washingtontimes--2020-11-13--South African ruling party official charged with corruption

JOHANNESBURG ( AP ) - A top official of South Africa ’ s ruling party , the African National Congress , has been charged with 21 counts of fraud and corruption , a significant step in President Cyril Ramaphosa ’ s drive against graft in the country .
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule was charged and released on bail at court in Bloemfontein .
He was cheered by hundreds of supporters who gathered outside the courthouse , showing that many within the ruling party do not support the anti-corruption campaign .
Magashule is the latest high-profile figure to face corruption charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations in the country .
Magashule is accused of involvement in the looting of the equivalent of $ 13.8 million when he was the premier of the Free State province from 2009 to 2018 .
It is alleged that he benefitted from a contract to audit how many houses in the province still had asbestos roofs , which was awarded to his close associates .
The contract was awarded for $ 15 million , but it has since emerged that only $ 1.2 million was actually spent doing the work .
State prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant when he was the premier of Free State , Moroadi Cholota , had turned state witness against Magashule .
Cholota is currently living in the United States .
Magashule is now the eighth accused in the case , including ANC-linked businessmen and former high-profile government officials .
He told his supporters outside the court that he would not step down from his position as secretary-general despite facing serious charges .
“ I was elected by branches of the ANC at a national conference , and I will only step down if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Scores of ANC supporters , wearing colorful party T-shirts and hats and waving placards bearing messages of support for Magashule , surrounded the Bloemfontein court to show their support for Magashule on Friday .
This demonstration was despite the party ’ s call that people should only support Magashule as individuals , not under the banner of the party .
The demonstration to support Magashule shows that there are many within the ANC who do not support Ramaphosa ’ s anti-corruption drive .
At the head of the opposition to Ramaphosa is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also facing corruption charges , in a different case .
Magashule ’ s case was postponed to February next year , where the prosecution will apply for it to be transferred to the High Court for trial .

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - A top official of South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress, has been charged with 21 counts of fraud and corruption, a significant step in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s drive against graft in the country.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule was charged and released on bail at court in Bloemfontein. He was cheered by hundreds of supporters who gathered outside the courthouse, showing that many within the ruling party do not support the anti-corruption campaign.
Magashule is the latest high-profile figure to face corruption charges as authorities intensify investigations into wide-ranging graft allegations in the country.
Magashule is accused of involvement in the looting of the equivalent of $13.8 million when he was the premier of the Free State province from 2009 to 2018.
It is alleged that he benefitted from a contract to audit how many houses in the province still had asbestos roofs, which was awarded to his close associates. The contract was awarded for $15 million, but it has since emerged that only $1.2 million was actually spent doing the work.
State prosecutors said that Magashule’s former personal assistant when he was the premier of Free State, Moroadi Cholota, had turned state witness against Magashule. Cholota is currently living in the United States.
Magashule is now the eighth accused in the case, including ANC-linked businessmen and former high-profile government officials.
He told his supporters outside the court that he would not step down from his position as secretary-general despite facing serious charges.
“I was elected by branches of the ANC at a national conference, and I will only step down if they make that decision,” said Magashule.
Scores of ANC supporters, wearing colorful party T-shirts and hats and waving placards bearing messages of support for Magashule, surrounded the Bloemfontein court to show their support for Magashule on Friday. This demonstration was despite the party’s call that people should only support Magashule as individuals, not under the banner of the party.
The demonstration to support Magashule shows that there are many within the ANC who do not support Ramaphosa’s anti-corruption drive. At the head of the opposition to Ramaphosa is former presidenti Jacob Zuma, who is also facing corruption charges, in a different case.
Magashule’s case was postponed to February next year, where the prosecution will apply for it to be transferred to the High Court for trial.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--A conservation agreement in a South Carolina fishing village

McCLELLANVILLE , S.C. ( AP ) - Owners of a 22-acre property in a South Carolina fishing village have agreed to let it be used as part of a strategy to maintain water quality around the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge .
The plot is in McClellanville .
It ’ s known as Taylor ’ s Farm .
The Post and Courier reports that it has been placed under a “ conservation easement ” handled by a nonprofit called the Lowcountry Land Trust .
The nonprofit is working to preserve land near Cape Romain and the nearby Francis Marion National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO and chief conservation officer .
“ The more development that occurs along the edges of the waterways that go into Cape Romain , the more opportunity there is for runoff and other forms of pollution to go into the wildlife refuge and decrease its ( ecosystem ) value , ” he said .
The plot is mostly forest land .
The trees help to suck up and store stormwater and can help block contaminants in water runoff from reaching streams and rivers .
“ We are happy to have put our property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” property owners Charles and Frances Geer said in a statement .
“ We are grateful to the Lowcountry Land Trust for enabling us to protect this natural area for the benefit of future generations.
” The Geers retain the rights to build in the future on a small fraction of the land .
The easement agreement will enable them to claim a credit on their taxes .

McCLELLANVILLE, S.C. (AP) - Owners of a 22-acre property in a South Carolina fishing village have agreed to let it be used as part of a strategy to maintain water quality around the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.
The plot is in McClellanville. It’s known as Taylor’s Farm. The Post and Courier reports that it has been placed under a “conservation easement” handled by a nonprofit called the Lowcountry Land Trust.
The nonprofit is working to preserve land near Cape Romain and the nearby Francis Marion National Forest, said David Ray, acting CEO and chief conservation officer.
“The more development that occurs along the edges of the waterways that go into Cape Romain, the more opportunity there is for runoff and other forms of pollution to go into the wildlife refuge and decrease its (ecosystem) value,” he said.
The plot is mostly forest land. The trees help to suck up and store stormwater and can help block contaminants in water runoff from reaching streams and rivers.
“We are happy to have put our property in McClellanville into a conservation easement,” property owners Charles and Frances Geer said in a statement. “We are grateful to the Lowcountry Land Trust for enabling us to protect this natural area for the benefit of future generations.”
The Geers retain the rights to build in the future on a small fraction of the land. The easement agreement will enable them to claim a credit on their taxes.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--With COVID-19 surging, schools suspend in-person education

