Article:
Is Stevie Johnson a secret agent doing reconnaissance work in the United States for everyone's least favorite hermit kingdom, North Korea? Judging from a quick glance at the replies on his Twitter page, it would appear many think so.

 The always-outspoken Buffalo Bills wide receiver ruffled a few feathers in New England on Wednesday night when he started talking about North Korea's escalating nuclear threats toward the United States and other world powers. But if Kim Jong Un and his pals won't "chill out," Johnson said, there's one spot he wouldn't miss if it was targeted.

 That place? Foxboro, Massachusetts, home of the New England Patriots and a location where the Bills haven't recorded a victory since November 5, 2000.

 Here are Johnson's tweets:

 North Korea tripping hard AF right now. Chill out with that Nuke talk. #uMadBro — STVN (@StevieJohnson13) April 3, 2013

 War is nothing to be played with. I apologize North Korea........but if y'all do bomb 1st... Bomb Foxboro, Mass. Sincerely,#BillsMafia — STVN (@StevieJohnson13) April 3, 2013

 Patriots fans, understandably, didn't take too kindly to Johnson's remarks. It wasn't a very nice thing to say and no one wants to picture Gillette Stadium as a hole in the ground with Kim Jong Un playing the role of Bane.

 The rest of the league probably doesn't want to picture it either. Who knows what all that radiation might do to Bill Belichick? How large would his ego and coaching prowess be? Do they even make sleeveless hoodies that big? Nope, not a road we want to go down.

 So, yeah, Johnson's joke was in bad taste. But given that most American citizens aren't taking North Korea very seriously, how can you fault a wide receiver for doing the same thing?

 Plus, it's not as if Kim Jong Un and his staff are going to listen to anything Johnson says. (We all know that role is reserved for Dennis Rodman.)

 After taking a lot of criticism, Johnson later backed off with this tweet.

 i know some of yall took it too serious.. but i have Much Respect for The Pats along with Every other NFL Team. Gonna to be a Great #NFL2013 — STVN (@StevieJohnson13) April 4, 2013

 So long as we're all still here, of course.

 h/t: Game On!

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 You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more |||||Summary:

– Buffalo Bills player Stevie Johnson would really like North Korea to "chill out with that nuke talk." But if it doesn't, the wide receiver has suggested a target for Kim Jong Un's agression: "War is nothing to be played with. I apologize North Korea........but if y'all do bomb 1st... Bomb Foxboro, Mass. Sincerely, # BillsMafia " he tweeted to his 122,000 followers yesterday. Foxboro, Mass., is the home of the New England Patriots, where the Bills haven't had a victory in 13 years, says Yahoo! Sports. Unsurprisingly, the online backlash to the joke came thick and fast. A few hours later, Johnson tweeted something akin to an apology: "i know some of yall took it too serious.. but i have Much Respect for The Pats along with Every other NFL Team. Gonna to be a Great #NFL2012." Then something not so akin to an apology: "PatsFans i lo...like yall also. ask any1 in my fam. ive said TheBoro is my fav place to play-bkuz you Pats fans are Live! BUT not for long.."


Article:

Paralyzed rats relearn to pee

 Bladder control restored for the first time in animals with stark spinal cord damage

 By Meghan Rosen

 Bladder control restored for the first time in animals with stark spinal cord damage

 By Meghan Rosen

 Web edition: June 25, 2013

 Print edition: August 10, 2013; Vol.184 #3 (p. 11)

 Paralyzed rats can now decide for themselves when it’s time to take a leak. Animals in a new study regained bladder control thanks to a new treatment that coaxes severed nerves to grow.

 Instead of dribbling out urine, the rodents squeezed out shots of pee almost as well as healthy rats do, researchers report June 25 in the Journal of Neuroscience. The study is the first to regenerate nerves that restore bladder function in animals with severely injured spinal cords.

 “This is a very big deal,” says neurologist John McDonald of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md. If the treatment works in people with spinal cord injuries, he says, “it would change their lives.”

 Unlike paralyzed rats, severely paralyzed humans can’t leak urine to relieve a full bladder. Unless injured people are fitted with a catheter, urine backs up into the kidneys. “These people get kidney failure all the time,” says study leader Jerry Silver, a neuroscientist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. “It’s a terrible problem. If they didn’t have the catheter, they would die.”

 Some of the worst spinal cord injuries sever the bundle of nerve cells that reach from a mammal’s brain down through the vertebrae. The neurons can’t just grow back. Instead, the cells’ stumps get stuck in a gummy thicket of scar tissue that forms around the wound.

 Silver’s team has spent years refining a technique to tear down scar tissue and encourage damaged nerve cells to grow. The researchers snip out a healthy nerve bundle from between rats’ ribs, graft it onto a damaged section of spinal cord and then add an enzyme that chews up scar tissue. In 2006, his team used the technique to return some limb control to rats with one paralyzed forepaw. And in 2011, they helped paralyzed rats regain the ability to breathe.

 In both cases, the rats retained bladder control after their injury because researchers had snipped only halfway through the bundle of spinal cord nerves. For the new study, the researchers chopped out a hunk of the rats’ spinal cords, severing the entire nerve bundle and leaving a gap about the width of a pencil. They then pumped up the treatment protocol from the earlier studies by adding a growth factor to the injury site.

 Over several months, the damaged nerves slowly regenerated. They inched down through the grafted nerves, and then, says Silver, “they kept going and going like little Energizer bunnies.” After six months, the rats could mostly control their bladders and could even wiggle their legs a bit.

 The new method may have potential beyond restoring bladder control. It could also restore sensation to the skin, which could help paralyzed people detect and avoid bedsores, says neuroscientist Lars Olson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. “This is one of the most important steps that I have seen in recent years,” he says. ||||| Image caption Nerve regeneration in the rat

 US scientists say they have made progress in repairing spinal cord injuries in paralysed rats.

 Rats regained some bladder control after surgery to transplant nerve cells into the spinal cord, combined with injections of a cocktail of chemicals.

 The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, could raise hopes for one day treating paralysed patients.

 But UK experts say it will take several years of research before human clinical trials can be considered.

 Scientists have tried for decades to use transplants of nerve cells to restore function in paralysed animals by bridging the gap in the broken spinal cord.

 However, coaxing the cells to grow and form new connections has proved elusive.

 One problem is the growth of scar tissue as the body's responds to injury, which seems to block cell regeneration.

 If we can show in a larger animal that our technique works and does no additional harm I see no reason why we couldn't move rapidly in humans Dr Jerry Silver, Case Western Reserve Medical School, Cleveland, Ohio

 US scientists carried out complex surgery to transplant nerves from the rodents' ribs into the gap in the middle of their spinal cord.

 They also used a special "glue" that boosts cell growth together with a chemical that breaks down scar tissue in an attempt to encourage the nerve cells to regenerate and connect up.

 The researchers found for the first time that injured nerve cells could re-grow for "remarkably long distances" (about 2cm).

 They said that while the rats did not regain the ability to walk, they did recover some bladder function.

 Lead author Dr Jerry Silver of Case Western Reserve Medical School, Cleveland, Ohio, said: "Although animals did not regain the ability to walk, they did recover a remarkable measure of urinary control."

 Co-author Dr Yu-Shang Lee of the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, added: "This is the first time that significant bladder function has been restored via nerve regeneration after a devastating cord injury."

 The findings may help future efforts to restore other functions lost after spinal cord injury.

 They also raise hope that similar strategies could one day be used to restore bladder function in people with severe spinal cord injuries.

 Dr Silver said further animal experiments will be needed to see if the technique could work in humans.

 He told BBC News: "If we can show in a larger animal that our technique works and does no additional harm I see no reason why we couldn't move rapidly in humans."

 'Remarkable advance'

 Commenting on the study, Dr Elizabeth Bradbury of King's College London said several challenges must be overcome before the therapy can be trialled in patients.

 "There are a number of challenges before this therapy can be brought to the clinic," she said.

 "Nevertheless this is a remarkable advance which offers great hope for the future of restoring bladder function to spinal injured patients and if these challenges can be met we could be reaching clinical trials within three to five years."

