4 countries reject EU refugee quotas

4 countries reject EU refugee quotas

VIENNA

At least four countries Friday firmly rejected a European Union plan to impose refugee quotas to ease a worsening migrant crisis that Germany’s foreign minister said was “probably the biggest challenge” in the history of the 28-nation bloc.

Hungary, which along with the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland said it would not support the proposal, threatened instead to crack down on the thousands of people streaming across its borders daily as they flee war and persecution.

The stance by those Central European countries reflected a hardening front against distributing at least some of the refugees among them and was a stinging rebuff to German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who traveled to Prague to try to persuade them to reconsider.

Calif. lawmakers OK right-to-die measure

SACRAMENTO, Calif

California lawmakers gave final approval Friday to a bill that would allow terminally ill patients to legally end their lives.

The measure faces an uncertain future with Gov. Jerry Brown, a former Jesuit seminarian who has not said whether he will sign it.

Senators approved the bill on a 23-14 vote after an emotional debate on the final day of the legislative session.

“Eliminate the needless pain and the long suffering of those who are dying,” urged Democratic Sen. Lois Wolk, one of the bill’s co-authors.

Opponents said the measure could prompt premature suicides.

Ky. clerk who was jailed appeals again

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

A Kentucky county clerk who recently was jailed for denying same-sex couples marriage licenses filed an appeal Friday that asks for another delay in issuing the licenses.

Attorneys for Kim Davis, who objects to gay marriage on religious grounds, argued in their motion to the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that all the same-sex couples who sued Davis for a license received one from her deputies while she was in jail. Therefore, they said, her office should not be required to issue them to any more couples once she returns to work.

U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning wrote that his mandate to issue licenses applied to all couples, not only those who filed suit. But Davis’ lawyers allege that order was issued improperly, and again have asked for a delay.

Calif. fire surges

SAN ANDREAS, Calif.

A wildfire in Northern California grew explosively Friday, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate from rural communities, destroying six homes, threatening thousands more and prompting a state-of-emergency declaration from the governor.

“It’s expanding like a balloon,” said state fire spokeswoman Nancy Longmore. “It’s moving very fast. There’s many homes threatened. ... This fire is extremely dangerous.”

The fire that had burned only about a single square mile Thursday morning had surged to 101 square miles by Friday evening. It was 5 percent contained.

3 space-station astronauts return

MOSCOW

A Russian space capsule landed safely in Kazakhstan, bringing home a three-person crew from the International Space Station, including a record-breaking Russian cosmonaut.

Russia’s Gennady Padalka, Andreas Mogensen of the European Space Agency and Aidyn Aimbetov of Kazakhstan landed on the steppe just two minutes before sunrise today and were feeling fine. ”

Associated Press