In Brief: Nation & World: 3-22-16

Elizabeth Warren labels Trump a loser, bully — but a threat

WASHINGTON — Sen. Elizabeth Warren labeled Donald Trump a loser, a bully and a threat on Monday, continuing a fierce war of words between the liberal icon and the front-running Republican presidential candidate that has played out on social media and The New York Times.

”RealDonaldTrump knows he’s a loser. His insecurities are on parade: petty bullying, attacks on women, cheap racism, flagrant narcissism,” the Massachusetts Democrat wrote on her campaign’s Twitter account on Monday, part of a rapid-fire burst of eight tweets attacking the billionaire television personality.

“But just because realDonaldTrump is a loser everywhere else doesn’t mean he’ll lose this election,” Warren warned her allies.

A week ago, Warren took to Facebook to try stirring up Trump opponents to speak out.

“Donald Trump is a bigger, uglier threat every day that goes by — and it’s time for decent people everywhere — Republican, Democrat, Independent – to say No More Donald,” she wrote.

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Obama, Castro lay bare tensions on embargo, human rights

HAVANA — Laying bare a half-century of tensions, President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro prodded each other Monday over human rights and the long-standing U.S. economic embargo during an unprecedented joint news conference that stunned Cubans unaccustomed to their leaders being aggressively questioned.

The exchanges underscored deep divisions that still exist between two countries despite rapidly improved relations in the 15 months since Obama and Castro surprised the world with an announcement to end their Cold War-era diplomatic freeze.

Obama, standing in Havana’s Palace of the Revolution on the second day of his historic visit to Cuba, repeatedly pushed Castro to take steps to address his country’s human rights record.

“We continue, as President Castro indicated, to have some very serious differences, including on democracy and human rights,” said Obama, who planned to meet with Cuban dissidents Tuesday. Still, Obama heralded a “new day” in the U.S.-Cuba relationship and said “part of normalizing relations means we discuss these differences directly.”

Castro was blistering in his criticism of the American embargo, which he called “the most important obstacle” to his country’s economic development. He also pressed Obama to return the Guantanamo detention center, which is on the island of Cuba, to his government.

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Witness, funeral helped lead police to Paris attacks suspect

BRUSSELS — A keen-eyed witness who spotted a pale, slender figure fleeing an apartment near a Brussels auto plant one week ago set in motion a vast police dragnet that within 72 hours led to the capture of Salah Abdeslam, the most-wanted man in Europe.

Another key — if unwitting — helper in leading authorities to the hideout of their high-value quarry was a pallbearer at the burial of the fugitive’s brother.

Abdeslam is being held in a Belgian high-security prison, with France seeking his extradition so he can stand trial for his alleged role in the Nov. 13 rampage of gunfire and suicide bombings that killed 130 people.

The 26-year-old Frenchman was arrested Friday after being run to ground by investigators in the same gritty Molenbeek neighborhood of Brussels where he grew up. Much remains unclear about Abdeslam’s movements in the four months he managed to elude authorities multiple times.

“We’re still far from completing the puzzle,” Belgian federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw acknowledged Monday.

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Russia says might use force on cease-fire violators in Syria

MOSCOW — Russia on Monday warned the United States that it will start responding unilaterally to cease-fire violations in Syria if the U.S. refuses to coordinate rules of engagement against violators. The U.S. State Department insisted that Moscow and Washington were working constructively to monitor the truce and warned Russia against taking unilateral action.

The Russian military has accused the U.S. of dragging its feet on responding to Moscow’s proposals on rules for joint monitoring of the Syria cease-fire and response to violations. It said that further delays are leading to civilian casualties.

Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi of the Russian General Staff said in a statement on Monday that if the U.S. fails to respond to its proposals on a joint response, the Russian military will have to start unilaterally using force against those who break the cease-fire, starting Tuesday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a separate but similar statement.

In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. and Russia were working together to collect and analyze information about cease-fire violations, and that any unilateral Russian action to punish transgressors goes against “the spirit of the cessation of hostilities.”

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Emojimania: Fans and brands crying tears of joy

NEW YORK — When it comes to emojis, the future is very, very … Face with Tears of Joy.

If you don’t know what that means then you: a) aren’t a 14-year-old. b) love to hate those tiny pictures that people text you all the time. Or c) are nowhere near a smartphone or online chat.

Otherwise, here in 2016, it’s all emojis, all the time. And Face with Tears of Joy, by the way, is a bright yellow happy face with a classic, toothy grin as tears fall.

The Face was chosen by Oxford Dictionaries as its 2015 “word” of the year, based on its popularity and reflecting the rise of emojis to help charitable causes, promote businesses and generally assist oh-so-many-more of us in further expressing ourselves on social media and in texts.

The Beyhive knows. The collective fan base of Beyonce recently spammed Amber Rose with bumblebee emojis when they sensed a diss of their queen.

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Trump demands GOP embrace him as Dems unleash new attacks

WASHINGTON — A front-runner under attack from all sides, Republican Donald Trump demanded that his party’s skeptical establishment embrace the inevitability of his presidential nomination as he stormed into Washington on Monday. Democrats responded by debuting a multi-pronged assault, shifting their rhetoric and resources against the man they expect to face in a contentious and ugly general election campaign.

“If people want to be smart, they should embrace this movement,” Trump declared at a news conference, shrugging off passionate resistance to his candidacy from both parties.

“I’m an outsider,” Trump said. “They’re not used to this.”

As he often is, Trump was dogged by protests. A group of rabbis planned to boycott his evening speech to a pro-Israel lobbying group.

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton touched off her party’s fresh anti-Trump campaign during a morning foreign policy speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Conference, questioning the former reality television star’s readiness to guide the nation through delicate international entanglements.

