Questions and Answers on Ebola

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention website. See the original post here.

The current Ebola outbreak is centered on three countries in West Africa: Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, although there is the potential for further spread to neighboring African countries. Ebola does not pose a significant risk to the U.S. public. The CDC is surging resources by sending 50 more workers to the area to help bring the outbreak under control.

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever disease. When Ebola virus infection occurs, symptoms usually begin abruptly. Symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, and abnormal bleeding.

How is Ebola transmitted?

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected symptomatic person or though exposure to objects (such as needles) that have been contaminated with infected secretions.

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House Approves Border Security Spending Bill, 223-189

In an attempt to weigh in on an immigration issue before Congress leaves Washington for a five-week break, the House has voted 223-189 to approve a $694 million emergency funding bill. The Republican-backed legislation is a response to the rising number of minors who have crossed the U.S. border unaccompanied and without going through the necessary legal steps.

The Border Security Supplemental Spending Bill was endorsed one day after the House Republican leadership canceled its plan to hold a vote on the legislation. The bill is not expected to have a chance of passage in the Senate, which didn't approve a different version of similar legislation before it left for an end-of-summer break.

As we reported Thursday, the bill would boost "funding for overwhelmed border agencies, add immigration judges and detention space, send National Guard troops to the border, and change the law so that the youths can be sent home quickly without deportation hearings that are now guaranteed, according to The Associated Press."

The vote came hours after President Obama criticized Congress for not acting on immigration and other issues he said need to be dealt with to help America's economy continue to improve.

Later Friday, the House is expected to take up a bill regarding the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program, which gives officials discretion to defer the deportation of people who entered the U.S. illegally before they turned 16.

Chrysler US sales climb 20 percent in July

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Chrysler says its U.S. sales rose 20 percent in July from a year ago, its best performance for the month in nine years.

The automaker said Friday that it sold 167,667 vehicles in the U.S. during the month compared with 140,102 in the prior-year period.

Jeep sales surged 41 percent. That's the best July performance for the brand ever. The Fiat, Dodge and Chrysler brands also posted sales increases for the month.

The Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Compass, Dodge Dart, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey and Ram Cargo Van each recorded their best July sales ever. And the Fiat 500L set a new all-time monthly sales record in July.

Chrysler Group LLC, now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, said Ram pickup truck sales climbed 14 percent — its best July results since 2005.

This is Chrysler's 52nd straight month of year-over-year sales gains.

The overall automobile market's U.S. sales have climbed 4.3 percent in the first half of the year. In June the industry had a 1.2 percent gain.

Last month Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler Group announced it was recalling older-model Jeep SUVs to fix a problem with ignition switches. It has now recalled more than 1.7 million vehicles for ignition-switch problems. General Motors has come under fire for bungling its own ignition-switch recall.

Sales at GM and the rest of the industry are expected to improve in July. Edmunds.com expects an 11.1 percent increase in total sales, with GM up 10.6 percent. When all the numbers are in late Friday, it may wind up being the industry's best July in eight years, Edmunds predicted.

Car-tech company Mobileye soars in IPO

NEW YORK -- Shares of Mobileye are soaring on the Israeli car technology company's first day of public trading amid strong investor demand.

Mobileye NV makes camera-based systems designed to help reduce the risk of accidents by anticipating collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians or bicycles. Its products also detect roadway markings and they can read traffic signs and lights, according to the company's initial public offering prospectus.

Its technology is already used, or will be added, in vehicles made by major automakers such as Ford and BMW.

Mobileye had priced 36 million shares at $25 each, above an expected range of $21 to $23. The stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MBLY.

On Friday, the stock jumped $13, or 52 percent, to $38 in late morning trading.

US stocks have their worst week in two years

NEW YORK -- The U.S. stock market is closing out its worst week in two years.

Traders moved money into investments traditionally seen as having lower risk Friday, such as U.S. government bonds, gold and utility stocks.

Energy stocks fell after Chevron reported weaker oil and gas production.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 69 points, or 0.4 percent, to 16,493. The Dow has lost 387 points over the past two days. The slump interrupted five months of steady gains.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell five points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,925. The S&P 500 lost 2.7 percent this week, the biggest loss since June 2012.

The Nasdaq fell 17 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,352.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.49 percent.

Kellogg workers file discrimination claims

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Union officials say race-based discrimination claims have been filed against Kellogg, whose workers have been ordered back to work after a nine-month lockout from the company's Memphis facility.

According to The Commercial Appeal (http://bit.ly/1qtXX2E ), Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers' Local 252G President Kevin Bradshaw said Thursday the workers locked out of the Kellogg cereal facility are predominantly black and the company dealt with them differently than workers at a sister plant.

Kellogg spokesman Kris Charles denies that race or "any other impermissible characteristic" played a factor in the work stoppage.

More than 200 workers were locked out Oct. 21 after contract negotiations broke down. The company brought in replacement workers.

