washingtontimes--2020-06-08--U of Alabama: move Confederate plaques, study building names

TUSCALOOSA , Ala. ( AP ) - The University of Alabama has authorized moving three Confederate plaques and studying the names of buildings on campus with an eye toward possible change .
The plaques will be moved from the main library to “ a more appropriate historical setting , ” a news release said Monday .
It did not say whether officials have decided where to move the plaques .
Some of the school ’ s Board of Trustees also have been appointed to study the names of buildings on all University of Alabama System campuses and report to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement said .
The announcement came a day after the school ’ s Student Government Association called for the university to rename all buildings that have what it called “ racist namesakes.
” The group tweeted that it also wanted a review “ of the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act , a state law banning local governments from renaming historical buildings.
” Buildings named after people with Confederate ties include the library where the plaques are now .
The Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library , built in 1939 , was named for the university ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her husband , Confederate Gen. Josiah Gorgas , was the school ’ s eighth president and librarian ; she succeeded him as librarian after he retired .
The board ’ s statement did not say whether officials have decided where to move the plaques , which commemorate University of Alabama students who served in the Confederate Army and members of the student cadet corps that defending the campus .
The board authorized their removal in consultation with University President Stuart Bell , President of The University of Alabama , the statement said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisions at a public meeting .
The system includes three universities and the UAB Health System , with more than 70,000 students in Tuscaloosa , Birmingham and Huntsville .

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - The University of Alabama has authorized moving three Confederate plaques and studying the names of buildings on campus with an eye toward possible change.
The plaques will be moved from the main library to “a more appropriate historical setting,” a news release said Monday. It did not say whether officials have decided where to move the plaques.
Some of the school’s Board of Trustees also have been appointed to study the names of buildings on all University of Alabama System campuses and report to the board on any recommended changes, the statement said.
The announcement came a day after the school’s Student Government Association called for the university to rename all buildings that have what it called “racist namesakes.” The group tweeted that it also wanted a review “of the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, a state law banning local governments from renaming historical buildings.”
Buildings named after people with Confederate ties include the library where the plaques are now. The Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, built in 1939, was named for the university’s postmistress and librarian, Al.com reported. Her husband, Confederate Gen. Josiah Gorgas, was the school’s eighth president and librarian; she succeeded him as librarian after he retired.
The board’s statement did not say whether officials have decided where to move the plaques, which commemorate University of Alabama students who served in the Confederate Army and members of the student cadet corps that defending the campus.
The board authorized their removal in consultation with University President Stuart Bell, President of The University of Alabama, the statement said.
The full board will make final decisions at a public meeting.
The system includes three universities and the UAB Health System, with more than 70,000 students in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Huntsville.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Miami-Dade to reopen beaches, end curfew after protests

MIAMI ( AP ) - Miami-Dade County beaches that have been closed because of the coronavirus pandemic are set to @ @ @ @ @ after their previous reopening date was pushed back by protests against police brutality .
Miami-Dade @ @ @ @ @ Monday that he was lifting a countywide curfew immediately and that beaches would be allowed @ @ @ @ @ Visitors will be required to follow new social distancing guidelines to help prevent the spread @ @ @ @ @ had been set to reopen June 1 in line with a statewide plan to restart @ @ @ @ @ May 30 protest related to the Minneapolis police custody death of George Floyd led to @ @ @ @ @ and police cars being destroyed , Gimenez instituted a curfew and said he wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ was lifted .
Miami-Dade County was the area of Florida hit hardest by coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ 767 deaths .
As of Monday , Florida had nearly 65,000 total cases and 2,712 @ @ @ @ @ coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

MIAMI (AP) - Miami-Dade County beaches that have been closed because of the coronavirus pandemic are set to reopen more than a week after their previous reopening date was pushed back by protests against police brutality.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced Monday that he was lifting a countywide curfew immediately and that beaches would be allowed to open on Wednesday. Visitors will be required to follow new social distancing guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The beaches had been set to reopen June 1 in line with a statewide plan to restart the economy. After a May 30 protest related to the Minneapolis police custody death of George Floyd led to downtown Miami stores being looted and police cars being destroyed, Gimenez instituted a curfew and said he wouldn’t reopen beaches until it was lifted.
Miami-Dade County was the area of Florida hit hardest by coronavirus, with nearly 20,000 cases and 767 deaths. As of Monday, Florida had nearly 65,000 total cases and 2,712 reported deaths.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accuses Kayleigh McEnany of racism

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demanded an apology Monday from White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany for purported racism , because the spokeswoman hadn ’ t addressed her by her title .
And the White House swiftly said no dice on any apology .
The New York Democrat demanded the apology while quote-tweeting a Politico reporter who noted , correctly as far as it went , that Ms. McEnany had referred to “ Biden adviser Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
” The reporter tagged Ms. Ocasio-Cortez ’ s Twitter handle .
She took the bait , demanding an apology and setting a next-day deadline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the first person to mistake a women of color for having a lower position or title than she does , but Kayleigh - in case you haven ’ t picked up a newspaper in two years , I ’ m a Congresswoman , ” she helpfully informed the spokeswoman .
“ The @ PressSec comment is steeped in a long , hurtful , & horrendous history of stripping women of color of titles and diminishing them to ‘ the help.
’ Perhaps she isn ’ t aware that what she did is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the case , I look forward to her apology tomorrow , ” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez concluded .
However , neither Politico ’ s Jake Sherman nor the congresswoman he notified had noted the entirety of Ms. McEnany ’ s sentence .
She had been asked about the “ defund the police movement and replied Mr. Trump is “ appalled ” by it .
“ That fact that you have sitting congresswomen wanting to defund the police — notably Rashida Tlaib ; notably Biden adviser AOC , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ; former Clinton and Eric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our police across the country - it is extraordinary , ” she said .
She provided the entire quote in one tweet to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and then noted : “ she literally called you Congresswoman , @ AOC .
”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demanded an apology Monday from White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany for purported racism, because the spokeswoman hadn’t addressed her by her title.
But Ms. McEnany had.
And the White House swiftly said no dice on any apology.
The New York Democrat demanded the apology while quote-tweeting a Politico reporter who noted, correctly as far as it went, that Ms. McEnany had referred to “Biden adviser Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.” The reporter tagged Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s Twitter handle.
She took the bait, demanding an apology and setting a next-day deadline.
Ms. McEnany “wouldn’t be the first person to mistake a women of color for having a lower position or title than she does, but Kayleigh - in case you haven’t picked up a newspaper in two years, I’m a Congresswoman,” she helpfully informed the spokeswoman.
“The @PressSec comment is steeped in a long, hurtful, & horrendous history of stripping women of color of titles and diminishing them to ‘the help.’ Perhaps she isn’t aware that what she did is mired in racist history. If that is the case, I look forward to her apology tomorrow,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez concluded.
However, neither Politico’s Jake Sherman nor the congresswoman he notified had noted the entirety of Ms. McEnany’s sentence.
She had been asked about the “defund the police movement and replied Mr. Trump is “appalled” by it.
“That fact that you have sitting congresswomen wanting to defund the police — notably Rashida Tlaib; notably Biden adviser AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; former Clinton and Eric Holder spokesperson Brian Fallon wanting to defund our police across the country - it is extraordinary,” she said.
Alyssa Farah, White House director of strategic communications, chided Ms. Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter.
She provided the entire quote in one tweet to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and then noted: “she literally called you Congresswoman, @AOC.”
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Guilty plea for racist graffiti found at Maryland university

A Maryland man has agreed to plead guilty to a hate crime charge involving graffiti found at a university that threatened black students with lynching , authorities said Monday .
Jerome Kevin Jackson , a 54-year-old black man , signed a conditional plea agreement on June 1 , according to Wicomico County prosecutors .
Jackson , a resident of Princess Anne , is scheduled to appear at a formal plea hearing on Friday .
Officials at Salisbury University canceled classes for a day after the graffiti was found in February .
According to the plea agreement , Jackson also will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ racist and sometimes gender discriminatory ” graffiti found on campus last year .
In November , campus police investigated messages written inside two stairwells that included racial slurs and references to the 2012 shooting in Newtown , Connecticut , in which 26 people were killed by a gunman at an elementary school .
The February incident resulted in an investigation that included the FBI , Maryland State Police and local law enforcement agencies .
Jackson is charged with violating a law involving defacing of property when there is evidence that exhibits animosity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race , color religion , sexual orientation , gender , disability or national origin .
Jackson has agreed to pay $ 494 in restitution , and prosecutors , who signed the plea agreement Monday , are seeking a sentence of 18 months in prison .
“ As you are aware , these criminal acts have had an enormous and negative impact on the Salisbury University campus and our larger community as a whole , ” prosecutors wrote in a May 29 letter to Jackson ’ s attorney .
Jackson ’ s admission of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical to restoring confidence in the hearts and minds of students , parents , staff and prospective students , the prosecutors added .

