AP-US-NYC-VACCINE-MANDATE

NYC requiring vaccine for cops, firefighters, city workers

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City will require police officers, firefighters and other municipal workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be placed on unpaid leave, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday, giving an ultimatum to public employees who’ve refused and ensuring a fight with some of the unions representing them. The mandate affecting the nation’s largest police department and more than 100,000 other Big Apple workers — including trash haulers and building inspectors  — carries a Nov. 1 deadline for getting the first vaccine dose, de Blasio announced.

CAPITOL BREACH-SUBPOENAS

Jan. 6 panel votes to hold Steve Bannon in contempt

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has voted unanimously to hold former White House aide Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress. The longtime ally of former President Donald Trump defied a subpoena for documents and testimony. Trump is still defending his supporters who broke into the Capitol that day. He has aggressively tried to block the committee’s work by directing Bannon not to answer questions while also suing the panel to try to prevent Congress from obtaining former White House documents. The committee’s chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, says: “We won’t be deterred. We won’t be distracted. And we won’t be delayed.”

CONGRESS-BUDGET

Biden scales back $2T plan: free community college unlikely

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is scaling back his ambitious $3.5 trillion domestic agenda for addressing climate change and expanding social services. Biden described a more limited vision to Democratic lawmakers in meetings at the White House on Tuesday. He told them he wants a $2 trillion package with money for child tax credits, paid family leave, health care and free pre-kindergarten. Likely to be eliminated or seriously shaved back are plans for tuition-free community colleges, a path to legal status for immigrants living in the U.S. and a clean energy plan that was the centerpiece of Biden’s strategy for fighting climate change. That’s according to lawmakers and others familiar with the private meetings. 

AP-EU-CLIMATE-FOSSIL-FUELS

Study: Fossil fuel plans would far overshoot climate goals

LONDON (AP) — A U.N.-backed study has found that the world needs to cut by more than half its production of coal, oil and gas in the coming decade to maintain a chance of keeping global warming from reaching dangerous levels. The report published Wednesday by the U.N. Environment Program noted that many governments have made ambitious pledges to curb greenhouse gas emissions. But it found they are still planning to extract double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than what would be consistent with the goal of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). Climate experts say the world must drastically reduce the burning of fossil fuels as soon as possible.

WISCONSIN SHOOTING

Police: Shooting at Kenosha home leaves 3 dead, 2 wounded

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Police say three people are dead and two others critically wounded following a shooting at a home in the southeastern Wisconsin city of Kenosha. Details about what led to Tuesday night’s shooting weren’t immediately released, but the Kenosha Police Department said on Twitter that it “believes this to be an isolated incident with no threat to our community.” Police say no suspects were actively being sought. Names and ages of those shot weren’t immediately released. The circumstances of the shooting were under investigation.

HAITI-US-KIDNAPPED MISSIONARIES

Negotiations drag on over 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Negotiations are stretching into a fourth day seeking the return of 17 members of a U.S.-based missionary group kidnapped over the weekend in Haiti by a gang that is demanding $1 million ransom per person. The group includes five children whose ages range from 8 months to 15 years, but a top Haitian official said Tuesday that authorities are not clear whether the ransom amount includes them. Sixteen of the abductees are Americans and one Canadian. The abduction is one of at least 119 kidnappings recorded in Haiti for the first half of October, according to the Center of Analysis and Research of Human Rights, a local nonprofit group. It says a Haitian driver was abducted along with the missionaries.

RUSSIA-AFGHANISTAN

Russia hosts Afghan talks, calls for inclusive government

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia is hosting talks on Afghanistan involving senior representatives of the Taliban and neighboring countries, a round of diplomacy that underlines Moscow’s clout. Opening Wednesday’s talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that “forming a really inclusive government fully reflecting the interests of not only all ethnic groups but all political forces of the country” is necessary to achieve a stable peace in Afghanistan. Russia had worked for years to establish contacts with the Taliban, even though it has designated the group a terrorist organization in 2003 and never took it of the list. Lavrov in his opening speech commended the Taliban for their efforts to stabilize the situation in the country and ensure the operation of state structures.

AP-EU-BRITAIN-QUEEN

Queen accepts medical advice to rest, cancels N Ireland trip

LONDON (AP) — Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth II has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for a few days. The palace did not offer specifics on the decision Wednesday. But it said the monarch is “in good spirits and is disappointed that she will no longer be able to visit Northern Ireland, where she had been due to undertake a series of engagements today and tomorrow.” The palace added that she “sends her warmest good wishes to the people of Northern Ireland, and looks forward to visiting in the future.”

AP-FINANCIAL-MARKETS

Global stocks mixed after Wall St rise, weak Japanese trade

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets are mixed after Wall Street advanced on strong corporate earnings and Japanese exports weakened. London and Shanghai declined while Tokyo and Frankfurt advanced. The future for Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index was off less than 0.1% after five days of gains. Investors watched for inflation updates from Britain and some other European governments amid concern central banks might feel pressure to hike interest rates sooner than planned or roll back stimulus. Investors worry disruptions to manufacturing supply chains and shipping due to the coronavirus pandemic may depress corporate profits or push up inflation. Japanese government data showed September exports fell 3.9% compared with the previous month.

AP-US-NFL-CONCUSSION-SETTLEMENT

NFL set to propose fix to race-norming in dementia testing

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The NFL is set to propose changes to the $1 billion concussion settlement after an outcry over test score adjustments known as “race-norming.” The adjustments make it harder for retired Black players to win dementia awards that average $500,000 or more. The proposed changes come after months of closed-door negotiations between the NFL and lawyers for thousands of retired players. The plan will remain secret until a federal judge reviews it. So it won’t yet be clear if the players will be retested, or simply rescored. About 70% of active players and more than 60% of living retirees are Black.

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