A federal judge Wednesday ordered Kellogg to put them back to work and negotiate with the union.

US manufacturing expands again in July

WASHINGTON -- US manufacturing expanded for the 14th straight month in July in a good sign for the overall economy.

The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, reported Friday that its manufacturing index rose to 57.1, highest level since April 2011 and up from 55.3 in June.

Anything above 50 signals that manufacturing is growing.

Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a research note that the index was consistent with overall economic growth of 3.5 percent.

The U.S. economy already has been showing renewed strength. Economic growth clocked in an impressive 4 percent annual pace from April through June after getting off to a bad start the first three months of the year. And the Labor Department said Friday that employers added more than 200,000 jobs in July for the sixth straight month. Factories created 28,000 jobs in July, most since November. Over the past year, manufacturers have added 178,000 jobs, best 12-month stretch of hiring since November 2012.

Dales wrote that the ISM report "suggests that manufacturing payrolls may soon start to rise by close to 50,000 a month rather than July's 28,000."

American factories have been busy. The Commerce Department reported last week that orders for durable goods rose 0.7 percent in June, and a category seen as a proxy for business investment plans rose a healthy 1.4 percent.

The ISM reported that new orders, production and employment at factories rose. Exports declined last month. Seventeen of 18 industries covered by the survey showed growth last month. Only wood products contracted.

Burger King 2Q profit rises 19 percent

MIAMI -- Burger King Worldwide Inc. said its profit climbed by 19 percent in the second quarter as lower costs and growth overseas boosted results.

The Miami-based company said global sales at established locations rose 0.9 percent. While the figure edged up just 0.4 percent in the U.S. and Canada, it rose 3.7 percent in Asia.

Traditional fast-food chains such as Burger King and McDonald's have been struggling to boost sales in the U.S., with more people heading to places such as Chipotle and Panera. But Burger King has been focusing on striking deals with local operators in developing markets to build more restaurants.

The company has more than 13,000 locations globally, compared with more than 35,000 for McDonald's. Burger King executives have said that gives them considerable room for expansion around the globe, particularly because Burger King is such a well-known brand.

For the quarter, Burger King said profit increased to $75.1 million, or 21 cents per share. Adjusted for one-time gains and costs, earnings came to 25 cents per share, which was two cents above what Wall Street expected.

A year ago, it earned $62.9 million, or 18 cents per share.

Revenue declined 6.1 percent to $261.2 million. That was below the $263.3 million analysts expected, according to Zacks Investment Research.

Burger King shares have risen $3.52, or 15 percent, to $26.38 since the beginning of the year. The stock has increased $6.62, or 34 percent, in the last 12 months.

BC-Noon Oil

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Prosecutor: Peanut plant faked salmonella results

ALBANY, Ga. -- Attorneys are scheduled to make opening statements in the criminal trial of three people charged in a deadly salmonella outbreak traced to a southwest Georgia peanut plant five years ago.

Former Peanut Corp. of America owner Stewart Parnell; his brother and food broker, Michael Parnell; and plant quality control manager Mary Wilkerson are charged with shipping tainted peanuts and covering up lab results that tested positive for salmonella.

Prosecutors have asked for two hours for opening statements Friday morning in U.S. District Court in Albany. Attorneys for each defendant will have 40 minutes apiece.

Nine people died and more than 700 were sickened in the 2009 outbreak. The dead were from Minnesota, Ohio, Virginia, Idaho and North Carolina.

A jury with six alternates was seated Thursday after three days of selection.

Grain mixed, livestock mostly lower

CHICAGO -- Grain futures were mixed Friday in early trading on the Chicago Board of Trade.

Wheat for Sept delivery was up 13.75 cents to $5.44 a bushel; Dec corn was 1.75 cents lower at $3.5525 a bushel; Dec oats were 2.5 cents lower at $3.28 a bushel; while Nov soybeans lost 18 cents to $10.64 a bushel.

Beef lower and pork higher on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Oct live cattle was 1.24 cents lower at $1.5600 a pound; Sep feeder cattle was 2.20 cents lower at 2.19 a pound; Oct lean hogs gained .38 cent to $1.0355 a pound.

Weekly Wrap Up: Jobs, a VP #TBT, Iced Tea, and BBQ

This week, something happened that hasn't happened since 1997 (hint: it's about jobs); the Vice President participated in #ThrowbackThursday; the Press Secretary surprised a few folks by inviting them to dinner with the President; and the President strolled down Main Street, grabbing some iced tea, touring an antique watch shop, and chatting with local residents along the way.

Check out what else you may have missed in this week's wrap up.

53 Straight Months of Job Growth

It's the first Friday of the month, so you know what that means. (Or you might not -- that's ok, too.) It's Jobs Day, and we saw another month of encouraging trends in the labor market.

In July, the private sector gained 198,000 jobs, and total job growth has exceeded 200,000 jobs for six straight months -- the first time that has happened since 1997. And we've seen 53 straight months of job growth, which is the longest streak on record.

