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Here Is Today https://digitalarizonanews.com/here-is-today-14/ Tucson folks will see warm temperatures today. It looks like it will be a moderate 78 degrees. Today’s forecasted low temperature is 63 degrees. The Tucson area should see a light breeze, with forecast showing winds from Southeast, clocking in at 8 mph. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. For more daily forecast information, visit tucson.com. Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox! Hot temperatures are predicted today. It looks to reach a warm 88 degrees. Today’s forecasted low temperature is 68 degrees. The Tucson area s… The forecast is showing a hot day in Tucson. The forecast calls for it to be a warm 89 degrees. Today’s forecasted low temperature is 67 degre… Tonight’s weather conditions in Tucson: Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Wi… Ian went from tropical storm to Category 4 monster in 36 hours. It’s a dangerous phenomenon that climate change may make more common. Tucson folks should be prepared for high temperatures. Temperatures are projected to be a steamy day today with temperatures reaching a high o… Hot temperatures are predicted today. Temperatures are projected to be a quite blistering high of 90. Today has the makings of a perfect day t… Tonight’s weather conditions in Tucson: Mostly clear. Low 66F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Saturday, Tucson folks should be prepared for high tem… The forecast is showing a hot day in Tucson. Temperatures are projected to be a scorcher today with temperatures reaching a high of 94, though… Tonight’s weather conditions in Tucson: Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is … Learn how communities prepare for natural disasters on the latest Across the Sky podcast. Read More Here

Fox News’s Putin Propaganda Primetime https://digitalarizonanews.com/fox-newss-putin-propaganda-primetime/ For seven months, Russia has waged a vicious war of aggression in Ukraine, killing thousands of civilians. To make matters worse, in the past two weeks, Vladimir Putin has illegally annexed parts of Ukraine and has once again threatened to use nuclear weapons. A principled American conservative TV network might advocate a muscular response to this behavior. At a minimum, it would tell the truth. But Fox News is unconstrained by such principles. In primetime hours, it has become a platform for propaganda that serves Putin and undercuts Ukraine. During the day, you can find many Fox News hosts and guests who speak candidly about Putin’s war crimes and the importance of American resolve. But the hosts who control three of the four hours between 8:00 p.m. and midnight on the East Coast—Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Greg Gutfeld—are peddling arguments that coincide with Putin’s interests. So are several other Fox hosts. Here’s what they’re telling the network’s viewers. 1. America is marching into a world war. On Saturday night, Fox host Dan Bongino warned viewers that “the U.S. is slow-walking its way directly into World War III.” He repeated this phrase three times, each time citing a different alleged American provocation. First he pointed to the recent sabotage of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, suggesting that the United States may have done it. Then he cited President Joe Biden’s warning to Putin that America would defend every inch of NATO territory. Then he cited a bulletin from the U.S. embassy in Russia, which urged Americans to leave that country. No matter what we do, Bongino has the same warning: It might trigger a world war. It’s true that Russia might escalate the conflict in response to American acts. But by framing our acts as the cause of Putin’s behavior—and indiscriminately applying that framework to anything we do—Bongino’s advice would paralyze the United States. And he’s hardly alone. On Friday night, another Fox host, Will Cain, blamed American leaders for Russia’s deployment of planes that could carry nuclear weapons. Cain asked Fox viewers: “Why is virtually every politician [in] both parties trying to provoke Russia into using those bombers?” 2. Lower the temperature. In his Friday monologue, Cain proposed that “given” Russia’s nuclear threats, “Every NATO country now needs to answer a very basic question: How are you going to lower the temperature? How are you going to prevent global nuclear war? It’s really the only question that matters.” The key word in this argument is “given.” Like several other Fox hosts, Cain accepts Putin’s behavior as a given but treats America’s behavior as a variable. This puts the onus on us to appease Putin, regardless of what he does. And Cain, like Bongino, has an endless supply of American acts or statements that in his view might unduly trigger Putin. He accused Biden of “deliberately provoking Russia” merely by suggesting that Putin sabotaged the pipeline. 3. Putin is invincible. No matter how many losses Putin suffers in Ukraine, the appeasement caucus insists he can never truly be defeated. “There is no way Putin is going to give in,” Gutfeld scoffed on Friday. “Older generations like him” in Russia, said Gutfeld, and “the younger people, they’re leaving. So . . . I don’t think he has any reason to worry.” By depicting Putin as relentless and politically secure—more secure than he really is, judging by Russia’s domestic unrest in response to his latest mass conscription—these advocates of conciliation strengthen his hand. 4. Submit to any nuclear threat. Last week, Carlson called for immediate capitulation to Russia. “Putin is making nuclear threats,” he noted. “Whatever the reason he is making them, the fact he is making them . . . is enough for any responsible person to say, ‘Now we stop.’” On this view, any dictator could paralyze America just by issuing a plausible nuclear threat. 5. Helping Ukraine just prolongs the suffering. “We just keep sending billions and billions and billions of dollars” to Ukraine, Gutfeld complained on Friday. “We’re not affecting the outcome. . . . All we’re doing is making [the war] longer.” And “the longer it goes, the worse it gets,” he argued. By this logic, American aid is harmful, and for Ukraine’s sake—never mind what Ukrainians claim to want—we should cut a deal that placates Putin. 6. Give peace a chance. “I don’t understand the problem with the P-word,” Gutfeld pleaded on Monday. He fretted that “everybody is pro-war,” and “we’re just pouring the money in.” This depiction of military conflict—if you resist the aggressor, you’re for “war,” but if you reward him by capitulating, you’re for “peace”—used to be associated with the left. Now it’s spreading on the right, and conservative isolationists are using it to pose as idealists. Last week, Carlson brought former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard onto his show to make this case. “Our leaders and European leaders are the ones fueling and funding this war,” said Gabbard. Instead of “pushing for more destruction, more war,” she proposed, we should “fight for peace” by using our leverage to “push for . . . a negotiated ceasefire.” 7. Helping Ukraine costs too much. Ingraham, Carlson, Gutfeld, and other conservatives complain about the war’s price tag. But to make this concern sound less selfish, they also enlist nominally progressive guests who talk about America’s domestic needs. On Thursday, Ingraham invited journalist Glenn Greenwald onto her show to praise Republicans who “step up and say, we don’t think billions and billions of dollars should be sent to a war in Ukraine, where we have no vital interests at stake, while Americans are suffering at home.” 8. Sanctions hurt us, not Russia. On Friday, to punish Putin for his illegal annexations, Biden announced new sanctions. To this, Cain responded by rebuking Biden, not Putin. “Why would more sanctions deter Russia?” he asked. “The last seven months of sanctions have led to blackouts and food shortages in Europe. Meanwhile, in Russia, the ruble got stronger,” and “our economy tanked.” By understating the damage to Russia and overstating the damage to Europe and America, this argument seeks to persuade citizens in the West that Putin can hurt us more than we can hurt him, and therefore we should give in. Cain also implied that sanctions were to blame for any further escalation by Putin. “Sanctions don’t deter,” he asserted. “They provoke.” 9. Split the difference. “Picking sides” between Ukraine and Russia is “folly,” Gutfeld told Fox viewers on Friday. To reach a settlement that might end the war, he proposed that we “table the animosities and grudges” and “ask both parties what they want to get out of this.” He sounded like the character in Monty Python and the Holy Grail who—on behalf of a knight who has just butchered wedding guests—pleads, “Let’s not bicker and argue about who killed who.” 10. Russia only wants part of Ukraine. On Monday night, Carlson and Greenwald argued that the stakes in Ukraine weren’t worth risking nuclear war. The stakes aren’t “even Ukraine,” said Greenwald. They’re just “the Donbas, the eastern region in Ukraine, where a majority of people actually identify as ethnic Russians and want to be part of Russia.” Greenwald’s claim about the people of Donbas is false. But it supports the narrative that Russia’s rape of eastern Ukraine is somehow a consensual relationship and that Putin is only asking for territory to which he’s morally entitled. 11. The war is an attack on Putin. Carlson, casting America as the villain, frames the war as a Democratic plot. “Biden’s advisers wanted a total regime-change war against Russia, apparently to avenge the election of Donald Trump,” he told viewers last week. He claimed that this was why the Biden administration wanted to label Russia a state sponsor of terror: not because Putin really does commit terrorism, but because we’re looking for an excuse to “topple” him. Cain extends this argument to NATO, accusing it of conspiring “to remove Putin from power.” The war isn’t “really about keeping Ukraine safe,” he says. On this view, Russia is just defending itself. According to Cain, Ukraine triggered the war by seeking to join NATO, which aimed to oust Putin. All Putin wanted was a promise from Ukraine to stay out of the alliance. In fact, Carlson asserted last week, the United States “could end this war tonight” by securing a deal to which Putin would readily agree: “Russian troops leave. Ukraine promises not to join NATO. Everything is at it was in January of this year. And everything’s fine.” That’s a preposterous scenario, but it follows logically from Carlson’s comically benign account of Putin’s motives. In his Monday appearance with Carlson, Greenwald portrayed Putin as a besieged man protecting his homeland. NATO’s “escalating” aggression in Ukraine, “right across [Russia’s] border,” is turning the conflict into an “existential war” for Russia, he alleged. Naturally, he concluded, this threat to Russia might prompt Putin to use nukes. 12. Ukraine is just like Iraq. Many Americans who opposed the invasion of Iraq in 2003 are sympathetic to arming Ukraine because this time, Russia, not America, is the invader. But Carlson says there’s no difference. Our involvement in Ukraine is “designed to topple Vladimir Putin, just like we toppled Saddam Hussein,” he asserts. On Monday, Greenwald echoed that comparison. Americans are being lured into war based on demonization of Putin, he argued, just as we were lured into war by demonization of Saddam. 13. The “elite class” is pushing us into war. On Monday, Ingraham played video of foreign policy experts and a retired American colonel talking about the risks of nuclear escalation in Ukraine. “You would think that the elite class would call for calm,” she told viewers, but “t...

GOP Optimistic About Senate Chances Despite Herschel Walker Turmoil In Georgia | WITF https://digitalarizonanews.com/gop-optimistic-about-senate-chances-despite-herschel-walker-turmoil-in-georgia-witf/ October 5, 2022 | 5:17 AM In Pennsylvania, Republican candidate Mehmet Oz faced difficult new questions this week raised by a report about the medical products he endorsed as a daytime television star. Bill Barrow / AP Photos Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker campaigns Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2021, in Emerson, Georgia, north of Atlanta. Walker told supporters they must “take back” the seat now held by Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat. Walker and Warnock are locked in a tight race, and the two campaigns are jousting publicly over when the two men might debate. Leading Republicans are entering the final month of the midterm campaign increasingly optimistic that a Senate majority is within reach even as a dramatic family fight in Georgia clouds one of the party’s biggest pickup opportunities. And as some Democrats crow on social media about apparent Republican setbacks, party strategists privately concede that their own shortcomings may not be outweighed by the GOP’s mounting challenges. The evolving outlook is tied to a blunt reality: Democrats have virtually no margin for error as they confront the weight of history, widespread economic concerns and President Joe Biden’s weak standing. There is broad agreement among both parties that the Democrats’ summertime momentum across states like Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin has eroded just five weeks before Election Day. “There’s reason to be apprehensive, not reason to be gloomy,” veteran Democratic strategist James Carville said. “It looked like at the end of August we had a little momentum. I don’t know if we’ve regressed any, but we’re not progressing in many places.” That tepid outlook comes even as Republicans confront a series of self-imposed setbacks in the states that matter most in the 2022 midterms, which will decide the balance of power in Congress and statehouses across the nation. Gene J. Puskar/Ryan Collerd / AP Photo Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (left) and Dr. Mehmet Oz. None has been more glaring than Herschel Walker’s struggles in Georgia, where the Republican Senate candidate’s own son accused him of lying about his personal challenges — including a report from The Daily Beast alleging that the anti-abortion Walker paid for a girlfriend’s abortion in 2009. Walker called the accusation a “flat-out lie” and said he would sue, an action his campaign hadn’t taken as of late Tuesday. “Everything has been a lie,” Christian Walker responded Tuesday. The Republican establishment, including the Sen. Mitch McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund, and former President Donald Trump himself remained staunchly behind Walker on Tuesday in his bid to oust first-term Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. The Walker campaign also reported a massive fundraising haul that coincided with the latest allegations. “If you’re in a fight, people will come to your aid,” said Steven Law, head of the Senate Leadership Fund and a close ally of McConnell, R-Ky. Law said the Georgia race had grown increasingly competitive despite the Democrats’ focus on Walker’s personal life. And looking beyond Georgia, Law said the political climate was predictably shifting against the party that controls the White House, as is typically the case in midterm elections. “It certainly seems that voters are returning to a more traditional midterm frame of mind,” Law said. Should Republicans gain even one Senate seat in November, they would take control of Congress’ upper chamber — and with it, the power to control judicial nominations and policy debates for the last two years of Biden’s term. Leaders in both parties believe Republicans are likely to take over the House. Even facing such odds, it’s far too soon to predict a Republican-controlled Congress. Democrats remain decidedly on offense and are spending heavily to try to flip Republican-held seats in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina. Voter opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision this summer to strip women of their constitutional right to an abortion has energized the Democratic base and led to a surge in female voter registrations.  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) leaves his office and walks to the Senate floor at the U.S. Capitol on January 5, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Republicans are most focused on Democratic incumbents in Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire and Nevada, although Republican officials believe that underwhelming Trump-backed nominees in Arizona and New Hampshire have dampened the party’s pickup opportunities. “The Republican candidates they’re running are too extreme,” said J.B. Poersch, who leads the pro-Democrat Senate Majority PAC. “I think this is still advantage Democrats.” Meanwhile, conditions in the top battleground states are rapidly evolving. In Pennsylvania, Republican Senate nominee Mehmet Oz faced difficult new questions this week raised by a Washington Post article about the medical products he endorsed as a daytime television star. Another news report by the news site Jezebel detailing how his research caused hundreds of dogs to be killed rippled across social media. Still, Democratic officials acknowledge the race tightened considerably as the calendar shifted to October. And White House officials are concerned about Democratic nominee John Fetterman’s stamina as he recovers from a May stroke. “Senate Republicans had a very bad start to October, but we know each of our races will be tight and we’re going to keep taking nothing for granted,” said Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, who leads the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm. The GOP Senate candidates’ latest challenges in Georgia and Pennsylvania dominated social media Monday and Tuesday, according to data compiled by GQR, a public opinion research firm that works with Democratic organizations. News stories about Walker’s abortion accuser and Oz’s animal research had the first- and second-highest reach of any news stories on Facebook and Twitter since they surfaced Monday, topping content related to the television show “Sons of Anarchy,” another report about Planned Parenthood mobile abortion clinics and news about Kanye West. GQR used the social listening tool NewsWhip, which tracks over 500,000 websites in more than 100 languages roughly in real time. In swing-state Nevada, the rhetoric from Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto has become increasingly urgent in recent days as she fends off a fierce challenge from former state Attorney General Adam Laxalt. Within the White House, there is real fear that she could lose her reelection bid, giving Republicans the only seat they may need to claim the Senate majority. “We have a big problem, friend,” Cortez Masto wrote in a fundraising appeal Tuesday. “Experts say that our race in Nevada could decide Senate control — and right now, polling shows me 1 point behind my Trump-endorsed opponent.” Democrats and their allies continue to hope that backlash against the Supreme Court’s abortion decision will help them overcome historical trends in which the party controlling the White House almost always loses seats in Congress. Democrats, who control Washington, are also facing deep voter pessimism about the direction of the country and Biden’s relatively weak approval ratings. The traditional rules of politics have often been broken in the Trump era. In past years, Republicans may have abandoned Walker. But on Tuesday, they linked arms behind him. Gemunu Amarasinghe / AP Photo The U.S. Capitol building is seen before sunrise on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March. 21, 2022. Law, of the Senate Leadership Fund, said he takes Walker at his word that he did not pay for a former girlfriend’s abortion, despite apparent evidence of a “Get Well” card with Walker’s signature and a check receipt. He said voters believe that “Walker may have made mistakes in his personal life that affected him and his family, but Warnock has made mistakes in public life in Washington that affected them and their families.” There were some signs of Republican concern on the ground in Georgia, however. Martha Zoller, a popular Republican radio host in north Georgia and one-time congressional candidate, told her audience Tuesday that the latest allegations require Walker to reset his campaign with a straightforward admission about his “personal demons” and what he’s done to overcome them. “He needs to fall on the sword. ‘I was a dog. … And I have asked forgiveness for it,’” she said, detailing the kind of message she believes Walker must give voters. “It would be so refreshing to have somebody just tell the truth.” Veteran Democratic strategist Josh Schwerin warned his party against writing off the Georgia Republican. “I wouldn’t say Walker is done. Over the last couple of cycles we’ve certainly seen Republican candidates survive things that are not supposed to be survivable,” Schwerin said. “There are a lot of close races, and the dynamics of this election are difficult to predict. Everybody is expecting multiple shifts in momentum between now and Election Day.” Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report. Read More Here

