Digital Arkansas News

3 People, Including 15-Year-Old, Shot At Kennywood https://digitalarkansasnews.com/3-people-including-15-year-old-shot-at-kennywood/ Allegheny County police said three people were shot, including a 15-year-old, at Kennywood in West Mifflin. According to police, the shooting was the result of an altercation between two groups inside the park in front of the Music City Express ride.A large emergency response was reported at Kennywood late Saturday evening. Officials said the park is now clear, but their search for a suspect is ongoing. Police said the suspect is described as a teenage male wearing a black hoodie and a COVID-style mask at the time of the shooting. Officers recovered a handgun inside the Park.The three victims include a 15-year-old who was shot in the thigh, a 39-year-old who was shot in the leg, and officials say a second juvenile arrived at a hospital with a graze wound. Several other people were treated for “trampling style” injuries, police said.In a statement on Twitter, Kennywood said “The park is closed for the night and all guests have exited. We are aware of a situation that occurred this evening and are working with local law enforcement. The safety of our guests and Team Members are our top priority. Members of the park’s security, Allegheny County, and West Mifflin police departments were already on site and immediately responded.” A WTAE photojournalist saw multiple police markers in front of the Musik Express, near the entrance to the Phantom’s Revenge.Multiple agencies responded to the park around 10:49pm Saturday evening after initial reports of shots fired. By 1:50 a.m. Sunday, Kennywood Boulevard had reopened to traffic.This is a developing story. Stay with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 for updates. Download the WTAE mobile app to stay connected with breaking news. WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — Allegheny County police said three people were shot, including a 15-year-old, at Kennywood in West Mifflin. According to police, the shooting was the result of an altercation between two groups inside the park in front of the Music City Express ride. A large emergency response was reported at Kennywood late Saturday evening. Officials said the park is now clear, but their search for a suspect is ongoing. Police said the suspect is described as a teenage male wearing a black hoodie and a COVID-style mask at the time of the shooting. Officers recovered a handgun inside the Park. The three victims include a 15-year-old who was shot in the thigh, a 39-year-old who was shot in the leg, and officials say a second juvenile arrived at a hospital with a graze wound. Several other people were treated for “trampling style” injuries, police said. In a statement on Twitter, Kennywood said “The park is closed for the night and all guests have exited. We are aware of a situation that occurred this evening and are working with local law enforcement. The safety of our guests and Team Members are our top priority. Members of the park’s security, Allegheny County, and West Mifflin police departments were already on site and immediately responded.” A WTAE photojournalist saw multiple police markers in front of the Musik Express, near the entrance to the Phantom’s Revenge. Multiple agencies responded to the park around 10:49pm Saturday evening after initial reports of shots fired. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More: 15 year old shot in thigh, 39 year old shot in leg, another juvenile showed up at hospital with graze wound. Police say shooting was preceded by altercation between two groups. @WTAE — Mike Valente (@ValenteWTAE) September 25, 2022 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Suspect is described as teenage male, with black hoodie and “COVID style” mask. @WTAE — Mike Valente (@ValenteWTAE) September 25, 2022 By 1:50 a.m. Sunday, Kennywood Boulevard had reopened to traffic. This is a developing story. Stay with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 for updates. Download the WTAE mobile app to stay connected with breaking news. Read More Here

Today In History: September 25, Sandra Day O https://digitalarkansasnews.com/today-in-history-september-25-sandra-day-o/ Today is Sunday, Sept. 25, the 268th day of 2022. There are 97 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Sept. 25, 1957, nine Black students who’d been forced to withdraw from Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, because of unruly white crowds were escorted to class by members of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division. On this date: In 1513, Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and sighted the Pacific Ocean. In 1789, the first United States Congress adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution and sent them to the states for ratification. (Ten of the amendments became the Bill of Rights.) In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson collapsed after a speech in Pueblo, Colorado, during a national speaking tour in support of the Treaty of Versailles (vehr-SY’). In 1956, the first trans-Atlantic telephone cable officially went into service with a three-way ceremonial call between New York, Ottawa and London. In 1964, the situation comedy “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.,” starring Jim Nabors, premiered on CBS-TV. In 1978, 144 people were killed when a Pacific Southwest Airlines Boeing 727 and a private plane collided over San Diego. In 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as the first female justice on the Supreme Court. In 1992, NASA’s Mars Observer blasted off on a $980 million mission to the red planet (the probe disappeared just before entering Martian orbit in August 1993). In 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin began a five-day swing through the United States as he arrived in New York, hoping to encourage American investment in his country’s struggling economy. In 2016, golf legend Arnold Palmer, 87, died in Pittsburgh. Jose Fernandez, 24, ace right-hander for the Miami Marlins, was killed in a boating accident with two friends off Miami Beach. Country singer Jean Shepard, a Grand Old Opry staple, died in Nashville at 82. In 2018, Bill Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison for drugging and molesting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home. (After nearly three years in prison, Cosby went free in June 2021 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction.) In 2020, the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, making history as the first woman so honored in America. Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted all restrictions on restaurants and other businesses in Florida and banned local fines against people who refused to wear masks as he sought to reopen the state’s economy despite the spread of the coronavirus. Ten years ago: President Barack Obama, speaking to the U.N. General Assembly, pledged U.S. support for Syrians trying to oust President Bashar Assad, calling him “a dictator who massacres his own people.” Singer and TV host Andy Williams died at his Branson, Missouri, home at the age of 84. Five years ago: Former congressman Anthony Weiner was sentenced to 21 months behind bars for illicit online contact with a 15-year-old girl. North Korea’s top diplomat said his country had the right to shoot down U.S. warplanes, after President Donald Trump’s weekend tweet suggesting that the North’s Kim Jong Un “won’t be around much longer.” Britain’s Prince Harry and girlfriend Meghan Markle made their first public appearance as a couple, attending a wheelchair tennis event at the Invictus Games for wounded veterans in Toronto. One year ago: An Amtrak train derailed in north-central Montana killing three people and leaving seven others hospitalized. Today’s Birthdays: Former broadcast journalist Barbara Walters is 93. Folk singer Ian Tyson is 89. Polka bandleader Jimmy Sturr is 81. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates is 79. Actor Josh Taylor is 79. Actor Robert Walden is 79. Actor-producer Michael Douglas is 78. Model Cheryl Tiegs is 75. Actor Mimi Kennedy is 74. Movie director Pedro Almodovar is 73. Actor-director Anson Williams is 73. Actor Mark Hamill is 71. Basketball Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo is 71. Actor Colin Friels is 70. Actor Michael Madsen is 64. Actor Heather Locklear is 61. Actor Aida Turturro is 60. Actor Tate Donovan is 59. TV personality Keely Shaye Smith is 59. Actor Maria Doyle Kennedy is 58. Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen is 57. Actor Jason Flemyng is 56. Actor Will Smith is 54. Actor Hal Sparks is 53. Actor Catherine Zeta-Jones is 53. Rock musician Mike Luce (Drowning Pool) is 51. Actor Bridgette Wilson-Sampras is 49. Actor Clea DuVall is 45. Actor Robbie Jones is 45. Actor Joel David Moore is 45. Actor Chris Owen is 42. Rapper T. I. is 42. Actor Van Hansis is 41. Actor Lee Norris is 41. Actor/rapper Donald Glover (AKA Childish Gambino) is 39. Actor Zach Woods is 38. Actor Jordan Gavaris is 33. Olympic silver medal figure skater Mao Asada is 32. Actor Emmy Clarke is 31. Read More…

Voters Divided Amid Intense Fight For Control Of Congress, Poll Finds https://digitalarkansasnews.com/voters-divided-amid-intense-fight-for-control-of-congress-poll-finds/ Heading into the final weeks of the midterm election campaign, Americans are split nationally in their vote for Congress, with Republicans holding sizable advantages on the economy, inflation and crime and Democrats far more trusted to handle the issues of abortion and climate change, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. With control of the House and Senate possibly shifting from Democrats to Republicans in November and the country deeply divided, 2 in 3 registered voters see this election as more important than past midterm campaigns. That’s the same percentage that said this in 2018 when turnout surged to the highest in a century. At this point, both sides are highly motivated to turn out in November. Among registered Democratic voters, 3 in 4 say they are almost certain to vote compared with about 8 in 10 Republicans. Independents are less motivated. Four years ago, Democrats were about as mobilized as Republicans and had a clear lead in overall support. Eight years ago, when Democrats suffered losses, Republicans were more motivated. Historical trends have favored Republicans throughout this election year, and political forecasters still rate the GOP as likely to win the House. Earlier predictions of big GOP gains have been clouded by the Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade, spurring on abortion rights supporters, especially younger women. Legislative victories by Democrats and the defeat of a Kansas antiabortion referendum over the summer also appeared to boost morale among some Democrats. The poll also surveyed Americans on their attitudes toward the ongoing investigations of former president Donald Trump by the Justice Department. A slim 52 percent majority says the former president should be charged with crimes for his handling of classified documents, his fundraising or for his actions related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. President Biden continues to be a drag on Democratic candidates this fall. The Post-ABC survey pegs his approval rating at 39 percent, with 53 percent disapproving, including 41 percent strongly disapproving. The share of Americans saying Biden has accomplished “a great deal” or “a good amount” has grown from 35 percent last November to 40 percent today, although a 57 percent majority still says he has not accomplished much or anything. Still, the fight for control of Congress is an intense one, with Democrats finding themselves competitive among critically important independent voters. But in the most competitive congressional districts, the poll finds Republicans with the advantage. Among registered voters, 47 percent say they would vote for the Republican in their House district in November while 46 percent say they would vote for the Democrat. That finding is about the same as it was in April. In February, Republicans held a seven-point advantage. Democrats’ standing is weaker than in 2018, when they led by seven points in national House support before winning control of the chamber. Political independents narrowly favor Republicans, 47 percent to 42 percent, in the vote for Congress. In 2018, the final Post-ABC poll found Democrats holding a seven-point advantage among independents. Democrats’ competitiveness with independents is perhaps notable, given that independent voters disapprove of Biden by 60 percent to 31 percent. More than 9 in 10 self-identified Democrats and Republicans support their party’s candidate for Congress. Among voters who disapprove of Biden, 79 percent support Republicans for Congress but 13 percent support Democrats. The smaller number of voters who approve of Biden are more united behind Democrats, favoring them 91 percent to 7 percent over Republicans. In some past years, there has been more uniformity in voting intentions among those approving and disapproving of a president’s performance. On a related question, 49 percent of registered voters say they prefer that the next Congress be controlled by Republicans to act as a check on Biden while 45 percent say they favor Democratic control to support the president’s agenda. By 51 percent to 40 percent, independent voters say they prefer Republicans be in charge. The latest poll finds a significant gender gap, continuing a trend from previous cycles: Democrats’ support margin for Congress is 18 points better among women than men, similar to 2018 when Democrats fared 15 points better among women than men in a final Post-ABC national poll. Democrats hold a 10-point advantage among women under age 50, down from a 32-point lead ahead of the 2018 election. On the other hand, Democrats’ support among non-White registered voters appears weaker than before the 2018 election, with 58 percent favoring Democrats, down from 69 percent in the final Post-ABC poll. Meanwhile, 54 percent of White voters favor Republicans, similar to 52 percent in 2018. Black, Asian American and Hispanic voters are a critical voting bloc that typically votes Democratic in large numbers. These findings shed light in particular on the battle for control of the House. In past years, Republicans have been able to score gains in House races even when narrowly trailing on the question of people’s voting preference. This year Republicans need only modest gains to win the majority in the House, and most forecasts continue to show them on a course to do that. The battle for control of the Senate, which is currently split 50-50 with Vice President Harris able to cast tiebreaking votes, will turn on both the overall political climate and on the quality of the candidates. Many of the key races remain close, according to public polls. The state of the economy looms as a major issue over the election. About 3 in 4 Americans say the economy is either “not so good” or “poor” while about 1 in 4 say it is “good” or “excellent.” In the spring of 2021, 42 percent rated the economy positively, but for the past year, perceptions have soured significantly amid rising prices and stock market declines. Voters say inflation and the economy are two of the most important issues in their decision, along with abortion and education. Republicans hold a 17-point advantage among registered voters on trust to handle the economy and an 18-point advantage on trust to handle inflation. But Democrats answer with a 17-point advantage on trust to handle abortion. On other issues, Republicans hold a 22-point advantage on handling crime while Democrats hold a 21-point advantage on climate change. Democrats and Republicans are about even on handling education and schools. Among those who say the economy is the single most important issue in their vote, 64 percent say they would vote for the Republican in their congressional district, while 58 percent of those who cite inflation as their top issue say they would vote Republican. Among those who cite abortion as the single most important issue, 66 percent say they would vote for the Democrat in their district. Americans have different reactions to the costs of food, gasoline and other products and services. Not quite half (48 percent) say they are concerned but not upset about the rate of inflation, while 45 percent say they are upset. But there is a clear partisan division on those perceptions, with more than 6 in 10 Republicans calling themselves upset and nearly 7 in 10 Democrats saying they are concerned but not upset. Neither party holds an advantage on the issue of immigration, though Republicans have sought to make it a central issue in their messaging. Republican governors in Florida and Texas have elevated the issue by sending immigrants to blue states and cities, which has inflamed the debate in recent days. Overall, when voters are asked which party they trust to handle the main problems facing the country over the next few years, they are split down the middle, with 42 percent citing Democrats and 43 percent citing Republicans. There is a predictable partisan split on this, with about 9 in 10 Republicans and Democrats favoring their party, while independents are roughly split. The two parties are running almost parallel campaigns, with Republicans focused on inflation, crime and immigration and Democrats targeting abortion and Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party. The impact of the Supreme Court’s abortion decision continues to affect many campaigns. The Post-ABC poll finds that 64 percent of Americans oppose the ruling, including 53 percent who say they are strongly opposed. More than 8 in 10 Democrats oppose the decision while 56 percent of Republicans support it. Almost 7 in 10 independents are opposed. Majorities of women and men oppose the court’s ruling, but more women (69 percent) disapprove than men (58 percent). Younger Americans are significantly more likely to say they are opposed than those age 50 and older. Republicans have pushed for more restrictive laws in states where they control the legislatures, and some Republicans have called for Congress to enact a national ban on abortion. Meanwhile, some Republican candidates have tried to temper their language on the issue in the face of the opposition to the court decisions. When the positions of the two parties are weighed on the issue, 50 percent of Americans say Republicans favor too many restrictions, while 29 percent say the GOP’s posture is about right and 10 percent say Republicans favor too much access to abortion. About 3 in 10 say Democrats favor too much access while 45 percent say Democrats’ positions are about right and 13 percent say Democrats favor too many restrictions. The decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has motivated younger women. The poll finds that women under age 40 are now just as likely to say they are certain to vote as men under 40, with about half of each...

