washingtontimes--2020-04-17--Editorial Roundup: New England

Editorial Roundup: New England

Editorials from around New England : Epidemic of finger-pointing does no good in battle to curb coronavirus pandemic In times of crisis , no matter what industry one works in , effective leaders seek remedies to “ fix ” the problems at hand .
The leaders should assemble teams to identify the root causes and the effects of the problems .
Once they are identified , the team should develop and recommend plans for how best to “ fix ” the effects and then develop plans to ensure the causes do not occur again .
Effective leaders will listen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using their best judgement , implement the plans to “ fix ” the problems .
Effective leaders must be flexible and willing to amend the plans if they are upended by factors that were not known when the plans were established .
Effective leaders should also seek the path forward that will have the least impact on day-to-day business operations .
Identifying the root cause does not mean pointing fingers .
Identifying the root cause means determining what happened to cause the crisis .
Yes , those responsible for creating the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but effective leaders should not attempt to blame in a public forum an individual or individuals for causing the crisis .
When leaders publicly single out individuals for creating a crisis , those leaders inevitably will become ineffective .
They will lose the support and respect of the individuals they are leading .
President Trump has assembled a team to tackle the coronavirus crisis .
It appears he has heeded the advice of the team ( even though at times , his words do not seem to align with the team ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Unfortunately , a significant number of our leaders ( including Trump ) at all levels and those in the media , are stumbling over each other in an attempt to place blame for the crisis .
They do this in an attempt to score political points , and gain an advantage for their respective political parties and their agendas .
Recently , Sen. Christopher S. Murphy , D-Conn. , stated Trump was to blame for the crisis because he did not act quickly enough to stop the spread of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president provided in February to members of Congress .
Hindsight always is 20/20 and is not helpful when trying to “ fix ” the effect of a crisis .
Now is not the time for political posturing , or for the media to stir up more angst and fear .
Now is the time for everyone to put their political agendas aside ( including the media ) and work together in fighting this crisis .
One way to make sure voting takes place With continuing uncertainty about how long the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two lawmakers are looking ahead to the fall elections and proposing a solution .
The legislation , filed by Sen. Becca Rausch , D-Needham , and Rep. Adrian Madaro , an East Boston Democrat , would have ballots , with prepaid return envelopes , mailed to every registered voter for the Sept. 1 primary and Nov. 3 general election .
For the primary , enrolled voters would receive the ballot of their party but independents would have to request a specific party ballot at least 35 days before the primary .
Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be open so people could vote in person if they chose .
This vote-by-mail idea follows the lines of how absentee ballots are handled now , but it would expand the option by putting the ballots in the mailboxes of more voters .
If health concerns about the coronavirus persist into September , this legislation would provide a viable option to ensure registered voters can vote without risking their health and that of others .
The idea - which is still only in the discussion stage - could be a problem if ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in the hands of people other than the intended recipients .
But the concept of voting by mail works well in other states , so Massachusetts could study the best practices elsewhere and make a system that guarantees the right to vote while preventing voter fraud as much as possible .
Since the legislation provides for polling places to remain open , it also calls for the state to provide personal protective gear for poll workers .
It also would permanently declare the November election day a legal holiday , further encouraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and highlighting how important voting is in our democracy .
The legislation , S2912 / H5026 , was unveiled this week , but lawmakers would be wise to tackle this important issue early to make sure Massachusetts has the voting process figured out well before the first ballots are counted this fall .
In the name of efficiency , Gov .
Chris Sununu is seeking to substitute autocracy for democracy and accord to himself sole power to determine how and to whom $ 1.25 billion in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , which referees disputes between the other two branches of government , should reject as unconstitutional the governor ’ s attempted power grab .
Sununu has done a truly admirable job of leading New Hampshire as it battles the coronavirus pandemic .
His decisions , in consultation with state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan and others , have been sound , his communications with citizens clear and concise .
And we applaud his choice to join with his fellow governors in saying that decisions of when to allow non-essential businesses to reopen and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the states , not the president .
Unfortunately , the governor ’ s contention that emergency powers allow him to relegate the Legislature , whose duty it is to raise , accept and spend money , to an advisory role is needlessly divisive and comes at a time when unity is called for .
For decades , it has been the responsibility of the bipartisan Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee to rule on whether to accept , and whether to spend , funds that come to the state outside the normal budget process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do so if necessary .
Nothing in law or history suggests that the committee cedes that authority to the governor during an emergency .
In fact , the state ’ s civil emergencies law says just the opposite .
The governor can spend money only in such cases “ with the advice and consent of the Fiscal Committee.
” Sununu claims that another law , enacted in 2002 in response to the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , trumps the law that requires Fiscal Committee consent .
That is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ignores the constitutional requirement that the powers of the respective branches of government be kept as separate as possible .
Rather than seek advice from the Fiscal Committee , the governor has opted to create , in the name of expediency , an eight-member advisory board , five of whose members are current members of the Fiscal Committee .
The newly constituted committee is unnecessary and redundant .
The Joint Fiscal Committee exists to perform precisely the task of overseeing incoming funds and spending .
Its members are experienced at doing so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s attempt to use the pandemic to increase his own power .
At times , as in the governor ’ s decision to spend to secure personal protection equipment for those on the front lines , speed is essential .
The committee could , for example , give advance approval that would permit the governor to spend say $ 5 million or $ 10 million in an emergency without legislative consent ; $ 100 million or $ 1 billion is a different story .
New Hampshire has the most representative legislature on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the people , not the governor , that should decide how the relief money is spent .
Some hopeful numbers at last People are still justifiably scared of COVID-19 , but there are finally some encouraging signs .
On Thursday , President Trump told reporters , “ the data suggests that nationwide we have passed the peak on new cases.
” He praised the extreme social distancing adopted by Americans , following guidance by his team and the nation ’ s governors .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s impact had evidently peaked in his state .
Though he seemed terrified earlier he would not have enough ventilators to handle the crisis , Mr. Cuomo announced Wednesday he was sending surplus ones to other states .
Roughly half of the nation ’ s deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in New York .
In Rhode Island , unfortunately , deaths and hospitalizations continued to rise , though more gradually than initially feared .
The total hospitalized on Thursday was 245 , with 61 in intensive care .
Though challenging , that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hospital beds Gov .
Gina Raimondo projects the state will need : 2,250 to 4,300 .
Clearly , national models used by the Centers for Disease Control were wildly inaccurate - simply because nobody knew how dangerous the disease might prove .
Initial projections of 1.5 million to 2.2 million deaths in America were dramatically scaled back .
In late March , the president and his people were putting out still-sobering numbers , showing COVID-19 deaths could hit 100,000 to 240,000 nationwide , even with mitigation .
The Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a far lower 24,582 .
Numbers now include people scientists think probably had the infection , not just those verified through tests .
That would put the estimated death total over the next several weeks in the range of a bad flu season .
COVID-19 , though , worries health experts much more because it seems to spread easily ( including by people showing no symptoms ) and there is no vaccine or reliable cure .
Few doubt that Americans ’ acute social distancing has helped “ flatten the curve , ” preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That system is now much better equipped to handle future cases .
That was the goal - not the impossible task of preventing everyone from becoming infected .
It is far from over , of course .
The people of Rhode Island , in particular , living between the hot spots of New York and Boston , “ have to watch it .
They have to be very careful , ” President Trump said Wednesday .
Still , as the national peak is possibly reached , people are increasingly looking at other data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our society .
Social scientists say the kind of unemployment numbers we are now facing point to anguish that produces suicides and drug overdoses in the tens of thousands , probably eclipsing deaths from the virus .
All this will put tremendous pressure on our society to strike a balance .
While we seemed to flatten the curve , we can not hermetically seal people off from COVID-19 .
Since society will collapse without people working and producing , we are going to have to move the nation toward employment in the weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is facing what ’ s likely the greatest challenge of its existence : Handling a deluge of unemployment claims for workers who have been laid off , furloughed or can not work due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Vermonters do understand the department is between a rock and a hard place .
There were 70,000 new claims in the past month alone , and the department was simply not equipped to handle that volume .
Its computer system is 30 years old .
Moving the initial claims process online and adding employees has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not nearly enough .
This is not meant to sound harsh .
But the time for excuses is over .
This simply must be fixed , as quickly as humanly possible .
Vermonters and their employers paid into the state unemployment system with the expectation that those funds would be there when tough times came around .
Instead , they ’ re getting busy signals , pre-recorded messages saying the department can ’ t take their call , and most crucially , no checks or direct deposits .
The Department of Labor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they must do better .
To their credit , they have owned up and said as much .
They ’ re as aware of the problems and hardships this is causing as we ’ re all aware they face a difficult task .
But accountability is cold comfort for Vermonters who have bills to pay and mouths to feed .
They need money , now .
“ I ’ ve never heard the level of desperation from constituents that I ’ m hearing now , ” state Sen. Debbie Ingram , D-Chittenden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some of that frustration boiled over at an online state Senate session Tuesday , as members relayed story after story from shaken and angered constituents .
State Sen. Robert Starr , D-Essex/Orleans , suggested that the state send money to claimants now and figure out the math at a later date .
Told that wasn ’ t likely , given the Department of Labor ’ s technical constraints , Starr responded with a blast of Vermont no-nonsense candor .
“ That ’ s baloney , ” he said , according to Seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the frickin ’ checks out the door .
Get it settled up later.
” Whether or not that ’ s realistic , it ’ s hard not to agree with Starr ’ s tone .
Gov .
Scott ’ s performance so far in responding to this pandemic has been largely excellent .
He ’ s been steady at the wheel , made sound decisions , and made himself and his administration regularly available to the media .
Handed an unfathomable crisis and a leadership vacuum in Washington , he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country .
But no one is going to remember any of that if they ’ re going hungry , or falling behind on bills , because they can ’ t reach a human being at the claims office in Montpelier .
Outbreak no excuse for shutting out Maine ’ s public Just like nursing homes and other congregate settings where physical distancing is an inherent challenge , prisons are extremely vulnerable to outbreaks of COVID-19 .
How Maine responds to that vulnerability is a key policy question of great public interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a matter of life and death .
Yet when the Mills administration briefed state legislators Wednesday , the public was left out .
And it wasn ’ t the first time .
During a crisis in which Gov .
Mills is taking unprecedented , though so far prudent , steps to stop the spread of COVID-19 , it is important her administration operates out in the open .
Such transparency gives weight to her emergency orders , and allows the public to gauge whether government is acting in its best interests .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Wednesday , Corrections Commissioner Randy Liberty held two briefings – one for Democratic legislators and one for Republican lawmakers , perhaps to bypass open meeting laws – and did not provide public notice or allow a reporter to listen in to the virtual meetings , the Press Herald ’ s Megan Gray reported .
The meetings were not recorded .
On Thursday , a spokeswoman in the governor ’ s office told the Press Herald that the Department of Labor and the Maine Center for Disease Control also have held private briefings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions while the Legislature is adjourned – nine meetings in total .
She said the briefings would be suspended until the administration can find a transparent way to interact with legislators .
After the briefings , Liberty did take questions from Gray , and he shared a general update on what the Department of Corrections is doing in response to the outbreak .
Mills ’ office also released the presentation Liberty gave to lawmakers Wednesday .
But that ’ s no substitute .
If the Legislature were in session , Liberty ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a committee room .
Those meetings are open to the public by law , and for good reason – if legislators are going to question the executive branch , the public and the press have an interest in what is being said .
In this particular case , the public needs to know that the Department of Corrections , and the legislators who provide oversight of the department , understand the threat the outbreak poses to prisons , and are taking steps to alleviate it .
Jails and prisons throughout the country are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cook County Jail in Illinois had sickened 181 detainees and more than 200 corrections officers as of Wednesday .
The number of cases in the federal Bureau of Prisons went from one infection to 284 and eight deaths within two weeks .
In Texas , thousands of detainees may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus .
In recognition of this threat , there have been calls to greatly reduce the number of people detained in jails and prisons .
On Wednesday , the Department of Corrections told WMTW that Maine ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to COVID-19 , compared to a 37 percent decline in the jail population .
Mainers deserve to hear how Liberty addresses that issue and others with lawmakers , just as they deserve to hear how state agencies are handling the rapidly increasing number of unemployed workers , or the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in nursing homes in the state .
The public ’ s right to know what their government is doing is essential to making sure the government does it right .
COVID-19 doesn ’ t change that .