 Dr John Williams, head of neuroscience and mental health at the Wellcome Trust, said the implications for people are not yet clear.

 "This is one of a number of ways that one can approach restoration of bladder function in paralysed patients, but careful studies will be needed to optimise which of the technologies under investigation might be of most benefit to patients." ||||| Shutterstock

 A team of neuroscientists has grafted nerves onto the severed spinal cords of rats, enabling the rodents to regain bladder control.

 Though human trials are a way away -- the team wants to trial the method on larger animals first -- the news is an astonishing breakthrough for the field. Surveys have shown that bladder control, along with bowel control, ranks as one of the highest priorities for recovery of the spinal cord injury community where the spine is totally severed (aside from, obviously, regaining control of limbs). It not only makes everyday life more difficult, but loss of bladder control can lead to serious infections as catheters are used to provide individuals with more independence. Methods of alleviating discomfort or risk of infection generally involve surgery, for instance enlarging the bladder by using a portion of the intestine, thus ensuring a catheter can be used less frequently.

 Many attempts have been made in the past to graft nerve cells from another part of the body onto the spinal cord to promote regrowth and connections. The idea is if we can engender the right conditions, axons (nerve fibres) will begin to grow out from the nerve cells and eventually reach connections on the spine below the line of paralysis, returning the brain's capacity to communicate with muscles below that line. Axons are responsible for carrying electrical impulses, so if they can safely regenerate at the base of the spine they could act as a bridge connecting healthy nerves either side of the break.

 The problem has been the scar tissue around the original wound, which tends to be extensive, and the scar tissue that will inevitably form from yet another surgery at the site of the graft. In the past attempts have been made to physically cut away the scar tissue so that axons have the room and capacity to penetrate the site and bridge the gap.

 Focusing on this barrier, the team of neuroscientists from Case Western Reserve and Cleveland Clinic decided to try using an enzyme to minimise scar tissue, while introducing a growth factor to encourage cell growth and axon recovery in the graft.

 Peripheral nerves were first transplanted to the site of the break. Schwann cells, which are integral to peripheral nerve biology and wrap around axons, reside in the remaining nerves and act to encourage and support axon regrowth. To get the axons to grow enough to bridge the gap and travel 2cm down to integrate into the nerve cells on the other side of the chasm, the team introduced fibroblast growth factor, heparin-binding proteins often used to encourage wound healing. This helped prompt the Schwann cells into action. Then the enzyme chondroitinase was introduced, which had already been identified in 2008 as a tool for digesting scar tissue molecules while at the same time encouraging nerve plasticity. It's an enzyme that has proven to be most efficiently administered via viral vectors by a Cambridge University-Kings College London team, a method that saw more scar tissue molecule removal round the spinal cord injury site than ever before.

 It was a slow recovery, but six months later the rats were once again able to urinate without assistance.

 "While urinary control is complex and recovery took several months, it was clear that this primitive function lost to spinal cord injury does possess the capacity to rewire itself, even when a relatively small number of axons are regenerated," Jerry Silver, a professor of neurosciences at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, said in a statement. "We were especially surprised and excited to discover that once a permissive environment was created, a subset of neurons situated largely within the brainstem, which play important roles in bladder function, slowly re-grew lengthy axons far down the cord."

 Once larger animal trials have been carried out, the team is hopeful it will move on to human trials, but this will be some years away. Elizabeth Bradbury of Kings College London -- involved in the aforementioned chondroitinase trial run with Cambridge University -- told the BBC this could be "within three to five years", if the necessary barriers are overcome.

 The rats did not regain any ability to walk, nor did they regain full bladder control. However the amount they did regain is considered significant. |||||
What is a summary?

– Neuroscientists working with rats have pulled off a feat raising hopes that paralyzed people might someday be able to regain control of their bladders and ditch the catheter. The scientists grafted nerves from elsewhere in the rats' bodies to their severed spinal cords, and the rats eventually were able to pee again almost as well as healthy rats, reports Science News. The rats were not able to walk again, and while they didn't regain full control of their bladders, the study is still "an astonishing breakthrough for the field," writes Liat Clark at Wired. Any similar research on humans is still years away because the results must first be replicated on animals bigger than rats, reports the BBC. Previous attempts to regenerate nerves on damaged spinal cords were stymied by scar tissue at the site of the original injury. The scientists were able to overcome that by using an enzyme to break down the scar tissue, in tandem with a growth factor that helped the transplanted nerves grow. "This is one of the most important steps that I have seen in recent years,” says an Oslo neuroscientist not involved with the study.


Summarize this article:

Washington (CNN) -- A man tried to jump the White House fence on Friday, causing a brief lockdown while he was apprehended, law enforcement officials said.

 Police declared the incident over after checking a briefcase and taking the man into custody. He was not identified.

 President Barack Obama was not at the White House at the time. He was in Michigan for a speech and the signing of the farm bill. ||||| The 2:45 p.m. incident forced police to shut down Pennsylvania Avenue, which is open only to pedestrians, for more than a hour, and put the White House on lockdown.

 Ed Donovan, another spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, said the incident occurred along the north perimeter of the White House. He said Secret Service agents and officers with the U.S. Park Police pulled the man down before he got over the fence.

 The man was not immediately identified because charges had not yet been placed.

 Get updates on your area delivered via e-mail |||||

– Authorities say a man has been arrested trying to climb a fence at the White House this afternoon. The Secret Service says the unidentified man was apprehended before he could get over the fence along the north perimeter. He had two bags with him, and an agency spokesperson say they contained nothing dangerous but wouldn't elaborate, reports the Washington Post. No charges have been announced. The incident shut down Pennsylvania Avenue for about an hour as the White House went into lockdown mode. President Obama was in Michigan at the time, notes CNN.


Article:
FILE - In this May 9, 2011 file photo, the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is seen in West Feliciana Parish, La. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson expressed frustration as he questioned why prison... (Associated Press)

 FILE - In this May 9, 2011 file photo, the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is seen in West Feliciana Parish, La. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson expressed frustration as he questioned why prison officials won't spend roughly $1 million to install air conditioning on death row, since the state... (Associated Press)

 FILE - In this May 9, 2011 file photo, the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is seen in West Feliciana Parish, La. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson expressed frustration as he questioned why prison officials won't spend roughly $1 million to install air conditioning on death row, since the state... (Associated Press) FILE - In this May 9, 2011 file photo, the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is seen in West Feliciana Parish, La. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson expressed frustration as he questioned why prison... (Associated Press)

 BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The state of Louisiana's refusal to install air conditioning on death row has already cost taxpayers more than $1 million in legal bills, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

 The state could spend roughly the same money — and possibly much less — on an air conditioning system that would satisfy a federal judge's order to protect death-row inmates from dangerous heat and humidity inside Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

 Instead, the corrections department and attorney general's office have accrued at least $1,067,000 in expenses fighting the 3-year-old lawsuit filed on behalf of three inmates with medical problems. This tally, based on state documents provided in response to the AP's public records requests, is the first public accounting of how much the case has cost taxpayers.

 Most of the money has gone to private attorneys on opposing sides of the case, which the judge said could ultimately cost many more millions of dollars.

 Expert witnesses and state contractors also have received tens of thousands of dollars. A list of expenses incurred by the prison itself adds up to more than $100,000, including an April 2014 payment of nearly $29,000 to a firm that was monitoring the heat and humidity every 15 minutes.

 Airing his frustrations last month, U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson said the bill is "stunning," given the painful cuts lawmakers are making to balance the state budget. He wondered out loud whether the state's refusal to give up the fight is based on prison management concerns, politics or ideology.

 "Is this really what the state wants to do?" he asked. "It just seems so unnecessary."

 Jackson is scheduled to hear testimony Wednesday on whether the state's current heat remediation measures — one cold shower a day, ice chests in their cells and fans outside — are adequately protecting the plaintiffs as Louisiana's sweltering summer approaches.

 A plaintiffs' expert has estimated it would cost about $225,000 — not including engineering fees or operating costs — to install air conditioning on death row's six tiers, which house dozens of inmates.

