Maryland Republicans At Critical Juncture As 2022 Midterm Election Nears https://digitalarkansasnews.com/maryland-republicans-at-critical-juncture-as-2022-midterm-election-nears/ Emmett Gartner  |  Capital News Service ANNAPOLIS — Republican Larry Hogan is one of the most popular governors in Maryland’s recent history.   After two terms, including a landslide victory in 2018, Hogan leaves office with a 62% approval rating according to a Sept. 19 Goucher College Poll. By comparison, his gubernatorial predecessor had a 40% approval rating when he left office in 2014. But when Hogan asked his fellow Republicans to nominate Kelly Schulz, a candidate in his mold, to run for the state’s highest office, they instead chose Dan Cox, a 2020 election denier, a man who Hogan had already called a “QAnon wackjob,” a one-term House delegate who sent two busloads of people to Washington for former President Donald Trump’s Jan. 6 rally that resulted in a seditious riot. His greatest attribute, at least for many Republican voters, was that he was endorsed by Trump. Cox’s ascension, according to political experts interviewed for this story, represents an ideological fissure in Maryland’s Republican Party, one that could make it impossible for a GOP candidate, even one with Hogan’s talent and appeal to Democratic voters, to win statewide office. “I think it would be a really big challenge,” said Michael Hanmer, research director at the University of Maryland’s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement. While such candidates might have statewide appeal, currently they would never reach the general election, because they couldn’t get past the Republican primary, Hanmer said. ELECTIONS 2022: Dan Cox, Wes Moore clash on abortion, elections and more in only Maryland governor debate ‘The election is a big test’ There are obvious signs of unease among the party regular.   The Maryland Senate Republican Caucus Committee, for instance, has avoided endorsing Cox. Senate Minority Leader Bryan Simonaire, R-Anne Arundel, sidestepped publicly supporting Cox by saying that his committee was not endorsing any statewide candidates. “We’re solely focused on the Senate races,” Simonaire said. Consequently, the upcoming election finds the Republican Party at a critical juncture. In all, the current outlook for Republican candidates in races for statewide office is grim. Only 31% of Marylanders said they would vote for Cox, according to the Goucher College election poll. The same number of Marylanders support Republican Attorney General nominee Michael Peroutka, who also denied the validity of the 2020 election, the poll showed. Harford County Executive Barry Glassman, the moderate Republican nominee for comptroller, is polling at 35%, according to the survey. Losses could lead party members to re-evaluate their platforms. Hanmer predicts that a realignment within the Republican Party toward the center could alienate some within the party should the party choose to interpret these losses as the end of the road for right wing candidates. ELECTIONS 2022: Even with early ballot counting, results may come after election night “In Maryland, a Cox loss will lead to a reboot,” Hanmer said. “There might be some losses from the party of Cox and Trump supporters, but it’s hard to imagine a situation where Cox loses and that wing of the party gains traction.” “Because at the end of the day, the election is a big test. But not everybody pays attention to test results.”  ‘It is healthy to have that conversation’ Two years out of office, former Sen. Andrew Serafini, R-Washington, recognizes the Republican Party’s ideological divide, but views it as an opportunity to move forward. “I think the Republican Party, within its soul and heart, needs to understand what are our core values,” Serafini said. “What are the things that we can tolerate within the tent as far as differences?  And I think that’s a challenge for us, that it is healthy to have that conversation.” Some state party members are shying away from, or at least delaying, having this conversation now. When Capital News Service reached out to Simonaire to discuss the future of the Republican Party, his chief of staff responded over email, saying “Senator Simonaire is focused on this election at this point and said that this can be a later conversation.” David Lashar is a former Republican. Lashar was an official in the Health Department under Hogan’s administration. He is the Libertarian candidate for governor. He knows that his odds of winning the election are slim — he’s currently polling at 4%.  Winning the governorship, however, is not his primary goal. He said he hopes his campaign can push the Republican Party to abandon the “Make America Great Again” politics that caused him to leave the party in 2016. “So, even if I don’t become governor, and I can’t prevail over Wes Moore, but I defeat (Cox) or come close, I feel like I’d be helping to give the rebuke to that style of politics that is needed for it to start to wane, and go away and have a rest in peace headstone over it,” Lashar said. Unfortunately, Lashar says, not enough Maryland Republican officials are willing to set aside political calculations. ELECTIONS 2022: Maryland governor race: Democrat Wes Moore has huge lead over Republican Dan Cox in poll “I know for a mortal fact that there are Republican VIPs who are supportive of me and what I’m doing, that they will vote for me, but they won’t come out and say anything for me,” he said. Like Serafini, he said Maryland Republicans need to have a conversation about their party’s direction. “What non-MAGA Republicans need to do is search within themselves and say, ‘What is the right thing to do just based on principle and beliefs?’ ” Lashar said. “Moderate Republicans are closing their eyes and hoping that the winds take MAGA Republicans away. I don’t see those winds.” Read More Here

Closed Meeting SEC Vs XRP – Will This Be The Settlement? https://digitalarkansasnews.com/closed-meeting-sec-vs-xrp-will-this-be-the-settlement/ XRP price is up around 18.5 percent in the past 30 days with expectations of the ongoing case coming to a conclusion. The bump in the past 30 days is likely attributable to a possible settlement of the Ripple vs SEC lawsuit. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission, alias the SEC, has scheduled a meeting for Thursday, October 20, 2022. The issues to be discussed include ‘institution and settlement of injunctive actions, institution and settlement of administrative proceedings, resolution of litigation claims, and other matters relating to examinations and enforcement proceedings.  Hereby arousing a thought on possible SEC and Ripple settlement in the ongoing lawsuit, which has sustained two years. According to our market data, XRP price is trading around $0.461098, down approximately 57 percent in the last year. Nonetheless, the asset is up around 18.5 percent in the past 30 days. The XRP price bump in the past 30 days is likely attributable to a possible settlement of the Ripple vs SEC lawsuit. Arguments about whether XRP is a security or not will be replicated on most of the altcoins. Furthermore, most crypto companies have a token that is the leading financial instrument. As such, the case is largely anticipated all over the world by the crypto and blockchain community. According to the SEC document, today’s meeting will be closed to the public and only accessible to high-ranking officials. “Commissioners, Counsel to the Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, and recording secretaries will attend the closed meeting. Certain staff members who have an interest in the matters also may be present,” the sunshine act notice reads. XRP price market outlook XRP is among the oldest yet well-performing crypto assets in the industry. The institutional utility has to a greater extent, bolstered the XRP market outlook in the past few years, especially after the Trump administration initiated the SEC vs Ripple case and caused several cryptocurrency exchanges to delist XRP from trading services. According to our market data, XRP has a market capitalisation of $22,960,216,261, with a 24-hour trading volume of $1,530,674,225.  The SEC is mostly looking at Ripple’s XRP reserves of approximately 50 billion, locked for monthly release. Notably, the White House recently announced that it would not support ‘predatory’ behaviors in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry. It is possible that the XRP reserves that Ripple has may be sent to a zeroing address to be burnt forever. However, the XRPL developers led by Ripple CTO David Schwartz continue to build the network despite the ongoing lawsuit case.  Earlier this week, XRPL developers announced they are preparing to welcome Ethererum Dapps through an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) sidechain. The move is expected to increase XRPL’s activity through increased Dapps. Meanwhile, the XRP price remains trapped in a multi-year wedge consolidation.  Read More Here

OP-ED | White Supremacy: Not Just For White People | CT News Junkie https://digitalarkansasnews.com/op-ed-white-supremacy-not-just-for-white-people-ct-news-junkie/ A protester at the March for Justice for Breonna Taylor holds a sign that says, “End the pandemic of white supremacy” in Washington, DC on Sept. 23, 2020. Credit: Allison C Bailey / Shutterstock JAMIL RAGLAND White supremacy is part of the fabric of the United States. From genocide against natives, enslavement of Africans and exclusion of others from the beginning of the republic through police brutality, redlining and travel bans today, one of the most powerful impulses in American political and social activity has been the elevation of whiteness above all else – at the expense of other people.  But here’s the thing: just as the ongoing battle for equality is sustained by people from all backgrounds, white supremacy ironically requires a diverse, mutli-ethnic coalition to maintain it. There must be people who say, “Well actually…” from the communities who are harmed the most by it. They legitimize the assumptions and stereotypes that white supremacy is built upon. And Kanye West has stepped forward to join the ranks of Black people who have hitched their personal fame and fortune to the maintenance of an oppressive, and oftentimes violent, system. There have always been people who collaborate with systems that are, apparently, aligned against them. Few of them have had the level of influence and resources that West commands. His success as a musician has given him a platform to say and do whatever he wants. Instead of using it to advance worthy causes (or even pointless personal ones), he has instead reinforced racial inequality while masquerading as a “free thinker.” What someone like West offers white supremacy is the opportunity to infiltrate spaces where its typical agents are otherwise unwelcome. You would never see someone like Tucker Carlson or Marjorie Taylor-Greene on “Drink Champs” with N.O.R.E. West can move into the Black information and entertainment world with ease though, and spread white supremacist talking points on their behalf. His statement that George Floyd died from fentanyl, not Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes, is more than just a disgusting lie. It’s a premeditated strategy to undermine the foundation of the struggle for racial justice. He can also spread messages that others cannot. His “White Lives Matter” shirt is an example of this. White supremacists have been attempting to minimize and dismiss the Black Lives Matter mantra ever since Trayvon Martin was unjustly murdered by George Zimmerman. Their tactics have had to be measured though. By deflecting to “All Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter,” white supremacists have tried to draw attention away from the legitimate complaints of Black people suffering under police brutality.  West threw all subtlety and plausible deniability out the window with his shirt. “White Lives Matter” is the antithesis of BLM. It completely erases both the argument and the causes for why it must be said. Yet it’s a message that no white person could share without (well-deserved) allegations of racism following shortly behind. West uses his blackness to inoculate himself from that charge, even as he serves an explicitly racist agenda. It’s a service that white supremacists are thrilled to have, and they’re more than willing to parade him across Tucker Carlson’s show for two whole nights to do their dirty work for them. White supremacy isn’t just aimed at Black people, of course. West has taken to sharing the same old tropes about Jewish people and the media as well. The predictability of West conjuring up Jewish conspiracy theories regarding his (temporary!) ban from social media would be hilariously sad if it weren’t dangerous, a kind of banality of the ego that repeats talking points used to justify some of the most heinous crimes in history. As harmful as he’s been, it would be one thing if he stayed in the realm of hateful rhetoric. But with the purchase of Parler, a right-wing social media platform that hosted racist, violent content and planning for the January 6th riots, he has literally put his money where his mouth is. It’s no coincidence that Candace Owen, a fellow traveler when it comes to justifying white supremacy, is involved in the purchase. Her husband is the CEO of Parler. Perhaps this is just another cynical money-making attempt, like West’s bogus church or his bogus school. Even if it is, West has now invested significant money into sustaining the digital infrastructure of white supremacy.  We have to recognize the unique challenge that a Black billionaire presents to the ongoing struggle for equality. Too many people are too quick to dismiss West’s behavior as a symptom of his mental health. I’m not a doctor; I have no idea if West is having difficulties or not. That doesn’t excuse his hateful language, which has been consistent ever since he met the former President in Trump Towers. It also doesn’t excuse business decisions he’s made. It’s time to recognize West for what he is: a double agent working for white supremacists. Read More Here

Little Rock Vice Mayor Lance Hines Faces Mazhil Rajendran In Ward 5 Race To Represent City’s Northwest Corner https://digitalarkansasnews.com/little-rock-vice-mayor-lance-hines-faces-mazhil-rajendran-in-ward-5-race-to-represent-citys-northwest-corner/ Little Rock’s Ward 5 is shown. Little Rock Vice Mayor Lance Hines of Ward 5 faces challenger Mazhil Vannan Rajendran in the Nov. 8 contest to represent the city’s northwest corner on the Little Rock Board of Directors. First elected in 2010, Hines is seeking a fourth four-year term. He was unopposed during his most recent reelection bid in 2018. In January 2021, city board members selected Hines to serve a two-year term as vice mayor, meaning he was tasked with presiding over board meetings in the mayor’s absence. Hines had previously held the vice-mayor post from 2015 to 2017. Seven ward representatives and three at-large members serve on Little Rock’s city board. The mayor acts as chairman of the board and can exercise veto power, but typically does not vote except in the event of a tie. The 10 city directors draw an $18,000 annual salary, plus a $250 monthly office allowance, according to city code. In addition to Wards 1 and 6, Ward 5 is one of three contested Little Rock ward seats on the ballot this fall. Incumbents representing Wards 2, 3 and 7 did not draw any challengers. Early voting begins Monday, and winners of the local races will take office Jan. 1, 2023. The at-large positions as well as the Ward 4 seat will be on the ballot again in 2024. Based on the new ward boundaries that city board members approved late last year after the 2020 census, the nearly 30,000 residents of Ward 5 are approximately 68% white, 16% Black and 3% Hispanic, according to the city. Hines, 54, works as the director of sales and business development for Priority1, a logistics firm. During his time on the city board, Hines suggested that dealing with public safety has been his top accomplishment and referred to the construction of Fire Station No. 23 on Rahling Road, which opened in 2012. At the same time, residents still need another fire station, Hines said in a recent interview. His biggest goal going forward is the construction of a fire station in the area of Cantrell Road and Chalamont Drive, Hines said. On the public-works front, there is more work to be done to expand Kanis Road, he said, including a section that runs past Costco. Hines said that “the public safety and public works projects for west Little Rock are long-term, you know — we’re getting some of it accomplished and not all of it yet.” Another big issue is parks, according to Hines. With the exception of the Rock Creek Trail, west Little Rock lacks public parks located inside the city limits, Hines said, mainly because private developers have put in their own neighborhood parks that are maintained by the property owners’ associations. Efforts are underway to situate a dog park on some undeveloped parkland near Rahling Road and Taylor Loop Road, Hines said. Rajendran, 52, has lived in Little Rock almost 22 years, he said in a recent interview. A first-generation immigrant from India, he moved to the U.S. in 2001. He works for the information technology company Protech Solutions, Inc. Rajendran holds a master’s degree in engineering and a Ph.D. in engineering management, according to his campaign materials. If elected to the Ward 5 seat, Rajendran said he would seek to prevent violence, with the ultimate goal being to “find a better solution for [the] safety and security of the common people.” Additionally, Rajendran said the city needs to ensure transparency with regard to spending. He also wants to introduce a new system to address litter such as raked leaves. His first campaign for public office took place in 2020, when Rajendran ran for a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives as a Democrat in House District 31, losing to Rep. Keith Brooks, R-Ferndale. Rajendran said that Hines seems to be representing the businesses of the ward, not the people. Also on the ballot on Nov. 8 is the initial round of the mayoral contest in which Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. is seeking a second term. When asked about the mayoral race, Rajendran said he planned to support Scott, citing his background and activities as mayor. Hines is backing Steve Landers Sr., the first-time candidate who spent his career in the car-sales business and also resides in Ward 5. Hines has long been critical of Scott over his handling of public safety issues amid an increasing number of homicides in Little Rock. In late 2020, Hines brought forward a no-confidence resolution on then-Police Chief Keith Humphrey for the city board’s consideration, but ultimately withdrew the measure. Hines also opposed Scott’s push for a sales-tax increase last year. City board members sent the “Rebuild the Rock” tax package to voters for approval in a September 2021 special election, but it was rejected, 62%-38%. “The mayor has been unwilling to work with the Board of Directors to get things done,” Hines said. He has “full confidence” that Landers will collaborate with the city board, Hines said, arguing that the mayor’s office has “made an effort to de-collaborate with the board.” Scott has been unwilling to compromise on his vision, Hines said. Read More…

