Digital Arkansas News

Alex Jones Must Pay Sandy Hook Families Nearly $1 Billion For Hoax Claims, Jury Says https://digitalarkansasnews.com/alex-jones-must-pay-sandy-hook-families-nearly-1-billion-for-hoax-claims-jury-says/ Oct 12 (Reuters) – Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay at least $965 million in damages to numerous families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting for falsely claiming they were actors who faked the tragedy, a Connecticut jury said on Wednesday. The verdict, which came after three weeks of testimony in a state court in Waterbury, Connecticut, far outstripped the $49 million Jones was ordered to pay in August by a Texas jury in a similar case brought by two other Sandy Hook parents. The Connecticut verdict applies to both Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems LLC, the owner of Jones’ Infowars website. FSS filed for bankruptcy in July. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The plaintiffs in the Connecticut case included more than a dozen relatives of 20 children and six staff members who were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. Jones claimed for years that the massacre was staged as part of a government plot to take away Americans’ guns. Jurors said the plaintiffs should also be awarded attorney’s fees, which are set to be determined in November. During a live broadcast as the verdict was read, Jones vowed to appeal and said his company’s ongoing bankruptcy will protect Infowars in the meantime. “We’re fighting Goliath,” he said. Jones’ lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the families, said outside the courthouse that the verdict was “against Alex Jones, his lies and their poisonous spread, and a verdict for truth and for our common humanity.” Outside the courthouse, Robbie Parker, one of the plaintiffs in the case, thanked the jury for its verdict. “Everybody who took the stand told the truth,” Parker said. “Except for one. The one who proclaims that that’s what he does. But while the truth was being said in the courtroom, he was standing right here, lying.” Jones was found liable in a default judgment last year after he failed to comply with court orders. During closing arguments last week, Mattei said Jones cashed in for years on lies about the shooting, which drove traffic to his Infowars website and boosted sales of its various products. Infowars’ finances are not public, but according to trial testimony the site brought in revenue of $165 million between 2016 and 2018. An economist in the Texas case estimated that Jones is personally worth between $135 million and $270 million. FSS’s bankruptcy will limit the total money available to Sandy Hook families, but they could seek other assets from Jones if a judge rules his company deliberately harmed them, according to Brian Kabateck, a plaintiffs’ attorney who was not involved in the case. Infowars founder Alex Jones speaks to the media after appearing at his Sandy Hook defamation trial at Connecticut Superior Court in Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S., October 4, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo “The underlying conduct was egregious, and that’s the kind of thing that could get you beyond the limits of the bankruptcy,” Kabateck told Reuters. Jones has not personally filed for bankruptcy but the same principle would apply if he does, Kabateck said. ANGUISHED TESTIMONY The families suffered a decade-long campaign of harassment and death threats by Jones’ followers, Mattei said. “Every single one of these families (was) drowning in grief, and Alex Jones put his foot right on top of them,” Mattei told jurors. Jones’ lawyer countered during closing arguments that the plaintiffs had shown scant evidence of quantifiable losses. The attorney, Norman Pattis, urged jurors to ignore the political undercurrents in the case. “This is not a case about politics,” Pattis said. “It’s about how much to compensate the plaintiffs.” Douglas E. Mirell, a lawyer and defamation expert who was not involved in the case, said the sizable verdict sent a clear message of “revulsion” from the jury. “His refusal to own up to the mendacity and lies that he promulgated time and time again over many years has now caught up with him,” Mirell said of Jones. The trial was marked by weeks of anguished testimony from the families, who filled the gallery each day and took turns recounting how Jones’ lies about Sandy Hook compounded their grief. An FBI agent who responded to the shooting was also a plaintiff in the case. Jones, who has since acknowledged that the shooting occurred, also testified and briefly threw the trial into chaos as he railed against his “liberal” critics and refused to apologize to the families. In August, another jury found that Jones and his company must pay $49.3 million to Sandy Hook parents in a similar case in Austin, Texas, where the headquarters of Jones’ Infowars conspiracy theory website is located. Jones’ lawyers have said they hope to void most of the payout in the Texas case before it is approved by a judge, calling it excessive under state law. Connecticut does not place caps on damages, though Jones could appeal the verdict on other legal grounds. Mattei said the families would go to any court necessary to enforce the verdict “for as long as it takes, because that’s what justice requires.” Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Jack Queen in New York, Tom Hals in Wilmington, Del., and Jacqueline Thomsen in Washington Editing by Noeleen Walder, Mark Porter and Matthew Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Jacqueline Thomsen Thomson Reuters Jacqueline Thomsen, based in Washington, D.C., covers legal news related to policy, the courts and the legal profession. Follow her on Twitter at @jacq_thomsen and email her at jacqueline.thomsen@thomsonreuters.com. Read More Here

LRPD Confident They Have Several Persons Of Interest After A UALR Student Killed 11 Years Ago https://digitalarkansasnews.com/lrpd-confident-they-have-several-persons-of-interest-after-a-ualr-student-killed-11-years-ago/ LITTLE ROCK, Ark — More than a decade has passed since a 20-year-old Arkansas woman went to class at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and never came home. Patricia Guardado was last seen 11 years ago on October 12, 2011, and four days later her body was found by police, her family is still searching for answers.  In a statement from a spokesperson with the Little Rock Police Department they say,  “The Little Rock Police Department is committed to working collaboratively to resolve all cold cases; more specifically, the Patricia Guardado case which is currently actively being investigated. At this point, we can say with confidence that there are several persons of interest. However, as with all ongoing investigations, we are limited on the information we can provide to ensure the evidence we continue to collect supports the investigation.”  Guardado’s family says they’re hoping they can finally bring their daughter, big sister, and friend to justice.  “I would give my life to hug her again to hear her voice and tell her how much I loved her,” said mother to Guardado, Leonor Garcia.  Gloria Guardado is Guardado’s sister and was 11 years old when Patricia went missing. “That’s half of my life without my sister,” said Guardado.  Guardado says Patricia left to go to a morning class at UA Little Rock and that was the last time anyone saw or heard from her.  “It kind of started getting later and later and she never called,” said Guardado.  She says she remembers when her family didn’t hear from her that night and they went out to look for her.  “We drove to the Burger King parking lot where we found her car,” said Guardado.  The Little Rock Police found Patricia’s body 4 days later in a pond near Sweet Home.  “It’s frustrating to know someone is out there and they know someone knows,” said Guardado.  Now instead of making new adventures with her sister, she’s left wondering what could have been.  “She would be 31 years old, so she would be working, have her family and have a wedding,” said Guardado. She says she put her life on hold since her sister’s case has yet to be solved.  “I turned 20, I didn’t celebrate it, I turned 21, I didn’t celebrate it, I turned 22, I didn’t celebrate it because my sister never got to,” said Guardado.    The family is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. If you know anything, call Little Rock Police and can remain anonymous. Read More…

Halloween Events In Northwest Arkansas, River Valley https://digitalarkansasnews.com/halloween-events-in-northwest-arkansas-river-valley/ (File: Getty) (File: Getty) (File: Getty) (File: Getty) FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Spooky Season has arrived and area residents might be searching for some festivities to get in the Halloween spirit! Below is a compiled list of haunted houses, haunted parties, and more happening in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley throughout October. Trunk or Treat – Oct. 27 Baptist Health-Fort Smith and community partners are teaming up to host this free family-friendly event from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The event will be held in the northwest employee parking lot on the corner of Towson Avenue and G Street next to the hospital and will feature decorated trunks, treats, and games. UAFS Haunted University – Oct. 29 The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith will host a revamped Haunted Union this year from 6-9 p.m. and will span the full campus green. Participants will enjoy carnival games, trunk-or-treat hosted by Registered Student Organizations, and candy galore, all with absolutely no charge! For those brave enough to enter, the haunted house is making a return this year with a better-than-ever display in the campus center Reynolds Room. Halloween Hoopla – Oct. 29 The City of Fort Smith will host its annual Halloween Hoopla event at noon at the River Park Events Building located at 121 Riverfront Drive. The event is free and there will be food, drinks, candy, prizes, bat buzzwire, mummy bowling, skull basketball, and more. Halloween Double Feature: Hocus Pocus – Oct. 30 The Walton Arts Center will host a screening of Hocus Pocus at 4 p.m. There will be a pre-show costume parade for children. Tickets can be bought here. Halloween Double Feature: Rocky Horror Picture Show – Oct. 31 The Walton Arts Center will host a screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show at 8 p.m. There will be live music by Ultra Suede at 6 p.m. and a costume contest at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be bought here. Nightmares Haunted House – Oct. 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, 31 The Nightmares Haunted House in Bentonville opens each Friday and Saturday through Oct. 31. The haunted house starts at dusk and tickets will stop being sold at 11 p.m. More information can be found here. The Asylum Haunted House – Oct. 14-15, 21-22, 27-29, 31 The Asylum Haunted House in Cave Springs is a more adult haunted house that lasts from 7 p.m. to midnight. The haunted house also has a family night on October 27 and will last from 7-10 p.m. It will also be open from 7-10 p.m. on October 31. Tickets and more information can be found here. Banshee Manor – Oct. 14-16, 21-23, 27-31 The Banshee Manor located inside Lokomotion Family Fun Park in Fayetteville is a medieval-themed haunted house featuring an original story told through the attraction. The all-ages No Scare Tour will be available on October 27. Tickets and more information can be found here. Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House – Oct. 14-15, 21-22, 28-29, 31 Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House sits at the corner of Rust Street and Main Street in Gentry. More information and tickets can be found here. Latest Video Irrigation in drought doubles farm operational costs Question of the Day 10/12 Springdale man appointed White House Fellow ‘Confidence Kit’ graduates in Fayetteville Cleaning graves of unknown slaves at East Mountain … Firefighters battle two fires in NWA & the River … Trending Stories Read More Here

US, Allies Bolster Ukraine https://digitalarkansasnews.com/us-allies-bolster-ukraine/ Russia’s brutal retaliation for the bombing of its bridge to Crimea appears to have  bolstered the West’s determination and urgency to help Ukraine. The U.S. and other NATO members pledged their immediate and long-lasting support Wednesday for Ukraine, which over the previous two days was showered with Russian missiles and drone attacks that killed dozens of civilians, destroyed residential buildings and damaged about one-third of the country’s energy infrastructure. “The international community remains united and focused and committed to doing everything that we can to help Ukraine protect its interests and defend its sovereign territory,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said after a meeting with allies at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday asked for air defense systems to help protect civilians, and he did not have to wait.  Ukraine just received its first IRIS-T air defense system from Germany and four more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the U.S., Ukraine Foreign Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Wednesday. The deliveries were expedited after this week’s barrage, a retaliatory attack for a truck bomb that damaged a crucial, Russian-built bridge in Crimea on Saturday. Ukraine has not taken responsibility for the blast. The U.S. also announced plans to send Ukraine eight National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); two are expected to be delivered soon. In addition, the Netherlands said it would deliver $14.5 million worth of air defense missiles, and France said it would also contribute to Ukraine’s air defense. “The more audacious and cruel Russian terror becomes, the more obvious it is to the world that helping Ukraine to protect the sky is one of the most important humanitarian tasks for Europe of our time,” Zelenskyy said. Other developments: ►The U.N. General Assembly voted 143-5 with 35 abstentions Wednesday to condemn Russia’s “attempted illegal annexation” of four Ukrainian provinces and demand that the Kremlin reverse its actions right away. The vote is symbolic, not legally binding. ►Ukraine’s prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, said Russia intends to use “cold as its weapon” in the upcoming winter and urged citizens to prepare by stocking on warm clothes, candles, flashlights and batteries. ►A Russian attack on a market in the Donetsk city of Avdiivka killed seven people and wounded eight Wednesday, Ukrainian authorities said. ►Russian President Vladimir Putin met Wednesday with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Kazakhstan on the sidelines of a regional summit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov said. Erdoğan has offered to host talks between Russia and the West. Ukraine’s counteroffensive slows down Ukraine has retaken five more villages in the southern Kherson province, the Southern Operational Command said Wednesday. However, officials and military analysts pointed out the counteroffensive that reclaimed more than a thousand square miles of occupied territory in the east and south has lost steam. After the battlefield losses, Russian forces regrouped and bolstered their front lines, halting the Ukrainians’ progress. Serhiy Haidai, regional administrator of Luhansk in the east, said the Russians have also been setting mines in the first section of the front line. Eight arrested — five of them Russian — in Crimean bridge bombing Five Russians are among eight suspects detained in connection with the explosion that has gnarled rail and vehicle traffic on the $3.6 billion Crimea bridge, Russia’s domestic intelligence service said Wednesday. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency was behind the attack Saturday on the 12-mile bridge, Europe’s longest, the FSB said in a statement. Ukraine authorities have lauded the incident but have not formally accepted responsibility for the blast, which Russia says killed three people. “At the moment, five citizens of Russia, three citizens of Ukraine and Armenia, who participated in the preparation of the crime, have been detained as part of a criminal case,” the FSB said, adding that several other suspects were involved in the plan. The FSB said the explosives were shipped out of the Ukrainian city of Odesa in August, and three Ukrainians, two Georgians and an Armenian national were behind the plan to arrange the delivery from Bulgaria through Georgia into Russia. A Ukrainian citizen and the five detained Russians had prepared documents for a nonexistent Crimean firm to receive the explosives, the agency said. The investigation was continuing. No indication Putin is preparing to use nuclear weapons, Pentagon says The Pentagon has not seen indications that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to use nuclear weapons as his forces falter in Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday. Austin made his remarks in a briefing to reporters in Brussels, where NATO allies met to discuss supplying military aid to Ukraine. “Nuclear saber rattling is reckless and irresponsible,” Austin said. “We don’t expect to see and hear that kind of behavior from a major nuclear power. And so that’s very dangerous.” Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Ukraine’s top needs for the war include air defense systems, cannon artillery, rocket artillery, tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. Milley blasted the recent Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, calling the “indiscriminate and deliberate attacks” a “war crime.” — Tom Vanden Brook Ukraine receives artillery, air defense systems from US, Germany The U.S. and its allies are taking quick steps to respond to Ukraine’s request for air defense systems that may prevent major damage from missile strikes such as the ones Russia launched Monday and Tuesday.  Ukraine received its first IRIS-T air defense system from Germany and four more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the U.S., Ukraine Foreign Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Wednesday. The deliveries were expedited after this week’s Russian barrage across much of Ukraine, a retaliatory attack for a truck bomb that damaged a crucial, Russian-built bridge in Crimea on Saturday. “The more audacious and cruel Russian terror becomes, the more obvious it is to the world that helping Ukraine to protect the sky is one of the most important humanitarian tasks for Europe of our time,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The U.S. also announced plans to send Ukraine eight National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); two are expected to be delivered soon. In addition, the Netherlands said it would deliver $14.5 million worth of air defense missiles, and France said it would also contribute to Ukraine’s air defense. “A new era of air defense has begun,” Reznikov tweeted. “There is a moral imperative to protect the sky over in order to save our people.” Shelling again causes dangerous blackout at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant For the second time in five days, Europe’s second-largest nuclear power plant was knocked off the grid by shelling, once again risking a radiation emergency. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost its electric supply Wednesday when a Russian missile damaged a substation north of it, the facility’s operator said. Even though the plant’s six reactors are inactive, they need to be cooled for long stretches to prevent overheating.  Energoatom said the external power source was repaired after about eight hours and that the plant’s emergency diesel generators — which rely on uncertain fuel deliveries in the war zone — provided backup power in the meantime, but pointed out a similarly hazardous interruption could happen at any time. Experts have raised alarm about the danger of continued fighting near the plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early in the war but is operated by Ukrainian employees. Repeated power outages over brief stretches only increase the risks, analysts say. The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly called for the establishment of a protection zone around the facility — IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi made his case to Putin directly Tuesday — but so far hostilities in the plant’s periphery have not ceased. Biden: No progress in effort to free Brittney Griner from Russian prison U.S. officials have made no progress toward freeing WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner from a Moscow prison, President Joe Biden said Wednesday. Asked by reporters if there was any movement in the Griner case, Biden replied, “Not with Putin.”  In an interview Tuesday with CNN, Biden said he had “no intention” of meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit next month in Indonesia – but that he would consider a conversation if Putin said he wanted to talk about Griner. Griner, who plays basketball in Russia during the WNBA offseason, was arrested at Sheremetyevo Airport outside Moscow in February on drug charges. Griner admitted having vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage, but testified she had inadvertently packed them and had no criminal intent. She was sentenced to nine years in prison; her appeal hearing is set for Oct. 25. – Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY Putin blames US for pipeline blasts, says Russia ready to resume gas flow Putin said Wednesday that Russia is ready to restart the flow of gas to Europe over the single remaining link of the Nord Stream gas pipelines – and again blamed the U.S. for blasts that crippled the system. German government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann rejected the proposal, saying Russia has been an unreliable gas supplier since the war began.  European authorities are investigating the explosions that ripped through both links of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and one of the two links of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. U.S. officials have dismissed Putin’s claim that the U.S. wanted...

