Digital Alabama News

Dave Weigel Leaving Washington Post For Semafor https://digitalalabamanews.com/dave-weigel-leaving-washington-post-for-semafor/ Campaign reporter Dave Weigel is leaving The Washington Post to join a new global news startup spearheaded by former New York Times media columnist Ben Smith and former Bloomberg CEO Justin Smith. The Smiths, who are not related, have dubbed their new project “Semafor,” and announced a slew of hires on Wednesday ahead of the outlet’s anticipated launch this fall. Among them was Weigel, a top campaign reporter at the Post who was suspended earlier this summer after a fellow staffer in his newsroom publicly chastised him for retweeting a Twitter post containing a sexist joke. Weigel has since been reinstated by the Post and the reporter who publicly criticized both he and the newspaper over its handling of the episode, Felicia Sonmez, has since been fired. Along with Weigel, Semafor announced a number of key editorial hires, including reporters and editors who will work out of Washington, D.C. and cover politics and policy. They include Benjy Sarlin of NBC News, who will serve as Semafor’s Washington bureau chief, Shelby Talcott of the conservative Daily Caller website who will be covering Donald Trump and national Republicans for Semafor and Morgan Chalfant, previously a White House and national security reporter at The Hill. “When Gina and I started working together in May, we knew that finding the right people to join us in these early stages was foundational to Semafor’s ambition of building a news organization around the voices and work of some of the world’s greatest journalists,” Ben Smith wrote to his team announcing the hires. “Building a dream team from scratch is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any editor and the chance to do that is one of the big reasons why we’re both here. So, this summer we set about finding a proven group of journalists and future stars who would shape and define our newsroom with us.” Ben and Justin Smith announced in January they would be starting a new global news company and in March named former Reuters executive editor Gina Chua as Semafor’s top editor. Semafor is slated to launch sometime this fall. Read More…

The Hill’s 12:30 Report — New GOP Headache In The Final Midterm Sprint https://digitalalabamanews.com/the-hills-1230-report-new-gop-headache-in-the-final-midterm-sprint/ To view past editions of The Hill’s 12:30 Report, click here: https://bit.ly/30ARS1U  To receive The Hill’s 12:30 Report in your inbox, please sign up here: https://bit.ly/3qmIoS9 – A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*  *Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.  TALK OF THE MORNING  If you listen reaaaally closely, you can hear Republicans angrily whispering for Lindsey Graham to be quiet:  Less than two months out from a midterm election that once strongly favored Republicans’ chances of regaining control over both chambers of Congress, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) added to Republicans’ headaches.  How?: Graham pledged on Tuesday that Republicans will vote on a 15-week abortion ban if they win control of the Senate in November.  Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) won’t go near that proposal with a 10-foot pole: “With regard to his bill, you’ll have to ask him about it. In terms of scheduling, I think most of the members of my conference prefer this be dealt with at the state level,” McConnell told reporters when asked about the bill.  And same with Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.): “No,” Thune said when asked if Graham’s bill is endorsed by leadership.  Graham basically sent a gift to Democrats on an otherwise bad day for them: “Graham’s bold proclamation was a lifeline to Senate Democrats having a bad day: The Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday reported that inflation reached 8.3 percent in August compared to a year ago, with prices rising 0.1 percent last month despite a drop in gas prices.”   Why: The issue of abortion rights has energized Democratic voters and stoked the fears of many Americans.  How this could play out on Capitol Hill — and on the campaign trail, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton  MEANWHILE, THE GAY MARRIAGE PROTECTION BILL ISN’T IN GREAT SHAPE:  Politico’s Burgess Everett tweeted, “Growing doubt about same-sex marriage bill getting 10 Republican votes in Senate, per sources. GOP whip Thune on prospects of getting 10 in immediate future: ‘I’m not seeing it.’”   BUT IT ISN’T ALL BUTTERFLIES AND ROSES FOR DEMOCRATS, EITHER:  The New York Times’s Jim Tankersley writes that a “sobering inflation report dampens Biden’s claims of economic progress.” How so?  It’s Wednesday. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.   Across the pond  The Queen has returned to London: AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin flew from Balmoral to London on Tuesday, arriving at Buckingham Palace in the evening.  Beginning today: The late queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall until her funeral on Monday. Details from The Associated Press  SIGHTS AND SOUNDS:  Watch her coffin being carried from Buckingham Palace to Westminster: “The Queen’s coffin has left Buckingham Palace for the Palace of Westminster, carried on a gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The Princess Royal, Prince Harry and King Charles are among the royal family members walking behind the coffin.” Video from ITV News  The plane carrying the coffin set a flight-tracking record: Roughly 5 million people followed the flight tracker of the coffin’s trip to London on Tuesday. What was the previous record?: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) controversial trip to Taiwan last month — roughly 3 million watched that flight. Details from CNN  Crowds gathered at Hyde Park to watch the coffin process: Video  The gang had dinner together last night: CNN’s Max Foster reports that the Royal family had dinner together after receiving the late queen’s coffin at Buckingham Palace.   A lighter tidbit — this is extremely relatable, King Charles III: CBS News tweeted video of King Charles III getting frustrated about a pen that isn’t working. “Oh God, I hate this … I can’t bear this bloody thing!” Watch — it has more than 14.3 million views already   BTW, JOE BIDEN CALLED KING CHARLES III EARLIER TODAY:  President Biden called King Charles III to offer his condolences on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. In Mar-a-Lago  The list of problems is getting closer to 99:  Via The Hill’s Brett Samuels, “Former President Trump is facing a new political quagmire as Senate Democrats open an investigation into allegations he pressured the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate his political opponents.”   How so?: “Former U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman wrote in a new book that the Justice Department under Trump pushed his office to pursue criminal cases against former Secretary of State John Kerry and others viewed as political opponents of Trump.”  Are Democrats looking into the allegations?: Yes, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)  What we know  On the campaign trail  It’s looking like Sen. Maggie Hassan will be running against a 2020 election denier:  The Associated Press called the New Hampshire Republican Senatorial primary for retired Army general Don Bolduc on Wednesday. His opponent, Chuck Morse, had conceded. Keep in mind about Bolduc: Bolduc believes former President Trump’s baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. The state’s Republican governor, Chris Sununu, would not endorse Bolduc’s primary bid and said it could hurt the GOP’s chances of winning that race if Bolduc takes the nomination. “He’s kind of a conspiracy theorist-type candidate,” Bolduc told WGIR radio in August.   ^ Yes, but: Sununu told reporters over the weekend that he would ultimately endorse the eventual nominee. More from The Washington Examiner’s David M. Drucker  WHY THIS IS WELCOMED NEWS FOR SENATE DEMOCRATS:  CNN’s Chris Cillizza writes that “Tuesday was another bad day for Senate Republicans’ 2022 chances.” How Bolduc is creating a headache for the GOP  FULL PRIMARY RESULTS:  From WMUR  OK, SO THE PRIMARY SEASON IS OVER. HOW MUCH INFLUENCE DID TRUMP ACTUALLY HAVE?:   Former President Trump had success in backing many primary winners, but it’s now unclear how many of those candidates could win a general election. Five takeaways from The Hill’s Niall Stanage  I repeat. Secretary Mayor Pete can have many more jobs, but he will always be Mayor Pete to me:   Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is already fueling 2024 chatter with his cryptic answer about whether he would run for president again.  Buttigieg told Vox Media’s Code Conference last week: “You don’t run for an office — well, maybe some people do — because you always wanted to,” he said. “But I think you run for an office because you notice something about the office, and something about yourself, and something about the moment that adds up … So who knows what the future is going to call me.”   Buttigieg’s play: “For now, Buttigieg is keeping his cards close to his chest. But the former South Bend mayor has remained visible since first angling for the nomination in 2020, and fellow Democrats have taken note. Buttigieg has been the public face of the bipartisan infrastructure bill President Biden signed into law in November, one of his earliest political wins that carried limping Democrats through tough times when other legislation was crumbling on Capitol Hill.”  And Buttigieg hasn’t been avoiding the early nominating states.   What Democratic insiders are saying about Buttigieg’s political future, via The Hill’s Hanna Trudo  Latest with COVID  ➤ THE COVID-19 NUMBERS  Cases to date: 95.1 million  Death toll: 1,045,559  Current hospitalizations: 26,223  Shots administered: 610 million  Fully vaccinated: 67.6 percent of Americans  CDC data here. Notable tweets  On tap  The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Detroit. Vice President Harris is in Buffalo, N.Y.  8:30 a.m.: Biden received his daily briefing.  8:45 a.m.: Biden left for Detroit.  10:25 a.m.: Harris left for Buffalo, N.Y.  11:15 a.m.: Biden toured the Detroit Auto Show.  11:30 a.m.: A Senate judicial confirmation vote and a cloture vote on a second judicial nomination. Wednesday’s Senate agenda  12:15 p.m.: Harris participates in a clean energy and sustainability tour at the GROW Clean Energy Center at The State University of New York at Buffalo.  1:45 – 3:30 p.m.: First and last House votes. Wednesday’s House agenda  3:10 p.m.: Harris participates in a Democratic National Committee reception.  4:30 p.m.: Harris leaves for Washington, D.C.  5:40 p.m.: Biden returns to the White House.  All times Eastern.  What to watch  This morning: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) held her weekly press conference. Video  1:45 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks highlighting the electric vehicle manufacturing boom in America. Livestream  2 p.m.: Harris delivers remarks an Inflation Reduction Act Climate Event in Buffalo. Livestream   In lighter news  Today is National Cream-Filled Doughnut Day.  And to leave you with a smile, here’s a puppy who is sorting out the kinks of a mirror.  Read More…

Malcolm Robert Hardin Obituary (1946 – 2022) The Birmingham News https://digitalalabamanews.com/malcolm-robert-hardin-obituary-1946-2022-the-birmingham-news/ Malcolm Robert Hardin September 24,1946 – September 8, 2022 Malcolm Robert Hardin, of Birmingham, AL, passed away on Thursday, September 8, 2022 at the age of 75. He was a caring husband, father, grandfather and friend who will be missed by so many. Malcolm was born in Lawton, Oklahoma on September 24, 1946 to David Everett Hardin and Clara Marie Tapley Hardin. His family later moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico where he grew up and graduated from Las Cruces High School. Malcolm received his college degree from New Mexico State University. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1976, during which time he trained in Fort Rucker in Alabama and was stationed in Korea. Malcolm was married to Beverly “Bebe” Kitchens on August 1, 1981, and they resided in Birmingham where he had a career in Human Resources. Those close to Malcolm know he enjoyed landscaping and working in his yard, building projects, and following college football and the Atlanta Braves. He was also an avid reader and book collector and carried a book with him wherever he went. If he wasn’t reading, he was enthusiastically sharing stories and photos of his family, which he made obvious was more important to him than anything. Malcolm was an optimist with the gentlest spirit. His needs were few, and his love was big. Malcolm is survived by his wife of 41 years, Bebe Kitchens Hardin; his two children, Erin Hardin Snead (Bradford Alan Snead) of Naples, FL and Alan Robert Hardin of Birmingham, AL; and two granddaughters, Emory Grace Snead and Amelia Alan Snead, who lovingly called him “Max.” Friends are cordially invited to a reception with the family on Sunday, September 18, from 5 – 7 p.m. at Ridout’s Valley Chapel in Homewood. A funeral service will be held at 12 noon on Monday, September 19 at All Saints Episcopal Church located at 110 West Hawthorne Road, Homewood, Alabama 35209. A burial service will immediately follow at Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Hardin family. Published by The Birmingham News from Sep. 14 to Sep. 16, 2022. 34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store. Read More…

Tropical Depression Seven Forms In The Atlantic https://digitalalabamanews.com/tropical-depression-seven-forms-in-the-atlantic/ DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – A new tropical depression formed Wednesday morning in the Atlantic. An area of low pressure moving toward the Caribbean Sea has the potential to grow into a tropical storm by this evening or early Thursday, with a path headed for Puerto Rico. Tropical Satellite(WTVY) Wind speeds will increase just a bit to reach tropical storm status, somewhere around 40 miles per hour at the lowest. If it stays on a western path, impacts could be felt around the Leeward Islands, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico by this weekend. There’s still too much uncertainty of where this will end up after Saturday, with some model projections curving this away from the United States. If it becomes a tropical storm, it will be named Fiona. There’s a few factors that will limit how strong this system becomes, including land interaction in the Dominican Republic and possible shear (increased upper-level wind speeds or direction). It’s best to have light winds blowing roughly in the same direction to maintain a stronger tropical system. Stronger winds in the mid and upper levels will generally prevent worse outcomes. Your 4Warn Weather Team will of course keep a close eye on this tropical depression and all other potential threats that are floating around in the Atlantic. Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps. Copyright 2022 WTVY. All rights reserved. Read More…

