washingtontimes--2020-07-17--Ted Wheeler, mayor of Portland, to Donald Trump: Get your troops out of the city

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) — The mayor of Portland demanded Friday that President Donald Trump remove militarized federal agents he deployed to the city after some detained people on streets far from federal property they were sent to protect .
“ Keep your troops in your own buildings , or have them leave our city , ” Mayor Ted Wheeler said at a news conference .
Democratic Gov .
Kate Brown said Trump is looking for a confrontation in the hopes of winning political points elsewhere and to serve as a distraction from the coronavirus pandemic , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oregon and the nation .
Brown ’ s spokesman , Charles Boyle , said Friday that arresting people without probable cause is “ extraordinarily concerning and a violation of their civil liberties and constitutional rights.
” The ACLU of Oregon said the federal agents appear to be violating citizens ’ rights .
“ Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping , ” said Jann Carson , interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon .
“ The actions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will not go unanswered.
” Federal officers have charged at least 13 people with crimes related to the protests so far , Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Thursday .
Some have been detained by the federal courthouse , which has been the scene of protests .
But others were grabbed blocks away .
“ This is part of the core media strategy out of Trump ’ s White House : to use federal troops to bolster his sagging polling data , ” Wheeler said .
“ And it is an absolute abuse of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed two people in helmets and green camouflage with “ police ” patches grabbing a person on the sidewalk , handcuffing them and taking them into an unmarked vehicle .
“ Who are you ?
” someone asks the pair , who do not respond .
At least some of the federal officers belong to the Department of Homeland Security .
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that its agents had information indicating the person in the video was suspected of assaulting federal agents or destroying federal property .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a large and violent mob moved towards their location .
For everyone ’ s safety , CBP agents quickly moved the suspect to a safer location , ” the agency said .
However , the video shows no mob .
In another case , Mark Pettibone , 29 , said a minivan rolled up to him around 2 a.m. Wednesday and four or five people got out “ looking like they were deployed to a Middle Eastern war.
” Pettibone told The Associated Press he got to his knees as the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ van without identifying themselves or responding to his questions and pulled his beanie over his eyes so he couldn ’ t see , he said .
“ I figured I was just going to disappear for an indefinite amount of time , ” Pettibone said .
Pettibone said he was put into a cell and officers dumped the contents of his backpack , with one remarking : “ Oh , this is a bunch of nothing.
” After he asked for a lawyer , Pettibone was allowed to leave .
“ Authoritarian governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities after protesters , ” Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley said in a tweet .
U.S. Attorney Billy Williams in Portland said Friday he has requested the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General investigate the actions of DHS personnel .
In a letter Friday , Oregon ’ s two senators and two of its House members demanded that U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr and Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf immediately withdraw “ these federal paramilitary forces from our state.
” The members of Congress also said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general as well as the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate “ the unrequested presence and violent actions of federal forces in Portland.
” “ It ’ s painfully clear this administration is focused purely on escalating violence without answering my repeated requests for why this expeditionary force is in Portland and under what constitutional authority , ” Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said .
On Thursday night , federal officers deployed tear gas and fired non-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters .
Wolf visited Portland on Thursday and called the demonstrators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ violent anarchists.
” Wolf blamed state and city authorities for not putting an end to the protests .
But Portland police said Friday they wound up arresting 20 people overnight .
At least two protests occurred Thursday night , one near the federal courthouse and the other by a police station in another part of the city .
Police told protesters to leave that site after announcing they heard some chanting about burning down the building .
Protester Paul Frazier said Friday the chant was “ much more rhetorical than an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lovell told reporters Friday that his officers are in contact with the federal agents , but that neither controls the others ’ actions .
“ We do communicate with federal officers for the purpose of situational awareness and deconfliction , ” Lovell said .
“ We ’ re operating in a very , very close proximity to one another … so it ’ s important for us to know if they ’ re going to take some type of action and it ’ s important for them to know if we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The American Civil Liberties Union said it would file legal papers Friday to add the federal government to a lawsuit it filed earlier to halt the use of crowd control measures , including tear gas and rubber bullets , against journalists and legal observers at protests in Portland .
Tensions have escalated in the past two weeks , particularly after an officer with the U.S .
Marshals Service fired a less-lethal round at a protester ’ s head on July 11 , critically injuring him .
The protests following the police killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devolved into violent clashes between smaller groups and the police .
The unrest has caused deep divisions in a city that prides itself on its activism and progressive reputation .
This version corrects that chanting about burning happened at police station , not federal courthouse .
Selsky reported from Salem , Oregon .
AP reporters Ben Fox in Washington and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed .

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The mayor of Portland demanded Friday that President Donald Trump remove militarized federal agents he deployed to the city after some detained people on streets far from federal property they were sent to protect.
“Keep your troops in your own buildings, or have them leave our city,” Mayor Ted Wheeler said at a news conference.
Democratic Gov. Kate Brown said Trump is looking for a confrontation in the hopes of winning political points elsewhere and to serve as a distraction from the coronavirus pandemic, which is causing spiking numbers of infections in Oregon and the nation.
Brown’s spokesman, Charles Boyle, said Friday that arresting people without probable cause is “extraordinarily concerning and a violation of their civil liberties and constitutional rights.”
The ACLU of Oregon said the federal agents appear to be violating citizens’rights.
“Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping,” said Jann Carson, interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon. “The actions of the militarized federal officers are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered.”
SEE ALSO: ACLU sues feds over Portland protest violence
Federal officers have charged at least 13 people with crimes related to the protests so far, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Thursday. Some have been detained by the federal courthouse, which has been the scene of protests. But others were grabbed blocks away.
“This is part of the core media strategy out of Trump’s White House: to use federal troops to bolster his sagging polling data,” Wheeler said. “And it is an absolute abuse of federal law enforcement officials.”
One video showed two people in helmets and green camouflage with “police” patches grabbing a person on the sidewalk, handcuffing them and taking them into an unmarked vehicle.
“Who are you?” someone asks the pair, who do not respond. At least some of the federal officers belong to the Department of Homeland Security.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that its agents had information indicating the person in the video was suspected of assaulting federal agents or destroying federal property.
“Once CBP agents approached the suspect, a large and violent mob moved towards their location. For everyone’s safety, CBP agents quickly moved the suspect to a safer location,” the agency said. However, the video shows no mob.
In another case, Mark Pettibone, 29, said a minivan rolled up to him around 2 a.m. Wednesday and four or five people got out “looking like they were deployed to a Middle Eastern war.”
Pettibone told The Associated Press he got to his knees as the group approached. They dragged him into the van without identifying themselves or responding to his questions and pulled his beanie over his eyes so he couldn’t see, he said.
“I figured I was just going to disappear for an indefinite amount of time,” Pettibone said.
Pettibone said he was put into a cell and officers dumped the contents of his backpack, with one remarking: “Oh, this is a bunch of nothing.”
After he asked for a lawyer, Pettibone was allowed to leave.
“Authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley said in a tweet.
U.S. Attorney Billy Williams in Portland said Friday he has requested the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General investigate the actions of DHS personnel.
In a letter Friday, Oregon’s two senators and two of its House members demanded that U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr and Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf immediately withdraw “these federal paramilitary forces from our state.”
The members of Congress also said they’ll be asking the DHS inspector general as well as the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate “the unrequested presence and violent actions of federal forces in Portland.”
“It’s painfully clear this administration is focused purely on escalating violence without answering my repeated requests for why this expeditionary force is in Portland and under what constitutional authority,” Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said.
On Thursday night, federal officers deployed tear gas and fired non-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters.
Wolf visited Portland on Thursday and called the demonstrators, who are protesting racism and police brutality, “violent anarchists.”
Wolf blamed state and city authorities for not putting an end to the protests. But Portland police said Friday they wound up arresting 20 people overnight.
At least two protests occurred Thursday night, one near the federal courthouse and the other by a police station in another part of the city. Police told protesters to leave that site after announcing they heard some chanting about burning down the building. Protester Paul Frazier said Friday the chant was “much more rhetorical than an actual statement.”
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell told reporters Friday that his officers are in contact with the federal agents, but that neither controls the others’ actions.
“We do communicate with federal officers for the purpose of situational awareness and deconfliction,” Lovell said. “We’re operating in a very, very close proximity to one another … so it’s important for us to know if they’re going to take some type of action and it’s important for them to know if we’re going to take some type of action.”
The American Civil Liberties Union said it would file legal papers Friday to add the federal government to a lawsuit it filed earlier to halt the use of crowd control measures, including tear gas and rubber bullets, against journalists and legal observers at protests in Portland.
Tensions have escalated in the past two weeks, particularly after an officer with the U.S. Marshals Service fired a less-lethal round at a protester’s head on July 11, critically injuring him.
The protests following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis have often devolved into violent clashes between smaller groups and the police. The unrest has caused deep divisions in a city that prides itself on its activism and progressive reputation.
___
This version corrects that chanting about burning happened at police station, not federal courthouse.
___
Selsky reported from Salem, Oregon. AP reporters Ben Fox in Washington and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-07-17--Federal felony charges against former Blue Bell CEO dropped