Ukrainian Forces Push Toward Kherson, Kyiv Orders Electricity Curbs https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ukrainian-forces-push-toward-kherson-kyiv-orders-electricity-curbs/ Nationwide restrictions limited to one day for now New damage to critical infrastructure, Zelenskiy says Battle for southern city of Kherson looms Oct 20 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s military tightened the noose around Russian forces occupying the southern city of Kherson on Thursday as the government ordered nationwide curbs on electricity use because of Russian missile and drone attacks on power plants. In Kherson, the only regional capital Russian forces have captured since their invasion eight months ago, the Russian-appointed administration began an evacuation of a city that controls the only land route to the Crimea peninsula, which Russia seized in 2014, and the mouth of the Dnipro river. On Wednesday, Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russia-backed administration in Kherson, wrote on Telegram that Ukraine had launched an offensive towards Novaya Kamianka and Berislav in the Kherson region. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com While Ukraine remained tight-lipped about its operations, its military said in an early Thursday update on the Kherson region said 43 Russian servicemen had been killed and six tanks and other equipment destroyed. Reuters was not able to verify battlefield reports. Footage of people fleeing by boat across the Dnipro river were broadcast by Russian state television, which portrayed the exodus as an attempt to evacuate civilians before it became a combat zone. About 50,000 to 60,000 people would be moved out in the next six days, said Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed chief of Kherson, while maintaining that Russia had the resources to hold the city and even counter-attack if necessary. While gaining ground on front lines, Ukraine counted the cost of Russia’s long range strikes deep into its territory. On Thursday, the government placed restrictions on electricity usage nationwide for the first time since Russia’s invasion following a barrage of attacks on power plants just before the winter sets in. Power supply will be restricted between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., government officials and the grid operator Ukrenergo said, and temporary blackouts were possible if people did not minimise their use of electricity, a presidential aide said. “We do not exclude that with the onset of cold weather we will be asking for your help even more frequently”, Ukrenergo said, referring to the restriction that is limited to Thursday. Russia has intensified its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s power and water infrastructure in recent days. “There is new damage to critical infrastructure. Three energy facilities were destroyed by the enemy today,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his Wednesday night video address. “We assume that Russian terror will be directed at energy facilities until, with the help of partners, we are able to shoot down 100% of enemy missiles and drones,” said Zelenskiy, who earlier in the week said a third power stations had been hit by Russian air strikes. Zelenskiy was due to address an EU summit on Thursday. Leaders of the 27 member states will discuss options for more support to Ukraine, including energy equipment, helping restore power supply and long-term financing to rebuild. DRONE STRIKES, GRAIN TALKS Reuters witnesses said five drones hit the southern city of Mykolaiv on Thursday, but it was unclear where they had exploded or how much damage had been done. Ukraine accuses Russia of using Iran-made Shahed-136 “kamikaze drones”, which fly to their target and detonate. Iran denies supplying them and the Kremlin has denied using them. The United States, Britain and France raised the issue of Iran’s suspected transfer of drones to Russia at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. Russia’s deputy U.N. Ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, told reporters Russia would reassess its cooperation with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his staff if Guterres sends experts to Ukraine to inspect downed drones that Ukraine and the West assert were made in Iran. Polyanskiy said he was not optimistic about reaching agreement with Guterres and other U.N. officials in negotiations to extend and expand a July 22 deal that led to the resumption of Ukraine Black Sea grain and fertilizer exports. The pact could expire next month. Meanwhile, the United States imposed new sanctions on Russia, targeting a network that it accused of procuring military and dual-use technologies from U.S. manufacturers for Russian users. ON THE EASTERN FRONT In eastern Ukraine bordering Russia, Moscow’s forces focused their main attempt to advance on the towns of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, the Ukrainian military said. Bakhmut is the focus of Russia’s slow advance through the Donetsk region. Forces trained tank and artillery fire on at least 10 towns in the area, including Bakhmut, Soledar and Bilohorivka, the Ukrainian military said. Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded an all-Russia war effort and declared martial law on Wednesday in areas of Ukraine occupied by his forces. Zelenskiy warned Ukrainians in occupied areas against any Russian attempts to draft them into the army, saying they should try to leave. “If you cannot do this and find yourself in Russian military structures, at the first opportunity try to lay down your weapons and come to Ukrainian positions,” he said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Grant McCool, Lincoln Feast and Simon Cameron-Moore; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien and Stephen Coates Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Arkansas Court Of Appeals https://digitalarkansasnews.com/arkansas-court-of-appeals-2/ The Arkansas Court of Appeals released opinions Wednesday. The court’s ruling and the names of the cases are reprinted here. The full opinions and other court proceedings, including per curiam decisions, orders and submissions, can be found on the Internet at arcourts.gov. PROCEEDINGS OF OCT. 19, 2022 CHIEF JUDGE BRANDON J. HARRISON CV-21-508. Donald Banks v. Petro Banks, from Monroe County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Abramson and Hixson, JJ., agree. JUDGE RITA W. GRUBER CR-21-535. Joey Penix v. State of Arkansas, from Lawrence County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Gladwin and Barrett, JJ., agree. JUDGE BART F. VIRDEN CR-22-68. Larry Matney v. State of Arkansas, from Poinsett County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Klappenbach and Whiteaker, JJ., agree. E-21-590. Paula Pendarvis v. Director, Division of Workforce Services, from the Arkansas Board of Review. Dismissed. Klappenbach and Whiteaker, JJ., agree. JUDGE MARK KLAPPENBACH CV-21-123. Maggie Hall, Administratrix of the Estate of Brenda Dell Allbright, Deceased v. Gage’s Powersports, Inc., from Boone County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Virden and Whiteaker, JJ., agree. JUDGE PHILLIP T. WHITEAKER CV-21-435. Opal Robinson v. Quail Rivers Properties, LLC, from Phillips County Circuit Court. Reversed and remanded. Virden and Klappenbach, JJ., agree. JUDGE KENNETH S. HIXSON CV-22-133. Ronna Day v. Arkansas Department of Human Services and Minor Child, from Sebastian County Circuit Court, Fort Smith District. Affirmed; motion granted. Harrison, C.J., and Abramson, J., agree. JUDGE LARRY D. VAUGHT CV-22-217. Dianna Dejarnette v. Arkansas Department of Human Services, Minor Child 1, Minor Child 2, Minor Child 3, and Minor Child 4, from Drew County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Murphy and Brown, JJ., agree. JUDGE STEPHANIE POTTER BARRETT CV-21-571. (In the matter of the adoption of minor child) Manuel Cruz Cervantez v. Carla Trejo Segovia and Edgar Ulises Ruiz Pacheco, from Washington County Circuit Court. Reversed and dismissed. Gladwin and Gruber, JJ., agree. Read More Here

Philip Morris Raises Offer For Swedish Match And Buys U.S. Rights For IQOS https://digitalarkansasnews.com/philip-morris-raises-offer-for-swedish-match-and-buys-u-s-rights-for-iqos/ Tobacco giant will pay $2.7 billion to regain U.S. rights for IQOS heated tobacco products from Altria Updated Oct. 20, 2022 4:37 am ET Philip Morris International raised its offer for Swedish Match AB by 9.4% and has agreed to pay $2.7 billion to regain the U.S. rights for its IQOS heated tobacco products from Altria Group Inc. Philip Morris said it is now offering 116 Swedish kronor, equivalent to $10.34, for each Swedish Match share, up from the original offer in May of 106 Swedish kronor. The total value of that deal, though in dollar terms, is roughly unchanged from the original offer because the appreciation in the U.S. currency against the Swedish krona, made it easier for the company to raise its offer. Read More Here

Judge: Trump Knew Vote Fraud Claims In Legal Docs Were False – KESQ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/judge-trump-knew-vote-fraud-claims-in-legal-docs-were-false-kesq/ By FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump signed legal documents challenging the results of the 2020 election that included voter fraud claims he knew to be false, a federal judge said in a ruling Wednesday. U.S. District Court Judge David Carter in an 18-page opinion ordered the release of those emails between Trump and attorney John Eastman to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He said those communications cannot be withheld because they include evidence of potential crimes. “The emails show that President Trump knew that the specific numbers of voter fraud were wrong but continued to tout those numbers, both in court and to the public,” Carter wrote. Though the judge’s conclusion has no practical bearing on a separate Justice Department investigation into efforts to overturn the election, any evidence that Trump signed documents he knew to be false could at minimum be a notable data point for criminal prosecutors trying to sort out culpability for far-ranging efforts to undo the results. The judge specifically cited claims from Trump’s attorneys that Fulton County in Georgia had improperly counted more than 10,000 votes of dead people, felons and unregistered voters. Those false allegations were part of a filing that Trump’s legal team made in Georgia state court on Dec. 4, 2021. Later that month, Eastman warned in a message that Trump had been made aware that “some of the allegations (and evidence proffered by the experts)” in that Georgia filing “has been inaccurate.” Yet even after the message from Eastman, Trump and his team filed another legal complaint that had “the same inaccurate numbers,” the judge wrote. Trump under oath verified the complaint was true to the best of his knowledge. Carter wrote that the emails are “sufficiently related to and in furtherance of a conspiracy to defraud the United States.” Representatives for Trump and Eastman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Jan. 6 committee declined to comment on the ongoing litigation. The ruling is the latest development in a monthslong legal battle between Eastman — a conservative lawyer and lead architect of Trump’s last-ditch efforts to stay in office — and congressional investigators. Eastman has been trying to withhold documents from the committee on the basis of attorney-client privilege claims. The committee has argued that there is a legal exception allowing the disclosure of communications regarding ongoing or future crimes. And Carter has mostly agreed, ordering the release of hundreds of emails to the House committee since the spring. In a stunning ruling in March, the judge had asserted that it is “more likely than not” that Trump committed crimes in his attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election. Carter in his ruling Wednesday said the messages he has reviewed from Eastman and other attorneys show that the “primary goal” for some of their litigation was to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s election win. The totality of the evidence makes clear that “Trump filed certain lawsuits not to obtain legal relief, but to disrupt or delay the January 6 congressional proceedings through the courts,” the judge wrote. The emails from Eastman are part of the House committee’s investigation into a multi-part plan by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election and the ensuing violence at the Capitol. The release of the emails could be critical for the committee as it enters the last few months of its probe when lawmakers will have to decide whether to send a criminal referral against Trump and his allies to the Justice Department. The judge ordered Eastman to give the documents to the committee by the afternoon of Oct. 28. __ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed in Washington. Read More Here

Judge: Trump Signed Forged Documents He Knew Were Fake – Nation World News https://digitalarkansasnews.com/judge-trump-signed-forged-documents-he-knew-were-fake-nation-world-news/ WASHINGTON ( Associated Press) – Former President Donald Trump has signed legal documents challenging the results of the 2020 election, including allegations of voter fraud that he knew were false, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. said in. In an 18-page opinion, US District Judge David Carter ordered that the emails Trump exchanged with Attorney John Eastman be handed over to the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol Go. He said those emails could not be intercepted because they contained evidence of possible crimes. “The email shows that President Trump knew specific voter fraud numbers were wrong, but continued to promote those numbers both in court and in the public,” Carter wrote. While the judge’s findings in a separate Justice Department investigation into attempts to overturn the election result have no practical relevance, any evidence that Trump signed documents he knew were false, at least, There may be a remarkable fact. Lay the blame for widespread attempts to quash the results. The judge specifically noted allegations by Trump’s attorneys that Fulton County in Georgia had wrongly counted more than 10,000 votes from dead people, criminals and unregistered voters. Those false allegations were part of a court document that Trump’s legal team filed in Georgia state court on December 4, 2021. A few days later, Eastman warned in a message that Trump was informed that “certain allegations (and evidence provided by experts)” in that document presented in Georgia are false. However, even after receiving Eastman’s message, Trump and his lawyers filed another legal complaint containing “similar false numbers,” the judge wrote. Trump testified under oath that the allegation was true as far as he knew. Carter wrote that the emails are “substantially related and further a conspiracy to defraud the United States.” Representatives for Trump and Eastman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On 6 January a spokesman for the commission declined to comment on the ongoing trial. The ruling is the latest in a protracted legal dispute between Eastman – a conservative lawyer and the main architect of Trump’s desperate efforts to stay in office – and congressional investigators. Eastman is trying to prevent the documents from being released to the commission on grounds of attorney-client privilege. The panel has argued that there is a legal exception that allows the disclosure of communications about offenses that are ongoing or may be committed in the future. And Carter has mostly agreed, ordering the House hundreds of emails since the spring. In a surprise ruling last March, the judge assured that it was “most likely” that Trump committed crimes in his attempt to block the certification of the 2020 election. In his ruling on Wednesday, Carter said he reviewed messages from Eastman and other lawyers that the “primary goal” of some of his trial was to prevent President Joe Biden from being certified as the winner of the election. The evidence in its entirety makes it clear that “Trump did not bring certain lawsuits to achieve justice, but through the courts to obstruct or delay the January 6 proceedings in Congress,” the judge wrote. Eastman’s emails are part of a House investigation into a multi-pronged plan by Trump and his allies to reverse the 2020 election results and into the subsequent violence on Capitol Hill. The distribution of the emails could be important for the commission as it enters the final months of its investigation, in which lawmakers must decide whether to recommend the Justice Department pursue criminal charges against Trump and his aides. The judge ordered Eastman to deliver the documents to the panel no later than the afternoon of October 28. , Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington. Nation World News is the fastest emerging news website covering all the latest news, world’s top stories, science news entertainment sports cricket’s latest discoveries, new technology gadgets, politics news, and more. Thanks for submitting your comment! Read More Here