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Digital Briefing: An update from Ben Rhodes on Ukraine

In this video briefing from the West Wing, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes provides an update on recent U.S. actions with regard to Ukraine and offers an overview of America's policy position.

President Obama also spoke to the press on Ukraine today, August 1st, saying:

“Our diplomatic efforts often take time, they often will see progress and then a step backwards. That’s been true in the Middle East, that’s been true in Europe, that’s been true in Asia. That’s the nature of world affairs – it’s not neat and it’s not smooth. But if you look at, for example, Ukraine, we have made progress in delivering on what we said we would do. We can’t control how Mr. Putin thinks, but what we can do is say to Mr. Putin, ‘If you continue on the path of arming separatists with heavy armaments that, the evidence suggests, may have resulted in 300 innocent people on a jet dying, and that violates international law and undermines the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, then you’re going to face consequences that will hurt your country.’

And there was a lot of skepticism about our ability to coordinate with Europeans for a strong series of sanctions, and each time, we have done what we said we would do, including this week when we put in place sanctions that have an impact on key sectors of the Russian economy—their energy, their defense, their financial systems. It hasn’t resolved the problem yet. I spoke to Mr. Putin this morning and I indicated to him: Just as we will do what we say we do in terms of sanctions, we will also do what we say we do in terms of wanting to resolve this issue diplomatically if he takes a different position. If he respects and honors the right of Ukrainians to determine their own destiny, then it’s possible to make sure that Russian interests are addressed that are legitimate and that Ukrainians are able to make their own decisions, and we can resolve this conflict and end some of the bloodshed.”

Lebanon takes precautions as Ebola spreads

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Labor Ministry said Friday that it would suspend work permits for citizens of countries that have witnessed an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, as the World Health Organization warned the disease was moving faster than efforts to control it.

“In order to preserve the general safety and in accordance with the measures that need to be taken to prevent an Ebola outbreak, the Labor Ministry will stop receiving [labor] requests or proceed with requests for citizens of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia,” a statement by the ministry said. The statement did not include Nigeria, where cases have also been found.

The ministry said it made the decision in consultation with the Health Ministry, which is taking measures at the airport and border crossings to combat Ebola. The disease has so far killed an estimated 790 people and infected more than 1,200 others since the beginning of the year.

Lebanon has begun taking preventive measures at the Rafik Hariri International Airport by examining passengers who might have symptoms of fever.

The Health Ministry, coordinating with the WHO, has distributed awareness-raising brochures and flyers to all passengers who pass through the airport.

“Measures carried out by the Health Ministry at the airport are more than enough, and if airlines cooperate in the required manner, then the Lebanese have nothing to fear,” Health Minister Wael Abu Faour said while at the international airport to meet with the facility’s medical team.

The health minister expressed his sympathy for the concerns of the Lebanese with regard to a local spread of the virus but assured the public that the proactive measures in place “sometimes even exceed requirements suggested by the World Health Organization.”

Abu Faour said the airport was requiring airlines transporting travelers from countries such as Liberia and New Guinea that have high prevalence rates to report any passenger displaying Ebola symptoms to the Lebanese authorities.

If a passenger displays vomiting or high temperatures, he would be quarantined at the airport before being handed over to the Health Ministry’s team in the facility. The passenger would also then be screened using thermal cameras, Abu Faour said.

The Foreign Ministry, for its part, announced it had sent instructions to Lebanese missions in the affected West African countries and was prepared to provide all necessary support to Lebanese living there.

Meanwhile, presidents from the affected countries met in Guinea’s capital, as Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, said the meeting “must be a turning point” in the battle against Ebola.

“If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socio-economic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries,” she said.

Ebola is not an airborne disease but is spread via bodily fluids, such as blood, mucus and semen, where it can survive for up to three months. Symptoms include rapid fever and flu-like symptoms, which then progress to vomiting, diarrhea and organ failure followed by internal and external bleeding.

The fatality rate has been about 60 percent, and the scenes of patients bleeding from the eyes, mouth and ears has led many relatives to keep their sick family members at home instead of seeking medical treatment.

Restrictions impede Lebanon aid to Gaza

BEIRUT: During a lull in bombardment after yet another failed cease-fire, Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, the only Lebanon-affiliated doctor volunteering in Gaza, reflected on the aspects of the crisis that had eluded his medical forethought.

“I was unprepared for the number of orphan children lying in intensive care without anyone visiting them, because there is no one left,” he said, speaking to The Daily Star over the phone from the overwrought Al-Shifa Hospital, which itself was subject to bombardment last week. “Whole families have been wiped out, we are talking about tens of families that no longer exist.”

The head of plastic surgery at the American University of Beirut Medical Center has conducted numerous missions in Gaza before, but described the ferocity of Israel’s strikes and border blockages, from both the Israeli and Egyptian crossings, as unprecedented, even during the 2009 and 2012 wars.

