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Kinzinger Says ‘The Torch Has Been Passed’ From Jan. 6 Committee To DOJ https://digitalalabamanews.com/kinzinger-says-the-torch-has-been-passed-from-jan-6-committee-to-doj/ Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said on Sunday that “the torch has been passed” from the House Jan. 6 committee to the Justice Department and the American people, following the committee’s final hearing before the November midterms that highlighted former President Donald Trump’s central role in the insurrection. In the committee’s public hearing last Thursday, members laid out damning evidence showing Trump’s plan to declare victory in the election regardless of the results, as well as the U.S. Secret Service’s advance knowledge of the violence that broke out at the Capitol. Committee members closed out the hearing by unanimously voting to subpoena the former president in the investigation. Trump responded to the subpoena with a long-winded letter posted on his social media platform Truth Social, repeating the same lies he’s peddled for nearly two years now ― including that the election was stolen from him. The former president did not say in the letter whether he would agree to testify before the committee. “Well, I mean it was 14 pages of ― kind of every ― seems like every statement the former president does now is increasingly long and even more rambling. So I don’t know, I couldn’t glean whatever he got from that,” Kinzinger told George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week.” “What I know is this. We made a decision and ― in front of the American people, you know, not behind closed doors ― to begin the process of subpoenaing the former president. He’s required by law to come in,” he continued. “And he can ramble and push back all he wants. That’s the requirement for a congressional subpoena to come in.” During the months of hearings and interviews, the Jan. 6 committee has weaved footage from that day with first-hand testimony from mostly Republicans and Trump loyalists to prove that the former president attempted to overthrow the 2020 election and stay in power through any means necessary. Despite losing the election, Trump ignored the advice of senior staff, the courts and his own Justice Department, continuing to push the election fraud lie that has now spread to Republican candidates running for office this year. Kinzinger said Sunday that the threat of election deniers holding office and subverting democracy is “certainly” continuing. “Look, I don’t think this is just going to go away organically. This is going to take the American people really standing up and making the decision that truth matters,” he said. “With these deniers out there that can’t even agree on basic facts or will lie to the American people ― or people like [House Minority Leader] Kevin McCarthy, who’ve been put in a very important position that refuses to tell the truth because that’s much harder ― or that’s much easier to just lie than to tell the truth and still try to win the speakership.” “This is the fight. And I would love to say this was going to happen easily,” he continued. “It’s going to take everybody’s work out there working hard, because don’t think you want to leave your kids a country off like what we’ve been living in, in terms of how divided it is.” The committee is expected to compile a final report that will include legislative recommendations and potential criminal referrals to the Justice Department. Neither of those decisions will automatically result in action, but the panel hopes that their investigation has at least helped quash Trump’s conspiracy theories and disinformation about the election and the insurrection. According to Kinzinger, the question of whether the committee will make criminal referrals isn’t that significant because the Justice Department is “moving forward on this anyway” and “appears to be pursuing this pretty hard.” “It’s putting those facts together, putting together in more of ― in a deeper kind of way exactly what we know. For instance, the last hearing I did before this last one, we ― it was about an hour-and-a-half long. That could have been about a four-hour hearing,” the congressman said of what the public can next expect of the panel. “So, you’ll see more of those details, we’ll start to work on recommendations, and then again, we put out that report. “And really, the torch has been passed ― yes, to the DOJ, but also to the American people,” he continued. “Because we’re saying, ‘Here’s what the deal is, now it’s up to you to stop this from, A, happening again, and really take control as a self-governing country. What kind of a country do you want to live in? This is not acceptable how we’ve been doing it. We can do way better.’” This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related… What The Jan. 6 Committee Has Accomplished So Far Trump Reacts To Jan. 6 Hearing With 14-Page Letter Pushing Same Old Claims Justice Dept. Seeks End To Special Master Review Of Trump Docs House Jan. 6 Committee Subpoenas Trump In Final Public Hearing Read More…

Political Battle Likely To Trump Civic Issues, Say Experts https://digitalalabamanews.com/political-battle-likely-to-trump-civic-issues-say-experts/ Mumbai: The Andheri East by-poll is very significant not just on account of the prestige fight between the two warring fronts of the Shiv Sena but also for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It will be the first litmus test for all of them after the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray was pulled down by defector Eknath Shinde with the backing of the BJP in June-July this year. The poll results will not only set the tone for the forthcoming local body polls but reveal the political standing of each one of the parties after the high-voltage political drama in the state. The Andheri by-poll, scheduled to be held on November 3, has garnered state-wide importance in the backdrop of the political upheaval in the state when 40 of 55 MLAs left Thackeray to join hands with the BJP to form the government in Maharashtra. The constituency, which has a mix of lower-income and middle-income group voters with a few elite pockets, may thus not thus see a battle fought on the civic issues it faces. However there are many issues in this constituency, which has industrial hubs like the Andheri MIDC and SEEPZ and linear transport projects like the metro railway routes. The key issues The main issues here include the rehabilitation of slum dwellers, infrastructure like water and drainage in slum areas and redevelopment of old buildings, especially some pockets which are part of the airport funnel zone. The constituency lags behind in health infrastructure and faces a major problem of water supply. Stalled redevelopment projects have left slum dwellers from the constituency in the lurch and living in transit accommodation for years. “We have focused on providing water to areas which did not get adequate water supply or were hamstrung by low pressure. The late Ramesh Latke, MLA from here, had worked for this. The problem has almost been solved. Old water lines have been replaced to ensure that water is supplied at a higher force,” said Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab. BJP candidate Murji Patel said, “We have no government-run hospital in the vicinity, posing challenges during epidemics and compelling citizens to depend on expensive treatments in private hospitals. Similarly, 12 of our key roads have been encroached upon by slums, leading to traffic snarls. I plan to clear these roads by rehabilitating the slumdwellers. We are also planning to have meetings with the industrial houses in the constituency to ensure that youngsters from the area get priority in recruitment in the industries here. Ours is the highest tax-paying constituency in the city.” Sympathy wave The Shiv Sena expects the sympathy wave to work in its favour in the by-poll. “Besides the sympathy for Rutuja Latke due to the demise of her husband Ramesh, voters here have a soft corner for the Thackeray faction thanks to its ‘betrayal’ by the Shinde camp,” said a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader. “The drama over the delay in passing Latke’s resignation by the BMC has also fuelled sentiments among voters. It will help us in the election.” The UBT Sena also expects the ‘Marathi pride’ card to favour it, as 40 percent of votes in the constituency are Marathi. According to its leaders, the BJP’s putting up a Gujarati-speaking candidate will help them galvanise Marathi voters. However, BJP candidate Murji Patel said, “People will choose development over sentiments and sympathy. I have always got the support of Marathi-speaking voters as well as Muslims, and this time too will not be an exception.” Alliances put up united face Since it is the first poll after the split in the Shiv Sena and the change in the state government, both alliances are putting up a united front against each other, with the Congress and NCP going all out to ensure that their voters fully support Rujuta Latke, and the Shinde faction of the Sena ensuring that the BJP candidate is supported by its cadre. The poll’s outcome will also determine if the Shiv Sena and Congress can formally join forces for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections due later this year or in early 2023. “I can say with conviction that if the BJP loses this battle, it will be a major loss of face for them. We, on the other hand, have little to lose. But a victory for the Shiv Sena will serve as a major morale-booster for the BMC polls,” said Anil Parab, who, as the local vibhag pramukh, is also leading the charge for the party. The MVA, however, has witnessed dissident voices, with many party office-bearers resigning in protest of the Congress decision to back a Sena candidate. “The alliance with the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is not in the interests of the party. If the party wants to keep its existence floating in Mumbai, it needs to fight against the Sena for its corruption in the BMC over the last three decades,” said Congress leader and All India Congress Committee member Vishwabandhu Rai in a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi. In the three by-elections that have taken place since 2019, the BJP has won one (Pandharpur-Mangalwedha), while the MVA has won two (Kolhapur North and Deglur). All the three by-polls were fought by the MVA as an alliance against the BJP. Mumbai-based political analyst Hemant Desai said, “Because of the recent political developments in the state, the by-poll has become a battleground for parties struggling for their prestige. The real issues of the constituency are unlikely to be addressed in the election. The outcome of the election will, however, have a significant impact on politics in future.” In 2019, Ramesh Latke had secured 62,773 votes in the Andheri East constituency, while Patel, a former corporator, who has in the past been part of the Congress, NCP and the Shiv Sena, fought as an independent and got 45,808. Amin Kutty of the Congress had cornered 27,951 votes. The constituency has been represented by former health minister Suresh Shetty of the Congress as well. However, Shetty lost the 2014 election badly and ended up in the third position. The Shiv Sena and BJP had fought the polls separately in a neck-and-neck fight. The Sena’s Ramesh Latke polled 52,817 votes against the BJP’s Sunil Yadav’s 47,338. Shetty polled 37,929 votes. Read More…

Trump Attacks American Jews, Posting They Must ‘get Their Act Together’ On Israel https://digitalalabamanews.com/trump-attacks-american-jews-posting-they-must-get-their-act-together-on-israel/ Former president Donald Trump attacked American Jews in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, saying Jews in the United States must “get their act together” and show more appreciation for the state of Israel “before it is too late.” American Jews have long been accused of holding secret loyalty to Israel rather than the United States, and Trump’s post leaned on that antisemitic trope, suggesting that by virtue of their religion, American Jews should show more appreciation to Israel. Trump also complained in the post that “no president” had done more for Israel than he had but that Christian evangelicals are “far more appreciative of this than the people of the Jewish faith, especially those living in the U.S.” It was not the first time that Trump has suggested that American Jews, who traditionally have more often aligned with the Democratic Party on domestic policies, should be more supportive of him because of how he dealt with Israel. “Jewish people who live in the United States don’t love Israel enough. Does that make sense to you?” he said in an interview last year with an Orthodox Jewish magazine, adding that it seemed “strange” to him that he did not have more Jewish support. At a Hanukkah event at the White House in 2018, he drew criticism for referring to Israel as “your country” while speaking to American Jews. He was also rebuked when he said during an Oval Office meeting in 2019 that “any Jewish people who would vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.” Trump’s latest diatribe about Jews came as Republican candidates have made overt appeals to racial animus and resentments in the closing weeks of the midterm election campaign. It also comes as leading Republican figures have failed to disavow musician and sometime-Trump supporter Ye, the rapper and fashion designer formerly known as Kanye West. Ye earlier this month tweeted that he wanted to go “death con 3” on “JEWISH PEOPLE,” an apparent reference to Defcon, the U.S. military defense readiness system. Instagram and Twitter removed posts by the artist, who had been featured on conservative Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s show. Trump has long been frustrated that he has not drawn more support from American Jews, particularly when as president, he moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and his Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner, helped negotiate new treaties between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors. In Sunday’s post, Trump wrote that his support among people living in Israel is “a different story.” “Highest approval rating in the World, could easily be P.M.!” he wrote, contrasting his popularity in the foreign country with his support among American Jews. Trump’s post drew quick criticism. “We don’t need the former president, who curries favor with extremists and antisemites, to lecture us about the US-Israel relationship,” Anti-Defamation League chief executive and national director Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “It is not about a quid pro quo; it rests on shared values and security interests. This ‘Jewsplaining’ is insulting and disgusting.” On her personal Twitter account, Neera Tanden, a senior adviser to President Biden, wrote, “We should all stand against what feels like a growing chorus of anti-Semitism. There should be no quarter for it in our politics or culture.” Read More…

Mercedes-Benz Rolls Out Battery-Electric EQE SUV https://digitalalabamanews.com/mercedes-benz-rolls-out-battery-electric-eqe-suv/ Mercedes-Benz Mercedes says AMG EQE SUV scoots to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Mercedes expands its EQ lineup with an SUV version of its EQE battery-electric sedan. The Alabama-built BEV goes on sale in March 2023. Greg Kable | Oct 16, 2022 Mercedes-Benz unveils the ’23 EQE SUV on the eve of the 2022 Paris auto show, confirming plans for a five-strong model range, including the rapid 677-hp AMG EQE from its performance-car division. Set for North American sale in March 2023, the EQE SUV is Mercedes-Benz’s ninth electric model. It is the fourth model based on the German automaker’s second-generation Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA) platform, joining the EQS and EQE sedans and the recently launched EQS SUV. The EQE SUV will be offered with the choice of either rear- or all-wheel drive in combination with three standard electric drivetrains. The base EQE 350+ is powered by a single, rear-axle motor producing 288 hp and 417 lb.-ft. (565 Nm) of torque. The more powerful all-wheel-drive EQE350 4Matic provides the same horsepower but adds 147 lb.-ft. (199 Nm) of torque for a system total of 564 lb.-ft. (765 Nm). At the top of the non-AMG range is the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive EQE500 4Matic rated at 536 hp and 633 lb.-ft. (858 Nm). They will be joined in mid-2023 by the ’24 AMG EQE SUV employing dual electric motors, including an AMG-engineered six-phase rear electric motor employing specialized windings and unique cooling. The AMG model produces 617 hp and 701 lb.-ft. (950 Nm) of torque with a boost function pushing output to 677 hp and 738 lb.-ft. (1,001 Nm) in combination with an optional AMG Dynamic Plus Package. Mercedes-Benz says the 5,930-lb. (2,690-kg) AMG EQE is capable of 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.4 seconds. The EQE SUV receives the same 90.6-kWh lithium-ion battery unit used by the EQE sedan. It supports DC charging at up to 170 kW, providing the most efficient model, the rear-wheel-drive EQE350+, with an estimated range of 298-366 miles (480-589 km) on the WLTP test cycle. Stylistically, the EQE SUV adheres closely to the look established by the larger EQS SUV, albeit with a more steeply sloping roofline and angled tailgate. Key exterior design elements include a black panel grille (with optional star pattern treatment), angular headlamps joined by a thin horizontal light bar across the leading edge (optional with Mercedes-Benz’s Digital Light functionality) as well as largely unadorned surfacing and large wheelhouses accommodating wheels up to 22-in. in diameter. The hood is designed to be opened only during servicing. It abandons the clamshell design of other EVA-based models for a more conventional setup with shut lines within the top of the front fenders rather than within the upper edge of the front wheelhouses. As with the EQE and EQS sedans and EQS SUV, it has a washer bottle port behind the lefthand side front wheelhouse.  Narrow running boards are an option. They’re claimed to contribute to aerodynamic efficiency by smoothing the airflow along the sides. The AMG models receive their own individual styling cues, including a new-look Panamericana-style grille, restyled bumpers and unique wheel designs among other changes. Inside, the SUV draws heavily on the EQE sedan with the choice of two different dashboard layouts. Standard versions receive separate instrument and central infotainment displays with Mercedes-Benz’s Hyperscreen, which supports up to three individual displays in an optional 55.5-in.- (141-cm-) wide panel. The displays operate in combination with the Mercedes-Benz MBUX operating system, which offers conversational speech commands via a “Hey Mercedes” prompt as well as over-the-air software update functionality via an embedded SIM card. Latest enhancements to the MBUX system include the integration of major music streaming services, including Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music, among other online services. Mercedes-Benz also is launching a new optional Burmester sound system featuring Dolby Atmos surround sound in the EQE. Standard EQE models receive a steel suspension featuring adaptive damping. Buyers will be able to order an optional air suspension, which comes as standard and with unique tuning on AMG models. Other developments include electromechanical active roll stabilization and four-wheel steering – the latter supporting a turning angle of the rear wheels of up to 10° (9° on the AMG models due to wider wheels and tires). The EQE SUV (pictured, below) is produced alongside the EQS SUV at Mercedes-Benz’s Tuscaloosa, AL, plant. Production of standard models for the Chinese market is planned to take place at the automaker’s joint venture operations with Beijing Automotive Industry Corp. in Beijing. – with Bob Gritzinger Read More…