Jim Cramer Says To Avoid Stocks In The ‘house Of Pain’ Nasdaq 100 Index https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jim-cramer-says-to-avoid-stocks-in-the-house-of-pain-nasdaq-100-index/ CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Wednesday warned investors to avoid the stocks in the Nasdaq 100 and highlighted the worst-performing stocks during the third quarter. “These seven biggest losers from the third quarter are simply representative of the House of Pain the index has become. By the way, if you’re living in a house of pain, you should move,” he said. Cramer acknowledged that there are a few stocks in the index that he believes are still great, but maintained that the index is ultimately filled with “woe and hurt.” Here are his quick takes on the index’s biggest losers: 1. Okta Cramer said that the current environment is “brutal” for the company, and he doesn’t believe that’ll change anytime soon. 2. Charter Communications He said on Tuesday that while the company is profitable, its lack of growth means that its stock is going nowhere. 3. Zoom Cramer said that the company’s earnings momentum is too low and the company’s market capitalization is too high. “You don’t pay $22 billion for a one-trick pony,” he said. 4. Match “Those guys suffer from an inability to forecast, a problem that seems to afflict the whole dating industry,” he said. 5. Intel The company is likely struggling with the slowing personal computer market, he said. 6. Comcast Cable companies are struggling because the market wants no part in it, Cramer said. 7. Adobe Cramer said that while he believes Adobe’s a “fantastic” company, the bears have no patience for software firms with slowing growth rates. Disclosure: CNBC is owned by Comcast’s NBCUniversal.  Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing Click here to download Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing at no cost to help you build long-term wealth and invest smarter. Read More Here

Trump Employee Tells FBI That Trump Directed Boxes To Be Moved At Mar-A-Lago After Subpoena Served – ABC17NEWS https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-employee-tells-fbi-that-trump-directed-boxes-to-be-moved-at-mar-a-lago-after-subpoena-served-abc17news/ By Pamela Brown, CNN A Trump employee has told the FBI about being directed by the former President to move boxes out of a basement storage room to his residence at Mar-a-Lago after Donald Trump’s legal team received a subpoena for any classified documents at the Florida estate, according to a source familiar with the witness description. This is a breaking news story and will be updated. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABC 17 News is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Read More Here

House Jan. 6 Panel Plans A Sweeping Summation Of Its Case Against Trump https://digitalarkansasnews.com/house-jan-6-panel-plans-a-sweeping-summation-of-its-case-against-trump/ In what may be its final public hearing, the committee intends to present new evidence about the former president’s state of mind and central role in the plan to overturn the 2020 election. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. President Donald J. Trump speaking at a rally near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, just before the Capitol riot.Credit…Pete Marovich for The New York Times Oct. 12, 2022, 6:58 p.m. ET WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack is planning on Thursday to present a sweeping summation of its case against former President Donald J. Trump at what could be its final public hearing, seeking to reveal damning new evidence about Mr. Trump’s state of mind and his central role in the effort to overturn the 2020 election. Armed with new witness interviews and unreleased footage of the violence of Jan. 6, 2021, the panel is planning to argue that Mr. Trump’s lies about widespread voter fraud inspired far-right extremists and election deniers who present a continuing threat to American democracy. Unlike previous hearings, which focused on specific aspects of Mr. Trump’s attempts to overturn the election, members will attempt to portray the entire arc of the plan, demonstrating Mr. Trump’s involvement in every step — even before Election Day. The hearing comes at a pivotal moment, weeks before midterm elections in which control of Congress is at stake and as time is running out for the panel to complete its work, including an extensive report on its findings. Should Republicans succeed in their drive to win the House majority, they would be all but certain to disband the committee in January and shut down any official accounting by Congress for the largest attack on the Capitol in centuries. To bolster its case, the committee has obtained more than 1.5 million pages of documents and communications from the Secret Service that include details of how agents blocked Mr. Trump’s attempts to join his supporters at the Capitol even after they had begun the assault. The communications lay out how Secret Service personnel attempted to find a route to take Mr. Trump to the Capitol in a presidential S.U.V., and how those plans were ultimately rebuffed amid the chaos. Secret Service staff initially attempted to accommodate Mr. Trump’s wishes, but supervisors at the agency expressed alarm, and District of Columbia police declined to block off intersections for his motorcade as a mob of his supporters began attacking and injuring dozens of police officers, according to the communications, which were described by two people familiar with their contents. Robert Engel, Mr. Trump’s lead agent, broke the news to Mr. Trump inside the vehicle, prompting an angry outburst. Afterward, a Secret Service supervisor followed up to ensure Mr. Trump would not be joining the mob at the Capitol, the communications show. The panel is attempting to refocus the country’s attention on Mr. Trump’s central role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election, including how he encouraged his supporters to congregate in Washington; agitated them and directed them to the Capitol even though he knew they were armed and threatening violence; and then did nothing to stop the violence for hours. The Washington Post reported earlier that the committee planned to use the Secret Service communications at its hearing. NBC News reported earlier that the communications obtained from the Secret Service surpassed 1 million in volume. Among the documents turned over to the committee were emails, Microsoft Teams chat transcripts, planning documents, tapes of radio transmissions and surveillance video of the events at the Ellipse near the White House that preceded the rally where Mr. Trump spoke that day. The materials show documentation that some in the crowd had tactical gear. The agency turned over the documents in response to a committee subpoena, which was issued after the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of the Secret Service, told lawmakers that agents’ texts from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021, had been erased as part of a device replacement program. Those texts have not been recovered. The documents also corroborate parts of the testimony of Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide, who told the panel in June how Mr. Trump had become enraged when his security detail refused to take him to the Capitol. Image The chairman of the House Jan. 6 panel has pledged to reveal “significant information that we’ve not shown to the public” in Thursday’s hearing, which may be its last.Credit…Kenny Holston for The New York Times The hearing is expected to be the panel’s first without live testimony from witnesses. But Representative Bennie Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi and chairman of the committee, has pledged to reveal “significant information that we’ve not shown to the public.” The hearing is planned for 2.5 hours with a 10-minute break. Each member of the committee will have a chance to speak. The committee is expected to use some evidence from a Danish film crew that trailed the political operative Roger J. Stone Jr., a longtime ally of Mr. Trump, for a documentary titled “A Storm Foretold.” The filmmakers said they plan to attend the hearing at the Capitol. Included in the evidence are text messages that show that Mr. Stone sought a pardon in connection with the events of Jan. 6 and maintained close relationships with the leaders of two far-right extremist groups, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. The footage also shows Mr. Stone using bellicose language, endorsing violence and laying out plans to create and exploit uncertainty about the election results to help Mr. Trump cling to power. The panel also could use some of the testimony of Virginia Thomas, the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas and a conservative activist who pushed to overturn the 2020 election. Her interview was not recorded on video under an arrangement reached with her lawyer. Committee investigators also held closed-door interviews with senior Trump administration officials throughout the summer in an effort to uncover more about the period between Jan. 6 and Jan. 20, 2021, when President Biden was sworn in, including talks about invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Mr. Trump from office. The committee also has been investigating statements by key allies of Mr. Trump asserting that the president planned to declare he won the election even if the votes proved he had lost. The session will come as the committee, with only months remaining in its work, still faces many significant unresolved issues, including whether to issue subpoenas to Mr. Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence, a possibility that appears increasingly unlikely with each passing day. Members must weigh whether to enforce subpoenas issued to Republican members of Congress who have refused to cooperate with their inquiry, when to turn the investigative files over to the Justice Department and whether to make criminal referrals to the department. The committee has tasked a subcommittee of its four lawyers — Representative Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming; Representative Zoe Lofgren, Democrat of California; Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California; and Representative Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland — to study the issue of criminal referrals. The panel also must reach a consensus on what legislative recommendations to make. And perhaps most daunting, its staff must still deliver its comprehensive written report, which panel members had hoped to complete and release before next month’s midterm elections, but whose publication date has slipped. Thursday’s hearing, which Mr. Thompson had previously said would be the panel’s last barring unforeseen revelations, was postponed abruptly last month as Hurricane Ian bore down on Florida. Read More Here

Secret Service Reached Out To Oath Keepers Before Jan. 6 Riot https://digitalarkansasnews.com/secret-service-reached-out-to-oath-keepers-before-jan-6-riot/ The founder of the Oath Keepers and other leaders of the self-styled militia movement were in contact with Secret Service officials multiple times in late 2020 and leading up to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to an agency official and court testimony in Stewart Rhodes’s ongoing seditious conspiracy trial. A former member of the Oath Keepers testified last week that the group’s founder Stewart Rhodes claimed to be in touch with someone in the Secret Service in the months before the riot. A Secret Service official confirmed that members of the agency’s protective intelligence division reached out to the Oath Keepers in advance of protests in D.C. in November and December as well as the Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally. Agents regularly engage in such advance contact with protest groups expected to attend public presidential events, the official said. The goal is to explain what items are prohibited and learn more about the protesters’ numbers and plans to assess the risk to protected officials. Rhodes and four associates are now in the midst of a trial expected to last at least a month, in which they face the most serious charges of the criminal investigation into the Capitol riot. Jurors have heard evidence that prosecutors say shows the Oath Keepers wanted to keep Donald Trump in power by force, trial testimony that comes just as the House committee investigating Jan. 6 prepared for what is expected to be its final public hearing Thursday. The House committee is expected to highlight Secret Service records indicating Trump received multiple warnings on Jan. 6 about rising danger at the Capitol yet continued to insist on traveling there himself, according to people briefed on the records, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal records. The full extent of what intelligence the Secret Service received from the Oath Keepers is unclear. John Zimmerman, a former Oath Keeper from North Carolina, testified that he believed Rhodes talked to a Secret Service agent in September 2020 about what weapons they could be carrying while “working” a Trump rally in Fayetteville, N.C. In response to that testimony, a Secret Service spokesman said that “it is not uncommon for various organizations to contact the agency concerning security restrictions and activities that are permissible in proximity to our protected sites.” Veteran D.C. protesters say they rarely deal with the Secret Service compared with other agencies. “Out of all of the demonstrations I ever planned in D.C. over the past 15 years, the one agency I’ve had the least amount of interaction with is the Secret Service,” said Robby Diesu, who has organized protests for various progressive causes. But most D.C. protests don’t involve organized armed groups known for advocating violent resistance to government authority. A D.C. police lieutenant was put on leave for his contacts with longtime Proud Boys chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, who is set to go on trial in December on charges similar to those faced by the Oath Keepers. The same lieutenant also reached out to a man he believed led a white-supremacist group. Experts said it makes sense for law enforcement personnel to seek information from extremist groups but that interactions must be handled with care to avoid misinterpretation. Rhodes and other Oath Keepers have argued that they were regularly in touch with law enforcement and left their firearms outside D.C. because they had no intention of breaking the law on Jan. 6. In multiple encrypted chat conversations before the riot, Rhodes expresses hope that Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act, which he argued would “nullify” D.C. gun laws and all other restrictions on violent behavior. “I have to try to get Trump the message on the necessity of him waging war on the enemy NOW while still President and Commander in Chief,” he wrote to one group of Oath Keepers on Dec. 14, 2020. He said he had stayed in D.C. to press the president, had “passed that message on through one contact” was “working on others.” Rhodes was in contact with Roger Stone, a close confidant of the former president who was guarded by Oath Keepers on the morning of Jan. 6. Stone denies any involvement in the riot; he is also expected to be a focus of Thursday’s House committee hearing. Trump never called on private militias to act as his defense force, and prosecutors argue that the law would not have allowed it. They note that Rhodes repeatedly said that the group would fight Joe Biden with or without Trump’s approval. “He needs to know that if he doesn’t do it, we will,” Rhodes said of Trump in a Dec. 29, 2020, message read in court. “And if we have to do it ourselves, without him as Commander in Chief, it will be exponentially harder, and many more of us will die.” When members of the Oath Keepers went into a VIP section at Trump’s speech on Jan. 6, the Secret Service required them to go leave tactical gear outside and go through metal detectors, another former member of the group testified Wednesday. Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson told the House committee earlier this year that Trump wanted the metal detectors removed despite being told members of the crowd were armed. “They’re not here to hurt me,” Hutchinson recalled him saying. Spencer S. Hsu, Tom Jackman and Ellie Silverman contributed to this report. Read More Here