The lack of access, especially from the Egyptian-controlled Rafah border point is also affecting efforts to mobilize relief for Gazans in Lebanon, as medical volunteers and humanitarian convoys await Egyptian authorization to cross.

Some Lebanese aid workers said they believe only political maneuvering on the part of the government would see the aid delivered to the Palestinians who need it.

“In terms of relief [from the Lebanese side] there isn’t a lot because there’s no way to get it there,” said activist Bassem Chit from Lebanon Support.

Organizations like Lebanon’s National Initiative Committee to Break the Siege in Gaza have recruited dozens of doctors and amassed a warehouse full of medicines to ease shortages in Gaza hospitals, but to date not a pill or a Lebanese health professional has stepped foot in the tiny battered territory.

Abu-Sittah, a Palestinian who holds a British passport, crossed in from Erez with the help of the World Health Organization after waiting for two weeks in Rafah.

Nabil Hallak, coordinator for the National Initiative Committee, said he received assurances from Prime Minister Tamam Salam that a private jet would transport medical aid directly to Al-Arish in the Sinai Peninsula.

“The intention to help is there, and there are people willing to go,” Hallak explained. “But whether there is a way for them to enter, that is the question.”

Apart from playing the waiting game, Hallak and his associates have launched a flurry of contacts with politicians and other organizations to inspire political initiative and hasten Egyptian authorization. He has also been in touch with Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, the head of the Arab Medical Association and former Egyptian presidential candidate, to speed up the process. But so far assurances have failed to translate into action, Hallak said.

“We know it can be done if the Lebanese government makes an extra effort – they can through their own connections with the Egyptians, but so far there are no hints that they will push,” he said.

Lebanese organizations working toward humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza maintain close contacts with grassroots organizations to assess needs in the territory, typically medical and financial. The medicine collected by Hallak’s group is meant for patients in need of surgery. About 27 doctors and nurses have volunteered.

Among them is Dr. Ghassan Jaafar, who has been to Gaza twice as the head of a Lebanese delegation in June and December of 2010.

“As a doctor I sympathize with the people of Gaza and Palestine on ethical and humanitarian grounds,” he said. “As part of the next delegation I plan to work all over the [Gaza] Strip’s hospitals and work with Palestinian doctors who are working day and night to provide relief to their wounded.”

In the Palestinian refugee camps of Shatila and Burj al-Barajneh, the local Najdeh Association is also reaching out to their international donors to provide financial support and holding demonstrations in solidarity with Gazans. However, the issue of access has also hampered their efforts.

“We haven’t raised a lot of money because access is totally blocked,” said Leila al Ali, a member of Najdeh’s executive board. “Right now in Gaza, NGOs can’t access banks or ATMs because of the war.”

On the political front, Hamas representative to Lebanon Ali Baraki has also been making the rounds to raise funds, finding receptive partners in local mosques. Last week Sidon’s Rowda Mosque donated LL60 million to the Hamas Movement on the “condition” the money be used, not for food or relief, but to help the resistance, Baraki told The Daily Star.

He said has been in contact with Lebanese officials and associations to send aid through helicopters directly to Gaza. “We won’t send it in Hamas’ name,” he added, “because relations between the Hamas Movement and Egypt are sensitive at this time.”

Meanwhile in Gaza, Abu-Sittah said medical supplies continue to dwindle, including IV fluid, as well as other essentials required to treat patients. The hospital, he said, can no longer discharge patients, as most of their homes have been destroyed and they’ve come to see the institution as a safe haven.

Border closures have resulted in the deaths of the critically wounded, while other patients have been moved to a half finished complex for lack of beds.

“The hospital has become like a refugee camp,” he said. “The whole system is coming to a gridlock.”

Apart from the frustrations of war, the doctor has had to cope with personal ones too. “There was a 10-year-old boy who lost half his face including his eye, about the age of my own children,” he said. “We were able to close up the face, but he will still be blind.”

New life breathes around Sidon landfill

SIDON, Lebanon: With the long-term project to turn Sidon’s notorious dumpsite into a proper landfill completed in early July, a new report has praised the recently constructed seawall for having stimulated the re-emergence of marine life. The report, compiled by the municipality of Sidon, surveyed the marine biodiversity and fisheries in the vicinity of the newly built seawall facing the landfill with the intention of assessing the environmental and social impacts of the construction, as well as the ongoing remediation practices in adjacent areas.

According to the findings of the report, an advance copy of which was provided to The Daily Star, coral reefs and various species of fish are proliferating in the area due to the 2,200-meter-long seawall.

“The construction of the seawall coupled with the start of the remediation of the dumpsite has helped in reducing nitrogen and heavy metal concentrations in sea water thus limiting algae growth,” the report said.

“The resulting restoration of dissolved oxygen availability and the improved penetration of sunlight deep into the water stimulated phytoplankton growth and the re-establishment of marine life,” it said.

Sidon’s dump was a major environmental issue in the southern city for over 30 years.