Editorials from around New England:
CONNECTICUT
Epidemic of finger-pointing does no good in battle to curb coronavirus pandemic
Republican American
April 17
In times of crisis, no matter what industry one works in, effective leaders seek remedies to “fix” the problems at hand. The leaders should assemble teams to identify the root causes and the effects of the problems. Once they are identified, the team should develop and recommend plans for how best to “fix” the effects and then develop plans to ensure the causes do not occur again.
Effective leaders will listen to the advice of the teams and then, using their best judgement, implement the plans to “fix” the problems. Effective leaders must be flexible and willing to amend the plans if they are upended by factors that were not known when the plans were established. Effective leaders should also seek the path forward that will have the least impact on day-to-day business operations.
Identifying the root cause does not mean pointing fingers. Identifying the root cause means determining what happened to cause the crisis.
Yes, those responsible for creating the crisis should be held accountable for their actions, but effective leaders should not attempt to blame in a public forum an individual or individuals for causing the crisis. When leaders publicly single out individuals for creating a crisis, those leaders inevitably will become ineffective. They will lose the support and respect of the individuals they are leading.
President Trump has assembled a team to tackle the coronavirus crisis. It appears he has heeded the advice of the team (even though at times, his words do not seem to align with the team) and implemented plans based on its advice.
Unfortunately, a significant number of our leaders (including Trump) at all levels and those in the media, are stumbling over each other in an attempt to place blame for the crisis. They do this in an attempt to score political points, and gain an advantage for their respective political parties and their agendas.
Recently, Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., stated Trump was to blame for the crisis because he did not act quickly enough to stop the spread of the virus. Murphy based his assertion on a briefing the president provided in February to members of Congress.
Hindsight always is 20/20 and is not helpful when trying to “fix” the effect of a crisis.
Now is not the time for political posturing, or for the media to stir up more angst and fear. Now is the time for everyone to put their political agendas aside (including the media) and work together in fighting this crisis.
Online: https://bit.ly/2ymzVpJ
___
MASSACHUSETTS
One way to make sure voting takes place
Newburyport Daily News
April 17
With continuing uncertainty about how long the coronavirus pandemic will keep Bay State residents battened down, two lawmakers are looking ahead to the fall elections and proposing a solution. The legislation, filed by Sen. Becca Rausch, D-Needham, and Rep. Adrian Madaro, an East Boston Democrat, would have ballots, with prepaid return envelopes, mailed to every registered voter for the Sept. 1 primary and Nov. 3 general election. For the primary, enrolled voters would receive the ballot of their party but independents would have to request a specific party ballot at least 35 days before the primary.
Under the proposal, polling places would still be open so people could vote in person if they chose.
This vote-by-mail idea follows the lines of how absentee ballots are handled now, but it would expand the option by putting the ballots in the mailboxes of more voters.
If health concerns about the coronavirus persist into September, this legislation would provide a viable option to ensure registered voters can vote without risking their health and that of others. The idea - which is still only in the discussion stage - could be a problem if ballots mailed to voters’ home addresses ended up in the hands of people other than the intended recipients. But the concept of voting by mail works well in other states, so Massachusetts could study the best practices elsewhere and make a system that guarantees the right to vote while preventing voter fraud as much as possible.
Since the legislation provides for polling places to remain open, it also calls for the state to provide personal protective gear for poll workers. It also would permanently declare the November election day a legal holiday, further encouraging people to take the time to vote and highlighting how important voting is in our democracy.
The legislation, S2912 / H5026, was unveiled this week, but lawmakers would be wise to tackle this important issue early to make sure Massachusetts has the voting process figured out well before the first ballots are counted this fall.
Online: https://bit.ly/3boMRu4
___
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Sununu takes a wrong turn on relief funds
Concord Monitor
April 16
In the name of efficiency, Gov. Chris Sununu is seeking to substitute autocracy for democracy and accord to himself sole power to determine how and to whom $1.25 billion in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds will be distributed.
The state’s judicial system, which referees disputes between the other two branches of government, should reject as unconstitutional the governor’s attempted power grab.
Sununu has done a truly admirable job of leading New Hampshire as it battles the coronavirus pandemic. His decisions, in consultation with state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan and others, have been sound, his communications with citizens clear and concise. And we applaud his choice to join with his fellow governors in saying that decisions of when to allow non-essential businesses to reopen and people to gather will be made by the states, not the president.
Unfortunately, the governor’s contention that emergency powers allow him to relegate the Legislature, whose duty it is to raise, accept and spend money, to an advisory role is needlessly divisive and comes at a time when unity is called for.
For decades, it has been the responsibility of the bipartisan Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee to rule on whether to accept, and whether to spend, funds that come to the state outside the normal budget process. The committee is willing to meet daily to do so if necessary. Nothing in law or history suggests that the committee cedes that authority to the governor during an emergency. In fact, the state’s civil emergencies law says just the opposite. The governor can spend money only in such cases “with the advice and consent of the Fiscal Committee.”
Sununu claims that another law, enacted in 2002 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, trumps the law that requires Fiscal Committee consent. That is a wishful reading of the statute, one that ignores the constitutional requirement that the powers of the respective branches of government be kept as separate as possible.
Rather than seek advice from the Fiscal Committee, the governor has opted to create, in the name of expediency, an eight-member advisory board, five of whose members are current members of the Fiscal Committee. The newly constituted committee is unnecessary and redundant.
The Joint Fiscal Committee exists to perform precisely the task of overseeing incoming funds and spending. Its members are experienced at doing so. The courts should reject the governor’s attempt to use the pandemic to increase his own power.
At times, as in the governor’s decision to spend to secure personal protection equipment for those on the front lines, speed is essential. The committee could, for example, give advance approval that would permit the governor to spend say $5 million or $10 million in an emergency without legislative consent; $100 million or $1 billion is a different story.
New Hampshire has the most representative legislature on the planet. It is the voice of the people, not the governor, that should decide how the relief money is spent.
Online: https://bit.ly/3bj5i39
___
RHODE ISLAND
Some hopeful numbers at last
The Providence Journal
April 16
People are still justifiably scared of COVID-19, but there are finally some encouraging signs.
On Thursday, President Trump told reporters, “the data suggests that nationwide we have passed the peak on new cases.” He praised the extreme social distancing adopted by Americans, following guidance by his team and the nation’s governors.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, presented numerous charts showing the disease’s impact had evidently peaked in his state. Though he seemed terrified earlier he would not have enough ventilators to handle the crisis, Mr. Cuomo announced Wednesday he was sending surplus ones to other states. Roughly half of the nation’s deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in New York.
