washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Police: Felon who threw gun out of car in Delaware charged

LEWES , Del .
( AP ) - Authorities said a felon arrested in Delaware for multiple traffic violations also tossed a handgun out of his car as a trooper was following him .
The alleged incident happened Sunday after a trooper saw Jordan E. Dixon , 21 , traveling on a highway in Lewes , Delaware State Police said in a statement .
Officials said the trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop when a computer check revealed that Dixon ’ s vehicle did not have insurance , and had a suspended registration .
Police said Dixon failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traffic violations as he continued to drive down the road .
Authorities said the trooper then saw Dixon throwing an object out of his car window before he stopped the vehicle .
Investigators later found a handgun and a loaded magazine near the area where Dixon had allegedly tossed out the object .
He has been arrested and faces multiple charges , including Possession of a Firearm by a Person Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony .
It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf @

LEWES, Del. (AP) - Authorities said a felon arrested in Delaware for multiple traffic violations also tossed a handgun out of his car as a trooper was following him.
The alleged incident happened Sunday after a trooper saw Jordan E. Dixon, 21, traveling on a highway in Lewes, Delaware State Police said in a statement.
Officials said the trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop when a computer check revealed that Dixon’s vehicle did not have insurance, and had a suspended registration. Police said Dixon failed to make the stop, and committed multiple traffic violations as he continued to drive down the road.
Authorities said the trooper then saw Dixon throwing an object out of his car window before he stopped the vehicle. Investigators later found a handgun and a loaded magazine near the area where Dixon had allegedly tossed out the object.
He has been arrested and faces multiple charges, including Possession of a Firearm by a Person Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Amsterdam, Rotterdam order use of masks in busy streets

AMSTERDAM ( AP ) - The Netherlands ‘ two most populous cities began ordering people to wear face masks in busy streets Wednesday amid rising coronavirus infection rates , but many people in the Dutch capital ’ s famous red-light district still did not wear them .
Police in Rotterdam said a number of people opposed to the mask order staged a protest in the downtown area where masks became obligatory .
Amsterdam ordered masks to be worn in the red-light district and busy shopping streets and markets .
Many visitors to the narrow lanes and canal-side roads of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signs informing people of the new measure .
Municipality workers stood at the entrance to one downtown Amsterdam shopping street wearing signs saying in Dutch and English that masks were required and handing them out to people who didn ’ t have one .
The Dutch capital ’ s local health authority said around 5 % of people who got a test over the last week were positive , more than double the 2 % from the previous week .
Among clusters being tracked in the city was one at a strip club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one customer and 10 staff have tested positive , according to a statement from the health authority .
The owner voluntarily closed the club .
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said she understood people ’ s wish to socialize again at home , at weddings or in bars after weeks of tough restrictions aimed at reining in the spread of the coronavirus .
“ But the numbers show that the coronavirus is spreading at these kinds of locations , ” she said .
“ It is striking that young people in particular are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the entire city and region.
” The mask orders came into force a day after the Dutch public health institute reported a near-doubling in infections in a week to 2,588 , with a quarter of the people who tested positive aged in their 20s .
Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have been on the rise since many restrictions that had successfully reined in the disease were lifted July 1 .
The Dutch COVID-19 death toll stands at 6,150 confirmed deaths .
The true toll is likely higher because not all who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were tested .
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte scheduled a press conference for Thursday to discuss the rising infections .

AMSTERDAM (AP) - The Netherlands’ two most populous cities began ordering people to wear face masks in busy streets Wednesday amid rising coronavirus infection rates, but many people in the Dutch capital’s famous red-light district still did not wear them.
Police in Rotterdam said a number of people opposed to the mask order staged a protest in the downtown area where masks became obligatory.
Amsterdam ordered masks to be worn in the red-light district and busy shopping streets and markets. Many visitors to the narrow lanes and canal-side roads of the historic neighborhood ignored the instructions, despite signs informing people of the new measure.
Municipality workers stood at the entrance to one downtown Amsterdam shopping street wearing signs saying in Dutch and English that masks were required and handing them out to people who didn’t have one.
The Dutch capital’s local health authority said around 5% of people who got a test over the last week were positive, more than double the 2% from the previous week.
Among clusters being tracked in the city was one at a strip club in the red-light district where at least one customer and 10 staff have tested positive, according to a statement from the health authority. The owner voluntarily closed the club.
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said she understood people’s wish to socialize again at home, at weddings or in bars after weeks of tough restrictions aimed at reining in the spread of the coronavirus.
“But the numbers show that the coronavirus is spreading at these kinds of locations,” she said. “It is striking that young people in particular are now becoming infected and therefore pose a risk to the entire city and region.”
The mask orders came into force a day after the Dutch public health institute reported a near-doubling in confirmed infections in a week to 2,588, with a quarter of the people who tested positive aged in their 20s.
Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have been on the rise since many restrictions that had successfully reined in the disease were lifted July 1.
The Dutch COVID-19 death toll stands at 6,150 confirmed deaths. The true toll is likely higher because not all who were suspected to have died of the coronavirus were tested.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte scheduled a press conference for Thursday to discuss the rising infections.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Woman hurls racial slurs at Black landscapers in viral video

ORLANDO , Fla. ( AP ) - A video of an Orlando woman cursing and shouting racial slurs at Black landscapers as they finished up a job at her neighbor ’ s house has gone viral .
Brandon Cordova told the Orlando Sentinel that he and his crew were almost done with their shift last Thursday when the woman approached two of his coworkers .
Cordova said he pulled out his cellphone and started filming .
He later posted the video on Facebook .
The woman approached twins Antonio and Antione Harris , a foreman and supervisor with A Cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cordova said she didn ’ t tell the crew what she was upset about before her rant began .
” She was in my coworkers ’ face … just going off .
… She was trying to say all those hateful things , and they weren ’ t even being bothered - they were joking around .
The more they were joking around , the more she got mad , ” Cordova said .
In the video , the woman hurled racial slurs at the Harris brothers , who are Black .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Antonio Harris told the Orlando Sentinel .
Added his brother , “ The more we tried to calm her down , the more irate she got.
” As she got closer , one twin touched the other - warning “ corona ( virus ) ” - before they stepped back .
In the video , one of the twins wished the woman “ a blessed day , ” before walking toward their truck .
They said the woman ’ s behavior surprised them .
“ We don ’ t look at color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Me and my twin brother are mixed … we are African-American , but at the same time , this wouldn ’ t be the first time that we ’ ve dealt with ( racism ) , this is the most extreme time that we ’ ve dealt with it.
” While a neighbor encouraged them to report the incident to police , neither Cordova nor the Harris twins said they filed a report .
“ I hope that the message isn ’ t , ‘ Look at this crazy lady ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s more to show that there ’ s people that think this way that are outdated .
… If you just ignore them in the end , what are they going to do to you ?
” Cordova said .
The Harris brothers said their boss is “ distraught ” after seeing the video , and has been supportive .
Antione Harris said he was “ shocked ” the video went viral .
But he and his brother do not consider their actions noteworthy .
“ We ain ’ t looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ain ’ t trying to blow up on the mainstream , ” Antonio Harris said .
“ We ’ re just simple guys who go to work every day , doing 9 to 5 , and try to make the best out of it , even with the COVID going on .
… I think we did do the right thing .
… We didn ’ t need anybody to see it .
”

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A video of an Orlando woman cursing and shouting racial slurs at Black landscapers as they finished up a job at her neighbor’s house has gone viral.
Brandon Cordova told the Orlando Sentinel that he and his crew were almost done with their shift last Thursday when the woman approached two of his coworkers. Cordova said he pulled out his cellphone and started filming. He later posted the video on Facebook.
The woman approached twins Antonio and Antione Harris, a foreman and supervisor with A Cut Above The Rest Landscaping, respectively.
Cordova said she didn’t tell the crew what she was upset about before her rant began.
”She was in my coworkers’ face … just going off. … She was trying to say all those hateful things, and they weren’t even being bothered - they were joking around. The more they were joking around, the more she got mad,” Cordova said.
In the video, the woman hurled racial slurs at the Harris brothers, who are Black.
“We tried to calm her down,” Antonio Harris told the Orlando Sentinel. Added his brother, “The more we tried to calm her down, the more irate she got.”
As she got closer, one twin touched the other - warning “corona(virus)” - before they stepped back.
In the video, one of the twins wished the woman “a blessed day,” before walking toward their truck.
They said the woman’s behavior surprised them.
“We don’t look at color,” Antonio Harris told the newspaper. “Me and my twin brother are mixed … we are African-American, but at the same time, this wouldn’t be the first time that we’ve dealt with (racism), this is the most extreme time that we’ve dealt with it.”
While a neighbor encouraged them to report the incident to police, neither Cordova nor the Harris twins said they filed a report.
“I hope that the message isn’t, ‘Look at this crazy lady’ or something to inspire more hate. It’s more to show that there’s people that think this way that are outdated. … If you just ignore them in the end, what are they going to do to you?” Cordova said.
The Harris brothers said their boss is “distraught” after seeing the video, and has been supportive.
Antione Harris said he was “shocked” the video went viral. But he and his brother do not consider their actions noteworthy.
“We ain’t looking to get nothing out of this, we ain’t trying to blow up on the mainstream,” Antonio Harris said. “We’re just simple guys who go to work every day, doing 9 to 5, and try to make the best out of it, even with the COVID going on. … I think we did do the right thing. … We didn’t need anybody to see it.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Auditors issue critical report for Pullman-Moscow airport

PULLMAN , Wash. ( AP ) - Washington state auditors have issued a critical report on the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport , saying bookkeepers used outdated accounting templates and misreported some figures by millions of dollars in recent years .
The Spokesman-Review reports airport and city officials say those errors have been corrected and could have been caught much sooner , but auditors didn ’ t look at the airport ’ s financial statements for nearly a decade .
After reviewing the airport ’ s books for the first time since 2010 , the state auditor ’ s office issued its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ did not have effective internal controls in place to ensure accurate and reliable financial reporting.
” The office cited staff turnover and lack of training as causes for the errors , which included failing to report a short-term loan on the airport ’ s general ledger and recording more than $ 4.2 million in federal grant expenditures in the wrong fiscal year .
The airport has four full-time and four part-time employees , and its operating budget is usually less than the $ 2 million needed to trigger a full review of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bean , the airport ’ s executive director .
Only in recent years has the budget exceeded that threshold .
That ’ s due to a $ 154 million runway expansion and realignment project funded by various grants .
“ The work was getting done and submitted to the state auditors for their review , ” said Mike Urban , the city of Pullman ’ s finance director , who prepares the airport ’ s financial statements .
“ But because it didn ’ t meet a threshold for them , they never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started rolling through.
” “ If we don ’ t meet the threshold , they don ’ t look , ” Bean said .
As a result , “ we were bumping along assuming that we were doing everything correctly , ” he said .

PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Washington state auditors have issued a critical report on the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport, saying bookkeepers used outdated accounting templates and misreported some figures by millions of dollars in recent years.
The Spokesman-Review reports airport and city officials say those errors have been corrected and could have been caught much sooner, but auditors didn’t look at the airport’s financial statements for nearly a decade.
After reviewing the airport’s books for the first time since 2010, the state auditor’s office issued its report in July, saying the airport “did not have effective internal controls in place to ensure accurate and reliable financial reporting.”
The office cited staff turnover and lack of training as causes for the errors, which included failing to report a short-term loan on the airport’s general ledger and recording more than $4.2 million in federal grant expenditures in the wrong fiscal year.
The airport has four full-time and four part-time employees, and its operating budget is usually less than the $2 million needed to trigger a full review of its year-end financial reports, said Tony Bean, the airport’s executive director.
Only in recent years has the budget exceeded that threshold. That’s due to a $154 million runway expansion and realignment project funded by various grants.
“The work was getting done and submitted to the state auditors for their review,” said Mike Urban, the city of Pullman’s finance director, who prepares the airport’s financial statements. “But because it didn’t meet a threshold for them, they never read the financials until all these dollars started rolling through.”
“If we don’t meet the threshold, they don’t look,” Bean said. As a result, “we were bumping along assuming that we were doing everything correctly,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Lawyer: Michael Cohen has offer to be a political consultant

NEW YORK ( AP ) - President Donald Trump ’ s former personal lawyer has been offered work as a consultant and to make media appearances for a political action committee , his lawyer said Wednesday .
Michael Cohen hopes to accept the offer to work on the committee ’ s behalf , attorney Danya Perry told U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein in a letter aimed at ensuring the judge does not object .
She did not identify the committee .
She wrote that Cohen also plans to have discussions with his editor and publisher “ as quickly as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publishing a book critical of Trump before November ’ s election .
The judge ordered Cohen released from prison two weeks ago , saying the government returned him to prison in July in retaliation after Cohen said publicly that he planned to publish the book titled “ Disloyal : The True Story of Michael Cohen , Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump.
” The Bureau of Prisons denied that Cohen was imprisoned for retaliatory reasons .
Cohen is serving the majority of his three-year prison sentence in home confinement after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners without a violent record getting out from behind bars .
After getting out in May , Cohen was returned to prison after Probation Department employees said he refused to sign a form that would have banned him from publishing the book and speaking with the media .
Prosecutors dropped their media objections last week .
Cohen , 53 , began serving the sentence in May 2019 after pleading guilty to campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress , among other charges .
Campaign finance fraud charges stemmed from his efforts to arrange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep the porn actress Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal from making public claims of extramarital affairs with Trump .
Trump has denied the affairs .

NEW YORK (AP) - President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer has been offered work as a consultant and to make media appearances for a political action committee, his lawyer said Wednesday.
Michael Cohen hopes to accept the offer to work on the committee’s behalf, attorney Danya Perry told U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein in a letter aimed at ensuring the judge does not object. She did not identify the committee.
She wrote that Cohen also plans to have discussions with his editor and publisher “as quickly as possible” to achieve his goal of publishing a book critical of Trump before November’s election.
The judge ordered Cohen released from prison two weeks ago, saying the government returned him to prison in July in retaliation after Cohen said publicly that he planned to publish the book titled “Disloyal: The True Story of Michael Cohen, Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump.”
The Bureau of Prisons denied that Cohen was imprisoned for retaliatory reasons.
Cohen is serving the majority of his three-year prison sentence in home confinement after a coronavirus outbreak in prisons led to some prisoners without a violent record getting out from behind bars.
After getting out in May, Cohen was returned to prison after Probation Department employees said he refused to sign a form that would have banned him from publishing the book and speaking with the media. Prosecutors dropped their media objections last week.
Cohen, 53, began serving the sentence in May 2019 after pleading guilty to campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress, among other charges.
Campaign finance fraud charges stemmed from his efforts to arrange payouts during the 2016 presidential race to keep the porn actress Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal from making public claims of extramarital affairs with Trump. Trump has denied the affairs.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--GOP Congressman Rodney Davis tests positive for COVID-19

TAYLORVILLE , Ill. ( AP ) - Illinois Republican Rep. Rodney Davis on Wednesday announced he has tested positive for COVID-19 .
In a statement , Davis said he has taken his temperature twice daily since the start of the pandemic .
He said his temperature was slightly elevated Wednesday and both he and his wife tested for the virus , with his coming back positive .
“ My staff , who I ’ ve worked with in-person this week , have received negative tests as well , ” Davis said in the statement .
“ Other than a higher-than-normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this time and feel fine.
” Davis said he is postponing planned public events and will quarantine himself until he tests negative , adding protecting the public health is his highest priority .
“ If you ’ re out in public , use social distancing , and when you can ’ t social distance , please wear a mask , ” he said .
“ All of us must do our part .
That ’ s what it will take to get through this pandemic.
” Davis , 50 , of Taylorville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and southwestern Illinois .
He defeated Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan of Springfield by a narrow margin in 2018 .
Davis and Londrigan will face-off again in November .

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Illinois Republican Rep. Rodney Davis on Wednesday announced he has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement, Davis said he has taken his temperature twice daily since the start of the pandemic. He said his temperature was slightly elevated Wednesday and both he and his wife tested for the virus, with his coming back positive.
“My staff, who I’ve worked with in-person this week, have received negative tests as well,” Davis said in the statement. “Other than a higher-than-normal temperature, I am showing no symptoms at this time and feel fine.”
Davis said he is postponing planned public events and will quarantine himself until he tests negative, adding protecting the public health is his highest priority.
“If you’re out in public, use social distancing, and when you can’t social distance, please wear a mask,” he said. “All of us must do our part. That’s what it will take to get through this pandemic.”
Davis, 50, of Taylorville represents the 13th Congressional District in central and southwestern Illinois. He defeated Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan of Springfield by a narrow margin in 2018. Davis and Londrigan will face-off again in November.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--New Zealand man appeals guilt in British backpacker slaying

WELLINGTON , New Zealand ( AP ) - A New Zealand man found guilty of murdering a British backpacker appealed his conviction and punishment on Thursday , with his new lawyer arguing he didn ’ t get a fair trial and his sentence was too harsh .
A jury had earlier determined that tourist Grace Millane was strangled to death on her 22nd birthday in December 2018 by a man she had met through the dating app Tinder .
She went out for drinks with him before returning to his hotel apartment in central Auckland , where he killed her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suitcase , drove to a forest and buried it in a shallow grave , where police found it a week later .
Prosecutors argued in the trial that the man deliberately strangled Millane to death , while defense lawyers claimed the death was accidental after the pair engaged in consensual erotic choking that went too far .
The jury found the man guilty and a judge sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years .
Lawyer Rachael Reed told the Court of Appeal judges that she wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ abhorent ” actions after Millane ’ s death , according to news organization Stuff .
But she said the judge placed too much weight on those actions in determining the man ’ s sentence .
Reed also said the conviction had problems , including questions around the issue of consent , some of the expert evidence , and negative evidence given by other women about the man ’ s character .
The name of the 28-year-old man convicted of murder is being kept secret for now by court order , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand judicial system for reasons such as another pending trial .