The hill of waste, which once measured 58 meters high and covered 6 hectares of space, was recently turned into three modern landfills. All in all, 1.5 million cubic meters of processed waste has been dumped in the landfills, each forming an 8-meter-high knoll.

The initiative to remove the ad hoc dumpsite came in the wake of a mutual agreement between the Environment Ministry and the United Nations Development Program in cooperation with the Sidon municipality. For the time being, a 30,000 square meter public garden will be built next to the landfills until a green park comes to life in seven years’ time.

“In order to survey the biodiversity around the circumference of the breakwater, two divers from the Environmental Solution Company filmed the nearby area,” the report said.

The imaging carried out by the divers was able to capture the enhanced marine life.

“[This] indicates that the seawall has a positive impact on marine life in the area and is acting as an artificial reef potentially remedying the contamination of the past at the dumpsite and promoting fish and plant life.”

To keep an eye on these environmental developments, Environment Minister Mohammad Machnouk will be visiting Sidon Saturday.

Bassma launches collection drive for Iraqi refugees

BEIRUT: A collection drive has been started for Iraqis who have fled to Lebanon to avoid persecution at the hands of the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria group, with organizers asking for donations of everything from basic foodstuff to kitchen utensils.

Bassma, a local non-governmental organization that works to empower disadvantaged communities and provide assistance to destitute families, is spearheading the initiative, which seeks to help a small but growing number of refugees fleeing religious persecution in Iraq.

“Someone posted a status on Facebook two days ago that Iraqis had arrived in two churches in Hazmieh, so I said, ‘Let’s do something about it,’” said Carine Dakak, who is involved in the project. “She said she needed help. So I posted a status asking for food and clothes and that was shared 300 times. I really didn’t expect it.”

Overwhelmed with responses from people wishing to help, Dakak realized that the logistics of organizing all the donations needed a professional touch, and decided to set up a meeting between the Chaldean Archdiocese – one of several Christian sects heavily present in Iraq – and Bassma.

“We were told that the refugees are coming in big numbers,” she said. “And more are expected to come.”

There is no accurate number for how many Iraqis have come to Lebanon in the wake of ISIS’ recent victories in the restive country, an exodus that appears to have increased following the violent group’s edict that Christians in the northern city of Mosul pay a religious tax, convert to Islam or be killed. A spokesperson for the Chaldean Archdiocese told The Daily Star that 50 Chaldean families had registered with them in the last month, and that some families consisted of up to 15 people.

Bassma is asking for food items like rice, sugar, tea, beans, lentils and other basics, hygiene products including soap and toothpaste, and general essentials such as furniture, kitchen tools and blankets. For those abroad who wish to help out, Bassma is also accepting online cash donations.

For more information, please search “SOLIDARITY WITH IRAQI REFUGEES” on Facebook or call 01-383-938.

President Obama Slams Congress As He Welcomes Economy's Gains

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hide captionPresident Barack Obama upbraided Congress Friday, saying that lawmakers haven't done enough to help America's economic recovery.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

President Barack Obama upbraided Congress Friday, saying that lawmakers haven't done enough to help America's economic recovery.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Touting rosy U.S. economic news that has come out this week, President Obama said America's recovery from a debilitating recession is well underway. But he also said the economy "could be doing even better" if Congress were working harder.

Citing the 200,000 jobs created in July – continuing a six-month streak of at least that level – Obama noted that it was "the first time that has happened since 1997."

Today's monthly jobs report showed that 209,000 jobs had been added to the U.S. market, as NPR reported earlier today. But not every person who's been hired has been able to find full-time work, as we also noted.

"The good news is, the economy clearly is getting stronger," the president said. "Unfortunately, there are a series of steps we could be taking" to create more jobs and boost wages – but Congress isn't taking action, Obama said.

Speaking as Congress was poised to leave Washington for a five-week break, Obama told reporters in the White House Briefing Room, "while they're out on vacation, I'm going to have to make some tough choices to meet the challenge,"

We'll note that later this month, the Obama family is taking its own summer vacation, for a little over two weeks.

The president spoke Friday afternoon shortly after meeting with members of Congress in the Cabinet Room. And while Obama thanked Congress for approving new funding for the Veterans Administration and for transportation projects, he said that for the most part, the "big-ticket items" that could help middle-class families had been ignored.

He went on to talk about immigration problems along the southern U.S. border, accusing Republicans in the House of focusing on a "message bill" that has no hope of becoming law.

Saying that Republicans in Congress don't agree with one another on the best approach to immigration, Obama said, "I'm just one of the people they disagree with on this issue."

Venting his frustration, the president said, "They can't pass the bill. They can't even pass their own version of the bill."

Obama also said that Congress had also held back other issues, such as improvements to student loan programs and the approval of career diplomats whose ambassador posts. He stated that in the current environment, even "basic, commonsense, plain vanilla" legislation had no chance of passing.

Responding to a question about Israel's fight with Hamas, Obama said both he and UN had condemned Hamas Friday for disrupting a cease-fire this morning by killing two Israeli soldiers and taking another hostage.

