Digital Arizona News

American Airlines Passenger Detained After Allegedly Assaulting Attendant https://digitalarizonanews.com/american-airlines-passenger-detained-after-allegedly-assaulting-attendant/ A California man who was captured on video punching an American Airlines flight attendant in the back of the head on a flight from Mexico to Los Angeles has been arrested, federal prosecutors said. Alexander Tung Cuu Le, 33, of Westminster, was charged Thursday with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, the Department of Justice said in a news release. The charges come after the FBI said it had detained an American Airlines passenger on suspicion of interfering with a flight crew, an incident that unfolded during a flight from San José del Cabo, Mexico, to Los Angeles on Wednesday. American Airlines said law enforcement officers were waiting for Flight 377 when it landed in Los Angeles “due to an unruly passenger who physically assaulted a flight attendant.” It said the aircraft was able to land safely and taxied to the gate, where officers removed the passenger. In video shared on social media, a flight attendant walks away from a passenger after appearing to have said: “Yeah, that’s a no.” The passenger runs up and appears to sucker punch the attendant in the back of the head, prompting other passengers to cry out, with one shouting: “Oh my God!” It was not immediately clear what led up to the incident. The Justice Department shed light on what was alleged to have occurred in the lead-up to the incident. Le was alleged to have initially gotten up from his seat around 20 minutes after takeoff while flight attendants were conducting food and beverage service, the department said, citing an affidavit filed with the complaint. He then allegedly grabbed an attendant’s left shoulder, asking for coffee, before moments later, grabbing the attendant by both of the shoulders, prompting them to “put up a defensive posture.” The passenger then moved to the front of the plane and “allegedly loitered near the first-class cabin” before sitting in an unoccupied aisle, the department said. A different flight attendant approached Le and requested that he return to his assigned seat, it said. Le allegedly refused to comply and instead stood up and “assumed a fighting stance,” making closed fists with both of his hands, which the flight attendant “interpreted as a threat,” the department said. The passenger was accused of swinging his arm at the flight attendant, but missed, it said. As the flight attendant turned around to report Le’s behavior to the pilot, that’s when the passenger is alleged to have rushed toward him and punched him in the back of the head. After allegedly assaulting the flight attendant, Le then fled toward the back of the airplane, the department said. Several passengers apprehended him near an exit row and he was moved to a different row, where his hands and legs were cuffed, it added. Authorities said Le continuously unbuckled his seatbelt, prompting flight attendants to restrain him to the seat with seat belt extenders ahead of the flight’s landing. American Airlines said it would work closely with law enforcement in its investigation. It also said the passenger would “never be allowed to travel with us in the future.” “Acts of violence against our team members are not tolerated by American Airlines,” it said. Thanking crew members for jumping into action, the airline said: “Our thoughts are with our injured flight attendant, and we are ensuring that they and their fellow crew members have the support they need at this time.”  U.S. airlines reported a dramatic rise in disruptive or violent incidents last year, with the Federal Aviation Administration logging 5,981 “unruly passenger reports.” Most appeared to involve federal requirements that masks be worn because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the FAA. Chantal Da Silva Chantal Da Silva is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital based in London.  Andrew Blankstein is an investigative reporter for NBC News. He covers the Western United States, specializing in crime, courts and homeland security.  Read More Here

Tropical Depression Nine Forms, Could Hit Florida As Hurricane Hermine Next Week https://digitalarizonanews.com/tropical-depression-nine-forms-could-hit-florida-as-hurricane-hermine-next-week/ Tropical Depression Nine formed in the Caribbean on Friday with a path that could bring it to Florida next week as Hurricane Hermine. In its 5 a.m. update, the National Hurricane Center said the storm is moving west-northwest at 13 mph. Experts expect it will move more westward over the next day or so before turning back west-northwest and then northwest over the weekend. “The system already possessed a well-defined circulation for the last 12 to 18 hours, but it was only overnight that the ongoing convective activity was able to persist long enough near the center to be considered a tropical cyclone,” said NHC hurricane specialist Phillipe Papin. Tropical Depression Nine path according to 5 a.m. update on Friday, 9/23. (National Hurricane Center) Maximum sustained wind speeds are close to 35 mph with a higher gusts. There will be a slow intensification over the weekend projected to become Tropical Storm Hermine later today and grow into hurricane strength by Monday morning with its center south of Cuba near the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. An estimate at the storm-force win speed probabilities of Tropical Depression Nine as of a 5 a.m. update on Friday, 9/23. (National Hurricane Center) The five-day path has it hooking north by Tuesday over Cuba and then parked off Florida’s southwest coast as a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds and gusts of 130 mph by Wednesday morning. “There is still a healthy amount of uncertainty in the track forecast at the day 4-5 timeframe,” Papin said. There are no coastal watches or warnings at this time. Tropical Depression Nine will likely drop heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and possible mudslides in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, with heavy rains in Jamaican and the Cayman Islands coming in the next few days. An Air Force Reserve Reconnaissance flight will investigate the system later this morning. Elsewhere in the tropics, Hurricane Fiona has passed Bermuda and is now headed toward Canada while Tropical Storm Gaston has started to turn and is headed toward the Azores islands in the Atlantic. The NHC is also tracking two more systems with the potential to form into the next tropical storm or depression. The tropical outlook as of 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. (National Hurricane Center) The most likely is an area of low pressure with shower and thunderstorm activity located between the west coast of Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands showing signs of organization. The NHC said a tropical depression is likely to form while the system moves north at about 10 mph parallel to the African coast. The NHC gives it an 80% chance to form in the next two to five days. If it forms with sustained winds of 39 mph or more, it would take the name Tropical Storm Ian. In the central tropical Atlantic is a broad area of low pressure several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands that continues to produce some disorganized thunderstorm activity. The NHC said some development is possible as it drifts northwestward or northward in the central Atlantic. The NHC gives it a 20% chance to form in the next two days and 30% in the next five. Hurricane Fiona cone of uncertainty as of 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. (National Hurricane Center) Hurricane Fiona has dropped in intensity from Category 4 to Category 3 with 125 mph sustained winds as it speeds north toward the coast of Nova Scotia. As of 8 a.m. its center was located about 125 miles north of Bermuda, which is no longer under a hurricane warning, but still a tropical storm warning. It’s moving north-northeast at 25 mph projected to make landfall later today a large and powerful post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds, then, move across Nova Scotia and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Saturday, and then across Labrador and over the Labrador Sea on Sunday. The system’s wind field is expanding as it migrates moves out of the tropics with hurricane-force winds extending out 115 miles and tropical-storm-force winds extending out 345 miles. The Canadian Hurricane Centre has issues hurricane warnings for parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Isle-de-la-Madeleine and parts of Newfoundland with tropical storm warnings for parts of New Brunswick, Quebec, Anticosti Island and other areas of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. While not a threat to Florida, the swells from Fiona are still causing surf and boating issues, with strong rip current conditions on the U.S. East Coast including Florida as well as the Bahamas. Tropical Storm Gaston cone of uncertainty as of 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. (National Hurricane Center) As of 8 a.m., Tropical Storm Gaston also dropped in strength slightly now with sustained winds of 60 mph as its center was located about 135 miles north-northwest of Faial Island in the Central Azores moving east-southeast at 7 mph. “A slower southeastward motion is forecast today followed by a southward, and then southwestward, motion tonight and early Saturday. On the forecast track, the center of Gaston will move near or over portions of the Azores today through early Saturday,” NHC forecasters said. The system’s tropical-storm-force winds extend out 115 miles, but it’s expected to become post-tropical by Saturday as it moves back west in the Atlantic. Since Sept. 1, the tropics have begun to play catchup churning out four named storms in three weeks after nearly two months of quiet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in early August updated its season prediction that 2022 would still be above-average with 14 to 21 named storms, although not a single named storm formed in the month of August. The 2020 hurricane season set a record with 30 named systems, while 2021′s season was the third most active with 21 named systems. An average year calls for 14 named storms. Through Gaston, 2022 has produced seven named systems. Sun-Sentinel staff writers contributed to this report. Read More Here

How Arizona's Semiconductor Industry Benefits From Policy, Partnerships – AZ Big Media https://digitalarizonanews.com/how-arizonas-semiconductor-industry-benefits-from-policy-partnerships-az-big-media/ Over the last few years, two major companies — Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) — have announced approximately $32 billion in investment in Metro Phoenix, representing a significant expansion of the Arizona semiconductor industry. In the North Valley, TSMC is dedicating $12 billion to its most advanced manufacturing facility in the U.S. Intel, which came to Chandler in 1979, is spending $20 billion on two new chip factories estimated to create 3,000 jobs. The semiconductor industry is angling for a resurgence throughout the U.S., with more than $52 billion being allocated by the federal government to support the domestic manufacturing of chips that serve as the technological cornerstone for phones, cars and military equipment. With a history of microelectronics and semiconductors dating back to 1949 with Motorola, the Grand Canyon State is already benefiting from the projected boom in domestic semiconductor manufacturing. “There are 100,000 jobs in the metro market tied to Arizona’s semiconductor industry,” explains Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC). “There are roughly 27 projects in the pipeline with about 10,000 phase one jobs and over $100 billion of new investment potential.” Here’s how the Valley positioned itself to become the Silicon Desert and why the passage of the Chips and Science Act further raises Greater Phoenix’s profile. Arizona’s semiconductor industry Even though the state has hosted a semiconductor industry cluster for some decades, Camacho notes that was not the headline item for many when discussing Arizona’s economy until recently. “2008 to 2011 are in the ‘hard lessons’ chapter of Arizona’s history book,” he says. “Over leveraged debt, reliance on residential real estate and addiction to growth were definitions that were bestowed upon us in the national narrative.” The page was turned in 2011, when leaders came together to pen a new chapter of Arizona’s economy that would have a heavier focus on manufacturing and technology. Doing so required a modernization of the state’s tax system and economic development programs, which Camacho says is yielding results. “We’re seeing higher wages in terms of the projects and jobs that are created; more capital-intensive companies, exports and everything else we set out to do back in 2011 with the Arizona Competitiveness Package,” Camacho explains. A standout economic development program created during this era is the Qualified Facility tax credit. The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) may authorize up to $125 million per calendar year in tax credits so long as the company meets certain eligibility criteria. “One of the reasons why I love the Qualified Facilities tax credit is because it requires an upfront capital investment and creating a certain number of jobs,” notes Danny Seiden, president and CEO of Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Once a company shows that they’ve hit those metrics, that’s when they receive the incentive from the state. We don’t cut companies a $200 million blank check and say, ‘Come to us whether or not you ever build.’ They must meet the requirements.” Seiden goes on to explain that since this tax credit’s eligibility requirements — like other incentives offered by the state — are statutory, they’re nondiscretionary. No single government official can dole out the money earmarked for these programs based on their personal whims. Better yet, the incentive is working. “Qualified Facilities has helped us get TSMC and LG [which is building a battery factory in Queen Creek],” Seiden continues. “My understanding is [the Qualified Facilities tax credit] is almost at its max capacity with all the applications that have come in for it. I think there’s probably going to be an argument to expand that program soon, because so many large companies are expanding and committing to these huge capital investments.” Craig Henig, executive director and head of MREG’s Phoenix office, says that beyond a favorable business environment, Arizona is attractive for semiconductor developers for other reasons too, such as the reliable supply of power provided by the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, a low propensity for natural disasters, and the state’s commitment to improving and expanding infrastructure. “Arizona’s semiconductor industry has already been in place here for decades, so we already have a relatively well-trained workforce,” Henig continues. “We also have dedicated university and community college institutions focused on growing this labor pool.” Partnership focused Companies that are making multi-billion-dollar decisions on where to locate their next facility have to weigh many factors. State incentives act as tempting carrots, but other important elements such as infrastructure and a talent pipeline are also crucial. Grace O’Sullivan, vice president of corporate engagement and strategic partnerships at Arizona State University (ASU), is often at the table during large business attraction deals, including TSMC. “It was a multiyear project in the making before anybody ever heard of it,” she says. “It really was a cross sectoral partnership because companies want to move here only if they can attract and hire talent.” Prior to the pandemic, O’Sullivan traveled to TSMC’s headquarters in Taiwan with a group of private and public sector leaders and hosted a delegation from the company in Phoenix. Having government, academia and industry all rowing in the same direction was attractive to TSMC and something that stood out as distinctive about Greater Phoenix, she says. READ MORE: Here’s how ASU is poised to help close microchip manufacturing gap As part of a working group with GPEC, O’Sullivan is figuring out how to best assist TSMC employees and families who are immigrating from Taiwan with services such as getting driver’s licenses and learning about the schools their children will attend. “My parents immigrated here from Taiwan in the 1970s. I doubt they had any of this network that was primed to help them be successful,” she says. “We’re really thinking about not only getting [TSMC employees] here, but how they are succeeding and integrating into the community for the long term. It’s beautiful to watch and be a part of.” Moreover, ASU has a partnership with Intel to advise on the university’s engineering programs, and O’Sullivan says TSMC will also be joining. She adds that another advisory council is being assembled for Arizona’s New Economy Initiative, which aims to strengthen the economic prospects of the state’s residents. One such investment will create three new ASU Science and Technology Centers that will partner with Arizona industry and further solidify Arizona’s position as a semiconductor powerhouse. “We’ll be getting industry information from all the leading chip makers and suppliers in the region to advise us on the key issues related to talent development and workforce, along with what the industry needs in terms of cutting-edge research and prototyping in facilities,” O’Sullivan says. “We really value that input from industry, so we can make sure that the students and graduates coming out have the latest skill set and are training on the latest tools.” Federal investment On August 9, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Chips and Science Act into law, which dedicates more than $52 billion to domestic semiconductor manufacturing in a showcase of vanishingly rare bipartisanship. The evenly divided U.S. Senate voted 64-33 in favor of the legislation and comes after decades of shrinking domestic semiconductor production. According to a summary document released by the Senate, only 12% of chips are currently manufactured domestically, compared to 37% in the 1990s. Since the onset of the pandemic, purchasing a car, refrigerator or dishwasher has been more difficult due to a lack of semiconductors, leading to backorders and longer wait times. “For far too long, the U.S. supply of semiconductors has been too beholden to foreign governments and the winds of global politics,” Seiden says. “It’s important to shore up our domestic supply chain so that no matter what happens globally, we’ll never see this sort of supply chain interruption again. By onshoring the production of semiconductors into this country — and really into this state — we will always have a steady supply of these items that are crucial to domestic everyday items and national strategic defense.” The bill sets aside $39 billion for providing financial assistance to build, expand or modernize domestic facilities and equipment for semiconductor fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging. An additional $11 billion is dedicated to research and development and $2 billion is allocated for the U.S. Department of Defense for national security-related semiconductor applications. Among other provisions, the legislation will create a 25% tax credit for investments in semiconductor manufacturing and includes incentives for the manufacturing of semiconductors, as well as for the manufacturing of the specialized tooling equipment required in the semiconductor manufacturing process. From his conversation with folks in Arizona’s semiconductor industry, Camacho says that this federal investment is crucial for advancing their plans. Without programs that reduce costs, the U.S. will struggle to be competitive globally and miss out on transformative growth. “People don’t understand what a generational position we’re in with Intel’s expansion and TSMC,” he notes. “This is like when Motorola came to Phoenix, but on steroids. It will dramatically reshape how global markets think of Metro Phoenix.” Seiden adds that Arizona’s current position as a semiconductor hub — and an a...

