Trump, North Korea trade escalating threats of fire
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea and the United States traded escalating threats, with President Donald Trump threatening Pyongyang "with fire and fury like the world has never seen" and the North's military claiming Wednesday it was examining its plans for attacking Guam.
The comments follow reports that North Korea has mastered a crucial technology needed to strike the United States with a nuclear missile.
Despite regular North Korean threats against Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific about 2,100 miles (3,400 kilometers) from the Korean Peninsula, it is extremely unlikely that Pyongyang would risk the assured annihilation of its revered leadership with a pre-emptive attack on U.S. citizens.
Still, the competing threats and Trump's use of North Korea-style rhetoric — Pyongyang has long vowed to reduce Seoul to a "sea of fire" — raise the already high animosity and heighten worries that a miscalculation might spark conflict between the nuclear-armed nations.
The North Korean army said in a statement distributed by the state-run news agency that it is studying a plan to create an "enveloping fire" in areas around Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles. The statement described Andersen Air Force Base on Guam as a "beachhead" for a potential U.S. invasion of North Korea it needed to neutralize. It was unlikely the North's threat was a direct response to Trump's comments to the camera at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
US scientists contradict Trump's climate claims
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump touts new oil pipelines and pledges to revive the nation's struggling coal mines, federal scientists are warning that burning fossil fuels is already driving a steep increase in the United States of heat waves, droughts and floods.
It is the latest example of collisions between Trump's environmental policies and the facts presented by his government's experts.
Contradicting Trump's claims that climate change is a "hoax," the draft report representing the consensus of 13 federal agencies concludes that the evidence global warming is being driven by human activities is "unambiguous." That directly undercuts statements by Trump and his Cabinet casting doubt on whether the warming observed around the globe is being primarily driven by man-made carbon pollution.
"There are no alternative explanations, and no natural cycles are found in the observational record that can explain the observed changes in climate," says the report, citing thousands of peer-reviewed studies. "Evidence for a changing climate abounds, from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the oceans."
Faced with reams of evidence compiled by federal scientists that conflicts with their policy positions, Trump and his advisers frequently cite the work of industry-funded think tanks. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt and Energy Secretary Rick Perry have championed the formation of a "red-team, blue-team" exercise where climate-change skeptics would publicly debate mainstream climate scientists.
New Venezuela assembly declares itself superior govt branch
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's new constitutional assembly took over the halls of the endangered, opposition-controlled congress Tuesday and decreed itself superior to all other branches of government while prominently displaying images of the late President Hugo Chavez.
The order bars anti-government lawmakers in congress from taking any action that would interfere with the laws passed by the newly installed assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, the super-body's leader, declared to unanimous approval.
"We are not threatening anyone," said Aristobulo Isturiz, the constitutional assembly's first vice president. "We are looking for ways to coexist."
Embattled President Nicolas Maduro convoked the constitutional assembly in what he contends is an attempt to resolve the nation's political standoff, but opposition leaders insist it is a power grab. Since its installation Friday, the assembly has already ousted the nation's outspoken chief prosecutor, established a "truth commission" expected to target Maduro's foes and passed decrees pledging "support and solidarity" with the unpopular president.
Opposition lawmakers said they were barred from entering the gold-domed legislative palace after security forces led by Rodriguez broke into congress late Monday.
Glen Campbell, 'Rhinestone Cowboy' singer, dies at age 81
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Glen Campbell, the affable superstar singer of "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Wichita Lineman" whose appeal spanned country, pop, television and movies, died Tuesday, his family said. He was 81.
Campbell's family said the singer died Tuesday morning in Nashville and publicist Sandy Brokaw confirmed the news. No cause was immediately given. Campbell announced in June 2011 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and that it was in its early stages at that time.
"Glen is one of the greatest voices there ever was in the business and he was one of the greatest musicians," said Dolly Parton in a video statement. "He was a wonderful session musician as well. A lot of people don't realize that. But he could play anything and he could play it really well."
Tributes poured in on social media. "Thank you Glen Campbell for sharing your talent with us for so many years May you rest in peace my friend You will never be forgotten," wrote Charlie Daniels. One of Campbell's daughters, Ashley, said she was heartbroken. "I owe him everything I am, and everything I ever will be. He will be remembered so well and with so much love," she wrote on Twitter.
"You were a shining light in so many ways," Brad Paisley tweeted.
Reaction to the death of superstar entertainer Glen Campbell
NEW YORK (AP) — Reaction to the death of superstar entertainer Glen Campbell:
"I'm very broken up to hear about my friend Glen Campbell. An incredible musician and an even better person. I'm at a loss. Love & Mercy." — Brian Wilson, via Twitter
"RIP Glen Campbell - a great singer and musician who wrote and chose to cover great songs." — Carole King, via Twitter
"Thank you Glen Campbell for sharing your talent with us for so many years. May you rest in peace my friend. You will never be forgotten." — Charlie Daniels, via Twitter
"Heartbroken. I owe him everything I am, and everything I ever will be. He will be remembered so well and with so much love." — Daughter Ashley Campbell, via Twitter
DJ in groping case says he may have touched Swift's ribs
DENVER (AP) — A former radio disc jockey accused of groping Taylor Swift before a concert testified Tuesday that he may have touched the pop superstar's ribs with a closed hand as he tried to jump into a photo with her but insisted he did not touch her backside as she claims.
