washingtontimes--2020-06-20--Zanardi remains in serious condition after handbike crash

ROME ( AP ) - Italian race car champion-turned-Paralympic gold medalist Alex Zanardi was in a medically induced coma and remained in serious condition a day after crashing his handbike into a truck and smashing his face .
Zanardi - who lost both of his legs in a race-car crash nearly 20 years ago - was hooked up to a ventilator and had “ stable ” blood flow while his neurological status “ remains serious , ” the Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital in Siena said Saturday in a medical bulletin .
“ The condition of Alex Zanardi is serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a briefing outside the hospital .
“ He arrived here with major facial cranial trauma , a smashed face , and a deeply fractured frontal bone ( forehead ) .
” “ The numbers are good , although it remains a very serious situation.
” Zanardi was transported by helicopter to the hospital after crashing near the Tuscan town of Pienza during a relay race Friday .
Local TV at the scene of the crash showed what was apparently Zanardi ’ s handbike lying on its side at the edge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a semitrailer parked ahead .
Late Friday , the hospital said Zanardi underwent “ a delicate neurosurgery operation ” due to “ severe cranial trauma.
” The surgery lasted about three hours , after which Zanardi was moved to the intensive care unit .
“ We won ’ t see what his neurological state is until he wakes up - if he wakes up .
Serious condition means it ’ s a situation when someone could die .
Improvement takes time in these cases .
Turns for the worse can be sudden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zanardi .
“ The operation went according to the plan .
It ’ s the initial situation that was very serious.
” “ The next step is to try and stabilize him over the next week or 10 days .
Then if things go well , he could eventually be woken up and re-evaluated.
” Zanardi ’ s wife , Daniela , and his son , Niccolò , were at his bedside .
“ As I told his wife , he ’ s a patient who is worth being treated , ” Olivieri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvement .
“ As far as a prognosis of how he ’ ll be tomorrow , in a week or in 15 days , I don ’ t know .
But I ’ m convinced that he should be treated.
” The 53-year-old Zanardi won two championships in CART in the United States before a brief move to Formula One .
He returned to America and was racing in Germany in a CART event in 2001 when both of his legs were severed in a horrific accident the weekend after the Sept. 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zanardi designed his own prosthetics and learned to walk again .
He then turned his attention to hand cycling and developed into one of the most accomplished athletes in the world .
He won four gold medals and two silvers at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics , competed in the New York City Marathon and set an Ironman record in his class .
Prosecutors in Siena have opened a criminal investigation into the accident and the race ’ s organization — and specifically whether enough safety precautions were taken .
About 10 disabled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , local reports said .
Witnesses have said that the accident occurred on a downhill section just before a curve in the road .
Zanardi apparently lost control and veered into the oncoming lane .
The truck apparently tried to swerve out of the way but couldn ’ t avoid the crash .
The truck driver , who was placed under investigation , tested negative for alcohol and drugs .
“ The truck didn ’ t make a mistake .
Alex made the mistake , ” said national team coach Mario Valentini , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race was part of a two-week relay event throughout Italy to promote the country ’ s rebirth after the coronavirus pandemic .
It was created by an association led by Zanardi with an aim of bringing more Italians to the Paralympics .

ROME (AP) - Italian race car champion-turned-Paralympic gold medalist Alex Zanardi was in a medically induced coma and remained in serious condition a day after crashing his handbike into a truck and smashing his face.
Zanardi - who lost both of his legs in a race-car crash nearly 20 years ago - was hooked up to a ventilator and had “stable” blood flow while his neurological status “remains serious,” the Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital in Siena said Saturday in a medical bulletin.
“The condition of Alex Zanardi is serious but stable,” Dr. Giuseppe Olivieri said in a briefing outside the hospital. “He arrived here with major facial cranial trauma, a smashed face, and a deeply fractured frontal bone (forehead).”
“The numbers are good, although it remains a very serious situation.”
Added Sabino Scolletta, director of the hospital’s intensive care unit, “the situation is clearly critical in terms of brain damage.”
Zanardi was transported by helicopter to the hospital after crashing near the Tuscan town of Pienza during a relay race Friday.
Local TV at the scene of the crash showed what was apparently Zanardi’s handbike lying on its side at the edge of the road and a large truck pulling a semitrailer parked ahead.
Late Friday, the hospital said Zanardi underwent “a delicate neurosurgery operation” due to “severe cranial trauma.”
The surgery lasted about three hours, after which Zanardi was moved to the intensive care unit.
“We won’t see what his neurological state is until he wakes up - if he wakes up. Serious condition means it’s a situation when someone could die. Improvement takes time in these cases. Turns for the worse can be sudden,” said Olivieri, who operated on Zanardi. “The operation went according to the plan. It’s the initial situation that was very serious.”
“The next step is to try and stabilize him over the next week or 10 days. Then if things go well, he could eventually be woken up and re-evaluated.”
Zanardi’s wife, Daniela, and his son, Niccolò, were at his bedside.
“As I told his wife, he’s a patient who is worth being treated,” Olivieri said, referring to his chances for improvement. “As far as a prognosis of how he’ll be tomorrow, in a week or in 15 days, I don’t know. But I’m convinced that he should be treated.”
The 53-year-old Zanardi won two championships in CART in the United States before a brief move to Formula One. He returned to America and was racing in Germany in a CART event in 2001 when both of his legs were severed in a horrific accident the weekend after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
During his recovery, Zanardi designed his own prosthetics and learned to walk again. He then turned his attention to hand cycling and developed into one of the most accomplished athletes in the world. He won four gold medals and two silvers at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics, competed in the New York City Marathon and set an Ironman record in his class.
Prosecutors in Siena opened a criminal investigation into the accident and the race’s organization — specifically whether enough safety precautions were taken.
About 10 disabled riders were escorted by one police vehicle, local reports said.
Witnesses have said that the accident occurred on a downhill section just before a curve in the road. Zanardi apparently lost control and veered into the oncoming lane. The truck apparently tried to swerve out of the way but couldn’t avoid the crash.
The truck driver, who was placed under investigation, tested negative for alcohol and drugs.
“The truck didn’t make a mistake. Alex made the mistake,” said national team coach Mario Valentini, who was following the race.
The race was part of a two-week relay event throughout Italy to promote the country’s revival after the coronavirus pandemic. It was created by an association led by Zanardi with an aim of bringing more Italians to the Paralympics.
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--Mining company Glencore discloses investigation by Swiss AG

FRANKFURT , Germany ( AP ) - Mining and commodities marketing company Glencore says it has been informed that it @ @ @ @ @ Switzerland ’ s attorney general in connection with alleged corruption in Congo .
The company @ @ @ @ @ that the attorney general was investigating suspected failure to have organizational measures in place to @ @ @ @ @ it was cooperating with the investigation .
Glencore International AG , headquartered in Baar , @ @ @ @ @ mining , metallurgical and oil production sites in 35 countries .

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Mining and commodities marketing company Glencore says it has been informed that it is under criminal investigation by Switzerland’s attorney general in connection with alleged corruption in Congo.
The company said in a statement Friday that the attorney general was investigating suspected failure to have organizational measures in place to prevent corruption, and that it was cooperating with the investigation.
Glencore International AG, headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, operates around 150 mining, metallurgical and oil production sites in 35 countries.


