washingtontimes--2020-10-12--Doug Jones' opposition to Amy Coney Barrett's nomination doesn't sit well in Alabama

Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama is by far the most endangered Senate Democrat on the ballot in November , but that won ’ t stop him from thumbing his nose one last time at his state ’ s overwhelmingly conservative electorate .
Mr. Jones , who slipped into the Senate in a bizarre 2017 special election against a Republican accused of being a sexual predator and possible pedophile , is no stranger to tweaking Alabama voters .
He opposed the 2018 confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh , whom polls indicated most people in deep-red Alabama supported .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting to convict President Trump on the House-passed impeachment charges .
Now , just weeks before standing for reelection , Mr. Jones bucked Alabama voters again by announced he will oppose Mr. Trump ’ s latest nominee to the Supreme Court , federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett .
It ’ s left Alabamans wondering if he wants to keep his Senate seat .
“ I ’ ve wondered this myself , ” said Christopher Kratzer , vice president of research and analysis with Cygnal , an Alabama-based polling company .
“ I believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dislike of Trump as well as his partisan driven — and mistaken — view that Judge Barrett is fundamentally unqualified simply because the proceedings are happening right before the November election , ” Mr. Kratzer said .
A more sensible approach , politically , would have been at least to signal an open mind or even express a willingness to meet with a candidate , before voting against one , he said .
“ So even though the politically savvy thing to do would be to meet with Judge Barrett — and confirm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party is preventing that , ” he said .
“ At the end of the day , he wants a revisionist judge , not a constitutional judge.
” The Jones campaign did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment .
Mr. Jones won his seat in a 2017 special election to fill the seat left vacant when Sen. Jeff Sessions became Mr. Trump ’ s first attorney general .
After former state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore won the Republican primary , he was hit by decades-old charges of sexual misconduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr. Moore denied wrongdoing .
Mr. Jones squeaked in with 49 % of the vote , barely 1 % point above Mr. Moore .
This time , Mr. Jones finds himself opposed by a political newcomer , former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville , who has positioned himself as an ally of Mr. Trump ’ s and , with the president ’ s endorsement , beat a comeback attempt by Mr .
Sessions in the primary .
The Tuberville campaign disputed any notion that Mr. Jones has virtually conceded by yet again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with one campaign official saying , “ we think Jones is fighting as hard as he can.
” Alabama Republicans have been less reticent , depicting Mr. Jones as an unflinching ally of Senate Minority Leader Sen. Charles E. Schumer , New York Democrat , and beholden to left-wing donors on the coasts .
“ We are challenging Doug Jones to do something he rarely does — listen to the majority of Alabamians , ” said state Republican Party Chairwoman Terry Lathan .
“ Look , we understand he ’ s in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his fundraising from out of state , mostly New York and California , he has to cash out with them.
” “ Do your job , Senator Jones .
Use your own words that you pride yourself on being fair .
Meet with Judge Barrett on behalf of Alabama.
” Mr. Tuberville leads Mr. Jones by 10 points in the Real Clear Politics polling average , which rates the seat as “ likely Republican .
”

Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama is by far the most endangered Senate Democrat on the ballot in November, but that won’t stop him from thumbing his nose one last time at his state’s overwhelmingly conservative electorate.
Mr. Jones, who slipped into the Senate in a bizarre 2017 special election against a Republican accused of being a sexual predator and possible pedophile, is no stranger to tweaking Alabama voters.
He opposed the 2018 confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whom polls indicated most people in deep-red Alabama supported. He also defied voters early this year in voting to convict President Trump on the House-passed impeachment charges.
Now, just weeks before standing for reelection, Mr. Jones bucked Alabama voters again by announced he will oppose Mr. Trump’s latest nominee to the Supreme Court, federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
It’s left Alabamans wondering if he wants to keep his Senate seat.
“I’ve wondered this myself,” said Christopher Kratzer, vice president of research and analysis with Cygnal, an Alabama-based polling company.
“I believe Sen. Jones is motivated primarily by his dislike of Trump as well as his partisan driven — and mistaken — view that Judge Barrett is fundamentally unqualified simply because the proceedings are happening right before the November election,” Mr. Kratzer said.
A more sensible approach, politically, would have been at least to signal an open mind or even express a willingness to meet with a candidate, before voting against one, he said.
