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Friday evening news – July 10, 2015
Ray will bring you up to the minute with news you should be aware of tonight. He has chosen the five major news stories from today right up to this hour.
This is Ray Mossholder with the five major news headlines from around the world on Friday evening, July 7, 2015…..
- From the New York Times….. The Supreme Court, Hobby Lobby, and President Obama……
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration issued new rules today that allow closely held for-profit corporations like Hobby Lobby to opt out of providing women with insurance coverage for contraceptives if the companies have religious objections.
But women enrolled in such health plans would still be able to get birth control at no cost through other channels, the administration said.
The rules were in response to a decision by the Supreme Court in June 2014. In that case, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, the court said that requiring family-owned corporations to pay for insurance coverage of contraception under the Affordable Care Act violated a federal law protecting religious freedom.
The administration had argued against that conclusion, saying there was no precedent for granting “a religious exemption” to commercial enterprises like the Hobby Lobby craft stores.
But under the rules issued by the administration today said certain for-profit businesses will be able to obtain an accommodation like the one already available to nonprofit religious groups, including Roman Catholic universities, hospitals and charities that object to covering contraceptives.
Contraceptive coverage has been the focus of fierce political debate for five years, as the administration struggled to meet the health needs of women while recognizing the concerns of people who have deep religious convictions against some or all forms of contraception.
Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the secretary of health and human services, said today that the new rules would “secure women’s access to contraceptive services while respecting religious beliefs.”
Family planning advocates, usually supportive of the administration, criticized the final rules.
“While the accommodation is given on the grounds of protecting religious freedom, what it really does is allow some employers to restrict their employees’ access to basic health care,” said Clare Coleman, president of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, whose members provide services to low-income people and the uninsured.
Under the health care law, employers with 50 or more full-time employees are generally required to offer health coverage or pay substantial penalties. Under a sheaf of rules issued in the last few years, the employer-sponsored insurance must cover preventive services, including all forms of contraception approved for women by the Food and Drug Administration.
The new rules offer a dispensation to certain for-profit companies that have a religious objection to covering contraceptive services. If they report their objections, adhering to procedures described by the government, they can be excused from having to provide or pay for contraceptive coverage.
Relying on a definition used in federal tax law, the rules define a “closely held for-profit entity” as a company that is not publicly traded and that has a structure under which more than 50 percent of the ownership interest is held by five or fewer individuals.
All interests held by members of a family are treated as being owned by a single individual.
Based on available data, the administration said it believed that this definition would encompass all the for-profit companies that have challenged the contraceptive coverage requirement on religious grounds.
To qualify under the new rules, the “highest governing body” of a for-profit entity, such as the board of directors or trustees, must adopt a resolution certifying that “it objects to covering some or all of the contraceptive services on account of the owners’ sincerely held religious beliefs.”
In a related story from CBN News……
A U.S. federal court of appeals has denied Wheaton College a preliminary injunction in their religious objection to Obamacare’s contraception mandate.
The college will have to notify the government of its refusal to provide contraception, outsourcing that task to the government.
That means the government will find a birth control provider, but still at Wheaton’s expense.
Some of the types of contraception include methods that could abort a fertilized egg.
Wheaton is known as an explicitly Christian college, stating its mission is to “serve Jesus Christ and advance His Kingdom.”
In June 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court granted Wheaton a reprieve from being forced to pay for the contraceptive coverage that violates its beliefs.
But the ruling this week by a federal appeals court says providing the coverage through the government doesn’t force the college to violate its beliefs.
Meanwhile, Houston Baptist University, East Texas Baptist University, and Westminster Theological Seminary are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect them from millions of dollars in fines if they don’t comply with the mandate.
The court is likely to consider all the petitions in late September or early October.
- From LifeSiteNews….. The United Nations pushes Obama aside and blesses families worldwide…..
“Only a small number of countries backed the LGBT agenda… the United States [for example] lobbied with great energy against this resolution. Supporting the LGBT agenda is a primary objective of U.S. foreign policy. [But] the globe was with us on this resolution. This is unprecedented—a tremendous victory for the family.” -Austin Ruse, Center for Family and Human Rights
(Geneva, Switzerland)—A pro-family resolution has been passed by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva of “unprecedented” force and reach, thanks to a coalition of African and other developing countries, China and Russia and a support group of socially conservative NGOs. (Photo via business-humanrights.org)
“This is unprecedented, a tremendous victory for the family,” Sharon Slater, the head of Family Watch International, told LifeSiteNews. “It is the first time ever in the history of the United Nations that a comprehensive resolution has been passed calling for the protection of the family as a fundamental unit of society, recognizing the prior right of parents to educate their children, and calling on all nations to create family-sensitive policies and recognize their binding obligations under treaty to protect the family.”
