Digital Arkansas News

Special Master In Trump Documents Case Described As Fair And No-Nonsense https://digitalarkansasnews.com/special-master-in-trump-documents-case-described-as-fair-and-no-nonsense/ Raymond Dearie, the senior US district judge named on Thursday night as the “special master” – or independent arbiter – to vet records seized by the FBI from Donald Trump’s Florida estate has been described as an experienced legal operator who “doesn’t tolerate nonsense” and won’t “play games”. The Florida-based US district judge Aileen Cannon on Thursday appointed Dearie to sit in the middle of a hot and bright political spotlight, serving as the special master, requested by Trump’s side, in the legal fight between the former Republican president and the Department of Justice. They are arguing over access for criminal investigators to dozens of boxes of government documents, including highly classified US secrets, that the former president stashed at his Florida resort and residence after leaving the White House. “He [Dearie] works incredibly well with parties, but doesn’t tolerate nonsense. He will not allow parties, or attorneys, to play games, or play fast-and-loose with the rules,” the New York-based civil lawyer Richard Garbarini, of Garbarini Fitzgerald, told Politico. Dearie was one of two candidates for the post proposed by the former president, and the US justice department had said it would not oppose his appointment. In her order, Cannon also rejected the justice department’s demand that prosecutors be allowed to continue their review of the seized records while the dispute is ongoing, and their assertion that the investigation is urgent due to the highly classified and sensitive material in the records. Investigators are currently blocked by Cannon from continuing to examine the material. “The court does not find it appropriate to accept the government’s conclusions on these important and disputed issues without further review by a neutral third party in an expedited and orderly fashion,” Cannon said in the ruling. Dearie, who is 78 and based in Brooklyn, is tasked with deciding whether any of the documents seized by the FBI during the August search are privileged – either due to attorney-client confidentiality or through a legal principle called executive privilege – and should be off limits to federal investigators. Other lawyers with experience of Dearie described him as thorough and even-handed. “He’s one of the few judges who both sides want to appear in front of. He is held in the highest regard by attorneys. He’s someone who actually listens to the lawyers and considers what they have to say before he makes a decision,” Lindsay Gerdes, a former Brooklyn federal prosecutor, told Politico. Dearie has until 30 November, which falls after the midterm elections in early November, to finish the review. In less good news for Trump, he will be required to pay the costs associated with the special master. Earlier this month, Cannon had granted a request by Trump’s lawyers to name a special master to vet the seized records. The justice department also is looking into possible obstruction of the investigation after it found evidence that records may have been removed or concealed from the FBI when it sent agents to the property in June to try to recover all classified documents. Dearie served as US attorney in Brooklyn before being appointed to the federal bench there by the Republican president Ronald Reagan in 1986, and was chief judge of that court from 2007 to 2011. He assumed what is called senior status – a sort of semi-retirement with a reduced case load – in 2011, a role in which he continues to serve. The justice department had said in a court filing on Monday that Dearie’s experience as a judge qualified him for the special master role, but opposed the other candidate proposed by Trump’s team, private attorney Paul Huck. Trump’s lawyers opposed the two retired federal judges proposed by the department. On the bench, Dearie was one of multiple judges presiding over cases against several men accused in 2009 of plotting to bomb New York City’s subway system at the direction of al-Qaida leaders. Dearie was appointed in 2011 to the foreign intelligence surveillance court, which reviews warrant applications from the US government on matters of national security, where he served until 2019. In 2017, he was one of four federal judges who approved warrants used to surveil the former Trump campaign aide Carter Page amid concern about Trump campaign contacts with Russians, according to papers released to media outlets that sued for the records. The justice department had opposed Trump’s request for a special master to review the seized documents to see if any should be withheld from investigators as privileged. In ruling in favor of Trump’s request for a special master, Cannon rejected the department’s arguments that the records belong to the government and that because Trump is no longer president he cannot claim executive privilege. Cannon was appointed to the bench by Trump in 2020. Read More Here

Legendary Art Bar Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary In The Vista https://digitalarkansasnews.com/legendary-art-bar-celebrates-its-30th-anniversary-in-the-vista/ Local Columbia staple the Art Bar will be celebrating its 30th anniversary beginning Sept. 18  through 25, with evenings featuring entertainment, chances to win prizes, AR integrations, photo ops, and social gatherings. Known as a go-to spot for an eclectic nightlife experience, the bar’s original owners, Jeff Helsley and Clark Ellefson, the building’s builder, opened its doors Sept. 18, 1992, with the goal of creating a place that was unique to Columbia. Jeff Helsley later sold his portion of the business to then bartender Andy Rogers, who, along with Clark Ellefson, currently owns the bar. The original building was a tire store and service station and was expanded to create more space for the dance and stage area. The original carport was enclosed to be what is now the main stage area in the Blue Lady Lounge. The iconic robots called ‘Tobors’, which is robot spelled backward, have been in the bar for years. According to Ellefson, they were looking for items to go inside the bar, and a friend said, “I have some robots. Do you want them?” everyone said yes, and he came back with a truck filled with robots that were part of a mid-century amusement parks’ ride décor. The legendary Tobors have been a part of the eclectic vibe that has helped shape the Art Bar into what it is today. Throughout the years, the Art Bar has been a place for people looking for a unique and alternative bar experience to see local art and eccentric performances. Current owners, Clark Ellefson and Andy Rogers, can also attest that several famous actors and musicians have visited the bar. Located in the vibrant Vista district, Art Bar offers a unique and highly artistic environmental space. Anyone visiting can enjoy comedy, karaoke, and open-mic improv, which have been the cornerstone of their live entertainment and have grown to feature spoken word, dance performances, live music, and spot pop-up shop events. On most nights during the week, anyone at the bar can be entertained by comedians on Tuesdays, sing Karaoke on Wednesdays, test their brain power with Trivia on Thursdays, and keep it moving on the weekends with a DJ and or live music. To learn more about the Art Bar, visit artbarsc.com. Read More Here

Checks & Imbalances: Pelosi Talks Stocks https://digitalarkansasnews.com/checks-imbalances-pelosi-talks-stocks/ Today we look at Congressional conflicts of interest and Trump’s special master. Pelosi Says Congress Stock Trading Bill Could Go To Floor This Month “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that a bill banning Congress members from trading individual stocks may go to a vote as soon as this month, setting the stage for the long-awaited legislation to take effect after dozens of legislators, including Pelosi, have been accused of benefiting from insider knowledge,” reports Derek Saul. It remains to be seen exactly what the restrictions may be, but a bipartisan bill introduced in February by six bipartisan representatives and senators called for a ban on Congress members and their families from owning any individual securities, including stocks, bonds and commodities. The proposal did allow for lawmakers to own mutual funds and ETFs and suggested a $50,000 penalty for violations. There has been a spike in interest for the trading habits of lawmakers in recent years, and a “Nancy Pelosi Stock Tracker” Twitter account has more than 158,000 followers. At issue are lawmakers’ possible conflicts of interest. Last fall, the nonpartisan Office of Congressional Ethics said it found “substantial reason to believe” Rep Mike Kelly (R-Penn.) may have misused confidential information about steel imports for personal gain, when his wife bought at least $15,000 of shares in a domestic-steel producer five days before the Department of Commerce announced an investigation into steel imports. Another concern: Representatives have consistently failed to disclose their securities transactions within 45 days, as the law requires. Reps. Katherine Clark (D-Ma.), David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) are among the members of Congress who have been delinquent in reporting their trades to the House Clerk’s Office. Nancy Pelosi answers questions during her weekly news conference at the Capitol on Wednesday. GETTY IMAGES Welcome To The Latest Issue Of Checks & Imbalances This is the web edition of the Checks & Imbalances newsletter, usually sent to inboxes Tuesdays and Fridays. It’s free. To make sure you don’t miss an issue, subscribe. Please support this work, if you can, by subscribing to Forbes. Any tips or suggestions? Email me at zeverson@forbes.com. You can follow me on Twitter at @z_everson. Thanks! In Case You Missed It “Pompeo To Headline RNC Fundraiser” “FTX’s Bankman-Fried Says He’s ‘Surprisingly Optimistic’ U.S. Will Devise Crypto Rules Within A Year” “Trump Opposes DOJ Request To Block Special Master From Seeing Classified Documents” Watch: “Why Mar-A-Lago Carpet Is Key To FBI Raid Story” Judge Picks Special Master In Mar-A-Lago Case—And Rejects DOJ’s Request To Exclude Classified Documents “Retired Judge Raymond Dearie will serve as a special master to review documents seized by the FBI from Mar-A-Lago last month, a federal judge ordered Thursday, turning down the Department of Justice’s request to let prosecutors pore through classified documents while Dearie conducts a review that’s expected to wrap up by late November—though the DOJ is expected to appeal the decision,” reports Alison Durkee. The DOJ had asked Cannon to exclude about 100 classified records from an earlier order barring prosecutors from using any of the seized Mar-A-Lago records until a special master—or a court-appointed third party who reviews the documents for privileged materials—can finish his work. Trump’s attorneys argued that the court should not grant the DOJ’s request, claiming the government can’t say if all the documents marked as classified actually were, because Trump could have declassified them—but the filing did not say whether or not he actually did. Cannon sided with Trump on whether to include classified records in the review, writing that she “does not find it appropriate to accept the Government’s conclusions on [classified documents] without further review by a neutral third party in an expedited and orderly fashion.” Former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on February 11 in Palm Beach, Florida. GETTY IMAGES Watch: How Trump Will Probably Respond To DOJ Appeal Your correspondent joined Forbes Newsroom and assistant managing editor Diane Brady to discuss Trump’s history of dragging out legal battles and lessons from the 2020 campaigns of Amy McGrath and Jamie Harrison. Continuing Irresolutions Updates on Checks & Imbalances’ previous reporting On Saturday, the head of Women for America First, a pro-Trump dark-money group, tweeted that she had received a subpoena from the Justice Department over her group’s role in organizing the January 6 rally that preceded the riot at the Capitol. The group is raising money off of the probe, reported Nancy Levine of Rantt Media. On the day of the riot, chair Amy Kremer tried to distance her group from the events at the Capitol. “We unequivocally denounce violence of any type and under any circumstances,” she said in a statement. Now the solicitations to raise money off of the subpoena come with a photo showing the storming of the legislature. ***** On Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management put out a press release that the entire chamber passed six bills within the subcommittee’s jurisdiction. None of those bills, however, included the legislation chair Dina Titus (D-Nevada) submitted in May in hopes of preventing a president from leasing government property, as Trump did with his D.C. hotel. That bill, the OUR Public Buildings Act, has not advanced since Titus filed it. Watch: Charles Booker, Kentucky Dem Senate Nominee, Talks Jobs, Student Loans & Rand Paul Tracking Trump Forbes continues to update “Tracking Trump: A Rundown Of All The Lawsuits And Investigations Involving The Former President.” . Forbes “Former President Donald Trump told right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday he would have ‘no prohibition against running’ for president in 2024 if he is indicted in the Justice Department’s criminal probe into classified documents he took to his Mar-A-Lago home, and that the country would face ‘big problems’ if he is indicted,” reports Brian Bushard. ***** Former Disney CEO Bob Iger is joining the billionaire brother of Jared Kushner, Josh, as a partner in Thrive Capital, the firm announced on Tuesday, Derek Saul reported. ***** The American Cornerstone Institute, a conservative nonprofit headed by former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, held its founders dinner at one of Trump’s New Jersey golf clubs last weekend. Trump attended, as did Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) and former HUD official Lynne Patton, who worked at the Trump Organization before joining the government. . FACEBOOK/ANDREW D. HUGHES . INSTAGRAM/LYNNE PATTON “Trump Media’s Merger Delay Puts $1 Billion Financing Deal in Doubt” (The New York Times) “Georgia 2020 election inquiry may lead to prison sentences, prosecutor says” (The Washington Post) “N.Y. Attorney General May Sue Trump After Rejecting Settlement Offer” (The New York Times) “For Donald Trump, Information Has Always Been Power” (ProPublica) “Trump’s Save America paid $3 million to cover top lawyer’s legal work” (Politico) “Missouri Senate candidate Eric Schmitt is heading back to Mar-a-Lago for a fundraiser with Donald Trump. Tickets start at $1,000 and go up to $25,000. March fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago for Schmitt brought in $1.6 million. Campaign has previously paid the venue over $30,000.” (Twitter/Brian Schwartz of CNBC) “Donald Trump’s visit to his Virginia golf course was in preparation for 2023 LIV Golf event” (Insider) “Apple, Amazon Passed on LIV Golf Media Rights” (The Wall Street Journal) “New ‘dark money’ group tied to former Trump officials launches provocative ads ahead of 2022 midterms” (OpenSecrets) Editor’s Picks “National Academy sanctions White House climate adviser” (E&E News) “Top Biden adviser’s multimillion-dollar divestment ‘still in process’ after four months” (The Washington Examiner) “Biden’s FAA nominee named in search warrant amid California political spat” (Politico) “These corporations are backing the sponsors of a national abortion ban” (Popular Information) “The Unusual Whales Subversive ETFs for both Democratic, $NANC, and Republican, $KRUZ, Congressional trading have been filed. The ETFs follow trading of Democratic and Republican members, and their spouses.” (Twitter/Unusual Whales) “Possible presidential contenders raise over $591 million while waiting to declare candidacy” (OpenSecrets) “Rule changes open door for lawmakers to rely further on ads funded by taxpayers” (The Hill) ““Chuck Schumer’s Senate Majority PAC and its Georgia Honor affiliate drop $7.4 million in five races” (Twitter/Rob Pyers of California Target Book) “Donut break journalism” (Popular Information) “Thiel vs. McConnell, Round 2” (Puck) “Ways and Means aide moves to big-lobbying trade group” (LegiStorm) “Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick will host Beto O’Rourke for a fundraiser at their home in NYC next week, apparently” (Twitter/Scott Braddock of The Quorum Report) In Closing “Saw the conflict of interest slipping cash in the hand” –Bright Eyes, “Soul Singer in a Session Band” Follow me on Twitter. Check out my website. Send me a secure tip.  Read More Here