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--Zimbabwe's health minister arrested in COVID-19 graft case

HARARE , Zimbabwe ( AP ) - Zimbabwe ’ s health minister was expected to appear in court on Saturday to face allegations of illegally awarding a multi-million-dollar contract for COVID-19 testing kits , drugs and personal protective equipment to a shadowy company .
The country ’ s anti-corruption agency arrested Obadiah Moyo on Friday as the scandal roiled the country and played out on social media , where some local journalists exposed how Moyo allegedly chose the company to sell medical supplies to the government at inflated prices that included face masks for $ 28 each .
The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of President Emmerson Mnangagwa ’ s sons was forced to issue a statement denying a link to the company after pictures emerged of the Zimbabwean representative of the firm enjoying the company of the president and his wife and sons at several events .
The representative , Delish Nguwaya , and some top officials of the national drugs procurement agency are already facing criminal charges related to the scandal .
Nguwaya is accused of lying in saying the company was a drugs manufacturing company based in Switzerland , “ whereas it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the manufacture of drug and medical products , ” according to the charge sheet .
The scandal comes as health professionals including nurses and doctors in Zimbabwe are on strike demanding to be paid their salaries in U.S. dollars .
They argue that inflation that is now above 750 % and the erosion of the value of local currency have rendered incomes worthless .
Most traders charge for their goods in U.S. dollars in the southern African country that has long faced economic collapse .
The health professionals also have complained about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of coronavirus cases rises .

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Zimbabwe’s health minister on Saturday was charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, accused of illegally awarding a multi-million-dollar contract for COVID-19 medical supplies to a shadowy company that sold the government $28 face masks and other materials at inflated prices.
The country’s anti-corruption agency arrested Obadiah Moyo on Friday and the government cancelled the contracts following public uproar.
One of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s sons was forced to issue a statement denying a link to the company after pictures emerged of the Zimbabwean representative of the firm enjoying the company of the president and his wife and sons at several events.
The representative, Delish Nguwaya, and some top officials of the national drugs procurement agency are already facing criminal charges related to the scandal.
Nguwaya is accused of lying in saying the company was a drugs manufacturing company based in Switzerland, “whereas it was merely a consulting company with no experience in the manufacture of drug and medical products,” according to the charge sheet.
The health minister, a former hospital administrator, faces a fine or up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He was granted bail and will be back in court on July 31. The prosecution originally opposed bail, arguing he could flee before the conclusion of the case, but did not request that in court.
According to the charge sheet, Moyo “exerted pressure” on his subordinates to award the contracts worth $60 million last year and this year.
The scandal comes as health professionals including nurses and doctors in Zimbabwe are on strike demanding to be paid their salaries in U.S. dollars. They argue that inflation that is now above 750% and the erosion of the value of local currency have rendered incomes worthless. Most traders charge for their goods in U.S. dollars in the southern African country that has long faced economic collapse.
The health professionals also have complained about lack of adequate protective gear as the number of coronavirus cases rises.
Zimbabwe has nearly 500 cases.


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--French demonstrators gear up for day of protests

PARIS ( AP ) - Protesters are gearing up to stage a protest in Paris against racism and police violence and in memory of Lamine Dieng , a 25-year-old Franco-Senegalese who died in a police van after being arrested in 2007 .
The protesters will march from his former home , and will be joined Saturday by a separate demonstration in support of undocumented workers .
Last week , it emerged that the French government agreed to pay 145,000 euros ( $ 162,000 ) to Dieng ’ s relatives , after 13 years of legal wrangling .
Both protests have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been exercising caution over protests in recent weeks as the country emerges from coronavirus restrictions .
Other protests on Saturday in the French capital have , however , been banned , including an anti-racism demonstration near the U.S. Embassy by the Black African Defense League , and another protest linked to recent violence involving Chechens in the French city of Dijon .
A small group of activists staged a flash protest Saturday outside the French Health Ministry in support of state medical workers , who are demanding higher pay and more hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care system struggled to cope with the virus crisis following years of cost cuts .
The protesters sprayed red paint on the ministry building , symbolizing blood , and on a mock medal .

PARIS (AP) - Hundreds of people in protested Saturday in Paris against racism and police violence and in memory of Black men who died following encounters with French police or under suspicious circumstances.
The protesters marched to the former home of Lamine Dieng, a 25-year-old Franco-Senegalese man arrested in 2007 who died in a police van. Thousands of other protesters marched Saturday in Paris and cities around France in support of undocumented migrants.
“I hope, that this is not just a moment of brief awareness,” Dieng’s sister Ramata Dieng told The Associated Press. “We have dreamed for a long time of seeing this many people mobilizing on this issue.”
“This can’t stop at indignation. It’s fine to be indignant but we must move to the next step and the next step is to put implement the tools, have laws voted on so that police are no longer above the law,” she said.
The French government agreed earlier this month to pay 145,000 euros ($162,000) to Dieng’s relatives in a settlement via the European Court of Human Rights, after the family tried for more than a decade to hold police accountable for his death.
Many at Saturday’s protest linked it with the case of of George Floyd, an African American man whose death on May 25 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis galvanized protesters around the globe to rally against racism and police brutality.
“George Floyd was the hair that broke the camel’s back in the United States, but it’s not just George Floyd,” demonstrator Lylia Boukerrouche.
“In France, though it’s different, it’s a similar situation. It was a colonial state, and we see that today police violence occurs against Blacks and Arabs, the descendants of immigrants,” Boukerrouche added.
Some demonstrators carried placards bearing the words “Justice For Ibo,” a reference to Ibrahima Bah, 22, who died in an October motorbike crash in the Paris suburbs of Villiers-le-Bel wile allegedly trying to escape a police check. Bah’s family blames the police for his death.
The protests Saturday in Paris for Dieng and undocumented migrants were authorized by French authorities, who have been exercising caution over protests in recent weeks as the country emerges from coronavirus restrictions.
Other protests on Saturday in the French capital were banned, including an anti-racism demonstration near the U.S. Embassy by the Black African Defense League, and another protest linked to recent violence involving Chechens in the French city of Dijon. Activists gathered anyway.
Separately, a small group of activists staged a flash protest Saturday outside the French Health Ministry in support of state medical workers, who are demanding higher pay and more hospital staff after France’s once-renowned health care system struggled to cope with the virus crisis following years of cost cuts.
The protesters sprayed red paint on the ministry building, symbolizing blood, and on a mock medal.
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Philippe Marion in Paris contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--US Embassy in Kabul battling COVID-19 infections

KABUL , Afghanistan ( AP ) - The U.S. State Department says COVID-19 infections have been reported at its embassy in the Afghan capital and the staff who are affected include diplomats , contractors and locally employed staff .
The State Department did not say how many were affected .
An official at the embassy in Kabul , who could not be identified because of not being authorized to talk to the media , said as many as 20 people were infected , the majority of whom are Nepalese Gurkhas , who provide embassy security .
“ The embassy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 , ” the U.S. State department said .
The infected staff are in isolation in the embassy while the remainder on the compound are being tested , said the embassy official , who also said the embassy staff have been told they can expect tighter isolation orders .
Afghanistan has 28,424 confirmed coronavirus cases .
International aid organizations monitoring the pandemic ’ s spread in the country say the numbers are much higher because of a lack of testing capabilities as well as access to testing .
They also fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country with the return of nearly 300,000 Afghans from Iran , the hardest hit country in the region .
Iran has recorded more than 200,000 cases and 9,392 deaths .
Few of the Afghans who returned from Iran were tested before they fanned out across the country to their homes .
Earlier this month the International Rescue Committee warned Afghanistan was on the brink of a humanitarian disaster mostly because the government does not have the capacity to even test 80 % of coronavirus cases .
Until now a handful of NATO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection .
At the U.S. Embassy , the State Department said a sanitization of the premises was being carried out to “ prevent further outbreak.
” Lee reported from Washington .
Associated Press writer Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The U.S. State Department says COVID-19 infections have been reported at its embassy in the Afghan capital and affected staff include diplomats, contractors and locals.
The State Department did not say how many were affected. An official at the embassy in Kabul, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, said up to 20 people were infected, the majority of them Nepalese Gurkhas, who provide embassy security.
“The embassy is implementing all appropriate measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” the State Department said in a statement late Friday.
The infected staff are in isolation in the embassy while the remainder on the compound are being tested, said the embassy official. That official added that embassy staff were told they can expect tighter isolation orders.
The State Department said a sanitization of the premises was being carried out to “prevent further outbreak.”
Afghanistan has 28,424 confirmed coronavirus cases. International aid organizations monitoring the pandemic’s spread in the country say the numbers are much higher because of a lack of testing capabilities as well as access to testing.
Observers also fear the highly contagious coronavirus has spread throughout the country with the return of nearly 300,000 Afghans from Iran, the hardest hit country in the region. Iran has recorded more than 200,000 cases and 9,392 deaths.
Few of the Afghans who returned from Iran were tested before they fanned out across the country to their homes.
Earlier this month, the International Rescue Committee warned Afghanistan was on the brink of a humanitarian disaster mostly because the government does not have the capacity to even test 80% of coronavirus cases.
A handful of NATO troops have also tested positive for the infection. State
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Lee reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--No mention of Hong Kong security law as China closes meeting

