washingtontimes--2020-10-07--For Coptic Church, changes, questions after priest ouster

For 17 years , Sally Zakhari said she told priests and leaders in the Coptic Orthodox Church her childhood nightmare - how a Coptic priest visiting from Egypt sexually abused her at her Florida home during what was supposed to be her first confession .
“ I ’ ve already gone to countless bishops .
I ’ ve already gone to two different popes , ” she told The Associated Press .
She went to police as well .
She said she watched the priest - Reweis Aziz Khalil - continue serving at Coptic churches .
Then , Zakhari aired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Khalil was stripped of his priesthood and ordered to return to his pre-ordination name days later .
In announcing the move , Khalil ’ s Minya and Abu Qurqas diocese in Egypt mentioned undated complaints by congregants in Egypt as well as from the United States and Canada .
A papal decree said disciplinary action had been taken against Khalil in the past for “ his repeated infringements.
” Neither statement specified the nature of the complaints or “ infringements.
” The papal decree said prior action against Khalil included “ defrocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It wasn ’ t clear what that entailed and there were times when Khalil served as priest after 2014 .
In response to questions and a request to interview Khalil , his attorney , Michelle Suskauer , said by e-mail : “ Mr .
Khalil will not be responding to your questions and denies all allegations against him.
” For Egypt ’ s ancient Coptic Church , which is usually closed about its inner workings , the allegations and the laicization after sexual abuse claims were unusually public and shocked many .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were announced and questions were raised about oversight and the handling of Zakhari ’ s allegations .
After Khalil ’ s ouster , several Coptic dioceses in America and other Western countries issued statements supporting survivors of clerical sexual abuse , encouraging members to report sexual misconduct or announcing protocols to handle claims and protect the vulnerable .
Some , like Zakhari , are using social media to keep the spotlight on how accusations are handled , setting off intense debates among some Coptic Christians .
Others argue such issues are too sensitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scrutiny could be exploited to unfairly taint the church or its clergy - a concern amplified among some by Christians ’ status as a religious minority in Egypt .
Despite Khalil ’ s removal , Zakhari , now 33 , said she can not celebrate .
“ This has been too many years , ” she said .
“ I ’ m not scandalizing anything .
I ’ m just saying the truth.
” Over the years , as other faith communities publicly grappled with clerical abuse , the Coptic Church in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when targeted with violence by militant groups and other extremists .
The church is the main community among Egypt ’ s Christian minority and has many followers who have emigrated to the United States and elsewhere .
“ As Copts , we ’ re not used to discussing such things in public , ” said Samuel Tadros , senior fellow at Hudson Institute ’ s Center for Religious Freedom .
“ While I ’ m sure that such cases have existed throughout time and are probably not limited to just one individual … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handled behind closed doors.
” Emotions run the gamut .
Online , some criticized openly naming the priest and said “ sins ” shouldn ’ t be publicly exposed .
Others praised the church for removing Khalil from the priesthood .
Still others said leaders acted too slowly and demanded education about sexual misconduct and transparent and swift handling of accusations .
Zakhari said she is not trying to hurt the church she loves .
“ We wanted this to just be handled , ” she said .
It happened in the late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she recounted in a statement she made to the Altamonte Springs Police Department in Florida in February 2013 .
( As a rule , the AP does not name survivors or alleged survivors of sexual abuse unless they have identified themselves publicly , as Zakhari has done . )
A first-generation American , she was born in Florida to parents who are “ faithful servants ” in the Coptic Church .
The church was the center of her strict upbringing , she said .
According to the police report , Zakhari told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priest from Egypt , was staying with her family in Florida .
While alone with her , ostensibly to take her confession , Khalil touched her under her bra , squeezed and fondled her breasts and started kissing her face , neck , ears and lips and forced his tongue inside her mouth , she said in the report , which was viewed by the AP .
As he left , her statement to police said , Khalil told her whatever happens in confession is a secret .
The Altamonte Springs Police Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report with the state attorney ’ s office and it was determined then that the statute of limitations had expired .
At 16 , Zakhari said , she started telling her story to people involved with the church , and around 17 - in 2003 or 2004 , she said - she told Bishop Youssef of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States .
She said she told her mother later .
“ With our culture , it ’ s really hard to talk about sexual abuse to begin with , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s difficult to even have this conversation with my parents.
” Father Pishoy Salama of St. Maurice & St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada said Zakhari , whom he met at a youth conference , began sharing her abuse allegations with him years ago .
“ Her pain was real , and her story was always consistent , ” he said .
Around 2010 , Zakhari said , her mother saw in a church publication that Khalil had been promoted in clerical rank by his diocese in Egypt .
Tracking exactly how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult , especially since Khalil , then a priest of a diocese in Egypt , has served in different areas in the U.S .
According to Zakhari , Bishop Youssef told her he was aware of other abuse allegations against Khalil and said the then-priest had been sent to Egypt and banned from the Southern Diocese .
An AP request to interview Bishop Youssef was answered by a public relations representative who provided statements by the Southern Diocese .
According to the statements , Khalil left the Southern Diocese long before Zakhari spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did everything in its power ” to prevent Khalil from serving in ministry and the bishop barred Khalil from returning to his diocese .
One statement said Bishop Youssef “ believed Ms. Zakhari ’ s complaint against the former priest and informed her of the immediate action taken against him.
” This included him bringing the accusation to the attention of then-Pope Shenouda III and his successor , Pope Tawadros II , as well as the then-bishop of Khalil ’ s diocese in Egypt , Metropolitan Arsanious , it said .
“ Bishop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any influence , control or ecclesiastical authority over a Diocese in Egypt , ” the statement said .
“ Nor did he have any authority over the former priest after he had left the Southern Diocese.
” The statement said it was “ disappointing ” that Zakhari has expressed dissatisfaction “ with how the Southern Diocese and specifically Bishop Youssef handled this troubling issue when she came forward.
” It added that Bishop Youssef and the Southern Diocese “ remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults and creating a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement didn ’ t address some of the AP ’ s questions , including whether Bishop Youssef was aware of other reports of abuse against Khalil .
Coptic Orthodox Church spokesman in Egypt , Father Boules Halim , didn ’ t respond to specific questions but said that the Church doesn ’ t cover up crimes against its followers .
Bishop Makarios of the Minya and Abu Qurqas diocese , reached via WhatsApp , declined to comment beyond publicly issued statements .
Khalil moved on .
Over the years , Zakhari said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different states , sometimes as a visiting priest .
She said she contacted Coptic leaders to alert them .
At least one of Khalil ’ s stints , at the St. Mary and ArchAngel Gabriel Coptic Orthodox Church of West Virginia in Charleston , came after the Church banned him from serving in 2014 .
Between October 2015 and February 2016 , three postings captured by the Internet Archive ’ s Wayback Machine from the website of the West Virginia church appear to mention Khalil .
Multiple photos of a priest who appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the church ’ s Facebook page in late 2015 and early 2016 .
In some , he ’ s surrounded by congregation members or poses with children , some wearing costumes , and adults .
Bassam Makar , treasurer at the West Virginia church , said Khalil served as priest there for about five months .
He said the church ’ s board wasn ’ t aware Khalil had been ordered to stop serving and when it found out , Khalil ’ s service was ended .
He said there were no complaints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
Makar said that while he respects the laicization decision , he dislikes that the issue had become public .
“ It ’ s OK to prevent him from serving but we don ’ t need to announce it and then it becomes a scandal .
That ’ s not good for the church , ” he argued .
“ I am not saying to cover up for anyone … I want everyone to be held accountable but not in a public way .
… We are all sinners.
” That there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to airing that story comes as no surprise to Salama , the priest in Canada .
Clergy members are held in high esteem and some help perpetuate a culture of silence , using their authority and religious arguments to urge victims to “ forgive and forget ” and call for “ unrestricted obedience ” to religious authorities , he said .
“ We know that there was a problem in the system , ” Salama said of Zakhari ’ s case .
“ But , you know , so long as everyone ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not my fault , it ’ s someone else ’ s , ’ then maybe we are all to blame.
” Halim , the church spokesman in Egypt , was asked about the divergent reactions to Khalil ’ s case in an interview with Copts United website .
“ The church doesn ’ t punish a priest the moment he makes a mistake .
… When there is a deviant position regarding the teachings or the behavior , the church provides a chance , two , 10 and possibly up to 20 as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , ” he said .
“ The church takes a position and makes a judgment - and that happens in very limited and very rare situations - when it sees that there ’ s nothing that works.
” At that point , the church must announce its decision so that people are warned , and the person doesn ’ t exploit his clerical garb to continue his violations , he said .
Asked by the AP about his comments , which angered some of those advocating for accountability , Halim said via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church policies for defrocking and were not related to a particular incident .
“ I stress that there ’ s a difference between a sin and a crime , ” he said .
“ For a sin , we give a chance for repentance and a crime is handled by investigation authorities .
We do not cover up any crime against our children.
” There have been announced changes .
Among them , the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America and the Diocese of New York and New England said in a joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and procedures related to claims of sexual misconduct .
They also said they engaged a third-party victim reporting center and established behavioral guidelines on interaction with minors , as part of efforts to prevent sexual abuse and promptly investigate claims .
The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Pennsylvania and Affiliated Regions , which includes West Virginia , issued statements on sexual misconduct after the papal decree .
It pledged to revamp policies , establish clear protocols for investigating allegations , provide mandatory sexual misconduct training to clergy and servants and conduct thorough background checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diocese , we recognize that the current infrastructure in place to deal with allegations of sexual misconduct is insufficient , ” it said .
It has since issued a “ progress report.
” Ishak Ibrahim , a religious freedoms researcher with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights , lauded the public steps to tackle sexual misconduct by some dioceses but said the momentum hasn ’ t been matched in Egypt .
Fear among some Coptic Christians that criticism of clergy could hurt the church or spark “ social bullying ” against them leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
With Egypt ’ s largely conservative culture , sexual issues are not typically publicly discussed and many , Christians and Muslims alike , worry that coming forward with stories of sexual abuse could hurt victims ’ reputations .
Recently , young Egyptian activists have increasingly campaigned online to chip away at the stigma .
But in the West - where the church has expanded - Coptic leaders must deal with the different ways of thinking of younger members , said the Hudson Institute ’ s Tadros .
Zakhari @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openness .
She said her faith has fueled her years-long fight .
“ I just know Jesus Christ would not be OK with this , ” she said , her voice cracking .
“ I know that this is a responsibility that Jesus Christ gave me.
” Fam reported from Winter Park , Florida .
New York-based AP investigative researcher Randy Herschaft and reporters Samy Magdy and Maggie Michael in Cairo contributed to this report .
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Sally Zakhari said that for 17 years, she told priests and leaders in the Coptic Orthodox Church how a Coptic priest sexually abused her at her Florida home during what was supposed to be her first confession.
Still, she watched the priest - Reweis Aziz Khalil - continue serving at Coptic churches.
“I’ve already gone to the church,” she said. “I’ve already gone to countless bishops. I’ve already gone to two different popes.” She also went to the police.
Then, Zakhari went public with her allegations, airing them on social media in July. Khalil was stripped of his priesthood and ordered to return to his pre-ordination name days later.
In announcing the move, Khalil’s Minya and Abu Qurqas diocese in Egypt mentioned undated complaints by congregants in Egypt as well as from the United States and Canada. A papal decree said disciplinary action had been taken against Khalil in the past for “his repeated infringements.” Neither statement specified the nature of the complaints or “infringements.”
The papal decree said prior action against Khalil included “defrocking him from all ministry” in 2014. It wasn’t clear what that entailed and there were times when Khalil served as priest after 2014.
In response to questions and a request to interview Khalil, his attorney, Michelle Suskauer, said by e-mail: “Mr. Khalil will not be responding to your questions and denies all allegations against him.”
For Egypt’s ancient Coptic Church, which is usually closed about its inner workings, the allegations and the laicization after sexual abuse claims were unusually public. There followed announcements of changes by some Coptic dioceses to prevent abuse and address claims - as well as questions about the handling of Zakhari’s allegations and debates among some Coptic Christians.
___
The Coptic Church is the main community among Egypt’s Christian minority and has many followers who have emigrated to the United States and elsewhere. Over the years, as other faith communities around the world publicly grappled with clerical sexual abuse, what publicity the Coptic Church received mostly came when it was targeted by militant groups and other extremists.
“As Copts, we’re not used to discussing such things in public,” said Samuel Tadros, senior fellow at Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom. If there have been similar cases “they were handled behind closed doors.”
Online, some criticized the public naming of the priest or expressed fears the scrutiny could be used to unfairly taint the church, especially since Christians are a minority in Egypt.
Others praised the church for removing Khalil from the priesthood. Still others said leaders responded too slowly and demanded transparency and prompter action on abuse claims.
Several Coptic dioceses pledged or announced protocols for reporting or investigating allegations, as well as anti-abuse efforts like more thorough background checks on clergy.
Zakhari, 33, said her goal was not to hurt the church.
“We wanted this to just be handled,” she said.
___
Zakhari was born in Florida to parents who are “faithful servants” in the Coptic Church and the church was at the center of her upbringing, she said.
In her statement to the Altamonte Springs Police Department in Florida in February 2013, Zakhari said the incident happened in the late 1990s when she was 11 or 12. (As a rule, the AP does not name survivors or alleged survivors of sexual abuse unless they have identified themselves publicly, as Zakhari has done.)
At the time, Khalil, then a visiting priest from Egypt, was staying with her family in Florida, her statement said. He was alone with her, ostensibly to take her confession, when he touched her, including fondling her breasts and kissing her, she said in the report which was viewed by the AP.
The Altamonte Springs Police Department told AP an investigator discussed Zakhari’s report with the state attorney’s office at the time and it was determined that the statute of limitations had expired.
Zakhari said she had shared her story with others long before she told the police, including telling Bishop Youssef of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States when she was 17, around 2003 or 2004.
According to Zakhari, Bishop Youssef told her he was aware of other abuse reports against Khalil; he said the priest had been sent to Egypt and banned from returning to the diocese.
Then, around 2010, Zakhari said her mother learned that Khalil had been promoted in clerical rank by his diocese in Egypt.
___
Tracking exactly how Zakhari’s complaint was handled is difficult, especially since Khalil has served in multiple locations.
An AP request to interview Bishop Youssef was answered by a public relations representative who provided statements by the Southern Diocese.
One statement said Bishop Youssef “believed Ms. Zakhari’s complaint against the former priest and informed her of the immediate action taken against him.” This included him bringing the accusation to the attention of then-Pope Shenouda III and his successor, Pope Tawadros II, as well as the then-bishop of Khalil’s diocese in Egypt, Metropolitan Arsanious, it said.
Khalil left the Southern Diocese long before Zakhari spoke to Bishop Youssef and the diocese “did everything in its power” to prevent Khalil from serving in ministry and the bishop barred Khalil from returning to his diocese, according to the statements. Bishop Youssef does not have any influence or authority over a diocese in Egypt or over the former priest after he left the Southern Diocese, one statement said.
The statement said it was “disappointing” that Zakhari has expressed dissatisfaction “with how the Southern Diocese and specifically Bishop Youssef handled this troubling issue when she came forward.” It added that Bishop Youssef and the Southern Diocese “remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults and creating a safe environment for all congregants.”
The statement didn’t address some of the AP’s questions, including whether Bishop Youssef was aware of other reports of abuse against Khalil.
The Coptic Orthodox Church spokesman in Egypt, Father Boules Halim, didn’t respond to specific questions but said that the Church doesn’t cover up crimes against its followers. Bishop Makarios of the Minya and Abu Qurqas diocese, reached via WhatsApp, declined to comment beyond publicly issued statements.
___
Khalil moved on. Over the years, Zakhari said, she learned that he led services in different states, sometimes as a visiting priest.
At least one of those stints, at the St. Mary and ArchAngel Gabriel Coptic Orthodox Church of West Virginia in Charleston, came after the 2014 Coptic Church ban against Khalil, according to online photos and posts that appear to show or mention Khalil between late 2015 and early 2016.
Bassam Makar, treasurer at the West Virginia church, said Khalil served as priest there for about five months as the church’s board wasn’t aware he had been ordered to stop serving. When it found out, Khalil’s service was ended, he said.
He said there were no complaints from members about Khalil during his time there.
Makar said that while he respects the laicization decision, he dislikes that the issue had become public.
“That’s not good for the church,” he argued. “I am not saying to cover up for anyone … I want everyone to be held accountable but not in a public way. … We are all sinners.”
___
Father Pishoy Salama of St. Maurice & St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada said Zakhari began sharing her abuse allegations with him years ago and the details remained consistent.
Clergy members are held in high esteem and some help perpetuate a culture of silence, using their authority and religious arguments to urge victims to “forgive and forget” and call for “unrestricted obedience” to religious authorities, he said.
“We know that there was a problem in the system,” he said of Zakhari’s case. “But, you know, so long as everyone’s saying, ‘It’s not my fault, it’s someone else’s,’ then maybe we are all to blame.”
Zakhari said her faith has fueled her years-long fight.
“I just know Jesus Christ would not be OK with this,” she said, her voice cracking.
___
Fam reported from Winter Park, Florida. New York-based AP investigative researcher Randy Herschaft and reporters Samy Magdy and Maggie Michael in Cairo, Egypt contributed to this report.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Officials: Nigerian migrant burned alive in Libya's Tripoli

