Senate Rebukes Trump, Saudi Arabia 12/14 06:21
Senate Rebukes Trump, Saudi Arabia 12/14 06:21 In back-to-back votes against Saudi Arabia, the Senate delivered an unusual rebuke of President Donald Trump's response to the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and signaled new skepticism from Capitol Hill toward the longtime Middle East ally. WASHINGTON (AP) -- In back-to-back votes against Saudi Arabia, the Senate delivered an unusual rebuke of President Donald Trump's response to the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and signaled new skepticism from Capitol Hill toward the longtime Middle East ally. Although the resolutions are largely symbolic --- because it's unclear if they will be considered by the House --- passage Thursday showed senators seeking to assert oversight of Trump administration foreign policy and the relationship with Saudi Arabia. It also marked the collapse of the Trump administration's effort in the Senate to contain fallout from the gruesome killing. One measure recommended that the U.S. end its assistance to Saudi Arabia for the war in Yemen. The other put the blame for the death of Khashoggi squarely on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Both had been vigorously opposed by the Trump administration and threatened with a presidential veto. Top brass was on Capitol Hill ahead of voting to prevent further action in the House. "The current relationship with Saudi Arabia is not working," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who opposed the Yemen resolution but called the crown prince "so toxic, so tainted, so flawed" after the Khashoggi's killing that "you're never going to have a relationship with the United States Senate unless things change." The bipartisan votes came two months after the Saudi journalist's slaying at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and after Trump persistently equivocated over who was responsible. U.S. intelligence officials concluded that bin Salman must have at least known of the plot, but Trump has repeatedly praised the kingdom. Senators made clear where they put the blame. The resolution, passed by unanimous agreement, says the Senate believes the crown prince is "responsible for the murder" and calls for the Saudi Arabian government to "ensure appropriate accountability." Senators voted 56-41 to recommend that the U.S. stop supporting the war in Yemen, a direct affront to the administration's war powers abilities. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who co-sponsored the Yemen resolution with Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, called passage a "historic moment." Lee said Khashoggi's death focused attention "on the fact that we have been led into this civil war in Yemen half a world away" and "we've done so following the lead" of Saudi Arabia. "What the Khashoggi event did was to demonstrate, hey, maybe this isn't a regime that we should just be following that eagerly into battle," Lee said. As Senate approval loomed, the administration dispatched Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to the House to make the case against the resolutions and warn of damage they could do to the U.S.-Saudi relationship. A congressional aide and an administration official said their appearance was aimed at stopping any House action on the resolutions. Pompeo and Mattis had made a similar entreaty to the Senate late last month. But it was roundly panned by senators angered by the secretaries' refusal to accept a CIA determination that assessed the crown prince had ordered Khashoggi's murder. CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed House leaders Wednesday on the Khashoggi slaying. The journalist, who had lived in the U.S. and wrote for The Washington Post, had been critical of the Saudi regime. He was killed in what U.S. officials have described as an elaborate plot as he visited the consulate for marriage paperwork. Saudi prosecutors have said a 15-man team sent to Istanbul killed Khashoggi and then dismembered his body, which has not been found. Those findings came after Saudi authorities spent weeks denying Khashoggi had been killed in the consulate. Trump has been reluctant to condemn the crown prince. He said the United States "intends to remain a steadfast partner" of the country, touted Saudi arms deals worth billions of dollars to the U.S. and thanked the Saudis for plunging oil prices. But Graham and Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, have rejected Trump's economic arguments. They are setting the stage for legislation next year that goes further in halting arms sales and taking other measures. Menendez says economic concerns do not overpower human rights and the U.S. must send a "global message that killing with impunity" will not be tolerated. Frustration with the crown prince and the White House prompted several Republicans to support the Yemen resolution. Seven Republicans and all Democrats voted for it. Some already had concerns about the war, which human rights groups say is wreaking havoc on the country and subjecting civilians, many of them children, to deadly disease and indiscriminate bombing. The resolution condemning Saudi Arabia for Khashoggi's slaying was from Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Both Republicans opposed the Yemen resolution and voted against it. McConnell said senators have grave concerns about Khashoggi's killing, but "we also want to preserve a 70-year partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and we want to ensure it continues to serve American interests and stabilizes a dangerous and critical region." But McConnell encouraged passage of the Khashoggi resolution and said it provided "a clear and unambiguous message about how we feel about what happened to this journalist." The Senate debate came as the United Nations secretary general on Thursday announced that Yemen's warring sides have agreed to a province-wide cease-fire and withdrawal of troops in Hodeida, a contested Red Sea port city. The agreement came during peace talks in Sweden. The brutal four-year-old civil war pits the internationally recognized Yemeni government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, against the Iran-backed rebels known as Houthis. (KA)