Victim Continues Recovery After Life-Altering Shooting At Store In Mobile https://digitalalabamanews.com/victim-continues-recovery-after-life-altering-shooting-at-store-in-mobile/ MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — This weekend marks one month since the owner of a Mobile convenience store was seriously wounded in a robbery. Grover Stewart’s family said he continues to remain upbeat despite a life-changing injury. Friends said Grover Stewart has been a pillar of the community, working for the people around him and now others are stepping up in this time of need. His sister, Ann Williams, said his brother is continuing medical treatment in Birmingham after the shooting left him paralyzed from the waist down. “He’s in good spirits he’s trying very very hard to stay positive and he’s working very hard to be independent,” said Williams. She said she’s also grateful to the many people in the community who’ve poured out their support to help after this terrible tragedy. “We appreciate the love and the support, it’s just incredible it’s incredible, wonderful to have so many people concerned about my brother and his family,” said Willams. People have shown support through donations to a GoFundMe page that’s raised more than $4,000 in a month. Grover Stewart was shot on September 15th at his Store Mother’s finest. Other family members like his sister have stepped up to work extra shifts to keep the store going, they describe Stewart as someone who helped his community and now needs that love right back. “He helped the community, everyone is concerned about his well-being, he’s positive, he’s uplifted and he’s trying very hard,” said Williams. Between the physical pain connected to the injury and rehabilitation, it’s a tough battle. Mobile Police arrested 19-year-old Jalunnie Bradley and an unnamed 16-year-old following the shooting. Bradley’s charges were upgraded to attempted murder two weeks after the shooting. Stay ahead of the biggest stories, breaking news and weather in Mobile, Pensacola and across the Gulf Coast and Alabama. Download the WKRG News 5 news app and be sure to turn on push alerts. Read More…

Montgomery Advertiser Obituaries In Montgomery, AL | Montgomery Advertiser https://digitalalabamanews.com/montgomery-advertiser-obituaries-in-montgomery-al-montgomery-advertiser-4/ Helen Yarbrough, beloved Aunt and Montgomery, AL resident, passed away on Monday, October 9th, 2022. She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Julia and John Yarbrough, and sisters Frances Yarbrough Northcutt and Jane Yarbrough Finley. She is survived by nieces Michelle Finley Payne and Heather Finley Renegar and nephew John Finley, as well as three great-nieces and one great-nephew. Ms. Yarbrough was born on March 7th, 1953 in Prattville, AL and was an Auburn University graduate and lifetime member of the Auburn Alumni Association. She was an ardent supporter of the SPCA and Humane Society. “Frat”, as she was known to her nieces and nephews, was committed to her family and will be deeply missed. A private family memorial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Montgomery Humane Society. Posted online on October 16, 2022 Published in Montgomery Advertiser Helen Yarbrough, beloved Aunt and Montgomery, AL resident, passed away on Monday, October 9th, 2022. She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Julia and John Yarbrough, and sisters Frances Yarbrough Northcutt and Jane Yarbrough Finley. She is survived by nieces Michelle Finley Payne and Heather Finley Renegar and nephew John Finley, as well as three great-nieces and one great-nephew. Ms. Yarbrough was born on March 7th, 1953 in Prattville, AL and was an Auburn University graduate and lifetime member of the Auburn Alumni Association. She was an ardent supporter of the SPCA and Humane Society. “Frat”, as she was known to her nieces and nephews, was committed to her family and will be deeply missed. A private family memorial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Montgomery Humane Society. Posted online on October 16, 2022 Published in Montgomery Advertiser Read More…

Russia-Ukraine War Latest: What We Know On Day 235 Of The Invasion https://digitalalabamanews.com/russia-ukraine-war-latest-what-we-know-on-day-235-of-the-invasion/ At least 11 people were killed and 15 wounded at a military training ground in south-west Russia’s Belgorod region when two volunteers opened fire on other troops, the Russian defence ministry said. The shooters were nationals from a former Soviet republic and had been shot dead after Saturday’s shooting, the ministry said, calling it a terrorist attack. Baza, a Russian news site with close ties to police, said the shooting occurred at 10am local time during shooting practice. Elon Musk has announced his company SpaceX will continue to pay for Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine, a day after suggesting he could not keep funding the project. “The hell with it,” the billionaire tweeted on Saturday. “Even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free.” Russia has continued to try to hit Ukrainian’s energy infrastructure but Vladimir Putin’s forces did not appear to have enjoyed any significant success. One missile seriously damaged a key energy facility in the region around Ukraine’s capital, however, and 10 missiles and four drones hit locations in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia. Map of Russian strikes on energy infrastructure Ukrainian forces have repelled Russian attacks near 11 settlements, the Kyiv Independent has reported. According to the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces, Russian forces were attempting to advance near the settlements of Novosadove, Yakovlivka, Berestove, Bakhmut, Bakhmutske, Opytne, Krasnohorivka, Nevelske, Pervomaiske, Mariinka, and Pobieda. France will train up to 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers on its territory, France’s minister for the armed forces told Le Parisien newspaper in an interview on Saturday. Sebastien Lecornu said soldiers would “be taken into our units for several weeks”, and that France would also provide Ukraine with Crotale air defence systems, without specifying how many. Iran has reiterated that it rejects accusations it has supplied Russia with weapons “to be used in the war in Ukraine”, its foreign ministry said. The topic is due to be discussed by EU foreign ministers in a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday. In a statement, the Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, “emphasised that the Islamic republic of Iran has not and will not provide any weapon to be used in the war in Ukraine”. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence has revealed the identity of the “Ghost of Vinnytsia” who had replaced the “Ghost of Kyiv”, which turned out to be propaganda. The pilot, named as Vadym, has been Ukraine’s poster fighter in the past few weeks after multiple reports of Russian losses in Ukrainian skies. A fuel depot in Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, caught fire after shelling on Saturday, its governor said, without specifying the shelling’s origin. The Russian foreign ministry has confirmed the re-equipping of Belarusian Su-25 aircraft to carry nuclear weapons, according to the Belarusian Hajun project. Ukrainian troops have launched an offensive in Kherson oblast, the Kyiv Independent reported, while it has not been confirmed by Ukraine. Dane Partridge, a 34-year-old man from Idaho who fought as a volunteer soldier in Ukraine, died on Tuesday from injuries sustained during a Russian attack in Luhansk, AP reported. Read More…

What They’re Saying Nationally About Auburn’s 48-34 Loss To Ole Miss https://digitalalabamanews.com/what-theyre-saying-nationally-about-auburns-48-34-loss-to-ole-miss/ Auburn Football Published: Oct. 16, 2022, 8:00 a.m. Mississippi wide receiver Dayton Wade (19) hauls in a 35-yard touchdown pass reception past Auburn cornerback Jaylin Simpson (36) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)AP Auburn’s run of dominance in its head-to-head series with Ole Miss ended Saturday afternoon. The Tigers fell to the Rebels, 48-34, in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, as Lane Kiffin’s team amassed 448 rushing yards while handing Bryan Harsin’s program its third consecutive loss. Moreover, it snapped a six-game winning streak in the SEC West series for Auburn, and it marked the program’s fourth-ever loss in Oxford, Miss. None of the previous three Auburn coaches to lose on the road to Ole Miss (Pat Dye in 1992, Tommy Tuberville in 2008 and Gene Chizik in 2012) returned to the Plains the following the season. Read more Auburn football: “That one sucked”: Ole Miss’ surprise onside kick looms large for Auburn in loss Auburn’s run defense decimated by Ole Miss in worst performance in 20 years What Bryan Harsin said about Auburn’s third straight loss Auburn now heads into its bye week with a 3-4 overall mark and a 1-3 record in SEC play. Ole Miss, meanwhile, is ranked in the top-10 and sits at 7-0 for just the second time since 1962. After a wild track meet at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday afternoon, here’s a look at some of the headlines and buzz — both nationally and in Mississippi — stemming from the latest meeting between the Tigers and the Rebels: — “The evidence is clear. Write a very big check, fire your coach, win a bunch of games. Someone tell Auburn.” (ESPN) — Saturday’s effort “may just say something about the fight in this Auburn team.” (The Athletic) — “Auburn is very much a mess, and Ole Miss very much isn’t.” (Sports Illustrated) — Ole Miss “dealt a staggering blow to Auburn’s season, and perhaps coach Bryan Harsin’s job stability.” (CBS Sports) — “The voters won’t penalize Ole Miss for allowing a reeling Auburn team to hang around” (CBS Sports) — “The Rebels’ run game is fantastic” (Yahoo Sports) — “We’ll see if Bryan Harsin is still Auburn’s coach” after the bye week (247Sports) — Ole Miss runs wild, holds off Auburn (Associated Press) — Ole Miss shows unstoppable offense, porous defense in win against Auburn (The Clarion-Ledger) — Examining the weird surreality of Ole Miss’ win against Auburn (The Clarion-Ledger) — When the dust settles for Ole Miss, it’s not how but how many? (Daily Journal) Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Jan. 6 Committee Members Unclear What Comes Next If Trump Refuses To Comply With Subpoena https://digitalalabamanews.com/jan-6-committee-members-unclear-what-comes-next-if-trump-refuses-to-comply-with-subpoena/ Two House Jan. 6 committee members said Sunday that the panel has not yet determined next steps if former President Donald Trump refuses to comply with its subpoena that was issued during its latest public hearing. The committee’s ninth hearing Thursday, its last hearing before the midterm elections, concluded with the panel voting unanimously to subpoena Trump. In an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., was asked whether the committee would push for the House to send a criminal referral to the Justice Department if the former president refuses to comply with its subpoena. “I won’t engage in any hypotheticals at this moment, as the subpoena hasn’t yet even been served. But I will say is that with previous subpoenas, what you’ve seen the committee do is be very deliberate, and take the response to our subpoenas on a case-by-case basis,” Murphy said. “And I imagine that we will also do that, because we understand the seriousness of the charge of our committee.” A source familiar with the committee’s plans told NBC News Thursday that the panel plans to issue the subpoena, which expires at the end of the current congressional term, in the coming days. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., issued similar remarks during an interview on ABC News “This Week” Sunday when pressed on whether the DOJ should hold Trump in criminal contempt if he refuses to comply with the subpoena. “Look, that’s a bridge we cross if we have to get there,” Kinzinger said. “You know, look, we well recognize the fact that because of the committee only being able to exist til the end of this congressional year, because that was the mandate, we’re at a bit of a time limit here.” Kinzinger said that as the committee wraps up its investigation, it’s also pursuing “new leads and facts” and it hopes to speak with Trump. He also implored Trump to speak with the panel, saying the former president has “made it clear he has nothing to hide.” “If he pushes off beyond that, we’ll figure out what to do next,” Kinzinger said. “Granted that, you know, this is not an unprecedented move by Congress, but it’s also, we recognize, this is a big deal. This is a big move.” Trump responded to the committee’s subpoena Friday in a 14-page letter in which he vented his “anger, disappointment and complaint” at the panel for not investigating his baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 election. Although the former president did not indicate whether he would comply with the panel’s subpoena to testify, he is expected to challenge it. Asked after the hearing last week whether the committee is prepared to fight over a subpoena in court, chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said, “Let’s see what happens,” adding of Trump, “We hope that he honors it.” “This is a question about accountability to the American people. He must be accountable. He is required to answer for his actions. He’s required to answer to those police officers who put their lives and bodies on the line to defend our democracy. He’s required to answer to those millions of Americans whose votes he wanted to throw out as part of his scheme to remain in power,” Thompson said, acknowledging the move as a “serious and extraordinary action.” Read More…

