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Bears Finish Day Two Of Little Rock Invitational – University Of Central Arkansas Athletics https://digitalarkansasnews.com/bears-finish-day-two-of-little-rock-invitational-university-of-central-arkansas-athletics/ LLITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Central Arkansas men’s golf team wrapped up the Little Rock Invitational and fall schedule on Tuesday, finishing up a third round in 15th place.   Palmer McSpadden rallied at the end of the third round, birdieing two of his last three holes to make an upward push. He finished with a 3-over 75 for his final 18 holes, ending the event at 11-over 227. Sam Long wrapped up his day at 12-over 228, tallying nine birdies through three rounds.   Luke Sienkiewicz ended the day at 10-over, bringing his two-day score to 15-over 231. Viktor Nordwall birdied his final hole of Tuesday’s play, moving up to 17-over 233 after 54 holes. Dominic Barron Holden capped his Invitational at 19-over 235.   Southern Mississippi took home team honors after jumping up from third place. VCU fell to second, while UTEP moved up four spots to claim third place. Individually, Southern Mississippi’s Ryan Dupuy won by one stroke, closely followed by VCU’s Mattias Varjun. Louisiana Monroe’s Otto Van Buynder climbed six spots to finish the event in third place.   Tuesday’s round marked the final day of play of the fall for the Bears, who now take a break until the last weekend of February before resuming for the Spring 2023 season.   Players Mentioned Players Mentioned Read More…

Stocks Rise As Corporate Earnings Again Beat Expectations https://digitalarkansasnews.com/stocks-rise-as-corporate-earnings-again-beat-expectations/ Business|Stocks Rise as Corporate Earnings Again Beat Expectations https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/18/business/stocks-jump-corporate-earnings.html Another batch of quarterly profits beat analyst expectations, but some warn that the rally could be short-lived, giving way to more selling. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. Oct. 14 Oct. 17 Oct. 18 3,600 3,650 3,700 3,750 Oct. 18, 2022Updated 5:04 p.m. ET Stocks rose for a second day on Tuesday, recording a small gain after a batch of better-than-expected earnings reports from big companies. The S&P 500 rose 1.1 percent, adding to a 2.7 percent gain on Monday and pushing the index further into positive territory for the month. Investors are watching companies that are reporting earnings this quarter to get a sense of how they are faring as worries grow about persistent inflation and a potential recession. Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson and Lockheed Martin reported quarterly profits that beat analysts’ expectations on Tuesday, a day after Bank of America, Charles Schwab and other bellwether firms reported surprisingly robust results. That was partly because forecasts had been lowered, given the economic jitters: Goldman’s third-quarter profit fell more than 40 percent from a year earlier. The KBW Bank index, which tracks big banks, rose about 1.1 percent on Tuesday. The index is up 2.6 percent since Thursday, right before major banks began to report earnings. Still, the index is down about 23 percent since the beginning of the year. Some analysts have cautioned against reading into the market gains, describing them as “bear market rallies” that will eventually give way to more selling. Even after big gains in three of the past four trading sessions, the S&P 500 is down more than 20 percent this year, the threshold for a bear market. Our Coverage of the Investment World The decline of the stock and bond markets this year has been painful, and it remains difficult to predict what is in store for the future. A Bad Year for Bonds: This has been the most devastating time for bonds since at least 1926 — and maybe in centuries. But much of the damage is already behind us. Discordant Views: Some investors just don’t see how the Federal Reserve can lower inflation without risking high unemployment. The Fed appears more optimistic. Weathering the Storm: The rout in the stock and bond markets has been especially rough on people paying for college, retirement or a new home. Here is some advice. College Savings: As the stock and bond markets wobble, 529 plans are taking a tumble. What’s a family to do? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but you have options. “When you have bad news day after day and the market’s been down day after day, people will hang on to any good news they get and magnify it,” said Ed Cofrancesco, the chief executive of International Assets Advisory. A survey of fund managers by Bank of America said the market might be poised for another bear market rally if U.S. Treasury yields, a benchmark for borrowing costs, stayed under 4 percent. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell just below that level on Tuesday and the two-year fell to 4.4 percent. Yields move inversely to prices. The swings in markets have come as the Federal Reserve’s efforts to tame inflation have proved difficult, which has made another large increase in interest rates all but certain when the central bank’s policymakers next meet in early November. Central bankers were previously expected to discuss slowing the interest rate increases in November, but inflation data that have come in worse than anticipated makes it likely that any pivot won’t happen until later in the year. The uncertainty around the Fed’s path for rates later this year and next, and the outlook for the economy, mean stocks could remain unsteady for some time. “We do not believe the conditions are in place for a sustained rally,” Mark Haefele, the chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, said in an email. “Economic growth will likely continue to slow into the start of the new year.” Elsewhere, London’s FTSE 100 closed 0.2 percent higher, adding to Monday’s gains after Jeremy Hunt, the new chancellor of the Exchequer, upended Prime Minister Liz Truss’s tax cut plan. In Europe, the Stoxx 600 rose 0.3 percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed with gains of 1.8 percent and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was up 1.4 percent. The price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the U.S. benchmark, fell 3.1 percent to about $83 a barrel on Tuesday. The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell 1.7 percent to $90 a barrel. In currency markets, the pound fell 0.2 percent versus the dollar, to $1.13. The yen, which slid to its weakest level since July 1990 on Monday, gained 0.1 percent against the dollar. Read More Here

Oath Keeper Testifies He Was Ready To Die On Jan. 6 To Keep Trump In Office https://digitalarkansasnews.com/oath-keeper-testifies-he-was-ready-to-die-on-jan-6-to-keep-trump-in-office/ WASHINGTON — A member of the far-right Oath Keepers who stormed the U.S. Capitol testified that he was ready to fight to keep former President Donald Trump in office and was preparing himself in the weeks before Jan. 6 to say goodbye to his family, he testified in a seditious conspiracy trial on Tuesday. Jason Dolan, a 46-year-old military veteran, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and a count of obstruction of an official proceeding in September and testified in the trial of five other members of the extremist group under a cooperation agreement with the government. Other cooperating defendants are also expected to testify in the trial. Dolan has not pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy, but three other Oath Keepers have. Dolan testified Tuesday that before the Jan. 6 attack, he was drinking —often alone and in his garage — and getting sucked into online conspiracy theories. “I was watching a lot of videos about the election. At the time I felt like the election had been stolen,” he said. Dolan said he was trying to “mentally prepare” at the time for how far he was willing to go to keep the former star of “The Apprentice” in office for a second term. In Dec. 2020 text messages displayed by the government on Tuesday, Dolan wrote that there was “no coming back” from what he was prepared to do and that he would be “lucky” if he got “a prison sentence, tagged with treason, or a bullet” as a result of his actions. “I think my biggest trouble is trying to convince myself to say good bye,” Dolan wrote in the message to other Florida Oath Keepers. Testifying on Tuesday, Dolan said that he was not just bloviating. “I meant it literally,” Dolan said in court Tuesday, adding that he was asking himself, “Is this all just going to be talk or am I willing to back up my words with actions?” Jason Dolan, center, at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Dolan testified that he was “pretty pissed” when he heard that Joe Biden had won the election and said it “didn’t seem possible” that Trump would lose. “As one person, it’s not something that you can do by yourself. You need a group, you need a lot of people,” he testified. “It felt like within the group I was with … that there was a core group that would be willing to fight,” Dolan said, referring to the Florida members of the Oath Keepers organization. Dolan — echoing language used by Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes — said he felt he needed to be willing to “conquer or die,” and, if need be, “take up arms and fight back” on Trump’s behalf. Five members of the Oath Keepers, including Rhodes, are on trial for seditious conspiracy. Rhodes has said that the “quick reaction force” (QRF) and stockpile of guns the group set up outside of D.C. would have only been brought in if Trump invoked the Insurrection Act and called upon groups like the Oath Keepers. Dolan said he thought that Trump would be stopping the certification process by invoking the Insurrection Act and that the Oath Keepers would have to do it themselves if Trump didn’t do so. “I didn’t really go and look into the legalities of the Insurrection Act,” Dolan said. He was anticipating “government on government” fighting, and was willing to oppose the incoming Biden administration “by any means necessary,” Dolan said. “That’s why we brought our firearms,” Dolan said. Ryan J. Reilly is a justice reporter for NBC News. Daniel Barnes Daniel Barnes reports for NBC News, based in Washington. Read More Here

Trump-Russia Steele Dossier Analyst Not Guilty Of Lying To FBI https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-russia-steele-dossier-analyst-not-guilty-of-lying-to-fbi/ Image source, Getty Images A Russian analyst who worked on a discredited dossier linking Donald Trump to Russia has been found not guilty of lying to the FBI. The Department of Justice charged Igor Danchenko, 43, as part of a probe into the FBI’s inquiry into whether Mr Trump colluded with Russia to win in 2016. The so-called Steele dossier was used by the FBI to obtain surveillance warrants on a top Trump aide. Mr Danchenko was accused of lying to agents about the dossier’s sources. Special counsel John Durham, who brought the charges, was appointed by Mr Trump’s attorney general in 2019 to look into the FBI’s inquiry of ties between Russia and Mr Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The Steele dossier, published by Buzzfeed 10 days before Mr Trump took office, made a number of explosive claims linking Mr Trump to the Kremlin – including that Russia had compromising material on the Republican candidate. Mr Danchenko had reportedly worked with ex-British spy Christopher Steele on the dossier. He went on to become a paid informant for the FBI between 2017 to 2020. Mr Steele was hired to conduct the research through a law firm on behalf of Mr Trump’s political opponents, including the campaign of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate in the 2016 election. According to the federal indictment, a US-based public relations executive “who was a long-time participant in Democratic Party politics” was “a contributor of information” to the dossier. Mr Danchenko, prosecutors alleged, lied to agents when he said he had never spoken with the executive – who he said he believed to be then-head of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce Sergei Millian – about the dossier allegations. Mr Danchenko was charged with lying to the FBI on five counts in 2017, “regarding the sources of certain information that he provided to a UK investigative firm”. On Friday, a judge in Alexandria, Virginia, dismissed one of the charges against him, saying that the government had failed to present sufficient evidence of a crime. The Jury declared him not guilty on the remaining four charges on Tuesday. On the witness stand, two FBI agents called by the prosecution described Mr Danchenko as honest, leading government lawyers to denounce the credibility of their own witnesses. “He deserved more than to be exposed because a bunch of politicians put politics over national security,” a lawyer for Mr Danchenko argued at his week-long trial. As early as July 2016, US investigators began to examine whether there were any links between Mr Trump and the Kremlin. This led the following year to a major investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller. The dossier was the basis for a wiretap on Trump adviser Carter Page. A former FBI lawyer who worked on the Carter Page case later pleaded guilty to altering an email related to the surveillance application. “The FBI surveilled a US citizen for nearly a year based on those lies,” a lawyer for the government argued in court, in reference to Mr Page. In 2019, the Mueller investigation concluded that it could not determine any criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign. It also found that Russia had interfered in the election “in sweeping and systematic fashion”, and outlined 10 times when Mr Trump possibly impeded the investigation. Following this, the Trump administration announced an investigation into the origins of the inquiry into Russian interference. Mr Trump had long called for such a probe. Then-Attorney General William Barr appointed John Durham, a US attorney in Connecticut, as the senior federal prosecutor. This is the third and likely final prosecution by Mr Durham’s team. Supporters of Mr Trump had alleged that his over three year probe would unveil a conspiracy against him. Read More Here

Audiobook Features Talks Between Trump, Bob Woodward https://digitalarkansasnews.com/audiobook-features-talks-between-trump-bob-woodward/ NEW YORK — More than eight hours of conversations between Donald Trump and Bob Woodward will be released next week as an audiobook. Simon & Schuster Audio announced Tuesday that “The Trump Tapes” will be published Oct. 25. Woodward, along with Washington Post colleague Robert Costa, interviewed Trump in 2016, when he was seeking the Republican nomination for president. Woodward then interviewed the then-president 19 times in 2019-2020 for his bestselling book on the Trump administration, “Rage.” “I’m doing something here that I’ve never done before, presenting the lengthy, raw interviews of my work,” Woodward comments in the introduction. “I wanted to put as much of Trump’s voice, his own words, out there for the historical record so people can hear and make their own assessments.” Former first lady Melania Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Vice President Mike Pence are among those who stopped by while Woodward and the president were speaking. The audiobook also includes Woodward’s discussions with Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and national security adviser Robert O’Brien. Copyright © 2022 The Washington Times, LLC. Read More Here