'What Are They Hiding?': Group Sues Biden And National Archives Over JFK Assassination Records https://digitalarkansasnews.com/what-are-they-hiding-group-sues-biden-and-national-archives-over-jfk-assassination-records/ The country’s largest online source of JFK assassination records is suing President Joe Biden and the National Archives to force the federal government to release all remaining documents related to the most mysterious murder of a U.S. president nearly 60 years ago. The Mary Ferrell Foundation filed the federal lawsuit Wednesday one year after Biden issued a memo postponing the release of a final trove of 16,000 records assembled under the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, which Congress passed without opposition in response to Oliver Stone’s Oscar-nominated film “JFK.” The JFK records act, signed by President Bill Clinton, required that the documents be made public by Oct. 26, 2017, but President Donald Trump delayed the release and kicked the can to Biden, who critics say continued the policy of federal obfuscation that has existed since Kennedy was assassinated Nov. 22, 1963, in an open motorcade at Dealey Plaza in Dallas. “It’s high time that the government got its act together and obeyed the spirit and the letter of the law,” said the vice president of the nonpartisan Mary Ferrell Foundation, Jefferson Morley, an expert on the assassination and the CIA. “This is about our history and our right to know it,” said Morley, the author of the JFK Facts blog. U.S. & World Read the full story here at NBCNews.com. Read More Here

LCU Women Get Denning https://digitalarkansasnews.com/lcu-women-get-denning/ Staff Reports  |  Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Alex Denning notched his 100th victory as the Lubbock Christian University women’s soccer coach when the Lady Chaps edged Midwestern State 1-0 Wednesday night behind a goal from Celia Duarte and a shutout from Abby Kone. Denning is 100-66-22 in 11 years at LCU. The Lady Chaps’ goal came in the 19th minute. After Duarte missed wide with two shots, Abcdee Herrera headed the ball back to the junior forward and she put one past Mustangs goalkeeper Lexi Jackson. The shutout was the sixth of the season for LCU (7-2-6, 4-2-3) and for Kone, who is fourth on the program’s career list in shutouts. Arely Jimenez played in her 78th match for LCU, the senior defender from Fort Worth Paschal passing Frenship graduate Allison Scott to become the program career record holder. Midwestern State (5-8-1, 2-6-1) lost its third match in a row. LCU men’s soccer LAREDO — Lubbock Christian University forward Tyler Little notched his first goal and first assist with the Chaparrals, leading his team to a 2-1 victory over Texas A&M International on Wednesday night in Lone Star Conference action. Little fired a shot past a diving goalkeeper Robin Verhoeven in the 18th minute, then set Pablo Galietero Diez for a goal in the 28th minute that made it 2-0. Diez scored for the fourth match in a row, increasing his season total to seven goals. Little is a junior from Mesquite who transferred to LCU from Northeast Texas Community College. LCU (7-5-3, 4-1-1) has won three matches in a row and four out of five. St. Mary’s (9-0-5, 5-0-1) leads the Lone Star Conference with 16 points, followed by LCU with 13 points and Dallas Baptist (5-5-4, 4-2) with 12. Texas A&M International (3-6-6, 1-3-2) avoided a shutout on a goal by Tajani Fairclough in the 35th minute. LCU goalkeeper Tom Miles made three saves, two in the last 10 minutes to preserve the lead. The Dustdevils outshot the Chaps 9-7, while LCU had five shots on goal to TAMIU’s four. LCU volleyball Abi Nash hit .526 with 11 kills and 11th-ranked West Texas A&M put away Lubbock Christian University 25-13, 25-14, 25-16 Wednesday night in Lone Star Conference play at the Rip Griffin Center. Samantha Jordan added seven kills on a .583 attack percentage as West Texas A&M (19-4, 11-0) won its 12th match in a row. WT stayed one-half game ahead of Dallas Baptist (20-3, 11-1), which won its 11th in a row with a sweep at Arkansas-Fort Smith. LCU (9-15, 5-8) lost its third in a row with 25 kills and a .051 attack percentage, both season lows. The 25 kills were the Lady Chaps’ fewest in a home match since November 2019 against Texas Woman’s. Kiana Fallaha led the Lady Chaps with seven kills. Frenship graduate Kayton Genenbacher had team highs of 19 assists and 10 digs. LCU is back in action at 2 p.m. Saturday against Cameron (5-20, 0-10) in Lawton, Oklahoma. Read More Here

Afghan Couple Accuse US Marine Of Abducting Their Baby https://digitalarkansasnews.com/afghan-couple-accuse-us-marine-of-abducting-their-baby/ The young Afghan couple raced to the airport in Kabul, clutching their baby girl close amid the chaotic withdrawal of American troops last year. The baby had been rescued two years earlier from the rubble of a U.S. Special Forces raid that killed her parents and five siblings. After months in a U.S. military hospital, she had gone to live with her cousin and his wife, this newlywed couple. Now, the family was bound for the United States for further medical treatment, with the aid of U.S. Marine Corps attorney Joshua Mast. When the exhausted Afghans arrived at the airport in Washington D.C. in late August 2021, Mast pulled them out of the international arrivals line and led them to an inspecting officer, according to a lawsuit they filed last month. They were surprised when Mast presented an Afghan passport for the child, the couple said. But it was the last name printed on the document that stopped them cold: Mast. They didn’t know it, but they would soon lose their baby. This is a story about how one U.S. Marine became fiercely determined to bring home an Afghan war orphan, and praised it as an act of Christian faith to save her. Letters, emails and documents submitted in federal filings show that he used his status in the U.S. Armed Forces, appealed to high-ranking Trump administration officials and turned to small-town courts to adopt the baby, unbeknownst to the Afghan couple raising her 7,000 miles away. FILE – Hundreds of people gather near a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane at the perimeter of the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021. An Afghan couple who arrived in the U.S. as refugees are suing a U.S. Marine and his wife for allegedly abducting their baby. (AP Photo/Shekib Rahmani, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Shekib Rahmani FILE – A student reads the Quran, Islam’s holy book, at a madrasa in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. The American concept of adoption doesn’t exist in Afghanistan. Under Islamic law, a child’s bloodline cannot be severed and their heritage is sacred. Instead of adoption, a guardianship system called kafala allows Muslims to take in orphans and raise them as family, without relinquishing the child’s name or bloodline. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Felipe Dana FILE – A cross erected on Candlers Mountain overlooks Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., Tuesday, April 21, 2015. Originally from Florida, Joshua Mast, who would be come a Marine Corps attorney, married his wife, Stephanie, and attended the evangelical Christian college. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Steve Helber PreviousNext The little girl, now 3 ½ years old, is at the center of a high-stakes tangle of at least four court cases. The Afghan couple, desperate to get her back, has sued Joshua and his wife Stephanie Mast. But the Masts insist they are her legal parents and “acted admirably” to protect her. They’ve asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit. The ordeal has drawn in the U.S. departments of Defense, Justice and State, which have argued that the attempt to spirit away a citizen of another country could significantly harm military and foreign relations. It has also meant that a child who survived a violent raid, was hospitalized for months and escaped the fall of Afghanistan has had to split her short life between two families, both of which now claim her. Five days after the Afghans arrived in the U.S., they say Mast – custody papers in hand – took her away. The Afghan woman collapsed onto the floor and pleaded with the Marine to give her baby back. Her husband said Mast had called him “brother” for months; so he begged him to act like one, with compassion. Instead, the Afghan family claims in court papers, Mast shoved the man and stomped his foot. That was more than a year ago. The Afghan couple hasn’t seen her since. “After they took her, our tears never stop,” the woman told The Associated Press. “Right now, we are just dead bodies. Our hearts are broken. We have no plans for a future without her. Food has no taste and sleep gives us no rest.” __ PULLED FROM THE RUBBLE The story of the baby unfolds in hundreds of pages of legal filings and documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, as well as interviews with those involved, pieced together in an AP investigation. In a federal lawsuit filed in September, the Afghan family accuses the Masts of false imprisonment, conspiracy, fraud and assault. The family has asked the court to shield their identity out of concerns for their relatives back in Afghanistan, and they communicated with AP on the condition of remaining anonymous. The Masts call the Afghan family’s claims “outrageous, unmerited attacks” on their integrity. They argue in court filings that they have worked “to protect the child from physical, mental or emotional harm.” They say the Afghan couple are “not her lawful parents,” and Mast’s attorney cast doubt on whether the Afghans were even related to the baby. “Joshua and Stephanie Mast have done nothing but ensure she receives the medical care she requires, at great personal expense and sacrifice, and provide her a loving home,” wrote the Masts’ attorneys. The baby’s identity has been kept private, listed only as Baby L or Baby Doe. The Afghan couple had given the baby an Afghan name; the Masts gave her an American one. Originally from Florida, Joshua Mast married his wife Stephanie and attended Liberty University, an evangelical Christian college in Lynchburg, Virginia. He graduated in 2008, and got his law degree there in 2014. In 2019, they were living with their sons in Palmyra, a small rural Virginia town, when Joshua Mast was sent on a temporary assignment to Afghanistan. Mast, then a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, was a military lawyer for the federal Center for Law and Military Operations. The U.S. Marines declined to comment publicly, along with other federal officials. That September in 2019 was one of the deadliest months of the entire U.S. occupation in Afghanistan, with more than 110 civilians killed in the first week alone. On Sept. 6, 2019, the U.S. attacked a remote compound. No details about this event are publicly available, but in court documents Mast claims that classified reports show the U.S. government “sent helicopters full of special operators to capture or kill” a foreign fighter. Mast said that rather than surrender, a man detonated a suicide vest; five of his six children in the room were killed, and their mother was shot to death while resisting arrest. Sehla Ashai and Maya Eckstein, attorneys for the Afghan couple, dispute Mast’s account. They say the baby’s parents were actually farmers, unaffiliated with any terrorist group. And they described the event as a tragedy that left two innocent civilians and five of their children dead. Both sides agree that when the dust settled, U.S. troops pulled the badly injured infant from the rubble. The baby had a fractured skull, broken leg and serious burns. She was about 2 months old. Mast called the baby a “victim of terrorism.” His attorney said she “miraculously survived.” __ “DO THE RIGHT THING” The baby was rushed to a military hospital, where she was placed in the care of the Defense Department. The International Committee of the Red Cross told AP that they began searching for her family with the Afghan government, often a plodding process in rural parts of the country where record-keeping is scant. At first, they didn’t even know the baby’s name. Meanwhile, Mast said, he was “aggressively” advocating to get her to the U.S. Over several months, he wrote to then-Vice President Mike Pence’s office, according to exhibits filed in court. He said his colleagues in the military tried to talk to President Donald Trump about the baby during a Thanksgiving visit to Bagram Airfield. Mast also said he made four requests over two weeks to then-White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, asking for help to medically evacuate the baby “to be treated in a safe environment.” The Masts were represented by Joshua’s brother Richard Mast, an attorney with the conservative Christian legal group Liberty Counsel, which says it is not involved in this case. None of the Masts responded to repeated requests for interviews. In emails to military officials, Mast alleged that Pence told the U.S. Embassy in Kabul to “make every effort” to get her to the United States. Mast signed his emails with a Bible verse: “‘Live for an Audience of one, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Pence’s spokesman, Marc Short, did not respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Embassy never heard from Pence’s office, said a Department of State official, who requested anonymity because they did not have permission to speak publicly about the situation. But they did begin getting highly unusual inquiries about the possibility of sending the baby to the U.S. The diplomats were rattled by the suggestion that the U.S. could just take her away; they believed the baby belonged to Afghanistan. “I was aware that it may not be smooth sailing ahead, but that just made me more determined to do the right thing,” the State Department official said. About six weeks after the baby was rescued, the U.S. Embassy called for a meeting, attended by representatives of the Red Cross, the Afghan government and the American military, including Mast. The State Department wanted to make sure everyone understood its position: Under international humanitarian law, the U.S. was obliged to do everything possible to reunite the baby with her next of kin. At the meeting, Mast asked about adoption, the State Department official said. Attendees from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs explained that by Afghan law and custom, they had t...