Opinion: Psychological Concept May Explain Those Who Believe https://digitalarkansasnews.com/opinion-psychological-concept-may-explain-those-who-believe/ John Westefeld  |  Guest opinion If something is seen as big, and is a lie, why is it still seen as truth by so many?   I have been thinking about this as I have watched the Jan. 6 hearings this summer. The claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump — promulgated by him and others — has seemingly taken on a life of its own. The concept of “the big lie” has been repeated many times by countless people. And many believe it — or say they believe it — though the facts indicate otherwise.  How do we make sense of this?  In the world of psychology, we have a concept known as “The Illusory Truth Effect” that is relevant to this paradox. This idea first appeared in 1977 in a paper entitled “Frequency and the Conference of Referential Validity” by Hasher, Goldstein and Toppino in the Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior. Since 1977, research has validated the ITE as a significant force. The Illusory Truth Effect fundamentally postulates that there is a tendency for some people to see untrue information as true, if exposed to that information repeatedly over time.  There are numerous examples of the ITE. The idea of “fake news” is one. But I want to focus on the big lie. The evidence is overwhelming for numerous reasons that Joe Biden won the election. Yet the big lie continues to be repeated by many as truth.  Why? Because, according to the ITE, if the big lie is repeated constantly, people will believe it regardless of its merit.  I think there are two types of people publicly supporting the big lie. First, those who truly believe it. I would hypothesize that many of these folks have been influenced by the ITE.  Then there are those who do not believe it, but state publicly that they do. I think these are often Republican politicians at all levels of government. They frequently behave this way in order to stay in the good graces of Trump and in order to win an election.   As I have written elsewhere, (Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 21, 2021), it astounds me that so many people appear to criticize Trump privately, but endorse him publicly. In particular it is distressing that elected officials behave this way.  Is holding public office, which in this case often means being dishonest publicly, so important that one is willing to abandon one’s moral principles and integrity? Apparently for many it is. As New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote on Aug. 6, “So many Republicans have behaved grotesquely out of fear that Trump will turn on them.”    Thankfully, there are some who have spoken out against the big lie. Elizabeth Cheney is one, though certainly there are others.  She is willing to lose an election. She is willing to risk the wrath of many Republicans and of Trump. Her public comments are commensurate with her private beliefs, and she will not succumb to the ITE.  Cheney realizes the dangers posed by both Trump, as well as continued endorsement of the big lie. Speaking in June at the Ronald Reagan Library, she stated “Donald Trump attempted to overturn the presidential election, he attempted to stay in office and prevent the peaceful transfer of presidential power. … The reality that we face today as Republicans, as we think about the choice in front of us, we have to choose, because Republicans cannot both be loyal to Donald Trump and loyal to the Constitution.”  She also stated in an Aug. 6 interview with CNN: “Some things are more important than any individual office or political campaign.” Based on her recent comments the night of her primary defeat, clearly — and thankfully — she intends to continue to fight for democracy and what is right.    I am sure we will continue to see endorsement of the big lie by many. However, the next time you encounter someone supporting it, consider introducing them to the concept of the ITE.  And while it is of course unlikely that they will endorse the notion of the ITE, maybe it will at least give them pause, and they will consider the issue further. And just maybe they will stop endorsing the big lie — no matter how many times they hear it repeated.  John S. Westefeld of Iowa City is a professor emeritus of counseling psychology.  Read More Here

Analysis | Is America Headed In The Right Direction? Well, What Does Gas Cost? https://digitalarkansasnews.com/analysis-is-america-headed-in-the-right-direction-well-what-does-gas-cost/ In the abstract, it seems like perhaps the broadest possible question one could ask about American politics: Is the country headed in the right direction or is it on the wrong track? It’s like giving a thumbs up or a thumbs down on Netflix. Do you like what America’s up to or not? Because it’s so broad, it seems like a pretty good thermometer for the state of the nation. News stories often cite the results, particularly when they’re gloomy: Americans, you’ve heard one or two times, are pessimistic about the direction of the country. But there are a few important things to understand about that metric generally — and one very important thing to understand about it in the moment. The first thing to know is that Americans are almost always more likely to say the country is headed in the wrong direction than on the right track. If we look at the net results of YouGov’s asking the question since the beginning of 2009, you see that the net result — that is, the percentage saying that the country’s on the right track minus those saying it’s headed in the wrong direction — is consistently in negative territory. It’s just the depth of the pessimism that tends to change. The second thing to notice is that the answer is heavily dependent on political party. When Barack Obama was president, Democrats were a lot more likely to say the country was headed in the right direction. Republicans assessed the nation’s path as dire. And then Donald Trump won. Nearly instantly, partisan views changed. In YouGov’s poll just before the election, most Democrats said the country was heading in the right direction while only 1 in 12 Republicans said the same. By Trump’s inauguration, most Republicans said the country was headed in the right direction while only 1 in 10 Democrats agreed. Then President Biden won and the whole thing flipped again. Among independents, you’ll note, the pattern is less pronounced. As is often the case, views of nonpartisans generally track with the overall numbers, since independents are the flag in the middle of the tug-of-war rope. I highlighted a section of a Democratic graph with a gray box. That period shows how declines in partisan sentiment can affect the overall figure. In early 2011, Democrats grew more negative about the direction of the country and, as a result, the tug-of-war rope moved: The overall view of the direction of the country also sank. Among Republicans, who were already pessimistic because a Democrat was in the White House, there really wasn’t anywhere to go. Bear that situation in mind as we look at the pattern of views of the country under Biden. As you’d expect, Democrats are more positive and Republicans more negative. I’ve again highlighted certain parts of the Democrats’ graph. Those are three apparent inflection points in which views of the country’s direction shifted among members of Biden’s party. The first was the beginning of a long downward slide in early- to mid-July 2021. This corresponds to a new surge in coronavirus cases nationally as a result of the emergence of the Delta variant. The pandemic seemed as though it was evaporating … and then it wasn’t. Then there’s the trend that began in mid-April, reversing two months ago. What prompted the downward trend? What drove the turnaround? If asked, the White House would probably tell you that new legislation Biden signed into law made the difference. But it’s probably simpler: gas prices. The average national prices per gallon increased 50 cents from mid-February to mid-April. They peaked in mid-June. As it turns out, there was a similar spike in gas prices in early 2011, when the price jumped 50 cents between November 2010 and March 2011. Right as views of the country’s direction among Democrats dropped. You can see the effect below. At top is the price of gas. Below, the net view of the direction of the country — with the inverted gas price overlaid for reference. On the lower chart above, you can see gas prices rise (the gray line heading down) just as there was a big drop in views of how the country was faring. You can see the same thing at the right side of the graph — and how the quick turnaround in gas prices overlaps with a quick rise in optimism about the national direction. It’s not only gas prices that drive sentiment, of course. In 2020, Republican confidence in the direction of the country sagged thanks to the pandemic and the emergence of protests focused on police reform. But gas prices appear to have played a role in affecting how Democrats viewed the country during the first terms of the two most recent Democratic presidents. The other trends still exist — the partisan divide, the general pessimism — but if gas prices continue to fall? Suddenly Democrats are facing a different midterm than the one that was looming this spring. Read More Here

Trump Warns Of https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-warns-of-2/ Trump Warns of ‘Problems’ in US if He’s Indicted  TDS-Net Read More Here

Angela Tolbert Receives Marvin E. Johnson Diversity And Equity Award https://digitalarkansasnews.com/angela-tolbert-receives-marvin-e-johnson-diversity-and-equity-award/ The Marvin E. Johnson Diversity and Equity Award was established as a tribute to Marvin Johnson, a long-time SPIDR and ACR Board Member and a champion of diversity and equity within both organizations and throughout the dispute resolution field. It recognizes a sustained, outstanding contribution or a specific extraordinary achievement that has enhanced diversity and equity within an area of society. The award honors individuals and organizations who have successfully contributed to removing barriers or obstacles to full and equal participation at all levels of society. Recipients are those who have contributed to bridging the divides between groups of people or have successfully created opportunities for expanded diversity and equality within an area of specialty, a community or beyond. As this year’s Marvin E. Johnson Diversity Award, Angelia Tolbert’s contribution to the inclusion and practice of diversity is commendable. Angelia has served as a mediator, arbitrator, facilitator, and conflict resolution service provider for more than thirty (30) years.  She is the Founder and President of Absolute Resolution Services, Inc., based in Little Rock, Arkansas.  She is also the Executive Director of the Arkansas Community Dispute Resolution Centers (ACDRC), the first state-wide community dispute resolution center established in the state of Arkansas.  ACDRC provides mediation and facilitation services, mediation training, and diversity, equity, and inclusion training.  Among her many accomplishments, Angela has developed and implemented a wide variety of conflict resolution programs for youth, and families in high poverty, minority and underserved communities throughout Arkansas.  Angela has held numerous positions in ACR, including Vice-President of the Board of Directors, Tri-Chair of the 2005 ACR Annual Conference, and Chair of the Diversity Committee. She has also served as the Vice-Chair of the ABA Diversity Committee.  Angela was also a lead member of the recent Mediate.com Online Mediation Task Force. Join us as in congratulating Angela on receiving this well-deserved award.                         Colin Rule Colin Rule is CEO of Resourceful Internet Solutions, Inc. (“RIS”), home of Mediate.com, MediateUniversity.com, Arbitrate.com, CaseloadManager.com and a number of additional leading online dispute resolution initiatives.  From 2017 to 2020, Colin was Vice President for Online Dispute Resolution at Tyler Technologies. Tyler acquired Modria.com, an ODR provider that Colin co-founded,… MORE                         Arkansas Community Dispute Resolution Centers, Inc. Angelia Tolbert, Esq. is Founder and President of Absolute Resolution Services, Inc., based in Little Rock, Arkansas, which provides alternative dispute resolution services to court systems, corporations, businesses, federal/state government agencies, industries and individuals. She is a mediator, arbitrator, facilitator, conflict resolution service provider, and has served as a neutral… MORE                         Marvin E. Johnson Marvin Johnson is a nationally recognized mediator, arbitrator and trainer with over 27 years of dispute resolution experience. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution and previously was Associate Professor at Bowie State University. Mr. Johnson received his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Catholic… MORE Read these next Category What Mediators Must Consider as They Work Scaling down of judicial functions in various jurisdictions across the world has been reported in a bid to tame the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus disease (COVID-19). As social… By Sarah Ater This is information that we want to show about a session. With the purchase of a Featured Membership, you will be shown on the front page of Mediate.com to web site visitors from your city and region (“state” if you are in the USA). You may appear in more than one city/region by purchasing additional locations. Manage additional Featured locations Read More…