 In 2014, an engineer hired by the state said nine air-conditioning units could adequately cool all eight tiers in the 10-year-old building that houses death row. An attorney for the state has said each unit would cost "several thousand dollars."

 The state hasn't made public its total estimate. Spokeswomen for the corrections department and attorney general's office said they can't comment on pending litigation.

 But the judge cited a state remediation plan in suggesting that the litigation is already more costly than the fix.

 "The state itself indicated that they could install mechanical air, fix this problem, end this case, for about -- what was it? About a million dollars," Jackson said.

 Louisiana's attorneys argue that the consequences would reverberate far beyond Angola's prison walls, spawning more lawsuits from prisoners across the country demanding air-conditioned cells.

 "It would be a large burden on the prisons to have to set forth the costs to implement these measures," Grant Guillot, an attorney for the state, said during an appeals court hearing last year.

 One such lawsuit — filed in 2014 in Texas — claims at least 20 prisoners have died of heat-related causes in that state since 1998.

 Private attorneys from two law firms have billed the state more than $424,000. Most of that has gone to a Baton Rouge firm with a law partner — E. Wade Shows — who served as campaign treasurer to former Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell, who was voted out of office last year.

 That firm — Shows, Cali & Walsh — has billed 2,420 hours at an average of about $140 per hour. The firm and Shows donated a combined $20,000 to Caldwell's campaigns since 2007.

 The state also had to cover fees for the inmates' attorneys, from The Promise of Justice Initiative, because Jackson ruled in their favor. Inmates' attorneys received $490,000 through a settlement with Caldwell's successor, Attorney General Jeff Landry.

 This case is "another example of elected officials taking a stand as long as the taxpayers pay for it," said Bill Quigley, a Loyola University law professor who runs the New Orleans school's poverty law center. "It's very sad, and it's a waste of money," Quigley said.

 More than two years have passed since the judge ruled that Louisiana imposes unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment once the heat index exceeds 88 degrees.

 The heat index routinely crosses that threshold on death row, and occasionally exceeds 100 degrees. Plaintiff James Magee, confined 23 hours a day in his cell, said it's like a "sauna" in the morning and an "oven" in the afternoon.

 Last year, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals partially upheld Jackson's decision, but said any remedy should be limited to the three plaintiffs, not all 85 inmates on death row, and invited the state to provide relief without installing air conditioning. ||||| BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A federal judge is set to hear testimony on whether Louisiana prison officials are adequately protecting death-row inmates from dangerous heat and humidity levels in a facility where the state refuses to install air conditioning.

 Three death-row inmates who sued three years ago over the sweltering conditions in their cells at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola are expected to attend Wednesday's hearing in U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson's courtroom.

 Jackson ruled more than two years ago that Louisiana imposes unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment once the heat index on death row exceeds 88 degrees.

 The state insists its current heat remediation measures — cold showers, ice chests and fans — are adequately protecting the plaintiffs.

 The inmates' attorneys disagree and are urging Jackson to reconsider air conditioning as a requirement. |||||Summary:

– The state of Louisiana's refusal to install air conditioning on death row has already cost taxpayers at least $1,067,000 in expenses fighting a lawsuit filed on behalf of three inmates with medical problems, according to records obtained by the AP. Meanwhile the state could spend roughly the same money—and possibly much less—on an AC system that would satisfy a federal judge's order to protect death row inmates from dangerous heat and humidity inside Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. This tally, based on state documents provided in response to the AP's public records requests, is the first public accounting of how much the case has cost taxpayers. Most of the money has gone to private attorneys on opposing sides of the case, which US District Judge Brian Jackson says could ultimately cost many more millions of dollars, and expert witnesses and state contractors also have received tens of thousands of dollars. More than two years have passed since Jackson ruled Louisiana imposes unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment once the heat index exceeds 88 degrees. The index routinely crosses that threshold on death row, occasionally exceeding 100 degrees; plaintiff James Magee said it's like a "sauna" in the morning and an "oven" in the afternoon. A plaintiffs' expert estimated it would cost about $225,000—sans engineering fees or operating costs—to install AC on death row's six tiers. A state engineer in 2014 said nine AC units could cool all eight tiers in the 10-year-old building that holds death row, with a state attorney saying each unit would cost "several thousand dollars." State attorneys argue installing AC would spawn more suits from prisoners nationwide demanding cooler cells. Jackson is set to hear testimony Wednesday on whether the state's current heat remediation measures—one cold shower a day, ice chests in the cells, and fans outside—are adequately protecting the plaintiffs as Louisiana's sweltering summer approaches.


Article:
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters Tuesday night that if the Justice Department does not appoint a special prosecutor to take over the investigation into Russian interference on Trump’s behalf in the 2016 election, it will indicate that FBI Director James Comey’s sudden termination was “part of a cover up.”

 “Were these investigations getting too close to home for the president?” he asked.

 Schumer says he questions both the timing of Comey’s firing as well as the reason given by the Justice Department—the mishandling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails last summer and fall.

 “Why now? Why did it happen today?” Schumer asked, noting that if the Clinton missteps were the true reason, the Trump administration could have dismissed him in January.

 The leader of the Senate Democrats also expressed fears that the decision would create a chilling effect for next FBI director, who could fear getting fired if they “run afoul of the administration.” He also questioned why Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who publicly recused himself from overseeing the Russia investigation in March, “played a role in firing the man leading it.” Schumer called the decision part of a “deeply troubling pattern,” noting the recent firings of two other top officials involved in investigating the Trump administration: U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara and Acting Attorney General Sally Yates.

 Schumer was one of a small handful of officials Trump called personally earlier on Tuesday to give a heads up about Comey’s firing.

 “I told him, ‘Mr. President, with all due respect, you are making a big, big mistake,'” Schumer said. “He didn’t really answer.”

 Like many of his Democratic colleagues, Schumer is now demanding the appointment of a special prosecutor to take over the Russia investigation Comey was leading at the time of his termination.

 “The only way the American people can have faith in this investigation going forward is to have a fearless, independent special prosector,” he said. ||||| Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump on Tuesday fired FBI Director James Comey , sweeping away the man who is responsible for the bureau's investigation into whether members of his campaign team colluded with Russia in its interference in last year's election.

 The bombshell announcement that sent shock and surprise ricocheting through Washington ends the career of the man who was once seen as the unimpeachable and nonpartisan ideal of how a law enforcement officer should behave. But Comey saw his reputation tarnished when he was dragged into the toxic politics of the 2016 campaign.

 The Trump administration attributed Comey's dismissal to his handling of the investigation into Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's email server, but Democrats ridiculed that notion, raising parallels to Watergate-era firings and suggested Comey was getting too close to the White House with the Russia probe.

 In any case, senior White House officials appeared to have badly misjudged the impact of Trump's sudden move. A source with knowledge of discussions inside the White House told CNN's Dana Bash that the thinking was that because Democrats were saying precisely what Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said in a letter explaining the grounds for Comey's dismissal, there would be no backlash.

 What was not thought through, apparently, was an explanation of why Comey was fired now, at a time when critics would immediately conclude it was because of the Russia probe.

 In recent days, Comey again came under fire for his handling of the investigation into Clinton's private email server. Many Democrats believe that his announcement that he was reopening the probe 11 days before the election cost the former secretary of state the presidency.

 Trump referred to Democrats' criticism of Comey Wednesday morning, tweeting, "The Democrats have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad!"

 The Democrats have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017

 Comey learned of his dismissal from televisions tuned to the news, as he was addressing the workforce at the FBI office in Los Angeles, law enforcement sources said. The source said he made a joke about it to lighten the mood and called his office to get confirmation.

 Longtime Trump ally Roger Stone was among those who recommended to the President that he fire Comey, according to a source familiar with the conversation. Stone, who also is being scrutinized by the FBI as part of its Russia investigation, spoke to Trump after Comey appeared at a hearing last week on Capitol Hill, according to the source.

 Trump immediately disputed that Stone was involved: "The Roger Stone report on @CNN is false - Fake News. Have not spoken to Roger in a long time - had nothing to do with my decision."

 The Roger Stone report on @CNN is false - Fake News. Have not spoken to Roger in a long time - had nothing to do with my decision. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017

 Stone said he was not the source behind the reporting but added that he supported the firing of Comey "100%."