AUSTIN , Texas ( AP ) - A judge has dismissed federal felony charges against the former CEO of a Texas ice cream company in a case arising from a 2015 listeria outbreak that killed three people .
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman of Austin dropped the case Wednesday against former Blue Bell Creameries CEO Paul Kruse because prosecutors did not seek an indictment from a grand jury and Kruse ’ s attorneys said he never waived his right to a grand jury indictment .
Federal prosecutors said they bypassed the grand jury and charged Kruse by information because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet .
The charges stemmed from a listeria contamination that Blue Bell officials told federal inspectors it believed had spread through a drainage system at an Oklahoma plant .
The company , which is based in the central Texas town of Brenham , recalled products after its ice cream has been linked to 10 listeria cases in four states , including three deaths in Kansas .
Blue Bell agreed to plead guilty May 1 as part of a plea agreement to two misdemeanor counts for shipping contaminated ice cream , saying in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ learned hard lessons ” from the outbreak and that food safety is its “ highest priority.
” Kruse was charged May 1 with seven felonies alleging that he concealed what the company knew about the listeria contamination .
From the beginning , his attorneys asserted that Kruse was innocent and that he and other Blue Bell employees , as defense attorney Chris Flood said , “ did the best they could with the information they had at the time.
” Messages to federal prosecutors and Kruse ’ s attorneys were not immediately @ @

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A judge has dismissed federal felony charges against the former CEO of a Texas ice cream company in a case arising from a 2015 listeria outbreak that killed three people.
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman of Austin dropped the case Wednesday against former Blue Bell Creameries CEO Paul Kruse because federal prosecutors did not seek an indictment from a grand jury and Kruse’s attorneys said he never waived his right to a grand jury indictment.
Prosecutors said they bypassed the grand jury and charged Kruse by information because the coronavirus pandemic made it unsafe for jurors to meet.
The charges stemmed from a listeria contamination that Blue Bell officials told federal inspectors it believed had spread through a drainage system at an Oklahoma plant.
The company, which is based in the central Texas town of Brenham, recalled products after its ice cream has been linked to 10 listeria cases in four states, including three deaths in Kansas.
Blue Bell agreed to plead guilty May 1 as part of a plea agreement to two misdemeanor counts for shipping contaminated ice cream, saying in a statement at the time that it “learned hard lessons” from the outbreak and that food safety is its “highest priority.”
Kruse was charged May 1 with seven felonies alleging that he concealed what the company knew about the listeria contamination. From the beginning, his attorneys asserted that Kruse was innocent and that he and other Blue Bell employees, as defense attorney Chris Flood said, “did the best they could with the information they had at the time.”
Messages to federal prosecutors and Kruse’s attorneys were not immediately returned.


washingtontimes--2020-07-17--Affidavit: Suspect said he 'emptied a whole clip' at police

WICHITA , Kan. ( AP ) - A Wichita man charged with shooting at police during protests last month told a co-worker that he “ emptied a whole clip ” on officers after his sister was hit with a rubber bullet while holding a baby .
An arrest affidavit released Friday in the criminal case against 28-year-old Henry Parker says he admitted to the co-worker that he ’ d fired on officers early on June 2 but told her “ don ’ t tell on me , ” The Wichita Eagle reports .
Parker , who has denied any involvement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer , two counts of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a felon .
None of the officers was shot , but police said one officer ’ s helmet was hit by bullet pieces that had ricocheted near the officers .
Police Chief Gordon Ramsay has previously said officers fired tear gas , smoke rounds , flash grenades and foam bullets into the crowd that morning after rioters threw objects at police and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mostly peaceful protest calling for the end of police brutality in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd .

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A Wichita man charged with shooting at police during protests last month told a co-worker that he “emptied a whole clip” on officers after his sister was hit with a rubber bullet while holding a baby.
An arrest affidavit released Friday in the criminal case against 28-year-old Henry Parker says he admitted to the co-worker that he’d fired on officers early on June 2 but told her “don’t tell on me,” The Wichita Eagle reports.
Parker, who has denied any involvement in the shooting, is charged with 19 counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.
None of the officers was shot, but police said one officer’s helmet was hit by bullet pieces that had ricocheted near the officers.
Police Chief Gordon Ramsay has previously said officers fired tear gas, smoke rounds, flash grenades and foam bullets into the crowd that morning after rioters threw objects at police and refused to leave. The unrest followed a mostly peaceful protest calling for the end of police brutality in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--AP FACT CHECK: Trump and the virus-era China ban that isn't

