Digital Alabama News

Obituaries In Gadsden, AL | The Gadsden Times https://digitalalabamanews.com/obituaries-in-gadsden-al-the-gadsden-times-5/ Memorial Service for Mr. Ronald Wayne McCarver, age 78 of Glencoe, will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. with Bro. Jason Ellen officiating. Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022 from 10:00 A.M. until service time at 11:00 A.M. Ronald McCarver, beloved husband, father, Pawpaw, brother and uncle passed away October 4, 2022 at Riverview Regional Medical Center after battling the ravages of a stroke for three weeks. More than anything, he loved his family and we feel the devastating loss of his sweet presence immensely. Ronald was born in Gadsden, AL, on February 29, 1944. He graduated from Glencoe High school in 1962, then attended college in Louisville, KY and Birmingham, AL, completing a degree in Electronics. He worked for a short while at NASA in Huntsville in the area of Electrical Engineering. He later transferred to Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, where he worked from 1966 to 2003, retiring after 37 years service. Dad was an avid gun collector and enthusiast, and his most enjoyable jobs were working post-retirement for his good friend, Steve Andrew at his gun store, then at B&B Pawn Shop for the past several years. Even while Dad was in the hospital recovering from his stroke, he was most anxious to return to his friends and work at B&B Pawn Shop, asking about them daily. Ronald married our mom, Linda Gilley, in 1966. They had two children, Dana, born in 1968, and Daryl, born in 1974. Throughout our lives, our Dad was a wonderful father and daily showered us with love and affection, always sacrificing his needs and wants for the good of his family. His greatest pride and joy were his grandsons, Caleb and Cade McCarver. We are deeply saddened that Dad will never get to see his future great grandchild, the “little rat”, due to Caleb and Sydney McCarver in April 2023. We love you, Daddy, and miss you terribly. You were the greatest husband, father and grandfather we could ever ask for. He is survived by his wife, Linda G. McCarver; his son, Daryl McCarver (Traci); his daughter, Dana McCarver Coats (Steve); his grandsons, Caleb McCarver (Sydney) and Cade McCarver (Sydney Griggers); his treasured brother, Gerald McCarver (LaRue); his sister-in-law, Shirley Haynes (Lamar); nephews, Tim McCarver, Brian McCarver (Amber);and Jerry Alan Holley, his niece, Shera Holley Butt (Doug); and a multitude of grand nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his mother, Alene B. McCarver; his grandparents, Fred and Maydell Brannon; and his nephew, Jarrod A. Holley. Honorary Pallbearers will be Caleb McCarver, Cade McCarver, Tim McCarver, Brian McCarver, Jerry Alan Holley and the Crew at B&B Pawn Shop. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the third floor nursing staff and ICU Staff at Riverview Regional Medical Center, who took tender, loving care of dad while he was there for three weeks. The family has requested potted plants only due to no graveside service being held. Morgan Funeral Chapel & Crematory is in charge of the arrangements. Posted online on October 07, 2022 Published in Gadsden Times Read More…

Coming Soon: Five Restaurants And Bars Opening In The Birmingham Area https://digitalalabamanews.com/coming-soon-five-restaurants-and-bars-opening-in-the-birmingham-area/ Alabama Life & Culture Updated: Oct. 07, 2022, 9:00 a.m.| Published: Oct. 07, 2022, 8:00 a.m. (AL.com file) We’ve said it before: hearing news about an upcoming restaurant is almost always welcome and refreshing. The industry is still adjusting to challenges, but restaurant owners are forging ahead in the Birmingham area. From coffee houses to new locations of Birmingham favorites, keep a lookout for these upcoming restaurants. [READ MORE] Now Open: Six new Birmingham restaurants to add to your list Coming soon: Seven restaurants and bars opening in the Birmingham area HONEST COFFEE ROASTERS Restaurateurs Jesus “Chuy” Mendez, Diego Guzman Lopez, Vinh Tran, and Christy Wimberly are partnering to open a location of Honest Coffee Roasters in Birmingham’s Pizitz Food Hall. Honest Coffee Roasters is a full-service craft coffee concept founded in 2014 in Franklin, Tenn. In 2017, after a series of pop-ups, Christy Wimberly opened an independently owned Honest Coffee Roasters in downtown Huntsville. Honest Coffee Roasters in Birmingham is expected to open in 2023. ONO POKE Vinh Tran will bring a third location of his popular restaurant The Ono Pokè to The Summit. The Ono Poké will be located next to Taco Mama, in a 2,246-square-foot space. “Bringing The Ono Poké to The Summit has been a dream since the very beginning and I am thrilled to be opening our third location among many other notable local restaurateurs within the Birmingham area,” Tran said. TEASPOON California-based bubble tea café Teaspoon is set to open at The Summit, marking the franchise’s first in the Southeast. Teaspoon combines fresh flavors such as mango, strawberry and yogurt with traditional boba tea. Customers can also add taro chunks, egg, or almond pudding with their choice of organic whole milk or oat milk. BITTY & BEAU’S COFFEE North Carolina-based coffee chain Bitty & Beau’s Coffee plans to open a location in Birmingham. The Birmingham Business Journal reports the store will have an opening date in the coming weeks. The franchise has expanded to 10 states since it was founded in 2016. The location in Birmingham will be the franchise’s second shop in Alabama. The company also opened a store in Auburn this summer, reported the BBJ. Fairway Social Atlanta-based sports entertainment dining destination Fairway Social is coming to Birmingham’s Parkside District. The restaurant features virtual sports games, a full-service restaurant, and a bar. Birmingham developer Orchestra Partners announced that Fairway Social will be located in its Urban Supply development, which was planned as a mix of indoor and outdoor entertainment, retail and dining tenants. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

The Justice Department Believes Trump Might Have More White House Documents https://digitalalabamanews.com/the-justice-department-believes-trump-might-have-more-white-house-documents/ WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice suspects former President Donald Trump still possesses documents that he took from the White House, people familiar with the matter told NBC News on Friday. The department’s top counterintelligence official, Jay Bratt, recently communicated that concern to Trump’s lawyers, the sources said. The New York Times reported Thursday that the department believed Trump had not returned all of the documents he took from the White House. This was also confirmed by The Wall Street Journal. The revelation leaves some key questions unanswered, including whether the department has concrete evidence that Trump still holds classified material or it’s just a suspicion based on inferences, such as the empty envelopes with classified markings that were seized at Mar-a-Lago or information from the National Archives that it’s still missing documents from Trump’s presidency. Various court filings from the department have suggested that some presidential records are still missing. In a September filing opposing U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling barring the Justice Department from accessing documents seized at Mar-a-Lago, the department complained that her ruling “appears to bar the FBI and DOJ from further reviewing the records to discern any patterns in the types of records that were retained, which could lead to identification of other records still missing.” The Justice Department has also pointed to the empty envelopes marked classified that the FBI seized at Mar-a-Lago as evidence some docents could be missing. The Times reported that Trump’s lawyers were split on how to respond to the Justice Departments questions about any further records in the former president’s possession, with one faction, led by attorney Chris Kise, suggesting they hire a forensic accounting firm to search for additional documents. Other lawyers talked Trump out of that idea, the Times reported. NBC News has not independently confirmed the reported disagreement.  The Justice Department declined to comment. NBC has reached out to Kise for comment. Meanwhile, Trump filed an emergency request Tuesday asking the Supreme Court to intervene in the case and allow a special master to review classified documents federal agents seized from Trump’s Florida estate. The request came in response to a ruling by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Sept. 21 that said the Justice Department could resume using classified documents taken from Mar-a-Lago in its criminal investigation, but barred the special master from reviewing them. That part of the federal appeals court’s decision “impairs substantially the ongoing, time-sensitive work of the special master,” Trump’s lawyers wrote. “Moreover, any limit on the comprehensive and transparent review of materials seized in the extraordinary raid of a president’s home erodes public confidence in our system of justice.” The National Archives informed the House Oversight and Reform Committee last week that some records from the Trump White House had still not been turned over in compliance with the Presidential Records Act. Several days after the FBI searched Trump’s Florida property, a receipt of recovered items showed that agents found a trove of top-secret and other highly classified documents. Federal agents removed 11 sets of classified documents, some of which were labeled secret and top secret. Ken Dilanian is the justice and intelligence correspondent for NBC News, based in Washington. Rebecca Shabad is a politics reporter for NBC News based in Washington. Read More…

Georgia GOP Lieutenant Governor Blasts Trump Over Walker Senate Campaign https://digitalalabamanews.com/georgia-gop-lieutenant-governor-blasts-trump-over-walker-senate-campaign/ Former President Donald Trump listens as Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker speaks during his Save America rally in Perry, Ga., on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Ben Gray) Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) blamed former President Trump for embattled GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker’s campaign on Thursday, as Walker’s Senate bid remains engulfed in scandal. “[Georgia] let down the entire country,” Duncan told CNN. “Donald Trump led us down a rabbit trail post-election because he was too consumed with trying to save face from losing his election. And he ran us down a trail, and we screwed up.” Walker’s campaign has been on defense since Monday, when The Daily Beast reported that the anti-abortion candidate had encouraged and paid for a then-girlfriend’s abortion in 2009. Walker strongly denied the allegations, which The Hill has not independently verified. However, The Daily Beast followed up with a second story revealing that the women making the allegations was the mother of one of Walker’s children. The former NFL star’s campaign continued to struggle when his son Christian Walker, a conservative influencer, publicly criticized his father and accused him of lying about the incident. Trump, who endorsed Walker, defended the candidate, claiming that he was “being slandered and maligned by the Fake News Media and obviously, the Democrats.” Duncan said on Thursday that the scandal has left him, along with other Georgia Republicans, unsure of who to support in the Senate race. “I’m not voting for Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker hasn’t earned my respect or my vote,” Duncan said. “I’m like hundreds of thousands of other Republicans here in Georgia. We’re confused. We don’t really have anywhere to go right now.” The Georgia lieutenant governor is aligned with GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who has frequently clashed with the former president. Kemp soundly defeated Trump’s candidate, former Sen. David Perdue, in the Republican primary in May. Read More…

DOJ Suspects Trump Still Has Classified Documents He Removed From White House, Even After FBI Mar-A-Lago Raid https://digitalalabamanews.com/doj-suspects-trump-still-has-classified-documents-he-removed-from-white-house-even-after-fbi-mar-a-lago-raid/ Former U.S. President Donald Trump throws caps as he attends a rally in Warren, Michigan, U.S., October 1, 2022. Dieu-nalio Chery | Reutersm The Justice Department suspects that ex-President Donald Trump might still have classified documents that he removed from the White House when he left office in January 2021, people familiar with the matter told NBC News. The DOJ’s head of counterintelligence matters, Jay Bratt, recently told Trump’s attorneys that the department believed he had not turned over all the government documents he took when he left office, classified or not, NBC reported. The news, first reported by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, comes two months after FBI agents empowered by a search warrant raided Trump’s residence in Florida and seized thousands of government documents. More than 100 of the records were marked classified. It also comes days after the acting Archivist of the United States Debra Steidel Wall, in a letter to the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said that the National Archives and Records Administration still has not recovered Trump White House staff records that are contained on non-official electronic accounts they used during his presidency. NARA found more than 150 documents marked classified in boxes of records that Trump turned over to the agency from Mar-a-Lago in January. The DOJ and a spokeswoman for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC on Friday. The Aug. 8 raid at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach was part of an ongoing criminal investigation of Trump for the removal of government records when he left office, and potential obstruction of justice in not returning those documents as federal authorities sought their return. By law, such records are the property of the U.S. government. The DOJ has said that the raid found empty file folders that were marked classified. Officials also have complained that a judge’s ruling temporarily barring the DOJ from examining the seized classified documents “appears to bar the FBI and DOJ” from a review that could identify other records that are “still missing.” Although the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago, where Trump resides in non-summer months, agents did not search either his residence at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, or his apartment at Trump Tower in New York City. The Daily Mail last month published a video taken of Trump in May 2021 boarding a jet from near Mar-a-Lago as file boxes were being loaded on the plane. Trump was traveling to Bedminster at the time. Trump’s lawyers are divided over how to respond to the DOJ’s suspicion that the former president still has classified material, the Times report noted. One group of attorneys, headed by Chris Kise, had suggested that Trump retain a forensic accounting firm to search for the suspected records. But other attorneys dissuaded Trump from that route, according to the report. The latest reports on the potentially still-missing classified documents complicate an already tangled legal situation. Judges in four federal courts, including the Supreme Court, are dealing with disputes between Trump’s lawyers and the DOJ over the parameters and timing of the use of the records in the criminal probe. Read More…

Birmingham Crisis Center Named After Longtime Mental Health Advocate https://digitalalabamanews.com/birmingham-crisis-center-named-after-longtime-mental-health-advocate/ From The Lede Published: Oct. 07, 2022, 9:49 a.m. Jim Crego (left) executive director at JBS Mental Health Authority and Dr. Sabrina Scott (right) at the site of the future Birmingham Crisis Care Center for mental health emergencies. This week the Jefferson, Blount, St. Clair (JBS) Mental Health Authority in Birmingham announced they would be naming their new mental health crisis center after Dr. Richard Craig. According to a press release from JBS, Craig is a former JBS executive director and a longtime advocate for the mental health community who is credited with the creation of the meals, observation, and medication (MOM) apartment program now used statewide to help those in rehabilitative group homes transition to independent living by ensuring they receive medications and meals consistently. The press release added that Craig also received the NAMI Alabama Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and the annual Alabama Institute for Recovery H.O.P.E. Award in 2011, which is given to an individual or organization for their statewide efforts to unify and benefit various stakeholders in the mental illness arena. “Throughout his 23-year tenure at JBS, Dr. Craig’s tremendous leadership and enthusiasm for implementing new mental health services has positively impacted countless individuals and families across the state,” said current JBS Executive Director Jim Crego in the press release. “We look forward to continuing the great legacy he has built in the mental health care sector through the opening of the Craig Crisis Care Center.” Craig said places like the crisis care center are intended to divert those having mental illness crises away from police action and possible incarceration into a treatment facility instead. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

TCS To Host Forum On System's Culture And Climate At Northridge High Monday https://digitalalabamanews.com/tcs-to-host-forum-on-systems-culture-and-climate-at-northridge-high-monday/ TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa City Schools will host a series of three community forums at its three high schools to discuss the culture and climate in the school system. Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts. The first installment will be held at Northridge High School on Monday, Oct. 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The community forum will follow small-group listening sessions on culture and climate with students and faculty at Northridge High School on Monday during the school day. Find out what’s happening in Tuscaloosawith free, real-time updates from Patch. While Monday’s community forum and the listening sessions are scheduled for Northridge High, additional sessions are planned for Central High School and Paul W. Bryant High School this school year. “We are committed to ensuring each and every student feels connected to their school in a positive manner,” TCS Superintendent Mike Daria said. “We want to work together to help strengthen the notion of unity within our schools, and as a community.” Find out what’s happening in Tuscaloosawith free, real-time updates from Patch. TCS says Monday’s event will begin with a general session moderated by Roger Cleveland, who serves as director of Faculty Diversity and Development at Eastern Kentucky University. Those in attendance will then have the opportunity to participate in smaller focus groups to discuss the issues at hand. “It is our goal that all children feel welcome, included, and safe in the Tuscaloosa City Schools,” TCS Deputy Superintendent James Pope said. “We feel that community input and support is vital for making our system even stronger.” As part of the community forum series, TCS hopes to collect student, staff, parent, and community input in an effort to provide unity within all of its schools. TCS then said it plans to share the results and action items that come as a result of these meetings at later date. Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you’re interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The rules of replying: Be respectful. This is a space for friendly local discussions. No racist, discriminatory, vulgar or threatening language will be tolerated. Be transparent. Use your real name, and back up your claims. Keep it local and relevant. Make sure your replies stay on topic. Review the Patch Community Guidelines. Read More…

