News Daypop Archives

The Justice Department asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to block a lower court order for Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to be questioned by lawyers for a group of states challenging a decision by President Donald Trump’s administration to ask people taking part in the 2020 census whether they are citizens. The Justice Department told the Supreme Court the states should not be allowed to probe Ross’s “mental state” in deciding to add the citizenship question to the census, saying that compelling testimony from high-ranking officials is rarely justified. The U.S. Constitution mandates a census every 10 years. It is used to determine the allocation of seats in Congress and at the state level, the drawing of political boundaries and the distribution of billions of dollars in federal funds to communities.... [Read Full Story]

New York state officials are probing the tax practices of President Donald Trump and his family; this following a New York Times report on their use of tax avoidance schemes that they called “deceptive and potentially fraudulent.” The Department of Taxation and Finance has opened an investigation; it can collect fines and penalties and also refer criminal actions to the attorney general’s office. The alleged actions took place three decades ago, likely putting any criminal liability past the statute of limitations. “The Tax Department is reviewing the allegations in the NYT article and is vigorously pursuing all appropriate avenues of investigation,” said department spokesman James Gazzale in a statement. A spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office declined to comment.... [Read Full Story]

On Tuesday, the Dow hit a record closing high but another drop in Facebook shares weighed on both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, driving both to finish in the red. The Dow was boosted by names such as Boeing and Caterpillar as investors remained upbeat on trade-sensitive companies following the deal negotiated between the United States, Canada and Mexico. Meanwhile, Facebook fell 1.91 percent. The social media company disclosed its worst security breach eve on Friday, and faces continuing calls for legislation to force technology firms to take responsibilities for online security seriously.... [Read Full Story]

About 225 million mobile devices across the U.S. will receive a test emergency alert on Wednesday. It’s the first nationwide test for a wireless phone emergency alert. It will be sent at 2:18 p.m. EDT. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said that it will sound like an Amber Alert or flood warning. The subject will read: “Presidential Alert.” The text will say: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” A test of broadcast systems will happen at 2:20 p.m. EDT. FEMA officials say the test will last about a half-hour; meaning people may get it at different times. They expect about 75% of all wireless users to get the alert. The alert would be used in the event of a major nationwide emergency.... [Read Full Story]

On Monday, President Donald Trump spoke about the new free trade deal with Canada and Mexico, saying it was “a win” for U.S. workers. Washington and Ottawa reached an agreement on Sunday after weeks of talks to update the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. The United States forged a separate trade deal with Mexico, the third member of NAFTA, in August. The new agreement is called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and is aimed at bringing more jobs into the United States, with Canada and Mexico accepting more restrictive commerce with the United States, their main export partner. At the White House, President Trump said “these measures will support many – hundreds of thousands – American jobs.”  He said the deal was “the most important” the United States had ever made. ... [Read Full Story]

A classmate of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh at Yale University, Charles Ludington, will provide information to the FBI on Monday. News of Ludington’s involvement was first reported by The Washington Post, who said he planned to give a statement to the FBI at its field office in Raleigh, North Carolina, “detailing violent drunken behavior by Kavanaugh in college.” In a copy of his statement provided to the publication, Ludington, a professor at North Carolina State University, described Kavanaugh as a “belligerent and aggressive” drunk. During his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week, Kavanaugh was repeatedly asked about his drinking habits in school, but denied having a problem. However in his statement, Ludington wrote that “if he lied about his past actions on national television, and more especially while speaking under oath in front of the United States Senate, I believe those lies should have consequences.” A senior U.S. official confirmed that the White House counsel’s office directed the FBI to interview the following witness list of four: Kavanaugh friends Mark Judge and P.J. Smyth, Leland Keyser, a friend of Ford’s who Ford says was at the party, and Deborah Ramirez, who accused Kavanaugh of exposing himself to her when they were both students at Yale University.... [Read Full Story]

A car explosion in downtown Allentown left three men dead, including the likely “perpetrator,” officials said Sunday. Federal authorities who are leading the investigation planned on conducting autopsies, saying “we know there’s been a criminal incident.” District Attorney James Martin told reporters at a news conference Sunday that “we have a high degree of confidence that the perpetrator was probably killed in the incident.” No further information about the possible cause of Saturday night’s blast, including whether it was a bomb, but Martin said, “Loads of us in law enforcement” are confident “this was A. an isolated incident and B. there’s no continuing threat.” The FBI, state police, and city and county authorities are investigating along with the ATF. Autopsies were planned Monday on the three males found dead after the 9:30 p.m. explosion, Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said Sunday afternoon. Grim said he would probably be able to release the names Monday once their identities are confirmed and their families are notified.... [Read Full Story]