Alex Jones Declares He’s ‘done Saying I’m Sorry’ At Sandy Hook Trial https://digitalarizonanews.com/alex-jones-declares-hes-done-saying-im-sorry-at-sandy-hook-trial/ Infowars founder Alex Jones lashed out as he testified in a tense Connecticut courtroom Thursday as part of a defamation trial that will determine how much he should pay to the relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school massacre. The far-right conspiracy theorist and host, known for emotional outbursts on his shows, appeared frustrated at several points and said he would not make further apologies for popularizing the false claim that the shooting in Newtown, Conn., was a hoax. “Is this a struggle session? Are we in China?” Jones asked, referring to Maoist rallies where people were publicly humiliated, after an attorney for the plaintiffs, Chris Mattei, pointed out the victims’ family members in the courtroom. “I’ve already said I’m sorry hundreds of times, and I’m done saying I’m sorry.” The fatal shooting of 26 people, including 20 children, sustained headlines for years on Infowars and other fringe websites that propagated the baseless assertion that the victims’ family members were “crisis actors” involved in a government “false-flag operation” designed to curtail Second Amendment rights. Jones has subsequently acknowledged that the massacre was “100 percent real” and that it was irresponsible to say otherwise. Jones was ordered in August in a separate Texas trial to pay more than $45 million in damages to parents of a Sandy Hook victim. He lost the Connecticut trial after Judge Barbara Bellis ruled in November that he was liable by default after refusing to turn over financial records and other documents ordered by the court. Infowars and its parent company, Free Speech Systems, filed for bankruptcy protection this year as the Sandy Hook families pursued civil litigation. Though Jones was even-tempered for much of his testimony, he sometimes verbally jousted with Mattei. His own lawyer also struggled to stop him from providing elaborate answers when roused. Bellis repeatedly asked jurors to leave the courtroom so that the scope of Jones’s answers could be discussed with the lawyers. The frequency of their departures led her to joke that they were getting their exercise for the day. In the hours-long session, Jones used one of Mattei’s questions to plug the address of a website accepting cryptocurrency contributions. He also answered “no” to the question of whether his credibility was the most important thing to his audience, insisting that his focus was on “crushing the globalists.” “Alex Jones is probably the most unsympathetic litigant I’ve seen in quite a long period of time,” said Jessica Levinson, a law professor at Loyola Marymount University. “This is a case about punishment, deterrence and making people whole,” she said. A representative for Infowars could not be immediately reached early Friday. In one exchange, Mattei accused Jones of putting targets on Sandy Hook parents’ backs, in an apparent reference to his claim that they were crisis actors. The attorney referenced parents in the courtroom, calling them “real people,” to which Jones responded: “Just like all the Iraqis you liberals killed and loved.” “You’re unbelievable. You switch on emotions, on and off, when you want. You’re just ambulance chasing,” Jones added. The size and scope of damages awarded by the jury will be closely watched at a time of heightened concern about online misinformation and disinformation. “It matters what these verdicts are because it tells us how much we think people are harmed by this type of speech,” Levinson said. “It tells us that this might be an effective way to try to shut down the Alex Joneses of the world.” Details of the case — such as whether the jury is convinced that Jones’s false statements were deliberate lies — will help determine the type and the size of damages, said Eugene Volokh, a law professor at the University of California at Los Angeles. “If you’re going to try to persuade the jury toward punitive damages, you’ve got to show that it’s more than just an honest mistake,” said Volokh, an expert on free-speech law. An attorney for Jones had argued that damages should be limited and that the victims’ relatives had exaggerated the harm that his client’s false assertions had caused, the Associated Press reported. Several relatives of the Sandy Hook victims took the stand this week to share stories of being forced to travel under false names for security purposes and being told they would go to hell by those falsely claiming the shooting was a hoax. Jennifer Hensel, whose daughter Avielle was killed in the shooting and whose husband took his own life in 2019, testified that some conspiracy theorists said they believed that she helped fake the tragedy and that her child was still alive. “God, if she were, wouldn’t that be amazing?” she said, her voice cracking. The trial is set to resume Friday, and Jones is scheduled to continue testifying. Read More Here

Elton John Set To Rock The White House Friday Night https://digitalarizonanews.com/elton-john-set-to-rock-the-white-house-friday-night/ (WASHINGTON) — British pop legend Elton John is set to rock the White House on Friday night, playing for President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in a South Lawn performance the White House says “will celebrate the unifying and healing power of music.” Biden has said his songs hold deep meaning for him and John, CNN reported, asked the White House if he could perform. The event, dubbed “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme,” is part of a collaboration with A&E Networks and The History Channel, according to the White House. The title of the event is a quote from Irish poet Seamus Heaney that Biden frequently uses in speeches and remarks, including when he accepted the Democratic nomination in 2020. The event, before Cabinet secretaries and 2,000 invited guests, is to honor John’s life and work, according to the White House, as well as to commemorate “the everyday history-makers in the audience, including teachers, nurses, frontline workers, mental health advocates, students, LGBTQ+ advocates and more.” Biden and his wife will make remarks. John has a concert scheduled Saturday night at nearby Nationals Park, part of his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.” The 300-plus world tour dates are a farewell to his fans all over the world, according to the “Crocodile Rock” singer, part of a nearly 50-year career in music. It’s not the first time the singer has been at the White House. In 1998, President Bill Clinton invited him to play at a state dinner for then-U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, along with Stevie Wonder. Biden has said that John’s music has comforted his family at its most painful moments. In his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose, Biden recounted visiting his son Beau in the hospital one night shortly before Beau died of brain cancer. John had been at the White House earlier that day, Biden wrote. When he reached Beau’s bedside that night, Biden said, he sang “Crocodile Rock” to Beau — just as he had to Beau and his other son, Hunter, many years before, after Biden’s wife and daughter were killed in a car accident. “The words came back like it was yesterday, but after the first few lines I started to get emotional and wasn’t sure if I could go on,” Biden wrote. “Beau didn’t open his eyes, but I could see through my own tears that he was smiling. So I gathered myself and kept at it, for as much of the song as I could remember.” In addition to his music, John has also been lauded for his work as an AIDS activist, having testified numerous times on Capitol Hill in support of AIDS funding. To date, according to its website, the Elton John AIDS foundation has raised over $600 million since its inception in 1992. John also has another presidential fan — former President Donald Trump who reportedly wanted the Grammy award winner to play at his inauguration, but John declined. Trump frequently plays John’s music at his rallies and infamously reacted to the news of the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as “Tiny Dancer” blared in the background. Trump even dubbed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “Little Rocket Man” in what appears to be a reference to John’s song, “Rocket Man.” The singer also performed at Trump’s wedding in 2005 to his curreent wife, Melania. Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Post Politics Now: Hoyer, McCarthy To Deliver Dueling Speeches On Why Their Parties Should Win https://digitalarizonanews.com/post-politics-now-hoyer-mccarthy-to-deliver-dueling-speeches-on-why-their-parties-should-win/ Today, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) are delivering dueling speeches on why their parties should prevail in the November midterm elections. Both addresses will be delivered in the Pittsburgh area. McCarthy is expected to talk up the House Republicans’ “Commitment to America” agenda, while Hoyer is set to highlight a string of recent legislative victories for Democrats. In Washington, President Biden is appearing at the latest in a series of Democratic National Committee fundraisers before hosting a concert at the White House by Elton John. Biden is expected to speak at the event, which has been dubbed “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme.” Your daily dashboard 8:15 a.m. Eastern time: Hoyer speaks in Pittsburgh. Watch live here. 9:30 a.m. Eastern: McCarthy speaks in Monongahela, Pa. Watch live here. 1 p.m. Eastern: Biden delivers remarks at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser at the National Education Association headquarters in Washington. 2:30 p.m. Eastern: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds a briefing. Watch live here. 7 p.m. Eastern: Former president Donald Trump hosts a “Save America” rally in Wilmington, N.C. 8 p.m. Eastern: Biden hosts a musical performance at the White House by Elton John. 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. Take a look: The Fetterman-Oz meme campaign, illustrated Return to menu A banner towed by an airplane over the Jersey Shore. A troll website with a doctored image of a shirtless candidate. The rivals for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat are turning to uncommon tactics to paint their opponent as unqualified or unfit, The Post’s Hannah Dormido and Dylan Moriarty write in a piece that includes illustrations of the sparring. Per our colleagues: Since emerging from the primaries, Democratic nominee John Fetterman has waged a relentless trolling offensive, creating moments that often went viral on social media portraying Republican rival Mehmet Oz as an out-of-state elitist. Oz began countering with his own posts questioning Fetterman’s health and willingness to debate, as well as his policy positions. The contentious race is unfolding one meme at a time. But behind the eye-catching — sometimes eye-rolling — visuals, there are strategic messages each candidate is pushing with voters as they try to define the opponent’s personality and experience. You can read (and see) the full piece here. On our radar: House GOP ‘Commitment to America’ purposely short on specifics Return to menu The House Republican conference entered this week preparing to promote its “Commitment to America” pledge, a one-page memo of principles unveiled to members Thursday. GOP leaders hope it will persuade voters to hand them control of the House, and serve as the guiding touchstone that holds the group together when legislative divisions inevitably emerge. The Post’s Marianna Sotomayor and Leigh Ann Caldwell report that the document is purposely short on policy specifics, according to aides familiar with the drafting process — an acknowledgment that the conference remains divided on which legislative proposals would be the best prescription for a number of political issues. The latest: White House announces $1.5 billion to target opioid crisis Return to menu The White House on Friday announced $1.5 billion in grants aimed at addressing the opioid crisis and supporting individuals in recovery. The funding is part of a federal program that aims to help states increase access to treatment for substance abuse, make medications such as naloxone more widely available and expand access to recovery support services. The funding will also allow states to increase investments in overdose education and other programs, the White House said. The announcement of the funding coincides with what President Biden has proclaimed as National Recovery Month. On our radar: Trump faces growing legal peril as he seeks to raise profile ahead of 2024 Return to menu The legal dangers facing former president Donald Trump rose this week, after the New York attorney general filed a fraud lawsuit that could effectively shutter the Trump Organization and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit allowed federal investigators to continue their probe into classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. At least a half-dozen additional legal efforts are proceeding against Trump and his allies — committing him to months of legal wrangling as he seeks to raise his political profile for a possible 2024 bid while increasing the prospect of becoming the first former U.S. president to face indictment after leaving office, The Post’s Michael Scherer, Josh Dawsey, Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein report. Noted: How a Trump soundtrack became a QAnon phenomenon Return to menu Earlier this week, close advisers to former president Donald Trump grappled with a question: what to do about the QAnon song. The Post’s Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey and Michael Scherer report that the melody — an orchestral theme featuring swelling strings, gentle bell tones and brooding piano harmonies — was the soundtrack to a campaign-style video Trump released in August. But it wasn’t until Saturday’s rally in Youngstown, Ohio, when the tune closed Trump’s nearly two-hour speech, inspiring the crowd to respond with raised arms and pointed index fingers, that it broke through as a phenomenon. Analysis: Biden’s unwarranted bragging about reducing the budget deficit Return to menu In his recent “60 Minutes” interview, President Biden claimed that “we’ve … reduced the deficit by $350 billion my first year.” Writing in The Fact Checker, The Post’s Glenn Kessler notes that in just the week before the interview aired, the president mentioned having reduced the budget deficit by $350 billion six times, sometimes saying he wants to counter accusations that he is running up the federal tab. Per Glenn: Biden never quite says his policies reduced the deficit. But when he says things like “I lowered your deficit,” he certainly signals that. The president is playing a rhetorical shell game. He’s trying to dazzle listeners with impressive-sounding numbers. But the reality is he’s increased the budget deficit, not reduced it. Budget deficit numbers are complicated — and often dull. So we will try to keep this as simple as possible. The best way to determine a president’s impact on budget deficits is to look at what was predicted before he arrived — and then what happened after his policies have been enacted. You can read Glenn’s full analysis here. The latest: U.S. has sent private warnings to Russia against using a nuclear weapon Return to menu The United States for several months has been sending private communications to Moscow warning Russia’s leadership of the grave consequences that would follow the use of a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. officials, who said the messages underscore what President Biden and his aides have articulated publicly. The Post’s Paul Sonne and John Hudson report that the Biden administration generally has decided to keep warnings about the consequences of a nuclear strike deliberately vague, so the Kremlin worries about how Washington might respond, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive deliberations. Per our colleagues: Read More Here