In Rhode Island, unfortunately, deaths and hospitalizations continued to rise, though more gradually than initially feared.
The total hospitalized on Thursday was 245, with 61 in intensive care. Though challenging, that is still a far cry from the number of hospital beds Gov. Gina Raimondo projects the state will need: 2,250 to 4,300.
Clearly, national models used by the Centers for Disease Control were wildly inaccurate - simply because nobody knew how dangerous the disease might prove. Initial projections of 1.5 million to 2.2 million deaths in America were dramatically scaled back.
In late March, the president and his people were putting out still-sobering numbers, showing COVID-19 deaths could hit 100,000 to 240,000 nationwide, even with mitigation.
The Centers for Disease Control said Wednesday the death total had reached a far lower 24,582. Numbers now include people scientists think probably had the infection, not just those verified through tests.
That would put the estimated death total over the next several weeks in the range of a bad flu season. COVID-19, though, worries health experts much more because it seems to spread easily (including by people showing no symptoms) and there is no vaccine or reliable cure.
Few doubt that Americans’ acute social distancing has helped “flatten the curve,” preventing our health system from being overwhelmed. That system is now much better equipped to handle future cases. That was the goal - not the impossible task of preventing everyone from becoming infected.
It is far from over, of course. The people of Rhode Island, in particular, living between the hot spots of New York and Boston, “have to watch it. They have to be very careful,” President Trump said Wednesday.
Still, as the national peak is possibly reached, people are increasingly looking at other data: the impact of social distancing on our society.
Social scientists say the kind of unemployment numbers we are now facing point to anguish that produces suicides and drug overdoses in the tens of thousands, probably eclipsing deaths from the virus.
All this will put tremendous pressure on our society to strike a balance. While we seemed to flatten the curve, we cannot hermetically seal people off from COVID-19.
Since society will collapse without people working and producing, we are going to have to move the nation toward employment in the weeks ahead.
Online: https://bit.ly/3ahv8mR
___
VERMONT
Unemployment claim woes demand immediate fix
Brattleboro Reformer
April 16
The Vermont Department of Labor is facing what’s likely the greatest challenge of its existence: Handling a deluge of unemployment claims for workers who have been laid off, furloughed or cannot work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vermonters do understand the department is between a rock and a hard place.
There were 70,000 new claims in the past month alone, and the department was simply not equipped to handle that volume. Its computer system is 30 years old. Moving the initial claims process online and adding employees has helped, but it’s still not nearly enough.
This is not meant to sound harsh. But the time for excuses is over. This simply must be fixed, as quickly as humanly possible.
Vermonters and their employers paid into the state unemployment system with the expectation that those funds would be there when tough times came around. Instead, they’re getting busy signals, pre-recorded messages saying the department can’t take their call, and most crucially, no checks or direct deposits.
The Department of Labor, and Gov. Phil Scott, know they must do better. To their credit, they have owned up and said as much. They’re as aware of the problems and hardships this is causing as we’re all aware they face a difficult task.
But accountability is cold comfort for Vermonters who have bills to pay and mouths to feed. They need money, now.
“I’ve never heard the level of desperation from constituents that I’m hearing now,” state Sen. Debbie Ingram, D-Chittenden, said Tuesday, according to Seven Days.
Some of that frustration boiled over at an online state Senate session Tuesday, as members relayed story after story from shaken and angered constituents.
State Sen. Robert Starr, D-Essex/Orleans, suggested that the state send money to claimants now and figure out the math at a later date.
Told that wasn’t likely, given the Department of Labor’s technical constraints, Starr responded with a blast of Vermont no-nonsense candor.
“That’s baloney,” he said, according to Seven Days. “Tell ‘em to get the frickin’ checks out the door. Get it settled up later.”
Whether or not that’s realistic, it’s hard not to agree with Starr’s tone.
Gov. Scott’s performance so far in responding to this pandemic has been largely excellent. He’s been steady at the wheel, made sound decisions, and made himself and his administration regularly available to the media. Handed an unfathomable crisis and a leadership vacuum in Washington, he’s stepped up, as have many governors across the country.
But no one is going to remember any of that if they’re going hungry, or falling behind on bills, because they can’t reach a human being at the claims office in Montpelier.
Online: https://bit.ly/2KglCWk
___
MAINE
Outbreak no excuse for shutting out Maine’s public
Portland Press Herald
April 17
Just like nursing homes and other congregate settings where physical distancing is an inherent challenge, prisons are extremely vulnerable to outbreaks of COVID-19. How Maine responds to that vulnerability is a key policy question of great public interest – it is, quite literally, a matter of life and death.
Yet when the Mills administration briefed state legislators Wednesday, the public was left out. And it wasn’t the first time.
During a crisis in which Gov. Mills is taking unprecedented, though so far prudent, steps to stop the spread of COVID-19, it is important her administration operates out in the open. Such transparency gives weight to her emergency orders, and allows the public to gauge whether government is acting in its best interests.
In this case, the administration failed. On Wednesday, Corrections Commissioner Randy Liberty held two briefings – one for Democratic legislators and one for Republican lawmakers, perhaps to bypass open meeting laws – and did not provide public notice or allow a reporter to listen in to the virtual meetings, the Press Herald’s Megan Gray reported. The meetings were not recorded.
On Thursday, a spokeswoman in the governor’s office told the Press Herald that the Department of Labor and the Maine Center for Disease Control also have held private briefings with lawmakers as they struggled to answer questions while the Legislature is adjourned – nine meetings in total. She said the briefings would be suspended until the administration can find a transparent way to interact with legislators.
After the briefings, Liberty did take questions from Gray, and he shared a general update on what the Department of Corrections is doing in response to the outbreak. Mills’ office also released the presentation Liberty gave to lawmakers Wednesday.
But that’s no substitute. If the Legislature were in session, Liberty’s briefings likely would have taken place in a committee room. Those meetings are open to the public by law, and for good reason – if legislators are going to question the executive branch, the public and the press have an interest in what is being said.
In this particular case, the public needs to know that the Department of Corrections, and the legislators who provide oversight of the department, understand the threat the outbreak poses to prisons, and are taking steps to alleviate it.
Jails and prisons throughout the country are experiencing outbreaks. A COVID-19 cluster at Cook County Jail in Illinois had sickened 181 detainees and more than 200 corrections officers as of Wednesday. The number of cases in the federal Bureau of Prisons went from one infection to 284 and eight deaths within two weeks. In Texas, thousands of detainees may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus.
In recognition of this threat, there have been calls to greatly reduce the number of people detained in jails and prisons. On Wednesday, the Department of Corrections told WMTW that Maine’s prison population has fallen 7 percent in response to COVID-19, compared to a 37 percent decline in the jail population.
Mainers deserve to hear how Liberty addresses that issue and others with lawmakers, just as they deserve to hear how state agencies are handling the rapidly increasing number of unemployed workers, or the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in nursing homes in the state.
The public’s right to know what their government is doing is essential to making sure the government does it right. COVID-19 doesn’t change that.
Online: https://bit.ly/3buIhtW
___