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - President Donald Trump ’ s “ ban ” on travel from China is his go-to point when defending his response to the coronavirus pandemic .
The problem with his core argument starts with the fact that he did not ban travel from China .
He imposed porous restrictions .
Over the past week , Trump cited his China action repeatedly and as part of a scattered indictment of Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden .
Trump thoroughly misrepresented Biden ’ s position on immigration and more , while an economic adviser with no public health credentials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s top infectious disease expert , with a scientific argument .
It was a difficult week for discerning the reality of things .
TRUMP : “ We would ’ ve had thousands of people additionally die if we let people come in from heavily infected China .
But we stopped it .
We did a travel ban in January .
… By closing up , we saved millions , potentially millions of lives.
” - Rose Garden remarks Tuesday .
TRUMP : He didn ’ t ban travel from China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries took similar steps to control travel from hot spots before or around the same time the U.S. did .
The U.S. restrictions that took effect Feb. 2 continued to allow travel to the U.S. from China ’ s Hong Kong and Macao territories over the past five months .
The Associated Press reported that more than 8,000 Chinese and foreign nationals based in those territories entered the U.S. in the first three months after the travel restrictions were imposed .
Additionally , more than 27,000 Americans returned from mainland China in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
U.S. officials lost track of more than 1,600 of them who were supposed to be monitored for virus exposure .
Few doubt that the heavy death toll from COVID-19 would be even heavier if world travel had not been constricted globally .
But Trump has no scientific basis to claim that his action alone saved “ millions ” or even “ hundreds of thousands ” of lives , as he has put it .
TRUMP , on what happened after he restricted travel from China : “ Nancy Pelosi was dancing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month later , and even later than that , and others , too.
” - Rose Garden .
THE FACTS : No she wasn ’ t .
This is Trump ’ s frequent and fanciful account of the House speaker ’ s visit to San Francisco ’ s Chinatown on Feb. 24 .
That day , she visited shops and strolled the streets to counter the hostility some people in the district were encountering over a virus that emanated from China .
On that day , Pelosi said the public should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took precautions and “ we should come to Chinatown.
” Local TV news tracked her visit ; .
She wasn ’ t seen dancing and did not call for a “ street fair , ” as Trump at times has put it .
Community spread of the coronavirus had not yet been reported .
As FactCheck.org pointed out , the same day Pelosi went to Chinatown , Trump tweeted : “ The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA .
We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been working hard and very smart .
Stock Market starting to look very good to me !
” The CDC is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Two days later , Trump asserted that only 15 people in the U.S. were infected and that number would go down “ close to zero.
” Instead the numbers exploded .
More than 3.6 million Americans have had COVID-19 .
Trump has accused Pelosi of being “ responsible for many deaths ” because of the Chinatown visit .
He has denied responsibility for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he has persistently minimized the threat , pushed for reopening and refused to take mask-wearing seriously .
TRUMP : “ He opposed my very strict travel ban on Chinese nationals to stop the spread of the China virus .
He was totally against it .
‘ Xenophobic , ’ he called me .
‘ Xenophobic.
’ A month later , he admitted I was right.
” - Rose Garden .
THE FACTS : No , Biden did not come out against the travel restrictions on China .
He said little about them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his campaign said he supported travel restrictions if “ guided by medical experts.
” Biden did say Trump has a record of xenophobia , a comment made during an Iowa campaign event when the restrictions were announced .
Biden said Trump was “ fear-mongering ” against foreigners and the Democrat took issue with Trump ’ s references to the “ China virus ” as an example .
He did not address the travel steps .
Trump has claimed that Biden realized he was right after all about restricting travel from China and wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This didn ’ t happen , either .
PETER NAVARRO , White House trade adviser : “ When Fauci was telling the White House Coronavirus Task Force that there was only anecdotal evidence in support of hydroxychloroquine to fight the virus , I confronted him with scientific studies providing evidence of safety and efficacy .
A recent Detroit hospital study showed a 50 % reduction in the mortality rate when the medicine is used in early treatment.
” - op-ed published Wednesday in USA Today .
THE FACTS : Navarro cherry-picks a study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies finding hydroxychloroquine doesn ’ t help .
Numerous rigorous tests of hydroxychloroquine , including a large one from Britain and one led by the National Institutes of Health , concluded that the anti-malaria drug was ineffective for treating hospitalized coronavirus patients .
Fauci leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH .
The Food and Drug Administration also has warned the drug should only be used for the coronavirus in hospitals and research settings because of the risk of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refers to was an observational look back at how various patients fared .
It was not a rigorous test where similar patients are randomly assigned to get the drug or not and where each group is compared later on how they did .
In the study , some people with heart or certain other conditions were not given the drugs , which can cause heart rhythm problems , so those patients were fundamentally different from the group they were compared with .
Researchers said they adjusted statistically for some differences , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm conclusions .
Some patients also received other treatments such as steroids and the antiviral drug remdesivir , further clouding any ability to tell whether hydroxychloroquine helped .
Trump repeatedly has pushed the drug and claimed he took it himself to try to prevent COVID-19 infection or illness .
The White House said Navarro was not authorized to challenge Fauci with the op-ed and should not have done it .
But his points largely reflect ones Trump and others in the White House have made themselves .
NAVARRO : “ Fauci says a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it is the single most important statistic to help guide the pace of our economic reopening .
The lower the mortality rate , the faster and more we can open.
” - USA Today op-ed .
THE FACTS : He ’ s taking Fauci ’ s words out of context .
Fauci said in early July that it was a “ false narrative to take comfort in a lower rate of death.
” At the time , deaths were dipping as infections spiked in many parts of the country .
But deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci and other experts .
Deaths have since increased , driven by fatalities in states in the South and West , according to data analyzed by The Associated Press .
“ It ’ s consistently picking up , ” said William Hanage , a Harvard University infectious diseases researcher .
“ And it ’ s picking up at the time you ’ d expect it to.
” More from the Rose Garden on Tuesday : TRUMP : “ We ’ re placing massive tariffs and have placed very large tariffs on China — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to China .
Billions of dollars have been paid to the United States.
” THE FACTS : A familiar assertion , false to the core .
It ’ s false to say the U.S. never collected tariffs on Chinese goods before he took action .
Tariffs on Chinese goods are simply higher in some cases than they were before .
It ’ s also wrong to suggest that the tariffs are being paid by China .
Tariff money coming into the government ’ s coffers is mainly from U.S. businesses and consumers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if not entirely a tax paid domestically .
TRUMP , on the economy : “ Prior to the plague pouring in from China , they were having the worst year , you know , in 67 years.
” THE FACTS : That ’ s not true .
China is far from the impoverished disaster of over a half century ago , when it was reeling from the massive famine caused by Mao Zedong ’ s radical economic policies and heading into the chaos of the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s .
China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s taxes on Chinese imports , as well as its own campaign to constrain runaway debt .
But it ’ s still markedly faster than U.S. growth .
Since overhauling its economy in the late 1970s , China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty , established a growing middle class and surpassed Japan to become the world ’ s second-biggest economy .
TRUMP , on Joe Biden : “ His son walked out with $ 1.5 billion of money to invest , where he ’ ll make hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars a year .
Walked out with $ 1.5 billion.
” THE FACTS : There ’ s no evidence Hunter Biden pocketed $ 1.5 billion from China .
In 2014 , an investment fund started by Hunter Biden and other investors joined with foreign and Chinese private equity firms in an effort to raise $ 1.5 billion to invest outside China .
It was not a lone effort by Hunter Biden to get his hands on that much money .
In any event , the effort fell far short , his lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internet post last year .
Mesires said the fund , an investment management company known as BHR , raised only about $ 4.2 million , not the $ 1.5 billion it aimed for .
Hunter Biden ’ s 10 % share was worth about $ 420,000 , but he did not cash it in , Mesires said .
And he said Hunter Biden was an unpaid director at the time .
“ He has not received any return on his investment , ” Mesires said .
Biden stepped down from the board in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work on behalf of any foreign-owned companies should his father win the presidency .
TRUMP : “ Sign new immigrants up for welfare immediately .
This is Joe Biden .
So they walk off , and they come in , and they put a foot into our land , and we sign up new immigrants up for welfare .
We sign them up immediately .
They get welfare benefits .
United States citizens don ’ t get what they ’ re looking to give illegal immigrants.
” THE FACT : Biden has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the task force on immigration that Biden advisers created with advisers from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ former presidential campaign .
Biden has proposed something far more limited .
He would reverse a Trump administration rule that allows immigration officials to consider whether someone seeking a U.S. visa or green card is likely to use Medicaid or certain other public benefits .
If so , that person ’ s bid to live legally in the U.S. could be disadvantaged .
The committee of advisers makes a similar recommendation in hopes of influencing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the panel has endorsed extending blanket public assistance immediately to immigrants regardless of their legal status .
TRUMP : “ What they ’ re going to do is they ’ re going to rip down the wall .
They ’ re taking it down .
They want to take down the wall , which we fought hard for.
” Biden ’ s immigration plan does not include money for new border fencing , and he and the task force aren ’ t calling for any new walls .
But neither has proposed taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s agenda : “ Abolish immigration detention .
No more detention .
You come in here illegally , no more detention.
” THE FACTS : Such a plan also does not exist .
Instead , Biden has promised to adhere to federal court precedent capping how long immigrants can be held in detention , which the Trump administration has challenged .
He also supports “ community-based ” alternatives to detention and would close private , for-profit detention centers .
As for the task force of advisers , it proposes using federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detention for immigrant children specifically and says detention centers should be a last resort for all immigrants .
Biden is not bound by what these advisers want him to do , and in any event , they are not proposing to eliminate incarceration but to reduce it .
TRUMP : “ Think of that : Abolish immigration enforcement .
They ’ re going to abolish immigration enforcement.
” THE FACT : No , they ’ re not .
Biden has been notably outspoken in arguing that crossing the U.S. border illegally is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in federal court .
In fact , he and the task force have not endorsed immigration plans supported by Sanders and other former presidential candidates that sought to decriminalize illegal border crossings and make doing so only a civil offense .
TRUMP : “ Stop all deportation .
So if we get a MS-13 gang member , which we ’ ve taken out of our country by the thousands - brought them back to Honduras , Guatemala - can ’ t do that anymore - El Salvador .
Can ’ t do that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other words , we ’ ll take all of these people - many of whom are in prison for rape , murder , lots of other things.
” THE FACTS : Biden hasn ’ t proposed ceasing deportations .
He ’ s not committed to a policy on it either way .
The committee of advisers has proposed a 100-day moratorium on deportations , not a ban .
TRUMP on Biden ’ s agenda : “ Federal student aid and free community college for illegal aliens .
What do you think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the people already in the country who came illegally as children - the so-called Dreamers .
Neither Biden nor the task force is proposing such aid for everyone who is in the country illegally or who comes illegally in the future .
TRUMP : “ Expand asylum for all new illegal aliens .
How about that one ?
All new illegal aliens , expand asylum.
” THE FACTS : No .
Biden and the task force are not proposing asylum for all who seek it .
They have advocated rolling back Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of immigrants who are now eligible for U.S. asylum .
That would probably expand the number of immigrants eligible for asylum closer to levels before Trump took office .
That ’ s far from a universal granting of asylum .
AP Chief Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee and Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Ben Fox contributed to this report .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE - A look at the veracity of claims by political figures .