CAIRO ( AP ) - A migrant worker was burned to death in the Libyan capital , U.N. and government officials said Wednesday , the latest in abuses that migrants and refuges face in the conflict-stricken country .
The interior ministry of the U.N.-supported government said three Libyans on Tuesday stormed a factory in the Tripoli neighborhood of Tajoura , where African migrants were working .
The Libyans detained one the workers , a Nigerian , poured gasoline on him and set him on fire , the ministry said in a statement .
No motive for the shocking crime was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and were being treated in a nearby hospital , the ministry said .
The alleged perpetrators , all in their 30s , were arrested and referred to prosecutors for investigation , it said .
“ The young man was burned alive , in yet again another senseless crime against migrants in the country , ” tweeted Federico Soda , the chief in Libya for the International Organization for Migration .
The migrant ’ s death underscores the perils that migrants face in Libya , which has emerged as a major transit point for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poverty to Europe amid years-long chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi .
In May , the family of a slain Libyan human trafficker attacked a group of migrants in the desert town of Mizdah , shooting and killing at least 30 migrants .
mostly from Bangladesh , according to the U.N. migration agency .
In July , Libyan authorities shot dead three Sudanese migrants in the western coastal town of Khoms .
The migrants were reportedly trying to escape after they were intercepted by the Libyan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned to shore .
Migrants typically pass through Libya on their way to Europe , departing from Tripoli ’ s rocky coastline in inflatable dinghies .
The Libyan coast guard , trained by the European Union to keep migrants from reaching European shores , intercepts boats at sea and returns them to Libya .
Rights groups say those efforts have left migrants at the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centers that lack adequate food and water .
The EU agreed earlier this year to end an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and instead deploy military ships to concentrate on upholding a widely flouted U.N. arms embargo that ’ s considered key to winding down Libya ’ s relentless war .

