washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Gardener's Notebook: How to plant for fragrant summer nights

Neither evening stocks nor jasmine tobacco are particularly worthy plants by day .
But as darkness falls , the petals of each of these flowers unfurl to release a delicious , heavy scent .
Jasmine tobacco ’ s petals unfold colorful or pure white trumpets , the latter of which especially glow in the moonlight .
The small white petals of evening stocks shine like little , bright stars .
These two unrelated plants make congenial companions for you and each other on summer nights .
Jasmine tobacco is one of a few species of nicotiana ( pronounced nee-KO-shee-ay-na ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the word “ nicotiana ” does look like “ nicotine , ” and smoking tobacco is another nicotiana species . )
All species of nicotiana are in the nightshade family and , like their relatives , tomatoes , eggplants and peppers , they demand a rich , warm soil in the sun .
For earliest flowers , sow the seeds indoors a few weeks before the last spring frost .
Jasmine tobacco is an annual , each plant forming a rosette of leaves at ground level and a flowering spike a couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New varieties have been bred which are more compact and which bloom in daylight , hopefully with no loss of scent .
Stocks represent two species , one grown mostly for its showy flowers and the other for its nocturnal aroma .
The scented stock , known as evening or night-scented stock , is botanically Matthiola bicornis .
Evening stock is an annual that blooms from July through September .
In contrast to jasmine tobacco , evening stock is a low-growing , straggly plant , a ball of wiry stems with small leaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous night ’ s flowers and the unopened buds of flowers for nights to follow are not much to look at by day .
Another plant called “ stock ” but more commonly called hoary stock or tenweeks stock is , botanically , Matthiola incana .
This one yields colorful , showy spikes of blossoms , also with fragrance .
AT THEIR BEST AT NIGHT Because jasmine tobacco and evening stock are not at their best by day , consider hiding these Cinderellas among showier flowers .
A nice companion for stocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast to complement each plant .
Like stock , gazania is low-growing with thin petals , but its flowers are large , solitary , sunny-yellow daisies .
Keep gazania and stocks near the front of a sunny bed , where they will not be shaded or hidden by taller plants .
Tall , spiky jasmine tobacco needs to be placed near the back of a bed for visual balance .
Fill the spaces jasmine tobacco will leave bare by day by combining it with other tall flowers such as large delphiniums or large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , white jasmine tobacco flowers will come into view as the day-bloomers recede into the darkness .
Plant jasmine tobacco and evening stock where they can be enjoyed on summer nights .
Outside my back door , I once had a small , semicircular flower bed that was home to both these night-scented plants .
When atmospheric conditions were right , the fragrance could make you delirious .
I am not sure what exactly those optimal atmospheric conditions were , but the typical calm summer night seemed to fill the bill .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gather beneath the window just above the flower bed , waiting to be wafted indoors by the slightest breeze .
That flower bed is gone , but a new one will be home to these plants next year , with delirious summer nights to follow .
Lee Reich has been writing a gardening column for The Associated Press for nearly 20 years .
He has worked in plant and soil research with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cornell University .
His “ farmden ” - more than a garden , less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a testing and demonstration ground for techniques in soil care , pruning , and growing fruits and vegetables .
His books include “ The Pruning Book ” and “ Weedless Gardening.
” He blogs at http : //www.leereich.com/blog and can be reached at [ email protected ]

Neither evening stocks nor jasmine tobacco are particularly worthy plants by day. But as darkness falls, the petals of each of these flowers unfurl to release a delicious, heavy scent.
Jasmine tobacco’s petals unfold colorful or pure white trumpets, the latter of which especially glow in the moonlight. The small white petals of evening stocks shine like little, bright stars. These two unrelated plants make congenial companions for you and each other on summer nights.
TWO PLANTS FOR NIGHT-TIME FRAGRANCE
Jasmine tobacco is one of a few species of nicotiana (pronounced nee-KO-shee-ay-na), botanically Nicotiana alata. (Yes, the word “nicotiana” does look like “nicotine,” and smoking tobacco is another nicotiana species.)
All species of nicotiana are in the nightshade family and, like their relatives, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, they demand a rich, warm soil in the sun. For earliest flowers, sow the seeds indoors a few weeks before the last spring frost.
Jasmine tobacco is an annual, each plant forming a rosette of leaves at ground level and a flowering spike a couple of feet high, or more. New varieties have been bred which are more compact and which bloom in daylight, hopefully with no loss of scent.
Stocks represent two species, one grown mostly for its showy flowers and the other for its nocturnal aroma. The scented stock, known as evening or night-scented stock, is botanically Matthiola bicornis.
Evening stock is an annual that blooms from July through September. In contrast to jasmine tobacco, evening stock is a low-growing, straggly plant, a ball of wiry stems with small leaves and flowers. The wilted remains of the previous night’s flowers and the unopened buds of flowers for nights to follow are not much to look at by day.
Another plant called “stock” but more commonly called hoary stock or tenweeks stock is, botanically, Matthiola incana. This one yields colorful, showy spikes of blossoms, also with fragrance.
AT THEIR BEST AT NIGHT
Because jasmine tobacco and evening stock are not at their best by day, consider hiding these Cinderellas among showier flowers. A nice companion for stocks is gazania, which provides just enough contrast to complement each plant. Like stock, gazania is low-growing with thin petals, but its flowers are large, solitary, sunny-yellow daisies. Keep gazania and stocks near the front of a sunny bed, where they will not be shaded or hidden by taller plants.
Tall, spiky jasmine tobacco needs to be placed near the back of a bed for visual balance. Fill the spaces jasmine tobacco will leave bare by day by combining it with other tall flowers such as large delphiniums or large zinnias and asters. In the evening, white jasmine tobacco flowers will come into view as the day-bloomers recede into the darkness.
Plant jasmine tobacco and evening stock where they can be enjoyed on summer nights. Outside my back door, I once had a small, semicircular flower bed that was home to both these night-scented plants. When atmospheric conditions were right, the fragrance could make you delirious. I am not sure what exactly those optimal atmospheric conditions were, but the typical calm summer night seemed to fill the bill. On such nights, the heavy aroma would gather beneath the window just above the flower bed, waiting to be wafted indoors by the slightest breeze.
That flower bed is gone, but a new one will be home to these plants next year, with delirious summer nights to follow.
___
Lee Reich has been writing a gardening column for The Associated Press for nearly 20 years. He has worked in plant and soil research with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cornell University. His “farmden” - more than a garden, less than a farm - in upstate New York is a testing and demonstration ground for techniques in soil care, pruning, and growing fruits and vegetables. His books include “The Pruning Book” and “Weedless Gardening.” He blogs at http://www.leereich.com/blog and can be reached at garden@leereich.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Kansas City police identify man shot to death in garage

KANSAS CITY , Mo .
( AP ) - Kansas City have identified a man who was shot to death @ @ @ @ @ week .
Andrew Dickie , 35 , died in the shooting that happened around 5:30 @ @ @ @ @ , police said in a news release .
Officers sent to the house found a @ @ @ @ @ Dickie , with gunshot wounds inside the home ’ s garage .
Dickie was declared @ @ @ @ @ Witnesses told police that two suspects pulled up to the home in a vehicle and @ @ @ @ @ shot him .
Detectives canvassed the area looking for other witnesses and were working to @ @ @ @ @ suspects , police said .
No arrests had been reported by Tuesday morning .

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Kansas City have identified a man who was shot to death in his garage early this week.
Andrew Dickie, 35, died in the shooting that happened around 5:30 p.m. Sunday along The Paseo, police said in a news release. Officers sent to the house found a man, later identified as Dickie, with gunshot wounds inside the home’s garage. Dickie was declared dead at the scene.
Witnesses told police that two suspects pulled up to the home in a vehicle and talked with Dickie before they shot him. Detectives canvassed the area looking for other witnesses and were working to get a description of the suspects, police said. No arrests had been reported by Tuesday morning.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Thai finance minister quits 1 month after appointment

BANGKOK ( AP ) - Thailand ’ s finance minister resigned unexpectedly Tuesday after less than a month in the @ @ @ @ @ was responsible for helping restore an economy slammed by the coronavirus .
The Royal Gazette @ @ @ @ @ that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had accepted the resignation of Predee Daochai .
Thai media @ @ @ @ @ source that Predee , 61 , had resigned for health reasons , but no officials @ @ @ @ @ .
Predee , who was chairman of the Thai Bankers ’ Association ahead of his @ @ @ @ @ his job as co-president of Thailand ’ s Kasikorn Bank before joining the government .
@ @ @ @ @ which took effect Aug. 6 , was part of the formation of a new team @ @ @ @ @ economic affairs .
Thailand ’ s economy has been badly shaken by the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ the important tourism industry .
The Asian Development Bank forecast that Thailand ’ s economy @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 , compared to its December 2019 projection of 3.0 % growth .