Some Good Inflation News: Wholesale Prices Fell In August | CNN Business https://digitalalabamanews.com/some-good-inflation-news-wholesale-prices-fell-in-august-cnn-business/ Minneapolis CNN Business  —  Just one day after August’s disappointing Consumer Price Index report triggered a meltdown on Wall Street, a separate inflation report indicated that wholesale price increases are showing signs of improvement. The Producer Price Index, which tracks average changes in the prices paid to producers of goods and services, was up 8.7% in the 12 months ended in August, down from 9.8% in July. It’s the second consecutive month that the pace of increase slowed. Prices fell by 0.1% in the month from July to August, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Wednesday. Economists expected year-over-year PPI to rise by 8.8% and to fall by 0.1% from July, according to Refinitiv estimates. Since PPI captures price changes happening further upstream, the report is considered by some to be a leading indicator for broader inflationary trends and what consumers could potentially see at the store level. The continued decline in headline PPI mostly reflects commodity prices settling down from record highs, said Jason Reed, assistant chair and teaching professor of finance at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. The decline in energy prices will “push PPI a little bit lower,” he said. “But overall, we’re still seeing elevated pricing levels.” Stripping out the more volatile components of food and energy, core inflation increased 0.2% from July and is up by 8.1% for the 12 months ending in August. Tuesday’s hot CPI report showed annual price inflation hit 8.3% in August. While that was a tick down from July’s 8.5%, the data also showed that core CPI, which strips out volatile gas and food prices, rose at twice the projected rate, dashing hopes that inflation has hit its peak. America has been battling decades-high inflation in recent months, with the Federal Reserve implementing a series of historic rate hikes in an attempt to slow the economy and discourage further spending. This week’s two key inflation reports will provide crucial context for Fed policymakers, who meet next week to determine the scope of the central bank’s next rate hike. Tuesday’s CPI report has already pushed some analysts to call for a 100-basis-point increase, up from recent expectations of a third-straight 75 basis points. In the meantime, consumers are paying hundreds of dollars more each month as prices for food, shelter and health care surge. And plenty of uncertainty continues to loom, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and a potential US rail worker strike. “The Federal Reserve can really only impact the demand side of inflation — it’s really hard to raise rates and unkink a supply chain or raise rates and help the war in Ukraine,” Notre Dame’s Reed said. “If you have a big supply shock again, I think the Fed continues their course,” Reed added. “They can’t be seen as slow anymore.” Read More…

Under Construction: Huntsville Parks & Recreation Launching Male Mentorship Program https://digitalalabamanews.com/under-construction-huntsville-parks-recreation-launching-male-mentorship-program/ Published on September 14, 2022 Huntsville’s Parks & Recreation Department is committed to serving citizens of all ages, especially children. Through after-school programs, youth athletics and special activities, every effort is made to help give children the tools they need to grow physically, mentally and emotionally. Community Services Recreation Superintendent Dorianne Johnson said the department’s latest outreach is the direct result of community engagement. “Through speaking with parents and children at our recreation centers and other facilities, we learned there was a real desire for strong male role models in the lives of many boys,” she said. “After researching the possibilities, we identified boys, ages 7 to 17, as our target audience and got to work!” The resulting Male Mentorship Program launches this week with a free monthly series, titled “Under Construction.” Topics will include building self-esteem and increasing self-confidence, as well as the importance of self-projection, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills. “I am extremely proud of our team in their efforts to make a difference,” Johnson said. “Launching the Male Mentorship Program will provide young men with character growth opportunities, while also exposing them to engaging recreational activities and community leaders who care.” Upcoming events On Thursday, Sept. 15, from 6-8 p.m. at Johnson Legacy Center, participants will meet David “Hoss” Johnson. The Huntsville native and member of the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame played football for the University of Alabama under Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant before playing in the NFL. However, it’s his years of helping young people reach their potential that truly cement his legacy. After talking with Johnson, attendees will explore the topic of building self-esteem. Future events are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 6, and Thursday, Nov. 10, from 6-8 p.m. After winter break in December, the Male Mentorship Program will resume in January. Professional recreation staff will supervise each free event, which will also include rock climbing, team building and fitness activities. Boys may be dropped off at the facility. However, prior registration by a parent or guardian is required. Registrations is open for the October and November events. Make a difference As the program grows, the goal is to not only reach more children but also more adults. Men, ages 18+, are needed to serve as role models and helpers. The time requirement is minimal; the impact is rewarding. Ready to be a changemaker? Take the first step by filling out a Mentor Interest Form. Potential mentors who need more information can email Recreation Administrative Coordinators Dexter Holt at dexter.holt@huntsvilleal.gov or Brian Wilson at brian.wilson@huntsvilleal.gov. They may also call Parks & Recreation’s main office at 256-564-8026. Read More…

Mailbag: Fans Sound Off With Helpful Advice For Bill O https://digitalalabamanews.com/mailbag-fans-sound-off-with-helpful-advice-for-bill-o/ Welcome to the sky-is-falling edition of the Sounding Board, our fan mailbag that serves to check the pulse of the Crimson Tide faithful. It took a minute to find that pulse after a game-winning field goal was required from Will Reichard to get Alabama football out of Austin with a widely-watched one-point victory. It’s faint, but it’s there: yes, an actual beating heart for a team that’s 2-0 and still ranked No. 1 in the country in the USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. Vital signs are present. Something about that goose egg in the loss column doesn’t allow for September burials. That said, the Alabama coaching staff has no shortage of issues to address in practice this week as the Crimson Tide prepares for Louisiana-Monroe. And if Nick Saban finds himself short on coaching whistles, the Sounding Board has thoughts: We heard a lot about the improved leadership on this team.  Why do you think Alabama still continues to struggle on the road against inferior competition? − Tom in Round Rock, TX Tom: It’s true enough that road games have a way of revealing leadership, or exposing a lack of it, more than home games. But Alabama’s future travels to Arkansas, Tennessee, Ole Miss and LSU are going to answer more important questions about whether the players outside the leadership circle have the necessary skill to rise to championship aspirations, as well. As Saban’s pointed out, good leaders need good followers. As I’ve pointed out, good play needs good players. SABAN’S 15The Tuscaloosa News’ special book chronicling Nick Saban’s first 15 years as coach makes a great gift! RECEIVING STRUGGLESA look at an Alabama receiving corps that had its problems against Texas Would you like to be a fly on the wall at practice next week when Saban addresses the lack of discipline and penalties? I’m not sure I could handle being in the room. Lol − Chase in Trophy Club, TX Chase: On the wall, yes. But you wouldn’t catch me buzzing around Will Anderson Jr.’s head. What does the coaching staff have to do to eliminate the plague of penalties that Will Anderson commits? The guy has so much raw talent and makes big plays but mistakes like the ones he made on Saturday will come back to bite the team one day. − Alfred in Huntsville Alfred: I went down an Anderson penalties rabbit hole just for you, Alfred. See what a full-service mailbag ringmaster I can be? I checked every Alabama game from the beginning of 2021 through this year’s Utah State opener (16 games). Know what I found? Just one flag on Anderson through that entire stretch: a five-yard offsides call against Mississippi State last year. His four flags against Texas were atrocious, yes, but they were also an aberration. Is our lack of a downfield attack due to … receivers getting open, offensive line play, play calling or a combination of all of it? We need more shots with our offense. − Ross in Paris, TN Ross: Me, you and late Raiders owner Al Davis would agree that the only incomplete pass in the game that has some offensive value is an incomplete deep ball. Yeah, it’s a low-percentage call that kills a down if it doesn’t connect, but it sends a message to a defense that’s disrespecting the threat of it by creeping up on the short stuff. And with that, I refer you to a fabulous true story about Davis calling the sideline phone from the owner’s luxury box to demand a deep shot from former Auburn QB Jason Campbell. Result: touchdown, of course. When a game plan is poorly executed, is it lack of preparation? Or, just simply the other team is playing better than expected and has prepared well? − Barry in Brunswick, GA Barry: You’ve touched on something disgruntled fans don’t always want to acknowledge – the possibility that Texas is no joke. Clearly, we don’t yet know what to make of this Alabama team. We also don’t know that Texas is going to settle back into another season of disappointment. Let’s check back on how this Alabama win is perceived after the UT-Oklahoma game. Do you attribute the late game changes to Bill opening up the playbook, Bryce improvising more, skill players stepping up, or a mix/anything else? PS – Please mention to BoB in the future to go under center in 4th and inches situations. − Matt in Nashville, TN Matt: How about you and I start the petition to get the shotgun banned across every level of football in short-yardage situations, especially near the goal line? Because calling out OC’s on Twitter isn’t getting me anywhere. There’s something senseless, on a very basic level, about snapping the football 6 yards in the wrong direction when a single yard in the right direction is critically important. Keep throwing those corner fades in the end zone though, guys. Bad defenses love it. Reach Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread Read More…

Fallon Guesses Why Trump And Friends Toured Golf Course Without Playing: ‘I Buried The Documents Somewhere Around Here’ (Video) – IMDb https://digitalalabamanews.com/fallon-guesses-why-trump-and-friends-toured-golf-course-without-playing-i-buried-the-documents-somewhere-around-here-video-imdb/ Fallon Guesses Why Trump and Friends Toured Golf Course Without Playing: ‘I Buried the Documents Somewhere Around Here’ (Video) 14 September 2022 by Andi Ortiz The Wrap Jimmy Fallon is pretty sure he knows why Trump took a group of colleagues out onto his golf course without any clubs this week. On Tuesday’s episode of “The Tonight Show,” the late night host joked that it was actually an excavation party, meant to dig up more classified documents that Trump had buried. On Monday, the twice-impeached former president was photographed at his Virginia golf course, accompanied by several men, all seemingly dressed for golf. But none of them appeared to be wearing golf shoes and also, not one of them had clubs. The picture quickly drew mockery online, with many poking fun at the idea that Trump simply wanted to be seen. But Fallon had another guess. “Trump was like ‘So I think I buried the documents somewhere around here, so start digging, boys!’” he joked. “Yeah, Trump was smart! He was like ‘How about nine See full article at The Wrap » Jimmy Fallon (I) Stepmom (1998) The Tonight Show (1953) IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb’s opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy. Read More…

Ukraine Leader Promises Victory During Frontline Town Visit As Russia Digs In https://digitalalabamanews.com/ukraine-leader-promises-victory-during-frontline-town-visit-as-russia-digs-in/ Zelenskiy visits liberated town Pledges total victory Ukraine now on offensive in both south and east Is meeting Russian resistance on both fronts Biden says war looks like long haul despite Kyiv’s success IZIUM, Ukraine, Sept 14 (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy promised he would lead Ukraine to victory in its war against Russia as he visited shrapnel-blasted, recently recaptured towns on Wednesday, but pro-Russian officials said they had halted Kyiv’s forces for now. Russian forces suffered a stunning reversal this month after Ukrainian troops made a rapid armoured thrust with special forces in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, forcing a sometimes rushed and chaotic Russian withdrawal. Zelenskiy on Wednesday made a surprise visit to the town of Izium, around 15 km (9.3 miles) from the current frontline in the east. He thanked his soldiers for liberating the town, an important logistics hub, whose buildings and people now bear the scars of war Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “Our blue-yellow flag is already flying in de-occupied Izium. And it will be so in every Ukrainian city and village,” Zelenskiy said in a social media post coinciding with the visit. “We are moving in only one direction – forward and towards victory.” Earlier on Wednesday, an emotional-looking Zelenskiy handed out medals to soldiers who had taken part in the operation to free the area in Balakliia, another town retaken in recent days where citizens and local police told reporters civilians were killed during months of Russian occupation. read more Reuters could not independently verify the claims. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians. The president says his army had liberated around 8,000 square km (3,100 square miles) of territory so far this month, a swath of land nearly equivalent to the island of Cyprus. Reuters was not able to immediately verify the full scope of battlefield successes claimed by Ukraine. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Zelenskiy, said Ukrainian troops were now trying to retake the Russian-held town of Lyman in Ukraine’s Donetsk region and were eyeing territorial gains in the neighbouring Luhansk region which is under Russian control. “There is now an assault on Lyman,” Arestovych said in a video posted on YouTube. “And that is what they fear most – that we take Lyman and then advance on Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk,” he said, referring to twin cities in the Luhansk region taken by Russia after fierce fighting in June and July. Denis Pushilin, head of the Russia-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said troops loyal to Moscow had successfully pushed back Ukrainian forces trying to make inroads into Lyman, and to the north and south of the town. “Nothing worked out for the enemy,” said Pushilin. Asked whether Ukraine’s lightning counter offensive in the east was a turning point in the war, U.S. President Joe Biden said it was hard to tell. “It’s clear the Ukrainians have made significant progress. But I think it’s going to be a long haul,” said Biden. Russian forces still control about a fifth of the country in the south and east, even though Kyiv is now on the offensive in both areas. Ukrainian soldiers rest on the road as they head to a front line, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine September 13, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich The White House, which has provided billions of dollars of weapons and support to Ukraine, has said the United States is likely to announce a new military aid package in the “coming days”. Ukraine’s swiftest advance since driving Russian forces away from the capital in March has turned the tide in the six-month war DEVASTATION In recaptured Izium, Zelenskiy watched as the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the charred city council building. On the main thoroughfare, no buildings were left unscathed: a derelict bath house had a hole blasted in its side; meat shops, pharmacies, a shoe shop and a beauty salon were sprayed with shrapnel. “I know this region very well,” Zelenskiy told reporters. “The view is shocking, but it is not shocking for me because we… saw the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories. The same destroyed buildings, killed people.” After a Russian retreat earlier in the war, dead civilians were found in the town of Bucha, near Kyiv. On the road into Izium, bus stops were daubed with “Z” markings, the symbol Russian forces use to identify themselves, and the charred remains of tanks and armoured personnel carriers lay by the road side. With a pink hood wrapped around her face for warmth, Liubov Sinna, 74, said residents were still fearful. “We waited a long time for our guys. Of course we feel positive. Joy. But there is also fear – fear that the Russians could return here,” she said. “Because we lived through this whole six months. We sat it out in cellars. We went through everything it is possible to go through. We absolutely cannot say that we feel safe.” There was no gas, electricity, or water supply in the town, she added, saying she was unsure how people would get through winter. In a move that suggests Russian President Vladimir Putin had wider war aims when he ordered troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, three people close to the Russian leadership told Reuters that Putin had rejected a provisional deal with Kyiv around the time the war began. read more They said the deal would have satisfied Russia’s demand that Ukraine stay out of NATO. The Kremlin said the Reuters report had “absolutely no relation to reality.” It also said Ukraine’s ongoing ambitions to join the Western NATO military alliance still presented a threat to Russia. read more On top of its reversals in Ukraine, Russian authorities are also facing challenges in other former Soviet republics with deadly fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia and border guard clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. read more The situation in the former Soviet states will be the backdrop at a summit in Uzbekistan this week where Putin will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping and discuss the war in Ukraine. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Reuters bureaux; writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More…