How Do U.S. Marijuana Policies Compare Globally After Biden’s Pardon? https://digitalalabamanews.com/how-do-u-s-marijuana-policies-compare-globally-after-bidens-pardon/ President Biden offered pardons Thursday to thousands of people convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law, as U.S. states and other governments around the world reconsider their approach toward the drug, with some moving to decriminalize or legalize it. “No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” Biden said. He called on senior administration officials to review how the drug is regulated under federal law and whether it should continue to be treated as a Schedule I substance along with drugs such as heroin, LSD and ecstasy. On Oct. 6, President Biden pardoned thousands of people convicted of a federal crime for simply possessing marijuana and urged governors to do the same. (Video: Julie Yoon/The Washington Post) Here’s what you need to know about how U.S. marijuana policies and laws compare to those of other countries. What does Biden’s offer of mass pardons for people convicted of simple marijuana possession mean? More than 600,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession in the United States in 2018, according to the latest available data from the American Civil Liberties Union. (Not all arrests lead to charges and convictions.) But Biden’s announcement applies only to federal prosecutions, a fraction of people affected by possession laws. His pardon power does not extend to those convicted under state law. “Many if not most people serving time are in state systems,” said Griffen Thorne, an attorney at Harris Bricken, a law firm that works with cannabis companies. (Biden also called on state governors Thursday to offer similar pardons.) No one is serving time in a federal prison solely for the crime of marijuana possession, White House officials said Thursday, though more than 6,500 people may have such convictions on their records. How do the United States’ policies stack up against the rest of the world? Possessing or consuming marijuana for any reason is illegal under federal law, but as of February, 37 states and the District of Columbia had authorized it for medical use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In addition, at least 19 states and D.C. had legalized recreational marijuana for adults as of May. Technically, “every state-level marijuana program is a complete violation of federal law,” Thorne said, but the federal government has “looked the other way.” A handful of countries have legalized recreational use of marijuana, though there are many gray areas and caveats. Places where it is legal to recreationally use cannabis include Uruguay, Canada and Malta. In some cases, there are restrictions on age, quantities and transport of the drug. South Africa decriminalized adult use of cannabis in private, although purchasing or selling it remains illegal. Thailand this year legalized growing and trading marijuana. However, government officials have warned that “nonproductive” use of the drug — such as smoking it outside — could lead to penalties such as short prison terms. Germany’s coalition government pledged before taking office last year to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. Australia allows medical marijuana, but recreational use at home is only legal in the Australian Capital Territory, encompassing Canberra and surrounding townships. Personal use of limited quantities of cannabis is tolerated in the Netherlands, though it’s technically illegal. “Certainly, there are other countries that have liberal policies and are more consistent about it,” said Robert Mikos, a professor at Vanderbilt University who specializes in drug law. “But because we have so many states that have legalized adult recreational or medical use, I would count the U.S. as one of the more progressive countries.” Is the world moving toward legalizing marijuana for personal use? Momentum toward legalizing marijuana is ramping up in Latin America and Africa, Thorne said. A 2018 Constitutional Court decision paved the way for South Africa to decriminalize personal use, and President Cyril Ramaphosa said this year that his government would work on bolstering its domestic cannabis sector, Reuters reported. Peru legalized medical use in 2017, and Zimbabwe did so in 2018. Marijuana is one of the world’s most widely consumed drugs, with roughly 147 million people — about 2 percent of the global population — using it annually, according to the World Health Organization. U.S. adults between the ages of 19 and 30 also used marijuana at record levels last year, the National Institutes of Health reported. But there are pockets of opposition in parts of the world, particularly Asia. In a 2020 referendum, New Zealand voters narrowly rejected legalizing cannabis for nonmedicinal use. It is available there with a prescription. Singapore — whose tough drug laws extend to cannabis — also recently signaled that it would not move to permit medicinal marijuana in the near future. Does the mass pardon for marijuana possession have global significance? Maybe. U.S. drug policy has long influenced how the world treats marijuana. Since the 1960s, the United States has championed international conventions and treaties that required participating countries to ban recreational cannabis, said Mikos, the law professor. But now that dozens of U.S. states have legalized cannabis for recreational or medicinal use, several countries “have taken that as a green light to go ahead and start experimenting,” he said. Read More…

Stocks Fall As Investors Digest September Jobs Report, Dow Drops 400 Points https://digitalalabamanews.com/stocks-fall-as-investors-digest-september-jobs-report-dow-drops-400-points/ Stocks fell on Friday morning as traders evaluated September’s jobs report, which showed the unemployment rate continuing to decline and sparked an increase in interest rates. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 416 points, or 1.4%. The S&P 500 lost 1.8%, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 2.5%. Friday’s jobs numbers showed the U.S. economy added 263,000 jobs in September, slightly below a Dow Jones estimate of 275,000. However, the unemployment rate came in at 3.5%, down from the 3.7% in the previous month in a sign that the jobs picture continues to strengthen even as the Federal Reserve tries to slow the economy with rate hikes to stem inflation. “While the data was about as expected, the drop in the unemployment rate is seemingly what the markets are obsessed with because of what it means for the Fed,” said Bleakley Financial chief investment officer Peter Boockvar. “When combined with the low level of initial jobless claims, the pace of firing’s remains muted and this of course gets the Fed all fired up about continuing with its aggressive rate hikes.” The falling unemployment rate sparked a jump in rates, in turn weighing on futures. The 2-year year Treasury yield jumped 8 basis points to 4.31%. (1 basis point equals 0.01%.) Advanced Micro Devices’ stock fell after the chipmaker warned its third-quarter revenue would be lower than anticipated. Levi Strauss shares slipped following a cut to its guidance. Major averages closed lower during Thursday trading but are on pace for an up week. The Dow and S&P are each set to end the week about 3% higher, while Nasdaq is on pace to rise 2%. “The environment is ripe for a crisis and if the Fed keeps its hawkish communication up I think we’re quite likely to have something break in the financial markets,” Scott Minerd, Guggenheim’s global chief investment officer said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime” on Thursday. Minerd said the pace of tightening is beginning to create cracks in the financial markets and could force a Fed pivot in the coming weeks. “All the signs are there,” he said. “I can’t tell you exactly what will cause it, but the environment is ripe and when the Fed pivots, they’re not going to preannounce it, they’re not going to ring a bell.” The only bull market this week might just be in the energy complex Asset prices may feel soft everywhere this week, but not in the oil patch. Maybe its has to do with OPEC+ agreeing midweek to cut future crude oil production. Early Friday, before September’s nonfarm payrolls were reported, November West Texas Intermediate crude oil contracts had risen above $90 a barrel and were 13% higher on the week. That means WTI was on pace for the biggest weekly gain since early March, shortly after Russia attacked Ukraine on Feb. 24. Look at individual stocks early Friday. Premarket, Exxon Mobil was higher by 17.6% in just the first four days of this week, on pace for its best week since at least 1972. That was the same year Standard Oil of New Jersey changed its name to Exxon. Marathon Oil had soared 26.5% in the first four days of the week and Halliburton was higher by 22.5%. For both of them, it was the strongest weekly performance since June 2020, and there was still one more trading day to go. The Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF had gained 15% week-to-date, on track for its best week since November 2020. November heating oil futures contracts were up almost 17% week-to-date and were on pace for the strongest weekly gain since late April. — Scott Schnipper and Gina Francolla Path to soft landing looks more challenging after jobs report, Lazard’s Temple says The Federal Reserve’s goal of achieving a soft landing for the U.S. economy amid rate hikes to tame high inflation is looking less likely amid continued labor market strength, according to Ron Temple, head of U.S. equity strategy at Lazard Asset Management. “While job growth is slowing, the US economy remains far too hot for the Fed to achieve its inflation target,” Temple said in a Friday note. “The path to a soft landing keeps getting more challenging.” The Friday jobs report showed that employers added 263,000 jobs in September and that the unemployment rate fell to 3.5%. That’s a relatively strong labor market, even if job gains are slowing. It means the Fed will likely be aggressive with interest rate hikes going forward. “If there are any doves left on the FOMC, today’s report might have further thinned their ranks,” said Temple. —Carmen Reinicke Employment data unlikely to push Fed off course, economist says Friday’s employment data shows the job market is heading in the right direction, said Andrew Hunter, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics. But he doesn’t see it as convincing to the Federal Reserve to change course from its strategy of raising rates as a means to fight inflation. “The 263,000 gain in non-farm payrolls in September is another signal that labor market conditions are cooling,” Hunter said. “But with the unemployment rate dropping back to 3.5% the report is unlikely to significantly alter the Fed’s view that the labor market is ‘out of balance.'” — Alex Harring Oil hits $90 per barrel, heating oil also jumps Oil prices are surging following OPEC+ major production cut announced Wednesday. West Texas Intermediate crude for November delivery hit $90 per barrel, the highest level since Sept. 14. The commodity is up almost 13% this week and is on track for its best week since March 4. Brent crude is also higher today, up 1.35% at $95.69 per barrel. Heating oil has also jumped, hitting 3.9478, its highest level since Aug. 30. Heating oil is up nearly 17% this week, on pace for the biggest weekly gain since April 29. Shares of major energy companies also gained with the price of oil. The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund is up 15% this week, on pace for its best week since Nov. 13, 2020. Exxon is up 17.62% this week, its best weekly performance since 1972. Marathon Oil is up more than 26% this week, and Halliburton is up more than 22% in the same timeframe. It’s both company’s best week since June 5, 2020. —Carmen Reinicke, Gina Francolla U.S. jobs growth slows in September to 263,000 The U.S. economy added 263,000 jobs in September, slightly below a Dow Jones estimate of 275,000. The unemployment rate came in at 3.5%, down from 3.7% in the previous month. Click here to read more. — Jeff Cox BMO Capital Markets still sees an up year for the S&P 500 Stocks’ decline starting in mid-August has been “more severe and longer lasting” than analysts at BMO Capital Markets anticipated, but investors should keep calm and carry on, the firm said in a note Friday. “We advise investors to stay calm and disciplined and refrain from going into panic mode amid this selloff,” chief investment strategist Brian Belski siad. “Yes, the market has been volatile, and the path of least resistance has largely been to the downside in recent weeks, but we continue to firmly believe that the S&P 500 will finish the year higher than current levels with Q3 earnings results potentially being a catalyst for a more sustained market rebound.” Last week the S&P 500 capped the September trading month, ending lower by about 9% and finding a new bear market low in the midst of the losses. That drop marked the index’s biggest monthly loss since March 2020 and its worst September since 2002.   — Tanaya Macheel Goldman Sachs shares rise on KBW upgrade Shares of Goldman Sachs rose slightly in Friday premarket trading after Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded the stock to outperform from market perform. The firm said the Goldman Sachs’ valuation based on tangible book value (TBV) looks attractive. “We are upgrading Goldman Sachs to Outperform from Market Perform due to an attractive valuation of just under forward TBV, strong TBV growth, improved capital allocation and potential near-term benefits of strong FICC results over what could be a volatile next few quarters,” Konrad wrote. Read the full CNBC Pro story on the note here. — Sarah Min Credit Suisse climbs after announcing debt buyback The U.S. traded shares of Credit Suisse rose 6% in premarket trading after the investment bank offered to buy back roughly $3 billion of its debt. Credit Suisse is also selling the Savoy Hotel in Zurich. The bank’s share price and debt have fallen sharply in recent weeks amid concern about how fast rising interest rates around the world are hurting the European financial sector. Credit Suisse is expected to announce broader strategic plan later this month. — Jesse Pound, Elliot Smith DraftKings jumps on potential ESPN deal Shares of DraftKings jumped as much as 9% in premarket trading Friday on reports that ESPN is nearing a new partnership with the sports betting company. The potential deal would allow ESPN to capitalize on growing demand for sports betting. Disney, which owns ESPN, has been searching for a sports betting partnership for the network for about a year and has said it will spend as much as $3 billion in an extended deal. Shares of Disney were little changed Friday morning. —Carmen Reinicke European markets retreat slightly ahead of key U.S. jobs report European markets pulled back slightly on Friday to round out a volatile week, as global investors await a key monthly jobs report out of the United States. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was down 0.2% in early trade, with tech stocks falling 1.6% while food and beverage stocks gained 0.4%. – Elliot Smith Inflation could resurge if the Fed pivots too early, former Fed president says Former Kansas City Federal Reserve President Thomas Hoenig said the Fed could “reignite” inflation if it stops raising interest rates “too soon.” The Fed should not enter a rate-cutting cycle immediately after reachin...

