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President Trump underwent his “second periodic physical exam” on Friday and was judged to be “in very good health” by his physician.

“This afternoon at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the president participated in a second periodic physical examination,” Sean P. Conley, DO, the physician to the president, said in a statement.

“Over the course of approximately four hours, I performed and supervised the evaluation with a panel of 11 different board-certified specialists. He did not undergo any procedures requiring sedation or anesthesia,” Conley said.

“While the reports and recommendations are being finalized, I am happy to announce the president of the United States is in very good health and I anticipate he will remain so for the duration of his presidency, and beyond,” Conley said.

It wasn’t immediately clear when a full report on Trump’s exam would be released.

Trump’s 2018 examination occurred with much greater fanfare and public attention. His physician at the time, Dr. Ronny Jackson, was peppered with multiple questions by media members about the president’s physical and mental well-being.

“All clinical data indicates the president is healthy and that he will remain so for the duration of his presidency,” Jackson, a rear admiral in the Navy, said at the time.

Jackson recommended that Trump do more dieting and exercise. He said Trump’s blood pressure was 122 over 74, and his total cholesterol was 223, which was higher than recommended.

Jackson was later nominated by the president to run the VA but he was forced to withdraw his nomination following multiple allegations of drinking while on duty.

The president recently re-nominated Jackson for a second star despite an ongoing Pentagon investigation against him.

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During his campaign for president in December 2015, Trump released a letter from his longtime personal physician, Dr. Harold Bornstein, predicting he would be “the healthiest individual ever elected to presidency.”

Bornstein later told NBC News that the president’s longtime bodyguard and an attorney, along with another man, raided his office last year to take the president’s medical records. But press secretary Sarah Sanders said the White House simply “took possession” of Trump’s past medical records from Bornstein, denying a “raid” ever took place, calling what happened “standard operating procedure.”

Fox News’ Jennifer Earl and Alex Pappas contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/verdict-of-trumps-second-periodic-physical-exam-president-in-very-good-health

In response, Ben Goldfarb, who managed her 2006 campaign, said, “Running for political office is incredibly hard for the candidate, their family and staff, and our team was proud to help elect her.“

Source Article from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/amy-klobuchar-mistreat-staff-harry-reid_us_5c5db1ece4b03afe8d674530

MISSION, Texas — Heavy machinery has started to roll in near the National Butterfly Center, which straddles the Mexican border. Customs and Border Protection has positioned vehicles here. And construction workers and architects have started plotting out their work for the next few months, and possibly years.

As the nation’s capital grapples over how to fund the controversial border wall, construction of a new one in the Rio Grande Valley is set to begin in the next few days.

Bentsen, a top national destination for bird watching, is located down the road from the bird center and will see one of two Rio Grande Valley border wall projects run through its property. Both plans were funded by last year’s congressional appropriations. Congress green-lighted more than $600 million for 33 miles of wall in the area.

Environmentalists are not happy.

“The construction would tear all the natural wildlife and the trees and all that’s been here forever,” said Lisa Doubet, a St. Louis native visiting Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park will see a portion of a new six-mile border wall run along a levee road in the property. 
(Fox News)

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The project that will cut through Bentsen and the butterfly center was the first contract to be awarded by CBP at the end of October. It calls for six miles of new border wall and will run on the south side of the U.S. International Boundary Water Commission levee, featuring concrete slabs with 18-foot tall bollards. About two weeks after making that first announcement, CBP awarded a second contract for another eight miles.

AS BORDER WALL GOES UP IN TEXAS, SOME LANDOWNERS PUT UP A FIGHT

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the butterfly center have criticized the potential damages that construction would have on wildlife and vegetation. Last year, the Trump administration waived 28 environmental and public-health laws to make way for the construction of the wall.

Last year, Customs and Border Protection awarded contracts for two border wall projects in the Rio Grande Valley, totaling 14 miles. 
(Fox News )

Newly selected Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rodolfo Karisch did not provide many details regarding the projects during his “State of the Border” address in Mission on Friday. However, he did bring up the high number of illegal border crossers.

“Every 14 days, we have as many people that show up in San Diego as far as a caravan. There’s so much work we have to do, but this is also not the answer, having men and women make this trek coming across the border there” said Karisch.

President Trump has ramped up calls for more money for additional border fencing. His push for $5.7 billion for a border wall triggered a standoff last month that led to the country’s longest government shutdown. Now, as lawmakers discuss border security funding ahead of a budget deadline next week, Trump is showing no signs of softening his stance, preparing instead for a MAGA rally in El Paso, where he’s expected to highlight the issue.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN RALLY IN EL PASO AS BORDER WALL DEBATE RAGES

“Now is the time for Congress to show the world that America is committed to ending illegal immigration and putting ruthless coyotes, drug dealers, and human traffickers out of business,” Trump said during his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

But, Mayor Jim Darling from the neighboring city of McAllen said it’s untrue that border towns are dangerous and lawless.

“We’re still fighting the image of being a lawless area of the border, the area’s unsafe and all those, so we’re still fighting that,” said Darling.

President Donald Trump continues to push for tighter border security, preparing for a MAGA rally in El Paso next week, where he’s expected to raise the issue. 
(AP)

Darling, who doesn’t identify as a Democrat or a Republican, said he believes in border security but doesn’t think a wall will solve what he says is the real issue: the number of asylum seekers.

“A wall doesn’t stop that. So, we’ve been seeing numbers at the respite center that are caravan-type numbers. But, the people haven’t been crossing in the caravans. They’ve been individual families or individuals themselves,” said Darling.

Meanwhile, as contractors move closer to construction, officials from Bentsen State Park worry about the area’s future.

“It’s a little scary for me,” Doubet said. “I just don’t think I’d want to be close to a border wall in a park.”

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/us/construction-for-new-border-wall-to-begin-in-rio-grande-valley-in-a-few-days-as-lawmakers-grapple-with-border-funding

The Tienditas bridge connecting Colombia and Venezuela has been blocked by Venezuelan military forces, as seen here on Wednesday. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are demanding that humanitarian aid be allowed to enter.

