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Maxwell fails
to gain release
NEW YORK (AP) -- A federal judge has rejected claims by Ghislaine Maxwell that new evidence has emerged that should grant her freedom following her sex trafficking conviction. Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said in a written ruling Tuesday that the claims by Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend and longtime associate were based on “speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods.”
He said Maxwell’s habeas petition seeking to set aside her conviction and free her from a 20-year prison sentence was “demonstrably meritless.” The Associated Press has sent a request for comment to lawyers who have represented Maxwell in the past.
Texas fire
mushrooms
(AP) -- Evacuations have been ordered in rural Texas where a wildfire has quickly expanded to cover more than 78 square miles. The fire began early Monday afternoon in a lightly populated area in the north central part of the state.
Some schools have canceled classes, and shelters have opened for residents and livestock. Wildfires have been popping up across the South and the West in recent days amid extremely dry conditions. The National Interagency Fire Center says a dozen new large fires were reported on Sunday alone.
Firefighters in Nevada have made progress slowing down a blaze that forced tens of thousands to evacuate in Reno. Many are still out of their homes.
Oil prices
help stocks
NEW YORK (AP) -- Oil prices fell again, which helped ease worries in the bond market and support stock prices.
The S&P 500 rose 0.3% Tuesday and inched closer to its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7%. Brent crude’s price fell 3.6% for a second decline following 13 gains in 14 days.
The drop came even though tensions between the United States and Iran seemed to ratchet higher after the Trump administration announced new sanctions to further hurt Iran’s economy. Treasury yields fell in the bond market.
Measles deaths
reported in US
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Pennsylvania health officials report that two unvaccinated residents have died after being infected with measles. They are the first measles-related deaths in the U.S. this year, following three last year.
The U.S. is experiencing its worst measles year since 1991, with 2,777 cases reported as of Thursday. In November, international health officials will assess if the U.S. and Mexico have lost their measles-free status. Vaccination rates have dropped below the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks, with exemptions rising to an all-time high among kindergartners.
State officials aren’t giving any more details about the two people, except that they lived in Lancaster County.