Category: NEWS
Pirelli Calendar 2023 unveiled
Pirelli unveiled its 2023 calendar Wednesday, an opulent, dream-like edition featuring a star-studded cast.
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/pirelli-calendar-2023-unveiled/index.html
In West Virginia, recognition trees planted to honor military members at state Capitol building
Two recognition trees for military members and first responders will be located in the west rotunda of West Virginia’s main Capitol building during the holidays.
WV STATE CAPITAL OBTAINS TREES FROM LOCAL FARMER FOR ANNUAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
A third tree will be decorated by Gold Star mothers and families in honor of those who died while serving the country, according to a news release from Gov. Jim Justice and first lady Cathy Justice.
Photos must be submitted by Tuesday with the submission form and tag for military or first responder. Please send photocopies as photos will not be returned.
Submit by email to kate.e.morris@wv.gov or West Virginia Governor’s Mansion, ATTN: Kate Morris, 1716 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, WV 25305.
McCarthy’s next step on the GOP tightrope: Navigating concessions to conservatives
Now that Kevin McCarthy has won the House GOP’s speakership nomination, his real work begins.
McCarthy’s victory over internal critics on Tuesday marked the starting gun for a seven-week marathon. With his majority looking much thinner than many in both parties expected, he will need to persuade almost all of the 36 members who opposed him on Tuesday’s secret ballot to back him for the gavel in the public floor vote on Jan. 3.
While most of the conference’s anti-McCarthy votes went to Freedom Caucus challenger Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), five House Republicans wrote in a different name for speaker and one abstained for a total of 37 in opposition — drawing a map for the Californian’s rocky path ahead to 218 votes.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) remarked on the effect of the chamber’s narrow margins with a quip a Democrat might appreciate: “Everybody’s a Joe Manchin.” Fitzpatrick helped nominate McCarthy on Tuesday, however, and stressed that the current minority leader “has earned the right” to be speaker.
The House GOP on Wednesday moves on to proposed conference rules, with debate set to continue after Thanksgiving. And McCarthy now has less room to maneuver than he might have anticipated. As he edges toward offering institutional concessions to the Freedom Caucus, the Trump-aligned group that helped block his ascent to the speakership in 2015, emboldened moderates are growing uncomfortable with what they perceive as back-door deals with the party’s hardliners.
More than 50 members of the Republican Main Street Partnership met on Wednesday morning to discuss their legislative priorities and how they plan to flex their muscle as the second-largest GOP group on Capitol Hill, a Republican familiar with the sitdown told POLITICO.
Meanwhile, some GOP lawmakers who backed McCarthy on Tuesday might end up siding with Freedom Caucus members on the rules concessions they’re seeking. Among those requests: tools to undermine the GOP leader, including a restoration of the speaker-deposing move known as a “motion to vacate the chair”; and diluting the influence of McCarthy and his allies in doling out committee assignments. (The more influence McCarthy loses there, the fewer carrots he has to offer to his skeptics.)
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a onetime McCarthy opponent turned key ally, threw his support behind conservatives’ proposed rules changes, calling them “good, common-sense things.”
On top of that, some Republicans will be walking into Wednesday’s debate with a hangover from Tuesday. Four lawmakers, speaking on condition of anonymity, aired frustration after the leadership elections about what they described as a chaotic and poorly explained process of tallying votes.
Those private complaints about GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik’s (N.Y.) management of the voting were exacerbated by the fact that inside the room, she read out votes for McCarthy and Biggs but did not mention that six members chose neither candidate. According to conference staff, however, internal rules state that only formally nominated leadership candidates — in this case, McCarthy and Biggs — have their tallies publicly announced.
Separately adding to the disarray, at least one GOP lawmaker mixed up planned votes for the first and second ballots in the highly competitive whip race, according to a senior Republican who was in the room. The lawmaker in question intended to choose Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) for the first ballot, but instead put Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.).
That one vote, had it been cast as intended, could have led to a different outcome in the whip battle — since Ferguson ended the first ballot one vote behind Emmer, eliminating him from the contest before the current National Republican Congressional Committee chair prevailed on the second ballot against Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.).
Now Republicans hope to move beyond the drama — though it’s more likely they just start the second act — as McCarthy starts to try to lock down votes.