BANGKOK (AP) - Thailand’s finance minister resigned unexpectedly Tuesday after less than a month in the job, in which he was responsible for helping restore an economy slammed by the coronavirus.
The Royal Gazette said in a three-line announcement that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had accepted the resignation of Predee Daochai. Thai media reported earlier without citing a source that Predee, 61, had resigned for health reasons, but no officials were willing to publicly comment.
Predee, who was chairman of the Thai Bankers’ Association ahead of his Cabinet appointment, had resigned his job as co-president of Thailand’s Kasikorn Bank before joining the government.
Predee’s appointment, which took effect Aug. 6, was part of the formation of a new team in the Cabinet to handle economic affairs.
Thailand’s economy has been badly shaken by the coronavirus, which has battered exports and the important tourism industry.
The Asian Development Bank forecast that Thailand’s economy will contract by 6.5% in 2020, compared to its December 2019 projection of 3.0% growth.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Boston Symphony Orchestra celebrates birthday of Seiji Ozawa

BOSTON ( AP ) - The Boston Symphony Orchestra , along with several other organizations around the world , are celebrating conductor Seiji Ozawa ’ s 85th birthday on Tuesday .
The BSO is encouraging fans worldwide to honor his birthday on social media with the hashtag # happybirthdayseiji .
As part of the celebration , Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has issued a proclamation declaring Tuesday “ Seiji Ozawa Day in the City of Boston.
” Ozawa is the longest-serving conductor in Boston Symphony history , holding the title of music director for 29 years from 1973 until 2002 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Japan Philharmonic , Carnegie Hall , Vienna Philharmonic , Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival , Seiji Ozawa Music Academy , Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy Okushiga , and Decca recording label .
“ For me , Boston is like my second home .
I love and miss all my colleagues and friends at the Boston Symphony Orchestra , ” Ozawa said in a statement .
Ozawa holds a special place in the hearts and minds of colleagues worldwide , BSO President and CEO Mark Volpe said in a statement .
“ Those of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been present for the fantastic music making he elicits from an orchestra have been dazzled by his conducting , often described as balletic and always without a score , ” Volpe said .

BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Symphony Orchestra is asking the music world to help it celebrate former conductor Seiji Ozawa’s 85th birthday Tuesday.
The orchestra is encouraging fans to honor his birthday on social media with the hashtag #happybirthdayseiji.
As part of the celebration, Mayor Marty Walsh has issued a proclamation declaring Tuesday “Seiji Ozawa Day in the City of Boston.”
Ozawa is the longest-serving conductor in Boston Symphony history, holding the title of music director for 29 years from 1973 until 2002.
He has also been affiliated with the New Japan Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, the Vienna Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and New York’s Metropolitan Opera.
But Ozawa, who lives in Tokyo with his family, said in a written statement, “For me, Boston is like my second home. I love and miss all my colleagues and friends at the Boston Symphony Orchestra.”
Ozawa holds a special place in the hearts and minds of colleagues worldwide, orchestra President and CEO Mark Volpe said in a written statement.
“Those of us fortunate to know him and to have been present for the fantastic music making he elicits from an orchestra have been dazzled by his conducting, often described as balletic and always without a score,” Volpe said.
Ozawa announced in 2010 that he had esophageal cancer, but the Boston Symphony said his health currently is “stable.”


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Everett police investigating fatal shooting in park

EVERETT , Wash. ( AP ) - Police in Everett are investigating after a man was shot and killed Monday @ @ @ @ @ shooting happened around 3:45 p.m. at Langus Riverfront Park , just west of I-5 and @ @ @ @ @ Police said they found the man dead at the scene .
The suspect ’ s @ @ @ @ @ SUV and fled after the shooting .

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) - Police in Everett are investigating after a man was shot and killed Monday afternoon.
KIRO-TV reports the shooting happened around 3:45 p.m. at Langus Riverfront Park, just west of I-5 and on the Snohomish River.
Police said they found the man dead at the scene.
The suspect’s vehicle was described as an SUV and fled after the shooting.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Tunisia's parliament votes on new prime minister amid crisis

TUNIS , Tunisia ( AP ) - The Tunisian parliament is holding a confidence vote Tuesday on a new prime minister and his proposed government as the North African country faces deep economic crisis worsened by the coronavirus pandemic and after a conflict-of-interest scandal pushed out the previous officeholder .
If Prime Minister-designate Hichem Mechichi wins the confidence vote , his government would be the third Tunisia has seen since October and the ninth since the revolution that brought down Tunisia ’ s autocratic regime in 2011 and triggered Arab Spring uprisings across the region .
Tunisia ’ s parliament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year after marathon debate .
Lawmakers eventually approved a replacement candidate , Elyes Fakhfakh , but he stepped down as prime minister last month amid anger over his holdings in a waste processing company that won state contracts .
Mechichi , 46 , is a former interior minister and lawyer who studied in Tunisia and France .
He proposed a government with 25 ministers and three secretaries of state that includes seven women and a blind man .
Ahead of the vote , he said the new government would focus on “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the urgent concerns of Tunisians.
” Tunisia ’ s economy was already struggling when the virus hit , hurting the country ’ s important tourism sector among others .
According to the National Institute of Statistics , the unemployment rate grew from 15 % to 18 % in the first half of 2020 , and gross domestic product shrank 21 % in the second quarter .
After days of tense negotiations , Islamist movement Ennahdha , which has the largest parliamentary bloc , announced just hours before the scheduled confidence vote that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
Some other parties have also promised their support .
If the government is rejected , the president could dissolve parliament and call a new election .

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) - The prime minister-designate of Tunisia spelled out his plans to “save the country” ahead of a parliamentary vote of confidence on his proposed government Tuesday as the North African country faces a deep economic crisis worsened by the coronavirus pandemic.
If Prime Minister-designate Hichem Mechichi wins the confidence vote, his government would be the third Tunisia has seen since October and the ninth since the revolution that brought down Tunisia’s autocratic regime in 2011 and triggered Arab Spring uprisings across the region.
Tunisia’s parliament voted down a previous prime minister-designate earlier this year after marathon debate. Lawmakers eventually approved a replacement candidate, Elyes Fakhfakh, but he stepped down as prime minister last month amid anger over his holdings in a waste processing company that won state contracts.
Mechichi, 46, is a former interior minister and lawyer who studied in Tunisia and France. He proposed a government with 25 ministers and three secretaries of state that includes seven women and a blind man. The government lineup upset some lawmakers because it includes few representing political parties.
Before the confidence vote, Mechichi said the new government would focus on “social and economic questions and respond to the urgent concerns of Tunisians.”
“The dream of a new Tunisia which assures freedom, dignity and equity has transformed into disillusion, deception and hopelessness, pushing some Tunisians to board boats of death,” he said, referring to young people who set out for Europe in search of better lives.
“The basics of a decent life, like roads, water to drink, a teacher in school and a doctor in a hospital” are not now assured, Mechichi said.
The priorities of his government include reducing public finances and restructuring state-owned companies, which are largely in debt and sucking money from a state budget that devotes 42% of funds to paying civil servants.
Like previous prime ministers, Mechichi also stressed the need to invest in the marginalized regions that played a key role in toppling Tunisia’s autocratic leader nearly 10 years ago.
Tunisia’s economy was already struggling when the virus hit, hurting the country’s important tourism sector among others. According to the National Institute of Statistics, the unemployment rate grew from 15% to 18% in the first half of 2020, and gross domestic product shrank 21% in the second quarter.
After days of tense negotiations, Islamist movement Ennahdha, which has the largest parliamentary bloc, announced just hours before the scheduled confidence vote that it would vote in favor of the Mechichi government. Some other parties have also promised their support.
If the government is rejected, the president could dissolve parliament and call a new election.
___
Mehdi El Arem in Tunisia contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Search continues in the Rappahannock for missing kayaker

FREDERICKSBURG , Va. ( AP ) - Search teams have so far been unsuccessful in their search for a kayaker @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Rappahannock River .
Paige Pearson , a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of @ @ @ @ @ Free Lance-Star that the search will start up again on Tuesday morning .
The male @ @ @ @ @ City Dock on Sunday with a female companion who was in another kayak .
The @ @ @ @ @ kayak in the river ’ s current .
The man tried to help but his @ @ @ @ @ said the man was able to hold on to his own kayak briefly before letting @ @ @ @ @ safely to shore .
Adam Lynch , a river steward with Friends of the Rappahannock @ @ @ @ @ s water level is higher than normal from heavy rains and is unsafe for recreational @ @ @ @ @ not recommend anyone going out on the river for the next couple of days at @ @ @ @ @ .

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) - Search teams have so far been unsuccessful in their search for a kayaker who went missing on Virginia’s Rappahannock River.
Paige Pearson, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, told The Free Lance-Star that the search will start up again on Tuesday morning.
The male kayaker had left the Fredericksburg City Dock on Sunday with a female companion who was in another kayak. The woman had trouble controlling her kayak in the river’s current. The man tried to help but his own kayak flipped.
Pearson said the man was able to hold on to his own kayak briefly before letting go. The woman returned safely to shore.
Adam Lynch, a river steward with Friends of the Rappahannock, said the river’s water level is higher than normal from heavy rains and is unsafe for recreational use.
“We would not recommend anyone going out on the river for the next couple of days at least,” said Lynch.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--German parliament set to hold inquiry on Wirecard scandal

BERLIN ( AP ) - German opposition parties plan to trigger a parliamentary inquiry into the downfall of bankrupt payment company Wirecard , a development that could be uncomfortable for the government ahead of an election next year .
Green party lawmaker Danyal Bayaz said Tuesday that his party backs an inquiry , news agency dpa reported .
His party joined the pro-business Free Democrats and the Left Party in seeking the inquiry , and between them they have enough lawmakers to force one .
One-time tech star Wirecard filed for protection from creditors through insolvency proceedings in June after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.3 billion ) that was supposedly held in trust accounts in the Philippines probably did not exist .
Former CEO Markus Braun has been arrested , along with the company ’ s former chief financial officer and former head of accounting .
They are suspected of defrauding investors of some 3.2 billion euros by inflating the company ’ s balance sheet .
Investigators last month issued a wanted notice for former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek .
The scandal has led to questions about the response of Germany ’ s national financial watchdog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to oversee companies , and about who in the government knew what and when .
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz - recently nominated as his struggling center-left party ’ s candidate for chancellor in an election expected a year from now - has defended the financial watchdog .
Center-right Chancellor Angela Merkel , who lobbied for Wirecard ’ s entry into the Chinese market during a trip to China a year ago , has said she didn ’ t know about any irregularities at the time .
The far-right party Alternative for Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other parties shun it and don ’ t want to rely on its votes .

