K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For May 15th, 2017 – Morning

LONDON (AP) - THE WORLDWIDE "RANSOMWARE" CYBERATTACK EBBED IN INTENSITY ON MONDAY, WITH THOUSANDS OF COMPUTERS AFFECTED IN ASIA BUT NO NEW LARGE-SCALE OUTBREAKS. EXPERTS WARNED, HOWEVER, THAT NEW VERSIONS OF THE VIRUS COULD EMERGE. THE NEW INFECTIONS WERE LARGELY IN ASIA, WHICH HAD BEEN CLOSED FOR BUSINESS WHEN THE MALWARE FIRST STRUCK ON FRIDAY, DISRUPTING BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND DAILY LIFE.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS CONDEMNED NORTH KOREA'S LATEST TEST-FIRING OF A BALLISTIC MISSILE. NORTH KOREA ON SUNDAY LAUNCHED WHAT IT SAID WAS A NEW TYPE OF "MEDIUM LONG-RANGE" BALLISTIC ROCKET THAT CAN CARRY A HEAVY NUCLEAR WARHEAD. SPEAKING TO REPORTERS DURING A VISIT TO CHINA, PUTIN SAID MONDAY THAT "THERE'S NOTHING GOOD ABOUT" THE LAUNCH.

PARIS (AP) - THE FAR-RIGHT NATIONAL FRONT PARTY OF MARINE LE PEN, WHO WAS BEATEN HANDILY BY EMMANUEL MACRON IN THE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, HAS JOINED THE CRITICISM OF MACRON'S APPOINTMENT OF EDOUARD PHILIPPE AS PRIME MINISTER. NICOLAS BAY, THE PARTY'S SECRETARY GENERAL, SAID MACRON'S GOVERNMENT IS BECOMING "A SYNTHESIS OF THE WORST OF THE RIGHT AND THE WORST OF THE LEFT."

HOUSTON (AP) - GUIDANCE ISSUED BY THE U.S. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS OUTLINES HOW SCHOOLS SHOULD HANDLE ALLEGATIONS OF STUDENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE. IT HAS HELPED LEAD TO A FLOOD OF COMPLAINTS FROM STUDENTS WHO SAY ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS HAVE MISHANDLED THEIR CASES. BUT THE INCREASE ALSO TAXED AN ALREADY STRETCHED OPERATION, WHICH HAS STRUGGLED TO HOLD SCHOOLS ACCOUNTABLE AND AT TIMES DELAYED JUSTICE FOR SOME OF THE STUDENTS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SOUGHT TO HELP.

HAMAM AL-ALIL, IRAQ (AP) - A SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL SAYS THE FIGHT TO RETAKE MOSUL FROM THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUP IS APPROACHING ITS "FINAL STAGES." BRETT MCGURK, THE SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR THE GLOBAL COALITION AGAINST IS SAYS IRAQI FORCES ARE "COMPLETELY DEFEATING" IS IN ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT URBAN BATTLES SINCE WORLD WAR II. BUT HE SAYS LOCAL IRAQI OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL NEED MORE FUNDING FROM THE U.S. AND OTHERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO REBUILD IN TERRITORY RECENTLY RETAKEN FROM THE EXTREMISTS.

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A PUBLIC DEFENDER IS BLAMING THE NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE FILING OF A LAST-MINUTE MOTION WHICH MAY DELAY THE TRIAL OF A FORMER CARNIVAL WORKER ACCUSED OF ABDUCTING AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A CHILD.

34-YEAR-OLD JOSHUA ASHBY WINTERS IS CHARGED WITH THREE FELONY COUNTS: KIDNAPPING, SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR IN THE FIRST DEGREE AND SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR IN THE SECOND DEGREE. HE COULD FACE 45 YEARS TO LIFE PLUS 70 YEARS IN PRISON IF CONVICTED ON ALL COUNTS.

CHARGING PAPERS ALLEGE WINTERS ABDUCTED A 5-YEAR-OLD BOY FROM A CASPER BOWLING ALLEY, TOOK HIM TO THE RIVER AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THE VICTIM IN JULY.

A FOUR-DAY TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN TODAY, BUT A MOTION FILED THURSDAY BY PUBLIC DEFENDER ROBERT OLDHAM MAY DELAY WINTERS' DAY IN COURT.

PART OF THE MOTION CONCERNS THE WAY WINTERS WAS QUESTIONED BY POLICE. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THE FACT THAT THE PROSECUTOR DELAYED PROVIDING SOME OF THIS EVIDENCE AS LONG AS 8 MONTHS AFTER THE DEFENSE ASKED FOR IT.

AND WHEN IT WAS FINALLY GIVEN TO WINTERS' PUBLIC DEFENDER, IT WAS ONLY ONE MONTH FROM THE START OF THE TRIAL.

IN A MOTION IN LIMINE, OLDHAM ASKS NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT JUDGE THOMAS SULLINS TO EXCLUDE FROM TRIAL WINTERS' STATEMENTS TO INVESTIGATORS. OLDHAM ARGUES THAT INVESTIGATORS VIOLATED WINTERS' CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT.
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LARAMIE, WYO. (AP) - THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS APPROVED ESTABLISHING AN HONORS COLLEGE.

ASSOCIATED VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION ANNE ALEXANDER SAYS ELEVATING THE CURRENT HONORS PROGRAM WILL HELP UW RECRUIT MORE TOP-ACHIEVING STUDENTS AND COMPETE WITH OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE ADOPTED SUCH PROGRAMS.

ADDITIONALLY, AN HONORS COLLEGE COULD REQUIRE ENROLLED STUDENTS TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES SUCH AS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, STUDY ABROAD OR INTERNSHIPS, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY ENCOURAGED BUT OPTIONAL FOR HONORS STUDENTS.

ALEXANDER SAYS A MORE RIGOROUS SYSTEM WOULD DEMAND MORE OF HONORS STUDENTS, IN TURN MAKING THEM MORE WELL-ROUNDED, EXPERIENCED GRADUATES.

THE TRUSTEES APPROVED THE IDEA LAST FRIDAY AND THE HONORS COLLEGE WOULD BE FULLY ESTABLISHED BY FALL 2020.

A SEARCH FOR THE FIRST HONORS COLLEGE DEAN IS UNDERWAY NOW.