case involving Google,” an FTC spokesman said.</p>
<p>Under the 2011 settlement, Facebook agreed to get user consent for certain changes to privacy settings as part of a settlement of federal charges that it deceived consumers and forced them to share more personal information than they intended, Bloomberg reported.</p>
<p>If the FTC finds Facebook violated terms of the consent decree, it has the power to fine the company thousands of dollars a day per violation.</p>
<p>Facebook will brief U.S. Senate and House aides on Wednesday, congressional staff said.</p>
<p>Facebook shares lost 5.7 percent in heavy trading to a six-month low, extending Monday’s 7-percent fall, and was set for its worst two-day drop since July 2012. Its market capitalization was down by another $25 billion as investors fretted the world’s largest social media network could face massive fines and that its dented reputation could scare off users and advertisers.</p>
<p>Shares of Snap Inc fell 4 percent and Twitter Inc was down 9.6 percent.</p>
<p>Facebook and its peers Alphabet Inc’s Google and Twitter face a backlash over their role during the U.S. presidential election by allowing the spread of false information that might have swayed voters toward Trump.</p>
<p>A Congressional official said House Intelligence Committee Democrats plan to interview Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie. The committee has already interviewed by video teleconference Cambridge Analytica chief Alexander Nix, according to the Congressional official, but a transcript of that interview has not yet been made public.</p> People walk past the building housing the offices of Cambridge Analytica in central London, Britain, March 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
<p>The White House said the President believes that Americans’ privacy should be protected.</p>
<p>“If Congress wants to look into the matter or other agencies want to look into the matter, we welcome that,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah told Fox News Channel.</p> PERSONAL INFORMATION
<p>In Britain, the Information Commissioner’s Office, an independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, was seeking a warrant on Tuesday from a judge to search the offices of London-based Cambridge Analytica.</p> Slideshow (6 Images)
<p>Created in 2013, Cambridge Analytica markets itself as a source of consumer research, targeted advertising and other data-related services to both political and corporate clients.</p>
<p>According to the New York Times, it was launched with $15 million in backing from billionaire Republican donor Robert Mercer and a name chosen by the-then future Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon.</p>
<p>Facebook says the data were harvested by a British academic, Aleksandr Kogan, who created an app on the platform that was downloaded by 270,000 people, providing access not only to their own personal data but also their friends’.</p>
<p>Facebook said Kogan then violated its policies by passing the data to Cambridge Analytica. Facebook has since suspended both the consulting firm and SCL (Strategic Communication Laboratories), a government and military contractor.</p> Related Coverage
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<a href="/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-trump/cambridge-analytica-ceo-said-firm-played-key-trump-campaign-role-uk-tv-idUSKBN1GW2UV" type="external">Cambridge Analytica CEO said firm played key Trump campaign role: UK TV</a>
<a href="/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-feinstei/senate-democrat-wants-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-to-testify-idUSKBN1GW2TU" type="external">Senate Democrat wants Facebook CEO Zuckerberg to testify</a>
<p>Facebook said it had been told that the data were destroyed.</p>
<p>Kogan says he changed the terms and conditions of his personality-test app on Facebook from academic to commercial part way through the project, according to an email to Cambridge University colleagues obtained and cited by CNN.</p>
<p>Kogan says Facebook made no objection, but Facebook says it was not informed of the change, CNN reported. Kogan was not immediately reachable for comment.</p>
<p>“If this data still exists, it would be a grave violation of Facebook’s policies and an unacceptable violation of trust and the commitments these groups made,” Facebook said.</p>
<p>Cambridge Analytica has denied all the media claims and said it deleted the data after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules.</p>
<p>Reporting by David Ingram in San Francisco, Kate Holton and Paul Sandle in London, David Shephardson and Susan Heavey in Washington; Additional reporting by Munsif Vengattil; Writing by Susan Thomas, Editing by Nick Zieminski</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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jan 24 reuters varian medical systems inc varian reports results first quarter fiscal year 2018 q1 gaap loss per share 122 continuing operations q1 revenue 679 million versus ibes view 6402 million q1 earnings per share view 098 thomson reuters ibes q1 nongaap earnings per share 106 continuing operations sees fy 2018 revenue growth range 4 percent 7 percent fy2018 revenue view 277 billion thomson reuters ibes fy2018 earnings per share view 424 thomson reuters ibes varian medical systems sees fy 2018 nongaap earnings per diluted share range 424 436 source text eikon company coverage standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters us federal judge tuesday temporarily blocked mississippi law enacted tightest restrictions abortion united states ruling handed day governor signed measure file photo mississippi governor phil bryant arrives bb kings funeral indianola mississippi us may 30 2015 reutersmike blakefile photo mississippi law would prohibit abortion 15 weeks gestation exceptions went effect immediately republican governor phil bryant signed monday state law previously banned abortion 20 weeks conception line limits 17 states judges ruling blocks measure 10 days considers arguments whether stop law taking effect outcome full legal challenge supreme court says every woman constitutional right personal privacy regarding body us district court judge carlton reeves jackson mississippi said twopage ruling quoted high courts 1973 roe v wade ruling legalized abortion judge said stay justified mississippi laws proposed 15week limit outside medical consensus fetus becomes vital raising questions whether violates us constitution abortion rights groups say antiabortion organizations could use case test limits abortion way supreme court court past struck prohibitions abortion fetal viability usually considered 20 weeks gestation jackson womens health organization clinic providing abortions mississippi sued block measure monday fight unconstitutional ban ensure women access legal safe abortion care matter zip code new york citybased center reproductive rights representing clinic court said statement twitter ruling 2016 supreme court refused uphold arkansas law banned abortion 12 weeks gestation well north dakota sixweek law mississippi governor called judges ruling tuesday disappointing house bill 1510 protects maternal health efforts make mississippi safest place america unborn child bryant said statement confident constitutionality look forward vigorously defending mississippi law includes exception case severe fetal abnormality medical emergency standards thomson reuters trust principles austinschertz texas reuters package bomb blew fedex distribution center near san antonio tuesday fifth series attacks rocked texas month sent investigators frantic search suspect serial bomber package filled nails metal shrapnel mailed austin another address austin passed sorting center schertz 65 miles 105 km away exploded conveyer belt knocking female employee feet officials said fifth explosion texas past 18 days first involving commercial parcel service believe incidents related specific contents devices interim austin police chief brian manley told members austin city council austin americanstatesman reported second package sent person discovered turned law enforcement fedex corp said statement meanwhile police surrounded yet another fedex location austin area discovering suspicious package series bombings unsettled austin state capital 1 million people drawn hundreds federal law enforcement investigators join local police schertz lies highway austin san antonio speaking media officials appealed bomber reveal motives attacks also asked public tips offering 115000 reward information leading arrest conviction culprit white house spokeswoman sarah sanders said tweet committed bringing perpetrators heinous acts justice apparent nexus terrorism time white house respond request comment whether ruling international domestic terrorism obviously sick individual maybe individuals president donald trump told reporters law enforcement personnel seen gathering evidence outside fedex store closed investigation austin texas us march 20 2018 reuterssergio flores sick people get bottom investigators trying come theory intelligence regarding motive bombings identity bomber bombers us security official law enforcement official told reuters federal bureau investigation investigating fedex package explosion connection austin bombings law enforcement official said sources declined identified individual people behind bombings likely highly skilled methodical said fred burton chief security officer stratfor private intelligence security consulting firm based austin slideshow 18 images race time find bombs burton said four previous explosions killed two people injured four others first three devices parcel bombs dropped front homes three eastern austin neighborhoods fourth went sunday night west side city described police sophisticated device detonated trip wire related coverage known link terrorism texas bombings white house four devices similar construction suggesting work bomb maker officials said federal authorities scene tuesdays blast offered details telling reporters probe early stages building would secured investigators could gather evidence fbi bureau alcohol tobacco firearms explosives atf among working local officials austin schertz san antonio agents across country national response team explosive detection canines intel research specialists frank ortega acting assistant special agent charge san antonio atf office told reporters weve working around clock additional reporting brendan obrien milwaukee mark hosenball lisa lambert washington writing daniel trotta editing jeffrey benkoe tom brown standards thomson reuters trust principles washington reuters us senator dianne feinstein top democrat judiciary committee said tuesday facebook inc chief executive mark zuckerberg testify congress companys treatment users data file photo facebook founder mark zuckerberg speaks alumni exercises following 366th commencement exercises harvard university cambridge massachusetts us may 25 2017 reutersbrian snyder fifty million people lost privacy feinstein told reporters us senate amid mounting calls congress social media company account mining users personal data political consultancy hired president donald trumps campaign think ought head facebook lawyer number two number one come state theyre really prepared lead industry controls prevent happening said reporting patricia zengerle editing nick zieminski standards thomson reuters trust principles san franciscolondon reuters facebook inc said tuesday faced questions lead us consumer regulator users personal data mined political consultancy hired donald trumps campaign us european lawmakers demanded explanation consultancy cambridge analytica gained access data 2014 facebook failed inform users raising broader industry questions consumer privacy facebook said tuesday told federal trade commission ftc would receive letter week questions data acquired cambridge analytica said indication formal investigation remain strongly committed protecting peoples information appreciate opportunity answer questions ftc may facebook deputy chief privacy officer rob sherman said ftc regulatory agency charge consumer protection reviewing whether facebook violated 2011 consent decree reached authority privacy practices person briefed matter told reuters aware issues raised comment whether investigating take allegations violations consent decrees seriously 2012 privacy case involving google ftc spokesman said 2011 settlement facebook agreed get user consent certain changes privacy settings part settlement federal charges deceived consumers forced share personal information intended bloomberg reported ftc finds facebook violated terms consent decree power fine company thousands dollars day per violation facebook brief us senate house aides wednesday congressional staff said facebook shares lost 57 percent heavy trading sixmonth low extending mondays 7percent fall set worst twoday drop since july 2012 market capitalization another 25 billion investors fretted worlds largest social media network could face massive fines dented reputation could scare users advertisers shares snap inc fell 4 percent twitter inc 96 percent facebook peers alphabet incs google twitter face backlash role us presidential election allowing spread false information might swayed voters toward trump congressional official said house intelligence committee democrats plan interview cambridge analytica whistleblower christopher wylie committee already interviewed video teleconference cambridge analytica chief alexander nix according congressional official transcript interview yet made public people walk past building housing offices cambridge analytica central london britain march 20 2018 reutershenry nicholls white house said president believes americans privacy protected congress wants look matter agencies want look matter welcome white house deputy press secretary raj shah told fox news channel personal information britain information commissioners office independent authority set uphold information rights public interest seeking warrant tuesday judge search offices londonbased cambridge analytica slideshow 6 images created 2013 cambridge analytica markets source consumer research targeted advertising datarelated services political corporate clients according new york times launched 15 million backing billionaire republican donor robert mercer name chosen thethen future trump white house adviser steve bannon facebook says data harvested british academic aleksandr kogan created app platform downloaded 270000 people providing access personal data also friends facebook said kogan violated policies passing data cambridge analytica facebook since suspended consulting firm scl strategic communication laboratories government military contractor related coverage social media stocks tumble wall street fears regulation cambridge analytica ceo said firm played key trump campaign role uk tv senate democrat wants facebook ceo zuckerberg testify facebook said told data destroyed kogan says changed terms conditions personalitytest app facebook academic commercial part way project according email cambridge university colleagues obtained cited cnn kogan says facebook made objection facebook says informed change cnn reported kogan immediately reachable comment data still exists would grave violation facebooks policies unacceptable violation trust commitments groups made facebook said cambridge analytica denied media claims said deleted data learning information adhere data protection rules reporting david ingram san francisco kate holton paul sandle london david shephardson susan heavey washington additional reporting munsif vengattil writing susan thomas editing nick zieminski standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines’ most active volcano ejected a huge column of lava fragments, ash and smoke in a thunderous explosion Monday, sending thousands of villagers back to evacuation centers and prompting a warning that a violent eruption may be imminent.</p>
<p>The midday explosion sent superheated lava, molten rocks and steam between 3.5 to 5 kilometers (2 to 3 miles) into the blue sky, and then some cascaded down Mount Mayon’s slopes and shrouded nearby villages in darkness, Renato Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology and other officials said.</p>
<p>From the crater, the deadly debris billowed about three kilometers (1.8 miles) down on the southern plank of Mayon toward a no-entry danger zone. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries, officials said.</p>
<p>The explosion was the most powerful since the volcano started acting up more than a week ago.</p>
<p>Due to its relatively gentle eruption last week, thousands left emergency shelters and returned to their communities in Legazpi city outside the danger zone. But Monday’s blast sent nearly 12,000 fleeing back to evacuation centers, raising the number of people in those shelters to more than 30,000, Yucot said.</p>
<p>Authorities on Monday raised the alert level to four on a scale of five, which means an explosive eruption is possible within hours or days. A danger zone around Mayon was expanded to 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the crater, which means thousands of villagers will have to leave their homes, officials said.</p>
<p>Airplanes were ordered to stay away from the crater and ash-laden winds and several flights were canceled.</p>
<p>Volcanic ash fell in about a dozen towns in coconut-growing Albay province, where Mayon lies, and in nearby Camarines Sur province, with visibility being heavily obscured in a few towns because of the thick gray ash fall, Jukes Nunez, an Albay provincial disaster response officer, said by telephone.</p>
<p>“It was like night time at noon, there was zero visibility in some areas because the ash fall was so thick,” Nunez said.</p>
<p>More than 30,000 ash masks and about 5,000 sacks of rice, along with medicine, water and other supplies, were being sent to evacuation centers, Office of Civil Defense regional director Claudio Yucot said.</p>
<p>Mayon lies about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila. With its near-perfect cone, it is popular with climbers and tourists but has erupted about 50 times in the last 500 years, sometimes violently.</p>
<p>In 2013, an ash eruption killed five climbers who had ventured near the summit despite warnings. Mayon’s first recorded eruption was in 1616 and the most destructive, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried the town of Cagsawa in volcanic mud. The belfry of Cagsawa’s stone church still juts out from the ground in an eerie reminder of Mayon’s fury.</p>
<p>The Philippines lies in the “Ring of Fire,” a line of seismic faults surrounding the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common.</p>
<p>In 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the northern Philippines exploded in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.</p>
<p>MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines’ most active volcano ejected a huge column of lava fragments, ash and smoke in a thunderous explosion Monday, sending thousands of villagers back to evacuation centers and prompting a warning that a violent eruption may be imminent.</p>
<p>The midday explosion sent superheated lava, molten rocks and steam between 3.5 to 5 kilometers (2 to 3 miles) into the blue sky, and then some cascaded down Mount Mayon’s slopes and shrouded nearby villages in darkness, Renato Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology and other officials said.</p>
<p>From the crater, the deadly debris billowed about three kilometers (1.8 miles) down on the southern plank of Mayon toward a no-entry danger zone. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries, officials said.</p>
<p>The explosion was the most powerful since the volcano started acting up more than a week ago.</p>
<p>Due to its relatively gentle eruption last week, thousands left emergency shelters and returned to their communities in Legazpi city outside the danger zone. But Monday’s blast sent nearly 12,000 fleeing back to evacuation centers, raising the number of people in those shelters to more than 30,000, Yucot said.</p>
<p>Authorities on Monday raised the alert level to four on a scale of five, which means an explosive eruption is possible within hours or days. A danger zone around Mayon was expanded to 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the crater, which means thousands of villagers will have to leave their homes, officials said.</p>
<p>Airplanes were ordered to stay away from the crater and ash-laden winds and several flights were canceled.</p>
<p>Volcanic ash fell in about a dozen towns in coconut-growing Albay province, where Mayon lies, and in nearby Camarines Sur province, with visibility being heavily obscured in a few towns because of the thick gray ash fall, Jukes Nunez, an Albay provincial disaster response officer, said by telephone.</p>
<p>“It was like night time at noon, there was zero visibility in some areas because the ash fall was so thick,” Nunez said.</p>
<p>More than 30,000 ash masks and about 5,000 sacks of rice, along with medicine, water and other supplies, were being sent to evacuation centers, Office of Civil Defense regional director Claudio Yucot said.</p>
<p>Mayon lies about 340 kilometers (210 miles) southeast of Manila. With its near-perfect cone, it is popular with climbers and tourists but has erupted about 50 times in the last 500 years, sometimes violently.</p>
<p>In 2013, an ash eruption killed five climbers who had ventured near the summit despite warnings. Mayon’s first recorded eruption was in 1616 and the most destructive, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried the town of Cagsawa in volcanic mud. The belfry of Cagsawa’s stone church still juts out from the ground in an eerie reminder of Mayon’s fury.</p>
<p>The Philippines lies in the “Ring of Fire,” a line of seismic faults surrounding the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common.</p>
<p>In 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the northern Philippines exploded in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.</p>
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manila philippines ap philippines active volcano ejected huge column lava fragments ash smoke thunderous explosion monday sending thousands villagers back evacuation centers prompting warning violent eruption may imminent midday explosion sent superheated lava molten rocks steam 35 5 kilometers 2 3 miles blue sky cascaded mount mayons slopes shrouded nearby villages darkness renato solidum philippine institute seismology volcanology officials said crater deadly debris billowed three kilometers 18 miles southern plank mayon toward noentry danger zone immediate reports deaths injuries officials said explosion powerful since volcano started acting week ago due relatively gentle eruption last week thousands left emergency shelters returned communities legazpi city outside danger zone mondays blast sent nearly 12000 fleeing back evacuation centers raising number people shelters 30000 yucot said authorities monday raised alert level four scale five means explosive eruption possible within hours days danger zone around mayon expanded 8 kilometers 5 miles crater means thousands villagers leave homes officials said airplanes ordered stay away crater ashladen winds several flights canceled volcanic ash fell dozen towns coconutgrowing albay province mayon lies nearby camarines sur province visibility heavily obscured towns thick gray ash fall jukes nunez albay provincial disaster response officer said telephone like night time noon zero visibility areas ash fall thick nunez said 30000 ash masks 5000 sacks rice along medicine water supplies sent evacuation centers office civil defense regional director claudio yucot said mayon lies 340 kilometers 210 miles southeast manila nearperfect cone popular climbers tourists erupted 50 times last 500 years sometimes violently 2013 ash eruption killed five climbers ventured near summit despite warnings mayons first recorded eruption 1616 destructive 1814 killed 1200 people buried town cagsawa volcanic mud belfry cagsawas stone church still juts ground eerie reminder mayons fury philippines lies ring fire line seismic faults surrounding pacific ocean earthquakes volcanic activity common 1991 mount pinatubo northern philippines exploded one biggest volcanic eruptions 20th century killing 800 people manila philippines ap philippines active volcano ejected huge column lava fragments ash smoke thunderous explosion monday sending thousands villagers back evacuation centers prompting warning violent eruption may imminent midday explosion sent superheated lava molten rocks steam 35 5 kilometers 2 3 miles blue sky cascaded mount mayons slopes shrouded nearby villages darkness renato solidum philippine institute seismology volcanology officials said crater deadly debris billowed three kilometers 18 miles southern plank mayon toward noentry danger zone immediate reports deaths injuries officials said explosion powerful since volcano started acting week ago due relatively gentle eruption last week thousands left emergency shelters returned communities legazpi city outside danger zone mondays blast sent nearly 12000 fleeing back evacuation centers raising number people shelters 30000 yucot said authorities monday raised alert level four scale five means explosive eruption possible within hours days danger zone around mayon expanded 8 kilometers 5 miles crater means thousands villagers leave homes officials said airplanes ordered stay away crater ashladen winds several flights canceled volcanic ash fell dozen towns coconutgrowing albay province mayon lies nearby camarines sur province visibility heavily obscured towns thick gray ash fall jukes nunez albay provincial disaster response officer said telephone like night time noon zero visibility areas ash fall thick nunez said 30000 ash masks 5000 sacks rice along medicine water supplies sent evacuation centers office civil defense regional director claudio yucot said mayon lies 340 kilometers 210 miles southeast manila nearperfect cone popular climbers tourists erupted 50 times last 500 years sometimes violently 2013 ash eruption killed five climbers ventured near summit despite warnings mayons first recorded eruption 1616 destructive 1814 killed 1200 people buried town cagsawa volcanic mud belfry cagsawas stone church still juts ground eerie reminder mayons fury philippines lies ring fire line seismic faults surrounding pacific ocean earthquakes volcanic activity common 1991 mount pinatubo northern philippines exploded one biggest volcanic eruptions 20th century killing 800 people
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<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music stars and fans joined together to urge prayers for Randy Travis overnight as he recovered from brain surgery following a stroke at a Texas hospital.</p>
<p>Travis remained in critical condition after surgery Wednesday night to relieve pressure on his brain, publicist Kirt Webster said. The 54-year-old Grammy Award-winning singer had been improving while being treated for heart failure caused by a viral infection when he had the stroke.</p>
<p>Steady concern for Travis, a popular and pivotal figure in country music, turned to active support as stars like Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum and Martina McBride and the Grand Ole Opry used Twitter to join Webster’s call for prayers. Hundreds of users reached out using the hashtag PrayforRandy.</p>
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<p>“We’re all pulling for you Randy,” Brad Paisley said via Twitter.</p>
<p>The setback occurred hours after doctors said Travis was showing signs of improvement since the start of treatment Sunday for congestive heart failure.</p>
<p>It was not clear what kind of stroke Travis suffered. The most common type of stroke is caused by a blood clot that travels to the brain. The other kind happens when a blood vessel in the head bursts or leaks. Stroke patients who get treatment quickly are usually given a drug to dissolve the clot that caused the stroke.</p>
<p>Drs. William Gray and Michael Mack of the Baylor Health Care System in Texas described Travis’ condition and hospitalization in a video statement earlier Wednesday.</p>
<p>“His condition has stabilized, and he has shown signs of improvement,” Mack said in the video. “On behalf of Mr. Travis’ family, friends and associates, we would like to express our extreme gratitude for the overwhelming affection and support that Mr. Travis has received.”</p>
<p>The “Three Wooden Crosses” singer was in good health until three weeks before he was hospitalized, when he contracted a viral upper respiratory infection, Gray said.</p>
<p>The viral illness led to a weakened heart muscle that eventually worsened into heart failure.</p>
<p>Travis was admitted to Baylor Medical Center McKinney near his home in Tioga, about 60 miles north of Dallas, through the emergency room Sunday. The singer underwent a procedure to have a pump inserted by catheter that helps increase blood flow before being transferred to The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano.</p>
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<p>Travis’ illness comes as he’s been trying to put his life back together following a series of embarrassing public incidents involving alcohol. Travis pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in January following an arrest last year and received two years of probation and a $2,000 fine. He was required to spend at least 30 days at an alcohol treatment facility and complete 100 hours of community service.</p>
<p>He recently made several public appearances, including a spot on the Country Music Association Festival’s nightly concert lineup and a poignant performance at George Jones’ funeral.</p>
<p>Webster said from the hospital Travis’ fiancee Mary Beougher was at his side and that he is surrounded by family and friends, including his brother, Dennis Traywick, and his pastor, Jeff Perry. Kenny Rogers, the Oak Ridge Boys, Chuck Norris and several others have called to check in on Travis.</p>
<p>The North Carolina-born Travis is a traditional country purist known for hits “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “I Told You So.” His 1986 Warner Bros. debut album “Storms of Life” sold 4 million copies, and helped return country music to the sound of Hank Williams and George Jones.</p>
<p>“I always feel like he’s part of our family, he’s in our family,” Keith Urban said in an interview Wednesday morning in Nashville. “And I was one of those guys in Australia that bought ‘Storms of Life’ and became a Randy fan very quickly in late ’80s, and I really feel for him right now.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Kristin M. Hall contributed to this report in Nashville, Tenn.</p>
<p>7:23am 7/10/13 — Randy Travis still in critical condition</p>
<p>Singer Randy Travis talks to media earlier this year at a Texas courthouse. (AP File Photo)</p>
<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country singer Randy Travis remained in critical condition Tuesday in a Texas hospital after doctors inserted a device to stabilize his weakened heart.</p>
<p>Travis’ publicist, Kirt Webster, said in a news release Tuesday that the singer underwent the procedure after checking into the hospital Sunday with viral cardiomyopathy, a heart condition caused by a virus.</p>
<p>Webster said the left ventricular assist device was used to stabilize Travis’s heart prior to a hospital transfer to Dallas. Travis lives about 60 miles from Dallas in Tioga.</p>
<p>The device used to help Travis is a small pump inserted with a catheter that assists the heart to pump blood.</p>
<p>Travis, 54, became ill after a virus infected his heart muscle, causing it to become weakened and enlarged so that it could not pump properly. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure.</p>
<p>No other details about the Grammy award-winning singer’s condition were available Tuesday afternoon.</p>
<p>Several country stars conveyed their best wishes for Travis’ recovery.</p>
<p>“Sending healing strength and love to you this morning @randytravis,” Keith Urban said in a message to Travis on Twitter.</p>
<p>And Carrie Underwood, who Travis won a Grammy Award with in 2010, wrote: “Thinking about my friend, @randytravis, tonight. Hope he gets better soon…”</p>
<p>Long a popular figure in country music, the North Carolina-born singer has been trying to put his life back together after a series of embarrassing public incidents involving alcohol. Travis pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in January following an arrest last year and received two years probation and a $2,000 fine. He was required to spend at least 30 days at an alcohol treatment facility and complete 100 hours of community service.</p>
<p>Travis used to own a home in Santa Fe.</p>
<p>The multiple Grammy Award-winning singer rode his alternately mellow and majestic voice to stardom in the 1980s and ’90s with hits like “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “Three Wooden Crosses.”</p>
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nashville tenn ap country music stars fans joined together urge prayers randy travis overnight recovered brain surgery following stroke texas hospital travis remained critical condition surgery wednesday night relieve pressure brain publicist kirt webster said 54yearold grammy awardwinning singer improving treated heart failure caused viral infection stroke steady concern travis popular pivotal figure country music turned active support stars like hillary scott lady antebellum martina mcbride grand ole opry used twitter join websters call prayers hundreds users reached using hashtag prayforrandy advertisement pulling randy brad paisley said via twitter setback occurred hours doctors said travis showing signs improvement since start treatment sunday congestive heart failure clear kind stroke travis suffered common type stroke caused blood clot travels brain kind happens blood vessel head bursts leaks stroke patients get treatment quickly usually given drug dissolve clot caused stroke drs william gray michael mack baylor health care system texas described travis condition hospitalization video statement earlier wednesday condition stabilized shown signs improvement mack said video behalf mr travis family friends associates would like express extreme gratitude overwhelming affection support mr travis received three wooden crosses singer good health three weeks hospitalized contracted viral upper respiratory infection gray said viral illness led weakened heart muscle eventually worsened heart failure travis admitted baylor medical center mckinney near home tioga 60 miles north dallas emergency room sunday singer underwent procedure pump inserted catheter helps increase blood flow transferred heart hospital baylor plano advertisement travis illness comes hes trying put life back together following series embarrassing public incidents involving alcohol travis pleaded guilty driving intoxicated january following arrest last year received two years probation 2000 fine required spend least 30 days alcohol treatment facility complete 100 hours community service recently made several public appearances including spot country music association festivals nightly concert lineup poignant performance george jones funeral webster said hospital travis fiancee mary beougher side surrounded family friends including brother dennis traywick pastor jeff perry kenny rogers oak ridge boys chuck norris several others called check travis north carolinaborn travis traditional country purist known hits forever ever amen told 1986 warner bros debut album storms life sold 4 million copies helped return country music sound hank williams george jones always feel like hes part family hes family keith urban said interview wednesday morning nashville one guys australia bought storms life became randy fan quickly late 80s really feel right ___ associated press writer kristin hall contributed report nashville tenn 723am 71013 randy travis still critical condition singer randy travis talks media earlier year texas courthouse ap file photo nashville tenn ap country singer randy travis remained critical condition tuesday texas hospital doctors inserted device stabilize weakened heart travis publicist kirt webster said news release tuesday singer underwent procedure checking hospital sunday viral cardiomyopathy heart condition caused virus webster said left ventricular assist device used stabilize traviss heart prior hospital transfer dallas travis lives 60 miles dallas tioga device used help travis small pump inserted catheter assists heart pump blood travis 54 became ill virus infected heart muscle causing become weakened enlarged could pump properly cardiomyopathy lead heart failure details grammy awardwinning singers condition available tuesday afternoon several country stars conveyed best wishes travis recovery sending healing strength love morning randytravis keith urban said message travis twitter carrie underwood travis grammy award 2010 wrote thinking friend randytravis tonight hope gets better soon long popular figure country music north carolinaborn singer trying put life back together series embarrassing public incidents involving alcohol travis pleaded guilty driving intoxicated january following arrest last year received two years probation 2000 fine required spend least 30 days alcohol treatment facility complete 100 hours community service travis used home santa fe multiple grammy awardwinning singer rode alternately mellow majestic voice stardom 1980s 90s hits like forever ever amen three wooden crosses
| 629 |
<p>One escaped inmate was captured wearing his victim’s baseball cap. Two other fugitives were too busy enjoying wine and cheese to stay ahead of police.</p>
<p>As authorities hunt for two escaped killers in New York, history shows that most inmates who manage to break out of prison get caught.</p>
<p>Why? Because an inmate who spends months meticulously plotting an escape often doesn’t have a long-term strategy for remaining free, experts say.</p>
<p>“They spend a lot of energy trying to figure out how to escape,” said Patricia Hardyman, associate director of the Association of State Correctional Administrators, “but then they don’t make very good plans about what to do once they get out.”</p>
<p>Here’s a look at some high-profile escapees — and the circumstances of their capture.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>SNACK ATTACK</p>
<p>In 1984, six condemned killers broke out of the Mecklenburg Correctional Center in Virginia with an elaborate ruse involving a hostage, a fake bomb and stolen riot gear. All six were recaptured within three weeks.</p>
<p>The first two were caught within a day. Derick Peterson and Earl Clanton Jr. were drinking wine and eating cheese outside a coin-operated laundry when police took them into custody.</p>
<p>Reporters asked Peterson how he let himself get captured.</p>
<p>“Damned if I know,” Peterson replied.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DEAD MAN’S CAP</p>
<p>In July 2010, John McCluskey escaped from a medium-security prison near Kingman, Arizona, with help from his cousin and fiancee, Casslyn Welch, who had tossed a pair of wire cutters onto the prison grounds. McCluskey, a second escaped inmate and Welch then carjacked and killed a vacationing Oklahoma couple.</p>
<p>Three weeks after the prison break, McCluskey and Welch were camping in Arizona’a Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest when an alert ranger spotted what he thought was an unattended fire, then a beat-up Nissan hidden in the trees. The ranger called for backup and McCluskey and Welch were captured without incident.</p>
<p>McCluskey, it turns out, was wearing the dead man’s John Deere hat.</p>
<p>“Who wears a dead man’s hat?” a prosecutor told the jury at McCluskey’s trial. “Is this some kind of trophy? Is this like a keepsake or a memento?”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>MENACING MISSIONARIES</p>
<p>They were known as the “Texas 7,” and they staged the largest prison break in Texas history.</p>
<p>In 2000, inmates at the Connally state prison south of San Antonio overpowered several workers, stole weapons from the prison armory and escaped in a prison truck. About two weeks later, the escapees shot and killed a police officer who had disrupted their Christmas Eve robbery of a sporting-goods store.</p>
<p>The gang made its way to Colorado, posing as Christian missionaries during their stay at an RV park. A neighbor wasn’t fooled, calling police after the case was featured on the “America’s Most Wanted” TV show.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>FUGITIVE FACIAL RECOGNITION</p>
<p>James Robert Jones seemingly did everything he needed to elude capture following his 1977 escape from the famed military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.</p>
<p>Jones, who had been convicted of killing a fellow soldier at Fort Dix, New Jersey, lived quietly in a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for at least 30 years. He got married, worked for an air conditioning company and avoided trouble.</p>
<p>Jones still got caught — thanks to technology that didn’t exist when he escaped.</p>
<p>Using facial-recognition technology, the U.S. Marshals Service matched an old military photograph of Jones with a Florida driver’s license issued to a man name Bruce Walter Keith — Jones’s alias. Jones was arrested last year.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>I SURRENDER</p>
<p>Hugo Selenski made it easy for police: He surrendered.</p>
<p>Selenski had broken out of a Pennsylvania jail in 2003 by climbing down a 60-foot rope made out of bedsheets, then used a mattress to avoid slashing himself on the razor wire that topped a perimeter fence.</p>
<p>Selenski, in whose yard authorities found at least five sets of human remains, remained on the lam for three days as law enforcement officials and his own attorney appealed to the fugitive to turn himself in.</p>
<p>Though police had no confirmed sightings of him, he heeded their advice. Selenski’s attorney called police to arrange the surrender.</p>
<p>One escaped inmate was captured wearing his victim’s baseball cap. Two other fugitives were too busy enjoying wine and cheese to stay ahead of police.</p>
<p>As authorities hunt for two escaped killers in New York, history shows that most inmates who manage to break out of prison get caught.</p>
<p>Why? Because an inmate who spends months meticulously plotting an escape often doesn’t have a long-term strategy for remaining free, experts say.</p>
<p>“They spend a lot of energy trying to figure out how to escape,” said Patricia Hardyman, associate director of the Association of State Correctional Administrators, “but then they don’t make very good plans about what to do once they get out.”</p>
<p>Here’s a look at some high-profile escapees — and the circumstances of their capture.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>SNACK ATTACK</p>
<p>In 1984, six condemned killers broke out of the Mecklenburg Correctional Center in Virginia with an elaborate ruse involving a hostage, a fake bomb and stolen riot gear. All six were recaptured within three weeks.</p>
<p>The first two were caught within a day. Derick Peterson and Earl Clanton Jr. were drinking wine and eating cheese outside a coin-operated laundry when police took them into custody.</p>
<p>Reporters asked Peterson how he let himself get captured.</p>
<p>“Damned if I know,” Peterson replied.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DEAD MAN’S CAP</p>
<p>In July 2010, John McCluskey escaped from a medium-security prison near Kingman, Arizona, with help from his cousin and fiancee, Casslyn Welch, who had tossed a pair of wire cutters onto the prison grounds. McCluskey, a second escaped inmate and Welch then carjacked and killed a vacationing Oklahoma couple.</p>
<p>Three weeks after the prison break, McCluskey and Welch were camping in Arizona’a Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest when an alert ranger spotted what he thought was an unattended fire, then a beat-up Nissan hidden in the trees. The ranger called for backup and McCluskey and Welch were captured without incident.</p>
<p>McCluskey, it turns out, was wearing the dead man’s John Deere hat.</p>
<p>“Who wears a dead man’s hat?” a prosecutor told the jury at McCluskey’s trial. “Is this some kind of trophy? Is this like a keepsake or a memento?”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>MENACING MISSIONARIES</p>
<p>They were known as the “Texas 7,” and they staged the largest prison break in Texas history.</p>
<p>In 2000, inmates at the Connally state prison south of San Antonio overpowered several workers, stole weapons from the prison armory and escaped in a prison truck. About two weeks later, the escapees shot and killed a police officer who had disrupted their Christmas Eve robbery of a sporting-goods store.</p>
<p>The gang made its way to Colorado, posing as Christian missionaries during their stay at an RV park. A neighbor wasn’t fooled, calling police after the case was featured on the “America’s Most Wanted” TV show.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>FUGITIVE FACIAL RECOGNITION</p>
<p>James Robert Jones seemingly did everything he needed to elude capture following his 1977 escape from the famed military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.</p>
<p>Jones, who had been convicted of killing a fellow soldier at Fort Dix, New Jersey, lived quietly in a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for at least 30 years. He got married, worked for an air conditioning company and avoided trouble.</p>
<p>Jones still got caught — thanks to technology that didn’t exist when he escaped.</p>
<p>Using facial-recognition technology, the U.S. Marshals Service matched an old military photograph of Jones with a Florida driver’s license issued to a man name Bruce Walter Keith — Jones’s alias. Jones was arrested last year.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>I SURRENDER</p>
<p>Hugo Selenski made it easy for police: He surrendered.</p>
<p>Selenski had broken out of a Pennsylvania jail in 2003 by climbing down a 60-foot rope made out of bedsheets, then used a mattress to avoid slashing himself on the razor wire that topped a perimeter fence.</p>
<p>Selenski, in whose yard authorities found at least five sets of human remains, remained on the lam for three days as law enforcement officials and his own attorney appealed to the fugitive to turn himself in.</p>
<p>Though police had no confirmed sightings of him, he heeded their advice. Selenski’s attorney called police to arrange the surrender.</p>
| false | 2 |
one escaped inmate captured wearing victims baseball cap two fugitives busy enjoying wine cheese stay ahead police authorities hunt two escaped killers new york history shows inmates manage break prison get caught inmate spends months meticulously plotting escape often doesnt longterm strategy remaining free experts say spend lot energy trying figure escape said patricia hardyman associate director association state correctional administrators dont make good plans get heres look highprofile escapees circumstances capture ___ snack attack 1984 six condemned killers broke mecklenburg correctional center virginia elaborate ruse involving hostage fake bomb stolen riot gear six recaptured within three weeks first two caught within day derick peterson earl clanton jr drinking wine eating cheese outside coinoperated laundry police took custody reporters asked peterson let get captured damned know peterson replied ___ dead mans cap july 2010 john mccluskey escaped mediumsecurity prison near kingman arizona help cousin fiancee casslyn welch tossed pair wire cutters onto prison grounds mccluskey second escaped inmate welch carjacked killed vacationing oklahoma couple three weeks prison break mccluskey welch camping arizonaa apachesitgreaves national forest alert ranger spotted thought unattended fire beatup nissan hidden trees ranger called backup mccluskey welch captured without incident mccluskey turns wearing dead mans john deere hat wears dead mans hat prosecutor told jury mccluskeys trial kind trophy like keepsake memento ___ menacing missionaries known texas 7 staged largest prison break texas history 2000 inmates connally state prison south san antonio overpowered several workers stole weapons prison armory escaped prison truck two weeks later escapees shot killed police officer disrupted christmas eve robbery sportinggoods store gang made way colorado posing christian missionaries stay rv park neighbor wasnt fooled calling police case featured americas wanted tv show ___ fugitive facial recognition james robert jones seemingly everything needed elude capture following 1977 escape famed military prison fort leavenworth kansas jones convicted killing fellow soldier fort dix new jersey lived quietly suburb fort lauderdale florida least 30 years got married worked air conditioning company avoided trouble jones still got caught thanks technology didnt exist escaped using facialrecognition technology us marshals service matched old military photograph jones florida drivers license issued man name bruce walter keith joness alias jones arrested last year ___ surrender hugo selenski made easy police surrendered selenski broken pennsylvania jail 2003 climbing 60foot rope made bedsheets used mattress avoid slashing razor wire topped perimeter fence selenski whose yard authorities found least five sets human remains remained lam three days law enforcement officials attorney appealed fugitive turn though police confirmed sightings heeded advice selenskis attorney called police arrange surrender one escaped inmate captured wearing victims baseball cap two fugitives busy enjoying wine cheese stay ahead police authorities hunt two escaped killers new york history shows inmates manage break prison get caught inmate spends months meticulously plotting escape often doesnt longterm strategy remaining free experts say spend lot energy trying figure escape said patricia hardyman associate director association state correctional administrators dont make good plans get heres look highprofile escapees circumstances capture ___ snack attack 1984 six condemned killers broke mecklenburg correctional center virginia elaborate ruse involving hostage fake bomb stolen riot gear six recaptured within three weeks first two caught within day derick peterson earl clanton jr drinking wine eating cheese outside coinoperated laundry police took custody reporters asked peterson let get captured damned know peterson replied ___ dead mans cap july 2010 john mccluskey escaped mediumsecurity prison near kingman arizona help cousin fiancee casslyn welch tossed pair wire cutters onto prison grounds mccluskey second escaped inmate welch carjacked killed vacationing oklahoma couple three weeks prison break mccluskey welch camping arizonaa apachesitgreaves national forest alert ranger spotted thought unattended fire beatup nissan hidden trees ranger called backup mccluskey welch captured without incident mccluskey turns wearing dead mans john deere hat wears dead mans hat prosecutor told jury mccluskeys trial kind trophy like keepsake memento ___ menacing missionaries known texas 7 staged largest prison break texas history 2000 inmates connally state prison south san antonio overpowered several workers stole weapons prison armory escaped prison truck two weeks later escapees shot killed police officer disrupted christmas eve robbery sportinggoods store gang made way colorado posing christian missionaries stay rv park neighbor wasnt fooled calling police case featured americas wanted tv show ___ fugitive facial recognition james robert jones seemingly everything needed elude capture following 1977 escape famed military prison fort leavenworth kansas jones convicted killing fellow soldier fort dix new jersey lived quietly suburb fort lauderdale florida least 30 years got married worked air conditioning company avoided trouble jones still got caught thanks technology didnt exist escaped using facialrecognition technology us marshals service matched old military photograph jones florida drivers license issued man name bruce walter keith joness alias jones arrested last year ___ surrender hugo selenski made easy police surrendered selenski broken pennsylvania jail 2003 climbing 60foot rope made bedsheets used mattress avoid slashing razor wire topped perimeter fence selenski whose yard authorities found least five sets human remains remained lam three days law enforcement officials attorney appealed fugitive turn though police confirmed sightings heeded advice selenskis attorney called police arrange surrender
| 844 |
<p><a href="https://www.votepatterson.com/" type="external">Jerry Patterson</a> says the fellow Republican who succeeded him as Texas land commissioner, <a href="http://www.georgepfortexas.org/" type="external">George P. Bush</a>, fixed very few homes in the months since Hurricane Harvey slapped ashore in August 2017.</p>
<p>Patterson, otherwise confirming his 2018 candidacy for land commissioner, a post <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/directory/jerry-patterson/" type="external">he previously held for 12 years</a>, <a href="http://www.statesman.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/jerry-patterson-challenge-george-bush-for-land-commissioner/U7UDmHORhkPUooCBQk26aP/" type="external">said</a> in a recent interview that the Bush-led General Land Office hadn’t accomplished much in the way of hurricane relief.</p>
<p>On Dec. 8, 2017, Patterson said to Austin American-Statesman commentator Ken Herman: "I mean, who the hell’s in charge here? And now we have tens of thousands of Texans who are essentially homeless and the land office has repaired two--two homes. And we’ve got folks waking up that have been sleeping in tents and they got snow this morning. People are still sleeping in tents."</p>
<p>Patterson’s comment seemed potent given that the GLO <a href="http://www.glo.texas.gov/the-glo/news/press-releases/2017/september/texas-glo-signs-agreement-negotiated-for-disaster-assistance-with-fema.pdf" type="external">announced in September 2017 it was teaming</a> with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to hasten post-Harvey recovery in part by helping eligible survivors begin to patch up their homes--though full rebuilds weren’t in the mix.</p>
<p>Bush said at the time: "With the magnitude of the damage from Hurricane Harvey, there is no doubt this will require a long recovery. This agreement marks the beginning of a new model for simplifying and expediting the transition out of sheltering to short-term and long-term housing recovery efforts."</p>
<p>We focused this fact-check on Patterson’s insistence the GLO had only repaired two homes.</p>
<p>Homeless--and tents?</p>
<p>But Patterson’s other pokes also got our attention.</p>
<p>How many Texans remain homeless due to the hurricane is hard to pin, we <a href="" type="internal">recently found</a>. But a University of Texas expert, <a href="https://www.csr.utexas.edu/about-csr/faculty-and-staff/" type="external">Gordon Wells</a>, has estimated, based on flood insurance claims and satellite imagery, that at the least, more than 1 million Texas homes sustained flood damage though he told us that count could exceed 1.7 million.</p>
<p>After Patterson spoke, we queried government officials about survivors in tents. By phone, the GLO’s Pete Phillips said some Aransas County residents, resistant to options such as out-of-town hotels, were residing in tents. Similarly, Bob Howard of FEMA’s Harvey response team responded by email: "Every effort is made to ensure survivors are aware of available local, state and federal resources. Thus far, all tent-dwellers found by the field team have indicated they prefer to remain in their current status or are not eligible for federal disaster assistance."</p>
<p>Now let’s turn to Patterson’s focus on homes repaired with government help since Harvey and related rains flooded much of Southeast Texas.</p>
<p>Patterson points to federal program</p>
<p>We asked Patterson&#160;the basis of his numerical claim; he told us by phone that he was referring to two homes repaired as of early December 2017 through the federal Direct Assistance for Limited Home Repair (DALHR) program.</p>
<p>Patterson, who said he’d drawn his tally of two from state-enlisted contractors and others he declined to identify, urged us to seek insight from elected leaders in counties hit by Harvey.</p>
<p>We heard back from elected officials in two counties.</p>
<p>Galveston County’s county judge, <a href="http://www.galvestoncountytx.gov/CJ/Pages/default.aspx" type="external">Mark Henry</a>, said by phone that flooding due to Harvey had flooded 22,000 to 24,000 local homes with water an inch to eight feet deep. Henry, who volunteered that he’s a longtime friend to Patterson, said his office daily fields calls from residents awaiting help. Calling delayed &#160;repairs "frustrating," Henry said: "As far as the why" repairs have been delayed, Henry said, "I don’t know and I don’t care. I want it to get done."</p>
<p>By email, a GLO spokeswoman, &#160;Brittany Eck, specified that as of mid-December 2017, the agency along with FEMA had housed 56 Galveston County "applicant households and 446 are in the process of receiving a direct housing solution."</p>
<p>Also by phone, <a href="http://www.nuecesco.com/commissioners-court/judge-neal" type="external">Loyd Neal</a>, Nueces County’s judge, expressed chagrin that no agency advanced dollars enabling the <a href="http://www.cbcog98.org/" type="external">Coastal Bend Council of Governments</a> to hire individuals to consider applicants for short-term housing help.</p>
<p>By email, Eck countered that the GLO had guaranteed up to $200,000 in reimbursed administrative costs to the regional councils asked to help administer post-Harvey housing assistance. Eck said that after the Coastal Bend council declined to participate, GLO employees were carrying out the program in that region.</p>
<p>Neal told us that nearly four months since Harvey’s arrival, FEMA-funded housing including trailers or manufactured homes had yet to be brought into Port Aransas, the island tourist town where, Neal elaborated, more than two-thirds of local hurricane-damaged condominiums had yet to reopen. "It’s an absolute disgrace," Neal said, "that the state of Texas and the federal government and whoever else is in charge of this have not responded. It’s the greatest bureaucratic buck-passing I’ve ever seen."</p>
<p>By email, Eck said that per FEMA in December 2017, 52 Nueces County households were in need of direct housing assistance.</p>
<p>Correct count, but…</p>
<p>We confirmed Patterson’s count of two homes whose DALHR repair projects had been completed&#160;with Eck and Phillips, a land office administrator.</p>
<p>But those&#160;officials said Patterson’s claim gave short shrift to everything Harvey-related that Bush and the land office have undertaken and, Phillips said, to FEMA’s supervisory governing role.</p>
<p>"He is oversimplifying what is going on," Phillips said, and "cherry-picking" given that the federal government supports housing options including thousands of hotel rooms, two types of home repair and possibly temporary apartments or trailers or manufactured homes.</p>
<p>At the state level too, Phillips elaborated, "we’re always at the mercy of FEMA. They control the triage process" including, Eck said, confidential lists of homeowners for GLO to contact about their possibly seeking partial repairs backed by federal aid.</p>
<p>Patterson, commenting on&#160;Phillips’ general assessment of his claim, said by email that "to be clear, I made a statement, and it turned out to be 100% factually accurate. None of the ‘context’ or ‘cherry-picking’ BS need apply."</p>
<p>DALHR in Texas</p>
<p>In November 2017, Bush <a href="http://www.glo.texas.gov/the-glo/news/press-releases/2017/november/cmr-george-p-bush-glo-announces-completion-of-first-direct-assistance-for-limited-home-repair-project.html" type="external">announced</a> the completion of the first DALHR home-repair project in Dickinson, in Galveston County. A GLO press release said the project included electrical and plumbing repairs, wall insulation, sheet rock, siding repair and replacing kitchen and bathroom sinks and a bathtub.</p>
<p>That release said DALHR "provides permanent repairs for homeowners with moderate damages who lack available housing resources." But not everybody qualifies, the release made clear, in that beneficiaries must have sustained a FEMA-verified loss of $17,000 or more after 18 inches of interior flooding or more--though Phillips told us the GLO later encouraged FEMA to drop the 18-inch requirement, a change that qualified an additional 2,600 homes for consideration.</p>
<p>According to the release, interested homeowners had to clear another half dozen hurdles such as&#160;a lack of other applicable insurance coverage and that eligible damages wouldn't exceed $60,000 or half the pre-hurricane taxable assessed value of the home. Then again, Eck told us by email, the latter limit was subsequently relaxed to allow awards to pay for up to half of a home’s replacement value.</p>
<p>The November release also said that funded repairs under DALHR "are limited to real property components such as heating, plumbing, ventilation and air conditioning, walls, floors and ceilings," leaving our structural or engineering needs or any items covered by other aid.</p>
<p>Varied aid offerings</p>
<p>Let’s walk through some more of what the GLO and FEMA described as the programs they’re steering to Harvey survivors.</p>
<p>Notably, Phillips said, and FEMA’s Howard confirmed, the teaming of the state agency with FEMA to coordinate short-term housing aid marked the first time a state agency had been given that front-line role.</p>
<p>Eck said Gov. Greg Abbott "tapped the GLO to help FEMA implement these programs three weeks after the storm, in part due to the enormity of the affected area. In all cases, the applicant must be approved for eligibility by FEMA and, if interested, agree to the terms of FEMA’s regulations. The GLO is processing eligible applicants for short-term housing programs as FEMA is making their information available to the agency," Eck wrote.</p>
<p>By email, Eck wrote that individuals displaced by the hurricane and its aftermath were offered federally funded hotel stays by FEMA while they looked for longer-term housing. "This program is currently housing 15,027 individuals in 1,334 hotels," Eck said.</p>
<p>"None of the programs provided by FEMA are designed to be a permanent home replacement or complete repair program," Eck added. "The programs are designed to be short-term (up to 18 months) stopgap solutions while individuals work on long-term solutions."</p>
<p>Starting Nov. 18, 2017, Eck wrote, the agency through early December 2017 had contacted 664 households judged by FEMA to be potentially qualified for the program. She said those contacts led to 290 expressions of interest and 182 DALHR home inspections--with 67 homes pre-qualified for repairs and 13 work orders issued for builders to start.</p>
<p>"To date, two homes have had the work completed," Eck wrote. By email. FEMA’s Howard wrote: "We believe it is two projects at this point."</p>
<p>Phillips said by phone that his DALHR goal was to complete more than 100 home projects by 2018; he said 36 builders were standing by ready to do the "re-work" on homes.</p>
<p>Meantme, Phillips said, over 670 Texas families had received direct housing help by landing a trailer or manufactured home. At our request, FEMA’s Howard emailed us that agency’s daily <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vr-u2U_5WmaHOIfiv0FLLrAVcpHufLifY2lGptKK3XU/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs" type="external">Harvey fact sheet</a> from the date that Patterson made his claim stating that 638 Texas families by then had been provided a trailer or manufactured home. As of mid-December, Howard told us by email, 8,057 Harvey survivors in the state still showed a need for a trailer or manufactured home and, he said, 2,600 of them remained under review for DAHLR aid.</p>
<p>Otherwise, Phillips said, the GLO helped make available 40 apartment units in Wharton and also found 120 units of &#160;"corporate housing" to be made available in Conroe, in both cases under FEMA-backed programs.</p>
<p>Howard said that generally by Dec. 14, 2017, 894,606 Texas residents had registered for Harvey-tired FEMA assistance of one kind or another.</p>
<p>Another Patterson-cited program</p>
<p>Patterson further told us the GLO had failed to help Texans benefit from another FEMA offering, the Partial Repair and Essential Power for Sheltering (PREPS) program, which provides up to $20,000 enabling homeowners to shelter in their homes thanks to limited repairs and the restoration of power.</p>
<p>Eck said by email that PREPS aid was being offered by FEMA separately in that beneficiaries need a local government to provide a 10 percent match for an award to be made. By phone, meantime, Phillips said GLO officials had judged PREPS to be of limited value because families getting awards end up practically camping at home. The DALHR program, Phillips said, gets families "close to being whole."</p>
<p>Our ruling</p>
<p>Patterson said that since Hurricane Harvey, the agency helmed by Bush has done just two home repairs.</p>
<p>Patterson’s figure, confirmed by GLO, was accurate. However, this claim leaves out ample significant information such as FEMA’s overriding control of the complicated DALHR program, which isn't open to every homeowner and only funds partial repairs. Notably too, additional&#160; homes were poised to qualify for or get repairs through DALHR at the time that Patterson spoke.</p>
<p>We rate this statement Mostly True.</p>
<p>MOSTLY TRUE – The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information. Click here for <a href="" type="internal">more</a> on the six PolitiFact ratings and how we select facts to check.</p>
| false | 2 |
jerry patterson says fellow republican succeeded texas land commissioner george p bush fixed homes months since hurricane harvey slapped ashore august 2017 patterson otherwise confirming 2018 candidacy land commissioner post previously held 12 years said recent interview bushled general land office hadnt accomplished much way hurricane relief dec 8 2017 patterson said austin americanstatesman commentator ken herman mean hells charge tens thousands texans essentially homeless land office repaired twotwo homes weve got folks waking sleeping tents got snow morning people still sleeping tents pattersons comment seemed potent given glo announced september 2017 teaming federal emergency management agency hasten postharvey recovery part helping eligible survivors begin patch homesthough full rebuilds werent mix bush said time magnitude damage hurricane harvey doubt require long recovery agreement marks beginning new model simplifying expediting transition sheltering shortterm longterm housing recovery efforts focused factcheck pattersons insistence glo repaired two homes homelessand tents pattersons pokes also got attention many texans remain homeless due hurricane hard pin recently found university texas expert gordon wells estimated based flood insurance claims satellite imagery least 1 million texas homes sustained flood damage though told us count could exceed 17 million patterson spoke queried government officials survivors tents phone glos pete phillips said aransas county residents resistant options outoftown hotels residing tents similarly bob howard femas harvey response team responded email every effort made ensure survivors aware available local state federal resources thus far tentdwellers found field team indicated prefer remain current status eligible federal disaster assistance lets turn pattersons focus homes repaired government help since harvey related rains flooded much southeast texas patterson points federal program asked patterson160the basis numerical claim told us phone referring two homes repaired early december 2017 federal direct assistance limited home repair dalhr program patterson said hed drawn tally two stateenlisted contractors others declined identify urged us seek insight elected leaders counties hit harvey heard back elected officials two counties galveston countys county judge mark henry said phone flooding due harvey flooded 22000 24000 local homes water inch eight feet deep henry volunteered hes longtime friend patterson said office daily fields calls residents awaiting help calling delayed 160repairs frustrating henry said far repairs delayed henry said dont know dont care want get done email glo spokeswoman 160brittany eck specified middecember 2017 agency along fema housed 56 galveston county applicant households 446 process receiving direct housing solution also phone loyd neal nueces countys judge expressed chagrin agency advanced dollars enabling coastal bend council governments hire individuals consider applicants shortterm housing help email eck countered glo guaranteed 200000 reimbursed administrative costs regional councils asked help administer postharvey housing assistance eck said coastal bend council declined participate glo employees carrying program region neal told us nearly four months since harveys arrival femafunded housing including trailers manufactured homes yet brought port aransas island tourist town neal elaborated twothirds local hurricanedamaged condominiums yet reopen absolute disgrace neal said state texas federal government whoever else charge responded greatest bureaucratic buckpassing ive ever seen email eck said per fema december 2017 52 nueces county households need direct housing assistance correct count confirmed pattersons count two homes whose dalhr repair projects completed160with eck phillips land office administrator those160officials said pattersons claim gave short shrift everything harveyrelated bush land office undertaken phillips said femas supervisory governing role oversimplifying going phillips said cherrypicking given federal government supports housing options including thousands hotel rooms two types home repair possibly temporary apartments trailers manufactured homes state level phillips elaborated always mercy fema control triage process including eck said confidential lists homeowners glo contact possibly seeking partial repairs backed federal aid patterson commenting on160phillips general assessment claim said email clear made statement turned 100 factually accurate none context cherrypicking bs need apply dalhr texas november 2017 bush announced completion first dalhr homerepair project dickinson galveston county glo press release said project included electrical plumbing repairs wall insulation sheet rock siding repair replacing kitchen bathroom sinks bathtub release said dalhr provides permanent repairs homeowners moderate damages lack available housing resources everybody qualifies release made clear beneficiaries must sustained femaverified loss 17000 18 inches interior flooding morethough phillips told us glo later encouraged fema drop 18inch requirement change qualified additional 2600 homes consideration according release interested homeowners clear another half dozen hurdles as160a lack applicable insurance coverage eligible damages wouldnt exceed 60000 half prehurricane taxable assessed value home eck told us email latter limit subsequently relaxed allow awards pay half homes replacement value november release also said funded repairs dalhr limited real property components heating plumbing ventilation air conditioning walls floors ceilings leaving structural engineering needs items covered aid varied aid offerings lets walk glo fema described programs theyre steering harvey survivors notably phillips said femas howard confirmed teaming state agency fema coordinate shortterm housing aid marked first time state agency given frontline role eck said gov greg abbott tapped glo help fema implement programs three weeks storm part due enormity affected area cases applicant must approved eligibility fema interested agree terms femas regulations glo processing eligible applicants shortterm housing programs fema making information available agency eck wrote email eck wrote individuals displaced hurricane aftermath offered federally funded hotel stays fema looked longerterm housing program currently housing 15027 individuals 1334 hotels eck said none programs provided fema designed permanent home replacement complete repair program eck added programs designed shortterm 18 months stopgap solutions individuals work longterm solutions starting nov 18 2017 eck wrote agency early december 2017 contacted 664 households judged fema potentially qualified program said contacts led 290 expressions interest 182 dalhr home inspectionswith 67 homes prequalified repairs 13 work orders issued builders start date two homes work completed eck wrote email femas howard wrote believe two projects point phillips said phone dalhr goal complete 100 home projects 2018 said 36 builders standing ready rework homes meantme phillips said 670 texas families received direct housing help landing trailer manufactured home request femas howard emailed us agencys daily harvey fact sheet date patterson made claim stating 638 texas families provided trailer manufactured home middecember howard told us email 8057 harvey survivors state still showed need trailer manufactured home said 2600 remained review dahlr aid otherwise phillips said glo helped make available 40 apartment units wharton also found 120 units 160corporate housing made available conroe cases femabacked programs howard said generally dec 14 2017 894606 texas residents registered harveytired fema assistance one kind another another pattersoncited program patterson told us glo failed help texans benefit another fema offering partial repair essential power sheltering preps program provides 20000 enabling homeowners shelter homes thanks limited repairs restoration power eck said email preps aid offered fema separately beneficiaries need local government provide 10 percent match award made phone meantime phillips said glo officials judged preps limited value families getting awards end practically camping home dalhr program phillips said gets families close whole ruling patterson said since hurricane harvey agency helmed bush done two home repairs pattersons figure confirmed glo accurate however claim leaves ample significant information femas overriding control complicated dalhr program isnt open every homeowner funds partial repairs notably additional160 homes poised qualify get repairs dalhr time patterson spoke rate statement mostly true mostly true statement accurate needs clarification additional information click six politifact ratings select facts check
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<p>You may not know it, but there's a class system inside your investment portfolio.</p>
<p>At least there is if you own mutual funds, as nearly 55 million households do. <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/investing/what-is-a-mutual-fund/?trk=nw-synd_442_0_0" type="external">Mutual funds</a> are frequently divided into share classes, which essentially means different fee levels. The same fund — with the same manager, investment holdings and performance — may come at a significantly different cost, depending on the share class you're in.</p>
<p>THE DIFFERENCE A LETTER MAKES</p>
<p>All mutual funds carry expense ratios, an annual fee taken out of your investment each year. The expense ratio is charged as a percentage of your investment, and the amount varies by fund.</p>
<p>What mutual fund <a href="http://www.finra.org/investors/alerts/understanding-mutual-fund-classes" type="external">share classes</a> indicate is whether and how a fund levies a sales charge. Often called a sales load, this cost is paid by you and passed on to investment advisers or brokers as a commission. Share classes are represented by a letter, which is shown on your account statements and in the fund's prospectus.</p>
<p>If you're investing through a 401(k) at work, you may have access to either R shares — available to retirement plans — or institutional funds, called I shares. Both typically waive sales loads. An online brokerage account or individual retirement account you manage yourself should also give you access to a list of no-transaction-fee funds that avoid commissions.</p>
<p>If you work with a full-service broker or financial advisor, however, you might see an A, B or C next to your fund's name. Assets in B shares have recently fallen significantly in recent years, but A and C shares are still common today. All three letters indicate a sales charge.</p>
<p>HOW MUTUAL FUND SALES CHARGES WORK</p>
<p>Mutual fund sales charges can show up in a few ways: As an upfront cost when you purchase the fund, as a fee when you sell the fund or as part of a fund's expense ratio.</p>
<p>Investors in the C share class of a mutual fund will see the latter: A marketing and distribution fee — called a 12b-1 fee — of up to 1%, charged on an annual basis as one part of the fund's expense ratio. That 12b-1 fee can make C shares an expensive choice for investors who plan to hold the fund long-term, as the cost compounds over time.</p>
<p>Investors in a mutual fund's A share class pay a sales load as an upfront cost, called a front-end load. An A share might also carry a 12b-1 fee, though it will generally be lower. Those who invest large sums may get a break on some or all of an A share's upfront commission. Unless you plan to invest in the fund for only a few years — and mutual funds are typically long-term investments — you'll save money in an A class.</p>
<p>"Each share class is generally going to represent the exact same ownership interest in that mutual fund, but your take-home return is going to be less in a C share than in an A share," says James W. Langston Jr., the president of Fiduciary Integrity LLC, a consulting firm that helps investors find and minimize mutual fund and annuity fees.</p>
<p>THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF FEES</p>
<p>Fees are one of the biggest drains on your retirement savings. On a $200,000 one-time investment, the difference between a 0.25 percent annual fee and a 1 percent annual fee totals over $210,000 after 30 years, assuming a 6% average annual return. If you pay a front-end load, a percentage of your initial investment goes toward that cost rather than into the fund, meaning that money doesn't make it into the market at all.</p>
<p>To keep fees low, look at expense ratios and load charges before you invest — never assume an investment is inexpensive, even if it is offered within a retirement account. Often the lowest-cost options are index funds, exchange-traded funds or open-end mutual funds, which are bought directly from the mutual fund company.</p>
<p>If you'd prefer to work with an adviser who selects investments for you, find one you trust — preferably who isn't paid by commission — or open an account at an automated investment adviser (often called a robo-adviser).</p>
<p>Above all, understand what you're paying and why, says Russel Kinnel, director of manager research at investment research company Morningstar, and choose the most economical share class. "The overriding principle is that you want low-cost funds, and finding the lowest cost share class available to you within a fund is a piece of that puzzle."</p>
<p>_______</p>
<p>RELATED LINKS:</p>
<p>NerdWallet: What is a mutual fund? <a href="https://nerd.me/mutual-funds" type="external">https://nerd.me/mutual-funds</a></p>
<p>FINRA: Understanding mutual fund share classes <a href="http://www.finra.org/investors/alerts/understanding-mutual-fund-classes" type="external">http://www.finra.org/investors/alerts/understanding-mutual-fund-classes</a></p>
<p>You may not know it, but there's a class system inside your investment portfolio.</p>
<p>At least there is if you own mutual funds, as nearly 55 million households do. <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/investing/what-is-a-mutual-fund/?trk=nw-synd_442_0_0" type="external">Mutual funds</a> are frequently divided into share classes, which essentially means different fee levels. The same fund — with the same manager, investment holdings and performance — may come at a significantly different cost, depending on the share class you're in.</p>
<p>THE DIFFERENCE A LETTER MAKES</p>
<p>All mutual funds carry expense ratios, an annual fee taken out of your investment each year. The expense ratio is charged as a percentage of your investment, and the amount varies by fund.</p>
<p>What mutual fund <a href="http://www.finra.org/investors/alerts/understanding-mutual-fund-classes" type="external">share classes</a> indicate is whether and how a fund levies a sales charge. Often called a sales load, this cost is paid by you and passed on to investment advisers or brokers as a commission. Share classes are represented by a letter, which is shown on your account statements and in the fund's prospectus.</p>
<p>If you're investing through a 401(k) at work, you may have access to either R shares — available to retirement plans — or institutional funds, called I shares. Both typically waive sales loads. An online brokerage account or individual retirement account you manage yourself should also give you access to a list of no-transaction-fee funds that avoid commissions.</p>
<p>If you work with a full-service broker or financial advisor, however, you might see an A, B or C next to your fund's name. Assets in B shares have recently fallen significantly in recent years, but A and C shares are still common today. All three letters indicate a sales charge.</p>
<p>HOW MUTUAL FUND SALES CHARGES WORK</p>
<p>Mutual fund sales charges can show up in a few ways: As an upfront cost when you purchase the fund, as a fee when you sell the fund or as part of a fund's expense ratio.</p>
<p>Investors in the C share class of a mutual fund will see the latter: A marketing and distribution fee — called a 12b-1 fee — of up to 1%, charged on an annual basis as one part of the fund's expense ratio. That 12b-1 fee can make C shares an expensive choice for investors who plan to hold the fund long-term, as the cost compounds over time.</p>
<p>Investors in a mutual fund's A share class pay a sales load as an upfront cost, called a front-end load. An A share might also carry a 12b-1 fee, though it will generally be lower. Those who invest large sums may get a break on some or all of an A share's upfront commission. Unless you plan to invest in the fund for only a few years — and mutual funds are typically long-term investments — you'll save money in an A class.</p>
<p>"Each share class is generally going to represent the exact same ownership interest in that mutual fund, but your take-home return is going to be less in a C share than in an A share," says James W. Langston Jr., the president of Fiduciary Integrity LLC, a consulting firm that helps investors find and minimize mutual fund and annuity fees.</p>
<p>THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF FEES</p>
<p>Fees are one of the biggest drains on your retirement savings. On a $200,000 one-time investment, the difference between a 0.25 percent annual fee and a 1 percent annual fee totals over $210,000 after 30 years, assuming a 6% average annual return. If you pay a front-end load, a percentage of your initial investment goes toward that cost rather than into the fund, meaning that money doesn't make it into the market at all.</p>
<p>To keep fees low, look at expense ratios and load charges before you invest — never assume an investment is inexpensive, even if it is offered within a retirement account. Often the lowest-cost options are index funds, exchange-traded funds or open-end mutual funds, which are bought directly from the mutual fund company.</p>
<p>If you'd prefer to work with an adviser who selects investments for you, find one you trust — preferably who isn't paid by commission — or open an account at an automated investment adviser (often called a robo-adviser).</p>
<p>Above all, understand what you're paying and why, says Russel Kinnel, director of manager research at investment research company Morningstar, and choose the most economical share class. "The overriding principle is that you want low-cost funds, and finding the lowest cost share class available to you within a fund is a piece of that puzzle."</p>
<p>_______</p>
<p>RELATED LINKS:</p>
<p>NerdWallet: What is a mutual fund? <a href="https://nerd.me/mutual-funds" type="external">https://nerd.me/mutual-funds</a></p>
<p>FINRA: Understanding mutual fund share classes <a href="http://www.finra.org/investors/alerts/understanding-mutual-fund-classes" type="external">http://www.finra.org/investors/alerts/understanding-mutual-fund-classes</a></p>
| false | 2 |
may know theres class system inside investment portfolio least mutual funds nearly 55 million households mutual funds frequently divided share classes essentially means different fee levels fund manager investment holdings performance may come significantly different cost depending share class youre difference letter makes mutual funds carry expense ratios annual fee taken investment year expense ratio charged percentage investment amount varies fund mutual fund share classes indicate whether fund levies sales charge often called sales load cost paid passed investment advisers brokers commission share classes represented letter shown account statements funds prospectus youre investing 401k work may access either r shares available retirement plans institutional funds called shares typically waive sales loads online brokerage account individual retirement account manage also give access list notransactionfee funds avoid commissions work fullservice broker financial advisor however might see b c next funds name assets b shares recently fallen significantly recent years c shares still common today three letters indicate sales charge mutual fund sales charges work mutual fund sales charges show ways upfront cost purchase fund fee sell fund part funds expense ratio investors c share class mutual fund see latter marketing distribution fee called 12b1 fee 1 charged annual basis one part funds expense ratio 12b1 fee make c shares expensive choice investors plan hold fund longterm cost compounds time investors mutual funds share class pay sales load upfront cost called frontend load share might also carry 12b1 fee though generally lower invest large sums may get break shares upfront commission unless plan invest fund years mutual funds typically longterm investments youll save money class share class generally going represent exact ownership interest mutual fund takehome return going less c share share says james w langston jr president fiduciary integrity llc consulting firm helps investors find minimize mutual fund annuity fees longterm impact fees fees one biggest drains retirement savings 200000 onetime investment difference 025 percent annual fee 1 percent annual fee totals 210000 30 years assuming 6 average annual return pay frontend load percentage initial investment goes toward cost rather fund meaning money doesnt make market keep fees low look expense ratios load charges invest never assume investment inexpensive even offered within retirement account often lowestcost options index funds exchangetraded funds openend mutual funds bought directly mutual fund company youd prefer work adviser selects investments find one trust preferably isnt paid commission open account automated investment adviser often called roboadviser understand youre paying says russel kinnel director manager research investment research company morningstar choose economical share class overriding principle want lowcost funds finding lowest cost share class available within fund piece puzzle _______ related links nerdwallet mutual fund httpsnerdmemutualfunds finra understanding mutual fund share classes httpwwwfinraorginvestorsalertsunderstandingmutualfundclasses may know theres class system inside investment portfolio least mutual funds nearly 55 million households mutual funds frequently divided share classes essentially means different fee levels fund manager investment holdings performance may come significantly different cost depending share class youre difference letter makes mutual funds carry expense ratios annual fee taken investment year expense ratio charged percentage investment amount varies fund mutual fund share classes indicate whether fund levies sales charge often called sales load cost paid passed investment advisers brokers commission share classes represented letter shown account statements funds prospectus youre investing 401k work may access either r shares available retirement plans institutional funds called shares typically waive sales loads online brokerage account individual retirement account manage also give access list notransactionfee funds avoid commissions work fullservice broker financial advisor however might see b c next funds name assets b shares recently fallen significantly recent years c shares still common today three letters indicate sales charge mutual fund sales charges work mutual fund sales charges show ways upfront cost purchase fund fee sell fund part funds expense ratio investors c share class mutual fund see latter marketing distribution fee called 12b1 fee 1 charged annual basis one part funds expense ratio 12b1 fee make c shares expensive choice investors plan hold fund longterm cost compounds time investors mutual funds share class pay sales load upfront cost called frontend load share might also carry 12b1 fee though generally lower invest large sums may get break shares upfront commission unless plan invest fund years mutual funds typically longterm investments youll save money class share class generally going represent exact ownership interest mutual fund takehome return going less c share share says james w langston jr president fiduciary integrity llc consulting firm helps investors find minimize mutual fund annuity fees longterm impact fees fees one biggest drains retirement savings 200000 onetime investment difference 025 percent annual fee 1 percent annual fee totals 210000 30 years assuming 6 average annual return pay frontend load percentage initial investment goes toward cost rather fund meaning money doesnt make market keep fees low look expense ratios load charges invest never assume investment inexpensive even offered within retirement account often lowestcost options index funds exchangetraded funds openend mutual funds bought directly mutual fund company youd prefer work adviser selects investments find one trust preferably isnt paid commission open account automated investment adviser often called roboadviser understand youre paying says russel kinnel director manager research investment research company morningstar choose economical share class overriding principle want lowcost funds finding lowest cost share class available within fund piece puzzle _______ related links nerdwallet mutual fund httpsnerdmemutualfunds finra understanding mutual fund share classes httpwwwfinraorginvestorsalertsunderstandingmutualfundclasses
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<p>.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........</p>
<p>WASHINGTON — Start the countdown clock on a momentous two weeks for President Donald Trump and the GOP-run Congress.</p>
<p>Republicans are determined to deliver the first revamp of the nation’s tax code in three decades and prove they can govern after their failure to dismantle Barack Obama’s health care law this past summer. Voters who will decide which party holds the majority in next year’s midterms elections are watching.</p>
<p>Republicans are negotiating with Democrats on the contentious issue of how much the government should spend on the military and domestic agencies to avert a holiday shutdown. An extension of the program that provides low-cost health care to more than 8 million children and aid to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida need to be addressed. And further complicating the end-of-year talks is the fate of some 800,000 young immigrants here illegally.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Lawmakers are trying to get it all done by Dec. 22.</p>
<p>A look at the crowded agenda:</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>TAXES</p>
<p>Republicans are upbeat about finalizing a tax bill from the House and Senate versions for Trump’s first major legislative accomplishment in nearly 11 months in office.</p>
<p>“I feel very confident we’re going to get this done … at the end of the day we’re going to get this to the president’s desk and he’s going to sign it,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Sunday in an interview on Fox News Channel.</p>
<p>The House and Senate bills would cut taxes by about $1.5 trillion over the next decade while adding billions to the $20 trillion deficit. They combine steep tax cuts for corporations with more modest reductions for most individuals.</p>
<p>Republican leaders have struggled to placate GOP lawmakers from high-tax states like California, New York and New Jersey whose constituents would be hit hard by the elimination of the prized federal deduction for state and local taxes. Repeal of the deduction added up to $1.3 trillion in revenue over a decade that could be used for deep tax cuts.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Lawmakers finally settled on a compromise in both bills — full repeal of the state and local deductions for income and sales taxes, but homeowners would be able to deduct up to $10,000 in local property taxes.</p>
<p>And yet it’s still not a done deal.</p>
<p>“There’s a lot of conversation around the fact that in some of the blue states where the taxes are high, the property tax alone, they will not be able to use the $10,000 possible deductions,” Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Chuck Todd” Sunday. “So allowing for income and property taxes, which would cost another $100 billion by the way, to be options for folks in those states would be a better solution. And we’re looking at ways to make that happen.”</p>
<p>Just a few weeks ago, lawmakers were unyielding on their insistence that the corporate tax rate be slashed from 35 percent to 20 percent. Now, one way to finance the changes on state and local taxes would be to cut the corporate tax rate to 21 or 22 percent instead.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>GOVERNMENT SPENDING</p>
<p>Republicans and Democrats are trying to work out a sweeping budget deal. They got a temporary reprieve from a partial government shutdown when they passed a stopgap, two-week bill last Thursday.</p>
<p>Republicans want a major boost in defense spending. Democrats want a similar increase for domestic agencies.</p>
<p>Congress also has to figure out how much disaster aid should be directed to Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida. The Trump administration requested $44 billion last month, an amount lawmakers from hurricane-slammed regions say is insufficient. The latest request would bring the total appropriated for disaster relief this fall to close to $100 billion — and the government still must calculate how much it will cost to rebuild Puerto Rico’s devastated housing stock and electric grid.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>CHILDREN’S HEALTH</p>
<p>Fresh federal money for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, ran out on Oct. 1, a blow to the widely popular program that provides low-cost medical care to more than 8 million children. Some states have relied on unspent funds, while others that were running out of money got a short-term reprieve in the two-week spending bill.</p>
<p>Lawmakers hope to agree on a long-term budget solution for a program that’s about $14 billion a year.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>IMMIGRATION</p>
<p>Democrats want to act now to protect young immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children, with demands that a solution is included in any year-end spending deal.</p>
<p>“We will not leave here without a DACA fix,” said Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.</p>
<p>These young immigrants, often referred to as Dreamers, face deportation in a few months after Trump reversed administrative protections established by President Barack Obama.</p>
<p>Republicans say it can wait till next year and shouldn’t bog down the broad budget agreement. However, House GOP leaders likely will require Democratic votes for the spending bill and they have to work out a deal with Pelosi.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Marcy Gordon and Andrew Taylor contributed to this report.</p>
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washington start countdown clock momentous two weeks president donald trump goprun congress republicans determined deliver first revamp nations tax code three decades prove govern failure dismantle barack obamas health care law past summer voters decide party holds majority next years midterms elections watching republicans negotiating democrats contentious issue much government spend military domestic agencies avert holiday shutdown extension program provides lowcost health care 8 million children aid hurricaneravaged puerto rico texas florida need addressed complicating endofyear talks fate 800000 young immigrants illegally advertisement lawmakers trying get done dec 22 look crowded agenda ___ taxes republicans upbeat finalizing tax bill house senate versions trumps first major legislative accomplishment nearly 11 months office feel confident going get done end day going get presidents desk hes going sign house majority leader kevin mccarthy rcalif said sunday interview fox news channel house senate bills would cut taxes 15 trillion next decade adding billions 20 trillion deficit combine steep tax cuts corporations modest reductions individuals republican leaders struggled placate gop lawmakers hightax states like california new york new jersey whose constituents would hit hard elimination prized federal deduction state local taxes repeal deduction added 13 trillion revenue decade could used deep tax cuts advertisement lawmakers finally settled compromise bills full repeal state local deductions income sales taxes homeowners would able deduct 10000 local property taxes yet still done deal theres lot conversation around fact blue states taxes high property tax alone able use 10000 possible deductions sen tim scott rsc said nbcs meet press chuck todd sunday allowing income property taxes would cost another 100 billion way options folks states would better solution looking ways make happen weeks ago lawmakers unyielding insistence corporate tax rate slashed 35 percent 20 percent one way finance changes state local taxes would cut corporate tax rate 21 22 percent instead ___ government spending republicans democrats trying work sweeping budget deal got temporary reprieve partial government shutdown passed stopgap twoweek bill last thursday republicans want major boost defense spending democrats want similar increase domestic agencies congress also figure much disaster aid directed puerto rico texas florida trump administration requested 44 billion last month amount lawmakers hurricaneslammed regions say insufficient latest request would bring total appropriated disaster relief fall close 100 billion government still must calculate much cost rebuild puerto ricos devastated housing stock electric grid ___ childrens health fresh federal money childrens health insurance program known chip ran oct 1 blow widely popular program provides lowcost medical care 8 million children states relied unspent funds others running money got shortterm reprieve twoweek spending bill lawmakers hope agree longterm budget solution program thats 14 billion year ___ immigration democrats want act protect young immigrants came united states illegally children demands solution included yearend spending deal leave without daca fix said minority leader nancy pelosi dcalif referring deferred action childhood arrivals program young immigrants often referred dreamers face deportation months trump reversed administrative protections established president barack obama republicans say wait till next year shouldnt bog broad budget agreement however house gop leaders likely require democratic votes spending bill work deal pelosi ___ associated press writers marcy gordon andrew taylor contributed report
| 520 |
<p>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Even though the Timberwolves were the ones playing the second half of a back-to-back, the Pelicans were the flatter team. Karl-Anthony Towns is making a lot of teams look that way right now.</p>
<p>Towns and Jimmy Butler each scored 21 points, Andrew Wiggins added 20 and Minnesota cruised past New Orleans 116-98 on Saturday night.</p>
<p>It took three tries, but Towns finally was able to spend more time on the floor than the bench against the Pelicans. In the teams' first two games against each other, Minnesota's young and emotional big man got into foul trouble against New Orleans' physical frontcourt.</p>
<p>Not this time.</p>
<p>"It was good to be out there and try to help my teammates win instead of the last two times being on the bench," he said.</p>
<p>Towns went 7 for 11 and grabbed 16 rebounds for another strong effort after Friday's 25-point, 23-rebound show in Boston.</p>
<p>"It was nice to see him play a game against New Orleans," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau deadpanned, noting that Towns kept his head despite some elbows and shoves from the likes of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis in the lane.</p>
<p>"He showed a lot of maturity and growth in terms of not reacting to calls and non-calls and just playing," Thibodeau said. "He's playing a really strong all-around game right now."</p>
<p>And unlike Friday night against the Celtics, the rest of the Timberwolves also shot well.</p>
<p>Taj Gibson had 15 points and Gorgui Dieng added 14 off the bench as the Timberwolves shot 48.9 percent from the floor and led by as many as 34. The win snapped Minnesota's two-game losing streak ahead of a tough matchup next week against Cleveland.</p>
<p>"We understand we needed to get this one tonight," Gibson said.</p>
<p>Cousins led the Pelicans with 23 points and Davis added 16. But the Timberwolves held Jrue Holiday, who averaged 21 points per game in December, to single digits for most of the game. Holiday finished with 13 points on 6-for-13 shooting before fouling out with 3:45 to play.</p>
<p>New Orleans turned the ball over 16 times - leading to 17 Timberwolves points - and was outrebounded 47-38.</p>
<p>"They beat us in all phases of the game," coach Alvin Gentry said. "They were quicker. They were better defensively. They ran to the ball. They got the 50-50 balls."</p>
<p>TIP-INS:</p>
<p>Pelicans: New Orleans shot 36.4 percent (8 for 22) in the third quarter and was 6 for 29 from 3-point range for the game. It was the first time the Pelicans failed to score 100 points since Nov. 25 against Golden State (17 games). ... Cousins recorded his 29th double-double of the season. ... The Pelicans fell to 2-13 when being outrebounded this season.</p>
<p>Timberwolves: It was Minnesota's third straight sellout. The Timberwolves hadn't sold out three consecutive games since 2012. ... Teague is doing "more and more" in his recovery from a sprained left MCL. Teague missed his sixth game since hurting his knee Dec. 27 against Denver and is sidelined indefinitely. "He's fitted with a brace, so he's getting used to that," Thibodeau said. "So we just take it day by day. When he's ready to go, he goes."</p>
<p>DIENG GOOD</p>
<p>Dieng had another strong performance against New Orleans after scoring 12 and 19 points in the previous two games. He shot 6 for 9, including 2 for 2 from 3-point range.</p>
<p>BELOW THE CENTURY MARK</p>
<p>The Timberwolves have held their last five opponents to fewer than 100 points. The last time that happened was a six-game streak from Nov. 5-12, 2012.</p>
<p>UP NEXT:</p>
<p>Pelicans: Host Detroit on Monday night.</p>
<p>Timberwolves: Host Cleveland on Monday night.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP basketball: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball</a></p>
<p>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Even though the Timberwolves were the ones playing the second half of a back-to-back, the Pelicans were the flatter team. Karl-Anthony Towns is making a lot of teams look that way right now.</p>
<p>Towns and Jimmy Butler each scored 21 points, Andrew Wiggins added 20 and Minnesota cruised past New Orleans 116-98 on Saturday night.</p>
<p>It took three tries, but Towns finally was able to spend more time on the floor than the bench against the Pelicans. In the teams' first two games against each other, Minnesota's young and emotional big man got into foul trouble against New Orleans' physical frontcourt.</p>
<p>Not this time.</p>
<p>"It was good to be out there and try to help my teammates win instead of the last two times being on the bench," he said.</p>
<p>Towns went 7 for 11 and grabbed 16 rebounds for another strong effort after Friday's 25-point, 23-rebound show in Boston.</p>
<p>"It was nice to see him play a game against New Orleans," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau deadpanned, noting that Towns kept his head despite some elbows and shoves from the likes of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis in the lane.</p>
<p>"He showed a lot of maturity and growth in terms of not reacting to calls and non-calls and just playing," Thibodeau said. "He's playing a really strong all-around game right now."</p>
<p>And unlike Friday night against the Celtics, the rest of the Timberwolves also shot well.</p>
<p>Taj Gibson had 15 points and Gorgui Dieng added 14 off the bench as the Timberwolves shot 48.9 percent from the floor and led by as many as 34. The win snapped Minnesota's two-game losing streak ahead of a tough matchup next week against Cleveland.</p>
<p>"We understand we needed to get this one tonight," Gibson said.</p>
<p>Cousins led the Pelicans with 23 points and Davis added 16. But the Timberwolves held Jrue Holiday, who averaged 21 points per game in December, to single digits for most of the game. Holiday finished with 13 points on 6-for-13 shooting before fouling out with 3:45 to play.</p>
<p>New Orleans turned the ball over 16 times - leading to 17 Timberwolves points - and was outrebounded 47-38.</p>
<p>"They beat us in all phases of the game," coach Alvin Gentry said. "They were quicker. They were better defensively. They ran to the ball. They got the 50-50 balls."</p>
<p>TIP-INS:</p>
<p>Pelicans: New Orleans shot 36.4 percent (8 for 22) in the third quarter and was 6 for 29 from 3-point range for the game. It was the first time the Pelicans failed to score 100 points since Nov. 25 against Golden State (17 games). ... Cousins recorded his 29th double-double of the season. ... The Pelicans fell to 2-13 when being outrebounded this season.</p>
<p>Timberwolves: It was Minnesota's third straight sellout. The Timberwolves hadn't sold out three consecutive games since 2012. ... Teague is doing "more and more" in his recovery from a sprained left MCL. Teague missed his sixth game since hurting his knee Dec. 27 against Denver and is sidelined indefinitely. "He's fitted with a brace, so he's getting used to that," Thibodeau said. "So we just take it day by day. When he's ready to go, he goes."</p>
<p>DIENG GOOD</p>
<p>Dieng had another strong performance against New Orleans after scoring 12 and 19 points in the previous two games. He shot 6 for 9, including 2 for 2 from 3-point range.</p>
<p>BELOW THE CENTURY MARK</p>
<p>The Timberwolves have held their last five opponents to fewer than 100 points. The last time that happened was a six-game streak from Nov. 5-12, 2012.</p>
<p>UP NEXT:</p>
<p>Pelicans: Host Detroit on Monday night.</p>
<p>Timberwolves: Host Cleveland on Monday night.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP basketball: <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball</a></p>
| false | 2 |
minneapolis ap even though timberwolves ones playing second half backtoback pelicans flatter team karlanthony towns making lot teams look way right towns jimmy butler scored 21 points andrew wiggins added 20 minnesota cruised past new orleans 11698 saturday night took three tries towns finally able spend time floor bench pelicans teams first two games minnesotas young emotional big man got foul trouble new orleans physical frontcourt time good try help teammates win instead last two times bench said towns went 7 11 grabbed 16 rebounds another strong effort fridays 25point 23rebound show boston nice see play game new orleans timberwolves coach tom thibodeau deadpanned noting towns kept head despite elbows shoves likes demarcus cousins anthony davis lane showed lot maturity growth terms reacting calls noncalls playing thibodeau said hes playing really strong allaround game right unlike friday night celtics rest timberwolves also shot well taj gibson 15 points gorgui dieng added 14 bench timberwolves shot 489 percent floor led many 34 win snapped minnesotas twogame losing streak ahead tough matchup next week cleveland understand needed get one tonight gibson said cousins led pelicans 23 points davis added 16 timberwolves held jrue holiday averaged 21 points per game december single digits game holiday finished 13 points 6for13 shooting fouling 345 play new orleans turned ball 16 times leading 17 timberwolves points outrebounded 4738 beat us phases game coach alvin gentry said quicker better defensively ran ball got 5050 balls tipins pelicans new orleans shot 364 percent 8 22 third quarter 6 29 3point range game first time pelicans failed score 100 points since nov 25 golden state 17 games cousins recorded 29th doubledouble season pelicans fell 213 outrebounded season timberwolves minnesotas third straight sellout timberwolves hadnt sold three consecutive games since 2012 teague recovery sprained left mcl teague missed sixth game since hurting knee dec 27 denver sidelined indefinitely hes fitted brace hes getting used thibodeau said take day day hes ready go goes dieng good dieng another strong performance new orleans scoring 12 19 points previous two games shot 6 9 including 2 2 3point range century mark timberwolves held last five opponents fewer 100 points last time happened sixgame streak nov 512 2012 next pelicans host detroit monday night timberwolves host cleveland monday night ___ ap basketball httpsapnewscomtagnbabasketball minneapolis ap even though timberwolves ones playing second half backtoback pelicans flatter team karlanthony towns making lot teams look way right towns jimmy butler scored 21 points andrew wiggins added 20 minnesota cruised past new orleans 11698 saturday night took three tries towns finally able spend time floor bench pelicans teams first two games minnesotas young emotional big man got foul trouble new orleans physical frontcourt time good try help teammates win instead last two times bench said towns went 7 11 grabbed 16 rebounds another strong effort fridays 25point 23rebound show boston nice see play game new orleans timberwolves coach tom thibodeau deadpanned noting towns kept head despite elbows shoves likes demarcus cousins anthony davis lane showed lot maturity growth terms reacting calls noncalls playing thibodeau said hes playing really strong allaround game right unlike friday night celtics rest timberwolves also shot well taj gibson 15 points gorgui dieng added 14 bench timberwolves shot 489 percent floor led many 34 win snapped minnesotas twogame losing streak ahead tough matchup next week cleveland understand needed get one tonight gibson said cousins led pelicans 23 points davis added 16 timberwolves held jrue holiday averaged 21 points per game december single digits game holiday finished 13 points 6for13 shooting fouling 345 play new orleans turned ball 16 times leading 17 timberwolves points outrebounded 4738 beat us phases game coach alvin gentry said quicker better defensively ran ball got 5050 balls tipins pelicans new orleans shot 364 percent 8 22 third quarter 6 29 3point range game first time pelicans failed score 100 points since nov 25 golden state 17 games cousins recorded 29th doubledouble season pelicans fell 213 outrebounded season timberwolves minnesotas third straight sellout timberwolves hadnt sold three consecutive games since 2012 teague recovery sprained left mcl teague missed sixth game since hurting knee dec 27 denver sidelined indefinitely hes fitted brace hes getting used thibodeau said take day day hes ready go goes dieng good dieng another strong performance new orleans scoring 12 19 points previous two games shot 6 9 including 2 2 3point range century mark timberwolves held last five opponents fewer 100 points last time happened sixgame streak nov 512 2012 next pelicans host detroit monday night timberwolves host cleveland monday night ___ ap basketball httpsapnewscomtagnbabasketball
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<p />
<p>The buyouts took care of the residents’ noise complaints but left behind an eerily suburban ghost town of lush green lawns, sans houses.</p>
<p>LAX is finally preparing to develop a rental car facility, parking areas and a transportation hub in the 20 square blocks of Manchester Square as part of its modernization plan.</p>
<p>But as homelessness rose during the last three years, and parking crackdowns drove campers and RVs out of nearby Venice and other communities, the neighborhood became filled with one of Los Angeles’ largest collections of homeless camps outside the 50 square blocks of skid row.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The squatters’ village of tents, peeling campers, lopsided RVs and cars is home to 200 to 350 people. The airport, which has spent $437 million buying out residents and plans to spend an additional $1 billion for property, won’t pay to relocate the homeless occupants.</p>
<p>Mary Grady, a spokeswoman for Los Angeles World Airports, said airport revenue can be spent only on aviation-related facilities at LAX, such as passenger terminals, runways and taxiways.</p>
<p>Airport officials have said construction preparation for several new projects in Manchester Square could start as soon as January 2018, although no deadline has been set.</p>
<p>To help the homeless people move on, the city and county of Los Angeles set up a multi-agency task force a year ago.</p>
<p>But with the clock running down, only six people have found permanent housing, and others say they have nowhere to go.</p>
<p>“This is the new homeless,” said Sherri Kelly, 54, who shares a camper at the square with her husband. “Once you’re out here, it’s nearly impossible to come in. There’s no place else to park or that we can run to.”</p>
<p>Officials said they are confident they can relocate the squatters before the airport project, which is in environmental review, begins. The task force includes specially trained airport police officers, city street services and sanitation departments, and mental health and outreach teams.</p>
<p>“No entity can be singularly responsible for tackling the homelessness crisis. If we are going to lift up homeless Angelenos and help them find safe places to sleep, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach,” Mayor Eric Garcetti’s press secretary, George Kivork, said in an email.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Some in Westchester fear the effort will trigger a mass expulsion from Manchester Square.</p>
<p>“I don’t want them to start forcing these people out. Where are they going to go?” said Garrett Smith, a director on the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa.</p>
<p>How this nest of postwar domesticity became a textbook case of urban blight is a story of politicians’ shifting visions and legal and economic setbacks.</p>
<p>Manchester Square sprang up after World War II to house aerospace workers, teachers and pilots. As noise complaints grew, the airport decided on a voluntary buyout plan, but home purchases fell off after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and again during the Great Recession.</p>
<p>For years, no proposals to reuse the property were finalized. Under Mayor Richard Riordan, a cargo facility was floated, and Mayor James Hahn proposed a giant transportation/check-in center, part of an LAX master plan that ended up in court.</p>
<p>Airport officials now plan to use the property for a consolidated car rental facility, additional parking and a public transportation hub. The owners of six houses and 31 apartment buildings are the last holdouts, Grady said.</p>
<p>Some of the squatters who moved in said they lost their homes in nearby communities, including Hawthorne and Redondo Beach, because of various life crises, disabilities and lost jobs.</p>
<p>Carlos Alvarez, dean of the Bright Star Secondary Charter Academy in Manchester Square, said a group also arrived from Venice, where homelessness dropped about 25 percent from 2015 to 2016 after a crackdown on occupied campers.</p>
<p>“We always had motor homes on 99th Street, but two years ago, we came back from summer break and it had just exploded,” Alvarez said.</p>
<p>Renters blame the camps for car break-ins, vandalism and people sleeping in their laundry rooms. Police said most of the crime is petty. Substance abuse and mental illness is “a huge factor,” said Anika Simpson, a nurse with the county mental health evaluation team.</p>
<p>The bare lawns are fenced off, so the homeless people sleep in vehicles or camp out on grassy parkways. Regular city cleanups send them scurrying with mattresses lashed to shopping carts as men in hazmat suits spray the turf with disinfectant.</p>
<p>Alvarez said police escort schoolchildren past the camps. The homeless are largely cooperative, he said. “At 3 p.m., they go inside their tents.”</p>
<p>But some are not as amenable to the task force’s ideas of where they should move.</p>
<p>“I’m not working on housing. Housing is negative equity. It costs money, and if you take the cash allowance and food stamps, that’s not enough,” said a two-year resident who gave his name only as Frank R. “I make that recycling.”</p>
<p>As for shelters, he added, “I’m a drinker and you can’t do that. Where’s my cocktail in the shelter?”</p>
<p>Other homeless people say they live off disability payments or low-wage jobs and can’t afford L.A.’s soaring rents. Kelly, who once lived in a Manchester Square apartment, said she was evicted from her home in Hawthorne after her accounts were frozen in a messy identity theft case.</p>
<p>“I lived a normal life,” she said. “We’re not criminals. We’re middle-class Americans.”</p>
<p>Smith, of the neighborhood council, said the airport owes the homeless people a “soft landing.” He suggested they be allowed to move their motor homes to an employee RV colony the airport oversees at one of its parking lots.</p>
<p>Grady said the colony was for workers forced to relocate after 9/11. It is winding down through attrition, and the parking lot will be leased later this year, she added.</p>
<p>Kelly said she can’t understand why the city or airport can’t bring in portable restrooms or let camp residents stay in the half-abandoned apartment buildings.</p>
<p>“What I feel strongest about is all the empty apartments, and us all sitting here in the rain,” Kelly said. “A lot of people out here are sick and disabled. It gets cold, and we get hungry.”</p>
<p>Victor Hinderliter, associate director at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, said he believes the city-county team can find bridge or crisis housing for the homeless. The city has indicated it plans to allow them to park in church and synagogue lots later this year.</p>
<p>On Feb. 6, however, police began enforcing a new city law barring people from living in vehicles near homes, parks and schools.</p>
<p>“We have some time,” Hinderliter said.</p>
<p>Kelly said the task force’s offers to expedite housing for her have gone nowhere. “Nobody sees it through to the end,” she added. “Maybe the housing people tried to call. We don’t have phone service.”</p>
<p>Before she lost service, Kelly said, an eviction-prevention counselor returned her call — after she’d been thrown out in the street.</p>
<p>“This isn’t our problem,” said Alvarez, the charter school dean. “It’s the city’s problem.”</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>©2017 Los Angeles Times</p>
<p>Visit the Los Angeles Times at <a href="http://www.latimes.com" type="external">www.latimes.com</a></p>
<p>Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.</p>
<p>———-</p>
| false | 2 |
buyouts took care residents noise complaints left behind eerily suburban ghost town lush green lawns sans houses lax finally preparing develop rental car facility parking areas transportation hub 20 square blocks manchester square part modernization plan homelessness rose last three years parking crackdowns drove campers rvs nearby venice communities neighborhood became filled one los angeles largest collections homeless camps outside 50 square blocks skid row advertisement squatters village tents peeling campers lopsided rvs cars home 200 350 people airport spent 437 million buying residents plans spend additional 1 billion property wont pay relocate homeless occupants mary grady spokeswoman los angeles world airports said airport revenue spent aviationrelated facilities lax passenger terminals runways taxiways airport officials said construction preparation several new projects manchester square could start soon january 2018 although deadline set help homeless people move city county los angeles set multiagency task force year ago clock running six people found permanent housing others say nowhere go new homeless said sherri kelly 54 shares camper square husband youre nearly impossible come theres place else park run officials said confident relocate squatters airport project environmental review begins task force includes specially trained airport police officers city street services sanitation departments mental health outreach teams entity singularly responsible tackling homelessness crisis going lift homeless angelenos help find safe places sleep need allhandsondeck approach mayor eric garcettis press secretary george kivork said email advertisement westchester fear effort trigger mass expulsion manchester square dont want start forcing people going go said garrett smith director neighborhood council westchesterplaya nest postwar domesticity became textbook case urban blight story politicians shifting visions legal economic setbacks manchester square sprang world war ii house aerospace workers teachers pilots noise complaints grew airport decided voluntary buyout plan home purchases fell 911 terrorist attacks great recession years proposals reuse property finalized mayor richard riordan cargo facility floated mayor james hahn proposed giant transportationcheckin center part lax master plan ended court airport officials plan use property consolidated car rental facility additional parking public transportation hub owners six houses 31 apartment buildings last holdouts grady said squatters moved said lost homes nearby communities including hawthorne redondo beach various life crises disabilities lost jobs carlos alvarez dean bright star secondary charter academy manchester square said group also arrived venice homelessness dropped 25 percent 2015 2016 crackdown occupied campers always motor homes 99th street two years ago came back summer break exploded alvarez said renters blame camps car breakins vandalism people sleeping laundry rooms police said crime petty substance abuse mental illness huge factor said anika simpson nurse county mental health evaluation team bare lawns fenced homeless people sleep vehicles camp grassy parkways regular city cleanups send scurrying mattresses lashed shopping carts men hazmat suits spray turf disinfectant alvarez said police escort schoolchildren past camps homeless largely cooperative said 3 pm go inside tents amenable task forces ideas move im working housing housing negative equity costs money take cash allowance food stamps thats enough said twoyear resident gave name frank r make recycling shelters added im drinker cant wheres cocktail shelter homeless people say live disability payments lowwage jobs cant afford las soaring rents kelly lived manchester square apartment said evicted home hawthorne accounts frozen messy identity theft case lived normal life said criminals middleclass americans smith neighborhood council said airport owes homeless people soft landing suggested allowed move motor homes employee rv colony airport oversees one parking lots grady said colony workers forced relocate 911 winding attrition parking lot leased later year added kelly said cant understand city airport cant bring portable restrooms let camp residents stay halfabandoned apartment buildings feel strongest empty apartments us sitting rain kelly said lot people sick disabled gets cold get hungry victor hinderliter associate director los angeles homeless services authority said believes citycounty team find bridge crisis housing homeless city indicated plans allow park church synagogue lots later year feb 6 however police began enforcing new city law barring people living vehicles near homes parks schools time hinderliter said kelly said task forces offers expedite housing gone nowhere nobody sees end added maybe housing people tried call dont phone service lost service kelly said evictionprevention counselor returned call shed thrown street isnt problem said alvarez charter school dean citys problem 2017 los angeles times visit los angeles times wwwlatimescom distributed tribune content agency llc
| 715 |
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter has had as close to perfect a career as a major leaguer can have. Still, five years from now, don’t expect the New York Yankees’ captain to be a unanimous selection to baseball’s Hall of Fame.</p>
<p>That’s not a knock. He’d be in pretty impressive company.</p>
<p>Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Cal Ripken Jr. all dominated the game, and all came up short. Tom Seaver, the top vote-getter by percentage, was left off five ballots.</p>
<p>If there’s anyone worthy of 100 percent approval from the voters in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, Jeter could be it.</p>
<p>“He’s so revered,” Hall spokesman Brad Horn said. “He’s reached iconic status probably at a more national standard of any player of his lifetime.”</p>
<p>The 40-year-old shortstop’s model career for the major’s most storied franchise will come to an end Sunday after two decades. Five World Series championships, sixth on the career hits list, 14 All-Star selections. He’s the face of baseball, idolized by a generation of young stars from Troy Tulowitzki to Yoenis Cespedes to Mike Trout. And he played through the Steroids Era without the slightest tarnish.</p>
<p>What then could possibly prevent No. 2 from receiving affirmation from all 500-plus voters on the class of 2020 ballot?</p>
<p>Plenty, it turns out.</p>
<p>Election to the Hall of Fame requires 75 percent of the vote from writers with 10 consecutive years in the BBWAA at any point, a rigorous standard that produced no player electees in 2013. Writers can vote for up to 10 players — there were 36 on the ballot this year with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas gaining entry.</p>
<p>Seaver received 98.84 percent of the vote in 1992. Ripken, credited with helping revive baseball after the 1994-95 strike by breaking the consecutive games record set by Lou Gehrig, failed to impress eight voters and was third by percentage at 98.53. Aaron? Nine people didn’t vote for the home run king, and he’s sixth on the list at 97.83.</p>
<p>“I do not consider a unanimous vote important for the simple reason that it is nearly impossible for between 500 and 600 people to agree completely on any one thing,” BBWAA Secretary-Treasurer Jack O’Connell said. “It is hard enough to get the 75 percent required for election.”</p>
<p>Election to the Hall is not based solely on statistics. Consideration of integrity, character and sportsmanship are integral.</p>
<p>That’s where it gets complicated.</p>
<p>Stars such as home run king Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire have fallen way short of the minimum because many writers refuse to vote for anyone who has admitted using performance-enhancing drugs or been accused of it. Two voters who revealed their secret ballots this year, Ken Gurnick and Larry Rocca, left Maddux off because the 355-game winner played during the Steroids Era, even though no one suggested he used PEDs.</p>
<p>Gurnick submitted just one name, Jack Morris, who fell short of the 75 percent threshold in his final year on the ballot. Others have returned blank ballot in protest of PED users.</p>
<p>Writers have left names off their ballot specifically because no one has been a unanimous selection.</p>
<p>Others have withheld votes from superstars in order to throw support to a candidate they may think needs more help. Some players were left off ballots because they had contentious relationships with members of the media. One gave his vote to Deadspin — he was banned from voting again.</p>
<p>“Voting for the Hall of Fame is a subjective exercise,” Horn said. “The Baseball Hall of Fame has entrusted the BBWAA since the very first election in ’36 to provide strong council, good judgment and make very representative selections of what the Hall of Fame stands.”</p>
<p>Ruth’s feats on the field and his shenanigans off it made him one of the most famous people in America. Yet, he was omitted from 11 ballots and got just 95.13 percent of the vote in 1936. Perhaps his carousing had an influence on the writers.</p>
<p>Jeter doesn’t have that problem, though, and that is in part what makes him the perfect candidate for perfection.</p>
<p>“If there’s going to be a first-time unanimous choice for the Hall of Fame, it should be him,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said.</p>
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter has had as close to perfect a career as a major leaguer can have. Still, five years from now, don’t expect the New York Yankees’ captain to be a unanimous selection to baseball’s Hall of Fame.</p>
<p>That’s not a knock. He’d be in pretty impressive company.</p>
<p>Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Cal Ripken Jr. all dominated the game, and all came up short. Tom Seaver, the top vote-getter by percentage, was left off five ballots.</p>
<p>If there’s anyone worthy of 100 percent approval from the voters in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, Jeter could be it.</p>
<p>“He’s so revered,” Hall spokesman Brad Horn said. “He’s reached iconic status probably at a more national standard of any player of his lifetime.”</p>
<p>The 40-year-old shortstop’s model career for the major’s most storied franchise will come to an end Sunday after two decades. Five World Series championships, sixth on the career hits list, 14 All-Star selections. He’s the face of baseball, idolized by a generation of young stars from Troy Tulowitzki to Yoenis Cespedes to Mike Trout. And he played through the Steroids Era without the slightest tarnish.</p>
<p>What then could possibly prevent No. 2 from receiving affirmation from all 500-plus voters on the class of 2020 ballot?</p>
<p>Plenty, it turns out.</p>
<p>Election to the Hall of Fame requires 75 percent of the vote from writers with 10 consecutive years in the BBWAA at any point, a rigorous standard that produced no player electees in 2013. Writers can vote for up to 10 players — there were 36 on the ballot this year with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas gaining entry.</p>
<p>Seaver received 98.84 percent of the vote in 1992. Ripken, credited with helping revive baseball after the 1994-95 strike by breaking the consecutive games record set by Lou Gehrig, failed to impress eight voters and was third by percentage at 98.53. Aaron? Nine people didn’t vote for the home run king, and he’s sixth on the list at 97.83.</p>
<p>“I do not consider a unanimous vote important for the simple reason that it is nearly impossible for between 500 and 600 people to agree completely on any one thing,” BBWAA Secretary-Treasurer Jack O’Connell said. “It is hard enough to get the 75 percent required for election.”</p>
<p>Election to the Hall is not based solely on statistics. Consideration of integrity, character and sportsmanship are integral.</p>
<p>That’s where it gets complicated.</p>
<p>Stars such as home run king Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire have fallen way short of the minimum because many writers refuse to vote for anyone who has admitted using performance-enhancing drugs or been accused of it. Two voters who revealed their secret ballots this year, Ken Gurnick and Larry Rocca, left Maddux off because the 355-game winner played during the Steroids Era, even though no one suggested he used PEDs.</p>
<p>Gurnick submitted just one name, Jack Morris, who fell short of the 75 percent threshold in his final year on the ballot. Others have returned blank ballot in protest of PED users.</p>
<p>Writers have left names off their ballot specifically because no one has been a unanimous selection.</p>
<p>Others have withheld votes from superstars in order to throw support to a candidate they may think needs more help. Some players were left off ballots because they had contentious relationships with members of the media. One gave his vote to Deadspin — he was banned from voting again.</p>
<p>“Voting for the Hall of Fame is a subjective exercise,” Horn said. “The Baseball Hall of Fame has entrusted the BBWAA since the very first election in ’36 to provide strong council, good judgment and make very representative selections of what the Hall of Fame stands.”</p>
<p>Ruth’s feats on the field and his shenanigans off it made him one of the most famous people in America. Yet, he was omitted from 11 ballots and got just 95.13 percent of the vote in 1936. Perhaps his carousing had an influence on the writers.</p>
<p>Jeter doesn’t have that problem, though, and that is in part what makes him the perfect candidate for perfection.</p>
<p>“If there’s going to be a first-time unanimous choice for the Hall of Fame, it should be him,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said.</p>
| false | 2 |
new york ap derek jeter close perfect career major leaguer still five years dont expect new york yankees captain unanimous selection baseballs hall fame thats knock hed pretty impressive company babe ruth ty cobb ted williams willie mays hank aaron cal ripken jr dominated game came short tom seaver top votegetter percentage left five ballots theres anyone worthy 100 percent approval voters baseball writers association america jeter could hes revered hall spokesman brad horn said hes reached iconic status probably national standard player lifetime 40yearold shortstops model career majors storied franchise come end sunday two decades five world series championships sixth career hits list 14 allstar selections hes face baseball idolized generation young stars troy tulowitzki yoenis cespedes mike trout played steroids era without slightest tarnish could possibly prevent 2 receiving affirmation 500plus voters class 2020 ballot plenty turns election hall fame requires 75 percent vote writers 10 consecutive years bbwaa point rigorous standard produced player electees 2013 writers vote 10 players 36 ballot year greg maddux tom glavine frank thomas gaining entry seaver received 9884 percent vote 1992 ripken credited helping revive baseball 199495 strike breaking consecutive games record set lou gehrig failed impress eight voters third percentage 9853 aaron nine people didnt vote home run king hes sixth list 9783 consider unanimous vote important simple reason nearly impossible 500 600 people agree completely one thing bbwaa secretarytreasurer jack oconnell said hard enough get 75 percent required election election hall based solely statistics consideration integrity character sportsmanship integral thats gets complicated stars home run king barry bonds roger clemens mark mcgwire fallen way short minimum many writers refuse vote anyone admitted using performanceenhancing drugs accused two voters revealed secret ballots year ken gurnick larry rocca left maddux 355game winner played steroids era even though one suggested used peds gurnick submitted one name jack morris fell short 75 percent threshold final year ballot others returned blank ballot protest ped users writers left names ballot specifically one unanimous selection others withheld votes superstars order throw support candidate may think needs help players left ballots contentious relationships members media one gave vote deadspin banned voting voting hall fame subjective exercise horn said baseball hall fame entrusted bbwaa since first election 36 provide strong council good judgment make representative selections hall fame stands ruths feats field shenanigans made one famous people america yet omitted 11 ballots got 9513 percent vote 1936 perhaps carousing influence writers jeter doesnt problem though part makes perfect candidate perfection theres going firsttime unanimous choice hall fame rays manager joe maddon said new york ap derek jeter close perfect career major leaguer still five years dont expect new york yankees captain unanimous selection baseballs hall fame thats knock hed pretty impressive company babe ruth ty cobb ted williams willie mays hank aaron cal ripken jr dominated game came short tom seaver top votegetter percentage left five ballots theres anyone worthy 100 percent approval voters baseball writers association america jeter could hes revered hall spokesman brad horn said hes reached iconic status probably national standard player lifetime 40yearold shortstops model career majors storied franchise come end sunday two decades five world series championships sixth career hits list 14 allstar selections hes face baseball idolized generation young stars troy tulowitzki yoenis cespedes mike trout played steroids era without slightest tarnish could possibly prevent 2 receiving affirmation 500plus voters class 2020 ballot plenty turns election hall fame requires 75 percent vote writers 10 consecutive years bbwaa point rigorous standard produced player electees 2013 writers vote 10 players 36 ballot year greg maddux tom glavine frank thomas gaining entry seaver received 9884 percent vote 1992 ripken credited helping revive baseball 199495 strike breaking consecutive games record set lou gehrig failed impress eight voters third percentage 9853 aaron nine people didnt vote home run king hes sixth list 9783 consider unanimous vote important simple reason nearly impossible 500 600 people agree completely one thing bbwaa secretarytreasurer jack oconnell said hard enough get 75 percent required election election hall based solely statistics consideration integrity character sportsmanship integral thats gets complicated stars home run king barry bonds roger clemens mark mcgwire fallen way short minimum many writers refuse vote anyone admitted using performanceenhancing drugs accused two voters revealed secret ballots year ken gurnick larry rocca left maddux 355game winner played steroids era even though one suggested used peds gurnick submitted one name jack morris fell short 75 percent threshold final year ballot others returned blank ballot protest ped users writers left names ballot specifically one unanimous selection others withheld votes superstars order throw support candidate may think needs help players left ballots contentious relationships members media one gave vote deadspin banned voting voting hall fame subjective exercise horn said baseball hall fame entrusted bbwaa since first election 36 provide strong council good judgment make representative selections hall fame stands ruths feats field shenanigans made one famous people america yet omitted 11 ballots got 9513 percent vote 1936 perhaps carousing influence writers jeter doesnt problem though part makes perfect candidate perfection theres going firsttime unanimous choice hall fame rays manager joe maddon said
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<p>ATLANTA (Reuters) - Commuters in the southern United States will wake up to more frigid temperatures and slick roads Friday, but a thaw is expected by the weekend, forecasters say.</p>
<p>Many schools in Atlanta, northeastern Georgia and western North Carolina remained closed Friday after a mid-week storm dumped snow across the region, whipped up winds that snapped power lines and led to at least a dozen deaths.</p>
<p>Sub-freezing temperatures overnight left many roads with ice that is difficult for drivers to detect, but that’s expected to melt soon, said Laura Belanger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Atlanta.</p>
<p>“We’re looking at a warm-up for the southeast and mid-Atlantic with daytime temperatures up in the 40s and 50s (Fahrenheit) and hitting the low 60s in some areas by Saturday,” Belanger said.</p>
<p>Areas as far north as Boston will inch up to the low 40s (Fahrenheit) but dip below freezing at night, she said adding, “This is still winter.”</p>
<p>Through the early morning hours, NWS freeze warnings remained in effect over much of the Deep South as far as Tampa, Florida.</p>
<p>The winter storm sent blasts of cold air as far south as Mississippi, Lousiana, Texas and Oklahoma.</p>
<p>In Houston, 22-year-old Cynthia Chavez said she walked on ice for the first time in her life on Wednesday, and fell on her second step.</p>
<p>“I was, like, coming out of our house and there was a little step and what I thought was water,” Chavez said by phone from Olde Towne Kolaches in Houston where she is a cashier. “Two steps and I was on my butt. At first, I was nervous but then I was like, ah, THIS is ice.”</p>
<p>More than 9 inches (23 cm) of snow have fallen this week in Durham, North Carolina, since Monday, with 7 inches (18 cm) or more in various places across southern Virginia, the NWS said.</p>
<p>In Virginia on Thursday, a six-year-old boy on a sled slid onto a road and was struck and killed by a car, CBS affiliate WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, Virginia, reported.</p>
<p>On Thursday in North Carolina’s Washington County, a 26-year-old man was killed when his vehicle went off a snowy road and overturned in a canal, officials said.</p>
<p>In Oklahoma, two people died on Wednesday in a fire apparently caused by the use of electrical space heaters, media reported.</p>
<p>Reporting by Rich McKay; additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Editing by Larry King</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - The Keystone crude oil pipeline leak in November in rural South Dakota was nearly double the original estimate, making it one of the largest U.S. inland spills since 2010, a newspaper report on Saturday said.</p> An aerial view shows the darkened ground of an oil spill which shut down the Keystone pipeline between Canada and the United States, located in an agricultural area near Amherst, South Dakota, U.S., in this photo provided November 18, 2017. REUTERS/Dronebase
<p>Robynn Tysver, a spokeswoman for Calgary-based TransCanada Corp, which owns the pipeline, told the Aberdeen American News some 9,700 barrels of oil leaked in the Nov. 16 spill, the South Dakota paper reported. The original estimate was 5,000 barrels.</p>
<p>The spill gave further ammunition to environmental groups and other U.S. opponents of another pipeline the company has proposed, the long-delayed Keystone XL.</p>
<p>TransCanada had shut down the 590,000 barrel-per-day pipeline, one of Canada’s main crude export routes linking Alberta’s oil fields to U.S. refineries, immediately following the spill. Operations were restarted less than two weeks later.</p> An aerial view shows the darkened ground of an oil spill which shut down the Keystone pipeline between Canada and the United States, located in an agricultural area near Amherst, South Dakota, U.S., in this photo provided November 18, 2017. REUTERS/Dronebase
<p>TransCanada officials were not immediately available for comment.</p>
<p>The TransCanada spokeswoman told the newspaper repairs have been made on the pipeline and a clean-up conducted.</p>
<p>“We have replaced the last of the topsoil and have seeded the impacted area,” Tysver said in an email sent to the American News late Friday evening, the paper said.</p>
<p>Keystone has leaked substantially more oil, and more often, in the United States than the company indicated to regulators in risk assessments before operations began in 2010, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.</p>
<p>Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas, editing by G Crosse</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - A body recovered from surf on Saturday may be that of a girl from an SUV that plummeted last month off a California coastal cliff and killed a family of eight people aboard, in what authorities believe was an intentional crash, a sheriff’s office said.</p>
<p>Five bodies have already been recovered from the March 26 crash including driver Jennifer Hart, 38, Sarah Hart, 38, and three of their children. Their GMC Yukon plunged about 100 feet (30 meters) onto seashore rocks.</p>
<p>The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said an autopsy would be performed next week to determine the girl’s age and identity, adding authorities are looking into whether the body pulled from the sea on Saturday is one of the missing children.</p>
<p>The couple had adopted six children and the crash occurred three days after child welfare services opened an investigation into allegations of child abuse and neglect at their home in Woodland, Washington.</p>
<p>The missing children include 15-year-old Devonte Hart, an African-American teen who gained notoriety in 2014 after being photographed hugging a white police officer at a protest after the fatal police shooting of a young black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.</p>
<p>County Sheriff Tom Allman has said he considered the crash a crime, based on evidence from the site, a scenic viewpoint some 180 miles (290 kms) north of San Francisco.</p>
<p>Reporting by Jon Herskovitz</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - David Solomon, soon to be the sole No. 2 to Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s Chief Executive Officer Lloyd Blankfein, still finds time to pursue a beloved hobby: spinning records at big-city nightclubs under the handle DJ D-Sol.</p> Goldman Sachs Co-President and Co-Chief Operating Officer David Solomon plays disc jockey at a lounge called Libation in New York City, U.S. Saturday, April 7, 2018. Picture taken April 7, 2018. REUTERS/Jennifer Ablan
<p>On Saturday night, a Reuters journalist watched Solomon perform a set of house-style electronic music at a lounge in Lower Manhattan hosted by graduates from Solomon’s alma mater, Hamilton College. The charity event, held in support of families of people with drug addiction, intended to “shatter the stigma of addiction and to aid in the fight against the opioid epidemic,” according to a description on its Facebook page.</p>
<p>A student reached out to Solomon, a member of Hamilton’s board of trustees, to participate in the event, according to one of the attendees. Asked by Reuters if added responsibilities at Goldman would conflict with his DJ time, Solomon declined to comment.</p>
<p>Solomon, 56, is widely expected to become the next CEO ( <a href="http://reut.rs/kPAtnJ" type="external">reut.rs/kPAtnJ</a>) of Goldman Sachs after his boss, Chief Executive Officer Lloyd Blankfein, told the bank's board of directors earlier this year that Solomon should be the top pick. That led Harvey Schwartz, who shares the titles of co-president and co-chief operating officer with Solomon, to announce last month ( <a href="" type="internal">here</a>) that he would depart the Wall Street bank on April 20.</p>
<a href="http://reut.rs/kPAtnJ" type="external" />
<p>Decked in all black and wearing a baseball cap, Solomon opened his set with a house-music version of “The Pink Panther Theme,” a song associated with shows and movies represented by a pink cartoon cat.</p>
<p>People at the event were mostly in their late 20s and early 30s and knew Ted Barrett, a Hamilton graduate who died in 2016.</p>
<p>Money raised from the $150-per-person tickets went to a charity called Shatterproof, an organization that helps families of people suffering from addiction run by Gary Mendell, a longtime hotel industry executive. Activities centered around “Ted’s favorite things,” included a scavenger hunt, according to event materials.</p>
<p>Nearly 200 people attended the event, which had an open bar.</p>
<p>Asked if Solomon was paid for his appearance, organizers did not immediately respond.</p>
<p>Solomon, who majored in government at Hamilton, said in a Goldman Sachs podcast last year that he “kind of stumbled into (DJing) as a hobby, and now I just do it for fun.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Jennifer Ablan; Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Frances Kerry</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Members of the U.S. Supreme Court appeared to be struggling over how to resolve a key case recently when Justice Stephen Breyer suggested that the best course might be to put off a decision altogether.</p> FILE PHOTO - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer participates in taking a new family photo with his fellow justices at the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 1, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
<p>Breyer’s remark, coming during a March 28 oral argument in a closely watched case involving the redrawing of electoral districts aimed at entrenching one party in power, illustrated the difficulty the nine justices seem to be having in producing rulings at their usual pace.</p>
<p>With five conservatives and four liberals, the court is ideologically divided, meaning common ground may be difficult to find. President Donald Trump’s appointee Neil Gorsuch, who marks his first anniversary as a justice on Tuesday, restored the court’s conservative majority after it was shorthanded and evenly split ideologically for 14 months.</p>
<p>During their current term that began in October and runs through the end of June, the justices must resolve more weighty and difficult cases than usual. One of their biggest cases — deciding the legality of President Donald Trump’s travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries — will not be heard until April 25.</p>
<p>The high court has issued only 18 rulings in cases already argued this term, lagging behind its normal pace. Numerous major cases have yet to be resolved, including one on Wisconsin electoral boundaries heard in October and the similar one heard last month involving the same practice of “partisan gerrymandering” in Maryland that prompted Breyer to suggest the justices rehear the whole matter in the future.</p>
<p>A divisive case pitting gay rights against religious liberty, involving a Christian baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, was argued in December.</p>
<p>Other major cases involve fees paid by non-members to unions representing public employees like police officers and teachers, the right of workers to bring class-action claims against employers, the ability of police to obtain cellphone location data to tie criminal suspects to crimes and a California law regulating Christian-based anti-abortion facilities.</p>
<p>Supreme Court experts expect the justices to issue a larger-than-normal number of 5-4 rulings in the coming months. That would increase the chances of conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who sometimes sides with the court’s four liberals in major cases, casting the deciding votes.</p>
<p>“It’s reasonable to suggest there are going to be fewer unanimous decisions and more division,” said Nicole Saharsky, a lawyer who often has argued cases before the court.</p>
<p>The court usually takes less time in issuing a ruling when the justices are unanimous. It has issued 11 unanimous rulings and seven with dissenting votes, including three that were 5-4. The court’s most contentious rulings commonly are issued in June.</p>
<p>Part of the slowdown in rulings may be related to the presence of Gorsuch, who has shown signs that he will be a strident conservative voice on the bench. Gorsuch also has exhibited a willingness to question the reasoning of his colleagues, a practice that can delay rulings.</p>
<p>“There could just be new dynamics one way or another,” said John Elwood, who has argued multiple cases before the Supreme Court.</p> FILE PHOTO: U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts (seated C) leads Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (front row, L-R), Justice Anthony Kennedy, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Stephen Breyer, Justice Elena Kagan (back row, L-R), Justice Samuel Alito, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch in taking a new family photo including Gorsuch, their most recent addition, at the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 1, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
<p>The impasse over partisan gerrymandering was first on display when the court heard arguments on Oct. 3 in a challenge by Democratic voters to Republican-drawn state legislative districts in Wisconsin. Five months later, the justices appeared no closer to resolving the matter when they heard the similar Maryland dispute involving a Democratic-drawn U.S. House of Representatives district.</p>
<p>The court seemed similarly divided in the worker class action case argued on Oct. 2, the first day of the term. The justices will have to decide whether workers can be forced by companies to sign agreements waiving the right to bring class-action claims against their employer.</p>
<p>Based on the Dec. 5 oral argument, Kennedy will also be the deciding vote in the case of whether the Denver-area Christian baker can be penalized under a Colorado anti-discrimination law or whether the U.S. Constitution’s promise of free speech protects him.</p>
<p>The nine justices have not always been at odds with each other, even on contentious matters. There was no dissent when the court in February rejected Trump’s bid to immediately end a program that protects hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought illegally into the United States as children.</p>
<p>The court also showed no divisions when it declined to intervene in another electoral boundaries fight, this time in Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>The slow pace of rulings may in part just be the result of scheduling, said Kannon Shanmugam, another regular Supreme Court lawyer.</p>