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - A New Zealand man found guilty of murdering a British backpacker appealed his conviction and punishment on Thursday, with his new lawyer arguing he didn’t get a fair trial and his sentence was too harsh.
A jury had earlier determined that tourist Grace Millane was strangled to death on her 22nd birthday in December 2018 by a man she had met through the dating app Tinder.
She went out for drinks with him before returning to his hotel apartment in central Auckland, where he killed her. He stuffed her body into a suitcase, drove to a forest and buried it in a shallow grave, where police found it a week later.
Prosecutors argued in the trial that the man deliberately strangled Millane to death, while defense lawyers claimed the death was accidental after the pair engaged in consensual erotic choking that went too far.
The jury found the man guilty and a judge sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.
Lawyer Rachael Reed told the Court of Appeal judges that she wasn’t seeking to excuse the man’s “abhorent” actions after Millane’s death, according to news organization Stuff. But she said the judge placed too much weight on those actions in determining the man’s sentence.
Reed also said the conviction had problems, including questions around the issue of consent, some of the expert evidence, and negative evidence given by other women about the man’s character.
The name of the 28-year-old man convicted of murder is being kept secret for now by court order, a restriction that is sometimes imposed in the New Zealand judicial system for reasons such as another pending trial.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--5 things to know as Hiroshima marks 75th A-bomb anniversary

HIROSHIMA , Japan ( AP ) - The city of Hiroshima in western Japan marks the 75th anniversary of the world ’ s first nuclear attack on Thursday .
Three days after its Aug. 6 , 1945 , bombing of Hiroshima , the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki .
Japan surrendered on Aug. 15 , ending World War II and , more broadly , its aggression toward Asian neighbors that had lasted nearly half a century .
Here ’ s a look at that day in Hiroshima 75 years ago .
Q .
Why was Hiroshima @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a major Japanese military hub with factories , military bases and ammunition facilities .
Historians say the United States picked it as a suitable target because of its size and landscape , and carefully avoided fire bombing the city ahead of time so American officials could accurately assess the impact of the atomic attack .
The United States said the bombings hastened Japan ’ s surrender and prevented the need for a U.S. invasion of Japan .
Some historians today say Japan was already close to surrendering , but there is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened in the attack ?
A .
At 8:15 a.m. , the U.S. B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped a 4-ton “ Little Boy ” uranium bomb from a height of 9,600 meters ( 31,500 feet ) on the city center , targeting the Aioi Bridge .
The bomb exploded 43 seconds later , 600 meters ( 2,000 feet ) above the ground .
Seconds after the detonation , the estimated temperature was 3,000-4,000 degrees Celsius ( 5,400-7,200 degrees Fahrenheit ) at ground zero .
Almost everything within 2 kilometers ( 1.2 miles ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blast and heat rays .
Within one hour , a “ black rain ” of highly radioactive particles started falling on the city , causing additional radiation exposure .
Q .
How many people were killed ?
A .
An estimated 140,000 people , including those with radiation-related injuries and illnesses , died through Dec. 31 , 1945 .
That was 40 % of Hiroshima ’ s population of 350,000 before the attack .
Everyone within a radius of 500 meters ( 1,600 feet ) from ground zero died that day .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including those who died from radiation-related cancers , is about 300,000 .
Hiroshima today has 1.2 million residents .
Q .
What effect did radiation have ?
A .
Many people exposed to radiation developed symptoms such as vomiting and hair loss .
Most of those with severe radiation symptoms died within three to six weeks .
Others who lived beyond that developed health problems related to burns and radiation-induced cancers and other illnesses .
Survivors have a higher risk of developing cataracts and cancer .
About 136,700 people certified as “ hibakusha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under a government support program are still alive and entitled to regular free health checkups and treatment .
Health monitoring of second-generation hibakusha began recently .
Japan ’ s government provided no support for victims until a law was finally enacted in 1957 under pressure from them .
Q .
What are those colorful folded paper cranes for ?
A .
“ Origami ” paper cranes can be seen throughout the city .
They became a symbol of peace because of a 12-year-old bomb survivor , Sadako Sasaki , who , while battling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrappers after hearing an old Japanese story that those who fold a thousand cranes are granted one wish .
Sadako developed leukemia 10 years after her exposure to radiation at age 2 , and died three months after she started the project .
Former U.S. President Barack Obama brought four paper cranes that he folded himself when he visited Hiroshima in May 2016 , becoming the first serving American leader to visit .
Obama ’ s cranes are now displayed at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum .

HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) - The city of Hiroshima in western Japan marks the 75th anniversary of the world’s first nuclear attack on Thursday.
Three days after its Aug. 6, 1945, bombing of Hiroshima, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and, more broadly, its aggression toward Asian neighbors that had lasted nearly half a century.
Here’s a look at that day in Hiroshima 75 years ago.
Q. Why was Hiroshima chosen as a target?
A. Hiroshima was a major Japanese military hub with factories, military bases and ammunition facilities. Historians say the United States picked it as a suitable target because of its size and landscape, and carefully avoided fire bombing the city ahead of time so American officials could accurately assess the impact of the atomic attack. The United States said the bombings hastened Japan’s surrender and prevented the need for a U.S. invasion of Japan. Some historians today say Japan was already close to surrendering, but there is still debate in the U.S.
Q. What happened in the attack?
A. At 8:15 a.m., the U.S. B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped a 4-ton “Little Boy” uranium bomb from a height of 9,600 meters (31,500 feet) on the city center, targeting the Aioi Bridge. The bomb exploded 43 seconds later, 600 meters (2,000 feet) above the ground. Seconds after the detonation, the estimated temperature was 3,000-4,000 degrees Celsius (5,400-7,200 degrees Fahrenheit) at ground zero. Almost everything within 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of ground zero was destroyed by the blast and heat rays. Within one hour, a “black rain” of highly radioactive particles started falling on the city, causing additional radiation exposure.
Q. How many people were killed?
A. An estimated 140,000 people, including those with radiation-related injuries and illnesses, died through Dec. 31, 1945. That was 40% of Hiroshima’s population of 350,000 before the attack. Everyone within a radius of 500 meters (1,600 feet) from ground zero died that day. To date, the total death toll, including those who died from radiation-related cancers, is about 300,000. Hiroshima today has 1.2 million residents.
Q. What effect did radiation have?
A. Many people exposed to radiation developed symptoms such as vomiting and hair loss. Most of those with severe radiation symptoms died within three to six weeks. Others who lived beyond that developed health problems related to burns and radiation-induced cancers and other illnesses. Survivors have a higher risk of developing cataracts and cancer. About 136,700 people certified as “hibakusha,” as victims are called, under a government support program are still alive and entitled to regular free health checkups and treatment. Health monitoring of second-generation hibakusha began recently. Japan’s government provided no support for victims until a law was finally enacted in 1957 under pressure from them.
Q. What are those colorful folded paper cranes for?
A. “Origami” paper cranes can be seen throughout the city. They became a symbol of peace because of a 12-year-old bomb survivor, Sadako Sasaki, who, while battling leukemia, folded paper cranes using medicine wrappers after hearing an old Japanese story that those who fold a thousand cranes are granted one wish. Sadako developed leukemia 10 years after her exposure to radiation at age 2, and died three months after she started the project. Former U.S. President Barack Obama brought four paper cranes that he folded himself when he visited Hiroshima in May 2016, becoming the first serving American leader to visit. Obama’s cranes are now displayed at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.
___
Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Kim directs aid to North Korean town under virus lockdown

SEOUL , South Korea ( AP ) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un directed his government agencies to act immediately to stabilize the livelihoods of residents in a city locked down over coronavirus concerns , state media reported Thursday .
North Korea declared an emergency and locked down Kaesong near the inter-Korean border in late July after finding a suspected virus case there .
It hasn ’ t confirmed yet if the person tested positive and still says the country hasn ’ t had a single case of COVID-19 , a claim questioned by outside experts .
Kim presided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Workers ’ Party ’ s executive policy council where they discussed a special supply of food and funds to Kaesong , the Korean Central News Agency said .
The report didn ’ t specify the measures that were to be taken .
North Korea has said the suspected virus patient is a runaway who had fled to South Korea three years ago before slipping back to Kaesong last month .
Some experts speculate North Korea is aiming to hold South Korea responsible for a potential virus spread in the North or try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the South .
Describing its anti-virus efforts as a “ matter of national existence , ” North Korea earlier this year shut down nearly all cross-border traffic , banned foreign tourists and mobilized health workers to quarantine anyone with symptoms .
But the Kaesong lockdown is the first such known measure taken in a North Korean city to stem the pandemic .
Foreign experts say a coronavirus outbreak in North Korea could cause dire consequences because of its fragile public health care infrastructure and chronic lack of medical supplies .
They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim of having had no infections because the country shares a long , porous border with China , its biggest trading partner , where the pandemic emerged last year .
Kaesong , a city with an estimated population of 200,000 , is just north of the heavily fortified land border with South Korea .
It once hosted the Koreas ’ jointly run industrial complex , which has been shut since 2016 amid nuclear tensions , and an inter-Korean liaison office North Korea demolished earlier this year .