Edinson Estupinan/AFP/Getty Images


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The Tienditas bridge connecting Colombia and Venezuela has been blocked by Venezuelan military forces, as seen here on Wednesday. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are demanding that humanitarian aid be allowed to enter.

Edinson Estupinan/AFP/Getty Images

Trucks full of food and medicine have arrived at the Venezuelan border, setting up a showdown between President Nicolás Maduro and U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó.

The aid convoy arrived at the Colombian border city of Cúcuta, The Associated Press reports, but Maduro and the military have blocked the Tienditas bridge so that the trucks cannot enter Venezuela.

“The United States is prepositioning relief items — including food, nutritional supplements, hygiene kits and medical supplies — in Colombia so they are available to reach those most in need in Venezuela as soon as possible,” a U.S. official told The AP.

Maduro has rejected aid offers and says his country has “never been, nor are we, a country of beggars,” the BBC reports.

Venezuela has been in a political crisis since Guaidó, the president of the National Assembly, declared himself interim president last month. Maduro has refused to step aside and accuses the U.S. and others of attempting to overthrow him. Venezuela’s economy and medical system have collapsed in recent years, sending millions fleeing from the once-rich country, home to the world’s largest oil reserves.

Meanwhile, Colombia’s migration office has canceled more than 300 daily entrance passes used by Venezuelan politicians and the families of Maduro supporters.

“It doesn’t make sense that while [the Venezuelan people] migrate for hunger and need, supporters of the dictatorship enjoy these benefits and enter our country, using this card, to shop, among other things,” Christian Krüger Sarmiento, the director general of the migration agency, said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted a photo of the barricaded bridge. “The Venezuelan people desperately need humanitarian aid. The U.S. & other countries are trying to help, but Venezuela’s military under Maduro’s orders is blocking aid with trucks and shipping tankers. The Maduro regime must LET THE AID REACH THE STARVING PEOPLE.”

Guaidó has been talking about the aid convoys. “While we work every day to successfully achieve the delivery of the humanitarian aid; they insist on taking away the medicines and foods of those who need them urgently,” he tweeted.

“The first phase continues with collection centers in three allied countries,” he wrote, posting photos of the trucks.

Maduro has called the convoys “a political show,” according to Reuters.

Source Article from https://www.npr.org/2019/02/08/692698637/humanitarian-aid-arrives-for-venezuela-but-maduro-blocks-it

A Maryland woman said Friday she was raped by Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) in a “premeditated and aggressive” assault in 2000, while they both were undergraduate students at Duke University. She is the second woman this week to make an accusation of sexual assault.

The woman, Meredith Watson, said Friday in a written statement through her attorney that she shared her account immediately after it happened with several classmates and friends. Watson did not speak publicly Friday and her lawyer did not make her available for an interview.

Fairfax denied the allegations forcefully.

“I deny this latest unsubstantiated allegation,” Fairfax said in a statement. “It is demonstrably false. I have never forced myself on anyone ever.”

Watson was friends with Fairfax at Duke but they never dated or had any romantic relationship, Watson’s lawyer, Nancy Erika Smith, said.

“At this time, Ms. Watson is reluctantly coming forward out of a strong sense of civic duty and her belief that those seeking or serving in public office should be of the highest character,” Smith said in the statement . “She has no interest in becoming a media personality or reliving the trauma that has greatly affected her life. Similarly, she is not seeking any financial damages.”

Watson wants Fairfax to resign from office, Smith said.

Fairfax’s statement said he would not resign. “I demand a full investigation into these unsubstantiated and false allegations” the statement said. “I will clear my good name and I have nothing to hide. I have passed two full field background checks by the FBI and run for office in two highly contested elections with nothing like this being raised before. “

Watson’s claim comes at the end of a turbulent week that began when a different woman, Vanessa Tyson, accused Fairfax of sexually assaulting her in 2004 when both were in Boston attending the Democratic National Convention.

Fairfax denied that he assaulted Tyson, said he was the victim of a “smear” and has said repeatedly that they had a consensual encounter.

Smith said the details of Watson’s alleged attack are similar to those described by Tyson.

Kaneedreck Adams, 40, who attended Duke with Watson, said that in the spring of 2000, when they lived across from each other in on-campus apartments, Watson came to her crying.

“She was upset,” Adams, an attorney, said. “She told me she had been raped and she named Justin.”

“She said she couldn’t speak, but she was trying to get up and he kept pushing her down,” Adams. “She said he knew that she didn’t like what was happening, but he kept pushing her down.”

The alleged attack happened at fraternity house, Adams said.

She said both the women were friends with Fairfax, who was one year ahead of them in school. “We all knew he wanted to be in politics,” Adams said. “He had a reputation for being very friendly. Some of my friends, we called him sunshine. He was a nice sweet charming guy.”

Watson’s attorney provided an email exchange from 2016 between Watson and Milagros Joye Brown, a friend from Duke. Brown was inviting a group of Duke friends to a fundraiser for Fairfax, as he launched his campaign for lieutenant governor.

“Molly, Justin raped me in college and I don’t want to hear anything about him. Please, please, please remove me form any future emails about him please,” Watson wrote on Oct. 26, 2016.

All week, Democrats and Republicans have been treading carefully regarding Tyson’s allegation, unsure what to believe because Tyson offered no corroborating evidence. Several have called for an investigation.

Watson’s claim is likely to further stoke chaos in Richmond, where one week ago, a racist photo on the 1984 medical school yearbook page of Gov. Ralph Northam (D) was unearthed, setting off calls for his resignation. On Wednesday, Attorney General Mark R. Herring disclosed that he wore blackface as part of a costume during college in 1980.

After Watson’s allegations became public Friday. former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe called for Fairfax to resign.

“The allegations against Justin Fairfax are serious and credible,” McAuliffe said in a statement. “It is clear to me that he can no longer effectively serve the people of Virginia as Lieutenant Governor. I call for his immediate resignation.” McAuliffe has similarly called for Northam’s resignation.

If Northam were to step down, Fairfax would be next in line. And he was preparing to do just that, after scandal enveloped Northam and before Tyson accused Fairfax of sexual assault.