“So even though the politically savvy thing to do would be to meet with Judge Barrett — and confirm her — his commitment to the Democratic Party is preventing that,” he said. “At the end of the day, he wants a revisionist judge, not a constitutional judge.”
The Jones campaign did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.
Mr. Jones won his seat in a 2017 special election to fill the seat left vacant when Sen. Jeff Sessions became Mr. Trump’s first attorney general. After former state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore won the Republican primary, he was hit by decades-old charges of sexual misconduct, including inappropriate relationships with teenage girls. Mr. Moore denied wrongdoing.
Mr. Jones squeaked in with 49% of the vote, barely 1% point above Mr. Moore.
This time, Mr. Jones finds himself opposed by a political newcomer, former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, who has positioned himself as an ally of Mr. Trump’s and, with the president’s endorsement, beat a comeback attempt by Mr. Sessions in the primary.
The Tuberville campaign disputed any notion that Mr. Jones has virtually conceded by yet again voting against a majority of his constituents, with one campaign official saying, “we think Jones is fighting as hard as he can.”
Alabama Republicans have been less reticent, depicting Mr. Jones as an unflinching ally of Senate Minority Leader Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, and beholden to left-wing donors on the coasts.
“We are challenging Doug Jones to do something he rarely does — listen to the majority of Alabamians,” said state Republican Party Chairwoman Terry Lathan. “Look, we understand he’s in a jam — with over 80% of his fundraising from out of state, mostly New York and California, he has to cash out with them.”
“Do your job, Senator Jones. Use your own words that you pride yourself on being fair. Meet with Judge Barrett on behalf of Alabama.”
Mr. Tuberville leads Mr. Jones by 10 points in the Real Clear Politics polling average, which rates the seat as “likely Republican.”
• James Varney can be reached at jvarney@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-10-12--Court packing part of Joe Biden Democratic Party platform

Democrats agree that their court-packing plan has gained relevancy after Senate Republicans pushed through Judge Amy Coney Barrett ’ s confirmation to the Supreme Court .
But the plan has been on the Democratic Party ’ s agenda for months , if not years .
Packing the Supreme Court is explicitly called for in the 2020 Democratic Party platform adopted in August , a month before Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and President Trump nominated Judge Barrett to fill the vacancy .
Liberal activists argue that court-packing — from the Supreme Court down through the lower federal courts — is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump and Senate Republicans .
Packing the court refers to the practice of adding judges or justices to a particular court to dilute an existing judicial majority .
The 2020 Democratic Party platform said if its members win elections in November , “ Democrats will commit to creating new federal district and circuit judgeships consistent with recommendations from the Judicial Conference.
” In the aftermath of Justice Ginsburg ’ s death , liberal calls to add seats to the Supreme Court have grown louder .
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing is off the table ” regarding expanding the high court bench if Judge Barrett is confirmed and he wins control of the Senate in November .
Democrats trying to unseat Republican senators have leveraged the court-packing issue .
Montana Gov .
Steve Bullock said he is open to adding justices as a way to make courts “ less political ” in a recent debate opposite Republican Sen. Steve Daines .
Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino said liberal attempts to reframe court-packing as a necessary reaction to Judge Barrett ’ s nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Severino said Democrats who describe the Senate confirmation of Mr. Trump ’ s judicial picks as court-packing are doing so in bad faith .
“ We ’ re seeing people trying to use this term in a very bizarre way : to say putting people on the court that I don ’ t like is court-packing , ” Ms. Severino said .
“ The bigger problem isn ’ t even the definition ; it ’ s the fact that Joe Biden is refusing to say what he would do with court-packing.
” Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and labeled court-packing a “ bonehead idea ” in 1983 .
At the time , Mr. Biden said President Franklin D. Roosevelt ’ s 1937 proposal to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court was constitutional and violated no law but was a bad political move .
Now , one month from the presidential election , Mr. Biden has repeatedly refused to answer whether he would look to pack the courts .
Asked last week in Nevada whether voters ought to know Mr. Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day , Mr. Biden answered , “ No , they don ’ t deserve.
” “ FDR ’ s own party told him you can not PACK the United States Supreme Court , it would permanently destroy the court .
@ judgejeanine @ tedcruz But now the Radical Left Democrats are pushing Biden to do this .
He has zero chance against them !
” Mr. Trump tweeted Saturday .