Israel Elections: Benjamin Netanyahu Looks To Return As Prime Minister https://digitalarkansasnews.com/israel-elections-benjamin-netanyahu-looks-to-return-as-prime-minister/ The year 5782 began and ended with Benjamin Netanyahu as opposition leader, which means that, necessarily, his influence has waned from its peak. The politician once known as “King Bibi” was relegated from the center stage to the occasional secondary Knesset speech. His trademark PowerPoint presentations on the Iranian nuclear threat went from prime–time TV to Facebook Live. Except for a trip to London at the invitation of Conservative Friends of Israel, his jet–setting to represent the country has mostly come to a halt, though Fox News is always happy to have him. See No. 4: US’s influential ambassador See No. 6: Entertainment industry leader See full list Download full magazine See 2021’s list To add insult to injury, former US president Donald Trump doesn’t seem to be Netanyahu’s buddy anymore, with the president’s son–in–law and adviser, Jared Kushner, describing Trump’s deep disappointment with him in a recently published memoir. And yet, Netanyahu continues to cast a very long shadow over the Israeli political scene. With Iran high on Israel’s agenda in recent weeks, Prime Minister Yair Lapid seems to devote time in almost every public statement on the matter, defending his policy on how to counter a nuclear deal as better than Netanyahu’s more aggressive one from 2015. Head of the Likud Party Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem this week. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) Netanyahu’s influence continues in Israel ahead of elections Netanyahu’s machinations, combined with the seemingly limitless and exceptionally vocal devotion of his supporters, pulled right–wing lawmakers away from the diverse governing coalition, bringing about its demise in June and the upcoming election in November. Even though Netanyahu is not running as an incumbent for the first time since 2009, the electoral field is still mostly organized between “Yes Bibi” and “No Bibi.” The party staking its campaign on bringing the sides together, Zionist Spirit, fell apart and its former leader Ayelet Shaked is now running at the helm of the Jewish Home which is polling way below the threshold. Netanyahu continues to lead the polls So far, Netanyahu is leading the pack in polls by far, consistently showing to be the leader of the largest party and the candidate viewed as most fit to be prime minister. This is despite the ongoing trials for corruption charges and more recently, a warning that he could be held responsible for the deaths of 45 people at Meron last year. And while most polls show him still short of the needed 61 MKs for a majority coalition, Netanyahu used the days before parties submitted their final election lists to get feuding factions to merge so that no vote within his bloc goes to waste. He succeeded in getting United Torah Judaism to remain a single party in the election by pledging to increase funding for haredi schools that do not teach math, English or science and even met with Rabbi Zvi Tau from Har Hamor Yeshiva to get his representative in the Knesset, Avi Maoz, to merge with the Religious Zionist Party.  While looking at the packed field of candidates, it is hard not be impressed by the nearly 73-year-old’s stamina. There is barely a day that goes by that he is not in another city, walking the streets or speaking from behind the bulletproof window of the Likud campaign bus.  Netanyahu is going into 5783 as a contender, fighting to return to Balfour, the official residence that was his home for 15 years, 12 of them consecutively, making him Israel’s longest–serving prime minister. Will he set the bar even higher to beat that record? We’ll know in November. Read More Here

US And Russia Engage In A Digital Battle For Hearts And Minds | Politics https://digitalarkansasnews.com/us-and-russia-engage-in-a-digital-battle-for-hearts-and-minds-politics/ The battle over Ukraine extends across the world: Information warfare is quickly evolving as key nations seek to influence public opinion and gain political support. During the Cold War, Russia and the United States are the two main combatants. Some efforts are clandestine, but plenty of material is broadcast to the public as each country attempts to, in the words of political linguists, “constrain the power and influence of the other … and win ‘hearts and minds’ … around the world”. Key government-sponsored media outlets in the current battle are Russia Today, often known as RT, and two US government-backed operations, Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. But it can be hard for many people to tell the difference between these outlets and independent news. As a propaganda scholar, I believe citizens of all nations deserve to know how their media have been filtered and when governments are seeking to influence their views. My colleague Weston Sager and I developed a test for determining whether a particular media outlet is, or is not a government mouthpiece. We examine key factors such as government control, funding, attribution, and its resemblance to the news. At their best, these types of outlets provide official government information – at worst, blatant propaganda. Here’s how the main players in the US and Russia measure up. Russia Today: Propaganda with some facts sprinkled in RT is a multilanguage international media broadcaster that claims to be an “autonomous, non-profit organization”. But in reality, it has officially declared to the US State Department that it is an arm of the Russian government. In lockstep with the Kremlin, RT has supported the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia, the 2014 Russian invasion of the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine, and the 2022 Russian invasion of mainland Ukraine. The outlet has a history of publishing sensationalized and biased articles promoting Russian policies and accentuating the perceived failings of the United States and its allies. For example, in 2015, RT devoted extensive coverage to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Not only did this storyline allow RT to selectively showcase people protesting in the United States, it helped further Russia’s narrative that its economic system is superior to US capitalism. More recently, RT has, without credible evidence, accused the United States of developing bioweapons in Ukraine and testing them on people there. But this doesn’t mean that RT is “able to dispense with facts all together”, as propaganda often leverages truthful bits of information, nor that it is strictly anti-American. In 2010, for instance, RT published an interview containing accusations that the Republicans were exploiting racial fears ahead of midterm elections. Then RT publicly defended the Obama administration against Fox News host Glenn Beck’s accusations that Obama was turning the United States into a socialist country. Propaganda works by supporting themes that are in popular discourse at the time. It does not necessarily follow a linear path and may be counter-intuitive at times. In the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, RT was blocked in many nations around the world to limit the spread of Russian propaganda. Nevertheless, RT continues to publish its content, especially in less developed countries where the Russian government is working to increase its international reputation and influence. Major US outlets present mostly facts – that support American values Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are the US government’s primary international media outlets, though there are other channels as well. In 1942, during World War II, the US government established VOA to broadcast pro-Allied messages and to combat Nazi propaganda abroad. In the 1950s, the CIA founded RFE/RL to counter Soviet propaganda in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Both outlets are now overseen by the US Agency for Global Media, a part of the executive branch of the federal government. The agency receives over USD 800 million in annual funding from Congress. Similar to RT, VOA and RFE/RL claim that they are independent media outlets. In support of that claim, they often point to a vaguely defined “firewall” that is supposed to shield their editorial integrity from US government influence. But the firewall is often strained under the weight of political pressure. In 2020, President Donald Trump’s newly appointed CEO of the US Agency for Global Media rescinded the firewall regulation, which compromised VOA’s independence in advance of the 2020 US presidential election. In 2021, the firewall was legislatively strengthened, but questions remain about its effectiveness in preventing government influence. Governmental influence over the editorial direction of US state media can also come through legislation. In 2021, Congress introduced a bill that would instruct the agency to “facilitate the unhindered dissemination of information to Islamic majority countries on issues regarding the human rights and religious freedom of Uyghurs”. Additional editorial pressure comes from federal law. VOA material must be “consistent” with US foreign policy objectives, “represent America”, “present the policies of the US clearly and effectively” and include editorials that reflect the views of the US government. Under the same law, RFE/RL is required to support the US government abroad. Additionally, federal law also more pointedly provides a new pathway for folding this into a larger outlet that would be expressly required to “counter state-sponsored propaganda which undermines the national security or foreign policy interests of the US and its allies”. VOA and RFE/RL have a history of providing slanted and incomplete portrayals of major events and issues. Scholarship has highlighted how, during the Cold War, RFE spread “rumors as fact” and displayed a “consistent pattern of downplaying or ignoring evidence that contradicted RFE’s vision of Eastern Europe as a totalitarian dystopia” early in the Cold War. US government editorial pressure has also come indirectly through funding cuts, which VOA experienced after senators balked at spending tax money to produce “unpleasant news” surrounding Watergate. The Reagan administration was known to object to critical VOA coverage and also steered its “editorial voice” to align with the administration’s political agenda. Today, VOA often publishes stories about the US that promote American values, such as recent articles titled “Refugees Shape America” and “US International Festival Celebrates Traditional Food, Dance”. On the other hand, RFE/RL is more focused on countering propaganda. It includes coverage that is often critical of US adversaries, such as ”We Have To Pay For Our Indifference”: A Russian Deserter Speaks Out After Ukraine War Memoir Hits A ”Nerve” and “Putin Hints At ‘Changing Routes’ For Ukrainian Grain Exports, Warns Of Food ‘Catastrophe’.” Even though VOA and RFE/RL sometimes publish pieces that show unflattering aspects of the United States, such as “The Global Legacy of January 6”, this is by design, as the outlets would lose credibility if they ignored important topics covered in independent media. Concealed influence Because VOA and RFE/RL rely on facts, the US State Department has argued that US government media are less threatening than Russian “disinformation”. But the US approach is still risky: VOA and RFE/RL content more closely resembles independent news, so it is more difficult for readers to identify it as government-run media. This is especially problematic in cases in which the outlets are targeting US citizens, who may not be able to tell that they’re interacting with their government. Despite what VOA and RFE/RL claim, they are not independent. Both are funded by the US government and are used to deliver US policy abroad. Even though VOA and RFE/RL may look like news, they aren’t; like RT, their underlying purpose is to bolster their government’s influence around the world. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Read More Here