STEPHEN BRAUN, HOPE YEN and CALVIN WOODWARD

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump’s “ban” on travel from China is his go-to point when defending his response to the coronavirus pandemic. The problem with his core argument starts with the fact that he did not ban travel from China. He imposed porous restrictions.
Over the past week, Trump cited his China action repeatedly and as part of a scattered indictment of Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden.
Trump thoroughly misrepresented Biden’s position on immigration and more, while an economic adviser with no public health credentials tried to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, with a scientific argument.
It was a difficult week for discerning the reality of things.
In review:
THE ‘BAN’
TRUMP: “We would’ve had thousands of people additionally die if we let people come in from heavily infected China. But we stopped it. We did a travel ban in January. … By closing up, we saved millions, potentially millions of lives.” - Rose Garden remarks Tuesday.
TRUMP: He didn’t ban travel from China. He restricted it. Dozens of countries took similar steps to control travel from hot spots before or around the same time the U.S. did.
The U.S. restrictions that took effect Feb. 2 continued to allow travel to the U.S. from China’s Hong Kong and Macao territories over the past five months. The Associated Press reported that more than 8,000 Chinese and foreign nationals based in those territories entered the U.S. in the first three months after the travel restrictions were imposed.
Additionally, more than 27,000 Americans returned from mainland China in the first month after the restrictions took effect. U.S. officials lost track of more than 1,600 of them who were supposed to be monitored for virus exposure.
Few doubt that the heavy death toll from COVID-19 would be even heavier if world travel had not been constricted globally. But Trump has no scientific basis to claim that his action alone saved “millions” or even “hundreds of thousands” of lives, as he has put it.
___
THE ‘DANCE’
TRUMP, on what happened after he restricted travel from China: “Nancy Pelosi was dancing on the streets of Chinatown in San Francisco a month later, and even later than that, and others, too.” - Rose Garden.
THE FACTS: No she wasn’t. This is Trump’s frequent and fanciful account of the House speaker’s visit to San Francisco’s Chinatown on Feb. 24. That day, she visited shops and strolled the streets to counter the hostility some people in the district were encountering over a virus that emanated from China.
On that day, Pelosi said the public should be vigilant about the virus but the city took precautions and “we should come to Chinatown.” Local TV news tracked her visit;. She wasn’t seen dancing and did not call for a “street fair,” as Trump at times has put it. Community spread of the coronavirus had not yet been reported.
As FactCheck.org pointed out, the same day Pelosi went to Chinatown, Trump tweeted: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health (Organization) have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!” The CDC is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Two days later, Trump asserted that only 15 people in the U.S. were infected and that number would go down “close to zero.” Instead the numbers exploded. More than 3.6 million Americans have had COVID-19.
Trump has accused Pelosi of being “responsible for many deaths” because of the Chinatown visit. He has denied responsibility for any of the deaths sweeping the country as he has persistently minimized the threat, pushed for reopening and refused to take mask-wearing seriously.
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BIDEN ON THE ‘BAN’
TRUMP: “He opposed my very strict travel ban on Chinese nationals to stop the spread of the China virus. He was totally against it. ‘Xenophobic,’ he called me. ‘Xenophobic.’ A month later, he admitted I was right.” - Rose Garden.
THE FACTS: No, Biden did not come out against the travel restrictions on China. He said little about them at the time. In April, his campaign said he supported travel restrictions if “guided by medical experts.”
Biden did say Trump has a record of xenophobia, a comment made during an Iowa campaign event when the restrictions were announced. Biden said Trump was “fear-mongering” against foreigners and the Democrat took issue with Trump’s references to the “China virus” as an example. He did not address the travel steps.
Trump has claimed that Biden realized he was right after all about restricting travel from China and wrote him a “letter of apology.” This didn’t happen, either.
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THE TRADE ADVISER
PETER NAVARRO, White House trade adviser: “When Fauci was telling the White House Coronavirus Task Force that there was only anecdotal evidence in support of hydroxychloroquine to fight the virus, I confronted him with scientific studies providing evidence of safety and efficacy. A recent Detroit hospital study showed a 50% reduction in the mortality rate when the medicine is used in early treatment.” - op-ed published Wednesday in USA Today.
THE FACTS: Navarro cherry-picks a study widely criticized as flawed and ignores multiple studies finding hydroxychloroquine doesn’t help.
Numerous rigorous tests of hydroxychloroquine, including a large one from Britain and one led by the National Institutes of Health, concluded that the anti-malaria drug was ineffective for treating hospitalized coronavirus patients. Fauci leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH.
The Food and Drug Administration also has warned the drug should only be used for the coronavirus in hospitals and research settings because of the risk of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues.
The Henry Ford Health System study that Navarro refers to was an observational look back at how various patients fared. It was not a rigorous test where similar patients are randomly assigned to get the drug or not and where each group is compared later on how they did.
In the study, some people with heart or certain other conditions were not given the drugs, which can cause heart rhythm problems, so those patients were fundamentally different from the group they were compared with. Researchers said they adjusted statistically for some differences, but the many variables make it tough to reach firm conclusions.
Some patients also received other treatments such as steroids and the antiviral drug remdesivir, further clouding any ability to tell whether hydroxychloroquine helped.
Trump repeatedly has pushed the drug and claimed he took it himself to try to prevent COVID-19 infection or illness.
The White House said Navarro was not authorized to challenge Fauci with the op-ed and should not have done it. But his points largely reflect ones Trump and others in the White House have made themselves.
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NAVARRO: “Fauci says a falling mortality rate doesn’t matter when it is the single most important statistic to help guide the pace of our economic reopening. The lower the mortality rate, the faster and more we can open.” - USA Today op-ed.
THE FACTS: He’s taking Fauci’s words out of context. Fauci said in early July that it was a “false narrative to take comfort in a lower rate of death.” At the time, deaths were dipping as infections spiked in many parts of the country. But deaths lag sickness, a risk cited by Fauci and other experts. Deaths have since increased, driven by fatalities in states in the South and West, according to data analyzed by The Associated Press.
“It’s consistently picking up,” said William Hanage, a Harvard University infectious diseases researcher. “And it’s picking up at the time you’d expect it to.”
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More from the Rose Garden on Tuesday:
TARIFFS
TRUMP: “We’re placing massive tariffs and have placed very large tariffs on China — first time that’s ever happened to China. Billions of dollars have been paid to the United States.”
THE FACTS: A familiar assertion, false to the core.
It’s false to say the U.S. never collected tariffs on Chinese goods before he took action. Tariffs on Chinese goods are simply higher in some cases than they were before. It’s also wrong to suggest that the tariffs are being paid by China. Tariff money coming into the government’s coffers is mainly from U.S. businesses and consumers, not from China. Tariffs are primarily if not entirely a tax paid domestically.
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CHINA
TRUMP, on the economy: “Prior to the plague pouring in from China, they were having the worst year, you know, in 67 years.”
THE FACTS: That’s not true. China is far from the impoverished disaster of over a half century ago, when it was reeling from the massive famine caused by Mao Zedong’s radical economic policies and heading into the chaos of the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s.
China’s economy has been slowing from Trump’s taxes on Chinese imports, as well as its own campaign to constrain runaway debt. But it’s still markedly faster than U.S. growth.
Since overhauling its economy in the late 1970s, China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, established a growing middle class and surpassed Japan to become the world’s second-biggest economy.
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HUNTER BIDEN
TRUMP, on Joe Biden: “His son walked out with $1.5 billion of money to invest, where he’ll make hundreds of thousands of dollars - maybe millions of dollars a year. Walked out with $1.5 billion.”
THE FACTS: There’s no evidence Hunter Biden pocketed $1.5 billion from China.
In 2014, an investment fund started by Hunter Biden and other investors joined with foreign and Chinese private equity firms in an effort to raise $1.5 billion to invest outside China. It was not a lone effort by Hunter Biden to get his hands on that much money.
In any event, the effort fell far short, his lawyer, George Mesires, wrote in an internet post last year. Mesires said the fund, an investment management company known as BHR, raised only about $4.2 million, not the $1.5 billion it aimed for. Hunter Biden’s 10% share was worth about $420,000, but he did not cash it in, Mesires said. And he said Hunter Biden was an unpaid director at the time.
“He has not received any return on his investment,” Mesires said. Biden stepped down from the board in October as part of a pledge not to work on behalf of any foreign-owned companies should his father win the presidency.
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WELFARE
TRUMP: “Sign new immigrants up for welfare immediately. This is Joe Biden. So they walk off, and they come in, and they put a foot into our land, and we sign up new immigrants up for welfare. We sign them up immediately. They get welfare benefits. United States citizens don’t get what they’re looking to give illegal immigrants.”
THE FACT: Biden has proposed no such thing. Nor has the task force on immigration that Biden advisers created with advisers from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ former presidential campaign.
Biden has proposed something far more limited. He would reverse a Trump administration rule that allows immigration officials to consider whether someone seeking a U.S. visa or green card is likely to use Medicaid or certain other public benefits. If so, that person’s bid to live legally in the U.S. could be disadvantaged.
The committee of advisers makes a similar recommendation in hopes of influencing the Democratic platform. But neither Biden nor the panel has endorsed extending blanket public assistance immediately to immigrants regardless of their legal status.
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THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER WALL
TRUMP: “What they’re going to do is they’re going to rip down the wall. They’re taking it down. They want to take down the wall, which we fought hard for.”
THE FACTS: Also false.
Biden’s immigration plan does not include money for new border fencing, and he and the task force aren’t calling for any new walls. But neither has proposed taking down existing barriers.
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DETENTION
TRUMP, on Biden’s agenda: “Abolish immigration detention. No more detention. You come in here illegally, no more detention.”
THE FACTS: Such a plan also does not exist.
Instead, Biden has promised to adhere to federal court precedent capping how long immigrants can be held in detention, which the Trump administration has challenged. He also supports “community-based” alternatives to detention and would close private, for-profit detention centers.
As for the task force of advisers, it proposes using federal money to help states find alternatives to detention for immigrant children specifically and says detention centers should be a last resort for all immigrants. Biden is not bound by what these advisers want him to do, and in any event, they are not proposing to eliminate incarceration but to reduce it.
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ENFORCEMENT
TRUMP: “Think of that: Abolish immigration enforcement. They’re going to abolish immigration enforcement.”
THE FACT: No, they’re not.
Biden has been notably outspoken in arguing that crossing the U.S. border illegally is a crime and should remain punished as such in federal court. In fact, he and the task force have not endorsed immigration plans supported by Sanders and other former presidential candidates that sought to decriminalize illegal border crossings and make doing so only a civil offense.
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DEPORTATION
TRUMP: “Stop all deportation. So if we get a MS-13 gang member, which we’ve taken out of our country by the thousands - brought them back to Honduras, Guatemala - can’t do that anymore - El Salvador. Can’t do that anymore. Stop all deportations. So in other words, we’ll take all of these people - many of whom are in prison for rape, murder, lots of other things.”
THE FACTS: Biden hasn’t proposed ceasing deportations. He’s not committed to a policy on it either way. The committee of advisers has proposed a 100-day moratorium on deportations, not a ban.
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EDUCATION
TRUMP on Biden’s agenda: “Federal student aid and free community college for illegal aliens. What do you think about that?”
THE FACTS: Only for the people already in the country who came illegally as children - the so-called Dreamers. Neither Biden nor the task force is proposing such aid for everyone who is in the country illegally or who comes illegally in the future.
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ASYLUM
TRUMP: “Expand asylum for all new illegal aliens. How about that one? All new illegal aliens, expand asylum.”
THE FACTS: No. Biden and the task force are not proposing asylum for all who seek it.
They have advocated rolling back Trump administration restrictions that greatly reduced the number of immigrants who are now eligible for U.S. asylum. That would probably expand the number of immigrants eligible for asylum closer to levels before Trump took office. That’s far from a universal granting of asylum.
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AP Chief Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee and Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Ben Fox contributed to this report.
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EDITOR’S NOTE - A look at the veracity of claims by political figures.
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Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck
Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--New law sets up group to study Lyme disease testing