Keep Nine , a bipartisan coalition of former state attorneys general and others advocating for keeping the Supreme Court confined to nine justices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates ’ views on court-packing .
Paul Summers , a former attorney general of Tennessee , said the coalition formed in 2019 as the clamor for expanding the Supreme Court grew .
His group wants an amendment to the Constitution ensuring that only nine justices serve on the Supreme Court .
“ Now we feel like court-packing basically destroys the independence of the Supreme Court , it denigrates the rule of law , and really does damage the checks and balances on abuse of power , ” Mr. Summers said .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of government , but it is , and it should be , nonpolitical.
” The number of Supreme Court justices has remained at nine since 1869 , when President Grant signed an act of Congress cementing the number .
Mr. Summers said he thinks a constitutional amendment is necessary to form a “ permanent firewall ” to keep the number of justices at nine .
The Keep Nine effort has some bipartisan support in Congress .
Last month , Rep. Collin C. Peterson , Minnesota Democrat , and Rep. Denver Riggleman , Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution and set the number of justices at nine .
The outcome of Judge Barrett ’ s nomination hearing could determine whether the addition of justices to the high court is on the horizon .
If Democrats follow through on their court-packing agenda , Republicans figure to throw in the kitchen sink to try to stop them .
Sen. Ben Sasse , Nebraska Republican and Judiciary Committee member , said Sunday on Fox News that Congress ought not to allow court-packing , which he labeled the “ suicide bombing of two branches @ @ @ @

Democrats agree that their court-packing plan has gained relevancy after Senate Republicans pushed through Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. But the plan has been on the Democratic Party’s agenda for months, if not years.
Packing the Supreme Court is explicitly called for in the 2020 Democratic Party platform adopted in August, a month before Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and President Trump nominated Judge Barrett to fill the vacancy.
Liberal activists argue that court-packing — from the Supreme Court down through the lower federal courts — is necessary to depoliticize the rogue behavior of Mr. Trump and Senate Republicans.
Packing the court refers to the practice of adding judges or justices to a particular court to dilute an existing judicial majority. The 2020 Democratic Party platform said if its members win elections in November, “Democrats will commit to creating new federal district and circuit judgeships consistent with recommendations from the Judicial Conference.”
In the aftermath of Justice Ginsburg’s death, liberal calls to add seats to the Supreme Court have grown louder. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, pledged that “nothing is off the table” regarding expanding the high court bench if Judge Barrett is confirmed and he wins control of the Senate in November.
Democrats trying to unseat Republican senators have leveraged the court-packing issue. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said he is open to adding justices as a way to make courts “less political” in a recent debate opposite Republican Sen. Steve Daines.
Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino said liberal attempts to reframe court-packing as a necessary reaction to Judge Barrett’s nomination amount to “revisionist history.” Ms. Severino said Democrats who describe the Senate confirmation of Mr. Trump’s judicial picks as court-packing are doing so in bad faith.
“We’re seeing people trying to use this term in a very bizarre way: to say putting people on the court that I don’t like is court-packing,” Ms. Severino said. “The bigger problem isn’t even the definition; it’s the fact that Joe Biden is refusing to say what he would do with court-packing.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden is a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and labeled court-packing a “bonehead idea” in 1983. At the time, Mr. Biden said President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1937 proposal to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court was constitutional and violated no law but was a bad political move.
Now, one month from the presidential election, Mr. Biden has repeatedly refused to answer whether he would look to pack the courts.
Asked last week in Nevada whether voters ought to know Mr. Biden’s position on court-packing before Election Day, Mr. Biden answered, “No, they don’t deserve.”
Mr. Trump hammered Mr. Biden’s refusal to answer questions on court-packing.
“FDR’s own party told him you cannot PACK the United States Supreme Court, it would permanently destroy the court. @judgejeanine @tedcruz But now the Radical Left Democrats are pushing Biden to do this. He has zero chance against them!” Mr. Trump tweeted Saturday.
Keep Nine, a bipartisan coalition of former state attorneys general and others advocating for keeping the Supreme Court confined to nine justices, says voters deserve to know all candidates’ views on court-packing.
Paul Summers, a former attorney general of Tennessee, said the coalition formed in 2019 as the clamor for expanding the Supreme Court grew. His group wants an amendment to the Constitution ensuring that only nine justices serve on the Supreme Court.