Israeli Troops Arrest Dozens in Raid 12/14 06:24
Israeli Troops Arrest Dozens in Raid 12/14 06:24 RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- Israeli forces arrested dozens of Hamas activists in the West Bank overnight as the army intensified a crackdown in response to a pair of deadly shootings believed to have been carried out by Hamas militants, officials said Friday. Some 70 Hamas members, including lawmakers, were arrested this week, including about 40 overnight, said a Hamas official in the West Bank. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing arrest by Israel. The Israeli military confirmed the overnight arrests. The arrests came as Israel's military accelerated its search for the Palestinian gunman who opened fire the day before on a West Bank bus stop, killing two soldiers. The shooting occurred just a short distance from the scene of another drive-by shooting earlier this week that wounded seven Israelis and caused the premature delivery of a baby boy that later died. As Israel prepared to bury the two soldiers killed in Thursday's shooting, another soldier was severely wounded near a West Bank settlement after a Palestinian struck him in the head with a rock, knocking him unconscious, the military said. The army said it appeared the soldier was also stabbed. It said Israeli forces were searching for the suspect. Thursday's shooting topped off a deadly week that claimed seven lives, including the Israeli newborn, a 60-year-old Palestinian businessman and three Palestinian assailants, two of them members of the Islamic militant Hamas group. The latest shootings prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to beef up troop levels in the West Bank, order detentions of Hamas activists and call for demolishing the homes of assailants within 48 hours. Amid the tense manhunt, Israeli forces encircled Ramallah, the Palestinians' typically quiet center of government and commerce. To prevent what it called "copycat attacks," the army set up checkpoints, searched cars and blocked roads in an unusual show of force that reflected the severity with which Israel views the shootings. "Our guiding principle is that whoever attacks us and whoever tries to attack us will pay with his life," Netanyahu said Thursday. Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of creating a "climate" of violence by conducting frequent military raids in Palestinian cities. He also accuses Israel of incitement against him. Israeli officials accuse Hamas of being behind the recent attacks. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, praised Thursday's shooting and confirmed that two people killed by Israel this week were members of its military wing. But it has stopped short of claiming responsibility for their attacks. The latest string of West Bank violence comes amid years-long diplomatic paralysis, diminishing hopes for peace and escalating Palestinian frustration with the policies of President Donald Trump, who Palestinians accuse of unfair bias toward Israel. Peace talks have stalled throughout Netanyahu's decade-long tenure, while Israeli settlements in the West Bank have expanded, incensing Palestinians. The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank, east Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip for their future independent state. (KA)
House GOP: Shutdown Stupid, Possible 12/14 06:25
House GOP: Shutdown Stupid, Possible 12/14 06:25 A looming, partial government shutdown would be "stupid" but might be unavoidable if Democrats refuse to support President Donald Trump's proposed border wall with Mexico, the second-ranking House Republican said on Thursday. WASHINGTON (AP) -- A looming, partial government shutdown would be "stupid" but might be unavoidable if Democrats refuse to support President Donald Trump's proposed border wall with Mexico, the second-ranking House Republican said on Thursday. Even if Republicans assemble enough votes to approve the wall in the House, the plan probably will fail in the Senate, said Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California. The House majority leader noted that Senate Democrats have pledged to block the bill from receiving the necessary 60 votes. McCarthy said on the House floor that he thinks "going into a shutdown is stupid," but he offered no immediate plan before the Dec. 21 deadline. The House adjourned for six days soon after his remarks. McCarthy's comments put him at odds with Trump, who said this week that he would be "proud to shut down the government" in the name of border security. "I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down," Trump said Tuesday at a contentious White House meeting with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Trump kept up the pressure Thursday, saying in a video released by the White House that Schumer and other Democrats were once in favor of border barriers, but now oppose them because of Trump. Calling Democrats "absolute hypocrites," Trump said, "They only don't want to do it because of me. They have to put the people ahead of politics." Trump's insistence on the wall --- and his willingness to shoulder blame for shutting the government --- have made it difficult for Republican leaders to negotiate even as they try to avoid a shutdown that neither party wants. Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the Senate's No 2 Republican, said he does not understand Trump's strategy. "Maybe he's figured it out and he'll tell us in due course, but I don't understand it," Cornyn told The Washington Post. Pelosi, who talked with Trump briefly by telephone after the televised Oval Office session, said Thursday that Trump's embrace of a shutdown was unfortunate. "Perhaps he doesn't understand people need their paychecks. Maybe that's not the life he leads," she said about the wealthy former Manhattan real estate developer. "It's not enough to say, 'We'll pay you in January,' when people have to make ends meet in December," Pelosi said. Pelosi and other Democrats said there is strong, bipartisan support to keep the government open. "The only obstacle is the president of the United States," she said, adding that she and Schumer were not negotiating with Trump on the wall request. Democrats have offered $1.3 billion for border security that includes fencing and other technology, but not a concrete wall. "We're not going to $5 billion for the wall. We simply are not," she said. Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House, said Republicans will be responsible if a shutdown happens. He noted that the GOP controls the House, Senate and the White House; Democrats will take power in the House in January. Hoyer and other Democrats said Republicans should approve six of the remaining seven appropriations bills needed to keep the government open, and pass a separate measure covering the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through Sept. 30. Homeland Security would be responsible for building the wall along the border with Mexico. "It's clear we do not have agreement on the Homeland Security appropriations bill," Hoyer said, but lawmakers from both parties agree on six other spending bills. "Wouldn't that make sense for the American people for us to pass the 95 percent on which we have reached agreement after hard work all year?" Hoyer asked in floor remarks directed at McCarthy. "And on that which we can't agree, (lawmakers should) agree that we can't agree and fight that another day," Hoyer said. Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 3 House Republican, said his party would fight for Trump's $5 billion request, but he also encouraged bipartisan talks to continue. "The issue has always been what the Senate can or can't do, and that's why the president is involved in the negotiations," Scalise said. If the two sides do not make a deal by Dec. 21, about one-quarter of the government will be affected, including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture, State and Justice, as well as national parks. (KA)
House Dems to Seek Trump Tax Returns 12/14 06:26
House Dems to Seek Trump Tax Returns 12/14 06:26 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrats controlling the House next year will start trying to obtain President Donald Trump's income tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service, the likely next speaker said Thursday. But Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., expected to lead the House when the new Congress starts in January, said she believes the White House will fight the request, "so the question is where do we go from there." Pelosi's comments reflected Democrats' struggle to balance liberal voters' antipathy and suspicions of Trump against the likelihood of a long legal struggle and uncertain political gains. Trump, a wealthy real estate baron, shunned decades of tradition by presidential candidates and refused to release his tax returns during his 2016 campaign. He said he was being audited, even though IRS officials have said taxpayers under audit are free to release their returns. The law says the chairs of three congressional committees can request tax returns and the Treasury secretary "shall furnish" them for panel members to review privately. Pelosi told reporters that the House Ways and Means Committee "will take the first steps" toward obtaining the documents. Democrats would love to explore numerous questions about Trump's personal financial webs. Those include whether there are conflicts of interest between his companies and his presidential actions, whether he's properly paid taxes and whether he benefited from last year's mammoth, Republican-written tax bill. Even so, a court battle over the request could take years to resolve. Some are concerned Trump could cast himself as being persecuted by Democrats attempting to use the IRS to pursue their political enemies and warn his conservative backers that they might be next. Democrats have said the first bill they introduce next year will include language requiring presidents to release their tax returns. (KA)
7-Year-Old Dies in Federal Custody 12/14 06:28