CAIRO (AP) - A migrant worker was burned to death in the Libyan capital, U.N. and government officials said Wednesday, the latest in abuses that migrants and refuges face in the conflict-stricken country.
The Interior Ministry of the U.N.-supported government said three Libyans on Tuesday stormed a factory in the Tripoli neighborhood of Tajoura, where African migrants were working. The Libyans detained one the workers, a Nigerian, poured gasoline on him and set him on fire, the ministry said in a statement. No motive for the shocking crime was given.
Three other migrants suffered burns and were being treated in a nearby hospital, the ministry said. The alleged perpetrators, all in their 30s, were arrested and referred to prosecutors for investigation, it said.
“The young man was burned alive, in yet again another senseless crime against migrants in the country,” tweeted Federico Soda, the chief in Libya for the International Organization for Migration.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: “Sometimes you run out of adjectives to describe what we see in all too many places.”
“The people responsible for such a heinous attack need to be brought to justice,” he said. “This underscores, as if we needed to underscore yet again, how unsafe Libya is for migrants, for refugees, and how much the authorities on the ground still need to do to ensure the protection of these vulnerable people.”
The migrant’s death underscores the perils that migrants face in Libya, which has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty to Europe amid years-long chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
In 2017, CNN aired a video of a slave auction in Libya where migrant Africans were “sold like goats,” causing global outrage, and led the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency meeting to condemn “heinous abuses of human rights.”
In May, the family of a slain Libyan human trafficker attacked a group of migrants in the desert town of Mizdah, shooting and killing at least 30 migrants. mostly from Bangladesh, according to the U.N. migration agency.
In July, Libyan authorities shot dead three Sudanese migrants in the western coastal town of Khoms. The migrants were reportedly trying to escape after they were intercepted by the Libyan coast guard in the Mediterranean Sea and returned to shore.
So far in 2020, the U.N. migration agency has reported around 200 deaths of migrants in Libya and at least 275 missing in the Mediterranean Sea. Around 9,500 were returned to Libya this year, compared to 9,225 in 2019. The bodies of 11 migrants washed up on Libyan shores between Sep. 28 and Oct. 5, it said Tuesday.
Migrants typically pass through Libya on their way to Europe, departing from Tripoli’s rocky coastline in inflatable dinghies.
The Libyan coast guard, trained by the European Union to keep migrants from reaching European shores, intercepts boats at sea and returns them to Libya.
Rights groups say those efforts have left migrants at the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centers that lack adequate food and water.
The EU agreed earlier this year to end an anti-migrant smuggler operation involving only surveillance aircraft and instead deploy military ships to concentrate on upholding a widely flouted U.N. arms embargo that’s considered key to winding down Libya’s relentless war.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Croatia tycoon Todoric acquitted in one trial, more pending

ZAGREB , Croatia ( AP ) - A Croatian court on Wednesday acquitted the country ’ s best-known tycoon in one of the cases related to the collapse of a retail company that has shaken the Balkan region .
The County Court in the capital , Zagreb , on Wednesday ruled that Ivica Todoric and three others were not guilty of charges that they syphoned 1.25 million euros ( $ 1.47 million ) from the firm Agrokor .
The court ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove that the group in 2013 made a fictitious deal between Agrokor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they would appeal .
Todoric has been accused of mismanaging Agrokor and embezzling millions .
He was arrested in London in 2017 and extradited to Croatia .
More proceedings against Todoric are pending .
He has pleaded not guilty , claiming charges against him were politically motivated .
“ The prosecutors have filed a monstrous false indictment , ” he said after the ruling .
“ I am fighting to expose corruption and I have documentation.
” Agrokor had focused on food retailing throughout the Balkans and had thousands of workers before @ @ @ @ @ @

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) - A Croatian court on Wednesday acquitted the country’s best-known tycoon in one of the cases related to the collapse of a retail company that has shaken the Balkan region.
The County Court in the capital, Zagreb, on Wednesday ruled that Ivica Todoric and three others were not guilty of charges that they syphoned 1.25 million euros ($1.47 million) from the firm Agrokor.
The court ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove that the group in 2013 made a fictitious deal between Agrokor and a Swiss-based consultancy. The prosecutors said they would appeal.
Todoric has been accused of mismanaging Agrokor and embezzling millions. He was arrested in London in 2017 and extradited to Croatia.
More proceedings against Todoric are pending. He has pleaded not guilty, claiming charges against him were politically motivated.
“The prosecutors have filed a monstrous false indictment,” he said after the ruling. “I am fighting to expose corruption and I have documentation.”
Agrokor had focused on food retailing throughout the Balkans and had thousands of workers before it collapsed under high debt.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Eastern Missouri woman sentenced for role in overdose death

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - An eastern Missouri woman has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for @ @ @ @ @ that led to an overdose death .
Shannon Rennee Bradley , 26 , of Washington @ @ @ @ @ U.S. District Court , the U.S. Attorney ’ s office in St. Louis said in @ @ @ @ @ pleaded guilty earlier this year conspiracy to distribute and aiding and abetting in the distribution @ @ @ @ @ is no parole in the federal system .
Prosecutors say Bradley and Jacob Brewer sold @ @ @ @ @ her boyfriend in October 2017 .
The buyers used the drugs later that night , @ @ @ @ @ find the woman unresponsive , official said .
She was later pronounced dead at a @ @ @ @ @ in May 2019 and is awaiting sentencing .

ST. LOUIS (AP) - An eastern Missouri woman has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for providing the heroin and fentanyl that led to an overdose death.
Shannon Rennee Bradley, 26, of Washington, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court, the U.S. Attorney’s office in St. Louis said in a news release. She pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to distribute and aiding and abetting in the distribution of the drugs. There is no parole in the federal system.
Prosecutors say Bradley and Jacob Brewer sold drugs to a woman and her boyfriend in October 2017. The buyers used the drugs later that night, and the boyfriend awoke to find the woman unresponsive, official said. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Brewer pleaded guilty in May 2019 and is awaiting sentencing.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Environmental groups ask court to stay pipeline construction

ROANOKE , Va. ( AP ) - Environmental groups are asking a federal court to stop construction from resuming on @ @ @ @ @ The Roanoke Times reports that the Sierra Club and seven other groups filed petitions late @ @ @ @ @ .
Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond .
They ’ re asking the court to @ @ @ @ @ allow the natural gas pipeline to burrow under streams and wetlands .
The groups would @ @ @ @ @ their challenge of the authorizations .
Late last month , the U.S. Army Corps of @ @ @ @ @ crossing permits after a two-year review .
Derek Teaney , an attorney who represents the @ @ @ @ @ the Army Corps made fatal flaws in giving Mountain Valley the go ahead to cross @ @ @ @ @ Virginia and West Virginia .
Mountain Valley told the appeals court that it would hold @ @ @ @ @ until at least Oct. 17 if it and the Army Corps are given until Friday @ @ @ @ @ by environmental groups .
The court agreed to the extension .

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - Environmental groups are asking a federal court to stop construction from resuming on the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
The Roanoke Times reports that the Sierra Club and seven other groups filed petitions late Monday with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond.
They’re asking the court to stay recently issued permits that allow the natural gas pipeline to burrow under streams and wetlands. The groups would like the court to hear their challenge of the authorizations.
Late last month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had reissued the stream crossing permits after a two-year review.
Derek Teaney, an attorney who represents the environmental groups, claims that the Army Corps made fatal flaws in giving Mountain Valley the go ahead to cross nearly 1,000 water bodies in Virginia and West Virginia.
Mountain Valley told the appeals court that it would hold off on any stream crossings until at least Oct. 17 if it and the Army Corps are given until Friday to respond to the filing by environmental groups. The court agreed to the extension.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Supermarket says someone tampered with pizza dough

SACO , Maine ( AP ) - A supermarket is recalling fresh pizza dough after a customer allegedly tampered with @ @ @ @ @ Hannaford Supermarkets officials say a customer inserted metal objects into the fresh pizza dough sold @ @ @ @ @ a store in Saco .
The tampering came to light after a customer returned some @ @ @ @ @ No injuries or illnesses have been reported .
Hannaford officials say customers should return any @ @ @ @ @ afternoon and Tuesday morning from the Saco store .

