Thứ Ba, 3 tháng 4, 2018

Waching daily Apr 3 2018

Sinclair Broadcasting Orders Local Anchors To Record Bizarre 'Hostage' Video

How Americas largest local TV owner turned its news anchors into soldiers in Trumps war on the media: https://t.

co/iLVtKRQycL pic. twitter.

com/dMdSGellH3 — Deadspin (@Deadspin) March 31, 2018.

16k   58.

It's being slammed on Twitter as a "hostage" video.  Sinclair Broadcasting Group, which owns more than 170 U.S.

TV stations, has ordered local news anchors across the country to read a script decrying "some media outlets" for "false news" and "fake stories."  "This is extremely dangerous to a democracy," the script reads.  Deadspin created a supercut of anchors reading the script and ThinkProgress shared a similar clip that showed newscasters reciting the identical lines:    "I felt like a POW recording a message," one anchor at a Sinclair-owned station told CNN last month.

"They're certainly not happy about it," an unnamed employee at Sinclair-owned KOMO in Seattle told The Seattle Post-Intelligencer last week.

"It's certainly a forced thing." Sinclair is also requiring its stations to run segments from Boris Epshteyn, a former advisor to President Donald Trump, who often speaks in support of the White House, the newspaper reported.

Sinclair has been accused of being too close to Trump in other ways as well.  In 2016, Jared Kusher, president's son-in-law and adviser, said the campaign had struck a deal with Sinclair to give the network more access in exchange for running interviews with Trump without commentary, Politico reported.  Sinclair denied anything improper occurred.  "It was a standard package, but an extended package, extended story where you'd hear more directly from candidate on the issue instead of hearing all the spin and all the rhetoric," Sinclair spokesman Scott Livingston told Politico at the time.  Sinclair is currently in the process of purchasing Tribune media, a deal that would give it access to 42 more stations.

Once complete, Sinclair will reach 72 percent of U.S.

households.   Last year, "Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver warned of the implications of the purchase, and spoke out against Sinclair's tendency to push "must-run" content on its stations.  On Twitter, critics slammed the company over the script local anchors were forced to record:  I worked for Sinclair during most of my time in El Paso.

They were awful & I would never work for them again.

What they're doing now is ridiculous propaganda and it's an embarrassment to the profession.

I feel for my former colleagues being forced to read this garbage.

https://t.co/hnqIU2EfW7 — Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 31, 2018 Back when I anchored, the worst thing I'd have to read was usually just a poorly written package intro I hadn't had time to put in my own words.

But this Sinclair crap is so, so, so much worse.

Almost like a hostage video.

Scary and disgraceful.

— David Gillin (@DavidDGillin) April 1, 2018 "This is dangerous for our democracy" pic.twitter.com/bor21D8J4z — Meghan Eck (@MeghanEck) April 1, 2018 I wrote to the local Sinclair station.

I asked them to wink 2x during the next announcement, if theyre being held hostage by corporate management.

I also asked for clarification on what fake news theyre complaining about.

— Winnie_McQ (@Winnie_McQ) April 1, 2018 These Sinclair anchors should revive the Hawaiian Good Luck Sign indicating they are involuntarily appearing in hostage videos.https://t.co/PXqRkiXwFI — Ken Cox.

For more infomation >> ( US News ) Sinclair Broadcasting Orders Local Anchors To Record Bizarre 'Hostage' Video - Duration: 6:11.

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( US News ) White House On Police Shootings Of African-Americans: It's A 'Local Matter' - Duration: 4:49.

White House On Police Shootings Of African-Americans: It's A 'Local Matter'

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that last week's fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, a 22-year-old, unarmed black man is a "local matter and something we feel should be left up to the local authorities." Reporter April Ryan asked Sanders during her daily briefing what President Donald Trump had to say about Clark's death and Tuesday's announcement that the Louisiana attorney general would not charge two white police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling, a black man in Baton Rouge.

Sanders called the incidents "terrible."   "We want to make sure all law enforcement is carrying out the letter of the law," Sanders elaborated.

"The president is very supportive of law enforcement.

But at the same time, in these specific cases and specific instances, those will be left up to local authorities to make that determination and is not something for the federal government to weigh into."  The American Urban Radio Networks correspondent pressed further. Ryan said the mother of Eric Garner, the black man who died in 2014 after repeating "I can't breathe" while being restrained by a New York City police officer, is still seeking an indictment and asked whether the president has asked for one or knows what is happening in the case.