BERLIN (AP) - German opposition parties plan to trigger a parliamentary inquiry into the downfall of bankrupt payment company Wirecard, a development that could be uncomfortable for the government ahead of an election next year.
Green party lawmaker Danyal Bayaz said Tuesday that his party backs an inquiry, news agency dpa reported. His party joined the pro-business Free Democrats and the Left Party in seeking the inquiry, and between them they have enough lawmakers to force one.
One-time tech star Wirecard filed for protection from creditors through insolvency proceedings in June after admitting that 1.9 billion euros ($2.3 billion) that was supposedly held in trust accounts in the Philippines probably did not exist.
Former CEO Markus Braun has been arrested, along with the company’s former chief financial officer and former head of accounting. They are suspected of defrauding investors of some 3.2 billion euros by inflating the company’s balance sheet. Investigators last month issued a wanted notice for former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek.
The scandal has led to questions about the response of Germany’s national financial watchdog, about the country’s wider ability to oversee companies, and about who in the government knew what and when.
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz - recently nominated as his struggling center-left party’s candidate for chancellor in an election expected a year from now - has defended the financial watchdog. Center-right Chancellor Angela Merkel, who lobbied for Wirecard’s entry into the Chinese market during a trip to China a year ago, has said she didn’t know about any irregularities at the time.
The far-right party Alternative for Germany also favors a parliamentary inquiry, but other parties shun it and don’t want to rely on its votes.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Richard Neal beats Alex Morse in Massachusetts House primary

BOSTON — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts , the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee , held off Democratic challenger Alex Morse in Tuesday ’ s primary after an acrimonious campaign that included allegations of sexual misconduct leveled at his younger opponent .
The 71-year-old Neal - the longest-serving member of the state ’ s all-Democratic congressional delegation - defeated 31-year-old Morse , seen as a political rising star after becoming one of Massachusetts ’ youngest and only openly gay mayors since becoming chief executive of Holyoke in 2011 at age 22 .
Both had collected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign : Neal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Morse from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York .
The race was marked by allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with students by Morse when he was an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst .
Morse insisted his relationships with college students were consensual .
In mid-August , the university said it launched an independent review .
Morse suggested the allegations were politically motivated and publicly blamed Neal ’ s supporters , denouncing what he called “ a backroom political smear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from LGBTQ rights groups including MassEquality , which said the accusations fed “ into the homophobic trope of gay men as predators.
” Neal first was elected to the U.S. House in 1988 to represent the state ’ s 1st congressional district , which encompasses the western portion of the state , including Pittsfield , Springfield , Lenox , North Adams and Stockbridge .
Neal will run unopposed in the November general election after Republicans failed to field a candidate .

BOSTON — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, held off Democratic challenger Alex Morse in Tuesday’s primary after an acrimonious campaign that included allegations of sexual misconduct leveled at his younger opponent.
The 71-year-old Neal - the longest-serving member of the state’s all-Democratic congressional delegation - defeated 31-year-old Morse, seen as a political rising star after becoming one of Massachusetts’ youngest and only openly gay mayors since becoming chief executive of Holyoke in 2011 at age 22.
Both had collected high-profile endorsements in the last days of the campaign: Neal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Morse from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
The race was marked by allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with students by Morse when he was an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Morse insisted his relationships with college students were consensual. In mid-August, the university said it launched an independent review.
Morse suggested the allegations were politically motivated and publicly blamed Neal’s supporters, denouncing what he called “a backroom political smear against this campaign.”
Morse won support from LGBTQ rights groups including MassEquality, which said the accusations fed “into the homophobic trope of gay men as predators.”
Neal first was elected to the U.S. House in 1988 to represent the state’s 1st congressional district, which encompasses the western portion of the state, including Pittsfield, Springfield, Lenox, North Adams and Stockbridge.
Neal will run unopposed in the November general election after Republicans failed to field a candidate.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Santa Fe, McKinley County win larger federal relief grants

SANTA FE , N.M. ( AP ) - The Santa Fe area emerged as a major beneficiary of federal relief funds for local government , as the state of New Mexico assigned nearly $ 100 million to towns , cities and counties to offset spending on the pandemic response .
The city of Santa Fe was awarded $ 17.6 million in possible reimbursements , and Santa Fe County can receive up to $ 10.5 - accounting together for 28 % of direct grant awards announced Tuesday .
McKinley County , which has the state ’ s highest tally of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct grant award of $ 16.1 million .
Details of grant applications were unavailable .
“ Every applicant received funding .
No one gets left behind , ” New Mexico Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a news release that listed 83 recipients .
New Mexico ’ s largest city and county - Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County - previously received direct relief funds from the federal government and were not included .
The Department of Finance and Administration also announced the distribution of $ 50 million in small business grant funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments in turn will distribute that money to hard-hit businesses with 50 or fewer employees and annual revenues of $ 2 million of less prior to the pandemic .
Finance and Administration Secretary Debbie Romero said the criteria was designed to reach businesses that may have missed out on earlier federal relief through the federal Paycheck Protection Program .
The top conduits for the small business grants include the city of Las Cruces , with a $ 5.4 million allocation , and Clovis , with $ 4.3 million .
Details of individual applications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not immediately available Tuesday .
Romero said the department was working hard to close out the application process and would eventually respond to public-records requests .
Romero said direct grant awards to local government take into consideration spending on compliance with emergency health orders , including public safety efforts - expenses that clearly qualify for federal reimbursement .
That approach has prompted concerns of possible favoritism amid clashes between local and state officials over the governor ’ s approach to reopening the economy .
New Mexico currently limits gathers to 10 people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-day self-quarantine for visitors and places a variety of restrictions on businesses .
New relief awards were approved irrespective of state sanctions against local businesses that defy emergency health orders , litigation or disagreements with local authorities on enforcement , Romero said .
“ The one thing we didn ’ t want was this to be a political process .
This is based purely on the merits of the applications , ” she said .
The state awarded $ 2 million in small business grants for distribution by Cibola County , the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The area has been of hotbed of resistance by government officials and businesses to enforcement of state emergency health orders .

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The Santa Fe area emerged as a major beneficiary of federal relief funds for local government, as the state of New Mexico assigned nearly $100 million to towns, cities and counties to offset spending on the pandemic response.
The city of Santa Fe was awarded $17.6 million in possible reimbursements, and Santa Fe County can receive up to $10.5 - accounting together for 28% of direct grant awards announced Tuesday.
McKinley County, which has the state’s highest tally of COVID-19 infections per capita, received an outsized direct grant award of $16.1 million. Details of grant applications were unavailable.
“Every applicant received funding. No one gets left behind,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a news release that listed 83 recipients.
New Mexico’s largest city and county - Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County - previously received direct relief funds from the federal government and were not included.
The Department of Finance and Administration also announced the distribution of $50 million in small business grant funds to municipal governments and counties. Local governments in turn will distribute that money to hard-hit businesses with 50 or fewer employees and annual revenues of $2 million of less prior to the pandemic.
Finance and Administration Secretary Debbie Romero said the criteria was designed to reach businesses that may have missed out on earlier federal relief through the federal Paycheck Protection Program.
The top conduits for the small business grants include the city of Las Cruces, with a $5.4 million allocation, and Clovis, with $4.3 million.
Details of individual applications for relief funding and business grants were not immediately available Tuesday. Romero said the department was working hard to close out the application process and would eventually respond to public-records requests.
Romero said direct grant awards to local government take into consideration spending on compliance with emergency health orders, including public safety efforts - expenses that clearly qualify for federal reimbursement.
That approach has prompted concerns of possible favoritism amid clashes between local and state officials over the governor’s approach to reopening the economy. New Mexico currently limits gathers to 10 people, mandates masks in pubic, requires a 14-day self-quarantine for visitors and places a variety of restrictions on businesses.
New relief awards were approved irrespective of state sanctions against local businesses that defy emergency health orders, litigation or disagreements with local authorities on enforcement, Romero said.
“The one thing we didn’t want was this to be a political process. This is based purely on the merits of the applications,” she said.
The state awarded $2 million in small business grants for distribution by Cibola County, the city of Grants and the village of Milan. The area has been of hotbed of resistance by government officials and businesses to enforcement of state emergency health orders.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Virtual learning in Miami-Dade halted by cyberattack, glitch

MIAMI ( AP ) - A cyberattack and a software glitch plagued Florida ’ s largest school district during the @ @ @ @ @ virtual start to the school year , officials said Tuesday .
Miami-Dade County Public Schools @ @ @ @ @ a news conference that the district suffered a distributed denial of service attack Monday morning @ @ @ @ @ access to the district ’ s servers , the Miami Herald reported .
The glitch @ @ @ @ @ online school district features useless and teaching nearly impossible .
The FBI and Secret Service @ @ @ @ @ subpoenaed the school district ’ s internet provider , Carvalho said .
He added that @ @ @ @ @ resolved and optimized .
Whoever conducted the cyberattack did not hack in or penetrate district @ @ @ @ @ It wasn ’ t known who initiated the attack , but Carvalho said he wants @ @ @ @ @ extent of the law .