Biden Closely Tends His Pennsylvania Roots In Election Year https://digitalarkansasnews.com/biden-closely-tends-his-pennsylvania-roots-in-election-year/ WASHINGTON (AP) — As Democrats fight to keep control of the Senate, President Joe Biden has been practically absent from midterm election campaigning in pivotal states such as Georgia, Nevada and Ohio. But he keeps coming back to Pennsylvania, where he spent his childhood and his low approval ratings won’t keep him away. He plans to return on Thursday for the 14th time since taking office in January 2021, speaking about infrastructure in Pittsburgh and holding a fundraiser in Philadelphia for Democratic John Fetterman, who’s running for an open Senate seat. And Biden’s 15th trip is already scheduled for next week. Pennsylvania is only a short flight from Washington, making it the most convenient swing state for the president to visit. It’s also central to Biden’s political identity, even rivaling his home state of Delaware, which he represented as a senator for nearly four decades. With its communities of blue-collar white voters, Pennsylvania is an intimate test of whether Democrats can still win over the kind of people that Biden grew up with in Scranton, but more recently have thrown their support to Republicans and Donald Trump. “It’s personal for Joe Biden,” said Darrin Kelly, the president of the Allegheny/Fayette Central Labor Council. “He’s no stranger here, because he pretty much is one of us.” Kelly said Biden has followed through on his promises to organized labor, pushing policies that will help working people. But will that sink in on Election Day, Nov. 8? “Time will tell,” Kelly said. Biden’s approval ratings remain underwater in Pennsylvania, much as they do nationwide. But he still has “something of a home field advantage” when he visits, said Christopher Borick, an assistant professor of political science at Muhlenberg College in Allentown. “In Pennsylvania, he can still help more than he can hurt,” Borick said. Biden’s family moved to neighboring Delaware when he was 10 years old. He eventually began his political career there and was elected to the Senate in 1972. But he was often called Pennsylvania’s “third senator,” and he still peppers his speeches with references to Scranton. While speaking last summer in Macungie, a small town in Lehigh County, Biden mixed up his geography by saying “down the road in Bethlehem” rather than “up the road.” “I’m used to thinking from Scranton,” he explained. Biden returned to his birthplace almost exactly one year ago to promote his economic agenda. “I believe that home is where your character is etched, and I really mean that,” Biden said, adding that “it’s where your view of the world begins.” He reminisced about playing shortstop with the Green Ridge Little League, buying penny candy at Simmey’s and celebrating Mass at St. Paul’s. Although Biden expresses nostalgia for Scranton, it’s also where he came to understand the humiliation that economic struggles can bring. His dad couldn’t find work and the family had to move. “I think the longest walk a parent can make is up a short flight of stairs to tell their kid, ‘You can’t live here anymore,’” Biden said. “‘You can’t because dad doesn’t have a job.’ Or ‘mom don’t have a job.’” It’s the same kind of pain that he talks about when it comes to issues such as prescription drugs, asking his audience to put themselves in the shoes of a parent unable to afford insulin for a son or daughter with diabetes. “It’s not only a risk to your child’s life,” he said at the White House last year. “It deprives you of your dignity.” Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, who doesn’t face reelection until 2024, said Biden’s experience helps him connect with people who face their own challenges. “He’s able to understand what it’s like to struggle, and to understand people who are up against difficult circumstances,” Casey said. Fetterman is running against Republican Mehmet Oz, a heart surgeon who hosted a daytime television show for more than a decade. They’re competing to succeed Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, who did not seek reelection. Brittany Yanick, a spokeswoman for Oz, said Fetterman “would be a rubber stamp for the Biden agenda.” “Joe Biden and far-left Democrats like John Fetterman have sent the U.S. economy spiraling into a recession, caused crime to skyrocket, and allowed gas prices to reach record highs,” she said. Fetterman has faced scrutiny over his health since he had a stroke in May . On Wednesday he released a report from his doctor that said Fetterman “is recovering well from his stroke and his health has continued to improve” and concludes that he “has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that Biden has found Fetterman “just as capable” of serving as senator as ever. Fetterman is the lieutenant governor, and she said that “he’s doing that with great ability and heartfelt concern for the people of the commonwealth.” Pennsylvania has one of the country’s most expensive Senate races, and Biden will help Democrats with his fundraiser on Thursday. “We have the tin cup out,” said Jamie Perrapato, executive director of the pro-Democratic group Turn PA Blue. “This is a good time to reassure people, keep them focused, remind them of how important Pennsylvania is,” she said. Casey said “this is one of those years where it will be close,” befitting Pennsylvania’s status as a narrowly divided state. Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016, and Biden won it in 2020. Given that Biden intends to run for a second term in 2024, Casey said, “it doesn’t hurt to be in Pennsylvania in 2022.” Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More Here

RESTAURANT TRANSITIONS: Greek Fest Again Offers Takeout Only; El Herradero Nears For Former El Chico https://digitalarkansasnews.com/restaurant-transitions-greek-fest-again-offers-takeout-only-el-herradero-nears-for-former-el-chico/ Baklava and other baked goods are available for pick-up at the Greek Food Festival. (Democrat-Gazette file photo) The 35-year-old International Greek Food Festival, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday-Saturday at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 1100 Napa Valley Drive, Little Rock, is once again an order-online-pickup only event, as it has been since the start of the covid-19 pandemic. Fans may miss the performances and the gathering of international cultural influences, but of course for many it’s all about the food: hummus, gyros with tzatziki sauce, pastitsio, falafel, soutzoukakia (“Greek meatballs”), a Greek chicken dinner (new this year, we’re told) and Greek salad; baked goods include baklava, chocolate baklava and baklava crumbles, sugar cookies and kourambiethes (Greek wedding cookies). Order online via greekfoodfest.myshopify.com or Greekfoodfest.com and pick up at what in the past few years has been an extraordinarily efficient drive-thru pickup process. Proceeds go, as always, to area nonprofits — this year’s recipients are Community Connections, Easterseals Arkansas, Youth Home, Ronald McDonald House Charities and The Centers for Youth and Families. ■  ■  ■ What is going into the former El Chico, 8409 Interstate 30, Little Rock, on the frontage road off Geyer Springs Road, has been the subject of numerous recent queries, but now we know it’s to be another Mexican restaurant: Signs for El Herradero Mexican Bar & Grill went up there last week. We’re still short on details, but we found a Facebook page, facebook.com/elherraderolr, and this post thereon: “Our sign is on but we aren’t open just yet, give us just a little more time for you to be able to dine.” Checking backward, we also found a building permit that the city Planning Department issued in January to one Alvero Romero for work at that address for $151,500, while in 2021 it was being advertised by an online broker as “Rare restaurant opportunity with all furniture, fixtures, and equipment in place; convenient access to I-30 & Geyer Springs Road exit.” Meanwhile, we’ve also been getting fairly frequent inquiries about the status of another Little Rock Mexican restaurant, Riviera Maya, 801 Fair Park Blvd., closed since an end-of-March fire, where we have seen workmen at work within the past week. Management at the other Riviera Maya, 11701 Interstate 30, Little Rock, tells us they expect the restaurant to reopen early next year, perhaps February or March.     The La Casa de mi Abuelita food truck has set up to serve lunch and dinner at Stone’s Throw Brewing’s MacArthur Park brewpub. (Democrat-Gazette file photo/Eric E. Harrison)   And one more Mexican cuisine entry this week: The La Casa de mi Abuelita (Mawmaw’s House) food truck has set up for full-time food service at Stone’s Throw Brewing’s MacPark BrewPub & Biergarten, 402 E. Ninth St. Little Rock, serving cheese dip, tacos (birria, chicken and truffle corn), burgers, quesadillas and soups, 4-8:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4-9:30 p.m. Friday, noon-9:30 p.m. Saturday, noon-8:30 p.m. Sunday. (501) 244-9154; stonesthrowbeer.com. ■  ■  ■ A banner on the former Burger King at 2505 Arkansas 161, North Little Rock, proclaims, “Coming soon: Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken.” We’re lacking details, but we found a restaurant chain by that name in and around Los Angeles and two restaurants also by that name in the Houston area. Could be a connection, could be meaningless. In a post last week on its Facebook page (facebook.com/eat3fold), Three Fold Noodles and Dumpling Co., citing “soaring inflation and talks of recession,” started offering discounts — “10% off every Three Fold purchase and 15% off all Three Fold Family Feasts until further notice” — at both locations: 611 Main St. downtown and in the Pleasant Valley Town Center, 11525 Cantrell Road, in west Little Rock. eat3fold.com. Mark Abernathy is bringing back Blue Mesa Grill Thursdays, starting Oct. 27, to Red Door, 3701 Cantrell Road, Little Rock. It features menu items from Blue Mesa, which Abernathy operated in the early ’90s on Merrill Drive in west Little Rock, for which Abernathy has fond memories and which was definitely ahead of its time. Among other items of Southwest cuisine, the menu introduced to Arkansans “America’s First White Cheese Dip” (still on the menu at Abernathy’s Loca Luna). Thursday hours are 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-8:30 p.m. (501) 666-8482; reddoorrestaurant.net. The Root Cafe, 1500 Main St., Little Rock hosts the sixth annual Traditional Pie Bake-off and Recipe Swap, an official Central Arkansas Library System Six Bridges Book Festival event, 4 p.m. Sunday. Bring your best pie(s) and copies of the recipe if you’d like to trade with other bakers — no entry fee and no advance registration required. Prepare six bites for the five judges — Fidel Samour of Fidel & Co, Katie McGowan of Love Spell Tattoo, Lisa Ford of Wild Sweet William’s Bakery, the Arkansas Times’ Rhett Brinkley and KTHV weatherman Skot Covert — and the emcee, Kevin Shalin of The Mighty Rib. Judging criteria are appearance, flavor, and texture; at stake, cash and gift card prizes, five blue ribbons, five red ribbons and one best-in-show grand award. The Lili’s Mexican Street Food food truck will be on hand. (501) 414-0423; therootcafe.com; facebook.com/rootcafe. A meal catered by Trio’s, a ghost-hunting demonstration led by Rhonda Burton of Arkansas Ghost Catchers and a tour of the Haunted Tower led by Linda Howell of Haunted Tours of Little Rock are part of the “Specter Supper,” a fundraiser for MacArthur Park, 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. Tickets are $75. Visit tinyurl.com/5b86z2vh.     Rock Town Distillery’s head distiller, Phil Brandon, shows off the 12th anniversary Arkansas Single Malt. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)   And Rock Town Distillery is releasing its 12th anniversary whiskey: Arkansas Single Malt, aged in used bourbon barrels for 22 months and then, in 2019, dumped into a re-charred 500-liter sherry cask from Bodegas Alvear in Spain’s Jerez region, where it aged for an additional 34 months. (Total aging time: 56 months, or 4.7 years.) It’s currently available at the distillery, 1200 Main St., Little Rock. (501) 907-5244; info@rocktowndistillery.com; rocktowndistillery.com. Has a restaurant opened — or closed — near you in the last week or so? Does your favorite eatery have a new menu? Is there a new chef in charge? Drop us a line. Send email to: eharrison@adgnewsroom.com Read More…

AP News Summary At 2:39 A.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-239-a-m-edt-2/ Ukraine’s utilities threatened by Russia in war’s new phase KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has declared its intention to increase its targeting of Ukraine’s power, water and other vital infrastructure in its latest phase of the nearly 8-month-old war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Moscow’s forces have destroyed 30% of the country’s power stations since Oct. 10. But Ukrainians are vowing to stand firm despite the attacks that threaten cuts in electricity, water and heat. They say they have stockpiled flashlights, candles and firewood. They have stored up canned and preserved vegetables as well as bottled water. And they have plenty of blankets and warm clothing. They also are used to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s using energy as a weapon. Election deniers could make deep changes to Arizona voting PHOENIX (AP) — The Republicans running for Arizona’s three top statewide offices have said they would not have signed off on the presidential results if they had held office in 2020. They’ve also signaled that they want to overhaul the battleground state’s elections. Election experts say any one of the candidates running for governor, secretary of state or attorney general, if they win in November, could try to tilt the 2024 election toward former President Donald Trump if he runs again for president. That could happen through a refusal to certify an election he loses or through pre-emptive changes to the election process that could make it less likely for a Democrat to win. WHO Syria boss accused of corruption, fraud, abuse, AP finds LONDON (AP) — Staffers at the World Health Organization’s Syrian office have alleged that their boss mismanaged millions of dollars, plied government officials with gifts — including computers, gold coins and cars — and acted frivolously as COVID-19 swept the country. More than 100 confidential documents, messages and other materials obtained by The Associated Press show WHO officials told investigators that the agency’s Syria representative, Dr. Akjemal Magtymova, engaged in abusive behavior, pressured WHO staff to sign contracts with Syrian government politicians and consistently misspent taxpayer funds. Complaints from at least a dozen personnel have triggered one of the biggest internal WHO probes in years, at times involving more than 20 investigators. Fleeing Xi’s China, journalist makes fresh start abroad BEIJING (AP) — Chinese investigative journalist Wang Zhi’an once exposed corruption, land seizures, and medical malpractice for state broadcaster CCTV. Today, he’s in exile in Japan, and starting again as an independent journalist on YouTube. His journey from on-air personality in China’s vast state media apparatus to reporter in exile illustrates how even government-backed critical reporting has been curtailed under Xi Jinping, China’s most authoritarian leader since Mao Zedong. Under Xi, China’s once feisty reporters have fallen in line. As Communist Party members meet this week in Beijing, preparing to reaffirm Xi as party leader, Wang faces the prospect of indefinite exile. Arizona farm gives refuge from pain, for man and beast alike CORNVILLE, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona farm is drawing mourning parents from around the globe seeking solace after the loss of a child. Selah Carefarm, just outside the red rocks of Sedona, is a one-of-a-kind patch of land where the grieving can receive counseling and gather with others who’ve experienced a traumatic loss. They also spend time with dozens of animals, many who have sad stories of their own, as victims of abuse and neglect. The farm is run by an Arizona State University professor, Joanne Cacciatore, whose baby daughter died during delivery in 1994, spurring a search for answers. She’s focused her research on grief. LA Councilman de Leon says he will not resign amid uproar LOS ANGELES (AP) — Embattled Los Angeles Councilman Kevin de Leon says he will not resign amid an uproar over a leaked tape that revealed him participating in a meeting in which Latino officials made crude, racist remarks and plotted to expand their political power. The scandal already has led to the resignation of former City Council President Nury Martinez and calls from President Joe Biden for those involved to step down. De Leon tells the Univision Spanish-language station Wednesday that he is “so sorry” and wants to continue working on homelessness and other problems in his district. New Zealand farmers hit streets to protest cow-burp tax plan WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Farmers across New Zealand have taken to the streets in their tractors to protest government plans to tax cow burps and other greenhouse gas emissions, although the rallies were smaller than expected. Lobby group Groundswell New Zealand helped organize protests around the country, the biggest involving a few dozen vehicles. Last week, the government proposed the new tax as part of its plan to tackle climate change. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has pledged the nation will be carbon neutral by 2050. Farmers say they are good environmental stewards and that the tax might send food production to other countries. Cardi B battles with lawyer in racy mixtape artwork case SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Cardi B had a heated exchange Wednesday with the lawyer of a man who alleges the rapper misused his likeness for her sexually suggestive mixtape cover art. The Grammy winner argued with Kevin Michael Brophy’s lawyer about key points in Brophy’s $5 million copyright infringement lawsuit. Brophy claims that he did not consent to such a use of his likeness in the 2016 artwork – which showed a tattooed man from behind with his head between the rapper’s legs. But Cardi B pointed out that the man’s face cannot be seen. She has said an artist used only a “small portion” of the tattoos without her knowledge and says she feels harassed by the case. Mysterious breeding habits of aquarium fish vex experts PENYABANGAN, Indonesia (AP) — Experts around the world are tinkering over water temperature, futzing with lights and trying different mixes of microscopic food particles in hopes of happening upon the particular and peculiar set of conditions that will inspire ornamental fish to breed. Experts are hoping to steer the aquarium fish trade away from wild-caught fish, which are often caught with poisons that can hurt coral ecosystems. Currently only some 4% of aquarium fish can be bred in captivity, largely because many have elaborate reproductive cycles that require sometimes mysterious conditions that scientists and breeders have struggled to reproduce. Pandas sent by China arrive in Qatar ahead of World Cup AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) — A pair of giant pandas sent as a gift from China have arrived in Qatar ahead of next month’s World Cup. They will take up residence Wednesday in an indoor enclosure in the desert nation designed to duplicate conditions in the dense forests of China’s mountainous Sichuan province. Eight hundred kilograms (nearly 1,800 pounds) of fresh bamboo will be flown in each week to feed them. Qatar is expecting some 1.2 million visitors for the monthlong World Cup beginning Nov. 20. The gas-rich Gulf nation will be the first Muslim or Arab country to host the world’s biggest sporting event. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Oklahoma Democrat Mocked For Rightly Claiming State Has Higher Crime Than New York And California https://digitalarkansasnews.com/oklahoma-democrat-mocked-for-rightly-claiming-state-has-higher-crime-than-new-york-and-california/ Democratic challenger Joy Hofmeister was mocked by the audience and Oklahoma’s governor Kevin Stitt when she stated that violent crime rates are higher in the state than in New York and California. © AP Election 2022-Oklahoma-Governor The two candidates faced off during their only scheduled debate on Wednesday evening at the Will Rogers Theatre in Oklahoma City as the race heated up just ahead of mid-term elections in less than a month. “The fact is the rate of violent crime is higher in Oklahoma under your watch than in New York and California, that’s a fact,” Ms Hofmeister said. The audience at the venue burst into laughter and clapped when Mr Stitt dismissed her rival’s claim and asked the audience if they believed her. Mr Stitt interjected “it is not true” as she spoke. He asked the audience: “Oklahomans do you believe that we have higher crime rates than New York and California? That’s what she said,” he told the audience. In reality, however, the crime rate in Oklahoma increased to 458 per 100,000 people in 2022 and was among the top ten US states to record the highest crime at the sixth spot, according to World Population Review’s state-wise crime record data. In New York and California the crime rate was 363 and 442 per 100,000 people respectively. According to the FBI’s 2021 Crime in the Nation Report, Oklahoma recorded 15,681 violent crimes reported in 2021 or 393 for every 100,000 people. The state had the 10th highest violent crime rate in the US’ 41 states with available data. During the debate, Ms Hofmeister attacked Mr Stitt by saying he engaged in “cronyism” and “corruption”. The Republican said Ms Hofmeister is beholden to “special interests”. The race is being watched closely as Ms Hofmeister, the state’s superintendent of public education in 2014 and 2018, was a registered Republican until last year but switched party last year to announce her candidacy for governor. Mr Stitt is endorsed by former president Donald Trump and Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin. Ms Hofmeister appeared to distance herself from Biden administration’s policies as she said she is “aggressively moderate”. She attacked Republicans by saying “Oklahomans are tired of the extremism, they are tired of fighting the chaos and division”. Several new polls have shown that Ms Hofmeister has a shot at winning the race, a significant shift after averaging more than 16 points behind Mr Stitt in July polls. From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate – The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here. Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Read More Here