25 Exciting October Events Including The Greek Food Festival | Bham Now https://digitalalabamanews.com/25-exciting-october-events-including-the-greek-food-festival-bham-now/ Sponsored More info. When: Wednesday, September 28-Sunday, October 9 Where: Participating locations Cost: $40 Purchase your shopping card 2. Antiques in the Gardens More info.  When: September 29-October 2 | Time varies by program Where: Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223 Cost: $15+ Tickets 3. The Market at Pepper Place What: Shop and support local farmers, crafters and vendors every Saturday at this beloved Birmingham market. More info. When: Saturdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22 + 29 | 7AM-Noon Where: Pepper Place, 2829 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205 Cost: Free admission 4. UAB Football View the full schedule. When: October 1 – 6:30PM | October 8 – 2:30PM | October 15 – 2:30PM | October 21 – 7PM | October 29 – 6PM Cost: Varies by game/seats Tickets 5. Birmingham Legion   View the full schedule. When: October 1 – 9PM | October 9 – 4PM | October 12 – 7PM | October 15 – 6:30PM Cost: Varies by game/seats Tickets 6. Conjure Fest What: Get an exclusive taste of New Orleans without leaving The Magic City with festival entertainment, dance, music, food + art. More info. When: Saturday, October 1 | 10AM Where: Iniquities, 2501 7th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233 Cost: General Admission – $25 | VIP – $150 Tickets 7. Oktoberfest What: Don your lederhosen for a fun night of food + beverages, lawn games, stein hoist, live polka music and crowning of Mr. and Mrs. Oktoberfest 2022. More info. When: Saturday, October 1 | 5-10PM Where: The Birmingham Zoo, 2630 Cahaba Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223 Cost: Members – $40 | Nonmembers – $48 Tickets 8. Amelia Earhart More info.  When: Saturday, October 1 | 11AM Where: Birmingham Children’s Theatre – MainStage Theatre, 2130 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35203 Cost: Adults – $20 | Kids – $10 Tickets 9. Cahaba River Fry-Down Cahaba River Society to continue its work to restore and protect the Cahaba and the river’s watershed. More info. When: Sunday, October 2 | Noon Where: Cahaba Brewing Co, 4500 5th Ave S, Building C, Birmingham, AL 35222 Cost: $20 Tickets | Donations 10. Hop City Perfect 10 Anniversary Party What: Hop City is turning 10! Celebrate with their biggest party of the year featuring 60+ rare craft beers, local bands, food trucks + artist’s market. Tickets include admission + souvenir glass. More info. When: Sunday, October 2 | Noon-7PM Where: Hop City Beer & Wine, 2924 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233 Cost: $10 Tickets 11. Talladega YellaWood 500 What: For high-speed pack racing, don’t miss the Yella Wood 500—a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Talladega Superspeedway. More info. When: Sunday, October 2 | 1 PM Where: Talladega Superspeedway, 3366 Speedway Blvd, Lincoln, AL 35096 Cost: Adults Single Day – $65+ | Kids Single Day – $10+ Tickets 12. The Roverchase Foundation Service Dog Graduation Gala More info. When: Sunday, October 2 | 2-4PM Where: Gabrella Manor, 8912 4th Ave S, #B, Birmingham, AL 35206 Cost: $50 Tickets 13. Champagne & Fried Chicken benefiting Les Dames d’Escoffier International Birmingham More info. When: Sunday, October 2 | 3-5PM Where: Pepper Place, 2829 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205 Cost: $25-$1775 Tickets 14. Re-vision Linn Park Open-House Workshop What: Birmingham’s Linn Park is getting a revamp and YOU can be part of the process! Attend this open house public workshop to learn about the project’s unique opportunities + share your thoughts on what you’d like to see in the park. You can also take this survey to provide feedback about the park’s revival. More info. When: October 4 | Noon OR 5:30PM Where: Boutwell Auditorium, 1930 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Bld, Birmingham, AL 35203 Cost: Free 15. AmFirst Charity Golf Tournament What: Grab your golf club and step up to the tee, this fundraising event benefits local charities YouthServe, Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank and The Literacy Council of Central Alabama. Bring your A-game—prizes are awarded for a number of categories like longest putt + straightest drive. More info. When: Thursday, October 6 | 5-8PM Where: RTJ Golf Trail at Oxmoor Valley, 100 Sunbelt Pkwy, Birmingham, AL 35211 Cost: Individual – $300 | Team – $1200 Register 16. Taste of Hoover What: A delightful autumn evening awaits during the annual Taste of Hoover event. Taking place at Aldridge Gardens, you’ll sample delicious dishes from some of Hoover’s best restaurants and caterers. Also on the menu are distilled spirits, international wines + soft drinks. More info. When: Thursday, October 6 | 5-8PM Where: Aldridge Gardens, 3530 Lorna Rd, Hoover, AL 35216 Cost: Aldridge Gardens Members – $45 | Nonmembers – $50 | Kids 12 + under – Free Tickets – Hot-ticket event—gets yours before they’re gone! 17. Greek Food Festival More info. When: Thursday, October 13-15 | Festival Hours – 10:30AM-9:30PM, Drive-thru Hours – 10:30AM-7PM Where: Holy-Trinity Holy-Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 307 19th St S, Birmingham, AL 35233 Cost: Free admission 18. Alabama Workplace Evolution: Navigating Mental Health and Substance Use What: Are you a manager or HR professional? Join this one-day conference with Addiction Prevention Coalition that aims to help employers address mental health, substance use and recovery in the workplace. More info.  When: Friday, October 14 | 8AM-4PM Where: Jefferson State Community College, 4600 Valleydale Rd, Birmingham, AL 35242 Cost: $97-$108 Tickets 19. Barktoberfest benefiting Hand in Paw Hand in Paw. Bring your furry friend for a day filled with local beer, contests and more. More info. When: Thursday, October 20 | 6PM Where: Cahaba Brewing Co, 4500 5th Ave S, Building C, Birmingham, AL 35222 Cost: $25 Tickets 20. Flicks Among the Flowers What: Perfect for October’s cool weather and Halloween fun, The Addams Family movie plays on the big screen during this family-friendly outdoor event. There will also be a costume contest + trick-or-treating for kids. More info. When: Friday, October 21 | 5PM Where: Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223 Cost: $5 suggestion donation 21. The Rocky Horror Masquerade Ball What: Don’t dream it… be it… during The Rocky Horror Masquerade Ball on October 22. One of Birmingham’s most extravagant Halloween parties, take part in costume contests (you know you’ll want to dress up!), watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show movie + more. More info. When: Saturday, October 22 | 6PM Where: Boutwell Auditorium, 1930 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35203 Cost: $30 Tickets 22. Magic City Witches’ Ball More info. When: Saturday, October 22 | 7PM-2AM Where: TrimTab Brewing Co, 2721 5th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233 Cost: $15 at door 23. Salsa Showdown benefiting Sidewalk Film Center & Cinema What: Benefiting the Sidewalk Film Center & Cinema’s Educational and Outreach programs, this 11th annual event features salsa dancing, cooking demos, football on the big screen, a tailgate taproom + DJ. PLUS you’ll have the chance to sample + pick the winners for the best salsa, queso, guac + special dip. More info. When: Saturday, October 22 | 2-6PM Where: Cahaba Brewing Co, 4500 5th Ave S, Building C, Birmingham, AL 35222 Cost: Advance – $20 | At Event – $25 | Kids 5 + under – Free Tickets 24. Pig Iron BBQ Cook-Off benefiting Children’s Harbor More info. When: Saturday, October 29 | 1-4PM Where: Cahaba Brewing Company, 4500 5th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35222 Cost: $20 Tickets 25. 2022 Walk to End Alzheimer’s More info.  When: Sunday, October 30 | Registration – 1PM, Ceremony 2PM Where: Sloss Furnaces, 20 32nd St N Birmingham, AL 35222 Cost: Free to walk Register For more events around Birmingham, follow Bham Now on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok + LinkedIn.  Sponsored by: Read More…

In NH Primary, Republicans Lean Toward Trumpist Candidates https://digitalalabamanews.com/in-nh-primary-republicans-lean-toward-trumpist-candidates/ The 2022 primaries concluded Tuesday on a familiar note — with voters in Republican races choosing between far-right, election-denying candidates and more moderate rivals, and party leaders divided in contests factoring into the battle for control of Congress. The result in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District was a blow to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). There, Karoline Leavitt, an ex-member of the Trump White House press team who ran as an “America First” insurgent running against the Washington establishment, defeated Matt Mowers, a former Trump aide backed by McCarthy, according to the Associated Press. Leavitt, who has emphasized her false claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged, will face Rep. Chris Pappas (D) in a race seen as a key battlefront in the fight for control of the House. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the House Republican Conference chair, supported Leavitt, her former staffer. At 25, Leavitt would be the youngest woman ever elected to Congress if she wins in the fall. New Hampshire was one of three states where voters went to the polls on Tuesday, marking the end of this year’s nominating process, along with Rhode Island and Delaware. The primaries allowed voters a final chance to choose party standard-bearers after months of fierce intraparty battles that highlighted divisions on both sides over policy, personality and ideology, among other things. The races in the Granite State captured the interest of national strategists in both parties, given how they could shape the fight for control of both chambers of Congress in November. The Republican primary for U.S. Senate pit retired U.S. Army brigadier general Don Bolduc against state Senate President Chuck Morse. With 85 percent of the vote tallied Wednesday morning, Bolduc led Morse by one point. The primary was too early to call, according to the Associated Press. Another closely-watched Republican House primary was also too early to call. From his campaign Twitter account, Morse wrote early Wednesday, “It’s been a long night & we’ve come up short. I want to thank my supporters for all the blood, sweat & tears they poured into this team effort.” He added that he called Bolduc and wished him “all the best.” Bolduc has echoed Donald Trump’s false claims that the former president won the 2020 election. He has voiced openness to abolishing the FBI, accused party leaders of “rigging” a 2020 primary that he narrowly lost and has been highly critical of Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. Morse won the backing of Sununu, a relative moderate in the party who rejected efforts by Senate GOP leaders to recruit him to run against Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). A group with ties to Senate Republican leaders has run ads on Morse’s behalf, and Morse has defended the validity of the 2020 election in New Hampshire, even as he did not oppose GOP challenges to results in a pair of other states. Through mid-August, Republican candidates who claimed inaccurately that the 2020 election results were fraudulent had prevailed in more than half of the races they have run in this year, according to a Washington Post analysis of hundreds of federal and state primaries. That record reflects in part the continued influence in the GOP of Trump, who continues to falsely assert in public comments that the election was stolen from him. Trump did not make an endorsement in the New Hampshire Senate primary or in either of the state’s House primaries, a noticeable absence after weighing in on scores of other intraparty contests this year. Hassan easily won renomination Tuesday, according to the AP. In the governor’s race, Sununu won renomination and will face Democrat Tom Sherman in November. Sununu begins as a heavy favorite in the gubernatorial race. Sununu, whose family is an institution in New Hampshire politics, has called Bolduc a “conspiracy theorist.” Still, at a weekend stop at a seafood festival here, he said that he would support Bolduc or any other Republican who won the nomination. On Monday, Sununu predicted a close GOP race, but he said he believed Morse would win. For a time, national Republicans viewed the path to winning back control of the Senate as potentially running heavily through New Hampshire. When Sununu opted instead to seek reelection, local and national Republicans coalesced around Morse as the strongest alternative to Bolduc — who has embraced the fight against the party establishment. “It’s just noise. I’ve combated that for two years,” said Bolduc in an interview after a Saturday town hall in Laconia. National Democrats had signaled a belief that Hassan would have an easier time holding her seat in November against Bolduc, and they spent millions attacking Morse in recent weeks — a strategy of interference they have employed in GOP primaries around the country. While New Hampshire has leaned Democratic in the past few presidential elections, Republicans believed it was within reach in a midterm year that looked dire for Democrats. While Democrats are at risk of losing the Senate, public polling indicates they are faring better than expected in many of the tightest races in the country. The Democratic incumbents in the state’s two U.S. House seats are also facing challenging reelections in November, according to nonpartisan analysts, heightening the stakes of the Republican primaries in both contests. The 1st Congressional District primary was a heated competition that exposed some differences between the candidates. When it came to the 2020 election, Mowers had said there were “irregularities” in the count, but he had stopped short of Leavitt’s false claim about the vote. “The establishment is so afraid that I’m going to beat their handpicked puppet on Tuesday,” Leavitt told supporters at a Thursday night rally with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.). “And you know what? I wear those attacks as a badge of honor, because they know that I am the greatest threat for beating their handpicked puppet.” Also on the ballot was Gail Huff Brown, a former TV news anchor and the wife of Scott Brown, a former Republican senator from Massachusetts. Her TV ads emphasize her support for “choice” and New Hampshire’s new law on abortion that left the procedure legal in the state, but added some restrictions. A similar dynamic played out in the 2nd Congressional District, where Keene Mayor George Hansel (R), who favors abortion rights and was also endorsed by Sununu, faced Robert Burns, a former Hillsborough County treasurer who ran to his right and opposes abortion rights. As in the Senate race, Democrats spent money highlighting Burns, who they see as easier to defeat in the fall than Hansel. Democratic Rep. Ann Kuster is the incumbent seeking reelection. While Burns has acknowledged that Biden won in 2020, he has claimed that “a ton” of other unspecified elections were “stolen” in 2020. Hansel has recognized Biden’s win. With about 74 percent of the vote tallied Wednesday morning, Burns led Hansel by just under two points, and the AP had not declared a winner. A political organization that did not disclose its donors backed Hansel, but Burns told Politico that he blamed the ad spending on McCarthy, calling him “dead to me.” In Rhode Island on Tuesday, Democrats navigated some high-stakes contested primaries of their own, including one for governor. Gov. Dan McKee (D), who replaced Gina Raimondo after she was appointed to Biden’s Cabinet to lead the Commerce Department, defeated business executive Helena Foulkes in a competitive race. McKee had been dogged by a scandal over a $5 million contract awarded to a political adviser’s consulting firm, which became the subject of an FBI probe. Foulkes received a late assist from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who came to the state to campaign for her Sunday. “If I didn’t think that she could win this, I would have never encouraged her to put herself in the arena,” Pelosi told voters in Providence. “She is about getting the job done.” An open seat in Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Jim Langevin is seen as one of Republicans’ most promising chances to flip a seat in their endeavor to win back the House majority. There, state Treasurer Seth Magaziner was the winner of the Democratic primary, according to the Associated Press, prevailing over former state congressman David Segal, who ran on a more liberal platform, and former Commerce Department lawyer Sarah Morgenthau. Republican Allan Fung, who carried the district in two failed runs for governor, won his party’s nomination in an uncontested primary. President Biden carried the district by 14 points in 2020, giving Democrats hope of retaining the seat in November. Matt Brown, who finished well behind in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, and running mate Cynthia Mendes, a state senator, got a late endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who did not campaign in the state. Both Democrats were part of the Rhode Island Political Cooperative, a liberal project to replace the state’s more conservative leadership and pass an agenda that includes a $19 minimum wage and universal health care. In Delaware, Democratic State Auditor Kathy McGuiness lost in the primary to challenger Lydia York in the first race since McGuiness was convicted on corruption charges. York, who was endorsed by local Democrats, would be the second Black woman to hold statewide office in Delaware, after Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.). Biden returned home to vote Tuesday, but he did not tell reporters whom he cast his ballot for in the primaries. Weigel reported from New Hampshire. gop-primaries Read More…