BEIJING ( AP ) - The body that handles most lawmaking for China ’ s top legislative body closed its latest meeting Saturday with no word on whether it had passed a highly controversial national security law for Hong Kong .
The bill - which has been strongly criticized as undermining the semi-autonomous territory ’ s legal and political institutions - was raised for discussion at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People ’ s Congress but there was no further word on its fate , China ’ s official Xinhua News Agency reported .
Tam Yiu-chung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Standing Committee , told Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK that the law was reviewed but no vote had been taken , and that it wasn ’ t clear when it would be further vetted .
The Standing Committee meets every two months .
The bill was submitted Thursday for deliberation , covering four categories of crimes : succession , subversion of state power , local terrorist activities and collaborating with foreign or external foreign forces to endanger national security .
Beijing has repeatedly said it is determined to press ahead with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong and abroad , including from the U.S. , which says it will revoke some of the preferential conditions extended toward the city after its transfer from British to Chinese rule in 1997 .
Britain has said it will offer passports and a path to citizenship to as many as 3 million Hong Kong residents .
Group of Seven leading economies called on China to reconsider its plans , issuing a joint statement voicing “ grave concern ” over the legislation that is said would breach Beijing ’ s international commitments as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Beijing has repeatedly denounced the moves as rank interference in its internal affairs .
Li Zhanshu , the ruling Communist Party ’ s third-ranking official and head of the National People ’ s Congress , presided over the meeting of the Standing Committee , which handles most legislative tasks in between the annual sessions of the full and largely ceremonial congress .
In its full session last month , the congress ratified a decision to enact such legislation at the national level after Hong Kong ’ s own Legislative Council was unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition .
Critics say the law could severely limit free speech and opposition political activity .
Legal experts say Beijing ’ s justifications for the law are debatable .
The Hong Kong Bar Association on Friday called on the city ’ s government to reveal details of the bill and warned that the law ’ s enforcement in Hong Kong risked setting up a system of conflicting parallel legal standards dominated by Beijing .
“ It raises the question whether individuals will be tried within the criminal justice system in ( Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent to the Mainland for trial and serve any terms of imprisonment in Mainland prisons , ” the bar association said in a statement emailed to reporters .
China acted following widespread and sometimes violent anti-government protests in Hong Kong last year that Beijing saw as a dangerous campaign to split the territory from the rest of the country .
Tho protests were initially spurred by opposition to proposed legislation that could have seen criminal suspects sent to the mainland for trials in China ’ s highly opaque legal system , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill was eventually scrapped .
China has sought to assuage concerns by saying the new legislation would only target “ acts and activities that severely undermine national security , ” according to Xinhua .
The legislation is broadly seen as an additional measure further eroding the legal distinctions between Hong Kong and mainland China .
Earlier this month , Hong Kong ’ s legislature approved a contentious bill making it illegal to insult the Chinese national anthem after pro-democracy lawmakers boycotted the vote out of protest .
Senior opposition figures have also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and questions have arisen over whether the national security legislation will be used to disqualify pro-democracy candidates in September ’ s elections for the Beijing-controlled Legislative Council .

BEIJING (AP) - China plans to establish a special bureau in Hong Kong to investigate and prosecute crimes considered threatening to national security, according to details of a controversial new national security law Beijing is imposing on the semi-autonomous territory.
In addition, bodies in all Hong Kong government departments, from finance to immigration, will be directly answerable to the central government in Beijing, the official Xinhua News Agency said Saturday.
The announcement increases concerns that China’s communist government will continue to tighten its grip on Hong Kong. Beijing has said it is determined to press ahead with the national security legislation - which has been strongly criticized as undermining the Asian financial hub’s legal and political institutions - despite heavy criticism from within Hong Kong and abroad.
The details of the proposed national security law emerged as the body that handles most lawmaking for China’s legislature closed its latest meeting. The bill was raised for discussion at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress but there was no further word on its fate, Xinhua said.
Tam Yiu-chung, Hong Kong’s sole delegate on the Standing Committee, told Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK that the law was reviewed but no vote had been taken, and that it wasn’t clear when it would be further vetted. The Standing Committee meets every two months.
The bill was submitted Thursday for deliberation, covering four categories of crimes: secession, subversion of state power, local terrorist activities and collaborating with foreign or external foreign forces to endanger national security.
The bill has received heavy criticism, including from the U.S., which says it will revoke some of the preferential conditions extended toward Hong Kong after its transfer from British to Chinese rule in 1997.
Britain has said it will offer passports and a path to citizenship to as many as 3 million Hong Kong residents. Group of Seven leading economies called on China to reconsider its plans, issuing a joint statement voicing “grave concern” over the legislation that is said would breach Beijing’s international commitments as well as the territory’s constitution.
Beijing has repeatedly denounced the moves as rank interference in its internal affairs.
Li Zhanshu, the ruling Communist Party’s third-ranking official and head of the National People’s Congress, presided over the meeting of the Standing Committee, which handles most legislative tasks in between the annual sessions of the full and largely ceremonial congress.
In its full session last month, the congress ratified a decision to enact such legislation at the national level after Hong Kong’s own Legislative Council was unable to do so because of strong local opposition. Critics say the law could severely limit free speech and opposition political activity.
Legal experts say Beijing’s justifications for the law are debatable.
The Hong Kong Bar Association on Friday called on the city’s government to reveal details of the bill and warned that the law’s enforcement in Hong Kong risked setting up a system of conflicting parallel legal standards dominated by Beijing.
“It raises the question whether individuals will be tried within the criminal justice system in (Hong Kong) by the Hong Kong courts or sent to the Mainland for trial and serve any terms of imprisonment in Mainland prisons,” the bar association said in a statement.
China acted following widespread and sometimes violent anti-government protests in Hong Kong last year that Beijing saw as a dangerous campaign to split the territory from the rest of the country. Tho protests were initially spurred by opposition to proposed legislation that could have seen criminal suspects sent to the mainland for trials in China’s highly opaque legal system, along with possible torture and abuse. The extradition bill was eventually scrapped.
China has sought to assuage concerns by saying the new legislation would only target “acts and activities that severely undermine national security,” according to Xinhua.
The legislation is broadly seen as an additional measure further eroding the legal distinctions between Hong Kong and mainland China.
Earlier this month, Hong Kong’s legislature approved a contentious bill making it illegal to insult the Chinese national anthem after pro-democracy lawmakers boycotted the vote out of protest.
Senior opposition figures have also been arrested for taking part in demonstrations, and questions have arisen over whether the national security legislation will be used to disqualify pro-democracy candidates in September’s elections for the Beijing-controlled Legislative Council.