Russia Ramps Up Relocation Of Civilians In Kherson. It May Soon Lose One Of The Biggest Prizes Of Its War | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/russia-ramps-up-relocation-of-civilians-in-kherson-it-may-soon-lose-one-of-the-biggest-prizes-of-its-war-cnn/ CNN  —  The Russian-installed leaders in Ukraine’s Kherson region on Wednesday began massively ramping up the relocation of up to 60,000 people amid warnings over Russia’s ability to withstand a Ukrainian counter-offensive. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of generating “hysteria” to compel people to leave. Residents in the city of Kherson began to receive text messages on Wednesday morning from the pro-Russian administration. “Dear residents,” it read. “Evacuate immediately. There will be shelling of residential areas by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There will be buses from 7:00, from Rechport [River port] to the Left Bank.” Meanwhile on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he had signed a law introducing martial law in Kherson and three other Ukrainian regions the Kremlin claims to have annexed, in violation of international law. The other regions are Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk. In his first outing on Russian state television as the Kremlin’s new commander for Ukraine, General Sergey Surovikin said Tuesday evening that the situation in Kherson was “far from simple” and “very difficult.” “Our further plans and actions towards the city of Kherson will depend on the military and tactical situation on the ground,” he said. Ukrainian forces have been advancing through several parts of the Kherson region in recent weeks, capturing villages and farmland along the western bank of the Dnipro River, also known as the right bank. Russia’s ability to resupply its troops in Kherson has been severely hampered by frequent Ukrainian missile and artillery strikes on Russian-controlled bridges crossing the Dnipro. The explosion earlier this month that badly damaged the Kerch bridge, which connects Russia to Crimea, further bottlenecked Russia’s logistics. Last week the head of the Russian-backed administration appealed to the Kremlin to help with the evacuation of civilians near the frontline. On Tuesday, the rhetoric hit a new level. Just past 11 p.m. local time (4 p.m. ET), Kirill Stremousov, the deputy head of the Russian-backed administration, posted a video to his Telegram channel. “The Ukrainian Nazis pushed by the West will start their attack on Kherson very soon,” he said. “We are strongly advising to leave the right bank area.” This morning, just after 8 a.m., he followed that up with: “Cross as quickly as possible onto the left bank [the eastern side] of river Dnipro.” Hours later, the Russian-backed administration went so far as to close off all entry to the right bank of the Dnipro River for seven days. Ukrainian officials believe that fewer than half of Kherson’s civilian population are left in the city – around 130,000 people. Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-backed leader in the Kherson region, told Russian state television on Tuesday evening that they planned to move 50,000 to 60,000 people from the right to the left bank of the Dnipro River. Hear what Russian officials texted Ukrainian residents under Putin’s martial law order 03:00 – Source: CNN The Ukrainian leaders-in-exile of the Kherson region accuse the Russia leaders of drumming up “hysteria” to intimidate the population and enact “voluntary deportations” to Russia, where they’ve been promised help with housing. “On the one hand, we understand that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will liberate Kherson and the region – accordingly, there may be active hostilities, and this is a risk for the local population,” Yurii Sobolevskyi, deputy head of Ukraine’s regional council for Kherson, told CNN on Wednesday. “On the other hand, there are no guarantees that the evacuated people will be safe there and far from the front line. Now people make their own decisions – to leave or stay. It is difficult to say what decision they will make.” The “massive deportation of civilians” by Russia could, along with other alleged abuses, constitute crimes against humanity, according to a July report by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In September, the UN Security Council also said Russia’s forcible deportation of 2.5 million people from Ukraine – including 38,000 children – constitutes human rights violations. Ukraine denounced Russia’s “filtration” scheme at a United Nations Security Council meeting last week. Deputy Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN Khrystyna Hayovyshyn said Ukrainians forced to head to Russia or Russian-controlled territory are being killed and tortured. Hayovyshyn told the Security Council that thousands of Ukrainian citizens are being forcefully deported to “isolated and depressed regions of Siberia and the far east. Ukrainian citizens are terrorized, under the pretense of a search for “dangerous” people by Russian authorities, Hayovyshyn said. Those who have different political views or are affiliated with the Ukrainian government or media disappear into a gray area. Children are ripped from the arms of their parents, the Ukraine representative declared. In the heady early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when confusion reigned, the capture of the southern city of Kherson was a key strategic and propaganda victory for the Kremlin. On just the seventh day of the war, Kherson’s mayor announced that Russian soldiers had entered his office, and the city had fallen. Geographically, it was vital: Kherson lies on the mouth of Ukraine’s central artery, the Dnipro River, and not far from the canal that supplies water to Crimea. Ukraine’s government had shut that canal down in 2014, when Russia illegally annexed the peninsula. It was the first major city Russia captured, and the only regional capital taken since February. (In addition to Crimea, Russian-backed forces have controlled Donetsk and Luhansk cities since 2014.) It’s the second-biggest population center that Russia has captured after Mariupol. Seventh months later, the Kremlin considers the Kherson region to be part of Russia, after claiming to annex it last month. And yet, everyone from Russia’s designated leaders in the region to the new commander of its entire Ukrainian war effort are sounding the alarm on their ability to withstand a Ukrainian offensive in the region. Russia’s puppet administration has promised that there is no plan to abandon Kherson city, and that once the military “solve all of the tasks,” normal life will return. In his remarks on Russian television, Surovikin, the Russian commander, repeated what has become a bit of a trope in Russian circles: That the Ukrainian military was preparing to shell Kherson’s city center, of even to strike the dam that’s part of a hydroelectric plant at Nova Kakhovka, and unleash floodwaters on low-lying areas downstream. Ukrainian officials have dismissed that idea as Russian propaganda. It will not be easy for Ukraine to retake Kherson city if Russia seriously contests it, and the Ukrainian military will be reluctant to attack an urban center where tens of thousands of civilians could remain. But Ukraine’s military brass remain bullish over the Kherson offensive. “We will make significant progress by the end of the year,” the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, said on Tuesday. “These will be significant victories. You will see it soon.” Read More Here

Ga. Southern Student From Atlanta Dies After Being Hit By Plane Propeller On Date https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ga-southern-student-from-atlanta-dies-after-being-hit-by-plane-propeller-on-date/ Sani Aliyu, 21, and a woman were passengers in a 2005 Cessna 172S that flew to Statesboro to pick the two up for their first date, authorities said. The pilot and co-pilot were friends of Aliyu and agreed to help him with the date, Bulloch Coroner Jake Futch told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The plane is registered in Brooksville, Florida, which is where the pilots took off. They picked up the couple in Statesboro, flew them to Savannah for dinner and returned to the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport, Futch said. They landed safely around 10:35 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said. Ten minutes later, an incident report shows that the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office was called to the airport to investigate Aliyu’s death. “The girl got off the plane and walked toward the back of the airplane and then he walked toward the front,” Futch said. “When he did that, the propeller hit him twice in the head and once on the left shoulder.” The cause of death was classified as cerebral lacerations, Futch said. Aliyu was pronounced dead at the scene. Aliyu was a sophomore at Georgia Southern studying management and is originally from Nigeria, a university spokesperson said. Futch confirmed that Aliyu lived on Lenox Road in Atlanta. “We were deeply saddened to hear about the tragic incident that involved one of our students Sunday night,” Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Aileen Dowell said. “I have already been in touch with his family and professors and we have mobilized all available resources to provide counseling and any other assistance the university can give.” The incident was turned over to the criminal investigations division at the sheriff’s office, but they confirmed it was standard practice for all similar cases to be investigated criminally. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will also be investigating. Read More Here

China Considers Cutting COVID Quarantine For Visitors – Bloomberg News https://digitalarkansasnews.com/china-considers-cutting-covid-quarantine-for-visitors-bloomberg-news/ Advertisement Recommended Stories In The Know by Yahoo Ring doorbell captures UPS driver’s lightning-fast reflexes when 4-year-old is pinned by 100-lb. package The driver went into “full dad mode” and sprinted across the busy road without a second thought. 11h ago INSIDER Federal judge finds that Trump lied under oath about voter fraud in Georgia while trying to overturn the 2020 election results Trump “knew that the specific numbers of voter fraud were wrong” but touted them “both in court and to the public,” Judge David Carter wrote. 5h ago Ad•Fisher Investments Why this Ad? Go ad-free* AdBlunder #10: Mismanaging Retirement Withdrawals Making the wrong withdrawals could put your retirement at risk. Individuals with $500k or more should read 13 Retirement Investment Blunders to Avoid. 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Go ad-free* AdMesothelioma Cancer Stages | Free Guide Learn About Life Expectancy and Treatments for Each Stage of Mesothelioma in Our Free Guide. INSIDER The Trumps really, really, wanted a new judge in NY’s $250M fraud lawsuit. But that judge’s boss just said no. Donald Trump has lost his bid to switch courtrooms. His lawyers had repeatedly tried to escape the judge who once held him in contempt. 4h ago Associated Press Videos Drivers are left deflated on the freeway KABC in Los Angeles reported that more than 30 drivers got flat tires along the 405 freeway in Los Angeles. (Oct. 19) 2h ago Ukrayinska Pravda Recruited Russian convicts flee from war in Ukraine General Staff report UKRAINSKA PRAVDA – WEDNESDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2022, 18:57 Military personnel who were recruited for the war in Ukraine from Russian prisons are leaving their units with weapons in hand and trying to return to the Russian Federation. 13h ago Ad•ClearBridge Investments Why this Ad? Go ad-free* AdClearBridge 2022 Stewardship Report The annual report highlights Clearbridge’s engagements on pressing sustainability issues including climate inflation, carbon capture and the UN SDGs. LA Times LeBron James and Russell Westbrook had plenty to say after Lakers’ loss to Warriors LeBron James says the Lakers must keep shooting threes even though they aren’t good at it. Russell Westbrook blames bench role for pulled hamstring. 6h ago Fox News New Gabby Petito video shows her ‘exhausted,’ ‘scared’ hours before her murder: body language expert Body language expert Susan Constantine has analyzed the newly emerged Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie surveillance video from hours before the 2021 murder. 1d ago Yahoo TV Trump drops F-bombs and shares possibly sensitive information in newly released audio Trump spoke about Russia’s nuclear capabilities, his relationship with authoritarian leaders, and having his staff sign non-disclosure agreements. 22h ago Ad•BeverlyHills MD Deep Wrinkle Filler Why this Ad? Go ad-free* AdThis Covers Wrinkles Like Crazy (Try Tonight) Dr. John Layke – one of the best cosmetic surgery doctors in Beverly Hills says to do this daily if you have wrinkles! Yahoo Sports Magic rookie Paolo Banchero has biggest debut for a No. 1 pick since LeBron James Banchero had 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists. 2h ago Shadow and Act Tyra Banks Anger ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Fans For Her Comments During Selma Blair’s Last Dance: ‘Get Rid Of Her’ Tyra Banks is upsetting Dancing with the Stars viewers once again with her annoying, cringy comments. 12h ago NBC Sports Kyle Petty: Bubba Wallace should have been suspended for rest of year NBC Sports analyst Kyle Petty explains why Bubba Wallace should have been suspended the rest of the year for intentionally wrecking Kyle Larson. 5h ago Ad•Search Ads | Tarzo Why this Ad? Go ad-free* AdSurprisingly Cheap Senior Living In Naples (see prices) These luxury senior living houses are now available at incredibly low prices. Search your options! The Tuscaloosa News Alabama’s Nick Saban releases statement about Jermaine Burton video after Tennessee game Alabama football coach Nick Saban released a statement about Jermaine Burton and a postgame incident after Tennessee. 9h ago BuzzFeed Matthew Perry Reflected On Taking 55 Vicodin Every Day At One Point While Filming “Friends”: “I Couldn’t Stop Because The Disease And The Addiction Is Progressive” “Season 9 was the year that I was sober the whole way through. And guess which season I got nominated for best actor? I was like, ‘That should tell me something.'”View Entire Post › 9h ago Blavity Richard Sherman And Marshawn Lynch Have Not-So-Nice Things To Say About Former Teammate Russell Wilson When it comes to Russell Wilson, former teammates Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch are not as enchanted as the rest of the world. 1d ago Ad•Amazon.com Why this Ad? Go ad-free* AdUniversal Projector Ceiling Mount Multiple Adjustm Amazon.com Business Insider The Russian pilots who ejected from a military plane moments before it crashed into an apartment building and killed 13 people could face charges, Russia says The pilots could face a punishment of “deprivation of liberty” for up to seven years, according to Russia’s criminal code. 2d ago USA TODAY Sports Bob Costas addresses accusations of bias during Yankees-Guardians AL Division Series Bob Costas went on a Cleveland radio show to break down the Yankees-Guardians series and the criticism he received for showing bias. 11h ago NBC Sports BayArea Kawhi Leonard gives classic answer on not watching Warriors-Lakers game Kawhi Leonard explained to reporters on Wednesday why he didn’t watch the Warriors-Lakers opening night matchup. 4h ago Read More Here