Vicente Gonzalez Has Funneled Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars In Campaign Cash To His Own Company, Records Show – Washington Free Beacon https://digitalarizonanews.com/vicente-gonzalez-has-funneled-tens-of-thousands-of-dollars-in-campaign-cash-to-his-own-company-records-show-washington-free-beacon/ Democrats Texas Democrat has long history of ethics issues Rep. Vicente Gonzales (WikiMedia Commons) Collin Anderson • October 5, 2022 5:00 am Texas Democratic congressman Vicente Gonzalez has funneled tens of thousands of dollars in campaign cash to a company he owns and directs, a move that elicited condemnation from liberal media outlets and ethics experts when employed by former president Donald Trump. Since 2018, Gonzalez has sent $33,000 to a mundane-sounding property management company, Tenant Services LLC, for office rent, according to federal campaign finance disclosures. As it turns out, Gonzalez owns that company, financial statements and corporate records obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show. The setup allows Gonzalez to use his job as a politician to pocket more than just his congressional salary, through which the Democrat earns $174,000 a year. Members of Congress are allowed to pay themselves for office rent so long as the monthly amount matches a fair market rate. Still, similar arrangements have prompted criticism from ethics experts. When Trump’s political entity used donor funds to rent office space at Trump Tower, for example, the Huffington Post and the Washington Post quoted watchdog groups that called the setup “sleazy,” “a scam,” and “a con.” The University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato, meanwhile, likened Rep. Tom Suozzi to Trump after the New York Democrat used campaign funds to pay a company he owns nearly $40,000. “You shouldn’t be running for office or serving in office to enrich yourself in any form,” Sabato told the New York Post. “Trump was a master of this.” Gonzalez, who is embroiled in a high-profile campaign against Rep. Mayra Flores (R., Texas), has a long history of ethics issues. For at least eight years, the Democrat and his wife improperly claimed a homestead exemption on two separate properties, saving the couple thousands of dollars in taxes, the Texas Tribune reported in August. Roughly two months earlier, a Business Insider report found that Gonzalez violated a federal conflict-of-interest law by waiting nearly a year to disclose a stock trade. That law requires Gonzalez to report trades no later than 45 days after making them. Gonzalez did not return a request for comment. The Democrat serves as Tenant Services’s “owner and director,” according to his latest House financial statement. Corporate records obtained by the Free Beacon also list Gonzalez as the company’s sole governing agent. Gonzalez is not the only Texas Democrat who pays himself for campaign office rent, though he has been less forthcoming about the arrangement when compared to his Lone Star State colleagues. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D., Texas) cuts himself a $750 check every month for “office rent and furnishings”—those disbursements specifically note that Cuellar “personally owns and manages” the building his campaign rents from. In Gonzalez’s case, an LLC with a generic name makes the connection less apparent. Gonzalez’s campaign office is listed at the same address as the Democrat’s law firm, V. Gonzalez and Associates. Gonzalez earned $110,000 in “attorney fees” from the firm in 2021, his financial statement shows.  Before launching his political career, Gonzalez agreed to represent a slew of controversial clients through his firm. In the late 1990s, for example, the Democrat was retained to defend an array of felony drug dealers who collectively conspired to distribute thousands of pounds of marijuana, nearly half a pound of cocaine, and eight pounds of MDMA, the Free Beacon reported in July. One of Gonzalez’s clients, Richard Contreras, pleaded guilty to federal charges after he conspired to import more than 2,200 pounds of marijuana from Mexico. Another, Frank Tijerina, led a Texas street gang called the “Corrupt Criminal Mob.” More than a decade later, Gonzalez often emphasizes the need to stop the flow of drugs from the southern border and maintain “law and order.” Gonzalez joined Congress in 2017, replacing longtime Democratic incumbent Rubén Hinojosa in Texas’s 15th Congressional District. After Gonzalez cruised to reelection in 2018, he faced an unexpectedly tight 2020 race against Republican Monica de la Cruz, whom he defeated by only 3 points.  That result prompted Gonzalez to instead run in Texas’s 34th Congressional District in 2022, as the state’s redistricting process made the seat considerably more blue. But Republicans remain hopeful that Flores can beat Gonzalez come November, particularly after Flores in June became the first Mexican-born woman elected to Congress and the first Republican to represent portions of the 34th Congressional District since 1870. In that race, Flores beat her Democratic opponent, Dan Sanchez, in historically blue areas such as Cameron County, which is 90 percent Hispanic and voted for Biden by double digits in 2020. Flores has raised $1.8 million to Gonzalez’s $2.3 million. Read More Here

OPEC+ Heads For Deep Supply Cuts, Clash With U.S. https://digitalarizonanews.com/opec-heads-for-deep-supply-cuts-clash-with-u-s/ VIENNA/LONDON, Oct 5 (Reuters) – OPEC+ looks set for deep cuts to its oil output targets when it meets on Wednesday, curbing supply in an already tight market despite pressure from the United States and others to pump more. The potential OPEC+ cut could spur a recovery in oil prices that have dropped to about $90 from $120 three months ago due to fears of a global economic recession, rising U.S. interest rates and a stronger dollar. OPEC+, which includes Saudi Arabia and Russia, is working on cuts of 1-2 million barrels per day, sources told Reuters, with several sources saying cuts could be closer to 2 million. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The United States is pushing OPEC not to proceed with the cuts arguing that fundamentals don’t support them, a source familiar with the matter said. read more Sources said it remained unclear if cuts could include additional voluntary reductions by members such as Saudi Arabia or if cuts could include existing under-production by the group. OPEC+ fell about 3.6 million bpd short of its output target in August. WASHINGTON REACTION “Higher oil prices, if driven by sizeable production cuts, would likely irritate the Biden Administration ahead of U.S. mid-term elections,” Citi analysts said in a note. “There could be further political reactions from the U.S., including additional releases of strategic stocks along with some wildcards including further fostering of a NOPEC bill,” Citi said, referring to a U.S. anti-trust bill against OPEC. JP Morgan also said it expected Washington to put in place countermeasures by releasing more oil stocks. Saudi Arabia and other members of OPEC+ – which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers including Russia – have said they seek to prevent volatility rather than to target a particular oil price. read more Benchmark Brent crude traded flat at below $92 per barrel on Wednesday after rising on Tuesday. The West has accused Russia of weaponising energy, creating a crisis in Europe that could trigger gas and power rationing this winter. Moscow accuses the West of weaponising the dollar and financial systems such as SWIFT in retaliation for Russia sending troops into Ukraine in February. The West accuses Moscow of invading Ukraine while Russia calls it a special military operation. Part of the reason Washington wants lower oil prices is to deprive Moscow of oil revenue while Saudi Arabia has not condemned Moscow’s actions. Relations have been strained between the kingdom and the administration of Biden, who travelled to Riyadh this year but failed to secure any firm cooperation commitments on energy. “The decision is technical, not political,” United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazroui told reporters. “We will not use it as a political organisation,” he said, adding that concerns about a global recession would be one of the key topics. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Editing by David Gregorio and Jason Neely Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Ukraine Takes Back Dozens Of Towns In 'annexed' Regions; Putin Is 'out Of Moves,' Ex-CIA Chief Says https://digitalarizonanews.com/ukraine-takes-back-dozens-of-towns-in-annexed-regions-putin-is-out-of-moves-ex-cia-chief-says/ Ukrainian soldiers greeted with flowers and tears after liberating village Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and deputy foreign minister have shared a video of Ukrainian soldiers being greeted by cheering residents of Bohuslavka in the southeastern Kharkiv region, after the village was liberated. The footage shows a small crowd of residents gathered with flags and having given flowers for the soldiers, singing the Ukrainian national anthem while wiping tears from their eyes. In the video, one of the soldiers tells residents that Ukrainian forces have pushed back the enemy, with Russian forces having “retreated to a certain distance.” “You are no longer threatened by their artillery fire today,” the soldier says, according to comments translated by NBC News’ Ukrainian fixer Artem Grudinin. “Representatives of the military-civilian administration will arrive here tomorrow and will provide assistance. I hope you have some leaders who can develop a list of questions for them from your community. There is a car with an antenna there, they will give you internet there,” he says, with the crowd replying with “thank you.” — Holly Ellyatt Russian leaders likely concerned as Ukraine’s forces approach Luhansk borders, UK says Russian leaders are highly likely to be concerned that leading Ukrainian units are now approaching the borders of Luhansk region which Russia claimed to have formally annexed last week, the British Ministry of Defense said Wednesday. In its latest intelligence update on Twitter, the ministry said Ukraine continues to make progress in offensive operations along both the northeastern and southern fronts. “In the north-east, in Kharkiv Oblast [or province], Ukraine has now consolidated a substantial area of territory east of the Oskil River,” it said, with its formations advancing up to 12 miles beyond the river “into Russia’s defensive zone towards the supply node of the town of Svatove.” An aerial view of Svatove city, in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine. The British Ministry of Defense said Ukrainian formations can now approach the city to strike Russian supplies. Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty Images It is highly likely that Ukraine can now strike the key Svatove-Kremina road with most of its artillery systems, the ministry added, “further straining Russia’s ability to resupply its units in the east.” Ukraine’s progress meant it was approaching the borders of Luhansk, one of four regions Moscow “annexed” last week following sham referendums. President Vladimir Putin signed the annexations into law on Wednesday, undeterred by Ukraine’s vow to fight to reclaim all occupied territory. — Holly Ellyatt Putin signs law formally annexing four Ukrainian regions Russian President Vladimir Putin meets the Moscow-appointed heads of four Ukrainian regions, partially occupied by Russia, at the Grand Kremlin Palace on Sept. 30, 2022, in Moscow, Russia. Contributor | Getty Images News | Getty Images Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed laws formally annexing four Ukrainian regions that are partially controlled by Russian forces, Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported Wednesday. The move comes after sham referendums were held in the regions of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk. The results, widely seen as faked and illegitimate, showed a majority of people wanting to join the Russian Federation. Both Russia’s upper and lower houses of parliament (the Duma and Federation Council, or Senate) approved legislation ratifying the annexations earlier this week, leaving President Vladimir Putin to put his signature to the laws formally annexing the territories. Ukraine and the vast majority of the international community do not recognize the annexation, slamming it as illegal and farcical. Russian forces have varying levels of control over the regions, with Ukrainian forces making gains in the south (around Kherson) and east, and its forces advancing in Donetsk and towards Luhansk. The Kremlin also said it had yet to determine the borders of annexed territory in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. — Holly Ellyatt Putin is ‘literally out of moves,’ ex-CIA chief says Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces look increasingly ill-equipped and outmaneuvered on the battlefield, is running out of options in the war in Ukraine, according to David Petraeus, a former CIA director and retired U.S. Army general. When asked what Putin’s next move could be in Ukraine, whose armed forces are making significant gains in counteroffensives in the south and east of the country, Petraeus told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble he believes Putin is “literally out of moves.” “He’s trying all these different desperate actions. But the fact is the reality that confronts Russia on the battlefield is that Ukraine has a vastly more capable and larger force than the country [Russia] that is more than three times their size. The reality on the battlefield now is desperate for Putin,” he added. “There’s literally nothing he can do. It is irreversible,” he said, noting that even sham referendums staged by Russia in four regions, with the fake votes leading to those regions being “annexed,” had not changed anything. “The Ukrainians are already taking back … The momentum on the battlefield, is very much against Russia, they’re scrambling just to establish new defensive positions.” The former CIA chief warned against getting carried away with Ukraine’s recent advances, warning that Russia is unpredictable. “Don’t misinterpret this, there’s still an enormous amount of damage and destruction that Russia can do, they can punish. And they will continue to punish Ukraine on a daily basis with missiles and rockets and bombs and so forth. But at the end of the day, they cannot reverse the situation on the battlefield, which is going to see Ukraine, taking back the territory that Russia has taken since 24 February, and perhaps taking back everything that Russia has taken from them since 2014,” he said. In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, an act that accompanied the creation of pro-Russian separatist blocs in eastern Ukraine (with the so-called “people’s republics” in Luhansk and Donetsk) and which led to February’s invasion. — Holly Ellyatt There are signs that Russia is falling apart, says Munich Security Conference chair Christoph Heusgen, chair of the Munich Security Conference, says, however, that it’s difficult to say how long the situation will play out. Lukashenko is a ‘cheap partner’ to Putin, says leader of Belarusian Democratic Movement Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Aleksandr Lukashenko are in a “fake friendship” with both sides just using each other, according to Belarusian Democratic Movement leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. “They use each other because … Lukashenko is a loyal partner … very cheap partner, I would say, who gives [Putin] territory to attack Ukraine,” she told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble on Tuesday. In February, Lukashenko hosted Russian troops and equipment, and permitted Russia to use Belarus as a staging post for its invasion of Ukraine. The opposition leader described the relationship of the two leaders as a symbiotic one. “Without Putin, Lukashenko won’t survive the events of 2020. So they need each other, and they use each other.” Lukashenko claimed victory in the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, which was contested by Tsikhanouskaya at that point in time. The victory of Ukraine against Russia is “crucial for Belarus,” the democratic leader emphasized, “because this victory will give us opportunity, one movement of opportunity to apprise and to get rid of the [Putin’s] regime.” “That’s why it’s so important for [everyone] to support Ukrainians as much as we can.” — Lee Ying Shan ‘Good news from the front lines’: Ukraine’s forces count significant gains in counteroffensives President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine’s military has made swift and significant progress in its counteroffensives in the south and east of the country, recapturing dozens of settlements in regions Russia claims to have annexed. “We have good news from the front lines,” the president said in his nightly address Tuesday, “the Ukrainian army is making pretty fast and powerful movements in the south of our country as part of the current defense operation.” “Dozens of settlements have already been liberated from the Russian pseudo-referendum this week alone. This is in Kherson region, Kharkiv region, Luhansk region and Donetsk region together,” he said, referring to the regions where sham votes on joining Russia were held in late September. Ukrainian soldiers adjust their national flag atop a personnel armored carrier on a road near Lyman, in the Donetsk region, on Oct. 4, 2022. Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images Naming a series of settlements that had been liberated in Kherson in southern Ukraine, Zelenskyy said that “this is far from a complete list. Our soldiers are not stopping. And it’s only a matter of time before we expel the occupier from all of our land.” Ukraine’s continuing advances into Russian-occupied territory has prompted concerns that President Vladimir Putin might resort to using nuclear weapons as his army suffers defeats on the battlefield. Those concerns rose Tuesday on reports online that Putin had sent a convoy of vehicles, belonging to the Russian unit in charge of the country’s nuclear arsenal, to Ukraine. But experts have said such reports should be viewed with caution. — Holly Ellyatt World Bank estimates Ukraine’s war-torn economy will sink 35% in 2022 Destruction after an apartment building hit by Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 14, 2022. Alejandro Martinez | Anadolu...

