AFN NEWS

Thursday, March 28, 2019　

1) From ABC News, I’m Daria Albinger. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are pressing top transportation officials about airline safety. “FAA’s Acting Administrator Den Elwell providing insight about the agency’s decision to ground Boeing 737 Max planes, saying the decision was made after noticing similarities in the flight path of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes. ‘When you have the possibility of a link between two accidents of the same type of aircraft, it’s prudent to ground them until you find what that link is.’ The FAA’s decision making in grounding the Max planes will be part of the audit ordered by the Department of Transportation. Mark Remillard, ABC News.” In Washington State, Boeing is demonstrating software update to the 737 Max series to customers and regulators. Officials say pilot training will be computer-based and will require simulator.

2) A federal judge in Washington, D.C. is blocking Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and Kentucky.

3) An Ohio man pleads guilty to federal hate crimes for the 2017 Charlottesville car attack. James Alex Fields Jr. admitting in court that he intended to kill Heather Heyer and others when he drove a car. It was 2017 crowded counter protests in Charlottesville, Virginia. The state court convicted him and now he’s admitted he was also a federal hate crime. “His affection for Adolf Hitler, Nazis Germany.” U.S. Attorney Thomas Cullen saying he frankly feels he would now serve two life sentences, one each for federal and state crime. Andy Field, ABC News.

4) British Prime Minister Theresa May offers up her job in exchange for getting an EU divorce deal to pass. “In a sense, you could say the blackmail. Theresa May trying for the third time to give her already-failed plan through really on the scales of what people are looking at. They wanna get rid of her, but in order to do that they’re gonna have to pass a deal which the country hates as well.” ABC’s Tom Rivers in London.

5) Stocks closed lower today. You’re listening to ABC News.

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From the Fox Business Network; on Wall Street, the major averages ending lower on weakness in healthcare, technology and banks, then also on lingering fears of a slowing global economy with the Dow falling 32 points, the NASDAQ down 48, S&P 500 down 13. // And a big acquisition in the healthcare stage. Health insurer Centene will be buying competitor Wellcare Health for over $15 billion which will create a giant in the business of managing government health programs. The move comes after the Trump Administration recently renewed its attack on striking down the Affordable Care Act. Centene is the largest provider of plan to ACA market places. // And kick off for April, and just in time for Easter of Peeps and Dunkin’ collaboration. Dunkin’ will be releasing a new Peeps donut and a marshmallow-flavored coffee for a limited time. The Peeps donut features a yellow marshmallow chick on top of a green and egg-shaped sprinkle donut and Java will be infused with a creamy taste of classic Peeps marshmallow. With the Fox Business Report, I’m Hilarie Barsky.

AFN NEWS

Thursday, March 21, 2019　

1) From ABC News, I’m Daria Albinger. John’s defense spending and the late Senator John McCain, President Trump visited a factory in Lima, Ohio, where he continued to criticize the Republican. The President telling Ohio tank plant workers that they too should be angry with the late Senator John McCain for passing wrong information about Mr. Trump that, he claims, led to the Mueller investigation. “And what did he do? He didn’t call me. He turned it over to the FBI, hoping to put me in jeopardy.” In fact, FBI officials testified that it was not that dossier but one of the President’s own campaign advisers who sparked suspicions that led to the Russia investigation. Andy Field, ABC News. Before he left for Ohio, the President told reporters that he thinks Special Counsel Robert Mueller‘s report on the Russia investigation should be released to the public. He also called it ridiculous.

2) In an address to the nation, British Prime Minister Theresa May says the country won’t leave the European Union on time next week with a deal. “Today I have written to Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, to request a short extension of Article 50 up to the 30th of June to give MPs the time to make a final choice.” And Tusk says the block will grant a Brexit extension if May gets a deal passed in Parliament.

3) Sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News that the FBI has a look working with other federal authorities to look into the certification of the Boeing 737 Max in the wake of two recent plane crashes.

4) Elemental fire at a Texas chemical storage plant is out. Company spokesperson Alice Richardson says firefighters will try to find out what caused it. “Harris County‘s fire investigative team has begun their investigation, and that’s the starting point.” The cleanup efforts have also started at the site of the fire. You are listening to ABC News.