Top Stars, Best Performances In Arkansas High School Football For Week 4 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/top-stars-best-performances-in-arkansas-high-school-football-for-week-4/ By Steve Andrews | Photo by Sadie Rucker Listed below are some of the top stars and best performances of Friday night’s football games. If you know of a top performer we should include, please let us know. Drake Lindsey, Fayetteville, QB The junior completed 20-of-25 passes for 337 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 42-28 win over Bentonville West. Jaison DeLamar, Fayetteville, WR The senior Arkansas baseball commit caught 6 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 42-28 win over Bentonville West. Jake Casey, Bentonville West, QB The junior completed 25-of038 passes for 356 yards 2 touchdowns in the Wolverines’ 42-28 loss to Fayetteville. Ty Durham, Bentonville, RB The senior caught 12 passes for 173 yards and 2 TDs, while also throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass, in the Wolverines’ 42-28 loss to Fayetteville. Martavius Thomas, Camden Fairview, QB The senior completed 12 of 16 passes for 229 yards and 3 TDs in the Cardinals’ 42-14 win over Lakeside. Donovan Whitten, Arkadelphia, QB The senior compiled 350 yards of total offense and 2 touchdowns in the Badgers’ 49-12 win over Nashville. Latonnieo Hughes, Arkadelphia, SB The senior scored 3 touchdowns, including a 91-yard kickoff return, in the Badgers’ 49-12 win over Nashville. B.J. Curry Magnolia, RB The senior rushed 11 times for 185 yards and 4 touchdowns in the in the Panthers’ 41-8 win over Arkansas High. Josh Ficklin, Bentonville, RB The senior ran 14 times for 141 yards and 3 touchdowns, and ran back a kickoff 85 yards for another score, in the Tigers’ 45-17 win over Springdale Har-Ber. Carter Nye, Bentonville, QB The junior completed 9-of014 passes for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Tigers’ 45-17 win over Springdale Har-Ber. Mason Ketterman, Harrison, QB The junior completed 2 touchdown passes and ran for another in the Goblins’ 21-14 win over Farmington. Hunter Houston, Greenwood, QB The senior completed 15-of-17 passes for 302 yards and 5 touchdown passes in the Bulldogs’ 63-21 win over Van Buren. Grant Karnes, Greenwood, WR The sophomore had 7 catches for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 63-21 win over Van Buren. L.J. Robins, Greenwood, WR The junior caught 4 passes for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 63-21 win over Van Buren. Ta’jon Sparks, Springdale, RB The senior ran for 4 TDs and caught a touchdown pass in the Bulldogs’ 40-28 win over Rogers Heritage. Jack Pounders, Springdale, QB The sophomore passed for 203 yards and a touchdown, while running for another 108, in the Bulldogs’ 40-28 win over Rogers Heritage. Carter Hensley, Rogers Heritage, QB The senior completed 21 of 49 passes for 315 yards and 3 TDs in the War Eagles’ 40-28 loss to Springdale. Easton Hurley, Lake Hamilton, QB The junior completed 8 of 9 passes for 230 yards and 5 touchdowns in the Wolves’ 41-7 win over Siloam Springs. Justin Crutchmer, Lake Hamilton, RB The senior caught 5 passes for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Wolves’ 41-7 win over Siloam Springs. Jordan Walker, Bryant, QB The sophomore went 13-of-17 through the air for 170 yards and 3 TDs, and ran 6 times for 57 yards, in the Hornets’ 41-10 victory over Fort Smith Northside. Grayson Wilson, Central Arkansas Christian, QB The sophomore completed 8-of-15 passes for 148 yards and 2 TDs, while running 9 times for 54 yards, in the Mustangs’ 21-19 win over Little Rock Hall. Dane Williams, Rogers, QB The junior completed 15-of-17 passes for 229 yards 3 touchdowns, and ran in for another score, in the Mounties’ 35-7 win over Fort Smith Southside. Jacob Jenkins, Rogers, RB The junior rushed 12 times for 143 yards and a touchdown in the while also throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass in the Mounties’ 35-7 win over Fort Smith Southside. Landon Holcomb, Pine Bluff, QB The senior completed 8-of-13 passes for 134 yards and 3 TDs in the Zebras’ 26-0 win over Maumelle. Courtney Crutchfield, WR/CB The junior had touchdown receptions of 50 and 19 yards, while also picking off 2 passes on defense, in the Zebras’ 26-0 win over Maumelle. Jalen Smith, Marion, QB The sophomore, making his first career start, totaled 234 yards and 3 TDs in the Patriots’ 34-8 win over Greene County Tech. Kel Busby, Pulaski Academy, QB The junior ran 23 times for 96 yards and 3 TDs in the Bruins’ 49-26 win over Little Rock Christian. Kenny Jordan, Pulaski Academy, RB The junior rushed 18 times for 185 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Bruins’ 49-26 win over Little Rock Christian. Achilles Ringo, Little Rock Mills, QB The junior completed 26-of-38 passes for 406 yards and 5 touchdowns, including the game-winner with 30 seconds remaining, in the Comets’ 34-32 win over White Hall. Lucas Wilbur, Benton, K The senior booted 3 field goals in the Panthers’ 56-28 victory over El Dorado. De’Andra Burns, El Dorado, WR The senior Arkansas State commit caught 12 passes for 196 yards and 2 TDs, while scoring another on a 95-yard kickoff return, in the Wildcats’ 56-28 loss to Benton. Jarrett Atchley, Sheridan, QB The senior ran for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Yellowjackets’ 49-0 win over Jacksonville. Carson Turley, Valley View, QB The junior threw 3 touchdowns pass and ran for a 58-yard score in the Blazers’ 42-0 win over Paragould. Seth Case, Southside Batesville, RB The junior finished with 121 yards and a touchdown in the Southerners’ 36-0 win over Forrest City.. Tyler Patterson, Hope, QB The junior threw 4 touchdown passes in the Bobcats’ 45-29 win over DeQueen. Willis Robinson, Hamburg, RB The junior carried the ball 20 times for 120 yards and a touchdown in the Lions’ 19-13 win over Dumas. Jonathan McElroy, Ashdown, QB The senior threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for two more in the Panthers’ 49-0 win over Waldron. Nico Ybarra, Pottsville, RB The senior ran 15 times for 105 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Apaches’ 44-14 win over Mayflower. Owen Miller, Harding Academy, QB The sophomore threw 5 touchdowns passes in the Wildcats’ 45-23 win over Stuttgart. Connor Baker, Pocahontas, QB The senior ran for 4 touchdowns, on runs of 1, 4, 14 and 33 yards, to lead the Redskins to a 28-21 win over Rivercrest. Cam Williams, Gosnell, WR/CB The junior scored 5 touchdowns, including two Pick-6s on defense. He caught 6 passes for 159 yards and 3 scores in the Pirates’ 48-14 win over Highland. Read More…

Patricia Jane Jeffries https://digitalarkansasnews.com/patricia-jane-jeffries/ Patricia Jane Jeffries, 74, of Lancaster, formerly of Katy, TX and Indiana, PA, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2022, surrounded by her loving children. Patricia was born on August 12, 1948, in West Des Moines, Iowa, and attended Valley High School. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR. Patricia was a public school teacher for 33 years. As a reading specialist, she taught literature to middle school students at Marion Center Area Junior High School in Marion Center, PA. She was a passionate teacher who worked hard to instill a lifelong love of reading in her students. Shakespeare was one of her favorite authors to teach. Outside of the classroom, Patricia was a voracious reader of good fiction and books were her treasures. In addition to reading, gardening also brought great joy to Patricia. Throughout her life she grew beautiful vegetable and herb gardens and enjoyed sharing the things she’d grown with her friends and neighbors. Her favorite flowers were red geraniums which she grew all year round in her home. As an adventurous traveler, Patricia loved learning about different countries and cultures. Some of her favorite trips included a safari in Tanzania, a backpacking trip through Europe and Morocco, a trip to Azerbaijan and many family vacations in Mexico. A 70th birthday gathering in Maine was her most favorite recent trip as her entire family was able to celebrate together with her. Compassionate and kind, Patricia cared deeply for others in her community and around the world. She was particularly committed to helping prevent food insecurity. Being able to donate food to the local food banks in the communities where she lived brought her an immense amount of joy. One act of her quiet generosity included donating hundreds of pounds of food and supplies to her local food bank in Katy, TX following Hurricane Harvey. She was also a regular supporter of UNICEF and the Heifer Project. Patricia, affectionately known as “Gram” by those who loved her most, was smart, creative, stylish, funny and hardworking. She believed strongly in the importance of voting and in supporting issues of social justice. She loved the music of James Taylor and Tony Bennett, loved watching the game show Jeopardy, loved dogs, the Pittsburgh Steelers and decorating for every holiday, especially Christmas. Patricia was an incredible mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and teacher. She was an inspiration to all who knew her. She loved her family and friends dearly, and her beloved grandchildren brought her the greatest joy in life. Celebrating holidays and birthdays with Claire and Bodhi meant the world to her. In a final act of generosity, Patricia gave the gift of life by becoming an organ donor after her death, a decision she spoke about openly with her family for many years. Patricia lived a full life of passion and purpose, and the world is a better place because she was in it. Her family will miss her all the rest of their days. Patricia is survived by her daughter Megan Hedman (Seymour Khalilov), her son Alec Hedman (Sarah), grandchildren Claire and Bodhi, brother James Jeffries (Sandy) and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents William Jeffries and Isabella (Meek) Jeffries, and her niece Sarah (Jeffries) Shimasaki. Those wishing to honor Patricia’s life can make a donation to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, an organization that was close to her heart. https://donate.contralpafoodbank.org/site/Donation2? For online condolences visit: SnyderfuneralHome.com LNP Media Group, Inc. Read More Here

Russia-Ukraine War Latest: What We Know On Day 214 Of The Invasion https://digitalarkansasnews.com/russia-ukraine-war-latest-what-we-know-on-day-214-of-the-invasion/ More than 730 people were detained across Russia at the latest protests against the country’s mobilisation decree, a rights group said, three days after president Vladimir Putin ordered the country’s first military draft since the second world war. The independent OVD-Info protest monitoring group said it was aware of detentions in 32 cities, from St Petersburg to Siberia. Unsanctioned rallies are illegal under Russian law, which also forbids any activity considered to defame the armed forces. A new law signed by Putin says Russian troops who refuse to fight, desert, disobey or surrender to the enemy could now face a jail sentence of up to 10 years, according to Russian media reports. The law was approved by the parliament during the week. Russia’s deputy defence minister, Dmitry Bulgakov, has been dismissed from his post. Bulgakov, who has been in charge of military logistics since the beginning of the Ukraine invasion, has been replaced by Col Gen Mikhail Mizintsev, the head of the National Defence Management Centre, who oversaw Russia’s siege of Mariupol. Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, addressed the UN general assembly on Saturday, casting opposition to Russia’s assault on its neighbour as limited to Washington and countries under its sway. “The official Russophobia in the west is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque,” Lavrov told the general assembly. He criticised the west for not engaging with Russia, saying: “We have never stepped away from maintaining contact.” Lavrov, in a news conference following his speech to the assembly in New York, said the Ukrainian regions where votes were under way would be under Moscow’s “full protection” if they were annexed by Russia, including with nuclear weapons. The so-called referendums are under way in in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces, areas of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops, with residents told to vote on proposals to declare independence and then join Russia. The polls are due to run until Tuesday. China’s foreign minister says it supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the “crisis” in Ukraine. Wang Yi told the United Nations general assembly on Saturday that the pressing priority was to facilitate talks for peace, Reuters reported. Iran regrets Ukraine’s decision to downgrade diplomatic ties, its foreign ministry says. A statement said Iran’s ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, had “advised” Ukraine to “refrain from being influenced by third parties who seek to destroy relations between the two countries”. It came after Ukraine stripped Iran’s ambassador of his accreditation over what it called Tehran’s “unfriendly” decision to supply Russian forces with drones. The queue at the border between Russia and Georgia is about 10km (six miles) long, where people have reportedly been waiting more than 20 hours to cross. The number of border crossings from Russia into Finland has doubled in recent days compared with last week. Kyiv and Moscow traded blame for shelling in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region on Saturday. Regional governor Oleksandr Starukh said on Telegram that Russian forces launched “a massive missile strike” on the region from about 10 planes, wounding at least three people. Russia’s RIA state news agency, citing unnamed sources, said Ukrainian forces shelled a granary and fertiliser warehouses in the region. Reuters was unable to verify either side’s claims. Two civilians were killed in attacks in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Friday and three were injured, according to Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the Donetsk oblast. Russian forces also shelled settlements near the Russian border. In the Kupyan district, five people were injured from shelling, including two children, aged 10 and 17. Russian authorities in the occupied regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson have allegedly started handing out draft notices and mobilising men of conscription age who “renounced Ukrainian citizenship and received passports of the Russian federation”, according to Ukraine’s ministry of defence. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Ukrainians in occupied territory to hide from Russian mobilisation, avoid conscription letters and get to Ukraine-held territory. However, if they ended up in the Russian military, Zelenskiy asked people to save their lives and help liberate Ukraine. Russian forces are probably trying to attack dams in Ukraine in order to flood Ukrainian military crossing points amid Russian concerns about battlefield setbacks, the latest UK Ministry of Defence briefing said. The strikes were “unlikely to have caused significant disruption to Ukrainian operations due to the distance between the damaged dams and the combat areas”, it said. Read More Here

1 Dead After Crash Involving Tractor-Trailer On I-285, Police Say https://digitalarkansasnews.com/1-dead-after-crash-involving-tractor-trailer-on-i-285-police-say/ WATCH 61° WATCH    News   Weather   Video   2 Investigates   Sports   UGA Bulldogs   Community   Election 2022   Home Experts   Steals and Deals News EEO statement Local News Consumer Download News App Newsletter Sign-up(Opens in new window) Weather Current Conditions Stormtracker 2HD Radar 5 Day Forecast Hour by Hour Fish and Game Pollen Count School Closings Free Weather App Video Watch Live WSB Now 24/7 Severe Weather Team 2 WSB 24/7 News 2 Investigates Sports High School Football Athlete of the Week Scholar Athlete Lottery Results UGA Bulldogs Election 2022 Community Black History Month Family 2 Family Local Programs Upload Photos Steals and Deals(Opens in new window) Traffic Things 2 Do Trending Your pets Contests WSB-TV Contests Contact Us Action News Staff What’s On WSB-TV Advertise With Us Speakers Bureau Home Experts Better Money Atlanta Celebrity Atlanta By WSBTV.com News Staff September 24, 2022 at 11:42 pm EDT 1 dead after crash involving tractor trailer on I-285 By WSBTV.com News Staff September 24, 2022 at 11:42 pm EDT FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — One person is dead after a crash involving a tractor-trailer on I-285 eastbound in Sandy Springs. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Sandy Springs Police told Channel 2 the crash happened on I-285 eastbound near Roswell Rd. exit. Police believe the crash involved a tractor-trailer and a car. 285 EB at Roswell Rd has been shut down due to an accident with serious injuries. Please use an alternate route. pic.twitter.com/sxN8OANWZM — Sandy Springs Police (@SandySprings_PD) September 24, 2022 TRENDING STORIES: Final suspect arrested in murder of coach, father who went to QuickTrip to put air in tires Teacher put on leave after video shows him choke middle school student in class ‘Incident’ between 3 Fulton County inmates leaves 1 dead, deputies say Police are still investigating the crash. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: New program is using shelter dogs to break the cycle of incarceration ©2022 Cox Media Group Read More Here