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea is quarantining thousands of people and shipping food and other aid to a southern city locked down over coronavirus worries, officials said, as the country’s response to a suspected case reinforces doubt about its longstanding claim to be virus-free.
But amid the outside skepticism and a stream of North Korean propaganda glorifying its virus efforts, an exchange between the country and the United Nations is providing new clarity — and actual numbers — about what might be happening in North Korea, which has closed its borders and cut travel - never a free-flowing stream — by outsider monitors and journalists.
In late July, North Korea said it had imposed its “maximum emergency system” to guard against the virus spreading after finding a person with COVID-19 symptoms in Kaesong city, near the border with rival South Korea.
State media reported that leader Kim Jong-un then ordered a total lockdown of Kaesong, and said the suspected case was a North Korean who had earlier fled to South Korea before slipping back into Kaesong last month.
North Korea’s public admission of its first potential case and the emergency steps it took prompted immediate outside speculation that it may be worried about a big outbreak after months of steadfastly claiming it had no cases. Foreign experts are highly skeptical of North Korea’s assertion of no cases, in large part because of its long, porous border with China, where the virus emerged, and its history of hiding past disease outbreaks.
In a report to the World Health Organization, North Korea said it has quarantined 64 first contacts of the suspected Keasong case and 3,571 secondary contacts in state-run facilities for a period of 40 days, according to Dr. Edwin Salvador, WHO representative to North Korea.
Salvador said in an email to The Associated Press that North Korea also informed WHO of the suspected first case, saying the person was tested for COVID-19 but the results were inconclusive. Salvador said WHO has requested that North Korea share more information about the person.
Salvador said all of North Korea’s borders remain closed, group gatherings are banned, masks are required in public, and all educational institutions, including preschools, are on an extended summer break. Since the end of December, North Korea has quarantined and released 25,905 people, 382 of them foreigners, Salvador said.
Many outside observers are all but certain the virus has already entered North Korea because it closed its border with China, its biggest trading partner, weeks after the world’s first known virus cases were recorded in China in December. Monitoring groups in Seoul have steadfastly reported about North Korean virus cases and deaths.
A major coronavirus outbreak may cause a humanitarian disaster because of North Korea’s broken public health care system and lack of medical supplies.
But it’s unclear how serious North Korea’s current situation is.
“Though a really extensive local outbreak might not have occurred yet, it’s likely that a considerable number of people has been infected,” said analyst Hong Min at Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification. “Even though North Korea locks itself down, there should be suspected cases there and authorities must aggressively diagnose them. But North Korea has never been transparent about whether it has such a capacity and the will to do so.”
North Korea’s state media have recently churned out articles thick with rallying propaganda that describe the latest anti-virus work as “an all-people’s campaign” that demonstrates the Kim government’s resolve to protect public safety “at any cost.” The articles also say that any individual carelessness or breach of anti-virus guidelines may lead to “critical consequences.”
State media said North Korea has deployed more health workers, sanitized personnel and goods, and used loudspeakers to raise public awareness of the virus. The Korean Central News Agency said Thursday that 550,000 aid items have been sent to Kaesong.
North Korea’s claimed emergency steps suggest that an outbreak there may have worsened, said Kim Sin-gon, a professor at Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul. North Korea may also aim to win aid from South Korea or others, but wants to save face by saying its suspected Kaesong case is someone who had been in South Korea, he said.
Before returning to North Korea, the suspected first case, identified in South Korea as a 24-year-old man surnamed Kim, hadn’t tested positive in South Korea and never had contact with any patient, South Korean health official Yoon Taeho said.
The motive for his return to North Korea isn’t known. More than 33,000 North Koreans have escaped to South Korea over the past 22 years for political and economic reasons, but only a handful have returned to North Korea.
Police said the man was questioned in June on an allegation that he had sexually assaulted a female North Korean refugee. The man denied the accusation. Last month, the national forensic service told police it found DNA evidence of the assault, and police were continuing to investigate, according to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Oakland man gets life for execution-style double killing

OAKLAND , Calif. ( AP ) - An Oakland criminal who authorities say bribed a law enforcement official for protection was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for killing a couple over a business deal .
Wing Wo Ma , also known as “ Fat Mark , ” was sentenced for the 2013 execution-style slayings in Mendocino County .
He was convicted last year of murder , drug distribution conspiracy , fraud conspiracy , weapons , and bribery charges .
Prosecutors said Ma shot Jim Tat Kong and his wife , Cindy Bao Feng Chen , in the head on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sat in a minivan in Fort Bragg .
Kong was a Chinese-American gangster and rival to San Francisco gang leader Raymond “ Shrimp Boy ” Chow , authorities said .
Ma had borrowed money from Kong for a nearby marijuana growing operation and other failed ventures and was afraid of retribution because he wasn ’ t able to repay the money , prosecutors said .
DNA from abandoned cigarette butts linked Ma to the crime .
The bribery conviction stemmed from Ma ’ s relationship with Harry Hu , a onetime Oakland police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district attorney ’ s office .
“ Since at least 2008 , Ma bribed Hu with airfare for multiple trips to Las Vegas , free accommodation at high-end suites and hotel rooms at Las Vegas casinos , meals and entertainment in Las Vegas and San Francisco , female hostesses at private room bars in Las Vegas and San Francisco , music concert tickets , use of a new Mercedes-Benz , and labor for the remodel of Hu ’ s personal residence , ” said a statement from the U.S. attorney ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from prosecution for various crimes and used his reputation to attract investors to his “ ” fraudulent schemes , ” prosecutors said .
Hu , a noted expert on Bay Area Asian organized crime , pleaded guilty to bribery in 2018 and could face a year in federal prison when he is sentenced later this month .

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - An Oakland criminal who authorities say bribed a law enforcement official for protection was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for killing a couple over a business deal.
Wing Wo Ma, also known as “Fat Mark,” was sentenced for the 2013 execution-style slayings in Mendocino County. He was convicted last year of murder, drug distribution conspiracy, fraud conspiracy, weapons, and bribery charges.
Prosecutors said Ma shot Jim Tat Kong and his wife, Cindy Bao Feng Chen, in the head on Chen’s birthday as the couple sat in a minivan in Fort Bragg.
Kong was a Chinese-American gangster and rival to San Francisco gang leader Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow, authorities said.
Ma had borrowed money from Kong for a nearby marijuana growing operation and other failed ventures and was afraid of retribution because he wasn’t able to repay the money, prosecutors said.
DNA from abandoned cigarette butts linked Ma to the crime.
The bribery conviction stemmed from Ma’s relationship with Harry Hu, a onetime Oakland police lieutenant and inspector with the Alameda County district attorney’s office.
“Since at least 2008, Ma bribed Hu with airfare for multiple trips to Las Vegas, free accommodation at high-end suites and hotel rooms at Las Vegas casinos, meals and entertainment in Las Vegas and San Francisco, female hostesses at private room bars in Las Vegas and San Francisco, music concert tickets, use of a new Mercedes-Benz, and labor for the remodel of Hu’s personal residence,” said a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.
Ma bribed Hu to protect himself from prosecution for various crimes and used his reputation to attract investors to his “”fraudulent schemes,” prosecutors said.
Hu, a noted expert on Bay Area Asian organized crime, pleaded guilty to bribery in 2018 and could face a year in federal prison when he is sentenced later this month.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Homemade bombs damage ATM at New Zealand mall

WELLINGTON , New Zealand ( AP ) - Would-be thieves apparently detonated two homemade bombs at a New Zealand mall ATM early Thursday and left other unexploded bombs behind , according to police .
Authorities closed the Chartwell Shopping Centre in Hamilton and some nearby streets while they searched the area to make sure it was safe .
A military bomb disposal team was called to the site .
Police said they found several homemade explosive devices including two that appeared to have exploded .
They said the bombs had damaged the ATM and the immediate area around it but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ATM stood at an exterior wall of the shopping center at an ANZ bank branch .
Police initially declined say what the devices were made from or to confirm that no money had been stolen , saying they would release more details later in the day .
Yolanda Julius , who lives across from the mall , told news agency RNZ that a loud bank woke up her and her husband at about 3:45 a.m. and she saw two people wearing black clothes running across the mall ’ s parking lot .
She @ @ @ @ @ @

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - Would-be thieves apparently detonated two homemade bombs at a New Zealand mall ATM early Thursday and left other unexploded bombs behind, according to police.
Authorities closed the Chartwell Shopping Centre in Hamilton and some nearby streets while they searched the area to make sure it was safe. A military bomb disposal team was called to the site.
Police said they found several homemade explosive devices including two that appeared to have exploded. They said the bombs had damaged the ATM and the immediate area around it but hadn’t injured anybody.
The ATM stood at an exterior wall of the shopping center at an ANZ bank branch.
Police initially declined say what the devices were made from or to confirm that no money had been stolen, saying they would release more details later in the day.
Yolanda Julius, who lives across from the mall, told news agency RNZ that a loud bank woke up her and her husband at about 3:45 a.m. and she saw two people wearing black clothes running across the mall’s parking lot. She said their faces were covered.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Inmate at Arizona prison in Winslow dies; suicide suspected

WINSLOW , Ariz. ( AP ) - An inmate at the state prison in Winslow died Wednesday from an apparent @ @ @ @ @ Corrections officials said .
Corrections officials said 23-year-old Patrick Pruitt was found unresponsive Wednesday morning @ @ @ @ @ shower area and had apparently hanged himself .
Responding paramedics transported Pruitt to a hospital @ @ @ @ @ dead .
Corrections officials said Pruitt was sentenced last year out of Yavapai County for @ @ @ @ @ , theft means of transportation , narcotic drug violation and dangerous drug violation .