Exclusive: Bob Woodward Releasing New Audiobook 'The Trump Tapes' With Eight Hours Of Recorded Interviews – KTVZ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/exclusive-bob-woodward-releasing-new-audiobook-the-trump-tapes-with-eight-hours-of-recorded-interviews-ktvz-2/ CNN By Jamie Gangel, Elizabeth Stuart and Jeremy Herb, CNN During a December 2019 Oval Office interview with then-President Donald Trump, Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward asked whether his bellicose rhetoric toward North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had been intended to drive Kim to the negotiating table. “No. No. It was designed for whatever reason, it was designed. Who knows? Instinctively. Let’s talk instinct, okay?” Trump said. “Because it’s really about you don’t know what’s going to happen. But it was very rough rhetoric. The roughest.” Trump then instructed his aides to show Woodward his photos with Kim at the DMZ. “This is me and him. That’s the line, right? Then I walked over the line. Pretty cool. You know? Pretty cool. Right?” the president said. Trump’s take on his relationship with Kim — and his admission that he didn’t have a broader strategy behind the threats he made about having a “much bigger” nuclear button — are part of a new audiobook that Woodward is releasing. Titled, “The Trump Tapes,” the book contains the 20 interviews Woodward conducted with Trump from 2016 through 2020. CNN obtained a copy of the audiobook ahead of its October 25 release, which includes more than eight hours of the journalist’s raw interviews with Trump interspersed with Woodward’s commentary. The interviews offer unvarnished insights into the former president’s worldview and are the most extensive recordings of Trump speaking about his presidency — including explaining his rationale for meeting Kim, his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Trump’s detailed views of the US nuclear arsenal. The audio also shows how Trump decided to share with Woodward the letters Kim wrote to him — the letters that helped spark the DOJ investigation into classified documents Trump took to Mar-a-Lago. “And don’t say I gave them to you, okay?” Trump told Woodward. Woodward said in the book’s introduction that he is releasing the recordings in part because “hearing Trump speak is a completely different experience to reading the transcripts or listening to snatches of interviews on television or the internet.” He describes Trump as “raw, profane, divisive and deceptive. His language is often retaliatory.” “Yet, you will also hear him engaging and entertaining, laughing, ever the host. He is trying to win me over, sell his presidency to me. The full-time salesman,” Woodward said. “I wanted to put as much of Trump’s voice, his own words, out there for the historical record and so people could hear and judge and make their own assessments.” Most of the interviews were conducted for Woodward’s second Trump book, “Rage,” which revealed that Trump told Woodward on February 7, 2020, that Covid-19 was “deadly stuff” but still downplayed it publicly. While the blockbuster revelations were published in Woodward’s book, the audio clips of the interviews are a stark reminder of how Trump acted as president and provide a candid look into Trump’s thinking and motivations as he gears up for another potential run for the White House in 2024. ‘Everything is mine’ In the interviews, Trump shares his views about the strongmen he admires — including Kim, Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — and reveals his overarching conviction that he’s the smartest person in the room. In a June 2020 interview, which followed the nationwide protests over George Floyd, Woodward asked Trump whether he had help writing his speech in which Trump declared himself the “president of law and order.” “I get, I get people. They come up with ideas. But the ideas are mine, Bob. The ideas are mine,” Trump told Woodward in a June 2020 interview. “Want to know something? Everything is mine. You know, everything. Every part of it.” The 20 interviews contained in the audiobook begin in March 2016, when Woodward and his then-Washington Post colleague Robert Costa interviewed Trump while he was a presidential candidate. The rest of the interviews were conducted in 2019 and 2020. In the December 2019 interview, Woodward questioned Trump about North Korea’s nuclear program, prompting the president to boast about US nuclear weapons capabilities while seemingly revealing a new — and likely highly classified — weapons system, which was one of the more eye-raising episodes from “Rage.” Woodward says that he never could establish what Trump was referring to, though he notes that Trump’s comment reaffirmed the “casual, dangerous way” the former president treated classified information. “I have built a weapons system that nobody’s ever had in this country before,” Trump told Woodward. “We have stuff that you haven’t even seen or heard about. We have stuff that Putin and Xi have never heard about before.” Throughout the interviews, Trump references his relationship with Putin, blaming the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s election interference for ruining his chances to improve the relationship between the two countries. “I like Putin. Our relationship should be a very good one. I campaigned on getting along with Russia, China and everyone else,” Trump said in a January 2020 interview. “Getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing, all right? Especially because they have 1,332 nuclear f***ing warheads.” In a moment of rare self-reflection, Trump noted that he had better relationships with leaders “the tougher and meaner they are.” “I get along very well with Erdogan, even though you’re not supposed to because everyone says what a horrible guy. But you know for me it works out good,” Trump said in a January 2020 interview. “It’s funny, the relationships I have, the tougher and meaner they are, the better I get along with them. You know?” he continued. “Explain that to me someday, okay. But maybe it’s not a bad thing. The easy ones are the ones I maybe don’t like as much or don’t get along with as much.” New audio from Trump’s inner circle Woodward’s audiobook also includes never-before-heard interviews with Trump’s then-national security adviser Robert O’Brien, his deputy Matthew Pottinger, as well as behind-the-scenes audio with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. During a call with Woodward in February 2020, Trump hands the phone over to Kushner to set up interviews with other Trump advisers. “What I heard from the president is basically that I now work for you, so I will make myself available around that schedule and I will make sure I get you a good list,” Kushner said. “I want you to know I have no illusions that you work for me. I know you work for Ivanka, right?” Woodward joked. Kushner laughed. “Okay, fine, you get it. You get it. That’s probably why you’re Bob Woodward. That’s true.” Throughout the recordings, a cast of Trump advisers, allies and family — including Donald Trump Jr., Melania Trump, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Hope Hicks and others — can be heard in the background. The audio gives an inside glimpse of Trump’s inner circle, like an exchange from 2016 when Trump was asked whether he expects government employees to sign non-disclosure agreements, and his son chimed in. “I’m not getting next week’s paycheck until I sign one,” Donald Trump Jr. joked. In the epilogue of “The Trump Tapes,” Woodward declares that his own past assessments critical of Trump’s presidency did not go far enough. In “Rage,” Woodward wrote, “Trump is the wrong man for the job.” Now, Woodward says, “Trump is an unparalleled danger. The record now shows that Trump has led — and continues to lead — a seditious conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election, which in effect is an effort to destroy democracy.” The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Opinion: Have Polls Become Pointless? | Times News Online https://digitalarkansasnews.com/opinion-have-polls-become-pointless-times-news-online/ We’ve been seeing political polls with increasing frequency as we head toward the Nov. 8 General Election, but how accurate are they? You’ll have to pardon my skepticism, but in recent years I have lost faith in polls, and the results vs. what the polls said pretty much bear me out. After two embarrassing back-to-back presidential polls were off the mark in 2016 and 2020, the public has begun to wonder whether polls have any validity at all, even those that are said to be constructed scientifically. A survey showed that public opinion polls in the 2020 presidential election had errors of “unusual magnitude.” That’s a polite way of saying that they were way off the mark. The conclusion was reached by the American Association for Public Opinion Research, which studied more than 2,800 polls, including 529 national presidential polls and 1,572 state presidential polls. Its study found that the polls overstated President Joe Biden’s margin of victory by 3.9% in national popular vote polls and 4.3% in the statewide polls. The study also found that the polls understated ex-President Donald Trump’s support in nearly every state by an average of 3.3%. The only major local poll, conducted by Muhlenberg College/The Morning Call, showed a five-point lead (49%-44%) for Biden in Pennsylvania going into the week before the 2020 election. The other well-known statewide poll – the Franklin & Marshall College Poll – had Biden winning by 6%. Biden won Pennsylvania by 1.2% (50%-48.8%) to take Pennsylvania’s 20 Electoral College votes. The final tally had Biden besting Trump by 80,555 votes. Among the five counties in the Times News region, three went for Biden and two for Trump. Biden did best in Lehigh (53.2%-45.6%), followed by Monroe (52.6%-46.2%) and Northampton (49.8%-49.1%). Trump overwhelmingly captured Schuylkill (69.2%-29.4%) and Carbon (65.4%-33.3%). Other nearby northeastern Pennsylvania results showed a split with Biden winning Lackawanna County (53.7%-45.3%) and Trump taking Luzerne County (56.7%-42.3%). We have two very important statewide elections coming up in Pennsylvania in three weeks from now, and in addition to the poll results that we have already seen, there is sure to be several in the week before Election Day. The polls say that Democrat gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro has a big lead over Republican Doug Mastriano to replace term-limited Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf, while in the U.S. Senate race to replace Republican Pat Toomey, who did not seek re-election, it’s neck-and-neck between Republican Mehmet Oz and Democrat John Fetterman. Recent polls have Fetterman with a small lead, but it is within the margin of error of more than 5%. The margin of error means that perhaps Oz is even leading, or he could be closer to Fetterman than the polls indicate, or Fetterman’s lead might even be greater than what the results show. In analyzing past polls, we find that a growing number of Republicans’ mistrust of polls and the media is skewing results. Some refuse to participate in polls either as a form of protest or paranoia that somehow the results will be manipulated to favor the Democrats. There is also a fear that respondents might give answers that they believe are more socially desirable. For example, someone who supports Mastriano, whose views have been branded as extreme, might plan to vote for him but might tell the poll-taker the opposite. This phenomenon was isolated among some Donald Trump supporters in both 2016 and 2020 when they told pollsters they either supported the Democrat or were undecided. Pollsters are also finding that their results tend to over-count college graduates and undercount those without a degree. This means that the sample polled could be skewed toward Democrats since more college graduates tend to vote Democratic. It also raises questions of whether the sample polled is truly scientific based on existing demographic information. Columbia University statistician Andrew Gelman said: “Polling is an inexact science.” He’s got that right. So what’s to be done? Stop polling? Well you know that will never happen, not when there is money to be made and not when the public loves to hate polls. As for me, I am at the point where I believe that we should stop obsessing about polls and generally ignore them because of their untrustworthiness. By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com Read More Here

New GOP Super PAC Boosting Rep. Jim Banks As He Vies For Majority Whip Role https://digitalarkansasnews.com/new-gop-super-pac-boosting-rep-jim-banks-as-he-vies-for-majority-whip-role/ October 18, 2022 02:43 PM A new super PAC headed by influential Trump allies is throwing its weight behind Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) as he aims to become the next House majority whip if Republicans take back the majority next year. The American Leadership PAC, which has raised roughly $2 million since launching in September, is boosting candidates and members who align with his views of the party. Andy Surabian, the organization’s chief strategist and formerly an adviser to Steve Bannon and Donald Trump Jr., said the group is “proud to do our part to help elect Republicans” and sees Banks, who heads the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in Congress, as an important figure for the future of the GOP. “Jim Banks has distinguished himself as one of the most important intellectual and political leaders of the new conservative movement. Unlike so many others in Washington, D.C., he truly gets how President Trump remade the Republican Party for the better,” he told the Washington Examiner. HOUSE GOP LEADERSHIP RACE PUTS MCCARTHY AND SCALISE ALLIANCES TO THE TEST “We’re proud to do our part to help elect Republicans who share Jim’s vision of a working-class Republican Party that is unafraid to defend our conservative values from the authoritarian Left,” he added. While Banks is not directly involved with the group, as Federal Election Commission laws prohibit members from coordinating with outside PACs, the Indiana Republican praised its efforts to get conservatives elected. HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHIEF DISMISSES RECENT DEMOCRATIC WINS “This is another major effort to help win back the House majority, and I’m grateful for American Leadership PAC’s efforts. I am doing everything I can to do my part to fire Nancy Pelosi and replace her with Kevin McCarthy in the speaker’s chair,” Banks told the Washington Examiner. Axios first reported that the PAC, which Surabian is helping head alongside strategist James Blair, is expected to pour money into races for Jennifer-Ruth Green in Indiana’s 1st Congressional District, Bo Hines in North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District, Eli Crane in Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, as well as Reps. Mike Garcia (R-CA) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA) ahead of November’s election. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER One source familiar with the efforts said they see Banks’s ties within the conservative movement, in addition to his close relationship with the Trump family, including Trump Jr., as strengths that could give him an edge in the race for the highly coveted whip position. The race for the job has been heating up, with National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Chief Deputy Whip Drew Ferguson (R-GA) also publicly vying for the role in what members describe as a neck-and-neck contest, with each candidate having locked down support from different factions of the conference. The source argued that one of the Indiana Republican’s perceived shortcomings in the battle for the leadership position has been fundraising numbers in comparison with others running. The new PAC may help him ease concerns about his ability to bring in money. They added that due to his close relationships with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and those in Trumpworld, they believe he could “serve as the bridge between leadership and conservatives, which is gonna be very important for the whip.” Read More Here