This Week In HS Sports: Andalusia Cruising To Showdown With Catholic https://digitalalabamanews.com/this-week-in-hs-sports-andalusia-cruising-to-showdown-with-catholic/ This is an opinion piece. Trent Taylor saw something special building in his eighth Andalusia football team as early as last February. “I told the kids then that, ‘Hey, I really like your approach. I like the way you are handling your business,’” Taylor said. “At that point, there was no discussion about this year. It was just about getting better.” The Bulldogs have handled their business convincingly up to this point in the season. Andalusia (7-0) has outscored the competition 343-91 in 2022. The Bulldogs have scored at least 49 points in each of their last four games, including 69 last week against Geneva. They’ve played exactly one game that was even reasonably close – a 42-31 victory over Milton, Fla., in Week 2. “The one thing I see is there are some really good 4A football teams out there, and it seems like a lot of them are in the South,” Taylor said. “(Montgomery) Catholic, Handley, Anniston, T.R. Miller are all good. Jamey (DuBose) has a good team down there (Orange Beach). “We talk a lot to our guys about not worrying so much about the opponents. Let’s just take care of Andalusia. I tell them all the time just to enjoy the ride. We’ll ride it as long as we can, and we won’t worry about the destination. We will just enjoy the journey. There is a good personality about this team. I do know that.” Taylor said the biggest surprises about the Bulldogs so far have been the play of the defense and of quarterback Jack Lathrop. The defense has allowed an average of just 13 points a game. Lathrop, a junior, is completing 70 percent of his passes for 898 yards and 12 TDs. “He’s a young man who moved here as a ninth-grader and didn’t even play football his first year,” Taylor said. “He came out as a 10th-grader and was a backup, but he had a good offseason in the weight room and summer throwing the ball. His calmness has been really good, probably biggest surprise of the whole team.” It helps that Lathrop operates behind an experienced offensive line (4 of 5 starters returned from a year ago) and is surrounded by playmakers like star running back J’marrion Burnette and wide receivers Kaden Denson and Tycamren Jackson. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Burnette is one of Alabama’s top five recruits in the Class of 2024. He’s averaging 10.8 yards per carry this year with 10 touchdowns. Those statistics would be much higher if Andalusia’s scores weren’t so lopsided. “He’s the real deal,” Taylor said of Burnette. “He has a chance to be really, really special.” Andalusia, ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 4A, hosts Slocomb (3-3) tonight. The Bulldogs then travel to B.T. Washington on Oct. 14 before finishing the regular season with the game everyone can’t help but look toward — at home on Oct. 21 against No. 1 Montgomery Catholic. “I know kids talk,” Taylor said. “I know they are probably snapchatting or tweeting or whatever it is they do. I’m sure our kids are fully aware of how good Catholic is, but, if they are thinking it on the inside, they’ve done a good job of not voicing it. I really think they have bought into, ‘Let’s take care of Andalusia.’” Getting defensive A pair of highly ranked defensive players made two of the biggest plays in the state in Week 7. Alabama DB commit Jahlil Hurley blocked a 40-yard Bob Jones field goal attempt on the final play of the game to preserve Florence’s 38-35 victory last week. Earlier, Hurley set up the Falcons’ go-ahead field goal with a 29-yard reception. In Alabaster, Thompson DB Anquon Fegans picked off a pair of Hewitt-Trussville passes, returning one for a score, as the Warriors head off Hewitt-Trussville 14-12. His second interception came on a two-point try by the Huskies that would have tied the game with less than two minutes remaining. Hurley is ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the state in the Class of 2023, according to the 247 composite rankings. Fegans, who is uncommitted, is ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2025. Henderson’s big night In case you went to bed early Thursday night, you missed a huge performance from Elba running back Alvin Henderson. In a 62-28 win over Georgiana, the sophomore rushed for 412 yards and 6 TDs on 22 carries. For the season, Henderson now has 1,790 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns. Could a sophomore win Mr. Football? It may depend on how deep Elba goes in the playoffs. Thought for the Day “There is always light. If only we are brave enough to see it. If only we are brave enough to be it.” – Amanda Gorman. 80s quote of the week “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life. Electric word life. It means forever and that’s a might long time, but I’m here to tell you. There is something else.” – Let’s go Crazy, Prince 1984 In acase youase yoase yase aseasathe high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at bthomas@al.com. His weekly column is posted each Wednesday and Friday on AL.com. He can be heard weekly on the Cooper Restaurants “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Former Oath Keeper Says Group Had Contact With Secret Service Before Jan. 6 https://digitalalabamanews.com/former-oath-keeper-says-group-had-contact-with-secret-service-before-jan-6/ A former member of the far-right Oath Keepers organization testified on Thursday that the founder of the group was in contact with the Trump administration’s Secret Service in the months leading up to the November 2020 presidential election. John Zimmerman, who appeared before a jury at the seditious conspiracy trial of five Oath Keeper members including the organization’s founder Stewart Rhodes, said that he witnessed a phone call between the group’s leader and someone he thought belonged to the Secret Service in September 2020. Zimmerman also said that Rhodes told him he had been in contact with the agency. When asked whether the person on the other end of the September call was a Secret Service member, Zimmerman said: “From the questions Stewart — Mr. Rhodes — was asking, it sounded like it could’ve been,” according to NBC News. The alleged call took place before a reelection rally for former President Donald Trump in North Carolina to ask about “parameters” for the conduct of the Oath Keepers at the event. At the time, the organization was assisting with escorts of attendees into the event. Another Oath Keepers member has testified that Rhodes attempted to make contact with Trump following the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The organization founder spoke with someone over the phone at that time, although it is unclear who was on the other end. Zimmerman, who left his position as a county leader for the Oath Keepers prior to the Jan. 6 insurrection, said that it was unlikely that the organization had a direct line to Trump, NBC reports. However, Oath Keepers lawyer Kellye SoRelle was in contact with former White House aide Andrew Giuliani the same month that Trump lost reelection. Zimmerman said that he and others broke with the Oath Keepers organization because of controversial tactics Rhodes tried to use during a trip in November. “He thought that we should dress up as elderly or be like a single parent pushing a baby carriage with some weapons in the baby carriage,” Zimmerman said of Rhodes’ alleged plan to lure members of ANTIFA or Black Lives Matter to attack the Oath Keepers, according to NBC. Rhodes allegedly wanted the progressive organizations to attack his own group to create a reason for Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would have authorized the then-president to deploy military forces to suppress violence. Rhodes is charged with seditious conspiracy alongside fellow Oath Keepers Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins and Thomas Caldwell. “We are aware that individuals from the Oath Keepers have contacted us in the past to make inquiries,” the Secret Service told NBC. “It is not uncommon for various organizations to contact us concerning security restrictions and activities that are permissible in proximity to our protected sites.” The Hill has contacted the Secret Service for comment on Zimmerman’s testimony. Read More…

Cox Fundraiser Set For Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Estate | Maryland Daily Record https://digitalalabamanews.com/cox-fundraiser-set-for-trumps-mar-a-lago-estate-maryland-daily-record/ ANNAPOLIS — Former Maryland Del. Carmen Amedori says when she gets to Mar-a-Lago for a fundraiser for Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox, one of the people she hopes to meet is Kyle Rittenhouse, the 19-year-old who was acquitted of fatally shooting two people in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020 during a protest. “The Kenosha kid,” she said. “I’d like to see him.” Former Maryland Del. Carmen Amedori is scheduled to attend the fundraiser that Donald Trump is hosting for Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox. (Courtesy of Carmen Amedori) Amedori said she has no reason to believe Rittenhouse will be at the event, she just hopes he is. She also wants to meet 16-year-old Barron Trump. “It would be really great if Barron was in sight somewhere, but they don’t bring him out,” she said. Amedori is not, however, paying $25,000 for a fundraising photograph with his father, former President Donald Trump. “Hell, no,” she said. “But I’m sure there are people who would pay the $25,000.” Amedori is one of the people attending the $1,776-per-person fundraiser Trump is throwing at his exclusive Florida resort for Cox. The Oct. 17 event is to try to shore up the sagging finances of the man who attended Trump’s Jan. 6, 2020, and who Trump has endorsed to be Maryland’s next governor. On Nov. 8, Cox will square off in the midterm election against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wes Moore, who is leading him 10 to 1 in campaign fundraising, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections campaign finance report. The cocktail reception is $1,776 per person and attendees can take a photo with Trump and Cox for $25,000, according to the invitation sent to previous Cox donors and obtained Sept. 22 by Capital News Service. The event will also serve as the 46th birthday party for Cox’s wife, Valerie Cox, the invitation said. When Amedori, a Republican, received an invitation to Mar-a-Lago, curiosity consumed her. She has never been to the private estate. Few people have or ever will. To host an event at the resort, a current member of the club must sponsor it, according to the Mar-a-Lago Club website. Guests of events can stay in the “lavish guest rooms and suites” and enjoy a variety of activities – from golf to spas to salons to tennis. Amedori wondered what the lavish interior might be, and what high-profile figures might be under the same roof with her. So, she bought a ticket and booked a flight. “It’s exciting thinking about who’s going to be there, not just in Maryland, but the other conservatives, the other constitutionalists who are going to be in that same room,” she said. “So, I’m looking forward to seeing who’s going to be there, and of course, I’m looking forward to getting a glimpse of former President Trump.” Amedori is a longtime supporter of Cox and a frequent donor to his campaign. Maryland State Board of Elections records show she has made 12 contributions over the campaign period. She worked on Cox’s campaign from the start in 2021 and was his Carroll County coordinator during the primary. Amedori first noticed Cox when she saw him while watching an online meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, the same panel on which she served from 1999 to 2004. “I’m thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh. He is me on steroids,’ ” she said. “And it was so refreshing to see somebody down there really fighting for our constitutional rights. Then when he decided to run for governor, I was right on board.” These days, Amedori, 66, works as a referral realtor for properties in Ocean City and cares for her cat, Mosby. But her life has been filled with twists and turns, from her time serving on the Maryland General Assembly, to her previous days as a journalist at The Baltimore Sun, the Carroll County Times, Towson Times and Ocean City Today. She received a Society of Professional Journalists award for work she did about the Maryland State Police, where she trained with and stayed with an incoming class at the academy in Pikesville. It is where she first learned to shoot a firearm. She also dabbled as an author. She wrote a short children’s book called “Kara and Pug” about her daughter and her daughter’s dog. Amedori said she donates all the proceeds to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Additionally, she has appeared on Netflix’s House of Cards as a background actor and won a role as a Democrat for a scene about the Democratic National Convention. “I had this blue suit from when I was a politician,” Amedori said. “It was an ultra suede, royal blue, Democrat blue suit, and I thought, ‘I’m gonna wear this.’ And it was the suit that got me that spot in that convention, which is ironic.” After Amedori left the General Assembly in 2004, she was appointed to the Parole Commission, where she served until 2010. She will attend Cox’s cocktail reception with her 40-year-old daughter, Kara, who lives in Palm Beach. “It will be a mother-daughter reunion at Mar-a-Lago,” she said. But before she goes, she has one last thing to do. “Now the object is finding an outfit,” she said. Read More…

Live Updates: US Sen. Ben Sasse Positioned To Become UF https://digitalalabamanews.com/live-updates-us-sen-ben-sasse-positioned-to-become-uf/ The University of Florida has announced that U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, is the sole finalist to become the school’s next president. The UF Board of Trustees is expected to formally consider his candidacy at its Nov. 1 meeting. Many people on campus and beyond are reacting to the news, which has implications not just in Gainesville but on the national political scene. 9:50 a.m. | Students protest University of Florida students are already organizing protests against the sole finalist to be the university’s next president. U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., is scheduled to visit campus Monday and meet with faculty, students and other members of the university community. The UF College Democrats announced via Instgram that they would be protesting Monday outside of Emerson Hall, where some of those meetings will be held. A petition has also been started on Change.org to protest the choice of Sasse for the position, which had garnered more than 175 signatures as of 9:50 a.m. Friday.  “This decision is met with indignation from the student body as Ben Sasse has political views that do not align with the values that the students at the University of Florida hold,” the petition reads. “They are discriminatory and non-representative of our student population.” Students are also organizing protests through other websites such as Reddit. 9:40 a.m. | Trump weighs in Donald Trump isn’t a fan of the choice for the University of Florida’s next president.  UF announced Thursday afternoon that U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., was the sole finalist for the job of university president. Sasse will reportedly resign from the Senate at the end of this year to take the job.  Sasse was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict former President Trump of incitement of insurrection in his second impeachment trial. Trump posted Thursday on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Sasse’s resignation was ” great news” but that the “University of Florida will soon regret their decision to hire him as their President.” Read More…

Joseph Goodman: When A Game Of Football Is About The Bravery Of Others https://digitalalabamanews.com/joseph-goodman-when-a-game-of-football-is-about-the-bravery-of-others/ The girl with the big smile was not herself. This was no ordinary illness, and her mother knew it instinctively. RaShaun Larry’s daughter was slipping away. Precious D’Ariya needed help. This was back in the spring, and it was bad. Really bad. Trouble came quickly for the Larry family, and then the healing took time. The people at Children’s Hospital of Alabama saved D’Ariya Larry’s life earlier this year, and then Children’s Harbor, which supports kids with serious illnesses, provided care and services to help the Larrys through their living nightmare. On Saturday, D’Ariya Larry’s name, and everything for which it now represents, will be flying across the field of Protective Stadium on the back of UAB football player Devodric Bynum. UAB plays Middle Tennessee State at 2:30 p.m. This is homecoming week for UAB, the university with the football team that cheated death, and that means it’s time to break out those incredible Children’s Harbor uniforms that mean so much more than football for Birmingham. GOODMAN: Texas A&M wants what it hasn’t earned JOE VS THE PRO: Auburn better than perception, but Texas A&M is not Isn’t it amazing what happens when people come together to help each other? That’s what UAB football represents to me and so many people in the city. Homecoming is the time to celebrate that, and remember that helping others is what Birmingham and UAB does best. Birmingham is College Football, USA. There is no city in the country quite like it when it comes to the cross-section of culture and sport. Everyone has a favorite team in this town, and we all get together and watch on the weekends, but it’s the hometown team that has come to stand for something more. It’s hard to find a person in Birmingham these days who does not identify as a fan of UAB. Here’s why. The Blazers grab at the heart for what they have come to represent: pride, togetherness and resiliency. All of those things are remembered when UAB puts on its specialized homecoming jerseys. Everyone knows when it’s time for UAB’s homecoming. It’s when the Blazers wear some of the best-looking jerseys in the country. UAB’s lime green and grays hit different every year. Former UAB coach Bill Clark retired unexpectedly this summer, and Bryant Vincent is the team’s interim head coach. Clark saved UAB football, and then put it on a path for sustained success. He rallied the city. He raised money. UAB built a new football building and practice facility and then the city and county, buoyed by that momentum, finally built a downtown stadium for the Blazers. All those things are captured in UAB’s homecoming tradition that stands for the names of children in need. It gives greater purpose to why it all matters. It’s Clark’s greatest legacy, other than the team itself, and I was impressed to see him support the tradition this year despite still recovering from back surgery. That lets you know how much it means to him. UAB has won multiple conference championships since its return, and they’ve been to bowl games every year. Basketball coach Andy Kennedy had his own UAB homecoming in 2020, and has the Blazers poised for huge success this season. All of these things put together led to UAB being invited to join the American Athletic Conference. These are proud times for UAB, and the future is bright for the university and its city. The Southside Dragons are what I like to call the Blazers. They’re Birmingham’s team, and their motto is “win as one.” For a city divided for so long, and splintered still in so many ways, those are not cheap words. Celebrate them. Come together for hope, and champions. For homecoming, every UAB football player wears the name of a brave child who fought to live, and inspired those around them with their spirit. The players and their families attend the game and visit with the team. Bonds are formed. Lives are enriched for both the children and the players. “When you can play for something bigger than yourself it’s special,” said Bynum, the defensive back representing D’Ariya Larry for homecoming. There isn’t a better tradition in sports than what UAB football does with its homecoming for families who have been through so much pain and suffering. It’s about serving others, and bringing back their smiles. D’Ariya Larry needed emergency brain surgery and then weeks of therapy. She had to learn how to walk again. And eat. And talk. But also smile. “Sometimes I just didn’t want to get up at all,” Larry said. But she was tough. D’Ariya was brave. One day D’Ariya and her big smile were thriving, and the next she had a fever that registered over 103 degrees. D’Ariya then had trouble speaking. Her condition worsened still, and she suddenly didn’t know who she was at all. She forgot everything. D’Ariya was dying and it all came with speed. It was determined that RaShaun’s daughter had a sinus infection that had spread to her brain. Frightening. It caused a condition called intracranial subdural empyema. Bad stuff. She was in the hospital for 33 days. Birmingham was there to help, and now Birmingham’s team will celebrate her life. Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama: A season of hope and the making of Nick Saban’s ‘ultimate team’”. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr. From left to right, D’Ariya Larry, Devodric Bynum and RaShaun Larry.Joseph Goodman If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