“Now we feel like court-packing basically destroys the independence of the Supreme Court, it denigrates the rule of law, and really does damage the checks and balances on abuse of power,” Mr. Summers said. “The judiciary is the third and separate branch of government, but it is, and it should be, nonpolitical.”
The number of Supreme Court justices has remained at nine since 1869, when President Grant signed an act of Congress cementing the number. Mr. Summers said he thinks a constitutional amendment is necessary to form a “permanent firewall” to keep the number of justices at nine.
The Keep Nine effort has some bipartisan support in Congress. Last month, Rep. Collin C. Peterson, Minnesota Democrat, and Rep. Denver Riggleman, Virginia Republican, introduced a proposal to amend the Constitution and set the number of justices at nine.
The outcome of Judge Barrett’s nomination hearing could determine whether the addition of justices to the high court is on the horizon. If Democrats follow through on their court-packing agenda, Republicans figure to throw in the kitchen sink to try to stop them.
Sen. Ben Sasse, Nebraska Republican and Judiciary Committee member, said Sunday on Fox News that Congress ought not to allow court-packing, which he labeled the “suicide bombing of two branches of government.”
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--WWII jungle fighting unit approved for congressional medal

The soldiers spent months behind enemy lines , marching hundreds of miles through the tangled jungles and steep mountains of Burma as they battled hunger and disease between firefights with Japanese forces during their secret mission .
In February 1944 , the American jungle fighting unit nicknamed Merrill ’ s Marauders set out to capture a Japanese-held airfield and open an Allied supply route between India and China .
Starting with 3,000 soldiers , the Marauders completed their mission five months later with barely 200 men still in the fight .
The journey of roughly 1,000 miles ( 1,610 kilometers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting “ was the easy part , ” said Robert Passanisi , who at age 96 is among just nine known Marauders still known to be alive .
Now the Marauders , officially designated by the Army as the 5307th Composite Unit ( Provisional ) , have been approved by Congress to be awarded its highest honor : the Congressional Gold Medal .
Passanisi enlisted his fellow surviving Marauders and the families of many who have died to begin lobbying for the honor four years ago .
A final bill approved in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , where it awaits President Donald Trump ’ s signature .
“ After many years , all the sacrifices , and the suffering , are now finally recognized , ” said Passanisi , of Lindenhurst , New York .
“ It makes you feel like it was all worthwhile.
” In 1943 , President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to have the Army assemble a ground unit for a long-range mission behind enemy lines into Japanese-occupied Burma , now Myanmar .
Seasoned infantrymen and newly enlisted soldiers alike volunteered for the mission , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told where they were going .
Merrill ’ s Marauders - nicknamed for the unit ’ s commander , Brig .
Gen. Frank Merrill - were tasked with cutting off Japanese communications and supply lines along their long march to the airfield at the occupied town of Myitkyina .
Often outnumbered , they successfully fought Japanese troops in five major engagements , plus 30 minor ones , between February and August 1944 .
Marauders spent most days cutting their way through dense jungle , with only mules to help carry equipment and provisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rarely changed clothes .
Supplies dropped from planes were their only means of replenishing rations and ammunition .
Malnutrition and the wet climate left the soldiers vulnerable to malaria , dysentery and other diseases .
“ These guys were subsisting on one K-ration per man , per day , ” said Christopher Goodrow , arms curator for the National Infantry Museum in Columbus , Georgia .
“ You ’ re talking about a can of tuna , some crackers , a chocolate bar and cigarettes.
” At neighboring Fort Benning , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 75th Ranger Regiment consider themselves proud descendants of Merrill ’ s Marauders , who are revered for their overall toughness .
“ They ’ re in a class all by themselves when it comes to the things they endured , ” Goodrow said .
The Marauders join more than 160 war heroes , military units and civilians awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for outstanding achievements dating back to the American Revolution .
A single medal honoring the Marauders as a unit will be crafted and given to the Smithsonian Institution .
The medals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winners and can take more than a year before they ’ re ready to be presented .
Time isn ’ t on the Marauders ’ side .
Twenty of the unit ’ s members who were living when they began petitioning Congress for the medal in 2016 have since died , said Jonnie Melillo Clasen .
Her father , Vincent Melillo , served in the unit and died in 2007 .