SACO, Maine (AP) - A supermarket is recalling fresh pizza dough after a customer allegedly tampered with it.
WGME-TV reports that Hannaford Supermarkets officials say a customer inserted metal objects into the fresh pizza dough sold in the deli department at a store in Saco.
The tampering came to light after a customer returned some of the pizza dough. No injuries or illnesses have been reported.
Hannaford officials say customers should return any pizza dough bought between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning from the Saco store.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Over 50 arrested in police bust against Barcelona drug dens

BARCELONA , Spain ( AP ) - At least 51 people have been arrested in a massive crackdown on drug @ @ @ @ @ ’ s northeastern city of Barcelona , police said Wednesday .
The latest anti-drug operation @ @ @ @ @ conducting more than 40 searches in flats in the city center neighborhood of Raval and @ @ @ @ @ Mossos d ’ Esquadra regional police force said .
National and local police agents also @ @ @ @ @ , assisted by low-flying helicopters .
Flats used for storing drugs and as “ narcoflats @ @ @ @ @ get their heroin and cocaine fixes have been spreading in the poorest areas of Spain @ @ @ @ @ recent years .
Similar amounts of people were arrested in the two previous crackdowns , @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - At least 51 people have been arrested in a massive crackdown on drug dens in and around Spain’s northeastern city of Barcelona, police said Wednesday.
The latest anti-drug operation involved more than 1,000 agents conducting more than 40 searches in flats in the city center neighborhood of Raval and other nearby locations, the Mossos d’Esquadra regional police force said.
National and local police agents also took part in the raids, assisted by low-flying helicopters.
Flats used for storing drugs and as “narcoflats” where users look to get their heroin and cocaine fixes have been spreading in the poorest areas of Spain’s biggest cities in recent years.
Similar amounts of people were arrested in the two previous crackdowns, in June 2019 and October 2018.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Protests greet move to impose new virus shutdowns in NYC

NEW YORK ( AP ) - A New York City neighborhood erupted in protests after Gov .
Andrew Cuomo moved to reinstate restrictions on businesses , houses of worship and schools in and near areas where coronavirus cases are spiking .
Videos of Tuesday night ’ s protest on social media show hundreds of men gathered in the streets of Borough Park , an ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn , in some cases setting bonfires by burning masks .
The New York Post reported that when a journalist working for the newspaper tried to take photos and video of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and chased him to his car .
A police spokesperson said there were no arrests .
The new rules announced by Gov .
Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday will affect parts of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City , sections of Orange and Rockland counties in the Hudson Valley and an area within Binghamton in the Southern Tier .
Most of the New York City and Hudson Valley neighborhoods are ultra-Orthodox strongholds , and community leaders have complained of being singled out for enforcement .
Four elected officials who represent Orthodox neighborhoods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had been left out of the decision-making process .
“ Though we are the representatives of ‘ hotspot ’ neighborhoods , we have been disincluded from conversations with the governor and his leadership team as they made devastating decisions affecting the people we serve , ” state Sen. Simcha Felder , Assembly member Simcha Eichenstein and City Council members Chaim Deutsch and Kalman Yeger said in a statement .
Under Cuomo ’ s rules , only 10 people at a time will be allowed to gather in churches and synagogues in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn said the order would unjustly hamper the diocese ’ s ability to serve parishioners .
“ Catholic Churches in Brooklyn and Queens have not had any COVID outbreaks or significant cases since re-opening on July 5th to 25 % capacity .
We fervently object to being told to further reduce capacity , because we have strictly adhered to COVID-19 protocols , and the safety measures have been working , ” Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said .
The new restrictions came a day after Cuomo ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Queens ZIP codes that have accounted for more than 25 % of all new infections in the city over the past two weeks while representing just 7 % of the population .
Implementation of the new shutdowns in the city will likely start Thursday , a City Hall spokesperson said on Twitter .

NEW YORK (AP) - Anger and resentment flared Wednesday in New York City neighborhoods facing new coronavirus shutdowns, with some residents saying the state is unfairly targeting Orthodox Jewish communities as it tries to stamp out hot spots before they spread.
Protests erupted in Brooklyn’s Borough Park neighborhood Tuesday night after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced new restrictions on schools, businesses and houses of worship in some parts of the city and state. And frustration and grievances kept simmering the next day and into Wednesday night.
“I understand you need to wear a mask. I understand you social distance. What bothers me is: You pick on the good people,” said Brooklyn resident Meir Nimni.
He argued that Orthodox Jewish gatherings were being singled out for a clampdown, noting that huge crowds convened this spring for racial injustice protests where destruction and violence sometimes broke out.
“Everybody here wants to live, and everybody cares” about stopping the virus, Nimni said. But he saw a double standard that’s “just not fair.”
Nearby, Renee Jeremias said authorities “have absolutely no right to shut us down.”
Rabbi David Zwiebel, executive vice president of an Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization called Agudath Israel of America, said the group was contemplating a court fight if the state wasn’t open to changing a new 10-person limit for houses of worship in areas where new coronavirus cases are most concentrated.
The restriction comes amid Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Many large events this season have already been canceled or rearranged, Zwiebel said, but the 10-person cap “would basically wipe out the entirety of the spirit of the holiday.”
“We are now, you know, on the precipice of an enormous sense of despair,” Zwiebel said.
Cuomo insists the new restrictions are based solely on science and coronavirus case clusters in areas that, in his view, have flouted the state’s existing virus-safety rules.
After becoming the nation’s deadliest coronavirus hot spot this spring, New York wrestled its outbreak down to a steady and relatively low level over the summer.
But infections have been rising in recent weeks, and hospitalizations are starting to follow. There has been an average of 659 COVID-19 patients in hospitals statewide over the past week, up from 426 for the week ending Sept 6, Cuomo said. During an early April peak, nearly 19,000 coronavirus patients were hospitalized statewide.
He said a few areas are disproportionately driving the worrisome trends, with over 5% of coronavirus tests coming back positive in 20 hot spot ZIP codes, compared with about 1.3% statewide.
In one Brooklyn ZIP code, 18% of everyone who has gotten a coronavirus test since Oct. 1 has tested positive, compared with a rate of about 3.9 percent citywide, according to city data.
The Democratic governor said wider “spread is inevitable” if the clusters don’t get under control.
“There’s always opposition. And we move forward anyways. And we’ll continue to do that,” he said on a conference call with reporters.
The new rules, set to take effect Friday, involve parts of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, sections of Orange and Rockland counties in the Hudson Valley and an area within Binghamton, near the Pennsylvania border. Many of the areas are home to large enclaves of Orthodox Jews.
The plan sets up color-coded, concentric zones where the severity of the measures varies. In the hearts of the hot spots, schools can’t teach in person, and all nonessential businesses will be closed, among other measures. Surrounding areas face less stringent restrictions, such as limits on gatherings and restaurant diners.
Orthodox Jewish residents aren’t the only ones complaining. The leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, said churches “fervently object” to being told to reduce capacity after not having any outbreaks since reopening in July.
Business interests are dismayed, too.
“To shut down almost all of south Brooklyn and punish small businesses that have reopened safely will be an overwhelming setback to the borough’s economic recovery,” Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President Randy Peers said in a statement.
Criticism sharpened into street protests Tuesday night, when videos posted on social media showed hundreds of Orthodox Jewish men gathered in the streets of Borough Park, in some cases setting bonfires by burning masks.
Video posted on social media showed a crowd swarming and knocking down a man holding a camera. Another video showed protesters rushing another man who had been filming the unrest, and pummeling him. A relative told The Associated Press he was taken to the hospital unconscious but was doing “much better” Wednesday and was expected to be released. The relative spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Police said there were no arrests.
Crowds of Orthodox Jewish men returned to Brooklyn streets on Wednesday night, as police officers watched, according to social media video. Some giant flags proclaiming support for President Donald Trump could also be seen in the crowd.
Mayor Bill de Blasio told opponents of the new rules to respect them and follow police instructions.
“There’ll be consequences” if people don’t, the Democratic mayor added at a virtual news briefing Wednesday.
The state already faced a lawsuit this year from religious observers who questioned why peaceful mass protests were able to occur while religious groups once faced stricter gathering limits than businesses.
Under a federal court ruling that the state is fighting, unlimited outdoor religious gatherings with social distancing are currently allowed. That ruling also means both religious groups and businesses currently face a 50% indoor capacity limit, though New York City restaurants are limited to 25% capacity indoors.
___
Villeneuve reported from Albany. Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz and Jim Mustian contributed from New York.
___
This story has been corrected to remove a reference to a New York Post reporter being attacked, which was reported on a different occasion; rather, video posted on social media shows a crowd swarming and knocking down a man with a camera.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Police: Arrests made 13 months after girl's remains found

SMYRNA , Del .
( AP ) - Several arrests have been made in the death of a young girl whose remains were found in a Delaware softball field a year ago , authorities said .
On Tuesday , Smyrna police said “ persons of interest ” outside the state were arrested , The Delaware News Journal reported .
Police spokesman Cpl .
Brian Donner said detectives and the FBI are still executing search warrants and conducting interviews .
Donner said no additional information on the suspects or the case would be immediately released .
He also said if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police , the department would announce the “ full details.
” Donner also wouldn ’ t say whether the girl has been identified .
A person walking their dog discovered the remains in Little Lass Fields on Sept. 13 , 2019 .
Little Lass is a softball park across the road from Smyrna Middle School .
Police said there was evidence of a fire at the scene .
Authorities believe the girl was either Caucasian or Hispanic with slightly wavy brown hair , between the ages of 2 and 5 .
An exam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ suffered from chronic illness ( es ) , ” police said .
Authorities believe the girl died several weeks before she was found .