How The Debunked Conspiracy Film “2000 Mules” Became Texas Republican Orthodoxy https://digitalalabamanews.com/how-the-debunked-conspiracy-film-2000-mules-became-texas-republican-orthodoxy/ AUSTIN, Texas (TEXAS TRIBUNE) – Top Texas Republicans have been key promoters of “2000 Mules,” a debunked film by GOP political operative Dinesh D’Souza that falsely claims there was significant voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, which oversees investigations into voter fraud, screened the movie this summer, according to a recent Associated Press story that detailed ongoing dysfunction and politicization in Paxton’s office. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and three other Houston-area legislators sponsored a watch party at a local church in June, according to the church’s website. And Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who has a history of spreading political falsehoods on social media, recently cited the film as part of the reason he continues to believe the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. In June — at the same time that millions of Americans were tuning into the first Congressional hearing on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — Miller was scheduled as a special guest speaker at a screening of “2000 Mules” by the Dallas Jewish Conservatives, according to the group’s website. Also featured at the event was Sidney Powell, a Dallas lawyer and Trump ally who currently faces a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit by a voting machine company that she and other conspiracists have targeted. The State Bar of Texas has also pursued disciplinary action against Powell for filing a lawsuit speculating that fraud was committed. The State Bar pursued similar action against Paxton. Twelve days after that event with Miller and Powell, the Republican Party of Texas screened “2000 Mules” three times during its annual convention, at which Patrick vowed to significantly increase criminal penalties for illegal voting and delegates codified their denial of the 2020 election results into the party’s official platform. The film’s claims are directly contradicted by rulings in at least 50 lawsuits brought by Trump and his allies challenging the outcome of the election. Republican-appointed judges presided over nearly half of those lawsuit dismissals, according to one analysis. And Trump’s closest confidantes — including his daughter Ivanka and former U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who Trump appointed — have repeatedly thrown cold water on his unsubstantiated claims and conspiracies of widespread voter fraud. Neither Patrick, Paxton nor Miller could be reached for comment this week, and their campaigns did not respond to emailed questions. Miller’s Democratic challenger in the race for agriculture commissioner, Susan Hays, said the film was one of many ongoing “attacks on our democracy” and called Miller “unethical and un-American” for promoting it. The GOP’s continued embrace of the film has concerned election experts such as Paul Gronke, director of the Elections and Voting Information Center at Reed College. Gronke noted that the film’s findings have been routinely debunked — including by Barr, who mocked the film as “indefensible” and laughed at it earlier this year. “It is a sad situation when political leaders, rather than competing for the votes of citizens with good policies, instead promote misinformation and false claims about the elections as part of a crass political strategy because they think that making voting harder and more complicated will lower turnout and help their side,” Gronke said. “And the deepest irony of all of this is that historically, voters who use absentee voting and voting by mail have leaned Republican.” Voting rights groups similarly say they fear the film will fuel chaos in the upcoming midterm elections and could be a pretext for more restrictive voting laws in the future. Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of the Texas chapter of the watchdog group Common Cause, said the showing of the film by Paxton’s office is particularly concerning because of Paxton’s longstanding embrace of unfounded voter fraud conspiracies — and his role in prosecuting electoral crimes, which are exceedingly rare. (Since 2005, the Texas Attorney General’s website says the office has prosecuted 155 people for 534 election fraud offenses — good for about 0.0048% of the 11.1 million Texas votes cast in the 2020 presidential contest alone, and not even a rounding error’s worth of all votes cast in the state over the last 17 years.) “Paxton hosting a watch party for this completely debunked work of fiction is next-level disinformation,” Gutierrez said. “It’s not like (Paxton) is a person who has no impact on elections — he is constantly doing things to impact elections. … It’s all kinds of alarming and sets off all the red flags.” D’Souza, who pleaded guilty in 2014 to campaign finance fraud and was later pardoned by Trump, gets top billing on the film. But activists from True the Vote, a Houston-based vote-monitoring organization that has pushed election conspiracies, are listed as executive producers on the film, which borrows heavily from their discredited research. True the Vote has previously been accused of swindling donors and has close ties to Paxton — who reportedly declined to release records about the group or say if he investigated complaints against it when journalists inquired earlier this year. Paxton, who is being sued by whistleblowers in his office and is currently under investigation for felony securities fraud, also advocated for True the Vote’s founder in 2016 when the Texas Supreme Court looked into claims that her previous nonprofit was acting overtly political, Reveal News reported. The film has other ties to the Lone Star State: Irving-based Salem Media Group also has producer credits and is its main distributor. Salem, a massive Christian broadcaster that has for decades had deep ties to fundamentalist Christian groups and conservative politicians, in May bragged that “2000 Mules” was “the most successful political documentary in a decade.” Salem said the film was seen by more than 1 million people and grossed more than $10 million in revenue in its first two months. Last month, Salem lowered its third-quarter revenue expectations after D’Souza’s book of the same name was recalled. “Somehow a significant error got missed by the publisher,” D’Souza explained on Twitter. In June, “2000 Mules” was reportedly shown at Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen, where outgoing Republican state Rep. Scott Sanford is the executive pastor. The Bryan/College Station Tea Party also screened the film at the headquarters of the Bryan County Republican Party, according to the group’s website. In May, the Coastal Bend Republican Coalition in Corpus Christi hosted a watch party, citing a glowing review of the film from the Epoch Times, a website with ties to a far-right Chinese spiritual movement that has promoted apocalyptic, QAnon and anti-vaccine conspiracies. D’Souza has written more than 50 articles for the Epoch Times. COPYRIGHT 2022. TEXAS TRIBUNE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Read More…

Post Politics Now: Biden To Contrast His Economic Agenda With GOP As Midterm Elections Loom https://digitalalabamanews.com/post-politics-now-biden-to-contrast-his-economic-agenda-with-gop-as-midterm-elections-loom/ Today, President Biden is focusing on manufacturing and the economy in a visit to a Volvo facility in Hagerstown, Md. His visit comes 32 days before midterm elections that will decide the balance of power in Congress. Both parties understand that elections often are decided by the decades-old political argument, “It’s the economy, stupid.” Republicans have blamed Biden for record inflation in ads and campaign speeches. Biden is expected to argue in remarks during the visit that Republicans favor the wealthy and, if returned to power, would enact policies that jeopardize Social Security and Medicare. Your daily dashboard 12:35 p.m. Biden tours Volvo Group Powertrain Operations in Hagerstown, Md. 1:35 p.m. Biden delivers remarks on the economy. Watch live here. Got a question about politics? Submit it here. After 3 p.m. weekdays, return to this space and we’ll address what’s on the mind of readers. On our radar: Abrams raises more than $36 million in gubernatorial bid Return to menu Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams has raised more than $36 million as she looks to unseat Gov. Brian Kemp (R) in a rematch that’s one of the most closely watched elections in the midterms. The Kemp campaign announced this past week that it had raised nearly $29 million and had $19.6 million cash on hand. Polls show the incumbent with an advantage in what is expected to be a close race. “Our campaign is tied with our opponent, gaining momentum, and is fueled by grassroots donors,” Abrams’s campaign manager, Lauren Groh-Wargo, said in a statement Friday. “Our fundraising includes donors from every corner of Georgia, who understand that Brian Kemp’s extreme and dangerous agenda puts Georgians’ lives and our economy at risk.” Noted: Biden says Putin’s nuclear weapons threats amount to ‘prospect of Armageddon’ Return to menu Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats to use nuclear weapons amount to the most serious “prospect of Armageddon” in 60 years, Biden said Thursday during a Democratic fundraiser in New York City. Putin has issued several threats about using nuclear weapons since invading Ukraine — particularly as Russia’s military outlook has worsened. The president spent much of his time warning those in attendance of the dangers that he said the GOP posed but stated that based on his familiarity with Putin, the Russian leader was “not joking” when discussing potentially using “tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons.” Noted: Election denier Masters calls Biden ‘legitimate president’ Return to menu Arizona Republican nominee Blake Masters called President Biden the “legitimate president” Thursday after spending much of his campaign baselessly denying the results of the 2020 election. While debating Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), the venture capitalist endorsed by Donald Trump admitted that he had seen no evidence that the vote count was rigged, despite continuing to spread unproven allegations of government interference in the outcome. The Post’s Hannah Knowles reported: The comments by Masters in a debate with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), whom he trails in the polls, marked a stark shift from a campaign ad last year, in which the Republican said, “I think Trump won in 2020.” But even as Masters sought to de-emphasize that position, he groundlessly claimed the federal government “forced” big tech companies to censor information that would have propelled Donald Trump to victory. Clashing at the first and perhaps only debate in a battleground Senate race that will help determine control of the chamber next year, Masters and Kelly often geared their pitches toward moderate voters. Masters, a first-time candidate and venture capitalist, has consistently lagged Kelly, a former astronaut, in polls and fundraising, showing particular weakness with political independents. For more of the story, click here. Noted: McConnell calls Sasse ‘whip-smart’; Trump says good riddance Return to menu Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) is widely expected to leave the Senate later this year and return to academics after the University of Florida named him the sole finalist for its presidency. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) praised the two-term senator as a “whip-smart and passionate leader.” In a statement late Thursday, he said Sasse “has been a tremendous Senator, a dogged advocate for his fellow Nebraskans, and a valuable member of our Republican Conference.” McConnell described himself as “one of ninety-nine Senators who would be sorry to lose Ben as a colleague,” adding: “But I trust my friend to pursue continued public service in the way that he deems best.” On our radar: Biden to cast GOP as party of the wealthy in Md. speech Return to menu President Biden is marking National Manufacturing Day at a Volvo facility in Hagerstown, Md., where he will cast Democrats as the party of the working class and Republicans as the party of the wealthy. Biden is using the bully pulpit of the presidency for a political speech 32 days ahead of midterm elections in which Republicans have a chance of capturing control of both houses of Congress. The speech also comes as the Labor Department on Friday releases the latest jobs numbers for September. The Biden administration has struggled with record inflation as Americans find higher prices for goods, gas and services. At the same time, the administration can point to millions of jobs created in a rebound from the pandemic. Read More…

Arizona Debate Highlights Key Party Differences Ahead Of Midterms https://digitalalabamanews.com/arizona-debate-highlights-key-party-differences-ahead-of-midterms/ WASHINGTON — If it’s Friday … President Biden warns that the risk of nuclear “Armageddon” is at the highest level since Cuban Missile Crisis. … Biden announces action to pardon thousands convicted of marijuana possession under federal law. … Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb.,  expects to resign from Senate, creating special election for seat in 2024… Trump-backed group hits the airwaves in Ohio and Pennsylvania. … CNN releases new polls on contests in Arizona and Nevada. … And the Herschel Walker saga continues. But first: Thursday night’s Senate debate in Arizona between Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly and GOP challenger Blake Masters perfectly summed up the 2022 midterm campaign between Democrats and Republicans.  On abortion. On the economy. On immigration. And on Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 election.  Kelly went after Masters on abortion, per NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard and PJ Tobia. “Arizona women have totally lost the right to make a decision about abortion. It’s devastating. It’s wrong. It’s exactly what my opponent Blake Masters wants. Blake Masters has called abortion demonic or religious sacrifice. He’s even said that he wants to punish the doctors,” Kelly said.  Masters countered that he supported abortion limits after 15 weeks. “Just last year, Arizona passed a law that limits abortions after 15 weeks. I support that law. … I support limits at the federal level. … Sen. Lindsey Graham has proposed a 15-week bill with the common exceptions, and I support that. I believe in limits.” (That comes, though, after Masters scrubbed his website saying he’s “100% pro-life” and supporting a federal personhood law for the unborn.  Masters went on offense on economy and immigration: “This is the Joe Biden and Mark Kelly economy.” And: “Joe Biden and Mark Kelly, they laid out the welcome mat [for undocumented immigrants].”  Kelly, however, distanced himself from Biden’s immigration policies, NBC’s Allan Smith and Sahil Kapur report. “I’ve been strong on border security. And I’ve stood up to Democrats when they’re wrong on this issue — including the president,” he said. “When the president decided he was going to do something dumb on this and change the [Title 42] rules that would create a bigger crisis, I told him he was wrong. So I pushed back on this administration multiple times.” Kelly blasted Masters over the lies about the 2020 election. “The only reason that we’re having this conversation is because my opponent Blake Masters put out a video questioning who won the presidential election here in the state of Arizona.”  Masters backtracked saying he didn’t see evidence of vote-count rigging or fraud in the 2020 election. “Yeah, I haven’t seen evidence of that.”  Tweet of the day Data Download: The number of the day is … $2.1 million That’s about how much in TV airtime MAGA Inc., a new super PAC aligned with Trump, reserved in two Senate races on Wednesday, per AdImpact. The group reserved $1.3 million in Ohio and $829,000 in Pennsylvania — both that feature Trump-backed GOP candidates. Trump allies announced last month that they were launching the new group with a focus on spending in the midterms. NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard reported the group “would be the main vehicle for spending on behalf of Trump’s political interests in 2022.” Some Republicans have called on Trump to spend his massive campaign war chest to support GOP candidates, so it appears he may be starting to do so. Other numbers to know: 11: That’s the number of Republicans (out of 17) who either voted to impeach former President Trump in the House or convict him in the Senate who have decided to retire or lost primary bids this cycle. On Thursday, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse announced he is stepping down to lead the University of Florida.  26: How many days before Election Day that the Jan. 6 committee is holding its next public hearing — on Oct. 13.  34: How many Jan. 6 defendants have asked to be transferred from a D.C. jail to Guantanamo Bay.  57%: A reminder, that’s the share of donations from donors giving at least $10 million to federal elections this cycle has gone to the Republicans, compared to 43% for Democrats, as of a Meet the Press Reports analysis of data through June. Now, top Democratic strategists are warning they don’t have the resources to compete everywhere they want to on the House battleground.  3: The number of lawmakers vying to become the next House GOP whip, per NBC News’ Allan Smith and Scott Wong.   About 50: The number of Venezuelan migrants who arrived at Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence after taking a bus from Texas. Midterm roundup: Raising (spending in) Arizona There have been signs in the last few months that Arizona has fallen down the list of top Senate rankings this cycle (primarily the decision by the Senate Leadership Fund to pull its ad spending there to fund other races). But this race is still expected to be quite close, and there’s been a flurry of new activity there in the last 24 hours.  On top of the tense debate we saw last night, Kelly is up with a new ad where he tries to frame himself as someone willing to buck both parties. “I stand up to the left when they want to defund the police, and I stand up to the right when they want a national abortion ban,” Kelly says in the direct-to-camera ad. “And when Joe Biden gets it wrong, I call him out.”  But while the marquee GOP super PAC isn’t playing in Arizona anymore, that doesn’t mean other groups have given up. Politico first reported that the National Republican Senatorial Committee is adding a “seven-figure” investment into the state that includes TV and direct mail. The group has spent $4.6 million on ads in the state since the primary, but virtually nothing since the end of last month, per AdImpact.  Elsewhere on the campaign trail: Arizona Senate/Governor: A new CNN likely voter poll finds Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly leading Republican Blake Masters 51%-45%, and Democrat Katie Hobbs leading Republican Kari Lake 49%-46% in the governor’s race.  Georgia Senate: Republican Senate hopeful Herschel Walker at a campaign stop on Thursday continued to deny allegations that he urged an ex-girlfriend to have an abortion and reimbursed her for the procedure. Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock’s campaign released a new TV ad highlighting allegations that Walker threatened women with violence. Iowa Senate: GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley and Democrat Mike Franken faced off in their only debate Thursday night, clashing on abortion, inflation, and Jan. 6, per the Des Moines Register. They also sparred over an allegation from Franken’s former campaign manager that he made an unwanted advance (which Franken has denied).  Nevada Senate/Governor: The new CNN likely voter poll finds Republican Adam Laxalt leading Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto 49%-46%, and Republican gubernatorial nominee Joe Lombardo leading Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak 48%-46%.  Pennsylvania Senate: The Associated Press reports that Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman “kept a light work schedule and was often absent from state business” during his four years in office.  Illinois Governor: Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker debated Republican nominee Darren Bailey in a tense event that the Associated Press summarized as the two men “finding different ways to call each other ‘liar.’” Oregon Governor: Inside Elections reports that Nike co-founder Phil Knight has donated to both Republican Christine Drazan and independent Betsy Johnson’s gubernatorial campaigns. Drazan, Johnson and Democrat Tina Kotek debated Thursday, sparring over crime, homelessness and access to abortion in the state. Texas Governor: Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s campaign launched a new TV ad featuring family members of children killed in a mass shooting earlier this year at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.  Ad watch: Herschel Walker’s saga continues Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee for Senate in Georgia, is defending himself from attacks about his past in a new TV ad.  “As everyone knows, I had a real battle with mental health, even wrote a book about it, and by the grace of God, I’ve overcome it,” Walker says in the ad. His words come after allegations were made in the Daily Beast this week that Walker paid for a former partner to have an abortion. The Daily Beast later revealed that the former partner is a mother of one of Walker’s children, but the candidate has repeatedly denied the allegations, which NBC News has not independently verified.  The ad has been making rounds on social media since Wednesday, but AdImpact, an ad tracking firm, only captured on TV for the first time Friday. ICYMI: What ELSE is happening in the world The Washington Post reports that the federal agents investigating Hunter Biden believe they have enough evidence to charge him but the decision is up to the U.S. Attorney.  NBC News exclusively reports on the Biden administration’s plan to combat an ISIS infiltration of a refugee camp.  And the group FWD.us has a new national TV ad calling Congress to protect DREAMers.  Read More…