A Maryland man has agreed to plead guilty to a hate crime charge involving graffiti found at a university that threatened black students with lynching, authorities said Monday.
Jerome Kevin Jackson, a 54-year-old black man, signed a conditional plea agreement on June 1, according to Wicomico County prosecutors. Jackson, a resident of Princess Anne, is scheduled to appear at a formal plea hearing on Friday.
Officials at Salisbury University canceled classes for a day after the graffiti was found in February.
According to the plea agreement, Jackson also will take responsibility for four other incidents involving “racist and sometimes gender discriminatory” graffiti found on campus last year.
In November, campus police investigated messages written inside two stairwells that included racial slurs and references to the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 26 people were killed by a gunman at an elementary school.
The February incident resulted in an investigation that included the FBI, Maryland State Police and local law enforcement agencies.
Jackson is charged with violating a law involving defacing of property when there is evidence that exhibits animosity against a person or group based on race, color religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability or national origin.
Jackson has agreed to pay $494 in restitution, and prosecutors, who signed the plea agreement Monday, are seeking a sentence of 18 months in prison.
“As you are aware, these criminal acts have had an enormous and negative impact on the Salisbury University campus and our larger community as a whole,” prosecutors wrote in a May 29 letter to Jackson’s attorney.
Jackson’s admission of guilt and acceptance of responsibility will be critical to restoring confidence in the hearts and minds of students, parents, staff and prospective students, the prosecutors added.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Off-duty Chicago police officer shot, wounded

CHICAGO ( AP ) - An off-duty Chicago police officer has been wounded in an early morning shooting on the @ @ @ @ @ .
The officer was preparing to enter his vehicle about 3:20 a.m. Tuesday when two @ @ @ @ @ police department said in a release .
One of the men shot the officer in @ @ @ @ @ returned gunfire , but it ’ s not clear if either one of the men @ @ @ @ @ the department .
No arrests have been made .
The officer was in fair condition @ @ @ @ @ .
He is assigned to the city ’ s 2nd District and will be placed @ @ @ @ @ 30 days , the department said .

CHICAGO (AP) - An off-duty Chicago police officer on Tuesday became the second officer in two days hit by gunfire on the city’s West Side.
The officer was preparing to enter his vehicle about 3:20 a.m. when two men approached him, the police department said in a release. One of the men shot the officer in a leg. The officer returned gunfire, but it’s not clear if either one of the men was struck, according to the department.
The officer was hospitalized in fair condition, authorities said, adding there have been no arrests in the case.
In another shooting, a Chicago man is being held without bond for allegedly firing at a police officer investigating a domestic disturbance, striking him in his protective vest.
Lovell Polk, 33, is charged with attempted murder and unlawful use of a weapon by someone on parole.
Officers had responded to a domestic dispute in Polk’s West Side home early Monday, police said. Polk fired a gun several times before police arrived at his home and ran off. He returned to the home through the basement and fired a shot at an officer standing at the top of a staircase, police said.
The officer was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition, according to authorities.
In denying bail for Polk, Cook County Circuit Judge John F. Lyke on Tuesday called the man a danger to the community. Lyke noted that Polk has convictions for unlawful use of a weapon and conspiracy to commit murder, and should have never had a gun.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Japan TV station apologizes for US video seen as offensive

TOKYO ( AP ) - Japanese public broadcaster NHK apologized Tuesday for an animated video it produced trying to explain the ongoing protests in the United States that instead sparked outrage that its depiction of black Americans was offensive .
The animated clip featured a black man with large muscles wearing a white tank top and raising his fist on a street with fires burning and other black men and women standing nearby .
The man cited the wealth disparity between white and black Americans and the impact from the coronavirus as reasons for the protests .
The clip , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first aired on a Sunday evening news talk show , did not mention police brutality or George Floyd , a handcuffed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving .
The case of Floyd , which has sparked protests around the world , was mentioned elsewhere in the talk show .
The clip was also posted on the talk show ’ s Twitter account .
Social media users condemned NHK on Tuesday for lacking understanding of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is this how they see us ?
These gross caricatures ?
Are our issues so simple , poor black people , rich white people , corona makes us poorer , we ’ re so angry , let ’ s protest !
can they really be this clueless , this obtuse ?
” Baye McNeil , an African-American writer based in Japan , wrote on Twitter .
The clip also sparked a diplomatic response from the interim U.S. ambassador to Japan , Joseph Young .
“ While we understand @ NHK ’ s intent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United states , it ’ s unfortunate that more thought and care didn ’ t go into this video , ” Young wrote on Twitter .
“ The caricatures used are offensive and insensitive.
” NHK pulled the video from Twitter on Tuesday and released a statement saying it was posted with a “ lack of consideration.
” It said the video was intended to explain the situation with data showing disparity .
“ We apologize for those who felt uncomfortable , ” the statement said .
“ We will respect human rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting and production.
” Tennis star Naomi Osaka , who has a Japanese mother and a black Haitian father , retweeted the video with a GIF of comedian Steve Harvey looking confused .
Osaka has expressed her support for the protests in recent tweets , including one held Sunday in the city of Osaka , where she was born .
Last year , two Japanese comedians apologized to Osaka after making fun of her skin color as looking sunburned and suggesting she bleach it .
One of her sponsors has also apologized for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a noodle ad .

TOKYO (AP) - Japanese public broadcaster NHK apologized Tuesday for an animated video it produced trying to explain the ongoing protests in the United States that instead sparked outrage that its depiction of black Americans was offensive.
The animated clip featured a black man with large muscles wearing a white tank top and raising his fist on a street with fires burning and other black men and women standing nearby. The man cited the wealth disparity between white and black Americans and the impact from the coronavirus as reasons for the protests.
The clip, which lasted less than 90 seconds and first aired on a Sunday evening news talk show, did not mention police brutality or George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving.
The case of Floyd, which has sparked protests around the world, was mentioned elsewhere in the talk show. The clip was also posted on the talk show’s Twitter account.
Social media users condemned NHK on Tuesday for lacking understanding of the issues and spreading racial stereotypes.
“Is this how they see us? These gross caricatures? Are our issues so simple, poor black people, rich white people, corona makes us poorer, we’re so angry, let’s protest! can they really be this clueless, this obtuse?” Baye McNeil, an African-American writer based in Japan, wrote on Twitter.
The clip also sparked a diplomatic response from the interim U.S. ambassador to Japan, Joseph Young.
“While we understand @NHK’s intent to address complex racial issues in the United states, it’s unfortunate that more thought and care didn’t go into this video,” Young wrote on Twitter. “The caricatures used are offensive and insensitive.”
NHK pulled the video from Twitter on Tuesday and released a statement saying it was posted with a “lack of consideration.” It said the video was intended to explain the situation with data showing disparity.
“We apologize for those who felt uncomfortable,” the statement said. “We will respect human rights and be careful at every process of reporting and production.”
Tennis star Naomi Osaka, who has a Japanese mother and a black Haitian father, retweeted the video with a GIF of comedian Steve Harvey looking confused. Osaka has expressed her support for the protests in recent tweets, including one held Sunday in the city of Osaka, where she was born.
Last year, two Japanese comedians apologized to Osaka after making fun of her skin color as looking sunburned and suggesting she bleach it. One of her sponsors has also apologized for whitening Osaka’s skin color in a noodle ad.
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Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Ronna McDaniel, RNC chief: Decision on convention will likely have to come in next week or so

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Tuesday said organizers planning the Republican National Convention will likely have to decide in the next week or so on where parts of it will be relocated .
She mentioned Oklahoma , Georgia , Florida , Texas and Tennessee as states that have lobbied to host it after North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper , a Democrat , said he couldn ’ t guarantee full use of an arena in Charlotte amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We ’ ve been traveling , ” Ms. McDaniel said on “ Fox & Friends.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision probably within the next week as to where we ’ re going to have this celebration.
” Planning a national party convention is a monumental , multi-year task under the best of circumstances , and officials are scrambling to shift gears in less than three months after President Trump said last week that Mr. Cooper ’ s moves were forcing them to scout other locations .
The RNC has said it still hopes to conduct at least some convention business in Charlotte even if the celebration surrounding Mr. Trump ’ s formal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McDaniel also said it ’ s important that Mr. Trump starts holding campaign-style rallies again as he looks to get back on the road in the coming weeks .
“ I think they ’ ll be full rallies , ” she said .
“ When we went to North Carolina and I spoke to the governor talking about the convention , we were talking about doing temperature checks , testing everybody before they came in.
” “ Lots of precautions to make sure we ’ re putting the safety of convention-goers first , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will be the same with the rallies — they ’ ll make sure that they ’ re putting safety procedures in place to make sure that every attendee is taken care of.
” “ It is so critical that he gets out on the road and starts having these rallies and hearing from his voters , ” she said .