With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the state spiking to record levels , bus drivers and teachers in quarantine , students getting sick and the holidays looming , Schools Superintendent Scott Hanback in Tippecanoe County , Indiana , made a tough decision this week .
The school system , he decreed , would switch to remote learning until after Thanksgiving .
It seemed like the only safe way to proceed after the myriad disruptions caused by the surging coronavirus .
‘ ’ It has been very , very difficult , ’ ’ Hanback said , adding that he has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rest and trying to just take care of my mental health and physical health just so I can stay sharp.
’ ’ Facing equally grim conditions , school systems around the U.S. and abroad are taking similarly tough action .
Boston , Detroit , Indianapolis and Philadelphia are among those that are closing classrooms or abandoning plans to offer in-person classes later in the school year , and New York City may be next .
Such decisions are complicated by a host of conflicting concerns - namely , safety versus the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home , in front of computers , under their parents ’ supervision .
The virus does not appear to be rampant within schools themselves .
Instead , many of the infections that are proving so disruptive are believed to be occurring out in the community .
Educators fear things could get worse during upcoming holiday breaks , when students and staff gather with family and friends or travel to other hot spots .
The nation has entered “ an extremely high-risk period , ’ ’ said experts at PolicyLab , a Children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develops guidance .
They shifted their advice this week , advocating online-only instruction for areas with rapidly rising rates , at least until after Thanksgiving .
Newly confirmed infections per day in the U.S. are shattering records at nearly every turn , hitting more than 153,000 on Thursday and pushing the running total in the U.S. to about 10.5 million , with about a quarter-million deaths , by Johns Hopkins University ’ s count .
The number of people now in the hospital reached an all-time high of over 67,000 on Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Hanback ’ s district in Tippecanoe County , which includes the city of Lafayette , 51 cases out of 13,800 students were confirmed during the first nine weeks of in-person classes .
In less than three weeks that followed , that number almost doubled , and cases among teachers and staff jumped fivefold , Hanback said .
“ The spread isn ’ t really occurring in the classroom .
The spread is occurring in nights and weekends and holidays and social gatherings , ” he said .
Because of the resulting shortage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at school an hour late and getting home an hour late , Hanback said .
‘ ’ Inside the schools , the same thing was happening with classroom teachers and classroom aides , ” he said .
“ We are exhausting our substitute pool and it became a daily struggle.
’ Weekly reports by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children ’ s Hospital Association show there have been more than 900,000 COVID-19 cases in children and teens in the U.S. , and they have been steadily rising .
Almost 74,000 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 , an all-time high .
Severe illness among children and teens is rare , particularly in younger ones , but they can often spread the disease without showing any symptoms .
When schools are disrupted , it ’ s often because teachers , staff and other adult employees have gotten sick .
The academy has stressed the importance of in-person education but says uncontrolled spread in many areas means that can not happen safely in many schools .
By some estimates , more than half of U.S. schools have been offering at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico , where cases and hospitalizations are at record highs , Amy Armstrong and her husband face a dilemma .
They have been sending their 7-year-old son , Damien , to school four days a week since September .
But the district outside Albuquerque announced this week that classes will be online-only starting Monday .
Quitting their jobs to watch over their children - she ’ s a bank employee , he does electrical work - could mean losing their house .
Armstrong said she understands the rationale for shutting schools .
‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financially , emotionally and physically it ’ s having on people , on families , on the kids especially ?
’ ’ she said .
In Europe , most schools reopened to a degree in September , only to see the virus spike and hospitals start to fill with COVID-19 patients .
Greece reluctantly closed all but elementary schools this month , while Italy kept high schools on a partial schedule .
France , which has suffered more infections than anywhere else in Europe , kept schools open even after closing restaurants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The number of children under 19 testing positive has dropped markedly since the semi-lockdown began on Oct. 29 but remains high .
Michael Hinojosa , schools superintendent in Dallas , has been watching and worrying as case numbers rise all around him .
Texas surpassed 1 million cases this week .
Many of the district ’ s 150,000 students are from disadvantaged families , and about half attend at least some in-person classes .
Switching to all-remote learning could mean a loss of state funding , Hinojosa said , but if schools reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to pivot on a dime.
” Five district schools had to revert to all-remote education briefly when cases were detected in students and staff .
School numbers have been relatively low ; just 2 % of the district ’ s 22,000 teachers and staff have been infected , and the rate among students is well below that .
But Hinojosa fears that bubble could burst over the holidays .
“ We are a very blue city in a purple county in a red state .
The governor wants all restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced Thursday it will suspend in-person classes next week for the roughly 50,000 students because of the city ’ s rising infection rate .
For some kids , especially those from impoverished or dysfunctional families , schools are safer than being home .
Some are falling behind with remote-only instruction .
That is the case at Indio High School , in California ’ s southern desert , said Principal Derrick Lawson .
Most students are from impoverished homes , and many have parents who are farmworkers , laboring in the date palm and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who worked in now-shuttered hotels and golf courses .
Several have lost family members to COVID-19 , he said .
Cases and deaths have been rising since summer in the county , where at least half the residents are Hispanic .
The trend will need to reverse for schools to start offering in-person education in January , as hoped , Lawson said .
“ Because we ’ re virtual , I ’ m not worried about an outbreak ” among students and staff , Lawson said .
“ My big worry is we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss or who are despondent.
’ ’ The school has set up links to counselors , a suicide prevention group , relaxation techniques and other services .
‘ ’ I ’ ve got some confused high school kids , looking at their world and wondering what is happening , ’ ’ Lawson said .
Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio in Santa Fe , New Mexico ; Lori Hinnant in Paris ; and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this story .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the state spiking to record levels, bus drivers and teachers in quarantine, students getting sick and the holidays looming, Schools Superintendent Scott Hanback in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, made a tough decision this week.
The school system, he decreed, would switch to remote learning until after Thanksgiving.
It seemed like the only safe way to proceed after the myriad disruptions caused by the surging coronavirus.
‘’It has been very, very difficult,’’ Hanback said, adding that he has been doing ‘’a lot of prayer, rest and trying to just take care of my mental health and physical health just so I can stay sharp.’’
Facing equally grim conditions, school systems around the U.S. and abroad are taking similarly tough action. Boston, Detroit, Indianapolis and Philadelphia are among those that are closing classrooms or abandoning plans to offer in-person classes later in the school year, and New York City may be next.
Such decisions are complicated by a host of conflicting concerns - namely, safety versus the potential educational and economic damage from schooling children at home, in front of computers, under their parents’ supervision.
Virus transmission does not appear to be rampant within schools themselves. Instead, many of the infections that are proving so disruptive are believed to be occurring out in the community. Educators fear things could get worse during upcoming holiday breaks, when students and staff gather with family and friends or travel to other hot spots.
The nation has entered “an extremely high-risk period,’’ said experts at PolicyLab, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia team that develops guidance. They shifted their advice this week, advocating online-only instruction for areas with rapidly rising rates, at least until after Thanksgiving.
Newly confirmed infections per day in the U.S. are shattering records at nearly every turn, hitting more than 153,000 on Thursday and pushing the running total in the U.S. to about 10.5 million, with about a quarter-million deaths, by Johns Hopkins University’s count. The number of people now in the hospital reached an all-time high of over 67,000 on Thursday, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
In Hanback’s district in Tippecanoe County, which includes the city of Lafayette, 51 cases out of 13,800 students were confirmed during the first nine weeks of in-person classes. In less than three weeks that followed, that number almost doubled, and cases among teachers and staff jumped fivefold, Hanback said.
“The spread isn’t really occurring in the classroom. The spread is occurring in nights and weekends and holidays and social gatherings,” he said.
Because of the resulting shortage of bus drivers, students were arriving at school an hour late and getting home an hour late, Hanback said.
‘’Inside the schools, the same thing was happening with classroom teachers and classroom aides,” he said. “We are exhausting our substitute pool and it became a daily struggle.’
Weekly reports by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association show there have been more than 900,000 COVID-19 cases in children and teens in the U.S., and they have been steadily rising. Almost 74,000 cases were recorded during the week ending Nov. 5, an all-time high.
Severe illness among children and teens is rare, particularly in younger ones, but they can often spread the disease without showing any symptoms. When schools are disrupted, it’s often because teachers, staff and other adult employees have gotten sick.
The academy has stressed the importance of in-person education but says uncontrolled spread in many areas means that cannot happen safely in many schools.
By some estimates, more than half of U.S. schools have been offering at least some in-person classes.
In New Mexico, where cases and hospitalizations are at record highs, Amy Armstrong and her husband face a dilemma. They have been sending their 7-year-old son, Damien, to school four days a week since September. But the district outside Albuquerque announced this week that classes will be online-only starting Monday.
Quitting their jobs to watch over their children - she’s a bank employee, he does electrical work - could mean losing their house.
Armstrong said she understands the rationale for shutting schools.
‘’But do they understand the impact financially, emotionally and physically it’s having on people, on families, on the kids especially?’’ she said.
In Europe, most schools reopened to a degree in September, only to see the virus spike and hospitals start to fill with COVID-19 patients. Greece reluctantly closed all but elementary schools this month, while Italy kept high schools on a partial schedule.
France, which has suffered more infections than anywhere else in Europe, kept schools open even after closing restaurants, bars and all but essential stores. The number of children under 19 testing positive has dropped markedly since the semi-lockdown began on Oct. 29 but remains high.
Michael Hinojosa, schools superintendent in Dallas, has been watching and worrying as case numbers rise all around him. Texas surpassed 1 million cases this week.
Many of the district’s 150,000 students are from disadvantaged families, and about half attend at least some in-person classes. Switching to all-remote learning could mean a loss of state funding, Hinojosa said, but if schools reach a crisis point, “we have to be able to pivot on a dime.”
Five district schools had to revert to all-remote education briefly when cases were detected in students and staff. School numbers have been relatively low; just 2% of the district’s 22,000 teachers and staff have been infected, and the rate among students is well below that.
But Hinojosa fears that bubble could burst over the holidays.
“We are a very blue city in a purple county in a red state. The governor wants all restaurants open,” he said.
Detroit, which has roughly 50,000 students, said it will suspend in-person classes next week because of the city’s rising infection rate. The change affects approximately 10,000 students.
For some kids, especially those from impoverished or dysfunctional families, schools are safer than being home. Some are falling behind with remote-only instruction.
That is the case at Indio High School, in California’s southern desert, said Principal Derrick Lawson.
Most students are from impoverished homes, and many have parents who are farmworkers, laboring in the date palm and produce fields. Others have jobless parents who worked in now-shuttered hotels and golf courses. Several have lost family members to COVID-19, he said.
Cases and deaths have been rising since summer in the county, where at least half the residents are Hispanic. The trend will need to reverse for schools to start offering in-person education in January, as hoped, Lawson said.
“Because we’re virtual, I’m not worried about an outbreak” among students and staff, Lawson said. “My big worry is we have so many kids who are experiencing loss or who are despondent.’’
The school has set up links to counselors, a suicide prevention group, relaxation techniques and other services.
‘’I’ve got some confused high school kids, looking at their world and wondering what is happening,’’ Lawson said.
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Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner at @LindseyTanner.
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Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Lori Hinnant in Paris; and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this story.
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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--2020-11-13--Ducey's office: Governor left state for wedding anniversary

PHOENIX ( AP ) - Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey ’ s office says he and his wife have left @ @ @ @ @ days to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary .
Ducey Chief of Staff Daniel Scarpinato said @ @ @ @ @ “ Ducey was “ ” plugged in and in constant communication with our office and @ @ @ @ @ election results , COVID-19 and other state issues , ” KNXV-TV reported .
Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ statewide elected officials were notified from the state , per protocol .
Arizona ’ s @ @ @ @ @ acting governor when the governor leaves the state .
Ducey last conducted a COVID-19 briefing @ @ @ @ @ has not made any public appearances since the Nov. 3 election .
On Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ social media about the increase in COVID-19 cases .
He urged Arizonans to be careful @ @ @ @ @ corrected to reflect that Hobbs is a Democrat .

