And Public Radio 91.5 k c x p. Bush land 89.38 cd 8 style heart streaming online at a speech he r. Dot org your business or organization can support Public Radio in your area by becoming a community sponsor and receiving frequent on air recognition for your support look under the support tab at h.p. P.r. Dot org for details. Good morning and enter a lobby has left the Oval Office saying President Trump opposes gun control after all barely a day after the president said on t.v. He supported a range of measures to have more on Morning Edition from n.p.r. News. Florida lawmakers vote today on gun measures opposed by the n.r.a. I'm David Greene and I'm Steve Inskeep a conservative says which gun policies he would support after the Florida school shootings writer Charles Cook insists that assault weapons ban won't work and that the president is quote entirely incoherent the Pentagon downplays a blot a mere Prudence claim that Russia now as powerful new nuclear weapons but what exactly do the Russians have it's Friday March 2nd day in 836 when the Republic of Texas declared its independence from Mexico. The news is next. Live from n.p.r. News in Washington I'm Korver Coleman the chief lobbyist for the National Rifle Association is hinting that President Trump is back on the side of the gun rights group after a White House meeting last night n.p.r. Shannon Van Sant says the n.r.a. Lobbyist message came on Twitter the n.r.a. Is top lobbyist says President Trump and vice president Mike Pence do not want gun control and a tweet Thursday night Donald Trump said he had a great meeting with the n.r.a. Vice president Mike Pence was also at the Thursday meeting with an arrays Chris Cox who later tweeted that pence and Trump do not want gun control support the 2nd Amendment and strong due process n.p.r. Shannon Van Sant the f.b.i. Is reportedly looking into whether Russian politician Alexander torsion illegally funneled money through the n.r.a. To help the Trump campaign as N.P.R.'s imac reports torsion own communications has led to scrutiny of his ties to the n.r.a. And to American politics Alexander torsion a deputy governor of the Bank of Russia is a prolific Tweeter those tweets provide a window into his efforts to methodically cultivate ties with the n.r.a. Over 6 years is tweets translated from Russian by n.p.r. Torsion talks extensively about leveraging n.r.a. Connections to meet the group's leaders and even he claims to meet with Donald Trump in 2015 he also claims that his membership in the n.r.a. Facilitated is ability to become an international election observer in Tennessee during the 2012 presidential election the n.r.a. Has denied any wrongdoing and the White House did not respond to requests for comment to Mack n.p.r. News Washington the National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings for southern California communities with Wildfire burn areas as Stephanie O'Neil reports there's concern that a storm in the region could trigger dangerous debris flows this storm is not expected to be as intense as the one that caused the 30 square mile debris flow in the Santa Barbara County town of want to see though. That killed at least $21.00 people in January still the National Weather Service says it has the potential to jump up to a half inch of rain in a one hour period and that's the threshold at which debris flows can happen saying they don't want to take any chances Santa Barbara County officials have ordered the mandatory evacuation of more than 20000 people and as rain began falling Thursday night officials in adjacent than trick County issued voluntary evacuation orders for portions of the county most susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows for n.p.r. News I'm Stephanie O'Neil in Ohio California on the East Coast the National Weather Service says a powerful winter storm will pour several inches of rain on areas from the Carolinas to New England heavy wet snow will pile up too and there's great concern about Powerful winds some of which may reach hurricane strength the weather service is cautioning there may be coastal and inland flooding you're listening to n.p.r. News from Washington. Officials in burkha Faso say 4 militants have been quote neutralized after they attacked the French embassy in the capital Aga Dougal there's a separate attack reported against the Burkean a fossil army headquarters a French and u.s. Embassies and also reported attacks in downtown where the do go the company founded by disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein accused of multiple counts of sexual assault has been sold and P.R.'s Elizabeth Blair reports the buyers are going to change the Weinstein company's name and create a victim's compensation fund a new company a new vision and a new mostly female board of directors lead investor Maria contrary asleep his or team's plan to purchase assets from the Weinstein Company is moving forward in a statement she says the sale will save jobs protect small businesses that are owed money and create a victim's compensation fund the Weinstein Company board of directors released a statement calling the deal a positive outcome under what has been incredibly difficult circumstances the sale has the approval of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman he insisted the deal include adequate compensation for victims the a.g. Filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Weinstein Company for failing to protect employees from Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual misconduct and discrimination that lawsuit is still active or was this Blair n.p.r. News China is warning global trade could be damaged following President Trump's decision to impose new tariffs on steel and aluminum imported into the United States China's government has not said whether it will retaliate I'm Korver Coleman n.p.r. News in Washington support for n.p.r. Comes from n.p.r. Stations other contributors include Fox Home Entertainment presenting 3 billboards outside adding Missouri starring Frances McDormand Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson written and directed by Martin McDonagh now available on Blu ray and digital. Good morning stick around for regional news coming up in just about 15 minutes here on member supported High Plains Public Radio the time is a dos 6 Central and you're listening to N.P.R.'s Morning Edition it's going to be sunny all across the high plains today highs will be in the upper sixty's to mid seventy's tonight it's going to be clear to mostly clear in the low they'll be in the lower thirty's to lower forty's. And Northwest Kansas northeast Colorado it's going to be sunny with a high near $68.00 tonight it'll be mostly clear with a low around $35.00 in north central Kansas it's going to be windy and sunny with highs in the upper sixty's tonight clear with lows in the lower forty's in southeast Colorado it's going to be sunny with a high near $74.00 tonight it'll be mostly clear with a low around $32.00. In south Kansas it's going to be sunny with a high near 70 tonight it'll be mostly clear with a low around $39.00 in the Oklahoma Panhandle will be sunny and windy with highs in the lower seventy's tonight it will be clear lows in the upper thirty's and in the Texas panhandle it'll be sunny with a high near $69.00 tonight mostly clear with a low around $39.00 support comes from Arkansas Valley Depot service a lot more Colorado since 1902 parts and experience to work on everything from over the road degrades to a t.v. With an expanding line of products and services a.v. Diesel dot com and Facebook. It's Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Steve Inskeep in Washington and I'm David Greene in Culver City California here are just 2 data points from a chaotic week on Wednesday President Trump held a televised meeting with lawmakers he appeared to endure gun legislation including measures opposed by the n.r.a. He Cuse fellow Republicans of being afraid of the n.r.a. When yesterday Chris Cox the top and Ari lobbyist dropped by the Oval Office Cox came out saying that the president does not support gun control and the president wrote on Twitter he had a quote good great meeting with the n.r.a. N.p.r. White House correspondent Tamara Keith is here to help us figure this out Hey Tom Hey so do we know after these last few days where the president stands on gun control not exactly So Chris Cox the n.r.a. Lobbyist came out of that meeting and as you say he tweeted that the president and vice president support the 2nd Amendment support strong due process and don't want gun control now very good spirits compared to what we thought the n.r.a. Was feeling just the day before well that's because they just talked to the president in the oval office late at night and apparently had a good meeting and you know this follows earlier in the week President Trump had this televised meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers where he seemed to side with Democrats on all kinds of things including And he went farther than Democrats on this the idea that he would take the guns 1st and go through due process 2nd he endorsed all sorts of legislation Well now today Sarah Sanders his spokesperson who we should say doesn't always exactly represent the president's views but she was on Fox and Friends and was asked Ok what does the president support Now look the president's already expressed support for Senator Cornyn legislation is also supported Stop Gun Violence Act Those are 2 pieces of legislation as our current form that the president supports the Timmy bill. He is not fully got on board with they're still kind of working out some of the final pieces of that legislation until it gets into its final stage we're not going to weigh in but we're continuing to closely watch that Ok So she's throwing of the names of a lot of bills there Tom but you safe to say that she's talking about some of the things that the president had originally said he would support that the n.r.a. Is again yet so the 1st bill she talked about is a narrow change that would basically make it so that more information gets into the background check system that has been even supported by the n.r.a. The Toomey bill that she's referring to is a more comprehensive background checks bill that at that meeting on Wednesday President trumpeted had said hey this should be the base bill add all kinds of other stuff into it and let's do something comprehensive Now the White House is saying well really no if the president's going to support that bill or not I want to play a little tape here in the nest to something this is Republican Senator John Thune describing that televised meeting with the president where the president soon to be siding with Democrats the other day I saw you start right with his wild I mean he seems kind of perplexed is what Sarah Sanders said this morning going to help out Republicans as they look at this issue and try to figure out where the president is guiding them. Not necessarily there there's just not that much clarity when when things change from day to day and hour to hour members of Congress are going to stick their necks out on an issue that isn't really you know on the Republican side their issue and already mine Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Senate has said that they aren't even going to vote next week on gun legislation as they had thought they might they're moving on to a banking bill and all of this comes of course in a week where there was a big personnel move at the White House at the resignation of hope ex the president's very close they may be the most loyal person outside his family she's leaving the White House what does the say about the the state of things and the Trump team the presenter circle the president's inner circle has fewer and fewer true loyalists in it and it seems like the president names not be listening to some of those people who are left. The mood that he made this week yesterday on trade sort of surprising everyone making an announcement These wanted to do that a lot for a long time a lot of people have been telling him not to do it and now it seems like he's just doing what he wants to do including these tariffs that you mentioned on steel imports from n.p.r. White House correspondent Tamara Keith Kemp thanks we appreciate it you're welcome Maggie Haberman of the New York Times wrote Trump is becoming engulfed by the chaos he creates every day as a show for his viewing pleasure Habermann wrote this at the end of a week when the many presidential plot lines we just heard about included an abrupt announcement on trade the proposed tariffs on imported aluminum and steel So let's talk through that trade announcement with Wendy Cutler a former deputy u.s. Trade representative in the Obama administration Good morning good morning if the president says we're doing terrorists do they just happen well he has the authority to impose tariffs against imports of other countries so if he wants to do them he can do it Ok And in this case is this something that is going to have an impact around the world. Absolutely our trading partners are not going to be the savior places so wait a minute you're talking about the European Union the German officials have been saying to the Associated Press that the president risks sparking a trade war specifically with the closest u.s. Allies is that is that who is most affected here countries like Germany Well a lot of our allies are affected by this measuring including Germany Mexico Canada Japan and Korea. Although also the United States correct the president has criticized cheap Chinese steel over the years or rather Also China's what I'm trying to say is Russia China will be hit as well but what people need to keep in mind is China is now are a lap and the largest source of steel imports so the measures on steel are going to hurt a lot of other countries a lot more than China now with all of this said the president got on Twitter this morning and talked about trade and he said if the u.s. Has a trade deficit quote trade wars are good and easy to win example when we're down $100000000000.00 with a certain country and they get cute don't trade any more we went big it's easy is it that easy to win a trade war if you the United States no one wins a trade war just talk to our farmers are our auto companies our airplane manufacturers everyone loses from a trade war if other countries close their markets to our exports that hurts u.s. Companies and their workers and will repl through our economy but the calculation the president is making at least in this tweet is that if we have a trade deficit with a country and we shut down that trade are that there's a net gain for the United States is that just not true I can follow that logic I think while we might gain in one sector will lose another sector and there will be a net loss given our reliance on overseas markets for growth and employment is this much true Wendy coupler that u.s. Administrations Republican and Democrat have been somewhat stymied as to how to approach constant u.s. Trade deficits with the rest of the world because the United States is simply supports free trade there are a lot of American companies that depend on it depend on imports depend on doing some exports and it is hard to strike back against countries that do not trade the same way. Well we can strike against countries that pursue unfair trade practices and we should do that but trying to use trade to balance trade deficits is not the way to go really macroeconomic factors have a lot more to do with our trade deficit we as a nation consume a lot we don't save a lot and by definition that can lead to a trade deficit all of that creates motivation to buy things from overseas even if you try to slap tariffs on certain products correct. When you cover thanks very much thank you she was a former deputy u.s. Trade representative during the Obama administration all right mother news now the sale of the Weinstein Company is now back on last week the company said it would file for bankruptcy instead but now is going forward with a deal that includes money for victims of Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse Here's N.P.R.'s Andrew Limbaugh late yesterday a group of investors then the Weinstein Company and finally New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released statements confirming that they reached an agreement over the sale of the Weinstein Company assuming there are no more twists in this sale the move would save about $150.00 jobs and create a fund for quote those who have been harmed a source familiar with the deal says the fund will be between $80.00 and $90000000.00 The buyers group is led by Maria can sure as sweet she is around the Small Business Administration under President Obama also part of the group she leads is billionaire investor Ron Burkle they're planning on launching a new company led by a board of directors made up of a majority of women the company has been up for sale since last year after dozens of women accused movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment assault and rape the sale was reportedly set for 500000000 dollars last month then the New York attorney general filed a civil rights lawsuit against Harvey his brother Bob Weinstein and the company Here's Schneiderman that they knew how pervasive it was and not only did they fail to stop it they enabled it and covered it up just last Sunday the Weinstein Company said the deal was off because the investors apparently wouldn't put up interim funding for the business the only option was bankruptcy the company said that would have put any money for victims in jeopardy the Weinstein Company said in an statement last night quote We consider this to be a positive outcome under what have been incredibly difficult circumstances the attorney general's office says the lawsuit remains ongoing it's worth mentioning that Harvey Weinstein still also facing a number of criminal investigations Angeles. On n.p.r. News. This is n.p.r. News Bryan bureau here with you for Morning Edition on member supported High Plains Public Radio it's currently 18 minutes after the hour coming up at half past the hour is the oil and gas markets and in just 2 minutes is your area news support comes from Garden City family y.m.c.a. Where value meets values putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit mind and body for all on the web at Garden City y.m.c.a. Dot org. Hey there is so much like and then we've got a new answer to the old question how do you get to Carnegie Hall all the answer practice us or opera bring the exploring music express Hamel not only get you to Carnegie Hall We'll take you inside for to use a great music infested in history that's Carnegie Hall or expert music this week weekdays at noon Central. From n.p.r. News in Washington I'm David Mattingly President Trump says last night's White House meeting with executives from the National Rifle Association was a good one the n.r.a. As Chris Cox said afterwards the president wants safe schools and to keep guns away from dangerous people but he says the president and vice president pence don't want more gun control Here's White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders the president made clear he wants to talk to all of the big stakeholders in this process he's spoken with students with parents with teachers with local law enforcement with state and federal authorities as well as members of the n.r.a. He's going to continue to have those conversations continue to work with Congress Sanders was speaking this morning to Fox News president Trump's decision to impose tariffs on u.s. Imports of aluminum and steel sent stocks in Asia lower today Wall Street ended yesterday with sharp losses the Dow fell $420.00 points or more than one and a half percent and carp and Chuck says the tariffs are a major concern for Canada President Trump's plan is a 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent on the aluminum can it is the number