Federal Prosecutors Weighing Charges On Two Fronts In Hunter Biden Investigation | CNN Politics https://digitalalabamanews.com/federal-prosecutors-weighing-charges-on-two-fronts-in-hunter-biden-investigation-cnn-politics/ CNN  —  Federal prosecutors believe they could charge Hunter Biden with tax crimes and a false statement but a final decision still has not yet been made by the US attorney in Delaware, according to sources familiar with the matter. The case against Biden narrowed earlier this year, and was a matter of discussion in early summer between FBI and IRS investigators, prosecutors in Delaware and the Justice Department, CNN previously reported. The discussions included assessing the strength of the case and questioning whether more work was needed before deciding on charges, according to sources who spoke to CNN in July. Prosecutors have not yet made any charging decisions on the case and have not met since early summer to discuss the federal investigation, according to two sources familiar with the matter. A decision is not expected before the midterm election. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that talks between Biden’s team and the Justice Department have been ongoing for several months but nothing has changed in a couple of months on that front. The Wall Street Journal reported that Biden’s legal team met in “recent weeks” with Justice Department prosecutors to argue against a potential case. “As is proper and legally required, we believe the prosecutors in this case are diligently and thoroughly weighing not just evidence provided by agents, but also all the other witnesses in this case, including witnesses for the defense,” Biden’s attorney Chris Clark said in a written statement to the Journal. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that prosecutors believe they have “sufficient evidence” to charge Biden, son of President Joe Biden, in two areas – tax crimes and a false statement regarding a gun purchase, the same crimes CNN reported in July were the focus of investigators’ discussions with the Justice Department. Investigators have at various times inquired about multiple facets of Hunter Biden’s life – initially focusing on tax issues and money transfers related to business activities in China, multiple people familiar with the probe previously told CNN. But prosecutors have also examined a 2018 incident in which a firearm owned by Biden ended up tossed by his then-girlfriend into a dumpster in Wilmington, a person briefed on the matter said. Biden described in media interviews last year that he was addicted to drugs, which raised the possibility he broke federal law when he bought the firearm. Federal law prohibits firearms purchases by anyone who uses or is addicted to illegal drugs. Still, Biden has publicly discussed his own substance abuse struggles, and some Justice officials have debated whether his open discussions of his past drug use could potentially weaken their case should they bring one. Biden has also denied wrongdoing in his business activities. In late 2020 after being notified by the Delaware US attorney about the investigation, he said in a statement issued by his father’s presidential transition office: “I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.” The President, meanwhile, has repeatedly said he won’t interfere in the independence of the Justice Department. Early on in his presidency, Biden decided to keep US Attorney David Weiss, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, in office to continue to oversee the investigation in Delaware. Read More…

Unemployment Rate Falls To 3.5% In September, Payrolls Rise By 263,000 As Job Market Stays Strong https://digitalalabamanews.com/unemployment-rate-falls-to-3-5-in-september-payrolls-rise-by-263000-as-job-market-stays-strong/ Job growth fell just short of expectations in September and the unemployment rate declined despite efforts by the Federal Reserve to slow the economy, the Labor Department reported Friday. Nonfarm payrolls increased 263,000 for the month, compared to the Dow Jones estimate of 275,000. The unemployment rate was 3.5% vs the forecast of 3.7% as the labor force participation rate edged lower to 62.3% and the size of the labor force decreased by 57,000. September’s payroll figure marked a deceleration from the 315,000 gain in August and tied for the lowest monthly increase since April 2021. In the closely watched wage numbers, average hourly earnings rose 0.3% on the month, in line with estimates, and 5% from a year ago, an increase that is still well above the pre-pandemic norm but 0.1 percentage point below the forecast. Stock market futures moved lower after the release while government bond yields rose. From a sector view, leisure and hospitality led the gains with an increase of 83,000, a gain that still left the industry 1.1 million jobs short of its February 2020 pre-pandemic levels. Elsewhere, health care added 60,000, professional and business services rose 46,000 and manufacturing contributed 22,000. Construction was up 19,000 and wholesale trade was up 11,000. On the negative side, financial activities and transportation and warehousing both saw losses of 8,000 jobs. The report comes amid a months-long Federal Reserve effort to bring down inflation running near its highest annual rate in more than 40 years. The central bank has raised rates five times this year for a total of 3 percentage points and is expected to continue hiking through at least the end of the year. Despite the increases, job growth had remained relatively strong as companies face a massive mismatch between supply and demand that has left about 1.7 job openings for every available worker. That in turn has helped drive up wages, though the increase in average hourly earnings has fallen well short of the inflation rate, which most recently was at 8.3%. Fed officials including Chairman Jerome Powell have said they expect the rate hikes to inflict “some pain” on the economy. Federal Open Market Committee members in September indicated they expect the unemployment rate to rise to 4.4% in 2023 and hold around that level before dropping down to 4% over the long run. Markets widely expect the Fed to continue the pace of its rate hikes with another 0.75 percentage point increase in November. Traders assigned a 78% chance of a three-quarter point move following the jobs numbers, and expect another half-point increase in December that would take the federal funds rate to a range of 4.25%-4.5%. This is breaking news. Please check back here for updates. Read More…

Biden Says Risk Of https://digitalalabamanews.com/biden-says-risk-of/ President Biden said Thursday the risk of “Armageddon” is at the highest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, as Russian officials allude to the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons after suffering massive setbacks in Ukraine. “We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis,” Mr. Biden said at a fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.  “We’ve got a guy I know fairly well,” he later said of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “He’s not joking when he talks about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons, or biological or chemical weapons, because his military is, you might say, significantly underperforming.”  U.S. officials have warned for months of the prospect that Russia could use weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine, as it has faced a series of strategic setbacks on the battlefield, though Mr. Biden’s remarks marked the starkest warnings yet issued by the U.S. government about the nuclear stakes. As recently as this week, though, U.S. officials have said they have seen no change to Russia’s nuclear forces that would require a change in the alert posture of U.S. nuclear forces. “We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture, nor do we have indication that Russia is preparing to imminently use nuclear weapons,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. Ukraine mayor fears Putin’s nuclear weapons 03:01 The 13-day showdown in 1962 that followed the U.S. discovery of the Soviet Union’s secret deployment of nuclear weapons to Cuba is regarded by experts as the closest the world has ever come to nuclear annihilation. The crisis during President John F. Kennedy’s administration sparked a renewed focus on arms control on both sides of the Iron Curtain. Mr. Biden also challenged Russian nuclear doctrine, warning that the use of a lower-yield tactical weapon could quickly spiral out of control into global destruction. “I don’t think there is any such a thing as the ability to easily use a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with Armageddon,” Mr. Biden said. Speaking to Democratic donors, Mr. Biden said he was still “trying to figure” out Putin’s “off-ramp” in Ukraine. “Where does he find a way out?” the president asked. “Where does he find himself where he does not only lose face, but significant power?” Putin has repeatedly alluded to using his country’s vast nuclear arsenal, including last month when he announced plans to conscript Russian men to serve in Ukraine. “I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction … and when the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal,” Putin said Sept. 21, adding with a lingering stare at the camera, “It’s not a bluff.” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week that the U.S. has been “clear” to Russia about what the “consequences” of using a nuclear weapon in Ukraine would be. “This is something that we are attuned to, taking very seriously, and communicating directly with Russia about, including the kind of decisive responses the United States would have if they went down that dark road,” Sullivan said. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier Thursday that Putin understood that the “world will never forgive” a Russian nuclear strike. “He understands that after the use of nuclear weapons he would be unable any more to preserve, so to speak, his life, and I’m confident of that,” Zelenskyy said. In: War nuclear weapons Joe Biden Ukraine Russia Vladimir Putin Volodymyr Zelenskyy Read More…

A Look At Major Soccer-Related Crowd Disasters https://digitalalabamanews.com/a-look-at-major-soccer-related-crowd-disasters/ Police fired tear gas after violence broke out at a soccer match in Indonesia as Persebaya Surabaya beat Arema Malang 3-2. Panic and a rush for the exit left at least 131 dead, most of whom were trampled, police said. Here is a look at some other soccer-related crowd disasters: April 5, 1902 — Glasgow, Scotland; 25 killed and 517 injured when the West Stand at Ibrox Park collapses during an international match between England and Scotland. The game ends in a 1-1 draw but is later stricken from official records. March 9, 1946 — Bolton, England; 33 people killed and more than 400 injured when a wall collapses at Burden Park before an FA Cup match between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City. The collapse crushes fans together and sparks a stampede. May 24, 1964 — Lima, Peru; more than 300 people killed and another 500 injured in riots at Estadio Nacional after Argentina beats Peru in an Olympic qualifying match. The pandemonium breaks out when the referee disallows a Peru goal in the final two minutes. June 23, 1968 — Buenos Aires, Argentina; 74 people killed and more than 150 injured following a game between River Plate and Boca Juniors when fans trying to leave the stadium mistakenly head toward a closed exit and are crushed against the doors by other fans unaware of the closed passageway. Oct. 20, 1982 — Moscow; 66 people killed in a crush of fans leaving a UEFA Cup match between Spartak Moscow and Dutch club Haarlem at Luzhniki Stadium. May 29, 1985 — Brussels; 39 people killed in fan violence at the 1985 European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus at Heysel Stadium. March 12, 1988 — Kathmandu, Nepal; 93 people killed when thousands of soccer fans surge into locked stadium exits to escape a sudden hailstorm. April 15, 1989 — Sheffield, England; 97 people killed and hundreds injured as the result of a crush of fans at overcrowded Hillsborough Stadium. One victim died in July 2021 of aspiration pneumonia, to which he had been left vulnerable because of injuries from the disaster. Jan. 13, 1991 — Orkney, South Africa; at least 40 people killed, most of them trampled or crushed along riot-control fences that surround the field, when fans panic and try to escape brawls that break out in the grandstand. Oct. 16, 1996 — Guatemala City; 84 people killed and 147 injured as panicked fans are crushed and smothered before a World Cup qualifier between Guatemala and Costa Rica. April 11, 2001 — Johannesburg, South Africa; At least 43 people killed in a crush during a soccer match at Ellis Park. May 9, 2001 — Accra, Ghana; 126 people killed in a crush after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at fans at the Ohene Djan Stadium at a game between the country’s two biggest teams — Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko. Feb. 1, 2012 — Port Said, Egypt; 74 people killed and more than 500 injured after a match between rivals al-Masry and al-Ahly when thousands of al-Masry fans invaded the field and attacked visiting supporters. The Egyptian league was suspended for two years as a result. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Read More…