MIAMI (AP) - A cyberattack and a software glitch plagued Florida’s largest school district during the first two days of its virtual start to the school year, officials said Tuesday.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said during a news conference that the district suffered a distributed denial of service attack Monday morning as a software glitch blocked access to the district’s servers, the Miami Herald reported. The glitch and DDoS attack rendered multiple online school district features useless and teaching nearly impossible.
The FBI and Secret Service have been called in and subpoenaed the school district’s internet provider, Carvalho said. He added that the glitch has been completely resolved and optimized.
Whoever conducted the cyberattack did not hack in or penetrate district servers, officials said. It wasn’t known who initiated the attack, but Carvalho said he wants them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Maryland OK to move into phase 3 of reopening

Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan said Tuesday the state can move to phase 3 of reopening due to steady improved health metrics about coronavirus cases .
Effective 5 p.m. Friday , all businesses can reopen in the state .
Movie theaters and live entertainment venues will be able to open at 50 % capacity , or up to 100 people for indoor spaces or up to 250 people for outdoor spaces .
All retail stores and houses of worship can increase from 50 % to 75 % capacity .
“ We continue to be in much better shape than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , ” Mr. Hogan , a Republican , said at a news conference .
“ And while it is absolutely critical to remain vigilant as we battle this deadly virus , it is also important that we continue to fight to protect and improve our economy and the health of our small business community and our struggling Maryland families by continuing to push to safely reopen our economy and get more people safely back to work.
” Although Mr. Hogan approved the next phase of reopening , he said the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses and schools can open .
Maryland entered phased 2 of reopening on June 3 .
The statewide positivity rate was 3.39 % as of Tuesday and the rate has remained below 5 % for 68 consecutive days and under 4 % since Aug. 8 , he said , also noting that hospitalization rates and ICU levels are down .
State health department data shows the coronavirus has sickened more than 108,800 residents in Maryland and killed more than 3,600 .
Ahead of Labor Day weekend , Mr. Hogan shared the most common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus since mid-July .
Family gatherings secured the top spot at 41 % followed by house parties and outdoor events at 19 % .
“ I want to remind the people of Maryland that moving into stage three does not mean that this crisis is behind us and remind them that we must remain vigilant so that we can keep Maryland open for business , ” he said .
Also on Tuesday , the Maryland State Board of Elections voted to require school systems that have not developed plans for in-person instruction for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those plans .
Of the 24 school jurisdictions , 16 of them developed and submitted plans that included in-person instruction for this year while eight of them did not submit plans with intentions of bringing kids back to classrooms .
Last week , Mr. Hogan announced all school systems can safely reopen with some in-person instruction .
This week , all students in public schools in Montgomery and Prince George ’ s counties , which have the highest number of coronavirus cases in the state , began their first day of school online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall academic term with remote learning only .
Meanwhile , in an effort to boost contact tracing efforts , Maryland is partnering with Apple and Google to use Exposure Notification Express , an app that is designed to help public health officials more quickly alert residents about possible COVID-19 exposures .
The State Board of Elections on Tuesday also informed Mr. Hogan that it has sent mail-in ballot applications to every Maryland voter , a task the governor asked the board to complete weeks ago .

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday the state can move to phase 3 of reopening due to steady improved health metrics about coronavirus cases.
Effective 5 p.m. Friday, all businesses can reopen in the state. Movie theaters and live entertainment venues will be able to open at 50% capacity, or up to 100 people for indoor spaces or up to 250 people for outdoor spaces. All retail stores and houses of worship can increase from 50% to 75% capacity.
“We continue to be in much better shape than the nation and better than most states across the country,” Mr. Hogan, a Republican, said at a news conference. “And while it is absolutely critical to remain vigilant as we battle this deadly virus, it is also important that we continue to fight to protect and improve our economy and the health of our small business community and our struggling Maryland families by continuing to push to safely reopen our economy and get more people safely back to work.”
Although Mr. Hogan approved the next phase of reopening, he said the law still empowers individual jurisdictions to dictate when businesses and schools can open. Maryland entered phased 2 of reopening on June 3.
The statewide positivity rate was 3.39% as of Tuesday and the rate has remained below 5% for 68 consecutive days and under 4% since Aug. 8, he said, also noting that hospitalization rates and ICU levels are down.
State health department data shows the coronavirus has sickened more than 108,800 residents in Maryland and killed more than 3,600.
Ahead of Labor Day weekend, Mr. Hogan shared the most common activities for people who tested positive for coronavirus since mid-July. Family gatherings secured the top spot at 41% followed by house parties and outdoor events at 19%.
“I want to remind the people of Maryland that moving into stage three does not mean that this crisis is behind us and remind them that we must remain vigilant so that we can keep Maryland open for business,” he said.
Also on Tuesday, the Maryland State Board of Elections voted to require school systems that have not developed plans for in-person instruction for this year to go back and reevaluate those plans.
Of the 24 school jurisdictions, 16 of them developed and submitted plans that included in-person instruction for this year while eight of them did not submit plans with intentions of bringing kids back to classrooms. Last week, Mr. Hogan announced all school systems can safely reopen with some in-person instruction.
This week, all students in public schools in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, which have the highest number of coronavirus cases in the state, began their first day of school online. Both counties intend to complete the fall academic term with remote learning only.
Meanwhile, in an effort to boost contact tracing efforts, Maryland is partnering with Apple and Google to use Exposure Notification Express, an app that is designed to help public health officials more quickly alert residents about possible COVID-19 exposures.
The State Board of Elections on Tuesday also informed Mr. Hogan that it has sent mail-in ballot applications to every Maryland voter, a task the governor asked the board to complete weeks ago.
• Shen Wu Tan can be reached at stan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Virginia couple's premature twins emerge from neonatal intensive care during coronavirus pandemic

Babies born prematurely face a number of difficulties — and COVID-19 only adds another layer of complication and worry , Susan and Matt Leas say .
The Occoquan , Virginia , couple ’ s twins , Sophia and Patrick , were born around the 25th week of pregnancy on March 21 at Inova Fairfax Hospital .
Patrick tipped the scales at 2 pounds 8 ounces , and Sophia at just 1 pound 11 ounces .
Hospital staff quickly placed them on ventilators and moved them to the neonatal intensive care unit ( NICU ) , where they were monitored , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick was allowed to go home on July 23 , and Sophia on Aug. 6 after fighting a couple of bouts of bacterial infections .
“ It was terrifying every single day because , if one of us got it [ COVID-19 ] and we had to self-quarantine , we couldn ’ t go visit the babies , ” said Mr. Leas , 37 .
“ Neither one of us could go and visit them and then they ’ d be at the hospital alone and afraid — by themselves it was absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re still being very cautious.
” Through the March of Dimes , the Leases have participated in virtual support groups ; they also have connected with a music therapist through Inova Fairfax Hospital .
“ I think it is fair to say that there is a general sense of stress and anxiety for communities around the coronavirus , as well as uncertainty about what the world will look like over the next few months , ” said Mallory Mpare , director of maternal infant health for March of Dimes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxiety extends to our moms , especially new ones who often experience challenges with postpartum depression or anxiety.
” Ms. Mpare said her nonprofit , which focuses on the health of moms and babies , recommends that new mothers “ remain in contact with your provider to ensure your physical recovery is going as expected , as well as help you identify mental health challenges you might experience and connect you to resources , such as therapy via telemedicine.
” The March of Dimes has shifted to offer more online educational programming that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its “ Healthy Moms , Strong Babies ” Facebook Live events .
Its NICU family support programs are working to provide support to families so that they feel less isolated .
For weeks after the twins ’ birth , Mrs. Leas and her husband could not hold their babies as doctors treated them in the NICU .
“ When they were born , especially because they were born preterm and we knew it was going to be a long road in the NICU , I was just really craving having visitors and having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and at least have my parents be able to come in and meet them , but they just couldn ’ t , ” said Mrs. Leas , 31 .
Newborns can catch COVID-19 after being in close contact with an infected person .
Some babies have tested positive for the virus shortly after birth , but it is unknown when they got the virus , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Most newborns diagnosed with COVID-19 had mild or no symptoms and made a full recovery .
Pregnant women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe illness from the coronavirus , and moms-to-be with COVID-19 could have an increased risk of “ adverse pregnancy outcomes ” such as preterm birth .
While some pregnant women with COVID-19 have had preterm births , it ’ s not clear if the early births were due to the virus , the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ( ACOG ) says on its website .
“ During COVID times , the concerns pregnant mothers have are multiple .
One of the most common concerns is the risk of passing COVID-19 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Dr. Tamika Auguste , chair of the OBGYN Practice Council at Medstar Health , noting the data is limited and that transmission of coronavirus to a fetus appears uncommon .
“ The other big concerns are around support during labor and what that looks like with the changes in the number of people allowed in the labor room Some new moms also have concerns about the possibility of their newborn contracting COVID-19 after birth.
” Since Mrs. Leas gave birth during the early days of the pandemic , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Doctors don ’ t know why she gave birth prematurely and found no signs of infection .
A few weeks since leaving the hospital , the twins appear to be doing well .
Patrick is almost 13 pounds and Sophia weighs more than 9 pounds , Mr. Leas said .

