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Sen. McCain raises concerns on plan for troop pullout

 
Published July 5, 2015

Afghanistan

Sen. McCain raises concerns on plan for troop pullout

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., warned on Saturday that a calendar-based pullout of U.S. troops from Afghanistan as outlined by the Obama administration would be a serious mistake, emboldening the Taliban and allowing the country to once again become a stronghold for militants. As part of his effort to end the longest war in U.S. history, President Barack Obama has announced plans to close the remaining U.S. bases in Afghanistan and reduce troop strength from 9,800 to 1,000 by the end of 2016. But McCain said that with the rise and spread of Taliban attacks amid the past drawdown of U.S. and NATO troops and the emergence of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, Obama's timetable will put at risk the gains made since the fall of the Taliban government. "The most serious mistake the United States could make … will be to have a calendar-based withdrawal. That will be a tragedy," McCain said in Kabul, adding that it opens the door "for the Taliban to gain great success in Afghanistan.McCain spoke at a news conference after holding discussions with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Salt Lake City

Founder of Mormon women's group quits

The founder of a Mormon women's group who was excommunicated last year is stepping down from the organization. Kate Kelly resigned last week form the executive board of Ordain Women. Chairwoman Debra Jenson said Friday that Kelly has earned a chance to move forward and focus on other causes, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. "There is no way to measure the impact she has had for women and girls in our community," Jenson said in a statement. "Her work and talent will be missed, and we thank her for her sacrifice and bravery." Ordain Women was founded in 2013 to push for women to be allowed in the all-male lay clergy. The group previously staged demonstrations outside two church conferences in Salt Lake City, drawing criticism from church leaders.

Los Angeles

Bakery ordered to pay $135,000 to gay couple

The former owners of an Oregon bakery have been ordered to pay $135,000 to a lesbian couple who were refused a wedding cake, in the latest front in the battle between religious liberty and individual rights. Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian ordered Aaron and Melissa Klein, who owned the Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery in Gresham, Ore., to compensate the couple for emotional and mental suffering that resulted from the denial of service. The Kleins had cited their Christian beliefs against same-sex marriage in refusing to make the wedding cake for Rachel and Laurel Bowman-Cryer. Avakian's final order, issued Thursday, had been expected in the dispute that dates from 2013, one of several around the nation involving bakers, florists and photographers who have refused to provide services to same-sex couples on religious grounds. Oregon bars businesses from discriminating or refusing service based on sexual orientation, just as they cannot turn away customers because of race, sex, disability, age or religion.

Kingman, Ariz.

Unrest by inmates again disrupts prison

A third disturbance within four days broke out Saturday in a private prison in Kingman, authorities said. Units with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Mohave County Sheriff's Office were helping the Department of Corrections with the unrest at Arizona State Prison-Kingman, officials said. The Department of Corrections said it was asked to assist with a prison riot. Mohave County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Jody Schanman told the Arizona Republic that units were called out to the prison. Inmates in the Hualapai dormitory are "again refusing to comply with directives this afternoon," Andrew Wilder, spokesman for the Department of Corrections, said in a statement. On Friday, about 700 inmates at the prison were moved to new locations after disturbances on consecutive days left their housing units uninhabitable. Nine corrections officers suffered minor injuries in the incidents at the prison.

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Eau Claire, Mich.

Teen spits cherry pit longest, misses title

A 15-year-old Michigan girl said there was nothing special about the way she spit a cherry pit Saturday. "I just took a deep breath and pushed hard," said Megan Ankrapp, whose pit landed at 49 feet, ¼ inch — longest of the day at the 42nd annual contest in southwestern Michigan. "I was shocked," she added. Megan, who is from Buchanan, won the women's category but didn't participate in the overall championship round because her earlier spits were too short to qualify. The championship spit-off was claimed by Kevin Bartz of Niles with a winning distance of 48 feet, 8 inches. He was followed by 2014 champ Brian Krause at 48 feet. "Here I was all excited to finally beat the Krause family and I look up and say, 'Wait a minute. One of the girls beat me,' " said Bartz, 48. "It's not quite as exciting." A member of the Krause family has won 26 events since farm owner Herb Teichman began the contest in 1974, partly to celebrate the region's tart cherry harvest.

Elsewhere

Tunisia: President Beji Caid Essebsi declared a state of emergency in Tunisia on Saturday, eight days after a terrorist attack killed more than 30 foreign tourists. The state of emergency will last 30 days and can be renewed, he added. The measure increases the powers of the security services and restricts the right of assembly. The army in particular will be allowed to expand the areas in which it can operate.

San Antonio, Texas: About 250 immigrant children were given an adult dose of a hepatitis A vaccine at a Texas detention facility where they were being held with their mothers, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The vaccines were administered last week, but none of the children had any adverse reactions, ICE officials said Saturday.

Spokane, Wash.: Wildfires across Washington state burned through brush, forest and grassland amid 100-degree heat as the region braced for more hot weather and the onset of Fourth of July fireworks.

Times wires