Fairfax, a 39-year-old former federal prosecutor, has been a rising star in Democratic politics. The great-great-great-grandson of a slave, he is the second African American to hold statewide office in Virginia.

Until this week, Fairfax was best known for silently protesting the state Senate’s annual tribute to Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Aaron C. Davis, Neena Satija, Rachel Chason, Fenit Nirappil and Samantha Schmidt contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/second-woman-accuses-va-lt-gov-justin-fairfax-of-sexual-assault/2019/02/08/19e6bb6c-2bdf-11e9-b011-d8500644dc98_story.html

House Judiciary Committee Democrats rejected an amendment Thursday to prepare a subpoena for Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who appointed and oversaw special counsel Robert Mueller.

The amendment was proposed by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., to be wrapped into a resolution to approve a tentative subpoena for acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker in the event that Whitaker fails to answer the panel’s questions including those surrounding his conversations with President Trump about Mueller’s Russia investigation.

“If you’re going to go through with this, add Mr. Rosenstein’s name so we can ask him some important questions that the American people need to know,” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, argued during a markup of the resolution.

Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., ruled the proposed amendment was not germane to the resolution and an appeal was tabled by a margin of 21-13.

The resolution to have a subpoena set for Whitaker was later approved on party lines.

Whitaker was named acting attorney general in November after Trump forced out former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Sessions recused himself from the Russia probe, paving the way for Rosenstein to oversee the investigation for roughly 15 months.

Whitaker has not recused himself from the investigation and has been overseeing it for the past two months. Whitaker’s oversight of the investigation has attracted the scrutiny of Democrats, who are interested to learn why he did not recuse himself.

The House Judiciary Committee approved to prepare a subpoena for Whitaker just in case, as Nadler put it, he fails to answer “legitimate questions” raised by the committee when he appears before them Friday.

Nadler provided Whitaker with the questions in advance so he could coordinate with the White House on whether there were areas that Trump wanted to invoke executive privilege. But Whitaker never replied.

In response to the subpoena threat, the Justice Department announced Whitaker would not appear unless he were certain that he wouldn’t be subpoenaed for refusing to answer questions.

“We seek a written assurance from your office that the committee will not issue a subpoena to the acting attorney general on or before Feb. 8, and that the committee will engage in good-faith negotiations with the department before issuing such a subpoena,” the Justice Department wrote in a letter to Nadler.

Whitaker is poised to leave his acting role very soon as Trump’s attorney general nominee, William Barr, is expected to be confirmed by the Senate by next week.

Rosenstein may face other opportunities to answer questions from lawmakers in the future, as Nadler noted.

Source Article from https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house-judiciary-dems-kill-amendment-for-rod-rosenstein-subpoena

(BANGKOK) — A Thai political party on Friday named a princess as its nominee to be the next prime minister, upending tradition of the palace eschewing politics and upsetting all predictions about what might happen in next month’s elections.

The selection of Princess Ubolratana Mahidol by the Thai Raksa Chart Party marks a shock realignment of Thai politics by tying the king’s eldest sister to the political machine of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, which hardcore royalists have long dismissed as opposed in spirit to the monarchy.

And it pits her against the preferred candidate of the military, which is considered one of Thailand’s most royalist institutions.

Current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led the 2014 coup that ousted Thailand’s last elected government, on Friday accepted his selection as candidate to lead the next government by Palang Pracharat Party, widely seen as a proxy for the military.

Prayuth had been considered the front-runner for the March 24 polls because changes in constitutional law and election rules were implemented by his government in a manner making it difficult for political parties without military backing to capture the premier’s post.

But Ubolratana’s de facto alliance with the forces of the exiled Thaksin — whose comeback the military has made every effort to block — puts Prayuth’s supporters in an extremely awkward position. Because she will be seen as a representative of the monarchy — the nation’s most revered and respected institution — it will be difficult to block her political rise.

“This is a game changer,” said Allen Hicken, a political scientist at the University of Michigan specializing in Southeast Asian studies. “In the event Thaksin-aligned parties win the election, it makes it very difficult for the military and royalists to contest, protest, or seek to overturn the result.”

Ubolratana was not present when her name was registered with the Election Commission by the Thai Raksa Chart Party. Its leader, Preechapol Pongpanit, said its executive committee “agrees that Princess Ubolratana, who is intelligent and capable, is the most appropriate name.” She made no known public appearances Friday.

“From my point of view, I think she understands Thai politics. She understands democracy,” he told reporters.

Because Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, the king and his immediate circle are not supposed to involve themselves directly in politics. Parliament has had members who were distant relatives of the monarch. Ubolratana falls into a gray area, as she is commonly called and treated as a princess, but her highest royal titles were taken away when she married an American more than four decades ago. Just hours after she was registered, another political party supporting Prayuth filed an objection with the Election Commission, arguing that the action broke rules banning the use of the royal institution as part of a political campaign.

Ubolratana, 67, is the first-born of four children of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit, with the current king the second-born.

She was virtually disowned by her father in 1972 when she married an American who was a fellow student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They settled in the United States where she and her husband, Peter Jensen, had three children. Only after a divorce did she move back permanently to Thailand in 2001.

Since then she has thrown herself into charity work, especially her “To Be No. 1” foundation to fight youth drug abuse. She also frequently promotes Thai tourism and movies at international forums. In general, like most of the royal family, she publicly kept herself aloof from Thailand’s recent political turmoil.

For most of Bhumibol’s reign from 1946 to his death in 2016, the revered and humble monarch was a stabilizing force in Thai politics. But the election of the telecommunications tycoon Thaksin in 2001 was transformative for Thailand.

His populist policies delivered unmatchable electoral majorities, but he was resented by the traditional ruling class, including royalists and the military. Violent street protests and two military coups have marked the years since. Thaksin went in exile in 2008 to avoid serving jail time on a corruption conviction he insists was politically motivated.

His well-funded political machine returned his allies to power twice, and his maneuvering is seen as the key element in arranging for Ubolratana’s selection by a Thaksin-affiliated party.