<p>“The court has had hard, divisive cases earlier in the term,” he said. “It’s not surprising it might take a while.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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atlanta reuters commuters southern united states wake frigid temperatures slick roads friday thaw expected weekend forecasters say many schools atlanta northeastern georgia western north carolina remained closed friday midweek storm dumped snow across region whipped winds snapped power lines led least dozen deaths subfreezing temperatures overnight left many roads ice difficult drivers detect thats expected melt soon said laura belanger meteorologist national weather service atlanta looking warmup southeast midatlantic daytime temperatures 40s 50s fahrenheit hitting low 60s areas saturday belanger said areas far north boston inch low 40s fahrenheit dip freezing night said adding still winter early morning hours nws freeze warnings remained effect much deep south far tampa florida winter storm sent blasts cold air far south mississippi lousiana texas oklahoma houston 22yearold cynthia chavez said walked ice first time life wednesday fell second step like coming house little step thought water chavez said phone olde towne kolaches houston cashier two steps butt first nervous like ah ice 9 inches 23 cm snow fallen week durham north carolina since monday 7 inches 18 cm various places across southern virginia nws said virginia thursday sixyearold boy sled slid onto road struck killed car cbs affiliate wdbjtv roanoke virginia reported thursday north carolinas washington county 26yearold man killed vehicle went snowy road overturned canal officials said oklahoma two people died wednesday fire apparently caused use electrical space heaters media reported reporting rich mckay additional reporting brendan obrien milwaukee bernie woodall fort lauderdale fla editing larry king standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters keystone crude oil pipeline leak november rural south dakota nearly double original estimate making one largest us inland spills since 2010 newspaper report saturday said aerial view shows darkened ground oil spill shut keystone pipeline canada united states located agricultural area near amherst south dakota us photo provided november 18 2017 reutersdronebase robynn tysver spokeswoman calgarybased transcanada corp owns pipeline told aberdeen american news 9700 barrels oil leaked nov 16 spill south dakota paper reported original estimate 5000 barrels spill gave ammunition environmental groups us opponents another pipeline company proposed longdelayed keystone xl transcanada shut 590000 barrelperday pipeline one canadas main crude export routes linking albertas oil fields us refineries immediately following spill operations restarted less two weeks later aerial view shows darkened ground oil spill shut keystone pipeline canada united states located agricultural area near amherst south dakota us photo provided november 18 2017 reutersdronebase transcanada officials immediately available comment transcanada spokeswoman told newspaper repairs made pipeline cleanup conducted replaced last topsoil seeded impacted area tysver said email sent american news late friday evening paper said keystone leaked substantially oil often united states company indicated regulators risk assessments operations began 2010 according documents reviewed reuters reporting jon herskovitz austin texas editing g crosse standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters body recovered surf saturday may girl suv plummeted last month california coastal cliff killed family eight people aboard authorities believe intentional crash sheriffs office said five bodies already recovered march 26 crash including driver jennifer hart 38 sarah hart 38 three children gmc yukon plunged 100 feet 30 meters onto seashore rocks mendocino county sheriffs office said autopsy would performed next week determine girls age identity adding authorities looking whether body pulled sea saturday one missing children couple adopted six children crash occurred three days child welfare services opened investigation allegations child abuse neglect home woodland washington missing children include 15yearold devonte hart africanamerican teen gained notoriety 2014 photographed hugging white police officer protest fatal police shooting young black teenager ferguson missouri county sheriff tom allman said considered crash crime based evidence site scenic viewpoint 180 miles 290 kms north san francisco reporting jon herskovitz standards thomson reuters trust principles new york reuters david solomon soon sole 2 goldman sachs group incs chief executive officer lloyd blankfein still finds time pursue beloved hobby spinning records bigcity nightclubs handle dj dsol goldman sachs copresident cochief operating officer david solomon plays disc jockey lounge called libation new york city us saturday april 7 2018 picture taken april 7 2018 reutersjennifer ablan saturday night reuters journalist watched solomon perform set housestyle electronic music lounge lower manhattan hosted graduates solomons alma mater hamilton college charity event held support families people drug addiction intended shatter stigma addiction aid fight opioid epidemic according description facebook page student reached solomon member hamiltons board trustees participate event according one attendees asked reuters added responsibilities goldman would conflict dj time solomon declined comment solomon 56 widely expected become next ceo reutrskpatnj goldman sachs boss chief executive officer lloyd blankfein told banks board directors earlier year solomon top pick led harvey schwartz shares titles copresident cochief operating officer solomon announce last month would depart wall street bank april 20 decked black wearing baseball cap solomon opened set housemusic version pink panther theme song associated shows movies represented pink cartoon cat people event mostly late 20s early 30s knew ted barrett hamilton graduate died 2016 money raised 150perperson tickets went charity called shatterproof organization helps families people suffering addiction run gary mendell longtime hotel industry executive activities centered around teds favorite things included scavenger hunt according event materials nearly 200 people attended event open bar asked solomon paid appearance organizers immediately respond solomon majored government hamilton said goldman sachs podcast last year kind stumbled djing hobby fun reporting jennifer ablan editing lauren tara lacapra frances kerry standards thomson reuters trust principles washington reuters members us supreme court appeared struggling resolve key case recently justice stephen breyer suggested best course might put decision altogether file photo us supreme court justice stephen breyer participates taking new family photo fellow justices supreme court building washington dc us june 1 2017 reutersjonathan ernst breyers remark coming march 28 oral argument closely watched case involving redrawing electoral districts aimed entrenching one party power illustrated difficulty nine justices seem producing rulings usual pace five conservatives four liberals court ideologically divided meaning common ground may difficult find president donald trumps appointee neil gorsuch marks first anniversary justice tuesday restored courts conservative majority shorthanded evenly split ideologically 14 months current term began october runs end june justices must resolve weighty difficult cases usual one biggest cases deciding legality president donald trumps travel ban several muslimmajority countries heard april 25 high court issued 18 rulings cases already argued term lagging behind normal pace numerous major cases yet resolved including one wisconsin electoral boundaries heard october similar one heard last month involving practice partisan gerrymandering maryland prompted breyer suggest justices rehear whole matter future divisive case pitting gay rights religious liberty involving christian baker refused make wedding cake gay couple argued december major cases involve fees paid nonmembers unions representing public employees like police officers teachers right workers bring classaction claims employers ability police obtain cellphone location data tie criminal suspects crimes california law regulating christianbased antiabortion facilities supreme court experts expect justices issue largerthannormal number 54 rulings coming months would increase chances conservative justice anthony kennedy sometimes sides courts four liberals major cases casting deciding votes reasonable suggest going fewer unanimous decisions division said nicole saharsky lawyer often argued cases court court usually takes less time issuing ruling justices unanimous issued 11 unanimous rulings seven dissenting votes including three 54 courts contentious rulings commonly issued june part slowdown rulings may related presence gorsuch shown signs strident conservative voice bench gorsuch also exhibited willingness question reasoning colleagues practice delay rulings could new dynamics one way another said john elwood argued multiple cases supreme court file photo us chief justice john roberts seated c leads justice ruth bader ginsburg front row lr justice anthony kennedy justice clarence thomas justice stephen breyer justice elena kagan back row lr justice samuel alito justice sonia sotomayor associate justice neil gorsuch taking new family photo including gorsuch recent addition supreme court building washington dc us june 1 2017 reutersjonathan ernstfile photo contentious issues impasse partisan gerrymandering first display court heard arguments oct 3 challenge democratic voters republicandrawn state legislative districts wisconsin five months later justices appeared closer resolving matter heard similar maryland dispute involving democraticdrawn us house representatives district court seemed similarly divided worker class action case argued oct 2 first day term justices decide whether workers forced companies sign agreements waiving right bring classaction claims employer based dec 5 oral argument kennedy also deciding vote case whether denverarea christian baker penalized colorado antidiscrimination law whether us constitutions promise free speech protects nine justices always odds even contentious matters dissent court february rejected trumps bid immediately end program protects hundreds thousands immigrants brought illegally united states children court also showed divisions declined intervene another electoral boundaries fight time pennsylvania slow pace rulings may part result scheduling said kannon shanmugam another regular supreme court lawyer court hard divisive cases earlier term said surprising might take reporting lawrence hurley editing dunham standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p />
<p>The here-and-now hot topic in newspapers these days is, as Richard Reeves has put it, "the future of journalism -- if any." Will Craigslist and Monster crush the industry's classified advertising cash cow? Is the blogosphere the leading edge of a mass exodus to reading news online and in non-traditional formats? Are news-aggregators poised to strip-mine expensive-to-produce content out of economically challenged papers?</p>
<p>Worthy questions all. But the companion story of how newspapers may have weakened themselves by weakening their commitment to news and public service remains highly relevant. It was not so very long ago&#160;-- the 1970s and 1980s -- that a high-minded commitment to quality and business success seemed entirely compatible. The Knight-Ridder chain was exemplary back then, a coast-to-coast enterprise that grew and prospered and consistently produced first-rate journalism.</p>
<p>What has gone wrong since is chronicled in Phil Meyer's "The Vanishing Newspaper" and Buzz Merritt's "Knightfall." The excerpts here go straight to the time the troubles began, the recession of 1990-91 and the prosperous, but oddly pressured, balance of that decade.</p>
<p>The perspectives are quite different, but in my view complementary. Meyer, who left the business for scholarly pursuits 20-plus years ago, stylishly weaves personal memoir and a perspective on industry history into a series of empirical studies of news quality and business results. Merritt, who has a hand in academia too as a practitioner and theorist of public journalism, is first of all an impassioned in-the-trenches editor. While seeking to avoid nostalgia or score-settling, he can't conceal being frankly teed off at what happened to the company and the newspaper (The Wichita Eagle) where he spent his career.</p>
<p>There is overlap in the accounts. Meyer quotes Merritt on the jolt to Knight Ridder editorial culture when the beloved Jim Batten died and was succeeded by the comparatively frosty <a href="http://www.knightridder.com/about/ridder/ridder_bio.html" type="external">Tony Ridder</a>. They don't paint Ridder as a callous villain but argue that he has been unable to articulate an engaged commitment to journalism in the language of the editorial side.</p>
<p>Merritt's account of his final wrenching round of budget cuts at Wichita ends with a decision to discontinue service to 10,000 subscribers in outlying rural areas. That made business sense since advertisers didn't particularly value this readership, but it was a giveaway of the statewide influence The Eagle had built through the years. That matches a favorite Meyer theory&#160;-- that the true product of newspapers is influence, and they fritter it away at their peril.</p>
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<p>It should be noted that both books cover a broader turf than these excerpts might suggest.&#160; Meyer's, in particular, is a rich collection of studies that suggest how quality and commitment of resources have eroded over the years, leaving newspapers with plenty of profit but a straight downward trend in circulation and trust. (Disclosure: Meyer has been a valued colleague of mine and includes a number of generous citations of my work).</p>
<p>His studies show a clear correlation between measures of quality and capacity and business success. The trouble is that the relationship appears to be a reinforcing loop in which causation is hard to nail down. It may be, in many cases, as executives and publishers will say privately, that successful papers, especially in growing markets, can simply&#160; "afford" a somewhat higher level of journalism.</p>
<p>Further, the evidence suggests that small differences in journalistic quality and news-editorial investment don't make a quick or meaningful difference to the bottom line. It is big departures from the norm, especially in competitive situations&#160;&#160;-- like those Knight-Ridder approved for The Fort Worth Star Telegram when it was directly challenged by The Dallas Morning News&#160;-- that pay off in territorial control and increased revenue.</p>
<p>So the temptation for newspapers companies is to pinch and whittle on news staff and news space. Understandable, maybe, but Meyer doesn't give the executive fraternity a free ride for a collective strategy that is destructive of the core of the newspaper -- its daily report and the influence a good one exerts in a community and confers on advertisers.</p>
<p>The chapter excerpted here, "How Newspapers Were Captured by Wall Street," points to the element of voluntary surrender as companies chose to go public, either as a device to preserve family control with two classes of stock or to raise a pool of cash for acquisitions. Crusty patriarch Jack Knight told analysts at his first meeting with them in 1981 that "we did not intend to be regulated or directed by them in any respect." But as analysts often point out, you voluntarily join the Wall Street game, you're exposed to the rules of the game, and you're competing for capital with all the other players.</p>
<p>Perhaps the business had been too easy for too long. As Meyer's capsule account of Alvah Chapman's tenure as Knight-Ridder CEO suggests, smooth sailing continued on well into the public ownership era. But when times got tougher newspaper companies went right on "harvesting" available profits; to this day only a minority have been gutsy enough to reinvest in the core franchise or nimble enough to create substantive new media spin-offs.</p>
<p>Merritt tells a version of the same story with a bit less shading and a minimum of theory. He holds up Knight-Ridder as the industry in microcosm, ending up in an unhappy present and future, where places like Wichita get little by way of public service and newspapers are in partial default on their traditional role in informing the democratic process. (Ridder conceded as much at an industry conference a year ago. Asked how he would grade his company's newspapers on public service, he replied,&#160; "Some of our larger papers have the resources to do a lot more, but I would say it wouldn't be any higher than a C").</p>
<p>The big point is valid, timely and troubling&#160;-- who will do the tough stories and complicated reporting if newspapers don't? Still, many of Merritt's readers, including the legions of Knight-Ridder alumni, will find the spicy particulars of the company history especially engaging. Merritt's research uncovered the disorderly collection of "duchies" that was the Ridder empire pre-merger and the reasons the Knight brothers failed to build a controlling class of family shares into their public offering.</p>
<p>The books end in a very similar place&#160;-- the authors expressing a confidence that there will somehow be a continuing market for journalism in electronic formats supported by business models to be determined. The languid pace of book publishing leaves both authors trailing events. The story has ripened in the year since these manuscripts headed into the editing pipeline, and the threat to a traditional newspaper business model and hold on readership is all the more apparent with a host of identifiable non-newspaper protagonists. To my mind, though, that only makes the question Meyer and Merritt pose all the more urgent: doesn't the industry have a more compelling story to tell and invest in than continued profit-taking?&#160;&#160;</p>
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hereandnow hot topic newspapers days richard reeves put future journalism craigslist monster crush industrys classified advertising cash cow blogosphere leading edge mass exodus reading news online nontraditional formats newsaggregators poised stripmine expensivetoproduce content economically challenged papers worthy questions companion story newspapers may weakened weakening commitment news public service remains highly relevant long ago160 1970s 1980s highminded commitment quality business success seemed entirely compatible knightridder chain exemplary back coasttocoast enterprise grew prospered consistently produced firstrate journalism gone wrong since chronicled phil meyers vanishing newspaper buzz merritts knightfall excerpts go straight time troubles began recession 199091 prosperous oddly pressured balance decade perspectives quite different view complementary meyer left business scholarly pursuits 20plus years ago stylishly weaves personal memoir perspective industry history series empirical studies news quality business results merritt hand academia practitioner theorist public journalism first impassioned inthetrenches editor seeking avoid nostalgia scoresettling cant conceal frankly teed happened company newspaper wichita eagle spent career overlap accounts meyer quotes merritt jolt knight ridder editorial culture beloved jim batten died succeeded comparatively frosty tony ridder dont paint ridder callous villain argue unable articulate engaged commitment journalism language editorial side merritts account final wrenching round budget cuts wichita ends decision discontinue service 10000 subscribers outlying rural areas made business sense since advertisers didnt particularly value readership giveaway statewide influence eagle built years matches favorite meyer theory160 true product newspapers influence fritter away peril 160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160 160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160160 noted books cover broader turf excerpts might suggest160 meyers particular rich collection studies suggest quality commitment resources eroded years leaving newspapers plenty profit straight downward trend circulation trust disclosure meyer valued colleague mine includes number generous citations work studies show clear correlation measures quality capacity business success trouble relationship appears reinforcing loop causation hard nail may many cases executives publishers say privately successful papers especially growing markets simply160 afford somewhat higher level journalism evidence suggests small differences journalistic quality newseditorial investment dont make quick meaningful difference bottom line big departures norm especially competitive situations160160 like knightridder approved fort worth star telegram directly challenged dallas morning news160 pay territorial control increased revenue temptation newspapers companies pinch whittle news staff news space understandable maybe meyer doesnt give executive fraternity free ride collective strategy destructive core newspaper daily report influence good one exerts community confers advertisers chapter excerpted newspapers captured wall street points element voluntary surrender companies chose go public either device preserve family control two classes stock raise pool cash acquisitions crusty patriarch jack knight told analysts first meeting 1981 intend regulated directed respect analysts often point voluntarily join wall street game youre exposed rules game youre competing capital players perhaps business easy long meyers capsule account alvah chapmans tenure knightridder ceo suggests smooth sailing continued well public ownership era times got tougher newspaper companies went right harvesting available profits day minority gutsy enough reinvest core franchise nimble enough create substantive new media spinoffs merritt tells version story bit less shading minimum theory holds knightridder industry microcosm ending unhappy present future places like wichita get little way public service newspapers partial default traditional role informing democratic process ridder conceded much industry conference year ago asked would grade companys newspapers public service replied160 larger papers resources lot would say wouldnt higher c big point valid timely troubling160 tough stories complicated reporting newspapers dont still many merritts readers including legions knightridder alumni find spicy particulars company history especially engaging merritts research uncovered disorderly collection duchies ridder empire premerger reasons knight brothers failed build controlling class family shares public offering books end similar place160 authors expressing confidence somehow continuing market journalism electronic formats supported business models determined languid pace book publishing leaves authors trailing events story ripened year since manuscripts headed editing pipeline threat traditional newspaper business model hold readership apparent host identifiable nonnewspaper protagonists mind though makes question meyer merritt pose urgent doesnt industry compelling story tell invest continued profittaking160160
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<p>PARIS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council will hold talks about the situation in Syria on Monday, French Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on his Twitter feed on Sunday.</p> French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, January 5, 2018. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
<p>He added that France would press for humanitarian access.</p>
<p>Le Drian said earlier on Sunday that France had called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council over Syria following a Turkish incursion into northern Syria’s Afrin province.</p>
<p>He also condemned indiscriminate bombing by the Syrian regime in Idlib province and asked for immediate access for humanitarian aid to eastern Ghouta, where 400,000 citizens face a critical situation.</p>
<p>Reporting by Marine Pennetier; Writing by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has ordered the arrest of the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and seven others over the 2016 assassination of the Russian envoy to Turkey, the Haberturk newspaper said on Monday, a day before Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the country.</p> U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen at his home in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. July 10, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Mostoller
<p>Andrei Karlov was shot dead by an off-duty policeman while speaking at an Ankara exhibit opening in December 2016. The gunman shouted “Allahu Akbar” and “Don’t forget Aleppo!” as he opened fire, apparently referring to Russia’s involvement in neighboring Syria. He was shot dead by police at the scene.</p>
<p>Putin arrives on a two-day visit on Tuesday and will meet President Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Their three countries are the guarantors of the Astana peace talks that has set up “de-escalation” zones across war-torn Syria.</p>
<p>Erdogan said Gulen’s movement was behind the assassination, a charge the cleric has denied. Erdogan also blames the preacher’s network for an attempted military coup in July 2016.</p>
<p>Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, has denied the charge and condemned the coup.</p>
<p>Haberturk said the authorities ordered the arrests of the eight as the killing was carried out on their orders.</p>
<p>Authorities have so far arrested seven others, including three policeman, in relation to the killing, the Hurriyet newspaper reported.</p>
<p>No one was immediately available for comment at the Ankara prosecutor’s office.</p>
<p>The gunman came from Soke in southwest Turkey, considered one of the country’s most secular regions. His father said his son’s behavior started changing after he joined the police academy, where he became more pious, according to media reports at the time.</p>
<p>While the slogans he shouted suggest he was sympathetic to radical Islamist ideology, Gulen’s network preaches interfaith dialogue. The Turkish government says such teachings are designed to mask the true nature of what they call a dangerous, secretive organization.</p>
<p>Writing by Ece Toksabay; Editing by David Dolan and Hugh Lawson</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, were among the hundreds in Pyongyang on Sunday watching South Korean K-pop singers perform in the North for the first time in more than a decade as tensions between the old rivals thaw.</p>
<p>It was the first time a North Korean leader had attended a South Korean performance in the North’s capital. Kim was seen clapping in time to the music and later took photographs with the performers.</p>
<p>“Our dear leader comrade said his heart swelled and he was moved by the sight of his people deepen their understanding of South Korean popular culture and cheer with sincerity,” the North’s KCNA state media said.</p>
<p>The audience cheered and sang along to songs during the two-hour concert and the South Korean performers were later presented with bouquets.</p>
<p>“(Kim Jong Un) showed much interest during the show and asked questions about the songs and lyrics,” Culture Minister Do Jong-whan told reporters after the show.</p>
<p>Tension over North Korea’s tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile surged last year and raised fears of U.S. military action in response to North Korea’s threat to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States.</p>
<p>But tension has eased significantly since North Korea decided to send athletes to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. The neighbours are technically still at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire, not a truce.</p>
<p>The performance coincided with the beginning of annual joint South Korean-U.S. military drills, which have previously been met with denunciations and missile launches by the North. The exercises were delayed and shortened this year in order not to spoil the Olympic detente.</p>
<p>The two Koreas have set a date for their first summit in more than a decade on April 27, and Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump could meet in May.</p>
<p>The concert, billed as “Spring is Coming”, was put on a the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre by an lineup of top South Korean performers including veteran vocalists Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee, rock star Yoon Do-hyun and singer Baek Ji-young, as well as K-pop girl band Red Velvet.</p>
<p>Echoing the concert theme, Kim said the performance had brought a “spring of peace” to the two Koreas, and expressed wishes for a “prosperous autumn”, according to the North’s news agency.</p>
<p>The North Korean leader appeared in a group photograph with the performers, distributed by North Korean media. He was also seen talking to members of Red Velvet, who have more than 4.6 million followers on Instagram.</p>
<p>The South Korean delegation travelled to Pyongyang on Saturday in a reciprocal cultural visit after North Korea sent performers to the South in February, the South’s Culture Ministry said.</p>
<p>A taekwondo performance was staged earlier on Sunday.</p> BANNED MEDIA
<p>The images of Kim posing and laughing with South Korean pop stars and applauding in the stands contrasts with reports from North Korean defectors who say he has overseen a crackdown on anyone caught listening to foreign media.</p> North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets South Korean K-pop singers in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang April 2, 2018. KCNA/via Reuters
<p>“North Korean refugees overwhelmingly and consistently report that it has become more dangerous to consume foreign media under Kim Jong Un’s crackdowns,” Sokeel Park, the South Korea country director for refugee aid organisation Liberty in North Korea, said on Twitter.</p>
<p>A 2015 survey of North Korean refugees by the U.S. government’s Broadcasting Board of Governors found that 77 percent of respondents said it had become more dangerous to listen to foreign radio under Kim.</p>
<p>South Korean movies were often reported to be especially taboo compared with Chinese films, according to a report by the InterMedia consultancy group, with North Koreans facing prison time if caught.</p>
<p>Seohyun, an actress and vocalist with South Korean girl group Girls’ Generation, sang a North Korean pop song called “Blue Willow Tree”. She had performed with the North’s Samjiyon Orchestra in Seoul in February.</p>
<p>Cho Yong-pil, 68, sang a string of hits including “The Cafe in the Winter”, “Short Hair” and “Let’s Go on a Trip”. Cho staged a solo concert in Pyongyang in 2005 - the last concert by a South Korean artist in the North before Sunday’s performance.</p>
<p>The same South Korean singers will hold another concert with North Korean performers on Tuesday.</p> Slideshow (6 Images)
<p>Meanwhile, Kim Yong Chol, North Korea’s former intelligence chief who now handles inter-Korean affairs, met South Korean journalists on Monday to apologise for the fact they were unable to cover the concert after being invited to the country do so.</p>
<p>Kim “asked pardon” from the “valued guests”.</p>
<p>“Having invited South Korean journalists to the North, we have a duty to ensure that you can gather news freely and film comfortably”, Kim was quoted as saying.</p>
<p>Kim said the journalists’ inability to cover the concert stemmed from a breakdown in cooperation between Kim Jong Un’s security detail and concert organisers.</p>
<p>Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Christine Kim; Additional reporting by Josh Smith and Joyce Lee; Editing by Louise Heavens, Peter Cooney and Paul Tait</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia on Monday approved a law against “fake news” that would allow for prison of up to six years for offenders, shrugging off critics who say it was aimed at curbing dissent and free speech ahead of a general election.</p>
<p>Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government secured a simple majority in parliament to pass the Anti-Fake News 2018 bill, which sets out fines of up to 500,000 ringgit ($123,000) and a maximum six years in jail. The first draft of the bill had proposed jail of up to 10 years.</p>
<p>The government said the law would not impinge on freedom of speech and cases under it would be handled through an independent court process.</p>
<p>“This law aims to protect the public from the spread of fake news, while allowing freedom of speech as provided for under the constitution,” Law Minister Azalina Othman Said told parliament.</p>
<p>The law defines fake news as “news, information, data and reports which is or are wholly or partly false” and includes features, visuals and audio recordings.</p>
<p>It covers digital publications and social media and will apply to offenders who maliciously spread “fake news” inside and outside Malaysia, including foreigners, if Malaysia or a Malaysian citizen were affected.</p>
<p>Co-opted by U.S. President Donald Trump, the term “fake news” has quickly become part of the standard repertoire of leaders in authoritarian countries to describe media reports and organizations critical of them.</p>
<p>The U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, had earlier on Monday urged the government not to rush the legislation through parliament.</p>
<p>“I urge the government to reconsider the bill and open it up to regular and genuine public scrutiny before taking any further steps,” David Kaye said in a Twitter post.</p> Commuters walk past an advertisement discouraging the dissemination of fake news at a train station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 28, 2018. Picture taken March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer OTHERS CONSIDER LAWS
<p>Other countries in Southeast Asia, including Singapore and the Philippines, are considering how to tackle “fake news” but human rights activists fear that laws against it could be used to stifle free speech.</p>
<p>Malaysia is among the first few countries to introduce a law against it. Germany approved a plan last year to fine social media networks if they fail to remove hateful postings.</p>
<p>Malaysia already has an arsenal of laws, including a colonial-era Sedition Act, that have been used to clamp down on unfavorable news and social media posts.</p>
<p>News reports and social media posts on a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) have hounded Prime Minister Najib, who faces arguably his toughest contest in a general election this year that could be called in days.</p> Commuters walk past an advertisement discouraging the dissemination of fake news at a train station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 28, 2018. Picture taken March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer
<p>Najib has denied any wrongdoing in connection with losses at the fund.</p>
<p>A deputy minister was quoted in media last month as saying any news on 1MDB not verified by the government was “fake”.</p>
<p>Lim Kit Siang, a senior opposition lawmaker with the Democratic Action Party, described the bill as a “Save Najib from 1MDB Scandal Bill” which would criminalize news on the affair.</p>
<p>Reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Writing by Praveen Menon; Editing by Robert Birsel</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he was suspending a new agreement with the U.N. refugee agency to relocate thousands of African migrants, as right-wing pressure mounted on him to scrap the deal.</p> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem April 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
<p>Hours after announcing the new arrangement, which would also give thousands of other migrants the right to stay in Israel, Netanyahu posted a message on his Facebook page saying he was putting its implementation on hold until further review.</p>
<p>The fate of some 37,000 Africans in Israel has posed a moral dilemma for a state founded as a haven for Jews from persecution and a national home. The right-wing government has been under pressure from its nationalist voter base to expel the migrants.</p>
<p>According to the agreement, about 16,250 of about 37,000 African migrants, most of them from Eritrea and Sudan, would be relocated to Western nations while others would be allowed to stay in Israel.</p>
<p>At a news conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu praised the new agreement reached with the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR). But in the hours that followed the announcement he faced growing calls on social and mainstream media to abolish the deal.</p>
<p>Some Israelis accused him of caving to left-wing pressure and betraying the residents of south Tel Aviv, a poor part of the city which has attracted the largest migrant community, changing its ethnic makeup and enraging some of its inhabitants who want the migrants out.</p>
<p>“I am attentive to you, especially to the residents of south Tel Aviv,” Netanyahu said on Facebook, adding that he planned to meet with local representatives on Tuesday.</p>
<p>“In the meantime I am suspending the agreement’s implementation and after I meet with the representatives I will bring it forward for further review,” Netanyahu said.</p> FILE PHOTO: Pepole take part in a protest against the Israeli government's plan to deport African migrants, in Tel Aviv, Israel March 24, 2018. REUTERS/Corinna Kern/File Photo
<p>Implementing the signed agreement was expected to take five years and Netanyahu’s backtrack was largely seen in Israel as an attempt to appease his voter base and keep its support at a time of political uncertainty.</p>
<p>The four-term prime minister faces one of the greatest challenges to his career yet - he is under police investigation in three different corruption cases. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.</p>
<p>Naftali Bennett, leader of the Israeli far-right party Jewish Home, a key member of Netanyahu’s coalition government and a competitor for Israel’s right-wing votes, said on Twitter the agreement would encourage more people to enter the country illegally and called on Netanyahu to overturn it.</p>
<p>His calls were soon echoed by members of Netanyahu’s own Likud party.</p> PRESSURE
<p>The UNHCR in a statement confirmed an agreement was signed with Israel but did not name the countries that would accept the migrants.</p>
<p>It said it would “facilitate the departure to third countries to be determined of some 16,000 Eritreans and Sudanese under various programs, including sponsorship, resettlement, family reunion and labor migration schemes, while others will be receiving a suitable legal status in Israel.”</p>
<p>Netanyahu named Germany, Italy and Canada as examples of countries that would accept the migrants, though German and Italian officials said they had no knowledge of any such agreement.</p>
<p>Canada has an arrangement with Israeli authorities to suspend the deportation of individuals who have private sponsorship applications with Canada until they are processed, said Hursh Jaswal, spokesman for Canada’s immigration minister.</p>
<p>There were 1,845 applications being processed at the end of last year, Jaswal said.</p> FILE PHOTO: African migrants wait in line for the opening of the Population and Immigration Authority office in Bnei Brak, Israel February 4, 2018. Picture taken February 4, 2018. REUTERS/Nir Elias/File Photo
<p>A previous plan already underway for a mass deportation of some 20,000 migrants to Rwanda had led to legal challenges in Israel, drew criticism abroad and triggered an emotional public debate among Israelis.</p>
<p>In February, Israeli authorities started handing out notices to male African migrants giving them two months to leave for a third country in Africa or risk being put in jail indefinitely.</p>
<p>At immigration hearings, migrants were told they could choose to go to Rwanda or Uganda. Both countries have denied having any deal in place with Israel.</p>
<p>The U.N.’s refugee agency had urged Israel to reconsider its deportation plan, saying migrants who have relocated to sub-Saharan Africa in the past few years were unsafe and ended up on the perilous migrant trail to Europe, some suffering abuse, torture and even dying on the way.</p>
<p>Rights groups had challenged the deportation in Israel’s High Court, which on March 15 issued a temporary order that froze its implementation.</p>
<p>Netanyahu said on Facebook that Rwanda had in the past few weeks folded to immense pressure and backed out of the deal it had made with Israel to accept expelled migrants, prompting him to seek the new arrangement with the UNHCR.</p>
<p>Since 2005 a total of 64,000 Africans had entered Israel illegally over its border with Egypt, although thousands have since left. A fence Israel has built over the past few years along the frontier has largely stemmed the flow.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem, Philip Pullella in Rome and Joseph Nasr in Berlin; Editing by Hugh Lawson and James Dalgleish</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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paris reuters united nations security council hold talks situation syria monday french foreign minister jeanyves le drian said twitter feed sunday french foreign affairs minister jeanyves le drian arrives elysee palace paris france january 5 2018 reutersbenoit tessier added france would press humanitarian access le drian said earlier sunday france called emergency meeting security council syria following turkish incursion northern syrias afrin province also condemned indiscriminate bombing syrian regime idlib province asked immediate access humanitarian aid eastern ghouta 400000 citizens face critical situation reporting marine pennetier writing geert de clercq editing matthew mpoke bigg standards thomson reuters trust principles ankara reuters turkey ordered arrest muslim cleric fethullah gulen seven others 2016 assassination russian envoy turkey haberturk newspaper said monday day russian president vladimir putin visits country usbased turkish cleric fethullah gulen home saylorsburg pennsylvania us july 10 2017 reuterscharles mostoller andrei karlov shot dead offduty policeman speaking ankara exhibit opening december 2016 gunman shouted allahu akbar dont forget aleppo opened fire apparently referring russias involvement neighboring syria shot dead police scene putin arrives twoday visit tuesday meet president tayyip erdogan iranian president hassan rouhani three countries guarantors astana peace talks set deescalation zones across wartorn syria erdogan said gulens movement behind assassination charge cleric denied erdogan also blames preachers network attempted military coup july 2016 gulen lived selfimposed exile united states since 1999 denied charge condemned coup haberturk said authorities ordered arrests eight killing carried orders authorities far arrested seven others including three policeman relation killing hurriyet newspaper reported one immediately available comment ankara prosecutors office gunman came soke southwest turkey considered one countrys secular regions father said sons behavior started changing joined police academy became pious according media reports time slogans shouted suggest sympathetic radical islamist ideology gulens network preaches interfaith dialogue turkish government says teachings designed mask true nature call dangerous secretive organization writing ece toksabay editing david dolan hugh lawson standards thomson reuters trust principles seoul reuters north korean leader kim jong un wife ri sol ju among hundreds pyongyang sunday watching south korean kpop singers perform north first time decade tensions old rivals thaw first time north korean leader attended south korean performance norths capital kim seen clapping time music later took photographs performers dear leader comrade said heart swelled moved sight people deepen understanding south korean popular culture cheer sincerity norths kcna state media said audience cheered sang along songs twohour concert south korean performers later presented bouquets kim jong un showed much interest show asked questions songs lyrics culture minister jongwhan told reporters show tension north koreas tests nuclear weapons ballistic missile surged last year raised fears us military action response north koreas threat develop nuclear weapon capable hitting united states tension eased significantly since north korea decided send athletes winter olympics south korea february neighbours technically still war 195053 conflict ended ceasefire truce performance coincided beginning annual joint south koreanus military drills previously met denunciations missile launches north exercises delayed shortened year order spoil olympic detente two koreas set date first summit decade april 27 kim us president donald trump could meet may concert billed spring coming put east pyongyang grand theatre lineup top south korean performers including veteran vocalists cho yongpil lee sunhee rock star yoon dohyun singer baek jiyoung well kpop girl band red velvet echoing concert theme kim said performance brought spring peace two koreas expressed wishes prosperous autumn according norths news agency north korean leader appeared group photograph performers distributed north korean media also seen talking members red velvet 46 million followers instagram south korean delegation travelled pyongyang saturday reciprocal cultural visit north korea sent performers south february souths culture ministry said taekwondo performance staged earlier sunday banned media images kim posing laughing south korean pop stars applauding stands contrasts reports north korean defectors say overseen crackdown anyone caught listening foreign media north korean leader kim jong un meets south korean kpop singers photo released north koreas korean central news agency kcna pyongyang april 2 2018 kcnavia reuters north korean refugees overwhelmingly consistently report become dangerous consume foreign media kim jong uns crackdowns sokeel park south korea country director refugee aid organisation liberty north korea said twitter 2015 survey north korean refugees us governments broadcasting board governors found 77 percent respondents said become dangerous listen foreign radio kim south korean movies often reported especially taboo compared chinese films according report intermedia consultancy group north koreans facing prison time caught seohyun actress vocalist south korean girl group girls generation sang north korean pop song called blue willow tree performed norths samjiyon orchestra seoul february cho yongpil 68 sang string hits including cafe winter short hair lets go trip cho staged solo concert pyongyang 2005 last concert south korean artist north sundays performance south korean singers hold another concert north korean performers tuesday slideshow 6 images meanwhile kim yong chol north koreas former intelligence chief handles interkorean affairs met south korean journalists monday apologise fact unable cover concert invited country kim asked pardon valued guests invited south korean journalists north duty ensure gather news freely film comfortably kim quoted saying kim said journalists inability cover concert stemmed breakdown cooperation kim jong uns security detail concert organisers reporting heekyong yang christine kim additional reporting josh smith joyce lee editing louise heavens peter cooney paul tait standards thomson reuters trust principles kuala lumpur reuters malaysia monday approved law fake news would allow prison six years offenders shrugging critics say aimed curbing dissent free speech ahead general election prime minister najib razaks government secured simple majority parliament pass antifake news 2018 bill sets fines 500000 ringgit 123000 maximum six years jail first draft bill proposed jail 10 years government said law would impinge freedom speech cases would handled independent court process law aims protect public spread fake news allowing freedom speech provided constitution law minister azalina othman said told parliament law defines fake news news information data reports wholly partly false includes features visuals audio recordings covers digital publications social media apply offenders maliciously spread fake news inside outside malaysia including foreigners malaysia malaysian citizen affected coopted us president donald trump term fake news quickly become part standard repertoire leaders authoritarian countries describe media reports organizations critical un special rapporteur freedom opinion expression david kaye earlier monday urged government rush legislation parliament urge government reconsider bill open regular genuine public scrutiny taking steps david kaye said twitter post commuters walk past advertisement discouraging dissemination fake news train station kuala lumpur malaysia march 28 2018 picture taken march 28 2018 reutersstringer others consider laws countries southeast asia including singapore philippines considering tackle fake news human rights activists fear laws could used stifle free speech malaysia among first countries introduce law germany approved plan last year fine social media networks fail remove hateful postings malaysia already arsenal laws including colonialera sedition act used clamp unfavorable news social media posts news reports social media posts multibillion dollar scandal state fund 1malaysia development berhad 1mdb hounded prime minister najib faces arguably toughest contest general election year could called days commuters walk past advertisement discouraging dissemination fake news train station kuala lumpur malaysia march 28 2018 picture taken march 28 2018 reutersstringer najib denied wrongdoing connection losses fund deputy minister quoted media last month saying news 1mdb verified government fake lim kit siang senior opposition lawmaker democratic action party described bill save najib 1mdb scandal bill would criminalize news affair reporting joseph sipalan writing praveen menon editing robert birsel standards thomson reuters trust principles jerusalem reuters israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said monday suspending new agreement un refugee agency relocate thousands african migrants rightwing pressure mounted scrap deal israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu speaks news conference prime ministers office jerusalem april 2 2018 reutersronen zvulun hours announcing new arrangement would also give thousands migrants right stay israel netanyahu posted message facebook page saying putting implementation hold review fate 37000 africans israel posed moral dilemma state founded jews persecution national home rightwing government pressure nationalist voter base expel migrants according agreement 16250 37000 african migrants eritrea sudan would relocated western nations others would allowed stay israel news conference jerusalem netanyahu praised new agreement reached un refugee agency unhcr hours followed announcement faced growing calls social mainstream media abolish deal israelis accused caving leftwing pressure betraying residents south tel aviv poor part city attracted largest migrant community changing ethnic makeup enraging inhabitants want migrants attentive especially residents south tel aviv netanyahu said facebook adding planned meet local representatives tuesday meantime suspending agreements implementation meet representatives bring forward review netanyahu said file photo pepole take part protest israeli governments plan deport african migrants tel aviv israel march 24 2018 reuterscorinna kernfile photo implementing signed agreement expected take five years netanyahus backtrack largely seen israel attempt appease voter base keep support time political uncertainty fourterm prime minister faces one greatest challenges career yet police investigation three different corruption cases netanyahu denies wrongdoing naftali bennett leader israeli farright party jewish home key member netanyahus coalition government competitor israels rightwing votes said twitter agreement would encourage people enter country illegally called netanyahu overturn calls soon echoed members netanyahus likud party pressure unhcr statement confirmed agreement signed israel name countries would accept migrants said would facilitate departure third countries determined 16000 eritreans sudanese various programs including sponsorship resettlement family reunion labor migration schemes others receiving suitable legal status israel netanyahu named germany italy canada examples countries would accept migrants though german italian officials said knowledge agreement canada arrangement israeli authorities suspend deportation individuals private sponsorship applications canada processed said hursh jaswal spokesman canadas immigration minister 1845 applications processed end last year jaswal said file photo african migrants wait line opening population immigration authority office bnei brak israel february 4 2018 picture taken february 4 2018 reutersnir eliasfile photo previous plan already underway mass deportation 20000 migrants rwanda led legal challenges israel drew criticism abroad triggered emotional public debate among israelis february israeli authorities started handing notices male african migrants giving two months leave third country africa risk put jail indefinitely immigration hearings migrants told could choose go rwanda uganda countries denied deal place israel uns refugee agency urged israel reconsider deportation plan saying migrants relocated subsaharan africa past years unsafe ended perilous migrant trail europe suffering abuse torture even dying way rights groups challenged deportation israels high court march 15 issued temporary order froze implementation netanyahu said facebook rwanda past weeks folded immense pressure backed deal made israel accept expelled migrants prompting seek new arrangement unhcr since 2005 total 64000 africans entered israel illegally border egypt although thousands since left fence israel built past years along frontier largely stemmed flow additional reporting jeffrey heller jerusalem philip pullella rome joseph nasr berlin editing hugh lawson james dalgleish standards thomson reuters trust principles
| 1,775 |
<p>(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)</p>
<p>* LME Volumes long term: <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2DYHDFs" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2DYHDFs</a></p>
<p>* LME Volumes by contract: <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2DXPTWa" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2DXPTWa</a></p>
<p>* CME copper positioning: <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2DZ77m6" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2DZ77m6</a></p>
<p>By Andy Home</p>
<p>LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Trading volumes on the London Metal Exchange (LME) increased by a marginal 0.5 percent last year.</p>
<p>Not exactly the most exciting headline in the world of commodities trading, but after two years of contraction, even this modest turnaround will be welcome news for both the LME’s management and its owner, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx).</p>
<p>The LME slashed some of its trading fees last October in a bid to revive flagging volumes but broader market conditions have arguably been just as important a driver of improved activity.</p>
<p>Nor is the exchange yet out of the woods.</p>
<p>Performance was highly mixed on an individual contract basis, new products helping offset pockets of weakness elsewhere in the LME portfolio.</p>
<p>The challenge from U.S. exchange CME, meanwhile, continues to grow, both in terms of new contracts and the oldest contract of them all, namely copper.</p>
<p>Graphic on LME volumes long term: <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2DYHDFs" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2DYHDFs</a></p>
<p>Graphic on LME volumes by contract: <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2DXPTWa" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2DXPTWa</a></p> TENTATIVE TURNAROUND
<p>The mini bounce in volumes last year, 0.5 percent at a headline level and 1.0 percent on a daily average basis, will be seen as a vindication of the LME’s U-turn on trading fees.</p>
<p>But the fee cuts were only initiated in October and there is little evidence that they have yet had much of a direct impact on volumes.</p>
<p>Short-dated spreads, meaning those between one and 15 calendar days, were specifically targeted by the LME. It slashed fees on this part of the forward curve to pre-2012 sale levels.</p>
<p>“Tom-next” is the shortest-dated spread of them all and the sharp drop in activity after fees were increased in 2015 became totemic of the broader debate about the cost of trading on the LME.</p>
<p>“Tom-next” volumes, however, have shown no significant improvement since fees were cut again in October. Activity on copper and zinc fell by almost 18 percent year-on-year in the last three months of 2017, while “tom-next” volumes on aluminium were down by almost 26 percent.</p>
<p>Quite evidently, the pick-up in volumes is happening elsewhere in the LME’s arcane trading structure.</p>
<p>Neither LME nor brokers will care too much about the specifics but the link, or non-link, between fee cuts and volumes is far from academic.</p>
<p>The exchange has made it clear that it will increase fees again if volumes do not return. What happens if volumes pick up, but not on the specific spreads subject to fee reductions, is a moot point.</p> NEW CONTRACTS, OLD CONTRACTS
<p>Part of the LME’s improved volume picture last year is down to new contracts.</p>
<p>The exchange launched both gold and silver contracts in July and cumulative volumes reached 639,546 over the rest of the year, gold activity outpacing that on silver.</p>
<p>The LME’s two steel contracts notched up their second full year of trading in 2017 and experienced exponential growth. Activity in the scrap contract surged to 307,532 lots from 49,099 lots in 2016, while rebar volumes totalled 64,430 lots last year, up from 8,637.</p>
<p>Both precious and steel contracts are simple cash-settled futures products and the robust performance, particularly of steel scrap, will reinforce the LME’s ambitions to roll out more such products in the next year or so.</p>
<p>The LME’s core traditional base metal contracts had a more mixed performance.</p>
<p>Zinc, nickel and lead all registered volume growth, suggesting that broader market conditions have played an important part in the LME turnaround story.</p>
<p>It’s surely no coincidence, for example, that zinc saw the strongest performance with a 10 percent increase in volumes in a year characterised by a series of fresh 10-year trading highs.</p>
<p>The other main contracts all saw volumes drop year-on-year, albeit in most cases with signs of stabilisation over the closing months of 2017.</p>
<p>Only the aluminium alloy contract looks in need of emergency restorative action. Volumes slumped by 52 percent last year, marking the sixth consecutive year of decline.</p>
<p>In broad brush terms, though, the LME will take heart from a positive headline performance after two years of decline.</p>
<p>Graphic on CME copper contract: <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2DZ77m6" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2DZ77m6</a></p> CME TURNS UP THE HEAT
<p>The exchange will still be casting a nervous eye over its shoulder, however.</p>
<p>Across the Atlantic the CME has been rolling out ever more products in competition with the grand old London lady of metals trading.</p>
<p>Some of these, such as the aluminium, zinc and lead contracts have shown only minimal activity.</p>
<p>CME’s four aluminium premium contracts, by contrast, all saw volume growth last year, led by the European duty-unpaid contract, in which activity more than doubled, and the U.S. Midwest contract, which grew for the fourth straight year.</p>
<p>Also worth noting is the CME’s alumina contract, currently the only futures contract for this part of the aluminium supply chain.</p>
<p>Launched in 2016, it traded only 200 lots in the first half of 2017 before seeing a sharp rise in activity over the second half. Full-year volumes ended up totalling 6,685 contracts with open interest surging to 2,710 lots from just 60 a year earlier.</p>
<p>The real stand-out among CME’s base metals offering, however, has been its oldest contract.</p>
<p>Copper volumes grew by 26 percent last year, in sharp contrast to the 7.9 percent fall in LME copper volumes.</p>
<p>The accepted wisdom is that this is primarily down to new speculative players, particularly those in Asia, gravitating towards the CME because of its simpler structure, facilitating arbitrage with the Shanghai copper market, and its cheaper transaction fees.</p>
<p>And it’s true that rising volumes on the CME copper contract have coincided with money manager positioning hitting historical highs.</p>
<p>But there’s an interesting flip side to this phenomenon. Producer and merchant short positioning has also experienced a step-change over the same time frame.</p>
<p>CME stocks of copper surged by over 111,000 tonnes to 191,575 tonnes last year. They are now bigger than those registered with the Shanghai Futures Exchange and almost as large as those in the LME warehouse system.</p>
<p>This unusual development may well have started as a physical merchant play to get ahead of potential U.S. import tariffs from a protectionist Trump administration.</p>
<p>But the trend now seems to have taken on a life of its own with traders actively directing spare units to CME warehouses in Arizona and Utah to capitalise on cheap rent.</p>
<p>The inference, borne out by the leap in producer and merchant short positioning, is that they are now using the CME contract to finance inventory.</p>
<p>That may be a far more worrying prospect for the LME than a new generation of Asian wealth managers using the CME copper contract.</p>
<p>The LME, after all, likes to differentiate itself from both CME and Shanghai markets by highlighting its industrial rather than speculative user-base.</p>
<p>That demarcation line is starting to blur. (Editing by Adrian Croft)</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro along with more than 50 Venezuelan nationals are considered “high risk” for laundering money and financing terrorism, according to an advisory issued by Panama’s economy and finance ministry.</p> Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a meeting with the ministers responsible for the economic sector at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela March 22, 2018. REUTERS/Marco Bello
<p>Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab and electoral board president Tibisay Lucena were also named in the advisory along with Socialist Party No. 2 Diosdado Cabello, the elder brother of late president Hugo Chavez, and 16 firms in Venezuela.</p>
<p>The economy and finance ministry’s National Commission Against Money Laundering released the list late on Thursday, following its initial announcement on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Maduro’s socialist government has repeatedly vowed to combat&#160;corruption that has plagued Venezuela&#160;and its oil industry for decades, contributing to its devastating economic collapse.</p> Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a meeting with the ministers responsible for the economic sector at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela March 22, 2018. REUTERS/Marco Bello
<p>But critics say the administration, despite making graft-related arrests, is still crippled by financial malfeasance.</p>
<p>Millions of Venezuelans suffer from food and medicine shortages, and the currency has fallen 99.99 percent against the U.S. dollar on the black market since Maduro came to power in 2013.</p>
<p>Panama’s advisory calls on financial and non-financial entities in the country to redouble efforts to prevent risk in any transaction involving the listed people and companies.</p>
<p>“It’s recommended... that they adopt policies and procedures of ample due diligence,” says the document.</p>
<p>In Caracas, Maduro’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>
<p>The United States has slammed Caracas with a wave of sanctions and other measures to pressure Maduro for change, and is considering adding broad oil sanctions that would target the linchpin of Venezuela’s economy.</p>
<p>Reporting by Elida Moreno in Panama City and Vivian Sequera in Caracas; Writing by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City; Editing by Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) -</p> Shopping carts are seen outside a new Wal-Mart Express store in Chicago July 26, 2011. REUTERS/John Gress/Files
<p>U.S. retailer Walmart Inc is in early-stage talks with health insurer Humana Inc about developing closer ties, with the acquisition of Humana being discussed as one possibility, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.</p>
<p>Should the talks lead to a tieup, it would be the latest deal to bring together a retail chain and a health insurer in the last few months, following CVS Health Corp’s $69 billion deal to acquire Aetna Inc and Cigna Corp’s $54 billion deal to buy Express Scripts Holding Co.</p>
<p>Walmart approached Humana earlier this month and the deliberations are preliminary, two of the sources said. While the conversations have focused on new partnerships, an acquisition of Humana by Walmart is also something being discussed, the sources added.</p>
<p>The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Humana and Walmart declined to comment.</p>
<p>Walmart and Humana have market capitalizations of $264 billion and $37 billion, respectively.</p>
<p>An acquisition of Humana would represent a significant strategic shift for Walmart, which is the world’s largest retailer and has been focused on fending off Amazon.com Inc in online shopping.</p>
<p>Amazon has also been looking at entering the healthcare sector. Earlier this year, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway Inc and JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co, said they would form a company aimed at cutting healthcare costs for their U.S. employees.</p>
<p>“The risks (for Walmart) of becoming entangled in the complex U.S. healthcare industry are considerable, especially at a time when Walmart is grappling with the competitive challenges of a rapidly shifting retail market,” Neil Saunders, managing director of retail consultancy GlobalData Retail, wrote in a note.</p>
<p>“The hammering out of any agreement, which would be Walmart’s largest ever corporate deal, would, of itself, be an enormous distraction,” Saunders added.</p>
<p>Walmart currently has a co-branded Medicare drug plan with Humana that steers patients to Walmart stores. The partnership offers a prescription drug plan that can save up to 20 percent in drug costs for customers.</p>
<p>Closer ties between the two companies could allow Walmart to tap into Humana’s patient population, expanding low-level medical services in its pharmacies to avoid ER visits. They could allow it to better manage prescription drug use though access to medical records.</p>
<p>Humana’s biggest business is managing Medicare Advantage health plans for older and disabled people, a heavily regulated business that Walmart would have to take on in an acquisition.</p>
<p>Memberships in retail Medicare Advantage plans - where individuals sign up directly with Humana - rose about 1 percent to 2.86 million, as of Dec. 31. Employer or other group-based Medicare Advantage membership climbed 24 percent to 441,400.</p>
<p>Last month, Walmart reported a sharp drop in profit and online sales growth during the critical holiday period and forecast annual profit at the lower end of expectations.</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - A white Louisiana police officer was fired on Friday and a second suspended for the killing of Alton Sterling, a black man shot in a 2016 incident that inflamed the U.S. debate on racial bias in law enforcement, a police official said.</p>
<p>Baton Rouge officer Blane Salamoni was dismissed for violating department standards on use of force and for losing his temper in the deadly incident, Police Chief Murphy Paul told a news conference.</p>
<p>The second officer involved in the confrontation, Howie Lake, was suspended for three days for violating the command of temper standard. The decisions followed an administrative review of the July 2016 shooting, and both officers plan to appeal, Paul said.</p>
<p>The decisions are designed “to bring closure to a cloud that has been over our community for far too long,” he said.</p>
<p>Sterling, 37, was shot outside a convenience store after a resident reported he had been threatened by a black man selling CDs. Police said Sterling was trying to pull a loaded gun out of his pocket when Salamoni opened fire.</p>
<p>Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said this week that Lake and Salamoni would not be charged in the shooting since evidence showed their actions were justified.</p>
<p>Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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opinions expressed author columnist reuters lme volumes long term tmsnrtrs2dyhdfs lme volumes contract tmsnrtrs2dxptwa cme copper positioning tmsnrtrs2dz77m6 andy home london jan 22 reuters trading volumes london metal exchange lme increased marginal 05 percent last year exactly exciting headline world commodities trading two years contraction even modest turnaround welcome news lmes management owner hong kong exchanges clearing hkex lme slashed trading fees last october bid revive flagging volumes broader market conditions arguably important driver improved activity exchange yet woods performance highly mixed individual contract basis new products helping offset pockets weakness elsewhere lme portfolio challenge us exchange cme meanwhile continues grow terms new contracts oldest contract namely copper graphic lme volumes long term tmsnrtrs2dyhdfs graphic lme volumes contract tmsnrtrs2dxptwa tentative turnaround mini bounce volumes last year 05 percent headline level 10 percent daily average basis seen vindication lmes uturn trading fees fee cuts initiated october little evidence yet much direct impact volumes shortdated spreads meaning one 15 calendar days specifically targeted lme slashed fees part forward curve pre2012 sale levels tomnext shortestdated spread sharp drop activity fees increased 2015 became totemic broader debate cost trading lme tomnext volumes however shown significant improvement since fees cut october activity copper zinc fell almost 18 percent yearonyear last three months 2017 tomnext volumes aluminium almost 26 percent quite evidently pickup volumes happening elsewhere lmes arcane trading structure neither lme brokers care much specifics link nonlink fee cuts volumes far academic exchange made clear increase fees volumes return happens volumes pick specific spreads subject fee reductions moot point new contracts old contracts part lmes improved volume picture last year new contracts exchange launched gold silver contracts july cumulative volumes reached 639546 rest year gold activity outpacing silver lmes two steel contracts notched second full year trading 2017 experienced exponential growth activity scrap contract surged 307532 lots 49099 lots 2016 rebar volumes totalled 64430 lots last year 8637 precious steel contracts simple cashsettled futures products robust performance particularly steel scrap reinforce lmes ambitions roll products next year lmes core traditional base metal contracts mixed performance zinc nickel lead registered volume growth suggesting broader market conditions played important part lme turnaround story surely coincidence example zinc saw strongest performance 10 percent increase volumes year characterised series fresh 10year trading highs main contracts saw volumes drop yearonyear albeit cases signs stabilisation closing months 2017 aluminium alloy contract looks need emergency restorative action volumes slumped 52 percent last year marking sixth consecutive year decline broad brush terms though lme take heart positive headline performance two years decline graphic cme copper contract tmsnrtrs2dz77m6 cme turns heat exchange still casting nervous eye shoulder however across atlantic cme rolling ever products competition grand old london lady metals trading aluminium zinc lead contracts shown minimal activity cmes four aluminium premium contracts contrast saw volume growth last year led european dutyunpaid contract activity doubled us midwest contract grew fourth straight year also worth noting cmes alumina contract currently futures contract part aluminium supply chain launched 2016 traded 200 lots first half 2017 seeing sharp rise activity second half fullyear volumes ended totalling 6685 contracts open interest surging 2710 lots 60 year earlier real standout among cmes base metals offering however oldest contract copper volumes grew 26 percent last year sharp contrast 79 percent fall lme copper volumes accepted wisdom primarily new speculative players particularly asia gravitating towards cme simpler structure facilitating arbitrage shanghai copper market cheaper transaction fees true rising volumes cme copper contract coincided money manager positioning hitting historical highs theres interesting flip side phenomenon producer merchant short positioning also experienced stepchange time frame cme stocks copper surged 111000 tonnes 191575 tonnes last year bigger registered shanghai futures exchange almost large lme warehouse system unusual development may well started physical merchant play get ahead potential us import tariffs protectionist trump administration trend seems taken life traders actively directing spare units cme warehouses arizona utah capitalise cheap rent inference borne leap producer merchant short positioning using cme contract finance inventory may far worrying prospect lme new generation asian wealth managers using cme copper contract lme likes differentiate cme shanghai markets highlighting industrial rather speculative userbase demarcation line starting blur editing adrian croft standards thomson reuters trust principles panama city reuters venezuelan president nicolas maduro along 50 venezuelan nationals considered high risk laundering money financing terrorism according advisory issued panamas economy finance ministry venezuelas president nicolas maduro speaks meeting ministers responsible economic sector miraflores palace caracas venezuela march 22 2018 reutersmarco bello venezuelan attorney general tarek william saab electoral board president tibisay lucena also named advisory along socialist party 2 diosdado cabello elder brother late president hugo chavez 16 firms venezuela economy finance ministrys national commission money laundering released list late thursday following initial announcement tuesday maduros socialist government repeatedly vowed combat160corruption plagued venezuela160and oil industry decades contributing devastating economic collapse venezuelas president nicolas maduro speaks meeting ministers responsible economic sector miraflores palace caracas venezuela march 22 2018 reutersmarco bello critics say administration despite making graftrelated arrests still crippled financial malfeasance millions venezuelans suffer food medicine shortages currency fallen 9999 percent us dollar black market since maduro came power 2013 panamas advisory calls financial nonfinancial entities country redouble efforts prevent risk transaction involving listed people companies recommended adopt policies procedures ample due diligence says document caracas maduros government immediately respond request comment united states slammed caracas wave sanctions measures pressure maduro change considering adding broad oil sanctions would target linchpin venezuelas economy reporting elida moreno panama city vivian sequera caracas writing daina beth solomon mexico city editing sandra maler standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters shopping carts seen outside new walmart express store chicago july 26 2011 reutersjohn gressfiles us retailer walmart inc earlystage talks health insurer humana inc developing closer ties acquisition humana discussed one possibility people familiar matter said thursday talks lead tieup would latest deal bring together retail chain health insurer last months following cvs health corps 69 billion deal acquire aetna inc cigna corps 54 billion deal buy express scripts holding co walmart approached humana earlier month deliberations preliminary two sources said conversations focused new partnerships acquisition humana walmart also something discussed sources added sources asked identified deliberations confidential humana walmart declined comment walmart humana market capitalizations 264 billion 37 billion respectively acquisition humana would represent significant strategic shift walmart worlds largest retailer focused fending amazoncom inc online shopping amazon also looking entering healthcare sector earlier year amazon berkshire hathaway inc jpmorgan chase amp co said would form company aimed cutting healthcare costs us employees risks walmart becoming entangled complex us healthcare industry considerable especially time walmart grappling competitive challenges rapidly shifting retail market neil saunders managing director retail consultancy globaldata retail wrote note hammering agreement would walmarts largest ever corporate deal would enormous distraction saunders added walmart currently cobranded medicare drug plan humana steers patients walmart stores partnership offers prescription drug plan save 20 percent drug costs customers closer ties two companies could allow walmart tap humanas patient population expanding lowlevel medical services pharmacies avoid er visits could allow better manage prescription drug use though access medical records humanas biggest business managing medicare advantage health plans older disabled people heavily regulated business walmart would take acquisition memberships retail medicare advantage plans individuals sign directly humana rose 1 percent 286 million dec 31 employer groupbased medicare advantage membership climbed 24 percent 441400 last month walmart reported sharp drop profit online sales growth critical holiday period forecast annual profit lower end expectations standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters white louisiana police officer fired friday second suspended killing alton sterling black man shot 2016 incident inflamed us debate racial bias law enforcement police official said baton rouge officer blane salamoni dismissed violating department standards use force losing temper deadly incident police chief murphy paul told news conference second officer involved confrontation howie lake suspended three days violating command temper standard decisions followed administrative review july 2016 shooting officers plan appeal paul said decisions designed bring closure cloud community far long said sterling 37 shot outside convenience store resident reported threatened black man selling cds police said sterling trying pull loaded gun pocket salamoni opened fire louisiana attorney general jeff landry said week lake salamoni would charged shooting since evidence showed actions justified reporting ian simpson editing sandra maler standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Kelly Graves’ first tastes of the Civil War as Oregon’s head coach were back-to-back losses by a combined 62 points to a ranked Oregon State team.</p>
<p>In his fourth season, Graves and the No. 7 Ducks finally pumped new life 100-game old rivalry.</p>
<p>Satou Sabally scored 21 points, Sabrina Ionescu had 15 points and 11 assists and Oregon beat No. 18 Oregon State 75-63 on Sunday night.</p>
<p>The Ducks (18-3, 7-1 Pac-12) broke the game open with a 28-11 second quarter and led by as many as 27 points to snap a 14-game losing streak against the Beavers (14-5, 5-3). Maite Cazorla had 16 points and Mallory McGwire 14 for Oregon.</p>
<p>“It was a great win,” Graves said. “That was a well-played game, a great crowd and a great atmosphere for women’s basketball.”</p>
<p>Kat Tudor scored 17 points and Marie Gulich 16 for Oregon State after they had combined for 62 points in the Beavers’ 85-79 overtime win Friday.</p>
<p>Sabally had 13 points in the first half after scoring just three in the first game. She was 9 of 15 from the field and 3 of 7 from the arc to go with five assists.</p>
<p>“She was looking to be a lot more aggressive off the dribble and around the basket, and that was great to see,” Graves said. “When she does that with the other kids we’ve got, it gives us a whole new dimension.”</p>
<p>The Ducks asserted themselves early with defense, holding OSU to 25 percent shooting (6 of 24) in the first half. The Beavers had no points in the paint by the break, and the nation’s best 3-point shooting team was only 1 of 7 as Oregon built a 40-18 lead.</p>
<p>McGwire was particularly effective forcing the 6-foot-5 Gulich off her favorite post-up spots before help arrived to double-team the Beavers’ top scorer at 17.1 points per game.</p>
<p>“I think the first 20 minutes was the best defense that’s ever been played in this arena since I’ve been here,” Graves said, “and probably ever on the women’s side, so I was really proud of how in tune and focused we were with each other.”</p>
<p>Oregon State was 13 of 26 from the arc in the first meeting, but that went down to 7 of 21 against a defense that was more man than zone in the rematch.</p>
<p>“We didn’t move the ball as well tonight,” OSU coach Scott Rueck said. “I didn’t think we saw the floor nearly as well tonight, and we didn’t get into sets.</p>
<p>“They played very aggressive tonight, and that was the difference. They were the aggressor.”</p>
<p>Ruthy Hebard’s 10 rebounds led the Ducks to a 41-30 edge on the boards. They also outscored the Beavers 32-14 in the paint.</p>
<p>BIG PICTURE</p>
<p>Oregon, the fourth No. 1 seed in first NCAA ratings released Thursday, leads the Pac-12 by a game over UCLA and Stanford. However, the Ducks will continue to tinker with their rotation without injured 3-point specialist Lexi Bando, the NCAA’s active career leader beyond the arc at 45.5 percent.</p>
<p>Oregon State has work to do with three conference losses and six of its last 10 games on the road if it hopes to claim a fourth consecutive Pac-12 regular-season championship.</p>
<p>STAT OF THE NIGHT</p>
<p>Oregon is 15-1 when it out-rebounds opponents, and Oregon State is 3-5 when it scores fewer than 70 points</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Oregon: Plays at Colorado on Friday night.</p>
<p>Oregon State: Plays at Utah on Friday night.</p>
<p>EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Kelly Graves’ first tastes of the Civil War as Oregon’s head coach were back-to-back losses by a combined 62 points to a ranked Oregon State team.</p>
<p>In his fourth season, Graves and the No. 7 Ducks finally pumped new life 100-game old rivalry.</p>
<p>Satou Sabally scored 21 points, Sabrina Ionescu had 15 points and 11 assists and Oregon beat No. 18 Oregon State 75-63 on Sunday night.</p>
<p>The Ducks (18-3, 7-1 Pac-12) broke the game open with a 28-11 second quarter and led by as many as 27 points to snap a 14-game losing streak against the Beavers (14-5, 5-3). Maite Cazorla had 16 points and Mallory McGwire 14 for Oregon.</p>
<p>“It was a great win,” Graves said. “That was a well-played game, a great crowd and a great atmosphere for women’s basketball.”</p>
<p>Kat Tudor scored 17 points and Marie Gulich 16 for Oregon State after they had combined for 62 points in the Beavers’ 85-79 overtime win Friday.</p>
<p>Sabally had 13 points in the first half after scoring just three in the first game. She was 9 of 15 from the field and 3 of 7 from the arc to go with five assists.</p>
<p>“She was looking to be a lot more aggressive off the dribble and around the basket, and that was great to see,” Graves said. “When she does that with the other kids we’ve got, it gives us a whole new dimension.”</p>
<p>The Ducks asserted themselves early with defense, holding OSU to 25 percent shooting (6 of 24) in the first half. The Beavers had no points in the paint by the break, and the nation’s best 3-point shooting team was only 1 of 7 as Oregon built a 40-18 lead.</p>
<p>McGwire was particularly effective forcing the 6-foot-5 Gulich off her favorite post-up spots before help arrived to double-team the Beavers’ top scorer at 17.1 points per game.</p>
<p>“I think the first 20 minutes was the best defense that’s ever been played in this arena since I’ve been here,” Graves said, “and probably ever on the women’s side, so I was really proud of how in tune and focused we were with each other.”</p>
<p>Oregon State was 13 of 26 from the arc in the first meeting, but that went down to 7 of 21 against a defense that was more man than zone in the rematch.</p>
<p>“We didn’t move the ball as well tonight,” OSU coach Scott Rueck said. “I didn’t think we saw the floor nearly as well tonight, and we didn’t get into sets.</p>
<p>“They played very aggressive tonight, and that was the difference. They were the aggressor.”</p>
<p>Ruthy Hebard’s 10 rebounds led the Ducks to a 41-30 edge on the boards. They also outscored the Beavers 32-14 in the paint.</p>
<p>BIG PICTURE</p>
<p>Oregon, the fourth No. 1 seed in first NCAA ratings released Thursday, leads the Pac-12 by a game over UCLA and Stanford. However, the Ducks will continue to tinker with their rotation without injured 3-point specialist Lexi Bando, the NCAA’s active career leader beyond the arc at 45.5 percent.</p>
<p>Oregon State has work to do with three conference losses and six of its last 10 games on the road if it hopes to claim a fourth consecutive Pac-12 regular-season championship.</p>
<p>STAT OF THE NIGHT</p>
<p>Oregon is 15-1 when it out-rebounds opponents, and Oregon State is 3-5 when it scores fewer than 70 points</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Oregon: Plays at Colorado on Friday night.</p>
<p>Oregon State: Plays at Utah on Friday night.</p>
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eugene ore ap kelly graves first tastes civil war oregons head coach backtoback losses combined 62 points ranked oregon state team fourth season graves 7 ducks finally pumped new life 100game old rivalry satou sabally scored 21 points sabrina ionescu 15 points 11 assists oregon beat 18 oregon state 7563 sunday night ducks 183 71 pac12 broke game open 2811 second quarter led many 27 points snap 14game losing streak beavers 145 53 maite cazorla 16 points mallory mcgwire 14 oregon great win graves said wellplayed game great crowd great atmosphere womens basketball kat tudor scored 17 points marie gulich 16 oregon state combined 62 points beavers 8579 overtime win friday sabally 13 points first half scoring three first game 9 15 field 3 7 arc go five assists looking lot aggressive dribble around basket great see graves said kids weve got gives us whole new dimension ducks asserted early defense holding osu 25 percent shooting 6 24 first half beavers points paint break nations best 3point shooting team 1 7 oregon built 4018 lead mcgwire particularly effective forcing 6foot5 gulich favorite postup spots help arrived doubleteam beavers top scorer 171 points per game think first 20 minutes best defense thats ever played arena since ive graves said probably ever womens side really proud tune focused oregon state 13 26 arc first meeting went 7 21 defense man zone rematch didnt move ball well tonight osu coach scott rueck said didnt think saw floor nearly well tonight didnt get sets played aggressive tonight difference aggressor ruthy hebards 10 rebounds led ducks 4130 edge boards also outscored beavers 3214 paint big picture oregon fourth 1 seed first ncaa ratings released thursday leads pac12 game ucla stanford however ducks continue tinker rotation without injured 3point specialist lexi bando ncaas active career leader beyond arc 455 percent oregon state work three conference losses six last 10 games road hopes claim fourth consecutive pac12 regularseason championship stat night oregon 151 outrebounds opponents oregon state 35 scores fewer 70 points next oregon plays colorado friday night oregon state plays utah friday night eugene ore ap kelly graves first tastes civil war oregons head coach backtoback losses combined 62 points ranked oregon state team fourth season graves 7 ducks finally pumped new life 100game old rivalry satou sabally scored 21 points sabrina ionescu 15 points 11 assists oregon beat 18 oregon state 7563 sunday night ducks 183 71 pac12 broke game open 2811 second quarter led many 27 points snap 14game losing streak beavers 145 53 maite cazorla 16 points mallory mcgwire 14 oregon great win graves said wellplayed game great crowd great atmosphere womens basketball kat tudor scored 17 points marie gulich 16 oregon state combined 62 points beavers 8579 overtime win friday sabally 13 points first half scoring three first game 9 15 field 3 7 arc go five assists looking lot aggressive dribble around basket great see graves said kids weve got gives us whole new dimension ducks asserted early defense holding osu 25 percent shooting 6 24 first half beavers points paint break nations best 3point shooting team 1 7 oregon built 4018 lead mcgwire particularly effective forcing 6foot5 gulich favorite postup spots help arrived doubleteam beavers top scorer 171 points per game think first 20 minutes best defense thats ever played arena since ive graves said probably ever womens side really proud tune focused oregon state 13 26 arc first meeting went 7 21 defense man zone rematch didnt move ball well tonight osu coach scott rueck said didnt think saw floor nearly well tonight didnt get sets played aggressive tonight difference aggressor ruthy hebards 10 rebounds led ducks 4130 edge boards also outscored beavers 3214 paint big picture oregon fourth 1 seed first ncaa ratings released thursday leads pac12 game ucla stanford however ducks continue tinker rotation without injured 3point specialist lexi bando ncaas active career leader beyond arc 455 percent oregon state work three conference losses six last 10 games road hopes claim fourth consecutive pac12 regularseason championship stat night oregon 151 outrebounds opponents oregon state 35 scores fewer 70 points next oregon plays colorado friday night oregon state plays utah friday night
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<p>(Reuters) - Iconic toy retailer Toys ‘R’ Us Inc the will shutter or sell its stores in the United States after failing to find a buyer or reach a deal to restructure billions in debt, putting at risk about 30,000 jobs.</p>
<p>The closure is a blow to hundreds of toy makers that sell their products at the chain’s U.S. stores, including Barbie maker Mattel Inc, board game company Hasbro Inc and vendors like Lego.</p>
<p>With shoppers flocking to Amazon.com Inc and children choosing electronic gadgets over toys, Toys ‘R’ Us has struggled to boost sales and service debt following a $6.6-illion leveraged buyout by private equity firms in 2005.</p>
<p>Brokerage Jefferies estimated that 40 percent of the toy sales up for grabs as a result of the bankruptcy would flow to Amazon and 30 percent to Walmart.</p>
<p>Toys ‘R’ Us said on Thursday it was seeking approval to liquidate inventory in 735 U.S. stores, which debtors anticipate will close by the end of this year.</p>
<p>It is in talks to sell 200 of those stores as part of a deal to sell its 80-odd stores in Canada.</p>
<p>The 70-year old company does not rule out a last-minute offer for all of its stores and said it will announce the winning bidder of a March 29 auction on April 12.</p>
<p>For its operations in Asia and Central Europe, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the company will pursue a reorganization and sale process. The already-announced administration of its UK business will continue, the company said.</p>
<p>The wind-down follows a bruising holiday season, when the company failed to stay competitive and sales came in well below projections. The quarter accounts for 40 percent of its annual net sales.</p>
<p>Toys ‘R’ Us’ creditors said in a court filing that Target Corp, Walmart Inc and Amazon pricing toys at low margins, and a greater-than-expected decline in toy and gift card sales following its bankruptcy filing in September, led to the weak performance in the quarter.</p>
<p>“Even during recent store close-outs, Toys R Us failed to create any sense of excitement,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of retail research firm GlobalData Retail. “Its so-called heavy discounts remained well above the standard prices of many rivals.”</p> The logo of Toys R Us is seen on a store at Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire near Nantes, France, March 15, 2018. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe STORE CLOSURES
<p>Wayne, New Jersey-based Toys ‘R’ Us was already in the process of closing one-fifth of its stores as part of an attempt to emerge from one of the largest ever bankruptcies by a specialty retailer.</p>
<p>In September, when the company operated more than 1,600 stores globally, with roughly 800 stores outside the United States, it got court permission to borrow more than $2 billion to start paying suppliers.</p>
<p>But efforts to keep the business going collapsed after lenders decided that, in the absence of a clear reorganization plan, they could recover more in a liquidation by closing stores and raising money from merchandise sales.</p> Slideshow (5 Images)
<p>The company’s troubles mirror those of other mall-based retailers in the United States that have shut stores and fired employees in a bid to stay relevant.</p>
<p>More than 8,000 U.S. retail stores closed in 2017, roughly double the average annual store closures in the previous decade, according to data from the International Council of Shopping Centers.</p>
<p>The disappearance of Toys ‘R’ Us leaves a void for hundreds of toy makers that relied on the chain as a top customer alongside Walmart and Target.</p>
<p>Shares of Mattel fell nearly 3 percent while shares of Hasbro were trading slightly lower on Thursday; they had tumbled last week on Toys ‘R’ Us’ liquidation reports. Both rely on Toys ‘R’ Us for roughly 10 percent of their revenues, according to their 2016 annual reports.</p>
<p>Jefferies cut its price targets for Hasbro, Mattel and a handful of other toy makers in a note on Thursday, predicting the bankruptcy would depress 2018 revenue across the industry by between 2.5 percent and 5.5 percent.</p>
<p>“We ... expect the first half to be affected by reduced order flow from Toys ‘R’ Us and adjacent retailers, as companies like Target, Walmart, dollar stores, etc. reconcile inventory,” the brokerage said.</p>
<p>The liquidation will be more painful for small, independent toy makers that relied on the chain as a major showcase, said Lutz Muller, president of consultancy Klosters Trading Corp.</p>
<p>“A large number will go to the wall,” Muller said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago and Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Nick Zieminski</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>KESZTHELY, Hungary (Reuters) - In a corner of Lake Balaton, central Europe’s largest body of freshwater, the rocky shoreline leads to a leafy park at the city of Keszthely, a resort whose natural beauty contrasts with the dereliction of its hotels.</p> FILE PHOTO: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives at the EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/File Photo
<p>Keszthely used to be a magnet for Communist-era workers and apparatchiks before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Now, to the delight of many locals, the dilapidated waterfront is set for an investment bonanza. But the scheme is controversial. The reason: the people who stand to profit from it. In Keszthely, Reuters has found, those first in line to capitalize are Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s friends and family.</p>
<p>Orban has earmarked more than $3 billion in public funds for tourism ventures across Hungary up to 2030, including more than $1.4 billion for Balaton, according to government announcements since March 2014. Most of the cash will come from Hungarian taxpayers. About 40 percent of the money for Balaton will come from the European Union, which gives funds to members to help lagging regions grow.</p>
<p>“This kind of money has not come to Balaton in all the years since the end of Communism combined,” said Henrik Hoffmann, chairman of a Balaton regional tourism association.</p>
<p>Since 2014, when the prime minister first mooted the prospect of investment, the seven most prominent waterfront properties in Keszthely have changed hands. An analysis of publicly available data shows three of them are now owned by Orban’s childhood friend Lorinc Meszaros and his business partners, and another three by Orban’s son-in-law Istvan Tiborcz and his associates. Reuters has also found company documents that show a company co-owned by Orban’s son-in-law Tiborcz stands to collect almost half of any profits from a venture which acquired the resort’s biggest hotel.</p>
<p>Neither Tiborcz or Meszaros responded to requests for comment.</p>
<p>Meszaros and Tiborcz are part of a Hungarian elite which has grown fast over the past eight years, acquiring stakes in major industries like banking, energy, construction, agriculture and the media, as well as tourism. In all, 10 individuals have significant stakes in the Keszthely developments. Most of them have become heavyweights in the broad economy: Companies they control have participated in winning bids for public procurement contracts, some of them funded by the EU, worth nearly $8 billion since Orban resumed power in 2010, according to a Reuters analysis of data collected by the Corruption Research Centre Budapest, a think tank, from the Public Procurement Authority.</p>
<p>That is more than 10 percent of the value of such contracts over that time. Last year was a bumper one for public procurement tenders: More than $14 billion were awarded, and companies controlled by men with interests on the Keszthely waterfront won just over $4 billion of them - more than one dollar in every four.</p>
<p>Neither Orban or the government responded to requests for comment.</p>
<p>The European Union’s anti-fraud office (Office européen de lutte antifraude or OLAF), has recommended that Brussels ask Hungary to repay EU funds totaling more than 4 percent of the cash Europe has given it between 2012 and 2015. OLAF declined to discuss specific projects, but says on its website it makes such recommendations when it believes EU money has been “defrauded or irregularly misspent.” Suspected violations can include projects that have been overpriced, involved collusion with bidders, or pointed to conflicts of interest. Hungary’s suspect total, according to OLAF’s 2016 annual report, is a bigger share than that of any other EU state, amounting to about 850 million euros ($1 billion) of funds.</p>
<p>In January, OLAF recommended that Hungary take legal action over what it called “serious irregularities” in the award of contracts to Tiborcz and an associate, Endre Hamar, for a street lighting project. In that project, a company owned by Hamar was the adviser on tenders that another Tiborcz and Hamar firm went on to win. Neither man has commented on OLAF’s findings.</p>
<p>OLAF has no power to police member states, and can only recommend steps for the European Union or national authorities to take. The EU has “zero tolerance to fraud with EU funds and therefore insists on a clear commitment from all member states to prevent fraud,” a Commission spokesperson said by email. The spokesperson did not respond directly to Reuters findings, or say what if any funds have been recovered from Hungary. The European Commission also carries out its own audits, blocks payments when it suspects an irregularity and claws back the expenditure if the irregularity is confirmed. But this work is not made public.</p>
<p>Orban’s party, Fidesz, has ruled Keszthely for more than a decade, and polls show he is set for victory in a national election this April. He has long defied oversight by what he calls the “global political overlords” and “liberal elites” and portrays himself as a pioneer among eastern European leaders whose countries are part of the European Union, but who rebel - in his case by saying Hungary deserves the bloc’s cash in exchange for opening up its markets, and that he should be free to form his own class of loyal industrialists.</p>
<p>“What some call corruption is essentially the main policy of Fidesz,” Andras Lanczi, an Orban supporter at the think tank Szazadveg, said in a 2015 newspaper interview that Szazadveg put up on its website. “By that I mean the government has set goals like forming a layer of domestic businessmen, building pillars of a strong Hungary in rural areas or in industry.”</p>
<p>Orban and his associates have a clear system, said Peter Kreko, chief analyst at the Political Capital think tank in Budapest: They build positions in sectors and prepare for the arrival of public funds. “Close associates of the prime minister get fat on state money,” he said.</p> “NATIONAL COOPERATION”
<p>Outside Hungary, Orban, the country’s longest-serving leader since Communist times, makes headlines for what he rejects. He helped banish Communism, but he also went on to flout European policy by refusing to house refugees. He cut short cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and boosted taxes on foreign banks and multinational corporations.</p>
<p>Less widely known is that eight years ago, he introduced an economic doctrine which he called a revolt against international capital and liberal values. It is geared to affirming the supremacy of nationalist-minded people, a vogue that has spread across eastern Europe.</p>
<p>“We were among the first, or maybe the first, to revolt in 2010,” Orban said in his state of the nation address last year. “In seven years of hard work we built our own political and economic system, a Hungarian model tailor made for us... the System of National Cooperation.” He told a gathering of friendly intellectuals in 2013 that this involves nurturing a supportive moneyed class: “The system cannot work without international capital. But... Hungarian national capital must be empowered as well.”</p>
<p>Since 2010, Hungary’s economy has grown by about 2 percent a year on average and tourism in Balaton has grown even faster. But Keszthely’s tally of 165,000 overnight stays in 2014 slipped to about 135,000 per year, on average, in 2015 and 2016, according to Hungary’s Central Statistics Office.</p>
<p>The month before Hungary’s 2014 election, Orban attended a conference of tourism professionals in another town on the Balaton shore. He told them the government had a plan, based on “sketches on the canvas,” to inject development funds totaling about $1.1 billion in tourism - plus extra funds for Balaton. He did not say then where the money would come from.</p> WESTERN HARBOR
<p>That June, after Orban had been re-elected, his daughter Rahel’s husband, Istvan Tiborcz, set up a company, Western Basin Harbor Development, with partners including Tiborcz’s old school friend Hamar, who is a lawyer. It went on to acquire the rights to the Keszthely Yacht Club from the city.</p>
<p>The agreement, sealed in December 2014, divided the sale into three parts and included an option rather than a cash sale. This structure meant that even though the arrangement obliged the buyer to pay more than $1 million for the buildings, each element of the deal’s value was below the $100,000 threshold that would require the contract be put out to tender.</p>
<p>There was a flurry of controversy with headlines such as “Tiborcz buys marina for Christmas” in the press. But after an investigation, the regional prosecutor said there was nothing illegal about the arrangement.</p>
<p>“We sold an unprofitable harbor at a decent price,” said Keszthely’s former deputy mayor, Robert Palinkas, rejecting any suggestion of wrongdoing. “This was not an area that was marketable immediately and unconditionally. Maybe there were no other investors because they had to commit to serious undertakings there.”</p> Hotel Via in Keszthely, Hungary, September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh
<p>Tiborcz quit as a partner in the Yacht Club in March 2015. The marina’s main owner, Krisztian Lukacs, told Reuters this was a response to the controversy about his purchase. Tiborcz did not respond.</p>
<p>An old friend of Tiborcz stayed as CEO at the club. Zsolt Peter, who has lived in Keszthely since 2000, said his family had been close to the Tiborczs for three generations. The new owners gave the marina a facelift, installed a chic new restaurant and worked on marketing. Peter said that at the close of season last year, 130 boats moored there - up from 67 when he took over and just shy of breakeven, which he put at 150 boats.</p>
<p>But Tiborcz’s interest in Keszthely did not end when he quit the Yacht Club. By far the biggest hotel on the waterfront, and the one in the best condition, is the boxy concrete structure of the Hotel Helikon, recently closed down for redevelopment. Behind the Helikon’s grimy windows on a January visit, a billiard table stood with a lone cue propped up against it.</p>
<p>The site was bought in December 2016 by a new company called Pannon Tessera Hospitalis, or PTH. In its first year, PTH was owned and operated by a veteran hotel manager called Zoltan Somlyai. It had zero revenue and he said he was its only employee. Company documents showed 90 percent of profits were to be paid to an undisclosed holder of preference shares.</p>
<p>According to fresh company documents filed last month, a company owned by Tiborcz and Hamar owns preference shares in PTH. These entitle the holder to 45 percent of any profits it makes. The rest of the profit now goes to a Tiborcz associate called Attila Paar, who bought a stake last year through a company he owns, and a another investor, a lawyer who is largely unknown in the tourism industry.</p>
<p>Tiborcz, Hamar and Paar did not respond to requests for comment.</p>
<p>On a windswept weekday in late January, 70-year-old Gyorgy Horvath, fishing on the refurbished marina jetty, said he was more than happy with the plans to revamp the waterfront. He served at tables for 35 years as a waiter in the Helikon: He remembered when busloads of visitors came, in winter and in summer, year after year.</p>
<p>“Keszthely has great potential,” Horvath said. “I really don’t care who builds stuff, and I don’t care about politics. ... Just start something worthwhile already.”</p> Slideshow (23 Images) “FLOWERS FOR HUNGARY”
<p>Back in 2015, Orban’s “sketches on the canvas” were still vague. There was, say people involved in Hungary’s tourism industry, confusion over what to expect from the government, either in the marketing strategy or the funding. The government launched one plan in November but withdrew it six months later.</p>
<p>In April 2016, the government centralized the administration of Hungary’s tourism industry in the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTU). This entity, it said in a decree last March, designs and implements tourism programs, including those to be funded by EU money from 2014 to 2020. The MTU does everything from outlining strategy and assigning state funding down to organizing events such as the “Flowers for Hungary” program, a contest for the prettiest environment.</p>
<p>Orban’s ministerial office took a similar centralizing step in 2014 when it absorbed the National Development Agency, which allocates EU funding in Hungary.</p>
<p>Orban’s daughter, Rahel, played a role in the changes, such as formulating the tourism marketing strategy. Then 27, she had studied tourism and graduated with an Executive MBA in hospitality management at the private Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, which educates some of the best tourism managers in the world.</p>
<p>Eight current and former tourism and government insiders told Reuters that Rahel Orban is highly influential in the tourist trade and works closely with the MTU’s CEO, Zoltan Guller. The MTU said Guller had “occasionally sought Rahel Orban’s opinion about shaping the Hungary brand,” and that she is not paid for this work.</p>
<p>When asked if she influences decisions on funding, it did not respond. She did not respond.</p> GOLDEN TOUCH
<p>Even before Rahel Orban had helped clarify Hungary’s strategy, others in the prime minister’s circle joined the Keszthely shopping spree. In April 2015, a businessman named Gellert Jaszai made a purchase that paved the way for Orban’s childhood friend Lorinc Meszaros.</p>
<p>Jaszai bought into a small holding company called Konzum, a former retail chain operator that had sunk to a penny stock. A year later, Konzum bought a real estate fund that included two Keszthely hotels and the rights to a company which operates a lakeside campsite. In February 2017, Meszaros announced on the stock exchange that he had bought 19.6 percent of Konzum.</p>
<p>Meszaros acquired dozens of properties elsewhere around the lake, which he incorporated into Konzum. Jaszai said he had known Meszaros for a long time.</p>
<p>A pipe-fitter and mayor of Orban’s hometown, Meszaros is one of Hungary’s most influential businessmen, famed nationally for attributing his rise to “God, good fortune, and Viktor Orban.” His interests span well over 100 companies in seven major industries from construction and real estate to energy, media, banking, finance, tourism, sports, and agriculture.</p>
<p>Today, Konzum is one of four publicly traded companies in which Meszaros and Jaszai hold stakes. Its shares rose 5,300 percent last year, in anticipation of business success in ventures from tourism to energy.</p>
<p>“It’s difficult to put a ceiling on the valuation,” wrote stock analyst Gellert Gaal from Concorde, a prominent Hungarian brokerage, in December - a view he said in March he still held. “Investors have extreme faith in the profit growth of these companies, as if everything these companies touch turned into gold.”</p>
<p>In addition to renovated hotels, the Balaton area now is promised improved road, rail, air and water infrastructure, including a $670 million motorway, upgraded adventure parks, and a central state marketing effort around the Balaton brand.</p>
<p>Gyorgy Wossala, a 77-year-old Balaton hotel manager who sold a hotel up the lake to Meszaros in 2016, said he chose Meszaros from a half dozen competing bidders solely because Orban’s old friend offered the best price. He would not say what it was.</p>
<p>“He probably sees the opportunity in Balaton,” Wossala said, sucking on a pipe on the patio of his lakeside home. “Everyone who can is building positions now,” he added, referring to the government’s planned cash injection in tourism.</p>
<p>“Everyone sees these billions. ... And of course, people with good government ties have always received their subsidy before those without.”</p>
<p>Edited by Sara Ledwith and Richard Woods</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - In 2014, as Jonathan Rubin and Ian Laird considered investing in the booming U.S. cannabis industry, they hit a problem: How to value pot start-ups with little verified data on the price of the weed itself?</p> FILE PHOTO: Employees prepare recreational marijuana orders for customers at the MedMen store in West Hollywood, California, U.S., January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
<p>While a smoker may know the going retail price for “Strawberry Diesel” or “Buddha’s Sister”, the sector’s wholesale tier still operates much like a black market because of ongoing federal prohibition, despite legalizations in 30 U.S. states and Washington D.C. since the 1990s.</p>
<p>That left Rubin and Laird puzzled on the investment value of a dispensary, a weed farm or a factory making pot-infused candy. The problem spawned a different investment: The founding of New Leaf Data Services LLC, a Stamford, Conn.-based wholesale price data service that fields reporters to take on the steep challenge of cataloguing going rates.</p>
<p>Started three years ago, New Leaf now publishes weekly benchmark spot prices and forecasts on wholesale indoor-, outdoor-, and greenhouse-grown marijuana for 17 regions with legalization laws.</p>
<p>New Leaf makes money from about 350 pot proprietors and other subscribers who buy reports and custom analytics. It has raised money from investors who want exposure to the cannabis sector without the risk of breaking federal law.</p>
<p>The model is roughly based on S&amp;P Global Platts, a firm where Rubin once worked that researches and publishes wholesale prices for crude oil, fuel and other commodities such as metals or agricultural crops.</p>
<p>The task is much harder for pot, and New Leaf’s experience stalking prices sheds light on the murky trade of what might be the fastest-growing U.S. commodity, sold legally and illegally for untold billions of dollars.</p>
<p>Cannabis firms still deal almost exclusively in cash to avoid a paper trail or because they have almost no access to banks and financial services. Because it’s illegal to transport the drug across state lines, prices and available products vary widely in different regions based on whether a state has both medical and recreational markets and the number of licensed dispensaries and producers.</p>
<p>Last week, spot prices for flower in Alaska were $5,496 per lb, while prices in Colorado and Oregon fell to historic lows of $1,008 and $1,166, respectively, according to New Leaf.</p>
<p>(For a graphic on state marijuana laws and price differences, see: <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2AFalvZ" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2AFalvZ</a> )</p>
<p>Legal pot prices are also impacted by supply and demand fluctuations in the illegal market, and the spread between the two can vary.</p>
<p>In California, regulated market prices are more than $1,000 per lb, whereas prices for illegal weed can be as low as $500 per lb, estimated Scott Davies, a California cultivator. Legal market marijuana tends to be more expensive because supplies are more restricted and because it is taxed.</p>
<p>“Consider each state to be a different country when it comes to their laws, amount of licenses issued, what the qualifying conditions are for entry into their medical program, as well as what the political climate and current illicit market looks like,” said Nic Easley, one of New Leaf’s market consultants.</p>
<p>Easley, a disabled veteran of the U.S. Air Force, said he moved to Colorado in 2006 to use cannabis to ease the pain of injuries. He’s one of New Leaf’s team of a dozen price experts who chase down their market data and intelligence through a network of commercial players and cannabis industry groups, such as the Oregon Retailers of Cannabis Association (ORCA). The data suppliers agree to submit weekly prices anonymously and, in exchange, get discounted subscriptions or other services.</p> LEGAL BUT UNDERGROUND
<p>A multi-billion dollar cannabis industry has developed despite federal prohibition, but many executives, farmers and employees are still wary of federal prosecution.</p> FILE PHOTO: A billboard advertising marijuana in advance of the upcoming legalization of recreational marijuana in San Francisco, California, U.S., December 29, 2017. REUTERS/Jim Christie/File Photo
<p>Davies, a farmer in Humboldt County, California - a region renowned for its premium cannabis – said growers have historically done and still do handshake deals with counterparts vouched for by shared acquaintances. Davies sells directly to dispensaries, essentially relying on the rumor mill to set prices.</p>
<p>“It’s all been word-of-mouth, through people we know and trust who are established players,” he said.</p>
<p>But the market in California - which recently legalized recreational use - is evolving rapidly and becoming more like a traditional industry, with buyers and sellers now sometimes meeting at industry events, Davies said.</p>
<p>Market transparency has seen a boost from heightened regulations as authorities in states like Oregon rolled out legal recreational markets, said Casey Houlihan, head of ORCA.</p>
<p>Under the new rules in that state, dispensaries must purchase cannabis from registered producers, who are required to track their sales and report them to the government. Previously, dispensaries could buy more liberally through a medical marijuana program.</p>
<p>The data New Leaf collects is still fairly rough, and the marijuana market has nothing like national benchmark prices or futures contracts common to other legal commodities trades. There’s no real way for businesses to hedge, and price-setting remains largely guesswork, said Josh Richman, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Franklin BioScience, which grows cannabis and manufactures branded products, such as mints, in Colorado, Nevada and Pennsylvania.</p> FILE PHOTO: Different strains of marijuana are seen for sale at Harborside, one of California's largest and oldest dispensaries of medical marijuana, on the first day of legalized recreational marijuana in Oakland, California, U.S., January 1, 2018. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage/File Photo
<p>“There isn’t something where I can sell long or short,” he said.</p> BLUE DREAM, GREEN CRACK AND GORILLA GLUE
<p>The retail market is somewhat more transparent, and a pricing service called BDS Analytics runs an online database of more than 140,000 types of pot and pot products. BDS sells pricing and popularity data to retail shop owners.</p>
<p>Roy Bingham, who co-founded BDS Analytics in 2015, is a veteran of the finance and consultancy industries.</p>
<p>“We knew this data is really invaluable for the retail business,” Bingham said. “There are people in this industry who have been in supply chains at Walmart, GNC and other mainstream operations.”</p>
<p>His firm collects point-of-sale data from retailers and lists the details for products such as “Blue Dream” and “Green Crack”.</p>
<p>Joseph Hopkins, co-owner of a dispensary called The Greener Side in Eugene, Oregon, uses the data to deal with suppliers.</p>
<p>“When vendors come in and say they have x, y, z products, I can go back and look at whatever the going rate is for that product,” he said.</p>
<p>Still, the metrics are imperfect. State regulators increasingly perform quality tests to ensure safety, but no one checks to make sure that what someone is selling as “Green Crack” really matches weed branded under the same name elsewhere.</p>
<p>The data show variations in demand for various brand among regions. For example, Blue Dream has reigned as the most popular strain for flower in Colorado and Washington since 2014. But in Oregon, tokers favor a strain known as GG - formerly “Gorilla Glue,” until its purveyors got sued by the makers of the actual glue by the same name.</p>
<p>(This version of the story is refiled to fix typo in the first paragraph.)</p>
<p>Reporting by Chris Prentice; Editing by Simon Webb and Brian Thevenot</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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jan 25 reuters cyient ltd agreement acquire bampf design inc via unit cyient defense services inc completed source text bitly2fedpzj company coverage standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters iconic toy retailer toys r us inc shutter sell stores united states failing find buyer reach deal restructure billions debt putting risk 30000 jobs closure blow hundreds toy makers sell products chains us stores including barbie maker mattel inc board game company hasbro inc vendors like lego shoppers flocking amazoncom inc children choosing electronic gadgets toys toys r us struggled boost sales service debt following 66illion leveraged buyout private equity firms 2005 brokerage jefferies estimated 40 percent toy sales grabs result bankruptcy would flow amazon 30 percent walmart toys r us said thursday seeking approval liquidate inventory 735 us stores debtors anticipate close end year talks sell 200 stores part deal sell 80odd stores canada 70year old company rule lastminute offer stores said announce winning bidder march 29 auction april 12 operations asia central europe including germany austria switzerland company pursue reorganization sale process alreadyannounced administration uk business continue company said winddown follows bruising holiday season company failed stay competitive sales came well projections quarter accounts 40 percent annual net sales toys r us creditors said court filing target corp walmart inc amazon pricing toys low margins greaterthanexpected decline toy gift card sales following bankruptcy filing september led weak performance quarter even recent store closeouts toys r us failed create sense excitement said neil saunders managing director retail research firm globaldata retail socalled heavy discounts remained well standard prices many rivals logo toys r us seen store saintsebastiensurloire near nantes france march 15 2018 reutersstephane mahe store closures wayne new jerseybased toys r us already process closing onefifth stores part attempt emerge one largest ever bankruptcies specialty retailer september company operated 1600 stores globally roughly 800 stores outside united states got court permission borrow 2 billion start paying suppliers efforts keep business going collapsed lenders decided absence clear reorganization plan could recover liquidation closing stores raising money merchandise sales slideshow 5 images companys troubles mirror mallbased retailers united states shut stores fired employees bid stay relevant 8000 us retail stores closed 2017 roughly double average annual store closures previous decade according data international council shopping centers disappearance toys r us leaves void hundreds toy makers relied chain top customer alongside walmart target shares mattel fell nearly 3 percent shares hasbro trading slightly lower thursday tumbled last week toys r us liquidation reports rely toys r us roughly 10 percent revenues according 2016 annual reports jefferies cut price targets hasbro mattel handful toy makers note thursday predicting bankruptcy would depress 2018 revenue across industry 25 percent 55 percent expect first half affected reduced order flow toys r us adjacent retailers companies like target walmart dollar stores etc reconcile inventory brokerage said liquidation painful small independent toy makers relied chain major showcase said lutz muller president consultancy klosters trading corp large number go wall muller said reporting tracy rucinski chicago abinaya vijayaraghavan bengaluru additional reporting aishwarya venugopal editing sayantani ghosh nick zieminski standards thomson reuters trust principles keszthely hungary reuters corner lake balaton central europes largest body freshwater rocky shoreline leads leafy park city keszthely resort whose natural beauty contrasts dereliction hotels file photo hungarian prime minister viktor orban arrives eu summit brussels belgium march 9 2017 reutersfrancois lenoirfile photo keszthely used magnet communistera workers apparatchiks fall berlin wall 1989 delight many locals dilapidated waterfront set investment bonanza scheme controversial reason people stand profit keszthely reuters found first line capitalize prime minister viktor orbans friends family orban earmarked 3 billion public funds tourism ventures across hungary 2030 including 14 billion balaton according government announcements since march 2014 cash come hungarian taxpayers 40 percent money balaton come european union gives funds members help lagging regions grow kind money come balaton years since end communism combined said henrik hoffmann chairman balaton regional tourism association since 2014 prime minister first mooted prospect investment seven prominent waterfront properties keszthely changed hands analysis publicly available data shows three owned orbans childhood friend lorinc meszaros business partners another three orbans soninlaw istvan tiborcz associates reuters also found company documents show company coowned orbans soninlaw tiborcz stands collect almost half profits venture acquired resorts biggest hotel neither tiborcz meszaros responded requests comment meszaros tiborcz part hungarian elite grown fast past eight years acquiring stakes major industries like banking energy construction agriculture media well tourism 10 individuals significant stakes keszthely developments become heavyweights broad economy companies control participated winning bids public procurement contracts funded eu worth nearly 8 billion since orban resumed power 2010 according reuters analysis data collected corruption research centre budapest think tank public procurement authority 10 percent value contracts time last year bumper one public procurement tenders 14 billion awarded companies controlled men interests keszthely waterfront 4 billion one dollar every four neither orban government responded requests comment european unions antifraud office office européen de lutte antifraude olaf recommended brussels ask hungary repay eu funds totaling 4 percent cash europe given 2012 2015 olaf declined discuss specific projects says website makes recommendations believes eu money defrauded irregularly misspent suspected violations include projects overpriced involved collusion bidders pointed conflicts interest hungarys suspect total according olafs 2016 annual report bigger share eu state amounting 850 million euros 1 billion funds january olaf recommended hungary take legal action called serious irregularities award contracts tiborcz associate endre hamar street lighting project project company owned hamar adviser tenders another tiborcz hamar firm went win neither man commented olafs findings olaf power police member states recommend steps european union national authorities take eu zero tolerance fraud eu funds therefore insists clear commitment member states prevent fraud commission spokesperson said email spokesperson respond directly reuters findings say funds recovered hungary european commission also carries audits blocks payments suspects irregularity claws back expenditure irregularity confirmed work made public orbans party fidesz ruled keszthely decade polls show set victory national election april long defied oversight calls global political overlords liberal elites portrays pioneer among eastern european leaders whose countries part european union rebel case saying hungary deserves blocs cash exchange opening markets free form class loyal industrialists call corruption essentially main policy fidesz andras lanczi orban supporter think tank szazadveg said 2015 newspaper interview szazadveg put website mean government set goals like forming layer domestic businessmen building pillars strong hungary rural areas industry orban associates clear system said peter kreko chief analyst political capital think tank budapest build positions sectors prepare arrival public funds close associates prime minister get fat state money said national cooperation outside hungary orban countrys longestserving leader since communist times makes headlines rejects helped banish communism also went flout european policy refusing house refugees cut short cooperation international monetary fund boosted taxes foreign banks multinational corporations less widely known eight years ago introduced economic doctrine called revolt international capital liberal values geared affirming supremacy nationalistminded people vogue spread across eastern europe among first maybe first revolt 2010 orban said state nation address last year seven years hard work built political economic system hungarian model tailor made us system national cooperation told gathering friendly intellectuals 2013 involves nurturing supportive moneyed class system work without international capital hungarian national capital must empowered well since 2010 hungarys economy grown 2 percent year average tourism balaton grown even faster keszthelys tally 165000 overnight stays 2014 slipped 135000 per year average 2015 2016 according hungarys central statistics office month hungarys 2014 election orban attended conference tourism professionals another town balaton shore told government plan based sketches canvas inject development funds totaling 11 billion tourism plus extra funds balaton say money would come western harbor june orban reelected daughter rahels husband istvan tiborcz set company western basin harbor development partners including tiborczs old school friend hamar lawyer went acquire rights keszthely yacht club city agreement sealed december 2014 divided sale three parts included option rather cash sale structure meant even though arrangement obliged buyer pay 1 million buildings element deals value 100000 threshold would require contract put tender flurry controversy headlines tiborcz buys marina christmas press investigation regional prosecutor said nothing illegal arrangement sold unprofitable harbor decent price said keszthelys former deputy mayor robert palinkas rejecting suggestion wrongdoing area marketable immediately unconditionally maybe investors commit serious undertakings hotel via keszthely hungary september 21 2017 reuterslaszlo balogh tiborcz quit partner yacht club march 2015 marinas main owner krisztian lukacs told reuters response controversy purchase tiborcz respond old friend tiborcz stayed ceo club zsolt peter lived keszthely since 2000 said family close tiborczs three generations new owners gave marina facelift installed chic new restaurant worked marketing peter said close season last year 130 boats moored 67 took shy breakeven put 150 boats tiborczs interest keszthely end quit yacht club far biggest hotel waterfront one best condition boxy concrete structure hotel helikon recently closed redevelopment behind helikons grimy windows january visit billiard table stood lone cue propped site bought december 2016 new company called pannon tessera hospitalis pth first year pth owned operated veteran hotel manager called zoltan somlyai zero revenue said employee company documents showed 90 percent profits paid undisclosed holder preference shares according fresh company documents filed last month company owned tiborcz hamar owns preference shares pth entitle holder 45 percent profits makes rest profit goes tiborcz associate called attila paar bought stake last year company owns another investor lawyer largely unknown tourism industry tiborcz hamar paar respond requests comment windswept weekday late january 70yearold gyorgy horvath fishing refurbished marina jetty said happy plans revamp waterfront served tables 35 years waiter helikon remembered busloads visitors came winter summer year year keszthely great potential horvath said really dont care builds stuff dont care politics start something worthwhile already slideshow 23 images flowers hungary back 2015 orbans sketches canvas still vague say people involved hungarys tourism industry confusion expect government either marketing strategy funding government launched one plan november withdrew six months later april 2016 government centralized administration hungarys tourism industry hungarian tourism agency mtu entity said decree last march designs implements tourism programs including funded eu money 2014 2020 mtu everything outlining strategy assigning state funding organizing events flowers hungary program contest prettiest environment orbans ministerial office took similar centralizing step 2014 absorbed national development agency allocates eu funding hungary orbans daughter rahel played role changes formulating tourism marketing strategy 27 studied tourism graduated executive mba hospitality management private ecole hotelière de lausanne switzerland educates best tourism managers world eight current former tourism government insiders told reuters rahel orban highly influential tourist trade works closely mtus ceo zoltan guller mtu said guller occasionally sought rahel orbans opinion shaping hungary brand paid work asked influences decisions funding respond respond golden touch even rahel orban helped clarify hungarys strategy others prime ministers circle joined keszthely shopping spree april 2015 businessman named gellert jaszai made purchase paved way orbans childhood friend lorinc meszaros jaszai bought small holding company called konzum former retail chain operator sunk penny stock year later konzum bought real estate fund included two keszthely hotels rights company operates lakeside campsite february 2017 meszaros announced stock exchange bought 196 percent konzum meszaros acquired dozens properties elsewhere around lake incorporated konzum jaszai said known meszaros long time pipefitter mayor orbans hometown meszaros one hungarys influential businessmen famed nationally attributing rise god good fortune viktor orban interests span well 100 companies seven major industries construction real estate energy media banking finance tourism sports agriculture today konzum one four publicly traded companies meszaros jaszai hold stakes shares rose 5300 percent last year anticipation business success ventures tourism energy difficult put ceiling valuation wrote stock analyst gellert gaal concorde prominent hungarian brokerage december view said march still held investors extreme faith profit growth companies everything companies touch turned gold addition renovated hotels balaton area promised improved road rail air water infrastructure including 670 million motorway upgraded adventure parks central state marketing effort around balaton brand gyorgy wossala 77yearold balaton hotel manager sold hotel lake meszaros 2016 said chose meszaros half dozen competing bidders solely orbans old friend offered best price would say probably sees opportunity balaton wossala said sucking pipe patio lakeside home everyone building positions added referring governments planned cash injection tourism everyone sees billions course people good government ties always received subsidy without edited sara ledwith richard woods standards thomson reuters trust principles new york reuters 2014 jonathan rubin ian laird considered investing booming us cannabis industry hit problem value pot startups little verified data price weed file photo employees prepare recreational marijuana orders customers medmen store west hollywood california us january 2 2018 reuterslucy nicholsonfile photo smoker may know going retail price strawberry diesel buddhas sister sectors wholesale tier still operates much like black market ongoing federal prohibition despite legalizations 30 us states washington dc since 1990s left rubin laird puzzled investment value dispensary weed farm factory making potinfused candy problem spawned different investment founding new leaf data services llc stamford connbased wholesale price data service fields reporters take steep challenge cataloguing going rates started three years ago new leaf publishes weekly benchmark spot prices forecasts wholesale indoor outdoor greenhousegrown marijuana 17 regions legalization laws new leaf makes money 350 pot proprietors subscribers buy reports custom analytics raised money investors want exposure cannabis sector without risk breaking federal law model roughly based sampp global platts firm rubin worked researches publishes wholesale prices crude oil fuel commodities metals agricultural crops task much harder pot new leafs experience stalking prices sheds light murky trade might fastestgrowing us commodity sold legally illegally untold billions dollars cannabis firms still deal almost exclusively cash avoid paper trail almost access banks financial services illegal transport drug across state lines prices available products vary widely different regions based whether state medical recreational markets number licensed dispensaries producers last week spot prices flower alaska 5496 per lb prices colorado oregon fell historic lows 1008 1166 respectively according new leaf graphic state marijuana laws price differences see tmsnrtrs2afalvz legal pot prices also impacted supply demand fluctuations illegal market spread two vary california regulated market prices 1000 per lb whereas prices illegal weed low 500 per lb estimated scott davies california cultivator legal market marijuana tends expensive supplies restricted taxed consider state different country comes laws amount licenses issued qualifying conditions entry medical program well political climate current illicit market looks like said nic easley one new leafs market consultants easley disabled veteran us air force said moved colorado 2006 use cannabis ease pain injuries hes one new leafs team dozen price experts chase market data intelligence network commercial players cannabis industry groups oregon retailers cannabis association orca data suppliers agree submit weekly prices anonymously exchange get discounted subscriptions services legal underground multibillion dollar cannabis industry developed despite federal prohibition many executives farmers employees still wary federal prosecution file photo billboard advertising marijuana advance upcoming legalization recreational marijuana san francisco california us december 29 2017 reutersjim christiefile photo davies farmer humboldt county california region renowned premium cannabis said growers historically done still handshake deals counterparts vouched shared acquaintances davies sells directly dispensaries essentially relying rumor mill set prices wordofmouth people know trust established players said market california recently legalized recreational use evolving rapidly becoming like traditional industry buyers sellers sometimes meeting industry events davies said market transparency seen boost heightened regulations authorities states like oregon rolled legal recreational markets said casey houlihan head orca new rules state dispensaries must purchase cannabis registered producers required track sales report government previously dispensaries could buy liberally medical marijuana program data new leaf collects still fairly rough marijuana market nothing like national benchmark prices futures contracts common legal commodities trades theres real way businesses hedge pricesetting remains largely guesswork said josh richman senior vice president sales marketing franklin bioscience grows cannabis manufactures branded products mints colorado nevada pennsylvania file photo different strains marijuana seen sale harborside one californias largest oldest dispensaries medical marijuana first day legalized recreational marijuana oakland california us january 1 2018 reuterselijah nouvelagefile photo isnt something sell long short said blue dream green crack gorilla glue retail market somewhat transparent pricing service called bds analytics runs online database 140000 types pot pot products bds sells pricing popularity data retail shop owners roy bingham cofounded bds analytics 2015 veteran finance consultancy industries knew data really invaluable retail business bingham said people industry supply chains walmart gnc mainstream operations firm collects pointofsale data retailers lists details products blue dream green crack joseph hopkins coowner dispensary called greener side eugene oregon uses data deal suppliers vendors come say x z products go back look whatever going rate product said still metrics imperfect state regulators increasingly perform quality tests ensure safety one checks make sure someone selling green crack really matches weed branded name elsewhere data show variations demand various brand among regions example blue dream reigned popular strain flower colorado washington since 2014 oregon tokers favor strain known gg formerly gorilla glue purveyors got sued makers actual glue name version story refiled fix typo first paragraph reporting chris prentice editing simon webb brian thevenot standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The Louisiana lawmaker leading a study of the TOPS free college tuition program Thursday recommended a rewrite of how awards are doled out to students, calling the 20-year-old program’s current structure “antiquated.”</p>
<p>Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish, a Jennings Republican, wants to lessen the amount of tuition covered for students who reach the basic award for a four-year college, to give them a flat $4,000 payment for the year — well below the $5,600 average annual tuition rate in Louisiana.</p>
<p>He’s proposing to increase payments to higher-performing students.</p>
<p>Morrish offered the idea to a legislative task force reviewing TOPS amid cost concerns. Morrish is chairman of the task force, which will determine at another meeting whether to recommend the proposal to state lawmakers.</p>
<p>The suggestion would require a change in state law, and it wouldn’t impact students currently receiving TOPS awards. It’s estimated to save about $20 million a year.</p>
<p>TOPS, which began covering tuition costs in 1998, is credited with improving high school performance and college graduation rates in a poor state that has labored to boost education attainment. But costs have shot up to $290 million this school year, as more students reached the eligibility standards and as tuition on college campuses rose.</p>
<p>Morrish said the current structure “is an antiquated program that is in the 20th Century, not the 21st Century.” He said it doesn’t account for Louisiana’s enactment of admission standards on four-year campuses or the creation of a community and technical college system.</p>
<p>He said his idea wasn’t aimed at lowering TOPS’ costs, but at challenging students to improve their performance, by offering them larger tuition payments and stipends if they achieve higher grade-point averages and ACT college entrance exam scores in high school.</p>
<p>TOPS currently has tiers that offer stipends for higher-performing students, but tuition at a four-year school is covered for anyone who reaches a 2.5 GPA and 20 ACT score.</p>
<p>Morrish’s proposal would change that so the lowest award for a four-year school would pay only $4,000. Higher GPAs and ACT scores would be needed to cover the remaining cost of tuition.</p>
<p>“I know the $4,000 seems low. It’s still the most lucrative (college tuition) program in the United States of America at $4,000,” he said.</p>
<p>Sen. Wesley Bishop, a New Orleans Democrat, worried the amount would create financial hardships for students. Other lawmakers on the task force want to tweak the scores required to reach each level of the proposal.</p>
<p>Other proposals to change eligibility requirements and the payment terms also are being offered. Morrish said the task force will determine which ones to include in its list of suggestions to the full Legislature over additional meetings before a Feb. 15 report deadline.</p>
<p>Over the years, lawmakers have blocked efforts to make significant changes to TOPS. On Monday, Gov. John Bel Edwards said he wasn’t interested in revising the much-beloved program, declaring: “I don’t favor changing TOPS; I favor funding TOPS.”</p>
<p>Morrish said he met with Edwards to lay out his ideas and received a “good response.”</p>
<p>Louisiana faces a $1 billion budget gap in the upcoming financial year that begins July 1. TOPS could be at risk if deep cuts have to be made. If the program isn’t fully funded, students receiving tuition payments receive a pro rata cut. That’s happened once before, during the last school year, when lawmakers covered only 70 percent of tuition costs for eligible students.</p>
<p>___</p>
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<p>BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The Louisiana lawmaker leading a study of the TOPS free college tuition program Thursday recommended a rewrite of how awards are doled out to students, calling the 20-year-old program’s current structure “antiquated.”</p>
<p>Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish, a Jennings Republican, wants to lessen the amount of tuition covered for students who reach the basic award for a four-year college, to give them a flat $4,000 payment for the year — well below the $5,600 average annual tuition rate in Louisiana.</p>
<p>He’s proposing to increase payments to higher-performing students.</p>
<p>Morrish offered the idea to a legislative task force reviewing TOPS amid cost concerns. Morrish is chairman of the task force, which will determine at another meeting whether to recommend the proposal to state lawmakers.</p>
<p>The suggestion would require a change in state law, and it wouldn’t impact students currently receiving TOPS awards. It’s estimated to save about $20 million a year.</p>
<p>TOPS, which began covering tuition costs in 1998, is credited with improving high school performance and college graduation rates in a poor state that has labored to boost education attainment. But costs have shot up to $290 million this school year, as more students reached the eligibility standards and as tuition on college campuses rose.</p>
<p>Morrish said the current structure “is an antiquated program that is in the 20th Century, not the 21st Century.” He said it doesn’t account for Louisiana’s enactment of admission standards on four-year campuses or the creation of a community and technical college system.</p>
<p>He said his idea wasn’t aimed at lowering TOPS’ costs, but at challenging students to improve their performance, by offering them larger tuition payments and stipends if they achieve higher grade-point averages and ACT college entrance exam scores in high school.</p>
<p>TOPS currently has tiers that offer stipends for higher-performing students, but tuition at a four-year school is covered for anyone who reaches a 2.5 GPA and 20 ACT score.</p>
<p>Morrish’s proposal would change that so the lowest award for a four-year school would pay only $4,000. Higher GPAs and ACT scores would be needed to cover the remaining cost of tuition.</p>
<p>“I know the $4,000 seems low. It’s still the most lucrative (college tuition) program in the United States of America at $4,000,” he said.</p>
<p>Sen. Wesley Bishop, a New Orleans Democrat, worried the amount would create financial hardships for students. Other lawmakers on the task force want to tweak the scores required to reach each level of the proposal.</p>
<p>Other proposals to change eligibility requirements and the payment terms also are being offered. Morrish said the task force will determine which ones to include in its list of suggestions to the full Legislature over additional meetings before a Feb. 15 report deadline.</p>
<p>Over the years, lawmakers have blocked efforts to make significant changes to TOPS. On Monday, Gov. John Bel Edwards said he wasn’t interested in revising the much-beloved program, declaring: “I don’t favor changing TOPS; I favor funding TOPS.”</p>
<p>Morrish said he met with Edwards to lay out his ideas and received a “good response.”</p>
<p>Louisiana faces a $1 billion budget gap in the upcoming financial year that begins July 1. TOPS could be at risk if deep cuts have to be made. If the program isn’t fully funded, students receiving tuition payments receive a pro rata cut. That’s happened once before, during the last school year, when lawmakers covered only 70 percent of tuition costs for eligible students.</p>
<p>___</p>
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baton rouge la ap louisiana lawmaker leading study tops free college tuition program thursday recommended rewrite awards doled students calling 20yearold programs current structure antiquated sen dan blade morrish jennings republican wants lessen amount tuition covered students reach basic award fouryear college give flat 4000 payment year well 5600 average annual tuition rate louisiana hes proposing increase payments higherperforming students morrish offered idea legislative task force reviewing tops amid cost concerns morrish chairman task force determine another meeting whether recommend proposal state lawmakers suggestion would require change state law wouldnt impact students currently receiving tops awards estimated save 20 million year tops began covering tuition costs 1998 credited improving high school performance college graduation rates poor state labored boost education attainment costs shot 290 million school year students reached eligibility standards tuition college campuses rose morrish said current structure antiquated program 20th century 21st century said doesnt account louisianas enactment admission standards fouryear campuses creation community technical college system said idea wasnt aimed lowering tops costs challenging students improve performance offering larger tuition payments stipends achieve higher gradepoint averages act college entrance exam scores high school tops currently tiers offer stipends higherperforming students tuition fouryear school covered anyone reaches 25 gpa 20 act score morrishs proposal would change lowest award fouryear school would pay 4000 higher gpas act scores would needed cover remaining cost tuition know 4000 seems low still lucrative college tuition program united states america 4000 said sen wesley bishop new orleans democrat worried amount would create financial hardships students lawmakers task force want tweak scores required reach level proposal proposals change eligibility requirements payment terms also offered morrish said task force determine ones include list suggestions full legislature additional meetings feb 15 report deadline years lawmakers blocked efforts make significant changes tops monday gov john bel edwards said wasnt interested revising muchbeloved program declaring dont favor changing tops favor funding tops morrish said met edwards lay ideas received good response louisiana faces 1 billion budget gap upcoming financial year begins july 1 tops could risk deep cuts made program isnt fully funded students receiving tuition payments receive pro rata cut thats happened last school year lawmakers covered 70 percent tuition costs eligible students ___ follow melinda deslatte twitter httptwittercommelindadeslatte baton rouge la ap louisiana lawmaker leading study tops free college tuition program thursday recommended rewrite awards doled students calling 20yearold programs current structure antiquated sen dan blade morrish jennings republican wants lessen amount tuition covered students reach basic award fouryear college give flat 4000 payment year well 5600 average annual tuition rate louisiana hes proposing increase payments higherperforming students morrish offered idea legislative task force reviewing tops amid cost concerns morrish chairman task force determine another meeting whether recommend proposal state lawmakers suggestion would require change state law wouldnt impact students currently receiving tops awards estimated save 20 million year tops began covering tuition costs 1998 credited improving high school performance college graduation rates poor state labored boost education attainment costs shot 290 million school year students reached eligibility standards tuition college campuses rose morrish said current structure antiquated program 20th century 21st century said doesnt account louisianas enactment admission standards fouryear campuses creation community technical college system said idea wasnt aimed lowering tops costs challenging students improve performance offering larger tuition payments stipends achieve higher gradepoint averages act college entrance exam scores high school tops currently tiers offer stipends higherperforming students tuition fouryear school covered anyone reaches 25 gpa 20 act score morrishs proposal would change lowest award fouryear school would pay 4000 higher gpas act scores would needed cover remaining cost tuition know 4000 seems low still lucrative college tuition program united states america 4000 said sen wesley bishop new orleans democrat worried amount would create financial hardships students lawmakers task force want tweak scores required reach level proposal proposals change eligibility requirements payment terms also offered morrish said task force determine ones include list suggestions full legislature additional meetings feb 15 report deadline years lawmakers blocked efforts make significant changes tops monday gov john bel edwards said wasnt interested revising muchbeloved program declaring dont favor changing tops favor funding tops morrish said met edwards lay ideas received good response louisiana faces 1 billion budget gap upcoming financial year begins july 1 tops could risk deep cuts made program isnt fully funded students receiving tuition payments receive pro rata cut thats happened last school year lawmakers covered 70 percent tuition costs eligible students ___ follow melinda deslatte twitter httptwittercommelindadeslatte
| 744 |
<p>LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration on Monday proposed legislation to ensure that taxpayers do not see their state income taxes rise as a result of the federal tax overhaul, saying Michigan’s personal exemption should be increased by $200 more than is scheduled.</p>
<p>Because the state tax code is tied to the federal code, there is concern that the reduction of the federal personal exemption to zero also nixed the state exemption and will lead to a big tax hike if no action is taken.</p>
<p>The legislative fix, first outlined to The Associated Press by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, would essentially clarify that Michigan’s state income tax exemptions continue and also gradually increase the state exemption to $4,500 by 2021. Under current law, it will rise to $4,300, from $4,000, by then.</p>
<p>“The simplest, most fair answer is to restore that exemption and then increase it over the next few years to $4,500 to ensure that Michigan families are protected, that they get whatever tax savings that is due to them at the federal level and that they don’t lose anything at the state level. In fact I think most people will save a little more here at the state level, too,” said Calley, a Republican who is running to succeed the term-limited Snyder.</p>
<p>According to the administration, taxpayers will pay $840 million more in 2018 and $1.6 billion-plus more in 2019 without action. Calley said 98 percent of the impact is because of changes to federal personal exemptions, but raising the state exemption would offset other impacts that will result in tax increases and decreases for some taxpayers depending on the year. He mentioned the elimination of deductions for moving expenses as one example.</p>
<p>On Friday, Republican state Attorney General Bill Schuette, who also is running for governor, said Michigan should not only move to avoid a state tax hike but quickly adopt his plan to reduce the income tax rate from 4.25 percent to 3.9 percent — where it was a decade ago. He said “avoiding a massive, unintentional tax increase is simply not good enough.”</p>
<p>Asked Monday if he supports dropping the income tax to 3.9 percent, Calley said: “We can always have those kinds of discussions, but this is more urgent.” Legislation to cut the tax rate failed in the GOP-controlled Legislature last year and was opposed by Snyder.</p>
<p>More than 40 states have income taxes, and nearly all of them rely to some degree on definitions from the federal tax code. Michigan appears to be among the first where bills will be introduced.</p>
<p>Economists expect that many states will see their revenue rise because they tie their tax laws to federal provisions such as those on personal exemptions, which lower the bills based on the size of households.</p>
<p>Snyder’s proposal was welcomed by key lawmakers and the Michigan League for Public Policy, which advocates for the poor.</p>
<p>House Tax Policy Committee Chairman Jim Tedder, a Clarkston Republican, said the legislation is necessary to prevent potential “incremental burdens” on taxpayers and could be introduced as early as this week. Legislators return to session Wednesday.</p>
<p>“I believe everyone is on the same page to ensure that Michiganders maintain the same exemptions at the state level that they’ve enjoyed in the past,” he said. “In aggregate, this is a pretty easy lift with respect to maintaining the status quo.”</p>
<p>Tedder said he is hopeful, however, that lawmakers can revisit a broader income tax cut or provide targeted tax relief to retirees. He added that he wants to be pragmatic given Snyder’s past concerns about budget implications.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow David Eggert on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00" type="external" /> <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00" type="external">https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00</a> . His work can be found at <a href="" type="internal" /> <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/search/David20Eggert</a> .</p>
<p>LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration on Monday proposed legislation to ensure that taxpayers do not see their state income taxes rise as a result of the federal tax overhaul, saying Michigan’s personal exemption should be increased by $200 more than is scheduled.</p>
<p>Because the state tax code is tied to the federal code, there is concern that the reduction of the federal personal exemption to zero also nixed the state exemption and will lead to a big tax hike if no action is taken.</p>
<p>The legislative fix, first outlined to The Associated Press by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, would essentially clarify that Michigan’s state income tax exemptions continue and also gradually increase the state exemption to $4,500 by 2021. Under current law, it will rise to $4,300, from $4,000, by then.</p>
<p>“The simplest, most fair answer is to restore that exemption and then increase it over the next few years to $4,500 to ensure that Michigan families are protected, that they get whatever tax savings that is due to them at the federal level and that they don’t lose anything at the state level. In fact I think most people will save a little more here at the state level, too,” said Calley, a Republican who is running to succeed the term-limited Snyder.</p>
<p>According to the administration, taxpayers will pay $840 million more in 2018 and $1.6 billion-plus more in 2019 without action. Calley said 98 percent of the impact is because of changes to federal personal exemptions, but raising the state exemption would offset other impacts that will result in tax increases and decreases for some taxpayers depending on the year. He mentioned the elimination of deductions for moving expenses as one example.</p>
<p>On Friday, Republican state Attorney General Bill Schuette, who also is running for governor, said Michigan should not only move to avoid a state tax hike but quickly adopt his plan to reduce the income tax rate from 4.25 percent to 3.9 percent — where it was a decade ago. He said “avoiding a massive, unintentional tax increase is simply not good enough.”</p>
<p>Asked Monday if he supports dropping the income tax to 3.9 percent, Calley said: “We can always have those kinds of discussions, but this is more urgent.” Legislation to cut the tax rate failed in the GOP-controlled Legislature last year and was opposed by Snyder.</p>
<p>More than 40 states have income taxes, and nearly all of them rely to some degree on definitions from the federal tax code. Michigan appears to be among the first where bills will be introduced.</p>
<p>Economists expect that many states will see their revenue rise because they tie their tax laws to federal provisions such as those on personal exemptions, which lower the bills based on the size of households.</p>
<p>Snyder’s proposal was welcomed by key lawmakers and the Michigan League for Public Policy, which advocates for the poor.</p>
<p>House Tax Policy Committee Chairman Jim Tedder, a Clarkston Republican, said the legislation is necessary to prevent potential “incremental burdens” on taxpayers and could be introduced as early as this week. Legislators return to session Wednesday.</p>
<p>“I believe everyone is on the same page to ensure that Michiganders maintain the same exemptions at the state level that they’ve enjoyed in the past,” he said. “In aggregate, this is a pretty easy lift with respect to maintaining the status quo.”</p>
<p>Tedder said he is hopeful, however, that lawmakers can revisit a broader income tax cut or provide targeted tax relief to retirees. He added that he wants to be pragmatic given Snyder’s past concerns about budget implications.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow David Eggert on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00" type="external" /> <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00" type="external">https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00</a> . His work can be found at <a href="" type="internal" /> <a href="" type="internal">https://apnews.com/search/David20Eggert</a> .</p>