Trump Worker Told FBI About Moving Mar-A-Lago Boxes On Ex-President’s Orders https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-worker-told-fbi-about-moving-mar-a-lago-boxes-on-ex-presidents-orders-2/ A Trump employee has told federal agents about moving boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago at the specific direction of the former president, according to people familiar with the investigation, who say the witness account — combined with security-camera footage — offers key evidence of Donald Trump’s behavior as investigators sought the return of classified material. The witness description and footage described to The Washington Post offer the most direct account to date of Trump’s actions and instructions leading up to the FBI’s Aug. 8 search of the Florida residence and private club, in which agents were looking for evidence of potential crimes including obstruction, destruction of government records or mishandling classified information. The people familiar with the investigation said agents have gathered witness accounts indicating that, after Trump advisers received a subpoena in May for any classified documents that remained at Mar-a-Lago, Trump told people to move boxes to his residence at the property. That description of events was corroborated by the security-camera footage, which showed people moving the boxes, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Spokespeople for the Justice Department and FBI declined to comment. Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich declined to answer detailed questions for this article. “The Biden administration has weaponized law enforcement and fabricated a Document Hoax in a desperate attempt to retain political power,” Budowich said in a statement. “Every other President has been given time and deference regarding the administration of documents, as the President has the ultimate authority to categorize records, and what materials should be classified.” The warrant authorizing the search of former president Donald Trump’s home said agents were seeking documents possessed in violation of the Espionage Act. (Video: Adriana Usero/The Washington Post) Budowich accused the Justice Department of a “continued effort to leak misleading and false information to partisan allies in the Fake News,” and said that to do so “is nothing more than dangerous political interference and unequal justice. Simply put, it’s un-American.” The employee who was working at Mar-a-Lago is cooperating with the Justice Department and has been interviewed multiple times by federal agents, according to the people familiar with the situation, who declined to identify the worker. In the first interview, these people said, the witness denied handling sensitive documents or the boxes that might contain such documents. As they gathered evidence, agents decided to re-interview the witness, and the witness’s story changed dramatically, these people said. In the second interview, the witness described moving boxes at Trump’s request. The witness is now considered a key part of the Mar-a-Lago investigation, these people said, offering details about the former president’s alleged actions and instructions to subordinates that could have been an attempt to thwart federal officials’ demands for the return of classified and government documents. Multiple witnesses have told the FBI they tried to talk Trump into cooperating with the National Archives and Records Administration and the Justice Department as those agencies for months sought the return of sensitive or historical government records, people familiar with the situation said. But entreaties from advisers and lawyers who pushed for Trump to hand the documents back fell on deaf ears with Trump, these people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Trump grew angry this spring after a House Oversight Committee investigation was launched, telling aides they’d “screwed up” the situation, according to people who heard his comments. “They’re my documents,” Trump said, according to an aide who spoke to him. The details shared with The Post reveal two key parts of the criminal probe that until now had been shrouded in secrecy: an account from a witness who worked for and took directions from Trump, and the way that security footage from Mar-a-Lago has played an important role in buttressing witness accounts. Together, those pieces of evidence helped convince the FBI and Justice Department to seek the court-authorized search of Trump’s residence, office and a storage room at Mar-a-Lago, which resulted in the seizure of 103 documents that were marked classified and had not been turned over to the government in response to the May subpoena. Some of the documents detail top-secret U.S. operations so closely guarded that many senior national security officials are kept in the dark about them. The Aug. 8 search also yielded about 11,000 documents not marked classified. The failure or possible refusal to return the classified documents in response to the subpoena is at the heart of the Justice Department’s Mar-a-Lago investigation, which is one of several high-profile, ongoing probes involving Trump. The former president remains the most influential figure in the Republican Party and talks openly about running for the White House again in 2024. Within Trump’s orbit, there have been months of dueling accusations and theories about who may be cooperating with the federal government. Some of the former president’s closest aides have continued to work with Trump even as they have seen FBI agents show up at their houses to question them and serve subpoenas. Within the Justice Department and FBI, the witness’s account has been a closely held secret as agents continue to gather evidence in the high-stakes investigation. In addition to wanting to keep the information they have gathered so far under wraps, people familiar with the situation said, authorities are also concerned that if or when the witness’s identity eventually becomes public, that person could face harassment or threats from Trump supporters. In a filing to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Justice Department lawyers appeared to allude to witness accounts and the video footage when they wrote: “The FBI uncovered evidence that the response to the grand jury subpoena was incomplete, that additional classified documents likely remained at Mar-a-Lago, and that efforts had likely been taken to obstruct the investigation.” Since the Aug. 8 search, Trump has offered a number of public defenses of why documents with classified markings remained at Mar-a-Lago — saying he declassified the secret documents, suggesting that the FBI planted evidence during the search, and suggesting that as a former president he may have had a right to keep classified documents. National security law experts have overwhelmingly dismissed such claims, saying they range from far-fetched to nonsensical. Officials at the National Archives began seeking the return of documents last year, after they came to believe that some presidential records from the Trump administration — such as letters from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — were unaccounted for, and perhaps in Trump’s possession. After months of back-and-forth, Trump agreed in January to turn over 15 boxes of material. When archivists examined the material, they found 184 documents marked classified, including 25 marked top secret, which were scattered throughout the boxes in no particular order, according to court filings. That discovery suggested to authorities that Trump had not turned over all the classified documents in his possession. In May, a grand jury subpoena demanded the return of classified documents with a wide variety of markings, including a category used for secrets about nuclear weapons. In response to that subpoena, Trump’s advisers met with government agents and prosecutors at Mar-a-Lago in early June, handing over a sealed envelope containing another 38 classified documents, including 17 marked top secret, according to court papers. According to government filings, Trump’s representatives claimed at the meeting that a diligent search had been conducted for all classified documents at the club. That meeting, which included a visit to the storage room where Trump’s advisers said the relevant boxes of documents were kept, did not satisfy investigators, who were not allowed to inspect the boxes they saw in the storage room, according to government court filings. Five days later, senior Justice Department official Jay Bratt wrote to Trump’s lawyers to remind them that Mar-a-Lago “does not include a secure location authorized for the storage of classified information.” Bratt wrote that it appears classified documents “have not been handled in an appropriate manner or stored in an appropriate location.” “Accordingly, we ask that the room at Mar-a-Lago where the documents had been stored be secured and that all of the boxes that were moved from the White House to Mar-a-Lago (along with any other items in that room) be preserved in that room in their current condition until further notice.” Agents continued to gather evidence that Trump was apparently not complying with either government requests or subpoena demands. After significant deliberation, aware that it would be highly unusual for federal agents to search a former president’s home, they decided to seek a judge’s approval to do so. That Aug. 8 search turned up, in a matter of hours, 103 documents marked classified, including 18 marked top secret, according to court papers. The stash included at least one document that described a foreign country’s military defenses, including its nuclear capabilities. Read More Here

Scotty Thurman's Take On Dallas Thomas, Arkansas' Debatable No. 1 Recruit In C/O 2024 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/scotty-thurmans-take-on-dallas-thomas-arkansas-debatable-no-1-recruit-in-c-o-2024/ photo credit: Nick Wenger Fresh off back-to-back Elite Eight appearances and signing the No. 2 class in the country, Arkansas basketball is showing no signs of slowing down. Head coach Eric Musselman and the Razorbacks have already been on the recruiting trail looking for future recruits, hunting down some of the top prospects from the 2023 and 2024 classes. Layden Blocker – a five-star point guard out of Little Rock – is Musselman’s lone commitment in the 2023 class so far, though Arkansas hosted a pair of ESPN 100 teammates from Denver in five-star, center Baye Fall (No. 20 on ESPN) and four-star forward Assane Diop (No. 57) during the weekend of the Alabama football game. However, the bread and butter of Musselman’s recruiting remains in-state. That’s where Little Rock native Dallas Thomas comes in. A 6-foot-8 forward at Little Rock Parkview, he is currently ranked as the No. 33 player in the 2024 class, according to ESPN, and has already been in constant contact with the Arkansas coaching staff. In fact, he told Whole Hog Sports earlier this year that Musselman and assistants Gus Argenal and Ronnie Brewer Jr. contact him “basically every day.” Dallas Thomas Recruitment Along with being ranked No. 33 on ESPN, Dallas Thomas holds top-100 rankings on both 247Sports (No. 57) and Rivals (No. 67). That makes him the No. 1 player in the state for the junior class in ESPN (11 spots ahead of Annor Boateng), just a three spots behind Boateng in 247Sports and 54 spots behind Boateng in Rivals (if these disparities don’t prove recruiting rankings are an inexact science, nothing will). Thomas’ current high school coach at Little Rock Parkview is all-time Razorback great Scotty Thurman. He told us in a recent interview that his star forward isn’t one to market himself. “He’s more focused on the team, representing his family well, and I think he really thinks of himself last,” Thurman said. Perhaps that humble, low-key mentality has somewhat skewed the opinions of national ranking sites. Regardless, the scholarship offers are already pouring in for the 2024 standout. Thomas currently holds offers from Arkansas, Houston, Illinois, Texas A&M, Auburn, TCU, St. John’s, Oklahoma State and Missouri State. St. Johns stands out as a potential destination due to Mike Anderson’s ties to Arkansas and Thurman. Missouri State will also likely remain in heavy contention considering that’s where Thomas’ father went to school. Thurman pointed out that even more offers could be on the way as schools realize that Thomas’ decision has not yet been made. “I think there were a lot of assumptions made in his recruitment due to the fact that his high school coach attended the University of Arkansas, and him being an Arkansas kid,” Thurman said. “I think there was a certain level of expectations from coaches that have been hesitant because some thought that he would automatically attend the University of Arkansas – which is definitely an option for him, but it’s not the only option.” High Off-Court Praise from Arkansas Legend Dallas Thomas is an unselfish, lanky forward who is quickly developing into one of the most complete players in his class. However, it’s his off-court mentality and growth that makes Thomas stand out, Thurman said. He notes that Thomas is “an old soul” in the sense he doesn’t get easily immersed in social media as many other teenagers do. He went on to add that Thomas is the type of kid that college coaches don’t have to worry about him for off-the-court reasons either. It’s an added bonus that he holds a 3.5 GPA. “This kid is zero to no maintenance in terms of being concerned about where he’s going to be at night, how he’s going to handle the academic stress level and course load, and knowing he’s going to be all in – he’s a gym rat,” Thurman said. “That’s what coaches want, and ultimately that’s what coaches win with.” Thurman says that he gets compliments nearly every day on the behavior and mentality of Thomas, and that his star junior is always self-aware of what he needs to do to get better as a basketball player and as a person – such as continuing to put academics before athletics. “That’s what I appreciate about him the most,” Thurman said. “That allows me to get after him from a coaching standpoint as well as challenge him from a personal standpoint and help him realize his goals.” Dallas Thomas Breakdown Standing at roughly 6-foot-8, 175 pounds, Dallas Thomas projects as a 3-and-D wing – a player who specializes as a versatile defender and fills holes as needed on the offensive end, usually by spacing the floor with their length and shooting. Thomas uses his height to his advantage when shooting, defending or occasionally initiating an offensive set. When asked about Thomas’ biggest strength on the court, Thurman pointed to his size, or specially “what he can do at his size and skill level, being able to shoot the ball at a high level and make passes and do the things that a small guard can do.” Thomas can score from all three levels and his ball-handling is more than serviceable for his size. He’s a high-IQ passer that likes to get his teammates involved and a capable defender when he’s fully locked in. As a sophomore, Thomas averaged 2.3 assists per game. When the Little Rock native first joined the Parkview basketball team as a freshman, he was a 6-foot-4 shooting guard. Thomas has since grown four inches to 6-foot-8 over the last two years, and as you can see in the highlight film below he’s managed to maintain a majority of his guard skills as he transitions to playing a different position on the court. Naturally, this level of growth spurt brings challenges along with the benefits. Physically, Thomas’ weight and muscle mass are still catching up to his new frame — his nickname is “Slim” for good reason — but having extra height and longer arms also changes the way a player dribbles, shoots and defends. His shooting seems to be transitioning nicely – as a sophomore he shot 47.6% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc – but Thurman notes that Thomas tends to stand upright at times when defending smaller guards, sometimes putting himself at a disadvantage. Thurman also said they’re working on Thomas’ weight and confidence in his own strength, getting him to where he can “go in head-first and not be concerned with his stature more than trusting he has the necessary strength to be effective.” As Thomas gets used to his new size and continues to add muscle, he can become an efficient 3-and-D weapon at either the small forward or power forward position at the collegiate level. Thurman added he and his coaching staff are also working to help the young prospect decide when to be more selfish with the ball. As a sophomore, Thomas averaged 14.6 points per game — a number that is likely to go up in his junior-year campaign. “He can be unselfish to a fault trying to get others involved in the game,” Thurman said. “Right now, we’re trying to help him find the balance to where he can be selfish when we need him to be, but not selfish to the point where it hurts the team.” Still, this is a good problem to have as a coach. Not many players are so capable of becoming scoring weapons yet need to be coaxed to pass less often. Leave the State Like Moses Moody? Thomas projects as more of an elite 3-and-D wing player at the next level rather than being a go-to, No. 1 scoring option offensively. Even as he puts on muscle mass, his guard skills will allow him to take advantage of smaller defenders playing at the 3, especially as more teams turn toward small-ball lineups consisting of three guards. Perhaps the best example of a lanky, 3-and-D wing in today’s NBA is Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns. Standing at 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, Bridges averaged 14 points on 40% shooting from beyond the arc with more than one steal per game across the last two seasons. He’s the perfect complementary piece to a Suns offense that made it to the NBA Finals in 2021. Another more familiar player that is rapidly learning how to be an elite 3-and-D wing at the professional level is Little Rock native Moses Moody. At roughly 6-foot-6, Moody doesn’t share the same wiry frame as Thomas, but he does have a long wingspan that allows him to defend bigger players and shoot the ball over small defenders. Moody also briefly attended Little Rock Parkview, where he helped his team reach the state championship game as a freshman, before transferring to North Little Rock, where he won the Class 7A state title as a sophomore. He played his junior and senior seasons at Montverde Academy in Florida. Thurman doesn’t believe Thomas will take a similar path through a prep school on his way to the collegiate level. “If I was a betting man, right now, as long as we continue to help him develop as he’s been able to develop and continue to assist him in reaching his goals both on and off the court, I would think he’s still going to be a Parkview Patriot,” Thurman said. Thurman was also quick to point out that “things can always change,” but both of Thomas’ parents attended Little Rock Parkview and the family appears to be all-in on Thomas staying put. Arkansas Basketball Player Comparison After a disclaimer that he doesn’t typically like to compare high school players to collegiate-level players, Thurman threw out a pair of legendary Razorbacks when asked who Thomas’ game reminded him of most: himself and Todd Day. Both of those former Razorbacks stand at roughly 6-foot-6 and displayed a high level of versatility during their collegiate careers. Both are known for their scoring prowess – Thurman primarily for his cool-headed outside shooting and Day for filling the bucket as the No. 1 all-time scoring leader at Arkansas – bu...