CONCORD , N.H. ( AP ) - A bill that establishes a commission to study the limitations of current testing for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses and available treatment has been signed into law by New Hampshire Gov .
Chris Sununu .
The commission also will look at appropriate methods for educating physicians and the public about the inconclusive nature of prevailing test methods and available treatment alternatives .
The measure says “ the lack of understanding and agreement on the causes of , and the effectiveness of alternative prevailing tests for , Lyme and other tick-borne diseases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treat patients with chronic symptoms after diagnosis of tick-borne diseases , has left patients in a divided world of controversy without adequate access to affordable care.
” The commission will include lawmakers representing health and human services committees ; a representative of the New Hampshire Medical Society ; doctors who treat tick-borne diseases ; a nurse practitioner ; the state epidemiologist ; two people who have been treated for chronic Lyme or other tick-borne diseases ; and a tick-borne disease expert .
The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the current two-step test process .
It says such tests must be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration first .

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A bill that establishes a commission to study the limitations of current testing for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses and available treatment has been signed into law by New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.
The commission also will look at appropriate methods for educating physicians and the public about the inconclusive nature of prevailing test methods and available treatment alternatives.
The measure says “the lack of understanding and agreement on the causes of, and the effectiveness of alternative prevailing tests for, Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, and on the alternatives currently used to treat patients with chronic symptoms after diagnosis of tick-borne diseases, has left patients in a divided world of controversy without adequate access to affordable care.”
The commission will include lawmakers representing health and human services committees; a representative of the New Hampshire Medical Society; doctors who treat tick-borne diseases; a nurse practitioner; the state epidemiologist; two people who have been treated for chronic Lyme or other tick-borne diseases; and a tick-borne disease expert.
The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it supports the development of new tests as alternatives of the current two-step test process. It says such tests must be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration first.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--Fighting between armed groups in eastern Congo kills dozens

KINSHASA , Congo ( AP ) - Days of fighting between armed groups in villages in Congo ’ s South @ @ @ @ @ 43 people , many of them women and children , residents said Saturday .
At @ @ @ @ @ members of the armed group known as Ngumino attacked the village of Kipupu on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ by the Mai Mai rebel group , according to the coordinator of South Kivu civil @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The clashes between these armed groups began since Thursday , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ fire in other villages along the way .
A local army spokesman , Capt .
@ @ @ @ @ in several villages that began Thursday and continued into Friday .
The army is taking @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
Many armed groups are present in Congo ’ s eastern provinces @ @ @ @ @ the mineral-rich region .

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Days of fighting between armed groups in villages in Congo’s South Kivu province killed at least 43 people, many of them women and children, residents said Saturday.
At least 40 others disappeared after members of the armed group known as Ngumino attacked the village of Kipupu on Thursday while they were being pursued by the Mai Mai rebel group, according to the coordinator of South Kivu civil society groups, Andre Byadunia.
“The clashes between these armed groups began since Thursday,” he said. Houses were set on fire in other villages along the way.
A local army spokesman, Capt. Dieudonne Kasereka, confirmed attacks in several villages that began Thursday and continued into Friday. The army is taking all steps to protect civilians, he said.
Many armed groups are present in Congo’s eastern provinces, fighting for power over the mineral-rich region.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--Members of 4 Vermont tribes can now hunt and fish for free

ST. ALBANS , Vt. ( AP ) - Members of four groups of Native Americans recognized by the state of @ @ @ @ @ fish for free .
On Tuesday , Gov .
Phil Scott signed the bill passed @ @ @ @ @ members of four Abenaki tribes recognized by the state to apply for free , permanent @ @ @ @ @ Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi ’ s chief Richard Maynard says about 2,500 members , or @ @ @ @ @ s total , belonged to the Swanton-headquartered tribe .
Members of Vermont ’ s Abenaki @ @ @ @ @ hunting and fishing rights since at least the 1970s .
the St. Albans Messenger reported @

ST. ALBANS, Vt. (AP) - Members of four groups of Native Americans recognized by the state of Vermont can now hunt and fish for free.
On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Scott signed the bill passed by the Legislature that grants members of four Abenaki tribes recognized by the state to apply for free, permanent hunting and fishing licenses.
Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi’s chief Richard Maynard says about 2,500 members, or about half the state’s total, belonged to the Swanton-headquartered tribe.
Members of Vermont’s Abenaki tribes have publicly pushed for hunting and fishing rights since at least the 1970s. the St. Albans Messenger reported.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--World War II monument in Worcester relocated

A World War II monument in Worcester has been placed in a new and hopefully safer spot .
The city this week relocated the Billings Square World War II monument as part of a rebuilding of the rotary at Grafton and Hamilton streets , The Telegram & Gazette reported .
The memorial was placed in the center of the rotary as part of a Massachusetts Department of Transportation project to improve the intersection and traffic safety in the Grafton Hill area of the city .
The monument honors those who served in World War II .
The square is named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a mechanic who died in World War I and is buried in France .
The memorial was knocked off its base and cracked into a few large pieces when it was hit by a Jeep in 2017 .
Eight months later , after it had been repaired , the monument was hit again and moved partially off its base .
It has been again repaired and moved to its new location in the rotary .
The intersection of Hamilton and Grafton streets has long been a traffic bottleneck with cars funneling from @ @ @

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) -
A World War II monument in Worcester has been placed in a new and hopefully safer spot.
The city this week relocated the Billings Square World War II monument as part of a rebuilding of the rotary at Grafton and Hamilton streets, The Telegram & Gazette reported.
The memorial was placed in the center of the rotary as part of a Massachusetts Department of Transportation project to improve the intersection and traffic safety in the Grafton Hill area of the city.
The monument honors those who served in World War II. The square is named after Army Pvt. Henry W. Billings, a mechanic who died in World War I and is buried in France.
The memorial was knocked off its base and cracked into a few large pieces when it was hit by a Jeep in 2017. Eight months later, after it had been repaired, the monument was hit again and moved partially off its base. It has been again repaired and moved to its new location in the rotary.
The intersection of Hamilton and Grafton streets has long been a traffic bottleneck with cars funneling from several directions.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--India-Pakistan fighting in Kashmir kills 3 family members

SRINAGAR , India ( AP ) - Three members of a family were killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir by firing from Indian and Pakistani soldiers who were exchanging shells and gunfire along the highly militarized frontier in the disputed region , Indian officials said Saturday .
A 50-year-old woman , her husband and their teenage son were hit by a shell in their home as the family was cooking late Friday night in southern Poonch district , said Rahul Yadav , an Indian administrator .
He said the the three died on the spot .
Indian army spokesman Lt. Col. Devender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the Line of Control dividing Kashmir between the two countries late Friday .
Anand called it an “ unprovoked violation ” of a 2003 cease-fire accord between the two nuclear rivals and said Indian troops “ retaliated befittingly , ” giving a usual description almost after every such fighting along the volatile de facto border .
Pakistan did not immediately comment .
However , in the past , each side has accused the other of starting the border skirmishes in the region that both claim in its entirety .
There has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months along the rugged and mountainous frontier between Indian and Pakistani soldiers , leaving dozens of civilians and soldiers dead on both sides .
India ’ s military says Pakistan has so far this year has committed more than 2,500 cease-fire violations .
Pakistan says India has violated the cease fire about 1,700 times this year .