PHOENIX (AP) - A woman whose father died from COVID-19 criticized Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday for leaving the state with his wife to celebrate the couple’s wedding anniversary amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Kristin Urquiza, who has previously voiced criticism of President Donald Trump for his handling of the pandemic, posted her biting criticism of Ducey in a video on Twitter from a cemetery. She said she learned from a friend of Ducey’s travel while going to the cemetery to tell her father about an academic award she had received.
“I came here to celebrate with my dad but my dad is dead and he’s dead because the person in charge lied and because the governor of this state went along with it. And now he has the luxury to go celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife. Well good for you. … people are dying. It is as bad now as it was when my dad got sick in June.”
Her criticism comes as the coronavirus is coming back with a vengeance across the country and the U.S. is facing a long, dark winter. Governors and other elected officials are showing little appetite for imposing the kind of lockdowns and large-scale business closings seen last spring.
Urquiza also said Ducey had abandoned his duties and failed the state “by not taking simple public health precautions to ensure that people have the information that they need to make sound decisions to ensure that people are safe.”
Ducey Chief of Staff Daniel Scarpinato said Thursday in a statement that Ducey while away was “plugged in and in constant communication with our office and the White House on the election results, COVID-19 and other state issues,” KNXV-TV reported.
Scarpinato did not immediately respond Friday to a request by The Associated Press for comment on the criticism of Ducey, a Republican.
Details of Ducey’s travel weren’t immediately known. He last conducted a COVID-19 briefing on Oct. 29, and he has not made any public appearances since the Nov. 3 election.
Mark Anthony Urquiza of Phoenix died of the virus on June 30. His daughter has said her father was serious about taking virus prevention steps until Arizona’s reopening, when he resumed his normal life and headed to a karaoke bar with friends only to get infected.
“His life was robbed. I believe that terrible leadership and flawed policies put my father’s life in the balance,” Urquiza said in July ahead of her appearance at the Democratic National Convention, where she criticized Trump.
On Tuesday, Ducey released a video on social media about the increase in COVID-19 cases. He urged Arizonans to wear face coverings, wash their hands and distance. Ducey reiterated his desire to both protect public health and Arizonans’ economic well-being.
The governor has not imposed a statewide mandate for wearing of masks and for months last spring prohibited local governments from issuing their own requirements. He reversed himself and allowed local mandates once Arizona became a national hot spot in June and July.
Arizona’s outbreak lessened in August and September, but it worsened again in October.
The state on Friday reported 3,015 additional cases and 17 additional deaths, increasing the statewide totals to 269,577 cases and 6,257 deaths.
Arizona’s secretary of state, Democrat Katie Hobbs, automatically becomes acting governor when the governor leaves the state.
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This story has been corrected to reflect that Hobbs is a Democrat.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Tentative signs show UK's virus outbreak is leveling off

LONDON ( AP ) - Some tentative signs emerged Friday to suggest that the U.K. ’ s coronavirus resurgence is leveling off after wide-ranging restrictions were imposed .
In its weekly survey of new infections , Britain ’ s statistics agency said the rate of growth of the virus in England appeared to be slowing around the time a new four-week lockdown took effect on Nov. 5 .
And the British government ’ s main scientific advisory group said the virus ’ reproduction rate dipped even before the latest lockdown .
At first glance , both indicators appear to run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the number of new infections to 33,470 that was recorded on Thursday .
The record daily increase stoked fears about the current outbreak , though some experts said it could be due to the new citywide testing program taking place in hard-hit Liverpool .
Like others in Europe , the four nations of the U.K. have reimposed restrictions over recent weeks to get on top of the virus ’ resurgence .
With new infections rising , the number of COVID-19 patients being hospitalized has increased sharply and so have deaths .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus-related deaths , taking the total to just under 51,000 , the highest in Europe .
In England , authorities imposed local restrictions on areas seeing the highest number of new cases , before the government changed tack and announced a national lockdown .
Scientists said Friday ’ s evidence suggested that the local measures were having an impact in suppressing the virus .
The lockdown now in force in England is almost as restrictive as the one in the spring .
As well as pushing a “ stay at home ” message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , restaurants and stores selling items deemed to be non-essential such as books , clothing and sneakers until at least Dec. 2 .
Unlike the spring lockdown , schools and universities , as well as construction sites and factories , remain open .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has voiced hope that the lockdown will bring the reproduction rate of the virus below 1 , which would mean the epidemic is shrinking .
On Friday , the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies , or Sage , said the rate had dropped to between 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past few weeks , Sage has put the R at between 1.1 and 1.3 .
The weekly infection survey from the Office for National Statistics also pointed to an easing in the rate of growth of the virus .
It found that an estimated 654,000 people in private households in England had COVID-19 between Oct. 31 and Nov. 6 , or around 1.2 % of the population .
Though the figures represent a jump from 618,700 people , or 1.1 % of the population in the period Oct. 25-31 , the agency said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than previous weeks.
” The weekly survey , which tests thousands of people whether they have coronavirus symptoms or not , straddled the start of the latest lockdown in England .
The agency found that the northwest of England , which includes the major cities of Liverpool and Manchester , had the highest rates of virus infections at 2.2 % of the population while noting that community spread seemed to be slowing .
Overall , it said that the virus ’ spread in England was increasing in the South East , South West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whereas some other regions , including London , appear to have levelled off .

LONDON (AP) - Some tentative signs emerged Friday to suggest that the U.K.’s coronavirus resurgence is leveling off after wide-ranging restrictions were imposed.
In its weekly survey of new infections, Britain’s statistics agency said the rate of growth of the virus in England appeared to be slowing around the time a new four-week lockdown took effect on Nov. 5. And the British government’s main scientific advisory group said the virus’ reproduction rate dipped even before the latest lockdown.
Though both are encouraging indicators, scientists say the epidemic remains at high levels and will take weeks of suppression for it to go into retreat.
At first glance, both indicators appear to run counter to the near 50% rise in the number of new infections to 33,470 that was recorded on Thursday. The record daily increase stoked fears about the current outbreak, though some experts said it could be due to the new citywide testing program taking place in hard-hit Liverpool. On Friday, the number of cases dipped to 27,301.
Like others in Europe, the four nations of the U.K. have reimposed restrictions over recent weeks to get on top of the virus’ resurgence. With new infections rising, the number of COVID-19 patients being hospitalized has increased sharply and so have deaths. On Friday, the U.K. recorded another 376 virus-related deaths, taking the total to 51,304, Europe’s highest.
In England, authorities imposed local restrictions on areas seeing the highest number of new cases, before the government changed tack and announced a national lockdown. Scientists said Friday’s evidence suggested that local measures were having an impact in suppressing the virus, particularly in the northwest of England, which faced the tightest restrictions before lockdown.
“These results are in line with other sources of data that suggest that the tier system was having a beneficial impact,” said Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia.
The spread of the virus in Europe has prompted many countries to reimpose lockdown restrictions that they had slowly withdrawn during the summer. Across Europe, there is evidence that the fresh measures are slowly beginning to work. As in the U.K., there is evidence that the surge of new coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in Germany and France. Others, like the Czech Republic, are now seeing falling new cases.
The lockdown now in force in England is almost as restrictive as the one in the spring and aimed at making infection numbers far lower, leading eventually to lower rates of hospitalization and death.
As well as pushing a “stay at home” message, the British government has closed pubs, restaurants and stores selling items deemed to be non-essential such as books, clothing and sneakers until at least Dec. 2. Unlike the spring lockdown, schools and universities, as well as construction sites and factories, remain open.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has voiced hope that the lockdown will bring the reproduction rate of the virus below 1, which would mean the epidemic is shrinking. On Friday, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, or Sage, said the rate had dropped to between 1 and 1.2 across the U.K. For the past few weeks, Sage has put the R at between 1.1 and 1.3.
The weekly infection survey from the Office for National Statistics also pointed to an easing in the rate of growth of the virus. It found that an estimated 654,000 people in private households in England had COVID-19 between Oct. 31 and Nov. 6, or around 1.2% of the population.
Though the figures represent a jump from 618,700 people, or 1.1% of the population in the period Oct. 25-31, the agency said “the rate of increase is slower than previous weeks.”
The weekly survey, which tests thousands of people whether they have coronavirus symptoms or not, straddled the start of the latest lockdown in England.
The agency found that the northwest of England, which includes the major cities of Liverpool and Manchester, continued to have the highest rates of virus infections at 2.2% of the population but that the spread seemed to be slowing.
Overall, it said that the virus’ spread in England was increasing in the South East, South West, East Midlands and the North East, whereas some other regions, including London, appear to have levelled off.
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Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Initial Ohio unemployment claims continue to increase

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) - Initial claims for unemployment compensation continue to rise along with the state ’ s number of coronavirus cases , the state reported Friday .
For the week ending Nov. 7 , 21,868 Ohioans filed claims for unemployment , according to the Department of Job and Family Services .
That ’ s a 3 % increase from the previous week when 21,263 Ohioans filed claims but nearly 20 % higher than October figures .
The state also said Ohioans filed 260,855 continuing unemployment claims last week , a figure considered a more reliable indicator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowly decreased over the past few weeks .
As coronavirus cases soar in Ohio , Republican Gov .
Mike DeWine has warned he could order another shutdown of restaurants and bars .
The industry has criticized the announcement , saying there ’ s no evidence they are a cause of spread and that such a move would be economically devastating .
One in every 315 people in Ohio tested positive for the virus in the past week , according to an Associated Press analysis of data provided by The COVID Tracking Project .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by more than 114 % , reaching an all-time high Thursday of 7,101 .

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Initial claims for unemployment compensation continue to rise along with the state’s number of coronavirus cases, the state reported Friday.
For the week ending Nov. 7, 21,868 Ohioans filed claims for unemployment, according to the Department of Job and Family Services. That’s a 3% increase from the previous week when 21,263 Ohioans filed claims but nearly 20% higher than October figures.
The state also said Ohioans filed 260,855 continuing unemployment claims last week, a figure considered a more reliable indicator of economic strength and one that has slowly decreased over the past few weeks.
As coronavirus cases soar in Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has warned he could order another shutdown of restaurants and bars. The industry has criticized the announcement, saying there’s no evidence they are a cause of spread and that such a move would be economically devastating.
The 7-day rolling average of daily new cases in Ohio has risen over the past two weeks from 2,644 new cases per day on Oct. 29 to 5,612 new cases per day on Nov. 12, according to an Associated Press analysis of data provided by The COVID Tracking Project. The state saw another single-day record high of 8,071 on Friday.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--13 people laid off at UNCG in wake of coronavirus pandemic

GREENSBORO , N.C. ( AP ) - The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has laid off 13 employees in @ @ @ @ @ deals with financial constraints wrought by the coronavirus pandemic .
The News & Record reported @ @ @ @ @ took place last week .
The losses occurred at UNCG Online .
It runs the @ @ @ @ @ and undergraduate degree programs .
University spokeswoman Eden Bloss said the employees got “ very @ @ @ @ @ can keep their health coverage for the next year .
Bloss said the layoffs follow @ @ @ @ @ well as increased costs due to the pandemic .
“ Difficult times will mean difficult @ @ @ @ @ to reduce expenses and address large and unexpected budget gaps created by these major simultaneous @ @ @ @ @ .
“ At UNCG , resource actions that impact people are a last resort , @ @ @ @ @ some cases.
” Nationwide , many colleges and universities are struggling with the financial effects @ @ @ @ @ has depressed enrollment and led to job cuts .