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Utah split hampers Republican efforts to derail Trump’s lead

SALT LAKE CITY — Donald Trump faces an uphill battle in Utah’s caucuses Tuesday, but he could still walk away with delegates if sharp divisions within the party prevent anyone from winning a majority.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is likely to do well in Utah, a conservative state that prizes civility and religiosity. Cruz has been helped by the support of Mitt Romney, the GOP’s last presidential nominee who holds clout among the state’s predominantly Mormon voters. On Monday the Texas senator also picked up the endorsement of Utah Gov. Gary Herbert.

But Ohio Gov. John Kasich is fighting back in Utah, hoping his more pragmatic approach and longtime governing experience will net him delegates there. He has invested heavily in Utah in recent days, airing $215,000 in ads — the fifth highest amount he’s spent in any state so far. In addition, one Kasich campaign web ad that falsely implies Romney backed him, rather than Cruz in Utah.

According to Utah state regulations, if no candidate wins more than half of the caucus votes, each of the three candidates will be awarded delegates proportionally. The candidate who can win Utah by more than 50 percent will walk away with all 40 delegates.

Trump could significantly benefit from those rules if Cruz doesn’t win the majority, since it would ultimately bump up his lead. The former reality television star goes into Tuesday’s contests as the national front-runner with 680 delegates in hand. Cruz has 424 and Kasich has 143.

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Mall Easter bunny, father scuffle after child slips

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The Easter bunny has scuffled in a mall brawl.

A mall Easter bunny and a father got into a tussle Sunday after the man’s child slipped from a chair while getting her photo taken, Jersey City police said Monday.

A video posted on Twitter on Sunday evening shows a chaotic scene at the Newport Centre in Jersey City, New Jersey, near an area set up to take photos with the Easter bunny.

Juan Jimenez-Guerrero, 44, verbally and physically attacked Kassim Charles, 22, who was playing the role of the Easter bunny, after Jimenez-Guerrero’s year-old daughter slipped, said city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill. She said both men were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Both men were charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct, and each also had outstanding warrants. It wasn’t known Monday night if either man had retained an attorney.

The video shows Charles wearing the body portion of the bunny costume fighting and then being separated by security. A few seconds later, Charles appears again, throws off his white bunny gloves and exchanges more punches.

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LONDON — It’s a name that might better suit a rubber ducky than an extremely expensive, state-of-the-art research vessel designed to explore the coldest regions on Earth.

Nonetheless, the name “Boaty McBoatface” could be given to a $288 million vessel because of a public preference for that moniker.

The name has emerged as a favorite since Britain’s Natural Environment Research Council sought input in naming the new vessel, urging the public to find an “inspirational name” that reflects the ship’s mission and celebrates Britain’s long naval history.

Spokeswoman Alison Robinson said Monday the council is “pleased that people are embracing the idea in a spirit of fun.”

She said thousands of names have been proposed and that many honored British explorers and British history. Robinson said the council will announce the name it has chosen “in due course” based on the criteria it set — which suggests “BoatyMcBoatface” may not make the grade even if it gets the most online backing.

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Greece sets up detention camps as refugee deal hits delays

ATHENS, Greece — Greece detained hundreds of refugees and migrants on its islands Monday, as officials in Athens and the European Union conceded a much-heralded agreement to send thousands of asylum-seekers back to Turkey is facing delays.

Migrants who arrived after the deal took effect Sunday were being led to previously open refugee camps on the islands of Lesbos and Chios and held in detention, authorities on the islands said.

EU countries are trying to avoid a repeat of the mass migration in 2015, when more than a million people entered the bloc. Most were fleeing civil war in Syria and other conflicts, traveling first to Turkey and then to the nearby Greek islands in dinghies and small boats. Efforts to limit migration have run into multiple legal and practical obstacles.

Under the deal, Greek authorities will detain and return newly arrived refugees to Turkey. The EU will settle more refugees directly from Turkey and speed up financial aid to Ankara. The two sides, however, are still working out how migrants will be sent back.

“We are conscious of the difficulties,” EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said in Brussels.

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Q&A: Utah votes Tuesday with some casting ballots online

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah voters on Tuesday will navigate a new presidential caucus system that comes months earlier than last time and opens the Republican race to online voting with computers, smartphones or tablets.

Unlike in some past presidential campaigns, the state of Utah is not paying for a primary election this year, leaving the parties to set up their own systems.

Democrats are holding a traditional paper vote, but to boost participation, the Utah GOP is offering online voting in addition to the usual ballot. It’s one of the first prominent uses in the country of online voting, which presents new security and privacy challenges for officials.

State Republican officials say they’re confident in their process because it’s been used for national elections in other countries.

Some questions and answers about Utah’s presidential caucus system:

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Pianist’s estranged wife charged with killing 2 daughters

DALLAS — Texas police on Monday accused the estranged wife of internationally renowned pianist Vadym Kholodenko of killing the couple’s two young daughters before stabbing herself.

Sofya Tsygankova faces two counts of capital murder in the deaths of 5-year-old Nika Kholodenko and 1-year-old Michela Kholodenko. Police say Vadym Kholodenko arrived Thursday at his wife’s home in Benbrook, a Fort Worth suburb, to pick up the girls and found them dead in their beds and Tsygankova in an “extreme state of distress.”

Benbrook police Cmdr. David Babcock said Monday that Tsygankova was served with arrest warrants in the Fort Worth hospital where she is undergoing a mental health evaluation. Authorities had said earlier that she suffered knife wounds.

It’s not clear how the girls died. The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office said Monday that it had not completed autopsies. Police have said the children had no visible trauma.

Babcock said Tsygankova’s bond would be set at $2 million. An attorney for Tsygankova did not immediately return phone and email messages for comment Monday.