SMYRNA, Del. (AP) - Several arrests have been made in the death of a young girl whose remains were found in a Delaware softball field a year ago, authorities said.
On Tuesday, Smyrna police said “persons of interest” outside the state were arrested, The Delaware News Journal reported.
Police spokesman Cpl. Brian Donner said detectives and the FBI are still executing search warrants and conducting interviews.
Donner said no additional information on the suspects or the case would be immediately released. He also said if the suspects were to be transferred to Smyrna police, the department would announce the “full details.”
Donner also wouldn’t say whether the girl has been identified. A person walking their dog discovered the remains in Little Lass Fields on Sept. 13, 2019. Little Lass is a softball park across the road from Smyrna Middle School.
Police said there was evidence of a fire at the scene.
Authorities believe the girl was either Caucasian or Hispanic with slightly wavy brown hair, between the ages of 2 and 5.
An exam of the remains suggested that the girl “suffered from chronic illness(es),” police said. Authorities believe the girl died several weeks before she was found.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--US expresses concern over China link to Cambodian base

PHNOM PENH , Cambodia ( AP ) - The United States expressed disappointment Wednesday that Cambodia is tearing down a U.S.-funded building used for a maritime security program , and voiced concern that the action may be linked to the possible use of a Cambodian naval base by China ’ s military .
“ Such a military presence would negatively impact the U.S.-Cambodia bilateral relationship and be disruptive and destabilizing to the Indo-Pacific region , ” the U.S. State Department said in a statement distributed Wednesday by the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh .
Controversy over the Ream Naval Base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a year ago , when The Wall Street Journal reported that an early draft of a reputed agreement seen by U.S. officials would allow China 30-year use of the base , where it would be able to post military personnel , store weapons and berth warships .
The State Department said the U.S. hopes Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will accept Washington ’ s offer of a dialogue to discuss how the United States “ can support infrastructure at Ream that would benefit an independent Cambodia and all nations supportive of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beijing are contending for influence in Southeast Asia .
China is Cambodia ’ s closest political ally and main source of economic support , through aid and investment .
Relations between Cambodia and the United States are rocky because of Washington ’ s criticisms of Hun Sen ’ s government for being undemocratic .
Concerns about China ’ s intentions for the area were heightened by a deal that gave a Chinese company control over a large part of the coastline , and construction of an airport on its land that appeared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as civilian aircraft .
Hun Sen in June last year responded that China has not been given exclusive rights to use the base , while also saying that warships from all nations , including the United States , are welcome to dock there .
He pointed out that Cambodia ’ s Constitution does not allow foreign military bases to be established on its soil .
However , the issue was resurrected last week with new reports in Western media about satellite photos showing the demolished facility .
Cambodia on Tuesday issued a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tactical Command Headquarters at the Ream base and its relocation in a new building elsewhere was a planned upgrade because the existing facility was too small and lacked docking facilities , with limited capacity for training and other activities , It said the new facility would involve no change in function or relationships with foreign partners .
Hun Sen on Wednesday addressed the controversy again .
Speaking at a ceremony opening an amusement park , he denied that Cambodia was allowing China to establish a base on its territory .
He said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered the state television to rebroadcast , with English subtitles , his speech last year denying that China was being allowed to set up a base .
He also said he had ordered the Foreign Ministry to send an official diplomatic note to all foreign embassies in Cambodia to let them know his government ’ s position .

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - The United States expressed disappointment Wednesday that Cambodia is tearing down a U.S.-funded building used for a maritime security program, and voiced concern that the action may be linked to the possible use of a Cambodian naval base by China’s military.
“Such a military presence would negatively impact the U.S.-Cambodia bilateral relationship and be disruptive and destabilizing to the Indo-Pacific region,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement distributed Wednesday by the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh.
Controversy over the Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand erupted more than a year ago, when The Wall Street Journal reported that an early draft of a reputed agreement seen by U.S. officials would allow China 30-year use of the base, where it would be able to post military personnel, store weapons and berth warships.
The State Department said the U.S. hopes Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will accept Washington’s offer of a dialogue to discuss how the United States “can support infrastructure at Ream that would benefit an independent Cambodia and all nations supportive of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Washington and Beijing are contending for influence in Southeast Asia. China is Cambodia’s closest political ally and main source of economic support, through aid and investment. Relations between Cambodia and the United States are rocky because of Washington’s criticisms of Hun Sen’s government for being undemocratic.
Concerns about China’s intentions for the area were heightened by a deal that gave a Chinese company control over a large part of the coastline, and construction of an airport on its land that appeared to be designed to accommodate military as well as civilian aircraft.
Hun Sen in June last year responded that China has not been given exclusive rights to use the base, while also saying that warships from all nations, including the United States, are welcome to dock there. He pointed out that Cambodia’s Constitution does not allow foreign military bases to be established on its soil.
However, the issue was resurrected last week with new reports in Western media about satellite photos showing the demolished facility.
Cambodia on Tuesday issued a statement saying that the demolition of the 7-year-old Tactical Command Headquarters at the Ream base and its relocation in a new building elsewhere was a planned upgrade because the existing facility was too small and lacked docking facilities, with limited capacity for training and other activities, It said the new facility would involve no change in function or relationships with foreign partners.
Hun Sen on Wednesday addressed the controversy again. Speaking at a ceremony opening an amusement park, he denied that Cambodia was allowing China to establish a base on its territory. He said that to clarify the issue, he has ordered the state television to rebroadcast, with English subtitles, his speech last year denying that China was being allowed to set up a base.
He also said he had ordered the Foreign Ministry to send an official diplomatic note to all foreign embassies in Cambodia to let them know his government’s position.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--The Latest: Spain's Oyarzabal won't travel because of virus

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world : The Spanish national team says @ @ @ @ @ travel with the squad to play at Portugal after a test revealed antibodies for the @ @ @ @ @ The team says the Real Sociedad player ’ s diagnostic test for the virus came @ @ @ @ @ was shown to have antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 .
UEFA rules say a player must not @ @ @ @ @ until his or her body is completely clear of signs of the virus .
Oyarzabal @ @ @ @ @ play in the Spanish league with only the antibodies present under health guidelines in the @ @ @ @ @ Oyarzabal will take another test to see if he can join his teammates for the @ @ @ @ @ matches against Switzerland on Saturday and at Ukraine on Oct. 13 .

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
___
The Spanish national team says forward Mikel Oyarzabal will not travel with the squad to play at Portugal after a test revealed antibodies for the virus that causes COVID-19.
The team says the Real Sociedad player’s diagnostic test for the virus came back negative but that he was shown to have antibodies for SARS-CoV-2.
UEFA rules say a player must not play or attend a match until his or her body is completely clear of signs of the virus. Oyarzabal is able to train and play in the Spanish league with only the antibodies present under health guidelines in the country.
Spain plays Portugal in a friendly on Wednesday.
Spain says that Oyarzabal will take another test to see if he can join his teammates for the team’s Nations League matches against Switzerland on Saturday and at Ukraine on Oct. 13.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Lilly seeks emergency use of its antibody drug for COVID-19

A drug company says it has asked the U.S. government to allow emergency use of an experimental antibody therapy based on early results from a study that suggested the drug reduced symptoms , the amount of virus , hospitalizations and ER visits for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 .
Eli Lilly and Company announced the partial results Wednesday in a news release ; they have not yet been published or reviewed by independent scientists .
Its drug is similar to one that President Donald Trump received on Friday from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc .
These medicines supply concentrated versions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
They ’ re given as a one-time treatment through an IV .
Lilly has already started making one of the two antibodies in its drug , betting that ongoing studies would prove it worthwhile .
It ’ s not clear if the evidence will be viewed as strong enough for the Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorization , as it has done for the antiviral drug remdesivir .
The results are an interim look at a mid-stage study in which 112 people received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The amount of virus was significantly lower 11 days later in those given the drug — the main goal of the study .
Virus also was lower at earlier time points as well .
Symptom scores were better at three days .
About 5.8 % of patients given placebo required hospitalization or an emergency room visit versus 0.9 % of those given the antibodies .
The company said there were no serious drug-related side effects .
Marilynn Marchione can be followed on Twitter : @ MMarchioneAP The Associated Press Health and Science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

A drug company says it has asked the U.S. government to allow emergency use of an experimental antibody therapy based on early results from a study that suggested the drug reduced symptoms, the amount of virus, hospitalizations and ER visits for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19.
Eli Lilly and Company announced the partial results Wednesday in a news release; they have not yet been published or reviewed by independent scientists.
Its drug is similar to one that President Donald Trump received on Friday from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. These medicines supply concentrated versions of specific antibodies to help the immune system clear the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. They’re given as a one-time treatment through an IV.
Lilly has already started making one of the two antibodies in its drug, betting that ongoing studies would prove it worthwhile.
It’s not clear if the evidence will be viewed as strong enough for the Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorization, as it has done for the antiviral drug remdesivir.
The results are an interim look at a mid-stage study in which 112 people received the antibodies and 156 got a placebo.
The amount of virus was significantly lower 11 days later in those given the drug — the main goal of the study. Virus also was lower at earlier time points as well. Symptom scores were better at three days.
About 5.8% of patients given placebo required hospitalization or an emergency room visit versus 0.9% of those given the antibodies.
The company said there were no serious drug-related side effects.
___
Marilynn Marchione can be followed on Twitter: @MMarchioneAP
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Missouri woman pleads guilty to fraud in theft from company

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - An eastern Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to three federal counts of mail fraud , admitting that she stole thousands of dollars from a dairy supply company where she worked and from one of the company ’ s customers .
Stephanie Baker , 48 , of O ’ Fallon , entered the guilty pleas and faces prison time when she ’ s sentenced in January , federal prosecutors said Tuesday in a news release .
Each count carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison .
Baker was employed in the accounting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time of the fraud , prosecutors said .
Beginning in March 2018 , investigators say she applied payments from other customers to the account of a Dairy Queen restaurant in Columbia , Illinois .
She then told the restaurant owner that in order to keep receiving dairy products and supplies , she would need to be paid in cash .
Prosecutors said the restaurant owner met Baker several times , handing over more than $ 48,000 to Baker , which she used for herself , including to cover the boarding and @ @ @ @ @ @