Jim Cramer Says These 14 Stocks Are ‘about To Pop’ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jim-cramer-says-these-14-stocks-are-about-to-pop/ CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Wednesday offered investors a list of stocks that he believes could bounce soon. “The S&P [500]’s down almost 25% for the year, and we’ve gone eleven months since the bear market began. The average bear market only lasts for about 13 months. So maybe we have an expiration date coming up and soon, some of these are going to pop,” he said. To come up with the companies, he reviewed the S&P 500’s new 52-week low list. Here are his picks: KeyCorp Bank of America JPMorgan Chase Accenture ServiceNow Domino’s Pizza Yum! Brands Generac Stanley Black & Decker S&P Global American Tower Crown Castle SBA Communications Mid-America Apartment Communities Markets have declined considerably this year due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, soaring inflation, the Fed’s rate hikes and recession worries. Cramer said that despite the market’s downturn, PepsiCo‘s revenue and earnings beat for its latest quarter reported Wednesday proves that beaten-down stocks of exceptional companies can bounce.  Shares of PepsiCo gained 4% on Wednesday. “I’m just trying to give you a more constructive perspective based on the prism of PepsiCo, a pathetic also-ran that suddenly turned into a big winner, and I think PepsiCo, by the way, is just getting started,” he said. Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing Click here to download Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing at no cost to help you build long-term wealth and invest smarter. Read More Here

Ukraine War: UN General Assembly Condemns Russia Annexation https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ukraine-war-un-general-assembly-condemns-russia-annexation/ Image source, EPA Image caption, A screen at the UN in New York shows how some nations voted with green, red and yellow markers The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to condemn Russia’s attempts to annex four regions of Ukraine. The resolution was supported by 143 countries, while 35 states – including China and India – abstained. As well as Russia, four countries rejected the vote, namely Belarus, North Korea, Syria and Nicaragua. Although symbolic, it was the highest number of votes against Russia since the invasion. Last week, in a grand ceremony in the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin signed documents to make the eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson part of Russia. The agreements were signed with the Moscow-installed leaders of the four regions, and came after self-proclaimed referendums in the areas that were denounced as a “sham” by the West. The resolution calls on the international community not to recognise any of Russia’s annexation claim and demands its “immediate reversal”. It welcomes and “expresses its strong support” for efforts to de-escalate the conflict through negotiation. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was grateful to the countries that supported it. “The world had its say – [Russia’s] attempts at annexation is worthless and will never be recognised by free nations,” he tweeted, adding that Ukraine would “return all its lands”. Dame Barbara Woodward, Britain’s ambassador to the UN, said Russia had failed on the battlefield and at the UN, adding that countries had united to defend the world body’s charter. “Russia has isolated itself, but Russia alone can stop the suffering. The time to end the war is now,” she said. The General Assembly vote was triggered after Russia used its veto power to prevent action at the Security Council – the body in charge of maintaining international peace and security. As permanent members, China, the United States, France and the United Kingdom also hold vetoes on the council. There have been calls for Russia to be stripped of its veto power after the Ukraine invasion. Read More Here

Trump Worker Told FBI About Moving Mar-A-Lago Boxes On Ex-President’s Orders https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-worker-told-fbi-about-moving-mar-a-lago-boxes-on-ex-presidents-orders/ A Trump employee has told federal agents about moving boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago at the specific direction of the former president, according to people familiar with the investigation, who say the witness account — combined with security-camera footage — offers key evidence of Donald Trump’s behavior as investigators sought the return of classified material. The witness description and footage described to The Washington Post offer the most direct account to date of Trump’s actions and instructions leading up to the FBI’s Aug. 8 search of the Florida residence and private club, in which agents were looking for evidence of potential crimes including obstruction, destruction of government records or mishandling classified information. The people familiar with the investigation said agents have gathered witness accounts indicating that, after Trump advisers received a subpoena in May for any classified documents that remained at Mar-a-Lago, Trump told people to move boxes to his residence at the property. That description of events was corroborated by the security-camera footage, which showed people moving the boxes, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Spokespeople for the Justice Department and FBI declined to comment. Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich declined to answer detailed questions for this article. “The Biden administration has weaponized law enforcement and fabricated a Document Hoax in a desperate attempt to retain political power,” Budowich said in a statement. “Every other President has been given time and deference regarding the administration of documents, as the President has the ultimate authority to categorize records, and what materials should be classified.” Budowich accused the Justice Department of a “continued effort to leak misleading and false information to partisan allies in the Fake News,” and said that to do so “is nothing more than dangerous political interference and unequal justice. Simply put, it’s un-American.” The employee who was working at Mar-a-Lago is cooperating with the Justice Department and has been interviewed multiple times by federal agents, according to the people familiar with the situation, who declined to identify the worker. In the first interview, these people said, the witness denied handling sensitive documents or the boxes that might contain such documents. As they gathered evidence, agents decided to re-interview the witness, and the witness’s story changed dramatically, these people said. In the second interview, the witness described moving boxes at Trump’s request. The witness is now considered a key part of the Mar-a-Lago investigation, these people said, offering details about the former president’s alleged actions and instructions to subordinates that could have been an attempt to thwart federal officials’ demands for the return of classified and government documents. Multiple witnesses have told the FBI they tried to talk Trump into cooperating with the National Archives and Records Administration and the Justice Department as those agencies for months sought the return of sensitive or historical government records, people familiar with the situation said. But entreaties from advisers and lawyers who pushed or Trump to hand the documents back fell on deaf ears with Trump, these people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Trump grew even angrier this spring after a House Oversight Committee investigation was launched, telling aides they’d “screwed up” the situation, according to people who heard his comments. “They’re my documents,” Trump said, according to an aide who spoke to him. The details shared with The Post reveal two key parts of the criminal probe that until now had been shrouded in secrecy: an account from a witness who worked for and took directions from Trump, and the way that security footage from Mar-a-Lago has played an important role in buttressing witness accounts. Together, those pieces of evidence helped convince the FBI and Justice Department to seek the court-authorized search of Trump’s residence, office and a storage room at Mar-a-Lago, which resulted in the seizure of 103 documents that were marked classified and had not been turned over to the government in response to the May subpoena. Some of the documents detail top-secret U.S. operations so closely guarded that many senior national security officials are kept in the dark about them. The Aug. 8 search also yielded about 11,000 documents not marked classified. The failure or possible refusal to return the classified documents in response to the subpoena is at the heart of the Justice Department’s Mar-a-Lago investigation, which is one of several high-profile, ongoing probes involving Trump. The former president remains the most influential figure in the Republican Party and talks openly about running for the White House again in 2024. Within Trump’s orbit, there have been months of dueling accusations and theories about who may be cooperating with the federal government. Some of the former president’s closest aides have continued to work with Trump even as they have seen FBI agents show up at their houses to question them and serve subpoenas. Within the Justice Department and FBI, the witness’s account has been a closely held secret as agents continue to gather evidence in the high-stakes investigation. In addition to wanting to keep the information they have gathered so far under wraps, people familiar with the situation said, authorities are also concerned that if or when the witness’s identity eventually becomes public, that person could face harassment or threats from Trump supporters. In a filing to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Justice Department lawyers appeared to allude to witness accounts and the video footage when they wrote: “The FBI uncovered evidence that the response to the grand jury subpoena was incomplete, that additional classified documents likely remained at Mar-a-Lago, and that efforts had likely been taken to obstruct the investigation.” Since the Aug. 8 search, Trump has offered a number of public defenses of why documents with classified markings remained at Mar-a-Lago — saying he declassified the secret documents, suggesting that the FBI planted evidence during the search, and suggesting that as a former president he may have had a right to keep classified documents. National security law experts have overwhelmingly dismissed such claims, saying they range from far-fetched to nonsensical. Officials at the National Archives began seeking the return of documents last year, after they came to believe that some presidential records from the Trump administration — such as letters from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — were unaccounted for, and perhaps in Trump’s possession. After months of back-and-forth, Trump agreed in January to turn over 15 boxes of material. When archivists examined the material, they found 184 documents marked classified, including 25 marked top secret, which were scattered throughout the boxes in no particular order, according to court filings. That discovery suggested to authorities that Trump had not turned over all the classified documents in his possession. In May, a grand jury subpoena demanded the return of classified documents with a wide variety of markings, including a category used for secrets about nuclear weapons. In response to that subpoena, Trump’s advisers met with government agents and prosecutors at Mar-a-Lago in early June, handing over a sealed envelope containing another 38 classified documents, including 17 marked top secret, according to court papers. According to government filings, Trump’s representatives claimed at the meeting that a diligent search had been conducted for all classified documents at the club. That meeting, which included a visit to the storage room where Trump’s advisers said the relevant boxes of documents were kept, did not satisfy investigators, who were not allowed to inspect the boxes they saw in the storage room, according to government court filings. Five days later, senior Justice Department official Jay Bratt wrote to Trump’s lawyers to remind them that Mar-a-Lago “does not include a secure location authorized for the storage of classified information.” Bratt wrote that it appears classified documents “have not been handled in an appropriate manner or stored in an appropriate location.” “Accordingly, we ask that the room at Mar-a-Lago where the documents had been stored be secured and that all of the boxes that were moved from the White House to Mar-a-Lago (along with any other items in that room) be preserved in that room in their current condition until further notice.” Agents continued to gather evidence that Trump was apparently not complying with either government requests or subpoena demands. After significant deliberation, aware that it would be highly unusual for federal agents to search a former president’s home, they decided to seek a judge’s approval to do so. That Aug. 8 search turned up, in a matter of hours, 103 documents marked classified, including 18 marked top secret, according to court papers. The stash included at least one document that described a foreign country’s military defenses, including its nuclear capabilities. Read More Here

Trump Supporter Who Graffitied His Own House With 'BLM,' 'Biden 2020' Pleads Guilty https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-supporter-who-graffitied-his-own-house-with-blm-biden-2020-pleads-guilty/ A Minnesota Trump supporter admitted on October 11 that he vandalized and started a fire at his own property in 2020, after claiming that he was targeted because he had a Trump flag. Denis Molla told authorities that his garage door was spray-painted with an antifa symbol and graffiti saying ‘Biden 2020’ and ‘BLM.’ After the incident, Molla received more than $78k from a GoFundMe campaign he launched and the fraudulent insurance claims he filed. However, the sum was still short of the $300k of insurance claims he initially submitted. Molla pleaded guilty to wire fraud and could face up to four years in prison. According to his attorney, he plans to return the money he received from his donors and has already paid back the insurance money. Must Watch In This Together: Teens Help At-Risk Individuals, Photo Series Celebrates Black Girls Read More Here

Jan. 6 Panel’s Likely Final Hearing To Focus On Trump’s ‘state Of Mind’ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jan-6-panels-likely-final-hearing-to-focus-on-trumps-state-of-mind/ The House committee investigating last year’s attack on the Capitol will assemble Thursday for what could be its final public hearing ahead of the midterms, promising to delve into former President Trump’s state of mind in a presentation designed to tie up a host of loose ends before the panel dissolves at the end of the year. Through eight hearings in June and July, the committee had aired damning evidence revealing the extent to which Trump and members of his inner circle had sought to leverage the powers of the presidency to keep him in office despite his election defeat — a campaign that crescendoed in the violent rampage at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But 16 months into the probe, investigators face the daunting task of crunching evidence gleaned from tens of thousands of documents and more than 1,000 witness interviews, packaging it into a concise closing argument and delivering it in the form of a compelling narrative capable of convincing voters that Trump and his supporters pose an ongoing threat to America’s democratic institutions. For more than two hours on Thursday, they will begin that process.  “We’re going to bring a particular focus on the former president’s state of mind and his involvement in these events as they unfolded,” a committee aide told reporters Wednesday.  “So what you’re going to see is a synthesis of some evidence we’ve already presented with that new, never-before-seen information to illustrate Donald Trump’s centrality from the time prior to the election,” the aide said. Such information could be key for Trump’s legal culpability, as many potential charges relating to the insurrection rely on demonstrating intent. As a separate matter, the committee still has to decide whether it will make criminal referrals based on its findings to the Justice Department, which is conducting its own wide-ranging investigation.  “We have not reached a conclusion on that at this point,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a member of the committee, told CNN on Friday.  In a departure from prior hearings where one or two members were primarily responsible for walking through evidence and witness questions, in Thursday’s hearing, each participant on the nine-member panel will have a role. The panel is also not planning to have any live witness testimony for the hearing. “In June and July, we zeroed in for the most part on a particular topic as we laid out a multistep plan to overturn the 2020 presidential election and block transfer of power,” the aide said. “Tomorrow what we’re going to be doing is taking a step back.”  The hearing comes after the panel rescheduled what was originally slated to be a late September event due to Hurricane Ian, delaying by two weeks their presentation and pushing it closer to the midterm elections.  The panel has pledged to offer up details on the evidence they collected throughout the summer, with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) saying the committee was struggling with how to present an “avalanche” of new information. Among the details the committee is expected to share Thursday are new information gleaned from documents turned over by the Secret Service as well as clips from a documentary crew that followed Trump confidant Roger Stone. The Secret Service turned over more than a million digital communications to the committee, far exceeding the information the panel requested. Emails obtained by The Washington Post that were given to the committee by the Secret Service show that the agency was concerned about the armed supporters who were resistant to going through security to enter the Ellipse for Trump’s speech, a detail first revealed during the committee’s hearing with witness Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide. The emails also reportedly show the extent the White House was warned of the deteriorating situation at the Capitol, including resistance to Trump’s desired plan to make the journey to Capitol Hill alongside his supporters. Other emails discuss Trump’s anger at being blocked from making the trip, though it is not clear whether the panel will be able to corroborate Hutchinson’s account – recounted to her in the presence of Trump’s lead security officer that day – that he lunged at his security detail on a drive from the Ellipse to the White House. Additional evidence collected over the summer includes footage obtained following an international journey by investigative staff, who traveled to Denmark in August to meet with a documentary film crew that spent three years following Stone. The crew was with Stone in Washington on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, capturing some of his phone conversations as he stayed at the Willard Hotel, which the Trump team used as its “war room” ahead of Congress’s vote to certify the election results. A March report from The Washington Post details how Stone was arranging pardons, and expressed resentment toward “lily-livered, weak-kneed” lawyers in the special counsel’s office for blocking some of them, including preemptive pardons. Additional footage from the documentary obtained by CNN shows Stone condoning violence and stressing the need to claim victory in the election.  “F— the voting, let’s get right to the violence,” he says in another clip shot the day before the election. Days earlier, Stone laid out his strategy. “I really do suspect it’ll still be up in the air. When that happens, the key thing to do is to claim victory,” he said. “Possession is nine-tenths of the law. ‘No, we won.’” That strategy was not limited to the fringes of the GOP, but adopted by Republicans up and down the ranks, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who went on Fox News two days after the election to claim that “Trump won this election.” According to CNN, the committee secured an agreement with the filmmakers, Christoffer Guldbrandsen and Frederik Marbell, to show some eight minutes of footage at the hearing. For his part Stone has disputed “the accuracy and the authenticity of these videos and believe they have been manipulated and selectively edited.” He also said the clips “do not prove I had anything to do with the events of Jan. 6.”  “That being said,” he added, “it clearly shows I advocated for lawful congressional and judicial options.” The Stone footage could bring the panel one step closer to addressing loose ends. The Trump ally used Oath Keepers as security guards, suggesting at least a tangential connection between the former president and the far-right militia group. “Different members have been focused on different loose ends that might need to be wrapped up and out so, again, speaking just for myself, I would hope that the hearing would allow us to make some overall synthetic judgments about what took place and why and the culpability of different key actors,” Raskin told reporters in September. “And I hope that we would be able to speak to the question of the ongoing threats that are still out there. … I think that that is something that we need to address before it’s all over.” The panel is not, however, expected to release any information from its sit-down interview with Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Lofgren said this week. Expectations are high for the panel that went on hiatus during August recess after generating significant momentum with their slate of eight hearings earlier this year. “We need to meet or exceed hearings that we’ve had in the past. … It won’t be a repeat of any earlier hearings, and we’re trying to be as strategic as we can in not repeating ourselves,” Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) told reporters in September. “Whatever we do will be new information. Some of it we continue to collect on almost a daily basis,” he said. Read More Here