washingtontimes--2020-04-17--Marshals: Man wanted for murder caught by K-9

MEMPHIS , Tenn. ( AP ) - A Tennessee man wanted for killing another man and wounding a juvenile outside a convenience store was arrested after being confronted by a K-9 officer , authorities said .
Curdarreion Wilson was captured Thursday after escaping from authorities three previous times for different crimes , a U.S .
Marshals press release said .
Memphis police were called to a store on April 6 , where they found a man , Raymond Howard , fatally shot as well as a juvenile who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the top of her head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eyewitness led authorities to Wilson .
Wilson already had warrants out for his arrest on attempted second-degree murder , possession of a firearm arm and aggravated assault .
U.S .
Marshals said he had evaded arrest three previous times .
Wilson was found Thursday and fled , first in a car and then on foot , the release said .
Marshals sent K-9 Echo after Wilson and he was tracked to an abandoned home inside a crawlspace , the release said .
Echo bit Wilson multiple times and he later left the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also charged with second-degree murder .
It ’ s unclear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf .

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee man wanted for killing another man and wounding a juvenile outside a convenience store was arrested after being confronted by a K-9 officer, authorities said.
Curdarreion Wilson was captured Thursday after escaping from authorities three previous times for different crimes, a U.S. Marshals press release said.
Memphis police were called to a store on April 6, where they found a man, Raymond Howard, fatally shot as well as a juvenile who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the top of her head, news outlets reported.
Police said an eyewitness led authorities to Wilson.
Wilson already had warrants out for his arrest on attempted second-degree murder, possession of a firearm arm and aggravated assault.
U.S. Marshals said he had evaded arrest three previous times.
Wilson was found Thursday and fled, first in a car and then on foot, the release said. Marshals sent K-9 Echo after Wilson and he was tracked to an abandoned home inside a crawlspace, the release said.
Echo bit Wilson multiple times and he later left the crawlspace, authorities said.
Wilson was also charged with second-degree murder. It’s unclear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.


washingtontimes--2020-04-17--Judge extends zookeeper's deadline to challenge convictions

OKLAHOMA CITY ( AP ) - A former Oklahoma zookeeper who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for a murder-for-hire plot and federal wildlife violations has been granted an extra month to argue why his lawsuit challenging the convictions shouldn ’ t be dismissed .
Joseph Maldonado-Passage , also known as “ Joe Exotic , ” filed a federal lawsuit last month against the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service , the U.S. Department of the Interior , the assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted him and several witnesses .
He ’ s seeking nearly $ 94 million in damages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on false and perjured testimony .
A federal judge decided to recommend dismissing his lawsuit and provided an April 28 deadline for objection filing .
On Thursday , U.S. District Judge Scott Palk extended that deadline to May 28 after Maldonado-Passage provided a handwritten letter requesting at least 30 days to respond , The Oklahoman reported Friday .
In the letter , Maldonado-Passage writes that he ’ s being isolated at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth , Texas , with “ ( no access to a computer , phone , email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last April convicted Maldonado-Passage for trying to arrange the killing of Carole Baskin , a Florida animal sanctuary founder who criticized his treatment of animals .
She wasn ’ t harmed .
The former zookeeper , who maintains his innocence , was also sentenced for killing five tigers , selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records .
Maldonado-Passage is prominently featured in the recently released Netflix documentary “ Tiger King : Murder , Mayhem and Madness .
”

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A former Oklahoma zookeeper who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for a murder-for-hire plot and federal wildlife violations has been granted an extra month to argue why his lawsuit challenging the convictions shouldn’t be dismissed.
Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as “Joe Exotic,” filed a federal lawsuit last month against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted him and several witnesses. He’s seeking nearly $94 million in damages, claiming that he was convicted based on false and perjured testimony.
A federal judge decided to recommend dismissing his lawsuit and provided an April 28 deadline for objection filing.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Scott Palk extended that deadline to May 28 after Maldonado-Passage provided a handwritten letter requesting at least 30 days to respond, The Oklahoman reported Friday.
In the letter, Maldonado-Passage writes that he’s being isolated at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, with “(no access to a computer, phone, email or library).”
A jury last April convicted Maldonado-Passage for trying to arrange the killing of Carole Baskin, a Florida animal sanctuary founder who criticized his treatment of animals. She wasn’t harmed.
The former zookeeper, who maintains his innocence, was also sentenced for killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records.
Maldonado-Passage is prominently featured in the recently released Netflix documentary “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”


washingtontimes--2020-04-17--Beshear releases guidelines to reopen economy

FRANKFORT , Ky. ( AP ) - Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear on Friday embraced plans by the White House to lift restrictions brought on by the coronavirus , but said the state must increase its testing capacity to get there .
President Trump this week detailed a set of guidelines for easing restrictions over a span of several weeks in places that have robust testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases .
Beshear , who has spent weeks urging residents to stay home , said he agreed with the White House guidelines , including using a 14-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin opening businesses back up .
“ I don ’ t know what the rhetoric is going to be out there , or what ’ s going to be said or tweeted , but the actual contents of this document have a whole lot of what we were already looking at , ” Beshear said at his daily 5 p.m. briefing on the coronavirus .
Another guideline from the White House plan calls for robust testing of health care workers , which Dr. Steven Stack , Kentucky ’ s public health commissioner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state .
Stack said Kentucky , like many states , lacks the swabs to increase testing to meet this guideline .
“ The proposal actually requires us to be able to test at a scale that no state is testing right now , ” Stack said .
But “ we agree with this , we need to get the testing capacity rapidly up so that doctors and offices and hospitals can test a much larger number of people.
” Beshear released his own set of seven guidelines for Kentucky on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s proposals .
Beshear is calling for increased testing , availability of protective equipment and plans to protect vulnerable populations as thresholds to begin lifting restrictions .
Trump ’ s proposals may give some political cover to Beshear , a Democratic governor who was elected by a narrow margin in a state where the president enjoys high popularity .
Beshear faced a loud demonstration earlier this week as a few dozen protesters interrupted his daily briefing with chants to put them back to work .
On Friday , protesters returned , but circled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police put yellow tape around the grounds to keep crowds from gathering and spreading the virus .
Beshear announced there were eight new deaths from the virus on Friday , including an inmate at the Green River Correctional Complex , bringing the state ’ s death toll to at least 137 .
In all there were 134 new cases reported in Kentucky , for a total of more than 2,500 since early March .
This story has corrected the name of the prison to the Green River Correctional Complex , not the Green @ @ @ @

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday embraced plans by the White House to lift restrictions brought on by the coronavirus, but said the state must increase its testing capacity to get there.
President Trump this week detailed a set of guidelines for easing restrictions over a span of several weeks in places that have robust testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases.
Beshear, who has spent weeks urging residents to stay home, said he agreed with the White House guidelines, including using a 14-day decrease in cases as a threshold to begin opening businesses back up.
“I don’t know what the rhetoric is going to be out there, or what’s going to be said or tweeted, but the actual contents of this document have a whole lot of what we were already looking at,” Beshear said at his daily 5 p.m. briefing on the coronavirus.
Another guideline from the White House plan calls for robust testing of health care workers, which Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s public health commissioner, said was “still a problem” in the state. Stack said Kentucky, like many states, lacks the swabs to increase testing to meet this guideline.
“The proposal actually requires us to be able to test at a scale that no state is testing right now,” Stack said. But “we agree with this, we need to get the testing capacity rapidly up so that doctors and offices and hospitals can test a much larger number of people.”
Beshear released his own set of seven guidelines for Kentucky on Friday, some aligning with the president’s proposals. Beshear is calling for increased testing, availability of protective equipment and plans to protect vulnerable populations as thresholds to begin lifting restrictions.
Trump’s proposals may give some political cover to Beshear, a Democratic governor who was elected by a narrow margin in a state where the president enjoys high popularity. Beshear faced a loud demonstration earlier this week as a few dozen protesters interrupted his daily briefing with chants to put them back to work.
On Friday, protesters returned, but circled the capitol building in cars after state police put yellow tape around the grounds to keep crowds from gathering and spreading the virus.
Beshear announced there were eight new deaths from the virus on Friday, including an inmate at the Green River Correctional Complex, bringing the state’s death toll to at least 137. In all there were 134 new cases reported in Kentucky, for a total of more than 2,500 since early March.
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This story has corrected the name of the prison to the Green River Correctional Complex, not the Green River Correctional Facility.


washingtontimes--2020-04-17--Mental health court staff gone after misconduct probe