SRINAGAR, India (AP) - Firing between Indian and Pakistani soldiers along the highly militarized frontier in the disputed region of Kashmir has left three members of an Indian family dead and two Pakistani civilians wounded, officials from both sides said Saturday.
A 50-year-old Indian woman, her husband and their teenage son were hit by a shell in their home as the family was cooking late Friday night in southern Poonch district in India-administered Kashmir, said Rahul Yadav, an Indian administrator. He said the the three died on the spot.
Indian army spokesman Lt. Col. Devender Anand said Pakistani troops attacked Indian positions along the Line of Control dividing Kashmir between the two countries late Friday.
Anand called it an “unprovoked violation” of a 2003 cease-fire accord between the archrivals and said Indian troops “retaliated befittingly,” giving a usual description almost after every such fighting along the volatile de facto border.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that two Pakistani women were wounded in firing in Pakistani-administered Kashmir on Friday.
Like in the past, both summoned other’s senior diplomats in their capitals to register their anger and protest.
Pakistan summoned an Indian diplomat to “lodge strong protest” over the cease-fire violations “by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control,” the statement said. It said Indian forces “have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons.”
India’s foreign ministry in a statement condemned “in the strongest terms, the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians by Pakistan forces” and summoned a senior Pakistani diplomat to register New Delhi’s protest.
India and Pakistan have a long history of bitter relations over Kashmir, which both claim in its entirety. They have fought two of their three wars since 1947 over their competing claims to the region.
In the past, each side has accused the other of starting border skirmishes in Kashmir, which is divided between the two countries but claimed by both in its entirety.
There has been almost daily fighting between Indian and Pakistani soldiers over the last several months along the rugged and mountainous frontier, leaving dozens of civilians and soldiers dead on both sides.
India says Pakistan so far this year has committed more than 2,700 cease-fire violations. Pakistan says India has violated the cease-fire about 1,700 times this year.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--Germany: Black Forest fugitive had no support during manhunt

BERLIN ( AP ) - A man arrested following a five-day manhunt in Germany ’ s Black Forest that started when he disarmed four officers at gunpoint appears to have had no support from anyone else during his time in hiding , police said Saturday .
The 31-year-old suspect , Yves Rausch , was captured on Friday after police received tips from two witnesses .
A judge on Saturday ordered him kept in custody pending possible charges of robbery by extortion and unauthorized possession of a firearm .
The investigation so far suggests that Rausch spent the whole of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small town of Oppenau in southwestern Germany , police and prosecutors said in a statement .
In questioning , he said that the weapon he threatened officers with at the beginning of a drama was a blank gun , the statement said .
It said that is still under investigation .
The four missing police weapons were recovered and an additional handgun found when the suspect was arrested on Friday .
He also was carrying a hatchet .
On Sunday , police were alerted to a suspicious person carrying a bow and arrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man at a hut where he had settled illegally .
Officials have said Rausch initially cooperated but then suddenly pulled a gun on the officers , threatening and forcing them to hand over their service weapons .
Nobody was injured .
The incident triggered a manhunt that , by the time it ended on Friday afternoon , had involved more than 2,530 police officers .
Rausch lost his apartment last fall and had had no permanent address since then , according to authorities .
Officials have said they don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did .

BERLIN (AP) - A man arrested following a five-day manhunt in Germany’s Black Forest that started when he disarmed four officers at gunpoint appears to have had no support from anyone else during his time in hiding, police said Saturday.
The 31-year-old suspect, Yves Rausch, was captured on Friday after police received tips from two witnesses. A judge on Saturday ordered him kept in custody pending possible charges of robbery by extortion and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
The investigation so far suggests that Rausch spent the whole of the manhunt in the forested hills around the small town of Oppenau in southwestern Germany, police and prosecutors said in a statement.
In questioning, he said that the weapon he threatened officers with at the beginning of a drama was a blank gun, the statement said. It said that is still under investigation.
The four missing police weapons were recovered and an additional handgun found when the suspect was arrested on Friday. He also was carrying a hatchet.
On Sunday, police were alerted to a suspicious person carrying a bow and arrow. Officers conducted an ID check on the man at a hut where he had settled illegally. Officials have said Rausch initially cooperated but then suddenly pulled a gun on the officers, threatening and forcing them to hand over their service weapons. Nobody was injured.
The incident triggered a manhunt that, by the time it ended on Friday afternoon, had involved more than 2,530 police officers.
Rausch lost his apartment last fall and had had no permanent address since then, according to authorities. Officials have said they don’t know what prompted Rausch to act the way he did.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--Breathtaking virus numbers show normal life still far away

JOHANNESBURG ( AP ) - South Africa was poised on Saturday to join the top five countries most affected by the coronavirus , while breathtaking numbers around the world were a reminder a return to normal life is still far from sight .
Confirmed virus cases worldwide have topped 14 million and deaths have surpassed 600,000 , according to Johns Hopkins University data , a day after the World Health Organization reported a single-day record of new infections at over 237,000 .
Death tolls in the United States are reaching new highs , and India ’ s infections are over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made the startling announcement that as many as 25 million Iranians could have been infected , the state-run IRNA news agency reported Saturday .
Hassan Rouhani cited a new Health Ministry study that has not been made publicly available .
Iran has seen the worst outbreak in the Middle East with more than 270,000 confirmed cases .
Experts believe the true numbers around the world are higher because of testing shortages .
And as countries try to ease lockdowns , new ripples of cases follow .
South Africa on Saturday could join the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the most badly hit countries as its cases near 350,000 .
Current case trends show it will surpass Peru .
That comes as the world marks Mandela Day , remembering South Africa ’ s first Black president and his legacy of fighting inequality .
The country , however , remains the world ’ s most unequal , and health officials have warned that the pandemic will lay that bare .
“ The simple fact is that many South Africans are sitting ducks because they can not comply with World Health Organization protocols @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the foundation of former South African archbishop and fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu and his wife , Leah , said in a statement .
South Africa ’ s new epicenter , Gauteng province , is home to one-quarter of the country ’ s population , with many poor people living in crowded conditions .
The country ’ s cases make up roughly half of all on the African continent .
Its struggles are a sign of trouble to come for less-resourced nations there .
In India , a surge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments continue to re-impose focused lockdowns in several parts of the country , only allowing essential food supplies and health services .
In the U.S. , teams of military medics have been deployed in Texas and California to help hospitals deluged by coronavirus patients .
The two most populous states each reported roughly 10,000 new cases and some of their highest death counts since the pandemic began .
In China , the number of confirmed cases in a new COVID-19 outbreak in the far western region of Xinjiang has risen to 17 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but experts say the number is much higher as the country lacks adequate labs for testing .
Most people in rural areas have stopped wearing masks and are thronging shopping centers ahead of the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha later this month .
And in Britain , scientists are pouring cold water on Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s hope that the country may emerge from lockdown and return to normality by Christmas .
Epidemiologist John Edmunds , a member of the government ’ s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies , said a return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way off , unfortunately ” without a vaccine for the virus .
Britain has registered more than 45,000 COVID-19 deaths , the highest in Europe .
Associated Press writers around the world contributed .

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South Africa on Saturday became one of the top five worst-hit countries in the coronavirus pandemic, as breathtaking new infection numbers around the world were a reminder that a return to normal life is still far from sight.
The World Health Organization again reported a single-day record of new infections with 259,848.
South Africa’s 350,879 cases make up roughly half of all confirmed infections on the African continent and its struggles are a sign of trouble to come for nations with fewer health care resources. South Africa now trails the U.S., Brazil, India and Russia - all far more populous countries - in the number of infections, surpassing Peru, after health authorities announced 13,285 new cases.
“The simple fact is that many South Africans are sitting ducks because they cannot comply with World Health Organization protocols on improved hygiene and social distancing,” the foundation of former South African archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu and his wife, Leah, warned in a statement.
South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said, “This is an urgent and important plea to all South Africans. The fight against COVID-19 is in our hands. We must act now.” He expressed concern that “fatigue seems to have set in” and people are letting down their guard, with little social distancing and face masks abandoned.
Elsewhere, daily death tolls have been reaching new highs in several U.S. states and India’s infections are over 1 million. Experts believe the true numbers around the world are higher because of testing shortages and data collection issues in some nations.
The world on Saturday marked Mandela Day, remembering Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first Black president - another Nobel Peace Prize winner - and his legacy of fighting inequality. The country, however, remains the world’s most unequal, and health officials have warned that the pandemic will lay that bare.
South Africa’s new coronavirus epicenter, Gauteng province, hosts the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria and one-quarter of the country’s population of 57 million, with many poor people living in crowded conditions in the middle of a frosty Southern Hemisphere winter.
Mandela’s message is “more relevant than ever,” WHO Africa chief Matshidiso Moeti said, calling for equitable access to care.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who delivered the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, said that “COVID-19 has been likened to an X-ray, revealing fractures in the fragile skeleton of the societies we have built,” adding that developed countries have “failed to deliver the support needed to help the developing world through these dangerous times.”
Confirmed virus cases worldwide have topped 14.1 million and deaths rose above 600,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Infections are soaring in U.S. states like Florida, Texas, Arizona, fueled by the haphazard lifting of coronavirus lockdowns and the resistance of some Americans to wearing masks.
In the U.S., teams of military medics have been deployed in Texas and California to help hospitals deluged by patients. The surge of infections means that millions of American children are unlikely to return to classrooms full time in the fall.
In India, a surge of 34,884 new cases was reported as local governments continue to re-impose focused lockdowns in several parts of the country.
In Iran, the president made the startling announcement that as many as 25 million Iranians could have been infected, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. Hassan Rouhani cited a new Health Ministry study that has not been made public. Iran has the Middle East’s worst outbreak with more than 270,000 confirmed cases.
In Bangladesh, confirmed cases surpassed 200,000 but experts say the number is much higher as the country lacks adequate labs for testing. Most people in rural areas have stopped wearing masks and are thronging shopping centers ahead of the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha this month.
Scientists, meanwhile, poured cold water on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s hope that the country may return to normal by Christmas.
A world where people can “go to work normally, travel on the buses and trains, go on holiday without restrictions, meet friends, shake hands, hug each other and so on - that’s a long way off, unfortunately,” without a vaccine, said epidemiologist John Edmunds, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.
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Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.
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Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--Iran estimates it has 25 million coronavirus infections