Sanders again said it was a "local matter." The city of Sacramento has been in turmoil since Clark's death on March 18.

Protesters gathered at Sacramento City Hall on Tuesday to plead for justice and chant, "No justice, no peace." Clark was shot 20 times by police officers in his grandparent's backyard.

The officers claimed they believed he was armed, though Clark had only a cellphone in his hand.

Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter protesters march through the streets of Sacramento, California, on March 28 in response to the police shooting of Stephon Clark.

"We want to find ways to bring the country together ― certainly not looking for any place of division," Sanders told reporters Wednesday.

Sanders was also asked whether the president feels the need to do something to address the concerns of African-American mothers fearing for their children's lives.

The press secretary drew a hard line, saying race is not part of the equation.

"I think we should do every single thing we can every single day to protect the people of this country," Sanders said.

"I think the president ― whether they're black, white, Hispanic, male or female, rich or poor ― we look for ways to protect the individuals in this country, particularly children." Trump has defended police officers throughout his tenure, saying that they "deserve a greater level of respect and gratitude than they currently receive." He has characterized protests against police brutality as "anti-police sentiment" that "is wrong and it's dangerous." And Trump has repeatedly called on the NFL to crack down on players, such as Colin Kaepernick, who have knelt during the playing of the national anthem to draw attention to racial injustice perpetrated by law enforcement.

   .

  PHOTO GALLERY Shooting At Great Mills High School  .

For more infomation >> ( US News ) White House On Police Shootings Of African-Americans: It's A 'Local Matter' - Duration: 4:49.

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Malaysia House OKs 'Fake News' Law - Duration: 0:55.

For more infomation >> Malaysia House OKs 'Fake News' Law - Duration: 0:55.

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( US News ) Chrissy Teigen Nails Bill O'Reilly Over His 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Complaint - Duration: 1:49.

Chrissy Teigen Nails Bill O'Reilly Over His 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Complaint

5k   36.

NBC's live broadcast of "Jesus Christ Superstar" drew high praise on Sunday night, but former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly didn't seem to be a fan.  O'Reilly tweeted:  Watching JC Superstar on NBC.

Who knew Jesus of Nazareth ran a tattoo parlor? Geez.

— Bill OReilly (@BillOReilly) April 2, 2018 O'Reilly left Fox News last year amid sexual harassment allegations, including reports he paid $32 million to settle accusations against him. His comment prompted Chrissy Teigen ― wife of John Legend, who played Jesus in the performance ― to fire back:  Yes the shop specializes in coverups that aren't 32 million dollars https://t.co/2hklA6Ix4P — christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) April 2, 2018 Ouch.     .

  PHOTO GALLERY Chrissy Teigen and John Legend  .

For more infomation >> ( US News ) Chrissy Teigen Nails Bill O'Reilly Over His 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Complaint - Duration: 1:49.

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❤ 비는 과대평가, 김윤진은 과소평가. ❤ HKN Hot News - Duration: 9:34.

For more infomation >> ❤ 비는 과대평가, 김윤진은 과소평가. ❤ HKN Hot News - Duration: 9:34.

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Why is Easter Tuesday a school holiday?[News NZ 24h] - Duration: 3:19.

Why is Easter Tuesday a school holiday?

Parents across New Zealand have been thrown off by Easter Tuesday - an extra day off for state and integrated schools over the Easter holiday break.

Although the Tuesday after Easter Monday is not a public holiday, it was a school holiday this year, making Easter a five-day break from school.

Early childhood teacher and mother Leigh Wills said Easter Tuesday was an extra cost to parents - particularly those without family who could help.

She wanted it gone to better suit modern parenting.

People cant afford to have one parent at home.

As it stands parents already have to deal with six weeks off at Christmas as well as a two week break three times a year, she said. .

Keep in mind parents generally only get four weeks a year annual leave.

Most holiday programmes cost more than childcare so it was a massive expense for families, she said.

Now throw in Easter Tuesday, teacher only days and half days for three way conferences.

There are no holiday programmes available for these days forcing parents to take annual leave.