Herschel Walker Doubles Down On 'prop’ Badge In Campaign Video With Sheriff https://digitalarkansasnews.com/herschel-walker-doubles-down-on-prop-badge-in-campaign-video-with-sheriff/ Georgia Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker is doubling down on his claims that a sheriff’s badge he flashed during a debate Friday is real and not a prop, despite earlier reporting that debunked Walker’s claims that he worked in law enforcement. In a video posted by his campaign Monday night, Walker poses with Johnson County Sheriff Greg Rowland and once again holds up the badge that he produced in his only debate so far against his Democratic opponent, Sen. Raphael G. Warnock. “This is my sheriff, Sheriff Rowland,” Walker says in the video, putting his arm around Rowland. “Yes,” Rowland replies, while also holding up his own similar-looking badge. “If Herschel’s badge is a prop, then I guess this badge I wear every day to protect the citizens — I guess it’s a prop also. But these are real badges. And I gave this to my friend for all he’s done for this country and this county.” “And let me tell you I’m gonna always, always stand behind our men and women in blue, so God bless,” Walker concludes. During Friday’s debate, Warnock said that Walker had “pretended to be a police officer,” a reference to claims by Walker about working with the FBI and a local police department. Rather than verbally responding, Walker pulled out the badge — which apparently is honorary in nature — drawing a rebuke from a moderator for using a prop, which was not allowed under debate rules. “I am — work with many police officers,” Walker said onstage. I stand with Johnson County Sheriff Rowland and every other officer in this state and country. I will never back down on my support for them. pic.twitter.com/ISKFr3dwBx — Herschel Walker (@HerschelWalker) October 18, 2022 The incident triggered a torrent of memes, ridicule and renewed scrutiny over Walker’s past claims. “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah joked on Monday that Georgia voters could just give Walker a certificate that says “honorary senator” instead of actually electing him to the Senate. “He won’t know the difference!” Noah declared. In an interview with NBC News, which was conducted over the weekend and aired Monday, Walker defended the badge as “legit.” “This is from my hometown. This is from Johnson County, from the sheriff from Johnson County, which is a legit badge,” Walker said. “Everyone can make fun, but this badge gives me the right … if anything happened in this county, I have the right to work with the police in getting things done.” “I never embellish,” Walker added. “I’ve never done it. I work in law enforcement.” Walker’s past claims about working in law enforcement — including that he was an FBI agent — have already been examined closely and found to be untrue. According to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution review of dozens of Walker’s past speeches, Walker has at various points claimed to work with the Cobb County Police Department, told police in Texas that he was “a certified peace officer,” and said he has “been in criminal justice all my life.” A spokesman for the Cobb County Police Department told the Atlanta newspaper then, and later confirmed to The Washington Post, that it has no record of working with Walker. A campaign spokeswoman said at the time that Walker had led “women’s self-defense training, participating in the FBI Academy at Quantico” and also held the title of “honorary deputy” in Cobb County. The title of “honorary deputy” holds no power at all and is seen as a “political token” for people supportive of the sheriff who might want to get out of a traffic ticket, former DeKalb County district attorney J. Tom Morgan (D) told The Post in June. “It absolutely means nothing,” he said. “It’s the equivalent of a junior ranger badge.” The police badge incident did briefly take some of the spotlight off Walker’s other controversies, namely reports that he paid for an ex-girlfriend’s abortion and later offered to pay for her to have a second one. Walker, who has campaigned against abortion rights under any circumstances, has denied those reports. In the NBC interview, he acknowledged giving a $700 check to his then-partner in 2009 but continued to deny the woman’s claim that the money was provided to pay for an abortion. On Monday, talking to reporters as he voted early in the race in Atlanta, Warnock cited the episode with the badge and several other examples of Walker embellishing his past that have been documented in news stories. “He … claimed to be a police officer. He’s not,” Warnock said. “Claimed to work for the FBI, clearly did not. Claimed to be a college graduate, he’s not. Claimed to be a valedictorian of his class, he was not. Claimed to have 800 employees in his business, he has eight. Claimed to have started a business that does not even exist. So I guess he expects the people of Georgia now to hallucinate and imagine that he is also a United States senator. He’s clearly not ready.” “The people of Georgia deserve a serious person to represent them at serious times,” Warnock said. “I’m committed to doing that work. I’ve been very transparent about my life.” Timothy Bella contributed to this report. Read More Here

First On CNN: Next Spring The Economy Will Sink Into A 1990-Style Mild Recession, Fitch Says | CNN Business https://digitalarkansasnews.com/first-on-cnn-next-spring-the-economy-will-sink-into-a-1990-style-mild-recession-fitch-says-cnn-business/ New York CNN Business  —  Stubborn inflation and the Federal Reserve’s jumbo-sized interest rate hikes will drive the American economy into a 1990-style mild recession starting in the spring, Fitch Ratings warned on Tuesday. In a report obtained first by CNN, Fitch slashed its US growth forecasts for this year and next because of one of the most aggressive inflation-fighting campaigns by the Fed in history. US GDP is now expected to grow by just 0.5% next year, down from 1.5% in the firm’s June forecast. High inflation will “prove too much of a drain” on household income next year, Fitch said, shrinking consumer spending to the point that it causes a downturn during the second quarter of 2023. Fitch, one of the world’s top three credit rating agencies, assesses the ability of companies and nations around the world to repay their debt, providing key guidance for investors. The gloomy forecast adds to the growing fear for markets, economists and business leaders that the world’s largest economy is on the verge of a recession — just 2.5 years after the last one. The silver lining, however, is that the next recession may not be nearly as destructive as the last two major ones. “The US recession we expect is quite mild,” economists at Fitch Ratings said. The credit ratings firm argued that the United States enters this difficult period from a position of strength — especially because consumers are not saddled with quite as much debt as in the past. “US household finances are much stronger now than in 2008, the banking system is healthier and there is little evidence of overbuilding in the housing market,” Fitch Ratings economists wrote. The Great Recession, which began in late 2007, was the worst downturn since the Great Depression and nearly led to the collapse of the financial system. The Covid recession, beginning in early 2020, caused the unemployment rate to skyrocket to nearly 15%. By contrast, Fitch Ratings sees the unemployment rate rising from just 3.5% today to a peak of 5.4% in 2024. That implies a 1.9 percentage point increase from current levels and translates to the loss of millions of jobs, but not nearly as many as those lost during the prior two recessions: The unemployment rate spiked by 11.2 percentage points during the Covid recession and by 5.6 percentage points during the Great Recession. Following the 1990-1991 recession, the rate increased by 2.8 percentage points. “Fitch Ratings expects a very strong consumer balance sheet and the strongest labor market in decades to cushion the impact of a likely recession,” the report said. Despite rising recession fears, the job market remains very tight, with the supply of workers out of balance with the demand for labor. Firings are low, quits and job openings are high. Fitch says the next recession will likely be “broadly similar” to the one that started in July 1990 and ended in March 1991. There are intriguing similarities between today and the early 1990s. Much like today, the 1990 recession occurred after the Fed scrambled to fight inflation by rapidly raising interest rates. Likewise, that downturn was preceded by a war-fueled oil shock. Back then, it was Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait that drove up gasoline and energy prices for Americans. Today’s period of high energy prices is linked in large part to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has also raised food prices. The 1990-1991 recession helped doom the political fortunes of then-President George H.W. Bush. In the 1992 race for the White House, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton blamed Bush’s policies for the recession and a Clinton strategist coined the phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid,” highlighting the importance of that issue for voters. Recent polls indicate voters today are also intensely focused on the state of the economy. In a New York Times poll published Monday, 44% of likely voters said economic concerns are the most important issue facing America — far higher than any other issue. Inflation remains the biggest cloud hanging over the US economy. The high cost of living is eroding the value of worker paychecks and souring consumer confidence. Persistent inflation has also caused the Federal Reserve to slam the brakes on the economy by dramatically raising interest rates. That’s why economists in a separate survey, from The Wall Street Journal, peg the chance of a recession in the next 12 months at 63%, the highest level in more than two years. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told CNBC last week that a “very, very serious” mix of challenges is likely to cause a recession by the middle of next year. Fitch Ratings said there is still the risk of a deeper recession than the one that began in 1990, in part because US companies are carrying more debt relative to the size of the economy than 30 years ago. The report also cited the “highly uncertain” impact of the Fed’s efforts to shrink its $9 trillion balance sheet. The biggest bright spot in the economy is the jobs market, where the unemployment rate is tied for the lowest level since 1969. However, Fed officials expect the jobless rate to rise in the coming quarters and Bank of America is warning the US economy will lose 175,000 jobs a month during the first quarter of next year. Even White House officials are conceding a downturn could be in the cards. President Joe Biden told CNN’s Jake Tapper last week a “slight recession” is possible, though he doesn’t anticipate it. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told ABC News over the weekend that a recession is “possible but not inevitable.” Although risks have clearly increased, a recession is not a foregone conclusion. No one, not even the Fed, knows exactly how all of this will play out. It’s impossible to say what happens to a $23 trillion economy two years after a once-in-a-century pandemic and in the midst of a war in Europe. There is no playbook for this. Read More Here

City Of Benton’s Part Of Frontage Rd Project Would Be $3.5M; Come To Public Meeting Oct. 20th – MySaline https://digitalarkansasnews.com/city-of-bentons-part-of-frontage-rd-project-would-be-3-5m-come-to-public-meeting-oct-20th-mysaline/ The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) will conduct a Public Involvement meeting to discuss the proposed design plans for the I-30 & Hwy. 5 Ramp and Frontage Road improvements at Congo Road in Benton. This means they will give information but they also want your opinion. Come on Thursday, October 27th, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. to Spring Creek Baptist Church in the Fellowship Hall. The meeting address is 19200 Interstate 30 North, Benton, AR 72019. (map) This project is contingent upon a partnering agreement with the City of Benton. According to this document from ARDOT, the project cost is estimated to be $9 million total, with the City of Benton contributing $3.5M, the State of Arkansas contributing $1.1M, and National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) contributing $4.4M. You can comment online between October 20th – November 11th at www.ardot.gov/publicmeetings. For further assistance, contact Karla Sims at (501) 569-2000 or [email protected]. If you need project information or special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), write to Ruby Jordan-Johnson, P.O. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203-2261, call (501) 569-2379, fax (501) 569-2009 or email [email protected]. Hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Arkansas Relay System at (Voice/TTY 711). Requests should be made at least four days prior to the public meeting. ARDOT complies with all civil rights provisions of federal statutes and related authorities that prohibit discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Therefore, the Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, national origin, religion (not applicable as a protected group under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Title VI Program), disability, Limited English Proficiency (LEP), or low-income status in the admission, access to and treatment in the Department’s programs and activities, as well as the Department’s hiring or employment practices. Complaints of alleged discrimination and inquiries regarding the Department’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to Joanna P. McFadden EEO/DBE Officer (ADA/504/Title VI Coordinator), P. O. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203, (501) 569-2298, (Voice/TTY 711), or the following email address: [email protected] Free language assistance for Limited English Proficient individuals is available upon request.. This notice is available from the ADA/504/Title VI Coordinator in large print, on audio tape and in Braille. See previous ARDOT articles on MySaline at www.mysaline.com/tag/ardot/. Read More…