Google Approves Trump's Truth Social For Play Store – Axios https://digitalarkansasnews.com/google-approves-trumps-truth-social-for-play-store-axios/ The Truth social network logo is seen on a smartphone in front of a display of former U.S. President Donald Trump in this picture illustration taken February 21, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Oct 12 (Reuters) – Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google has approved former U.S. President Donald Trump’s social media app Truth Social for distribution in the Google Play Store, Axios reported on Wednesday. Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Abortion Is Motivating Voters, But Republicans Would Rather Change The Subject https://digitalarkansasnews.com/abortion-is-motivating-voters-but-republicans-would-rather-change-the-subject/ MERION STATION, Pa. — Four years after the massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue, believed to be the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history, Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, has rattled a diverse swath of the state’s Jewish community, alarming liberal Jews with his remarks and far-right associations, and giving pause to more conservative ones. Some of those voters have recoiled from Mr. Mastriano’s opposition to abortion rights under any circumstance, or from his strident election denialism. But the race between Mr. Mastriano, a state senator, and his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Shapiro — a Jewish day school alum who features challah in his advertising and routinely borrows from Pirkei Avot, a collection of Jewish ethics — has also centered to an extraordinary degree on Mr. Shapiro’s religion. Mr. Mastriano, who promotes Christian power and disdains the separation of church and state, has repeatedly lashed Mr. Shapiro for attending and sending his children to what Mr. Mastriano calls a “privileged, exclusive, elite” school, suggesting to one audience that it evinced Mr. Shapiro’s “disdain for people like us.” It is a Jewish day school, where students are given both secular and religious instruction. But Mr. Mastriano’s language in portraying it as an elitist reserve seemed to be a dog whistle. “Apparently now it’s some kind of racist thing if I talk about the school,” Mr. Mastriano said at a recent event as he cast himself as a champion of school choice for all. “It’s a very expensive, elite school.” The focus on Mr. Shapiro’s religion has freighted one of the nation’s most consequential elections with an unusually raw and personal dimension. “You have a candidate who is Jewish, an observant Jewish candidate, who puts his observance and his faith in his campaign ads,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League. “And then you have someone who associates with unapologetic, unabashed antisemites running against him.” In a closely divided state where races are often won on the margins, Mr. Mastriano is now losing ground with a small but significant part of the Trump coalition, squandering opportunities with more conservative and religiously observant Jews who embraced the former president and his party because of his often-hawkish stance concerning Israel, but who now express grave reservations about Mr. Mastriano. This summer, Mr. Mastriano’s campaign came under scrutiny for paying $5,000 to the far-right social media platform Gab. The man accused of perpetrating the Pittsburgh shooting had posted antisemitic screeds on Gab, and Mr. Mastriano’s payment drew bipartisan condemnation. The platform’s founder, Andrew Torba, defended Mr. Mastriano and declared that “we’re not bending the knee to the 2 percent anymore,” an apparent reference to American Jewry. Only after significant pressure did Mr. Mastriano release a statement saying that he rejected “antisemitism in any form,” appearing to leave the site and stressing that Mr. Torba did not speak for him. But a late September campaign finance report showed that Mr. Mastriano had accepted a $500 donation from Mr. Torba in July. His campaign did not respond when asked whether he planned to return the money, and he and his aides ignored a reporter’s shouted questions about the donation during an event on a recent Friday. Mr. Mastriano has also spread the lie that George Soros, a Holocaust survivor and liberal billionaire often vilified on the right, was a Nazi collaborator. And Mr. Mastriano has baselessly accused Mr. Shapiro of holding a “real grudge” against the Roman Catholic Church. That may have been part of a misleading reference to debates over enforcement of contraception coverage. But Mr. Shapiro’s office also led a bombshell investigation into the Catholic Church’s cover-up of sexual abuse of children. Mr. Mastriano’s campaign did not respond when asked what he was referring to. In the final weeks of the midterm elections, candidates across the country are clashing bitterly over the threat posed by extremism. But no major contest this year has been shaped more prominently, persistently or explicitly by concerns over antisemitism than the Pennsylvania governor’s race. Taken together, Mr. Mastriano has left even conservative swaths of Pennsylvania’s otherwise liberal-leaning Jewish community feeling deeply uncomfortable. “The Orthodox community would generally swing more toward Republican,” said Charlie Saul, an Orthodox Jewish lawyer from the Pittsburgh area. A registered Democrat, Mr. Saul said he voted twice for former President Donald J. Trump and plans to back Mehmet Oz, the Republican Senate nominee, as well as Mr. Shapiro. “But in this situation,” he added, “because of the association of Mastriano with antisemites, I think that they’ll swing Democrat.” Matt Brooks, the executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, suggested that because of Mr. Shapiro’s “relationship with the Jewish community and the fact that Mastriano’s not doing any outreach to the Jewish community, and has these issues hanging over his head,” Mr. Shapiro stood to overperform with center-right Jewish voters. The coalition is supporting Dr. Oz but has criticized Mr. Mastriano over his Gab associations. Recent polls show Mr. Mastriano trailing Mr. Shapiro by double digits, though Pennsylvania polling has been substantially wrong before and the political environment is challenging for Democrats. His campaign did not respond to three requests for comment or provide the names of any Jewish surrogates. Representatives for the Republican National Committee did not respond to questions, and several other Republican leaders declined interviews. Former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who has campaigned for Mr. Mastriano, defended the candidate, calling him a “strong Christian Zionist” and saying he did not see any “antisemitic concerns at all.” “I just don’t think, necessarily, being a strong Christian necessarily makes you someone who’s intolerant of other faiths,” he said. But he acknowledged he did not know Mr. Mastriano well. As explosive as antisemitism can be, and even as antisemitic incidents are on the rise, it is seldom openly displayed by candidates for high office. But responding to someone who uses tropes or dog whistles but stops short of baldfaced hate speech can be challenging, and there is the risk of getting derailed by focusing too much on one’s identity and not enough on what concerns the broader public. The key is to discuss such “corrosive” matters in a way that resonates with a broad audience, said the veteran Democratic strategist David Axelrod. He noted that former President Barack Obama positioned himself as both proudly of the Black community, and a president for all. “Josh Shapiro isn’t running to be the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania, he’s running to be the governor of Pennsylvania,” Mr. Axelrod said. “Your job, as prospective leader of a state, is to speak to it in a larger context.” To that end, Mr. Shapiro portrays Mr. Mastriano’s antisemitic associations as evidence that he is dangerously extremist, with a governing vision that excludes many Pennsylvanians, an argument he has amplified in ads. (During the primary, Mr. Shapiro also ran an ad that appeared to elevate Mr. Mastriano, a move he has defended.) “There is no question that he is courting antisemites and white supremacists and racists actively in his campaign,” Mr. Shapiro said in an interview, though he stopped short of calling his opponent an antisemite. He said that Mr. Mastriano “draws on his view of religion” to press policies that would have significant consequences for others, citing Mr. Mastriano’s blanket opposition to abortion rights, for instance. “Unless you think like him, unless you vote like him, unless you worship like him or marry like him, then you don’t count in his Pennsylvania,” Mr. Shapiro said last week. “I want to be a governor for all 13 million Pennsylvanians.” At the same time, Mr. Shapiro’s Jewish identity is a defining aspect of his public persona. His first television ad this year featured him at Sabbath dinner with his family, challah on the table and a hamsa — a hand-shaped symbol often seen in the Middle East, including in Israel — on the wall. “It was important to let people know who I am and what I’m all about,” said Mr. Shapiro, saying that his faith “has played a central role to me and has motivated me to do service.” “That’s an important part of who we are.” As he discusses civic engagement on the campaign trail, he frequently deploys a version of a line that, he said, resonated as he studied religious texts with a rabbi years ago: “No one is required to complete the task — but neither are we free to refrain from it.” It helps him connect with people of diverse faiths, and is a flash of his own day school roots. He keeps kosher, he said, is “always” home for Sabbath dinner and admires how former Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, an observant Jew, practiced his faith in his long career in politics, a subject the men have discussed over the years. He works on Saturdays — the Jewish day of rest — but observed Rosh Hashana in synagogue and fasted and attended Yom Kippur services last week. Mr. Shapiro will have a significant national platform if he wins. Asked whether he aspired to be the first Jewish president, he insisted, “No!” “God willing, I’ll have the chance to serve as governor,” he said, “and that is all I am focused on doing.” At Hymie’s Delicatessen in Merion Station, Pa., Democratic-leaning diners brought up antisemitism concerns unprompted during a recent lunchtime rush. Mindy Cohen, 64, said she opposed Mr. Mastriano “because of his s...

US Forecast https://digitalarkansasnews.com/us-forecast-20/ City/Town, State;Yesterday’s High Temp (F);Yesterday’s Low Temp (F);Today’s High Temp (F);Today’s Low Temp (F);Weather Condition;Wind Direction;Wind Speed (MPH);Humidity (%);Chance of Precip. (%);UV Index Albany, NY;71;56;70;52;Windy with showers;SSE;19;70%;100%;1 Albuquerque, NM;77;50;76;51;Sunny and delightful;ESE;7;28%;0%;5 Anchorage, AK;36;22;37;23;Sunny, but chilly;NNE;4;55%;3%;2 Asheville, NC;68;58;74;40;A shower in the a.m.;NW;9;66%;56%;5 Atlanta, GA;72;63;77;47;A t-storm around;NW;10;63%;42%;5 Atlantic City, NJ;68;60;72;57;Windy;S;20;82%;98%;1 Austin, TX;97;65;94;62;Sunny and very warm;NNE;8;31%;27%;5 Baltimore, MD;73;62;70;50;Rain, a thunderstorm;WSW;15;84%;99%;1 Baton Rouge, LA;89;69;85;59;Partly sunny;N;7;67%;18%;5 Billings, MT;62;40;69;48;Nice with sunshine;WSW;10;47%;0%;3 Birmingham, AL;70;63;77;45;Partly sunny;NNW;9;56%;12%;5 Bismarck, ND;54;32;55;34;Very windy;NW;24;29%;3%;3 Boise, ID;78;47;79;45;Sunny and very warm;ENE;6;29%;0%;4 Boston, MA;73;57;69;61;A few p.m. showers;SE;21;76%;100%;1 Bridgeport, CT;70;58;69;58;Heavy p.m. showers;SSE;20;81%;100%;1 Buffalo, NY;71;58;61;44;Cooler with showers;SW;15;74%;100%;2 Burlington, VT;71;55;69;51;A little p.m. rain;ESE;17;65%;100%;2 Caribou, ME;67;47;66;53;Breezy;SE;14;66%;31%;1 Casper, WY;57;33;65;36;Mostly sunny, breezy;WSW;14;41%;2%;4 Charleston, SC;77;67;80;59;A heavy thunderstorm;SW;9;80%;81%;2 Charleston, WV;78;60;71;40;A little a.m. rain;SW;15;66%;63%;3 Charlotte, NC;73;64;77;47;A morning t-storm;NW;8;78%;57%;2 Cheyenne, WY;57;35;65;39;Sunlit and breezy;WNW;16;33%;1%;4 Chicago, IL;64;44;56;36;Breezy and cooler;W;14;43%;13%;3 Cleveland, OH;73;56;60;44;A couple of showers;WSW;14;74%;88%;3 Columbia, SC;80;66;79;51;A morning t-storm;W;8;73%;57%;2 Columbus, OH;75;53;62;35;Cooler;W;11;56%;58%;3 Concord, NH;73;47;66;57;Showers around;SE;15;76%;100%;1 Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX;93;59;87;57;Plenty of sun;N;8;27%;0%;5 Denver, CO;73;41;69;44;Sunny and beautiful;SSW;6;33%;2%;4 Des Moines, IA;68;38;58;33;Sunlit and windy;W;17;32%;3%;4 Detroit, MI;70;49;59;37;A few showers;W;14;56%;86%;2 Dodge City, KS;78;44;74;44;Plenty of sunshine;WNW;12;34%;1%;4 Duluth, MN;58;38;45;34;Rain and snow shower;W;13;62%;90%;1 El Paso, TX;84;55;85;59;Mostly sunny, nice;NE;6;35%;0%;5 Fairbanks, AK;33;14;28;11;Partly sunny;NE;4;76%;10%;1 Fargo, ND;53;31;46;31;Partly sunny, windy;WNW;20;46%;20%;2 Grand Junction, CO;74;44;75;43;Sunny and pleasant;ENE;7;27%;0%;4 Grand Rapids, MI;66;45;55;38;A couple of showers;W;11;58%;97%;3 Hartford, CT;73;56;70;59;Heavy p.m. showers;SSE;20;77%;100%;1 Helena, MT;65;38;69;43;Mostly sunny;SW;5;50%;0%;3 Honolulu, HI;85;73;87;73;A few showers;NE;6;67%;80%;7 Houston, TX;93;72;91;68;Partly sunny, warm;E;7;61%;44%;5 Indianapolis, IN;72;46;63;37;Cooler;WSW;12;49%;25%;3 Jackson, MS;88;63;82;52;Sunny and pleasant;WNW;7;47%;7%;5 Jacksonville, FL;82;70;85;65;Cloudy, a t-storm;SW;7;70%;83%;2 Juneau, AK;54;51;56;41;Morning downpours;W;14;89%;99%;0 Kansas City, MO;72;47;68;44;Sunny and breezy;W;14;34%;0%;4 Knoxville, TN;80;61;74;42;A shower in the a.m.;SW;10;60%;58%;4 Las Vegas, NV;91;63;92;64;Sunny and very warm;NNW;5;22%;0%;5 Lexington, KY;76;55;66;39;Breezy, not as warm;W;14;55%;16%;4 Little Rock, AR;84;53;80;49;Sunny and pleasant;WNW;9;36%;2%;5 Long Beach, CA;75;64;77;65;Low clouds breaking;SSW;6;70%;1%;4 Los Angeles, CA;78;63;79;62;Low clouds breaking;S;6;73%;1%;4 Louisville, KY;78;54;68;41;Breezy, not as warm;W;14;45%;8%;4 Madison, WI;61;38;50;31;A shower in spots;WSW;11;48%;61%;2 Memphis, TN;84;57;76;51;Nice with sunshine;W;8;34%;7%;5 Miami, FL;87;77;85;74;A p.m. t-storm;SE;8;78%;89%;3 Milwaukee, WI;66;41;54;34;Cooler;W;13;45%;64%;2 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN;60;37;50;33;Breezy and cooler;W;15;44%;32%;1 Mobile, AL;83;69;85;56;A t-storm around;NNW;8;63%;40%;5 Montgomery, AL;71;66;79;49;A t-storm around;NNW;8;59%;42%;5 Mt. Washington, NH;45;36;44;40;Showers around;SSE;22;97%;100%;1 Nashville, TN;82;54;70;40;Sunny and pleasant;WSW;9;46%;7%;4 New Orleans, LA;89;72;84;67;A t-storm around;NNE;8;69%;45%;5 New York, NY;70;59;69;57;Heavy p.m. showers;S;19;81%;99%;1 Newark, NJ;71;58;70;55;Heavy p.m. showers;S;19;78%;99%;1 Norfolk, VA;77;61;76;58;Heavy thunderstorms;S;10;82%;100%;1 Oklahoma City, OK;81;50;78;52;Sunny and pleasant;SW;8;34%;1%;5 Olympia, WA;71;43;74;41;Sunshine;NNE;6;67%;3%;3 Omaha, NE;68;41;64;37;Mostly sunny, windy;W;19;34%;3%;4 Orlando, FL;86;74;85;71;Cloudy, a t-storm;W;7;74%;85%;2 Philadelphia, PA;72;60;70;53;Rain, a thunderstorm;SSW;16;82%;98%;1 Phoenix, AZ;94;70;96;71;Mostly sunny and hot;NNE;5;26%;0%;5 Pittsburgh, PA;73;59;64;40;Rain, breezy, cooler;SW;15;69%;92%;2 Portland, ME;66;52;63;57;Windy;SE;19;77%;100%;1 Portland, OR;79;50;81;50;Sunny;N;6;51%;3%;3 Providence, RI;74;53;69;60;Windy, p.m. showers;SSE;19;76%;100%;1 Raleigh, NC;75;62;75;51;Rain, a thunderstorm;W;9;79%;87%;1 Reno, NV;80;43;81;43;Sunny and warm;WNW;4;25%;0%;4 Richmond, VA;73;61;72;50;Morning showers;NNW;11;85%;99%;1 Roswell, NM;84;51;83;51;Sunny and pleasant;S;8;39%;2%;5 Sacramento, CA;88;53;85;53;Sunny and warm;S;5;48%;1%;4 Salt Lake City, UT;74;49;75;49;Plenty of sunshine;ESE;6;35%;0%;4 San Antonio, TX;94;68;93;64;Sunny and very warm;NE;9;38%;1%;5 San Diego, CA;74;66;75;65;A thick cloud cover;W;8;71%;1%;1 San Francisco, CA;65;55;64;53;Low clouds breaking;WSW;10;72%;1%;3 Savannah, GA;81;67;82;58;Humid with a t-storm;WSW;7;80%;81%;3 Seattle-Tacoma, WA;71;52;74;52;Mostly sunny;NNE;7;57%;3%;3 Sioux Falls, SD;58;34;54;30;Sunny and windy;W;18;32%;3%;4 Spokane, WA;75;43;76;44;Brilliant sunshine;ESE;4;51%;1%;3 Springfield, IL;69;41;62;33;Mostly sunny, windy;WSW;16;38%;1%;4 St. Louis, MO;72;46;68;40;Winds subsiding;WSW;13;36%;0%;4 Tampa, FL;85;73;85;70;A stray a.m. t-storm;NNW;6;83%;64%;1 Toledo, OH;72;50;61;37;Cooler with a shower;W;10;56%;83%;3 Tucson, AZ;89;64;91;66;Partly sunny;E;7;32%;0%;5 Tulsa, OK;82;48;77;49;Sunny and pleasant;WSW;8;38%;2%;4 Vero Beach, FL;88;73;86;70;Humid with a t-storm;S;7;79%;90%;2 Washington, DC;73;62;70;50;Rain, a thunderstorm;W;15;84%;99%;1 Wichita, KS;79;46;76;44;Increasingly windy;WNW;15;35%;0%;4 Wilmington, DE;71;59;70;51;Rain, a thunderstorm;SSW;19;81%;98%;1 _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Read More…