Dozens Of Dartmouth Health Staff Being Shifted To Texas-Based Billing Company https://digitalarkansasnews.com/dozens-of-dartmouth-health-staff-being-shifted-to-texas-based-billing-company/ LEBANON — About 50 employees of Dartmouth Health in Lebanon are slated to become employees of Conifer Health Solutions, a Texas-based company that oversees DH’s billing and collections, starting late next month. The move, scheduled to take effect Oct. 23, brings DH’s Lebanon location in line with the health system’s other locations that already rely on Conifer employees to serve as front desk staff, providing registration services to patients. “Managing our registration process under one system allows us to improve our patient experience by providing a consistent experience at every Dartmouth Health location,” Audra Burns, a DH spokeswoman, said in an emailed statement. In addition to DHMC, DH includes four other hospitals, a visiting nursing organization and several clinics in Vermont and New Hampshire. Conifer has worked with DH since 2015; now it “will assume responsibility for registration services currently provided through General Ambulatory Services and Radiology at the Lebanon Campus,” Burns said. The approximately 50 front-line employees affected by the change received a letter dated Sept. 14 informing them of the transition. The employees will be eligible for a $1,000 transition bonus to be paid out the first full pay period after their first six months of employment with Conifer, according to the letter. The offer of employment is contingent on “satisfactory completion of Conifer’s pre-employment screening process.” An emailed request for comment sent to the media contact listed on Conifer’s website was not returned by deadline. Conifer, on its website, has a page congratulating DH on a recent award from the Healthcare Financial Management Association, an industry group. In June, DH was one of 27 recipients of a MAP Award, which “recognizes providers that have excelled in meeting industry-standard revenue cycle benchmarks (…), implemented the patient-centered recommendations and best practices (…), focused their efforts on improving price transparency and achieved outstanding patient satisfaction,” according to HFMA’s news release announcing the award winners. “High-performing revenue cycles design business processes around the consumer’s needs,” HFMA President and CEO Joseph J. Fifer said in the news release. “Kudos to all the 2022 MAP Award winners for putting consumers first.” Conifer, on its website, celebrates DH’s achievement of 101.9% of its cash collection goal over a five-year partnership with Conifer. The website explains that DH’s business goals were to enhance revenue cycle operational performance while adding new members to the DH system. Specifically, DH sought to improve cash collections, patient satisfaction and funding for uninsured patients, as well as receive support in integrating the new partners on Epic, DH’s shared electronic medical record. DH chose Conifer to assume operational management of the revenue cycle and the so-called “Single Business Office” for the entire health system, including physicians, outpatient surgery centers and imaging centers, according to Conifer’s website. In a June 2019 news release announcing a new “revenue cycle management agreement” with Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, a DH member in Lebanon, then-DH CFO Dan Jantzen credited Conifer with “consistently delivering on key performance metrics.” “Their expertise helps D-HH (DH was previously known as Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health) maintain the firm financial footing to realize our vision for a sustainable health system that will serve New Englanders for generations to come,” Jantzen said in the 2019 release. “As D-HH and APD work to connect people throughout New Hampshire and Vermont to the thriving, integrated care community they expect, we rely on Conifer to deliver the high-quality patient financial experience they deserve.” The 2019 release said APD was the second DH-member hospital to adopt Conifer for “comprehensive” revenue cycle management services, following Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, which engaged Conifer in 2017. “The impact of our work extends beyond improved margins, reduced costs and more efficient operations,” Stephen M. Mooney, then-president and CEO of Conifer, said in the 2019 release. “As part of the community, we have also made a commitment to bring the highest quality service to patients and their families whenever and wherever they access care.” But some DH employees have concerns about Conifer’s increasing role. An Instagram page maintained by a nurse at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon featured a meme including a picture of a bride and groom kissing. The bride is labeled “Conifer” and the groom “DH,” with a woman in the foreground looking grim-faced at the camera, labeled “main desk employees.” A second picture on the page includes text at the top that reads: “When DH decides to let Conifer buy out all of the registration staff, forcing them to either sign new employment contracts or quit.” Below that text is a picture of former President Donald Trump saying, “This has been the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever.” Additionally, some patients have struggled with DH and Conifer’s billing practices. A May story by Kaiser Health News featured Sunapee resident Elizabeth Melville, a 59-year-old patient at New London Hospital who faced a $2,185 bill for her second colonoscopy. Her first, nearly six years earlier, cost $0, as required under the preventive services provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has said polyps removed during a screening colonoscopy, as Melville had, are considered part of the procedure and shouldn’t affect a patient’s cost-sharing responsibilities. But it was only after KHN reached out to DH and Conifer regarding Melville’s bill that Conifer told Melville her bill was being reprocessed. Melville’s insurer, Cigna, then told KHN that Melville wouldn’t be responsible for any out-of-pocket costs. According to the story, Melville’s situation shows that patients ought to check in with their insurance company before a colonoscopy to see what costs they might expect; doctors and hospitals are required to give patients a good faith estimate before a procedure; and patients should read through paperwork they’re required to sign beforehand. Melville told KHN that the burden placed on patients felt unfair: “I still feel asking anyone who has just prepped for a colonoscopy to process those choices, ask questions and potentially say ‘no thank you’ to the whole thing is not reasonable.” Nora Doyle-Burr can be reached at ndoyleburr@vnews.com or 603-727-3213. Read More Here

Ball State Economist: Inflation Likely Not Going Away Soon https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ball-state-economist-inflation-likely-not-going-away-soon/ INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — For the fifth time this year the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 3/4 percent on Wednesday. The move makes it a little bit more expensive to borrow money or make purchases on your credit card. The government is trying to bring down inflation by raising interest rates. “Inflation overall has stalled over past two months, we’ve seen no monthly increases in prices over the last two months,” said Director of Ball State’s Center For Business and Economic Development, Michael Hicks. Hicks said that by raising interest rates the government is betting that people won’t spend as much money and inflation will decrease. “We are very conscious of our food prices, we have a food subscription service, so we have a fixed budget that we use for our food,” said Lasima Packett of Zionsville. The increase in interest rates shouldn’t effect those who have fixed rate mortgages or car loans. “If you have credit card debt, now is a good time to pay it off because you should be expecting higher credit card debt down the road simply because there is going to be increasing interest rates on that debt,” said Hicks. Economists say the stimulus checks sent out during the COVID-19 Pandemic by both the Trump and Biden administrations almost two years ago is causing the inflation we are experiencing now. It could be several months before consumers see prices go down again. “I think the hardest thing for me and my family right now is just being on pins and needles and a little bit on edge about it. My husband mentioned just yesterday, they keep saying you know the economy is going to tank and like people are sitting around waiting on that to happen,” said Packett. Hicks adds the government could have raised interest rates by more than just three-fourths a percent, but a dramatic increase in the rate could spark a recession. © 2022 Circle City Broadcasting I, LLC. | All Rights Reserved. Read More Here

AP News Summary At 11:39 P.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-1139-p-m-edt/ Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine “this farce.” He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraine’s presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada TORONTO (AP) — Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone Saturday. Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves as it hit Nova Scotia. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injuries. Ocean waves pounded the town of  Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Fiona has weakened to tropical storm strength as it moves across the Gulf of St. Lawrence Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gains strength over the Caribbean and is forecast to become a major hurricane in coming days. An emergency order DeSantis initially issued for two dozen counties was expanded to a statewide warning on Saturday. The governor is encouraging residents and localities to prepare for the storm, which could lash large swaths of Florida. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly power up to a hurricane by Sunday and a major hurricane as soon as late Monday. It’s expected to move over western Cuba before approaching Florida in the middle of next week. ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 It’s been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution’s case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation’s capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) — How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraine’s battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. There’s no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putin’s intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. Dissident: ‘Iranian women are furious’ over headscarf death NEW YORK (AP) — Iranian activist Masih Alinejad says the videos and messages she’s been receiving in recent days from women in Iran are showing how angry they are following a young woman’s death in police custody over a violation of the country’s strict religious dress code. The spur for this latest explosion of outrage was the death earlier this month of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The young woman was detained for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of strictures demanding women wear the Islamic headscarves in public. She died in custody. Protests have been going on around the country for days. Alinejad would love to see more support from those in the West, as well. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for women’s rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back  to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless it’s necessary to save the mother’s life. Saudi Arabia’s triumphant week reclaims the West’s embrace NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown prince’s ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. CIA unveils model of al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri’s hideout McLEAN, Virginia (AP) — The CIA has revealed the scale model of the safe house where it found and killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan. The model is now on display at the CIA Museum, newly refurbished for the agency’s 75th anniversary. Intelligence officials used the model to brief President Joe Biden in the White House Situation Room in July. The house shows several balconies, which officials used to show Biden where and how al-Zawahri liked to sit. The museum is not open to the public and generally restricted to agency employees and guests, but it allowed journalists in on Saturday to see its newest exhibits. Kim Kardashian culls Dolce&Gabbana archives for Milan show MILAN (AP) — Kim Kardashian took Milan by storm with a a new collection she curated for Dolce & Gabbana that took inspiration from 20 years of archival looks. The designers had refused to open their archives until Kardashian proved she had the right stuff. They were convinced after she and her sisters all wore vintage Dolce & Gabbana when Kourtney Kardashian got married in Italy. Saturday was a day of debuts at Milan Fashion Week. Maximilian Davis, a 27-year-old British designer with Afro-Caribbean roots, was at the creative helm of Salvatore Ferragamo. Filipino American designer Rhuigi Villasenor led Bally as the brand returns to the runway for the first time in 20 years. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Jim Hartman: Biden Declares War On ‘MAGA Republicans’ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jim-hartman-biden-declares-war-on-maga-republicans/ Jim Hartman Read More Here