TEHRAN , Iran ( AP ) - Iran ’ s president on Saturday estimated as many as 25 million Iranians could have been infected with the coronavirus since the outbreak ’ s beginning , as he urged the public to take the pandemic seriously , the state-run IRNA news agency reported .
President Hassan Rouhani cited a new Iranian Health Ministry study in offering the unprecedentedly high number of 25 million infections .
Rouhani also said that he believes an additional 30 million to 35 million people could be infected in coming months , again without citing the basis for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is around 81 million people .
Iran has seen the worst outbreak in the Middle East , with more than 270,000 confirmed cases and at least 13,979 deaths .
The president ’ s remarks show that questions remain over the country ’ s official figures from the outbreak , even after the authorities publicly acknowledged its importance .
Iranians officials have not explained on what the report ’ s estimates are based .
The study has so far not been made publicly available .
Referring to the report , Rouhani said it also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon be “ twice as many as we have seen in the last 150 days.
” In recent weeks , Iran has seen daily death tolls spike to their highest-ever levels , sparking increasing fear even as government officials say they can ’ t lock the country back down for fear of cratering its sanctions-hit economy .
Health officials have reported 2,166 new cases and 188 deaths in the last 24 hours .
Authorities in the capital of Tehran are imposing new restrictions from Saturday , amid the severe increase in cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like coffee shops , zoos , and indoor swimming pools .
Before Iran reported its first cases of the virus in February , authorities denied it had reached the country for days , allowing the virus time to spread as the nation marked the 41st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution with mass demonstrations and then held a parliamentary election in which authorities desperately sought to boost turnout .
A parliamentary report in April said Iran ’ s death toll is likely nearly double the officially reported figures .
Given insufficient testing , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time was probably “ eight to 10 times ” higher than the reported figures .
Even today , Iranian death tolls remain based on those who died in coronavirus wards in hospitals .
However , it ’ s believed that many more died at home , and some families have reportedly asked doctors not to mention their loved ones died of the virus to avoid the stigma associated with COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus .

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran’s president Saturday estimated as many as 25 million Iranians could have been infected with the coronavirus since the outbreak’s beginning, and urged the public to take the pandemic seriously, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
President Hassan Rouhani cited a new Iranian Health Ministry study in offering the unprecedentedly high number of infections. Officials have not explained what the report’s estimates are based on and the study has not been made public. Rouhani also said he believes an additional 30-35 million people could be infected in coming months, again without citing the basis for his estimate. Iran’s population is around 81 million people.
Iran has seen the worst outbreak in the Middle East, with more than 270,000 confirmed cases and at least 13,979 deaths.
The president’s remarks show that questions remain over the country’s official figures from the outbreak, even after the authorities publicly acknowledged its importance.
Referring to the Health Ministry report, Rouhani said it also predicts that the number of hospitalizations will soon be “twice as many as we have seen in the last 150 days.”
In recent weeks, Iran has seen daily death tolls spike to their highest-ever levels, sparking increasing fear even as government officials say they can’t lock the country back down for fear of cratering its sanctions-hit economy. Health officials have reported 2,166 new cases and 188 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Authorities in the capital Tehran are imposing new restrictions starting Saturday amid the increase in cases in recent weeks, closing some public spaces like coffee shops, zoos, and indoor swimming pools.
Before Iran reported its first cases of the virus in February, authorities denied it had reached the country for days, allowing the virus time to spread. The nation marked the 41st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution with mass demonstrations and then held a parliamentary election in which authorities desperately sought to boost turnout.
A parliamentary report in April said Iran’s death toll is likely nearly double the officially reported figures. Given insufficient testing, the report said the number of people infected at the time was probably “eight to 10 times” higher than the reported figures.
Even today, Iran’s death toll remains based on cases where people died in coronavirus wards in hospitals. However, it’s believed many more died at home. Some families have reportedly asked doctors not to mention their loved ones died of the virus to avoid the stigma associated with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--Iran sends downed Ukrainian plane's black box to France

TEHRAN , Iran ( AP ) - Iran has sent the black box of the Ukrainian passenger jet that its armed forces mistakenly shot down in January to France for reading , an Iranian semi-official news agency said Saturday .
Iran accidentally shot down the Boeing 737-800 , killing all 176 people aboard , after mistaking it for an incoming missile .
Iranian armed forces had been bracing for a counterattack after launching missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq in response to the killing of its top commander , Gen. Qassim Soleimani , in a U.S. strike earlier in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baharvand , an aide to Iran ’ s foreign minister , as saying the downed jet ’ s black box was transported to Paris on Friday , accompanied by Iranian civil aviation and judicial officials .
Baharvand also said the black box will be read in Paris on Monday .
Iran has been in intense negotiations with Ukraine , Canada and other nations that had citizens aboard the downed plane , and which have demanded a thorough investigation into the incident .
Iran initially blamed the crash on technical problems and only acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The report did not elaborate on why Iran sent the black box to France .
Boeing is an American company , and Iranian experts needed a converter to recover data from the black box , but the U.S. opposed providing it to Iran .
President Donald Trump re-imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran after withdrawing the U.S. from Tehran ’ s nuclear deal with world powers over two years ago .

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran has sent the black box from the Ukrainian passenger jet that its armed forces mistakenly shot down in January to France for reading, an Iranian semi-official news agency said Saturday.
Iran accidentally shot down the Boeing 737-800, killing all 176 people aboard, after mistaking it for an incoming missile.
Iranian armed forces had been bracing for a counterattack after launching missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq in response to the killing of its top commander, Gen. Qassim Soleimani, in a U.S. strike earlier in January.
ILNA’s report quotes Mohsen Baharvand, an aide to Iran’s foreign minister, as saying the downed jet’s black box was transported to Paris on Friday, accompanied by Iranian civil aviation and judicial officials.
Baharvand also said the black box will be read in Paris on Monday.
Iran has been in intense negotiations with Ukraine, Canada and other nations that had citizens aboard the downed plane, and who have demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
Iran initially blamed the crash on technical problems and only acknowledged shooting down the plane days later.
The report did not elaborate on why Iran sent the black box to France. Boeing is an American company and Iranian experts needed a converter to recover data from the box, but the U.S. opposed providing it to Iran.
President Donald Trump re-imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran after withdrawing the U.S. from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers over two years ago.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--French protesters mark death of Black man in police custody

BEAUMONT-SUR-OISE , France ( AP ) - Protesters marched in a Paris suburb Saturday to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of a Black man in police custody whose case has mobilized broad anger against police brutality and racial injustice in France .
The demonstration in Beaumont-sur-Oise honored Adama Traoré , who died on his 24th birthday in July 2016 after an arrest in circumstances that remain unclear .
But it ’ s also about broader anti-government grievances , and climate activists are co-organizing this year ’ s protest .
Since George Floyd ’ s killing by Minneapolis police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s family and other French activists against police violence targeting minorities has gained renewed attention and mobilized thousands in protests around the European Union nation .
Traore ’ s sister Assa , who has led the family ’ s long legal fight , called Saturday for police to be charged with homicide in her brother ’ s death , saying her brother “ took the weight of gendarmes ” for several minutes .
Investigative efforts into the Traore case have revived in recent weeks , in the wake of Floyd-related Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen four years later ?
” Assa Traore asked reporters .
“ These investigations are because the people put pressure.
” On July 19 , 2016 , gendarmes approached Adama Traore and his brother for an identity check in Beaumont-sur-Oise north of Paris .
Traore ran away because he didn ’ t have his ID , but the gendarmes arrested him .
Within hours he was declared dead .
One gendarme initially said three officers jumped on Traoré to pin him down , but the gendarmes later denied that .
A dozen court-ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible .
The Traoré family countered those with an independent autopsy and medical reports pointing to asphyxiation .
The case is still under investigation , and lawyers for the officers deny police were at fault .
No one has been charged .
Traoré ’ s case has also shed light on the struggle of other French families who have lost a loved one in police custody , notably Black and North African men , who French researchers have found are disproportionately targeted by police .
According to a nationwide tally by news website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths are under investigation in France .
Ramata Dieng , whose 25-year-old brother Lamine Dieng died in a police van in 2007 , spoke at Saturday ’ s rally and asked for “ the creation of an independent body tasked with looking into instances of police violence.
” Dieng , whose family is French-Senegalese , also asked for a ban on heavy police weaponry and the repeal of a 2017 law that expanded French police powers .
France ’ s government recently agreed to pay Dieng ’ s family 145,000 euros ( $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his death under a settlement brokered by the European Court of Human Rights .
Assa Traore and has been touring struggling French suburbs where most of the population is immigrant or non-white , and organized activists across racial , geographical and economic lines to try to get France to rethink its policing .
“ There are a huge number of names - they are immigrants , they are people from poor neighborhoods , they are Black , Arab , non-white - who are killed by police , ” she said Saturday .
Traoré @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told The Associated Press that she wants a ban on dangerous techniques that police use to immobilize people and wants France to scrap police oversight agencies , which are currently composed of police themselves , in favor of independent bodies .
Follow all AP stories about racial injustice and protests against police brutality at https : apnews.com/Racialinjustice .