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index Hits 13-Year Low; Yen Inches Near 150 Against U.S. Dollar https://digitalarkansasnews.com/hong-kongs-hang-seng-index-hits-13-year-low-yen-inches-near-150-against-u-s-dollar-2/ An employee works at the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Toru Hanai | Bloomberg via Getty Images Shares in the Asia-Pacific traded lower on Thursday as economic fears weigh. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong fell 2.42% after briefly dropping 3%, hitting its lowest level since May 2009. The Hang Seng Tech index was 3.42% lower at the lunch break. Kelvin Tay, regional chief investment officer at UBS, said the steep drop in Hong Kong markets is due to the government’s “unprecedented silence on key economic indicators.” “It’s largely because of concerns over the economic outlook and a rise of Covid cases in the middle of the party congress in Beijing,” he said. The offshore yuan strengthened more than 0.2% to 7.2513 per dollar after Bloomberg reported that officials are debating reducing Covid quarantines to 7 days from 10 days. The currency touched a record low against the U.S. dollar overnight, weakening to 7.2745 per dollar. Mainland China markets were lower heading into the lunch break. The Shanghai Composite fell 0.39% and the Shenzhen Component slipped 0.602%. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 lost 1.38% and the Topix shed 0.91%. The Japanese yen reached yet another fresh 32-year low of 149.95 against the greenback. The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia declined 1.35%. South Korea’s Kospi dipped 1.6% and the Kosdaq was 2.11% lower. The MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.72%. U.S. stocks fell as Treasury yields climbed on Wednesday stateside, with the benchmark 10-year yield touching 4.138%, the highest level since July 23, 2008. The Nasdaq Composite shed 0.85% to close at 10,680.51, while the S&P 500 declined 0.67% to 3,695.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 99.99 points, or 0.33%, to finish the day at 30,423.81. — CNBC’s Chery Kang, Jesse Pound and Tanaya Macheel contributed to this report. DoubleLine Capital’s Gundlach says Treasury yields may peak before the end of the year DoubleLine Capital CEO Jeffrey Gundlach said U.S. Treasury yields “may well be peaking between now and year-end.” “Note how the long end is flat,” he said in a tweet, following a list of current yield levels. “Sign of yield increase exhaustion.” The 10-year Treasury yield ticked up as high as 4.154% after reaching the highest level since July 2008 during the U.S. markets session. It was last at 4.1485%. The 2-year Treasury note last traded at 4.5695% while the 5-year note traded at 4.3712%. –Jihye Lee Australia’s unemployment rate steady at 3.5% The unemployment rate in Australia for September was unchanged from the previous month at 3.5%, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics – in line with expectations of analysts in a Reuters poll. Diana Mousina, senior economist at AMP Capital, said she expects the unemployment rate to stay in current levels in the near-term before rising next year. “Employment growth would need to slow down significantly to see a rise in the unemployment rate in the short-term,” she wrote in a note. — Abigail Ng CNBC Pro: Taking cover in bonds ahead of a recession? BlackRock says that’s an ‘obsolete’ playbook Recession fears are roiling markets, but the typical playbook of taking cover in sovereign bonds is “obsolete,” says BlackRock. “In this environment, bond vigilantes are back and heralding term premium’s return,” BlackRock said, adding that it’s underweight on government bonds. The asset manager says that investors can still buy other types of bonds, however. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Weizhen Tan China keeps benchmark lending rates unchanged China’s central bank left its benchmark lending rates unchanged for a second consecutive month, matching expectations by most analysts in a Reuters poll. The People’s Bank of China said it would hold the one-year loan prime rate at 3.65%, and the five-year rate at 4.30%, according to an announcement. The PBOC earlier in the week also announced it would hold its medium-term policy loan rates steady. —Jihye Lee Tech stocks in Hong Kong plunge, drag down wider index Hong Kong-listed shares of technology companies dropped sharply in early trade, with the Hang Seng Tech index down 4.6% and dragging down the wider Hang Seng index. Heavyweight Alibaba was down 6.12%, while Tencent shed 4.26%. Bilibili plunged 7.75%, while JD.com lost 5.82%. Meituan declined 6.23%. — Abigail Ng Japanese yen nears 150 against the U.S. dollar The Japanese yen edged close to 150 against the greenback, at levels not seen since August 1990. It was last at 149.94 per dollar. The yen hovered around 159.8 levels in April 1990, and last breached 160-levels in December 1986. Japanese officials commented against further weakening of the currency Thursday, with Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki saying the government will take “appropriate steps against excess volatility,” Reuters reported. “Recent rapid and one-sided yen declines are undesirable. We absolutely cannot tolerate excessively volatile moves driven by speculative trading,” he said. –Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: Chip stocks have been down all year — but one looks ‘really inviting’, says fund manager Semiconductor stocks have been beaten down this year, but investors with a longer-term view on the importance of chips to secular trends such as 5G, electrification and artificial intelligence could look to buy the dip. Hedge fund manager David Neuhauser shares one chip stock he likes. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong Japan’s trade deficit for September narrows slightly Japan’s trade deficit for September was at 2.09 trillion yen ($13.97 billion), according to provisional figures from the government – missing estimated figures by a Reuters poll expecting a deficit of 2.17 trillion yen. The country reported a trade deficit of 2.82 trillion yen in August. Exports for the month of September were at 8.82 trillion yen, while imports were at 10.9 trillion yen. Japan’s trade deficit for the first half of fiscal year 2022-2023 is the largest on record, the finance ministry was quoted as saying in a Reuters report. Japan’s fiscal year starts in April, and the deficit for the April to September period was 11 trillion yen, data showed. — Abigail Ng China’s offshore yuan hits record low overnight The offshore yuan touched a record low of 7.2745 against the dollar overnight as the Communist Party of China’s National Congress continues. The offshore yuan last changed hands at 7.2708 per dollar. “A very large uncertainty is when the Chinese government eases its strict zero-Covid policy,” according to a note by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Analysts wrote that the strict measures are seen to remain until early 2023. “The restrictions will prolong the period of weakness in China’s economy and keep AUD/USD and NZD/USD undervalued for longer and push USD/CNH up to 7.30,” the note said. The risk-sensitive Australian dollar was weaker at $0.6264 early in Asia, while the New Zealand dollar changed hands at $0.5662. — Abigail Ng Investors weigh rising Treasury yields Investors monitored Treasury yields for recession signals Wednesday even as a stronger-than-expected start to earnings season has helped buoy markets this week. Of the 64 companies in the S&P 500 that have posted third-quarter results through Wednesday, 69.4% have beaten expectations, according to FactSet data. Still, surging Treasury yields have helped stocks get back to “real life” on Wednesday, according to comments from LPL Financial’s Quincy Krosby. On Wednesday, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose as high as 4.136%, or its highest level since July 2008. “A steady 3-month/10-year inversion would reinforce the Treasury market’s signal that a recession is in the offing, since it has the reputation of predicting a serious economic downturn,” Krosby wrote. — Sarah Min Read More Here

Election Deniers Could Make Deep Changes To Arizona Voting https://digitalarkansasnews.com/election-deniers-could-make-deep-changes-to-arizona-voting/ PHOENIX (AP) — Gathered at a table in the state Capitol a little less than two years ago, two Republicans and a Democrat took part in a ceremony proscribed in state law that made official Joe Biden’s 10,500-vote victory in Arizona’s 2020 presidential contest. While sifting through pages, pen in hand and cameras rolling, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey stopped to silence the “hail to the chief” ringtone on his cell phone. It was a call from President Donald Trump, who was in the midst of a frenetic fight to reverse the results of the election he had lost. Ducey continued signing the papers, in what some saw as a dramatic affirmation of democracy at work. How a similar scene would play out in 2024 if the three Republicans running for the top statewide offices win in November is anyone’s guess. Each has said they would not have signed off on the 2020 results if they had held office at the time. Kari Lake, the Republican candidate for governor, and Mark Finchem, running for secretary of state, have signaled support for vastly overhauling election rules. Lake, Finchem and Abraham Hamadeh, the attorney general nominee, are running for offices that play a central role in administering or certifying elections and earned Trump’s support by spreading falsehoods about the 2020 election. “When you have stolen, corrupt elections, you have serious consequences, even deadly consequences,” Lake said in June while she was competing in the GOP primary. “And unfortunately, we had a stolen election, and we actually have an illegitimate president sitting in the White House.” FILE – Republican candidate for Arizona Attorney General, Abraham Hamadeh, smiles prior to a televised debate against Democrat Kris Mayes on Sept. 28, 2022. The Republicans running for Arizona’s three top statewide offices have said they would not have signed off on the presidential results if they had held office in 2020 and have signaled that they want to overhaul the battleground state’s elections.(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Ross D. Franklin FILE – Arizona Secretary of State Republican candidate Mark Finchem listens to instructions prior to debating Democratic challenger Adrian Fontes, on Sept. 22, 2022, in Phoenix. The Republicans running for Arizona’s three top statewide offices have said they would not have signed off on the presidential results if they had held office in 2020 and have signaled that they want to overhaul the battleground state’s elections.(AP Photo/Matt York, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matt York PreviousNext Multiple reviews in battleground state s, including in Arizona, dozens of court cases and Trump’s own Department of Justice have found there was no widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Despite that, Republican candidates up and down the ballot continue to deny the legitimacy of Biden’s election. Several are running for governor, secretary of state or attorney general in some of the battleground states where Trump disputed his loss, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Nevada. The possibility of those candidates winning in November raises questions about what they might do regarding elections and certification of results once in office, especially in regard to the 2024 presidential race. Arizona’s candidates for top statewide office offer a window into that possible future. Election experts say any of the three, if elected, could try to tilt the 2024 election toward Trump if he runs again for president. That could happen through a refusal to certify an election he loses or long before that through pre-emptive changes to the election process. Arizona has a recent history of extremely close elections, so small changes to its election laws could have a huge impact on the outcome and reverberate nationally. The Republicans say they’re motivated by boosting faith in elections, not returning Trump to power or helping his allies. For her part, Lake said last month that she would certify the 2024 election if courts did not substantiate any official election challenges. That answer runs counter to her message through much of her campaign, when she said she would not have certified the 2020 results despite courts rejecting all challenges. Finchem said in a text message that he would certify the election “as long as all lawful votes are counted and all votes cast are under the law.” He did not respond to follow-up questions about who decides if the votes were lawful or whether he would accept results of court proceedings. Hamadeh said in a statement that he would “faithfully follow the law.” The governor, secretary of state and attorney general in Arizona wield enormous power over election decisions big and small. If all three win, the steps they could take would be nearly limitless, according to Arizona election attorneys deeply versed in the laws, rules and norms that govern the process. They could rewrite the state’s elections procedures manual, a tome laying out in minute detail the rules for conducting elections and certification. It’s written by the secretary of state and must be approved by the attorney general and governor. If all three sign off, the changes carry the force of law. That’s even without any of the more expansive changes that could be made by a Legislature that is almost certain to be controlled by Republicans. “If you have people who are supportive of the Big Lie in charge of our elections, there’s a lot of stuff they can do,” said Jim Barton, a longtime Democratic election attorney in Arizona. “And they can do it in ways that look pretty boring.” Finchem, who was outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but says he did not join rioters who attacked the building that day, has vowed to rewrite those rules. He’s said little about what he would change. He could create rules for accepting voter registrations, eliminate the right for county officials to provide drop boxes to accept mail ballots, and even refuse to accept filings for voter initiatives, just to name a few, Barton said. On registration alone, the secretary could adopt small changes, such as when forms need to be turned in or the color of ink that must be used, and pass them off as needed to make processing easier, Barton said. Small changes affecting comparatively few voters could add up in a close race. “Nobody’s winning the elections anymore by 10%,” Barton said. “So you don’t have to say, ‘Oh, I’m not going to count any of the votes from Pima County’ to sway the vote. If you make it a little bit harder for low-income people to vote, then the state’s not purple anymore.” And that’s just the start if someone really wants to seize the reins of election rules and make small but substantive changes. Eric Spencer, an attorney who represents Republican and conservative organizations and is a former state elections director, said a slew of rules could be changed under a new administration. That could include eliminating unattended ballot drop boxes, which are convenient spots for voters to turn in their ballots. The trio also could pursue changes to rules for ballot-counting machines and the election canvass, in which elected leaders certify the results, Spencer said. That’s where “a new triumvirate could make some radical, radical changes,” he said. For example, a new secretary of state could remove a provision Spencer developed that says county and state officials must certify the election results and can’t change the vote totals. Spencer developed that rule after a county official balked at certifying a local election in 2016 and nearly derailed the statewide certification. Any controversy over certification could create a pretext for Arizona’s electoral votes to be challenged when Congress meets to count them in early 2025. As secretary of state, Finchem also would have unilateral authority to certify — or not — election equipment. He told CBS News that vote tabulating machines should be banned unless the manufacturer shares the source code. No voting system manufacturers release the underlying software for their systems to protect code they regard as proprietary and to prevent hacking. Finchem and other Trump allies claim they can’t trust the systems if they can’t review the software that powers it line by line. Lake and Finchem also both signaled they want to ensure that voting rolls are accurate, which election experts worry could lead them to purge certain voters or force people to continuously re-register. “We must protect the count of all legal votes and quarantine votes that are outside of the law,” Finchem said. Lake, who has emerged as one of the most popular new figures in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement, has avoided disclosing specific changes she would pursue for elections. But she’s offered clues. She has said she wants Arizonans to go to bed on election night knowing the results, which some regard as a threat to the mail balloting system used by the overwhelming majority of voters. “I’m going to work with the lawmakers to make sure we have a system where voting is honest,” Lake said. “I’m not sure what it’s going to look like.” Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Read More Here