12 Great Auburn Football Performances Vs. Georgia https://digitalalabamanews.com/12-great-auburn-football-performances-vs-georgia/ Auburn and Georgia renew the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” this weekend, with the 127th meeting taking place on Saturday in Athens. The top-ranked Bulldogs are a heavy favorite to beat the struggling Tigers for the sixth consecutive time and the eighth time in nine meetings. But it’s been a close rivalry over the years, with Auburn winning 56 times and tying Georgia on eight other occasions. Some of the greatest individual performances in Auburn history have taken place vs. Georgia. Here are 12 of them, listed in chronological order: Auburn fullback Tom Bryan, left, is shown in 1966 with teammates Carl Hardy and Richard Plagge. Bryan ran for 162 yards and a touchdown in a 21-19 victory over Georgia in 1965. (Birmingham News file photo by Ed Jones)The Birmingham News 1. Tom Bryan (1965) Bryan began his career as a quarterback before moving to fullback late in his junior season of 1965. His best game came at Georgia on Nov. 13, as he ran for 162 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries in a 21-19 Auburn victory. His 42-yard touchdown dash gave the Tigers an early lead, then runs of 25 and 24 yards set up Auburn’s final touchdown in the third quarter. Georgia’s Ronnie Jenkins fumbled inside the 5 in the closing minutes, with Auburn’s Robert Fulton pouncing on the ball to preserve the win. The victory left Auburn with a shot at the SEC title, but the Tigers lost 30-3 to eventual national champion Alabama in the regular-season finale. Auburn’s Terry Beasley (88) and Pat Sullivan hooked up for a pair of touchdown passes in a 35-20 victory over Georgia in 1971. (Birmingham News file photo by Charles Nesbitt)The Birmingham News 2. Pat Sullivan & Terry Beasley (1971) There’s no more celebrated catch-and-throw combination in Auburn history than Sullivan-to-Beasley, and the two All-Americans had one of their greatest days in a 35-20 victory over previously unbeaten and seventh-ranked Georgia in 1971. Sullivan completed 14 of 24 passes for 248 yards and four touchdowns, two of them to Beasley, who had four receptions for 130 yards. Sullivan hit Beasley on a 34-yard strike to make it 14-0 in the first quarter, then the two connected on a 70-yard score to put No. 6 Auburn up 28-20 after Georgia had pulled within a point early in the fourth. The victory kept Auburn unbeaten and probably clinched the Heisman Trophy for Sullivan, who was voted as the Tigers’ first winner of college football’s top individual award a few weeks later. Auburn got to 9-0 and ranked fifth in the country before a 31-7 loss to No. 3 Alabama (which was also unbeaten) in the Iron Bowl. Auburn’s Joe Cribbs ran for 250 yards and two touchdowns in a 22-22 tie vs. Georgia in 1978. (Birmingham News file photo by Ed Jones)The Birmingham News 3. Joe Cribbs (1978) In one of Auburn’s all-time workhorse performances, Cribbs barreled through the Georgia defense 34 times for 250 yards and two touchdowns at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 1978. The Tigers needed every inch of it to emerge with a 22-22 tie and play spoiler against the heavily-favored Bulldogs. Cribbs ran for touchdowns of 60 and two yards, the last giving Auburn a 22-15 lead late in the third quarter. He also caught a two-point conversion pass from Charlie Trotman, and had a 62-yard run to the Georgia 1. The eighth-ranked Bulldogs eventually salvaged a tie, but that half-blemish was just enough to keep them from claiming a share of the SEC championship after Alabama beat Auburn in two weeks later in Birmingham. Cribbs’ rushing total was second in school history at the time, and remains fifth on the all-time list. James Brooks ran for 200 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries as Auburn beat Georgia 33-13 in 1979. (Birmingham News file photo by Charles Nesbitt)The Birmingham News 4. James Brooks (1979) Brooks ran for 200 yards on 13 carries in a 33-13 victory in Athens in 1979. Of the 29 Tigers who have rushed for 200 yards or more in a game, his came on the fewest attempts. Brooks scored on runs of 67 and 44 yards, the first giving the Tigers the lead at 15-10 in the third quarter, the latter icing the game in the fourth. Cribbs added 166 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries, making he and Brooks the first set of SEC teammates to each eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark in the same season. The victory improved 15th-ranked Auburn to 8-2 and kept alive the possibility of forcing a three-way tie for the SEC title two weeks later against unbeaten Alabama. That game ended in a 25-18 victory for the Crimson Tide, which went on to win its second straight national championship. Auburn finished 8-3, locked out of a bowl game due to NCAA sanctions. Auburn’s Bo Jackson (34) carries the ball during a 33-13 victory over Georgia in 1985. He ran for 121 yards and touchdowns despites suffering cracked ribs during the game. (Birmingham News file photo) 5. Bo Jackson (1985) Jackson’s 121 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries vs. No. 12 Georgia in Athens in 1985 seem pretty pedestrian by his lofty standards (and the standard of some others on this list), but they must be considered in context. First, 105 of those yards came in the first half as Auburn built a 10-point lead on the way to a 24-10 victory. Second, it was later revealed that Jackson suffered cracked ribs at some point during the game. Jackson scored on a 67-yard cross-field run in the second quarter to put the 14th-ranked Tigers up 10-7, then salted the game away with a 6-yard TD sweep in the fourth. He also added 48 yards on two receptions. As with Sullivan 14 years earlier, Jackson’s performance went a long way toward his winning the Heisman Trophy, which he did by the slimmest of margins over Iowa quarterback Chuck Long. Auburn’s season, meanwhile, ended a disappointing 8-4 after back-to-back losses to Alabama and in the Cotton Bowl to Texas A&M. Auburn linebacker Kurt Crain, shown here with coach Kurt Crain, totaled 26 tackles (19 solo) in a 20-16 loss to Georgia in 1986. (Birmingham News file photo)The Birmingham News 6. Kurt Crain (1986) Never has any Auburn player stood taller in defeat than Crain, who racked up a program record 26 tackles (19 of them solo) in a 20-16 loss to 16th-ranked Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 1986. The Tigers came in 8-1 and ranked No. 9 nationally, with a solid shot at winning the SEC championship. They left the field having blown that opportunity, but it was no fault of Crain, the 210-pound junior linebacker from Birmingham who was all over the field. Receiver Lawyer Tillman also had a fine day in the loss, catching nine passes for 150 yards and a 13-yard touchdown that made it a four-point game with 2:51 to play. Auburn got the ball back with a chance to win, but Jeff Burger was intercepted at the Georgia 33 in the closing moments. The game is perhaps best remembered for what happened afterward, as Auburn’s stadium security crew turned on the sprinklers to disperse a crowd of Georgia fans celebrating on the field. Auburn recovered to win its final two games of the season over Alabama and in the Citrus Bowl over USC — with Tillman scoring the winning touchdown and Crain totaling 20 tackles in the 21-17 Iron Bowl victory — to finish at 10-2 and ranked No. 6 overall. James Bostic, shown here vs. Alabama in 1993, ran for 183 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-28 victory over Georgia the previous week. (Birmingham News file photo)bn 7. James Bostic (1993) After being benched in favor of fellow running back Stephen Davis due to a persistent fumbling problem, Bostic ran angry vs. the Bulldogs in Athens to help keep Auburn’s perfect season alive. He didn’t enter the game until late in the first quarter, but still managed 183 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in a 42-28 Tigers victory. Bostic’s 41-yard touchdown run put Auburn up 14-7 in the second quarter, his 3-yarder made it 21-7 at halftime. After Georgia pulled within 35-28 in the final four minutes, Bostic broke loose for a 28-yard score that put the game away. Auburn — prohibited from playing on television or competing for the SEC championship due to NCAA sanctions — improved to 10-0 on the season, and would finish off its perfect record by beating defending national Alabama 22-14 a week later at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn’s Dameyune Craig passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more in a 56-49, four-overtime loss to Georgia in 1996. (Birmingham News file photo by Steve Barnette)BN 8. Dameyune Craig (1996) In the first overtime game in SEC history, Craig put forth one of the greatest quarterback performances in the annals of Auburn football. He completed 22 of 35 passes for 290 yards, and also ran for 72 yards and two scores on 17 carries in the Tigers’ 56-49, 4-OT loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Craig’s three touchdown passes — two to Robert Baker and one to Karsten Bailey — all came in the first half, as Auburn built a 28-14 halftime lead. After Georgia scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to tie it after regulation, Craig’s 13-yard scoring run briefly put the Tigers back up 35-28. He also scored on a 1-yard run to begin the third overtime, giving Auburn a 49-42 lead. After Torrin Kirtsey’s 1-yard run in the fourth overtime put the Bulldogs on top by seven, Craig was stopped a yard short of a first down at the Georgia 16-yard line to end the game. Auburn lost 24-23 to Alabama a week later, and finished 8-4 after beating Army in the Independence Bowl. Ronney Daniels (25) caught nine passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns in Auburn’s 38-21 win over Georgia in 1999. (Birmingham News file photo by Joe Songer)BN 9. Ben Leard & Ronney Daniels (1999) Leard and Daniels conjured up memories of Sullivan-to-Beasley in a stunning 38-21 victory over No. 14 Georgia in Athens in 1999. Leard completed 24 of 32 passes for 416 yards and four touchdowns, two of them to Daniels, who had nine catches for 249 yards. Leard’s...

Rhetoric Heats Up Over Bridge Project To Alabama’s Beaches https://digitalalabamanews.com/rhetoric-heats-up-over-bridge-project-to-alabamas-beaches/ As Alabama state officials mull over two bids to build a new two-lane bridge leading to the state’s beaches, disagreements continue among Baldwin County leaders over whether the project will be worthwhile in alleviating congestion. The rhetoric is growing heated, with some name-calling, in debates over the best way to ease congested beach traffic. Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon called Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft a “liar” during a phone interview with AL.com on Wednesday. Kennon referred to a statement that Craft made last month suggesting Kennon is a supporter of the two-lane bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway. “I didn’t support building the bridge,” Kennon said about a statement he made four years ago. He said he was being a “team player” at the time in helping state officials move forward in negotiations with the Baldwin Beach Express Company (BCBC), the private operators of the 22-year-old toll bridge next to the Wharf in Orange Beach. “I supported (Alabama Department of Transportation Secretary) John Cooper’s strategy in getting the bridge company to the table,” Kennon said. Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft speaks during a media event on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at the Gulf Shores International Airport, Jack Edwards Field. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Craft, in a September 2 statement, had said he and Kennon signed a letter of support for the bridge in 2018. Kennon, however, said “I would rather nothing be done than build something that could be worse.” He called the ALDOT-supported Intercoastal Waterway bridge a “boondoggle.” Replied Craft, “As I have previously stated, while some try to make this a Gulf Shores versus Orange Beach debate, it is not. The Waterways Bridge project is an ALDOT project, and they will solely decide to build it or not.” ‘Strong-arm’ The Intercoastal Waterway bridge project is opposed by BCBC, which had been angling for additional lanes on their bridge only if a new bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway was not built. BCBC and ALDOT had been in negotiations for the past year until September 1 when the state announced it was opening bids and moving forward with the Intercoastal Waterway bridge project. That project was the subject of well-attended public meetings in 2018. A representative with the bridge company said in a statement to AL.com this week that ALDOT’s negotiations with them were “flawed from the beginning.” “It was clear that ALDOT’s intentions were to strong-arm us into selling the bridge to them at ‘their’ price or, in the alternative, build a competing bridge in hopes of devaluing our assets and then attempting to buy us out,” said Neal Belitsky, CEO of BCBC’s parent company. “It is very disappointing to see a conservative state like Alabama rebuke the private investments that has helped the beach community grow exponentially over the last 22 years.” Alabama State Senator Chris Elliott, R-Daphne, said he was worried the fallout from the negotiations could lead to litigation which would slow down progress on building much-needed bridge lanes across the Intercoastal Waterway. “While (the Intercoastal Waterway project) does put additional lanes across the canal and onto the island, I am concerned about the bigger picture of potential lawsuits and other extenuating circumstances that could complicate this project and delay its implementation,” Elliott said. Support or disputes? The charged comments, made over the last several days to AL.com, are occurring after the Alabama Department of Transportation received two bids last week from contractors that are within the state’s estimated $48 million to $60 million price range to build the new bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway. “ALDOT’s project for a new, free public bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway has received strong support from residents, tourism officials, healthcare leaders and local elected officials,” said Tony Harris, spokesman for ALDOT. “Now that bids for this project have opened, ALDOT is reviewing and evaluating the bids as part of our normal procedure.” The state could, in essence, award the construction bids soon to either Scott Bridge Co. of Opelika for $51.9 million, or McInnis Construction LLC & F&W Construction Co. of Summerdale for $53.8 million. “At this time, we have a good bid on the project,” Craft said during the Gulf Shores City Council meeting on Monday. He said he was unsure, however, if the project would occur and noted that it was up to the state to move it forward. “I don’t know if anyone outside the governor’s office knows,” Craft said. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, during a stop in Mobile on Wednesday, said she was glad “local officials are working with ALDOT to find the best solution” toward adding more access to the beaches at a time when the coastal area continues to see record tourism. Asked if she will support ALDOT’s decisions on the project, the governor said, “I’m sure (ALDOT Director) John Cooper and I will have some conversations.” But despite the comments suggesting local officials are supportive of the project, some notable disagreements are occurring: Kennon is reemphasizing his long opposition to ALDOT’s project, and recently held a meeting with elected officials in Baldwin County to express his disapproval. He is concerned that ALDOT’s project will not alleviate traffic off Alabama State Route 59. He said the new two-lane bridge project, located east of the toll bridge, does not include additional infrastructure to move traffic from Cotton Creek Drive north to the nearest expressway – the Foley Beach Express. Kennon is also challenging Craft to a town hall-style meeting to debate the best course of action for moving traffic onto and off the beach. Craft, in his September 2 statement after ALDOT announced a day earlier that it was opening bids for the Intercoastal Waterway bridge, said he was pleased the state was not pursuing an alternative proposal from the Baldwin Beach Express Company (BCBC). The private operators of the toll bridge were seeking additional lanes on their existing bridge and were offering a toll-free option for all Baldwin County residents. But that agreement hinged on not building a new bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway between the W.C. Holmes Bridge (Route 59) and the Beach Express Bridge for 50 years, which the city of Gulf Shores did not support. Kennon, however, supports the BCBC plan. Baldwin County Commission Chairman Jeb Ball said while county officials are not weighing in on the project, his office was unaware the Intercoastal Waterway bridge project was moving forward until two days before the project was let out for a bid. Ball said that county officials would prefer the state money go toward extending the Baldwin Beach Express from where it ends at Interstate 10 north toward I-65. “I personally feel like (the Intercoastal Waterway Bridge) has no benefit to Baldwin County,” Ball said. “If the state of Alabama was going to allocate money for an infrastructure project of that magnitude, I thought more people would be at the table.” Project concerns ALDOT, for years, has been moving toward building the two-lane Intercoastal Waterway bridge. The state has spent about $20 million in acquiring property to prepare for the project, and the city of Gulf Shores, in 2021, conveyed approximately 26.4 acres of public right of way to ALDOT for the construction of a new roadway that would connect to Alabama State Route 181 (Canal Road) in Gulf Shores from the new bridge to the Beach Express. But for the past year, the project had been in limbo as ALDOT agreed to negotiate with BCBC over an extension of bridge lanes to its project. Related stories: BCBC, in August, pitched a proposal to build an additional bridge span and make additional roadway improvements and signage improvements, construct an expanded toll plaza with multiple lanes, as well as other infrastructure improvements. As part of the plan, BCBC agreed to remove all tolls assessed on Baldwin County residents. Most bridge users are assessed a $2.75 one-way toll. The toll plaza at the Foley Beach Express bridge on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Belitsky, the BCBC executive, said their company’s plan “was a win-win” for state and local taxpayers and Baldwin County residents. “The state’s plan to build a new bridge from Canal Road to Cotton Creek Drive will do nothing to reduce congestion on the inbound highways and, ultimately, it is the locals who will pay the prices for ALDOT’s poor decision here,” he said. The BCBC also included a plan to provide Orange Beach and Gulf Shores with $10 million each. The BCBC project also would provide $1 million per year for the next 50 years to the city of Orange Beach. The city has been receiving around $1.2 million each year under its current longtime agreement with BCBC. Kennon has said that his support for the BCBC agreement is about resolving a traffic issue in his community. He, like Ball, said the better solution for ALDOT would be to complete the Baldwin Beach Express project and connect I-10 with I-65, which is the main north-south interstate for beachbound visitors. Past estimates for the Beach Express extension were around $200 million. “You complete (the Beach Express) right there, and I guarantee you that it solves your problems on (Route) 59,” Kennon said. Elliott, the state senator who is attempting to mediate the disagreements between the coastal mayors, said his biggest concern with the state’s project is where it ends. He said as proposed, the new bridge project stops at Cotton Creek Drive, which would not move traffic to the Beach Express. “There is significant infrastructure investment needed in order to make this project function smoothly and to alleviate the Holmes bridge on Highway 59, and if it’s to effectively service an alternative route for ...