President Joe Biden Turning To Trump-Era Rule To Expel Venezuelan Migrants https://digitalalabamanews.com/president-joe-biden-turning-to-trump-era-rule-to-expel-venezuelan-migrants/ WASHINGTON — Two years ago, candidate Joe Biden loudly denounced President Donald Trump for immigration policies that inflicted “cruelty and exclusion at every turn,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of socialist Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Now, with increasing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border as the Nov. 8 election nears, Biden has turned to an unlikely source for a solution: his predecessor’s playbook. Biden last week invoked a Trump-era rule known as Title 42 — which Biden’s own Justice Department is fighting in court — to deny Venezuelans fleeing their crisis-torn country the chance to request asylum at the border. The rule, first invoked by Trump in 2020, uses emergency public health authority to allow the United States to keep migrants from seeking asylum at the border, based on the need to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Under the new Biden administration policy, Venezuelans who walk or swim across America’s southern border will be expelled and any Venezuelan who illegally enters Mexico or Panama will be ineligible to come to the United States. But as many as 24,000 Venezuelans will be accepted at U.S. airports, similar to how Ukrainians have been admitted since Russia’s invasion in February. Mexico has insisted that the U.S. admit one Venezuelan on humanitarian parole for each Venezuelan it expels to Mexico, according to a Mexican official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke condition of anonymity. So if the Biden administration paroles 24,000 Venezuelans to the U.S., Mexico would take no more than 24,000 Venezuelans expelled from the U.S. The Biden policy marks an abrupt turn for the White House, which just weeks ago was lambasting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, both Republicans, for putting Venezuelan migrants “fleeing political persecution” on buses and planes to Democratic strongholds. “These were children, they were moms, they were fleeing communism,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the time. Biden’s new policy has drawn swift criticism from immigrant advocates, many of them quick to point out the Trump parallels. “Rather than restore the right to asylum decimated by the Trump administration … the Biden administration has dangerously embraced the failures of the past and expanded upon them by explicitly enabling expulsions of Venezuelan migrants,” said Jennifer Nagda, policy director of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. The administration says the policy is aimed at ensuring a “lawful and orderly” way for Venezuelans to enter the U.S. Why the turnaround? For more than a year after taking office in January 2021, Biden deferred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which used its authority to keep in place the Trump-era declaration that a public health risk existed that warranted expedited expulsion of asylum-seekers. Members of Biden’s own party and activist groups had expressed skepticism about the public health underpinnings for allowing Title 42 to remain in effect, especially when COVID-19 was spreading more widely within the U.S. than elsewhere. After months of internal deliberations and preparations, the CDC on April 1 said it would end the public health order and return to normal border processing of migrants, giving them a chance to request asylum in the U.S. Homeland Security officials braced for a resulting increase in border crossings. But officials inside and outside the White House were conflicted over ending the authority, believing it effectively kept down the number of people crossing the border illegally, according to senior administration officials. A court order in May that kept Title 42 in place due to a challenge from Republican state officials was greeted with quiet relief by some in the administration, according to officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions. The recent increase in migration from Venezuela, sparked by political, social and economic instability in the country, dashed officials’ hopes that they were finally seeing a lull in the chaos that had defined the border region for the past year. By August, Venezuelans were the second-largest nationality arriving at the U.S. border after Mexicans. Given that U.S. tensions with Venezuela meant migrants from the country could not be sent back easily, the situation became increasingly difficult to manage. So an administration that had rejected many Trump-era policies aimed at keeping out migrants, that had worked to make the asylum process easier and that had increased the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. now turned to Title 42. It brokered a deal to send the Venezuelans to Mexico, which already had agreed to accept migrants expelled under Title 42 if they are from Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador. All the while, Justice Department lawyers continue to appeal a court decision that has kept Title 42 in place. They are opposing Republican attorneys general from more than 20 states who have argued that Title 42 is “the only safety valve preventing this Administration’s already disastrous border control policies from descending into an unmitigated catastrophe.” Under Title 42, migrants have been expelled more than 2.3 million times from the U.S. after crossing the country’s land borders illegally from Canada or Mexico, though most try to come through Mexico. The administration had announced it would stop expelling migrants under Title 42 starting May 23 and go back to detaining and deporting migrants who did not qualify to enter and remain in the U.S. — a longer process that allows migrants to request asylum in the U.S. “We are extremely disturbed by the apparent acceptance, codification, and expansion of the use of Title 42, an irrelevant health order, as a cornerstone of border policy,” said Thomas Cartwright of Witness at the Border. “One that expunges the legal right to asylum.” A separate lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union also is trying to end Title 42, an effort that could render the administration’s proposal useless. “People have a right to seek asylum – regardless of where they came from, how they arrive in the United States, and whether or not they have family here,” said ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt. ___ Long reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP’s coverage of immigration at https://apnews.com/hub/immigration Read More…

Social Security COLA 2023, Live Online Today: Increase, Benefits And Adjustment | SSA Latest News https://digitalalabamanews.com/social-security-cola-2023-live-online-today-increase-benefits-and-adjustment-ssa-latest-news-3/ Update: October 16th, 2022 11:56 EDT “The higher-than-expected COLA costs could have long term implications for Social Security solvency, and could potentially move the insolvency date, currently around 2034, forward.” SOCIAL SECURITY At what age is Social Security no longer taxed in the US? The Social Security Administration announced the 2023 COLA on 13 October and the boost was a doozy. Great news for those that are finding their monthly checks not going as far in the face of rising prices. Bad news for those that will break the income thresholds where a portion of their benefits are liable to taxation. Before 1984, Social Security benefits were not taxed. However, to keep the Trust Fund that supports the program solvent, bipartisan legislation was passed totax a portion of payments to seniors citizens, surviving spouses, and the disabled if they had income above certain thresholds. Social Security and Medicare on the ballot in November Social Security and Medicare are both facing financial shortfalls that will push them to insolvency if nothing is done. This year’s report on the health of the Medicare fund gave it an additional two years before it runs out of money which is now predicted to be in 2028. Prior to the 8.7% COLA increase to benefits the trustees of the Social Security funds determined the combined funds will run dry by 2035, just the retirement fund one year earlier. The outsized boost to benefits was more  than double the increase used to calculate the prediction which could move the insolvency date up by a whole calendar year. Both programs need reform but what that looks like will be shaped by the results of Midterm Elections in November. Legislation has been proposed in the House by Democrats to expand Social Security and boost funding. On the other side of the aisle Republicans are talking about making the programs discretionary spending with sunset clauses meaning that they would need to reapproved every five years. Will 8.7% boost Dems in election? With tens of millions of Americans getting a financial leg up in the coming months thanks to the Democratic party, some on the other side are trying to argue that it will not help them in the upcoming elections. What do you think? President Biden talks social security and medicare The president, in Portland for a two-day trip to campaign for Democrats ahead of the 8 November general election, delivers a speech in which he discusses the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as his plan to protect and strengthen Medicare and Social Security. You can watch and listen. Only three COLAs have been larger than in 2023 Thursday’s cost-of-living adjustment is the fourth largest since the Social Security Administration began implementing the annual mechanism nearly half a century ago. Since 1975, the only increases that have been greater than the 8.7% hike for 2023 came in a three-year period at the end of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s. In 1979, the COLA was 9.9%. In 1980, it then rose to a record 14.3%, before 12 months later it was 11.2%. COLA 2023 official announcement If you like to hear your communications straight from the financial benefits horse’s mouth, then here you go… Welcome to AS USA 2023 COLA increase updates Hello and welcome to AS USA’s live blog on the 2023 Social Security COLA increase for Sunday, 16 October.  The Social Security Adminstration announced the 2023 Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for social security benefits, for programs like Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance. Other government pension and benefits programs will also be affected by the 8.7% increase. The COLA offered for next year is historic in size after inflation has plagued markets for basic commodities consumed by most households, including food, shelter, utilities, and gasoline.   Tagged in: Seguridad Social Inflación Estados Unidos Pensión jubilación Discapacidad Read More…

Biden Calls Testimony From Jan. 6 Committee Hearing 'devastating' https://digitalalabamanews.com/biden-calls-testimony-from-jan-6-committee-hearing-devastating-2/ President Joe Biden said Saturday that he found testimony presented during the House Jan. 6 committee’s hearing last week to be “devastating” and that the panel has made an “overwhelming” case. Asked by reporters about his thoughts on the committee’s ninth hearing during a stop at a Baskin-Robbins in Portland, Oregon, Biden said, “I think the testimony in the video are actually devastating.” “And I’ve been going out of my way not to comment and see what happens. But it’s— I think it’s been devastating,” he said. “I mean, the case has been made, it seems to me, fairly overwhelming.” He added, “But any more I say about it, you — justified — are going to ask me if I’m trying to influence the Attorney General. I’m not. I’ve not spoken with him at all.” The committee’s hearing Thursday — the last before the midterm elections — delve into former President Donald Trump’s mindset as the violence at the Capitol unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021. The hearing featured never-before-seen footage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other congressional leaders calling for help during the riot as Trump refused to call off the mob of his supporters. Former Trump White House aides testified that Trump privately knew he had lost the 2020 election, despite espousing false claims of widespread election fraud. The hearing concluded with the committee voting unanimously to subpoena the former president for documents and testimony. Biden previously weighed in on the importance of the Jan. 6 congressional hearings in June, saying that Americans should know what unfolded and that “the same forces that led to Jan. 6 remain at work today.” “The insurrection on Jan. 6 was one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history — a brutal assault on our democracy, a brutal attack on law enforcement, some losing their lives, and we heard about it last night again,” Biden said in June, at the top of remarks focused on inflation at the Port of Los Angeles. Although he said he was unable to watch the committee’s first public hearing in June, the president stressed that it is important that the public understands “what truly happened.” “We have to protect our democracy,” he said, adding that “the soul of America has been far from won.” This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Read More…

Billions Of Snow Crabs Have Disappeared From The Waters Around Alaska. Scientists Say Overfishing Is Not The Cause | CNN https://digitalalabamanews.com/billions-of-snow-crabs-have-disappeared-from-the-waters-around-alaska-scientists-say-overfishing-is-not-the-cause-cnn/ CNN  —  The Alaska snow crab harvest has been canceled for the first time ever after billions of the crustaceans have disappeared from the cold, treacherous waters of the Bering Sea in recent years. The Alaska Board of Fisheries and North Pacific Fishery Management Council announced last week that the population of snow crab in the Bering Sea fell below the regulatory threshold to open up the fishery. But the actual numbers behind that decision are shocking: The snow crab population shrank from around 8 billion in 2018 to 1 billion in 2021, according to Benjamin Daly, a researcher with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “Snow crab is by far the most abundant of all the Bering Sea crab species that is caught commercially,” Daly told CNN. “So the shock and awe of many billions missing from the population is worth noting – and that includes all the females and babies.” The Bristol Bay red king crab harvest will also be closed for the second year in a row, the agencies announced. Officials cited overfishing as their rationale for canceling the seasons. Mark Stichert, the groundfish and shellfish fisheries management coordinator with the state’s fish and game department, said that more crab were being fished out of the oceans than could be naturally replaced. “So there were more removals from the population than there were inputs,” Stichert explained at Thursday’s meeting. Between the surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022, he said, mature male snow crabs declined about 40%, with an estimated 45 million pounds left in the entire Bering Sea. “It’s a scary number, just to be clear,” Stichert said. But calling the Bering Sea crab population “overfished” – a technical definition that triggers conservation measures – says nothing about the cause of its collapse. “We call it overfishing because of the size level,” Michael Litzow, the Kodiak lab director for NOAA Fisheries, told CNN. “But it wasn’t overfishing that caused the collapse, that much is clear.” Litzow says human-caused climate change is a significant factor in the crabs’ alarming disappearance. Snow crabs are cold-water species and found overwhelmingly in areas where water temperatures are below 2 degrees Celsius, Litzow says. As oceans warm and sea ice disappears, the ocean around Alaska is becoming inhospitable for the species. “There have been a number of attribution studies that have looked at specific temperatures in the Bering Sea or Bering Sea ice cover in 2018, and in those attribution studies, they’ve concluded that those temperatures and low-ice conditions in the Bering sea are a consequence of global warming,” Litzow said. Temperatures around the Arctic have warmed four times faster than the rest of the planet, scientists have reported. Climate change has triggered a rapid loss in sea ice in the Arctic region, particularly in Alaska’s Bering Sea, which in turn has amplified global warming. “Closing the fisheries due to low abundance and continuing research are the primary efforts to restore the populations at this point,” Ethan Nichols, an assistant area management biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, told CNN. Stichert also said that there might be some “optimism for the future” as a few, small juvenile snow crabs are starting to appear in the system. But it could be at least three to four more years before they hit maturity and contribute to the regrowth of the population. “It is a glimmer of optimism,” Litzow said. “That’s better than not seeing them, for sure. We get a little bit warmer every year and that variability is higher in Arctic ecosystems and high latitude ecosystems, and so if we can get a cooler period that would be good news for snow crab.” Read More…