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Tuesday said organizers planning the Republican National Convention will likely have to decide in the next week or so on where parts of it will be relocated.
She mentioned Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, Texas and Tennessee as states that have lobbied to host it after North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, said he couldn’t guarantee full use of an arena in Charlotte amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve been traveling,” Ms. McDaniel said on “Fox & Friends.” “We will have to make a decision probably within the next week as to where we’re going to have this celebration.”
Planning a national party convention is a monumental, multi-year task under the best of circumstances, and officials are scrambling to shift gears in less than three months after President Trump said last week that Mr. Cooper’s moves were forcing them to scout other locations.
The RNC has said it still hopes to conduct at least some convention business in Charlotte even if the celebration surrounding Mr. Trump’s formal nomination takes place somewhere else.
Ms. McDaniel also said it’s important that Mr. Trump starts holding campaign-style rallies again as he looks to get back on the road in the coming weeks.
“I think they’ll be full rallies,” she said. “When we went to North Carolina and I spoke to the governor talking about the convention, we were talking about doing temperature checks, testing everybody before they came in.”
“Lots of precautions to make sure we’re putting the safety of convention-goers first,” she said. “I think that will be the same with the rallies — they’ll make sure that they’re putting safety procedures in place to make sure that every attendee is taken care of.”
“It is so critical that he gets out on the road and starts having these rallies and hearing from his voters,” she said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Officers deflate tires of empty vehicles during protests

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - Law enforcement agencies have acknowledged that officers punctured the tires of numerous unoccupied vehicles parked during the height of recent unrest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Minnesota Department of Public Safety spokesman Bruce Gordon said troopers deflated tires in order to stop vehicles from “ driving dangerously and at high speeds in and around protesters and law enforcement.
” Troopers also targeted vehicles “ that contained items used to cause harm during violent protests ” such as rocks , concrete and sticks , Gordon said Monday .
Deputies from Anoka County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests connected to Floyd ’ s death on May 25 , .according to Anoka County Sheriff ’ s Lt. Andy Knotz .
Deputies were following orders from the state-led Multiagency Command Center , which was coordinating law enforcement during the protests , Knotz said .
All four tires on the car of Star Tribune reporter Chris Serres were slashed in a Kmart parking lot while he was on foot covering the protests and unrest , the newspaper reported .
Protesters nationwide are calling for police reforms in response to Floyd ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police ” have become rallying cries for many .
Protests that followed Floyd ’ s death have been marred by arson , looting and property damage , prompting some cities to impose curfews .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Law enforcement agencies have acknowledged that officers slashed the tires of numerous unoccupied vehicles parked during the height of recent unrest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Minnesota Department of Public Safety spokesman Bruce Gordon said troopers cut the tires in order to stop vehicles from “driving dangerously and at high speeds in and around protesters and law enforcement.”
Troopers also targeted vehicles “that contained items used to cause harm during violent protests” such as rocks, concrete and sticks, Gordon said Monday.
Deputies from Anoka County also cut tires on vehicles during the protests connected to Floyd’s death on May 25, according to Anoka County Sheriff’s Lt. Andy Knotz. Deputies were following orders from the state-led Multiagency Command Center, which was coordinating law enforcement during the protests, Knotz said.
All four tires on the car of Star Tribune reporter Chris Serres were slashed in a Kmart parking lot while he was on foot covering the protests and unrest, the newspaper reported.
Protesters nationwide are calling for police reforms in response to Floyd’s death, and calls to “defund the police” have become rallying cries for many.
Protests that followed Floyd’s death have been marred by arson, looting and property damage, prompting some cities to impose curfews.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Charlotte stops funding police chemical agents amid protests

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) - The Charlotte City Council has voted to stop funding chemical agents for police use after the city ’ s police boxed in and gassed demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd .
The measure to defund the chemical agents passed in a 9-2 vote Monday night after being introduced by a council member who was arrested during one of the protests , news outlets reported .
After a demonstrator documented the use of gas last Tuesday in a widely shared video , the mayor condemned it and the police chief called it “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department has spent $ 103,000 on chemical agents in 2020 , City Budget Director Ryan Bergman said .
Taking them away “ will be a slap on the wrist ” for police , but it ’ s “ one step toward defunding the entire police department , ” Tin Nguyen , an organizer and attorney , told the Charlotte Observer .
Council member Ed Driggs , who voted against the ban , called it a “ gratuitous dig at police.
” And while the Mecklenburg County Sheriff ’ s Office announced earlier Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in protests , citing tensions with the community , a local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police slammed the city council ’ s decision as “ dangerous ” following the vote .
“ Without their use , this city would be on fire , and injuries would be much greater , ” they said in a Facebook post .
The councilman who introduced the motion , Braxton Winston , said defunding chemical agents “ alone is not good enough , ” and urged supporters Monday to display “ the same energy tomorrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past few weeks.
” Corine Mack , president of the Charlotte NAACP , called the motion a “ Band-Aid ” and said it does not hold local leaders accountable .
Aside from the chemical agents ban , the council approved a new budget Monday for the coming fiscal year and allocated about $ 290 million for city ’ s police department .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Charlotte City Council has voted to stop funding chemical agents for police use after the city’s police boxed in and gassed demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd.
The measure to defund the chemical agents passed in a 9-2 vote Monday night after being introduced by a council member who was arrested during one of the protests, news outlets reported. After a demonstrator documented the use of gas last Tuesday in a widely shared video, the mayor condemned it and the police chief called it “disturbing.”
The city’s police department has spent $103,000 on chemical agents in 2020, City Budget Director Ryan Bergman said. Taking them away “will be a slap on the wrist” for police, but it’s “one step toward defunding the entire police department,” Tin Nguyen, an organizer and attorney, told the Charlotte Observer.
Council member Ed Driggs, who voted against the ban, called it a “gratuitous dig at police.”
And while the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office announced earlier Monday its deputies would stop using tear gas in protests, citing tensions with the community, a local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police slammed the city council’s decision as “dangerous” following the vote.
“Without their use, this city would be on fire, and injuries would be much greater,” they said in a Facebook post.
The councilman who introduced the motion, Braxton Winston, said defunding chemical agents “alone is not good enough,” and urged supporters Monday to display “the same energy tomorrow morning that you have displayed over the past few weeks.”
Corine Mack, president of the Charlotte NAACP, called the motion a “Band-Aid” and said it does not hold local leaders accountable. Aside from the chemical agents ban, the council approved a new budget Monday for the coming fiscal year and allocated about $290 million for city’s police department.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--The Latest: Wales Rally GB called off amid pandemic

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world : The Evian Championship women ’ s major golf tournament has been canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The event in France had already been postponed from July to Aug. 6-9 .
Organizers say they can not overcome “ uncertainty concerning the opening of borders ” with Asia and the United States .
Tournament chairman Franck Riboud says the cancellation is “ unavoidable in view of the situation with regards to U.S. travel to continental Europe.
” The Women ’ s British Open is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotland .
The three majors played in the United States have been rescheduled for later in the year .
The Wales Rally GB has become the latest race in the world rally championship to be called off because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The rally was scheduled for Oct. 29-Nov. 1 .
It was to be the penultimate event of the season .
It ’ s the seventh WRC race to be postponed or canceled .
Organizers say the uncertainty over large gatherings and international travel prompted the decision to cancel the Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1967 .
The mayor of Madrid says there are discussions for the Spanish capital to host the Champions League final this season amid the coronavirus pandemic .
José Luis Martínez-Almeida says the city would be prepared to host the final for the second straight year .
He did not elaborate on the negotiations in his interview with 13tv .
A UEFA executive committee meeting on June 17 is expected to decide the new location for the final in August .
It was originally scheduled to be played in Istanbul in May .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stage the quarterfinals and semifinals .
German city Frankfurt and Portuguese capital Lisbon are also likely contenders to host the final .
Spain was hard-hit by the pandemic but has been gradually lifting confinement restrictions .