Around Town: Chicken Salad Chick Founder Has Something New Cooking. Contributions In Governor https://digitalalabamanews.com/around-town-chicken-salad-chick-founder-has-something-new-cooking-contributions-in-governor/ Log In You are logged in  Switch accounts Sign Up * Username (Optional) This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! * Email Address Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. We won’t share it with anyone else. * Password Create a password that only you will remember. If you forget it, you’ll be able to recover it using your email address. * Confirm Password Confirm your password. Join our mailing lists Polk Standard Journal Rome News Updates Would you like to receive our daily news in your inbox? Signup today! CAPTCHA Have an account? Log In You’re all set! Thank you. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Check your email for details. OK Log In Invalid password or account does not exist Email Address Password Remember me Forgot your password? Email me a log in link Need an account? Sign Up Reset Password Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Email or Screen Name CAPTCHA Forgot Password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Email me a log in link Account Email CAPTCHA Purchase Access You are logged in  Switch accounts Secure & Encrypted What’s your e-mail address? E-mail Password Confirm How would you like to pay? Name Credit Card CVV Zip Code Expiration I Agree to the Subscription Terms of Use. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime. You’re all set! Thank you. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. A receipt was sent to your email. OK An error occurred This offer is currently unavailable. Read More…

5 Things To Know For Oct. 7: Biden Pardons, Las Vegas Stabbings, Iran, Trump, Amazon | CNN https://digitalalabamanews.com/5-things-to-know-for-oct-7-biden-pardons-las-vegas-stabbings-iran-trump-amazon-cnn/ 02:57 – Source: CNN CNN reporter calls Biden’s marijuana pardon a ‘significant step’ CNN  —  The Nobel Peace Prize, one of humanity’s most coveted accolades, was jointly awarded today to human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, the Russian human rights organization Memorial, and the Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties. This year’s announcement ranked among the most closely watched – and complicated – decisions made by the Nobel Committee in recent times due to Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) President Joe Biden on Thursday pardoned all federal offenses of simple marijuana possession, a move that senior administration officials said would affect thousands of Americans charged with that crime. “No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” Biden said in a video announcing his executive actions. As part of the announcement, Biden also encouraged governors to take similar steps to pardon those with state marijuana possession charges. The announcement comes a month ahead of critical November elections that will determine control of Congress and as Democrats seek to rebuff allegations that they are soft on crime, an issue that has risen to the top of some voters’ agendas in certain swing districts. A suspect is in custody after two people were killed and six others were wounded in a series of stabbings in front of Las Vegas casino on Thursday. The incident took place near the Wynn hotel and casino shortly before noon, police said. The 32-year old suspect was taken into custody on two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon and six counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon. Authorities have not shared the suspect’s motive, but the stabbings appear to be unprovoked and without any altercation beforehand, police said. Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said the victims were a combination of locals and tourists, and police will provide information on them after their families have been contacted. The US issued new sanctions Thursday on seven senior Iranian officials over the Iranian government’s violent crackdown on mass protests and restrictions on internet access in the country. For weeks, a protest movement in Iran’s capital of Tehran has gathered momentum since the death in mid-September of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman who died after being detained by the country’s morality police for apparently not wearing her hijab properly. More than 1,000 people are believed to have been detained in the demonstrations. CNN has not been able to independently verify the number of the dead and injured, but state media says 40 people have died since the start of protests in September. Human rights group Amnesty International says at least 52 have been killed. 05:19 – Source: CNN Missing out on playing in World Cup is ‘worth sacrificing for one strand of Iranian women’s hair’ Justice Department officials are insisting to former President Donald Trump’s attorneys that he return any outstanding documents marked as classified, making it clear they do not believe he has returned all materials taken when he left the White House, a person familiar with the outreach told CNN. Whether the FBI rounded up all of the sensitive federal records in Trump’s possession during its search of his Mar-a-Lago residence is a question that’s loomed over the situation in recent weeks. But in numerous court filings, prosecutors indicated they had concerns that classified records were possibly still missing. Justice officials – including Jay Bratt, a top lawyer in the Department of Justice’s national security division – have communicated to Trump’s attorneys that he has an ongoing obligation to return the documents marked as classified. 04:37 – Source: CNN Trump’s impeachment lawyer weighs in on Trump’s ongoing legal battles Amazon plans to hire 150,000 new workers in the US to meet demand ahead of the busy holiday shopping season, the company said Thursday. The openings – which include full-time, seasonal, and part-time roles – range from picking and packing to sorting and shipping. While Amazon typically opens new roles each holiday season, this large hiring spree comes in the heat of a tight labor market and as rising inflation continues to put more pressure on companies to raise wages. In response, Amazon said it would increase wages to $19 an hour based on the position, up from an average of $18 previously, and provide sign-on bonuses. Some of the states with the highest number of jobs available include California, Illinois and Texas.  01:27 – Source: CNN Check out Amazon’s new sleep tracker and Kindle you can write on Pet sitter is no match for rambunctious puppies Watch this dog sitter faceplant while trying to wrangle some adorable puppies. Clearly, he was having a ruff day.  ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ teaser trailer is here A new adaptation of the iconic Nintendo video game features Chris Pratt as Mario and several other big-name stars. The real-life ‘Inventing Anna’ could be released from jail soon Did you watch the Netflix show “Inventing Anna”? Well, a judge ruled the fake heiress that the show is based on can be released from jail on bond – but she isn’t allowed on social media. Yayoi Kusama’s yellow pumpkin sculpture is back on Naoshima Island Japan’s famous yellow pumpkin has been reinstalled after it was swept into the sea during a typhoon last summer. And the timing couldn’t be better.  Should you compost? For some, composting food is a confusing process that may not seem worth the hassle … but this is why you should consider doing it.   You can also sign up for CNN’s Life, But Greener newsletter here and receive a guide to help you minimize your personal role in the climate crisis – and reduce your eco-anxiety. Which new product did Tesla debut at an event this week? A. Robot B. Minivan C. Airplane D. Submarine Take CNN’s weekly news quiz here to see if you’re correct! Sara Lee, a former WWE wrestler and winner of the reality competition series “Tough Enough,” has died, according to a statement from her mother shared on social media. She was 30. The competitive powerlifter was married to former WWE wrestler Westin Blake. 53% That’s how much of the lower 48 US states are experiencing drought, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Amid abnormal dryness nationwide, low water levels – particularly along the Mississippi River – have forced some barges to run aground, the US Coast Guard said. Low levels in the Mississippi also prevented a Viking river cruise ship from finishing its voyage this week, the company said. “We have a direct threat of the use (of a) nuclear weapon if in fact things continue down the path they are going… 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.” – President Biden, delivering a stark warning about the dangers behind Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats as Moscow continues to face military setbacks in Ukraine. Biden’s remarks at a fundraiser on Thursday come as the US considers how to respond to a range of potential scenarios, including fears that Russia could use tactical nuclear weapons, according to three sources briefed on the latest intelligence. 02:32 – Source: CNN Tropical Depression Thirteen heads towards Central America Check your local forecast here Today is World Smile Day Celebrate the unofficial holiday by trying to make someone smile today! Here, I’ll go first. You’ll likely grin, maybe even laugh, after watching this epic dance battle. (Click here to view) Read More…

DOJ 'closing In' On Trump: Bombshell NYT Report Suggests Indictments Are Likely To 'start Flying' https://digitalalabamanews.com/doj-closing-in-on-trump-bombshell-nyt-report-suggests-indictments-are-likely-to-start-flying/ On CNN Thursday, retired Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe reacted to the news that the Justice Department believes former President Donald Trump is hoarding more documents on his property — a development that experts believe is a sign prosecutors are seriously weighing charges against the former president. “What do you think where the Justice Department might be headed?” asked anchor Anderson Cooper. “It certainly suggests the Justice Department is closing in on indicting Donald Trump,” said Tribe. “Not simply for basically stealing top secret documents from the White House and secreting them in various locations … but also for violating the Espionage Act and, based on this recent reporting, obstruction of justice.” Specifically, Tribe argued, the DOJ has evidence Trump is investigating both a “national security inquiry” and a “criminal investigation.” “There are people whose lives are at stake if their identity has been revealed in some of these top secret documents, which clearly were marked ‘human resource.’ They were marked to indicate that they would reveal the identity or location of, basically, American spies abroad. They were marked signals intelligence. So this is very serious. And what I take these recent revelations to mean is that shortly after the midterm elections, indictments are likely to start flying.” “You believe that the Department of Justice might actually indict the former president?” Cooper pressed him. “I believe that it might well indict the former president for obstruction, for espionage,” said Tribe. “This is all quite apart from the possible indictment for seditious conspiracy and insurrection. I mean, it’s as though he is building a moat around Mar-a-Lago and then trying to swim in it himself. Basically, with every stroke he takes, with every move he makes, he is digging himself a deeper, deeper pit … his lawyers must be absolutely beside themselves because he makes matters worse. He says ‘I want my documents back.’ He brags about having taken them himself. Then he says the General Services Administration packed the boxes, but they deny it. You almost expect him to say my dog packed the boxes, except we know he doesn’t have a dog.” Watch below: Read More…

Watch Live: TODAY Show Host Al Roker Joins NBC 5 Chicago Morning Crew To Kick Off 2022 Chicago Marathon Weekend https://digitalalabamanews.com/watch-live-today-show-host-al-roker-joins-nbc-5-chicago-morning-crew-to-kick-off-2022-chicago-marathon-weekend/ In just two days, more than 40,000 runners and walkers will lace up their shoes and pound the pavement for the 45th annual Bank of Chicago Marathon, which on Sunday will wind through more than two dozen neighborhoods across the city. But the marathon isn’t just for elite runners. Walkers, runners and joggers from all walks of life each year take part in the Chicago Marathon — and TODAY show host and avid walker Al Roker will join the NBC 5 Chicago morning crew in the city Friday for a first look at race weekend. Roker, who began walking years ago as part of a nutrition program, power-walked the Brooklyn Half Marathon earlier this year and is heavily involved in the Start TODAY Walking Club, which is 100,000 members strong. According to NBC Storm Team 5, the weather on race day is expected to be pleasant, with partly sunny skies and highs in the mid-60s. Whether you’re planning to run, watch along the route or from home as a spectator, there’s a lot to take in — including logistics like road closures, adjusted public transportation schedules and more. As the city continues to prepare, here’s a look at what Chicago residents and visitors need to know ahead of race weekend. 2022 Chicago Marathon Course Known for its flat and fast course, the inaugural race will start and end in Grant Park, taking runners on a grand tour of the city in between their journey. Along the 26.2-mile trek, runners will be guided across 29 neighborhoods, dozens of historic landmarks and six Chicago River bridges. Organizers anticipate that the route will be treaded by as many as 40,000 runners, and plenty of supporters are expected to be scattered along the course, too. All marathon participants are expected to complete the distance in at least six hours and 30 minutes, which means runners will have to tread a 15-minute — or faster — pace per mile. Race-Day Schedule The marathon will get underway at 7:20 a.m. with the men’s wheelchair start, which will be followed shortly by the women’s wheelchair start at 7:21 a.m. The handcycle start will then commence at 7:23 a.m. Runners in wave 1 will get to start their trek at 7:30 a.m. Organizers suggest that those stepping off in this wave arrive at 5:30 a.m., as the start corral closes for entry at 7:20 a.m. Wave 2 will kick off at 8 a.m., with the start corral closing at 7:45 a.m. Organizers suggest that runners in this wave arrive at 6 a.m. Wave 3, the final wave, will send runners off at 8:35 a.m., with the start corral closing for entry at 8:10 a.m. Organizers suggest participants in this wave arrive at 6:30 a.m. Runners can check their start coral assignments through their participant account. Spectators will be allowed access to Grant Park at 9:30 a.m. so they can cheer runners on as they close out their race. The Runner Reunite and 27th Mile Post-Race party also starts at 9:30 a.m., with plans to run until 4 p.m. Road Closures To make way for thousands of runners hitting the streets, the city is issuing a number of road closures and parking restrictions. Closures starting Monday include: Balbo Avenue from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 12 Closures starting Wednesday include: Jackson Boulevard from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 10 Closures starting Thursday include: Balbo Avenue from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 10 Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road to Ida B. Wells Drive: 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 10 Closures starting Friday include: Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 9 Ida B. Wells Drive from Congress Plaza to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9 Ida B. Wells Drive from Michigan Avenue to Congress Plaza: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9 Congress Plaza from Van Buren Street to Harrison Street: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9 Columbus Drive from Monroe Street to Jackson Boulevard: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9 Columbus Drive from Jackson Boulevard to Ida B. Wells Drive: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9 Closures starting Saturday include: Columbus Drive from Randolph Street to Monroe Street: 6 a.m. to noon Oct. 9 Monroe Street from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: noon to noon Oct. 9 Monroe Street from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive: noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 9 Roosevelt Road from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Dive: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 9 Closures starting Oct. 9 include: Michigan Avenue from Madison Street to 9th Street: 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Roosevelt Road from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. 6 p.m. Columbus Drive from McFetridge Drive to Roosevelt Road: 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Michigan Avenue from 9th Street to Roosevelt Road: 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Columbus Drive to Grand Avenue: 7 to 10 a.m. Grand Avenue from Columbus Drive to State Street: 7 to 10 a.m. State Street from Grand Avenue to Jackson Boulevard: 7 to 10:30 a.m. Jackson Boulevard from State Street to LaSalle Street: 7 to 10:30 a.m. LaSalle Street from Jackson Boulevard to Stockton Drive: 7 to 11:30 a.m. Stockton Drive from LaSalle Drive to Fullerton Drive: 7 to 11:45 a.m. Fullerton Drive from Stockton Drive to Cannon Drive: 7 from 11:45 a.m. Cannon Drive from Fullerton Drive to Sheridan Road: 7 to 11:45 a.m. Sheridan Road from Diversey Parkway to Belmont Avenue: 7 to 11:45 a.m. Inner Lakeshore Drive from Belmont Avenue to Sheridan Road: 7 a.m. to noon Sheridan Road from Inner Lakeshore Drive to Broadway Avenue: 7 a.m. to noon Broadway Avenue from Sheridan Road to Briar Place: 7 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Broadway Avenue from Briar Place to Diversey Parkway: 7 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Clark Street from Diversey Parkway to Fullerton Parkway: 7 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Clark Street from Fullerton Parkway to Webster Avenue: 7 a.m. 12:45 p.m. Webster Avenue from Clark Street to Sedgwick Street: 7 a.m. 12:45 p.m. Sedgwick Street from Webster Avenue to North Avenue: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. North Avenue from Sedgwick Street to Wells Street: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wells Street from North Avenue to Walton Street: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wells Street from Walton Street to Wacker Drive: 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Wacker Drive from Wells Street to Monroe Street: 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Monroe Street from Wacker Drive to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Halsted Street from Monroe Street to Adams Street: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Adams Street from Halsted Street to Damen Avenue: 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Damen Avenue from Adams Street to Jackson Boulevard: 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Jackson Boulevard from Damen Avenue to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Halsted Street from Jackson Boulevard to Taylor Street: 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Taylor Street from Halsted Street to Loomis Street: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Loomis Street from Taylor Street to 18th Street: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. 18th Street from Loomis Street to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Halsted Street from 18th Street to 21st Street: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. 21st Street from Halsted Street to Canalport Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Canalport Avenue from 21st Street to Cermak Road: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Cermak Road from Canalport Avenue to Wentworth Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wentworth Avenue from Cermak Road to 26th Street: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. 26th Street from Wentworth Avenue to Michigan Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Michigan Avenue from 26th Street to 35th Street: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. 35th Street from Michigan Avenue to Indiana Avenue: 7 a.m. 4 p.m. Indiana Avenue from 35th Street to 31st Street: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. 31st Street from Indiana Avenue to Michigan Avenue: 7 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Michigan Avenue from 31st Street to Roosevelt Road: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Roosevelt Road from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Vehicles that are parked along the closed streets will be ticketed and towed. Information about towed vehicles can be found at (312)744-4444. Organizers encourage all participants and spectators to use public transportation race weekend. For those who opt to drive, Millennium Garages are the closest parking options to Grant Park. Where to Watch Along the Route Most lines have extra trains and longer trains, and there are great points along the course that dovetail with CTA train stops. The Start and Finish line in Grant Park is accessible on multiple lines. Bonus points for checking out the relatively new ‘Dino rib’ design of the Washington/Wabash Station (WaWa), which can be accessed via the Brown, Green, Orange and Pink lines stop. On the North Side, take the Red Line to the Belmont stop and walk a couple blocks to the corner of Aldine and Broadway.  According to traffic reporter Kye Martin, that’s the precise spot of the North Halsted Aid Station. There, you’ll find two stages packed with performers in drag and a DJ. It’s early in the race, too — just past Mile 8 — which means runners are still feeling happy. Another one of my favorite spots is Pilsen. Take the Pink line to 18th to get there and enjoy a bite to eat while the runners come up to Mile 19. Mount Roosevelt is notorious known as one of the toughest parts of an otherwise flat course, so bring a cowbell after taking the Red, Orange, or Green line to Roosevelt, and get those runners through the last .2 of the race. Getting Around With Public Transportation Take public transportation and load up that Ventra card — the payment system that is used by both the Metra rail and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses and trains. You can buy a card at O’Hare International Airport when getting into town, or download it as an app.   Metra is providing additional service on four lines from various suburbs. A note on cost: Prices for the CTA and Metra are the lowest they’ve...