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--Basketball restarts in China after coronavirus shutdown

BEIJING ( AP ) - The Chinese basketball league has restarted after an almost five-month shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic , with fewer foreign players and no fans in the stands .
The CBA was suspended on Jan. 24 after the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan , a week before it was scheduled to return following a spring break at the end of the regular season .
The semifinals stage started Saturday , with 20 teams divided into two divisions and limited venues to reduce travel .
All stadiums are closed to fans .
Zhejiang Lions beat the Nanjing Monkey Kings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hu Jinqiu leading the Lions with 26 points and 17 rebounds .
The Suzhou Dragons had a 105-98 win over Shenzhen Aviators in the second game .
Jeremy Lin and the Beijing Ducks were playing a late game against Liaoning Flying Leopards .
League chairman and former NBA star Yao Ming praised the work of the clubs and health authorities for helping get the CBA season restarted .
“ Everything you have experienced this season will surely write a strong stroke in the history of the CBA league , and the history will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedication and contribution of each of us , ” Yao wrote in an open letter to players and fans posted on the CBA ’ s website .
“ As the first national large-scale sports event to be restarted in China , the CBA rematch has a strategic significance for comprehensively promoting the resumption of production and restoring life , and its social impact has exceeded the basketball itself.
” China contained the spread of COVID-19 after being the initial epicenter of the outbreak , but Beijing reported a rise in cases last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus in the capital since then .
Beijing recorded a drop amid tightened containment measures on Saturday , though , reporting 22 new cases along with five others elsewhere in China .
There are no new deaths and 308 people remain hospitalized for treatment .
The slight rise in China last week came as the World Health Organization warned that the pandemic is “ accelerating ” in parts of the world .
Yao warned players and clubs to be careful .
“ The epidemic is not over yet , we have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and compete under relatively closed conditions , ” he said .
“ Neither the empty court nor the tournament system is a rhythm we are familiar with , but the long-lost game is in front of us .
”

BEIJING (AP) - The Chinese basketball league has restarted after an almost five-month shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic, with fewer foreign players and no fans in the stands.
The CBA was suspended on Jan. 24 after the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, a week before it was scheduled to return following a spring break at the end of the regular season. The semifinals stage started Saturday, with 20 teams divided into two divisions and limited venues to reduce travel. All stadiums are closed to fans.
Zhejiang Lions beat the Nanjing Monkey Kings 112-95 in the first game back, Hu Jinqiu leading the Lions with 26 points and 17 rebounds. The Suzhou Dragons had a 105-98 win over Shenzhen Aviators in the second game. Jeremy Lin and the Beijing Ducks were playing a late game against Liaoning Flying Leopards.
League chairman and former NBA star Yao Ming praised the work of the clubs and health authorities for helping get the CBA season restarted.
“Everything you have experienced this season will surely write a strong stroke in the history of the CBA league, and the history will also bear in mind the hardship, dedication and contribution of each of us,” Yao wrote in an open letter to players and fans posted on the CBA’s website.
“As the first national large-scale sports event to be restarted in China, the CBA rematch has a strategic significance for comprehensively promoting the resumption of production and restoring life, and its social impact has exceeded the basketball itself.”
China contained the spread of COVID-19 after being the initial epicenter of the outbreak, but Beijing reported a rise in cases last week and 205 people have been diagnosed with the virus in the capital since then.
Beijing recorded a drop amid tightened containment measures on Saturday, though, reporting 22 new cases along with five others elsewhere in China. There are no new deaths and 308 people remain hospitalized for treatment.
The slight rise in China last week came as the World Health Organization warned that the pandemic is “accelerating” in parts of the world.
Yao warned players and clubs to be careful.
“The epidemic is not over yet, we have to arrange for everyone to live, train and compete under relatively closed conditions,” he said. “Neither the empty court nor the tournament system is a rhythm we are familiar with, but the long-lost game is in front of us.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--DC protesters pull down, burn statue of Confederate general

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Protesters toppled the only statue of a Confederate general in the nation ’ s capital and set it on fire on Juneteenth , the day marking the end of slavery in the United States , amid continuing anti-racism demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Cheering demonstrators jumped up and down as the 11-foot ( 3.4-meter ) statue of Albert Pike - wrapped with chains - wobbled on its high granite pedestal before falling backward , landing in a pile of dust .
Protesters then set a bonfire and stood around it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chanting , “ No justice , no peace !
” and “ No racist police !
” Eyewitness accounts and videos posted on social media indicated that police were on the scene but didn ’ t intervene .
President Donald Trump quickly tweeted about the toppling , calling out D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and writing : “ The DC police are not doing their job as they watched a statue be ripped down and burn .
These people should be immediately arrested .
A disgrace to our Country !
” Jubilant protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bullhorn and cheered .
After the statue fell , most protesters returned peacefully to Lafayette Park near the White House .
The Pike statue has been a source of controversy over the years .
The former Confederate general was also a longtime influential leader of the Freemasons , who revere Pike and who paid for the statue .
Pike ’ s body is interred at the D.C. headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry , which also contains a small museum in his honor .
The statue , dedicated in 1901 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mile from the U.S. Capitol .
It was built at the request of Masons who successfully lobbied Congress to grant them land for the statue as long as Pike would be depicted in civilian , not military , clothing .
Racial tensions in the country hit a boiling point and spilled into the streets after Floyd ’ s killing late last month .
Video showed a white police officer pressing his knee against Floyd ’ s neck for nearly eight minutes as the handcuffed Black man said , “ I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chauvin , has been charged with murder .
Civil rights activists and some local government officials in D.C. had campaigned for years to get the statue taken down but needed the federal government ’ s approval to do so .
“ Ever since 1992 , members of the DC Council have been calling on the federal gov ’ t to remove the statue of Confederate Albert Pike ( a federal memorial on federal land ) .
We unanimously renewed our call to Congress to remove it in 2017 , ” the D.C. Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the removal of the statue referred to Pike as a “ chief founder of the post-Civil War Ku Klux Klan.
” The Klan connection is a frequent accusation from Pike ’ s critics and one which the Masons dispute .

WASHINGTON (AP) - Protesters toppled the only statue of a Confederate general in the nation’s capital and set it on fire on Juneteenth, the day marking the end of slavery in the United States, amid continuing anti-racism demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Cheering demonstrators jumped up and down as the 11-foot (3.4-meter) statue of Albert Pike - wrapped with chains - wobbled on its high granite pedestal before falling backward, landing in a pile of dust. Protesters then set a bonfire and stood around it in a circle as the statue burned, chanting, “No justice, no peace!” and “No racist police!”
Eyewitness accounts and videos posted on social media indicated that police were on the scene but didn’t intervene. President Donald Trump quickly tweeted about the toppling, calling out D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and writing: “The DC police are not doing their job as they watched a statue be ripped down and burn. These people should be immediately arrested. A disgrace to our Country!”
Jubilant protesters read out Trump’s tweet over a bullhorn and cheered. After the statue fell, most protesters returned peacefully to Lafayette Park near the White House.
The Pike statue has been a source of controversy over the years. The former Confederate general was also a longtime influential leader of the Freemasons, who revere Pike and who paid for the statue. Pike’s body is interred at the D.C. headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, which also contains a small museum in his honor.
The statue, dedicated in 1901, was located in Judiciary Square about half a mile from the U.S. Capitol. It was built at the request of Masons who successfully lobbied Congress to grant them land for the statue as long as Pike would be depicted in civilian, not military, clothing.
Racial tensions in the country hit a boiling point and spilled into the streets after Floyd’s killing late last month. Video showed a white police officer pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes as the handcuffed Black man said, “I can’t breathe.” The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder.
Civil rights activists and some local government officials in D.C. had campaigned for years to get the statue taken down but needed the federal government’s approval to do so.
“Ever since 1992, members of the DC Council have been calling on the federal gov’t to remove the statue of Confederate Albert Pike (a federal memorial on federal land). We unanimously renewed our call to Congress to remove it in 2017,” the D.C. Council tweeted Friday.
A proposed resolution calling for the removal of the statue referred to Pike as a “chief founder of the post-Civil War Ku Klux Klan.” The Klan connection is a frequent accusation from Pike’s critics and one which the Masons dispute.
___
Thomas reported from Savannah, Georgia.