After a full day of testimony from Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the first woman who accused the judge of sexually assaulting her, President Donald Trump reinforced his support of Kavanaugh. In a tweet on Thursday evening, the President said, “Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democrats’ search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist. The Senate must vote!”  Ford accused Kavanaugh of trying to rape her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has vehemently denied all of her allegations, as well as the allegations made against him by two other women. Both Ford and Kavanaugh sat through hours of questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee as well as an outside prosecutor who Republicans hired to ask questions on Thursday. Ford spoke emotionally when describing her allegations. Kavanaugh began his testimony with anger in his voice, but also became very emotional during his opening statement. The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a vote on whether to confirm Kavanaugh for Friday, but Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and other Democrats have called for the vote to be delayed.... [Read Full Story]

The White House said on Thursday that President Donald Trump and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein have agreed to delay their planned meeting on Thursday until next week, so as not to interfere with the Senate hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Trump had expected to meet with Rosenstein, who oversees the probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, to discuss a news report that he had suggested secretly recording the president and recruiting Cabinet members to remove him from office. The meeting between the president and deputy attorney general was originally scheduled in the wake of a flurry of conflicting reports Monday, saying Rosenstein had either quit or was set to be fired. At the time, Trump was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. ... [Read Full Story]

The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the third time this year. Policymakers under Chairman Jerome Powell unanimously agreed to raise the federal funds rate a quarter percentage point, to a range of 2% to 2.25%. The rate helps determine rates for mortgages, credit cards and other consumer borrowing. “Our economy is strong,” Powell said at a press conference on Wednesday. “These rates remain low, and my colleagues and I believe that this gradual returning to normal is helping to sustain this strong economy.” Central bankers raised expectations for a fourth rate hike in December, with a majority now in favor of such a move. In June, policymakers were split on whether the Fed should raise rates four times this year or three. Looking ahead to 2019, Fed officials expect at least three rate hikes will be necessary, and one more in 2020. The Fed raised its expectation for economic growth this year to 3.1% from 2.8%, but for 2019, Fed officials expect growth to slow to 2.5% amid worries about the growing trade rift between the United States and China. ... [Read Full Story]

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said that Democratic attacks on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh over allegations of sexual misconduct were “disgraceful,” and would backfire on the party in November. “If the Democrats are playing this game that is disgraceful. It is a disgrace to the country. And I think you are going to see it in the midterms,” Trump said in New York, where he was meeting with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe during the United Nations General Assembly. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats on Wednesday urged President Donald Trump to withdraw Kavanaugh’s nomination. In a letter, all 10 Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee called on Trump to either withdraw Kavanaugh from consideration, or order an FBI investigation “into all allegations.” Kavanaugh was accused on Wednesday by another woman of engaging in sexual misconduct at parties while he was a student at Georgetown Preparatory School in the 1980s. The allegation came from Julie Swetnick, 55, who said she observed the future Supreme Court nominee at parties where women were verbally abused, inappropriately touched, made “disoriented” with alcohol or drugs and “gang raped.” Judge Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied allegations that he behaved inappropriately toward women. ... [Read Full Story]

President Donald Trump delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday in which, among other things, he touted his Administration’s accomplishments, spoke about the importance of American sovereignty and patriotism, and criticized “the ideology of globalism.”  Mr. Trump opened his annual address by boasting that his administration “has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country,” which was met with laughter by the other world leaders at the assembly. “Didn’t expect that reaction,” President Trump said, “but that’s O.K.”  Trump said in part, “Each of us here today is the emissary of a distinct culture, a rich history and a people bound together by ties of memory, tradition and the values that make our homelands like nowhere else on earth. That is why America will always choose independence and cooperation over global governance, control and domination.”  The President added: “The United States will not tell you how to live or work or worship. We only ask that you honor our sovereignty in return.”... [Read Full Story]

Michael Kors is buying the Italian fashion house Versace in a deal worth more than $2 billion. The deal Tuesday comes just 14 months after the New York handbag maker spent $1.35 billion adding to its portfolio Jimmy Choo. Michael Kors remains the chief creative director at Kors, but the expanding company will be renamed Capri Holdings Ltd., with $8 billion in projected annual sales. Gianni Versace founded the Versace brand in 1978, becoming a major force bringing to prominence Milan ready-to-wear; with Versace’s murder 21 years ago, his sister, Donatella Versace, took over creative direction and his brother Santo continued on the business side. The Versace family still controls 80 percent of the company, with the investment firm Blackstone owning the remaining 20 percent. Donatella Versace presented her latest collection for next spring and summer last Friday during Milan Fashion Week. “This is a very exciting moment for Versace,” she said. “It has been more than 20 years since I took over the company along with my brother Santo and daughter Allegra.” Donatella, who holds a 20 percent stake in the business, will stay onboard as creative director and the family will become shareholders in the larger business. Kors said Tuesday that it plans to open 100 new Versace stores (there are 200 in operation) at the same time that it amplifies online sales of the brand.... [Read Full Story]

The Dallas police officer who fatally shot her neighbor inside his own apartment was fired Monday, the same day the man was buried in his Caribbean homeland. Police Chief U. Renee Hall dismissed Officer Amber Guyger during a hearing Monday, according to a statement posted on Twitter. According to Dallas police, Guyger is charged with manslaughter in the Sept. 6 shooting that left 26-year-old Botham Jean dead, and she was fired because of her arrest. Guyger claims she thought she had encountered a burglar inside her own home when she shot Jean.  She turned herself in three days later , and is currently out on bond. A statement from police said an internal investigation concluded that on Sept. 9, Guyger “engaged in adverse conduct when she was arrested for Manslaughter.” Dallas police spokesman Sgt. Warren Mitchell later said that when an officer has been arrested for a crime, “adverse conduct” is often cited in the officer’s termination.... [Read Full Story]

More than a week after Hurricane Florence made landfall, officials in South Carolina are advising thousands of people to evacuate amid an imminent threat of river flooding. Record flooding is expected in Georgetown County, where residents received a pre-recorded phone message alerting them about the threat on Saturday. The message explained that even areas that aren’t predicted to flood are at risk because they could become isolated if roadways flood. “If you’ve received a message from your county emergency management office telling you to evacuate due to flooding … you need to do exactly that: leave,” the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) tweeted.  The SCEMD has also designated multiple shelters for both residents and their pets, which were set to open at 7:00 a.m. EDT on Monday. Ahead of the anticipated cresting of the Waccamaw River, the SCEMD advised residents who weren’t ordered to leave to prepare to evacuate if needed, avoid flooded roads and limit unnecessary travel. Flooding from four rivers in South Carolina were the primary concerns for the National Weather Service (NWS), sparking flood warnings for multiple counties.... [Read Full Story]

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On Sunday, attorneys for California professor Christine Blasey Ford said she has agreed to testify before a Senate panel on Thursday morning about her sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. This news comes after a week of developments that cast doubt on the Senate’s confirmation of Kavanaugh, once considered a safe bet. Ford has said that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a high school party 36 years ago. Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge, has denied the allegations and said he would be willing to testify. “Despite actual threats to her safety and her life, Dr. Ford believes it is important for senators to hear directly from her about the sexual assault committed against her,” said the statement from her attorneys Debra Katz, Lisa Banks and Michael Bromwich. The hearing is set for 10 a.m. on Thursday.... [Read Full Story]

An arrest has been made in the stabbing death of a jogger in a Washington neighborhood, a week after she became engaged. 35-year-old Wendy Karina Martinez was stabbed multiple times in Logan Circle on Tuesday night. On Thursday, authorities announced the arrest of suspect Anthony Crawford. He was charged with first-degree murder while armed. Crawford, a D.C. resident with a criminal past, was found Wednesday with the help of surveillance footage and tips from the public, said D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham. Crawford, 23, was not cooperative with police and had a hand injury when he was apprehended, Newsham said. “We feel very confident that we have in our custody the person responsible for this murder,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Newsham said there’s no information to suggest the victim and suspect knew each other or any evidence to suggest it was a robbery. He described the stabbing as an “unprovoked attack,” adding that investigators had not determined a motive. Martinez can be seen on surveillance video from Tuesday night stumbling into a restaurant near the 1400 block of 11th Street NW in search of help. The restaurant’s manager called police, and Martinez was taken to a hospital where she died from her injuries a short time later, police said. Wendy Martinez’s family said in a statement that Martinez had gotten engaged last week, and described her as “an avid runner … a devout Christian, a wonderful friend, and a driven professional.”... [Read Full Story]