WINSLOW, Ariz. (AP) - An inmate at the state prison in Winslow died Wednesday from an apparent suicide, Arizona Department of Corrections officials said.
Corrections officials said 23-year-old Patrick Pruitt was found unresponsive Wednesday morning in the prison’s shower area and had apparently hanged himself.
Responding paramedics transported Pruitt to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Corrections officials said Pruitt was sentenced last year out of Yavapai County for armed robbery, aggravated assault, theft means of transportation, narcotic drug violation and dangerous drug violation.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Planned Taiwan visit escalates tensions between U.S., China

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar is gearing up for a trip to Taiwan that will mark the highest-level visit to the island by a U.S. official since 1979 — and in the process add fuel to already white-hot tensions between Washington and Beijing .
The move — and a new agenda of moves announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designed to limit the scope of China ’ s high-tech sector — showed the willingness of the Trump administration to escalate the pressure campaign against Beijing even with U.S. elections looming in November .
Presumptive Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he plans to reverse many of the recently imposed tariffs on Beijing , a centerpiece of President Trump ’ s China agenda , calling them counterproductive and accusing the administration of failing to work with allies to formulate a more effective response to China .
While Washington and Beijing have clashed on a number of fronts — including trade , human rights , Hong Kong and control of the South China Sea — China has always reacted with a special intensity to signs that the U.S. was bolstering the independence of Taiwan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its territory .
Just after news of the Azar trip broke , Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin demanded that the U.S. stop all forms of official communication with Taiwan .
He warned of “ severe damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait ” if the administration follows through with its plan .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sidestepped reporters ’ questions Wednesday about the significance of the trip and maintained that the visit “ is consistent with policies of previous times , ” though he and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the news would be received in Beijing .
“ He ’ s going there with a deep and important purpose , ” Mr. Pompeo said of the trip .
He added that Mr. Azar ’ s primary mission will be to discuss Taiwan ’ s success in handling the COVID-19 pandemic .
Mr. Pompeo accused China of trying to stifle Taiwan ’ s voice in international forums such as the World Health Assembly .
“ We ’ ll go there and talk to them about public health issues as they relate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to how we handle COVID and [ opportunities ] for therapeutics and vaccines moving forward , ” he said .
With a population of 23.7 million , Taiwan has reported just 476 cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths and is widely seen as one of the global success stories in dealing with the coronavirus .
Taiwan ’ s success aside , the trip is just the latest in a string of moves by the administration ’ s China hawks looking to prove a point to China ’ s ruling Communist Party .
Combined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , economic and diplomatic spectrum , the Trump administration has taken an aggressive new tack toward Beijing with the kind of tough stances Mr. Trump promised during his 2016 campaign .
Mr. Pompeo last month delivered the last of four major policy addresses by the most senior Trump administration officials outlining the threat China ’ s leadership poses to U.S. security and economic goals .
Chinese officials , not surprisingly , protested the trip and warned that it could have long-lasting effects on the bilateral relationship between the countries .
“ The Taiwan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue in China-U.S. relations , ” Mr. Wang said at his daily briefing .
He added that Beijing has lodged “ solemn complaints ” with U.S. officials over the visit .
Although the U.S. does not officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation , Washington maintains strong unofficial ties with the island and is a crucial supplier of weapons and planes for the island ’ s defense .
U.S. officials have not publicly released further details about the visit , which is expected next week .
The American Institute in Taiwan — which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — called Mr. Azar ’ s trip a “ historic visit [ that ] will strengthen the U.S.-Taiwan partnership and enhance U.S-Taiwan cooperation to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic.
” In a statement with the AIT , Mr. Azar said the trip “ represents an opportunity to strengthen our economic and public health cooperation with Taiwan , especially as the United States and other countries work to strengthen and diversify our sources for crucial medical products.
” “ This is the highest-level visit by a U.S .
Cabinet official since 1979 !
Taiwan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closely in combating coronavirus and promoting freedom [ and ] democracy & human rights worldwide , ” the ministry said in a Twitter post .
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , Taiwan has been excluded from participating even from the sidelines with the World Health Organization , following intense pressure from Beijing .
President Trump recently announced the U.S. was withdrawing from the U.N. health agency , citing in large part what he said was undue influence by China .
In May , Mr. Pompeo said Taiwan ’ s exclusion from a WHO virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization ’ s kowtowing to China , which has long claimed Taiwan has no independence and is under Chinese sovereign control .
Taiwan is not a full member of the United Nations or the WHO , but has previously been granted observer status at past summits .
More broadly , the announcement of Mr. Azar ’ s visit comes at a crucial moment for the fragile relationship between Washington and Beijing — a relationship that ’ s seen dramatic new rifts open on the military , business and diplomatic fronts over just the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 weekend , the U.S. and China held major naval exercises in the same region of the South China Sea , a strategically vital stretch of ocean that Beijing increasingly seeks to control .
The exercises were a strong show of force by U.S. military leaders who say China ’ s aggressive moves in the Pacific must be countered .
Pentagon officials stress they don ’ t want an all-out war with China but are prepared to battle it out with Beijing for dominance in the 21st century .
“ We are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s time that we woke up and addressed it , and that we compete much more vigorously with China than we had been , ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday during a speech at this year ’ s virtual Aspen Security Forum .
“ Clearly it ’ s going to be the challenge of our time , ” he continued .
“ I don ’ t see China right now as an inevitable threat — that we ’ re going to have a fight with them or whatever the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to compete.
” Mr. Esper added that the core U.S. policy is to corral China and ensure it respects “ international rules and norms , ” such as allowing freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and other heavily trafficked Asian waterways , along with vital new zones of competition such as the Arctic .
The comments from Mr. Esper and Mr. Pompeo Wednesday also underscored how the U.S. and its allies are prepared to compete with China far beyond the confines of the military domain .
Last month , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Houston after alleging it was at the center of a major spy ring run by Beijing .
The Chinese Communist government responded by shuttering the American consulate in Chengdu , capping a major diplomatic tit-for-tat that ratcheted up tensions to their highest point in recent history .
Mr. Esper also mentioned economic competition with China , an apparent refo keep Chinese companies out of key U.S. tech markets , including data storage , telecommunications , smartphone apps and cloud computing .
“ We want to see untrusted Chinese apps removed from Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ With parent companies based in China , apps like Tiktok , WeChat , and others are significant threats to personal data of American citizens , not to mention tools for CCP content censorship.
” With President Trump acting as dealmaker , Microsoft now is considering a major bid for TikTok , a move that presumably would allow the service to continue operating in America .
Mr. Biden , in comments Wednesday to journalists from the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists , made clear he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , saying its protectionist business practices have to change but that Mr. Trump has been “ going after China in the wrong way ” while alienating allies who could help us in the fight .
“ The question is , What is the appropriate behavior that [ the Chinese ] have to engage in international trade with us ?
” Mr. Biden said .
“ They have to play by the international rules , and what we have done is , we have disarmed ourselves .
”

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar is gearing up for a trip to Taiwan that will mark the highest-level visit to the island by a U.S. official since 1979 — and in the process add fuel to already white-hot tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The move — and a new agenda of moves announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designed to limit the scope of China’s high-tech sector — showed the willingness of the Trump administration to escalate the pressure campaign against Beijing even with U.S. elections looming in November.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden revealed Wednesday that he plans to reverse many of the recently imposed tariffs on Beijing, a centerpiece of President Trump’s China agenda, calling them counterproductive and accusing the administration of failing to work with allies to formulate a more effective response to China.
While Washington and Beijing have clashed on a number of fronts — including trade, human rights, Hong Kong and control of the South China Sea — China has always reacted with a special intensity to signs that the U.S. was bolstering the independence of Taiwan, which China considers an integral part of its territory.
Just after news of the Azar trip broke, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin demanded that the U.S. stop all forms of official communication with Taiwan. He warned of “severe damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” if the administration follows through with its plan.
Mr. Pompeo sidestepped reporters’ questions Wednesday about the significance of the trip and maintained that the visit “is consistent with policies of previous times,” though he and other top U.S. officials were surely aware of how the news would be received in Beijing.
“He’s going there with a deep and important purpose,” Mr. Pompeo said of the trip. He added that Mr. Azar’s primary mission will be to discuss Taiwan’s success in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Pompeo accused China of trying to stifle Taiwan’s voice in international forums such as the World Health Assembly.
“We’ll go there and talk to them about public health issues as they relate to how we all move forward with respect to how we handle COVID and [opportunities] for therapeutics and vaccines moving forward,” he said.
With a population of 23.7 million, Taiwan has reported just 476 cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths and is widely seen as one of the global success stories in dealing with the coronavirus.
Taiwan’s success aside, the trip is just the latest in a string of moves by the administration’s China hawks looking to prove a point to China’s ruling Communist Party. Combined with other recent moves across the military, economic and diplomatic spectrum, the Trump administration has taken an aggressive new tack toward Beijing with the kind of tough stances Mr. Trump promised during his 2016 campaign.
Mr. Pompeo last month delivered the last of four major policy addresses by the most senior Trump administration officials outlining the threat China’s leadership poses to U.S. security and economic goals.
Chinese officials, not surprisingly, protested the trip and warned that it could have long-lasting effects on the bilateral relationship between the countries.
“The Taiwan issue is the most important and sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations,” Mr. Wang said at his daily briefing. He added that Beijing has lodged “solemn complaints” with U.S. officials over the visit.
Although the U.S. does not officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation, Washington maintains strong unofficial ties with the island and is a crucial supplier of weapons and planes for the island’s defense.
‘Historic visit’
U.S. officials have not publicly released further details about the visit, which is expected next week.
The American Institute in Taiwan — which serves as a de facto U.S. embassy — called Mr. Azar’s trip a “historic visit [that] will strengthen the U.S.-Taiwan partnership and enhance U.S-Taiwan cooperation to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic.”
In a statement with the AIT, Mr. Azar said the trip “represents an opportunity to strengthen our economic and public health cooperation with Taiwan, especially as the United States and other countries work to strengthen and diversify our sources for crucial medical products.”
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed that excitement.
“This is the highest-level visit by a U.S. Cabinet official since 1979! Taiwan and the U.S. are like-minded partners cooperating closely in combating coronavirus and promoting freedom [and] democracy & human rights worldwide,” the ministry said in a Twitter post.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan has been excluded from participating even from the sidelines with the World Health Organization, following intense pressure from Beijing. President Trump recently announced the U.S. was withdrawing from the U.N. health agency, citing in large part what he said was undue influence by China.
In May, Mr. Pompeo said Taiwan’s exclusion from a WHO virtual assembly was a prime example of the organization’s kowtowing to China, which has long claimed Taiwan has no independence and is under Chinese sovereign control.
Taiwan is not a full member of the United Nations or the WHO, but has previously been granted observer status at past summits.
More broadly, the announcement of Mr. Azar’s visit comes at a crucial moment for the fragile relationship between Washington and Beijing — a relationship that’s seen dramatic new rifts open on the military, business and diplomatic fronts over just the past several weeks.
Over the July 4 weekend, the U.S. and China held major naval exercises in the same region of the South China Sea, a strategically vital stretch of ocean that Beijing increasingly seeks to control. The exercises were a strong show of force by U.S. military leaders who say China’s aggressive moves in the Pacific must be countered.
Pentagon officials stress they don’t want an all-out war with China but are prepared to battle it out with Beijing for dominance in the 21st century.
“We are now in this era of great-power competition, and it’s time that we woke up and addressed it, and that we compete much more vigorously with China than we had been,” Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said Wednesday during a speech at this year’s virtual Aspen Security Forum.
“Clearly it’s going to be the challenge of our time,” he continued. “I don’t see China right now as an inevitable threat — that we’re going to have a fight with them or whatever the case may be, but we do need to compete.”
Mr. Esper added that the core U.S. policy is to corral China and ensure it respects “international rules and norms,” such as allowing freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and other heavily trafficked Asian waterways, along with vital new zones of competition such as the Arctic.
The comments from Mr. Esper and Mr. Pompeo Wednesday also underscored how the U.S. and its allies are prepared to compete with China far beyond the confines of the military domain.
Last month, the Trump administration abruptly closed the Chinese consulate in Houston after alleging it was at the center of a major spy ring run by Beijing.
The Chinese Communist government responded by shuttering the American consulate in Chengdu, capping a major diplomatic tit-for-tat that ratcheted up tensions to their highest point in recent history.
Mr. Esper also mentioned economic competition with China, an apparent refo keep Chinese companies out of key U.S. tech markets, including data storage, telecommunications, smartphone apps and cloud computing.
“We want to see untrusted Chinese apps removed from Chinese app stores,” Mr. Pompeo said. “With parent companies based in China, apps like Tiktok, WeChat, and others are significant threats to personal data of American citizens, not to mention tools for CCP content censorship.”
With President Trump acting as dealmaker, Microsoft now is considering a major bid for TikTok, a move that presumably would allow the service to continue operating in America.
Mr. Biden, in comments Wednesday to journalists from the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists, made clear he has a very different vision for taking on China, saying its protectionist business practices have to change but that Mr. Trump has been “going after China in the wrong way” while alienating allies who could help us in the fight.
“The question is, What is the appropriate behavior that [the Chinese] have to engage in international trade with us?” Mr. Biden said. “They have to play by the international rules, and what we have done is, we have disarmed ourselves.”
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com. • Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Treasurer reports record return of unclaimed property