Wyoming Neighbors: Obituaries For October 5 https://digitalarizonanews.com/wyoming-neighbors-obituaries-for-october-5/ Wyoming neighbors: Obituaries for October 5 Read through the obituaries published today in Casper Star-Tribune. (5) updates to this series since Updated 28 min ago You may not have known Leslie Fisher Tollefson, but in her 51 years on earth she probably made things a little bit better for you or someone y… Shirley Anne Parker (Zeuch), 89, went to be with our Lord in heaven on September 30, 2022 in Casper, WY after succumbing to dementia and Alzhe… LANDER — Donna Rae Yost passed away peacefully in Lander, Wyoming on September 18, 2022 after along and productive life. She was born October … Richard Henry Oliver passed away on the morning of Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at the Central Wyoming Hospice Kloefkorn Home in Casper, WY. … MESA, AZ — Red Nickerson, 100, passed away on September 27, 2022. A memorial service will be held the summer of 2023. Arrangements by: Angels … Read More Here

14-Year-Old’s Arthritis Meds Denied After Ariz. Abortion Ban, Doctor Says https://digitalarizonanews.com/14-year-olds-arthritis-meds-denied-after-ariz-abortion-ban-doctor-says/ For years, Deborah Power, a rheumatologist in Tucson, had prescribed methotrexate to manage her 14-year-old patient’s rheumatoid arthritis. But just two days after the state’s abortion ban took effect last month, a pharmacy denied the teen’s refill. The reason: In a higher dosage, methotrexate — a drug used to treat some cancers, arthritis and a slew of autoimmune diseases — can also induce abortions and terminate ectopic pregnancies, though that’s not its most common use, Power told The Washington Post. Emma Thompson was ultimately able to get her prescription filled, but the delay highlights the medical complications some patients are facing in states with strict abortion rules. Even if the medications are not prescribed to end a pregnancy, the reversal in June of Roe v. Wade has thrown pharmacists, patients and physicians into a “constant juggling act,” Power said, balancing medical care with changing policies and potential legal consequences. “I don’t think everyone understands what the ramifications of such a broad, sweeping antiabortion law are and how many other women are affected by this,” she added. “Like how can we decide that women can’t have this medicine that men can? That’s discriminating on gender. And how can you make a law that doesn’t allow me to provide standard of care for my patients?” Throughout Emma’s life, rheumatoid arthritis — an inflammatory disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack healthy tissue in the joints — had resulted in prolonged hospital stays, clinical trials and simply “too much pain to have a normal life,” said her mother, Kaitlin Preble. For 10 years, her daughter’s physicians had experimented with different doses of methotrexate, finally landing about a year ago on just the right amount that allows Emma to thrive, attend school and “simply be a normal teenager,” Preble said. All of that seemed to be at risk on Sept. 25, when Preble checked her Walgreens app to see whether Emma’s prescriptions were ready. Instead of a green light indicating they could be picked up, a message popped up saying her methotrexate refill had been denied. “It didn’t even give the reason why,” Preble said. “It just said that I had to call my doctor.” Still, Preble said she had an inkling that the state’s new abortion ban — one that dates back to the 19th century and prohibits the procedure, except to save the pregnant person’s life — had something to do with it. Her suspicions were confirmed the next day, when Preble drove to the pharmacy “and made a big deal inside,” she said. Arizona is one of several Republican-controlled states that is pointing to a century-old law as the rationale to roll back access to abortions. (Video: Julie Yoon, Joshua Carroll/The Washington Post) At first, no one would explain why her daughter wasn’t able to get a medication that’s “crucial to her health,” Preble said. Then, she urged a pharmacy technician to get some answers. “The pharmacist said she denied it because Emma is 14 years old,” which is considered a childbearing age, Preble said. “The pharmacy tech then asked, ‘Well, did you look at her history? She’s been getting this medication for a long time,’ and the pharmacist said, ‘No,’ which I think was very crucial.” Through it all, Preble was shaking and in tears: “I understand that pharmacists are scared because they don’t want to be liable to anything. But it’s extremely unfair to put a child through this unpredictable situation. And we shouldn’t have to jump through all these hoops to get a medication.” In a statement to The Post, a spokesperson for Walgreens said that, while the company couldn’t discuss individual patients, “new laws in various states require additional steps for dispensing certain prescriptions and apply to all pharmacies, including Walgreens.” “In these states, our pharmacists work closely with prescribers as needed, to fill lawful, clinically appropriate prescriptions,” the spokesperson said. “We provide ongoing training and information to help our pharmacists understand the latest requirements in their area.” Patients across the country face similar situations as more drugs are scrutinized. Many of the medications are teratogens, or drugs that can result in fetal abnormalities and miscarriages if taken by someone who is pregnant. In some cases, women have to prove they’re on birth control or submit pregnancy tests for pharmacies to fulfill prescriptions for drugs that can terminate pregnancies, The Post previously reported. When it comes to methotrexate — which is used or has been used by nearly 60 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients — medical groups have already said there are increasing challenges in accessing the drug. In Texas, for example, pharmacists are allowed to refuse to fill prescriptions for misoprostol and methotrexate under the state’s “heartbeat bill.” The American College of Rheumatology in July urged pharmacists across the nation to provide the medication “without delay and with the assumption that they are not being used to terminate a pregnancy.” “Methotrexate must remain accessible to people with rheumatic diseases, and legal safeguards must protect rheumatology professionals, pharmacists, and patients from potential legal penalties,” the medical group said in a statement. The new laws have also affected patients with other conditions, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In August, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation said it “vehemently opposes” policies that inhibit patients’ access to approved treatments. “The decision on what the most appropriate therapy for their illness is should be made as a shared decision between a patient and their healthcare professional, following medical evidence,” the organization wrote in a statement. Although her daughter’s next refill isn’t scheduled for another month, Preble said she is already dreading the possibility of another denial. “These laws are just too extreme and don’t take into account all the different scenarios that people are going through,” she said. Read More Here

Donald Trump Net Worth Is Explored As He Sues CNN With A $475 Million Defamation Lawsuit – TheRecentTimes https://digitalarizonanews.com/donald-trump-net-worth-is-explored-as-he-sues-cnn-with-a-475-million-defamation-lawsuit-therecenttimes/ Former president Donald Trump has decided to sue CNN for defamation. As per a lawsuit filed on 3rd October, Donald Trump has asked the cable news goliath to pay $75,000 in compensatory damages and reportedly more than $475 million in punitive damages. Donald Trump guarantees that CNN has harmed his reputation with bogus, slanderous, and inflammatory misrepresentations of him and his thoughts. He claims that this demonstration of CNN will influence his political career negatively. Donald Trump said that the cable news CNN used the term ‘Big Lie’ for him. As per the former president’s lawyers, the term ‘Big Lie’ is an immediate reference to Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. It was a strategy or mind game embraced by the dictator to rule. Purportedly, CNN had said that Donald Trump’s arguments and words are against the election integrity of the 2020 races. The claim likewise says that CNN’s slanderous comments and use of defamations for Donald Trump have expanded because of the fear that he could run for the Official decision Presidential elections in 2024, once more. Donald Trump believes that the 2020 official races were uncalled for. After numerous claims and recounts, the former president actually believes that he was the true winner of the last election. Donald Trump Sues Cable News CNN With A $475 Million Defamation Lawsuit Former US president Donald Trump sued CNN for defamation on Monday, seeking for $475 million in punitive damages and guaranteeing that the network had carried out a ‘campaign of defamation and criticism’ against him. Donald Trump claims in his lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that CNN had capitalized on its significant leverage as the main news organization to defeat him politically. Donald Trump, a Republican, claims in the 29-page lawsuit that CNN had a long history of reprimanding him, however, had sloped up its assaults as of late on the grounds that the network feared that he would run again for president in 2024. ‘As a part of its deliberate work to shift the political balance to the left, CNN has attempted to taint the Plaintiff with a progression of scandalous, misleading, and defamatory labels of ‘racist,’ ‘Russian lackey,’ ‘insurrectionist,’ and eventually ‘Hitler,’ the lawsuit claims. The lawsuit records a few occurrences in which CNN seemed to compare Donald Trump with Hitler, including a January 2022 speci al report by host Fareed Zakaria that included footage of the German tyrant. The lawsuit comes as the 76-year-old former president faces significant legal woes, including a criminal investigation by the US Justice Department for holding government records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida subsequent to leaving office in January 2021. Donald Trump was sued last month by New York State Attorney General Leticia James, who has blamed him for misleading banks and insurers over the worth of his assets. What’s more, a congressional committee is investigating the 6th January 2021, attack on the US Capitol by Donald Trump allies, focusing in on the former president’s role in the attack. Donald Trump’s Net Worth The net worth of Donald Trump isn’t publicly known. Different news organizations have endeavoured to assess his riches. Forbes estimates it at $3 billion with Donald Trump persistently making a lot higher cases. Trump acquired wealth from his dad, and he has likewise brought in cash from fundraising, real-estate ventures, hotels, club, gold courses and Trump-marked items including neckties and steaks. As per a The New York Times report in 2018, Trump got something like $413 million (in 2018 prices) from his dad’s business empire. Drawing upon in excess of 100,000 pages of tax returns and monetary records from Fred Trump’s business and interviews with previous advisors and employees, the Times found 295 distinct streams of income that Fred Trump made for more than five decades to channel his wealth to his son. At the point when Trump discussed the money he got from his dad, he typically downplays the actual amount. He likes to have a reputation as an independent man. Trump is the recipient of a few trust funds set up by his dad and paternal grandmother starting in 1949 when he was three years of age. As per The New York Times, he ‘ was a millionaire by the age of 8. In 1976, Fred set up trust funds of $1 million ($4.8 million out of 2021 bucks) for every one of his five kids and three grandkids. Trump got $90,000 in 1980 and $214,605 in 1981 through the asset. Donald Trump was likewise engaged in various allegedly fraudulent tax schemes. Also read: Fans want Pete Davidson to date Gisele Bundchen, after divorce rumors with Tom Brady Continue Reading Read More Here