Donald Trump A Cheat? A Bit Of 'truthful Hyperbole' Never Hurt Anyone – Scotsman Comment https://digitalarizonanews.com/donald-trump-a-cheat-a-bit-of-truthful-hyperbole-never-hurt-anyone-scotsman-comment/ NewsOpinionColumnists The Scotsman is shocked and appalled to hear of the leading Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire golfing tycoon Donald Trump’s latest, and apparently quite serious, legal troubles in the US. By Scotsman comment Friday, 23rd September 2022, 12:30 pm Donald Trump is facing legal action in the US (Picture: Tom Pennington/Getty Images) According to New York attorney-general Letitia James, Trump – also known for serving as the 45th President of the United States – “falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to unjustly enrich himself, and cheat the system, thereby cheating all of us”. In addition to allegedly overstating the value of several of his properties, he also stands accused of playing down their worth for tax purposes. Could this really be the same Donald J Trump as our very own business guru? Who could ever have imagined he would act in any kind of boastful way or, heaven forbid, “cheat” anyone. Admittedly, there are some who have suggested he cheated at golf, a game which we are sure Trump regards with an almost sacred reverence. Sportswriter Rick Reilly, who has played him, even wrote a book about it, called Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump. However, if there were any times at all when Trump inadvertently misspoke or exaggerated, slightly or even quite a lot, then we feel sure it was in keeping with the ‘innovative’ business practices described in his 1987 book The Art of the Deal. “People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular,” he wrote. “I call it truthful hyperbole. It’s an innocent form of exaggeration, and a very effective form of promotion.” There, we’re sure it’s all fine. Just a bit of innocent ‘truthful hyperbole’, that’s all. Nothing to see here. Read More Here

Church-State Separation ‘very Thin’ With Trump Republicans, Butler Says On 'Meet The Press' – Baptist News Global https://digitalarizonanews.com/church-state-separation-very-thin-with-trump-republicans-butler-says-on-meet-the-press-baptist-news-global/ The idea of separation of church and state remains strong in America but it is hanging by a thread, Anthea Butler said this week on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “The idea of it is very strong. The reality of it is not,” said Butler, chair of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Among Trump Republicans in particular, “I would say that the separation of church and state is very thin, if not nonexistent.” Asked where is the line between appropriate religious expression and Christian nationalism, Butler: “The line becomes when people become so dogmatic that they want to step over into a violent space. And what I mean by that is the people who want to impose something on someone else. “One of the great things about America is that it’s a democracy, right? And that America got started by people who were escaping religious (persecution) so they could have religious freedom. And so one of the things I think is really important here in the delineation between what is Christian nationalism and what is not Christian nationalism is what are people trying to impose? Are they trying to use their Christian nationalism to do a takeover? And then finally, who gets to be included as a Christian in America.” Butler joined a panel discussion with NBC News correspondent Anne Thompson; Andrew Whitehead, professor of sociology at IUPUI in Indianapolis; and former Republican Congressman Carlos Curbelo of Florida who now works as an NBC political analyst. Their topic was the rising threat of Christian nationalism. Thompson was asked if it’s possible journalists like her are making too much of Christian nationalism, if it might be hyped too much. It’s not overblown, she said. “There are people out there who want to take the country back to a more Christian culture., I don’t think we’re making too much of it. It certainly is a strong movement. You see it in our politics today. Will it have legs? It seems to.” Whitehead was asked if there are degrees of Christian nationalism. Yes, he said, “when we survey the American public, we find that Christian nationalism is really a spectrum, where you have Americans on the very upper end who strongly embrace these ideas that the U.S. is a Christian nation, that it plays a special role in God’s work in the world globally, all of those things. And then you have Americans that think Christianity should play a role in American society but wouldn’t go so far as to say it should be privileged. And then we find there are many Americans that resist and reject Christian nationalism as well. “And so the important thing is that it’s not a binary either left or right, but it’s a spectrum of belief and strength.” Curbelo was asked to explain what’s going on inside today’s Republican Party related to Christian nationalism. Specifically, he was asked to respond to a statement by Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, who said he’s not going to run from the label of “Christian nationalist.” And he was asked about a statement by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who proudly claimed the Republican Party is the party of  Christian nationalism.” “What (you’re) pointing out is the hypocrisy in all of this,” the former Republican congressman replied. “It has been Republicans and conservatives over the years who have criticized other countries like Muslim countries for imposing religious beliefs and practices, and also for attacking communist countries for imposing atheism and banning people from practicing their religion. “So what’s happened here is this has become a part of the culture wars. And this is the bunker mentality that Donald Trump and other conservatives have pushed a lot of the population into thinking they’re under assault.” While Christian nationalism may be wrong and dangerous, it is fed by the reality that conservative Americans feel like “the pace of cultural change in our country has been pretty rapid in recent decades,” Curbelo added. “We have to understand that some people increasingly feel excluded, left behind, and obviously that generates a lot of anxiety and that’s why people act out in these ways.” Whitehead affirmed that description. “When we look at it, Christian nationalism … is about power. And when we think of that in terms of a democracy and a functioning democracy, it’s about sharing power and playing by the same rules. And so with Christian nationalism, we find over and over that if it comes down to democracy or power, they’re going to choose power every time.” But what may be a winning strategy for Republican primaries could prove to be a liability in a general election, Curbelo said. “This could be part of the trap Republicans have set up for themselves where they elect the most ‘conservative’ candidate at primaries and then these people just can’t win. “So eventually this movement will likely just be extinguished because people get tired of losing. That’s one theory, but certainly, … there is a critical mass support that can get these people past primaries.” Butler offered an urgent warning: “If we don’t pay attention to this right now, we may be on the losing end later. … The GOP has had slogans like this a long time, whether it’s been Make America Great Again, or American exceptionalism. … What is more interesting right now is that the religious and the political are being put together. And that makes for a very powerful mix. Whether or not people win in November, we still have to contend with this in 2024.” Related articles: Christian nationalism is a danger to our nation | Opinion by Marvin McMickle Georgia representative says Christian nationalism actually is a good thing No, BJC has not become a leftist mouthpiece | Opinion by Mark Wingfield Read More Here

2025 BMW X5 Flaunts Cool Alternative Style, Rendering Artist Trumps BMW Designers https://digitalarizonanews.com/2025-bmw-x5-flaunts-cool-alternative-style-rendering-artist-trumps-bmw-designers/ People have long been vocal about the automotive industry’s uniformity when it comes to traditional high-profit venues. Alas, the way some chose to stand out in the crowd is definitely… something else. And there is no need to take our word for granted. Instead, let us give you the example of Germany’s ruling Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz triumvirate. Everyone knows that Audi is the one that technically innovates but stalls in terms of design. Mercedes was once the epitome of comfort and stately styling – now it arguably follows the same righteous path as its Ingolstadt-based counterpart. BMW, on the other hand, has set sail towards the outrageous island and features a disparate lineup that seems to have been dreamed of by various alien races who have never heard of Earth’s schools of art and design. Just think for a moment about the way some regular cars and SUVs look (such as the 2 Series or the X3 and X5, for example). Then imagine the humongous-grilled M3/M4 and 4 Series right next to the all-new split-headlight 7 Series, i7, and X7 with LCI (Life Cycle Impulse, aka a facelift!). Well, not everyone (along with most of the breathing world) is happy about it. But Giorgi Tedoradze, a Georgia-based industrial designer better known as tedoradze.giorgi on social media, can also do something CGI about it. So, not long ago, he started imagining a distinctive new design for BMW’s might X-series. And he naturally started with the X1 compact crossover SUV before progressing to the larger X3. Anyway, after schooling BMW’s designers about how to properly dress up a crossover SUV with CGI attire, he now proceeds to flaunt the cool alternative style for the larger BMW X5 sibling, as well. That one, now in its fourth generation, jumps over the upcoming 2024 BMW X5 M redesign that is already making the rounds courtesy of our spy photographer partners and goes directly to a potential all-new 2025 model year X5 iteration. So, does it look miles better, or not? Read More Here

Recap On Two Major Gubernatorial Races – Newstalk KZRG https://digitalarizonanews.com/recap-on-two-major-gubernatorial-races-newstalk-kzrg/ HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Governors races often are overshadowed by the fight for control of Congress during midterm elections. But this fall, which candidate wins a state’s top executive post could be pivotal for the nation’s political future. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is the only Democratic governor running for reelection in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020. The former legislator won the office in 2018 against a fiery conservative after running as a moderate who promoted bipartisanship. She now faces three-term state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who has repeatedly tried to tie her to President Joe Biden and criticized her as too liberal for the red state. Schmidt’s campaign has been hurt, however, by a third-party bid from a conservative state lawmaker. During a debate at the Kansas State Fair this month, Schmidt noted Kelly’s position on abortion as too extreme, telling a crowd she supports abortion without restrictions. Kansas has been the unlikely site of Democratic hopes in regard to abortion rights. In August, Kansas voters defeated a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to greatly restrict or ban abortion. Kelly opposed the measure, though she has tried to focus her campaign elsewhere. Schmidt said he respects the outcome of the vote but that the abortion debate isn’t over. “What was not on the ballot was Governor Kelly’s position,” he said. Throughout nearly two decades in elective politics, Kelly has opposed nearly every restriction on abortion now in Kansas law. But asked about Schmidt’s characterization of her position on abortion, she said, “You know, I have never said that.” Kelly hasn’t emphasized abortion as an issue, though many Democrats think it would help her. Instead, she has been touting the state’s fiscal strength and her work to lure businesses and jobs. “Maybe I’m not flashy, but I’m effective,” she said at the end of the state fair debate. Pennsylvania, a top presidential battleground, is another state where the GOP nominee could hurt Republicans’ chances in November. GOP voters chose Doug Mastriano from a crowded field, picking a Trump-backed candidate who opposes abortion rights without exceptions, spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and organized bus trips to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the day of the violent insurrection. He faces Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Asked about the race during the discussion at Georgetown, Ducey was blunt. “Another axiom that we have at the RGA is that we don’t fund lost causes, and we don’t fund landslides,” he said. Read More Here

Listen To Stevie Nicks' Cover Of Buffalo Springfield’s 'For What It’s Worth' https://digitalarizonanews.com/listen-to-stevie-nicks-cover-of-buffalo-springfields-for-what-its-worth/ Stevie Nicks has shared a cover of Buffalo Springfield‘s ‘For What It’s Worth’, the ’60s protest anthem written by Stephen Stills. The release of the new version was announced earlier this week in a handwritten letter posted to social media. It follows the Fleetwood Mac member’s most recent solo album, 2014’s ’24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault’, a collection of re-recorded demos written between 1969 and 1987. Her last album of new original material was 2011’s ‘In Your Dreams’. “I am so excited to release my new song this Friday,” Nicks wrote. “It’s called ‘For What It’s Worth’ and it was written by Stephen Stills in 1966. It meant something to me then, and it means something to me now. “I always wanted to interpret it through the eyes of a woman – and it seems like today, in the times we live in, it has a lot to say… I can’t wait for you to hear it.” Listen to Nicks’ cover of ‘For What It’s Worth’ below. Nicks is currently touring the US – see her forthcoming dates below, and purchase any remaining tickets here. SEPTEMBER 24 – Bridgeport, CT – Sound on Sound Festival 30 – Dana Point, CA – Ohana Festival OCTOBER 03 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl 06 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion 09 – The Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 12 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre 16 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater 19 – Charleston, SC – CreditOne Stadium 22 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion 25 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre 28 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre Last summer saw Nicks cancel all of her scheduled tour dates for 2021 due to COVID concerns. “Because singing and performing have been my whole life, my primary goal is to keep healthy so I can continue singing for the next decade or longer,” she wrote at the time. “I’m devastated and know the fans are disappointed, but we will look towards a brighter 2022.” In more recent news, Nicks shared an emotional statement on gun control last month, calling on lawmakers to “make it really hard” for people to buy firearms. Read More…