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has laid off 13 employees in its online division as it deals with financial constraints wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.
The News & Record reported Thursday that the job cuts took place last week.
The losses occurred at UNCG Online. It runs the university’s online graduate and undergraduate degree programs.
University spokeswoman Eden Bloss said the employees got “very generous” severance packages and can keep their health coverage for the next year.
Bloss said the layoffs follow enrollment and revenue declines as well as increased costs due to the pandemic.
“Difficult times will mean difficult, but necessary, decisions to reduce expenses and address large and unexpected budget gaps created by these major simultaneous challenges … ” Bloss said. “At UNCG, resource actions that impact people are a last resort, but will be necessary in some cases.”
Nationwide, many colleges and universities are struggling with the financial effects of the pandemic, which has depressed enrollment and led to job cuts.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Serious injuries reported in explosion at VA hospital

WEST HAVEN , Conn. ( AP ) - There have been serious injuries in an explosion at a Veterans Affairs @ @ @ @ @ official said Friday .
State and federal investigators are responding to the VA Medical Center @ @ @ @ @ Foley , a top aide to state Public Safety Commissioner James Rovella , said in @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press .
He cited “ an explosion type incident ” with “ serious injuries.
@ @ @ @ @ they were assisting with an investigation of an explosion at the VA building in West @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s fire marshal .
State police said they were sending three detectives @ @ @ @ @ investigation unit .

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - Two workers were killed in an explosion Friday while repairing a steam pipe in a maintenance building at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Connecticut, officials said.
Alfred Montoya Jr., director of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, said the men were in the basement of the small outer building and had just finished routine maintenance on a leaky pipe. He said the explosion occurred just after 8 a.m. as the pipe was being refilled with steam.
The names of those killed were not immediately released. One was a contractor and the other was a VA employee and a Navy veteran, Montoya said.
That man’s next of kin told Montoya that her loved one had decided to work for the VA because he wanted to take care of fellow veterans.
“(She said) he wanted to give back to those men and women who fought so hard,” Montoya said. “It’s moments like that really tear at your heart and tear at your soul.”
Three other workers were injured, but those injuries were not life threatening, officials said. Officials initially believed one worker was missing but all were accounted for.
The contractor who died worked for Mulvaney Mechanical, based in Danbury, Connecticut, said company Vice President Charles Brough.
“Our prayers are with the families of the victims of this explosion,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said.
Police, the FBI, the VA and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating the accident, and the cause of the explosion had not been determined Friday, officials said.
The explosion occurred in a building that houses the hospital’s labor shops, such as carpentry and plumbing, a spokesperson for the hospital said.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said the hospital, which officials said was built in the 1950s and underwent a renovation in the 1990s, has decaying infrastructure and is on a list of aging VA facilities that need to be replaced.
“This building is past its sell-by date,” he said.
Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, said state emergency management officials will provide as much aid as necessary to conduct an investigation.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy, and I have instructed our state agencies to provide full resources as the response and investigation continues,” Lamont said.
___
Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Census case that led to head count halt heads back to court

A month after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end the 2020 head count of every U.S. resident , the case that propelled the ruling is heading back to a district court Friday , with advocacy groups and the Trump administration at odds over how to proceed .
A coalition of local governments and advocacy groups that sued the Trump administration for trying to end the once-a-decade head count a month early is asking U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose , California to make the Census Bureau revert to a previous plan pushing back until next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used for divvying up congressional seats among the states .
The plaintiffs said in court papers that the Census Bureau ’ s rush to finish the count in order to meet the shortened deadline violated its duties under the Constitution and forced census takers to cut corners , jeopardizing the accuracy of the count and leading to an undercount of Black , Latino and Native American communities .
More time is needed to crunch the numbers and correct for any errors , they said .
The coalition says the count was shortened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump is still in office so that his administration can enforce his desire to exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used for determining how many congressional seats each state gets for a decade to come .
Three separate federal courts have ruled Trump ’ s order unlawful , but his administration is appealing .
The Trump administration has asked the judge to dismiss the coalition ’ s lawsuit or put it on hold , until either Trump reports the apportionment numbers to Congress or an appellate court rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koh ’ s preliminary injunction in September halted efforts by the Census Bureau to finish the head count at the end of September , allowing it at the time to continue until the end of October .
It also allowed for the Census Bureau to turn in to the president the apportionment numbers at the end of next April rather than at the end of December .
However , Department of Justice attorneys appealed , and the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration a month ago , allowing it to end field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appellate court for the time being suspended the part of Koh ’ s order dealing with the Dec. 31 apportionment deadline .
In court papers , Department of Justice attorneys on behalf of the Trump administration said the court shouldn ’ t get involved with day-to-day census operations that could interfere with the Census Bureau ’ s efforts to meet the congressionally-mandated Dec. 31 deadline .
They also said any claims of harm are premature .
“ The Supreme Court ’ s order staying this Court ’ s previous injunction makes clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bureau ’ s work to complete the 2020 census , ” Department of Justice attorneys said .

A month after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end the 2020 head count of every U.S. resident, the case that propelled the ruling was back in a district court Friday, with advocacy groups and the Trump administration heading towards a full trial early next year.
A coalition of local governments and advocacy groups that sued the Trump administration for trying to end the once-a-decade head count a month early was asking U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California to make the Census Bureau revert to a previous plan pushing back until next April the deadline for turning in numbers used for divvying up congressional seats among the states.
The plaintiffs said that the Census Bureau’s rush to finish the count in order to meet the shortened deadline violated its duties under the Constitution and forced census takers to cut corners, jeopardizing the accuracy of the count and leading to an undercount of Black, Latino and Native American communities.
More time is needed to crunch the numbers and correct for any errors, and if problems are found with the way the data was collected, the judge can decide on a remedy, said plaintiffs attorney Sadik Huseny, without going into details about what such a fix might be.
The coalition says the count was shortened to make sure the numbers-crunching takes place while President Donald Trump is still in office so that his administration can enforce his desire to exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used for determining how many congressional seats each state gets for a decade to come. Three separate federal courts have ruled Trump’s order unlawful, but his administration is appealing.
The Trump administration has asked the judge to dismiss the coalition’s lawsuit or put it on hold, until either Trump reports the apportionment numbers to Congress or an appellate court rules on an earlier order by Koh.
Koh’s preliminary injunction in September halted efforts by the Census Bureau to finish the head count at the end of September, allowing it at the time to continue until the end of October. It also allowed for the Census Bureau to turn in to the president the apportionment numbers at the end of next April rather than at the end of December.
However, Department of Justice attorneys appealed, and the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration a month ago, allowing it to end field operations for the 2020 census. An appellate court for the time being suspended the part of Koh’s injunction dealing with the Dec. 31 apportionment deadline.
Department of Justice attorneys on behalf of the Trump administration said the court shouldn’t get involved with day-to-day census operations that could interfere with the Census Bureau’s efforts to meet the congressionally-mandated Dec. 31 deadline. They also said any claims of harm are premature.
“There is going to be a burden on our clients, and its going to detract from people’s ability to execute their day to day jobs,” said Aleks Sverdlov, a Department of Justice attorney.
Koh said Friday that she would allow both sides to start gathering evidence with a trial set for early next year, if the case progresses that far.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Florida gator survives car crash, returns to swamp

COCOA , Fla. ( AP ) - A motorist hit and injured a small alligator that crawled onto U.S. 1 @ @ @ @ @ Coast .
Cocoa police said in a tweet posted Friday that patrol officers rescued the @ @ @ @ @ into dangerous territory.
” The alligator was fine and the driver wasn ’ t injured @ @ @ @ @ Officers called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission .
A wildlife officer took the @ @ @ @ @ for it to roam .
Cocoa is on Florida ’ s Space Coast , near @ @

COCOA, Fla. (AP) - A motorist hit and injured a small alligator that crawled onto U.S. 1 on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.
Cocoa police said in a tweet posted Friday that patrol officers rescued the gator after “he wandered into dangerous territory.”
The alligator was fine and the driver wasn’t injured either, police said.
Officers called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A wildlife officer took the gator to a safer place for it to roam.
Cocoa is on Florida’s Space Coast, near Melbourne.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Kyle Rittehouse's mom slams Joe Biden for using son in campaign ad: 'I will take him down'

The mother of Kyle Rittenhouse , the teenager facing murder charges for the deaths of two people shot this summer in Kenosha , Wisconsin , slammed Joseph R. Biden for including her son in a campaign ad .
“ I will take him down , ” Wendy Rittenhouse said about Mr. Biden , the presumptive Democratic president-elect , while talking to Fox News host Tucker Carlson during a television interview aired Thursday .
“ Cheaters don ’ t win , and he used my son ’ s image to get votes , ” she said on “ Tucker Carlson Tonight.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Antioch , Illinois , faces murder charges and other counts stemming from the shooting in nearby Kenosha , which took place amid the city experiencing protests in late August .
Lawyers defending the teen argue he acted in self-defense and predict he will be acquitted .
He ’ s been held for more than two months in Kenosha County Jail , his mother said on “ Tucker Carlson Tonight.
” A still image of Mr. Rittenhouse holding a semi-automatic rifle on the streets of Kenosha on the night of the shooting appeared briefly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign the following month .
In the ad , the image of the gun-toting teen appears while audio plays from a recent presidential debate in which moderator Chris Wallace referenced the Kenosha shooting while speaking to Mr. Trump .
“ Are you willing , tonight , to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to stay that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities , as we saw in Kenosha.
” Mr. Rittenhouse ’ s lawyers allege the ad smears him as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for libel .
He is neither a white supremacist nor a racist , his mother said on Fox News .
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment .

The mother of Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager facing murder charges for the deaths of two people shot this summer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, slammed Joseph R. Biden for including her son in a campaign ad.
“I will take him down,” Wendy Rittenhouse said about Mr. Biden, the presumptive Democratic president-elect, while talking to Fox News host Tucker Carlson during a television interview aired Thursday.
“Cheaters don’t win, and he used my son’s image to get votes,” she said on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
Mr. Rittenhouse, 17, of Antioch, Illinois, faces murder charges and other counts stemming from the shooting in nearby Kenosha, which took place amid the city experiencing protests in late August.
Lawyers defending the teen argue he acted in self-defense and predict he will be acquitted. He’s been held for more than two months in Kenosha County Jail, his mother said on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
A still image of Mr. Rittenhouse holding a semi-automatic rifle on the streets of Kenosha on the night of the shooting appeared briefly in an ad released by the Biden campaign the following month.
In the ad, the image of the gun-toting teen appears while audio plays from a recent presidential debate in which moderator Chris Wallace referenced the Kenosha shooting while speaking to Mr. Trump.
“Are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to stay that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities, as we saw in Kenosha.”
Mr. Rittenhouse’s lawyers allege the ad smears him as a white supremacist and said they will sue for libel. He is neither a white supremacist nor a racist, his mother said on Fox News.
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Patrol: Driver in crash that killed 3 was going 147 mph

STURGIS , S.D .
( AP ) - The driver killed along with two passengers in an interstate crash near @ @ @ @ @ mph before hitting the back of a semi , according to the South Dakota Highway @ @ @ @ @ , of Rapid City , was driving the Maserati on Interstate 90 on Oct. 6 @ @ @ @ @ , ripping off the roof of the car as it went underneath the semi , @ @ @ @ @ .
Olson , 22-year-old Thomas Jackson , of Spearfish and 55-year-old Titus Ironshield , of @ @ @ @ @ were killed .
The semi driver and a passenger were not injured .
The semi @ @ @ @ @ anything that contributed to the crash and his truck stopped about 1,000 feet ahead in @ @ @ @ @ , the patrol ’ s report said .

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - The driver killed along with two passengers in an interstate crash near Sturgis was going about 147 mph before hitting the back of a semi, according to the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
Twenty-one-year-old Jaden Olson, of Rapid City, was driving the Maserati on Interstate 90 on Oct. 6 when he rear-ended the semi, ripping off the roof of the car as it went underneath the semi, the Rapid City Journal reported.
Olson, 22-year-old Thomas Jackson, of Spearfish and 55-year-old Titus Ironshield, of Cannon Ball, North Dakota were killed.
The semi driver and a passenger were not injured. The semi driver didn’t do anything that contributed to the crash and his truck stopped about 1,000 feet ahead in the shoulder of the highway, the patrol’s report said.
Olson’s drug and alcohol tests are pending.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Pandemic draws more Latin American poor into banking system

BOGOTA , Colombia ( AP ) - Sonia Fierro has lived her entire adult life selling children ’ s books on the streets of Colombia ’ s capital , earning wages that barely cover her living expenses , let alone the monthly fees that come with a bank account .
When the pandemic left her short on cash , she qualified for government aid , but she needed an account where the money could be sent .
With the help of her tech-savvy daughter , she signed up for a virtual banking app called DaviPlata , which allows users to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments .
“ It ’ s the best thing they could have done because it ’ s easy and doesn ’ t cost anything , ” she said .
Across Latin America , the COVID-19 crisis has yielded a rare bright spot : Millions of people like Fierro who were long excluded from traditional banking have joined the financial system using digital banking services .
Governments tapped into the services to dole out emergency assistance , and the result has been a significant reduction in the number of people who rely solely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store money , save money and pay with money is actually a really important part of being lifted out of poverty because it makes you more resilient to economic shocks , ” said Mahesh Uttamchandani , a financial inclusion expert at the World Bank .
Fourteen countries in the region have used virtual finance tools to distribute pandemic aid , taking a cue from Africa , which has long used similar alternatives , according to the Better than Cash Alliance , a coalition of governments and international organizations pushing for digital banking options @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least 1.6 million people who never had a bank account have joined the nation ’ s financial network since April .
Eighty percent use digital wallets like DaviPlata , according to Luis Alberto Rodríguez , director of the Department of National Planning .
Officials say 85.9 % of Colombians now have some type of account , a level the government did not expect to reach until 2022 .
That has been key for people such as Tatiana Gomez , 35 , a leukemia patient and mother of three who is taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , she did not have a bank account and would have to go in person to pay bills with cash .
Now she uses a digital wallet to complete transactions .
“ It helps to avoid being out in the street , ” she said .
Colombia ’ s success is due in large part to a robust database that quickly identified citizens who qualified for aid but did not have an account .
The nation is also home to numerous virtual banking options .
DaviPlata was created in 2012 by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank .
Colombians can open an account from a smartphone and do not have to pay monthly fees or carry a minimum balance .
Another application , Movii , was launched 18 months ago with 300,000 users .
By August , it had more than 1 million people enrolled , mostly low-income earners .
“ For banks , it ’ s a bother to tend to the poor , ” Movii co-founder Hernando Rubio said .
“ We were created specifically for this.
” Countries in the region have spent on average 4.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax breaks , subsidies and other fiscal measures in an attempt to stave off an economic crisis .
Still , the pandemic has had catastrophic effects .
The region ’ s GDP will fall by 9 % by the end of 2020 , and poverty levels will revert to figures last seen 15 years ago , according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean .
The region ’ s 140 million informal workers , or half of the labor force , will bear most of the burden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of citizens signing up for banking services to access pandemic assistance .
Sixty-seven million Brazilians have benefited from the payments of up to $ 217 a month .
Through the nation ’ s Federal Savings Bank , Brazilians signed up for aid and were automatically given a digital savings account .
Bank representatives say 97 million virtual accounts have been created , 40 % of which went to people who previously had no account .
To be sure , not every country has seen a banking boon .
Peru – where 70 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 60 % do not have an account - has struggled to disperse aid .
The government had limited success engaging the private sector and trouble identifying those who qualified .
As a result , many recipients had to retrieve their aid at the Bank of the Nation in person .
In rural areas , officials had to disperse aid by car .
“ We didn ’ t have a DaviPlata who wanted to take this problem on , ” said Liliana Casafranca , an adviser at the Bank of the Nation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ managed to increase the number of citizens with an account from 38 % pre-pandemic to 40 % in August .
Ex-President Martín Vizcarra set a goal of enrolling every Peruvian over the age of 18 by 2021 .
Officials expect to open a million new accounts by the end of the year .
In many ways , Latin America is following the example set by sub-Saharan Africa countries such as Kenya and Uganda , which for years have used telephone companies to provide vulnerable populations with financial services .
Kenya alone saw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 82 % - over the course of a decade thanks to such options .
Going forward , Uttamchandani said , governments will need to invest in digital services for the commercial sector to ensure that virtual accounts are used for more than getting aid .
Back in Bogota , Fierro gets 160,000 Colombian pesos , or about $ 44 , each month .
She retrieves the cash from an ATM with a code generated on her cellphone and uses it for essentials like food .
As the country ’ s economy reopens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back in the green and , one day , to start saving .
“ I ’ m never going to close that account , ” she said .
“ I ’ ve got that clear .
”