The voting on the “Protection of the Family” resolution was 27 for and 14 against, Slater noted. Those opposing the motion included the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and other Western European countries, while its sponsors included Russia, China, Belarus, and more than a dozen Muslim and African countries. The four abstaining members of the council—Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Macedonia—probably were forced to do so by the rich countries opposing the bill.
“The developed countries probably put huge pressure on the others to stop the bill or insert amendments undermining its intent by threatening to withhold foreign aid,” said Slater. “We applaud those who were able to stand up for the family, and we ask people to write to them to thank them.” (FWI provides a webpage to help people send these supportive letters.)
Austin Ruse of the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-FAM), also termed the resolution “a tremendous victory for the pro-family world” and a defeat for the small but powerful group of anti-family groups supported by developed countries and the United States.
Several attempts were made by feminist and pro-LGBT groups to first defeat and then amend the resolution by inserting “reproductive rights”—a euphemism for abortion, and by replacing “the family” with “families” and by inserting inclusive language to apply the resolution to sexual minorities.
The passage of the resolution was predictably condemned by feminist and sexual advocacy groups… Nonetheless, said Ruse, “The globe was with us on this resolution. Only a small number of countries backed the LGBT agenda. You can be certain the United States lobbied with great energy against this resolution. Supporting the LGBT agenda is a primary objective of U.S. foreign policy.”
The victory marks the growing impact of the UN Family Rights Caucus, a coalition of pro-family NGOs that supported the national delegations in Geneva.
- From WND…… In the “What’s new about that?” category – Terrorists vow terror to America
The newest chief of al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen has put America on its hit list, saying there is no other target that takes precedence.
In his first speech since taking over the command post, Qassim al-Raymi – who succeeded Nasser al-Wuhayshi, the military commander of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula who was killed last month by U.S. drone strike – called for immediate attacks on the United States. The U.S.-based SITE watchdog was able to capture his comments on an audio tape, Reuters reported.
In his speech today, Raymi vowed allegiance to Ayman al-Zawahiri, the commander of al-Qaida, and said America must be hit.
“All of you must direct and gather your arrows and swords [against] it,” he said, SITE reported. “God has helped you against this enemy, for not only did you reach its home, but with praise to God and His grace, you have reached the depths of its heart.”
And to Zawahiri, he said, Reuters reported: “”I pledge allegiance to you, to listen and obey, in times of difficulty.”
- From The New York Times…… Cyber attacks cause too many attacks on Katherine Archuleta who, resigns under the pressure…..
WASHINGTON — Katherine Archuleta, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, resigned today under pressure, one day after the government revealed that two sweeping cyberintrusions at the agency had resulted in the theft of the personal information of more than 22 million people, including those who had applied for sensitive security clearances.
Ms. Archuleta went to the White House on this morning to inform President Obama that she was stepping down immediately. She said later in a statement that she felt new leadership was needed at the federal personnel agency to enable it to “move beyond the current challenges.”
Her resignation marked a swift reversal. Yesterday, Ms. Archuleta insisted in a conference call with reporters that she would stay on to address the vulnerabilities that led to the devastating cybertheft. But it did little to calm the aftershocks of the disclosure this week of what appears to be the largest such incident affecting the federal government.
Both attacks are believed to have originated in China, but administration officials have declined to name a culprit, other than to say that they believe the same actor carried out the two intrusions.
Mr. Obama and his administration struggled today to cope with the fallout from a breach that compromised the Social Security numbers, addresses, financial and health histories and other private details of millions of people, and to come to terms with the longer-term implications of a computer security lapse that has underscored severe weaknesses across the federal government.
Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said that he welcomed the news of Ms. Archuleta’s resignation that “I don’t think we can expect that a change of a single person can be a satisfactory answer to the problems at O.P.M.”
“Every other agency should have its head examined if it’s not taking steps to protect its data,” Mr. Schiff said. “Because if there’s a problem at one agency, there’s likely a problem at other agencies.”
Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman, said that Ms. Archuleta had resigned “of her own volition,” but he that Mr. Obama believed that new leadership at the agency was “badly needed,” and noted that she is not an expert in cybersecurity.
“She recognizes, as the White House does, that the urgent challenges currently facing the Office of Personnel Management require a manager with a specialized set of skills and experiences,” Mr. Earnest told reporters at a news briefing.
