Trump blames election losses on government shutdown, ‘kamikaze’ Democrats

President Donald Trump on Wednesday blamed big Republican losses in the off-year elections on the government shutdown and “kamikaze” Democrats.

Hours after voters in several states and New York City rebuked Trump’s GOP allies, the president conceded the results weren’t “good for Republicans,” lashed out at Democrats and suggested Republicans should take an even harder line with their political opponents.

“I think (Democrats are) kamikaze pilots. I think these guys are kamikaze,” Trump said. “They’ll take down the country if they have to.”

Trump vowed to discuss the results more candidly behind closed doors with Republican senators gathered for a breakfast meeting. “I thought we’d have a discussion after the press leaves about what last night represented and what we should do about it and also about the shutdown and how that relates to last night,” he said.

—New York Daily News

FAA to cut 10% of flights Friday due to shutdown

American transportation regulators will cut flights by 10% across 40 of the nation’s busiest airports starting Friday if the government shutdown continues.

The move is to alleviate pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for weeks. Officials did not disclose exactly which airports or airlines would be affected but promised further details on Thursday.

Some controllers have been forced to take side jobs, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday, which has created “staffing pressure in our airspace.” That has prompted delays and cancellations, he said. And “there’s additional pressure that’s building in the system.”

To make sure the airspace remains safe, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency will reduce flight capacity by 10% at 40 airports, amounting to nearly 4,000 flights.

—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

No ability to pay: Kohberger’s Idaho defense fends off more victim restitution

BOISE, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, the man serving life in prison for killing four University of Idaho students, received at least $10,000 in donations while he was in custody awaiting his murder trial, and seeks to avoid paying any future funds to the victims’ families.

Attorneys for Kohberger and the state appeared virtually in front of 4th Judicial District Judge Steven Hippler on Wednesday morning to argue over how much restitution he should be forced to pay. The 20-minute hearing was the first in the closely watched case since Hippler sentenced Kohberger to four consecutive life terms plus $300,000 more than three months ago.

Kohberger, who turns 31 this month, is incarcerated at the state’s maximum security prison south of Boise. He was not at Wednesday’s hearing, with his three-member defense team appearing in his place.

In a deal to plead guilty, which removed the possibility of the death penalty and prevented a trial, Kohberger already agreed to pay nearly $29,000 to two of the victims’ families and Idaho’s crime victim’s fund. But his defense argued he shouldn’t be on the hook for additional restitution for the other two victims’ families.

—The Idaho Statesman

Mexico's president was groped on the street. Now she's waging a war against rampant sexual harassment

MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was strolling through her city's capital this week, heading from one government office to another, when she stopped to take selfies with a crowd of admirers.

A man approached from behind, slipped his arm around Sheinbaum's shoulder, leaned in to plant a kiss on her neck and briefly grabbed her chest before an aide pushed him away.

The groping incident, which was captured on video by bystanders Tuesday, sparked outrage nationally and put renewed focus on the rampant sexual harassment faced by women here.

Sheinbaum, who last year was sworn in as Mexico's first female leader, has seized the chance to raise awareness about the issue. "If they do this to the president," she asked Wednesday, "what must happen to all the young women in the country?"

—Los Angeles Times