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Sonia Fierro has lived her entire adult life selling children’s books on the streets of Colombia’s capital, earning wages that barely cover her living expenses, let alone the monthly fees that come with a bank account.
When the pandemic left her short on cash, she qualified for government aid, but she needed an account where the money could be sent. With the help of her tech-savvy daughter, she signed up for a virtual banking app called DaviPlata, which allows users to receive money, retrieve cash and make payments.
“It’s the best thing they could have done because it’s easy and doesn’t cost anything,” she said.
Across Latin America, the COVID-19 crisis has yielded a rare bright spot: Millions of people like Fierro who were long excluded from traditional banking have joined the financial system using digital banking services. Governments tapped into the services to dole out emergency assistance, and the result has been a significant reduction in the number of people who rely solely on cash.
“To be able to store money, save money and pay with money is actually a really important part of being lifted out of poverty because it makes you more resilient to economic shocks,” said Mahesh Uttamchandani, a financial inclusion expert at the World Bank.
Fourteen countries in the region have used virtual finance tools to distribute pandemic aid, taking a cue from Africa, which has long used similar alternatives, according to the Better than Cash Alliance, a coalition of governments and international organizations pushing for digital banking options to help reduce poverty.
In Colombia, at least 1.6 million people who never had a bank account have joined the nation’s financial network since April. Eighty percent use digital wallets like DaviPlata, according to Luis Alberto Rodríguez, director of the Department of National Planning. Officials say 85.9% of Colombians now have some type of account, a level the government did not expect to reach until 2022.
That has been key for people such as Tatiana Gomez, 35, a leukemia patient and mother of three who is taking every precaution against the virus. Before the pandemic, she did not have a bank account and would have to go in person to pay bills with cash. Now she uses a digital wallet to complete transactions.
“It helps to avoid being out in the street,” she said.
Colombia’s success is due in large part to a robust database that quickly identified citizens who qualified for aid but did not have an account. The nation is also home to numerous virtual banking options. DaviPlata was created in 2012 by Davivienda, the country’s third-largest bank. Colombians can open an account from a smartphone and do not have to pay monthly fees or carry a minimum balance.
Another application, Movii, was launched 18 months ago with 300,000 users. By August, it had more than 1 million people enrolled, mostly low-income earners.
“For banks, it’s a bother to tend to the poor,” Movii co-founder Hernando Rubio said. “We were created specifically for this.”
Countries in the region have spent on average 4.1% of their gross domestic product on tax breaks, subsidies and other fiscal measures in an attempt to stave off an economic crisis. Still, the pandemic has had catastrophic effects.
The region’s GDP will fall by 9% by the end of 2020, and poverty levels will revert to figures last seen 15 years ago, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. The region’s 140 million informal workers, or half of the labor force, will bear most of the burden.
Brazil has also seen historically high levels of citizens signing up for banking services to access pandemic assistance. Sixty-seven million Brazilians have benefited from the payments of up to $217 a month. Through the nation’s Federal Savings Bank, Brazilians signed up for aid and were automatically given a digital savings account. Bank representatives say 97 million virtual accounts have been created, 40% of which went to people who previously had no account.
To be sure, not every country has seen a banking boon. Peru – where 70% of people work in the informal economy and 60% do not have an account - has struggled to disperse aid. The government had limited success engaging the private sector and trouble identifying those who qualified. As a result, many recipients had to retrieve their aid at the Bank of the Nation in person. In rural areas, officials had to disperse aid by car.
“We didn’t have a DaviPlata who wanted to take this problem on,” said Liliana Casafranca, an adviser at the Bank of the Nation.
Yet even with those obstacles, Peru managed to increase the number of citizens with an account from 38% pre-pandemic to 40% in August. Ex-President Martín Vizcarra set a goal of enrolling every Peruvian over the age of 18 by 2021. Officials expect to open a million new accounts by the end of the year.
In many ways, Latin America is following the example set by sub-Saharan Africa countries such as Kenya and Uganda, which for years have used telephone companies to provide vulnerable populations with financial services. Kenya alone saw a dramatic rise - from 26% to 82% - over the course of a decade thanks to such options.
Going forward, Uttamchandani said, governments will need to invest in digital services for the commercial sector to ensure that virtual accounts are used for more than getting aid.
Back in Bogota, Fierro gets 160,000 Colombian pesos, or about $44, each month. She retrieves the cash from an ATM with a code generated on her cellphone and uses it for essentials like food.
As the country’s economy reopens, she hopes to get her book-selling business back in the green and, one day, to start saving.
“I’m never going to close that account,” she said. “I’ve got that clear.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--First-time director explores mother’s murder in docuseries

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) - Madison Hamburg was 18 years old when he got the call from this sister : Their mother had been stabbed and bludgeoned to death outside her home in the affluent southeastern Connecticut town of Madison .
Now 29 , Hamburg has directed a nail-biting and hauntingly personal documentary series about his mother Barbara ’ s murder , which remains unsolved .
His directorial debut , “ Murder on Middle Beach , ” premieres on HBO Max on Sunday .
Hamburg began filming the series in college as part of a school project .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2010 killing , and Hamburg was recovering from a drug addiction and still reeling from his mother ’ s violent end .
“ I decided to start navigating this journey into understanding who she was and why the murder might have happened , ” said Hamburg , who began uncovering a side of his mother ’ s life he never knew about .
Each interview he conducted only led to more questions and possibilities .
When it was time to turn in the project , Hamburg wasn ’ t finished .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teaser - and my professor basically made me promise to never stop working on it and he gave me an A in return , ” Hamburg said recently from his home in Brooklyn .
“ And I never stopped working on it.
” The genre-busting four-episode documentary is largely told from Hamburg ’ s perspective and explores how his mother ’ s death impacted him and his family .
It also delves into potential suspects , including several of Hamburg ’ s own family members .
The project forced Hamburg to ask the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved one : “ Did you kill Mom ?
” That question was something he posed to several close relatives after he had been working on the documentary for years and realized they needed to be given a chance to express their innocence .
Hamburg recounted how his crew pressed him to ask , saying , ‘ If we ’ re going to do this again , this might be your only opportunity to ask that question .
And you have to do it for their sake and your sake , bluntly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ elicit an honest , truthful answer out of them because this may be your only chance to exonerate people and … resolve some of the lingering distrust , ’ ” Hamburg said .
“ Because , you know , I love my family and it is unconditional , but it ’ s really hard when a loved one is murdered and it ’ s unresolved and it ’ s done in a way that leaves a small percentage chance that it could have been done by a loved one.
” Part of Hamburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretly recording his father and his interactions with investigators who have yet to solve the killing .
Hamburg said all his family members except his father have watched “ Murder on Middle Beach ” before its release so they ’ re prepared for any potential fallout or social media reaction .
In the end , he hopes all the hard work and potential family strife will simply help answer the biggest question of his life : Who killed his mother and why ?
“ If this series doesn ’ t solve the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us closer , ” Hamburg said .
“ Anybody out there that might remember something , it might jog their memory when they see this , you know , please .
There ’ s anonymous ways to reach out .
Please reach out because we will greatly appreciate , even if it ’ s just to share how much you loved my mom .
”

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Madison Hamburg was 18 years old when he got the call from his sister: Their mother had been stabbed and bludgeoned to death outside her home in the affluent southeastern Connecticut town of Madison.
Now 29, Hamburg has directed a nail-biting and hauntingly personal documentary series about his mother Barbara’s murder, which remains unsolved. His directorial debut, “Murder on Middle Beach,” premieres on HBO Max on Sunday.
Hamburg began filming the series in college as part of a school project. It was just three years after the March 2010 killing, and Hamburg was recovering from a drug addiction and still reeling from his mother’s violent end.
“I decided to start navigating this journey into understanding who she was and why the murder might have happened,” said Hamburg, who began uncovering a side of his mother’s life he never knew about. Each interview he conducted only led to more questions and possibilities.
When it was time to turn in the project, Hamburg wasn’t finished.
“We turned in a trailer - or a teaser - and my professor basically made me promise to never stop working on it and he gave me an A in return,” Hamburg said recently from his home in Brooklyn. “And I never stopped working on it.”
The genre-busting four-episode documentary is largely told from Hamburg’s perspective and explores how his mother’s death impacted him and his family. It also delves into potential suspects, including several of Hamburg’s own family members.
The project forced Hamburg to ask the toughest question he could possibly ask a loved one: “Did you kill Mom?”
That question was something he posed to several close relatives after he had been working on the documentary for years and realized they needed to be given a chance to express their innocence.
Hamburg recounted how his crew pressed him to ask, saying, ‘If we’re going to do this again, this might be your only opportunity to ask that question. And you have to do it for their sake and your sake, bluntly. And you have to do it to elicit an honest, truthful answer out of them because this may be your only chance to exonerate people and … resolve some of the lingering distrust,’” Hamburg said. “Because, you know, I love my family and it is unconditional, but it’s really hard when a loved one is murdered and it’s unresolved and it’s done in a way that leaves a small percentage chance that it could have been done by a loved one.”
Part of Hamburg’s journey in the documentary includes secretly recording his father and his interactions with investigators who have yet to solve the killing.
Hamburg said all his family members except his father have watched “Murder on Middle Beach” before its release so they’re prepared for any potential fallout or social media reaction.
In the end, he hopes all the hard work and potential family strife will simply help answer the biggest question of his life: Who killed his mother and why?
“If this series doesn’t solve the case, it becomes a tool to get us closer,” Hamburg said. “Anybody out there that might remember something, it might jog their memory when they see this, you know, please. There’s anonymous ways to reach out. Please reach out because we will greatly appreciate, even if it’s just to share how much you loved my mom.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Shooting in Jennings leaves one man dead

JENNINGS , Mo .
( AP ) - St. Louis County police are investigating a shooting that left one man @ @ @ @ @ injured .
Police were called Thursday night about a shooting in Jennings .
Officers found @ @ @ @ @ in his 20s inside a home .
He was taken to a hospital and died @ @ @ @ @ A second victim later drove himself to a hospital .
Police say his injuries are @ @ @ @ @ investigation indicates that about six people were inside the home when shots were fired into @ @ @ @ @ .
No arrests have been made .
Police have not identified the victim .