Rare Sedition Charge: Trial To Show Oath Keepers’ Road To Jan. 6 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/rare-sedition-charge-trial-to-show-oath-keepers-road-to-jan-6/ The voting was over and almost all ballots were counted. News outlets on Nov. 7, 2020, had called the presidential race for Joe Biden. But the leader of the Oath Keepers extremist group was just beginning to fight. Convinced the White House had been stolen from Donald Trump, Stewart Rhodes exhorted his followers to action. “We must now … refuse to accept it and march en-mass on the nation’s Capitol,” Rhodes declared. Authorities allege Rhodes and his band of extremists, which was formed more than a decade earlier in Las Vegas, would spend the next several weeks after Election Day, Nov. 3, amassing weapons, organizing paramilitary training and readying armed teams with a singular goal: stopping Biden from becoming president. Their plot would come to a head on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors say, when Oath Keepers in battle gear were captured on camera shouldering their way through the crowd of Trump supporters and storming the Capitol in military-style stack formation. Court documents in the case against Rhodes and four co-defendants — whose trial opens Tuesday with jury selection in Washington’s federal court — paint a picture of a group so determined to overturn Biden’s victory that some members were prepared to lose their lives to do so. It’s the biggest test for the Justice Department’s efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the Capitol attack. Rioters temporarily halted the certification of Biden’s victory by sheer force, pummeling police officers in hand-to-hand fighting as they rammed their way into the building, forcing Congress to adjourn as lawmakers and staff hid from the mob. Despite nearly 900 arrests and hundreds of convictions in the riot, Rhodes and four Oath Keeper associates — Kelly Meggs, Jessica Watkins, Kenneth Harrelson and Thomas Caldwell — are the first to stand trial on the rare and difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. The Oath Keepers accuse prosecutors of twisting their words and insist there was never any plan to attack the Capitol. They say they were in Washington to provide security at events for figures such as Trump ally Roger Stone before Trump’s big outdoor rally near the White House on Jan. 6. Their preparations, training, gear and weapons were to protect themselves against potential violence from left-wing antifa activists or to be ready if Trump invoked the Insurrection Act to call up a militia. Rhodes’ lawyers have signaled their defense will focus on his belief that Trump would take that action. But Trump never did, so Rhodes went home, his lawyers have said. Call to Washington On Nov. 9, 2020, less than a week after the election, Rhodes held a conference call and rallied the Oath Keepers to go to Washington and fight. He expressed hope that antifa (anti-fascist) activists would start clashes because that would give Trump the “reason and rationale for dropping the Insurrection Act.” “You’ve got to go there and you’ve got to make sure that he knows that you are willing to die to fight for this country,” Rhodes told his people, according to a transcript filed in court. By December, Rhodes and the Oath Keepers had set their sights on Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, prosecutors say. On Dec. 23, he published an open letter on the Oath Keepers website declaring that “tens of thousands of patriot Americans, both veterans and nonveterans” would be in Washington. He warned they might have to “take to arms in defense of our God given liberty.” As 2021 approached, Rhodes spent $7,000 on two night-vision devices and a weapon sight and sent them to someone outside Washington, authorities say. Over several days in early January, he would spend an additional $15,500 on guns, magazines, mounts, sights and other equipment, according to court documents. ‘Use lethal force if necessary’ Rhodes had instructed Oath Keepers to be ready, if asked, to secure the White House perimeter and “use lethal force if necessary” against anyone, including the National Guard, who might try to remove Trump from the White House, according to court documents. On Jan. 5, Meggs and the Florida Oath Keepers brought gun boxes, rifle cases and suitcases filled with ammunition to the Virginia hotel where the “quick reaction force” teams would be on standby, according to prosecutors. A team from Arizona brought weapons, ammunition, and supplies to last 30 days, according to court papers. A team from North Carolina had rifles in a vehicle parked in the hotel lot, prosecutors have said. At the Capitol, the Oath Keepers formed two teams, military “stacks,” prosecutors say. Some members of the first stack headed toward the House in search of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., but couldn’t find her, according to court documents. Members of the second stack confronted officers inside the Capitol Rotunda, prosecutors allege. Rhodes isn’t accused of going inside the Capitol but was seen huddled with members outside after the riot. Rhodes and others then walked to the nearby Phoenix Park Hotel, prosecutors say. Call to Trump denied In a private suite there, Rhodes called someone on the phone with an urgent message for Trump, according to an Oath Keeper who says he witnessed it. Rhodes repeatedly urged the person on the phone to tell Trump to call upon militia groups to fight to keep the president in power, court papers say. The person denied Rhodes’ request to speak directly to Trump. “I just want to fight,” Rhodes said after hanging up, according to court papers. Authorities have not disclosed the name of the person they believe Rhodes was speaking to on the call. That night, Rhodes and other Oath Keepers went to dinner in Virginia. In messages over the course of the evening, they indicated their fight was far from over. “Patriots entering their own Capitol to send a message to the traitors is NOTHING compared to what’s coming,” Rhodes wrote. Rhodes returned to Texas after the Jan. 6 attack and remained free for a year before his arrest in January 2022. In interviews before he was jailed, he sought to distance himself from Oath Keepers who went inside the Capitol, saying that was a mistake. He also continued to push the lie the election was stolen and said the Jan. 6 investigation was politically motivated. Read More Here

9/24/22 Rep. Cheri Bustos, Former Chair Of The DCCC, Talks Inflation, Abortion, Jan. 6th & Midterms https://digitalarkansasnews.com/9-24-22-rep-cheri-bustos-former-chair-of-the-dccc-talks-inflation-abortion-jan-6th-midterms/ WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – Washington, DC – Gray Television White House correspondent and senior national editor Jon Decker interviewed Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois), former chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for the third episode of Gray TV’s Midterm Election Series, “Election 2022 Just the Facts,” airing Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25. On the conventional wisdom that the party in power loses seats during a midterm election, Rep. Bustos cited the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the subsequent Kansas abortion vote as “an indication of things to come.” “I am a Democrat in a Trump district … So I think I’ve got a pretty good feel for those swing voters,” she said. “And that changed the feeling on the ground.” When pressed on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s vow that Democrats will keep control of the House, Bustos answered: “I’m a realist, but as Speaker of the House, that’s her job to express that,” adding: “She was right last time. Let’s hope she’s right this time as well.” And when asked why so many Democratic members of Congress have chosen not to seek reelection this year, Bustos said the Capitol insurrection was partly to blame. “January 6th, I think, played into some people’s decision,” she said. “It certainly was part of my family’s decision.” “I remember my husband saying ‘things are not going to get better and let’s take a look at what you’re going to do in near future,’” she added. Excerpts are below. Rep. Cheri Bustos Highlights On the impact of January 6 Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent You’re retiring. In fact, 31 Democrats in Congress are retiring. I’m a cynic. I see those numbers. And I think to myself, well, they’re retiring because they in large part don’t want to be in the minority. What do you think is the reason for this large number of Democrats not seeking reelection? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) It’s different from member to member Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) It was just a very personal decision that, hey, you know what? I’m going to go on and do something else. But [for] some members, health was the reason that they want to move on. Some might have said that this job is not what it used to be. January 6th, I think, played into some people’s decision. It certainly was part of my family’s decision. That day I was on the House floor and I was in regular communication with my family through text. And I think it was tougher on them than it was on me. And they were scared for me. They were scared for my colleagues. And it was at that moment, I remember my husband saying “things are not going to get better and let’s take a look at what you’re going to do in near future.” Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent Do you think those hearings are making a difference as it relates to the midterms? Is this resonating with voters? Will it impact the way they vote in the midterm elections? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) I think it has awakened some people to the severity of what happened on January 6th and really the collusion of what happened on January 6th. This wasn’t just some random group of people who decided to come to the nation’s capital and protest. It was much more coordinated than that. And people at the highest levels of our government had an involvement in that. We just learned today that Clarence Thomas’s wife is going to testify in front of the special committee. And I think that will be very interesting because the stories that have been out there sure leave me scratching my head as to why a Supreme Court Justice’s wife was so involved in something that was so horrible in our nation’s history. On the Trump factor Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent Former President Donald Trump is essentially the de facto leader of the Republican party. And it’s pretty apparent in pretty much every race all across the country. How do you think his impact will in any way affect the midterm elections? Will it be a good motivating factor for getting out Republican voters? Does it motivate Democrats ahead of the midterm? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) I think both sides. Look, if you like Donald Trump right now, I don’t know what’s going to take your mind off of liking Donald Trump. I mean, there’s a lot to be seen there and we’ve lived through his presidency and now his post-presidency. We’ve seen what happened on January 6th. We’ve got the special committee looking at January 6th, going on right now, where a lot has been uncovered, keeping in mind that most of the people testifying worked in his administration were chosen by him to work in his administration. And then on the other side of it, if you’re a Democrat or I’m going to say a reasonable Republican or an Independent who just needs to make up their mind on what to do, I think it’s also motivating and not in Donald Trump’s favor. Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent The people that are running for Congress in the Senate that believe there was massive fraud—falsely-that in the 2020 election are often called election deniers. And there’s a significant percentage of those people running for Congress. Does that concern you? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) Yeah. I don’t think there’s anything more important as Americans than to make sure that our democracy is in a good place. And I think it’s very dangerous to deny the fair election that was in November of 2020. The facts do not bear out this notion that the election was stolen. There have been investigations, many of which have been led by Republicans. And so the facts do not support the claims that the election was stolen. On immigration Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent Do you think that that is an important issue for voters or just some voters depending upon what part of the country they’re in? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) Well, certainly if you live in a border community, it’s top of mind because they’re looking at it in the face every single day. If you care about the safety of our nation and also that we treat people seeking asylum in a humane way, I think it’s top of mind from that perspective. But look, I think it’s got to be a combination of a few things. First of all, we need to make sure that our borders are strong and that- Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent Well, do you believe they’re strong? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) I think we’ve got work to do. Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent Two million arrests … We’re not even at the end of the fiscal year yet. And we’ve already passed that two million threshold. That is not a good record, I would think, for Democrats to run on. What’s your view? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) Well, I don’t think we can run on that we’ve gotten this right, but we’ve also had attempts at bipartisanship on immigration reform. We need immigration reform. I come from an area, I come from a long line of family farmers, first of all, but we have close to 10,000 family farms where I live. And if you go to an egg farm or you go to a dairy and you talk with the folks running those operations, they need workers. So I think we can take a look at, we’ve got an opportunity actually to fill the slots that you’re not going to be able to hire your neighbor to work at that egg farm or you’re not going to be able to hire your neighbor to work at that dairy. We need workers and we need them in manufacturing. We need them in agricultural work. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) I also want to make sure that we are humane to people who are seeking asylum. This idea of shipping people who are coming into our country seeking asylum, which is very different than just- Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent Three governors have done that … Three Republican governors. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) But let’s sit down and talk about how that might look. Who’s to say that there are states or cities that don’t want people seeking asylum to come to their communities, but let’s do it in a coordinated way where we’re not tricking people and saying, hey, we’re going to take you to this place. And then they go there and there’s really no resources in place to manage that. Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent Did you view those actions by those Republican governors, the governors of Arizona, Texas, and Florida as political ploys in some way? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) I think that they were not doing it with the intent of helping and they can do it in a way that helps their own states. Look, if you’re a governor of a state, your top priority should be looking out for the citizens of your state. And that means the border communities. It means public safety, all of that, but just to dump people in a place, outside of the vice president’s residents, I mean, let’s sit down and have a conversation and figure out how this can look and how it can treat people seeking asylum in a good way, and be good to the states that have to deal with this and to the destination state as well. On abortion Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent The conventional wisdom is that the party in power loses seats during a midterm election…Do you share that conventional wisdom? Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) Well, the numbers back up that conventional wisdom, right? You can go back many, many election cycles. And if you’ve got a Democrat in the White House, Democrats don’t typically do so well, same thing if there’s a Republican in the White House. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois) However, I think what has changed and you can feel it on the ground is the Dobbs decision overturning Roe versus Wade, which was for close to 50 years, that was the law of the land. When the new Supreme Court justice...

Colorado Police Release Video Of Police Car With Suspect Inside Hit By A Train | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/colorado-police-release-video-of-police-car-with-suspect-inside-hit-by-a-train-cnn/ 01:24 – Source: CNN Police cruiser struck by train with woman inside CNN  —  Colorado police have released videos showing a train hitting a police cruiser in which a detained suspect was handcuffed. The Fort Lupton Police Department released body camera and dashcam video on Friday showing Yareni Rios-Gonzalez inside the patrol car that was hit by a train. Rios-Gonzalez is hospitalized with multiple injuries but is expected to survive, the Colorado Bureau of Investigations said. The newly released video of the September 16 incident shows Rios-Gonzalez – a suspect in a road rage case – asking why she was pulled over as she is handcuffed and put into a cruiser that was parked on railroad tracks, yards behind her truck. Rios-Gonzalez is left in the vehicle alone as officers search her truck. Minutes later, a train horn is heard and officers express alarm as the train barrels into the cruiser, crumpling the side and pushing it dozens of feet into a field. Officers can be heard on the video calling for medical assistance. Paul Wilkinson, an attorney for Rios-Gonzalez, told CNN Saturday that she was desperate to get out of the vehicle as the train approached. “When she was in the back of the car, she was able to see the train coming,” Wilkinson said. “She was frantically trying to escape, trying to open the doors, but she was handcuffed.” Rios-Gonzalez tried to get out of the cruiser on her own and attempted to get the attention of officers by screaming, Wilkinson said. “I don’t know if they just couldn’t hear her or if they were too busy searching her car, but she saw it coming and prepared for the worst,” he said. “And as you can imagine, lost consciousness and woke up at the hospital. She’s obviously very upset.” Rios-Gonzalez sustained multiple injuries, including nine broken ribs, a broken arm, broken teeth and injuries to her head, according to Wilkinson. As of Saturday, she remained in the hospital. The vehicle that was hit was a cruiser from the Platteville Police Department, which was assisting with the traffic stop. Platteville Police Chief Carl Dwyer said the officer who parked on the railroad tracks has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation by the CBI. Neither police department has identified any of the officers involved in the incident. Fort Lupton police say the case they were pursuing against Rios-Gonzalez has been referred to the Weld County District Attorney. Krista Henery with the Weld County District Attorney’s Office told CNN on Saturday that “everything is still being investigated and no charges have been filed for the suspect/victim or any officers.” Read More Here

Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona Causes Chaos Along Canada’s East Coast https://digitalarkansasnews.com/post-tropical-cyclone-fiona-causes-chaos-along-canadas-east-coast/ Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona Causes Chaos Along Canada’s East Coast  NBC News Fiona crushing Canada as Florida gets ready for Tropical Storm Ian  New York Post Tracking Hurricane Fiona and Tropical Depression Nine | Sept. 23, 2022  WUSA9 Watch NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt Excerpt: Post-Tropical cyclone Fiona causes chaos along Canada’s east coast  NBC Insider Tracking Fiona, Gaston and 2 tropical depressions  WTVR CBS 6 View Full Coverage on Google News Read More Here