Referendums Begin In Russian-Occupied Regions Of Ukraine; Putin's Nuclear Ultimatum Raises Risk Of Disaster https://digitalarizonanews.com/referendums-begin-in-russian-occupied-regions-of-ukraine-putins-nuclear-ultimatum-raises-risk-of-disaster/ Referendum voting in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine is underway, Russian state media has reported. Western and Ukrainian officials are rebuking them as a sham used by the Kremlin to legitimize Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory, as it did in Crimea in 2014. Moscow rejects the accusations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging Russians to protest against the war. More than 1,300 people across Russia were arrested this week for demonstrating against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement Wednesday of “partial” military mobilization to send more troops into the war in Ukraine, which he calls a “special military operation.” Some security analysts, meanwhile, are sounding the alarm that Putin’s threats of using nuclear weapons could risk escalation to a nuclear conflict. Ukrainian mayor urges residents in Russian-occupied areas not to cooperate with referendums The Ukrainian-elected mayor of the city of Melitopol is urging those in Russian-occupied areas of the country not to partake in the so-called “referendums” being held by Russian authorities. “We call on the residents of the occupied territories not to participate in the pseudo-referendum in any way,” Ivan Fedorov wrote via Telegram. “Participation in it is to support the bloody plan to escalate the war against Ukraine, to voluntarily become part of a closed totalitarian society, to assume part of the responsibility for war crimes, to agree to the mobilization of men aged 16-55 to replenish the cannon fodder of the Russian Army, to commit a criminal offense.” “Don’t open the door to agitators. Do not go to the polling stations. Completely ignore the entire election process. Stay as far as possible from Russian military and enemy equipment. Our heroic armed forces of Ukraine will definitely liberate all occupied territories from racism,” Federov said, adding, “most importantly, participation in a pseudo-referendum is the worst betrayal.” — Natasha Turak Voting begins on referendums in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories People arrive to receive Russian passports at a centre in Kherson after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decree to make it easier for residents of Kherson and Melitopol regions to get passports, in Kherson, Kherson Oblast, Ukraine on July 21, 2022.  Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Voting is starting on referendums in Russian-occupied areas, Russian state media reported. “Voting began at 08:00 in the DPR and LPR, as well as in the Kherson region and in the liberated territories of the Zaporozhye region,” state news agency Tass said. Western and Ukrainian officials have slammed the “referendums” as a sham. Many fear that Russia will rig the votes in its favor and then use the result as justification to annex those territories as Russian and subsequently use nuclear or other unconventional weapons against Ukrainian forces trying to reclaim them. — Natasha Turak Putin’s nuclear ultimatum to the West raises the risk of disaster Speaking in a rare, televised address on Wednesday, Putin warned that if the territorial integrity of Russia is threatened, the Kremlin would “certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. It is not a bluff.” Gavriil Grigorov | Afp | Getty Images Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats to the West increase the risk of a nuclear conflict, analysts and campaigners warned. It comes shortly after Putin called up extra forces for the war in Ukraine and warned that if the territorial integrity of Russia is threatened, the Kremlin would “certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. It is not a bluff.” Beatrice Fihn, Nobel laureate and executive director of the International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons, told CNBC that Putin’s “incredibly dangerous and irresponsible” threats drastically increase the risk of escalation to a nuclear conflict. Read the full story here. — Sam Meredith Zelenskyy urges Russians to protest Putin’s mobilization order President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits the Kharkiv region for the first time since Russia started the attacks against his country on February 24, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine on May 29, 2022.(Photo by Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Ukrainian Presidency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Ukrainian President Voldomyr Zelenskyy urged Russians to protest President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that he would mobilize 300,000 Russian troops for war. “I’ll explain what is happening to the Russians in Russian,” Zelenskyy said, speaking Russian in a nightly address on the Telegram messaging app. “55,000 Russian soldiers died in this war in six months. Tens of thousands are wounded and maimed. Want more? No? Then protest. Fight back. Run away. Or surrender to the Ukrainian forces. These are the options for you to survive,” he added. Zelenskyy said that Russia’s mobilization of additional troops, the first since World War II, is proof that the Kremlin’s mighty military has faced stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces. “The Russian leadership is reacting precisely to the fact of Ukrainian strength in changing its tactics and trying to draw even more Russian citizens and resources into the war,” he said. — Amanda Macias Russian foreign minister leaves U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine early Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gives an annual press conference on Russian diplomacy in 2021, in Moscow on January 14, 2022. Dimitar Dilkoff | Afp | Getty Images Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov left a United Nations Security Council meeting early after he defended his country’s war in Ukraine. Lavrov, who arrived late to the meeting and missed remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other U.S. allies, accused Kyiv of openly threatening Russia’s security. “Over the past few years, the Kyiv regime has conducted a frontal assault on the Russian language. It brazenly trampled on the rights of Russian and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine,” Lavrov said. “Everything I’ve said today simply confirms that the decision to conduct the special military operation was inevitable,” he added, using the Kremlin’s term for its invasion. Once he was done speaking, he left the U.N. chamber and his deputy Sergey Vershinin remained in position. — Amanda Macias Read CNBC’s previous live coverage here: Read More Here

FedEx Delivers Unexpected Bad News To Wall Street https://digitalarizonanews.com/fedex-delivers-unexpected-bad-news-to-wall-street/ FedEx’s stock price sank after it warned investors its performance suffered last quarter. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images FedEx’s stock price sank after it warned investors its performance suffered last quarter. Joe Raedle/Getty Images In a challenging economy, FedEx isn’t delivering, and that has Wall Street worried. Last quarter it processed fewer packages because of “weakening economic conditions,” and operating income at FedEx Express fell by 69%, according to FedEx’s latest earnings report, released on Thursday. Expenses at its ground carrier were up, and now the company plans to raise its rates by about 7%, on average. The news comes on the heels of a surprise warning last week that the company has been having difficulties. After that announcement, FedEx’s stock price sank by more than 20%, and some of its rivals, including UPS and XPO Logistics, also lost ground. The global economy — the “macro climate” — is to blame for the company’s shocking downturn, CEO Raj Subramaniam told CNBC’s Jim Cramer last week. Cramer asked the executive if he expects the world to sink into an economic recession. “I think so,” Subramaniam replied. On Thursday, FedEx outlined significant steps to get back on track. The company is going to take some of its aircraft out of service and scale back Sunday delivery. On top of that, it intends to close almost 100 retail locations and, like many companies right now, it plans to press pause on hiring until the economic uncertainty around the world clears up. Beyond speedy deliveries: the world looks to FedEx as an economic bellwether Because Wall Street sees FedEx as a bellwether, an unexpected update about the company’s performance rattled investors. Its stock price slid by more than 20%. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images Because Wall Street sees FedEx as a bellwether, an unexpected update about the company’s performance rattled investors. Its stock price slid by more than 20%. Spencer Platt/Getty Images What unsettled investors is that FedEx is seen as a bellwether. “We are a reflection of everybody’s business,” Subramaniam said. In that warning last week, which came in the form of a business update, FedEx withdrew its forecast for earnings. It is unable to project what money will be coming in because it is in “a continued volatile operating environment.” FedEx also says it faces “service challenges” in Europe, where a recession looks likely, and “macroeconomic weakness” in Asia, which continues to struggle from strict COVID lockdowns, as well. Because of its size and the fact that its business deals with moving goods, FedEx “can tell us very clearly what’s going on with inventory moves and general business activity,” said J. Bruce Chan, who covers transportation and logistics companies for Stifel. While it provides a good read for two key parts of the economy, it also serves as reliable indicator of what may be coming down the road. FedEx’s earnings contracted in a similar way during the last three recessions — in 2020, 2009, and 2001, according to analysts at Barclays. FedEx, which operates in more than 200 countries, says it has had trouble navigating economic challenges in Europe and Asia recently. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Bruce Bennett/Getty Images FedEx, which operates in more than 200 countries, says it has had trouble navigating economic challenges in Europe and Asia recently. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images Today, FedEx has a giant global footprint. It operates in more than 200 countries, and the Memphis-based company’s half a million employees process more than 15 million shipments every day. During the pandemic, when homebound shoppers ordered books, electronics and furniture, the volume of shipments surged and so did FedEx’s stock price. But as the United States and many other countries relaxed their COVID protocols, people moved to spending more on services, not goods. The result: FedEx and its competitors are handling fewer shipments. “They’re not collapsing, but they are declining,” said Amit Mehrotra, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, adding that it needs to navigate the current slowdown with “very, very good cost management.” “That is where we think FedEx failed pretty dramatically,” Mehrotra said. Like other Wall Street analysts who track the company, Mehrotra says FedEx’s performance can tell us a lot about the state of the global economy, but the company can’t pin all of its problems on that alone. “This was much more a company-specific story…than anything that is explainable by a macroeconomic slowdown,” he said. Deciding if the culprit is really the economy, the company, or both FedEx is in the middle of a critical transition. Subramaniam became CEO about four months ago, succeeding Fred Smith, who founded the company in 1971. After analyst Ken Hoexter, who covers FedEx for Bank of America, reviewed last week’s business update, he wondered how much of the company’s predicament is attributable to its current executives setting unrealistic goals. “I think what you had here was a setup that was unattainable from the start,” he said. Things may have gotten worse economically, “but FedEx-specific issues crept up on them,” he added. FedEx’s stock price fell by more than 20% last week, triggering a broader sell-off on Wall Street. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images FedEx’s stock price fell by more than 20% last week, triggering a broader sell-off on Wall Street. Spencer Platt/Getty Images So, was the sell-off justified? According to Stifel’s Chan, there is plenty to alarm investors, and everyone else. “Right now, there is a lot of debate about the direction of the global economy,” he said. By missing the mark on earnings so badly and providing such an uncertain outlook on the future, FedEx “gave people who were maybe riding the fence what they needed in terms of moving toward caution,” Chan said. Read More Here

Gilbert VB Mows Down Queen Creek https://digitalarizonanews.com/gilbert-vb-mows-down-queen-creek/ September 23, 2022 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365 Gilbert’s Raegan Richardson (8) seeks a kill Thursday in the Tigers sweep of region foe Queen Creek. (Azpreps365 photo) The volleyball race in the 6A Central Region has pared its unbeaten teams in region play to two. Two teams are unscathed after three matches in the six-team region. Two who were perfect met Thursday evening with Gilbert turning in a surprisingly easy 3-0 victory over Queen Creek at The Jungle. Gilbert improved to 8-0 in power-ranking matches overall and 2-0 region adding its second region win in as many nights its 25-21, 25-20, 25-17 triumph. With the loss Queen Creek fell to 6-2 in prm, 1-1 in region. Gilbert’s victory sets up an early showdown for sole possession of first in the region with Corona del Sol on Sept. 27 at Corona. Corona bested Highland on Thursday to move to 2-0 in region. Queen Creek continues play Sept. 27 with a home and region match against Desert Ridge. “I know we didn’t get their best game,” Gilbert coach Joe Hesse said of the Bulldogs. “They have more pop at the net, and we have an elite defender in Kenzie (McKenzie Schoenhardt). Our defense played well, and we served well. Combine those things, and it was a good night for us.” Schoenhardt, a senior, was honored postgame after reaching the 1,500 digs mark for her career. She posted 31 digs in Thursday’s match. Alex Johnson aided the defensive effort with 17 digs. Four Gilbert players registered between five and nine kills in the match. Middle Sydney Mahon and outside Cameron Bales led the quartet with 10 kills each. Next were outside hitter Raegan Richardson (7 kills) and opposite Elli Walker (6 kills). Unofficial attack leaders for Queen Creek – Blaykli Bobik (7 kills), Madisyn Crnjac (6 kills) and Haleina Bowers (5 kills).  The teams played a tight first set through a 15-15 score. Gilbert pulled away to a 23-18 advantage with two kills from Richardson and one each from Bales and setter Alex Johnson. The Tigers closed out the set in short order. The second set was tougher. Queen Creek built a 9-4 advantage, but the Bulldogs lead gradually slipped away. Gilbert caught up at 14-all and led by as many as four (19-15) before a 4-0 closing run blunted Queen Creek’s rally (20-21) in trying to even the match. Set three was all Gilbert with seven Tigers collecting a kill.  Read More Here

IDB Board Votes To Oust Trump-Picked Chief, US Signals Approval https://digitalarizonanews.com/idb-board-votes-to-oust-trump-picked-chief-us-signals-approval/ By Eric Martin The board of a top development bank focused on Latin America voted Thursday to recommend removing the lender’s president after a probe into an alleged romantic relationship with a top aide found he probably violated ethics rules. The 14 executive directors of the Inter-American Development Bank unanimously recommended ousting , according to people familiar with the process, who asked not to be identified describing a closed-door meeting. The IDB press office wouldn’t immediately comment when asked to confirm the vote. Ultimate responsibility for removing Claver-Carone rests with the IDB’s board of governors, mostly finance ministers from the 48 … To read the full article log in. © 2022 The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. All Rights Reserved Read More Here

Hudson Valley Properties At Center Of AG Suit https://digitalarizonanews.com/hudson-valley-properties-at-center-of-ag-suit/ Attorney General civil fraud lawsuit against former President , three of his children, and several Trump companies and employees alleges longstanding schemes to inflate the value of his enterprises to obtain favorable treatment from banks and insurance companies. These schemes played out at Trump facilities across the country, including three high-profile properties in the – the estate in , and ; in ; and in . The 220-page complaint seeks to shutter the and the company that owns the sprawling estate, which stands on 212 acres where, in the face of fierce opposition from environmentalists, Trump first failed to develop an 18-hole golf course, and later, a luxury housing development. “This investigation revealed that engaged in years of illegal conduct to inflate his net worth, to deceive banks and the people of the great state of ,” James said at the news conference. “Claiming you have money that you do not have does not amount to the art of the deal. It’s the art of the steal.” James is seeking in penalties, which the lawsuit said was equal to the financial benefits amassed through the fraudulent business practices. In a tweet, , whom James named as the family member most involved in the valuations, said that the attorney was more concerned with the − the − than what’s best for the people of . “ is not working for the − she is working for the ,” he tweeted. “49 days before her election (newest poll has her tied with a Republican in ).” The inflated values were an essential part of the Trump family real estate empire’s business approach, with the never-ending need to meet mortgage obligations − be it for a new endeavor or to renegotiate the terms of a loan, according to the accusations. Trump did that several times with , owned by a Trump company called . According to lawsuit, the company annually submitted Trump’s Statements of Financial Condition, which in 2014 listed his net worth at , and in cash and marketable assets. James’ lawsuit contends Trump “grossly inflated” his assets by billions of dollars. At Seven Springs, the loan from was personally guaranteed by Trump. His purported worth backed the bank’s decision to extend the loan eight times, with the last extension in 2019. The lawsuit states Trump’s personal guarantee reduced the interest rate by 0.5% and eliminated the need to have in escrow when the loan was extended. Seven Springs value in question The inflated value of undeveloped property at Seven Springs, as well as the 60-room mansion that was once the home of publisher , was also central to James’ lawsuit. Both and declined to answer several questions regarding Seven Springs during depositions for the case, citing Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination. The property, which Trump bought for in 1995, was valued at by a bank in 2006. Yet in Trump’s financial statements from 2011 to 2021, the value of Seven Springs had grown more than 8 times, ranging from to . By the end of an extended battle over housing development there, Trump won preliminary approval for seven homes in . But the values for those lots − and the homes to be built on them − were hugely inflated, the lawsuit stated, with each mansion estimated to sell for . The 2011 valuation also raised the purported value of the Seven Springs mansion from to , without explanation. “All of these values were a fiction, totally unsupported by the development history of the property, and contradicted by every professional valuation of the property,” the lawsuit stated. Another appraisal in 2014 set the value for 24 building lots across the estate at about . But the 2014 financial statements placed the value at . “The value placed on those lots was false and misleading,” the lawsuit stated. So, too, was the value placed on the Seven Springs conservation easement, which was donated to a land trust in 2015, with the donation reducing Trump’s tax liability by more than . Suit claims Trump sought cover To provide cover from the authorities, the lawsuit states that Trump advised his agents in the to conduct business by phone, and limit writing emails, which could be obtained through litigation. “ conversations with engineer, broker, or attorney should be phone calls, not email when ever possible,” a senior appraiser advised. At , the lawsuit stated Trump’s financial statement failed to disclose Trump’s company had a lease on the property but was not the owner of the land. The statements also did not account for expenses on the ground lease, such as rent to the property’s landlord. In addition, the financial statements inflated the value of the club in 2012 by valuing 198 unsold memberships at between and at a time when most initiative fees were waived. A similar scheme unfolded at in . There, initiation fees were , but the financial statements pegged the value of many unsold memberships at each. The lawsuit also noted in 2011, when the values were based on memberships with initiation fees of , many new members paid no initiation fee for their memberships. Follow on Twitter @davidmckay415. Read More Here