Louisiana Woman Carrying Skull-Less Fetus Forced To Travel To New York For Abortion https://digitalalabamanews.com/louisiana-woman-carrying-skull-less-fetus-forced-to-travel-to-new-york-for-abortion/ An expectant Louisiana woman who was carrying a skull-less fetus that would die within a short time from birth ultimately traveled about 1,400 miles to New York City to terminate her pregnancy after her local hospital denied her an abortion amid uncertainty over the procedure’s legality. Nancy Davis, 36, told the Guardian that she had her pregnancy terminated on 1 September after traveling from her home town of Baton Rouge to a clinic in Manhattan whose staff had agreed to complete the procedure. Davis’s trek was necessary because Louisiana has outlawed abortion with very few exceptions after the US supreme court’s decision in June to eliminate federal abortion rights which were established by its 1973 Roe v Wade ruling. New York is among the states where abortion remains legal. Davis was about 10 weeks pregnant in late July when an ultrasound at Woman’s hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital, showed that her fetus was missing the top of its skull, a rare but fatal condition known as acrania that kills babies within days – and sometimes minutes – of birth. Louisiana’s abortion ban contains a general exception for fetuses that cannot survive outside their mothers’ wombs, and the law’s author – state senator Katrina Jackson – has insisted that Davis could have legally obtained an abortion without having to go across the country. But Louisiana’s list of conditions justifying an exception from the state’s abortion ban did not explicitly include acrania. So officials at the hospital where Davis had her ultrasound refused to provide an abortion for her, apparently fearing that they could be exposed to prison time, fines and forfeiture of their licenses to practice if they performed the procedure. “Basically … I [would have] to carry my baby to bury my baby,” Davis has previously said. After Davis spoke out in the media about her ordeal, more than a thousand people donated nearly $40,000 to an online GoFundMe campaign for Davis to travel to a state where it was certain that she could legally get an abortion. She had initially planned to go to North Carolina, but during a brief telephone conversation on Tuesday, she said she ended up going to a Planned Parenthood facility in Manhattan. Davis is only one member of a group of women or girls who have been forced to take gut-wrenching actions in the aftermath of the elimination of nationwide abortion rights. A Florida court recently blocked a pregnant 16-year-old girl from having an abortion, deeming her too immature to decide whether she should have an abortion and instead requiring the teenager to give birth to a baby. Meanwhile, earlier in the summer, a 10-year-old Ohio girl who was raped and impregnated had to travel to neighboring Indiana to terminate her pregnancy because her state had banned most abortions. Most abortions are set to become illegal in Indiana as of Thursday, too. Davis appeared outside Louisiana’s capitol building in late August alongside the civil rights attorney Ben Crump and called on the state’s lawmakers to at least clarify the wording of their abortion ban – if not repeal it entirely – so that no one else would have to endure what she has. Crump said Davis – who is raising a daughter and two stepchildren with her partner – suffered “unspeakable pain, emotional damage and physical risk” because of the poorly worded law. Lawmakers, Crump added, “replaced care with confusion, privacy with politics and options with ideology”. For her part, Davis said: “This [was] not fair to me. And it should not happen to any other woman.” Read More…

Navarro Knocks Top Trump Staffers In New Book https://digitalalabamanews.com/navarro-knocks-top-trump-staffers-in-new-book/ Former Trump aide Peter Navarro disparaged the ex-president’s top staffers and officials — from his “Motley Crue of Chiefs” to his “Cabinet of Clowns” — in his new book, The Daily Beast reported on Tuesday. Navarro remained loyal to Trump, even as he laid into the former president’s choices for chief of staff in his upcoming book, titled “Taking Back Trump’s America.” In an excerpt obtained by The Daily Beast, Navarro described Mark Meadows, Mick Mulvaney and John Kelly, who all served as chief of staff to Trump, as being in a “dead heat” for the title of worst chief of staff in history.  However, Navarro added that Meadows, who was named the worst chief of staff in history by historian Chris Whipple, earned that “distinction.” Navarro also criticized Kelly for being “brutally and simply incapable of messaging anything to the press.” “From a media perspective, this was like recruiting a trucker to drive a Formula One car,” Navarro wrote. “Or maybe like using a chainsaw for open heart surgery.” Trump’s first chief of staff, Reince Priebus, received the tamest review from Navarro.  While Navarro described him as “the wrong, small, and inexperienced man for a very big job,” he also said Priebus could “have turned out to be the best of the bunch if the Boss had only given you a bit more time to prove yourself.” Navarro was indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress in June for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee. A federal judge on Tuesday rejected Navarro’s attempt to compel documents from the Justice Department over claims that his prosecution was politically motivated. Read More…

Google Loses Challenge Against EU Antitrust Decision, Other Probes Loom https://digitalalabamanews.com/google-loses-challenge-against-eu-antitrust-decision-other-probes-loom/ Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com LUXEMBOURG, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Google suffered one of its biggest setbacks on Wednesday when a top European court upheld a ruling that it broke competition rules and fined it a record 4.1 billion euros, in a move that may encourage other regulators to ratchet up pressure on the U.S. giant. The unit of U.S. tech giant Alphabet (GOOGL.O) had challenged an EU antitrust ruling, but the decision was broadly upheld by Europe’s General Court, with the fine trimmed modestly to 4.125 billion euros ($4.13 billion) from 4.34 billion euros. Even with the reduction, it was still a record fine for an antitrust violation. The EU antitrust enforcer has fined the world’s most popular internet search engine a total of 8.25 billion euros in three investigations stretching back more than a decade. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The judgment is set to boost landmark rules aimed at curbing the power of U.S. tech giants that will go into effect next year. read more “The judgment strengthens the hand of the Commission. It confirms the Commission can use antitrust proceedings as a backstop threat to enforce rapid compliance with digital regulation also known as the DMA,” said Nicolas Petit, professor at European University Institute. EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager did not mince her words. “This, of course, is really good. Now, we have the second Google judgment and for us, it is really important as it backs our enforcement efforts,” she said. This is the second court defeat for Google which lost its challenge to a 2.42 billion euro ($2.42 billion) fine last year, the first of a trio of cases. “The General Court largely confirms the Commission’s decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators in order to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine,” the court said. “In order better to reflect the gravity and duration of the infringement, the General Court considers it appropriate however to impose a fine of 4.125 billion euros on Google, its reasoning differing in certain respects from that of the Commission,” judges said. Google, which can appeal on matters of law to the EU Court of Justice, Europe’s highest, voiced its disappointment. “We are disappointed that the Court did not annul the decision in full. Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world,” a spokesperson said. The logo for Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo ANTITRUST BOOST The ruling is a boost for Vestager after the General Court overturned her decisions against Intel (INTC.O) and Qualcomm (QCOM.O) earlier this year. Vestager has made her crackdown against Big Tech a hallmark of her job, a move which has encouraged regulators in the United States and elsewhere to follow suit. She is currently investigating Google’s digital advertising business, its Jedi Blue ad deal with Meta (META.O), Apple’s (AAPL.O) App Store rules, Meta’s marketplace and data use and Amazon’s (AMZN.O) online selling and market practices. The Court agreed with the Commission’s assessment that iPhone maker Apple (AAPL.O) was not in the same market and therefore could not be a competitive constraint against Android. The court backing could reinforce the EU antitrust watchdog in its investigations into Apple’s business practices in the music streaming market, which the regulator says Apple dominates. FairSearch, whose 2013 complaint triggered the EU case, said the judgment may lead to more competition in the smartphone market. “This shows the European Commission got it right. Google can no longer impose its will on phone makers. Now they may open their devices to competition in search and other services, allowing consumers to benefit from increased choice,” its lawyer Thomas Vinje said. The Commission in its 2018 decision said Google used Android to cement its dominance in general internet search via payments to large manufacturers and mobile network operators and restrictions. Google said it acted like countless other businesses and that such payments and agreements help keep Android a free operating system, criticising the EU decision as out of step with the economic reality of mobile software platforms. The case is T-604/18 Google vs European Commission. ($1 = 1.0002 euros) Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by David Evans and Bernadette Baum Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More…

High School Football Coach Relying On Faith After Suffering Stroke https://digitalalabamanews.com/high-school-football-coach-relying-on-faith-after-suffering-stroke/ This is an opinion piece. It seemed like a normal game day for Opp native and Pensacola High head coach Cantrell Tyson. His team was preparing to start the second half against Pine Forest, Fla., on Saturday morning. (The game was moved from Friday for safety precautions). Suddenly, it was anything but normal for the coach. “I call the offensive plays, and I was getting ready to do that,” Tyson told me this week in a text exchange. “I remember mouthing the words and nothing came out. The last bit of scenery from the game I remember was seeing my quarterback looking at me right before I collapsed.” Tyson, in his first year as a head coach, was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where doctors determined he had suffered a stroke. He said they performed a clot buster procedure in hopes of saving his life. All signs have been positive since Saturday. “I regained feeling and movement in my left side extremities on Sunday evening,” he wrote. “I was able to begin swallowing Monday morning.” Tyson said Tuesday he walked two full laps in the hospital without assistance. He may be able to leave the hospital later today, and doctors have said he can coach again this year. “They’ve suggested that I coach these next two weeks from the press box and then, in two weeks, I will have a procedure done to close a hole in my heart,” he said. Pensacola is idle this week before hosting Gulf Breeze on Sept. 22. Even after Tyson collapsed last week, his Tigers finished the game. They didn’t win on the scoreboard, but just finishing the game after their coach collapsed was an even bigger victory. “Our kids face adversity every single day of their lives,” Tyson said. “They were shaken up, but the mental toughness to adversity is unparalleled to anything I’ve ever seen. We fell short on the scoreboard, but we grew even more as a family.” A graduate of Opp High School, Tyson played two years of college football at Faulkner University in Montgomery. He’s had assistant coaching jobs at Phil Campbell, Winterboro, Hanceville, Carbon Hill and Opp in Alabama before being hired at Pensacola in March at age 29. Just days after what had to be one of the scariest moments – if not the scariest – in his life, Tyson is extremely positive, and he knows why. “Undoubtedly, a huge part of my life is my faith,” he said. “It’s something I don’t shy away from at all. My mother has this saying, ‘When things get tough, if you don’t know how to do anything else, you know how to pray.’ That’s something she’s instilled in me and my brothers growing up.” Tyson said his favorite Bible verse is 1 Peter 5:10: “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” “And He’s doing just that!” Tyson said resoundingly. Praying for you from across state lines, coach. Thanks for who you are and Who you represent. A loss to our prep team Our Alabama high school coverage team lost a key member this past week. Dennis Tymkiw was not someone our readers would likely know, but he had a big role in gathering high school football reports on Friday nights and getting them published on AL.com and in our papers. What we used to call a “desk shift” in the newspaper business has changed mightily in the last decade. But, despite all the changes, we still need people to edit stories, compile statistical information into a readable format and take an occasional phone call or two. Dennis was part of a small but loyal group who did that for us on Friday nights for a long time. He died Sept. 5 of cardiac arrest at age 64. I never met him personally. Our communication was mainly through email or social media. (Isn’t that too often the way of life now?) Still, I felt a great loss when I found out the news late Sunday night and not just because we won’t have him on Friday nights anymore. A lot of student-athletes’ names might not have made it online had it not been for Dennis’ work and willingness to be involved. Rest in peace, my friend, and thank you. Coach Tyson’s story and Dennis’ story are yet another indication to me that we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Let’s all make the most of today. Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at bthomas@al.com. His weekly column is posted each Friday on AL.com. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Read More…