Owens Corning Expanding Fort Smith Operation https://digitalarkansasnews.com/owens-corning-expanding-fort-smith-operation/ by: Jacob Smith Posted: Oct 18, 2022 / 01:31 PM CDT Updated: Oct 18, 2022 / 01:32 PM CDT FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The state of Arkansas announced Tuesday that Owens Corning, a global building and construction materials leader is expanding operations in Fort Smith. According to a news release, the company, which produces fiberglass composite, insulation, and roofing materials, began in February 2021 to build a new 550,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and will now invest an additional $24.5 million for machinery and new construction at its existing facility on Planter Road. The company estimates the expansion will create 50 new jobs. Expanding Owens Corning’s nonwovens production in this highly advanced facility will help us better serve our customers’ long-term growth. We are excited to add capacity in Fort Smith and create additional jobs in the community that we have been a part of for 37 years. We appreciate the support and partnership with the State of Arkansas in this expansion. Rachel Marcon, vice president and general manager of Nonwovens, Owens Corning Owens Corning’s Fort Smith plant began production in 1985. The plant produces fiberglass mat for roofing products and other nonwoven applications. “Owens Corning has been a great community partner for the past 34 years,” said Tim Allen, President and CEO of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce. “This expansion is a perfect example of the partnership between the Arkansas Department of Commerce, Fort Smith Regional Chamber and the City of Fort Smith and how we work together toward one unified goal. I truly appreciate Owens Corning and their continued commitment and investment in our community.” Trending Stories Read More Here

British PM Truss Vows To Carry On As Her Party Support Dwindles https://digitalarkansasnews.com/british-pm-truss-vows-to-carry-on-as-her-party-support-dwindles/ Truss says she is sorry for mistakes Says she is ‘sticking around’ Economic agenda that caused market rout scrapped Some Conservative MPs calling on her to quit LONDON, Oct 18 (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Liz Truss warned of tough times ahead after she scrapped her vast tax-cutting plan and said she would carry on to try to put the economy on a stronger footing, defying calls for her resignation. After weeks of blaming “global headwinds” for investors dumping the pound and government bonds, Truss on Monday said she was sorry for going “too far and too fast” with her radical economic plan to snap Britain out of years of tepid growth. It was not clear whether the apology would quell a growing rebellion in her Conservative Party, with a handful of lawmakers urging Truss to quit just six weeks after she became prime minister. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Truss has said she will fight on and told her top ministers she wanted to level with the public that there were tough times ahead. A new YouGov opinion poll showed that even among Conservative Party members who backed her for prime minister, more than half of those polled said she should resign. A third wanted her predecessor, Boris Johnson, to return. Markets, which plunged after Truss’s Sept. 23 “mini-budget”, are still under strain even after her finance minister Jeremy Hunt tore up her plans on Monday. “I do want to accept responsibility and say sorry for the mistakes that have been made,” Truss told the BBC late on Monday. “I wanted to act to help people with their energy bills, to deal with the issue of high taxes, but we went too far and too fast.” Truss said she was “sticking around” and that she would lead the Conservatives into the next election due in about two years time, although the statement was accompanied by a laugh. Earlier on Monday, Truss watched silently in parliament as Hunt ripped up the plan she proposed less than a month ago, and which triggered a bond market rout so deep that the Bank of England had to act to prevent pension funds from collapsing. ‘HONEST’ For some in the party, the sight of a prime minister humbled in parliament provided little confidence she could fight on. James Heappey, a minister for the armed forces, said Truss, his boss, could not afford to make any more mistakes. Truss spoke to her Brexit-supporting lawmakers on Tuesday, promising to resolve the contentious rules that govern trade with Northern Ireland and said she was still a low-tax conservative who would pursue such goals more slowly. One of those present said she was received warmly in contrast to more hostile receptions from other wings of the party. Members of parliament have been urged by government to hold off from any move to oust her before it presents its medium-term fiscal plan on Oct. 31. Truss was elected by Conservative party members, not the broader electorate, on a promise to slash taxes and regulation to fire up the economy in a policy dubbed by critics as a return to 1980s Thatcherite-style “trickle-down” economics. But markets reacted so dramatically that borrowing costs surged, lenders pulled mortgage offers and pension funds fell into a tailspin. Ryanair (RYA.I) boss Michael O’Leary described Britain’s economic situation as a “car crash” which he blamed on the country’s decision to vote to leave the European Union in 2016. SPENDING SQUEEZE With Britain’s economic reputation shattered, Hunt may now have to go further in finding public spending cuts than the government would have done had Truss not unleashed her economic plan at a time of surging inflation. Truss’s spokesperson said the government could not yet make commitments in individual policy areas, despite previous pledges, but it was focused on protecting the most vulnerable. He said Truss stood by her pledge to increase defence spending by 2030. Torsten Bell, the head of the Resolution Foundation, a think tank, said the government may need to cut public spending by around 30 billion pounds ($34 billion) – a politically very difficult task after successive Conservative governments cut departmental budgets over the last 10 years. One area of spending already to go is Truss’s vast two-year energy support package that was expected to cost well over 100 billion pounds, which Hunt said would now last until April before it is reviewed. ($1 = 0.8807 pounds) Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Writing by Kate Holton and Elizabeth Piper; Additional reporting by William James, Andrew MacAskill, Kylie MacLellan and Paul Sandle; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky, Gareth Jones and Tomasz Janowski Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Netanyahu Defends Trump: 'He's Not Antisemitic, He Has Jewish Family' https://digitalarkansasnews.com/netanyahu-defends-trump-hes-not-antisemitic-he-has-jewish-family/ WASHINGTON — Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday defended former U.S. President Donald Trump days after he threatened American Jews in comments roundly condemned as antisemitic. Promoting his new book on MSNBC, Netanyahu rejected allegations that Trump’s comments prove he is antisemitic. “He has a Jewish son-in-law and his daughter converted to Judaism. His children and grandchildren are raised as Jews. So I don’t think so.” The former president has used his daughter’s Jewish family as a push-back against antisemitism allegations, all while alienating the vast majority of American Jews by empowering extremism and white supremacy. He further used his unprecedented support for Israel as a deflection against accusations of antisemitism, all while invoking dual loyalty tropes and deeming Jews who vote for Democrats as “very disloyal” to Israel. Trump’s opinions of American Jews, however, have deteriorated into stereotypes for decades, touching on tropes of wealth, power and status. The former president decried American Jews’ failure to appreciate him as evangelical Christians or Israelis do, posting on Truth Social that “U.S. Jews have to get their act together and appreciate what they have in Israel. Before it is too late.” His comments were roundly rejected by the White House, Democratic members of Congress and U.S. Jewish organizations and officials. Netanyahu, however, said Trump’s comments were a matter of him feeling not appreciated for his unprecedented support for Israel. “I think it reflects his frustration, which happens to many politicians when they feel they don’t get all the credit they deserve for the things they did. By the way, I have to tell you, I’m not an exception. All of us belong to that,” he said. Netanyahu is the most serious threat to Israel’s future Overcoming our inner Netanyahu Trump divided U.S. Jews on Israel, ‘flirted with the forces of antisemitism’ The Trump-Netanyahu relationship was widely viewed as a mind meld during his presidency, earning the adoration of evangelical Christians and the right-wing in both countries, prior to revelations in recent months that the relationship soured after Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden on his 2020 electoral victory. Netanyahu also noted “a certain myopia here on the assessment of American Jews” in Trump’s comments. “American Jews, by and large, and a great majority support Israel warmly, and some – especially in the radical, progressive wing – do not. But the great majority in the Democratic Party do,” he said, taking a dig at his critics in America who view him as an avatar for illiberalism. The annual non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute survey, released last month, found that 70 percent of Jewish voters support Biden – a seven-percent increase from a Jewish Electorate Institute poll taken earlier this year – while only 19 percent of Jewish voters hold a favorable opinion of Trump. The same survey found that 71 percent of voters said they feel an emotional attachment to Israel, but only consider it the tenth-most important issue behind a wide array of domestic concerns. Read More Here

Nancy Pelosi Says Trump ‘wouldn’t Have The Courage’ To Come To The Capitol On Jan. 6 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/nancy-pelosi-says-trump-wouldnt-have-the-courage-to-come-to-the-capitol-on-jan-6/ CONTINUE READING Show less Read More Here

Steve Bannon Should Get 6-Month Sentence, Justice Dept. Says https://digitalarkansasnews.com/steve-bannon-should-get-6-month-sentence-justice-dept-says/ The Justice Department declared Monday that Steve Bannon should serve six months behind bars and pay a $200,000 fine for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Convicted last summer, the longtime ally of former President Donald Trump should get a hefty sentence because he “pursued a bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt” and he publicly disparaged the committee itself, undermining the effort to get to the bottom of the violent attack and keep anything like it from happening again, federal attorneys wrote. He has not yet provided any documents or answered any questions, they said. “The rioters who overran the Capitol on January 6 did not just attack a building — they assaulted the rule of law upon which this country was built and through which it endures,” federal attorneys wrote in court documents. “By flouting the Select Committee’s subpoena and its authority, the Defendant exacerbated that assault.” The Justice Department statement comes after the committee took the extraordinary step last week to subpoena Trump himself, something panel members said was necessary to get the full story of what happened during and before last year’s attack. It’s unclear how Trump will respond to the summons. Refusal to comply could open up a similar path in court — though holding a former president in contempt would be an unprecedented and fraught process. Bannon’s lawyers, meanwhile, deny he was acting in bad faith. They’re asking for probation, even though his two contempt convictions each carries a mandatory minimum of one month behind bars. They’re also asking for the sentence to be paused while an appeal plays out. “Imposing a sentence of incarceration under the circumstances of Mr. Bannon’s case would run contrary to the fundamental constitutional principles of individualized sentencing and sentencing proportionality,” defense attorneys wrote. Bannon is to be sentenced Friday on the two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for a deposition and the other for refusing to provide documents. The committee had sought Bannon’s testimony over his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The former Trump adviser was convicted after a four-day jury trial in July. Outside the courthouse, he compared the trial to a battle and said “we’re not going to lose this war,” then referred to members of the committee as “gutless.” His lawyers acknowledged Monday he has “strong political views.” Bannon, 68, initially argued that his testimony was protected by Trump’s claim of executive privilege, but the House committee was skeptical because the adviser had been fired from the White House in 2017 and was thus a private citizen when he was consulting with the then-president before the riot. Trump’s own lawyer told Bannon’s lawyer in October 2021 that he didn’t believe there was immunity for him and the former president was not telling him to defy the subpoena, according to Monday’s sentencing memo. Bannon, though, argues that Trump had raised executive-privilege objections for himself, so his onetime adviser wanted a lawyer for the ex-president to be there for any deposition. The committee wouldn’t allow that, so Bannon’s lawyer argued the subpoena was invalid. Many other former White House aides have testified with only their own counsel. Bannon’s attorneys argued during his trial that he actually didn’t refuse to cooperate, that the deadline dates “were in flux.” They pointed to the fact that Bannon had reversed course shortly before the trial kicked off — after Trump waived his objection — and had offered to testify before the committee. But that offer came with strings attached, federal attorneys wrote, including the dismissal of the criminal case against him. When it became clear that wasn’t in the cards, the possibility of cooperation faded, court records state. Federal attorneys are also asking for the maximum fine, saying Bannon refused to cooperate with routine questions about his finances and said he could pay whatever the court imposed. He also disparaged the committee in “exaggerated and sometimes violent” language in news conferences and on his “War Room” podcast, prosecutors wrote. “The defendant’s statements prove that his contempt was not aimed at protecting executive privilege or the Constitution, rather it was aimed at undermining the Committee’s efforts to investigate an historic attack on government,” federal attorneys said in court documents. Read More Here