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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The National Soccer Hall of Fame is reopening for the first time in nearly three months.
The museum in Frisco, Texas, will reopen to the public Wednesday at 50% of its usual capacity. It has been closed since March 13 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Facemasks will be encouraged but not required for guests, but social distancing protocols are required for all individual guests and groups.
Only one group of guests will be allowed to use each interactive exhibit at a time, though some interactive exhibits like virtual reality won’t be available. Staff will be sanitize interactive experiences after each use, and the facility with be thoroughly cleaned each evening.
The hall opened to the public in North Texas in November 2018 after being located in Oneonta, New York, from 1983-2010.
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Georgia Tech’s Josh Pastner is among those pushing to allow coaches to work with their players in July in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown, a change from voluntary summer workouts.
The Yellow Jackets are reopening their athletic facilities on June 15 for Atlanta-based athletes to work out in small groups, but the sessions must be voluntary.
Pastner said it’s important that basketball coaches be allowed to oversee the workouts beginning in July, given they haven’t been around their players since the pandemic brought sports to a halt in mid-March.
“Our feeling is, ‘Why have the guys back on campus if they’re not able to work with the coaches in the gym?’” Pastner said.
The NCAA’s Division I Council is set to take up the proposal at its June 17 meeting, according to Pastner. If it fails to pass, coaches will have to wait until classes begin in August to oversee players workouts.
The Georgia Tech coach also said the pandemic has forced him to change his philosophy on scheduling. The Yellow Jackets are likely to pick up more regional opponents as a way to cut down on costs, which is the reason they agreed to multi-year series with Georgia State, another Atlanta-based school that is only a few miles from the Tech campus, and UAB in neighboring Alabama.
“We’re being nimble with our scheduling and what we have to do based on Covid-19,” Pastner said. “That’s really important budget-wise.”
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The regular seasons in the third and fourth divisions of English soccer have been cut short because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The English Football League says clubs “voted by an overwhelming majority” to end the season and the final standings have been calculated using an unweighted points-per-game basis.
The framework retained promotion, relegation and the traditional four-team playoffs.
Coventry and Rotherham have been promoted to the second division and Wycombe, Oxford, Portsmouth and Fleetwood will contest the playoffs.
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France’s highest administrative court has upheld the decision to cancel the rest of the soccer season amid the coronavirus pandemic and suspended the relegations of Amiens and Toulouse to the second division.
The Conseil d’Etat issued its ruling after Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas and the two demoted clubs took the case to court last month in a bid to force the league to play the remaining 10 matches of the aborted season.
The league was canceled with Paris Saint-Germain declared champion. Lyon finished outside the European places in seventh.
The Conseil d’Etat ruled that there was “no serious doubt as to the legality of the decision” to end the season prematurely. But it suspended the relegation of Amiens and Toulouse and ordered the French league to rethink the format of the 2020-21 season.
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The Evian Championship women’s major golf tournament has been canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The event in France had already been postponed from July to Aug. 6-9.
Organizers say they cannot overcome “uncertainty concerning the opening of borders” with Asia and the United States.
Tournament chairman Franck Riboud says the cancellation is “unavoidable in view of the situation with regards to U.S. travel to continental Europe.”
The Women’s British Open is still set for Aug. 20-23 in Troon, Scotland.
The three majors played in the United States have been rescheduled for later in the year.
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The Wales Rally GB has become the latest race in the world rally championship to be called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The rally was scheduled for Oct. 29-Nov. 1. It was to be the penultimate event of the season.
It’s the seventh WRC race to be postponed or canceled.
Organizers say the uncertainty over large gatherings and international travel prompted the decision to cancel the Wales Rally GB for the first time since 1967.
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The mayor of Madrid says there are discussions for the Spanish capital to host the Champions League final this season amid the coronavirus pandemic.
José Luis Martínez-Almeida says the city would be prepared to host the final for the second straight year. He did not elaborate on the negotiations in his interview with 13tv.
A UEFA executive committee meeting on June 17 is expected to decide the new location for the final in August. It was originally scheduled to be played in Istanbul in May.
The country hosting the final is also expected to stage the quarterfinals and semifinals.
German city Frankfurt and Portuguese capital Lisbon are also likely contenders to host the final.
Spain was hard-hit by the pandemic but has been gradually lifting confinement restrictions.
Madrid hosted last year’s final when Liverpool beat Tottenham.
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Salzburg Festival will go on this year but in shortened form

The Salzburg Festival will be one of classical music ’ s few offerings in the summer of the coronavirus pandemic , staging a reduced 100th anniversary celebration with capacities limited to about 50 % .
Europe ’ s top festival announced Tuesday it will present 90 performances , down from 212 originally intended .
Venues will be cut from 16 to seven and intermissions eliminated to reduce audience interaction .
The only operas will be a Mozart ’ s “ Cosi fan Tutte ” in the Grosses Festspielhaus , limited to about 1,000 of its 2,300 seats , and Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Felsenreitschule , which will hold roughly 700 .
Originally set to run from July 18 to Aug. 30 , the festival will now start Aug. 1 .
Nearly every other major summer festival in Europe and the U.S. has been canceled .
“ It would have been much easier not to play , but we were founded as a sign of hope so we want to play , ” festival president Helga Rabl-Stadler said in a telephone interview .
The festival had sold 180,000 of 230,000 tickets to people in 80 nations but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only those who already bought tickets can still attend and there will be a limit of two per person .
Names of purchasers will be printed on tickets and records kept to enable contact tracing .
There are two active cases of COVID-19 in the Salzburg province , according to the Austrian government ’ s dashboard .
“ We do not know how many people will come , how many people will say , ` Thank you .
We love you but we don ’ t come here because it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I bake bread ’ or something , ″ Rabl-Stadler said .
“ So it ’ s like walking in a fog.
” Every other seat will be left open .
People in the audience must wear masks when entering , but will be allowed to remove them during the performance .
Artists and backstage staff will be tested regularly .
Backstage staff will be pared down and wear masks .
Christof Loy ’ s staging of “ Cosi fan Tutte ” will have cuts .
“ It will be a super-modest set , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” artistic director Markus Hinterhäuser said .
“ A different ` Cosi fan Tutte ’ in corona times , if I might say .
This is my little surprise.
” There will be 14 performances of Hugo von Hofmannsthal ’ s “ Jedermann ( Everyman ) ” on the Domplatz in front of the cathedral , including one on Aug. 22 to mark the 100th anniversary of the day that play inaugurated the festival .
Capacity in the square will be limited to 1,250 rather than 2,300 .
Rabl-Stadler said the festival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( $ 17 million ) in revenue , 8 million euros due to lost performances and the rest because of lower capacity .
The festival usually generates 75 % of revenue from tickets , sponsors and donations , Mozart ’ s “ Don Giovanni ” and “ Die Zauberflöte ( The Magic Flute ) , ” Puccini ’ s “ Tosca , ” Donizetti ’ s “ Don Pasquale ” and Luigi Nono ’ s “ Intolleranza ” have been postponed to 2021 and Mussorgsky ’ s “ Boris Godunov ” to 2022 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two years , ” she said .

The Salzburg Festival will be one of classical music’s few offerings in the summer of the coronavirus pandemic, staging a reduced 100th anniversary celebration with capacities limited to about 50%.
Europe’s top festival announced Tuesday it will present 90 performances, down from 212 originally intended.
Venues will be cut from 16 to seven and intermissions eliminated to reduce audience interaction. The only operas will be a Mozart’s “Cosi fan Tutte” in the Grosses Festspielhaus, limited to about 1,000 of its 2,300 seats, and Richard Strauss’ “Elektra” in the Felsenreitschule, which will hold roughly 700.
Originally set to run from July 18 to Aug. 30, the festival will now start Aug. 1. Nearly every other major summer festival in Europe and the U.S. has been canceled.
“It would have been much easier not to play, but we were founded as a sign of hope so we want to play,” festival president Helga Rabl-Stadler said in a telephone interview.
The festival had sold 180,000 of 230,000 tickets to people in 80 nations but now is limiting seats to about 70,000. Only those who already bought tickets can still attend and there will be a limit of two per person. Names of purchasers will be printed on tickets and records kept to enable contact tracing.
There are two active cases of COVID-19 in the Salzburg province, according to the Austrian government’s dashboard.
“We do not know how many people will come, how many people will say, `Thank you. We love you but we don’t come here because it’s impossible, because of health reasons or I bake bread’ or something,″ Rabl-Stadler said. “So it’s like walking in a fog.”
Every other seat will be left open. People in the audience must wear masks when entering, but will be allowed to remove them during the performance.
Artists and backstage staff will be tested regularly. Backstage staff will be pared down and wear masks. Christof Loy’s staging of “Cosi fan Tutte” will have cuts.
“It will be a super-modest set, super-modest costumes, a very-reduced rehearsal time,” artistic director Markus Hinterhäuser said. “A different `Cosi fan Tutte’ in corona times, if I might say. This is my little surprise.”
There will be 14 performances of Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s “Jedermann (Everyman)” on the Domplatz in front of the cathedral, including one on Aug. 22 to mark the 100th anniversary of the day that play inaugurated the festival. Capacity in the square will be limited to 1,250 rather than 2,300.
Rabl-Stadler said the festival will be short about 15 million euros ($17 million) in revenue, 8 million euros due to lost performances and the rest because of lower capacity. The festival usually generates 75% of revenue from tickets, sponsors and donations,
Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and “Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute),” Puccini’s “Tosca,” Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” and Luigi Nono’s “Intolleranza” have been postponed to 2021 and Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov” to 2022.
“We celebrate our 100th anniversary for two years,” she said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Joe Biden: 'No, I don't support defunding the police'

