 | February 12, 2015 |
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| BOB SIMON: 1941-2015 |
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CBS News: Veteran Correspondent Bob Simon Killed In Car Accident
Bob Simon, the longtime "60 Minutes" correspondent and legendary CBS News foreign reporter died suddenly tonight in a car accident in New York City. The award-winning newsman was 73. "It's a terrible loss for all of us at CBS News," 60 Minutes Executive Producer Jeff Fager said in a statement. "It is such a tragedy made worse because we lost him in a car accident, a man who has escaped more difficult situations than almost any journalist in modern times. "Bob was a reporter's reporter. He was driven by a natural curiosity that took him all over the world covering every kind of story imaginable," Fager said. "There is no one else like Bob Simon. All of us at CBS News and particularly at 60 Minutes will miss him very much." Read more..
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| More News |
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| POLITICAL NEWS |
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NBC News: Obama Says ISIS War Powers Request Not About 'Another Ground War'
President Barack Obama said Wednesday that his request for congressional approval to use military force against ISIS is "not the authorization of another ground war like Afghanistan or Iraq." The president spoke after sending Congress a request that would limit American military engagement to three years and would prohibit "enduring offensive ground forces." Obama, speaking from the White House, said that the war powers authorization "does not call for the deployment of U.S. ground combat forces to Iraq or Syria. It is not the authorization of another ground war like Afghanistan or Iraq." "I am convinced that the United States should not get dragged back into another prolonged ground war in the Middle East," he said. Still, the request quickly drew skepticism from both parties. House Speaker John Boehner questioned whether Obama's plan will get the job done, and a leading Democrat in the Senate expressed concern about "a loophole that could lead to another major war." The United States has been pounding ISIS from the air since last summer. Obama said in his request that he wanted to work with Congress and show the world a united front. Read more..
The Hill: GOP Senator: Obama’s ISIS Plan 'Utterly Stupid'
A Republican senator on Wednesday ripped President Obama for seeking to limit the use of military force against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), calling the proposal “utterly stupid." Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), in a radio interview, noted the recent death of Kayla Mueller, who died while held captive by the terrorist group, to argue the president needs to threaten ISIS with "all the force he can get." "And here we have the president coming up with this — I think it's utterly stupid — proposal," Hatch told KSL News Radio. "And he's binding the next president also with really stupid language." "Any president worth his or her salt is going to ask for as much authority as they can get, so at least the ISIS people know that he has the authority to come in on them anyway he wants to.” Read more..
AP: Boehner Challenges Senate Democrats To 'Get Off Their Ass'
House Speaker John Boehner challenged Senate Democrats Wednesday to "get off their ass" and pass a bill to fund the Homeland Security Department and restrict President Barack Obama's executive moves on immigration. His comments seemed unlikely to change Senate Democrats' behavior. But they underscored a worsening stalemate on Capitol Hill with funding for the Homeland Security Department set to expire Feb. 27. A day earlier, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared the Senate "stuck" on the issue and said the next move was in the House's court. Boehner rejected that, insisting the House has already done its job. He said Senate Democrats are at fault for blocking a House-passed bill that funds the department through the remainder of the budget year while also overturning Obama's policies limiting deportations for millions here illegally. Democrats oppose the immigration language. "The House has done its job, why don't you go ask the Senate Democrats when they're going to get off their ass and do something other than to vote no?" Boehner told reporters after meeting with GOP lawmakers. "The issue here is not Senate Republicans. The issue here is Senate Democrats." In response, a spokesman for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid chided Boehner that "cursing is not going to resolve the squabbling among Republicans that led to this impasse." Read more..
BuzzFeed: Staples: “Unfortunate” That Obama Is Attacking A Major Employer And Taxpayer
Staples has shot back at President Obama over comments made to BuzzFeed News, where he criticized the company for its policy of limiting the number of hours worked by its part-time employees. “I suspect that they could well afford to treat their workers favorably and give them some basic financial security,” President Obama said in an interview Tuesday with BuzzFeed News. “And if they can’t, then they should be willing to allow those workers to get the Affordable Care Act without cutting wages.” The comments were made in response to a BuzzFeed News report showing the company has begun strictly enforcing a rule limiting part-time workers to 25 hours of work per week. Some part-time employees said their hours have been cut severely in recent months, leading to hundreds of dollars of lost monthly wages. ... “It’s unfortunate that the president is attacking a company that provides more than 85,000 jobs and is a major tax payer,” Staples spokesperson Mark Cautela said in a statement. “We are very proud of our associates and offer competitive wages and benefits. Staples is a leader in helping associates build a secure future.” Read more..
NBC News: Congress Sends Obama Bill To Approve Keystone Pipeline
Congressional Republicans passed legislation approving the Keystone XL oil pipeline on Wednesday, sending it to President Barack Obama, who has pledged to veto the bill. The controversial pipeline was easily approved in a 270 to 152 vote, with support from 29 Democrats. Michigan Rep. Justin Amash was the only Republican to vote against the bill. Environmentalists have argued for years that the pipeline would cause pollution and contribute to climate change. Obama has said it would have little impact on the economy and the price of oil in the U.S. But Republicans have framed Keystone as a jobs bill and pledged to authorize construction after taking control of the Senate last month. Read more..
