K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For October 17th, 2017 – Morning

BEIRUT (AP) - THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE U.S.-LED COALITION SAYS POCKETS OF ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS STILL REMAIN IN THE SYRIAN CITY OF RAQQA. THE REMARKS COME AS U.S.-BACKED SYRIAN FORCES AND THEIR ALLIES ON THE GROUND ARE GOING THROUGH THE CITY'S NEWLY LIBERATED AREAS SEARCHING FOR LAND MINES AND SLEEPER CELLS. COL. RYAN DILLON SAID ON TUESDAY THAT THE SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES HAVE SEIZED THE LAST STRONGHOLDS OF THE MILITANT GROUP IN RAQQA BUT ARE NOT DONE SECURING THEM.

BEIRUT (AP) - THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUP APPEARS ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE. RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE WORST ATROCITIES PERPETRATED AGAINST CIVILIANS IN RECENT HISTORY, THE MILITANTS HAVE NOW LOST THEIR SELF-PROCLAIMED CAPITAL OF RAQQA AND ARE BATTLING TO HANG ON TO LAST REMAINS OF THEIR 'CALIPHATE.' BUT ONE ANALYST ESTIMATES 8,000 JIHADIS REMAIN IN IRAQ'S ANBAR PROVINCE AND THAT THEY WILL MELT AWAY 'LIKE SALT IN WATER' AND WAIT FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT TO LAUNCH THEIR NEXT INSURGENCY OR SUICIDE ATTACK.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S NOMINEE TO BE THE NATION'S DRUG CZAR IS WITHDRAWING FROM CONSIDERATION FOR THE JOB. TRUMP ANNOUNCED THE DECISION IN A TWEET EARLY TUESDAY. THE MOVE FOLLOWS REPORTS BY THE WASHINGTON POST AND CBS' "60 MINUTES" THAT REPUBLICAN REP. TOM MARINO PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN PASSING A BILL THAT WEAKENED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY TO STOP COMPANIES FROM DISTRIBUTING OPIOIDS. MARINO COULD NOT IMMEDIATELY BE REACHED FOR COMMENT TUESDAY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS INCORRECTLY CLAIMED THAT HIS PREDECESSORS DIDN'T CALL THE FAMILIES OF MILITARY PERSONNEL KILLED IN ACTION. NOW, AIDES TO FORMER PRESIDENTS BARACK OBAMA AND GEORGE W. BUSH ARE ANGRILY PUSHING BACK, INSISTING THEIR BOSSES WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO HONOR THE DEAD. GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY, THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, TWEETED THAT BOTH PRESIDENTS "CARED DEEPLY, WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR THE SERVING, THE FALLEN, AND THEIR FAMILIES. NOT POLITICS. SACRED TRUST."

LONDON (AP) - THE LIKES OF FACEBOOK, GOOGLE AND APPLE ARE INCREASINGLY FACING AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH: EUROPE'S CULTURE OF TOUGH CORPORATE OVERSIGHT, NOT AMERICA'S LIGHT-TOUCH REGULATION, MAY SOON RULE THEIR INDUSTRY. AS GOVERNMENTS SEEK TO COMBAT FAKE NEWS AND PREVENT EXTREMISTS FROM USING THE INTERNET TO FAN THE FLAMES OF HATRED, IT SEEMS THAT THE U.S. MAY HAVE TO START APPROACHING ONLINE CONTENT IN EUROPE'S MORE PROACTIVE WAY.
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THE TRIAL OF A CASPER RESIDENT CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A THEN-10-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN MARCH BEGAN MONDAY.

THE NOW-11-YEAR-OLD GIRL, WHO NOW LIVES OUTSIDE WYOMING, GAVE HER HALTING TESTIMONY DURING THE FIRST DAY OF THE TRIAL OF MIGUEL ALBERTO MARTINEZ, WHO IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE AND IS ALSO KNOWN AS MICHELLE.

MARTINEZ, WHO WAS 30 WHEN ARRESTED, FACES ONE COUNT OF FIRST-DEGREE SEXUAL ABUSE OF A CHILD AND ONE COUNT OF SECOND-DEGREE SEXUAL ABUSE OF A CHILD.

IF CONVICTED ON BOTH COUNTS, MARTINEZ COULD FACE BETWEEN 25 AND 70 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT.

THE GIRL TOLD THE JURORS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE BLONIGEN AND JUDGE CATHERINE WILKING SHE CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL ON MARCH 23 WHILE HER MOTHER WAS COOKING AND SEVERAL FRIENDS THEIR RESIDENCE.

SHE SAID SHE WAS DOWNSTAIRS, WENT UPSTAIRS TO GET A BOOK, WENT INTO THE BATHROOM AND CLOSED BUT NOT LOCKED THE DOOR.

SHE SAID SHE WAS PULLING UP HER PANTS AND MARTINEZ CAME IN WITHOUT KNOCKING.

HER TESTIMONY BECAME MORE HALTING AND SLOW WHEN SHE DESCRIBED WHAT MARTINEZ DID.

SHE SAID SHE TRIED TO SCREAM BUT MARTINEZ PUT HER HAND OVER HER MOUTH, BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO KICK HIM TWICE.

BEFORE LEAVING THE BATHROOM, SHE SAID MARTINEZ TOLD HER TO KEEP WHAT HAPPENED A SECRET.
THE GIRL WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO TELL HER MOTHER, WHO TOLD THE COURT SHE CONFRONTED MARTINEZ WHO DENIED ANYTHING HAPPENED, CURSED, AND CALLED HER DAUGHTER A LIAR.

THE MOTHER CALLED POLICE, AND AN OFFICER, THE GIRL AND HER MOTHER WENT TO THE WYOMING MEDICAL CENTER FOR A SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATION.

THE TRIAL RESUMES AT 9:30 A.M. TODAY.
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JACKSON, WYO. (AP) - WYOMING WILDLIFE MANAGERS ARE HOSTING A CIRCUIT OF MEETINGS AROUND THE STATE TO TALK ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF GRIZZLY BEARS.

THE WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT RECENTLY GAINED AUTHORITY OVER THE STATE'S GRIZZLIES.

THE MEETINGS AREN'T DESIGNED TO SET POLICIES, SUCH AS HUNTING REGULATIONS. THEY'LL SIMPLY BE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SHARE THEIR FEELINGS ON THE STATE'S GRIZZLY MANAGEMENT.

THE STATE'S LARGE CARNIVORE SUPERVISOR, DAN THOMPSON, SAYS HE REALIZES HUNTING IS A PART OF MANAGEMENT, BE HE SAYS HE DOESN'T WANT THE MEETINGS TO BE SOLELY ABOUT HUNTING.

THERE IS NO CURRENT GRIZZLY HUNTING SEASON IN WYOMING.

GRIZZLY BEARS BECAME STATE-MANAGED EARLIER THIS SUMMER AFTER 40 YEARS OF BEING UNDER FEDERAL JURISDICTION AND THE PROTECTION OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.

THERE IS NO CURRENT GRIZZLY HUNTING SEASON IN WYOMING.

GRIZZLY BEARS BECAME STATE-MANAGED EARLIER THIS SUMMER AFTER 40 YEARS OF BEING UNDER FEDERAL JURISDICTION AND THE PROTECTION OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.