Most observers of Thai politics agree that Thaksin aggressively pursued good relations with Ubolratana’s brother, current King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and friendship with the princess herself. These links were formed as royalists and others loyal to Bhumibol accused Thaksin of showing disrespect for the throne, and even of harboring secret republican tendencies.

Thai Raksa Chart Party chief Preechapol brushed aside questions about Thaksin.

“I don’t think that Khun (Mr.) Thaksin will be involved about this,” he said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate to talk about a third person.”

When King Maha Vajiralongkorn ascended to the throne, conventional wisdom saw him as tightening his grip on power by allying himself closely with the military.

The surprise entry of his sister Ubolratana into politics — assumed to be with the king’s approval — raises questions about whether the long-lasting partnership of the palace with the army is in jeopardy.

“Assuming that this is proceeding with the blessing of the King, this suggests that the Crown is trying to chart its own course through Thailand’s turbulent political waters, placing some distance between itself and the military,” Hicken said.

He acknowledged, however, that it is too soon to tell what end result the king has in mind.

Contact us at editors@time.com.

Source Article from http://time.com/5524833/thailand-princess-nominated-prime-minister/



GREENWICH, CT (WFSB) – Greenwich police identified the woman whose body was found inside a suitcase that was left on the side of the road on Monday.

She is 24-year-old Valerie Reyes of New Rochelle, NY.

Reyes had been reported missing by the New Rochelle Police Department on Jan. 29 around 9 a.m.

Her family was advised of the identification on Wednesday night.

“The Greenwich Police Department is dedicated to identifying those responsible for the death of Valerie and ensuring justice for her and her family,” police said in a news release. “We continue to work with New Rochelle Police and other law enforcement agencies at multiple levels and have engaged a variety of resources to assist in the investigation.”

The cause of death has yet to be determined.

The suitcase was found in a wooded area along the side of Glenville Road on Monday.

Reyes was found in the suitcase with her hands and feet bound.

Police said this remains an active investigation.

On Thursday, the town of Greenwich said a city worker was placed on leave after allegedly taking photos of the murder victim at the crime scene.

Officials said it was a Dept. of Public Works employee who was placed on leave.

The employee has not been identified.

“The victim was a daughter, a sister and a cousin of a family who is suffering a tremendous loss at this time. This thoughtless and insensitive behavior by an employee is inexcusable. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Ms. Reyes’ family,” said Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei.

Stay with Channel 3 as more information becomes available.



Source Article from https://www.wfsb.com/news/police-identify-woman-found-dead-in-suitcase/article_bda575f6-2ae3-11e9-baeb-7786e43c7d98.html

In what appears to be a reference to the peace plan, the transcript states that Mr. Manafort and Mr. Kilimnik discussed the issue at least five times: in August 2016, in December 2016, during the inauguration week of January 2017, in February 2017 and during winter 2018. Mr. Downing told Judge Jackson that documents that prosecutors had produced detailing communications with Mr. Kilimnik were “nonsense” because whether or not Mr. Trump was elected, “the sanctions were going to continue against Russia.”

But Mr. Weissmann said the Aug. 2, 2016, meeting was highly unusual given that Mr. Manafort was then busy running Mr. Trump’s campaign. “That meeting and what happened at that meeting is of significance to the special counsel,” he said.

Joining Mr. Manafort and Mr. Kilimnik that day at the Grand Havana club in Manhattan was Rick Gates, deputy chairman of the Trump campaign and Mr. Manafort’s longtime right-hand man. The three men apparently considered the get-together to be sensitive. When the meeting broke up, prosecutors said, Mr. Manafort “took the precaution” of leaving with Mr. Gates through a separate door than Mr. Kilimnik.

The transcript makes clear that Mr. Gates, who pleaded guilty to two felonies and has been cooperating with prosecutors for a year, was a key source of information about Mr. Manafort, Mr. Kilimnik and other issues central to their inquiry.

For instance, it was apparently Mr. Gates who revealed to prosecutors that Mr. Manafort had ordered Trump campaign polling data to be sent to Mr. Kilimnik as Mr. Trump was clinching the Republican nomination in spring 2016. The New York Times has reported that Mr. Manafort wanted Mr. Kilimnik to pass the data to two oligarchs who had financed Ukrainian political parties aligned with Russia.

Prosecutors said Mr. Manafort lied about the data transfer even though he had access to reports of the F.B.I.’s interviews and was “very well aware of what Mr. Gates had said about sharing of polling data.”

Mr. Downing suggested that the special counsel’s office was not nearly skeptical enough of Mr. Gates, who is awaiting sentencing for conspiracy and lying to the federal authorities. If the judge decides that Mr. Manafort lied based on what Mr. Gates has said, Mr. Downing said, “We would really have grave concerns.”

But Judge Jackson cited corroboration for Mr. Gates’s statements about Mr. Manafort. She also said the fact that Mr. Gates had previously been caught lying did not mean that “not one word he said to the Office of Special Counsel was true.”

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/us/politics/manafort-pardon-russia-inquiry.html

Pro-lifers, don’t fret yet: Chief Justice John Roberts did not necessarily indicate yesterday that he is comfortable with the Supreme Court’s existing pro-choice jurisprudence. Instead, he showed he was unwilling to overturn precedent on what amounts to a procedural ruling.

Headline writers yesterday focused on Roberts’ role in joining the court’s four liberal justices in issuing a stay, or temporary halt, to a Louisiana law imposing new regulations on abortion providers. The law would have forbidden doctors from performing abortionists unless they hold “admitting” privileges at a nearby hospital. Because only four abortionists currently practice in Louisiana, and only one has such admitting privileges, those challenging the law said it would place an “undue burden” on the ability of women to procure abortions.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled that the “undue burden” test, as most recently explicated under the 2016 case from Texas called Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt, or WWH, does not apply in the Louisiana situation. The state argues the hospital access is needed in case serious medical complications occur during surgery, and that the three abortionists now without admitting privileges can apply and receive that authority during a 45-day regulatory grace period before the law takes effect. In sum, the “burden” is not undue, but readily surmountable.