BEAUMONT-SUR-OISE, France (AP) - Singing “No justice, no peace!” thousands of protesters marched through a Paris suburb Saturday to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of a Black man in police custody whose case has mobilized broad anger against police brutality and racial injustice in France.
The festive demonstration and concert in Beaumont-sur-Oise honored Adama Traoré, who died on his 24th birthday in July 2016 after an arrest in circumstances that remain unclear. But it was also about broader anti-government grievances, and climate activists co-organized this year’s protest.
Since George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police in May, campaigning by Traore’s family and other French activists against police violence targeting minorities has gained renewed attention and mobilized thousands in protests around the European Union nation.
Traore’s sister Assa, who has led the family’s long legal fight, called Saturday for police to be charged with homicide in her brother’s death, saying her brother “took the weight of gendarmes” for several minutes.
Investigative efforts into the Traore case have revived in recent weeks, in the wake of Floyd-related Black Lives Matter protests.
“There are a huge number of names - they are immigrants, they are people from poor neighborhoods, they are Black, Arab, non-white - who are killed by police,” Assa Traore said Saturday.
“Why did those investigations happen four years later?” Assa Traore asked reporters. “These investigations are because the people put pressure on.”
On July 19, 2016, gendarmes approached Adama Traore and his brother for an identity check in Beaumont-sur-Oise north of Paris. Traore ran away because he didn’t have his ID, but the gendarmes arrested him. Within hours he was declared dead.
One gendarme initially said three officers jumped on Traoré to pin him down, but the gendarmes later denied that. A dozen court-ordered medical reports found various cardiac diseases were responsible. The Traoré family countered those with an independent autopsy and medical reports pointing to asphyxiation.
The case is still under investigation, and lawyers for the officers deny police were at fault. No one has been charged.
Saturday’s broad-based march was the result of years of community organizing by the Traoré family. Undocumented migrants, climate activists and yellow vest protesters for economic justice were among those taking part, under the rallying cry “we want to breathe.”
The procession was led by a truck with banner representing Floyd’s and Traoré’s faces blended together, and marched past the building where Traore was arrested and the police station where he was pronounced dead.
Traoré’s case has also shed light on the struggle of other French families who have lost a loved one in police custody, notably Black and North African men, who French researchers have found are disproportionately targeted by police. According to a nationwide tally by news website Basta Mag, at least 101 police-related deaths are under investigation in France.
Ramata Dieng, whose 25-year-old brother Lamine Dieng died in a police van in 2007, spoke at Saturday’s rally and asked for “the creation of an independent body tasked with looking into instances of police violence.” Dieng, whose family is French-Senegalese, also asked for a ban on heavy police weaponry and the repeal of a 2017 law that expanded French police powers.
France’s government recently agreed to pay Dieng’s family 145,000 euros ($166,000) to end legal proceedings over his death under a settlement brokered by the European Court of Human Rights.
Protesters also demanded that police convicted of violence be removed from their jobs.
Traoré, whose family is of Malian origin, told The Associated Press that she wants a ban on dangerous techniques that police use to immobilize people and wants France to scrap police oversight agencies, which are currently composed of police themselves, in favor of independent bodies.
Protester Teissir Ghrab of climate activist group Alternatiba said France’s poor suburbs, home to large immigrant and non-white populations living in cramped, neglected housing projects, “are the most impacted by climate change, by polluted air and water,” and called for an alliance between anti-police violence activists and climate activists.
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Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.
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Follow all AP stories about racial injustice and protests against police brutality at https:apnews.com/Racialinjustice.
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Follow all AP stories about climate change issues at https://apnews.com/Climate.


washingtontimes--2020-07-18--Floods kill 14 in China as water peaks at Three Gorges Dam

BEIJING ( AP ) - At least 14 people have died in the latest round of seasonal rains and flooding in southern China , as soldiers and workers built makeshift barriers with sandbags and rocks Saturday to keep the Yangtze River and its tributaries at bay .
Three floodgates of the Three Gorges Dam that spans the Yangtze were opened as the water level behind the massive dam rose more than 15 meters ( 50 feet ) above flood level , the official Xinhua News Agency reported .
The dam was holding back about 45 % of the water , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corp. Upstream , 11 people had been killed in Chongqing as of Saturday morning , China National Emergency Broadcasting said in an online report , citing the municipal emergency agency .
More than 20,000 people had been evacuated and 1,031 homes destroyed .
Three landslides in Dunhao town in a mountainous part of Chongqing left six dead , the city ’ s Emergency Management Bureau said .
The bodies had been found by Friday evening after more than 200 people were dispatched for a search and rescue operation .
Rainfall in the town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inches ) , the bureau said .
Three more people died in neighboring Hubei province , the emergency management department said in a social media post .
State broadcaster CCTV showed people cleaning up still wet , muddy streets and shops in the city of Enshi after severe flooding Friday .
Rescue workers used inflatable rafts to rescue more than 1,900 people trapped in their homes and other buildings .
Downriver , firefighters and others finished filling in a 188-meter ( 620-foot ) break in a dike on Poyang Lake , China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The dike gave way nine days ago , flooding 15 villages and agricultural fields in Jiangxi province , the news agency said .
More than 14,000 people were evacuated .
The incoming waters were expected to peak Saturday behind the Three Gorges Dam , but more water is forecast to arrive around Tuesday , Xinhua said .
The hydropower dam is used to mitigate catastrophic flooding .
Seasonal flooding strikes large parts of China annually , especially in its central and southern regions , but the rainfall has been unusually high this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been evacuated and direct losses attributed to flooding are estimated at more than 49 billion yuan ( $ 7 billion ) , according to the Ministry of Emergency Management .
Major cities have been spared so far , but concern has risen over Wuhan and other downstream metropolises that are home to tens of millions of people .
China ’ s worst floods in recent years were in 1998 , when more than 2,000 people died and almost 3 million homes were destroyed , mostly along the Yangtze .

BEIJING (AP) - At least 14 people have died in the latest round of seasonal rains and flooding in southern China, as soldiers and workers built makeshift barriers with sandbags and rocks Saturday to keep the Yangtze River and its tributaries at bay.
Three floodgates of the Three Gorges Dam that spans the Yangtze were opened as the water level behind the massive dam rose more than 15 meters (50 feet) above flood level, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
The dam was holding back about 45% of the water, Xinhua said, citing China Three Gorges Corp.
Upstream, 11 people had been killed in Chongqing as of Saturday morning, China National Emergency Broadcasting said in an online report, citing the municipal emergency agency. More than 20,000 people had been evacuated and 1,031 homes destroyed.
Three landslides in Dunhao town in a mountainous part of Chongqing left six dead, the city’s Emergency Management Bureau said. The bodies had been found by Friday evening after more than 200 people were dispatched for a search and rescue operation. Rainfall in the town of Dunhao totaled 39 centimeters (15 inches), the bureau said.
Three more people died in neighboring Hubei province, the emergency management department said in a social media post.
State broadcaster CCTV showed people cleaning up still wet, muddy streets and shops in the city of Enshi after severe flooding Friday. Rescue workers used inflatable rafts to rescue more than 1,900 people trapped in their homes and other buildings.
Downriver, firefighters and others finished filling in a 188-meter (620-foot) break in a dike on Poyang Lake, China’s largest freshwater lake, Xinhua said.
The dike gave way nine days ago, flooding 15 villages and agricultural fields in Jiangxi province, the news agency said. More than 14,000 people were evacuated.
The incoming waters were expected to peak Saturday behind the Three Gorges Dam, but more water is forecast to arrive around Tuesday, Xinhua said. The hydropower dam is used to mitigate catastrophic flooding.
Seasonal flooding strikes large parts of China annually, especially in its central and southern regions, but the rainfall has been unusually high this year.
About 1.8 million people have been evacuated and direct losses attributed to flooding are estimated at more than 49 billion yuan ($7 billion), according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
Major cities have been spared so far, but concern has risen over Wuhan and other downstream metropolises that are home to tens of millions of people.
China’s worst floods in recent years were in 1998, when more than 2,000 people died and almost 3 million homes were destroyed, mostly along the Yangtze.