Al Cross: Is Daniel Cameron Remaking Himself In Trump’s Image? https://digitalarizonanews.com/al-cross-is-daniel-cameron-remaking-himself-in-trumps-image/ Al Cross  |  Opinion Contributor Kentucky’s chief prosecutor has delivered, figuratively speaking, an indictment with no evidence. Attorney General Daniel Cameron sent a fund-raising email Sept. 15 that said, “The media is actively coordinating messaging efforts with Democrats and their Propaganda Machine to destroy the GOP’s chances this November.” There are several problems with that; the biggest is that Cameron won’t provide evidence to back it up. Kentucky Fried Politics reported the email Saturday. Monday, I asked Cameron’s campaign to provide “specific evidence General Cameron has of such coordination, which could constitute serious violations of journalistic ethics.” More:Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron comes to Trump’s defense in Mar-a-Lago case As I write this, two days have passed, and there has been no response. That’s typical of Cameron’s campaign, say reporters covering it. His official staff refers political inquiries to the campaign, so the only way to ask him questions, other than buttonholing him at some public event, is to email info@cameronforgovernor.com. We have no idea who reads the emails, and we can’t go to his campaign office; the only address listed for it is a mail drop in Lexington. Such treatment of the news media is becoming more common, especially among Republicans, who have long suspected or believed that reporters are operating with political motives, partly because most national political reporters are registered Democrats. But Cameron isn’t accusing journalists of bias or poor judgment; he’s alleging partisan conspiracy.  Almost all reporters I know have no political allegiance; their allegiance is to the truth, and to the audiences they serve. Those are the first two tenets of The Elements of Journalism, a book by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, which lays out the responsibilities of journalists in a democratic society – and the rights and responsibilities of citizens when it comes to the news. I recommend it; here’s a summary of the tenets. That book or website are obviously not on the reading list of Donald Trump, who calls the news media “the enemy of the people,” or of Daniel Cameron, whose campaign has an official-looking letterhead that identifies him as attorney general and “Trump-endorsed Republican for Kentucky governor.” More from Al Cross:How much is Trump’s endorsement worth now? Or later? That line isn’t designed for discerning readers, and neither was Cameron’s email. He wrote about this fall’s elections, in which he is not running; he was seeking money for his gubernatorial candidacy, which isn’t on the ballot until May. Playing on the president’s unpopularity, he wrote, “Biden is counting on KY Dems to win so he can enforce his far-left agenda in the Commonwealth.” That makes no sense, because Democrats have no hope of gaining a majority in either house of the legislature in November. A few finer points: Saying “The media is” ignores the fact that the media are plural, despite the more common usage of the singular; and Cameron was talking about the news media, a term they need to use more often to differentiate themselves from social media. The third tenet of the Elements of Journalism is, “Its essence is a discipline of verification.” Social media have no discipline and no verification. When Kentucky journalists are finally able to ask Cameron about his unfounded charge, he might claim he was referring to national news media. However, the email’s subject line was “The KY GOP needs your help.” But the help Cameron sought goes to him! Perhaps Cameron thinks that the targets of his solicitation aren’t smart enough to see through his obfuscations as he follows Trump’s lead in making unfounded allegations for political gain. It remains a mystery how Cameron obtained Trump’s endorsement, but more and more, they seem made for each other. Or perhaps Cameron, a protégé of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, is trying to remake himself in Trump’s image – and make sure he keeps Trump’s sole endorsement in the governor’s race now that it includes Kelly Craft, who Trump appointed ambassador to Canada and then the United Nations. On Tuesday, Cameron joined 10 other Republican attorneys general in a “friend of the court” brief to a federal appeals court hearing the Justice Department’s appeal of a Trump-appointed judge’s decision to name a special master to review materials the FBI seized at Trump’s home. The brief is more political screed than legal argument, mentioning the “Biden administration” 30 times in 21 pages. Cameron had much promise when he got into politics. Now he is devolving, along with many in his party. They have fallen into the Trump trap, fearing what his followers will do to them if they aren’t Trumpist enough. Cameron’s official-looking letterhead suggests formation of a faction – one that needs to fail, for the good of the party and the country. Maybe that’s why McConnell called “a good idea” the cruel immigration stunt in Massachusetts by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is Republicans’ leading alternative to Trump for 2024. A lesser evil, but not by much. Al Cross, a former Courier Journal political writer, is professor and director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky. He writes this column for the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism. Reach him on Twitter @ruralj. Read More Here

DeSantis To Face Trial For Suspension Of Prosecutor Who Defied Abortion Ban Law https://digitalarizonanews.com/desantis-to-face-trial-for-suspension-of-prosecutor-who-defied-abortion-ban-law/ A Florida prosecutor suspended by Ron DeSantis for defying a new 15-week abortion law says a federal judge’s decision to send his reinstatement appeal to trial means a reckoning is coming for the state’s Republican governor. Andrew Warren, a Democrat, was removed as Hillsborough county state attorney on 4 August after saying he would not enforce the abortion ban or prosecute providers of gender transition treatment for young people. DeSantis cited Warren’s alleged “woke agenda” in reasons for his decision. At a hearing in Tallahassee on Monday, Judge Robert Hinkle denied motions from DeSantis to dismiss Warren’s lawsuit, and another by Warren seeking an immediate return to office, instead requesting their differences be settled at a trial in the coming weeks. “The governor now has to answer it to a court of law where facts matter and where you have to tell the truth,” Warren said in an interview with the Guardian. “It’s a victory for the truth. A federal judge has ruled that the governor has to come into court to explain the reasons behind my suspension, to show that it wasn’t political, to show that it wasn’t in violation of my free speech rights, to show that it wasn’t in violation of the voters’ rights to have the state attorney of their choice.” The closely watched case is expected to give clarity to DeSantis’s power to purge elected officials who disagree with him. In recent weeks, the governor has also removed four members of a school board in Broward county that defied him over Covid-19 mask mandates. “The governor is entrusted by the people of Florida to utilize his constitutional powers and may suspend elected officials in Florida who refuse to enforce the law,” DeSantis’s office said in a statement following Monday’s hearing. Critics, however, have accused the governor of selective application of the principle. The Orlando Sentinel noted that DeSantis has taken no action against so-called “constitutional” sheriffs who say they won’t enforce certain gun laws. But he did act in 2019, suspending the Broward county sheriff, Scott Israel, a Democrat, for “neglect of duty”. Warren said he believed a trial, which could begin as early as next month, would cut through any political posturing. “This has always been a fight for democracy, and rule of law, and for elections,” he said. “This is our fight for the truth. And now the people will get the truth because the governor is being forced to explain himself. “Ultimately, he may be called to testify in court. The court was pretty clear that it wants to hear from the governor in terms of the explanations about the suspension to make sure that the reasons why I was suspended are consistent with Florida law, and with federal law.” Warren said his reinstatement was not the sole objective of his lawsuit. “I would have liked to be back in office already but there’s more at stake than just my job,” he said. “Regardless of what party you belong to, or who you vote for, yours always matters. No elected official has the right to throw out anyone’s vote. And the governor here has tried to throw out the votes of hundreds of thousands of Floridians and overturn an election. “If he gets away with it, what’s left of our democracy? What’s the point of having elections?” Warren ran as a progressive when he unseated long-term incumbent Republican Mark Ober as Hillsborough county state attorney in 2016, and was re-elected with 53% of the vote four years later. He immediately set about enacting policies that upset conservatives, the Tampa Bay Times reported, including a pledge to introduce programs to rehabilitate convicts and prevent recidivism. According to Tampa’s Fox13, Susan Lopez, whom DeSantis appointed in Warren’s place, has already reversed several of his policies, including the reinstatement of a controversial law enforcement “bike-stop” measure that critics say unfairly targets minorities. Read More Here

Mar-A-Lago Special Master Orders Trump Team To Back Up Any Claims Of FBI 'planting' Evidence – ABC17NEWS https://digitalarizonanews.com/mar-a-lago-special-master-orders-trump-team-to-back-up-any-claims-of-fbi-planting-evidence-abc17news/ By Marshall Cohen The special master overseeing the Mar-a-Lago documents investigation has ordered former President Donald Trump’s lawyers to back up out-of-court assertions that the FBI may have planted evidence at the property during their search last month. Judge Raymond Dearie, the court-appointed special master, said in a filing Thursday that Trump’s team needs to submit a sworn declaration saying if they believe the Justice Department included any items on their “inventory” of materials taken from Mar-a-Lago that were not actually seized during the search. The declaration must include “a list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were not seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022,” Dearie wrote in the order. This has come up as an issue in the case because Trump himself, some of his attorneys, and several of his outside Republican allies have publicly claimed that the FBI planted evidence at Mar-a-Lago during the August 8 search. However, they have offered no evidence to support these accusations. Thursday’s new order from Dearie came two days after he held his first in-person hearing with Trump’s lawyers and federal prosecutors, and it spells out his plan for how the special master review will move forward. On Wednesday night, Trump suggested that the FBI planted evidence during the search. He asked Fox News’ Sean Hannity, “Did they drop anything into those piles” of materials taken from Mar-a-Lago, “or did they do it later?” When asked by Hannity if there is video of that, Trump said, “Nah, I don’t think so.” The judge set a September 30 deadline for Trump’s lawyers to submit this sworn declaration. He also asked the Justice Department to submit declarations attesting to key facts regarding the search. The FBI has previously declined to comment on allegations of impropriety during its search. Asked last month by a reporter about the claim federal agents could have planted evidence, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “I’m sure you can appreciate that’s not something that I can talk about so I’d refer you to the (Justice) Department.” Dearie opens door to witness testimony about documents Dearie opened the door in a Thursday order to holding a hearing where “witnesses with knowledge of the relevant facts” could be called to testify about the Mar-a-Lago search and the materials that were seized. If this happens, it could become a put-up-or-shut-up moment for the Trump side, which has made a wide array of statements about alleged government improprieties out of court, but has been much more restrained in court, where it would be a crime to knowingly lie. The Justice Department also is required to provide Trump’s lawyers with “copies of all seized materials” — except those marked classified — by Monday. This is needed so Trumps’ side can figure out exactly what was taken from Mar-a-Lago and determine which materials they believe should be shielded under attorney-client or executive privilege. The deadline for Trump’s team to finish reviewing all the documents for potential privilege designations is October 14, though they’ll be required to send “rolling” batches of their designations along the way. Dearie ordered both sides to finish their reviews and send their final designations to him by October 21. The judge also signaled that there might be some documents that are covered by executive privilege but can still be reviewed by the Justice Department, which is part of the executive branch. This would be a more nuanced view than what Trump’s team has offered — which is essentially that federal prosecutors shouldn’t be allowed to look at these privileged documents or to use them as part of the investigation. Dearie also raised the possibility of sending some of the proceedings back to Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the search warrant after finding there was probable cause of multiple crimes taking place at Mar-a-Lago. That judge has since become the target of death threats and online vitriol from Trump supporters, and Trump has publicly pushed several false claims about him. Retired judge asked to assist review Dearie has also hired a retired federal judge from the Eastern District of New York to assist his review and will also rely on staff from that district to work on the review of materials. Dearie said the judge, James Orenstein, “has experience with complex case management, privilege review, warrant procedures” and other relevant topics, and that he currently has a top-secret security clearance. The biography page at the law firm where Orenstein formerly worked says he served “on the prosecution team in the Oklahoma City bombings trials.” Attorney General Merrick Garland played a leading role earlier in his career in the Oklahoma City investigation. Dearie said he won’t seek any additional compensation for serving as the special master because he’s currently on the US government payroll as a federal judge. But he proposed that Orenstein get paid $500 an hour, which would be covered by Trump, based on a prior court ruling in the case. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. CNN’s Josh Campbell contributed to this report. Read More Here