Auburn Football Legend A Clue On Latest ‘Jeopardy!’: Do You Know It? https://digitalalabamanews.com/auburn-football-legend-a-clue-on-latest-jeopardy-do-you-know-it/ Alabama often pops up in “Jeopardy!” clues, but the state got two shout-outs during Tuesday’s episode, including one about an Auburn football legend. It wasn’t about Auburn specifically, but the category focusing on the recent NFL opening weekend tested the players’ knowledge of history and terminology, and they rose to the occasion. READ: Alabama man dominates early, falls short on ‘Jeopardy!’ The category: NFL Opening Weekend The clue (for $1,000): The Panthers opening game in 2011 showed off the arm of this flashy dresser, as he passed for 422 yards, an NFL record for a player’s first game. The correct response: Who is Cam Newton? April Marquet, a digital production artist from Oakland, Calif., buzzed in and gave the correct response. It was a bit of a surprise after she mixed up iconic NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, even when the clue included a photograph of Manning. The show even joked about her and the other contestants’ performance in the football category considering the way players in the past have bombed in similar circumstances. Would you have buzzed in to collect a quick $1,000? We think yes. Another contestant from the same episode was Hoover’s Justin Tarbox, who dominated early but ultimately finished in third place. He also tweeted about the football category, referencing the viral “Talking Football” category during which contestants failed to answer a single clue. “For what it’s worth, I would have run the Talkin Football category back in the day,” Tarbox tweeted. And it wasn’t even the first Auburn football-related clue of 2022. In April, host Mayim Bialik said, “A few career highlights: He won the Heisman at Auburn, ran for 221 yards in one game for the Raiders, and was an A.L. All-Star.” None of the contestants buzzed in to give the correct response, Bo Jackson. In 2020, the show revealed this clue from the ‘A’ is for Autumn category: “Each fall Alabama & this SEC football archrival meet in ‘The Iron Bowl.’” One contestant answered Arkansas. The others declined to chime in, so we heard the dreaded triple-beep indicating no one responding correctly in time. We won’t insult you by sharing the obvious correct response here. More Alabama on ‘Jeopardy!’: Alabama ‘Jeopardy!’ clue for football fans only: Do you know it? ‘Jeopardy’ contestants stumped by another Alabama clue: Help them out! ‘Jeopardy’ contestants could not guess this Alabama music clue: Can you? Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Read More…

Tuberville’s Financial Trades Include 20 ‘possible Conflicts’ Of Interest With Senate Business https://digitalalabamanews.com/tubervilles-financial-trades-include-20-possible-conflicts-of-interest-with-senate-business/ News Published: Sep. 14, 2022, 7:30 a.m. UNITED STATES – MAY 26: Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., attends the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the reappointment of Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli to the grade of general and to be Commander, United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, in Hart Building on Thursday, May 26, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag Since arriving in the Senate in 2021, Tommy Tuberville has been one of Congress’ most prolific stock traders — a practice that has attracted scrutiny amid revelations he filed late paperwork and traded a stock whose owner has ties to the Chinese Communist Party, even after he promised to no longer trade the company’s stock On Tuesday, Tuberville’s financial trades again drew attention, when a New York Times analysis of the Alabama senator’s transactions found 20 “possible conflicts” of interest between companies and commodities Tuberville traded and his official Senate business. Of 101 companies or commodities Tuberville traded and reported to the Senate Ethics Committee, about one in five were deemed by the Times’ analysis as being a possible conflict for the senator because of policy he could influence or information he could learn as a member of certain Senate committees. For instance, Tuberville sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee and is a member of the panel’s Subcomittee on Commodities, Risk Management and Trade. Meanwhile, the senator’s financial portfolio included trades of cattle, corn and red wheat futures as well as Hershey stock, according to the Times. The report did not indicate whether Tuberville and other elected officials mentioned in the analysis profited from the trades. Tuberville told the paper he has no involvement in his day-to-day portfolio and that the transactions are made by his financial advisors. He also said he did not gain any nonpublic information that would benefit him financially, adding that he would not share that information with his advisors even if he did so. “I don’t limit them to anything, what they can do, what they can’t do,” the senator said. “I give them money, say to them: ‘I’m in public service now; you do it. Don’t lose it all!’” Tuberville, a former Auburn University football coach-turned-public servant, had drawn the ire of good government groups last year over the late filing of stock transactions with the Ethics Committee, some of which were as much as six months past due. He also said he told his financial advisor to dump his holdings in the Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba and then purchased more later. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Read More…

It's National Arts In Education Week, Alabama! Here Are Some Resources https://digitalalabamanews.com/its-national-arts-in-education-week-alabama-here-are-some-resources/ Many Alabama children are artists, but not every school has a teacher available to work with those interests. This week, to celebrate the National Arts in Education Week, Alabama’s Artistic Literary Consortium is visiting three elementary schools to introduce the arts in educational and exciting ways. The ALC aims to prepare current and future educational leaders on the importance of arts education and how it can benefit their schools through professional development. Resources are provided to school districts through collaborative sites in Birmingham, Huntsville and Tuscaloosa. A fourth site in Mobile is in the works and is expected to be operable by next year. “Each collaborative site focuses on the local needs of their schools and communities. They identify needs from their on-the-ground work that the ALC can then support and advocate for at the state level,” said Ashley Lucier, the state director of ALC. “In addition, we partner with community organizations to provide more free programs for schools to access arts on and off campus.” Deanna Sirkot, executive director of the collaborative site in Greater Birmingham, will oversee MAGIC CITY MINDS this week. The initiative launches three partnerships with Midfield Elementary School, Holy Family Cristo Rey and i3 Academy and the local partners and artists in their respective communities. Weekly instruction is connected to larger ideas across the academic curriculum that is designed to meet goals specific to the collaborators. This includes a multi-week curriculum that allows students to present projects at a final showcase. “We collaborate with schools to infuse the arts into the classroom for long-term benefits in artistic and academic growth and increased creative confidence,” Sirkot said. “MAGIC CITY MINDS understands the alchemy that is created in classrooms when the inclusion of standards-based arts instruction meets the remarkable potential of young learners.” Sirkot is also the lead at PRISM, another initiative under ALC, which includes 40 Birmingham area arts partners. Through PRISM, parents, teachers and students can find arts education programs both inside and outside of school ranging from workshops to field trips to after school classes. “We want our community to know about all of the ways they can learn through the arts right here in Birmingham whether you’re in preschool or are an adult learner,” Sirkot said. “This is also a great week to ask your school how they’re making the arts available to your students this school year!” The collaborative site in North Alabama has no specific events planned for National Arts in Education Week. However, Karen Anderson, the executive director of the program plans to feature testimonials about the influence of arts education on the lives of community members. “It has given me immense joy and pleasure to be able to use my position to bring quality arts education programs to students in our service area and to work with teaching artists and arts organizations to help them develop more effective arts experiences and activities,” Anderson said. The current goals of ALC are to increase statewide presence and advocacy and to create and support more collaborative sites in areas of need around the state. Emphasis is placed on free and low-cost events and opportunities. “At the local level, our strengths are in our collaborative sites,” Lucier said. “We aim to be the key resource for arts education advocacy, professional development and equitable access–as well as provide support and guidance for schools and organizations to secure sustainable funding.” “I believe arts education is critical to a child’s development. Children are faced with more pressures and problems than ever before,” said Anderson. “They need a positive way to deal with feelings and emotions. They need a place for self-expression, a safe place to belong. The arts provides that creative outlet, that safe place. The arts help make humanity more human.” Find more arts resources here: Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Read More…

Russia's War In Ukraine | CNN https://digitalalabamanews.com/russias-war-in-ukraine-cnn/ Analyst: This is why Zelensky’s Izium visit is important 01:57 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the country’s military “for saving our people, our hearts, children and future,” during a visit to the newly liberated city of Izium in Kharkiv region on Wednesday. In a sign that Kyiv’s sustained military offensive is working, Zelensky said 8,000 square kilometers of land has been recaptured since the beginning of the month. Two of the main electricity lines supplying part of Kharkiv region have been restored, Ukraine’s state energy operator said, following a retaliatory Russian strike on a local facility that left many without power. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says she will visit Kyiv on Wednesday, adding that the bloc’s “solidarity with Ukraine will remain unshakeable.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited newly liberated Izium on Wednesday — five days after the Ukrainian forces took back control of the northeastern region of Kharkiv. Ukraine’s counteroffensive continues to liberate swathes of territory from Russia’s occupation, with most of this reclaimed land is in the country’s northeast and south, according to Zelesnky. Take a look at the map of control as it stands currently: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is shocked by what he has seen on his visit to the newly liberated Izium district in Kharkiv. “What we see is shocking, although we have already seen this in Bucha [near Kyiv], in the first de-occupied territories. Likewise, destroyed buildings, killed people,” he told journalists during the visit. “Unfortunately, this is part of our history today. And this is part of the modern Russian nation – what they did.” He thanked foreign governments for sending investigators and prosecutors to Ukraine to investigate alleged human rights abuses by occupying forces. “We all understand that this process takes time … I am sure, there will be verdicts for all this, there will be a tribunal. I don’t doubt it for a second,” he said. He also expressed confidence that all occupied areas would eventually return to Ukraine.  “We should send signals to our people who, unfortunately, are still under occupation. And my signal to the people in Crimea: we know that these are our people, and it is a terrible tragedy that they have been under occupation for more than eight years. We will return there. I don’t know when exactly. But we have plans,” Zelensky said. If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know about the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited newly liberated Izium: Ukrainian forces took back control of the northeastern region of Kharkiv on Saturday. Zelensky thanked the military Wednesday and observed a minute of silence to honor those who had been lost in the war. Izium’s liberation is a huge strategic blow to Russia’s military assault in the east as it had become an important hub for Moscow to launch attacks southward into the Donetsk region and Kupyansk. About 8,000 square kilometers (3,088 square miles) of territory has been liberated by Ukrainian forces so far this month, according to Zelensky. Most of this reclaimed land is in the country’s northeast and south, he added. The counteroffensive is, however, slowing down: Ukraine is liberating swathes of territory from Russia’s occupation in the east, but presidential military adviser Oleksiy Arestovych says the country’s counteroffensive has “slowed down slightly because most of the Ukrainian forces are fighting to capture the city of Lyman, to open our way into the Luhansk region. We will intensify our strikes and liberate new territories in a different way,” he told CNN’s Becky Anderson in an interview. Lyman, an important rail hub, is roughly 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of the strategically important Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk. The US says Russian forces retreated back across the border: “We’ve seen a number of Russian forces, especially in the northeast, in the Kharkiv region, cross over the border back into Russia as they’ve retreated from the Ukrainian counter-offensive,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters during a briefing Tuesday. But Russian forces still “do exist en masse in Ukraine,” he added. But Russia has been trying to gain ground in other parts of Ukraine: The Ukrainian military’s General Staff said Ukrainian units had successfully repelled Russian attacks around the city of Bakhmut, while Russian artillery and air force are pounding settlements near the front lines across Donetsk. There was also Russian mortar and tank fire in the Zaporizhzhia region, the General Staff said. Looting claims: The military claimed that in the south, around the city of Polohy, Russian troops were also stealing private cars. And in Nova Kakhovka, in the Kherson region, Russians “began to massively remove furniture and household appliances from temporarily abandoned settlements.” CNN is unable to confirm the military’s claims, but there has been widespread evidence of looting in Kharkiv and other previously occupied Russian areas. Russian shelling killed at least two people and injured six in Mykolaiv: The head of the region’s civil military administration provided this update, adding that educational institution, infrastructure facilities and residential buildings were damaged in the southern port city near the Black Sea on Wednesday. Ukrainian officials claim that they’ve taken back about 500 square kilometers of territory in the south so far, along the borders of Mykolaiv and Kherson.  “I want to thank you for saving our people, our hearts, children and future,” Zelensky said as he visited Izium on Wednesday. (Zelensky telegram channel/Ukraine Government) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited newly liberated Izium in the northeastern region of Kharkiv on Wednesday, five days after the country’s forces recaptured the city. Photographs on the Facebook page of an army unit showed Zelensky at a ceremony in the main square to raise the Ukrainian flag over the city’s administrative building. Hanna Maliar, the Deputy Minister of Defense, was also present. “Earlier, when we looked up, we always looked for the blue sky. Today, when we look up, we are looking for only one thing – the flag of Ukraine,” Zelensky said in a post on the presidential Telegram channel. “Our blue-yellow flag is already flying in the de-occupied Izium. And it will be so in every Ukrainian city and village. We are moving in only one direction – forward and towards victory.” “I want to thank you for saving our people, our hearts, children and future,” Zelensky said, according to a statement released on the Presidential website. “It has been extremely difficult for you in recent months. Therefore, I ask you to take care of yourselves, because you are the most valuable asset we have,” he said. “It may be possible to temporarily occupy the territories of our state. But it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people,” he said. There was a minute’s silence at the ceremony to remember those who had been lost during military operations. Ukrainian forces took back control of Izium on Saturday, marking a huge strategic blow to Russia’s military assault in the east. Izium, which sits near the border between the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, was under Russian occupation for over five months and became an important hub for the invading military. Moscow was using Izium as a launching pad for attacks southward into the Donetsk region and Kupyansk, some 30 miles to the north of Izium, as a rail hub to resupply its forces. Russia’s collapse in northeastern Ukraine sparked fury from Putin loyalists, who condemned the Kremlin’s abandonment of Kharkiv in a rare display of stinging criticism. CNN’s Ivana Kottasová, Tim Lister, Yulia Kesaieva, Denis Lapin, Josh Pennington and Victoria Butenko contributed reporting. A power substation is seen destroyed by a Russian missile strike in Kharkiv on September 12. (Vyacheslav Madiyevskyi/Ukrinform/Abaca/Sipa/Associated Press) Two of the main electricity lines supplying part of Kharkiv region have been restored, Ukraine’s energy supplier said Wednesday, following a Russian strike on a local facility that left many without power. “Repair crews of NPC Ukrenergo have already restored the operation of two main lines supplying Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region. Work on other lines continues and will continue until complete,” the post from Ukrainian state energy company Ukrenergo read. According to Ukrenergo, which operates the nation’s high-voltage transmission lines, energy supply was restored across the Kharkiv region late on Tuesday. CNN cannot independently verify the claim.  The entire region of Kharkiv was without electricity after the backup power line supplying settlements “failed,” the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on Tuesday, citing “insidious shelling by Russian (forces)” as the cause. Last week, Ukrainian forces ruptured Russian defenses and recaptured swathes of territory in the east, marking a colossal blow for Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia responded on Sunday with missile strikes that hit large parts of eastern Ukraine including the Kharkiv power and heating plant, killing one employee and damaging critical infrastructure.  In early February, Russian President Vladimir Putin touched down in Beijing to a warm welcome from Chinese leader Xi Jinping, as the two strongmen put on a show of unity for the world at the Winter Olympics. The summit, in which the pair touted their ever-growing ties and railed against NATO expansion, was held three weeks before Putin ordered his tanks into Ukraine. While it is not known if the topic of war came up during their conversations, one thin...