For example my son was off today (Easter Tuesday) so there is a day annual leave, he has a half day tomorrow for three way conferences - luckily the school is going to let children play in the hall from 12.30 until 3pm . Then next Friday they have a teacher only day before breaking up for two weeks holiday. .

So next Friday I have to take leave to watch him on a day he should be at school.

I would rather use my leave to be able to attend special assemblies, class trips or other opportunities to actually be involved in my childs schooling..

Easter Tuesday is a recognised holiday in some parts of the world.

However, it is only recognised by schools in New Zealand if Easter is unusually early or late and the extra school day off has become something of a tradition.

For more infomation >> Why is Easter Tuesday a school holiday?[News NZ 24h] - Duration: 3:19.

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St John ambulance officers save baby born at 25 weeks[News NZ 24h] - Duration: 6:52.

St John ambulance officers save baby born at 25 weeks

   .

Bella Torkington wasnt expected to survive when she was born at 25 weeks on a bathroom floor, but some plastic wrap and a sandwich bag helped her defy the odds.

Baby Bella is now a picture of health, squawking and sucking her fingers and toes as she sits on mother Rachael Sibley, while dad Kyle Torkington tickles her knee.

The scene at the family home in West Melton, west of Christchurch, on Tuesday is a far cry from the traumatic night of her birth on July 22, 2017.

A ferocious storm had hit Canterbury and Torkington was asleep by 9.

30pm.

Sibley began feeling stomach cramps, but never considered she might be in labour as her baby was not due until November.

By 11.

30pm, the contractions were only four minutes apart and Sibley called her midwife, who advised her to see a doctor at Christchurch Womens Hospital.

She woke Torkington and was about to get dressed when her waters broke.

Torkington called 111, but an ambulance could not get to the house in time.

Torkington was still on the phone to a St John call centre operator when Sibley had two more horrific contractions and Bella was born on the bathroom floor.

While the birth was happening, St John paramedics Steve Pudney and Olivia Burns sped towards the house in an ambulance and prepared their response.

We had discussed a plan on the way out about how we were going to resuscitate her and ventilation rations and CPR ratios for someone that small, Pudney said.

Torkington said baby Bellas condition began to deteriorate quickly while they waited for help to arrive.

When she came out she initially made a bit of a squeak, but then all of a sudden she went all blue in the face and just didnt make any noise.

The operator told him he was going to have to breathe for her.

He began chest compressions and gave her breaths through her nose and mouth at the same time, continuing until the paramedics got there.

I had to be very gentle and there were all these gurgling noises and it was pretty scary, he said.

Pudney and Burns found Sibleys tiny baby was still attached to her by the umbilical cord.

Burns struggled to hide her shock at the situation.

Id never seen something that small.

I picked her up and she was perfect, her little fingers – thats the one image I will always carry – her little fingers, she was perfect in every way.

You pick her up and you will her to live, shes fighting.

she wants to be here, shes fighting hard to stay here and Im going to move heaven and earth just to give her the chance..

Although Bellas heartbeat was strong, she was taking only six breaths a minute – not enough to sustain her life, Burns said.

She held a child-sized oxygen mask – big enough to cover the infants entire head – in place while Pudney monitored Bellas heart with a stethoscope.

We had to figure out how fast her heart was going.

it can get quite complicated whether we add oxygen or not because too much oxygen is quite detrimental to a child that small, Pudney said. .

He cut the umbilical cord and kept Bella warm with plastic wrap and a zip lock bag from her parents kitchen.

He kept her head warm by cutting the toe off one of Torkingtons socks to use as a miniature beanie.

The paramedics cranked up the heating in the ambulance for the tense ride to Christchurch Womens Hospital.

Staff there were waiting with an incubator and rushed Bella to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as soon as she arrived.

Torkington and Sibley asked them to do everything they could to save her, despite knowing the odds were stacked against her.

Baby Bella spent five months in the NICU and did defy those odds.

Her parents were finally able to take her home on December 4. .

For more infomation >> St John ambulance officers save baby born at 25 weeks[News NZ 24h] - Duration: 6:52.

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For more infomation >> Vote News - Duration: 4:15.

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Uomini e Donne News, Virginia Stablum: uno strano like insospettisce - Duration: 3:59.

For more infomation >> Uomini e Donne News, Virginia Stablum: uno strano like insospettisce - Duration: 3:59.