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden on Monday said he doesn ’ t support defunding the police — a movement among some on the left that has taken hold after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police last month .
“ No , I don ’ t support defunding the police , ” Mr. Biden told CBS News .
“ I support conditioning federal aid to police , based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency and honorableness and , in fact , are able to demonstrate that they can protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Biden met on Monday with the family of Mr. Floyd , a black man who died on Memorial Day after a former police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
A memorial service for Mr. Floyd in his hometown of Houston is set to take place on Tuesday .
The former officer , Derek Chauvin , has been charged with second-degree murder and the incident has sparked a wave of protests across the country over the last several weeks .
“ His little daughter was there , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to change the world.
’ And I think her daddy is going to change the world , ” Mr. Biden said .
“ I think what ’ s happened here is one of those great inflection points in American history , for real , in terms of civil [ liberties ] , civil rights and just treating people with dignity.
” President Trump has played up themes of law and order as officials in some localities across the country , including Minneapolis , look to cut funding for or revamp local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be defunding our police .
We won ’ t be dismantling our police , ” the president said on Monday .

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden on Monday said he doesn’t support defunding the police — a movement among some on the left that has taken hold after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police last month.
“No, I don’t support defunding the police,” Mr. Biden told CBS News. “I support conditioning federal aid to police, based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency and honorableness and, in fact, are able to demonstrate that they can protect the community and everybody in the community.”
Mr. Biden met on Monday with the family of Mr. Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after a former police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. A memorial service for Mr. Floyd in his hometown of Houston is set to take place on Tuesday.
The former officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder and the incident has sparked a wave of protests across the country over the last several weeks.
Mr. Biden called the Floyds an incredible family.
“His little daughter was there, the one who said, ‘Daddy’s going to change the world.’ And I think her daddy is going to change the world,” Mr. Biden said. “I think what’s happened here is one of those great inflection points in American history, for real, in terms of civil [liberties], civil rights and just treating people with dignity.”
President Trump has played up themes of law and order as officials in some localities across the country, including Minneapolis, look to cut funding for or revamp local police departments.
“We won’t be defunding our police. We won’t be dismantling our police,” the president said on Monday.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Czech Senate speaker plans to visit Taiwan, angering China

PRAGUE ( AP ) - The speaker of the Czech Republic ’ s Senate announced Tuesday he will visit Taiwan despite warnings from China and a recommendation from his own government that he not take the trip .
Milos Vystrcil said he would be accompanied by a business delegation on his visit , which is tentatively scheduled to begin Aug. 30 .
Vystrcil said he was also planning to meet Taiwan ’ s leaders , but didn ’ t immediately give details .
Vystrcil ’ s predecessor in the post , Jaroslav Kubera , was planning to travel to Taiwan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans angered pro-China Czech President Milos Zeman .
A letter to Kubera from the Chinese Embassy in Prague warned him against going on the trip , saying the visit would have negatives consequences for future economic relations between China and the Czech Republic .
The Czech Republic has established informal relations with Taiwan but recognizes the one-China principle - the notion that Taiwan belongs to Communist Party-ruled China .
Vystrcil said China ’ s pressure , including a warning from the Chinese Embassy against congratulating Taiwan ’ s pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel to the island .
“ The People ’ s Republic of China believes it has a right to tell us what to do , ” Vystrcil said .
He said the Czech Republic will benefit from his trip .
Taiwan is an important business partner for the Czech Republic and has invested more in the Czech economy than mainland China .
In a separate development condemned by China , the Czech capital of Prague signed in January a partnership agreement with Taiwan ’ s capital , Taipei , three months after @ @ @ @ @ @ @

PRAGUE (AP) - The speaker of the Czech Republic’s Senate announced Tuesday he will visit Taiwan despite warnings from China and a recommendation from his own government that he not take the trip.
Milos Vystrcil said he would be accompanied by a business delegation on his visit, which is tentatively scheduled to begin Aug. 30.
Vystrcil said he was also planning to meet Taiwan’s leaders, but didn’t immediately give details.
Vystrcil’s predecessor in the post, Jaroslav Kubera, was planning to travel to Taiwan before he died in January. His plans angered pro-China Czech President Milos Zeman.
A letter to Kubera from the Chinese Embassy in Prague warned him against going on the trip, saying the visit would have negatives consequences for future economic relations between China and the Czech Republic.
The Czech Republic has established informal relations with Taiwan but recognizes the one-China principle - the notion that Taiwan belongs to Communist Party-ruled China.
Vystrcil said China’s pressure, including a warning from the Chinese Embassy against congratulating Taiwan’s pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen on her re-election, contributed to his decision to travel to the island.
“The People’s Republic of China believes it has a right to tell us what to do,” Vystrcil said. He said the Czech Republic will benefit from his trip.
Taiwan is an important business partner for the Czech Republic and has invested more in the Czech economy than mainland China.
In a separate development condemned by China, the Czech capital of Prague signed in January a partnership agreement with Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, three months after canceling a similar deal with Beijing.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Protesters seize on Ohio woman's death despite questions

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) - Protesters have seized on the death of a recent college graduate in Ohio in their fight against excessive force by police , though how the woman died remains undetermined .
Sarah Grossman , 22 , of Dayton , died May 30 after participating in Columbus demonstrations over the death of George Floyd .
An early theory that tear gas or pepper spray used during those confrontations prompted or contributed to Grossman ’ s death went viral under the hashtag # forsarah , though her family has said that is premature .
Montgomery County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sycamore Hospital near Dayton .
He said an autopsy will take about eight weeks .
The city of Columbus said it was aware of the social media posts about Grossman ’ s death and was looking into it .
An online petition seeks charges against Columbus police officers .
Stauf ’ s Coffee Roasters , where Grossman worked , tweeted : “ As a peaceful protestor this weekend , she stood up to end police brutality and was tear gassed as a result .
Her death came in the aftermath , but her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s is working diligently on plans to honor her and the other peaceful organizers risking their lives in pursuit of justice.
” Grossman graduated from Ohio State University on May 3 with a bachelor of science in environmental and natural resources .

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio will make sure that hundreds of non-compliant law enforcement agencies meet statewide performance standards, and it will add guidelines to that list for responding to mass protests, Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday.
DeWine also is creating a new state office to recruit more black and female officers.
His efforts follow the death of George Floyd at the hands of police that set off massive protests against racism and police brutality across the state, nation and world.
The Republican governor said he was using his executive power to take immediate action to address concerns raised by Floyd’s death and would also work with the Legislature on enacting changes that have previously met resistance.
“We’ll get some things done,” he pledged. He urged all Ohioans to support his push by lobbying their local elected officials to get their police and sheriff’s departments to adopt the best practices in the use-of-force, training and other areas.
DeWine, a former attorney general, said he does not agree with protesters who want to defund the police, however.
“That would be absurd,” he said. “I can’t imagine what people are thinking.”
Protesters have seized on the death of a recent Ohio State University graduate in pushing back against excessive force by police, though how the woman died remains undetermined.
Sarah Grossman, 22, of Dayton, died May 30 after participating in Columbus demonstrations over Floyd’s death. An early theory that tear gas or pepper spray used during those confrontations prompted or contributed to Grossman’s death went viral under the hashtag #forsarah, though her family has said that is premature.
“Autopsy and toxicology reports are not complete and there is no evidence at this time that pepper spray caused her death,“ read a statement from Grossman’s family. It added that there was no evidence of a drug overdose and that Grossman did not have a peanut allergy or asthma.
Grossman apparently returned home to Dayton after the protest. Columbus police have no record of an EMT transport. The Montgomery County coroner said she died at Sycamore Hospital, near Dayton. An autopsy will take about eight weeks.
Columbus is looking into what happened. An online petition seeks charges against city police officers.
Grossman, who was white, graduated from Ohio State University on May 3 with a bachelor of science in environmental and natural resources.
Also Tuesday, a resolution to declare racism an issue of public health reached the Ohio Senate, where it has bipartisan support.
The first hearing to reexamine the effect of racial inequity on the health of Ohioans was held a week after Democratic lawmakers introduced a similar resolution in the House. The measure details health disparities between white and black Ohio residents in areas including infant mortality and maternal mortality.
“Today is an opportunity for us to discuss an issue that has been at the forefront of our mind and across America,” Democratic Sen. Sandra Williams, of Cleveland, one of the bill’s cosponsors. “This issue is racism.”
If passed, Ohio would become the first state to declare racism a public health crisis.
___
Amiri reported from New York. Farnoush Amiri is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Tanzania opposition leader attacked months ahead of election