The Migrants Sent To Martha's Vineyard Are Voluntarily Being Taken To A Military Base For Shelter And Support https://digitalarkansasnews.com/the-migrants-sent-to-marthas-vineyard-are-voluntarily-being-taken-to-a-military-base-for-shelter-and-support/ (CNN)The roughly 50 migrants who were sent by plane to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts by Florida’s governor this week were being transported to a military base Friday to receive shelter and humanitarian support, officials said. The migrants were being taken voluntarily to Joint Base Cape Cod, said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who added he’s activating up to 125 National Guard members to assist the relief effort. The migrants were flown to Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday, sent by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in one of the latest of a series of moves by Republican governors to transport migrants to northern liberal enclaves to protest what they say are inadequate federal efforts on southern border security. DeSantis’ move was sharply denounced by the White House, migrants’ advocates and Democratic officials. At a church where the migrants had been staying on Martha’s Vineyard, migrants cheered Friday morning when they heard the Massachusetts government would shelter them at a Cape Cod military base. They embraced each other and locals before boarding buses provided by state and local government for their journey to the base. A volunteer helping the migrants was among those hugging them, and was in tears as they departed. “This was another person’s — multiple peoples’ — really difficult moment in their life, and they shared it with us with such grace and affection and humor. And to be welcomed into their lives and into their hearts was a gift,” Lisa Belcastro said. A group of civil rights attorneys working with the migrants said their stories are “heartbreaking — and infuriating.” Many of the migrants went to a hospital in need of care upon their arrival to the island on Wednesday. Some of these migrants were sent to Martha’s Vineyard even though they have immigration hearings scheduled that are nowhere near Massachusetts, the group said. Migrants released from government custody often move to other cities in the US as they go through their immigration proceedings. “This cowardly political stunt has placed our clients in peril,” the Lawyers for Civil Rights group said in a news release Friday. “Some now have immigration hearings as early as Monday thousands of miles away.” Some attorneys from the group accompanied the migrants on the buses headed to the Cape Cod base. The help that awaits the migrants on Cape Cod Joint Base Cape Cod — already an emergency shelter designated by the state emergency management agency — is set up to provide “a safe temporary accommodation appropriate for the needs of families and individuals,” the governor’s office said in a release. The migrants “will be housed in dormitory-style spaces at JBCC, with separate spaces accommodating both individuals and families,” and families will not be separated, the release reads. They will have access to services including legal, health care, food, hygiene kits, and crisis counseling, according to Baker’s office. Baker, a Republican, lauded a temporary shelter that the Martha’s Vineyard community set up for the migrants in “a moment of urgent need.” “We are grateful to the providers, volunteers and local officials that stepped up on Martha’s Vineyard over the past few days to provide immediate services to these individuals,” Baker said in a news release. White House denounces DeSantis’ move DeSantis’ decision to arrange the migrants’ flight to Massachusetts was one of two high-profile transports sent north by southern Republican governors this week. On Thursday, two buses of migrants sent from Texas by Gov. Greg Abbott arrived outside Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in the nation’s capital. Texas started busing migrants to Washington this spring. Arizona’s Republican Gov. Doug Ducey followed suit this year, and the two states have since sent thousands of migrants to Washington. Abbott has expanded Texas’ effort to include New York City and Chicago. The White House on Thursday denounced this week’s moves by DeSantis and Abbott. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre accused the governors of using migrants as “political pawns” and said their actions amounted to a “cruel, premeditated political stunt.” US Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins will speak with members of the Department of Justice about DeSantis sending the migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, though she did not yet have enough information to say whether he broke any laws in doing so, she told reporters on Thursday. Despite Wednesday’s unannounced arrivals on Martha’s Vineyard, some residents of the island worked quickly to provide some key services. “Our island jumped into action putting together 50 beds, giving everyone a good meal, providing a play area for the children, making sure people have the healthcare and support they need,” Massachusetts state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, a Democrat who represents the island, wrote on Twitter. “We are a community that comes together to support immigrants.” Tens of thousands of dollars were donated to help the community, Edgartown Town Administrator James Hagerty told CNN Friday. Hagerty said overall the “outpour was tremendous” and reiterated the island community answered the call to help when migrants arrived without notice earlier this week. “Sometimes we’re alone and unafraid out here, but we understand the path of travel and we understand we’re a community that ultimately wants to help people,” Hagerty said. CNN’s Maria Santana, Amy Simonson, Priscilla Alvarez and Devan Cole contributed to this report. Read More Here

Fox News’ Own Poll Says Trump Was Wrong In Mar-A-Lago Paper Case https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fox-news-own-poll-says-trump-was-wrong-in-mar-a-lago-paper-case/ A new Fox News poll shows a solid two-thirds majority of voters believe it was “inappropriate” for former president Donald Trump to have taken a stash of more than 11,000 documents belonging to the government at the end of his term in the White House. The survey also found that just 26 per cent of US voters believe Mr Trump’s actions were “appropriate,” compared with the 65 per cent who said it was not. Of the survey respondents who said they voted for Mr Trump, just 38 per cent said the ex-president acted inappropriately by taking the government-owned documents, while nearly half of that group — 46 per cent — said Mr Trump’s actions were appropriate. Most groups of voters surveyed also said the Federal Bureau of Investigation acted appropriately when executing a court-authorised search of the ex-president’s Palm Beach, Florida home on 8 August. But the self-identified Trump voters said the FBI’s actions were inappropriate by a margin of 72 per cent to 21 per cent. Most voters surveyed also said they have confidence in the FBI, with 30 per cent saying they have a great deal of confidence in the bureau and 41 per cent responding with some confidence in the law enforcement agency. According to court documents, FBI agents found over 11,000 non-classified government documents spread across scores of boxes when they searched the twice-impeached ex-president’s home and office last month. Agents also discovered more than 100 “unique documents with classification markings”, including three stored in Mr Trump’s desk. Classification levels ranged from confidential – the lowest level of classification in the US system – to the highest, top secret. Currently, prosecutors are barred from using any of the recovered documents to further their criminal investigation into the ex-president because a federal judge who he appointed to the bench has ordered them to be reviewed for privilege by a third-party special master. Read More Here

5 Things To Know For Sept. 16: Mar-A-Lago, Alaska, Ukraine, Same-Sex Marriage, Mars – KRDO https://digitalarkansasnews.com/5-things-to-know-for-sept-16-mar-a-lago-alaska-ukraine-same-sex-marriage-mars-krdo/ By Alexandra Meeks, CNN Scientists and activists are pushing for the monkeypox virus to be renamed amid worries that stigma could steer people away from getting tested and vaccinated. Many health experts are also trying to clear up confusion and explain that monkeypox probably didn’t start in monkeys and its origin remains unknown. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. Mar-a-Lago A “special master” — or third party attorney — was appointed by a federal judge in Florida Thursday to review documents from the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. The special master will be Senior Judge Raymond Dearie, who was put forward as a possible candidate for the role by Trump, who had sued in court to obtain the review. The Justice Department also endorsed Dearie’s appointment. US District Judge Aileen Cannon also rejected the DOJ’s bid to resume its criminal investigation into classified documents seized at Mar-a-Lago last month. The denial sets the stage for the department’s dispute with Trump over the search to move quickly to an appeals court and potentially the Supreme Court. 2. Alaska storm Alaska is bracing for what has been described by forecasters as the strongest storm to impact the state in more than a decade. The system — the remnants of Typhoon Merbok — is expected to bring hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and enormous waves to Alaska’s west coast today and this weekend. The National Weather Service in Fairbanks urged coastal residents to complete preparations for the storm by this morning, as conditions will begin to rapidly deteriorate later today. Forecasts show the impacts of the storm will likely rival what was seen in 2011 from what’s referred to as the Bering Sea Superstorm, a meteorologist in the region told CNN. That storm, with wind gusts over 90 mph, left behind a wide swath of destruction. 3. Ukraine Ukrainian authorities have found 440 graves at a mass burial site in Izium, an eastern city recently recaptured from Russian forces, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said in a Twitter post today. “We want the world to know what is really happening and what the Russian occupation has led to,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding that Ukrainian and international journalists will be shown the site to see what had been uncovered. Izium was subject to intense Russian artillery attacks in April and was taken back by Ukrainian forces on Saturday, delivering a strategic blow to Russia’s military assault in the east. Separately, the White House announced a $600 million security package for Ukraine on Thursday, providing its military with another round of assistance during its ongoing counteroffensive against Russia. 4. Same-sex marriage The Senate will not vote on same-sex marriage legislation until after the November midterm elections — a move that could make it more likely the bill will ultimately pass the chamber. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a leading Democratic negotiator on the bill that would codify same-sex marriage nationwide, said Thursday that more time is needed to negotiate the issue with Republicans. “We’re very confident that the bill will pass, but we will need a little more time,” Baldwin told CNN. Democrats have pushed for the vote after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, sparking fears that the court could take aim at same-sex marriage in the future. 5. Mars NASA’s Perseverance rover has collected some of the most important samples yet on its mission to determine if life ever existed on Mars, scientists said. A few of the recently collected samples include organic matter, indicating a crater likely once held a lake that was potentially habitable 3.5 billion years ago. The rover’s mission, which began on the red planet 18 months ago, includes looking for signs of ancient microbial life and collecting rock samples that could have preserved telltale signs of a formerly water-filled environments. The rover contains 12 rock samples and will eventually take more collections back to Earth in the 2030s. NASA’s Perseverance and Curiosity rovers have found organic matter before on Mars. But this time, the detection occurred in an area where life may have once existed. HAPPENING LATER President Biden to personally meet with Griner and Whelan families President Biden will meet with the families of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan at the White House today, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN. This is the first time he will meet with them in person. Griner was detained in Russia in February for carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. The two-time US Olympic basketball gold medalist pleaded guilty to drug charges and said she accidentally packed the cartridges while in a hurry. She was convicted in August and sentenced to nine years in jail. Whelan has been imprisoned in Russia for more than three years after being convicted on espionage charges that he vehemently denies. BREAKFAST BROWSE Social media erupts after ‘Jeopardy!’ contestant allowed to change answer Fans of “Jeopardy!” are in a frenzy after the show’s host Ken Jennings allowed a contestant to change his answer… but later denied a second contestant from doing the same. Watch the video here. Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ jersey fetches a record $10.1 million The record sale price now makes it the most expensive basketball jersey ever to sell at auction. Husky enjoys playing on the roof of a two-story house Most dogs like to relax on couches… this one prefers to hang out on the roof. Listen to the owner’s reaction to this paws-itively outrageous behavior. Nick Cannon welcomes his ninth child “The Masked Singer” host also has two more on the way. France unveils high-speed trains of the future This swanky new train, operating at a maximum speed of nearly 220 mph, will premiere on the Paris rail network next year. QUIZ TIME Rising inflation has driven food prices in the US far higher than they were a year ago. Which of the following grocery items has seen the biggest increase? A. Milk B. Eggs C. Cheese D. Tomatoes Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see if you’re correct! TODAY’S NUMBER 40 That’s the number of days that residents in Jackson, Mississippi, were under a boil water notice due to poor water quality. The advisory was lifted on Thursday after heavy rains last month and issues at a failing water plant ultimately led to residents being unable to use or drink water for weeks. While samples now show clean water has been restored, officials say it is possible that there will be further interruptions to the city’s water system. Jackson’s issues with water go back years, with boil water advisories becoming almost a fact of life in the city. TODAY’S QUOTE “I’ve come to the conclusion, and I want to be definitive on this: The election was not stolen.” — New Hampshire GOP Senate candidate Don Bolduc, stating Thursday on Fox News that he believes President Biden is the legitimate president of the US. His remarks, however, come shortly after Bolduc won the Republican nomination this week — and after months of campaigning on false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. Bolduc is now gearing up to take on Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in November. Her seat represents a top pickup opportunity for Republicans, who are trying to erase Democrats’ slim Senate majority this fall. TODAY’S WEATHER Check your local forecast here AND FINALLY Delicate patterns carefully carved into fruits and vegetables This artist pulls inspiration from traditional Japanese patterns to create masterpieces out of fruits and vegetables. (Click here to view) The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Slain RJ Reporter To Be Inducted Into Nevada Newspaper Hall Of Fame https://digitalarkansasnews.com/slain-rj-reporter-to-be-inducted-into-nevada-newspaper-hall-of-fame/ Slain Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German will be inducted this month into the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame, the Nevada Press Association announced Friday morning. German, 69, was killed Sept. 2 outside his Las Vegas home. Police later arrested Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles — who was a subject of German’s reporting — on a murder charge in the case. Two other former Review-Journal reporters, Steve Carp and Jane Ann Morrison, also are among the Hall of Fame honorees this year, the Nevada Press Foundation announced last month. They will be recognized during an annual convention and awards banquet Sept. 24 at the Westgate in Las Vegas. The other two honorees are Tom Tait, who retired this summer after working as a Las Vegas-based news editor for The Associated Press, and the late Bob Brown, owner and publisher of the now-defunct North Las Vegas Valley Times in the 1970s and ’80s. Jeff German German’s career in Las Vegas spanned four decades, and he was known for his investigative work exposing corruption. After working for more than 20 years as a reporter and columnist at the Las Vegas Sun — where he covered topics such as courts, politics, government and organized crime — he was hired at the Review-Journal in 2010. He covered topics such as city inspection failures before the 2019 Alpine Motel Apartments fire, extremist activity in Southern Nevada and an FBI investigation into Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore’s campaign finances. German and other members of the investigative team also conducted a lengthy investigation into the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Following the 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival, German exclusively reported that the shooter had first fired at two jet fuel tanks. German wrote a 2001 book, “Murder in Sin City: The Death of a Las Vegas Casino Boss.” Last year, he was the writer and host for Season 2 of the Review-Journal’s podcast, “Mobbed Up: the Fight for Vegas.” Prosecutors have linked German’s killing to his reporting on Telles’ conduct as an elected official. Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Scow said German’s reporting “ruined his political career, likely his marriage.” Earlier this year, German reported a series of investigative stories about Telles’ workplace conduct, including allegations from current and former staffers that Telles fueled a hostile work environment and was involved in an “inappropriate relationship” with an employee. German was working on a potential follow-up story in the weeks before his death. Jane Ann Morrison Morrison’s journalism career spanned more than 48 years at four newspapers. The vast majority of that time was in Las Vegas. She arrived in 1976 in Las Vegas and covered “everything from the mob to gaming and politics,” according to a press foundation announcement. Morrison said she was delighted to learn that she’ll be inducted into the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame. She said her 92-year-old father was even more excited. “He was so pleased about it,” she said. “Of course, that made me happy.” Morrison said she gives credit to her editors, noting she was lucky enough to have many excellent ones along the way. “They have made me a much better writer,” she said. Morrison was at the Review-Journal for 38 non-consecutive years, beginning as a night cops reporter. She was also the Reno Gazette Journal’s Las Vegas bureau chief for part of the 1980s. In 2003, she became the Review-Journal’s first female general interest columnist, writing three columns a week. Morrison cut down to one weekly column in 2014 and fully retired in 2018. Her career began as a copykid in 1971 at The Christian Science Monitor in Boston. In 1973, she took a job at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the town where she was born. She was transferred by Donrey Media Group to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, where she covered a variety of beats over the years, including magazine features, federal court, gaming and politics. Morrison started as a federal court reporter around the time the FBI was cracking down on organized crime. She said her first big mob story was probably when 83 search warrants were issued related to Anthony Spilotro, reputed Las Vegas enforcer for the Chicago mob, and his associates. Morrison followed Spilotro during his trial. She said she never referred to him in print as “Tony the Ant” like others did because she didn’t think it was professional. She said she knew he was a “stone-cold killer,” but Spilotro and his wife, Nancy, were polite to her. Spilotro would hold the door open for her and call her by name. Morrison also covered mobster Frank Rosenthal during that time. She said he gave her “cold looks” and frightened her more than Spilotro. After Rosenthal died, Morrison had a major story confirming he was a government informant, and she recalled that she was the first to report that. “A lot of people thought it, but I was able to get people to say it,” she said. Morrison said another memorable experience was writing about Clark County Commissioner Dario Herrera’s sweetheart deals with the Las Vegas Housing Authority before it was made public that he was the subject of a federal corruption investigation. As a columnist, Morrison said, she liked to give readers stories that weren’t already in the newspaper. She said she particularly liked focusing on ethics, such as disciplinary actions taken against doctors and lawyers. Morrison also said one of her bigger stories was about a Sun City Summerlin hoarder. She said she was praised by the neighbors but received criticism from some people about why she was writing about the man. Sometimes, her columns took on lighter topics. “I did silly things as well that got reactions,” she said. One column was about the first time she colored her hair. Morrison said her boss thought she was crazy for writing about it, but she received a tremendous response from many women and a few men. She also wrote a column about a Mandalay Bay topless swimming pool. “I did not go topless, but I talked about everything I saw,” she said. Morrison was known for her robust Rolodex and sharing phone numbers for sources with her colleagues. Review-Journal Metro Editor Carri Geer Thevenot and former reporter Natalie Burt nominated Morrison for the Hall of Fame. “Jane Ann took me under her wing when I arrived at the Review-Journal as a young reporter more than 30 years ago, and soon became a valued colleague and friend,” Geer Thevenot said. “Journalism is in her blood, and I continue to receive story ideas and news tips from her to this day. Jane Ann was a trusted source of news for Nevada residents for more than four decades, covering some of the state’s most important stories. I’m delighted that she’s being recognized for her significant contributions to Nevada journalism.” Steve Carp Carp was a sports reporter for more than 30 years in Nevada, about 20 of which were at the Review-Journal. He said being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor. “You never go into any profession thinking you’re going to be a Hall of Famer or anything like that,” he said. “You just want to do a good job for the people you work for.” He also credited his editors, saying he’s grateful they trusted him and allowed him to do this kind of work. Carp said it’s also “cool” that his friend Morrison, whom he described as a “distinguished writer and columnist,” is being recognized the same year. “She is so deserving of this honor,” he said. Carp is already part of the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame and U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame. He spent 11 years at the Las Vegas Sun before joining the Review-Journal in 1999. He said he was brought on to cover UNLV basketball. Over the years, he covered many other sports, too, including boxing, soccer, golf, baseball and football. “It was great for me because it gave me a chance not to pigeonhole myself into one thing,” Carp said. He also covered the Golden Knights — “probably the best part of the RJ experience for me,” he said. “This was really kind of the start for Las Vegas to become a major league city, and I got to cover it.” Carp left the Review-Journal in 2018 and managed a 32-person staff as senior editor of Gaming Today until February 2021. The publication was sold and the print edition discontinued. “It was a great experience,” he said about his time at Gaming Today, noting he was grateful for the opportunity to keep his career going for a little longer. “I hadn’t been an editor in such a long time.” Carp — who grew up in the Brooklyn borough of New York City reading newspapers every day — said it was always his life dream to be a sports writer. He said he never forgot it’s supposed to be about the readers and “getting it right” the first time. Carp is also the author of two books: “Vegas Born: The Remarkable Story of The Golden Knights” and “Runnin’: UNLV Rebels – A Basketball Legacy.” Now, he’s working on his third book, which he hopes will be out next year, about how Las Vegas became a major league sports city. Ed Graney, a sports columnist for the Review-Journal, nominated Carp for the Hall of Fame. “Steve has had an incredible impact on sports writing in Nevada,” he said. Carp’s connections are incomparable, Graney said. “Steve can get anyone on the phone in a matter of minutes due to his reputation and professionalism in the business,” he said. Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter. Read More Here