Fort Smith Marathon To Kick Off Sunday, Traffic Delays Expected https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fort-smith-marathon-to-kick-off-sunday-traffic-delays-expected/ The marathon is expected to end at 2 p.m. and in the meantime, traffic will be impacted in areas throughout the city. FORT SMITH, Ark. — After a two-year hiatus in 2020 and the pandemic, Fort Smith is welcoming back the Fort Smith Marathon, Half-Marathon, & Relays. The race will take place on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 7 a.m. but the race starts at 8 a.m. The start and finish line will be in front of the Baldor Technology Center at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith (UAFS) campus.  The race will encompass 26.2 miles of city streets, state highways, and non-vehicular paved travel ways. The half-marathon and relays will be added to the full marathon route.  An estimated 800 race participants are expected to head to the east and southeast areas of Chaffee Crossing and Ben Geren Park before returning to the UAFS campus.  The race is expected to end at 2 p.m. and in the meantime, traffic will be impacted in areas throughout the city.  For more information about the Fort Smith Marathon, click here.  Follow 5NEWS on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone: To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. Read More Here

Democrats Face Tough Prospects In Battleground Pennsylvania | News Room Odisha https://digitalarkansasnews.com/democrats-face-tough-prospects-in-battleground-pennsylvania-news-room-odisha/ MAGA Republicans tearing the BBB initiatives of Joe Biden on inflation upsetting daily life of Americans with budgeting woes seems to be producing a disconnect between democrats string of legislative successes and voters concern of high cost of living in the battleground state of Pennsylvania where democrats have high stakes in the gubernatorial, mayoral and congressional candidates. Though the Washington administration is touting the inflation reduction act, climate change and lowering prescription prices of drugs, waiver of college students’ debts and cheaper health care by insurance companies, a small-town Pennsylvania is not too taken in by the positive economic change. That disconnect could spell trouble for Democrats, says BBC in an analysis of the election scenario for the midterms scheduled for November 8. The Democratic Party has borne the brunt of Americans’ fury over the soaring inflation, and insiders have warned that voters must be convinced the economy is improving if Democrats hope to stave off major losses in the midterms, BBC said. Though the president’s party scored policy wins in the final weeks of summer — passing long-sought climate legislation that, they claim, also addresses inflation, and announcing student loan debt relief for millions — Democrats are expected to lose the majority they hold in at least one chamber of Congress, the BBC predicts. Those policy wins aren’t yet connecting with voters like Tina Jordan, who told BBC News that rising prices had cut into her profits. Tina Jordan, 55, was “totally against” Donald Trump for president in 2016. A registered Democrat in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania, she went for Hillary Clinton, though Trump ultimately won the state that year, delivering him the White House. But in 2020, Jordan changed her mind and voted for Trump because his presidency, she confessed, coincided with “the best I’ve been in a long time, financially”. She will “probably vote for Trump again” if he runs in 2024, she said – two years into Joe Biden’s presidency, Jordan didn’t think he was “in touch with small business owners” like herself. Pennsylvania is the top prize in this year’s November mid-term elections, with Democrats fighting to gain a seat in the US Senate and keep a candidate away who backs Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was stolen out of the governor’s mansion. Biden, who has long touched on his middle-class Pennsylvania roots and made his ties to the state a part of his political identity, has been trumpeting his economic record there. At a speech in Philadelphia this month, he declared that “today, America’s economy is faster, stronger than any other advanced nation in the world”. However, Jordan’s concerns about her financial stability were echoed by voters throughout Pennsylvania, with Biden and Trump supporters alike concerned about the continued high cost of everyday living and disillusioned with leaders in Washington. “You got a lot of folks in Pennsylvania that are worried about what’s right in front of them,” said Mustafa Rashed, a Philadelphia-area Democratic strategist. “It’s harder to get people involved in the voting process. You’re competing for their attention with pocketbook issues.” Washington’s victories aren’t felt on the ground, says BBC. Republicans have hammered Democrats in local races over inflation and the cost of basic necessities, trying to pin blame for a complex economic issue on the party in power. Recent polling shows that Democrats’ midterm prospects have improved since the party’s late-summer policy spurt. They have gotten a boost since the fall of Roe v Wade made abortion access a major election year issue. Surveys taken in Pennsylvania consistently show the Democratic candidate for US Senate, John Fetterman, and governor, Josh Shapiro, running slightly ahead of their respective Republican rivals, Dr. Oz and Doug Mastriano. –IANS Read More Here

AP News Summary At 9:06 P.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-906-p-m-edt/ Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine “this farce.” He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraine’s presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada TORONTO (AP) — Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone Saturday. Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves as it hit Nova Scotia. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injuries. Ocean waves pounded the town of  Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Fiona has weakened to tropical storm strength as it moves across the Gulf of St. Lawrence Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gains strength over the Caribbean and is forecast to become a major hurricane in coming days. An emergency order DeSantis initially issued for just two dozen counties was expanded to a statewide warning on Saturday. The governor is encouraging residents and localities to prepare for the storm, which could lash large swaths of Florida. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly power up to a hurricane by Sunday and a major hurricane by late Monday or early Tuesday. It’s expected to move over western Cuba before approaching Florida in the middle of next week. ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 It’s been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution’s case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation’s capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) — How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraine’s battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. There’s no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putin’s intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. Dissident: ‘Iranian women are furious’ over headscarf death NEW YORK (AP) — Iranian activist Masih Alinejad says the videos and messages she’s been receiving in recent days from women in Iran are showing how angry they are following a young woman’s death in police custody over a violation of the country’s strict religious dress code. The spur for this latest explosion of outrage was the death earlier this month of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The young woman was detained for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of strictures demanding women wear the Islamic headscarves in public. She died in custody. Protests have been going on around the country for days. Alinejad would love to see more support from those in the West, as well. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for women’s rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back  to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless it’s necessary to save the mother’s life. Saudi Arabia’s triumphant week reclaims the West’s embrace NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown prince’s ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. CIA unveils model of al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri’s hideout McLEAN, Virginia (AP) — The CIA has revealed the scale model of the safe house where it found and killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan. The model is now on display at the CIA Museum, newly refurbished for the agency’s 75th anniversary. Intelligence officials used the model to brief President Joe Biden in the White House Situation Room in July. The house shows several balconies, which officials used to show Biden where and how al-Zawahri liked to sit. The museum is not open to the public and generally restricted to agency employees and guests, but it allowed journalists in on Saturday to see its newest exhibits. Kim Kardashian culls Dolce&Gabbana archives for Milan show MILAN (AP) — Kim Kardashian took Milan by storm with a a new collection she curated for Dolce & Gabbana that took inspiration from 20 years of archival looks. The designers had refused to open their archives until Kardashian proved she had the right stuff. They were convinced after she and her sisters all wore vintage Dolce & Gabbana when Kourtney Kardashian got married in Italy. Saturday was a day of debuts at Milan Fashion Week. Maximilian Davis, a 27-year-old British designer with Afro-Caribbean roots, was at the creative helm of Salvatore Ferragamo. Filipino American designer Rhuigi Villasenor led Bally as the brand returns to the runway for the first time in 20 years. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Read More Here

TED NUGENT Once Again Rails Against 'Big Tech': 'They're Admitting They're Censoring And Denying First Amendment Rights' https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ted-nugent-once-again-rails-against-big-tech-theyre-admitting-theyre-censoring-and-denying-first-amendment-rights/ Ted Nugent has once again railed against large social-media companies that block users from their platforms. The outspoken conservative rocker is an ardent supporter of former U.S. president Donald Trump who was famously suspended from his social accounts in January 2021 over public safety concerns in the wake of the Capitol riot. Nugent repeated his unsubstantiated accusations that tech companies are censoring his speech during the September 22 edition of “The Nightly Nuge”, a news-style clip in which Ted offers his take on the news of our world every night. Responding to co-host Keith Mark‘s claim that Meta chief product officer Chris Cox “on behalf of Facebook admitted” in a recent hearing “that there was collusion to thwart the First Amendment rights of a lot of Americans, but he justified it because it was for a greater good,” Nugent said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Well, that’s right out of the communist playbook and straight out of rules for radicals by Saul Alinsky, where they can cripple truth, logic and common sense and freedom and life, liberty and pursuit of happiness by censoring people who fight for, exercise and preach truth, logic and common sense. When you censor a segment of society who is about God, family, country, Constitution, Bill Of Rights, being the best that you can be… But that’s really not what the First Amendment protects; the First Amendment, it was proven in the Hustler magazine thing [Editor’s note: The U.S. Supreme Court voted unanimously in 1988 to overturn a $200,000 judgment awarded to the Rev. Jerry Falwell for his emotional distress at having been parodied in Hustler, a pornographic magazine.], the court system, the First Amendment is about protecting the most offensive speech, the most unfriendly speech, the most uncommon speech.” “So, finally the truth came out that they’re admitting they’re censoring and denying First Amendment rights, which I think is against the law,” Ted continued. “The U.S. Constitution is the foundation of our law. “I’m telling you, this is a pivotal moment. “When I first started out on Facebook years ago — I don’t think they really knew enough about Ted Nugent yet — because during the late, late… well, I guess it was in the 2000s, I had between 25 million and 36 million reach on Facebook,” Nugent added. “And then the Big Tech America haters finally figured out that I was a truth, logic and common sense guy. So I went from 36 million to 3.6 million overnight. And now even with 3.6 million on Facebook, they reduce it to 15 — not 15 million, not 15 hundred; 15. Sometimes I’ll make a statement that is irrefutably true, and they’ll censor it and suppress it down to a couple of dozen people. “So Big Tech, here’s a word from good families of America, Big Tech. You people suck. Your fact checkers are psychopathic liars. Your fact checking is dishonest and it’s against the law and it’s against the First Amendment and it trounces freedom of speech. Shame on you idiots at Facebook and Big Tech. You are bad, bad people, because when you suppress freedom of speech, you’re anti-human, you’re anti-American, you are a voice and a power of communism. ‘For the greater good.’ And Big Tech hates the Constitution. I think those that are involved in the power of Big Tech, I think they look at the Constitution as toilet paper. I think we should look at them as toilet paper.” Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have suspended or removed the accounts of prominent conservatives who have violated their terms of service. Trump was banned from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot that he was accused of inciting, adding to claims that conservatives are being unfairly treated. Twitter, along with Facebook and Instagram, pointed to their terms of service, which prohibit inciting violence on their platforms. Defenders of the technology industry have repeatedly said that private companies cannot be forced to host speech they don’t agree with. They also argue that private owners should be able to do as they please with their own property. In addition, they note that social media companies can only decide what speech they host and present. Those unsatisfied with their choices can choose to read or contribute elsewhere. Earlier this year, Trump launched Truth Social, the Twitter alternative. Trump has since used the platform to post, including spreading further misinformation, such as the ongoing false claim that Joe Biden‘s 2020 election win was fraudulent. Trump had consistently attacked the media throughout his presidency and called the press the “enemy of the people.” He also regularly accused reporters of spreading “fake news” — his term for stories he dislikes. In addition, he has assailed the news media at rallies and even at more formal presidential events, encouraging his audiences to chant “CNN sucks!” This past January, Nugent once again repeated the baseless conspiracy theory that the riot at the U.S. Capitol was orchestrated by undercover FBI agents, Antifa and Black Lives Matter. Nugent, who has refused to take the vaccine, has falsely claimed that public health measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic violate the Nuremberg code, a set of medical experimentation guidelines set after World War Two, as the vaccine is “experimental.” In the past, Nugent, who battled COVID-19 in April 2021, had referred to the virus as a “leftist scam to destroy” Trump. He had also repeated a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggests the official death count from the coronavirus is inflated. Read More Here