Huffington Post: Scott Walker Dodges Question On Whether He Believes In Evolution
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) on Wednesday dodged a question about whether he believes in evolution. Speaking at the Chatham House foreign policy think tank London, Walker was asked: "Are you comfortable with the idea of evolution? Do you believe in it?" "For me, I am going to punt on that one as well," he said. "That's a question politicians shouldn't be involved in one way or another. I am going to leave that up to you. I'm here to talk about trade not to pontificate about evolution." Walker was officially in the United Kingdom to promote trade and investment. He added when pressed: "I love the evolution of trade in Wisconsin." The governor also repeatedly dodged questions about United States foreign policy, citing respect for President Barack Obama. He said American politicians should not criticize a sitting president while abroad. "Being old fashioned, and having respect for the president, I just don't think you talk about foreign policy when you are on foreign soil," he said. Walker isn't the only would-be White House hopeful to dodge the issue. Last year, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) declined three times to answer the same question. Read more..
The Hill: Ohio Gov. John Kasich To Visit South Carolina
Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), often mentioned as a possible 2016 presidential candidate, will travel to early primary state South Carolina next week, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. He will meet with local officials and party members. The newspaper reported he will also hold a public event during the trip. The Feb. 18-19 visit to the state is reportedly being organized by a nonprofit group, Balanced Budget Forever, led by Kasich associates. It will be Kasich's first visit to a state with an early nominating contest this year. Read more..
AP: Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber Was About To Resign But Changed His Mind
Embattled Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber had reached a decision to resign because of an ethics scandal surrounding him and his fiancée, but he changed his mind for reasons that are unclear, three people with direct knowledge of the situation said Wednesday. They said the Democratic governor informed some of his aides on Sunday that he was going to resign and on Tuesday he asked his would-be successor, Secretary of State Kate Brown, to rush back from a conference in Washington D.C. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about private discussions. Brown's abrupt and unexplained return to Oregon sparked speculation that Kitzhaber planned to quit. Hours later, Kitzhaber issued a statement saying he would stay put. Read more..
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| UKRAINE LATEST |
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AP: Leaders In Minsk For Crucial Ukraine Peace Talks
The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine negotiated into the early hours Thursday to try to find a way to halt the fighting in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 5,300 people. The talks on ending the conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatist rebels came amid intense anxiety over the sharp spike in fighting in recent weeks, as Europe nervously awaits word on whether Washington will send lethal aid to Ukraine and as Russia's economy deteriorates under sanctions imposed by the West. In a diplomatic blitz that began last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande visited Kiev and Moscow to speak to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin, paving the way for the talks in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Read more..
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| HATE-CRIME CHARGES CONSIDERED IN N.C. SHOOTING OF MUSLIMS & OTHER STORIES FOR THIS THURSDAY MORNING... |
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LA Times: Hate-Crime Charges To Be Explored In N.C. Shooting Deaths Of 3 Muslims
Authorities will investigate whether religious hate played a role in the shooting deaths of three young Muslims in an incident police said stemmed from a parking dispute at a housing complex in Chapel Hill near the University of North Carolina. Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the shooting late Tuesday. The victims were identified as Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife, Yusor Mohammad, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19. Durham County Dist. Atty. Roger Echols said officials will examine whether the victims’ Muslim religion played a role in the shooting and whether hate crime charges will be sought. “It is a question of what we find – motive, facts – things that need to be confirmed and will be part of the decision-making process,” he told the Los Angeles Times in an interview. Hicks arrived for his first court appearance Wednesday morning and was ordered held without bail after a five-minute hearing. A probable cause hearing was set for March 4. Read more..
AP: Lawyer: 'American Sniper' Said Ex-Marine 'Straight-Up Nuts'
Shortly before he was shot to death by a troubled former Marine at a Texas gun range, legendary Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle texted a buddy, "This dude is straight-up nuts," a defense attorney told jurors Wednesday. A lawyer for Eddie Ray Routh said in opening statements of the man's murder trial that Routh's insanity was so evident that Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield exchanged texts expressing alarm as the three rode together in February 2013 to a Texas shooting range. "He's (sitting) right behind me, watch my six," Littlefield texted back, using a military reference for watching one's back. But a prosecutor said Routh still knew right from wrong, even with a history of mental illness. Read more..
Washington Post: Taya Kyle, Wife Of Slain Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, Delivers Tearful Testimony
The widow of the Navy SEAL veteran who inspired the recent blockbuster movie “American Sniper” on Wednesday tearfully recalled her last day with her husband, saying they attended a basketball game for one of their children before he was killed. Taya Kyle, the wife of Chris Kyle and mother of their two school-aged children, said he had agreed to help a troubled Marine Corps veteran, Eddie Ray Routh, 27, at the request of the Marine’s mother. Routh’s murder trial began Wednesday here in Erath County, where he is accused of killing the Navy SEAL and his friend, Chad Littlefield, at a rifle range at a nearby luxury resort on Feb. 2, 2013. Read more..