Babies born prematurely face a number of difficulties — and COVID-19 only adds another layer of complication and worry, Susan and Matt Leas say.
The Occoquan, Virginia, couple’s twins, Sophia and Patrick, were born around the 25th week of pregnancy on March 21 at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Patrick tipped the scales at 2 pounds 8 ounces, and Sophia at just 1 pound 11 ounces. Hospital staff quickly placed them on ventilators and moved them to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where they were monitored, tested and treated for four months. Patrick was allowed to go home on July 23, and Sophia on Aug. 6 after fighting a couple of bouts of bacterial infections.
“It was terrifying every single day because, if one of us got it [COVID-19] and we had to self-quarantine, we couldn’t go visit the babies,” said Mr. Leas, 37. “Neither one of us could go and visit them and then they’d be at the hospital alone and afraid — by themselves … It was absolutely a daunting time and it still is. We’re still being very cautious.”
Through the March of Dimes, the Leases have participated in virtual support groups; they also have connected with a music therapist through Inova Fairfax Hospital.
“I think it is fair to say that there is a general sense of stress and anxiety for communities around the coronavirus, as well as uncertainty about what the world will look like over the next few months,” said Mallory Mpare, director of maternal infant health for March of Dimes in the District. “This stress and anxiety extends to our moms, especially new ones who often experience challenges with postpartum depression or anxiety.”
Ms. Mpare said her nonprofit, which focuses on the health of moms and babies, recommends that new mothers “remain in contact with your provider to ensure your physical recovery is going as expected, as well as help you identify mental health challenges you might experience and connect you to resources, such as therapy via telemedicine.”
The March of Dimes has shifted to offer more online educational programming that is free to the public such as its “Healthy Moms, Strong Babies” Facebook Live events. Its NICU family support programs are working to provide support to families so that they feel less isolated.
For weeks after the twins’ birth, Mrs. Leas and her husband could not hold their babies as doctors treated them in the NICU.
“When they were born, especially because they were born preterm and we knew it was going to be a long road in the NICU, I was just really craving having visitors and having family help us get through that time and at least have my parents be able to come in and meet them, but they just couldn’t,” said Mrs. Leas, 31.
Newborns can catch COVID-19 after being in close contact with an infected person. Some babies have tested positive for the virus shortly after birth, but it is unknown when they got the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most newborns diagnosed with COVID-19 had mild or no symptoms and made a full recovery.
Pregnant women could be at an increased risk for severe illness from the coronavirus, and moms-to-be with COVID-19 could have an increased risk of “adverse pregnancy outcomes” such as preterm birth. While some pregnant women with COVID-19 have had preterm births, it’s not clear if the early births were due to the virus, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says on its website.
“During COVID times, the concerns pregnant mothers have are multiple. One of the most common concerns is the risk of passing COVID-19 to their unborn baby if they become infected,” said Dr. Tamika Auguste, chair of the OBGYN Practice Council at Medstar Health, noting the data is limited and that transmission of coronavirus to a fetus appears uncommon. “The other big concerns are around support during labor and what that looks like with the changes in the number of people allowed in the labor room. Some new moms also have concerns about the possibility of their newborn contracting COVID-19 after birth.”
Since Mrs. Leas gave birth during the early days of the pandemic, she said she did not get tested for the coronavirus. Doctors don’t know why she gave birth prematurely and found no signs of infection.
A few weeks since leaving the hospital, the twins appear to be doing well. Patrick is almost 13 pounds and Sophia weighs more than 9 pounds, Mr. Leas said.
• Shen Wu Tan can be reached at stan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Khmer Rouge’s chief jailer, guilty of war crimes, dies at 77

PHNOM PENH , Cambodia ( AP ) - The Khmer Rouge ’ s chief jailer , who admitted overseeing the torture and killings of as many as 16,000 Cambodians while running the regime ’ s most notorious prison , has died .
Kaing Guek Eav , known as Duch , was 77 and had been serving a life prison term for war crimes and crimes against humanity .
He died at a hospital in Cambodia early Wednesday morning , said Neak Pheaktra , a spokesperson for the tribunal in Phnom Penh that handled the trials over the regime ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in 2009 , was the first senior Khmer Rouge figure to face the U.N.-backed tribunal that had been assembled to deliver justice for the regime ’ s brutal rule in the late 1970s , which is blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people - a quarter of Cambodia ’ s population at the time .
The commander of the top-secret Tuol Sleng prison code-named S-21 was one of the few ex-Khmer Rouge who acknowledged even partial responsibility for his actions , and his trial included his own wrenchingly graphic testimony of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Men , women and children seen as enemies of the regime or who disobeyed its orders were jailed and tormented there , and only a handful survived .
“ Everyone who was arrested and sent to S-21 was presumed dead already , ” he testified in April 2009 .
Torturers under Duch beat and whipped prisoners and shocked them with electrical devices , Duch admitted to the court , but still he denied accounts from survivors and other trial witnesses that he took part in torture and executions himself .
The offspring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next generation could not take vengeance .
Duch called himself “ criminally responsible ” for babies ’ deaths but blamed his subordinates for battering the young bodies against trees .
He said the prison ’ s own guards and interrogators were killed for small mistakes and showed rare emotion on the witness stand in June 2009 while speaking of seeing his fellow revolutionaries locked in the cells of his prison .
Confessing to betraying his own friends , he said : “ That was beyond cowardly.
” When a guilty verdict was finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was sentenced to 35 years , shortened to just 19 due to time served .
The judges said they considered the Cold War context of the atrocities and Duch ’ s cooperation and expressions of remorse , however limited .
But outraged survivors feared he could one day walk free .
On appeal , the sentence was lengthened in 2012 to life in prison for his “ shocking and heinous ” crimes against the Cambodian people .
Like many key members of the Khmer Rouge , Duch was an academic before he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher joined Pol Pot ’ s movement in 1967 , three years before the U.S. started carpet-bombing Cambodia to try to wipe out Northern Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong inside the border .
The Khmer Rouge seized power in 1975 and immediately attempted a radical transformation of Cambodia into a peasant society , emptying cities and forcing the population to work on the land .
They backed up their rule with ruthless elimination of perceived enemies , and by 1976 , Duch was the trusted head of its ultimate killing machine , S-21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on all executions there and was often present when interrogators used torture to extract confessions , including pulling out prisoners ’ toenails , administering electric shocks , and waterboarding .
Despite his denials , the judges said he had at times taken part in the torture and executions himself .
The torture and executions that took place at Tuol Sleng were routinely recorded and photographed , and when the Khmer Rouge were forced from power in 1979 , the thousands of documents and film negatives left at the prison became proof of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , disappearing for almost two decades in northwestern Cambodia and converting to Christianity until a chance discovery by a British journalist in 1999 led to his arrest .
Duch has several times asked for forgiveness , even offering at one point to face a public stoning .
But his surprise request on the final day of the trial to be acquitted and freed left many wondering if his contrition was sincere .