Donald Trump Lawyers Spotted At D.C. Courthouse Amid Mounting Legal Woes https://digitalarizonanews.com/donald-trump-lawyers-spotted-at-d-c-courthouse-amid-mounting-legal-woes/ Three lawyers representing former President Donald Trump were spotted leaving a federal courthouse in Washington, D.C. on Thursday and were reportedly there to represent him in a case related to January 6, 2021. NBC News Associate Producer Daniel Barnes shared a photo of the attorneys on Twitter, writing: “Spotted this afternoon at the DC federal courthouse: Trump lawyers Evan Corcoran, John Rowley and Timothy Parlatore. Also in the building was prosecutor Thomas Windom.” Windom, an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., has been involved in investigating efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in relation to January 6, 2021. In July, Windom obtained a warrant to search the contents of attorney John Eastman’s phone. Eastman is alleged to have played a major role in a plan to have GOP-led state legislatures appoint alternative slates of pro-Trump electors. Those electors could then have been used to overturn the former president’s election defeat. Former President Donald Trump speaks at a Save America Rally to support Republican candidates running for state and federal offices in the state at the Covelli Centre on September 17, 2022 in Youngstown, Ohio. Three of Trump’s lawyers were spotted at courthouse in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images “It’s unclear why all were in attendance—Corcoran, Rowley and Parlatore did not respond to questions,” Barnes wrote. Jacqueline Alemany of The Washington Post retweeted Barnes’ photo and said of the three attorneys: “They were present in capacity representing Trump, RE the Jan. 6 investigation, per person familiar.” Newsweek has asked former President Trump’s office for comment. The photo of Trump’s lawyers leaving the D.C. courthouse sparked some speculation about a potential indictment of the former president. Trump has not been charged with any crime. Responding to Barnes, Twitter user @supernovagirlie wrote: “Discussing a possible Trump indictment? *Fingers crossed*” Another user, Lyla Lane, responded to the photo by saying that she would put “my money on indictments.” However, talk about potential indictments of the former president is highly speculative and he is not facing criminal charges at this time. There has long been speculation from some quarters that Trump could be subject to prosecution. Trump is facing a slew of legal cases, including an ongoing federal investigation into the handling of White House documents stored at this Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. A panel of three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled on Wednesday that the FBI can access around 100 documents bearing classification markings seized in an August 8 raid, putting on hold a decision by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that prevented the FBI from reviewing the documents. Also on Wednesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a $250 million suit against the former president, the Trump Organization and his children Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, alleging they inflated Trump’s net worth in order to “unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system.” Though James is bringing a civil lawsuit, she has also said she will be making a criminal referral to federal prosecutors and the IRS. Read More Here

Government And Bank Of Japan Intervene In Currency Exchange, Effectiveness Of Trump Card Is Uncertain https://digitalarizonanews.com/government-and-bank-of-japan-intervene-in-currency-exchange-effectiveness-of-trump-card-is-uncertain/ The Yomiuri Shimbun A board showing ¥140 per dollar at Gaitame.com Co. in Minato-Ward, Tokyo, Thursday night. Mayumi Terashima and Taku Mukoyama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers 17:37 JST, September 23, 2022 The government and the Bank of Japan intervened the currency market by buying the yen and selling the dollar on Thursday for the first time in 24 years in an effort to correct the yen’s historic depreciation against the dollar. They played the trump card amid the increasing burden on households and businesses due to the rising import prices caused by the weak yen. A battle of nerves between the government, the BOJ, and the market is likely to continue while speculators will try to test the seriousness of the intervention. “We are on standby.” The Vice-Minister of Finance for International Affairs Masato Kanda, in charge of international finance at the Finance Ministry, made an unusual remark to contain the sharp fluctuations in the yen against the dollar when asked by reporters at noon on Thursday about the timing of the intervention. Four hours later, the government and the BOJ intervened to buy the yen. The intervention took place because the yen weakened by about ¥1 when the Federal Reserve decided to raise interest rates significantly while the Bank of Japan announced that it would continue its massive monetary easing program. Since Fed Chairman Jerome Powell expressed his positive stance on interest rate hikes in late August, dollar buying gained momentum in anticipation of a Fed rate hike, and the yen weakened. Since the beginning of September, the government has been nervous about the yen’s depreciation. After his meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sept. 9, BOJ Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda told his concern about the yen to reporters, saying, “It is a drastic change to see the yen move ¥2 or ¥3 a day.” The government has also repeatedly intervened verbally, saying that it would “take appropriate measures when necessary” in response to sudden fluctuations. When the BOJ conducted a “rate check” on Sept. 14, asking major banks about the appropriate exchange rate for their transactions, the market took this as a sign of preparation to intervene. In the market, the move was called “the ultimate verbal warning.” The Yomiuri Shimbun However, verbal intervention alone was not enough. From Wednesday to Thursday, when Japan and the U.S. each set monetary policy, the yen weakened significantly in the foreign exchange market. This was due to the view that it would be difficult for Japan to obtain consent from the U.S. over the intervention, as the U.S. prioritizes inflationary measures, and a weak dollar could lead to higher prices. While market was aware of the widening interest rate gap between Japan and the U.S., and the Japanese government was seen as reluctant to intervene. Therefore, the timing of the intervention just after a press conference by Kuroda following the BOJ’s monetary policy meeting was a surprise to the market. Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management, said “The intervention was surprise because it came at a time when most of the yen selling by investors was over and trading volume had declined.” As a result of the intervention, the yen appreciated temporarily to the level of ¥140 per dollar in the foreign exchange market. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether the intervention will have a lasting effect. As of the end of August, the government held $1.292 trillion (about ¥190 trillion) in foreign currency reserves. Of this amount, only about ¥20 trillion is in “foreign currency deposits” that can be spent immediately. Selling U.S. Treasury bonds, which account for the majority of foreign exchange reserves, to increase the resources for intervention could lead to a rise in U.S. interest rates, which would cause further yen depreciation. In the past, most of the intervention to the foreign exchange market were dollar-buying and yen-selling to correct the sharp appreciation of the yen triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake and financial crisis. During the period from April to June 1998, when the previous yen-buying intervention was conducted, about 3 trillion yen was spent to buy the yen and sell the dollar, but against the backdrop of the Asian currency crisis, the yen depreciated to the ¥147 per dollar level. The market is focusing on the scale of foreign exchange intervention to be announced by the Finance Ministry at the end of the month. Read More Here

Gas Prices Today, September 23, 2022: Check The Cheapest Gas Stations Today https://digitalarizonanews.com/gas-prices-today-september-23-2022-check-the-cheapest-gas-stations-today/ Gas prices have started to fall in recent months after hitting frighteningly high levels earlier in 2022. It’s not only the case in the United States, but around the world. Inflation has played a part and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent war there hasn’t helped, although Joe Biden has claimed that the increases in prices since the war began have now been wiped. But it’s important to shop around even still, so we’re here with another of our daily lists looking at the cheapest places to find gas in the 10 most populated cities in the United States. What state has the highest gas prices? The US state that has the highest gas prices is California. In California, the price is currently an average of 5.52 dollars per gallon, slowly rising. Hawaii is second and Nevada third. What state has the lowest gas prices? The US state that has the lowest gas prices is still Mississippi, which has recently overtaken Texas to go to the very top in this ranking as the average price there is now 3.09 dollars per gallon. Louisiana is still second and Georgia third. Where are the cheapest gas stations in the US? When it comes to finding the cheapest gas stations in the USA, these are the lowest-priced places to get gas in the top 10 most populated cities in the country: New York, New York (2.99 dollars): Fast Gas, 194 Poospatuck Ln, Mastic, NY. Los Angeles, California (4.69 dollars): Chatsworth Fuel, 20841 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, CA. Chicago, Illinois (3.16 dollars): Gulf, 28052nd St, Kenosha, WI. Houston, Texas (2.53 dollars): Independent, 10930 FM-1097 W, Willis, TX. Phoenix, Arizona (3.59 dollars): Circle K, 2000 W American Ave, Oracle, AZ. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3.10 dollars): Wawa, 690 Middletown Odessa Rd, Middletown, DE. San Antonio, Texas (2.75 dollars): Costco, 15330 IH-35 N Selma, TX. San Diego, California (4.79 dollars): Horizon Fuel Center, 31267 Valley Center Rd, Valley Center, CA. Dallas, Texas (2.83 dollars): Valero & Circle K, 801 S Westgate Way, Wylie, TX. San Jose, California (4.79 dollars): Diamond Gas and Market, 1995 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, CA. Read More…

Perry Remains Unbeaten In Home Win Over Gilbert https://digitalarizonanews.com/perry-remains-unbeaten-in-home-win-over-gilbert/ Perry High School senior Hannah Ernst and junior Haley Mueller compete in the 200-individual medley. Copyright Ethan Kaplan 2022. Perry beat Gilbert in their dual meet, 202-164 (68-112 boys, 134-52 girls), on Thursday. The undefeated Pumas’ home victory added to their hot start (4-0) this season and momentum entering Saturday’s Brophy/Xavier Swimming & Diving Invitational, in which Perry will send 26 of its team members.  Junior Haley Mueller won both individual races in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke. Mueller was the Pumas’ leadoff leg of the 200  relay backstroke, and their 400 freestyle relay’s anchor leg.  “Haley had very good swims today, she looked very very strong,” Perry assistant coach Jaimee Lujan said about Mueller’s performance. Perry senior Hannah Ernst placed second in the 200 and 100 butterfly, individual races, swam the butterfly leg in the 200 relay and led off the 400 freestyle.  Mueller and Ernst led Perry to its first-place finish in the 200 relay with a time of 1:56.52. In the 400 freestyle relay, they both finished off the meet strongly at 3:49.97. Perry boys senior Dylan Sategna blitzed to a second-place finish (24.57 seconds) in the 50 freestyle. The Puma girls swept the Tigers in diving. Senior Sharlotta Mozes placed first overall in girls one-meter diving.  When asked about how she felt from not diving the week prior, Mozes said, “Slightly more on edge than normal. However, having teammates to cheer me on and having my previous experiences, I felt that it would end up being fine.” Mozes broke the school record in 6-dive and 11-dive lists prior to Thursday’s meet, which boosted her confidence. She was behind state champions in her previous three seasons. “Having been one of the underdogs my sophomore year, it’s a good feeling to see that work finally paying off,” Mozes said. Junior Khloe Anderson and sophomore Samantha Hill competed alongside Mozes.  Anderson placed third with a combined dive score of 198.00. Her teammate Hill placed second with a combined dive score of 226.05.  The only male diver on Perry’s team, junior Nathan Anderson, placed first improving his score from a 74.63 last week to 93.23.  “This was Nate’s first time finishing in first place and he competed a brand new dive he just learned,” Perry head dive coach Keddi Kerby said about his back twister. Read More Here

Futures Lower Following Another Day Of Losses After Fed Rate Hike, Sell-Offs https://digitalarizonanews.com/futures-lower-following-another-day-of-losses-after-fed-rate-hike-sell-offs/ Stock futures were lower on Friday morning as investors continued reacting to the Fed’s rate hike and concerns over a potential economic downswing. The Nasdaq 100 was down 0.51%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell by 133 points, or 0.44%. S&P 500 futures shed 0.46%. Costco stock was down about 2.6% in extended trading. Although the retailer posted fiscal fourth-quarter revenue and earnings that topped analysts’ expectations, it is seeing higher freight and labor costs. Thursday brought another day of losses as the market remains poised to end the week below where it started. The Nasdaq Composite decreased 1.4% to 11,066.81. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% to 3,757.99, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day 107.10 points lower at 30,076.68, which is a loss of 0.3%. With the latest pullback, the Dow has given up about 2.4% this week. Both the S&P and Nasdaq saw slightly sharper declines, falling 3% and 3.3%, respectively, week to date. Bond yields also continued their upward ascent, with the 2-year and 10-year Treasury notes hitting highs not seen in more than a decade. Industrials, consumer discretionary, growth tech and semiconductors were all industries hit amid fears of easing growth in the economy. Meanwhile, defensive stocks outperformed. “You’ve just got this volatility that nobody seems to be able to get their head around,” said Tim Lesko, a senior wealth advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors. Lesko said more investors are starting to accept that a recession may be on the horizon after the Fed’s decision this week to hike rates by 75 basis points and FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam saying on CNBC last week that he believed one was imminent. Once that happens, Lesko said investors will react differently. “At some point, they’ll figure out that recession doesn’t mean the end of the world, and they’ll start getting constructive on stocks again,” he said. “But right now, we’re acting as if the sky’s falling.” CNBC Pro: Is it time to buy Treasurys? Here’s how to allocate your portfolio, according to the pros Nomura downgrades China’s 2023 growth outlook Nomura downgraded its forecast for China’s 2023 annual growth to 4.3% from 5.1%. Analysts cited a potentially prolonged Covid-zero policy or a spike in the nation’s infections after a possible reopening in March. The latest downgrade comes after Goldman Sachs lowered its outlook earlier this week to 4.5% from 5.3%. William Ma of Grow Investment Group told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” he’s optimistic on policy changes he sees coming after the People’s Party Congress in mid-October. —Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: Back hedge funds to outperform equities and bonds this year, UBS says As both stocks and bond prices fall simultaneously, hedge funds have broadly outperformed and are “well placed to navigate current market volatility,” according to a new report by UBS. As market volatility persists, the Swiss bank shared the types of hedge funds it prefers. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Ganesh Rao Costco, Scholastic shares fall after reporting earnings Scholastic and Costco both saw shares fall in post-market trading Thursday after reporting quarterly earnings. Scholastic shares fell 3.3% after sharing declines of 82% and 74% in operating income and earnings before taxes in the first quarter compared to the same period a year ago. The children’s book maker saw a 1% increase in revenue. Costco, the wholesale retail chain, was down about 2.6% after reporting its third-quarter earnings. Though the company posted expectation-beating increases in earnings per share and revenue that also marked improvements from a year ago, the company reported increases in freight and labor costs. — Alex Harring Futures start flat in post-market trading Stock futures were flat after another tumultuous day, as investors continue grappling with the Federal Reserve’s decision to up rates and worries about the health of the economy. Dow Jones Futures went up 41 points, or .14%, to 30,190. The S&P 500 was up 4 points, which translates to .11%, at 3,776. The Nasdaq 100 rose 10 points, .09%, to 11,575,50. — Alex Harring Read More Here