He also said that "innocent civilians in Gaza, caught in the crossfire, have to weigh on our conscience."

Obama noted that both the situation in the Middle East – and a possible solution — are difficult.

"The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been going on for even longer than you've been reporting," Obama told one journalist.

Questioned about how the U.S. might use its influence to bring about peace between Israel and Hamas — and also between Ukraine and Russia — President Obama noted that his administration is working hard to bring calm to those areas.

But Obama said of the participants in those talks, "They've got to want it."

"People don't always act rationally" or in their long-term interests, the president said.

Pressed to answer more questions before leaving the briefing room, Obama was asked about the CIA's use of "enhanced interrogation" in its effort to fight terrorism, as well as its intrusion into computers belonging to congressional staffers.

Obama said he was confident the agency wouldn't make similar mistakes again — and he acknowledged that the problems were significant.

"We tortured some folks," the president said. "We did some things that are contrary to our values."

He went on to say that he could understand why the incidents had occurred, noting the fear and pressure the nation felt after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"It's important for us not to feel too sanctimonious in retrospect about the tough job those folks had," Obama said. "But having said all that, we did some things that are wrong."

He added, "When we engaged in some of these enhanced interrogation techniques, techniques that I believe — and I think any fairminded person would believe — were torture, we crossed a line. And that needs to be understood and accepted. And we have to, as a country, take responsibility for that so that hopefully we don't do it again in the future."

Fla. Judge Orders Lawmakers Back To Work On A New Congressional Map

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

A Florida judge has ordered the state legislature to come back from recess for a special session. Lawmakers will be expected to draw up new maps for congressional districts found unconstitutional. The judge says he may push back the November 4 election date and order special elections in the affected districts.

August Comes To The Hill, But House GOP Hasn't Started Recess Quite Yet

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

House Republicans are delaying their August recess, sticking around Washington to try passing a bill meant to address the border crisis. Democrats and President Obama have already voiced their opposition to the bill on the table.

Lebanon on full alert over Ebola risk

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Labor Ministry said Friday that it would suspend work permits for citizens of three Western African countries that have witnessed an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, part of the government’s measures to prevent a possible spread of the deadly virus.

"In order to preserve the general safety and in accordance with the measures that need to be taken to prevent an Ebola outbreak, the Labor Ministry will stop receiving [labor] requests or proceed with requests for citizens of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia,” a statement by the ministry said.

The ministry said it made the decision in consultation with the Health Ministry, which is taking measures at the airport and border crossings to combat Ebola, which has so far killed an estimated 790 people and infected more than 1,200 others since the beginning of the year.

Lebanon has begun taking preventative measures at the Beirut airport by examining passengers who might have symptoms of fever. The Health Ministry, coordinating with the World Health Organization, has distributed awareness-raising brochures and flyers to all passengers who pass through the airport.

Ebola is not an airborne disease but is spread via bodily fluids, such as blood, mucus and semen, where it can survive for up to three months.

According to the WHO website, symptoms include rapid fever and flu-like symptoms, which then progresses to vomiting, diarrhea and organ failure followed by internal and external bleeding.

Speaking from Beirut's airport, Health Minister Wael Abou Faour told LBC that the measures taken to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus would allow for the detection of anyone who was infected.

Advertisement

Answering the Public's Call

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from The Huffington Post. See the original here.

Today, President Obama will sign into law the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, and in doing so, will achieve a rare trifecta: a win for American consumers, a win for wireless competition, and an example of democracy at its best -- bipartisan congressional action in direct response to a call to action from the American people.

The story of how we broke through Washington gridlock to restore the freedom of consumers to take their mobile phone wherever they choose is one worth telling, and a model worth repeating.

The effort began with a digital petition on the White House's We the People site, an online platform where citizens can offer ideas for the Administration to take action on important issues facing our country. A digital rights activist named Sina Khanifar submitted a simple request: restore an exception to the law to let consumers take their mobile phone to the carrier that best suits their needs by "unlocking" the device.

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Chrysler US sales climb 20 percent in July

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Chrysler says its U.S. sales rose 20 percent in July from a year ago, its best performance for the month in nine years.

The automaker said Friday that it sold 167,667 vehicles in the U.S. during the month compared with 140,102 in the prior-year period.

Jeep sales surged 41 percent. That's the best July performance for the brand ever. The Fiat, Dodge and Chrysler brands also posted sales increases for the month.

The Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Compass, Dodge Dart, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey and Ram Cargo Van each recorded their best July sales ever. And the Fiat 500L set a new all-time monthly sales record in July.

Chrysler Group LLC, now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, said Ram pickup truck sales climbed 14 percent — its best July results since 2005.

This is Chrysler's 52nd straight month of year-over-year sales gains.

The overall automobile market's U.S. sales have climbed 4.3 percent in the first half of the year. In June the industry had a 1.2 percent gain.