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lansing mich ap gov rick snyders administration monday proposed legislation ensure taxpayers see state income taxes rise result federal tax overhaul saying michigans personal exemption increased 200 scheduled state tax code tied federal code concern reduction federal personal exemption zero also nixed state exemption lead big tax hike action taken legislative fix first outlined associated press lt gov brian calley would essentially clarify michigans state income tax exemptions continue also gradually increase state exemption 4500 2021 current law rise 4300 4000 simplest fair answer restore exemption increase next years 4500 ensure michigan families protected get whatever tax savings due federal level dont lose anything state level fact think people save little state level said calley republican running succeed termlimited snyder according administration taxpayers pay 840 million 2018 16 billionplus 2019 without action calley said 98 percent impact changes federal personal exemptions raising state exemption would offset impacts result tax increases decreases taxpayers depending year mentioned elimination deductions moving expenses one example friday republican state attorney general bill schuette also running governor said michigan move avoid state tax hike quickly adopt plan reduce income tax rate 425 percent 39 percent decade ago said avoiding massive unintentional tax increase simply good enough asked monday supports dropping income tax 39 percent calley said always kinds discussions urgent legislation cut tax rate failed gopcontrolled legislature last year opposed snyder 40 states income taxes nearly rely degree definitions federal tax code michigan appears among first bills introduced economists expect many states see revenue rise tie tax laws federal provisions personal exemptions lower bills based size households snyders proposal welcomed key lawmakers michigan league public policy advocates poor house tax policy committee chairman jim tedder clarkston republican said legislation necessary prevent potential incremental burdens taxpayers could introduced early week legislators return session wednesday believe everyone page ensure michiganders maintain exemptions state level theyve enjoyed past said aggregate pretty easy lift respect maintaining status quo tedder said hopeful however lawmakers revisit broader income tax cut provide targeted tax relief retirees added wants pragmatic given snyders past concerns budget implications ___ follow david eggert twitter httpstwittercomdavideggert00 work found httpsapnewscomsearchdavid20eggert lansing mich ap gov rick snyders administration monday proposed legislation ensure taxpayers see state income taxes rise result federal tax overhaul saying michigans personal exemption increased 200 scheduled state tax code tied federal code concern reduction federal personal exemption zero also nixed state exemption lead big tax hike action taken legislative fix first outlined associated press lt gov brian calley would essentially clarify michigans state income tax exemptions continue also gradually increase state exemption 4500 2021 current law rise 4300 4000 simplest fair answer restore exemption increase next years 4500 ensure michigan families protected get whatever tax savings due federal level dont lose anything state level fact think people save little state level said calley republican running succeed termlimited snyder according administration taxpayers pay 840 million 2018 16 billionplus 2019 without action calley said 98 percent impact changes federal personal exemptions raising state exemption would offset impacts result tax increases decreases taxpayers depending year mentioned elimination deductions moving expenses one example friday republican state attorney general bill schuette also running governor said michigan move avoid state tax hike quickly adopt plan reduce income tax rate 425 percent 39 percent decade ago said avoiding massive unintentional tax increase simply good enough asked monday supports dropping income tax 39 percent calley said always kinds discussions urgent legislation cut tax rate failed gopcontrolled legislature last year opposed snyder 40 states income taxes nearly rely degree definitions federal tax code michigan appears among first bills introduced economists expect many states see revenue rise tie tax laws federal provisions personal exemptions lower bills based size households snyders proposal welcomed key lawmakers michigan league public policy advocates poor house tax policy committee chairman jim tedder clarkston republican said legislation necessary prevent potential incremental burdens taxpayers could introduced early week legislators return session wednesday believe everyone page ensure michiganders maintain exemptions state level theyve enjoyed past said aggregate pretty easy lift respect maintaining status quo tedder said hopeful however lawmakers revisit broader income tax cut provide targeted tax relief retirees added wants pragmatic given snyders past concerns budget implications ___ follow david eggert twitter httpstwittercomdavideggert00 work found httpsapnewscomsearchdavid20eggert
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<p>NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s Supreme Court will hear an appeal on Tuesday against a controversial Bollywood film, for the second time in as many weeks, as two states seek to re-impose a ban on the movie, based on an epic poem about a 14th-century queen.</p> FILE PHOTO: Members of the Rajput community protest against the release of the upcoming Bollywood movie 'Padmaavat' in Mumbai, India, January 20, 2018. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui
<p>The film “Padmaavat” ran into trouble after groups critical of the project accused its director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, of distorting history by portraying a Muslim ruler as the “lover” of Queen Padmavati of the Hindu Rajput warrior clan.</p>
<p>Monday’s action comes after the Supreme Court last week cleared the way for the film’s release and blocked state governments from imposing bans on it, saying it had been cleared for release by India’s censor panel.</p>
<p>The central state of Madhya Pradesh and the northwestern state of Rajasthan, both ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asked the court to modify its order for nationwide release of the film.</p>
<p>“We will hear the pleas tomorrow,” Chief Justice Dipak Misra, who is heading a panel of three supreme court judges that will hear the case, said on Monday.</p>
<p>In its request to the court, the government of Rajasthan cited the need to prevent public unrest, in view of sentiment among the Rajput community.</p>
<p>The states’ move comes against a backdrop of continued protests by right-wing groups, such as the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, which blocked traffic in parts of northern India on Sunday and shouted slogans demanding for a complete ban on the film.</p>
<p>Members of a Rajput community group called the Sarwa Kshatriya Mahasabha in the central state of Chhattisgarh have also threatened to disrupt screenings in theatres there.</p>
<p>The group plans to hold a protest meeting on Monday in Raipur, the state capital, to warn cinema owners, and will organize a human chain on Wednesday to demand a complete ban.</p>
<p>“We have&#160;already told the cinema-halls not to screen the film,” Rakesh Singh Bais, the group’s president, told Reuters. “If any one does, he will be responsible for the consequences.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Suchitra Mohanty and Jatindra Dash; Writing by Swati Bhat; Editing by Clarence Fernandez</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela arrested five state police officials for their alleged role in a riot and fire that killed 68 people in an overcrowded police station cell, the country’s public prosecutor said on Saturday.</p> Relatives of Javier Rivas, one of the inmates who died during a riot and fire in the cells of the General Command of the Carabobo Police, react in front of his coffin during his funeral in Valencia, Venezuela March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
<p>“The prosecutor’s office has issued arrest warrants for five officials of PoliCarabobo who have been signaled as responsible for the tragic incident that led to the death of 68 citizens in the cells of the headquarters of said regional police: THEY HAVE BEEN DETAINED #Justice,” tweeted prosecutor Tarek Saab. Saab, a former Socialist Party governor close to leftist President Nicolas Maduro, did not provide any further details on the cause of the disaster, the worst to affect Venezuela’s notoriously violent jails in over two decades.</p> Mourners grieve over the coffin of Abraham Duran, one of the inmates who died during a riot and a fire in the cells of the General Command of the Carabobo Police, during his funeral at the cemetery in Valencia, Venezuela March 30, 2018. REUTERS/Adriana Loureiro
<p>Relatives of dead inmates and one surviving prisoner told Reuters there was a shoot-out with police on Wednesday morning in the jail in Carabobo state capital Valencia.</p>
<p>One inmate’s widow said officials had doused the area with gasoline, which fueled a fire through the small cells strung with hammocks and divided with sheets. There was no immediate comment from Carabobo state police.</p>
<p>Venezuela’s opposition blames the tragedy on Maduro’s inability to reform Venezuela’s lawless jails, where inmates strut around with weapons and orchestrate crimes from cells.</p>
<p>“The situation in detention centers and police jail cells in Venezuela is unacceptable!” said opposition lawmaker Miguel Pizarro.</p> Slideshow (3 Images)
<p>Opposition politicians have also criticized the government for its long silence about the incident. Maduro’s administration only issued a statement late on Friday night expressing its condolences to relatives and the president has yet to publicly speak about the deaths.</p>
<p>A former bus driver and union leader who has grown widely unpopular, Maduro is running for re-election in a May election largely boycotted by the opposition.</p>
<p>With heavy use of state resources and a compliant electoral council, he is expected to win a six-year term despite salary-destroying hyperinflation, a fifth straight year of recession, and rampant crime.</p>
<p>State television focused on showing images of Venezuelans on the beach during the Easter holiday, while Maduro’s ministers also largely remained mum on the Valencia disaster.</p>
<p>But Delcy Rodriguez, the president of the pro-government legislative super body known as the constituent assembly, struck back at criticism of the government’s handling of the jail fire.</p>
<p>“We repudiate the use of Venezuelans’ pain as a political tool,” tweeted Rodriguez.</p>
<p>Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>DHARAMSALA, INDIA (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama called on his people to remain united as the Tibetan community gathered on Saturday in a small hill town to mark 60 years of political asylum in India - although just one federal minister appeared at the event.</p> FILE PHOTO: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama speaks during an interactive session in Bomdila in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, India April 5, 2017. REUTERS/Anuwar Hazarika/File photo
<p>The “Thank You India” event had been scheduled for India’s capital, New Delhi, but was shifted to Dharamsala, a small town in the country’s north where Tibetans run a government in exile, as India tries to avoid a confrontation with China, which views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist.</p>
<p>Officially, New Delhi says its policy toward the Dalai Lama remains the same, and the Tibetan government in exile says it moved the event to Dharamsala out of respect for India’s foreign policy needs. India’s culture minister was the only minister present at the event.</p>
<p>“Today we are celebrating 60 years in exile and we are confident, and we can see how our future shapes up,” the Dalai Lama said at the event.</p>
<p>He emphasized the “strong bond between India and Tibet”, saying the two shared a “deep connection of culture and literature”.</p>
<p>China took control of Tibet in 1950 in what it called a “peaceful liberation”. In March 1959, the Dalai Lama, then 23 years old, fled to India along with his followers.</p>
<p>Then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru welcomed the monk and allowed him to make Dharamsala his seat. But the ties have weakened as India tries to improve relations with China and avoid a standoff such as a 73-day military face-off along a stretch of their disputed border last year.</p>
<p>“From Nehru to Modi, we have followed a one-China policy,” Ram Madhav, the general secretary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party said. The links between India and Tibet were “very little political but more spiritual, religious and cultural,” he added.</p>
<p>Earlier this month, India issued an unprecedented ban on Tibetans holding a rally with the Dalai Lama in New Delhi to mark the 60th anniversary of the start of a failed uprising against Chinese rule.</p>
<p>The Dalai Lama also canceled a visit to the Indian border state of Sikkim this week, hosted by authorities there, officials say, lest it offended China.</p>
<p>That is in contrast to the Dalai Lama’s free movement within India, including the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as its own.</p>
<p>Lobsang Sangay, the head of the Tibetan government in exile, was critical of China’s Tibet policy at Saturday’s event.</p>
<p>“It’s been 60 years since China’s illegal invasion and occupation of Tibet, 60 years of destruction of Tibetan civilization, Tibetan culture and Tibetan identity,” Sangay said, thanking India for its support.</p>
<p>Reporting by Abhishek Madhukar in Dharamsala, writing by Sankalp Phartiyal, editing by Larry King</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian authorities on Saturday arrested billionaire Ziyavudin Magomedov on charges of embezzling more than $35 million, in one of the highest-profile prosecutions of a Russian tycoon in years.</p> Magomed Magomedov, a business partner and brother of co-owner of Russia's Summa group Ziyavudin Magomedov, attends a hearing on his detention at the Tverskoy District Court in Moscow, Russia March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva
<p>Magomedov denied the charges at a pre-trial hearing, where a judge ordered that he be held in custody until May 30.</p>
<p>One of Russia’s richest men, the 49-year-old Magomedov holds assets in construction and logistics through his sprawling Summa Group. He also has investments in U.S. tech ventures, including the Virgin One Hyperloop project.</p>
<p>He was detained along with his business partner and brother, Magomed Magomedov, and Artur Maksidov, the head of a company in the Summa Group that was involved in the construction of a soccer World Cup venue in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.</p>
<p>Both businessmen will also be held in custody until May 30, the court ruled.</p>
<p>At a hearing in Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court to decide whether Magomedov and his associates should be detained before their trial, Judge Maria Sizintseva said they had acted as part of an organized crime group and had tried to put pressure on witnesses. She rejected an offer from Magomedov to put up a $35 million bail bond, and ordered he be detained.</p>
<p>Citing the arguments against granting bail, the judge said Magomedov had access to his own aircraft, and assets abroad. The day before he was detained, he had booked a flight from Moscow to Miami, the judge said.</p>
<p>Summa said it planned to appeal the court decision and was ready to cooperate with the investigation.</p> MUSCULAR STATE
<p>Invited to speak from a cage in the courtroom, Magomedov, dressed in a dark-blue jogging suit, said: “I categorically disagree with the charges presented ... The prosecution case does not stand up to scrutiny.”</p> Slideshow (7 Images)
<p>He said he needed treatment in the United States for a medical problem, and offered to put up the $35 million bail. “I’m willing to pull together this money, so no one has any thoughts that I might go on the run,” Magomedov said.</p>
<p>Magomedov is part of a group of Russian multi-millionaires who, while publicly loyal to the Kremlin, are not in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.</p>
<p>Some members of the group say they are being squeezed by a tough economy, Western sanctions on Russia, and powerful state-run companies that are muscling in on nearly all sectors of the economy.</p>
<p>In past cases when magnates have been prosecuted, some in the Russia business community have said the tycoons were victims of a plot by the Kremlin or by politically connected business rivals - though the authorities deny that.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=NMTP.MM" type="external">Novorossiyskiy Morskoy Torgovyi Port PAO</a> 7.765 NMTP.MM Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange -0.19 (-2.33%) NMTP.MM TRNF_p.MM FESH.MM
<p>People familiar with the Russian judicial system say high-profile corruption cases are rarely fabricated, but that the law is applied selectively, and that prosecutions can be influenced by outside factors.</p>
<p>Ziyavudin Magomedov ranked 63rd last year on the Forbes list of the richest business people in Russia with $1.4 billion. In January, he was listed by the U.S. Treasury Department as one of 96 “oligarchs” close to Putin.</p>
<p>His Caspian Venture Capital fund has investments in ride-hailing service Uber UBER.UL; Diamond Foundry, a company that produces man-made diamonds; and Peek, an online leisure activities company.</p>
<p>Magomedov is also co-executive chairman of Los Angeles-based tech firm Virgin Hyperloop One, which is chaired by Richard Branson. It is one of several firms developing a futuristic transport system that involves propelling people at high speed through sealed tubes.</p>
<p>He also co-owns the Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=NMTP.MM" type="external">NMTP.MM</a>) with Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TRNF_p.MM" type="external">TRNF_p.MM</a>) and transportation group Fesco ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FESH.MM" type="external">FESH.MM</a>).</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber and Christian Lowe; Editing by Larry King</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Saturday led an Easter vigil service, baptizing eight adults, including a formerly undocumented Nigerian migrant beggar who became a hero when he disarmed an Italian thief wielding a cleaver.</p> Pope Francis holds a candle as he leads the Easter vigil mass in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
<p>The baptism took place during a long Holy Saturday, or Easter eve, Mass for some 10,000 people in St. Peter’s Basilica.</p> Pope Francis baptizes a man as he leads the Easter vigil mass in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
<p>The church, the largest in Christendom, was dark at the start of the service before lights were turned on, signifying the passage from darkness to light when the Bible says Jesus rose from the dead.</p>
<p>The pope traditionally welcomes new members of the Church during the Saturday night service.</p>
<p>This year, among those he baptized was John Ogah, 31, who Italian newspapers last year dubbed the “migrant hero” and held up as an example of bravery and good citizenship.</p>
<p>Ogah was begging for change outside a supermarket in a Rome neighborhood where many migrants live last September when he stopped a 37-year-old Italian who had just held up the store with a cleaver and was getting away with about 400 euros, according to the Catholic television station TV2000.</p> Slideshow (7 Images)
<p>The Nigerian, who did not have permission to stay in Italy, held the man down until police arrived and then left the scene, fearing it would be discovered he did not have documents, according to La Repubblica newspaper.</p>
<p>Police using footage from surveillance cameras tracked him down and rewarded him by helping him get legal permission to stay in the country.</p>
<p>An Italian Carabinieri police captain who worked in the neighborhood, Nunzio Carbone, was his godfather, or sponsor, at Saturday’s baptism service.</p>
<p>Carbone and his fellow policemen helped Ogah get his immigration papers. The Nigerian now works as a stockman at a warehouse for a charity organization.</p>
<p>The other newly baptized at the service came from Albania, Peru, Italy and the United States.</p>
<p>Francis has made defense of migrants a key part of his papacy.</p>
<p>On Sunday, the pope ends Holy See services by celebrating an Easter Mass and then delivers his twice-yearly “Urbi et Orbi” (“to the city and the world”) blessing and message from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.</p>
<p>Reporting By Philip Pullella; editing by Jonathan Oatis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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new delhi reuters indias supreme court hear appeal tuesday controversial bollywood film second time many weeks two states seek reimpose ban movie based epic poem 14thcentury queen file photo members rajput community protest release upcoming bollywood movie padmaavat mumbai india january 20 2018 reutersdanish siddiqui film padmaavat ran trouble groups critical project accused director sanjay leela bhansali distorting history portraying muslim ruler lover queen padmavati hindu rajput warrior clan mondays action comes supreme court last week cleared way films release blocked state governments imposing bans saying cleared release indias censor panel central state madhya pradesh northwestern state rajasthan ruled prime minister narendra modis bharatiya janata party bjp asked court modify order nationwide release film hear pleas tomorrow chief justice dipak misra heading panel three supreme court judges hear case said monday request court government rajasthan cited need prevent public unrest view sentiment among rajput community states move comes backdrop continued protests rightwing groups shri rajput karni sena blocked traffic parts northern india sunday shouted slogans demanding complete ban film members rajput community group called sarwa kshatriya mahasabha central state chhattisgarh also threatened disrupt screenings theatres group plans hold protest meeting monday raipur state capital warn cinema owners organize human chain wednesday demand complete ban have160already told cinemahalls screen film rakesh singh bais groups president told reuters one responsible consequences reporting suchitra mohanty jatindra dash writing swati bhat editing clarence fernandez standards thomson reuters trust principles caracas reuters venezuela arrested five state police officials alleged role riot fire killed 68 people overcrowded police station cell countrys public prosecutor said saturday relatives javier rivas one inmates died riot fire cells general command carabobo police react front coffin funeral valencia venezuela march 29 2018 reuterscarlos garcia rawlins prosecutors office issued arrest warrants five officials policarabobo signaled responsible tragic incident led death 68 citizens cells headquarters said regional police detained justice tweeted prosecutor tarek saab saab former socialist party governor close leftist president nicolas maduro provide details cause disaster worst affect venezuelas notoriously violent jails two decades mourners grieve coffin abraham duran one inmates died riot fire cells general command carabobo police funeral cemetery valencia venezuela march 30 2018 reutersadriana loureiro relatives dead inmates one surviving prisoner told reuters shootout police wednesday morning jail carabobo state capital valencia one inmates widow said officials doused area gasoline fueled fire small cells strung hammocks divided sheets immediate comment carabobo state police venezuelas opposition blames tragedy maduros inability reform venezuelas lawless jails inmates strut around weapons orchestrate crimes cells situation detention centers police jail cells venezuela unacceptable said opposition lawmaker miguel pizarro slideshow 3 images opposition politicians also criticized government long silence incident maduros administration issued statement late friday night expressing condolences relatives president yet publicly speak deaths former bus driver union leader grown widely unpopular maduro running reelection may election largely boycotted opposition heavy use state resources compliant electoral council expected win sixyear term despite salarydestroying hyperinflation fifth straight year recession rampant crime state television focused showing images venezuelans beach easter holiday maduros ministers also largely remained mum valencia disaster delcy rodriguez president progovernment legislative super body known constituent assembly struck back criticism governments handling jail fire repudiate use venezuelans pain political tool tweeted rodriguez reporting alexandra ulmer editing sandra maler standards thomson reuters trust principles dharamsala india reuters dalai lama called people remain united tibetan community gathered saturday small hill town mark 60 years political asylum india although one federal minister appeared event file photo tibetan spiritual leader dalai lama speaks interactive session bomdila northeastern state arunachal pradesh india april 5 2017 reutersanuwar hazarikafile photo thank india event scheduled indias capital new delhi shifted dharamsala small town countrys north tibetans run government exile india tries avoid confrontation china views dalai lama dangerous separatist officially new delhi says policy toward dalai lama remains tibetan government exile says moved event dharamsala respect indias foreign policy needs indias culture minister minister present event today celebrating 60 years exile confident see future shapes dalai lama said event emphasized strong bond india tibet saying two shared deep connection culture literature china took control tibet 1950 called peaceful liberation march 1959 dalai lama 23 years old fled india along followers thenprime minister jawaharlal nehru welcomed monk allowed make dharamsala seat ties weakened india tries improve relations china avoid standoff 73day military faceoff along stretch disputed border last year nehru modi followed onechina policy ram madhav general secretary prime minister narendra modis bharatiya janata party said links india tibet little political spiritual religious cultural added earlier month india issued unprecedented ban tibetans holding rally dalai lama new delhi mark 60th anniversary start failed uprising chinese rule dalai lama also canceled visit indian border state sikkim week hosted authorities officials say lest offended china contrast dalai lamas free movement within india including northeastern state arunachal pradesh china claims lobsang sangay head tibetan government exile critical chinas tibet policy saturdays event 60 years since chinas illegal invasion occupation tibet 60 years destruction tibetan civilization tibetan culture tibetan identity sangay said thanking india support reporting abhishek madhukar dharamsala writing sankalp phartiyal editing larry king standards thomson reuters trust principles moscow reuters russian authorities saturday arrested billionaire ziyavudin magomedov charges embezzling 35 million one highestprofile prosecutions russian tycoon years magomed magomedov business partner brother coowner russias summa group ziyavudin magomedov attends hearing detention tverskoy district court moscow russia march 31 2018 reuterstatyana makeyeva magomedov denied charges pretrial hearing judge ordered held custody may 30 one russias richest men 49yearold magomedov holds assets construction logistics sprawling summa group also investments us tech ventures including virgin one hyperloop project detained along business partner brother magomed magomedov artur maksidov head company summa group involved construction soccer world cup venue russian exclave kaliningrad businessmen also held custody may 30 court ruled hearing moscows tverskoy district court decide whether magomedov associates detained trial judge maria sizintseva said acted part organized crime group tried put pressure witnesses rejected offer magomedov put 35 million bail bond ordered detained citing arguments granting bail judge said magomedov access aircraft assets abroad day detained booked flight moscow miami judge said summa said planned appeal court decision ready cooperate investigation muscular state invited speak cage courtroom magomedov dressed darkblue jogging suit said categorically disagree charges presented prosecution case stand scrutiny slideshow 7 images said needed treatment united states medical problem offered put 35 million bail im willing pull together money one thoughts might go run magomedov said magomedov part group russian multimillionaires publicly loyal kremlin president vladimir putins inner circle members group say squeezed tough economy western sanctions russia powerful staterun companies muscling nearly sectors economy past cases magnates prosecuted russia business community said tycoons victims plot kremlin politically connected business rivals though authorities deny novorossiyskiy morskoy torgovyi port pao 7765 nmtpmm moscow interbank currency exchange 019 233 nmtpmm trnf_pmm feshmm people familiar russian judicial system say highprofile corruption cases rarely fabricated law applied selectively prosecutions influenced outside factors ziyavudin magomedov ranked 63rd last year forbes list richest business people russia 14 billion january listed us treasury department one 96 oligarchs close putin caspian venture capital fund investments ridehailing service uber uberul diamond foundry company produces manmade diamonds peek online leisure activities company magomedov also coexecutive chairman los angelesbased tech firm virgin hyperloop one chaired richard branson one several firms developing futuristic transport system involves propelling people high speed sealed tubes also coowns novorossiysk commercial sea port nmtpmm russian oil pipeline monopoly transneft trnf_pmm transportation group fesco feshmm additional reporting gleb stolyarov writing gabrielle tetraultfarber christian lowe editing larry king standards thomson reuters trust principles vatican city reuters pope francis saturday led easter vigil service baptizing eight adults including formerly undocumented nigerian migrant beggar became hero disarmed italian thief wielding cleaver pope francis holds candle leads easter vigil mass saint peters basilica vatican march 31 2018 reutersstefano rellandini baptism took place long holy saturday easter eve mass 10000 people st peters basilica pope francis baptizes man leads easter vigil mass saint peters basilica vatican march 31 2018 reutersstefano rellandini church largest christendom dark start service lights turned signifying passage darkness light bible says jesus rose dead pope traditionally welcomes new members church saturday night service year among baptized john ogah 31 italian newspapers last year dubbed migrant hero held example bravery good citizenship ogah begging change outside supermarket rome neighborhood many migrants live last september stopped 37yearold italian held store cleaver getting away 400 euros according catholic television station tv2000 slideshow 7 images nigerian permission stay italy held man police arrived left scene fearing would discovered documents according la repubblica newspaper police using footage surveillance cameras tracked rewarded helping get legal permission stay country italian carabinieri police captain worked neighborhood nunzio carbone godfather sponsor saturdays baptism service carbone fellow policemen helped ogah get immigration papers nigerian works stockman warehouse charity organization newly baptized service came albania peru italy united states francis made defense migrants key part papacy sunday pope ends holy see services celebrating easter mass delivers twiceyearly urbi et orbi city world blessing message central balcony st peters basilica reporting philip pullella editing jonathan oatis standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>The cause was a heart ailment, said his granddaughter, Laurie Morrissey. He died at an assisted-living home near his residence in Milledgeville, Georgia.</p>
<p>Usery – burly, blue-eyed, snowy-haired and with the soft lilt of his native Georgia – helped resolve hundreds of labor contract disputes involving auto, trucking, airline, education and postal workers. Theodore W. Kheel, the noted labor peacemaker, once told the New York Times that Usery “has been the most successful mediator in the country’s history.”</p>
<p>Labor leaders, as well as many in management, saw Usery as a patient, sometimes wily facilitator of trust where it had been absent and of compromise where it was desperately needed. One AFL-CIO union leader described him to The Washington Post in 1976 as “a country slicker” who masked his brainpower behind a rustic persona and his ever-present cigar.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>At various times, to various parties, he appealed to the national interest, to business interests and to workers’ interests to resolve labor-management quarrels. He said that he was willing to take any flak if it served the negotiating process.</p>
<p>“If they want to make me into a pissing post, that’s okay if it’s necessary for a settlement,” he once quipped.</p>
<p>He grew up during the Great Depression and rose through union ranks at a cork factory. The International Association of Machinists rewarded his organizing talent by sending him to Cape Canaveral, Florida, to negotiate contracts involving the burgeoning aerospace industry. He also tried to integrate unions in the South. At one Florida mill, he recalled, “I was run out of town by the Ku Klux Klan for proposing to hold a meeting with blacks and whites.”</p>
<p>In the 1960s, he represented the union on a presidential committee involving labor at missile sites, a position that raised his profile with political leaders of all stripes. In 1969, President Richard Nixon, a Republican, installed Usery, a Democrat, as assistant secretary of labor for labor-management relations.</p>
<p>Usery was credited with helping avert national railway shutdowns and shortening strikes through his shrewdness in calling all parties back to negotiations, often held around-the-clock.</p>
<p>Recalling a 1973 teachers strike in Philadelphia, a colleague recounted to The Post how Usery used exhaustion to his advantage as a mediator: “When they were really on the ropes, he said, ‘Okay we need to take a break. Everybody go back home, have a shower and get something to eat – and meet back here in two hours.’ When they got back he said, ‘Now we’re not going to have any more of that 36-hour stuff, are we?’ The strike was settled in another three hours.”</p>
<p>In 1971, he helped hammer out the first collective bargaining agreement – covering 650,000 employees among seven unions – in the newly created, semiautonomous U.S. Postal Service.</p>
<p>In 1973, Usery was named director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, effectively the government’s top labor mediator. The next year, he successfully mediated the National Football League preseason strike and, in a round of marathon sessions, also helped shape compromises that ended a 13-month walkout of mine workers in Harlan County, Kentucky.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Although he spent years with an administration viewed as business-friendly, Usery retained the confidence of union leaders. In 1973, the aging AFL-CIO President George Meany recruited Usery as his No. 3 in the organization – putting Usery on a path to succeed him. Usery accepted, then reversed himself at the personal urging of Nixon.</p>
<p>Usery briefly held the position of Labor secretary under Ford before the administration was swept out of office in the 1976 election. Usery then formed a self-titled consulting business in the Washington area, which he operated until 2004.</p>
<p>In an era of shuttering auto plants and increased competition from Japanese carmakers, Usery was instrumental in drafting an agreement in the early 1980s between the United Automobile Workers union and a joint production company formed by General Motors and Toyota.</p>
<p>A closed GM plant in Fremont, California, reopened as New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. Based on a new contract – which addressed GM’s problems turning out quality small cars and Toyota’s headaches over congressionally mandated import restrictions – the factory became a model for subsequent efforts around the country.</p>
<p>In October 1994, the Clinton White House asked Usery to serve as a federal mediator in the months-old baseball work stoppage. The simmering distrust between players and owners brought the cancellation of the remainder of the 1994 season and the World Series that year.</p>
<p>The 232-day conflict stemmed from a decision by team owners to enforce salary caps on players and limit free agency. The impasse remained until then-federal judge Sonia Sotomayor, now a U.S. Supreme Court justice, issued an injunction that ended the strike and prevented the owners from unilaterally creating dramatic new work rules. It proved one of the few times in Usery’s career when he was unable to lead his parties to a settlement.</p>
<p>Willie Julian Usery Jr. – his surname was pronounced US-er-ee – was born in Hardwick, Georgia, on Dec. 21, 1923. His parents worked at a state hospital, his father as a postal clerk and his mother as a nurses’ aide and laundry room attendant.</p>
<p>He served in the Navy aboard a repair vessel in the Pacific during World War II, then returned to Georgia after his discharge and was hired at the cork company. He took night classes to earn a law degree but left school as his union activism deepened.</p>
<p>He was married to Gussie Mae Smith from 1942 until her death in 2005. The next year, he married Fran Pardee. Besides his wife, survivors include a son from his first marriage, Melvin Usery of Milledgeville; and a granddaughter.</p>
<p>Usery once told The Post that he amassed an arsenal of jokes to dole out in tense negotiations. One involved a hapless football team facing off against the powerhouse Georgia Tech. With every play, the team lost 10 yards, and a man shouted repeatedly from the bleachers, “Give Calhoun the ball!” in the hope that the player might finally break the Tech defense.</p>
<p>Calhoun never got the ball, and the team kept losing 10 yards at a time. Calhoun walked over to the stands, spotted the man yelling his name and stated firmly, “Calhoun don’t want that ball.”</p>
<p>“There have been several times,” Usery remarked, as he wrestled with yet another dispute, “when I wasn’t sure I wanted that ball.”</p>
<p>usery-obit</p>
| false | 2 |
cause heart ailment said granddaughter laurie morrissey died assistedliving home near residence milledgeville georgia usery burly blueeyed snowyhaired soft lilt native georgia helped resolve hundreds labor contract disputes involving auto trucking airline education postal workers theodore w kheel noted labor peacemaker told new york times usery successful mediator countrys history labor leaders well many management saw usery patient sometimes wily facilitator trust absent compromise desperately needed one aflcio union leader described washington post 1976 country slicker masked brainpower behind rustic persona everpresent cigar advertisement various times various parties appealed national interest business interests workers interests resolve labormanagement quarrels said willing take flak served negotiating process want make pissing post thats okay necessary settlement quipped grew great depression rose union ranks cork factory international association machinists rewarded organizing talent sending cape canaveral florida negotiate contracts involving burgeoning aerospace industry also tried integrate unions south one florida mill recalled run town ku klux klan proposing hold meeting blacks whites 1960s represented union presidential committee involving labor missile sites position raised profile political leaders stripes 1969 president richard nixon republican installed usery democrat assistant secretary labor labormanagement relations usery credited helping avert national railway shutdowns shortening strikes shrewdness calling parties back negotiations often held aroundtheclock recalling 1973 teachers strike philadelphia colleague recounted post usery used exhaustion advantage mediator really ropes said okay need take break everybody go back home shower get something eat meet back two hours got back said going 36hour stuff strike settled another three hours 1971 helped hammer first collective bargaining agreement covering 650000 employees among seven unions newly created semiautonomous us postal service 1973 usery named director federal mediation conciliation service effectively governments top labor mediator next year successfully mediated national football league preseason strike round marathon sessions also helped shape compromises ended 13month walkout mine workers harlan county kentucky advertisement although spent years administration viewed businessfriendly usery retained confidence union leaders 1973 aging aflcio president george meany recruited usery 3 organization putting usery path succeed usery accepted reversed personal urging nixon usery briefly held position labor secretary ford administration swept office 1976 election usery formed selftitled consulting business washington area operated 2004 era shuttering auto plants increased competition japanese carmakers usery instrumental drafting agreement early 1980s united automobile workers union joint production company formed general motors toyota closed gm plant fremont california reopened new united motor manufacturing inc based new contract addressed gms problems turning quality small cars toyotas headaches congressionally mandated import restrictions factory became model subsequent efforts around country october 1994 clinton white house asked usery serve federal mediator monthsold baseball work stoppage simmering distrust players owners brought cancellation remainder 1994 season world series year 232day conflict stemmed decision team owners enforce salary caps players limit free agency impasse remained thenfederal judge sonia sotomayor us supreme court justice issued injunction ended strike prevented owners unilaterally creating dramatic new work rules proved one times userys career unable lead parties settlement willie julian usery jr surname pronounced useree born hardwick georgia dec 21 1923 parents worked state hospital father postal clerk mother nurses aide laundry room attendant served navy aboard repair vessel pacific world war ii returned georgia discharge hired cork company took night classes earn law degree left school union activism deepened married gussie mae smith 1942 death 2005 next year married fran pardee besides wife survivors include son first marriage melvin usery milledgeville granddaughter usery told post amassed arsenal jokes dole tense negotiations one involved hapless football team facing powerhouse georgia tech every play team lost 10 yards man shouted repeatedly bleachers give calhoun ball hope player might finally break tech defense calhoun never got ball team kept losing 10 yards time calhoun walked stands spotted man yelling name stated firmly calhoun dont want ball several times usery remarked wrestled yet another dispute wasnt sure wanted ball useryobit
| 632 |
<p>JERUSALEM (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence placed his hand on the hallowed Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City on Tuesday as he wrapped up a four-day trip to the Mideast that ended with Palestinians still fuming over the Trump administration’s decision to recognize the city as Israel’s capital.</p>
<p>On a solemn visit to the holiest site where Jews can pray, Pence tucked a small white note of prayer in the wall’s cracks after touring the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.</p>
<p>During his first trip to the region as vice president, Pence sought to enlist the help of Arab leaders in Egypt and Jordan on the Mideast peace process and used a high-profile speech to the Knesset to reaffirm President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital and accelerate plans to open a U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.</p>
<p>But Pence’s willingness to meet with Palestinian leaders — he told The Associated Press in an interview that the “door’s open” — was rebuffed by President Mahmoud Abbas, who canceled meetings last month and offered a not-so-subtle snub by overlapping with Pence in Jordan from Saturday evening until midday Sunday.</p>
<p>Several Arab lawmakers disrupted the start of Pence’s speech to the Knesset, holding signs that said, “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine.”</p>
<p>Vice President Mike Pence is visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem, offering prayers at the holiest site where Jews can pray amid tensions with the Palestinians. He also met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. (Jan. 23)</p>
<p>Much of Pence’s trip focused on working with U.S. partners to counter terrorism and make the case for persecuted Christian minorities in the Middle East. But shortly before Air Force Two departed Jerusalem, Abbas’ ruling Fatah party called for a general strike to protest Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital — another escalation after the Trump administration had raised hopes of a cooling-down period.</p>
<p>“The trip made zero progress in bringing the Palestinians back to the table,” Ilan Goldenberg, director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, wrote in an email. “In fact, it probably only hardened the Palestinian position.”</p>
<p>Aaron David Miller, a Wilson Center distinguished fellow who served as a State Department Middle East analyst and negotiator, said the trip shouldn’t be judged in terms of accomplishments. Pence wasn’t going to make any breakthroughs, largely because of the Palestinian freeze-out after Trump’s announcement, he said.</p>
<p>In negotiations like those hoped for between the Israelis and Palestinians, Miller said, the third party in those talks needs to prod and cajole using both honey and vinegar.</p>
<p>But, Miller said, “we’ve taken the application of the honey to an extreme.”</p>
<p>A senior White House official said top negotiators for the Trump administration, Jared Kushner, a senior adviser and the president’s son-in-law, and Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s special representative for international negotiations, had not spoken to Palestinian leaders since just before Trump’s Dec. 6 announcement. The official wasn’t authorized to describe private deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.</p>
<p>Trump’s announcement in December declaring Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital has created reverberations through the region and countered decades of U.S. foreign policy and international consensus that Jerusalem’s status should be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.</p>
<p>The Palestinians have pre-emptively rejected any peace proposal floated by the Trump administration amid concerns it would fall far below their hopes for an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza, lands captured by Israel in the 1967 war.</p>
<p>Pence reiterated throughout his travels that the U.S. would accept a two-state solution — if both parties agreed — and would respect the status quo with regard to holy sites and make no determination on final status with regard to boundaries.</p>
<p>Jerusalem’s status, a central issue in the decadeslong Israeli-Palestinian conflict, remained at the forefront.</p>
<p>Throughout his visit, Pence expressed a strong connection to Israel, most visibly at the Western Wall.</p>
<p>Wearing a Jewish skullcap on his head, he held his right hand on the wall momentarily, his eyes closed.</p>
<p>Pence aides called it a “personal visit,” in the same manner in which Trump prayed there during his visit to Israel last year. The vice president was joined by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, the rabbi of the wall, and Mordechai “Suli” Elias, the director general of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.</p>
<p>Ambassador Dennis Ross, who has worked for Republican and Democratic administrations and, most recently, was a special assistant to President Barack Obama, said Pence emphasized the administration’s outreach to Israel. “The symbolism of this administration in terms of its commitment to Israel is really quite extraordinary,” Ross said. “Symbolism counts.”</p>
<p>Ross said the Trump administration has put itself in a “very good position” where it can ask Israel to take “hard steps” on the peace issue, but he said it was hard to know whether it would make the ask.</p>
<p>Pence, meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, said the decision on the capital had removed a thorny issue, and “set the table for the opportunity to move forward in meaningful negotiations to achieve a lasting peace.”</p>
<p>Rivlin responded with an Arabic expression, “Inshallah,” adding it meant “with God’s help.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Aron Heller in Jerusalem and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.</p>
<p>JERUSALEM (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence placed his hand on the hallowed Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City on Tuesday as he wrapped up a four-day trip to the Mideast that ended with Palestinians still fuming over the Trump administration’s decision to recognize the city as Israel’s capital.</p>
<p>On a solemn visit to the holiest site where Jews can pray, Pence tucked a small white note of prayer in the wall’s cracks after touring the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.</p>
<p>During his first trip to the region as vice president, Pence sought to enlist the help of Arab leaders in Egypt and Jordan on the Mideast peace process and used a high-profile speech to the Knesset to reaffirm President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital and accelerate plans to open a U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.</p>
<p>But Pence’s willingness to meet with Palestinian leaders — he told The Associated Press in an interview that the “door’s open” — was rebuffed by President Mahmoud Abbas, who canceled meetings last month and offered a not-so-subtle snub by overlapping with Pence in Jordan from Saturday evening until midday Sunday.</p>
<p>Several Arab lawmakers disrupted the start of Pence’s speech to the Knesset, holding signs that said, “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine.”</p>
<p>Vice President Mike Pence is visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem, offering prayers at the holiest site where Jews can pray amid tensions with the Palestinians. He also met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. (Jan. 23)</p>
<p>Much of Pence’s trip focused on working with U.S. partners to counter terrorism and make the case for persecuted Christian minorities in the Middle East. But shortly before Air Force Two departed Jerusalem, Abbas’ ruling Fatah party called for a general strike to protest Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital — another escalation after the Trump administration had raised hopes of a cooling-down period.</p>
<p>“The trip made zero progress in bringing the Palestinians back to the table,” Ilan Goldenberg, director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, wrote in an email. “In fact, it probably only hardened the Palestinian position.”</p>
<p>Aaron David Miller, a Wilson Center distinguished fellow who served as a State Department Middle East analyst and negotiator, said the trip shouldn’t be judged in terms of accomplishments. Pence wasn’t going to make any breakthroughs, largely because of the Palestinian freeze-out after Trump’s announcement, he said.</p>
<p>In negotiations like those hoped for between the Israelis and Palestinians, Miller said, the third party in those talks needs to prod and cajole using both honey and vinegar.</p>
<p>But, Miller said, “we’ve taken the application of the honey to an extreme.”</p>
<p>A senior White House official said top negotiators for the Trump administration, Jared Kushner, a senior adviser and the president’s son-in-law, and Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s special representative for international negotiations, had not spoken to Palestinian leaders since just before Trump’s Dec. 6 announcement. The official wasn’t authorized to describe private deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.</p>
<p>Trump’s announcement in December declaring Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital has created reverberations through the region and countered decades of U.S. foreign policy and international consensus that Jerusalem’s status should be decided in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.</p>
<p>The Palestinians have pre-emptively rejected any peace proposal floated by the Trump administration amid concerns it would fall far below their hopes for an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza, lands captured by Israel in the 1967 war.</p>
<p>Pence reiterated throughout his travels that the U.S. would accept a two-state solution — if both parties agreed — and would respect the status quo with regard to holy sites and make no determination on final status with regard to boundaries.</p>
<p>Jerusalem’s status, a central issue in the decadeslong Israeli-Palestinian conflict, remained at the forefront.</p>
<p>Throughout his visit, Pence expressed a strong connection to Israel, most visibly at the Western Wall.</p>
<p>Wearing a Jewish skullcap on his head, he held his right hand on the wall momentarily, his eyes closed.</p>
<p>Pence aides called it a “personal visit,” in the same manner in which Trump prayed there during his visit to Israel last year. The vice president was joined by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, the rabbi of the wall, and Mordechai “Suli” Elias, the director general of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.</p>
<p>Ambassador Dennis Ross, who has worked for Republican and Democratic administrations and, most recently, was a special assistant to President Barack Obama, said Pence emphasized the administration’s outreach to Israel. “The symbolism of this administration in terms of its commitment to Israel is really quite extraordinary,” Ross said. “Symbolism counts.”</p>
<p>Ross said the Trump administration has put itself in a “very good position” where it can ask Israel to take “hard steps” on the peace issue, but he said it was hard to know whether it would make the ask.</p>
<p>Pence, meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, said the decision on the capital had removed a thorny issue, and “set the table for the opportunity to move forward in meaningful negotiations to achieve a lasting peace.”</p>
<p>Rivlin responded with an Arabic expression, “Inshallah,” adding it meant “with God’s help.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Aron Heller in Jerusalem and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.</p>
| false | 2 |
jerusalem ap vice president mike pence placed hand hallowed western wall jerusalems old city tuesday wrapped fourday trip mideast ended palestinians still fuming trump administrations decision recognize city israels capital solemn visit holiest site jews pray pence tucked small white note prayer walls cracks touring yad vashem holocaust memorial israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu first trip region vice president pence sought enlist help arab leaders egypt jordan mideast peace process used highprofile speech knesset reaffirm president donald trumps decision recognize jerusalem capital accelerate plans open us embassy jerusalem pences willingness meet palestinian leaders told associated press interview doors open rebuffed president mahmoud abbas canceled meetings last month offered notsosubtle snub overlapping pence jordan saturday evening midday sunday several arab lawmakers disrupted start pences speech knesset holding signs said jerusalem capital palestine vice president mike pence visiting western wall jerusalem offering prayers holiest site jews pray amid tensions palestinians also met israeli president reuven rivlin jan 23 much pences trip focused working us partners counter terrorism make case persecuted christian minorities middle east shortly air force two departed jerusalem abbas ruling fatah party called general strike protest trumps recognition jerusalem capital another escalation trump administration raised hopes coolingdown period trip made zero progress bringing palestinians back table ilan goldenberg director middle east security program center new american security wrote email fact probably hardened palestinian position aaron david miller wilson center distinguished fellow served state department middle east analyst negotiator said trip shouldnt judged terms accomplishments pence wasnt going make breakthroughs largely palestinian freezeout trumps announcement said negotiations like hoped israelis palestinians miller said third party talks needs prod cajole using honey vinegar miller said weve taken application honey extreme senior white house official said top negotiators trump administration jared kushner senior adviser presidents soninlaw jason greenblatt trumps special representative international negotiations spoken palestinian leaders since trumps dec 6 announcement official wasnt authorized describe private deliberations spoke condition anonymity trumps announcement december declaring jerusalem israels capital created reverberations region countered decades us foreign policy international consensus jerusalems status decided negotiations israel palestinians palestinians preemptively rejected peace proposal floated trump administration amid concerns would fall far hopes independent state west bank east jerusalem gaza lands captured israel 1967 war pence reiterated throughout travels us would accept twostate solution parties agreed would respect status quo regard holy sites make determination final status regard boundaries jerusalems status central issue decadeslong israelipalestinian conflict remained forefront throughout visit pence expressed strong connection israel visibly western wall wearing jewish skullcap head held right hand wall momentarily eyes closed pence aides called personal visit manner trump prayed visit israel last year vice president joined rabbi shmuel rabinovitch rabbi wall mordechai suli elias director general western wall heritage foundation ambassador dennis ross worked republican democratic administrations recently special assistant president barack obama said pence emphasized administrations outreach israel symbolism administration terms commitment israel really quite extraordinary ross said symbolism counts ross said trump administration put good position ask israel take hard steps peace issue said hard know whether would make ask pence meeting israeli president reuven rivlin said decision capital removed thorny issue set table opportunity move forward meaningful negotiations achieve lasting peace rivlin responded arabic expression inshallah adding meant gods help ___ associated press writers aron heller jerusalem darlene superville washington contributed report jerusalem ap vice president mike pence placed hand hallowed western wall jerusalems old city tuesday wrapped fourday trip mideast ended palestinians still fuming trump administrations decision recognize city israels capital solemn visit holiest site jews pray pence tucked small white note prayer walls cracks touring yad vashem holocaust memorial israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu first trip region vice president pence sought enlist help arab leaders egypt jordan mideast peace process used highprofile speech knesset reaffirm president donald trumps decision recognize jerusalem capital accelerate plans open us embassy jerusalem pences willingness meet palestinian leaders told associated press interview doors open rebuffed president mahmoud abbas canceled meetings last month offered notsosubtle snub overlapping pence jordan saturday evening midday sunday several arab lawmakers disrupted start pences speech knesset holding signs said jerusalem capital palestine vice president mike pence visiting western wall jerusalem offering prayers holiest site jews pray amid tensions palestinians also met israeli president reuven rivlin jan 23 much pences trip focused working us partners counter terrorism make case persecuted christian minorities middle east shortly air force two departed jerusalem abbas ruling fatah party called general strike protest trumps recognition jerusalem capital another escalation trump administration raised hopes coolingdown period trip made zero progress bringing palestinians back table ilan goldenberg director middle east security program center new american security wrote email fact probably hardened palestinian position aaron david miller wilson center distinguished fellow served state department middle east analyst negotiator said trip shouldnt judged terms accomplishments pence wasnt going make breakthroughs largely palestinian freezeout trumps announcement said negotiations like hoped israelis palestinians miller said third party talks needs prod cajole using honey vinegar miller said weve taken application honey extreme senior white house official said top negotiators trump administration jared kushner senior adviser presidents soninlaw jason greenblatt trumps special representative international negotiations spoken palestinian leaders since trumps dec 6 announcement official wasnt authorized describe private deliberations spoke condition anonymity trumps announcement december declaring jerusalem israels capital created reverberations region countered decades us foreign policy international consensus jerusalems status decided negotiations israel palestinians palestinians preemptively rejected peace proposal floated trump administration amid concerns would fall far hopes independent state west bank east jerusalem gaza lands captured israel 1967 war pence reiterated throughout travels us would accept twostate solution parties agreed would respect status quo regard holy sites make determination final status regard boundaries jerusalems status central issue decadeslong israelipalestinian conflict remained forefront throughout visit pence expressed strong connection israel visibly western wall wearing jewish skullcap head held right hand wall momentarily eyes closed pence aides called personal visit manner trump prayed visit israel last year vice president joined rabbi shmuel rabinovitch rabbi wall mordechai suli elias director general western wall heritage foundation ambassador dennis ross worked republican democratic administrations recently special assistant president barack obama said pence emphasized administrations outreach israel symbolism administration terms commitment israel really quite extraordinary ross said symbolism counts ross said trump administration put good position ask israel take hard steps peace issue said hard know whether would make ask pence meeting israeli president reuven rivlin said decision capital removed thorny issue set table opportunity move forward meaningful negotiations achieve lasting peace rivlin responded arabic expression inshallah adding meant gods help ___ associated press writers aron heller jerusalem darlene superville washington contributed report
| 1,088 |
<p>HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut’s highest court ruled Thursday on an issue that most people may think is already settled, saying doctors have a duty to keep patients’ medical records confidential and can be sued if they don’t.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court’s 6-0 decision overturned the ruling of a lower court judge who said Connecticut had yet to recognize doctor-patient confidentiality.</p>
<p>The high court’s ruling reinstated a lawsuit by former New Canaan resident Emily Byrne against the Avery Center for Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology in Westport.</p>
<p>“It’s particularly important for not only my client but for all patients receiving medical care in Connecticut,” Byrne’s lawyer, Bruce Elstein, said. “This case has established for the first time that there’s a duty of confidentiality. ... That’s groundbreaking.”</p>
<p>Byrne, who now lives in Montpelier, Vermont, alleges the doctor’s office, without her permission and without warning, sent her medical file to a probate court in New Haven in 2005 under a subpoena issued by an attorney for her child’s father. She alleges the father was then able to look at her medical file and use the highly personal information to harass, threaten and humiliate her, including filing seven lawsuits and threatening to file criminal complaints.</p>
<p>The father had subpoenaed the medical file in a paternity case.</p>
<p>Byrne sued the Avery Center in 2007 for alleged negligence in failing to protect her medical file, infliction of emotional distress and failing to follow state and federal medical privacy laws. But state Judge Richard Arnold in Bridgeport dismissed her claims in 2015.</p>
<p>Arnold ruled that Connecticut law, unlike laws in many other states, had yet to recognize a duty of confidentiality between doctors and their patients, or that communications between patients and health care providers are privileged under common law. Byrne appealed Arnold’s decision.</p>
<p>The attorney for the Avery Center, James Biondo, did not return a message seeking comment Thursday.</p>
<p>Biondo had argued there is no common law duty for Connecticut doctors to keep patients’ information confidential. He also wrote in court documents that Byrne signed a statement for the Avery Center confirming she had reviewed the center’s privacy policy, which notifies patients that it is under no obligation to seek their authorization when complying with subpoenas.</p>
<p>There is a state law that prohibits disclosure of patient information by doctors, but there is an exception that allows for information to be released without the patient’s consent “pursuant to ... the rules of court.”</p>
<p>Byrne accused the Avery Center of failing to comply with the state law as well as the federal law on patient information confidentiality — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. The federal law says a medical provider can disclose patient information in response to a subpoena not issued by a judge, if reasonable efforts have been made to notify the patient of the subpoena.</p>
<p>Byrne said she was not given an opportunity to object to the Avery Center releasing her medical file under subpoena.</p>
<p>The Avery Center said the appeal centered on common law and HIPAA was irrelevant.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>This story corrects the summary to say the father of Byrne’s child was able to view Byrnes’ medical file, not the husband of her child.</p>
<p>HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut’s highest court ruled Thursday on an issue that most people may think is already settled, saying doctors have a duty to keep patients’ medical records confidential and can be sued if they don’t.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court’s 6-0 decision overturned the ruling of a lower court judge who said Connecticut had yet to recognize doctor-patient confidentiality.</p>
<p>The high court’s ruling reinstated a lawsuit by former New Canaan resident Emily Byrne against the Avery Center for Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology in Westport.</p>
<p>“It’s particularly important for not only my client but for all patients receiving medical care in Connecticut,” Byrne’s lawyer, Bruce Elstein, said. “This case has established for the first time that there’s a duty of confidentiality. ... That’s groundbreaking.”</p>
<p>Byrne, who now lives in Montpelier, Vermont, alleges the doctor’s office, without her permission and without warning, sent her medical file to a probate court in New Haven in 2005 under a subpoena issued by an attorney for her child’s father. She alleges the father was then able to look at her medical file and use the highly personal information to harass, threaten and humiliate her, including filing seven lawsuits and threatening to file criminal complaints.</p>
<p>The father had subpoenaed the medical file in a paternity case.</p>
<p>Byrne sued the Avery Center in 2007 for alleged negligence in failing to protect her medical file, infliction of emotional distress and failing to follow state and federal medical privacy laws. But state Judge Richard Arnold in Bridgeport dismissed her claims in 2015.</p>
<p>Arnold ruled that Connecticut law, unlike laws in many other states, had yet to recognize a duty of confidentiality between doctors and their patients, or that communications between patients and health care providers are privileged under common law. Byrne appealed Arnold’s decision.</p>
<p>The attorney for the Avery Center, James Biondo, did not return a message seeking comment Thursday.</p>
<p>Biondo had argued there is no common law duty for Connecticut doctors to keep patients’ information confidential. He also wrote in court documents that Byrne signed a statement for the Avery Center confirming she had reviewed the center’s privacy policy, which notifies patients that it is under no obligation to seek their authorization when complying with subpoenas.</p>
<p>There is a state law that prohibits disclosure of patient information by doctors, but there is an exception that allows for information to be released without the patient’s consent “pursuant to ... the rules of court.”</p>
<p>Byrne accused the Avery Center of failing to comply with the state law as well as the federal law on patient information confidentiality — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. The federal law says a medical provider can disclose patient information in response to a subpoena not issued by a judge, if reasonable efforts have been made to notify the patient of the subpoena.</p>
<p>Byrne said she was not given an opportunity to object to the Avery Center releasing her medical file under subpoena.</p>
<p>The Avery Center said the appeal centered on common law and HIPAA was irrelevant.</p>
<p>____</p>
<p>This story corrects the summary to say the father of Byrne’s child was able to view Byrnes’ medical file, not the husband of her child.</p>
| false | 2 |
hartford conn ap connecticuts highest court ruled thursday issue people may think already settled saying doctors duty keep patients medical records confidential sued dont supreme courts 60 decision overturned ruling lower court judge said connecticut yet recognize doctorpatient confidentiality high courts ruling reinstated lawsuit former new canaan resident emily byrne avery center obstetrics amp gynecology westport particularly important client patients receiving medical care connecticut byrnes lawyer bruce elstein said case established first time theres duty confidentiality thats groundbreaking byrne lives montpelier vermont alleges doctors office without permission without warning sent medical file probate court new 2005 subpoena issued attorney childs father alleges father able look medical file use highly personal information harass threaten humiliate including filing seven lawsuits threatening file criminal complaints father subpoenaed medical file paternity case byrne sued avery center 2007 alleged negligence failing protect medical file infliction emotional distress failing follow state federal medical privacy laws state judge richard arnold bridgeport dismissed claims 2015 arnold ruled connecticut law unlike laws many states yet recognize duty confidentiality doctors patients communications patients health care providers privileged common law byrne appealed arnolds decision attorney avery center james biondo return message seeking comment thursday biondo argued common law duty connecticut doctors keep patients information confidential also wrote court documents byrne signed statement avery center confirming reviewed centers privacy policy notifies patients obligation seek authorization complying subpoenas state law prohibits disclosure patient information doctors exception allows information released without patients consent pursuant rules court byrne accused avery center failing comply state law well federal law patient information confidentiality health insurance portability accountability act hipaa federal law says medical provider disclose patient information response subpoena issued judge reasonable efforts made notify patient subpoena byrne said given opportunity object avery center releasing medical file subpoena avery center said appeal centered common law hipaa irrelevant ____ story corrects summary say father byrnes child able view byrnes medical file husband child hartford conn ap connecticuts highest court ruled thursday issue people may think already settled saying doctors duty keep patients medical records confidential sued dont supreme courts 60 decision overturned ruling lower court judge said connecticut yet recognize doctorpatient confidentiality high courts ruling reinstated lawsuit former new canaan resident emily byrne avery center obstetrics amp gynecology westport particularly important client patients receiving medical care connecticut byrnes lawyer bruce elstein said case established first time theres duty confidentiality thats groundbreaking byrne lives montpelier vermont alleges doctors office without permission without warning sent medical file probate court new 2005 subpoena issued attorney childs father alleges father able look medical file use highly personal information harass threaten humiliate including filing seven lawsuits threatening file criminal complaints father subpoenaed medical file paternity case byrne sued avery center 2007 alleged negligence failing protect medical file infliction emotional distress failing follow state federal medical privacy laws state judge richard arnold bridgeport dismissed claims 2015 arnold ruled connecticut law unlike laws many states yet recognize duty confidentiality doctors patients communications patients health care providers privileged common law byrne appealed arnolds decision attorney avery center james biondo return message seeking comment thursday biondo argued common law duty connecticut doctors keep patients information confidential also wrote court documents byrne signed statement avery center confirming reviewed centers privacy policy notifies patients obligation seek authorization complying subpoenas state law prohibits disclosure patient information doctors exception allows information released without patients consent pursuant rules court byrne accused avery center failing comply state law well federal law patient information confidentiality health insurance portability accountability act hipaa federal law says medical provider disclose patient information response subpoena issued judge reasonable efforts made notify patient subpoena byrne said given opportunity object avery center releasing medical file subpoena avery center said appeal centered common law hipaa irrelevant ____ story corrects summary say father byrnes child able view byrnes medical file husband child
| 630 |
<p>CHICAGO (AP) — Adam Wainwright on opening night at Wrigley Field was a perfect combination for the St. Louis Cardinals.</p>
<p>Wainwright threw six innings of five-hit ball, and St. Louis chased Jon Lester in the fifth inning of a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday in the major league opener.</p>
<p>"A shutout win is a great way to do it," manager Mike Matheny said, pleased with the start for the reigning NL Central champs. "I'm real impressed how Wainer went about his business and set the tone."</p>
<p>Wainwright allowed the leadoff hitter to reach in four of the first five innings, including three doubles. But he worked out of trouble each time, finishing with six strikeouts and no walks.</p>
<p>The ace right-hander improved to 9-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 20 career games at Chicago's longtime home. He also lowered his ERA to 1.85 for four career starts on opening day.</p>
<p>"Tonight I was able to make good pitches when I needed to. Hopefully next time I keep them off base," Wainwright said.</p>
<p>Jason Heyward had three hits in his St. Louis debut, and Matt Holliday drove in two runs. Throw in Matt Carpenter's two hits, and the top third of the Cardinals' lineup went 7 for 14 with three RBIs.</p>
<p>"Selfishly, I like the idea of hitting between those two," Heyward said. "Holly can do damage and Carp sees so many pitches and has good (at-bats). I'm gonna be kind of spoiled hitting there."</p>
<p>Playing their most anticipated opener in years, the Cubs went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Lester, who got a $155 million, six-year contract during free agency, allowed three runs and eight hits over 4 1-3 innings in his fifth straight opening day start.</p>
<p>"Just wasn't real sharp," Lester said. "Ball was flat."</p>
<p>The addition of Lester to go along with Joe Maddon in the dugout increased the expectations for Chicago after five straight losing seasons. But it was more of the same in their first game.</p>
<p>The biggest difference for the home team was a giant videoboard in left field, part of a major renovation for the iconic neighborhood ballpark. The closed bleachers were covered by pictures of Hall of Fame slugger Ernie Banks, who played for Chicago for 19 seasons and died in January at age 83.</p>
<p>The Cubs honored Banks with a pregame moment of silence, and his sons Jerry and Joey Banks each threw out a ceremonial first pitch. The club also extended its condolences to the Cardinals for Oscar Taveras, an outfield prospect who died in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic last October.</p>
<p>"The ballpark was absolutely electric," Maddon said. "The pregame was wonderful. Everything was great. We just have to come through with a couple knocks now and then, but we will. I thought it was a really, really — for lack of a better term — a really good night."</p>
<p>Heyward got the majors' first hit of the season when he doubled and scored on Holliday's single in the first. Holliday had another RBI single in the fifth.</p>
<p>It was more than enough for Wainwright, who was slowed by an abdominal injury early in spring training. Carlos Martinez, who won the fifth starter job in training camp, followed with a scoreless seventh and Jordan Walden got three outs before Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side for the save.</p>
<p>GREAT ESCAPES</p>
<p>Matheny praised Wainwright for his ability to wiggle out of trouble.</p>
<p>"He keeps making pitches," said Matheny, a former major league catcher. "He's fun to watch. There's just special guys like that, when they get in tough situations, big games they're able to make the big pitch when they need to."</p>
<p>TRAINER'S ROOM</p>
<p>Cardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder inflammation) is expected to begin a throwing program in the next week or so, and general manager John Mozeliak said OF Tommy Pham (strained left quad) is scheduled to see a specialist on Monday. Garcia was competing for the fifth starter job before the injury. "I would say in the next week to two weeks we'll have a better idea of perhaps expected return or perhaps what a rehab assignment might look like," Mozeliak said. "But I would say it's still about 10 to 14 days away before we make that decision."</p>
<p>Cubs: OF Chris Denorfia (mild left hamstring strain), RHP Jacob Turner (right shoulder inflammation), RHP Dallas Beeler (right shoulder inflammation) and LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (mild left groin strain) were placed on the disabled list before the game. Each of the DL stints is retroactive to March 27.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Following a day off on Monday, Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta gets the ball on Tuesday against Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn. Arrieta went 10-5 with a 2.53 ERA in 25 starts last year, and Lynn has won at least 15 games in each of the past three seasons.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap</p>
<p>CHICAGO (AP) — Adam Wainwright on opening night at Wrigley Field was a perfect combination for the St. Louis Cardinals.</p>
<p>Wainwright threw six innings of five-hit ball, and St. Louis chased Jon Lester in the fifth inning of a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday in the major league opener.</p>
<p>"A shutout win is a great way to do it," manager Mike Matheny said, pleased with the start for the reigning NL Central champs. "I'm real impressed how Wainer went about his business and set the tone."</p>
<p>Wainwright allowed the leadoff hitter to reach in four of the first five innings, including three doubles. But he worked out of trouble each time, finishing with six strikeouts and no walks.</p>
<p>The ace right-hander improved to 9-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 20 career games at Chicago's longtime home. He also lowered his ERA to 1.85 for four career starts on opening day.</p>
<p>"Tonight I was able to make good pitches when I needed to. Hopefully next time I keep them off base," Wainwright said.</p>
<p>Jason Heyward had three hits in his St. Louis debut, and Matt Holliday drove in two runs. Throw in Matt Carpenter's two hits, and the top third of the Cardinals' lineup went 7 for 14 with three RBIs.</p>
<p>"Selfishly, I like the idea of hitting between those two," Heyward said. "Holly can do damage and Carp sees so many pitches and has good (at-bats). I'm gonna be kind of spoiled hitting there."</p>
<p>Playing their most anticipated opener in years, the Cubs went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Lester, who got a $155 million, six-year contract during free agency, allowed three runs and eight hits over 4 1-3 innings in his fifth straight opening day start.</p>
<p>"Just wasn't real sharp," Lester said. "Ball was flat."</p>
<p>The addition of Lester to go along with Joe Maddon in the dugout increased the expectations for Chicago after five straight losing seasons. But it was more of the same in their first game.</p>
<p>The biggest difference for the home team was a giant videoboard in left field, part of a major renovation for the iconic neighborhood ballpark. The closed bleachers were covered by pictures of Hall of Fame slugger Ernie Banks, who played for Chicago for 19 seasons and died in January at age 83.</p>
<p>The Cubs honored Banks with a pregame moment of silence, and his sons Jerry and Joey Banks each threw out a ceremonial first pitch. The club also extended its condolences to the Cardinals for Oscar Taveras, an outfield prospect who died in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic last October.</p>
<p>"The ballpark was absolutely electric," Maddon said. "The pregame was wonderful. Everything was great. We just have to come through with a couple knocks now and then, but we will. I thought it was a really, really — for lack of a better term — a really good night."</p>
<p>Heyward got the majors' first hit of the season when he doubled and scored on Holliday's single in the first. Holliday had another RBI single in the fifth.</p>
<p>It was more than enough for Wainwright, who was slowed by an abdominal injury early in spring training. Carlos Martinez, who won the fifth starter job in training camp, followed with a scoreless seventh and Jordan Walden got three outs before Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side for the save.</p>
<p>GREAT ESCAPES</p>
<p>Matheny praised Wainwright for his ability to wiggle out of trouble.</p>
<p>"He keeps making pitches," said Matheny, a former major league catcher. "He's fun to watch. There's just special guys like that, when they get in tough situations, big games they're able to make the big pitch when they need to."</p>
<p>TRAINER'S ROOM</p>
<p>Cardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder inflammation) is expected to begin a throwing program in the next week or so, and general manager John Mozeliak said OF Tommy Pham (strained left quad) is scheduled to see a specialist on Monday. Garcia was competing for the fifth starter job before the injury. "I would say in the next week to two weeks we'll have a better idea of perhaps expected return or perhaps what a rehab assignment might look like," Mozeliak said. "But I would say it's still about 10 to 14 days away before we make that decision."</p>
<p>Cubs: OF Chris Denorfia (mild left hamstring strain), RHP Jacob Turner (right shoulder inflammation), RHP Dallas Beeler (right shoulder inflammation) and LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (mild left groin strain) were placed on the disabled list before the game. Each of the DL stints is retroactive to March 27.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Following a day off on Monday, Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta gets the ball on Tuesday against Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn. Arrieta went 10-5 with a 2.53 ERA in 25 starts last year, and Lynn has won at least 15 games in each of the past three seasons.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap</p>
| false | 2 |
chicago ap adam wainwright opening night wrigley field perfect combination st louis cardinals wainwright threw six innings fivehit ball st louis chased jon lester fifth inning 30 victory chicago cubs sunday major league opener shutout win great way manager mike matheny said pleased start reigning nl central champs im real impressed wainer went business set tone wainwright allowed leadoff hitter reach four first five innings including three doubles worked trouble time finishing six strikeouts walks ace righthander improved 91 333 era 20 career games chicagos longtime home also lowered era 185 four career starts opening day tonight able make good pitches needed hopefully next time keep base wainwright said jason heyward three hits st louis debut matt holliday drove two runs throw matt carpenters two hits top third cardinals lineup went 7 14 three rbis selfishly like idea hitting two heyward said holly damage carp sees many pitches good atbats im gon na kind spoiled hitting playing anticipated opener years cubs went 0 13 runners scoring position lester got 155 million sixyear contract free agency allowed three runs eight hits 4 13 innings fifth straight opening day start wasnt real sharp lester said ball flat addition lester go along joe maddon dugout increased expectations chicago five straight losing seasons first game biggest difference home team giant videoboard left field part major renovation iconic neighborhood ballpark closed bleachers covered pictures hall fame slugger ernie banks played chicago 19 seasons died january age 83 cubs honored banks pregame moment silence sons jerry joey banks threw ceremonial first pitch club also extended condolences cardinals oscar taveras outfield prospect died car crash native dominican republic last october ballpark absolutely electric maddon said pregame wonderful everything great come couple knocks thought really really lack better term really good night heyward got majors first hit season doubled scored hollidays single first holliday another rbi single fifth enough wainwright slowed abdominal injury early spring training carlos martinez fifth starter job training camp followed scoreless seventh jordan walden got three outs trevor rosenthal struck side save great escapes matheny praised wainwright ability wiggle trouble keeps making pitches said matheny former major league catcher hes fun watch theres special guys like get tough situations big games theyre able make big pitch need trainers room cardinals lhp jaime garcia shoulder inflammation expected begin throwing program next week general manager john mozeliak said tommy pham strained left quad scheduled see specialist monday garcia competing fifth starter job injury would say next week two weeks well better idea perhaps expected return perhaps rehab assignment might look like mozeliak said would say still 10 14 days away make decision cubs chris denorfia mild left hamstring strain rhp jacob turner right shoulder inflammation rhp dallas beeler right shoulder inflammation lhp tsuyoshi wada mild left groin strain placed disabled list game dl stints retroactive march 27 next following day monday cubs rhp jake arrieta gets ball tuesday cardinals rhp lance lynn arrieta went 105 253 era 25 starts last year lynn least 15 games past three seasons ___ jay cohen reached httpwwwtwittercomjcohenap chicago ap adam wainwright opening night wrigley field perfect combination st louis cardinals wainwright threw six innings fivehit ball st louis chased jon lester fifth inning 30 victory chicago cubs sunday major league opener shutout win great way manager mike matheny said pleased start reigning nl central champs im real impressed wainer went business set tone wainwright allowed leadoff hitter reach four first five innings including three doubles worked trouble time finishing six strikeouts walks ace righthander improved 91 333 era 20 career games chicagos longtime home also lowered era 185 four career starts opening day tonight able make good pitches needed hopefully next time keep base wainwright said jason heyward three hits st louis debut matt holliday drove two runs throw matt carpenters two hits top third cardinals lineup went 7 14 three rbis selfishly like idea hitting two heyward said holly damage carp sees many pitches good atbats im gon na kind spoiled hitting playing anticipated opener years cubs went 0 13 runners scoring position lester got 155 million sixyear contract free agency allowed three runs eight hits 4 13 innings fifth straight opening day start wasnt real sharp lester said ball flat addition lester go along joe maddon dugout increased expectations chicago five straight losing seasons first game biggest difference home team giant videoboard left field part major renovation iconic neighborhood ballpark closed bleachers covered pictures hall fame slugger ernie banks played chicago 19 seasons died january age 83 cubs honored banks pregame moment silence sons jerry joey banks threw ceremonial first pitch club also extended condolences cardinals oscar taveras outfield prospect died car crash native dominican republic last october ballpark absolutely electric maddon said pregame wonderful everything great come couple knocks thought really really lack better term really good night heyward got majors first hit season doubled scored hollidays single first holliday another rbi single fifth enough wainwright slowed abdominal injury early spring training carlos martinez fifth starter job training camp followed scoreless seventh jordan walden got three outs trevor rosenthal struck side save great escapes matheny praised wainwright ability wiggle trouble keeps making pitches said matheny former major league catcher hes fun watch theres special guys like get tough situations big games theyre able make big pitch need trainers room cardinals lhp jaime garcia shoulder inflammation expected begin throwing program next week general manager john mozeliak said tommy pham strained left quad scheduled see specialist monday garcia competing fifth starter job injury would say next week two weeks well better idea perhaps expected return perhaps rehab assignment might look like mozeliak said would say still 10 14 days away make decision cubs chris denorfia mild left hamstring strain rhp jacob turner right shoulder inflammation rhp dallas beeler right shoulder inflammation lhp tsuyoshi wada mild left groin strain placed disabled list game dl stints retroactive march 27 next following day monday cubs rhp jake arrieta gets ball tuesday cardinals rhp lance lynn arrieta went 105 253 era 25 starts last year lynn least 15 games past three seasons ___ jay cohen reached httpwwwtwittercomjcohenap
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<p>WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials on Tuesday approved the nation’s first gene therapy for an inherited disease, a treatment that improves the sight of patients with a rare form of blindness. It marks another major advance for the emerging field of genetic medicine.</p>
<p>The approval for Spark Therapeutics offers a life-changing intervention for a small group of patients with a vision-destroying genetic mutation and hope for many more people with other inherited diseases. The drugmaker said it will not disclose the price until next month, delaying debate about the affordability of a treatment that analysts predict will be priced around $1 million.</p>
<p>The injection, called Luxturna, is the first gene therapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration in which a corrective gene is given directly to patients. The gene mutation interferes with the production of an enzyme needed for normal vision.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Patients who got the treatment have described seeing snow, stars or the moon for the first time.</p>
<p>“One of the best things I’ve ever seen since surgery are the stars. I never knew that they were little dots that twinkled,” said Mistie Lovelace of Kentucky, one of several patients who urged the FDA to approve the therapy at a public hearing in October.</p>
<p>Patients with the condition generally start losing their sight before 18, almost always progressing to total blindness. The defective gene that causes the disease can be passed down for generations undetected before suddenly appearing when a child inherits a copy from both parents. Only a few thousand people in the U.S. are thought to have the condition.</p>
<p>Luxturna is delivered via two injections — one for each eye — that replace the defective gene that prevents the retina, tissue at the back of the eye, from converting light into electronic signals sent to the brain.</p>
<p>The FDA has approved three gene therapies since August, as decades of research into the genetic building blocks of life begin translating into marketable treatments. The previous two are custom-made treatments for forms of blood cancer. Novartis’ Kymriah is priced at $475,000 for a one-time infusion of genetically enhanced cells. Gilead Sciences’ similar treatment, Yescarta, costs $373,000 per treatment.</p>
<p>The Philadelphia-based Spark Therapeutics said it will announce its price in early January, but suggested its own analysis put the value of the therapy in the $1-million-dollar range. Key to the company’s reasoning is the assumption that Luxturna will be given once, with lasting benefits. To date, the company has tracked patients enrolled in a key study for as long as four years and hasn’t seen their vision deteriorate.</p>
<p>“All the data we have today suggests it’s long-lasting, if not lifelong,” said Spark CEO Jeffrey Marrazzo.</p>
<p>Given Luxturna’s FDA approval and strong study results, many experts expect U.S. insurers, including both the federal government and private plans, to cover the treatment.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The spate of new genetic therapies marks a boom for a field once plagued by safety concerns. Gene therapy research suffered a setback in 1999 with the death of a patient treated for a rare metabolic disorder at the University of Pennsylvania. In another case, patients treated for an immune disorder later developed leukemia.</p>
<p>Dr. David Valle said initial excitement about the wide-ranging possibilities for genetic medicine has given way to a more deliberative approach focused on individual diseases. He applauded researchers at the University of Pennsylvania for decades of work that led to the treatment.</p>
<p>“The hype for gene therapy has been without many successes and actually a few failures, so chalk this one up in the win column,” said Valle, a geneticist and pediatrician at Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in Luxturna’s development.</p>
<p>University of Pennsylvania researcher Dr. Jean Bennett said she and her husband, Dr. Albert Maguire, first imagined using genetic medicine to treat retinal blindness in the mid-1980s. But it took decades to develop the science and technology, with the first animal tests in 2000 and the first human trials in 2007.</p>
<p>“We didn’t know what genes caused the disease, we didn’t have animal models with those genes, we didn’t have the ability to clone genes and deliver them to the retina — so it took time to develop all that,” said Bennett, an eye specialist.</p>
<p>Bennett and Maguire tested the treatment by recording patients’ ability to complete an obstacle course at varying levels of light, simulating real-world conditions. A hallmark of the disorder is difficulty seeing at night.</p>
<p>One year after treatment, patients who received the injection showed significant improvements in navigating the obstacle course at low light levels compared to those who did not receive the therapy.</p>
<p>Goldman Sachs analyst Salveen Richter predicts Luxturna will cost $500,000 per injection, or $1 million for both eyes. She points out that many current drugs for ultra-rare diseases are priced at $250,000 per year or more, putting their long-term cost over $1 million after several years.</p>
<p>But David Mitchell, a cancer patient and advocate for lower drug prices, worries that the cost of genetic therapies won’t be sustainable.</p>
<p>“We don’t have unlimited dollars in this country,” said Mitchell, founder of Patients for Affordable Drugs. “You get 50 of these drugs in the system and I don’t know how we will handle it as a country.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Matthew Perrone @AP_FDAwriter</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This Associated Press series was produced in partnership with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.</p>
| false | 2 |
washington us health officials tuesday approved nations first gene therapy inherited disease treatment improves sight patients rare form blindness marks another major advance emerging field genetic medicine approval spark therapeutics offers lifechanging intervention small group patients visiondestroying genetic mutation hope many people inherited diseases drugmaker said disclose price next month delaying debate affordability treatment analysts predict priced around 1 million injection called luxturna first gene therapy approved food drug administration corrective gene given directly patients gene mutation interferes production enzyme needed normal vision advertisement patients got treatment described seeing snow stars moon first time one best things ive ever seen since surgery stars never knew little dots twinkled said mistie lovelace kentucky one several patients urged fda approve therapy public hearing october patients condition generally start losing sight 18 almost always progressing total blindness defective gene causes disease passed generations undetected suddenly appearing child inherits copy parents thousand people us thought condition luxturna delivered via two injections one eye replace defective gene prevents retina tissue back eye converting light electronic signals sent brain fda approved three gene therapies since august decades research genetic building blocks life begin translating marketable treatments previous two custommade treatments forms blood cancer novartis kymriah priced 475000 onetime infusion genetically enhanced cells gilead sciences similar treatment yescarta costs 373000 per treatment philadelphiabased spark therapeutics said announce price early january suggested analysis put value therapy 1milliondollar range key companys reasoning assumption luxturna given lasting benefits date company tracked patients enrolled key study long four years hasnt seen vision deteriorate data today suggests longlasting lifelong said spark ceo jeffrey marrazzo given luxturnas fda approval strong study results many experts expect us insurers including federal government private plans cover treatment advertisement spate new genetic therapies marks boom field plagued safety concerns gene therapy research suffered setback 1999 death patient treated rare metabolic disorder university pennsylvania another case patients treated immune disorder later developed leukemia dr david valle said initial excitement wideranging possibilities genetic medicine given way deliberative approach focused individual diseases applauded researchers university pennsylvania decades work led treatment hype gene therapy without many successes actually failures chalk one win column said valle geneticist pediatrician johns hopkins university involved luxturnas development university pennsylvania researcher dr jean bennett said husband dr albert maguire first imagined using genetic medicine treat retinal blindness mid1980s took decades develop science technology first animal tests 2000 first human trials 2007 didnt know genes caused disease didnt animal models genes didnt ability clone genes deliver retina took time develop said bennett eye specialist bennett maguire tested treatment recording patients ability complete obstacle course varying levels light simulating realworld conditions hallmark disorder difficulty seeing night one year treatment patients received injection showed significant improvements navigating obstacle course low light levels compared receive therapy goldman sachs analyst salveen richter predicts luxturna cost 500000 per injection 1 million eyes points many current drugs ultrarare diseases priced 250000 per year putting longterm cost 1 million several years david mitchell cancer patient advocate lower drug prices worries cost genetic therapies wont sustainable dont unlimited dollars country said mitchell founder patients affordable drugs get 50 drugs system dont know handle country ___ follow matthew perrone ap_fdawriter ___ associated press series produced partnership howard hughes medical institutes department science education ap solely responsible content
| 541 |
<p>Humana shares soared well beyond all-time high prices Friday afternoon on speculation that the company, one of the nation’s biggest health insurers, might be up for sale.</p>
<p>Analysts have been discussing for a few weeks the possibility that large health insurers flush with cash may be hunting for a big acquisition. Deal-friendly low interest rates and expectations for another wave of consolidation also are fueling the speculation.</p>
<p>The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Humana is considering a sale and has received takeover interest.</p>
<p>A Humana spokesman did not return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.</p>
<p>Louisville, Kentucky-based Humana is seen as an attractive target in part because it is the second-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, a key source of future growth for insurers. Enrollment has already grown briskly the past several years for these privately run, federally funded versions of the Medicare program for people over age 65 and the disabled.</p>
<p>That’s expected to continue as baby boomers become eligible for the coverage and as more companies drop retiree health benefits. The health care overhaul has chopped funding for these plans, but the worst of that has passed, and analysts see much less uncertainty in the future for the coverage.</p>
<p>In addition, insurers are gaining a better understanding of the health care overhaul, the massive federal law that has helped provide coverage for millions. They are learning that scale matters in terms of gaining negotiating leverage for rates over care providers.</p>
<p>“There’s got to be another wave of consolidation that occurs, and our view is that Humana would either be the first to go or be one of the first to actually make an acquisition themselves,” said Thomas Carroll, who covers the industry for the investment bank Stifel.</p>
<p>Leerink analyst Ana Gupte said Humana makes an attractive target in a sector “ripe for consolidation.”</p>
<p>“We think (Humana’s) Medicare Advantage business and capability makes it especially attractive to some of the largest insurers,” she wrote in a note to investors.</p>
<p>Aside from Medicare Advantage plans, Humana Inc. also offers commercial coverage as well as insurance for military members and their families.</p>
<p>The company’s stock rose as high as $219.79 during afternoon trading, blowing past its previous all-time high price of $183.05 in Friday afternoon trading. The shares finished with a gain of $36.24, or 20.3 percent, to $214.65. Shares of other major insurers like Cigna Corp., Aetna Inc. and Anthem Inc. also climbed while broader indexes slipped.</p>
<p>Managed care stocks have outpaced the market for a few years now, and the shares of several insurers have reached record high prices. Investors have been drawn by strong performances, fattened dividends and dwindling uncertainty about the overhaul’s impact on the sector.</p>
<p>Humana shares soared well beyond all-time high prices Friday afternoon on speculation that the company, one of the nation’s biggest health insurers, might be up for sale.</p>
<p>Analysts have been discussing for a few weeks the possibility that large health insurers flush with cash may be hunting for a big acquisition. Deal-friendly low interest rates and expectations for another wave of consolidation also are fueling the speculation.</p>
<p>The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Humana is considering a sale and has received takeover interest.</p>
<p>A Humana spokesman did not return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.</p>
<p>Louisville, Kentucky-based Humana is seen as an attractive target in part because it is the second-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, a key source of future growth for insurers. Enrollment has already grown briskly the past several years for these privately run, federally funded versions of the Medicare program for people over age 65 and the disabled.</p>
<p>That’s expected to continue as baby boomers become eligible for the coverage and as more companies drop retiree health benefits. The health care overhaul has chopped funding for these plans, but the worst of that has passed, and analysts see much less uncertainty in the future for the coverage.</p>
<p>In addition, insurers are gaining a better understanding of the health care overhaul, the massive federal law that has helped provide coverage for millions. They are learning that scale matters in terms of gaining negotiating leverage for rates over care providers.</p>
<p>“There’s got to be another wave of consolidation that occurs, and our view is that Humana would either be the first to go or be one of the first to actually make an acquisition themselves,” said Thomas Carroll, who covers the industry for the investment bank Stifel.</p>
<p>Leerink analyst Ana Gupte said Humana makes an attractive target in a sector “ripe for consolidation.”</p>
<p>“We think (Humana’s) Medicare Advantage business and capability makes it especially attractive to some of the largest insurers,” she wrote in a note to investors.</p>
<p>Aside from Medicare Advantage plans, Humana Inc. also offers commercial coverage as well as insurance for military members and their families.</p>
<p>The company’s stock rose as high as $219.79 during afternoon trading, blowing past its previous all-time high price of $183.05 in Friday afternoon trading. The shares finished with a gain of $36.24, or 20.3 percent, to $214.65. Shares of other major insurers like Cigna Corp., Aetna Inc. and Anthem Inc. also climbed while broader indexes slipped.</p>
<p>Managed care stocks have outpaced the market for a few years now, and the shares of several insurers have reached record high prices. Investors have been drawn by strong performances, fattened dividends and dwindling uncertainty about the overhaul’s impact on the sector.</p>
| false | 2 |
humana shares soared well beyond alltime high prices friday afternoon speculation company one nations biggest health insurers might sale analysts discussing weeks possibility large health insurers flush cash may hunting big acquisition dealfriendly low interest rates expectations another wave consolidation also fueling speculation wall street journal reported friday humana considering sale received takeover interest humana spokesman return calls associated press seeking comment louisville kentuckybased humana seen attractive target part secondlargest provider medicare advantage plans key source future growth insurers enrollment already grown briskly past several years privately run federally funded versions medicare program people age 65 disabled thats expected continue baby boomers become eligible coverage companies drop retiree health benefits health care overhaul chopped funding plans worst passed analysts see much less uncertainty future coverage addition insurers gaining better understanding health care overhaul massive federal law helped provide coverage millions learning scale matters terms gaining negotiating leverage rates care providers theres got another wave consolidation occurs view humana would either first go one first actually make acquisition said thomas carroll covers industry investment bank stifel leerink analyst ana gupte said humana makes attractive target sector ripe consolidation think humanas medicare advantage business capability makes especially attractive largest insurers wrote note investors aside medicare advantage plans humana inc also offers commercial coverage well insurance military members families companys stock rose high 21979 afternoon trading blowing past previous alltime high price 18305 friday afternoon trading shares finished gain 3624 203 percent 21465 shares major insurers like cigna corp aetna inc anthem inc also climbed broader indexes slipped managed care stocks outpaced market years shares several insurers reached record high prices investors drawn strong performances fattened dividends dwindling uncertainty overhauls impact sector humana shares soared well beyond alltime high prices friday afternoon speculation company one nations biggest health insurers might sale analysts discussing weeks possibility large health insurers flush cash may hunting big acquisition dealfriendly low interest rates expectations another wave consolidation also fueling speculation wall street journal reported friday humana considering sale received takeover interest humana spokesman return calls associated press seeking comment louisville kentuckybased humana seen attractive target part secondlargest provider medicare advantage plans key source future growth insurers enrollment already grown briskly past several years privately run federally funded versions medicare program people age 65 disabled thats expected continue baby boomers become eligible coverage companies drop retiree health benefits health care overhaul chopped funding plans worst passed analysts see much less uncertainty future coverage addition insurers gaining better understanding health care overhaul massive federal law helped provide coverage millions learning scale matters terms gaining negotiating leverage rates care providers theres got another wave consolidation occurs view humana would either first go one first actually make acquisition said thomas carroll covers industry investment bank stifel leerink analyst ana gupte said humana makes attractive target sector ripe consolidation think humanas medicare advantage business capability makes especially attractive largest insurers wrote note investors aside medicare advantage plans humana inc also offers commercial coverage well insurance military members families companys stock rose high 21979 afternoon trading blowing past previous alltime high price 18305 friday afternoon trading shares finished gain 3624 203 percent 21465 shares major insurers like cigna corp aetna inc anthem inc also climbed broader indexes slipped managed care stocks outpaced market years shares several insurers reached record high prices investors drawn strong performances fattened dividends dwindling uncertainty overhauls impact sector
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<p>MOSUL, Iraq — The antiquities museum in the Iraqi city of Mosul is in ruins. Piles of rubble fill exhibition halls and a massive fire in the building’s basement has reduced hundreds of rare books and manuscripts to ankle-deep drifts of ash.</p>
<p>Associated Press reporters were granted rare access to the museum on Wednesday after Iraqi forces retook it from the Islamic State group the day before.</p>
<p>After examining AP photographs of the destruction, two Iraqi archeologists confirmed that many of the artifacts destroyed by IS were the original ancient stone statues dating back thousands of years, rather than replicas as some Iraqi officials and experts previously claimed.</p>
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<p>IS captured Mosul in 2014 and released a video the following year showing fighters smashing artifacts in the museum with sledgehammers and power tools. The voice narrating the IS video justified the acts with verses from the Quran referencing the prophet Mohammed’s destruction of idols in the Kaaba.</p>
<p>Burned ancient books and manuscripts are seen inside Mosul’s heavily damaged museum. Most of the artifacts inside the building appeared to be completely destroyed. The basement level that was the museum’s library had been burned. The floors were covered in the ashes of ancient manuscripts, in western Mosul, Iraq, Wednesday, March 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)</p>
<p>“These statues and idols, these artifacts, if God has ordered its removal, they became worthless to us even if they are worth billions of dollars,” the narration said.</p>
<p>The sacking of the Mosul museum was just a single act in nearly three years of systematic destruction of Iraq’s cultural heritage at the hands of IS. The militants leveled ancient palaces, temples and churches throughout Nineveh province and beyond, often releasing videos boasting of their acts. IS has even demolished some mosques, saying they were used to venerate saints, which IS considers a form of polytheism.</p>
<p>Inside the Mosul museum’s main exhibition hall, the floor was littered with the jagged remains of an ancient Assyrian bull statue and fragments from cuneiform tablets.</p>
<p>“These are the remains of a lamassu and the lions of Nimrud,” Layla Salih, an Iraqi archaeologist and former curator of the Mosul museum said as she examined AP photographs of the remains. Salih said when IS took over Mosul, the museum housed two massive lamassu statues — winged lions recovered from the ancient Assryrian city of Nimrud.</p>
<p>“They were priceless,” she said, “they were in perfect condition.”</p>
<p>Hiba Hazim Hamad, a former archaeology professor in Mosul, confirmed Salih’s assessment, saying she believed the building held hundreds of ancient artifacts at the time IS overran the city, “thousands if you count the small pieces,” she added.</p>
<p>Adjoining rooms on the two main floors were largely empty save for a set of carved wooden coffins and doors left untouched. There were also smaller piles of rubble from what appeared to be additional destroyed artifacts, but the stones were crushed beyond recognition.</p>
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<p>Hamad said these could be the remains of destroyed replicas, but even if replicas were on display, the original pieces would have still been inside the museum in the basement safe when IS overran the building.</p>
<p>“It’s standard procedure for all museums (in Iraq),” she said referring to the practice of keeping the most valuable pieces locked away from view.</p>
<p>Mosul’s antiquities museum — built in the 1970s and the second largest in Iraq — once housed priceless Mesopotamian artifacts dating back thousands of years and a collection of rare Islamic and pre Islamic texts.</p>
<p>“Daesh came to Iraq to destroy our heritage because they don’t have their own,” said Federal Police Cpl. Abbas Muhammad, using the Arabic acronym for the group. Muhammad was one of the first to enter the building after it was retaken from IS Tuesday and was holding the site with a handful of other troops on Wednesday.</p>
<p>The museum now effectively marks the front line in the fight against IS for Mosul’s western half after Iraqi forces retook it during a push up along the Tigris River. Troops have turned one of its halls and its garden into a makeshift base, placing machine gunners at the building’s corners under olive trees and blocking nearby roads with rubble, old cars and mounds of dirt.</p>
<p>The territory IS overran in Syria and Iraq is home to some of the region’s most important historical sites and monuments. The extremist group is also believed to have looted ancient artifacts in order to sell them on the black market to finance its operations.</p>
<p>Lamia al-Gaylani, an Iraqi archaeologist who has been working in the field of preservation in Iraq since the 1960s, said IS destroyed Iraq’s heritage in an effort to erase the country’s identity and legitimize their own state in its place.</p>
<p>“They want their own history,” she said. “Especially in a city like Mosul where the people are very proud of their history, I think (IS) did this as a form of revenge.”</p>
<p>While al-Gaylani said destruction like what was wrought at Mosul’s museum sparked outrage across Iraq, she said she worries that that anger won’t necessarily translate to better protection in the future for the heritage Iraq has left.</p>
<p>“Most Iraqi people are focused on their own survival,” she said, “and the government is not concerned with heritage.”</p>
<p>A handful of history books remained in the main entryway of the museum beside a bag of placards from old exhibits.</p>
<p>They describe flint objects found in Nineveh dating back to about 4,000 BC, copper oil lamps discovered in Ur dating back to 2,600 BC and Sumerian statues dating back to 2,050 BC.</p>
<p>“Mosul is the heart of Iraqi civilization,” said Federal Police Maj. Muhammad al-Jabouri, a Mosul native from a nearby neighborhood.</p>
<p>“When I heard how Daesh destroyed this place,” he said, as his eyes filled with tears. “Death would have been a greater mercy for me.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Khalid Mohammed and Andrea Rosa in Mosul, Iraq and Salar Salim in Irbil, Iraq contributed to this report.</p>
| false | 2 |
mosul iraq antiquities museum iraqi city mosul ruins piles rubble fill exhibition halls massive fire buildings basement reduced hundreds rare books manuscripts ankledeep drifts ash associated press reporters granted rare access museum wednesday iraqi forces retook islamic state group day examining ap photographs destruction two iraqi archeologists confirmed many artifacts destroyed original ancient stone statues dating back thousands years rather replicas iraqi officials experts previously claimed advertisement captured mosul 2014 released video following year showing fighters smashing artifacts museum sledgehammers power tools voice narrating video justified acts verses quran referencing prophet mohammeds destruction idols kaaba burned ancient books manuscripts seen inside mosuls heavily damaged museum artifacts inside building appeared completely destroyed basement level museums library burned floors covered ashes ancient manuscripts western mosul iraq wednesday march 8 2017 ap photokhalid mohammed statues idols artifacts god ordered removal became worthless us even worth billions dollars narration said sacking mosul museum single act nearly three years systematic destruction iraqs cultural heritage hands militants leveled ancient palaces temples churches throughout nineveh province beyond often releasing videos boasting acts even demolished mosques saying used venerate saints considers form polytheism inside mosul museums main exhibition hall floor littered jagged remains ancient assyrian bull statue fragments cuneiform tablets remains lamassu lions nimrud layla salih iraqi archaeologist former curator mosul museum said examined ap photographs remains salih said took mosul museum housed two massive lamassu statues winged lions recovered ancient assryrian city nimrud priceless said perfect condition hiba hazim hamad former archaeology professor mosul confirmed salihs assessment saying believed building held hundreds ancient artifacts time overran city thousands count small pieces added adjoining rooms two main floors largely empty save set carved wooden coffins doors left untouched also smaller piles rubble appeared additional destroyed artifacts stones crushed beyond recognition advertisement hamad said could remains destroyed replicas even replicas display original pieces would still inside museum basement safe overran building standard procedure museums iraq said referring practice keeping valuable pieces locked away view mosuls antiquities museum built 1970s second largest iraq housed priceless mesopotamian artifacts dating back thousands years collection rare islamic pre islamic texts daesh came iraq destroy heritage dont said federal police cpl abbas muhammad using arabic acronym group muhammad one first enter building retaken tuesday holding site handful troops wednesday museum effectively marks front line fight mosuls western half iraqi forces retook push along tigris river troops turned one halls garden makeshift base placing machine gunners buildings corners olive trees blocking nearby roads rubble old cars mounds dirt territory overran syria iraq home regions important historical sites monuments extremist group also believed looted ancient artifacts order sell black market finance operations lamia algaylani iraqi archaeologist working field preservation iraq since 1960s said destroyed iraqs heritage effort erase countrys identity legitimize state place want history said especially city like mosul people proud history think form revenge algaylani said destruction like wrought mosuls museum sparked outrage across iraq said worries anger wont necessarily translate better protection future heritage iraq left iraqi people focused survival said government concerned heritage handful history books remained main entryway museum beside bag placards old exhibits describe flint objects found nineveh dating back 4000 bc copper oil lamps discovered ur dating back 2600 bc sumerian statues dating back 2050 bc mosul heart iraqi civilization said federal police maj muhammad aljabouri mosul native nearby neighborhood heard daesh destroyed place said eyes filled tears death would greater mercy ___ associated press writers khalid mohammed andrea rosa mosul iraq salar salim irbil iraq contributed report
| 579 |
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — He wrote a book on the art of negotiation and was elected to office claiming he alone could end Washington gridlock, but President Donald Trump's latest attempt to broker a big, bipartisan deal has turned into a big mess.</p>
<p>The failure to find consensus on immigration and spending is a blow to Trump's presidency on the one-year anniversary of his inauguration — and perhaps more painfully, a blow to his brand as a wheeler-and-dealer. The funding feud, which led to a government shutdown at midnight Friday, is the second time Trump has dived into a negotiation and come up short on a top priority. As with failed talks about overhauling the nation's health system, Trump has again slammed into the difficulties of Washington's particular mix of tricky politics and complex policy.</p>
<p>"Negotiating in politics is a lot different than real estate," said GOP strategist Alex Conant. "In Washington, not everybody wants to make a deal. Trump's initial premise that politicians just needed to be prodded more to make a deal was always flawed. Nobody runs for Congress because they want to compromise their principles. They want to advance their agendas."</p>
<p>Democrats' agenda in this case is, chiefly, protection for the 700,000 young immigrants who may face deportation when the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program expires in March. Republicans are seeking more time to talk and a long-term funding bill that with major increases for the Pentagon.</p>
<p>It's not been entirely clear what the president's agenda is. Over the past few weeks, he has expressed openness to extending the DACA program, but then rejected a bipartisan plan on that front. He fired off a tweet that appeared to reject the GOP plan for a short-term funding bill that would buy time for more negotiation, but the White House walked it back. He abruptly tried to cut a broad deal with Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader and a fellow New Yorker, and then backed off.</p>
<p>"I'm looking for something that President Trump supports," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters on Wednesday, just two days away from the shutdown deadline. "And he's not yet indicated what measure he's willing to sign. As soon as we figure out what he is for, then I would be convinced that we were not just spinning our wheels going to this issue on the floor, but actually dealing with a bill that has a chance to become law and therefore solve the problem."</p>
<p>Democrats have been less diplomatic: "Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jell-O," Schumer said Saturday, gleefully recounting what he claimed was a blow-by-blow account of Trump's failed efforts to avert a shutdown.</p>
<p>The White House doesn't necessarily view the confusion as a problem.</p>
<p>In his most notable work, "The Art of the Deal," Trump boasted of his fickleness as a negotiator, describing it as a strategy. "I never get too attached to one deal or one approach. For starters, I keep a lot of balls in the air, because most deals fall out, no matter how promising they seem at first."</p>
<p>A White House official, who asked for anonymity to discuss private deliberations, said the White House prefers to keep the government open, but sees potential political upside in Democratic "overreach." Trump's team sees the shutdown as an example of the president's commitment to tough negotiation and believes Democrats will cave in, the official said in describing the strategy.</p>
<p>It is a familiar sentiment for presidents stuck in crises with Congress. During the 2013 shutdown, President Barack Obama predicted the confrontation would "break the fever" driving Republican opposition — ultimately to no avail.</p>
<p>Who bears the blame for the current debacle is difficult to predict. Some Republican critics of Trump said he might emerge reputation intact, should Democrats bear the brunt of the blame. "It's pretty clear Sen. Schumer wasn't going to be able to get to 'yes,'" said Mike Steel, a former aide to Republican House Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan.</p>
<p>And many of Trump's core supporters aren't particularly interested in compromise. "He was elected for the 46 percent who voted for him," says William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who worked in the Clinton administration. "He was a mold-breaker, who wouldn't cow to conventional opinion."</p>
<p>But Trump, himself, has suggested he should be on the hook for the impasse.</p>
<p>In 2013, when he criticized Obama over another shutdown mess, he said: "Well, if you say who gets fired it always has to be the top. I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top and the president's the leader. And he's got to get everybody in a room and he's got to lead."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — He wrote a book on the art of negotiation and was elected to office claiming he alone could end Washington gridlock, but President Donald Trump's latest attempt to broker a big, bipartisan deal has turned into a big mess.</p>
<p>The failure to find consensus on immigration and spending is a blow to Trump's presidency on the one-year anniversary of his inauguration — and perhaps more painfully, a blow to his brand as a wheeler-and-dealer. The funding feud, which led to a government shutdown at midnight Friday, is the second time Trump has dived into a negotiation and come up short on a top priority. As with failed talks about overhauling the nation's health system, Trump has again slammed into the difficulties of Washington's particular mix of tricky politics and complex policy.</p>
<p>"Negotiating in politics is a lot different than real estate," said GOP strategist Alex Conant. "In Washington, not everybody wants to make a deal. Trump's initial premise that politicians just needed to be prodded more to make a deal was always flawed. Nobody runs for Congress because they want to compromise their principles. They want to advance their agendas."</p>
<p>Democrats' agenda in this case is, chiefly, protection for the 700,000 young immigrants who may face deportation when the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program expires in March. Republicans are seeking more time to talk and a long-term funding bill that with major increases for the Pentagon.</p>
<p>It's not been entirely clear what the president's agenda is. Over the past few weeks, he has expressed openness to extending the DACA program, but then rejected a bipartisan plan on that front. He fired off a tweet that appeared to reject the GOP plan for a short-term funding bill that would buy time for more negotiation, but the White House walked it back. He abruptly tried to cut a broad deal with Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader and a fellow New Yorker, and then backed off.</p>
<p>"I'm looking for something that President Trump supports," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters on Wednesday, just two days away from the shutdown deadline. "And he's not yet indicated what measure he's willing to sign. As soon as we figure out what he is for, then I would be convinced that we were not just spinning our wheels going to this issue on the floor, but actually dealing with a bill that has a chance to become law and therefore solve the problem."</p>
<p>Democrats have been less diplomatic: "Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jell-O," Schumer said Saturday, gleefully recounting what he claimed was a blow-by-blow account of Trump's failed efforts to avert a shutdown.</p>
<p>The White House doesn't necessarily view the confusion as a problem.</p>
<p>In his most notable work, "The Art of the Deal," Trump boasted of his fickleness as a negotiator, describing it as a strategy. "I never get too attached to one deal or one approach. For starters, I keep a lot of balls in the air, because most deals fall out, no matter how promising they seem at first."</p>
<p>A White House official, who asked for anonymity to discuss private deliberations, said the White House prefers to keep the government open, but sees potential political upside in Democratic "overreach." Trump's team sees the shutdown as an example of the president's commitment to tough negotiation and believes Democrats will cave in, the official said in describing the strategy.</p>
<p>It is a familiar sentiment for presidents stuck in crises with Congress. During the 2013 shutdown, President Barack Obama predicted the confrontation would "break the fever" driving Republican opposition — ultimately to no avail.</p>
<p>Who bears the blame for the current debacle is difficult to predict. Some Republican critics of Trump said he might emerge reputation intact, should Democrats bear the brunt of the blame. "It's pretty clear Sen. Schumer wasn't going to be able to get to 'yes,'" said Mike Steel, a former aide to Republican House Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan.</p>
<p>And many of Trump's core supporters aren't particularly interested in compromise. "He was elected for the 46 percent who voted for him," says William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who worked in the Clinton administration. "He was a mold-breaker, who wouldn't cow to conventional opinion."</p>
<p>But Trump, himself, has suggested he should be on the hook for the impasse.</p>
<p>In 2013, when he criticized Obama over another shutdown mess, he said: "Well, if you say who gets fired it always has to be the top. I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top and the president's the leader. And he's got to get everybody in a room and he's got to lead."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.</p>
| false | 2 |
washington ap wrote book art negotiation elected office claiming alone could end washington gridlock president donald trumps latest attempt broker big bipartisan deal turned big mess failure find consensus immigration spending blow trumps presidency oneyear anniversary inauguration perhaps painfully blow brand wheeleranddealer funding feud led government shutdown midnight friday second time trump dived negotiation come short top priority failed talks overhauling nations health system trump slammed difficulties washingtons particular mix tricky politics complex policy negotiating politics lot different real estate said gop strategist alex conant washington everybody wants make deal trumps initial premise politicians needed prodded make deal always flawed nobody runs congress want compromise principles want advance agendas democrats agenda case chiefly protection 700000 young immigrants may face deportation deferred action childhood arrivals program expires march republicans seeking time talk longterm funding bill major increases pentagon entirely clear presidents agenda past weeks expressed openness extending daca program rejected bipartisan plan front fired tweet appeared reject gop plan shortterm funding bill would buy time negotiation white house walked back abruptly tried cut broad deal sen chuck schumer democratic leader fellow new yorker backed im looking something president trump supports senate majority leader mitch mcconnell rky told reporters wednesday two days away shutdown deadline hes yet indicated measure hes willing sign soon figure would convinced spinning wheels going issue floor actually dealing bill chance become law therefore solve problem democrats less diplomatic negotiating president trump like negotiating jello schumer said saturday gleefully recounting claimed blowbyblow account trumps failed efforts avert shutdown white house doesnt necessarily view confusion problem notable work art deal trump boasted fickleness negotiator describing strategy never get attached one deal one approach starters keep lot balls air deals fall matter promising seem first white house official asked anonymity discuss private deliberations said white house prefers keep government open sees potential political upside democratic overreach trumps team sees shutdown example presidents commitment tough negotiation believes democrats cave official said describing strategy familiar sentiment presidents stuck crises congress 2013 shutdown president barack obama predicted confrontation would break fever driving republican opposition ultimately avail bears blame current debacle difficult predict republican critics trump said might emerge reputation intact democrats bear brunt blame pretty clear sen schumer wasnt going able get yes said mike steel former aide republican house speakers john boehner paul ryan many trumps core supporters arent particularly interested compromise elected 46 percent voted says william galston senior fellow brookings institution worked clinton administration moldbreaker wouldnt cow conventional opinion trump suggested hook impasse 2013 criticized obama another shutdown mess said well say gets fired always top mean problems start top get solved top presidents leader hes got get everybody room hes got lead ___ associated press writer darlene superville contributed report washington ap wrote book art negotiation elected office claiming alone could end washington gridlock president donald trumps latest attempt broker big bipartisan deal turned big mess failure find consensus immigration spending blow trumps presidency oneyear anniversary inauguration perhaps painfully blow brand wheeleranddealer funding feud led government shutdown midnight friday second time trump dived negotiation come short top priority failed talks overhauling nations health system trump slammed difficulties washingtons particular mix tricky politics complex policy negotiating politics lot different real estate said gop strategist alex conant washington everybody wants make deal trumps initial premise politicians needed prodded make deal always flawed nobody runs congress want compromise principles want advance agendas democrats agenda case chiefly protection 700000 young immigrants may face deportation deferred action childhood arrivals program expires march republicans seeking time talk longterm funding bill major increases pentagon entirely clear presidents agenda past weeks expressed openness extending daca program rejected bipartisan plan front fired tweet appeared reject gop plan shortterm funding bill would buy time negotiation white house walked back abruptly tried cut broad deal sen chuck schumer democratic leader fellow new yorker backed im looking something president trump supports senate majority leader mitch mcconnell rky told reporters wednesday two days away shutdown deadline hes yet indicated measure hes willing sign soon figure would convinced spinning wheels going issue floor actually dealing bill chance become law therefore solve problem democrats less diplomatic negotiating president trump like negotiating jello schumer said saturday gleefully recounting claimed blowbyblow account trumps failed efforts avert shutdown white house doesnt necessarily view confusion problem notable work art deal trump boasted fickleness negotiator describing strategy never get attached one deal one approach starters keep lot balls air deals fall matter promising seem first white house official asked anonymity discuss private deliberations said white house prefers keep government open sees potential political upside democratic overreach trumps team sees shutdown example presidents commitment tough negotiation believes democrats cave official said describing strategy familiar sentiment presidents stuck crises congress 2013 shutdown president barack obama predicted confrontation would break fever driving republican opposition ultimately avail bears blame current debacle difficult predict republican critics trump said might emerge reputation intact democrats bear brunt blame pretty clear sen schumer wasnt going able get yes said mike steel former aide republican house speakers john boehner paul ryan many trumps core supporters arent particularly interested compromise elected 46 percent voted says william galston senior fellow brookings institution worked clinton administration moldbreaker wouldnt cow conventional opinion trump suggested hook impasse 2013 criticized obama another shutdown mess said well say gets fired always top mean problems start top get solved top presidents leader hes got get everybody room hes got lead ___ associated press writer darlene superville contributed report
| 902 |
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - Sterling shot to a fresh post-Brexit-vote high close to $1.41 on Wednesday, extending a recent rally that has seen confidence in the British currency recover.</p> FILE PHOTO - British Pound Sterling banknotes are seen at the Money Service Austria company's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, November 16, 2017. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
<p>The pound climbed as much as 0.6 percent to $1.4090, its highest level since Britain’s vote to leave the European Union in June, 2016. Against the euro, the pound was up 0.3 percent at a five-week high of 87.615 pence.</p>
<p>Analysts said there was no specific news that triggered Wednesday’s move, but a continuation of the recent trend higher on the back of growing confidence Britain can secure favourable terms for departing the EU, as well as broad dollar weakness.</p>
<p>Traders are also positioning ahead of UK unemployment data due at 0930 GMT.</p>
<p>“Certainly dollar weakness is a part of this move higher. But this is also a story of sterling resilience,” said Jane Foley, a London-based FX strategist at Rabobank.</p>
<p>Foley noted that sterling, the second best performing of the G10 currencies so far in 2018, has also held its own against the euro at a time when the single currency is enjoying strong demand - a sign sterling-specific factors were helping drive the pound.</p>
<p>With the risks of a disorderly exit from the EU receding, investors are looking for signs the Bank of England could hike interest rates more than the single raise this year that the market has currently priced.</p>
<p>Against the currencies of its biggest trading partners, sterling is at its highest level since mid-2017, but remains far below levels seen before the Brexit vote.</p>
<p>Reporting by Tommy Wilkes; Editing by Jemima Kelly</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FB.O" type="external">FB.O</a>) Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Wednesday that his company made mistakes in how it handled data belonging to 50 million of its users and promised tougher steps to restrict developers’ access to such information.</p>
<p>The world’s largest social media network is facing growing government scrutiny in Europe and the United States about a whistleblower’s allegations that London-based political consultancy Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed user information to build profiles on American voters which were later used to help elect U.S. President Donald Trump in 2016.</p>
<p>Zuckerberg, in his first public comments since the scandal erupted at the weekend, said in a post on Facebook that the company "made mistakes, there's more to do, and we need to step up and do it." ( <a href="http://bit.ly/2DHAlUJ" type="external">bit.ly/2DHAlUJ</a>)</p>
<p>He did not elaborate on what the mistakes were, but he said the social network plans to conduct an investigation of apps on its platform, restrict developer access to data, and give members a tool that lets them more easily disable access to their Facebook data.</p>
<p>Zuckerberg later told CNN, “This was a major breach of trust. I’m really sorry this happened. We have a basic responsibility to protect people’s data.”</p>
<p>His plans did not represent a big reduction of advertisers’ ability to use Facebook data, which is the company’s lifeblood.</p>
<p>Facebook shares pared gains on Wednesday after Zuckerberg’s post, closing up 0.7 percent. The company has lost more than $45 billion of its stock market value over the past three days on investor fears that any failure by big tech firms to protect personal data could deter advertisers and users and invite tougher regulation.</p>
<p>Facebook representatives including Deputy Chief Privacy Officer Rob Sherman met U.S. congressional staff for nearly two hours on Wednesday and planned to continue meetings on Capitol Hill on Thursday. Facebook was unable to answer many questions, two aides who attended the briefing said.</p>
<p>Zuckerberg told the website Recode that he was "open" to testifying before the U.S. Congress and that fixes to protect users' data would cost "many millions of dollars." ( <a href="http://bit.ly/2IJbYJS" type="external">bit.ly/2IJbYJS</a>)</p>
<p>The whistleblower who launched the scandal, Christopher Wylie, formerly of Cambridge Analytica, said in a tweet that he had accepted invitations to testify before U.S. and UK lawmakers.</p>
<p>The German government said Facebook must explain whether the personal data of the country’s 30 million users were protected from unlawful use by third parties, according to a report in the Funke group of German regional newspapers.</p> Slideshow (6 Images) ‘SCAPEGOAT’
<p>On Tuesday, the board of Cambridge Analytica suspended its Chief Executive Alexander Nix, who was caught in a secret recording boasting that his company played a decisive role in Trump’s victory.</p>
<p>But the academic who provided the data disputed that on Wednesday.</p>
<p>“I think what Cambridge Analytica has tried to sell is magic, and they’ve made claims that this is incredibly accurate and it tells you everything there is to tell about you. But I think the reality is it’s not that,” psychologist Aleksandr Kogan, an academic at Cambridge University, told the BBC in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FB.O" type="external">Facebook Inc</a> 169.39 FB.O Nasdaq +1.24 (+0.74%) FB.O
<p>Kogan, who gathered the data by running a survey app on Facebook, also said that he was being made a scapegoat by Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. Both companies have blamed Kogan for alleged data misuse.</p>
<p>Only 300,000 Facebook users responded to Kogan’s quiz, but that gave the researcher access to those people’s Facebook friends as well, who had not agreed to share information, producing details on 50 million users.</p>
<p>Facebook has said it subsequently made changes that prevent people from sharing data about friends, and maintains that no data breach occurred because the original users gave permission. Critics say that it essentially was a breach because data of unsuspecting friends was taken.</p>
<p>Facebook banned Cambridge Analytica from using any of Facebook’s services on Friday.</p>
<p>Zuckerberg said the company “will restrict developers’ data access even further to prevent other kinds of abuse” and that the company is working with regulators as they investigate what happened.</p>
<p>Many analysts have now raised concerns that the incident will have a negative impact on user engagement with Facebook, potentially reducing its clout with advertisers. Three Wall Street brokerages cut their price targets.</p>
<p>“Investors now have to consider whether or not the company will conclude that it has grown in a manner that has proven to be untenable or whether it needs to significantly improve how it is managed,” said Pivotal Research Group analyst Brian Wieser.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-leave-eu/what-are-the-links-between-cambridge-analytica-and-a-brexit-campaign-group-idUSKBN1GX2IO" type="external">What are the links between Cambridge Analytica and a Brexit campaign group?</a>
<a href="/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-germany/germany-summons-facebook-over-user-data-safety-concerns-report-idUSKBN1GY006" type="external">Germany summons Facebook over user data safety concerns: report</a>
<a href="/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-brazil/brazil-prosecutors-open-investigation-into-cambridge-analytica-idUSKBN1GX35A" type="external">Brazil prosecutors open investigation into Cambridge Analytica</a>
<p>Facebook shares are down more than 8 percent since Friday. The company has risen more than 550 percent in value in the past five years.</p>
<p>Reporting by David Ingram; Additional reporting by Dustin Volz and David Shepardson in Washington and Kate Holton in London; Writing by Susan Thomas; Editing by Bill Rigby and Lisa Shumaker</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>TOKYO (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar was on the defensive on Thursday after posting its largest loss in two months when the Federal Reserve turned out to be less hawkish than anticipated.</p> U.S. Dollar banknotes are seen in this photo illustration taken February 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/Illustration
<p>Worries about a potential trade war between China and the United States kept gains in Asian shares in check.</p>
<p>MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.3 percent, with South Korea's Kospi <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.KS11" type="external">.KS11</a> hitting six-week high, while Japan's Nikkei <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.N225" type="external">.N225</a> gained 0.2 percent in early trade.</p>
<p>The U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates on Wednesday and forecast two more hikes for 2018 in its first policy meeting under new Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.</p>
<p>Given some investors had expected it to project three more rate hikes, the guidance was perceived by some as less hawkish than anticipated, a positive factor for risk assets in general, though analysts noted the Fed was upbeat on the economy on the whole.</p>
<p>“They also forecast three hikes next year and two more in 2020 and clearly revised up the growth forecast as well,” said Norihiro Fujito, senior investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities.</p>
<p>“So the picture looks different when you look at longer-term projections. That explains the complicated reaction by markets. The prospects of continued rate hikes may cap shares,” he added.</p>
<p>The yield on two-year U.S. notes yield slipped back to 2.308 percent US2YT=RR from 9 1/2-year high of 2.366 percent hit earlier on Wednesday while the 10-year yield dipped to 2.881 percent US10YT=RR after an initial spike to 2.936 percent.</p>
<p>The Fed’s decision to opt for only two more hikes this year led the U.S. dollar to its largest fall in two months against a basket of six other major currencies .DXY.</p>
<p>The euro <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=EUR&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">EUR=</a> traded at $1.23415, recovering from near three-week low of $1.2240 touched earlier in the week.</p>
<p>The dollar stood at 106.03 yen <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=JPY&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">JPY=</a>, erasing all its gains made so far this week.</p> A man walks past an electronic stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, February 9, 2018. REUTERS/Toru Hanai
<p>The British pound jumped 1.01 percent on Wednesday to hit six-week high of $1.4150 <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=GBP&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">GBP=D4</a> ahead of the Bank of England's policy announcement later in the day.</p>
<p>The dollar lost ground against many other currencies, including the Canadian dollar <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=CAD&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">CAD=D4</a> and Mexican peso <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=MXN&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">MXN=D2</a>, both of which gained on reports the White House had dropped a demand related to auto exports in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).</p>
<p>The Hong Kong dollar <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=HKD&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">HKD=D4</a> traded flat at 7.8445 per U.S unit after the Hong Kong Monetary Authority raised rates on Thursday, following the Fed's action.</p>
<p>The Hong Kong dollar, which is pegged to the U.S. dollar, hit a 33-year low of 7.8466 on Wednesday, near the lower end of the monetary authority’s targeted trading band of 7.75-7.85.</p>
<a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.KS11" type="external">Korea Exchange</a> 2505.57 .KS11 Korea Stock Exchange +20.60 (+0.83%) .KS11 .N225 .SPX .IXIC
<p>The Wall Street stock index ended the day lower, with the S&amp;P 500 <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.SPX" type="external">.SPX</a> losing 0.18 percent the Nasdaq Composite <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.IXIC" type="external">.IXIC</a> 0.26 percent.</p>
<p>Concerns about a trade war between the world’s two largest economies kept many investors on guard.</p>
<p>The White House said President Donald Trump will announce tariffs on Chinese imports at 12:30 p.m. local time (1630 GMT) on Thursday.</p>
<p>U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday his agency has prepared U.S. investment restrictions on China for President Donald Trump to consider as part of his upcoming announcement on intellectual property actions against Beijing.</p>
<p>Investors worry such a move could trigger countermeasures by China, possibly causing a vicious cycle of escalating retaliation.</p>
<p>In the energy market, oil prices stood near six-week highs and closed in on a 3-year peak set in late January, helped by a surprise decline in U.S. inventories, strong compliance on OPEC production cuts, and persistent concerns related to the nuclear pact with Iran.</p>
<p>U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 rose to as high as $65.74 per barrel CLc1, not far from its January peak of $66.66, having gained almost five percent so far this week.</p>
<p>In contrast, copper fell to three-month low of $6,702 per tonne CMCU3 before bouncing back to $6,843.</p>
<p>Reporting by Hideyuki Sano; Editing by Eric Meijer</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NANTERRE, France (Reuters) - French former president Nicolas Sarkozy was told after two days in custody on Wednesday that he is being formally treated as a suspect as magistrates investigate claims his 2007 election campaign got funding from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.</p>
<p>The move made Sarkozy - who ruled from 2007 to 2012 and is still an influential behind-the-scenes player on the political right - the target of an inquiry into alleged cash handovers and wire transfers between Tripoli and Paris in the months before he won power.</p>
<p>It marked a dramatic acceleration in an inquiry that had largely faded in the news since it was opened five years ago, shortly after the 63-year-old left office.</p>
<p>Sarkozy has now been released from police custody but put under judicial supervision.</p>
<p>In French legal jargon, he was officially “placed under investigation” - a step judicial investigators can take if they have serious grounds for suspecting an offence. Being placed under investigation often but not always leads to trial.</p>
<p>The investigation will now focus on suspected offences that include passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealing the misuse of Libyan public funds, an official at the judiciary said on condition of anonymity, the standard way of communicating on such matters in France.</p>
<p>It is the second major investigation for Sarkozy, who also faced charges of illicit campaign spending overruns during his failed re-election bid in 2012.</p>
<p>The latest case concerns accusations by a Franco-Lebanese businessman, Ziad Takieddine, who says he helped funnel 5 million euros ($6 million) from Gaddafi’s intelligence chief to Sarkozy’s campaign chief ahead of the 2007 election.</p> Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy leaves the judiciary police offices in Nanterre, near Paris, France, March 21, 2018. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
<p>Sarkozy himself has not commented publicly since he first answered a police summons for questioning on Tuesday. He has in the past dismissed the allegations as “grotesque” and described them as a “manipulation”. The source in the judiciary said he had denied any wrongdoing during questioning.</p>
<p>The inquiry began in 2013, after investigative website Mediapart published Takieddine’s allegations.</p> Slideshow (3 Images)
<p>In an interview with Lebanon’s L’Orient du Jour newspaper published on Tuesday, Takieddine said he acted as an intermediary between France and Libya during the time that Sarkozy served as interior minister, before his election bid.</p>
<p>Five months after Sarkozy was elected president, Gaddafi visited him in Paris, on his first state visit to a Western capital in decades. The eccentric Libyan leader pitched a Bedouin-style tent near the Elysee Palace.</p>
<p>Later, Sarkozy became one of the chief advocates of the NATO-led campaign against Gaddafi that resulted in the dictator’s overthrow and killing by rebels in 2011.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-france-sarkozy-libya-case/french-judges-place-sarkozy-under-formal-investigation-in-libyan-probe-idUSKBN1GX30N" type="external">French judges place Sarkozy under formal investigation in Libyan probe</a>
<p>Sarkozy, once branded a “bling-bling” president because of a penchant for flashy behaviour, has been dogged for years by political scandals, but none has led to a conviction.</p>
<p>He is not the first French president to be questioned by police after leaving office.</p>
<p>After leaving office, his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, was convicted in 2011 of misusing public funds to maintain political friends in phantom jobs - making him the first French head of state to be convicted of a crime since Nazi collaborator Marshall Philippe Petain in 1945.</p>
<p>Reporting by Simon Carraud, Benoit Tessier and Paris bureau; Writing by Brian Love; Editing by Gareth Jones</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>TEMPE, Ariz./SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Police in Arizona on Wednesday released a short video of a fatal collision between an Uber self-driving vehicle and a pedestrian, as investigators probe the accident that has put new focus on the safety of autonomous vehicles.</p>
<p>The video, taken from inside the Volvo XC90 sport utility vehicle that Uber has used for testing, shows the vehicle driving along a dark road when an image of a woman walking a bicycle across the road suddenly appears in the headlights.</p>
<p>The woman, Elaine Herzberg, 49, later died from her injuries.</p>
<p>Police have released few details about the accident that occurred on Sunday night in Tempe, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix, while the SUV was driving in autonomous mode. Uber suspended its self-driving testing in North America after the incident and federal safety regulators are conducting their own probe.</p>
<p>Fall-out from the accident could stall the development and testing of self-driving vehicles, which are designed to perform far better than human drivers and sharply reduce the number of motor vehicle fatalities that occur each year.</p>
<p>The video shows the vehicle traveling in the right-hand lane of a divided four-lane roadway. The vehicle’s headlights illuminate a woman directly in front of it who is crossing the SUV’s lane with her bike. The woman appears to be jaywalking as she is not in a crosswalk.</p>
<p>A photo released by safety regulators on Tuesday showed that the impact occurred on the right side of the vehicle.</p>
<p>The footage also shows a view of the vehicle’s interior and the driver at the wheel. The driver appears to be looking down, and not at the road, for two periods of about five seconds each. Just before the video stops, the driver looks upward toward the road and suddenly looks shocked.</p>
<p>“The video is disturbing and heartbreaking to watch, and our thoughts continue to be with Elaine’s loved ones,” Uber said in a statement. “Our cars remain grounded, and we’re assisting local, state and federal authorities in any way we can.”</p>
<p>The video is likely to be a key part of investigations of Uber’s self-driving car technology and whether it was ready for testing on public roads.</p>
<p>Although the exact specifics of Uber’s technology are not known, self-driving cars typically use a combination of sensors, including radar and light-based Lidar, to identify objects around the vehicle, including potential obstacles coming into range. While cameras do not perform well in the dark, radar and Lidar can work at night.</p>
<p>One question on regulators’ minds will be why the sensors did not pick up on the presence of Herzberg, who would ostensibly have already crossed three lanes of traffic before arriving in the path of the Uber vehicle.</p> Slideshow (3 Images)
<p>One self-driving car expert, Bryant Walker Smith, said his first impression was of “outrage” viewing the video.</p>
<p>“Although this video isn’t the full picture, it strongly suggests a failure by Uber’s automated driving system and a lack of due care by Uber’s driver (and by the victim),” said Smith, a professor of law at the University of South Carolina.</p>
<p>Another autonomous driving expert agreed with Smith’s assessment.</p>
<p>“The sensors should have detected the pedestrian in this case; the cameras were likely useless but both the radars and the Lidar must have picked up the pedestrian,” said Raj Rajkumar, a professor at Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GOOGL.O" type="external">Alphabet Inc</a> 1094.0 GOOGL.O Nasdaq -1.80 (-0.16%) GOOGL.O GM.N
<p>“Though no information is available, one would have to conclude based on this video alone, that there are problems in the Uber vehicle software that need to be rectified,” he said.</p>
<p>Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its systems.</p> OVERSIGHT?