Lawrence O'Donnell Spots How Donald Trump's Lawyers 'Stepped In It' With 1 Word https://digitalarizonanews.com/lawrence-odonnell-spots-how-donald-trumps-lawyers-stepped-in-it-with-1-word/ Reuters Iran summons British ambassador after ‘interventionist comments’ DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the British ambassador in Tehran in reaction to “interventionist comments” from the British foreign ministry, the semi-official news agency Tasnim reported on Wednesday. “The British side, by issuing unilateral statements, shows that it has a role in the belligerent scenarios of terrorists active against the Islamic Republic,” the director general of Western Europe at Iran’s foreign ministry added, after saying that London’s remarks on Iran’s internal affairs were “based on fake and provocative interpretations.” Britain’s foreign ministry said on Monday it had summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires, Iran’s most senior diplomat in Britain, over the crackdown on protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody. Evening Standard Liz Truss’s property portfolio: from Norfolk to London — here’s where the Prime Minister lives and works Liz Truss is leading Tory party conference this week. The former Foreign Secretary, a ‘true-blue’ MP who cites Margaret Thatcher as her inspiration and has represented her South West Norfolk constituency since 2010, plans to use the much-coveted flat above 11 Downing Street. The Cabinet Office has a £30,000 annual budget for the upkeep of 11 Downing Street, but the final cost of the Johnsons’ project is believed to have hovered close to £112,000. Herald Scotland Mobile phone giants in UK merger talks MOBILE phone giants Vodafone and Three are holding talks over a merger of their UK operations in a move to help them compete with rivals in the roll-out of 5G. SWNS These are the top reasons office workers enjoy working in their company office Fifty-four percent of office workers whose job doesn’t offer a hybrid schedule actually prefer coming into the office every day, according to new research. The findings of a survey of 2,000 office workers provide a look into what the return to the office looks like for US-based workers and found that three-quarters of respondents said they actually enjoy working from their company office (76%). Most respondents have spent some time working at home over the last three years (69%) and shared that their physical surroundings impact their productivity/energy levels while working (72%), providing insight into why a workplace setting continues to be important for employees, and not just for collaboration purposes. Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Industrious, the survey also found that office employees prefer to utilize the office when hosting client meetings (86%) and collaborating with teams (62%). Surprisingly, doing individual work when they need a private space (59%) or creative work (57%) were also high on the list of tasks workers prefer to do in an office setting. “There’s a lot that’s being written about in the press that makes you think everyone would work at home five days a week if given the chance,” said Anna Squires Levine, chief commercial officer at Industrious. “But what we’re seeing is that most people don’t actually want to spend the next ten years working from their couches at home. They want to be in an office a couple of days a week. They want to see other people, they want to focus and they want to do that in a place that’s close to home.” Office workers value their office for the aspects they don’t have at home such as tech equipment like printers and scanners (31%), their colleagues/coworkers (26%) and their work computer setup (23%). Interestingly, even with hybrid-work models, office workers are still serious about their seats, with 70% saying they sit at the same desk/seat in their office every day. In fact, over half of respondents would speak up if someone took their “spot” at the office (54%). Those who chose their seat themselves were strategic about sitting close to meeting spaces (58%), outlets (53%), and entrances/exits (41%). And 68% of these respondents even said they’re likely to go into work early to make sure they get their desk/seat and make their presence known by telling everyone that’s where they’re sitting for the day (45%), keeping their personal items there (41%) or leaving their computer signed in (40%). The findings also shed light on what would make workers more willing to go into an office. Respondents shared that a shorter commute, proximity to retail and lifestyle options, a nice view, “a fun and inspiring environment,” “a more casual atmosphere” or “breaking the routine and confinement of the home” may do the trick. The commute in particular seems to be a barrier to returning to the office. Forty-two percent of respondents shared that their commute is over half an hour long and 62% shared they would go to the office more often if it took less time. “What this survey, and other recent ones, shows is that pushback against going into the office is less about the actual workplace, and more about the commute and the additional value-add that workplace surroundings bring to people”, said Jamie Hodari, co-founder and CEO at Industrious. “Offices in walkable areas with grocery stores, gyms, and dining options will most likely become centers of social gathering and activity, especially if they’re a short commute away.” Read More Here

Will Elon Musk Allow Donald Trump Back On Twitter If His £44bn Buyout Goes Through? https://digitalarizonanews.com/will-elon-musk-allow-donald-trump-back-on-twitter-if-his-44bn-buyout-goes-through/ Read This With Elon Musk set to buy Twitter in a U-turn deal, many will be wondering if Donald Trump will be allowed to return to the platform. Wednesday, 5th October 2022, 8:38 am Elon Musk’s deal to buy Twitter is reportedly back on in a U-turn deal after the multi-billionaire had a change of heart, again. The South African has reversed the decision to not go ahead with the transaction just months after he pulled out of it. Both sides were due to face each other in court on October 17 after Twitter sued Musk to force the takeover forward. This may be a catalyst in Musk deciding to go ahead with the deal after all, in a purchase worth around $44bn – at $54.20 per share. One of the impacts it could have – as heavily rumoured during Musk’s previous attempt to buy Twitter – is Donald Trump’s account being reinstated. Elon Musk is reportedly close to acquiring Twitter for around $44 billion. Trump was banned from the platform after the attack on the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021, with the former president’s account deemed a “risk of further incitement of violence”. Musk has publicly shared his view on the situation, making it clear to the Financial Times he feels “it was a morally bad decision, and foolish in the extreme”. The Tesla CEO has said he would allow Trump back on Twitter if a deal were to go through – something which may tempt the former self-acclaimed ‘tweeter-in-chief’. However, in an interview with Fox News in April, Trump said he would not be returning to the platform if given the opportunity. Could Donald Trump be reinstated on Twitter with Elon Musk set to complete a takeover of the social media platform? “I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on TRUTH,” Trump said. “I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on TRUTH.” This was of course six months ago now, but if his views remain the same Trump will stick with TRUTH, his own social media company, as the sole platform for his voice. Trump could be enticed to change his mind, though, as using Twitter could aid a potential second campaign to become president of the USA in 2024, something which he has not yet confirmed nor ruled out. Read More Here

North Korea Tests World’s Resolve By Sending Missile Over Japan https://digitalarizonanews.com/north-korea-tests-worlds-resolve-by-sending-missile-over-japan/ South Korea ordered jet fighters to fire precision bombs hours after North Korea flew a missile over Japan. Photo: South Korean Defense Ministry Handout/AFP/Getty Images Updated Oct. 5, 2022 3:25 am ET SEOUL—North Korea’s latest missile launch over Japan represents a major escalation that returns Pyongyang to a pattern of provocation it hasn’t used in years, testing how much international resolve can be summoned to thwart it. A particularly strong reaction came from Japan, where in two northern prefectures and islands that stretch south of Tokyo, citizens started their Tuesday mornings with emergency alerts about Pyongyang’s intermediate-range missile flying over their country. The incident will likely energize Japan’s plans to increase military spending—a policy shift aimed at deterring North Korea and China. Read More Here

Mesa Officer Who Shot At Fleeing Vehicle Resigns https://digitalarizonanews.com/mesa-officer-who-shot-at-fleeing-vehicle-resigns/ A poor decision made in a split second has ended an officer’s career with the Mesa Police Department. Mesa Police determined that an officer who fired two shots at a car as it sped away from a traffic stop on July 2 broke the department’s firearms use policies, which prohibit shooting at fleeing suspects except in extreme circumstances. Professional Standards reviewers recommended termination for Officer Kaylon Hall, who resigned before the department carried out the action. On July 2, the four-year officer conducted a traffic stop on a silver Hyundai Sonata observed swerving in and out of traffic lanes near Ivyglen Street and Country Club Road. During the stop, the 18-year-old driver was “acting usual and looking for his vehicle registration in unusual spots,” according to notes from a Critical Incident Review board meeting in September.  When a back-up officer arrived, Hall opened the driver-side door, asked the driver to remove his seat belt and step out of the car. The driver then said, “C’mon, man,” before turning the engine on, pulling the door closed with his left hand and driving away westbound on Ivyglen Street. In the back-up officer’s body camera video, Hall watches the vehicle speed away for a brief moment then pulls out his pistol and fires two rounds at the vehicle.  Investigators later determined the bullets struck the rear bumper. Review board notes indicate the backup officer ran back to his patrol vehicle to commence a chase before “realizing that pursuit was not warranted.” He went back to Hall, and both realized “the situation escalated, and the discharge of the firearm was out of policy.” A police helicopter tracked the fleeing car to a residence in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. “Due to jurisdictional challenges, Mesa police officers were unable to enter the Indian community to contact the driver,” the department stated, but detectives eventually reached the driver by phone. The driver said he was not injured and confirmed the vehicle was struck by two bullets. He “declined to return to Mesa to speak with detectives further,” but sent Mesa PD a photo of the car’s bumper with two bullet holes. The suspect was not charged. The Critical Incident Review Board determined that Hall broke several department policies by shooting at the fleeing vehicle. “The use of force was not objectively reasonable, and the Board concluded his actions were not what is expected of a Mesa Police Officer,” a department memo stated following the meeting. According to MPD policies, firearms may only be used to prevent the escape of a “dangerous fleeing subject” when a suspect has killed or seriously injured someone, or a subject’s escape “would pose an imminent danger of death of serious injury to the officer or another person.” Also, “shooting at or from a moving vehicle is prohibited,” except when a vehicle is being used in an act of terrorism or someone inside the vehicle is using or threatening deadly force. During the CRIB meeting, officers noted that the officer who fired the shots also violated department policy by not activating his body camera at the start of the traffic stop, and officials reported that it was not the officer’s first violation of body camera policies. Someone in the CRIB meeting asked whether the officer who resigned could be rehired by another department, and officials responded by saying “when an officer resigns, AZPost (the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board) obtains some info on the officer and other AZ agencies can review this information before hiring them.” Read More Here

On The Record https://digitalarizonanews.com/on-the-record/ C. Warren County – District Judge Raymond Zydonik Criminal mischief. Marie Ecker, 43, Warren, was charged by City of Warren police on Sept. 28 with criminal mischief and harassment from an incident that occurred on Sept. 20 in the City of Warren. DUI. James R. Highhouse, 44, Warren, was charged by City of Warren police on Sept. 28 with two counts of DUI and four traffic violations from an incident that occurred on Sept. 23 in the City of Warren. DUI. Lazareus M. Sisson, 25, Phoenix, Az., was charged by City of Warren police on Sept. 29 with DUI, tamper with or fabricate physical evidence, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and four traffic violations from an incident that occurred on Sept. 15 in the City of Warren. DUI. Francis E. Suppa, 29, Sugar Grove, was charged by City of Warren police on Sept. 28 with two counts of DUI and two traffic violations from an incident that occurred on Sept. 17 in the City of Warren. Criminal mischief. Thomas L. Tucker, 39, Pleasantville, Pa., was charged by City of Warren police on Sept. 29 with criminal mischief, harassment and disorderly conduct from an incident that occurred on Sept. 18 in the City of Warren. N. Warren County – District Judge Laura Bauer Fraud. Ashley R. Durlin, 28, Youngsville, was charged by the Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General on Sept. 28 with fraud to obtain food stamps/assistance from an incident that occurred on Dec. 1, 2020 in Conewango Twp. Burglary. Cody C. Jackman, 38, Garland, was charged by Youngsville Borough police on Sept. 30 with burglary, criminal trespass, harassment and institutional vandalism from an incident that occurred on Sept. 30 in Youngsville Borough. DUI. Matthew K. Luvison, 68, Youngsville, was charged by Warren-based Pennsylvania State Police on Oct. 3 with DUI and three traffic violations from an incident that occurred on Sept. 29 in Sugar Grove Twp. Strangulation. William J. Shamburg, III, 41, Sugar Grove, was charged by Warren-based Pennsylvania State Police on Oct. 3 with two counts of simple assault, strangulation and harassment from an incident that occurred on Oct. 2 in Sugar Grove Twp. Retail theft. Cinnamon Swanson, 50, Jamestown, NY, was charged by Conewango Township police on Sept. 28 with retail theft and defiant trespass from an incident that occurred on Sept. 17 in Conewango Twp. DUI. Mandy S. Wallace, 35, Youngsville, was charged by Warren-based Pennsylvania State Police on Oct. 3 with two counts of DUI and four traffic violations from an incident that occurred on Sept. 18 in Sugar Grove Twp. W. Warren County – District Judge Todd Woodin DUI. Emma J. Herrick, 62, Youngsville, was charged by Youngsville Borough police on Oct. 4 with two counts of DUI and three traffic violations from an incident that occurred on Sept. 29 in Youngsville Borough. DUI. Donna M. Moore, 54, Youngsville, was charged by Youngsville Borough police on Oct. 4 with two counts of DUI and four traffic violations from an incident that occurred on Sept. 20 in Youngsville. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More…

