Child porn case dropped as US refuses to show software code

Man allegedly posing as Bieber online charged in Australia

Industry groups oppose GOP health bill, Ryan seeks unity WASHINGTON (AP) — Pivotal industry and consumer groups mounted intensifying opposition to the Republican health care bill as GOP leaders labored Wednesday to rally a divided party behind their high-stakes overhaul drive. Lawmakers cast Congress' initial votes on the legislation as House Speaker Paul Ryan praised the proposal as "what good, conservative health care reform looks like." The American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and AARP, the nation's largest advocacy group for older people, were arrayed against the GOP measure. Seven years ago their backing was instrumental in enacting President Barack Obama's health care statute, which President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are intent on erasing. The hospitals — major employers in many districts — wrote lawmakers complaining about the bill's cuts in Medicaid and other programs and said more uninsured Americans seem likely, adding, "We ask Congress to protect our patients." Groups representing public, children's, Catholic and other hospitals also expressed opposition. Early Wednesday, leaders began pushing the legislation through two committees — Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce — but as nighttime set in neither panel seemed near final approval. GOP leaders faced rebellion within their own ranks, including from conservative lawmakers and outside conservative groups. Top Republicans knew if the upheaval should snowball and crush the legislation it would be a shattering defeat for Trump and the GOP, so leaders hoped passage by both House committees would give them momentum. ___ GOP health care bill is critical first test for Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — As conservatives revolt over Republican health care legislation, Donald Trump faces a crucial first test of his presidency: Can he translate his bully pulpit and popularity with conservative voters into a legislative win? For Trump, it is a new arena five rocky weeks into his presidency. Thus far his accomplishments have been carried out mostly via executive authority or appointments ratified by the Senate, often overshadowed by self-inflicted distraction. Now the Washington newcomer finds himself in the more complex realm of legislative deal-making, as GOP leaders push forward their long-promised plan to undo former President Barack Obama's health care law and replace it with a conservative blueprint that shrinks the federal role and reduces assistance to help voters buy coverage. With the plan under attack from conservatives as well as medical groups and the AARP on Wednesday, congressional Republican leaders made clear they will rely on Trump to corral restive lawmakers and bring them in line. A lot of them haven't experienced what it's like "with Air Force One landing in their district," Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said Wednesday before his panel met to begin voting on the legislation. "I think when the president of the United States, who campaigned on repeal and replace, says this is the repeal-and-replace bill ... I think the dynamic changes." ___ Will WikiLeaks work with tech firms to defeat CIA hacking? WASHINGTON (AP) — The anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks raised the prospect Wednesday of sharing sensitive details it uncovered about CIA hacking tools with leading technology companies whose flagship products and services were targeted by the government's hacker-spies. If that sharing should take place, the unusual cooperation would give companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung and others an opportunity to identify and repair any flaws in their software and devices that were being exploited by U.S. spy agencies and some foreign allies, as described in nearly 9,000 pages of secret CIA files WikiLeaks published on Tuesday. The documents, which the White House declined anew Wednesday to confirm as authentic, describe clandestine methods for bypassing or defeating encryption, antivirus tools and other protective security features for computers, mobile phones and even smart TVs. They include the world's most popular technology platforms, including Apple's iPhones and iPads, Google's Android phones and the Microsoft Windows operating system for desktop computers and laptops. "This is the kind of disclosure that undermines our security, our country and our well-being," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said. "This alleged leak should concern every single American." Spicer defended then-candidate Donald Trump's comment in October 2016 — "I love WikiLeaks!" — after it published during the presidential campaign private, politically damaging emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign manager. Spicer said there was a "massive, massive difference" between WikiLeaks publishing stolen, personal emails of a political figure and files about national security tools used by the CIA. ___ At least 22 dead as fire ravages youth shelter in Guatemala SAN JOSE PINULA, Guatemala (AP) — The trouble started with a mass escape. Dozens of teens held in an overcrowded state-run shelter on the outskirts of Guatemala's capital flooded through the gates Tuesday evening, most only to be caught and locked down in their dorms. On Wednesday morning someone set fire to mattresses in the girls' section of the rural campus, authorities said. The blaze quickly spread through two dorms, killing at least 22 girls and injuring dozens more, most with second- and third-degree burns. Distraught parents scribbled their children's names on pieces of paper to pass to shelter staff begging for information. They went to the two local hospitals and the morgue. Authorities worked to identify victims, but said DNA tests might be necessary for some remains. At Roosevelt Hospital, Dr. Marco Antonio Barrientos asked parents waiting outside for information to come back with photographs, dental records and details about tattoos or other distinctive features. Piedad Estrada, a street vendor, arrived at the hospital with a photograph of her 16-year-old daughter. She said the teen was pregnant and had been at the shelter for nine days because she ran away from home. ___ Former Trump aide Flynn says lobbying may have helped Turkey WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who was fired from his prominent White House job last month, has registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for $530,000 worth of lobbying work before Election Day that may have aided the Turkish government. Paperwork filed Tuesday with the Justice Department's Foreign Agent Registration Unit said Flynn and his firm were voluntarily registering for lobbying from August through November that "could be construed to have principally benefited the Republic of Turkey." It was filed by a lawyer on behalf of the former U.S. Army lieutenant general and intelligence chief. After his firm's work on behalf of a Turkish company was done, Flynn agreed not to lobby for five years after leaving government service and never to represent foreign governments. Under the Foreign Agent Registration Act, U.S. citizens who lobby on behalf of foreign government or political entities must disclose their work to the Justice Department. Willfully failing to register is a felony, though the Justice Department rarely files criminal charges in such cases. It routinely works with lobbying firms to get back in compliance with the law by registering and disclosing their work. A Turkish businessman who hired Flynn's consulting firm told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the amended filings were made in response to pressure from Justice Department officials in recent weeks. The businessman, Ekim Alptekin, said in a phone call from Istanbul that the changes were a response to "political pressure" and he did not agree with Flynn's decision to file the registration documents with the Justice Department. ___ Women go on strike in US to show their economic clout PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Many American women stayed home from work, joined rallies or wore red Wednesday to demonstrate how vital they are to the U.S. economy, as International Women's Day was observed with a multitude of events around the world. The Day Without a Woman protest in the U.S. was put together by organizers of the vast women's marches that drew more than 1 million Americans the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration. The turnout on the streets this time was much smaller in many places, with crowds often numbering in the hundreds. There were no immediate estimates of how many women heeded the call to skip work. "Trump is terrifying. His entire administration, they have no respect for women or our rights," said 49-year-old Adina Ferber, who took a vacation day from her job at an art gallery to attend a demonstration in New York City. "They need to deal with us as an economic force." The U.S. event — inspired in part by the Day Without an Immigrant protest held last month — was part of the U.N.-designated International Women's Day. ___ China grants preliminary approval to 38 new Trump trademarks SHANGHAI (AP) — China has granted preliminary approval for 38 new Trump trademarks, a move that offers a potential business foothold for President Donald Trump's family company and protects his name in a country notorious for counterfeiters. The trademarks cover everything from hotels and golf clubs to bodyguard and concierge services, public documents show. Trump's lawyers in China applied for the marks in April 2016, as Trump railed against China at campaign rallies, accusing it of currency manipulation and stealing U.S. jobs. Critics maintain that Trump's swelling portfolio of China trademarks raises the possibility of conflicts of interest. China's Trademark Office published the provisional approvals on Feb. 27 and Monday . If no one objects, they will be formally registered after 90 days. All but three are in the president's own name. China already registered one trademark to the president, for Trump-branded construction services on Feb. 14, the result of a 10-year legal battle that turned in Trump's favor after he declared his candidacy. ___ China looks ahead to fall party congress, leadership changes BEIJING (AP) — As if any reminder were needed, delegates to China's ceremonial parliament were repeatedly told in no uncertain terms this week what job No. 1 is: "Follow the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core." The exhortation carries added weight as China moves toward its most important political event in five years, the ruling Communist Party's 19th National Congress. The event, this fall, is expected to usher in a second five-year term as general secretary for Xi — China's most powerful leader in decades — along with a major infusion of new blood into the party's governing bodies. Key among those is the Politburo Standing Committee, the apex of Chinese power led by Xi. All but two of its seven members are expected to step down, according to recent practice, and their replacements will define Xi's rule over the next five years, and possibly beyond. While there's little blue sky between the party elites in terms of policies and ideology, the team that Xi assembles could point toward whether China is headed toward an even more authoritarian future or one of greater balance between rivals. "Many in the establishment are uncomfortable with Xi coming out as a real strongman," said Steve Tsang, a long-time China watcher who directs the China Institute at London's School of Oriental and African Studies. "The stakes are therefore very high." ___ In her words: Casey Anthony talks to AP about Caylee's death WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Casey Anthony — the Florida woman accused, then acquitted, of killing her 2-year-old daughter — spoke with The Associated Press five times over a weeklong period. During the interviews, she talked about her love for her daughter, Caylee Marie, and showed photos of her and artwork she finger-painted. Anthony maintains her innocence in the death and insists she doesn't know how the last hours of Caylee's life unfolded. ___ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: "You were convicted of one thing." ANTHONY: "Lying to the cops. People lie to the cops every day. Cops lie to people every day; I'm just one of the unfortunate idiots who admitted that they lied. " AP: "Was the lying out of panic?" ___ Hey, Rookie! Mets' Tebow takes practice swings on wrong side PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Tim Tebow made his first rookie mistake even before stepping into the batter's box. The New York Mets newcomer walked behind home plate and took his practice swings near Boston's on-deck circle. "I didn't know who that was back there. I thought it was the ball boy," AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello said. Tebow's debut as a big leaguer didn't go much better Wednesday. The former NFL quarterback went 0 for 3, twice looking at strike three and also grounding into a double play with the bases loaded in a spring training exhibition against the Red Sox.

AP News in Brief at 12:04 a.m. EST