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From the Fox Business Network; on Wall Street, the major averages closing mixed with the Dow giving back earlier gains on conflicting reports over the progress of U.S.-China trade talks, with the Dow closing down 27 points, the NASDAQ up 10, S&P 500 down a faction. // And shares of FedEx plunging in the extended session after reporting quarterly results in missing earnings and revenue estimate and slashing its full-year earnings forecast for the second time. // And music publishers are suing Peloton, accusing the maker of video-streaming exercise bikes of using more than 1,000 songs of Lady Gaga, Drake, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake and others without permission. The copyright infringement lawsuit is looking for more than $150 million in damages. // And Starbucks is revamping its rewards loyalty program offering a new way for you to get free stuff, starting on April the 16th. Members will earn rewards points sooner and you will be able to use those points to buy more items than before. With the Fox Business Report, I’m Hilarie Barsky.

AFN NEWS

Thursday, March 14, 2019　

1) From ABC News, I’m Daria Albinger. Grounded; President Trump ordering all Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9 planes to stay on the ground effective immediately. ABC’s Alex Stone says this could be why. “In the order grounding the Max jets, the FAA says it is based on new information from the wreckage in Ethiopia concerning the plane’s configuration just after takeoff. Along with newly refined data from satellite-based tracking of the aircraft flight path, the FAA now sees some similarities between the Ethiopia crash and the Lino Air crash of a Max 8 in Indonesia last October. It wants to look into the possibility of a shared cause of the two crashes.” ABC’s Tara Palmeri, she was caught up in the chaos after the announcement. “I was really standing there with a thickening agent when it happened, so I was in locking way. I’m sure it’s black there and I got on the next plane.” The black boxes from the Ethiopian Airlines crash have been sent to France for analysis.

2) Capitol Hill looking to update the Civil Rights Act by including the LGBTQ community. “We’re proud to stand with members from both sides of the Capitol to take a momentous step towards full equality with LGBTQ Americans and for our country.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

3) Will Brexit ever happen? “The ayes have it. The ayes have it. Leaving the European Union without some sort of an exit deal, no longer looks like a viable option for the U.K. Politicians passed a historic measure which, however, is nonbinding. The move strengthens the likelihood now of an extension to the actual European exit date, which is currently coming up fast at the end of the month. Tom Rivers, ABC News, London.

4) Paul Manafort getting more time behind bars will be serving the total of seven and half years on federal charges resulting from the probe. Today Manafort learned he’s also been indicted in New York on charges of mortgage fraud. President Trump says he feels sad for his former campaign chairman. You’re listening to ABC News.

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From the Fox Business Network; a major auto recall, the EPA announced the Fiat Chrysler’s voluntarily recalling nearly 900,000 vehicles that do not meet U.S. emission standards. The company says this is not a safety issue. // Cracking down on e-cigarettes, the FDA proposing new rules trying to curb teenagers from vaping. The plan would limit the sales of fruity flavored cigarettes at certain retail stores. // And we do have some good news for the housing market. The Mortgage Bank Association says loan applications to purchase homes grows by 4% last week. Lower interest rates helped it drive action in the market. // And unhappy with your job or you might wanna help some other people to find a job. That’s because a new survey from Glassdoor ranks recruiting manager No. 1 on the list of the most satisfying jobs, running up top three, dental hygienist and sales operations manager. With the Fox Business Report, I’m Connell McShane.

AFN NEWS

Thursday, March 7, 2019　

1) From ABC News, I’m Scott Goldberg. Congressional Democrats already in a standoff with the White House over Jared Kushner's security clearance now want information on Ivanka. House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings said his committee wants details about Ivanka Trump’s security clearance. "Of course, we want to know information.” President Trump overruled intelligence professionals concerned about giving his son-in-law Jared Kushner security clearance, and the President also reportedly pressured his staff to give one to his daughter. “We just want to make sure that the process is proper.” The White House has resisted turning over information about security clearances. Cummings said he prefers voluntary compliance to a subpoena. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, New York.