<p>The video is likely to renew calls for more oversight in a nascent industry that lacks standardized testing or safety definitions. Lawmakers have had to juggle the need to encourage innovations that promise to dramatically improve safety on roads with current public safety concerns.</p>
<p>Companies including Uber, Alphabet’s Waymo ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GOOGL.O" type="external">GOOGL.O</a>) and General Motors’s Cruise Automation ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GM.N" type="external">GM.N</a>) have been testing their self-driving technology in Arizona, which has welcomed the industry with a lighter regulatory touch than in states like California, for example.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, Arizona transportation officials said they saw no immediate need to tighten rules on the testing of self-driving cars in the state.</p>
<p>Although some within the self-driving industry have suggested agreeing testing and safety standards for autonomous technology, there has been no concerted effort to do so.</p>
<p>Timothy Carone, an associate teaching professor at Notre Dame University’s Mendoza College of Business whose research specialties include artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, said the question is whether Uber did enough testing before sending robot cars out onto streets alongside humans.</p>
<p>“Did they jump the gun?” he said. “If their testing is found to be inefficient, that cannot be allowed to happen again because these systems have to be ready for road tests.”</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Paul Lienert and Nick Carey in Detroit; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien, Peter Cooney and Cynthia Osterman</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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london reuters sterling shot fresh postbrexitvote high close 141 wednesday extending recent rally seen confidence british currency recover file photo british pound sterling banknotes seen money service austria companys headquarters vienna austria november 16 2017 reutersleonhard foeger pound climbed much 06 percent 14090 highest level since britains vote leave european union june 2016 euro pound 03 percent fiveweek high 87615 pence analysts said specific news triggered wednesdays move continuation recent trend higher back growing confidence britain secure favourable terms departing eu well broad dollar weakness traders also positioning ahead uk unemployment data due 0930 gmt certainly dollar weakness part move higher also story sterling resilience said jane foley londonbased fx strategist rabobank foley noted sterling second best performing g10 currencies far 2018 also held euro time single currency enjoying strong demand sign sterlingspecific factors helping drive pound risks disorderly exit eu receding investors looking signs bank england could hike interest rates single raise year market currently priced currencies biggest trading partners sterling highest level since mid2017 remains far levels seen brexit vote reporting tommy wilkes editing jemima kelly standards thomson reuters trust principles san francisco reuters facebook inc fbo chief executive mark zuckerberg said wednesday company made mistakes handled data belonging 50 million users promised tougher steps restrict developers access information worlds largest social media network facing growing government scrutiny europe united states whistleblowers allegations londonbased political consultancy cambridge analytica improperly accessed user information build profiles american voters later used help elect us president donald trump 2016 zuckerberg first public comments since scandal erupted weekend said post facebook company made mistakes theres need step bitly2dhaluj elaborate mistakes said social network plans conduct investigation apps platform restrict developer access data give members tool lets easily disable access facebook data zuckerberg later told cnn major breach trust im really sorry happened basic responsibility protect peoples data plans represent big reduction advertisers ability use facebook data companys lifeblood facebook shares pared gains wednesday zuckerbergs post closing 07 percent company lost 45 billion stock market value past three days investor fears failure big tech firms protect personal data could deter advertisers users invite tougher regulation facebook representatives including deputy chief privacy officer rob sherman met us congressional staff nearly two hours wednesday planned continue meetings capitol hill thursday facebook unable answer many questions two aides attended briefing said zuckerberg told website recode open testifying us congress fixes protect users data would cost many millions dollars bitly2ijbyjs whistleblower launched scandal christopher wylie formerly cambridge analytica said tweet accepted invitations testify us uk lawmakers german government said facebook must explain whether personal data countrys 30 million users protected unlawful use third parties according report funke group german regional newspapers slideshow 6 images scapegoat tuesday board cambridge analytica suspended chief executive alexander nix caught secret recording boasting company played decisive role trumps victory academic provided data disputed wednesday think cambridge analytica tried sell magic theyve made claims incredibly accurate tells everything tell think reality psychologist aleksandr kogan academic cambridge university told bbc interview broadcast wednesday facebook inc 16939 fbo nasdaq 124 074 fbo kogan gathered data running survey app facebook also said made scapegoat facebook cambridge analytica companies blamed kogan alleged data misuse 300000 facebook users responded kogans quiz gave researcher access peoples facebook friends well agreed share information producing details 50 million users facebook said subsequently made changes prevent people sharing data friends maintains data breach occurred original users gave permission critics say essentially breach data unsuspecting friends taken facebook banned cambridge analytica using facebooks services friday zuckerberg said company restrict developers data access even prevent kinds abuse company working regulators investigate happened many analysts raised concerns incident negative impact user engagement facebook potentially reducing clout advertisers three wall street brokerages cut price targets investors consider whether company conclude grown manner proven untenable whether needs significantly improve managed said pivotal research group analyst brian wieser related coverage links cambridge analytica brexit campaign group germany summons facebook user data safety concerns report brazil prosecutors open investigation cambridge analytica facebook shares 8 percent since friday company risen 550 percent value past five years reporting david ingram additional reporting dustin volz david shepardson washington kate holton london writing susan thomas editing bill rigby lisa shumaker standards thomson reuters trust principles tokyo reuters us dollar defensive thursday posting largest loss two months federal reserve turned less hawkish anticipated us dollar banknotes seen photo illustration taken february 12 2018 reutersjose luis gonzalezillustration worries potential trade war china united states kept gains asian shares check mscis broadest index asiapacific shares outside japan miapj0000pus rose 03 percent south koreas kospi ks11 hitting sixweek high japans nikkei n225 gained 02 percent early trade us federal reserve raised interest rates wednesday forecast two hikes 2018 first policy meeting new fed chairman jerome powell given investors expected project three rate hikes guidance perceived less hawkish anticipated positive factor risk assets general though analysts noted fed upbeat economy whole also forecast three hikes next year two 2020 clearly revised growth forecast well said norihiro fujito senior investment strategist mitsubishi ufj morgan stanley securities picture looks different look longerterm projections explains complicated reaction markets prospects continued rate hikes may cap shares added yield twoyear us notes yield slipped back 2308 percent us2ytrr 9 12year high 2366 percent hit earlier wednesday 10year yield dipped 2881 percent us10ytrr initial spike 2936 percent feds decision opt two hikes year led us dollar largest fall two months basket six major currencies dxy euro eur traded 123415 recovering near threeweek low 12240 touched earlier week dollar stood 10603 yen jpy erasing gains made far week man walks past electronic stock quotation board outside brokerage tokyo japan february 9 2018 reuterstoru hanai british pound jumped 101 percent wednesday hit sixweek high 14150 gbpd4 ahead bank englands policy announcement later day dollar lost ground many currencies including canadian dollar cadd4 mexican peso mxnd2 gained reports white house dropped demand related auto exports renegotiation north american free trade agreement nafta hong kong dollar hkdd4 traded flat 78445 per us unit hong kong monetary authority raised rates thursday following feds action hong kong dollar pegged us dollar hit 33year low 78466 wednesday near lower end monetary authoritys targeted trading band 775785 korea exchange 250557 ks11 korea stock exchange 2060 083 ks11 n225 spx ixic wall street stock index ended day lower sampp 500 spx losing 018 percent nasdaq composite ixic 026 percent concerns trade war worlds two largest economies kept many investors guard white house said president donald trump announce tariffs chinese imports 1230 pm local time 1630 gmt thursday us treasury secretary steven mnuchin said wednesday agency prepared us investment restrictions china president donald trump consider part upcoming announcement intellectual property actions beijing investors worry move could trigger countermeasures china possibly causing vicious cycle escalating retaliation energy market oil prices stood near sixweek highs closed 3year peak set late january helped surprise decline us inventories strong compliance opec production cuts persistent concerns related nuclear pact iran us west texas intermediate wti crude futures clc1 rose high 6574 per barrel clc1 far january peak 6666 gained almost five percent far week contrast copper fell threemonth low 6702 per tonne cmcu3 bouncing back 6843 reporting hideyuki sano editing eric meijer standards thomson reuters trust principles nanterre france reuters french former president nicolas sarkozy told two days custody wednesday formally treated suspect magistrates investigate claims 2007 election campaign got funding late libyan leader muammar gaddafi move made sarkozy ruled 2007 2012 still influential behindthescenes player political right target inquiry alleged cash handovers wire transfers tripoli paris months power marked dramatic acceleration inquiry largely faded news since opened five years ago shortly 63yearold left office sarkozy released police custody put judicial supervision french legal jargon officially placed investigation step judicial investigators take serious grounds suspecting offence placed investigation often always leads trial investigation focus suspected offences include passive corruption illegal campaign financing concealing misuse libyan public funds official judiciary said condition anonymity standard way communicating matters france second major investigation sarkozy also faced charges illicit campaign spending overruns failed reelection bid 2012 latest case concerns accusations francolebanese businessman ziad takieddine says helped funnel 5 million euros 6 million gaddafis intelligence chief sarkozys campaign chief ahead 2007 election former french president nicolas sarkozy leaves judiciary police offices nanterre near paris france march 21 2018 reutersstephane mahe sarkozy commented publicly since first answered police summons questioning tuesday past dismissed allegations grotesque described manipulation source judiciary said denied wrongdoing questioning inquiry began 2013 investigative website mediapart published takieddines allegations slideshow 3 images interview lebanons lorient du jour newspaper published tuesday takieddine said acted intermediary france libya time sarkozy served interior minister election bid five months sarkozy elected president gaddafi visited paris first state visit western capital decades eccentric libyan leader pitched bedouinstyle tent near elysee palace later sarkozy became one chief advocates natoled campaign gaddafi resulted dictators overthrow killing rebels 2011 related coverage french judges place sarkozy formal investigation libyan probe sarkozy branded blingbling president penchant flashy behaviour dogged years political scandals none led conviction first french president questioned police leaving office leaving office predecessor jacques chirac convicted 2011 misusing public funds maintain political friends phantom jobs making first french head state convicted crime since nazi collaborator marshall philippe petain 1945 reporting simon carraud benoit tessier paris bureau writing brian love editing gareth jones standards thomson reuters trust principles tempe arizsan francisco reuters police arizona wednesday released short video fatal collision uber selfdriving vehicle pedestrian investigators probe accident put new focus safety autonomous vehicles video taken inside volvo xc90 sport utility vehicle uber used testing shows vehicle driving along dark road image woman walking bicycle across road suddenly appears headlights woman elaine herzberg 49 later died injuries police released details accident occurred sunday night tempe arizona suburb phoenix suv driving autonomous mode uber suspended selfdriving testing north america incident federal safety regulators conducting probe fallout accident could stall development testing selfdriving vehicles designed perform far better human drivers sharply reduce number motor vehicle fatalities occur year video shows vehicle traveling righthand lane divided fourlane roadway vehicles headlights illuminate woman directly front crossing suvs lane bike woman appears jaywalking crosswalk photo released safety regulators tuesday showed impact occurred right side vehicle footage also shows view vehicles interior driver wheel driver appears looking road two periods five seconds video stops driver looks upward toward road suddenly looks shocked video disturbing heartbreaking watch thoughts continue elaines loved ones uber said statement cars remain grounded assisting local state federal authorities way video likely key part investigations ubers selfdriving car technology whether ready testing public roads although exact specifics ubers technology known selfdriving cars typically use combination sensors including radar lightbased lidar identify objects around vehicle including potential obstacles coming range cameras perform well dark radar lidar work night one question regulators minds sensors pick presence herzberg would ostensibly already crossed three lanes traffic arriving path uber vehicle slideshow 3 images one selfdriving car expert bryant walker smith said first impression outrage viewing video although video isnt full picture strongly suggests failure ubers automated driving system lack due care ubers driver victim said smith professor law university south carolina another autonomous driving expert agreed smiths assessment sensors detected pedestrian case cameras likely useless radars lidar must picked pedestrian said raj rajkumar professor carnegie mellon alphabet inc 10940 googlo nasdaq 180 016 googlo gmn though information available one would conclude based video alone problems uber vehicle software need rectified said uber immediately respond request comment systems oversight video likely renew calls oversight nascent industry lacks standardized testing safety definitions lawmakers juggle need encourage innovations promise dramatically improve safety roads current public safety concerns companies including uber alphabets waymo googlo general motorss cruise automation gmn testing selfdriving technology arizona welcomed industry lighter regulatory touch states like california example tuesday arizona transportation officials said saw immediate need tighten rules testing selfdriving cars state although within selfdriving industry suggested agreeing testing safety standards autonomous technology concerted effort timothy carone associate teaching professor notre dame universitys mendoza college business whose research specialties include artificial intelligence autonomous systems said question whether uber enough testing sending robot cars onto streets alongside humans jump gun said testing found inefficient allowed happen systems ready road tests additional reporting paul lienert nick carey detroit editing rosalba obrien peter cooney cynthia osterman standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists are expanding the genetic code of life, using man-made DNA to create a semi-synthetic strain of bacteria — and new research shows those altered microbes actually worked to produce proteins unlike those found in nature.</p>
<p>It's a step toward designer drug development.</p>
<p>One of the first lessons in high school biology: All life is made up of four DNA building blocks known by the letters A, T, C and G. Paired together, they form DNA's ladder-like rungs. Now there's a new rung on that ladder.</p>
<p>A team at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, expanded the genetic alphabet, creating two artificial DNA "letters" called X and Y. A few years ago, the researchers brewed up a type of E. coli bacteria commonly used for lab research that contained both natural DNA and this new artificial base pair — storing extra genetic information inside cells.</p>
<p>The next challenge: Normal DNA contains the coding for cells to form proteins that do the work of life. Could cells carrying this weird genomic hybrid work the same way?</p>
<p>Sure enough, the altered cells glowed green as they produced a fluorescent protein containing unnatural amino acids, researchers reported Wednesday in the journal Nature.</p>
<p>"We can make proteins that are built of more things than they normally are," explained Scripps chemist Floyd Romesberg, who leads the project.</p>
<p>While programming the green germs offered evidence that the approach can work, eventually "we would like to get proteins that do new things," he said.</p>
<p>That's an ultimate goal in the field of synthetic biology — designing organisms that work differently from the way nature intended so scientists can harness them to create designer drugs, biofuels or a range of other products. Scripps' technology has been licensed by a biotech company Romesberg co-founded, Synthorx Inc., that aims to make novel protein-based drugs.</p>
<p>The new work traced the biological steps as the altered E. coli read the artificial genetic code and assembled the pieces for a new protein, with the same efficiency as if using normal DNA.</p>
<p>The result is a platform that offers a way to increase the diversity of proteins made inside living cells, said Jef Boeke, a synthetic biology researcher at New York University who wasn't involved in Scripps' work.</p>
<p>This bacterial strain was "modified in a really dramatic and unusual way at these positions in its genome," Boeke said. "And that's what makes it different from every other organism on the planet today."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This Associated Press <a href="" type="internal">series</a> was produced in <a href="https://www.ap.org/press-releases/2017/ap-and-howard-hughes-medical-institute-collaborate-to-enhance-science-journalism" type="external">partnership</a> with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists are expanding the genetic code of life, using man-made DNA to create a semi-synthetic strain of bacteria — and new research shows those altered microbes actually worked to produce proteins unlike those found in nature.</p>
<p>It's a step toward designer drug development.</p>
<p>One of the first lessons in high school biology: All life is made up of four DNA building blocks known by the letters A, T, C and G. Paired together, they form DNA's ladder-like rungs. Now there's a new rung on that ladder.</p>
<p>A team at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, expanded the genetic alphabet, creating two artificial DNA "letters" called X and Y. A few years ago, the researchers brewed up a type of E. coli bacteria commonly used for lab research that contained both natural DNA and this new artificial base pair — storing extra genetic information inside cells.</p>
<p>The next challenge: Normal DNA contains the coding for cells to form proteins that do the work of life. Could cells carrying this weird genomic hybrid work the same way?</p>
<p>Sure enough, the altered cells glowed green as they produced a fluorescent protein containing unnatural amino acids, researchers reported Wednesday in the journal Nature.</p>
<p>"We can make proteins that are built of more things than they normally are," explained Scripps chemist Floyd Romesberg, who leads the project.</p>
<p>While programming the green germs offered evidence that the approach can work, eventually "we would like to get proteins that do new things," he said.</p>
<p>That's an ultimate goal in the field of synthetic biology — designing organisms that work differently from the way nature intended so scientists can harness them to create designer drugs, biofuels or a range of other products. Scripps' technology has been licensed by a biotech company Romesberg co-founded, Synthorx Inc., that aims to make novel protein-based drugs.</p>
<p>The new work traced the biological steps as the altered E. coli read the artificial genetic code and assembled the pieces for a new protein, with the same efficiency as if using normal DNA.</p>
<p>The result is a platform that offers a way to increase the diversity of proteins made inside living cells, said Jef Boeke, a synthetic biology researcher at New York University who wasn't involved in Scripps' work.</p>
<p>This bacterial strain was "modified in a really dramatic and unusual way at these positions in its genome," Boeke said. "And that's what makes it different from every other organism on the planet today."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>This Associated Press <a href="" type="internal">series</a> was produced in <a href="https://www.ap.org/press-releases/2017/ap-and-howard-hughes-medical-institute-collaborate-to-enhance-science-journalism" type="external">partnership</a> with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.</p>
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washington ap scientists expanding genetic code life using manmade dna create semisynthetic strain bacteria new research shows altered microbes actually worked produce proteins unlike found nature step toward designer drug development one first lessons high school biology life made four dna building blocks known letters c g paired together form dnas ladderlike rungs theres new rung ladder team scripps research institute la jolla california expanded genetic alphabet creating two artificial dna letters called x years ago researchers brewed type e coli bacteria commonly used lab research contained natural dna new artificial base pair storing extra genetic information inside cells next challenge normal dna contains coding cells form proteins work life could cells carrying weird genomic hybrid work way sure enough altered cells glowed green produced fluorescent protein containing unnatural amino acids researchers reported wednesday journal nature make proteins built things normally explained scripps chemist floyd romesberg leads project programming green germs offered evidence approach work eventually would like get proteins new things said thats ultimate goal field synthetic biology designing organisms work differently way nature intended scientists harness create designer drugs biofuels range products scripps technology licensed biotech company romesberg cofounded synthorx inc aims make novel proteinbased drugs new work traced biological steps altered e coli read artificial genetic code assembled pieces new protein efficiency using normal dna result platform offers way increase diversity proteins made inside living cells said jef boeke synthetic biology researcher new york university wasnt involved scripps work bacterial strain modified really dramatic unusual way positions genome boeke said thats makes different every organism planet today ___ associated press series produced partnership howard hughes medical institutes department science education ap solely responsible content washington ap scientists expanding genetic code life using manmade dna create semisynthetic strain bacteria new research shows altered microbes actually worked produce proteins unlike found nature step toward designer drug development one first lessons high school biology life made four dna building blocks known letters c g paired together form dnas ladderlike rungs theres new rung ladder team scripps research institute la jolla california expanded genetic alphabet creating two artificial dna letters called x years ago researchers brewed type e coli bacteria commonly used lab research contained natural dna new artificial base pair storing extra genetic information inside cells next challenge normal dna contains coding cells form proteins work life could cells carrying weird genomic hybrid work way sure enough altered cells glowed green produced fluorescent protein containing unnatural amino acids researchers reported wednesday journal nature make proteins built things normally explained scripps chemist floyd romesberg leads project programming green germs offered evidence approach work eventually would like get proteins new things said thats ultimate goal field synthetic biology designing organisms work differently way nature intended scientists harness create designer drugs biofuels range products scripps technology licensed biotech company romesberg cofounded synthorx inc aims make novel proteinbased drugs new work traced biological steps altered e coli read artificial genetic code assembled pieces new protein efficiency using normal dna result platform offers way increase diversity proteins made inside living cells said jef boeke synthetic biology researcher new york university wasnt involved scripps work bacterial strain modified really dramatic unusual way positions genome boeke said thats makes different every organism planet today ___ associated press series produced partnership howard hughes medical institutes department science education ap solely responsible content
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<p>He hasn’t called a play.</p>
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<p>He hasn’t taken part in any film sessions or game planning.</p>
<p>He hasn’t hit a jumper, blocked a shot or taken a charge.</p>
<p>But without him, Steve Alford doesn’t think the No. 19 New Mexico Lobos are sitting so pretty at 16-2 overall and atop the Mountain West standings at 3-0.</p>
<p>Nate Burney, the UNM basketball team’s 29-year-old athletic trainer, has been a big reason why not one Lobo player has missed a game due to injury through 18 often physical, grind-’em-out games. Not one game.</p>
<p>Until Saturday’s 72-45 win over Fresno State, no Lobo had missed a game due to illness (Demetrius Walker was still suited up Saturday and available to play if needed, but did not after falling sick prior to the game).</p>
<p />
<p>Colorado State at No. 19 New Mexico6 p.m.TV: CBS Sports NetworkRADIO: 770 AM</p>
<p>“I’ve been at this thing for 22 years, and Nate Burney … he’s as good as I’ve ever seen in this profession,” coach Alford said. “Nate is a huge key to what we do.”</p>
<p>Injuries and illness happen. But a player’s recovery time is often in the hands of the team’s training staff.</p>
<p>Burney’s latest assist came in Boise, Idaho, late Tuesday and throughout Wednesday. He and Dr. Chris McGrew gave constant treatment to sophomore Hugh Greenwood, who had been throwing up, not eating or sleeping for about 24 hours and had missed the team’s pregame shoot-around.</p>
<p>With bags under his eyes, Greenwood was nursed back to enough health to hit the game-tying basket to force overtime with under a minute remaining in regulation. He then scored five of his 15 points in overtime to lead the Lobos past Boise State 79-74 in front of 10,420 screaming Broncos fans.</p>
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<p>“They stayed up all hours of the night keeping an eye on me,” Greenwood, who had received an IV to replenish fluids before the game, said after the victory over Boise State. “Credit to them, credit to coach for trusting me enough to play me and credit to my teammates (for) constantly patting me on the back.”</p>
<p>Burney, a Topeka, Kan., native and new father, has been with UNM for six years, working with the men’s soccer team for the first two and with the Lobos basketball team since.</p>
<p>Whether it be spearheading the rehab of Alex Kirk since the 7-footer’s August 2011 back surgery, getting Kendall Williams on the court after an ankle sprain at New Mexico State, working with Chad Adams after a hyperextended knee last week against UNLV or helping Greenwood in Boise, Burney has had the magic touch with the Lobos this season.</p>
<p>“It starts off with their confidence in me. These guys trust me,” Burney said. “I’m here 24/7 for these guys. Anything. Injuries are obviously the most common things, but if they’re having personal problems, if they’re sick, anything. I’m here for them.”</p>
<p>After Adams hyperextended his knee Jan. 9 vs. UNLV, Burney and the UNM senior had 16 various treatment sessions in the next 2 1/2 days before the Saturday midday Fresno State game in which Adams played 14 minutes. By Wednesday in Boise, one week after the injury, Adams was healthy enough to play a season-high 34 minutes.</p>
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<p>At New Mexico State on Dec. 19, Williams crumbled to the floor, emphatically grabbing his sprained ankle early in the first half. With a little treatment near the team bench, and some motivational words from Burney, Williams returned to score a game-high 24 points in the rivalry win.</p>
<p>“Sometimes it has a little to do with what I do to them, and a little to do sometimes with what I tell them,” Burney said. “When Kendall sprained his ankle, I told him that the last time someone sprained their ankle at New Mexico State, they came back and hit six 3-pointers.”</p>
<p>That former Lobo was Phillip McDonald. He scored 27 points and hit, not six, but five 3-pointers after spraining his ankle early in UNM’s Nov. 17, 2009, win in Las Cruces.</p>
<p>“When I told him that,” Burney recalls, “Kendall was like ‘OK.’ And then he went out and did work.”</p>
<p>Maybe Burney’s biggest impact this season started before last season even tipped off.</p>
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<p>Shortly after Kirk’s August 2011 back surgery, Burney took over the rehab process for the 7-footer from Los Alamos.</p>
<p>The process focused on returning Kirk to better health than he was in even before a herniated disc derailed his freshman campaign.</p>
<p>It has been exhaustive, tedious at times, and often about much more than just Kirk’s back.</p>
<p>“A lot of times with athletic injuries, it doesn’t stem from the site of pain,” Burney said.</p>
<p>Kirk now works tirelessly on flexibility and conditioning and never misses an opportunity to heap praise on Burney for his efforts.</p>
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<p>“He’s kept my head up,” Kirk said Nov. 5 after scoring 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds in an exhibition win over New Mexico Highlands, 594 days after his previous game experience.</p>
<p>“He kept me working. He keeps my body improving, makes sure I’m eating right, makes sure I stay away from the Dr Pepper. … I’ve got to thank him a lot for working with me.”</p>
<p>LOBOS LINKS: <a href="" type="internal">Roster</a> | <a href="" type="internal">Schedule/Results</a> | <a href="" type="internal">Geoff Grammer’s blog</a></p>
<p>— This article appeared on page D1 of the Albuquerque Journal</p>
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hasnt called play advertisement hasnt taken part film sessions game planning hasnt hit jumper blocked shot taken charge without steve alford doesnt think 19 new mexico lobos sitting pretty 162 overall atop mountain west standings 30 nate burney unm basketball teams 29yearold athletic trainer big reason one lobo player missed game due injury 18 often physical grindemout games one game saturdays 7245 win fresno state lobo missed game due illness demetrius walker still suited saturday available play needed falling sick prior game colorado state 19 new mexico6 pmtv cbs sports networkradio 770 ive thing 22 years nate burney hes good ive ever seen profession coach alford said nate huge key injuries illness happen players recovery time often hands teams training staff burneys latest assist came boise idaho late tuesday throughout wednesday dr chris mcgrew gave constant treatment sophomore hugh greenwood throwing eating sleeping 24 hours missed teams pregame shootaround bags eyes greenwood nursed back enough health hit gametying basket force overtime minute remaining regulation scored five 15 points overtime lead lobos past boise state 7974 front 10420 screaming broncos fans advertisement stayed hours night keeping eye greenwood received iv replenish fluids game said victory boise state credit credit coach trusting enough play credit teammates constantly patting back burney topeka kan native new father unm six years working mens soccer team first two lobos basketball team since whether spearheading rehab alex kirk since 7footers august 2011 back surgery getting kendall williams court ankle sprain new mexico state working chad adams hyperextended knee last week unlv helping greenwood boise burney magic touch lobos season starts confidence guys trust burney said im 247 guys anything injuries obviously common things theyre personal problems theyre sick anything im adams hyperextended knee jan 9 vs unlv burney unm senior 16 various treatment sessions next 2 12 days saturday midday fresno state game adams played 14 minutes wednesday boise one week injury adams healthy enough play seasonhigh 34 minutes advertisement new mexico state dec 19 williams crumbled floor emphatically grabbing sprained ankle early first half little treatment near team bench motivational words burney williams returned score gamehigh 24 points rivalry win sometimes little little sometimes tell burney said kendall sprained ankle told last time someone sprained ankle new mexico state came back hit six 3pointers former lobo phillip mcdonald scored 27 points hit six five 3pointers spraining ankle early unms nov 17 2009 win las cruces told burney recalls kendall like ok went work maybe burneys biggest impact season started last season even tipped advertisement shortly kirks august 2011 back surgery burney took rehab process 7footer los alamos process focused returning kirk better health even herniated disc derailed freshman campaign exhaustive tedious times often much kirks back lot times athletic injuries doesnt stem site pain burney said kirk works tirelessly flexibility conditioning never misses opportunity heap praise burney efforts advertisement hes kept head kirk said nov 5 scoring 16 points grabbing eight rebounds exhibition win new mexico highlands 594 days previous game experience kept working keeps body improving makes sure im eating right makes sure stay away dr pepper ive got thank lot working lobos links roster scheduleresults geoff grammers blog article appeared page d1 albuquerque journal
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<p>A Democratic congressman who has reliably supported extending the Bush tax cuts is now being attacked by a GOP TV spot claiming he “voted for higher taxes on Social Security, small businesses, middle-class families, even marriage.” All those claims are false or, in the case of Social Security, misleading.</p>
<p>The target of this deceptive attack from the National Republican Congressional Committee is Rep. Mike McIntyre of North Carolina, a <a href="http://bluedogdems.ngpvanhost.com/content/blue-dog-membership-1" type="external">conservative “Blue Dog” Democrat</a> who bucked his party by voting for every extension of Bush’s cuts, even for upper-income taxpayers.</p>
<p>And how does the NRCC justify its bogus claims? In the case of the Bush tax cuts, the NRCC points to a vote McIntyre cast on a non-binding budget resolution in 2008 that had no impact on the tax cuts because they weren’t scheduled to expire until Dec. 31, 2010. McIntyre voted in 2010 to extend the Bush tax cuts for two years, and he was one of only 19 Democrats this month to vote to extend them for another year. He also twice opposed his own party’s attempts to allow the tax cuts to expire for high-income taxpayers.</p>
<p>On Social Security, the NRCC cites McIntyre’s vote in 2000 against lowering (not a vote for raising) income taxes on Social Security earnings of upper-income taxpayers. The NRCC is employing an old trick, claiming that opposing a tax cut is a vote for “higher” taxes, even though nobody’s taxes would increase.</p>
<p>The ad also recycles an exaggerated claim that President Obama’s stimulus created jobs in China. As we have written before, some components for U.S. <a href="" type="internal">wind energy projects</a> and <a href="" type="internal">energy efficient traffic lights</a> were manufactured in China. The number of jobs created in China is not known, but only a small fraction of the stimulus was spent on Chinese parts.</p>
<p>McIntyre and the Bush Tax Cuts</p>
<p>McIntyre is an <a href="http://mcintyre.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=66&amp;Itemid=8" type="external">eight-term</a> incumbent from North Carolina, whose seat is in jeopardy this fall. <a href="http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.com/ratings/house" type="external">The Rothenberg Political Report</a> gives him less than a 50-50 chance of retaining his seat, placing his district in the “lean Republican” column.</p>
<p>The National Republican Congressional Committee has targeted McIntyre for defeat, and it began <a href="http://www.nrcc.org/2012/08/20/new-nrcc-tv-ad-whats-best-for-mcintyre-obama-hurts-southeastern-north-carolina/" type="external">airing an ad</a> Aug. 17 that questions if he is doing “what’s best for us” on taxes (certain provisions of the Bush tax cuts) and spending (Obama’s stimulus). The NRCC ad, which is titled “You Decide,” is in response to McIntyre’s ad titled “ <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neQ4z0ruoTQ" type="external">What’s Best,</a>” in which he claims to do what’s best for his district regardless of party labels.</p>
<p>McIntyre did <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll046.xml" type="external">vote</a> for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, but his record on taxes is more closely aligned with former Republican President George W. Bush.</p>
<p>In the ad, the NRCC says: “McIntyre voted for higher taxes on Social Security, small businesses, middle-class families, even marriage.”</p>
<p>Let’s first look at the claims about voting to raise taxes on small businesses, middle-class families and married couples. When asked to support these claims, the NRCC pointed us to McIntyre’s <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll141.xml" type="external">March 13, 2008, vote</a> on a House budget resolution drafted by the Democrats.</p>
<p>That resolution did three things: revised the fiscal year 2008 budget, set the spending limits for the fiscal year 2009 budget, and set the budget levels for 2010 through 2013.</p>
<p>The Bush tax cuts — which were enacted in 2001 and 2003 — were due to expire in 2010, and the budget levels for 2010 through 2013 set by the House resolution reflected the additional revenue that would be generated from the expiration of the tax cuts. Republicans <a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/apr/28/gop_slams_vote_budget/?city_local" type="external">opposed the bill</a> for that reason, and the NRCC cited an <a href="http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2008/03/14/79669-senate-rejects-pork-barrel-spending-ban-but-presidential-hopefuls-back-it/" type="external">Associated Press article</a> that said the Democrats “would bring the federal budget back into the black by letting all of President Bush’s tax cuts expire at the end of 2010.”</p>
<p>But the fact is that budget resolutions are non-binding, and the 2008 House vote had no effect on tax rates.</p>
<p>Budget resolutions set budget levels that cannot be exceeded, but the “programmatic assumptions (i.e., the specific mix of revenue and spending policies that are assumed within the budget levels) are not binding,” as the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service explains in a <a href="http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=%270E%2C*PLS2%23%20%20%20%0A" type="external">March 2012 report</a> on the history of budget resolutions.</p>
<p>“The tax cuts don’t expire until 2010 and nobody’s taxes are going up from what we’re doing on the floor today and no one’s are going down,” said Rep. John Spratt, chairman of the House Budget Committee, according to a March 13, 2008, article by CongressNow.</p>
<p>In addition, the March 7, 2008, <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-110hrpt543/pdf/CRPT-110hrpt543.pdf" type="external">House committee report</a> on the budget resolution included policy language to further make it clear that the House Democrats supported providing tax relief for middle-income families and married couples. The budget resolution “does not necessarily assume maintaining current tax law” and thus it “accommodates … extension of tax cuts benefitting middle-income households,” including “marriage penalty relief,” the committee report said.</p>
<p>Spratt, a South Carolina Democrat, <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2008-03-12/pdf/CREC-2008-03-12-pt1-PgH1580-2.pdf#page=5" type="external">said during the floor debate</a>: “We primarily delayed the decision about those tax cuts in 2010 on the basis that we need to know more.” He cited, for example, the need to know about the state of the economy in 2010.</p>
<p>The House bill wasn’t passed by both chambers. It was superseded by the Senate budget resolution, which passed the House <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll318.xml" type="external">214-203</a> largely along partisan lines on May 14, 2008. McIntyre voted for the Senate version, too.</p>
<p>The Associated Press <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/13/AR2007031301387.html" type="external">reported</a> that the Senate bill provided money “to renew tax cuts aimed at the middle class,” including “relief from the marriage penalty.” But, the AP reported, the Senate budget resolution left the “difficult decisions on automatic tax increases to the next president and the newly elected Congress.”</p>
<p>The difficult decision on the Bush tax cuts came two years later.</p>
<p>Obama and the Democratic congressional leaders pushed at first to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/24/AR2010072402428.html" type="external">extend the tax cuts</a> only for individuals earning less than $200,000 and couples earning less than $250,000. But the president <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/12/obama-addresses-possible-deal-on-bush-tax-cuts/1#.UDPlx6BAWdA" type="external">relented</a> and agreed to extend the Bush tax cuts for all taxpayers through 2012.</p>
<p>There were two key votes in December 2010 on the Bush tax cuts in the House, and McIntyre sided with the House Republicans both times:</p>
<p>The Bush tax cuts are due to expire at the end of this year, and McIntyre, again, has sided with Republicans in seeking to extend them for all taxpayers.</p>
<p>The House voted Aug. 1 to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for one year by a <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll545.xml" type="external">256-171 vote</a>. McIntyre was one of only 19 Democrats who voted for it. The Senate has yet to act.</p>
<p><a href="http://levin.house.gov/about-me/full-biography" type="external">Rep. Sandy Levin</a>, a Michigan Democrat, sought to amend the GOP House bill to limit the extension of the tax cuts to only those earning below $200,000 for single taxpayers and $250,000 for married couples. But the amendment ( <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2012-08-01/pdf/CREC-2012-08-01-pt1-PgH5578.pdf#page=11" type="external">page H5588</a>) failed <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll543.xml" type="external">257-170</a>. Again, McIntyre joined Republicans in opposing the Democratic plan to limit the tax cut.</p>
<p>As for the original Bush tax cuts, McIntyre supported the 2001 tax cuts, but not the 2003 cuts.</p>
<p>McIntyre was one of only 13 Democrats to <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2001/roll118.xml" type="external">vote for</a> the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 when it first came up for a vote on May 16, 2001. He cosponsored two of the bills that later would become part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act: <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.00006:" type="external">the Marriage Penalty and Family Tax Relief Act</a> and the <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:H.R.8:" type="external">Death Tax Elimination Act</a>. He <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2001/roll149.xml" type="external">did not cast a vote</a> on final passage of the tax package on May 26, 2001.</p>
<p>McIntyre did, however, <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll182.xml" type="external">vote against</a> the 2003 tax bill, which accelerated certain tax cuts adopted in the 2001 law and reduced taxes on dividends and capital gains.</p>
<p>One last thing: McIntyre’s record on marriage penalty relief dates to 2000.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/Marriage-Penalties.cfm" type="external">so-called marriage penalty</a> occurs when a married couple pays more in income taxes as a couple than they would if they filed separately, and it was <a href="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/legislation/2000.cfm" type="external">addressed</a> in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 under Bush.</p>
<p>But prior to Bush’s tax fix for married couples, McIntyre <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2000/roll418.xml" type="external">voted</a> for the Marriage Tax Penalty Relief Reconciliation Act — a Republican-backed bill that then-President Clinton vetoed. McIntyre also <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2000/roll466.xml" type="external">voted</a> to override Clinton’s veto of that bill.</p>
<p>McIntyre and Social Security</p>
<p>The ad also makes the claim that “McIntyre voted for higher taxes on Social Security.” That’s not true. He voted against a tax break for certain higher-income seniors. The ad may leave the false impression that he voted to raise taxes on all Social Security recipients. He did not.</p>
<p>Here’s the <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/history/taxationofbenefits.html" type="external">history</a> of what happened: President Reagan first made Social Security benefits subject to income taxes as part of a 1983 bipartisan agreement that extended the life of the Social Security trust fund. Under the 1983 agreement, up to 50 percent of Social Security benefits could be subject to federal income tax. The tax affected individual taxpayers earning above $25,000 and married couples filing jointly who make more than $32,000.</p>
<p>In 1993, Clinton raised the taxable portion of Social Security benefits to up to 85 percent for individuals earning above $34,000 and married couples making more than $44,000. The additional tax revenue goes into the Medicare hospital insurance trust fund.</p>
<p>McIntyre <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2000/roll450.xml" type="external">voted against</a> a Republican-backed bill in 2000 that would have returned the tax to the 1983 level — providing a tax break for higher-income seniors, not a tax hike for all seniors. The New York Times <a href="http://partners.nytimes.com/library/politics/072800congress-tax.html" type="external">reported</a> that the 1993 tax affected the top income quintile and raised about $8 billion for Medicare in 2000.</p>
<p>The bill passed the House, but <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d106:H.R.4865:@@@R" type="external">died</a> in the Senate.</p>
<p>— Eugene Kiely</p>
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democratic congressman reliably supported extending bush tax cuts attacked gop tv spot claiming voted higher taxes social security small businesses middleclass families even marriage claims false case social security misleading target deceptive attack national republican congressional committee rep mike mcintyre north carolina conservative blue dog democrat bucked party voting every extension bushs cuts even upperincome taxpayers nrcc justify bogus claims case bush tax cuts nrcc points vote mcintyre cast nonbinding budget resolution 2008 impact tax cuts werent scheduled expire dec 31 2010 mcintyre voted 2010 extend bush tax cuts two years one 19 democrats month vote extend another year also twice opposed partys attempts allow tax cuts expire highincome taxpayers social security nrcc cites mcintyres vote 2000 lowering vote raising income taxes social security earnings upperincome taxpayers nrcc employing old trick claiming opposing tax cut vote higher taxes even though nobodys taxes would increase ad also recycles exaggerated claim president obamas stimulus created jobs china written components us wind energy projects energy efficient traffic lights manufactured china number jobs created china known small fraction stimulus spent chinese parts mcintyre bush tax cuts mcintyre eightterm incumbent north carolina whose seat jeopardy fall rothenberg political report gives less 5050 chance retaining seat placing district lean republican column national republican congressional committee targeted mcintyre defeat began airing ad aug 17 questions whats best us taxes certain provisions bush tax cuts spending obamas stimulus nrcc ad titled decide response mcintyres ad titled whats best claims whats best district regardless party labels mcintyre vote american recovery reinvestment act 2009 record taxes closely aligned former republican president george w bush ad nrcc says mcintyre voted higher taxes social security small businesses middleclass families even marriage lets first look claims voting raise taxes small businesses middleclass families married couples asked support claims nrcc pointed us mcintyres march 13 2008 vote house budget resolution drafted democrats resolution three things revised fiscal year 2008 budget set spending limits fiscal year 2009 budget set budget levels 2010 2013 bush tax cuts enacted 2001 2003 due expire 2010 budget levels 2010 2013 set house resolution reflected additional revenue would generated expiration tax cuts republicans opposed bill reason nrcc cited associated press article said democrats would bring federal budget back black letting president bushs tax cuts expire end 2010 fact budget resolutions nonbinding 2008 house vote effect tax rates budget resolutions set budget levels exceeded programmatic assumptions ie specific mix revenue spending policies assumed within budget levels binding nonpartisan congressional research service explains march 2012 report history budget resolutions tax cuts dont expire 2010 nobodys taxes going floor today ones going said rep john spratt chairman house budget committee according march 13 2008 article congressnow addition march 7 2008 house committee report budget resolution included policy language make clear house democrats supported providing tax relief middleincome families married couples budget resolution necessarily assume maintaining current tax law thus accommodates extension tax cuts benefitting middleincome households including marriage penalty relief committee report said spratt south carolina democrat said floor debate primarily delayed decision tax cuts 2010 basis need know cited example need know state economy 2010 house bill wasnt passed chambers superseded senate budget resolution passed house 214203 largely along partisan lines may 14 2008 mcintyre voted senate version associated press reported senate bill provided money renew tax cuts aimed middle class including relief marriage penalty ap reported senate budget resolution left difficult decisions automatic tax increases next president newly elected congress difficult decision bush tax cuts came two years later obama democratic congressional leaders pushed first extend tax cuts individuals earning less 200000 couples earning less 250000 president relented agreed extend bush tax cuts taxpayers 2012 two key votes december 2010 bush tax cuts house mcintyre sided house republicans times bush tax cuts due expire end year mcintyre sided republicans seeking extend taxpayers house voted aug 1 extend bushera tax cuts one year 256171 vote mcintyre one 19 democrats voted senate yet act rep sandy levin michigan democrat sought amend gop house bill limit extension tax cuts earning 200000 single taxpayers 250000 married couples amendment page h5588 failed 257170 mcintyre joined republicans opposing democratic plan limit tax cut original bush tax cuts mcintyre supported 2001 tax cuts 2003 cuts mcintyre one 13 democrats vote economic growth tax relief reconciliation act 2001 first came vote may 16 2001 cosponsored two bills later would become part economic growth tax relief reconciliation act marriage penalty family tax relief act death tax elimination act cast vote final passage tax package may 26 2001 mcintyre however vote 2003 tax bill accelerated certain tax cuts adopted 2001 law reduced taxes dividends capital gains one last thing mcintyres record marriage penalty relief dates 2000 socalled marriage penalty occurs married couple pays income taxes couple would filed separately addressed economic growth tax relief reconciliation act 2001 bush prior bushs tax fix married couples mcintyre voted marriage tax penalty relief reconciliation act republicanbacked bill thenpresident clinton vetoed mcintyre also voted override clintons veto bill mcintyre social security ad also makes claim mcintyre voted higher taxes social security thats true voted tax break certain higherincome seniors ad may leave false impression voted raise taxes social security recipients heres history happened president reagan first made social security benefits subject income taxes part 1983 bipartisan agreement extended life social security trust fund 1983 agreement 50 percent social security benefits could subject federal income tax tax affected individual taxpayers earning 25000 married couples filing jointly make 32000 1993 clinton raised taxable portion social security benefits 85 percent individuals earning 34000 married couples making 44000 additional tax revenue goes medicare hospital insurance trust fund mcintyre voted republicanbacked bill 2000 would returned tax 1983 level providing tax break higherincome seniors tax hike seniors new york times reported 1993 tax affected top income quintile raised 8 billion medicare 2000 bill passed house died senate eugene kiely
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<p>Jan 18 (Reuters) - CROWDSOFT TECHNOLOGY AB:</p>
<p>* FLOWSCAPE SIGNS AGREEMENT REGARDING PILOT INSTALLATION WORTH SEK 300,000 Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Saturday that U.S. strikes in Syria overnight had successfully hit every target and were aimed to deliver an unambiguous signal to the Syrian government and deter the future use of chemical weapons.</p> The U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey fires a Tomahawk land attack missile April 14, 2018. U.S. Navy/Lt. j.g Matthew Daniels/Handout via REUTERS.
<p>The strikes significantly crippled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s ability to produce chemical weapons, officials told reporters at a briefing, and the Pentagon was not aware of any civilian casualties resulting from the strikes.</p>
<p>Lieutenant General Kenneth F. McKenzie said the strikes were precise, overwhelming and effective.</p>
<p>Though some of Syria’s chemical weapons infrastructure was still left, “I think we’ve dealt them a severe blow,” McKenzie said, adding it would set the program back for years.</p>
<p>Despite severely damaging the infrastructure with the strikes, McKenzie said the Pentagon would not rule out that the Assad government still had capability to use such weapons again.</p>
<p>“I would say there’s still a residual element of the Syrian program that’s out there,” he said. “I’m not going to say that they’re going to be unable to continue to conduct a chemical attack in the future. I suspect, however, they’ll think long and hard about it.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Doina Chiacu; writing by Jeff Mason; Editing by David Gregorio</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Twitter praised Western air strikes against the Syrian government on Saturday as “perfectly executed”, and added “Mission Accomplished”.</p> U.S. President Donald Trump makes a statement about Syria at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 13, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
<p>“A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!” Trump said in a Twitter post.</p>
<p>Trump’s message echoed the words of a banner that hung behind former President George W. Bush when he gave a speech in 2003 from the USS Abraham Lincoln, during the Iraq War.</p>
<p>That visual dogged Bush’s presidency as the war dragged out, with worsening American casualties, for the remainder of his two terms in office.</p>
<p>(This version of the story refiles to fix typographical error in paragraph 3).</p>
<p>Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Joel Schectman editing by Jason Neely and David Gregorio</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON/BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S., British and French forces struck Syria with more than 100 missiles on Saturday in the first coordinated Western strikes against the Damascus government, targeting what they called chemical weapons sites in retaliation for a poison gas attack.</p>
<p>U.S. President Donald Trump announced the military action from the White House, saying the three allies had “marshaled their righteous power against barbarism and brutality”.</p>
<p>As he spoke, explosions rocked Damascus. In the morning he tweeted: “Mission accomplished”.</p>
<p>The bombing represents a major escalation in the West’s confrontation with Assad’s superpower ally Russia, but is unlikely to alter the course of a multi-sided war which has killed at least half a million people in the past seven years.</p>
<p>That in turn raises the question of where Western countries go from here, after a volley of strikes denounced by Damascus and Moscow as at once both reckless and pointless.</p>
<p>By morning, the Western countries said their bombing was over for now. Syria released video of the wreckage of a bombed-out research lab, but also of President Bashar al-Assad arriving at work as usual, with the caption “morning of resilience”.</p>
<p>There were no immediate reports of casualties, with Damascus allies saying the buildings hit had been evacuated in advance.</p>
<p>British Prime Minister Theresa May described the strike as “limited and targeted”, with no intention of toppling Assad or intervening more widely in the war. She said she had authorized British action after intelligence showed Assad’s government was to blame for gassing the Damascus suburb of Douma a week ago.</p>
<p>In a speech she gave a vivid description of the victims of the chemical strike that killed scores, huddling in basements as gas rained down. She said Russia had thwarted diplomatic efforts to halt Assad’s use of poison gas, leaving no option but force.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-trump/trump-mission-accomplished-on-perfectly-executed-syria-strike-idUSKBN1HL0TW" type="external">Trump: 'mission accomplished' on 'perfectly executed' Syria strike</a>
<a href="/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-un/u-n-security-council-to-meet-on-saturday-at-russias-request-diplomats-idUSKBN1HL0S9" type="external">U.N. Security Council to meet on Saturday at Russia's request: diplomats</a>
<a href="/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-israel/syria-strikes-an-important-signal-to-iran-and-hezbollah-israeli-minister-idUSKBN1HL0A4" type="external">Syria strikes an 'important signal' to Iran and Hezbollah: Israeli minister</a>
<p>French President Emmanuel Macron said the strikes had been limited so far to Syria’s chemical weapons facilities. Paris released a dossier which it said showed Damascus was to blame for the poison gas attack on Douma, the last town holding out in a rebel-held swathe of territory near Damascus which government forces have recaptured in this year’s biggest offensive.</p>
<p>Washington described its targets as a center near Damascus for the research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological weapons, a chemical weapons storage site near the city of Homs and another site near Homs that stored chemical weapons equipment and housed a command post.</p>
<p>U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called the strikes a “one time shot”, although Trump raised the prospect of further strikes if Assad’s government again used chemical weapons.</p>
<p>“We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents,” the U.S. president said in a televised address.</p>
<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss what Moscow decried as an unjustified attack on a sovereign state. Diplomats said the meeting would take place in New York at 11:00 am (1500 GMT).</p>
<p>Syrian state media called the attack a “flagrant violation of international law.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called it a crime and the Western leaders criminals.</p>
<p>Inspectors from the global chemical weapons watchdog OPCW were due to try to visit Douma later on Saturday to inspect the site of the April 7 suspected gas attack. Moscow condemned the Western states for refusing to wait for their findings.</p>
<p>Russia, whose relations with the West have deteriorated to levels of Cold War-era hostility, has denied any gas attack took place in Douma and even accused Britain of staging it to whip up anti-Russian hysteria.</p>
<p>But despite responding outwardly with fury to Saturday’s attack, Damascus and its allies also made clear that they considered it a one-off, unlikely to meaningfully harm Assad.</p> “ABSORBED” THE ATTACKS
<p>A senior official in a regional alliance that backs Damascus told Reuters the Syrian government and its allies had “absorbed” the attack. The sites that were targeted had been evacuated days ago thanks to a warning from Russia, the official said.</p>
<p>“If it is finished, and there is no second round, it will be considered limited,” the official said.</p>
<p>Dmitry Belik, a Russian member of parliament who was in Damascus and witnessed the strikes, told Reuters by email: “The attack was more of a psychological nature rather than practical. Luckily there are no substantial losses or damages.”</p>
<p>At least six loud explosions were heard in Damascus and smoke rose over the city, a Reuters witness said. A second witness said the Barzah district of Damascus was hit.</p>
<p>A scientific research lab in Barzah appeared to have been completely destroyed, according to footage broadcast by Syrian state TV station al-Ikhbariya. Smoke rose from piles of rubble and a heavily damaged bus was parked outside.</p>
<p>But the Western intervention has virtually no chance of altering the military balance of power at a time when Assad is in his strongest position since the war’s early months.</p> ASSAD STRONG
<p>In Douma, site of last week’s suspected gas attack, the final buses were due on Saturday to transport out rebels and their families who agreed to surrender the town, Syrian state TV reported. That effectively ends all resistance in the suburbs of Damascus known as eastern Ghouta, marking one of the biggest victories for Assad’s government of the entire war.</p>
<p>Russian and Iranian military help over the past three years has let Assad crush the rebel threat to topple him.</p>
<p>The United States, Britain and France have all participated in the Syrian conflict for years, arming rebels, bombing Islamic State fighters and deploying troops on the ground to fight that group. But they have refrained from targeting Assad’s government apart from a volley of U.S. missiles last year.</p>
<p>Although the Western countries have all said for seven years that Assad must leave power, they held back in the past from striking his government, lacking a wider strategy to defeat him.</p>
<p>The Western powers were at pains on Saturday to avert any further escalation, including any unexpected conflict with their superpower rival Russia. French Defense Minister Florence Parly said the Russians “were warned beforehand” to avert conflict.</p>
<p>The combined U.S., British and French assault involved more missiles, but appears to have struck more limited targets, than a similar strike Trump ordered a year ago in retaliation for an earlier suspected chemical weapons attack. Last year’s U.S. strike, which Washington said at the time would cripple Assad’s air forces and defenses, had effectively no impact on the war.</p>
<p>Mattis said the United States conducted the strikes with conclusive evidence that chlorine gas had been used in the April 7 attack in Syria. Evidence that the nerve agent sarin also was used was inconclusive, he said.</p>
<p>Syria agreed in 2013 to give up its chemical weapons after a nerve gas attack killed hundreds of people in Douma. Damascus is still permitted to have chlorine for civilian use, although its use as a weapon is banned. Allegations of Assad’s chlorine use have been frequent during the war, although unlike nerve agents chlorine did not produce mass casualties as seen last week.</p> A missile is seen crossing over Damascus, Syria April 14, 2018. SANA/Handout via REUTERS
<p>Mattis, who U.S. officials said had earlier warned in internal debates that too large an attack would risk confrontation with Russia, described the strikes as a one-off to dissuade Assad from “doing this again”.</p>
<p>But a U.S. official familiar with the military planning said there could be more air strikes if the intelligence indicates Assad has not stopped making, importing, storing or using chemical weapons, including chlorine. The official said this could require a more sustained U.S. air and naval presence.</p> EXIT SYRIA?
<p>The U.S., British and French leaders all face domestic political issues surrounding the decision to use force in Syria.</p>
<p>Trump has been leery of U.S. military involvement in the Middle East, and is eager to withdraw roughly 2,000 troops in Syria taking part in the campaign against Islamic State.</p>
<p>“America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria, under no circumstances,” Trump said in his address.</p>
<p>Trump has tried to build good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A prosecutor is investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Moscow in illegal efforts to help him get elected, an investigation Trump calls a witch hunt.</p>
<p>In Britain, May’s decision to strike without consulting parliament overturns an arrangement in place since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Her predecessor David Cameron was politically hurt when he lost a parliamentary vote on whether to bomb Syria.</p>
<p>Britain has led international condemnation of Russia, persuading more than 20 countries to expel Russian diplomats, over the poisoning with a nerve agent of a former Russian spy in England last month. May made clear that case was part of her calculus in ordering retaliation for chemical weapons in Syria.</p> Slideshow (11 Images)
<p>She argued on Saturday it was necessary to act quickly without waiting for parliament’s approval. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn accused her of following Trump, hugely unpopular in Britain, into battle without waiting for the evidence.</p>
<p>In France, Macron has long threatened to use force against Assad if he uses chemical weapons, and had faced criticism over what opponents described as an empty threat.</p>
<p>To view a graphic on an overview of chemical warfare, click: <a href="http://tmsnrt.rs/2pKDWOY" type="external">tmsnrt.rs/2pKDWOY</a></p>
<p>Reporting by Steve Holland and Tom Perry,; Additional reporting by Phil Stewart, Tim Ahmann, Eric Beech, Lesley Wroughton, Lucia Mutikani, Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle, Matt Spetalnick and John Walcott in Washington; Samia Nakhoul, Tom Perry, Laila Bassam, Ellen Francis and Angus McDowall in Beirut; Michael Holden and Guy Faulconbridge in London; and Jean-Baptiste Vey, Geert de Clerq and Matthias Blamont in Paris; Polina Ivanova in Moscow; Writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Angus MacSwan</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - Britain struck Syria with air-launched cruise missiles on Saturday to cripple President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons facilities and prevent what Prime Minister Theresa May cast as a global slide towards their greater use.</p>
<p>Four Royal Air Force Tornado jets from the Akrotiri base in Cyprus fired Storm Shadow missiles at a military facility near Homs where it was assessed that Syria had stockpiled chemicals, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said.</p>
<p>May said the strike was “limited and targeted” and came after intelligence indicated that Syrian military officials had co-ordinated a chlorine attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma on April 7.</p>
<p>Missile attacks by the United States, France and Britain had been aimed at deterring Assad’s further use of chemical weapons and was not an attempt to topple the Syrian government, May said. The mission had been a success, she said.</p>
<p>“This is not about intervening in a civil war. It is not about regime change,” May said in a statement made from her country residence at Chequers just minutes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the strikes from the White House.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-britain-may-lega/western-missile-attack-on-syria-was-right-and-legal-british-pm-may-says-idUSKBN1HL0H9" type="external">Western missile attack on Syria was 'right and legal', British PM May says</a>
<a href="/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-britain-may-assa/british-pm-may-declines-to-say-whether-assad-can-stay-after-missile-strikes-idUSKBN1HL0IG" type="external">British PM May declines to say whether Assad can stay after missile strikes</a>
<a href="/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-britain-corbyn/uk-opposition-leader-says-no-legal-basis-for-attack-on-syria-idUSKBN1HL0PT" type="external">UK opposition leader says no legal basis for attack on Syria</a>
<p>May later told reporters in her Downing Street office that the Western missiles struck a chemical weapons storage and production facility, a chemical weapons research center and a military bunker involved in chemical weapons attacks.</p>
<p>By launching strikes without prior approval from parliament, May dispensed with a non-binding constitutional convention dating back to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. She said speed was essential and that military action was in the national interest.</p>
<p>“It was both right and legal to take military action,” May said, adding that she would update parliament on Monday.</p>
<p>The Western missile strikes demonstrate the volatile nature of the Syrian civil war, which started in March 2011 as an anti-Assad uprising but is now a proxy conflict involving a number of world and regional powers and a myriad of insurgent groups.</p>
<p>Assad, May said, should not doubt the resolve of Britain, France and the United States but made clear that the strike was a specific response to the Douma attack which killed up to 75 people, including children.</p>
<p>May dismissed as “grotesque and absurd” a claim by Russia, which intervened in the war in 2015 to back Assad, that the Douma attack was staged by Britain. But she declined to give any signal about the future of Assad.</p> “RIGHT AND LEGAL”
<p>May referred specifically to last month’s nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the southern English cathedral city of Salisbury that she has blamed on Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement.</p>
<p>“We cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalized – either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere,” May told reporters in Downing Street.</p>
<p>She said almost a century of global acceptance about not using chemical weapons had been eroded in Douma and Salisbury.</p>
<p>May said Britain and its allies had sought to use every diplomatic means to stop the use of chemical weapons, but had been repeatedly thwarted, citing a Russian veto of an independent investigation into the Douma attack at the U.N. Security Council this week.</p>
<p>“So there is no practicable alternative to the use of force to degrade and deter the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime,” she said.</p> Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May attends a press conference in 10 Downing Street, London, April 14, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson/Pool BOMBS DON’T BRING PEACE
<p>The small Northern Irish political party that props up her government said May was justified in taking such action though it said wider intervention in Syria would be counter-productive.</p>
<p>However, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a fervent anti-war campaigner, called the strikes “legally questionable” and said May should have recalled parliament from a holiday and “not trailed after Donald Trump”.</p>
<p>“Bombs won’t save lives or bring about peace,” he said. “Britain should be playing a leadership role to bring about a ceasefire in the conflict, not taking instructions from Washington and putting British military personnel in harm’s way.”</p>
<p>Many politicians in Britain, including some in May’s own Conservative Party, had backed his call for parliament to give the authority for any military strike.</p>
<p>A YouGov poll for The Times newspaper this week indicated that only a fifth of voters believed that Britain should launch attacks on Syrian military targets and 43 percent opposed action.</p> Slideshow (3 Images)
<p>Former Prime Minister David Cameron lost a parliamentary vote on air strikes against Assad’s forces in 2013 when 30 Conservative lawmakers voted against action, with many Britons wary of entering another conflict after intervention in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya failed to bring stability to the region.</p>
<p>Cameron, though, gave his support of May on Saturday.</p>
<p>“As we have seen in the past, inaction has its consequences,” he said.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Andrew MacAskill and William James; Writing by Michael Holden and Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Angus MacSwan and Peter Graff</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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jan 18 reuters crowdsoft technology ab flowscape signs agreement regarding pilot installation worth sek 300000 source text eikon company coverage gdynia newsroom standards thomson reuters trust principles washington reuters pentagon said saturday us strikes syria overnight successfully hit every target aimed deliver unambiguous signal syrian government deter future use chemical weapons us navy guidedmissile cruiser uss monterey fires tomahawk land attack missile april 14 2018 us navylt jg matthew danielshandout via reuters strikes significantly crippled syrian president bashar alassads ability produce chemical weapons officials told reporters briefing pentagon aware civilian casualties resulting strikes lieutenant general kenneth f mckenzie said strikes precise overwhelming effective though syrias chemical weapons infrastructure still left think weve dealt severe blow mckenzie said adding would set program back years despite severely damaging infrastructure strikes mckenzie said pentagon would rule assad government still capability use weapons would say theres still residual element syrian program thats said im going say theyre going unable continue conduct chemical attack future suspect however theyll think long hard reporting phil stewart idrees ali doina chiacu writing jeff mason editing david gregorio standards thomson reuters trust principles washington reuters us president donald trump twitter praised western air strikes syrian government saturday perfectly executed added mission accomplished us president donald trump makes statement syria white house washington us april 13 2018 reutersyuri gripas perfectly executed strike last night thank france united kingdom wisdom power fine military could better result mission accomplished trump said twitter post trumps message echoed words banner hung behind former president george w bush gave speech 2003 uss abraham lincoln iraq war visual dogged bushs presidency war dragged worsening american casualties remainder two terms office version story refiles fix typographical error paragraph 3 reporting doina chiacu joel schectman editing jason neely david gregorio standards thomson reuters trust principles washingtonbeirut reuters us british french forces struck syria 100 missiles saturday first coordinated western strikes damascus government targeting called chemical weapons sites retaliation poison gas attack us president donald trump announced military action white house saying three allies marshaled righteous power barbarism brutality spoke explosions rocked damascus morning tweeted mission accomplished bombing represents major escalation wests confrontation assads superpower ally russia unlikely alter course multisided war killed least half million people past seven years turn raises question western countries go volley strikes denounced damascus moscow reckless pointless morning western countries said bombing syria released video wreckage bombedout research lab also president bashar alassad arriving work usual caption morning resilience immediate reports casualties damascus allies saying buildings hit evacuated advance british prime minister theresa may described strike limited targeted intention toppling assad intervening widely war said authorized british action intelligence showed assads government blame gassing damascus suburb douma week ago speech gave vivid description victims chemical strike killed scores huddling basements gas rained said russia thwarted diplomatic efforts halt assads use poison gas leaving option force related coverage trump mission accomplished perfectly executed syria strike un security council meet saturday russias request diplomats syria strikes important signal iran hezbollah israeli minister french president emmanuel macron said strikes limited far syrias chemical weapons facilities paris released dossier said showed damascus blame poison gas attack douma last town holding rebelheld swathe territory near damascus government forces recaptured years biggest offensive washington described targets center near damascus research development production testing chemical biological weapons chemical weapons storage site near city homs another site near homs stored chemical weapons equipment housed command post us defense secretary jim mattis called strikes one time shot although trump raised prospect strikes assads government used chemical weapons prepared sustain response syrian regime stops use prohibited chemical agents us president said televised address russian president vladimir putin called meeting un security council discuss moscow decried unjustified attack sovereign state diplomats said meeting would take place new york 1100 1500 gmt syrian state media called attack flagrant violation international law irans supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei called crime western leaders criminals inspectors global chemical weapons watchdog opcw due try visit douma later saturday inspect site april 7 suspected gas attack moscow condemned western states refusing wait findings russia whose relations west deteriorated levels cold warera hostility denied gas attack took place douma even accused britain staging whip antirussian hysteria despite responding outwardly fury saturdays attack damascus allies also made clear considered oneoff unlikely meaningfully harm assad absorbed attacks senior official regional alliance backs damascus told reuters syrian government allies absorbed attack sites targeted evacuated days ago thanks warning russia official said finished second round considered limited official said dmitry belik russian member parliament damascus witnessed strikes told reuters email attack psychological nature rather practical luckily substantial losses damages least six loud explosions heard damascus smoke rose city reuters witness said second witness said barzah district damascus hit scientific research lab barzah appeared completely destroyed according footage broadcast syrian state tv station alikhbariya smoke rose piles rubble heavily damaged bus parked outside western intervention virtually chance altering military balance power time assad strongest position since wars early months assad strong douma site last weeks suspected gas attack final buses due saturday transport rebels families agreed surrender town syrian state tv reported effectively ends resistance suburbs damascus known eastern ghouta marking one biggest victories assads government entire war russian iranian military help past three years let assad crush rebel threat topple united states britain france participated syrian conflict years arming rebels bombing islamic state fighters deploying troops ground fight group refrained targeting assads government apart volley us missiles last year although western countries said seven years assad must leave power held back past striking government lacking wider strategy defeat western powers pains saturday avert escalation including unexpected conflict superpower rival russia french defense minister florence parly said russians warned beforehand avert conflict combined us british french assault involved missiles appears struck limited targets similar strike trump ordered year ago retaliation earlier suspected chemical weapons attack last years us strike washington said time would cripple assads air forces defenses effectively impact war mattis said united states conducted strikes conclusive evidence chlorine gas used april 7 attack syria evidence nerve agent sarin also used inconclusive said syria agreed 2013 give chemical weapons nerve gas attack killed hundreds people douma damascus still permitted chlorine civilian use although use weapon banned allegations assads chlorine use frequent war although unlike nerve agents chlorine produce mass casualties seen last week missile seen crossing damascus syria april 14 2018 sanahandout via reuters mattis us officials said earlier warned internal debates large attack would risk confrontation russia described strikes oneoff dissuade assad us official familiar military planning said could air strikes intelligence indicates assad stopped making importing storing using chemical weapons including chlorine official said could require sustained us air naval presence exit syria us british french leaders face domestic political issues surrounding decision use force syria trump leery us military involvement middle east eager withdraw roughly 2000 troops syria taking part campaign islamic state america seek indefinite presence syria circumstances trump said address trump tried build good relations russian president vladimir putin prosecutor investigating whether trumps campaign colluded moscow illegal efforts help get elected investigation trump calls witch hunt britain mays decision strike without consulting parliament overturns arrangement place since 2003 invasion iraq predecessor david cameron politically hurt lost parliamentary vote whether bomb syria britain led international condemnation russia persuading 20 countries expel russian diplomats poisoning nerve agent former russian spy england last month may made clear case part calculus ordering retaliation chemical weapons syria slideshow 11 images argued saturday necessary act quickly without waiting parliaments approval opposition leader jeremy corbyn accused following trump hugely unpopular britain battle without waiting evidence france macron long threatened use force assad uses chemical weapons faced criticism opponents described empty threat view graphic overview chemical warfare click tmsnrtrs2pkdwoy reporting steve holland tom perry additional reporting phil stewart tim ahmann eric beech lesley wroughton lucia mutikani idrees ali patricia zengerle matt spetalnick john walcott washington samia nakhoul tom perry laila bassam ellen francis angus mcdowall beirut michael holden guy faulconbridge london jeanbaptiste vey geert de clerq matthias blamont paris polina ivanova moscow writing peter graff editing angus macswan standards thomson reuters trust principles london reuters britain struck syria airlaunched cruise missiles saturday cripple president bashar alassads chemical weapons facilities prevent prime minister theresa may cast global slide towards greater use four royal air force tornado jets akrotiri base cyprus fired storm shadow missiles military facility near homs assessed syria stockpiled chemicals britains ministry defense said may said strike limited targeted came intelligence indicated syrian military officials coordinated chlorine attack damascus suburb douma april 7 missile attacks united states france britain aimed deterring assads use chemical weapons attempt topple syrian government may said mission success said intervening civil war regime change may said statement made country residence chequers minutes us president donald trump announced strikes white house related coverage western missile attack syria right legal british pm may says british pm may declines say whether assad stay missile strikes uk opposition leader says legal basis attack syria may later told reporters downing street office western missiles struck chemical weapons storage production facility chemical weapons research center military bunker involved chemical weapons attacks launching strikes without prior approval parliament may dispensed nonbinding constitutional convention dating back 2003 invasion iraq said speed essential military action national interest right legal take military action may said adding would update parliament monday western missile strikes demonstrate volatile nature syrian civil war started march 2011 antiassad uprising proxy conflict involving number world regional powers myriad insurgent groups assad may said doubt resolve britain france united states made clear strike specific response douma attack killed 75 people including children may dismissed grotesque absurd claim russia intervened war 2015 back assad douma attack staged britain declined give signal future assad right legal may referred specifically last months nerve agent attack former spy sergei skripal daughter southern english cathedral city salisbury blamed russia moscow denied involvement allow use chemical weapons become normalized either within syria streets uk elsewhere may told reporters downing street said almost century global acceptance using chemical weapons eroded douma salisbury may said britain allies sought use every diplomatic means stop use chemical weapons repeatedly thwarted citing russian veto independent investigation douma attack un security council week practicable alternative use force degrade deter use chemical weapons syrian regime said britains prime minister theresa may attends press conference 10 downing street london april 14 2018 reuterssimon dawsonpool bombs dont bring peace small northern irish political party props government said may justified taking action though said wider intervention syria would counterproductive however opposition labour leader jeremy corbyn fervent antiwar campaigner called strikes legally questionable said may recalled parliament holiday trailed donald trump bombs wont save lives bring peace said britain playing leadership role bring ceasefire conflict taking instructions washington putting british military personnel harms way many politicians britain including mays conservative party backed call parliament give authority military strike yougov poll times newspaper week indicated fifth voters believed britain launch attacks syrian military targets 43 percent opposed action slideshow 3 images former prime minister david cameron lost parliamentary vote air strikes assads forces 2013 30 conservative lawmakers voted action many britons wary entering another conflict intervention iraq afghanistan libya failed bring stability region cameron though gave support may saturday seen past inaction consequences said additional reporting andrew macaskill william james writing michael holden guy faulconbridge editing angus macswan peter graff standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>Editor:</p>
<p>Wow… I’m fit to be tied. They have to be kidding.</p>
<p>I drove all the way to City Hall today to cast my all-important vote. I read the most stupid ballot I have ever read in the last 52 years of voting. I was re-voting for something I have already voted for to remain the same as it was originally voted to be. The voting ballot covered only half the sheet of paper and it was in tiny print.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>How much money, time and effort did this cost the City of Rio Rancho? Not to mention the time it takes each citizen to go and re-vote. How do these elected officials get away with it?</p>
<p>Rio Rancho citizens need to get off their couches and take charge of the community we live, work and take pride in.</p>
<p>If you are reading this and you haven’t voted, get to it. No more excuses for putting up with this. Please!</p>
<p>What a colossal waste of our time and tax dollars. I pray that this will never be allowed to happen again.</p>
<p>Beverly Norman</p>
<p>Rio Rancho</p>
<p>A ‘yes’ vote does not mean quitting on kids</p>
<p>Editor:</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>A “yes” vote on Aug. 20 is not quitting on our kids. UNM will still get approximately $1 million a year to stash away until they get serious about building a campus in Rio Rancho.</p>
<p>Despite many erroneous comments to the contrary, the Higher Education GRT isn’t being eliminated, it will be adjusted by half. The vote is to reduce the one-fourth percent tax to one-eighth percent. We, the taxpayers of Rio Rancho, will continue to accumulate funds in the higher education fund at a rate of approximately $1 million a year.</p>
<p>If the voters approve this adjustment, the city council, according to the law, may increase the GRT by that same one-eighth percent to use for public safety.</p>
<p>The city council isn’t threatening tax increases. This is part of the plan to keep the GRT rate the same.</p>
<p>The reason for the adjustment is to balance the financial needs of the community. Public safety is underfunded and at this point, the higher education fund has more than enough money to meet Rio Rancho’s obligation to UNM under the contract that was originally negotiated by our previous city manager.</p>
<p>Here are a couple of very scary facts:&#160;Rio Rancho public safety could not immediately respond 140 times to 911 calls in 2012.&#160;How would you feel if your emergency was a matter of life or death?</p>
<p>Too few officers and firefighters mean longer response times. Rio Rancho has grown by 72 percent whereas our public safety by only 26 percent.Our police and firefighters are underpaid. Both Albuquerque and Sandoval personnel are paid more. This could be a problem with recruiting quality and number available.</p>
<p>Vote yes for a safer city on Aug. 20.</p>
<p>Walter Bettinger</p>
<p>Rio Rancho</p>
<p>Chamber backs keeping tax as is</p>
<p>Editor:</p>
<p>As you know, the City of Rio Rancho has a special election coming up on Aug. 20. The question on the ballot is whether to reduce the current one-quarter of 1 percent higher education gross receipts tax to one-eighth of 1 percent. It is our understanding that the remaining one-eighth of 1 percent will be designated to public safety through a governing body approved gross receipts tax.</p>
<p>We encourage you to make certain you are aware of this election and vote. Rio Rancho has been known for low-voter turnout and we hope this one will change that reputation.</p>
<p>The chamber is in favor of maintaining this tax, which is an “against” vote on the ballot. Most important, however, is that Rio Rancho registered voters get educated and informed on this issue and vote. Every vote counts.</p>
<p>In May, the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber board of directors passed a resolution endorsing maintaining this gross receipts tax as it currently stands.</p>
<p>The board is in support of not making any changes to the current higher education gross receipts tax, as passed by the voters in March 2008, at the existing one-quarter of 1 percent for the completion of the original term of 20 years.</p>
<p>For sustainability and along with economic, business and community development, it is important that our city continue with the guiding principle of “promises made, promises kept.” Not fulfilling commitments could adversely impact the future of our community and jeopardize voter participation in future elections.</p>
<p>We believe strongly in honoring the “sanctity and sincere respect for the electorate process” and that any and/all elections shall stand on the merit of the original outcomes. In this case, the electorate passed this vote by 63 percent in the affirmative.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that we need voter participation in this election.</p>
<p>As stated earlier, every vote counts. Please vote “against” on Aug. 20</p>
<p>Debbi Moore</p>
<p>President and CEO</p>
<p>Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce</p>
<p>Education means safer community</p>
<p>Editor:</p>
<p>Five years ago Rio Rancho’s voters sent a clear message: The time had come to invest in education.</p>
<p>At the ballot box, voters approved a one-quarter cent tax to be used solely for higher learning purposes.</p>
<p>Members of the city council hope to erase the decision made at the ballot box in 2008. Their plan is to claw back this one-quarter cent tax, negating the progress Rio Rancho has made in developing its own higher education institutions.</p>
<p>These city councilors have variously claimed this will ease the tax burden on Rio Rancho’s citizens.</p>
<p>City councilors’ plan will not ease the tax burden; rather the plan will pull funding away from higher education and redirect it and an added tax toward public safety.</p>
<p>In its efforts to create a “safer” Rio Rancho, city councilors have opted to defund higher education through disenfranchisement of the 2008 voters.</p>
<p>In cutting support to higher education and development of a degree-granting institution, it is the unintended consequence of this decision that needs to be examined.</p>
<p>While it is agreed that a safe community is a necessity, we ask Rio Rancho voters to consider the long-term impact of defunding higher education.</p>
<p>An educated population is afforded options. An education provides myriad employment options and the tools to make healthier life choices. Employment options and healthier lifestyles lead to reduced risky behavior, including crime.</p>
<p>The intended consequence of education is a “safer” community. The unintended consequence is the unsafe community some city councilors characterize Rio Rancho as now.</p>
<p>Louis Lafrado</p>
<p>Rio Rancho</p>
<p>Restore respect to voters of RR</p>
<p>Editor:</p>
<p>The Higher Education GRT approved by the voters of Rio Rancho is in danger of being usurped by city council members to be used for purposes that they alone determine.</p>
<p>Why isn’t this statement absurd? Because it’s true. There is a political process that is being subverted.</p>
<p>A special election is scheduled, just months before a regular election and at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars to the City of Rio Rancho, for the sole purpose of taking a portion of a tax with a specific purpose and a specific time frame as determined by voters in Rio Rancho and putting it into the discretionary hands of a group of the city council. Who else thinks this is a bad idea?</p>
<p>The traditionally conservative Rio Rancho school board, the Rio Rancho Chamber of Commerce, as well as state Reps.Jason Harper and Tim Lewis and state Sen. Craig Brandt, who represent Rio Rancho, all think this is a bad idea.</p>
<p>Our elected state officials are concerned about the manner in which this is being done because what the members of the city council are proposing “…is a forever tax,” and “…never goes to the voters.” (Letter to the Editor, Aug. 4)</p>
<p>Please vote no on this issue and restore respect back to the voters of Rio Rancho.</p>
<p>Greg Smith</p>
<p>Rio Rancho</p>
<p>Party remains neutral on ed tax</p>
<p>Editor:</p>
<p>The Rio Rancho Special Election to modify the one-quarter cent gross receipts tax for higher education is under way.</p>
<p>The county Republican Party has made the point that this is a non-partisan issue with merits and pitfalls on both sides of the issue. Because both education and public safety is important, the party has remained neutral in the debate.</p>
<p>While those who are being very outspoken on the issues are entitled to their opinions, they do not speak for the Republican Party.</p>
<p>The Republican Party continues to support representatives Lewis and Harper, and Senator Brandt as they work hard to make sure our police, firefighters and educators have adequate resources while balancing the need to keep our taxes low.</p>
<p>Ultimately, the decision on how to spend their tax money is up to the taxpayers and voters of Rio Rancho.</p>
<p>Charles Christmann,</p>
<p>Chairman, Republican Party of Sandoval County</p>
<p>Divert part of funds to RR leaks</p>
<p>Editor:</p>
<p>We have lived in Rio Rancho for over 30 years. In that time, we have seen major growth. We, meaning my family and friends, are upset about the upcoming tax election.</p>
<p>As we understand it, if passed, the money removed from education will be spent without the taxpayers’ input. Our city is aging and the wear and tear is very evident. This city has way too many water breaks and we have seen breaks in our neighborhood every week for the last several years. The water maintenance workers try to repair the leaks, but the patches only hold for a week or less.</p>
<p>We realize budgets are tight but if some of the one-eighth percent tax money could be used on water line maintenance, money could be saved.</p>
<p>We have probably seen millions of gallons of water run down our street in just the last five years.</p>
<p>We really hope that some percentage of the money collected, if the measure passes, will be used on our streets and utilities.</p>
<p>What good is a top-of-the-line emergency vehicle if it must drive over broken, leaky and maybe even dangerous streets?</p>
<p>Mary Kendall</p>
<p>Rio Rancho</p>
<p>Thanks water services for help</p>
<p>Editor:</p>
<p>Several months ago, our water bill took a hit — not just a tap, but an out-of-the-park blast.</p>
<p>We had a swamp cooler whose float filled with water, allowing a constant overflow, then a couple times the backyard hose blew holes and watered the gravel for a few unattended hours.</p>
<p>The house came with an in-ground 20,000-gallon pool, and while we were in Albuquerque for a long chemo treatment for Alice (my wife), the connection going into the pool filter popped loose, and as the pool cleaner unit is under water, the filter pump kept on pumping.</p>
<p>All this time, the plastic line, under the cement, to the rear hose bib was leaking.</p>
<p>The resulting water bill was a heart stopper. The leaks had added 30 thousand gallons to our usual 10 thousand gallon usage.</p>
<p>We arranged payments with the water company. The Water and Wastewater Services Co. asked us to document all the leaks and the repairs that caused the over usage, and they would see what they could do to adjust the enormous charges.</p>
<p>We made copies of invoices from the various repair providers, and what I did personally to fix leaks.</p>
<p>Today, we received a phone call from Water and Wastewater Services, and they informed us that we now have a credit with them in an amount that meant normal water usage for the next two months would already be paid.</p>
<p>We appreciate the kindness extended, beyond words.</p>
<p>Bob Harpley</p>
<p>Rio Rancho</p>
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editor wow im fit tied kidding drove way city hall today cast allimportant vote read stupid ballot ever read last 52 years voting revoting something already voted remain originally voted voting ballot covered half sheet paper tiny print advertisement much money time effort cost city rio rancho mention time takes citizen go revote elected officials get away rio rancho citizens need get couches take charge community live work take pride reading havent voted get excuses putting please colossal waste time tax dollars pray never allowed happen beverly norman rio rancho yes vote mean quitting kids editor advertisement yes vote aug 20 quitting kids unm still get approximately 1 million year stash away get serious building campus rio rancho despite many erroneous comments contrary higher education grt isnt eliminated adjusted half vote reduce onefourth percent tax oneeighth percent taxpayers rio rancho continue accumulate funds higher education fund rate approximately 1 million year voters approve adjustment city council according law may increase grt oneeighth percent use public safety city council isnt threatening tax increases part plan keep grt rate reason adjustment balance financial needs community public safety underfunded point higher education fund enough money meet rio ranchos obligation unm contract originally negotiated previous city manager couple scary facts160rio rancho public safety could immediately respond 140 times 911 calls 2012160how would feel emergency matter life death officers firefighters mean longer response times rio rancho grown 72 percent whereas public safety 26 percentour police firefighters underpaid albuquerque sandoval personnel paid could problem recruiting quality number available vote yes safer city aug 20 walter bettinger rio rancho chamber backs keeping tax editor know city rio rancho special election coming aug 20 question ballot whether reduce current onequarter 1 percent higher education gross receipts tax oneeighth 1 percent understanding remaining oneeighth 1 percent designated public safety governing body approved gross receipts tax encourage make certain aware election vote rio rancho known lowvoter turnout hope one change reputation chamber favor maintaining tax vote ballot important however rio rancho registered voters get educated informed issue vote every vote counts may rio rancho regional chamber board directors passed resolution endorsing maintaining gross receipts tax currently stands board support making changes current higher education gross receipts tax passed voters march 2008 existing onequarter 1 percent completion original term 20 years sustainability along economic business community development important city continue guiding principle promises made promises kept fulfilling commitments could adversely impact future community jeopardize voter participation future elections believe strongly honoring sanctity sincere respect electorate process andall elections shall stand merit original outcomes case electorate passed vote 63 percent affirmative bottom line need voter participation election stated earlier every vote counts please vote aug 20 debbi moore president ceo rio rancho regional chamber commerce education means safer community editor five years ago rio ranchos voters sent clear message time come invest education ballot box voters approved onequarter cent tax used solely higher learning purposes members city council hope erase decision made ballot box 2008 plan claw back onequarter cent tax negating progress rio rancho made developing higher education institutions city councilors variously claimed ease tax burden rio ranchos citizens city councilors plan ease tax burden rather plan pull funding away higher education redirect added tax toward public safety efforts create safer rio rancho city councilors opted defund higher education disenfranchisement 2008 voters cutting support higher education development degreegranting institution unintended consequence decision needs examined agreed safe community necessity ask rio rancho voters consider longterm impact defunding higher education educated population afforded options education provides myriad employment options tools make healthier life choices employment options healthier lifestyles lead reduced risky behavior including crime intended consequence education safer community unintended consequence unsafe community city councilors characterize rio rancho louis lafrado rio rancho restore respect voters rr editor higher education grt approved voters rio rancho danger usurped city council members used purposes alone determine isnt statement absurd true political process subverted special election scheduled months regular election cost tens thousands dollars city rio rancho sole purpose taking portion tax specific purpose specific time frame determined voters rio rancho putting discretionary hands group city council else thinks bad idea traditionally conservative rio rancho school board rio rancho chamber commerce well state repsjason harper tim lewis state sen craig brandt represent rio rancho think bad idea elected state officials concerned manner done members city council proposing forever tax never goes voters letter editor aug 4 please vote issue restore respect back voters rio rancho greg smith rio rancho party remains neutral ed tax editor rio rancho special election modify onequarter cent gross receipts tax higher education way county republican party made point nonpartisan issue merits pitfalls sides issue education public safety important party remained neutral debate outspoken issues entitled opinions speak republican party republican party continues support representatives lewis harper senator brandt work hard make sure police firefighters educators adequate resources balancing need keep taxes low ultimately decision spend tax money taxpayers voters rio rancho charles christmann chairman republican party sandoval county divert part funds rr leaks editor lived rio rancho 30 years time seen major growth meaning family friends upset upcoming tax election understand passed money removed education spent without taxpayers input city aging wear tear evident city way many water breaks seen breaks neighborhood every week last several years water maintenance workers try repair leaks patches hold week less realize budgets tight oneeighth percent tax money could used water line maintenance money could saved probably seen millions gallons water run street last five years really hope percentage money collected measure passes used streets utilities good topoftheline emergency vehicle must drive broken leaky maybe even dangerous streets mary kendall rio rancho thanks water services help editor several months ago water bill took hit tap outofthepark blast swamp cooler whose float filled water allowing constant overflow couple times backyard hose blew holes watered gravel unattended hours house came inground 20000gallon pool albuquerque long chemo treatment alice wife connection going pool filter popped loose pool cleaner unit water filter pump kept pumping time plastic line cement rear hose bib leaking resulting water bill heart stopper leaks added 30 thousand gallons usual 10 thousand gallon usage arranged payments water company water wastewater services co asked us document leaks repairs caused usage would see could adjust enormous charges made copies invoices various repair providers personally fix leaks today received phone call water wastewater services informed us credit amount meant normal water usage next two months would already paid appreciate kindness extended beyond words bob harpley rio rancho
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<p>Is it any better to replace sugar with these sugar substitutes? The controversy over sugar substitutes rages with some experts claiming that calorie-free sweeteners increase our sweet-tooth and cause weight gain and may even be unsafe. Today, we will take a look at the pros and cons of common sugar substitutes.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The potential benefit of sugar substitutes is that they can help reduce caloric intake. Two recent studies found that by replacing one sweetened drink per day with water or sugarfree soda, weight gain was reduced in Dutch children and in U.S. teens.</p>
<p>Because American teens consume three times more soda than what was provided in the trial, the impact on weight could be even greater if children and teens replaced all of their sweetened beverages with non-caloric alternatives.</p>
<p>However, in the real world, people feel entitled to more food when they consume diet foods, which can negate any potential caloric reduction (imagine enjoying extra slices of pizza with generous meat toppings along with a pitcher of guilt-free diet soda).</p>
<p>Thus, sugar substitutes, when we know we are consuming them, rarely result in caloric reduction or weight loss. In fact, some experts believe that they increase our appetite and can even cause weight gain.</p>
<p>The research is mixed: Recent randomized human trials show that sugar substitutes can help prevent weight gain while other studies (but no randomized human studies but rather mostly epidemiological and rodent studies) report sugar substitutes result in weight gain.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Another reason some people choose to use sugar substitutes is if they are counting carbohydrates.</p>
<p>The American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association both support the use of sugar substitutes in place of added sugars as this may facilitate a lower caloric intake and weight loss. Diabetics often need to closely monitor their carbohydrate intake at each meal and snack in order to control blood sugar. If they replace sugar with sugar substitutes, they can consume additional food without exceeding their carb quota, and thus could choose to eat an apple or some other source of carbohydrates in addition to the soda or sweet rather than having to choose between them.</p>
<p>What’s safe?</p>
<p>But for those of us without the need to closely monitor our carbohydrates, should we consume real sugar or sugar substitutes? The sugar substitutes available in the U.S. have been tested and found to be safe when consumed within the acceptable daily intake levels established by the Food and Drug Administration.</p>
<p>However, some individuals may be consuming much larger amounts than estimated. In addition, some critics contend that some of the sugar substitutes are unsafe even at lower levels.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Many diet foods and beverages use a mixture of sugar substitutes rather than a single artificial sweetener. Thus, if you are concerned about the safety of any of the sweeteners, you have to examine the ingredient list frequently and closely, as the ingredients may change over time.</p>
<p>For example, diet Pepsi just recently switched its artificial sweetener from aspartame to a mixture of aspartame and acesulfame K.</p>
<p>SUCRALOSE (Splenda) is made from sugar (sucrose) by replacing three hydroxyl (OH) groups with chlorine molecules. According to rodent studies, sucralose appears to reduce the good bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and thus is suspected by some scientists of causing inflammatory bowel disease. Whether this is the case in humans is unproven. However, moderation in terms of consumption of sucralose — and all sugar substitutes — is likely the best policy.</p>
<p>ASPARTAME (NutraSweet, Equal, Natra Taste) consumption remains the most controversial of the sugar substitutes as it has been linked to cancer in several rodent studies. Higher risk of lymphoma and leukemia has been demonstrated in rats fed very high doses of aspartame.</p>
<p>However, the methodology of these studies has been widely criticized. A five-year human study found no safety issues but may not have been long enough to identify increased cancer risk.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Aspartame is not heatstable and therefore should not be used in baking. Foods and drinks with aspartame tend to lose sweetness during storage.</p>
<p>Anecdotal reports claim that aspartame may cause headaches and neurological problems, but these are unsubstantiated. Others worry about metabolism of the methyl ester that binds the amino acids in aspartame into methanol, a poison, and whether that might cause disease. However, fruit juices contain far more methanol than aspartame.</p>
<p>SACCHARINE (Sweet‘N’Low, SugarTwin, DiabetiSweet) is considered to be safe for humans. Early rodent studies found an increased risk of bladder cancer, especially in male rats given high doses. But we now know that this was due to a mechanism that does not occur in humans due to species differences and therefore warning labels are no longer required on saccharine.</p>
<p>Some doctors recommend avoiding saccharine during pregnancy, as it does get transported to the fetus, but no ill effects have been reported.</p>
<p>ASULFAME K, OR ACE-K (Sunnet, Sweet One) has had somewhat limited animal testing to substantiate its safety. Some scientists remain concerned that it may be mildly carcinogenic. Asulfame K is added along with aspartame to many diet products in the marketplace. Asulfame K is heat-stable and maintains its sweetness over time.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>NEOTAME is made from aspartame, but with minor chemical changes and unlike aspartame, is safe for people with phenylketonuria. It is rarely used but may be found in foods and beverages but not in packets. Neotame appears to be safe and is more stable than aspartame.</p>
<p>TAGATOSE (Naturlose) is a low-carbohydrate sweetener similar to fructose that occurs naturally in mushrooms and can be manufactured from lactose in dairy products. It is poorly absorbed and can cause diarrhea in excess.</p>
<p>STEVIA EXTRACTS</p>
<p>(Rebaudioside A or Reb-A) (SweetLeaf , Sun Crystals, Good &amp; Sweet, Pure Via, Truvia) are derived from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a South American shrub.</p>
<p>It is available in liquid, packets and bulk. Stevia may interact with certain blood pressure or diabetic drugs, causing hypoglycemia or hypotension.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Women who are pregnant or nursing should probably avoid using stevia as there is little information on its safety during pregnancy.</p>
<p>The takeaway</p>
<p>The bottom line is sugar substitutes may benefit diabetics or dieters by reducing added sugar intake but only if you do not overcompensate by consuming additional foods.</p>
<p>Ultimately, what matters is the diet as a whole, not any one food or beverage. Despite some lingering questions on artificial sweeteners, they are likely safe when used in moderation. But so is good old-fashioned white table sugar when consumed in moderation.</p>
<p>Sharon Himmelstein, Ph.D., M.N.S., R.D., teaches nutrition at Central New Mexico Community College. She can be reached at sharonh@ cnm.edu.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Healthy Meals, Fit for Life</p>
<p>Central New Mexico Community College is offering free nutrition and healthy cooking and lifestyle classes with the “Healthy Meals, Fit for Life” program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project.</p>
<p>Spring 2013 classes will include:</p>
<p>A brown bag lunch series noon to 1 p.m. Tuesdays at Montoya campus during February and at the Workforce Training Center in April.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The following are offered on the main campus:</p>
<p>“Choose My Plate Diet and Exercise Computer Lab,” 5:30-8 p.m. today.</p>
<p>“Weight Management,” 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.</p>
<p>“Weight Loss 101,” 5:30-8 p.m. Jan. 23. “Cardiovascular Health,” 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 16. “Grocery Shopping 101,” 5:30-8 p.m. March 6.</p>
<p>“Choose My Plate,” 9 a.m.-2 p.m. March 16.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“Weight Loss 101,” 5:30-8 p.m. March 20.</p>
<p>“Diabetes,” 9 a.m.-2 p.m. April 13.</p>
<p>“Grocery Shopping 101,” 5:30-8 p.m. May 1.</p>
<p>“Choose My Plate Diet and Exercise Computer Lab,” 5:30-8 p.m. May 8.</p>
<p>“Food Allergies and Food Intolerances,” 9 a.m.-2 p.m. June 1.</p>
<p>“Dietary Supplements Pros and Cons and Bone Health,” 9 a.m.-2 p.m. June 15.</p>
<p>Visit cnm.edu/wtc and click on classes and then click USDA Healthy Meal Grant to register. Contact workforce@ cnm.edu or 505-224-5200 with questions</p>
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better replace sugar sugar substitutes controversy sugar substitutes rages experts claiming caloriefree sweeteners increase sweettooth cause weight gain may even unsafe today take look pros cons common sugar substitutes advertisement potential benefit sugar substitutes help reduce caloric intake two recent studies found replacing one sweetened drink per day water sugarfree soda weight gain reduced dutch children us teens american teens consume three times soda provided trial impact weight could even greater children teens replaced sweetened beverages noncaloric alternatives however real world people feel entitled food consume diet foods negate potential caloric reduction imagine enjoying extra slices pizza generous meat toppings along pitcher guiltfree diet soda thus sugar substitutes know consuming rarely result caloric reduction weight loss fact experts believe increase appetite even cause weight gain research mixed recent randomized human trials show sugar substitutes help prevent weight gain studies randomized human studies rather mostly epidemiological rodent studies report sugar substitutes result weight gain advertisement another reason people choose use sugar substitutes counting carbohydrates american heart association american diabetes association support use sugar substitutes place added sugars may facilitate lower caloric intake weight loss diabetics often need closely monitor carbohydrate intake meal snack order control blood sugar replace sugar sugar substitutes consume additional food without exceeding carb quota thus could choose eat apple source carbohydrates addition soda sweet rather choose whats safe us without need closely monitor carbohydrates consume real sugar sugar substitutes sugar substitutes available us tested found safe consumed within acceptable daily intake levels established food drug administration however individuals may consuming much larger amounts estimated addition critics contend sugar substitutes unsafe even lower levels advertisement many diet foods beverages use mixture sugar substitutes rather single artificial sweetener thus concerned safety sweeteners examine ingredient list frequently closely ingredients may change time example diet pepsi recently switched artificial sweetener aspartame mixture aspartame acesulfame k sucralose splenda made sugar sucrose replacing three hydroxyl oh groups chlorine molecules according rodent studies sucralose appears reduce good bacteria gastrointestinal tract thus suspected scientists causing inflammatory bowel disease whether case humans unproven however moderation terms consumption sucralose sugar substitutes likely best policy aspartame nutrasweet equal natra taste consumption remains controversial sugar substitutes linked cancer several rodent studies higher risk lymphoma leukemia demonstrated rats fed high doses aspartame however methodology studies widely criticized fiveyear human study found safety issues may long enough identify increased cancer risk advertisement aspartame heatstable therefore used baking foods drinks aspartame tend lose sweetness storage anecdotal reports claim aspartame may cause headaches neurological problems unsubstantiated others worry metabolism methyl ester binds amino acids aspartame methanol poison whether might cause disease however fruit juices contain far methanol aspartame saccharine sweetnlow sugartwin diabetisweet considered safe humans early rodent studies found increased risk bladder cancer especially male rats given high doses know due mechanism occur humans due species differences therefore warning labels longer required saccharine doctors recommend avoiding saccharine pregnancy get transported fetus ill effects reported asulfame k acek sunnet sweet one somewhat limited animal testing substantiate safety scientists remain concerned may mildly carcinogenic asulfame k added along aspartame many diet products marketplace asulfame k heatstable maintains sweetness time advertisement neotame made aspartame minor chemical changes unlike aspartame safe people phenylketonuria rarely used may found foods beverages packets neotame appears safe stable aspartame tagatose naturlose lowcarbohydrate sweetener similar fructose occurs naturally mushrooms manufactured lactose dairy products poorly absorbed cause diarrhea excess stevia extracts rebaudioside reba sweetleaf sun crystals good amp sweet pure via truvia derived leaves stevia rebaudiana south american shrub available liquid packets bulk stevia may interact certain blood pressure diabetic drugs causing hypoglycemia hypotension advertisement women pregnant nursing probably avoid using stevia little information safety pregnancy takeaway bottom line sugar substitutes may benefit diabetics dieters reducing added sugar intake overcompensate consuming additional foods ultimately matters diet whole one food beverage despite lingering questions artificial sweeteners likely safe used moderation good oldfashioned white table sugar consumed moderation sharon himmelstein phd mns rd teaches nutrition central new mexico community college reached sharonh cnmedu advertisement 160 healthy meals fit life central new mexico community college offering free nutrition healthy cooking lifestyle classes healthy meals fit life program us department agriculturefunded project spring 2013 classes include brown bag lunch series noon 1 pm tuesdays montoya campus february workforce training center april advertisement following offered main campus choose plate diet exercise computer lab 5308 pm today weight management 9 am2 pm saturday weight loss 101 5308 pm jan 23 cardiovascular health 9 am2 pm feb 16 grocery shopping 101 5308 pm march 6 choose plate 9 am2 pm march 16 advertisement weight loss 101 5308 pm march 20 diabetes 9 am2 pm april 13 grocery shopping 101 5308 pm may 1 choose plate diet exercise computer lab 5308 pm may 8 food allergies food intolerances 9 am2 pm june 1 dietary supplements pros cons bone health 9 am2 pm june 15 visit cnmeduwtc click classes click usda healthy meal grant register contact workforce cnmedu 5052245200 questions
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<p>His mother, Anne Gorsuch, served as President Ronald Reagan’s first Environmental Protection Agency administrator and the first female leader in the agency’s history. But her short, tumultuous tenure was marked by sharp budget cuts, rifts with career EPA employees, a steep decline in cases filed against polluters and a scandal over the mismanagement of the Superfund cleanup program that ultimately led to her resignation in 1983.</p>
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<p>Anne Gorsuch – like Reagan then and President Donald Trump today – was a firm believer that the federal government was too big, too powerful and too eager to issue regulations that restricted businesses.</p>
<p>As a result, she slashed the EPA’s budget by nearly a quarter and, according to a Washington Post story at the time, boasted that she had reduced the thickness of the book of clean water regulations from six inches to a half inch. She filled various departments at EPA with subordinates recruited from the very industries the agency was supposed to be regulating.</p>
<p>She also made quick enemies.</p>
<p>“The big mistake Anne Gorsuch made when she first came in was she sort of bought into the rhetoric of the campaign,” William Ruckelshaus, the EPA’s first administrator under President Richard Nixon and the man who eventually returned to restore morale after Gorsuch’s resignation, said in a recent interview. “She treated a lot of people in the agency as the enemy, and they weren’t. But within a week, they were. . . . It was not a pleasant place.” (A Doonesbury comic strip story line from 1982 depicts an EPA employee out on a ledge, threatening to jump.)</p>
<p>That unpleasantness was clear in a story that appeared on the front page of The Post on Sept. 30, 1981:</p>
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<p>“Budget cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency will strip 3,200 personnel of their jobs by the end of 1983, eliminating 30 percent of the agency’s 10,380 employees at a cost of $17.6 million just for severance pay.</p>
<p>“The cuts are so massive that they could mean a basic retreat on all the environmental programs of the past 10 years, according to agency sources and administration critics. At the same time, divisions between Administrator Anne M. Gorsuch and career agency staff over her approach to policymaking have all but reached open warfare.”</p>
<p>One EPA employee from the era, mechanical engineer Dennis Tirpak, worked on the issue of acid rain and would later go on to work on climate change. Although he said that his own career didn’t suffer at EPA during the Gorsuch era, Tirpak remembers that the overall feeling at the time at the agency was “anxiousness, because it was the first time that the agency was really under a lot of pressure with the new administration to really cut back regulations and to cut back on personnel. And it’s really the Congress that protected the agency at that time.”</p>
<p>Neil Gorsuch was a teenager when Reagan nominated his mother to lead the EPA. Her appointment meant uprooting her son from Colorado to Washington, where he graduated from Georgetown Prep, an all-male high school in Bethesda, Maryland.</p>
<p>He went on to graduate from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, and his career as a judge appears to have only occasionally touched on environmental issues.</p>
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<p>“I think that he doesn’t have a lightning rod case on a particular environmental program,” said Brendan Collins, an attorney with Ballard Spahr who works on environmental cases on behalf of energy companies. “He has had cases in which he has ruled in favor of the agency, including the agency’s ability to depart from its guidance, to change its mind, so to speak. And from that perspective, he hasn’t shown himself to have any flagrantly anti-environmental skeletons in his closet, at least not that I’ve been able to identify so far.”</p>
<p>However, there’s one opinion in a non-environmental case, Hugo Rosario Gutierrez-Brizuela v. Loretta E. Lynch, that is pretty sure to draw fire and alarm environmentalists. In this case, which turned on a decision by the Board of Immigration Appeals, Gorsuch questioned the legal doctrine often known as “Chevron deference,” in reference to the 1984 Supreme Court case Chevron v. NRDC, in which the court ruled that in situations of statutory ambiguity, courts should allow expert government agencies to fill gaps and interpret what Congress meant in fulfilling their legal mandates, provided they do so in a defensible way. This ruling is crucial for the defense of many actions by the EPA, and in fact the Chevron case turned on one of them.</p>
<p>But Gorsuch suggested of Chevron that it might be a good thing if this “Goliath of modern administrative law were to fall.” “We managed to live with the administrative state before Chevron,” he concluded. “We could do it again. Put simply, it seems to me that in a world without Chevron very little would change – except perhaps the most important things.”</p>
<p>Gorsuch’s Chevron related opinion “may make people feel uncomfortable, and feel that agencies, particularly agencies that are given a lot of gap filling responsibilities by Congress in existing law, are going to be hamstrung,” said Collins. We can bet that Gorsuch will be asked about his Chevron views in his confirmation hearings.</p>
<p>While Anne Gorsuch might have suffered from a lack of diplomatic skills, she did not lack in personality and toughness. The Post once described her as a “striking woman with jet-black hair” who had “television-star looks and perfect manicures.”</p>
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<p>“She wore fur coats and smoked two packs of Marlboros a day; her government-issued car got about 15 miles per gallon of gasoline,” The Post once wrote. “She could charm opponents, but she also did not shy away from political combat. Denver’s Rocky Mountain News once said, ‘She could kick a bear to death with her bare feet.’ “</p>
<p>By the end of her stint at EPA, Anne Gorsuch was under siege. A half dozen congressional committees were looking into allegations of mismanagement of the Superfund program, which was designed to clean up abandoned toxic waste sites around the country. The House voted to cite Gorsuch for contempt of Congress for failing to turn over subpoenaed records.</p>
<p>“Anne Gorsuch inherited one of the most efficient and capable agencies in government,” read a New York Times editorial in early 1983. “She has turned it into an Augean stable, reeking of cynicism, mismanagement and decay.”</p>
<p>Gorsuch’s credibility, and that of other top EPA leaders, was in tatters. And the debacle reflected poorly on Reagan, who eventually forced her to step down.</p>
<p>For her part, Gorsuch felt targeted by the “hysteria” of environmental groups, unfairly demonized by the press and not fully supported by the president.</p>
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<p>“When congressional criticism about the EPA began to touch the presidency, Mr. Reagan solved his problem by jettisoning me and my people, people [whose] only ‘crime’ was loyal service, following orders,” she wrote in her 1986 book, “Are You Tough Enough?” She added, “I was not the first to receive his special brand of benevolent neglect, a form of conveniently looking the other way, while his staff continues to do some very dirty work.”</p>
<p>After her departure, the White House persuaded Ruckelshaus to return to the EPA to restore stability.</p>
<p>“The damage had been done to morale. There was fear in the agency,” he recalled. “I told them we were going to respect science and the scientific method. I told them we were going to carry out the mission of the agency. . . . Once they saw that their work was going to be respected – in effect, they had their assignments back, they had their jobs back, that calmed them down.”</p>
<p>Anne Gorsuch Burford – she changed her name after marrying Robert Burford, director of the Bureau of Land Management, just before her resignation – died of cancer in 2004 at age 62. At the time, her son Neil told The Post that as a young district attorney, his mother had pursued “deadbeat dads” long before that cause was popular. She had returned to working on child advocacy issues in her final years, and was still working at the time of her death.</p>
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mother anne gorsuch served president ronald reagans first environmental protection agency administrator first female leader agencys history short tumultuous tenure marked sharp budget cuts rifts career epa employees steep decline cases filed polluters scandal mismanagement superfund cleanup program ultimately led resignation 1983 advertisement anne gorsuch like reagan president donald trump today firm believer federal government big powerful eager issue regulations restricted businesses result slashed epas budget nearly quarter according washington post story time boasted reduced thickness book clean water regulations six inches half inch filled various departments epa subordinates recruited industries agency supposed regulating also made quick enemies big mistake anne gorsuch made first came sort bought rhetoric campaign william ruckelshaus epas first administrator president richard nixon man eventually returned restore morale gorsuchs resignation said recent interview treated lot people agency enemy werent within week pleasant place doonesbury comic strip story line 1982 depicts epa employee ledge threatening jump unpleasantness clear story appeared front page post sept 30 1981 advertisement budget cuts environmental protection agency strip 3200 personnel jobs end 1983 eliminating 30 percent agencys 10380 employees cost 176 million severance pay cuts massive could mean basic retreat environmental programs past 10 years according agency sources administration critics time divisions administrator anne gorsuch career agency staff approach policymaking reached open warfare one epa employee era mechanical engineer dennis tirpak worked issue acid rain would later go work climate change although said career didnt suffer epa gorsuch era tirpak remembers overall feeling time agency anxiousness first time agency really lot pressure new administration really cut back regulations cut back personnel really congress protected agency time neil gorsuch teenager reagan nominated mother lead epa appointment meant uprooting son colorado washington graduated georgetown prep allmale high school bethesda maryland went graduate columbia university harvard law school career judge appears occasionally touched environmental issues advertisement think doesnt lightning rod case particular environmental program said brendan collins attorney ballard spahr works environmental cases behalf energy companies cases ruled favor agency including agencys ability depart guidance change mind speak perspective hasnt shown flagrantly antienvironmental skeletons closet least ive able identify far however theres one opinion nonenvironmental case hugo rosario gutierrezbrizuela v loretta e lynch pretty sure draw fire alarm environmentalists case turned decision board immigration appeals gorsuch questioned legal doctrine often known chevron deference reference 1984 supreme court case chevron v nrdc court ruled situations statutory ambiguity courts allow expert government agencies fill gaps interpret congress meant fulfilling legal mandates provided defensible way ruling crucial defense many actions epa fact chevron case turned one gorsuch suggested chevron might good thing goliath modern administrative law fall managed live administrative state chevron concluded could put simply seems world without chevron little would change except perhaps important things gorsuchs chevron related opinion may make people feel uncomfortable feel agencies particularly agencies given lot gap filling responsibilities congress existing law going hamstrung said collins bet gorsuch asked chevron views confirmation hearings anne gorsuch might suffered lack diplomatic skills lack personality toughness post described striking woman jetblack hair televisionstar looks perfect manicures advertisement wore fur coats smoked two packs marlboros day governmentissued car got 15 miles per gallon gasoline post wrote could charm opponents also shy away political combat denvers rocky mountain news said could kick bear death bare feet end stint epa anne gorsuch siege half dozen congressional committees looking allegations mismanagement superfund program designed clean abandoned toxic waste sites around country house voted cite gorsuch contempt congress failing turn subpoenaed records anne gorsuch inherited one efficient capable agencies government read new york times editorial early 1983 turned augean stable reeking cynicism mismanagement decay gorsuchs credibility top epa leaders tatters debacle reflected poorly reagan eventually forced step part gorsuch felt targeted hysteria environmental groups unfairly demonized press fully supported president advertisement congressional criticism epa began touch presidency mr reagan solved problem jettisoning people people whose crime loyal service following orders wrote 1986 book tough enough added first receive special brand benevolent neglect form conveniently looking way staff continues dirty work departure white house persuaded ruckelshaus return epa restore stability damage done morale fear agency recalled told going respect science scientific method told going carry mission agency saw work going respected effect assignments back jobs back calmed anne gorsuch burford changed name marrying robert burford director bureau land management resignation died cancer 2004 age 62 time son neil told post young district attorney mother pursued deadbeat dads long cause popular returned working child advocacy issues final years still working time death
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<p>“With Trump coming into office, you just can’t celebrate,” said Laundi Germaine Keepseagle, who is 28 and from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, where the demonstrators have been camped out near the North Dakota-South Dakota border.</p>
<p>Anxiety over the 1,200-mile pipeline illustrates a broader uncertainty over how tribes will fare under Trump following what many in Indian Country consider a landmark eight years.</p>
<p>President Barack Obama has won accolades among Native Americans for breaking through a gridlock of inaction on tribal issues and for putting a spotlight on their concerns with yearly meetings with tribal leaders.</p>
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<p>Under his administration, lawmakers cemented a tribal health care law that includes more preventive care and mental health resources and addresses recruiting and retaining physicians throughout Indian Country.</p>
<p>The Interior Department restored tribal homelands by placing more than 500,000 acres under tribes’ control — more than any other recent administration — while the Justice Department charted a process approved by Congress for tribes to prosecute and sentence more cases involving non-Native Americans who assault Native American women. Before Obama, a gap in the laws allowed for such crimes to go unpunished.</p>
<p>In addition, the federal government settled decades-old lawsuits involving Native Americans, including class-action cases over the government’s mismanagement of royalties for oil, gas, timber and grazing leases and its discrimination against tribal members seeking farm loans.</p>
<p>“In my opinion, President Obama has been the greatest president in dealing with Native Americans,” said Brian Cladoosby, chairman of the Swinomish Tribe north of Seattle and president of the nonpartisan National Congress of American Indians, based in Washington, D.C. “The last eight years give us hope going forward with the relationships we have on both sides of the aisle.”</p>
<p>Trump, meanwhile, rarely acknowledged Native Americans during his campaign and hasn’t publicly outlined how he would improve or manage the United States’ longstanding relationships with tribes.</p>
<p>His Interior secretary pick, Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana, sponsored legislation that he says would have given tribes more control over coal and other fossil fuel development on their lands.</p>
<p>But some of Trump’s biggest campaign pledges — including repealing health care legislation and building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border — would collide with tribal interests.</p>
<p>In Arizona, Tohono O’odham Nation leaders have vowed to oppose any plans for a wall along the 75-mile portion of the border that runs parallel to their reservation. And the nonprofit National Indian Health Board in Washington says it’s aiming to work with lawmakers to ensure the Indian Health Care Improvement Act remains intact.</p>
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<p>The law, which guarantees funding for care through the federal Indian Health Services agency, was embedded in Obama’s health care overhaul after consultation with tribes.</p>
<p>The government’s role figures prominently in Native Americans’ daily lives because treaties and other binding agreements often require the U.S. to manage tribal health care, law enforcement and education.</p>
<p>Some tribal members say they’re unsure how much Trump understands or cares about their unique relationship with the federal government.</p>
<p>“I think there was a great hope that we had here in Indian Country with the direct dialogue that President Obama had established with tribal nations,” said Duane “Chili” Yazzie, president of the Navajo Nation’s Shiprock Chapter. “If a similar effort to communicate with us were carried on by the Trump administration, I would be surprised.”</p>
<p>Though most reservations lean Democratic in presidential elections, Trump does have some supporters in Indian Country. They hope the businessman can turn around lagging economies in rural reservations, such as the 27,000-square-mile Navajo Nation, which covers parts of Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.</p>
<p>“Trump is pro-job growth, and tribes need a healthy dose of business creation,” said Deswood Tome, a former spokesman for the tribe from Window Rock, Arizona. “To do that, a lot of federal barriers must be removed. We’re the only ethnic group who have so much federal control in our lives.”</p>
<p>The Dakota Access pipeline illustrates another chasm between Obama and Trump.</p>
<p>This fall, the pipeline dispute led Obama’s administration to begin tackling a final piece of its Indian Country agenda: guidelines for how cabinet departments should consult with tribes on major infrastructure projects.</p>
<p>A top complaint from the Standing Rock Sioux was that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers failed to properly consult with them before initially approving a pipeline route that ran beneath Lake Oahe, the tribe’s primary source of drinking water.</p>
<p>After the administration halted construction on the project in September to review the complaint, it held seven meetings with tribal leaders and began drafting a report on how federal officials should consult with tribes.</p>
<p>U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said the report will be completed before Obama leaves office, and she expects it to have a lasting impact, even with an incoming administration that promises to undo some of the president’s policies.</p>
<p>What’s unclear is whether Trump, who once owned stock in the pipeline builder, will seek to reverse the Army’s decision this month to explore alternate routes.</p>
<p>A spokesman said only that the president-elect plans to review the move after he takes office. However, Trump’s transition team said in a recent memo to campaign supporters and congressional staff that he supports the pipeline’s completion.</p>
<p>In the meantime, Standing Rock Sioux Chairman David Archambault has begun lobbying for a meeting with Trump to make a case for his tribe’s opposition to the project, which the chairman says threatens not just water but sacred cultural sites.</p>
<p>“You have to respect Mother Earth; she’s precious,” Archambault said. “You can still believe in capitalism, and you can still invest in infrastructure projects, but these infrastructure projects should be focused toward renewable energy rather than fossil fuel development.”</p>
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<p>Associated Press writers Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Regina Garcia Cano in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, contributed to this report.</p>
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<p>Follow Mary Hudetz on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/marymhudetz." type="external">http://twitter.com/marymhudetz.</a> Her work can be found at <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/mary-hudetz." type="external">http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/mary-hudetz.</a></p>
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trump coming office cant celebrate said laundi germaine keepseagle 28 standing rock sioux reservation demonstrators camped near north dakotasouth dakota border anxiety 1200mile pipeline illustrates broader uncertainty tribes fare trump following many indian country consider landmark eight years president barack obama accolades among native americans breaking gridlock inaction tribal issues putting spotlight concerns yearly meetings tribal leaders advertisement administration lawmakers cemented tribal health care law includes preventive care mental health resources addresses recruiting retaining physicians throughout indian country interior department restored tribal homelands placing 500000 acres tribes control recent administration justice department charted process approved congress tribes prosecute sentence cases involving nonnative americans assault native american women obama gap laws allowed crimes go unpunished addition federal government settled decadesold lawsuits involving native americans including classaction cases governments mismanagement royalties oil gas timber grazing leases discrimination tribal members seeking farm loans opinion president obama greatest president dealing native americans said brian cladoosby chairman swinomish tribe north seattle president nonpartisan national congress american indians based washington dc last eight years give us hope going forward relationships sides aisle trump meanwhile rarely acknowledged native americans campaign hasnt publicly outlined would improve manage united states longstanding relationships tribes interior secretary pick republican rep ryan zinke montana sponsored legislation says would given tribes control coal fossil fuel development lands trumps biggest campaign pledges including repealing health care legislation building wall along usmexico border would collide tribal interests arizona tohono oodham nation leaders vowed oppose plans wall along 75mile portion border runs parallel reservation nonprofit national indian health board washington says aiming work lawmakers ensure indian health care improvement act remains intact advertisement law guarantees funding care federal indian health services agency embedded obamas health care overhaul consultation tribes governments role figures prominently native americans daily lives treaties binding agreements often require us manage tribal health care law enforcement education tribal members say theyre unsure much trump understands cares unique relationship federal government think great hope indian country direct dialogue president obama established tribal nations said duane chili yazzie president navajo nations shiprock chapter similar effort communicate us carried trump administration would surprised though reservations lean democratic presidential elections trump supporters indian country hope businessman turn around lagging economies rural reservations 27000squaremile navajo nation covers parts utah new mexico arizona trump projob growth tribes need healthy dose business creation said deswood tome former spokesman tribe window rock arizona lot federal barriers must removed ethnic group much federal control lives dakota access pipeline illustrates another chasm obama trump fall pipeline dispute led obamas administration begin tackling final piece indian country agenda guidelines cabinet departments consult tribes major infrastructure projects top complaint standing rock sioux us army corps engineers failed properly consult initially approving pipeline route ran beneath lake oahe tribes primary source drinking water administration halted construction project september review complaint held seven meetings tribal leaders began drafting report federal officials consult tribes us interior secretary sally jewell said report completed obama leaves office expects lasting impact even incoming administration promises undo presidents policies whats unclear whether trump owned stock pipeline builder seek reverse armys decision month explore alternate routes spokesman said presidentelect plans review move takes office however trumps transition team said recent memo campaign supporters congressional staff supports pipelines completion meantime standing rock sioux chairman david archambault begun lobbying meeting trump make case tribes opposition project chairman says threatens water sacred cultural sites respect mother earth shes precious archambault said still believe capitalism still invest infrastructure projects infrastructure projects focused toward renewable energy rather fossil fuel development ___ associated press writers susan montoya bryan albuquerque new mexico regina garcia cano sioux falls south dakota contributed report ___ follow mary hudetz twitter httptwittercommarymhudetz work found httpbigstoryaporgjournalistmaryhudetz
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<p>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Jesse Hahn looked unhittable while impressively dueling with Seattle ace Felix Hernandez.</p>
<p>Then things changed in a hurry, and even a ninth-inning rally wasn’t quite enough for the Athletics in another extra-inning loss to the Seattle Mariners, 8-7 on Sunday.</p>
<p>Hahn didn’t allow a hit until Dustin Ackley doubled off the right field wall to begin the sixth, and Seattle won despite getting outhit 14-7.</p>
<p>“It happened in a hurry there in the sixth,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “But early on, I don’t know how much better you can pitch.”</p>
<p>Nelson Cruz homered for the second straight game, hitting a tiebreaking solo drive in the 10th inning, and pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks had an earlier three-run homer to lead Seattle.</p>
<p>Closer Fernando Rodney squandered a four-run lead in the ninth when the A’s forced extra innings.</p>
<p>“He’s an unbelievable closer and we scored four runs off him,” Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt said. “That doesn’t happen very often, if at all.”</p>
<p>Sam Fuld hit a two-run double off Rodney and Oakland loaded the bases with no outs. After Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon went to the mound, Billy Butler grounded into a double play that brought home a run and pinch hitter Eric Sogard tied it with a single.</p>
<p>Then Cruz connected off new A’s closer Tyler Clippard (0-1) for his second homer this season. Cruz led the majors with 40 home runs last year for Baltimore, then signed with the Mariners.</p>
<p>Rodney (1-0) wound up with the win and Yoervis Medina finished for his first save in nearly two years.</p>
<p>“On several different accounts today we probably should have lost that game,” McClendon said. “It’s the type of game where it’s easy to lay down and say, ‘OK, we’ll get them tomorrow.’”</p>
<p>Hernandez left after five innings as a precaution because of tightness in his right quadriceps that made it tough to push off and generate momentum from his legs. He felt that in the third inning after tweaking his left ankle in the first. He said he “100 percent” will make his next start and has no concerns.</p>
<p>“No I’m not, not at all,” he said. “I believe in these guys. This offense is pretty good. I know it’s going to click. It’s a different look. We’re a different team. We can score different ways. We can score with a homer, we can score with speed. We look pretty good.”</p>
<p>Weeks hit a three-run homer in the seventh that put Seattle ahead 7-3.</p>
<p>Hernandez got a little help to stay unbeaten at the Oakland Coliseum over the past six years.</p>
<p>Former Gold Glove right fielder Josh Reddick, making his season debut off the disabled list, dropped a sharp liner for a two-run error that allowed the Mariners to tie it at 3 in the sixth.</p>
<p>Hernandez gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings. He is 6-0 at the Coliseum and has won four of his past six starts with a 2.87 ERA over 13 outings at the stadium since April 11, 2009.</p>
<p>Hahn, the 25-year-old righty acquired in a trade that sent All-Star catcher Derek Norris to the Padres, allowed only one earned run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings, struck out two and walked two.</p>
<p>“I felt great all game. That’s probably the best stuff I’ve had. I just need to control the situation in the sixth better,” Hahn said. “I try to calm myself before every pitch, but I didn’t do that all the time in the sixth.”</p>
<p>After starting the first six games in the outfield, Ben Zobrist played second base for the A’s.</p>
<p>RODNEY’S DAY</p>
<p>McClendon promises to go to his closer with a four-run lead all season.</p>
<p>“You’re a fool if you don’t put your closer in with a four-run lead,” he said.</p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Mariners: Hernandez was checked on by athletic trainer Rick Griffin and McClendon in the fifth but he stayed in the game.</p>
<p>Athletics: LHP Sean Doolittle, on the DL with a shoulder injury, threw from 90 feet for the third time and will move to 105 feet on Tuesday for three sessions. Then, it’ll be 120 feet three times and after that likely progress to off the mound.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Mariners: LHP James Paxton (0-1) tries again for his first win as the Mariners continue their road trip against the Angels.</p>
<p>Athletics: Lefty Scott Kazmir (1-0) pitches at Houston in the opener of a 10-game road trip after combining on a 10-0 shutout of Texas last Wednesday.</p>
<p>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Jesse Hahn looked unhittable while impressively dueling with Seattle ace Felix Hernandez.</p>
<p>Then things changed in a hurry, and even a ninth-inning rally wasn’t quite enough for the Athletics in another extra-inning loss to the Seattle Mariners, 8-7 on Sunday.</p>
<p>Hahn didn’t allow a hit until Dustin Ackley doubled off the right field wall to begin the sixth, and Seattle won despite getting outhit 14-7.</p>
<p>“It happened in a hurry there in the sixth,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “But early on, I don’t know how much better you can pitch.”</p>
<p>Nelson Cruz homered for the second straight game, hitting a tiebreaking solo drive in the 10th inning, and pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks had an earlier three-run homer to lead Seattle.</p>
<p>Closer Fernando Rodney squandered a four-run lead in the ninth when the A’s forced extra innings.</p>
<p>“He’s an unbelievable closer and we scored four runs off him,” Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt said. “That doesn’t happen very often, if at all.”</p>
<p>Sam Fuld hit a two-run double off Rodney and Oakland loaded the bases with no outs. After Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon went to the mound, Billy Butler grounded into a double play that brought home a run and pinch hitter Eric Sogard tied it with a single.</p>
<p>Then Cruz connected off new A’s closer Tyler Clippard (0-1) for his second homer this season. Cruz led the majors with 40 home runs last year for Baltimore, then signed with the Mariners.</p>
<p>Rodney (1-0) wound up with the win and Yoervis Medina finished for his first save in nearly two years.</p>
<p>“On several different accounts today we probably should have lost that game,” McClendon said. “It’s the type of game where it’s easy to lay down and say, ‘OK, we’ll get them tomorrow.’”</p>
<p>Hernandez left after five innings as a precaution because of tightness in his right quadriceps that made it tough to push off and generate momentum from his legs. He felt that in the third inning after tweaking his left ankle in the first. He said he “100 percent” will make his next start and has no concerns.</p>
<p>“No I’m not, not at all,” he said. “I believe in these guys. This offense is pretty good. I know it’s going to click. It’s a different look. We’re a different team. We can score different ways. We can score with a homer, we can score with speed. We look pretty good.”</p>
<p>Weeks hit a three-run homer in the seventh that put Seattle ahead 7-3.</p>
<p>Hernandez got a little help to stay unbeaten at the Oakland Coliseum over the past six years.</p>
<p>Former Gold Glove right fielder Josh Reddick, making his season debut off the disabled list, dropped a sharp liner for a two-run error that allowed the Mariners to tie it at 3 in the sixth.</p>
<p>Hernandez gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings. He is 6-0 at the Coliseum and has won four of his past six starts with a 2.87 ERA over 13 outings at the stadium since April 11, 2009.</p>
<p>Hahn, the 25-year-old righty acquired in a trade that sent All-Star catcher Derek Norris to the Padres, allowed only one earned run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings, struck out two and walked two.</p>
<p>“I felt great all game. That’s probably the best stuff I’ve had. I just need to control the situation in the sixth better,” Hahn said. “I try to calm myself before every pitch, but I didn’t do that all the time in the sixth.”</p>
<p>After starting the first six games in the outfield, Ben Zobrist played second base for the A’s.</p>
<p>RODNEY’S DAY</p>
<p>McClendon promises to go to his closer with a four-run lead all season.</p>
<p>“You’re a fool if you don’t put your closer in with a four-run lead,” he said.</p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Mariners: Hernandez was checked on by athletic trainer Rick Griffin and McClendon in the fifth but he stayed in the game.</p>
<p>Athletics: LHP Sean Doolittle, on the DL with a shoulder injury, threw from 90 feet for the third time and will move to 105 feet on Tuesday for three sessions. Then, it’ll be 120 feet three times and after that likely progress to off the mound.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Mariners: LHP James Paxton (0-1) tries again for his first win as the Mariners continue their road trip against the Angels.</p>
<p>Athletics: Lefty Scott Kazmir (1-0) pitches at Houston in the opener of a 10-game road trip after combining on a 10-0 shutout of Texas last Wednesday.</p>
| false | 2 |
oakland calif ap jesse hahn looked unhittable impressively dueling seattle ace felix hernandez things changed hurry even ninthinning rally wasnt quite enough athletics another extrainning loss seattle mariners 87 sunday hahn didnt allow hit dustin ackley doubled right field wall begin sixth seattle despite getting outhit 147 happened hurry sixth manager bob melvin said early dont know much better pitch nelson cruz homered second straight game hitting tiebreaking solo drive 10th inning pinchhitter rickie weeks earlier threerun homer lead seattle closer fernando rodney squandered fourrun lead ninth forced extra innings hes unbelievable closer scored four runs oakland catcher stephen vogt said doesnt happen often sam fuld hit tworun double rodney oakland loaded bases outs seattle manager lloyd mcclendon went mound billy butler grounded double play brought home run pinch hitter eric sogard tied single cruz connected new closer tyler clippard 01 second homer season cruz led majors 40 home runs last year baltimore signed mariners rodney 10 wound win yoervis medina finished first save nearly two years several different accounts today probably lost game mcclendon said type game easy lay say ok well get tomorrow hernandez left five innings precaution tightness right quadriceps made tough push generate momentum legs felt third inning tweaking left ankle first said 100 percent make next start concerns im said believe guys offense pretty good know going click different look different team score different ways score homer score speed look pretty good weeks hit threerun homer seventh put seattle ahead 73 hernandez got little help stay unbeaten oakland coliseum past six years former gold glove right fielder josh reddick making season debut disabled list dropped sharp liner tworun error allowed mariners tie 3 sixth hernandez gave three runs eight hits five innings 60 coliseum four past six starts 287 era 13 outings stadium since april 11 2009 hahn 25yearold righty acquired trade sent allstar catcher derek norris padres allowed one earned run three hits 5 23 innings struck two walked two felt great game thats probably best stuff ive need control situation sixth better hahn said try calm every pitch didnt time sixth starting first six games outfield ben zobrist played second base rodneys day mcclendon promises go closer fourrun lead season youre fool dont put closer fourrun lead said trainers room mariners hernandez checked athletic trainer rick griffin mcclendon fifth stayed game athletics lhp sean doolittle dl shoulder injury threw 90 feet third time move 105 feet tuesday three sessions itll 120 feet three times likely progress mound next mariners lhp james paxton 01 tries first win mariners continue road trip angels athletics lefty scott kazmir 10 pitches houston opener 10game road trip combining 100 shutout texas last wednesday oakland calif ap jesse hahn looked unhittable impressively dueling seattle ace felix hernandez things changed hurry even ninthinning rally wasnt quite enough athletics another extrainning loss seattle mariners 87 sunday hahn didnt allow hit dustin ackley doubled right field wall begin sixth seattle despite getting outhit 147 happened hurry sixth manager bob melvin said early dont know much better pitch nelson cruz homered second straight game hitting tiebreaking solo drive 10th inning pinchhitter rickie weeks earlier threerun homer lead seattle closer fernando rodney squandered fourrun lead ninth forced extra innings hes unbelievable closer scored four runs oakland catcher stephen vogt said doesnt happen often sam fuld hit tworun double rodney oakland loaded bases outs seattle manager lloyd mcclendon went mound billy butler grounded double play brought home run pinch hitter eric sogard tied single cruz connected new closer tyler clippard 01 second homer season cruz led majors 40 home runs last year baltimore signed mariners rodney 10 wound win yoervis medina finished first save nearly two years several different accounts today probably lost game mcclendon said type game easy lay say ok well get tomorrow hernandez left five innings precaution tightness right quadriceps made tough push generate momentum legs felt third inning tweaking left ankle first said 100 percent make next start concerns im said believe guys offense pretty good know going click different look different team score different ways score homer score speed look pretty good weeks hit threerun homer seventh put seattle ahead 73 hernandez got little help stay unbeaten oakland coliseum past six years former gold glove right fielder josh reddick making season debut disabled list dropped sharp liner tworun error allowed mariners tie 3 sixth hernandez gave three runs eight hits five innings 60 coliseum four past six starts 287 era 13 outings stadium since april 11 2009 hahn 25yearold righty acquired trade sent allstar catcher derek norris padres allowed one earned run three hits 5 23 innings struck two walked two felt great game thats probably best stuff ive need control situation sixth better hahn said try calm every pitch didnt time sixth starting first six games outfield ben zobrist played second base rodneys day mcclendon promises go closer fourrun lead season youre fool dont put closer fourrun lead said trainers room mariners hernandez checked athletic trainer rick griffin mcclendon fifth stayed game athletics lhp sean doolittle dl shoulder injury threw 90 feet third time move 105 feet tuesday three sessions itll 120 feet three times likely progress mound next mariners lhp james paxton 01 tries first win mariners continue road trip angels athletics lefty scott kazmir 10 pitches houston opener 10game road trip combining 100 shutout texas last wednesday
| 890 |
<p>KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Justin Thomas is one of those players who doesn't like to share his goals until the end of the season.</p>
<p>Except for one.</p>
<p>He wants to win, because that means he gets to start the year at Kapalua.</p>
<p>"I hope that is my first tournament of the year for the rest of my career," Thomas said.</p>
<p>He's not alone, of course. Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson do. So does Rickie Fowler, who probably needs to get back here more often. This was only the third time that Fowler has played in the Sentry Tournament of Champions.</p>
<p>It seems so obvious.</p>
<p>Who wouldn't want to come to Maui the first week of January and play against a small field with no cut while looking down from the Plantation Course at the occasional breach of a humpback whale in the Pacific waters that separate Maui from Molokai, the island that looks much closer than eight miles away?</p>
<p>Tiger Woods, for one.</p>
<p>Woods won at Kapalua in 2000 in that epic battle with Ernie Els. He never finished out of the top 10 in six appearances, but then he stopped coming after 2005 and chose to start his season a few weeks later at Torrey Pines. That was his choice, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it sure cost the tournament a lot of buzz, because Woods brings that everywhere he goes.</p>
<p>Phil Mickelson is another.</p>
<p>Lefty won this tournament twice at La Costa. He played Kapalua twice, in 1999 and 2001, never broke 70 and never came back. Mickelson didn't like how the wind and the various shots off uphill and downhill lies affected his game for the rest of the West Coast swing.</p>
<p>There was a time not long ago when the perception of the Tournament of Champions was that it had lost some luster. Spieth didn't have a PGA Tour card. Johnson was not among the top 20 in the world. Some of the top players were European, who played too deep into the previous season and started too far away in the Middle East to venture over to middle of the Pacific Ocean for one week.</p>