Former Federal Prosecutor Says Barr Fired Him Because Investigations Threatened Trump’s Reelection Chances https://digitalalabamanews.com/former-federal-prosecutor-says-barr-fired-him-because-investigations-threatened-trumps-reelection-chances/ Former federal prosecutor Geoffrey Berman has accused former Attorney General William Barr of firing him from his post because his department’s investigations at the time threatened Trump’s 2020 reelection chances.  During an appearance on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” on Monday, Berman, who was the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, told host Rachel Maddow that his department was working on several cases, including one involving former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, in the months ahead of the election. Reading from a book by Berman to be published titled “Holding the Line,” Maddow asked the former federal prosecutor to address the notion that Barr “no doubt believed that by removing me he could eliminate a threat to Trump’s reelection.” “How was your work as U.S. attorney a threat to Trump’s reelection?” Maddow asked. “Well, at the time I was fired, the Southern District of New York was working on a couple politically sensitive cases. One of those cases is the Steve Bannon ‘we build the wall’ case and we were very close to indicting that case around the time I got fired, and Barr knew about the case,” Berman told Maddow.  Once Bannon was indicted by Berman’s successor, Trump pardoned Bannon, which Berman called “outrageous.” He also noted his office had also been investigating Lev Parnes and Igor Fruman, two Trump allies who were eventually convicted of campaign finance charges that involved funneling money from a Russian tycoon into American political campaigns. Earlier Monday, Berman told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the Trump administration’s Department of Justice pressured him to indict former Obama White House counsel Greg Craig before the midterm elections and prosecute former Secretary of State John Kerry.  Trump fired Berman in 2020 after he refused to resign from his position.  “I’ve never seen anything like that before, and I was a junior prosecutor in the Southern District in the early 90s and I’d never seen anything like that,” Berman told “Good Morning America” co-anchor George Stephanopoulos. “People who have been in the office for 40 years never saw anything like that. It was unprecedented and scary.”  Read More…

Primary Fallout: Democrats Have Momentum; Donald Trump Republicans Face Obstacles https://digitalalabamanews.com/primary-fallout-democrats-have-momentum-donald-trump-republicans-face-obstacles/ GOP momentum to win back the Senate has slowed because of rookie Republican candidates backed by the polarizing ex-president and the emergence of abortion rights helping Democrats rev up their base. Democrats had a decent primary season, and are in better shape than expected for the fall elections After a series of primaries, many analysts now favor Democrats to keep control of the U.S. Senate Republicans are still expected to regain control of the U.S. House after the November elections Democrats have at least two issues working for them: Abortion and Donald Trump WASHINGTON – Primary season is over, and six months of intra–party political battles revealed one basic thing: The Democrats are in better shape for the November elections than previously thought. The Republicans remain favored to regain control of the U.S. House, according to polls and political analysts, but Democrats are now in position to win a good number of big-state governors’ races and expand their slim-as-possible advantage in the U.S. Senate. There are at least two reasons why, political analysts said: Rookie Republican candidates who are backed by the ever-contentious Donald Trump and the emergence of abortion rights as a major campaign issue revving up Democratic voters. It has been a “poor national environment for Democrats, but candidate quality matters,” said Gunner Ramer, political director with the Republican Accountability Project, an anti-Trump political organization. In addition, the Supreme Court decision against abortion rights “changed the dynamic of the mid-terms” and made it a “choice election.” “The Democratic prospects look a lot better than expected,” Ramer said. The Senate scene:Control of the Senate is now a coin flip: These are the 7 midterm election races to watch In the House:Will Republicans flip the House in midterm elections? These 12 races will tell the story. Jessica Taylor, the Senate and Governors Editor of the non-partisan Cook Political Report, said Trump’s injection of himself into the campaign makes it less of a referendum on Democratic President Joe Biden, probably to the detriment of Republican candidates. “It really does feel like Republicans are trying snatch defeat from the jaws of victory,” she said. Republicans remain confident, banking on the history that says the party out of power tends to do well in mid-term elections. After a set of primaries dominated by the specter of Trump, Republicans noted that voters remain worried about inflation and the economy in general, and that President Joe Biden’s approval rating is in the low 40s. “I’m very optimistic about this fall,” said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who chairs the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, speaking to radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt. “Great candidates; Biden’s numbers are horrible.” The Trump Republicans Tuesday’s contest in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Delaware ended a primary season that began in Texas on March 1. For Republicans, the primaries saw an unprecedented level of involvement by an ex-president, one who had lost his own re-election bid just two years before. One result: Trump-backed candidates won Republican nominations for the U.S. Senate in state races that will decide which party will control the chamber next year. Senate candidates making their first political race – Herschel Walker in Georgia, Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, J.D. Vance in Ohio, and Blake Masters in Arizona – have made their share of rookie mistakes and face tough contests against well-known Democrats. The Democratic Senate candidates include incumbent officer holders who breezed to primary victories: Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia, Sen. Mark Kelly in Arizona, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan in Ohio, and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in Pennsylvania. New Hampshire The last night of primaries on Tuesday produced more evidence of Trump’s impact on the Senate races, thanks to a primary in New Hampshire. Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who believes Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election, won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, defeating a more establishment GOP candidate, Chuck Morse who had the firm backing of popular GOP Gov. Chris Sununu. Morse conceded the close race early Wednesday morning. Many Republicans said Bolduc, who has a history of far-right statements, will have a more difficult time defeating incumbent Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., making it that much harder for the GOP to reclaim control of the Senate. Hassan and the Democrats have already made an issue of Bolduc’s views. Amanda Sherman-Baity, a spokesperson for the, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said that “Republicans tried everything they could to stop Bolduc in this primary because even they know his dangerous conspiracy theories are totally out-of-step with the voters.” Scott, the head of the Republican committee, hailed Bolduc’s win by saying that he “earned the right to take on one of the most vulnerable members of the U.S. Senate, Maggie Hassan.” Any of these close state contests could decide the majority. The Senate is currently divided 50-50 between the two parties. Democrats have control because of the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris. As the primaries wrapped up early Wednesday morning, the FiveThirtyEight website, which analyzes polling data, gives Democrats a 71 out of 100 chance to keep control of the Senate. Trump under scrutiny  Less than two months before Election Day, Trump-style candidates also face tough sledding in a string of governors’ races. They include Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania, Kari Lake in Arizona, Tudor Dixon in Michigan, and Tim Michels in Wisconsin. Races for statehouses:Abortion, voting and COVID-19: Why we’re eyeing these 10 governor’s races in 2022 midterms Election denial:Voter ‘subversion’: Trump Republicans push laws to make it easier to change elections, per report Trump candidates also did well in many House primaries, and many are favored to win general elections in safe Republican districts. The ex-president also used the primaries to try and knock off Republicans who had opposed him, and he was successful – to a degree. Trump-backed candidates knocked off four House Republicans who voted to impeach him over the attempted insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021, an attack that followed Trump’s efforts to overturn his election loss to Biden. That group included Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., once a rising star in the party, who lost her position in House GOP leadership because of her relentless criticism of Trump. A few Trump targets prevailed in primaries anyway, including incumbent Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Trump candidates and voters In polls and focus groups, voters describe some of these Trump-like candidates as too extreme on too many issues, including the former president’s false claims of widespread voter fraud in his 2020 election loss to Biden. Republican “election deniers” won primaries up and down the ballot this year, including races for state offices that have control of future elections. Political analysts said Republican chances with independent voters are not helped by the fact that Trump is under criminal investigation on at least three fronts. Grand juries in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta are looking into Trump’s hoarding of classified documents after leaving office, efforts to overturn his election loss to Biden, and actions related to the Jan. 6 insurrection. The Washington investigation:Justice Department subpoenas dozens of Trump aides in apparent escalation of investigation, according to reports The Atlanta probe:Giuliani appeared for 6 hours before Georgia grand jury; Trump attorney is target in inquiry: recap “It’s certainly not as good an environment as Republicans had hoped to have a couple of months ago,” said Jack Pitney, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in California. Another primary issue: Abortion   The primary season also spawned a major issue provided by the Supreme Court: Abortion. On June 24, a majority of the court struck down Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 ruling that had made abortion a constitutional right. Giving states the right to severely restrict or outright ban abortions, the ruling energized Democratic voters, particularly young women, in legislative and congressional races across the country. The salience of the abortion issue came into stark relief during an August referendum in Kansas. Although it is a Republican-leaning state, voters in Kansas soundly rejected a proposal that would have allowed the legislature to restrict or even ban abortions. Abortion opponents who have long sought to end Roe vs, Wade said their voters are fired up at the prospect of legislation ending the practice. The choice campaign:Channeling abortion outrage, Democratic women push for upsets in Senate elections Abortion ban:Lindsey Graham’s attempt at a national abortion ban could help GOP in midterms. What we know about the bill As the primaries wrapped up Tuesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., proposed a federal ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, saying it is designed to counter Democratic plans to “basically allow abortion up to the moment of birth.” Gary Peters, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said the “Republicans’ national abortion ban will be on the ballot, in every Senate race.” Republican hopes While Democrats had a good primary year, many Republicans remain confident about the November elections. Turnout machines are cranking up and Republican candidates are starting to advertise more, they said. Voters remain worried about inflation and the economy, and frustrated with Biden. “The fundamentals of the election are still firmly leaning Republican,” said Calvin Moore, communications director for...

Letter: Can America’s First King (Trump) Be Stopped? https://digitalalabamanews.com/letter-can-americas-first-king-trump-be-stopped/ Democracy, democracy, democracy. All this talk of saving democracy — as if it actually survived! If truth be told, our democratic republic was lost. It was lost in 2016 when a smooth-talking real estate magnate was elected president of the United States. Subsequent events tend to recall Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte III, the elected president of France in 1848, who reconstructed his power as emperor in 1851, retaining this authority until 1870. Like Napoleon III, of Second Empire fame, our new president had designs on rule beyond a single, elected term. American democracy ended stunningly abruptly with the enthused anointment of America’s first king, Donald J. Trump — potentate, extraordinaire. Some, though not all, of the people sought rule by one man, because he claimed, “I alone can fix it (… because nobody knows the system better than me).” This writer sees America’s First Republic as the period from 1789 to 2016. In retrospect, was this not a remarkably stable period, until upended by the tendencies of a petty king — one who denies the results of an election loss and seeks restoration of his reign two years after being dethroned? The American republic was restored by the Biden presidency in what can be construed in this context as the Second American Republic. There is an incessant claim, however, by No. 45th and his multitude of oath-ed followers, that kings cannot be replaced. Once a king, always a king; it is a divine right. It should not take a doctorate from Harvard or Yale to recognize to dissolution of the democratic republic of America with the election of President Trump. It was “off with their heads,” from day one. Any contender for shared power was sliced and diced in the public square of Twitter — which is precisely what kings do. Why? Because they can. There is no one to stop them. As monarchs, kings have no need for a Department of Justice, standing before the people within the realm as both judge and jury. Kings, as rulers, are arbitrary, self-righteous and self-serving. Representatives and elected officials are reduced to fawning subjects, jostling for position among themselves in an attempt to stay as close to the king’s ring as possible. Beheadings be damned! Would-be kingmakers are working assiduously to bring about an end to America’s Second Republic. Mitch McConnell, Peter Thiel and other masterminds are maneuvering to remove a democratically elected president from office in 2024. We, as citizens, await the nation’s choice between governance by what many see as an emotionally charged, one-man circus — or affirmation that a democratic republic can be sustainable. Will we choose the imperfect but workable rule of law? Or the whimsical chaos we came to know during four years of rule by one man, throatily and violently supported by so many? Departure from the give-and-take of democratic governance was striking; no Republicans offered up any support for any proposal by any Democrat. Democrats are spoken of as the enemy. Would that be because today’s Democrats tend not to believe in kings? Good luck, America. It’s our choice. Let’s hope we make the right one. Sallie Marsico is a Norwalk resident. Read More…