AP News Summary At 8:32 P.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-832-p-m-edt/ Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine “this farce.” He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraine’s presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada TORONTO (AP) — Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone Saturday. Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves as it hit Nova Scotia. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injuries. Ocean waves pounded the town of  Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Fiona has weakened to tropical storm strength as it moves across the Gulf of St. Lawrence Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gains strength over the Caribbean and is forecast to become a major hurricane in coming days. An emergency order DeSantis initially issued for just two dozen counties was expanded to a statewide warning on Saturday. The governor is encouraging residents and localities to prepare for the storm, which could lash large swaths of Florida. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly power up to a hurricane by Sunday and a major hurricane by late Monday or early Tuesday. It’s expected to move over western Cuba before approaching Florida in the middle of next week. ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 It’s been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution’s case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation’s capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) — How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraine’s battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. There’s no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putin’s intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. Dissident: ‘Iranian women are furious’ over headscarf death NEW YORK (AP) — Iranian activist Masih Alinejad says the videos and messages she’s been receiving in recent days from women in Iran are showing how angry they are following a young woman’s death in police custody over a violation of the country’s strict religious dress code. The spur for this latest explosion of outrage was the death earlier this month of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The young woman was detained for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of strictures demanding women wear the Islamic headscarves in public. She died in custody. Protests have been going on around the country for days. Alinejad would love to see more support from those in the West, as well. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for women’s rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back  to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless it’s necessary to save the mother’s life. Saudi Arabia’s triumphant week reclaims the West’s embrace NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown prince’s ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. CIA unveils model of al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri’s hideout McLEAN, Virginia (AP) — The CIA has revealed the scale model of the safe house where it found and killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan. The model is now on display at the CIA Museum, newly refurbished for the agency’s 75th anniversary. Intelligence officials used the model to brief President Joe Biden in the White House Situation Room in July. The house shows several balconies, which officials used to show Biden where and how al-Zawahri liked to sit. The museum is not open to the public and generally restricted to agency employees and guests, but it allowed journalists in on Saturday to see its newest exhibits. Kim Kardashian culls Dolce&Gabbana archives for Milan show MILAN (AP) — Kim Kardashian took Milan by storm with a a new collection she curated for Dolce & Gabbana that took inspiration from 20 years of archival looks. The designers had refused to open their archives until Kardashian proved she had the right stuff. They were convinced after she and her sisters all wore vintage Dolce & Gabbana when Kourtney Kardashian got married in Italy. Saturday was a day of debuts at Milan Fashion Week. Maximilian Davis, a 27-year-old British designer with Afro-Caribbean roots, was at the creative helm of Salvatore Ferragamo. Filipino American designer Rhuigi Villasenor led Bally as the brand returns to the runway for the first time in 20 years. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Sugar Bears Drop Hard Fought Match With Kennesaw State – University Of Central Arkansas Athletics https://digitalarkansasnews.com/sugar-bears-drop-hard-fought-match-with-kennesaw-state-university-of-central-arkansas-athletics/ Kennesaw, Ga. – Central Arkansas dropped a tough matchup at Kennesaw State in five sets. With the loss, UCA falls to 0-2 in ASUN play. The first set went to the Owls, as they took advantage of an early lead and never surrendered the lead for the rest of the set. UCA went on a 4-0 run late in the set, but it was too late, as Kennesaw State secured the set by a score of 25-18. In the second set, the Sugar Bears weren’t concerned that the ball didn’t bounce their way early on in the match and played Kennesaw State tight early. UCA, like last night against Jacksonville State, capitalized on scoring runs, using two separate 3-0 runs to establish a nice little lead at 11-6. Any Kennesaw State comeback attempt would prove to be futile, as UCA established momentum and took the second set 25-19. Momentum never lasts forever, and the third set was proof of that. UCA experienced some great highs, like back-to-back aces by Lilly Taylor. Ultimately, the highs were not quite enough for UCA to take the third set, as Kennesaw State used a 3-0 run down the stretch to take it by a score of 28-26. The Sugar Bears gave the Owls all they could handle, but fell just short in the third set, and just like that, the momentum swung back to the Owls. The body language on the Sugar Bears’ sideline was not what one would expect from a team that had just let an opportunity slip away. Instead, they looked ready to go, and proved as much when they forced an early timeout from Kennesaw State after taking a 10-7 lead. That lead would prove to be enough for the Sugar Bears, because they never trailed for the rest of the set. KSU attempted to wedge themselves back into the game late, but UCA denied them with a clutch kill by Kendall Haywood down the stretch which allowed the Sugar Bears to even things up and take the fourth set by a score of 25-20. Neither team could take a substantial lead until late in the deciding fifth set. The score was deadlocked at 12 late in the set, and it looked like 15 wouldn’t be enough, as the teams were content with going back-and-forth all set. Ultimately, Kennesaw State seized momentum and scored the final three points of the game and took the final set, 15-12. Mackenzie Vernon and Alexis Stumbough once again had good performances, with Vernon tallying 16 kills to lead UCA and Stumbough adding 11. Marissa McKelvey led the Sugar Bears with 26 assists, but freshman Caylan Koons was not far behind with 24 assists. Central Arkansas will hit the road and take on Little Rock on Tuesday, September 27th at 6 p.m. You can follow every game this season on Twitter at @ucavball. Read More…

Beto O'Rourke Blames Biden For More Texas Latinos Voting GOP: 'Didn't Spend A Dime Or Day' In Border Region https://digitalarkansasnews.com/beto-orourke-blames-biden-for-more-texas-latinos-voting-gop-didnt-spend-a-dime-or-day-in-border-region/ NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! AUSTIN, Texas – Beto O’Rourke, who is facing off against Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in November’s election, said that the rightward shift of Latino voters in recent years is partly due to a disregard for the demographic by Democrats.  “Candidate Biden didn’t spend a dime or day in the Rio Grande Valley or really anywhere in Texas, for that matter, once we got down in the homestretch of the general election,” O’Rourke told a crowd at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Saturday. “You got to be locking eyeballs with the people that you want to fight for and serve and whose votes that you want to win.” Despite losing the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump carried 38% of the Latino vote, a 13 percentage point increase over the level of support that Republican candidates received from that group in the 2018 midterm elections, according to Pew research data.  Beto O’Rourke, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Texas, during The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas, US, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. (Jordan Vonderhaar/Bloomberg via Getty Images) O’Rourke also said that Trump offered a “very strong, compelling economic message” during the last presidential election.  “It was literally one syllable one word, it was ‘jobs,’ and he kind of offered a false choice: ‘I can either keep you holed up in your house during this pandemic, or I can open up all places of employment and prioritize the economy,'” O’Rourke said Saturday. “What did we have on our side? Nothing.” DEMOCRATS LOSING SUPPORT FROM HISPANIC VOTERS IN KEY NEVADA RACES, NEW POLL SHOWS The trend appears to have continued in the past two years. Mayra Flores, the first Mexican-born congresswoman to serve in the House, flipped a House seat red during a special election in June for Texas’ 34th Congressional District, which has historically been a Democratic stronghold in south Texas.  Rep. Mayra Flores is the first Republican Latina ever elected to Congress from Texas, and she is also the first female Mexican-born member of the House of Representatives.  (Fox News Photo/Joshua Comins) Two other Latina women – Cassy Garcia in the 28th Congressional District and Monica De La Cruz in the 15th Congressional District – are also running as Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.  2022 MIDTERM ELECTION NEWS AND UPDATES AS DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS FIGHT FOR CONTROL OF CONGRESS Rep. Tony Gonzalez, R-Texas, who represents a district that spans more than 800 miles along the US-Mexico border, said that the rightward shift of Hispanic voters will continue.  “We’re going to be winning races that no one thought we’d win before. And how are we going to do it? By leaning into our conservative values,” Gonzalez told Fox News Digital on Saturday. “This is just the start of the future of the Republican Party. I’m excited to be a part of it.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Polls in recent weeks show O’Rourke as an underdog in his race against Abbott, but the Democratic candidate pledged not to make the same mistakes as others from his party.  “I am making sure that we do not commit the same sin as some Democrats before me have committed, which is to take voters of color, Black voters and Latinos, for granted,” O’Rourke said Saturday.  Paul Best is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Paul.best@fox.com and on Twitter: @KincaidBest.  Read More Here

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Ahead Of U.S. VP Harris Visit https://digitalarkansasnews.com/north-korea-fires-ballistic-missile-ahead-of-u-s-vp-harris-visit/ North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un addresses the Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korea’s parliament, which passed a law officially enshrining its nuclear weapons policies, in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 8, 2022 in this photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com SEOUL, Sept 25 (Reuters) – North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast on Sunday, ahead of planned military drills by South Korean and U.S. forces involving an aircraft carrier and a visit to the region by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. South Korea’s military said it was a single, short-range ballistic missile fired from near the Taechon area of North Pyongyan Province just before 7 a.m. Japan’s Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Japan estimated it reached maximum altitude at 50 km and may have flown on an irregular trajectory. Hamada said it fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone and there were no reports of problems with shipping or air traffic. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Many of the short-range missiles tested by North Korea in recent years have been designed to evade missile defences by maneuvering during flight and flying on a lower, “depressed” trajectory, experts have said. “If you include launches of cruise missiles this is the nineteenth launch, which is an unprecedented pace. North Korea’s action represent a threat to the peace and security of our country, the region and the international community and to do this as the Ukraine invasion unfolds is unforgivable,” Hamada said, adding that Japan had delivered a protest through North Korea’s embassy in Beijing. The U.S. Indo-pacific Command said it was aware of the launch and consulting closely with allies, in a statement released after the launch, while reaffirming U.S. commitment to the defence of South Korea and Japan. “While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK’s unlawful Weapons of Mass Destruction and ballistic missile programs.” The launch comes after the arrival of the nuclear-powered American aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in South Korea to participate in joint drills with South Korean forces, and ahead of a planned visit to Seoul this week by Harris. read more It was the first time the North carried out such a launch after firing eight short-range ballistic missiles in one day in early June, which led the United States to call for more sanctions for violating U.N. Security Council resolutions. North Korea rejects U.N. resolutions as an infringement of its sovereign right to self defence and space exploration, and has criticized previous joint drills by the United States and South Korea as proof of their hostile policies. The drills have also been criticised by Russia and China, which have called on all sides not to take steps that raise tensions in the region, and have called for an easing of sanctions. After North Korea conducted an unprecedented number of missile tests earlier this year, including its intercontinental ballistic missiles for the first time since 2017, the United States and South Korea said they would boost joint drills and military displays of power to deter Pyongyang. “Defense exercises are not going to prevent North Korean missile tests,” said Leif-Eric Easley, an international affairs professor at Ewha University in Seoul. But U.S.-South Korea security cooperation helps to deter a North Korean attack and counter Pyongyang’s coercion, and the allies should not let provocations stop them from conducting military training and exchanges needed to maintain the alliance, he added. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday North Korea may also be preparing to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), citing the South’s military. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Additional reporting by Josh Smith and Tim Kelly; Editing by Daniel Wallis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Team Sweeps, Close Finishes Highlight Garmin MS Texas Invite https://digitalarkansasnews.com/team-sweeps-close-finishes-highlight-garmin-ms-texas-invite/ *James American Horse (Bentonville, AR) and Caden Thurman (Wolfe City, TX) battle to the line in the elite boys race at the Garmin MileSplit TX XC Invitational on Saturday. Photo Credit: Jessie McCabe/MileSplit Texas – – – DENTON, TEXAS — As Bentonville High School (AR) senior James American Horse found himself stride-for-stride with Wolfe City’s (TX) Caden Thurman down the final 100-meter grass straightaway in the elite boys race at the Garmin MileSplit TX XC Invitational, the Arkansas talent knew he couldn’t settle for second. He and his teammates didn’t take a draining six-hour bus ride to Denton to come away empty-handed. “We traveled so far to come here,” American Horse said after the race. “If I’m already up there with (Thurman), just might as well try and get it done. It ended up working.” The two seniors bolted to the line to the delight of cheering spectators gathered by the finish at South Lakes Park, and it was American Horse who crucially dipped at the timing pad to take the elite race win in 15:32.00, just a tenth of a second ahead of Thurman in 15:32.10. That not only earned American Horse an individual title, but it made for his first-ever sub-16:00 5k performance and boosted Bentonville to a dominant team win with a low 60 total points. That team title win comes with a lot of weight as well, as Bentonville upset Arkansas’ top-ranked Fayetteville team, who also made the trip across state lines and finished fourth. * Bentonville (AR) discusses their win in the elite boys race at the Garmin MileSplit TX XC Invitational. – – – Beyond the show-stopping battle between American Horse and Thurman, impressive team showings from Bentonville and dominant individual performances made for some of the top highlights in Denton on an action-packed Saturday morning. The sun had barely begun to rise at South Lakes Park at 7 a.m. when the first start gun promptly went off, but athletes from Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana took to the start line at the Garmin MileSplit TX XC Invitational more than awake and ready to compete. The elite boys race may have produced the most exciting finish of the morning, but a dominant front-running performance from Georgetown (TX) senior McKenzie Bailey kicked off meet action, and she came into the varsity elite girls race looking to have fun. Bailey, the top seed entered in the race, surged to the lead from the gun, and it was her and Plano West (TX) senior Haley Harper who pulled away from the field early. But just a mile in, Bailey opened a significant gap on Harper that never ceased as she raced her way to a win in 17:56.20.  “I think that’s just been my goal in most of the races lately, is just enjoy it,” said Bailey following her win. Harper, who has had a breakout fall as a senior in her first season dedicated solely to distance training, came in solidly behind Bailey for second in 18:17.60. Photo Credit: Jessie McCabe/MileSplit Texas – – – But Bailey wasn’t shy to make her joyous attitude known as she weaved through South Lakes Park. With the mantra “Have a good race” written in Sharpie on her back, Bailey grinned as she passed cheering spectators en route to her win. And on the team side, Bentonville didn’t come to Texas to mess around. Led by junior Haley Loewe running 18:44.10 for third, the team from Arkansas got their program’s team winning streak started by scoring 73 points for the team title, ahead of strong Texas teams in Northwest Nelson with 104 and a Bailey-led Georgetown with 167 points.  Over 1,800 athletes and 75 teams took to the South Lakes Course on Saturday morning, and between the American Horse-Thurman battle, Bentonville dominance and Bailey’s confident racing, it made for quite the spectacle to highlight Saturday’s Garmin MileSplit TX XC Invitational action. To view MileSplit’s complete coverage — photos, interviews, race videos and more — be sure to check out the meet page. Related Links:  Garmin MileSplit TX XC Invitational Meet Coverage Read More Here