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--Pitchman builds a hemp farm, inspired by daughter

ST. PETERSBURG , Fla. ( AP ) - Prolific pitchman Anthony Sullivan has earned television renown as the commercial spokesman for a long list of products , including OxiClean , Smart Mop and Nutrisystem .
Now , the St. Petersburg resident has added a line of cannabidiol , otherwise known as CBD , to that list .
But unlike those other products , he is doing more than marketing the CBD .
Sullivan founded a company to produce the oil , named MONTKUSH , with organic hemp that he and a partner grew on a farm they own and built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was inspired by CBD ’ s positive impact on his daughter ’ s health , fueled by a possible midlife crisis and nearly foiled by a lack of farming experience .
All the while , television cameras rolled , capturing what Sullivan , 51 , called “ a fish out of water experience ” he says will one day become a reality show .
“ I am a marketing guy and knew the easiest way for me to get into this is to go to a lab , toss a white label on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s CBD , ” he said .
“ But I thought , if I am going to do this , I want to know everything that goes into the process ” by farming the hemp from seed to fully bloomed plant and then creating the oil .
CBD is extracted from hemp but does not produce the high of marijuana .
Some people believe it provides relief from pain and anxiety and is a useful treatment for ailments such as seizures and high blood pressure .
Still , doctors and scientists say more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared so medically effective .
Sullivan admits he was among the CBD doubters until he saw what it did for his now 9-year-old daughter , Devon .
Named for his hometown of Devon , England , Sullivan said her development is negatively affected by a genetic disorder so rare it does not have a name .
“ She doesn ’ t talk , ” Sullivan said .
“ But I can communicate with her in other ways and she is this amazing little human being who is vibrant and thinks the world is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 7 , Sullivan said .
She was prescribed a medication , which he would not name , to alleviate the episodes but it “ erased her personality.
” “ I could wave my hand in front of her face and it felt like no one was there , ” he said .
“ She lost 20 percent of her body weight and her skin turned ashy.
” Her mother , St. Petersburg-based psychologist Brett Stone , suggested they try CBD oil instead of the pharmaceutical .
“ My first reaction was no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be walking around high , ” Sullivan said .
“ But her mother has a Ph.D. and is a great mother , so I trusted her.
” The Food and Drug Administration ’ s website says Epidolex is the only pharmaceutical containing CBD that the federal agency has approved for treating seizures .
“ That means FDA has concluded that this particular drug product is safe and effective for its intended use , ” according to the website .
Sullivan declined to say which CBD his daughter initially took .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t talk about the science , ” Sullivan said .
“ But I know it worked ” because her seizures stopped and her personality returned .
About a year later , Sullivan traveled to Vermont to see a friend ’ s latest investment : a hemp farm .
“ It was Labor Day 2018 , ” Sullivan said .
“ I found myself standing in the middle of this hemp field with 25 acres of cannabis plants in full bloom .
It was quite the sight .
I was blown away by it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do this too .
It can help my daughter.
’ And I was looking for a new challenge .
Most guys buy a sports car during their midlife crisis .
I started a hemp farm.
” In January 2019 , Sullivan and another friend , Dave Christian of Philadelphia , partnered on a 116-acre former dairy farm in Plainfield , Vt. , that they named Mont Kush after the Kush strain of hemp they grow .
They transformed the property by adding roads , six Airstreams for offices and residences , three 3,000-square-foot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pond .
But the duo admits money could not help them overcome one obstacle .
“ Neither of us had ever farmed , ” Christian said with a laugh .
“ The locals thought we were crazy.
” They considered turning the operation over to experienced farmers “ but decided we wanted to do it on our own , ” Sullivan said .
“ I come from the very sterile world of television .
I wanted to suffer through this .
I wanted to get dirt under my fingernails.
” He also figured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about “ two guys trying to start a business when they had no idea what they were doing , ” so Sullivan hired a camera crew to document the adventure .
Christian owned a water damage restoration company that operated in Pennsylvania , New Jersey and Florida .
He sold it so he could stay in Vermont full time and oversee the eight-employee operation .
Sullivan split time between the farm and his television duties in St. Petersburg .
Early on , they almost lost the crop because their warehouses , where seeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I thought I created a wonderful environment for the plants to grow , ” Christian said .
“ But I also created a wonderful place for fungus to grow on the plants.
” They were able to acquire enough organic neem oil to kill the fungus and save the crop .
Preparing the 65 acres of meadows for 75,000 plants was more difficult , they said .
The farm is 5 miles from Barre , Vt. , the self-proclaimed granite capital of the world .
“ Locals told us our farm grew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We thought it was a joke until we got into the fields.
” More than 5,000 rocks , some the size of “ car engines , ” Sullivan said , were lurking beneath the soil and had to be pulled before they could plant the crop .
“ It was an epic battle of man versus rocks , ” Christian laughed .
The seeds were planted in the greenhouse on May 9 and the baby plants were transported to the meadow on June 9 .
The first of the 75,000 4- to 6-foot-high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those plants created the CBD oil available online at MontKush.com .
Sullivan said his daughter now uses his oil and he has a sense of pride he has not felt in years .
“ It ’ s been the biggest adventure of my life outside of coming to America when I was 23 , ” he said .
“ We persisted and we succeeded .
”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Prolific pitchman Anthony Sullivan has earned television renown as the commercial spokesman for a long list of products, including OxiClean, Smart Mop and Nutrisystem.
Now, the St. Petersburg resident has added a line of cannabidiol, otherwise known as CBD, to that list.
But unlike those other products, he is doing more than marketing the CBD.
Sullivan founded a company to produce the oil, named MONTKUSH, with organic hemp that he and a partner grew on a farm they own and built with their own hands.
The venture was inspired by CBD’s positive impact on his daughter’s health, fueled by a possible midlife crisis and nearly foiled by a lack of farming experience.
All the while, television cameras rolled, capturing what Sullivan, 51, called “a fish out of water experience” he says will one day become a reality show.
“I am a marketing guy and knew the easiest way for me to get into this is to go to a lab, toss a white label on something there and call it Sullivan’s CBD,” he said. “But I thought, if I am going to do this, I want to know everything that goes into the process” by farming the hemp from seed to fully bloomed plant and then creating the oil.
CBD is extracted from hemp but does not produce the high of marijuana.
Some people believe it provides relief from pain and anxiety and is a useful treatment for ailments such as seizures and high blood pressure. Still, doctors and scientists say more testing is needed before it can be declared so medically effective.
Sullivan admits he was among the CBD doubters until he saw what it did for his now 9-year-old daughter, Devon.
Named for his hometown of Devon, England, Sullivan said her development is negatively affected by a genetic disorder so rare it does not have a name.
“She doesn’t talk,” Sullivan said. “But I can communicate with her in other ways and she is this amazing little human being who is vibrant and thinks the world is fantastic.”
The seizures started when she was 7, Sullivan said. She was prescribed a medication, which he would not name, to alleviate the episodes but it “erased her personality.”
“I could wave my hand in front of her face and it felt like no one was there,” he said. “She lost 20 percent of her body weight and her skin turned ashy.”
Her mother, St. Petersburg-based psychologist Brett Stone, suggested they try CBD oil instead of the pharmaceutical.
“My first reaction was no. I ignorantly thought my daughter would be walking around high,” Sullivan said. “But her mother has a Ph.D. and is a great mother, so I trusted her.”
The Food and Drug Administration’s website says Epidolex is the only pharmaceutical containing CBD that the federal agency has approved for treating seizures.
“That means FDA has concluded that this particular drug product is safe and effective for its intended use,” according to the website.
Sullivan declined to say which CBD his daughter initially took.
“I’m not a doctor and can’t talk about the science,” Sullivan said. “But I know it worked” because her seizures stopped and her personality returned.
About a year later, Sullivan traveled to Vermont to see a friend’s latest investment: a hemp farm.
“It was Labor Day 2018,” Sullivan said. “I found myself standing in the middle of this hemp field with 25 acres of cannabis plants in full bloom. It was quite the sight. I was blown away by it and thought, ‘I want to do this too. It can help my daughter.’ And I was looking for a new challenge. Most guys buy a sports car during their midlife crisis. I started a hemp farm.”
In January 2019, Sullivan and another friend, Dave Christian of Philadelphia, partnered on a 116-acre former dairy farm in Plainfield, Vt., that they named Mont Kush after the Kush strain of hemp they grow.
They transformed the property by adding roads, six Airstreams for offices and residences, three 3,000-square-foot greenhouses and a 2-million-gallon retention and irrigation pond.
Sullivan estimates they spent $3 million.
But the duo admits money could not help them overcome one obstacle.
“Neither of us had ever farmed,” Christian said with a laugh. “The locals thought we were crazy.”
They considered turning the operation over to experienced farmers “but decided we wanted to do it on our own,” Sullivan said. “I come from the very sterile world of television. I wanted to suffer through this. I wanted to get dirt under my fingernails.”
He also figured it would make a great television show about “two guys trying to start a business when they had no idea what they were doing,” so Sullivan hired a camera crew to document the adventure.
Christian owned a water damage restoration company that operated in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. He sold it so he could stay in Vermont full time and oversee the eight-employee operation.
Sullivan split time between the farm and his television duties in St. Petersburg.
Early on, they almost lost the crop because their warehouses, where seeds are planted, were too humid.
“I thought I created a wonderful environment for the plants to grow,” Christian said. “But I also created a wonderful place for fungus to grow on the plants.”
They were able to acquire enough organic neem oil to kill the fungus and save the crop.
Preparing the 65 acres of meadows for 75,000 plants was more difficult, they said.
The farm is 5 miles from Barre, Vt., the self-proclaimed granite capital of the world.
“Locals told us our farm grew rocks,” Christian said. “We thought it was a joke until we got into the fields.”
More than 5,000 rocks, some the size of “car engines,” Sullivan said, were lurking beneath the soil and had to be pulled before they could plant the crop.
“It was an epic battle of man versus rocks,” Christian laughed.
The seeds were planted in the greenhouse on May 9 and the baby plants were transported to the meadow on June 9. The first of the 75,000 4- to 6-foot-high plants were harvested on Sept. 2.
Those plants created the CBD oil available online at MontKush.com.
Sullivan said his daughter now uses his oil and he has a sense of pride he has not felt in years.
“It’s been the biggest adventure of my life outside of coming to America when I was 23,” he said. “We persisted and we succeeded.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--Nonprofit has a message for low-income families: ´Wegotchu'