Sanders Unveils Arkansas LEARNS – SWARK Today https://digitalarkansasnews.com/sanders-unveils-arkansas-learns-swark-today/ LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Sarah Huckabee Sanders today released her education plan—Arkansas LEARNS—that details what she would do as governor to better educate our kids, empower our parents, and create a more prosperous future for our state, making Arkansas one of the best places to live, work, and raise a family.   “I believe every child growing up in Arkansas should have access to a quality education, a good-paying job, and a better life right here in our state, and I believe Arkansas LEARNS is how together we will achieve it,” Sanders said. “This is a bold plan that will improve access, create greater transparency, offer more flexibility, empower parents, reward good teachers, and ensure no child is ever trapped in a life of poverty or government dependency.”   Arkansas LEARNS prioritizes Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking, and School Safety.   Literacy: Sarah will improve access to quality pre-K and reading coaches for at-risk children.    Empowerment: Sarah will empower parents with more choices, so no child is ever trapped in a failing school and lifetime in poverty, and curriculum transparency through innovation and online resources.     Accountability: Sarah will reward good teachers with smart incentives, like higher pay, create a strong pipeline by allowing soon-to-be teachers to spend their entire last year in the classroom, offer alternate certification improvements, and better leadership trainings.   Readiness: Sarah will offer more flexibility to students to pursue internships and apprenticeships while in school, align career and technical programs with jobs that are in high demand, establish a workforce cabinet, and launch a statewide campaign to support the work of technical and trade schools and opportunities that exist for the future workforce.   Networking: Sarah will expand high-speed internet to make educational and career opportunities accessible.   Safety: Sarah will prioritize school safety by focusing on physical security, additional resource officers, mental health, and trainings to implement best practices.   Additional details about Arkansas LEARNS may be found at sarahforgovernor.com/arkansas-learns.  Read More…

Russia's War In Ukraine | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/russias-war-in-ukraine-cnn-5/ with Iranian-made “kamikaze” drones, striking the country’s capital at least four times on Monday, Ukrainian officials say. CNN’s Clarissa Ward reports.” data-details=”” data-duration=”03:25″ data-editable=”settings” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”:{“uri”:”https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/221017173954-ward-kyiv-kamikaze-drone-damage.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill”},”small”:{“uri”:”https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/221017173954-ward-kyiv-kamikaze-drone-damage.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill”}}” data-featured-video=”true” data-headline=”CNN on scene in Kyiv after ‘kamikaze’ drones hit Ukrainian capital” data-live=”” data-medium-env=”prod” data-show-ads=”true” data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_6a73ee7c05b10c756191baad307ab1f8-h_2ebbf02866292447988536528dcd82d7@published” data-video-id=”world/2022/10/17/russia-attacks-kyiv-clarissa-ward-ovn-intl-ldn-vpx.cnn” data-vr-video=”” CNN on scene in Kyiv after ‘kamikaze’ drones hit Ukrainian capital 03:25 – Source: CNN Ukraine’s energy infrastructure came under renewed Russian attacks Tuesday, including a wave of strikes on facilities in Kyiv and Dnipro, according to officials. “Massive blackouts” have taken place across Ukraine as 30% of the country’s power stations have been destroyed in just over a week, prompting residents to restrict energy and water use, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The death toll in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv continues to climb following Russian attacks with Iranian-made “kamikaze” drones, officials said. At least five people were killed Monday and at least three people died in separate strikes on Tuesday. Ukraine and Russian-backed authorities in the eastern Donetsk region exchanged more than 200 prisoners Monday. The swap also featured a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian human rights officials. The UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine underlined on Tuesday “the utter devastation” in areas impacted by the war and the ever-changing dimensions of the humanitarian crisis there.  The official also highlighted her deep concerns about the upcoming onset of winter. “This is about utter devastation. Loss of life and total loss of livelihoods in areas directly impacted by the war,” Denise Brown said. “Of this I am absolutely convinced: a high risk of mortality during the winter months with families and communities who have been left with absolutely nothing.” The humanitarian situation in Ukraine is also influenced by several different factors, she said, one being changing frontlines. “As the frontline moves, we have to adapt,” Brown said. But she added, “we are not soldiers” and the “humanitarian community is not a military force.”   She said the second factor was the upcoming onset of winter, where the UN was addressing “very basic stuff” in order to offer to those in need a “safe, dignified and warm place to be over the winter months.”  This includes things like winter clothes, blankets, and mattresses, Brown said. But, she underlined, the damage to the power and thermal stations is not something the humanitarian community would be able to address, which she called a matter that should be of great concern to member states.   Brown said trauma from the war is also contributing to the humanitarian situation and Ukrainians will need some kind of support in the future, “that will be the next fight,” she said, adding whether they were “demobilized soldiers, children who hear air sirens every day, or people just going about their business.”   The United States tracked and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bomber aircraft flying near the Alaskan coast on Oct. 17, a release from the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said. The Russian aircraft were “entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ),” the release said, and “remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.” The “recent Russian activity” in the ADIZ “is not seen as a threat nor is the activity seen as provocative,” NORAD said in the release.  Some more context: The ADIZ is international airspace adjacent to Alaska that extends in places more than 100 miles (more than 160 kilometers) from US territory. The US military initiates identification procedures for aircraft in the ADIZ in the interest of national security. NORAD is the part of the US military that oversees the US military presence in North America. Two Russian maritime patrol aircraft were identified operating within the ADIZ by NORAD on Sept. 11, a previous release from NORAD said. NORAD detected Russian military aircraft flying into the ADIZ three times in the same week in August, CNN previously reported. The three incidents occurred sometime between Aug. 8 and Aug. 10, NORAD said at the time. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that there is “no point” in maintaining the country’s current level of diplomatic presence in the West, according to the country’s state media RIA Novosti. “It makes no sense, and we have no desire to maintain the same presence in Western countries. Our people work in conditions that can hardly be called human. They face constant problems, threats of physical attacks,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by the state media during a meeting with university graduates accepted into the diplomatic service. “The main thing is that there is no work there since Europe decided to close itself from us and stop any economic cooperation. You can’t be forced to be nice,” he added. Lavrov said that the Russian foreign ministry is currently carrying out a “geographical reorientation” of its activities both abroad and in the central office, suggesting a potential downgrade of Russia’s diplomatic presence in the West. ExxonMobil says it has “safely exited” its Russian oil business, accusing the government in Moscow of the “expropriation” of its share in a huge oilfield. The US oil giant said the Russian government had “unilaterally terminated” its interest in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas field in the far east of Russia. “We made every effort to engage with the Russian government and other stakeholders. With two decrees, the Russian government has unilaterally terminated our interests in Sakhalin-1 and the project has been transferred to a Russian operator,” an ExxonMobil spokesperson added. In March 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, ExxonMobil said it was beginning the process of exiting the Sakhalin-1 Russian joint venture. In April it announced it would take a $3.4 billion charge in its second quarter results, related to its Russian operations. Other big Western companies have also struggled with exiting Russia. In May, Shell announced the sale of its Russian lubricant and retail energy business, but said it was still in the process of phasing out its other Russian businesses. In February, BP said it would exit its 19.75% stake in Rosneft but said that sanctions and Russian rules meant that it had not been able to sell its Rosneft shares yet. In September, Norwegian energy company Equinor confirmed it had fully completed its withdrawal from Russia, saying it has “no remaining assets or projects in Russia”. Equinor announced plans in May to pull out of four joint ventures with Russian oil firm Rosneft and leave an oilfield, the Kharyaga project. The head of Germany’s cybersecurity agency has been fired over alleged connections with Russia.   German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser sacked Arne Schönbohm, the head of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), with immediate effect from his duties, a spokesperson for the ministry told CNN on Tuesday.   “There was no longer any confidence in Schönbohm’s leadership,” the spokesperson told CNN. His firing comes after recent media reports alleging he had links with people involved with Russian intelligence services.  In the wake of the “current crisis situation regarding Russian hybrid warfare,” the allegations “have permanently damaged the necessary public trust in the neutrality and impartiality of Schönbohm’s conduct of office as president of Germany’s most important cybersecurity authority,” the spokesman said in a statement.   The accusations “also affected the (interior) minister’s indispensable relationship of trust in the conduct of her office,” the spokesperson added.  “All known allegations will be thoroughly and vigorously investigated and subjected to a detailed evaluation. Until this investigation has been completed, Mr. Schönbohm is, of course, presumed innocent,” the spokesperson concluded.  Schönbohm was the head of the BSI since February 2016.   CNN has reached out to the agency for comment.  Schönbohm hasn’t publicly commented since the allegations of his Russian ties surfaced.   More on this: According to reports in German media, he was connected to Russia through his role in the Cyber Security Council of Germany. In 2012, Schönbohm co-founded the organization, which describes itself as politically neutral and advises the private and public sectors on cybersecurity issues. Among its members is a German company that is a subsidiary of a Russian cybersecurity firm founded by a former member of the KGB.  While declining to comment on Schönbohm, the Cyber Security Council’s spokesperson told CNN on Tuesday that the company had “repeatedly warned that Russian actors could exploit weaknesses in German cyber defenses.”  “Our focus in the future will continue to be on strengthening the national security architecture as best we can. This explicitly includes possible further threats from Russia,” the spokesperson added. American basketball star Brittney Griner has released a message on her 32nd birthday from a Russian jail, according to a statement shared by Maria Blagovoli...

Obituaries For The Oct. 19, 2022, Edition Of The Pea Ridge TIMES https://digitalarkansasnews.com/obituaries-for-the-oct-19-2022-edition-of-the-pea-ridge-times/ Brenda Sue Drain Brenda Sue Drain, 45, of Bentonville, Ark., died Oct. 7, 2022, in Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville. She was born July 1, 1977, in Bentonville to Charles William Drain and Judy Ann Roller Drain. She was employed by Wal-Mart for 15 years and her last job was working in the jewelry warehouse. Brenda loved to read, cook, ride her Harley-Davidson bike, she made Christmas candy for her family every year, and loved to spend time with her loved ones. She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Charlene Cade. Survivors are two nieces, Kelsey Cade of Bentonville and Julia Drain (Joseph Kimbell) of Rogers; two nephews, Cody Cade (Amanda) of Anderson, Mo., and Chandler Drain of Pea Ridge; a brother, Charles Drain of Bentonville; a granddaughter, Mercie Voirol of Bentonville; six grand nieces and nephews, Elliana Kimbell, Kylie Cade, Kynleigh Vanwinckle, Luke Cade, Jax Cade, Caysen Drain; and many friends. A memorial graveside was at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Twelve Corners Cemetery. Arrangements were by Sisco Funeral Home of Pea Ridge. Online condolences may be made at siscofuneralhome.net. Glenda Rose Watts Glenda Rose Watts, 76, of El Dorado, Ark., died Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Life Touch’s John R Williamson Hospice House. She was born Jan. 2, 1946, in El Dorado, Ark., to John W. and Ola Mae Stratton Karriker. A homemaker, she enjoyed gardening, fishing, hunting, cooking and time with her family. She was a member of Happy Home Church near Hampton, Ark. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Herman Karriker; an infant sister, Georgia Catherine Karriker; a great-grandson, Jabob Ryan Livingston; and her husband, Jack Watts. Survivors are a daughter Staci Watts (Jeff) of El Dorado; sons, Michael Livingston (Kimberley) of Bella Vista, Ark., and Jason Livingston (Marsha) of Pea Ridge, Ark.; a sister, Sherril Prothro (Sid) Flower Mound, Texas; a brother Jerry Karriker (Nancy) of Fairfax, Va.; grandchildren, Mike Livingston (Hilary), Mark Livingston, Colby Lindsay (Becca), Katie Lindsay (Jeremy), Jonathan Livingston (Heather), Chris Livingston, Brandon Livingston, Ty Jones, Haylee McKinnis (Lee); and great grandchildren Aaliyah, Alaynnah, Faith, Chase, Kimber, Karsen, Axel, Lily, Kayleigh, Elleigh, Molleigh, Jack, Tilleigh, Elizabeth, Charlie, Mackenzie, Mallori, Hayden, Ryan and Adilynn. The family celebrated Glenda’s life at 11 am, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Smackover Assembly of God Church with Rev. Mark Stratton officiating. Cremation services were provided by Young’s Funeral Directors. Memorials may be made to Life Touch Hospice, 2301 Champagnolle Road, El Dorado, AR 71730. Condolences for the Watts family may be shared at www.youngsfuneralhome.com. Drain Read More Here