Russia’s Allies China And India Call For Negotiations To End Ukraine War https://digitalarkansasnews.com/russias-allies-china-and-india-call-for-negotiations-to-end-ukraine-war/ China and India have called for a negotiated end to the Ukraine war, stopping short of robust support for traditional ally Russia. After a week of pressure at the United Nations general assembly, Russia’s foreign minister took the general assembly rostrum to deliver a fiery rebuke to western nations for what he termed a “grotesque” campaign against Russians. But no major nation has rallied behind Russia, including China, which just days before the February invasion of Ukraine had vowed an “unbreakable” bond with President Vladimir Putin. China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, called on Russia and Ukraine to “keep the crisis from spilling over” and from affecting developing countries. “China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis. The pressing priority is to facilitate talks for peace,” Wang said on Saturday. “The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture.” During his visit to the United Nations, Wang met Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, in their first talks since the war began. Earlier this month Putin acknowledged Chinese “concerns” about Ukraine during a meeting with his counterpart, Xi Jinping. US officials have been heartened by what they see as China’s lack of concrete backing for the war and said that Beijing has declined requests to send military equipment, forcing Russia to rely on North Korea and Iran as its own supplies dwindle. China’s reaction to Russia is being closely watched for clues on its approach to Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that Beijing claims as its territory. Wang held firm that China would take “forceful steps” against any interference, insisting that efforts to prevent “reunification” with Taiwan would be “crushed by the wheels of history”. India, unlike China, has a warm relationship with the United States but it has historical ties with Russia, its traditional defence supplier. “As the Ukraine conflict continues to rage, we are often asked whose side we are on,” said India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. “Our answer, each time, is straight and honest – India is on the side of peace and will remain firmly there,” he said. “We are on the side that calls for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out.” Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, at a news conference declined to answer whether there has been any pressure from China. In his speech, he sought to cast blame squarely on the west. “The official Russophobia in the west is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque,” Lavrov told the general assembly. “They are not shying away from declaring the intent to inflict not only military defeat on our country but also to destroy and fracture Russia.” The United States, he said, since the end of the cold war has acted as if it is “an envoy of God on Earth, with the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and whenever they want”, Lavrov said. He also blasted the European Union as an “authoritarian, harsh, dictatorial entity” and said the bloc’s leadership forced one member state’s leader – the Cypriot president, Nicos Anastasiades – to cancel a planned meeting with him. Lavrov criticised the west for not engaging with Russia, saying, “we have never stepped away from maintaining contact”. Western powers are looking at further sanctions after Putin called up reservists and made a veiled threat to use nuclear weapons, and have refused to recognise results of referendums on Russian annexation being held in occupied territories. They have welcomed Lavrov’s isolation, noting how he only showed up at a security council session on Thursday to deliver remarks and not to listen to others. Russia enjoyed one rare voice of support on Saturday at the general assembly. Mali’s interim prime minister, Col Abdoulaye Maïga, appointed by coup leaders, hailed the “exemplary and fruitful cooperation” with Moscow. The junta has welcomed Russia’s Wagner Group security firm, despite western allegations of rights abuses, as France pulled out troops who had been struggling to contain a jihadist insurgency. Read More Here

AP News Summary At 6:41 P.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-641-p-m-edt/ ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 It’s been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution’s case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation’s capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine “this farce.” He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraine’s presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) — How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraine’s battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. There’s no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putin’s intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. Dissident: ‘Iranian women are furious’ over headscarf death NEW YORK (AP) — Iranian activist Masih Alinejad says the videos and messages she’s been receiving in recent days from women in Iran are showing how angry they are following a young woman’s death in police custody over a violation of the country’s strict religious dress code. The spur for this latest explosion of outrage was the death earlier this month of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The young woman was detained for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of strictures demanding women wear the Islamic headscarves in public. She died in custody. Protests have been going on around the country for days. Alinejad would love to see more support from those in the West, as well. Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada TORONTO (AP) — Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone Saturday. Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves as it hit Nova Scotia. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injuries. Ocean waves pounded the town of  Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Fiona has weakened to tropical storm strength as it moves across the Gulf of St. Lawrence DeSantis declares emergency as storm expected to hit Florida TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in Florida as Tropical Storm Ian gathers strength over the Caribbean and is expected to bring heavy rains and intense hurricane winds to the state next week. DeSantis initially issued the emergency order for two dozen counties but on Saturday expanded the warning to the entire state. He is encouraging residents and local governments to prepare for a storm that could lash large swaths of Florida as forecasters track its path. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly strengthen in the coming days before moving over western Cuba and approaching Florida in the middle of next week with major hurricane force. Saudi Arabia’s triumphant week reclaims the West’s embrace NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown prince’s ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for women’s rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back  to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless it’s necessary to save the mother’s life. CIA unveils model of al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri’s hideout McLEAN, Virginia (AP) — The CIA has revealed the scale model of the safe house where it found and killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan. The model is now on display at the CIA Museum, newly refurbished for the agency’s 75th anniversary. Intelligence officials used the model to brief President Joe Biden in the White House Situation Room in July. The house shows several balconies, which officials used to show Biden where and how al-Zawahri liked to sit. The museum is not open to the public and generally restricted to agency employees and guests, but it allowed journalists in on Saturday to see its newest exhibits. Soldier who went missing during Korean War accounted for BOSTON (AP) — A soldier from Massachusetts who went missing during the Korean war and was later reported to have died in a prisoner of war camp has been accounted for. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency says Army Cpl. Joseph J. Puopolo, of East Boston, was just 19 when he was reported missing in December 1950. It was later reported he had died in a prisoner of war camp. Military officials say remains disinterred in 2019 were identified as Puopolo through dental and anthropological analysis, mitochondrial DNA analysis and circumstantial evidence. Puopolo’s grandnephew says his family, including the soldier’s sister who is now 99 years old, has not forgotten him. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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AP News In Brief At 6:04 P.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-in-brief-at-604-p-m-edt/ ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 The voting was over and almost all ballots were counted. News outlets on Nov. 7, 2020, had called the presidential race for Democrat Joe Biden. But the leader of the Oath Keepers extremist group was just beginning to fight. Convinced the White House had been stolen from Republican Donald Trump, Stewart Rhodes exhorted his followers to action, suggesting they emulate a popular uprising that brought down Yugoslavia’s president two decades earlier. He published a version of his appeal online, headlined, “What We The People Must Do.” “We must now … refuse to accept it and march en-mass on the nation’s Capitol,” Rhodes declared to fellow Oath Keepers. Authorities allege that Rhodes and his band of extremists would spend the next several weeks amassing weapons, organizing paramilitary training and readying armed teams outside Washington with a singular goal: stopping Joe Biden from becoming president. Their plot would come to a head on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors say, when Oath Keepers wearing helmets and other battle gear were captured on camera shouldering their way through the crowd of angry Trump supporters and storming the Capitol in military-style stack formation. Read More Here

Saudi Arabia's Triumphant Week Reclaims The West's Embrace https://digitalarkansasnews.com/saudi-arabias-triumphant-week-reclaims-the-wests-embrace/ Yasir al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, known as the Public Investment Fund, speaks at an event organized by the fund and the Future Investment Initiative Institute in New York on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage that the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. The kingdom is once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society and it is no longer as frowned upon to seek Saudi investments or accept their favor. (AP Photo/Aya Batrawy) The Associated Press By AYA BATRAWY, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage that the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. The kingdom is once again being enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, and it is no longer as frowned upon to seek Saudi investments or accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day with pomp and pageantry, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The kingdom is able to draw focus back to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious rebranding of Saudi Arabia and his goals to build both the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund and pull the kingdom up from the G-20 to the more exclusive G-7 nations representing the biggest economies. It’s a mission that’s often characterized as waking up a sleeping giant. Except it’s happening even as human rights reforms remain off the agenda. Political Cartoons As the crown prince embarks on sensitive social and economic reforms, he’s simultaneously overseen a far-reaching crackdown on dissent that his supporters say is necessary to ensure stability during this period. Among those detained or banned from leaving the country are women’s rights activists, moderate preachers, conservative clerics, economists and progressive writers. Even top princes and Saudi billionaires have not been spared. Many were rounded up and held in the capital’s Ritz-Carlton in a purported anti-corruption sweep that netted over a $100 billion in assets. The clampdown, however, drew its strongest international rebuke following the killing of Khashoggi by Saudi agents inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul four years ago. And just last month, staggeringly long prison terms were handed down against two women for their Twitter and social media activity. A Saudi court sentenced a woman to 45 years in prison in August for allegedly damaging the country through her social media activity. It came on the heels of a 34-year-long prison sentence for another Saudi woman convicted of spreading “rumors” and retweeting dissidents. Both women were handed down the unusually long sentences on appeal. The Associated Press asked Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Farhan bin Faisal about these sentences. “Those cases are still in process. They are not yet at the final appeal,” he said, adding that the cases lie with the judiciary, which he said operates independently. He spoke at the exclusive Yale Club during an event in New York this week. He would not discuss the cases further. Saudi Arabia’s strength lies not only in its top position as the world’s biggest oil exporter, but also as the home of Islam’s holiest site and its birthplace. The prince’s efforts to shed the yoke of decades of ultraconservative Wahhabi control over every aspect of life are popular among young Saudis. From movie theaters and concerts, to women driving and curtailing the morality’s police’s authority, the face of Saudi Arabia is changing. The latter stands in stark contrast to the protests in rival Iran’s cities this week over the death of a woman in the custody of that country’s morality police. At the other end of these changes is a reorienting of Saudi Arabia’s identity from a chiefly religious focus to one of cultural and national pride. At a swanky daylong forum this week at one of New York’s premier Upper East Side addresses, the kingdom’s $620 billion wealth fund drew some of the city’s Who’s Who to mingle and network on the sidelines of the United Nations’ annual gathering of world leaders. While the kingdom never stopped drawing investors or forging partnerships in the years since Khashoggi’s death, or amid its ongoing war in Yemen, those ties were less forward-facing among U.S. elites. The Public Investment Fund has significant stakes in Uber, Lucid Motors, the cruise operator Carnival, Live Nation, Nintendo, Microsoft and a range of other companies. The aim of these investments is to grow Saudi Arabia’s oil wealth and use it to establish world-class tourism, entertainment and luxury industries in the country. In doing so, the kingdom is create a resilient economy as the world looks to a future powered by green energy rather than fossil fuels. The PIF’s biggest undertaking is Neom, a futuristic megaproject along the kingdom’s northwestern Red Sea coast that envisions flying cars and a 105 mile-long (170 kilometer) zero carbon emissions city that’s entirely enclosed and powered by Artificial Intelligence. The crown prince oversees the PIF, but the man who runs its day-to-day investments is Yasir al-Rumayyan. He spoke at the so-called “Priority Summit” to a monied elite that included Jared Kushner, a former White House advisor and Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Kushner recently secured a $2 billion investment from the PIF to jump start his new private equity firm. The fund is key to the 37-year-old prince’s race against time to create at least 1.8 million jobs for young Saudis coming of age and entering the workforce. “It’s not only the figures that we are looking at, but the quality of these jobs, the quality of our offering to our society — and at the same time, making money while we’re doing it,” al-Rumayyan said. The PIF’s wealth is fueled by the kingdom’s oil earnings. Al-Rumayyan is also chairman of Saudi Aramco. The state-owned oil and gas company had a record second-quarter this year with profits that topped $48 billion — a figure more than Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon’s same-quarter earnings combined. The summit, organized by the PIF’s Foreign Investment Initiative Institute that puts on the annual “Davos in the Desert” in Riyadh, drew more than just people seeking opportunities and a morsel of Saudi Arabia’s offerings. It also attracted intellectuals and artists — the kind of soft power that money can’t always buy. Despite a shift in tone in the West, the shadow of Khashoggi’s killing still looms. The crown prince was notably absent from Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, which drew royals from around the globe to London this month. Sources close to Prince Mohammed said he would not attend the funeral, the optics of which would have been a distraction. But they did say he would fly to London to offer condolences to the new King Charles III. That never transpired. And after the crown prince helped negotiate the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, a move that drew international praise, the headline of the New York Post read: “White House thanks killer crown prince.” Fernando Javier Sulichin, an Argentine film producer who’s collaborated on projects with Oliver Stone, said he was drawn to the PIF’s event because he wanted to hear new ideas and brainstorm. “Instead of being cynical and just reading the newspapers, it’s like, what’s going on in the world?,” he said, adding that none of the sessions and discussions “are edited by any editorial board.” He likened it to sourcing water from the river rather than the tap. No longer pulled by the tide, the kingdom is riding its own wave. ___ Aya Batrawy, an AP journalist based in Dubai, is on assignment covering the U.N. General Assembly. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ayaelb and for more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here