DODOMA , Tanzania ( AP ) - Tanzania ’ s main opposition leader was attacked by unidentified assailants as he entered his home late at night , officials with his party said Tuesday , just months ahead of a general election and as opposition figures face alleged harassment .
Freeman Mbowe , the leader of the opposition in parliament and chairman of the Chadema party , was rushed to a health center for treatment after he was attacked overnight in Dodoma , the administrative capital , Dodoma Regional Police Commander Gilles Murotto told reporters .
“ Mbowe has a fracture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doctors his condition has stabilized , ” Murotto said , adding that the attack is under investigation .
A climate of fear has grown in the East African nation , rights groups and critics say , as President John Magufuli seeks a second term in the October election that shows no sign of being delayed despite the coronavirus pandemic .
Critics accuse Magufuli ’ s administration of curtailing freedom of assembly .
Since 2016 , opposition rallies across the country have been banned .
Earlier this year Mbowe and eight others were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or pay or fines for charges including conspiracy to commit offences , unlawful assembly , sedition and incitement .
Chadema secretary-general John Mnyika said the attack was reminiscent of one in 2017 when former opposition legislator Tundu Lissu was shot by unknown gunmen at his home in Dodoma .
Lissu was rushed to a Nairobi hospital before being transferred to Belgium for further treatment .
To date , no one has been arrested .
Lissu has said he will challenge Magufuli for the presidency in October .
Mbowe has not announced any such @ @

DODOMA, Tanzania (AP) - Tanzania’s main opposition leader was attacked by unidentified assailants as he entered his home late at night, officials with his party said Tuesday, just months ahead of a general election and as opposition figures face alleged harassment.
Freeman Mbowe, the leader of the opposition in parliament and chairman of the Chadema party, was rushed to a health center for treatment after he was attacked overnight in Dodoma, the administrative capital, Dodoma Regional Police Commander Gilles Murotto told reporters.
“Mbowe has a fracture on his right leg and according to the doctors his condition has stabilized,” Murotto said, adding that the attack is under investigation.
A climate of fear has grown in the East African nation, rights groups and critics say, as President John Magufuli seeks a second term in the October election that shows no sign of being delayed despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Critics accuse Magufuli’s administration of curtailing freedom of assembly. Since 2016, opposition rallies across the country have been banned.
Earlier this year Mbowe and eight others were sentenced to serve a five-month jail term or pay or fines for charges including conspiracy to commit offences, unlawful assembly, sedition and incitement.
Chadema secretary-general John Mnyika said the attack was reminiscent of one in 2017 when former opposition legislator Tundu Lissu was shot by unknown gunmen at his home in Dodoma. Lissu was rushed to a Nairobi hospital before being transferred to Belgium for further treatment.
To date, no one has been arrested.
Lissu has said he will challenge Magufuli for the presidency in October. Mbowe has not announced any such plans.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Israeli model Bar Refaeli signs plea bargain for tax evasion

JERUSALEM ( AP ) - Israeli top model Bar Refaeli signed a plea bargain agreement with authorities on Tuesday to settle a long-standing tax evasion case against her and her family .
The deal will require Refaeli to serve nine months of community service while her mother , Zipi , will be sent to prison for 16 months .
The two are also ordered to pay a $ 1.5 million fine on top of millions of back taxes owed to the state .
The prolonged case , built around the celebrity model ’ s worldwide income and the family ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , has sullied some of Refeali ’ s previous image as a beloved national icon .
Still , she remains a popular TV personality and pitch-woman whose image is ubiquitous on highway billboards throughout the country .
Last year , she hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv .
The heart of the case revolves around Refaeli ’ s residence earlier this decade when she gallivanted around the world in high-profile modeling campaigns , graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition and had a lengthy romantic relationship with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residency primarily upon whether the person spent most of the calendar year in the country .
Refaeli claimed that she hadn ’ t and therefore did not have to declare her worldwide income in certain years .
But prosecutors rejected her claim and charged her with providing incorrect tax information .
For instance , Refaeli ’ s indictment said she earned some $ 7.2 million between the years 2009-2012 while claiming to reside oversees to avoid paying taxes on her income .
In previous appeals , an Israeli court ruled that Refaeli ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a “ family unit , ” and therefore she could not claim his American residence to avoid paying the full taxes she owed .
Refaeli ’ s lawyers said the plea bargain proved she hadn ’ t intentionally evaded tax payments .
“ In the relevant time period , Bar was in her early 20s , was working as an international model and was not involved in financial matters .
Today she is taking responsibility for mistakes that were made , ” they said in a statement .
Refaeli ’ s mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was charged with failure to report income , avoiding paying taxes and aiding someone else in evading tax payments .
The indictment said she signed leases for her daughter under the names of other family members to blur Refaeli ’ s actual residency status and refrained from declaring her own income as her daughter ’ s agent .

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli top model Bar Refaeli signed a plea bargain agreement with authorities on Tuesday to settle a long-standing tax evasion case against her and her family.
The deal will require Refaeli to serve nine months of community service while her mother, Zipi, will be sent to prison for 16 months. The two are also ordered to pay a $1.5 million fine on top of millions of back taxes owed to the state.
The prolonged case, built around the celebrity model’s worldwide income and the family’s attempts to downplay her ties to the country, has sullied some of Refeali’s previous image as a beloved national icon.
Still, she remains a popular TV personality and pitch-woman whose image is ubiquitous on highway billboards throughout the country. Last year, she hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv.
The heart of the case revolves around Refaeli’s residence earlier this decade when she gallivanted around the world in high-profile modeling campaigns, graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition and had a lengthy romantic relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio.
Israeli tax law determines residency primarily upon whether the person spent most of the calendar year in the country. Refaeli claimed that she hadn’t and therefore did not have to declare her worldwide income in certain years.
But prosecutors rejected her claim and charged her with providing incorrect tax information. For instance, Refaeli’s indictment said she earned some $7.2 million between the years 2009-2012 while claiming to reside overseas to avoid paying taxes on her income.
In previous appeals, an Israeli court ruled that Refaeli’s relationship with DiCaprio did not qualify as a “family unit,” and therefore she could not claim his American residence to avoid paying the full taxes she owed.
Refaeli’s lawyers said the plea bargain proved she hadn’t intentionally evaded tax payments.
“In the relevant time period, Bar was in her early 20s, was working as an international model and was not involved in financial matters. Today she is taking responsibility for mistakes that were made,” they said in a statement.
Refaeli’s mother, who also acted as her agent, was charged with failure to report income, avoiding paying taxes and aiding someone else in evading tax payments. The indictment said she signed leases for her daughter under the names of other family members to blur Refaeli’s actual residency status and refrained from declaring her own income as her daughter’s agent.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Airstrikes again hit Syria's rebel area, displace thousands

BEIRUT ( AP ) - Suspected Russian airstrikes pounded villages on the edge of the last rebel enclave in northwestern Syria , sending thousands of civilians fleeing , activists reported Tuesday - scenes unseen in the area since a cease-fire three months ago .
The violence at the edge of Idlib province is the most serious breach of the cease-fire in place since early March , when an agreement between Turkey and Russia halted the Syrian government ’ s three-month air and ground campaign into rebel-held Idlib .
The Syria Response Coordination Group , a team of aid workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5,800 civilians in the last 24 hours from areas in southern Idlib and western Hama countryside .
Many of the displaced had only recently returned to their villages after the cease-fire , the group said .
On Monday , insurgents launched a limited offensive against government-held positions , briefly seizing a couple of villages .
Government troops , backed by Russian air support , responded , repelling the insurgents but also widening their area of operations , targeting 10 villages , according to Mohamed Rasheed , a Syrian media activist documenting the offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be carried out by Russia ’ s air force , on a number of villages in southern Idlib .
He said he documented 45 airstrikes since Monday .
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights recorded 15 airstrikes on Tuesday , also saying they were believed to be Russian .
The Observatory and other local networks said at least one civilian was killed in Kansafra village .
Meanwhile , Syrian state media said government forces repelled an offensive by the insurgents , and that a soldier was killed .
Russia is a main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Turkey backs opposition fighters trying to remove him from power .
Russia and Turkey have become the main power brokers in the war-torn country .
Rasheed said the insurgent offensive was led by the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , now the dominant group in the rebel-held northwest .