Germany Takes Control Of Russian-Owned Refinery Amid Energy Crisis https://digitalarkansasnews.com/germany-takes-control-of-russian-owned-refinery-amid-energy-crisis/ Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com German energy industry reeling since war in Ukraine German regulator now has control of Schwedt refinery Schwedt refinery is a main fuel source for Berlin PKN interested in controlling stake in refinery – sources BERLIN, Sept 16 (Reuters) – Germany took control of a major Russian-owned oil refinery on Friday, risking retaliation from Moscow as Berlin strives to shore up energy supplies and meet its European Union commitment to eliminate Russian oil imports by the end of the year. The economy ministry said it was putting a unit of Russian oil firm Rosneft (ROSN.MM) under the trusteeship of the industry regulator and taking over the business’ Schwedt refinery, which supplies 90% of Berlin’s fuel. “This is a far-reaching energy policy decision to protect our country,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz told a news conference to present the government’s plans to put the Schwedt refinery under the control of the Federal Network Agency regulator. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The plans included a “package for the future” with more than 1 billion euros ($996.10 million) in federal and state government investments over several years in eastern German states, with 825 million euros earmarked for Schwedt alone. “Russia, we have known for some time, is no longer a reliable energy supplier,” Scholz said. “We did not take this decision lightly, but it was unavoidable.” Governments across Europe have been racing to prop up their power providers and secure fuel deliveries as they ratchet up sanctions on major supplier Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has retaliated by reducing gas flows and has threatened to shut off all the taps, sending prices soaring and raising the prospect of energy rationing in Europe this winter. The Schwedt refinery has posed a dilemma for Berlin for several weeks, as it has received all of its crude from Russia, but Germany is resolved to eliminate imports of oil from Russia by the end of the year under European Union sanctions. Taking over Schwedt, however, risks retaliatory measures from Moscow. Scholz said Germany had gamed out a possible sudden stop in crude supplies from Russia, adding: “That is why we are prepared.” A policy document released by Berlin on Friday showed that it is in talks with the government of Kazakhstan on securing oil deliveries for Schwedt. Poland said earlier this year that ending Russian ownership of the refinery was a condition for potentially supplying it with seaborne oil via a terminal in Gdansk and via Polish pipelines to replace Russian crude. TRUSTEESHIP, FOR NOW The company logo hangs at the PCK refinery’s, which is majority-owned by Russia’s Rosneft, in Schwedt, Brandenburg, Germany, June 9, 2022. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi/File Photo Under Friday’s deal, Rosneft Deutschland, which was majority owned by the Russian oil group and accounts for about 12% of German oil processing capacity, is being placed under the trusteeship of the Federal Network Agency. The regulator said the original owner no longer had authority to issue instructions. Rosneft Deutschland and Rosneft did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Polish refiner PKN Orlen (PKN.WA) is interested in taking a controlling stake in the Schwedt refinery, which is Germany’s fourth-largest and also supplies parts of western Poland, sources in Berlin and Warsaw familiar with the matter told Reuters. read more Asked about the Polish interest, Scholz replied: “At the moment, we’re doing a trusteeship.” Shell , which owns a 37.5% stake in Schwedt, has wanted to sell that for some time. Shell said on Friday it was “unaffected” by the German move to take control of the refinery. Germany’s move on Rosneft Deutschland is its latest attempt to stabilise the energy market. The government said this week it would step up lending to companies at risk of being crushed by soaring gas prices, and power utility Uniper said the state could take a controlling stake, adding a government rescue package worth 19 billion euros ($19 billion) was no longer enough. read more The government has also put SEFE, formerly known as Gazprom Germania, under trusteeship after Russian energy giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) ditched it in April. Berlin is grappling with Russia’s move to halt flows of gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which had been the biggest gas supply route powering Europe’s biggest economy. As a result of Friday’s decision, the Federal Network Agency will also take Rosneft Deutschland’s shares in the MiRo refinery in Karlsruhe and Bayernoil refinery in Vohburg. ($1 = 1.0019 euros) Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Markus Wacket, Rachel More and Miranda Murray in Berlin, Paul Carrel in Geneva and Shadia Nasralla in London; Editing by Edmund Blair, Mark Potter and Louise Heavens Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Analysis | 4 Key Points From Judge Cannon’s Latest Controversial Trump Decision https://digitalarkansasnews.com/analysis-4-key-points-from-judge-cannons-latest-controversial-trump-decision/ For the second time in two weeks, a federal judge nominated to the bench by former president Donald Trump has issued a ruling in Trump’s favor that has flabbergasted many legal experts. Judge Aileen M. Cannon on Thursday night rejected the Justice Department’s request to allow it to review documents seized from Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago that were marked classified. Cannon previously ruled that a special master review all seized documents, at least temporarily delaying the government’s criminal probe. The DOJ had asked narrowly to be allowed to review only the documents marked classified, and for the special master’s review to exclude them. But Cannon rejected that while appointing a special master pick that both sides had assented to, Raymond J. Dearie. Cannon’s original order was widely criticized as being overly deferential to Trump and his claims, and for seemingly giving him preferential treatment. And there’s more grist for that mill in the latest order. Below are some key points. 1. The ‘factual dispute’ that isn’t actually, directly disputed One of the most puzzling ongoing developments in this legal drama is the Trump legal team’s ongoing refusal to actually claim in court that Trump declassified the documents at issue (though Trump has, publicly). Despite multiple opportunities — and despite having access to a client who would seemingly know the truth — it has conspicuously refused to do so. It has merely said the Trump had the power to do so and that whether he possessed classified documents was in dispute, without actually directly saying he declassified these documents. It turns out this was good enough for Cannon, though. In her order, she notes that the DOJ says the records remain classified, but says, “The Court does not find it appropriate to accept the Government’s conclusions on these important and disputed issues without further review by a neutral third party in an expedited and orderly fashion.” She does not cite Trump’s or his team’s actual claims, but she does refer to whether the documents are actually classified as among the “ongoing factual and legal disputes.” And she even suggests Trump might not know the status of the documents: “Plaintiff has not had a meaningful ability to concretize his position with respect to the seized materials,” in part because Trump’s team wasn’t given requested information on the seized documents. The ruling leaves the impression that Trump somehow might not truly know whether he himself declassified these documents. But mere hours before the order, he had reiterated on a radio show that “everything was declassified.” Cannon has shown basically no interest in squaring such public comments with what Trump’s legal team argues in court. 2. Allegations of special treatment As in her previous order, Cannon effectively acknowledges she is treating this case differently because Trump is a former president. She reasons that, due to Trump’s former position, a search poses much greater risks to his reputation than in a situation involving an everyday citizen. “Based on the nature of this action, the principles of equity require the Court to consider the specific context at issue, and that consideration is inherently impacted by the position formerly held by Plaintiff,” she writes. Certainly, there occasionally can be good reason for treating a case differently; special masters are generally reserved for cases with exceptional circumstances. But critics have said she extends this too far by focusing on who Trump is. In her earlier order, she wrote: “As a function of plaintiff’s former position as president of the United States, the stigma associated with the subject seizure is in a league of its own.” 3. Again suggestively invoking leaks Another commonality between the two orders is Cannon’s suggestive language about leaks as part of why a special master is necessary. She briefly alluded to this prospect in a footnote of her order last week, and she expands on it in her latest. Not only did the government not convince her that Trump’s possession of the documents might lead to “imminent disclosure of classified information,” she writes, “instead, and unfortunately, the unwarranted disclosures that float in the background have been leaks to the media after the underlying seizure.” Importantly, though, Cannon doesn’t address where these leaks might have come from. Leaks in these kinds of cases come from lots of different places, including those outside the government who might have insight into what is taking place. (Trump’s political operation and White House have leaked prodigiously in the past.) Nor does Cannon actually say that the risk is that classified information might leak. But that sentence comes right after she addresses the potential public disclosure of classified information, which is certainly suggestive. A Justice Department lawyer previously said he was unaware of any leaks from his team. Cannon summarized that in her previous order as the lawyer, Jay Bratt, having “candidly acknowledged the unfortunate existence of leaks to the press.” But Bratt didn’t concede those leaks necessarily came from the government; in fact, he drew a line between leaks more broadly and those that would come from DOJ. “I see the same things in the press that other people do. It’s bad,” Bratt said. “People are talking. If people on the government’s side are talking about it, I’m not aware of anybody that we work with that has had contact with the press and certainly don’t condone it in any way.” 4. Giving herself an out? Even as Cannon rejected the Justice Department’s request, some saw her ruling as giving herself a potential exit ramp from her initial, controversial order. For one, she instructs Dearie to first review the approximately 100 documents marked classified and says the court will “thereafter consider prompt adjustments to the Court’s Orders as necessary.” Georgetown University law professor Heidi Li Feldman said that raised the prospect that Dearie could recommend to Cannon that the Justice Department be given access to the documents before an appeal by the government could be decided. She also appeared to give the Justice Department some wiggle room in proceeding with the criminal case. The DOJ has argued that the criminal probe is “inextricably” tied to the national-security assessment that she has allowed to proceed, and thus it must have access to the classified documents. One reason is that it says the DOJ has a role to play in tracing classified documents to empty folders with classified banners that were seized. Cannon maintains she’s not convinced of that, but she opens the door to it. She writes that, “to the extent that the Security Assessments truly are, in fact, inextricable from criminal investigative use of the seized materials, the Court makes clear that the Sept. 5 Order does not enjoin the Government from taking actions necessary for the Security Assessments.” At another point, she essentially repeats this and sets the standard at when the “intelligence review becomes truly and necessarily inseparable from criminal investigative efforts.” It’s difficult to know precisely what to make of that. What is “truly and necessarily inseparable?” But it would seem to give the Justice Department some license to explore, given many national security experts have agreed the two are indeed inseparable. Read More Here