SPRINGFIELD , Ill. ( AP ) - The Illinois treasurer ’ s office on Wednesday announced it has returned a billion dollars of unclaimed property to rightful owners or their survivors in the past five years .
Treasurer Michael Frerichs on Wednesday said the amount set a record for any five-year period in the 58 years his office has made the returning of property in state custody to owners a priority .
The property targeted for return can include inactive back accounts , unpaid insurance benefits , or the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes .
Frerichs ’ office said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rightful owners was $ 19,000 from The ( Richard ) Pryor Foundation for the Carver Community Center in Peoria the late comedian spent time at as a youth .
There was also the $ 2 million left to various Chicago-area charities by a World War II Army veteran who never married .
All of the veteran ’ s relatives died before him , leaving the money unnoticed in an investment account .
Frerichs says the increased reuniting of unclaimed property with rightful owners is due to a more streamlined process .
He says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people sometimes became so frustrated they gave up .
There is still about $ 3.5 billion in unclaimed property in the treasurer ’ s office , officials said .

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois treasurer’s office on Wednesday announced it has returned a billion dollars of unclaimed property to rightful owners or their survivors in the past five years.
Treasurer Michael Frerichs on Wednesday said the amount set a record for any five-year period in the 58 years his office has made the returning of property in state custody to owners a priority.
The property targeted for return can include inactive back accounts, unpaid insurance benefits, or the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes.
Frerichs’ office said among the unclaimed property passed on to rightful owners was $19,000 from The (Richard) Pryor Foundation for the Carver Community Center in Peoria the late comedian spent time at as a youth. There was also the $2 million left to various Chicago-area charities by a World War II Army veteran who never married. All of the veteran’s relatives died before him, leaving the money unnoticed in an investment account.
Frerichs says the increased reuniting of unclaimed property with rightful owners is due to a more streamlined process. He says before a change in the process, people sometimes became so frustrated they gave up.
There is still about $3.5 billion in unclaimed property in the treasurer’s office, officials said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Voters help strengthen Obamacare's hold in U.S.

President Trump wants the Supreme Court to clear the decks for his long-promised Obamacare replacement , but his predecessor ’ s law is solidifying its place in the U.S. , with two more states opting to expand their Medicaid rolls under the 2010 program .
Voters in Oklahoma and Missouri ignored Republican opposition and agreed to accept federal funding for the expansion in this election cycle , thrilling Democrats and leaving only a dozen states that have refused to accept Washington ’ s offer to pay 90 % of the costs of augmenting the insurance program for the poor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Affordable Care Act ’ s web exchanges , coverage rules and mandates dominated President Obama ’ s tenure and Mr. Trump ’ s piecemeal attempts to dismantle the program .
Yet expanding Medicaid to those making slightly above the federal poverty level has become the quiet workhorse of the program , extending insurance to millions of people and boosting struggling rural hospitals , even as Republicans warn that their share of the costs is unsustainable .
“ While the exchanges have wrecked the individual health market — only the poorest with the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t afford the outrageous premiums — the large majority of those gaining coverage have done so through Medicaid , ” said Robert Laszewski , a health policy consultant in Alexandria , Virginia .
Under Obamacare , the federal government said any state that expanded coverage to those making up to 138 % of the federal poverty level would not have to pay for any of it from 2014 to 2016 .
Washington ’ s share phased down through this year .
States now must pick up 10 % of the cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual income of $ 12,760 for one person and $ 26,200 for a household of four .
The Supreme Court made the expansion optional , but many governors — even Republicans such as John Kasich of Ohio — said the federal offer was too good to pass up .
Holdout Republicans say it is still too costly despite Washington ’ s largesse , though grassroots activists in several states are taking the decision out of their hands .
Voters in deep-red Oklahoma narrowly opted to expand the state ’ s Medicaid program a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expansion 53 % to 47 % on Tuesday , clearing the way for more than 200,000 adults in the state to gain coverage .
Similar voter drives have expanded the program in Maine , Nebraska , Idaho and Utah .
“ The Medicaid expansion has worked well in the large number of states that have done it .
Claims by opponents that it would bankrupt the states and that the feds would not keep their promises to fund the vast majority of the expansion have not come to pass , ” Mr. Laszewski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach of Obamacare is at loggerheads with a state-driven lawsuit to invalidate Mr. Obama ’ s program entirely .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Republican plaintiffs argue that because the Supreme Court , with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. as the swing vote , determined in 2012 that the Affordable Care Act ’ s individual mandate is central to its constitutionality , Congress invalidated the law by zeroing out the penalty for lacking insurance in the 2017 Republican tax overhaul .
“ The entire ACA thus must fall with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ J. Francisco said in a brief from the Trump administration in support of the state plaintiffs .
Mr. Trump is cheering on the lawsuit because he believes it would clear the way for the health plan he promised voters in 2016 .
“ What we want to do is terminate it and give great health care .
And we ’ ll have great health care , including preexisting conditions , ” he said during a White House event in May .
He is using the run-up to the November election to tease a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he hasn ’ t offered details or an exact time for its release .
Some health care experts say the Texas lawsuit is a long shot and that the push to expand Medicaid in quarters of the country underscores a lack of enthusiasm for the court challenge among mainstream Republicans .
Nearly 11 million people held private insurance through the Obamacare exchanges as of March , according to federal statistics .
Meanwhile , roughly 12.5 million became eligible for Medicaid coverage through the state expansions , according to the Kaiser Family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grow as more states expand .
“ Preexisting-condition protections has been the political lightning rod in the push by President Trump to overturn the ACA in the courts , but eliminating the Medicaid expansion would also pull the rug out for millions of people who have been covered in states that have expanded , ” said Larry Levitt , a senior vice president at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation .
Democrats hope to parlay the ballot initiatives into a debate over health care coverage , repeating the strategy they used in 2018 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 38th state to expand Medicaid last night .
South Carolina should be the 39th , ” Jaime Harrison , a Democrat trying to upset Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina , tweeted Wednesday .
Kansas Gov .
Laura Kelly , a Democrat , said Missouri ’ s decision makes her state an outlier among its neighbors .
“ Every single Kansas voter must ask themselves why , year after year , Republican leadership in the Legislature has blocked expansion , ” said Ms. Kelly , who pushed to expand the program but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oklahoma and Missouri made their decisions to expand during a major health crisis .
The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic cuts two ways , however , with conservatives fretting about stressed budgets and pro-Obamacare voices saying Medicaid is needed now more than ever .
“ On the one hand , Medicaid coverage is more important than ever as millions lose their jobs and employer-based health insurance at the same time as they fear getting sick from COVID-19 , ” Mr. Levitt said .
“ On the other hand , states are facing massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it more difficult to pay for their share of expanded Medicaid.
” Missouri Gov .
Mike Parson , a Republican , opposed the expansion initiative and said it will have a “ significant impact ” on next year ’ s budget .
“ However , Amendment 2 is now a part of Missouri ’ s Constitution , and we will find a way to move forward , ” he said .
The White House did not say whether Mr. Trump ’ s forthcoming health care plan will address Medicaid , though it argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ President Trump continues to act in delivering better and cheaper health care , protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions , lowering prescription drug costs , and defending the right of Americans to keep their doctors and plans of their choice , ” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said .
“ President Trump recently issued four executive orders to lower the cost of prescription drugs , including making insulin and EpiPens available at low cost to low-income Americans .
There will be more action to come in the coming weeks.
” Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to overhaul Mr. Obama ’ s program by converting federal Medicaid funding into a block grant or per-capita system .
The Republican idea couldn ’ t get off the ground after initial repeal-and-replace ideas failed in 2017 .
Since then , Mr. Trump has tweaked Obamacare where he can , gutting the individual mandate and expanding the use of bare-bones plans that don ’ t comply with the 2010 program ’ s coverage rules , while allowing states to impose work requirements on some Medicaid recipients .