Rubicon Enters Technology Partnership With Samsara https://digitalalabamanews.com/rubicon-enters-technology-partnership-with-samsara/ Rubicon Technologies, Inc. (“Rubicon”) (NYSE: RBT), a leading digital marketplace for waste and recycling and provider of innovative software-based products for businesses and governments worldwide, today announced that it has entered a technology partnership with Samsara Inc. (“Samsara”) (NYSE: IOT), the pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, to unlock new value for shared municipal customers. Together, Rubicon and Samsara’s complementary technology suites will help enable heavy-duty municipal fleet operations to optimize routes and citizen services, which will improve efficiency, empower drivers, lock in community safety gains, and save tax-payer dollars. Samsara is the pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, built to access, analyze, and act on the world’s vast expanse of operations data. Thousands of customers spanning transportation, government, food and beverage, and more use mission-critical insights from Samsara to shape their operations. Streamlined data sharing made possible by Samsara’s open API provides customers with a single source of truth to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and maintain operational resilience. RUBICONSmartCity is a proprietary, cloud-based technology suite that helps municipal governments run faster, smarter, and more effective waste, recycling, and heavy-duty municipal fleet operations. As part of this partnership, RUBICONSmartCity is now available on the Samsara App Marketplace to further improve efficiency and sustainability in government fleets. Shared municipal customers will have access to fault code, speeding, fuel level, and GPS data as well as complete visibility into vehicle diagnostics information and full operational data across the platforms, which will result in increased safety and transparency. “Rubicon’s mission is to end waste,” said Conor Riffle, Senior Vice President of Smart Cities at Rubicon. “Our mission refers to waste in the physical sense, but also to wasted time and, in the case of Rubicon’s smart city technology products, wasted government resources. This technology partnership with Samsara allows both companies to deliver a superior solution for city solid waste departments and fleets as a whole, while continuing to save tax-payer dollars.” Waste is a global challenge and a global opportunity. Rubicon partners with businesses and governments around the world to advance its mission through zero-waste, landfill diversion, and smart city solutions. The Company’s suite of cloud-based products helps waste collection organizations to digitize their operations, confirm service, optimize routes, and deliver exceptional customer service while improving sustainability outcomes. “With billions of data points flowing through Samsara each day, we’re able to act as a command center for customers to run every part of their municipal operations,” said Sean McGee, Vice President, Platform and Infrastructure at Samsara. “Through this integration, we look forward to coupling the scale of Samsara’s Connected Operations Cloud with Rubicon’s smart city technology to give customers the visibility they need to provide smarter and safer citizen services.” In 2021, RUBICONSmartCity was listed in Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards in the “AI & Data” and “Spaces, Places, and Cities” categories, and it was featured in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) documentary series, Climate Next, now streaming on Amazon Prime. RUBICONSmartCity has been rolled out in more than 80 cities across the United States, including Asheville, NC; Baltimore, MD; Columbus, OH; Durham, NC; Fort Collins, CO; Fort Smith, AR; Glendale, AZ; Greenville, NC; Hartford, CT; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Memphis, TN; Montgomery, AL; Santa Fe, NM; San Antonio, TX; Savannah, GA; Scranton, PA; Spokane, WA; and Roseville, CA. The solution is available for purchase on Sourcewell, the AWS Marketplace, the HGACBuy consortium, and Marketplace.city. About Rubicon Rubicon Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: RBT) is a digital marketplace for waste and recycling, and provider of innovative software-based products for businesses and governments worldwide. Striving to create a new industry standard by using technology to drive environmental innovation, the company helps turn businesses into more sustainable enterprises, and neighborhoods into greener and smarter places to live and work. Rubicon’s mission is to end waste. It helps its partners find economic value in their waste streams and confidently execute on their sustainability goals. To learn more, visit www.Rubicon.com. About Samsara Samsara is the pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, which allows businesses that depend on physical operations to harness IoT (Internet of Things) data to develop actionable business insights and improve their operations. Samsara operates in North America and Europe and serves tens of thousands of customers across a wide range of industries including transportation, wholesale and retail trade, construction, field services, logistics, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, manufacturing, and food and beverage. The company’s mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy. Read More…

Economy, Abortion Shape Pennsylvania Midterm Races — CBS News Battleground Tracker https://digitalalabamanews.com/economy-abortion-shape-pennsylvania-midterm-races-cbs-news-battleground-tracker/ Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman leads Mehmet Oz by five points among Pennsylvania’s likely voters, in a Senate race that seems still fluid, with Republicans less enamored by the candidates they nominated, and Democrats fighting economic headwinds. It’s a race in which voters are thinking about the national implications, even as it is the candidates’ personal qualities that have come to the fore. An authenticity gap Most voters describe Fetterman as saying what he really believes, more so than they describe Oz doing so. A big majority describe Oz as just saying what he thinks voters want to hear. Couple that with the critiques of Oz’s Pennsylvania residency and its implications: two-thirds don’t think he’s lived in the state long enough to understand its issues. Oz trails Fetterman on having “the right experience,” as well as on personal favorability ratings. In fact, most Oz supporters say they are backing him mainly to oppose Fetterman, and not because they like Oz. And despite the fact that Oz has only recently forayed into politics, it’s Fetterman who is seen more as “representing change.” Meanwhile, the Oz campaign’s efforts to raise health questions about Fetterman do not seem as effective by comparison: most voters do think Fetterman is well enough to serve. (Even nearly four in 10 Republicans say he is.) The primary process: Any buyer’s remorse for the GOP? Democrats express more satisfaction about nominating Fetterman than Republicans do about nominating Oz. (That’s also true for the candidates in the governor’s race.) It is non-MAGA Republicans (those who don’t consider themselves part of the movement) who are more disappointed about Oz as their nominee than MAGA Republicans. These same non-MAGA Republicans don’t see their Senate vote as being about former President Donald Trump to the same extent that MAGA Republicans do. So, perhaps Trump’s endorsement of Oz doesn’t carry as much weight. And indeed, non-MAGA Republicans are not quite as supportive of Oz as their MAGA counterparts. Fetterman’s backers are more enthusiastic about him than Oz’s supporters are about Oz. Issues in focus: The economy  The economy and inflation remain atop the overall issues list, and that helps Oz — like Republicans nationwide, he does better with voters who rank these highly. That’s partly because they’re the party out of power, and because Republicans prioritize the economy more. Eight in 10 Pennsylvania voters say higher prices have been difficult or a hardship for them. Lower-income Pennsylvanians are especially hard-hit. In fact, among independents, Oz’s showing is a little better among those who describe price increases as difficulty or hardship. Abortion The abortion issue is helping Fetterman. For his Democratic base, abortion is more important than the economy. Fetterman leads among all who say it’s very important, both men and women. Most Democrats say the overturning of Roe v. Wade has made them more likely to vote this year. (The matter makes no difference to most Republicans.) A national election in a state So much for “all politics is local.” By three to one, Pennsylvanians tell us that national issues and the direction of the country are more important to them than local issues when it comes to the Senate election. Fitting, perhaps, as all eyes of the nation are on the state. So, national figures play a big role – including Trump Pennsylvania Democrats say their vote for Senate is as much to oppose Trump as it is to support President Biden. Most Pennsylvania Republicans are motivated to oppose Mr. Biden. But a sizable four in 10 Republicans say their Senate vote is also to support Trump. Beyond Republicans, though, Trump nets out as a negative race-wide: for all voters for whom Trump is a factor — either through support or opposition — they are on balance picking Fetterman over Oz. Democracy and…not as much desire for election denialism  Mr. Biden won Pennsylvania in 2020. A stance taken by some Republicans in their 2022 primaries, that Mr. Biden did not legitimately win the presidency, is not a stance most voters want their elected officials to embrace.  Only a third of the state’s Republicans — and just under a fifth of its voters — want elected officials in the state to claim Mr. Biden did not win the 2020 election. An eight-in-10, bipartisan majority of voters would like to see the next secretary of state — who would be appointed by the governor — make election rules that are neutral toward both parties, and not favor either one. All that may signal that even for Republicans, now past the primaries, those stances aren’t the same litmus tests.  Debating the debate Yes, a debate is at least somewhat important to voters, though not very important to most. Given the stances from the campaigns, it may be no surprise that Republicans think it’s more important than Democrats do. For the Republicans who tend to think Fetterman is not in good enough health, a debate has — perhaps strategically — taken on added importance. Governor’s race Of the four major-party candidates running for Senate and governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro has the highest personally favorable ratings of all. That, combined with strong support from women, has him up 11 points on Republican Doug Mastriano. Shapiro has a wide lead among voters who say abortion should be legal in Pennsylvania — which is most voters. That includes support from about a third of Republicans who feel it should be legal. Meanwhile, more than eight in 10 voters believe Mastriano would restrict access in Pennsylvania. Plus there may be some “buyer’s remorse” lingering from the primaries about Mastriano from Republicans, as four in 10 wish their party had nominated a different candidate. So what is local, then? Plenty, still. Crime, gun violence, and drug and opioid addiction are all seen by most as problems in their area of Pennsylvania. Republicans add in that illegal immigration is a problem in their area; this is the case for Republicans across the state. Democrats especially feel that racism, access to healthcare, and school conditions are problems in their areas. Majorities of both Republicans and Democrats cite housing costs as a problem. This CBS News/YouGov Battleground Tracker survey was conducted with a statewide representative sample of 1,194 registered voters in Pennsylvania interviewed between September 6-12, 2022. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education and geographic region based on the U.S. Census Current Population Survey, as well as to 2020 presidential vote. The margin of error is ±3.8 points.  Toplines In: Pennsylvania United States Congress United States Senate Mehmet Oz Opinion Poll Doug Mastriano Abortion John Fetterman Read More…

Judge: Alabama Must Say If Nitrogen Hypoxia Method Can Be Used Next Week https://digitalalabamanews.com/judge-alabama-must-say-if-nitrogen-hypoxia-method-can-be-used-next-week/ A federal judge ordered that a representative from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Alabama Department of Corrections, or another state agency definitively say if the state is ready to use the untested execution method of nitrogen hypoxia. U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. said in his order that, by Thursday at 5 p.m., the AG’s Office “shall file an affidavit or declaration of Commissioner John Q. Hamm, Attorney General Steve Marshall, or other appropriate official with personal knowledge, definitively setting forth whether or not the (state) can execute (Alan Miller) by nitrogen hypoxia on September 22, 2022.” Deputy Alabama Attorney General James Houts told the judge on Monday during a hearing for Alan Eugene Miller that he must be “very careful” in his statement, but that it was “very likely” the state could execute Miller using the nitrogen hypoxia method if the court says it cannot execute Miller by lethal injection. “At the evidentiary hearing, (Houts) stated that it was ‘very likely’ the Alabama Department of Corrections could execute the Plaintiff by nitrogen hypoxia on September 22, 2022, if the Court enjoined his execution by lethal injection, but (Houts) would not take a firm position as to the use of nitrogen hypoxia on that date, as that was a decision to be made by others,” the judge wrote in his Tuesday evening order. He said the AG’s Office made “vague and imprecise statements regarding the readiness and intent to move forward with an execution.” Read more: Gov. Kay Ivey ‘to trust the courts’ on Alabama nitrogen hypoxia execution protocol The hearing and unexpected announcement about nitrogen hypoxia came during the hearing for Miller, who is scheduled for execution Sept. 22 at William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. Miller, 57, has challenged the use of lethal injection for his execution, arguing that he requested nitrogen hypoxia during a window of time in June 2018 when death row inmates were allowed to choose the newly-approved method as an alternative to lethal injection. Miller’s attorneys said the state lost his signed form making that change; the AG’s Office claimed there was no corroborating evidence that Miller ever actually completed the form. Miller is seeking for his scheduled lethal injection execution be called off and to “declare that his nitrogen hypoxia election be honored.” The judge presented several hypothetical situations throughout the Monday hearing in Montgomery, calling the case a “high-stakes situation.” He asked multiple times if he were to order Miller’s execution could go forward using nitrogen hypoxia but not lethal injection, if either party would appeal the ruling. “That really is above my pay grade,” Houts responded. In response to the same question from the judge, Miller’s attorney Mara Klebaner said, “it does not sound like (the state) is ready.” She said Miller “did not agree to be experimented on” during ” a rushed basis,” adding Miller simply wants to be treated like other inmates who selected nitrogen hypoxia as their preferred method of execution in June 2018. Read more: Alabama argues Alan Miller, set for Sept. 22 execution for 3 murders, ‘slept on his rights’ Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Read More…

Stocks Making The Biggest Moves Premarket: SoFi, Nucor, Starbucks, CSX & More https://digitalalabamanews.com/stocks-making-the-biggest-moves-premarket-sofi-nucor-starbucks-csx-more/ Check out the companies making headlines in premarket trading Wednesday. Starbucks – Shares of Starbucks gained nearly 1% after the company boosted its long-term forecast and said it expects double-digit growth for revenue and earnings per share over the next three years. Palo Alto Networks – Cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks rose slightly following a three-for-one stock split, which took place on Tuesday. In addition, CEO Nikesh Arora told CNBC that the company is not seeing the same macro impact slowdown on cybersecurity that other sectors are experiencing. Nucor —Nucor fell 5% after the steel producer issued disappointing third-quarter earnings guidance. The company expects earnings per share to range between $6.30 and $6.40, well below a StreetAccount forecast of $7.56. “We expect the steel mills segment earnings to be considerably lower in the third quarter of 2022 as compared to the second quarter of 2022, due to metal margin contraction and reduced shipping volumes,” Nucor said. Nikola — Nikola shares rose slightly after BTIG upgraded the EV maker to buy from neutral. BTIG noted that it sees “the potential for increasing demand for green hydrogen driven by increasing wind and solar power generation.” SoFi Technologies — SoFi rose more than 2% after Bank of America upgraded the fintech stock to buy from neutral. “We see potential for a meaningful catalyst path over the next few quarters as SoFi benefits from the student loan payment moratorium ending and its high-profile NFL-aligned marketing investments drive user growth and engagement,” BofA said. Moderna – Shares of Moderna rose 0.6% after the company’s CEO said it would be open to supplying covid vaccines to China. Bristol-Myers Squibb – Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb slipped 0.7% after Berenberg downgraded the company to hold from buy. The firm said the stock is running out of room to gain. Merck & Co – Shares of Merck rose 0.7% after Berenberg upgraded it to buy from hold and boosted its price target, signaling it could climb another 17%. Railroad stocks – Shares of railroad company stocks slumped Wednesday as the sector contends with a potential strike that could limit service. Union Pacific fell 1.9% while CSX, Northern Southern Corp. also slipped ahead of market open. Read More…