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For more infomation >> Independent tv Sangbad 4 April 2018 Bangladesh Latest News Today Ajker Khobor bd News all bangle - Duration: 11:01.

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HOT NEWS !!! Apple Releases The macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 Software Update - Duration: 2:16.

last week Apple released their new iOS 11.3 software update they also release

their Makos High Sierra ten point thirteen point four update the Makos

High Sierra 10.13.4 update brings a range of new

features to Apple's range of Mac computers it also comes with some bug

fixes and performance improvements the Makos High Sierra ten point thirteen

point four update improves the stability performance and security of your Mac and

it is recommended for all users this update brings such as adds support for

business chat conversations and messages in the US adds support for external

graphics processors EGP us fixes graphics corruption issues affecting

certain apps on a mac pro allows jumping to the right most open tab using command

9 in safari enables sorting of Safari bookmarks by name or URL by control

clicking and choosing sort by fixes an issue that may prevent web link previews

from appearing in messages helps protect privacy by only auto-filling usernames

and passwords after selecting them in a web form field in Safari displays

warnings in the Safari smart search field when interacting with password or

credit card forms on unencrypted web pages displays privacy icons and links

to explain how your data will be used and protected when Apple features ask to

use your personal information the update is now available to download from the

Mac App Store

For more infomation >> HOT NEWS !!! Apple Releases The macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 Software Update - Duration: 2:16.

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( US News ) Bad Ideas Aren't Worth Debating - Duration: 12:20.

Bad Ideas Aren't Worth Debating

Bloomberg via Getty Images The Atlantics Kevin D.

Williamson, formerly of National Review, pictured here in 2010.

Mainstream magazines in the Donald Trump era have been scrambling to hire more right-leaning columnists to demonstrate their commitment to diversity of thought.

These efforts have borne fruit, though not exactly in the manner intended.

Instead of showing the value of vibrant debate, they've demonstrated that conservative ideas aren't worth debating.

The Atlantic's recent personnel choices are a case in point.

The magazine has just hired two new columnists, one on the left, one on the right.

The left columnist, Ibram X.

Kendi, is the author of Stamped from the Beginning.

The monograph is a groundbreaking, painstaking history of the development of racist and anti-racist ideas in America that challenges comfortable notions of progress against bigotry.

It won the National Book Award.

The right columnist, Kevin D.

Williamson, is a writer formerly at National Review who has referred to a nine-year-old black child as a "primate." Most of the online discussion following The Atlantic's hires has focused on Williamson, especially on a series of tweets in which he stated that women who have abortions should be hanged.

Kendi has been largely forgotten — but the contrast between his work and Williamson's is instructive.

Kendi is a pioneering anti-racist, while Williamson regurgitates tired racist bilge.

But beyond that, Kendi shows that it would be trivially easy for high profile, mainstream venues to find serious, important, respected, left scholars to write for them.

Tressie McMillan Cottom, Julia Serano,  Safiya Umoja Noble, Laura Agustín — the left has an embarrassment of thinkers with unique perspectives and valuable knowledge who could enrich the public discourse.

And the right has. Kevin D.

Williamson, a longtimer in the right-wing media bubble whose brilliant, provocative ideas include the suggestion that we should name rape accusers.

Would American intellectual life really lose out because we aren't debating whether women who have abortions should be hanged? It's not just Williamson, either.

Bret Stephens, The New York Times' high profile conservative hire, kicked off his tenure with an embarrassing column spouting climate change denial.

Later he penned a defense of Woody Allen which ignored substantial evidence that the actor had abused his then 7-year-old adoptive daughter.

Stephens also compared Allen favorably to former Olympic gymnast national team doctor Larry Nassar, because Nassar abused more than 250 children, while Allen was accused only of abusing one.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post hired libertarian conservative writer Megan McArdle.

McArdle seriously recommended in 2012 that we could reduce gun violence by training children to rush active shooters.

"If we drilled it into young people that the correct thing to do is for everyone to instantly run at the guy with the gun, these sorts of mass shootings would be less deadly," she insisted.

McArdle, Stephens, and Williamson have all been mercilessly mocked on social media.

In response, conservatives have wailed that liberals are intolerant, and don't want any conservatives to write in the mainstream.

"If left-leaning but not explicitly ideological publications cleanse their pages of conservative voices, the loss to American intellectual life will be immense," National Review fulminates.