Trump’s Lawyers Dance Around Declassification Claims But Score Special Master Win https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trumps-lawyers-dance-around-declassification-claims-but-score-special-master-win/ September 16, 2022 11:47 AM Lawyers for Donald Trump have not directly claimed in legal filings that he declassified records seized by the FBI at Mar-a-Lago, despite the former president’s repeated assertions that he did, but they nevertheless scored a win in the special master saga. A federal judge denied the Justice Department’s motion for a partial stay that sought to allow the use of classified documents obtained during an FBI raid on Trump’s Florida resort home, and the judge also appointed a special master who had been offered up by the former president. Judge Aileen Cannon said the DOJ wanted her to accept the premise “that all of the approximately 100 documents isolated by the Government … are classified government records.” But she said she “does not find it appropriate to accept the Government’s conclusions on these important and disputed issues without further review by a neutral third party.” TRUMP SPECIAL MASTER SIGNED OFF ON CARTER PAGE FISA The judge ruled she will direct the special master “to prioritize review of the approximately 100 documents marked as classified.” Judge Raymond Dearie, the new special master, was a former FISA court judge who signed off on the final warrant against Trump campaign associate Carter Page. Trump claimed again on Thursday that all the records seized had been declassified. “Remember this. Everything was declassified, No. 1,” Trump said when asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt if he had taken the documents down to his Florida resort home after declassifying them intentionally. The DOJ’s Tuesday filing had argued Trump “does not actually assert — much less provide any evidence — that any of the seized records bearing classification markings have been declassified.” Trump’s team pushed back the next day without directly claiming the former president had declassified the Mar-a-Lago documents. “The Government’s stance assumes that if a document has a classification marking, it remains classified irrespective of any actions taken during President Trump’s term in office,” Trump’s lawyers told the court Monday, arguing “the President enjoys absolute authority under the Executive Order to declassify any information.” “The argument goes, as President Trump has no right to have the documents returned to him — because the Government has unilaterally determined they are classified — the Government should be permitted to continue to use them, in conjunction with the intelligence communities, to build a criminal case against him,” Trump’s attorneys told the judge. “However, there still remains a disagreement as to the classification status of the documents. The Government’s position therefore assumes a fact not yet established.” Former Pentagon chief of staff Kash Patel had told Breitbart in May he was present with Trump when the former president said, “We are declassifying this information.” On Thursday, Trump said: “That’s correct, and not only that, I think it was other people also were there. But I have the absolute right to declassify.” Trump has contended he had a “standing order” throughout his presidency that “documents removed from the Oval Office and taken to the residence were deemed to be declassified the moment he removed them.” Several former Trump administration officials have cast doubt on that notion. The DOJ has said that when Trump’s team handed over documents in January and again in June, it did not assert that the records had been declassified. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Trump attorney M. Evan Corcoran pointed to “a few bedrock principles” in a May letter to the DOJ, including that “A President Has Absolute Authority To Declassify Documents” and that “Presidential Actions Involving Classified Documents Are Not Subject To Criminal Sanction.” Read More Here

Trump’s Cronies Are Getting Slammed With Subpoenas https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trumps-cronies-are-getting-slammed-with-subpoenas/ U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a “Save America Rally” near the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images This content comes from the latest installment of our weekly Breaking the Vote newsletter out of VICE News’ D.C. bureau, tracking the ongoing efforts to undermine the democratic process in America. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday. The Jan. 6 criminal investigations got a hell of a lot more real this week. Suddenly it seems like the feds are everywhere. Some 40 subpoenas were blasted out at top MAGA-world figures by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., which is reportedly seeking answers on practically every aspect of the insurrection.  The feds want to know about the so-called fake electors scheme, sure. But they’re also poking around to learn more about the planning of former President Donald Trump’s rally on the Ellipse, and even fundraising for Trump’s Save America political action committee.  In other words, the first whiff of autumn is in the air—and so is that faint, burnt-leaf smell of accountability. The Department of Justice’s upshift into a higher gear comes after critics spent months lambasting Attorney General Merrick Garland for moving too slowly. That chatter now seems likely to subside. Federal agents seized the cellphones of top Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn and campaign strategist Mike Roman. Subpoenas were served on former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and Trump’s former social media director Dan Scavino.  Mike Lindell, aka “the pillow guy,” did not escape the dragnet.   FBI agents pounced on the MyPillow CEO and prominent election conspiracy theorist in the drive-thru lane of a Minnesota Hardee’s and ordered him to turn over his phone. (Imagine, for a moment, that a genie let you travel back in time to warn your past self about our discordant future—but you could only transmit that one, bizarre sentence.)  Hardee’s capitalized on its trending moment with a pillow pun on Twitter: “Now that you know we exist… you should really try our pillowy biscuits.” Lindell—never one to sit quietly, even under legal scrutiny—also made much of the incident, discussing every detail in frenetic media appearances and even posting his warrant on social media.   Judging from the document, Lindell’s run-in with the feds appears linked to an investigation that’s formally separate from the big Jan. 6 subpoena blast. Instead, it’s tied to the widening investigation of a breach of election voting systems in Colorado and the prosecution of former Colorado election official and regular BtV cast member Tina Peters.  Peters, you might recall, has been charged with state-level crimes and pleaded not guilty. She is specifically named in the seizure warrant for Lindell’s phone, which was approved by a federal grand jury in Colorado and posted online by Lindell. What happens next, after all this frothy action? Some lawyers and former prosecutors say they expect the DOJ may tamp down overt investigative or prosecutorial activity during the run-up to November’s midterm elections. The recent spurt might have been an attempt to make headway before the DOJ’s so-called “60-day rule” sets in. Ditto, perhaps, for the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club for sensitive secret government documents in August. After all, nothing focuses the mind like a deadline.  That reasoning also suggests that officials will be unlikely to announce criminal charges against Trump himself before the Nov. 8 elections.  By the same token, prosecutors won’t want to make big moves right before the next round of presidential campaign primaries officially begin, likely in very early 2024, either. In other words, it’s plausible the next two months will be relatively quiet, from a strictly prosecutorial point of view. After that, if officials feel indictments are warranted, they’ll have an incentive not to sit on their hands too long.  Trump, for his part, was asked by radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday whether picking up a criminal charge would stop him from running for president. Trump replied with his usual reserve: “It would not.”  Gettin’ the band back together The Jan. 6 Congressional committee is talking about at least one more gig. The committee is eyeing Sept. 28 for one more hearing, but that date is not yet confirmed. The team received “significant” new information from the Secret Service, according to Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), including a lot of text messages from Jan. 5 and 6.  Thompson said this week that the committee is contemplating sharing more information with the Department of Justice, now that the DOJ is getting more serious about its investigations. But a committee spokesperson said the decision wouldn’t be made until October or November. Berman’s revelations We don’t have a VICE News–branded crystal ball that could show the future of a second Trump term. But let’s pretend we do. Inside, you’d see something that looks a lot like the pages of a new memoir released by Geoffrey Berman, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Berman’s new book, Holding the Line, details his efforts to resist political pressure to prosecute more Democrats, including former Democratic presidential nominee and ex-Secretary of State John Kerry. Berman’s revelations prompted the Senate Judiciary Committee to launch an investigation.  Trump 3 Q  Just in case there was any lingering doubt about Trump’s return embrace of the Trump-worshiping QAnon conspiracy movement, the former president posted a picture of himself literally wearing a Q lapel pin on his Truth Social account.  David Gilbert has the story. The image was overlaid with QAnon slogans “The Storm is Coming” and “WWG1WGA.” In QAnon lore, the “storm” is the moment Trump reveals his master plan to take down his cowering enemies. And “WWG1WGA” is a phrase that refers to the group’s collective hive-mind vibe, meaning “Where We Go One, We Go All.”  All the president’s lawyers I wrote about Trump’s lawyer problem this week. His attorneys have racked up an impressive range of legal trouble over the years, like Michael Cohen’s criminal conviction for financial crimes and the recent news that Rudy Giuliani is a target in the Fulton County DA’s investigation into the Trump team’s attempt to reverse Trump’s 2020 election defeat in Georgia.  All this drama now appears to be catching up with Trump, who seems to be having a hard time adding heavy hitters to his legal lineup. This is a problem for a guy facing this many investigations, because he’s going to need sober, competent representation. And the recent performance of his team in the Mar-a-Lago scandal, when outside lawyers have openly mocked their baffling arguments and substandard legal briefs, hasn’t exactly inspired confidence. Box-a-Lago — Reporter Andrea Bernstein wrote about one of the big, unsolved questions of our time: WHY Trump tookmay have taken documents at Mar-a-Lago. “He knows the value of hoarding secret information and wielding it for his own ends.” Virginia ham — Virginia’s Republican Attorney General announced the creation of an “Election Integrity Unit” to prosecute election law violations, despite the lack of credible evidence that such violations are a problem.  “The FBI seized Mike Lindell’s phone! Fight back by shopping RUDY at mypillow.com to support.” —Rudy Giuliani on Twitter  CLICK  In Doug Mastriano’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, a chilling template for future races https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/doug-mastriano-donald-trump-2020-election-overturn-20220914.html How a spreader of voter fraud conspiracy theories became a star https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/14/technology/catherine-engelbrecht-voter-fraud-conspiracy-theories.html House members roll out bipartisan plan to stop future coups https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-members-roll-bipartisan-election-bill-aimed-preventing-future-co-rcna47725 Read More Here

