Monday, April 4, 2016

Your Monday Briefing: Panama Papers, Amtrak, Kansas City Royals


How to hide a billion dollars | The Panama Papers
Photo The authorities on the Greek island of Lesbos began deporting refugees to Turkey this morning. Credit Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

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Good morning.

Heres what you need to know:

Busy April for campaigns.

The primary season kicks back into gear this week with voting on Tuesday in Wisconsin, where Senators Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders are positioned to win. This is the first of several important contests this month.

Some of Mr. Sanderss allies and advisers say the campaign missed an opportunity last year to present a bigger challenge to the Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton.

Donald J. Trumps general election prospects look grim, possibly putting reliably Republican states in play, our review of recent polls suggests.

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The Panama Papers.

Millions of leaked documents tied to a Latin American law firm were published on Sunday and are said to shed light on the hidden funds of several current and former world leaders.

The revelations come as a Chinese billionaires vow to build a canal connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific in Nicaragua is shrouded in mystery.

Supreme Court fight.

The prospects for Judge Merrick B. Garland to receive a confirmation hearing took a hit as two Republican senators reversed their positions and now back a plan not to hold hearings.

But the White House is optimistic that its strategy of ignoring Republican opposition to President Obamas nominee will work.

The justices ruled unanimously today that states may count all residents, not just eligible voters, when drawing election districts, a move that mostly benefits Democrats.

A subways midlife crisis.

Washingtons Metro, once a shining example of mass transit for the country, is 40 years old, short on funds and a terrible mess.

The systems problems add to concerns of Americas aging rail infrastructure. On Sunday, two workers were killed when an Amtrak train struck a backhoe on the tracks near Philadelphia.

Deporting Europes migrants.

Greece began sending hundreds of migrants and refugees to Turkey today as part of a divisive new European Union plan to limit migration.

An Arctic route used by some migrants is leading to suspicion in the West that Russia is exploiting the crisis for political gain.

Sweetening a tough political sell.

Attempts to tax sugary drinks have been unpopular across the U.S., but Philadelphias mayor is proposing one that would be the highest in the country.

His pitch to voters isnt pegged to combating obesity. Instead, hes promising to use the extra revenue to fund popular city projects.

Drug wars and laws.

As cheap heroin has led to a surge in overdose deaths, addiction and gang violence nationwide, we look at a city where the epidemic is particularly acute: St. Louis.

And last week, a model inmate serving a life term for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense had his sentence commuted by President Obama. He told our reporter about his reaction to the news.

Business

An effort by students to have President Woodrow Wilsons name removed from Princeton Universitys buildings because of his support for racial segregation has fallen short.

A disgraced Brazilian senators accounts of colossal bribes, back-room oil deals and cover-ups offer a rare glimpse into the countrys wide-ranging corruption scandal.

The push for driverless cars is getting a boost in China, where conditions for the technology may be more favorable than in the U.S.

Rent or buy? Our latest take on the vexing question.

Here are snapshots of the U.S. and global markets.

Over the Weekend

High winds and stormy weather left more than 250,000 homes in 14 states across the Midwest and East Coast without power.

The baseball season has started and is looking a lot like how last season ended, as the reigning World Series champion Royals beat the Mets.

Caitlyn Jenner will appear on the next season of Transparent, the hit shows creator said.

In memoriam: The jazz saxophonist Gato Barbieri and the counterculture celebrity Coca Crystal.

Catching up on TV: Episode recaps for Billions and the season finale of The Walking Dead.

Noteworthy

The last dances.

College basketballs national championship matchups are set. Villanova plays North Carolina tonight for the mens title (9 p.m. Eastern, TBS). On the womens side, Syracuse faces Connecticut tomorrow night.

Life help.

Want to be happier or start a running regimen? We round up research that may point the way.

Our recipes of the day.

Keep it simple and healthy tonight with roasted fish. Maybe pair it with a seaweed salad to make a fine meal, with thin slices of carrot, radish, cucumber and daikon.

Back Story

A new space shuttle launched over the Atlantic, just eight hundredths of a second behind schedule, flying 70 miles downrange before it vanished from sight in its climb to space. Four people were aboard.

Photo The space shuttle Challenger launched from the Kennedy Space Station on this day in 1983. Credit Associated Press

The sky over launching pad 39-A, where the Times correspondent John Noble Wilford noted the salt air of the sea mingles with the fragrance of orange blossoms, was a clear blue. Challenger was the second member of NASAs shuttle fleet, and its first flight on this day in 1983 was the shuttle programs sixth.

Its carrying capacity was larger than that of its sister ship Columbia, thanks in part to increasingly light, inexpensive and streamlined construction in the design of bridges and buildings, The Times noted.

Its main cargo was a satellite that would eventually help replace a patchy ground-based network for tracking spacecraft.

Less than three years later, Challenger exploded during its tenth liftoff. Now its almost impossible to think of the space shuttle without the word disaster coming to mind.