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — The Khmer Rouge’s chief jailer, who admitted overseeing the torture and killings of as many as 16,000 Cambodians while running the regime’s most notorious prison, has died. Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, was 77 and had been serving a life prison term for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
He died at a hospital in Cambodia early Wednesday morning, said Neth Pheaktra, a spokesperson for the tribunal in Phnom Penh that handled the trials over the regime’s crimes.
Duch was admitted to Cambodian Soviet Friendship Hospital after developing difficulty breathing Monday at the Kandal provincial prison, said Chat Sineang, chief of the prison where Duch had been transferred from the tribunal’s prison facility in 2013. He added that the body would be examined for a cause of death before being handed to his family.
Duch, whose trial took place in 2009, was the first senior Khmer Rouge figure to face the U.N.-backed tribunal that had been assembled to deliver justice for the regime’s brutal rule in the late 1970s, which is blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people - a quarter of Cambodia’s population at the time.
The communist Khmer Rouge regime that ruled Cambodia from 1975-79 was accused of genocide for causing the deaths of so many of their countrymen from executions, starvation and lack of medical care due to its radical policies. Only after neighboring Vietnam pushed the Khmer Rouge from power did the scale and barbarity of their rule become absolutely clear.
As commander of the top-secret Tuol Sleng prison code-named S-21, Duch was one of the few ex-Khmer Rouge who acknowledged even partial responsibility for his actions, and his trial included his own wrenchingly graphic testimony of how people were tortured at the prison. The site in Phnom Penh which had been a secondary school before the Khmer Rouge came to power, is now a museum with stunning evidence of the cruelty with which the Khmer Rouge persecuted even its own members they accused of disloyalty.
Men, women and children seen as enemies of the regime or who disobeyed its orders were jailed and tormented there, and only a handful survived.
“Everyone who was arrested and sent to S-21 was presumed dead already,” he testified in April 2009.
The tribunal since Duch’s trial has convicted two top echelon Khmer Rouge leaders, while two other defendants died before their trials could be completed. The regime’s No. 2 leader Nuon Chea died during his appeals process. The tribunal, established in 2004 by an agreement between the U.N. and the Cambodian government, has cost more than $360 million.
The other whose appeal is under consideration, former head of state Khieu Samphan, almost certainly will be the last one to face trial, due to the Cambodian government’s opposition to any more prosecutions. The top Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998 as a prisoner of his comrades in what had shrunk to a spent force of jungle-based guerrillas.
Youk Chhang, head of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, which has collected voluminous archives about the country’s tragedy, said Duch’s death “is a reminder to us all to remember the victims of the Khmer Rouge. And that justice remains a difficult road for Cambodia.”
Torturers under Duch beat and whipped prisoners and shocked them with electrical devices, Duch admitted to the court, but still he denied accounts from survivors and other trial witnesses that he took part in torture and executions himself. The offspring of detainees were killed to ensure the next generation could not take vengeance. Duch called himself “criminally responsible” for babies’ deaths but blamed his subordinates for battering the young bodies against trees.
He said the prison’s own guards and interrogators were killed for small mistakes and showed rare emotion on the witness stand in June 2009 while speaking of seeing his fellow revolutionaries locked in the cells of his prison. Confessing to betraying his own friends, he said: “That was beyond cowardly.”
When a guilty verdict was finally delivered against him in July 2010, he was sentenced to 35 years, shortened to just 19 due to time served. The judges said they considered the Cold War context of the atrocities and Duch’s cooperation and expressions of remorse, however limited. But outraged survivors feared he could one day walk free. On appeal, the sentence was lengthened in 2012 to life in prison for his “shocking and heinous” crimes against the Cambodian people.
Like many key members of the Khmer Rouge, Duch was an academic before he became a revolutionary. The former math teacher joined Pol Pot’s movement in 1967, three years before the U.S. started carpet-bombing Cambodia to try to wipe out Northern Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong inside the border.
The Khmer Rouge seized power in 1975 and immediately attempted a radical transformation of Cambodia into a peasant society, emptying cities and forcing the population to work on the land in the country they renamed Democratic Kampuchea. They backed up their rule with ruthless elimination of perceived enemies, and by 1976, Duch was the trusted head of its ultimate killing machine, S-21.
Tribunal judges said he signed off on all executions there and was often present when interrogators used torture to extract confessions, including pulling out prisoners’ toenails, administering electric shocks, and waterboarding. Despite his denials, the judges said he had at times taken part in the torture and executions himself.
The torture and executions that took place at Tuol Sleng were routinely recorded and photographed, and when the Khmer Rouge were forced from power in 1979, the thousands of documents and film negatives left at the prison became proof of the regime’s atrocities.
Duch fled, disappearing for almost two decades in northwestern Cambodia and converting to Christianity until a chance discovery by a British journalist in 1999 led to his arrest.
Duch has several times asked for forgiveness, even offering at one point to face a public stoning. But his surprise request on the final day of the trial to be acquitted and freed left many wondering if his contrition was sincere.
___
Harmer reported from Bangkok.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Legislators pushing agenda that includes police reform

CHICAGO ( AP ) - The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus on Tuesday announced an agenda that calls for action on several areas it identifies as important to its members and their constituents .
The caucus announced it is planning a series of legislative committee hearings leading up to the General Assembly ’ s fall veto session that will focus on criminal justice reform , violence reduction and police accountability ; education and workforce development ; economic access and equity ; and health care and human services .
“ For years , the cries and the fight have been unheard .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ where our white colleagues , that have been raised in white communities that just didn ’ t understand what we were talking about , are now uncomfortable , ” Chicago Democratic Rep. La Shawn Ford said at a news conference .
“ They ’ re so uncomfortable now that they are hearing all of the asks that we had before that they couldn ’ t hear before .
Now the question is , are they ready to act on what they are hearing ?
” The hearings called by the caucus began Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on law enforcement training and use of force .
The issue has become a major one since the May 25 death of George Floyd .
“ I ’ m not exactly sure how we change the way our police departments are run .
We ’ ve already prohibited the things that we deplore .
So the issue is behavior , not legislation , ” Republican state Rep. Margo McDermed of Frankfort said during the committee hearing .
“ We need to change , somehow , the hearts of these police departments.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Black Caucus ’ objectives in statements issued Tuesday .
House Speaker Michael Madigan said in a statement Tuesday that “ we are at a turning point ” and “ we must evaluate all of our institutions to finally bring about the change that will make a difference , ” including health care access , policing and education .

CHICAGO (AP) - The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus on Tuesday announced an agenda that calls for action on several areas it identifies as important to its members and their constituents.
The caucus announced it is planning a series of legislative committee hearings leading up to the General Assembly’s fall veto session that will focus on criminal justice reform, violence reduction and police accountability; education and workforce development; economic access and equity; and health care and human services.
“For years, the cries and the fight have been unheard. And we are now at a moment where our white colleagues, that have been raised in white communities that just didn’t understand what we were talking about, are now uncomfortable,” Chicago Democratic Rep. La Shawn Ford said at a news conference. “They’re so uncomfortable now that they are hearing all of the asks that we had before that they couldn’t hear before. Now the question is, are they ready to act on what they are hearing?”
The hearings called by the caucus began Tuesday afternoon with a three-hour legislative committee hearing on law enforcement training and use of force. The issue has become a major one since the May 25 death of George Floyd.
“I’m not exactly sure how we change the way our police departments are run. We’ve already prohibited the things that we deplore. So the issue is behavior, not legislation,” Republican state Rep. Margo McDermed of Frankfort said during the committee hearing. “We need to change, somehow, the hearts of these police departments.”
The leaders of both chambers expressed support for the Black Caucus’ objectives in statements issued Tuesday.
House Speaker Michael Madigan said in a statement Tuesday that “we are at a turning point” and “we must evaluate all of our institutions to finally bring about the change that will make a difference,” including health care access, policing and education.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Burkette resigns from Alabama Senate with no explanation why

MONTGOMERY , Ala. ( AP ) - State Sen. David Burkette of Montgomery resigned from the Alabama Legislature , a spokeswoman for the governor said Tuesday .
The Montgomery Democrat submitted his one-sentence resignation Tuesday to Ivey and Senate leadership .
His resignation is effective immediately .
Burkette did not elaborate on his sudden departure .
However , the Alabama Ethics Commission last year forwarded a complaint involving Burkette to prosecutors , although the nature of the complaint was not disclosed .
“ Governor Ivey is disappointed , but firmly supports the rule of law , and particularly in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misuse of public trust , ” Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said .
Burkette , a retired educator , served on the Montgomery City Council from 2007 to 2018 .
He was elected to the Senate in 2018 to fill the seat previously held by Quinton Ross , who is now the president of Alabama State University .
Burkette suffered a stroke in December of 2018 , and used a wheelchair at the Statehouse while scheduling therapy sessions around legislative duties .
The Montgomery Advertiser reported that a 2017 Montgomery city audit found found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending .
Burkette gave the nonprofits nearly $ 43,000 .
A special election will be held to fill the seat .

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - State Sen. David Burkette of Montgomery resigned from the Alabama Legislature, a spokeswoman for the governor said Tuesday.
The Montgomery Democrat submitted his one-sentence resignation Tuesday to Ivey and Senate leadership. His resignation is effective immediately.
Burkette did not elaborate on his sudden departure. However, the Alabama Ethics Commission last year forwarded a complaint involving Burkette to prosecutors, although the nature of the complaint was not disclosed.
“Governor Ivey is disappointed, but firmly supports the rule of law, and particularly in this situation when there has been a clear misuse of public trust,” Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said.
Burkette, a retired educator, served on the Montgomery City Council from 2007 to 2018. He was elected to the Senate in 2018 to fill the seat previously held by Quinton Ross, who is now the president of Alabama State University. Burkette suffered a stroke in December of 2018, and used a wheelchair at the Statehouse while scheduling therapy sessions around legislative duties.
The Montgomery Advertiser reported that a 2017 Montgomery city audit found found that two nonprofits could not document their spending. Burkette gave the nonprofits nearly $43,000.
A special election will be held to fill the seat.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Roger Goodell: 'The NFL stands with the Black community'