 A White House spokesperson reached out to CNN to reiterate the President's tweet that he has not spoken to Stone in a "long time," adding, "The President has not spoken to Roger Stone in many months and any reports suggesting otherwise are categorically untrue."

 The letters

 In a signed letter released by the White House, Trump informed Comey that he was "hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately," explaining that he reached the conclusion that Comey is "not able to effectively lead the bureau."

 "It is essential that we find new leadership for the FBI that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission," Trump told Comey in the letter. "I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors."

 White House press secretary Sean Spicer, sandwiched in the dark between a gaggle of reporters and a large shrub on the White House driveway, described Trump's decision as arriving only after a long memo from the deputy attorney general, which Spicer said was delivered Tuesday, detailing Comey's shortcomings on investigating Clinton's emails.

 But multiple White House officials said Trump had been considering firing Comey for at least a week before he made Tuesday's decision. Indeed, Trump revealed his anger in a string of late-night messages on Twitter May 2, exactly a week before his final decision was made public.

 At the center of Rosenstein's rationale for recommending Comey's firing was the director's handling of the investigation into Clinton's private server, namely his decision to recommend no charges be filed and the news conference he held to explain his reasoning.

 JUST WATCHED Senator calls Comey firing 'shocking' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Senator calls Comey firing 'shocking' 01:03

 Rosenstein accused Comey of attempting to "usurp the attorney general's authority" by publicly announcing why he felt the case should be closed without prosecution.

 "Compounding the error, the director ignored another longstanding principle: We do not hold press conferences to release derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal investigation," Rosenstein argued in his memo.

 "We should reject the departure and return to the traditions (of the bureau)," Rosenstein said. "The way the director handled the conclusion of the email investigation was wrong. As a result, the FBI is unlikely to regain public and congressional trust until it has a director who understands the gravity of the mistakes and pledges never to repeat them."

 Congressional reaction

 But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he told Trump on the telephone that he had made a terrible mistake.

 "Were these investigations getting too close to home for the President?" Schumer asked.

 And in a sign of possible trouble for the administration, Republican Sen. Richard Burr, who is leading a Senate intelligence committee probe into alleged Russian influence on the election, expressed disquiet at the firing of Comey, which he described as a "loss for the bureau and the nation.

 "I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey's termination. I have found Director Comey to be a public servant of the highest order, and his dismissal further confuses an already difficult investigation by the Committee," Burr said.

 As Democrats renewed their demands for a special counsel, arguing that the Trump Justice Department could not be trusted to oversee the case, Republicans insisted that one was not needed.

 "I think Rod Rosenstein, the new deputy attorney general, is competent to lead that effort," said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the GOP leadership.

 But Republican Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker of Tennessee said that though Rosenstein's rationale for removing Comey was sound, it, would "raise questions."

 Sen. John McCain added: "While the President has the legal authority to remove the director of the FBI, I am disappointed in the President's decision to remove James Comey from office."

 The Arizona senator renewed his request for a special congressional committee to review the Russia allegations.

 'Absurd'

 CNN's senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin was not buying the idea that Comey was sacked over the Clinton investigation, saying it was "absurd."

 Toobin branded the move a "grotesque abuse of power by the President of the United States."

 "This is not something that is within the American political tradition," Toobin said, comparing the sacking of Comey to President Richard Nixon's firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the Watergate scandal.

 "This is not normal. This is not politics as usual," said Toobin, though he added that Trump did have the legal authority to fire an FBI director.

 The White House, however, said that the impetus for the firing of Comey came from Rosenstein, noting that he was a career prosecutor who served under President Barack Obama as the US Attorney for Maryland, and was confirmed in his new job on April 25.

 A senior administration official said that Rosenstein assessed the situation upon taking office and concluded the FBI director had lost his confidence. He sent his recommendation to Sessions -- who has recused himself from the Russia investigation since he was a Trump adviser and campaign surrogate -- who forwarded it to Trump, who accepted it on Tuesday.

 JUST WATCHED Toobin: Trump admin going to put a stooge in Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Toobin: Trump admin going to put a stooge in 01:26

 Team Clinton reaction

 Former Clinton campaign officials accused Trump of using the furor over Comey's handling of the email server as a ruse to get out from under the Russia investigation.

 "I was as frustrated, concerned and disappointed as anyone with Director Comey's handling of the email investigation, but President Trump just fired the man investigating how Russia meddled in our election and whether members of his campaign were involved, an investigation President Trump called a "charade" only 24 hours ago," said Clinton's former campaign manager, Robby Mook.

 "It's equally concerning that our attorney general, who lied about his own meetings with the Russians, approved Director Comey's firing," he said.

 One Trump loyalist, who worked on the campaign and the transition, gave his reaction to CNN's Jim Sciutto.

 "I firmly believe the Russia angle is fake news. But this gives me pause," the person said.

 Senior Justice Department and FBI officials said they were unaware of the Comey decision until the announcement. Officials who spoke to CNN said they were shocked by the development.

 Comey's term was due to run until 2023. The decade-long tenure was introduced to shield FBI directors from being drawn into politics, but the position is still subject to dismissal at the pleasure of the President.

 Comey's last appearance on Capitol Hill last week exacerbated doubts about his position. Just before news of his dismissal broke, his office issued a statement aiming to clear up his testimony that former Clinton aide Huma Abedin "forwarded hundreds and thousands" of emails to her husband's laptop.

 The note, signed by Gregory Brower, assistant director of the FBI's Office of Congressional Affairs, clarified that the "hundreds and thousands of emails" that Comey said were 'forwarded" from Abedin to her husband's email "included emails transferred via backups as well as manual forwarding."

 The White House said it would immediately launch the search for a new FBI director. Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is now the acting FBI director, according to a message sent to employees by Sessions.

 Comey was appointed FBI director by President Barack Obama in 2013.

 In so doing, he elevated a Republican law enforcement veteran who had been critical of the Justice Department under former President George W. Bush to the top domestic investigative and surveillance organization, among the most powerful posts in the world.

 In the decades since former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial director who brought the FBI into the modern era, law enforcement has avoided the appearance of influencing politics the way Hoover did.

 But Comey's decision to thrust himself repeatedly into the 2016 election put him at odds with the FBI's general decision to stay away from the political spotlight.

 Comey made the decision in July to go public with his recommendation that the Justice Department not pursue any charges against Clinton or her former staffers over her email practices as secretary of state. However, he also took the opportunity to rebuke Clinton at length as being "extremely careless" with sensitive information.

 Then-candidate Trump had talked up the investigation until this point, at which time he and his campaign derided Comey for the "political" decision.

 Just days away from the election, Comey jumped into the race again. He informed Congress, via letter, that the FBI had reopened its investigation into Clinton. The decision was made because of its investigation into former Rep. Anthony Weiner, who is married to Clinton confidant Huma Abedin. Comey followed up days later with another letter, informing Congress that the FBI didn't find anything and continued to believe Clinton's practices did not merit the pursuance of any criminal charges.

 After Clinton's loss, former President Bill Clinton blamed Comey for it, as have many Clinton staffers, at least in part.

 Last week, Hillary Clinton herself told CNN's Christiane Amanpour: "I was on the way to winning until a combination of Jim Comey's letter on October 28 and Russian WikiLeaks raised doubts in the minds of people who were inclined to vote for me and got scared off."

 After taking office, Trump met with Comey at the White House.

 He offered a cryptic remark to the FBI chief.

 "Oh, here's Jim," Trump said in January. "He's become more famous than me." ||||| Calls to appoint an independent prosecutor have simmered for months, but until now, they had been voiced almost entirely by Democrats.

 Mr. Comey’s firing upended the politics of the investigation, and even Republicans were joining the call for independent inquiries.

 Read more »

 Subpoenas are issued in Flynn case

 In a sign of the F.B.I.’s intense interest in Mr. Trump’s advisers, a grand jury in Virginia recently issued subpoenas for records related to the former White House national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, according to an official familiar with the case.

 Mr. Flynn is being investigated for his financial ties to Russia and Turkey.