Donald Trump Jr. To Join Ted Budd At ‘Keep NC Red’ Rally In Greensboro https://digitalarkansasnews.com/donald-trump-jr-to-join-ted-budd-at-keep-nc-red-rally-in-greensboro/ Donald Trump Jr. waves at campaign rally before President Donald Trump appears Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Donald Trump Jr. waves at campaign rally before President Donald Trump appears Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) by: Justyn Melrose Posted: Oct 12, 2022 / 04:41 PM EDT Updated: Oct 12, 2022 / 04:41 PM EDT Donald Trump Jr. waves at campaign rally before President Donald Trump appears Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Donald Trump Jr. waves at campaign rally before President Donald Trump appears Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) by: Justyn Melrose Posted: Oct 12, 2022 / 04:41 PM EDT Updated: Oct 12, 2022 / 04:41 PM EDT GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Former President Donald Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. will campaign alongside Ted Budd, who is running for Richard Burr’s Senate seat, at a “Keep NC Red” rally in Greensboro. The Greensboro rally is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at Illuminating Technologies. Trump Jr., the former president’s oldest son, has been a vocal supporter of his father’s political efforts as well as Republican candidates. And this will not be his first time in North Carolina’s political arena, previously appearing for ‘Make American Great Again’ events in 2020 and a campaign rally in Lexington in 2018. The appearance comes a month after the former president stumped for Budd at a rally in Wilmington. Budd, who has represented the 13th Congressional District since 2016, and Cheri Beasley, former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, have been locked in a virtual tie in their bids to replace retiring Republican Richard Burr of Winston-Salem, a race Democrats see as key in their efforts to maintain control of the Senate. Libertarian Shannon Bray, a Department of Defense employee from Apex, and Green Party candidate Matthew Hoh, a retired State Department employee from Wake Forest, also are on the ballot. Following his appearance in Greensboro, Budd will head to Edenton to tour the town with the Edenton mayor. Your Local Election Headquarters MOST POPULAR Must-See Stories Read More Here

State Police Arrest Missouri Man After Pursuit https://digitalarkansasnews.com/state-police-arrest-missouri-man-after-pursuit/ Arkansas State Police say a Missouri man led authorities on a high-speed pursuit that ended with the suspect slamming his vehicle into a utility pole south of Pocahontas. State police said a trooper attempted to stop William Bedford Craig, 25, of Doniphan, Mo., for an expired license plate Tuesday afternoon on U.S. Highway 67 in Walnut Ridge when Craig allegedly sped away. According to a release from the state police, Craig later lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the pole. Craig was taken to a Jonesboro hospital for his injuries suffered in the crash. The release said that in addition to outstanding warrants in Missouri, Craig now faces charges in Arkansas including felony fleeing, reckless driving, possession of drug paraphernalia, and exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 15 miles per hour. Have a news tip or event to promote? Email White River Now at news@whiterivernow.com. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Get up-to-date local and regional news/weather every weekday morning and afternoon from the First Community Bank Newsroom on Arkansas 103.3 KWOZ. White River Now updates are also aired weekday mornings on 93 KZLE, Outlaw 106.5, and Your FM 99.5.  Read More Here

Montgomery Planning Board Resigns Amid Scandals, At Council’s Urging https://digitalarkansasnews.com/montgomery-planning-board-resigns-amid-scandals-at-councils-urging/ All five members of the Montgomery County Planning Board resigned Wednesday after the county council said it had “lost confidence” in the board and needed to “reset operations” following weeks of escalating misconduct accusations, media leaks and damaged staff morale. The council, which appoints the board, voted unanimously in a closed session Tuesday to ask the entire board to resign, according to two people familiar with the vote. Those who didn’t resign would have faced a public hearing seeking their removal, the people said. The upheaval in the planning agency’s governance has shocked even longtime political observers in a county accustomed to intense development spats. It follows a trail of scandals and leaks that has dogged one of Montgomery’s most influential institutions since mid-September. “The Council has lost confidence in the Montgomery County Planning Board and accepted these resignations to reset operations,” said Montgomery council president Gabe Albornoz (D-At Large). “We are acting with deliberate speed to appoint new commissioners to move Montgomery County forward. We thank the commissioners for their service to our county.” The resignations came from board Chair Casey Anderson, Vice Chair Partap Verma and members Gerald R. Cichy, Tina Patterson and Carol Rubin. The council said it would seek their replacements “swiftly” and will select “temporary acting” members on Oct. 25 to serve until it appoints new permanent members. It’s unclear how much the shake-up might delay pending development applications. Controversy mounted recently in confidential emails between board members, planning department employees and the county council that steadily leaked to the public. Escalating allegations of board members’ misconduct flew, first in August, when an anonymous tip triggered an investigation that found Anderson kept and shared alcohol in his office. Anderson, Verma and Rubin were reprimanded by the county council in October for consuming or accepting drinks and had their pay docked as punishment. Anderson faced further scrutiny after the county council received a complaint alleging he had used misogynistic language in the workplace. The complaint led the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to open another investigation. On Friday, the board voted to fire planning director Gwen Wright in a closed session by a 4-0 vote, with Anderson recusing himself, a day after Wright defended Anderson in an interview with WJLA. The board did not give a reason for Wright’s dismissal. Residents active in planning issues said it was the abrupt and unexplained firing of Wright, a nationally recognized planning expert, that caused the most concern about the board. On Monday, a complaint sent to the council by Deputy Parks Director Miti Figueredo accused Verma of misconduct in both investigations, including improperly soliciting allegations about Anderson’s language and firing Wright in retaliation. Albornoz told The Post on Tuesday those allegations would be investigated as well. On Tuesday evening, Verma wrote to The Post that he was taking a medical leave of absence due to stress. He expressed confidence in Montgomery’s future in a text message Wednesday, saying, “It’s been an honor and pleasure to serve this amazing county.” The five-member planning board is appointed by the county council. Members are part-time except for the chair, whose job pays more than $200,000 and is considered highly influential in a county where development issues often dominate the political discussion. The board approves individual development proposals and recommends to the council detailed master plans that determine where and how quickly communities should grow. It also manages the county’s park system and recommends to the council sites for historic designation. Members are term-limited after two four-year terms. Asked about the planning board controversy at his weekly media briefing Wednesday, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) called the situation “a bit of a mess.” Elrich said he had only heard rumors about possible resignations but added, “I do think there is certainly a need to do something.” The upheaval comes as the council finalizes the county’s 30-year growth plan, known as Thrive 2050, based on the planning board’s recommendations. The plan sets broad policies for how the county should develop long-term and has sparked controversy among opponents seeking less density and slower growth. The board unanimously approved a draft of the plan to send to the county council in April 2021. The council is scheduled to move forward with the plan’s expected approval Oct. 25 despite the planning board controversy, Albornoz said Tuesday. “The amount of growing controversies could have potentially clouded some of the decisions that the board would make,” Albornoz said Wednesday of the resignations. “With the competing controversies that were mounting, we thought this was the best course of action.” The council governs a county that continues to transform from a once majority White and affluent bedroom community into a suburb of more than 1 million people who are increasingly lower-income and more racially diverse. Planners have said Thrive 2050 will help the county attract jobs and economic development while becoming more environmentally resilient. The policies, planners say, also will make the county more equitable for lower-income residents and communities of color harmed by previous planning policies that led many neighborhoods to become, and remain, segregated by race and income. This is a developing story and will be updated. Read More Here

LIVE: Sharon Bowen Of NYSE And Rep. Ro Khanna Discuss Democratizing Innovation ⁠— 10/12/22 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/live-sharon-bowen-of-nyse-and-rep-ro-khanna-discuss-democratizing-innovation-%e2%81%a0-10-12-22/ LIVE: Sharon Bowen of NYSE and Rep. Ro Khanna discuss democratizing innovation ⁠— 10/12/22  CNBC Television Bankman-Fried: Rescue market is drying up, and we’re all to blame for its existence  Cointelegraph Sam Bankman-Fried says FTX could move headquarters to U.S. after SEC registration  MarketWatch FTX CEO Denies Super Bowl Ads Were Aimed at Small Investors  The Wall Street Journal FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried chats with CNBC’s Kate Rooney at DC Fintech Week ⁠— 10/11/22  CNBC Television Read More Here