Paul Finebaum Doubles Down On Alabama Program Slipping: ‘It’s The Lack Of Discipline’ https://digitalalabamanews.com/paul-finebaum-doubles-down-on-alabama-program-slipping-its-the-lack-of-discipline/ Alabama Football Updated: Oct. 16, 2022, 11:35 a.m.| Published: Oct. 16, 2022, 11:07 a.m. Tennessee fans tear down the goal post after defeating Alabama 52-49 in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)AP Paul Finebaum doubled down Sunday on the state of Alabama football after the No. 3 Crimson Tide lost to No. 6 Tennessee 52-49. Citing the number of Alabama penalties committed against Tennessee, the SEC Network analyst once again suggested the Nick Saban’s program is slipping. “It’s the lack of discipline, and it just feels like this program is slipping a little bit,” Finebaum said Sunday morning on “SportsCenter.” “I know that’s a big statement to make considering Nick Saban is the coach, but the penalties are inexcusable. We’ve already seen it a couple of times this year. We saw it at Texas, and we saw it again. Saban keeps talking about how they have a path to the SEC and national championship, but it’s very narrow, and it’s about as suffocating as I was yesterday in that Tennessee casket.” During his appearance on “SEC Nation,” Finebaum rose from an orange Tennessee casket – much like The Undertaker – to pick the Vols to defeat Alabama. The Tide (6–1) committed a record 17 penalties for 130 yards in Knoxville, Tenn. Against Texas, a 20–19 win, Alabama had 15 penalties for 100 yards. The comments about the program slipping aren’t new. On Thursday, when joining me on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile, Finebaum first made the concerns public. “It does seem like this program has slipped,” Finebaum said Thursday. “Slipped from where is the question. They’re not as dominating. They make a lot of mistakes. That is evident by the 49 penalties. They don’t create turnovers like the great Alabama teams of Nick Saban have done. “The offensive production, which is still high, doesn’t seem as fluid. Look at the NFL rosters – from a receiver standpoint – there are endless numbers of lost players from (Jaylen) Waddle) to (Jerry) Jeudy to DeVonta Smith, (running back) Najee Harris. “The quarterback is just as good as anyone who’s been there – maybe better – but he doesn’t have the compliments around him. Therefore, Alabama hasn’t been effective.” Mark Heim is sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Russia's War In Ukraine | CNN https://digitalalabamanews.com/russias-war-in-ukraine-cnn-3/ Ukrainian commanders show video of drone strikes on Russian targets 03:32 – Source: CNN Two gunmen opened fire on recruits at a Russian military training ground, killing at least 11 people Saturday, according to Russia’s state media. The shooters were said to be from former Soviet states. A UN envoy accused Russia of using rape as a “military strategy” in Ukraine, saying there are dozens of documented sexual violence cases involving troops. Russian forces launched hundreds of missile strikes at civilian targets in Ukraine this week, a US military official said. More came Saturday, damaging an energy facility near Kyiv and pounding Zaporizhzhia. Moscow announced evacuations from the occupied Kherson region, where a Russia-backed official said the Ukrainian counteroffensive has intensified. Ships, including those carrying grain from Ukraine, await inspections off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, on October 14. Chris McGrath/Getty Images The fragile Black Sea grain deal will continue after Nov. 22, when it is set to expire, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said Sunday. Kubrakov made the comments during a meeting with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in Istanbul. They come after Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, cast doubt on the deal’s future this week. “The participating parties of the Initiative — the UN, Turkey and Ukraine — expressed their readiness to continue operating and assured maximum efforts for its successful implementation. There is no doubt that the grain corridor will continue operating after Nov. 22,” Kubrakov said.  The minister also emphasized the importance of getting faster ship inspections by the Joint Coordination Center. This allows for “a significant increase in the volume of grain exports to the countries of Africa, Asia, and Europe and prevents the formation of inspection queues,” he said.  A crew member prepares a grain analysis for members of the Joint Coordination Center onboard the “Nord Vind” coming from Ukraine and anchored in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 11. Yasin Akgul/AFP/Getty Images  Some background: The Black Sea Grain Initiative — which was brokered by the UN and Turkey — was signed by representatives from Russia and Ukraine in July. The agreement ended five months of Russian blockade, allowing ships carrying grain from Ukrainian ports in Odesa to navigate a safe corridor through the Black Sea, helping alleviate global food shortages. Kubrakov said almost 7.7 million tons of agricultural products have been exported since the launch of the initiative, which “has stabilized food prices and countered the threat of global hunger.” Russia casts doubt: Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said this week that Russia could leave the deal, according to Reuters. Later, Putin weighed in, saying Moscow would shut the export corridors if they are used to carry out “terrorist attacks.” Jake Sullivan appears on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, October 16.  CNN The US will make no distinction in its response to Russia using any form of nuclear weapon in its war with Ukraine, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN Sunday. Sullivan was responding to a hypothetical question from CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.” Bash asked whether the US would treat the so-called “tactical” use of a nuclear weapon — taking out a small target or detonating in the Black Sea, for example — any differently from wide-scale attacks. “The use of a nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine is the use of a nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine, and we’re not going to slice the salami,” Sullivan said, adding: “The notion that somehow there’s differences in use here, I think, is a dangerous notion.” “From our perspective, we believe it is incumbent upon the United States, working with our NATO allies and partners and other responsible countries around the world, including the likes of China and India, to send a very clear and decisive message to Russia that they should not contemplate the use of nuclear weapons in this conflict,” Sullivan continued. China and Kazakhstan are among the latest countries to call on their citizens to leave Ukraine, citing security reasons. China’s Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine told its citizens to evacuate Ukraine Saturday “given the severe security situation.” The Chinese embassy said it will help evacuate and transfer those who need to leave. Kazakhstan’s Embassy in Ukraine also urged its citizens to leave and warned against travel to Ukraine “in light of intensifying attacks on civil infrastructure and government facilities,” in a statement posted last week. “For those still in the country, do not disregard the air-raid sirens, stay under cover and in bomb shelters,” the embassy added. Serbia closes its embassy: Serbia — which recommended its citizens leave the country back in February — has now closed its embassy in Kyiv for security reasons, according to a statement by the Serbian diplomatic mission in Ukraine Sunday. A spokesperson said the move was temporary and that staff will work in Belgrade until it is safe to return. NATO and Russia are set to separately hold long planned exercises of their nuclear forces at a time of huge tension over Russia’s war on Ukraine. The Pentagon and the US intelligence community are watching for any unexpected or unusual movements of Moscow’s nuclear weapons during Russia’s exercise, which is expected to take place before the end of the month, according to several US officials. “We believe that that Russian nuclear rhetoric and its decision to proceed with this exercise while at war with Ukraine is irresponsible,” a senior defense official told CNN.  The Russian exercise called Grom, which roughly translates into thunder, is conducted every year, according to the US. “We anticipate the exercise will span several days,” said John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council. It’ll include live missile launches and a deployment of strategic assets.” Here’s what NATO will be doing: On Monday, NATO will begin its annual nuclear exercise known as Steadfast Noon, with the US among the 14 nations participating. It’s been conducted annually for over a decade, according to the Pentagon.  The exercise includes fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads but there will be no live weapons aboard. The US will provide B-52 bombers flying from Minot Air Base in North Dakota. The major exercise area will be more than 625 miles from Russia. The goal is to ensure NATO’s nuclear deterrent remains “credible, effective, safe and secure” the defense official said. According to NATO there will be up to 60 aircraft involved including advanced fighter jets, surveillance and tanker aircraft. Flights will take place over Belgium, the UK and the North Sea.  Biden warns of unprecedented nuclear threat: Though the Russian exercise is routine, it comes after President Joe Biden issued a stark warning earlier this month about the danger of President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats as Moscow faces military setbacks in Ukraine. “First time since the Cuban missile crisis, we have a direct threat of the use (of a) nuclear weapon if in fact things continue down the path they are going,” Biden warned during remarks at a Democratic fundraiser in New York. He added: “I don’t think there’s any such thing as the ability to easily (use) a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with Armageddon.” After Biden’s remarks, administration officials stressed that the US still has seen no evidence that Putin is moving toward using Russia’s nuclear capability, nor is there any intelligence showing he’s decided to do so. US and allies keeping a closer eye on the exercises: The tension over Ukraine means there will be even more scrutiny on the Russian exercise. The exercise is expected to focus on strategic weapons, meaning tests of ballistic missile systems that Russia would be required to provide advance notice of under treaty obligations.  NATO and US officials have said they are confident they will be able to accurately monitor any Russian nuclear activity during the exercise. “We will remain vigilant not least in light of the veiled nuclear threats and the dangerous nuclear rhetoric we have seen from the Russian side,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday. Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko meets with military officials in Minsk, on October 10. Maxim Guchek/Belta/AFP/Getty Images The number of Russian troops forming the new Belarusian-Russian joint force will be less than 9,000 people, Valery Revenko, the head of the Belarus Department of International Military Cooperation, said in a statement Sunday. “Their relocation will take several days. The total number will be a little less than 9 thousand people,” Revenko said on Twitter. Revenko said more details will be provided at a briefing for foreign military attachés on Monday. The Ministry of Defense of Belarus said in a statement Sunday that the Russian aviation component of the regional grouping of troops has already begun arriving in Belarus. The first group of Russian soldiers to form the joint force with Belarusian troops arrived in Belarus Saturday, Minsk’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. “Due to the aggravation on the western borders of the Union State, we agreed to deploy a regional grouping of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus,” President Alexander Lukashenko said last week, according to state news agency Belta. Some background: The joint force has raised fears of deepened military cooperation between the close allies and that Belarusian troops could formally join Russia’s invasion. The impact of such an intervention in terms of pure manpower would be limited; Belarus has around 45,000 active duty ...

Area Schedule: October 16-22 https://digitalalabamanews.com/area-schedule-october-16-22/ area schedule Sunday Men’s Soccer – USC Union at P&HCC, 3 p.m. Monday No games scheduled Tuesday Boys Soccer – Carlisle at Eastern Mennonite, 4:30 p.m. Volleyball – Bassett at Magna Vista, 7 p.m. – G.W.-Danville at Martinsville, 7 p.m. – Halifax Co. at Patrick Co. 7 p.m. Wednesday Cross Country – Magna Vista at Galileo Magnet School, TBD – Bassett at G.W.-Danville (at Anglers Park), 4 p.m. Women’s Soccer – P&HCC at Wake Tech CC, 1:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball – P&HCC at Carolina U., 6 p.m. (scrimmage) Thursday Football – Tunstall at Martinsville, 6:30 p.m. Boys Soccer – Carlisle at Southwest Va. Academy, 5 p.m. Friday Football – G.W.-Danville at Bassett, 7 p.m. – Patrick Co. at Halifax Co., 7 p.m. Saturday Boys Soccer – Carlisle at Grace Christian School, 9:15 a.m. Women’s Soccer – P&HCC at Cape Fear CC, 4 p.m. Men’s Basketball – P&HCC at Bluefield State, 2 p.m. Sports on TV Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Sunday, October 16 AUTO RACING 10 a.m. FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas (Taped) 12:30 p.m. NBC — FIM MotoGP: The Australian Grand Prix, Philip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne (Taped) 2:30 p.m. NBC — NASCAR Cup Series: The South Point 400, Playoffs—Round of 8, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas 1 a.m. (Monday) FS1 — NHRA: The Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas (Taped) COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY 12 p.m. BTN — Iowa at Michigan 4 p.m. BTN — Rutgers at Maryland COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S) 12 p.m. SECN — Arkansas at Alabama 1 p.m. ESPNU — Florida at Kentucky 2 p.m. BTN — Purdue at Indiana 3 p.m. ESPNU — Baylor at West Virginia COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S) 1 p.m. ACCN — Virginia Tech at Notre Dame ESPN — Michigan at Wisconsin 2 p.m. PAC-12N — Washington St. at Utah SECN — Auburn at Missouri 3 p.m. ACCN — Syracuse at North Carolina 6 p.m. PAC-12N — Stanford at Arizona St. ESPNU — Oregon at UCLA GOLF 7:30 a.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters, Final Round, Valderrama Golf Course, Sotogrande, Spain 2 p.m. GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The SAS Championship, Final Round, Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, N.C. HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL (BOY’S) 3 p.m. ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: TBD, Showcase Game 1, Las Vegas 5 p.m. ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: TBD, Showcase Game 2, Las Vegas 7 p.m. ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: TBD, Showcase Game 3, Las Vegas 9 p.m. ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: TBD, Championship, Las Vegas HORSE RACING 1 p.m. FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races 3:30 p.m. FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races MLB 3 p.m. TBS — A.L. Divisional Series: Houston at Seattle, Game 4 (If Necessary) 7 p.m. TBS — A.L. Divisional Series: NY Yankees at Cleveland, Game 4 9 p.m. FS1 — N.L Divisional Series: San Diego at LA Dodgers, Game 5 (If Necessary) NFL 1 p.m. CBS — Regional Coverage: New England at Cleveland, Jacksonville at Indianapolis, Cincinnati at New Orleans, Baltimore at NY Giants FOX—Regional Coverage: San Francisco at Atlanta, NY Jets at Green Bay, Minnesota at Miami, Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh 4:05 p.m. FOX — Regional Coverage: Carolina at LA Rams OR Arizona at Seattle 4:25 p.m. CBS — Buffalo at Kansas City 8:15 p.m. NBC — Dallas at Philadelphia RODEO 5 p.m. CBSSN — PBR Team Series: The PBR Ridge Rider Days, Day 3, Glendale, Ariz. SOCCER (MEN’S) 9 a.m. USA — Premier League: Newcastle United at Manchester United 11:30 a.m. USA — Premier League: Manchester City at Liverpool 12 p.m. CBSSN — Serie A: Bologna at Napoli 3 p.m. ABC — MLS Western Conference Playoff: Salt Lake at Austin FC, First Round 8 p.m. ESPN — MLS Eastern Conference Playoff: Orlando City SC at CF Montréal, First Round FS2 — Liga MX Playoff: Toluca at Santos Laguna, Quarterfinal—Leg 2 SOCCER (WOMEN’S) 7 a.m. CBSSN — FASL: Brighton & Hove Albion at Manchester United 10 p.m. CBSSN — NWSL Playoff: Chicago at San Diego FC, Quarterfinal TENNIS 10 a.m. TENNIS — Florence-ATP, Gijon-ATP, Cluj-Napoca-WTA Finals 7 p.m. TENNIS — San Diego-WTA Final 5 a.m. (Monday) TENNIS — Guadalajara-WTA, Stockholm-ATP, Antwerp-ATP, Naples-ATP Early Rounds 6 a.m. (Monday) TENNIS — Guadalajara-WTA, Stockholm-ATP, Antwerp-ATP, Naples-ATP Early Rounds BASEBALL MLB Postseason DIVISION SERIES (Best-of-5; x-if necessary) AMERICAN LEAGUE Thursday’s games Houston 4, Seattle 2, Houston leads series 2-0 Cleveland at New York, ppd Friday’s games Cleveland 4, New York 2, 10 innings; Series tied 1-1 Saturday’s games Houston at Seattle, (n) New York at Cleveland, (n) Sunday’s games x-Houston at Seattle, 3:07 p.m. (TBS) New York (Cole 13-8) at Cleveland, 7:07 p.m. (TBS) NATIONAL LEAGUE Friday’s games Philadelphia 9, Atlanta 1 San Diego 2, Los Angeles 1, San Diego leads series 2-1 Saturday’s games Philadelphia 8, Atlanta 3, Philadelphia wins series 3-1 Los Angeles at San Diego, (n) Sunday’s games x-San Diego at Los Angeles, 9:07 p.m. (FS1) LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (Best-of-7; x-if necessary) NATIONAL LEAGUE Tuesday’s game Philadelphia, at LA/SD winner, TBD Football College How The AP Top 25 Fared Saturday No. 1 Georgia (6-0) vs. Vanderbilt. Next: vs. Florida, Saturday, Oct. 29. No. 2 Ohio St. (6-0) did not play. Next: vs. Iowa, Saturday. No. 3 Alabama (6-0) at No. 6 Tennessee. Next: vs. No. 16 Mississippi St., Saturday. No. 4 Clemson (6-0) at Florida St. Next: vs. No. 18 Syracuse, Saturday. No. 5 Michigan (7-0) beat No. 10 Penn St. 41-17. Next: vs. Michigan St., Saturday, Oct. 29. No. 6 Tennessee (5-0) vs. No. 3 Alabama. Next: vs. UT-Martin, Saturday. No. 7 Southern Cal (6-0) at No. 20 Utah. Next: at Arizona, Saturday, Oct. 29. No. 8 Oklahoma St. (5-0) at No. 13 TCU. Next: vs. No. 22 Texas, Saturday. No. 9 Mississippi (7-0) beat Auburn 48-34. Next: at LSU, Saturday. No. 10 Penn St. (5-1) lost to No. 5 Michigan 41-17. Next: vs. Minnesota, Saturday. No. 11 UCLA (6-0) did not play. Next: at No. 12 Oregon, Saturday. No. 12 Oregon (5-1) did not play. Next: vs. No. 11 UCLA, Saturday. No. 13 TCU (5-0) vs. No. 8 Oklahoma St. Next: vs. No. 17 Kansas St., Saturday. No. 14 Wake Forest (5-1) did not play. Next: vs. Boston College, Saturday. No. 15 NC State (5-2) lost to No. 18 Syracuse 24-9. Next: vs. Virginia Tech, Thursday, Oct. 27. No. 16 Mississippi St. (5-1) at No. 22 Kentucky. Next: at No. 3 Alabama, Saturday. No. 17 Kansas St. (5-1) did not play. Next: at No. 13 TCU, Saturday. No. 18 Syracuse (6-0) beat No. 15 NC State 24-9. Next: at No. 4 Clemson, Saturday. No. 19 Kansas (5-2) lost to Oklahoma 52-41. Next: at Baylor, Saturday. No. 20 Utah (4-2) vs. No. 7 Southern Cal. Next: at Washington St., Thursday, Oct. 27. No. 21 Cincinnati (5-1) did not play. Next: at SMU, Saturday. No. 22 Kentucky (4-2) vs. No. 16 Mississippi St. Next: at No. 6 Tennessee, Saturday, Oct. 29. No. 22 Texas (5-2) beat Iowa St. 24-21. Next: at No. 8 Oklahoma St., Saturday. No. 24 Illinois (6-1) beat Minnesota 26-14. Next: at Nebraska, Saturday, Oct. 29. No. 25 James Madison (5-0) at Georgia Southern. Next: vs. Marshall, Saturday. ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE Saturday’s games Miami 20, Virginia Tech 14 Syracuse 24, NC State 9 Clemson at Florida St., (n) North Carolina at Duke, (n) Thursday’s game Virginia at Gerogia Tech, 7:30 p.m. NFL AMERICAN CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF PA Buffalo 4 1 0 .800 152 61 Miami 3 2 0 .600 115 131 N.Y. Jets 3 2 0 .600 116 118 New England 2 3 0 .400 103 98 South W L T Pct PF PA Tennessee 3 2 0 .600 96 118 Indianapolis 2 2 1 .500 69 94 Jacksonville 2 3 0 .400 111 80 Houston 1 3 1 .300 86 99 North W L T Pct PF PA Baltimore 3 2 0 .600 138 117 Cincinnati 2 3 0 .400 108 89 Cleveland 2 3 0 .400 133 125 Pittsburgh 1 4 0 .200 77 128 West W L T Pct PF PA Kansas City 4 1 0 .800 159 125 L.A. Chargers 3 2 0 .600 122 136 Denver 2 3 0 .400 75 80 Las Vegas 1 4 0 .200 125 130 NATIONAL CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF PA Philadelphia 5 0 0 1.000 135 88 Dallas 4 1 0 .800 93 72 N.Y. Giants 4 1 0 .800 103 93 Washington 2 4 0 .333 102 135 South W L T Pct PF PA Tampa Bay 3 2 0 .600 103 83 Atlanta 2 3 0 .400 118 122 New Orleans 2 3 0 .400 115 128 Carolina 1 4 0 .200 93 122 North W L T Pct PF PA Minnesota 4 1 0 .800 115 102 Green Bay 3 2 0 .600 97 96 Chicago 2 4 0 .333 93 118 Detroit 1 4 0 .200 140 170 West W L T Pct PF PA San Francisco 3 2 0 .600 108 61 Arizona 2 3 0 .400 105 123 L.A. Rams 2 3 0 .400 80 116 Seattle 2 3 0 .400 127 154 Week 6 Thursday’s game Washington 12, Chicago 7 Sunday’s games Baltimore at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m. Cincinnati at New Orleans, 1 p.m. Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 1 p.m. Minnesota at Miami, 1 p.m. N.Y. Jets at Green Bay, 1 p.m. New England at Cleveland, 1 p.m. San Francisco at Atlanta, 1 p.m. Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m. Arizona at Seattle, 4:05 p.m. Carolina at L.A. Rams, 4:05 p.m. Buffalo at Kansas City, 4:25 p.m. Dallas at Philadelphia, 8:20 p.m. Open: Houston, Las Vegas, Tennessee, Detroit Monday’s game Denver at L.A. Chargers, 8:15 p.m. HOCKEY NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA Florida 2 2 0 0 4 7 4 Boston 1 1 0 0 2 5 2 Detroit 1 1 0 0 2 3 0 Buffalo 2 1 1 0 2 7 5 Tampa Bay 2 1 1 0 2 6 5 Toronto 2 1 1 0 2 6 6 Montreal 2 1 1 0 2 4 6 Ottawa 1 0 1 0 0 1 4 Metropolitan Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA Carolina 2 2 0 0 4 6 2 Philadelphia 2 2 0 0 4 8 5 N.Y. Rangers 3 2 1 0 4 11 8 Pittsburgh 1 1 0 0 2 6 2 N.Y. Islanders 1 0 1 0 0 1 3 New Jersey 1 0 1 0 0 2 5 Washington 2 0 2 0 0 4 8 Columbus 2 0 2 0 0 3 9 WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA Nashville 3 2 1 0 4 8 7 Dallas 1 1 0 0 2 4 1 Winnipeg 1 1 0 0 2 4 1 Colorado 2 1 1 0 2 8 7 St. Louis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Minnesota 1 0 1 0 0 3 7 Arizona 1 0 1 0 0 2 6 Chicago 2 0 2 0 0 2 6 Pacific Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA Vegas 2 2 0 0 4 5 3 Seattle 2 1 0 1 ...