 Grand jury subpoenas are a routine part of federal investigations and are not a sign that charges are imminent. And it was not clear whether the subpoenas, first reported by CNN, were related to Mr. Comey’s firing.

 — Matt Apuzzo

 Trump to meet Russian foreign minister

 In an instance of bizarre timing and optics, the White House announced late Tuesday night that Mr. Trump will meet in the Oval Office with Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, on Wednesday morning.

 McCabe is acting director

 Image Andrew G. McCabe at a press conference in 2015. Mr. McCabe became the acting F.B.I. director after Mr. Comey was fired. Credit Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

 At 7:57 p.m., F.B.I. employees received an email from Attorney General Jeff Sessions officially announcing their new boss. “The president of the United States has exercised his lawful authority to remove James B. Comey Jr. as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the email read.

 “By operation of law and effective immediately, deputy director Andrew McCabe assumed the position of acting director of the F.B.I. As you well know, the F.B.I. is an exceptional law enforcement and intelligence agency. It is made so by you, the devoted men and women who work tirelessly to keep our country safe. Thank you for your steadfast dedication and commitment during this time of transition.”

 — Rebecca R. Ruiz ||||| This will appear next to all of your comments

 This will NOT appear anywhere on Newser ||||| “It is essential that we find new leadership for the F.B.I. that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission,” Mr. Trump wrote, a remark that particularly upset agents who saw it as an insult to them.

 The White House has not said what precipitated the firing, a significant question because the Justice Department’s stated reasons were well known even when Mr. Trump decided in January to keep Mr. Comey on the job. Mr. Trump watched last week as Mr. Comey testified on Capitol Hill, offering his first public explanation of his handling of the Clinton email case. There, Mr. Comey said that he had no regrets about his decisions but that he felt “mildly nauseous” that his actions might have tipped the election to Mr. Trump.

 The Clinton controversy centers on a news conference Mr. Comey held last July, when he broke with longstanding tradition and policies by publicly discussing the Clinton case and chastising Mrs. Clinton’s “careless” handling of classified information. Then, in the campaign’s final days, Mr. Comey announced that the F.B.I. was reopening the investigation, a move that earned him widespread criticism. At the time, though, Mr. Trump and his attorney general, Mr. Sessions, praised Mr. Comey for actions that are now at the heart of the F.B.I. director’s firing.

 Mr. Trump “saw an opening” to fire Mr. Comey after the testimony, a White House official said. Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff, argued against it, delaying — but not overruling — the decision. Mr. Trump received the documents from the Justice Department on Tuesday. Aides also compiled a stack of news clips criticizing Mr. Comey.

 Mr. Comey’s firing came hours after the F.B.I. corrected his testimony last week about how classified information ended up on the laptop of the disgraced former congressman Anthony D. Weiner. |||||Summary:

– James Comey has been fired as FBI director by President Trump, the AP reports. ABC News tweeted a copy of the White House statement on the matter, which says that Trump acted "based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions." Trump says the move will mark "a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement." Senior government officials tell the New York Times that Sessions was given the job of coming up with a reason to fire Comey last week. Democratic leaders point out that Sessions had recused himself from the investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign—an investigation Comey was leading, the New York Daily News reports. Rosenstein says Comey was fired for his handling of the Clinton email situation, saying he "cannot defend" Comey's behavior, the Times reports. Both Sessions and Trump had previously praised Comey's actions leading up to the election. According to Talking Points Memo, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer wonders if the Russia investigation was "getting too close to home" for Trump and calls for a special prosecutor to continue the investigation. CNN has a copy of Trump's termination letter to Comey, in which Trump says he "greatly appreciate[s]" Comey assuring him, "on three separate occasions," that he is not under investigation, but nonetheless he does not believe Comey can effectively lead the FBI. Comey, who was only three years into a 10-year term, learned of his firing from television reports, which began airing on screens behind him as he spoke to FBI employees in LA. The letter was subsequently delivered to FBI headquarters.


Write a summary based on this article:

poster="http://v.politico.com/images/1155968404/201801/1974/1155968404_5720311823001_5720281753001-vs.jpg?pubId=1155968404" true Full text: Trump Davos speech transcript

 The following is the speech President Donald Trump delivered at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 26, 2018.

 It’s a privilege to be here at this forum an business and science diplomacy and people from world affairs gathered for many, many years to discuss how we can to advance prosperity and peace. I'm here to represent the interests of the America people and affirm America's friendship and partnership in building a better world.

 Story Continued Below

 Like all nations represented at this great forum, America hopes for a future which everyone can prosper and every child can grow up free from violence, poverty, and fear. Over the past year, we have made extraordinary strides in the U.S. We're lifting up forgotten communities, creating exciting new opportunities, and helping every American find their path to the American dream. The dream of a great job, a safe home and a better life for their children.

 After years stagnation the nights is once again experiencing strong economic growth. The stock market is smashing one record after another, and has added more than $7 trillion in new wealth since my election. Consumer confidence, business confidence, and manufacturing confidence are the highest that they have been in many decades.

 Since my election we've created 2.4 million jobs and that number is going up very, very substantially. Small business optimism is at an all-time high. New unemployment claims are near the lowest we've seen in almost half a century. African-American unemployment reached the lowest rate ever recorded in the United States and so has unemployment among Hispanic-Americans.

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 The world is witnessing the resurgence of a strong and prosperous America. I'm here to deliver a simple message. There has never been a better time to hire, to build, to invest and to grow in the united States. America is open for business and we are competitive once again. The American economy is by far the largest in the world and we've just enacted the most significant tax cuts and reform in American history. We've massively cut taxes for the middle class, and small businesses to let working families keep more of their hard earned money.

 We lowered our corporate tax rate from 35 percent all the way down to 21 percent. As a result, millions of workers have received tax cut bonuses from their employers in amounts as large as $3,000. The tax cut bill is expected to raise the average American's household income by more than $4,000. The world's largest company, apple, announced it plans to bring $245 billion in overseas profits home to America. Their total investment into the United States economy will be more than $350 billion over the next five years. Now is the perfect time to bring your business, your jobs, and your investments to the United States.

 This is especially true because we have undertaken the most extensively regulatory reduction ever conceived. Regulation is stealth taxation. The U.S. Like many other countries unelected bureaucrats, we have, believe me, we have them all over the place, and they have imposed crushing and anti-business and anti-worker regulations on our citizens with no vote, no legislative debate, and no real accountability. In America those days are over. I pledged to eliminate two unnecessary regulations for everyone new regulation. We have succeeded beyond our highest expectations. Instead of two for one, we have cut 22 burdensome regulations for everyone new rule. We are freeing our businesses and workers so they can thrive and flourish as never before. We are creating an environment that attracts capital, invites investment, and rewards production. America is the place to do business, so come to America where you can innovate, create and build.

 I believe in America. As president of the United States I will always put America first just like the leaders of other countries should put their country first also. But America first does not mean America alone. When the United States grows, so does the world. American prosperity has created countless jobs all around the globe and the drive for excellence, creativity, and innovation in the U.S. Has led to important discoveries that help people everywhere live more prosperous and far healthier lives.

 As the United States pursues domestic reforms to unleash jobs and growth, we are also working to reform the international trading system so that it promotes broadly-shared prosperity and rewards to those who pray -- play by the rules. We cannot have free and open trade if some countries exploit the system at the expense of others. We support free trade but it needs to be fair and it needs to be reciprocal because in the end unfair trade undermines us all. The United States will no longer turn a blind eye to unfair economic practices including massive intellectual property theft, industrial subsidies, and pervasive state-led economic planning.

 These and other predatory behaviors are distorting the global markets and harming businesses and workers not just in the U.S. But around the globe. Just like we expect the leaders of other countries to protect their interests, as president of the United States, I will always protect the interests of our country, our companies, and our workers. We will enforce our trade laws and restore integrity to our trading system. Only by insisting on fair and reciprocal trade can we create a system that works not just for the U.S., but for all nations.