ST. LOUIS (AP) - An eastern Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to three federal counts of mail fraud, admitting that she stole thousands of dollars from a dairy supply company where she worked and from one of the company’s customers.
Stephanie Baker, 48, of O’Fallon, entered the guilty pleas and faces prison time when she’s sentenced in January, federal prosecutors said Tuesday in a news release. Each count carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Baker was employed in the accounting department of Prairie Farms Dairy Supply Co. at the time of the fraud, prosecutors said. Beginning in March 2018, investigators say she applied payments from other customers to the account of a Dairy Queen restaurant in Columbia, Illinois. She then told the restaurant owner that in order to keep receiving dairy products and supplies, she would need to be paid in cash.
Prosecutors said the restaurant owner met Baker several times, handing over more than $48,000 to Baker, which she used for herself, including to cover the boarding and care of a show horse.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Health official says beer fest attendees should get tested

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) - Health officials in North Carolina are asking people who attended the Mecktoberfest celebration @ @ @ @ @ in Charlotte to consider getting tested for COVID-19 .
The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ connected to the event .
Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris told county commissioners @ @ @ @ @ the event featured “ very few masks ” and “ very little social distancing.
” @ @ @ @ @ people there .
Those folks need to be tested , ” Harris said .
The @ @ @ @ @ to 27 .
Video shows a packed beer garden with mostly maskless customers .
The @ @ @ @ @ its website .
It includes a message about “ obsessive cleanliness ” when it reopened @ @ @ @ @ that people who have COVID-19 symptoms or had close contact with an infected person should @ @ @ @ @ who attended “ any gathering ” are also eligible .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Health officials in North Carolina are asking people who attended the Mecktoberfest celebration at the Olde Meckleburg Brewery in Charlotte to consider getting tested for COVID-19.
The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday that two coronavirus cases have been connected to the event.
Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris told county commissioners during a Tuesday meeting that the event featured “very few masks” and “very little social distancing.”
“There were thousands of people there. Those folks need to be tested,” Harris said.
The event was held Sept. 25 to 27. Video shows a packed beer garden with mostly maskless customers.
The brewery outlines COVID-19 protocols on its website. It includes a message about “obsessive cleanliness” when it reopened in May.
Harris said that people who have COVID-19 symptoms or had close contact with an infected person should get tested. And people who attended “any gathering” are also eligible.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Suspect in abduction of a 9-year-old girl apprehended

PROVIDENCE , R.I. ( AP ) - A suspect in the abduction of a 9-year-old Rhode Island girl who was @ @ @ @ @ off her school bus has been apprehended , police say .
Providence police in a @ @ @ @ @ suspect only as a 34-year-old Cranston man .
His name was not released and no @ @ @ @ @ This dangerous individual has been removed from the streets of our city due to the @ @ @ @ @ our officers who worked tirelessly on this case , ” a department spokeswoman said in @ @ @ @ @ was abducted at about 3 p.m. Monday just after she got off her school bus @ @ @ @ @ released a short time later at a nearby location .
Police on Tuesday released surveillance @ @ @ @ @ running up from behind the girl and grabbing her , then carrying her to an @ @

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A 9-year-old Rhode Island girl was snatched by an apparent stranger just “milliseconds” after she got off her school bus and started walking home, police said Wednesday.
Luis Martinez-Romero, 34, of Cranston, was held without bail at his arraignment on charges of kidnapping of a minor and second-degree sexual assault. He did not enter pleas and he was referred to the public defender’s office.
The girl was abducted at about 3 p.m. Monday in Providence.
The suspect drove her to a remote location where he parked for a short time, then drove her around the city, through a fast food drive-thru and into Cranston before bringing her back to the area from which she was taken in less than an hour, police Chief Col. Hugh Clements said.
“It happened within seconds, milliseconds, where she innocently stepped off a bus, was walking home and was scooped up,” he said.
Police on Tuesday released surveillance video that shows a person running up from behind the girl and grabbing her, then carrying her to an SUV.
Most children are abducted by someone they know, making the girl’s kidnapping unusual, police said.
Martinez-Romero has no known criminal record in Rhode Island, police said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Court documents ask Parkland parents to prove mental anguish

FORT LAUDERDALE , Fla. ( AP ) - Parents who sued a school district after their children died in a mass shooting at a Florida high school are being asked to turn over their psychiatric records to prove they have suffered mental anguish .
The Broward County school district ’ s demand , which is contained in documents filed in lawsuits blaming the district for failing to identify and stop the threat posed by the suspected gunman , has the victims ’ families enraged , the South Florida SunSentinel reported .
In formal court responses , School Board member Lori @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 17 killed on Feb. 14 , 2018 , called the demand “ harassing , burdensome ” and an invasion of privacy .
She was elected to the school board after the shooting .
Seventeen people were also injured in the shooting .
Court records show at least a dozen other families also object .
Alhadeff ’ s lawyer , Rober Kelley , told the newspaper that in most civil cases , plaintiffs prove their pain and suffering with testimony , along with testimony from friends and loved ones .
He said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records to prove heartbreak .
“ I don ’ t think anyone is going to dispute that these families have suffered mental anguish , ” Kelley said .
In an Oct. 1 response , the district said it “ recognizes the sensitive nature of these records , ” but insists they are necessary in a claim involving mental pain and suffering .
It is one of about 75 questions asked of victims in a template that also includes demands for evidence of funeral expenses , accounts of every media interview victims have done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Broward Circuit Judge Patti Englander Henning will consider what the victims will be forced to answer during a hearing on Thursday .
“ Providing proof of loss , while absolutely necessary in any wrongful death case , is like ripping open the scab again and again and again .
It hurts , ” said attorney David Brill , who represents three sets of parents and a surviving student .
Relatives of the dead are asked to “ identify any permanent mental injuries ” they are claiming , and whether in the 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought psychiatric treatment and why .
The filing also asks for the slain victims ’ cellphone numbers , copies of death certificates and the names and business addresses of the health providers who provided care in the five years prior to the mass shooting incident .
School Board lawyer Eugene Pettis said that while the school board recognizes the sensitivity of the issue , the district has a legal duty to make sure the claims are proven by a professional standard , not just through testimony of family and friends .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records to support those claims , ” Pettis said .
“ It ’ s happened in every such case I ’ ve tried.
” The court consolidated dozens of lawsuits stemming from the shooting that were filed against the school district , the Broward County Sheriff ’ s Office and others , and set an orderly way for each side to obtain evidence .
That led to the exhaustive questionnaire , the newspaper reported .
The victims already have a steep hurdle to overcome .
The Florida Supreme Court last month ruled that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is considered one event in the eyes of the law .
That caps the school district ’ s damages at $ 300,000 total .
If a jury awards more , the victims will have to ask the state Legislature to pass a bill to pay out more than the insurance policy allows .

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Parents who sued a school district after their children died in a mass shooting at a Florida high school are being asked to turn over their psychiatric records to prove they have suffered mental anguish.
The Broward County school district’s demand, which is contained in documents filed in lawsuits blaming the district for failing to identify and stop the threat posed by the suspected gunman, has the victims’ families enraged, the South Florida SunSentinel reported.
In formal court responses, School Board member Lori Alhadeff - whose daughter Alyssa was among the 17 killed on Feb. 14, 2018, called the demand “harassing, burdensome” and an invasion of privacy. She was elected to the school board after the shooting.
Seventeen people were also injured in the shooting.
Court records show at least a dozen other families also object.
Alhadeff’s lawyer, Rober Kelley, told the newspaper that in most civil cases, plaintiffs prove their pain and suffering with testimony, along with testimony from friends and loved ones. He said it’s rare to ask for mental records to prove heartbreak.
“I don’t think anyone is going to dispute that these families have suffered mental anguish,” Kelley said.
In an Oct. 1 response, the district said it “recognizes the sensitive nature of these records,” but insists they are necessary in a claim involving mental pain and suffering.
It is one of about 75 questions asked of victims in a template that also includes demands for evidence of funeral expenses, accounts of every media interview victims have done and tax returns to show lost income.
Broward Circuit Judge Patti Englander Henning will consider what the victims will be forced to answer during a hearing on Thursday.
“Providing proof of loss, while absolutely necessary in any wrongful death case, is like ripping open the scab again and again and again. It hurts,” said attorney David Brill, who represents three sets of parents and a surviving student.
Relatives of the dead are asked to “identify any permanent mental injuries” they are claiming, and whether in the 10 years prior to the massacre they ever sought psychiatric treatment and why.
The filing also asks for the slain victims’ cellphone numbers, copies of death certificates and the names and business addresses of the health providers who provided care in the five years prior to the mass shooting incident.
School Board lawyer Eugene Pettis said that while the school board recognizes the sensitivity of the issue, the district has a legal duty to make sure the claims are proven by a professional standard, not just through testimony of family and friends.
“If there are claims, you get the records to support those claims,” Pettis said. “It’s happened in every such case I’ve tried.”
The court consolidated dozens of lawsuits stemming from the shooting that were filed against the school district, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and others, and set an orderly way for each side to obtain evidence. That led to the exhaustive questionnaire, the newspaper reported.
The victims already have a steep hurdle to overcome. The Florida Supreme Court last month ruled that, for liability purposes, the tragedy is considered one event in the eyes of the law. That caps the school district’s damages at $300,000 total.
If a jury awards more, the victims will have to ask the state Legislature to pass a bill to pay out more than the insurance policy allows.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Man fatally shot in struggle over gun during traffic stop

HARVEY , Ill. ( AP ) - A man died early Wednesday after his gun discharged during a struggle over @ @ @ @ @ conducting a traffic stop in suburban Chicago , Illinois State Police said .
Troopers had @ @ @ @ @ 12:30 a.m. in Harvey when a male passenger attempted to get into the sport utility @ @ @ @ @ s side and a trooper saw a gun in his waistband , police said .
@ @ @ @ @ followed during which the weapon discharged and struck the passenger , who was later pronounced @ @ @ @ @ , police said .
The troopers were not shot and they did not fire their @ @ @ @ @ After the shooting , the SUV rolled forward and hit a trooper , who police @ @ @ @ @ Police were seen investigating an SUV that crashed into a bus shelter near a Walgreens @ @ @ @ @ remains under investigation , police said .