AP News Summary At 10:42 A.m. EDT https://digitalalabamanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-1042-a-m-edt/ Biden turning to Trump-era rule to expel Venezuelan migrants WASHINGTON (AP) — When Joe Biden was running for the White House, he denounced then-President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Biden said Trump’s approach inflicted “cruelty and exclusion at every turn,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of socialist Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Now, with increasing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, President Biden has turned to an unlikely source for an election-year solution, taking a page from Trump’s own immigration playbook. Biden has invoked a Trump-era rule that Biden’s Justice Department is fighting in court. Biden wants to deny Venezuelans who are fleeing their crisis-torn country the chance to request asylum at the border. China’s Xi calls for military growth as party congress opens BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that have strained relations with Washington and tightened the ruling Communist Party’s control over society and the economy. China’s most influential figure in decades spoke at the start of a party meeting Sunday that was closely watched by companies, governments and the Chinese public for signs of its future economic and political direction. It comes amid a painful economic slump and tension with Washington and Asian neighbors over trade, technology and security. The congress will install leaders for the next five years. Xi, 69, is expected to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term as party leader. Ukraine: Rockets strike mayor’s office in separatist Donetsk KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Pro-Kremlin officials have blamed Ukraine for a rocket attack that struck the mayor’s office in a key Ukrainian city controlled by the separatists. The municipal building in Donetsk was seriously damaged by the rocket attack. Separately, Ukrainian officials said Russian rockets struck a city across from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, injuring six people. Late Saturday, a Washington-based think tank late accused Moscow of conducting “massive, forced deportations of Ukrainians” which it said likely amount to ethnic cleansing. The attacks on both sides came as Russia has lost ground in the nearly seven weeks since Ukraine’s armed forces opened their southern counteroffensive. UK leader Liz Truss goes from triumph to trouble in 6 weeks Read More…

Biden Turning To Trump-Era Rule To Expel Venezuelan Migrants https://digitalalabamanews.com/biden-turning-to-trump-era-rule-to-expel-venezuelan-migrants/ WASHINGTON – Two years ago, candidate Joe Biden loudly denounced President Donald Trump for immigration policies that inflicted “cruelty and exclusion at every turn,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of socialist Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Now, with increasing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border as the Nov. 8 election nears, Biden has turned to an unlikely source for a solution: his predecessor’s playbook. Biden last week invoked a Trump-era rule known as Title 42 — which Biden’s own Justice Department is fighting in court — to deny Venezuelans fleeing their crisis-torn country the chance to request asylum at the border. The rule, first invoked by Trump in 2020, uses emergency public health authority to allow the United States to keep migrants from seeking asylum at the border, based on the need to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Under the new Biden administration policy, Venezuelans who walk or swim across America’s southern border will be expelled and any Venezuelan who illegally enters Mexico or Panama will be ineligible to come to the United States. But as many as 24,000 Venezuelans will be accepted at U.S. airports, similar to how Ukrainians have been admitted since Russia’s invasion in February. Mexico has insisted that the U.S. admit one Venezuelan on humanitarian parole for each Venezuelan it expels to Mexico, according to a Mexican official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke condition of anonymity. So if the Biden administration paroles 24,000 Venezuelans to the U.S., Mexico would take no more than 24,000 Venezuelans expelled from the U.S. The Biden policy marks an abrupt turn for the White House, which just weeks ago was lambasting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, both Republicans, for putting Venezuelan migrants “fleeing political persecution” on buses and planes to Democratic strongholds. “These were children, they were moms, they were fleeing communism,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the time. Biden’s new policy has drawn swift criticism from immigrant advocates, many of them quick to point out the Trump parallels. “Rather than restore the right to asylum decimated by the Trump administration … the Biden administration has dangerously embraced the failures of the past and expanded upon them by explicitly enabling expulsions of Venezuelan migrants,” said Jennifer Nagda, policy director of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. The administration says the policy is aimed at ensuring a “lawful and orderly” way for Venezuelans to enter the U.S. Why the turnaround? For more than a year after taking office in January 2021, Biden deferred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which used its authority to keep in place the Trump-era declaration that a public health risk existed that warranted expedited expulsion of asylum-seekers. Members of Biden’s own party and activist groups had expressed skepticism about the public health underpinnings for allowing Title 42 to remain in effect, especially when COVID-19 was spreading more widely within the U.S. than elsewhere. After months of internal deliberations and preparations, the CDC on April 1 said it would end the public health order and return to normal border processing of migrants, giving them a chance to request asylum in the U.S. Homeland Security officials braced for a resulting increase in border crossings. But officials inside and outside the White House were conflicted over ending the authority, believing it effectively kept down the number of people crossing the border illegally, according to senior administration officials. A court order in May that kept Title 42 in place due to a challenge from Republican state officials was greeted with quiet relief by some in the administration, according to officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions. The recent increase in migration from Venezuela, sparked by political, social and economic instability in the country, dashed officials’ hopes that they were finally seeing a lull in the chaos that had defined the border region for the past year. By August, Venezuelans were the second-largest nationality arriving at the U.S. border after Mexicans. Given that U.S. tensions with Venezuela meant migrants from the country could not be sent back easily, the situation became increasingly difficult to manage. So an administration that had rejected many Trump-era policies aimed at keeping out migrants, that had worked to make the asylum process easier and that had increased the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. now turned to Title 42. It brokered a deal to send the Venezuelans to Mexico, which already had agreed to accept migrants expelled under Title 42 if they are from Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador. All the while, Justice Department lawyers continue to appeal a court decision that has kept Title 42 in place. They are opposing Republican attorneys general from more than 20 states who have argued that Title 42 is “the only safety valve preventing this Administration’s already disastrous border control policies from descending into an unmitigated catastrophe.” Under Title 42, migrants have been expelled more than 2.3 million times from the U.S. after crossing the country’s land borders illegally from Canada or Mexico, though most try to come through Mexico. The administration had announced it would stop expelling migrants under Title 42 starting May 23 and go back to detaining and deporting migrants who did not qualify to enter and remain in the U.S. — a longer process that allows migrants to request asylum in the U.S. “We are extremely disturbed by the apparent acceptance, codification, and expansion of the use of Title 42, an irrelevant health order, as a cornerstone of border policy,” said Thomas Cartwright of Witness at the Border. “One that expunges the legal right to asylum.” A separate lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union also is trying to end Title 42, an effort that could render the administration’s proposal useless. “People have a right to seek asylum — regardless of where they came from, how they arrive in the United States, and whether or not they have family here,” said ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt. Long reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report. Read More…

Biden Calls Testimony From Jan. 6 Committee Hearing 'devastating' https://digitalalabamanews.com/biden-calls-testimony-from-jan-6-committee-hearing-devastating/ President Joe Biden said Saturday that he found testimony presented during the House Jan. 6 committee’s hearing last week to be “devastating” and that the panel has made an “overwhelming” case. Asked by reporters about his thoughts on the committee’s ninth hearing during a stop at a Baskin-Robbins in Portland, Oregon, Biden said, “I think the testimony in the video are actually devastating.” “And I’ve been going out of my way not to comment and see what happens. But it’s— I think it’s been devastating,” he said. “I mean, the case has been made, it seems to me, fairly overwhelming.”  He added, “But any more I say about it, you — justified — are going to ask me if I’m trying to influence the Attorney General. I’m not. I’ve not spoken with him at all.” The committee’s hearing Thursday — the last before the midterm elections — delve into former President Donald Trump’s mindset as the violence at the Capitol unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021. The hearing featured never-before-seen footage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other congressional leaders calling for help during the riot as Trump refused to call off the mob of his supporters. Former Trump White House aides testified that Trump privately knew he had lost the 2020 election, despite espousing false claims of widespread election fraud. The hearing concluded with the committee voting unanimously to subpoena the former president for documents and testimony. Biden previously weighed in on the importance of the Jan. 6 congressional hearings in June, saying that Americans should know what unfolded and that “the same forces that led to Jan. 6 remain at work today.” “The insurrection on Jan. 6 was one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history — a brutal assault on our democracy, a brutal attack on law enforcement, some losing their lives, and we heard about it last night again,” Biden said in June, at the top of remarks focused on inflation at the Port of Los Angeles. Although he said he was unable to watch the committee’s first public hearing in June, the president stressed that it is important that the public understands “what truly happened.” “We have to protect our democracy,” he said, adding that “the soul of America has been far from won.” Read More…