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Pops 6% On Return To Trade; Asia Markets Rise After U.S. Stocks Rallied https://digitalarizonanews.com/hong-kongs-hang-seng-pops-6-on-return-to-trade-asia-markets-rise-after-u-s-stocks-rallied/ People cross a street in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Marc Fernandes | Nurphoto | Getty Images Shares in the Asia-Pacific traded higher on Wednesday after U.S. stocks rallied for a second day. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surged and was up around 6% in the final hour of trade on its return after a holiday Tuesday. The Hang Seng Tech index soared 7.4% higher. The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 0.48% to close at 27,120.53, while the Topix added 0.32% to 1,912.92. In South Korea, the Kospi was up 0.26% at 2,215.22 and the Kosdaq gave up early gains to close 1.64% lower at 685.34. Inflation in South Korea slowed slightly in September, according to official data released Wednesday. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was up 1.74% at 6,815.70. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 2.64%. Mainland China markets remain closed for the Golden Week holiday, and India’s stock market is also shut for a holiday. On Wall Street overnight, stocks soared overnight in the U.S. for a second session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 825.43 points, or 2.8%, to 30,316.32. The S&P 500 advanced nearly 3.1% to close at 3,790.93, and the Nasdaq Composite was 3.3% higher to end at 11,176.41. “There is no denying incoming U.S. economic data is having a hand in equity, bond and currency moves so far this week,” wrote Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank. The U.S. Job Openings and Labor Turnover report sprang a “big downside surprise” that couldn’t be ignored, he wrote. It’s the “first meaningful sign of some cracks” in the labor market, though it is still very tight, he added. — CNBC’s Tanaya Macheel and Alex Harring contributed to this report. Central banks in Asia are being more modest than the Fed, says S&P Global Ratings The U.S. may be the “odd man out” as the Federal Reserve continues its aggressive rate hike path, said Louis Kuijs, chief Asia-Pacific economist at S&P Global Ratings. Central banks in Asia that are increasing interest rates are “being much more modest,” Kuijs said. It’s important that central banks are not all just following whatever the Fed does, Kuijs said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Wednesday. “We have weaker inflation [in Asia], that means lower interest rates and lower expectations. It does mean of course, pressure on the currencies. But in terms of what it means for the for the real economy and for growth, and it’s not too bad,” he added. — Charmaine Jacob Shares of TSMC jump after Morgan Stanley says it’s a ‘top pick’ TSMC’s shares in Taiwan jumped as much as 5.13% after Morgan Stanley named the world’s largest chip maker as the top pick in a note which predicted a semiconductor cycle recovery in the second half of 2023. The investment bank said TSMC is an industry leader with pricing power. The company’s U.S.-listed stock also rose about 5% overnight. — Abigail Ng CNBC Pro: Bank of America reveals its global picks for this quarter, giving one stock over 100% upside Interest rate rises, soaring energy prices and political turmoil in some parts of the world have battered stocks going into the final quarter of this year. To help investors navigate the volatility, Bank of America has revealed its top “short-term stock recommendations” for the next quarter, which they expect to “significantly outperform” their peers. CNBC Pro subscribers can read about five of their stock picks here. — Ganesh Rao BYD’s Hong Kong shares pop after September sales jump, deal with transport firm CNBC Pro: Market is heading toward the ‘best week of the year,’ pro says — and names 2 stocks to play it Market veteran Phil Blancato, whose firm has more than $4 billion in assets under management, said he expects next week to be a “turnaround week” for markets. Investors should take the chance to “jump into the market,” he said, as he named two stocks to take advantage of the rally ahead. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong New Zealand dollar gains after central bank hikes rates by 50 basis points The New Zealand dollar strengthened against the U.S. dollar after the Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised interest rates. The official cash rate now stands at 3.5%, after the central bank increased rates by half a point to “maintain price stability and contribute to maximum sustainable employment,” according to an official statement. The kiwi dollar gained as much as 0.86% against the greenback, and last traded about 0.5% higher at $0.5762. — Abigail Ng Core inflation in South Korea may peak in October, BofA Securities says South Korea’s core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, could peak in October as demand slows due to higher prices and rising interest rates, said Kathleen Oh, Korea economist at BofA Securities. Core CPI came in at 4.1% in September compared to a year ago, up slightly from August’s 4%. “Even after it peaks, I think the slowdown of the inflation is going to be quite gradual, so that the overall level of prices will be elevated for at least next six or nine months ahead,” she told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.” Headline inflation may have peaked in July since oil prices have fallen, she added. — Abigail Ng CNBC Pro: This isn’t the market bottom, Morgan Stanley says, naming 3 things that have to happen first There’s unlikely to be a sustainable market bottom unless three conditions are met, according to Morgan Stanley. “We … remind readers that the last few innings of every bear market are very challenging to trade as volatility becomes extreme,” they wrote. “None of the conditions we have been looking for to call an end to this bear market are in place.” Pro subscribers can read more here. — Weizhen Tan South Korea inflation eased slightly in September Consumer prices in South Korea rose less than expected in September from a year ago, official data showed. The CPI print came in at 5.6%, compared with 5.7% that economists polled by Reuters predicted. Prices rose 5.7% in August. September’s reading marks a second month of softening in inflation, and the slowest growth in four months. — Abigail Ng Dollar index falls back to 110 One factor helping equity markets on Tuesday could be a slightly weaker dollar, which is falling for the fifth-straight day. The DXY US Dollar Currency Index was down 1.5% in afternoon trading at 110.06. The index was trading as high as 114.78 last week, when there was concern about a failure of the UK government bond market. The British pound and the euro were each more than 1% against the dollar on Tuesday. The greenback was also down against the Japanese yen. —Jesse Pound, Gina Francolla Read More Here

Can Biden Save Democracy One US Factory Job At A Time? https://digitalarizonanews.com/can-biden-save-democracy-one-us-factory-job-at-a-time/ By JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is working to create a manufacturing revival — even helping to put factory jobs in Republican territory under the belief it can restore faith in U.S. democracy. The latest development came Tuesday, when chipmaker Micron announced an investment of up to $100 billion over the next 20-plus years to build a plant in upstate New York that could create 9,000 factory jobs. It’s a commitment made in a GOP congressional district that Biden and the company credited to the recently enacted $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act. “Today is another win for America, and another massive new investment in America spurred by my economic plan,” Biden said in a statement. “Together, we are building an economy from the bottom up and the middle out, where we lower costs for our families and make it right here in America.” Biden has staked his presidency on what he has called “a historic manufacturing boom,” hoping to succeed where past presidents, governors and hordes of other politicians have struggled for a half-century. His goal is to keep opening new factories in states such as Ohio, Idaho, North Carolina and Georgia — where Democrats’ footholds are shaky at best. Administration officials say they want to spread the prosperity across the entire country, rather than let it cluster in centers of extreme wealth, in a bid to renew the middle class and a sense of pride in the country itself. The push comes at a precarious moment for the global economy. High inflation in the U.S. has hurt Biden’s popularity and prompted recession concerns. Much of Europe faces a possible downturn due to the jump in energy prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while the International Monetary Fund just downgraded growth in China. The world economy is defined by uncertainty just as Biden has called for investments in clean energy and technology that could take years to pay off. The president is hopeful that whatever good manufacturing can do for the U.S. economy also turns out to yield political benefits for himself and other Democrats in 2022 and beyond. He told Democratic donors on Friday that the manufacturing and technology investments mean “we have an opportunity” to strengthen the U.S. if Democratic governors and lawmakers are elected this year. Going into the midterm elections, Biden is telling voters that a factory renaissance has already started because of him. The administration sees its infrastructure spending, computer chip investments and clean-energy incentives as helping domestic manufacturing in unprecedented ways. Recent academic studies suggest that decades of layoffs due to offshoring contributed to the rise of Republican Donald Trump, with his opposition to immigration and global trade. But many of the authors of the studies doubt that Biden can make these demographic trends disappear through the promise of jobs for skilled workers. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California would like to see the president make a national tour of factory openings, so that his policies could stick better in voters’ minds. Khanna recently attended the groundbreaking of a $20 billion Intel plant in Ohio and laid out his belief that factory job losses helped cause today’s political schisms. The Silicon Valley congressman reasons that too many Americans have lost faith in a government that seemed indifferent to their own well-being, leading them to embrace hucksters and authoritarians who thrive by exploiting and widening divisions in society. “How do you get rid of people’s jobs and expect them to believe in democracy?” Khanna asks. Factory jobs have risen during Biden’s tenure to the most since 2008 at 12.85 million, yet the task of steadying the country’s middle class and its democratic institutions is far from complete. The industrial Midwest has yet to recover the factory jobs shed in the pandemic, let alone decades of layoffs in which the economic challenges evolved into political tensions. Labor Department data show that Ohio is still 10,000 factory jobs shy of its pre-pandemic level and 350,000 jobs below its total in 2000. The numbers are similarly bad in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — three states that were key to Biden’s 2020 victory and could help decide control of Congress in November’s elections. The White House says Biden eschews thinking about Americans solely as consumers interested only in the cheapest prices and thus promoting outsourcing. Instead, his speeches are woven with talk about people as workers and the identity that working gives them. What Biden can show with this year’s factory groundbreakings is progress, even if the total number of manufacturing jobs is unlikely to return to the 1979 peak of 19.55 million. Intel’s computer chip plant being built in New Albany, Ohio, would add 3,000 jobs. Hyundai would add 8,100 jobs with its electric vehicle plant in Georgia. Wolfspeed, with plans to produce silicon carbide wafers in North Carolina, would add 1,800 jobs. Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, said the gains in factory jobs reflect five years of effort, starting with the 2017 tax cuts by Trump and including Biden’s investments in infrastructure and computer chips as well as efforts to return jobs to the U.S. after global supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. “There’s a commitment by government at all levels to do more here and a desire by manufacturers to do more here,” Timmons said. Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Daron Acemoglu applauded the president’s plans for spreading factory work across the country. It’s too soon to tell if the administration is succeeding, he said, but Biden is challenging what was once conventional wisdom among economists that little could be done to expand factory work in the U.S. “I believe the president is right,” said Acemoglu, the co-author of the book “Why Nations Fail.” “’Good jobs,’ which pay decent wages, have job stability, offer career-addressing opportunities, and endow a sense of accomplishment and dignity, are important for the middle class and social cohesion.” New academic research released in September suggests that the offshoring of factory jobs led white men to feel like victims and gave way to the rise of grievance politics that helped fuel Trump’s ascendancy among Republican voters. That movement in turn spawned election denialism and political violence that Biden has repeatedly said is “a dagger to the throat of our democracy.” The research covering 3,500 U.S. citizens finds that factory job losses due to automation are less controversial among voters than the offshoring, which triggered a “self-victimization bias” for whites who were more likely to “view offshoring as leading to greater total harm to the American economy, and to the U.S. position in the world.” One of the study’s authors, Leonardo Baccini of McGill University, still expects factory job totals to shrink, though a decline primarily due to automation would be less harmful to Democratic candidates. He still anticipates factory job losses over the long term as advanced economies focus more on productive services to sustain growth. “From an economic standpoint, the decline of U.S. manufacturing is inevitable and it is actually a good thing,” Baccini said. “Any attempt to stop this structural transformation with protectionism and government subsidies is likely to backfire.” J. Lawrence Broz, a political scientist at the University of California San Diego, co-wrote a 2019 research paper that found populist support was strongest in communities that endured long-term economic and social decline, a contrast to the superstar cities where technology, finance and a highly educated workforce were magnets for wealth. “It is unlikely that recent efforts to re-shore manufacturing jobs will produce the intended effects, either economically or politically,” Broz said. “The new factories won’t employ large numbers of less-skilled workers, leaving white industrial workers just as angry as they are now.” That means the underlying test of Biden’s agenda might be whether enough workers can be educated to meet the needs of a manufacturing sector with higher standards than during the heights of its dominance in the 20th century. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Read More Here