JACKSONVILLE , Fla. ( AP ) - Through his work at Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida , Wilfred Torres sees on a daily basis that many low-income families have critical , unmet needs .
He knows the signs from personal experience .
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Florida , he grew up in a low-income family led by a “ hard-working single mom , ” he said , and “ witnessed the reality of needing assistance under difficult circumstances such as language barriers , financial deprivation and lack of community awareness.
” So Torres , 32 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in poverty , to go above and beyond his work .
He formed his own nonprofit , called WegotchuEnterprises , which provides back-to-school supplies and Christmas gifts for children and financial assistance and education for adults .
“ We help children who are living in poverty have the proper essentials for better learning , ” he said .
“ We help individuals overcome the financial stress that comes with being a single parent.
” The nonprofit also gives families passes to the zoo , museums and other family-oriented attractions .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … surrounding communities to help them support their children ’ s education , ” he said .
Founded in 2015 , Wegotchu served 150 families the following year , 350 in 2017 , 500 in 2018 and 1,000 last year .
Needs increased this year because of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting family struggles , but Torres said it has given the nonprofit “ a sense of resiliency through these tough times .
“ Although with more needs to meet and more families to serve , our resources , partnerships and collaborations have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Torres said .
The resulting support from Lutheran Social Services and the city of Jacksonville ’ s Community Relief programs “ helped us to not only survive the pandemic , but most importantly help us to help the families who have been crucially impacted , ” he said .
Meanwhile , Torres also helps low-income people through his work at Lutheran Social Services , which offers financial management support for low-income people ; runs a “ client-choice ” food pantry ; helps refugees settle in the area ; and provides case management , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living with HIV and AIDS .
The agency is a partner in Steps 2 Success , which provides career and financial coaching and is based at Edward Waters College in the New Town community .
The “ financial opportunity center ” was funded by LISC Jacksonville , the local affiliate of a national community development organization , and is also supported by Family Foundations , United Way of Northeast Florida , the New Town Success Zone and the college .
Torres is an employment specialist and income support manager at Steps 2 Success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonprofit as tools in his mission .
“ It is my passion and dedication to help others who are in need , which goes with my most important social responsibility of trying to make the world a better place , ” he said .
That passion makes Torres “ an incredibly valued member of our team , ” said Bill Brim , executive director of Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida .
“ Wilfred has always taken the extra step for our community .
His efforts here at Lutheran Social Services showcase his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those in need , ” Brim said .
“ We ’ re so proud of him for going even further to make a difference , especially in times like these.
” Torres wants to build on what Wegotchu has accomplished , expanding services to cover different needs and different communities of Jacksonville .
Among his plans is a “ virtual high school academy ” that he hopes to open in the upcoming school year .
But his overall goal remains the same .
“ Our focus is to provide resources where resources are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empower positive ideas for the good of the community , ” he said .

BETH REESE CRAVEY, The Florida Times-Union

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Through his work at Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida, Wilfred Torres sees on a daily basis that many low-income families have critical, unmet needs.
He knows the signs from personal experience.
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Florida, he grew up in a low-income family led by a “hard-working single mom,” he said, and “witnessed the reality of needing assistance under difficult circumstances such as language barriers, financial deprivation and lack of community awareness.”
So Torres, 32, decided to do more to help families living in poverty, to go above and beyond his work. He formed his own nonprofit, called WegotchuEnterprises, which provides back-to-school supplies and Christmas gifts for children and financial assistance and education for adults.
“We help children who are living in poverty have the proper essentials for better learning,” he said. “We help individuals overcome the financial stress that comes with being a single parent.”
The nonprofit also gives families passes to the zoo, museums and other family-oriented attractions.
“We are big on providing resources from the … surrounding communities to help them support their children’s education,” he said.
Founded in 2015, Wegotchu served 150 families the following year, 350 in 2017, 500 in 2018 and 1,000 last year. Needs increased this year because of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting family struggles, but Torres said it has given the nonprofit “a sense of resiliency through these tough times.
“Although with more needs to meet and more families to serve, our resources, partnerships and collaborations have prompted the call for help,” Torres said. The resulting support from Lutheran Social Services and the city of Jacksonville’s Community Relief programs “helped us to not only survive the pandemic, but most importantly help us to help the families who have been crucially impacted,” he said.
Meanwhile, Torres also helps low-income people through his work at Lutheran Social Services, which offers financial management support for low-income people; runs a “client-choice” food pantry; helps refugees settle in the area; and provides case management, mental health services and education for people living with HIV and AIDS.
The agency is a partner in Steps 2 Success, which provides career and financial coaching and is based at Edward Waters College in the New Town community. The “financial opportunity center” was funded by LISC Jacksonville, the local affiliate of a national community development organization, and is also supported by Family Foundations, United Way of Northeast Florida, the New Town Success Zone and the college. Torres is an employment specialist and income support manager at Steps 2 Success.
He uses his job and his nonprofit as tools in his mission.
“It is my passion and dedication to help others who are in need, which goes with my most important social responsibility of trying to make the world a better place,” he said.
That passion makes Torres “an incredibly valued member of our team,” said Bill Brim, executive director of Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida.
“Wilfred has always taken the extra step for our community. His efforts here at Lutheran Social Services showcase his huge heart and his call to serve those in need,” Brim said. “We’re so proud of him for going even further to make a difference, especially in times like these.”
Torres wants to build on what Wegotchu has accomplished, expanding services to cover different needs and different communities of Jacksonville. Among his plans is a “virtual high school academy” that he hopes to open in the upcoming school year.
But his overall goal remains the same.
“Our focus is to provide resources where resources are not available … to promote self-sufficiency and empower positive ideas for the good of the community,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--LGBT refugees find a haven in Kenya despite persecution