Vote For The Hollis Wright Week 9 Birmingham Area Football Player Of The Week https://digitalalabamanews.com/vote-for-the-hollis-wright-week-9-birmingham-area-football-player-of-the-week/ Sports Published: Oct. 16, 2022, 9:23 a.m. Mountain Brook’s Cole Gamble ran for 5 touchdowns against Oak Mountain. (Marvin Gentry | preps@al.com) The Hollis Wright Birmingham area high school football Player of the Week will be chosen by fans voting for the top performances in the Birmingham area. Voting closes at 11 p.m. on Wednesday with results posted on Thursday so make your selection below. Players are selected from nominations by coaches or from AL.com game reports. Fluff Bothwell, Oneonta: Ran 17 time for 180 yards and 3 TDs and caught 4 passes for 83 yards against Ashville, all in the first half. Cole Gamble, Mountain Brook: Ran 17 times for 222 yards and 5 touchdowns against Mortimer Jordan. John Paul Head, Vestavia Hills: Was 14-of-21 for 151 yards and a TD passing, adding 17 rushes for 142 yards and 4 TDs against Oak Mountain. Anthony Martin, Montevallo: Ran 8 times for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns against Holt. Lamarion McCammon, Hoover: Ran 11 times for 139 yards and 2 TDs against Chelsea. Woods Ray, Homewood: Completed 10-of-18 passes for 124 yards and ran 20 times for 104 yards and 2 TDs against Pelham. Jakhael Rowser, Hueytown: Had 235 all-purpose yards, 194 rushing with 2 TDs and 41 receiving, against Northridge. John Scott, Tarrant: Had 4 carries for 21 yards, 4 catches for 145 yards and 2 TDs and a 51-yard punt return for a TD on offense, adding 4 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and 3 pass breakups against Sumiton Christian in his first game of the season after a preseason injury. If you can’t see the poll below, use this link: Player of the Week Poll. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Jeremy Hunt Warns Tory MPs Against Trying To Oust PM https://digitalalabamanews.com/jeremy-hunt-warns-tory-mps-against-trying-to-oust-pm/ Media caption, WATCH: Hard decisions ahead, says Jeremy Hunt By Paul Seddon Politics reporter Jeremy Hunt has appealed to Tory MPs to get behind Liz Truss, as she battles to restore credibility with backbenchers. A series of damaging U-turns over her tax-cutting plans has led some MPs to talk privately about how to remove her from office. Her new chancellor told the BBC a fresh leadership campaign was “the last thing that people really want”. But a senior backbench Conservative MP has called for Ms Truss to go as prime minister, saying “the game is up”. Mr Hunt replaced Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday, after Ms Truss fired the former chancellor. His sacking followed market turmoil in response to £45bn of unfunded tax cuts included in the mini-budget. In a series of humiliating U-turns to restore market confidence, Ms Truss has abandoned plans to scrap the top income tax rate and reversed a planned freeze to corporation tax she had put at the centre of her Tory leadership campaign. Mr Hunt held talks with Ms Truss at her official Chequers country retreat earlier, as they plan a programme of tax hikes and spending cuts to be delivered on 31 October. The new chancellor told Laura Kuenssberg he was not ruling out further reversals of tax cuts from last month’s mini-budget, adding he was not “taking anything off the table”. According to reports in the Sunday Times, Ms Truss is also preparing to delay by a year her 1p cut to the basic rate of income tax. The Treasury has not confirmed the reports, adding: “We cannot speculate on any tax changes outside of a fiscal event.” Asked whether he could rule out scrapping more of the tax cuts, Mr Hunt said he wanted to keep as many of them “as I possibly can”. “We are going to have to take some very difficult decisions both on spending and on tax,” he said in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg, which was recorded on Saturday. “Taxes are not going to go down as quickly as people thought and some taxes are going to go up,” he added. “So it’s going to be very, very difficult and I think we have to be honest with people about that.” Image source, Reuters Image caption, Mr Hunt held talks with the prime minister at Chequers, her official country residence, on Sunday Meanwhile, in a further blow to the prime minister, US President Joe Biden has criticised tax cuts from her mini-budget. In an unusual intervention, he told reporters during a campaign visit that the outcome was “predictable” and “I wasn’t the only one that thought it was a mistake”. He added that he had disagreed with “the idea of cutting taxes on the super wealthy”, but it was up to the UK to “make that judgment, not me”. In his BBC interview, Mr Hunt said the government’s debt reduction plan, due in two weeks’ time, would be a “very big fiscal statement”, and that every government department would be asked to make savings. However, he insisted the changes would not be “anything like” the period of austerity which began in 2010, when predecessor George Osborne oversaw large cuts in public spending. Despite the U-turns, Mr Hunt insisted Ms Truss remained committed to her goal of promoting economic growth, but she had changed “the way we’re going to get there”. “She’s listened, she’s changed, she’s been willing to do that most difficult thing in politics which is to change tack,” he added. ‘The game is up’ Under current party rules, Ms Truss is safe from a formal leadership challenge for a year – but newspaper reports suggest some Tory MPs have already begun talks about how to force her from office. Tactics reportedly under consideration include submitting no-confidence letters in a bid to force party bosses into a rule change, or changing party rules to allow MPs to bypass members and pick a new leader themselves. Asked whether she could survive as the prime minister, former minister Crispin Blunt told Channel 4: “No, I think the game is up and it’s now a question as to how the succession is managed. “If there is such a weight of opinion in the parliamentary party that we have to have a change then it will be effected.” Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who sits on the committee that decides the rules, told BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House a rule change would only be considered if “sixty to seventy percent” of the party’s MPs backed a change. Speaking on Sky News, senior backbencher Robert Halfon said “of course, colleagues are unhappy with what is going on”, adding that “we’re all talking to see what can be done about it”. The chair of the Commons Education Committee went on to accuse the government of behaving like “libertarian jihadists” treating the public as “laboratory mice on which to carry out ultra, ultra free market experiments”. He said he was not calling on Ms Truss to go and he worried about “further political stability” – but a “dramatic reset” was needed and “things have to improve”. Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged the prime minister to reshuffle the cabinet to extend her support across the party. He told the BBC: “There’s a huge amount of talent on the backbenches – I’m not talking about me, but there are many others that should be brought into government.” Treasury minister Andrew Griffith, speaking on Times Radio, insisted that the prime minister has the “confidence of the government”. Labour’s shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said any further public spending cuts would be “entirely because” of government “incompetence”. “I’m not even sure what this government’s economic policy is at the moment. I don’t know which bits of the budget still apply, and I don’t know what we will hear next week,” he told the BBC. Read More…

Here's How Much The Average American 60-Year-Old Holds In Retirement Savings — How Does Your Nest Egg Compare? https://digitalalabamanews.com/heres-how-much-the-average-american-60-year-old-holds-in-retirement-savings-how-does-your-nest-egg-compare/ Here’s how much the average American 60-year-old holds in retirement savings — how does your nest egg compare? Even Americans with only modest retirement funds may be shocked to learn how many people are in desperate straits: as in, they have no nest egg at all. New research by the Federal Reserve shows that an astounding one in four Americans (including the 27% who consider themselves retired) have absolutely nothing saved. And even if you have something tucked away, it may not be enough — though that is something you can change even late in the game. Americans run an estimated $3.68 trillion behind in retirement savings, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. While this includes all people aged 35 to 64, those in their 60s still didn’t fare too well. Here’s how your savings stack up — and what you can do if you’re falling behind. Don’t miss A TikToker paid off $17,000 in credit card debt by cash stuffing Too many Americans are still missing out on cheaper car insurance Invest your spare change and turn your pennies into a productive portfolio What’s the average? A Vanguard study found those between 55 and 64 held an average of roughly $256,000. But this includes high income earners; breaking the figures down, it shrinks to a median of about $90,000. Interestingly, much has changed in even the short time since 2021, the source of figures for Vanguard’s study. Last year, Vanguard noted that retirement savings actually increased, thanks to strong performance in the stock market. But of course since then, Wall Street’s woes have persisted for much of this year, as even otherwise strong stocks have been resoundingly punished. Which means 2023 numbers may drop significantly — though with dollar cost averaging, people who stick it out and keep investing will be rewarded if the market returns to full strength. Is there a magic retirement number? So how much should you have by the time you’re 60? Retirement calculators like this one can help you get some answers. But the best thing Americans can do is head to a financial advisor who can help them reach their goals. If you’d like a broader approach, Fidelity has ways to pinpoint the right numbers for you. Broadly speaking, Americans should aim for the equivalent of their salary by age 30, three times by 40, six times by 50, and eight times by 60. Read more: ‘Remarkable reversal’: President Biden just (quietly) scaled back student loan forgiveness — and the change could impact up to 1.5M borrowers. Are you one of them? So if you’re 60 American and make $50,000 per year, that means you should have $400,000 saved in your retirement account. As you can see, neither the average nor the median retirement amount comes even close. That said, the “should” amount doesn’t account for a host of variables. Consider for example how much you’ll be able to cut expenses in retirement, the money you may take in through Social Security, assets you can unload or the sale of a home. How can you balance the numbers? First and foremost, speak with a financial advisor. If you don’t have one, talk to friends who have fared well with their advisor or seek referrals from someone you trust. The advisor will need to assess your entire financial picture. Do you have children you need to support when it comes to education or a wedding? What’s the value of your home and do you plan to relocate? What asset sources have you possibly overlooked? Remember, it’s never too late to start putting cash aside. Even 5% each paycheck adds an additional $96 bi-weekly, or $2,500 at the end of the year, which can then compound. And that’s far better than the zero mark that applies to 25% of Americans: all of whom deserve better than to retire their savings efforts before they start. What to read next ‘The world should be worried’: Saudi Aramco — the world’s largest oil producer — just issued a dire warning over ‘extremely low’ capacity. Here are 3 stocks for protection ‘This truck can’t do normal truck things’: YouTube star says towing with Ford’s new electric pickup is a ‘total disaster’ in viral video — but Wall Street still likes these 3 EV stocks ‘I just can’t wait to get out’: Nearly three-quarters of pandemic homebuyers have regrets — here’s what you need to know before you put in that offer This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Read More…

What Happened To #MeToo? 5 Years On, Women Take Stock Of The Movement https://digitalalabamanews.com/what-happened-to-metoo-5-years-on-women-take-stock-of-the-movement/ Once again, disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein sits in a courtroom, on trial in Los Angeles while the reckoning the accusations against him launched marks a significant milestone this month: It’s been five years since a brief hashtag — #MeToo — galvanized a broad social movement. The Associated Press went back to Louisette Geiss and Andrea Constand, accusers in two of the #MeToo era’s most momentous cases — Weinstein, already convicted in a New York case, and Bill Cosby, once convicted and now free — to learn how their lives have changed, whether they have any regrets, and how hopeful they feel after a decidedly mixed bag of legal results. The Associated Press does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted or abused, unless they come forward publicly, as Geiss and Constand have. And we spoke to the woman who originally coined the phrase — Tarana Burke, a longtime advocate for sexual violence survivors and a survivor herself — about her own journey, the movement’s resilience, and the challenges ahead. Read the full story: Related coverage: Looking back to 2018: The ever-growing list of powerful men accused of sexual misconduct BRETT RATNER Accused by at least six women of sexual harassment. Playboy shelved projects with Ratner and Ratner stepped away from Warner Bros. related activities. He denies the allegations. Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File RUSSELL SIMMONS Def Jam Records founder Russell Simmons is accused by model Keri Claussen Khalighi of coercing her to perform a sex act and later penetrating her without her consent in his New York apartment in 1991. Also accused by Sidney Lumet’s daughter of taking her to his New York apartment in 1991 against her will and having sex with her. In response to Jenny Lumet’s allegations, Simmons has stepped away from his companies. Simmons has also disputed Claussen Khalighi’s account, saying the relationship was consensual. Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File ROBERT KNEPPER Accused by one woman of sexual assault. He denies the allegations. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong JANN WENNER Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner is accused by one man of sexual harassment. He says he did not intend to make the accuser uncomfortable. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP DUSTIN HOFFMAN Accused by woman of sexual harassing her in 1985 when she was 17. He has apologized for his behavior. A second actress has come forward to accuse Hoffman of allegations of sexual harassment, calling his conduct “a horrific, demoralizing and abusive experience.” Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File MARK HALPERIN Journalist Mark Halperin is accused of harassing about 12 women while at ABC News. Book contract terminated. Fired from job at NBC News. He has denied some of the allegations. Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File JEFFREY TAMBOR Two women — an actress on his show “Transparent” and his assistant — allege sexual misconduct. He denies the allegation, saying in a statement that he has “never been a predator — ever.” Tambor said this week he doesn’t see how he can return to the Amazon series. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP NICK CARTER Singer Nick Carter is accused by pop singer Melissa Schuman of raping her approximately 15 years ago. Carter has denied her allegations. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File RICHARD DREYFUSS One woman alleges sexual harassment. He denies the allegation. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP GARY GODDARD Producer Gary Goddard, in his North Hollywood office on January 15, 2015. “ER” actor Anthony Edwards has accused Goddard of molesting him when he was 12. Spokesman Sam Singer said in a statement issued Nov. 10, 2017, that the producer unequivocally denies Edwards’ claims. (Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times/TNS) ISRAEL HOROVITZ Playwright Israel Horovitz is accused by nine women of sexual misconduct, including forcible kissing and rape. He tells The New York Times his recollection of the events is different from the women’s accounts and apologized “with all my heart to any woman who has ever felt compromised by my actions.” Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File ANDREW KREISBERG Showrunner Andrew Kreisberg is accused by 19 women of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching. The “Supergirl” and “Arrow” showrunner has been fired by Warner Bros. Television Group. He told Variety he has made comments on women’s appearances and clothes “but they were not sexualized.” Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File JOHN LASSETER Pixar and Disney Animation chief John Lasseter is accused by several women of unwanted touching and has announced he is taking a six-month leave of absence. He has acknowledged some “missteps” with employees and apologized for any behavior that made workers uncomfortable. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP TOM SIZEMORE Actor Tom Sizemore is accused of groping an 11-year-old actress in 2003. Utah prosecutors declined to file charges, citing witness and evidence problems. He denies the allegation. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File GEORGE TAKEI One man alleges sexual assault. He denies the allegation. Phil McCarten/Invision/AP, File JAMES LEVINE New York’s Metropolitan Opera says it will investigate allegations that its longtime conductor, Levine, sexually abused a teenager in the mid-1980s. Details of the police report were first reported Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, on the New York Post website. Levine, 74, stepped down as music director of the Met in April 2016.  AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File DANNY MASTERSON Netflix says it has written Danny Masterson out of the comedy “The Ranch” with Los Angeles police investigating sexual assault claims against him that date back to the 2000s. He has denied the allegations by three women that they were assaulted by him.  Annie I. Bang /Invision/AP, File MARIO BATALI Mario Batali is stepping down from daily operations at his restaurant empire following reports of sexual misconduct by the celebrity chef over a period of at least 20 years. In a prepared statement sent to The Associated Press, Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, Batali said the complaints match up with his past behavior.  Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File BRYAN SINGER Director Bryan Singer has been accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy at a party more than a decade ago. The lawsuit filed in Seattle claims Singer demanded sex from Cesar Sanchez-Guzman during a 2003 yacht party. In a statement Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, attorney Andrew Brettler said Singer “categorically denies these allegations and will vehemently defend this lawsuit to the very end.”  Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File MORGAN SPURLOCK Declaring “I am part of the problem,” Morgan Spurlock confessed in an online post Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, to sexual harassment, infidelity and said a woman accused him of rape in college. Ben Hider/Invision/AP, File BEN VEREEN Tony Award-winner Ben Vereen is apologizing to female actresses for “inappropriate conduct” while he directed a production of the musical “Hair” in Florida three years ago. The apology on Twitter comes a day after the New York Daily News reported several actresses at The Venice Theatre alleged sexual misconduct by Vereen, including unwanted kissing, inviting women to join him naked in his hot tub and making demeaning and degrading comments. AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File PAUL HAGGIS A December 2017 civil lawsuit charging filmmaker Paul Haggis with rape has prompted three other women to come forward with their own accusations, including a publicist who says he forced her to perform oral sex, then raped her. Haggis has denied the allegations in the lawsuit, and when asked about the new accusations, his lawyer said, “He didn’t rape anybody.” AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese, File JAMES FRANCO Facing accusations by an actress and a filmmaker over alleged sexual misconduct, James Franco said on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, the things he’s heard aren’t accurate but he supports people coming out “because they didn’t have a voice for so long.” Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File AZIZ ANSARI Aziz Ansari said in a statement Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, that he apologized last year when a woman who has accused him of sexual assault told him about her discomfort during a sexual encounter in his apartment he said he believed to be consensual. The woman, identified as a 23-year-old photographer in an interview with Babe.net, says she was furious when she saw Ansari was wearing a “Time’s Up” pin while accepting a Golden Globe on Jan. 7. Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File MICHAEL DOUGLAS A woman who worked for actor Michael Douglas in the late 1980s says he fondled himself in front of her, an allegation the actor has vigorously denied. Journalist and author Susan Braudy appeared Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 on NBC’s “Today” show. Earlier in January 2018, Douglas said he anticipated an upcoming report containing allegations and called it a “complete lie, fabrication.” AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File R. KELLY Kelly has faced intense scrutiny in the last year after women have accused him of sexual coercion and physical abuse. He has denied the charges. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File RYAN SEACREST Seacrest’s former “E! News” stylist, Suzie Hardy, alleges multiple instances of sexual harassment and abuse. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP SCOTT BAIO Baio has denied a claim made by his former “Charles in Charge” co-star Nicole Eggert that something inappropriate happened between the two when she was a minor. Eggert tweeted Saturday. Jan. 27, 2018 to ask Baio about what happened in his garage when she was a minor.  AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File DAVID COPPERFIELD Copperfield has declared his support for the Me Too movement in a lengthy statement online in the wake of allegations that he drugged and sexually assaulted a woman in 1988, when she...