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated the league ’ s support for players fighting for racial justice and protesting police violence .
Citing a police officer shooting Jacob Blake in the back on Aug. 23 in Kenosha , Wisconsin , Goodell said the incident has “ brought forth more feelings of anger , frustration , anguish , fear for many of us in the NFL family.
” The investigation into the police shooting of Blake , who is Black , is ongoing .
“ The NFL stands with the Black community , the players , clubs and fans , ” Goodell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism with tangible and productive steps is absolutely essential .
We will not relent in our work .
We will redouble our efforts to be catalysts for the urgent and sustainable change that our society and communities so desperately need .
I ’ m so proud of everyone across our league and others who have taken a stand using their voices and platforms to continue to shine the spotlight on things that must change .
By listening and working and understanding with our players , we built the foundation for tangible change through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zones will be inscribed this season with two slogans : “ It Takes All Of Us ” on one end line , “ End Racism ” on the other .
As part of its social justice awareness initiatives , the NFL also will allow similar visuals on helmets and caps .
The league announced earlier this summer it is committing $ 250 million over 10 years to social justice initiatives .
Goodell pointed out the NFL Votes campaign and encouraged teams to offer the use of stadiums as polling centers .
Troy Vincent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of football operations said players have the right to sit out or protest games .
Teams across several sports leagues postponed games last week following Blake ’ s shooting .
“ The players want to see us leveraging the influence to hold officers that are bad officers to be held accountable , ” Vincent said .
“ That access to meeting the ( district attorneys ) and access to meeting with local officials to truly address reform and training .
… There has been a lot of work done but we still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on television of unarmed black men being shot down.
” Vincent said he ’ s encouraged to see a shift among NFL owners to stand with players and support their fight .
“ I ask my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to allow me to be a bridge builder , ” Vincent said .
“ And I try to stay on the premises of educating whether that ’ s a player or a club owner .
I just speak to humanity .
And I would say in my dealings with club owners , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do believe that some of the things that we have seen transpire , they have seen transpire , it does something to the heart .
And we understand we ’ re not asking , the players are not asking , for anything out of context and just asking for accountability to be administered and that people see this burden that many live , that an entire community , in particular the Black community , that these injustices are happening “ I do believe that the club owners are at a place over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s taken some a little longer than others , but it becomes a heart issue .
And they do have an appreciation for humanity and they understand that we have to do this together .
The players can ’ t do it alone .
The players understand that they can ’ t do without club owners .
Club owners understand that it takes all of us to get to where we want to get as a better society .
”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated the league’s support for players fighting for racial justice and protesting police violence.
Citing a police officer shooting Jacob Blake in the back on Aug. 23 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Goodell said the incident has “brought forth more feelings of anger, frustration, anguish, fear for many of us in the NFL family.”
The investigation into the police shooting of Blake, who is Black, is ongoing.
“The NFL stands with the Black community, the players, clubs and fans,” Goodell said Tuesday. “Confronting recent systemic racism with tangible and productive steps is absolutely essential. We will not relent in our work. We will redouble our efforts to be catalysts for the urgent and sustainable change that our society and communities so desperately need. I’m so proud of everyone across our league and others who have taken a stand using their voices and platforms to continue to shine the spotlight on things that must change. By listening and working and understanding with our players, we built the foundation for tangible change through our Inspire Change initiative.”
NFL end zones will be inscribed this season with two slogans: “It Takes All Of Us” on one end line, “End Racism” on the other. As part of its social justice awareness initiatives, the NFL also will allow similar visuals on helmets and caps.
The league announced earlier this summer it is committing $250 million over 10 years to social justice initiatives. Goodell pointed out the NFL Votes campaign and encouraged teams to offer the use of stadiums as polling centers.
Troy Vincent, the league’s executive vice president of football operations said players have the right to sit out or protest games. Teams across several sports leagues postponed games last week following Blake’s shooting.
“The players want to see us leveraging the influence to hold officers that are bad officers to be held accountable,” Vincent said. “That access to meeting the (district attorneys) and access to meeting with local officials to truly address reform and training. … There has been a lot of work done but we still keep seeing the same image play out on television of unarmed black men being shot down.”
Vincent said he’s encouraged to see a shift among NFL owners to stand with players and support their fight.
“I ask my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to allow me to be a bridge builder,” Vincent said. “And I try to stay on the premises of educating whether that’s a player or a club owner. I just speak to humanity. And I would say in my dealings with club owners, they all have a heart. … I do believe that some of the things that we have seen transpire, they have seen transpire, it does something to the heart. And we understand we’re not asking, the players are not asking, for anything out of context and just asking for accountability to be administered and that people see this burden that many live, that an entire community, in particular the Black community, that these injustices are happening
“I do believe that the club owners are at a place over the last few years, it’s taken some a little longer than others, but it becomes a heart issue. And they do have an appreciation for humanity and they understand that we have to do this together. The players can’t do it alone. The players understand that they can’t do without club owners. Club owners understand that it takes all of us to get to where we want to get as a better society.”
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--Portland riots reach new levels; city struggles for answers

Portland leaders struggled for answers Tuesday after a night of rioting that reached new depths , including an attack by left-wing demonstrators on an occupied apartment building .
Mayor Ted Wheeler , who lives in the building , said the demonstrators were “ terrorizing families with children , ” and said it is ruining the racial justice message the protests sprang from .
And he lashed out at community groups he said were condoning the violence , saying they ’ re fueling the unrest .
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell , meanwhile , blasted the city ’ s political leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones to “ draw a line in the sand ” on the violence .
He said Tuesday night ’ s mayhem was “ another escalation ” after months of growing violence .
Police say demonstrators smashed windows in buildings , gathered furniture then used it as kindling for their fire , which he said endangered the lives of those in the building .
Police had to declare a riot and disperse the crowd after the fire was lit .
“ The families that live inside have done absolutely nothing to provoke a threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
He said his officers are stretched so thin in dealing with the near-nightly riots — chiefly from left-wing racial justice demonstrators — that they are not able to answer emergency calls .
And he said gun violence is “ skyrocketing ” in the Oregon city .
“ Our elected officials need to do their part to draw a line in the sand and to hold people accountable .
The violent behavior must end , ” he said .
Mr. Wheeler appeared to take his advice , issuing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a return to peaceful protests .
The rioting in Portland has flummoxed the left-wing politicians who control the city government .
They have blamed President Trump , outside agitators and police for the mayhem , but have been slow to blame the violent elements of the anti-police movement that are most closely linked to the nightly riots .
This weekend , which saw a Trump supported killed in the city , sparked a rethink from some officials .
Gov .
Kate Brown , while still blaming Mr. Trump and praising protesters , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the violence .
She asked neighboring counties to provide sheriff ’ s deputies to help alleviate the strain on Portland police .
Two sheriffs rebuffed her on Monday , saying they didn ’ t see an environment of support for police from political leaders .
One of the sheriffs took particular aim at Multnomah District Attorney Mike Schmidt , whose jurisdiction covers Portland , and who has announced a policy of not pursuing cases in many of the arrests stemming from riots .
Mr. Schmidt said last month that unless police connected rioting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he felt it was criminalizing speech to pursue charges such as resisting officers ’ orders .

Portland leaders struggled for answers Tuesday after a night of rioting that reached new depths, including an attack by left-wing demonstrators on an occupied apartment building.
Mayor Ted Wheeler, who lives in the building, said the demonstrators were “terrorizing families with children,” and said it is ruining the racial justice message the protests sprang from. And he lashed out at community groups he said were condoning the violence, saying they’re fueling the unrest.
Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell, meanwhile, blasted the city’s political leaders, saying they need to be the ones to “draw a line in the sand” on the violence.
He said Tuesday night’s mayhem was “another escalation” after months of growing violence.
Police say demonstrators smashed windows in buildings, gathered furniture then used it as kindling for their fire, which he said endangered the lives of those in the building. Police had to declare a riot and disperse the crowd after the fire was lit.
“The families that live inside have done absolutely nothing to provoke a threat to their lives,” Chief Lovell said in a statement.
He said his officers are stretched so thin in dealing with the near-nightly riots — chiefly from left-wing racial justice demonstrators — that they are not able to answer emergency calls. And he said gun violence is “skyrocketing” in the Oregon city.
“Our elected officials need to do their part to draw a line in the sand and to hold people accountable. The violent behavior must end,” he said.
Mr. Wheeler appeared to take his advice, issuing a lengthy statement denouncing violence and calling for a return to peaceful protests.
But Mr. Wheeler also drew an equivalence between the rioters and police, condemning one officer for being captured on video this week “repeatedly striking an individual at a protest.”
Andy Ngo, a right-wing journalist in Portland, took to Twitter to say the protester had pulled off the officer’s helmet and was resisting arrest.
The rioting in Portland has flummoxed the left-wing politicians who control the city government. They have blamed President Trump, outside agitators and police for the mayhem, but have been slow to blame the violent elements of the anti-police movement that are most closely linked to the nightly riots.
This weekend, which saw a Trump supported killed in the city, sparked a rethink from some officials.
Gov. Kate Brown, while still blaming Mr. Trump and praising protesters, said she wanted to surge police to quell the violence.
She asked neighboring counties to provide sheriff’s deputies to help alleviate the strain on Portland police.
Two sheriffs rebuffed her on Monday, saying they didn’t see an environment of support for police from political leaders.
One of the sheriffs took particular aim at Multnomah District Attorney Mike Schmidt, whose jurisdiction covers Portland, and who has announced a policy of not pursuing cases in many of the arrests stemming from riots.
Mr. Schmidt said last month that unless police connected rioting to a specific violent act against someone, he felt it was criminalizing speech to pursue charges such as resisting officers’ orders.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--HHS cancelling ventilator contracts, says stockpile is full