The Virginia Model, By Jim Hightower https://digitalarizonanews.com/the-virginia-model-by-jim-hightower/ One particularly noisy piece of the GOP’s current “culture war” bunkum is “critical race theory.” For 60 years, critical race theory has been a little-known field of study by academics, examining racism’s central role in shaping our society. In the last few years though, a covey of right-wing operatives has seized the phrase, shrieking that critical race theory is a liberal mind-control plot being pushed by a cadre of diabolical K-12 schoolteachers. The scaremongers warn that the goal of critical race theory is to demonize and “replace” White society with un-Christian multicultural rule. It’s a patently kooky bugaboo, of course — that’s not what critical race theory is, nor is the subject even taught in our schools, much less being spread in a cosmic plot. But that hasn’t stopped power-hungry witch hunters like Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas and (witchiest of all) former President Donald Trump from actually issuing executive edicts BANNING schools from teaching a subject that — Hello! — they are not teaching. So… how did such a nonissue rise to the tippy-top of the Republican political agenda? Fake news. For the past couple of years, thousands of articles have run declaring that critical race theory is infiltrating public education, appearing repeatedly in the Miami Courant, Houston Republic, San Francisco Sun, Chicago City Wire, Kalamazoo Times, St. Louis Reporter, Philly Leader, Wisconsin Business Daily and scores of other local papers from coast to coast. Never heard of these dailies? That’s because none of them are real, local or even paper. All of the above are right-wing propaganda fronts, just a few of some 1,300 hyperpartisan websites owned and run by Metric Media, a bogus news fabricator. MM’s faux local news sites spew out a gusher of articles every month, trumpeting the big lie of a massive critical race theory conspiracy. Many of the articles are automated with no author’s byline. The sites, designed to mimic the looks of real journalistic reporting, create the impression of a spreading national crisis in public education. Judd Legum, the progressive digger who publishes the excellent Popular Information newsletter, reports that just in the first 10 months of last year, 11,988 of these anti-critical race theory articles appeared on Metric Media’s Florida sites, with another 10,096 running across Texas, giving political cover for the shamelessly demagogic GOP governors in both states who were exploiting the nonexistent critical race theory “crisis.” This is not innocent campaign gamesmanship, but politically cynical, crazy BS that’s causing real, extensive harm. Teachers are being fired (or quitting in disgust), sane school board members are literally being assaulted by deluded parents, schoolkids are being fed raw ideological ignorance and elections are being perverted. Last year’s gubernatorial race in Virginia was narrowly won by Republican Glenn Youngkin, a son of privilege and Harvard elite who became a multimillionaire Wall Street predator. He was going to lose, until his handlers turned him into an unscrupulous anti-critical race theory attack dog, fomenting parental fear and racism, while also rallying the right-wing hard core with repeated, inflammatory promises to sweep all teaching of critical race theory out of Virginia classrooms. But, golly, it was not actually taught in any of the state’s public schools. To help Youngkin dodge this inconvenient fact, the Central Shenandoah News, Fredericksburg Leader, West Nova News, and 25 other fake “local” news sites in Virginia fueled panic during the election by fabricating 4,657 articles spreading the lie that critical race theory was dominating school curricula. While these “papers” have no subscribers and no significant online readership, they allow campaigns and front groups to use these spurious political claims in speeches, mailers, ads, etc. — laundering them as facts by simply saying: “…as reported in the Virginia Daily Deceptor.” With Youngkin riding critical race theory fear into the governor’s office last year, expect hyperactive copycat campaigns in Florida, New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas and elsewhere this year, with Metric Media and other newspaper pretenders pumping out critical race theory sludge to poison the waters. Indeed, the lie has become its own political industry, with such billionaire extremists as the Koch brothers’ Donor Trust Network pumping money into it. Also, an astroturf front called “Fight for Schools” is stoking the paranoia and community factionalism by pushing parents to confront teachers and launch recall campaigns against school board members who won’t join the McCarthyesque crusade against an imaginary conspiracy. We simply must have actual local newspapers (widely available and affordable, either in print or online) that have the community commitment and journalistic resources to do the job of nurturing truth and democracy. Otherwise, we’re ceding “news” to the shams, scams and democratic deterioration that is inevitable under hedge-fund profiteers and networks of partisan hacks, both of which are already becoming dominant across wide stretches of America’s media landscape. Journalism is not a private commodity to be controlled by a few for their personal profit or political advancement; it is an essential public resource, key to democratic self-government. And America should start investing in it as such, providing adequate public funding for local, independent watchdog reporting. To find out more about Jim Hightower and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators webpage at www.creators.com. Photo credit: mpewny at Pixabay Read More Here

AP News Summary At 2:33 A.m. EDT https://digitalarizonanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-233-a-m-edt-2/ Ukraine nuclear workers recount abuse, threats from Russians ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Workers at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant are recounting fears of being abducted and tortured or killed by Russian forces who seized control of the facility and the city of Enerhodar. Ukrainian officials say the Russians sought to intimidate the staff into keeping Europe’s largest nuclear plant running, through beatings and other abuse. but also punish those who express support for Kyiv. The head of Ukraine’s state nuclear company says that among those seized was the plant’s director, who was abducted Friday on his way home from work and released Monday after being forced to make false statements on camera. Seoul’s reprisal blows up after North Korean missile success SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A malfunctioning South Korean ballistic missile blew up as it plowed into the ground during a drill with the United States that was a reprisal for North Korea’s launch a day earlier of a weapon that flew over Japan and has the range to strike Guam. The explosion panicked and confused residents of the coastal city of Gangneung. Their concern that it could be a North Korean attack only grew as the military and government officials provided no explanation about the explosion for hours. The short-range Hyumoo-2 missile that crashed inside an air force base in the outskirts of Gangneung is key to South Korea’s preemptive and retaliatory strike strategies against the North. Big Brazilian gold refiner delisted amid Amazon mining probe MIAMI (AP) — One of Brazil’s biggest gold refiners, which processes gold suspected of being mined illegally in the Amazon rainforest, has been stripped of an important industry seal of approval that global manufacturers from Apple to Tesla rely on to root out abuses in their supply chains. An investigation by The Associated Press in January revealed how Sao Paulo-based Marsam shares ownership links and processes gold on behalf of an intermediary accused by Brazilian prosecutors of buying tarnished gold from Indigenous territories and other protected areas. With a lawsuit underway against that partner, Marsam this month was quietly removed by the Responsible Minerals Initiative from a public list of smelters and refiners deemed to follow best sourcing practices. Biden to focus on hurricane victims in Florida, not politics WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is traveling to hurricane-ravaged Florida with a pledge that federal, state and local governments will work as one to help rebuild homes, businesses and lives. Biden plans to put politics on mute for now to focus on those in need during his tour Wednesday afternoon of Fort Myers, Florida. Biden plans to meet with residents and small business owners, and to thank government officials providing emergency aid and removing debris. Joining Biden in Florida will be two of his most prominent Republican critics, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott. EXPLAINER: Musk Twitter turnaround reflects legal challenges WASHINGTON (AP) — News that Elon Musk has agreed after all to proceed with his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter may have felt like a stunning surprise from the brash billionaire who loves to shock. It sent shares of the social media platform soaring and stoked alarm among some media watchdogs and civil rights groups. But it wasn’t surprising to expert observers of the monthslong rollercoaster of the Twitter vs. Musk legal battle, as Twitter tried to compel the world’s richest man to consummate the buyout. A combination of gambles or missteps by Musk and potential advantages that didn’t pan out made his hand appear weak in the looming trial. GOP optimistic about Senate chances despite Walker turmoil NEW YORK (AP) — A dramatic family fight has clouded the GOP’s hopes in Georgia’s high-stakes Senate contest. Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker is drawing criticism from his own son as Walker denies a report that he paid for a girlfriend’s abortion. But as the midterm campaign speeds into its final full month, leading Republicans believe the Senate majority remains firmly within their reach. Democratic strategists privately concede that their party’s own shortcomings may not be outweighed by the GOP’s mounting challenges. Democrats have no margin for error as they confront the weight of history, widespread economic concerns and President Joe Biden’s weak standing. Trump asks Supreme Court to intervene in Mar-a-Lago dispute WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to step into the legal fight over the classified documents seized during an FBI search of his Florida estate. The Trump team asked the court Tuesday to overturn a lower court ruling and permit an independent arbiter, or special master, to review the roughly 100 documents with classified markings that were taken in the Aug. 8 search. A three-judge panel last month limited the review to the much larger tranche of non-classified documents. A veteran Brooklyn judge, Raymond Dearie, is serving as special master. Ian deals blow to Florida’s teetering insurance sector Florida’s home insurance market was already on shaky ground. It now faces an even mightier struggle after the damage caused by Hurricane Ian. Wind and storm-surge losses from the hurricane could reach between $28 billion and $47 billion, making Ian Florida’s costliest storm since Hurricane Andrew made landfall in 1992, according to one property analytics firm. The storm destroyed a record number of homes in Florida, the firm said. The wreckage comes at a time when Florida’s home insurance market was already dealing with billions of dollars in losses and ever-increasing costs from a string of natural disasters, rampant litigation and increasing fraud. Yankees star Judge hits 62nd homer to break Maris’ AL record ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aaron Judge has hit his 62nd home run of the season to break Roger Maris’ American League record. Judge hit a 1-1 slider from Texas right-hander Jesús Tinoco into the first row of seats in left field when leading off the second game of New York’s day-night doubleheader on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Judge had homered only once in his past 13 games. That was when he hit No. 61 in Toronto last Wednesday to match Maris. While Maris’ 61 for the Yankees in 1961 had been exceeded six times previously, all were tainted by the stench of steroids. That includes Barry Bonds’ 73 for the the San Francisco Giants in 2001, though he has denied knowingly using performing-enhancing drugs. ‘Best Before’ labels scrutinized as food waste concerns grow “Best before” labels are coming under scrutiny as concerns about food waste grow around the world. Manufacturers have used the labels for decades to estimate peak freshness. But “best before” labels have nothing to do with safety, and some worry they encourage consumers to throw away food that’s perfectly fine to eat. Major U.K. chains like Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer recently removed “best before” labels from prepackaged fruit and vegetables. The European Union is expected to announce a revamp to its labeling laws by the end of this year. In the U.S., there’s no similar push to scrap “best before” labels. But there is growing momentum to standardize the language on date labels to help educate buyers about food waste. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Cynthia June Nelson https://digitalarizonanews.com/cynthia-june-nelson/ Cynthia June Nelson, 76, of Phoenix, AZ passed away September 22, 2022. Cindy was born on August 6, 1946 in Phoenix to James Kenneth and Gloria (Liden) Wright. Cindy is survived by her husband Gerald L. Nelson; her children Criquett Englerth, Kenneth Brott, Gerald V. Nelson, and Sherry Abbate. She was predeceased by her son, Mark Nelson. She is also survived by her grandchildren Julia Hamrick, Sydney Brott, Adam Alvarado, Kristina Airola, Brooke Johnson, Matt Nelson, Jordan Paul, Kennedy Nelson, Jack Nelson, Lauren Flynn, and Jewel Abbate; her great grandchildren Maggie Airola, Brandi Airola, and Levi Paul; as well as her sisters Linda Fink and Shelly Reichenback. Visitation will be held Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 1:00pm at Phoenix Mortuary, 200 W. Beardsley Rd., Phoenix, AZ, followed by the Funeral Service at 1:30pm. The Graveside Service will be held on Friday, September 3oth at Citizen Cemetery, 1300 S. San Francisco St., Flagstaff, AZ. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.phoenixmemorialmortuary.com for the Nelson family. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Read More…

Salpointe To Host The Lancer Volleyball Classic This Week | ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com https://digitalarizonanews.com/salpointe-to-host-the-lancer-volleyball-classic-this-week-allsportstucson-com/ No. 3 Salpointe beat No. 1 Canyon del Oro 3-1 (16-25, 25-18, 31-29, 25-20) Tuesday night on the road with junior setter Sophia Hernandez collecting 30 assists and senior outside Frankie Pieroni putting down 13 kills. The Lancer improved to 11-0 in power-ranking matches and the Dorados moved to 9-1. Salpointe is hosting the Lancer classic this Friday and Saturday and Canyon del Oro is taking part in the Birdcage Invitational hosted by Chaparral the following weekend…. LINK: MORE AT AZPREPS365 Updated: 1A-6A high school volleyball state rankings entering today. No. 3 Salpointe defeated No. 1 CDO tonight in 4A action. @AndyMorales8 reporting on that one later. https://t.co/5Im0Jv6tPt — Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 5, 2022 SALPOINTE LANCER FALL CLASSIC FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 Catalina Foothills vs. Rincon/UHS, 10 a.m. Salpointe vs. Mountain View, 10 a.m. Mica Mountain vs. Tucson, 11 a.m. Tanque Verde vs. Marana, 11 a.m. Catalina Foothills vs. Tucson, Noon Salpointe vs. Marana, Noon Mica Mountain vs. Rincon/UHS, 1 p.m. Tanque Verde vs. Mountain View, 1 p.m. Rincon/UHS vs. Tucson, 2 p.m. Mountain View vs. Marana, 2 p.m. Catalina Foothills vs. Mica Mountain, 3 p.m. Salpointe vs. Tanque Verde, 3 p.m. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 Bracket Play: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. FOLLOW @ANDYMORALES8 ON TWITTER Named one of “Arizona’s Heart & Sol” by KOLD and Casino del Sol, Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and a 2019 AZ Education News recognition. He was a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling and his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is a Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019, became a member of the Sunnyside Los Mezquites Cross Country Hall of Fame in 2021 and he was a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee. He earned a Distinguished Service Award from Amphitheater and he was recognized by the Sunnyside School District and by Tucson City Councilman Richard Fimbres. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com Read More Here

Strong Leadership https://digitalarizonanews.com/strong-leadership/ A friend who supports Trump told me that she thought that Biden isn’t a strong leader. Judging whether Biden “is a strong leader” is fairly subjective, so I’ll compare leadership characteristics of Biden and Trump. Trump employs strong-arm tactics and violence, promotes discontent among otherwise dissatisfied persons, has no respect for the average American citizen, complains about perceived problems more than he seeks meaningful solutions to real problems, supports nationalism and racism, ignores science and expertise, and is a very poor role model for American youth. While Biden has a mild personality, not the demeanor of an angry bully, his moral compass is good and I believe that his political objectives can benefit all of us. I believe that Biden is a strong leader, not in the Trump sense, but in the sense of the democratic leaders of most of the NATO alliance countries and of (most of) the American Presidents of the past few decades. Obviously, I’m not a Trump supporter. I also do not support politicians who, regardless of what their conscience may tell them, support Trump in order to court votes from his base (for example, Mastriano, Oz, Perry, Keller, Kelly, Thompson, etc.). Please be objective as American democracy examines actions by Trump and his supporters that resulted in an attempted coup, and may have damaged America’s security and global reputation, and now show the potential to disrupt or corrupt future elections. Please join me in rejecting Trump/MAGA corruption in the Pennsylvania 2022 midterm elections. MARK RALSTON Centre Hall Submitted by Virtual Newsroom Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More Here