BBC News: Costa Concordia Captain Schettino Guilty Of Manslaughter
The captain of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia has been found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Captain Francesco Schettino was at the helm when the ship hit rocks and sank in 2012, killing 32 people. He was accused of taking the liner too close to the shore and then abandoning ship with passengers and crew still on board. Schettino denied the charges and said he was being made a scapegoat. His lawyers had argued that it was a collective failure of the ship's crew and others should share the blame for the disaster. Schettino was not present when Judge Giovanni Puliatti read out the verdict at the court in the city of Grosseto. Read more..
AP: Ferguson Mayor: Governor Refused National Guard Deployment Amid Unrest
The mayor of Ferguson said Wednesday that he had tried in vain to urge Gov. Jay Nixon to deploy the National Guard in his town as people burned and looted buildings in protest of a grand jury's decision in the Michael Brown case. Mayor James Knowles III was the lead witness as a Missouri legislative committee began hearing testimony on why the National Guard was not quickly deployed in Ferguson on Nov. 24, when grand jurors opted not to charge officer Darren Wilson, who is white, for fatally shooting the black 18-year-old. Nixon declared a state of emergency a week before the grand jury decision and had said the National Guard would be available to help local authorities "protect life and property" in case protests turned violent, as they did after Brown was shot Aug. 9. Read more..
CBS Boston: Beverly Scott Stepping Down As Head Of MBTA
Beverly Scott is resigning as MBTA general manager, the transportation agency said Wednesday afternoon. The MBTA had suspended rail service Monday night and Tuesday to clear snow from its tracks amid a record-setting period of snowfall in the Boston area. Gov. Charlie Baker and others had criticized the MBTA for its lackluster performance during the extreme snow and cold. Scott said in a letter that her resignation will take effect on April 11. “Please consider this my letter of resignation as the MBTA General Manager and Rail & Transit Administrator, effective April 11, 2015,” she wrote. “Thank you and the entire MassDOT Board for your confidence and support.” Read more..
Gallup: N.D. First, Conn. Last In State Job Creation In 2014
North Dakota maintained its pre-eminent position in Gallup's annual ranking of state job markets in 2014, with employed North Dakota residents providing a strongly upbeat report on hiring conditions where they work -- the most positive of any state. Connecticut finds itself at the other end of the spectrum, as workers there reported the worst hiring climate, although still net positive. Gallup's Job Creation Index is derived from full- and part-time workers' reports of whether their employer is hiring and expanding the size of its workforce, not making changes, or letting people go and reducing its workforce. In North Dakota, 48% of workers in 2014 said their employer is hiring and 12% said their employer is letting workers go, resulting in a +36 Job Creation Index score. By contrast, Connecticut's +16 index score reflects 33% of workers saying their employer is hiring and 17% letting go. The 2014 state-level findings are drawn from 201,254 interviews with employed adults nationwide, conducted throughout the year as part of Gallup Daily tracking. Read more..
ESPN: Tiger Woods Takes Leave From Golf, Says His Game Needs 'A Lot Of Work'
Tiger Woods said his golf is not acceptable for the PGA Tour and he will not return until it is. Woods shot a career-worst 82 to miss the cut in the Phoenix Open by 12 shots. He was playing poorly at Torrey Pines when he withdrew after 11 holes because of tightness in his back. Woods said Wednesday on his website that the injury is not related to the back surgery he had last spring. He said he is having physical therapy every day and feeling better. "Right now, I need a lot of work on my game, and to still spend time with the people that are important to me," he said. "My play, and scores, are not acceptable for tournament golf. Like I've said, I enter a tournament to compete at the highest level, and when I think I'm ready, I'll be back." He said he wants to play the Honda Classic that starts Feb. 26. But he won't play if he's not tournament-ready. Woods said he expects to be playing soon.Read more..
NBC Sports: Little League Scandal Exposes Big Cracks In Pint-Sized Honor Code
The stripping of a Chicago Little League team of its national title on Wednesday exposed an unsavory aspect of the famed World Series for kids: the suspicion that teams sometimes bend, or break, the rules to get there. The latest case, in which the Jackie Robinson West team from Chicago's South Side was found to have fudged district boundaries to get better players, has also shed light on the age-old honor system that Little League International depends on to keep the tournament honest. This "checks and balances" often leaves it to unpaid coaches and officials to police each other. That quaint notion, rooted in Little League's origins as a community-based, volunteer organization, can get strained by the high-stakes publicity of the Little League World Series, which is broadcast on national television from the group's headquarters in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, observers say. Read more..
Huffington Post: 'House Of Cards' Season 3 Leaked On Netflix Two Weeks Before Premiere Date
"House of Cards" appeared on Netflix two weeks early when viewers found most of the third season available to stream on Wednesday. The episodes were quickly pulled down, but viewers who had been watching the Season 3 premiere before Netflix remedied the situation were able to continue doing so even after the fix. It appeared that 10 episodes in total leaked online, but according to a tweet from the official "House of Cards" account, the third season will have a full compliment of 13 episodes.Read more..
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