But on April 4, 1983, Challenger logged a quiet, almost mundane triumph. The consensus up here, the mission commander said from orbit over Africa, is that we heartily recommend this for everybody.

Michael Owen contributed reporting.

Your Morning Briefing is published weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern and updated on the web all morning.

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Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/04/nytnow/your-monday-briefing-panama-papers-amtrak-kansas-city-royals.html

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U.S. Women"s Soccer Star Abby Wambach Arrested For DUI


Abby Wambach gets emotional while addressing fans

Retired U.S. soccer star Mary Abigail "Abby" Wambach was arrested Saturday night in Portland, Oregon, and charged with driving under the influenceof intoxicants, a misdemeanor.

Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sergeant Pete Simpson confirmed the arrestto The Huffington Post, saying officers pulled over the 35-year-old at 11:05 p.m. after she ran a red light in a 2014 Range Rover.

After she failed a field sobriety test, officers transported her to Central Precinct in downtown Portland for a breath test, which she also failed. Simpson couldn"t confirm what Wambach"s blood alcohol level was at the time of the arrest.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist was "polite and cooperative throughout the investigation" and was released after processing, Simpson said.

"Last night I was arrested for[driving under the influence of intoxicants]in Portland after dinner at a friend"s house," Wambach wrote in a statement on Facebook Sunday afternoon. "Those that know me, know that I have always demanded excellence from myself. I have let myself and others down."

"I take full responsibility for my actions. This is all on me. I promise that I will do whatever it takes to ensure that my horrible mistake is never repeated," she continued."I am so sorry to my family, friends, fans and those that look to follow a better example."

Wambach has played on four Womens World Cup teams, winning in 2015, and is the teams all-time leading scorer with 184 goals. Per Bleacher Report, Wambach surpassed previous record-holder Mia Hamm in 2013.

This story has been updated with Wambach"s statement.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2016/04/03/abby-wambach-dui-portland_n_9604962.html

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"Shaken" Scottie Nell Hughes Responds to SNL Mockery: "Ultimate Shaming, Sexism"


Tidal - SNL

Its well-known that every weekend during the election cycle, Saturday Night Live is going to open its show with a cold open that skewers the latest in cable news, town halls, or Presidential debates. This past weekend show cast member Cecily Strong portrayed Trump supporter and frequent CNN guest Scottie Nell Hughes, in a hilarious depiction of female Trump fans justifying the candidates history of rhetoric:

The sketch identifies Hughes as a full-blown nutjob, and Strongs depiction (opposite Kate McKinnons impersonation of CNNs Kate Bolduan) at one point cried, You cant break me Kate, cuz Im crazy! And crazy dont break!

Although Hughes attempted to diffuse the situation on CNN Sunday morning with a laugh saying, You know, I have a great sense of humor the truth came out about how she felt being brutally mocked by the most-watched political comedy powerhouse in an election year.

Please enable Javascript to watch.

Talk about the ultimate shaming, the ultimate sexism. You know, whatdoes SNL want me to do, be barefoot and pregnant or maybe just talk about parenting issues? Hughes later got even more candid with The Blaze, admitting, Im a little shaken after this. I had no idea this was coming, and that tears have been shed, since the cold open aired Saturday night.

Watch the above videos from NBC and CNN.[image via screengrab]

Source: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/shaken-scottie-nell-hughes-responds-to-snl-mockery-ultimate-shaming-sexism/

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Sunday, April 3, 2016

Co-champs emerge from Houston spelling bee to compete nationally


SMASH CHAMPS (iPhone Gameplay Video)

HOUSTON - After competing in 14 rounds with 53 total spellers from 42 Texas counties, Shourav Dasari, a Spring resident and seventh-grader at McCullough Jr. High in Conroe ISD, and Nihar Janga, an Austin resident and fifth-grader at River Ridge Elementary in Leander ISD, were awarded co-champion titles from the 2016 Houston Public Media Spelling Bee.

The two spellers will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 22-27 in Washington, D.C., with an all-expenses-paid trip to "Bee Week."

"Guaguanche" was the winning word for Shourav and "snotziekte" was the winning word for Nihar in the Houston bee, the nations second largest local spelling bee. The bee went on for more than four hours and was broadcast live.

"Im excited and proud to represent Houston,"Shourav said. "I hope I can do my best in Washington, D.C."

This is Shourav"s second year competing at the Houston Public Media Spelling Bee. He tied for third place in 2014.

"Im very proud of myself," Nihar said. "I learned a lot of new spellings and I learned that if I put my mind to it, work really hard and not get distracted, I can achieve success."

This is Nihar"s second year at the bee. He came in third place in 2015.

This will be the first year that both compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Shourav will be speller No. 233 at the Scripps National Spelling Bee and Nihar No. 232. They will join hundreds of contestant spellers from across the country at the 89th national bee, aiming for the victory and prizes worth more than $30,000. The bee will broadcast live nationally on ESPN during "Bee Week."