Rep. Trent Kelly Explains Threat China Poses To America https://digitalarizonanews.com/rep-trent-kelly-explains-threat-china-poses-to-america/ What kind of threat does China really pose to America? And is America ready to face that threat?  In the areas of agriculture, cybersecurity, and economics, China threatens our nation, Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Miss., says. China has “infiltrated our universities. They’re buying our farmland. They’re stealing technology,” Kelly says.  But China is not the only concern. Russia, Iran, and North Korea all pose danger to America that must be considered carefully, the congressman says.  Kelly joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the ways in which China and other nations are seeking to undermine America, and how our country should prepare to face bad actors abroad.  Listen to the podcast below or read the lightly edited transcript: Virginia Allen: It is my pleasure today to welcome to this show Mississippi Congressman Trent Kelly. Congressman, thank you so much for being here. Rep. Trent Kelly: Well, it’s an honor to be here and thank you for having me. Allen: It is a pleasure to have you. Well, Congressman, I want to begin by really thanking you for your dedication to this country and specifically for your military service. For 36 years, you have served the Mississippi Army National Guard as a combat engineer. Would you just share a little bit about your experiences? I know that you were mobilized for Desert Storm. You deployed to Iraq twice, correct? Kelly: That’s correct. I think that’s just important. It kind of goes to the core values of most of the men and women who serve this country. We don’t do it for pay and for all those things. We love this nation and so it’s just been an opportunity for me to give back to this nation that has given so much to me. So, 36 years is a long time. I had a full head of hair when I started this thing. I don’t know if soldiers made me pull it out or if some of the hard missions—but it is so important. Now, I’m getting to the level, I’m on the strategic level as a major general, where the policies and things that we do impact soldiers’ lives. So I think that’s so important to give back not just to America as a whole, but to those service members who choose to serve this great nation. Allen: And you serve currently on the House Armed Services Committee. You serve as ranking member on the intelligence and special operations subcommittee. You are constantly looking at what are those threats to our nation. So in your assessment, what are the greatest threats to our country right now? Kelly: I think we have to keep our eye on China both economically and agriculturally and militarily and all those things. China, Russia are the biggest threats. They’re opposing threats right now, but I’m also on the [Agriculture] Committee as well as the intel and Armed Services [committees]. I see food security. I think we really have to make sure our supply lines—and we have to be a nation as a whole in government be prepared to be self-sustaining should the need require. I mean our energy policy, we went from an energy producer to now we’re relying on others and taking down our strategic reserves. It is so important that we see national security as a whole of government and all those functions. In the military, we use DIME: diplomacy, information, military, and economy. But I think it’s so important we see the national security threat as a whole. Allen: And specifically in the areas of agriculture and national security, those are crossing paths a little bit right now in regards to China because we’re seeing that China is coming to America and buying U.S. farmland. What do we know about that? What’s happening there? Kelly: Yeah. I mean, that’s difficult because I don’t think we know how much they’re buying and I think we have to make sure that we shouldn’t allow foreign countries to buy farmland here. So we need to put stipulations. I tell our business owners right now, China, they’re not buying it as China when they buy it. They’re using straw men. … When you’re selling large things, you need to make sure that you’re investigating who exactly are we selling those to because we have to be self-sustaining and we have to not allow other countries to take advantage. We need some reciprocity of how we deal with foreign nations, too. We allow China to operate so freely over here, but you go over there and I assure you don’t have the same freedoms there. So I think there needs to be some reciprocity with these nations. If they’re allowed to purchase here, we should be allowed to purchase there, and that’s not always the case. Allen: Well, of course, when we talk about China, we have to mention Taiwan and the conversation there and especially the president’s comments over the weekend. An interview came out that he did with “60 Minutes” in which he was really pressed on the fact of, if China invades Taiwan, would America actually come to Taiwan’s defense with troops? And the president said yes. What was your reaction to the president’s comments and then also to the White House sort of starting to walk that comment back? Kelly: Yeah, that’s not the first time they’ve done this. So, he had experience and he did this prior about a couple of years ago, but I think we’ve always had political ambiguity in our response to China invading Taiwan. That being said, I think China needs to look at the tea leaves and most of the American politicians and most of the American people do not support Chinese using force to take Taiwan. But as the president of the United States, you have to know your own policy and you have to be able to answer your own policy. So I think it’s horrible that he’s not doing that. But I also think we have to be very careful about not rattling sabers for war. But we are always prepared for war. I think one thing China understands, seeing how Russia, when they invaded Ukraine and how the world came to our aid or to Ukraine’s aid, I think it will be even more so if China chooses to invade Taiwan. There’s such great partners of ours in that region: Japan, South Korea, and all those. So I think China needs to heed his words, but I think he should stick to the political ambiguity. Allen: If you were to describe America’s relationship with China right now at this present moment, how would you summarize it? Then, if we were to fast-forward five years, what do you predict about that relationship changing or morphing? Kelly: We encouraged all our businesses many years ago to buy Chinese and to sell to China and so now we’re asking them to back off and I think that’s important, but I think we have to educate them. I think they have to understand the threat and the malign influence that China has used. I think they need to understand that they’ve infiltrated our universities. They’re buying our farmland. They’re stealing technology. They are not a human rights-friendly country. I think we need to hold China accountable and so we just have to educate the Americans not only that we need to do that, but we need to tell them why. Americans demand not only that you ask them to do something, but that you tell them why you’re doing that. I think they will rise up and help us to start combating some of this because China’s all over the world and they are stripping resources from everywhere in the world. So we’ve got to start investing not just here, but in other parts of the world to combat Chinese influence. Allen: And what about the area of cybersecurity? Because we hear about Chinese technology. We hear about technology from the Russians. From the perspective of, as Americans, are we prepared enough to combat any sort of cybersecurity threats, whether it be from China, Russia, or any other bad actors? Kelly: Yeah, I think we have to really re-look what the threshold of a not necessarily war, but where do we cross the line? Where is a country using cyber to attack? Where does that cross the line into something that requires sanctions or even more than sanctions? So I don’t think we’re prepared because I don’t think that we understand the problem set enough to address it. So we really have to work on that. We work hard, but when they’re continuously attacking and then we don’t have any offensive capabilities—when they do something, we need the ability to do something back to them on the same scale, and right now I’m not convinced that we are prepared to do that. Allen: Who are the other nations that we really need to be aware of and talking a lot about apart from China and Russia right now that we need to be very focused on as a nation and prepared to face on all fronts, whether that’s cybersecurity, militarily, whatnot? Kelly: Well, I mean, Iran is always going to be and they’re trying to become nuclear. They’re more regional in nature, though. They don’t expand and they don’t have the partners and allies. Then, North Korea is the same way. North Korea and Iran, they have the bad will toward us to do those things. They just don’t necessarily have the capabilities that China does. And Russia and China are the key threats that we need to focus on and especially China because China can bring the whole of government, the economy and all those things that Russia just can’t bring right now. Allen: As far as our military, are we prepared should there, with any of these countries, be a time when we need to be ready to really face them? Kelly: Having served 36 years, I will tell you we have the greatest military not just in the world, but in the history of the world. As we saw, we overestimated how strong Russia was. They did not perform as well in Ukraine. But I think we can’t sit on our laurels. They’re catching us both in technology gaps and weapon systems and size of the army, but we know how to employ those forces. We know how to jointly do those, but I think we can’t sit on our laurels. We have to continue to strive to get better...

It’s As-If Voters Want To Remain Deceived https://digitalarizonanews.com/its-as-if-voters-want-to-remain-deceived/ “What is the good of passing from one untenable position to another, of seeking justification always on the same plane?”-Samuel Beckett, Endgame The Adversarial Chessboard In response to the growing aggressiveness of its North Korean nuclear adversary, the United States needs to fashion its pertinent policy positions on comprehensive analytic foundations. More precisely, Kim Jung Un’s latest threats[1] to consider a full-scale nuclear retaliation for variously tangible American acts against leadership figures in Pyongyang (1) will have to be assessed in prudent detail  and (2) will need to include multiple scenarios of US policy reaction. Among other things, these specific narratives will need to focus on assorted strategic, doctrinal and legal criteria of assessment.[2] Though the US is evidently “more powerful” than North Korea, any actual nuclear exchange between these two countries would assuredly prove catastrophic for both.[3] This is likely to be the case even in the absence of alliance partner interventions rendered on behalf of North Korea.  There will be relevant particulars, many of them bewildering and intersecting. Details will be critical. Immediately, the American president and his counselors will have to determine the plausible contours of Kim Jung Un’s expected rationality.To the extent that the North Korean leader would appear convincingly irrational (i.e., actually willing to resort to his recently-threatened first use of nuclear weapons), the usual and essential premises of stable deterrence would no longer obtain. There would also arise complementary issues concerning North Korea’s self-reaffirmed right of nuclear preemption. In proper jurisprudential terms, Kim would seek to justify this alleged right of defensive “first use” as a legitimate  expression of “anticipatory self-defense.”[4] At the same time, of course, following  any actual first use of nuclear weapons, refined questions of law would promptly become moot.  Kim Jong Un has been expanding and modernizing his country’s already-substantial nuclear arsenals. These expansions and refinements are creating destabilizing ripples in our anarchic world legal system.[5] Whether suddenly or incrementally, certain long-prevailing patterns of global power management could devolve from the “mere” absence of global authority structures to total or near-total world system instability.[6] Such an authentic chaos would be much worse than “Westphalian” anarchy. Meanings of Atomic Chaos vis-a-vis North Korea In January 2021, after describing the United States as “our biggest enemy,” the North Korean dictator called for more advanced national nuclear weapons and infrastructures. At that moment, Kim summarized his country’s basic strategic posture succinctly and ominously: “Our foreign political activities should be focused and redirected on subduing the United States, our biggest enemy. No matter who is in power in the US, the true nature of the US and its fundamental policies towards North Korea never change.”                “Subduing the United States….” For Pyongyang, the only “true nature” of specifically American significance lies in Kim’s worrisome assessment of White House intentions. Accordingly, it is high time to inquire:                Going forward, what expressly tangible nuclear threats from North Korea will face US President Joe Biden?                What intangible or “opaque” nuclear threats should America’s decision-makers now take into careful and increasing account?                What should the United States do in response to both intersecting forms of nuclear threat?                Despite their simple declarative style, these questions entail near-staggering complexity. Among other things, pertinent threats to the United States from Pyongyang are now both direct and indirect.[7] Today, at a critical tipping point in American strategic planning, these risks have become conspicuously grave, many-sided and potentially even existential.[8]                A compelling query arises: What should and should not be done about North Korean nuclear threats?                For the US president, growing nuclear uncertainties with North Korea represent hazards of palpable urgency. What exactly shall be required of his relevant planners in dealing with such urgent strategic matters? As a start, Jo Biden will need to acknowledge something that was never properly understood by his predecessor.  After all, Donald J. Trump promised the American people that he had taken care of the North Korea nuclear problem by “falling in love” with Kim Jung Un. And this after calling for the use of American nuclear weapons against hurricanes. Prima facie, it was an ill-fated “romance.” The dissembling former president never understood that national security and war preparedness must be science-grounded and theory-based.[9] Always, he could never acknowledge, it must receive the  dialectical imprimatur[10] of “mind over mind.”[11]                  Overall, regarding North Korean nuclear developments and threats, the United States is already in its “eleventh hour.” Any foreseeable elevations of US strategic thought would need to be based upon an ever-greater American appreciation of relevant complexities, politicalandmilitary. These persistently intersecting complexities would likely include multiple “synergies.” What would all this imply? To begin, in synergistic intersections,[12] the “whole” of any particular outcome mustbe greater than the sum of its “parts.” Further, in such challenging analytic matters, US policy-making must always be kept suitably distant from any distracting considerations founded upon wishful thinking. Recall, in this connection, Greek historian Thucydides’ summary assessment of the Peloponnesian War: “Hope is by nature an expensive commodity, and those who are risking their all on one cast find out what it means only when they are already ruined….[13]                Though several millennia old, this ancient warning remains timely and valid. Contests of “Mind Over Mind”                For the White House and Pentagon, serious analytic methods will be necessary. As corollary, history will deserve a more conspicuous pride of place. The ancient Greeks regarded war and war-planning not as a purely personal or ad hoc activity, but as a daunting contest of “mind over mind.” Anticipating the later writings of Prussian strategist Carl von Clausewitz (On War, 1832), these thinkers seemingly based their tactical and operational policies upon a body of dialectical “conversations.” At that earlier stage, the primary and preeminent battlefield would have had to be conceptualized before the onset of any actual troop movements or military engagements.                Correspondingly, any foreseeable victories in such engagements would have had to follow a mind-based articulation of strategic doctrine.[14]                In such many-layered strategic matters, comprehensive theory must remain necessary. Always, the interrelated geo-political world, like the myriad human beings who comprise it, must be regarded as a system.[15] Among the most serious lessons of this metaphor, is this: Any more-or-less major conventional conflict in northeast Asia could heighten the prospect of  destabilizing international conflicts elsewhere. This is the case, moreover, whether derivative consequences would occur immediately or in expectedly assorted increments.                At some point, and among other possibilities, these prospects could include a regional nuclear war.  Such fearsome conclusions could be enlarged by misguided American searches for a no-longer credible strategic outcome. A clear example of such a gravely mistaken search would be one that is directed toward some allegedly decipherable forms of “victory.”                There are good reasons for offering such a paradoxical warning. A non-traditional observation about “victory” is persuasive, at least in part, because the core meanings of victory and defeat have been changing steadily over time.  These are no longer the same meanings as those offered earlier by Prussian military strategist Carl von Clausewitz’ classic On War (1832).                There is still more to be considered. In most identifiable wars between nation-states, there no longer obtain any confirmable criteria of demarcation between victory and defeat. Even a so-called “victory” on some recognizable field of battle might not in any meaningfully-calculable way reduce security threats to the United States. Such threats, whether foreseen or unforeseen, could include sub-state aggressions (terrorism) and/or widening attacks upon regional and/or non-regional US allies.                Always, for policy planners and strategists, the broad arena of world politics must be understood not only as a system , but also as an anarchic system,[16] a “state of nature” in classical philosophic terms.[17]                There is still time for refined conceptual thought. Once acknowledged as a distinct foreign-policy objective, any declared US search for “victory” over North Korea would only exacerbate America’s strategic risks without enhancing its prospective gains. Such a patently meaningless declaration could create corrosively lethal escalatory dynamics with Pyongyang, ones from which Washington could no longer expect any palpable military advantages. Moreover, this injurious creation could take place in unanticipated increments or suddenly, as an unexpected or “bolt-from-the-blue” enemy attack.[18]                In the foreseeable worst case, any unwitting US forfeiture of “escalation dominance” could signify irreversible American losses. These losses include chaotic conditions that could create (a) tens or even hundreds of thousands of prompt fatalities; and (b) tangibly larger numbers of la...

