February 22, 2019

First Line News Articles for Friday, February 22 2019

Top Stories

Obama judge, Trump judge, Clinton judge to hear border wall emergency challenges

One Clinton judge, an Obama judge, and a Trump judge.

Nancy Pelosi urges lawmakers to end border ’emergency’ with resolution

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is urging lawmakers to sign a resolution that would terminate the national emergency President Donald Trump declared in order to secure funds for physical barriers along the southern border.

Venezuela’s Guaido to lead convoy to Colombia border to receive aid

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido plans to head to the Colombian border in a convoy of vehicles on Thursday to receive humanitarian aid for his crisis-stricken nation, despite the objection of increasingly isolated President Nicolas Maduro.

FDA chief: Federal government might step in if states don’t change lax vaccine laws

The head of the US Food and Drug Administration says that if states don’t require more schoolchildren to get vaccinated, the federal government might have to step in.

North Carolina Election Board calls new election in disputed House race

The North Carolina State Board of Election unanimously voted on Thursday for a new election in a contested House race that has been marred by claims of ballot fraud.

LDS News

No agreement on LDS Church offer to digitise Tonga family records

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has offered the Tongan government a free service to digitise its family genealogical records, said Elder Aisake Tukuafu, in a statement yesterday, 20 February.

LDS Charities releases annual report

LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has released its annual report for 2018, which shows that the Church and its more than 1,900 partners assisted with 2,885 projects in 141 countries last year.

LDS.org highlights how women are essential participants of the priesthood

An lds.org article outlines truths from Apostles and general women auxiliary leaders regarding women and their relationship with the priesthood. Here’s a brief look at a few of them.

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Gathers For Conference On Ministering

Local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the greater Chattanooga area gathered for a conference on ministering.

Latter-Day Saints leader visits Curaçao

A member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints visited the island this week. Elder Ulisses Soares was on a special assignment. He was on the island to rededicate Curaçao for the preaching of the gospel

National

Trump administration ends talks with California over car emissions rule

The Trump administration says it has cut off negotiations with California officials over the future of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency rules for cars.

White House readies panel to question security risks of climate

The White House is readying a presidential panel that would question U.S. military and intelligence reports showing human-driven climate change poses risks to national security, according to a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

Snow falls in Las Vegas for the second time in a week

More than an inch of snow fell in parts of the Las Vegas Valley.

Mike Pompeo says he has ‘ruled out’ running for a Senate seat in 2020

“It’s ruled out,” the secretary of state said of a possible bid. “I’m here, I’m loving it.”

U.S. House Democrats move to block Trump’s emergency declaration on border

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives plan to introduce a resolution on Friday to end President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration on border security, according to aides to Representative Joaquin Castro.

Michael Cohen to testify publicly before House committee next week

President Trump’s longtime attorney Michael Cohen will appear publicly before lawmakers on Capitol Hill next week, just weeks before he’s set to report to federal prison. Rep. Elijah Cummings, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, announced the date for Cohen’s testimony on Wednesday.

Senate investigators want to question Russia-based businessman tied to Trump: report

Senate investigators reportedly want to question an American businessman based in Moscow who has ties to President Trump.

U.S. won’t partner with countries that use Huawei systems: Pompeo

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday warned that the United States would not be able to partner with or share information with countries that adopt Huawei Technologies Co Ltd systems, citing security concerns.

New Mexico’s House approves automatic voter registration

The New Mexico House of Representatives has voted in favor of automatic voter registration legislation.

World

Kim Jong Un visit could restore old ties with Vietnam

Kim Jong Un is likely to revive ties with Vietnam during the week of the second U.S.-North Korea summit, according to a South Korean press report.

China Offers to Buy $30 Billion More U.S. Agricultural Imports a Year

China is proposing that it could buy an additional $30 billion a year of U.S. agricultural products including soybeans, corn and wheat as part of a possible trade deal being negotiated by the two countries, according to people with knowledge of the plan.

Venezuela crisis: Maduro to close border with Brazil

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced he is closing the border with Brazil on Thursday night as a row over foreign humanitarian aid continues.

ISIS wife from Alabama will not be admitted to the US, Pompeo says

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that an Alabama woman who joined ISIS but now wants to return home with the 18-month-old son she had with her ISIS husband will not be admitted back into the United States, saying she is not a U.S. citizen.

Top Netanyahu challengers unite for Israeli elections

Israel’s primary centrist challengers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have announced they are joining forces.

Putin to U.S.: I’m ready for another Cuban Missile crisis if you want one

President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia is militarily ready for a Cuban Missile-style crisis if the United States is foolish enough to want one and that his country currently has the edge when it comes to a first nuclear strike.

Up to 15 British ministers may vote to stop UK from leaving EU on March 29

As many as 15 British government ministers may vote to stop the United Kingdom leaving the European Union on March 29 in the event that no Brexit deal has been agreed, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Business

Apple and Goldman Sachs partnering on a credit card for the iPhone, WSJ says

Apple is working with Goldman Sachs on a joint credit card that the companies plan to roll out this spring, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Johnson & Johnson receives federal subpoenas related to baby powder litigation

Johnson & Johnson said Wednesday it has received subpoenas from the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) related to litigation involving alleged asbestos contamination in its signature Baby Powder product line.

Science

Tortoise thought to be extinct for 113 years has been rediscovered on the Galapagos

A tortoise thought to be extinct for 113 years has been rediscovered on a remote volcanic island in the Galapagos.

Neptune’s newest, tiniest moon likely piece of bigger one

Neptune’s newest and tiniest moon is probably an ancient piece of a much larger moon orbiting unusually close.

A Japanese spacecraft will fire a bullet into an asteroid on Thursday. Here’s why.

It’s all about collecting samples of the space rock Ryugu and returning them to Earth.

Economy

Existing-home sales hit 3-year low last month, group says

The number of existing-home sales was at its lowest in three years last month despite lower mortgage rates, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.

US core capital goods orders unexpectedly drop in December

New orders for key U.S.-made capital goods unexpectedly fell in December amid declining demand for machinery and primary metals, pointing to a further slowdown in business spending on equipment that could crimp economic growth.

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