BEIRUT (AP) - Suspected Russian airstrikes pounded villages on the edge of the last rebel enclave in northwestern Syria, sending thousands of civilians fleeing, activists reported Tuesday - scenes unseen in the area since a cease-fire three months ago.
The violence at the edge of Idlib province is the most serious breach of the cease-fire in place since early March, when an agreement between Turkey and Russia halted the Syrian government’s three-month air and ground campaign into rebel-held Idlib.
The Syria Response Coordination Group, a team of aid workers, said the military escalation displaced more than 5,800 civilians in the last 24 hours from areas in southern Idlib and western Hama countryside. Many of the displaced had only recently returned to their villages after the cease-fire, the group said.
On Monday, insurgents launched a limited offensive against government-held positions, briefly seizing a couple of villages. Government troops, backed by Russian air support, responded, repelling the insurgents but also widening their area of operations, targeting 10 villages, according to Mohamed Rasheed, a Syrian media activist documenting the offensive.
Rasheed reported airstrikes, believed to be carried out by Russia’s air force, on a number of villages in southern Idlib. He said he documented 45 airstrikes since Monday.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights recorded 15 airstrikes on Tuesday, also saying they were believed to be Russian. The Observatory and other local networks said at least one civilian was killed in Kansafra village.
Meanwhile, Syrian state media said government forces repelled an offensive by the insurgents, and that a soldier was killed.
Russia is a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Turkey backs opposition fighters trying to remove him from power. Russia and Turkey have become the main power brokers in the war-torn country.
Rasheed said the insurgent offensive was led by the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, now the dominant group in the rebel-held northwest.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Libya’s oil company says largest oil field shut down again

CAIRO ( AP ) - A unit affiliated with Libya ’ s east-based forces that have been trying to capture Tripoli but are now on the retreat , ordered the country ’ s largest oil field to halt work just hours after it restarted operations , the national oil company said Tuesday .
The development comes after militias allied with the U.N.-government in the Libyan capital , backed by Turkey , gained the upper hand in the fighting last week .
The militias retook the capital ’ s airport , all main entrance and exit points to the city and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , forcing rival Libyan forces commanded by Khalifa Hifter to pull out .
Hifter has waged a year-long campaign trying to capture the Libyan capital , with thousands killed in the fighting , including civilians , and tens of thousands displaced .
The National Oil Corporation said Brig .
Mohammed Khalifa , the commander of the oil facilities guard force in the country ’ s south , which answers to Hifter , requested that the operations at the Sharara oil field , about 900 kilometers ( 560 miles ) south of Tripoli , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instructed the employees to reject “ any military orders ” regarding the operating and the maintenance of the field .
Two engineers at the field said they already halted operations , and the field was re-closed .
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media .
The Libyan oil company said it has again invoked force majeure , a contract clause that frees a party from liability whenever an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the party ’ s control takes place .
On Monday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Sirte , which has been in Hifter ’ s hands since last year to open the gateway to oil facilities in Libya ’ s south .
On Sunday , the oil company had said production was resumed at the Sharara field , following negotiations with the tribes to end its closure , in place since January .
Production also resumed on Monday in the al-Feel oil field , it said .
Sharara was to restart at a capacity of 30,000 barrels a day , with an expected return to full capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within three months .
Oil , the lifeline of Libya ’ s economy , has long been a key factor in the civil war , as rival authorities jostle for control of oil fields and state revenue .
Libya has the ninth largest known oil reserves in the world and the biggest oil reserves in Africa .
Hifter ’ s forces have painted their recent defeats as tactical measures to give the U.N.-backed peace process a chance .
But the Tripoli-allied militias said Monday they were determined to take Sirte , once a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya .

CAIRO (AP) - A unit affiliated with Libya’s east-based forces that have been trying to capture Tripoli but are now on the retreat, ordered the country’s largest oil field to halt work just hours after it restarted operations, the national oil company said Tuesday.
Armed groups stopped oil production at the Sharara field on two occasions in just 24 hours, the corporation said. Hours after one military commander allowed the oil to start flowing again, another group stormed the field and shut the valves. The company said that force majeure - a contract clause that refers to the inability of the company to meet its obligations because of extraordinary events - remains in effect.
The dizzying series of developments in Libya’s oil fields come after militias allied with the U.N.-government in the Libyan capital, backed by Turkey, gained the upper hand in the fighting last week. The militias retook the capital’s airport, all main entrance and exit points to the city and a string of key towns near Tripoli, forcing rival Libyan forces commanded by Khalifa Hifter to pull out.
Hifter has waged a year-long campaign trying to capture the Libyan capital, with thousands killed in the fighting, including civilians, and tens of thousands displaced.
The National Oil Corporation said Brig. Mohammed Khalifa, the commander of the oil facilities guard force in the country’s south, which answers to Hifter, disrupted operations at the Sharara oil field, about 900 kilometers (560 miles) south of Tripoli.
It said it instructed the employees to reject “any military orders” regarding the operating and the maintenance of the field. Two engineers at the field said they had halted operations early Tuesday, and the field had shut down. Later, an oil engineer said that production had resumed, only to be cut off once again. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
On Monday, the Tripoli-allied forces advanced toward the strategic coastal city of Sirte, which has been in Hifter’s hands since last year and represents the gateway to oil facilities in Libya’s south.
The oil company had previously announced the resumption of production at the Sharara field, following negotiations with the tribes to end its closure, in place since January. Production also resumed on Monday in the al-Feel oil field, it said.
Sharara was to restart at a capacity of 30,000 barrels a day, with an expected return to full capacity, around 290,000 barrels a day, within three months.
Tuesday’s shutdown marked the 20th time that production at Libya’s largest oil field has been disrupted since the beginning of the NATO-backed uprising and civil war erupted in Feb. 2011, said Hamish Kinnear, Middle East and North Africa analyst at Verisk Maplecroft.
The reopening of the field was the first major challenge to Hifter’s forces in the area, he said.
“Should Sirte fall, the (Government of National Accord) will be able to advance into the oil crescent - whose ports and oil fields account for the lion’s share of Libya’s oil production and exports,” he said.
Oil, the lifeline of Libya’s economy, has long been a key factor in the civil war, as rival authorities jostle for control of oil fields and state revenue. Libya has the ninth largest known oil reserves in the world and the biggest oil reserves in Africa.
Hifter’s forces have painted their recent defeats as tactical measures to give the U.N.-backed peace process a chance. But the Tripoli-allied militias said Monday they were determined to take Sirte, once a stronghold of the Islamic State group in Libya.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--Philippine defense chief flies to disputed island amid feud

MANILA , Philippines ( AP ) - The Philippine defense chief and top military officials flew to a disputed island in the South China Sea on Tuesday to inaugurate a beach ramp built to allow the “ full-blast ” development of the territory in a move likely to infuriate China .
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana brought journalists to witness the ribbon-cutting ceremony on the island , internationally called Thitu , in what he said was a milestone in efforts to make the island , long occupied by Filipino forces and fishermen , more livable without militarizing it .
The island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope , lies near one of China ’ s man-made islands in the Spratlys , the most hotly contested area of the South China Sea .
Lorenzana said the Philippines has the right to develop its nine occupied islands as other claimants have done .
He played down the prospect of a hostile Chinese reaction , citing cozier ties between Manila and Beijing under President Rodrigo Duterte .
“ This is a disputed area , ” Lorenzana told journalists on the island in remarks provided by the Department of National Defense .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not attack us so we ’ re safe here.
” The beach ramp will allow Philippine navy and cargo ships to dock and unload construction materials and heavy equipment for new projects , including the repair of a seawater-eroded airstrip .
Military barracks , more civilian homes , a school , an ice plant for fishermen , solar and diesel power supplies and a radio station for weather reports are also planned , Lorenzana said .
A fishermen ’ s shelter is being completed with plans for it to be inaugurated on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
With the beach ramp now usable , “ we can go full blast , ” the defense chief said .
China , the Philippines , Vietnam and Malaysia have had increasingly tense territorial spats in the region in recent years after China turned seven disputed reefs into missile-protected island bases , including three with runways .
Taiwan and Brunei also have claims in the busy waterway .
Indonesia is not officially involved in the conflicts but has had confrontations with Chinese fishermen and coast guard vessels which it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the disputed waters .
Lorenzana said the government has no plan to militarize the island by arming it with missiles , cannons or other heavy weapons .
Three nearby sand bars collectively called Sandy Cay have become a new front in the disputes after China accused the Philippines of attempting to construct structures there a few years ago .
Since then , flotillas of Chinese fishing boats and coast guard and navy ships have kept a close watch on Sandy Cay , sparking protests from the Philippines .
In April , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two districts to administer the Spratlys and another group of islands and reefs .
The Philippines also lodged a protest over a Chinese navy ship ’ s aiming of its weapons control radar at a Philippine navy ship in mid-February .
The radar locks weapons on a target prior to an actual attack , although the Chinese navy ship did not fire , the Philippine navy said .
China has denied it aimed a weapon at the Philippine ship , a Philippine official said , but it has continued to warn foreign military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , from approaching its island bases .