Trump Constantly Talks About Ron DeSantis To His Aides As The Florida Governor Is Poised To Be His Most Formidable Opponent In The 2024 Election, NYT's Maggie Haberman Tells CNN. https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-constantly-talks-about-ron-desantis-to-his-aides-as-the-florida-governor-is-poised-to-be-his-most-formidable-opponent-in-the-2024-election-nyts-maggie-haberman-tells-cnn/ Many Republicans consider Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a likely presidential candidate in 2024. Trump has talked more about DeSantis than other potential GOP candidates, per NYT’s Maggie Haberman. The former president believes “he made” DeSantis, Haberman told CNN. Loading Something is loading. No other potential GOP candidate for the 2024 election is on former President Donald Trump’s mind than Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman. “There is no potential candidate in the Republican field who Trump has talked about more to his aides than Ron DeSantis,” Haberman told CNN in an interview on Tuesday about her new book, “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America.” “It is a constant running discussion.” CNN also played a recording from one of three interviews Haberman conducted with Trump for her book. In the clip, Trump credited himself for boosting DeSantis to Florida’s governorship after endorsing the latter in 2018. “He came to me, he said, ‘I’d love your endorsement,'” Trump said in the recording. “I said, ‘Ron, you’re at 3%. You can’t win.’ He said, ‘If you endorse me, I can.'” Trump has long claimed credit for DeSantis’ win and even said during a Newsmax interview in June that he was “very responsible” for DeSantis becoming Florida’s governor. In that interview, Trump also said that he did not know if DeSantis intended to run for the White House but said he had a “good relationship with Ron.”  However, reports of the duo’s behind-the-scenes relationship tend to differ from Trump’s characterization of the issue. In September, two sources close to Trump told Rolling Stone that Trump was nervous about DeSantis getting attention from a political stunt he pulled, which involved chartering two planes to transport 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. According to the sources, Trump was irritated about DeSantis getting credit for the stunt and complained to aides that the Florida governor had timed the act to boost his profile among the Republican base.  Trump has also reacted negatively to the implication that DeSantis might run against him to try to secure the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. In July, the former president lashed out at “Fox & Friends” for mentioning a poll that showed DeSantis ahead of him, accusing the show’s hosts of going “to the dark side.” In September, Trump took another swipe at DeSantis, sharing an Insider article about his polling lead over DeSantis. For his part, DeSantis has not publicly rebuked Trump. However, the Florida governor has been fundraising for his war chest and has launched a campaign to sell a gold “Florida First Fighter” card that resembles the Trump Card. While DeSantis and Trump appear to be the leading contenders for the 2024 Republican presidential ticket, neither has made a formal declaration about entering the race. In July, a DeSantis representative told Insider that DeSantis was “focused on Florida and running for reelection as governor this year.” Meanwhile, Trump’s former senior adviser Kellyanne Conway told CBS News on Friday that Trump “would like to” announce that he is running for president again after the midterms and before Thanksgiving.  “I will tell you why he wants to run for president,” Conway said. “Donald Trump wants his old job back.” Represenatives for DeSantis and a spokesman at Trump’s post-presidential press office did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment.  Read More Here

AP Top Political News At 12:10 A.m. EDT | Federal News Network https://digitalarizonanews.com/ap-top-political-news-at-1210-a-m-edt-federal-news-network/ GOP optimistic about Senate chances despite Walker turmoil Can Biden save democracy one US factory job at a time? Biden to focus on hurricane victims in Florida, not politics Walker report puts abortion back at center of Georgia race Justices mull latest challenge to landmark voting rights law Biden consults Japan PM Kishida after N. Korea missile test Oath Keepers founder: Be ‘ready to fight’ after Trump loss … READ MORE GOP optimistic about Senate chances despite Walker turmoil Can Biden save democracy one US factory job at a time? Biden to focus on hurricane victims in Florida, not politics Walker report puts abortion back at center of Georgia race Justices mull latest challenge to landmark voting rights law Biden consults Japan PM Kishida after N. Korea missile test Oath Keepers founder: Be ‘ready to fight’ after Trump loss EXPLAINER: Voting systems reliable, despite conspiracies Herschel Walker paid for girlfriend’s abortion, report says Kari Lake walks back ‘rare and legal’ abortion comment Copyright © 2022 . All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Read More Here

Bank Of England Bought No Bonds Today, After Buying Only £22 Million On Monday, Instead Of £5 Billion Per Day https://digitalarizonanews.com/bank-of-england-bought-no-bonds-today-after-buying-only-22-million-on-monday-instead-of-5-billion-per-day/ Carefully communicating this isn’t a Pivot to QE but a temporary “backstop” to calm a panic. And it calmed the panic with minimal purchases. By Wolf Richter for WOLF STREET. This was the infamous Pivot back to QE: The Bank of England announced on September 28 that it would buy up to £5 billion per day in long-dated UK government bonds (gilts) “in a temporary and targeted way.” It said specifically, “The purpose of these purchases is to restore orderly market conditions.” It said the program would expire on October 14. This came after long-dated gilt yields blew out last week, with the 10-year yield on September 28 getting close to 5%. Panic had broken out after highly leveraged UK pension funds with £1.5 trillion in assets had received margin calls on their gilt-based derivatives linked to their liability-driven investment (LDI) strategy (explained here). The pension funds had started to dump gilts along with other assets to meet those margin calls, thereby creating a death spiral for gilts. On September 28, the BOE stepped in and said it would buy up to £5 billion per day in the secondary market via auctions through October 14. It spelled out that this wasn’t a new round of QE, but a backstop for the gilt market that had become dysfunctional. It would also give pension funds time to sort out their issues. The announcement settled down the markets, and 10-year gilt yields plunged back below 4%, and yields plunged around the world as everyone breathed a sigh of relieve that the panic wasn’t spreading. And the meme was born that the BOE was the first central bank to “pivot” back to QE. But the BOE bought no bonds today, almost no bonds yesterday, and very little last week. The BOE bought very little over the first three days of the program (Sep 28, 29, and 30), averaging only £1.21 billion per day, instead of £5 billion per day, according the BOE’s daily disclosures of gilt purchases under this program. It bought almost nothing on Monday (Oct 3), just £22 million with an M; and it bought £0 – meaning exactly “zero” – today (Oct 4): Turns out, the program was highly effective in calming markets, settling down the panic, and unwinding the spike in long-term yields, without big purchases. The BOE is using reserve pricing at the auctions. On Monday, it had received £1.91 billion in offers to sell gilts, and rejected all but £22 million of them. Today it had received £2.23 billion in offers, and rejected all of them, with its reserve pricing. With these pricing limits, the BOE is further communicating that this is a temporary “backstop,” as it calls it, to calm the gilt market, and not the beginning of a new round of QE; and that it is serious about ending the program, as announced, on October 14. On October 3, the BOE  reiterated that “the purpose of these operations is to act as a backstop to restore orderly market conditions and reduce any risks from contagion to credit conditions for UK households and businesses.” It said that it is “studying patterns of demand and will continue to use reserve pricing in order to ensure the backstop objective of the tool is delivered.” And it said that “the Bank stands ready to adjust any of the other parameters of the auction in order to secure that objective.” In the same announcement, in a further sign that this is not a new round of QE, it said that it asked gilt dealers “to identify” whether offers are made on behalf of themselves or on behalf of their clients, starting on October 4. The BOE is caught between the unruly gilt market and 10% inflation that is wreaking havoc on the economy. The 10-year guilt yield has dropped about 100 basis point from the peak of the panic to 3.87% now, about where it had been on September 23: Enjoy reading WOLF STREET and want to support it? Using ad blockers – I totally get why – but want to support the site? You can donate. I appreciate it immensely. Click on the beer and iced-tea mug to find out how: Would you like to be notified via email when WOLF STREET publishes a new article? Sign up here. Read More Here

South Korea Apologises After Missile Fired In Response To North Korea Test Crashes https://digitalarizonanews.com/south-korea-apologises-after-missile-fired-in-response-to-north-korea-test-crashes/ South Korea’s military has apologised after a missile it launched during a drill on Tuesday malfunctioned and crashed to the ground, causing alarm among nearby residents who thought they were under attack from North Korea, which had test launched a missile earlier in the day. The live-fire drill, involving South Korea and the US, was supposed to be a show of strength by the allies, hours after the North sent an intermediate-range missile over northern Japan. Instead, it ended in embarrassment when a short-range Hyumoo-2 ballistic missile crashed to the ground inside an air force base near the South Korean coastal city of Gangneung. Although the missile did not explode, the noise and subsequent fire caused some Gangneung residents to believe the North had launched an attack, according to media reports. There were no reports of injuries. The South Korean military acknowledged the accident hours after internet users posted videos showing an orange ball of flames emerging from an area they described as near a Gangneung air force base. The military said it was investigating what had caused the “abnormal flight” of the South Korean missile – a key part of its preemptive and retaliatory strike strategies against the North. The accident occurred as the South Korean and US militaries fired a volley of missiles into the East Sea – also known as the Sea of Japan – in response to North Korea firing a ballistic missile over Japan for the first time in five years. The nuclear-armed state launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew for a record distance of 4,600km (2,850 miles) at n altitude of 1,000km, in its most provocative weapons demonstration in years. That range puts the US Pacific territory of Guam, homes to American military bases, within striking distance. The missile landed in the Pacific Ocean about 3,200km east of Japan. Japan’s government issued an alert urging residents to take cover as the missile passed high over the northernmost main island of Hokkaido and Aomori prefecture. The US and South Korean militaries fired two ATACMS short-range ballistic missiles into the water “to precisely strike a virtual target,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The drills “showed the ability and readiness to neutralise the origin of the provocation while maintaining a constant monitoring posture,” it said in a statement. On Tuesday, South Korean and US fighter jets had carried out a bombing drill at a target in the Yellow Sea. The drills aim to “make sure that we have the military capabilities at the ready to respond to provocations by the North if it comes to that,” US national security council spokesperson John Kirby told CNN. “It shouldn’t come to that. We have made it clear to (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un we’re willing to sit down with no preconditions. We want to see the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,” he said. “He hasn’t shown an inclination to move in that direction – and quite frankly he’s moving in the opposite direction by continuing to conduct these missile tests, which are violations of Security Council resolutions.” Pyongyang’s latest launch is part of a record year of sanctions-busting weapons tests by the isolated regime, which recently revised its laws to declare itself an “irreversible” nuclear power. US president Joe Biden and Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida condemned North Korea’s latest launch “in the strongest terms”. South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol called the launch a “provocation”, and vowed a “stern response”. The Tuesday test was Pyongyang’s fifth missile launch in 10 days. North Korea does not routinely comment on its weapons tests in state media. South Korean and US officials have been warning for months that Kim is preparing to conduct another nuclear test, saying last week that this could happen soon after Pyongyang’s key ally China holds a Communist party congress from 16 October. US vice-president Kamala Harris visited Seoul last week and toured the heavily fortified demilitarised zone that divides the Korean peninsula, on a trip to underscore her country’s commitment to South Korea’s defence. About 28,500 US troops are stationed in South Korea to help protect it from the North. Read More Here

Trump Asks Supreme Court To Intervene In Mar-A-Lago Dispute https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-asks-supreme-court-to-intervene-in-mar-a-lago-dispute/ Lawyers for former US President Donald Trump asked the US Supreme Court today to step into the legal fight over the classified documents seized during an FBI search of his Florida estate, escalating a dispute over the powers of an independent arbiter appointed to inspect the records. It’s alleged the former US president and his company padded his net worth by billions of dollars by lying about the value of assets. The Trump team asked the justices to overturn a lower court ruling and allow the arbiter, called a special master, to review the roughly 100 documents with classification markings that were taken in the August 8 search of Mar-a-Lago. A three-judge panel from the Atlanta-based US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit last month limited the special master’s review to the much larger tranche of non-classified documents. The judges, including two Trump appointees, sided with the Justice Department, which had argued there was no legal basis for the special master to conduct his own review of the classified records. But Trump’s lawyers said in their application to the Supreme Court that it was essential for the special master to have access to the classified records to “determine whether documents bearing classification markings are in fact classified, and regardless of classification, whether those records are personal records or Presidential records”. “Since President Trump had absolute authority over classification decisions during his Presidency, the current status of any disputed document cannot possibly be determined solely by reference to the markings on that document,” the application states. It says that without the special master review, “the unchallenged views of the current Justice Department would supersede the established authority of the Chief Executive”. An independent review, the Trump team says, ensures a “transparent process that provides much-needed oversight”. An aerial view of former US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. (Source: Associated Press) The FBI says it seized roughly 11,000 documents, including about 100 with classification markings, during its search. The Trump team asked a judge in Florida, Aileen Cannon, to appoint a special master to do an independent review of the records. Cannon subsequently assigned a veteran Brooklyn judge, Raymond Dearie, to review the records and segregate those that may be protected by claims of attorney-client privilege and executive privilege. She also barred the FBI from being able to use the classified documents as part of its criminal investigation. The Justice Department appealed, prompting the 11th Circuit to lift Cannon’s hold on investigators’ ability to scrutinise the classified records. The appeals court also ruled that the department did not have to provide Dearie with access to the classified records. Trump’s lawyers submitted the Supreme Court application to Justice Clarence Thomas, who oversees emergency matters from Florida and several other Southern states. Thomas can act on his own or, as is usually done, refer the emergency appeal to the rest of the court. Late Tuesday the court said the government was being asked to respond to the petition by October 11. Thomas has previously come under scrutiny for his vote in a different Trump documents case, in which he was the only member of the court to vote against allowing the US House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot to obtain Trump records held by the National Archives and Records Administration. Thomas’ wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, is a conservative activist and staunch Trump supporter who attended the January 6 Stop the Steal rally on the Ellipse and wrote to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in the weeks following the election encouraging him to work to overturn Biden’s victory and keep Trump in office. She also contacted lawmakers in Arizona and Wisconsin in the weeks after the election. Thomas was recently interviewed by the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection and she stood by the false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent. Read More Here