<p>Five years ago, the winner at Kapalua received 38 world ranking points. Only two tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule awarded fewer points than the winners-only field at Kapalua - the FedEx St. Jude Classic and the John Deere Classic.</p>
<p>And now there is a new generation of players.</p>
<p>The field featured the top five players in the world, and the winner gets 56 points, high for a tournament with just 34 players. Johnson is No. 1 in the world. Spieth is among the most popular players in the game. Thomas might join him if he has another year like last season.</p>
<p>Rory McIlroy for the first time wanted to put Kapalua on his schedule. Just his luck, he didn't win on the PGA Tour for the first time since 2013.</p>
<p>And it's not just Kapalua.</p>
<p>The AT&amp;T Pebble Beach was another tournament that more than a decade ago was thought to be getting stale.</p>
<p>That was another one in which Woods had left his mark with an amazing comeback in 2000. He stopped playing it in 2003, and while Pebble has enough iconic qualities that it's bigger than any player, it missed him.</p>
<p>Now, it could have one of the strongest fields - with no built-in advantages like a World Golf Championships event - ahead of the Masters. Spieth loved it even before his long-term deal with AT&amp;T. So did Johnson, a two-time winner, and Jason Day. Mickelson never misses. Add to that mix McIlroy, who is playing for the first time this year. Jon Rahm played last year and is coming back. U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka returns.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Kevin Kisner found himself without a caddie at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas when his regular, Duane Bock, heard a pop in his knee. Kisner was able to use the caddie of good friend Scott Brown the next day because the Bahamas is a short flight away from the U.S.</p>
<p>It wasn't so easy for Justin Thomas when his caddie, Jimmy Johnson, was relegated to wearing a protective boot for his plantar fasciitis after two trips around the Plantation Course at Kapalua, which was built on the side of a mountain. So he put his father, Mike Thomas, to work on Saturday.</p>
<p>Thomas was lucky. He didn't have to search far for a top caddie, hiring Jim "Bones" Mackay to help him at the Sony Open next week. Mackay was the caddie for 25 years for Phil Mickelson until they split. Mackay was hired by NBC and Golf Channel as an on-course reporter, and he likes it so well (and is doing so well) that he figured his days as a caddie were over.</p>
<p>Now he's back, at least for a week.</p>
<p>Experience? No doubt. Course knowledge? Not so much.</p>
<p>Mickelson never played the Sony Open. Mackay last worked at Waialae Country Club for Scott Simpson in 1992, the year before Thomas was born.</p>
<p>KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Justin Thomas is one of those players who doesn't like to share his goals until the end of the season.</p>
<p>Except for one.</p>
<p>He wants to win, because that means he gets to start the year at Kapalua.</p>
<p>"I hope that is my first tournament of the year for the rest of my career," Thomas said.</p>
<p>He's not alone, of course. Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson do. So does Rickie Fowler, who probably needs to get back here more often. This was only the third time that Fowler has played in the Sentry Tournament of Champions.</p>
<p>It seems so obvious.</p>
<p>Who wouldn't want to come to Maui the first week of January and play against a small field with no cut while looking down from the Plantation Course at the occasional breach of a humpback whale in the Pacific waters that separate Maui from Molokai, the island that looks much closer than eight miles away?</p>
<p>Tiger Woods, for one.</p>
<p>Woods won at Kapalua in 2000 in that epic battle with Ernie Els. He never finished out of the top 10 in six appearances, but then he stopped coming after 2005 and chose to start his season a few weeks later at Torrey Pines. That was his choice, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it sure cost the tournament a lot of buzz, because Woods brings that everywhere he goes.</p>
<p>Phil Mickelson is another.</p>
<p>Lefty won this tournament twice at La Costa. He played Kapalua twice, in 1999 and 2001, never broke 70 and never came back. Mickelson didn't like how the wind and the various shots off uphill and downhill lies affected his game for the rest of the West Coast swing.</p>
<p>There was a time not long ago when the perception of the Tournament of Champions was that it had lost some luster. Spieth didn't have a PGA Tour card. Johnson was not among the top 20 in the world. Some of the top players were European, who played too deep into the previous season and started too far away in the Middle East to venture over to middle of the Pacific Ocean for one week.</p>
<p>Five years ago, the winner at Kapalua received 38 world ranking points. Only two tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule awarded fewer points than the winners-only field at Kapalua - the FedEx St. Jude Classic and the John Deere Classic.</p>
<p>And now there is a new generation of players.</p>
<p>The field featured the top five players in the world, and the winner gets 56 points, high for a tournament with just 34 players. Johnson is No. 1 in the world. Spieth is among the most popular players in the game. Thomas might join him if he has another year like last season.</p>
<p>Rory McIlroy for the first time wanted to put Kapalua on his schedule. Just his luck, he didn't win on the PGA Tour for the first time since 2013.</p>
<p>And it's not just Kapalua.</p>
<p>The AT&amp;T Pebble Beach was another tournament that more than a decade ago was thought to be getting stale.</p>
<p>That was another one in which Woods had left his mark with an amazing comeback in 2000. He stopped playing it in 2003, and while Pebble has enough iconic qualities that it's bigger than any player, it missed him.</p>
<p>Now, it could have one of the strongest fields - with no built-in advantages like a World Golf Championships event - ahead of the Masters. Spieth loved it even before his long-term deal with AT&amp;T. So did Johnson, a two-time winner, and Jason Day. Mickelson never misses. Add to that mix McIlroy, who is playing for the first time this year. Jon Rahm played last year and is coming back. U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka returns.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Kevin Kisner found himself without a caddie at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas when his regular, Duane Bock, heard a pop in his knee. Kisner was able to use the caddie of good friend Scott Brown the next day because the Bahamas is a short flight away from the U.S.</p>
<p>It wasn't so easy for Justin Thomas when his caddie, Jimmy Johnson, was relegated to wearing a protective boot for his plantar fasciitis after two trips around the Plantation Course at Kapalua, which was built on the side of a mountain. So he put his father, Mike Thomas, to work on Saturday.</p>
<p>Thomas was lucky. He didn't have to search far for a top caddie, hiring Jim "Bones" Mackay to help him at the Sony Open next week. Mackay was the caddie for 25 years for Phil Mickelson until they split. Mackay was hired by NBC and Golf Channel as an on-course reporter, and he likes it so well (and is doing so well) that he figured his days as a caddie were over.</p>
<p>Now he's back, at least for a week.</p>
<p>Experience? No doubt. Course knowledge? Not so much.</p>
<p>Mickelson never played the Sony Open. Mackay last worked at Waialae Country Club for Scott Simpson in 1992, the year before Thomas was born.</p>
| false | 2 |
kapalua hawaii ap justin thomas one players doesnt like share goals end season except one wants win means gets start year kapalua hope first tournament year rest career thomas said hes alone course jordan spieth dustin johnson rickie fowler probably needs get back often third time fowler played sentry tournament champions seems obvious wouldnt want come maui first week january play small field cut looking plantation course occasional breach humpback whale pacific waters separate maui molokai island looks much closer eight miles away tiger woods one woods kapalua 2000 epic battle ernie els never finished top 10 six appearances stopped coming 2005 chose start season weeks later torrey pines choice theres nothing wrong sure cost tournament lot buzz woods brings everywhere goes phil mickelson another lefty tournament twice la costa played kapalua twice 1999 2001 never broke 70 never came back mickelson didnt like wind various shots uphill downhill lies affected game rest west coast swing time long ago perception tournament champions lost luster spieth didnt pga tour card johnson among top 20 world top players european played deep previous season started far away middle east venture middle pacific ocean one week five years ago winner kapalua received 38 world ranking points two tournaments pga tour schedule awarded fewer points winnersonly field kapalua fedex st jude classic john deere classic new generation players field featured top five players world winner gets 56 points high tournament 34 players johnson 1 world spieth among popular players game thomas might join another year like last season rory mcilroy first time wanted put kapalua schedule luck didnt win pga tour first time since 2013 kapalua atampt pebble beach another tournament decade ago thought getting stale another one woods left mark amazing comeback 2000 stopped playing 2003 pebble enough iconic qualities bigger player missed could one strongest fields builtin advantages like world golf championships event ahead masters spieth loved even longterm deal atampt johnson twotime winner jason day mickelson never misses add mix mcilroy playing first time year jon rahm played last year coming back us open champion brooks koepka returns ___ kevin kisner found without caddie hero world challenge bahamas regular duane bock heard pop knee kisner able use caddie good friend scott brown next day bahamas short flight away us wasnt easy justin thomas caddie jimmy johnson relegated wearing protective boot plantar fasciitis two trips around plantation course kapalua built side mountain put father mike thomas work saturday thomas lucky didnt search far top caddie hiring jim bones mackay help sony open next week mackay caddie 25 years phil mickelson split mackay hired nbc golf channel oncourse reporter likes well well figured days caddie hes back least week experience doubt course knowledge much mickelson never played sony open mackay last worked waialae country club scott simpson 1992 year thomas born kapalua hawaii ap justin thomas one players doesnt like share goals end season except one wants win means gets start year kapalua hope first tournament year rest career thomas said hes alone course jordan spieth dustin johnson rickie fowler probably needs get back often third time fowler played sentry tournament champions seems obvious wouldnt want come maui first week january play small field cut looking plantation course occasional breach humpback whale pacific waters separate maui molokai island looks much closer eight miles away tiger woods one woods kapalua 2000 epic battle ernie els never finished top 10 six appearances stopped coming 2005 chose start season weeks later torrey pines choice theres nothing wrong sure cost tournament lot buzz woods brings everywhere goes phil mickelson another lefty tournament twice la costa played kapalua twice 1999 2001 never broke 70 never came back mickelson didnt like wind various shots uphill downhill lies affected game rest west coast swing time long ago perception tournament champions lost luster spieth didnt pga tour card johnson among top 20 world top players european played deep previous season started far away middle east venture middle pacific ocean one week five years ago winner kapalua received 38 world ranking points two tournaments pga tour schedule awarded fewer points winnersonly field kapalua fedex st jude classic john deere classic new generation players field featured top five players world winner gets 56 points high tournament 34 players johnson 1 world spieth among popular players game thomas might join another year like last season rory mcilroy first time wanted put kapalua schedule luck didnt win pga tour first time since 2013 kapalua atampt pebble beach another tournament decade ago thought getting stale another one woods left mark amazing comeback 2000 stopped playing 2003 pebble enough iconic qualities bigger player missed could one strongest fields builtin advantages like world golf championships event ahead masters spieth loved even longterm deal atampt johnson twotime winner jason day mickelson never misses add mix mcilroy playing first time year jon rahm played last year coming back us open champion brooks koepka returns ___ kevin kisner found without caddie hero world challenge bahamas regular duane bock heard pop knee kisner able use caddie good friend scott brown next day bahamas short flight away us wasnt easy justin thomas caddie jimmy johnson relegated wearing protective boot plantar fasciitis two trips around plantation course kapalua built side mountain put father mike thomas work saturday thomas lucky didnt search far top caddie hiring jim bones mackay help sony open next week mackay caddie 25 years phil mickelson split mackay hired nbc golf channel oncourse reporter likes well well figured days caddie hes back least week experience doubt course knowledge much mickelson never played sony open mackay last worked waialae country club scott simpson 1992 year thomas born
| 934 |
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's budget chief Mick Mulvaney stormed Washington as a tea party lawmaker elected in 2010, and he hasn't mellowed much as director of the Office of Management of Budget at the White House.</p>
<p>In both spots, he's been at the center of government shutdowns.</p>
<p>As a congressman in 2013, Mulvaney was among a faction on the hard right that bullied GOP leaders into a shutdown confrontation by insisting on lacing a must-pass spending bill with provisions designed to cripple President Barack Obama's signature health care law.</p>
<p>Then, the fast-talking South Carolina Republican downplayed the impact of a government shutdown, noting that critical government services would continue and Social Security benefits would be paid. He said about 75 percent of the government would remain open, and he noted that Congress arranged for the military to continue to get paid.</p>
<p>"In many ways, then, this is a government 'slowdown' more than it is a 'shutdown,'" Mulvaney said back in 2013, though he added, "I know that is not much consolation for folks who are personally affected."</p>
<p>Mulvaney voted against legislation to reopen the government and was unapologetic over his role as a ringleader in 2013, saying the GOP's political beating — and eventual retreat — was the product of bad messaging.</p>
<p>Now, as the federal official in charge of managing government operations during the lapse in funding, Mulvaney is taking steps to ameliorate the shutdown, giving agencies more flexibility to remain open by using, for instance, previously appropriated money to keep their doors open. He accused the Obama White House of purposefully closing high-profile federal sites to reap political gain. The Trump administration will do what it can to keep national parks open and accessible, he said.</p>
<p>"We are going to manage the shutdown differently. We are not going to weaponize it," Mulvaney said Friday. "We're not going to try and hurt people, especially people who happen to work for this federal government."</p>
<p>Mulvaney is quick-witted and possesses a disarming frankness, and he's not afraid of being impolitic, even as he has risen to a Washington power post.</p>
<p>For instance, on Friday, just hours before the shutdown began, Mulvaney told conservative radio host Sean Hannity, "I found out for the first time last night that the person who technically shuts the government down is me, which is kind of cool."</p>
<p>Mulvaney isn't apologizing for the shutdown tactics he employed years ago, saying he opposed that year's stopgap spending measure because it funded agencies that were implementing "Obamacare." But now he's faulting Democrats for seeking to use the very kind of leverage now that he failed to exploit back then.</p>
<p>"When Republicans tried to add a discussion about Obamacare to the funding process in 2013, we were accused by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer of inserting a non-fiscal — a non-financial — issue into the spending process in order to shut the government down," Mulvaney said. "How is that not exactly what is happening today?"</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's budget chief Mick Mulvaney stormed Washington as a tea party lawmaker elected in 2010, and he hasn't mellowed much as director of the Office of Management of Budget at the White House.</p>
<p>In both spots, he's been at the center of government shutdowns.</p>
<p>As a congressman in 2013, Mulvaney was among a faction on the hard right that bullied GOP leaders into a shutdown confrontation by insisting on lacing a must-pass spending bill with provisions designed to cripple President Barack Obama's signature health care law.</p>
<p>Then, the fast-talking South Carolina Republican downplayed the impact of a government shutdown, noting that critical government services would continue and Social Security benefits would be paid. He said about 75 percent of the government would remain open, and he noted that Congress arranged for the military to continue to get paid.</p>
<p>"In many ways, then, this is a government 'slowdown' more than it is a 'shutdown,'" Mulvaney said back in 2013, though he added, "I know that is not much consolation for folks who are personally affected."</p>
<p>Mulvaney voted against legislation to reopen the government and was unapologetic over his role as a ringleader in 2013, saying the GOP's political beating — and eventual retreat — was the product of bad messaging.</p>
<p>Now, as the federal official in charge of managing government operations during the lapse in funding, Mulvaney is taking steps to ameliorate the shutdown, giving agencies more flexibility to remain open by using, for instance, previously appropriated money to keep their doors open. He accused the Obama White House of purposefully closing high-profile federal sites to reap political gain. The Trump administration will do what it can to keep national parks open and accessible, he said.</p>
<p>"We are going to manage the shutdown differently. We are not going to weaponize it," Mulvaney said Friday. "We're not going to try and hurt people, especially people who happen to work for this federal government."</p>
<p>Mulvaney is quick-witted and possesses a disarming frankness, and he's not afraid of being impolitic, even as he has risen to a Washington power post.</p>
<p>For instance, on Friday, just hours before the shutdown began, Mulvaney told conservative radio host Sean Hannity, "I found out for the first time last night that the person who technically shuts the government down is me, which is kind of cool."</p>
<p>Mulvaney isn't apologizing for the shutdown tactics he employed years ago, saying he opposed that year's stopgap spending measure because it funded agencies that were implementing "Obamacare." But now he's faulting Democrats for seeking to use the very kind of leverage now that he failed to exploit back then.</p>
<p>"When Republicans tried to add a discussion about Obamacare to the funding process in 2013, we were accused by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer of inserting a non-fiscal — a non-financial — issue into the spending process in order to shut the government down," Mulvaney said. "How is that not exactly what is happening today?"</p>
| false | 2 |
washington ap president donald trumps budget chief mick mulvaney stormed washington tea party lawmaker elected 2010 hasnt mellowed much director office management budget white house spots hes center government shutdowns congressman 2013 mulvaney among faction hard right bullied gop leaders shutdown confrontation insisting lacing mustpass spending bill provisions designed cripple president barack obamas signature health care law fasttalking south carolina republican downplayed impact government shutdown noting critical government services would continue social security benefits would paid said 75 percent government would remain open noted congress arranged military continue get paid many ways government slowdown shutdown mulvaney said back 2013 though added know much consolation folks personally affected mulvaney voted legislation reopen government unapologetic role ringleader 2013 saying gops political beating eventual retreat product bad messaging federal official charge managing government operations lapse funding mulvaney taking steps ameliorate shutdown giving agencies flexibility remain open using instance previously appropriated money keep doors open accused obama white house purposefully closing highprofile federal sites reap political gain trump administration keep national parks open accessible said going manage shutdown differently going weaponize mulvaney said friday going try hurt people especially people happen work federal government mulvaney quickwitted possesses disarming frankness hes afraid impolitic even risen washington power post instance friday hours shutdown began mulvaney told conservative radio host sean hannity found first time last night person technically shuts government kind cool mulvaney isnt apologizing shutdown tactics employed years ago saying opposed years stopgap spending measure funded agencies implementing obamacare hes faulting democrats seeking use kind leverage failed exploit back republicans tried add discussion obamacare funding process 2013 accused nancy pelosi chuck schumer inserting nonfiscal nonfinancial issue spending process order shut government mulvaney said exactly happening today washington ap president donald trumps budget chief mick mulvaney stormed washington tea party lawmaker elected 2010 hasnt mellowed much director office management budget white house spots hes center government shutdowns congressman 2013 mulvaney among faction hard right bullied gop leaders shutdown confrontation insisting lacing mustpass spending bill provisions designed cripple president barack obamas signature health care law fasttalking south carolina republican downplayed impact government shutdown noting critical government services would continue social security benefits would paid said 75 percent government would remain open noted congress arranged military continue get paid many ways government slowdown shutdown mulvaney said back 2013 though added know much consolation folks personally affected mulvaney voted legislation reopen government unapologetic role ringleader 2013 saying gops political beating eventual retreat product bad messaging federal official charge managing government operations lapse funding mulvaney taking steps ameliorate shutdown giving agencies flexibility remain open using instance previously appropriated money keep doors open accused obama white house purposefully closing highprofile federal sites reap political gain trump administration keep national parks open accessible said going manage shutdown differently going weaponize mulvaney said friday going try hurt people especially people happen work federal government mulvaney quickwitted possesses disarming frankness hes afraid impolitic even risen washington power post instance friday hours shutdown began mulvaney told conservative radio host sean hannity found first time last night person technically shuts government kind cool mulvaney isnt apologizing shutdown tactics employed years ago saying opposed years stopgap spending measure funded agencies implementing obamacare hes faulting democrats seeking use kind leverage failed exploit back republicans tried add discussion obamacare funding process 2013 accused nancy pelosi chuck schumer inserting nonfiscal nonfinancial issue spending process order shut government mulvaney said exactly happening today
| 562 |
<p>Jan 23 (Reuters) - Drb-Hicom Bhd:</p>
<p>* ANNOUNCES TERMINATION OF JV BETWEEN UNIT PROTON HOLDINGS BERHAD, LOTUS GROUP INTERNATIONAL LTD &amp; GOLDSTAR HEAVY INDUSTRIAL CO LTD</p>
<p>* TERMINATION OF JV WILL HAVE NO MATERIAL EFFECT ON THE GROUP’S EARNINGS, GEARING AND NET ASSETS FOR YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2018 Source text :( <a href="http://bit.ly/2DDqiDW" type="external">bit.ly/2DDqiDW</a>) Further company coverage: ([email protected])</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Remington Outdoor Co Inc [FREDM.UL], one of the largest U.S. makers of firearms, filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday to carry out a debt-cutting deal with creditors amid mounting public pressure for greater gun control.</p>
<p>The company’s chief financial officer, Stephen Jackson, said in court papers that Remington’s sales fell significantly in the year before its bankruptcy, and that the company was having difficulty meeting requirements from its lenders.</p>
<p>Remington, America’s oldest gunmaker, announced in February it would reduce its $950 million debtload in a deal that will transfer control of the company to creditors. The company plans to wrap up its bankruptcy as soon as May 3, according to court papers.</p>
<p>The filing comes after a Feb. 14 shooting at a Parkland, Florida high school that killed 17 and spurred an intense campaign for gun control by activists.</p>
<p>The massacre led to huge U.S. anti-gun rallies by hundreds of thousands of young Americans on Saturday.</p>
<p>In some of the biggest U.S. youth demonstrations for decades, protesters called on lawmakers and President Donald Trump to confront the issue. Voter registration activists fanned out in the crowds, signing up thousands of the nation’s newest voters.</p>
<p>Major U.S. companies and retailers have taken some steps to restrict firearm sales.</p>
<p>Citigroup Inc said last week it will require new retail-sector clients to sell firearms only to customers who passed background checks and to bar sales of high-capacity magazines.</p>
<p>Citi also said it was restricting sales for buyers under 21, a move adopted by other large retailers, while Kroger Co’s superstore chain Fred Meyer said it will stop selling firearms entirely.</p> CERBERUS TO LOSE OWNERSHIP
<p>Cerberus Capital Management LP, the private equity firm that controls Remington, will lose ownership in the bankruptcy.</p>
<p>Remington’s creditors, which sources told Reuters include Franklin Templeton Investments and JPMorgan Asset Management, will exchange their debt holdings for Remington equity.</p>
<p>The creditors inked the debt-cutting deal prior to the Parkland shooting, and it is unclear if any have exited. The restructuring support agreement allows creditors to sell their holdings, but the buyer is bound by the deal.</p>
<p>One investor told IFR, a Thomson Reuters news provider, that his firm had contemplated buying the Remington loans that will be exchanged into equity, which were offered at as low as 25 cents on the dollar.</p>
<p>“We bowed out because we were uncomfortable,” he said.</p>
<p>After a Remington Bushmaster rifle was used in the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in Connecticut in 2012 that killed 20 children and six adults, Cerberus tried unsuccessfully to sell Remington, then known as Freedom Group.</p>
<p>Katie-Mesner Hage, an attorney representing Sandy Hook families in a lawsuit against Remington, said in a prepared statement that she did not expect the gunmaker’s bankruptcy would affect their case.</p>
<p>Remington and other gunmakers have suffered from slumping sales in the past year as fears of stricter gun laws have faded.</p>
<p>The chief executive of American Outdoor Brands Corp, maker of the Smith &amp; Wesson gun used in the Parkland shooting, said on March 1 that some gun retailers reported increased sales after the Florida school shooting.</p>
<p>Remington filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.</p>
<p>Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware, Jessica DiNapoli in New York and Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Gopakumar Warrier</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite threats of retaliation from China over U.S. plans to impose tariffs on up to $60 billion in Chinese goods, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Sunday said President Donald Trump had no intention of backing down and was not worried about a trade war.</p> U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin attends a meeting at La Moneda Presidential Palace in Santiago, Chile March 21, 2018. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido
<p>“We are going to proceed with our tariffs. We’re working on that,” Mnuchin told Fox News Sunday. “So, as President Trump said, we’re not afraid of a trade war, but that’s not our objective.”</p>
<p>Fears of a trade war between the United States and China have sent U.S. stock prices tumbling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.DJI" type="external">.DJI</a> and the S&amp;P 500 <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.SPX" type="external">.SPX</a> both lost nearly 6 percent by the end of last week.</p>
<p>A presidential memorandum signed by Trump last week will target up to $60 billion in Chinese goods with tariffs over what his administration says is misappropriation of U.S. intellectual property, but only after a 30-day consultation period that starts once a list is published.</p>
<p>Trump gave the Treasury Department 60 days to develop investment restrictions aimed at preventing Chinese-controlled companies and funds from acquiring U.S. firms with sensitive technologies.</p>
<p>Mnuchin said he believed the United States could reach an agreement with China on some issues, but said the tariffs would not be put on hold “unless we have an acceptable agreement that the president signs off on.”</p>
<p>China has urged the United States to “pull back from the brink” on the tariffs and threatened to retaliate by hitting U.S. agricultural exports.</p>
<a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.DJI" type="external">Dow Jones &amp; Company Inc</a> 23533.2 .DJI Dow Jones Indexes -- (--%) .DJI .SPX
<p>Without giving a time frame, China’s commerce ministry said the government was considering a 25 percent tariff on U.S. pork. It did not announce potential tariffs on soy.</p>
<p>Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, a major exporter of farm products to China, said on the CBS program “Face the Nation” on Sunday that hers and other Midwestern states would be harmed by any retaliation.</p>
<p>Iowa is the top U.S. state for hog production. China imports more than a third of all U.S. soybeans.</p>
<p>“Nobody wins in a trade war,” she said. “So if they start retaliating, we will see significant impact - very detrimental impact not just in Iowa, but across the Midwest as well,” she said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Lisa Shumaker</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>ULSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor’s ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=005380.KS" type="external">005380.KS</a>) union chief warned its workers may face a similar crisis to the one hitting General Motors’ ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GM.N" type="external">GM.N</a>) South Korean unit as sales in key markets slide, adding that electric cars were ‘evil’ and will destroy jobs.</p> Ha Bu-young, Hyundai Motor's South Korean union chief speaks during an interview with Reuters in Ulsan, South Korea, March 23, 2018. Picture taken March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Hyunjoo Jin
<p>South Korea’s auto industry, known for its robust unions whose workers tend to be paid more and have better benefits than their compatriots in other sectors, has come to a crossroads.</p>
<p>Blaming high labor costs and falling sales, General Motors ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GM.N" type="external">GM.N</a>) plans to close one of its plants in the country by May and is weighing options for its three other factories.</p>
<p>“We’re feeling job anxiety. We’re feeling a sense of crisis,” Ha Bu-young, the head of the Hyundai Motor union, South Korea’s biggest and most powerful union, told Reuters in an interview late last week.</p>
<p>He said that at three of Hyundai’s five plants in Ulsan, the world’s biggest car factory complex, some workers had been asked to take longer holidays as sales of sedans and older model SUVs like the Santa Fe slow in the United States and other markets.</p>
<p>Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=000270.KS" type="external">000270.KS</a>) were also hit by diplomatic tensions between Seoul and Beijing last year, leading to a slump in sales in the world’s biggest auto market. The two automakers have flagged only modest global sales growth in 2018. &#160;</p>
<p>Longer term, Ha worries about the advent of electric cars, which when they go mainstream could wreak havoc on traditional auto jobs as they don’t require engines and transmissions.</p>
<p>Hyundai’s union has predicted a drastic shift into electric cars could lead to a loss of 70 percent of Hyundai jobs in a worst case scenario.</p>
<p>“Electric cars are disasters. They are evil. We are very nervous,” he said.</p>
<p>Ha said the union is studying how cars of the future might be built without slashing headcount and has proposed the automaker revive a committee to review the impact of new vehicles and new technology on jobs.</p>
<p>He also noted that some 30,000 workers out of 50,000 union members will retire in 15 years, which could cushion the impact that cars of the future could have on staffing levels.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=005380.KS" type="external">Hyundai Motor Co</a> 149500.0 005380.KS Korea Stock Exchange -2,000.00 (-1.32%) 005380.KS GM.N 000270.KS FREE TRIPS TO EUROPE
<p>At GM’s South Korean unit, the threat of potential plant closures has led its union to offer to freeze wages and skip bonuses while about 15 percent of its employees have applied for a voluntary redundancy package.</p>
<p>While there is a sense of crisis at Hyundai’s union, the situation is not that dire.</p>
<p>Hyundai’s management has proposed the scaling back of some benefits such as free week-long trips to Europe for 500 workers annually as well as support for some employees’ sporting events - a proposal that the union plans to oppose, a union official said.</p>
<p>But the union will for the first time seek pay raises for temporary workers this year that are higher than those of full-time auto workers, responding to criticism that regular auto works are generously paid.</p>
<p>It will ask for a 7.4 percent wage increase for temporary workers versus a 5.3 percent wage raise for regular workers, Ha said, in line with a policy advocated by the umbrella union for South Korea’s metal workers.</p>
<p>Last year Hyundai’s union initially demanded annual wage increases of 7 percent for its full-time workers and won a raise of less than 5 percent after tense negotiations that involved strikes.</p>
<p>The shift towards improving pay for non-full time workers could invite opposition within the union, said Ha, adding that he was trying to right old wrongs.</p>
<p>Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Edwina Gibbs</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - Crude oil futures steadied on Monday, supported by a rebound in stock markets and escalating Saudi-Iran tensions.</p> FILE PHOTO: An oil pump is seen operating in the Permian Basin near Midland, Texas, U.S., May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
<p>Global stocks came off six-week lows on optimism that the United States and China are set to begin trade talks, easing fears about a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.</p>
<p>The possibility of a full-blown trade war had weighed on the energy complex on fears that it could harm oil demand.</p>
<p>Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up 9 cents at $70.54 a barrel at 1206 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 eased 5 cents to $65.83.</p>
<p>U.S. President Donald Trump last week signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to $60 billion of imports from China.</p>
<p>“The ... trade war story ... should be taken into account when trying to quantify the potentially bullish effect of the geopolitical element in oil markets,” said analysts at consultancy JBC Energy.</p>
<p>The market also found support from rising Middle East tensions.</p>
<p>Saudi air defenses shot down seven ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia on Sunday, some of which targeted Saudi capital Riyadh.</p>
<p>“Geopolitics and growing concerns about the United States leaving the Iran deal lifted oil prices back towards $70 per barrel,” said Norbert Rucker, head of macro and commodity research at private Swiss bank Julius Baer.</p>
<p>Beyond trade concerns, crude was pressured by a rise in the number of active U.S. oil rigs to a three-year high of 804, implying further rises in production. C-OUT-T-EIA U.S. oil output has already jumped by a quarter since mid-2016 to 10.4 million barrels per day (bpd).</p>
<p>“With US crude production likely to be close to 10.5 million bpd by now and NGL (natural gas liquids) output also increasing strongly, there is a clear chance that year-on-year supply growth in the U.S. could at least temporarily hit 2 million bpd over the summer months,” JBC said</p>
<p>In Asia, Shanghai crude oil futures made a strong debut in terms of volume as investors and commodity merchants bought into the world’s newest financial oil trading instrument.</p>
<p>Hedge funds and other money managers raised their net long U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to March 20 after two weeks of cutting bullish bets, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday.</p>
<p>($1 = 6.3080 Chinese yuan renminbi)</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by David Goodman</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| false | 2 |
jan 23 reuters drbhicom bhd announces termination jv unit proton holdings berhad lotus group international ltd amp goldstar heavy industrial co ltd termination jv material effect groups earnings gearing net assets year ending 31 march 2018 source text bitly2ddqidw company coverage bangalorenewsroomthomsonreuterscom standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters remington outdoor co inc fredmul one largest us makers firearms filed bankruptcy protection sunday carry debtcutting deal creditors amid mounting public pressure greater gun control companys chief financial officer stephen jackson said court papers remingtons sales fell significantly year bankruptcy company difficulty meeting requirements lenders remington americas oldest gunmaker announced february would reduce 950 million debtload deal transfer control company creditors company plans wrap bankruptcy soon may 3 according court papers filing comes feb 14 shooting parkland florida high school killed 17 spurred intense campaign gun control activists massacre led huge us antigun rallies hundreds thousands young americans saturday biggest us youth demonstrations decades protesters called lawmakers president donald trump confront issue voter registration activists fanned crowds signing thousands nations newest voters major us companies retailers taken steps restrict firearm sales citigroup inc said last week require new retailsector clients sell firearms customers passed background checks bar sales highcapacity magazines citi also said restricting sales buyers 21 move adopted large retailers kroger cos superstore chain fred meyer said stop selling firearms entirely cerberus lose ownership cerberus capital management lp private equity firm controls remington lose ownership bankruptcy remingtons creditors sources told reuters include franklin templeton investments jpmorgan asset management exchange debt holdings remington equity creditors inked debtcutting deal prior parkland shooting unclear exited restructuring support agreement allows creditors sell holdings buyer bound deal one investor told ifr thomson reuters news provider firm contemplated buying remington loans exchanged equity offered low 25 cents dollar bowed uncomfortable said remington bushmaster rifle used sandy hook elementary school shooting connecticut 2012 killed 20 children six adults cerberus tried unsuccessfully sell remington known freedom group katiemesner hage attorney representing sandy hook families lawsuit remington said prepared statement expect gunmakers bankruptcy would affect case remington gunmakers suffered slumping sales past year fears stricter gun laws faded chief executive american outdoor brands corp maker smith amp wesson gun used parkland shooting said march 1 gun retailers reported increased sales florida school shooting remington filed chapter 11 bankruptcy us bankruptcy court district delaware reporting tom hals wilmington delaware jessica dinapoli new york ismail shakil bengaluru editing lisa shumaker gopakumar warrier standards thomson reuters trust principles washington reuters despite threats retaliation china us plans impose tariffs 60 billion chinese goods treasury secretary steve mnuchin sunday said president donald trump intention backing worried trade war us treasury secretary steve mnuchin attends meeting la moneda presidential palace santiago chile march 21 2018 reutersrodrigo garrido going proceed tariffs working mnuchin told fox news sunday president trump said afraid trade war thats objective fears trade war united states china sent us stock prices tumbling dow jones industrial average dji sampp 500 spx lost nearly 6 percent end last week presidential memorandum signed trump last week target 60 billion chinese goods tariffs administration says misappropriation us intellectual property 30day consultation period starts list published trump gave treasury department 60 days develop investment restrictions aimed preventing chinesecontrolled companies funds acquiring us firms sensitive technologies mnuchin said believed united states could reach agreement china issues said tariffs would put hold unless acceptable agreement president signs china urged united states pull back brink tariffs threatened retaliate hitting us agricultural exports dow jones amp company inc 235332 dji dow jones indexes dji spx without giving time frame chinas commerce ministry said government considering 25 percent tariff us pork announce potential tariffs soy republican senator joni ernst iowa major exporter farm products china said cbs program face nation sunday midwestern states would harmed retaliation iowa top us state hog production china imports third us soybeans nobody wins trade war said start retaliating see significant impact detrimental impact iowa across midwest well said reporting valerie volcovici editing lisa shumaker standards thomson reuters trust principles ulsan south korea reuters hyundai motors 005380ks union chief warned workers may face similar crisis one hitting general motors gmn south korean unit sales key markets slide adding electric cars evil destroy jobs ha buyoung hyundai motors south korean union chief speaks interview reuters ulsan south korea march 23 2018 picture taken march 23 2018 reutershyunjoo jin south koreas auto industry known robust unions whose workers tend paid better benefits compatriots sectors come crossroads blaming high labor costs falling sales general motors gmn plans close one plants country may weighing options three factories feeling job anxiety feeling sense crisis ha buyoung head hyundai motor union south koreas biggest powerful union told reuters interview late last week said three hyundais five plants ulsan worlds biggest car factory complex workers asked take longer holidays sales sedans older model suvs like santa fe slow united states markets hyundai motor affiliate kia motors 000270ks also hit diplomatic tensions seoul beijing last year leading slump sales worlds biggest auto market two automakers flagged modest global sales growth 2018 160 longer term ha worries advent electric cars go mainstream could wreak havoc traditional auto jobs dont require engines transmissions hyundais union predicted drastic shift electric cars could lead loss 70 percent hyundai jobs worst case scenario electric cars disasters evil nervous said ha said union studying cars future might built without slashing headcount proposed automaker revive committee review impact new vehicles new technology jobs also noted 30000 workers 50000 union members retire 15 years could cushion impact cars future could staffing levels hyundai motor co 1495000 005380ks korea stock exchange 200000 132 005380ks gmn 000270ks free trips europe gms south korean unit threat potential plant closures led union offer freeze wages skip bonuses 15 percent employees applied voluntary redundancy package sense crisis hyundais union situation dire hyundais management proposed scaling back benefits free weeklong trips europe 500 workers annually well support employees sporting events proposal union plans oppose union official said union first time seek pay raises temporary workers year higher fulltime auto workers responding criticism regular auto works generously paid ask 74 percent wage increase temporary workers versus 53 percent wage raise regular workers ha said line policy advocated umbrella union south koreas metal workers last year hyundais union initially demanded annual wage increases 7 percent fulltime workers raise less 5 percent tense negotiations involved strikes shift towards improving pay nonfull time workers could invite opposition within union said ha adding trying right old wrongs reporting hyunjoo jin editing soyoung kim edwina gibbs standards thomson reuters trust principles london reuters crude oil futures steadied monday supported rebound stock markets escalating saudiiran tensions file photo oil pump seen operating permian basin near midland texas us may 3 2017 reutersernest scheyderfile photo global stocks came sixweek lows optimism united states china set begin trade talks easing fears trade war worlds two largest economies possibility fullblown trade war weighed energy complex fears could harm oil demand brent crude futures lcoc1 9 cents 7054 barrel 1206 gmt us west texas intermediate wti crude futures clc1 eased 5 cents 6583 us president donald trump last week signed memorandum could impose tariffs 60 billion imports china trade war story taken account trying quantify potentially bullish effect geopolitical element oil markets said analysts consultancy jbc energy market also found support rising middle east tensions saudi air defenses shot seven ballistic missiles fired yemens iranaligned houthi militia sunday targeted saudi capital riyadh geopolitics growing concerns united states leaving iran deal lifted oil prices back towards 70 per barrel said norbert rucker head macro commodity research private swiss bank julius baer beyond trade concerns crude pressured rise number active us oil rigs threeyear high 804 implying rises production coutteia us oil output already jumped quarter since mid2016 104 million barrels per day bpd us crude production likely close 105 million bpd ngl natural gas liquids output also increasing strongly clear chance yearonyear supply growth us could least temporarily hit 2 million bpd summer months jbc said asia shanghai crude oil futures made strong debut terms volume investors commodity merchants bought worlds newest financial oil trading instrument hedge funds money managers raised net long us crude futures options positions week march 20 two weeks cutting bullish bets us commodity futures trading commission cftc said friday 1 63080 chinese yuan renminbi additional reporting henning gloystein singapore editing david goodman standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Serena Williams lost in her return to tennis after giving birth in September, beaten by French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in an exhibition Saturday and still unsure if she will defend her Australian Open title.</p>
<p>Williams called it a "wonderful" match despite the defeat - she took the second set in a score of 6-2, 3-6 and 10-5 in a super tiebreaker.</p>
<p>The Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam tournament, begins Jan. 15.</p>
<p>"I don't know if I am totally ready to come back on the tour yet. I know that when I come back I definitely want to be competing for championships. I am definitely looking forward to getting back out there," Williams said.</p>
<p>"I am taking it one day at a time. I am going to assess everything with my team before deciding."</p>
<p>The 36-year-old Williams took time off after winning the Australian Open last January while pregnant. She gave birth to her first child, a girl named Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., on Sept. 1. She married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in November.</p>
<p>Williams struggled with her serve in the 67-minute match at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. But, after nearly a year away from the game, she did win a set against the world's No. 7 player</p>
<p>"I don't think I am going to rate my performance," Williams said. "I have plenty of comebacks, from injuries, from surgeries, but I've never had a comeback after actually giving birth to a human being. So, in my eyes, I feel it was a wonderful, wonderful match for me."</p>
<p>Williams insisted she has a lot more tennis to play.</p>
<p>"Knowing that I have won 23 Grand Slam titles and several other titles, I don't think I have anything more left to prove," she said. "But I am not done yet."</p>
<p>Williams won her opening game, breaking Ostapenko. But she was nowhere near her best in the first set before fighting back and winning the second.</p>
<p>After the initial break, Ostapenko latched onto Williams' weak serves and capitalized on several unforced errors to go up 4-1 with two breaks.</p>
<p>Williams again struggled with her serve in the second set. But she went ahead 3-0 with a couple of early breaks and hit with more confidence, including several crowd-pleasing double-handed passing shots. Another break in the ninth game gave her the set.</p>
<p>"In the beginning, it felt a little tough. But as the match moved on, I was less afraid. I knew I was not going to fall over and break," she said. "The more I played, the more confident I felt that I would be able to go for shots that I was afraid to go for in the first set."</p>
<p>In the super tiebreaker, Ostapenko raced to an 8-2 lead before halting a brief recovery by Williams.</p>
<p>"For me, it is all about physical, how I am feeling physically. ... I am just proud being out here and playing in Abu Dhabi and to be able to just compete," Williams said. "I have had a tough few months and I am just excited to be able to play again."</p>
<p>It was the first time a women's match had been played in the traditionally men's only exhibition.</p>
<p>U.S. Open runner-up Kevin Anderson defeated Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 7-6 (0) in the men's final. The 14th-ranked Anderson immediately broke Bautista Agut and was never in danger of losing serve in the first set.</p>
<p>In the second set, Bautista Agut broke in the second game, but the South African broke back immediately. An aggressive Anderson swept the tiebreaker.</p>
<p>ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Serena Williams lost in her return to tennis after giving birth in September, beaten by French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in an exhibition Saturday and still unsure if she will defend her Australian Open title.</p>
<p>Williams called it a "wonderful" match despite the defeat - she took the second set in a score of 6-2, 3-6 and 10-5 in a super tiebreaker.</p>
<p>The Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam tournament, begins Jan. 15.</p>
<p>"I don't know if I am totally ready to come back on the tour yet. I know that when I come back I definitely want to be competing for championships. I am definitely looking forward to getting back out there," Williams said.</p>
<p>"I am taking it one day at a time. I am going to assess everything with my team before deciding."</p>
<p>The 36-year-old Williams took time off after winning the Australian Open last January while pregnant. She gave birth to her first child, a girl named Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., on Sept. 1. She married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in November.</p>
<p>Williams struggled with her serve in the 67-minute match at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. But, after nearly a year away from the game, she did win a set against the world's No. 7 player</p>
<p>"I don't think I am going to rate my performance," Williams said. "I have plenty of comebacks, from injuries, from surgeries, but I've never had a comeback after actually giving birth to a human being. So, in my eyes, I feel it was a wonderful, wonderful match for me."</p>
<p>Williams insisted she has a lot more tennis to play.</p>
<p>"Knowing that I have won 23 Grand Slam titles and several other titles, I don't think I have anything more left to prove," she said. "But I am not done yet."</p>
<p>Williams won her opening game, breaking Ostapenko. But she was nowhere near her best in the first set before fighting back and winning the second.</p>
<p>After the initial break, Ostapenko latched onto Williams' weak serves and capitalized on several unforced errors to go up 4-1 with two breaks.</p>
<p>Williams again struggled with her serve in the second set. But she went ahead 3-0 with a couple of early breaks and hit with more confidence, including several crowd-pleasing double-handed passing shots. Another break in the ninth game gave her the set.</p>
<p>"In the beginning, it felt a little tough. But as the match moved on, I was less afraid. I knew I was not going to fall over and break," she said. "The more I played, the more confident I felt that I would be able to go for shots that I was afraid to go for in the first set."</p>
<p>In the super tiebreaker, Ostapenko raced to an 8-2 lead before halting a brief recovery by Williams.</p>
<p>"For me, it is all about physical, how I am feeling physically. ... I am just proud being out here and playing in Abu Dhabi and to be able to just compete," Williams said. "I have had a tough few months and I am just excited to be able to play again."</p>
<p>It was the first time a women's match had been played in the traditionally men's only exhibition.</p>
<p>U.S. Open runner-up Kevin Anderson defeated Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 7-6 (0) in the men's final. The 14th-ranked Anderson immediately broke Bautista Agut and was never in danger of losing serve in the first set.</p>
<p>In the second set, Bautista Agut broke in the second game, but the South African broke back immediately. An aggressive Anderson swept the tiebreaker.</p>
| false | 2 |
abu dhabi united arab emirates ap serena williams lost return tennis giving birth september beaten french open champion jelena ostapenko exhibition saturday still unsure defend australian open title williams called wonderful match despite defeat took second set score 62 36 105 super tiebreaker australian open years first grand slam tournament begins jan 15 dont know totally ready come back tour yet know come back definitely want competing championships definitely looking forward getting back williams said taking one day time going assess everything team deciding 36yearold williams took time winning australian open last january pregnant gave birth first child girl named alexis olympia ohanian jr sept 1 married reddit cofounder alexis ohanian november williams struggled serve 67minute match mubadala world tennis championship nearly year away game win set worlds 7 player dont think going rate performance williams said plenty comebacks injuries surgeries ive never comeback actually giving birth human eyes feel wonderful wonderful match williams insisted lot tennis play knowing 23 grand slam titles several titles dont think anything left prove said done yet williams opening game breaking ostapenko nowhere near best first set fighting back winning second initial break ostapenko latched onto williams weak serves capitalized several unforced errors go 41 two breaks williams struggled serve second set went ahead 30 couple early breaks hit confidence including several crowdpleasing doublehanded passing shots another break ninth game gave set beginning felt little tough match moved less afraid knew going fall break said played confident felt would able go shots afraid go first set super tiebreaker ostapenko raced 82 lead halting brief recovery williams physical feeling physically proud playing abu dhabi able compete williams said tough months excited able play first time womens match played traditionally mens exhibition us open runnerup kevin anderson defeated spains roberto bautista agut 64 76 0 mens final 14thranked anderson immediately broke bautista agut never danger losing serve first set second set bautista agut broke second game south african broke back immediately aggressive anderson swept tiebreaker abu dhabi united arab emirates ap serena williams lost return tennis giving birth september beaten french open champion jelena ostapenko exhibition saturday still unsure defend australian open title williams called wonderful match despite defeat took second set score 62 36 105 super tiebreaker australian open years first grand slam tournament begins jan 15 dont know totally ready come back tour yet know come back definitely want competing championships definitely looking forward getting back williams said taking one day time going assess everything team deciding 36yearold williams took time winning australian open last january pregnant gave birth first child girl named alexis olympia ohanian jr sept 1 married reddit cofounder alexis ohanian november williams struggled serve 67minute match mubadala world tennis championship nearly year away game win set worlds 7 player dont think going rate performance williams said plenty comebacks injuries surgeries ive never comeback actually giving birth human eyes feel wonderful wonderful match williams insisted lot tennis play knowing 23 grand slam titles several titles dont think anything left prove said done yet williams opening game breaking ostapenko nowhere near best first set fighting back winning second initial break ostapenko latched onto williams weak serves capitalized several unforced errors go 41 two breaks williams struggled serve second set went ahead 30 couple early breaks hit confidence including several crowdpleasing doublehanded passing shots another break ninth game gave set beginning felt little tough match moved less afraid knew going fall break said played confident felt would able go shots afraid go first set super tiebreaker ostapenko raced 82 lead halting brief recovery williams physical feeling physically proud playing abu dhabi able compete williams said tough months excited able play first time womens match played traditionally mens exhibition us open runnerup kevin anderson defeated spains roberto bautista agut 64 76 0 mens final 14thranked anderson immediately broke bautista agut never danger losing serve first set second set bautista agut broke second game south african broke back immediately aggressive anderson swept tiebreaker
| 658 |
<p>Jan 24 (Reuters) - Tsingtao Brewery:</p>
<p>* ENTERED NEW YANTAI BEER PRODUCT SALES AGREEMENT WITH YANTAI BEER ON 24 JAN 2018, TERM OF WHICH IS FROM 1 JANUARY 2018 TO 31 DEC 2018 Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (Reuters) - The man accused of carrying out a three-week bombing spree that killed two people in Texas before blowing himself up as police closed in on him was a 23-year-old unemployed man from suburban Austin, authorities said on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Federal prosecutors said on Wednesday they had charged Mark Conditt of Pflugerville, Texas, with unlawful possession and transfer of a destructive device prior to his death on the side of a highway.</p>
<p>In addition to killing two, the bombings that began on March 2 injured at least five people and left Austin, a fast-growing city of 1 million people, on edge as the bomber moved from parcels left on doorsteps to one activated by a trip wire to at least two sent via FedEx.</p>
<p>Police tracked Conditt to a hotel about 20 miles (32 km) north of Austin and were following his vehicle when he pulled to the side of the road and detonated a device, killing himself, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley told reporters near the scene.</p>
<p>“The suspect is deceased and has significant injuries from a blast that occurred from detonating a bomb inside his vehicle,” Manley told reporters.</p>
<p>Police began searching Conditt’s house in Pflugerville, though Texas Governor Greg Abbott said it would be a time-consuming process as they were worried it could be booby-trapped, the Austin American-Statesman newspaper reported.</p>
<p>Pflugerville police earlier ordered the evacuation of homes in a five-block radius around the house where Conditt lived with two roommates. Police were questioning the roommates but did not regard them as suspects, Abbott told Fox News.</p>
<p>Law enforcement officials warned area residents to remain cautious, saying they did not know if the bomber had left other devices.</p>
<p>Conditt did not leave a suicide note or any other documents explaining the reason for the bombings, the American-Statesman quoted Abbott as saying.</p>
<p>Conditt had lived with his parents, William and Danene Conditt, until 2017, when he moved into a house about a mile (1.6 km) away, public records showed.</p>
<p>In 2013 Danene Conditt posted a photo of a man she referred to as Mark on Facebook and said she home-schooled her children.</p> Slideshow (19 Images)
<p>“I officially graduated Mark from High School on Friday. 1 down, 3 to go. He has 30 hrs of college credit too, but he’s thinking of taking some time to figure out what he wants to do ... maybe a mission trip,” she said in the photo caption.</p>
<p>Conditt’s aunt released a statement on behalf of the family, CNN reported.</p>
<p>“We are devastated and broken at the news that our family could be involved in such an awful way,” the network quoted the statement as saying. “We had no idea of the darkness that Mark must have been in.” Reuters could not reach family members.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FDX.N" type="external">FedEx Corp</a> 249.171 FDX.N New York Stock Exchange -2.82 (-1.12%) FDX.N ‘PARTYING PRETTY LATE’
<p>Jay Schulze, a 42-year-old network engineer, said he lived a few houses away from the bombing suspect, who with his friends would relax late at night.</p>
<p>“They would be out in back playing music and partying pretty late,” Schulze said.</p>
<p>While jogging on Tuesday night, Schulze noticed a heavy police presence in the area, with drones flying overhead. He said he was stopped briefly by a person who he thought was an FBI agent.</p>
<p>Manley said Conditt was believed to be responsible for six bombs around Austin and in Schertz, near San Antonio, including one that did not explode.</p>
<p>The first three were parcel bombs dropped off in front of homes in the Austin area. A fourth went off on Sunday night, apparently detonated with a trip wire around Austin, and a fifth exploded inside a FedEx Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FDX.N" type="external">FDX.N</a>) facility in Schertz on Tuesday.</p>
<p>FedEx officials provided “key evidence” that led to the suspect’s identification, the company told employees in an internal memo seen by Reuters on Wednesday.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-texas-blast-fbi/fbi-asks-delivery-companies-to-be-more-careful-handling-suspicious-packages-idUSKBN1GX2XB" type="external">FBI asks delivery companies to be more careful handling suspicious packages</a>
<a href="/article/us-texas-blast-fedex/fedex-evidence-helped-identify-texas-bombing-suspect-memo-idUSKBN1GX2AR" type="external">FedEx evidence helped identify Texas bombing suspect: memo</a>
<p>The first two bombs killed Anthony Stephan House, 39, and Draylen Mason, 17. The fact that both men were black raised fears they were part of a hate crime, but investigators said the blasts that came later seemed to target more random victims.</p>
<p>Reporting by Jonathan Herskovitz; Additional reporting by Jim Forsyth in San Antonio, Texas, Collen Jenkins in Winstom-Salem, North Carolina, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Jonathan Allen and Gina Cherelus in New York; Writing by Scott Malone; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Rosalba O'Brien</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reached out to package handling companies to remind them about established protocols for handling suspicious packages and mail safety in the wake of a Texas bombings, an FBI spokeswoman said on Wednesday.</p>
<p>“In light of the bombings in Austin, the FBI has reached out to our private sector partners to remind them of established protocols of how to handle suspicious packages,” the spokeswoman, Lindsay Ram said by e-mail.</p>
<p>Reporting by Mark Hosenball in Washington; Writing by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Toni Reinhold</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - A U.S. resident has sued Facebook and a British-based political consultancy for obtaining data from millions of the social media site’s users without their permission, while an academic at the center of the storm accused both firms of scapegoating him.</p>
<p>The complaint filed at the U.S. District Court in San Jose, California, marked the first of what may be many lawsuits seeking damages over Facebook’s ability to protect user data, and exploitation of the information by the Cambridge Analytica consultancy to help President Donald Trump’s election campaign.</p>
<p>Facebook ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FB.O" type="external">FB.O</a>) has been rocked this week by a whistleblower who said Cambridge Analytica, which Trump hired for the 2016 campaign, improperly accessed information on Facebook users to build detailed profiles on American voters.</p>
<p>This revelation has knocked nearly $50 billion off Facebook’s stock market value in two days and hit the shares of Twitter and Snap over fears that a failure by big tech firms to protect personal data could deter advertisers and users and invite tougher regulation.</p>
<p>Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder and chief executive, who has been quiet on the controversy, is to address the revelations later on Wednesday, a source at the company told Reuters.</p>
<p>The proposed class-action complaint was filed late on Tuesday by Lauren Price, a Maryland resident. “Every Facebook user has an interest in this lawsuit, and the enforcement of their privacy rights,” John Yanchunis, a lawyer for Price, told Reuters on Wednesday. The complaint seeks unspecified damages, including possible punitive damages.</p>
<p>Facebook and Cambridge Analytica did not immediately respond on Wednesday to requests for comment.</p>
<p>A former Facebook manager who was responsible for policing the network’s data handling procedures in 2011-2012 said he had warned senior executives about the issue.</p>
<p>The manager, Sandy Parakilas, said he had told them that Facebook’s failure to police how outside software developers used its data put the company at risk of major data breaches. “There was very little detection or enforcement,” he told a British parliamentary committee via videolink.</p> SWING VOTERS
<p>The academic who provided the data, psychologist Aleksandr Kogan, told the BBC that Cambridge Analytica had greatly exaggerated its role in Trump’s victory.</p>
<p>Facebook and Cambridge Analytica have both blamed Kogan, who gathered the data by running a survey app on Facebook. Kogan combines the roles of an academic at Cambridge University and a web entrepreneur based in San Francisco.</p>
<p>U.S. political campaigns collect large amounts of data, hoping to target swing voters sympathetic to their message. Cambridge Analytica stood out for the scale of claims in its marketing materials to “collect up to 5,000 data points on over 220 million Americans” in all its activities.</p>
<p>It uses techniques based on personality traits and then applies analytic tools to pinpoint supporters.</p>
<p>However, Kogan said the services provided by the consultancy had been greatly exaggerated.</p>
<p>“I think what Cambridge Analytica has tried to sell is magic, and they’ve made claims that this is incredibly accurate and it tells you everything there is to tell about you. But I think the reality is it’s not that,” he said.</p> Slideshow (5 Images)
<p>Arron Banks, who campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum, also questioned the value of psychologically-based data.</p>
<p>Banks told Reuters that Cambridge Analytica had unsuccessfully pitched for work with his Leave.eu campaign group. “I think they are nothing more than a company that places Facebook ads and shrouds in a sort of mystery,” he said.</p>
<p>Kogan’s application, “thisisyourdigitallife,” offered a personality prediction and billed itself on Facebook as “a research app used by psychologists”.</p>
<p>Kogan said he had gathered the data in 2014. He was then approached by Cambridge Analytica who provided the legal advice around its use, he added.</p>
<p>Facebook says Kogan then violated its policies by passing the data to Cambridge Analytica for commercial use, saying on Friday he “lied to us”. Cambridge Analytica said it destroyed the data once it realized the information did not adhere to data protection rules.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FB.O" type="external">Facebook Inc</a> 169.39 FB.O Nasdaq +1.24 (+0.74%) FB.O
<p>“My view is that I’m being basically used as a scapegoat by both Facebook and Cambridge Analytica,” said Kogan. “We were assured by Cambridge Analytica that everything was perfectly legal and within the limits of the terms of service.”</p>
<p>Cambridge Analytica has denied various allegations made about its business practices in recent media reports.</p>
<p>British Prime Minister Theresa May said she backed an investigation into the consultancy, while the German government also expressed its concern.</p>
<p>In Europe the tax affairs of tech giants have become a hot political issue. On Wednesday the European Commission proposed rules to make digital companies pay their fair share of tax, with Facebook and its peers set to foot much of the bill.</p> PERSONALITY TEST
<p>Alexander Nix, the head of Cambridge Analytica, said in a secretly recorded video broadcast on Tuesday that his company had played a decisive role in Trump’s election victory. He was suspended by the company shortly before the video was shown on Britain’s Channel 4 News.</p>
<p>Around 270,000 people downloaded the app, Facebook said. The app scored the results of each quiz and gathered up data from test-takers’ Facebook accounts. However, it also pulled down the data of their Facebook friends, vastly increasing the size of the sample.</p>
<p>Kogan put the number of app users as closer to 200,000.</p>
<p>The researcher said, in total, he passed the data of around 30 million American Facebook users to SCL, a government and military contractor that is the parent of Cambridge Analytica. Media reports have put the total number of Facebook profiles collected at around 50 million users.</p>
<p>U.S. and European lawmakers have demanded an explanation of how Cambridge Analytica gained access to user data in 2014 and why Facebook failed to inform its users.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-whistleb/facebook-took-years-to-clamp-down-on-developers-data-harvesting-ex-operations-manager-idUSKBN1GX2RR" type="external">Facebook took years to clamp down on developers' data harvesting: ex-operations manager</a>
<a href="/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-leave-eu/what-are-the-links-between-cambridge-analytica-and-a-brexit-campaign-group-idUSKBN1GX2IO" type="external">What are the links between Cambridge Analytica and a Brexit campaign group?</a>
<a href="/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-kogan/academic-in-facebook-storm-worked-on-russian-dark-personality-project-idUSKBN1GX2F6" type="external">Academic in Facebook storm worked on Russian 'dark' personality project</a>
<p>Facebook said it had been told by the Federal Trade Commission, the leading U.S. consumer regulator, that it would receive a letter this week with questions about the data acquired by Cambridge Analytica. It said it had no indication of a formal investigation.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Dustin Volz in Washington; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge, David Stamp and Janet Lawrence</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - The effects of the Federal Reserve interest rate hike announced on Wednesday will extend beyond corporate America to household budgets.</p> A security guard walks in front of an image of the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC, U.S., March 16, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
<p>Most people will see at least a minor impact on their credit card statements in the next few billing cycles, while those with adjustable-rate mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto loans and other loans with variable rates of interest will be hit hardest.</p>
<p>Credit cards with fixed interest rates and annual percentage rates that don’t change for a set period of time won’t be immediately affected.</p>
<p>Fixed-rate mortgages are also going to become more expensive, which could have a chilling effect on the real estate market. Higher interest rates typically depress home values by making monthly mortgage payments more expensive.</p>
<p>The Fed lifted its benchmark overnight lending rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a range of 1.50 percent to 1.75 percent at the end of a two-day policy meeting on Wednesday. The U.S. central bank also forecast at least two more hikes for 2018, signaling growing confidence in the strengthening economy, which could lead to more aggressive future tightening.</p>
<p>“The cumulative effect (of rate hikes) can be quite significant,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com.</p> WHICH CONSUMER RATES WILL BE MOST AFFECTED?
<p>The average rate on a five-year Treasury-indexed adjustable-rate mortgage is currently about 3.67 percent, according to Freddie Mac. ARM rates are modified annually, so a 0.25 percentage point increase in the rate in March wouldn’t have an immediate effect. But when it does kick in, it could add up to $1,250 a year to interest payments on a $500,000 mortgage.</p>
<p>That mortgage owner could pay an additional $312.50 a month, or $3,750 a year, in interest if the Fed follows through with two more quarter-point hikes this year.</p>
<p>The rate hike on Wednesday could add $12.50 a year in interest to a credit card with a balance of $5,000 and an interest rate of 14.99 percent, the average in the fourth quarter of 2017, according to Fed data.</p>
<p>That doesn’t sound like much. Even $37.50 a year, the amount three quarter-point rate increases this year would add, may not shock households.</p>
<p>But consider that approximately $62.50 a year has already been added as a result of the Fed’s previous five rate hikes since late 2015, and interest payments may be up by $100 at the end of the year.</p> FILE PHOTO - A shopper walks down an aisle in a newly opened Walmart Neighborhood Market in Chicago in this September 21, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Jim Young/Files WHAT HAPPENS TO HOME EQUITY CREDIT LINES?
<p>Interest rates on home equity credit lines are lower, at around 5 percent. “For somebody with a $30,000 home equity line, a quarter-point rate hike increases the minimum payment by $6 a month. But, this now being the sixth interest rate hike, the cumulative effect since December 2015 is that a $30,000 home equity line now carries a minimum payment that is $37 a month higher,” McBride said.</p>
<p>Those relationships are not quite so neat in practice. The federal funds rate, which the Fed determines directly, sets the rate at which banks lend money to one another. But there are more factors that determine the interest rate on a consumer loan.</p>
<p>“For every 100-basis-point increase in the fed funds rate, historically, it has been the case that the adjustable-rate mortgage rate would go up by 70 basis points,” said Michael Cox, founding director of the O’Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SYF.N" type="external">Synchrony Financial</a> 35.3 SYF.N New York Stock Exchange -0.10 (-0.28%) SYF.N GS.N ARE RATE HIKES A SIGN THE ECONOMY IS OVERHEATING?
<p>U.S. economic strength is evident with the unemployment rate at a 17-year low and companies receiving windfalls from President Donald Trump’s tax cuts, which they may reinvest to create jobs and improve wages.</p>
<p>But U.S. wage growth has remained sluggish and household budgets are tight. Though wages improved in January at the best pace since 2009, worker pay hasn’t made significant improvements since the 2007-2009 recession.</p>
<p>There is evidence in rising debt levels: American households owed a record high total of $13.15 trillion at the end of 2017, according to data from the New York Fed.</p>
<p>If wages don’t rise as rate hikes mount, contracted spending could eventually lead to a broader economic slowdown.</p> IS THERE ANY GOOD NEWS WITH RATE HIKES?
<p>Savers benefit as yields on savings accounts and certificates of deposit edge higher. The average national savings account interest rate was 0.6 percent before the Fed began raising rates in 2015, according to FDIC data. It is now 0.7 percent.</p>
<p>Rates on a 36-month certificate of deposit have gone from 0.48 percent to 0.65 percent. There are, however, internet banks including Synchrony ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SYF.N" type="external">SYF.N</a>) and Goldman Sachs’ ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GS.N" type="external">GS.N</a>) Marcus that are engaged in an arms race of raising rates on savings accounts, which are 1.55 percent at the upper end, and CDs.</p>
<p>Reporting by Kate Duguid; Editing by Jennifer Ablan and Paul Simao</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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jan 24 reuters tsingtao brewery entered new yantai beer product sales agreement yantai beer 24 jan 2018 term 1 january 2018 31 dec 2018 source text eikon company coverage standards thomson reuters trust principles pflugerville texas reuters man accused carrying threeweek bombing spree killed two people texas blowing police closed 23yearold unemployed man suburban austin authorities said wednesday federal prosecutors said wednesday charged mark conditt pflugerville texas unlawful possession transfer destructive device prior death side highway addition killing two bombings began march 2 injured least five people left austin fastgrowing city 1 million people edge bomber moved parcels left doorsteps one activated trip wire least two sent via fedex police tracked conditt hotel 20 miles 32 km north austin following vehicle pulled side road detonated device killing austin police chief brian manley told reporters near scene suspect deceased significant injuries blast occurred detonating bomb inside vehicle manley told reporters police began searching conditts house pflugerville though texas governor greg abbott said would timeconsuming process worried could boobytrapped austin americanstatesman newspaper reported pflugerville police earlier ordered evacuation homes fiveblock radius around house conditt lived two roommates police questioning roommates regard suspects abbott told fox news law enforcement officials warned area residents remain cautious saying know bomber left devices conditt leave suicide note documents explaining reason bombings americanstatesman quoted abbott saying conditt lived parents william danene conditt 2017 moved house mile 16 km away public records showed 2013 danene conditt posted photo man referred mark facebook said homeschooled children slideshow 19 images officially graduated mark high school friday 1 3 go 30 hrs college credit hes thinking taking time figure wants maybe mission trip said photo caption conditts aunt released statement behalf family cnn reported devastated broken news family could involved awful way network quoted statement saying idea darkness mark must reuters could reach family members fedex corp 249171 fdxn new york stock exchange 282 112 fdxn partying pretty late jay schulze 42yearold network engineer said lived houses away bombing suspect friends would relax late night would back playing music partying pretty late schulze said jogging tuesday night schulze noticed heavy police presence area drones flying overhead said stopped briefly person thought fbi agent manley said conditt believed responsible six bombs around austin schertz near san antonio including one explode first three parcel bombs dropped front homes austin area fourth went sunday night apparently detonated trip wire around austin fifth exploded inside fedex corp fdxn facility schertz tuesday fedex officials provided key evidence led suspects identification company told employees internal memo seen reuters wednesday related coverage fbi asks delivery companies careful handling suspicious packages fedex evidence helped identify texas bombing suspect memo first two bombs killed anthony stephan house 39 draylen mason 17 fact men black raised fears part hate crime investigators said blasts came later seemed target random victims reporting jonathan herskovitz additional reporting jim forsyth san antonio texas collen jenkins winstomsalem north carolina brendan obrien milwaukee jonathan allen gina cherelus new york writing scott malone editing jeffrey benkoe rosalba obrien standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters federal bureau investigation reached package handling companies remind established protocols handling suspicious packages mail safety wake texas bombings fbi spokeswoman said wednesday light bombings austin fbi reached private sector partners remind established protocols handle suspicious packages spokeswoman lindsay ram said email reporting mark hosenball washington writing eric johnson editing toni reinhold standards thomson reuters trust principles new yorklondon reuters us resident sued facebook britishbased political consultancy obtaining data millions social media sites users without permission academic center storm accused firms scapegoating complaint filed us district court san jose california marked first may many lawsuits seeking damages facebooks ability protect user data exploitation information cambridge analytica consultancy help president donald trumps election campaign facebook fbo rocked week whistleblower said cambridge analytica trump hired 2016 campaign improperly accessed information facebook users build detailed profiles american voters revelation knocked nearly 50 billion facebooks stock market value two days hit shares twitter snap fears failure big tech firms protect personal data could deter advertisers users invite tougher regulation mark zuckerberg facebooks founder chief executive quiet controversy address revelations later wednesday source company told reuters proposed classaction complaint filed late tuesday lauren price maryland resident every facebook user interest lawsuit enforcement privacy rights john yanchunis lawyer price told reuters wednesday complaint seeks unspecified damages including possible punitive damages facebook cambridge analytica immediately respond wednesday requests comment former facebook manager responsible policing networks data handling procedures 20112012 said warned senior executives issue manager sandy parakilas said told facebooks failure police outside software developers used data put company risk major data breaches little detection enforcement told british parliamentary committee via videolink swing voters academic provided data psychologist aleksandr kogan told bbc cambridge analytica greatly exaggerated role trumps victory facebook cambridge analytica blamed kogan gathered data running survey app facebook kogan combines roles academic cambridge university web entrepreneur based san francisco us political campaigns collect large amounts data hoping target swing voters sympathetic message cambridge analytica stood scale claims marketing materials collect 5000 data points 220 million americans activities uses techniques based personality traits applies analytic tools pinpoint supporters however kogan said services provided consultancy greatly exaggerated think cambridge analytica tried sell magic theyve made claims incredibly accurate tells everything tell think reality said slideshow 5 images arron banks campaigned britain leave european union 2016 referendum also questioned value psychologicallybased data banks told reuters cambridge analytica unsuccessfully pitched work leaveeu campaign group think nothing company places facebook ads shrouds sort mystery said kogans application thisisyourdigitallife offered personality prediction billed facebook research app used psychologists kogan said gathered data 2014 approached cambridge analytica provided legal advice around use added facebook says kogan violated policies passing data cambridge analytica commercial use saying friday lied us cambridge analytica said destroyed data realized information adhere data protection rules facebook inc 16939 fbo nasdaq 124 074 fbo view im basically used scapegoat facebook cambridge analytica said kogan assured cambridge analytica everything perfectly legal within limits terms service cambridge analytica denied various allegations made business practices recent media reports british prime minister theresa may said backed investigation consultancy german government also expressed concern europe tax affairs tech giants become hot political issue wednesday european commission proposed rules make digital companies pay fair share tax facebook peers set foot much bill personality test alexander nix head cambridge analytica said secretly recorded video broadcast tuesday company played decisive role trumps election victory suspended company shortly video shown britains channel 4 news around 270000 people downloaded app facebook said app scored results quiz gathered data testtakers facebook accounts however also pulled data facebook friends vastly increasing size sample kogan put number app users closer 200000 researcher said total passed data around 30 million american facebook users scl government military contractor parent cambridge analytica media reports put total number facebook profiles collected around 50 million users us european lawmakers demanded explanation cambridge analytica gained access user data 2014 facebook failed inform users related coverage facebook took years clamp developers data harvesting exoperations manager links cambridge analytica brexit campaign group academic facebook storm worked russian dark personality project facebook said told federal trade commission leading us consumer regulator would receive letter week questions data acquired cambridge analytica said indication formal investigation additional reporting dustin volz washington editing guy faulconbridge david stamp janet lawrence standards thomson reuters trust principles new york reuters effects federal reserve interest rate hike announced wednesday extend beyond corporate america household budgets security guard walks front image federal reserve washington dc us march 16 2016 reuterskevin lamarquefile photo people see least minor impact credit card statements next billing cycles adjustablerate mortgages home equity lines credit auto loans loans variable rates interest hit hardest credit cards fixed interest rates annual percentage rates dont change set period time wont immediately affected fixedrate mortgages also going become expensive could chilling effect real estate market higher interest rates typically depress home values making monthly mortgage payments expensive fed lifted benchmark overnight lending rate quarter percentage point range 150 percent 175 percent end twoday policy meeting wednesday us central bank also forecast least two hikes 2018 signaling growing confidence strengthening economy could lead aggressive future tightening cumulative effect rate hikes quite significant said greg mcbride chief financial analyst bankratecom consumer rates affected average rate fiveyear treasuryindexed adjustablerate mortgage currently 367 percent according freddie mac arm rates modified annually 025 percentage point increase rate march wouldnt immediate effect kick could add 1250 year interest payments 500000 mortgage mortgage owner could pay additional 31250 month 3750 year interest fed follows two quarterpoint hikes year rate hike wednesday could add 1250 year interest credit card balance 5000 interest rate 1499 percent average fourth quarter 2017 according fed data doesnt sound like much even 3750 year amount three quarterpoint rate increases year would add may shock households consider approximately 6250 year already added result feds previous five rate hikes since late 2015 interest payments may 100 end year file photo shopper walks aisle newly opened walmart neighborhood market chicago september 21 2011 file photo reutersjim youngfiles happens home equity credit lines interest rates home equity credit lines lower around 5 percent somebody 30000 home equity line quarterpoint rate hike increases minimum payment 6 month sixth interest rate hike cumulative effect since december 2015 30000 home equity line carries minimum payment 37 month higher mcbride said relationships quite neat practice federal funds rate fed determines directly sets rate banks lend money one another factors determine interest rate consumer loan every 100basispoint increase fed funds rate historically case adjustablerate mortgage rate would go 70 basis points said michael cox founding director oneil center global markets freedom southern methodist university dallas texas synchrony financial 353 syfn new york stock exchange 010 028 syfn gsn rate hikes sign economy overheating us economic strength evident unemployment rate 17year low companies receiving windfalls president donald trumps tax cuts may reinvest create jobs improve wages us wage growth remained sluggish household budgets tight though wages improved january best pace since 2009 worker pay hasnt made significant improvements since 20072009 recession evidence rising debt levels american households owed record high total 1315 trillion end 2017 according data new york fed wages dont rise rate hikes mount contracted spending could eventually lead broader economic slowdown good news rate hikes savers benefit yields savings accounts certificates deposit edge higher average national savings account interest rate 06 percent fed began raising rates 2015 according fdic data 07 percent rates 36month certificate deposit gone 048 percent 065 percent however internet banks including synchrony syfn goldman sachs gsn marcus engaged arms race raising rates savings accounts 155 percent upper end cds reporting kate duguid editing jennifer ablan paul simao standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>CAIRO (AP) — Less than two weeks after announcing his candidacy, Egypt’s former chief of staff was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of incitement against the armed forces and other charges in what appeared to be a calculated move to force out the last potentially serious challenger to President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.</p>
<p>Former Gen. Sami Annan became the latest in a series of potential contenders who have dropped out or been driven from the presidential campaign.</p>
<p>El-Sissi, himself an ex-general, is considered virtually certain to win re-election in the March 26-28 balloting. But Annan could have drawn a substantial protest vote, bolstered by his own army credentials and his calls for political inclusion.</p>
<p>With one would-be candidate after another dropping out of the race, analysts have said the election could end up being much like the one-candidate referendums for president that took place during decades of authoritarian rule in Egypt, a country of about 100 million people.</p>
<p>Ahead of the vote, the overwhelmingly pro-el-Sissi media have been building a personality cult portraying him as the only man qualified to lead, while denouncing each potential challenger.</p>
<p>With Annan out of the race, only one serious potential challenger is left: Prominent rights lawyer Khaled Ali. But his candidacy is also at risk because he was convicted in September of making an obscene hand gesture in public, and if that ruling is upheld on appeal, he will be ineligible. The next appeal hearing is scheduled for March 7.</p>
<p>An aide at Ali’s campaign, Khaled Abdel-Hameed, told The Associated Press that Ali and his campaign leaders would assess the situation following Annan’s arrest.</p>
<p>“All options are open, including quitting the race,” he said. Ali’s campaign said late Tuesday in a statement that it would announce its “final” position Wednesday in regard to the election.</p>
<p>Annan, who was the armed forces’ chief of staff until 2012, was arrested Tuesday at the same time that the military put out a statement listing the allegations against him, a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press. The arrest was also confirmed by two of Annan’s aides, Mustapha al-Shall to the AP and Mahmoud Refaat on Twitter.</p>
<p>The circumstances of his arrest were not clear, but there were unconfirmed reports that he was arrested by military intelligence personnel while being chauffeured in Cairo en route to his campaign headquarters.</p>
<p>The military said Annan was still formally in the armed forces’ reserves and thus ineligible to vote. It said he would be questioned on charges of forgery for allegedly fraudulently registering to vote and on charges of breaching regulations by declaring his intention to run without first clearing it with the military.</p>
<p>It also said he faces possible charges of incitement against the armed forces in a video announcing his candidacy earlier this month. The chief military prosecutor slapped a news blackout effective immediately on details of the investigation, saying the media must only report official statements on the case.</p>
<p>“The armed forces could not allow itself to ignore the blatant legal violations committed by the aforementioned, which constituted a gross breach of the rules and regulations governing the service of armed forces officers,” said the statement.</p>
<p>“In upholding the principle of the law’s sovereignty as the basic rule of the state, it is imperative that legal measures relevant to these violations and crimes be taken and he (Annan) is summoned for questioning by the relevant authorities,” it said.</p>
<p>If charged, Anna could face court-martial.</p>
<p>In a brief statement, Annan’s campaign said it was suspending its activity indefinitely “out of fear for the safety and security of all citizens who dream of change.”</p>
<p>It was not clear what the incitement allegation referred to. In his video announcing his candidacy, Annan spoke of deteriorating living standards and what he called the “erosion” of the state’s capabilities, and he blamed it on the policy of increasingly involving the military in the economy and politics.</p>
<p>He said “wise” policies were needed to bring in the civilian sector, but that required respect for the constitution and guarantees of freedoms.</p>
<p>He also took the unusual step of appealing to the military and state institutions to remain neutral in the election, saying they should not be biased in favor of el-Sissi.</p>
<p>Annan was seen as a long shot to win the election. But it likely would have been embarrassing for el-Sissi to face a candidate from within Egypt’s powerful military establishment. His candidacy also could have drawn a sizable protest vote from Egyptians struggling under high prices resulting from el-Sissi’s ambitious reform program to overhaul the battered economy.</p>
<p>He also could have gotten votes from secular pro-democracy activists and supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, two camps that have been targeted in a massive crackdown on dissent under el-Sissi that has jailed thousands, mostly Islamists. Authorities have also silenced most critics in the media, restricted rights groups and effectively banned street protests.</p>
<p>Annan was chief of staff under longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak and then was removed from his post, along with the defense minister, by President Mohammed Morsi, the Brotherhood stalwart elected after Mubarak’s ouster in 2011. Morsi then elevated el-Sissi to defense minister. In 2013, el-Sissi led the military’s ouster of Morsi, amid massive protests of Brotherhood rule.</p>
<p>Two other presidential hopefuls besides Annan have been forced to quit the race.</p>
<p>Former prime minister and air force Gen. Ahmed Shafiq said he did not think he was the “ideal” man to lead the nation after days of harsh criticism by pro-el-Sissi media. Shafiq finished a close second to Morsi in 2012, which would have potentially made him a powerful contender this year.</p>
<p>Another would-be candidate was former lawmaker Mohammed Anwar Sadat, the nephew of the Egyptian leader who was assassinated in 1981. He said he quit the race partially because he feared his supporters could be subjected to arrest or intimidation by authorities.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Maggie Michael and Samy Magdy contributed to this report.</p>
<p>CAIRO (AP) — Less than two weeks after announcing his candidacy, Egypt’s former chief of staff was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of incitement against the armed forces and other charges in what appeared to be a calculated move to force out the last potentially serious challenger to President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.</p>
<p>Former Gen. Sami Annan became the latest in a series of potential contenders who have dropped out or been driven from the presidential campaign.</p>
<p>El-Sissi, himself an ex-general, is considered virtually certain to win re-election in the March 26-28 balloting. But Annan could have drawn a substantial protest vote, bolstered by his own army credentials and his calls for political inclusion.</p>
<p>With one would-be candidate after another dropping out of the race, analysts have said the election could end up being much like the one-candidate referendums for president that took place during decades of authoritarian rule in Egypt, a country of about 100 million people.</p>
<p>Ahead of the vote, the overwhelmingly pro-el-Sissi media have been building a personality cult portraying him as the only man qualified to lead, while denouncing each potential challenger.</p>
<p>With Annan out of the race, only one serious potential challenger is left: Prominent rights lawyer Khaled Ali. But his candidacy is also at risk because he was convicted in September of making an obscene hand gesture in public, and if that ruling is upheld on appeal, he will be ineligible. The next appeal hearing is scheduled for March 7.</p>
<p>An aide at Ali’s campaign, Khaled Abdel-Hameed, told The Associated Press that Ali and his campaign leaders would assess the situation following Annan’s arrest.</p>
<p>“All options are open, including quitting the race,” he said. Ali’s campaign said late Tuesday in a statement that it would announce its “final” position Wednesday in regard to the election.</p>
<p>Annan, who was the armed forces’ chief of staff until 2012, was arrested Tuesday at the same time that the military put out a statement listing the allegations against him, a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press. The arrest was also confirmed by two of Annan’s aides, Mustapha al-Shall to the AP and Mahmoud Refaat on Twitter.</p>
<p>The circumstances of his arrest were not clear, but there were unconfirmed reports that he was arrested by military intelligence personnel while being chauffeured in Cairo en route to his campaign headquarters.</p>
<p>The military said Annan was still formally in the armed forces’ reserves and thus ineligible to vote. It said he would be questioned on charges of forgery for allegedly fraudulently registering to vote and on charges of breaching regulations by declaring his intention to run without first clearing it with the military.</p>
<p>It also said he faces possible charges of incitement against the armed forces in a video announcing his candidacy earlier this month. The chief military prosecutor slapped a news blackout effective immediately on details of the investigation, saying the media must only report official statements on the case.</p>
<p>“The armed forces could not allow itself to ignore the blatant legal violations committed by the aforementioned, which constituted a gross breach of the rules and regulations governing the service of armed forces officers,” said the statement.</p>
<p>“In upholding the principle of the law’s sovereignty as the basic rule of the state, it is imperative that legal measures relevant to these violations and crimes be taken and he (Annan) is summoned for questioning by the relevant authorities,” it said.</p>
<p>If charged, Anna could face court-martial.</p>
<p>In a brief statement, Annan’s campaign said it was suspending its activity indefinitely “out of fear for the safety and security of all citizens who dream of change.”</p>
<p>It was not clear what the incitement allegation referred to. In his video announcing his candidacy, Annan spoke of deteriorating living standards and what he called the “erosion” of the state’s capabilities, and he blamed it on the policy of increasingly involving the military in the economy and politics.</p>
<p>He said “wise” policies were needed to bring in the civilian sector, but that required respect for the constitution and guarantees of freedoms.</p>
<p>He also took the unusual step of appealing to the military and state institutions to remain neutral in the election, saying they should not be biased in favor of el-Sissi.</p>
<p>Annan was seen as a long shot to win the election. But it likely would have been embarrassing for el-Sissi to face a candidate from within Egypt’s powerful military establishment. His candidacy also could have drawn a sizable protest vote from Egyptians struggling under high prices resulting from el-Sissi’s ambitious reform program to overhaul the battered economy.</p>
<p>He also could have gotten votes from secular pro-democracy activists and supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, two camps that have been targeted in a massive crackdown on dissent under el-Sissi that has jailed thousands, mostly Islamists. Authorities have also silenced most critics in the media, restricted rights groups and effectively banned street protests.</p>
<p>Annan was chief of staff under longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak and then was removed from his post, along with the defense minister, by President Mohammed Morsi, the Brotherhood stalwart elected after Mubarak’s ouster in 2011. Morsi then elevated el-Sissi to defense minister. In 2013, el-Sissi led the military’s ouster of Morsi, amid massive protests of Brotherhood rule.</p>
<p>Two other presidential hopefuls besides Annan have been forced to quit the race.</p>
<p>Former prime minister and air force Gen. Ahmed Shafiq said he did not think he was the “ideal” man to lead the nation after days of harsh criticism by pro-el-Sissi media. Shafiq finished a close second to Morsi in 2012, which would have potentially made him a powerful contender this year.</p>
<p>Another would-be candidate was former lawmaker Mohammed Anwar Sadat, the nephew of the Egyptian leader who was assassinated in 1981. He said he quit the race partially because he feared his supporters could be subjected to arrest or intimidation by authorities.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Maggie Michael and Samy Magdy contributed to this report.</p>
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cairo ap less two weeks announcing candidacy egypts former chief staff arrested tuesday suspicion incitement armed forces charges appeared calculated move force last potentially serious challenger president abdelfattah elsissi former gen sami annan became latest series potential contenders dropped driven presidential campaign elsissi exgeneral considered virtually certain win reelection march 2628 balloting annan could drawn substantial protest vote bolstered army credentials calls political inclusion one wouldbe candidate another dropping race analysts said election could end much like onecandidate referendums president took place decades authoritarian rule egypt country 100 million people ahead vote overwhelmingly proelsissi media building personality cult portraying man qualified lead denouncing potential challenger annan race one serious potential challenger left prominent rights lawyer khaled ali candidacy also risk convicted september making obscene hand gesture public ruling upheld appeal ineligible next appeal hearing scheduled march 7 aide alis campaign khaled abdelhameed told associated press ali campaign leaders would assess situation following annans arrest options open including quitting race said alis campaign said late tuesday statement would announce final position wednesday regard election annan armed forces chief staff 2012 arrested tuesday time military put statement listing allegations security official said speaking condition anonymity authorized talk press arrest also confirmed two annans aides mustapha alshall ap mahmoud refaat twitter circumstances arrest clear unconfirmed reports arrested military intelligence personnel chauffeured cairo en route campaign headquarters military said annan still formally armed forces reserves thus ineligible vote said would questioned charges forgery allegedly fraudulently registering vote charges breaching regulations declaring intention run without first clearing military also said faces possible charges incitement armed forces video announcing candidacy earlier month chief military prosecutor slapped news blackout effective immediately details investigation saying media must report official statements case armed forces could allow ignore blatant legal violations committed aforementioned constituted gross breach rules regulations governing service armed forces officers said statement upholding principle laws sovereignty basic rule state imperative legal measures relevant violations crimes taken annan summoned questioning relevant authorities said charged anna could face courtmartial brief statement annans campaign said suspending activity indefinitely fear safety security citizens dream change clear incitement allegation referred video announcing candidacy annan spoke deteriorating living standards called erosion states capabilities blamed policy increasingly involving military economy politics said wise policies needed bring civilian sector required respect constitution guarantees freedoms also took unusual step appealing military state institutions remain neutral election saying biased favor elsissi annan seen long shot win election likely would embarrassing elsissi face candidate within egypts powerful military establishment candidacy also could drawn sizable protest vote egyptians struggling high prices resulting elsissis ambitious reform program overhaul battered economy also could gotten votes secular prodemocracy activists supporters outlawed muslim brotherhood two camps targeted massive crackdown dissent elsissi jailed thousands mostly islamists authorities also silenced critics media restricted rights groups effectively banned street protests annan chief staff longtime autocrat hosni mubarak removed post along defense minister president mohammed morsi brotherhood stalwart elected mubaraks ouster 2011 morsi elevated elsissi defense minister 2013 elsissi led militarys ouster morsi amid massive protests brotherhood rule two presidential hopefuls besides annan forced quit race former prime minister air force gen ahmed shafiq said think ideal man lead nation days harsh criticism proelsissi media shafiq finished close second morsi 2012 would potentially made powerful contender year another wouldbe candidate former lawmaker mohammed anwar sadat nephew egyptian leader assassinated 1981 said quit race partially feared supporters could subjected arrest intimidation authorities ___ associated press writers maggie michael samy magdy contributed report cairo ap less two weeks announcing candidacy egypts former chief staff arrested tuesday suspicion incitement armed forces charges appeared calculated move force last potentially serious challenger president abdelfattah elsissi former gen sami annan became latest series potential contenders dropped driven presidential campaign elsissi exgeneral considered virtually certain win reelection march 2628 balloting annan could drawn substantial protest vote bolstered army credentials calls political inclusion one wouldbe candidate another dropping race analysts said election could end much like onecandidate referendums president took place decades authoritarian rule egypt country 100 million people ahead vote overwhelmingly proelsissi media building personality cult portraying man qualified lead denouncing potential challenger annan race one serious potential challenger left prominent rights lawyer khaled ali candidacy also risk convicted september making obscene hand gesture public ruling upheld appeal ineligible next appeal hearing scheduled march 7 aide alis campaign khaled abdelhameed told associated press ali campaign leaders would assess situation following annans arrest options open including quitting race said alis campaign said late tuesday statement would announce final position wednesday regard election annan armed forces chief staff 2012 arrested tuesday time military put statement listing allegations security official said speaking condition anonymity authorized talk press arrest also confirmed two annans aides mustapha alshall ap mahmoud refaat twitter circumstances arrest clear unconfirmed reports arrested military intelligence personnel chauffeured cairo en route campaign headquarters military said annan still formally armed forces reserves thus ineligible vote said would questioned charges forgery allegedly fraudulently registering vote charges breaching regulations declaring intention run without first clearing military also said faces possible charges incitement armed forces video announcing candidacy earlier month chief military prosecutor slapped news blackout effective immediately details investigation saying media must report official statements case armed forces could allow ignore blatant legal violations committed aforementioned constituted gross breach rules regulations governing service armed forces officers said statement upholding principle laws sovereignty basic rule state imperative legal measures relevant violations crimes taken annan summoned questioning relevant authorities said charged anna could face courtmartial brief statement annans campaign said suspending activity indefinitely fear safety security citizens dream change clear incitement allegation referred video announcing candidacy annan spoke deteriorating living standards called erosion states capabilities blamed policy increasingly involving military economy politics said wise policies needed bring civilian sector required respect constitution guarantees freedoms also took unusual step appealing military state institutions remain neutral election saying biased favor elsissi annan seen long shot win election likely would embarrassing elsissi face candidate within egypts powerful military establishment candidacy also could drawn sizable protest vote egyptians struggling high prices resulting elsissis ambitious reform program overhaul battered economy also could gotten votes secular prodemocracy activists supporters outlawed muslim brotherhood two camps targeted massive crackdown dissent elsissi jailed thousands mostly islamists authorities also silenced critics media restricted rights groups effectively banned street protests annan chief staff longtime autocrat hosni mubarak removed post along defense minister president mohammed morsi brotherhood stalwart elected mubaraks ouster 2011 morsi elevated elsissi defense minister 2013 elsissi led militarys ouster morsi amid massive protests brotherhood rule two presidential hopefuls besides annan forced quit race former prime minister air force gen ahmed shafiq said think ideal man lead nation days harsh criticism proelsissi media shafiq finished close second morsi 2012 would potentially made powerful contender year another wouldbe candidate former lawmaker mohammed anwar sadat nephew egyptian leader assassinated 1981 said quit race partially feared supporters could subjected arrest intimidation authorities ___ associated press writers maggie michael samy magdy contributed report
| 1,148 |
<p>Jan 17 (Reuters) - OSI Systems:</p>
<p>* OSI SYSTEMS RECEIVES $21 MILLION ORDER FOR RTT? HOLD BAGGAGE SCREENING SYSTEMS</p>
<p>* OSI SYSTEMS SAYS RECEIVED FOLLOW-ON ORDER TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE ADDITIONAL UNITS OF RTT110 EXPLOSIVE DETECTION SYSTEMS Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Chemical weapons inspectors had to delay visiting the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria's Douma on Wednesday after a U.N. security team reported gunfire at the location a day earlier, sources briefed on the team's deployment told Reuters.</p>
<p>Details of the shooting were unclear, but weapons inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have pushed back their visit which was supposed to happen on Wednesday, the sources said.</p>
<p>Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Robin Pomeroy</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Wednesday it is considering how to change a decades-old armistice with North Korea into a peace agreement, as U.S. officials confirmed an unprecedented top-level meeting with the North Korean leader.</p> North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets Song Tao, the head of the China's Communist Party's International Department who led a Chinese art troupe to North Korea for the April Spring Friendship Art Festival, in this handout photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 15, 2018. KCNA/via REUTERS
<p>U.S. Secretary of State nominee and CIA Director Mike Pompeo became the most senior U.S. official known to have met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when he visited Pyongyang at the end of March to discuss a planned summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.</p>
<p>Pompeo's visit provided the strongest sign yet about Trump's willingness to become the first serving U.S. president ever to meet a North Korean leader.</p>
<p>At the same time, old rivals North Korea and South Korea are preparing for their own summit, between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, on April 27, with a bid to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War a major factor in talks.</p>
<p>"As one of the plans, we are looking at a possibility of shifting the Korean peninsula's armistice to a peace regime," a high-ranking South Korean presidential official told reporters when asked about the North-South summit.</p>
<p>"But that's not a matter than can be resolved between the two Koreas alone. It requires close consultations with other concerned nations, as well as North Korea," the official said.</p>
<p>South Korea and a U.S.-led U.N. force are technically still at war with North Korea after the Korean War ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. The U.S.-led United Nations Command, Chinese forces and North Korea signed the 1953 armistice, to which South Korea is not a party.</p>
<p>"I do not know if any joint statement to be reached at the inter-Korean summit would include wording about ending the war, but we certainly hope to be able to include an agreement to end hostile acts between the South and North," the official said.</p>
<p>Such discussions between the two Koreas, and between North Korea and the United States, would have been unthinkable at the end of last year, after months of escalating tension, and fear of war, over the North's nuclear and missile programs.</p>
<p>But then Kim declared in a New Year's speech his country was "a peace-loving and responsible nuclear power" and called for lower military tension and improved ties with the South.</p>
<p>He also said he was considering sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February, a visit that began a succession of steps to improve ties.</p> WAR NOT OVER
<p>Pompeo's visit to the North was arranged by South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong Chol, and was intended to assess whether Kim was prepared to hold serious talks, a U.S. official said.</p>
<p>Pompeo flew from a U.S. air force base in Osan, south of Seoul, an official with the South's defense ministry said. The South's presidential office declined to comment on the trip.</p>
<p>Amid the diplomatic flurry, CNN reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping also planned to visit Pyongyang soon, after North Korean leader Kim made a surprise trip last month to China, its major sole ally.</p>
<p>Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had no information about any Xi visit to North Korea.</p>
<p>"What I can stress is that China and North Korea have a tradition of high level mutual visits," she told reporters.</p>
<p>"China is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges with North Korea, deepen strategic communications, expand talks and cooperation, and to bring out the important leading role of high-level contact in China-North Korea relations."</p>
<p>Trump said on Tuesday he backed efforts between North and South Korea aimed at ending the state of war.</p>
<p>"People don't realize the Korean War has not ended," Trump told reporters.</p>
<p>"It's going on right now. And they are discussing an end to the war. Subject to a deal, they have my blessing and they do have my blessing to discuss that."</p>
<p>Trump said he believed there was a lot of goodwill in the diplomatic push with North Korea, but added it was possible the summit - first proposed in March and which the president said could take place in late May or early June - may not happen.</p>
<p>If the summit did not happen, the United States and its allies would maintain pressure on North Korea through sanctions, he said.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Pompeo's conversations in North Korea had fueled Trump's belief that productive negotiations were possible, according to a U.S. senior official briefed on the trip.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Soyoung Kim and Joyce Lee in SEOUL, John Walcott and Steve Holland in WASHINGTON, and Christian Shepherd in BEIJING; Editing by Robert Birsel</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>((In this April 17 story, corrects spelling of "cowling" in fifth paragraph.)</p>
<p>By Mark Makela</p>
<p>PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - An engine on a Southwest Airlines flight with 149 people aboard exploded and broke apart in mid-air on Tuesday, killing one passenger and nearly sucking another out of a shattered window, according to airline and federal authorities and witness and media accounts.</p>
<p>The plane, a Boeing 737-700 which was bound to Dallas from New York, made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>The death of 43-year-old Jennifer Riordan on Flight 1380 was the first in a U.S. commercial aviation accident since 2009, according to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) statistics.</p>
<p>NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt told an evening news conference at the Philadelphia airport that a preliminary investigation found an engine fan blade missing, having apparently broken off, and that there was metal fatigue at the point where it normally attached.</p>
<p>Sumwalt said part of the engine's covering, called a cowling, was found in Bernville, Pennsylvania, about 70 miles from the Philadelphia airport.</p> Related Coverage
<a href="/article/us-pennsylvania-airplane-inspection/southwest-says-aircraft-hit-by-engine-explosion-was-inspected-this-week-idUSKBN1HO3F5" type="external">Southwest says aircraft hit by engine explosion was inspected this week</a>
<p>"It is very unusual so we are taking this event extremely seriously," Sumwalt said. "This should not happen and we want to find out why it happened so that preventative measures can be put in place." He said the investigation could take 12 to 15 months to complete.</p>
<p>Flight 1380 took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport at around 10:27 a.m. and was diverted to Philadelphia just under an hour later, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.com.</p>
<p>Southwest Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said the flight landed at Philadelphia International at around 11:20 a.m.</p>
<p>The engine on the plane's left side threw off shrapnel when it blew apart, shattering a window and causing rapid cabin depressurization that nearly pulled a female passenger through the hole, according to witness accounts and local news media reports.</p>
<p>"We have a part of the aircraft missing, so we're going to need to slow down a bit," the plane's captain, Tammy Jo Shults, told air traffic controllers in audio from the cockpit released on NBC News.</p>
<p>Asked by a controller if the jet was on fire, Shults said it was not, but added, "They said there is a hole and someone went out."</p>
<p>"A woman was partially, was drawn out of the plane and pulled back in by other passengers," Todd Bauer, whose daughter was on the flight, told the NBC affiliate in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>Riordan was a Wells Fargo banking executive and well-known community volunteer from Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to a Wells Fargo official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as she was unsure whether all of Riordan's family had been notified of her death.</p>
<p>Riordan was on the way back from a New York business trip, where she had sent a tweet on Monday showing the view from her hotel in Midtown Manhattan with the caption: "Great business stay." Her Facebook page shows she was married with two children.</p>
<p>The plane, which was bound for Dallas Love Field, had been inspected as recently as Sunday, according to Southwest's Kelly, who confirmed that Tuesday's fatality was the first of its kind in the carrier's 51-year history.</p>
<p>At 11:18 a.m., passenger Marty Martinez posted on Facebook a live video of himself on the plane, wearing a breathing mask, as the plane descended. More than an hour later, at 12:27 p.m., Martinez posted pictures of a blown-out window and the badly damaged engine.</p> ULTRASONIC INSPECTIONS
<p>Southwest Airlines said it was accelerating its existing engine inspection program and conducting ultrasonic inspections of fan blades of the CFM56 engines on all of its the 737 jets.</p>
<p>In 2017 the Federal Aviation Administration issued a proposed airworthiness directive on the engine after an uncontained engine failure on a Southwest flight in August 2016.</p>
<p>"What we want to do is see if anything in that airworthiness directive that came out from an event two years ago involving another Southwest airplane landed in Pensacola, we want to see if this part might have been subjected to that airworthiness directive," Sumwalt said.</p>
<p>"The entire Southwest Airlines Family is devastated and extends its deepest, heartfelt sympathy to the customers, employees, family members and loved ones affected by this tragic event," Southwest said in a statement.</p>
<p>There were 144 passengers and five crew members aboard the flight.</p>
<p>One passenger was taken to a hospital in critical condition and seven people were treated for minor injuries at the scene, Philadelphia Fire Department spokeswoman Kathy Matheson said. Matheson could not confirm how the passenger in critical condition sustained her injuries.</p>
<p>Flight 1380 was diverted to Philadelphia for an emergency landing after crew members reported damage to an engine, the fuselage and at least one window, the Federal Aviation Administration said.</p> Emergency personnel monitor the damaged engine of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, which diverted to the Philadelphia International Airport this morning after the airline crew reported damage to one of the aircraft's engines, on a runway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.S. April 17, 2018. REUTERS/Mark Makela ?YELLING AND SCREAMING?
<p>"Everybody was going crazy, and yelling and screaming," passenger Martinez told CNN.</p>
<p>Martinez said objects flew out of the hole where the window had exploded, and "passengers right next to her were holding onto (the woman being pulled out). And, meanwhile, there was blood all over this man's hands. He was tending to her."</p>
<p>Television images showed that most of the outer casing around the left engine of the Boeing Co 737-700 ripped away and a window near the engine on the plane's left side was missing.</p>
<p>"All of a sudden, we heard this loud bang, rattling, it felt like one of the engines went out. The oxygen masks dropped," passenger Kristopher Johnson told CNN. "It just shredded the left-side engine completely. ... It was scary."</p>
<p>Southwest shares fell more than 3 percent after the NTSB reported the fatality, before closing down 1.1 percent at $54.27 on the New York Stock Exchange.</p>
<p>Boeing in a statement extended its condolences to the family of the woman killed, and said it is "providing assistance at the request and under the direction" of the NTSB.</p> Slideshow (5 Images)
<p>The Boeing 737 is the world's most-sold aircraft and its engines - supplied by a joint-venture co-owned by General Electric and France's Safran called CFM International - are the most widely used in the aircraft industry and are reported to be among the most reliable.</p>
<p>Any design issues with the long-established CFM56 engine could have repercussions for fleets worldwide. But given that thousands of the engines are already in use globally, industry experts say the focus of the investigation is more likely to fall on one-off production or maintenance issues, though it is too early to say what caused the explosion.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Tim Hepher in Paris, Andrew Hay in New Mexico, David Shepardson in Washington, Alana Wise, Anna Driver and Peter Szekeley in New York, Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Writing by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Leslie Adler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares crept ahead on Wednesday after Wall Street took heart from upbeat corporate earnings, though nagging concerns about trade barriers and the global growth outlook kept currencies and bonds subdued.</p> FILE PHOTO: A man looks at an electronic stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan February 9, 2018. REUTERS/Toru Hanai
<p>Chinese markets struggled even as Beijing boosted liquidity in the banking system. Shanghai blue chips hit an eight-month low before recouping losses.</p>
<p>Late Tuesday, the PBOC unexpectedly announced it would cut the cash banks must hold as reserves in a move that frees up lending for small firms but falls short of a broad monetary easing.</p>
<p>Mainland Chinese shares buckled after the United States banned American companies from selling components to Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp.</p>
<p>MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan bounced 0.5 percent, though that followed four straight sessions of losses.</p>
<p>Japan's Nikkei climbed 1.2 percent, with investors waiting for any developments on trade as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.</p>
<p>European shares are seen rising, with spread-betters expecting 0.2-0.3 percent gains in Britain's FTSE, France's Cac and Germany's Dax.</p>
<p>E-Mini futures for the S&amp;P 500 gained 0.1 percent after robust earnings from Netflix, Goldman Sachs and healthcare companies fuelled optimism about what is expected to be the strongest earnings season in seven years.</p>
<p>Profits at the 48 S&amp;P500 companies that have announced earnings so far have risen 28.7 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, said Mutsumi Kagawa, chief global strategist at Rakuten Securities in Tokyo.</p>
<p>The Dow ended Tuesday up 0.88 percent, while the S&amp;P 500 rose 1.06 percent and the Nasdaq 1.78 percent.</p>
<p>"The three main U.S. indexes turned positive on the year, which seems to suggest to me that markets are entering risk-on mode from risk-off," Kagawa said.</p>
<p>Yet there were signs of caution in the latest BofA Merrill Lynch survey of fund mangers which found investors squirreling more funds away into cash, while cutting their equity allocation to an 18-month low.</p> OPTIMISM TESTED
<p>The outlook for the global economy also darkened with just a net 5 percent of fund managers expecting stronger growth in the next 12 months - the lowest since the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU in June 2016.</p>
<p>While the IMF left its global growth forecasts unchanged for 2018 and 2019 on Tuesday, it judged medium-term risks were to the downside - citing financial vulnerabilities, geopolitical strains and tariffs.</p>
<p>"The global narrative has quickly shifted from synchronous global growth, upgraded growth and glimmers of inflation in early 2018 to a focus on tariffs and protectionist rhetoric," said Robert Rennie, head of financial markets strategy at Westpac.</p>
<p>"We ultimately believe that we will see a negotiated solution, but there is still a long way to go and further bouts of volatility and headline risk seem assured."</p>
<p>Worries about the longevity of the U.S. economic expansion were one reason the Treasury curve was at its flattest in a decade and why some interest-rate curves were starting to price in rate cuts for 2020.</p>
<p>The air of uncertainty was keeping currencies restrained.</p>
<p>The euro was stuck at $1.2370, after topping out at $1.2413 overnight, while the dollar index was barely moved at 89.538.</p>
<p>The dollar did nudge modestly higher on the yen to 107.25, helped by signs of progress in U.S. talks with North Korea.</p>
<p>U.S. Secretary of State nominee and CIA Director Mike Pompeo secretly visited North Korea and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss a planned summit with President Trump.</p>
<p>In commodity markets, gold was a fraction easier at $1,344.11 an ounce.</p>
<p>Oil prices firmed with Brent crude futures up 32 cents to $71.90 a barrel, while U.S. crude rose 33 cents to $66.85 a barrel.</p>
<p>Reporting by Wayne Cole; Additional reporting by Hideyuki Sano in Tokyo; Editing by Eric Meijer</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| false | 2 |
jan 17 reuters osi systems osi systems receives 21 million order rtt hold baggage screening systems osi systems says received followon order provide multiple additional units rtt110 explosive detection systems source text eikon company coverage standards thomson reuters trust principles hague reuters chemical weapons inspectors delay visiting site alleged chemical weapons attack syrias douma wednesday un security team reported gunfire location day earlier sources briefed teams deployment told reuters details shooting unclear weapons inspectors organisation prohibition chemical weapons pushed back visit supposed happen wednesday sources said reporting anthony deutsch editing robin pomeroy standards thomson reuters trust principles seoul reuters south korea said wednesday considering change decadesold armistice north korea peace agreement us officials confirmed unprecedented toplevel meeting north korean leader north korean leader kim jong un meets song tao head chinas communist partys international department led chinese art troupe north korea april spring friendship art festival handout photo released north koreas korean central news agency kcna april 15 2018 kcnavia reuters us secretary state nominee cia director mike pompeo became senior us official known met north korean leader kim jong un visited pyongyang end march discuss planned summit us president donald trump pompeos visit provided strongest sign yet trumps willingness become first serving us president ever meet north korean leader time old rivals north korea south korea preparing summit kim south korean president moon jaein april 27 bid formally end 195053 korean war major factor talks one plans looking possibility shifting korean peninsulas armistice peace regime highranking south korean presidential official told reporters asked northsouth summit thats matter resolved two koreas alone requires close consultations concerned nations well north korea official said south korea usled un force technically still war north korea korean war ended truce peace treaty usled united nations command chinese forces north korea signed 1953 armistice south korea party know joint statement reached interkorean summit would include wording ending war certainly hope able include agreement end hostile acts south north official said discussions two koreas north korea united states would unthinkable end last year months escalating tension fear war norths nuclear missile programs kim declared new years speech country peaceloving responsible nuclear power called lower military tension improved ties south also said considering sending delegation winter olympics south korea february visit began succession steps improve ties war pompeos visit north arranged south korean intelligence chief suh hoon north korean counterpart kim yong chol intended assess whether kim prepared hold serious talks us official said pompeo flew us air force base osan south seoul official souths defense ministry said souths presidential office declined comment trip amid diplomatic flurry cnn reported chinese president xi jinping also planned visit pyongyang soon north korean leader kim made surprise trip last month china major sole ally speaking beijing chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman hua chunying said information xi visit north korea stress china north korea tradition high level mutual visits told reporters china willing strengthen highlevel exchanges north korea deepen strategic communications expand talks cooperation bring important leading role highlevel contact chinanorth korea relations trump said tuesday backed efforts north south korea aimed ending state war people dont realize korean war ended trump told reporters going right discussing end war subject deal blessing blessing discuss trump said believed lot goodwill diplomatic push north korea added possible summit first proposed march president said could take place late may early june may happen summit happen united states allies would maintain pressure north korea sanctions said nevertheless pompeos conversations north korea fueled trumps belief productive negotiations possible according us senior official briefed trip additional reporting soyoung kim joyce lee seoul john walcott steve holland washington christian shepherd beijing editing robert birsel standards thomson reuters trust principles april 17 story corrects spelling cowling fifth paragraph mark makela philadelphia reuters engine southwest airlines flight 149 people aboard exploded broke apart midair tuesday killing one passenger nearly sucking another shattered window according airline federal authorities witness media accounts plane boeing 737700 bound dallas new york made emergency landing philadelphia death 43yearold jennifer riordan flight 1380 first us commercial aviation accident since 2009 according national transportation safety board ntsb statistics ntsb chairman robert sumwalt told evening news conference philadelphia airport preliminary investigation found engine fan blade missing apparently broken metal fatigue point normally attached sumwalt said part engines covering called cowling found bernville pennsylvania 70 miles philadelphia airport related coverage southwest says aircraft hit engine explosion inspected week unusual taking event extremely seriously sumwalt said happen want find happened preventative measures put place said investigation could take 12 15 months complete flight 1380 took new yorks laguardia airport around 1027 diverted philadelphia hour later according flight tracking website flightawarecom southwest chief executive officer gary kelly said flight landed philadelphia international around 1120 engine planes left side threw shrapnel blew apart shattering window causing rapid cabin depressurization nearly pulled female passenger hole according witness accounts local news media reports part aircraft missing going need slow bit planes captain tammy jo shults told air traffic controllers audio cockpit released nbc news asked controller jet fire shults said added said hole someone went woman partially drawn plane pulled back passengers todd bauer whose daughter flight told nbc affiliate philadelphia riordan wells fargo banking executive wellknown community volunteer albuquerque new mexico according wells fargo official spoke condition anonymity unsure whether riordans family notified death riordan way back new york business trip sent tweet monday showing view hotel midtown manhattan caption great business stay facebook page shows married two children plane bound dallas love field inspected recently sunday according southwests kelly confirmed tuesdays fatality first kind carriers 51year history 1118 passenger marty martinez posted facebook live video plane wearing breathing mask plane descended hour later 1227 pm martinez posted pictures blownout window badly damaged engine ultrasonic inspections southwest airlines said accelerating existing engine inspection program conducting ultrasonic inspections fan blades cfm56 engines 737 jets 2017 federal aviation administration issued proposed airworthiness directive engine uncontained engine failure southwest flight august 2016 want see anything airworthiness directive came event two years ago involving another southwest airplane landed pensacola want see part might subjected airworthiness directive sumwalt said entire southwest airlines family devastated extends deepest heartfelt sympathy customers employees family members loved ones affected tragic event southwest said statement 144 passengers five crew members aboard flight one passenger taken hospital critical condition seven people treated minor injuries scene philadelphia fire department spokeswoman kathy matheson said matheson could confirm passenger critical condition sustained injuries flight 1380 diverted philadelphia emergency landing crew members reported damage engine fuselage least one window federal aviation administration said emergency personnel monitor damaged engine southwest airlines flight 1380 diverted philadelphia international airport morning airline crew reported damage one aircrafts engines runway philadelphia pennsylvania us april 17 2018 reutersmark makela yelling screaming everybody going crazy yelling screaming passenger martinez told cnn martinez said objects flew hole window exploded passengers right next holding onto woman pulled meanwhile blood mans hands tending television images showed outer casing around left engine boeing co 737700 ripped away window near engine planes left side missing sudden heard loud bang rattling felt like one engines went oxygen masks dropped passenger kristopher johnson told cnn shredded leftside engine completely scary southwest shares fell 3 percent ntsb reported fatality closing 11 percent 5427 new york stock exchange boeing statement extended condolences family woman killed said providing assistance request direction ntsb slideshow 5 images boeing 737 worlds mostsold aircraft engines supplied jointventure coowned general electric frances safran called cfm international widely used aircraft industry reported among reliable design issues longestablished cfm56 engine could repercussions fleets worldwide given thousands engines already use globally industry experts say focus investigation likely fall oneoff production maintenance issues though early say caused explosion additional reporting tim hepher paris andrew hay new mexico david shepardson washington alana wise anna driver peter szekeley new york jeffrey dastin san francisco dan whitcomb los angeles writing dan whitcomb editing bill tarrant leslie adler standards thomson reuters trust principles sydney reuters asian shares crept ahead wednesday wall street took heart upbeat corporate earnings though nagging concerns trade barriers global growth outlook kept currencies bonds subdued file photo man looks electronic stock quotation board outside brokerage tokyo japan february 9 2018 reuterstoru hanai chinese markets struggled even beijing boosted liquidity banking system shanghai blue chips hit eightmonth low recouping losses late tuesday pboc unexpectedly announced would cut cash banks must hold reserves move frees lending small firms falls short broad monetary easing mainland chinese shares buckled united states banned american companies selling components chinese telecom equipment maker zte corp mscis broadest index asiapacific shares outside japan bounced 05 percent though followed four straight sessions losses japans nikkei climbed 12 percent investors waiting developments trade japanese prime minister shinzo abe meets president donald trump maralago resort european shares seen rising spreadbetters expecting 0203 percent gains britains ftse frances cac germanys dax emini futures sampp 500 gained 01 percent robust earnings netflix goldman sachs healthcare companies fuelled optimism expected strongest earnings season seven years profits 48 sampp500 companies announced earnings far risen 287 percent first quarter year earlier said mutsumi kagawa chief global strategist rakuten securities tokyo dow ended tuesday 088 percent sampp 500 rose 106 percent nasdaq 178 percent three main us indexes turned positive year seems suggest markets entering riskon mode riskoff kagawa said yet signs caution latest bofa merrill lynch survey fund mangers found investors squirreling funds away cash cutting equity allocation 18month low optimism tested outlook global economy also darkened net 5 percent fund managers expecting stronger growth next 12 months lowest since united kingdom voted leave eu june 2016 imf left global growth forecasts unchanged 2018 2019 tuesday judged mediumterm risks downside citing financial vulnerabilities geopolitical strains tariffs global narrative quickly shifted synchronous global growth upgraded growth glimmers inflation early 2018 focus tariffs protectionist rhetoric said robert rennie head financial markets strategy westpac ultimately believe see negotiated solution still long way go bouts volatility headline risk seem assured worries longevity us economic expansion one reason treasury curve flattest decade interestrate curves starting price rate cuts 2020 air uncertainty keeping currencies restrained euro stuck 12370 topping 12413 overnight dollar index barely moved 89538 dollar nudge modestly higher yen 10725 helped signs progress us talks north korea us secretary state nominee cia director mike pompeo secretly visited north korea met north korean leader kim jong un discuss planned summit president trump commodity markets gold fraction easier 134411 ounce oil prices firmed brent crude futures 32 cents 7190 barrel us crude rose 33 cents 6685 barrel reporting wayne cole additional reporting hideyuki sano tokyo editing eric meijer standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Pope Francis accused victims of Chile's most notorious pedophile of slander Thursday, an astonishing end to a visit meant to help heal the wounds of a sex abuse scandal that has cost the Catholic Church its credibility in the country.</p>
<p>Francis said that until he sees proof that Bishop Juan Barros was complicit in covering up the sex crimes of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, such accusations against Barros are "all calumny."</p>
<p>The pope's remarks drew shock from Chileans and immediate rebuke from victims and their advocates. They noted the accusers were deemed credible enough by the Vatican that it sentenced Karadima to a lifetime of "penance and prayer" for his crimes in 2011. A Chilean judge also found the victims to be credible, saying that while she had to drop criminal charges against Karadima because too much time had passed, proof of his crimes wasn't lacking.</p>
<p>"As if I could have taken a selfie or a photo while Karadima abused me and others and Juan Barros stood by watching it all," tweeted Barros' most vocal accuser, Juan Carlos Cruz. "These people are truly crazy, and the pontiff talks about atonement to the victims. Nothing has changed, and his plea for forgiveness is empty."</p>
<p>The Karadima scandal dominated Francis' visit to Chile and the overall issue of sex abuse and church cover-up was likely to factor into his three-day trip to Peru that began late Thursday.</p>
<p>Karadima's victims reported to church authorities as early as 2002 that he would kiss and fondle them in the swank Santiago parish he ran, but officials refused to believe them. Only when the victims went public with their accusations in 2010 did the Vatican launch an investigation that led to Karadima being removed from ministry.</p>
<p>The emeritus archbishop of Santiago subsequently apologized for having refused to believe the victims from the start.</p>
<p>Francis reopened the wounds of the scandal in 2015 when he named Barros, a protege of Karadima, as bishop of the southern diocese of Osorno. Karadima's victims say Barros knew of the abuse, having seen it, but did nothing. Barros has denied the allegations.</p>
<p>His appointment outraged Chileans, badly divided the Osorno diocese and further undermined the church's already shaky credibility in the country.</p>
<p>Francis had sought to heal the wounds by meeting this week with abuse victims and begging forgiveness for the crimes of church pastors. But on Thursday, he struck a defiant tone when asked by a Chilean journalist about Barros.</p>
<p>"The day they bring me proof against Bishop Barros, I'll speak," Francis said. "There is not one shred of proof against him. It's all calumny. Is that clear?"</p>
<p>Francis had defended the appointment before, calling the Osorno controversy "stupid" and the result of a campaign mounted by leftists. But The Associated Press reported last week that the Vatican was so worried about the fallout from the Karadima affair that it was prepared in 2014 to ask Barros and two other Karadima-trained bishops to resign and go on a yearlong sabbatical.</p>
<p>According to a Jan. 31, 2015, letter obtained by AP from Francis to the executive committee of the Chilean bishops' conference, the plan fell apart and Barros was sent to Osorno.</p>
<p>Juan Carlos Claret, spokesman for a group of Osorno lay Catholics who have mounted a three-year campaign against Barros, questioned why Francis was now accusing the victims of slandering Barros when the Vatican was so convinced of their claims that it planned to remove him in 2014.</p>
<p>"Isn't the pastoral problem that we're living (in Osorno) enough to get rid of him?" Claret asked.</p>
<p>The reference was to the fact that — guilty or not — Barros has been unable to do his job because so many Osorno Catholics and priests don't recognize him as their bishop. They staged an unprecedented protest during his 2015 installation ceremony and have protested his presence ever since.</p>
<p>Anne Barrett Doyle, of the online database BishopAccountability.org, said it was "sad and wrong" for the pope to discredit the victims since "the burden of proof here rests with the church, not the victims — and especially not with victims whose veracity has already been affirmed."</p>
<p>"He has just turned back the clock to the darkest days of this crisis," she said in a statement. "Who knows how many victims now will decide to stay hidden, for fear they will not be believed?"</p>
<p>Indeed, Catholic officials for years accused victims of slandering and attacking the church with their claims. But up until Francis' words Thursday, many in the church and Vatican had come to reluctantly acknowledge that victims usually told the truth and that the church for decades had wrongly sought to protect its own.</p>
<p>German Silva, a political scientist at Santiago's Universidad Mayor, said the pope's comments were a "tremendous error" that will reverberate in Chile and beyond.</p>
<p>Patricio Navia, political science professor at Diego Portales University in Santiago, said Francis had gone much further than Chilean bishops in acknowledging the sexual abuse scandal, which many Chileans appreciated.</p>
<p>"Then right before leaving, Francis turns around and says: 'By the way, I don't think Barros is guilty. Show me some proof,'" Navia said, adding that the comment will probably erase any good will the pope had won over the issue.</p>
<p>Navia said the Karadima scandal had radically changed how Chileans view the church.</p>
<p>"In the typical Chilean family, parents (now) think twice before sending their kids to Catholic school because you never know what is going to happen," Navia said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Peter Prengaman and Eva Vergara contributed to this report.</p>
<p>SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Pope Francis accused victims of Chile's most notorious pedophile of slander Thursday, an astonishing end to a visit meant to help heal the wounds of a sex abuse scandal that has cost the Catholic Church its credibility in the country.</p>
<p>Francis said that until he sees proof that Bishop Juan Barros was complicit in covering up the sex crimes of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, such accusations against Barros are "all calumny."</p>
<p>The pope's remarks drew shock from Chileans and immediate rebuke from victims and their advocates. They noted the accusers were deemed credible enough by the Vatican that it sentenced Karadima to a lifetime of "penance and prayer" for his crimes in 2011. A Chilean judge also found the victims to be credible, saying that while she had to drop criminal charges against Karadima because too much time had passed, proof of his crimes wasn't lacking.</p>
<p>"As if I could have taken a selfie or a photo while Karadima abused me and others and Juan Barros stood by watching it all," tweeted Barros' most vocal accuser, Juan Carlos Cruz. "These people are truly crazy, and the pontiff talks about atonement to the victims. Nothing has changed, and his plea for forgiveness is empty."</p>
<p>The Karadima scandal dominated Francis' visit to Chile and the overall issue of sex abuse and church cover-up was likely to factor into his three-day trip to Peru that began late Thursday.</p>
<p>Karadima's victims reported to church authorities as early as 2002 that he would kiss and fondle them in the swank Santiago parish he ran, but officials refused to believe them. Only when the victims went public with their accusations in 2010 did the Vatican launch an investigation that led to Karadima being removed from ministry.</p>
<p>The emeritus archbishop of Santiago subsequently apologized for having refused to believe the victims from the start.</p>
<p>Francis reopened the wounds of the scandal in 2015 when he named Barros, a protege of Karadima, as bishop of the southern diocese of Osorno. Karadima's victims say Barros knew of the abuse, having seen it, but did nothing. Barros has denied the allegations.</p>
<p>His appointment outraged Chileans, badly divided the Osorno diocese and further undermined the church's already shaky credibility in the country.</p>
<p>Francis had sought to heal the wounds by meeting this week with abuse victims and begging forgiveness for the crimes of church pastors. But on Thursday, he struck a defiant tone when asked by a Chilean journalist about Barros.</p>
<p>"The day they bring me proof against Bishop Barros, I'll speak," Francis said. "There is not one shred of proof against him. It's all calumny. Is that clear?"</p>
<p>Francis had defended the appointment before, calling the Osorno controversy "stupid" and the result of a campaign mounted by leftists. But The Associated Press reported last week that the Vatican was so worried about the fallout from the Karadima affair that it was prepared in 2014 to ask Barros and two other Karadima-trained bishops to resign and go on a yearlong sabbatical.</p>
<p>According to a Jan. 31, 2015, letter obtained by AP from Francis to the executive committee of the Chilean bishops' conference, the plan fell apart and Barros was sent to Osorno.</p>
<p>Juan Carlos Claret, spokesman for a group of Osorno lay Catholics who have mounted a three-year campaign against Barros, questioned why Francis was now accusing the victims of slandering Barros when the Vatican was so convinced of their claims that it planned to remove him in 2014.</p>
<p>"Isn't the pastoral problem that we're living (in Osorno) enough to get rid of him?" Claret asked.</p>
<p>The reference was to the fact that — guilty or not — Barros has been unable to do his job because so many Osorno Catholics and priests don't recognize him as their bishop. They staged an unprecedented protest during his 2015 installation ceremony and have protested his presence ever since.</p>
<p>Anne Barrett Doyle, of the online database BishopAccountability.org, said it was "sad and wrong" for the pope to discredit the victims since "the burden of proof here rests with the church, not the victims — and especially not with victims whose veracity has already been affirmed."</p>
<p>"He has just turned back the clock to the darkest days of this crisis," she said in a statement. "Who knows how many victims now will decide to stay hidden, for fear they will not be believed?"</p>
<p>Indeed, Catholic officials for years accused victims of slandering and attacking the church with their claims. But up until Francis' words Thursday, many in the church and Vatican had come to reluctantly acknowledge that victims usually told the truth and that the church for decades had wrongly sought to protect its own.</p>
<p>German Silva, a political scientist at Santiago's Universidad Mayor, said the pope's comments were a "tremendous error" that will reverberate in Chile and beyond.</p>
<p>Patricio Navia, political science professor at Diego Portales University in Santiago, said Francis had gone much further than Chilean bishops in acknowledging the sexual abuse scandal, which many Chileans appreciated.</p>
<p>"Then right before leaving, Francis turns around and says: 'By the way, I don't think Barros is guilty. Show me some proof,'" Navia said, adding that the comment will probably erase any good will the pope had won over the issue.</p>
<p>Navia said the Karadima scandal had radically changed how Chileans view the church.</p>
<p>"In the typical Chilean family, parents (now) think twice before sending their kids to Catholic school because you never know what is going to happen," Navia said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writers Peter Prengaman and Eva Vergara contributed to this report.</p>
| false | 2 |
santiago chile ap pope francis accused victims chiles notorious pedophile slander thursday astonishing end visit meant help heal wounds sex abuse scandal cost catholic church credibility country francis said sees proof bishop juan barros complicit covering sex crimes rev fernando karadima accusations barros calumny popes remarks drew shock chileans immediate rebuke victims advocates noted accusers deemed credible enough vatican sentenced karadima lifetime penance prayer crimes 2011 chilean judge also found victims credible saying drop criminal charges karadima much time passed proof crimes wasnt lacking could taken selfie photo karadima abused others juan barros stood watching tweeted barros vocal accuser juan carlos cruz people truly crazy pontiff talks atonement victims nothing changed plea forgiveness empty karadima scandal dominated francis visit chile overall issue sex abuse church coverup likely factor threeday trip peru began late thursday karadimas victims reported church authorities early 2002 would kiss fondle swank santiago parish ran officials refused believe victims went public accusations 2010 vatican launch investigation led karadima removed ministry emeritus archbishop santiago subsequently apologized refused believe victims start francis reopened wounds scandal 2015 named barros protege karadima bishop southern diocese osorno karadimas victims say barros knew abuse seen nothing barros denied allegations appointment outraged chileans badly divided osorno diocese undermined churchs already shaky credibility country francis sought heal wounds meeting week abuse victims begging forgiveness crimes church pastors thursday struck defiant tone asked chilean journalist barros day bring proof bishop barros ill speak francis said one shred proof calumny clear francis defended appointment calling osorno controversy stupid result campaign mounted leftists associated press reported last week vatican worried fallout karadima affair prepared 2014 ask barros two karadimatrained bishops resign go yearlong sabbatical according jan 31 2015 letter obtained ap francis executive committee chilean bishops conference plan fell apart barros sent osorno juan carlos claret spokesman group osorno lay catholics mounted threeyear campaign barros questioned francis accusing victims slandering barros vatican convinced claims planned remove 2014 isnt pastoral problem living osorno enough get rid claret asked reference fact guilty barros unable job many osorno catholics priests dont recognize bishop staged unprecedented protest 2015 installation ceremony protested presence ever since anne barrett doyle online database bishopaccountabilityorg said sad wrong pope discredit victims since burden proof rests church victims especially victims whose veracity already affirmed turned back clock darkest days crisis said statement knows many victims decide stay hidden fear believed indeed catholic officials years accused victims slandering attacking church claims francis words thursday many church vatican come reluctantly acknowledge victims usually told truth church decades wrongly sought protect german silva political scientist santiagos universidad mayor said popes comments tremendous error reverberate chile beyond patricio navia political science professor diego portales university santiago said francis gone much chilean bishops acknowledging sexual abuse scandal many chileans appreciated right leaving francis turns around says way dont think barros guilty show proof navia said adding comment probably erase good pope issue navia said karadima scandal radically changed chileans view church typical chilean family parents think twice sending kids catholic school never know going happen navia said ___ associated press writers peter prengaman eva vergara contributed report santiago chile ap pope francis accused victims chiles notorious pedophile slander thursday astonishing end visit meant help heal wounds sex abuse scandal cost catholic church credibility country francis said sees proof bishop juan barros complicit covering sex crimes rev fernando karadima accusations barros calumny popes remarks drew shock chileans immediate rebuke victims advocates noted accusers deemed credible enough vatican sentenced karadima lifetime penance prayer crimes 2011 chilean judge also found victims credible saying drop criminal charges karadima much time passed proof crimes wasnt lacking could taken selfie photo karadima abused others juan barros stood watching tweeted barros vocal accuser juan carlos cruz people truly crazy pontiff talks atonement victims nothing changed plea forgiveness empty karadima scandal dominated francis visit chile overall issue sex abuse church coverup likely factor threeday trip peru began late thursday karadimas victims reported church authorities early 2002 would kiss fondle swank santiago parish ran officials refused believe victims went public accusations 2010 vatican launch investigation led karadima removed ministry emeritus archbishop santiago subsequently apologized refused believe victims start francis reopened wounds scandal 2015 named barros protege karadima bishop southern diocese osorno karadimas victims say barros knew abuse seen nothing barros denied allegations appointment outraged chileans badly divided osorno diocese undermined churchs already shaky credibility country francis sought heal wounds meeting week abuse victims begging forgiveness crimes church pastors thursday struck defiant tone asked chilean journalist barros day bring proof bishop barros ill speak francis said one shred proof calumny clear francis defended appointment calling osorno controversy stupid result campaign mounted leftists associated press reported last week vatican worried fallout karadima affair prepared 2014 ask barros two karadimatrained bishops resign go yearlong sabbatical according jan 31 2015 letter obtained ap francis executive committee chilean bishops conference plan fell apart barros sent osorno juan carlos claret spokesman group osorno lay catholics mounted threeyear campaign barros questioned francis accusing victims slandering barros vatican convinced claims planned remove 2014 isnt pastoral problem living osorno enough get rid claret asked reference fact guilty barros unable job many osorno catholics priests dont recognize bishop staged unprecedented protest 2015 installation ceremony protested presence ever since anne barrett doyle online database bishopaccountabilityorg said sad wrong pope discredit victims since burden proof rests church victims especially victims whose veracity already affirmed turned back clock darkest days crisis said statement knows many victims decide stay hidden fear believed indeed catholic officials years accused victims slandering attacking church claims francis words thursday many church vatican come reluctantly acknowledge victims usually told truth church decades wrongly sought protect german silva political scientist santiagos universidad mayor said popes comments tremendous error reverberate chile beyond patricio navia political science professor diego portales university santiago said francis gone much chilean bishops acknowledging sexual abuse scandal many chileans appreciated right leaving francis turns around says way dont think barros guilty show proof navia said adding comment probably erase good pope issue navia said karadima scandal radically changed chileans view church typical chilean family parents think twice sending kids catholic school never know going happen navia said ___ associated press writers peter prengaman eva vergara contributed report
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<p />
<p>Her newest culinary creations, however, won’t have to commute.</p>
<p>Broglie – who started The Sassy Apron pre-prepared dinner business three years ago – recently added a full-service restaurant in the space next door.</p>
<p>Delish restaurant opened this month at 3705 Ellison NW.</p>
<p>Delish restaurant, located at Cottonwood Corners Shopping Center, shares a kitchen with The Sassy Apron and will serve some of the same dishes. The popular pistachio chicken ($13.99) and Mediterranean lasagna ($12.99), for example, both earned a spot on the Delish dinner menu.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>But Broglie says the restaurant setup allows her more creative leeway. At Delish, she’s not restricted to freezable meals.</p>
<p>She says the Delish menu represents her effort to take “traditional American food and (make) it a little more modern.”</p>
<p>Sandwiches – including a grilled cheese, an apple Brie and the Crab Louie – dominate the lunch menu, though there also are burgers and salads. Most items run $9.99-$11.99.</p>
<p>The dinner menu is relatively short and category defying.</p>
<p>The eight entrée options include a $17.99 salmon (marinated in a ginger-soy sauce and served with wasabi mashed potatoes and asparagus cole slaw) and a $11.99 “spaghetti pie” – that’s pasta, house-made marinara, Italian sausage and cheese wrapped and baked inside a puff pastry.</p>
<p>Delish represents the latest turn on a food journey that Broglie didn’t quite anticipate when she and husband Ian launched The Sassy Apron.</p>
<p>“I don’t know if I knew what my ultimate goal was,” says Broglie, who previously had worked a corporate human-resources job.</p>
<p>The Sassy Apron soon grew to include catering. Eventually, talk of a restaurant began. The couple spent the last year considering the move, eventually deciding to give it a go in the former nail spa next door to The Sassy Apron.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>The 3,200-square-foot restaurant seats about 60, including up to 18 at a single, long table running through the middle of the dining room.</p>
<p>Delish will become home base for The Sassy Apron’s special cooking classes and also for a new series of Thursday themed dinners. Broglie’s theme plans include a sushi-and-sake dinner during which participants would roll – and then eat – their own sushi, as well as sessions devoted to particular decades.</p>
<p>“Part of our goal (with Delish) was to make dinner out more of an experience than just going out to eat,” she says.</p>
<p>Delish is located at 3705 Ellison NW, near Alameda. It is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday for lunch and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (lunch and dinner) Friday and Saturday.</p>
<p>The phone number is 899-0197.</p>
<p>Now serving tennis gear</p>
<p>It’s game on for the Stansifer family.</p>
<p>Lindsay Stansifer, pictured, and her dad Gary partnered with longtime sporting goods retailer Art Gardenswartz to open Tennis Ace, a new specialty store at 3300 San Mateo NE. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal)</p>
<p>The father-daughter team of Gary and Lindsay Stansifer has launched Tennis Ace, a specialty shop devoted to the sport they both love.</p>
<p>Located in the San Mateo Square shopping center between Candelaria and Comanche, Tennis Ace serves up a long list of on-the-court essentials, from tennis rackets and tennis bags to tennis shoes and tennis skorts.</p>
<p>“It’s something my dad (the former head tennis pro at Highpoint Sport &amp; Wellness) had always wanted to do, so when we started talking about it, it was, like, ‘I’m not doing anything better now,'” says Lindsay Stansifer, who recently graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in Portuguese. “It sounds like fun, and it sounded awesome to him. It seemed like the right thing to do.”</p>