Tulsa Neighbors: Obituaries For October 16 https://digitalalabamanews.com/tulsa-neighbors-obituaries-for-october-16/ Tulsa neighbors: Obituaries for October 16 Read through the obituaries published today in Tulsa World. (42) updates to this series since Updated 1 hr ago Million, Harry Albert, 84. Sand Springs, Boilermaker. Died Monday, October 10. Burial will be 2p.m., Wednesday, at Vernon Cemetery Coweta. Bro… McCleary, Joan Marie, 87. Tulsa, Retired RN Certified Diabetes Educator. Died Thursday, September 15. Rosary will be 7:00 p.m., Friday, Octobe… Mizell, Martha, 96. Tulsa, Homemaker. Died Wednesday, October 12. No Services Planned. Chapman-Black Funeral Home Owens, Jeanne, 60. Hominy, None. Died Wednesday, October 12. Visitation with the family present 2 pm to 5 pm Sunday, at Powell Funeral Home in… Beck, Glenn R., 92. Owasso, Retired. Died Friday, October 7. Graveside service will be 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 18, at Graham Memorial Ceme… Caffee, Paula, 79. Tulsa, Retired Lunch Lady. Died Monday, October 10. A Memorial Service will be at 11:00 a.m., on Monday, at Fitzgerald Sout… Patton, Beverly, 82. Broken Arrow, Sales Representative with State Farm and Farmers Insurance Companies. Died Sunday, October 2. Private Famil… Wood, Dick, 93. Broken Arrow, Oil and Gas Purchaser. Died Wednesday, October 12. Viewing, 12-8pm, Tuesday, October 18, Hayhurst Funeral Home. … McCormick, Milton Edward, 67. Broken Arrow, retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class. Died Thursday, October 13. Visitation 6 – 8 p.m., Tuesday,… Hobson, Robert, 57. Tulsa, Claud’s Hamburgers Owner. Died Wednesday, October 12. Visitation 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Wednesday, Leonard-Marker Funeral … Hailey, Samantha Leanne, 30. Tulsa, Teller. Died Tuesday, October 11. Celebration of Life Monday, at 2pm, at Mark Griffith Westwood Chapel. Ma… Goodman, Benny, 75. Sand Springs, School Teacher/ US Army Veteran. Died Thursday October 13. Funeral Service on Tuesday, at Osage Hills Christ… Kirk, Betty, 96. Tulsa, Bookkeeper. Died Tuesday, October 4. Visitation will be on Sunday, from 4-6pm at Moore Southlawn Funeral Home. Gravesi… Nickle, Carolyn Sue, 87. Tulsa, Homemaker. Died Thursday, October 13. Visitation, 6-8pm, Wednesday, at Moore’s Southlawn Funeral Home and Grav… McDonough, Maridy M., 73. Tulsa, Waitress. Died Wednesday, October 12. No services planned. Looking for Family. Moore’s Rosewood Chapel Jones, Glen Arthur, 89. Owasso, Retired TWA ATE Engineer and U.S. Navy Veteran. Died Friday, October 14. Funeral Service 10:00 a.m. Friday, at… Soulsby, David R., 68. Tulsa, Retired Master Craftsman. Died Sunday, October 9. Celebration of Life service 10:00 a.m. Friday, at Ninde Brooks… Cogburn, Jimmy Dwain, 74. Tulsa, Army Veteran. Died Tuesday, June 7. Graveside: Rose Hill Cemetery, 11:00am, Tuesday. Rose Hill Loftin, David Michael, 59. Tulsa, Paralegal & US Army Veteran. Died Thursday, October 6. Visitation Monday 10am-12pm Schaudt’s Tulsa. Fune… Eddy, Keith, 77. Broken Arrow, Professional Soccer Player. Died Monday, October 10. To view full obituary, visit www.schaudtfuneralservice.com… Mizell, Martha, 96. Tulsa, Homemaker. Died Wednesday, October 12. Service Pending. Chapman-Black Funeral Home Owens, Jeanne, 60. Hominy, None. Died Wednesday, October 12. Service Pending. Powell Funeral Home Davis, Betty, 85. Hominy, None. Died Wednesday, October 12. Service Pending. Powell Funeral Home Maggard, Don, 77. Peggs, Former Peggs Fire Chief and business owner. Died Tuesday, October 11. Visitation will be Tuesday, at Hart Funeral Hom… Parker, Colleen, 80. formerly of Sapulpa, Baker, Caretaker & Homemaker. Died Tuesday, October 11. Visitation on Friday, from 4-6pm and Fun… Roberts, Donald, 90. Jenks, Salesman and retired Army veteran. Died Wednesday, October 12. Viewing 1 – 7 p.m., Monday with family present from… Reis, Robert, 83. Tulsa, Attorney and Lt. Colonel for the Army. Died Tuesday, October 11. Services are pending. Moore Funeral Home – Southlawn Christopher, Mark Jerome, 68. Tulsa, Manager/Owner of Bicycle Wholesale Business. Died Tuesday, October 11. Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m.… Patterson, Terry A., 75. Claremore, retired Children’s Minister. Died Tuesday, October 11. Celebration of Life 11 a.m., Saturday, at Universit… Eddy, Keith, 77. Broken Arrow, Professional Soccer Player. Died Monday, October 10. To view full obituary, visit www.schaudtfuneralservice.com… John NealeJohn Read Neale, former longtime Tulsa resident, passed away September 16th, 2022. A memorial service is planned for Oct 26th, 1:30 … Colleen ParkerSandra “Colleen” Parker, 80, originally of Sapulpa, passed away after a brief illness on October 11th in Huntsville, AL. As a wo… David Raymond SoulsbyDavid Raymond Soulsby was born October 16, 1953 in Stuttgart Baden-Württemberg, Germany to Raymond Smithson & Mabel E… Janet Treat09/07/1942 – 10/13/2016You will be forever in my heart and mind, you are deeply missed. Tumi WaltonTumi Hakeem Walton (October 31, 2004 – September 22, 2022). Tumi was a kind, gentle, precious, clever, funny soul – with a smile th… Luellyn WrightLuellyn Wright was born October 18, 1928 to James Paul Wright and Mildred Irene Montgomery Wright in Bartlesville, OK, and passe… Gloria RothmanROTHMAN – Gloria Shirley, died peacefully on Thursday October 6, 2022 in Tulsa, OK, in her 99th year. Born April 30, 1923 in Bro… Mary Lou (Saunders) BlackMary Lou (Saunders) Black, 91, passed away October 11, 2022, A.D. in Tulsa, OK. Born June 19,1931 A.D. in Burford Tow… Mark ChristopherOn October 11, 2022, Mark J. Christopher went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Mark fought a tough and coura… Peggy Jane Brewster GaryGARY – Peggy Jane Brewster, age 89, born December 11, 1932 in Columbus, MS, and died October 11, 2022 in Tulsa, OK. Sh… Larry J Kelly05/26/1946 – 10/17/2021We miss you but, all are doing fine.Mary, Jeff, Greg and families James Sterling LittleJames Sterling Little was born November 11, 1921 in Wilberton, OK to John Edgar Little and Celia Mabel (Haynes) Little. A… Read More…

Lessons From Hurricane Michael Being Applied To Ian Recovery https://digitalalabamanews.com/lessons-from-hurricane-michael-being-applied-to-ian-recovery-2/ FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Four years before Category 4 Ian wiped out parts of southwest Florida, the state’s Panhandle had its own encounter with an even stronger hurricane, Michael. The Category 5 storm all but destroyed one town, fractured thousands of homes and businesses and did some $25 billion in damage. With damage from Ian estimated at several times that and the Fort Myers area beginning a cleanup that will be even larger than after Michael, the two areas are collaborating on a way forward as south Florida residents wonder what their area will look like in a few years. Mayor Greg Brudnicki and other leaders from a rebuilt Panama City traveled to the southwestern coast this week at the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis to help officials plan a way forward. Keeping crews and trucks in the area to remove mountains of debris is job No. 1 because all other progress hinges on that, Brudnicki said, and that can mean obtaining loans as a bridge until federal reimbursement money shows up. “You can’t fix anything until you get it cleaned up,” Brudnicki said. Tiny Mexico Beach, which was nearly leveled by Michael in 2018, still has fewer structures and people than it did before the storm. The town’s mayor, Al Cathey, said one of the biggest challenges recovering from a natural disaster is fundamental: looking ahead, not back. With little left in town after Michael, Cathey said, residents gathered daily at a portable kitchen to map out the way forward after the hurricane, and there was an unwritten rule. “When we had our afternoon meetings at the food truck, all we talked about is, ‘What are we going to do tomorrow?’ — not what didn’t get done four days ago,” Cathey said. Michael was blamed for more than 30 deaths. With more than 100 fatalities, Ian was the third-deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland this century behind Hurricane Katrina, which left about 1,400 people dead, and Hurricane Sandy, which killed 233 despite weakening to a tropical storm just before landfall. Recovery will be more complicated in southwest Florida than it was in the Panhandle because of population, Cathey said. Bay County, which includes Panama City and Mexico Beach, has only 180,000 residents, while Lee County, where the Fort Myers area is located, is home to almost 790,000 people, many of whom are retirees. Simply removing the boats that were thrown onto land around Lee County could take months, and there are the remains of homes and businesses scattered by 155 mph (250 kph) winds or flooded by seawater that surged miles inland along creeks and canals. One of the damaged vessels and waterlogged homes belongs to Mike Ford, who is braced for a prolonged recovery that could change the character of the area. The flooded-out mobile home park where Ford lives — one of hundreds of such communities in the region — would be better off as an RV park where people can come and go than as a permanent neighborhood, he said. Residents might be ripe for a buyout or conversion after Ian, particularly since he and others had to repair damage after Hurricane Irma in 2017. “I’ve got enough money to rebuild, but I can’t see it because what I’ve (already) done is rebuild, and now this happened,” said Ford, who lost a valuable collection of guitars and Beatles records to Ian. “It kind of takes the wind out of you.” A neighbor of Ford’s, Chuck Wagner, said some people already are getting frustrated after Ian. Many southwest Florida residents are retirees who only live in the area half the year, spending the hot summers in the north, and they’re hearing that aid might not be available to part-time residents. “Everything is up in the air,” he said. “It might take years. Who knows?” In Mexico Beach, Tom Wood, 82, is proof that progress will happen — slowly and painfully. His beachfront business, the Driftwood Inn, was blown apart and filled with ocean water when Michael made landfall with sustained winds of 160 mph (258 kph) on Oct. 10, 2018. Initially, he said, the only logical step seemed to be giving up. But the storm passed and the Gulf still beckoned, Wood said, so he decided to rebuild. The new Driftwood Inn reopened in June with 24 rooms at its original location after a $13 million outlay and a lot headaches from insurance, government regulations and contractors. Mexico Beach still desperately needs a grocery store to avoid the more than 10-mile (16-kilometer) drive to the nearest one, he said, and a pharmacy and more restaurants would be good. But looking back, Wood said, he believes he made the right decision to rebuild and hopes people in Fort Myers Beach do the same. “I am so glad that we did it, not only us but for the town,” he said. “It just makes the town better, I think.” Read More…