But would it? Would American intellectual life really lose out because we aren't debating whether women who have abortions should be hanged? What does Williamson's cruel, bigoted refusal to use Laverne Cox's proper pronouns add to "American intellectual life"? Our public discourse ― or for that matter life on earth ― is not enriched but imperiled by ignorant, ideological efforts to cast doubt on the consensus around climate change.

The issue is not left intolerance.

The issue is that conservative intellectuals make bad, often nonsensical arguments, and spout opinions that are hateful and harmful on their face.

Nor is this a surprise, given the last several decades of American history.

Anyone looking objectively at the GOP's record in politics over the last 30-odd years would reasonably conclude that conservatism is a bankrupt and harmful ideology, built on bigotry and a fetishization of tax cuts for the rich.

The previous Republican president, George W.

Bush, presided over an unnecessary and catastrophic war, a horrifyingly incompetent hurricane relief effort, and a historic, devastating financial collapse.

The current Republican president is an incompetent would-be authoritarian whose main accomplishments so far have involved empowering a fascist police force to harass and deport innocent people.

The Republican Congress put forth incoherent health care plan after incoherent health care plan, before ramming through a similarly incoherent tax cut for the wealthy.

Conservatism in office has brought Americans war, financial disaster, misery, and rising fascism.

Conservative pundits, meanwhile, write column after column propounding ill-informed, bigoted, and cruel solutions to problems that don't exist, while denying the existence of real injustices and misery.

This is not some sort of coincidence.

Conservative governance is a disaster because conservative thinking is bankrupt.

Giving more space to conservative thinkers is not going to make our polity more diverse and vibrant.

It's going to fill our public sphere with prejudice and ignorance.

Ibram X. Kendi challenges and enlightens.

Kevin D.

Williamson does neither of those things.

The left is constantly told that we're shutting down debate and thereby threatening free speech.

But no one is owed a platform at a mainstream publication.

The record of conservative governance, and the record of conservative pundits, makes a strong case that conservative ideas have little to offer in response to our greatest problems now, if they ever did.

Yes, lots of people believe in conservatism, but lots of people believe in astrology, too.

That doesn't mean that mainstream publications should start running serious op-eds about what the arrangement of the stars says about the major political issues of our day.

(Though admittedly astrology is a lot less harmful than conservatism.) The rise of Trump should have led gatekeepers to question the legitimacy and the value of conservatism.

Predictably, though, it has done the opposite.

Power is always its own justification, and Trump's narrow, fluke victory has convinced editors at The New York Times and The Atlantic that what America really wants and needs is more serious conservatism to challenge readers.

But "serious conservatism" is an oxymoron, and readers are ill-served by garbage provocations, bigotry, and ignorance couched as "challenges." If conservatives have thinkers and scholars on the level of Ibram X.

Kendi, bring them forward.

In the meantime, Kevin D.

Williamson, and all the other fourth-rate proponents of his failed ideology, should be shown the door.

Our public sphere would be more vibrant, more thoughtful, more productive, and yes, more free, without them.

Noah Berlatsky is the author most recently of Nazi Dreams: Films About Fascism.

   .

For more infomation >> ( US News ) Bad Ideas Aren't Worth Debating - Duration: 12:20.

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'Major tragedy' narrowly avoided after 14-bed Motueka house catches alight[News NZ 24h] - Duration: 4:26.

'Major tragedy' narrowly avoided after 14-bed Motueka house catches alight

Foreigners living in an old wooden house in Motueka have narrowly avoided tragedy after a faulty fireplace caused their roof to go up in flames.

Nelson Fire and Emergency senior station officer Craig Davies said fire officers had counted 14 beds in the Motueka house and only one working, but poorly placed, smoke alarm.

It had initially appeared as though the house had no smoke alarms and although one was eventually located, fire officers felt it would have afforded little protection for the occupants due to its placement.

Eight crews were called to the blaze before 8pm on Monday night to find the roof ablaze.

Im not too sure how many people were actually living in the house at the time and English wasnt their first language, Davies said.

They were extremely lucky to get away with their lives.

it was an old wooden house that was loaded with a lot of people..

Davies said because the fire had broken out early in the evening, the occupants had seen the smoke and all managed to escape without injury.

If smoke alarms werent positioned well, they were rendered useless, and there needed to smoke alarms on the ceiling of every sleeping area.