<p>The duo partnered with longtime New Mexico sporting-goods retailer Art Gardenswartz to open the store, hoping to fill what Lindsay says is a void in the local retail landscape. The shop caters to anyone who plays tennis, she says, whether that means a beginner seeking some equipment advice or a more seasoned athlete in need of new gear or racket restringing services.</p>
<p>“My dad and I have been around tennis for so long, and we have a couple other people working here who know a lot about tennis as well,” says Lindsay, who, at age 25, estimates she’s already been playing tennis for 22 years.</p>
<p>Tennis Ace carries four tennis racket brands – Babolat, Head, Prince and Wilson – and makes a demonstration racket available in each model for customers to borrow and test before buying.</p>
<p>The higher-end performance rackets run $99-200, while recreational selections start around $35. The shop will string rackets purchased in-store for free.</p>
<p>“Hopefully, we can help people figure out what works for them,” Lindsay says.</p>
<p>Tennis Ace is located at 3300 San Mateo NE. The phone number is 881-0947.</p>
<p>It’s open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.</p>
<p>New app speeds things up at BJ’s</p>
<p>If you’ve ever waited what seems like an eternity for a table at BJ’s Restaurant &amp; Brewhouse, here’s some good news.</p>
<p>The California-based chain this month launched its own mobile application designed to lessen many of the delays associated with restaurant dining.</p>
<p>Customers can use the app’s “preferred waitlist” feature to see current wait times at their local BJ’s and move up in line from anywhere, according to a company news release.</p>
<p>Other features allow patrons to order ahead so that meal preparation starts as soon as they sit down and then to pay without having to wait for a check.</p>
<p>BJ’s Restaurants Inc. owns 151 restaurants in 18 states. The lone New Mexico location is at Winrock Town Center.</p>
<p>If you have retail news to share, contact me at <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a> or 823-3864. For more regular updates on Albuquerque shopping and restaurant news, visit my blog at <a href="" type="internal">abqjournal.com</a> or follow @abqdyer on Twitter.</p>
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newest culinary creations however wont commute broglie started sassy apron preprepared dinner business three years ago recently added fullservice restaurant space next door delish restaurant opened month 3705 ellison nw delish restaurant located cottonwood corners shopping center shares kitchen sassy apron serve dishes popular pistachio chicken 1399 mediterranean lasagna 1299 example earned spot delish dinner menu advertisement broglie says restaurant setup allows creative leeway delish shes restricted freezable meals says delish menu represents effort take traditional american food make little modern sandwiches including grilled cheese apple brie crab louie dominate lunch menu though also burgers salads items run 9991199 dinner menu relatively short category defying eight entrée options include 1799 salmon marinated gingersoy sauce served wasabi mashed potatoes asparagus cole slaw 1199 spaghetti pie thats pasta housemade marinara italian sausage cheese wrapped baked inside puff pastry delish represents latest turn food journey broglie didnt quite anticipate husband ian launched sassy apron dont know knew ultimate goal says broglie previously worked corporate humanresources job sassy apron soon grew include catering eventually talk restaurant began couple spent last year considering move eventually deciding give go former nail spa next door sassy apron advertisement 3200squarefoot restaurant seats 60 including 18 single long table running middle dining room delish become home base sassy aprons special cooking classes also new series thursday themed dinners broglies theme plans include sushiandsake dinner participants would roll eat sushi well sessions devoted particular decades part goal delish make dinner experience going eat says delish located 3705 ellison nw near alameda open 11 am6 pm monday thursday lunch 11 am10 pm lunch dinner friday saturday phone number 8990197 serving tennis gear game stansifer family lindsay stansifer pictured dad gary partnered longtime sporting goods retailer art gardenswartz open tennis ace new specialty store 3300 san mateo ne marla brosealbuquerque journal fatherdaughter team gary lindsay stansifer launched tennis ace specialty shop devoted sport love located san mateo square shopping center candelaria comanche tennis ace serves long list onthecourt essentials tennis rackets tennis bags tennis shoes tennis skorts something dad former head tennis pro highpoint sport amp wellness always wanted started talking like im anything better says lindsay stansifer recently graduated university new mexico degree portuguese sounds like fun sounded awesome seemed like right thing duo partnered longtime new mexico sportinggoods retailer art gardenswartz open store hoping fill lindsay says void local retail landscape shop caters anyone plays tennis says whether means beginner seeking equipment advice seasoned athlete need new gear racket restringing services dad around tennis long couple people working know lot tennis well says lindsay age 25 estimates shes already playing tennis 22 years tennis ace carries four tennis racket brands babolat head prince wilson makes demonstration racket available model customers borrow test buying higherend performance rackets run 99200 recreational selections start around 35 shop string rackets purchased instore free hopefully help people figure works lindsay says tennis ace located 3300 san mateo ne phone number 8810947 open 10 am7 pm mondayfriday 10 am6 pm saturday noon5 pm sunday new app speeds things bjs youve ever waited seems like eternity table bjs restaurant amp brewhouse heres good news californiabased chain month launched mobile application designed lessen many delays associated restaurant dining customers use apps preferred waitlist feature see current wait times local bjs move line anywhere according company news release features allow patrons order ahead meal preparation starts soon sit pay without wait check bjs restaurants inc owns 151 restaurants 18 states lone new mexico location winrock town center retail news share contact jdyerabqjournalcom 8233864 regular updates albuquerque shopping restaurant news visit blog abqjournalcom follow abqdyer twitter 160
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<p>* Shanghai stocks higher, blue-chip CSI300 index up</p>
<p>* Gains in Shanghai stocks led by Gome Telecom Equipment Co Ltd and losses by Hna Innovation Co Ltd</p>
<p>* China’s A-shares are at a 27.82 percent premium over H-shares</p>
<p>SHANGHAI, Jan 22 (Reuters) - China stocks extended their rally on Monday, with the blue-chip index scaling a 31-month high, helped by gains in the defensive consumer and healthcare firms as well as a boost from tech shares. ** At the close, the Shanghai Composite index was up 13.50 points or 0.39 percent at 3,501.36, its highest since early 2016. ** The blue-chip CSI300 index was up 1.19 percent, with its financial sector sub-index lower by 0.15 percent , the consumer staples sector up 3.88 percent, the real estate index up 0.8 percent and healthcare sub-index up 1.77 percent. ** The smaller Shenzhen index ended up 1.16 percent and the start-up board ChiNext Composite index rose 2.32 percent. ** Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index tacked on 0.1 percent while Japan’s Nikkei index closed up 0.03 percent. ** At 07:01 GMT, the yuan was quoted at 6.4121 per U.S. dollar, 0.14 percent weaker than the previous close of 6.403. ** The largest percentage gainers in the main Shanghai Composite index were Gome Telecom Equipment Co Ltd up 10.04 percent, followed by CCS Supply Chain Management Co Ltd gaining 9.96 percent and Triumph Science &amp; Technology Co Ltd up by 8.4 percent. ** The largest percentage losses in the Shanghai index were Hna Innovation Co Ltd down 10.06 percent, then Easysight Supply Chain Management Co Ltd losing 10.02 percent and Zhejiang Haiyue Co Ltd down 10.02 percent. ** So far this year, the Shanghai stock index is up 5.46 percent, the CSI300 is 7.6 percent higher, while China’s H-share index listed in Hong Kong is up 12.6 percent. ** About 21.75 billion shares were traded on the Shanghai exchange, roughly 126.6 percent of the market’s 30-day moving average of 17.18 billion shares a day. The volume in the previous trading session was 24.75 billion. ** As of 07:02 GMT, China’s A-shares were trading at a premium of 27.82 percent over the Hong Kong-listed H-shares. ** The Shanghai stock index is above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. (Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian stocks began the new quarter on Monday with mild gains following a strong performance by global equities last week, while the dollar held steady awaiting key economic indicators.</p> FILE PHOTO: A man looks at an electronic stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan February 9, 2018. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
<p>MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.3 percent.</p>
<p>South Korea's KOSPI <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.KS11" type="external">.KS11</a> gained 0.8 percent and Japan's Nikkei <a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.N225" type="external">.N225</a> edged up 0.2 percent.</p>
<p>Wall Street surged last Thursday as technology stocks rebounded, ending a tumultuous first quarter on a high note. Many major financial centers were closed for the Good Friday Easter holiday.</p>
<p>MSCI’s world equity index .MIWD00000PUS ended up 1.2 percent last week. But it lost about 1.5 percent in the first quarter, pushed away from record highs as tensions over global trade escalated, turmoil in the White House deepened and market-leading technology firms wobbled on fears of regulation and other issues.</p>
<p>“We expect strong and broad-based growth to continue globally,” wrote strategists at Barclays.</p>
<p>But they warned that there were looming risks: “Trade protectionism, U.S. economic policy uncertainty, concerns about higher cross-market volatility and risk premium in core rates markets call for a more tactical approach to risk assets.”</p>
<a href="/finance/markets/index?symbol=.KS11" type="external">Korea Exchange</a> 2459.17 .KS11 Korea Stock Exchange +13.32 (+0.54%) .KS11 .N225
<p>In currencies, the dollar was steady at 106.280 yen <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=JPY&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">JPY=</a>. The euro was a shade lower at $1.2314 <a href="/finance/currencies/quote?srcCurr=EUR&amp;destCurr=USD" type="external">EUR=</a>.</p>
<p>The greenback had gained about 0.6 percent against a basket of six major currencies last week on factors including perceived progress on North Korea issues and as U.S.-China trade tensions were seen to have eased for the time being.</p>
<p>The dollar index still lost more than 2 percent last quarter, marking its fifth straight quarter of declines.</p>
<p>“A list of important indicators will be released this week, which could help steady market sentiment even though U.S.-China trade concerns and other geopolitical risks continue to linger in the background,” said Koji Fukaya, president at FPG Securities in Tokyo.</p>
<p>U.S. data due this week include Monday’s Institute for Supply Management (ISM) manufacturing index, Wednesday’s ISM non-manufacturing index and the non-farm payrolls report on Friday.</p>
<p>Crude oil prices extended gains after rising late last week on a bounce in the equity markets. [O/R]</p>
<p>U.S. crude futures CLc1 rose 0.3 percent to $65.12 a barrel and Brent advanced 0.4 percent to $69.62 a barrel.</p>
<p>Reporting by Shinichi Saoshiro; Editing by Eric Meijer</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>HONG KONG (Reuters) - Gambling revenue in the Chinese territory of Macau posted a 22 percent gain for the month of March, due to sustained demand for gambling in the country’s only legal casino hub.</p> Casinos are seen in a general view of Macau, China October 8, 2015. REUTERS/Bobby Yip
<p>This is the 20th consecutive month of gains, cementing a roaring recovery in the former Portuguese colony, after revenues plunged to five-year lows due to slowing economic growth and a widespread crackdown on corruption starting in 2014.</p>
<p>Figures from Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination bureau on Sunday showed revenues rose 22.2 percent to 26 billion patacas ($3.2 billion) versus analyst expectations of 13 percent to 18 percent growth.</p>
<p>However, revenues still remain far off the highs reached in 2014, hovering only around monthly tolls seen in 2012, data from Thomson Reuters Datastream showed.</p>
<p>Reporting by Kane Wu; writing by Farah Master; Editing by Christian Schmollinger</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia plans to issue tenders to consolidate consultancy services for government infrastructure projects in the coming months in a bid to improve efficiency and bring fresh momentum to stalled developments, government sources said.</p> FILE PHOTO: A view shows buildings and houses in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 1, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser/File Photo
<p>The kingdom plans to hire a consultancy at each ministry or state entity to supervise its pipeline of projects worth billions of dollars, according to one draft request for proposal (RFP) seen by Reuters.</p>
<p>Currently some entities and ministries like housing, health, power and municipalities use multiple consultants per project.</p>
<p>Local and international consultants do&#160;project design and execution, while government&#160;entities and ministries monitor.</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The new plan aims to outsource these services&#160;for five years during which the winning bidders will train Saudis so government bodies ultimately have&#160;the capability to manage&#160;such work&#160;themselves.</p>
<p>It also aims to trim waste in state spending, combat corruption and help revive a slump in the construction industry at a critical time for the economy as Saudi Arabia embarks on an ambitious economic transformation plan that includes development of major projects such as the $500 billion NEOM business zone in the northwest of the country.</p>
<p>Recognized regional and foreign consultants with expertise in applying international project management standards are expected to win the contracts.&#160; &#160; &#160;</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160; Saudi Arabia’s construction sector has slumped in recent years as the government delayed payments to contractors and lower oil prices squeezed the state budget for new projects.</p>
<p>&#160; &#160;The RFPs are being finalised and tendering, worth millions of dollars, is expected to start in coming months, with five-year contracts to be awarded by the end of 2018, government sources told Reuters.</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is not yet public</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160; The total value of the contracts has not been finalised, but one source said the contract his ministry is planning to tender could reach 5 billion riyals ($1.3 billion).</p> FILE PHOTO: Men walk at the under-construction King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser/File Photo &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;COUNTERING THE SLUMP
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160; The kingdom has spent billions of dollars on mega-projects over the past decades, but the absence of a standard mechanism for planning, follow up, and accountability has resulted in many projects being stalled or delayed.</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Work on King Abdullah Financial District for example, a $10 billion mega project in the capital Riyadh, began in 2006 but has been plagued by construction delays, cost overruns and doubts about the initial economic feasibility study.</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160; The government is now moving to standardize infrastructure project delivery across the kingdom. The project management office at each ministry and state entity will be overseen by the National Project Management Organization (NMPO) — which was set up in 2016 as part of a broad government effort to overhaul the economy and close a gaping budget deficit.</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160; The government hired U.S.-based Bechtel Corp, one of the world’s largest industrial contractors, to run the NPMO - Mashroat in Arabic.</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160; Consultancy Faithful+Gould has said the roll out of project management offices across government sectors would speed up delivery of priority projects and was a positive development for the industry following two years of contraction and uncertainty.</p>
<p>&#160;&#160;&#160; In a January 2018 report, Faithful+Gould forecast Saudi Arabia to award infrastructure contracts in 2018 worth $35 billion across government sectors.&#160;&#160; &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</p>
<p>Reporting by Marwa Rashad; Editing by Ghaida Ghantous and Alexandra Hudson</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Monday, lifted by a drop in U.S. drilling activity as well as by expectations that the United States could re-introduce sanctions against Iran.</p> FILE PHOTO: Crude oil storage tanks are seen from above at the Cushing oil hub, in Cushing, Oklahoma, March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo
<p>U.S. WTI crude futures CLc1 were at $65.18 a barrel at 0025 GMT, up 24 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their previous settlement.</p>
<p>Brent crude futures LCOc1 were fetching $69.67 per barrel, up 33 cents, or 0.5 percent.</p>
<p>Stephen Innes, head of trading for Asia/Pacific at futures brokerage OANDA in Singapore, said oil markets remained nervous about “whether or not the U.S. administration will scrap or maintain the fragile nuclear deal with Iran.”</p>
<p>Innes said prices were also supported by a weekly report that there was a drop in activity of drilling for new oil production in the United States.</p>
<p>U.S. drillers cut seven oil rigs in the week to March 29, bringing the total count down to 797 RIG-OL-USA-BHI, General Electric Co’s ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GE.N" type="external">GE.N</a>) Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report last Thursday. It was the first time in three weeks that the rig-count fell.</p>
<p>Baker Hughes published its North American rig count report on Thursday, one day earlier than usual, due to the Good Friday holiday on March 30.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GE.N" type="external">General Electric Co</a> 13.48 GE.N New York Stock Exchange -0.20 (-1.46%) GE.N
<p>Oil prices have generally been supported by supply restraint led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia, which started in 2017 in order to rein in oversupply and prop up prices.</p>
<p>Liquidity on Monday will be low as many countries, especially in Europe, will still be on Easter holiday.</p>
<p>(For a graphic on 'U.S. oil rig count' click <a href="https://reut.rs/2pWPLj6" type="external">reut.rs/2pWPLj6</a>)</p>
<a href="https://reut.rs/2pWPLj6" type="external" />
<p>Reporting by Henning Gloystein; Editing by Aaron Sheldrick</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| false | 2 |
shanghai stocks higher bluechip csi300 index gains shanghai stocks led gome telecom equipment co ltd losses hna innovation co ltd chinas ashares 2782 percent premium hshares shanghai jan 22 reuters china stocks extended rally monday bluechip index scaling 31month high helped gains defensive consumer healthcare firms well boost tech shares close shanghai composite index 1350 points 039 percent 350136 highest since early 2016 bluechip csi300 index 119 percent financial sector subindex lower 015 percent consumer staples sector 388 percent real estate index 08 percent healthcare subindex 177 percent smaller shenzhen index ended 116 percent startup board chinext composite index rose 232 percent around region mscis asia exjapan stock index tacked 01 percent japans nikkei index closed 003 percent 0701 gmt yuan quoted 64121 per us dollar 014 percent weaker previous close 6403 largest percentage gainers main shanghai composite index gome telecom equipment co ltd 1004 percent followed ccs supply chain management co ltd gaining 996 percent triumph science amp technology co ltd 84 percent largest percentage losses shanghai index hna innovation co ltd 1006 percent easysight supply chain management co ltd losing 1002 percent zhejiang haiyue co ltd 1002 percent far year shanghai stock index 546 percent csi300 76 percent higher chinas hshare index listed hong kong 126 percent 2175 billion shares traded shanghai exchange roughly 1266 percent markets 30day moving average 1718 billion shares day volume previous trading session 2475 billion 0702 gmt chinas ashares trading premium 2782 percent hong konglisted hshares shanghai stock index 50day 200day moving averages reporting shanghai newsroom editing shri navaratnam standards thomson reuters trust principles tokyo reuters asian stocks began new quarter monday mild gains following strong performance global equities last week dollar held steady awaiting key economic indicators file photo man looks electronic stock quotation board outside brokerage tokyo japan february 9 2018 reuterstoru hanaifile photo mscis broadest index asiapacific shares outside japan miapj0000pus rose 03 percent south koreas kospi ks11 gained 08 percent japans nikkei n225 edged 02 percent wall street surged last thursday technology stocks rebounded ending tumultuous first quarter high note many major financial centers closed good friday easter holiday mscis world equity index miwd00000pus ended 12 percent last week lost 15 percent first quarter pushed away record highs tensions global trade escalated turmoil white house deepened marketleading technology firms wobbled fears regulation issues expect strong broadbased growth continue globally wrote strategists barclays warned looming risks trade protectionism us economic policy uncertainty concerns higher crossmarket volatility risk premium core rates markets call tactical approach risk assets korea exchange 245917 ks11 korea stock exchange 1332 054 ks11 n225 currencies dollar steady 106280 yen jpy euro shade lower 12314 eur greenback gained 06 percent basket six major currencies last week factors including perceived progress north korea issues uschina trade tensions seen eased time dollar index still lost 2 percent last quarter marking fifth straight quarter declines list important indicators released week could help steady market sentiment even though uschina trade concerns geopolitical risks continue linger background said koji fukaya president fpg securities tokyo us data due week include mondays institute supply management ism manufacturing index wednesdays ism nonmanufacturing index nonfarm payrolls report friday crude oil prices extended gains rising late last week bounce equity markets us crude futures clc1 rose 03 percent 6512 barrel brent advanced 04 percent 6962 barrel reporting shinichi saoshiro editing eric meijer standards thomson reuters trust principles hong kong reuters gambling revenue chinese territory macau posted 22 percent gain month march due sustained demand gambling countrys legal casino hub casinos seen general view macau china october 8 2015 reutersbobby yip 20th consecutive month gains cementing roaring recovery former portuguese colony revenues plunged fiveyear lows due slowing economic growth widespread crackdown corruption starting 2014 figures macaus gaming inspection coordination bureau sunday showed revenues rose 222 percent 26 billion patacas 32 billion versus analyst expectations 13 percent 18 percent growth however revenues still remain far highs reached 2014 hovering around monthly tolls seen 2012 data thomson reuters datastream showed reporting kane wu writing farah master editing christian schmollinger standards thomson reuters trust principles riyadh reuters saudi arabia plans issue tenders consolidate consultancy services government infrastructure projects coming months bid improve efficiency bring fresh momentum stalled developments government sources said file photo view shows buildings houses riyadh saudi arabia march 1 2017 reutersfaisal al nasserfile photo kingdom plans hire consultancy ministry state entity supervise pipeline projects worth billions dollars according one draft request proposal rfp seen reuters currently entities ministries like housing health power municipalities use multiple consultants per project local international consultants do160project design execution government160entities ministries monitor 160160160160the new plan aims outsource services160for five years winning bidders train saudis government bodies ultimately have160the capability manage160such work160themselves also aims trim waste state spending combat corruption help revive slump construction industry critical time economy saudi arabia embarks ambitious economic transformation plan includes development major projects 500 billion neom business zone northwest country recognized regional foreign consultants expertise applying international project management standards expected win contracts160 160 160 160160160 saudi arabias construction sector slumped recent years government delayed payments contractors lower oil prices squeezed state budget new projects 160 160the rfps finalised tendering worth millions dollars expected start coming months fiveyear contracts awarded end 2018 government sources told reuters 160160160160the sources spoke condition anonymity matter yet public 160160160 total value contracts finalised one source said contract ministry planning tender could reach 5 billion riyals 13 billion file photo men walk underconstruction king abdullah financial district riyadh saudi arabia may 12 2016 reutersfaisal al nasserfile photo 160160160160countering slump 160160160 kingdom spent billions dollars megaprojects past decades absence standard mechanism planning follow accountability resulted many projects stalled delayed 160160160160work king abdullah financial district example 10 billion mega project capital riyadh began 2006 plagued construction delays cost overruns doubts initial economic feasibility study 160160160 government moving standardize infrastructure project delivery across kingdom project management office ministry state entity overseen national project management organization nmpo set 2016 part broad government effort overhaul economy close gaping budget deficit 160160160 government hired usbased bechtel corp one worlds largest industrial contractors run npmo mashroat arabic 160160160 consultancy faithfulgould said roll project management offices across government sectors would speed delivery priority projects positive development industry following two years contraction uncertainty 160160160 january 2018 report faithfulgould forecast saudi arabia award infrastructure contracts 2018 worth 35 billion across government sectors160160 160160160160 reporting marwa rashad editing ghaida ghantous alexandra hudson standards thomson reuters trust principles singapore reuters oil prices rose monday lifted drop us drilling activity well expectations united states could reintroduce sanctions iran file photo crude oil storage tanks seen cushing oil hub cushing oklahoma march 24 2016 reutersnick oxfordfile photo us wti crude futures clc1 6518 barrel 0025 gmt 24 cents 04 percent previous settlement brent crude futures lcoc1 fetching 6967 per barrel 33 cents 05 percent stephen innes head trading asiapacific futures brokerage oanda singapore said oil markets remained nervous whether us administration scrap maintain fragile nuclear deal iran innes said prices also supported weekly report drop activity drilling new oil production united states us drillers cut seven oil rigs week march 29 bringing total count 797 rigolusabhi general electric cos gen baker hughes energy services firm said closely followed report last thursday first time three weeks rigcount fell baker hughes published north american rig count report thursday one day earlier usual due good friday holiday march 30 general electric co 1348 gen new york stock exchange 020 146 gen oil prices generally supported supply restraint led organization petroleum exporting countries opec russia started 2017 order rein oversupply prop prices liquidity monday low many countries especially europe still easter holiday graphic us oil rig count click reutrs2pwplj6 reporting henning gloystein editing aaron sheldrick standards thomson reuters trust principles
| 1,278 |
<p>ON THE BZEBIZ BRIDGE, Iraq (AP) — In the two weeks since militants from the Islamic State group overran central Ramadi, thousands of people have streamed out of the city, fleeing the brutal clashes between the extremists and Iraqi security forces.</p>
<p>With the announcement late Monday that the Iraqi military has retaken key areas in and around the city, the tide has suddenly shifted: Thousands are turning around and heading back toward Ramadi, turning this rickety, makeshift bridge over the Euphrates River into a scene of chaos and clogged traffic.</p>
<p>Through the heat and blinding dust, men and women loaded down with suitcases and bags crossed the bridge west of Baghdad on Tuesday. Some led livestock on ropes. Others pushed carts carrying children or the elderly and a few meager possessions.</p>
<p>Many said they had nowhere to go. In war-weary Iraq, residents of cities like Baghdad view the mostly Sunni residents of Anbar province with suspicion.</p>
<p>One man who was still headed away from Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, bellowed a warning to those who were streaming back toward it.</p>
<p>"Turn around!" he cautioned as he crossed into Baghdad province. "It's not safe!"</p>
<p>Iraqi security forces — supported by airstrikes from a U.S.-led coalition — have been making gains in recent weeks to take back territory seized last year by extremists from the self-described Islamic State. Iraqi troops were fresh off a victory last month in the city of Tikrit when the militants pushed into Ramadi, prompting some 114,000 residents to run, according to the U.N.</p>
<p>Buoyed by the strong air campaign and volunteer fighters, the military made a quick and decisive response in Ramadi. Still, residents took no chances and fled the city in unprecedented numbers.</p>
<p>In the days that followed, however, some changed their minds and believed they were better off at home.</p>
<p>That has spurring the frantic two-way traffic on the bridge — a temporary structure erected in place of one bombed by the militants. The new one was meant to support no more than the occasional fruit-and-vegetable cart heading for Baghdad, whose outskirts are about 65 kilometers (40 miles) to the east.</p>
<p>"We now have more people returning (to Anbar) than those coming," said army Brig. Gen. Abdullah Jareh Wahib.</p>
<p>Ambulances were stationed at both ends of the bridge, providing assistance to those who had walked for miles under the intense sun. The bridge rocked over the river's current as residents made their way across.</p>
<p>"We never expected that within a month's time, tens of thousands of people would be crossing the bridge," said Wahib. "The bridge wasn't built for this kind of weight."</p>
<p>More than 1,000 people trying to cross the bridge Sunday into Baghdad province were stopped at the span, the U.N. said Tuesday. Provincial officials were requiring a sponsor to vouch for them before they were admitted to enter Baghdad or allowed to travel toward Iraq's northern Kurdish region, because of fears they may be members of the Islamic State group. Babil province has also prohibited male residents of Anbar province aged 18-50 from entering without similar guarantees.</p>
<p>"We understand that there are members of Daesh trying to infiltrate the province via these displaced people," said Hassan Fedaam, a member of the Babil provincial council, using an Arabic acronym for the IS group.</p>
<p>Saif Mohammed Abbas, 21, evacuated his family last week, but he was among the thousands heading back to Ramadi on Tuesday.</p>
<p>"Mortars were hitting our home and falling on us, so it wasn't safe for them," he said. "But I have to go back. Someone has to look after our home; otherwise, it might get taken or destroyed in the fighting."</p>
<p>Others said they couldn't bear to live in squalor at refugee camps that have struggled to keep up with the growing number of displaced. Some said that for the poorest of Ramadi residents, there are no good choices.</p>
<p>"The poor are in trouble," said Ahmed Saddam, owner of a utilities store in the city. "They have no options. The camps are miserable and life in Ramadi is unbearable."</p>
<p>Thousands continue to pour out of Ramadi, preferring to take no chances as gunfire and airstrikes continue relentlessly.</p>
<p>"Conditions are worsening," said Adrian Edwards, a spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency. "The newly displaced are exhausted. Some people have walked many miles without food or water."</p>
<p>Sabiha Maalim, a woman from the town of Habani, had left her home on Tuesday, saying the IS militants are the least of her worries.</p>
<p>"There were rockets firing all night," she said. "Daesh is hitting the military. The military is hitting Daesh. And we are in the middle. We don't know what our future is."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Sameer N. Yacoub in Baghdad contributed to this report.</p>
<p>ON THE BZEBIZ BRIDGE, Iraq (AP) — In the two weeks since militants from the Islamic State group overran central Ramadi, thousands of people have streamed out of the city, fleeing the brutal clashes between the extremists and Iraqi security forces.</p>
<p>With the announcement late Monday that the Iraqi military has retaken key areas in and around the city, the tide has suddenly shifted: Thousands are turning around and heading back toward Ramadi, turning this rickety, makeshift bridge over the Euphrates River into a scene of chaos and clogged traffic.</p>
<p>Through the heat and blinding dust, men and women loaded down with suitcases and bags crossed the bridge west of Baghdad on Tuesday. Some led livestock on ropes. Others pushed carts carrying children or the elderly and a few meager possessions.</p>
<p>Many said they had nowhere to go. In war-weary Iraq, residents of cities like Baghdad view the mostly Sunni residents of Anbar province with suspicion.</p>
<p>One man who was still headed away from Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, bellowed a warning to those who were streaming back toward it.</p>
<p>"Turn around!" he cautioned as he crossed into Baghdad province. "It's not safe!"</p>
<p>Iraqi security forces — supported by airstrikes from a U.S.-led coalition — have been making gains in recent weeks to take back territory seized last year by extremists from the self-described Islamic State. Iraqi troops were fresh off a victory last month in the city of Tikrit when the militants pushed into Ramadi, prompting some 114,000 residents to run, according to the U.N.</p>
<p>Buoyed by the strong air campaign and volunteer fighters, the military made a quick and decisive response in Ramadi. Still, residents took no chances and fled the city in unprecedented numbers.</p>
<p>In the days that followed, however, some changed their minds and believed they were better off at home.</p>
<p>That has spurring the frantic two-way traffic on the bridge — a temporary structure erected in place of one bombed by the militants. The new one was meant to support no more than the occasional fruit-and-vegetable cart heading for Baghdad, whose outskirts are about 65 kilometers (40 miles) to the east.</p>
<p>"We now have more people returning (to Anbar) than those coming," said army Brig. Gen. Abdullah Jareh Wahib.</p>
<p>Ambulances were stationed at both ends of the bridge, providing assistance to those who had walked for miles under the intense sun. The bridge rocked over the river's current as residents made their way across.</p>
<p>"We never expected that within a month's time, tens of thousands of people would be crossing the bridge," said Wahib. "The bridge wasn't built for this kind of weight."</p>
<p>More than 1,000 people trying to cross the bridge Sunday into Baghdad province were stopped at the span, the U.N. said Tuesday. Provincial officials were requiring a sponsor to vouch for them before they were admitted to enter Baghdad or allowed to travel toward Iraq's northern Kurdish region, because of fears they may be members of the Islamic State group. Babil province has also prohibited male residents of Anbar province aged 18-50 from entering without similar guarantees.</p>
<p>"We understand that there are members of Daesh trying to infiltrate the province via these displaced people," said Hassan Fedaam, a member of the Babil provincial council, using an Arabic acronym for the IS group.</p>
<p>Saif Mohammed Abbas, 21, evacuated his family last week, but he was among the thousands heading back to Ramadi on Tuesday.</p>
<p>"Mortars were hitting our home and falling on us, so it wasn't safe for them," he said. "But I have to go back. Someone has to look after our home; otherwise, it might get taken or destroyed in the fighting."</p>
<p>Others said they couldn't bear to live in squalor at refugee camps that have struggled to keep up with the growing number of displaced. Some said that for the poorest of Ramadi residents, there are no good choices.</p>
<p>"The poor are in trouble," said Ahmed Saddam, owner of a utilities store in the city. "They have no options. The camps are miserable and life in Ramadi is unbearable."</p>
<p>Thousands continue to pour out of Ramadi, preferring to take no chances as gunfire and airstrikes continue relentlessly.</p>
<p>"Conditions are worsening," said Adrian Edwards, a spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency. "The newly displaced are exhausted. Some people have walked many miles without food or water."</p>
<p>Sabiha Maalim, a woman from the town of Habani, had left her home on Tuesday, saying the IS militants are the least of her worries.</p>
<p>"There were rockets firing all night," she said. "Daesh is hitting the military. The military is hitting Daesh. And we are in the middle. We don't know what our future is."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Associated Press writer Sameer N. Yacoub in Baghdad contributed to this report.</p>
| false | 2 |
bzebiz bridge iraq ap two weeks since militants islamic state group overran central ramadi thousands people streamed city fleeing brutal clashes extremists iraqi security forces announcement late monday iraqi military retaken key areas around city tide suddenly shifted thousands turning around heading back toward ramadi turning rickety makeshift bridge euphrates river scene chaos clogged traffic heat blinding dust men women loaded suitcases bags crossed bridge west baghdad tuesday led livestock ropes others pushed carts carrying children elderly meager possessions many said nowhere go warweary iraq residents cities like baghdad view mostly sunni residents anbar province suspicion one man still headed away ramadi capital anbar province bellowed warning streaming back toward turn around cautioned crossed baghdad province safe iraqi security forces supported airstrikes usled coalition making gains recent weeks take back territory seized last year extremists selfdescribed islamic state iraqi troops fresh victory last month city tikrit militants pushed ramadi prompting 114000 residents run according un buoyed strong air campaign volunteer fighters military made quick decisive response ramadi still residents took chances fled city unprecedented numbers days followed however changed minds believed better home spurring frantic twoway traffic bridge temporary structure erected place one bombed militants new one meant support occasional fruitandvegetable cart heading baghdad whose outskirts 65 kilometers 40 miles east people returning anbar coming said army brig gen abdullah jareh wahib ambulances stationed ends bridge providing assistance walked miles intense sun bridge rocked rivers current residents made way across never expected within months time tens thousands people would crossing bridge said wahib bridge wasnt built kind weight 1000 people trying cross bridge sunday baghdad province stopped span un said tuesday provincial officials requiring sponsor vouch admitted enter baghdad allowed travel toward iraqs northern kurdish region fears may members islamic state group babil province also prohibited male residents anbar province aged 1850 entering without similar guarantees understand members daesh trying infiltrate province via displaced people said hassan fedaam member babil provincial council using arabic acronym group saif mohammed abbas 21 evacuated family last week among thousands heading back ramadi tuesday mortars hitting home falling us wasnt safe said go back someone look home otherwise might get taken destroyed fighting others said couldnt bear live squalor refugee camps struggled keep growing number displaced said poorest ramadi residents good choices poor trouble said ahmed saddam owner utilities store city options camps miserable life ramadi unbearable thousands continue pour ramadi preferring take chances gunfire airstrikes continue relentlessly conditions worsening said adrian edwards spokesman un refugee agency newly displaced exhausted people walked many miles without food water sabiha maalim woman town habani left home tuesday saying militants least worries rockets firing night said daesh hitting military military hitting daesh middle dont know future ___ associated press writer sameer n yacoub baghdad contributed report bzebiz bridge iraq ap two weeks since militants islamic state group overran central ramadi thousands people streamed city fleeing brutal clashes extremists iraqi security forces announcement late monday iraqi military retaken key areas around city tide suddenly shifted thousands turning around heading back toward ramadi turning rickety makeshift bridge euphrates river scene chaos clogged traffic heat blinding dust men women loaded suitcases bags crossed bridge west baghdad tuesday led livestock ropes others pushed carts carrying children elderly meager possessions many said nowhere go warweary iraq residents cities like baghdad view mostly sunni residents anbar province suspicion one man still headed away ramadi capital anbar province bellowed warning streaming back toward turn around cautioned crossed baghdad province safe iraqi security forces supported airstrikes usled coalition making gains recent weeks take back territory seized last year extremists selfdescribed islamic state iraqi troops fresh victory last month city tikrit militants pushed ramadi prompting 114000 residents run according un buoyed strong air campaign volunteer fighters military made quick decisive response ramadi still residents took chances fled city unprecedented numbers days followed however changed minds believed better home spurring frantic twoway traffic bridge temporary structure erected place one bombed militants new one meant support occasional fruitandvegetable cart heading baghdad whose outskirts 65 kilometers 40 miles east people returning anbar coming said army brig gen abdullah jareh wahib ambulances stationed ends bridge providing assistance walked miles intense sun bridge rocked rivers current residents made way across never expected within months time tens thousands people would crossing bridge said wahib bridge wasnt built kind weight 1000 people trying cross bridge sunday baghdad province stopped span un said tuesday provincial officials requiring sponsor vouch admitted enter baghdad allowed travel toward iraqs northern kurdish region fears may members islamic state group babil province also prohibited male residents anbar province aged 1850 entering without similar guarantees understand members daesh trying infiltrate province via displaced people said hassan fedaam member babil provincial council using arabic acronym group saif mohammed abbas 21 evacuated family last week among thousands heading back ramadi tuesday mortars hitting home falling us wasnt safe said go back someone look home otherwise might get taken destroyed fighting others said couldnt bear live squalor refugee camps struggled keep growing number displaced said poorest ramadi residents good choices poor trouble said ahmed saddam owner utilities store city options camps miserable life ramadi unbearable thousands continue pour ramadi preferring take chances gunfire airstrikes continue relentlessly conditions worsening said adrian edwards spokesman un refugee agency newly displaced exhausted people walked many miles without food water sabiha maalim woman town habani left home tuesday saying militants least worries rockets firing night said daesh hitting military military hitting daesh middle dont know future ___ associated press writer sameer n yacoub baghdad contributed report
| 918 |
<p>RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Bob Meyers doesn't want partial justice for his brother. He wants full justice. And to him, that means leaving D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo's sentence just the way it is: life in prison, with no chance of ever getting out.</p>
<p>A federal judge has given a glimmer of hope to Malvo, who was 17 when he was arrested in the random shootings that killed 10 people and wounded three in and around the nation's capital.</p>
<p>The judge ruled that Malvo is entitled to new sentencing hearings, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has made its ban on mandatory life-without-parole for juvenile offenders retroactive, extending it to people who were already sentenced before it ruled that such punishments are unconstitutional.</p>
<p>Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring's appeal is scheduled for Tuesday before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond.</p>
<p>The possibility of something less than a life sentence does not sit well with Meyers.</p>
<p>His brother, Dean, was fatally gunned down as he put gas in his car at a service station in northern Virginia.</p>
<p>"Nothing's changed," Meyers said. "The crime hasn't become diminished ... and if the sentence was appropriate initially and that was viewed as justice for Dean, is it three-quarters justice for Dean if they modify it?"</p>
<p>The shootings in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia paralyzed the region with fear in 2002. People were shot doing everyday things — mowing the lawn, pumping gas, loading purchases into their cars. Schools canceled outdoor activities, gas stations put up tarps to hide their customers and government buildings in D.C. were given increased security.</p>
<p>Malvo's accomplice, John Allen Muhammad, widely viewed as the mastermind of the deadly rampage. He was executed in Virginia in 2009.</p>
<p>A Virginia jury convicted Malvo of capital murder for killing FBI analyst Linda Franklin, who was shot in the head outside a Home Depot store, but spared him the death penalty. Malvo later struck plea deals in other cases in Virginia and Maryland. He ultimately received four life sentences in Virginia and six in Maryland.</p>
<p>Malvo's attorney, Craig Cooley, argues that he is entitled to a new sentencing under the Supreme Court ruling because jurors were told to choose between the death penalty and life without parole, with no lesser option. The jury unanimously rejected the death penalty and sentenced him to life.</p>
<p>Cooley also argues that Malvo, now 32, should get new hearings to assess what sentence would be appropriate after taking into account his youth at the time and other factors. Cooley said that since his arrest, Malvo has "separated from his psychological domination by John Muhammad" and become an accomplished poet and sketch artist.</p>
<p>"Mr. Malvo as a person has returned to the kind, thoughtful, articulate, and compassionate being he was in his youth," Cooley wrote in a legal brief.</p>
<p>Other former teen offenders are still waiting for a chance at resentencing in states and counties slow to address the court ruling, an Associated Press investigation found. In Michigan, for example, prosecutors are seeking new no-parole sentences for nearly two-thirds of 363 juvenile lifers. Those cases are on hold until the Michigan Supreme Court, which heard arguments in October, determines whether judges or juries should decide their fates.</p>
<p>Some courts are applying the 2016 ruling to inmates whose life-without-parole sentences weren't mandatory, like Malvo's, or were negotiated as part of a plea deal.</p>
<p>If the 4th Circuit rules against the state, Malvo may still not get a reduced sentence. The court could, for example, order a different sentencing procedure that could result in a re-imposition of a life sentence.</p>
<p>Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, said the chances of Malvo getting a lower sentence are slim.</p>
<p>"Malvo pleaded guilty to horrendous offenses," Turley said. "There are many juveniles who can make strong claims under this new precedent for lower sentences. Malvo just doesn't happen to be one of them."</p>
<p>"For Malvo, it's like defusing nine out of 10 bombs. In the end, unless you can defuse all 10, the result is pretty much the same."</p>
<p>RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Bob Meyers doesn't want partial justice for his brother. He wants full justice. And to him, that means leaving D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo's sentence just the way it is: life in prison, with no chance of ever getting out.</p>
<p>A federal judge has given a glimmer of hope to Malvo, who was 17 when he was arrested in the random shootings that killed 10 people and wounded three in and around the nation's capital.</p>
<p>The judge ruled that Malvo is entitled to new sentencing hearings, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has made its ban on mandatory life-without-parole for juvenile offenders retroactive, extending it to people who were already sentenced before it ruled that such punishments are unconstitutional.</p>
<p>Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring's appeal is scheduled for Tuesday before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond.</p>
<p>The possibility of something less than a life sentence does not sit well with Meyers.</p>
<p>His brother, Dean, was fatally gunned down as he put gas in his car at a service station in northern Virginia.</p>
<p>"Nothing's changed," Meyers said. "The crime hasn't become diminished ... and if the sentence was appropriate initially and that was viewed as justice for Dean, is it three-quarters justice for Dean if they modify it?"</p>
<p>The shootings in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia paralyzed the region with fear in 2002. People were shot doing everyday things — mowing the lawn, pumping gas, loading purchases into their cars. Schools canceled outdoor activities, gas stations put up tarps to hide their customers and government buildings in D.C. were given increased security.</p>
<p>Malvo's accomplice, John Allen Muhammad, widely viewed as the mastermind of the deadly rampage. He was executed in Virginia in 2009.</p>
<p>A Virginia jury convicted Malvo of capital murder for killing FBI analyst Linda Franklin, who was shot in the head outside a Home Depot store, but spared him the death penalty. Malvo later struck plea deals in other cases in Virginia and Maryland. He ultimately received four life sentences in Virginia and six in Maryland.</p>
<p>Malvo's attorney, Craig Cooley, argues that he is entitled to a new sentencing under the Supreme Court ruling because jurors were told to choose between the death penalty and life without parole, with no lesser option. The jury unanimously rejected the death penalty and sentenced him to life.</p>
<p>Cooley also argues that Malvo, now 32, should get new hearings to assess what sentence would be appropriate after taking into account his youth at the time and other factors. Cooley said that since his arrest, Malvo has "separated from his psychological domination by John Muhammad" and become an accomplished poet and sketch artist.</p>
<p>"Mr. Malvo as a person has returned to the kind, thoughtful, articulate, and compassionate being he was in his youth," Cooley wrote in a legal brief.</p>
<p>Other former teen offenders are still waiting for a chance at resentencing in states and counties slow to address the court ruling, an Associated Press investigation found. In Michigan, for example, prosecutors are seeking new no-parole sentences for nearly two-thirds of 363 juvenile lifers. Those cases are on hold until the Michigan Supreme Court, which heard arguments in October, determines whether judges or juries should decide their fates.</p>
<p>Some courts are applying the 2016 ruling to inmates whose life-without-parole sentences weren't mandatory, like Malvo's, or were negotiated as part of a plea deal.</p>
<p>If the 4th Circuit rules against the state, Malvo may still not get a reduced sentence. The court could, for example, order a different sentencing procedure that could result in a re-imposition of a life sentence.</p>
<p>Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, said the chances of Malvo getting a lower sentence are slim.</p>
<p>"Malvo pleaded guilty to horrendous offenses," Turley said. "There are many juveniles who can make strong claims under this new precedent for lower sentences. Malvo just doesn't happen to be one of them."</p>
<p>"For Malvo, it's like defusing nine out of 10 bombs. In the end, unless you can defuse all 10, the result is pretty much the same."</p>
| false | 2 |
richmond va ap bob meyers doesnt want partial justice brother wants full justice means leaving dc sniper lee boyd malvos sentence way life prison chance ever getting federal judge given glimmer hope malvo 17 arrested random shootings killed 10 people wounded three around nations capital judge ruled malvo entitled new sentencing hearings us supreme court made ban mandatory lifewithoutparole juvenile offenders retroactive extending people already sentenced ruled punishments unconstitutional virginia attorney general mark herrings appeal scheduled tuesday 4th us circuit court appeals richmond possibility something less life sentence sit well meyers brother dean fatally gunned put gas car service station northern virginia nothings changed meyers said crime hasnt become diminished sentence appropriate initially viewed justice dean threequarters justice dean modify shootings virginia maryland district columbia paralyzed region fear 2002 people shot everyday things mowing lawn pumping gas loading purchases cars schools canceled outdoor activities gas stations put tarps hide customers government buildings dc given increased security malvos accomplice john allen muhammad widely viewed mastermind deadly rampage executed virginia 2009 virginia jury convicted malvo capital murder killing fbi analyst linda franklin shot head outside home depot store spared death penalty malvo later struck plea deals cases virginia maryland ultimately received four life sentences virginia six maryland malvos attorney craig cooley argues entitled new sentencing supreme court ruling jurors told choose death penalty life without parole lesser option jury unanimously rejected death penalty sentenced life cooley also argues malvo 32 get new hearings assess sentence would appropriate taking account youth time factors cooley said since arrest malvo separated psychological domination john muhammad become accomplished poet sketch artist mr malvo person returned kind thoughtful articulate compassionate youth cooley wrote legal brief former teen offenders still waiting chance resentencing states counties slow address court ruling associated press investigation found michigan example prosecutors seeking new noparole sentences nearly twothirds 363 juvenile lifers cases hold michigan supreme court heard arguments october determines whether judges juries decide fates courts applying 2016 ruling inmates whose lifewithoutparole sentences werent mandatory like malvos negotiated part plea deal 4th circuit rules state malvo may still get reduced sentence court could example order different sentencing procedure could result reimposition life sentence jonathan turley law professor george washington university said chances malvo getting lower sentence slim malvo pleaded guilty horrendous offenses turley said many juveniles make strong claims new precedent lower sentences malvo doesnt happen one malvo like defusing nine 10 bombs end unless defuse 10 result pretty much richmond va ap bob meyers doesnt want partial justice brother wants full justice means leaving dc sniper lee boyd malvos sentence way life prison chance ever getting federal judge given glimmer hope malvo 17 arrested random shootings killed 10 people wounded three around nations capital judge ruled malvo entitled new sentencing hearings us supreme court made ban mandatory lifewithoutparole juvenile offenders retroactive extending people already sentenced ruled punishments unconstitutional virginia attorney general mark herrings appeal scheduled tuesday 4th us circuit court appeals richmond possibility something less life sentence sit well meyers brother dean fatally gunned put gas car service station northern virginia nothings changed meyers said crime hasnt become diminished sentence appropriate initially viewed justice dean threequarters justice dean modify shootings virginia maryland district columbia paralyzed region fear 2002 people shot everyday things mowing lawn pumping gas loading purchases cars schools canceled outdoor activities gas stations put tarps hide customers government buildings dc given increased security malvos accomplice john allen muhammad widely viewed mastermind deadly rampage executed virginia 2009 virginia jury convicted malvo capital murder killing fbi analyst linda franklin shot head outside home depot store spared death penalty malvo later struck plea deals cases virginia maryland ultimately received four life sentences virginia six maryland malvos attorney craig cooley argues entitled new sentencing supreme court ruling jurors told choose death penalty life without parole lesser option jury unanimously rejected death penalty sentenced life cooley also argues malvo 32 get new hearings assess sentence would appropriate taking account youth time factors cooley said since arrest malvo separated psychological domination john muhammad become accomplished poet sketch artist mr malvo person returned kind thoughtful articulate compassionate youth cooley wrote legal brief former teen offenders still waiting chance resentencing states counties slow address court ruling associated press investigation found michigan example prosecutors seeking new noparole sentences nearly twothirds 363 juvenile lifers cases hold michigan supreme court heard arguments october determines whether judges juries decide fates courts applying 2016 ruling inmates whose lifewithoutparole sentences werent mandatory like malvos negotiated part plea deal 4th circuit rules state malvo may still get reduced sentence court could example order different sentencing procedure could result reimposition life sentence jonathan turley law professor george washington university said chances malvo getting lower sentence slim malvo pleaded guilty horrendous offenses turley said many juveniles make strong claims new precedent lower sentences malvo doesnt happen one malvo like defusing nine 10 bombs end unless defuse 10 result pretty much
| 812 |
<p>CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — In a case that pits freedom of expression and equality against public decency, three women are challenging a New Hampshire city ordinance prohibiting public nudity and taking it to the state's highest court.</p>
<p>Heidi Lilley, Kia Sinclair and Ginger Pierro were ticketed in 2016 in Laconia after they went topless at Weirs Beach over Memorial Day weekend. Pierro was doing yoga, while the other two were sunbathing.</p>
<p>Some beachgoers complained and a police officer asked them to cover up. When they refused, they were arrested. A legal motion to dismiss a case against the women was denied so they have appealed it to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, which is expected to hear the case Feb. 1. The women want to the court to dismiss their conviction by invalidating the city's ordinance.</p>
<p>The three women argue there's no state law forbidding female toplessness and that the ordinance is discriminatory since men are allowed to go shirtless. They also contend their constitutional rights to freedom of expression were violated.</p>
<p>"The law in the state of New Hampshire is that it is legal for a woman to go topless so we're trying to get the town of Laconia to recognize and to stay with the state," Lilley said. "The town ordinance, in our opinion, is not constitutional. We're hoping the Supreme Court will see that."</p>
<p>The women are part of the Free the Nipple movement, a global campaign that argues it should be acceptable for women to bare their nipples in public, since men can. Supporters of the campaign also are taking their causes to courts with mixed success.</p>
<p>A U.S. District Court judge ruled in October that a public indecency ordinance in Missouri didn't violate the state constitution by allowing men, but not women, to show their nipples. But in February, a U.S. District Court judge blocked the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, from enforcing a law against women going topless, arguing it was based on gender discrimination. The city is appealing.</p>
<p>In New Hampshire, Lilley and another woman first challenged the ban when they were cited for going topless at a Gilford beach in 2015. A judge later dismissed that case but the Legislature took up the debate several months later, with a bill that would have made it a crime for women to expose their breasts or nipples in public.</p>
<p>Supporters of the bill warned that allowing women to go bare breasted at beaches could lead to scenes of topless women at libraries and Little League games. They said they were trying to protect families and children. Opponents said such a ban violates the state constitution.</p>
<p>The measure failed but not before an ugly online dispute in which several male legislators were criticized for sexist remarks, including one who suggested men should be allowed to grab the breast of topless women.</p>
<p>In the Supreme Court case, the women are getting support from the ACLU of New Hampshire, which argues free speech protections applies to both "popular and unpopular forms of expression."</p>
<p>"Here, the Laconia ordinance prevents women from making choices about their state of bodily expression using the full range of options available to their male counterparts," said Gilles Bissonnette, the group's legal director. "This case presents an issue of significant importance concerning the right of women under the New Hampshire constitution to speak freely and the constitutional implications of codified stereotypes related to females' roles and sexuality."</p>
<p>In defending the ordinance, the New Hampshire Attorney General's office argues the ordinance just regulates what they can wear to the beach, not bar them entirely from the beach. It also argues the city has the right to "prevent any disturbances," noting women exposing their nipples would cause "disturbances" where a man without a shirt wouldn't.</p>
<p>For Lilley, who said she's fought for women's rights for decades, the case has come to symbolize more than just women being able to choose their beach attire. It's part of an effort to draw attention to inequality "straight across the board," though she seemed frustrated that women taking off their top was still so controversial.</p>
<p>"It shouldn't be an issue," she said. "It's not an issue if a man takes off his shirt. Why should it be an issue if a woman takes off her shirt?"</p>
<p>CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — In a case that pits freedom of expression and equality against public decency, three women are challenging a New Hampshire city ordinance prohibiting public nudity and taking it to the state's highest court.</p>
<p>Heidi Lilley, Kia Sinclair and Ginger Pierro were ticketed in 2016 in Laconia after they went topless at Weirs Beach over Memorial Day weekend. Pierro was doing yoga, while the other two were sunbathing.</p>
<p>Some beachgoers complained and a police officer asked them to cover up. When they refused, they were arrested. A legal motion to dismiss a case against the women was denied so they have appealed it to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, which is expected to hear the case Feb. 1. The women want to the court to dismiss their conviction by invalidating the city's ordinance.</p>
<p>The three women argue there's no state law forbidding female toplessness and that the ordinance is discriminatory since men are allowed to go shirtless. They also contend their constitutional rights to freedom of expression were violated.</p>
<p>"The law in the state of New Hampshire is that it is legal for a woman to go topless so we're trying to get the town of Laconia to recognize and to stay with the state," Lilley said. "The town ordinance, in our opinion, is not constitutional. We're hoping the Supreme Court will see that."</p>
<p>The women are part of the Free the Nipple movement, a global campaign that argues it should be acceptable for women to bare their nipples in public, since men can. Supporters of the campaign also are taking their causes to courts with mixed success.</p>
<p>A U.S. District Court judge ruled in October that a public indecency ordinance in Missouri didn't violate the state constitution by allowing men, but not women, to show their nipples. But in February, a U.S. District Court judge blocked the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, from enforcing a law against women going topless, arguing it was based on gender discrimination. The city is appealing.</p>
<p>In New Hampshire, Lilley and another woman first challenged the ban when they were cited for going topless at a Gilford beach in 2015. A judge later dismissed that case but the Legislature took up the debate several months later, with a bill that would have made it a crime for women to expose their breasts or nipples in public.</p>
<p>Supporters of the bill warned that allowing women to go bare breasted at beaches could lead to scenes of topless women at libraries and Little League games. They said they were trying to protect families and children. Opponents said such a ban violates the state constitution.</p>
<p>The measure failed but not before an ugly online dispute in which several male legislators were criticized for sexist remarks, including one who suggested men should be allowed to grab the breast of topless women.</p>
<p>In the Supreme Court case, the women are getting support from the ACLU of New Hampshire, which argues free speech protections applies to both "popular and unpopular forms of expression."</p>
<p>"Here, the Laconia ordinance prevents women from making choices about their state of bodily expression using the full range of options available to their male counterparts," said Gilles Bissonnette, the group's legal director. "This case presents an issue of significant importance concerning the right of women under the New Hampshire constitution to speak freely and the constitutional implications of codified stereotypes related to females' roles and sexuality."</p>
<p>In defending the ordinance, the New Hampshire Attorney General's office argues the ordinance just regulates what they can wear to the beach, not bar them entirely from the beach. It also argues the city has the right to "prevent any disturbances," noting women exposing their nipples would cause "disturbances" where a man without a shirt wouldn't.</p>
<p>For Lilley, who said she's fought for women's rights for decades, the case has come to symbolize more than just women being able to choose their beach attire. It's part of an effort to draw attention to inequality "straight across the board," though she seemed frustrated that women taking off their top was still so controversial.</p>
<p>"It shouldn't be an issue," she said. "It's not an issue if a man takes off his shirt. Why should it be an issue if a woman takes off her shirt?"</p>
| false | 2 |
concord nh ap case pits freedom expression equality public decency three women challenging new hampshire city ordinance prohibiting public nudity taking states highest court heidi lilley kia sinclair ginger pierro ticketed 2016 laconia went topless weirs beach memorial day weekend pierro yoga two sunbathing beachgoers complained police officer asked cover refused arrested legal motion dismiss case women denied appealed new hampshire supreme court expected hear case feb 1 women want court dismiss conviction invalidating citys ordinance three women argue theres state law forbidding female toplessness ordinance discriminatory since men allowed go shirtless also contend constitutional rights freedom expression violated law state new hampshire legal woman go topless trying get town laconia recognize stay state lilley said town ordinance opinion constitutional hoping supreme court see women part free nipple movement global campaign argues acceptable women bare nipples public since men supporters campaign also taking causes courts mixed success us district court judge ruled october public indecency ordinance missouri didnt violate state constitution allowing men women show nipples february us district court judge blocked city fort collins colorado enforcing law women going topless arguing based gender discrimination city appealing new hampshire lilley another woman first challenged ban cited going topless gilford beach 2015 judge later dismissed case legislature took debate several months later bill would made crime women expose breasts nipples public supporters bill warned allowing women go bare breasted beaches could lead scenes topless women libraries little league games said trying protect families children opponents said ban violates state constitution measure failed ugly online dispute several male legislators criticized sexist remarks including one suggested men allowed grab breast topless women supreme court case women getting support aclu new hampshire argues free speech protections applies popular unpopular forms expression laconia ordinance prevents women making choices state bodily expression using full range options available male counterparts said gilles bissonnette groups legal director case presents issue significant importance concerning right women new hampshire constitution speak freely constitutional implications codified stereotypes related females roles sexuality defending ordinance new hampshire attorney generals office argues ordinance regulates wear beach bar entirely beach also argues city right prevent disturbances noting women exposing nipples would cause disturbances man without shirt wouldnt lilley said shes fought womens rights decades case come symbolize women able choose beach attire part effort draw attention inequality straight across board though seemed frustrated women taking top still controversial shouldnt issue said issue man takes shirt issue woman takes shirt concord nh ap case pits freedom expression equality public decency three women challenging new hampshire city ordinance prohibiting public nudity taking states highest court heidi lilley kia sinclair ginger pierro ticketed 2016 laconia went topless weirs beach memorial day weekend pierro yoga two sunbathing beachgoers complained police officer asked cover refused arrested legal motion dismiss case women denied appealed new hampshire supreme court expected hear case feb 1 women want court dismiss conviction invalidating citys ordinance three women argue theres state law forbidding female toplessness ordinance discriminatory since men allowed go shirtless also contend constitutional rights freedom expression violated law state new hampshire legal woman go topless trying get town laconia recognize stay state lilley said town ordinance opinion constitutional hoping supreme court see women part free nipple movement global campaign argues acceptable women bare nipples public since men supporters campaign also taking causes courts mixed success us district court judge ruled october public indecency ordinance missouri didnt violate state constitution allowing men women show nipples february us district court judge blocked city fort collins colorado enforcing law women going topless arguing based gender discrimination city appealing new hampshire lilley another woman first challenged ban cited going topless gilford beach 2015 judge later dismissed case legislature took debate several months later bill would made crime women expose breasts nipples public supporters bill warned allowing women go bare breasted beaches could lead scenes topless women libraries little league games said trying protect families children opponents said ban violates state constitution measure failed ugly online dispute several male legislators criticized sexist remarks including one suggested men allowed grab breast topless women supreme court case women getting support aclu new hampshire argues free speech protections applies popular unpopular forms expression laconia ordinance prevents women making choices state bodily expression using full range options available male counterparts said gilles bissonnette groups legal director case presents issue significant importance concerning right women new hampshire constitution speak freely constitutional implications codified stereotypes related females roles sexuality defending ordinance new hampshire attorney generals office argues ordinance regulates wear beach bar entirely beach also argues city right prevent disturbances noting women exposing nipples would cause disturbances man without shirt wouldnt lilley said shes fought womens rights decades case come symbolize women able choose beach attire part effort draw attention inequality straight across board though seemed frustrated women taking top still controversial shouldnt issue said issue man takes shirt issue woman takes shirt
| 808 |
<p>Jan 22 (Reuters) - Parkson Retail Group Ltd:</p>
<p>* ‍U.S.$259 MILLION OF PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOTES HAD BEEN VALIDLY TENDERED AND NOT BEEN WITHDRAWN​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - About 200 people demonstrated in Sacramento on Saturday to protest the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, in the latest of nearly two weeks of mostly peaceful rallies since the unarmed black man was gunned down in his grandmother’s yard.</p>
<p>The death of the 22-year-old father of two was the latest in a string of killings of black men by police that have triggered street protests and fueled a renewed national debate about bias in the U.S. criminal justice system.</p>
<p>Saturday’s demonstration brought together a multi-racial crowd, many holding signs such as “Stop Police Rage” and “Power to the People.” It was led by retired National Basketball Association player Matt Barnes, who grew up in the area and had two stints with the Sacramento Kings franchise.</p>
<p>“We’re here today to raise awareness, to come together peacefully and to have some accountability for the officers, not only in Sacramento but across the country, who have been doing this,” Barnes told the Sacramento Bee newspaper.</p>
<p>Some of Clark’s relatives attended the gathering in a city plaza. It followed a more heated protest overnight, during which demonstrators yelled expletives at police clad in riot gear.</p>
<p>Clark was shot on the night of March 18 by police responding to a report that someone was breaking windows. Police said the officers feared he had a gun, but that he was later found to have been holding a cellphone.</p>
<p>Police have said he was moving towards officers in a menacing way. The shooting was captured on a body cam video released by police.</p> Salena Manni (L), fiancee of Stephon Clark, holds their son Cairo and an unidentified man holds son Aiden (2nd R) while Basim Elkarra speaks and Rev Shane Harris listens at a rally in Sacramento, California, U.S., March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Bob Strong NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
<p>On Friday, an attorney for Clark’s family released a private autopsy showing most of the eight bullets that hit Clark struck him in the back, contradicting the police version of events.</p>
<p>Clark was shot six times in the back, once in the side and once in the leg, said the attorney, Benjamin Crump.</p>
<p>“This independent autopsy affirms that Stephon was not a threat to police and was slain in another senseless police killing under increasingly questionable circumstances,” Crump said.</p> Slideshow (14 Images)
<p>The Sacramento Police Department said it would have no further comment until after the release of the findings of an official autopsy by the county coroner, and a review by state and local prosecutors.</p>
<p>In several days of sporadic protests, protesters have blocked traffic and twice delayed fans from reaching games played by the Kings at the Golden 1 Center.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Rich McKay in Atlanta and Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing Chizu Nomiyama and Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>The U.S. government’s Supreme Court battle with Microsoft Corp over whether technology companies can be forced to hand over data stored overseas could be nearing its end, after federal prosecutors asked that the case be dismissed.</p> FILE PHOTO: The Microsoft logo is shown on the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 13, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
<p>President Donald Trump on March 22 signed a provision into law making it clear that U.S. judges can issue warrants for such data, while giving companies an avenue to object if the request conflicts with foreign law.</p>
<p>“This case is now moot,” the U.S. Department of Justice said, citing the newly passed legislation, in a 16-page court filing on Friday that requested the dismissal.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court on Feb. 27 heard arguments in the case, which had been one of the most closely watched of the high court’s current term. Some justices urged Congress to pass a law to resolve the matter.</p> FILE PHOTO: Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith (R) makes a statement to the news media with his lawyer Josh Rosenkranz outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., February 27, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
<p>Microsoft and the Justice Department had been locked in a dispute over how U.S. prosecutors seek access to data held on overseas computer servers owned by American companies. The case involved Microsoft’s challenge to a domestic warrant issued by a U.S. judge for emails stored on a Microsoft server in Dublin relating to a drug-trafficking investigation.</p>
<p>The bipartisan new law, known as the Cloud Act, was supported by Microsoft, other major technology companies and the Trump administration. But civil liberties groups opposed it, saying it lacked sufficient privacy protections.</p>
<p>Microsoft, which has 100 data centers in 40 countries, was the first American company to challenge a domestic search warrant seeking data held outside the United States. The Microsoft customer whose emails were sought told the company he was based in Ireland when he signed up for his account.</p>
<p>A representative for Microsoft did not immediately return requests for comment on the Justice Department’s filing.</p>
<p>Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Alex Dobuzinskis; Additional reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Will Dunham and Jonathan Oatis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>ATLANTA (Reuters) - Atlanta’s top officials holed up in their offices on Saturday as they worked to restore critical systems knocked out by a nine-day-old cyber attack that plunged the Southeastern U.S. metropolis into technological chaos and forced some city workers to revert to paper.</p> A view of Atlanta's City Hall, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Laila Kearney
<p>On an Easter and Passover holiday weekend, city officials labored in preparation for the workweek to come.</p>
<p>Police and other public servants have spent the past week trying to piece together their digital work lives, recreating audit spreadsheets and conducting business on mobile phones in response to one of the most devastating “ransomware” virus attacks to hit an American city.</p>
<p>Three city council staffers have been sharing a single clunky personal laptop brought in after cyber extortionists attacked Atlanta’s computer network with a virus that scrambled data and still prevents access to critical systems.</p>
<p>“It’s extraordinarily frustrating,” said Councilman Howard Shook, whose office lost 16 years of digital records.</p>
<p>One compromised city computer seen by Reuters showed multiple corrupted documents with “weapologize” and “imsorry” added to file names.</p>
<p>Ransomware attacks have surged in recent years as cyber extortionists moved from attacking individual computers to large organizations, including businesses, healthcare organizations and government agencies. Previous high-profile attacks have shut down factories, prompted hospitals to turn away patients and forced local emergency dispatch systems to move to manual operations.</p>
<p>Ransomware typically corrupts data and does not steal it. The city of Atlanta has said it does not believe private residents’ information is in the hands of hackers, but they do not know for sure.</p>
<p>City officials have declined to discuss the extent of damage beyond disclosed outages that have shut down some services at municipal offices, including courts and the water department.</p>
<p>Nearly 6 million people live in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Georgia city itself is home to more than 450,000 people, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau.</p>
<p>City officials told Reuters that police files and financial documents were rendered inaccessible by unknown hackers who demanded $51,000 worth of bitcoin to provide digital keys to unlock scrambled files.</p>
<p>“Everything on my hard drive is gone,” City Auditor Amanda Noble said in her office housed in Atlanta City Hall’s ornate tower.</p>
<p>City officials have not disclosed the extent to which servers for backing up information on PCs were corrupted or what kind of information they think is unrecoverable without paying the ransom.</p>
<p>Noble discovered the disarray on March 22 when she turned on her computer to discover that files could not be opened after being encrypted by a powerful computer virus known as SamSam that renamed them with gibberish.</p>
<p>“I said, ‘This is wrong,’” she recalled.</p>
<p>City officials then quickly entered her office and told her to shut down the computer before warning the rest of the building.</p>
<p>Noble is working on a personal laptop and using her smartphone to search for details of current projects mentioned in emails stored on that device.</p>
<p>Not all computers were compromised. Ten of 18 machines in the auditing office were not affected, Noble said.</p>
<p>OLD-SCHOOL ANALOG</p>
<p>Atlanta police returned to taking written case notes and have lost access to some investigative databases, department spokesman Carlos Campos told Reuters. He declined to discuss the contents of the affected files.</p>
<p>“Our data management teams are working diligently to restore normal operations and functionalities to these systems and hope to be back online in the very near future,” he said. By the weekend, he added, officers were returning to digital police reports.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, some city employees complained they have been left in the dark, unsure when it is safe to turn on their computers.</p>
<p>“We don’t know anything,” said one frustrated employee as she left for a lunch break on Friday.</p> FEEBLE
<p>Like City Hall, whose 1930 neo-Gothic structure is attached to a massive modern wing, the city’s computer system is a combination of old and new.&#160;</p> A view of Atlanta's City Hall, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Laila Kearney
<p>“One of the reasons why municipalities are vulnerable is we just have so many different systems,” Noble said.&#160;</p>
<p>The city published results from a recent cyber-security audit in January, and had started implementing its recommendations before the ransomware virus hit. The audit called for better record-keeping and hiring more technology workers.</p>
<p>Councilman Shook said he is worried about how much the recovery will cost the city, but that he supports funding a cyber-security overhaul to counter future attacks.</p>
<p>For now his staff are temporarily sharing one aging laptop.</p>
<p>“Things are very slow,” he said. “It was a very surreal experience to be shut down like that.”</p>
<p>Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who took office in January, has declined to say if the city paid the ransom ahead of a March 28 deadline mentioned in an extortion note whose image was released by a local television station.</p>
<p>Shook, who chairs the city council’s finance subcommittee, said he did not know whether the city is negotiating with the hackers, but that it appears no ransom has been paid to date.</p>
<p>The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is helping Atlanta respond, typically discourages ransomware victims from paying up.</p>
<p>FBI officials could not immediately be reached for comment. A Department of Homeland Security spokesman confirmed the agency is helping Atlanta respond to the attack, but declined to comment further.</p>
<p>Hackers typically walk away when ransoms are not paid, said Mark Weatherford, a former senior DHS cyber official.</p>
<p>Weatherford, who previously served as California’s chief information security officer, said the situation might have been resolved with little pain if the city had quickly made that payment.</p>
<p>“The longer it goes, the worse it gets,” he said. “This could turn out to be really bad if they never get their data back.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Laila Kearney; additional reporting by Jim Finkle; editing by Daniel Bases and Jonathan Oatis</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian authorities on Saturday arrested billionaire Ziyavudin Magomedov on charges of embezzling more than $35 million, in one of the highest-profile prosecutions of a Russian tycoon in years.</p> Magomed Magomedov, a business partner and brother of co-owner of Russia's Summa group Ziyavudin Magomedov, attends a hearing on his detention at the Tverskoy District Court in Moscow, Russia March 31, 2018. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva
<p>Magomedov denied the charges at a pre-trial hearing, where a judge ordered that he be held in custody until May 30.</p>
<p>One of Russia’s richest men, the 49-year-old Magomedov holds assets in construction and logistics through his sprawling Summa Group. He also has investments in U.S. tech ventures, including the Virgin One Hyperloop project.</p>
<p>He was detained along with his business partner and brother, Magomed Magomedov, and Artur Maksidov, the head of a company in the Summa Group that was involved in the construction of a soccer World Cup venue in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.</p>
<p>Both businessmen will also be held in custody until May 30, the court ruled.</p>
<p>At a hearing in Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court to decide whether Magomedov and his associates should be detained before their trial, Judge Maria Sizintseva said they had acted as part of an organized crime group and had tried to put pressure on witnesses. She rejected an offer from Magomedov to put up a $35 million bail bond, and ordered he be detained.</p>
<p>Citing the arguments against granting bail, the judge said Magomedov had access to his own aircraft, and assets abroad. The day before he was detained, he had booked a flight from Moscow to Miami, the judge said.</p>
<p>Summa said it planned to appeal the court decision and was ready to cooperate with the investigation.</p> MUSCULAR STATE
<p>Invited to speak from a cage in the courtroom, Magomedov, dressed in a dark-blue jogging suit, said: “I categorically disagree with the charges presented ... The prosecution case does not stand up to scrutiny.”</p> Slideshow (7 Images)
<p>He said he needed treatment in the United States for a medical problem, and offered to put up the $35 million bail. “I’m willing to pull together this money, so no one has any thoughts that I might go on the run,” Magomedov said.</p>
<p>Magomedov is part of a group of Russian multi-millionaires who, while publicly loyal to the Kremlin, are not in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.</p>
<p>Some members of the group say they are being squeezed by a tough economy, Western sanctions on Russia, and powerful state-run companies that are muscling in on nearly all sectors of the economy.</p>
<p>In past cases when magnates have been prosecuted, some in the Russia business community have said the tycoons were victims of a plot by the Kremlin or by politically connected business rivals - though the authorities deny that.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=NMTP.MM" type="external">Novorossiyskiy Morskoy Torgovyi Port PAO</a> 7.765 NMTP.MM Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange -0.19 (-2.33%) NMTP.MM TRNF_p.MM FESH.MM
<p>People familiar with the Russian judicial system say high-profile corruption cases are rarely fabricated, but that the law is applied selectively, and that prosecutions can be influenced by outside factors.</p>
<p>Ziyavudin Magomedov ranked 63rd last year on the Forbes list of the richest business people in Russia with $1.4 billion. In January, he was listed by the U.S. Treasury Department as one of 96 “oligarchs” close to Putin.</p>
<p>His Caspian Venture Capital fund has investments in ride-hailing service Uber UBER.UL; Diamond Foundry, a company that produces man-made diamonds; and Peek, an online leisure activities company.</p>
<p>Magomedov is also co-executive chairman of Los Angeles-based tech firm Virgin Hyperloop One, which is chaired by Richard Branson. It is one of several firms developing a futuristic transport system that involves propelling people at high speed through sealed tubes.</p>
<p>He also co-owns the Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=NMTP.MM" type="external">NMTP.MM</a>) with Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TRNF_p.MM" type="external">TRNF_p.MM</a>) and transportation group Fesco ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=FESH.MM" type="external">FESH.MM</a>).</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber and Christian Lowe; Editing by Larry King</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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jan 22 reuters parkson retail group ltd us259 million principal amount notes validly tendered withdrawn source text eikon company coverage standards thomson reuters trust principles sacramento calif reuters 200 people demonstrated sacramento saturday protest fatal police shooting stephon clark latest nearly two weeks mostly peaceful rallies since unarmed black man gunned grandmothers yard death 22yearold father two latest string killings black men police triggered street protests fueled renewed national debate bias us criminal justice system saturdays demonstration brought together multiracial crowd many holding signs stop police rage power people led retired national basketball association player matt barnes grew area two stints sacramento kings franchise today raise awareness come together peacefully accountability officers sacramento across country barnes told sacramento bee newspaper clarks relatives attended gathering city plaza followed heated protest overnight demonstrators yelled expletives police clad riot gear clark shot night march 18 police responding report someone breaking windows police said officers feared gun later found holding cellphone police said moving towards officers menacing way shooting captured body cam video released police salena manni l fiancee stephon clark holds son cairo unidentified man holds son aiden 2nd r basim elkarra speaks rev shane harris listens rally sacramento california us march 31 2018 reutersbob strong resales archives friday attorney clarks family released private autopsy showing eight bullets hit clark struck back contradicting police version events clark shot six times back side leg said attorney benjamin crump independent autopsy affirms stephon threat police slain another senseless police killing increasingly questionable circumstances crump said slideshow 14 images sacramento police department said would comment release findings official autopsy county coroner review state local prosecutors several days sporadic protests protesters blocked traffic twice delayed fans reaching games played kings golden 1 center additional reporting alex dobuzinskis los angeles brendan obrien milwaukee rich mckay atlanta jonathan allen new york editing chizu nomiyama sandra maler standards thomson reuters trust principles us governments supreme court battle microsoft corp whether technology companies forced hand data stored overseas could nearing end federal prosecutors asked case dismissed file photo microsoft logo shown microsoft theatre los angeles california us june 13 2017 reutersmike blakefile photo president donald trump march 22 signed provision law making clear us judges issue warrants data giving companies avenue object request conflicts foreign law case moot us department justice said citing newly passed legislation 16page court filing friday requested dismissal supreme court feb 27 heard arguments case one closely watched high courts current term justices urged congress pass law resolve matter file photo microsoft president chief legal officer brad smith r makes statement news media lawyer josh rosenkranz outside us supreme court washington us february 27 2018 reutersleah millis microsoft justice department locked dispute us prosecutors seek access data held overseas computer servers owned american companies case involved microsofts challenge domestic warrant issued us judge emails stored microsoft server dublin relating drugtrafficking investigation bipartisan new law known cloud act supported microsoft major technology companies trump administration civil liberties groups opposed saying lacked sufficient privacy protections microsoft 100 data centers 40 countries first american company challenge domestic search warrant seeking data held outside united states microsoft customer whose emails sought told company based ireland signed account representative microsoft immediately return requests comment justice departments filing reporting lawrence hurley alex dobuzinskis additional reporting dustin volz editing dunham jonathan oatis standards thomson reuters trust principles atlanta reuters atlantas top officials holed offices saturday worked restore critical systems knocked ninedayold cyber attack plunged southeastern us metropolis technological chaos forced city workers revert paper view atlantas city hall atlanta georgia us march 31 2018 reuterslaila kearney easter passover holiday weekend city officials labored preparation workweek come police public servants spent past week trying piece together digital work lives recreating audit spreadsheets conducting business mobile phones response one devastating ransomware virus attacks hit american city three city council staffers sharing single clunky personal laptop brought cyber extortionists attacked atlantas computer network virus scrambled data still prevents access critical systems extraordinarily frustrating said councilman howard shook whose office lost 16 years digital records one compromised city computer seen reuters showed multiple corrupted documents weapologize imsorry added file names ransomware attacks surged recent years cyber extortionists moved attacking individual computers large organizations including businesses healthcare organizations government agencies previous highprofile attacks shut factories prompted hospitals turn away patients forced local emergency dispatch systems move manual operations ransomware typically corrupts data steal city atlanta said believe private residents information hands hackers know sure city officials declined discuss extent damage beyond disclosed outages shut services municipal offices including courts water department nearly 6 million people live atlanta metropolitan area georgia city home 450000 people according latest data us census bureau city officials told reuters police files financial documents rendered inaccessible unknown hackers demanded 51000 worth bitcoin provide digital keys unlock scrambled files everything hard drive gone city auditor amanda noble said office housed atlanta city halls ornate tower city officials disclosed extent servers backing information pcs corrupted kind information think unrecoverable without paying ransom noble discovered disarray march 22 turned computer discover files could opened encrypted powerful computer virus known samsam renamed gibberish said wrong recalled city officials quickly entered office told shut computer warning rest building noble working personal laptop using smartphone search details current projects mentioned emails stored device computers compromised ten 18 machines auditing office affected noble said oldschool analog atlanta police returned taking written case notes lost access investigative databases department spokesman carlos campos told reuters declined discuss contents affected files data management teams working diligently restore normal operations functionalities systems hope back online near future said weekend added officers returning digital police reports meanwhile city employees complained left dark unsure safe turn computers dont know anything said one frustrated employee left lunch break friday feeble like city hall whose 1930 neogothic structure attached massive modern wing citys computer system combination old new160 view atlantas city hall atlanta georgia us march 31 2018 reuterslaila kearney one reasons municipalities vulnerable many different systems noble said160 city published results recent cybersecurity audit january started implementing recommendations ransomware virus hit audit called better recordkeeping hiring technology workers councilman shook said worried much recovery cost city supports funding cybersecurity overhaul counter future attacks staff temporarily sharing one aging laptop things slow said surreal experience shut like mayor keisha lance bottoms took office january declined say city paid ransom ahead march 28 deadline mentioned extortion note whose image released local television station shook chairs city councils finance subcommittee said know whether city negotiating hackers appears ransom paid date federal bureau investigation helping atlanta respond typically discourages ransomware victims paying fbi officials could immediately reached comment department homeland security spokesman confirmed agency helping atlanta respond attack declined comment hackers typically walk away ransoms paid said mark weatherford former senior dhs cyber official weatherford previously served californias chief information security officer said situation might resolved little pain city quickly made payment longer goes worse gets said could turn really bad never get data back reporting laila kearney additional reporting jim finkle editing daniel bases jonathan oatis standards thomson reuters trust principles moscow reuters russian authorities saturday arrested billionaire ziyavudin magomedov charges embezzling 35 million one highestprofile prosecutions russian tycoon years magomed magomedov business partner brother coowner russias summa group ziyavudin magomedov attends hearing detention tverskoy district court moscow russia march 31 2018 reuterstatyana makeyeva magomedov denied charges pretrial hearing judge ordered held custody may 30 one russias richest men 49yearold magomedov holds assets construction logistics sprawling summa group also investments us tech ventures including virgin one hyperloop project detained along business partner brother magomed magomedov artur maksidov head company summa group involved construction soccer world cup venue russian exclave kaliningrad businessmen also held custody may 30 court ruled hearing moscows tverskoy district court decide whether magomedov associates detained trial judge maria sizintseva said acted part organized crime group tried put pressure witnesses rejected offer magomedov put 35 million bail bond ordered detained citing arguments granting bail judge said magomedov access aircraft assets abroad day detained booked flight moscow miami judge said summa said planned appeal court decision ready cooperate investigation muscular state invited speak cage courtroom magomedov dressed darkblue jogging suit said categorically disagree charges presented prosecution case stand scrutiny slideshow 7 images said needed treatment united states medical problem offered put 35 million bail im willing pull together money one thoughts might go run magomedov said magomedov part group russian multimillionaires publicly loyal kremlin president vladimir putins inner circle members group say squeezed tough economy western sanctions russia powerful staterun companies muscling nearly sectors economy past cases magnates prosecuted russia business community said tycoons victims plot kremlin politically connected business rivals though authorities deny novorossiyskiy morskoy torgovyi port pao 7765 nmtpmm moscow interbank currency exchange 019 233 nmtpmm trnf_pmm feshmm people familiar russian judicial system say highprofile corruption cases rarely fabricated law applied selectively prosecutions influenced outside factors ziyavudin magomedov ranked 63rd last year forbes list richest business people russia 14 billion january listed us treasury department one 96 oligarchs close putin caspian venture capital fund investments ridehailing service uber uberul diamond foundry company produces manmade diamonds peek online leisure activities company magomedov also coexecutive chairman los angelesbased tech firm virgin hyperloop one chaired richard branson one several firms developing futuristic transport system involves propelling people high speed sealed tubes also coowns novorossiysk commercial sea port nmtpmm russian oil pipeline monopoly transneft trnf_pmm transportation group fesco feshmm additional reporting gleb stolyarov writing gabrielle tetraultfarber christian lowe editing larry king standards thomson reuters trust principles
| 1,573 |
<p>LONDON (AP) — Since the job was created 72 years ago, every manager of the England men’s football team has been white.</p>
<p>When a successor to Gareth Southgate is eventually required, at least one black or ethnic minority candidate is set to be interviewed.</p>
<p>Drawing inspiration from the NFL, the English Football Association announced on Tuesday it had adopted its version of the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview a diverse pool of candidates for coaching and management positions.</p>
<p>“It is the right thing to do but there is also a business case for it,” FA chief executive Martin Glenn said while overlooking the pitch at Wembley Stadium. “If your management team reflects more the people that you are serving then you’re going to make correct decisions.”</p>
<p>The FA’s Rooney Rule covers jobs across all 28 national teams organized under the England flag, including youth and disability squads for men and women. Currently, only one manager is black: Kevin Betsy, who runs the men’s under-15s.</p>
<p>The women’s team was led into the 2007 and 2011 World Cups by Hope Powell, who is black. The team currently requires a new coach.</p>
<p>The FA’s push to foster greater diversity follows a damaging row last year around the women’s team involving allegations of racism and sex discrimination by striker Eni Aluko, which led to a parliamentary hearing.</p>
<p>Former manager Mark Sampson was found to have racially discriminated against two of his players, while goalkeeping coach Lee Kendall left his role after addressing Aluko using a mock Caribbean accent.</p>
<p>“I think culturally what women will be prepared to put up with has been a bit different from guys,” Glenn said. “I guess banter would be a case in point.”</p>
<p>After becoming embroiled in a public row with Aluko, the FA has sought to heal the rifts by consulting the Chelsea player particularly about new whistleblowing procedures.</p>
<p>The FA hopes black and minority ethnic (BAME) players would feel more comfortable reporting grievances if the staff on England teams was more diverse.</p>
<p>“It’s all about improving performance by making the England players feel like the setup is more inclusive,” Glenn said.</p>
<p>At least one BAME candidate will be interviewed for all future jobs around the national teams if they have the right qualifications and experience.</p>
<p>“What we’re seeing now is more BAME players,” Glenn said, “and what we want to do is make sure that post their playing career there’s an opportunity for them to carry on contributing, and that they feel the FA is also for them.”</p>
<p>English football’s anti-discrimination group, Kick It Out, praised the FA for delivering a “watershed moment” it hopes will spur a wider push to promote BAME coaches. Chris Hughton at Brighton is the only black manager in the 20-team Premier League.</p>
<p>The Sports People’s Think Tank reported in November that 22 of 482 coaching roles across 92 clubs in the top four professional leagues in England were held by BAME coaches.</p>
<p>“We look forward to working with the FA and the other authorities to bring about the changes necessary to make the game inclusive for all,” Kick It Out chairman Herman Ouseley said.</p>
<p>The Rooney Rule was named after campaigning Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, who died last year.</p>
<p>“The Rooney Rule on its own isn’t enough,” Glenn said. “All the other programs about building the pipeline of talented young BAME coaches is also important at the same time.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Rob Harris is at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/RobHarris" type="external">www.twitter.com/RobHarris</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports" type="external">www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports</a></p>
<p>LONDON (AP) — Since the job was created 72 years ago, every manager of the England men’s football team has been white.</p>
<p>When a successor to Gareth Southgate is eventually required, at least one black or ethnic minority candidate is set to be interviewed.</p>
<p>Drawing inspiration from the NFL, the English Football Association announced on Tuesday it had adopted its version of the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview a diverse pool of candidates for coaching and management positions.</p>
<p>“It is the right thing to do but there is also a business case for it,” FA chief executive Martin Glenn said while overlooking the pitch at Wembley Stadium. “If your management team reflects more the people that you are serving then you’re going to make correct decisions.”</p>
<p>The FA’s Rooney Rule covers jobs across all 28 national teams organized under the England flag, including youth and disability squads for men and women. Currently, only one manager is black: Kevin Betsy, who runs the men’s under-15s.</p>
<p>The women’s team was led into the 2007 and 2011 World Cups by Hope Powell, who is black. The team currently requires a new coach.</p>
<p>The FA’s push to foster greater diversity follows a damaging row last year around the women’s team involving allegations of racism and sex discrimination by striker Eni Aluko, which led to a parliamentary hearing.</p>
<p>Former manager Mark Sampson was found to have racially discriminated against two of his players, while goalkeeping coach Lee Kendall left his role after addressing Aluko using a mock Caribbean accent.</p>
<p>“I think culturally what women will be prepared to put up with has been a bit different from guys,” Glenn said. “I guess banter would be a case in point.”</p>
<p>After becoming embroiled in a public row with Aluko, the FA has sought to heal the rifts by consulting the Chelsea player particularly about new whistleblowing procedures.</p>
<p>The FA hopes black and minority ethnic (BAME) players would feel more comfortable reporting grievances if the staff on England teams was more diverse.</p>
<p>“It’s all about improving performance by making the England players feel like the setup is more inclusive,” Glenn said.</p>
<p>At least one BAME candidate will be interviewed for all future jobs around the national teams if they have the right qualifications and experience.</p>
<p>“What we’re seeing now is more BAME players,” Glenn said, “and what we want to do is make sure that post their playing career there’s an opportunity for them to carry on contributing, and that they feel the FA is also for them.”</p>
<p>English football’s anti-discrimination group, Kick It Out, praised the FA for delivering a “watershed moment” it hopes will spur a wider push to promote BAME coaches. Chris Hughton at Brighton is the only black manager in the 20-team Premier League.</p>
<p>The Sports People’s Think Tank reported in November that 22 of 482 coaching roles across 92 clubs in the top four professional leagues in England were held by BAME coaches.</p>
<p>“We look forward to working with the FA and the other authorities to bring about the changes necessary to make the game inclusive for all,” Kick It Out chairman Herman Ouseley said.</p>
<p>The Rooney Rule was named after campaigning Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, who died last year.</p>
<p>“The Rooney Rule on its own isn’t enough,” Glenn said. “All the other programs about building the pipeline of talented young BAME coaches is also important at the same time.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Rob Harris is at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/RobHarris" type="external">www.twitter.com/RobHarris</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports" type="external">www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports</a></p>
| false | 2 |
london ap since job created 72 years ago every manager england mens football team white successor gareth southgate eventually required least one black ethnic minority candidate set interviewed drawing inspiration nfl english football association announced tuesday adopted version rooney rule requires teams interview diverse pool candidates coaching management positions right thing also business case fa chief executive martin glenn said overlooking pitch wembley stadium management team reflects people serving youre going make correct decisions fas rooney rule covers jobs across 28 national teams organized england flag including youth disability squads men women currently one manager black kevin betsy runs mens under15s womens team led 2007 2011 world cups hope powell black team currently requires new coach fas push foster greater diversity follows damaging row last year around womens team involving allegations racism sex discrimination striker eni aluko led parliamentary hearing former manager mark sampson found racially discriminated two players goalkeeping coach lee kendall left role addressing aluko using mock caribbean accent think culturally women prepared put bit different guys glenn said guess banter would case point becoming embroiled public row aluko fa sought heal rifts consulting chelsea player particularly new whistleblowing procedures fa hopes black minority ethnic bame players would feel comfortable reporting grievances staff england teams diverse improving performance making england players feel like setup inclusive glenn said least one bame candidate interviewed future jobs around national teams right qualifications experience seeing bame players glenn said want make sure post playing career theres opportunity carry contributing feel fa also english footballs antidiscrimination group kick praised fa delivering watershed moment hopes spur wider push promote bame coaches chris hughton brighton black manager 20team premier league sports peoples think tank reported november 22 482 coaching roles across 92 clubs top four professional leagues england held bame coaches look forward working fa authorities bring changes necessary make game inclusive kick chairman herman ouseley said rooney rule named campaigning pittsburgh steelers chairman dan rooney died last year rooney rule isnt enough glenn said programs building pipeline talented young bame coaches also important time ___ rob harris wwwtwittercomrobharris wwwfacebookcomrobharrisreports london ap since job created 72 years ago every manager england mens football team white successor gareth southgate eventually required least one black ethnic minority candidate set interviewed drawing inspiration nfl english football association announced tuesday adopted version rooney rule requires teams interview diverse pool candidates coaching management positions right thing also business case fa chief executive martin glenn said overlooking pitch wembley stadium management team reflects people serving youre going make correct decisions fas rooney rule covers jobs across 28 national teams organized england flag including youth disability squads men women currently one manager black kevin betsy runs mens under15s womens team led 2007 2011 world cups hope powell black team currently requires new coach fas push foster greater diversity follows damaging row last year around womens team involving allegations racism sex discrimination striker eni aluko led parliamentary hearing former manager mark sampson found racially discriminated two players goalkeeping coach lee kendall left role addressing aluko using mock caribbean accent think culturally women prepared put bit different guys glenn said guess banter would case point becoming embroiled public row aluko fa sought heal rifts consulting chelsea player particularly new whistleblowing procedures fa hopes black minority ethnic bame players would feel comfortable reporting grievances staff england teams diverse improving performance making england players feel like setup inclusive glenn said least one bame candidate interviewed future jobs around national teams right qualifications experience seeing bame players glenn said want make sure post playing career theres opportunity carry contributing feel fa also english footballs antidiscrimination group kick praised fa delivering watershed moment hopes spur wider push promote bame coaches chris hughton brighton black manager 20team premier league sports peoples think tank reported november 22 482 coaching roles across 92 clubs top four professional leagues england held bame coaches look forward working fa authorities bring changes necessary make game inclusive kick chairman herman ouseley said rooney rule named campaigning pittsburgh steelers chairman dan rooney died last year rooney rule isnt enough glenn said programs building pipeline talented young bame coaches also important time ___ rob harris wwwtwittercomrobharris wwwfacebookcomrobharrisreports
| 690 |
<p>BANGKOK (AP) — Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed they will try to complete the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled from violence in Myanmar within two years, Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.</p>
<p>The ministry said a joint working group from the two countries finalized an agreement on Monday on the physical arrangements for the repatriation of the ethnic Rohingya. It said they agreed that the process "would be completed preferably within two years from the commencement of repatriation."</p>
<p>Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an initial agreement in November to repatriate the Rohingya, and the 30-member working group was set up last month to oversee the process. Many have questions whether Rohingya would return to Myanmar under the current circumstances, and whether Myanmar would accept them and allow them to live freely.</p>
<p>Under the November agreement, Rohingya will need to provide evidence of their residency in Myanmar in order to return — something many say they do not have.</p>
<p>U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR was consulted but it's very important the agency is fully involved to guarantee the repatriation adheres to international standards.</p>
<p>It's essential the return of the Rohingyas is voluntary, takes place "in safety and dignity," and allows them to return to their homes which will require a huge investment for reconstruction because of the destruction, he said.</p>
<p>It will also require "a huge effort of reconciliation is needed to allow it to take place properly," Guterres said.</p>
<p>"The worst would be to move these people from camps in Bangladesh to camps in Myanmar, keeping an artificial situation for a long time and not allowing for them to regain their normal lives," said Guterres, who was previously the U.N. high commissioner for refugees for 10 years.</p>
<p>More than 650,000 ethnic Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August, when Myanmar's military launched a brutal crackdown in Rakhine state after a militant group attacked police posts. Myanmar's army described it as "clearance operations" against terrorists, but the United Nations and the U.S. have called it "ethnic cleansing."</p>
<p>Despite having lived in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar for generations, Rohingya Muslims have been denied citizenship, freedom of movement and access to basic social rights. They are generally called "Bengalis," a reference to the belief that they migrated illegally from Bangladesh.</p>
<p>Arif Hossein, a former teacher in a Myanmar government school who fled to the Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Bangladesh after violence erupted in August, said he would return if the international organizations working to protect the refugees are able to go along.</p>
<p>"And if we get a nationality identity card in Myanmar, then we are more than willing to go back. We really wish to go back to our land. They should return our land and also rebuild our homes," he said.</p>
<p>Myanmar officials said the length of the repatriation will depend on how quickly Bangladesh can provide documentation of refugees' previous residency and how fast applications are submitted.</p>
<p>"Even though we are talking about a two-year process, it totally depends on how the two countries cooperate," Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said. "Bangladesh authorities also need to proceed with the paperwork and documents for refugees and send it to us fast."</p>
<p>Since the November agreement, Myanmar's civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi has pledged to take measures to halt the outflow of Rohingya to Bangladesh and restore normalcy in the Rakhine region.</p>
<p>Myanmar officials plan to start the repatriation process next Tuesday. Zaw Htay said at least 500 Hindus and 500 Muslims will be in the first group to return.</p>
<p>State-run media in Myanmar reported Monday that a camp is being prepared that can accommodate about 30,000 people in 625 buildings, and that at least 100 buildings will be completed by the end of the month. It would be the first camp built in the repatriation process.</p>
<p>U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said the discussions between Myanmar and Bangladesh failed to include any understanding of what the Rohingya want.</p>
<p>"Where are considerations for protection of the Rohingya from Myanmar security forces who months ago were raping and killing them?" said Phil Robertson, deputy director of the group's Asia Division. "Why are basic issues like citizenship, freedom of movement, and livelihoods not discussed now so refugees can make informed choices?"</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report from the United Nations.</p>
<p>BANGKOK (AP) — Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed they will try to complete the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled from violence in Myanmar within two years, Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.</p>
<p>The ministry said a joint working group from the two countries finalized an agreement on Monday on the physical arrangements for the repatriation of the ethnic Rohingya. It said they agreed that the process "would be completed preferably within two years from the commencement of repatriation."</p>
<p>Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an initial agreement in November to repatriate the Rohingya, and the 30-member working group was set up last month to oversee the process. Many have questions whether Rohingya would return to Myanmar under the current circumstances, and whether Myanmar would accept them and allow them to live freely.</p>
<p>Under the November agreement, Rohingya will need to provide evidence of their residency in Myanmar in order to return — something many say they do not have.</p>
<p>U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR was consulted but it's very important the agency is fully involved to guarantee the repatriation adheres to international standards.</p>
<p>It's essential the return of the Rohingyas is voluntary, takes place "in safety and dignity," and allows them to return to their homes which will require a huge investment for reconstruction because of the destruction, he said.</p>
<p>It will also require "a huge effort of reconciliation is needed to allow it to take place properly," Guterres said.</p>
<p>"The worst would be to move these people from camps in Bangladesh to camps in Myanmar, keeping an artificial situation for a long time and not allowing for them to regain their normal lives," said Guterres, who was previously the U.N. high commissioner for refugees for 10 years.</p>
<p>More than 650,000 ethnic Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August, when Myanmar's military launched a brutal crackdown in Rakhine state after a militant group attacked police posts. Myanmar's army described it as "clearance operations" against terrorists, but the United Nations and the U.S. have called it "ethnic cleansing."</p>
<p>Despite having lived in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar for generations, Rohingya Muslims have been denied citizenship, freedom of movement and access to basic social rights. They are generally called "Bengalis," a reference to the belief that they migrated illegally from Bangladesh.</p>
<p>Arif Hossein, a former teacher in a Myanmar government school who fled to the Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Bangladesh after violence erupted in August, said he would return if the international organizations working to protect the refugees are able to go along.</p>
<p>"And if we get a nationality identity card in Myanmar, then we are more than willing to go back. We really wish to go back to our land. They should return our land and also rebuild our homes," he said.</p>
<p>Myanmar officials said the length of the repatriation will depend on how quickly Bangladesh can provide documentation of refugees' previous residency and how fast applications are submitted.</p>
<p>"Even though we are talking about a two-year process, it totally depends on how the two countries cooperate," Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said. "Bangladesh authorities also need to proceed with the paperwork and documents for refugees and send it to us fast."</p>
<p>Since the November agreement, Myanmar's civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi has pledged to take measures to halt the outflow of Rohingya to Bangladesh and restore normalcy in the Rakhine region.</p>
<p>Myanmar officials plan to start the repatriation process next Tuesday. Zaw Htay said at least 500 Hindus and 500 Muslims will be in the first group to return.</p>
<p>State-run media in Myanmar reported Monday that a camp is being prepared that can accommodate about 30,000 people in 625 buildings, and that at least 100 buildings will be completed by the end of the month. It would be the first camp built in the repatriation process.</p>
<p>U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said the discussions between Myanmar and Bangladesh failed to include any understanding of what the Rohingya want.</p>
<p>"Where are considerations for protection of the Rohingya from Myanmar security forces who months ago were raping and killing them?" said Phil Robertson, deputy director of the group's Asia Division. "Why are basic issues like citizenship, freedom of movement, and livelihoods not discussed now so refugees can make informed choices?"</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report from the United Nations.</p>
| false | 2 |
bangkok ap bangladesh myanmar agreed try complete repatriation hundreds thousands rohingya muslim refugees fled violence myanmar within two years bangladeshs foreign ministry said tuesday ministry said joint working group two countries finalized agreement monday physical arrangements repatriation ethnic rohingya said agreed process would completed preferably within two years commencement repatriation myanmar bangladesh signed initial agreement november repatriate rohingya 30member working group set last month oversee process many questions whether rohingya would return myanmar current circumstances whether myanmar would accept allow live freely november agreement rohingya need provide evidence residency myanmar order return something many say un secretarygeneral antonio guterres said un refugee agency unhcr consulted important agency fully involved guarantee repatriation adheres international standards essential return rohingyas voluntary takes place safety dignity allows return homes require huge investment reconstruction destruction said also require huge effort reconciliation needed allow take place properly guterres said worst would move people camps bangladesh camps myanmar keeping artificial situation long time allowing regain normal lives said guterres previously un high commissioner refugees 10 years 650000 ethnic rohingya fled bangladesh since august myanmars military launched brutal crackdown rakhine state militant group attacked police posts myanmars army described clearance operations terrorists united nations us called ethnic cleansing despite lived predominantly buddhist myanmar generations rohingya muslims denied citizenship freedom movement access basic social rights generally called bengalis reference belief migrated illegally bangladesh arif hossein former teacher myanmar government school fled kutupalong refugee camp bangladesh violence erupted august said would return international organizations working protect refugees able go along get nationality identity card myanmar willing go back really wish go back land return land also rebuild homes said myanmar officials said length repatriation depend quickly bangladesh provide documentation refugees previous residency fast applications submitted even though talking twoyear process totally depends two countries cooperate myanmar government spokesman zaw htay said bangladesh authorities also need proceed paperwork documents refugees send us fast since november agreement myanmars civilian government led aung san suu kyi pledged take measures halt outflow rohingya bangladesh restore normalcy rakhine region myanmar officials plan start repatriation process next tuesday zaw htay said least 500 hindus 500 muslims first group return staterun media myanmar reported monday camp prepared accommodate 30000 people 625 buildings least 100 buildings completed end month would first camp built repatriation process usbased human rights watch said discussions myanmar bangladesh failed include understanding rohingya want considerations protection rohingya myanmar security forces months ago raping killing said phil robertson deputy director groups asia division basic issues like citizenship freedom movement livelihoods discussed refugees make informed choices ___ edith lederer contributed report united nations bangkok ap bangladesh myanmar agreed try complete repatriation hundreds thousands rohingya muslim refugees fled violence myanmar within two years bangladeshs foreign ministry said tuesday ministry said joint working group two countries finalized agreement monday physical arrangements repatriation ethnic rohingya said agreed process would completed preferably within two years commencement repatriation myanmar bangladesh signed initial agreement november repatriate rohingya 30member working group set last month oversee process many questions whether rohingya would return myanmar current circumstances whether myanmar would accept allow live freely november agreement rohingya need provide evidence residency myanmar order return something many say un secretarygeneral antonio guterres said un refugee agency unhcr consulted important agency fully involved guarantee repatriation adheres international standards essential return rohingyas voluntary takes place safety dignity allows return homes require huge investment reconstruction destruction said also require huge effort reconciliation needed allow take place properly guterres said worst would move people camps bangladesh camps myanmar keeping artificial situation long time allowing regain normal lives said guterres previously un high commissioner refugees 10 years 650000 ethnic rohingya fled bangladesh since august myanmars military launched brutal crackdown rakhine state militant group attacked police posts myanmars army described clearance operations terrorists united nations us called ethnic cleansing despite lived predominantly buddhist myanmar generations rohingya muslims denied citizenship freedom movement access basic social rights generally called bengalis reference belief migrated illegally bangladesh arif hossein former teacher myanmar government school fled kutupalong refugee camp bangladesh violence erupted august said would return international organizations working protect refugees able go along get nationality identity card myanmar willing go back really wish go back land return land also rebuild homes said myanmar officials said length repatriation depend quickly bangladesh provide documentation refugees previous residency fast applications submitted even though talking twoyear process totally depends two countries cooperate myanmar government spokesman zaw htay said bangladesh authorities also need proceed paperwork documents refugees send us fast since november agreement myanmars civilian government led aung san suu kyi pledged take measures halt outflow rohingya bangladesh restore normalcy rakhine region myanmar officials plan start repatriation process next tuesday zaw htay said least 500 hindus 500 muslims first group return staterun media myanmar reported monday camp prepared accommodate 30000 people 625 buildings least 100 buildings completed end month would first camp built repatriation process usbased human rights watch said discussions myanmar bangladesh failed include understanding rohingya want considerations protection rohingya myanmar security forces months ago raping killing said phil robertson deputy director groups asia division basic issues like citizenship freedom movement livelihoods discussed refugees make informed choices ___ edith lederer contributed report united nations
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<p>DANCE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>“Moses(es),” a performance by Reggie Wilson/Fist &amp; Heel Performance Group about the migration of people and cultures out of Africa and the leaders and followers who made the journeys. 7 tonight and Saturday at N4th Theater at the North Fourth Art Center, 4904 Fourth NW, $15 general admission, $10 students and seniors. Tickets, visit vsartsnm.org. Information and reservations, call 344-4542.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“Real Men Dance,” the annual University of New Mexico dance alumni concert with proceeds benefiting UNM dance scholarships. Features works by male choreographers in a variety of styles including flamenco and modern. 7:30 tonight and Saturday in the Elizabeth Waters Center for Dance located in the Carlisle Gymnasium on the UNM campus, $15 general admission, $5 students. Tickets, call 925-5858 or visit unmtickets.com.</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Antonio Granjero &amp; Entreflamenco, performing a new full-length production with fresh choreography, costumes and set designs. Featuring musical works, interpretive solos, group pieces and duets of authentic flamenco performance. 8 tonight, Saturday, Wednesday and Thursday, repeats through Oct. 12, in The Maria Benitez Cabaret at The Lodge, 750 N. St. Francis Drive, $25. Tickets, call 505-988-1234 or visit ticketssantafe.org.</p>
<p>FESTIVAL</p>
<p>rio rancho</p>
<p>Harvest Festival, featuring contests, giant hay sculptures, pedal-cart racing, a full maze, farm animals, live music, food and a live demonstration of an aquaponic system and plans for a self-sustainable farm and ranch. Begins at 9 a.m. today. Daily operating hours from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. every day through Oct. 31 in the upper parking lot of the Santa Ana Star Center, 3001 Civic Center Circle NE, free. Information, visit pumpkinharvest.org.</p>
<p>NIGHTLIFE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Barley Room 5200 Eubank NE, Suite B-5 In the End 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Ben Michael’s in Old Town 2404 Pueblo Bonito NW Cisco, Asher and Stu Trio 7 p.m. Free</p>
<p>The Blackbird Buvette 509 W. Central Low Life Happy Hour w DJ Caterwaul 6 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Sloan Armitage, Seahorn and Bellamah 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Burt’s Tiki Lounge 313 Gold SW The Lymbs, Mr. and Ms. Jones and Thieves and Gypsys 8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Caravan East 7605 E. Central Country – Double Shot $5</p>
<p>Casa Esencia 800 Rio Grande NW DJ Sez and DJ Devin $20</p>
<p>Cosmo Tapas 4200 E. Central Jazz Brasileiro 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Dirty Bourbon Dance Hall &amp; Saloon 9800 Montgomery NE John Corbett $15</p>
<p>The Downs Racetrack &amp; Casino 145 Louisiana NE DJ G 6-9 p.m. Free Equal Cut 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Free</p>
<p>Dragonhorn Tavern 2906 Juan Tabo NE The Memphis P. Tails 8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>El Patron Restaurant &amp; Cantina 10551 Montgomery NE Freddie Chavez &amp; Sal Garcia 6-9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Imbibe 3101 E. Central Downstairs: DJ Malik 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Rooftop: DJ Quira 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Isleta Resort &amp; Casino 11000 Broadway SE Triple Sevens Saloon: Bulls and Babes 9:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Launchpad 618 W. Central Vader, Vital Remains, Sacrificial Slaughter and others 8 p.m. $20</p>
<p>Low Spirits 2823 Second NW Jade Masque and Wagogo 9 p.m. $6</p>
<p>Malarky’s 25 Hotel Circle NE The Electric Edric Project 9:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Marble Brewery 111 Marble NW Double Plow with The Dregz 8-11 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Marcello’s Chophouse 2201 Q St. NE Karl Richardson Duo 6:30-9:30 Free</p>
<p>Nativo Lodge 6000 Pan American Freeway NE</p>
<p>Nativo Underground Call for times Free</p>
<p>Ned’s Bar &amp; Grill 2509 San Mateo NE Amy Faithe 6 p.m. Free Duke City Saints 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Q Bar 800 Rio Grande NW DJ Huggie 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Rancher’s Club 1901 University NE Lori Michaels 8-11 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Scalo Il Bar 3500 E. Central Chris Dracup Duo 8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown 2600 Louisiana NE SWAG Duo 6-9 p.m.</p>
<p>Sunset Grille &amp; Bar 6825 Lomas NE Los Bohemios 9 p.m. $4 men, free for women</p>
<p>Yanni’s Opa Bar 3109 E. Central Shane Wallin 7:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>bernalillo</p>
<p>The Range Cafe 925 Camino del Pueblo Jasper 7:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>madrid</p>
<p>Mineshaft Tavern 2846 N.M. 14 Open Mic Night with Glenn Neff 7-11 p.m. Free</p>
<p>sandia park</p>
<p>Lazy Lizard Grill 12480 N.M. 14 Odd Dog 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>santa ana pueblo</p>
<p>Prairie Star Wine Bar &amp; Outdoor Patio 288 Prairie Star Road Frankly Scarlet 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Santa Ana Star Casino 54 Jemez Canyon Road Lounge 54: Donohoe &amp; Grimes Project 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>The Stage: DJ Andy Gil and DJ Kique $5 women, $10 men</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Cowgirl 319 S. Guadalupe St. Happy Hour with Elyse Miller 5-7:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Drastic Andrew 8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>Adobe Bar at Taos Inn 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Sarah Peacock 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>tijeras</p>
<p>Molly’s Bar 546 N.M. 333 Don Allen 1:30-5 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Bad Katz 5:30 p.m.-close Free</p>
<p>THEATER</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>“The Boxcar (El Vagon),” a group of men set out in search of a better life for themselves and their families across the border. An extraordinary story of courage, passion, love of family and hope. A performance by Teatro Nuevo Mexico. 7:30 tonight and Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth SW, $14-$19. Tickets, call 724-4771 or visit nhccnm.org.</p>
<p>“Curse of the Starving Class,” follow an eccentric American family in their struggles to retain home ownership and their connections with each other. 7:30 tonight and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, repeats through Oct. 20, $18 general admission, $12 students, pay-what-you-will show on Sunday, Sept. 29. Tickets, call 247-8600 or visit vortexabq.org.</p>
<p>Duke City Improv Festival 7, this year’s one-weekend line-up includes 12 teams from around the country that will make you laugh. Featuring ZARZAMORA, Ranger Danger &amp; the Danger Ranger, Pinque Pony, The Show and The Chicken Bowl Improv Competition. 7-11 p.m. at The Box Performance Space and Improv Theatre, 100 Gold SW, $10 show, $60 for full festival pass. Tickets, visit theboxabq.com.</p>
<p>“Fighting for a Cause,” a performance by guest instructor Robert Madrid and the Working Classroom Ensemble Theater Company of an original piece chock full of punches, slaps, choking and hair pulling as good guys and gals fight against evil to justice and freedom. 6-7 tonight and Saturday at Working Classroom, 423 Atlantic SW, $5. Reservations, call 242-9267 or email <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p>Foul Play Cafe, interactive murder mystery dinner theater tonight and Saturday at the Sheraton Uptown Hotel, 2600 Louisiana NE. Doors open at 7 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m. $55 adults, $32 kids under age 10. Reservations, call 377-9593 or visit foulplaycafe.com.</p>
<p>“Gaslight,” a troubled relationship between a debonair husband and his unstable wife takes a strange turn with the arrival of a mysterious stranger. 8 tonight, Saturday, Thursday and Oct. 4-5; 2 p.m. Sunday and Oct. 6 at The Cell Theatre, 700 First NW, $20 general admission, $12 senior, student and military, $10 Oct. 3 show. Tickets, call 797-7081 or visit dukecityrep.com.</p>
<p>“The Illusion,” an adaptation of L’Illusion Comique by Pierre Corneille that follows a contrite father seeking news of his prodigal son from the sorcerer Alcandre. 8 p.m. today and Thursday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at MTS Center for Theatre, 6320 Domingo NE, Ste. B, $24 general admission, $18 seniors and students, $15 Thursday shows. Pay what you wish show at 2 p.m. Sunday. Reservations, call 243-0596 or email <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a> or visit motherroad.org.</p>
<p>“Is He Dead?,” a farce written in 1898 by Mark Twain, who takes a swing at the international art scene. Twain creates a financially strapped painter who fakes his own death after realizing his worth will not be appreciated until after his death. 8 tonight and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, repeats through Oct. 6, at the Adobe Theater, 9813 Fourth NW, $15 general admission, $13 seniors and students. Reservations, call 898-9222 or visit adobetheater.org.</p>
<p>“Private Parties,” a “Thelma and Louise” meets “Weekend at Bernie’s” story that surrounds a classic car and their dead boyfriends. 8 tonight and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday at Desert Rose Playhouse, 6921 Montgomery NE, $10 and $12. Call 881-0503.</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>“Two Sisters and a Piano,” about two sisters, one who is a writer and the other a musician, who have been released from jail and are on house arrest for “decadent and subversive bourgeois art.” The time is 1991, when the Pan American Games are taking place in Cuba and Soviet troops are leaving the island as the Soviet Union crumbles. 7:30 tonight and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday at Teatro Paraguas, 3205 Calle Marie, $15 general admission, $12 seniors and students on Fridays and Saturdays; pay-what-you-wish Sundays. Reservations and information, call 505-424-1601 or visit teatroparaguas.org.</p>
<p>“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” the FUSION Theatre Company presents Christopher Durang’s Tony Award winner for Best Play at 8 tonight and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday at The Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco, $20-$40 general admission, $10 students. Tickets, call 505-988-1234 or visit ticketssantafe.org.</p>
<p>ARTS &amp; CRAFTS</p>
<p>corrales</p>
<p>Mercado Antiguo, about 20 Spanish Market artists will showcase and sell their traditional Colonial Spanish artworks. Also, various demonstrations including chile ristra stringing, spinning and corn shelling. A children’s activity table also will be part of the event. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Old San Ysidro Church, 966 Old Church Road, free entry. Information, corralesharvestfestival.com.</p>
<p>los lunas</p>
<p>Tomé Garden Party and Tour, featuring a reception for Tomé Gallery’s garden container show. In celebration of the show, the Valencia Community Center will hold tours of its garden with demonstrations of potato towers, worm factories and composting. KD Farms will feature a pumpkin patch, Tomé Berry Farm will offer berry picking and Camino Real Winery will be pressing its grapes. Event from 11 a.m-4 p.m. Tour maps available at each site including the Tomé Art Gallery, 2930 N.M. 47. Information, call 505-565-0556.</p>
<p>coffeehouses</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Trumpeter Tom Gershwin with Guitarist Perry Smith, this acoustic duo blends the sounds of guitar and trumpet with lyrical improvisation on swing, folk and Tin Pan Alley songs. Seating begins at 6:30. Show at 7 p.m. Located in the lower level at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church, 4601 Juan Tabo NE. All ages, free. Information, call 293-9673, ext. 105 or visit ssumc.com.</p>
<p>CONCERTS</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Billy Cobham’s Spectrum 40, jazz fusion pioneer, drummer and bandleader Billy Cobham’s complex style of playing and creative expression continue to exert a strong influence on jazz and jazz fusion. 7 p.m. at KiMo Theatre, 423 W. Central, $40-$50. Tickets, visit holdmyticket.com. Information, call 255-9798 or visit nmjazz.org.</p>
<p>“Gospel Time,” a breakfast buffet in celebration of the Young at Heart Choir’s new CD release that will be available for purchase. 9-11 a.m. at the Young at Heart Center, 10600 Menaul NE, $10 adults, $5 children. Call 858-3009.</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>“Bach Joy!,” a performance by the Taos Chamber Music Group of Bach’s Violin Sonata #2 in A major, Fantasia in C minor for harpsichord, Flute Sonata #1 in B minor and other pieces. 5 p.m. today and Sunday at Harwood Museum of Art, 238 Ledoux St., $20 general admission, $16 Harwood Alliance members; $12 children younger than age 16. Tickets and information, taoschambermusicgroup.org.</p>
<p>DANCE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>“Moses(es),” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Real Men Dance,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Antonio Granjero &amp; Entreflamenco, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>FESTIVAL</p>
<p>rio rancho</p>
<p>Harvest Festival, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>NIGHTLIFE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Barley Room</p>
<p>5200 Eubank NE, Suite B-5 It Happens 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>The Blackbird Buvette 509 W. Central Funny Humans Stand-up Comedy 7-9 p.m. Free The Goldsteins 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Burt’s Tiki Lounge 313 Gold SW Bones Muhroni, The Strange, Terrible Buttons and Paul Huntone 8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Caravan East 7605 E. Central Country/Spanish – Double Shot and Dave Maestas Band $7</p>
<p>Casa de Benavidez 8032 Fourth NW Romantic guitar – Hector Pimentel 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Cool Water Fusion Restaurant 2010 Wyoming NE Willy J 6-8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Cooperage 7220 Lomas NE Salsa – Café Mocha 9:30 p.m. $7</p>
<p>The Downs Racetrack &amp; Casino 145 Louisiana NE DJ G 6-9 p.m. Free Equal Cut 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Free</p>
<p>El Patron Restaurant &amp; Cantina 10551 Montgomery NE Freddie Chavez &amp; Sal Garcia 6-9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Imbibe 3101 E. Central DJ Quira 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th NW Pueblo Harvest: Stratus Phear 6-9:30 p.m. $7</p>
<p>Isleta Resort &amp; Casino 11000 Broadway SE Triple Sevens Saloon: Westwind 9:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Launchpad 618 W. Central SuperGiant, Stabbed In Back, The Cool Arrows and others 9:30 p.m. $5</p>
<p>Low Spirits 2823 Second NW The Saltine Ramblers, Pa Coal &amp; The Clinkers and Next Three Miles 9 p.m. $6</p>
<p>Marble Brewery 111 Marble NW The Porter Draw 7-10 p.m.</p>
<p>Marcello’s Chophouse 2201 Q St. NE Tony Rodriguez Duo 6:30-9:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Ned’s Bar &amp; Grill 2509 San Mateo NE Flashback 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Q Bar 800 Rio Grande NW DJ Sez 9 p.m. $10</p>
<p>Rancher’s Club 1901 University NE Lindy Gold 7 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Sister 407 W. Central Little People &amp; Filastine 9 p.m. $15</p>
<p>Sunset Grille &amp; Bar 6825 Lomas NE Los Bohemios 9 p.m. $4</p>
<p>Yanni’s Opa Bar 3109 E. Central Last Call 7:30- 10:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>bernalillo</p>
<p>The Range Cafe 925 Camino del Pueblo ClayStone 7:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>madrid</p>
<p>Mineshaft Tavern 2846 N.M. 14 Hot Honey 3-7p.m. Free Todd &amp; The Fox 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Engine House Theater: Steampunk Spectacular 7 p.m. $20</p>
<p>santa ana pueblo</p>
<p>Santa Ana Star Casino 54 Jemez Canyon Road Lounge 54: Donohoe &amp; Grimes Project 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>The Stage: The James Douglas Show 9 p.m. $5 women, $10 men</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Cowgirl 319 S. Guadalupe St. The Santa Fe Chiles Dixie Jazz Band 2-5 p.m. Free The Sean Healen Band 8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>Adobe Bar at Taos Inn 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Tara Somerville 4-6 p.m. Rosie and the Ramblers 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>tijeras</p>
<p>Molly’s Bar 546 N.M. 333 CRB Band 1:30-5 p.m. Free Weldon Good Band 5:30 p.m.-close Free</p>
<p>THEATER</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>“The Boxcar (El Vagon),” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Curse of the Starving Class,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“DeliKateSSen,” a staged reading of a play written and directed by Richard Atkins, set in New York City in 1972, about an often volatile relationship between two Jewish brothers who are orphans of the Holocaust and own a delicatessen. The conflict begins when a new and larger German delicatessen opens across the street. 1 p.m. at The Vortex Theatre, 2004½ E. Central, free. Call 247-8600 or visit vortexabq.org.</p>
<p>Duke City Improv Festival 7, this year’s line-up includes 12 teams from around the country that will make you laugh. Featuring Unicorn Warpath, Greasy Lake, Sarah and Tega, The Show and Comedy?. 7-11 p.m. at The Box Performance Space and Improv Theatre, 100 Gold SW, $10 show, $60 for full festival pass. Tickets, visit theboxabq.com.</p>
<p>“Fighting for a Cause,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>Foul Play Cafe, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Gaslight,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“The Illusion,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Is He Dead?,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Love, Loss and What I Wore,” by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron based on the book by Ilene Beckerman, searches women’s closets for their memories and the threads of meaning that tie them all together. The show explores toe cleavage, weight and status purses, as well as a woman who finds herself in a paper dress on the wrong day of the month. 2 p.m. at Aux Dog Theatre, 3011 Monte Vista NE, $15. Tickets, visit auxdog.com. Information, call 254-7716 or email <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
<p>“Private Parties,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>belen</p>
<p>“Belen Train Days,” a performance by The Mansion Players of Valencia County in conjunction with Rio Abajo Days. 11 a.m. at the Belen Library, 333 Becker St., free. Information, call 565-2154 or visit mansionplayers.webs.com.</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Two Sisters and a Piano, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>ARTS &amp; CRAFTS</p>
<p>corrales</p>
<p>Mercado Antiguo, see Saturday’s listing.</p>
<p>COFFEEHOUSES</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Java Joe’s: Frank McCulloch Y Sus Amigos, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at 906 Park SW, free. Call 765-1514 or visit frankmccullochamigos.com or downtownjavajoes.com.</p>
<p>concerts</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Albuquerque Youth Symphony Concert, a performance of works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and Dvorak. 3 p.m. at Popejoy Hall in the Center for the Arts on the University of New Mexico campus, $10. Tickets, call 925-5858 or 877-664-8661. Information, visit aysmusic.org.</p>
<p>Sunday Chatter – Brazilian Music from the Early 20th Century, pianist Fred Sturm curates a program exploring Brazilian classical music from the turn of the century, and composers influenced by Brazilian classical and popular music genres. Compositions by Ernesto Nazareth, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and Darius Milhaud. Poetry by Myrlin Hepworth and Logan Phillips. 10:30 a.m. at Kosmos Performance Space at the Factory on Fifth, 1715 Fifth NW. $15 regular, $9 those under age 30, $5 kids under 12. Visit chatterchamber.org.</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>“Heartbeat: Music of the Native Southwest,” featuring more than 100 objects relating to Southwestern Native music and dance as well as demonstrations and hands-on activities. Performances by the Tewa Women’s Choir of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, Sihasin and Haaku’ Buffalo Group of Acoma Pueblo. 1-4 p.m. at the Museum of Indian Arts &amp; Culture, 710 Camino Lejo, free for New Mexico residents, free with paid museum admission for non-residents. Information, call 505-476-1250 or visit indianartsandculture.org.</p>
<p>“Mozart, Shostakovich &amp; Beethoven,” a performance by The Santa Fe Symphony of Mozart’s Overture to “Don Giovanni,” Shostakovich’s intoxicating Violin Concerto No. 1 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica.” 4 p.m. at The Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco, $20-$70. Tickets, call 505-983-1414 or visit lensic.org.</p>
<p>edgewood</p>
<p>Music and Art for the Soul, pianist Hue-Mei Lin and cellist Peter Seidenberg from New York will play works by Igor Stravinsky, Antonin Dvorak, Arvo Part, Johannes Brahms and others. Art reception at 2:30 p.m. Concert from 3-4 p.m. at Holy Cross Episcopal Church, N.M. 344 and Hill Ranch Road. Free, donations appreciated.</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>“Bach Joy!,” see Saturday’s listing.</p>
<p>DANCE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Festival Ballet Albuquerque, presents an informal studio showing of excerpts from “Serenade” and “The Firebird Ballet” with a special discussion with New York City Ballet soloist Zippora Karz. 5 p.m. at 4200 Wyoming NE, free. Reservations recommended. Call 296-9465 or visit festivalballetabq.org.</p>
<p>FESTIVAL</p>
<p>rio rancho</p>
<p>Harvest Festival, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>NIGHTLIFE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>The Blackbird Buvette 509 W. Central Brunch with A Band Named Sue noon Free Damien spins Throwback &amp; Mash-ups 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Casa de Benavidez 8032 Fourth NW Romantic guitar – Hector Pimentel 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Imbibe 3101 E. Central Rooftop BBQ with DJ Quira 2 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Launchpad 618 W. Central The Independents, Those Goddamn Jerkoffs and Deadmary 8 p.m. $7</p>
<p>Marble Brewery 111 Marble NW Project PeacePal Fundraiser with Mudwave, Bright Night Lights and others 3-8 p.m.</p>
<p>O’Niell’s Pub – Nob Hill 4310 E. Central Geeks Who Drink 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Zacatecas Tequila + Tacos 3423 E. Central Jazz Brasileiro 12:30-3 p.m. Free</p>
<p>los ranchos</p>
<p>Vernon’s Hidden Valley Steakhouse 6855 Fourth NW Piano – Bob Tate 6-9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>madrid</p>
<p>Mineshaft Tavern 2846 N.M. 14 Gene Corbin 3-7 p.m. Free</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Cowgirl 319 S. Guadalupe St. Cowgirl brunch with Zenobia noon-3 p.m. Free</p>
<p>The Warren Hood Band 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>Adobe Bar at Taos Inn 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Christof Brownell 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>THEATER</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>“Curse of the Starving Class,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Gaslight,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“The Illusion,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Is He Dead?,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“Private Parties,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>“Two Sisters and a Piano,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>FESTIVAL</p>
<p>rio rancho</p>
<p>Harvest Festival, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>NIGHTLIFE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>The Blackbird Buvette 509 W. Central</p>
<p>Blackbird Karaoke 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Marcello’s Chophouse 2201 Q St. NE Open Piano Night 6:30-9:30 Free</p>
<p>O’Niell’s Pub- Heights 3301 Juan Tabo Geeks Who Drink 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>los ranchos</p>
<p>Vernon’s Hidden Valley Steakhouse 6855 Fourth NW Piano – Bob Tate 6-9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Cowgirl 319 S. Guadalupe St. Cowgirl Karaoke 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>Adobe Bar at Taos Inn 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Open Mic 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>tijeras</p>
<p>Molly’s Bar 546 N.M. 333 The Rough &amp; Tumbles, Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler 5:30 p.m.-close Free</p>
<p>concerts</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Albuquerque Youth Symphony Concert, a performance of Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, the overture to Von Suppé’s opera “Boccaccio,” two of Dvorák’s Slavonic Dances and other works. 7 p.m. at Albuquerque High School Performing Arts Center, 800 Odelia NE, $5. Information, call 875-1319 or visit aysmusic.org.</p>
<p>FESTIVAL</p>
<p>rio rancho</p>
<p>Harvest Festival, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>nightlife</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>The Blackbird Buvette 509 W. Central Geeks Who Drink 6 p.m. Free Groove the Dig with Old School John 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Caravan East 7605 E. Central Country – Samuel D. Band Ladies Night Free</p>
<p>Imbibe 3101 E. Central College Night with DJ Automatic 9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Sister 407 W. Central Orange Goblin 9 p.m. $10</p>
<p>Sunshine Theater</p>
<p>120 W. Central</p>
<p>Jimmy Eat World and Matt Pond 8 p.m. $27.50</p>
<p>los ranchos</p>
<p>Vernon’s Hidden Valley Steakhouse 6855 Fourth NW Piano – Bob Tate 6-9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Cowgirl 319 S. Guadalupe St. Sarah Peacock 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>Adobe Bar at Taos Inn 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Meg Mackey 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>tijeras</p>
<p>Molly’s Bar 546 N.M. 333 Acoustic Open Mic with Steve Kinabrew 5:30 p.m.-close Free</p>
<p>coffeehouses</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Lifetree Cafe, a spiritual conversation cafe. All are welcome. Short videos vary weekly. Free coffee. Noon today and Thursday at 5200 Eubank NE in the Promenade Shopping Center. Call 450-8502 or visit lifetreecafe.com.</p>
<p>dANCE</p>
<p>alto/ruidoso</p>
<p>“Gypsy Romance: A Hungarian Rhapsody,” featuring a team of 30 dancers and two bands, the Gipsy Orchestra and the Folk Orchestra. The orchestras perform the folk music of Hungary on traditional instruments. 8 p.m. at the Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts, 108 Spencer Road. Tickets $56 and $59. Pre-performance complimentary Bratwurst &amp; Beer party in the Crystal Lobby at 6 p.m. Call 888-818-7872 or visit spencertheater.com.</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Antonio Granjero &amp; Entreflamenco, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>FESTIVAL</p>
<p>rio rancho</p>
<p>Harvest Festival, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>NIGHTLIFE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>The Blackbird Buvette 509 W. Central Poetry ‘n’ Beer 7 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Beats &amp; Verses Underground Hip Hop 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Burt’s Tiki Lounge 313 Gold SW DJ Ohm and Diamond Tip 8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>The Downs Racetrack &amp; Casino 145 Louisiana NE Black Turquoise 6-9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>El Patron Restaurant &amp; Cantina 10551 Montgomery NE Donohoe &amp; Grimes Project 6:30-9:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Launchpad 618 W. Central End To End, Left To Rot, Echoes of Fallen and others 6 p.m. Call</p>
<p>Low Spirits 2823 Second NW Kristin Bartlit, Folked Up, Sean Healen and others 9 p.m. $5</p>
<p>Nick &amp; Jimmy’s 5021 Pan American Freeway NE Freddy Chavez 5:30-8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>O’Niell’s Pub – Nob Hill 4310 E. Central Geeks Who Drink 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Rancher’s Club 1901 University NE Lindy Gold 6:30-9:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Scalo Il Bar 3500 E. Central Cali Shaw Acoustic Showcase 8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Sunshine Theater 120 W. Central Anberlin, The Maine and others 8 p.m. $20</p>
<p>Sunset Grille &amp; Bar 6825 Lomas NE Karaoke 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Free</p>
<p>los ranchos</p>
<p>Vernon’s Hidden Valley Steakhouse 6855 Fourth NW Piano – Bob Tate 6-9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Cowgirl 319 S. Guadalupe St. Brian Johannesen 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>Adobe Bar at Taos Inn 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Chipper and Kim 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>tijeras</p>
<p>Molly’s Bar 546 N.M. 333 The Western Hers with Dawn Tarpley 5:30 p.m.-close Free</p>
<p>coffeehouses</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Lifetree Cafe, see Wednesday’s listing.</p>
<p>concerts</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>Boom Tic Boom, New York City-based drummer Allison Miller brings her individual sound to diverse types of music while preserving their stylistic authenticity. Boom Tic Boom is a collaborative project that expounds on compositions written primarily by Miller and pianist Myra Melford. Also performing with Miller and Melford are bassist Todd Sickafoose and cornetist Kirk Knuffkem. 7:30 p.m. at Outpost Performance Space, 210 Yale SE, $20 general admission, $15 Outpost members and students. Tickets, call 268-0044.</p>
<p>dANCE</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Antonio Granjero &amp; Entreflamenco, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>FESTIVAL</p>
<p>rio rancho</p>
<p>Harvest Festival, see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>NIGHTLIFE</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>The Blackbird Buvette 509 W. Central The Fabulous Martini Tones 7 p.m. Free</p>
<p>KGB Club 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Blackwater Music 109 Fourth NW Poor Me, My Heart The Hero, Countdown To Overkill and Lights On For Safety 7 p.m. $15</p>
<p>Burt’s Tiki Lounge 313 Gold SW Nightstar 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Casa de Benavidez 8032 Fourth NW Romantic guitar – Hector Pimentel 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>The Downs Racetrack &amp; Casino 145 Louisiana NE Bo Brown 6-9 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Imbibe 3101 E. Central First Thursday Comedy with Matt Peterson and others 7:30 p.m. Free DJ Malik 10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Launchpad 618 W. Central Banish The Omen, Walls Within, Illumina and others 9:30 p.m. $5</p>
<p>Rancher’s Club 1901 University NE Lindy Gold 6:30-9:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Scalo Il Bar 3500 E. Central Dusty Low 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>Sunset Grille &amp; Bar 6825 Lomas NE Karaoke 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Free</p>
<p>bernalillo</p>
<p>The Range Cafe</p>
<p>925 Camino del Pueblo</p>
<p>Open Mic hosted by DeRangers 7:30 p.m. Free</p>
<p>santa ana pueblo</p>
<p>Santa Ana Star Casino 54 Jemez Canyon Road The Stage: Comedians BT, Ryan Thaubum and Curt Fletcher Doors at 6:30 p.m. $5</p>
<p>santa fe</p>
<p>Cowgirl 319 S. Guadalupe St. Jill Cohen 8 p.m. Free</p>
<p>taos</p>
<p>Adobe Bar at Taos Inn 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Brent Berry 7-10 p.m. Free</p>
<p>tijeras</p>
<p>Molly’s Bar 546 N.M. 333 COAST 5:30 p.m.-close Free</p>
<p>THEATER</p>
<p>albuquerque</p>
<p>“Gaslight,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>“The Illusion,” see Friday’s listing.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