Alaska's Western Coast Is Expecting High Winds And Flooding In Powerful Storm This Weekend | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/alaskas-western-coast-is-expecting-high-winds-and-flooding-in-powerful-storm-this-weekend-cnn/ CNN  —  The remnants of Typhoon Merbok are putting residents of western Alaska on high alert as a coastal storm is expected to bring flooding and strong winds this weekend. Wind gusts as high as 65 mph are expected for Kotzebue Sound and Chukchi Coast, according to the National Weather Service in Fairbanks. Winds are scheduled to peak early on Saturday morning. Forecasters call it “the strongest storm in over a decade.” Officials in the Nome area, with about 10,000 residents, have urged people to prepare. “Port users should secure boats and vessels in the harbor and on Belmont Point. Please check your lines and gear periodically to avoid losses,” the town of Nome said on its Facebook page. The town said its recreation center will serve as the emergency shelter. “The many local, state, federal, tribal, and non-government agencies and emergency response organizations are aware of this storm’s potential and are preparing their response capabilities,” the Alaska Division of Homeland Security said. “The State Emergency Operation Center staff will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with communities in the path of the storm.” The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities asked people to report road conditions to its Nome maintenance station. The system was moving over the Bering Sea, which spans the northern Pacific Ocean between Alaska and Russia. “This is a dangerous storm that is expected to produce widespread coastal flooding south of the Bering Strait with water levels approaching levels not seen in nearly 50 years,” the weather service warned Thursday. Along Alaska’s shore, the main threats are a double-whammy of coastal flooding and winds up to 60 mph with higher gusts that could displace loose objects, damage buildings and bring down powerlines. Weather officials in Alaska also urged residents to prepare for the storm as it could threaten to overwhelm critical infrastructure and wash away roads. The storm’s impacts are expected Friday through Sunday morning, with water levels rising the highest Saturday. Coastal flood watches have also been issued for all coastlines along the west coast of Alaska between just north of the Arctic Circle down through the Kuskokwim Delta coast. CNN Weather The last time Alaska saw a storm this strong was in 2011, when it left behind a wide swath of destruction. Like Merbok, the 2011 system was an extratropical storm. An extratropical storm or cyclone has cold air at its core – unlike a tropical storm or cyclone which has a warm core. Both can cause significant damage from strong winds, heavy rain and storm surge. “When a big storm comes in, we always say, ‘Does it compare to the 2011 storm?’” Jonathan Chriest, a meteorologist with the weather service in Fairbanks, told CNN. “This is the first storm since 2011 that we have high confidence … will compare impact-wise.” On Friday, the remnants of Merbok are forecast to move into the Bering Sea and “bomb out” in a process also known as bombogenesis, referring to a pressure drop of 24 millibars in 24 hours or less. That means the storm is rapidly strengthening and has the potential to cause significant damage. “Winds will peak early Saturday morning near Shishmaref, and during the day Saturday near Kotzebue and the Chukchi Coast,” the weather service said. “Coastal flooding will occur, in addition to significant beach erosion.” While most areas will see around 1 inch of rain with this storm, some could pick up as much as 3 inches through the weekend. Even if Anchorage – more than 500 miles from Nome – picks up 1 to 2 inches from this storm, it will push this year into the top five wettest years on record. Read More Here

Retired Mexican General Arrested Over Disappearance Of 43 Students In 2014 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/retired-mexican-general-arrested-over-disappearance-of-43-students-in-2014/ Mexican authorities have arrested a retired general and two other members of the army for alleged links to the disappearance of 43 students in the south of the country in 2014. The assistant public safety secretary, Ricardo Mejia, said that among those arrested was the former officer who commanded the army base in the Guerrero state city of Iguala in September 2014, when the students from a radical teachers’ college were abducted. Mejía said a fourth arrest was expected soon. A government official with knowledge of the case who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that another member of the army had been arrested. Mejía did not give names of those under arrest, but the commander of the Iguala base at that time was José Rodríguez Pérez, then a colonel. Barely a year after the students’ disappearances – and after the families had already raised suspicions about military involvement and demanded access to the base – Rodríguez was promoted to brigadier-general. The government official confirmed that Rodríguez Pérez had been arrested and said he was being held at a military base. The source said two of the others arrested were officers and the third was an enlisted soldier. Last month, a government truth commission re-investigating the case issued a report that named Rodríguez Pérez as being allegedly responsible for the disappearance of six of the students. The interior undersecretary Alejandro Encinas Rodríguez, who led the commission, said last month that six of the missing students were allegedly kept alive in a warehouse for days before being turned over to Rodríguez Pérez, who ordered them killed. The report had called the disappearances a “state crime”, emphasising that authorities had been closely monitoring the students from the teachers’ college at Ayotzinapa from the time they left their campus through their abduction by Iguala police that night. A soldier who had infiltrated the school was among the abducted students, and Encinas said the army did not follow its own protocols to try to rescue him. “There is also information corroborated with emergency … telephone calls where allegedly six of the 43 disappeared students were held during several days and alive in what they call the old warehouse and from there were turned over to the colonel,” Encinas said. “Allegedly, the six students were alive for as many as four days after the events and were killed and disappeared on orders of the colonel, allegedly the then Col José Rodríguez Pérez.” Numerous government and independent investigations have failed to reach a single conclusive narrative about what happened to the 43 students, but it appears that local police pulled them off buses in Iguala and turned them over to a drug gang. The motive behind the abduction remains unclear. Their bodies have never been found, though fragments of burned bone have been matched to three of the students. The role of the army in the students’ disappearance has long been a source of tension between the families and the government. From the beginning, there were questions about the military’s knowledge of what happened and its possible involvement. The students’ parents demanded for years that they be allowed to search the army base in Iguala. It was not until 2019 that they were given access along with Encinas and the truth commission. Shortly after the commission’s report, the attorney general’s office announced 83 arrest orders, of which 20 were for members of the military. Federal agents then arrested Jesús Murillo Karam, who was attorney general at the time. Doubts grew in the following weeks because no arrests were announced. The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has formed a close public bond with the military. López Obrador pushed to shift the newly created national guard under full military authority and his allies in congress are trying to extend the time for the military to continue a policing role in the streets to 2028. On Thursday, Mejía also dismissed any suggestion that José Luis Abarca, who was mayor of Iguala at the time, would be released from prison after a judge absolved him of responsibility for the student’s abduction based on lack of evidence. Even without the aggravated kidnapping charge, Abarca still faces other charges for organised crime and money laundering, and Mejía said the judge’s latest decision would be challenged. The judge similarly absolved 19 others, including the man who was Iguala’s police chief at the time. Read More Here

Women’s Basketball Adds Exhibition Game https://digitalarkansasnews.com/womens-basketball-adds-exhibition-game/ kylie magar September 16, 2022 Arkansas women’s basketball has added an exhibition game against the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, as announced by Head Coach Mike Neighbors on Friday. The game is set for Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena. UAFS finished last season 7-18, rounding out the Lone Star Conference in 12th with a 4-10 league mark. Nya Stewart is the Lions’ returning scorer with 7.3 points per game. This marks the second consecutive year the Razorbacks and Lions will face off in an exhibition contest. Last year, Arkansas defeated UAFS, 114-55. Arkansas is 16-0 in exhibition games against other NCAA opponents. Tipoff times and television information for the full 2022-23 schedule will be released at a later date. Season Tickets Season tickets for the 2022-23 season are on sale. General admission season tickets are $45 and reserved seating season tickets at $75. Click here for more information. More Information For more information about Arkansas Women’s Basketball, follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @RazorbackWBB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/RazorbackWBB. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel, “Kickin’ It In The Neighborhood” for an inside look at the Razorback women’s basketball program and check out The Neighborhood podcasts at CoachNeighbors.com. Read More Here

SAU Tech CFO Finalist For Arkansas Business Award https://digitalarkansasnews.com/sau-tech-cfo-finalist-for-arkansas-business-award/ EAST CAMDEN, AR (09/15/2022) Southern Arkansas University Tech (SAU Tech) is pleased to announce that Gaye Manning, Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration, is a finalist for the Arkansas Business CFO of the Year Award. Gaye Manning has been the Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration for SAU Tech for 21 years and has been employed by SAU Tech for 38 years. She earned her business administration degree focusing on management and accounting at Southern Arkansas University and came to work at SAU Tech after graduation. While working for SAU Tech, Manning earned a Master’s in Business Administration from Henderson University. She has been instrumental in ensuring that the College operated in a fiscally sound environment, providing that students and academic programs were at the forefront of all financial decisions. Manning has proven her ability to lead during difficult times over and over again. During a weather disaster that ravaged the campus, she took the lead. She stepped up when the College needed someone to head up emergency response planning, and she has displayed her unique leadership skills during state budget cuts. Above all else, her legacy for the campus will be her dedication to improving the grounds and facilities. Her love of landscaping and plants is on display everywhere. She spends hours volunteering to work in the campus flowerbeds and power washing sidewalks. Her dedication to SAU Tech is indescribable. When asked about the nomination, she stated, “I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to fill a leadership role in higher education for all these years. I came in at a time when women didn’t traditionally fill the role of CFO. My success has been due to the relationships I developed. The way to succeed in any profession is by understanding the importance of building and nurturing relationships. Networking with peers and colleagues is critical. My entire career has been in higher education. I am retiring in December of 2023, and I know the years at SAU Tech have been well spent.” Manning has worked under Dr. Jason Morrison, SAU Tech Chancellor, for the last five years. Morrison stated, “I have been in a very privileged place to work with a CFO who has so much understanding of state and federal financial guidelines. She has been instrumental in planning the resurgence of NJCAA athletics on the campus and managing grant funds from federal and state sources, including CARES funds. When I have a new idea, she is my sounding board, and I can always trust her to give me reliable and honest feedback. Gaye is a valuable member of my team, and we would not have been able to accomplish so much the past five years without her leadership.” Arkansas Business announced the 2022 CFO of the Year finalists and Lifetime Achievement Award winners on September 13, 2022, and the final awards will be announced on November 2, 2022. This year, Jeffery Holt of Stallion Transportation Group has earned the CFO Lifetime Achievement Award, and Mike Carroll, now retired from Beall Barclay, formerly Landmark CPAs, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in Accounting. This is the 13th year Arkansas Business has honored outstanding CFOs from around the state. Nomination forms were submitted to an independent panel of judges who met in August to determine finalists and winners. Presented by Hogan Taylor, the 2022 CFO of the Year Awards will be hosted at the DoubleTree Little Rock as Arkansas Business Publisher Mitch Bettis and Editor Lance Turner highlight what sets these finalists apart. Finalists and winners in each category will be honored at a special event on November 2, and profiles of each of them will be published in a special supplement of Arkansas Business on October 31. In-person ticket packages are available for purchase at ArkansasBusiness.com/CFO. The categories for the finalist are listed below. CFO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Jeffery Holt, Stallion Transportation Group CFO LIFETIME IN ACCOUNTING Mike Carroll retired from Beall Barclay (now Landmark CPAs) LARGE PRIVATE COMPANY CFO FINALISTS: Jennifer Bridges, OrthoArkansas Ashley Sims, Rock Dental Brands Chad Ware, Central States Manufacturing, Inc. NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CFO FINALISTS: Katie Dailey, Arkansas Humanities Council Sylvia Murchison, Goodwill Industries of Arkansas Phyllis Rogers, Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care PUBLIC SECTOR/EDUCATION CFO FINALISTS: TyRhonda Henderson, City of Texarkana, Arkansas Adam Motherwell, Beaver Water District Gaye Manning, Southern Arkansas University Tech HOSPITAL CFO FINALISTS: Leslie Huitt, Bradley County Medical Center Kyle Sanders, NEA Baptist Health Systems William Gorman, Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Jeremy Jeffery, Jefferson Regional Medical Center SMALL PRIVATE COMPANY CFO FINALISTS: Bobby Gabbard, Summerwood Partners, LLC Joe Hafner, Arkansas Glass Container Corporation Tom Major, Mayfair Sterling, LLC Read More Here