President Trump wants the Supreme Court to clear the decks for his long-promised Obamacare replacement, but his predecessor’s law is solidifying its place in the U.S., with two more states opting to expand their Medicaid rolls under the 2010 program.
Voters in Oklahoma and Missouri ignored Republican opposition and agreed to accept federal funding for the expansion in this election cycle, thrilling Democrats and leaving only a dozen states that have refused to accept Washington’s offer to pay 90% of the costs of augmenting the insurance program for the poor.
Fights over the interlocking gears of the Affordable Care Act’s web exchanges, coverage rules and mandates dominated President Obama’s tenure and Mr. Trump’s piecemeal attempts to dismantle the program.
Yet expanding Medicaid to those making slightly above the federal poverty level has become the quiet workhorse of the program, extending insurance to millions of people and boosting struggling rural hospitals, even as Republicans warn that their share of the costs is unsustainable.
“While the exchanges have wrecked the individual health market — only the poorest with the biggest subsidies are benefiting while those not subsidized can’t afford the outrageous premiums — the large majority of those gaining coverage have done so through Medicaid,” said Robert Laszewski, a health policy consultant in Alexandria, Virginia.
Under Obamacare, the federal government said any state that expanded coverage to those making up to 138% of the federal poverty level would not have to pay for any of it from 2014 to 2016. Washington’s share phased down through this year. States now must pick up 10% of the cost.
The federal poverty level is an annual income of $12,760 for one person and $26,200 for a household of four.
The Supreme Court made the expansion optional, but many governors — even Republicans such as John Kasich of Ohio — said the federal offer was too good to pass up. Holdout Republicans say it is still too costly despite Washington’s largesse, though grassroots activists in several states are taking the decision out of their hands.
Voters in deep-red Oklahoma narrowly opted to expand the state’s Medicaid program a month ago. Missouri voters approved the expansion 53% to 47% on Tuesday, clearing the way for more than 200,000 adults in the state to gain coverage.
Similar voter drives have expanded the program in Maine, Nebraska, Idaho and Utah.
“The Medicaid expansion has worked well in the large number of states that have done it. Claims by opponents that it would bankrupt the states and that the feds would not keep their promises to fund the vast majority of the expansion have not come to pass,” Mr. Laszewski said.
The push to expand the reach of Obamacare is at loggerheads with a state-driven lawsuit to invalidate Mr. Obama’s program entirely.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Republican plaintiffs argue that because the Supreme Court, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. as the swing vote, determined in 2012 that the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate is central to its constitutionality, Congress invalidated the law by zeroing out the penalty for lacking insurance in the 2017 Republican tax overhaul.
“The entire ACA thus must fall with the individual mandate,” Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco said in a brief from the Trump administration in support of the state plaintiffs.
Mr. Trump is cheering on the lawsuit because he believes it would clear the way for the health plan he promised voters in 2016.
“What we want to do is terminate it and give great health care. And we’ll have great health care, including preexisting conditions,” he said during a White House event in May.
He is using the run-up to the November election to tease a “health plan” through executive order, but he hasn’t offered details or an exact time for its release.
Some health care experts say the Texas lawsuit is a long shot and that the push to expand Medicaid in quarters of the country underscores a lack of enthusiasm for the court challenge among mainstream Republicans.
Nearly 11 million people held private insurance through the Obamacare exchanges as of March, according to federal statistics.
Meanwhile, roughly 12.5 million became eligible for Medicaid coverage through the state expansions, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. That number is set to grow as more states expand.
“Preexisting-condition protections has been the political lightning rod in the push by President Trump to overturn the ACA in the courts, but eliminating the Medicaid expansion would also pull the rug out for millions of people who have been covered in states that have expanded,” said Larry Levitt, a senior vice president at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.
Democrats hope to parlay the ballot initiatives into a debate over health care coverage, repeating the strategy they used in 2018 to retake the House.
“Missouri became the 38th state to expand Medicaid last night. South Carolina should be the 39th,” Jaime Harrison, a Democrat trying to upset Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina, tweeted Wednesday.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said Missouri’s decision makes her state an outlier among its neighbors.
“Every single Kansas voter must ask themselves why, year after year, Republican leadership in the Legislature has blocked expansion,” said Ms. Kelly, who pushed to expand the program but ran into Republican opposition.
Voters in Oklahoma and Missouri made their decisions to expand during a major health crisis. The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic cuts two ways, however, with conservatives fretting about stressed budgets and pro-Obamacare voices saying Medicaid is needed now more than ever.
“On the one hand, Medicaid coverage is more important than ever as millions lose their jobs and employer-based health insurance at the same time as they fear getting sick from COVID-19,” Mr. Levitt said. “On the other hand, states are facing massive budget shortfalls as revenues drop, making it more difficult to pay for their share of expanded Medicaid.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, opposed the expansion initiative and said it will have a “significant impact” on next year’s budget.
“However, Amendment 2 is now a part of Missouri’s Constitution, and we will find a way to move forward,” he said.
The White House did not say whether Mr. Trump’s forthcoming health care plan will address Medicaid, though it argued that the president is already delivering change.
“President Trump continues to act in delivering better and cheaper health care, protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions, lowering prescription drug costs, and defending the right of Americans to keep their doctors and plans of their choice,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said. “President Trump recently issued four executive orders to lower the cost of prescription drugs, including making insulin and EpiPens available at low cost to low-income Americans. There will be more action to come in the coming weeks.”
Earlier in his term, Mr. Trump pushed to overhaul Mr. Obama’s program by converting federal Medicaid funding into a block grant or per-capita system.
The Republican idea couldn’t get off the ground after initial repeal-and-replace ideas failed in 2017.
Since then, Mr. Trump has tweaked Obamacare where he can, gutting the individual mandate and expanding the use of bare-bones plans that don’t comply with the 2010 program’s coverage rules, while allowing states to impose work requirements on some Medicaid recipients.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--RNC, Donald Trump campaign raise record $165 million in July, have $300 million cash on hand

The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee raised a combined record of $ 165 million in July , surpassing $ 1 billion for the election cycle , they announced Wednesday night .
Campaign officials said they have more than $ 300 million cash on hand .
They said July was also the largest online fundraising month ever for the re-election effort .
“ The enthusiasm behind President Trump ’ s re-election continues to grow as July ’ s massive fundraising totals prove , ” said new campaign manager Bill Stepien , who was tapped by the president last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s support continues to increase while Joe Biden just posted a down fundraising month from his basement.
” Mr. Biden ’ s campaign and the Democratic National Committee reported raising a combined $ 140 million in July , but boosted their cash-on-hand total to $ 294 million .
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said enthusiasm among the GOP “ only continues to grow as Americans know the critical choice they face in November —a lawless cancel culture under Joe Biden , or a Great American Comeback under President Trump.
” The RNC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 300 field staffers , bringing the total Trump Victory operation to more than 1,500 , saying that is double Mr. Biden ’ s operation .

The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee raised a combined record of $165 million in July, surpassing $1 billion for the election cycle, they announced Wednesday night.
Campaign officials said they have more than $300 million cash on hand. They said July was also the largest online fundraising month ever for the re-election effort.
“The enthusiasm behind President Trump’s re-election continues to grow as July’s massive fundraising totals prove,” said new campaign manager Bill Stepien, who was tapped by the president last month to replace Brad Parscale. “The president’s support continues to increase while Joe Biden just posted a down fundraising month from his basement.”
Mr. Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee reported raising a combined $140 million in July, but boosted their cash-on-hand total to $294 million.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said enthusiasm among the GOP “only continues to grow as Americans know the critical choice they face in November —a lawless cancel culture under Joe Biden, or a Great American Comeback under President Trump.”
The RNC recently announced the hiring of an additional 300 field staffers, bringing the total Trump Victory operation to more than 1,500, saying that is double Mr. Biden’s operation.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Nebraska property tax, incentives packages wins initial OK