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - The Trump administration announced Tuesday it is canceling some of its remaining orders for ventilators , after rushing to sign nearly $ 3 billion in emergency contracts as the COVID-19 pandemic surged in the spring .
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement affirming that the national stockpile has now reached its maximum capacity for the life-saving breathing machines , with nearly 120,000 available for deployment to state and local health officials if need .
Though billed as a cost-saving measure , Democrats said the cancellations show the White House vastly overspent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s pledge to make the United States the “ King of Ventilators.
” The agency didn ’ t have an estimate for how much taxpayers would save by canceling the contracts because the terms and potential penalties for the early terminations were still being negotiated with the companies involved .
HHS confirmed it was terminating contracts with ventilator manufacturers Hamilton Medical and Vyaire Medical , which will result in the reduction of 38,000 ventilators that had been scheduled for delivery to the National Strategic Stockpile by the end of 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the status of its largest ventilator contract , a massive $ 647 million deal with Philips that is now the subject of an internal HHS investigation and legal review .
But Steve Klink , a spokesman for Philips at the company ’ s headquarters in Amsterdam , confirmed that its contract had also been canceled and that it will not deliver the remaining 30,700 ventilators on its order to the U.S. stockpile .
Klink said HHS had not yet given the company any “ formal reason ” for the cancellation .
“ Unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. government does not need any reason to terminate an agreement , ” Klink said .
“ We can confidently say that we have delivered on our commitments .
While we are disappointed in light of our massive efforts , we will work with HHS to effectuate the partial termination of this contract.
” The Philips contract has been under scrutiny because the company had signed a 2019 agreement to deliver 10,000 basic emergency ventilators to the national stockpile by 2022 at a cost of about $ 3,280 each .
But once the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new deal with the Trump administration to provide 43,000 of its more complicated and expensive hospital-grade models at an average cost of about $ 15,000 each .
The company has said it still plans to deliver the 10,000 low-cost ventilators over the next two years under its earlier contract .
House Democrats said they would expand their probe into the White House ’ s handling of the Phillips contract , which they said was negotiated by Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro .
“ American taxpayers deserve to have their money well spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chairman of the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy .
“ Incompetent negotiations by top Trump Administration officials , like Peter Navarro , wasted hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.
” As the virus took hold and began to spread widely across the U.S. in March , governors and mayors of big cities urged Trump to use his authority under the Defense Production Act to direct private companies to ramp up production of ventilators .
At the time , the national stockpile had only about 16,660 ventilators ready to deploy .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War-era production act , but at the end of March he promised to deliver 100,000 new ventilators within 100 days .
The president then tasked his son-in-law , White House adviser Jared Kushner , with leading the effort .
During the month of April , HHS issued a flurry of emergency contracts to established ventilator companies , as well as U.S. automakers Ford and General Motors .
“ We became the king of ventilators , thousands and thousands of ventilators , ” Trump boasted in an April 29 speech .
But by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the stockpile in the early summer , most doctors were moving away from the widespread use of ventilators in all but the most critically ill COVID-19 patients due to high death rates for those put on the machines .
The AP reported in May that the administration had issued contracts for delivery of nearly 200,000 ventilators by the end of 2020 - roughly twice what experts then predicted the country would need .
GM said Tuesday it has finished making all 30,000 ventilators under its $ 489 million contract .
Ford announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the government at a cost of $ 336 million .

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration announced Tuesday it is canceling some of its remaining orders for ventilators, after rushing to sign nearly $3 billion in emergency contracts as the COVID-19 pandemic surged in the spring.
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement affirming that the national stockpile has now reached its maximum capacity for the life-saving breathing machines, with nearly 120,000 available for deployment to state and local health officials if need. Though the orders were billed as a cost-saving measure, Democrats said the cancellations show the White House vastly overspent in its quest to fulfill President Donald Trump’s pledge to make the United States the “King of Ventilators.”
“By terminating the remainder of deliveries from these contracts, HHS is balancing federal stockpile requirements with commercial market demand for ventilators,” said Carol Danko, an agency spokesperson. “As a result, HHS is saving the U.S. taxpayer millions of dollars by halting delivery of additional ventilators that are no longer required.”
The agency didn’t have an estimate for how much taxpayers would save by canceling the contracts because the terms and potential penalties for the early terminations were still being negotiated with the companies involved.
HHS confirmed it was terminating contracts with ventilator manufacturers Hamilton Medical and Vyaire Medical, which will result in the reduction of 38,000 ventilators that had been scheduled for delivery to the National Strategic Stockpile by the end of 2020.
An agency spokesperson declined to comment on the status of its largest ventilator contract, a massive $647 million deal with Philips that is now the subject of an internal HHS investigation and legal review.
But Steve Klink, a spokesman for Philips at the company’s headquarters in Amsterdam, confirmed that its contract had also been canceled and that it will not deliver the remaining 30,700 ventilators on its order to the U.S. stockpile.
Klink said HHS had not yet given the company any “formal reason” for the cancellation.
“Unlike typically in the private sector, the U.S. government does not need any reason to terminate an agreement,” Klink said. “We can confidently say that we have delivered on our commitments. While we are disappointed in light of our massive efforts, we will work with HHS to effectuate the partial termination of this contract.”
The Philips contract has been under scrutiny because the company had signed a 2019 agreement to deliver 10,000 basic emergency ventilators to the national stockpile by 2022 at a cost of about $3,280 each. But once the COVID pandemic hit, the company inked a new deal with the Trump administration to provide 43,000 of its more complicated and expensive hospital-grade models at an average cost of about $15,000 each.
The company has said it still plans to deliver the 10,000 low-cost ventilators over the next two years under its earlier contract.
House Democrats said they would expand their probe into the White House’s handling of the Phillips contract, which they said was negotiated by Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro.
“American taxpayers deserve to have their money well spent,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. “Incompetent negotiations by top Trump Administration officials, like Peter Navarro, wasted hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.”
White House deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews said Navarro “played a vital role in our coronavirus response” by helping oversee federal contracts that helped create thousands of jobs.
“While the Trump Administration has been focused on saving lives, House Democrats continue to focus on pointless investigations,” Matthews said.
As the virus took hold and began to spread widely across the U.S. in March, governors and mayors of big cities urged Trump to use his authority under the Defense Production Act to direct private companies to ramp up production of ventilators. At the time, the national stockpile had only about 16,660 ventilators ready to deploy.
Trump initially resisted calls to invoke the Korean War-era production act, but at the end of March he promised to deliver 100,000 new ventilators within 100 days. The president then tasked his son-in-law, White House adviser Jared Kushner, with leading the effort. During the month of April, HHS issued a flurry of emergency contracts to established ventilator companies, as well as U.S. automakers Ford and General Motors.
“We became the king of ventilators, thousands and thousands of ventilators,” Trump boasted in an April 29 speech.
But by the time the new machines were being delivered to the stockpile in the early summer, most doctors were moving away from the widespread use of ventilators in all but the most critically ill COVID-19 patients due to high death rates for those put on the machines.
The AP reported in May that the administration had issued contracts for delivery of nearly 200,000 ventilators by the end of 2020 - roughly twice what experts then predicted the country would need.
GM said Tuesday it has finished making all 30,000 ventilators under its $489 million contract. Ford announced earlier it had finished making 50,000 ventilators for the government at a cost of $336 million.
___
Follow Associated Press Investigative Reporter Michael Biesecker at http://Twitter.com/mbieseck


washingtontimes--2020-09-01--UK man guilty of trying to smuggle generator from US to Iran

A U.K. citizen has pleaded guilty in Florida to federal charges related to violating an embargo and attempting to smuggle industrial equipment to Iran .
Colin Fisher , 45 , pleaded guilty on Monday in Pensacola federal court to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and to attempted smuggling in relation to exporting power generating equipment to Iran , according to court records .
He faces up to 30 years in prison at a scheduled Nov. 10 sentencing .
“ Exporting technology to Iran is prohibited for a very good reason , yet this defendant chose to put his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida Lawrence Keefe said in a statement .
Fisher was arrested by federal agents in August when he arrived in Pensacola from the United Arab Emirates to finish the deal , prosecutors said .
Fisher has worked for nearly three years to violate the Iranian embargo by attempting to export a Solar Mars 90 S turbine core engine and parts from the U.S. to Iran , they added .
Law enforcement authorities were able to seize the turbine before it was sent to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The intercepted turbine , which was valued at $ 500,000 , could be used to provide energy to the oil fields of Iran .
James Meharg , CEO and president of Pensacola-based Turbine Resources International , was previously convicted of conspiring with Fisher to export a large turbine and parts from the U.S. to Iran .
He was sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison .

A U.K. citizen has pleaded guilty in Florida to federal charges related to violating an embargo and attempting to smuggle industrial equipment to Iran.
Colin Fisher, 45, pleaded guilty on Monday in Pensacola federal court to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and to attempted smuggling in relation to exporting power generating equipment to Iran, according to court records. He faces up to 30 years in prison at a scheduled Nov. 10 sentencing.
“Exporting technology to Iran is prohibited for a very good reason, yet this defendant chose to put his own self-interest above global and national security,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida Lawrence Keefe said in a statement.
Fisher was arrested by federal agents in August when he arrived in Pensacola from the United Arab Emirates to finish the deal, prosecutors said. Fisher has worked for nearly three years to violate the Iranian embargo by attempting to export a Solar Mars 90 S turbine core engine and parts from the U.S. to Iran, they added.
Law enforcement authorities were able to seize the turbine before it was sent to a conspirator linked to an Iranian energy company. The intercepted turbine, which was valued at $500,000, could be used to provide energy to the oil fields of Iran.
James Meharg, CEO and president of Pensacola-based Turbine Resources International, was previously convicted of conspiring with Fisher to export a large turbine and parts from the U.S. to Iran. He was sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison.