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WASHINGTON (AP) — Legal experts say the revised travel ban that was issued today by the Trump administration addresses some of the constitutional issues raised by a federal appeals court about the initial ban. But they say there is still room for additional legal challenges. Law professor Stephen Vladeck of the University of Texas says removing language that would give priority to religious minorities helps address concerns that the initial ban was discriminatory. But he says its continued focus on Muslim-majority countries leaves the appearance that the order is a "Muslim ban." He says, "There's still going to be plenty of work for the courts to do."
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump administration officials say that even with the changes in the travel ban, the goal hasn't changed: keeping would-be terrorists out of the United States while the government reviews the vetting system for refugees and visa applicants from certain parts of the world. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson describes the revised order as "a vital measure for strengthening our national security." The White House dropped Iraq from the list of targeted countries following pressure from the Pentagon and State Department, which noted Iraq's role in fighting the Islamic State group.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Donald Trump spoke with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone today -- discussing "regional security challenges." Spokesman Sean Spicer says the Israeli leader thanked the president "for his strong stance" on anti-Semitism during his address to Congress last week. The call came after Israel's defense minister said in parliament that the U.S. has told Israel that annexing the West Bank would be unacceptable and cause a crisis in relations.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There's some new information about the shooting that killed an Indian man and wounded another at a bar near Kansas City last month. According to an affidavit released today, the wounded man has told police that the gunman asked the men if their "status was legal" before he opened fire. Adam Purinton is being held on murder and attempted murder charges. The FBI is investigating the shooting as a hate crime.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — One of New Jersey's former political power players has been sentenced to four years of probation for a bribery scheme involving United Airlines. David Samson pleaded guilty last year for pressuring the airline to revive a money-losing flight from Newark to an airport near his weekend home in South Carolina in 2012. Samson was chairman of the powerful Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and was negotiating with United over a hangar it wanted to build at Newark. He's also a former New Jersey attorney general who headed Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's transition team when Christie was elected in 2009.
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