Oil Prices Fall More Than 3% On U.S. Supply, Lower China Demand https://digitalarkansasnews.com/oil-prices-fall-more-than-3-on-u-s-supply-lower-china-demand/ Oct 18 (Reuters) – Oil prices fell by more than 3% in volatile trade on Tuesday on fears of higher U.S. supply amid an economic slowdown and lower Chinese fuel demand. Brent crude futures fell by $2.37, or 3.6%, to $89.25 a barrel by 12:29 p.m. EDT (1629 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down $3.12, or 3.7%, at $82.34, having risen by over $1 earlier in the session. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com China, the world’s top crude oil importer, indefinitely delayed release of economic indicators originally scheduled to be published on Tuesday, indicating to the market that fuel demand is significantly depressed in the region. read more “It’s not a good sign when China decides not to publish economic figures,” said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York. China’s adherence to its zero-COVID policy has continued to increase uncertainties about the country’s economic growth, CMC Markets analyst Tina Teng said. Oil prices were also pressured by reports that the U.S. government would continue releasing crude oil from reserves. The Biden administration plans to sell oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to cool fuel prices before next month’s congressional elections, sources told Reuters on Monday. In addition, U.S. crude oil stocks were expected to have risen for a second consecutive week, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday. Output in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico, the biggest U.S. shale oil basin, is forecast to rise by about 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a record 5.453 million bpd this month, the Energy Information Administration said. Investors had been increasing long positions in futures after OPEC+ agreed to lower output by 2 million barrels per day, ANZ Research analysts said in a note. Several members of the oil producer group have endorsed the cut after the White House accused Saudi Arabia of coercing some nations into supporting the move, a charge Riyadh denies. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Additional reporting by Rowena Edwards in London, Additional reporting by Isabel Kua in Singapore, Editing by David Goodman, Ed Osmond and Nick Macfie Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Laura Sanicola Thomson Reuters Reports on oil and energy, including refineries, markets and renewable fuels. Previously worked at Euromoney Institutional Investor and CNN. Read More Here

China Plans To Seize Taiwan On ‘much Faster Timeline,’ Blinken Says https://digitalarkansasnews.com/china-plans-to-seize-taiwan-on-much-faster-timeline-blinken-says/ Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused China of speeding up plans to seize Taiwan as Chinese President Xi Jinping looks set to secure a precedent-breaking third term at a Chinese Communist Party congress this week. “There has been a change in the approach from Beijing toward Taiwan in recent years,” Blinken told an event at Stanford University on Monday. This includes “a fundamental decision that the status quo was no longer acceptable and that Beijing was determined to pursue reunification on a much faster timeline,” he said. Blinken did not provide details on the claim of a shorter timeline and said China may be willing to use coercive means, a prospect that is “creating tremendous tensions.” Responding on Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry described Blinken’s comments as an example of the United States reneging on its commitment to the one-China policy, which acknowledges Beijing’s position that there is only one China. “The U.S. has time and again broken its word,” ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters. He said Washington had “substantially relaxed restrictions on official interactions” with the self-governing island, citing an August trip by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to Taiwan that Beijing staunchly opposed. “Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese,” Wenbin added. Tensions between Washington and Beijing have simmered as China faces criticism from Western governments over Taiwan and partnership with Russia. China has refrained from publicly criticizing Russia’s war in Ukraine. The conflict stoked fears among Taiwanese residents that it could embolden their neighbor China, which claims the island it has never controlled as part of its territory. U.S.-China frictions also heightened after President Biden’s remark that the U.S. military would defend Taiwan in case of an attack by China — comments the White House later played down. While Taiwan does not have U.S. diplomatic recognition, it maintains substantial ties with Washington, including arms sales and trade. In a speech Sunday at his party’s congress, which takes place every five years, Xi said the “wheels of history are rolling toward China’s reunification” with Taiwan. He repeated intentions of taking the island of more than 23 million people, and he said that while China preferred peaceful measures, it would reserve “the option to take all necessary measures.” Xi did not mention the war in Ukraine or China’s ties with the United States, which ordered export bans this month to hit China’s tech and military ambitions. He also described China’s “great rejuvenation” — Xi’s vision of putting the nation at the center of global affairs — as an “irreversible historical process.” Unification with Taiwan is a core part of that vision. In an uneasy stalemate between the two sides for decades, Taiwanese leaders have vowed to defend the island, while Chinese leaders are adamant that it is part of China. Last year, the commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that the threat of China’s targeting Taiwan was “manifest during this decade, in fact, in the next six years.” Read More Here

Republicans Embarrassed Themselves In Senate Debates — And It Might Not Matter https://digitalarkansasnews.com/republicans-embarrassed-themselves-in-senate-debates-and-it-might-not-matter/ There is no world in which J.D. Vance, Mike Lee, and Herschel Walker won their recent debates — except, perhaps, in an election cycle where debates no longer matter. Walker, who set low expectations for himself ahead of Friday night’s showdown with Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, overshadowed his typical incoherence and dishonesty by flashing a fake police badge — a gesture that elicited a scolding from the moderator for bringing a prop on stage. Lee, the two-term Republican senator from Utah locked in a tight race against independent Evan McMullin, used a prop of his own Monday as he sidestepped questions about his efforts to help Donald Trump overturn his 2020 election loss, hiding behind a pocket Constitution to avoid addressing his fraudulent elector plot texts with Mark Meadows. Vance, to his credit, left his toys at home Monday night. Still, he ended up looking about as silly and cynical as the other two, prevaricating on a host of positions, including his previous assessment of Trump. “That’s not true,” Vance interjected Monday, as Democratic opponent Tim Ryan pointed out that he once described Trump as “America’s Hitler.” “It is true,” Ryan replied. “And then, you kissed his ass, and then he endorsed you, and you said he’s the greatest president of all time.” “If you can’t even stand up for yourself,” Ryan asked, “how are you going to stand up for the people in the state?” It was a great line — an uppercut to the jaw of not only the Hillbilly Elegy author but every Republican who has sacrificed their decency and dignity at the altar of Trump. The question is: Will quips like this matter in an era of extreme polarization that rendered the standards of campaign conduct irrelevant? Having elected Trump president once, Republicans have already demonstrated they are willing to look past a candidate’s want of moral principles or basic qualifications. And they’ve confirmed as much in backing this year’s slate of extremists, ignoramuses, and extremist ignoramuses. (Even Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell himself has suggested the party is putting forth candidates of poor quality.) Heading into the final weeks of the race, with Capitol Hill up for grabs, the party has heavily rallied around those candidates — even as some, like Walker, dig themselves deeper into controversies — laying bare the moral emptiness of the GOP agenda. “Politics, for them, is about power in the pursuit of yet more power,” as the Atlantic’s Peter Wehner wrote Sunday. “Politics is purely performative, nasty and brutish, a way to stoke anger and grievances, a means to exact vengeance.” And what’s a performance without a prop? Walker offered NBC News’ Kristen Welker a ludicrous explanation as to why the badge he brandished on stage was “legit” — and will soon offer replicas to his supporters as a fundraising tool. The gambit could work: The former football star scored more than half a million dollars in donations in the immediate aftermath of revelations that he paid for a former girlfriend’s abortion and tried to persuade her to get another, despite the hardline anti-abortion stance he’s taken publicly; what’s to keep him from turning his latest blooper into an opportunity? It’s not clear debate stage humiliations will hurt Vance and Lee, either; despite their blundering campaigns, each holds a narrow lead over his Democratic challenger in polls. It’s possible, of course, that the debates will change that. But, like the once-coveted newspaper endorsement, it’s unclear how much general election debates actually sway voters — mostly because undecided voters are dwindling and expectations for our political leaders have eroded. It wasn’t so long ago that Walker’s ignorance, Ron Johnson‘s paranoia, and the spinelessness of Lee and Vance could throw a candidacy into crisis. Now, you might say they wear such defects as a badge of honor. Read More Here

Fort Smith PD Mobilizing To Stop Distracted Driving https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fort-smith-pd-mobilizing-to-stop-distracted-driving/ by: Jacob Smith Posted: Oct 18, 2022 / 10:53 AM CDT Updated: Oct 18, 2022 / 10:53 AM CDT by: Jacob Smith Posted: Oct 18, 2022 / 10:53 AM CDT Updated: Oct 18, 2022 / 10:53 AM CDT FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Distracted driving continues to kill or injure thousands each year. To prevent this, the Fort Smith Police Department is mobilizing its units to put a stop to drivers violating the law. According to a release, Fort Smith Police will increase their patrols as part of the “U DRIVE, U TEXT, U PAY” campaign designed to stop distracted driving. Law enforcement agencies across Arkansas have pledged their support toward enforcing the law and educating violators. The mobilization will run from Oct. 17-23. Trending Stories Read More Here