He can’t lose more than a handful of members. Though the House hasn’t formally been called yet, Republicans are expected to have a single-digit majority. And McCarthy has already lost two: Shortly before Wednesday’s conference meeting, Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) appeared to put himself“,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://twitter.com/RepRosendale/status/1592907729370492930?s=20&t=xvCKgIWylO4GdhFDqL93vQ”,”_id”:”00000184-8210-debe-a397-e639a4ee0000″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000184-8210-debe-a397-e639a4ee0001″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}’>appeared to put himself firmly in the “no” column.
“[McCarthy] wants to maintain the status quo, which consolidates power into his hands and a small group of individuals he personally selects. We need a leader who can stand up to a Democrat-controlled Senate and President Biden, and unfortunately, that isn’t Kevin McCarthy,” Rosendale said.
He joins Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who is pushing Jordan as a potential speaker contender and cast doubt on McCarthy’s chances of ultimately claiming the gavel: “Kevin McCarthy couldn’t get 218 votes, he couldn’t’ get 200 votes. He couldn’t get 190 votes.”
Other McCarthy opponents also appeared unbowed, calling for challengers to the California Republican to step forward.
Biggs signaled that he won’t challenge McCarthy again — wondering “how many times can you have a target on your back” — but said that House Republicans “still have a lot of things to discuss internally,” including the speakership.
Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), who opposed McCarthy, said the current leader’s failure to reach 218 internal votes “opens up the opportunity for anyone interested to let us know what their vision is to fight for the things that matter most to the American people.”
McCarthy will need to be ready to squash several conservative amendments on Wednesday afternoon, or be prepared to defeat them later if voting is delayed. Those proposed amendments include letting members elect their own committee chairs, opening up conference meetings and requiring that any bill brought to the floor be supported by a majority of the conference.
Largely noncontroversial amendments will take up the bulk of Wednesday’s discussion. A plan to vote on the proposed changes Wednesday evening was delayed until after Congress’ one-week Thanksgiving break, which gives McCarthy more time to try to negotiate and work various factions within his conference.
“I’m looking to open up this body,” Biggs said when asked what it would take for him to back McCarthy in January. “But, I mean, I’m also looking for trust.”
Nancy Vu contributed to this report.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/16/gop-leadership-mccarthy-fredom-caucus-00067515
Senate GOP reelects McConnell as leader
Mitch McConnell was reelected to head the Senate Republican conference on Wednesday, defeating challenger Rick Scott, a fellow member of leadership who chairs the chamber’s GOP campaign arm.
Scott (R-Fla.) launched the long-shot bid on Tuesday, determined to challenge the “status quo” under McConnell after the GOP failed to take control of the Senate. McConnell is now on track to be the longest serving party leader in the chamber’s history.
McConnell prevailed over Scott in a 37-10 vote.
Some Senate Republicans had pushed for delaying the leadership elections, but that vote failed, 16-32, on Wednesday morning, paving the way for McConnell’s reelection. Still, it hasn’t been a pretty week: Senate Republicans spent three hours Tuesday venting about their whiffed midterm cycle, the lack of an agenda, Scott’s perceived mismanagement of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and McConnell’s stewardship of the caucus.
And Wednesday wasn’t much better. As senators called for an audit of the NRSC, Scott attacked the leadership of former campaign arm Chair Todd Young (R-Ind.) for giving “unauthorized and improper bonuses” to staff two years ago.
Republicans hope the quick closure of the leadership races will put the squabbling behind them ahead of the Georgia runoff, which will determine if the Senate remains evenly split next term or if Democrats will gain a seat.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/16/senate-gop-reelects-mcconnell-as-leader-00067541
Five World Cup favourites, from Neymar’s Brazil to title-holders France
Will the World Cup in Qatar deliver back-to-back wins for France, a record sixth title for Brazil, a perfect send-off for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, or none of the above? FRANCE 24 takes a look at five favourites to win football’s top trophy in Qatar – and the outsiders who could spring a surprise.
