News Roundup 10/13/2017
By Brody Salazar
1. Strong Ties Found Between Trump Campaign Manager and Russian Oligarch:
Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has been found to have stronger ties to Russia than initially suspected. According to an investigation done by NBC News, a $26 million loan was made between a company linked to Manafort and a Russian billionaire with close relations to the Kremlin, Oleg Deripaska. This latest discovery brings the total amount exchanged between the two to $60 million. NBC News obtained the information via financial documents filed Cyprus and the Cayman Islands.
Source: NBC News
2. Trump Ends Obamacare Subsidies:
The White House announced President Trump will end subsidies to health insurance companies to help pay for the costs of the low-income. This announcement comes just after Trump ordered a number of changes to the insurance system, one of which is the selling of cheaper policies with less benefits and consumer protections. It is predicted the insurance market will come apart without the subsidies, as many insurers have said it would lead to them either raising premiums or leaving the insurance exchanges the Affordable Care Act built.
Source: New York Times
3. Hepatitis A Outbreak Leads to State of Emergency in California:
After 581 people took ill and 18 people died because of hepatitis A in California, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency on Friday. The announcement will allow state health officials to buy more vaccines for hepatitis A. The outbreak started last year in the homeless community of San Diego, but has spread into the Los Angeles and Santa Cruz counties.
"Vaccinating people at risk of exposure is the most effective tool we have to prevent the spread of hepatitis A," said California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Karen Smith.
Source: Los Angeles Times
4. California Requires Pet Stores to Sell Rescues:
Gov. Brown signed bill AB 485 on Friday, which requires pet stores to sell rescue animals, making California the first state to have such a law. The legislation will take effect in 2019, and any pet store not in compliance with it can be fined $500 for each animal for sale that is not a rescue. Supporters of the bill included advocacy group Social Compassion in Legislation and other animal rescue, welfare and shelter groups. Most prominent among groups who opposed AB 485 were the American Kennel Club and California Retailers Assn.
Source: Los Angeles Times
5. Ex-Hostage Says Taliban-Linked Extremists Killed His Child:
Ex-hostages Joshua Boyle, Catilan Coleman and their three children arrived in Canada Friday. Boyle and Coleman were rescued Wednesday after being captured by extremists linked to the Taliban five years ago. Coleman gave birth to four children while being held hostage, but Boyle says the extremists killed his daughter and raped his wife.
“God has given me and my family unparalleled resilience and determination,” said Boyle to The Associated Press.
Source: AP News