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Philippine defense chief and top military officials flew to a disputed island in the South China Sea on Tuesday to inaugurate a beach ramp built to allow the “full-blast” development of the territory in a move likely to infuriate China.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana brought journalists to witness the ribbon-cutting ceremony on the island, internationally called Thitu, in what he said was a milestone in efforts to make the island, long occupied by Filipino forces and fishermen, more livable without militarizing it.
The island, which Filipinos call Pag-asa, or hope, lies near one of China’s man-made islands in the Spratlys, the most hotly contested area of the South China Sea.
Lorenzana said the Philippines has the right to develop its nine occupied islands as other claimants have done. He played down the prospect of a hostile Chinese reaction, citing cozier ties between Manila and Beijing under President Rodrigo Duterte.
“This is a disputed area,” Lorenzana told journalists on the island in remarks provided by the Department of National Defense. “The Chinese have said that they will not attack us so we’re safe here.”
The beach ramp will allow Philippine navy and cargo ships to dock and unload construction materials and heavy equipment for new projects, including the repair of a seawater-eroded airstrip. Military barracks, more civilian homes, a school, an ice plant for fishermen, solar and diesel power supplies and a radio station for weather reports are also planned, Lorenzana said.
A fishermen’s shelter is being completed with plans for it to be inaugurated on Friday when the Philippines marks its Independence Day, he said.
With the beach ramp now usable, “we can go full blast,” the defense chief said.
China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia have had increasingly tense territorial spats in the region in recent years after China turned seven disputed reefs into missile-protected island bases, including three with runways. Taiwan and Brunei also have claims in the busy waterway. Indonesia is not officially involved in the conflicts but has had confrontations with Chinese fishermen and coast guard vessels which it has accused of encroaching into the Natuna Sea near the disputed waters.
Lorenzana said the government has no plan to militarize the island by arming it with missiles, cannons or other heavy weapons.
Three nearby sand bars collectively called Sandy Cay have become a new front in the disputes after China accused the Philippines of attempting to construct structures there a few years ago. Since then, flotillas of Chinese fishing boats and coast guard and navy ships have kept a close watch on Sandy Cay, sparking protests from the Philippines.
In April, the Philippines protested China’s establishment of two districts to administer the Spratlys and another group of islands and reefs. The Philippines also lodged a protest over a Chinese navy ship’s aiming of its weapons control radar at a Philippine navy ship in mid-February. The radar locks weapons on a target prior to an actual attack, although the Chinese navy ship did not fire, the Philippine navy said.
China has denied it aimed a weapon at the Philippine ship, a Philippine official said, but it has continued to warn foreign military ships and aircraft, including those of the United States, from approaching its island bases.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--5 Things to Know for Today

5 Things to Know for Today

Your daily look at late-breaking news , upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today : 1 .
GEORGE FLOYD TO BE LAID TO REST The black man whose death inspired a worldwide reckoning over racial injustice will be buried next to his mother in Houston , carried home in a horse-drawn carriage .
2 .
‘ DEFUND THE POLICE ’ PUSH CREATES CONFUSION Some supporters say it is a symbolic commitment to end systemic racism and shift policing priorities rather than an actual plan to eliminate law enforcement agencies .
3 .
‘ THE SITUATION IS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suppressed information about the coronavirus , punished those who speak out , enforced little mitigation measures , and promoted conspiracies and false claims , AP finds .
4 .
PROTESTS SHADOW LATEST PRIMARIES Voters in Georgia and West Virginia could provide both the Trump and Biden campaigns an opportunity to prove they can assemble a coalition strong enough to win in November .
5 .
BASEBALL EYES EXPANDED PLAYOFF Major League Baseball is talking about having as many as 16 teams in the playoffs this year if the season is able to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
1. GEORGE FLOYD TO BE LAID TO REST The black man whose death inspired a worldwide reckoning over racial injustice will be buried next to his mother in Houston, carried home in a horse-drawn carriage.
2. ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ PUSH CREATES CONFUSION Some supporters say it is a symbolic commitment to end systemic racism and shift policing priorities rather than an actual plan to eliminate law enforcement agencies.
3. ‘THE SITUATION IS CATASTROPHIC’ Houthi rebels in Yemen have suppressed information about the coronavirus, punished those who speak out, enforced little mitigation measures, and promoted conspiracies and false claims, AP finds.
4. PROTESTS SHADOW LATEST PRIMARIES Voters in Georgia and West Virginia could provide both the Trump and Biden campaigns an opportunity to prove they can assemble a coalition strong enough to win in November.
5. BASEBALL EYES EXPANDED PLAYOFF Major League Baseball is talking about having as many as 16 teams in the playoffs this year if the season is able to start after a long delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic.


washingtontimes--2020-06-09--AP Interview: Nepal renews call for talks with India

KATHMANDU , Nepal ( AP ) - Nepal ’ s foreign minister said Tuesday that the country was still waiting for a response from India on holding talks to resolve a border dispute that has strained relations between the South Asian neighbors .
Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali told The Associated Press in an interview that requests to talk were made in November and December last year , and again in May .
“ We have expressed time and again that Nepal wants to sit at the table to resolve this problem , ” Gyawali said .
“ We are waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries with … a very unique type of partnership can develop a more inspiring relationship that reflects the requirements of the 21st century , ” he said .
The latest border dispute between the countries began over India ’ s inauguration last month of a Himalayan link road built in a disputed region that lies at a strategic three-way junction with Tibet and China .
The 80-kilometer ( 50-mile ) road , inaugurated by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh , cuts through the Lipu Lekh Himalayan pass , considered one of the shortest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and China .
Nepal fiercely contested the inauguration of the road and viewed the alleged incursion as a stark example of bullying by its much larger neighbor , triggering a fresh dispute over the strategically important territory .
The government of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli issued a new political map of Nepal that showed the disputed territory within its borders .
Nepal , which was never under colonial rule , has long claimed the areas of Limpiyadhura , Kalapani and Lipu Lekh in accordance with the 1816 Sugauli treaty with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained in control of Indian troops since India fought a war with China in 1962 .
There have been reports that India does not want to hold negotiations with Nepal until its coronavirus outbreak is brought under control .
Nepal , however , is in a rush for talks .
“ If the coronavirus is an obstacle for not being able to hold diplomatic dialogue soon , it should have been an obstacle for the inauguration of the link road as well , ” Gyawali said .
“ But if the coronavirus did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that means there are some controversies , there are some paradoxes.
” The dispute over the territory brought a new wedge in relations between the two nations , leading to an exchange of strong-worded statements and remarks from both sides .
“ There is no any alternative to dialogue and friendly talk , and talk not just for formality , but with commitment to solve the problem and to develop such an environment where both countries can prosper together , where both countries can journey together toward a prosperous region of South @ @ @ @ @ @

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Nepal’s foreign minister said Tuesday that the country was still waiting for a response from India on holding talks to resolve a border dispute that has strained relations between the South Asian neighbors.
Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali told The Associated Press in an interview that requests to talk were made in November and December last year, and again in May.
“We have expressed time and again that Nepal wants to sit at the table to resolve this problem,” Gyawali said.
“We are waiting for formal negotiations so that these two countries with … a very unique type of partnership can develop a more inspiring relationship that reflects the requirements of the 21st century,” he said.
The latest border dispute between the countries began over India’s inauguration last month of a Himalayan link road built in a disputed region that lies at a strategic three-way junction with Tibet and China.
The 80-kilometer (50-mile) road, inaugurated by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, cuts through the Lipu Lekh Himalayan pass, considered one of the shortest and most feasible trade routes between India and China.
Nepal fiercely contested the inauguration of the road and viewed the alleged incursion as a stark example of bullying by its much larger neighbor, triggering a fresh dispute over the strategically important territory.
The government of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli issued a new political map of Nepal that showed the disputed territory within its borders.
Nepal, which was never under colonial rule, has long claimed the areas of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh in accordance with the 1816 Sugauli treaty with the British Raj, although these areas have remained in control of Indian troops since India fought a war with China in 1962.
There have been reports that India does not want to hold negotiations with Nepal until its coronavirus outbreak is brought under control. Nepal, however, is in a rush for talks.
“If the coronavirus is an obstacle for not being able to hold diplomatic dialogue soon, it should have been an obstacle for the inauguration of the link road as well,” Gyawali said. “But if the coronavirus did not create any problem to the inauguration, that means there are some controversies, there are some paradoxes.”
The dispute over the territory brought a new wedge in relations between the two nations, leading to an exchange of strong-worded statements and remarks from both sides.
“There is no any alternative to dialogue and friendly talk, and talk not just for formality, but with commitment to solve the problem and to develop such an environment where both countries can prosper together, where both countries can journey together toward a prosperous region of South Asia,” Gyawali said.