Last month Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler Group announced it was recalling older-model Jeep SUVs to fix a problem with ignition switches. It has now recalled more than 1.7 million vehicles for ignition-switch problems. General Motors has come under fire for bungling its own ignition-switch recall.

Sales at GM and the rest of the industry are expected to improve in July. Edmunds.com expects an 11.1 percent increase in total sales, with GM up 10.6 percent. When all the numbers are in late Friday, it may wind up being the industry's best July in eight years, Edmunds predicted.

Kellogg workers file discrimination claims

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Union officials say race-based discrimination claims have been filed against Kellogg, whose workers have been ordered back to work after a nine-month lockout from the company's Memphis facility.

According to The Commercial Appeal (http://bit.ly/1qtXX2E ), Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers' Local 252G President Kevin Bradshaw said Thursday the workers locked out of the Kellogg cereal facility are predominantly black and the company dealt with them differently than workers at a sister plant.

Kellogg spokesman Kris Charles denies that race or "any other impermissible characteristic" played a factor in the work stoppage.

More than 200 workers were locked out Oct. 21 after contract negotiations broke down. The company brought in replacement workers.

A federal judge Wednesday ordered Kellogg to put them back to work and negotiate with the union.

US manufacturing expands again in July

WASHINGTON -- US manufacturing expanded for the 14th straight month in July in a good sign for the overall economy.

The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, reported Friday that its manufacturing index rose to 57.1, highest level since April 2011 and up from 55.3 in June.

Anything above 50 signals that manufacturing is growing.

Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a research note that the index was consistent with overall economic growth of 3.5 percent.

The U.S. economy already has been showing renewed strength. Economic growth clocked in an impressive 4 percent annual pace from April through June after getting off to a bad start the first three months of the year. And the Labor Department said Friday that employers added more than 200,000 jobs in July for the sixth straight month. Factories created 28,000 jobs in July, most since November. Over the past year, manufacturers have added 178,000 jobs, best 12-month stretch of hiring since November 2012.

Dales wrote that the ISM report "suggests that manufacturing payrolls may soon start to rise by close to 50,000 a month rather than July's 28,000."

American factories have been busy. The Commerce Department reported last week that orders for durable goods rose 0.7 percent in June, and a category seen as a proxy for business investment plans rose a healthy 1.4 percent.

The ISM reported that new orders, production and employment at factories rose. Exports declined last month. Seventeen of 18 industries covered by the survey showed growth last month. Only wood products contracted.

US markets fluctuate a day after a major drop

HONG KONG -- Most Asian stock markets dipped on Friday following a big sell-off on Wall Street but losses were limited by optimistic reports on China's economy.

KEEPING SCORE: Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index dropped 0.6 percent to 15,528.72 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.5 percent to 24,623.81. South Korea's Kospi was 0.2 percent lower at 2,071.75. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 tumbled 1.4 percent to 5,554.40. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.2 percent to 2,205.40.

US SELL-OFF: Asian stocks are lower after U.S. markets had their worst day in months. Factors include weak corporate earnings from big companies such as Exxon Mobil as well as the approaching end of stimulus from the Federal Reserve. Economic sanctions on Russia that have increased tensions with the West also played a role, as did Argentina's debt default Wednesday. And there's also the general worry by investors that stocks are overpriced.

ANALYST VIEW: Desmond Chua of CMC Markets in Singapore said Asian markets fell despite healthy China manufacturing figures as investors took profits following strong rallies by many benchmarks over the past week or two. "Investors are sitting on sidelines and holding on to cash waiting for more events to unravel before buying on the dips," said Chua. While he expects a "slow and gradual climb" in Asian markets based on economic fundamentals, "we haven't seen a pullback in a long time and with valuations at such extensive levels I wouldn't be surprised if we get one in due time."

CHINA'S FACTORIES: Upbeat data on Chinese manufacturing helped put a floor under Asian stocks. Monthly surveys of manufacturing in China signaled that the world's second biggest economy perked up further in July thanks to recent mini-stimulus measures. An official purchasing managers' index rose to its highest in 27 months while a similar factory report by HSBC showed the strongest rate of improvement in a year and a half.

ECONOMIES IN FOCUS: Investors will get more clues about the state of the global economy with the release of a raft of economic reports later in the day, starting with manufacturing data for major eurozone economies. After that, reports are expected on U.S. employment, consumer spending and sentiment, construction spending and manufacturing. The forecast for the much scrutinized employment report is that U.S. employers added 225,000 jobs in July and that the unemployment rate remained at 6.1 percent, the lowest since 2008. In June, the economy added 288,000 jobs.

WALL STREET: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 1.9 percent to 16,563.30, its worst one-day drop since February. The S&P 500 dropped 2 percent to 1,930.67, its biggest loss since April. The Nasdaq composite fell 2.1 percent to 4,369.77.

LOW ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude for September delivery slipped 15 cents to $98.02 a barrel in electronic trading in New York. The contract on Thursday fell $2.10 to close at $98.17, its lowest level since March 17. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, edged 3 cents lower to $105.99 in London.