AP Top Political News At 12:13 A.m. EDT | Federal News Network https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-top-political-news-at-1213-a-m-edt-federal-news-network/ Election deniers could make deep changes to Arizona voting Judge: Trump knew vote fraud claims in legal docs were false Trump claim of ‘Crime of Century’ fizzles in 3-year probe Races to oversee elections draw an avalanche of spending Facing tough midterms, Biden releasing oil from US reserve US busts network providing technology to Russian military EPA: UPS to pay fine, correct hazardous waste violations US general on… READ MORE Election deniers could make deep changes to Arizona voting Judge: Trump knew vote fraud claims in legal docs were false Trump claim of ‘Crime of Century’ fizzles in 3-year probe Races to oversee elections draw an avalanche of spending Facing tough midterms, Biden releasing oil from US reserve US busts network providing technology to Russian military EPA: UPS to pay fine, correct hazardous waste violations US general on rare visit to nuclear-armed sub in Arabian Sea Many remain critical of state of US democracy: AP-NORC poll Pence warns of ‘unprincipled populists,’ ‘Putin apologists’ Copyright © 2022 . All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Read More Here

Family Of Terence Caffey Calls For Justice For His Death https://digitalarkansasnews.com/family-of-terence-caffey-calls-for-justice-for-his-death/ Nearly a year after the death of Terence Caffey, who died in Little Rock police custody, his family joined civil rights attorney Ben Crump in a call for justice. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — National civil rights attorney Ben Crump and his legal team have picked up Terence Caffey’s case after the Pulaski County prosecutor ruled the officers involved would not face criminal charges last month. Caffey died after he went into medical distress during his arrest last December, and nearly a year later, his family is still grieving. “We truly are missing Terence and our hearts been broken and we’re trying to put the pieces together,” Caffey’s grandmother said. Now Crump wants to take legal action against everyone involved. A few weeks ago law enforcement compiled and released a video that followed the timeline of the night Caffey died. On Tuesday, Crump’s legal team took a closer look at body camera videos from that night— and while released, they were not all shown in that original compilation. Crump claimed that the investigator’s timeline intentionally skipped over the most violent parts of the arrest. “We’re here today because we want you to see the truth. We want you to see what they did not intend for you to see,” Crump said. We wanted to show you the body camera footage that Crump’s team showed today— which they believe most accurately shows the violence leading up to Caffey’s death. The video showed a closer view of the officers putting their hand on Caffey’s neck and kneeling on his back before dragging him up. While these events were included in the original timeline, these angles were not. They were instead released within the hours of police video. Caffey’s family and Crump claim that this is excessive use of force and that officers ignored Caffey’s pleas that he couldn’t breathe— reminiscent of George Floyd’s last words. “When you hear a man who is unarmed, handcuffed, in a prone position, saying ‘I can’t breathe’, what do you do? You put your knee in his back even further? Why didn’t it go to a grand jury?” Crump said. Read More…

Arizona Refuses US Demand To Remove Containers Along Border https://digitalarkansasnews.com/arizona-refuses-us-demand-to-remove-containers-along-border/ PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona has refused the federal government’s demand to take down double-stacked shipping containers it placed to fill gaps in the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, saying it won’t do so until the U.S. moves to construct a permanent barrier instead. The Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs dug in its heels in an Oct. 18 letter to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, saying “the containers will remain in place until specific details regarding construction are provided.” It was signed by Allen Clark, the department’s director. A regional spokeswoman for the Bureau of Reclamation did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Arizona’s refusal in the most recent flap between the Biden administration and Republican-led border states over immigration policies. The federal agency told Arizona officials in a letter last week that the containers were unauthorized and violated U.S. law. The bureau also demanded that no new containers be placed, saying it wanted to prevent conflicts with two federal contracts already awarded and two more still pending to fill border wall gaps near the Morelos Dam in the Yuma, Arizona, area. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ordered installation of more than 100 double-stacked containers that were placed over the summer, saying he couldn’t wait for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to award the contracts it had announced for the work. Migrants have continued to avoid the recently erected barriers by going around them, including through the Cocopah Indian Reservation. The Cocopah Indian Tribe has complained that Arizona acted against its wishes by placing 42 of the double stacks on its land. The border wall promoted by former President Donald Trump continues to be a potent issue for Republican politicians hoping to show their support for border security. President Joe Biden halted wall construction his first day in office, leaving billions of dollars of work unfinished but still under contract. The Biden administration has made a few exceptions for small projects at areas deemed unsafe for people to cross, including the gaps near Yuma. The Center for Biological Diversity raised a different objection to the shipping containers on Wednesday, filing a notice of intent to sue Ducey’s administration over what the environmental group said are plans to erect more shipping containers along the border. The group said the move will obstruct a critical jaguar and ocelot migration corridor. Ducey’s office said it could not comment because it had not received an official notice from the center. Read More Here

Mike Pence Said There's No Room For Putin 'apologists' In The Republican Party As He Criticized Russia's 'unconscionable War' In Ukraine: AP https://digitalarkansasnews.com/mike-pence-said-theres-no-room-for-putin-apologists-in-the-republican-party-as-he-criticized-russias-unconscionable-war-in-ukraine-ap/ Former Vice President Mike Pence speak to students at Georgetown University in Washington, on October 19, 2022Jose Luis Magana/AP Mike Pence spoke out against Putin “apologists” and the growing populism in the GOP on Wednesday. He said the GOP should remain committed to the US role as “leader of the free world,” AP reported. Several Republicans have either supported Putin or dismissed the war he’s waged against Ukraine. Former Vice President Mike Pence warned Republicans on Wednesday about a growing movement of “unprincipled populism” in the GOP and conservative “apologists” to Putin who have defended Russian President Vladimir Putin or dismissed the war he’s waged against Ukraine. During a speech at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington DC-based conservative think tank, Pence spoke on the current state of the Republican Party as it enters “a new era,” appearing to make a reference to the party’s transformation, largely led by Donald Trump, The Associated Press reported. “Our movement cannot forsake the foundational commitment that we have to security, to limited government, to liberty, and to life. But nor can we allow our movement to be led astray by the siren song of unprincipled populism that’s unmoored from our oldest traditions and most cherished values,” he said, according to The AP. “Let me say: This movement and the party that it animates must remain the movement of a strong national defense, limited government, and traditional moral values and life.” Pence also criticized the group of Republicans who have defended Russia’s war in Ukraine or dismissed it by arguing the US should stay out of foreign affairs. “As Russia continues its unconscionable war of aggression to Ukraine, I believe that conservatives must make it clear that Putin must stop and Putin will pay,” he added. “There can be no room in the conservative movement for apologists to Putin. There is only room in this movement for champions of freedom.” Though Pence did not name specific Republicans, several members of the GOP, including Trump, have at least once expressed hesitance over US involvement in Ukraine or complimented Putin for his approach in Ukraine. “So, Putin is now saying, ‘It’s independent,’ a large section of Ukraine. I said, ‘How smart is that?’ And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That’s (the) strongest peace force,” Trump told The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, a conservative podcast, just days before Russia invaded Ukraine. Earlier this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told Punchbowl News that lawmakers may not sign off on more aid to Ukraine if Republicans take back the House in the upcoming midterm elections. Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar also said in May that the US should focus on domestic affairs and that the war is not “Putin’s fault.” “Ukraine is not our ally. Russia is not our enemy,” Gosar said in a tweet. “We need to address our crippling debt, inflation and immigration problems. None of this is Putin’s fault.” Pence went against the isolationist stance of some of the Republicans and instead urged continued support for Ukraine. “We must continue to provide Ukraine with the resources to defend themselves,” Pence said. “We must continue to bring economic pressure of the most powerful economy in the world on Russia. And we must continue to provide the generosity, compassion, and prayers of the American people until Russia relents and until peace is restored.” Pence, who has distanced himself from Trump since the January 6, 2021, riot, is widely viewed as a potential 2024 presidential candidate. Read the original article on Business Insider Read More Here

Federal Judge Rules That President Trump Knew Ga. Voter Fraud Claims In Legal Documents Were False https://digitalarkansasnews.com/federal-judge-rules-that-president-trump-knew-ga-voter-fraud-claims-in-legal-documents-were-false-2/ WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former President Donald Trump signed legal documents challenging the results of the 2020 election that included voter fraud claims he knew to be false, a federal judge said in a ruling Wednesday. U.S. District Court Judge David Carter in an 18-page opinion ordered the release of those emails between Trump and attorney John Eastman to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He said those communications cannot be withheld because they include evidence of potential crimes. “The emails show that President Trump knew that the specific numbers of voter fraud were wrong but continued to tout those numbers, both in court and to the public,” Carter wrote. Though the judge’s conclusion has no practical bearing on a separate Justice Department investigation into efforts to overturn the election, any evidence that Trump signed documents he knew to be false could at minimum be a notable data point for criminal prosecutors trying to sort out culpability for far-ranging efforts to undo the results. The judge specifically cited claims from Trump’s attorneys that Fulton County in Georgia had improperly counted more than 10,000 votes of dead people, felons and unregistered voters. Those false allegations were part of a filing that Trump’s legal team made in Georgia state court on Dec. 4, 2021. Later that month, Eastman warned in a message that Trump had been made aware that “some of the allegations (and evidence proffered by the experts)” in that Georgia filing “has been inaccurate.” Yet even after the message from Eastman, Trump and his team filed another legal complaint that had “the same inaccurate numbers,” the judge wrote. Trump under oath verified the complaint was true to the best of his knowledge. Carter wrote that the emails are “sufficiently related to and in furtherance of a conspiracy to defraud the United States.” Representatives for Trump and Eastman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Jan. 6 committee declined to comment on the ongoing litigation. The ruling is the latest development in a months-long legal battle between Eastman — a conservative lawyer and lead architect of Trump’s last-ditch efforts to stay in office — and congressional investigators. Eastman has been trying to withhold documents from the committee on the basis of attorney-client privilege claims. The committee has argued that there is a legal exception allowing the disclosure of communications regarding ongoing or future crimes. And Carter has mostly agreed, ordering the release of hundreds of emails to the House committee since the spring. In a stunning ruling in March, the judge had asserted that it is “more likely than not” that Trump committed crimes in his attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election. Carter in his ruling Wednesday said the messages he has reviewed from Eastman and other attorneys show that the “primary goal” for some of their litigation was to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s election win.’’ The totality of the evidence makes clear that “Trump filed certain lawsuits not to obtain legal relief, but to disrupt or delay the January 6 congressional proceedings through the courts,” the judge wrote. The emails from Eastman are part of the House committee’s investigation into a multi-part plan by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election and the ensuing violence at the Capitol. The release of the emails could be critical for the committee as it enters the last few months of its probe when lawmakers will have to decide whether to send a criminal referral against Trump and his allies to the Justice Department. The judge ordered Eastman to give the documents to the committee by the afternoon of Oct. 28. ©2022 Cox Media Group Read More Here