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - Multnomah County placed its mental health court monitors on paid administrative leave , and the four employees all resigned after investigations of misconduct , county documents show .
Three of them worked as mental health court program case managers , and one served as a mental health consultant .
The county opened an investigation into the employees in late 2019 , The Oregonian/OregonLive reported .
The mental health court is one of Multnomah County ’ s specialized treatment courts that function like diversion programs for defendants with certain underlying issues .
Court monitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the court ’ s recommendations and connecting them with community services .
The court focuses on defendants with severe and persistent mental illness , said Ebony Clarke , the director for the Multnomah County Mental Health and Addiction Services division .
Case managers typically handle between 15 and 20 cases , she said .
“ This is one of the most vulnerable populations , ” Clarke said .
“ When this happened , I was significantly concerned , appalled and had to take immediate action.
” The county investigated complaints that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as often as they were supposed to and failed in several ways to support their clients .
One employee allegedly used time that she was supposed to be meeting with county clients to operate her own business .
Another reportedly made repeated racist comments to a coworker .
The third employee allegedly failed to meet with at least one client for more than a year , and the fourth was accused of failing to connect clients to needed meal vouchers and medications .
Three of the employees received a letter of proposed dismissal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The workers resigned in lieu of being terminated this year .
In addition to the mental health court investigation , Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury assigned interim chief operating officer Peggy Brey to investigate the entire mental health division and identify the root causes of the division ’ s problems , mitigate the damage to clients , and ensure that the same thing wouldn ’ t happen again .
Now , Clarke said , two people have been hired as permanent case managers for the mental health court , and two more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Multnomah County placed its mental health court monitors on paid administrative leave, and the four employees all resigned after investigations of misconduct, county documents show.
Three of them worked as mental health court program case managers, and one served as a mental health consultant. The county opened an investigation into the employees in late 2019, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
The mental health court is one of Multnomah County’s specialized treatment courts that function like diversion programs for defendants with certain underlying issues. Court monitors are tasked with helping clients follow through with the court’s recommendations and connecting them with community services.
The court focuses on defendants with severe and persistent mental illness, said Ebony Clarke, the director for the Multnomah County Mental Health and Addiction Services division. Case managers typically handle between 15 and 20 cases, she said.
“This is one of the most vulnerable populations,” Clarke said. “When this happened, I was significantly concerned, appalled and had to take immediate action.”
The county investigated complaints that the employees were not meeting with clients face-to-face as often as they were supposed to and failed in several ways to support their clients.
One employee allegedly used time that she was supposed to be meeting with county clients to operate her own business. Another reportedly made repeated racist comments to a coworker. The third employee allegedly failed to meet with at least one client for more than a year, and the fourth was accused of failing to connect clients to needed meal vouchers and medications.
Three of the employees received a letter of proposed dismissal. The fourth received a written reprimand. The workers resigned in lieu of being terminated this year.
In addition to the mental health court investigation, Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury assigned interim chief operating officer Peggy Brey to investigate the entire mental health division and identify the root causes of the division’s problems, mitigate the damage to clients, and ensure that the same thing wouldn’t happen again.
Now, Clarke said, two people have been hired as permanent case managers for the mental health court, and two more are in the process of being hired.


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--Quake hits off islands south of Tokyo; no tsunami

TOKYO ( AP ) - A strong earthquake shook a Japanese island chain in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo @ @ @ @ @ was no danger of a tsunami and there were no reports of damage or injuries @ @ @ @ @ Saturday evening occurred in the Pacific Ocean west of the Ogasawara island chain , at @ @ @ @ @ ( 620 miles ) south of Tokyo , the Japan Meteorological Agency said .
The @ @ @ @ @ whose epicenter was very deep at 450 kilometers ( 280 miles ) below the sea @ @ @ @ @ of a tsunami .
The Ogasawara chain , made up of ancient undersea volcanoes and @ @ @ @ @ , is a UNESCO World Heritage site .

TOKYO (AP) - A strong earthquake shook a Japanese island chain in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo on Saturday, but there was no danger of a tsunami and there were no reports of damage or injuries.
The magnitude 6.9 quake Saturday evening occurred in the Pacific Ocean west of the Ogasawara island chain, at a location about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) south of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The agency said the quake, whose epicenter was very deep at 450 kilometers (280 miles) below the sea surface, posed no danger of a tsunami.
The Ogasawara chain, made up of ancient undersea volcanoes and also called the Bonin islands, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--Malaysia urged to allow Rohingya refugee boats to land

KUALA LUMPUR , Malaysia ( AP ) - Human Rights Watch said Saturday that the coronavirus pandemic doesn ’ t justify Malaysia ’ s turning away of overloaded boats carrying Muslim Rohingya and risking the refugees ’ lives .
The New York-based rights group noted that Malaysia had recently pushed back to sea at least two boatloads of Rohingya refugees .
Despite Malaysia ’ s partial coronavirus lockdown that prevents foreigners from entering the country , Human Rights Watch said the pandemic should not be an excuse for a blanket policy of turning away boats in distress .
“ Malaysia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Rohingya mean shockingly little when they push desperate refugees back to sea , ” said Phil Robertson , Human Rights Watch ’ s Asia director .
“ The COVID-19 pandemic does not create a justification for risking the lives of refugees on overcrowded boats.
” Predominantly Muslim Malaysia has previously protested the persecution of the Rohingya and sought justice for them .
But its navy on Thursday intercepted a boat with some 200 Rohingya refugees off its northern coast and prevented it from entering Malaysian waters .
The fate of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bangladesh coast guard officials rescued a boatload of 382 starving Rohingya refugees .
Survivors said the boat had been turned away from Malaysian waters weeks earlier and that at least 30 people on board had died before the rescue .
Malaysia ’ s National Security Council on Saturday defended the decision by enforcement agencies to turn away the boat amid concerns that the refugees might be exposed to the coronavirus .
Malaysia , which has recorded 5,251 coronavirus cases with 86 deaths , has tightened border patrols to prevent illegal immigrants from sneaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Siti Sabrina Imji Rahim , a senior official on the council ’ s COVID-19 task force , said that sending the refugees to detention camps could increase the risk of spreading the virus .
She said in an email reply to a query from The Associated Press that the refugees were given food and fresh water before being turned away .
Human Rights Watch , however , said Malaysia ’ s pushback policy violates international obligations to provide access to asylum seekers , and noted that the refugees could have been isolated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak has only intensified the misery of an estimated 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Myanmar and nearly a million living in refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution by Myanmar ’ s military .
“ The Malaysian government can both protect against the spread of the virus and ensure that those risking their lives at sea are rescued and given a chance to seek asylum , ” Robertson said .

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Human Rights Watch said Saturday that the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t justify Malaysia’s turning away of overloaded boats carrying Muslim Rohingya and risking the refugees’ lives.
The New York-based rights group noted that Malaysia had recently pushed back to sea at least two boatloads of Rohingya refugees. Despite Malaysia’s partial coronavirus lockdown that prevents foreigners from entering the country, Human Rights Watch said the pandemic should not be an excuse for a blanket policy of turning away boats in distress.
“Malaysia’s claims to support the rights of the Rohingya mean shockingly little when they push desperate refugees back to sea,” said Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch’s Asia director. “The COVID-19 pandemic does not create a justification for risking the lives of refugees on overcrowded boats.”
Predominantly Muslim Malaysia has previously protested the persecution of the Rohingya and sought justice for them. But its navy on Thursday intercepted a boat with some 200 Rohingya refugees off its northern coast and prevented it from entering Malaysian waters. The fate of that boat is unknown.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh coast guard officials rescued a boatload of 382 starving Rohingya refugees. Survivors said the boat had been turned away from Malaysian waters weeks earlier and that at least 30 people on board had died before the rescue.
Malaysia’s National Security Council on Saturday defended the decision by enforcement agencies to turn away the boat amid concerns that the refugees might be exposed to the coronavirus. Malaysia, which has recorded 5,251 coronavirus cases with 86 deaths, has tightened border patrols to prevent illegal immigrants from sneaking in, the National Security Council said.
Siti Sabrina Imji Rahim, a senior official on the council’s COVID-19 task force, said that sending the refugees to detention camps could increase the risk of spreading the virus. She said in an email reply to a query from The Associated Press that the refugees were given food and fresh water before being turned away.
Human Rights Watch, however, said Malaysia’s pushback policy violates international obligations to provide access to asylum seekers, and noted that the refugees could have been isolated or quarantined. It said the COVID-19 outbreak has only intensified the misery of an estimated 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Myanmar and nearly a million living in refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution by Myanmar’s military.
“The Malaysian government can both protect against the spread of the virus and ensure that those risking their lives at sea are rescued and given a chance to seek asylum,” Robertson said.


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--47 children from Greek refugee camps arrive in Germany

BERLIN ( AP ) - A group of 47 unaccompanied children evacuated from refugee camps in Greece landed in Germany on Saturday , German officials said .
The Interior Ministry said the minors landed in Hanover on a flight from Athens .
They were all tested for the coronavirus before departure and will remain in two-week quarantine before moving on to other German states Germany ’ s interior minister , Horst Seehofer , said the evacuation was “ the result of months of preparation and intense talks with our European partners ” and expressed hope that other countries would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The children come from Afghanistan , Syria and Eritrea .
Four are girls and there are several siblings among the group .
Some of them have families waiting for them in Germany .
They were previously housed in refugee camps on the Greek islands of Lesbos , Samos and Chios that have been criticized as unsuitable for children by human rights activists .
“ The Greek government has been trying to sensitize other EU countries to ( the plight ) of the young children , who have fled war and persecution , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
I ’ m glad this program is finally being implemented , ” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotsakis told reporters at the Athens airport , where he met the departing children , alongside the German ambassador to Greece , Ernst Reichel .
Mitsotakis added that he hoped over 1,500 minors would be relocated over the next months .
Germany pledged last month to take in at least 350 children living in Greek refugee camps as part of a joint European effort , but the plan has stalled in some countries due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treat all … that arrive in our country with great sensitivity .
But , at the same time , it has the obligation to guard and protect its borders .
We have proven , as a country , that we can do both , ” Mitsotakis said .
This was the second flight taking unaccompanied minor refugees to another European country .
On Wednesday , 12 children traveled to Luxembourg .
According to the United Nations Secretary-General ’ s spokesman , Stephane Dujarric , there were over 5,200 unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need of durable solutions , including expedited registration , family reunification and relocation .
”