 As I have said, the United States is prepared to negotiate mutually beneficial, bilateral trade agreements with all countries. This will include the countries within TPP, which are very important. We have agreements with several of them already. We would consider negotiating with the rest either individually or perhaps as a group if it is in the interests of all. My administration is also taking swift action in other ways to restore American confidence and independent. We are lifting self-imposed restrictions on energy production to provide affordable power to our citizens and businesses and to promote energy security for our friend all around the world. No country should be held hostage to a single provider of energy. America is roaring back and now is the time to invest in the future of America.

 We have dramatically cut taxes it make America competitive. We are eliminating burdensome regulations at a record pace. We are reforming the bureaucracy to make it lean, responsive and accountable and we are insuring our laws are enforced fairly. We have the best colleges and universities in the world and we have the best workers in the world. Energy is an abundant and affordable. There is never been a better time to do business in America. We are also making historic investments in the American military because we cannot have prosperity without security. To make the world safer from rogue regimes, terrorism and revisionist powers, we're asking our friend and allies to invest in their own defenses and to meet their financial obligations. Our common security requires everyone to contribute their fair share.

 My administration is proud to have led historic efforts at the united nations security council and all around the world to unite all civilized nations in our campaign of maximum pressure to de-nuke the Korean peninsula. We continue to call on partners to confront Iran's support for terrorists and block Iran's path to a nuclear weapon. We're also working with allies and partners to destroy jihad it terrorist organizations such as ISIS and very successfully so. The nights is leading a very, very broad coalition to deny terrorists control of their territory and populations, to cut off their funding and to discredit their wicked ideology. I am pleased to the support that the coalition to defeat ISIS has retaken almost 100% of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria. There is still more fighting and worked to be done. And to consolidate our gains. We are committed to insuring that Afghanistan never again become as safe haven for terrorists who want to commit mass murder to our civilian populations.

 I want to thank those nations represented here today that have joined in these crucial efforts. You are not just securing your own citizens but saving lives and restoring hope for millions and millions of people. When it comes to terrorism we will do whatever is necessary to protect our nation. We will defend our citizens and our borders. We are also securing our immigration system as a matter of both national and economic security. America is a cutting-edge economy but our immigration system is stuck in the past.

 We must replace our current system of extended family chain migration with a merit-based system of admissions that selects new arrivals based on their ability to contribute to our economy, to support themselves financially, and to strengthen our country.

 In rebuilding America we are also fully committed to developing our workforce. We are lifting people from dependence to Independence because we know the single-best anti-poverty program is a very simple and very beautiful paycheck. To be successful it is not enough to invest in our economy.

 We must invest in our people. When people are forgotten the world becomes fractured. Only by hearing and responding to the voices of the forgotten can we create a bright future that is truly shared by all. The nation's greatness is more than the sum of its production and a nation's greatness is the sum of its citizens, the values, pride, love, devotion and character of the people who call that nation home.

 From my first international G-7 summit to the g20, to the U.N. General assembly, to APEC, to the world trade organization and today at the world economic forum my administration has not only been present but has driven our message that we are all stronger when free, sovereign nations cooperate towards shared goals and they cooperate toward shared dreams. Represented in this room are shared dreams.

 Represented in this room are some of the remarkable citizens from all over the worlds. You are national leaders, business titans, industry giants and many of the brightest mind in many fields. Each of you has the power to change hearts transform lives and shape your country's destinies. With this power comes an obligation however, a duty of loyalty to the people, workers, customers, who made you who you are.

 Together let us resolve it use our power, our resources and our voices, not just for ourselves but for our people, to lift their burdens, to raise their hopes and to empower their dreams. To protect their families, their communities, their histories and their futures. That's what we're doing in America, and the results are totally unmistakable. It's why new businesses and investment are flooding in. It's why our unemployment rate is the lowest it's been in so many decades. It's why America's future has negative been brighter.

 Today, I am inviting all of you to become part of this incredible future we are building together. Thank you to our hosts, thank you to the leaders and innovators in the audience but most importantly, thank you, to all of the hard-working men and women who do their duty each and every day, making this a better world for everyone. Together let us send our love and our gratitude to make them because they really make our countries run. They make our countries great. Thank you and god bless you all. Thank you very much.

  ||||| Here’s our report of Donald Trump’s appearance at Davos. Larry Elliott writes:

 Donald Trump took his battle with the media onto the global stage when he used a speech in Davos declaring that America was open for business to accuse his press and TV critics of being mean, vicious and purveyors of fake news.

 Part of the normally respectful audience of business leaders, politicians, academics and media representatives at the World Economic Forum responded to the president’s renewed onslaught on his media critics by hissing.

 Speaking to a packed hall, the US president boasted of his record since entering the White House and stressed that there had never been a better time for firms to hire and build in the low tax and red-tape cutting economy he was creating.

 Trump made his address as the latest US growth figures showed the economy growing at an annual rate of 2.6% in the final three months of 2017, weaker than the 3% Wall Street had been expecting.

 “The world is witnessing the resurgence of a strong and prosperous America”, he said. “I’m here to deliver a simple message. There has never been a better time to hire, to build, to invest and to grow in the United States. America is open for business and we are competitive once again.” ||||| CLOSE President Donald Trump is sitting down with European business leaders in Davos, Switzerland. His dinner guests include leaders from Adidas, Siemens, Nestle, Deloitte, and other companies. (Jan. 25) AP

 President Donald Trump delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum on Friday. (Photo: Fabrice Coffini, AFP/Getty Images)

 DAVOS, Switzerland — President Trump made the case for his "America First" policy before an elite gathering of political and business leaders Friday, saying "America is open for business."

 In a closing speech at the World Economic Forum in this Alpine resort, Trump stressed that his administration aims to make the United States more competitive for business. He also vowed that the U.S. is committed to free and open trade, but on terms it considers fair and reciprocal.

 "The world is witnessing the resurgence of a strong and prosperous America," he said. "There has never been a better time to hire, to build, to invest and to grow in the United States. America is open for business and we are competitive once again."

 Trump told the Davos audience that "when the United States grows, so does the world."

 "American prosperity has created countless jobs around the globe and the drive for excellence, creativity and innovation in the United States has led to important discoveries that help people everywhere live more prosperous and healthier lives," he added.

 Underscoring his "America First" thinking on foreign policy, Trump said he was here "to represent the interests of the American people, and to affirm America's friendship and partnership in building a better world."

 "America first does not mean America alone," he emphasized. "Like all nations represented at this forum, America hopes for a future in which everyone can prosper, and every child can grow up free from violence, poverty and fear."

 David Kirkpatrick of Techonomy Media, an American conference and media firm, said Trump’s address “could have been a train wreck, but wasn’t.”

 “He could have gone much farther down the ‘America First’ road then he did,” Kirkpatrick said. “With the exception of a brief reference to ‘fake news’ he spoke about the need for international cooperation, even if unenthusiastically.”

 Trump also noted during the speech that the U.S. would be tough on trade issues, saying he intends to "restore integrity to our trade system."

 "We support free trade, but it needs to be fair and it needs to be reciprocal ... in the end, unfair trade undermines us all," Trump said.

 More: British government: Trump will visit United Kingdom this year

 More: Trump demands Palestinian 'respect' to receive U.S. aid

 On non-economic issues, the president stressed that the international community should work together on security concerns, such as fighting the Islamic State and the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear program.

 Reaction to Trump's speech was mixed.

 “Tone deaf,” said Sarah Hanson-Young, a senator from Australia’s Greens’ Party. “It was all about himself. Instead of talking about global leadership and issues, it was about ‘Come to America,’” she said.

 Hanson-Young said his tone different widely from other world leaders at Davos. “There’s no comparison between the arrogance of that man on stage and the other leaders, Macron, Merkel, Trudeau, who all spoke on global issues.”

 Sandra Page-Cook, the managing editor of the Journal of Health and Pollution, noted that Trump stuck to the script in a written speech that offered little to offend.

 “He said fine things in general, but it would have been better to have a more candid conversation,” she said.

 Page-Cook took exception to his swipe at the media for being “mean” and “fake,” and called his characterization of regulators as predatory as “too strong.”

 Trump's pitch to this elite audience was particularly striking since it is the very crowd that has generally shunned him. At the same time, said Douglas Rediker, a global economy expert at the Brookings Institution think tank, it is a group that some would argue he has"always aspired to join."