Biden’s National Security Strategy Focuses On China, Russia And Democracy At Home https://digitalarkansasnews.com/bidens-national-security-strategy-focuses-on-china-russia-and-democracy-at-home/ The document, which every new administration is required to issue, was delayed last winter as it became clear that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was imminent. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. In his strategy document, President Biden returned to a theme he has established since his second month in office, describing a coming struggle as one of autocracies versus democracies. Credit…Erin Schaff/The New York Times Oct. 12, 2022Updated 4:15 p.m. ET President Biden declared on Wednesday that the overwhelming challenge for the United States in the coming years would be “outcompeting China and restraining Russia” while focusing on restoring a damaged democracy at home. In his 48-page national security strategy, which every new administration is required to issue, Mr. Biden made clear that over the long term he was more worried about China’s moves to “layer authoritarian governance with a revisionist foreign policy” than he was about a declining, battered Russia. More than six months after the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian military appears less fearsome than it did when the first drafts of the document circulated in the White House in December. “Russia and the P.R.C. pose different challenges,” Mr. Biden wrote, using the acronym for the People’s Republic of China. “Russia poses an immediate threat to the free and open international system, recklessly flouting the basic laws of the international order today, as its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has shown.” China “is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to advance that objective,” the president wrote. Mr. Biden’s strategy is notable for its erasure of the distinctions between domestic and foreign policy; it argues that the source of U.S. strength will come from a reaffirmation of the nation’s democratic traditions. But it also comes at a critical time in superpower conflict, as China is on the rise and seeking to rewrite the rules of commerce, surveillance and influence over other countries and Russia is seeking to redraw national boundaries. Allies and adversaries alike will examine the strategy for indications of Mr. Biden’s commitment to standing up to both opponents. The president took some unusual positions, especially for a Democrat. He urged a speedier modernization of the military, though critics say his budget does not reflect his ambitions. And he took a dark view of the benefits of globalization, describing at length how it has fueled pandemics and disinformation and contributed to supply chain shortages. And Mr. Biden returned to a theme he has established since his second month in office, describing a coming struggle as one of autocracies versus democracies. He said the United States must invest with allies and private industry as part of a Western effort to reduce dependence on adversaries. The strategy document was held up last winter, as it became clear that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was imminent and that the U.S. relationship with its European allies was about to undergo a tremendous test. The revised document celebrates a new coherence among NATO countries but also includes warnings to Moscow that were clearly inserted to refect a new era of containment, the word used during the Cold War to restrain the biggest challenge at the time: Soviet expansionism. Image Searching through rubble after a missile hit a residential building in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Russia launched a barrage of strikes against civilian targets in Ukraine this week as its military campaign has stalled.Credit…Nicole Tung for The New York Times “The United States will not allow Russia, or any power, to achieve its objectives through using, or threatening to use, nuclear weapons,” the new document says. But the sentence stands alone, with no clarification of the meaning of “not allow” or discussion of the U.S. and NATO response if President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia chooses to use a tactical nuclear weapon to make up for the failures of his conventional force in Ukraine. Mr. Biden declined to go into detail about his options when pressed on CNN on Tuesday in an interview with Jake Tapper. For every administration, the national security strategy is a combination of guidance, a signaling of intent to allies and adversaries, and, often, a self-celebratory ode to American power. President George W. Bush’s strategy was known for its establishment of a “pre-emption” doctrine that contributed to his administration’s justification for the invasion of Iraq. Mr. Obama used his to call for a move to a world without nuclear weapons, but also for an expansion of American soft power to conquer disease and global poverty. President Donald J. Trump declared that the era of counterterrorism was being replaced by a revival of superpower competition against what he called “revisionist” powers, though he usually ignored his document’s declarations about the value of NATO and other alliances. “As Americans, we must all agree that the people’s verdict, as expressed in elections, must be respected and protected,” the document says, a delving into the workings of American democracy that is absent from previous strategies. It then discusses moves against “domestic terrorism” and says “America will not tolerate foreign interference in our elections.” How Times reporters cover politics. We rely on our journalists to be independent observers. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. This includes participating in marches or rallies in support of a movement or giving money to, or raising money for, any political candidate or election cause. The opening sections of the strategy are mostly domestic agenda, led by the reinvigoration of key technologies and starting with the ability to produce the most advanced semiconductors. “We have broken down the dividing line between foreign policy and domestic policy to make far-reaching investments here at home in our industrial and innovation base,” Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, told reporters on Wednesday morning. Mr. Biden recently traveled to Ohio to help break ground on a new Intel facility and to an IBM site in upstate New York, celebrating investments made by the federal government through the newly passed CHIPS Act. But it will be years before those plants — and others built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Samsung in the American Southwest — will be in production. Even then, they will account for a tiny fraction of the most advanced microelectronics that American industry consumes. Mr. Sullivan said the strategy was driven chiefly by a changed landscape, one the document describes bluntly: “The post-Cold War era is definitively over.” “We have entered a decisive decade with respect to two fundamental strategic challenges,” Mr. Sullivan told reporters on Wednesday. “The first is the competition between the major powers to shape the future of the international order,” he said, and the second to deal with transnational challenges such as “climate change, food insecurity, to communicable diseases, to terrorism, to the energy transition, to inflation.” The past few weeks have shown how difficult some of those will be. Mr. Biden was undercut by Saudi Arabia, which he visited over the summer, when the kingdom led a movement in OPEC last week to cut oil production after telling him it would increase it. The OPEC move contributes to inflation, and it also aids Russia’s effort to finance the war in Ukraine. Mr. Biden said on Tuesday that he would reconsider his relationship with the Saudis and make them pay a price. Image Mr. Biden made clear that over the long term he was more worried about China’s moves to “layer authoritarian governance with a revisionist foreign policy.”Credit…Tingshu Wang/Reuters China’s cooperation on climate issues has slowed to a near halt; “strategic stability” talks with Russia on limiting nuclear arsenals have ended. “Russia now poses an immediate and persistent threat to international peace and stability,” the document says, a sharp departure from decades of strategies that discussed working to integrate Russia and the West. “The is not a struggle between the West and Russia. It is about fundamental principles of the U.N. Charter, which Russia is a party to, particularly respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the prohibition against acquiring territory through war.” Mr. Putin clearly sees it differently: He claims Ukraine was always part of Russia, back to the era of the czars, and has described this moment as driven by the West’s effort to contain and starve Russian power. But what leaps from the pages of Mr. Biden’s strategy, which was drafted by the National Security Council with input from around the administration, is a relentless focus on China. This was also the theme of a speech this week by Jeremy Fleming, the chief of Britain’s cyber and signals intelligence agency. Much of the military strategy described in the administration’s document is meant to counter China in space, cyberspace and at sea — all of which require different hardware, different strategies and different talents than containing Russia. It describes a more aggressive U.S. effort to enhance cybersecurity and urges work with allies and the private sector to “withstand attempts to degrade our shared technology advances” by limiting Chinese and other investment in the United States and controlling exports of key technologies to China. Image Mr. Biden’s strategy document rebukes President Vladimir V. Putin for ...

Opinion | Kanye. Elon. Trump. What Do These Men Have In Common? https://digitalarkansasnews.com/opinion-kanye-elon-trump-what-do-these-men-have-in-common/ “Kanye. Elon. Trump.” These three names hovered in the ether late last week. They had emanated, somewhat implausibly, from the Twitter account of the House Judiciary Committee GOP — but what they were supposed to mean remained somewhat cryptic. Until, suddenly, the code cracked before our eyes. Kanye West: rapper, record producer, apparent antisemite. Now legally named Ye, he was in the news for wearing a “White Lives Matter” shirt to his runway show at Paris Fashion Week, telling Tucker Carlson in an extended interview that he thought the garb was “funny.” Yet things really took off later — after the GOP tweet — when he complained on Instagram that another rapper who disapproved of him was being controlled by Jewish people. Instagram didn’t like this, and it disabled his account. So he tried Twitter, just before bedtime: “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.” Oh. Next comes Elon Musk, serial entrepreneur and richest man in the world. Lately, he has been attracting attention for his on-again-off-again agreement to purchase Twitter for $54.20 per share (a marijuana joke, by the way, ha ha) so that he can restore “free speech” to the social-media site. Plus, there’s those wacky suggestions about how Ukraine and Russia might miraculously resolve the ongoing war — mostly, it seems, by Ukraine giving up almost everything and Russia giving up almost nothing. Follow Molly Roberts’s opinionsFollow Add Again, however, it wasn’t until after the GOP tweet that Musk and West became co-stars in the Defcon 3 drama. “Welcome back to Twitter, my friend!” Musk greeted West when the songwriter initially reappeared on the platform, only hours before he announced his intention to raise the national state of alert. Later: “Talked to ye today & expressed my concerns about his recent tweet, which I think he took to heart.” We’ll see! And Donald Trump? Trump needs no introduction. Precisely what he was doing at the time — retrospectively praising insurrectionists, or crying out to “BRING BACK COLUMBUS DAY,” or declassifying documents through telepathy — doesn’t really matter because he is doing more or less those same things all the time. What matters is what he represents: the MAGA agenda of grievance blended with grandiosity, where owning the libs is the highest calling. That’s where Ye’s T-shirt trolling fits in. It’s where Musk’s purported crusade against cancel culture, embodied in his “welcome back” to a man booted from peer platforms for an antisemitic conniption, is most at home. This is what really cracks the code. How on earth could the House Judiciary Committee GOP, of all entities, have foreseen the confluence of events that would cast Kanye and Elon so neatly in the roles of MAGA avatars? Obviously it couldn’t have. But it didn’t have to. Think of one of those tweets where someone seems to have correctly predicted the score of a far-off Super Bowl — but it turns out the person also posted hundreds or even thousands of other guesses of different outcomes, then deleted all but the ultimately correct one. Now think of the exact opposite: one guess, endless ways for it to be right. West and Musk’s MAGA status doesn’t depend on their actions, their words or any other day-to-day occurrence — not anymore. The right-wing has already claimed them, thanks to Ye’s would-have-voted-for-Trump vow and Musk’s slow-burn flirtation with extreme online conservatism. The two could have tweeted memes about brainwashed wokeism instead; or quit all social media in a stand against cancel culture; or, let’s face it, said anything to Tucker Carlson. The House Judiciary tweet would have still eventually have made sense. So instead of asking why the House Judiciary GOP tweeted those names, ask: Why not? Whichever aide is in charge of posting basically reached into the MAGA grab-bag and pulled these two guys out. Because once you’re in the bag, you’re never getting tossed out, no matter how many Jews you vow to go “death con 3” on or how many dictators you propose to appease. Better yet, with the die-hards, your sins will redound to your credit. After all, MAGA Republicanism has never been about substance, and it certainly hasn’t been about anything as highfalutin as values. Personality is the word. West and Musk are nothing if not personalities. They are always making news, and nowadays whatever news they make tends to look a lot more MAGA than it used to. And it looks even more so when their names are on the lips of the House Judiciary Committee GOP, spoken in succession with no other words to accompany them, as if they were saints. Kanye. Elon. Trump. They’re all part of each other’s stories, now. Read More Here

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly https://digitalarkansasnews.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/ WASHINGTON — Our town awaits with bated breath as a beautiful autumn falls on the midterm campaigns and the sedition trial of five “Oath Keepers.” And we miss the murdered Rose Garden. The 2022 election for Congress is a real tug of war — some even say “civil war.” What happens in close races will affect the air we breathe in the capital. If the Democratic Senate stays blue and the House tips Republican red, then divided government will have a whole new toxic meaning. The battleground would likely be House hearings versus the Biden White House or family. It won’t be pretty, especially if bulldog Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, becomes Judiciary Committee chairman. Because the country, after all, needs further tearing apart. The extremist Oath Keepers champion civil war. They’re the pro-Donald Trump outfit that marched into the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, in military “stack” formation. One carried bear spray into the building and threatened Capitol police officers, the indictment charged. Their founder, Stewart Rhodes, is a former Army paratrooper and Yale Law School graduate. In the weeks before the deadly Capitol riot, Rhodes was in contact with a friend of then-President Trump, Roger Stone, according to the court case. Court documents show a chilling obsession with keeping the defeated Trump in power, even if relying on violence and bloodshed. The Oath Keepers kept a stash of weapons across the river for a “quick reaction force.” I went to the courthouse to see these characters face justice, a judge and jury. Charged as co-conspirators, the five face long sentences, but the damage they did lingers long after the mob stormed the Capitol. Jan. 6 was the day the Oath Keepers’ dreams of an anti-government coup almost came true. They trained and traveled from all points — like Florida and Texas — to overthrow the congressional ritual to certify Joe Biden as the winner in the 2020 presidential election. Rhodes, 56, wears an eye patch and cuts a somewhat squat figure for one in the line of fire that day. (I was in the House chamber.) Rhodes invoked “1776” in his online messages, urging members on as if he were George Washington leading a new American revolution. He built the organization with zeal, influencing swaths of followers. Interestingly, four of the five on trial are military veterans. One was a Navy intelligence officer; the other three joined the Army. That raises the question of whether an all-volunteer military is a good idea for democracy. It suggests the military self-selects, attracts and trains some men predisposed to militias once out of the armed services. (Jessica Watkins, a defendant from Ohio, is a trans woman.) The Anti-Defamation League tracks extremist groups. The mob of tens of thousands besieging the Capitol was no surprise, the League said. The mob made plans on the internet and had a “wanted” list of lawmakers and Mike Pence, the vice president. Trump loved the three-hour show of violence, gloating over the crowd size that day. He was no doubt pleased with the highest TV ratings he ever had, as the nation watched the siege in horror. Meanwhile, back at the Capitol: “You are in danger,” my sister said from California. The House committee on the Jan. 6 attack on democracy holds a final hearing Thursday. More news may be broken, but one thing is sure. By defying the peaceful transfer of power, Trump sowed seeds of election deniers in the Republican Party. They are on the ballot right now, concentrated in Florida and Texas, but all over America. That may be his greatest gift to the American people in the end. His wife Melania Trump sowed seeds in the Rose Garden, by scuttling the original Kennedy vision (Jack and Jackie’s.) The sulky Mrs. Trump had blossoms, shrubs and trees pulled up for pavement so her husband could walk over it. This was done shortly before the election he lost. Under a bright sun, people flocked to the White House fall garden — now under new ownership — near the Oval Office. The Rose Garden looked denuded of crab apple trees and colorful flowers. It’s just one more insult with Trump fingerprints on the scene. — Jamie Stiehm may be reached at JamieStiehm.com. Follow her on Twitter @JamieStiehm. To find out more about Jamie Stiehm and other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit Creators.com Read More Here

Federal Watchdog Probes Whether Covid Aid Enabled Florida’s Migrant Flight https://digitalarkansasnews.com/federal-watchdog-probes-whether-covid-aid-enabled-floridas-migrant-flight/ A federal watchdog is investigating whether Florida improperly tapped coronavirus aid to fly migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, part of a widening government inquiry into states that put their pandemic dollars toward controversial immigration crackdowns. The inspector general for the Treasury Department confirmed its new interest in a letter sent last week to Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and other members of Congress who had expressed concern that the spending approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) “violates federal law.” The probe comes roughly a month after Florida flew dozens of migrants, including children, from Texas to Massachusetts, in the latest example of a Republican-led state sending migrants to Democratic-leaning communities. To pay for the flights, DeSantis said he would tap a $12 million fund in the state’s recent budget. But that money came from the interest Florida had earned on the more than $8 billion it received under the last federal stimulus package, called the American Rescue Plan, The Washington Post reported as part of its year-long investigation into the pandemic aid, known as the Covid Money Trail. The approach immediately generated legal debate, not the least because the flights originated in Texas. It also raised new questions about the state of stimulus oversight in Washington, where Congress gave local governments great latitude to spend their allocations as they saw fit. The Treasury Department said even less about how states could use the interest generated on the money while it remained unspent, potentially opening the door for Florida’s maneuver. Asked about the probe, the White House referred the matter to the Treasury Department, which declined to comment. Its inspector general confirmed the letter but otherwise declined to comment. Spokespeople for DeSantis did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was the largest burst of emergency spending in U.S. history: Two years, six laws and more than $5 trillion intended to break the deadly grip of the coronavirus pandemic. The money spared the U.S. economy from ruin and put vaccines into millions of arms, but it also invited unprecedented levels of fraud, abuse and opportunism. In a yearlong investigation, The Washington Post is following the covid money trail to figure out what happened to all that cash. Read more The investigation into the spending in Florida is only the latest inquiry targeting federal aid in Republican-led states. The Treasury Department’s top watchdog previously announced it would review whether Texas acted improperly when it used a different budgetary move to take advantage of federal coronavirus relief funds to ease the costs of border enforcement, as The Post first reported earlier this year. In both cases, the probes involve emergency federal programs that were meant to give local governments great flexibility to respond to public health and economic needs. Repeatedly, though, GOP leaders have put the money toward unrelated purposes and political pet projects — from constructing a prison in Atlanta to pursuing tax cuts in Florida and elsewhere — that, at minimum, violate the spirit of the congressional relief efforts. In Florida, critics described the approach as wasteful, arguing that federal money might have been better put toward improving local education, boosting hospitals or otherwise helping low-income residents. In Massachusetts, where Florida sent the migrants, Markey and other Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Seth Moulton and Ayanna Pressley, described the flights as a “political stunt,” which they said “runs contrary to congressional intent.” “While the rule was designed to provide flexibility to state and local governments, Congress neither intended to allow, or authorized, state governments to use the SLFRF funds for immigration enforcement,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter last month to the inspector general requesting the probe. SLFRF refers to the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, the $350 billion program under the American Rescue Plan that awarded Florida the money in question. The chief watchdog for the Treasury Department responded on Friday, acknowledging in a letter that it is seeking “more detailed analysis” from the agency on its guidelines. “We will review the allowability of use of SLFRF funds related to immigration generally, and will specifically confirm whether interest earned on SLFRF was utilized by Florida related to immigration activities, and if so, what conditions and limitations apply to such use,” wrote Richard K. Delmar, the deputy inspector general. Read More Here