It certainly could have been a major tragedy with multiple fatalities in Motueka last night, he said.

If it had been another couple of hours and theyd all been asleep, we could have been looking at multiple fatalities.

The fire had broken out as the fireplace had been incorrectly installed and caught on to the ceiling space.

Everybody was lucky to get away with their lives.

Everybody needs smoke alarms in their house, and they need a smoke alarm in every bedroom, especially places that have got a lot of people living in them like that..

Occupants of houses also needed to have escape plans.

Crews from Motueka, Kaiteriteri, Upper Moutere, Mapua and Nelson had attended the fire, and it had been a good save in that the house was still standing.

The roof would need to be replaced, however, and there was a lean-to area next to the house that had also been severely damaged.

Fire crews had also managed to save most of the contents in the house, but there had been some water damage. .

Its understood the occupants were a mixture of nationalities.

Motueka volunteer chief fire officer Mike Riddell said language had been a barrier, but he thought the occupants may have been seasonal workers from various countries, including European and Asian nationalities.

It highlighted the need for landlords who rented to seasonal workers to check smoke alarms were well-placed and positioned on the ceiling in every bedroom space.

For more infomation >> 'Major tragedy' narrowly avoided after 14-bed Motueka house catches alight[News NZ 24h] - Duration: 4:26.

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( US News ) John Oliver Shreds The Feds For Forcing Kids To Appear In Court Without Lawyers - Duration: 1:57.

John Oliver Shreds The Feds For Forcing Kids To Appear In Court Without Lawyers

John Oliver called out what just may be one of the worst parts of the U.S.

legal system.  On Sunday's "Last Week Tonight," Oliver showed how children can be forced to defend themselves in immigration court because they were not entitled to legal representation.

"I've taught immigration law literally to 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds," immigration judge Jack H.

Weil argued in 2016.

"It takes a lot of time.

It takes a lot of patience. They get it.

It's not the most efficient, but it can be done." "No, it can't!" an incredulous Oliver shot back.

"You can't teach immigration law to a 3-year-old.

You can't even explain to a child that age that Elmo isn't his best friend."  See his full takedown of the system ― and many of its other flaws ― in the clip above.     .

  PHOTO GALLERY Kids Writing To Kids In Immigrant Detention  .

For more infomation >> ( US News ) John Oliver Shreds The Feds For Forcing Kids To Appear In Court Without Lawyers - Duration: 1:57.

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( US News ) Oklahoma Approves Tax Hike To Avert Teachers' Strike - Duration: 3:52.

Oklahoma Approves Tax Hike To Avert Teachers' Strike

(Reuters) ― Oklahoma's Senate on Wednesday approved legislation for the first major tax increase in a quarter century to help fund pay raises for teachers and avert a strike.

Low teacher pay in the United States came into focus earlier this month when educators in West Virginia, whose pay is slightly higher than in Oklahoma, held a nine-day strike that ended after they received a 5 percent pay rise.

The Oklahoma measure, which will raise about $450 million to fund increased pay for teachers, school staff and state workers, had already passed the state House and Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said on Wednesday she would sign it into law.

But the money may not be enough to satisfy the demands of Oklahoma's teachers, who rank among the worst paid in the United States and had been planning a strike for next week.

"There is still work to do to get this legislature to invest more in our classrooms," Alicia Priest, president of the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA), the state's largest teachers union, said in a Facebook post after the Senate vote.

"That work will continue Monday when educators descend on the Capitol", Priest said.

The tax hikes on cigarettes, fuel, lodging and oil and gas production will fund a $6,100, or 16 percent, pay raise on average for Oklahoma teachers, Fallin said in a statement.

The OEA, which has about 40,000 members, has said it is seeking a $10,000 pay increase over three years for teachers and a $5,000 raise for support personnel.

According to National Education Association estimates for 2016, Oklahoma ranked 48th, followed by Mississippi at 49 and South Dakota at 50, in terms of average U.S.

classroom teacher salary.

Oklahoma secondary school teachers had an annual mean wage of $42,460 as of May 2016, according to the U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For the past few years, Oklahoma has battled budget deficits stemming from the 2014 collapse in oil prices that hit its large energy industry and slammed state revenue.

(Reporting by Andrew Hay and Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Michael Perry)    .

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