NAIROBI , Kenya ( AP ) - When he was attacked by a mob for being gay , Martin Okello said the kicks and blows from his assailants came so fast that he couldn ’ t stop them or flee .
He passed out and was left for dead in Nairobi ’ s low-income neighborhood of Kawangware .
Okello had fled to Kenya from his native Uganda to seek asylum and protection under the U.N. refugee agency , he said , “ but for the time I have been here , I could say we have been facing so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29-year-old former radio journalist had kept his sexual orientation a secret for months as he worked as an educator for the LGBT community at a clinic in Kawangware .
Still , he never expected to be persecuted in Kenya .
“ We try as much as possible to keep a low profile , but in one way or another , you find yourself having a high profile because you can ’ t deny you are an LGBTI , ” he said .
“ So it just comes out , and when it comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whoa !
We can ’ t tolerate this in the community.
’ ” Okello ’ s best bet for a life free from intolerance lies in being resettled in a developed country .
But global restrictions on travel because of the coronavirus had put that process on hold .
“ I was waiting for the last interview so that I can be resettled in the U.S. where I expected a nice life and acceptance for people like me , because life here is like being in a dungeon with lions , ” Okello @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 3,000 refugees in Africa and 10,000 worldwide whose resettlement was halted temporarily by the pandemic , according to the International Organization for Migration .
It had no breakdown for how many of those are LGBT .
On Thursday , the IOM announced the restrictions finally were being lifted .
The development came two days before World Refugee Day on June 20 , which recognizes the millions of people forced to flee their homes due to war or persecution .
The news that the resettlement process was moving again “ makes me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that he has been waiting for resettlement for 3 1/2 years .
In the meantime , Okello has found solace in a group shelter called the “ House of Nature , ” which provides safety and serves as an alternative family for those who have been kicked out of their communities due to discrimination .
Though around for decades , these shelters , or “ houses , ” have been popularized recently by the Netflix show “ Pose.
” They have helped minority communities at the height of the gay rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the AIDS epidemic .
Houses are led by “ mothers ” and “ fathers , ” usually older members including drag queens , gay men or transgender women who provide guidance and support for the resident “ children.
” Human Rights Watch says 32 African nations have varying laws criminalizing homosexuality .
In many cases , the laws are left over from the colonial era .
Uganda enacted anti-gay legislation in 2014 , at one point calling for the death penalty for some homosexual offenses , although that law later was declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenya is a rare regional haven .
It is the only East African nation where someone can seek asylum and be registered as a refugee based on their LGBT status .
And yet , there is still discrimination and harassment in Kenya .
Gay sex is illegal , with sodomy punishable by up to 14 years in prison .
The “ House of Nature ” is led by Raymond Brian , another Ugandan refugee and a nonconforming gender person who also goes by the name of “ Mother Nature.
” “ People feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far from the family setup , ” Brian said .
“ We use family therapy to help each other overcome the trauma from our pasts .
There is a mother figure and a father figure.
” The last time Okello talked to his parents was six years ago .
“ I miss my parents and siblings .
Unfortunately , lines of communication shut down , ” he said .
His life in Uganda was shattered in 2014 when a male sex worker tried to extort him for $ 10 and outed him as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian radio station where he worked and was kicked out of his home by his Catholic parents .
The same day that he was forced to leave home , he was attacked by a group of people but managed to take shelter at a friend ’ s house .
Okello eventually made it to Nairobi , where he registered as a refugee and discovered the House of Nature .
It was started by Brian and others after Kenyan police raided a shelter of over 70 LGBT refugees .
Now , three other houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lunko Contour and Refugee Trans Initiative .
Members contribute rent through activities such as raising chickens , and other funding comes from LGBT nongovernmental organizations .
“ We have to find ways of contributing to the house , including sex work , ” Brian said , even though it is illegal .
Brian said the House of Nature found that when authorities were told of their presence or activities beforehand , they were less likely to be harassed by police .
Despite the outreach , people still have negative feelings about the house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They assume when we say we are queer that we have loose morals , and when we ’ re sharing a house like this one , then all we do is have orgies.
” But Brian said nothing could be further from the truth , and “ what we need is understanding , not acceptance .
”

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - When he was attacked by a mob for being gay, Martin Okello said the kicks and blows from his assailants came so fast that he couldn’t stop them or flee. He passed out and was left for dead in Nairobi’s low-income neighborhood of Kawangware.
Okello had fled to Kenya from his native Uganda to seek asylum and protection under the U.N. refugee agency, he said, “but for the time I have been here, I could say we have been facing so many insecurities.”
Before the attack, the 29-year-old former radio journalist had kept his sexual orientation a secret for months as he worked as an educator for the LGBT community at a clinic in Kawangware. Still, he never expected to be persecuted in Kenya.
“We try as much as possible to keep a low profile, but in one way or another, you find yourself having a high profile because you can’t deny you are an LGBTI,” he said. “So it just comes out, and when it comes out, someone is like, ‘Whoa! We can’t tolerate this in the community.’”
Okello’s best bet for a life free from intolerance lies in being resettled in a developed country. But global restrictions on travel because of the coronavirus had put that process on hold.
“I was waiting for the last interview so that I can be resettled in the U.S. where I expected a nice life and acceptance for people like me, because life here is like being in a dungeon with lions,” Okello said.
He’s one of more than 3,000 refugees in Africa and 10,000 worldwide whose resettlement was halted temporarily by the pandemic, according to the International Organization for Migration. It had no breakdown for how many of those are LGBT.
On Thursday, the IOM announced the restrictions finally were being lifted. The development came two days before World Refugee Day on June 20, which recognizes the millions of people forced to flee their homes due to war or persecution.
The news that the resettlement process was moving again “makes me feel good,” Okello said Friday, adding that he has been waiting for resettlement for 3 1/2 years.
In the meantime, Okello has found solace in a group shelter called the “House of Nature,” which provides safety and serves as an alternative family for those who have been kicked out of their communities due to discrimination.
Though around for decades, these shelters, or “houses,” have been popularized recently by the Netflix show “Pose.” They have helped minority communities at the height of the gay rights movement in the U.S. and the start of the AIDS epidemic.
Houses are led by “mothers” and “fathers,” usually older members including drag queens, gay men or transgender women who provide guidance and support for the resident “children.”
Human Rights Watch says 32 African nations have varying laws criminalizing homosexuality. In many cases, the laws are left over from the colonial era.
Uganda enacted anti-gay legislation in 2014, at one point calling for the death penalty for some homosexual offenses, although that law later was declared unconstitutional and jettisoned after international pressure.
Kenya is a rare regional haven. It is the only East African nation where someone can seek asylum and be registered as a refugee based on their LGBT status. And yet, there is still discrimination and harassment in Kenya. Gay sex is illegal, with sodomy punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The “House of Nature” is led by Raymond Brian, another Ugandan refugee and a nonconforming gender person who also goes by the name of “Mother Nature.”
“People feel comfortable here because it’s not far from the family setup,” Brian said. “We use family therapy to help each other overcome the trauma from our pasts. There is a mother figure and a father figure.”
The last time Okello talked to his parents was six years ago. “I miss my parents and siblings. Unfortunately, lines of communication shut down,” he said.
His life in Uganda was shattered in 2014 when a male sex worker tried to extort him for $10 and outed him as gay. Okello was fired from the Christian radio station where he worked and was kicked out of his home by his Catholic parents. The same day that he was forced to leave home, he was attacked by a group of people but managed to take shelter at a friend’s house.
Okello eventually made it to Nairobi, where he registered as a refugee and discovered the House of Nature.
It was started by Brian and others after Kenyan police raided a shelter of over 70 LGBT refugees. Now, three other houses have formed: Pride Umbrella Kenya, Lunko Contour and Refugee Trans Initiative. Members contribute rent through activities such as raising chickens, and other funding comes from LGBT nongovernmental organizations.
“We have to find ways of contributing to the house, including sex work,” Brian said, even though it is illegal.
Brian said the House of Nature found that when authorities were told of their presence or activities beforehand, they were less likely to be harassed by police.
Despite the outreach, people still have negative feelings about the house, Brian said, adding: “They assume when we say we are queer that we have loose morals, and when we’re sharing a house like this one, then all we do is have orgies.”
But Brian said nothing could be further from the truth, and “what we need is understanding, not acceptance.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--AP Week in Pictures, Global