As Mar-A-Lago Case Advances, Trump’s Initial Success Could Fade https://digitalarkansasnews.com/as-mar-a-lago-case-advances-trumps-initial-success-could-fade-3/ Former President Trump’s battle against the Justice Department investigation into the mishandling of government records at Mar-a-Lago has now reached the highest court, but legal experts say he may not fare as well as his case is pushed before new judges.  Trump scored an initial victory before a federal district court judge in Florida, who granted his request to appoint a special master to review the more than 10,000 government documents seized at his home to determine whether any might be protected by executive or attorney-client privileges.  But as the case works its way through the court system, other judges seem more hesitant to grant Trump’s requests.  The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals served the Department of Justice (DOJ) an initial victory in the case, siphoning off the more than 100 classified records from special master review and later agreeing to an expedited schedule to review DOJ’s challenge to Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision to approve the special master process.  But Trump’s emergency appeal to the Supreme Court wasn’t treated like an urgent matter — Justice Clarence Thomas gave DOJ a week to respond.   “All indications are that the appellate litigation continues to move in the government’s direction,” Brad Moss, a national security law expert, told The Hill.  “The 11th Circuit is expediting the appeal of the special master appointment, and the Supreme Court is conversely taking its sweet time considering Mr. Trump’s appeal of the lifting of Judge Cannon’s injunction. If nothing else, the appellate judges are making clear how serious they take the government’s national security concerns and how little credence they place in Mr. Trump’s legal theories.”  Trump’s appeal to the Supreme Court to intervene in the case was the latest step from a legal team that’s taken an aggressive posture in its battle with the Justice Department.  But the filing itself was actually quite narrow.  The request from Trump asks that the classified records in question are returned to the pool of documents included under the special master review, opting not to ask the court to exclude those documents from being used by the Justice Department as they continue their investigation — something Cannon had included in her original order.  “This is a very specific and narrow request by Trump, the merits of which turn on a technical jurisdictional question, but which runs into fatal procedural obstacles long before that. It’s not laughable, but only because it’s small,” Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law specializing in federal courts and national security law, wrote on Twitter.   “This is what good lawyers who are stuck do to appease bad clients….It’s a way of filing *something* in the Supreme Court without going all the way to crazytown and/or acting unethically,” Vladeck added.  Trump’s lawyers argued that the federal appeals court erred by allowing the Department of Justice to appeal a move that was procedural in nature.  They argued the appeal “impairs substantially the ongoing, time-sensitive work of the special master” and said the 11th Circuit’s intervention “effectively compromis[es] the integrity of the well-established policy against piecemeal appellate review.”  Trump’s team also recycled legal arguments from earlier briefs insinuating that he could have declassified the records in his home but stopped short of doing so. It’s a statement that generated skepticism from the special master, who initially asked the legal team to back the claim before Cannon stepped in and said Trump did not need to comply with the request.  Even if Trump convinced the court, the DOJ would still be able to use the documents in its investigation even as the special master reviewed them.  Moss, likewise, suspected the filing is likely to accomplish little for Trump.  “The appeal to the Supreme Court by the Trump legal team was done for one reason: Mr. Trump no doubt demanded something be filed. The narrowness of the appeal reflects the efforts by his lawyers to craft something — anything — they could justify as non-frivolous. Even if it succeeds, it would likely come too late in the special master process anyway to matter,” he said.  Brian Greer, a former attorney for the CIA, sees one potential upside for Trump — but only if the Department of Justice decides to prosecute him.  “Even if Trump is granted the relief they’re seeking, it’s not clear how helpful it’s going to be to them other than getting early access to those classified records,” he told The Hill.   “To me, the only real end game with the Supreme Court litigation, other than delay, is getting access to those records prior to an indictment so that they can start building their defense.”  The 11th Circuit agreement to an expedited review for the Justice Department’s case could also prove helpful for the government.  In its initial ruling, a three-judge panel for the court suggested Cannon erred by appointing the special master, a sign it may be convinced Trump has little claim as a former executive to any of the documents.  But as a practical matter it also aids their investigation.  “The Justice Department is correct in asserting that being unable to use the unclassified documents currently before the special master could hinder its ongoing investigation into the classified records,” Greer said.  “That’s because, as the Justice Department asserted, they may want to explore how those unclassified documents were commingled with the classified records, whether there are fingerprints on those documents, and to ask witnesses about those documents, all of which might be relevant to investigating the classified records,” he continued.  But the victories for the Department of Justice still delay the ultimate determination on the records.  The process before the 11th Circuit and Supreme Court could take months, and a ruling from the appeals court would likely come in December at the earliest.  “The timing is still not great for DOJ as they would likely want to complete any investigation involving the relevance of the unclassified records prior to bringing charges on the classified records,” Greer said.  Read More Here

Arkansas Police Demand Marijuana Legalization Campaign Stop Airing Ad About Revenue Funding Cops https://digitalarkansasnews.com/arkansas-police-demand-marijuana-legalization-campaign-stop-airing-ad-about-revenue-funding-cops/ “The Department has received inquiries as to why it is supporting this constitutional amendment when, in fact, it is not.” By Hunter Field, Arkansas Advocate The City of Little Rock last week sent a cease-and-desist letter to the group sponsoring Arkansas’s recreational marijuana ballot initiative demanding the group take down an ad the city said depicted Little Rock police officers. Responsible Growth Arkansas in a response Friday declined to remove the ad and disagreed that it contained any insignia or logo that identified the Little Rock Police Department. The medical marijuana industry-backed group has been running television ads to support the campaign to pass Issue 4 on November 8. It has also posted an ad on the homepage of its website. “Unfortunately, at least one of the advertisements has portions which show Little Rock police officers,” City Attorney Tom Carpenter wrote. “Neither the City, nor the Little Rock Police Department has endorsed this effort. The film footage being used is from training films that were created to attract persons to join the police force. The Department has received inquiries as to why it is supporting this constitutional amendment when, in fact, it is not.” The ad includes footage of a police vehicle and several shots of police officers, but it is difficult to tell what agency they represent. Responsible Growth emphasized its support for law enforcement, but it declined to remove the ad, saying it did not imply an endorsement from LRPD. “As for the ad in question, we have reviewed it and do not see any insignia, logo or other identification of the Little Rock Police Department—or any other law enforcement agency, for that matter,” attorney Erika Gee wrote. “Moreover, the video used in creation of the advertisement was taken from public sources which presented no claim that the video is protected from public use. As such, we see no legal basis for the demand that RGA cease and desist from further use of this video.” Responsible Growth has portrayed its proposal as pro-police. The amendment’s primary purpose is to legalize cannabis for adult use, but it would also direct a portion of the tax revenue to law enforcement. Carpenter didn’t immediately respond to a question Wednesday morning about whether the city would take further legal action. This story was first published by Arkansas Advocate. Colorado Officials Celebrate 10-Year Marijuana Legalization Anniversary, Including Politicians Who Initially Campaigned Against It Marijuana Moment is made possible with support from readers. If you rely on our cannabis advocacy journalism to stay informed, please consider a monthly Patreon pledge. Read More…

NATO Cautious To Avoid Ukraine War But Members Help Anyway https://digitalarkansasnews.com/nato-cautious-to-avoid-ukraine-war-but-members-help-anyway/ BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO defense ministers met Wednesday as its member countries face the twin challenges of struggling to make and supply weapons to Ukraine while protecting vital European infrastructure like pipelines or cables that Russia might want to sabotage in retaliation. In the almost eight months since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, the 30-nation alliance has trod a fine line as an organization, providing only non-lethal support and defending its own territory to avoid being dragged into a wider war with a nuclear-armed Russia. Individual allies, however, continue to pour in weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, including armored vehicles and air defense or anti-tank systems. They’re also training Ukrainian troops. But as the Russian missile strikes across Ukraine this week demonstrated, this is not enough. NATO defense ministers have been taking stock of the supply effort so far and debating ways to encourage the defense industry to quickly ramp up production. “Allies have provided air defense, but we need even more. We need different types of air defense, short-range, long-range air defense systems to take (out) ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, different systems for different tasks,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. “Ukraine is a big country, many cities. So we need to scale up to be able to help Ukraine defend even more cities and more territory against horrific Russian attacks,” Stoltenberg told reporters ahead of the meeting at NATO headquarters. After a separate gathering of the Ukraine Contact Group — 50 nations that meet to assess Ukraine’s needs and drum up equipment — U.S. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Ukraine wants a complete air defense system to defend against aerial attack. “What Ukraine is asking for, and what we think can be provided, is an integrated air missile defense system. So that doesn’t control all the airspace over Ukraine, but they’re designed to control priority targets that Ukraine needs to protect,” Milley told reporters. It would involve short-, medium- and long-range systems capable of firing projectiles at all altitudes. “It’s a mix of all these that deny the airspace to Russian aircraft” and missiles, Milley said. “They’re trying to create a defensive system.” At the same time, national military stocks are being depleted. Some countries are growing reluctant to provide Ukraine with more when they are no longer entirely sure they can protect their own territories and airspace. The conundrum for the allies is to find a way to arm Ukraine without disarming themselves. For the defense industry, companies need long-term orders and certainty before they commit to extending production lines. But no one is sure how long the war in Ukraine will last, making it difficult to know how much equipment is needed. So the United States and its partners want to boost weapons production by sending clear signals to industry, as they pool resources and send Ukraine the hardware that it needs, all while ensuring that no major gaps appear in national stockpiles. Putin, for his part, has warned NATO against deeper involvement in Ukraine. In recent weeks, as power and gas bills spiral and Europe struggles to decrease its dependency on Russia for energy, apparent sabotage damaged two major pipelines once meant to bring Russian natural gas to Germany. The Polish operator of the Druzhba — or “Friendship” — oil pipeline, one of the world’s longest and which originates in Russia, said Wednesday that it had detected a leak underground near the city of Plock in central Poland. The line supplies crude to Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Austria and Germany. In response to the incidents, Stoltenberg said, NATO has “doubled our presence in the Baltic and North Seas to over 30 ships, supported by maritime patrol aircraft and undersea capabilities.” It’s small comfort, given that about 8,000 kilometers (nearly 5,000 miles) of oil and gas pipelines crisscross the North Sea alone. Even the resources of international energy companies, national authorities and NATO may not be enough to protect them. NATO’s aim, for now, is to better coordinate between these actors, to better gather intelligence and improve the way it is shared, and watch over facilities, with aerial and undersea drones and other surveillance equipment. No responsibility has been established for the pipeline incidents. But NATO is also trying to be clear in deterring Russia. “Any deliberate attack against allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response,” Stoltenberg said. He declined to say what kind of response that might be. ___ Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Read More Here

PepsiCo Defies Fears Of Consumer Slowdown With Strong Earnings And Forecast https://digitalarkansasnews.com/pepsico-defies-fears-of-consumer-slowdown-with-strong-earnings-and-forecast/ Business|PepsiCo Defies Fears of Consumer Slowdown With Strong Earnings and Forecast https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/business/pepsi-earnings-inflation.html Quarterly results provided a sign that shoppers continued to spend despite high inflation squeezing their wallets. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. PepsiCo reported that its profit expanded by more than 20 percent in the third quarter.Credit…Mario Anzuoni/Reuters Oct. 12, 2022Updated 2:16 p.m. ET PepsiCo reported robust quarterly earnings on Wednesday, and raised its forecasts for sales and profit this year, in a sign that shoppers continued to spend on soda and snacks despite rapidly rising prices squeezing household budgets. The company, which owns Doritos, Gatorade and other brands along with its namesake soft drink, said that third-quarter revenue grew 9 percent from a year earlier and that profit expanded by more than 20 percent. Both results were higher than analysts had expected, amid fears that high inflation, particularly for food and other staples, would lead consumers to cut back on purchases significantly. “Our global business momentum remains strong,” Ramon Laguarta, PepsiCo’s chief executive, said in a statement. The company raised its full-year forecast for revenue growth for a third time this year, to 12 percent from 10 percent. In part, that reflects increasing prices for its products. Notably, the company also upgraded its forecast for profit growth this year, to 10 percent from 8 percent, suggesting that it was managing to balance its own rising costs and the prices it charges consumers without denting its bottom line. “Our brands are being stretched to higher price points, and consumers are following us,” Mr. Laguarta said on a call with analysts. But as in recent quarters, growth in PepsiCo’s revenue outpaced sales volumes, as measured by the number of cans of soda and bags of chips that consumers were willing to buy. At its Frito-Lay North America unit, for example, revenue in the third quarter increased 20 percent from a year earlier while volumes fell 2 percent, meaning the company was able to earn more from selling less. PepsiCo’s profit would have been bigger if not for the strength of the U.S. dollar, which shaved 3 percent from earnings growth in the third quarter, as the company’s extensive sales abroad were worth less when converted into dollars. PepsiCo is one of the first big companies to report their earnings each quarter, so investors pay particular attention to its finances as they look for clues about how other companies will fare. Conflicting signals have made it hard to predict where corporate earnings are headed this quarter, as increasingly dire predictions about the effect that rising interest rates will have on the global economy clash with some signs of moderating inflation and a resilient labor market. PepsiCo’s better-than-expected results, and bullishness about the future, provided a positive start to the earnings season, piercing some of the gloom that was reflected in the stock market’s losses for five straight days through Tuesday, erasing a rally early in the month. PepsiCo’s stock rose more than 3 percent in early trading on Wednesday, and the S&P 500 gained 0.3 percent. Other corporate bellwethers reporting earnings this week include Delta Air Lines on Thursday and JPMorgan Chase on Friday. Read More Here