 There was no doubt, however, that his appearance was a hot ticket. Forum participates began lining up just after noon for the 2 p.m. speech amid a Saudi Arabia-sponsored lunch buffet. The Congress Hall, which holds 1,400 people, quickly filled to capacity.

 The forum stepped up security for the event. Although every participant in the forum is vetted, wears a badge and is security-screened when entering the convention complex, Swiss Army soldiers performed additional services at the hall and barred all liquids.

 Trump also appears to be finding favor with business leaders in and out of this wintry retreat. Several surveys published this week found that corporate leaders largely approve of his administration's recent corporate tax cuts and regulatory overhaul.

 "I like a lot more stuff than I don’t like," Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein said here Wednesday.

 In his remarks, the president rattled off economic data, including a falling unemployment rate. He pointed to 2.4 million jobs created since his 2016 election and said companies like Apple are planning to invest billions in America.

 The U.S. economy grew at a solid rate of 2.6% in the final three months of last year, a slowdown from the previous two quarters. It was aided by the fastest consumer spending since the spring of 2016 and a big rebound in home construction.

 More: Economy grew solid 2.6% in Q4

 The Commerce Department said the fourth quarter advance in the gross domestic product, the country’s total output of goods and services, followed gains of 3.1% in the second quarter and 3.2% in the third quarter. The latest slowdown reflected a worsening trade deficit and less growth in inventory restocking by companies.

 For all of 2017, the economy grew 2.3%. That is a significant improvement from a 1.5% gain in 2016 but little changed from the modest 2.2% average growth rate turned in since the Great Recession ended.

 More: Trump wanted Mueller fired back in June, reports say

 More: 'Brazil is back in business,' President Temer tells World Economic Forum

 Reports that Trump wanted to fire Robert S. Mueller, who is leading the investigation into whether there was collusion between his 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, threatened to overshadow the speech. The New York Times and Washington Post reported Thursday that Trump only backed down from dismissing Mueller after Donald McGahn, a White House lawyer, threatened to resign in protest.

 “Fake news. Fake news," Trump responded Friday, in brief remarks made in the forum's main conference hall.

 Following a meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Trump ignored questions from journalists about vulgar language he used earlier this month to describe Haiti and African nations. Kagame is the chair of the African Union, a 55-country organization, that called on Trump to apologize over the comments. Trump said the two leaders had "tremendous discussions." Kagame said they talked about trade and the economy.

 In an interview with the broadcaster Piers Morgan on Britain's ITV channel broadcast from Davos Friday, Trump for the first time appeared to express regret for retweeting anti-Muslim posts by a leader of a far-right British group last year.

 “If you're telling me they're horrible people, horrible racist people, I would certainly apologize if you would like me to do that,” Trump said when challenged.

 Contributing: Donna Leinwand Leger

 More: What is Britain First, the far-right group re-tweeted by President Trump?

 Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2FjxH8O |||||

– President Trump gave his much-anticipated address Friday to fellow world leaders at the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, and he stuck to a familiar theme: "America is open for business, and we are competitive once again." In the speech, Trump made the case that the US economy is buzzing thanks to policies put in place since his election. Politico and USA Today have excerpts. Some of the other big lines: "As president of the United States, I will always put America first, just like the leaders of other countries should put their country first also. But America first does not mean America alone." "We have the best colleges and universities in the world, and the best workers. Energy is abundant. There is no better time to do business with America." "The stock market is smashing one record after another." "We support free trade, but it needs to be fair and it needs to be reciprocal ... in the end, unfair trade undermines us all." "Our immigration system is stuck in the past," he said, again calling for a merit-based system to replace "chain migration" of families. On the Trans Pacific Partnership, which the US pulled out of under Trump, the president said he is willing renegotiate terms with members, per the Wall Street Journal. On North Korea, he called for "maximum pressure to de-nuke the Korean peninsula," per the Guardian.


When Carla Harris left her boyfriend Sunday night, she said she told him not to drink. They needed to drive later that night to pick up their daughter and a friend at the Waterworks Mall.

 Pittsburgh police said Richard Benton, 53, of Wilkinsburg did not heed Ms. Harris' advice. When Ms. Harris, 52, of East Liberty returned home, she said Mr. Benton, who she did not realize had been drinking, volunteered to drive.

 They got in a black Ford Explorer to pick up Shamera Harris and drop off one of her friends at a home on Schenley Manor Drive in Stanton Heights.

 When they arrived at the friend's house, Ms. Harris said, Mr. Benton asked their daughter to get out of the car so he could take a picture because she looked beautiful. Mr. Benton fiddled with the gearshift and got out of the car, she said.

 The car "just took off at full speed," dragging their 12-year-old daughter and slamming into a tree.

 "I just panicked and I asked him, 'What did you do?' "

 Ms. Harris said she tried to stop the car but could not.

 "I ran to pull her out and gave her CPR and she was already gone. I tried. I prayed over her."

 Shamera died at the scene about 8:30 p.m. Sunday. When Pittsburgh police arrived, Mr. Benton smelled of alcohol, slurred his speech, was "unsteady" on his feet and had "glassy and watery eyes," according to a criminal complaint.

 Mr. Benton, who was released Monday morning on nonmonetary bond, could not be reached for comment.

 Police wrote in the complaint that he refused a breath test and refused to comply with field sobriety tests.

 Police handcuffed Mr. Benton at the scene and took him to a station for further tests. He again refused tests, saying he wanted to contact an attorney, according to the complaint.

 After consulting with the Allegheny County district attorney's office, police charged Mr. Benton with driving under the influence and took him to UPMC Mercy for treatment of minor injuries before he went to the Allegheny County Jail.

 The Allegheny County medical examiner's office found during an autopsy that Shamera died of blunt force trauma and ruled her death an accident. The police investigation continues.

 Ms. Harris said she did not realize Mr. Benton had been drinking and that she would not have gotten in the car -- let alone permitted children to ride in it -- if she had suspected he was drunk.

 "This is a horrible death. She didn't deserve that," Ms. Harris said. Friends and family visited Ms. Harris at her Highland Park home Monday to offer condolences.

 Shamera made the honor roll at Pittsburgh Dilworth PreK-5, her mother said. In her few months at Pittsburgh Obama 6-12, where she enjoyed swimming, she earned a reputation as a "pleasant young lady, who always followed the rules in every one of her classrooms," according to a statement from the school district.

 The school was closed Monday due to a power outage. School support staff are expected to be available to talk to students today.

 Shamera enjoyed using the computer and making plans with friends on Facebook -- like the ones she made Sunday night to see a new Kevin Hart movie at the Waterworks Mall with a group of friends.

 "She was just my gift from God," her mother said.

 Ms. Harris said she had been told that she would never have children, then at age 40, she had Shamera, her only child.

 She said Mr. Benton called her after he was released from jail Monday. "I can't talk to him right now. I just can't. He has other children. I have none." ||||| By Megan Harris and Margaret Harding

 Carla Harris saw blood on her daughter's blue jacket before paramedics arrived, and she knew Shamera was dead.

 On Monday, no sunlight permeated the East Liberty home where family members and friends invited the Tribune-Review to talk about the life of Shamera Harris, 12, who died the night before when her father's Ford Explorer rolled backward, dragging the girl into a tree while her mother tried frantically to crawl into the driver's seat and put the SUV in park, she said.

 The girl's father, Richard Benton, 53, slurred his speech and smelled of alcohol at the scene of the crash on Schenley Manor Drive, according to the criminal complaint police filed when charging him with drunken driving.

 Carla Harris said Benton “seemed normal” when he dropped by late Sunday and offered to pick up Shamera and a friend from The Waterworks mall.

 “If I had known he was drinking, I never would've let him (drive),” she said.

 On their way to the other child's home on Schenley Manor Drive, Benton pulled over to snap a picture. Benton was “messing around with the gear shifter” just before Shamera stepped out of the car, police said Harris told them.

 Officials weren't sure how the SUV caught the girl or how quickly the car rolled back. Collision investigators will inspect the vehicle, Lt. Daniel Herrmann said. He called the incident a “terrible accident.”