Participating spellers in Houston included 25 girls and 28 boys ranging in age from 9 to 14 years old and grades third through eighth, representing 1,130 schools in Texas.

"We are so proud of all the students that competed in our spelling bee today theyve all worked so hard to get here," said Lisa Trapani Shumate, associate vice president and general manager of Houston Public Media. "Its an honor to conduct and televise this highly competitive academic competition that showcases so many of their talents beyond vocabulary and grammar."

2016 Click2Houston/KPRC2

Source: http://www.click2houston.com/news/co-champs-emerge-from-houston-spelling-bee-to-compete-nationally

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Motorcyclist dies in collision with backhoe


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One person died when a motorcycle collided with a backhoe in Pickens County, the Highway Patrol said.

The Coroner"s Office identified Angel Mesa, 26, of Poplar Springs Drive inEasley, as the driver of the motorcycle who died.

The wreck happened about 5:50 p.m. Sunday on Old Easley Bridge Road, about a mile east of Easley, Cpl. Bill Rhyne said.

The backhoe was headed west on Old Easley Bridge Road and the motorcyclewas headed east when the backhoe turned in front of the motorcycle, Rhyne said. The motorcycle struck the backhoe, and the motorcyclist was ejected, Rhyne said.

The driver of the motorcycle was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene, authorities said. Mesa died of blunt force trauma to the head, the Coroner"s Office said.

The operator of the backhoe was not injured, Rhyne said.

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Source: http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2016/03/07/pickens-county-motorcycle-wreck-backhoe/81426766/

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Marcus Paige"s 3-pointer was dagger that finally ended Syracuse basketball"s run


UNC Men"s Basketball: Syracuse Postgame PC - Final Four

Houston Syracuse felt it again. The will and belief that will forever be the hallmark of the 2016 Syracuse basketball team roared to life midway through the second half against North Carolina.

&raquo Box score | SU schedule | NCAA Tournament bracket

The Orange, which trailed by as many as 17 points, pulled within seven. Its press, so effective against Virginia, forced multiple turnovers. Its offense, stagnant for much of the night, ignited briefly.

And when Syracuse fans at NRG Stadium roared until Roy Williams called a timeout it all felt so familiar. And then it all ended just as quickly.

North Carolina point guard Marcus Paige calmly pulled up from behind the 3-point line and launched the effort that ended Syracuse"s season, providing the first opponent in the NCAA Tournament that could match the Orange"s willpower.

It was the first shot the Tar Heels made from behind the 3-point line after 12 consecutive misses to start the game, and it ensured that seven points was as close as the Orange would come late in an 83-66 season-ending loss to North Carolina

"At this point of the year it"s now or never, and when you hit shots like that, those are definitely daggers," Syracuse freshman Frank Howard said. "He"s a big-shot maker and he hit a big shot and that killed us."

Syracuse had fallen behind 57-40 with just 12 minutes and 28 seconds left in its season, the type of deficit that has marked the end for most teams facing top-seeded North Carolina. The Orange, as it has throughout the postseason, mounted one final push.

Trevor Cooney hit a 3-pointer, then stole the ball at the top of the 2-3 zone and finished a breakaway dunk. The Orange forced another turnover, Tyler Lydon blocked a shot and Malachi Richardson scored five straight points, capping a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer.

North Carolina had missed every shot it had taken from behind the arc, excelling by pounding the ball into the post. But 22 seconds after Richardson whipped Syracuse into a frenzy, with 9:26 remaining in Syracuse"s season, Paige pulled up in front of the 2-3 zone and fired the shot that would finally prove too much for the Orange to overcome.

"Every time we thought we were going to go on a little run they had an answer for it," Syracuse freshman Tyler Lydon said. "It was just that type of night."

Against a Syracuse team that has overcome so much this season, it was fitting that it met its match in Paige. The leading 3-point shooter in UNC history, Paige likely could have gone pro as a sophomore, but returned to school and watched his draft stock drop.

He hasn"t shot the ball well this year and, despite being revered, he hadn"t guided the powerhouse Tar Heels past the Sweet 16 until this season.

"You know, at that moment, I wanted somebody in a North Carolina uniform to make it," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "If I (take) time to reflect, it couldn"t be more appropriate that it was Marcus Paige that did that because he"s just been sensational all year long."

Source: http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2016/04/syracuse_basketball_vs_north_carolina_final_four_sidebar_3.html

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Syracuse basketball vs. North Carolina: Live updates, fan chat with Brent Axe (Final Four)


UNC Men"s Basketball: Team Returns to Hotel After Syracuse Win at Final Four in Houston

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Source: http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2016/04/syracuse_basketball_vs_north_carolina_live_updates_fan_chat_with_brent_axe_final.html

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