Enter Roberts, in the Louisiana case known as June Medical Services v. Gee. The court’s four liberal justices were expected to issue the stay, because, in effect, they see any new restriction on abortion as illegitimate. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito consistently have indicated they think the entire abortion regime under the Roe and Casey cases is constitutionally suspect, and Justice Neil Gorsuch had been expected to join them. The two unknowns were Roberts and new Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Roberts had joined Thomas and Alito is dissenting from WWH and thus rejecting such an application of the undue burden test. Still, Roberts has a long history of trying to keep the high court away from controversial new precedents. Any court action seeming to undermine such a recent precedent as WWH, involving a subject as contentious as abortion, would be seen as a major quake.

Kavanaugh seemed to offer Roberts a middle ground. In dissenting from the stay, he made clear that he was not (for now) trying to ignore or overturn WWH, but to distinguish this Louisiana case from it. There’s no need, he wrote, for the court to predict whether the three abortionists could gain hospital privileges during the 45-day grace period. Instead, he reasoned, the court should wait to see — and, if they can’t , then issue an injunction halting the law’s implementation until and unless the Supreme Court can hear the full case on its merits.

The other three conservatives also dissented, but without comment, rather than joining Kavanaugh’s Solomonic reasoning.

That left Roberts. True to form, he sided with those who would stay the law now, clearly recognizing WWH as precedent rather than trying to distinguish this case from it. Again, if the Supreme Court agrees to hear June Medical Services on the full merits, that would be a time to revisit WWH and perhaps even Casey and Roe as well.

The full court is expected to agree to hear WWH either way; the only practical difference between the approaches of Kavanaugh and Roberts, therefore, is whether to let the Louisiana law take effect in the meantime.

The reason pro-lifers should not overly fret is that Roberts really has given no hint that his prior views on the merits have changed. Even a high court that can overturn its own precedent is often loath to do so on an intermediate ruling such as an injunction. The chief justice, as an institutionalist, is not the type to even appear to be undermining such a recent court precedent without full review of the case at hand.

One might hope that his disgust at WWH and Casey would make him eager to take the first opportunity to overturn them. But that’s not Roberts’ style. He punts when he can. Eventually, though, this ball will be put back in his hands, and he will then have to run with it, in one direction or another.

Source Article from https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/no-john-roberts-didnt-just-prove-himself-to-be-pro-roe

  • US futures are taking a hit after trade war uncertainty sends markets lower. 
  • President Trump ruled out a meeting with his counterpart Xi Jinping before a crucial March trade-war deadline.
  • Asian markets also closed lower while Europe is mixed. 

President Trump’s suggestion that he won’t meet Chinese Premier Xi Jinping before a crucial March 1 trade war deadline has pounded US markets amid fears of tariff escalation. 

The President shook his head when reporters asked about the chances of a meeting sending global equities lower as hopes of an early trade deal between the two countries diminished.

Selling was triggered after White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said on Fox on Thursday that “there is a pretty sizeable distance to go” to achieve a deal.

“Whilst this is a bit of a blow, it’s not in itself a reason to think trade talks are not going anywhere,” said Neil Wilson, chief market analyst for Markets.com. “It’s hard to see much in the way of a positive catalyst as we approach the weekend.”

Here’s the run-down:

  • US markets closed down Thursday and continued to be hit Friday with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all 0.3% lower as of 8.35 a.m in London (3.35 a.m in New York). 
  • Japan’s Nikkei plummeted 2% amid continued Lunar New Year celebrations elsewhere in the region with investors increasingly fearful about trade tariffs escalating. 
  • South Korean and Australian markets closed down while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also finished 0.2% lower. 
  • Europe’s markets are a mixed picture with the FTSE 100 and CAC 40 both trading up 0.3% while Italy’s FTSE MIB is up 0.5% even after the country’s growth forecasts for 2019 were slashed Thursday. 

If no trade deal is agreed by March 1, tariffs on about $200 billion worth of Chinese exports to the US will increase from 10% to 25%.

See Also:

Source Article from https://www.aol.com/article/finance/2019/02/08/us-stocks-set-to-get-battered-again-as-abandoned-trump-xi-meeting-reignites-trade-war-uncertainty/23664804/

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Source Article from https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/brett-kavanaugh-june-medical-services-louisiana-john-roberts.html

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who announced a sweeping “Green New Deal” on Thursday that promises to render air travel obsolete, get rid of flatulent cows and ensure economic security for everyone in less than a decade, seemingly contradicted herself in a span of twelve hours on the nature of the government’s role in the massive undertaking.

NPR host Steve Inskeep asked Ocasio-Cortez Thursday morning about concerns from conservatives that the 29-year-old former bartender’s proposal involves an unconstitutional government overreach, as well as the unsustainable and dangerous elimination of huge swaths of the American economy.

“One reason that people who are politically conservative are skeptical of efforts to combat climate change is that it sounds to them like it requires massive government intervention, which they just don’t like,” Inskeep asked. “Are you prepared to put on that table that, ‘Yes actually they’re right, what this requires is massive government intervention?'”

Ocasio-Cortez responded: “It does, it does, yeah, I have no problem saying that. Why? Because we have tried their approach for 40 years. For 40 years we have tried to let the private sector take care of this. They said, ‘We got this, we can do this, the forces of the market are going to force us to innovate.’ Except for the fact that there’s a little thing in economics called externalities. And what that means is that a corporation can dump pollution in the river and they don’t have to pay, but taxpayers have to pay.”

But later in the day, in an interview with MSNBC’s Chuck Todd, Ocasio-Cortez blamed conservatives for suggesting that she wanted a massive government program.

“I think one way that the right does try to mischaracterize, uh, what we’re doing as though it’s, like, some kind of massive government takeover,” Ocasio-Cortez told Todd. “Obviously, it’s not that, because what we’re trying to do is release the investments from the federal government to mobilize those resources across the country.”

FULL TEXT: GREEN NEW DEAL FAQ CALLS FOR ABOLISHING ‘FARTING COWS’ AND ‘AIRPLANES’ ASAP

Ocasio-Cortez, who has warned that climate change may end the world in 12 years, went on to decline to call herself a capitalist.