HARVEY, Ill. (AP) - A man died early Wednesday after his gun discharged during a struggle over the weapon as troopers were conducting a traffic stop in suburban Chicago, Illinois State Police said.
Troopers stopped an SUV for not using headlights about 12:30 a.m. in Harvey when Darren Green Jr., 30, of Chicago attempted to get into the sport utility vehicle’s driver’s side and a trooper saw a gun in his waistband, police said.
A struggle over the gun followed during which the weapon discharged and struck the passenger, who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, police said.
The troopers were not shot and they did not fire their weapons, police said.
After the shooting, the SUV rolled forward and hit a trooper, who police said suffered minor injuries. The vehicle then crashed into a bus shelter.
An 8-year-old girl and two other women, one of whom was driving, was also in the vehicle at the time of the incident, state police said.
The shooting remains under investigation, and two troopers have been placed on administrative leave pending its outcome, authorities said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Mourners gather for former Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster burial

FRANKLIN , La .
( AP ) - Mike Foster , Louisiana ’ s popular two-term former governor , was buried Wednesday with military honors in a modest set of hometown ceremonies in keeping with his no-frills attitude when in office .
Foster died Sunday at his home in coastal St. Mary Parish from age-related illnesses .
He was 90 years old .
He was buried in an oak casket in a cement vault under a live oak .
“ This was exactly the kind of funeral he would have wanted , ” former Gov .
Bobby Jindal , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foster , told The Advocate in an interview after the service .
“ He never wanted to come to Baton Rouge when he was governor .
Why would he want to come to Baton Rouge for his funeral ?
He didn ’ t like crowds and all the attention.
” The folksy millionaire businessman known for his love of hunting and fishing served as Louisiana governor from 1996 until 2004 , switching his party registration to Republican to run for governor after eight years as a Democratic state senator .
His grandfather had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Foster championed many of the state ’ s major education policy changes of the last few decades , including the creation of the TOPS college tuition program , the state ’ s accountability system and Louisiana ’ s community college system .
A business-focused governor , he worked to reform the Louisiana worker ’ s compensation system , pushed more business-friendly provisions governing lawsuits and championed sweeping changes to state tax policy .
The funeral services Wednesday came as Foster ’ s small Louisiana city of Franklin near the coast was threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to strike Louisiana later in the week .
In addition to Jindal , Democratic Gov .
John Bel Edwards and many of Foster ’ s former staff members and Cabinet secretaries were among those in attendance , wearing masks because of the coronavirus pandemic , according to photos posted online by The Advocate .
Members of the Louisiana National Guard honored Foster - who was a pilot during the Korean War - with a three-volley salute , a rendering of “ Taps ” and a ceremonial folding of the American flag that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led a largely scandal-free administration , following retiring Gov .
Edwin Edwards .
Edwin Edwards was a Democrat who had dominated state politics for most of three decades , had a penchant for scandal and later went to prison for a corruption scheme to rig Louisiana ’ s riverboat casino licensing process .
However , Foster became the first sitting governor fined by the state ethics board - $ 20,000 for failing to disclose his 1995 campaign purchase of mailing lists from Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke .

FRANKLIN, La. (AP) - Mike Foster, Louisiana’s popular two-term former governor, was buried Wednesday with military honors in a modest set of hometown ceremonies in keeping with his no-frills attitude when in office.
Foster died Sunday at his home in coastal St. Mary Parish from age-related illnesses. He was 90 years old. He was buried in an oak casket in a cement vault under a live oak.
“This was exactly the kind of funeral he would have wanted,” former Gov. Bobby Jindal, who owed his start in Louisiana politics to Foster, told The Advocate in an interview after the service. “He never wanted to come to Baton Rouge when he was governor. Why would he want to come to Baton Rouge for his funeral? He didn’t like crowds and all the attention.”
The folksy millionaire businessman known for his love of hunting and fishing served as Louisiana governor from 1996 until 2004, switching his party registration to Republican to run for governor after eight years as a Democratic state senator. His grandfather had been governor in the late 19th century.
Foster championed many of the state’s major education policy changes of the last few decades, including the creation of the TOPS college tuition program, the state’s accountability system and Louisiana’s community college system. A business-focused governor, he worked to reform the Louisiana worker’s compensation system, pushed more business-friendly provisions governing lawsuits and championed sweeping changes to state tax policy.
The funeral services Wednesday came as Foster’s small Louisiana city of Franklin near the coast was threatened by Hurricane Delta, which is forecast to strike Louisiana later in the week.
In addition to Jindal, Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and many of Foster’s former staff members and Cabinet secretaries were among those in attendance, wearing masks because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to photos posted online by The Advocate.
Members of the Louisiana National Guard honored Foster - who was a pilot during the Korean War - with a three-volley salute, a rendering of “Taps” and a ceremonial folding of the American flag that had been draped over his coffin.
Foster led a largely scandal-free administration, following retiring Gov. Edwin Edwards. Edwin Edwards was a Democrat who had dominated state politics for most of three decades, had a penchant for scandal and later went to prison for a corruption scheme to rig Louisiana’s riverboat casino licensing process.
However, Foster became the first sitting governor fined by the state ethics board - $20,000 for failing to disclose his 1995 campaign purchase of mailing lists from Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Teen sentenced to 42 years in Arkansas officer's death

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) - A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 42 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the 2017 shooting death of an Arkansas police officer , according to prosecutors .
Derrick Heard was 16 when he was accused of killing Newport Police Lt. Patrick Weatherford in June 2017 , investigators said .
Weatherford pursued Heard while investigating a vehicle break-in in Newport , about 90 miles ( 145 kilometers ) northeast of Little Rock , police said .
Heard was first on a bicycle then on foot when 41-year-old Weatherford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Police say the officer was shot in the abdomen and died later that night in a hospital .
In addition to the first-degree murder charge , Heard on Tuesday also pleaded guilty to attempted capital murder , breaking and entering , theft of property and possession of a handgun , Prosecuting Attorney Henry Boyce said in a news release .
Circuit Judge Harold S. Erwin sentenced Heard to 24 years in prison on each murder charge and ordered them to run concurrently .
He was sentenced to a total of 18 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleaded not guilty , and his trial as an adult was set to begin Nov. 2 .

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 42 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the 2017 shooting death of an Arkansas police officer, according to prosecutors.
Derrick Heard was 16 when he was accused of killing Newport Police Lt. Patrick Weatherford in June 2017, investigators said.
Weatherford pursued Heard while investigating a vehicle break-in in Newport, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock, police said. Heard was first on a bicycle then on foot when 41-year-old Weatherford caught him, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. Police say the officer was shot in the abdomen and died later that night in a hospital.
In addition to the first-degree murder charge, Heard on Tuesday also pleaded guilty to attempted capital murder, breaking and entering, theft of property and possession of a handgun, Prosecuting Attorney Henry Boyce said in a news release.
Circuit Judge Harold S. Erwin sentenced Heard to 24 years in prison on each murder charge and ordered them to run concurrently. He was sentenced to a total of 18 years for the other charges.
Heard initially pleaded not guilty, and his trial as an adult was set to begin Nov. 2.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Mail-in ballot mix-ups: How much should we worry?

BOSTON ( AP ) - Several high-profile cases of voters getting incorrect blank absentee ballots in the mail are raising questions about how often such mix-ups occur and whether they could affect this year ’ s presidential election .
Mail-in ballots are under heightened scrutiny this year as voters request them in record numbers amid the coronavirus pandemic and President Donald Trump launches baseless attacks against the process .
Snafus occur during every election , but experts say there should be adequate time between now and the close of polls on Nov. 3 to resolve them .
U.S. elections are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of election workers and multiple contractors .
Mistakes happen .
“ In a normal election year , there are stories of voting machines configured for the wrong precinct .
As voters shift to voting by mail , the equivalent error is a batch of ballots mailed out with the wrong ballot style , ” said Doug Jones , a University of Iowa election technology expert .
Elections officials , ballot suppliers and security researchers say such problems do occur with some regularity .
They don ’ t indicate fraud , they say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 absentee ballots with the wrong names and addresses printed on the return envelopes were sent to voters in Brooklyn , N.Y. , in late September .
Ballots returned in envelopes bearing different names would risk being voided .
The city ’ s election board blamed the ballot-printer , Phoenix Graphics of Rochester , N.Y. , which said without elaborating that it “ experienced mechanical-inserting issues ” in what was its first ballot-printing run for the affected counties .
And this week , an as-yet undetermined number of voters in Franklin County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received the wrong absentee ballots , while 2,100 voters in Los Angeles were mailed ballots missing the presidential race .
Franklin County officials did not offer an explanation , while a Los Angeles elections spokesman blamed an unspecified printing error but did not say who did the printing .
Amber McReynolds , a former Denver elections director and CEO of the nonprofit National Vote at Home Institute , said such errors are more likely to happen in states with less experience in mail-in voting than vote-by-mail veterans Colorado , Washington , Oregon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insert ballots and return envelopes inside the larger envelopes mailed to voters can get jammed or otherwise send the process askew .
Errors can be identified before they get mailed out by auditing a certain percentage .
Newer “ intelligent inserters ” are less prone to error .
“ It ’ s ( typically ) an operator making a mistake and just not turning something on , as simple as that sounds , ” said Jeff Ellington , president of the Phoenix-based Runbeck Election Services , a major ballot printer .
The insertion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote-by-mail , he said .
The company whose inserter was used in Franklin County , Bluecrest Inc. , did not offer an explanation in a response to a request for comment .
In a release , the county said “ a high-speed scanner used to proof ballots for accuracy was not working properly.
” DOES THIS MAKE MAIL VOTING LESS RELIABLE THAN IN-PERSON VOTING ?
Certainly not , the experts say .
Take the Los Angeles County snag .
County elections spokesman Mike Sanchez said every affected voter has already been mailed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the argument that if this same mistake happened on Election Day , there would be no time to recover , ” said Ellington , the Runbeck president .
Jones , the University of Iowa professor , said mistakes are inevitable in a complex general election .
His bigger concern is the tendency of some election officials to rely heavily on outside contractors , for mail-in and in-person voting .
“ When we outsource , we lose transparency and we lose accountability , ” he said .
Associated Press writers Marina Villeneuve in Albany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Columbus , Ohio , contributed to this report .