Multiple people were killed Thursday in a shooting on the campus of a Rite Aid distribution center in Harford County, Maryland, authorities said. The female suspect was taken into custody and is in critical condition at a local hospital, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler said at a news conference Thursday. The shooting was reported just after 9 a.m. Thursday at the Liberty Support facility, which is part of a Rite Aid distribution center. The facility is located just south of Aberdeen, Maryland. Gahler said multiple people were dead and injured. Dr. Raymond Fang, medical director at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Trauma, said four adults were brought to the hospital with gunshot wounds Authorities say all the shots fired inside the facility came from a single handgun. No shots were fired by law enforcement.  There is no additional threat to the area, officials say.  The shooting comes nearly a year after a gunman opened fire inside his workplace in Edgewood, Maryland, shooting five people, killing three. Edgewood is located about 10 miles from Aberdeen. ... [Read Full Story]

Five people were wounded Wednesday morning when a gunman opened fire in a small Wisconsin city, police said. Middleton Police Chief Charles Foulke said police received a call of a shooting at 10:25 a.m. at a building housing several businesses. The shooting occurred in the offices of WTS Paradigm, a business products software company, where “officers engaged the suspect, and he was shot by officers,” Foulke said. A witness said that he recognized the gunman as someone who worked in the building. Other employees in the building told the station that they went into a windowless room and called 911. Judy Lahmers, a business analyst for WTS Paradigm, told The Associated Press that she was at her desk when she heard the gunshots. She ran out of the building and hid behind a car.  Middleton is a little more than 90 miles west of Milwaukee. The motive for the shooting is not yet known. ... [Read Full Story]

Federal prosecutors in Maryland indicted three men Wednesday on charges of bilking more than 400 investors of $364 million in an elaborate Ponzi scheme. Victims were small business owners, pro-athletes, doctors, and lawyers in Maryland and throughout the nation. Prosecutors charged Kevin Merrill, 53 of Towson, Jay Ledford, 54, of Nevada, and Camerson Jezierski, 28 of Texas, with conspiracy, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. US Attorney for Maryland Robert Hur said “the defendants lured their victims with promises of an investment opportunity that seemed too good to be true. Unfortunately, it was too good to be true.” According to the indictment the three spent approximately $75 million they made from the scheme to buy six luxury homes in Maryland and Florida, multiple automobiles, expensive jewelry, boats and shares of a plane, and they gambled away $25 million at casinos. The Baltimore division of the FBI is looking for more victims to come forward as the investigation is ongoing. Merill and Ledford have detention hearings scheduled for later this week, and Jezierski was released but expected to appear in Baltimore federal court Monday.... [Read Full Story]

As rivers continue to rise in North Carolina — several of them at record levels — on Tuesday, officials warned of flooding and hazards in areas already ravaged by historic rainfall produced by former Hurricane Florence. Florence made landfall as a Category 1 on Friday before it was downgraded, but is lingering along the East Coast days later, spawning deadly tornadoes and threatening downpours across the Northeast. In Fayetteville, about 100 miles from the North Carolina coast, the Cape Fear River was anticipated to crest by early Wednesday, reaching nearly 62 feet — about 4 feet higher than during Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and close to double its flood-stage level.  The Cape Fear River is expected to remain at flood stage through the weekend, and city officials said in a statement on Tuesday that “even though the heavy rains have ended, the flood hazard to life and property is real. Do not become complacent.” President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit parts of North Carolina on Wednesday, the White House said.... [Read Full Story]

President Donald Trump declassified documents relating to the early days of the FBI’s Russia investigation, including a portion of a secret surveillance warrant application and former FBI Director James Comey’s text messages. Trump made this move Monday in response to calls from his allies in Congress who say they believe the Russia investigation was tainted by anti-Trump bias within the ranks of the FBI and Justice Department. Trump’s decision will result in the release of text messages and documents involving several top Justice Department and FBI officials who Trump has repeatedly attacked over the last year. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Trump’s decision in a written statement, saying the president had directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Justice Department to declassify the documents “at the request of a number of committees of Congress, and for reasons of transparency.” It was unclear how soon the documents would be released.... [Read Full Story]

President Trump on Monday defended his latest nominee to the Supreme Court as “somebody very special” but said “we want to go through a full process … and hear everybody out” regarding the sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. Said Trump, “if it takes a little delay, it’ll take a little delay. I’m sure it will work out very well.” Trump has not spoken to Kavanaugh about the allegation but called a question about whether the judge has offered to withdraw from consideration “ridiculous.” On Monday, Kavanaugh responded to an allegation by Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her when they were both in high school in Maryland in the 1980s. Kavanaugh denied the woman’s allegation, saying in the statement released by the White House that “this is a completely false allegation. I have never done anything like what the accuser describes—to her or to anyone.” He continued, “I am willing to talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee in any way the Committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity.” Some senators meanwhile called for both Kavanaugh and Ford to address the matter before lawmakers.... [Read Full Story]