Seth Meyers Pinpoints Moment Trump https://digitalarizonanews.com/seth-meyers-pinpoints-moment-trump/ According to Seth Meyers, “Donald Trump went on Fox News last night and lost his fucking mind.” The moment in question? When the former president declared to Fox News’ Sean Hannity that he could simply declassify government documents with his mind when he was in the White House. “There doesn’t have to be a process, as I understand it. You know, there’s different people say different things, but as I understand there doesn’t have to be,” Trump said. “If you’re the president of the United States, you can declassify just by saying, ‘It’s declassified.’ Even by thinking about it.” Meyers was aghast. “Despite being served softball question after softball question, [Trump] fully disintegrated into a sweaty, red-faced, rambling, incoherent mess,” he said. “It’s amazing that Trump continues to have the confidence of a man who is ready for anything while being prepared for nothing. If Trump was on ‘Family Feud,’ he would buzz in before he got asked a question.” Watch Thursday’s “Late Night” monologue below: To stream NBCU shows featured in this piece sign up to Peacock Read More Here

Trump Tells Letitia James Where To Focus Her Priorities https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-tells-letitia-james-where-to-focus-her-priorities/ Former President Donald Trump has swung back at New York state Attorney General Letitia James, claiming that instead of targeting him in a massive fraud suit to the tune of $250 million, she should put more effort into reducing crime in New York City. Appearing on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show for part two of his interview with the conservative commentator, Trump was touting his efforts in his dealings with the Taliban when he swiftly switched to crime in America. “In New York, where Letitia James rules, we have the worst crime that we’ve ever had,” Trump said. The Washington Post reported that while “overall, violent crime is up 34%… there have been 13% fewer shooting incidents this year than last” and that “the number of homicides in New York is down 13 percent, not up.” Trump made brief mention of James’ suit, in which she is suing Trump, three of his adult children, and their family real estate company, alleging they overinflated the value of Trump property. “That’s where Letitia James, she should focus on murder and crime in New York where they walk into stores with axes and they start swinging the axes at people,” Trump said. “That’s where she ought to be focused, not on how much is Mar-a-Lago worth.” Read More Here

Trump's Legal Woes Mount Without Protection Of Presidency – KESQ https://digitalarizonanews.com/trumps-legal-woes-mount-without-protection-of-presidency-kesq/ By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Stark repudiation by federal judges he appointed. Far-reaching fraud allegations by New York’s attorney general. It’s been a week of widening legal troubles for Donald Trump, laying bare the challenges piling up as the former president operates without the protections afforded by the White House. The bravado that served him well in the political arena is less handy in a legal realm dominated by verifiable evidence, where judges this week have looked askance at his claims and where a fraud investigation that took root when Trump was still president burst into public view in an allegation-filled 222-page state lawsuit. In politics, “you can say what you want and if people like it, it works. In a legal realm, it’s different,” said Chris Edelson, a presidential powers scholar and American University government professor. “It’s an arena where there are tangible consequences for missteps, misdeeds, false statements in a way that doesn’t apply in politics.” That distinction between politics and law was evident in a single 30-hour period this week. Trump insisted on Fox News in an interview that aired Wednesday that the highly classified government records he had at Mar-a-Lago actually had been declassified, that a president has the power to declassify information “even by thinking about it.” A day earlier, however, an independent arbiter his own lawyers had recommended appeared perplexed when the Trump team declined to present any information to support his claims that the documents had been declassified. The special master, Raymond Dearie, a veteran federal judge, said Trump’s team was trying to “have its cake and eat it” too, and that, absent information to back up the claims, he was inclined to regard the records the way the government does: Classified. On Wednesday morning, Letitia James, the New York State attorney general, accused Trump in a lawsuit of padding his net worth by billions of dollars and habitually misleading banks about the value of prized assets. The lawsuit, the culmination of a three-year investigation that began when he was president, also names as defendants three of his adult children and seeks to bar them from ever again running a company in the state. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. Hours later, three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit — two of them Trump appointees — handed him a startling loss in the Mar-a-Lago investigation. The court overwhelmingly rejected arguments that he was entitled to have the special master do an independent review of the roughly 100 classified documents taken during last month’s FBI search, and said it was not clear why Trump should have an “interest in or need for” those records. That ruling opened the way for the Justice Department to resume its use of the classified records in its probe. It lifted a hold placed by a lower court judge, Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee whose rulings in the Mar-a-Lago matter had to date been the sole bright spot for the former president. On Thursday, she responded by striking the parts of her order that had required the Justice Department to give Dearie, and Trump’s lawyers, access to the classified records. Dearie followed up with his own order, giving the Justice Department until Sept. 26 to submit an affidavit asserting that the FBI’s detailed inventory of items taken in the search is accurate. Trump’s team will have until Sept. 30 to identity errors or mistakes in the inventory. Between Dearie’s position, and the appeals court ruling, “I think that basically there may be a developing consensus, if not an already developed consensus, that the government has the stronger position in a lot of these issues and a lot of these controversies,” said Richard Serafini, a Florida criminal defense lawyer and former Justice Department prosecutor. To be sure, Trump is hardly a stranger to courtroom dramas, having been deposed in numerous lawsuits throughout his decades-long business career, and he has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to survive situations that seemed dire. His lawyers did not immediately respond Thursday to a request seeking comment. In the White House, Trump faced a perilous investigation into whether he had obstructed a Justice Department probe of possible collusion between Russia and his 2016 campaign. Ultimately, he was protected at least in part by the power of the presidency, with special counsel Robert Mueller citing longstanding department policy prohibiting the indictment of a sitting president. He was twice impeached by a Democratic-led House of Representatives — once over a phone call with Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the second time over the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol — but was acquitted by the Senate on both occasions thanks to political support from fellow Republicans. It remains unclear if any of the current investigations — the Mar-a-Lago one or probes related to Jan. 6 or Georgia election interference — will produce criminal charges. And the New York lawsuit is a civil matter. But there’s no question Trump no longer enjoys the legal shield of the presidency, even though he has repeatedly leaned on an expansive view of executive power to defend his retention of records the government says are not his, no matter their classification. Notably, the Justice Department and the federal appeals court have paid little heed to his assertions that the records had been declassified. For all his claims on TV and social media, both have noted that Trump has presented no information to support the idea that he took any steps to declassify the records. The appeals court called the declassification question a “red herring” because even declassifying a record would not change its content or transform it from a government document into a personal one. And the statutes the Justice Department cites as the basis of its investigation do not explicitly mention classified information. Trump’s lawyers also have stopped short of saying in court, or in legal briefs, that the records were declassified. They told Dearie they shouldn’t be forced to disclose their stance on that issue now because it could be part of their defense in the event of an indictment. Even some legal experts who have otherwise sided with Trump in his legal fights are dubious of his assertions. Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor who testified as a Republican witness in the first impeachment proceedings in 2019, said he was struck by the “lack of a coherent and consistent position from the former president on the classified documents.” “It’s not clear,” he added, “what Jedi-like lawyers said that you could declassify things with a thought, but the courts are unlikely to embrace that claim.” ___ More on Donald Trump-related investigations: https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump _____ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP Read More Here

McCarthy Unveils House GOP's Big Ideas, But Challenges Ahead https://digitalarizonanews.com/mccarthy-unveils-house-gops-big-ideas-but-challenges-ahead/ Meg Kinnard / AP, file House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks to a South Carolina GOP fundraising dinner on July 29, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. McCarthy is rolling out his party’s Trump-like midterm election agenda. The GOP leader is traveling to Pennsylvania on Friday, Sept. 23, a once Democratic stronghold, to challenge President Joe Biden and the party in power. By Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 | 11:33 p.m. MONONGAHELA, Pa. — Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is heading to Pennsylvania on Friday to directly confront President Joe Biden and the party in power, unveiling a midterm election agenda with sweeping Trump-like promises despite the House GOP’s sometimes spotty record of delivering and governing in Congress. McCarthy, who is poised to seize the speaker’s gavel if Republicans win control of the House in the fall, hopes to replicate the strategy former Speaker Newt Gingrich used to spark voter enthusiasm and sweep House control in a 1994 landslide. The House GOP’s “Commitment to America” gives a nod to that earlier era but updates it for Trump, with economic, border security and social policies to rouse the former president’s deep well of supporters in often-forgotten regions like this rusty landscape outside Pittsburgh. “We have a plan for a new direction for America,” McCarthy told The Associated Press. On Friday, the House Republican leader will stand with other lawmakers to roll out the GOP agenda, offering a portrait of party unity despite the uneasy coalition that makes up the House minority — and the Republican Party itself. The GOP has shifted from its focus on small government, low taxes and individual freedoms to a more populist, nationalist and, at times, far-right party, essentially still led by Donald Trump, who remains popular despite the deepening state and federal investigations against him. Propelled by Trump’s “Make America Great Again” voters, the Republicans need to pick up just a few seats to win back control of the narrowly-split House, and replace Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But even so, McCarthy’s ability to lead the House is far from guaranteed. While Republicans and Trump did pass tax cuts into law, the GOP’s last big campaign promise, repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, collapsed in failure. A long line of Republican speakers, including Gingrich, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, have been forced from office or chose early retirement, often ground down by party infighting. “House Republicans are really good at running people out of town,” said Matt Schlapp, chairman of the Conservative Political Action Coalition, or CPAC. McCarthy, first elected to office in 2006, is among the remaining political survivors of those House Republican battles, and he’s a new style of leader who has shown more ability to communicate than to legislate. A key architect of the Republican “tea party” takeover in 2010, the California Republican personally recruited the newcomers to Congress — many who had never served in public office and are long gone. McCarthy was an early Trump endorser, and has remained close to the former president, relying on his high-profile endorsements to propel GOP candidates for Congress. He abandoned an earlier bid to become speaker when support from his colleagues drifted. The “Commitment to America” reflects the strength of McCarthy’s abilities, but also his weaknesses. He spent more than a year pulling together the House GOP’s often warring factions — from the far-right MAGA to what’s left of the more centrist ranks — to produce a mostly agreed upon agenda. But the one-page “commitment” preamble is succinct, essentially a pocket card, though it is expected to be filled in with the kind of detail that is needed to make laws. “They talk about a lot of problems,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. “They don’t have a lot of solutions.” In traveling to battleground Pennsylvania, a state where Biden holds emotional ties from his early childhood, McCarthy intends to counter the president’s fiery Labor Day weekend speech, in which he warned of rising GOP extremism after the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, with a more upbeat message. The event is billed as more of a conversation with the GOP leader and lawmakers rather than stirring address in a uniquely contested state. Along with many as five House seats Republicans believe they can pick up in Pennsylvania in November, the state has one of the most watched Senate races, between Democrat John Fetterman and Trump-backed Mehmet Oz, that will help determine control of Congress. Top of the ticket is the seismic governor’s matchup between the GOP’s Doug Mastriano, who was seen outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, and Democrat Josh Shapiro. “If you are a hardline, populist, and you really want anger, Kevin’s a little frustrating because he’s not going to be angry enough for you,” Gingrich said. “On the other hand, if what you want is to have your values implemented and passed in the legislation, he is a really good leader and organizer.” Gingrich has been working with McCarthy and his team to craft the style and substance of the proposal. The former speaker, who has been asked by the Jan. 6 committee investigating the Capitol attack for an interview, was on hand Thursday in Washington, joining McCarthy as he unveiled the plans privately to House Republicans, who have been mixed on the approach. Mostly, the GOP pocket card hits broad strokes — energy independence, security and an end to liberal social policies, particularly in schooling. Conservative Republicans complain privately that McCarthy isn’t leaning hard enough into their priorities, as he tries to appeal to a broader swath of voters and hold the party together. Many are eager to launch investigations into the Biden administration and the president’s family, with some calling for impeachment. Legislatively, some House Republicans want to fulfill the party’s commitment to banning abortion, supporting Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill prohibiting the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy. In a sign of the pressures ahead for McCarthy, dozens of House GOP lawmakers signed on to plans from Trump-aligned Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to prevent many gender reassignment procedures for minors, celebrating the Georgian as courageous for taking such a hardline approach. She and others were invited to join Friday’s event, as McCarthy seeks their backing. Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, has advocated for withholding federal funds as leverage for policy priorities, the tactic that engineered past government shutdowns. “Putting out like, you know, principles about, ‘Well, we’ll secure the border.’ I mean, okay, but what are we gonna do about it?” Roy said. “The end of the day, I want specific actionable items that’s going to show that we’re going to fight for the American people.” It’s notable that McCarthy alone has proposed a plan if Republicans win control of the House chamber. In the Senate, Republican leader Mitch McConnell has declined to put forward an agenda, preferring to simply run against Biden and Democrats in the midterm election. “Kevin’s done a very good job of being in position to become the speaker. And then the question is, what do you do with that? Schlapp said. “This helps as a road map.” __ Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report. Read More Here