BOSTON (AP) - Several high-profile cases of voters getting incorrect blank absentee ballots in the mail are raising questions about how often such mix-ups occur and whether they could affect this year’s presidential election.
Mail-in ballots are under heightened scrutiny this year as voters request them in record numbers amid the coronavirus pandemic and President Donald Trump launches baseless attacks against the process.
Snafus occur during every election, but experts say there should be adequate time between now and the close of polls on Nov. 3 to resolve them. U.S. elections are massive, decentralized undertakings involving hundreds of thousands of election workers and multiple contractors. Mistakes happen.
“In a normal election year, there are stories of voting machines configured for the wrong precinct. As voters shift to voting by mail, the equivalent error is a batch of ballots mailed out with the wrong ballot style,” said Doug Jones, a University of Iowa election technology expert.
Elections officials, ballot suppliers and security researchers say such problems do occur with some regularity. They don’t indicate fraud, they say, but rather human error.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
About 100,000 absentee ballots with the wrong names and addresses printed on the return envelopes were sent to voters in Brooklyn, N.Y., in late September. Ballots returned in envelopes bearing different names would risk being voided.
The city’s election board blamed the ballot-printer, Phoenix Graphics of Rochester, N.Y., which said without elaborating that it “experienced mechanical-inserting issues” in what was its first ballot-printing run for the affected counties.
And this week, an as-yet undetermined number of voters in Franklin County, home to Ohio’s capital, received the wrong absentee ballots, while 2,100 voters in Los Angeles were mailed ballots missing the presidential race and nearly 7,000 voters in Teaneck, N.J., were mailed ballots with the wrong Congressional race. Franklin County officials did not offer an explanation, while a Los Angeles elections spokesman blamed an unspecified printing error but did not say who did the printing. Teaneck said a programming error by an outside vendor was to blame.
Amber McReynolds, a former Denver elections director and CEO of the nonprofit National Vote at Home Institute, said such errors are more likely to happen in states with less experience in mail-in voting than vote-by-mail veterans Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Utah and Hawaii.
Older machines that insert ballots and return envelopes inside the larger envelopes mailed to voters can get jammed or otherwise send the process askew. Errors can be identified before they get mailed out by auditing a certain percentage. Newer “intelligent inserters” are less prone to error.
“It’s (typically) an operator making a mistake and just not turning something on, as simple as that sounds,” said Jeff Ellington, president of the Phoenix-based Runbeck Election Services, a major ballot printer. The insertion process is the most complicated part of vote-by-mail, he said.
The company whose inserter was used in Franklin County, Bluecrest Inc., did not offer an explanation in a response to a request for comment. In a release, the county said “a high-speed scanner used to proof ballots for accuracy was not working properly.”
DOES THIS MAKE MAIL VOTING LESS RELIABLE THAN IN-PERSON VOTING?
Certainly not, the experts say. Take the Los Angeles County snag. County elections spokesman Mike Sanchez said every affected voter has already been mailed a corrected ballot.
“You can make the argument that if this same mistake happened on Election Day, there would be no time to recover,” said Ellington, the Runbeck president.
Jones, the University of Iowa professor, said mistakes are inevitable in a complex general election. His bigger concern is the tendency of some election officials to rely heavily on outside contractors, for mail-in and in-person voting.
“When we outsource, we lose transparency and we lose accountability,” he said.
___
Associated Press writers Marina Villeneuve in Albany, N.Y., and Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Officials: Florida deputy kills armed woman during standoff

HILLIARD , Fla. ( AP ) - A Florida deputy fatally shot a woman armed with a rifle during a @ @ @ @ @ The standoff occurred Tuesday at the 48-year-old woman ’ s home in Hilliard , north @ @ @ @ @ Times-Union reported .
Despite an injunction ordering her to stay away , the woman had @ @ @ @ @ another woman at her ex-husband ’ s home on Tuesday afternoon , the Nassau County @ @ @ @ @ .
The woman eventually returned to her home , a camper on her father ’ @ @ @ @ @ called the sheriff ’ s office and told them that the woman had a gun @ @ @ @ @ herself , according to investigators .
When SWAT officers arrived and began to surround the @ @ @ @ @ the woman stepped outside and aimed an AR-15 at a deputy .
The deputy fired @ @ @ @ @ , they said .
The sheriff ’ s office didn ’ t immediately release the @ @ @ @ @ deputy or the woman who was shot .

HILLIARD, Fla. (AP) - A Florida deputy fatally shot a woman armed with a rifle during a standoff, authorities said.
The standoff occurred Tuesday at the 48-year-old woman’s home in Hilliard, north of Jacksonville, the Florida Times-Union reported.
Despite an injunction ordering her to stay away, the woman had gotten into a confrontation with another woman at her ex-husband’s home on Tuesday afternoon, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said. The woman eventually returned to her home, a camper on her father’s property.
The father called the sheriff’s office and told them that the woman had a gun and was threatening to kill herself, according to investigators. When SWAT officers arrived and began to surround the camper, officials said, the woman stepped outside and aimed an AR-15 at a deputy. The deputy fired once, killing the woman, they said.
The sheriff’s office didn’t immediately release the names or races of the deputy or the woman who was shot.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Joe Biden rips Trump 'blessing from God' video remark on coronavirus infection

Joseph R. Biden says it is a “ tragedy ” that President Trump is treating his coronavirus diagnosis as a “ blessing from God.
” Mr. Biden told reporters the president should be taking the threat more seriously .
“ I think it ’ s a tragedy the president deals with COVID like it is something not to be worried about when already 210,000 people have died , ” Mr. Biden , the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee , said .
Mr. Biden was responded to a video Mr. Trump posted online in which he said getting the coronavirus was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blessing in disguise ” because it led him to take experimental therapeutics , including Regeneron , that has him feeling “ like perfect.
” “ So , I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it .
This was a blessing in disguise , ” he said .
“ I caught it , I heard about this drug , I said let me take it , it was my suggestion , I said let me take it , and it was incredible the way it worked , incredible , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch it we ’ d be looking at that like a number of other drugs ” He said , “ I want to get to you what I got , and I am going to make it free .
”

Joseph R. Biden says it is a “tragedy” that President Trump is treating his coronavirus diagnosis as a “blessing from God.”
Mr. Biden told reporters the president should be taking the threat more seriously.
“I think it’s a tragedy the president deals with COVID like it is something not to be worried about when already 210,000 people have died,” Mr. Biden, the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, said.
Mr. Biden was responded to a video Mr. Trump posted online in which he said getting the coronavirus was a “blessing from God” and “blessing in disguise” because it led him to take experimental therapeutics, including Regeneron, that has him feeling “like perfect.”
“So, I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it. This was a blessing in disguise,” he said. “I caught it, I heard about this drug, I said let me take it, it was my suggestion, I said let me take it, and it was incredible the way it worked, incredible, and I think if I didn’t catch it we’d be looking at that like a number of other drugs”
He said, “I want to get to you what I got, and I am going to make it free.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-10-07--Feds fine Citigroup $400 million over faulty risk management

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Citigroup has agreed to pay a $ 400 million fine imposed by U.S. regulators @ @ @ @ @ the bank ’ s operations .
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said @ @ @ @ @ is in response to shortcomings in the New York bank ’ s risk management , @ @ @ @ @ programs .
The move follows a settlement agreement between Citigroup and the Federal Reserve ’ @ @ @ @ @ calls for the bank to address “ significant ongoing deficiencies ” in how it has @ @ @ @ @ it to fix its bank management protocols , including its anti-money laundering compliance program .
@ @ @ @ @ it is committed to addressing regulators ’ complaints and is working on ways to strengthen @ @ @ @ @ and governance .

NEW YORK (AP) - Citigroup has agreed to pay a $400 million fine imposed by U.S. regulators for failing to shore up the bank’s operations.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said Wednesday that the civil penalty is in response to shortcomings in the New York bank’s risk management, internal controls and data governance programs.
The move follows a settlement agreement between Citigroup and the Federal Reserve’s board of governors that calls for the bank to address “significant ongoing deficiencies” in how it has responded to prior orders for it to fix its bank management protocols, including its anti-money laundering compliance program.
Citigroup issued a statement saying it is committed to addressing regulators’ complaints and is working on ways to strengthen its internal controls, infrastructure and governance.