“I don’t say that,” Ocasio-Cortez responded, when asked by Todd if she considers herself a capitalist. “I believe in a democratic economy, but — but the but is there.”

In what may be the most far-reaching proposal to ever be considered in Congress, Ocasio-Cortez unveiled the “Green New Deal” hours earlier — a government-led overhaul of virtually every aspect of American life that would guarantee a host of taxpayer-covered benefits for all and phase out fossil fuels.

Along the way, her office says the plan would aim to make air travel obsolete, upgrade or replace every building in America to ensure energy efficiency and give economic security even to those “unwilling” to work.

OCASIO-CORTEZ SAYS TRUMP SLAMMED SOCIALISM IN SOTU BECAUSE HE’S ‘SCARED’

“Today is the day that we truly embark on a comprehensive agenda of economic, social and racial justice in the United States of America,” she said alongside Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and other lawmakers outside the Capitol. “That’s what this agenda is all about.”

The plan, which calls for a massive package of big-government proposals including health care for all, quickly picked up the backing of major 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls including Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Cory Booker, D-N.J. — who all co-sponsored the resolution.

“Our history is a testimony to the achievement of what some think is impossible — we must take bold action now,” Booker tweeted.

Cows may be eliminated by the Green New Deal announced Thursday.
(iStock)

While the resolution itself would do very little because it is non-binding, it is the first time the policy proposal has been formally outlined in Congress. The resolution says “a new national social, industrial and economic mobilization on a scale not seen since World War II and the New Deal” is an opportunity to tackle systemic injustices toward minority groups, create millions of high-wage jobs and “provide unprecedented levels of prosperity and economic security for all people of the United States.”

Its proposals include “net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers;” job creation; infrastructure investment; guarantees of clean water, healthy food and sustainable environment; and a curiously undefined “access to nature.”

PELOSI THROWS SHADE ON GREEN NEW DEAL: ‘GREEN NEW DREAM OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT’

December 10, 2018 – Washington, DC, United States – Protesters seen holding placards during the Sunrise Movement protest inside the office of US Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to advocate that Democrats support the Green New Deal, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (Credit Image: © Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire)
(Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire)

Beyond those broad proposals, the plan and accompanying documents from Ocasio-Cortez include a range of far-fetched goals — and drew swift scorn from Republicans and other critics. The Republican National Committee dubbed it a “socialist wish list” that would kill at least 1 million jobs and disrupt global trade — while costing trillions.

The resolution, for instance, includes a proposal to “upgrade all existing buildings” in the country in order to achieve energy efficiency, safety, affordability, durability and comfort.

An accompanying FAQ, released by Ocasio-Cortez’s office and first obtained by NPR, goes even further, calling to “upgrade or replace every building in the US for state-of-the-art energy efficiency.” A second similar FAQ on her website echoed some of those prescriptions though was later removed.

The resolution also backs the concept of high-speed rail as a proposal to reduce carbon emissions — but the FAQ goes so far as to urge that development “at a scale where air travel stops becoming necessary.”

It also promises “economic security for all who are unable or unwilling to work.”

What constitutes economic security is not clear, but the plan does call for programs including a federal job guarantee, universal health care and “affordable, safe, and adequate housing.”

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The FAQ also notes that it has set a goal of net-zero, rather than zero, emissions in 10 years “because we aren’t sure that we’ll be able to get rid of farting cows and airplanes that fast.”

As for how to pay for the Green New Deal?

“The same way we paid for the New Deal, the 2008 bank bailout and extended quantitative easing programs,” Ocasio-Cortez’s FAQ states. “The same way we paid for World War II and all our current wars. The Federal Reserve can extend credit to power these projects and investments and new public banks can be created to extend credit.”

The FAQ continues: “There is also space for the government to take an equity stake in projects to get a return on investment. At the end of the day, this is an investment in our economy that should grow our wealth as a nation, so the question isn’t how will we pay for it, but what will we do with our new shared prosperity.”

WHITE HOUSE REACTS AFTER OCASIO-CORTEZ WARNS THE WORLD WILL END IN 12 YEARS

However, the push is likely to see resistance not only from Republicans but even some Democrats. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, was asked about the plan to replace planes with high-speed rail and did not seem impressed.

“That would be pretty hard for Hawaii,” she laughed.

On Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared to dismiss the plan.

“It will be one of several or maybe many suggestions that we receive,” Pelosi told Politico on Wednesday. “The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but they’re for it right?”

Even aside from the Green New Deal, conservative commentators have argued that most proposed solutions to global warming would do more harm than good, and also have accused climate activists of crying wolf. In 2006, a NASA scientist and leading global warming researcher declared that the world had only 10 years to avert a climate catastrophe — a deadline that has come and gone.

Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ocasio-cortez-hours-after-introducing-green-new-deal-contradicts-herself-on-governments-role

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker will testify as planned before the House Judiciary Committee on Friday, Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said. 

“CONFIRMED: Acting Attorney General Whitaker will appear tomorrow morning at 9:30am,” Nadler announced on Twitter Thursday evening.

The development came shortly after Nadler sent a letter to Whitaker saying there would be “no need” for the committee to subpoena him if he appeared before the panel as scheduled and is prepared to respond to questions.

Whitaker had agreed to testify publicly before the committee last month on Feb. 8. However, his appearance was abruptly called into question on Thursday after the Democrat-led panel voted to authorize a subpoena to ensure his appearance, in the case he declined to show up or answer certain questions by citing executive privilege.

Whitaker said later Thursday that he would not testify unless the committee’s chairman withdrew the subpoena threat. The acting attorney general requested that Nadler commit to not issuing the subpoena in the next two days and to engaging in “good faith negotiations.”

“Such unprecedented action breaches our prior agreement and circumvents the constitutionally required accommodation process,” Whitaker said. “Based upon today’s action, it is apparent that the Committee’s true intention is not to discuss the great work of the Department of Justice, but to create a public spectacle.” 

Nadler’s letter later on Thursday evening appeared to be an effort to diffuse the battle over his testimony.