BERLIN (AP) - A group of 47 unaccompanied children evacuated from refugee camps in Greece landed in Germany on Saturday, German officials said.
The Interior Ministry said the minors landed in Hanover on a flight from Athens. They were all tested for the coronavirus before departure and will remain in two-week quarantine before moving on to other German states
Germany’s interior minister, Horst Seehofer, said the evacuation was “the result of months of preparation and intense talks with our European partners” and expressed hope that other countries would also begin taking in refugee children soon.
The children come from Afghanistan, Syria and Eritrea. Four are girls and there are several siblings among the group.
Some of them have families waiting for them in Germany.
They were previously housed in refugee camps on the Greek islands of Lesbos, Samos and Chios that have been criticized as unsuitable for children by human rights activists.
“The Greek government has been trying to sensitize other EU countries to (the plight) of the young children, who have fled war and persecution, to find new families and start a new life. I’m glad this program is finally being implemented,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotsakis told reporters at the Athens airport, where he met the departing children, alongside the German ambassador to Greece, Ernst Reichel.
Mitsotakis added that he hoped over 1,500 minors would be relocated over the next months.
Germany pledged last month to take in at least 350 children living in Greek refugee camps as part of a joint European effort, but the plan has stalled in some countries due to the pandemic.
“Greece will continue to treat all … that arrive in our country with great sensitivity. But, at the same time, it has the obligation to guard and protect its borders. We have proven, as a country, that we can do both,” Mitsotakis said.
This was the second flight taking unaccompanied minor refugees to another European country. On Wednesday, 12 children traveled to Luxembourg.
According to the United Nations Secretary-General’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, there were over 5,200 unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in Greece in early April “in urgent need of durable solutions, including expedited registration, family reunification and relocation.”
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Nellas contributed from Athens.


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--Africa deaths above 1,000, including Nigerian chief of staff

ABUJA , Nigeria ( AP ) - Africa now has more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 , the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday , while Nigeria said the president ’ s chief of staff had died .
A total of 52 of the continent ’ s 54 countries have reported the coronavirus , with the overall number of cases more than 19,800 .
Nigeria ’ s government said Abba Kyari , chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari , died Friday of COVID-19 .
“ May God accept his soul , ” the statement said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nigeria ’ s most powerful government figure , His infection had been one of the highest-profile in Africa .
Several government ministers and a U.S. ambassador were infected with the virus earlier in Burkina Faso .
Kyari announced his illness last month , saying that “ I have made my own care arrangements to avoid further burdening the public health system , which faces so many pressures.
” He was reported to have been infected during a visit to Germany .
He was criticized for not isolating upon his return to Nigeria and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nigeria currently has nearly 500 cases of the virus .
The World Health Organization on Friday noted a 51 % increase in cases in Africa and a 60 % jump in deaths in the past week .
But the WHO chief warned that because of a shortage of testing “ it ’ s likely the real numbers are higher than reported.
” The Africa CDC has said more than 1 million test kits will be rolled out starting next week .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at http : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and @ @ @

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - Africa now has more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday, while Nigeria said the president’s chief of staff had died.
A total of 52 of the continent’s 54 countries have reported the coronavirus, with the overall number of cases surpassing 20,000 on Saturday.
Nigeria’s government said Abba Kyari, chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, died Friday of COVID-19. “May God accept his soul,” the statement said.
Kyari had been considered by some as Nigeria’s most powerful government figure, His infection had been one of the highest-profile in Africa. Several government ministers and a U.S. ambassador were infected with the virus earlier in Burkina Faso.
Kyari announced his illness last month, saying that “I have made my own care arrangements to avoid further burdening the public health system, which faces so many pressures.”
He was reported to have been infected during a visit to Germany. He was criticized for not isolating upon his return to Nigeria and accused of infecting other top government officials.
Nigeria currently has nearly 500 cases of the virus.
The World Health Organization on Friday noted a 51% increase in cases in Africa and a 60% jump in deaths in the past week. But the WHO chief warned that because of a shortage of testing “it’s likely the real numbers are higher than reported.”
The Africa CDC has said more than 1 million test kits will be rolled out starting next week.
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Umar reported from Maiduguri, Nigeria.
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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--Austria shuts down last coal-fired power plant

BERLIN ( AP ) - Austria has shut down its last coal-fired power plant as part of a plan to @ @ @ @ @ fuels for energy production by 2030 .
Utility company Verbund said the plant in the @ @ @ @ @ powered down Friday .
The Mellach plant had provided heat and electricity to the nearby @ @ @ @ @ years .
Austria , an Alpine nation with no significant fossil fuel reserves of its @ @ @ @ @ than a dozen power plants burning gas and oil .
The government aims to shut @ @ @ @ @ end of the decade , after which the country will generate all of its energy @ @ @ @ @ is the eighth European Union country to end the burning of coal , which is @ @ @ @ @ fossil fuel and a major source of man-made greenhouse gas emissions stoking climate change .

BERLIN (AP) - Austria has shut down its last coal-fired power plant as part of a plan to end the use of fossil fuels for energy production by 2030.
Utility company Verbund said the plant in the southeastern town of Mellach was powered down Friday.
The Mellach plant had provided heat and electricity to the nearby city of Graz for 34 years.
Austria, an Alpine nation with no significant fossil fuel reserves of its own, still has more than a dozen power plants burning gas and oil.
The government aims to shut the gas-fired plants by the end of the decade, after which the country will generate all of its energy from renewable sources.
Austria is the eighth European Union country to end the burning of coal, which is considered the most heavily polluting fossil fuel and a major source of man-made greenhouse gas emissions stoking climate change.


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--A global diaspora of medical workers now looks toward home