Here Are Friday's Biggest Analyst Calls Of The Day: Amazon, FedEx, Tesla, Apple, Snowflake & More https://digitalarkansasnews.com/here-are-fridays-biggest-analyst-calls-of-the-day-amazon-fedex-tesla-apple-snowflake-more/ Here are Friday’s biggest calls on Wall Street: KeyBanc reiterates Apple as overweight KeyBanc said Apple shares remain attractive. “We recommend owning AAPL. Our KFLD (KeyBanc First Look Data )shows Indexed Spending was +2.0% m/m in August, vs. the three-year avg. of +1.0%. Positively, QTD data appears to be tracking +15% where September should be strong given the extra week of iPhone sales y/y.” Morgan Stanley reiterates Tesla as overweight Morgan Stanley said it sees major a boost to Tesla revenue from the Inflation Reduction Act. “We est. Tesla makes 3.1mm EVs in the US by 2030. Assuming $10k IRA ‘boost’ per unit could be worth $30bn to the company, nearly a 50% potential upside to our $65bn FY30 Auto EBIT.” Jefferies downgrades International Paper to underperform from hold Jefferies said in its downgrade of the paper company that a containerboard price cut is “imminent.” “We’re downgrading IP & PKG to Underperform & cutting estimates for WRK as well, to reflect the massive inventory glut in containerboard, with our checks indicating orders decelerating sharply & broad based downtime taken even by the smaller players.” MKM initiates CrowdStrike as buy MKM said the cybersecurity company is in a “league of its own.” “We believe CrowdStrike has one of the most comprehensive cloud-native platforms in the industry.” Citi reiterates Netflix as buy Citi raised its price target on Netflix to $305 per share from $275 and said the streaming giant is the best way to play streaming video-on-demand. “We expect SVOD sentiment to improve and maintain our Buy rating on both Netflix and Disney. But Netflix is our preferred way to express our bullish view on SVOD.” JPMorgan downgrades FedEx to neutral from overweight JPMorgan downgraded FedEx after its disappointing earnings report on Thursday. “What is more concerning is that the results likely had a material tail- wind from fuel surcharges similar to F4Q22 which masks the underlying weakness in the F1Q23 results and F2Q23 guide; it is a sobering thought to consider Express could have lost money (ex-fuel) during the quarter.” Read more about this call here. Morgan Stanley upgrades Alcoa to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said it sees “deep value” in the mining company. “Despite strong balance sheets and cheap valuations at spot prices — even, in some instances, lower commodity forecasts — we are only selectively upgrading mining stocks, those where we see deep value and/or self-help stories amid persisting macro/China recovery uncertainties.” Needham initiates Snowflake as buy Needham said in its initiation of the cloud computing company that Snowflake has “massive scale.” “The company benefits from its Cloud-Native Data Platform, which has (1) massive scale thanks to Cloud’s latest innovations, (2) a large, growing opportunity in a CY26 TAM that management estimates at $248 Billion.” Read more about this call here. UBS reiterates Amazon as buy UBS said that Amazon shares remain attractive. “We feel good about AMZN shares, particularly on retail growth / margins; less so on AWS. Between Census data and a possible 2nd Prime Day, we feel good about the retail business, particularly in North America.” Stifel initiates Canoo as buy Stifel said it sees a positive risk/reward for the electric vehicle automotive startup. “We are encouraged by GOEV’s focus on the most profitable automotive market segments, namely, compact SUVs, pick-up trucks and last-mile delivery.” Bank of America downgrades Adobe to neutral from buy Bank of America said it’s starting to have longer-term concerns about the stock. “We are moving to the sidelines on Adobe, and our timing is driven by receiving the second set of survey data focused on Adobe’s Creative Cloud, not the upcoming quarter. We have a more balanced viewed on Adobe based on the results our survey and channel feedback.” Read more about this call here. Bank of America downgrades FedEx to neutral from buy Bank of America said in its downgrade of FedEx that it sees volumes collapsing. “The company attributed its miss on higher fixed costs as volume decelerated (both Int’l and in U.S), noting macroeconomic trends worsened later in quarter, and expenses lagged worsening demand.” Deutsche Bank reiterates Tesla as buy Deutsche raised its price target on Tesla to $400 per share from $375 and said the automaker is well positioned for 2023. “We are boosting our 2023 gross margin estimates for Tesla and raising our price target to $400 (from $375), as we perform an analysis of the large potential cost benefits from the ramp up of Berlin and Texas and the Inflation Reduction Act’s US battery production credits, following our recent Berlin factory tour.” UBS initiates Baidu as buy UBS said in its initiation of the China tech company that it sees a positive risk/reward. “We believe Baidu’s risk/reward appears attractive, as investors assign little value to its new initiatives in cloud and cars.” Read More Here

Bits N’ Pieces From East, West And Beyond https://digitalarkansasnews.com/bits-n-pieces-from-east-west-and-beyond/ by Compiled by Lorraine H. Marie | September 16, 2022 7:00 AM East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling: President Joe Biden recently delivered a prime time speech, “The Continued Battle for the Soul of the Nation,” wherein he stated that American democracy is under attack – from within. “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans” were singled out as attackers, not other types of Republicans. Biden supported his statement by pointing out MAGA-style tactics: lack of respect for the Constitution, failure to uphold rule-of-law or the will of voters, their promotion of authoritarian leaders and political violence, attacks on right to privacy and even contraception. After listing his Administration’s accomplishments, in the face of Congressional Republicans’ opposition, Biden reiterated a favorite sentiment: “There is not a single thing Americans cannot do — not a single thing beyond our capacity if we do it together.” Trump told his MAGA fans it was “the most vicious, hateful and divisive speech ever delivered by an American president.” Others accuse Trump of similar attributes: in July, Vanity Fair reported, Trump stated that the U.S. should follow the lead of dictators that execute drug dealers, and that if re-elected he would fire all non-MAGA federal employees. Further backing his dictatorial leaning was his comment in office that “when somebody is president of the U.S. the authority is total, and that’s the way it’s got to be.” The Washington Post said legal scholars were “astounded” by the statement. The biggest threat to free and fair elections at this time lies in the hands of voters who may not carefully consider who is running for their state’s secretary position, The Guardian reported. They said a number of candidates are Trump loyalists who are running in 27 Secretary of State races. Elected secretaries play a significant role in overseeing presidential elections. Many of the Trump-leaning candidates have a confirmed history of falsely claiming voter fraud, tampering with election equipment, election denying, or having links to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Backing up info long advocated by Dr. Dale Bredesen, author of the book The First Survivors of Alzheimer’s, a new study says eating processed foods (think French fries, ice cream, hot dogs) for more than 20% of caloric intake can result in cognitive decline, Fortune reported. Another angle on forgiving student debt loans: Indiana’s Rep. Jim Banks tweeted that “Student loan forgiveness undermines one of our military’s greatest recruitment tools at a time of dangerously low enlistments.” The general in charge of Army recruitment in 2019 said in the Army Times that the specter of student debt helps spur enrollment in the military. Climate: a recent rainstorm caused the Rio Grande River to swell, sweeping migrants downstream. At least nine died. Flooding in Mississippi damaged Jackson’s water system (population 150,000), shutting down schools and triggering strict water use regulations. Northwest Georgia has emergency status from flooding. In July almost 6,000 U.S. temperature records were broken. The impact, from The WEEK: heat prevents some from working outdoors for days in a row, costing billions; more people now die from heat in the U.S. than from extreme weather. ASAP responses include new forest management strategies, sea barriers, and plans for protecting the elderly, disabled and poor. Past projections for weather extremes for 2050 are occurring now, The New York Times reported. A Trump-appointed judge okayed Trump’s request for a “special master” to review close to 11,000 improperly stored U.S. documents the FBI seized in August from his home. In The New York Times, a University of Texas law professor said the action was “an unprecedented intervention by a federal judge into the middle of an ongoing federal criminal and national security investigation.” An unintended consequence of the ruling: the DOJ could lay out evidence of obstruction of justice. The judge said a review of the documents by the office of the Director of National Intelligence could continue. William Barr, attorney general during the Trump Administration, said on Fox News there is no “legitimate reason” for boxes of classified documents to be kept at Trump’s Florida home. While some say the FBI raid was “unprecedented,” Barr said “it’s also unprecedented for a president to take all this classified information and put them in a country club.” Blast from the past: In August of 2016 candidate Trump declared that if elected he would create lengthy jailterms for those mishandling classified information. At the time he was thinking of presidential opponent Hillary Clinton, who used a private email server while Secretary of State. Others using private email to conduct official business have included Trump’s White House senior advisors Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner. A three-year investigation of Clinton found no evidence of systemic or deliberate mishandling of classified information. As regards Donald Trump’s holding of U.S. documents at his home in Florida, the FBI has seized haphazardly stored, highly sensitive top-secret info at the unsecured home. Affidavit info says agents recently found at Mar-A-Lago 31 documents marked “Confidential,” 54 marked “Secret,” 18 labeled “Top Secret,” as well as 48 empty folders marked “Classified.” Read More Here

Exploring America’s Persistent Use Of Torture Over The Last Century https://digitalarkansasnews.com/exploring-americas-persistent-use-of-torture-over-the-last-century/ Given that torture is both incompatible with liberal values and often an ineffective way of extracting information, why would a liberal democracy such as the United States persist in using such interrogation methods? This is the question Visiting Assistant Professor of Government William d’Ambruoso addresses in his latest book, American Torture from the Philippines to Iraq: A Recurring Nightmare (Oxford University Press, 2021). D’Ambruoso examines three conflicts the US has been involved with over the last century or so: the Philippine-American War (1899-1902), the Vietnam War, and the post-9/11 war on terror. These were all wars with a high degree of insurgency and counterinsurgency activity, says d’Ambruoso, and it is in these types of conflicts where torture is more likely to occur on both sides. “The US record on torture and prisoner treatment during conventional wars like World War II, for example, was somewhat better,” he explains, “whereas in unconventional counterinsurgency and counterterror campaigns, we see Americans denying prisoners full POW status, we see more indefinite detentions, and more widespread use of torture.” The frustration of fighting an opponent who is not in uniform and unlikely to follow norms like the protections in the Geneva Convention caused many US operatives to resort to torture, even though some of them knew it was illegal (or close to it), says d’Ambruoso. “This was born out of a belief among some policymakers and soldiers that in the nasty world of international politics, it’s sometimes necessary to break the rules to get results. ‘The other side isn’t fighting fair so neither will we,’ is the mindset.” D’Ambruoso describes this as the “Cheaters Win” approach. In the case of the US-Philippine War, the Filipinos, fighting for their independence against the Americans, moved toward guerrilla tactics after conventional warfighting proved unsuccessful. In Vietnam, the US involved itself in a brutal civil war underpinned by a paranoid Cold War mindset, notes d’Ambruoso. This conflict also saw the CIA entering the fray, with its emphasis on the psychological torture of suspected Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army captives. The frustration of fighting an opponent who is not in uniform and unlikely to follow norms like the protections in the Geneva Convention caused many US operatives to resort to torture. The twenty-first century war on terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places, saw elements of the military and the CIA, as well as private contractors, employing so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” with White House approval, despite increasing congressional scrutiny, as well as scrutiny from the media and monitoring groups like Amnesty International. A worrying pattern d’Ambruoso identifies in all these cases is the use of “stealth” torture or “torture-lite” techniques, where no physical marks are left on the detainee and no lasting physical damage inflicted (although this was not always the case, he observes.) “Because the definition of torture is blurry, this enables certain actors to justify to others and even themselves the use of milder methods.” This could mean, for example, the use of techniques like sleep deprivation or waterboarding rather than physical beatings. D’Ambruoso also describes an attitude especially prevalent during the war on terror, in which American perpetrators of torture had half an eye on how they would justify their actions should they be held to account later. “What I found is that while they’re hiding what they’re doing, these perpetrators are also making efforts to sell their activities as legitimate once the hiding game is up. It’s like they knew they would be caught so they’re getting their story ready.” Given the intense criticism that US intelligence agencies and elements of the government have attracted in recent years, is d’Ambruoso hopeful that the days of America torturing its enemies are over? “It’s hard to know,” he says. “Certainly, the CIA and military bureaucracies don’t want to go through what has happened since the war on terror again. One former CIA director even said that if President Trump wanted to waterboard detainees then he’d have to bring his own bucket.” There is no such reluctance among certain politicians, however, says d’Ambruoso, again referencing Trump as an example: “He praised the Philippine’s leader Rodrigo Duterte’s extrajudicial killing spree against alleged drug traffickers as an ‘unbelievable job.’” The former president also admired the lack of institutional constraints in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey, he notes. “Torture, once universally condemned, has become a partisan issue in the United States.” In conclusion, d’Ambruoso says his biggest concern is the possibility of a certain type of torture coming to be regarded by many as an acceptable activity, in the same way he sees other democratic norms being eroded in the US. It’s all part of what he calls the “normalization of horrible things.” This semester d’Ambruoso is teaching United States Foreign Policy (GOV 2670) and International Security (GOV 2680) Read More Here

The News Roundup – Domestic https://digitalarkansasnews.com/the-news-roundup-domestic/ Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Read More Here