“If you appear before the Committee tomorrow morning and if you are prepared to respond to questions from our Members, then I assure you that there will be no need for the Committee to issue a subpoena on or before February 8,” Nadler wrote.

“To the extent that you believe you are unable to fully respond to any specific question, we are prepared to handle your concerns on a case-by-case basis, both during and after tomorrow’s hearing,” Nadler added.

Whitaker’s testimony Friday is expected to be explosive. Whitaker has been a flashpoint of controversy since Trump tapped him to helm the Justice Department in November, following Attorney General Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsTrump, Democrats clash over probes Hillicon Valley: House Intel panel will release Russia interviews | T-Mobile, Sprint step up merger push | DHS cyber office hosting webinars on China | Nest warns customers to shore up password security House Intel panel votes to release Russia interview transcripts to Mueller MORE’ ouster. Whitaker has particularly been scrutinized for his past criticism of special counsel Robert MuellerRobert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE’s investigation, over which he has oversight now as the top Justice Department official.

Whitaker is likely to face a barrage of questions from Democrats on his oversight of the investigation as well as his communications with the White House.

In a five-page letter to Nadler Thursday in response to the subpoena threat, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd noted Whitaker would not go into detail about his communications with President TrumpDonald John TrumpIvanka Trump to lead new White House global women’s empowerment initiative Father says he traveled to Canada for son’s medicine that would cost K in US Clinton: Trump’s decision to suspend nuclear treaty with Russia ‘a gift to Putin’ MORE during the hearing. 

Source Article from https://thehill.com/homenews/house/429072-whitaker-to-testify-publicly-friday-judiciary-chairman-says

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(CNN)Former Rep. John Dingell sat in the House of Representatives for 59 years and 22 days — making him the longest serving member of Congress.

    Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/08/politics/john-dingell-best-tweets-trnd/index.html

    House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., defended hiring officials from the National Security Council to assist in the panel’s oversight of the Trump administration.

    “If the president is worried about our hiring any former administration people, maybe he should work on being a better employer,” Schiff said, according to CNN.

    Schiff said the committee has a “long tradition of hiring out of the intelligence community, out of the National Security Council.”

    An aide clarified that no recent committee hire came directly from the White House.

    The Hill reported one of the hires was Abigail Grace, who served on the NSC staff from 2016-2018. It was not clear if she was the only person hired who had worked on the NSC staff during the Trump administration.

    Trump fumed about the hires Thursday morning on Twitter, accusing Democratic-led committees of “stealing” people who work at the White House.

    “A continuation of Witch Hunt!” he wrote.

    At his State of the Union address, Trump told Democrats not to investigate him, saying, “If there is going to peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation.”

    A day after the comment, Schiff announced the Intelligence Committee would investigate Trump’s finances.

    Source Article from https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/adam-schiff-defends-intelligence-hires-as-president-fumes

    MARIN COUNTY (KCBS Radio) — Updated 4:30 p.m.

    At 4 p.m., the CHP announced that the single lanes open on both directions of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge were once again closed after concrete fell a second time onto the lower span. One lane on the eastbound span in the commute direction later re-opened.

    Widespread traffic impacts have been felt across the Bay Area during the afternoon commute. Gridlock in San Francisco was so severe that the SFMTA temporarily stopped all California Cable Car service.

    —-

    The California Highway Patrol is re-opening one lane in each direction on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, after chunks of falling concrete fell on the eastbound lower deck and closed the critical commuter span for several hours Thursday. 

    Full re-opening of the bridge is not expected until 6 p.m. Thursday, and will likely continue to cause major impacts on the evening commute.

    CalTrans is currently investigating the reason for the falling concrete, which was reported by a driver crossing the span after one of the chunks struck their car. The closure also impacted both westbound and eastbound I-50, and closed the on-ramps to the freeway.

    Listener Brittany N. shared this video with KCBS Radio of authorities trying to clear the lower deck of the bridge:

    KCBS Radio’s Carrie Hodousek is on the scene and saw vehicles being escorted off the bridge after they were temporarily trapped by the closure:

    As of 1:20 p.m., the CHP reports that all drivers were safely escorted off of the bridge. However, two vehicles were left abandoned on the span. A Sig Alert first reported the problem at 11:20 a.m. There are no reports of injuries at this time.

    CHP Marin has posted images of the concrete chunks on their Facebook page. 

    Source Article from https://kcbsradio.radio.com/blogs/kcbs-radio-afternoon-news/richmond-san-rafael-bridge-closed-falling-concrete

    Durham, N.C. — Is it taking a stand or disrespecting the flag? That’s the question some are asking after a Durham 10 year old took a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance at Monday night’s City Council meeting, reports CBS Raleigh affiliate WNCN-TV.

    Video of the meeting shows Liam Holmes drop down. The council invited Cub Scout Pack 451 to lead the pledge. Liam said he is a Cub Scout.

    “What I did was took a knee against racial discrimination, which is basically when people are mean to other people of different colors,” said Liam.

    His dad, Scott Holmes, said he talked to Liam about it beforehand, but he wasn’t sure if he’d follow through.

    “When he did it I was really surprised and also really proud of him,” Scott Holmes said.

    “No one saw it except the people that were watching. And the mayor noticed and he thanked me,” Liam said.

    Cub Scout Liam Holmes, 10, taking knee during Pledge of Allegiance at Durham, N.C. City Council meeting on February 4, 2019

    WNCN-TV


    “Thank you, councilman, and thank you, scouts. To the scout that expressed his conscience by kneeling, we will say we endorse and appreciate all expressions of conscience in Durham City Council,” Mayor Steve Schewel said.

    Not everyone shared that opinion.

    “It just blew my mind that this was Cub Scouts and politics,” Brandon LaRoque said.

    LaRoque is a lifelong scout and veteran. He reached out to WNCN after he heard what had taken place.

    “Part of the scout oath is to God and your country, and I understand people have the right to freedom of speech. I just don’t understand why it has to be during the Pledge of Allegiance,” LaRoque said.