A White House official said Beth Cobert, the deputy director of management at the Office of Management and Budget and a former longtime management consultant at McKinsey & Company, would step in temporarily to replace Ms. Archuleta while a permanent successor is found.
“That’s something we’ll start working on today,” Mr. Earnest said.
Ms. Archuleta, who assumed her post in November 2013, had been under pressure from lawmakers in both parties to resign since last month, when she announced the first of two separate but related computer intrusions that compromised the personnel files of 4.2 million current and former federal workers.
On Thursday, she divulged the breach also had led to the theft of the personal data of 21.5 million people who had applied for government background checks, likely affecting anyone subjected to such an investigation since 2000.
On a conference call detailing the scope of the intrusion late Thursday afternoon, Ms. Archuleta, the first Latina director of the agency, insisted she would not step down despite calls from members of Congress that she do so.
“We have a very aggressive push to enhance our cybersecurity and modernize our systems, and we will continue to do so,” she said Thursday. “I am committed to the work that I am doing at O.P.M.”
But just hours later, she was at the White House to inform Mr. Obama she would depart. In her statement on Today, Ms. Archuleta said working at the agency, where she prioritized diversity and planning for a technology upgrades, had been “the highlight of my career.”
Ms. Archuleta served in the Clinton administration, and later under Mr. Obama as the chief of staff of the Labor Department. When she started at the personnel agency in 2013, she unveiled a plan of action that included improvements to its antiquated computer systems and bolstering protections against cyberintrusions.
Representative Jason Chaffetz, Republican of Utah and the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said Ms. Archuleta’s decision was “the absolute right call.”
“O.P.M. needs a competent, technically savvy leader to manage the biggest cybersecurity crisis in this nation’s history,” Mr. Chaffetz said in a written statement. “This should have been addressed much, much sooner, but I appreciate the president doing what’s best now.”
Still, Ms. Archuleta’s departure was only the beginning of a crisis response by the administration to technology weaknesses that plague the entire federal bureaucracy.
Mr. Earnest said the administration was rushing to conduct a “rapid reassessment of the state of cybersecurity measures, and accelerate the implementation of reforms that need to be adopted.”
Those include the wider adoption of two-factor authentication, which requires anyone with the password to a system to use a second, one-time password to log in from an unrecognized computer, he said. The administration is also working to impose stricter curbs on “privileged users,” who have enhanced access to a computer system, limiting the number of such users and the capabilities they have, and better monitoring their conduct on government networks.
He said the government had not yet arrived at an estimate of the cost of the data theft, which has prompted O.P.M. to offer free credit reporting, monitoring and protection to the millions affected, something they said they wouldn’t do yesterday.
From Voice of Victory…… Blah Blah Blah to continue while Iran keeps working on its bomb.
- Iran Nuclear Talks Extended to July 13
An interim nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers will be extended through Monday, to provide negotiators in Vienna more time for talks on a comprehensive deal, a senior U.S. State Department official said Friday.
“To allow for the additional time to negotiate, we are taking the necessary technical steps for the measures of the Joint Plan of Action to remain in place through July 13,” the official said.
Later Friday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said progress had been made in negotiations.
“We still have a couple of very difficult issues, and we’ll be sitting down to discuss those in the very near term,” Kerry said to reporters as he met with his team in Vienna. “But I think we have resolved some of the things that were outstanding and we’ve made some progress.”
Kerry met earlier Friday with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and European Union foreign-policy officials.
An interim nuclear agreement was reached in April and an original June 30th deadline for a final deal has already passed.
Negotiators missed a U.S. congressional deadline Friday morning, meaning the Republican-led U.S. Congress will now have 60 days, rather than 30, to review a deal, extra time U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration worries could derail it.
But talks have been continuing and the foreign ministers involved agreed to reconvene in Vienna Saturday.
“We are making progress, it’s painfully slow,” British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said before leaving Vienna Friday.
Echoing Kerry’s assessment of the talks, Hammond added, “There are still some issues that have to be resolved.”
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond talks to reporters in Vienna, Austria, July 10, 2015.
Lower-level officials from the U.S., Britain and other participants in the talks are still meeting with Iran’s team, Hammond indicated, and said he is confident they will “clear some more of the text.”
Hammond said he and other foreign ministers would “regroup” in Vienna Saturday “to see whether we can get over the remaining hurdles.”
The sides remain divided over issues that include a U.N. arms embargo on Iran, which Western powers want to keep in place; access for inspectors to military sites in Iran, and access to Iran’s nuclear scientists to determine whether Tehran conducted research in the past on how to potentially weaponize its nuclear stockpiles.
