AP News – Right Now Castro Hearing, Snowden, S&P Huge

MISSING WOMEN FOUND

UPDATE: Sentencing under way for Cleveland kidnapper

CLEVELAND (AP) — A sentencing hearing is underway for a man convicted of imprisoning three women in his Cleveland house for years and repeatedly raping and beating them.

The hearing for Ariel Castro began with his attorneys objecting to prosecutors' plans to present details of the women's ordeal.

Defense attorney Craig Weintraub says those facts were appropriate for a trial, which Castro agreed to avoid by pleading guilty.

Weintraub says the goal now should be to protect the privacy of the three women.

But assistant Cuyahoga  County Prosecutor Blaise Thomas says it's appropriate to show the world what Castro did.

Castro pleaded guilty last week to 937 counts including aggravated murder, kidnapping, rape and assault in a deal that could bring a life sentence plus 1,000 years.

MISSING WOMEN FOUND-LETTER

Cleveland kidnapping victim thanks police for help

CLEVELAND (AP) — One of the victims of convicted Cleveland kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro has written police a letter thanking them for their help collecting cards and gifts.

The handwritten note by Michelle Knight thanks members of the Cleveland Police Department's Second District for collecting gifts people have given Knight and the two other women imprisoned by Castro for a decade.

In the note, Knight tells Second District Cmdr. Keith Sulzer that, to quote the note, "Life is tough, but I'm tougher!"

NSA-SURVEILLANCE-SNOWDEN

Edward Snowden got asylum in Russia, lawyer says

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian lawyer for Edward Snowden says the National Security Agency leaker has received asylum in Russia for one year and left the transit zone of Moscow' airport.

Anatoly Kucherena said he handed over the papers to Snowden on Thursday. He said Snowden left Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport where he was stuck since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23.

Kucherena said that Snowden's whereabouts will be kept secret for security reasons.

The U.S. has demanded that Russia send Snowden home to face prosecution for espionage, but President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the request.

Putin had said that Snowden could receive asylum in Russia on condition he stops leaking U.S. secrets. Kucherena has said Snowden accepted the condition.

NSA-SURVEILLANCE

UPDATE: Obama meets with lawmakers on NSA surveillance

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has been meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to discuss surveillance programs run by the National Security Agency.

The private Oval Office meeting was arranged to discuss concerns about privacy by lawmakers who are pushing to rein in the NSA's authority.

Obama's national security team is trying to keep its surveillance powers intact while acknowledging some limitations appear inevitable.

The meeting comes after Russian authorities granted temporary asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.

The White House says lawmakers from both parties will attend.

WALL STREET

UPDATE: S&P 500 index crosses 1,700 points for first time

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street, sending the Standard & Poor's 500 index above 1,700 points for the first time.

Big sales numbers from automakers and an improving jobs picture are sending the stock market higher in early trading. The Dow is also trading at a record level.

July was the best month for the stock market since January.

UNEMPLOYMENT-BENEFITS

US unemployment claims fall to 326K, 5 ½-year low

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell 19,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 326,000, the fewest since January 2008. The decline signals more strength for the job market.

The Labor Department says the less volatile four-week average slid 4,500 to 345,750.

The July figures are typically volatile as the government adjusts for seasonal layoffs in the auto industry.

Still, the trend in recent months has been positive. Applications, which are a proxy for layoffs, have fallen more than 12 percent this year. That's coincided with average gains of 202,000 jobs a month since January.

The payroll company ADP said Wednesday that companies created 200,000 jobs in July, the most for that survey since December. That's a hopeful sign ahead of Friday's Labor Department report on July employment.

AUTO SALES

Ford's US sales up 11 percent in July

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co.'s U.S. sales rose 11 percent in July on strong demand for the newly redesigned Fiesta subcompact as well as the F-Series pickup.

Ford sold a total of 193,715 vehicles in July. It was the company's best July since 2006.

Chrysler says its U.S. sales rose 11 percent last month for its best July in seven years.

Chrysler says it sold just over 140,000 cars and trucks last month.

The company says Ram pickup sales were up 31 percent over a year ago. Jeep Grand Cherokee sales rose 30 percent. It was the SUV's best July since 2005.

EGYPT

UPDATE: Egypt offers 'safe passage' for Morsi's supporters

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian authorities are offering "safe passage and protection" for thousands of supporters of the ousted president if they end their marathon sit-ins in Cairo.

The offer was extended on Thursday by the Egyptian Interior Ministry, which is in charge of the police.

It comes a day after Egypt's military-backed Cabinet ordered the ministry to clear the two sit-ins in Cairo, arguing that they posed a threat to national security and terrorized citizens.

The offer of safe passage appears to be the first step in an effort by the country's new leadership to end the marathon protests by Mohammed Morsi's followers in an eastern Cairo district and in the capital's twin city of Giza.

INDIANA SCHOOL GRADES

NEW: Fla. education commissioner to resign

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida education official says the state's education commissioner will resign because of allegations he changed a charter school's grade during his previous job as Indiana's school chief.

The official told The Associated Press of Tony Bennett's resignation on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to disclose the information before a formal announcement. The official says Bennett will resign because of the scandal surrounding Christel House Academy, an Indiana charter school run by a major Republican donor.

Emails published by the AP this week show Bennett and his Indiana staff scrambled last fall to ensure Christel DeHaan's school received an "A," despite poor 10th grade algebra scores that initially earned it a "C."

Bennett lost his re-election bid last November in Indiana. He was hired by Florida in December.

GAY MARRIAGE-RI

NEW: Same-sex marriages begin in Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Same-sex marriages have begun in Rhode Island, and local officials for the first time are issuing marriage licenses to gay couples who wish to wed in the state.

Gay marriage became legal in Rhode Island and Minnesota at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, bringing the number of states allowing same-sex marriage to 13.

Officials around Rhode Island began issuing licenses when clerks' offices opened at 8:30 a.m., making marriage an option for gay couples everywhere in New England.

A couple that have been together for 41 years, Federico Santi and John Gacher, arrived first thing at the Newport City Clerk's office. They previously were joined in a civil union and immediately married after getting their license.

Newport City Clerk Kathleen Silvia calls Thursday, in her words, "a day of smooching" in Rhode Island.