LINCOLN , Neb .
( AP ) - Nebraska lawmakers advanced a compromise package Wednesday to soften the impact of local property tax increases , preserve tax incentives for businesses and commit as much as $ 300 million in state money to a proposed disaster response facility in Omaha .
The measure won first-round approval just days before this year ’ s legislative session is scheduled to end .
Lawmakers struck the last-minute deal even though a lot of them said they didn ’ t like much of the package , and others complained that it was being rushed through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the property tax portion would only slow the rate of increases for some homeowners , farmers and business owners .
“ This is peanuts , thrown to the gallery , ” said Sen. Mike Groene , of North Platte .
“ Don ’ t let the politicians tell you they ’ re doing something great for you .
They ’ re not.
” Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer said it was critical for lawmakers to pass the entire package this year to make the state “ a more inviting place ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an opportunity to move this state forward , ” said Scheer , of Norfolk .
Other lawmakers questioned whether the funding would be sustainable and tie the hands of future lawmakers who oversee state money .
“ The question is , is my successor going to have some impossible budget to balance in 2024 or 2025 because of decisions we make today , ” said Sen. Matt Hansen , of Lincoln .
Sen. Lou Ann Linehan , a leading architect of the bill , said the measure isn ’ t perfect but will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody in the state , ” said Linehan , the chairwoman of the Revenue Committee .
“ It helps us create more jobs .
It helps homeowners and ( farmers ) and businesses that are stretched very thin.
” The bill would offer a state income tax credit to farmers , homeowners and business owners , based on the amount of school district property taxes they paid the previous year .
State officials would award a total of $ 125 million in credits in the current year , and the amount would increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Every time the state collects at least 3.5 % more tax revenue than expected , at least half of the excess money would automatically go into the credit fund .
For most property owners , the credit would only reduce the size of the increase in their local property tax bill .
One lawmaker estimated that a homeowner seeing a $ 500 increase would only see that reduced by $ 90 .
The second piece of the package would create a new business tax incentive program to replace its current program , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
The proposed program would provide $ 25 million in incentives in its first and second years , and the amount would grow to $ 150 million by year five .
Nebraska business groups have fought hard for the incentive program as a way to create jobs and boost the economy , but critics cast them as a taxpayer-funded giveaway to companies .
“ These businesses are going to come here whether we give them an incentive or not , ” said Sen. Steve Erdman , of Bayard , who frequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The third piece would offer state matching dollars of up to $ 300 million for a new all-hazard research and training facility at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha .
The project , estimated to cost $ 2.6 billion , would help respond to crises such as natural disasters and disease outbreaks .
Nebraska would only contribute money if the federal government and private donors meet funding requirements .
Two more votes are required to pass the bill before it goes to Gov .
Pete Ricketts .

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska lawmakers advanced a compromise package Wednesday to soften the impact of local property tax increases, preserve tax incentives for businesses and commit as much as $300 million in state money to a proposed disaster response facility in Omaha.
The measure won first-round approval just days before this year’s legislative session is scheduled to end.
Lawmakers struck the last-minute deal even though a lot of them said they didn’t like much of the package, and others complained that it was being rushed through the Legislature. Several rural senators said the property tax portion would only slow the rate of increases for some homeowners, farmers and business owners.
“This is peanuts, thrown to the gallery,” said Sen. Mike Groene, of North Platte. “Don’t let the politicians tell you they’re doing something great for you. They’re not.”
Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer said it was critical for lawmakers to pass the entire package this year to make the state “a more inviting place” and promote economic development.
“We have an opportunity to move this state forward,” said Scheer, of Norfolk.
Other lawmakers questioned whether the funding would be sustainable and tie the hands of future lawmakers who oversee state money.
“The question is, is my successor going to have some impossible budget to balance in 2024 or 2025 because of decisions we make today,” said Sen. Matt Hansen, of Lincoln.
Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, a leading architect of the bill, said the measure isn’t perfect but will benefit most Nebraskans.
“This helps everybody in the state,” said Linehan, the chairwoman of the Revenue Committee. “It helps us create more jobs. It helps homeowners and (farmers) and businesses that are stretched very thin.”
The bill would offer a state income tax credit to farmers, homeowners and business owners, based on the amount of school district property taxes they paid the previous year.
State officials would award a total of $125 million in credits in the current year, and the amount would increase to $375 million within five years. Every time the state collects at least 3.5% more tax revenue than expected, at least half of the excess money would automatically go into the credit fund.
For most property owners, the credit would only reduce the size of the increase in their local property tax bill. One lawmaker estimated that a homeowner seeing a $500 increase would only see that reduced by $90.
The second piece of the package would create a new business tax incentive program to replace its current program, the Nebraska Advantage Act, which expires this year. The proposed program would provide $25 million in incentives in its first and second years, and the amount would grow to $150 million by year five. Nebraska business groups have fought hard for the incentive program as a way to create jobs and boost the economy, but critics cast them as a taxpayer-funded giveaway to companies.
“These businesses are going to come here whether we give them an incentive or not,” said Sen. Steve Erdman, of Bayard, who frequently advocates for lower spending and tax cuts.
The third piece would offer state matching dollars of up to $300 million for a new all-hazard research and training facility at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. The project, estimated to cost $2.6 billion, would help respond to crises such as natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Nebraska would only contribute money if the federal government and private donors meet funding requirements.
Two more votes are required to pass the bill before it goes to Gov. Pete Ricketts.
___
Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Nevada Senate declares racism a public health crisis

CARSON CITY , Nev. ( AP ) - Nevada lawmakers passed a resolution on Wednesday that declares racism a public health crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic and months of protests around the nation over police brutality .
The resolution urges lawmakers to revisit issues related to racism and public health when they reconvene next year .
It was introduced on the fifth day of the Legislature ’ s special session , which Gov .
Steve Sisolak convened to address coronavirus-related issues and calls for criminal justice reform .
It was passed unanimously by the state Senate and now heads to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism as a cause of educational , economic and health disparities and acknowledges that communities of color have borne a disproportionate burden throughout the coronavirus pandemic .
It calls on local , state , regional and federal officials to pass laws that “ address and dismantle systemic racism and its impact on the delivery of human and social services , economic development and public safety.
” State Sen. Pat Spearman , the resolution ’ s sponsor , highlighted the societal structures that uphold racism , deny Black people opportunity and perpetuate disparities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spearman said the coronavirus pandemic had “ pulled back the curtain ” to reveal health disparities long experienced in the Black community , including in her own family .
“ Maybe some will think this is out-of-line because it ’ s not COVID-related , but I beg to differ .
What we ’ re talking about in terms of health disparities have always existed , ” she said .
The resolution does not change any state laws or direct additional resources toward Black Nevada residents , but Spearman said it would send a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ethnicities were welcome in Nevada .
It follows the earlier passage of bills that banned chokeholds and partially repealed a 2019 law that protects police officers accused of misconduct .
“ When I think about structural racism , it ’ s not the dictionary definition , it ’ s my life , ” Spearman said .

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - Nevada lawmakers passed a resolution on Wednesday that declares racism a public health crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic and months of protests around the nation over police brutality.
The resolution urges lawmakers to revisit issues related to racism and public health when they reconvene next year. It was introduced on the fifth day of the Legislature’s special session, which Gov. Steve Sisolak convened to address coronavirus-related issues and calls for criminal justice reform.
It was passed unanimously by the state Senate and now heads to the Assembly.
The resolution declares systemic racism as a cause of educational, economic and health disparities and acknowledges that communities of color have borne a disproportionate burden throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
It calls on local, state, regional and federal officials to pass laws that “address and dismantle systemic racism and its impact on the delivery of human and social services, economic development and public safety.”
State Sen. Pat Spearman, the resolution’s sponsor, highlighted the societal structures that uphold racism, deny Black people opportunity and perpetuate disparities, particularly in regard to health care.
Spearman said the coronavirus pandemic had “pulled back the curtain” to reveal health disparities long experienced in the Black community, including in her own family.
“Maybe some will think this is out-of-line because it’s not COVID-related, but I beg to differ. What we’re talking about in terms of health disparities have always existed,” she said.
The resolution does not change any state laws or direct additional resources toward Black Nevada residents, but Spearman said it would send a clear message that people of all races and ethnicities were welcome in Nevada. It follows the earlier passage of bills that banned chokeholds and partially repealed a 2019 law that protects police officers accused of misconduct.
“When I think about structural racism, it’s not the dictionary definition, it’s my life,” Spearman said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Charges filed in deadly shooting at Seattle protest zone

SEATTLE ( AP ) - Prosecutors filed first-degree murder charges Wednesday for a suspect accused of killing a man in @ @ @ @ @ at Seattle ’ s occupied protest area .
KOMO reports Marcel Levon Long faces murder @ @ @ @ @ for the death of 19-year-old Lorenzo Anderson .
Prosecutors approved a warrant for $ 2 @ @ @ @ @ investigators believe immediately fled Washington state following the deadly shooting at what was known as @ @ @ @ @ ” area .
Authorities said Long was caught on video chasing Anderson with a gun @ @ @ @ @ Detectives are also investigating a second fatal CHOP shooting June 29 , which killed a @ @ @ @ @ 14-year-old boy .
Police cleared the several-block protest area east of downtown on July 1 @ @ @ @ @ for several weeks following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .

SEATTLE (AP) - Prosecutors filed first-degree murder charges Wednesday for a suspect accused of killing a man in a fatal June 20 shooting at Seattle’s occupied protest area.
KOMO reports Marcel Levon Long faces murder charges with a firearm enhancement for the death of 19-year-old Lorenzo Anderson.
Prosecutors approved a warrant for $2 million for Long, who investigators believe immediately fled Washington state following the deadly shooting at what was known as “Capitol Hill Occupied Protest” area. Authorities said Long was caught on video chasing Anderson with a gun as the Anderson fled.
Detectives are also investigating a second fatal CHOP shooting June 29, which killed a 16-year-old boy and injured a 14-year-old boy.
Police cleared the several-block protest area east of downtown on July 1 after demonstrators occupied the area for several weeks following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.