72-year-old NYC man found stabbed to death in his bed
A home health aide discovered Eugene Reba, 72, stabbed to death in his bed at his home in Richmond Avenue in Staten Island. Police are investigating the incident as a homicide.
https://nypost.com/2022/11/16/72-year-old-nyc-man-found-stabbed-to-death-in-bed/
Ukraine updates: Kyiv requests access to Poland blast site
Kyiy called for a joint investigation into the explosion in Poland that killed two people, saying they have evidence of “Russian trace” without offering details to the public. DW has the latest.
West Virginia woman pleads guilty to buying rifle for felon killed in shootout
A West Virginia woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to providing a firearm to a felon in the shooting death of a sheriff’s deputy and the wounding of another.
Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, entered the plea in federal court to lying on a certification form that she was the buyer when she knew she was purchasing the semi-automatic rifle for Richie Holcomb. Clodfelter admitted giving Holcomb the rifle the day of the purchase last November.
WV STATE POLICE TO RECEIVE $285K GRANT TO IMPROVE FORENSIC LAB
Clodfelter also knew that Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a felony unlawful wounding conviction in 2014. Holcomb gave Clodfelter money to buy the gun, U.S. Attorney Will Thompson’s office said in a news release.
Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Edward Baker III was killed and Cpl. Joshua Ellison was wounded after responding to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area on June 3. Holcomb, 36, was also fatally shot.
Clodfelter faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing was set for Feb. 16.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/west-virginia-woman-pleads-guilty-buying-rifle-felon-killed-shootout
Top Army general: Important to ‘remain calm’ following strike in Poland
The Army’s top general on Wednesday cautioned against rushing to conclusions during wartime, a day after Europe reeled from reports that missiles had struck Poland, killing two civilians.
Several European defense ministers and top Ukrainian officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, immediately blamed Russia for the strike in the hours after the first reports. In a video message late Tuesday night, Zelenskyy declared that “Russian missiles hit Poland,” calling it an “attack on collective security.” Russia’s Foreign Ministry denied the charge.
The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies declined to comment Tuesday night, citing the ongoing Polish investigation. By Wednesday morning, the Polish government announced that the missile was likely an errant Ukrainian air defense missile sent to intercept one of the roughly 100 Russian cruise missiles aimed at Ukrainian civilian infrastructure the previous night.
“The first report you always want to take a hard look at, and you want to make sure you get the information,” Gen. James McConville said at POLITICO’s Defense Summit. “You want to … talk to people, get the questions answered, and then you’ve got an idea of what happened.”
Asked for details about how the Pentagon reacted in the early minutes of the crisis, McConville said that the “investigation is going on and we’ll find out the finer details, but the big thing is to remain calm during the situation.”
McConville added that his thoughts were with the victims in Poland, adding that the speed of modern warfare can amplify the impact of mistakes.
“When you have strong militaries with modern capabilities, sometimes you can miscalculate, or you can misconstrue what happened, and that can make for a very, very dangerous situation,” he said. “So the best way to avoid these types of situations is not to have a conflict” in the first place.
An adviser to the Ukrainian government told POLITICO that Ukraine shot down over 70 of the 90 Russian missiles launched Tuesday night, using a variety of older Soviet systems and more modern air defense weapons donated by NATO partners. The latest weapon donated by the U.S. — the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System — was used for the first time during the onslaught and shot down every target it engaged.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak via phone Tuesday night, stressing Washington’s commitment to defending Ukraine.
“We have full confidence in Poland’s ability to conduct this investigation in a proper way. Until that’s complete, I think it would be premature for anybody to jump to conclusions,” Austin told reporters after the monthly Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, noting that Ukraine has offered to help investigate.
Information gathered by the U.S. aligns with the initial results of Poland’s investigation, which found that the strike was likely from a Ukrainian air defense missile, Austin said. He vowed not to get ahead of the Poles, opting to “let that play out.”
Austin also spoke with Ukraine Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov about the strikes in Poland. Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley also told reporters he spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Lt. Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyy. Neither went into details about those conversations.
Milley’s staff unsuccessfully attempted to reach out to his Russian counterpart Gen. Valery Gerasimov to protect against escalation, Milley said.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/16/top-army-general-strike-poland-00067550
G20 final communiqué sees ‘most members’ condemning Ukraine war
The Group of 20 nations unanimously adopted a declaration on Wednesday saying most members condemned the war in Ukraine, but the document concluding their summit acknowledged some countries saw the conflict differently.