UAMS Breaks Ground On Child Development Center https://digitalarkansasnews.com/uams-breaks-ground-on-child-development-center/ LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) broke ground today on a nearly $10 million Child Development Center on a four-acre property in Little Rock. The approximately 20,000-square-foot Child Development Center will be built at the intersection of 11th and Monroe streets, just south of the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library and across Interstate 630 from the UAMS campus. The facility is expected to open in spring 2024. The center will have the capacity to provide services for about 200 children, from infancy through prekindergarten, of UAMS employees and students. Of those, 10% of the slots will be reserved for the children of employees who live in the surrounding community, and another 10% will go to workers or students who qualify for Child Care and Development Fund vouchers through the Arkansas Department of Human Services. The project will be financed through the federal New Markets Tax Credit program, with additional money coming from gifts from UAMS employees and supporters. “When I joined UAMS, Dr. Stephanie Gardner and a dedicated team were already hard at work building support for this center,” said Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “It is because of their efforts that we are breaking ground on this much needed facility to benefit our employees and students.” “For the children and their families — who will include UAMS front-line clinicians, health professions educators, researchers and our staff — we will provide a safe, welcoming facility where their children can learn, thrive and have fun,” said Stephanie Gardner, Ed.D., PharmD, UAMS provost and chief strategy officer. Access to high-quality child care has long been identified as a need for UAMS employees. The project meets UAMS’ strategic goals of being an employer of choice and offering programs that increase opportunities for success and improve the work-life balance of employees. The center’s design includes rooms for infant care, toddlers and preschool as well as indoor and outdoor play and activity areas. UAMS will contract with Bright Horizons, the nation’s largest provider of employee-sponsored child care, to manage the center and offer a curriculum that covers subjects including language and literacy, creative arts, math operations and reasoning, science and technology, and health and wellness. UAMS worked with the city of Little Rock to acquire the land for the Child Development Center. Other community partners include Southern Bancorp, U.S. Bank, the Central Arkansas Library System and the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. The project team consists of Fennell Purifoy Architects and C.R. Crawford Construction. “We were proud partners with UAMS in locating this much-needed center in the 12th Street corridor,” said Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. “The Child Development Center will be an anchor of the neighborhood while at the same time serving as an exceptional and positive learning environment that benefits children in the heart of our city. “The city of Little Rock was delighted to do its part in the work leading to today’s groundbreaking on an important project that serves as a significant example of the positive effects of targeted community development,” Scott said. The center is expected to create about 40 jobs for teachers, teacher assistants and other staff members, all with competitive salaries and benefits. Other dignitaries at the groundbreaking included C.C. “Cliff” Gibson III, chairman of the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees; Jeannette “Jan” Shorey, professor emerita in the UAMS College of Medicine; state Rep. Tippi McCullough; Jay Chesshir, president and CEO of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce; Tom Fennell of Fennell Purifoy Architects; Phil Purifoy of Fennell Purifoy Architects; Justin Reeves, project superintendent of C.R. Crawford Construction; Darrin Williams, CEO of Southern Bancorp; Mike Richardson, Missouri and Arkansas branch banking market leader at U.S. Bank; Nate Coulter, executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System; and Shya Washington-Webb, branch manager for the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library. UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,047 students, 873 medical residents and fellows, and six dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram. Read More…

Obituaries In Fort Smith, AR | Times Record https://digitalarkansasnews.com/obituaries-in-fort-smith-ar-times-record-25/ James “Jim” Glanzman James “Jim” Glanzman, 61, of Fayetteville, AR passed away on Sept. 14, 2022 in Fayetteville. He was born in Waterloo, IA to James and June (Prince) Glanzman. He was a U.S. Army veteran and retired from the Air National Guard. Jim had worked at Whirlpool and was of the Catholic faith. Funeral is 1:00 pm, Tues. Sept. 20, 2022 at Ocker-Putman Funeral Home of Fort Smith with burial with honors in the U.S. National Cemetery. The family visitation is 4-6pm on Mon. at the funeral home. He is survived by his daughters, Autumn Brown (Jimmy) and Jessica Dutton (Daniel), four grandchildren, two sisters, Bonnie McCannon and Kim Yarbourgh and lifelong friends, John Cottier and Pete Randazzo. Posted online on September 16, 2022 Published in Southwest Times Record Read More Here

Trump FBI Phony Document https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-fbi-phony-document/ Steve Helber – staff, AP Sep 16, 2022 Sep 16, 2022 Updated 9 min ago 0 FILE – President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Aug. 31, 2022. A document purporting to be from the U.S. government and claiming the Treasury Department had information related to the search at Mar-a-Lago was a fabrication. A review of court documents and interviews by The Associated Press shows identical documents were filed in a separate case brought by a federal inmate at a prison medical center in North Carolina. Steve Helber – staff, AP Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Topics Read More Here

Video Trump Warns Of ‘problems’ If Indicted https://digitalarkansasnews.com/video-trump-warns-of-problems-if-indicted/ While declaring himself innocent in the Mar-a-Lago documents case, the former president insisted any indictment would “not keep him from running for president.” ABC News’ Andrea Fujii reports. Read More Here

Post Politics Now: Biden To Meet With South African Leader, Relatives Of Americans Detained In Russia https://digitalarkansasnews.com/post-politics-now-biden-to-meet-with-south-african-leader-relatives-of-americans-detained-in-russia/ On our radar: House GOP holding training sessions as it readies for multiple Biden investigations Return to menu House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has begun talks with top House Republicans on how to coordinate investigations across committees if the party is successful in taking over the House next year. The Post’s Jacqueline Alemany reports that McCarthy has encouraged ranking Republicans on committees to send letters to agencies throughout the Biden administration, asking that they turn over or preserve documents, with more than 500 requests issued already. Per our colleague: McCarthy has also started holding regular training sessions for members and staff. One session held earlier this summer for House GOP attorneys, titled “Oversight Education Series: Investigations 101,” laid out strategies for how such probes should be run. … Roughly two months before midterm elections that may hand the GOP control of the House, McCarthy and other Republicans are well into mapping out an expansive list of probes that will translate the party’s grievances with Democratic policies and hot-button figures into investigative priorities. House Republicans have so far pledged to investigate President Biden’s son Hunter’s business dealings and art sales, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the Biden administration’s military withdrawal from Afghanistan, the origins of the novel coronavirus, coronavirus-related school closures, the administration’s deliberations over weapons sales to Ukraine, and the spending of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Most recently, in the wake of widespread Republican outrage over the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, McCarthy vowed to investigate the Justice Department. You can read the full story here. Read More Here

Queue For Queen's Lying-In-State Reaches Capacity, Government Says https://digitalarkansasnews.com/queue-for-queens-lying-in-state-reaches-capacity-government-says/ By Malu Cursino at Southwark Park & George Bowden BBC News Image source, Vianney Le Caer/REX/Shutterstock The queue to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall is at capacity and entry will be paused for six hours, the government has said. The line is now about five miles (8km) long, stretching to Southwark Park in south-east London. But there was confusion as security staff at the park said the queue would be reopened every now and then. Thousands have paid their respects to the Queen, who is lying in state at Westminster until 06:30 BST on Monday. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said at 09:08 on Friday that Southwark Park, where the queue officially ends, had “reached capacity”. Entry would be “paused for at least six hours”, it said. “Do not attempt to join the queue until it reopens.” A separate accessible queue is also at capacity, the department said. At Southwark Park, some of those initially turned away said they had travelled hundreds of miles and were on their second attempts to access the queue. In a moment of confusion, stewards at the park appeared to allow about 100 people into the park after the pause was announced. Jane Sebutinde said she was on her way when she heard the queue would be paused. “Currently with my health I can’t queue for 14 hours, I thought it would be four hours,” she said. For many of those currently in the main queue, latest estimates suggest they will not enter Westminster Hall until after midnight. The Met Office advised those in the queue to be prepared for “cool evenings” with overnight temperatures expected to be as low as 8C (46F). The queue follows the south bank of the River Thames from the Palace of Westminster, through Lambeth, Southwark, and into Bermondsey. Meanwhile, a row has broken out over who is allowed to skip the queue to pay their respects to the late Queen after it emerged MPs and Lords had special access. The announcement of the queue’s pause came shortly after it was confirmed Queen Elizabeth II’s grandchildren would hold a 15-minute vigil at Westminster Hall on Saturday evening. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex will observe the vigil alongside six of their cousins. The royal brothers will both wear military attire for the occasion, after a request from their father, King Charles. The King and his siblings, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, will hold a similar vigil on Friday evening. The former Prince of Wales and Camilla, the new Queen Consort, attended a prayer and reflection service for the Queen at Cardiff’s Llandaff Cathedral. Later, they will greet members of the public at Cardiff Castle. Media caption, Queue for the Queen worth ‘the pain and anxieties’ Are you unable to join the queue to pay your respects to the Queen? Get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. Read More Here

Judge Names Special Master In Trump Probe; Same-Sex Marriage Vote Delayed | Hot Off The Wire Podcast https://digitalarkansasnews.com/judge-names-special-master-in-trump-probe-same-sex-marriage-vote-delayed-hot-off-the-wire-podcast/ A federal judge has appointed a veteran New York jurist to serve as an independent arbiter in the criminal investigation into the presence of classified documents at Donald Trump’s Florida home. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has also refused to permit the Justice Department to resume its use of the highly sensitive records seized in an FBI search last month. Cannon on Thursday empowered the newly named special master, Raymond Dearie, to review all the documents taken in the Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago and set a November deadline for his work. Republican governors are escalating their practice of sending migrants without advance warning to Democratic strongholds, including a wealthy summer enclave in Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C., home of Vice President Kamala Harris. The White House is calling the practice a “cruel, premeditated political stunt.” Ukrainian authorities are expected to begin recovering bodies from a mass burial site in a forest recaptured from Russian forces. It’s a delicate task that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said would help show the world “what the Russian occupation has led to.” It was discovered close to Izium after a rapid counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces retook the northeastern city and much of the Kharkiv region. People are being told not to join the line to view Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin after a surge in numbers. British officials said Friday morning that the organized line was at capacity and no one will be allowed to join it for at least six hours. Medical centers around the country say fires, flooding, heat waves and other extreme weather are increasingly jeopardizing medical services, damaging health care facilities and forcing patients to flee their hospital beds. That’s according to findings released Thursday in a report from the House Ways and Means Committee. In a memoir Anne Heche worked on last year, the actor shared candid thoughts on her 3-year relationship with Ellen DeGeneres in the late 1990s, when they were among Hollywood’s first openly gay couples. Democrats are punting a vote to protect same-sex and interracial marriages until after the November midterm elections, pulling back just days after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to put the Senate on the record on the issue “in the coming weeks.” In sports, the Chiefs were three points better than the Chargers, the Twins and White Sox inched closer to the Guardians, the Rays made MLB history, the Mets ended their skid, a tennis great retired and the WNBA Finals will stretch into the weekend. Rail companies and their workers reached a tentative agreement to avert a nationwide strike that could have shut down the nation’s freight trains and devastated the economy less than two months before the midterm elections. President Joe Biden announced the deal Thursday. Biden plans to meet at the White House on Friday with the families of WNBA star Brittney Griner and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both of whom remain jailed in Russia. The meetings are to be the first in-person encounter between Biden and the families and come amid sustained but so far unsuccessful efforts by the administration to secure the two Americans’ release. A boil-water notice has been lifted in Mississippi’s capital city after nearly seven weeks. Gov. Tate Reeves and Jackson officials made the announcement Thursday. A Virginia man who stormed the U.S. Capitol while wearing an antisemitic “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt over a Nazi-themed shirt has been sentenced to 75 days of imprisonment. Photographs of Robert Keith Packer wearing the sweatshirt went viral after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Thousands of mourners are waiting for up to nine hours in line to file past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state at Westminster Hall. The queue to pay respects to the late monarch stretched for 4.4 miles past Tower Bridge on Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for his “balanced” approach to the Ukrainian crisis and blasted Washington’s “ugly” policies at a meeting that followed a major setback for Moscow in the war. Roger Federer has announced that he is retiring from professional tennis at the age of 41 after winning 20 Grand Slam titles. Federer has not competed since Wimbledon in July 2021. Two minutes of silence will be observed Monday across the United Kingdom at the end of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey. That’s to give the British public a chance to pay their respects to the late monarch. Buckingham Palace released details Thursday of the state funeral and a ceremony at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor ahead of her private interment later Monday. Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates climbed over 6% this week for the first time since the housing crash of 2008, threatening to sideline even more homebuyers from a rapidly cooling housing market. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the 30-year rate rose to 6.02% from 5.89% last week. President Joe Biden’s popularity has improved substantially from his lowest point this summer, but concerns about his handling of the economy persist. That’s according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Support for Biden recovered from a low of 36% in July to 45%, driven in large part by a rebound in support from Democrats just two months before the November midterm elections. Newly revealed text messages show how deeply a Mississippi governor was involved in the state paying more than $1 million in welfare money to Brett Favre to help pay for one of the retired NFL quarterback’s pet projects. Instead of the money going to help low-income families in one of the nation’s poorest states, as intended, it was funneled through a nonprofit group to Favre and was spent on a new volleyball facility at a university both men attended. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Read More Here