7-Year-Old Dies in Federal Custody 12/14 06:28 LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) -- A 7-year-old girl who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border with her father last week died after being taken into the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol, federal immigration authorities confirmed Thursday. The Washington Post reports the girl died of dehydration and shock more than eight hours after she was arrested by agents near Lordsburg, New Mexico. The girl was from Guatemala and was traveling with a group of 163 people who approached agents to turn themselves in on Dec. 6. It's unknown what happened to the girl during the eight hours before she started having seizures and was flown to an El Paso hospital. In a statement, Customs and Border Protection said the girl had not eaten or consumed water in several days. The agency did not provide The Associated Press with the statement it gave to the Post, despite repeated requests. Processing 163 immigrants in one night could have posed challenges for the agency, whose detention facilities are meant to be temporary and don't usually fit that many people. When a Border Patrol agent arrests someone, that person gets processed at a facility but usually spends no more than 72 hours in custody before they are either transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement or, if they're Mexican, quickly deported home. The girl's death raises questions about whether border agents knew she was ill and whether she was fed anything or given anything to drink during the eight-plus hours she was in custody. Immigrants, attorneys and activists have long raised issues with the conditions of Border Patrol holding cells. In Tucson, an ongoing lawsuit claims holding cells are filthy, extremely cold and lacking basic necessities such as blankets. A judge overseeing that lawsuit has ordered the agency's Tucson Sector, which patrols much of the Arizona-Mexico border, to provide blankets and mats to sleep on and to continually turn over surveillance footage from inside the cells. The Border Patrol has seen an increasing trend of large groups of immigrants, many with young children, walking up to agents and turning themselves in. Most are Central American and say they are fleeing violence. They turn themselves in instead of trying to circumvent authorities, many with plans to apply for asylum. Agents in Arizona see groups of over 100 people on a regular basis, sometimes including infants and toddlers. Arresting such groups poses logistical problems for agents who have to wait on transport vans that are equipped with baby seats to take them to processing facilities, some which are at least half hour north of the border. The death of the 7-year-old comes after a toddler died in May just after being released from an ICE family detention facility in Texas, and as the administration of Donald Trump attempts to ban people from asking for asylum if they crossed the border illegally. A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked that ban, but the administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate it Tuesday. Cynthia Pompa, advocacy manager for the ACLU Border Rights Center, said migrant deaths increased last year even as the number of border crossing dropped. "This tragedy represents the worst possible outcome when people, including children, are held in inhumane conditions. Lack of accountability, and a culture of cruelty within CBP have exacerbated policies that lead to migrant deaths," Pompa said. (KA)
Russian: Secret Agent for Kremlin 12/14 06:31
Russian: Secret Agent for Kremlin 12/14 06:31 WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Russian gun-rights activist admitted Thursday that she was a secret agent for the Kremlin who tried to infiltrate conservative U.S. political groups as Donald Trump rose to power. Maria Butina, 30, agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge as part of a deal with federal prosecutors. "Guilty," Butina said in a slight accent when asked how she wanted to plead. Dressed in a green jail uniform with her red hair pulled into a long ponytail, Butina spoke softly and mostly kept her eyes on the judge. The Butina case has provided a vivid glimpse into Russia's influence operations in the United States at a time when the U.S. intelligence community has determined that Russia was trying to help elect Trump by releasing emails stolen from Democrats and conducting a social media campaign in an attempt to sow political discord. The case also lays bare how Russia tried to exploit one of the most sensitive social issues in the U.S. --- gun control --- to gain access to the political sphere. Prosecutors say Butina and her Russian patron, Alexander Torshin, used their contacts in the National Rifle Association to pursue back channels to American conservatives during the 2016 campaign, when Trump, a Republican, defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton. Court documents detail how Butina saw the Republican Party as prime for Russian influence and courted conservatives through networking and contacts with the NRA. She posed for photos with prominent Republicans, including former presidential candidates, and snagged a picture with Donald Trump Jr. at a 2016 NRA dinner. As part of her deal, Butina pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to act as an unregistered foreign agent and she agreed to cooperate with investigators. The case is separate from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Prosecutors say it is "very likely" Butina will be deported after her sentence is completed. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, though the defense noted Thursday that federal sentencing guidelines recommend no time to six months. She has been jailed since her arrest in July. According to her plea agreement, Butina's work was directed by Torshin, a former longtime member of the Russian parliament who until recently was an official in Russia's central bank. He is now under sanction by the Treasury Department for his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Butina acknowledged she "sought to establish unofficial lines of communication with Americans having power and influence over U.S. politics," according to the plea agreement. She admitted that her boyfriend, conservative political operative Paul Erickson, helped her as she tried to use his ties with the NRA to set up the back channels. Erickson, who is referred to as "U.S. Person 1" in court papers, has not been charged. His attorney said he is a good American who "has done nothing to harm our country and never would." In a 2015 proposal she crafted with Erickson's help, Butina argued it was unlikely Russia would be able to exert influence using official channels and, as an alternative, suggested using back channel communications to build relationships with Republicans, according to court papers. Pushing her travel to the U.S. and her work with the NRA as selling points, Butina argued that she had already "laid the groundwork for an unofficial channel of communication with the next U.S. administration." She asked for $125,000 from an unnamed Russian billionaire to attend conferences in the U.S. and meet with people who she thought may have influence with the Republican Party and sent the proposal to Torshin. He responded by telling her the proposal would "be supported, at least in part," according to court documents. Torshin also asked Butina to help justify him attending a national NRA meeting in 2016 and Butina encouraged his attendance "partly because of the opportunity to meet political candidates," according to her plea agreement. In addition to attending numerous NRA events, Butina organized "friendship dinners" in Washington with influential political figures. In their filings, prosecutors have said federal agents found Butina had contact information for people suspected of working for Russia's Federal Security Services, or FSB, the successor intelligence agency to the KGB. Inside her home, they found notes referring to a potential job offer from the FSB, according to the documents. A senior Russian lawmaker said he was convinced that Butina was pressured to confess. "They broke her down," Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma's foreign affairs committee, told Russian news agencies. "Anyone would break down in circumstances like that." Butina's time in prison has included solitary confinement. Butina's lawyer, Robert Driscoll, had previously decried the charges against her as "overblown" and said Butina was a student interested in American politics. On Thursday, prosecutors also appeared to have backed off their assertion that Butina's attendance at American University was little more than a cover to enter the U.S. In their filing, prosecutors said "all available evidence" indicated she had a genuine interest in a graduate school education. (KA)
China Suspends Tariff Hikes on US Cars 12/14 06:32
China Suspends Tariff Hikes on US Cars 12/14 06:32 China announced a 90-day suspension on Friday of tariff hikes on $126 billion of U.S. cars, trucks and auto parts following its cease-fire in a trade battle with Washington that threatens global economic growth. BEIJING (AP) -- China announced a 90-day suspension on Friday of tariff hikes on $126 billion of U.S. cars, trucks and auto parts following its cease-fire in a trade battle with Washington that threatens global economic growth. The suspension is China's first step in response to President Donald Trump's Dec. 1 agreement to suspend U.S. tariff hikes for a similar 90-day period while the two sides negotiate over American complaints about Beijing's technology policy and trade surplus. China has indicated it plans to move ahead with the talks despite strains over the arrest of a Chinese technology executive in Canada to face possible U.S. charges related to a violation of trade sanctions on Iran. Beijing will suspend a 25 percent import charge on $66 billion of cars and trucks and a 5 percent charge on $60 billion of auto parts, effective Jan. 1, the Finance Ministry announced. The announcement helped give substance to Trump's agreement with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, after prolonged uncertainty caused jittery global financial markets to swing wildly. The Chinese penalties were imposed in response to Trump's decision to slap 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese goods and a 10 percent charge on another $200 billion. The second tariff was due to rise Jan. 1 until Trump agreed to the postponement. The United States and other trading partners complain that Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology in violation of its market-opening obligations. American officials also worry Chinese industry plans that call for state-led creation of global champions in robotics and other fields threaten U.S. industrial leadership. A spokesman for China's Commerce Ministry, Gao Feng, said Thursday the two sides were in "close contact" but gave no timetable for possible face-to-face negotiations. Economists say 90 days probably is too little time to resolve conflicts that have bedeviled U.S.-Chinese relations for years. They say Beijing's goal probably will be to show it is making progress so Trump extends his deadline. Beijing officials expressed confidence China could withstand U.S. pressure but the fight battered consumer confidence and threatened export industries that support millions of jobs. Friday's announcement "shows the Chinese government is willing to solve trade disputes through consultation based on equality," said Song Lifang, an economist at Renmin University in Beijing. The tariff cut lowers the charge for U.S.-made cars and trucks to 15 percent, the same level as imports from other countries. "If the United States cuts or remove tariffs on Chinese goods, China will surely follow up with further relevant measures," Song said. (KA)
Stocks Plunge to 8-Month Lows 12/14 16:11