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better life families across border extraordinary story courage passion love family hope performance teatro nuevo mexico 730 tonight saturday 2 pm saturday national hispanic cultural center 1701 fourth sw 1419 tickets call 7244771 visit nhccnmorg curse starving class follow eccentric american family struggles retain home ownership connections 730 tonight saturday 2 pm sunday repeats oct 20 18 general admission 12 students paywhatyouwill show sunday sept 29 tickets call 2478600 visit vortexabqorg duke city improv festival 7 years oneweekend lineup includes 12 teams around country make laugh featuring zarzamora ranger danger amp danger ranger pinque pony show chicken bowl improv competition 711 pm box performance space improv theatre 100 gold sw 10 show 60 full festival pass tickets visit theboxabqcom fighting cause performance guest instructor robert madrid working classroom ensemble theater company original piece chock full punches slaps choking hair pulling good guys gals fight evil justice freedom 67 tonight saturday working classroom 423 atlantic sw 5 reservations call 2429267 email paolaswcpcom foul play cafe interactive murder mystery dinner theater tonight saturday sheraton uptown hotel 2600 louisiana ne doors open 7 pm show 730 pm 55 adults 32 kids age 10 reservations call 3779593 visit foulplaycafecom gaslight troubled relationship debonair husband unstable wife takes strange turn arrival mysterious stranger 8 tonight saturday thursday oct 45 2 pm sunday oct 6 cell theatre 700 first nw 20 general admission 12 senior student military 10 oct 3 show tickets call 7977081 visit dukecityrepcom illusion adaptation lillusion comique pierre corneille follows contrite father seeking news prodigal son sorcerer alcandre 8 pm today thursday 6 pm saturday 2 pm sunday mts center theatre 6320 domingo ne ste b 24 general admission 18 seniors students 15 thursday shows pay wish show 2 pm sunday reservations call 2430596 email reservationsmotherroadorg visit motherroadorg dead farce written 1898 mark twain takes swing international art scene twain creates financially strapped painter fakes death realizing worth appreciated death 8 tonight saturday 2 pm sunday repeats oct 6 adobe theater 9813 fourth nw 15 general admission 13 seniors students reservations call 8989222 visit adobetheaterorg private parties thelma louise meets weekend bernies story surrounds classic car dead boyfriends 8 tonight saturday 2 pm sunday desert rose playhouse 6921 montgomery ne 10 12 call 8810503 santa fe two sisters piano two sisters one writer musician released jail house arrest decadent subversive bourgeois art time 1991 pan american games taking place cuba soviet troops leaving island soviet union crumbles 730 tonight saturday 2 pm sunday teatro paraguas 3205 calle marie 15 general admission 12 seniors students fridays saturdays paywhatyouwish sundays reservations information call 5054241601 visit teatroparaguasorg vanya sonia masha spike fusion theatre company presents christopher durangs tony award winner best play 8 tonight 2 pm 8 pm saturday lensic performing arts center 211 w san francisco 2040 general admission 10 students tickets call 5059881234 visit ticketssantafeorg arts amp crafts corrales mercado antiguo 20 spanish market artists showcase sell traditional colonial spanish artworks also various demonstrations including chile ristra stringing spinning corn shelling childrens activity table also part event 9 am5 pm saturday sunday old san ysidro church 966 old church road free entry information corralesharvestfestivalcom los lunas tomé garden party tour featuring reception tomé gallerys garden container show celebration show valencia community center hold tours garden demonstrations potato towers worm factories composting kd farms feature pumpkin patch tomé berry farm offer berry picking camino real winery pressing grapes event 11 am4 pm tour maps available site including tomé art gallery 2930 nm 47 information call 5055650556 coffeehouses albuquerque trumpeter tom gershwin guitarist perry smith acoustic duo blends sounds guitar trumpet lyrical improvisation swing folk tin pan alley songs seating begins 630 show 7 pm located lower level st stephens united methodist church 4601 juan tabo ne ages free information call 2939673 ext 105 visit ssumccom concerts albuquerque billy cobhams spectrum 40 jazz fusion pioneer drummer bandleader billy cobhams complex style playing creative expression continue exert strong influence jazz jazz fusion 7 pm kimo theatre 423 w central 4050 tickets visit holdmyticketcom information call 2559798 visit nmjazzorg gospel time breakfast buffet celebration young heart choirs new cd release available purchase 911 young heart center 10600 menaul ne 10 adults 5 children call 8583009 taos bach joy performance taos chamber music group bachs violin sonata 2 major fantasia c minor harpsichord flute sonata 1 b minor pieces 5 pm today sunday harwood museum art 238 ledoux st 20 general admission 16 harwood alliance members 12 children younger age 16 tickets information taoschambermusicgrouporg dance albuquerque moseses see fridays listing real men dance see fridays listing santa fe antonio granjero amp entreflamenco see fridays listing festival rio rancho harvest festival see fridays listing nightlife albuquerque barley room 5200 eubank ne suite b5 happens 8 pm free blackbird buvette 509 w central funny humans standup comedy 79 pm free goldsteins 10 pm free burts tiki lounge 313 gold sw bones muhroni strange terrible buttons paul huntone 830 pm free caravan east 7605 e central countryspanish double shot dave maestas band 7 casa de benavidez 8032 fourth nw romantic guitar hector pimentel 530830 pm free cool water fusion restaurant 2010 wyoming ne willy j 68 pm free cooperage 7220 lomas ne salsa café mocha 930 pm 7 downs racetrack amp casino 145 louisiana ne dj g 69 pm free equal cut 9 pm1 free el patron restaurant amp cantina 10551 montgomery ne freddie chavez amp sal garcia 69 pm free 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20 santa ana pueblo santa ana star casino 54 jemez canyon road lounge 54 donohoe amp grimes project 9 pm free stage james douglas show 9 pm 5 women 10 men santa fe cowgirl 319 guadalupe st santa fe chiles dixie jazz band 25 pm free sean healen band 830 pm free taos adobe bar taos inn 125 paseo del pueblo norte tara somerville 46 pm rosie ramblers 710 pm free tijeras mollys bar 546 nm 333 crb band 1305 pm free weldon good band 530 pmclose free theater albuquerque boxcar el vagon see fridays listing curse starving class see fridays listing delikatessen staged reading play written directed richard atkins set new york city 1972 often volatile relationship two jewish brothers orphans holocaust delicatessen conflict begins new larger german delicatessen opens across street 1 pm vortex theatre 2004½ e central free call 2478600 visit vortexabqorg duke city improv festival 7 years lineup includes 12 teams around country make laugh featuring unicorn warpath greasy lake sarah tega show comedy 711 pm box performance space improv theatre 100 gold sw 10 show 60 full festival pass tickets visit theboxabqcom fighting cause see fridays listing foul play cafe see fridays listing gaslight see fridays listing illusion see fridays listing dead see fridays listing love loss wore nora ephron delia ephron based book ilene beckerman searches womens closets memories threads meaning tie together show explores toe cleavage weight status purses well woman finds paper dress wrong day month 2 pm aux dog theatre 3011 monte vista ne 15 tickets visit auxdogcom information call 2547716 email infoauxdogcom private parties see fridays listing belen belen train days performance mansion players valencia county conjunction rio abajo days 11 belen library 333 becker st free information call 5652154 visit mansionplayerswebscom santa fe two sisters piano see fridays listing vanya sonia masha spike see fridays listing arts amp crafts corrales mercado antiguo see saturdays listing coffeehouses albuquerque java 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acoma pueblo 14 pm museum indian arts amp culture 710 camino lejo free new mexico residents free paid museum admission nonresidents information call 5054761250 visit indianartsandcultureorg mozart shostakovich amp beethoven performance santa fe symphony mozarts overture giovanni shostakovichs intoxicating violin concerto 1 beethovens symphony 3 eroica 4 pm lensic performing arts center 211 w san francisco 2070 tickets call 5059831414 visit lensicorg edgewood music art soul pianist huemei lin cellist peter seidenberg new york play works igor stravinsky antonin dvorak arvo part johannes brahms others art reception 230 pm concert 34 pm holy cross episcopal church nm 344 hill ranch road free donations appreciated taos bach joy see saturdays listing dance albuquerque festival ballet albuquerque presents informal studio showing excerpts serenade firebird ballet special discussion new york city ballet soloist zippora karz 5 pm 4200 wyoming ne free reservations recommended call 2969465 visit 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class see fridays listing gaslight see fridays listing illusion see fridays listing dead see fridays listing private parties see fridays listing santa fe two sisters piano see fridays listing festival rio rancho harvest festival see fridays listing nightlife albuquerque blackbird buvette 509 w central blackbird karaoke 9 pm free marcellos chophouse 2201 q st ne open piano night 630930 free oniells pub heights 3301 juan tabo geeks drink 9 pm free los ranchos vernons hidden valley steakhouse 6855 fourth nw piano bob tate 69 pm free santa fe cowgirl 319 guadalupe st cowgirl karaoke 9 pm free taos adobe bar taos inn 125 paseo del pueblo norte open mic 710 pm free tijeras mollys bar 546 nm 333 rough amp tumbles mallory graham scott tyler 530 pmclose free concerts albuquerque albuquerque youth symphony concert performance mendelssohns wedding march overture von suppés opera boccaccio two dvoráks slavonic dances works 7 pm albuquerque high school performing arts center 800 odelia ne 5 information call 8751319 visit aysmusicorg festival rio rancho harvest festival see fridays listing nightlife albuquerque blackbird buvette 509 w central geeks drink 6 pm free groove dig old school john 10 pm free caravan east 7605 e central country samuel band ladies night free imbibe 3101 e central college night dj automatic 9 pm free sister 407 w central orange goblin 9 pm 10 sunshine theater 120 w central jimmy eat world matt pond 8 pm 2750 los ranchos vernons hidden valley steakhouse 6855 fourth nw piano bob tate 69 pm free santa fe cowgirl 319 guadalupe st sarah peacock 8 pm free taos adobe bar taos inn 125 paseo del pueblo norte meg mackey 710 pm free tijeras mollys bar 546 nm 333 acoustic open mic steve kinabrew 530 pmclose free coffeehouses albuquerque lifetree cafe spiritual conversation cafe welcome short videos vary weekly free coffee noon today thursday 5200 eubank ne promenade shopping center call 4508502 visit lifetreecafecom dance altoruidoso gypsy romance hungarian rhapsody featuring team 30 dancers two bands gipsy orchestra folk orchestra orchestras perform folk music hungary traditional instruments 8 pm spencer theater performing arts 108 spencer road tickets 56 59 preperformance complimentary bratwurst amp beer party crystal lobby 6 pm call 8888187872 visit spencertheatercom santa fe antonio granjero amp entreflamenco see fridays listing festival rio rancho harvest festival see fridays listing nightlife albuquerque blackbird buvette 509 w central poetry n beer 7 pm free beats amp verses underground hip hop 10 pm free burts tiki lounge 313 gold sw dj ohm diamond tip 830 pm free downs racetrack amp casino 145 louisiana ne black turquoise 69 pm free el patron restaurant amp cantina 10551 montgomery ne donohoe amp grimes project 630930 pm free launchpad 618 w central end end left rot echoes fallen others 6 pm call low spirits 2823 second nw kristin bartlit folked sean healen others 9 pm 5 nick amp jimmys 5021 pan american freeway ne freddy chavez 5308 pm free oniells pub nob hill 4310 e central geeks drink 8 pm free ranchers club 1901 university ne lindy gold 630930 pm free scalo il bar 3500 e central cali shaw acoustic showcase 830 pm free sunshine theater 120 w central anberlin maine others 8 pm 20 sunset grille amp bar 6825 lomas ne karaoke 8 pm1 free los ranchos vernons hidden valley steakhouse 6855 fourth nw piano bob tate 69 pm free santa fe cowgirl 319 guadalupe st brian johannesen 8 pm free taos adobe bar taos inn 125 paseo del pueblo norte chipper kim 710 pm free tijeras mollys bar 546 nm 333 western dawn tarpley 530 pmclose free coffeehouses albuquerque lifetree cafe see wednesdays listing concerts albuquerque boom tic boom new york citybased drummer allison miller brings individual sound diverse types music preserving stylistic authenticity boom tic boom collaborative project expounds compositions written primarily miller pianist myra melford also performing miller melford bassist todd sickafoose cornetist kirk knuffkem 730 pm outpost performance space 210 yale se 20 general admission 15 outpost members students tickets call 2680044 dance santa fe antonio granjero amp entreflamenco see fridays listing festival rio rancho harvest festival see fridays listing nightlife albuquerque blackbird buvette 509 w central fabulous martini tones 7 pm free kgb club 10 pm free blackwater music 109 fourth nw poor heart hero countdown overkill lights safety 7 pm 15 burts tiki lounge 313 gold sw nightstar 8 pm free casa de benavidez 8032 fourth nw romantic guitar hector pimentel 530830 pm free downs racetrack amp casino 145 louisiana ne bo brown 69 pm free imbibe 3101 e central first thursday comedy matt peterson others 730 pm free dj malik 10 pm free launchpad 618 w central banish omen walls within illumina others 930 pm 5 ranchers club 1901 university ne lindy gold 630930 pm free scalo il bar 3500 e central dusty low 8 pm free sunset grille amp bar 6825 lomas ne karaoke 8 pm1 free bernalillo range cafe 925 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<p>JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence began a visit to Israel on Sunday after being praised as a “great friend” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shunned by the Palestinians over U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.</p> U.S. Vice President Mike Pence waves upon their arrival at Ben Gurion international Airport in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel January 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
<p>It is the highest-level U.S. visit to the region since President Donald Trump made his declaration on Dec. 6 and promised to begin the process of moving the American embassy to the city, whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</p>
<p>With the Palestinians boycotting Pence, the visit provides little obvious opportunity to build bridges toward peace.</p>
<p>But it gave Pence, a conservative Christian, and Netanyahu, a right-winger who has hailed U.S. evangelicals for their support of Israel, an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the visit and their own warm relationship for a community that serves as a power base for Trump and his vice president.</p>
<p>Before arriving in Israel, Pence held meetings with the leaders of Egypt and Jordan and U.S. officials traveling with him said that he had sought to encourage them to pressure the Palestinians to return to peace talks.</p>
<p>Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, calling Trump’s declaration a “slap in the face’, has rejected Washington as an honest broker in any future talks with Israel. Abbas left for an overseas visit before Pence arrived.</p> U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen arrive at Ben Gurion international Airport in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel January 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
<p>Pence, who flew into Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion Airport from Jordan on a U.S. military plane after visiting U.S. troops on the Syrian border, was met by Israel’s tourism minister, Yariv Levin. Pence, who traveled to the Middle East despite a U.S. government shutdown, made no statement on arrival in Israel.</p>
<p>Netanyahu, addressing his cabinet earlier on Sunday, described Pence as a “great friend of the State of Israel” and said they would discuss U.S. efforts “to halt Iran’s aggression, the Iranian nuclear program, and ways to advance peace and security in the region.”</p>
<p>“Anyone who truly wants to fulfill those goals knows there is no substitute to the United States’ leadership,” said Netanyahu, who is due to hold talks with Pence on Monday.</p>
<p>Trump’s shift on Jerusalem overturned decades of U.S. policy that its status should be decided in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. His declaration drew universal condemnation from Arab leaders and widespread criticism elsewhere.</p>
<p>Israel’s government regards Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the country, although that is not recognized internationally. Palestinians feel equally strongly, saying that East Jerusalem must be the capital of a future Palestinian state.</p>
<p>In comments delivered in Egypt, his first stop on the Middle East visit, Pence said Washington would support a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians if the two sides agreed to it.</p> “CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES”
<p>Visiting Jordan on Sunday before flying to Israel, Pence told its monarch, King Abdullah, that Washington was committed to preserving the status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem, a city sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians.</p> Slideshow (2 Images)
<p>Pointing to “challenging circumstances”, the king said he hoped Washington would “reach out and find the right way to move forward”. Pence told reporters he “agreed to disagree” with King Abdullah on the impact of Trump’s move.</p>
<p>U.S.-sponsored peace talks collapsed in 2014 and Trump has pledged to pursue a “deal of the century” between Israel and the Palestinians, who are seeking a state in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital.</p>
<p>Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s special envoy to the peace process, remained in Israel for Pence’s visit after arriving on Wednesday.</p>
<p>After meeting Netanyahu, Pence will address the Israeli parliament, whose Arab members said they would boycott the event. On the second day of his two-day visit on Tuesday, he will attend Judaism’s Western Wall in Jerusalem and will lay a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance center in the city.</p>
<p>Pence is thought to have pushed hard for both Jerusalem’s recognition as Israel’s capital and relocation of the U.S. embassy to the city. It is a decision that was popular with many conservative and evangelical Christians who voted for Trump and Pence.</p>
<p>As Pence arrived, a small group of Palestinian protesters outside Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, burned a poster of the vice president which also bore the words: “Pence go home.”</p>
<p>Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Stephen Farrell, William Maclean and Adrian Croft</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia on Monday approved a law against “fake news” that would allow for prison of up to six years for offenders, shrugging off critics who say it was aimed at curbing dissent and free speech ahead of a general election.</p> Commuters walk past an advertisement discouraging the dissemination of fake news at a train station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 28, 2018. Picture taken March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer
<p>Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government secured a simple majority in parliament to pass the Anti-Fake News 2018 bill, which sets out fines of up to 500,000 ringgit ($123,000) and a maximum six years in jail. The first draft of the bill had proposed jail of up to 10 years.</p>
<p>The government said the law would not impinge on freedom of speech and cases under it would be handled through an independent court process.</p>
<p>“This law aims to protect the public from the spread of fake news, while allowing freedom of speech as provided for under the constitution,” Law Minister Azalina Othman Said told parliament.</p>
<p>The law defines fake news as “news, information, data and reports which is or are wholly or partly false” and includes features, visuals and audio recordings.</p>
<p>It covers digital publications and social media and will apply to offenders who maliciously spread “fake news” inside and outside Malaysia, including foreigners, if Malaysia or a Malaysian citizen were affected.</p>
<p>Co-opted by U.S. President Donald Trump, the term “fake news” has quickly become part of the standard repertoire of leaders in authoritarian countries to describe media reports and organizations critical of them.</p>
<p>The U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, had earlier on Monday urged the government not to rush the legislation through parliament.</p>
<p>“I urge the government to reconsider the bill and open it up to regular and genuine public scrutiny before taking any further steps,” David Kaye said in a Twitter post.</p> Commuters walk past an advertisement discouraging the dissemination of fake news at a train station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 28, 2018. Picture taken March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer OTHERS CONSIDER LAWS
<p>Other countries in Southeast Asia, including Singapore and the Philippines, are considering how to tackle “fake news” but human rights activists fear that laws against it could be used to stifle free speech.</p>
<p>Malaysia is among the first few countries to introduce a law against it. Germany approved a plan last year to fine social media networks if they fail to remove hateful postings.</p>
<p>Malaysia already has an arsenal of laws, including a colonial-era Sedition Act, that have been used to clamp down on unfavorable news and social media posts.</p>
<p>News reports and social media posts on a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) have hounded Prime Minister Najib, who faces arguably his toughest contest in a general election this year that could be called in days.</p>
<p>Najib has denied any wrongdoing in connection with losses at the fund.</p>
<p>A deputy minister was quoted in media last month as saying any news on 1MDB not verified by the government was “fake”.</p>
<p>Lim Kit Siang, a senior opposition lawmaker with the Democratic Action Party, described the bill as a “Save Najib from 1MDB Scandal Bill” which would criminalize news on the affair.</p>
<p>Reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Writing by Praveen Menon; Editing by Robert Birsel</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he was suspending a new agreement with the U.N. refugee agency to relocate thousands of African migrants, as right-wing pressure mounted on him to scrap the deal.</p> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem April 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
<p>Hours after announcing the new arrangement, which would also give thousands of other migrants the right to stay in Israel, Netanyahu posted a message on his Facebook page saying he was putting its implementation on hold until further review.</p>
<p>The fate of some 37,000 Africans in Israel has posed a moral dilemma for a state founded as a haven for Jews from persecution and a national home. The right-wing government has been under pressure from its nationalist voter base to expel the migrants.</p>
<p>According to the agreement, about 16,250 of about 37,000 African migrants, most of them from Eritrea and Sudan, would be relocated to Western nations while others would be allowed to stay in Israel.</p>
<p>At a news conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu praised the new agreement reached with the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR). But in the hours that followed the announcement he faced growing calls on social and mainstream media to abolish the deal.</p>
<p>Some Israelis accused him of caving to left-wing pressure and betraying the residents of south Tel Aviv, a poor part of the city which has attracted the largest migrant community, changing its ethnic makeup and enraging some of its inhabitants who want the migrants out.</p>
<p>“I am attentive to you, especially to the residents of south Tel Aviv,” Netanyahu said on Facebook, adding that he planned to meet with local representatives on Tuesday.</p>
<p>“In the meantime I am suspending the agreement’s implementation and after I meet with the representatives I will bring it forward for further review,” Netanyahu said.</p> FILE PHOTO: Pepole take part in a protest against the Israeli government's plan to deport African migrants, in Tel Aviv, Israel March 24, 2018. REUTERS/Corinna Kern/File Photo
<p>Implementing the signed agreement was expected to take five years and Netanyahu’s backtrack was largely seen in Israel as an attempt to appease his voter base and keep its support at a time of political uncertainty.</p>
<p>The four-term prime minister faces one of the greatest challenges to his career yet - he is under police investigation in three different corruption cases. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.</p>
<p>Naftali Bennett, leader of the Israeli far-right party Jewish Home, a key member of Netanyahu’s coalition government and a competitor for Israel’s right-wing votes, said on Twitter the agreement would encourage more people to enter the country illegally and called on Netanyahu to overturn it.</p>
<p>His calls were soon echoed by members of Netanyahu’s own Likud party.</p> PRESSURE
<p>The UNHCR in a statement confirmed an agreement was signed with Israel but did not name the countries that would accept the migrants.</p>
<p>It said it would “facilitate the departure to third countries to be determined of some 16,000 Eritreans and Sudanese under various programs, including sponsorship, resettlement, family reunion and labor migration schemes, while others will be receiving a suitable legal status in Israel.”</p>
<p>Netanyahu named Germany, Italy and Canada as examples of countries that would accept the migrants, though German and Italian officials said they had no knowledge of any such agreement.</p>
<p>Canada has an arrangement with Israeli authorities to suspend the deportation of individuals who have private sponsorship applications with Canada until they are processed, said Hursh Jaswal, spokesman for Canada’s immigration minister.</p>
<p>There were 1,845 applications being processed at the end of last year, Jaswal said.</p> FILE PHOTO: African migrants wait in line for the opening of the Population and Immigration Authority office in Bnei Brak, Israel February 4, 2018. Picture taken February 4, 2018. REUTERS/Nir Elias/File Photo
<p>A previous plan already underway for a mass deportation of some 20,000 migrants to Rwanda had led to legal challenges in Israel, drew criticism abroad and triggered an emotional public debate among Israelis.</p>
<p>In February, Israeli authorities started handing out notices to male African migrants giving them two months to leave for a third country in Africa or risk being put in jail indefinitely.</p>
<p>At immigration hearings, migrants were told they could choose to go to Rwanda or Uganda. Both countries have denied having any deal in place with Israel.</p>
<p>The U.N.’s refugee agency had urged Israel to reconsider its deportation plan, saying migrants who have relocated to sub-Saharan Africa in the past few years were unsafe and ended up on the perilous migrant trail to Europe, some suffering abuse, torture and even dying on the way.</p>
<p>Rights groups had challenged the deportation in Israel’s High Court, which on March 15 issued a temporary order that froze its implementation.</p>
<p>Netanyahu said on Facebook that Rwanda had in the past few weeks folded to immense pressure and backed out of the deal it had made with Israel to accept expelled migrants, prompting him to seek the new arrangement with the UNHCR.</p>
<p>Since 2005 a total of 64,000 Africans had entered Israel illegally over its border with Egypt, although thousands have since left. A fence Israel has built over the past few years along the frontier has largely stemmed the flow.</p>
<p>Additional reporting by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem, Philip Pullella in Rome and Joseph Nasr in Berlin; Editing by Hugh Lawson and James Dalgleish</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, were among the hundreds in Pyongyang on Sunday watching South Korean K-pop singers perform in the North for the first time in more than a decade as tensions between the old rivals thaw.</p>
<p>It was the first time a North Korean leader had attended a South Korean performance in the North’s capital. Kim was seen clapping in time to the music and later took photographs with the performers.</p>
<p>“Our dear leader comrade said his heart swelled and he was moved by the sight of his people deepen their understanding of South Korean popular culture and cheer with sincerity,” the North’s KCNA state media said.</p>
<p>The audience cheered and sang along to songs during the two-hour concert and the South Korean performers were later presented with bouquets.</p>
<p>“(Kim Jong Un) showed much interest during the show and asked questions about the songs and lyrics,” Culture Minister Do Jong-whan told reporters after the show.</p>
<p>Tension over North Korea’s tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile surged last year and raised fears of U.S. military action in response to North Korea’s threat to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States.</p>
<p>But tension has eased significantly since North Korea decided to send athletes to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. The neighbours are technically still at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire, not a truce.</p>
<p>The performance coincided with the beginning of annual joint South Korean-U.S. military drills, which have previously been met with denunciations and missile launches by the North. The exercises were delayed and shortened this year in order not to spoil the Olympic detente.</p>
<p>The two Koreas have set a date for their first summit in more than a decade on April 27, and Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump could meet in May.</p>
<p>The concert, billed as “Spring is Coming”, was put on a the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre by an lineup of top South Korean performers including veteran vocalists Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee, rock star Yoon Do-hyun and singer Baek Ji-young, as well as K-pop girl band Red Velvet.</p>
<p>Echoing the concert theme, Kim said the performance had brought a “spring of peace” to the two Koreas, and expressed wishes for a “prosperous autumn”, according to the North’s news agency.</p>
<p>The North Korean leader appeared in a group photograph with the performers, distributed by North Korean media. He was also seen talking to members of Red Velvet, who have more than 4.6 million followers on Instagram.</p>
<p>The South Korean delegation travelled to Pyongyang on Saturday in a reciprocal cultural visit after North Korea sent performers to the South in February, the South’s Culture Ministry said.</p>
<p>A taekwondo performance was staged earlier on Sunday.</p> BANNED MEDIA
<p>The images of Kim posing and laughing with South Korean pop stars and applauding in the stands contrasts with reports from North Korean defectors who say he has overseen a crackdown on anyone caught listening to foreign media.</p> North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets South Korean K-pop singers in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang April 2, 2018. KCNA/via Reuters
<p>“North Korean refugees overwhelmingly and consistently report that it has become more dangerous to consume foreign media under Kim Jong Un’s crackdowns,” Sokeel Park, the South Korea country director for refugee aid organisation Liberty in North Korea, said on Twitter.</p>
<p>A 2015 survey of North Korean refugees by the U.S. government’s Broadcasting Board of Governors found that 77 percent of respondents said it had become more dangerous to listen to foreign radio under Kim.</p>
<p>South Korean movies were often reported to be especially taboo compared with Chinese films, according to a report by the InterMedia consultancy group, with North Koreans facing prison time if caught.</p>
<p>Seohyun, an actress and vocalist with South Korean girl group Girls’ Generation, sang a North Korean pop song called “Blue Willow Tree”. She had performed with the North’s Samjiyon Orchestra in Seoul in February.</p>
<p>Cho Yong-pil, 68, sang a string of hits including “The Cafe in the Winter”, “Short Hair” and “Let’s Go on a Trip”. Cho staged a solo concert in Pyongyang in 2005 - the last concert by a South Korean artist in the North before Sunday’s performance.</p>
<p>The same South Korean singers will hold another concert with North Korean performers on Tuesday.</p> Slideshow (6 Images)
<p>Meanwhile, Kim Yong Chol, North Korea’s former intelligence chief who now handles inter-Korean affairs, met South Korean journalists on Monday to apologise for the fact they were unable to cover the concert after being invited to the country do so.</p>
<p>Kim “asked pardon” from the “valued guests”.</p>
<p>“Having invited South Korean journalists to the North, we have a duty to ensure that you can gather news freely and film comfortably”, Kim was quoted as saying.</p>
<p>Kim said the journalists’ inability to cover the concert stemmed from a breakdown in cooperation between Kim Jong Un’s security detail and concert organisers.</p>
<p>Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Christine Kim; Additional reporting by Josh Smith and Joyce Lee; Editing by Louise Heavens, Peter Cooney and Paul Tait</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
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jerusalem reuters us vice president mike pence began visit israel sunday praised great friend prime minister benjamin netanyahu shunned palestinians us recognition jerusalem israels capital us vice president mike pence waves upon arrival ben gurion international airport lod near tel aviv israel january 21 2018 reutersammar awad highestlevel us visit region since president donald trump made declaration dec 6 promised begin process moving american embassy city whose status heart israelipalestinian conflict palestinians boycotting pence visit provides little obvious opportunity build bridges toward peace gave pence conservative christian netanyahu rightwinger hailed us evangelicals support israel opportunity shine spotlight visit warm relationship community serves power base trump vice president arriving israel pence held meetings leaders egypt jordan us officials traveling said sought encourage pressure palestinians return peace talks palestinian president mahmoud abbas calling trumps declaration slap face rejected washington honest broker future talks israel abbas left overseas visit pence arrived us vice president mike pence wife karen arrive ben gurion international airport lod near tel aviv israel january 21 2018 reutersammar awad pence flew tel avivs bengurion airport jordan us military plane visiting us troops syrian border met israels tourism minister yariv levin pence traveled middle east despite us government shutdown made statement arrival israel netanyahu addressing cabinet earlier sunday described pence great friend state israel said would discuss us efforts halt irans aggression iranian nuclear program ways advance peace security region anyone truly wants fulfill goals knows substitute united states leadership said netanyahu due hold talks pence monday trumps shift jerusalem overturned decades us policy status decided israelipalestinian negotiations declaration drew universal condemnation arab leaders widespread criticism elsewhere israels government regards jerusalem eternal indivisible capital country although recognized internationally palestinians feel equally strongly saying east jerusalem must capital future palestinian state comments delivered egypt first stop middle east visit pence said washington would support twostate solution israelis palestinians two sides agreed challenging circumstances visiting jordan sunday flying israel pence told monarch king abdullah washington committed preserving status quo holy sites jerusalem city sacred jews muslims christians slideshow 2 images pointing challenging circumstances king said hoped washington would reach find right way move forward pence told reporters agreed disagree king abdullah impact trumps move ussponsored peace talks collapsed 2014 trump pledged pursue deal century israel palestinians seeking state occupied west bank gaza strip east jerusalem capital jason greenblatt trumps special envoy peace process remained israel pences visit arriving wednesday meeting netanyahu pence address israeli parliament whose arab members said would boycott event second day twoday visit tuesday attend judaisms western wall jerusalem lay wreath yad vashem holocaust remembrance center city pence thought pushed hard jerusalems recognition israels capital relocation us embassy city decision popular many conservative evangelical christians voted trump pence pence arrived small group palestinian protesters outside bethlehems church nativity traditional birthplace jesus christ burned poster vice president also bore words pence go home writing jeffrey heller editing stephen farrell william maclean adrian croft standards thomson reuters trust principles kuala lumpur reuters malaysia monday approved law fake news would allow prison six years offenders shrugging critics say aimed curbing dissent free speech ahead general election commuters walk past advertisement discouraging dissemination fake news train station kuala lumpur malaysia march 28 2018 picture taken march 28 2018 reutersstringer prime minister najib razaks government secured simple majority parliament pass antifake news 2018 bill sets fines 500000 ringgit 123000 maximum six years jail first draft bill proposed jail 10 years government said law would impinge freedom speech cases would handled independent court process law aims protect public spread fake news allowing freedom speech provided constitution law minister azalina othman said told parliament law defines fake news news information data reports wholly partly false includes features visuals audio recordings covers digital publications social media apply offenders maliciously spread fake news inside outside malaysia including foreigners malaysia malaysian citizen affected coopted us president donald trump term fake news quickly become part standard repertoire leaders authoritarian countries describe media reports organizations critical un special rapporteur freedom opinion expression david kaye earlier monday urged government rush legislation parliament urge government reconsider bill open regular genuine public scrutiny taking steps david kaye said twitter post commuters walk past advertisement discouraging dissemination fake news train station kuala lumpur malaysia march 28 2018 picture taken march 28 2018 reutersstringer others consider laws countries southeast asia including singapore philippines considering tackle fake news human rights activists fear laws could used stifle free speech malaysia among first countries introduce law germany approved plan last year fine social media networks fail remove hateful postings malaysia already arsenal laws including colonialera sedition act used clamp unfavorable news social media posts news reports social media posts multibillion dollar scandal state fund 1malaysia development berhad 1mdb hounded prime minister najib faces arguably toughest contest general election year could called days najib denied wrongdoing connection losses fund deputy minister quoted media last month saying news 1mdb verified government fake lim kit siang senior opposition lawmaker democratic action party described bill save najib 1mdb scandal bill would criminalize news affair reporting joseph sipalan writing praveen menon editing robert birsel standards thomson reuters trust principles jerusalem reuters israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said monday suspending new agreement un refugee agency relocate thousands african migrants rightwing pressure mounted scrap deal israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu speaks news conference prime ministers office jerusalem april 2 2018 reutersronen zvulun hours announcing new arrangement would also give thousands migrants right stay israel netanyahu posted message facebook page saying putting implementation hold review fate 37000 africans israel posed moral dilemma state founded jews persecution national home rightwing government pressure nationalist voter base expel migrants according agreement 16250 37000 african migrants eritrea sudan would relocated western nations others would allowed stay israel news conference jerusalem netanyahu praised new agreement reached un refugee agency unhcr hours followed announcement faced growing calls social mainstream media abolish deal israelis accused caving leftwing pressure betraying residents south tel aviv poor part city attracted largest migrant community changing ethnic makeup enraging inhabitants want migrants attentive especially residents south tel aviv netanyahu said facebook adding planned meet local representatives tuesday meantime suspending agreements implementation meet representatives bring forward review netanyahu said file photo pepole take part protest israeli governments plan deport african migrants tel aviv israel march 24 2018 reuterscorinna kernfile photo implementing signed agreement expected take five years netanyahus backtrack largely seen israel attempt appease voter base keep support time political uncertainty fourterm prime minister faces one greatest challenges career yet police investigation three different corruption cases netanyahu denies wrongdoing naftali bennett leader israeli farright party jewish home key member netanyahus coalition government competitor israels rightwing votes said twitter agreement would encourage people enter country illegally called netanyahu overturn calls soon echoed members netanyahus likud party pressure unhcr statement confirmed agreement signed israel name countries would accept migrants said would facilitate departure third countries determined 16000 eritreans sudanese various programs including sponsorship resettlement family reunion labor migration schemes others receiving suitable legal status israel netanyahu named germany italy canada examples countries would accept migrants though german italian officials said knowledge agreement canada arrangement israeli authorities suspend deportation individuals private sponsorship applications canada processed said hursh jaswal spokesman canadas immigration minister 1845 applications processed end last year jaswal said file photo african migrants wait line opening population immigration authority office bnei brak israel february 4 2018 picture taken february 4 2018 reutersnir eliasfile photo previous plan already underway mass deportation 20000 migrants rwanda led legal challenges israel drew criticism abroad triggered emotional public debate among israelis february israeli authorities started handing notices male african migrants giving two months leave third country africa risk put jail indefinitely immigration hearings migrants told could choose go rwanda uganda countries denied deal place israel uns refugee agency urged israel reconsider deportation plan saying migrants relocated subsaharan africa past years unsafe ended perilous migrant trail europe suffering abuse torture even dying way rights groups challenged deportation israels high court march 15 issued temporary order froze implementation netanyahu said facebook rwanda past weeks folded immense pressure backed deal made israel accept expelled migrants prompting seek new arrangement unhcr since 2005 total 64000 africans entered israel illegally border egypt although thousands since left fence israel built past years along frontier largely stemmed flow additional reporting jeffrey heller jerusalem philip pullella rome joseph nasr berlin editing hugh lawson james dalgleish standards thomson reuters trust principles seoul reuters north korean leader kim jong un wife ri sol ju among hundreds pyongyang sunday watching south korean kpop singers perform north first time decade tensions old rivals thaw first time north korean leader attended south korean performance norths capital kim seen clapping time music later took photographs performers dear leader comrade said heart swelled moved sight people deepen understanding south korean popular culture cheer sincerity norths kcna state media said audience cheered sang along songs twohour concert south korean performers later presented bouquets kim jong un showed much interest show asked questions songs lyrics culture minister jongwhan told reporters show tension north koreas tests nuclear weapons ballistic missile surged last year raised fears us military action response north koreas threat develop nuclear weapon capable hitting united states tension eased significantly since north korea decided send athletes winter olympics south korea february neighbours technically still war 195053 conflict ended ceasefire truce performance coincided beginning annual joint south koreanus military drills previously met denunciations missile launches north exercises delayed shortened year order spoil olympic detente two koreas set date first summit decade april 27 kim us president donald trump could meet may concert billed spring coming put east pyongyang grand theatre lineup top south korean performers including veteran vocalists cho yongpil lee sunhee rock star yoon dohyun singer baek jiyoung well kpop girl band red velvet echoing concert theme kim said performance brought spring peace two koreas expressed wishes prosperous autumn according norths news agency north korean leader appeared group photograph performers distributed north korean media also seen talking members red velvet 46 million followers instagram south korean delegation travelled pyongyang saturday reciprocal cultural visit north korea sent performers south february souths culture ministry said taekwondo performance staged earlier sunday banned media images kim posing laughing south korean pop stars applauding stands contrasts reports north korean defectors say overseen crackdown anyone caught listening foreign media north korean leader kim jong un meets south korean kpop singers photo released north koreas korean central news agency kcna pyongyang april 2 2018 kcnavia reuters north korean refugees overwhelmingly consistently report become dangerous consume foreign media kim jong uns crackdowns sokeel park south korea country director refugee aid organisation liberty north korea said twitter 2015 survey north korean refugees us governments broadcasting board governors found 77 percent respondents said become dangerous listen foreign radio kim south korean movies often reported especially taboo compared chinese films according report intermedia consultancy group north koreans facing prison time caught seohyun actress vocalist south korean girl group girls generation sang north korean pop song called blue willow tree performed norths samjiyon orchestra seoul february cho yongpil 68 sang string hits including cafe winter short hair lets go trip cho staged solo concert pyongyang 2005 last concert south korean artist north sundays performance south korean singers hold another concert north korean performers tuesday slideshow 6 images meanwhile kim yong chol north koreas former intelligence chief handles interkorean affairs met south korean journalists monday apologise fact unable cover concert invited country kim asked pardon valued guests invited south korean journalists north duty ensure gather news freely film comfortably kim quoted saying kim said journalists inability cover concert stemmed breakdown cooperation kim jong uns security detail concert organisers reporting heekyong yang christine kim additional reporting josh smith joyce lee editing louise heavens peter cooney paul tait standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Even though he stepped out of bounds on the play, Giannis Antetokounmpo's basket with 1.3 seconds left counted, and that's all that mattered to the Milwaukee Bucks.</p>
<p>Antetokounmpo scored 23 points — including what proved to be a questionable game-winning basket which he scored over Russell Westbrook— and the Bucks ended Oklahoma City's six-game winning streak, beating the Thunder 97-95 on Friday night.</p>
<p>Replays clearly showed Antetokounmpo stepped on the baseline on his drive. After a desperation heave by Westbrook fell short, Thunder coach Billy Donovan and several of his players pleaded for a review, but officials Derek Stafford, Ben Taylor and Leon Wood refused. Stafford later told a pool reporter that the play wasn't reviewable.</p>
<p>"In any reviewable matter, there has to be a whistle called on the floor," Stafford said. "There was no whistle blown for the play, so we couldn't review it."</p>
<p>Donovan said the official told him they couldn't' review the play.</p>
<p>"I look at things totally differently," Donovan said. "The league and the officials have to deal with that. That's what they're in control of or not. I'm more concerned about the fact that we didn't play well in the first quarter. There were some things that we needed to do better. Obviously, he stepped out of bounds. Everybody knows that. I did not get a chance to personally see the replay. I was trying to ask for a review. They couldn't review it, but that's something they have to deal with and the league has to deal with. I think the things I try to focus on is, what do we have to do to get better?"</p>
<p>Antetokounmpo said he hadn't yet seen the replay and wasn't aware that he'd stepped out of bounds.</p>
<p>"It was his ball to come up with a play for himself or make a play for someone else and we did the right thing," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd said of Antetokounmpo's basket. "I don't understand the whole protest. I can only worry about the score and then them trying to put time on the clock, getting the guys prepared to have a last-second play."</p>
<p>Westbrook led Oklahoma City with 40 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists and hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left. The Thunder had gone 11-3 in December before playing Friday without one of its stars, Paul George, who sat out with left knee soreness.</p>
<p />
<p>Thunder players and their coach seemed resigned to their fate.</p>
<p>"I guess we'll see something on the ticker that says the referees missed that one," said Carmelo Anthony, who scored 12 points. "We can't do nothing about that at this point, so we might as well forget about it and move on and get ready for ... who do we play Sunday? Dallas? Get ready for Dallas."</p>
<p>Khris Middleton scored 20 points and John Henson added 18 points for the Bucks, who completed a sweep of the Northwest Division's top two teams on consecutive nights. Milwaukee rallied from 20 points down in the third quarter on Thursday to beat Minnesota, then jumped to a 22-point first-half lead against Oklahoma City and held on.</p>
<p>Oklahoma City had won four straight home games against Milwaukee and five of their last six overall against the Bucks, but the Thunder started the game by making just one of their first eight shots as the Bucks raced to a 16-2 lead.</p>
<p>Milwaukee led 41-19 less than 30 seconds into the second quarter. Oklahoma City cut its deficit to 58-44 by halftime and pulled within 65-62 on Josh Huestis' 3-pointer with 4:33 left in the third quarter, but Westbrook missed a 3-point attempt that would have tied the game.</p>
<p>Oklahoma City was within 76-69 with 10:47 left, but Middleton scored seven straight points to rebuild Milwaukee's lead to 14 points. The Thunder made one last run, tying the game at 95 on Westbrook's 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left.</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Bucks: Milwaukee's streak of scoring 100 or more points ended at 17 games, its longest since doing so in 22 straight games in the 1986-87 season ... The Bucks' 38 points tied the most by a Thunder opponent in the first quarter this season, matching Toronto, which did so Wednesday. ... Eric Bledsoe committed four first-half fouls in eight minutes ... Antetokounmpo, who also had 12 rebounds, has 17 double-doubles this season.</p>
<p>Thunder: Alex Abrines started in place of George. It was Abrines' fifth start of the season, but he was scoreless in 10 first-half minutes. Josh Huestis started the second half in his place. ... Westbrook scored his 16,000th career point, making him the 112th NBA player to do so.</p>
<p>UP NEXT:</p>
<p>Bucks: Visit Toronto on Monday, the first of two games in five days for Milwaukee against the Raptors, with a home game against Indiana in between on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Thunder: Host Dallas on Sunday to wrap up a four-game homestand.</p>
<p>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Even though he stepped out of bounds on the play, Giannis Antetokounmpo's basket with 1.3 seconds left counted, and that's all that mattered to the Milwaukee Bucks.</p>
<p>Antetokounmpo scored 23 points — including what proved to be a questionable game-winning basket which he scored over Russell Westbrook— and the Bucks ended Oklahoma City's six-game winning streak, beating the Thunder 97-95 on Friday night.</p>
<p>Replays clearly showed Antetokounmpo stepped on the baseline on his drive. After a desperation heave by Westbrook fell short, Thunder coach Billy Donovan and several of his players pleaded for a review, but officials Derek Stafford, Ben Taylor and Leon Wood refused. Stafford later told a pool reporter that the play wasn't reviewable.</p>
<p>"In any reviewable matter, there has to be a whistle called on the floor," Stafford said. "There was no whistle blown for the play, so we couldn't review it."</p>
<p>Donovan said the official told him they couldn't' review the play.</p>
<p>"I look at things totally differently," Donovan said. "The league and the officials have to deal with that. That's what they're in control of or not. I'm more concerned about the fact that we didn't play well in the first quarter. There were some things that we needed to do better. Obviously, he stepped out of bounds. Everybody knows that. I did not get a chance to personally see the replay. I was trying to ask for a review. They couldn't review it, but that's something they have to deal with and the league has to deal with. I think the things I try to focus on is, what do we have to do to get better?"</p>
<p>Antetokounmpo said he hadn't yet seen the replay and wasn't aware that he'd stepped out of bounds.</p>
<p>"It was his ball to come up with a play for himself or make a play for someone else and we did the right thing," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd said of Antetokounmpo's basket. "I don't understand the whole protest. I can only worry about the score and then them trying to put time on the clock, getting the guys prepared to have a last-second play."</p>
<p>Westbrook led Oklahoma City with 40 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists and hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left. The Thunder had gone 11-3 in December before playing Friday without one of its stars, Paul George, who sat out with left knee soreness.</p>
<p />
<p>Thunder players and their coach seemed resigned to their fate.</p>
<p>"I guess we'll see something on the ticker that says the referees missed that one," said Carmelo Anthony, who scored 12 points. "We can't do nothing about that at this point, so we might as well forget about it and move on and get ready for ... who do we play Sunday? Dallas? Get ready for Dallas."</p>
<p>Khris Middleton scored 20 points and John Henson added 18 points for the Bucks, who completed a sweep of the Northwest Division's top two teams on consecutive nights. Milwaukee rallied from 20 points down in the third quarter on Thursday to beat Minnesota, then jumped to a 22-point first-half lead against Oklahoma City and held on.</p>
<p>Oklahoma City had won four straight home games against Milwaukee and five of their last six overall against the Bucks, but the Thunder started the game by making just one of their first eight shots as the Bucks raced to a 16-2 lead.</p>
<p>Milwaukee led 41-19 less than 30 seconds into the second quarter. Oklahoma City cut its deficit to 58-44 by halftime and pulled within 65-62 on Josh Huestis' 3-pointer with 4:33 left in the third quarter, but Westbrook missed a 3-point attempt that would have tied the game.</p>
<p>Oklahoma City was within 76-69 with 10:47 left, but Middleton scored seven straight points to rebuild Milwaukee's lead to 14 points. The Thunder made one last run, tying the game at 95 on Westbrook's 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left.</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Bucks: Milwaukee's streak of scoring 100 or more points ended at 17 games, its longest since doing so in 22 straight games in the 1986-87 season ... The Bucks' 38 points tied the most by a Thunder opponent in the first quarter this season, matching Toronto, which did so Wednesday. ... Eric Bledsoe committed four first-half fouls in eight minutes ... Antetokounmpo, who also had 12 rebounds, has 17 double-doubles this season.</p>
<p>Thunder: Alex Abrines started in place of George. It was Abrines' fifth start of the season, but he was scoreless in 10 first-half minutes. Josh Huestis started the second half in his place. ... Westbrook scored his 16,000th career point, making him the 112th NBA player to do so.</p>
<p>UP NEXT:</p>
<p>Bucks: Visit Toronto on Monday, the first of two games in five days for Milwaukee against the Raptors, with a home game against Indiana in between on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Thunder: Host Dallas on Sunday to wrap up a four-game homestand.</p>
| false | 2 |
oklahoma city ap even though stepped bounds play giannis antetokounmpos basket 13 seconds left counted thats mattered milwaukee bucks antetokounmpo scored 23 points including proved questionable gamewinning basket scored russell westbrook bucks ended oklahoma citys sixgame winning streak beating thunder 9795 friday night replays clearly showed antetokounmpo stepped baseline drive desperation heave westbrook fell short thunder coach billy donovan several players pleaded review officials derek stafford ben taylor leon wood refused stafford later told pool reporter play wasnt reviewable reviewable matter whistle called floor stafford said whistle blown play couldnt review donovan said official told couldnt review play look things totally differently donovan said league officials deal thats theyre control im concerned fact didnt play well first quarter things needed better obviously stepped bounds everybody knows get chance personally see replay trying ask review couldnt review thats something deal league deal think things try focus get better antetokounmpo said hadnt yet seen replay wasnt aware hed stepped bounds ball come play make play someone else right thing milwaukee coach jason kidd said antetokounmpos basket dont understand whole protest worry score trying put time clock getting guys prepared lastsecond play westbrook led oklahoma city 40 points 14 rebounds nine assists hit gametying 3pointer 47 seconds left thunder gone 113 december playing friday without one stars paul george sat left knee soreness thunder players coach seemed resigned fate guess well see something ticker says referees missed one said carmelo anthony scored 12 points cant nothing point might well forget move get ready play sunday dallas get ready dallas khris middleton scored 20 points john henson added 18 points bucks completed sweep northwest divisions top two teams consecutive nights milwaukee rallied 20 points third quarter thursday beat minnesota jumped 22point firsthalf lead oklahoma city held oklahoma city four straight home games milwaukee five last six overall bucks thunder started game making one first eight shots bucks raced 162 lead milwaukee led 4119 less 30 seconds second quarter oklahoma city cut deficit 5844 halftime pulled within 6562 josh huestis 3pointer 433 left third quarter westbrook missed 3point attempt would tied game oklahoma city within 7669 1047 left middleton scored seven straight points rebuild milwaukees lead 14 points thunder made one last run tying game 95 westbrooks 3pointer 47 seconds left tipins bucks milwaukees streak scoring 100 points ended 17 games longest since 22 straight games 198687 season bucks 38 points tied thunder opponent first quarter season matching toronto wednesday eric bledsoe committed four firsthalf fouls eight minutes antetokounmpo also 12 rebounds 17 doubledoubles season thunder alex abrines started place george abrines fifth start season scoreless 10 firsthalf minutes josh huestis started second half place westbrook scored 16000th career point making 112th nba player next bucks visit toronto monday first two games five days milwaukee raptors home game indiana wednesday thunder host dallas sunday wrap fourgame homestand oklahoma city ap even though stepped bounds play giannis antetokounmpos basket 13 seconds left counted thats mattered milwaukee bucks antetokounmpo scored 23 points including proved questionable gamewinning basket scored russell westbrook bucks ended oklahoma citys sixgame winning streak beating thunder 9795 friday night replays clearly showed antetokounmpo stepped baseline drive desperation heave westbrook fell short thunder coach billy donovan several players pleaded review officials derek stafford ben taylor leon wood refused stafford later told pool reporter play wasnt reviewable reviewable matter whistle called floor stafford said whistle blown play couldnt review donovan said official told couldnt review play look things totally differently donovan said league officials deal thats theyre control im concerned fact didnt play well first quarter things needed better obviously stepped bounds everybody knows get chance personally see replay trying ask review couldnt review thats something deal league deal think things try focus get better antetokounmpo said hadnt yet seen replay wasnt aware hed stepped bounds ball come play make play someone else right thing milwaukee coach jason kidd said antetokounmpos basket dont understand whole protest worry score trying put time clock getting guys prepared lastsecond play westbrook led oklahoma city 40 points 14 rebounds nine assists hit gametying 3pointer 47 seconds left thunder gone 113 december playing friday without one stars paul george sat left knee soreness thunder players coach seemed resigned fate guess well see something ticker says referees missed one said carmelo anthony scored 12 points cant nothing point might well forget move get ready play sunday dallas get ready dallas khris middleton scored 20 points john henson added 18 points bucks completed sweep northwest divisions top two teams consecutive nights milwaukee rallied 20 points third quarter thursday beat minnesota jumped 22point firsthalf lead oklahoma city held oklahoma city four straight home games milwaukee five last six overall bucks thunder started game making one first eight shots bucks raced 162 lead milwaukee led 4119 less 30 seconds second quarter oklahoma city cut deficit 5844 halftime pulled within 6562 josh huestis 3pointer 433 left third quarter westbrook missed 3point attempt would tied game oklahoma city within 7669 1047 left middleton scored seven straight points rebuild milwaukees lead 14 points thunder made one last run tying game 95 westbrooks 3pointer 47 seconds left tipins bucks milwaukees streak scoring 100 points ended 17 games longest since 22 straight games 198687 season bucks 38 points tied thunder opponent first quarter season matching toronto wednesday eric bledsoe committed four firsthalf fouls eight minutes antetokounmpo also 12 rebounds 17 doubledoubles season thunder alex abrines started place george abrines fifth start season scoreless 10 firsthalf minutes josh huestis started second half place westbrook scored 16000th career point making 112th nba player next bucks visit toronto monday first two games five days milwaukee raptors home game indiana wednesday thunder host dallas sunday wrap fourgame homestand
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<p>In a Sunday, June 5, 2016 photo, Vadym Kholodenko, 2013 Cliburn gold medalist, returns to a Fort Worth stage for the first time since his daughters’ deaths in March, during the Piano Texas festival at TCU. (Brandon Wade/Star-Telegram via AP)</p>
<p>FORT WORTH, Texas — Whenever Vadym Kholodenko is on an airplane preparing to land in Dallas-Fort Worth, his thoughts turn to his girls, Nika and Michaela Maria.</p>
<p>“It’s a very special feeling,” Kholodenko says with a slight smile. “When I’m here, I just feel this connection with the girls again . being on soil where they rest.”</p>
<p>The Fort Worth Star-Telegram ( <a href="http://bit.ly/2pWrkUt" type="external">http://bit.ly/2pWrkUt</a> ) reports his young daughters are buried in Fort Worth, where the Ukrainian pianist had moved his family after he won the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and embarked on a professional concert career. Nika, 5, and Michaela, 1, were killed in their Benbrook home in March 2016, their mother, the pianist’s estranged wife, charged with their deaths.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Since the deaths, Kholodenko has tried to focus on the other great joy of his life, music. He has traveled to concert halls all over Europe and Asia, letting the music he plays begin to heal him.</p>
<p>“Right after, I continued to play just to make it through,” says the 30-year-old pianist, seated in the living room of a friend’s Fort Worth home in late April. “It wasn’t a question for me to play or not to play, because you know my children are one part of me and my music is just another part of me. So I feel if you take away both . I’d be completely destroyed.”</p>
<p>It is music that brings Kholodenko back to Fort Worth this month, first to play with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in performances Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Bass Hall, and then to help with the opening proceedings of the quadrennial Cliburn competition.</p>
<p>In a Sept. 24, 2014 photo, Vadym Kholodenko, the winner of the gold medal at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, poses for a photo with his wife Sofya Tsygankova and daughters Nika, 4, and Michaela, 2 months old. in Fort Worth, Texas. The Ukrainian pianist moved his family to Fort Worth after he won the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and embarked on a professional concert career. Nika, 5, and Michaela, 1, were killed in their Benbrook home in March 2016, and their mother, the pianist’s estranged wife, is charged with their deaths. (Joyce Marshall/Star-Telegram via AP)</p>
<p>Kholodenko’s FWSO concerts conclude a three-year commitment as the orchestra’s inaugural artist in residence. He will be the guest soloist for Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, the piece he last played with FWSO to earn Cliburn gold four years ago. It also marks the last of the five Prokofiev concertos that Kholodenko is recording with the FWSO. (Recordings of the Second and Fifth concertos were released in 2016, and once the Third is recorded this week, it will be packaged with the First and Fourth, which were recorded with the symphony in 2015.)</p>
<p>Prokofiev’s Third is a favorite of Kholodenko’s, but not just because he played it in the Cliburn finals. As a child, he repeatedly listened to a CD recording of Evgeny Kissin playing the massive work. “When I was 10 years old, I tried to play this music because I had the chords in my head,” Kholodenko says. “It was a very poor and pathetic attempt to re-create Prokofiev’s music.”</p>
<p>A family friend brought Kholodenko the sheet music and he learned the piece at a young age, although he admits he was not technically prepared to play it. He says his favorite part of the piece is the coda, where it deviates substantially from C major before dramatically returning to that key.</p>
<p>“I always have this image in my head, it’s like a sunrise,” Kholodenko says. “It heals everything . this dramatic light inside overwhelms everything.”</p>
<p>The FWSO performances will be poignant for another reason. They were supposed to take place March 18, 2016 — the day after his daughters’ deaths.</p>
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<p>Kholodenko’s wife, Sofya Tsygankova, pleaded not guilty to two charges of capital murder of a person under age 10. She was declared incompetent to stand trial last November and is being treated in a state mental health facility. Kholodenko says he has not talked with Tsygankova.</p>
<p>Instead, he thinks about his girls, like how Nika loved ballet; he has kept a ballet book she was reading at that time.</p>
<p>“For a time, it was so difficult to articulate how I felt,” Kholodenko says. “But (music) definitely helped.”</p>
<p>Recently, Kholodenko says, an “idea crystallized in my head”: he still has a responsibility as their father and believes they would be proud of him playing on stage.</p>
<p>“Nika, I remember, she visited my chamber music concert . and she articulated this phrase, ‘I am very proud of you,'” Kholodenko says. “So in order for them, to keep them, I continue to play.</p>
<p>“This responsibility stays with me, and my memory of them stays with me forever.”</p>
<p>In a Monday, June 3, 2013 photo, Vadym Kholodenko performs in the semifinal round of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas (Joyce Marshall/Star-Telegram via AP)/Star-Telegram via AP)</p>
<p>Last August, when Kholodenko played Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with the FWSO at Bass Hall, he received a large envelope full of letters of support from the symphony musicians. He says he hadn’t realized until recently how many people in Fort Worth had seen the girls or knew them.</p>
<p>“Every message was so special,” Kholodenko says. “It stays in a folder here (in Fort Worth at his Cliburn host family’s house) and from time to time, I open it and read it.</p>
<p>“It has this power to heal.”</p>
<p>At a party on May 23, Kholodenko will help kick off the 2017 Cliburn competition by drawing competitors’ names to help determine the order of play in the preliminary round. It’s a duty that the late Van Cliburn himself used to perform.</p>
<p>Kholodenko said he hasn’t given any tips to those who hope to win. “In very sincere words, I’m just jealous that they will get to experience this,” he says. “They don’t need my advice.”</p>
<p>He says he is looking forward to watching a new group of young musicians, some of whom he already knows, such as returning competitor Yury Favorin. But he won’t say whom he will be cheering for. He knows that whoever wins the next gold medal will be fortunate to receive the management of the Cliburn to prepare for life as a professional musician.</p>
<p>“The main prize I got after the Cliburn is experience. Experience to be onstage. Experience to be ready to play,” Kholodenko says. “After four years, I know my abilities. I know what I’m ready for, and I know what I’m not ready for.”</p>
<p>He says he is grateful for all of the engagements Cliburn management booked after he won and thinks about the “great people” he met all across the United States. For example, he found an artistic community in New Harmony, Indiana, a town of only a couple of hundred people, and had wonderful conversations about Boris Pasternak and Russian literature.</p>
<p>“This feeling of people who donate for the arts, who support their local art scene, this is something that I found in the U.S. and what stays with me. I admire this,” Kholodenko says. When the Fort Worth Symphony musicians went on strike last fall, Kholodenko walked the strike line with them, proudly wearing a green shirt that said “support the musicians.”</p>
<p>As soon as he finishes playing with the FWSO on Sunday, he will leave for Luxembourg to play Prokofiev’s Fifth with Russian conductor Valery Gergiev. He will also be recording a collection of pieces by Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, which are extremely difficult.</p>
<p>“Scriabin, for me, was kind of a milestone,” Kholodenko says. “Emotions I’m able to express now, it happened because of Scriabin’s music.”</p>
<p>Now that he’s turned 30, Kholodenko says he’s rediscovering composers, finding new emotions and details in piano pieces that he has played for years. He is working on new recitals for the next concert season and is looking forward to his first Latin American tour with concerts in Mexico, Brazil and El Salvador.</p>
<p>“I want to continue playing, performing, expressing myself and of course, expressing my life experience,” Kholodenko says. “It’s part of me, and it’s in my music, and I don’t want to hide it.”</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Information from: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com" type="external">http://www.star-telegram.com</a></p>
<p>This is an AP Member Exchange shared by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram</p>
| false | 2 |
sunday june 5 2016 photo vadym kholodenko 2013 cliburn gold medalist returns fort worth stage first time since daughters deaths march piano texas festival tcu brandon wadestartelegram via ap fort worth texas whenever vadym kholodenko airplane preparing land dallasfort worth thoughts turn girls nika michaela maria special feeling kholodenko says slight smile im feel connection girls soil rest fort worth startelegram httpbitly2pwrkut reports young daughters buried fort worth ukrainian pianist moved family 2013 van cliburn international piano competition embarked professional concert career nika 5 michaela 1 killed benbrook home march 2016 mother pianists estranged wife charged deaths advertisement since deaths kholodenko tried focus great joy life music traveled concert halls europe asia letting music plays begin heal right continued play make says 30yearold pianist seated living room friends fort worth home late april wasnt question play play know children one part music another part feel take away id completely destroyed music brings kholodenko back fort worth month first play fort worth symphony orchestra performances friday saturday sunday bass hall help opening proceedings quadrennial cliburn competition sept 24 2014 photo vadym kholodenko winner gold medal 2013 van cliburn international piano competition poses photo wife sofya tsygankova daughters nika 4 michaela 2 months old fort worth texas ukrainian pianist moved family fort worth 2013 van cliburn international piano competition embarked professional concert career nika 5 michaela 1 killed benbrook home march 2016 mother pianists estranged wife charged deaths joyce marshallstartelegram via ap kholodenkos fwso concerts conclude threeyear commitment orchestras inaugural artist residence guest soloist prokofievs piano concerto 3 piece last played fwso earn cliburn gold four years ago also marks last five prokofiev concertos kholodenko recording fwso recordings second fifth concertos released 2016 third recorded week packaged first fourth recorded symphony 2015 prokofievs third favorite kholodenkos played cliburn finals child repeatedly listened cd recording evgeny kissin playing massive work 10 years old tried play music chords head kholodenko says poor pathetic attempt recreate prokofievs music family friend brought kholodenko sheet music learned piece young age although admits technically prepared play says favorite part piece coda deviates substantially c major dramatically returning key always image head like sunrise kholodenko says heals everything dramatic light inside overwhelms everything fwso performances poignant another reason supposed take place march 18 2016 day daughters deaths advertisement kholodenkos wife sofya tsygankova pleaded guilty two charges capital murder person age 10 declared incompetent stand trial last november treated state mental health facility kholodenko says talked tsygankova instead thinks girls like nika loved ballet kept ballet book reading time time difficult articulate felt kholodenko says music definitely helped recently kholodenko says idea crystallized head still responsibility father believes would proud playing stage nika remember visited chamber music concert articulated phrase proud kholodenko says order keep continue play responsibility stays memory stays forever monday june 3 2013 photo vadym kholodenko performs semifinal round van cliburn international piano competition fort worth texas joyce marshallstartelegram via apstartelegram via ap last august kholodenko played beethovens piano concerto 4 fwso bass hall received large envelope full letters support symphony musicians says hadnt realized recently many people fort worth seen girls knew every message special kholodenko says stays folder fort worth cliburn host familys house time time open read power heal party may 23 kholodenko help kick 2017 cliburn competition drawing competitors names help determine order play preliminary round duty late van cliburn used perform kholodenko said hasnt given tips hope win sincere words im jealous get experience says dont need advice says looking forward watching new group young musicians already knows returning competitor yury favorin wont say cheering knows whoever wins next gold medal fortunate receive management cliburn prepare life professional musician main prize got cliburn experience experience onstage experience ready play kholodenko says four years know abilities know im ready know im ready says grateful engagements cliburn management booked thinks great people met across united states example found artistic community new harmony indiana town couple hundred people wonderful conversations boris pasternak russian literature feeling people donate arts support local art scene something found us stays admire kholodenko says fort worth symphony musicians went strike last fall kholodenko walked strike line proudly wearing green shirt said support musicians soon finishes playing fwso sunday leave luxembourg play prokofievs fifth russian conductor valery gergiev also recording collection pieces russian composer alexander scriabin extremely difficult scriabin kind milestone kholodenko says emotions im able express happened scriabins music hes turned 30 kholodenko says hes rediscovering composers finding new emotions details piano pieces played years working new recitals next concert season looking forward first latin american tour concerts mexico brazil el salvador want continue playing performing expressing course expressing life experience kholodenko says part music dont want hide ___ information fort worth startelegram httpwwwstartelegramcom ap member exchange shared fort worth startelegram
| 791 |
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Wednesday finalized a rule that lets wind-energy companies operate high-speed turbines for up to 30 years — even if means killing or injuring thousands of federally protected bald and golden eagles.</p>
<p>Under the new rule, wind companies and other power providers will not face a penalty if they kill or injure up to 4,200 bald eagles, nearly four times the current limit. Deaths of the more rare golden eagles would be allowed without penalty so long as companies minimize losses by taking steps such as retrofitting power poles to reduce the risk of electrocution.</p>
<p>The new rule will conserve eagles while also spurring development of a pollution-free energy source intended to ease global warming, a cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s energy plan, said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe.</p>
<p>“No animal says America like the bald eagle,” Ashe said in a statement, calling recovery of the bald eagle “one of our greatest national conservation achievements.” The new rule attempts to build on that success, Ashe said, adding that the Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to balance energy development with eagle conservation.</p>
<p>Wind power has increased significantly since Obama took office, and wind turbines as tall as 30-story buildings are rising across the country. The wind towers have spinning rotors as wide as a passenger jet’s wingspan, and blades reach speeds of up to 170 mph at the tips, creating tornado-like vortexes.</p>
<p>The surge in wind power has generally been well-received in the environmental community, but bird deaths — and eagle deaths in particular — have been a source of contention.</p>
<p>The birds are not endangered species but are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The laws prohibit killing, selling or otherwise harming eagles, their nests or eggs without a permit.</p>
<p>It’s unclear what toll wind energy companies are having on eagle populations, although Ashe said as many 500 golden eagles a year are killed by collisions with wind towers, power lines, buildings, cars and trucks. Thousands more are killed by gunshots and poisonings.</p>
<p>Reporting of eagle mortality is voluntary, and the Interior Department refuses to release the information.</p>
<p>The Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are about 143,000 bald eagles in the United States, and 40,000 golden eagles.</p>
<p>The new rule is set to take effect in mid-January, days before Obama leaves office. President-elect Donald Trump could change the rule or scrap it, but the process would likely takes months or years.</p>
<p>Ashe declined to be interviewed, but he said in a blog entry Wednesday the total number of eagles killed per year is likely to be in the hundreds, not thousands.</p>
<p>“We can’t eliminate human-caused eagle loss any more than we can eliminate risk from any other facet of modern life,” Ashe wrote, but the new rule should reduce deaths and allow officials to better manage risks to bald and golden eagles.</p>
<p>Michael Hutchins of the American Bird Conservancy said Wednesday that his group has “some serious concerns” that the new rule will not do not enough to sustain populations of threatened eagles.</p>
<p>Still, Hutchins said, he is encouraged that the rule requires independent contractors to provide data on bird kills to the government, rather than allowing energy companies to submit the information. He also praised a requirement for greater public reporting of data on the numbers of birds killed by wind turbines.</p>
<p>Permits issued by the government would be reviewed every five years, and companies would have to submit reports of how many eagles they kill.</p>
<p>Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, said the industry was still reading the final rule, but said wind companies “strongly support its core purpose — eagle conservation.”</p>
<p>Kiernan said the industry is working to further reduce what called its “minimal impact” on eagles in hopes of “maintaining healthy eagle populations for generations to come.”</p>
<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Wednesday finalized a rule that lets wind-energy companies operate high-speed turbines for up to 30 years — even if means killing or injuring thousands of federally protected bald and golden eagles.</p>
<p>Under the new rule, wind companies and other power providers will not face a penalty if they kill or injure up to 4,200 bald eagles, nearly four times the current limit. Deaths of the more rare golden eagles would be allowed without penalty so long as companies minimize losses by taking steps such as retrofitting power poles to reduce the risk of electrocution.</p>
<p>The new rule will conserve eagles while also spurring development of a pollution-free energy source intended to ease global warming, a cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s energy plan, said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe.</p>
<p>“No animal says America like the bald eagle,” Ashe said in a statement, calling recovery of the bald eagle “one of our greatest national conservation achievements.” The new rule attempts to build on that success, Ashe said, adding that the Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to balance energy development with eagle conservation.</p>
<p>Wind power has increased significantly since Obama took office, and wind turbines as tall as 30-story buildings are rising across the country. The wind towers have spinning rotors as wide as a passenger jet’s wingspan, and blades reach speeds of up to 170 mph at the tips, creating tornado-like vortexes.</p>
<p>The surge in wind power has generally been well-received in the environmental community, but bird deaths — and eagle deaths in particular — have been a source of contention.</p>
<p>The birds are not endangered species but are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The laws prohibit killing, selling or otherwise harming eagles, their nests or eggs without a permit.</p>
<p>It’s unclear what toll wind energy companies are having on eagle populations, although Ashe said as many 500 golden eagles a year are killed by collisions with wind towers, power lines, buildings, cars and trucks. Thousands more are killed by gunshots and poisonings.</p>
<p>Reporting of eagle mortality is voluntary, and the Interior Department refuses to release the information.</p>
<p>The Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are about 143,000 bald eagles in the United States, and 40,000 golden eagles.</p>
<p>The new rule is set to take effect in mid-January, days before Obama leaves office. President-elect Donald Trump could change the rule or scrap it, but the process would likely takes months or years.</p>
<p>Ashe declined to be interviewed, but he said in a blog entry Wednesday the total number of eagles killed per year is likely to be in the hundreds, not thousands.</p>
<p>“We can’t eliminate human-caused eagle loss any more than we can eliminate risk from any other facet of modern life,” Ashe wrote, but the new rule should reduce deaths and allow officials to better manage risks to bald and golden eagles.</p>
<p>Michael Hutchins of the American Bird Conservancy said Wednesday that his group has “some serious concerns” that the new rule will not do not enough to sustain populations of threatened eagles.</p>
<p>Still, Hutchins said, he is encouraged that the rule requires independent contractors to provide data on bird kills to the government, rather than allowing energy companies to submit the information. He also praised a requirement for greater public reporting of data on the numbers of birds killed by wind turbines.</p>
<p>Permits issued by the government would be reviewed every five years, and companies would have to submit reports of how many eagles they kill.</p>
<p>Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, said the industry was still reading the final rule, but said wind companies “strongly support its core purpose — eagle conservation.”</p>
<p>Kiernan said the industry is working to further reduce what called its “minimal impact” on eagles in hopes of “maintaining healthy eagle populations for generations to come.”</p>
| false | 2 |
washington ap obama administration wednesday finalized rule lets windenergy companies operate highspeed turbines 30 years even means killing injuring thousands federally protected bald golden eagles new rule wind companies power providers face penalty kill injure 4200 bald eagles nearly four times current limit deaths rare golden eagles would allowed without penalty long companies minimize losses taking steps retrofitting power poles reduce risk electrocution new rule conserve eagles also spurring development pollutionfree energy source intended ease global warming cornerstone president barack obamas energy plan said fish wildlife service director dan ashe animal says america like bald eagle ashe said statement calling recovery bald eagle one greatest national conservation achievements new rule attempts build success ashe said adding fish wildlife service trying balance energy development eagle conservation wind power increased significantly since obama took office wind turbines tall 30story buildings rising across country wind towers spinning rotors wide passenger jets wingspan blades reach speeds 170 mph tips creating tornadolike vortexes surge wind power generally wellreceived environmental community bird deaths eagle deaths particular source contention birds endangered species protected bald golden eagle protection act migratory bird treaty act laws prohibit killing selling otherwise harming eagles nests eggs without permit unclear toll wind energy companies eagle populations although ashe said many 500 golden eagles year killed collisions wind towers power lines buildings cars trucks thousands killed gunshots poisonings reporting eagle mortality voluntary interior department refuses release information fish wildlife service estimates 143000 bald eagles united states 40000 golden eagles new rule set take effect midjanuary days obama leaves office presidentelect donald trump could change rule scrap process would likely takes months years ashe declined interviewed said blog entry wednesday total number eagles killed per year likely hundreds thousands cant eliminate humancaused eagle loss eliminate risk facet modern life ashe wrote new rule reduce deaths allow officials better manage risks bald golden eagles michael hutchins american bird conservancy said wednesday group serious concerns new rule enough sustain populations threatened eagles still hutchins said encouraged rule requires independent contractors provide data bird kills government rather allowing energy companies submit information also praised requirement greater public reporting data numbers birds killed wind turbines permits issued government would reviewed every five years companies would submit reports many eagles kill tom kiernan ceo american wind energy association said industry still reading final rule said wind companies strongly support core purpose eagle conservation kiernan said industry working reduce called minimal impact eagles hopes maintaining healthy eagle populations generations come washington ap obama administration wednesday finalized rule lets windenergy companies operate highspeed turbines 30 years even means killing injuring thousands federally protected bald golden eagles new rule wind companies power providers face penalty kill injure 4200 bald eagles nearly four times current limit deaths rare golden eagles would allowed without penalty long companies minimize losses taking steps retrofitting power poles reduce risk electrocution new rule conserve eagles also spurring development pollutionfree energy source intended ease global warming cornerstone president barack obamas energy plan said fish wildlife service director dan ashe animal says america like bald eagle ashe said statement calling recovery bald eagle one greatest national conservation achievements new rule attempts build success ashe said adding fish wildlife service trying balance energy development eagle conservation wind power increased significantly since obama took office wind turbines tall 30story buildings rising across country wind towers spinning rotors wide passenger jets wingspan blades reach speeds 170 mph tips creating tornadolike vortexes surge wind power generally wellreceived environmental community bird deaths eagle deaths particular source contention birds endangered species protected bald golden eagle protection act migratory bird treaty act laws prohibit killing selling otherwise harming eagles nests eggs without permit unclear toll wind energy companies eagle populations although ashe said many 500 golden eagles year killed collisions wind towers power lines buildings cars trucks thousands killed gunshots poisonings reporting eagle mortality voluntary interior department refuses release information fish wildlife service estimates 143000 bald eagles united states 40000 golden eagles new rule set take effect midjanuary days obama leaves office presidentelect donald trump could change rule scrap process would likely takes months years ashe declined interviewed said blog entry wednesday total number eagles killed per year likely hundreds thousands cant eliminate humancaused eagle loss eliminate risk facet modern life ashe wrote new rule reduce deaths allow officials better manage risks bald golden eagles michael hutchins american bird conservancy said wednesday group serious concerns new rule enough sustain populations threatened eagles still hutchins said encouraged rule requires independent contractors provide data bird kills government rather allowing energy companies submit information also praised requirement greater public reporting data numbers birds killed wind turbines permits issued government would reviewed every five years companies would submit reports many eagles kill tom kiernan ceo american wind energy association said industry still reading final rule said wind companies strongly support core purpose eagle conservation kiernan said industry working reduce called minimal impact eagles hopes maintaining healthy eagle populations generations come
| 818 |
<p>Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said before the season his team would be good defensively and struggle at the other end. That assessment was spot-on.</p>
<p>With the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play Sunday night with a home game against Virginia Tech, the Orange (11-2) are putting up solid numbers on defense. Syracuse ranks ninth nationally in blocks with 83 (behind only Louisville's 101 in the ACC), seventh in rebounding margin (plus-10.5), seventh in offensive rebounds (14.77), ninth in total rebounds (42.08) and first in the ACC in steals per game (8.9).</p>
<p>"Our defense has been good. It has been good all year for the most part," Boeheim said. "There are always some breakdowns, but overall our defense has been pretty good. We just have to ... get something going on the offensive end."</p>
<p>After its win over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday night, Syracuse was tied for 242nd nationally in scoring at 72 points a game, just ahead of Virginia (71.2). The Orange also are hitting just 30 percent behind the arc.</p>
<p>That leaves little margin for error when their top scorer struggles. Guard Tyus Battle is averaging 20.1 points, third in the ACC, but he's sputtered at times and his teammates failed to pick up the slack in Syracuse's three-point overtime loss at home to St. Bonaventure last week.</p>
<p>Against the Bonnies, Battle shot 3 for 18 and made just 1 of 9 shots from behind the arc. Against Eastern Michigan he couldn't find his range in the first half, missing all five 3-pointers. The teams went into halftime tied before the Orange rallied behind Battle for a 62-47 win — he hit 6 of 9 from the floor, 3 of 4 from long range, in the second half.</p>
<p>"We've lost before," freshman forward Oshae Brissett said. "Against good teams, we just know what we need to do — learn from our mistakes."</p>
<p>Brissett has been a pleasant surprise, averaging a double-double (15.2 points, 10 rebounds), freshman forward Marek Dolezaj has been a sparkplug with his hustle, and junior point guard Frank Howard has been a catalyst, also averaging 15.2 points. Howard's 53 turnovers, though, have negated some of the positives he brings to the floor — he leads the ACC with 30 steals.</p>
<p>The Orange have one problem that won't go away — a thin bench. The departure of graduate transfer Geno Thorpe has left the team with only eight scholarship players, and injuries to 6-foot-10 freshman center Bourama Sidibe have forced him to miss three games and parts of three others since an early-season loss to then-No. 2 Kansas. Boeheim hinted a medical redshirt might be an option if Sidibe doesn't show signs of recovering. "We are not going to play him unless we feel that he can play," Boeheim said.</p>
<p>Since joining the ACC, Syracuse has won four of five against Virginia Tech (11-2), though the Hokies won the previous meeting between the teams last season. Syracuse travels to Wake Forest on Wednesday and is back home to face Notre Dame next Saturday.</p>
<p>"We have had a lot of tough games and I think we will survive it," Boeheim said. "We have to try to get through it and try to get better. The team has shown a lot of determination, a lot of grit, and they keep battling out there."</p>
<p>The Orange on Sunday will wear a uniform patch honoring Kelly Seubert, Boeheim's former administrative assistant. Seubert, who played an intricate role in most of the operational duties in the basketball office, died in August of cancer after 13 years on staff. The patch will remain on the uniforms for the rest of the season. Boeheim and his staff will wear commemorative pins resembling the patch.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP College Basketball: <a href="http://collegebasketball.ap.org" type="external">http://collegebasketball.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Kekis on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Greek1947" type="external">www.twitter.com/Greek1947</a></p>
<p>Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said before the season his team would be good defensively and struggle at the other end. That assessment was spot-on.</p>
<p>With the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play Sunday night with a home game against Virginia Tech, the Orange (11-2) are putting up solid numbers on defense. Syracuse ranks ninth nationally in blocks with 83 (behind only Louisville's 101 in the ACC), seventh in rebounding margin (plus-10.5), seventh in offensive rebounds (14.77), ninth in total rebounds (42.08) and first in the ACC in steals per game (8.9).</p>
<p>"Our defense has been good. It has been good all year for the most part," Boeheim said. "There are always some breakdowns, but overall our defense has been pretty good. We just have to ... get something going on the offensive end."</p>
<p>After its win over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday night, Syracuse was tied for 242nd nationally in scoring at 72 points a game, just ahead of Virginia (71.2). The Orange also are hitting just 30 percent behind the arc.</p>
<p>That leaves little margin for error when their top scorer struggles. Guard Tyus Battle is averaging 20.1 points, third in the ACC, but he's sputtered at times and his teammates failed to pick up the slack in Syracuse's three-point overtime loss at home to St. Bonaventure last week.</p>
<p>Against the Bonnies, Battle shot 3 for 18 and made just 1 of 9 shots from behind the arc. Against Eastern Michigan he couldn't find his range in the first half, missing all five 3-pointers. The teams went into halftime tied before the Orange rallied behind Battle for a 62-47 win — he hit 6 of 9 from the floor, 3 of 4 from long range, in the second half.</p>
<p>"We've lost before," freshman forward Oshae Brissett said. "Against good teams, we just know what we need to do — learn from our mistakes."</p>
<p>Brissett has been a pleasant surprise, averaging a double-double (15.2 points, 10 rebounds), freshman forward Marek Dolezaj has been a sparkplug with his hustle, and junior point guard Frank Howard has been a catalyst, also averaging 15.2 points. Howard's 53 turnovers, though, have negated some of the positives he brings to the floor — he leads the ACC with 30 steals.</p>
<p>The Orange have one problem that won't go away — a thin bench. The departure of graduate transfer Geno Thorpe has left the team with only eight scholarship players, and injuries to 6-foot-10 freshman center Bourama Sidibe have forced him to miss three games and parts of three others since an early-season loss to then-No. 2 Kansas. Boeheim hinted a medical redshirt might be an option if Sidibe doesn't show signs of recovering. "We are not going to play him unless we feel that he can play," Boeheim said.</p>
<p>Since joining the ACC, Syracuse has won four of five against Virginia Tech (11-2), though the Hokies won the previous meeting between the teams last season. Syracuse travels to Wake Forest on Wednesday and is back home to face Notre Dame next Saturday.</p>
<p>"We have had a lot of tough games and I think we will survive it," Boeheim said. "We have to try to get through it and try to get better. The team has shown a lot of determination, a lot of grit, and they keep battling out there."</p>
<p>The Orange on Sunday will wear a uniform patch honoring Kelly Seubert, Boeheim's former administrative assistant. Seubert, who played an intricate role in most of the operational duties in the basketball office, died in August of cancer after 13 years on staff. The patch will remain on the uniforms for the rest of the season. Boeheim and his staff will wear commemorative pins resembling the patch.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP College Basketball: <a href="http://collegebasketball.ap.org" type="external">http://collegebasketball.ap.org</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25" type="external">http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Kekis on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Greek1947" type="external">www.twitter.com/Greek1947</a></p>
| false | 2 |
syracuse coach jim boeheim said season team would good defensively struggle end assessment spoton start atlantic coast conference play sunday night home game virginia tech orange 112 putting solid numbers defense syracuse ranks ninth nationally blocks 83 behind louisvilles 101 acc seventh rebounding margin plus105 seventh offensive rebounds 1477 ninth total rebounds 4208 first acc steals per game 89 defense good good year part boeheim said always breakdowns overall defense pretty good get something going offensive end win eastern michigan wednesday night syracuse tied 242nd nationally scoring 72 points game ahead virginia 712 orange also hitting 30 percent behind arc leaves little margin error top scorer struggles guard tyus battle averaging 201 points third acc hes sputtered times teammates failed pick slack syracuses threepoint overtime loss home st bonaventure last week bonnies battle shot 3 18 made 1 9 shots behind arc eastern michigan couldnt find range first half missing five 3pointers teams went halftime tied orange rallied behind battle 6247 win hit 6 9 floor 3 4 long range second half weve lost freshman forward oshae brissett said good teams know need learn mistakes brissett pleasant surprise averaging doubledouble 152 points 10 rebounds freshman forward marek dolezaj sparkplug hustle junior point guard frank howard catalyst also averaging 152 points howards 53 turnovers though negated positives brings floor leads acc 30 steals orange one problem wont go away thin bench departure graduate transfer geno thorpe left team eight scholarship players injuries 6foot10 freshman center bourama sidibe forced miss three games parts three others since earlyseason loss thenno 2 kansas boeheim hinted medical redshirt might option sidibe doesnt show signs recovering going play unless feel play boeheim said since joining acc syracuse four five virginia tech 112 though hokies previous meeting teams last season syracuse travels wake forest wednesday back home face notre dame next saturday lot tough games think survive boeheim said try get try get better team shown lot determination lot grit keep battling orange sunday wear uniform patch honoring kelly seubert boeheims former administrative assistant seubert played intricate role operational duties basketball office died august cancer 13 years staff patch remain uniforms rest season boeheim staff wear commemorative pins resembling patch ___ ap college basketball httpcollegebasketballaporg httpwwwtwittercomap_top25 ___ kekis twitter wwwtwittercomgreek1947 syracuse coach jim boeheim said season team would good defensively struggle end assessment spoton start atlantic coast conference play sunday night home game virginia tech orange 112 putting solid numbers defense syracuse ranks ninth nationally blocks 83 behind louisvilles 101 acc seventh rebounding margin plus105 seventh offensive rebounds 1477 ninth total rebounds 4208 first acc steals per game 89 defense good good year part boeheim said always breakdowns overall defense pretty good get something going offensive end win eastern michigan wednesday night syracuse tied 242nd nationally scoring 72 points game ahead virginia 712 orange also hitting 30 percent behind arc leaves little margin error top scorer struggles guard tyus battle averaging 201 points third acc hes sputtered times teammates failed pick slack syracuses threepoint overtime loss home st bonaventure last week bonnies battle shot 3 18 made 1 9 shots behind arc eastern michigan couldnt find range first half missing five 3pointers teams went halftime tied orange rallied behind battle 6247 win hit 6 9 floor 3 4 long range second half weve lost freshman forward oshae brissett said good teams know need learn mistakes brissett pleasant surprise averaging doubledouble 152 points 10 rebounds freshman forward marek dolezaj sparkplug hustle junior point guard frank howard catalyst also averaging 152 points howards 53 turnovers though negated positives brings floor leads acc 30 steals orange one problem wont go away thin bench departure graduate transfer geno thorpe left team eight scholarship players injuries 6foot10 freshman center bourama sidibe forced miss three games parts three others since earlyseason loss thenno 2 kansas boeheim hinted medical redshirt might option sidibe doesnt show signs recovering going play unless feel play boeheim said since joining acc syracuse four five virginia tech 112 though hokies previous meeting teams last season syracuse travels wake forest wednesday back home face notre dame next saturday lot tough games think survive boeheim said try get try get better team shown lot determination lot grit keep battling orange sunday wear uniform patch honoring kelly seubert boeheims former administrative assistant seubert played intricate role operational duties basketball office died august cancer 13 years staff patch remain uniforms rest season boeheim staff wear commemorative pins resembling patch ___ ap college basketball httpcollegebasketballaporg httpwwwtwittercomap_top25 ___ kekis twitter wwwtwittercomgreek1947
| 746 |
<p>ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The New York Knicks and Orlando Magic have had trouble winning games this season. In their latest matchup, they had an equally tough time scoring points.</p>
<p>Cole Aldrich had a career-high 19 points and New York beat Orlando 80-79 on Saturday night in a game that had the lowest-scoring quarter in NBA history.</p>
<p>The teams combined to score only 15 points in the second quarter, breaking the mark of 18. The previous NBA low was accomplished three times, the last by Utah and Detroit on March 13, 2005.</p>
<p>Aldrich also had 14 rebounds to help the Knicks win for the second time in 13 games. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 13 points, including a late 3-pointer that proved to the winner.</p>
<p>“A win is a win,” Hardaway said. “We knew we only had three games left including this one and we just want to make use of all three.”</p>
<p>Victor Oladipo had 21 points to lead a Magic team that has lost two straight and dropped their final home game of the season. Tobias Harris added 15 points.</p>
<p>The Knicks scored eight points in the second quarter, shooting 3 for 20 from the field with a pair of turnovers. The Magic had seven points and were 3 for 19 from the field, with seven turnovers.</p>
<p>The seven points scored by Orlando in the period tied a team record for fewest points in a quarter. It also set a Magic record for fewest points in a second quarter.</p>
<p>“It was 8-7 in the second quarter so our defense did a great job of withstanding that quarter,” Hardaway said. “Even though we didn’t score, they didn’t score as well so we just had an all-around great game.”</p>
<p>Orlando overcame its early scoring woes, erased an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit and took a 69-68 lead on Willie Green’s 3-pointer with 5:08 to play.</p>
<p>After it was tied at 73, Elfrid Payton put the Magic back in front 75-73 with a short jumper.</p>
<p>But the Knicks tied it right back up on their next possession on Hardaway’s long jumper from the wing.</p>
<p>Oladipo missed a layup coming out of a timeout and Hardaway was fouled going to basket by Nik Vucevic. He converted on his ensuing free throws to nudge New York back in front 77-75 with 41.6 seconds remaining.</p>
<p>The Magic got the ball into Oladipo’s hands, who tied it again on a driving layup.</p>
<p>The Knicks ran down the clock and Langston Galloway lost the ball on a drive. But the ball eventually found its way to Hardaway, who drilled a 3 to make it 80-77.</p>
<p>Oladipo missed a jumper, and the ball wound up in a tie up between Cleanthony Early and Channing Frye with 6.9 left.</p>
<p>Frye won the ensuing jump and after a long 3-pointer missed for Oladipo, Vucevic had to settle for a layup with 0.9 showing on the clock.</p>
<p>Knicks coach Derek Fisher said he’s not thinking about the lottery, despite having the Eastern Conference’s worst record</p>
<p>“I don’t believe in trying to lose and I don’t think that’s what our organization believes either,” he said. “Whatever that will be, that will be...We just have to go about our business.”</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Knicks: Shot just 37 percent from the field (31 of 82) and 6 for 20 from the 3-point line (30 percent).</p>
<p>Magic: Have made a 3-point field goal in 654 consecutive games, dating all the way back to March 17, 2007. ... G Evan Fournier sat out. He had played the last two games, but previously missed 17 straight games with a sore right hip.</p>
<p>HOPEFUL FUTURE</p>
<p>It’s yet to be determined whether Magic interim coach James Borrego will land the job on a permanent basis. But he said he is hopeful about the core Orlando has heading into this offseason.</p>
<p>“I think we’re starting to see the makings of what a playoff team can look like for the Orlando Magic,” Borrego said. “If this group can grow this summer, get better, there’s a lot of upside already just with this core group as it sits.”</p>
<p>HOMES FOR HEROES</p>
<p>As part of the Magic’s fan appreciation weekend, the team joined with Chase and Building Homes for Heroes Saturday to give away a mortgage-free home to Army Sgt. Alan Wyrwa, his wife Erika, and their two daughters. The family was also hosted in a suite during the game, presented them with four tickets to Disney World, and gave them a check to home with furnishing the home.</p>
<p>Wyrwa joined the Army in 2001, serving four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Knicks: At Atlanta on Monday night.</p>
<p>Magic: At Miami on Monday night.</p>
<p>ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The New York Knicks and Orlando Magic have had trouble winning games this season. In their latest matchup, they had an equally tough time scoring points.</p>
<p>Cole Aldrich had a career-high 19 points and New York beat Orlando 80-79 on Saturday night in a game that had the lowest-scoring quarter in NBA history.</p>
<p>The teams combined to score only 15 points in the second quarter, breaking the mark of 18. The previous NBA low was accomplished three times, the last by Utah and Detroit on March 13, 2005.</p>
<p>Aldrich also had 14 rebounds to help the Knicks win for the second time in 13 games. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 13 points, including a late 3-pointer that proved to the winner.</p>
<p>“A win is a win,” Hardaway said. “We knew we only had three games left including this one and we just want to make use of all three.”</p>
<p>Victor Oladipo had 21 points to lead a Magic team that has lost two straight and dropped their final home game of the season. Tobias Harris added 15 points.</p>
<p>The Knicks scored eight points in the second quarter, shooting 3 for 20 from the field with a pair of turnovers. The Magic had seven points and were 3 for 19 from the field, with seven turnovers.</p>
<p>The seven points scored by Orlando in the period tied a team record for fewest points in a quarter. It also set a Magic record for fewest points in a second quarter.</p>
<p>“It was 8-7 in the second quarter so our defense did a great job of withstanding that quarter,” Hardaway said. “Even though we didn’t score, they didn’t score as well so we just had an all-around great game.”</p>
<p>Orlando overcame its early scoring woes, erased an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit and took a 69-68 lead on Willie Green’s 3-pointer with 5:08 to play.</p>
<p>After it was tied at 73, Elfrid Payton put the Magic back in front 75-73 with a short jumper.</p>
<p>But the Knicks tied it right back up on their next possession on Hardaway’s long jumper from the wing.</p>
<p>Oladipo missed a layup coming out of a timeout and Hardaway was fouled going to basket by Nik Vucevic. He converted on his ensuing free throws to nudge New York back in front 77-75 with 41.6 seconds remaining.</p>
<p>The Magic got the ball into Oladipo’s hands, who tied it again on a driving layup.</p>
<p>The Knicks ran down the clock and Langston Galloway lost the ball on a drive. But the ball eventually found its way to Hardaway, who drilled a 3 to make it 80-77.</p>
<p>Oladipo missed a jumper, and the ball wound up in a tie up between Cleanthony Early and Channing Frye with 6.9 left.</p>
<p>Frye won the ensuing jump and after a long 3-pointer missed for Oladipo, Vucevic had to settle for a layup with 0.9 showing on the clock.</p>
<p>Knicks coach Derek Fisher said he’s not thinking about the lottery, despite having the Eastern Conference’s worst record</p>
<p>“I don’t believe in trying to lose and I don’t think that’s what our organization believes either,” he said. “Whatever that will be, that will be...We just have to go about our business.”</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Knicks: Shot just 37 percent from the field (31 of 82) and 6 for 20 from the 3-point line (30 percent).</p>
<p>Magic: Have made a 3-point field goal in 654 consecutive games, dating all the way back to March 17, 2007. ... G Evan Fournier sat out. He had played the last two games, but previously missed 17 straight games with a sore right hip.</p>
<p>HOPEFUL FUTURE</p>
<p>It’s yet to be determined whether Magic interim coach James Borrego will land the job on a permanent basis. But he said he is hopeful about the core Orlando has heading into this offseason.</p>
<p>“I think we’re starting to see the makings of what a playoff team can look like for the Orlando Magic,” Borrego said. “If this group can grow this summer, get better, there’s a lot of upside already just with this core group as it sits.”</p>
<p>HOMES FOR HEROES</p>
<p>As part of the Magic’s fan appreciation weekend, the team joined with Chase and Building Homes for Heroes Saturday to give away a mortgage-free home to Army Sgt. Alan Wyrwa, his wife Erika, and their two daughters. The family was also hosted in a suite during the game, presented them with four tickets to Disney World, and gave them a check to home with furnishing the home.</p>
<p>Wyrwa joined the Army in 2001, serving four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Knicks: At Atlanta on Monday night.</p>
<p>Magic: At Miami on Monday night.</p>
| false | 2 |
orlando fla ap new york knicks orlando magic trouble winning games season latest matchup equally tough time scoring points cole aldrich careerhigh 19 points new york beat orlando 8079 saturday night game lowestscoring quarter nba history teams combined score 15 points second quarter breaking mark 18 previous nba low accomplished three times last utah detroit march 13 2005 aldrich also 14 rebounds help knicks win second time 13 games tim hardaway jr added 13 points including late 3pointer proved winner win win hardaway said knew three games left including one want make use three victor oladipo 21 points lead magic team lost two straight dropped final home game season tobias harris added 15 points knicks scored eight points second quarter shooting 3 20 field pair turnovers magic seven points 3 19 field seven turnovers seven points scored orlando period tied team record fewest points quarter also set magic record fewest points second quarter 87 second quarter defense great job withstanding quarter hardaway said even though didnt score didnt score well allaround great game orlando overcame early scoring woes erased 11point fourthquarter deficit took 6968 lead willie greens 3pointer 508 play tied 73 elfrid payton put magic back front 7573 short jumper knicks tied right back next possession hardaways long jumper wing oladipo missed layup coming timeout hardaway fouled going basket nik vucevic converted ensuing free throws nudge new york back front 7775 416 seconds remaining magic got ball oladipos hands tied driving layup knicks ran clock langston galloway lost ball drive ball eventually found way hardaway drilled 3 make 8077 oladipo missed jumper ball wound tie cleanthony early channing frye 69 left frye ensuing jump long 3pointer missed oladipo vucevic settle layup 09 showing clock knicks coach derek fisher said hes thinking lottery despite eastern conferences worst record dont believe trying lose dont think thats organization believes either said whatever bewe go business tipins knicks shot 37 percent field 31 82 6 20 3point line 30 percent magic made 3point field goal 654 consecutive games dating way back march 17 2007 g evan fournier sat played last two games previously missed 17 straight games sore right hip hopeful future yet determined whether magic interim coach james borrego land job permanent basis said hopeful core orlando heading offseason think starting see makings playoff team look like orlando magic borrego said group grow summer get better theres lot upside already core group sits homes heroes part magics fan appreciation weekend team joined chase building homes heroes saturday give away mortgagefree home army sgt alan wyrwa wife erika two daughters family also hosted suite game presented four tickets disney world gave check home furnishing home wyrwa joined army 2001 serving four tours iraq afghanistan next knicks atlanta monday night magic miami monday night orlando fla ap new york knicks orlando magic trouble winning games season latest matchup equally tough time scoring points cole aldrich careerhigh 19 points new york beat orlando 8079 saturday night game lowestscoring quarter nba history teams combined score 15 points second quarter breaking mark 18 previous nba low accomplished three times last utah detroit march 13 2005 aldrich also 14 rebounds help knicks win second time 13 games tim hardaway jr added 13 points including late 3pointer proved winner win win hardaway said knew three games left including one want make use three victor oladipo 21 points lead magic team lost two straight dropped final home game season tobias harris added 15 points knicks scored eight points second quarter shooting 3 20 field pair turnovers magic seven points 3 19 field seven turnovers seven points scored orlando period tied team record fewest points quarter also set magic record fewest points second quarter 87 second quarter defense great job withstanding quarter hardaway said even though didnt score didnt score well allaround great game orlando overcame early scoring woes erased 11point fourthquarter deficit took 6968 lead willie greens 3pointer 508 play tied 73 elfrid payton put magic back front 7573 short jumper knicks tied right back next possession hardaways long jumper wing oladipo missed layup coming timeout hardaway fouled going basket nik vucevic converted ensuing free throws nudge new york back front 7775 416 seconds remaining magic got ball oladipos hands tied driving layup knicks ran clock langston galloway lost ball drive ball eventually found way hardaway drilled 3 make 8077 oladipo missed jumper ball wound tie cleanthony early channing frye 69 left frye ensuing jump long 3pointer missed oladipo vucevic settle layup 09 showing clock knicks coach derek fisher said hes thinking lottery despite eastern conferences worst record dont believe trying lose dont think thats organization believes either said whatever bewe go business tipins knicks shot 37 percent field 31 82 6 20 3point line 30 percent magic made 3point field goal 654 consecutive games dating way back march 17 2007 g evan fournier sat played last two games previously missed 17 straight games sore right hip hopeful future yet determined whether magic interim coach james borrego land job permanent basis said hopeful core orlando heading offseason think starting see makings playoff team look like orlando magic borrego said group grow summer get better theres lot upside already core group sits homes heroes part magics fan appreciation weekend team joined chase building homes heroes saturday give away mortgagefree home army sgt alan wyrwa wife erika two daughters family also hosted suite game presented four tickets disney world gave check home furnishing home wyrwa joined army 2001 serving four tours iraq afghanistan next knicks atlanta monday night magic miami monday night
| 920 |
<p>HOUSTON (AP) — Eric Gordon scored in a variety of ways Thursday night.</p>
<p>One shot stood out from the rest.</p>
<p>Gordon banked in a half-court heave at the end of the third quarter, part of a 30-point performance that helped the Houston Rockets to a 116-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.</p>
<p>"When I shot it, I thought it was going to go in somehow," Gordon said. "It looked good from that distance, but it was good to get that one to go in. It felt good to knock down a shot like that."</p>
<p>Gordon connected from a step behind the half-court line, sending Houston to the fourth with an 89-70 lead. After hitting the shot under heavy pressure from Andrew Wiggins, Gordon gave a high-five to Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who was sitting courtside near the play.</p>
<p>James Harden returned to the Rockets' lineup after missing seven games with a left hamstring strain. He finished with 10 points on 3-for-15 shooting, and added seven assists, two steals and two blocks in 26 minutes. Houston went 4-3 in his absence.</p>
<p>"Other than missing a lot of shots that I normally make, I thought I was active, especially, defensively," Harden said. "I was trying to create opportunities and get guys involved, and obviously, those guys had great games tonight."</p>
<p>Chris Paul had 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Rockets, and Clint Capela added 20 points. Houston has won 15 of the past 17 meetings with Minnesota, including a 10-game winning streak at home.</p>
<p>Gordon made 11 of 19 shots, including 7 of 13 from 3-point range. He fell just short of his season-high 33 points against Utah on Dec. 18.</p>
<p>With Rockets small forward Trevor Ariza sitting out the first part of a two-game suspension for a postgame locker room incident Monday night in Los Angeles, Luc Mbah a Moute got the start and scored 14 points in 32 minutes.</p>
<p>Along with Ariza, reserve guard Gerald Green also served the first of a two-game suspension for the altercation with the Clippers.</p>
<p>"When we get the guys back, we can get there, but it's just the matter of, can we get the same mentality when we get everybody together, can we defend and have a force that's championship level?" Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We'll see."</p>
<p>Jimmy Butler led Minnesota with 23 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. Wiggins finished with 16 points.</p>
<p>The Timberwolves struggled to contain Houston's 3-point shooting. The Rockets hit 17 of 39 from beyond the arc while improving to 24-4 when making at least 15 3s. Minnesota has lost back-to-back games following a five-game winning streak.</p>
<p>"Things can change very quickly in this league," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We've slipped, we've got to play with more of an edge, and we've got to bounce back. The games keep coming."</p>
<p>ALL-STAR HARDEN</p>
<p>Harden was voted a starter for the NBA All-Star Game for the second straight year. Harden also replaced Kobe Bryant in the starting lineup in both 2014 and 2015.</p>
<p>Harden has been named an All-Star in each of his six seasons with the Rockets, trailing only Hakeem Olajuwon (12 appearances) and Yao Ming (eight appearances).</p>
<p>"That's some great company right there," Harden said. "It's an honor and it's something that I never take for granted."</p>
<p>CP3 STEALS</p>
<p>By picking off a bad pass from Jeff Teague, Paul earned his 1,958th steal, passing Derek Harper to move into 13th place on the NBA's career steals list.</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Timberwolves: Towns fell one block shy of his career high, which he has accomplished three times. ... Former Rockets PG Aaron Brooks and C Cole Aldrich did not play in the game.</p>
<p>Rockets: Rookie C Zhou Qi was sidelined by a right elbow injury despite participating in pregame warmups. Second-year players Troy Williams (right knee MCL sprain) and Chinanu Onuaku (sinus surgery) also did not play after entering with a questionable status.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Timberwolves: Host Toronto on Saturday night.</p>
<p>Rockets: Host Golden State on Saturday night.</p>
<p>HOUSTON (AP) — Eric Gordon scored in a variety of ways Thursday night.</p>
<p>One shot stood out from the rest.</p>
<p>Gordon banked in a half-court heave at the end of the third quarter, part of a 30-point performance that helped the Houston Rockets to a 116-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.</p>
<p>"When I shot it, I thought it was going to go in somehow," Gordon said. "It looked good from that distance, but it was good to get that one to go in. It felt good to knock down a shot like that."</p>
<p>Gordon connected from a step behind the half-court line, sending Houston to the fourth with an 89-70 lead. After hitting the shot under heavy pressure from Andrew Wiggins, Gordon gave a high-five to Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who was sitting courtside near the play.</p>
<p>James Harden returned to the Rockets' lineup after missing seven games with a left hamstring strain. He finished with 10 points on 3-for-15 shooting, and added seven assists, two steals and two blocks in 26 minutes. Houston went 4-3 in his absence.</p>
<p>"Other than missing a lot of shots that I normally make, I thought I was active, especially, defensively," Harden said. "I was trying to create opportunities and get guys involved, and obviously, those guys had great games tonight."</p>
<p>Chris Paul had 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Rockets, and Clint Capela added 20 points. Houston has won 15 of the past 17 meetings with Minnesota, including a 10-game winning streak at home.</p>
<p>Gordon made 11 of 19 shots, including 7 of 13 from 3-point range. He fell just short of his season-high 33 points against Utah on Dec. 18.</p>
<p>With Rockets small forward Trevor Ariza sitting out the first part of a two-game suspension for a postgame locker room incident Monday night in Los Angeles, Luc Mbah a Moute got the start and scored 14 points in 32 minutes.</p>
<p>Along with Ariza, reserve guard Gerald Green also served the first of a two-game suspension for the altercation with the Clippers.</p>
<p>"When we get the guys back, we can get there, but it's just the matter of, can we get the same mentality when we get everybody together, can we defend and have a force that's championship level?" Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We'll see."</p>
<p>Jimmy Butler led Minnesota with 23 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. Wiggins finished with 16 points.</p>
<p>The Timberwolves struggled to contain Houston's 3-point shooting. The Rockets hit 17 of 39 from beyond the arc while improving to 24-4 when making at least 15 3s. Minnesota has lost back-to-back games following a five-game winning streak.</p>
<p>"Things can change very quickly in this league," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We've slipped, we've got to play with more of an edge, and we've got to bounce back. The games keep coming."</p>
<p>ALL-STAR HARDEN</p>
<p>Harden was voted a starter for the NBA All-Star Game for the second straight year. Harden also replaced Kobe Bryant in the starting lineup in both 2014 and 2015.</p>
<p>Harden has been named an All-Star in each of his six seasons with the Rockets, trailing only Hakeem Olajuwon (12 appearances) and Yao Ming (eight appearances).</p>
<p>"That's some great company right there," Harden said. "It's an honor and it's something that I never take for granted."</p>
<p>CP3 STEALS</p>
<p>By picking off a bad pass from Jeff Teague, Paul earned his 1,958th steal, passing Derek Harper to move into 13th place on the NBA's career steals list.</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Timberwolves: Towns fell one block shy of his career high, which he has accomplished three times. ... Former Rockets PG Aaron Brooks and C Cole Aldrich did not play in the game.</p>
<p>Rockets: Rookie C Zhou Qi was sidelined by a right elbow injury despite participating in pregame warmups. Second-year players Troy Williams (right knee MCL sprain) and Chinanu Onuaku (sinus surgery) also did not play after entering with a questionable status.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Timberwolves: Host Toronto on Saturday night.</p>
<p>Rockets: Host Golden State on Saturday night.</p>
| false | 2 |
houston ap eric gordon scored variety ways thursday night one shot stood rest gordon banked halfcourt heave end third quarter part 30point performance helped houston rockets 11698 victory minnesota timberwolves shot thought going go somehow gordon said looked good distance good get one go felt good knock shot like gordon connected step behind halfcourt line sending houston fourth 8970 lead hitting shot heavy pressure andrew wiggins gordon gave highfive rockets owner tilman fertitta sitting courtside near play james harden returned rockets lineup missing seven games left hamstring strain finished 10 points 3for15 shooting added seven assists two steals two blocks 26 minutes houston went 43 absence missing lot shots normally make thought active especially defensively harden said trying create opportunities get guys involved obviously guys great games tonight chris paul 19 points nine assists six rebounds rockets clint capela added 20 points houston 15 past 17 meetings minnesota including 10game winning streak home gordon made 11 19 shots including 7 13 3point range fell short seasonhigh 33 points utah dec 18 rockets small forward trevor ariza sitting first part twogame suspension postgame locker room incident monday night los angeles luc mbah moute got start scored 14 points 32 minutes along ariza reserve guard gerald green also served first twogame suspension altercation clippers get guys back get matter get mentality get everybody together defend force thats championship level rockets coach mike dantoni said well see jimmy butler led minnesota 23 points karlanthony towns added 22 points 16 rebounds five blocks wiggins finished 16 points timberwolves struggled contain houstons 3point shooting rockets hit 17 39 beyond arc improving 244 making least 15 3s minnesota lost backtoback games following fivegame winning streak things change quickly league timberwolves coach tom thibodeau said weve slipped weve got play edge weve got bounce back games keep coming allstar harden harden voted starter nba allstar game second straight year harden also replaced kobe bryant starting lineup 2014 2015 harden named allstar six seasons rockets trailing hakeem olajuwon 12 appearances yao ming eight appearances thats great company right harden said honor something never take granted cp3 steals picking bad pass jeff teague paul earned 1958th steal passing derek harper move 13th place nbas career steals list tipins timberwolves towns fell one block shy career high accomplished three times former rockets pg aaron brooks c cole aldrich play game rockets rookie c zhou qi sidelined right elbow injury despite participating pregame warmups secondyear players troy williams right knee mcl sprain chinanu onuaku sinus surgery also play entering questionable status next timberwolves host toronto saturday night rockets host golden state saturday night houston ap eric gordon scored variety ways thursday night one shot stood rest gordon banked halfcourt heave end third quarter part 30point performance helped houston rockets 11698 victory minnesota timberwolves shot thought going go somehow gordon said looked good distance good get one go felt good knock shot like gordon connected step behind halfcourt line sending houston fourth 8970 lead hitting shot heavy pressure andrew wiggins gordon gave highfive rockets owner tilman fertitta sitting courtside near play james harden returned rockets lineup missing seven games left hamstring strain finished 10 points 3for15 shooting added seven assists two steals two blocks 26 minutes houston went 43 absence missing lot shots normally make thought active especially defensively harden said trying create opportunities get guys involved obviously guys great games tonight chris paul 19 points nine assists six rebounds rockets clint capela added 20 points houston 15 past 17 meetings minnesota including 10game winning streak home gordon made 11 19 shots including 7 13 3point range fell short seasonhigh 33 points utah dec 18 rockets small forward trevor ariza sitting first part twogame suspension postgame locker room incident monday night los angeles luc mbah moute got start scored 14 points 32 minutes along ariza reserve guard gerald green also served first twogame suspension altercation clippers get guys back get matter get mentality get everybody together defend force thats championship level rockets coach mike dantoni said well see jimmy butler led minnesota 23 points karlanthony towns added 22 points 16 rebounds five blocks wiggins finished 16 points timberwolves struggled contain houstons 3point shooting rockets hit 17 39 beyond arc improving 244 making least 15 3s minnesota lost backtoback games following fivegame winning streak things change quickly league timberwolves coach tom thibodeau said weve slipped weve got play edge weve got bounce back games keep coming allstar harden harden voted starter nba allstar game second straight year harden also replaced kobe bryant starting lineup 2014 2015 harden named allstar six seasons rockets trailing hakeem olajuwon 12 appearances yao ming eight appearances thats great company right harden said honor something never take granted cp3 steals picking bad pass jeff teague paul earned 1958th steal passing derek harper move 13th place nbas career steals list tipins timberwolves towns fell one block shy career high accomplished three times former rockets pg aaron brooks c cole aldrich play game rockets rookie c zhou qi sidelined right elbow injury despite participating pregame warmups secondyear players troy williams right knee mcl sprain chinanu onuaku sinus surgery also play entering questionable status next timberwolves host toronto saturday night rockets host golden state saturday night
| 864 |
<p>"Are you happy?" is the prevailing question of its fair share of indie dramas.</p>
<p>The cinema of borderline depressive thirtysomethings living in reasonably pleasant suburban environs might as well be a genre unto itself. While it's still a valid premise for exploration, its latest entry, "Adult Beginners," does little to take the conceit to any new or surprising places.</p>
<p>This coming home tale begins with an instant fall for Jake (Nick Kroll), a hedonistic entrepreneur on the eve of launching a Google Glass-like product. At the height of Jake's party, literally and metaphorically, as the champagne is flowing and the girls in sparkly mini-dresses (including "Masters of Sex" star Caitlin FitzGerald in a blink-and-miss-it role) hover around the future millionaire, Jake finds out there's a problem with the manufacturer. In an instant, everything is gone.</p>
<p>Jake decides he has to leave Manhattan and shows up on the suburban doorstep of sister Justine (Rose Byrne) for a three-month escape from his life and failure. She's overwhelmed by his sudden appearance, but accommodating. Newly pregnant and raising her three-year-old son, Teddy (Caleb and Matthew Paddock) with her husband, Danny (Bobby Cannavale), Justine has her own set of issues too.</p>
<p>Without much pain, Danny soon transitions seamlessly into being a caretaker for Teddy. One of the achievements of "Adult Beginners" is how it doesn't exaggerate circumstance for drama or comedy. Here, Danny just learns how to do it and the story moves on.</p>
<p>Jake and Justine bicker and make up and reach a few revelations, the most notable of which involves the trauma of their mother's death from cancer and how it affected their lives. And yet, while the actors are likable, it's a struggle to find any emotional connection to their lives.</p>
<p>At the very least, Kroll, in one of his first leading roles, proves that he might just have a promising career in film outside of character parts. The comedian, known for his role in the TV series "The League" and his over-the-top sketch series "The Kroll Show," has both depth and presence in "Adult Beginners" as a man whose life has been thrown into question.</p>
<p>Byrne, meanwhile, is given a few terrific moments, both comedic and dramatic. She has an easy chemistry with Kroll and imbues Justine with a depth that isn't necessarily on the page.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Cannavale, who is also in a relationship with Bryne in real life, isn't given much to do aside from being a convenient plot device — acting as the cheating husband who also might be a good guy.</p>
<p>Director Ross Katz, in his sophomore effort, packs the film with notable actors in supporting parts, including Joel McHale, Bobby Moynihan, Jane Krakowski, Josh Charles, Mike Birbiglia and Jason Mantzoukas. But, as with the rest of the film, these charismatic actors keep in line with the mostly understated tone of the entire endeavor. At best, they're missed opportunities.</p>
<p>Brothers Jay and Mark Duplass, credited as executive producers here, have turned this type of story into a veritable cottage industry, and it's getting tiresome. This almost feels like an East Coast extension of their HBO show "Togetherness."</p>
<p>It's hard to fault such an earnest movie just because it happens to be exploring a well-worn idea. "Adult Beginners" is a fine slice-of-life drama that hits all the predictable points. But perhaps it could have benefited from a little more of the comedic energy and subversive spirit that Bryne, Kroll and Cannavale have all proved more than capable of in previous roles.</p>
<p>"Adult Beginners," a Radius-TWC release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for "language and some drug use." Running time: 90 minutes. Two stars out of four.</p>
<p>__</p>
<p>MPAA Definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.</p>
<p>__</p>
<p>Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.</p>
<p>"Are you happy?" is the prevailing question of its fair share of indie dramas.</p>
<p>The cinema of borderline depressive thirtysomethings living in reasonably pleasant suburban environs might as well be a genre unto itself. While it's still a valid premise for exploration, its latest entry, "Adult Beginners," does little to take the conceit to any new or surprising places.</p>
<p>This coming home tale begins with an instant fall for Jake (Nick Kroll), a hedonistic entrepreneur on the eve of launching a Google Glass-like product. At the height of Jake's party, literally and metaphorically, as the champagne is flowing and the girls in sparkly mini-dresses (including "Masters of Sex" star Caitlin FitzGerald in a blink-and-miss-it role) hover around the future millionaire, Jake finds out there's a problem with the manufacturer. In an instant, everything is gone.</p>
<p>Jake decides he has to leave Manhattan and shows up on the suburban doorstep of sister Justine (Rose Byrne) for a three-month escape from his life and failure. She's overwhelmed by his sudden appearance, but accommodating. Newly pregnant and raising her three-year-old son, Teddy (Caleb and Matthew Paddock) with her husband, Danny (Bobby Cannavale), Justine has her own set of issues too.</p>
<p>Without much pain, Danny soon transitions seamlessly into being a caretaker for Teddy. One of the achievements of "Adult Beginners" is how it doesn't exaggerate circumstance for drama or comedy. Here, Danny just learns how to do it and the story moves on.</p>
<p>Jake and Justine bicker and make up and reach a few revelations, the most notable of which involves the trauma of their mother's death from cancer and how it affected their lives. And yet, while the actors are likable, it's a struggle to find any emotional connection to their lives.</p>
<p>At the very least, Kroll, in one of his first leading roles, proves that he might just have a promising career in film outside of character parts. The comedian, known for his role in the TV series "The League" and his over-the-top sketch series "The Kroll Show," has both depth and presence in "Adult Beginners" as a man whose life has been thrown into question.</p>
<p>Byrne, meanwhile, is given a few terrific moments, both comedic and dramatic. She has an easy chemistry with Kroll and imbues Justine with a depth that isn't necessarily on the page.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Cannavale, who is also in a relationship with Bryne in real life, isn't given much to do aside from being a convenient plot device — acting as the cheating husband who also might be a good guy.</p>
<p>Director Ross Katz, in his sophomore effort, packs the film with notable actors in supporting parts, including Joel McHale, Bobby Moynihan, Jane Krakowski, Josh Charles, Mike Birbiglia and Jason Mantzoukas. But, as with the rest of the film, these charismatic actors keep in line with the mostly understated tone of the entire endeavor. At best, they're missed opportunities.</p>
<p>Brothers Jay and Mark Duplass, credited as executive producers here, have turned this type of story into a veritable cottage industry, and it's getting tiresome. This almost feels like an East Coast extension of their HBO show "Togetherness."</p>
<p>It's hard to fault such an earnest movie just because it happens to be exploring a well-worn idea. "Adult Beginners" is a fine slice-of-life drama that hits all the predictable points. But perhaps it could have benefited from a little more of the comedic energy and subversive spirit that Bryne, Kroll and Cannavale have all proved more than capable of in previous roles.</p>
<p>"Adult Beginners," a Radius-TWC release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for "language and some drug use." Running time: 90 minutes. Two stars out of four.</p>
<p>__</p>
<p>MPAA Definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.</p>
<p>__</p>
<p>Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.</p>
| false | 2 |
happy prevailing question fair share indie dramas cinema borderline depressive thirtysomethings living reasonably pleasant suburban environs might well genre unto still valid premise exploration latest entry adult beginners little take conceit new surprising places coming home tale begins instant fall jake nick kroll hedonistic entrepreneur eve launching google glasslike product height jakes party literally metaphorically champagne flowing girls sparkly minidresses including masters sex star caitlin fitzgerald blinkandmissit role hover around future millionaire jake finds theres problem manufacturer instant everything gone jake decides leave manhattan shows suburban doorstep sister justine rose byrne threemonth escape life failure shes overwhelmed sudden appearance accommodating newly pregnant raising threeyearold son teddy caleb matthew paddock husband danny bobby cannavale justine set issues without much pain danny soon transitions seamlessly caretaker teddy one achievements adult beginners doesnt exaggerate circumstance drama comedy danny learns story moves jake justine bicker make reach revelations notable involves trauma mothers death cancer affected lives yet actors likable struggle find emotional connection lives least kroll one first leading roles proves might promising career film outside character parts comedian known role tv series league overthetop sketch series kroll show depth presence adult beginners man whose life thrown question byrne meanwhile given terrific moments comedic dramatic easy chemistry kroll imbues justine depth isnt necessarily page unfortunately cannavale also relationship bryne real life isnt given much aside convenient plot device acting cheating husband also might good guy director ross katz sophomore effort packs film notable actors supporting parts including joel mchale bobby moynihan jane krakowski josh charles mike birbiglia jason mantzoukas rest film charismatic actors keep line mostly understated tone entire endeavor best theyre missed opportunities brothers jay mark duplass credited executive producers turned type story veritable cottage industry getting tiresome almost feels like east coast extension hbo show togetherness hard fault earnest movie happens exploring wellworn idea adult beginners fine sliceoflife drama hits predictable points perhaps could benefited little comedic energy subversive spirit bryne kroll cannavale proved capable previous roles adult beginners radiustwc release rated r motion picture association america language drug use running time 90 minutes two stars four __ mpaa definition r restricted 17 requires accompanying parent adult guardian __ follow ap film writer lindsey bahr twitter wwwtwittercomldbahr happy prevailing question fair share indie dramas cinema borderline depressive thirtysomethings living reasonably pleasant suburban environs might well genre unto still valid premise exploration latest entry adult beginners little take conceit new surprising places coming home tale begins instant fall jake nick kroll hedonistic entrepreneur eve launching google glasslike product height jakes party literally metaphorically champagne flowing girls sparkly minidresses including masters sex star caitlin fitzgerald blinkandmissit role hover around future millionaire jake finds theres problem manufacturer instant everything gone jake decides leave manhattan shows suburban doorstep sister justine rose byrne threemonth escape life failure shes overwhelmed sudden appearance accommodating newly pregnant raising threeyearold son teddy caleb matthew paddock husband danny bobby cannavale justine set issues without much pain danny soon transitions seamlessly caretaker teddy one achievements adult beginners doesnt exaggerate circumstance drama comedy danny learns story moves jake justine bicker make reach revelations notable involves trauma mothers death cancer affected lives yet actors likable struggle find emotional connection lives least kroll one first leading roles proves might promising career film outside character parts comedian known role tv series league overthetop sketch series kroll show depth presence adult beginners man whose life thrown question byrne meanwhile given terrific moments comedic dramatic easy chemistry kroll imbues justine depth isnt necessarily page unfortunately cannavale also relationship bryne real life isnt given much aside convenient plot device acting cheating husband also might good guy director ross katz sophomore effort packs film notable actors supporting parts including joel mchale bobby moynihan jane krakowski josh charles mike birbiglia jason mantzoukas rest film charismatic actors keep line mostly understated tone entire endeavor best theyre missed opportunities brothers jay mark duplass credited executive producers turned type story veritable cottage industry getting tiresome almost feels like east coast extension hbo show togetherness hard fault earnest movie happens exploring wellworn idea adult beginners fine sliceoflife drama hits predictable points perhaps could benefited little comedic energy subversive spirit bryne kroll cannavale proved capable previous roles adult beginners radiustwc release rated r motion picture association america language drug use running time 90 minutes two stars four __ mpaa definition r restricted 17 requires accompanying parent adult guardian __ follow ap film writer lindsey bahr twitter wwwtwittercomldbahr
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<p />
<p>No waiting weeks to see a dermatologist. No sitting for hours in the emergency room. No frantic calls to find a family doctor with openings.</p>
<p>Online services such as ZocDoc and InQuicker are enabling patients with non-life-threatening conditions to schedule everything from doctor’s office visits to emergency room trips on their laptops and smartphones — much like OpenTable users do with restaurant reservations.</p>
<p>Hospitals and doctors increasingly are subscribing to the services to simplify appointment scheduling for patients who dislike waiting on hold and are comfortable doing everything from shopping to banking online.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>With most of the services, booking is as simple as going to a website, entering a zip code and the kind of care needed, and checking available times. Patients can get a doctor appointment within a couple days, even if they’re a new patient. And the services say most patients are seen within 15 to 20 minutes of their appointment, and when an ER backs up, patients with reservations are texted to come later.</p>
<p>“I truly believe talking to people on the phone to schedule doctors’ appointments will be something of the past very soon,” says Natan Edelsburg, a New York resident who has made 10 doctor appointments through one of the biggest online medical appointment booking services, ZocDoc.</p>
<p>Doctors and hospitals are using such services to attract and retain patients as the health care landscape keeps getting more competitive. With the nationwide proliferation of urgent care centers and pharmacy clinics open on nights and weekends, patients have more convenient options than ever before.</p>
<p>The booking websites also are a way for hospitals and doctors to try to please patients at a time when they face new financial incentives to do so. Starting this year, the Affordable Care Act, which requires most Americans to have health insurance, increases or reduces the Medicare payments hospitals receive each year based on patient satisfaction and quality. That can have a significant impact: Medicare, which covers Americans 65 and older and others with disabilities, pays for 43 percent of hospital patients’ care. A similar program for doctors starts next year.</p>
<p>“I don’t think you can compete in our medical practice marketplace without being a ZocDoc participant,” says Dr. Bobby Buka, a New York dermatologist who gets about 15 patients a week from ZocDoc.</p>
<p>EASY BOOKING</p>
<p>The services, which are free for patients but usually charge $200 to $300 per doctor a month, are benefiting from the focus on making scheduling easier for patients.</p>
<p>ER Express, an Atlanta startup, books reservations for more than 150 ERs and urgent care centers in nearly 30 states. It served more than 40,000 patients in 2014, up 300 percent from 2013.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>Meanwhile, ZocDoc, which is based in New York, has more than 6 million patients per month making appointments for dentists, family doctors and 40-plus types of specialists in more than 2,000 cities. ZocDoc was started in 2007 by Cyrus Massoumi, who was frustrated trying to get care after his eardrum ruptured during a long flight and he had to wait four days to see an ear specialist.</p>
<p>“We think everyone in America will be booking online eventually,” Massoumi says.</p>
<p>InQuicker had a similar origin. It also was founded by someone who had some experience with the hassles of scheduling medical appointments. Tyler Kiley, who’d spent lots of time in ERs growing up because his mom was an ER nurse and his dad a hospital administrator, started it in 2006. He says he’d seen lots of unnecessary waiting, so he created software for online check-ins.</p>
<p>Growth surged after current CEO Mike Brody-Waite joined in 2010, bringing his marketing expertise: InQuicker now serves 224 hospital ERs, 517 doctor practices, 126 urgent care centers, and some other medical providers. The Nashville company scheduled 302,000 appointments in 2014, up more than 80 percent from 2013, and its revenue was $7 million. Revenue is projected to reach $15 million this year, says marketing chief Stacie Pawlicki.</p>
<p>WIN-WIN-WIN</p>
<p>Doctors and hospitals say the services help attract new patients.</p>
<p>At Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital outside Chicago, assistant ER director Dr. Steve Edelstein says ER Express sends about 40 patients a month to his ER and the hospital’s nearby Grayslake Emergency Center. A quarter are new patients, and he says those tech-savvy customers “are generally more likely to have credit cards and good insurance” than others.</p>
<p>“It’s been nothing but a benefit,” Edelstein says.</p>
<p>Jersey City Medical Center and its two urgent care centers rolled out InQuicker two years ago and use grew quickly. Together, they draw roughly 300 patients a month — 70 percent of them new patients — through InQuicker and their own healthstops.com site.</p>
<p>“It’s helped a lot with patient satisfaction,” says operations chief Kirat Kharode. His ER’s average wait to see a doctor is 35 minutes, versus 15 or less with a reservation.</p>
<p>Some patients also like the benefits of booking online. Lauren Toth, 29, made an ER reservation last spring at Jersey City Medical Center when her foot swelled up and red spots covered her leg.</p>
<p>“When I got there, the waiting room was packed. There must have been 50 people there, and they took me in 10 minutes,” recalls the Manhattan public relations representative.</p>
<p>Doctors advised rest and ice packs and sent her home for follow-up. Later, a dermatologist diagnosed inflamed blood vessels and prescribed medication.</p>
<p>“This could revolutionize the way emergency care is delivered,” Toth says.</p>
<p>——</p>
<p>Follow Linda A. Johnson at <a href="http://twitter.com/LindaJ--onPharma" type="external">http://twitter.com/LindaJ–onPharma</a></p>
| false | 2 |
waiting weeks see dermatologist sitting hours emergency room frantic calls find family doctor openings online services zocdoc inquicker enabling patients nonlifethreatening conditions schedule everything doctors office visits emergency room trips laptops smartphones much like opentable users restaurant reservations hospitals doctors increasingly subscribing services simplify appointment scheduling patients dislike waiting hold comfortable everything shopping banking online advertisement services booking simple going website entering zip code kind care needed checking available times patients get doctor appointment within couple days even theyre new patient services say patients seen within 15 20 minutes appointment er backs patients reservations texted come later truly believe talking people phone schedule doctors appointments something past soon says natan edelsburg new york resident made 10 doctor appointments one biggest online medical appointment booking services zocdoc doctors hospitals using services attract retain patients health care landscape keeps getting competitive nationwide proliferation urgent care centers pharmacy clinics open nights weekends patients convenient options ever booking websites also way hospitals doctors try please patients time face new financial incentives starting year affordable care act requires americans health insurance increases reduces medicare payments hospitals receive year based patient satisfaction quality significant impact medicare covers americans 65 older others disabilities pays 43 percent hospital patients care similar program doctors starts next year dont think compete medical practice marketplace without zocdoc participant says dr bobby buka new york dermatologist gets 15 patients week zocdoc easy booking services free patients usually charge 200 300 per doctor month benefiting focus making scheduling easier patients er express atlanta startup books reservations 150 ers urgent care centers nearly 30 states served 40000 patients 2014 300 percent 2013 advertisement meanwhile zocdoc based new york 6 million patients per month making appointments dentists family doctors 40plus types specialists 2000 cities zocdoc started 2007 cyrus massoumi frustrated trying get care eardrum ruptured long flight wait four days see ear specialist think everyone america booking online eventually massoumi says inquicker similar origin also founded someone experience hassles scheduling medical appointments tyler kiley whod spent lots time ers growing mom er nurse dad hospital administrator started 2006 says hed seen lots unnecessary waiting created software online checkins growth surged current ceo mike brodywaite joined 2010 bringing marketing expertise inquicker serves 224 hospital ers 517 doctor practices 126 urgent care centers medical providers nashville company scheduled 302000 appointments 2014 80 percent 2013 revenue 7 million revenue projected reach 15 million year says marketing chief stacie pawlicki winwinwin doctors hospitals say services help attract new patients northwestern lake forest hospital outside chicago assistant er director dr steve edelstein says er express sends 40 patients month er hospitals nearby grayslake emergency center quarter new patients says techsavvy customers generally likely credit cards good insurance others nothing benefit edelstein says jersey city medical center two urgent care centers rolled inquicker two years ago use grew quickly together draw roughly 300 patients month 70 percent new patients inquicker healthstopscom site helped lot patient satisfaction says operations chief kirat kharode ers average wait see doctor 35 minutes versus 15 less reservation patients also like benefits booking online lauren toth 29 made er reservation last spring jersey city medical center foot swelled red spots covered leg got waiting room packed must 50 people took 10 minutes recalls manhattan public relations representative doctors advised rest ice packs sent home followup later dermatologist diagnosed inflamed blood vessels prescribed medication could revolutionize way emergency care delivered toth says follow linda johnson httptwittercomlindajonpharma
| 568 |
<p><a href="" type="internal" />The Line: If you like your health insurance plan, you can keep it.</p>
<p>The Party: Democratic</p>
<p>For years, President Obama promised millions of Americans with health insurance that “if you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan” under his health care overhaul. He wasn’t the only one, either.</p>
<p>Back in 2009, several top congressional Democrats echoed the president’s assurances that those who were happy with their plans would be able to keep them.</p>
<p>Senate Majority Leader <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2009-07-28/pdf/CREC-2009-07-28-pt1-PgS8150-3.pdf#page=1" type="external">Harry Reid said the health care overhaul efforts</a> “means making sure you can keep your family’s doctor or keep your health care plan if you like it.”</p>
<p>Senate Majority Whip <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2009-07-30/html/CREC-2009-07-30-pt1-PgS8506-2.htm" type="external">Dick Durbin told the happily insured</a> “we are going to put in any legislation considered by the House and Senate the protection that you, as an individual, keep the health insurance you have, if that is what you want.”</p>
<p>And current Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2009-06-10/html/CREC-2009-06-10-pt1-PgS6400.htm" type="external">Patty Murray also said:</a> “If you like what you have today, that will be what you have when this legislation is passed.”</p>
<p>But longtime readers of FactCheck.org know <a href="" type="internal">we’ve been writing since August 2009</a> that that promise simply couldn’t be made to everyone who already had health insurance.</p>
<p>That’s because <a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-134.pdf" type="external">most Americans are covered</a> by plans through their jobs, and nothing in the health care law prohibited employers from dropping coverage or changing health plans as they have been able to previously. Before the health care bill even became law, the Congressional Budget Office <a href="http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10731/employer_coverage_flows_12-07.pdf" type="external">projected</a> that up to 10 million people who otherwise would have been covered by employer-provided plans would not be offered coverage under one Democratic proposal.</p>
<p>The health care law also sets <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/blog/10-health-care-benefits-covered-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" type="external">minimum standards for insurance coverage,</a> requiring that all health plans cover mental health benefits, prescription drug coverage, vaccinations, dental and vision care for children, maternity care for women, and more. The upgrades mean that some plans that were inexpensive for purchasers — but didn’t cover the required benefits — would eventually cease to exist.</p>
<p>Americans who purchase such plans on the individual insurance market have been receiving notices that their current plans will no longer be offered after this year, as <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57609534/policy-cancellations-higher-premiums-add-to-frustration-over-obamacare/" type="external">several</a> <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-health-sticker-shock-20131027,0,4888906,full.story#axzz2j7tq3Hdn" type="external">news</a> <a href="http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/29/21222195-obama-administration-knew-millions-could-not-keep-their-health-insurance?lite" type="external">organizations</a> reported in October. Those notices <a href="" type="internal">make it clear that Obama was over-simplifying and over-promising</a> when he kept saying, “if you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.”</p>
<p>Obama, in a <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/11/04/remarks-president-aca-coalition-partners-and-supporters" type="external">Nov. 4, 2013, speech, tried to explain his past promises</a> by saying “what we said was you can keep it if it hasn’t changed since the law passed.” Asked when the president had previously included that detail, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, in a <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/11/05/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-11052013" type="external">Nov. 5 press briefing, said Obama</a> was referring to the law’s clause allowing insurers and employers to “grandfather” plans offered before the bill became law.</p>
<p>“The president was referring to the law and to the fact that the law was written in a way — and everybody who closely covered the drafting of that legislation knew it was written about — that the grandfathering clause was in the law, and he was referring to the implementation of that law through the rule process,” Carney said.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/what-if-i-have-a-grandfathered-health-plan/" type="external">Grandfathered health plans</a> do not have to meet all of the law’s new coverage requirements. But in order to be grandfathered, health plans must have existed on March 23, 2010. Those with individual grandfathered plans had to have them before the law took effect. And to maintain their grandfathered status, the plans must not be changed to cut benefits or significantly raise prices for consumers through deductibles or co-pays.</p>
<p>It’s true that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/06/14/keeping-plan-you" type="external">explained the grandfather clause</a> in a June 14, 2010, blog post announcing new health care regulations.</p>
<p>“Under the rule issued today, employers or issuers offering such coverage will have the flexibility of making reasonable changes without losing their ‘grandfathered’ status,” Sebelius wrote. “However, if health plans significantly raise co-payments or deductibles, or if they significantly reduce benefits – for example, if they stop covering treatment for a disease like HIV/AIDS or cystic fibrosis – they’ll lose their grandfathered status and their customers will get the same full set of consumer protections as new plans.”</p>
<p>Sebelius went on to say that the “bottom line is that under the Affordable Care Act, if you like your doctor and plan, you can keep them.” But that still wouldn’t be true for many, and&#160;Obama glossed over those details in his speeches. The president <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-The-President-In-Town-Hall-On-Health-Care-Grand-Junction-Colorado/" type="external">made the sweeping promise, in one variation</a> or another, while the Affordable Care Act was being debated in Congress in 2009. He <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-health-insurance-reform-university-iowa-field-house-iowa-city-iow" type="external">said it again after he signed the bill</a> into law in 2010. And he <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/28/remarks-president-supreme-court-ruling-affordable-care-act" type="external">continued to say it after</a> the Supreme Court ruled the law was constitutional in 2012.</p>
<p>Even the president now acknowledges that his promise went too far.</p>
<p>In an <a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/07/21352724-exclusive-obama-personally-apologizes-for-americans-losing-health-coverage" type="external">interview with Chuck Todd of NBC News</a> on Nov. 7, Obama offered an apology to the many Americans who have been notified that they are, in fact, losing the health plans they previously had and wanted to keep.</p>
<p>“I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me,” Obama said. “We’ve got to work hard to make sure that they know we hear them and that we’re going to do everything we can to deal with folks who find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this.”</p>
<p>Strangely, the White House linked to the apology on a <a href="" type="internal">health care Web page</a> that carried the same promise he now says went too far.</p>
<p>White House website, Nov. 11: If you like your plan you can keep it and you don’t have to change a thing due to the health care law.</p>
<p>— D’Angelo Gore</p>
<p>Here is a list of some who have promised individuals could keep their health plans:</p>
<p>Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, June 10, 2009: We here in the Senate are working on legislation that will protect people’s choice of doctors, will protect their choice of hospitals, will protect their choice of insurance plan. If you like what you have today, that will be what you have when this legislation is passed. (Source: <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2009-06-10/html/CREC-2009-06-10-pt1-PgS6400.htm" type="external">Remarks on the Senate floor</a>.)</p>
<p>Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, July 28, 2009: The reform we are pursuing … not only means making sure you can keep your family’s doctor or keep your health care plan if you like it but also that you can afford to do so. (Source: <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2009-07-28/pdf/CREC-2009-07-28-pt1-PgS8150-3.pdf#page=1" type="external">Remarks on the Senate floor</a>.)</p>
<p>Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, July 30, 2009: Many people say: I like my health insurance right now. I don’t want to change. I don’t want to go into Medicare or Medicaid. I like what I have. Would you please leave people alone. The answer is yes. In fact, we guarantee it. We are going to put in any legislation considered by the House and Senate the protection of you, as an individual, to keep the health insurance you have, if that is what you want. What we are trying to create are voluntary choices and opportunities. (Source: <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2009-07-30/html/CREC-2009-07-30-pt1-PgS8506-2.htm" type="external">Remarks on the Senate floor</a>.)</p>
<p>President Obama, Aug. 15, 2009: At the same time — I just want to be completely clear about this; I keep on saying this but somehow folks aren’t listening — if you like your health care plan, you keep your health care plan. Nobody is going to force you to leave your health care plan. (Source: <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-The-President-In-Town-Hall-On-Health-Care-Grand-Junction-Colorado/" type="external">Remarks from town hall on health care</a>.)</p>