Ukraine Live Briefing: Biden Warns Of Nuclear ‘Armageddon’; Russian And Ukrainian Groups Win Nobel Prize https://digitalalabamanews.com/ukraine-live-briefing-biden-warns-of-nuclear-armageddon-russian-and-ukrainian-groups-win-nobel-prize/ This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to human rights activists from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, with the Norwegian awards committee saying they demonstrated a “vision of peace and fraternity between nations — a vision most needed in the world today.” The Norwegian prize will be shared by imprisoned Belarusian human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski, Russian organization Memorial, and Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties. The winners have each made an “outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power,” the committee said. President Biden has warned that the risk of nuclear “Armageddon” is at its highest since the Cuban missile crisis, stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not joking” about the potential use of nuclear weapons as his army struggles in Ukraine. Putin — who is under increased political pressure at home — may find himself without an “off-ramp,” Biden said, prompting Moscow to deploy the weapons of mass destruction. However, administration officials have been clear that there is no indication that Russia is preparing for an imminent strike. Here’s the latest on the war and its ripple effects across the globe. Return to menu Putin confronted by insider over Ukraine war, U.S. intelligence finds: Discontent is growing inside the Kremlin over what some insiders consider the mismanagement of the Ukraine war, according to information obtained by U.S. intelligence and reported by The Washington Post. A member of Putin’s inner circle has expressed criticism directly to the president in recent weeks, illustrating the growing turmoil over battlefield losses, leadership and a highly unpopular military mobilization campaign. As the war lurches into its eighth month, and a Russian victory remains elusive and ill-defined, the unquestioning loyalty Putin has enjoyed may be slipping, intelligence officials said, but they cautioned there was still no indication that he was on the brink of being swept aside. Beatriz Rios and Robyn Dixon contributed to this report. Read More…

Political Warlord Trump Now Targets His Enemies — And Mitch Is First On The List https://digitalalabamanews.com/political-warlord-trump-now-targets-his-enemies-and-mitch-is-first-on-the-list/ Donald Trump aspires to be a warlord. He publicly admires despots, tyrants and other authoritarian leaders who kill their enemies and take away the rights of anyone who oppose them. Mental health professionals have repeatedly warned that Donald Trump is likely a sociopath with an erotic attraction to violence and mayhem. He has repeatedly shown that he has no regard for the rule of law, democracy, human rights or other restrictions on his behavior. He encourages his followers and allies to engage in acts of terrorism and other violence on his behalf. The most notable example came, of course, on Jan. 6, 2021. To this point, Trump has been limited by his cowardice. He prefers to have others engage in violence on his behalf instead of directly ordering such acts or participating in them himself. Matters are now in flux. Trump is under investigation by the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies, and may face serious consequences for his lawbreaking for the first time. As George Conway described in a recent conversation with Salon, Trump is ready to lash out: Trump is basically a cornered animal. He’s got all these legal proceedings bearing down on him. In addition, he is losing his touch and his connection to his public, because his act has become very tiresome. That explains why Trump is embracing the QAnon conspiracy. He’s doing that because of his narcissism: He’s feeling attacked, and for the first time in his life, he is facing real consequences for his actions. The DOJ and other investigations have caused Trump to suffer a narcissistic injury. … Trump is in a downward psychological, emotional and physical spiral. His embrace of QAnon shows how extreme his deterioration is. But here is the problem for the rest of us: Donald Trump is not going to go away immediately. He is going to try to use the electoral process, and threats of violence, to regain power and influence. Then Trump will say that he can’t control what people do because they are so angry at how he is being treated by Joe Biden, Merrick Garland, the DOJ, the various prosecutors and judges, the news media and so on. Trump is going to make things much worse in this country before things finally get better. Ultimately, as Donald Trump becomes more desperate, he will reveal more of his true self: a violent predator who will almost always attack instead of retreating or otherwise surrendering. Last Saturday, Donald Trump took one more step on this journey when he threatened the life of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump accused McConnell of having a “death wish” because he has (on a few specific occasions) supported legislation sponsored by Democrats. Trump also used a racial slur to describe McConnell’s wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, calling her “his China loving wife, Coco Chow!” Political scientist Brian Klaas, author of “The Despot’s Apprentice: Donald Trump’s Attack on Democracy,” wrote on Twitter that Trump’s threats were “[t]otally detached from reality, inciting political violence — putting a target on a senior member of the U.S. Senate — and a new racist nickname. We can’t just pretend this isn’t happening, because these posts are radicalizing more and more extremists every day.” In a recent interview with MSNBC, Mary Trump, who is a clinical psychologist as well as Donald Trump’s niece, and author of the family memoir “Too Much and Never Enough,” offered this ominous and direct warning: “Everything Donald has done is a prelude to worse things to come.” As usual, the mainstream media largely avoids covering Trump’s threats with the seriousness they demand. Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin observed that neither McConnell himself nor other senior Republicans have even condemned Trump’s statement: That’s the state of today’s MAGA movement, where decency toward fellow Americans, loyalty to one’s spouse and support for democratic values all take a back seat to cult worship and the unquenchable thirst for power. And once again, the mainstream media is failing to rise to the moment. One might expect the media to stop treating Republicans like normal politicians after their “big lie” about a stolen election, their ongoing whitewashing of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol, their attacks on the FBI and their indifference — if not assent — to racism. Alas, there is little sign that mainstream outlets have dropped their addiction to false equivalence and willful, moral blindness…. These and countless other interviews illustrate the urgent need to reimagine coverage of the GOP. Refusing to confront and expose MAGA Republicans’ betrayal of democratic values doesn’t make members of the media “balanced.” It makes them enablers. Donald Trump’s aspiration to warlord status is guided by his malicious gifts as an entrepreneur of violence. In an interview with Salon in March, political scientist Barbara Walter, who is the author of the book “How Civil Wars Start: And How to Stop Them,” explained this concept: One of the challenges that violent extremists have is how to expand their base of support. If they don’t expand their support base, they just remain fringe movements forever. One way is to provoke a harsh government response. Let’s say that there are peaceful protests, but then there are provocateurs there who try to get the police to open fire or to bash a few heads. Violence entrepreneurs will use those actions as evidence that the police or the government or the opposition are evil and intent on crushing them. That tactic is often successful in radicalizing at least some portion of average citizens. It pushes them towards the extremists. Donald Trump is what I would describe as an “ethnic entrepreneur.” He and his loyalists want to regain power. He is an autocrat. Trump has no interest in ruling democratically. But Trump is not going to get that power back without the support of the average white American. This means that Donald Trump has to convince them somehow that his is a worthy cause to defend. Understanding Trump and the Republican-fascist movement requires a broader sense of their social and political context, which in turn renders their behavior both predictable and readily understandable rather than something “shocking” or “surprising” and therefore unknowable. For the most part, the mainstream news media has refused to use such a framework, which would require some candid discussion of the fact that the Republican Party and its supporters no longer support democracy.  For most of the media, that’s an existential challenge they are not willing to consider. Beginning with his 2015 campaign and then throughout his presidency and beyond, Trump has used the technique known as stochastic terrorism to incite violence against his designated enemies. At his rallies and other events Trump has urged his followers to attack protesters. He wanted the U.S. military to crush the civic dissent that took place across the country in response to the police murder of George Floyd in 2020. His regime created a concentration camp system where nonwhite migrants and refugees were imprisoned in violation of their civil and human rights. Borrowing from language used by the Nazis and other fascist regimes, Trump attacks the free press as “enemies of the people” in an attempt to intimidate journalists into silence. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Trump has repeatedly threatened Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and other prominent Democrats with prison or worse. Republicans he deems disloyal (such as Rep. Liz Cheney or former Vice President Mike Pence) have also been subjected to his violent threats and wanton disregard for their safety. As president, Trump praised right-wing paramilitaries, white supremacists and other street thugs as “very fine people.” His administration maintained an arm’s-length friendship with right-wing paramilitaries and other violent extremists. During the 2020 campaign, Trump refused to condemn those groups — and after that election they played an integral role in his coup attempt and the Capitol attack. Trump has suggested several times that his followers will descend upon majority Black and brown “Democrat-controlled” cities if he is indicted for his many apparent crimes. He has made barely-veiled threats against Attorney General Merrick Garland and the FBI, implying that he only can save the country from the violence and mayhem that will occur if he is prosecuted. Trump’s acolytes are often even more explicit with their threats of violence then he is. During Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s speech at Trump’s rally last Saturday, she claimed that “Democrats want Republicans dead, and they have already started the killings.” President Biden, she said, “has declared every freedom-loving American an enemy of the state…. We will take back our country from the communists who have stolen it and want us to disappear.” These are of course inflammatory lies, based in projection and inversion. As the House Jan. 6 hearings have revealed, Trump envisioned a crescendo to the Jan. 6 uprising, perhaps with him personally arriving at the Capitol amid the mayhem and destruction to declare himself an American Caesar. Trump has continued to embrace the antisemitic QAnon conspiracy cult, with its threats of revolutionary violence and destruction. QAnon believers claim that the “Storm” will return Trump to power, and along the way there will be mass executions of “global elites” and their agents, a laundry list of villains that includes all leading Democrats, numerous Hollywood celebrities, liberal donors and the supposedly sinister forces of antifa, Black Lives ...

Chipmakers See ‘Breathtaking’ Drop In Demand As Recession Looms https://digitalalabamanews.com/chipmakers-see-breathtaking-drop-in-demand-as-recession-looms/ PR Newswire This Week in Energy News: 10 Stories You Need to See With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the energy and natural resources industry stay on top of the week’s most newsworthy and popular releases, here’s a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn’t be missed. GlobeNewswire Content marketing and Content Marketing Platforms Market 2022 to Performance Impressive Growth | Industry Trends, Share, Size, Top Key Players Analysis and Forecast Research, shares and strategies | by proficient market insights Content marketing and Content Marketing Platforms Market 2022 to Performance Impressive Growth | Industry Trends, Share, Size, Top Key Players Analysis and Forecast Research, shares and strategies | by proficient market insightsPUNE, Oct. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Part -1 Global Content Marketing Industry Research Report, Growth Trends and Competitive Analysis 2022-2028 “Content marketing Market” | No. of pages: 114| research report focus on overall information that can help to take decisions The Joplin Globe, Mo. Joplin’s former library for sale Oct. 7—A key downtown Joplin building is being offered for sale for redevelopment or repurposing through a sealed bid process issued by city officials. Bids are due by Feb. 1 for the former Joplin Public Library building at 302 S. Main St. Building tours for interested bidders have been scheduled Nov. 9 and Dec. 10. Proposals must include an offer price, a description of intended use, a … The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky. 62nd boys soccer final: Grieving Comets hang close, but Raiders win 7th straight Oct. 7—WEST LIBERTY — The 62nd District Tournament boys soccer championship game Thursday night began with an occurrence out of the ordinary — a shared pregame prayer in honor and memory of the West Carter students lost in an automobile accident two nights earlier. “Nothing but respect for (Comets) coach (Nate) Shelton, the West Carter players and the program,” East Carter coach Quinn Huddle … The Joplin Globe, Mo. 6 area residents injured in vehicle crashes Oct. 7—A Webb City woman was injured in a one-vehicle crash at 12:05 a.m. Thursday at 10th Street and Duquesne Road in Duquesne, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Sheila A. Kyger, 59, was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital Joplin with moderate injuries. Kyger was northbound when she swerved to avoid an animal. Her van ran off the left side of the road and struck a utility pole, … Bloomberg Biden Team Seethes Over OPEC+ Cut That Darkens Election Outlook (Bloomberg) — Bewildered Biden administration officials hunkered down Thursday in the wake of a shock oil production cut by Saudi Arabia and its OPEC+ allies, hoping that crude prices don’t spike ahead of November elections and end Democratic control of Congress.Most Read from BloombergBiden Says Putin Threats Real, Could Spark Nuclear ‘Armageddon’Kremlin Lets State Media Tell Some Truths About Putin’s Stalling WarMusk’s Twitter Takeover Hits Snag Over Debt-Financing IssueNord Stream Leaks Caus Reuters Videos Thai families mourn victims of child daycare massacre STORY: Anger and devastation in Thailand on Friday after 34 people – including 23 children – were killed in a knife and gun rampage the day before.One of the worst child death tolls in a massacre by a single killer in recent history.Thai government buildings flew their flags at half mast after the ex-policeman burst into the daycare center in Uthai Sawan – a town 300 miles northeast of Bangkok.Relatives of the victims gathered at a local district office, including Prani Srisuthan who’s daughter was one of the victims.”She was 8-months pregnant and she had been working here (at the daycare center) for two years now. She was a nice and cheerful person, everybody loved her.””I was in the fields and someone called me up and told me about a mass shooting at the daycare centre. They asked, ‘How many teachers were heavily pregnant?’ I said, ‘Just Supaporn.’ I knew right then that my daughter wouldn’t make it because I called her and she didn’t pick up her phone.”Three year old Techin was one of the children killed. His aunt Suwimon Sudfanpitak recounted the horror.”I knew that he would be one of the deceased. We saw two dead bodies outside, including that of a young child. I knew right then that my nephew wouldn’t have survived. I was told that all the children died.””His class teacher came to apologize to me, saying there was nothing that she could do to save the kids, she had done her best at that time. The children were all stuck inside the room.”Authorities said a former police officer carried out the massacre and later returned home and shot his wife and child before turning his weapon on himself. Police said he was sacked last year over drug allegations and was facing trial on a drugs charge.They added he had been in court that day, then went to the daycare center to collect his child, but when he did not find him there the rampage began.A district official told Reuters that about 30 children were at the center, fewer than usual because of heavy rain. The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky. 63rd girls soccer final: Cats, Baker surpass half-dozen Oct. 7—ASHLAND — Milei Baker arrived at the pitch on Thursday knowing it would be a special day for her and her team. Ashland was hosting the 63rd District Tournament championship, but the junior had the night marked on her calendar for another important reason. “This season was different for me because it was the first time coming back from my injury,” Baker said. “Today was the one-year mark … Motley Fool Down 22%, Is It Safe to Invest In the Stock Market Right Now? Investors are still trying to understand if there will be a more severe recession next year and how the Federal Reserve might progress with interest rate hikes. There’s also another big unknown for stocks when thinking about how quantitative tightening, which is when the Fed reduces its balance sheet and effectively pulls liquidity out of the economy, will continue to affect stocks. With so much uncertainty, is it safe to invest in the stock market right now? Associated Press K-pop group BTS members face possible military conscription South Korea’s military appears to want to conscript members of the K-pop supergroup BTS for mandatory military duties, as the public remains sharply divided over whether they should be given exemptions. Lee Ki Sik, commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, told lawmakers on Friday that it’s “desirable” for BTS members to fulfill their military duties to insure fairness in the country’s military service. Read More…