CURRENCIES: The euro drifted down to $1.3386 from $1.3391 late Thursday. The dollar rose to 102.93 yen from 102.78 yen.

Chennault receives $3.5M grant to update runway

LAKE CHARLES, La. -- Chennault International Airport has received a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help rehabilitate its runway.

Randy Robb, executive director of Chennault, tells the American Press (http://bit.ly/1eOXZNb ) he was pleased to hear news of the grant, but was not surprised.

Chennault took the first step toward expanding the airfield's taxiway into a second runway in November 2012. The alternate runway, which will cost about $10 million, is funded by the Federal Aviation Administration and the state. It will be 150 feet wide and 8,000 feet long.

The grant, announced Thursday afternoon, will fund preparing the land and drainage and reinforcing the outside of the taxiway and making sure the taxiway is strong enough for asphalt.

Cantor To Step Down This Month To Make Room For Successor

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hide captionHouse Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va., left, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. Cantor relinquished his leadership post on Thursday and said he would step down before the end of his term.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va., left, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. Cantor relinquished his leadership post on Thursday and said he would step down before the end of his term.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Fresh from relinquishing his House majority leader position in the wake of a stinging primary defeat, Rep. Eric Cantor now says he will give up his Virginia congressional seat months before his term expires, to make room for his replacement.

"[It] is with tremendous gratitude and a heavy heart that I have decided to resign from Congress, effective Aug. 18," Cantor, 51, said in a guest column in The Richmond Times-Dispatch. "During this time of transition for me and my family, it is my foremost desire to ensure that representation is maintained for the people of the 7th District. For this reason, I have asked Gov. McAuliffe to hold a special election on Election Day, at no additional cost to taxpayers, so my successor can be sworn in immediately in November."

Cantor, who lost to Tea Party-backed Dave Brat in a surprising June primary, tells the Dispatch that he wants "to make sure that the constituents in the 7th District will have a voice in what will be a very consequential lame-duck session of Congress."

Brat, who is heavily favored to win the special election in the conservative district, thanked Cantor for his seven terms and service to the state.

"The time one has to sacrifice to be an elected official is enormous, and he has sacrificed a great deal to serve the people. I also want to thank him for his endorsement. I wish Eric and his family the best in their future endeavors," Brat said in a statement, quoted by The Associated Press.

As Senate Leaves For Recess, House Keeps Working On A Border Bill

The House work week got a little longer when Republican leaders were unable to pass a bill to deal with the border crisis. A new caucus meeting is planned for this morning to sort out a plan forward.

Assessing Obama's Foreign Policy After A Week Of Crises

Politico Magazine editor Susan Glasser and Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum talk with Linda Wertheimer about how the president's foreign policy moves are playing out at home and abroad.

Steelmaker ArcelorMittal sees US, Europe improving

AMSTERDAM -- ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaker, says it swung to a profit in the second quarter on higher steel shipments and better margins, and it sees improving markets in the United States and Europe.

The Luxembourg-based company reported net profit of $52 million, from a loss of $205 million in the same period a year ago. Revenues rose 4.5 percent to $20.7 billion.

The company's founder and CEO, Lakshmi Mittal, said in a statement Friday that iron ore prices were not as strong as hoped, and he cut operating profit forecasts to $7 billion from $8 billion.

However, Mittal says indicators in both Europe and the U.S., which account for two-thirds of the company's business, "continue to be positive."

"We have increased our steel demand forecasts for both markets," he said.

Macau casino revenue falls for 2nd straight month

HONG KONG -- Casino revenue in the global gambling mecca of Macau fell for a second straight month in July as Chinese high rollers stayed away because of Beijing's corruption crackdown.

Official data released Friday show that revenue fell 3.6 percent to 28.4 billion patacas ($3.6 billion) last month compared with a year earlier.

The decline comes after revenue fell in June for the first time since the end of the global financial crisis five years ago.

The former Portuguese colony on the southern Chinese coast near Hong Kong raked in $45 billion in casino revenue last year, seven times more than the Las Vegas Strip.

Wealthy Chinese have powered Macau's boom but analysts say some are avoiding the city as the ongoing corruption clampdown discourages lavish spending.

The World Cup also played a small role, as Chinese gamblers opted to place bets on matches during the football tournament held from mi-June to mid-July, rather than at the tiny Chinese city's 35 casino resorts.

Revenue from private high-stakes, or VIP, baccarat tables likely fell by a fifth, said Grant Govertsen, analyst at Union Gaming Research. Chinese high-rollers prefer to bet at VIP tables, which account for two-thirds of Macau's total casino revenue.

"The anti-corruption crackdown seems to be accelerating," Govertsen said in a research report. That is likely to result in continued pressure on VIP gamblers, he said.

Macau is the only place in China where casinos are permitted. Foreign operators including Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International have benefited from the city's turbocharged betting boom after a gambling monopoly was broken up a decade ago.