Rapper guilty but will not serve time

ASAP Rocky and two associates were found guilty of assault by a Swedish court on Wednesday but will face no prison time, capping a case that drew international attention — including from President Donald Trump, who provoked a low- level diplomatic spat with Sweden after calling for the rapper’s release.

The verdict is likely to quiet the outrage in the U. S. prompted by Rocky’s arrest and detention following a street brawl in Stockholm in late June in which the rapper was accused of stomping on a man after throwing him to the ground.

Rocky had maintained that he was acting in self- defense, but the Swedish judge presiding over his case said the evidence did not support that claim. The judge did, however, conclude that the charges against Rocky were not as serious as presented by prosecutors and — given mitigating circumstances — did not merit a prison sentence.

But Rocky — whose birth name is Rakim Mayers — and his associates, Bladimir Emilio Corniel and David Tyrone Rispers, will have to pay a total compensation of about $ 1,300 to the victim, 19- yearold Mustafa Jafari, and court fees related to the trial.

They had faced up to two years in jail.

King’s bizarre comment

Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican whose history of making racist and divisive remarks led him to be stripped of his committee assignments earlier this year, questioned Wednesday if there would “be any population of the world left” if it were not for rape and incest. His comment drew swift condemnation from top House Republicans, at least one of whom called his resignation.

“What if we went back through all the family trees and just pulled those people out that were products of rape or incest? Would there be any population of the world left if we did that?” Mr. King said in video of the comments, first published by The Des Moines Register.

He was explaining his opposition to abortion even in cases of rape and incest.

The top two Republicans, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and Steve Scalise of Louisiana, said Mr. King’s comments underscored his removal from the committees.

The No. 3 Republican, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, said he should resign.

PM reassures Kashmiris

Pakistan’s prime minister assured Kashmiri people living in the Indian- administered part of the divided region that he supports them in their struggle for self- determination.

In a statement Wednesday, Imran Khan condemned New Delhi’s decision Aug. 5 to downgrade Kashmir’s status. He then celebrated Pakistan’s independence day in the Pakistanadministered part of Kashmir to express solidarity with Kashmiris on the Indiancontrolled side.

In a speech in its Legislative Assembly, Mr. Khan warned India against any attack on Pakistan- administered Kashmir to divert attention from human rights violations in the Indian- controlled portion.

Tweet battle

It’s getting rough and rowdy between New York’s favorite tweeting congresswoman and the dude- bro boss of a frat boy sports website. An epic Twitter spat erupted Tuesday morning after Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy threatened to fire any of his workers who considered unionizing.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez pointed out that the tweet crossed a big red line called the law, which prohibits employers from intimidating workers who want to unionize.

That got Mr. Portnoy’s attention. Soon, he was demanding that Ms. OcasioCortez debate him ( presumably about unions, but you can never be sure).