Republican Rep. Chris Collins will remain on the ballot in November despite suspending his re-election bid last month, his attorney confirmed Monday.  Mark Braden, Collins’ attorney, cited possible legal challenges that could result from efforts to remove Collins from the ballot. Collins faces charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and false statements related to alleged insider trading. Collins has rejected the charges as “meritless” and vowed to fight them. However, he last month announced that he would suspend his re-election campaign, saying he believed his decision was in the “best interests” of his constituents. National and state Republican officials had hoped to replace Collins on the ballot in light of his legal troubles,, but now his decision to move forward with his re-election could put his solidly Republican seat in jeopardy.... [Read Full Story]

The woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her during their teenage years has identified herself in a report from The Washington Post, speaking bout the allegations publicly for the first time. Her account of the situation was detailed in a confidential letter sent to Democratic lawmakers. On Sunday, the Post identified Kavanaugh’s accuser as Christine Blasey Ford, 51, a research psychologist in northern California. After the report was published Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley to delay the confirmation vote “until, at a very minimum, these serious and credible allegations are thoroughly investigated.” Sens. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; and Kamala Harris, D-Calif., also called for the vote to be postponed. Sen. Dianne Feinstein wrote Sunday, “I support Mrs. Ford’s decision to share her story, and now that she has, it is in the hands of the FBI to conduct an investigation. This should happen before the Senate moves forward on this nominee.” The Judiciary panel is currently scheduled to hold a vote to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination on Thursday. GOP leaders have been aiming to have him confirmed as a Supreme Court justice before high court’s new term begins in October. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations, saying in a statement, “I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time.”... [Read Full Story]

Police in North Carolina arrested five people Saturday night as looters began to break into stores in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. Wilmington Police confirmed the arrests on Twitter but did not immediately release the identities of the five individuals. “Charges are pending and those details will be released as they become available,” police said. Police later posted on Twitter saying they were working to identify the thieves and would “will charge them to the fullest extent of the law.” The city of Wilmington, in response to looting reports, extended its curfew for the affected area, issuing a citywide curfew running from 10 pm until 6 am. The National Hurricane Center said that “catastrophic flooding” is expected in certain parts of the Carolinas as Florence remained stationary over the region. At least 11 deaths have been linked to this storm, so far.... [Read Full Story]

At least four people were injured Thursday after dozens of houses caught fire due to suspected gas line explosions in three communities north of Boston. Massachusetts State Police said they have responded to 39 fires in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, and expected that number to rise. Residents living in those communities who have gas service from Columbia Gas were told to evacuate their homes. The 35 fires in Andover have been extinguished. Authorities said it was still too early to speculate what sparked the sprawling explosions, but emergency crews were working on depressurizing the gas lines. At least 4 people, including a firefighter were injured by the fires, according to the Associated Press.  Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker tweeted that he’s urging residents to follow instructions from local officials about evacuations and to suspend their gas usage.... [Read Full Story]

New information is emerging in the confirmation process for Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be the next Supreme Court Justice.The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, says she has received “information” about Brett Kavanaugh and has passed it on to the FBI. Feinstein said in a statement Thursday: “I have received information from an individual concerning the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. That individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further, and I have honored that decision. I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities,”Feinstein’s statement comes shortly after the Senate Judiciary Committee set a vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation for next Thursday. Feinstein has not shared details about the letter beyond her statement Thursday, and no other senators on the Judiciary Committee have been permitted to see it, according to reports.... [Read Full Story]

Apple Inc. unveiled larger iPhones and watches based on the design of current models on Wednesday, confirming that the company is making only minor changes to its lineup. Apple wants users to upgrade to newer, more expensive devices as a way to boost revenue as global demand for smartphones levels off.  Apple uses the ‘S’ suffix when it upgrades components but leaves the exterior design of a phone the same. This year’s new phones are the XS, with a 5.8-inch (14.7-cm) screen, the larger XS Max, with a 6.5-inch (16.5-cm) screen, and a 6.1-inch iPhone Xr made of aluminum, with an edge-to-edge liquid retina display. Apple also announced the new Apple Watch Series 4 range with edge-to-edge displays which are more than 30 percent bigger than displays on current models. The new watch will also be a health device, able to detect an irregular heartbeat and start an emergency call automatically if it detects a user falling down, potentially appealing to older customers. It said it had approval for the device from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.... [Read Full Story]