 “If there's reason to believe (Benton) is responsible for this girl's death, then there will be charges,” Herrmann said.

 Teachers at Pittsburgh Obama 6-12 School said through Pittsburgh Public Schools spokeswoman Ebony Pugh that Shamera was “a quiet, pleasant young lady who always followed the rules in every one of her classrooms.” The school was closed because of a power outage, but counselors will be available on Tuesday, Pugh said.

 Funeral arrangements through Cleft of the Rock Ministries were not finalized.

 Shamera is the second in her family to die suddenly, the family said.

 One relative, Jacquet Bazemore, 63, of Highland Park, pointed to a pair of fading photographs on top of the family's television. Shamera, age 8 or 9, grins in pastels beneath long, dark braids. Shakkeem Harris, then a toddler, laughs with his father, Shawn. Two years ago, officers found Shakkeem, at age 22, face-down and shot in Morningside's Joe Natoli Field.

 “We've endured so much tragedy,” said Joyce Harris, their grandmother. “Now both our babies are gone.”

 It's hard to reconcile senseless mistakes, Shawn Harris said.

 Carla Harris, 51, a longtime crossing guard at Dilworth School in Highland Park, called Shamera her miracle baby and best friend.

 “I wasn't supposed to have children, but God blessed me with her at 40. We did everything together,” she said. “She walked to my post at 4:30 (p.m.) every day, her and all her girlfriends. Now I'll see them cross and not my baby girl.”

 Officers said Benton refused field and chemical sobriety tests. He was released from Allegheny County Jail midday under conditions that he report to court at 10 a.m. Tuesday and participate in a substance-abuse treatment program.

 Court records indicate Benton, whom Harris said is a school bus driver, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in Georgia in 1996 and to simple harassment in 2012. Allegheny County records don't indicate whom Benton harassed.

 Megan Harris and Margaret Harding are Trib Total Media staff writers. Reach Harris at 412-388-5815 or mharris@tribweb.com. Reach Harding at 412-398-7543 or mharding@tribweb.com. |||||
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– A 12-year-old Pittsburgh girl died on her first date last night when her father's car dragged her about 50 feet and slammed into a tree, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. The girl, Shamera Harris, got out of her father's SUV so her parents could snap a photo of her and her date, but the vehicle began rolling backwards. Shamera's dad, 53-year-old Richard Benton, was "messing around with the gear shifter" before exiting the vehicle, according to the girl's mom, Carla Harris. "He thought the vehicle was in park," said a police sergeant. "In fact, it must have been out of gear and went over her, dragging her down the hill and then crashing into a yard." Shamera's parents had picked up her and her date at Waterworks Mall and drove them back to the boy's place when tragedy struck. Paramedics arrived and tried to resuscitate the girl but she "wasn't moving," a neighbor told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Police say Benton, who was charged with a DUI, smelled of booze and had "slurred speech and glassy, watery eyes." He refused a field sobriety test on the scene and a chemical test of his breath while in custody, and asked to see an attorney. "If there's reason to believe he's responsible for this girl's death, then there will be charges," said a lieutenant. "It's one of those things where you have to wait and see."


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– Scientists who study tree rings for a living have discovered that central Mongolia had an usually warm and wet spell from 1211 to 1225. This would probably remain of note only in tree-ring-studying circles if not for one other thing: Those dates happen to coincide with the rise of none other than Genghis Khan, reports the BBC. And the researchers say it's no coincidence. They argue in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that the change in weather from severe drought conditions prior to 1211 to fertile ones afterward directly helped Khan build his empire. Think rain—specifically the lush grasslands it created to fuel to Khan's horse-driven army, along with the livestock his soldiers needed to survive. "It wasn't the only thing, but it must have created the ideal conditions for a charismatic leader to emerge out of the chaos, develop an army, and concentrate power," West Virginia University researcher Amy Hessl tells National Geographic. "Where it's arid, unusual moisture creates unusual plant productivity, and that translates into horsepower—literally. Genghis was able to ride that wave." By the time he died in 1227, Khan's empire spanned modern-day Korea, China, Russia, eastern Europe, India, and southeast Asia. Researchers stumbled onto his meteorological good luck while studying ancient Siberian pine trees. (Click to read about the 800-year search for Genghis Khan's tomb.)

A 1,112-y tree-ring record of moisture shows that in opposition to conventional wisdom, the climate during the rise of the 13 th -century Mongol Empire was a period of persistent moisture, unprecedented in the last 1,000 y. This 15-y episode of persistent moisture likely led to a period of high grassland productivity, contributing fuel to the Mongol Empire. We also present evidence that anthropogenic warming exacerbated the 21st-century drought in central Mongolia. These results indicate that ecosystems and societies in semiarid regions can be significantly affected by unusual climatic events at the decadal time scale.

 Abstract

 Although many studies have associated the demise of complex societies with deteriorating climate, few have investigated the connection between an ameliorating environment, surplus resources, energy, and the rise of empires. The 13th-century Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous land empire in world history. Although drought has been proposed as one factor that spurred these conquests, no high-resolution moisture data are available during the rapid development of the Mongol Empire. Here we present a 1,112-y tree-ring reconstruction of warm-season water balance derived from Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) trees in central Mongolia. Our reconstruction accounts for 56% of the variability in the regional water balance and is significantly correlated with steppe productivity across central Mongolia. In combination with a gridded temperature reconstruction, our results indicate that the regional climate during the conquests of Chinggis Khan’s (Genghis Khan’s) 13th-century Mongol Empire was warm and persistently wet. This period, characterized by 15 consecutive years of above-average moisture in central Mongolia and coinciding with the rise of Chinggis Khan, is unprecedented over the last 1,112 y. We propose that these climate conditions promoted high grassland productivity and favored the formation of Mongol political and military power. Tree-ring and meteorological data also suggest that the early 21st-century drought in central Mongolia was the hottest drought in the last 1,112 y, consistent with projections of warming over Inner Asia. Future warming may overwhelm increases in precipitation leading to similar heat droughts, with potentially severe consequences for modern Mongolia. ||||| Image copyright National Palace Museum Image caption Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol empire, which historians say was the largest contiguous empire in history

 The rise of Genghis Khan and the huge Mongol Empire in the early 13th Century may have been helped by good weather, scientists suggest.

 American researchers studying the rings of ancient trees in central Mongolia have discovered that his rise coincided with the mildest, wettest weather in more than 1,000 years.

 Grass grew at a rapid rate, providing fodder for his war horses.

 Genghis Khan united the Mongol tribes to invade and rule a vast area.

 It covered modern-day Korea, China, Russia, eastern Europe, India and south-east Asia.

 Charismatic leader

 The research shows that the years before Genghis Khan's rule were characterised by severe drought from 1180 to 1190, the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said.

 Image caption Present-day Mongolians regard Genghis Khan as the founding father of their country

 But as the empire expanded from from 1211 to 1225, Mongolia saw an unusual spell of regular rainfall and mild temperatures.

 "The transition from extreme drought to extreme moisture right then strongly suggests that climate played a role in human events," study co-author and West Virginia University tree-ring scientist Amy Hessl told the AFP news agency.

 "It wasn't the only thing, but it must have created the ideal conditions for a charismatic leader to emerge out of the chaos, develop an army and concentrate power.

 "Where it's arid, unusual moisture creates unusual plant productivity, and that translates into horsepower. Genghis was literally able to ride that wave."

 Allied to the good weather, Genghis Khan was able to unite disparate tribes into an efficient military unit that rapidly conquered its neighbours.

 For the oldest samples, Ms Hessl and lead author Neil Pederson, a tree-ring scientist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, concentrated on an unusual group of stunted Siberian pines found while researching wildfires in Mongolia.

 The trees were growing from cracks in an old solid-rock lava flow in the Khangai Mountains, according to a statement from Columbia.

 Trees living in such conditions grow more slowly and are particularly sensitive to weather changes - and as a result provide an abundance of data to study, scientists say.

 Some of the trees had lived for more than 1,100 years. the experts say, and one piece of wood they found had rings going back to about 650 BC. |||||