JENNINGS, Mo. (AP) - St. Louis County police are investigating a shooting that left one man dead and a second man injured.
Police were called Thursday night about a shooting in Jennings. Officers found a man believed to be in his 20s inside a home. He was taken to a hospital and died a short time later.
A second victim later drove himself to a hospital. Police say his injuries are not life-threatening.
A preliminary investigation indicates that about six people were inside the home when shots were fired into the house from the outside. No arrests have been made.
Police have not identified the victim.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--VIRUS DIARY: In pandemic, seeking solace in virtual worlds

ST. PETERSBURG , Fla. ( AP ) - It ’ s 2014 , and you ’ re relaxing with your best friend in a pastel-hued Florida condo the day after Thanksgiving .
She ’ s checking Facebook and you ’ re on your iPad , playing a video game called Plague , Inc. “ You try to kill the entire world with a virus or a fungus , ” you explain .
“ I mutated my virus to be more contagious .
It ’ s now spreading in Europe.
” She shoots you a horrified look .
You show her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an ominous musical score with people coughing in the background .
You both laugh .
“ Can you imagine ?
” she says .
You snort and take a sip of wine .
“ This could never happen in real life.
” IT ’ S APRIL OF 2020 and everything ’ s overwhelming .
You want to claw your way out of your skin .
You binged Tiger King , canned 40 pounds of tomatoes and are sick of Zoom calls .
Animal Crossing could be just the diversion you need .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the game on your Nintendo Switch .
It ’ s a salve for your soul , with the happy animals and pretty , tropical settings .
You snicker when Isabelle , a canine secretary , announces there ’ s no breaking news on your island .
“ I miss the days of no breaking news , ” you mutter , and glance up at the ominous CNN ticker .
Dog walks become your only outdoor outing .
You debate with friends online about whether Dr. Fauci is a silver fox .
You brag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on your list .
Somehow , that fact makes you feel hollow and you return to Animal Crossing to zone out .
In the game , you make a killing on turnips and pay off your virtual mortgage to Tom Nook , a capitalist raccoon who runs your island .
More than 50,000 Americans have died .
You ’ re too numb to cry .
IT ’ S LATE OCTOBER OF 2020 , and you haven ’ t played Animal Crossing in weeks because it seems pointless and repetitive .
The cute animal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve whacked that annoying jock rooster with a net in hopes he ’ ll move .
There ’ s still no news on your virtual island and everything feels stale .
There ’ s a crushing amount of news in real life , though .
Too much news .
In the United States , more than 240,000 people are dead .
In between watching CNN and doomscrolling Twitter , you read about Spiritfarer .
It ’ s billed as a “ cozy management game about dying , ” where you ferry others to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you think .
The spirits are animals , but they ’ re not adorable .
They ’ re snarky and difficult , and they occasionally swear .
You become attached to Summer , a snake in a green cloak .
You sail the seas of purgatory , gathering other lost souls .
Soon , you realize the point isn ’ t to bring these flawed characters to the afterlife , but to care for them during their final journeys .
You cook their favorite meals ( Summer loves grain salad ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonder if there ’ s a lesson in this somewhere , but you push that thought out of your mind because your heart is already cracked in two .
The best part , you discover , is that you can hug the spirits .
Hugging nourishes them .
You wonder if you can get an endorphin rush from a virtual hug .
You tell your best friend about the game in a text , because there ’ s no way in hell the two of you are doing a Zoom call .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ferrying Summer to the afterlife and put it off for days .
When the time comes , she gives a little speech .
“ The only lesson I have left is to show you what you ’ re made of , ” she says .
“ This is the last thing that I can teach you .
That all things change , that all things end.
” And then you put down your game , and cry .
Virus Diary , an occasional feature , showcases the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tamara Lush is a Florida-based journalist for AP and an author of romance and mystery novels .
Follow her on Twitter at http : //twitter.com/TamaraLush

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - It’s 2014, and you’re relaxing with your best friend in a pastel-hued Florida condo the day after Thanksgiving. She’s checking Facebook and you’re on your iPad, playing a video game called Plague, Inc.
“You try to kill the entire world with a virus or a fungus,” you explain. “I mutated my virus to be more contagious. It’s now spreading in Europe.”
She shoots you a horrified look. You show her the screen and turn up the volume to an ominous musical score with people coughing in the background. You both laugh.
“Can you imagine?” she says.
You snort and take a sip of wine. “This could never happen in real life.”
___
IT’S APRIL OF 2020 and everything’s overwhelming. You want to claw your way out of your skin. You binged Tiger King, canned 40 pounds of tomatoes and are sick of Zoom calls. Animal Crossing could be just the diversion you need.
At first you’re captivated by the game on your Nintendo Switch. It’s a salve for your soul, with the happy animals and pretty, tropical settings. You snicker when Isabelle, a canine secretary, announces there’s no breaking news on your island.
“I miss the days of no breaking news,” you mutter, and glance up at the ominous CNN ticker.
Dog walks become your only outdoor outing. You debate with friends online about whether Dr. Fauci is a silver fox. You brag that grocery delivery had all the items on your list. Somehow, that fact makes you feel hollow and you return to Animal Crossing to zone out.
In the game, you make a killing on turnips and pay off your virtual mortgage to Tom Nook, a capitalist raccoon who runs your island.
More than 50,000 Americans have died. You’re too numb to cry.
You miss hugs.
___
IT’S LATE OCTOBER OF 2020, and you haven’t played Animal Crossing in weeks because it seems pointless and repetitive. The cute animal characters are gratingly twee and you’ve whacked that annoying jock rooster with a net in hopes he’ll move. There’s still no news on your virtual island and everything feels stale.
There’s a crushing amount of news in real life, though. Too much news. In the United States, more than 240,000 people are dead.
In between watching CNN and doomscrolling Twitter, you read about Spiritfarer. It’s billed as a “cozy management game about dying,” where you ferry others to the afterlife. How appropriate for 2020, you think.
The spirits are animals, but they’re not adorable. They’re snarky and difficult, and they occasionally swear. You become attached to Summer, a snake in a green cloak. You sail the seas of purgatory, gathering other lost souls.
Soon, you realize the point isn’t to bring these flawed characters to the afterlife, but to care for them during their final journeys. You cook their favorite meals (Summer loves grain salad) and carry out their last requests. You wonder if there’s a lesson in this somewhere, but you push that thought out of your mind because your heart is already cracked in two.
The best part, you discover, is that you can hug the spirits. Hugging nourishes them. You wonder if you can get an endorphin rush from a virtual hug.
You tell your best friend about the game in a text, because there’s no way in hell the two of you are doing a Zoom call. You miss your best friend.
You dread ferrying Summer to the afterlife and put it off for days. When the time comes, she gives a little speech.
“The only lesson I have left is to show you what you’re made of,” she says. “This is the last thing that I can teach you. That all things change, that all things end.”
And then you put down your game, and cry.
___
Virus Diary, an occasional feature, showcases the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes of Associated Press journalists around the world. Tamara Lush is a Florida-based journalist for AP and an author of romance and mystery novels. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TamaraLush


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Morocco launches military operation in Western Sahara

RABAT , Morocco ( AP ) - The Moroccan military launched an operation in a U.N.-patrolled border zone in the disputed Western Sahara to clear a key road it said had been blockaded for weeks by supporters of the pro-independence Polisario Front .
A Polisario envoy accused the Moroccan military of firing at innocent protesters and said that led to clashes Friday between Moroccan and Polisario forces .
The envoy urged the United Nations to intervene .
There was no immediate reaction from the U.N. , which has peacekeeping forces in the area enforcing a 29-year-old cease-fire .
Moroccan forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the zone in the Guerguerat buffer zone on Western Sahara ’ s southern border with Mauritania “ in order to secure the flow of goods and people through this axis , ” the General Staff of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces said in a statement Friday .
It said they intervened because about 60 people supervised by Polisario were blocking a road connecting Morocco with Mauritania , and called it a “ non-offensive operation ” that would involve use of arms “ only in the case of self-defense.
” The Moroccan Foreign Ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than three weeks .
The Polisario ’ s ambassador to Algeria , Abdelkader Omar , said Moroccan forces “ opened fire on innocent civilian protesters ” and Polisario fighters came to the protesters ’ defense , prompting “ intense clashes ” Friday .
Speaking on Algerian television network El Bilad , Omar said , “ It ’ s the U.N. ’ s duty to intervene urgently to stop this aggression against the Sahrawi people.
” Polisario chief Ibrahim Ghali sent an urgent letter to the U.N. secretary general and U.N. Security Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state news agency APS .
Morocco annexed Western Sahara , a former Spanish colony believed to have considerable offshore oil deposits , in 1975 .
The Polisario Front fought for independence and the U.N. brokered a cease-fire in 1991 , and established a peacekeeping mission to monitor the truce and help prepare a referendum on the territory ’ s future that has never taken place .
Friday ’ s action came after the Polisario Front reportedly suggested earlier this week it would reconsider its engagement in the U.N.-led political process , threatening to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilian or military personnel enters the buffer zone .
Last month , the U.N. Security Council extended the mandate of the peacekeeping mission , known as MINURSO , for another year .
The Algeria-backed Polisario Front criticized the resolution , calling it “ unacceptable .
”