<p>Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska, Dec. 24, 2009: Alaskans who have health insurance now, and are happy with it, can keep it. (Source: <a href="http://www.begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&amp;ContentRecord_id=6d1172a0-ad18-4488-99fd-4c6a704d4b10&amp;ContentType_id=ef710aa3-7e29-440a-b9de-316ee20df1b5" type="external">Press release</a>.)</p>
<p>President Obama, March 25, 2010: From this day forward, all of the cynics, all the naysayers — they’re going to have to confront the reality of what this reform is and what it isn’t. They’ll have to finally acknowledge this isn’t a government takeover of our health care system. They’ll see that if Americans like their doctor, they’ll be keeping their doctor. You like your plan? You’ll be keeping your plan. No one is taking that away from you. (Source: <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-health-insurance-reform-university-iowa-field-house-iowa-city-iow" type="external">Remarks in Iowa City, Iowa</a>.)</p>
<p>Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, Sept. 29, 2010: From the beginning, the law has been about preserving what is good about American health care. That is why one of the central promises of health care reform has been and is: If you like what you have, you can keep it. That is critically important. If a person has a plan,and he or she likes it, he or she can keep it. (Source: <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2010-09-29/html/CREC-2010-09-29-pt1-PgS7673-3.htm" type="external">Remarks on the Senate floor</a>.)</p>
<p>Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, April 6, 2012: This bill will help make health insurance more secure for those who already have it and make coverage available for millions of uninsured Americans. And it is important to remember that for those who already have health insurance, the law allows you to keep your existing plan. (Source: <a href="http://www.levin.senate.gov/newsroom/in_the_news/article/amid-health-reform-debate-some-indisputable-facts" type="external">Press release</a>.)</p>
<p>President Obama, June 28, 2012: First, if you’re one of the more than 250 million Americans who already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance — this law will only make it more secure and more affordable. (Source: <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/28/remarks-president-supreme-court-ruling-affordable-care-act" type="external">Remarks on Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act</a>.)</p>
<p>Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, web page accessed Nov. 11, 2013: If you like your current health insurance, you will be able to keep it. And you will be able to continue seeing your current doctor. Health care reform would simply give you the choice to change insurance providers if you so choose. (Source: <a href="http://www.merkley.senate.gov/issues/issue/?id=A24668C8-AEC7-4252-9F91-3D046117E83B" type="external">Q &amp; A webpage</a>.)</p>
<p>Sen. Kay Hagan of North Carolina, fact sheet accessed Nov. 11, 2013: For middle class families, health care reform … Ensures you can keep the coverage you have and guarantees coverage if you change or lose your job. (Source: <a href="http://www.hagan.senate.gov/files/PPACA/MiddleClass.pdf" type="external">Fact sheet</a>.)</p>
<p>White House web page, accessed Nov. 11, 2013: If you like your plan you can keep it and you don’t have to change a thing due to the health care law. The President addressed concerns from Americans who have received letters of policy cancellations or changes from their insurance companies in an interview with NBC News, watch the video or read a transcript. (Source: <a href="" type="internal">White House website</a>.)</p>
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line like health insurance plan keep party democratic years president obama promised millions americans health insurance like health care plan keep health care plan health care overhaul wasnt one either back 2009 several top congressional democrats echoed presidents assurances happy plans would able keep senate majority leader harry reid said health care overhaul efforts means making sure keep familys doctor keep health care plan like senate majority whip dick durbin told happily insured going put legislation considered house senate protection individual keep health insurance want current senate budget committee chairwoman patty murray also said like today legislation passed longtime readers factcheckorg know weve writing since august 2009 promise simply couldnt made everyone already health insurance thats americans covered plans jobs nothing health care law prohibited employers dropping coverage changing health plans able previously health care bill even became law congressional budget office projected 10 million people otherwise would covered employerprovided plans would offered coverage one democratic proposal health care law also sets minimum standards insurance coverage requiring health plans cover mental health benefits prescription drug coverage vaccinations dental vision care children maternity care women upgrades mean plans inexpensive purchasers didnt cover required benefits would eventually cease exist americans purchase plans individual insurance market receiving notices current plans longer offered year several news organizations reported october notices make clear obama oversimplifying overpromising kept saying like health care plan keep health care plan obama nov 4 2013 speech tried explain past promises saying said keep hasnt changed since law passed asked president previously included detail white house press secretary jay carney nov 5 press briefing said obama referring laws clause allowing insurers employers grandfather plans offered bill became law president referring law fact law written way everybody closely covered drafting legislation knew written grandfathering clause law referring implementation law rule process carney said grandfathered health plans meet laws new coverage requirements order grandfathered health plans must existed march 23 2010 individual grandfathered plans law took effect maintain grandfathered status plans must changed cut benefits significantly raise prices consumers deductibles copays true health human services secretary kathleen sebelius explained grandfather clause june 14 2010 blog post announcing new health care regulations rule issued today employers issuers offering coverage flexibility making reasonable changes without losing grandfathered status sebelius wrote however health plans significantly raise copayments deductibles significantly reduce benefits example stop covering treatment disease like hivaids cystic fibrosis theyll lose grandfathered status customers get full set consumer protections new plans sebelius went say bottom line affordable care act like doctor plan keep still wouldnt true many and160obama glossed details speeches president made sweeping promise one variation another affordable care act debated congress 2009 said signed bill law 2010 continued say supreme court ruled law constitutional 2012 even president acknowledges promise went far interview chuck todd nbc news nov 7 obama offered apology many americans notified fact losing health plans previously wanted keep sorry finding situation based assurances got obama said weve got work hard make sure know hear going everything deal folks find tough position consequence strangely white house linked apology health care web page carried promise says went far white house website nov 11 like plan keep dont change thing due health care law dangelo gore list promised individuals could keep health plans sen patty murray washington june 10 2009 senate working legislation protect peoples choice doctors protect choice hospitals protect choice insurance plan like today legislation passed source remarks senate floor sen harry reid nevada july 28 2009 reform pursuing means making sure keep familys doctor keep health care plan like also afford source remarks senate floor sen dick durbin illinois july 30 2009 many people say like health insurance right dont want change dont want go medicare medicaid like would please leave people alone answer yes fact guarantee going put legislation considered house senate protection individual keep health insurance want trying create voluntary choices opportunities source remarks senate floor president obama aug 15 2009 time want completely clear keep saying somehow folks arent listening like health care plan keep health care plan nobody going force leave health care plan source remarks town hall health care sen mark begich alaska dec 24 2009 alaskans health insurance happy keep source press release president obama march 25 2010 day forward cynics naysayers theyre going confront reality reform isnt theyll finally acknowledge isnt government takeover health care system theyll see americans like doctor theyll keeping doctor like plan youll keeping plan one taking away source remarks iowa city iowa sen max baucus montana sept 29 2010 beginning law preserving good american health care one central promises health care reform like keep critically important person planand likes keep source remarks senate floor sen carl levin michigan april 6 2012 bill help make health insurance secure already make coverage available millions uninsured americans important remember already health insurance law allows keep existing plan source press release president obama june 28 2012 first youre one 250 million americans already health insurance keep health insurance law make secure affordable source remarks supreme court ruling affordable care act sen jeff merkley oregon web page accessed nov 11 2013 like current health insurance able keep able continue seeing current doctor health care reform would simply give choice change insurance providers choose source q amp webpage sen kay hagan north carolina fact sheet accessed nov 11 2013 middle class families health care reform ensures keep coverage guarantees coverage change lose job source fact sheet white house web page accessed nov 11 2013 like plan keep dont change thing due health care law president addressed concerns americans received letters policy cancellations changes insurance companies interview nbc news watch video read transcript source white house website
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<p>MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic is back from six months off the tour with a remodeled service motion partly inspired by Andre Agassi and a growing confidence he can get his sore right elbow through the Australian Open.</p>
<p>No man has more Australian Open titles than Djokovic, who has six in all and — until last year's shocking second-round exit — had won five of the six contested from 2011 to 2016.</p>
<p>Djokovic is seeded 14th and will be coming off just a couple of exhibition matches to prepare for his first-round encounter against Donald Young.</p>
<p>The 12-time major winner is in the same quarter as No. 4 Alexander Zverev, No. 5 Dominic Thiem and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, who confirmed Saturday he'd return at Melbourne Park from his own six-month layoff following surgery on his left knee.</p>
<p>They're all in the same half of the draw as defending champion Roger Federer, who last year returned from an extended injury time out to beat Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final. Federer went on to win Wimbledon for his 19th major and finished the year ranked No. 2 behind Nadal, who won the French and U.S. Open titles.</p>
<p>That is giving Djokovic some hope.</p>
<p>"I mean, Roger and Rafa's year last year has shown age is just a number, especially in Roger's case," Djokovic said Saturday in his pre-tournament news conference. "I mean, he's a great example of someone that manages to take care of himself, knows how to prepare well and peak at the right time.</p>
<p>"He won a couple Grand Slams. Who would predict that after his six months of absence, so ... everything is possible really."</p>
<p>Djokovic had contested 51 consecutive Grand Slams until he missed last year's U.S. Open during his rehabilitation.</p>
<p>Off the court, the 30-year-old Serbian said he enjoyed a closer-to-normal family life off the court, including being there when his wife, Jelena, gave birth to their second child — a daughter Tara in September.</p>
<p>On the court, he used the time to work closely with coaches Agassi and Radek Stepanek to refine his service motion to improve the technique and "release the load from the elbow, obviously something that I have to do because I have the injury."</p>
<p>Now it's a less dramatic, more compact swing and he was happy with how it worked in an exhibition win over Thiem earlier in the week.</p>
<p>"It's not entirely different, but at the beginning even those small tweaks and changes have made a lot of difference mentally," he said. "I needed time to kind of get used to that change, understand whether that's good or not good for me.</p>
<p>Agassi had to modify his own service motion because of an injury in his career and he had input into the redesign for Djokovic.</p>
<p>"Both Radek and Andre have discussed a lot before the information came across to me," Djokovic said. "They spent a lot of hours analyzing my serve. I did, too."</p>
<p>Djokovic said his elbow wasn't 100 percent rehabilitated, but he was convinced by medical experts that he wouldn't do any further damage by playing in Australia.</p>
<p>Injuries to leading players have been a focus of attention in Australia. Nadal is returning from a lingering right knee problem and five-time finalist Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori have already withdrawn.</p>
<p>In recent months, meanwhile, ATP Finals winner Grigor Dimitrov and Zverev have moved up to No. 3 and No. 4 in the rankings, respectively, and are growing in confidence that they're on the cusp of Grand Slam breakthroughs.</p>
<p>Dimitrov said he's a better player than he was when he lost the semifinal here last year to Nadal, and Zverev is aiming to go deep into the second week for the first time at a major.</p>
<p>"I've showed on multiple occasions over the year that I can play and beat the best guys in the world," Zverev said. "Not trying to sound cocky or anything, but I've always said that I've always been working hard physically, I'm always trying to improve the performance at the Grand Slams. Hopefully I can do so," in Australia.</p>
<p>Nadal pulled out of the ATP Finals and skipped warmups tournaments before the Australian Open.</p>
<p>"Is the first time I am here without playing official match," Nadal said. "But I feel good. I really hope to be ready. I feel myself more or less playing well."</p>
<p>Nadal's career has regularly been disrupted by injuries, but he sees a need for a more thorough examination of the tennis schedule after the latest spate of injuries.</p>
<p>"There is too many injuries on the tour. I am not the one to say, but somebody has to look about what's going on," he said. "When something is happening, you need to analyze why."</p>
<p>MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic is back from six months off the tour with a remodeled service motion partly inspired by Andre Agassi and a growing confidence he can get his sore right elbow through the Australian Open.</p>
<p>No man has more Australian Open titles than Djokovic, who has six in all and — until last year's shocking second-round exit — had won five of the six contested from 2011 to 2016.</p>
<p>Djokovic is seeded 14th and will be coming off just a couple of exhibition matches to prepare for his first-round encounter against Donald Young.</p>
<p>The 12-time major winner is in the same quarter as No. 4 Alexander Zverev, No. 5 Dominic Thiem and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, who confirmed Saturday he'd return at Melbourne Park from his own six-month layoff following surgery on his left knee.</p>
<p>They're all in the same half of the draw as defending champion Roger Federer, who last year returned from an extended injury time out to beat Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final. Federer went on to win Wimbledon for his 19th major and finished the year ranked No. 2 behind Nadal, who won the French and U.S. Open titles.</p>
<p>That is giving Djokovic some hope.</p>
<p>"I mean, Roger and Rafa's year last year has shown age is just a number, especially in Roger's case," Djokovic said Saturday in his pre-tournament news conference. "I mean, he's a great example of someone that manages to take care of himself, knows how to prepare well and peak at the right time.</p>
<p>"He won a couple Grand Slams. Who would predict that after his six months of absence, so ... everything is possible really."</p>
<p>Djokovic had contested 51 consecutive Grand Slams until he missed last year's U.S. Open during his rehabilitation.</p>
<p>Off the court, the 30-year-old Serbian said he enjoyed a closer-to-normal family life off the court, including being there when his wife, Jelena, gave birth to their second child — a daughter Tara in September.</p>
<p>On the court, he used the time to work closely with coaches Agassi and Radek Stepanek to refine his service motion to improve the technique and "release the load from the elbow, obviously something that I have to do because I have the injury."</p>
<p>Now it's a less dramatic, more compact swing and he was happy with how it worked in an exhibition win over Thiem earlier in the week.</p>
<p>"It's not entirely different, but at the beginning even those small tweaks and changes have made a lot of difference mentally," he said. "I needed time to kind of get used to that change, understand whether that's good or not good for me.</p>
<p>Agassi had to modify his own service motion because of an injury in his career and he had input into the redesign for Djokovic.</p>
<p>"Both Radek and Andre have discussed a lot before the information came across to me," Djokovic said. "They spent a lot of hours analyzing my serve. I did, too."</p>
<p>Djokovic said his elbow wasn't 100 percent rehabilitated, but he was convinced by medical experts that he wouldn't do any further damage by playing in Australia.</p>
<p>Injuries to leading players have been a focus of attention in Australia. Nadal is returning from a lingering right knee problem and five-time finalist Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori have already withdrawn.</p>
<p>In recent months, meanwhile, ATP Finals winner Grigor Dimitrov and Zverev have moved up to No. 3 and No. 4 in the rankings, respectively, and are growing in confidence that they're on the cusp of Grand Slam breakthroughs.</p>
<p>Dimitrov said he's a better player than he was when he lost the semifinal here last year to Nadal, and Zverev is aiming to go deep into the second week for the first time at a major.</p>
<p>"I've showed on multiple occasions over the year that I can play and beat the best guys in the world," Zverev said. "Not trying to sound cocky or anything, but I've always said that I've always been working hard physically, I'm always trying to improve the performance at the Grand Slams. Hopefully I can do so," in Australia.</p>
<p>Nadal pulled out of the ATP Finals and skipped warmups tournaments before the Australian Open.</p>
<p>"Is the first time I am here without playing official match," Nadal said. "But I feel good. I really hope to be ready. I feel myself more or less playing well."</p>
<p>Nadal's career has regularly been disrupted by injuries, but he sees a need for a more thorough examination of the tennis schedule after the latest spate of injuries.</p>
<p>"There is too many injuries on the tour. I am not the one to say, but somebody has to look about what's going on," he said. "When something is happening, you need to analyze why."</p>
| false | 2 |
melbourne australia ap novak djokovic back six months tour remodeled service motion partly inspired andre agassi growing confidence get sore right elbow australian open man australian open titles djokovic six last years shocking secondround exit five six contested 2011 2016 djokovic seeded 14th coming couple exhibition matches prepare firstround encounter donald young 12time major winner quarter 4 alexander zverev 5 dominic thiem 2014 champion stan wawrinka confirmed saturday hed return melbourne park sixmonth layoff following surgery left knee theyre half draw defending champion roger federer last year returned extended injury time beat rafael nadal australian open final federer went win wimbledon 19th major finished year ranked 2 behind nadal french us open titles giving djokovic hope mean roger rafas year last year shown age number especially rogers case djokovic said saturday pretournament news conference mean hes great example someone manages take care knows prepare well peak right time couple grand slams would predict six months absence everything possible really djokovic contested 51 consecutive grand slams missed last years us open rehabilitation court 30yearold serbian said enjoyed closertonormal family life court including wife jelena gave birth second child daughter tara september court used time work closely coaches agassi radek stepanek refine service motion improve technique release load elbow obviously something injury less dramatic compact swing happy worked exhibition win thiem earlier week entirely different beginning even small tweaks changes made lot difference mentally said needed time kind get used change understand whether thats good good agassi modify service motion injury career input redesign djokovic radek andre discussed lot information came across djokovic said spent lot hours analyzing serve djokovic said elbow wasnt 100 percent rehabilitated convinced medical experts wouldnt damage playing australia injuries leading players focus attention australia nadal returning lingering right knee problem fivetime finalist andy murray kei nishikori already withdrawn recent months meanwhile atp finals winner grigor dimitrov zverev moved 3 4 rankings respectively growing confidence theyre cusp grand slam breakthroughs dimitrov said hes better player lost semifinal last year nadal zverev aiming go deep second week first time major ive showed multiple occasions year play beat best guys world zverev said trying sound cocky anything ive always said ive always working hard physically im always trying improve performance grand slams hopefully australia nadal pulled atp finals skipped warmups tournaments australian open first time without playing official match nadal said feel good really hope ready feel less playing well nadals career regularly disrupted injuries sees need thorough examination tennis schedule latest spate injuries many injuries tour one say somebody look whats going said something happening need analyze melbourne australia ap novak djokovic back six months tour remodeled service motion partly inspired andre agassi growing confidence get sore right elbow australian open man australian open titles djokovic six last years shocking secondround exit five six contested 2011 2016 djokovic seeded 14th coming couple exhibition matches prepare firstround encounter donald young 12time major winner quarter 4 alexander zverev 5 dominic thiem 2014 champion stan wawrinka confirmed saturday hed return melbourne park sixmonth layoff following surgery left knee theyre half draw defending champion roger federer last year returned extended injury time beat rafael nadal australian open final federer went win wimbledon 19th major finished year ranked 2 behind nadal french us open titles giving djokovic hope mean roger rafas year last year shown age number especially rogers case djokovic said saturday pretournament news conference mean hes great example someone manages take care knows prepare well peak right time couple grand slams would predict six months absence everything possible really djokovic contested 51 consecutive grand slams missed last years us open rehabilitation court 30yearold serbian said enjoyed closertonormal family life court including wife jelena gave birth second child daughter tara september court used time work closely coaches agassi radek stepanek refine service motion improve technique release load elbow obviously something injury less dramatic compact swing happy worked exhibition win thiem earlier week entirely different beginning even small tweaks changes made lot difference mentally said needed time kind get used change understand whether thats good good agassi modify service motion injury career input redesign djokovic radek andre discussed lot information came across djokovic said spent lot hours analyzing serve djokovic said elbow wasnt 100 percent rehabilitated convinced medical experts wouldnt damage playing australia injuries leading players focus attention australia nadal returning lingering right knee problem fivetime finalist andy murray kei nishikori already withdrawn recent months meanwhile atp finals winner grigor dimitrov zverev moved 3 4 rankings respectively growing confidence theyre cusp grand slam breakthroughs dimitrov said hes better player lost semifinal last year nadal zverev aiming go deep second week first time major ive showed multiple occasions year play beat best guys world zverev said trying sound cocky anything ive always said ive always working hard physically im always trying improve performance grand slams hopefully australia nadal pulled atp finals skipped warmups tournaments australian open first time without playing official match nadal said feel good really hope ready feel less playing well nadals career regularly disrupted injuries sees need thorough examination tennis schedule latest spate injuries many injuries tour one say somebody look whats going said something happening need analyze
| 856 |
<p>by Mark Jurkowitz, Associate Director, Project for Excellence in Journalism</p>
<p>With desperate automakers asking Congress for $34 billion, Barack Obama unveiling key Cabinet members, and the U.S. scrambling to ease tensions between India and Pakistan, the three top storylines in the news intertwined last week.</p>
<p>Fears of a deeper recession, job losses and the Detroit-bailout drama made themes about the economy the biggest story the first week of December. As Obama unveiled his national security team, coverage of the incoming administration was the No. 2 storyline from Dec. 1-7. The challenges that team will face were highlighted by the other major story last week, the fallout from the Mumbai massacre that inflamed international tensions and resurrected terrorism fears.</p>
<p>Together, the three storylines accounted for more than two-thirds of the coverage in the weekly News Coverage Index of the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. They also reinforced a message growing ever more prominent in the post-election media narrative — that Obama will take office facing the most daunting set of crises since Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933. Indeed, one idea that surfaced in the week’s coverage, articulated bluntly by Rep. Barney Frank, was that Obama needed to, in effect if not officially, grab the reigns of power before his inauguration.</p>
<p>The Economic Crisis</p>
<p>As more grim signs of a financial meltdown emerged, the troubled economy was easily the top story the week of Dec. 1-7. In its various facets, the economy filled about 40% of the newshole, a high level of coverage for that topic. The largest component was the financial crisis itself, which accounted for 20% of the newshole. That was followed closely by the troubled US auto industry, at 17%. To a lesser extent, the economic news also included mixed reports about holiday shopping — most notably Black Friday and Cyber Monday — and the only truly cheerful tidings for consumers, plunging prices at the gas pump.</p>
<p>When it came to the financial meltdown, concerns about jobs and recession-related fears were the top themes last week. Even pessimists seemed surprised by the news that the economy shed about a half million jobs in November, the biggest single monthly decline in 34 years. But it’s less likely that many were stunned by the report that the U.S. has been in a recession for almost a full year.</p>
<p>An AP story posted on MSNBC.com on Dec. 1, the day the stock market fell by about 680 points, noted that some of the sell-off reflected news that “everyone has suspected for months …The National Bureau of Economic Research, considered the arbiter of when the economy is in recession or expanding, said the U.S. recession had begun a year ago, in December 2007.”</p>
<p>The week’s dramatic highpoint came with the Big 3 automakers’ second visit to Capitol Hill, seeking funds to stave off bankruptcy. This time, they got the public relations at least somewhat better by driving to Washington rather than flying on private jets. But many lawmakers were still skeptical, if not downright chilly, and clearly determined to impose serious conditions on any money. On Dec. 7, the New York Times reported that under a contemplated rescue package, “the auto companies would have to submit to substantial government supervision in order to receive a taxpayer-financed bailout … including the possible creation of an oversight board made up of five cabinet secretaries and the head of the Environmental Protection Agency and led by an independent chairman or ‘car czar.'”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the early returns on early holiday shopping didn’t do much to alleviate the barrage of bad news. “Big sales drew big crowds the day after Thanksgiving,” declared a Dec. 4 CBS radio news report. “But it wasn’t enough to dig retailers out of a steep hole.”</p>
<p>In fact, one newsworthy Black Friday event was a grim tragedy involving a Long Island Wal-Mart worker who was trampled to death by stampeding shoppers. “They’re savages,” one stunned eyewitness told a local TV outlet.</p>
<p>Transition Watch</p>
<p>Coverage of the incoming Obama administration filled 18% of the newshole from Dec. 1-7, about half as much as the economy. That biggest component of that story, more than half, was largely about a series of high-profile appointments; former Obama presidential rival Bill Richardson was named Commerce Secretary. But the big news was made on Dec. 1 when Obama rolled out a national security team headlined by holdover Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his former bitter rival for the nomination, Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton.</p>
<p>Much of the coverage of Obama’s selections, generously leaked in advance, seemed to focus more on what they said about his temperament and style of governance than the potential policy implications. And in that context, the idea of the incoming president relying on a “team of rivals” emerged as a major theme.</p>
<p>A New York Times story concluded that “the impression left … was of a political leader converting to governance from electioneering … In calling … for a ‘new dawn of American leadership,’ Mr. Obama assembled leaders with whom he has disagreed on fundamental issues.” A friendly op-ed piece penned by Republican icon Henry Kissinger stated that “it took courage for the president-elect to choose this constellation and no little inner assurance — both qualities essential for dealing with the challenge of distilling order out of a fragmenting international system.”</p>
<p>By the end of the week, a new talk show talking point about the transition was emerging, one fueled by a comment from eminently quotable Democratic Rep. Barney Frank, who chaired last week’s House hearings with the auto executives. Referring to the crumbling economy, Frank said that even before he is sworn in as president, Obama is “going to have to be more assertive than he’s been.”</p>
<p>Referring to Obama’s assertions that the U.S. only has one president at a time, Frank quipped that, “I am afraid that overstates the number of presidents we have.”</p>
<p>On Dec. 7, the president-elect appeared on “Meet the Press” where moderator Tom Brokaw opened the show with a stark question that captured and condensed much of last week’s media message.</p>
<p>“Sixty-seven years ago this day, one of your predecessors, Franklin Roosevelt, faced Pearl Harbor,” Brokaw said. “What are the differences between his challenges and the ones that you face?</p>
<p>The Mumbai Massacre</p>
<p>The aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, which left more than 160 dead, only added to the sense of challenge facing Obama. In all, the story accounted for another 11% of the week’s newshole.</p>
<p>Some of that coverage focused on immediate efforts by U.S. officials to keep the attack from escalating into open conflict between two nuclear-armed powers, India and Pakistan. But other aspects focused on the longer-term implications for U.S. policymakers and national security. On NBC’s Dec. 1 newscast, correspondent Andrea Mitchell said the attacks “set off shockwaves from Washington to Chicago” and could significantly hamper U.S. efforts in Afghanistan if Pakistan redeploys its troops from that border to its boundary with India.</p>
<p>Under the headline “Mumbai attacks refocus U.S. cities,” the Dec. 5 edition of USA Today connected events in India directly with the homeland. “The deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai are prompting new efforts to bolster security in the U.S. by law enforcement officials who fear the assault on India’s financial capital represents an unforeseen model for future attacks on U.S. soil,” the story stated.</p>
<p>Describing the threats posed by the Mumbai episode and general instability in the region, Mitchell topped off her NBC report with the warning: “Nuclear weapons, terror groups, and weak governments — a daunting prospect for any new president.”</p>
<p>Newsmakers of the Week</p>
<p>The week’s top headline makers tilted heavily toward politics and policy, with one notorious exception. The No. 2 newsmaker (behind Obama, who was a lead newsmaker in 6% of the week’s stories) was O.J. Simpson (at 2%), who did not fare as well in his second go-round as criminal defendant as in his first. The former football star was sentenced last week to at least nine and up to 33 years in prison for his role in a bizarre attempt, complete with weapons, to take/reclaim some memorabilia in a Las Vegas hotel room.</p>
<p>Tied with Simpson was a man whose remaining days in office have largely been eclipsed by attention to his successor. Last week, George Bush was also a lead newsmaker in 2% of the stories, thanks to an interview with ABC’s Charlie Gibson in which Bush acknowledged he was not prepared for war when he took office. The next biggest newsmaker, at 1%, was outgoing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who spent some of the week trying to tamp down tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai attacks. The next two major newsmakers included Rice’s just announced successor, Hillary Clinton, as well as incoming Commerce Secretary Bill Richardson (both at 1%).</p>
<p>The Rest of the Week’s News</p>
<p>Beyond the five biggest stories of the week, which again all related to the troubled economy, the Obama transition, or the Mumbai attack, there was little room left for other events to garner much attention. The No. 6 story, at 3% of the overall newshole, was the Simpson case, an event that included an emotional plea (“I did not know that I was doing anything illegal”) from the defendant before he was sentenced. Next, at No. 7, (also 3%) were congressional election results, with the focus on Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss’s decisive run-off victory in Georgia. The eighth-biggest story, at 2%, was related to Bush’s final days in office, and was driven by his ABC interview.</p>
<p>The next biggest story, at 1%, was the political unrest in Thailand that included protestors occupying airports and led to the ouster of the sitting government. And those looking for a respite from the frightening headlines were not likely to be reassured by the No. 10 story last week — domestic terrorism, at 1%. Major news on that front last week came from a report commissioned by Congress warning of the growing possibility of a biological or nuclear terror attack on U.S. soil in the next five years. Just one more thing for incoming President Obama to think about.</p>
<p>About the NCI</p>
<p>PEJ’s weekly News Coverage Index examines the news agenda of 48 different outlets from five sectors of the media: print, online, network TV, cable and radio. The weekly study, which includes some 1,300 stories, is designed to provide news consumers, journalists and researchers with hard data about what stories and topics the media are covering, the trajectories of that media narrative and differences among news platforms. The percentages are based on “newshole,” or the space devoted to each subject in print and online and time on radio and TV. In addition, these reports also include a rundown of the week’s leading newsmakers, a designation given to people or institutions who account for at least 50% of a given story.</p>
<p>Learn more about the NCI, including a list of outlets and methodology, at <a href="http://journalism.org/about_news_index/overview" type="external">journalism.org</a>.</p>
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mark jurkowitz associate director project excellence journalism desperate automakers asking congress 34 billion barack obama unveiling key cabinet members us scrambling ease tensions india pakistan three top storylines news intertwined last week fears deeper recession job losses detroitbailout drama made themes economy biggest story first week december obama unveiled national security team coverage incoming administration 2 storyline dec 17 challenges team face highlighted major story last week fallout mumbai massacre inflamed international tensions resurrected terrorism fears together three storylines accounted twothirds coverage weekly news coverage index pew research centers project excellence journalism also reinforced message growing ever prominent postelection media narrative obama take office facing daunting set crises since franklin delano roosevelt 1933 indeed one idea surfaced weeks coverage articulated bluntly rep barney frank obama needed effect officially grab reigns power inauguration economic crisis grim signs financial meltdown emerged troubled economy easily top story week dec 17 various facets economy filled 40 newshole high level coverage topic largest component financial crisis accounted 20 newshole followed closely troubled us auto industry 17 lesser extent economic news also included mixed reports holiday shopping notably black friday cyber monday truly cheerful tidings consumers plunging prices gas pump came financial meltdown concerns jobs recessionrelated fears top themes last week even pessimists seemed surprised news economy shed half million jobs november biggest single monthly decline 34 years less likely many stunned report us recession almost full year ap story posted msnbccom dec 1 day stock market fell 680 points noted selloff reflected news everyone suspected months national bureau economic research considered arbiter economy recession expanding said us recession begun year ago december 2007 weeks dramatic highpoint came big 3 automakers second visit capitol hill seeking funds stave bankruptcy time got public relations least somewhat better driving washington rather flying private jets many lawmakers still skeptical downright chilly clearly determined impose serious conditions money dec 7 new york times reported contemplated rescue package auto companies would submit substantial government supervision order receive taxpayerfinanced bailout including possible creation oversight board made five cabinet secretaries head environmental protection agency led independent chairman car czar meanwhile early returns early holiday shopping didnt much alleviate barrage bad news big sales drew big crowds day thanksgiving declared dec 4 cbs radio news report wasnt enough dig retailers steep hole fact one newsworthy black friday event grim tragedy involving long island walmart worker trampled death stampeding shoppers theyre savages one stunned eyewitness told local tv outlet transition watch coverage incoming obama administration filled 18 newshole dec 17 half much economy biggest component story half largely series highprofile appointments former obama presidential rival bill richardson named commerce secretary big news made dec 1 obama rolled national security team headlined holdover defense secretary robert gates former bitter rival nomination secretary statedesignate hillary clinton much coverage obamas selections generously leaked advance seemed focus said temperament style governance potential policy implications context idea incoming president relying team rivals emerged major theme new york times story concluded impression left political leader converting governance electioneering calling new dawn american leadership mr obama assembled leaders disagreed fundamental issues friendly oped piece penned republican icon henry kissinger stated took courage presidentelect choose constellation little inner assurance qualities essential dealing challenge distilling order fragmenting international system end week new talk show talking point transition emerging one fueled comment eminently quotable democratic rep barney frank chaired last weeks house hearings auto executives referring crumbling economy frank said even sworn president obama going assertive hes referring obamas assertions us one president time frank quipped afraid overstates number presidents dec 7 presidentelect appeared meet press moderator tom brokaw opened show stark question captured condensed much last weeks media message sixtyseven years ago day one predecessors franklin roosevelt faced pearl harbor brokaw said differences challenges ones face mumbai massacre aftermath mumbai terror attacks left 160 dead added sense challenge facing obama story accounted another 11 weeks newshole coverage focused immediate efforts us officials keep attack escalating open conflict two nucleararmed powers india pakistan aspects focused longerterm implications us policymakers national security nbcs dec 1 newscast correspondent andrea mitchell said attacks set shockwaves washington chicago could significantly hamper us efforts afghanistan pakistan redeploys troops border boundary india headline mumbai attacks refocus us cities dec 5 edition usa today connected events india directly homeland deadly terrorist attacks mumbai prompting new efforts bolster security us law enforcement officials fear assault indias financial capital represents unforeseen model future attacks us soil story stated describing threats posed mumbai episode general instability region mitchell topped nbc report warning nuclear weapons terror groups weak governments daunting prospect new president newsmakers week weeks top headline makers tilted heavily toward politics policy one notorious exception 2 newsmaker behind obama lead newsmaker 6 weeks stories oj simpson 2 fare well second goround criminal defendant first former football star sentenced last week least nine 33 years prison role bizarre attempt complete weapons takereclaim memorabilia las vegas hotel room tied simpson man whose remaining days office largely eclipsed attention successor last week george bush also lead newsmaker 2 stories thanks interview abcs charlie gibson bush acknowledged prepared war took office next biggest newsmaker 1 outgoing secretary state condoleezza rice spent week trying tamp tensions india pakistan wake mumbai attacks next two major newsmakers included rices announced successor hillary clinton well incoming commerce secretary bill richardson 1 rest weeks news beyond five biggest stories week related troubled economy obama transition mumbai attack little room left events garner much attention 6 story 3 overall newshole simpson case event included emotional plea know anything illegal defendant sentenced next 7 also 3 congressional election results focus republican sen saxby chamblisss decisive runoff victory georgia eighthbiggest story 2 related bushs final days office driven abc interview next biggest story 1 political unrest thailand included protestors occupying airports led ouster sitting government looking respite frightening headlines likely reassured 10 story last week domestic terrorism 1 major news front last week came report commissioned congress warning growing possibility biological nuclear terror attack us soil next five years one thing incoming president obama think nci pejs weekly news coverage index examines news agenda 48 different outlets five sectors media print online network tv cable radio weekly study includes 1300 stories designed provide news consumers journalists researchers hard data stories topics media covering trajectories media narrative differences among news platforms percentages based newshole space devoted subject print online time radio tv addition reports also include rundown weeks leading newsmakers designation given people institutions account least 50 given story learn nci including list outlets methodology journalismorg
| 1,079 |
<p>FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe’s far-reaching review of banks set off sharp drops in the shares of Italian lenders on Monday after several of them failed the year-long exercise’s test of financial strength.</p>
<p>Investors and analysts sifted through the huge amounts of data released Sunday as part of the test results. Bank shares initially rose overall on apparent relief that the continent’s largest banks were found to have adequate finances, but then fell, led by a plunge in Italy’s bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena. It had the biggest capital gap to fill among the 13 banks that flunked and must strengthen their financial buffers.</p>
<p>The key banking index, the Stoxx Europe 600 Banks, fell 1.73 percent amid a decline in the broader market.</p>
<p>Though most of the banks that failed the review were in Europe’s economically weaker countries, the results also raised questions about several banks in Germany. While they passed the main test, they fell short on a tougher measure of financial strength that will apply in coming years.</p>
<p>The review, conducted by the European Central Bank and the European Banking Authority, first checked the value of bank loans and holdings. Then their finances were subjected to a stress test to simulate how their finances would hold up in a downturn.</p>
<p>In all, 25 banks failed the test, nine of them from Italy. But many had raised capital in the months since the review began, at the end of 2013. As a result, 12 of the 25 had already covered their financial gaps found by the review, and several of the remaining 13 had only small amounts to raise.</p>
<p>The test was aimed at restoring confidence in the eurozone banks as the ECB and governments try to get a stagnant economy moving again. It paves the way for the ECB to take over Nov. 4 as the main banking supervisor for the countries that use the euro.</p>
<p>Here are key takeaways.</p>
<p>ITALIAN BANKS FLUNK</p>
<p>Shares in Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena, which had the biggest capital shortfall at 2.11 billion euros ($2.67 billion), plunged 21.5 percent on Monday. The bank’s board met Sunday and said it had hired advisers to “explore all strategic alternatives.” That could include a share issue, which tends to hurt the share price because it dilutes its value.</p>
<p>After racking up losses on Italian sovereign debt during the eurozone’s financial crisis, Monet dei Paschi di Siena started a five-year recovery plan that included a 3.9 billion-euro bailout and 13 billion euros in state guarantees. It has been under added scrutiny after disclosures it hid losses.</p>
<p>Other banks were found to need smaller amounts of capital were Banca Carige, Banca Popolare di Milano, and Banca Popolare di Vicenza.</p>
<p>The result “puts a cloud above the Bank of Italy’s reputation as a supervisor,” analyst Nicolas Veron of the Bruegel think tank in Brussels wrote in an analysis, referring to the national central bank.</p>
<p>QUESTIONS IN GERMANY</p>
<p>Germany’s big banks, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, both passed. But several smaller ones — Germany’s HSH Nordbank, DZ Bank and WGZ Bank — passed the basic test, but then fell short on a tougher measure of capital adequacy that will be phased in in coming years under an international agreement called Basel III.</p>
<p>HSH Nordbank, which is jointly majority owned by the city of Hamburg and the region of Schleswig Holstein, has specialized in ship finance, a business hard hit by losses and bad loans. The bank remains in compliance with current capital rules.</p>
<p>CEO Constantin von Oesterreich said in a statement that the test “confirmed that HSH Nordbank has a solid capital base in the present setting.”</p>
<p>Analyst Veron called the results for the three smaller German banks “possibly the biggest surprise” of the entire test. He added that “the fact that Germany and Italy, two of the euro area’s biggest countries, are not immune to the ECB’s inquisitiveness suggests that the assessment has been kept reasonably independent from political pressure.”</p>
<p>IT’S THE ECONOMY</p>
<p>Whether it was thorough enough or not, the review of banks is only part of a bigger range of actions that are needed to get the 18-country eurozone economy going, experts say.</p>
<p>The aim of the test was to force weak banks to improve their financial strength so they can lend to businesses, which would invest and hire more.</p>
<p>But even ECB officials admitted that will only happen when demand picks up.</p>
<p>“Although likely to improve credit supply, a large number of credit demand constraints will remain in place until other factors hampering eurozone growth are addressed,” wrote analysts Mujtaba Rachman and Federico Santi at the Eurasia Group.</p>
<p>The latest indicators suggested that an upturn isn’t happening yet. Germany’s Ifo index of business confidence fell in October for a sixth consecutive month underscored the problem on Monday.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Barry contributed from Milan, Italy.</p>
<p>FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe’s far-reaching review of banks set off sharp drops in the shares of Italian lenders on Monday after several of them failed the year-long exercise’s test of financial strength.</p>
<p>Investors and analysts sifted through the huge amounts of data released Sunday as part of the test results. Bank shares initially rose overall on apparent relief that the continent’s largest banks were found to have adequate finances, but then fell, led by a plunge in Italy’s bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena. It had the biggest capital gap to fill among the 13 banks that flunked and must strengthen their financial buffers.</p>
<p>The key banking index, the Stoxx Europe 600 Banks, fell 1.73 percent amid a decline in the broader market.</p>
<p>Though most of the banks that failed the review were in Europe’s economically weaker countries, the results also raised questions about several banks in Germany. While they passed the main test, they fell short on a tougher measure of financial strength that will apply in coming years.</p>
<p>The review, conducted by the European Central Bank and the European Banking Authority, first checked the value of bank loans and holdings. Then their finances were subjected to a stress test to simulate how their finances would hold up in a downturn.</p>
<p>In all, 25 banks failed the test, nine of them from Italy. But many had raised capital in the months since the review began, at the end of 2013. As a result, 12 of the 25 had already covered their financial gaps found by the review, and several of the remaining 13 had only small amounts to raise.</p>
<p>The test was aimed at restoring confidence in the eurozone banks as the ECB and governments try to get a stagnant economy moving again. It paves the way for the ECB to take over Nov. 4 as the main banking supervisor for the countries that use the euro.</p>
<p>Here are key takeaways.</p>
<p>ITALIAN BANKS FLUNK</p>
<p>Shares in Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena, which had the biggest capital shortfall at 2.11 billion euros ($2.67 billion), plunged 21.5 percent on Monday. The bank’s board met Sunday and said it had hired advisers to “explore all strategic alternatives.” That could include a share issue, which tends to hurt the share price because it dilutes its value.</p>
<p>After racking up losses on Italian sovereign debt during the eurozone’s financial crisis, Monet dei Paschi di Siena started a five-year recovery plan that included a 3.9 billion-euro bailout and 13 billion euros in state guarantees. It has been under added scrutiny after disclosures it hid losses.</p>
<p>Other banks were found to need smaller amounts of capital were Banca Carige, Banca Popolare di Milano, and Banca Popolare di Vicenza.</p>
<p>The result “puts a cloud above the Bank of Italy’s reputation as a supervisor,” analyst Nicolas Veron of the Bruegel think tank in Brussels wrote in an analysis, referring to the national central bank.</p>
<p>QUESTIONS IN GERMANY</p>
<p>Germany’s big banks, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, both passed. But several smaller ones — Germany’s HSH Nordbank, DZ Bank and WGZ Bank — passed the basic test, but then fell short on a tougher measure of capital adequacy that will be phased in in coming years under an international agreement called Basel III.</p>
<p>HSH Nordbank, which is jointly majority owned by the city of Hamburg and the region of Schleswig Holstein, has specialized in ship finance, a business hard hit by losses and bad loans. The bank remains in compliance with current capital rules.</p>
<p>CEO Constantin von Oesterreich said in a statement that the test “confirmed that HSH Nordbank has a solid capital base in the present setting.”</p>
<p>Analyst Veron called the results for the three smaller German banks “possibly the biggest surprise” of the entire test. He added that “the fact that Germany and Italy, two of the euro area’s biggest countries, are not immune to the ECB’s inquisitiveness suggests that the assessment has been kept reasonably independent from political pressure.”</p>
<p>IT’S THE ECONOMY</p>
<p>Whether it was thorough enough or not, the review of banks is only part of a bigger range of actions that are needed to get the 18-country eurozone economy going, experts say.</p>
<p>The aim of the test was to force weak banks to improve their financial strength so they can lend to businesses, which would invest and hire more.</p>
<p>But even ECB officials admitted that will only happen when demand picks up.</p>
<p>“Although likely to improve credit supply, a large number of credit demand constraints will remain in place until other factors hampering eurozone growth are addressed,” wrote analysts Mujtaba Rachman and Federico Santi at the Eurasia Group.</p>
<p>The latest indicators suggested that an upturn isn’t happening yet. Germany’s Ifo index of business confidence fell in October for a sixth consecutive month underscored the problem on Monday.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Barry contributed from Milan, Italy.</p>
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frankfurt germany ap europes farreaching review banks set sharp drops shares italian lenders monday several failed yearlong exercises test financial strength investors analysts sifted huge amounts data released sunday part test results bank shares initially rose overall apparent relief continents largest banks found adequate finances fell led plunge italys bank monte dei paschi di siena biggest capital gap fill among 13 banks flunked must strengthen financial buffers key banking index stoxx europe 600 banks fell 173 percent amid decline broader market though banks failed review europes economically weaker countries results also raised questions several banks germany passed main test fell short tougher measure financial strength apply coming years review conducted european central bank european banking authority first checked value bank loans holdings finances subjected stress test simulate finances would hold downturn 25 banks failed test nine italy many raised capital months since review began end 2013 result 12 25 already covered financial gaps found review several remaining 13 small amounts raise test aimed restoring confidence eurozone banks ecb governments try get stagnant economy moving paves way ecb take nov 4 main banking supervisor countries use euro key takeaways italian banks flunk shares italian bank monte dei paschi di siena biggest capital shortfall 211 billion euros 267 billion plunged 215 percent monday banks board met sunday said hired advisers explore strategic alternatives could include share issue tends hurt share price dilutes value racking losses italian sovereign debt eurozones financial crisis monet dei paschi di siena started fiveyear recovery plan included 39 billioneuro bailout 13 billion euros state guarantees added scrutiny disclosures hid losses banks found need smaller amounts capital banca carige banca popolare di milano banca popolare di vicenza result puts cloud bank italys reputation supervisor analyst nicolas veron bruegel think tank brussels wrote analysis referring national central bank questions germany germanys big banks deutsche bank commerzbank passed several smaller ones germanys hsh nordbank dz bank wgz bank passed basic test fell short tougher measure capital adequacy phased coming years international agreement called basel iii hsh nordbank jointly majority owned city hamburg region schleswig holstein specialized ship finance business hard hit losses bad loans bank remains compliance current capital rules ceo constantin von oesterreich said statement test confirmed hsh nordbank solid capital base present setting analyst veron called results three smaller german banks possibly biggest surprise entire test added fact germany italy two euro areas biggest countries immune ecbs inquisitiveness suggests assessment kept reasonably independent political pressure economy whether thorough enough review banks part bigger range actions needed get 18country eurozone economy going experts say aim test force weak banks improve financial strength lend businesses would invest hire even ecb officials admitted happen demand picks although likely improve credit supply large number credit demand constraints remain place factors hampering eurozone growth addressed wrote analysts mujtaba rachman federico santi eurasia group latest indicators suggested upturn isnt happening yet germanys ifo index business confidence fell october sixth consecutive month underscored problem monday ___ barry contributed milan italy frankfurt germany ap europes farreaching review banks set sharp drops shares italian lenders monday several failed yearlong exercises test financial strength investors analysts sifted huge amounts data released sunday part test results bank shares initially rose overall apparent relief continents largest banks found adequate finances fell led plunge italys bank monte dei paschi di siena biggest capital gap fill among 13 banks flunked must strengthen financial buffers key banking index stoxx europe 600 banks fell 173 percent amid decline broader market though banks failed review europes economically weaker countries results also raised questions several banks germany passed main test fell short tougher measure financial strength apply coming years review conducted european central bank european banking authority first checked value bank loans holdings finances subjected stress test simulate finances would hold downturn 25 banks failed test nine italy many raised capital months since review began end 2013 result 12 25 already covered financial gaps found review several remaining 13 small amounts raise test aimed restoring confidence eurozone banks ecb governments try get stagnant economy moving paves way ecb take nov 4 main banking supervisor countries use euro key takeaways italian banks flunk shares italian bank monte dei paschi di siena biggest capital shortfall 211 billion euros 267 billion plunged 215 percent monday banks board met sunday said hired advisers explore strategic alternatives could include share issue tends hurt share price dilutes value racking losses italian sovereign debt eurozones financial crisis monet dei paschi di siena started fiveyear recovery plan included 39 billioneuro bailout 13 billion euros state guarantees added scrutiny disclosures hid losses banks found need smaller amounts capital banca carige banca popolare di milano banca popolare di vicenza result puts cloud bank italys reputation supervisor analyst nicolas veron bruegel think tank brussels wrote analysis referring national central bank questions germany germanys big banks deutsche bank commerzbank passed several smaller ones germanys hsh nordbank dz bank wgz bank passed basic test fell short tougher measure capital adequacy phased coming years international agreement called basel iii hsh nordbank jointly majority owned city hamburg region schleswig holstein specialized ship finance business hard hit losses bad loans bank remains compliance current capital rules ceo constantin von oesterreich said statement test confirmed hsh nordbank solid capital base present setting analyst veron called results three smaller german banks possibly biggest surprise entire test added fact germany italy two euro areas biggest countries immune ecbs inquisitiveness suggests assessment kept reasonably independent political pressure economy whether thorough enough review banks part bigger range actions needed get 18country eurozone economy going experts say aim test force weak banks improve financial strength lend businesses would invest hire even ecb officials admitted happen demand picks although likely improve credit supply large number credit demand constraints remain place factors hampering eurozone growth addressed wrote analysts mujtaba rachman federico santi eurasia group latest indicators suggested upturn isnt happening yet germanys ifo index business confidence fell october sixth consecutive month underscored problem monday ___ barry contributed milan italy
| 988 |
<p>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts will revive his push for tax cuts in the 2018 session with a package intended to win support from rural lawmakers who want to focus on farmland taxes and city-dwelling conservatives who are clamoring to lower income and residential property taxes.</p>
<p>The Republican governor, who is up for re-election in November, said the state budget and taxes are his two top priorities for the session that begins Wednesday.</p>
<p>In an Associated Press interview, Ricketts said he hopes to balance the desires of groups that fought one another for tax benefits in the 2017 session.</p>
<p>"We have to build a broad coalition," Ricketts said. "It can't just be rural senators or urban senators, because no group has enough votes to get what they want."</p>
<p>The governor's previous tax plan stalled in May, in part because farm groups opposed it. The plan would have lowered Nebraska's top personal and corporate income tax rates, adjusted the way agricultural land is valued for tax purposes, capped statewide property tax growth and expanded the earned-income tax credit for low-income residents.</p>
<p>Farm organizations argued that it didn't do enough to help with property taxes that have surged because of sharply rising land prices, even at a time of depressed prices for crops and livestock. Business groups endorsed the plan, saying it would promote job growth, and noted that previous state efforts to control property taxes have failed. Property taxes are levied by local governments, and the state can only influence them indirectly.</p>
<p>Additionally, some senators argued that many of the state's budget problems 7/8— the state faces a projected $173.3 million revenue shortfall — were induced by earlier income tax cuts that haven't produced major economic benefits. But Ricketts said Nebraska needs to lower its tax rates to compete with neighboring states.</p>
<p>"We want Nebraskans to keep more of their own money," he said.</p>
<p>Ricketts said he is working with Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, who chairs the tax-focused Revenue Committee, on the new measure. He said he and lawmakers can lower taxes without major service cuts by restraining the annual growth in state spending.</p>
<p>"In Nebraska, we really do have a history of coming together to solve our problems," Ricketts said. "If everyone can bring that spirit to the table, I'm confident we can reach a solution to get that tax relief. But everybody's not going to get precisely what they want."</p>
<p>Smith said he and Ricketts "heard loud and clear" the concerns about agricultural property taxes during the 2017 session, and will present a plan that tries to address them. He argued that the package needs to address income taxes as well to survive in the Legislature and help the state compete with some of its lower-tax neighbors.</p>
<p>The plan would phase in the tax changes over several years to avoid the state's current budget problems, he said.</p>
<p>"The governor and I believe very strongly that there is a path forward," Smith said.</p>
<p>Lawmakers could try to work around the budget challenges with so-called revenue triggers, which would reduce income tax rates automatically in years when the state collects more money than expected. Ricketts said he supports the use of such triggers, but declined to say what his plan would entail until after his annual State of the State address in January.</p>
<p>Critics have said the triggers effectively put Nebraska's tax policy on autopilot and could hinder the state's recovery after a sharp revenue downturn.</p>
<p>It's unclear what impact, if any, the recently passed GOP congressional tax plan will have on Nebraska's tax collections. Nebraska's tax laws are closely tied to the federal system and the changes could result in an increase or decrease in state tax revenue, which could then help or hinder the governor's tax package.</p>
<p>Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson said he has discussed the proposal with Ricketts and believes they will find common ground, unlike the 2017 session, when his group lobbied against the governor's tax plan.</p>
<p>He said his group would prefer to address property taxes through the Legislature, but wouldn't rule out a citizen-led ballot initiative if those efforts fail. Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard has said he'll launch a ballot campaign if lawmakers don't act in 2018.</p>
<p>"There's a growing frustration with the fact that it's been very difficult to make progress" in the Legislature, Nelson said. "That's why you see people out there with a lot of different ideas."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte</p>
<p>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts will revive his push for tax cuts in the 2018 session with a package intended to win support from rural lawmakers who want to focus on farmland taxes and city-dwelling conservatives who are clamoring to lower income and residential property taxes.</p>
<p>The Republican governor, who is up for re-election in November, said the state budget and taxes are his two top priorities for the session that begins Wednesday.</p>
<p>In an Associated Press interview, Ricketts said he hopes to balance the desires of groups that fought one another for tax benefits in the 2017 session.</p>
<p>"We have to build a broad coalition," Ricketts said. "It can't just be rural senators or urban senators, because no group has enough votes to get what they want."</p>
<p>The governor's previous tax plan stalled in May, in part because farm groups opposed it. The plan would have lowered Nebraska's top personal and corporate income tax rates, adjusted the way agricultural land is valued for tax purposes, capped statewide property tax growth and expanded the earned-income tax credit for low-income residents.</p>
<p>Farm organizations argued that it didn't do enough to help with property taxes that have surged because of sharply rising land prices, even at a time of depressed prices for crops and livestock. Business groups endorsed the plan, saying it would promote job growth, and noted that previous state efforts to control property taxes have failed. Property taxes are levied by local governments, and the state can only influence them indirectly.</p>
<p>Additionally, some senators argued that many of the state's budget problems 7/8— the state faces a projected $173.3 million revenue shortfall — were induced by earlier income tax cuts that haven't produced major economic benefits. But Ricketts said Nebraska needs to lower its tax rates to compete with neighboring states.</p>
<p>"We want Nebraskans to keep more of their own money," he said.</p>
<p>Ricketts said he is working with Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, who chairs the tax-focused Revenue Committee, on the new measure. He said he and lawmakers can lower taxes without major service cuts by restraining the annual growth in state spending.</p>
<p>"In Nebraska, we really do have a history of coming together to solve our problems," Ricketts said. "If everyone can bring that spirit to the table, I'm confident we can reach a solution to get that tax relief. But everybody's not going to get precisely what they want."</p>
<p>Smith said he and Ricketts "heard loud and clear" the concerns about agricultural property taxes during the 2017 session, and will present a plan that tries to address them. He argued that the package needs to address income taxes as well to survive in the Legislature and help the state compete with some of its lower-tax neighbors.</p>
<p>The plan would phase in the tax changes over several years to avoid the state's current budget problems, he said.</p>
<p>"The governor and I believe very strongly that there is a path forward," Smith said.</p>
<p>Lawmakers could try to work around the budget challenges with so-called revenue triggers, which would reduce income tax rates automatically in years when the state collects more money than expected. Ricketts said he supports the use of such triggers, but declined to say what his plan would entail until after his annual State of the State address in January.</p>
<p>Critics have said the triggers effectively put Nebraska's tax policy on autopilot and could hinder the state's recovery after a sharp revenue downturn.</p>
<p>It's unclear what impact, if any, the recently passed GOP congressional tax plan will have on Nebraska's tax collections. Nebraska's tax laws are closely tied to the federal system and the changes could result in an increase or decrease in state tax revenue, which could then help or hinder the governor's tax package.</p>
<p>Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson said he has discussed the proposal with Ricketts and believes they will find common ground, unlike the 2017 session, when his group lobbied against the governor's tax plan.</p>
<p>He said his group would prefer to address property taxes through the Legislature, but wouldn't rule out a citizen-led ballot initiative if those efforts fail. Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard has said he'll launch a ballot campaign if lawmakers don't act in 2018.</p>
<p>"There's a growing frustration with the fact that it's been very difficult to make progress" in the Legislature, Nelson said. "That's why you see people out there with a lot of different ideas."</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte</p>
| false | 2 |
lincoln neb ap nebraska gov pete ricketts revive push tax cuts 2018 session package intended win support rural lawmakers want focus farmland taxes citydwelling conservatives clamoring lower income residential property taxes republican governor reelection november said state budget taxes two top priorities session begins wednesday associated press interview ricketts said hopes balance desires groups fought one another tax benefits 2017 session build broad coalition ricketts said cant rural senators urban senators group enough votes get want governors previous tax plan stalled may part farm groups opposed plan would lowered nebraskas top personal corporate income tax rates adjusted way agricultural land valued tax purposes capped statewide property tax growth expanded earnedincome tax credit lowincome residents farm organizations argued didnt enough help property taxes surged sharply rising land prices even time depressed prices crops livestock business groups endorsed plan saying would promote job growth noted previous state efforts control property taxes failed property taxes levied local governments state influence indirectly additionally senators argued many states budget problems 78 state faces projected 1733 million revenue shortfall induced earlier income tax cuts havent produced major economic benefits ricketts said nebraska needs lower tax rates compete neighboring states want nebraskans keep money said ricketts said working sen jim smith papillion chairs taxfocused revenue committee new measure said lawmakers lower taxes without major service cuts restraining annual growth state spending nebraska really history coming together solve problems ricketts said everyone bring spirit table im confident reach solution get tax relief everybodys going get precisely want smith said ricketts heard loud clear concerns agricultural property taxes 2017 session present plan tries address argued package needs address income taxes well survive legislature help state compete lowertax neighbors plan would phase tax changes several years avoid states current budget problems said governor believe strongly path forward smith said lawmakers could try work around budget challenges socalled revenue triggers would reduce income tax rates automatically years state collects money expected ricketts said supports use triggers declined say plan would entail annual state state address january critics said triggers effectively put nebraskas tax policy autopilot could hinder states recovery sharp revenue downturn unclear impact recently passed gop congressional tax plan nebraskas tax collections nebraskas tax laws closely tied federal system changes could result increase decrease state tax revenue could help hinder governors tax package nebraska farm bureau president steve nelson said discussed proposal ricketts believes find common ground unlike 2017 session group lobbied governors tax plan said group would prefer address property taxes legislature wouldnt rule citizenled ballot initiative efforts fail sen steve erdman bayard said hell launch ballot campaign lawmakers dont act 2018 theres growing frustration fact difficult make progress legislature nelson said thats see people lot different ideas ___ follow grant schulte twitter httpstwittercomgrantschulte lincoln neb ap nebraska gov pete ricketts revive push tax cuts 2018 session package intended win support rural lawmakers want focus farmland taxes citydwelling conservatives clamoring lower income residential property taxes republican governor reelection november said state budget taxes two top priorities session begins wednesday associated press interview ricketts said hopes balance desires groups fought one another tax benefits 2017 session build broad coalition ricketts said cant rural senators urban senators group enough votes get want governors previous tax plan stalled may part farm groups opposed plan would lowered nebraskas top personal corporate income tax rates adjusted way agricultural land valued tax purposes capped statewide property tax growth expanded earnedincome tax credit lowincome residents farm organizations argued didnt enough help property taxes surged sharply rising land prices even time depressed prices crops livestock business groups endorsed plan saying would promote job growth noted previous state efforts control property taxes failed property taxes levied local governments state influence indirectly additionally senators argued many states budget problems 78 state faces projected 1733 million revenue shortfall induced earlier income tax cuts havent produced major economic benefits ricketts said nebraska needs lower tax rates compete neighboring states want nebraskans keep money said ricketts said working sen jim smith papillion chairs taxfocused revenue committee new measure said lawmakers lower taxes without major service cuts restraining annual growth state spending nebraska really history coming together solve problems ricketts said everyone bring spirit table im confident reach solution get tax relief everybodys going get precisely want smith said ricketts heard loud clear concerns agricultural property taxes 2017 session present plan tries address argued package needs address income taxes well survive legislature help state compete lowertax neighbors plan would phase tax changes several years avoid states current budget problems said governor believe strongly path forward smith said lawmakers could try work around budget challenges socalled revenue triggers would reduce income tax rates automatically years state collects money expected ricketts said supports use triggers declined say plan would entail annual state state address january critics said triggers effectively put nebraskas tax policy autopilot could hinder states recovery sharp revenue downturn unclear impact recently passed gop congressional tax plan nebraskas tax collections nebraskas tax laws closely tied federal system changes could result increase decrease state tax revenue could help hinder governors tax package nebraska farm bureau president steve nelson said discussed proposal ricketts believes find common ground unlike 2017 session group lobbied governors tax plan said group would prefer address property taxes legislature wouldnt rule citizenled ballot initiative efforts fail sen steve erdman bayard said hell launch ballot campaign lawmakers dont act 2018 theres growing frustration fact difficult make progress legislature nelson said thats see people lot different ideas ___ follow grant schulte twitter httpstwittercomgrantschulte
| 910 |
<p>Facebook is once again tweaking what you see to focus more on personal connections and take the spotlight off brands and news articles.</p>
<p>Facebook says it <a href="" type="internal">will highlight posts you are most likely to engage with</a> and make time spent on social media more "meaningful." That means cutting back on items that Facebook users tend to passively consume, including video.</p>
<p>To try to keep you glued to Facebook, it regularly updates the formula that decides what posts you see. With the latest update, the company says it's focusing on what Facebook is for — connecting with people you know.</p>
<p>Here's a look at some of the ways the company has changed the posts appearing in users' customized news feeds, which launched in 2006, as well as some of the factors it uses in deciding what makes up those feeds.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>MAKING FACEBOOK "MEANINGFUL"</p>
<p>Last June, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook would tweak its formulas to try to boost membership in "meaningful" groups. Whenever someone spends at least 30 minutes a week in a group, Facebook classifies it as "meaningful." The company estimates that 130 million of its users are in such groups. It wants to increase that to more than a billion by 2022.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DOWN WITH CLICKBAIT?</p>
<p>Facebook tweaked its news feed in 2014 to clamp down on "clickbait," posts with grabby headlines like "you won't believe what happened next" yet ultimately disappoint.</p>
<p>More clicks mean the posts would move higher in people's news feeds, even if people don't really want to see them. How does Facebook decide what's clickbait? For one, it knows how much time you spend reading an article. A quick click generally means you're not really interested in the post that was shared.</p>
<p>Facebook's push worked. You're much less likely to see clickbait these days.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>YOUR PERSONAL "NEWSPAPER"</p>
<p>In 2013, Zuckerberg said he wanted the news feed to look more like a digital newspaper, filled with information tailored to each user. The company gave you more ways to decide what you want or don't want to see.</p>
<p>Later, the company expanded these tools to let you choose the friends and brands whose posts you want to see first. That means a news hound can choose to highlight news articles, for instance. You can also unfollow a specific friend's posts, while still staying connected on Facebook; you can decide to follow that person again later.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>ADS ARE SEPARATE</p>
<p>The changes won't affect how often you see advertisements, or as Facebook calls them, "sponsored posts."</p>
<p>However, you can tell Facebook not to show a particular ad again, and Facebook will stop showing you that and will show something else instead. Over time, Facebook will tailor the ads it shows you based on such feedback.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DATA RULES</p>
<p>It's in Facebook's best interest to show its more than 1 billion daily users stuff that will keep them interested — and keep them coming back. To that end, the company says it surveys tens of thousands of users each day to get a more complete picture of what people want to see.</p>
<p>Facebook is once again tweaking what you see to focus more on personal connections and take the spotlight off brands and news articles.</p>
<p>Facebook says it <a href="" type="internal">will highlight posts you are most likely to engage with</a> and make time spent on social media more "meaningful." That means cutting back on items that Facebook users tend to passively consume, including video.</p>
<p>To try to keep you glued to Facebook, it regularly updates the formula that decides what posts you see. With the latest update, the company says it's focusing on what Facebook is for — connecting with people you know.</p>
<p>Here's a look at some of the ways the company has changed the posts appearing in users' customized news feeds, which launched in 2006, as well as some of the factors it uses in deciding what makes up those feeds.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>MAKING FACEBOOK "MEANINGFUL"</p>
<p>Last June, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook would tweak its formulas to try to boost membership in "meaningful" groups. Whenever someone spends at least 30 minutes a week in a group, Facebook classifies it as "meaningful." The company estimates that 130 million of its users are in such groups. It wants to increase that to more than a billion by 2022.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DOWN WITH CLICKBAIT?</p>
<p>Facebook tweaked its news feed in 2014 to clamp down on "clickbait," posts with grabby headlines like "you won't believe what happened next" yet ultimately disappoint.</p>
<p>More clicks mean the posts would move higher in people's news feeds, even if people don't really want to see them. How does Facebook decide what's clickbait? For one, it knows how much time you spend reading an article. A quick click generally means you're not really interested in the post that was shared.</p>
<p>Facebook's push worked. You're much less likely to see clickbait these days.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>YOUR PERSONAL "NEWSPAPER"</p>
<p>In 2013, Zuckerberg said he wanted the news feed to look more like a digital newspaper, filled with information tailored to each user. The company gave you more ways to decide what you want or don't want to see.</p>
<p>Later, the company expanded these tools to let you choose the friends and brands whose posts you want to see first. That means a news hound can choose to highlight news articles, for instance. You can also unfollow a specific friend's posts, while still staying connected on Facebook; you can decide to follow that person again later.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>ADS ARE SEPARATE</p>
<p>The changes won't affect how often you see advertisements, or as Facebook calls them, "sponsored posts."</p>
<p>However, you can tell Facebook not to show a particular ad again, and Facebook will stop showing you that and will show something else instead. Over time, Facebook will tailor the ads it shows you based on such feedback.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>DATA RULES</p>
<p>It's in Facebook's best interest to show its more than 1 billion daily users stuff that will keep them interested — and keep them coming back. To that end, the company says it surveys tens of thousands of users each day to get a more complete picture of what people want to see.</p>
| false | 2 |
facebook tweaking see focus personal connections take spotlight brands news articles facebook says highlight posts likely engage make time spent social media meaningful means cutting back items facebook users tend passively consume including video try keep glued facebook regularly updates formula decides posts see latest update company says focusing facebook connecting people know heres look ways company changed posts appearing users customized news feeds launched 2006 well factors uses deciding makes feeds ___ making facebook meaningful last june ceo mark zuckerberg said facebook would tweak formulas try boost membership meaningful groups whenever someone spends least 30 minutes week group facebook classifies meaningful company estimates 130 million users groups wants increase billion 2022 ___ clickbait facebook tweaked news feed 2014 clamp clickbait posts grabby headlines like wont believe happened next yet ultimately disappoint clicks mean posts would move higher peoples news feeds even people dont really want see facebook decide whats clickbait one knows much time spend reading article quick click generally means youre really interested post shared facebooks push worked youre much less likely see clickbait days ___ personal newspaper 2013 zuckerberg said wanted news feed look like digital newspaper filled information tailored user company gave ways decide want dont want see later company expanded tools let choose friends brands whose posts want see first means news hound choose highlight news articles instance also unfollow specific friends posts still staying connected facebook decide follow person later ___ ads separate changes wont affect often see advertisements facebook calls sponsored posts however tell facebook show particular ad facebook stop showing show something else instead time facebook tailor ads shows based feedback ___ data rules facebooks best interest show 1 billion daily users stuff keep interested keep coming back end company says surveys tens thousands users day get complete picture people want see facebook tweaking see focus personal connections take spotlight brands news articles facebook says highlight posts likely engage make time spent social media meaningful means cutting back items facebook users tend passively consume including video try keep glued facebook regularly updates formula decides posts see latest update company says focusing facebook connecting people know heres look ways company changed posts appearing users customized news feeds launched 2006 well factors uses deciding makes feeds ___ making facebook meaningful last june ceo mark zuckerberg said facebook would tweak formulas try boost membership meaningful groups whenever someone spends least 30 minutes week group facebook classifies meaningful company estimates 130 million users groups wants increase billion 2022 ___ clickbait facebook tweaked news feed 2014 clamp clickbait posts grabby headlines like wont believe happened next yet ultimately disappoint clicks mean posts would move higher peoples news feeds even people dont really want see facebook decide whats clickbait one knows much time spend reading article quick click generally means youre really interested post shared facebooks push worked youre much less likely see clickbait days ___ personal newspaper 2013 zuckerberg said wanted news feed look like digital newspaper filled information tailored user company gave ways decide want dont want see later company expanded tools let choose friends brands whose posts want see first means news hound choose highlight news articles instance also unfollow specific friends posts still staying connected facebook decide follow person later ___ ads separate changes wont affect often see advertisements facebook calls sponsored posts however tell facebook show particular ad facebook stop showing show something else instead time facebook tailor ads shows based feedback ___ data rules facebooks best interest show 1 billion daily users stuff keep interested keep coming back end company says surveys tens thousands users day get complete picture people want see
| 600 |
<p>LONDON (Reuters) - The recent OPEC-led rally in crude prices is hitting refinery profits hard, flashing warning signs over oil’s bull run.</p>
<p>A wave of refinery maintenance scheduled in spring could also put downward pressure on crude, analysts said.</p>
<p>Higher oil prices typically quench consumption and squeeze profit margins at refiners that convert the feedstock into gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels.</p>
<p>Benchmark profit margins in key refining hubs dropped sharply in recent weeks - by over 50 percent in the U.S. Gulf Coast and northwest Europe, Reuters data shows - increasing expectations that some refiners will reduce operating rates.</p>
<p>“Margins have suffered and the biggest factor behind the weak margins we’ve seen is the run-up in crude prices,” said Jonathan Leitch, research director with‎ consultancy Wood Mackenzie.</p>
<p>Crude prices have gained more than 50 percent since June, as production cuts by OPEC and a number of non-OPEC oil producers increasingly bite into global inventories.</p>
<p>But while crude stocks tumbled at increasingly higher rates throughout 2017, refineries around the world continued to run at record levels to meet demand and lock in strong margins.</p>
<p>The lag between the gain in crude prices and the decline in refining margins led in turn to a rise in stocks of products.</p>
<p>In the fourth quarter of 2017, refinery runs hit a record 81.5 million barrels per day (bpd), International Energy Agency data shows, tipping fuel supply into excess and sending cargoes into storage tanks after a year of drawdowns.</p>
<p>And according to analysts FGE, fuel stocks in Europe, Singapore and the United States built by some 27.5 million barrels in the first two weeks of 2018.</p>
<p>Stocks are expected to grow further in coming weeks, a trend exacerbated by the rising oil price, which Wood Mackenzie says leads shippers to save fuel by reducing vessel speed and prompts power plants to use cheaper energy sources instead of fuel oil.</p>
<p>“Refining margins are looking very shaky,” a European trader said. “Everyone’s asking each other about run cuts.”</p>
<p>The crude price also has a major impact on the operating costs of refiners, which consume more than 5 percent of the feedstock to power their plants.</p> MAINTENANCE BOOST
<p>Margins are expected to receive a boost in coming months as plants close for seasonal maintenance before demand peaks in summer.</p>
<p>But that will likely put further pressure on crude prices as demand ebbs, while freeing up crude oil supplies.</p>
<p>This year, a large slate of maintenance closures in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, will take fuels off the market – underpinning margins worldwide.</p>
<p>In March, more than 900,000 bpd of refinery capacity will go offline in the Middle East, according to Energy Aspects, due in large part to work at Saudi Arabia’s 400,000-bpd Yanbu refinery.</p>
<p>“Refineries are going to need to run flat out to meet that and they’re going to need a good margin to do so,” Leitch said. “Our forecast is that crude prices have hit the top and prices will come down.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Libby George and Ron Bousso; Editing by Dale Hudson</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore’s competition watchdog said it had reasonable grounds to suspect competition had been infringed by Uber Technologies Inc’s [UBER.UL] deal to sell its operations in Southeast Asia to rival ride-hailing firm Grab.</p> FILE PHOTO: The Uber logo is seen on a screen in Singapore August 4, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White/File Picture
<p>In a rare move, the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) has begun an investigation into the deal and proposed interim measures that will require Uber and Grab to maintain their pre-transaction independent pricing, the watchdog said in a statement on Friday.</p>
<p>The proposal also requires Uber and Grab not to take any action that might lead to the integration of their businesses in Singapore, a move likely to pose a major hurdle to the U.S. company’s attempt to improve profitability by exiting the loss-making Southeast Asian market.</p>
<p>It is the first time the commission has issued interim measures on any business in the country.</p>
<p>“To address consumer concerns, we have voluntarily committed to maintaining our fare structure and will not increase base fares. This is a commitment we are prepared to give the CCS, and to the public,” Lim Kell Jay, head of Grab Singapore, told Reuters in a statement.</p>
<p>Uber was not immediately available for comment.</p>
<p>Uber and Grab announced the deal on Monday, marking the U.S. company’s second retreat from an Asian market.</p>
<p>Under the deal, Uber will take a 27.5 percent stake in Grab, which is valued at around $6 billion, and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will join the Singapore-based company’s board.</p>
<p>CCS proposals also require both Grab and Uber not to obtain from each other any confidential information including pricing, customers and drivers.</p>
<p>The two firms will be given an opportunity to make written representations to the CCS upon receipt of the proposed interim measures, it said.</p> FILE PHOTO: A Grab vehicle is pictured in Singapore March 26, 2018. REUTERS/Edgar Su
<p>Singapore has a voluntary merger notification regime, and CCS has yet to receive the notification from Uber and Grab as of Friday, although the companies have indicated their intention to file a formal merger notification, CCS said.</p>
<p>“We had engaged with the CCS prior to signing and continue to do so,” Lim said.</p>
<p>“We have informed the CCS that we are making a voluntary notification no later than 16 April 2018 to continue to cooperate and engage with the CCS,” he added.</p>
<p>The deal is the industry’s first big consolidation in Southeast Asia, home to about 640 million people, and is widely expected to give Uber more firepower to focus on other markets including India, as it prepares for an IPO in 2019.</p>
<p>Uber lost $4.5 billion last year and is facing fierce competition at home in the United States and across Asia, as well as a regulatory crackdown in Europe. The firm has invested $700 million in its Southeast Asian operations.</p>
<p>Reporting by Miyoung Kim, additional reporting by Fathin Ungku; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Jacqueline Wong and Gareth Jones</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany’s finance ministry expects interest rates to rise in coming years, causing new Minster Olaf Scholz to take steps to cushion additional costs to meet budget goals, Der Spiegel weekly reported on Saturday.</p> Germany's Finance Minister Olaf Scholz leaves a news conference during the 2018 G20 Conference entitled "The G20 Agenda Under the Argentine Presidency", in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 18, 2018. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian
<p>“The financial planning up to 2022 (envisages) a necessary normalization of the capital market environment,” Spiegel cited an internal document as saying.</p>
<p>Experts usually see interest rates of between 3 percent and 4 percent as “normal”, compared to below zero percent now, reported Der Spiegel.</p>
<p>The European Central Bank’s deposit facility is at -0.40 percent while its benchmark refinancing rate is at a record low of 0.0 percent.</p>
<p>German 10-year bond yields, which indicate the country’s likely cost of borrowing, fell in March but remain at around 0.5 percent DE10YT=RR.</p>
<p>Der Spiegel reported that a one percent increase in average interest rates in Europe’s biggest economy would mean an additional 10 billion euros in costs which could complicate the new government’s efforts to maintain a balanced budget.</p>
<p>A spokesman for the finance ministry declined to comment on the report.</p>
<p>Money markets are pricing in the ECB’s first interest rate rise since 2011 next year and the euro zone central bank is also considering how and when to end its 2.55 trillion euro bond purchase scheme aimed at stimulating inflation and growth.</p>
<p>A possible trade war with the United States is a possible dampener on the outlook but German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told Spiegel he was confident the EU and Washington would “find a sensible compromise by the summer” in trade talks.</p>
<p>Last week U.S. President Donald Trump temporarily excluded the EU, the United States’ biggest trading partner, and six other non-European countries from higher U.S. import duties on steel and aluminum.</p>
<p>The higher tariffs are aimed at curbing imports from China. Altmaier said Germany agreed with the United States in wanting to tackle overcapacity in the global steel market, partly caused by China.</p>
<p>“We are looking for a common line in the fight against price dumping and intellectual property theft. We want to find solutions that are compatible with international trade rules,” he told Der Spiegel.</p>
<p>Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Catherine Evans</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>HOUSTON (Reuters) - A recent drought in oil company mergers and acquisitions could be coming to an end over a new Texas range war: U.S. shale producers are building miles-long horizontal wells that are running into their rivals’ land holdings.</p> FILE PHOTO -- A pump jack stands idle in Dewitt County, Texas January 13, 2016. Picture taken on January 13, 2016. REUTERS/Anna Driver/File Photo
<p>This week, U.S. shale producer Concho Resources Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CXO.N" type="external">CXO.N</a>) said longer horizontal wells are among the factors spurring its $8 billion deal for rival RSP Permian Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=RSPP.N" type="external">RSPP.N</a>), with well spacing and sharing infrastructure needs also playing roles. RSP Permian controlled the land adjacent to its own in many cases.</p>
<p>The average length of U.S. shale wells has grown by roughly 1,500 feet, or 25 percent, in the past three years to 7,213 feet, according to RS Energy Group, an energy investment data provider. Producers are drilling longer shale wells - some exceed three miles - to extract more crude from each well.</p>
<p>Oil company M&amp;A fell in the wake of the 2014 oil price crash and more producers refocused on their best holdings. The value of U.S. oil producer deals last year was less than half the $137.7 billion in 2013, according to data provider PLS Inc. That could be changing in West Texas’s Permian, the largest U.S. oilfield, where checkerboard-like leases dating to land grants made to railroads in the 19th century are hemming in producers.</p>
<p>“Consolidating acreage is going to be extremely meaningful,” said Brook Papau, managing director of RS Energy. “We’ll see more deals.”</p>
<p>Smaller companies with prime acreage, especially on the Permian’s western edge, could be buyout candidates, including Abraxas Petroleum ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=AXAS.O" type="external">AXAS.O</a>), Lilis Energy LLEX.A and Jagged Peak Energy ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=JAG.N" type="external">JAG.N</a>), industry analysts have told Reuters.</p>
<p>Shared transport systems, such as oil and gas gathering and water disposal, also are driving the need for scale and property acquisitions in addition to horizontal wells, called laterals, Concho Chief Executive Tim Leach said this week.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CXO.N" type="external">Concho Resources Inc</a> 150.33 CXO.N New York Stock Exchange +7.08 (+4.94%) CXO.N RSPP.N AXAS.O JAG.N CVX.N
<p>“Long laterals and (avoiding) the parent-child relationship” where close well spacing reduces output, drove the deal, said Leach. “Large, contiguous blocks of acreage are strategic,” he told investors.</p>
<p>After dropping 8.7 percent on the steep purchase price, Concho shares on Thursday retraced much of the fall, rising 5 percent to $150.33.</p>
<p>“The investment community has consistently espoused the merits of consolidation within a highly fragmented business,” said Simmons &amp; Co analyst David Kistler in a note to clients praising the Concho-RSP deal.</p>
<p>Still, M&amp;A is not the only way to get more adjacent land. Chevron Corp ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CVX.N" type="external">CVX.N</a>) last year swapped or sold more than 60,000 acres in the Permian Basin.</p>
<p>The deals, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said in a February earnings call, “create value by consolidating land positions, allowing longer laterals and other infrastructure efficiencies.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Andrea Ricci</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
<p>(Reuters) - Snap Inc ( <a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SNAP.N" type="external">SNAP.N</a>) on Friday said it cut 7 percent of its global workforce in March, as disclosed by it in a regulatory filing <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1564408/000156459018007282/0001564590-18-007282-index.htm" type="external">here</a>.</p> A woman stands in front of the logo of Snap Inc. on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) while waiting for Snap Inc. to post their IPO, in New York City, NY, U.S. March 2, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
<p>The social media company said it would incur about $10 million of cash expenditure due to severance costs to be reflected in the current quarter ending March 31.</p>
<p>As a result of the layoffs, primarily in its engineering and sales teams, the company said it sees savings of about $25 million in 2018.</p>
<p>The company had said it had 3,069 employees as of Dec. 31, 2017, according to its annual filing <a href="https://bit.ly/2pScNbz" type="external">bit.ly/2pScNbz</a>.</p>
<a href="/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=SNAP.N" type="external">Snap Inc</a> 15.87 SNAP.N New York Stock Exchange -0.08 (-0.50%) SNAP.N
<p>The Snapchat parent has been under pressure from investors to reduce costs after revenue fell short of analyst expectations during Snap’s first year as a publicly traded company.</p>
<p>Earlier this month, a company memo had shown that the company would cut just over 120 engineers and reorganize its engineering team, Reuters reported.</p>
<p>The Southern California-based company said the workforce reduction “is to align resources around our top strategic priorities and to reflect structural changes in our business.”</p>
<p>Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler</p> Our Standards:
<a href="" type="internal">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</a>
| false | 2 |
london reuters recent opecled rally crude prices hitting refinery profits hard flashing warning signs oils bull run wave refinery maintenance scheduled spring could also put downward pressure crude analysts said higher oil prices typically quench consumption squeeze profit margins refiners convert feedstock gasoline diesel aviation fuels benchmark profit margins key refining hubs dropped sharply recent weeks 50 percent us gulf coast northwest europe reuters data shows increasing expectations refiners reduce operating rates margins suffered biggest factor behind weak margins weve seen runup crude prices said jonathan leitch research director consultancy wood mackenzie crude prices gained 50 percent since june production cuts opec number nonopec oil producers increasingly bite global inventories crude stocks tumbled increasingly higher rates throughout 2017 refineries around world continued run record levels meet demand lock strong margins lag gain crude prices decline refining margins led turn rise stocks products fourth quarter 2017 refinery runs hit record 815 million barrels per day bpd international energy agency data shows tipping fuel supply excess sending cargoes storage tanks year drawdowns according analysts fge fuel stocks europe singapore united states built 275 million barrels first two weeks 2018 stocks expected grow coming weeks trend exacerbated rising oil price wood mackenzie says leads shippers save fuel reducing vessel speed prompts power plants use cheaper energy sources instead fuel oil refining margins looking shaky european trader said everyones asking run cuts crude price also major impact operating costs refiners consume 5 percent feedstock power plants maintenance boost margins expected receive boost coming months plants close seasonal maintenance demand peaks summer likely put pressure crude prices demand ebbs freeing crude oil supplies year large slate maintenance closures middle east particularly saudi arabia take fuels market underpinning margins worldwide march 900000 bpd refinery capacity go offline middle east according energy aspects due large part work saudi arabias 400000bpd yanbu refinery refineries going need run flat meet theyre going need good margin leitch said forecast crude prices hit top prices come reporting libby george ron bousso editing dale hudson standards thomson reuters trust principles singapore reuters singapores competition watchdog said reasonable grounds suspect competition infringed uber technologies incs uberul deal sell operations southeast asia rival ridehailing firm grab file photo uber logo seen screen singapore august 4 2017 reutersthomas whitefile picture rare move competition commission singapore ccs begun investigation deal proposed interim measures require uber grab maintain pretransaction independent pricing watchdog said statement friday proposal also requires uber grab take action might lead integration businesses singapore move likely pose major hurdle us companys attempt improve profitability exiting lossmaking southeast asian market first time commission issued interim measures business country address consumer concerns voluntarily committed maintaining fare structure increase base fares commitment prepared give ccs public lim kell jay head grab singapore told reuters statement uber immediately available comment uber grab announced deal monday marking us companys second retreat asian market deal uber take 275 percent stake grab valued around 6 billion uber ceo dara khosrowshahi join singaporebased companys board ccs proposals also require grab uber obtain confidential information including pricing customers drivers two firms given opportunity make written representations ccs upon receipt proposed interim measures said file photo grab vehicle pictured singapore march 26 2018 reutersedgar su singapore voluntary merger notification regime ccs yet receive notification uber grab friday although companies indicated intention file formal merger notification ccs said engaged ccs prior signing continue lim said informed ccs making voluntary notification later 16 april 2018 continue cooperate engage ccs added deal industrys first big consolidation southeast asia home 640 million people widely expected give uber firepower focus markets including india prepares ipo 2019 uber lost 45 billion last year facing fierce competition home united states across asia well regulatory crackdown europe firm invested 700 million southeast asian operations reporting miyoung kim additional reporting fathin ungku editing himani sarkar jacqueline wong gareth jones standards thomson reuters trust principles berlin reuters germanys finance ministry expects interest rates rise coming years causing new minster olaf scholz take steps cushion additional costs meet budget goals der spiegel weekly reported saturday germanys finance minister olaf scholz leaves news conference 2018 g20 conference entitled g20 agenda argentine presidency buenos aires argentina march 18 2018 reutersagustin marcarian financial planning 2022 envisages necessary normalization capital market environment spiegel cited internal document saying experts usually see interest rates 3 percent 4 percent normal compared zero percent reported der spiegel european central banks deposit facility 040 percent benchmark refinancing rate record low 00 percent german 10year bond yields indicate countrys likely cost borrowing fell march remain around 05 percent de10ytrr der spiegel reported one percent increase average interest rates europes biggest economy would mean additional 10 billion euros costs could complicate new governments efforts maintain balanced budget spokesman finance ministry declined comment report money markets pricing ecbs first interest rate rise since 2011 next year euro zone central bank also considering end 255 trillion euro bond purchase scheme aimed stimulating inflation growth possible trade war united states possible dampener outlook german economy minister peter altmaier told spiegel confident eu washington would find sensible compromise summer trade talks last week us president donald trump temporarily excluded eu united states biggest trading partner six noneuropean countries higher us import duties steel aluminum higher tariffs aimed curbing imports china altmaier said germany agreed united states wanting tackle overcapacity global steel market partly caused china looking common line fight price dumping intellectual property theft want find solutions compatible international trade rules told der spiegel reporting madeline chambers editing catherine evans standards thomson reuters trust principles houston reuters recent drought oil company mergers acquisitions could coming end new texas range war us shale producers building mileslong horizontal wells running rivals land holdings file photo pump jack stands idle dewitt county texas january 13 2016 picture taken january 13 2016 reutersanna driverfile photo week us shale producer concho resources inc cxon said longer horizontal wells among factors spurring 8 billion deal rival rsp permian inc rsppn well spacing sharing infrastructure needs also playing roles rsp permian controlled land adjacent many cases average length us shale wells grown roughly 1500 feet 25 percent past three years 7213 feet according rs energy group energy investment data provider producers drilling longer shale wells exceed three miles extract crude well oil company mampa fell wake 2014 oil price crash producers refocused best holdings value us oil producer deals last year less half 1377 billion 2013 according data provider pls inc could changing west texass permian largest us oilfield checkerboardlike leases dating land grants made railroads 19th century hemming producers consolidating acreage going extremely meaningful said brook papau managing director rs energy well see deals smaller companies prime acreage especially permians western edge could buyout candidates including abraxas petroleum axaso lilis energy llexa jagged peak energy jagn industry analysts told reuters shared transport systems oil gas gathering water disposal also driving need scale property acquisitions addition horizontal wells called laterals concho chief executive tim leach said week concho resources inc 15033 cxon new york stock exchange 708 494 cxon rsppn axaso jagn cvxn long laterals avoiding parentchild relationship close well spacing reduces output drove deal said leach large contiguous blocks acreage strategic told investors dropping 87 percent steep purchase price concho shares thursday retraced much fall rising 5 percent 15033 investment community consistently espoused merits consolidation within highly fragmented business said simmons amp co analyst david kistler note clients praising conchorsp deal still mampa way get adjacent land chevron corp cvxn last year swapped sold 60000 acres permian basin deals chevron ceo mike wirth said february earnings call create value consolidating land positions allowing longer laterals infrastructure efficiencies reporting ernest scheyder editing andrea ricci standards thomson reuters trust principles reuters snap inc snapn friday said cut 7 percent global workforce march disclosed regulatory filing woman stands front logo snap inc floor new york stock exchange nyse waiting snap inc post ipo new york city ny us march 2 2017 reuterslucas jackson social media company said would incur 10 million cash expenditure due severance costs reflected current quarter ending march 31 result layoffs primarily engineering sales teams company said sees savings 25 million 2018 company said 3069 employees dec 31 2017 according annual filing bitly2pscnbz snap inc 1587 snapn new york stock exchange 008 050 snapn snapchat parent pressure investors reduce costs revenue fell short analyst expectations snaps first year publicly traded company earlier month company memo shown company would cut 120 engineers reorganize engineering team reuters reported southern californiabased company said workforce reduction align resources around top strategic priorities reflect structural changes business reporting nivedita balu bengaluru editing sandra maler standards thomson reuters trust principles
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<p />
<p>Although tea has been enjoyed around the world for some 5,000 years, it wasn’t until relatively recently that scientists started searching for the facts.</p>
<p>From the 1970s to the 1990s, epidemiological studies – the kind following large populations’ eating and disease patterns – found tea drinking might be associated with better health. But no clear cause-and-effect relationship between health and tea was established.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>“More careful clinical and laboratory studies are needed,” said Johanna Dwyer, a professor at Tufts Medical School in Boston, at the fifth International Scientific Sy mposium on Tea and Human Health held Sept. 19 at the U.S. Agriculture Department.</p>
<p>But recent studies have been promising. What did they find? Just about every cell in the body could potentially benefit from tea – with virtually no downsides.</p>
<p>All true tea (white, green, oolong and black, as opposed to herbal varieties) comes from one plant: Camellia sinensis. The differences are in how they are processed, with white and green being the least processed, oolong in the middle and black the most processed. The processing changes the nutritional profile and some of the health effects. But no matter the process, all tea leaves are dense with flavonoids, health-promoting chemicals found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and most plants.</p>
<p>“About one-third of the weight of a tea leaf is flavonoids, which is high, especially when you consider there are virtually no calories,” said Jeffrey Blumberg, professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University and cha i rman of the tea symposium. “A serving of tea is like adding a serving of fruits or vegetables to your diet.”</p>
<p>But can tea produce more health benefits than fruits or vegetables? Flavonoid research results are exciting but mixed, and there is still a lot to learn.</p>
<p>There are “small but possibly significant health effects, but study quality needs to improve. . . . The variety, geography, processing and brewing of tea must be considered since it will dramatically change flavonoid content and possibly associated health benefits,” Dwyer said, adding, “Tea is not a drug, and to expect a drug-like effect is unrealistic.”</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>So, while not a miracle cure-all, there is some exciting news about tea:</p>
<p>It helps your heart by keeping blood vessels unclogged and flexible. Blood pressure and stroke risk were reduced in epidemiological and clinical studies (even with sugar added).</p>
<p>In a double-blind, randomized study in which hypertensive men drank one cup of black tea daily, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were reduced. The blood-pressure-lowering effect was maintained even after a large intake of fatty, sugary food, which usually constricts blood vessels, showing that “cardiovascular protection can be achieved even without much sacrifice and with normal intakes,” said Claudio Ferri, a professor at Italy’s University of L’Aquila School of Internal Medicine and co-author of the study.</p>
<p>Healthier blood vessels create better blood flow, which means all of your organs, including the brain, are receiving more blood, oxygen and nutrients, enhancing your body’s ability to fight disease. So, healthier blood vessel linings might be one reason why tea consumption seems associated with so many benefits.</p>
<p>It improves bone health. After drinking four to six cups of green tea daily for six months, post-menopausal women with low bone mass (osteopenia) achieved an improvement in certain short-term measures of bone health in a Nationa l Institutes of Health-funded study conducted at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. They also improved muscular strength. Tea reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, preventing the usual bone and muscle breakdown.</p>
<p>It can help your thinking. When your brain receives better blood flow and oxygen, and inflammation and oxidative stress are reduced, there is improved cognitive function, according to studies. In fact, a 25 percent reduction in impairments of activities of daily living was found when adults drank three to four cups of tea daily.</p>
<p>It might reduce cancer risk. Many animal and test-tube studies have found anti-cancer effects of tea, but human studies have been less consistent. “In lab studies, compounds in tea show a lot of cancer fighting promise. Many act as antioxidants, slow tumor growth and even increase cancer cell death,” said Alice Bender of the American Institute for Cancer Research. “But the evidence is too limited and inconsistent to make any conclusions about tea and cancer risk for humans.”</p>
<p>It can help you lose weight. Not only does tea have fewer calories than most beverages (zero without milk and sugar), but certain compounds in tea, and especially green tea, have been found to burn body fat. Caffeine slightly increases fat-burning, but recent studies show “the combination of caffeine and green tea catechins [tea’s antioxidants] is even more effective at increasing energy expenditure and fat oxidation, though the effect is small, burning 100 calories over 24 hours, or a loss of 2.8 pounds over 12 weeks,” said Rick Hursel of Maastricht University, co-author of one study.</p>
<p>It can help you de-stress. An amino acid called L-theanine, in combination with caffeine, might reduce stress. Several studies have shown that this combination, which occurs naturally in tea, reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, while improving mental alertness. “Tea consumption can positively affect mood and may improve c reative problem solving, as compared to water,” said Suzanne Einother, a Dutch researcher from Unilever (maker of Lipton tea), at the symposium.</p>
<p>Tea is not a drug, which means the health effects are mild and might not even be noticeable, depending on your genetics. That said, a wealth of evidence seems to show that the British had the right idea. Perhaps it’s time we all had a tea habit.</p>
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although tea enjoyed around world 5000 years wasnt relatively recently scientists started searching facts 1970s 1990s epidemiological studies kind following large populations eating disease patterns found tea drinking might associated better health clear causeandeffect relationship health tea established advertisement careful clinical laboratory studies needed said johanna dwyer professor tufts medical school boston fifth international scientific sy mposium tea human health held sept 19 us agriculture department recent studies promising find every cell body could potentially benefit tea virtually downsides true tea white green oolong black opposed herbal varieties comes one plant camellia sinensis differences processed white green least processed oolong middle black processed processing changes nutritional profile health effects matter process tea leaves dense flavonoids healthpromoting chemicals found fruits vegetables whole grains plants onethird weight tea leaf flavonoids high especially consider virtually calories said jeffrey blumberg professor nutrition science policy tufts university cha rman tea symposium serving tea like adding serving fruits vegetables diet tea produce health benefits fruits vegetables flavonoid research results exciting mixed still lot learn small possibly significant health effects study quality needs improve variety geography processing brewing tea must considered since dramatically change flavonoid content possibly associated health benefits dwyer said adding tea drug expect druglike effect unrealistic advertisement miracle cureall exciting news tea helps heart keeping blood vessels unclogged flexible blood pressure stroke risk reduced epidemiological clinical studies even sugar added doubleblind randomized study hypertensive men drank one cup black tea daily systolic diastolic blood pressure reduced bloodpressurelowering effect maintained even large intake fatty sugary food usually constricts blood vessels showing cardiovascular protection achieved even without much sacrifice normal intakes said claudio ferri professor italys university laquila school internal medicine coauthor study healthier blood vessels create better blood flow means organs including brain receiving blood oxygen nutrients enhancing bodys ability fight disease healthier blood vessel linings might one reason tea consumption seems associated many benefits improves bone health drinking four six cups green tea daily six months postmenopausal women low bone mass osteopenia achieved improvement certain shortterm measures bone health nationa l institutes healthfunded study conducted texas tech university health sciences center also improved muscular strength tea reduced oxidative stress inflammation preventing usual bone muscle breakdown help thinking brain receives better blood flow oxygen inflammation oxidative stress reduced improved cognitive function according studies fact 25 percent reduction impairments activities daily living found adults drank three four cups tea daily might reduce cancer risk many animal testtube studies found anticancer effects tea human studies less consistent lab studies compounds tea show lot cancer fighting promise many act antioxidants slow tumor growth even increase cancer cell death said alice bender american institute cancer research evidence limited inconsistent make conclusions tea cancer risk humans help lose weight tea fewer calories beverages zero without milk sugar certain compounds tea especially green tea found burn body fat caffeine slightly increases fatburning recent studies show combination caffeine green tea catechins teas antioxidants even effective increasing energy expenditure fat oxidation though effect small burning 100 calories 24 hours loss 28 pounds 12 weeks said rick hursel maastricht university coauthor one study help destress amino acid called ltheanine combination caffeine might reduce stress several studies shown combination occurs naturally tea reduces cortisol stress hormone improving mental alertness tea consumption positively affect mood may improve c reative problem solving compared water said suzanne einother dutch researcher unilever maker lipton tea symposium tea drug means health effects mild might even noticeable depending genetics said wealth evidence seems show british right idea perhaps time tea habit
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<p>Cotton Bowl: Southern California (11-2) vs. Ohio State (11-2), Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)</p>
<p>Line: Ohio State by 7 1/2.</p>
<p>Series Record: USC leads 13-9-1.</p>
<p>WHAT'S AT STAKE</p>
<p>Playoff-snubbed Ohio State takes on USC in a throwback to Rose Bowls past. This is the eighth postseason meeting between the Buckeyes and Trojans and the first seven were all in the Rose Bowl, the last one 33 years ago. The Big Ten champion Buckeyes haven't lost more than two games in any of their six seasons under coach Urban Meyer. Pac-12 champion USC is trying to reach 12 wins for the first time since 2008.</p>
<p>KEY MATCHUP</p>
<p>All-America center Billy Price and Ohio State offensive line vs. USC front seven. The Buckeyes have allowed only 19 sacks, with one or none in six of the last eight games. The Trojans, with their 5-2 scheme, have 43 sacks. Four USC players have at least six sacks, led by All-Pac-12 defensive end Rasheem Green's nine.</p>
<p>PLAYERS TO WATCH</p>
<p>Southern California: Third-year sophomore and top NFL prospect QB Sam Darnold could be playing his last game for the Trojans. In his two seasons at USC, he already has a Rose Bowl title and has thrown for 6,873 yards with 57 TDs and 21 interceptions. He has 17 TDs and four interceptions in the last eight games.</p>
<p>Ohio State: Freshman RB J.K. Dobbins has rushed for 1,364 yards and seven TDs. The Texas native had 174 yards rushing in the Big Ten title game, his sixth 100-yard game this season.</p>
<p>FACTS &amp; FIGURES</p>
<p>USC has won seven consecutive games over Ohio State, including four regular-season games since their last Cotton Bowl matchup. ... This is the first Cotton Bowl matching conference champs since New Year's Day 1987, when Big Ten co-champ Ohio State beat Southwest Conference winner Texas A&amp;M. That is the only previous Cotton Bowl appearance by the Buckeyes. ... USC is also in its second Cotton Bowl. The Trojans beat Texas Tech on New Year's Day 1995. ... Ohio State is playing a Pac-12 opponent for the first time since beating Oregon 42-20 in the first championship game in the four-team playoff, in the same stadium as this week's Cotton Bowl.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP college football: <a href="http://collegefootball.ap.org" type="external">http://collegefootball.ap.org</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p>
<p>Cotton Bowl: Southern California (11-2) vs. Ohio State (11-2), Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)</p>
<p>Line: Ohio State by 7 1/2.</p>
<p>Series Record: USC leads 13-9-1.</p>
<p>WHAT'S AT STAKE</p>
<p>Playoff-snubbed Ohio State takes on USC in a throwback to Rose Bowls past. This is the eighth postseason meeting between the Buckeyes and Trojans and the first seven were all in the Rose Bowl, the last one 33 years ago. The Big Ten champion Buckeyes haven't lost more than two games in any of their six seasons under coach Urban Meyer. Pac-12 champion USC is trying to reach 12 wins for the first time since 2008.</p>
<p>KEY MATCHUP</p>
<p>All-America center Billy Price and Ohio State offensive line vs. USC front seven. The Buckeyes have allowed only 19 sacks, with one or none in six of the last eight games. The Trojans, with their 5-2 scheme, have 43 sacks. Four USC players have at least six sacks, led by All-Pac-12 defensive end Rasheem Green's nine.</p>
<p>PLAYERS TO WATCH</p>
<p>Southern California: Third-year sophomore and top NFL prospect QB Sam Darnold could be playing his last game for the Trojans. In his two seasons at USC, he already has a Rose Bowl title and has thrown for 6,873 yards with 57 TDs and 21 interceptions. He has 17 TDs and four interceptions in the last eight games.</p>
<p>Ohio State: Freshman RB J.K. Dobbins has rushed for 1,364 yards and seven TDs. The Texas native had 174 yards rushing in the Big Ten title game, his sixth 100-yard game this season.</p>
<p>FACTS &amp; FIGURES</p>
<p>USC has won seven consecutive games over Ohio State, including four regular-season games since their last Cotton Bowl matchup. ... This is the first Cotton Bowl matching conference champs since New Year's Day 1987, when Big Ten co-champ Ohio State beat Southwest Conference winner Texas A&amp;M. That is the only previous Cotton Bowl appearance by the Buckeyes. ... USC is also in its second Cotton Bowl. The Trojans beat Texas Tech on New Year's Day 1995. ... Ohio State is playing a Pac-12 opponent for the first time since beating Oregon 42-20 in the first championship game in the four-team playoff, in the same stadium as this week's Cotton Bowl.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>More AP college football: <a href="http://collegefootball.ap.org" type="external">http://collegefootball.ap.org</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25" type="external">https://twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p>
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cotton bowl southern california 112 vs ohio state 112 friday 830 pm et espn line ohio state 7 12 series record usc leads 1391 whats stake playoffsnubbed ohio state takes usc throwback rose bowls past eighth postseason meeting buckeyes trojans first seven rose bowl last one 33 years ago big ten champion buckeyes havent lost two games six seasons coach urban meyer pac12 champion usc trying reach 12 wins first time since 2008 key matchup allamerica center billy price ohio state offensive line vs usc front seven buckeyes allowed 19 sacks one none six last eight games trojans 52 scheme 43 sacks four usc players least six sacks led allpac12 defensive end rasheem greens nine players watch southern california thirdyear sophomore top nfl prospect qb sam darnold could playing last game trojans two seasons usc already rose bowl title thrown 6873 yards 57 tds 21 interceptions 17 tds four interceptions last eight games ohio state freshman rb jk dobbins rushed 1364 yards seven tds texas native 174 yards rushing big ten title game sixth 100yard game season facts amp figures usc seven consecutive games ohio state including four regularseason games since last cotton bowl matchup first cotton bowl matching conference champs since new years day 1987 big ten cochamp ohio state beat southwest conference winner texas aampm previous cotton bowl appearance buckeyes usc also second cotton bowl trojans beat texas tech new years day 1995 ohio state playing pac12 opponent first time since beating oregon 4220 first championship game fourteam playoff stadium weeks cotton bowl ___ ap college football httpcollegefootballaporg httpstwittercomap_top25 cotton bowl southern california 112 vs ohio state 112 friday 830 pm et espn line ohio state 7 12 series record usc leads 1391 whats stake playoffsnubbed ohio state takes usc throwback rose bowls past eighth postseason meeting buckeyes trojans first seven rose bowl last one 33 years ago big ten champion buckeyes havent lost two games six seasons coach urban meyer pac12 champion usc trying reach 12 wins first time since 2008 key matchup allamerica center billy price ohio state offensive line vs usc front seven buckeyes allowed 19 sacks one none six last eight games trojans 52 scheme 43 sacks four usc players least six sacks led allpac12 defensive end rasheem greens nine players watch southern california thirdyear sophomore top nfl prospect qb sam darnold could playing last game trojans two seasons usc already rose bowl title thrown 6873 yards 57 tds 21 interceptions 17 tds four interceptions last eight games ohio state freshman rb jk dobbins rushed 1364 yards seven tds texas native 174 yards rushing big ten title game sixth 100yard game season facts amp figures usc seven consecutive games ohio state including four regularseason games since last cotton bowl matchup first cotton bowl matching conference champs since new years day 1987 big ten cochamp ohio state beat southwest conference winner texas aampm previous cotton bowl appearance buckeyes usc also second cotton bowl trojans beat texas tech new years day 1995 ohio state playing pac12 opponent first time since beating oregon 4220 first championship game fourteam playoff stadium weeks cotton bowl ___ ap college football httpcollegefootballaporg httpstwittercomap_top25
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<p>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Some Nebraska lawmakers voiced concerns Wednesday that the state will fail to meet a mandatory deadline to reduce its prison population by July 2020, forcing officials to consider paroling all eligible inmates.</p>
<p>Senators expressed their doubts at a hearing on bills that would force the Department of Correctional Services to act faster or develop a contingency plan.</p>
<p>"We need to get out of the box and think more aggressively about solving the problems we have in front of us regarding corrections," said Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha.</p>
<p>Nebraska's corrections department has until July 1, 2020, to lower its inmate population to 140 percent of what all of its facilities were designed to hold. If the department falls short of that target, the prisons will fall into an automatic "overcrowding emergency" that forces state officials to consider paroling all eligible prisoners right away.</p>
<p>Lawmakers imposed the requirement in 2015 as part of a package that was intended to reduce the prison population, but the legislation hasn't yet produced the desired result. The prisons housed roughly 5,200 inmates earlier this month in facilities that were designed to hold 3,375, placing the population at roughly 154 percent of its designed capacity.</p>
<p>In 2014, when state officials were developing the plan to relieve crowding, Nebraska's prisons housed 5,130 inmates in facilities that were designed to hold 3,275 — roughly 157 percent of the design capacity.</p>
<p>"At the current rate we're going, it doesn't seem we're going to be under 140 percent" when the deadline hits, said Crete Sen. Laura Ebke, chairwoman of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee.</p>
<p>Krist, who is running for governor, presented the committee with a bill that would move the July 2020 deadline up to July 1 of this year. He acknowledged that the new proposed deadline is "almost insane," but said it was intended to force a conversation on how to release more prisoners without compromising public safety.</p>
<p>"The point I'm making here is, 'When does the action start?'" he said.</p>
<p>Members of the Judiciary Committee considered three other measures Wednesday that seek to ease prison crowding. One would allow the release of inmates who are terminally ill or incapacitated, one would allow inmates out of prison temporarily to access drug treatment and rehabilitation programs, and one would require the corrections department to develop a plan in case it fails to meet the July 2020 deadline.</p>
<p>Lawmakers could also consider setting yearly goals to decrease the prison population gradually while keeping the department accountable, said Spike Eickholt, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska.</p>
<p>Nebraska Corrections Director Scott Frakes said his agency is working to set up more prisoners for parole, but faces several challenges.</p>
<p>About 60 percent of inmates who are parole eligible are serving time for a violent crime, Frakes said. Roughly half have previously served time behind bars, raising questions about whether they'll reoffend, and one-third have previously had their parole revoked or rescinded.</p>
<p>"This makes it even more important to stay committed to the original date of 2020," he said.</p>
<p>Frakes has previously said he was optimistic the department would reduce its inmate population in time, and on Wednesday he said he hasn't given up hope.</p>
<p>Board of Parole Chairwoman Rosalyn Cotton said many parole-eligible inmates remain behind bars for good reason. Some are still public safety threats, some are denied because victims don't want them released, and some don't want to be paroled because they face deportation, she said.</p>
<p>"All (the bill) would do is replace an overcrowding emergency with a public safety emergency," she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte" type="external">https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte</a></p>
<p>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Some Nebraska lawmakers voiced concerns Wednesday that the state will fail to meet a mandatory deadline to reduce its prison population by July 2020, forcing officials to consider paroling all eligible inmates.</p>
<p>Senators expressed their doubts at a hearing on bills that would force the Department of Correctional Services to act faster or develop a contingency plan.</p>
<p>"We need to get out of the box and think more aggressively about solving the problems we have in front of us regarding corrections," said Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha.</p>
<p>Nebraska's corrections department has until July 1, 2020, to lower its inmate population to 140 percent of what all of its facilities were designed to hold. If the department falls short of that target, the prisons will fall into an automatic "overcrowding emergency" that forces state officials to consider paroling all eligible prisoners right away.</p>
<p>Lawmakers imposed the requirement in 2015 as part of a package that was intended to reduce the prison population, but the legislation hasn't yet produced the desired result. The prisons housed roughly 5,200 inmates earlier this month in facilities that were designed to hold 3,375, placing the population at roughly 154 percent of its designed capacity.</p>
<p>In 2014, when state officials were developing the plan to relieve crowding, Nebraska's prisons housed 5,130 inmates in facilities that were designed to hold 3,275 — roughly 157 percent of the design capacity.</p>
<p>"At the current rate we're going, it doesn't seem we're going to be under 140 percent" when the deadline hits, said Crete Sen. Laura Ebke, chairwoman of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee.</p>
<p>Krist, who is running for governor, presented the committee with a bill that would move the July 2020 deadline up to July 1 of this year. He acknowledged that the new proposed deadline is "almost insane," but said it was intended to force a conversation on how to release more prisoners without compromising public safety.</p>
<p>"The point I'm making here is, 'When does the action start?'" he said.</p>
<p>Members of the Judiciary Committee considered three other measures Wednesday that seek to ease prison crowding. One would allow the release of inmates who are terminally ill or incapacitated, one would allow inmates out of prison temporarily to access drug treatment and rehabilitation programs, and one would require the corrections department to develop a plan in case it fails to meet the July 2020 deadline.</p>
<p>Lawmakers could also consider setting yearly goals to decrease the prison population gradually while keeping the department accountable, said Spike Eickholt, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska.</p>
<p>Nebraska Corrections Director Scott Frakes said his agency is working to set up more prisoners for parole, but faces several challenges.</p>
<p>About 60 percent of inmates who are parole eligible are serving time for a violent crime, Frakes said. Roughly half have previously served time behind bars, raising questions about whether they'll reoffend, and one-third have previously had their parole revoked or rescinded.</p>
<p>"This makes it even more important to stay committed to the original date of 2020," he said.</p>
<p>Frakes has previously said he was optimistic the department would reduce its inmate population in time, and on Wednesday he said he hasn't given up hope.</p>
<p>Board of Parole Chairwoman Rosalyn Cotton said many parole-eligible inmates remain behind bars for good reason. Some are still public safety threats, some are denied because victims don't want them released, and some don't want to be paroled because they face deportation, she said.</p>
<p>"All (the bill) would do is replace an overcrowding emergency with a public safety emergency," she said.</p>
<p>___</p>
<p>Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte" type="external">https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte</a></p>
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lincoln neb ap nebraska lawmakers voiced concerns wednesday state fail meet mandatory deadline reduce prison population july 2020 forcing officials consider paroling eligible inmates senators expressed doubts hearing bills would force department correctional services act faster develop contingency plan need get box think aggressively solving problems front us regarding corrections said sen bob krist omaha nebraskas corrections department july 1 2020 lower inmate population 140 percent facilities designed hold department falls short target prisons fall automatic overcrowding emergency forces state officials consider paroling eligible prisoners right away lawmakers imposed requirement 2015 part package intended reduce prison population legislation hasnt yet produced desired result prisons housed roughly 5200 inmates earlier month facilities designed hold 3375 placing population roughly 154 percent designed capacity 2014 state officials developing plan relieve crowding nebraskas prisons housed 5130 inmates facilities designed hold 3275 roughly 157 percent design capacity current rate going doesnt seem going 140 percent deadline hits said crete sen laura ebke chairwoman legislatures judiciary committee krist running governor presented committee bill would move july 2020 deadline july 1 year acknowledged new proposed deadline almost insane said intended force conversation release prisoners without compromising public safety point im making action start said members judiciary committee considered three measures wednesday seek ease prison crowding one would allow release inmates terminally ill incapacitated one would allow inmates prison temporarily access drug treatment rehabilitation programs one would require corrections department develop plan case fails meet july 2020 deadline lawmakers could also consider setting yearly goals decrease prison population gradually keeping department accountable said spike eickholt lobbyist american civil liberties union nebraska nebraska corrections director scott frakes said agency working set prisoners parole faces several challenges 60 percent inmates parole eligible serving time violent crime frakes said roughly half previously served time behind bars raising questions whether theyll reoffend onethird previously parole revoked rescinded makes even important stay committed original date 2020 said frakes previously said optimistic department would reduce inmate population time wednesday said hasnt given hope board parole chairwoman rosalyn cotton said many paroleeligible inmates remain behind bars good reason still public safety threats denied victims dont want released dont want paroled face deportation said bill would replace overcrowding emergency public safety emergency said ___ follow grant schulte twitter httpstwittercomgrantschulte lincoln neb ap nebraska lawmakers voiced concerns wednesday state fail meet mandatory deadline reduce prison population july 2020 forcing officials consider paroling eligible inmates senators expressed doubts hearing bills would force department correctional services act faster develop contingency plan need get box think aggressively solving problems front us regarding corrections said sen bob krist omaha nebraskas corrections department july 1 2020 lower inmate population 140 percent facilities designed hold department falls short target prisons fall automatic overcrowding emergency forces state officials consider paroling eligible prisoners right away lawmakers imposed requirement 2015 part package intended reduce prison population legislation hasnt yet produced desired result prisons housed roughly 5200 inmates earlier month facilities designed hold 3375 placing population roughly 154 percent designed capacity 2014 state officials developing plan relieve crowding nebraskas prisons housed 5130 inmates facilities designed hold 3275 roughly 157 percent design capacity current rate going doesnt seem going 140 percent deadline hits said crete sen laura ebke chairwoman legislatures judiciary committee krist running governor presented committee bill would move july 2020 deadline july 1 year acknowledged new proposed deadline almost insane said intended force conversation release prisoners without compromising public safety point im making action start said members judiciary committee considered three measures wednesday seek ease prison crowding one would allow release inmates terminally ill incapacitated one would allow inmates prison temporarily access drug treatment rehabilitation programs one would require corrections department develop plan case fails meet july 2020 deadline lawmakers could also consider setting yearly goals decrease prison population gradually keeping department accountable said spike eickholt lobbyist american civil liberties union nebraska nebraska corrections director scott frakes said agency working set prisoners parole faces several challenges 60 percent inmates parole eligible serving time violent crime frakes said roughly half previously served time behind bars raising questions whether theyll reoffend onethird previously parole revoked rescinded makes even important stay committed original date 2020 said frakes previously said optimistic department would reduce inmate population time wednesday said hasnt given hope board parole chairwoman rosalyn cotton said many paroleeligible inmates remain behind bars good reason still public safety threats denied victims dont want released dont want paroled face deportation said bill would replace overcrowding emergency public safety emergency said ___ follow grant schulte twitter httpstwittercomgrantschulte
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<p>The Gordon Bennett 2010 Flight Control Team says the balloon that disappeared Wednesday over the Adriatic Sea with two Americans on board appears to have suffered a sudden and unexpected failure, and race officials say data from transponder readings show the balloon’s high rate of descent would have made survival unlikely, according to a posting Friday on the race’s website.</p>
<p>&#160;The posting said the cause of the accident was still being examined.</p>
<p>&#160;Tranponder readings from the Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis balloon were examined by the Gordon Bennett 2010 control center, which calculated the change in altitude of the balloon over the time period recorded, according to the posting. The data show that the balloon initially had a moderate descent rate, which then increased to around 50 mph.</p>
<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
<p>&#160;“This is very pessimistic information,” the posting said. “At this rate of descent to the surface, survival would be unlikely.”</p>
<p>&#160;The posting concluded with, “There are no further planned statements on the www.gordonbennet2010.com site.”</p>
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<p>NEWS RELEASE from Gordon Bennett Site:</p>
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<p>News Announcement 1800UTC/1900BST, Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Control Centre</p>
<p>The Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) has continued to search throughout the day with support from other civil and military assets, including US and Croatian Military.</p>
<p>Both families have been informed that the Gordon Bennett 2010 Control Centre received recorded transponder readings from the air traffic control unit local to the area where the balloon had last been tracked. Transponder readings show the height, time and location of a balloon in a coded form.</p>
<p>The Gordon Bennett 2010 Control Centre has examined the transponder readings from Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer-Davis’ balloon, registration N801NM, and calculated the change in height of the balloon over the time period recorded. The data show that the balloon had a moderate descent rate initially which then increased into a high rate of descent, to around 50mph.</p>
<p>This is very pessimistic information. At this rate of descent to the surface, survival would be unlikely.</p>
<p>It is the opinion of the Gordon Bennett 2010 Flight Control Team that the balloon appears to have suffered a sudden and unexpected failure. The cause of this tragedy is still being examined.</p>
<p>Immediate and extended family of pilot Rymer-Davis politely request that the press do not make contact with them.</p>
<p>Both families are most grateful for the good wishes and messages of support.</p>
<p>There are no further planned statements on the <a href="http://www.gordonbennett2010.com" type="external">www.gordonbennett2010.com</a> site.</p>
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<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p>
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<p>The official word is that the “search continues” for the two American balloonists who disappeared during a stormy night over the Adriatic. An underwater vessel has joined the search, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/01/missing.balloonists/index.html?iref=allsearch" type="external">according to CNN</a>, which also reported that “debris” had been spotted, although officials say they think it is unrelated.</p>
<p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9051000/9051096.stm" type="external">Don Cameron told BBC</a>Bristol that “nobody is giving up” in the hunt for American pilots Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis.</p>
<p>&#160;The pair went missing over the Adriatic Sea while taking part in the competition, which launched from Bristol.</p>
<p>&#160;They were last heard from on Wednesday when they reported bad weather conditions.</p>
<p>The BBC posted a video interview with Nancy Abruzzo, wife of Richard Abruzzo of Albuquerque, one of the pilots. Speaking in Italy Nancy Abruzzo praised the rescue effort and said she remained optimistic</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-11451314" type="external">Here is a link to the video.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-11451314" type="external" /></p>
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<p>U.S. and Croatian search and rescue teams joined an expanded Italian coast guard search Thursday for two American balloonists who disappeared in rough weather over the Adriatic, The Associated Press reported.</p>
<p>The AP said that according to Italian Coast Guard Lt. Massimo Maccheroni, the United States offered two Navy aircraft to join in the search and one was put to work Thursday afternoon.</p>
<p>Marina Haluzan, the spokeswoman for the Croatian Ministry of the Sea and Transport, said Croatian coastal aircraft crews were scouring the area around Croatia’s distant, uninhabited islet of Palagruza, according to the AP report.</p>
<p>Palagruza is located in the middle of the Adriatic Sea, 60 nautical miles from the Croatian coast and 29 nautical miles from Italian coast.</p>
<p>“There’s no news so far about the missing balloon,” Haluzan said in a statement, adding that Croatian and Italian coastal authorities were in touch and coordinating the search.</p>
<p>Veteran balloon pilots Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer-Davis were participating in the 54th Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race when contact was lost Wednesday morning. Their balloon was equipped with a satellite telephone, VHF radios, radar transponder and two mobile telephones. No signal has been detected from the balloon’s Emergency Location Transmitter, which should activate on contact with water.</p>
<p>“They could not possibly still be flying,” flight director Don Cameron told the AP. “If they are on land, they must be in a very remote place. Otherwise we would have heard from them by now.”</p>
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<p>Thursday, 30 September 2010 10:10</p>
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<p>Second-day search extends 14 miles off Italian coast.</p>
<p>The Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center has expanded its search for Albuquerque balloonist Richard Abruzzo and his co-pilot Carol Rymer Davis, who disappeared Wednesday morning in the Adriatic Sea, The Associated Press reported.</p>
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<p>The search extended to 22 kilometers (14 miles) off the Italian coast as it resumed for a second day today, the AP said.</p>
<p>Don Cameron, flight director for the Gordon Bennett international gas balloon race, said five boats, several aircraft and a helicopter were taking part in today’s search.</p>
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<p>&#160;</p>
<p>No News as First Light Rises on Adriatic Sea</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-11441427" type="external">No Sign of Missing New Mexico Balloon Team</a>, BBC Reports; <a href="../news/metro/3003456608newsmetro09-30-10.htm" type="external">Albuquerque Prays, Waits;</a>Latest updates <a href="http://search.bbc.co.uk/search?tab=all&amp;scope=all&amp;q=Search+for+Missing+Balloon" type="external">from BBC;</a>Official <a href="http://www.gordonbennett2010.com" type="external">Gordon Bennett Race site;</a> News reports <a href="http://news.google.com/news/story?pz=1&amp;cf=all&amp;ned=us&amp;hl=en&amp;ncl=dmrUc7rZzshuCsMlQRo1C_kw0oR_M&amp;scoring=n" type="external">from across the globe</a></p>
<p>Governor Bill Richardson has asked the U.S. State Department to help secure military assets in Italy and Albania to help in the search for Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer.</p>
<p>According to a news release, Richardson has been following the search for the missing balloonists and offered any help to their families.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Officials of the Gordon Bennet 2010 balloon race say Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis are still missing as night falls. The search is expected to be scaled back overnight and no more dispatches will come from race officials until morning, a post on their web site said.</p>
<p>Abruzzo and Davis lost contact with their support group some time after 7 a.m. UK time (midnight New Mexico time) as they flew over the Adriatic Sea in the 54th annual Gordon Bennett gas balloon race, according to officials.</p>
<p>Luc Trullemans, meteorologist, had a conversation with one of the pilots about midnight. No contact has been established since. The balloon is equipped with satellite telephone, VHF radios, radar transponder and two mobile telephones. It has not been possible to make contact on any of these, according to race officials. The balloon is equipped with survival suits, lifejackets and two single-person life rafts.</p>
<p>&#160;Thunderstorms were present in the area.</p>
<p>Most of the balloons that took off Saturday night from Bristol, England foundered off the south coast of France after flying more than 600 miles, but teams from Switzerland, Germany, France, Britain and the U.S. continued on across the Mediterranean, according to the Guardian.</p>
<p>All other competing balloons have landed safely, with the remaining British team touching down in Serbia, and the Swiss team, the apparent winners, landing after flying 2,434km, landing in Romania on the Black Sea coast on Tuesday, and the German team reaching Moldova on the Black Sea this morning, the Guardian said.</p>
<p>Abruzzo and Rymer Davis had flown 1,758km before losing contact, according to the Gordon Bennett website’s <a href="http://www.gordonbennett2010.com/tracking" type="external">tracking graphic</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.gordonbennett2010.com/tracking" type="external" /> How the <a href="http://www.gordonbennett2010.com/tracking" type="external">balloons are tracked</a>.</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>Breaking at 6:28am — ABQ Balloonists Missing in Gordon Bennett Race: Race officials worried that gas balloon may have gone down in Adriatic in storm.</p>
<p>The hydrogen balloon piloted by Albuquerque residents Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis in the Gordon Bennett International Gas Balloon Race has gone missing in thunderstorms over the Adriatic Sea, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-11434556" type="external">BBC News</a> is reporting.</p>
<p>A spokeswoman at race control in Bristol, England, where the 20-balloon race began Saturday night, said contact had been lost with the balloon (around midnight New Mexico time), and there was concern that it might have had to ditch, BBC said.</p>
<p>The most recent official statement from Don Cameron, race director, was posted overnight on the <a href="http://www.gordonbennett2010.com/statement3" type="external">Gordon Bennett 2010 website</a>. It reads as follows:</p>
<p>“The last tracker report from USA2 (Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis, aerostat registration N-801NM) was at 05.58 Z (06.58 BST) and ATC Brindisi have had no communication since then.</p>
<p>“The Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre have initiated an operation with a helicopter and fast boat although no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Locator_Transmitter" type="external">ELT</a> (distress beacon) activation has been detected so far.</p>
<p>“The Croatian authorities and all shipping have been informed. Thunderstorm activity has been reported in the area. We are very concerned, but can only wait for news now.”</p>
<p>At first light Wednesday, just three teams of the original 20 were still flying, including the USA2 balloon, but later in the morning all other teams had landed, according to the BBC.</p>
<p>Abruzzo and Rymer Davis have had hair-raising moments before in the prestigious international balloon race.</p>
<p>Abruzzo suffered broken ribs, a broken wrist and pelvis, when the balloon he and Rymer Davis were piloting crashed into a power line in Kansas during the October 2005 race, and when the balloon shot back into the air, Rymer Davis managed to land the balloon by herself, according to an <a href="component/content/article/49.html" type="external">earlier report</a>.</p>
<p>The two won the Gordon Bennett race in 2004, bringing the competition back to the United States for the first time since 1999.</p>
<p>Abruzzo is the son of Ben Abruzzo, who was a crew member aboard the Double Eagle II, the first balloon to cross the Atlantic. He is a competitive balloon pilot who has set numerous records and won many awards. Rymer Davis began flying balloons in 1973, and holds several distance and duration records, according to the online aviation magazine <a href="http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/USTeamMissingInBalloonRace_203355-1.html" type="external">AVweb</a>.</p>
<p>Ben Abruzzo died in a small plane crash near Albuquerque on Feb. 11, 1985, at the age of 54.</p>
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gordon bennett 2010 flight control team says balloon disappeared wednesday adriatic sea two americans board appears suffered sudden unexpected failure race officials say data transponder readings show balloons high rate descent would made survival unlikely according posting friday races website 160the posting said cause accident still examined 160tranponder readings richard abruzzo carol rymer davis balloon examined gordon bennett 2010 control center calculated change altitude balloon time period recorded according posting data show balloon initially moderate descent rate increased around 50 mph advertisement 160this pessimistic information posting said rate descent surface survival would unlikely 160the posting concluded planned statements wwwgordonbennet2010com site 160 160 160 news release gordon bennett site 160 news announcement 1800utc1900bst coupe aéronautique gordon bennett control centre italian maritime rescue coordination centre mrcc continued search throughout day support civil military assets including us croatian military families informed gordon bennett 2010 control centre received recorded transponder readings air traffic control unit local area balloon last tracked transponder readings show height time location balloon coded form gordon bennett 2010 control centre examined transponder readings richard abruzzo carol rymerdavis balloon registration n801nm calculated change height balloon time period recorded data show balloon moderate descent rate initially increased high rate descent around 50mph pessimistic information rate descent surface survival would unlikely opinion gordon bennett 2010 flight control team balloon appears suffered sudden unexpected failure cause tragedy still examined immediate extended family pilot rymerdavis politely request press make contact families grateful good wishes messages support planned statements wwwgordonbennett2010com site 160 160 advertisement official word search continues two american balloonists disappeared stormy night adriatic underwater vessel joined search according cnn also reported debris spotted although officials say think unrelated cameron told bbcbristol nobody giving hunt american pilots richard abruzzo carol rymer davis 160the pair went missing adriatic sea taking part competition launched bristol 160they last heard wednesday reported bad weather conditions bbc posted video interview nancy abruzzo wife richard abruzzo albuquerque one pilots speaking italy nancy abruzzo praised rescue effort said remained optimistic link video 160 us croatian search rescue teams joined expanded italian coast guard search thursday two american balloonists disappeared rough weather adriatic associated press reported ap said according italian coast guard lt massimo maccheroni united states offered two navy aircraft join search one put work thursday afternoon marina haluzan spokeswoman croatian ministry sea transport said croatian coastal aircraft crews scouring area around croatias distant uninhabited islet palagruza according ap report palagruza located middle adriatic sea 60 nautical miles croatian coast 29 nautical miles italian coast theres news far missing balloon haluzan said statement adding croatian italian coastal authorities touch coordinating search veteran balloon pilots richard abruzzo carol rymerdavis participating 54th gordon bennett gas balloon race contact lost wednesday morning balloon equipped satellite telephone vhf radios radar transponder two mobile telephones signal detected balloons emergency location transmitter activate contact water could possibly still flying flight director cameron told ap land must remote place otherwise would heard 160 160 160 thursday 30 september 2010 1010 160 secondday search extends 14 miles italian coast italian maritime rescue coordination center expanded search albuquerque balloonist richard abruzzo copilot carol rymer davis disappeared wednesday morning adriatic sea associated press reported search extended 22 kilometers 14 miles italian coast resumed second day today ap said cameron flight director gordon bennett international gas balloon race said five boats several aircraft helicopter taking part todays search 160 news first light rises adriatic sea sign missing new mexico balloon team bbc reports albuquerque prays waitslatest updates bbcofficial gordon bennett race site news reports across globe governor bill richardson asked us state department help secure military assets italy albania help search richard abruzzo carol rymer according news release richardson following search missing balloonists offered help families 160 officials gordon bennet 2010 balloon race say richard abruzzo carol rymer davis still missing night falls search expected scaled back overnight dispatches come race officials morning post web site said abruzzo davis lost contact support group time 7 uk time midnight new mexico time flew adriatic sea 54th annual gordon bennett gas balloon race according officials luc trullemans meteorologist conversation one pilots midnight contact established since balloon equipped satellite telephone vhf radios radar transponder two mobile telephones possible make contact according race officials balloon equipped survival suits lifejackets two singleperson life rafts 160thunderstorms present area balloons took saturday night bristol england foundered south coast france flying 600 miles teams switzerland germany france britain us continued across mediterranean according guardian competing balloons landed safely remaining british team touching serbia swiss team apparent winners landing flying 2434km landing romania black sea coast tuesday german team reaching moldova black sea morning guardian said abruzzo rymer davis flown 1758km losing contact according gordon bennett websites tracking graphic balloons tracked breaking 628am abq balloonists missing gordon bennett race race officials worried gas balloon may gone adriatic storm hydrogen balloon piloted albuquerque residents richard abruzzo carol rymer davis gordon bennett international gas balloon race gone missing thunderstorms adriatic sea bbc news reporting spokeswoman race control bristol england 20balloon race began saturday night said contact lost balloon around midnight new mexico time concern might ditch bbc said recent official statement cameron race director posted overnight gordon bennett 2010 website reads follows last tracker report usa2 richard abruzzo carol rymer davis aerostat registration n801nm 0558 z 0658 bst atc brindisi communication since italian maritime rescue coordination centre initiated operation helicopter fast boat although elt distress beacon activation detected far croatian authorities shipping informed thunderstorm activity reported area concerned wait news first light wednesday three teams original 20 still flying including usa2 balloon later morning teams landed according bbc abruzzo rymer davis hairraising moments prestigious international balloon race abruzzo suffered broken ribs broken wrist pelvis balloon rymer davis piloting crashed power line kansas october 2005 race balloon shot back air rymer davis managed land balloon according earlier report two gordon bennett race 2004 bringing competition back united states first time since 1999 abruzzo son ben abruzzo crew member aboard double eagle ii first balloon cross atlantic competitive balloon pilot set numerous records many awards rymer davis began flying balloons 1973 holds several distance duration records according online aviation magazine avweb ben abruzzo died small plane crash near albuquerque feb 11 1985 age 54
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