JOHANNESBURG ( AP ) - The medical supplies had been shipped .
The planning began a year in advance .
Then the coronavirus arrived , and Dr. Charmaine Emelife ’ s heart sank .
The annual trip to Nigeria to provide free medical care - the flagship project of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas - had been set to start Sunday but can ’ t go on .
Now the 4,000-member organization , like diaspora medical groups around the world , is scrambling for other ways to help back home , where it might be more needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brain drain ” of medical professionals to richer countries has left developing nations in Africa , Southeast Asia , Latin America and elsewhere without tens of thousands of highly skilled workers .
Some 30 % of doctors in the U.S. , and one-third of those in the UK , were foreign-born as of 2016 , according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development .
At the same time , sub-Saharan Africa has a painful shortage of medical professionals , with access to just 3 % of the world ’ s health workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nigeria has four doctors per 10,000 people .
Kenya has just two .
But even as some doctors , nurses and others overseas yearn to return to help with the coronavirus crisis , they face travel restrictions that have slammed shut borders and closed international airports .
“ There are said to be no commercial passenger flights going into Nigeria from the U.S. , and the U.S. is not receiving the same flights , ” Emelife , the Nigerian association ’ s president , told The Associated Press .
“ The issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point to help is not a conversation.
” Instead , the association is raising money to buy and ship protective equipment for front-line workers , reaching far beyond its U.S. base for sources .
When the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-16 briefly spread to Nigeria , the association focused on sending “ tons and tons ” of protective gear , Emelife said .
But the task is far more difficult now as the rest of the world competes for the same supplies .
So the association is also exploring telemedicine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer long-distance consultations for patients in Nigeria , where some private medical practices have shut down out of caution , further limiting options for care .
“ If what is happening in the U.S. or Italy should dare happen in Nigeria , there would be complete , total disorder , ” said Dr. Biodun Ogunbo , who closed his private surgery facility in the capital , Abuja , for a month after the country ’ s first cases were reported .
Currently , Nigeria ’ s cases number nearly 450 , but health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe and the U.S. in the pandemic and the worst is yet to come .
“ It ’ s the personnel that matter , ” Ogunbo said .
“ We don ’ t have the numbers of trained medical doctors , nurses , pharmacists ” for the 24-hour care that some virus patients need .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough .
But for some , especially older adults and those with other health problems , it can cause pneumonia and death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the diaspora , Ogunbo said , would “ definitely , 100 % ” be welcome , along with insights into how virus cases are being treated overseas .
Emelife said even such items as soap and clean water are needed in parts of Nigeria .
Africa ’ s most populous nation recently surpassed India with the world ’ s largest number of people living in extreme poverty .
“ We need to help take care of the people at home and we are working on it with this COVID-19 pandemic , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Some diaspora groups are appealing to shared culture in this time of isolation .
“ Our Filipino values and traits … will keep us strong and resilient in this trying time , ” the National Organization of Filipino American Physicians wrote in a statement on COVID-19 .
“ We are a people that reaches out to and looks after each other.
” The group partners with the Manila-based Philippine Nurses Association for online seminars on the pandemic .
The Association of Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons of the UK asked members this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference .
“ Pakistan needs you more than ever before , ” it said .
This week , Dr. Sefa Ahiaku updated the website of the Ghanaian Doctors and Dentists Association UK with the obituary of a Ghana-based colleague - “ Coronavirus is no respecter of who people are , ” she said - and a fundraising appeal to buy protective gear for others in the West African nation .
“ For us , the death really brought it close to home , ” Ahiaku , the group ’ s vice president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
That desire is more acute when there ’ s a crisis.
” Ghana , like Nigeria , has locked down certain high-population areas instead of the entire country .
The diaspora group hopes to help rural communities “ who don ’ t have the luxury of shutting their doors ” improve sanitation ahead of the virus ’ possible spread .
“ I am really encouraged by the doctors I ’ m speaking to in Ghana who are keeping a level head , ” Ahiaku said , as the country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleague had been talking with the government on ways to streamline the process so medical professionals in the diaspora can come home and offer their services , she said .
She hopes this pandemic might lead governments to invest more in health systems , giving medical workers more incentive to stay at home - or return for good .
In Nigeria , where going overseas for medical treatment is a well-known practice among some government officials , Ogunbo wasn ’ t so sure .
“ I have to say ‘ Thank God ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horrible pandemic ” in the country , he said , but it means officials haven ’ t received the kind of shock that might lead to change .
“ They ’ re not going to come tomorrow and say , ’ We need 50,000 doctors , let ’ s start creating spaces for them , look after them so they ’ re so comfortable and happy in Nigeria they won ’ t go anywhere else , ” Ogunbo said .
“ They won ’ t do that.
” Follow AP coverage of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - The medical supplies had been shipped. The planning began a year in advance. Then the coronavirus arrived, and Dr. Charmaine Emelife’s heart sank.
The annual trip to Nigeria to provide free medical care - the flagship project of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas - had been set to start Sunday but can’t go on. Now the 4,000-member organization, like diaspora medical groups around the world, is scrambling for other ways to help back home, where it might be more needed than ever before.
A global “brain drain” of medical professionals to richer countries has left developing nations in Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and elsewhere without tens of thousands of highly skilled workers. Some 30% of doctors in the U.S., and one-third of those in the UK, were foreign-born as of 2016, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
At the same time, sub-Saharan Africa has a painful shortage of medical professionals, with access to just 3% of the world’s health workers, according to the World Health Organization. Nigeria has four doctors per 10,000 people. Kenya has just two.
But even as some doctors, nurses and others overseas yearn to return to help with the coronavirus crisis, they face travel restrictions that have slammed shut borders and closed international airports.
“There are said to be no commercial passenger flights going into Nigeria from the U.S., and the U.S. is not receiving the same flights,” Emelife, the Nigerian association’s president, told The Associated Press. “The issue of going back to Nigeria at this point to help is not a conversation.”
Instead, the association is raising money to buy and ship protective equipment for front-line workers, reaching far beyond its U.S. base for sources.
When the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-16 briefly spread to Nigeria, the association focused on sending “tons and tons” of protective gear, Emelife said.
But the task is far more difficult now as the rest of the world competes for the same supplies.
So the association is also exploring telemedicine, Emelife said, in which members can offer long-distance consultations for patients in Nigeria, where some private medical practices have shut down out of caution, further limiting options for care.
“If what is happening in the U.S. or Italy should dare happen in Nigeria, there would be complete, total disorder,” said Dr. Biodun Ogunbo, who closed his private surgery facility in the capital, Abuja, for a month after the country’s first cases were reported.
Currently, Nigeria’s cases number nearly 500, but health experts say Africa is just weeks behind Europe and the U.S. in the pandemic and the worst is yet to come.
“It’s the personnel that matter,” Ogunbo said. “We don’t have the numbers of trained medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists” for the 24-hour care that some virus patients need.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and those with other health problems, it can cause pneumonia and death.
The thousands of Nigerian medical workers in the diaspora, Ogunbo said, would “definitely, 100%” be welcome, along with insights into how virus cases are being treated overseas.
Emelife said even such items as soap and clean water are needed in parts of Nigeria. Africa’s most populous nation recently surpassed India with the world’s largest number of people living in extreme poverty.
“We need to help take care of the people at home and we are working on it with this COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “We love our country.”
Some diaspora groups are appealing to shared culture in this time of isolation.
“Our Filipino values and traits … will keep us strong and resilient in this trying time,” the National Organization of Filipino American Physicians wrote in a statement on COVID-19. “We are a people that reaches out to and looks after each other.” The group partners with the Manila-based Philippine Nurses Association for online seminars on the pandemic.
The Association of Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons of the UK asked members this month to consult patients in Pakistan via video conference. “Pakistan needs you more than ever before,” it said.
This week, Dr. Sefa Ahiaku updated the website of the Ghanaian Doctors and Dentists Association UK with the obituary of a Ghana-based colleague - “Coronavirus is no respecter of who people are,” she said - and a fundraising appeal to buy protective gear for others in the West African nation.
“For us, the death really brought it close to home,” Ahiaku, the group’s vice president, said. “We want to help out. That desire is more acute when there’s a crisis.”
Ghana, like Nigeria, has locked down certain high-population areas instead of the entire country. The diaspora group hopes to help rural communities “who don’t have the luxury of shutting their doors” improve sanitation ahead of the virus’ possible spread.
“I am really encouraged by the doctors I’m speaking to in Ghana who are keeping a level head,” Ahiaku said, as the country’s virus cases near 650.
Her Ghana-based colleague had been talking with the government on ways to streamline the process so medical professionals in the diaspora can come home and offer their services, she said.
She hopes this pandemic might lead governments to invest more in health systems, giving medical workers more incentive to stay at home - or return for good.
In Nigeria, where going overseas for medical treatment is a well-known practice among some government officials, Ogunbo wasn’t so sure.
“I have to say ‘Thank God’ that we don’t have a horrible pandemic” in the country, he said, but it means officials haven’t received the kind of shock that might lead to change.
“They’re not going to come tomorrow and say, ’We need 50,000 doctors, let’s start creating spaces for them, look after them so they’re so comfortable and happy in Nigeria they won’t go anywhere else,” Ogunbo said. “They won’t do that.”
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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--Iran lets some Tehran businesses reopen after virus lockdown

TEHRAN , Iran ( AP ) - Iran allowed some businesses in the capital and nearby towns to re-open Saturday after weeks of lockdown aimed at containing the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East .
Iran was slow to respond to the pandemic and held off on imposing widespread restrictions even after other countries in the region with far fewer cases forced most businesses to close .
Iran has reported more than 80,000 confirmed cases and over 5,000 deaths .
Gyms , restaurants , shopping malls and Tehran ’ s grand bazaar will remain closed .
Shrines and mosques @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on public gatherings remains in place .
Government offices have reopened with a third of employees working from home , and schools and universities are still closed .
Traffic was heavy in Tehran early Saturday , the first day of the work week .
Authorities allowed businesses outside the capital to reopen a week ago .
The virus causes mild to moderate flu-like symptoms in most patients , who recover within a few weeks .
But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death , particularly in older patients or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s leaders have said they had to consider the economic consequences of quarantine measures , as the country struggles under severe sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump after he withdrew the U.S. from Tehran ’ s nuclear deal with world powers .
On Friday , U.N. human rights experts called on Iran to release political prisoners who could be vulnerable to infection inside the country ’ s detention facilities .
Iran has temporarily released 100,000 prisoners , but is still detaining many convicted on security charges , including several dual-nationals .
Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political prisoners or are being held as bargaining chips for future negotiations with the West .
“ We recognize the emergency situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the problems it faces in fighting the pandemic , including reported challenges in accessing medical supplies due to sanctions , ” the UN experts said .
“ Some are at great risk from COVID-19 due to their age or underlying health conditions .
We call on the authorities to immediately release them.
” The experts highlighted the cases of human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as dual nationals Ahmadreza Djalali , an Iranian-Swedish national ; Morad Tahbaz , an Iranian-British-American national ; and Kamran Ghaderi and Massud Mossaheb , two Iranian-Austrian nationals .
They said all seven have requested temporary release but have been rejected or not received a response .
Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili denied nationality was a factor in the prisoner releases .
He was quoted by the Hamshahri daily as saying release is denied when it is forbidden by law or when “ their freedom puts our citizens ’ social , economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the region , Sudanese formed long lines outside bakeries and fuel stations early Saturday ahead of a round-the-clock curfew in the capital , Khartoum , that is set to last three weeks .
The country , which is still reeling from last year ’ s uprising that toppled longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir , has reported 66 cases , including 10 deaths .
An outbreak in Sudan would severely strain the health system , which has been weakened by decades of civil war and sanctions .
Authorities have also banned Friday prayers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several other countries in the region .
The transitional government sacked Khartoum ’ s governor , Lt. Gen. Ahmed Abdoun Hamad , after he objected to the ban .
In Israel , authorities closed off two small Arab towns in the north to prevent the spread of the virus .
Police said movement into and out of Deir al-Assad and neighboring Bineh would be strictly limited .
Israel has increased testing in Arab areas in recent days , and the closures appeared to be linked to a spike in cases .
Arab citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the population and have long faced discrimination .
Israeli authorities have imposed similar closures on some ultra-Orthodox Jewish areas , where cases spiked after many disregarded health guidelines in the early days of the pandemic .
Israel , which imposed nationwide restrictions and ordered all non-essential businesses to close in mid-March , has reported more than 13,000 cases , including 158 deaths .