Herschel Walker Paid For Girlfriend’s Abortion, Report Says https://digitalarizonanews.com/herschel-walker-paid-for-girlfriends-abortion-report-says/ Herschel Walker (Courtesy) DUNWOODY, Ga. (AP) — Herschel Walker, who has vehemently opposed abortion rights as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Georgia, paid for an abortion for his girlfriend in 2009, according to a new report. The candidate called the accusation a “flat-out lie” and said he would sue. The Daily Beast spoke to the former girlfriend, who asked that her name not be used out of concerns for her privacy. In the report published late Monday, the news outlet said it reviewed a receipt showing her $575 payment for the procedure, along with a get-well card from Walker and her bank deposit records showing the image of a $700 personal check from Walker dated five days after the abortion receipt. The woman said Walker encouraged her to end the pregnancy, saying that the time wasn’t right for a baby, The Daily Beast reported. As a candidate, Walker has characterized abortion as “a woman killing her baby” and has played up his opposition to the procedure in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year stripping a woman’s constitutional right to access abortion services. In a statement, Walker said he would file a lawsuit against The Daily Beast on Tuesday morning. “This is a flat-out lie — and I deny this in the strongest terms possible,” he wrote. As of late Tuesday afternoon, Walker had not taken any legal action, according to a campaign spokesman. Matt Fuller, the politics editor for The Daily Beast, tweeted in response to Walker’s initial denial: “I can tell you we stand behind every word and feel very solid about the story.” Later Monday night, Walker appeared on Sean Hannity’s program on Fox News, where Walker was asked if he recalled sending a $700 check to a girlfriend. “Well, I sent money to a lot of people,” he said. “I give money to people all the time because I’m always helping people. I believe in being generous. God has blessed me. I want to bless others.” Former President Donald Trump, who encouraged Walker to run for Senate, said Walker was being “slandered and maligned.” “Herschel has properly denied the charges against him, and I have no doubt he is correct,” Trump said in a statement. Walker and Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock are engaged in a tight contest that is key to the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. The chamber is now divided 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris holding the tie-breaking vote to give Democrats control. Warnock won the seat in a special election runoff on Jan. 5, 2021, prevailing by 2 percentage points over then-Sen. Kelly Loeffler, a Republican. The allegation against Walker is the latest in a series of stories about the football legend’s past that has rocked the first-time candidate’s campaign in one of the most competitive Senate races in the country. Earlier this year, Walker acknowledged reports that he had three children he had not previously talked about publicly. Walker has often boasted of his work helping service members and veterans struggling with mental health. Yet The Associated Press reported in May that various records showed he overstated his role in a for-profit program that is alleged to have preyed upon veterans and service members while defrauding the government. The AP also has reported that a review of public records detailed accusations that Walker repeatedly threatened his ex-wife’s life, exaggerated claims of financial success and alarmed business associates with unpredictable behavior. Walker himself has at times discussed his long struggle with mental illness. Republicans targeted Warnock as perhaps the most vulnerable of the Democratic Senate incumbents. But they were also skeptical about Walker’s viability as a statewide candidate, especially through the spring and summer as Walker’s past was aired publicly. In recent months, Walker found his footing by attacking Warnock for backing President Joe Biden’s agenda in Washington. Biden won Georgia narrowly but has seen his approval ratings in the state fall significantly since 2020. But Walker also has made abortion an issue. During the Republican Senate primary, he openly backed a national ban on abortions with no exceptions for cases involving rape, incest or a woman’s health being at risk — particularly notable at a time when the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court precedent has been overturned and Democrats in Congress have been discussing codifying abortion rights into federal law. “I’m for life,” Walker has said repeatedly as he campaigns. When asked about whether he’d allow for any exceptions, he has said there are “no excuses” for the procedure. As the Republican nominee, Walker has sometimes sidestepped questions about his earlier support for a national abortion ban, a tacit nod to the fact that most voters, including many Republicans, want at least some legal access to abortion. Walker instead tries to turn the issue against Warnock, who supports abortion rights. Walker often says he doesn’t understand how Warnock, a Baptist pastor, can support the procedure being legal. Campaigning in Dunwoody, an Atlanta suburb, on Monday night, Warnock stressed his support for abortion rights. “I have a profound reverence for life. I have a deep and abiding respect for choice. I believe a patient’s room is too small and cramped a space for a woman, her doctor and the United States government,” he said, emphasizing Walker’s support for a national ban. Warnock was dismissive when told of The Daily Beast story and when asked whether it might affect the outcome in Georgia. “I’ll let the pundits decide,” he said. Walker’s son, Christian Walker, criticized his father in a series of tweets late Monday, saying his family “asked him not to run for office.” “I don’t care about someone who has a bad past and takes accountability,” Christian Walker tweeted. “But how DARE YOU LIE and act as though you’re some ‘moral, Christian, upright man.’ You’ve lived a life of DESTROYING other peoples lives. How dare you.” For now, Republicans in Washington are standing by Walker, with a spokesman for the Senate GOP’s campaign arm dismissing The Daily Beast story as “nonsense” rooted in desperation by Democrats. “They and their media allies are doing what they always do — attack Republicans with innuendo and lies,” said Chris Hartline, a top aide at the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Flyer Newsletter The latest headlines from the Fayetteville Flyer, delivered straight to your inbox. Read More Here

Abrams: We Need To Maintain Faith In Supreme Court Integrity https://digitalarizonanews.com/abrams-we-need-to-maintain-faith-in-supreme-court-integrity/ (NewsNation) — Those of you, particularly on the left, who say the Supreme Court has become irredeemably conservative, even illegitimate, I’m talking to you. We need to retain our faith in the Supreme Court, and for that matter, all of our courts. A pair of new decisions provides evidence the court is not blindly partisan. It has definitely moved to the right, pretty far to the right. But while you may not hear much about this in the media, the court didn’t agree to hear the more radical challenges to lower court rulings, letting those rulings stand. For example, the court this week refused to hear an appeal from a Utah gun rights advocate and another from a prominent gun rights group, both of which challenged the ban on bump stocks, the gun attachments that enable semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly and basically function as machine guns, despite the fact that the ban was implemented by the Trump administration in 2019. The ban has been criticized by many gun groups, but the justices were evidently unmoved by that argument, and simply declined to hear the case. Now, however you feel about guns, or however you feel about bump stocks, there’s no question that the court is rejecting the more conservative position on the issue. Right now, it’s important to highlight examples of judicial independence because public confidence in the court is waning. A new Gallup poll shows trust in the Supreme Court has cratered, falling 20 points over the past two years. For the first time in 50 years of this poll, fewer than half of Americans have either a great deal or even a fair amount of trust in the court. That’s frightening. Because if Americans won’t trust what is perennially been its most reliable federal institution, what will they trust? Even the justices themselves are sowing some doubt. During a recent speaking engagement at Northwestern University, Justice Elena Kagan said, “When courts become extensions of the political process, when people see them as extensions of the political process, when people see them as trying just to impose personal preferences on the society, irrespective of law, that’s when there’s a problem. And that’s when there ought to be a problem.” That’s true. And even if she believes it, I’m not sure it’s productive in trying to maintain public faith in the court, which she’s a part of. Not surprisingly, the comment drew harsh rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts at a forum last month in Colorado. “I don’t understand the connection between opinions that people disagree with and the legitimacy of the court. Simply because people disagree with an opinion is not a basis for questioning the legitimacy of the court,” he said. That’s what makes decisions like these two bump stock rulings so important to highlight. Roberts is right that the outcome of a single case is not sufficient grounds to undermine the entire court. But what can endanger its reputation is blind allegiance to one political side, rather than allegiance to the law. I disagree with some of the recent rulings from the court, but the refusal to hear the bump stock cases shows that this court is still evaluating issues case by case, issue by issue. It’s definitely a very different court than it was even six years ago. But undermining the legitimacy of the court isn’t the answer, because that will come back to haunt us all. The views expressed in this article are those of the author, and not of NewsNation. Read More Here

The Exercise Coach 'smart Gym' Comes To Mesa – AZ Big Media https://digitalarizonanews.com/the-exercise-coach-smart-gym-comes-to-mesa-az-big-media/ Known since 2011 as a “Smart Fitness Studio” franchise due to its bio-adaptive, robotic exercise equipment providing a customized, efficient workout, The Exercise Coach is now considered a “smart” fitness studio for yet another reason: its safe, private atmosphere. On Oct. 5, Mesa resident, Cheryl Campbell will open her first The Exercise Coach location at 4711 East Falcon Suite 122 Mesa, AZ  85215. She plans to launch another location in South Mesa in the Dobson Ranch area in 2023. Outfitted with high-tech computerized machines instead of traditional equipment, The Exercise Coach’s personalized programs are optimized for efficiency, resulting in only two 20-minute workouts per week that can’t be matched in effectiveness with even seven days a week of traditional activity-based exercise. READ ALSO: Arizona ranks No. 2 among best states for wellness The Exercise Coach’s robotic exercise technology is combined with the guidance of certified coaches to provide a unique, comprehensive approach to fitness designed to be a perfect fit for anyone, regardless of current fitness levels. The studios create a dynamic exercise experience that blends personalized strength and interval cardio training in each session. It is the No. 1 fastest growing personal training franchise in America and the No. 5 fastest growing fitness franchise in the U.S., according to Entrepreneur Magazine.  Campbell is a CPA but has a life-long passion for physical fitness. “I have been lucky enough not to have had any personal obstacles that impacted me physically, however my husband has,” she says. “He severely broke his leg in six places and will forever have a bar in his femur from the break.” Adds Campbell, “He used bicycling as therapy to recover because he never liked gyms, but after visiting The Exercise Coach for the first time, he was hooked. He tells everyone that he is not a fan of the traditional fitness center but loves The Exercise Coach. I am excited to get out from behind the desk, help others build strength and live healthier lives.” The Exercise Coach is a much safer fitness option than big box gyms for the following reasons: No more than four clients per trainer for semi-private training and one-on-one private training available Workouts are scheduled by appointment only – no walk-ins Workouts are only 20 minutes twice per week and are always supervised by a coach “We are different from big box gyms as our boutique fitness studios have always been small, private and super clean. This remains our core offering,” said Brian Cygan, founder and CEO of The Exercise Coach. “This has really been resonating with people across the country and we have grown to more than 150 locations as a result.”  The Exercise Coach uses its technology to capture the more reluctant exercise consumer — people who are either too busy to spend a great deal of time at the gym, dislike the gym scene and/or are afraid of injuring themselves. Rather than use their proprietary technology, competing with other gyms to court the most athletic people, The Exercise Coach offers privacy, convenience, personalization, efficiency and guidance to change the quality of life for people who are less familiar with fitness successes. Read More Here

Trump Asks U.S. Supreme Court To Intervene In Mar-A-Lago Dispute https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-asks-u-s-supreme-court-to-intervene-in-mar-a-lago-dispute/ Lawyers for former U.S. President Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to step into the legal fight over the classified documents seized during an FBI search of his Florida estate, escalating a dispute over the powers of an independent arbiter appointed to inspect the records. The Trump team asked the justices to overturn a lower court ruling and allow the arbiter, called a special master, to review the roughly 100 documents with classification markings that were taken in the August 8 search of Mar-a-Lago. A three-judge panel from the Atlanta-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit last month limited the special master’s review to the much larger tranche of non-classified documents. The judges, including two Trump appointees, sided with the Justice Department, which had argued there was no legal basis for the special master to conduct his own review of the classified records. But Trump’s lawyers said in their application to the Supreme Court that it was essential for the special master to have access to the classified records to “determine whether documents bearing classification markings are in fact classified, and regardless of classification, whether those records are personal records or Presidential records.” It says that without the special master review, “the unchallenged views of the current Justice Department would supersede the established authority of the Chief Executive.” An independent review, the Trump team says, ensures a “transparent process that provides much-needed oversight.” The FBI says it seized roughly 11,000 documents, including about 100 with classification markings, during its search. The Trump team asked a judge in Florida, Aileen Cannon, to appoint a special master to do an independent review of the records. Cannon subsequently assigned a veteran Brooklyn judge, Raymond Dearie, to review the records and segregate those that may be protected by claims of attorney-client privilege and executive privilege. She also barred the FBI from being able to use the classified documents as part of its criminal investigation. The Justice Department appealed, prompting the 11th Circuit to lift Cannon’s hold on investigators’ ability to scrutinize the classified records. The appeals court also ruled that the department did not have to provide Dearie with access to the classified records. Trump’s lawyers submitted the Supreme Court application to Justice Clarence Thomas, who oversees emergency matters from Florida and several other Southern states. Thomas can act on his own or, as is usually done, refer the emergency appeal to the rest of the court. Late Tuesday the court said the government was being asked to respond to the petition by October 11. Thomas has previously come under scrutiny for his vote in a different Trump documents case, in which he was the only member of the court to vote against allowing the U.S. House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot to obtain Trump records held by the National Archives and Records Administration. Thomas’ wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, is a conservative activist and staunch Trump supporter who attended the January 6 “Stop the Steal” rally on the Ellipse and wrote to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in the weeks following the election encouraging him to work to overturn U.S. President Joe Biden’s victory and keep Trump in office. Thomas was recently interviewed by the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection and she stood by the false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent. The document investigation is one of several legal woes Trump is facing. New York state’s attorney general last month filed a civil lawsuit accusing Trump and three of his adult children of fraud and misrepresentation in preparing financial statements from the family real estate company. The Trump Organization also is set to go on trial on October 24 on New York state criminal tax fraud charges. (With input from agencies) Read More Here