Stocks Plunge to 8-Month Lows 12/14 16:11 Stocks staggered to eight-month lows Friday after weak economic data from China and Europe set off more worries about the global economy. NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks staggered to eight-month lows Friday after weak economic data from China and Europe set off more worries about the global economy. Mounting tensions in Europe over Britain's impeding departure from the European Union also darkened traders' moods. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped as much as 563 points. On the benchmark S&P 500 index, health care and technology companies absorbed the worst losses. Johnson & Johnson plunged by the most in 16 years after Reuters reported that the company has known since the 1970s that its talc Baby Powder sometimes contained carcinogenic asbestos. The company denied the report. China said industrial output and retail sales both slowed in November. That could be another sign that China's trade dispute with the U.S. and tighter lending conditions are chilling its economy, which is the second-largest in the world. Meanwhile, purchasing managers in Europe signaled that economic growth was slipping. Sameer Samana, senior global market strategist for Wells Fargo Investment Institute, said investors are concerned that weakness will make it way to the U.S. They're wondering if the U.S. economy is likely to run out of steam sooner than they had thought. "Market consensus has been that the next recession is probably in 2020 or beyond," he said. Now, he said, the market is "really testing that assumption and trying to figure out whether it's sooner." The S&P 500 index lost 50.59 points, or 1.9 percent, to 2,599.95, its lowest close since April 2. The Dow retreated 496.87 points, or 2 percent, to 24,100.51. The Nasdaq composite slid 159.67 points, or 2.3 percent, to 6,910.66. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks fell 21.89 points, or 1.5 percent, to 1,410.81. December is typically the best month of the year for stocks and Wall Street usually looks forward to a "Santa Claus rally" that adds to the year's gains. With 10 trading days left this month, however, the S&P 500 is down 5.8 percent. That followed a small gain in November and a steep 6.9 percent drop in October. Johnson & Johnson dropped 10 percent to $133 in very heavy trading. Its market value fell by $40 billion. Reuters reported that court documents and test results show Johnson & Johnson has known for decades that its raw talc and finished Baby Powder sometimes contained asbestos, but that the company didn't inform regulators or the public. The company called the story "false and inflammatory." In July the company lost a lawsuit from plaintiffs who argued that its products were linked to cases of ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. A St. Louis jury awarded plaintiffs $4.7 billion. Johnson & Johnson faces thousands of other lawsuits. For more than 20 years, China has been one of the biggest contributors to growth in the global economy, and when investors see signs the Chinese economy is weakening, they expect it will affect other countries like the U.S. that sell things to China. In Europe, the index of purchase managers fell in France, which is racked by protests, to a level that points toward economic contraction. Germany's reading still pointed to growth, but it fell to its lowest level in four years. Those reports canceled out some potential good news on trade: the Chinese government announced a 90-day suspension of tariff increases on U.S. cars, trucks and auto imports. It's part of a cease-fire that China and the U.S. announced earlier this month to give them time to work on other issues. Among technology companies, Apple dipped 3.2 percent to $165.48. Adobe skidded 7.3 percent to $230 after its fourth-quarter profit disappointed investors and it also forecast lower-than-expected earnings in the current fiscal year. Industrial companies sank as well. Boeing lost 2.1 percent to $318.75. Oil prices again turned lower, as a slower global economy would weaken demand for oil and other fuels. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 2.6 percent to $51.20 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, dropped 1.9 percent to settle at $60.28 a barrel in London. European Union leaders rejected British Prime Minister Theresa May's request to make changes to their deal covering Britain's departure from the EU on March 29. British legislators aren't satisfied with the terms May negotiated, and she canceled a scheduled vote earlier this week because it was clear Parliament wouldn't approve it. Britain's economy and financial markets across Europe face severe disruption without an agreement. European bond prices rose and yields fell. Both the British pound and the euro weakened. The pound slipped to $1.2579 from $1.2660 and the euro fell to $1.1303 from $1.1367. Germany's DAX declined 0.5 percent and the CAC 40 in France declined 0.8 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.5 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 index slid 2 percent and the Kospi in South Korea lost 1.3 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 1.6 percent. Bond prices edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.89 percent 2.90 percent. In other commodities trading, wholesale gasoline lost 3 percent to $1.43 a gallon. Heating oil fell 1.7 percent to $1.85 a gallon and natural gas dropped 7.2 percent to $3.83 per 1,000 cubic feet. Gold fell 0.5 percent to $1,241.40 an ounce. Silver dipped 1.5 percent to $14.64 an ounce. Copper was little changed at $2.77 a pound. The dollar fell to 113.29 yen from 113.60 yen. (BE)