    Schewel said he “was surprised but also I was very respectful and appreciative of (Liam) expressing his conscience.

    He said he disagrees with those who say Liam is too young to understand what he was doing

    “At a very young age, you can be a moral person and stand up for what you believe in,” Schewel observed, adding that kneeling at the flag is a right anyone has.

    “One of the things that we have to really be aware of is what our flag really stands for,” Schewel continued. “Our flag stands for freedom of individual expression and freedom to express your conscience and we need to support that — all the time.

    For his part, Liam said that won’t be the last time he takes a knee during the pledge.

    “I just like the idea of it and now, I just feel like doing it every time when we do the Pledge of Allegiance.”

    Source Article from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/liam-holmes-10-takes-knee-pledge-of-allegiance-durham-city-council-sparks-controversy/

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked Louisiana from enforcing a law that women’s groups said would leave only a single doctor legally allowed to perform abortions in the state.

    By a 5-4 vote, the court said the restrictions must remain on hold while challengers appeal a lower court decision in favor of the law. Chief Justice John Roberts voted with the court’s liberal members.

    It was the Supreme Court’s first significant action on the hot-button issue of abortion since Donald Trump’s nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, replaced Anthony Kennedy, who generally voted with the court’s liberals to uphold abortion rights.

    In Thursday’s ruling, Kavanaugh voted with the conservatives — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch.

    Kavanaugh filed a dissent, writing only for himself. He said he would have allowed the law to take effect in order to see whether it would impose a burden on women’s access to abortion in the state.

    Abortion-rights advocates applauded the court ruling, while opponents expressed disappointment.

    “The Supreme Court has stepped in under the wire to protect the rights of Louisiana women,” said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights. “The three clinics left in Louisiana can stay open while we ask the Supreme Court to hear our case. This should be an easy case — all that’s needed is a straightforward application of the court’s own precedent.”

    Benjamin Clapper, executive director for Louisiana Right to Life, said he was disappointed that the law remains on hold. He said supporters of abortion rights have fought “against every common-sense health standard. This is just another example of the extreme lengths the abortion industry pursues to protect abortion-on-demand.”

    The high court’s decision Thursday was not a ruling on the legal merits of the Louisiana restriction. But the decision to keep the law on hold signals that a majority of the justices have doubts about its constitutionality.

    Passed by the state legislature in 2014, the measure requires any doctor offering abortion services to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles. Two Louisiana doctors and a clinic filed a legal challenge, arguing that it was identical to a Texas law the Supreme Court struck down in 2016. In that ruling, joined by Justice Kennedy, the court said Texas imposed an obstacle on women seeking access to abortion services without providing them any medical benefits.

    Chief Justice John Roberts arrives prior to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech on Capitol Hill on January 28, 2014.Larry Downing / Pool via Getty Images

    The Center for Reproductive rights said Louisiana’s law would leave only one doctor at a single clinic in New Orleans to perform the procedure, a drastic limitation that “cannot possibly meet the needs of approximately 10,000 women who seek abortion services in Louisiana each year.”

    But Louisiana officials urged the Supreme Court to let them begin enforcing the law. They said the challengers’ claim of harm rested on the fear that clinics would be shut own overnight. “But that is not correct. Louisiana envisions a regulatory process that begins, logically, with collecting information from Louisiana’s abortion clinics and their doctors,” the state said.

    The Supreme Court’s 2016 ruling, in a case called Whole Women’s Health, said requiring abortion doctors to have hospital admitting privileges was medically unnecessary, given that only a tiny fraction of abortions in the first trimester require hospitalization. By contrast the Texas law caused half the abortion clinics in the state to shut down, forcing women to endure longer travel and increased wait times.

    It was the most important abortion ruling in 25 years and blocked similar restrictions in Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

    The court’s action Thursday came in a brief unsigned order with no written opinion, so none of the five justices who voted to block enforcement of the Louisiana law explained their reasoning.

    Roberts was among the dissenters when the court struck down the Texas law. But the court ruled that it was unconstitutional, and his vote Thursday was consistent with that holding.

    In response to the lawsuit over Louisiana’s identical law, a federal judge said it was likely unconstitutional and issued a stay, blocking its enforcement. But a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals voted to lift the stay. In a 2-1 ruling, the court said Louisiana’s law would present far less of an obstacle than the Texas law would have. Less than one-third of Louisiana women seeking an abortion would face even the potential of longer wait times, the court said.

    The appeals court concluded that the Louisiana law would not impose an “undue burden” on access to abortion, which has been the Supreme Court’s key legal test for challenges to abortion restrictions for nearly three decades. The lower court’s ruling was to have gone into effect February 4, but the Supreme Court put it on hold, giving itself more time to decide what to do.

    Kavanaugh said that because Louisiana promised to put the law into effect gradually, he would have waited to see how many doctors were able to get hospital admitting privileges. So far, he said, the two sides in the case have offered only “competing predictions” about its effect.

    The stay on enforcement of the law will remain until the challengers bring their full appeal to the Supreme Court. If the court agrees to hear the case, the stay would remain until it issues its decision, which would happen sometime late this year or early in 2020.

    Source Article from https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-blocks-louisiana-abortion-law-1st-major-ruling-abortion-n968766

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    (CNN)Former Rep. John Dingell, the longest serving member of Congress on record and a politician whose voice loomed large even after he left Capitol Hill, passed away Thursday. He was 92.

    “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of John David Dingell, Jr., former Michigan Congressman and longest-serving member of the United States Congress,” the office of his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, said in a statement. “Congressman Dingell died peacefully today at his home in Dearborn, surrounded by his wife Deborah. He was a lion of the United States Congress and a loving son, father, husband, grandfather, and friend. He will be remembered for his decades of public service to the people of Southeast Michigan, his razor sharp wit, and a lifetime of dedication to improving the lives of all who walk this earth.”

    Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/07/politics/john-dingell-dead/index.html

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    New York (CNN Business)In an explosive tell-all blog post published Thursday afternoon, Jeff Bezos accused the publisher of the National Enquirer of trying to extort him.

    Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/07/media/jeff-bezos-ami-blackmail/index.html