EXCLUSIVE: Trump Considers Allowing Federal Investigators To Search Mar-A-Lago Again – KTVZ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/exclusive-trump-considers-allowing-federal-investigators-to-search-mar-a-lago-again-ktvz/ CNN By Sara Murray, Kristen Holmes and Gabby Orr, CNN Donald Trump‘s legal team is weighing whether to allow federal agents to return to the former President’s Florida residence, and potentially conduct a supervised search, to satisfy the Justice Department’s demands that all sensitive government documents are returned, sources tell CNN. In private discussions with Trump’s team as well as court filings, the Justice Department has made clear that it believes Trump failed to comply with a May subpoena ordering the return of all documents marked as classified and that more government records remain missing. Some in Trump’s inner circle aren’t convinced there are any remaining government documents, after the FBI seized nearly 22,000 pages when they executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago in August. The possibility of allowing federal officials to return to Trump’s property — likely with Trump’s own lawyers present — is just one option on the table as the Trump team grapples with how best to protect the former President from legal jeopardy. No firm decisions have been made while sources familiar with the situation say Trump’s legal team is continuing to weigh how accommodating or adversarial they should be toward the Justice Department. “It’s a risk to invite a DOJ lawyer to lunch let alone back to Mar-a-Lago,” said a person close to Trump. In the throes of multiple legal battles and hoping to alleviate some of the pressure he is facing, Trump has recently signaled to aides and allies that he is open to a less adversarial approach toward the Justice Department — one that might swiftly resolve the records issue after weeks of contentious court proceedings, according to people familiar with the situation. The approach comes even as Trump continues to indulge legal theories that the records he took with him at the end of his presidency are his personal property, an argument his team is making in court and that he first heard from conservative judicial activist Tom Fitton. “The general belief in Trump World is that this is much ado about nothing and the sooner we get past it the better,” said a person close to Trump, adding that the former President has told allies he “wants to move on.” Trump’s compliance with the grand jury subpoena potentially poses a distinct legal risk amid legal wrangling over whether the former President mishandled classified documents he retained after leaving the White House. In earlier court filings, prosecutors claimed that Trump’s team had not fully complied with a subpoena served in May and “efforts were likely taken to obstruct the government’s investigation.” At least some of the battle to secure their return has been playing out behind the scenes in a court proceeding that is under seal, according to people familiar with the situation. One potential resolution could involve the Justice Department asking a judge to issue an order compelling the Trump team to work with DOJ to arrange for another search. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. Trump could be reconsidering approach Sources close to Trump said that the former President has become more amenable to the cooperative approach being advocated by some of his more experienced lawyers, including former Florida Solicitor General Chris Kise, who joined his legal team following the FBI search in August. Kise had faced headwinds from Trump and some of his more aggressive advisers. Trump has favored a more pugilistic approach, even accusing federal investigators at one point of planting evidence during their search at Mar-a-Lago — a claim he has never substantiated in court. As the midterm election draws closer and Trump grapples with his next political move, he and allies are eager for some relief from his web of legal troubles. “He is worn down,” one source close to the former President said. “Getting one thing off his plate” would help him move forward. A spokesperson for Trump declined to comment. Among the complicating factors has been Trump’s personal views on the document dispute. He initially claimed that his team had been fully cooperative with investigators and insisted on social media “ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS ASK,” for documents to be returned. Trump has since argued, on social media and in court filings, that the Mar-a-Lago documents are his property. “I want my documents back!” the former President said in early October. As recently as last Thursday, Trump complained to donors at a roundtable at Mar-a-Lago that federal investigators “got to see everything” when they searched his residence and were conducting a “complete sham” investigation, according to a person familiar with his comments. Trump has continued to complain to advisers and allies that he is being treated unfairly and different than past presidents, multiple sources said. Legal risks for Trump attorneys Some Trump allies also worry that the legal jeopardy lawyers currently face could grow worse the longer the records issue drags on. Trump lawyer Christina Bobb had to hire her own lawyer after signing an attestation in June which declared that Trump’s team had conducted a “diligent search” to comply with the Justice Department’s subpoena and returned all documents with classified markings. Bobb, who was Trump’s custodian of records at the time, recently told federal investigators in a voluntary interview that the attestation had been drafted by another Trump lawyer, Evan Corcoran, for her to sign. A source with knowledge of the event said Bobb was rushed to Mar-a-Lago to sign the attestation, but she insisted on first adding a line that her knowledge was “based upon the information that has been provided” to her. Two months later, the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago, recovering thousands of additional government documents, including more than 100 with classified markings. Corcoran has insisted to colleagues that he does not believe he faces any legal risk and has not hired a lawyer, according to sources familiar with his situation. A third Trump lawyer, Boris Epshteyn, had his cellphone seized by the FBI last month and has testified in front of a Georgia grand jury investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In her conversation with federal investigators, Bobb also discussed Epshteyn, said a source briefed on the matter. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. CNN’s Evan Perez and Katelyn Polantz contributed to this report. Read More Here

Man Arrested Last Week In Vermont Charged With Murder In Concord Shootings https://digitalarkansasnews.com/man-arrested-last-week-in-vermont-charged-with-murder-in-concord-shootings/ A man who was named a person of interest in the shooting of a Concord couple has now been charged with murder in their deaths.Logan Clegg, 26, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the April 18 shooting deaths of Stephen and Wendy Reid. Review case timeline for Concord killingsThe New Hampshire attorney general’s office said in a press release Wednesday afternoon that Clegg is considered to be a fugitive from justice on the murder charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.New Hampshire authorities plan to seek Clegg’s extradition to the Granite State. Related: Utah city’s assistant police chief gives new details about CleggClegg is being held in St. Albans, Vermont, on an unrelated fugitive-from-justice charge out of Utah. His lawyers on Wednesday had filed appeals seeking a bail hearing in that matter, something that was rejected by the Vermont Supreme Court before a Superior Court judge, ruling in a civil case, ordered that a hearing be held.Clegg has been held for seven days after he was arrested in South Burlington, Vermont. Investigators said he has been on the run for 15 months and even traveled out of the country. They said he had booked a one-way ticket to Germany and set to leave two days after he was captured.The Concord community is breathing a little easier after Clegg was arrested.“You never really expect that kind of thing to happen, and my grandmother’s lived in this complex my entire life, so thinking of a couple that I might have seen over the years being killed was really freaky,” neighbor Hailey Cantwell said. Cantwell lives in the same complex that the Reids did. She said she moved in two months after the couple was found dead.Six months with few answers left a friendly community on edge.“You’ll walk around this community and people will wave to you talk to you,” Cantwell said. Normally people will come out from their apartments just to say hi.” “If my wife walks the trails, I’ll walk with her but then I’m concerned because I’m 74,” neighbor Ed Leifeld said. Neighbors hope the arrest leads to more answers and eventually helps the Reid family heal.“A little bit of closure,” Cantwell said. “It’s not going to get them full peace, but at least just closure.”“Some relief, but you live with it forever,” Leifeld said. “The pain is always there.”The bodies of Steven and Wendy Reid were found shot to death in April along the Broken Ground trails in Concord. It is unclear if there is a connection between Clegg and the Reids. Investigators have not commented on a possible motive. The Concord Police Department says it continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murders of Steven and Wendy Reid. MANCHESTER, N.H. — A man who was named a person of interest in the shooting of a Concord couple has now been charged with murder in their deaths. Logan Clegg, 26, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the April 18 shooting deaths of Stephen and Wendy Reid. Review case timeline for Concord killings The New Hampshire attorney general’s office said in a press release Wednesday afternoon that Clegg is considered to be a fugitive from justice on the murder charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. New Hampshire authorities plan to seek Clegg’s extradition to the Granite State. Related: Utah city’s assistant police chief gives new details about Clegg Clegg is being held in St. Albans, Vermont, on an unrelated fugitive-from-justice charge out of Utah. His lawyers on Wednesday had filed appeals seeking a bail hearing in that matter, something that was rejected by the Vermont Supreme Court before a Superior Court judge, ruling in a civil case, ordered that a hearing be held. Clegg has been held for seven days after he was arrested in South Burlington, Vermont. Investigators said he has been on the run for 15 months and even traveled out of the country. They said he had booked a one-way ticket to Germany and set to leave two days after he was captured. The Concord community is breathing a little easier after Clegg was arrested. “You never really expect that kind of thing to happen, and my grandmother’s lived in this complex my entire life, so thinking of a couple that I might have seen over the years being killed was really freaky,” neighbor Hailey Cantwell said. Cantwell lives in the same complex that the Reids did. She said she moved in two months after the couple was found dead. Six months with few answers left a friendly community on edge. “You’ll walk around this community and people will wave to you talk to you,” Cantwell said. Normally people will come out from their apartments just to say hi.” “If my wife walks the trails, I’ll walk with her but then I’m concerned because I’m 74,” neighbor Ed Leifeld said. Neighbors hope the arrest leads to more answers and eventually helps the Reid family heal. “A little bit of closure,” Cantwell said. “It’s not going to get them full peace, but at least just closure.” “Some relief, but you live with it forever,” Leifeld said. “The pain is always there.” The bodies of Steven and Wendy Reid were found shot to death in April along the Broken Ground trails in Concord. It is unclear if there is a connection between Clegg and the Reids. Investigators have not commented on a possible motive. The Concord Police Department says it continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murders of Steven and Wendy Reid. 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Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index Hits 13-Year Low; Yen Inches Near 150 Against U.S. Dollar https://digitalarkansasnews.com/hong-kongs-hang-seng-index-hits-13-year-low-yen-inches-near-150-against-u-s-dollar/ An employee works at the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Toru Hanai | Bloomberg via Getty Images Shares in the Asia-Pacific traded lower on Thursday as economic fears weigh. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong fell 2.7% after briefly dropping 3% in early trade, the lowest level since May 2009. The Hang Seng Tech index fell more than 4%. Kelvin Tay, regional chief investment officer at UBS, said the steep drop in Hong Kong markets is due to the Chinese government’s “unprecedented silence on key economic indicators.” “It’s largely because of concerns over the economic outlook and a rise of Covid cases in the middle of the party congress in Beijing,” he said. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 lost 1.2% and the Topix shed 0.68%. The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia declined 1.13%. Mainland China’s Shanghai Composite fell 0.94% and the Shenzhen Component slipped 1.265%. South Korea’s Kospi dipped 1.27% and the Kosdaq was 1.55% lower. The MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.68%. The offshore yuan touched a record low against the U.S. dollar overnight, weakening to 7.2745 per dollar. It last traded at 7.2690. The Japanese yen reached yet another fresh 32-year low of 149.95 against the greenback. U.S. stocks fell as Treasury yields climbed on Wednesday stateside, with the benchmark 10-year yield touching 4.138%, the highest level since July 23, 2008. The Nasdaq Composite shed 0.85% to close at 10,680.51, while the S&P 500 declined 0.67% to 3,695.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 99.99 points, or 0.33%, to finish the day at 30,423.81. — CNBC’s Chery Kang, Jesse Pound and Tanaya Macheel contributed to this report. Japanese yen nears 150 against the U.S. dollar The Japanese yen edged close to 150 against the greenback, at levels not seen since August 1990. It was last at 149.94 per dollar. The yen hovered around 159.8 levels in April 1990, and last breached 160-levels in December 1986. Japanese officials commented against further weakening of the currency Thursday, with Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki saying the government will take “appropriate steps against excess volatility,” Reuters reported. “Recent rapid and one-sided yen declines are undesirable. We absolutely cannot tolerate excessively volatile moves driven by speculative trading,” he said. –Jihye Lee Japan’s trade deficit for September narrows slightly Japan’s trade deficit for September was at 2.09 trillion yen ($13.97 billion), according to provisional figures from the government – missing estimated figures by a Reuters poll expecting a deficit of 2.17 trillion yen. The country reported a trade deficit of 2.82 trillion yen in August. Exports for the month of September were at 8.82 trillion yen, while imports were at 10.9 trillion yen. Japan’s trade deficit for the first half of fiscal year 2022-2023 is the largest on record, the finance ministry was quoted as saying in a Reuters report. Japan’s fiscal year starts in April, and the deficit for the April to September period was 11 trillion yen, data showed. — Abigail Ng China’s offshore yuan hits record low overnight The offshore yuan touched a record low of 7.2745 against the dollar overnight as the Communist Party of China’s National Congress continues. The offshore yuan last changed hands at 7.2708 per dollar. “A very large uncertainty is when the Chinese government eases its strict zero-Covid policy,” according to a note by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Analysts wrote that the strict measures are seen to remain until early 2023. “The restrictions will prolong the period of weakness in China’s economy and keep AUD/USD and NZD/USD undervalued for longer and push USD/CNH up to 7.30,” the note said. The risk-sensitive Australian dollar was weaker at $0.6264 early in Asia, while the New Zealand dollar changed hands at $0.5662. — Abigail Ng Investors weigh rising Treasury yields Investors monitored Treasury yields for recession signals Wednesday even as a stronger-than-expected start to earnings season has helped buoy markets this week. Of the 64 companies in the S&P 500 that have posted third-quarter results through Wednesday, 69.4% have beaten expectations, according to FactSet data. Still, surging Treasury yields have helped stocks get back to “real life” on Wednesday, according to comments from LPL Financial’s Quincy Krosby. On Wednesday, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose as high as 4.136%, or its highest level since July 2008. “A steady 3-month/10-year inversion would reinforce the Treasury market’s signal that a recession is in the offing, since it has the reputation of predicting a serious economic downturn,” Krosby wrote. — Sarah Min Read More Here

Fentanyl Overdoses On The Rise In Fort Smith https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fentanyl-overdoses-on-the-rise-in-fort-smith/ First responders have saved 66 people this year who overdosed on the drug Fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid that is often mixed with illegal drugs such as methamphetamine or heroin, is continuing to cause more overdoses and deaths in Fort Smith and the state. Fort Smith emergency responders have saved lives of 66 people who overdosed on fentanyl this year with the life-saving Narcan drug that can counter the deadly effects of fentanyl and opiates. Fort Smith police report that paramedics, firefighters and others have given 194 doses of Narcan to save people from what could have resulted in deadly overdoses. This year, 66 people who were revived were confirmed to have fentanyl in their system with an additional 31 people overdosing on unconfirmed substances and pills possibly with fentanyl.  “Sadly, there have been a number of our friends, neighbors and loved ones who have died from fentanyl overdoses.  It’s deadly, it’s here, and you need to be prepared,” according to a statement released by the public information office. Fort Smith police are working to address the problem. “Rest assured that your FSPD is working diligently with other local, state and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively identify and prosecute those who choose to prey on our community by dealing in illegal substances such as fentanyl,” McCabe said.  In the past year, four local fentanyl dealers have been indicted with one responsible for bringing over 36,000 fentanyl pills to Fort Smith in 2022. “It is a growing problem that we are working daily to combat,” McCabe said.  The state crime lab in Arkansas is tasked with investigating a rise in fentanyl-related deaths statewide. “We are seeing fentanyl-related deaths in teenagers, but primarily those in their 30s, 35%, and 40s, 32%. It’s important to continue to educate the pubic about the dangers of fentanyl,” said Cindy Moran, director of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory in Little Rock said Wednesday. The spike in fentanyl deaths this year continues, she said. Of the 496 drug overdoses in Arkansas in 2021, 56% of those were related to fentanyl, reports Cindy Moran, assistant director at the lab. As of Aug. 1, there have been 275 drug overdoses in Arkansas and 145 of those deaths, or 53% are related to fentanyl. In most cases, the overdose victims have other drugs involved such as methamphetamine, she said. Also, 98% of the fentanyl deaths are determined to be accidental. People do not know the drugs are laced with fentanyl. “We are receiving several drug cases containing illicit, mimic pharmaceutical tables containing fentanyl,” Moran said. The opioid epidemic does not discriminate, and is impacting Arkansas families.” Aaron Howell, paramedic manger for Fort Smith Emergency Medical Services, said paramedics have administered Narcan for people who overdosed since Sept. 1. Firefighters and police officers also use Narcan to save lives. Read More Here