Vote For This Week's Coastal Football Player Of The Week https://digitalalabamanews.com/vote-for-this-weeks-coastal-football-player-of-the-week-8/ Check out the nominees for the Coastal Alabama Football Player of the Week for Week 9 of the 2022 high school football season. Coaches can submit statistics following their games on Friday night or nominate players before noon each Saturday. RELATED: Check out Friday’s Week 9 scoreboard Nominations must come from a coach or official team statistician. They can be emailed to bthomas@al.com. Voting is open until Wednesday morning. The winner will be announced on AL.com on Thursday. Here are this week’s nominees: Jacori Barnes, Vigor: Barnes rushed for 236 yards and 4 touchdowns on 17 carries for Vigor in a win over Elberta. Clay Barr, St. Michael: Barr had 13 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss and 3 sacks in the Cardinals’ loss to Jackson on Thursday night. D.J. Butler, Davidson: Butler accounted for 6 Warriors touchdowns – 4 rushing, 1 receiving and 1 passing – in a 43-41 loss to Foley. He finished with 275 yards rushing and 304 yards of total offense. Daylon Edmunds, Millry: Edmunds accounted for 5 TDs as Millry defeated McIntosh. He scored on runs of 9, 22 and 20 yards and threw touchdown passes of 38 yards to Jaylen Manuel and 5 yards to Jquan Stewart. Preston Godfrey, Fairhope: Godfrey rushed for 137 yards and 3 TDs on 15 carries as the Pirates defeated Alma Bryant at home. Garrison Holly, Jackson: Holly intercepted a pass from his defensive end position and returned it 45 yards for a back-breaking touchdown as the Aggies pulled way in the fourth quarter to beat St. Michael. Holly also scored his team’s first touchdown on a 1-yard run. Brayden Jenkins, Theodore: Jenkins rushed for 171 yards and 4 TDs on 26 carries as the Bobcats pulled away from McGill-Toolen in the second half. Harrison Knight, Foley: Knight caught 11 passes for 176 yards and 3 TDs as Foley outlasted Davidson 43-41. Zaylon McMillian, Excel: McMillian rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries as Excel improved to 8-0 overall with a win over Hillcrest-Evergreen. He averaged 11.75 yards per carry. Tait Moore, Bayside Academy: Moore scored 5 touchdowns, had a 2-point conversion and finished with 204 total yards as Bayside Academy kept its playoff hopes alive with a road win at Escambia County. Ricky Nichols Jr., B.C. Rain: Nichols had 15 solo tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the Red Raiders’ win over LeFlore. Kyree Shakur, Chickasaw: Shakur rushed for 196 yards and 3 TDs on 14 carries as Chickasaw won at Washington County. He also had 8 tackles on defense. Drew Williamson, St. Paul’s: Williamson rushed for 145 yards on 20 carries, including a 60-yard touchdown after Blount had taken a 14-7 lead in the second half. If you cannot see the above poll, please click this link to vote. No email votes will be counted. PREVIOUS WINNERS WEEK 1: Cole Blaylock, UMS-Wright WEEK 2: Cole Blaylock, UMS-Wright WEEK 3: Caden Creel, Fairhope WEEK 4: Colin Wilson, Mobile Christian WEEK 5: Caden Creel, Fairhope WEEK 6: Jarrett Daughtry, Faith Academy WEEK 7: Brandon Dean, Faith Academy WEEK 8: Dorian Smith, Faith Academy If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Opinion: Trump's All-Caps Rage Is Back. Has America Changed? | CNN https://digitalalabamanews.com/opinion-trumps-all-caps-rage-is-back-has-america-changed-cnn/ Editor’s Note: Sign up to get this weekly column as a newsletter. We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. CNN  —  Poetry’s genius is that it offers both an endless supply of words and a fresh way of looking at everything under the sun. As an example, the word “majusculation” – from the noun “majuscule,” meaning upper case or capital lettering (the inverse of “miniscule”) – in poetry refers to the capitalization of the first letter in every line of a poem. Poet and essayist Sumita Chakraborty has written that this convention of language “can give a poem majesty; the poem seems to stand upright, with all of its oblique and elliptical utterances yoked to the vertebrae of its left margin.” If the poet’s use of capital letters can provide coherence – a figurative backbone – to a disordered world, it seems that former President Donald Trump’s haphazard capitalizations in his 14-page response to the House January 6 select committee on Friday did the opposite. Trump’s rage at the committee’s decision to subpoena him for documents and testimony about his role in the insurrection found voice in an all-caps opening line repeating his mendacious claims about the 2020 election. Thereafter, his upper cases were directed incoherently at enemies and allies alike – “Hacks and Thugs” and “American Patriots.” Clay Jones The chaos of Trump’s slapdash majuscules was one tiny measure of linguistic turmoil; this week, Americans were asked to confront much greater mayhem – yet again – when the January 6 committee held its last hearing before the midterm elections. In never-before-seen footage from that day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders were shown “scrambling to obtain more police and national guard forces to repel the rioters on Capitol Hill as they realized the threat was unfolding – not only to their personal safety but also to their ability to carry out their constitutional function of certifying the election,” wrote Julian Zelizer. After four months of highly staged televised hearings, Zelizer concluded: “The committee successfully unpacked the dark days that followed the 2020 election. They have been exposed in clear detail right in front of our eyes. The biggest mystery left is whether as a nation we will close our eyes and simply move forward without demanding accountability, justice and reform.” In focusing this week’s hearing on Trump as a “central player” in the insurrection, according to Vice Chairwoman Liz Cheney, the committee failed to fully address the question of who else knew and bore ultimate responsibility, worried Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick. She wrote, “The thing that keeps me up at night is the fact that the liars and the cheaters and the con men and the opportunists who allowed Jan. 6 to happen, and who minced their way into the Jan. 6 committee hearings two years later merely in order to exculpate themselves, will all roam free after today, with the slightly more burnished aura of statesmanship and patriotism, so they can lay down the tracks for the next attempt at a stolen election.” What comes next? The 2022 midterms now loom, and Manisha Sinha urged voters to look back to 1866 to grasp these ever-higher stakes. “Then, as now, armed paramilitary groups threatened the country,” she argued. “Some Republican candidates still aspire to overturn the results of the presidential election of 2020, just as unrepentant Confederates wanted to undo the results of the Civil War. A stolen election is the new lost cause mythology for many Republicans.” Liza Donnelly In the next installment of CNN Opinion’s ongoing series, “America’s Future Starts Now,” three current and retired election workers – Natalie Adona of California, Lisa Deeley of Pennsylvania and Tina Barton of Michigan – shared the dangers they faced in the line of duty. Deeley, who faced a credible death threat after a video of her was posted online, recalled: “I had two plain-clothes Philadelphia police officers assigned to follow me wherever I went – including the bathroom.” Though this job has traditionally been a low-risk form of public service, since 2020 that reality has changed for these three women and many other officials who oversee federal, state and local elections. Given that a majority of Americans believe US democracy is broken, 12 leading thinkers shared their ideas about how to repair it. One of them, US Marine veteran Joe Plenzler, pointed out that the “military – including its veterans – is one of the most trusted institutions in our society” and made the case for enlisting veterans as poll workers – both for their trustworthiness and for their trained abilities to deescalate tensions and address potential threats. Another participant, filmmaker Ken Burns, wrote: “To paraphrase historian Deborah Lipstadt who appears in my latest project, ‘The U.S. and the Holocaust,’ the time to save a democracy is before it is lost – and that requires people paying attention, filtering sources of news and beginning a politics of compromise built on conversation and storytelling now.” For more: Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert: Why business leaders should make it easier for employees to vote Ann Telnaes Last weekend, an explosion rocked a strategic Crimean bridge, delivering a heavy blow against Russian forces that prompted both jubilation and fear of Russian retribution in Ukraine. “On Monday, those fears were realized,” wrote Michael Bociurkiw from Odesa. “The strikes occurred nationwide just as people were headed to work and while kids were being dropped off at schools,” he observed. “One of the most resilient Ukrainians I know” texted: “I’m not well right now.” For Nonna Stefanova, the attacks by “Russian missiles scorched a children’s playground in Kyiv that my family calls ‘our playground,’ leaving behind a gaping crater.” Russia’s nationwide bombardment demanded that she, like other Ukrainian mothers, rouse her family to seek shelter. Her son Askold, age nine, asked her, “Why does Russia do it?” Her answer: “I told him the truth: because the Russians don’t want us to exist.” Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression, his “so-far-disastrous invasion of Ukraine is turning the former idol of the far right into a toxic figure among many who used to be his greatest admirers,” opined Frida Ghitis after the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to reject Putin’s annexation of Ukrainian territory. “Leaders of the extreme right, seeing the transformation in popular opinion, have pivoted sharply. After championing a Russian leader who was already dictatorial and ruthless, they now seek to benefit from the economic havoc triggered by Putin’s war, while distancing themselves from a man who is now seen not only as a moral pariah by many of his followers, but also as a catastrophically ineffective leader.” courtesy Kathy Pisabaj The corrosive trauma of mass shootings and gun violence in America – and the question of whether justice and accountability are even possible – took center stage this week in two courtrooms. In one, far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones faced judgment for defaming and intentionally inflicting emotional distress on the families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre; in another, a jury recommended that Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz spend life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing 17 people – avoiding the death penalty that many observers, some family members of the victims included, felt Cruz deserved. “Though many were shocked he didn’t receive the death penalty, and many victims’ family members were visibly upset by the decision, it’s wrong to assume this would have automatically brought them solace,” wrote Emilia Benton for NBC Think. Benton’s mother was murdered in 1998 by a man known as the “Railroad Killer,” and while he was executed for his crimes, “the sentencing and ultimate punishment he received in many ways made it more difficult to move forward in my life and achieve any sense of closure.” Moving forward after experiencing gun violence is never a linear process, reflected Katherine Pisabaj. “I always used to be the happiest, most cheerful person. That’s not who I am anymore. My life changed on February 25, 2018, the day I was shot,” Pisabaj wrote. “After years of healing, I am back to the most normal life I can now have. But recovering from this sort of trauma is not a straight path. “Last month was the first time I passed a shooting scene in Chicago since I was shot. I was on my way to the laundromat and drove by where three people had been shot. I fell apart. My boyfriend held my hand as my mom tried to comfort me over the phone. … I battle with anxiety and depression and sometimes feel so sad, even when I know I should be happy. It can be a constant battle.” For more: Guns and crime weigh on Americans’ minds. 6 experts propose ideas to lighten the load Joey Jackson: School shooting verdicts raise questions about viability of justice system Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images Earlier this month, a search committee unanimously recommended US Sen. Ben Sasse – a Republican from Nebraska, historian and former president of Midland University (student body less than 2,000) – as the sole finalist for president of the University of Florida (student body more than 60,000). When Sasse visited the school Monday, students turned out to protest. Sasse’s impending appointment threatens to turn the University of Florida into a partisan plaything and “defiles the ideas of a public university of equity and as a common good,” contended David M. Perry. He wrote that not only would Sasse’s anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion politics have enormous sway in a place where queer students already feel threatened and many women receive heal...

Indiana US Senate Candidates Set For Only Televised Debate https://digitalalabamanews.com/indiana-us-senate-candidates-set-for-only-televised-debate/ FILE – Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., speaks during the Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations GOP news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 19, 2022. Indiana voters can begin casting early, in-person ballots Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, for the November election in which Democrats are looking for a backlash against the Republican-backed state abortion ban approved over the summer. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jose Luis Magana] INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young will face his two reelection opponents on Sunday in what is their only scheduled televised debate ahead of the Nov. 8 election. The debate comes as Democrat Thomas McDermott, the mayor of Hammond, has struggled to gain traction against Young, who has huge fundraising and organization advantages in seeking his second term. Libertarian James Sceniak is also taking part in the debate, which is organized by the nonprofit Indiana Debate Commission and being broadcast on several TV stations around the state. Young has followed a front-runner strategy of mostly ignoring McDermott, who has been Hammond’s mayor since 2004 but is little known outside of northwestern Indiana. Despite Democrats and Republicans fiercely fighting for control of the current 50-50 Senate, Indiana’s Senate race hasn’t seen the tens of millions in outside spending that it attracted four years ago when Republican Mike Braun defeated Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly and in 2016 when Young won the Senate seat over former Democratic U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh. FILE – Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. speaks during his State of the City address at the Hammond, Ind., City Hall on June 24, 2021. Indiana voters can begin casting early, in-person ballots on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, for the November election in which Democrats are looking for a backlash against the Republican-backed state abortion ban approved over the summer. McDermott is the Democrat challenging Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind. (Joe Ruffalo/The Times of Northwest Indiana via AP, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Joe Ruffalo Young avoided a primary challenge this year despite not fully embracing Donald Trump’s presidency — and not getting a Trump endorsement. Young voted to acquit Trump in his Senate impeachment trial but voted to uphold President Joe Biden’s election win. McDermott, a lawyer and U.S. Navy veteran, has tried to build an appeal to working-class voters attracted to Trump while advocating congressional protection of abortion rights and federal marijuana legalization. Young has highlighted Senate work, including his push for providing billions in federal money to encourage more semiconductor companies to build chip plants in the United States in the face of an ambitious China. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Read More…

‘Saturday Night Live’ Targets Jan. 6 Committee, Trump https://digitalalabamanews.com/saturday-night-live-targets-jan-6-committee-trump/ “Saturday Night Live” opened its most recent episode by poking fun at last week’s House Jan. 6 committee hearing. “Over the past few months, this bipartisan committee has presented our case,” said Heidi Gardner, who was playing Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). “Whether you’re a Republican who’s not watching or a Democrat whose nodding so hard your head is falling off, one person is responsible for this insurrection: Donald Trump,” she continued. “And one person will suffer the consequences: me.” As Cheney, Gardner went on to joke about the Wyoming Republican’s father, former Vice President Dick Cheney. “You might wonder, how do you have the guts to take on your entire party alone,” said Gardner as Cheney. “And I’d say, when you were little, who tucked you in at night: was it Dick Cheney?” “So yeah, I guess you could say I have big Dick Cheney energy,” Gardner added. Cheney’s part came after she was introduced by the panel’s chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), played by Kenan Thompson. “January 6 was one of the most dramatic and consequential moments in our nation’s history, so to fight back we assembled a team of monotone nerds to do a PowerPoint,” Kenan Thompson said. The “SNL” skit also satirized a series of clips the committee showed of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other congressional leaders making a flurry of calls during the riot. “Hello DoorDash, it’s Chuck Schumer,” said Sarah Sherman, who played Schumer.  “Yes, we still haven’t received our lunch order, and yes, I did change the drop-off location due to some unfortunate treason, but it still should have arrived by now,” continued Sherman, holding a flip phone like Schumer’s. Later in the segment, the cast made fun of Pelosi’s repeated mentions during the clips aired at Thursday’s hearing of her receiving a report someone defecated on the House floor. “America, I don’t know what more we could possibly show you, except maybe this clip of Nancy Pelosi saying poo-poo,” said Kenan Thompson. “There is poo-poo, there is poo-poo on the walls of the Capitol,” Chloe Fineman, as Pelosi, said. The cold open also featured appearances of cast members playing the other committee members, including Andrew Dismukes, who played Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.).  “Trump is a hundred percent coming, and this time, he will be held accountable,” said Dismukes’s Kinzinger. “Sure, he got away with a lot of stuff in the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, the early 2000s, the 2010s and the early 2020s, but that ends now, with us,” Dismukes continued as Kinzinger. “Because I’m Mr. Kinzinger, and he will respect my authority.” The cold open parodied the committee’s hearing last Thursday, when lawmakers voted to subpoenaed former President Trump.  The hearing may also be the committee’s last before its work wraps up near the end of the year. Read More…

Suspected Stockton Serial Killer Arrested, Was On A 'mission To Kill' https://digitalalabamanews.com/suspected-stockton-serial-killer-arrested-was-on-a-mission-to-kill/ A suspected serial killer in the California city of Stockton was arrested Saturday and police say they believe he was “out hunting” when he was nabbed. “We are sure we stopped another killing,” Chief Stanley McFadden, of the Stockton Police Department, said at a news conference Saturday. Wesley Brownlee, 43, was arrested in connection with six unprovoked murders of men ages 21 to 54 over the last few months. He was booked on a homicide charge Saturday. Police said that surveillance teams followed Brownlee while he was driving, and stopped in area of Village Green Drive and Winslow Avenue around 2 a.m. Saturday morning. Wesley Brownlee, 43, was arrested and charged with homicide Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Authorities believe he is connected to a series of killings in Stockton, Calif. Stockton Police Department “Our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving. We watched his patterns and determined early this morning; he was on a mission to kill. He was out hunting,” McFadden said. McFadden added, “As officers made contact with him, he was wearing dark clothing and a mask around his neck. He was also armed with a firearm when he was taken into custody.” Brown will be arraigned Tuesday and more charges are likely, police said. The San Joaquin County’s Office of the Medical Examiner identified the victims. Paul Yaw, 35, was killed on July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr., 43, died on Aug. 11; Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez, 21, was killed on Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, was the Sept. 21 victim; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54, was slain on Sept. 27. The men were alone at the time when they were fatally shot, officials said. All of the killings took place at night or in the early morning hours, police said. Another shooting, of a 46-year-old Black woman at Park Street and Union Street in Stockton at 3:20 a.m. on April 16, 2021, was also linked to the investigation, police said earlier this month. The woman survived her injuries in that shooting, they said. Police said that a motive is not known for the killings but it is believed to have been intentional. ABC News’ Mark Osborne and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report. Read More…