AP Week in Pictures, Global

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

JUNE 13 - 19, 2020
This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by The Associated Press from around the world.
The selection was curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York.
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washingtontimes--2020-06-20--Rare sea turtle released off Florida Keys

MARATHON , Fla. ( AP ) - A rare hybrid hawksbill-green sea turtle , rehabilitated at the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital , will participate in a long-distance online “ race ” that follows the migration of sea turtles over three months .
A satellite tracking transmitter was epoxied to “ Maisy ’ s ” shell before she crawled from Marathon ’ s Sombrero Beach into the Atlantic Ocean on Friday .
The Tour de Turtles , an annual educational project organized by the Sea Turtle Conservancy , is intended to raise awareness about sea turtles and threats to their survival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress online .
” Maisy ” was rescued almost a year ago off the Lower Keys suffering from fibropapillomatosis , a herpes-like virus affecting sea turtles around the world .
Turtle Hospital staff ’ s treatment included multiple tumor removal surgeries , administering antibiotics and a healthy diet of seafood and greens .
The reptile is the first of nine hard-shell turtles to be fitted with a satellite transmitter .
The others will be released off Florida by the end of July , according to Dan Evans , a senior research biologist with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ race ” is to begin Aug. 1 and concludes Oct. 31 .
“ Beyond the educational aspect and the awareness is the science behind it , ” said Evans .
“ Maisy ’ s the first hybrid sea turtle we ’ ve ever tracked.
” The conservancy began a separate “ race ” for leatherback turtles on Tuesday .

MARATHON, Fla. (AP) - A rare hybrid hawksbill-green sea turtle, rehabilitated at the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital, will participate in a long-distance online “race” that follows the migration of sea turtles over three months.
A satellite tracking transmitter was epoxied to “Maisy’s” shell before she crawled from Marathon’s Sombrero Beach into the Atlantic Ocean on Friday.
The Tour de Turtles, an annual educational project organized by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, is intended to raise awareness about sea turtles and threats to their survival. The public can monitor competitors’ progress online.
”Maisy” was rescued almost a year ago off the Lower Keys suffering from fibropapillomatosis, a herpes-like virus affecting sea turtles around the world. Turtle Hospital staff’s treatment included multiple tumor removal surgeries, administering antibiotics and a healthy diet of seafood and greens.
The reptile is the first of nine hard-shell turtles to be fitted with a satellite transmitter.
The others will be released off Florida by the end of July, according to Dan Evans, a senior research biologist with the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Their tracking and “race” is to begin Aug. 1 and concludes Oct. 31.
“Beyond the educational aspect and the awareness is the science behind it,” said Evans. “Maisy’s the first hybrid sea turtle we’ve ever tracked.”
The conservancy began a separate “race” for leatherback turtles on Tuesday.


washingtontimes--2020-06-20--Aussie rules game postponed after player fails COVID-19 test

MELBOURNE , Australia ( AP ) - The Australian Football League has postponed a game between Essendon and Melbourne because a player who recently returned from Ireland has tested positive for COVID-19 .
The Australian rules AFL competition was into the second weekend of matches after restarting in the wake of the shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic .
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said Essendon player Conor McKenna tested positive on Saturday , a day before the scheduled game against Melbourne , but remained asymptomatic .
Other matches will continue in the league .
McLachlan said McKenna was the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players and staff were tested .
McKenna returned from Ireland last month and self-isolated for two weeks according to Australia ’ s COVID-19 protocols before returning to full practice .
McLachlan said McKenna had been tested five times while in hotel quarantine after arriving back in Australia and had returned negative results each time .
All players are required to complete a COVID-19 test 24 hours before each match .
League officials notified the health department of the positive case and were working with the authorities to do contact tracing .
All Essendon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolate until the contact tracing is completed .
“ We said at the outset of this crisis that we would make all decisions based on medical advice and our priority remains the health and safety of our players , staff and the wider community , ” McLachlan told a news conference Saturday .
“ We need to do the right thing and the right thing for our club and the wider community is to postpone this match.
” The AFL case was announced the same day as Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for three weeks from Monday after recording double-digit increases in COVID-19 cases for a fourth consecutive day .
Andrews said Victoria recorded 25 new cases on Saturday , the biggest daily increase in two months , forcing a delay to further easing of restrictions .
Victoria state , headquarters for the AFL , has accounted for 19 of Australia ’ s 102 deaths from COVID-19 , and almost 1,800 of the country ’ s 7,411 confirmed infections , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
The AFL and the National Rugby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s four major football competitions - restarted after declining rates of coronavirus infections nationally .
Soccer ’ s A-League and Super Rugby are set to restart next month .

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - The Australian Football League has postponed a game between Essendon and Melbourne because a player who recently returned from Ireland has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Australian rules AFL competition was into the second weekend of matches after restarting in the wake of the shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said Essendon player Conor McKenna tested positive on Saturday, a day before the scheduled game against Melbourne, but remained asymptomatic.
Other matches will continue in the league.
McLachlan said McKenna was the only positive case after all Essendon’s players and staff were tested.
McKenna returned from Ireland last month and self-isolated for two weeks according to Australia’s COVID-19 protocols before returning to full practice.
McLachlan said McKenna had been tested five times while in hotel quarantine after arriving back in Australia and had returned negative results each time.
All players are required to complete a COVID-19 test 24 hours before each match.
League officials notified the health department of the positive case and were working with the authorities to do contact tracing. All Essendon players and staff have been told to isolate until the contact tracing is completed.
“We said at the outset of this crisis that we would make all decisions based on medical advice and our priority remains the health and safety of our players, staff and the wider community,” McLachlan told a news conference Saturday. “We need to do the right thing and the right thing for our club and the wider community is to postpone this match.”
The AFL case was announced the same day as Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state is set to re-impose household restrictions for three weeks from Monday after recording double-digit increases in COVID-19 cases for a fourth consecutive day.
Andrews said Victoria recorded 25 new cases on Saturday, the biggest daily increase in two months, forcing a delay to further easing of restrictions.
Victoria state, headquarters for the AFL, has accounted for 19 of Australia’s 102 deaths from COVID-19, and almost 1,800 of the country’s 7,411 confirmed infections, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The AFL and the National Rugby League - the two biggest of Australia’s four major football competitions - restarted after declining rates of coronavirus infections nationally.
Soccer’s A-League and Super Rugby are set to restart next month.
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