Post Politics Now: Biden To Make An Abortion Rights Bill Top Priority If Democrats Strengthen Position In Congress https://digitalarkansasnews.com/post-politics-now-biden-to-make-an-abortion-rights-bill-top-priority-if-democrats-strengthen-position-in-congress/ Today, President Biden will say in remarks scheduled for midday that, if Democrats expand their ranks in the midterm elections, the first bill he will send to the next Congress would enshrine into law Roe v. Wade protections that the Supreme Court struck down in June, according to a Democratic official familiar with Biden’s planned remarks. Biden’s pledge will raise the stakes for the midterms, now just three weeks off, with the Democrats’ congressional majority in jeopardy. The president’s plan is contingent on Democrats maintaining control of the House and expanding the party’s presence in the evenly divided Senate. Biden is speaking at an event hosted by the Democratic National Committee designed to highlight differences between the parties ahead of next month’s elections. Your daily dashboard 12:15 p.m. Eastern: Biden delivers remarks at the Howard Theatre in Washington. 1:45 p.m. Eastern: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters. Watch live here. 6:15 p.m. Eastern (3:15 p.m. Pacific): Vice President Harris participates in a moderated discussion in San Francisco on climate change. Watch live here. Got a question about politics? Submit it here. After 3 p.m. weekdays, return to this space and we’ll address what’s on the mind of readers. This just in: Biden to make abortion rights bill his top priority if Democrats strengthen position in Congress Return to menu President Biden will say in remarks scheduled for midday Tuesday that, if Democrats expand their ranks in the midterm elections, the first bill he will send to the next Congress would enshrine into law Roe v. Wade protections that the Supreme Court struck down in June, according to a Democratic official familiar with Biden’s planned remarks. Biden’s pledge will raise the stakes for the midterms, now just three weeks off, with the Democrats’ congressional majority in jeopardy. The Democratic official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview Biden’s speech, said the president’s plan is contingent on Democrats maintaining control of the House and expanding the party’s presence in the evenly divided Senate. The latest: GOP would use debt limit to force spending cuts, McCarthy says Return to menu House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that if Republicans win control of the House, the GOP will use raising the debt limit as leverage to force spending cuts — which could include cuts to Medicare and Social Security — and limit additional funding to Ukraine. The Post’s Eugene Scott has details: “You can’t just continue down the path to keep spending and adding to the debt,” the California Republican told Punchbowl News in a recent interview. “And if people want to make a debt ceiling [for a longer period of time], just like anything else, there comes a point in time where, okay, we’ll provide you more money, but you got to change your current behavior.” “We’re not just going to keep lifting your credit card limit, right,” he added. “And we should seriously sit together and [figure out] where can we eliminate some waste? Where can we make the economy grow stronger?” Pressed on whether changes to the entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security were part of the debt ceiling discussions, McCarthy said he wouldn’t “predetermine” anything. The debt limit — the country’s borrowing cap — will need to be lifted next year to protect the country’s credit score and to prevent the U.S. from defaulting on its debt. But McCarthy suggested that his party would be willing to hold the debt limit up for policy changes. Analysis: Kevin McCarthy weighs future of special committee on climate change Return to menu When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) created a special committee to examine climate change in 2019, the panel’s days seemed numbered. If Republicans regained control of the House, many observers assumed, they would immediately scrap the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, since the GOP has historically opposed ambitious measures to tackle global warming. But, writing in The Climate 202, The Post’s Maxine Joselow reports that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who hopes to become speaker if Republicans pick up enough seats in the midterms, has not yet decided whether to keep the committee, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private discussions. Per Maxine: Take a look: Rep. Swalwell’s ad dramatizes woman being arrested for an abortion Return to menu Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) is out with an ad that dramatizes a family dinner being interrupted by police coming to arrest the mother for having had an abortion. The 90-second spot is titled, “Lock Her Up,” a reference to the Republican chants regarding Democrat Hillary Clinton during her 2020 presidential bid. With a wave of GOP-led states outlawing abortion, “I thought through, ‘What is this going to look like as it plays out across America?’ ” Swalwell said during an appearance Monday night on MSNBC. Noted: Georgia blows away record for early midterm ballots cast on first day Return to menu More than 125,000 Georgia voters cast ballots on Monday, the first day of early voting, far eclipsing the total in the state’s last midterm elections, the secretary of state’s office said. “Our elections team has reviewed the initial early vote numbers for Day 1 and we know we are north of 125,000,” Gabriel Sterling, the chief operating officer of the office, said in a tweet shortly after 9 p.m. Eastern time on Monday. “This dwarfs the previous record of 72k from the 2018 midterm 1st day of early voting.” Analysis: Marijuana is on the ballot in five more states this year Return to menu Voters in November will decide whether recreational marijuana can be used legally in five states: Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota. Writing in The Health 202, The Post’s Rachel Roubein notes that four out of the five states are home to many traditional conservatives — a testament to how the once-liberal issue has achieved increasingly bipartisan support in recent years. Per Rachel: As it stands, 19 states, two territories and D.C. have embraced marijuana legalization over the last decade, while medical cannabis is legal in 37 states, three territories and the District, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Even still, it was only a decade ago when recreational marijuana was illegal nationwide, and efforts by cannabis advocates since haven’t been without setbacks. Most recently, voters rejected ballot measures to legalize adult use of marijuana in North Dakota in 2018 and Arizona in 2016, although the latter changed its tune and voted in favor of the initiative the following election year. “When you look at ballot campaigns in the past, you’ll see that this is an issue that crosses traditional party lines,” said Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. “We anticipate similar outcomes this November.” You can read the full analysis here. On our radar: Jan. 6 committee could issue Trump subpoena today Return to menu The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol could issue its subpoena to former president Donald Trump as early as Tuesday, The Post’s Theodoric Meyer and Leigh Ann Caldwell note in the latest edition of The Early 202. The panel voted last week to authorize a subpoena for both testimony and documents from Trump. As our colleagues note, when the subpoena is issued, it will be the next big step for a committee that appears to be in the final phases of its investigation. On our radar: Biden seeking to frame the choice voters have on abortion Return to menu With three weeks remaining until the midterm elections, President Biden will try to keep the issue of abortion in the spotlight on Tuesday as he delivers an address in Washington hosted by the Democratic National Committee. He is expected to focus in the speech on an issue that Democrats have sought to elevate in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, but one that recent polling shows is not weighing as heavily on voters as the economy and related issues. Biden is scheduled to make a short trip to the Howard Theatre, where he “will speak about the choice that voters face this November between Republicans who want to ban abortion nationwide, and Democrats who want to codify Roe into law to protect women’s reproductive freedom,” according to a DNC advisory. Noted: A battle for the white working-class vote in a key Indiana House race Return to menu When Democratic Rep. Frank J. Mrvan was first elected in 2020, he won easily in a working-class district that has been in Democratic hands for nearly a century. Campaigning at the Northwest Indiana Area Labor Federation’s annual awards dinner last week, though, there was an edge in Mrvan’s voice. Reporting from Chesterton, Ind., The Post’s Theodoric Meyer writes that Republicans are targeting the district — a union-heavy Democratic stronghold outside Chicago — this year for the first time in decades in their campaign to retake the House in November. Per our colleague: The latest: Ohio Senate debate filled with recriminations Return to menu A second debate in Ohio’s Senate race was filled with heated exchanges as Rep. Tim Ryan, the Democratic nominee, sought to frame his unexpectedly close race with GOP rival J.D. Vance as a choice between a moderate and an extremist, while Vance tried to tie his opponent to national Democratic leaders. The Post’s Hannah Knowles, Annie Linskey and Mariana Alfaro report that Ryan zeroed in ...

Five Takeaways From The Second Ohio Senate Debate – KION546 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/five-takeaways-from-the-second-ohio-senate-debate-kion546-2/ By Dan Merica, CNN The second Ohio Senate debate between Democrat Tim Ryan and Republican J.D. Vance was a personal and combative affair, with each candidate repeatedly questioning the other’s character. The heated nature highlighted just how crucial this race has become as Republicans look to defend the seat and win control of the evenly divided Senate in November. The Democratic Party has struggled for years in the Buckeye State, which former President Donald Trump twice carried, and even the most buoyant members of the party thought flipping retiring GOP Sen. Rob Portman’s seat in 2022 was a longshot. But a strong campaign from Ryan and Vance’s struggles have made the race more competitive than expected. Some of the most notable flashpoints in the debate were about whether either candidate would stand up to Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which abortions laws each candidate would back and a personal and heated argument about “replacement theory,” the idea that White people are being slowly and intentionally replaced by minorities and immigrants. What became clear throughout the night is that Ryan and Vance visibly don’t like each other, as each tried to tie the other to a long slate of other people: From Trump to Pelosi to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent. Here are five takeaways from the second Ohio Senate debate: ‘Donald Trump told a joke’ Some of the clearest — and most personal — exchanges were over the candidates’ willingness to stand up to their own parties, most notably Vance’s ties to Trump after the former President said at a recent campaign rally that Vance was “kissing my ass” to get him to campaign for him. “Donald Trump told a joke,” Vance said after the moderator asked about the former President’s comment, “and Tim Ryan has decided to run his entire campaign on it.” Vance added: “I know the President very well and he was joking about a New York Times story. That’s all he was doing. I didn’t take offense to it — I talked to the President before it. I talked to the President after it. Everybody there took it as a joke.” That response gave Ryan, who visibly chuckled while Vance was answering, an opening. After being asked about voting with Pelosi — a frequent talking point for Vance — Ryan noted he ran against the California Democrat for speaker. But then pivoted to Vance. “You have to have the courage to take on your leaders. These leaders in DC will eat you up like a chew toy,” Ryan said. “You were calling Trump America’s Hitler, then you kiss his ass, and then you kissed his ass, and he endorsed you and you said he is the greatest president of all time.” The congressman added: “It is nothing personal. I am just telling you, like, I have been in this business, it is tough business. If you think you are going to help Ohio, you are not. If you can’t even stand up for yourself, how are you going to stand up for the people of this state?” Pelosi, Pelosi, Pelosi Ryan was not alone in seeking to tie his opponent to a leader of his party. It took mere minutes for Vance to mention Ryan’s ties to Pelosi — and the Republican kept coming back to the hit. “I really wish Tim Ryan would have stood up to his party on this vote because it might have made the inflation crisis we have been seeing over the last few months a lot better if he hadn’t done what he always does, which is vote with Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden 100% of the time,” Vance said in his first answer, alluding to the congressman’s vote for Democrats’ health care, climate and tax package. Ryan looked prepared to take on the attack, using it to tie Vance to the San Francisco area, where the Republican used to live and which Pelosi represents. “J.D., you keep talking about Nancy Pelosi. If you want to run against Nancy Pelosi, move back to San Francisco and run against Nancy Pelosi. You are running against me,” Ryan said. But the response didn’t dissuade Vance, who took the attack a step further by comparing Ryan voting with Pelosi “100% of the time” with an ad the Democrat is running where he and his wife joke about only agreeing 70% of the time. “Must make things a little awkward in the Ryan household, I suppose,” Vance said. “But look, you vote with her 100% of the time, so you can’t run from the policies that she has supported, that she has shoved down the throat of people in Ohio.” Questions of character Each candidate spent much of the night questioning the other’s character, often implying — our outright saying — that their opponent is not who they say they are. During an exchange on immigration, Ryan said he is “not going to take any guff” from Vance on the issue because “he invested in dozens of companies that use foreign workers.” “This is why, J.D. Vance, with all due respect, is a fraud,” Ryan said. “My little Italian grandmother had a saying for when she met somebody like J.D. Vance — due facce — you have two faces, one for the camera and one for your business dealings.” Vance, in turn, questioned the moderate persona Ryan touts on the campaign trail. “Tim Ryan says he believes in reasonable solutions. Well Tim, what were you doing on those reasonable solutions in your 20 years in Washington, DC?” Vance asked. Abortion remains a point of divergence There are vast differences in the candidates’ positions on abortion, an issue Democrats have seized on since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in late June. Ryan, asked about the prospect of Republicans controlling Congress, said that would lead him to “spend all my time trying to fight a national abortion ban.” Vance responded with one of his most scathing lines from their first debate by seemingly blaming Ryan for the rape of the 10-year-old Ohio girl who sought an abortion in neighboring Indiana by noting she was allegedly raped by an undocumented immigrant. “That little girl was raped by an illegal immigrant,” Vance said, adding that people “need to be honest about the fact that she would have never been raped in the first place if Tim Ryan had done his job on border security.” Vance took issue with a question on exceptions to strict abortion laws. An exception in the case of incest “looks different at 3 weeks of pregnancy versus 39 weeks of pregnancy, so I actually don’t think you can say on a debate stage every single thing that you are going to vote for when it comes to an abortion piece of legislation.” The Republican did, however, indicate he was likely to support a bill proposed by South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham that would ban the procedure after 15-weeks and does provide exceptions for abortions required to protect the life of the mother, and if the woman becomes pregnant through rape or incest. “I think it is totally reasonable to say you cannot abort a baby, especially for elective reasons, after 15 weeks of gestation,” Vance said. ‘It’s disgraceful’ Some of the most personal sniping came during a back-and-forth on “replacement theory,” which has been embraced in some quarters of the right. Asked about the theory by the moderator, Ryan said it was “nonsense” and “grounded in some of those most racially divisive writings in the history of the world.” He also accused Vance of “running around” with people who believe in it. “There is no big grand conspiracy — this is a country who has been enriched by immigrants,” said Ryan, which sparked a fierce response from the Republican because, as he noted, his wife Usha is the “daughter of South Asian immigrants.” “Shameful for you to accuse me of that,” Vance said. Vance criticized Ryan, arguing that that kind of hit leads “my biracial children” to “get attacked by scumbags online and in person because you are so desperate for political power, that you will accuse me, the father of three beautiful biracial babies, of engaging in racism. We are sick of it.” He added: “This just shows how desperate this guy is for political power. I know you have been in office for 20 years, Tim. And I know it is a sweet gig. But you are so desperate to not have a real job that you will slander me and slander my family. It’s disgraceful.” Ryan, who did not invoke Vance’s family, ended by noting that he seemed to have “struck a nerve” but “would never talk about your family.” Ryan and Vance went right into closing statements after the raw exchange, putting a cap on an already dramatic night. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Murkowski And Sullivan Split On Biden Judicial Nominees https://digitalarkansasnews.com/murkowski-and-sullivan-split-on-biden-judicial-nominees/ Oct. 18—Sullivan Murkowski Mashup composite WASHINGTON — As President Joe Biden races to install federal judges, Alaska Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan are taking vastly different approaches. Of Biden’s 84 federal judge appointees, Murkowski has voted in favor of 64. Sullivan has voted for none. Biden is rapidly nominating judges to counterbalance Trump’s volume of appointees to the federal bench. At this point in his presidency, Biden is on par with Trump’s fast pace. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scrambling to approve more judges before the next congressional term, when the balance may shift in favor of Republicans. The judicial process has become increasingly polarized in recent years, and like most Senate Republicans, Sullivan tends to vote the party line. Murkowski represents a rare exception of a senator willing to routinely break with her party on judicial votes. While she has said she rejects what she has called the “corrosive politicization” of the confirmation process, during Biden’s time in office, Murkowski has become a key vote to watch on judicial nominees. Murkowski and Sullivan both voted for nearly all of former President Donald Trump’s over 230 federal judicial appointments — with a notable exception for Murkowski in the case of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, something her Republican election challenger Kelly Tshibaka has criticized her for. Murkowski and Sullivan did not respond to requests for comment for this story. “I think they just have different philosophies,” said legal expert and former federal prosecutor David Lat, who writes a newsletter called Original Jurisdiction. “They both understand that judges are important, but Sen. Murkowski has a philosophy that is more focused on just professional qualifications, while Sen. Sullivan seems to also take into account ideology.” Murkowski is the second most frequent GOP supporter of Biden’s nominees, and was one of just three Republican senators to vote to confirm Biden Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. After voting to confirm Jackson earlier this year, Murkowski said that the Supreme Court review process “on both sides of the aisle, is growing worse and more detached from reality by the year.” Before announcing support for Trump nominee Amy Coney Barrett in 2020 Murkowski said she had concerns about “the public perception of political influence on the court,” adding that she “would hope that we all recognize that public confidence in our courts must be an imperative.” But these days, Brookings Institution judicial expert Russell Wheeler said, “almost all Republican senators are voting unthinkingly against the nominee. The Democrats did that to a large degree under the Trump administration, too.” Murkowski’s willingness to vote for Biden’s nominees gives Senate Democrats breathing room on narrow confirmation votes, according to Wheeler. “They’re very grateful whenever they don’t have to get all 50 Democrats in place to vote in order to confirm a nominee,” Wheeler said. Though Sullivan is a reliable Republican “no” vote on Biden’s nominees, he has gone out of his way to speak with several of them. As a part of his consideration for federal judges, Sullivan has made it his mission to meet with every 9th Circuit, D.C. Circuit and Supreme Court nominee personally — a habit that is exceedingly uncommon, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Democratic aides. The 9th Circuit has jurisdiction over Alaska cases, but only one of its 29 active judgeships is from Alaska. In meetings with 9th Circuit nominees, Sullivan has said that he raises Alaska-specific laws like the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Sullivan demanded conversations with three of Biden’s 9th Circuit nominees in Dec. 2021 after he said he was denied meetings. He asked the candidates to call him directly in a Senate floor speech so he could review Alaska-related cases with them. “I am ready to meet and talk to you anytime before the vote,” he said, addressing the judges. “You know this is the right thing to do, judges. You have read the Constitution. Heck, if our meeting goes well, I might even vote for you.” After joining 46 Republicans in voting against Jackson, Sullivan said in a statement that the most important quality he looks for in a nominee “is a record and judicial philosophy that understands and emphasizes limits on federal judiciary and federal agency powers.” Judges confirmed to the Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals and U.S. District Courts address disputes filed under federal statutes which can involve important issues like environmental policy, labor policy, abortion, and gun rights. “The federal judiciary is a critical part of our government,” said Lat. “These judges are enormously important and influential and they have the final word on so many issues of the day.” Read More Here

Doctors Try To Shoot Down Arkansas Ban On Transgender Treatments For Minors https://digitalarkansasnews.com/doctors-try-to-shoot-down-arkansas-ban-on-transgender-treatments-for-minors/ LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Two doctors testified on Oct. 17 in support of child transgender procedures as part of the opening day of the nation’s first federal court challenge of a statewide ban on the controversial treatments. Transgender-identifying teens who were born female often seem “’over-the-moon’ happy” after mastectomies, as they see their bodies better “aligned” with a masculine gender identity, said Dr. Deanna Adkins, a North Carolina pediatric endocrinologist who has recommended these “top surgeries” for some of her patients. In contrast, Adkins has also seen what can happen when gender-distressed youths do not get the interventions they’re seeking. Adkins’ voice cracked as she said, “I lost a patient to suicide because (the patient) did not make it to their second visit.” That’s when the patient would have begun “gender-affirming” care, Adkins said. Such treatments can include puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries. Adkins was one of two doctors who testified on Oct. 17 in an Arkansas federal court, supporting the American Civil Liberties Union’s attempt to invalidate the nation’s first law banning transgender medical interventions for minors. Judge James Moody will hear testimony through Oct. 21 in U.S. District Court, Little Rock. Then the case will recess until a few witnesses can be scheduled to testify, the judge said. SAFE Act in Danger The case revolves around the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act. That law, which Arkansas lawmakers approved in April 2021, has been on hold pending the outcome of the ACLU’s challenge. The closely watched trial comes at a time when “detransitioners,” people who regret using hormones and surgeries to change their bodies, have grown increasingly vocal. They say euphoria over the procedures can fade, leaving lasting physical and mental scars—and lifelong medical costs. But Dr. Dan Karasic, a California psychiatrist who testified for the plaintiffs, said, “There’s not this incredible explosion” of detransitioners, as far as he can see. He thinks media reports about this phenomenon are overblown. Karasic and Adkins both testified that they consider gender-transitioning medical procedures to be safe and effective for minors when administered after careful evaluation—a contention that the defendants dispute. Several European nations have curtailed gender-transition drugs for youths because evidence is lacking and concerns are rising. However, the two doctors who testified against the SAFE Act say that young people suffering from gender dysphoria, a diagnosis of persistent distress over gender incongruity, frequently see dramatic improvement in their distress after going on these treatments. Karasic and Adkins each treated hundreds of adolescents for gender dysphoria;  neither has recommended genital surgery for anyone under the age of 18, and they said few doctors do. Karasic learned of at least one report of a 15-year-old undergoing genital surgery. The ACLU used the two doctors’ testimony to chip away at assertions that SAFE Act supporters have made in court records and are expected to repeat when they appear for live testimony. Stickers on the back of a car show support for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas and for “Trans Magic,” on a vehicle parked outside U.S. District Court, Little Rock, Ark, on Oct. 17,2000 (Janice Hisle/The Epoch Times) Guidelines Karasic and Adkins say they think few doctors are doing what SAFE Act supporters allege: pushing young patients and their parents to go along with escalating medical treatments, with little or no assessment and inadequate warnings about the risks. “It’s not good practice” to propel patients along a certain path for the sake of an agenda, as alleged, Karasic said. “It’s not our role to tell them who they should be,” he said. He and Adkins both described detailed processes for identifying underlying issues that could affect gender-dysphoric children, such as autism, family dysfunction, sexual abuse, trauma or behavioral disorders. “Every patient gets an individualized care plan,” Adkins said. Puberty blockers are used fairly rarely in her practice, which spans 22 years and involves treatment of all types of endocrine issues in children. They also said patients’ treatment plans change as time passes, not a one-time consultation, in their medical practices. Patients’ situations change, and so does research, the doctors noted. Since Adkins began treating patients for gender dysphoria, she has treated about 600 such youths. Twelve  of those patients were put on puberty blockers; nine remain on the drugs. Some can stay on them for years, even into their 20s, to prevent undesired changes in their bodies’ appearance. Unconstitutionality The ACLU’s lawsuit was filed on behalf of four transgender youths, ages 9-16, their families, and two doctors who provide treatment to gender-dysphoric youths in Arkansas. State lawmakers say the SAFE Act is just the latest example of the state fulfilling its obligation to protect minors. If the law were to take effect as written, any doctor caught violating it could face professional discipline, and minors who underwent the procedures would have the right to sue for 20 years past their 18th birthday. But the ACLU alleges that the SAFE Act is unconstitutional for three reasons. It “discriminates on the basis of sex and transgender status,” the lawsuit says, and also interferes with parents’ rights to make healthcare decisions for their children. Lastly, the ACLU argues, the SAFE Act infringes upon doctors’ First Amendment right to communicate with patients, as it would forbid doctors from making referrals to providers who can perform the procedures. Follow Janice Hisle writes about a variety of topics, with emphasis on criminal justice news and trends. Before joining The Epoch Times, she worked for more than two decades as a reporter for newspapers in Ohio and authored several books. A graduate of Kent State University’s journalism program, she embraces “old-school” journalism with a modern twist. You can reach Janice by email by writing to janice.hisle@epochtimes.us Read More…

Chinese Diplomat Involved In Protester Attack, Says UK MP https://digitalarkansasnews.com/chinese-diplomat-involved-in-protester-attack-says-uk-mp/ Image source, Reuters Image caption, A protester is pulled at the gate of the consulate on Sunday – the consul-general is alleged to be in a mask and hat (far left) By Yvette Tan & Simon Fraser BBC News One of China’s most senior UK diplomats was involved in violence against protesters at the Manchester consulate on Sunday, a British MP says. “What we saw was the Chinese consul-general then ripping down posters and peaceful protest,” Alicia Kearns told MPs in the House of Commons. MPs in Parliament have privilege, allowing them to speak freely without fear of legal action. China has not commented on Zheng Xiyuan’s alleged involvement. But the foreign ministry in Beijing defended the actions of consulate staff. Spokesman Wang Wenbin said people had “illegally entered” the grounds and any country’s diplomats would have taken “necessary measures” to protect their premises. The official Chinese version is at odds with video footage and statements from police. Officers had to drag back a protester from inside the consulate gate as he was being attacked. After Consul-General Zheng Xiyuan ripped down the placards, Ms Kearns told MPs, there was “grievous bodily harm against a Hongkonger, one of whom was hospitalised for taking part in a peaceful protest. “Some were then dragged onto consulate territory for a further beating by officials who have been recognised to be members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “We cannot allow the CCP to import their beating of protesters, their silencing of free speech and their failure to allow time and time again protests on British soil. This is a chilling escalation.” Media caption, Watch: Hong Kong protester attacked in China consulate grounds According to a statement by the Greater Manchester Police, around 30 to 40 people had gathered outside the consulate to protest. “Shortly before 4pm a small group of men came out of the building and a man was dragged into the consulate grounds and assaulted,” the statement said. “Due to our fears for the safety of the man, officers intervened and removed the victim from the consulate grounds.” Another Conservative MP, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, asked if the government would “be prepared to expel the consul-general and any of those that are found to have been part of that punishment beating and the vandalism?” Foreign Office minister Jesse Norman said the government had issued a summons to the Chinese charge d’affaires in London for an explanation. Mr Norman told the House of Commons: “We’ve already outlined a process of raising this formally with the Chinese embassy… and we will see where these procedures, these legal and prosecutorial procedures, may lead to, and at that point we will take further action.” Image source, BBC / Alamy Image caption, Zheng Xiyuan on the right, and the man accused of being involved in the violence on the left Read More Here

SUV Crash Injures Three Adults, Two Juveniles Outside Of West Plains – Ozark Radio News https://digitalarkansasnews.com/suv-crash-injures-three-adults-two-juveniles-outside-of-west-plains-ozark-radio-news/ West Plains, MO. – A crash that occurred in the early morning hours today has injured three adult occupants, and two juvenile occupants. The crash occurred at 12:10am on US 63, roughly 3 miles South of West Plains. The vehicle was a Southbound 2020 Chevy Traverse, which was totaled in the accident. The driver, Kevin Jones, 40 of Truman, AR, traveled off the right side of the roadway, impacted the ditch, went airborne and overturned. Advertisement Kevin Jones was seriously injured. Two adult passengers, Ashley Jones, 33 of Jonesboro, and Fierra Jones, 32 of Truman AR, were moderately injured. Lastly, a 10-year-old and 6-year-old pair of girls sustained minor injuries. All were wearing their safety devices. All were transported to Ozarks Healthcare save for the driver, who was transported via air ambulance to Cox South in Springfield. This accident was investigated by Trooper A.K. Falterman of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Troop G. Link to the report.  Read More Here

Activist Investor Starboard Reveals Stake In Salesforce, Sees Significant Opportunity https://digitalarkansasnews.com/activist-investor-starboard-reveals-stake-in-salesforce-sees-significant-opportunity/ Jeffrey Smith, CEO of Starboard Value LP and Chairman of Papa John’s International Inc. Brendan McDermid | Reuters Starboard Value has taken a stake in Salesforce, with founder Jeff Smith saying a significant opportunity remains in the enterprise software maker, according to CNBC’s David Faber. Dow-component Salesforce jumped more than 5% in early trading Tuesday. Shares of Salesforce have fallen more than 40% this year. The company in August gave a disappointing forecast for fiscal 2023, partly due to a negative foreign exchange impact. Smith told Faber the stake is significant without specifying the dollar amount. The hedge fund manager said the valuation discount in Salesforce shares right now is largely due to a “subpar mix of growth and profitability.” Smith added that the software company is not generating meaningful operating leverage relative to peers in recent years. Smith has remained a prolific activist investor even during the Covid pandemic, calling for changes in Humana, Kohl’s, Mercury Systems and others. The Starboard CEO will be on CNBC at 10:15 a.m. ET to talk more about the new stake. Starboard Value manages about $6.2 billion in assets, according to filings through the first quarter of 2020. Read More Here