David Mueller told jurors at the civil trial on dueling lawsuits filed by Mueller and Swift that he and the singer-songwriter were trying to reach around one another and "our hands touched and our arms touched" during a photo opportunity he estimated lasted no more than 40 seconds.
Under questioning by his attorney, Mueller said he may have touched Swift's "rib cage, or rib, or ribs."
The 2013 photo of Swift, Mueller and Mueller's girlfriend taken at the pre-concert event in Denver is a key piece of evidence in Mueller's suit claiming he was fired after being falsely accused by Swift. He is seeking at least $3 million.
The photo shows Mueller with his hand behind Swift, just below her waist. Both are smiling.
Vote count begins in Kenya's fiercely contested election
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Polls closed across Kenya after millions voted peacefully Tuesday in a fiercely contested election pitting President Uhuru Kenyatta against challenger Raila Odinga in the East African country known for its stability but also its divided ethnic allegiances.
Long lines formed at many of Kenya's 40,000 polling stations before dawn, but the Kenyan election commission tweeted in the evening that the balloting concluded "with minimal hitches." Some sites remained open to process those people still waiting to cast their votes.
In preliminary results, Kenyatta was ahead with 55.4 percent while Odinga had 43.9 percent after votes from nearly one-quarter of 40,883 polling stations had been counted, according to the Kenyan election commission.
Authorities hope to avoid the post-election violence a decade ago when ethnic divisions fueled unrest that killed more than 1,000 people. A 2013 vote was mostly peaceful despite opposition allegations of vote-tampering.
Reaction to the result could partly depend on the performance of Kenya's electoral commission, which will collect and count the ballots in the coming days. In addition to the bitterly contested presidential race, more than 1,800 elected positions were at stake, including governors, legislative representatives and county officials.
South Africa's president survives no-confidence motion again
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — President Jacob Zuma survived a no-confidence vote Tuesday in the seventh and most serious attempt to unseat him after months of growing anger in South Africa over alleged corruption and a sinking economy. But his African National Congress party, which has ruled since the end of apartheid, continued to fracture.
The latest vote to try to dislodge Zuma was the first held by secret ballot after parliamentary speaker Baleka Mbete made the surprise decision to allow it. Opposition parties hoped it would encourage ANC legislators to vote against Zuma without fear of retaliation.
Instead, ANC members in the chamber began singing shortly before the results were announced, while supporters outside started to dance.
A jubilant Zuma, who would have had to resign with his Cabinet if the motion had succeeded, promised the ANC would win the next election in 2019 "in a big number once again." He dismissed "propaganda" that said his party no longer has the people's support. Then he broke into song.
"We will never endorse or vote in favor of any motion that seeks to cripple our country," the ANC said, calling the vote an attempt to remove the party from power.
Experts: Lives at risk if no sleep tests for train engineers
U.S. officials are abandoning plans to require sleep apnea screening for truck drivers and train engineers, a decision that safety experts say puts millions of lives at risk.
The Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said late last week that they are no longer pursuing the regulation that would require testing for the fatigue-inducing disorder that has been blamed for deadly rail crashes in New York City and New Jersey and several highway crashes.
The agencies argue that it should be up to railroads and trucking companies to decide whether to test employees. One railroad that does test, Metro-North in the New York City suburbs, found that 11.6 percent of its engineers have sleep apnea.
The decision to kill the sleep apnea regulation is the latest step in President Donald Trump's campaign to drastically slash federal regulations. The Trump administration has withdrawn or delayed hundreds of proposed regulations since he took office in January — moves the Republican president has said will help bolster economic growth.
Late last year, the FRA issued a safety advisory that was meant as a stopgap measure urging railroads to begin sleep apnea testing while the rules made their way through the regulatory process. Without a regulation mandating testing, which would have needed approval from Congress, regulators couldn't cite trucking companies or railroads if a truck or train crashed because the operator fell asleep at the helm.
Attorney: Tiger Woods won't attend impaired driving hearing
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods will not attend his arraignment Wednesday on a driving under the influence charge, his attorney said, meaning under court rules the superstar golfer will be pleading not guilty.
Attorney Douglas Duncan said in an email Tuesday to The Associated Press that Woods will not be attending the hearing, but he didn't elaborate. Any plea other than not guilty requires the defendant's attendance.
The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office declined comment.
Woods could have agreed Wednesday to enter a program for first-time DUI defendants. He would have to plead guilty to reckless driving and receive a year's probation.
He would also have to pay a $250 fine and court costs, attend DUI school, perform 50 hours of community service and attend a workshop where victims of impaired drivers detail how their lives were damaged. He also would have also been subject to random drug and alcohol testing and other conditions.