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ramped up efforts Friday to try to get Morocco and pro-independence supporters in disputed Western Sahara to step back from a renewed flare up of fighting, warning that the clashes could rupture a nearly 30-year cease-fire and have “grave consequences.”
In recent days, Guterres and other U.N. officials have been working the phones and been involved in “multiple initiatives to avoid an escalation” — so far unsuccessfully, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
But “the secretary-general remains committed to doing his utmost to avoid the collapse of the cease-fire that has been in place since Sept. 6, 1991 and he is determined to do everything possible to remove all obstacles to the resumption of the peace process,” Dujarric said.
The Moroccan military launched an operation in the U.N.-patrolled Guerguerat border zone to clear a key road it said had been blockaded for weeks by supporters of the pro-independence Polisario Front.
A Polisario envoy accused the Moroccan military of firing at innocent protesters and said that led to clashes Friday between Moroccan and Polisario forces. The envoy urged the United Nations to intervene.
Morocco annexed Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony believed to have considerable offshore oil deposits and mineral resources, in 1975. The Polisario Front fought for independence and the U.N. brokered the 1991 cease-fire and established a peacekeeping mission to monitor the truce and help prepare a referendum on the territory’s future. It has never taken place.
Morocco has proposed wide-ranging autonomy for Western Sahara. But the Polisario Front insists the local population, which it estimates at 350,000 to 500,000, has the right to a referendum.
Dujarric said the United Nations has been “expressing our concern about the situation in Guerguerat for quite some time.”
“We have seen over the last few weeks violations from both sides,” he replied when asked who was responsible for the latest fighting. “We have condemned, and we condemn all violations of the cease-fire.”
Dujarric said a special civilian-military team from the U.N. peacekeeping mission, known as MINURSO, has been on the ground in the Guerguerat area “since the beginning of the crisis, and we’ve had military observers there also remain overnight.”
Friday’s action came after the Polisario Front reportedly suggested earlier this week it would reconsider its engagement in the U.N.-led political process on Western Sahara’s future, threatening to withdraw from the cease-fire if any Moroccan civilian or military personnel entered the buffer zone.
Moroccan forces set up a security cordon overnight in the Guerguerat buffer zone on Western Sahara’s southern border with Mauritania “in order to secure the flow of goods and people through this axis,” the General Staff of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces said in a statement Friday.
It said they intervened because about 60 people supervised by Polisario were blocking a road connecting Morocco with Mauritania, and called it a “non-offensive operation” that would involve use of arms “only in the case of self-defense.” The Moroccan Foreign Ministry said the road has been blocked for more than three weeks.
The Polisario’s ambassador to Algeria, Abdelkader Omar, said Moroccan forces “opened fire on innocent civilian protesters” and Polisario fighters came to the protesters’ defense, prompting “intense clashes” Friday.
Speaking on Algerian television network El Bilad, Omar said, “It’s the U.N.’s duty to intervene urgently to stop this aggression against the Sahrawi people.”
Polisario chief Ibrahim Ghali sent an urgent letter to the U.N. secretary general and U.N. Security Council about the intervention.
The letter to Guterres, obtained by The Associated Press, accused Moroccan forces of launching “a brutal attack on unarmed Sahrawi civilians who have been demonstrating peacefully in Guerguerat.”
Ghali called it “an act of aggression and a flagrant violation of the cease-fire” that the U.N. Security Council should condemn in the strongest terms.
He told Guterres the timing of Morocco’s action — on the eve of an “engagement” between the U.N. chief and the Polisario — “demonstrates clearly that the action is a premeditated act of aggression … to torpedo your efforts to diffuse tensions and de-escalate the situation in Guerguerat.”
By launching the military operation, Ghali said, Morocco has “seriously undermined” not only the cease-fire “but also any chances of achieving a peaceful and lasting solution to the decolonization question of Western Sahara.”
Dujarric, the U.N. spokesman, said he hadn’t seen the letter but confirmed the secretary-general “has been making calls to the different parties, and his people on the ground have been involved.”
Guterres has not had a personal envoy in Western Sahara since former German president Horst Köhler left the post in May 2019 for health reasons.
Dujarric said the secretary-general shared widespread “frustration” that a successor — who requires approval from Morocco, the Polisario and the Security Council — has not be appointed after 18 months, stressing that “it’s not been for a lack of trying.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Joe Biden considering Hillary Clinton as U.N. ambassador: Report

Presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden is considering appointing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as ambassador to the United Nations @ @ @ @ @ Post .
The Post reported that Mrs. Clinton , who lost to President Trump in @ @ @ @ @ “ being discussed privately ” for the post at the United Nations .
Mrs. Clinton @ @ @ @ @ general election race but kept a low-profile .
She remains a polarizing figure on both @ @ @ @ @ .

Presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden is considering appointing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as ambassador to the United Nations, according to The Washington Post.
The Post reported that Mrs. Clinton, who lost to President Trump in the 2016 election, is “being discussed privately” for the post at the United Nations.
Mrs. Clinton backed Mr. Biden in the general election race but kept a low-profile.
She remains a polarizing figure on both the left and the right.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--Residents, groups suing Arkansas to block 2 highway projects

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) - A group of Arkansas neighborhoods and residents filed a lawsuit seeking to block the state from completing two interstate projects - including a $ 1 billion plan to widen an interstate corridor in the heart of downtown Little Rock - until it can prove the projects comply with an October ruling that said a half-cent sales tax can ’ t be used to fund highways with more than four lanes .
The Arkansas Supreme Court ’ s Oct. 29 decision reversed a lower court ’ s ruling to dismiss a suit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock .
The 30 Crossing project will expand the 6.7-mile ( 10.8-kilometer ) I-30 corridor from six to as many as 10 lanes in some portions , the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported .
The sales tax , approved by voters in 2012 , supports the Arkansas Department of Transportation ’ s $ 1.8 billion Connecting Arkansas Program that includes the $ 1.3 billion 30 Crossing project and another $ 187.3 million project that will widen a 5.5-mile ( 8.9-kilometer ) section of I-30 in Saline County to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Little Rock environmental lawyer representing Little Rock neighborhoods and residents , filed the lawsuit against the department in Pulaski County Circuit Court on Thursday .
The department didn ’ t have an immediate comment , said spokesman Dave Parker .
Mays wrote a letter to the department and the Federal Highway Administration saying that the projects required assurances under federal regulations that there was enough funding for them to be completed .
The projects no longer have those assurances because of the high court ’ s ruling .
The lawsuit says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had no comment .
The department ’ s financial plan for 30 Crossing states that if there is any unexpected changes in authorized funding or availability during phase one of the project “ ArDOT will utilize state funding reserves to supplement the shortfall and/or make adjustments to the long-range plan making funds available to complete this project by delaying the start of new projects.
” The department spent $ 38.9 million in tax money on 30 Crossing in federal fiscal year 2020 , which ended Sept. 30 , according to the plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the department said it had $ 120 million available , including $ 100 million in tax money .
Mays said he doesn ’ t see how the agency can handle both projects with the tax money available and asked for a preliminary and permanent injunction barring further work on both projects .
The lawsuit has been assigned to Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce .

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A group of Arkansas neighborhoods and residents filed a lawsuit seeking to block the state from completing two interstate projects - including a $1 billion plan to widen an interstate corridor in the heart of downtown Little Rock - until it can prove the projects comply with an October ruling that said a half-cent sales tax can’t be used to fund highways with more than four lanes.
The Arkansas Supreme Court’s Oct. 29 decision reversed a lower court’s ruling to dismiss a suit challenging a I-30 corridor project running through downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock. The 30 Crossing project will expand the 6.7-mile (10.8-kilometer) I-30 corridor from six to as many as 10 lanes in some portions, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported.
The sales tax, approved by voters in 2012, supports the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s $1.8 billion Connecting Arkansas Program that includes the $1.3 billion 30 Crossing project and another $187.3 million project that will widen a 5.5-mile (8.9-kilometer) section of I-30 in Saline County to six lanes from four.
Richard Mays, a Little Rock environmental lawyer representing Little Rock neighborhoods and residents, filed the lawsuit against the department in Pulaski County Circuit Court on Thursday.
The department didn’t have an immediate comment, said spokesman Dave Parker.
Mays wrote a letter to the department and the Federal Highway Administration saying that the projects required assurances under federal regulations that there was enough funding for them to be completed.
The projects no longer have those assurances because of the high court’s ruling.
The lawsuit says the agencies responded to his letter and they had no comment.
The department’s financial plan for 30 Crossing states that if there is any unexpected changes in authorized funding or availability during phase one of the project “ArDOT will utilize state funding reserves to supplement the shortfall and/or make adjustments to the long-range plan making funds available to complete this project by delaying the start of new projects.”
The department spent $38.9 million in tax money on 30 Crossing in federal fiscal year 2020, which ended Sept. 30, according to the plan. In federal fiscal year 2021, the department said it had $120 million available, including $100 million in tax money.
Mays said he doesn’t see how the agency can handle both projects with the tax money available and asked for a preliminary and permanent injunction barring further work on both projects.
The lawsuit has been assigned to Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce.


washingtontimes--2020-11-13--111 mph Sierra winds cancel Reno flights, topple semi-trucks

RENO , Nev. ( AP ) - Winds gusting up to 111 mph ( 178 kph ) along the Sierra ’ s eastern front toppled trucks north of Carson City and forced flight cancelations at Reno-Tahoe International Airport on Friday as another early winter storm headed for Lake Tahoe and western Nevada .
A high wind warning was in effect until 1 a.m. Saturday for Tahoe , Reno-Sparks and as far east as Lovelock ahead of the blustery weather that ’ s expected to bring up to 6 inches ( 15 centimeters ) of wet , heavy snow to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Weather Service reported wind gusts of 111 mph ( 178 kph ) Friday afternoon at the top of the Squaw Valley ski resort near Truckee , California and 109 mph ( 175 kph ) at Peavine Peak on the north edge of Reno .
The Nevada Highway Patrol said two semi-trucks blew over on U.S. Highway 395 in the Washoe Valley between Reno and Carson City .
No injuries were reported .
Three flights were canceled and three others diverted due to turbulence at Reno Tahoe-International Airport , where winds were gusting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The weather service said strong winds will cause blowing snow for higher Sierra elevations , reducing visibility and creating hazardous travel conditions over the passes into Saturday .

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Winds gusting up to 111 mph (178 kph) along the Sierra’s eastern front toppled trucks north of Carson City and forced flight cancelations at Reno-Tahoe International Airport on Friday as another early winter storm headed for Lake Tahoe and western Nevada.
A high wind warning was in effect until 1 a.m. Saturday for Tahoe, Reno-Sparks and as far east as Lovelock ahead of the blustery weather that’s expected to bring up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of wet, heavy snow to the highest elevations of the Sierra.
The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of 111 mph (178 kph) Friday afternoon at the top of the Squaw Valley ski resort near Truckee, California and 109 mph (175 kph) at Peavine Peak on the north edge of Reno.
The Nevada Highway Patrol said two semi-trucks blew over on U.S. Highway 395 in the Washoe Valley between Reno and Carson City. No injuries were reported.
Three flights were canceled and three others diverted due to turbulence at Reno Tahoe-International Airport, where winds were gusting to 58 mph (93 kph).
The weather service said strong winds will cause blowing snow for higher Sierra elevations, reducing visibility and creating hazardous travel conditions over the passes into Saturday.