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran allowed some businesses in the capital and nearby towns to re-open Saturday after weeks of lockdown aimed at containing the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East.
Israel also announced an easing of its own lockdown measures.
Iran was slow to respond to the pandemic and held off on imposing widespread restrictions even after other countries in the region with far fewer cases forced most businesses to close. Iran has reported more than 80,000 confirmed cases and over 5,000 deaths.
Gyms, restaurants, shopping malls and Tehran’s grand bazaar will remain closed. Shrines and mosques are also shuttered, and a ban on public gatherings remains in place. Government offices have reopened with a third of employees working from home, and schools and universities are still closed.
Traffic was heavy in Tehran early Saturday, the first day of the work week. Authorities allowed businesses outside the capital to reopen a week ago.
The virus, for which there is no vaccine, causes mild to moderate flu-like symptoms in most patients, who recover within a few weeks. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems.
Iran’s leaders have said they had to consider the economic consequences of quarantine measures, as the country struggles under severe sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump after he withdrew the U.S. from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.
On Friday, U.N. human rights experts called on Iran to release political prisoners who could be vulnerable to infection inside the country’s detention facilities. Iran has temporarily released 100,000 prisoners, but is still detaining many convicted on security charges, including several dual-nationals.
Rights groups say many of the dual-nationals are political prisoners or are being held as bargaining chips for future negotiations with the West.
“We recognize the emergency situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the problems it faces in fighting the pandemic, including reported challenges in accessing medical supplies due to sanctions,” the UN experts said. “Some are at great risk from COVID-19 due to their age or underlying health conditions. We call on the authorities to immediately release them.”
The experts highlighted the cases of human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and defenders Narges Mohammadi and Arash Sadeghi, as well as dual nationals Ahmadreza Djalali , an Iranian-Swedish national; Morad Tahbaz, an Iranian-British-American national; and Kamran Ghaderi and Massud Mossaheb , two Iranian-Austrian nationals.
They said all seven have requested temporary release but have been rejected or not received a response.
Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili denied nationality was a factor in the prisoner releases.
Also on Saturday, Iranian media said 160 members of the army, including 40 uniformed soldiers, have contracted the virus and since recovered. The reports didn’t elaborate but Iran’s army is active in sanitizing public places and building mobile hospitals and convalescent homes.
Israel has also imposed tight lockdown measures in recent weeks to contain an outbreak, including closures of many businesses, forcing most workers at operating businesses to work from home and bans on public worship and exercise.
In a nationally televised address Saturday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the measures had been largely successful and announced plans to begin easing restrictions in the coming days. He said some small businesses and high-tech companies would be allowed to reopen, more people could return to their offices, and small public prayers and limited exercise could take place. Special education classes and certain child-care arrangements will resume.
Netanyahu said the measures, expected to be approved by his Cabinet, would be reviewed after two weeks. Depending on their success, restrictions will be further eased at that time.
Despite the signs of progress, Israeli authorities closed off two small Arab towns in the north to prevent the spread of the virus. Police said movement into and out of Deir al-Assad and neighboring Bineh would be strictly limited. Israeli authorities have imposed similar closures on some ultra-Orthodox Jewish areas, where cases spiked after many disregarded health guidelines in the early days of the pandemic.
Netanyahu called on Israeli Muslims to refrain from large gatherings during the upcoming Ramadan holy month, just as Jews were forced to do during the just-ended Passover holiday. He also said Israel’s upcoming Memorial Day and Independence Day would also need to be marked privately at home.
Israel, which imposed nationwide restrictions and ordered all non-essential businesses to close in mid-March, has reported more than 13,000 cases, including 164 deaths.
Elsewhere in the region, Syria announced it will shorten curfew hours by 90 minutes a day and allow some shops and small businesses to open on alternate days of the week during the holy month of Ramadan, which starts next week.
Mosques will remain closed to communal prayers until at least May 2, the government said. Syria, considered a high-risk country by the World Health Organization because of the destruction of its health care infrastructure during the nine-year war, has only recorded 38 infections and two deaths in government-controlled areas.
Sudanese formed long lines outside bakeries and fuel stations early Saturday ahead of a round-the-clock curfew in the capital, Khartoum, that is set to last three weeks. The country, which is still reeling from last year’s uprising that toppled longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir, has reported 66 cases, including 10 deaths.
An outbreak in Sudan would severely strain the health system, which has been weakened by decades of civil war and sanctions.
Authorities have also banned Friday prayers in Khartoum mosques, a measure taken by several other countries in the region. The transitional government sacked Khartoum’s governor, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Abdoun Hamad, after he objected to the ban.
___
Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--Hong Kong police arrest democracy activists, media tycoon

HONG KONG ( AP ) - Hong Kong police arrested at least 14 veteran pro-democracy lawmakers , activists and a media tycoon on Saturday on charges of joining unlawful protests last year calling for reforms .
Among those arrested were 81-year-old activist and former lawmaker Martin Lee and democracy advocates Albert Ho , Lee Cheuk-yan and Au Nok-hin .
Police also arrested media tycoon Jimmy Lai , who founded the local newspaper Apple Daily .
Lai , Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum - a former lawmaker from the Democratic Party - were charged in February over their involvement in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
The protests in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory against proposed extradition legislation exposed deep divisions between democracy-minded Hong Kongers and the Communist Party-ruled central government in Beijing .
The bill - which would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial - has been withdrawn , but the protests continued for more than seven months , centered around demands for voting rights and an independent inquiry into police conduct .
While the protests began peacefully , they increasingly descended into violence after demonstrators became frustrated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel that Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has ignored their demands and used the police to suppress them .
The League of Social Democrats wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday that its leaders were among those arrested , including chairman Raphael Wong .
They were accused of participating in two unauthorized protests on Aug. 18 and Oct. 1 last year .

HONG KONG (AP) - The United States condemned the arrests of at least 14 veteran pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on charges of joining massive anti-government protests last year, saying the police action jeopardizes a high degree of autonomy guaranteed the southern Chinese city.
Among those arrested Saturday were 81-year-old activist and former lawmaker Martin Lee and democracy advocates Albert Ho, Lee Cheuk-yan and Au Nok-hin. Police also arrested media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who founded the local newspaper Apple Daily.
The sweeping crackdown amid a coronavirus pandemic is based on charges of unlawful assembly stemming from huge rallies against proposed China extradition legislation that exposed deep divisions between democracy-minded Hong Kongers and the Communist Party-ruled central government in Beijing.
The bill - which would have allowed the residents of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory to be sent to mainland to stand trial - has been withdrawn, but the protests continued for more than seven months, centered around demands for voting rights and an independent inquiry into police conduct.
While the protests began peacefully, they increasingly descended into violence after demonstrators became frustrated with the government’s response. They feel that Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has ignored their demands and used the police to suppress them.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement condemned the arrests.
“Beijing and its representatives in Hong Kong continue to take actions inconsistent with commitments made under the Sino-British Joint Declaration that include transparency, the rule of law, and guarantees that Hong Kong will continue to ‘enjoy a high degree of autonomy,’” Pompeo said. He was referring to the 1997 handover of the former British colony to China, which promised the city would enjoy political freedoms not afforded mainland China.
Attorney General William Barr also weighed in with a statement saying these events show how “antithetical the values of the Chinese Communist Party are to those we share in Western liberal democracies. These actions - along with its malign influence activity and industrial espionage here in the United States - demonstrate once again that the Chinese Communist Party cannot be trusted.”
Britain’s Foreign Office also criticized the arrests, saying “the right to peaceful protest is fundamental to Hong Kong’s way of life and as such is protected in both the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.”
Beijing has accused the U.S. and other Western countries of instigating the protests and insists they’re China’s internal affairs.
The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong said police were enforcing the law against those suspected of organizing and participating in unauthorized assemblies, and foreign countries have no right to interfere, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.
“It is completely wrong that the U.K. Foreign Office spokesperson has distorted the truth by painting unauthorized assemblies as ‘peaceful protests,’ in a bid to whitewash, condone and exonerate the anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong,” the statement said.
Lai, Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum - a former lawmaker from the Democratic Party who was also arrested - were charged in February over their involvement in a rally on Aug. 31 last year.
The Hong Kong authorities had denied permission for most of the rallies and police increasingly used tear gas and pepper spray against demonstrators, arresting hundreds.
The League of Social Democrats wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday that its leaders were among those arrested, including chairman Raphael Wong. They were accused of participating in two unauthorized protests on Aug. 18 and Oct. 1 last year.


washingtontimes--2020-04-18--AP Week in Pictures, Global

AP Week in Pictures, Global

This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by The Associated Press from around the @ @ @ @ @ curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York .

APRIL 11 - 17, 2020
This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by The Associated Press from around the world.
The selection was curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York.
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