As a 14th consecutive day of talks began in Vienna, even jokes meant to dispel tensions reflected the diplomats’ weariness, which has mostly been relieved only by brief rest breaks spent on the balcony of the ornate Palais Coburg hotel.
“We’re pushing,” said Kerry when asked if there would be a deal this weekend. “Off the balcony,” chimed in Federica Mogherini, European Union foreign policy chief.
Kerry smiled and jokingly reprimanded her with a wave of his finger.
“That’s a joke,” Mogherini said, giving a small laugh.
However, as the round of talks entered its second week, there were increasing signs of exasperation.
Late Thursday, Zarif late lashed out at “several countries” he said were shifting their positions and making “excessive demands.”
“Such issues have made the negotiations difficult. We want a dignified agreement and negotiations, and we will continue to negotiate. The deal would be within reach should the other side seek an honorable and balanced accord,” Zarif said, according to Iranian state media.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini takes a break on a balcony at the Palais Coburg hotel in Vienna, Austria, July 10, 2015.
Earlier Thursday, Kerry warned if difficult decisions are not made soon, his negotiators are ready to “end this process.”
“We will not rush and we will not be rushed” into reaching an agreement, Kerry told reporters in Vienna. He indicated that “real progress” is being made toward a comprehensive deal, and that the quality of any deal is the main concern.
The White House echoed Kerry’s comments, saying President Barack Obama would bring back from Vienna the U.S. negotiating team if talks do not appear to be constructive.
“The fact that we’ve been very clear about our expectations for a final agreement makes it unlikely that the talks will drag on for many more weeks. But, again, I wouldn’t speculate on the outcome,” spokesman Josh Earnest said Thursday.
On Friday, Congressman Edward Royce, a prominent Republican in the House of Representatives who heads the influential Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized what he has seen from the negotiations to this point.
Although Royce noted there is no agreement yet, he said indications are that Iran will prevail on many of its major demands.
“How is that a deal?” the California congressman asked rhetorically in a television interview.
Western countries accuse Iran of seeking the capability to build nuclear weapons, while Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes, such as medical research and generating power.
And from CNN, this look at something happening next week……
Washington (CNN)President Barack Obama next week will become the first sitting President to visit a federal prison, the White House announced Friday.
Obama will visit El Reno Federal Correctional Institution in El Reno, Oklahoma, next Thursday, where he will meet with inmates and law enforcement officials, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.
At the prison, Obama will also conduct an interview with VICE that will be a part of a documentary airing this fall on HBO focusing on America’s “broken criminal justice system,” according to a press release from VICE. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, El Reno is a medium security federal correctional institution.
At a news conference last week, Obama said reforming the criminal justice system was a top priority for his remaining time in office.
On Tuesday, Obama will speak at the 106th Annual NAACP Convention in Philadelphia, where Josh Earnest said the President will outline “injustice” in the system and highlight ideas for reform.
The visit to El Reno will be a part of a two-day trip to Oklahoma. On Wednesday, the President will start his visit in Durant, where he will speak to the Choctaw Nation and make remarks on expanding economic opportunity.
In other of today’s headlines……
Detroit cancer doctor Dr. Farid Fatah was sentenced to 45 years in prison for collecting millions of dollars from insurance companies while poisoning more than 500 patients through needless treatments that wrecked their health.
The Confederate flag is gone from the state capital building in South Carolina. Meanwhile, Walmart is melting down all class rings that bear a symbol of the Confederate flag and will not complete any orders for them.
Defense in the Colorado theater shooting trial rests its case.
The romantic star of Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia star, Omar Sharif, dies at 83.
The CEO of Reddit, one of the most highly trafficked websites in the world, has resigned in a torrent from readers unhappy with her.
And finally…… Hair today, gone tomorrow…..
An Italian artist had to finish an artwork within two hours in order to have it displayed at an important art gallery. The artist from Milano was horrified to find that he had run out of paintbrushes. He was in too much of a hurry to go to a store, but he came up with a workable solution. He cut off his hair and with it made a workable paintbrush. The art gallery director immediately sold the painting for $20,000.…… That’s ingenuity for you!
Here’s the thought for the day:
A nation of people blind to what’s happening is like a fly deciding to stay put while a flyswatter is hurtling through the air to smash it.
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So until the next newscast this is Ray Mossholder, praying for you my friend. Have a miraculous day!
Friday evening news – July 10, 2015
Friday evening news - July 10, 2015