Day: January 3, 2017

Ex-death row inmate in Ohio wants new trial amid new doubts

A one-time death row inmate in Ohio whose sentence was commuted to life in prison has asked a judge for a new trial based on concerns that have surfaced about a former state crime lab worker. Attorneys for Kevin Keith are questioning whether the state forensic expert provided unreliable testimony against him at his 1994 trial.

No proof Russian hacking influenced US election: Trump spokesman

No evidence has emerged to suggest Russian hacking influenced the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and it would be irresponsible to jump to conclusions before receiving a final intelligence report, Donald Trump’s spokesman said on Monday. Chief Strategist & Communications Director for the Republican National Committee Sean Spicer arrives in the lobby of Republican president-elect Donald Trump’s Trump Tower in New York, New York, U.S. November 14, 2016.

Senate Democrats Target President-Elect Trumpa s Cabinet Nominees

Senate Democrats are preparing to take a stand against eight of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, a move which could slow the confirmation process, a senior Democratic aide confirmed to ABC News. With confirmation hearings scheduled to begin next week, the senators are calling for more detailed background information and financial records from Trump’s picks, including Secretary of State nominee ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions, and Department of Health & Human Services nominee Tom Price, as first reported by The Washington Post .

USDA: Emerging Markets Account For Most Of The Growth In Agricultural Exports

USDA: EMERGING MARKETS ACCOUNT FOR MOST OF THE GROWTH IN AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS Jan. 3, 2017 Source: USDA news release Growth in demand for food, and by extension for agricultural imports, is particularly sensitive to growth in per capita incomes in developing countries, where relatively large shares of rising incomes are typically spent on increasing both the amount and diversity of foods consumed. In contrast, consumers in more developed countries, where per capita incomes and food intake are already relatively high, are less likely to spend as much of new income on increasing the amount of food they eat.

Cattlemen Hopeful Trump Administration Will Have Fewer Regulations

CATTLEMEN HOPEFUL TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE FEWER REGULATIONS Jan. 3, 2017 Drover’s reports: As 2016 comes to a close the Obama administration is finalizing what policy it can before president-elect Donald Trump makes his way into the White House. A common theme for the new administration that might be a boon to agriculture is deregulation.

Ted McKinney Re-Appointed As Sec’y Of Indiana Ag, Comments On 2017 Goals

APPOINTED AS SEC’Y OF INDIANA AG, COMMENTS ON 2017 GOALS Jan. 3, 2017 Hoosier Ag Today reports: In the Governor Eric Holcomb administration which takes office next month, Ted McKinney will continue as Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. McKinney knows the incoming governor well, and continuity from the Pence years will be helpful for the ag department.

AP Lists Its Top Global Business News Stories

AP LISTS ITS TOP GLOBAL BUSINESS NEWS STORIES Jan. 3, 2017 AP reports: Globalization, the path that the world economy has largely followed for decades, took some hefty blows in 2016. The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president and Britain’s decision to leave the European Union have raised questions over the future of tariff-free trade and companies’ freedom to move production to lower-cost countries.

The Patriotic Response to Populism

If 2016 was the year of reckless populism, then 2017 must be the year of clear-eyed patriotism. The surest way to confront demagogues like Donald Trump, and to manage ordeals like Brexit, is by appealing not only to reason but also to common purpose and duty.

Stardust and dirt

Alec Baldwin , as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, and Kate McKinnon, as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, delivered election laughs on Saturday Night live. Brangelina broke up.

The US, Europe, Japan and China…where should you invest in 2017?

What the This is Money team would like to see in 2017: From stamp duty cuts, to customers losing misplaced loyalty and rates to rise What next for savings rates in 2017? After a terrible year for returns we get the experts’ view on whether savers are set for further misery Which is the best used family saloon for under A 10k? We put an Audi, BMW, Mercedes and VW to the test Round pound coins will cease to be legal tender in OCTOBER: New 12-sided A 1 will hit the streets in March – as will new Jane Austen A 2 M&S shoppers face price hikes of ‘up to 15% on basic goods’ despite a pledge to shield customers from the falling value of the pound Britain’s deserted shopping malls: Visits to stores plunge by HALF on New Year’s Day – as online sales triumph What would you do with a windfall worth A 100,000? Five experts reveal how they would invest a big lump sum How to soften the blow of rising … (more)

What do we want?

President-elect Donald Trump put on Twitter last week that new economic indicators are uncommonly good. Then he wrote, “Thanks, Donald.”

Police end NAACP sit-in against attorney general nominee

The national president of the NAACP and five others were arrested after staging a sit-in Tuesday at the Alabama office of Sen. Jeff Sessions, the nominee for U.S. attorney general, the civil rights group said. The organization held the demonstration to protest Sessions’ nomination by President-elect Donald Trump, criticizing Sessions’ record and views on civil rights, immigration, criminal justice reform, and voting rights enforcement.