Anna Mae Raudabaugh Obituary (2022) Carlisle Sentinel https://digitalalabamanews.com/anna-mae-raudabaugh-obituary-2022-carlisle-sentinel-2/ Anna Mae Raudabaugh March 01, 1937- September 12, 2022 Anna Mae Raudabaugh, 85, of Mechanicsburg, PA, passed away on September 12, 2022, surrounded by her family. She was born on March 1,1937 in Carlisle, PA to the late William Elmer Boyer and the late Anna Mae (Morrison) Boyer. Anna Mae was a proud member of the first graduating class of Cumberland Valley High School. She was a loyal friend to her Class of 1955 classmates whom she dearly loved as part of her family. She graduated from the Carlisle Hospital Nursing School and retired after 40+ years as a nurse at the Carlisle Barracks Dunham Army Health Clinic. She was a dedicated health care professional and received many accolades and awards during her years of service to the military and civilian personnel. Everyone knew “Mrs. Raudabaugh” and her reputation for being at the top of her profession. Anna Mae was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to her precious namesake, Annie. After her retirement, she worked alongside her husband on the family farm. Visitors to the house would always find her refrigerator filled with numerous pictures of her grandchildren and Annie. Anna Mae was immensely proud of her grandchildren and their accomplishments. She was a dedicated fan of the Cumberland Valley High School football team and would attend every home game with her Class of 1955 classmates to cheer on the Eagles. Anna Mae is survived by her husband of 62 years Mervin A. Raudabaugh Jr.; son William L. Raudabaugh of Landisburg; son Jeffrey L. Raudabaugh of Mechanicsburg; daughter Suzanne Keller and her husband William of Dacula, GA; grandchildren: Rachel Raudabaugh (Newville), Cameron Raudabaugh (Pine Grove), Carter Raudabaugh (Pine Grove), Alexander Keller (Auburn, AL), Amanda Keller (Duluth, GA), Adam Keller (Peachtree Corners, GA), Christine Thomas (Atlanta, GA), her husband Patrick, and their daughter, Annie. Anna Mae is also survived by her beloved nephews: Craig, Kevin, and Kurt Snook all of Stewartstown; cherished cousins: Dean W. Ellerman Jr. (Gail) of Navarre, FL and Linda S. Spease (Fred) of Carlisle; sister-in-law: Cynthia I. Stone (Samuel J.) of Dillsburg; and her lifelong friends from the Cumberland Valley High School Class of 1955. Ewing Brothers Funeral Home will be handling the arrangements. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Published by Carlisle Sentinel on Sep. 14, 2022. 34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store. Read More…

Could Prince Harry's Memoir Destroy His Royal Relationships? https://digitalalabamanews.com/could-prince-harrys-memoir-destroy-his-royal-relationships/ NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Good morning and welcome to Fox News’ morning newsletter, Fox News First. Subscribe now to get Fox News First in your email. And here’s what you need to know to start your day … PRINCE’S PAPERBACK – Could Harry’s memoir destroy his royal relationships? Continue reading … RED OR BLUE? – Voters in key state reveal what issues will sway their decisions in midterm election. Continue reading … ELECTRIC SLIDE – Biden to announce $900 million electric vehicle infrastructure overhaul at Detroit auto show. Continue reading … ‘DOESN’T ADD UP’ –  The volunteer dive team that found Kiely Rodni’s remains suspects foul play. Continue reading … TARGETED VANDALISM- Zero arrests made in at least 16 attacks on pro-life organizations. Continue reading … – POLITICS ‘MOST OUT OF TOUCH PRESIDENT’ – Top House Republican roasts ‘fool’ Joe Biden for celebrating passage of spending bill as inflation rises. Continue reading … SPRINT TO NOVEMBER – Republicans think Trump will be a midterm kingmaker. Democrats like me think he may be a spoiler: opinion. Continue reading … VOTERS HAVE THEIR SAY– Poll says 1 in 4 Republicans think Trump did something illegal or unethical in keeping classified government docs. Continue reading …   MEDIA POLARIZING ISSUE – Slanted abortion media coverage through the years has sown distrust on the right. Continue reading … FACT-CHECK FAILURE – CNN’s fact-checker continues strong focus on Republicans, pays President Biden little attention Continue reading … ‘SLAP IN THE FACE’ – Biden slammed for hosting Inflation Reduction Act celebration with ‘American’s 401Ks going down the drain.’ Continue reading … POLITICAL PROGRESS? – Senate candidate Rep. Tim Ryan tells MSNBC: Time to ‘kill and confront’ the ‘extremist’ Republican movement. Continue reading … PRIME TIME LAURA INGRAHAM – The numbers do not lie: President Biden wreaked economic havoc for America. Continue reading … IN OTHER NEWS ‘FOLLOW HIS JOY’ – Gisele Bündchen admits ‘concerns’ over Tom Brady’s return to NFL. Continue reading … BEHIND BARS – Man accused of murdering wife on Fuji honeymoon denied bail. Continue reading … OFF TRACK – Biden administration under pressure as rail strike threat builds. Continue reading … BIG APPLE’S SHOCKING IMAGES – New York City homeless man sleeps on sidewalk with toaster oven, crisis worst ‘since Great Depression.’ Continue reading … FOX WEATHER (FOX Weather) What’s it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading… THE LAST WORD “By spending trillions on nonsense programs and printing hundreds of billions of dollars, Democrats and Joe Biden are robbing you blind. “ – LAURA INGRAHAM FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Instagram YouTube Twitter LinkedIn SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS Fox News First Fox News Opinion Fox News Lifestyle Fox News Entertainment (FOX411) DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Fox News Fox Business Fox Weather Fox Sports Tubi WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE Fox News Go Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday. Read More…

5 Things To Know For Sept. 14: Primaries, Food Prices, Abortion, Twitter, China Typhoon – KESQ https://digitalalabamanews.com/5-things-to-know-for-sept-14-primaries-food-prices-abortion-twitter-china-typhoon-kesq/ CNN By Alexandra Meeks, CNN A railroad strike — and the economic damage it could cause — is getting closer to reality. About 60,000 union members who work for the nation’s freight railroads, including engineers and conductors, are set to go on strike Friday if an agreement isn’t reached on new contracts. Without them on the job, those trains will not run, nor will many commuter and Amtrak trains that run over freight rail lines. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. Primaries The 2022 primary season came to a close on Tuesday, with New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware holding a slate of key elections that could play a major role in helping decide which party controls the House and Senate. A great deal of attention is on New Hampshire, where Republicans are selecting their nominee to take on Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in what could be one of the most competitive Senate races. Hassan won by just 1,000 votes in 2016, and Republicans have seen New Hampshire as a potential pick-up opportunity in their bid for control of a Senate that’s currently split 50-50. Also in New Hampshire, CNN projects Karoline Leavitt, a 25-year-old ex-Trump aide, will win the GOP primary in the 1st Congressional District and face Democrat Chris Pappas in November. 2. Inflation Food prices in the US are far higher than they were a year ago, according to new data released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, grocery prices jumped 13.5% and restaurant menu prices increased by 8%. Egg prices soared 39.8%, while flour got 23.3% more expensive. Milk rose 17% and the price of bread jumped 16.2%. Meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables also grew costlier. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.1% from July, according to the Consumer Price Index, which measures a basket of consumer goods and services. The reading came as a surprise to investors and sent US stocks plummeting Tuesday in their worst day since June 2020. 3. Abortion Lawmakers in West Virginia passed a bill Tuesday that will prohibit nearly all abortions except to save the life of the mother or in certain cases that involve rape or incest. The bill would significantly limit access to abortion in a state where the procedure is currently legal up to 20 weeks post-fertilization. It now heads to the Republican governor’s desk for signature. Separately, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham introduced a bill Tuesday that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, the most significant proposal by Republicans in Congress to curtail the procedure since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade three months ago. And in Indiana, a near-total abortion ban is set to go into effect later this week. 4. Twitter Elon Musk is fighting to get out of his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter, but the social media company’s shareholders plan to hold him to it. The vast majority of Twitter shareholders voted in favor of Musk’s takeover deal on Tuesday and said they are ready to complete the merger no later than Thursday. The vote came days after Musk’s third letter to Twitter seeking to terminate the deal over a $7.75 million payment the company is said to have made to a former employee who later blew the whistle about Twitter’s alleged security and privacy vulnerabilities. The whistleblower, Twitter’s former head of security Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday about his concerns, including allegations that Twitter possibly has foreign intelligence agents on its payroll. 5. China typhoon China has issued its highest-level alert as Typhoon Muifa is expected to make landfall near Shanghai today. Forecasts show winds will be equivalent to a category 1 Atlantic hurricane, exceeding the first three typhoons of the season. Authorities in China’s eastern province of Zhejiang ordered ships to return to port, told schools to close and evacuated tourists from nearby islands, according to a Reuters report. Waves of up to 16 feet are expected near China’s busiest container seaport in the commercial hub of Shanghai. Several airlines in the city have canceled flights today and at least 13,000 people in the city have been evacuated, according to state media. BREAKFAST BROWSE Watch a polite bear open and close the door A woman confronted a bear at her front door and politely asked him to leave. Surprisingly, he listened. See Drew Barrymore’s tearful reunion with ex-boyfriend The actress kicked off season three of her talk show with a guest near and dear to her heart: her ex-boyfriend Justin Long. Watch this short video of the tearful reunion. ‘The Crown’ viewership surged on Netflix after Queen Elizabeth’s death Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Netflix viewers tuned into the show about her life. Ferrari’s first four-door car is here It looks like an SUV… but the company insists people shouldn’t call it that. Highlights from New York Fashion Week The biggest names in fashion showcased their new collections in New York this week. Several A-list celebrities also made their runway debuts. IN MEMORIAM Ken Starr, a former US solicitor general who gained fame in the 1990s as the independent counsel who doggedly investigated President Bill Clinton during a series of political scandals, has died aged 76. Starr, who was a member of former President Donald Trump’s defense team during Trump’s first impeachment, also served as president of Baylor University from 2010 to 2016. TODAY’S NUMBER 4 months That’s how long an unruly passenger on an American Airlines flight was sentenced to serve in prison for interfering with flight crew members, the Department of Justice said in a news release. The passenger’s violent behavior on the February 2021 flight from Dallas to Los Angeles prompted the flight to reroute to Phoenix. According to data from the FAA, the past year set a record for unruly passenger behavior, ending with nearly 6,000 reports. TODAY’S QUOTE “This immediate, massive spike was beyond what we had anticipated.” — Ian Petchenik, a spokesman for the aviation tracker website Flightradar24, after the plane carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin set a new record Tuesday as the most-tracked flight ever. About five million people followed the trip from Edinburgh to London, data from the site showed. That tops the previous record achieved last month during US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit to Taiwan. Pelosi’s flight to Taipei was tracked by about 2.9 million people. TODAY’S WEATHER Check your local forecast here AND FINALLY Strangely satisfying kinetic sand This artist creates and slices food-shaped kinetic sand. I know, it sounds strange… but many say it’s incredibly relaxing to watch. (Click here to view) The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More…

Judge Will Likely Grant DOJ Request To Continue Review Of Documents, Legal Expert Says https://digitalalabamanews.com/judge-will-likely-grant-doj-request-to-continue-review-of-documents-legal-expert-says/ (NEW YORK) — Federal prosecutors requested on Thursday a stay, attempting to block Judge Aileen Cannon’s prior ruling preventing the FBI and Department of Justice from continuing its review of classified documents in connection with its criminal investigation into Trump’s handling of documents seized at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Prosecutors said there was risk of “irreparable harm” to national security and the ongoing investigation if the stay was not granted. Trump’s legal team responded on Monday, saying that appointing a special master to review the documents is a “sensible preliminary step toward restoring order from chaos,” and urged Cannon to reject the request for a stay. In order to break down recent developments, ABC News Live Prime spoke with Florida state attorney Dave Aronberg. PRIME: Dave Aronberg, a state attorney in Palm Beach County, thank you so much for joining us. The Justice Department was fairly aggressive in taking on the arguments in Judge Cannon’s prior ruling. How effective of a case do you think that the DOJ made in calling for a stay that would let them keep reviewing the classified records at the heart of this case? ARONBERG: I think it was their only choice because if they don’t get this partial stay, then it jeopardizes our national security because what Judge Cannon did was really inconsistent. She said, ‘Hey, FBI and DOJ, you cannot use and review those documents you seize from Mar-a-Lago while the special master review is pending. But at the same time, intelligence community, you can continue with your review to make sure these documents didn’t damage national security by the fact that they’re being kept in a Palm Beach social club.’ It doesn’t make sense because the FBI is part of the intelligence community review of those documents. I mean, the CIA is not a domestic law enforcement agency. The intelligence community depends on the FBI. So I think what the DOJ is doing on this motion is to give the judge a way out, a chance to redeem herself before she gets overturned on appeal. PRIME: Do you think she will redeem herself? ARONBERG: I think she will. If you saw her comment recently, it was, ‘hey, Trump’s attorneys, what do you make of this motion?’ It seemed like she was sort of hedging her bets by saying, ‘can you speak to the fact that the DOJ is asking for a partial stay?’ And remember, this is just to allow DOJ to review the 100-plus classified documents, not all the documents, just the 100-plus documents that are classified so, of course, they’re not subject to attorney-client privilege because they’re the government’s documents. They involve national security. It’s not communications between Trump and his own personal lawyer and executive privilege doesn’t apply here. So I think that the judge is starting to get some buyer’s remorse of her original decision, and I think she’s going to step away from it just a little bit and grant this motion. PRIME: And just to kind of follow that a little further, they cited the risk of potential, irreparable harm to national security and the ongoing investigation if they can’t continue reviewing the documents and say that Trump has no claim to them. Is the judge likely to be swayed by that argument, given her prior ruling allowing for a special master? ARONBERG: I hope so, because it’s a really powerful argument. I mean, you’ve got to be able to review these documents, especially now that we’ve heard they involve nuclear secrets. I mean, how do you tell the government ‘put it on hold, don’t review them, don’t use them in any way, and we’ll have the special master that can go on and on and on?’ I mean, there are lives at risk. You have human intelligence sources that have their lives at risk because this information could be floating out there. And so, yeah, I think the argument is definitely on DOJ’s side. The problem is you’ve got a judge in Judge Cannon who has shown that she’s willing to go Donald Trump’s way, the person who appointed her to the bench, the person who sought her out at a courthouse 68 miles from here in West Palm Beach, over in Fort Pierce, where she’s the only judge assigned to that courthouse. They wanted her on this case because they knew she was a Trump appointee and they thought she would do their bidding. And so far, hey, their faith in her has been rewarded. PRIME: Palm Beach County state attorney Dave Aronberg. We thank you so much. ARONBERG: Thanks for having me. Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read More…