2) During an emotional Senate hearing on sexual assault in the military, Senator Martha McSally revealed what she said was a rape by a superior officer while she was serving in the Air Force. “So this is personal for me too, but it’s personal from two perspectives. As a commander who led my airmen into combat, and as a survivor of rape and betrayal. I share the disgust of the failures of the military system and many commanders who failed in their responsibilities.” The Arizona Republican says she didn’t report being raped because she didn’t trust the system.

3) President Trump was asked in an Oval Office meeting about new satellite images that indicate North Korea’s restoring facilities at the long-range rocket launching site. The facility had been dismantled last year. “I would be very disappointed if that were happening. It’s a very early report. We’re the ones that put it out, but I would be very, very disappointed in Chairman Kim and I don’t think I will be, but we’ll see what happens. We’ll take a look.” This, one week after the second nuclear summit with Kim Jong-un ended without a deal.

4) Singer R. Kelly has been taken into custody in Chicago following a court appearance in his unpaid child support case.

5) On Wall Street, stocks closed lower today. The Dow lost 133 points, the NASDAQ lost 70. You’re listening to ABC News.

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From the Fox Business Network; on Wall Street, the major averages closing lower for a third consecutive session, showing global economic growth in uncertainty about the outcome of continuing trade negotiations looming over Wall Street. The Dow decliners today include Walgreens, Pfizer and Caterpillar, while DowDuPont and Cisco were among the Dow winners, with the Dow closing down 133 points, NASDAQ down 70, S&P 500 down 18. // And the U.S. trade deficit soaring to a 10-year high in 2018 despite the Trump Administration slapping tariffs on a range of imported goods in an effort to shrink the gap. // And an emotional day at the sprawling General Motors assembly plant near Youngstown, Ohio, the Lordstown facility will be idle today after more than 50 years producing cars with the last Chevrolet Cruze coming off the assembly line. Seventeen hundred hourly positions will be eliminated there by the end of the month. With the Fox Business Report, I’m Hilarie Barsky.

AFN NEWS

Thursday, February 28, 2019　

1) From ABC News, I’m Chuck Sivertsen. A racist, a con man and a cheat as the President Trump’s former personal lawyer describes his ex-boss Michael Cohen at an all-day hearing with the House Oversight Committee, saying the President reimburses him for illegal hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, flaunting a copy of the check allegedly signed by the President. Cohen also said the President implicitly directed him to lie the Congress about the Trump Tower project in Moscow after Mr. Trump guessed wrong about his White House bid. “He never expected to win the primary. He never expected to with the general election. The campaign, for him, was always a marketing opportunity.” Cohen also testified Mr. Trump told him to put the heat on his own matters. “I am talking about a man who declares himself brilliant but directed me to threaten his high school, his colleges and the College Board to never release his grades or SAT scores.” Fordham University confirms they got a letter from Cohen threatening legal action if his records became public. Cohen who reports to prison in May acknowledges he is assisting in other investigations. He would not seek or accept a pardon from the President, who earlier tweeted his former fixer is lying now to cut his prison term.

2) President Trump is in Vietnam, meeting with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un at a second nuclear summit. The President says he hopes to build on the work from last year’s summit in Singapore. Here’s, we hear from ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz in Hanoi. There’s a long way to go. “There has been no significant progress on denuclearization. Kim’s not tested nuclear weapons. President Trump is right about that, but the intelligence community has concluded that the nuclear threat remains and that Kim is unlikely to give up his nuclear weapons.” The two leaders met briefly accompanied only by their interpreters and ate dinner together. Formal talks take place tomorrow. You’re listening to ABC News.

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From the Fox Business Network; on Wall Street, stocks closing mixed as investors digested the latest batch of corporate earnings results and weighed comments from the U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer who told lawmakers that much remains to be done with China on the trade deal, but there has been real progress towards that goal. // With the Dow closing down 73 points, the NASDAQ up 5, S&P 500 down 2. Boeing, Exxon and Caterpillar were among the Dow leaders today, while UnitedHeath Group, DowDuPont and Home Depot were among the decliners. // And shares of Best Buy soaring closing 14% higher after the electronics retailer reported some big holiday sales numbers, getting a big boost from the surging popularity of the Fortnite Video Game which spurred purchases of headphones and other accessories. Best Buy delivering a better-than-expected 3% increase in sales at established stores for its fourth quarter. With the Fox Business Report, I’m Hilarie Barsky.