Dozens of Marauders were awarded individual decorations after the war , from the Distinguished Service Cross to the Silver Star .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldier in the unit , and Hollywood paid its respects in 1962 with the movie “ Merrill ’ s Marauders.
” Surviving members consider the congressional medal the highest honor they could receive as a unit .
“ It was a hard job but we went in there and did our best , ” said Gilbert Howland , 97 , of Hamilton , New Jersey .
“ I just feel that the Marauders deserve it.
” As young corporal in charge of 16 Marauders manning two machine guns , Howland got wounded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Japanese fighters .
While recovering at a hospital in India , Howland and other wounded Marauders received a desperate order to return to the fight .
The Marauders had captured the airfield that was their key objective , but Japanese forces had mounted an effort to take it back .
The remaining Marauders were too few and too exhausted to hold it .
Howland rejoined his machine gunners , but the airfield was thick with mosquitoes and he soon came down with malaria .
He remained at his post until he passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a stretcher and flown back to India , then sent home to the U.S. “ They we getting ready to discharge me , ” he recalled .
“ Then my mother said , ` Why don ’ t you stay in ?
You put all this time into the Army.
’ ” So Howland re-enlisted .
He served another 25 years , including combat tours in Korea and in Vietnam .
He still says the Burma mission was the toughest of them all .

The soldiers spent months behind enemy lines, marching hundreds of miles through the tangled jungles and steep mountains of Burma as they battled hunger and disease between firefights with Japanese forces during their secret mission.
In February 1944, the American jungle fighting unit nicknamed Merrill’s Marauders set out to capture a Japanese-held airfield and open an Allied supply route between India and China. Starting with 3,000 soldiers, the Marauders completed their mission five months later with barely 200 men still in the fight.
The journey of roughly 1,000 miles (1,610 kilometers) on foot was so grueling that fighting “was the easy part,” said Robert Passanisi, who at age 96 is among just nine known Marauders still known to be alive.
Now the Marauders, officially designated by the Army as the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), have been approved by Congress to be awarded its highest honor: the Congressional Gold Medal.
Passanisi enlisted his fellow surviving Marauders and the families of many who have died to begin lobbying for the honor four years ago. A final bill approved in September was sent Oct. 6 to the White House, where it awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.
“After many years, all the sacrifices, and the suffering, are now finally recognized,” said Passanisi, of Lindenhurst, New York. “It makes you feel like it was all worthwhile.”
In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to have the Army assemble a ground unit for a long-range mission behind enemy lines into Japanese-occupied Burma, now Myanmar. Seasoned infantrymen and newly enlisted soldiers alike volunteered for the mission, deemed so secret they weren’t told where they were going.
Merrill’s Marauders - nicknamed for the unit’s commander, Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill - were tasked with cutting off Japanese communications and supply lines along their long march to the airfield at the occupied town of Myitkyina. Often outnumbered, they successfully fought Japanese troops in five major engagements, plus 30 minor ones, between February and August 1944.
Marauders spent most days cutting their way through dense jungle, with only mules to help carry equipment and provisions. They slept on the ground, and rarely changed clothes. Supplies dropped from planes were their only means of replenishing rations and ammunition. Malnutrition and the wet climate left the soldiers vulnerable to malaria, dysentery and other diseases.
“These guys were subsisting on one K-ration per man, per day,” said Christopher Goodrow, arms curator for the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Georgia. “You’re talking about a can of tuna, some crackers, a chocolate bar and cigarettes.”
At neighboring Fort Benning, the elite fighters of the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment consider themselves proud descendants of Merrill’s Marauders, who are revered for their overall toughness.
“They’re in a class all by themselves when it comes to the things they endured,” Goodrow said.
The Marauders join more than 160 war heroes, military units and civilians awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for outstanding achievements dating back to the American Revolution. A single medal honoring the Marauders as a unit will be crafted and given to the Smithsonian Institution.
The medals are individually designed for each set of winners and can take more than a year before they’re ready to be presented.
Time isn’t on the Marauders’ side. Twenty of the unit’s members who were living when they began petitioning Congress for the medal in 2016 have since died, said Jonnie Melillo Clasen. Her father, Vincent Melillo, served in the unit and died in 2015.
Dozens of Marauders were awarded individual decorations after the war, from the Distinguished Service Cross to the Silver Star. The Army awarded the Bronze Star to every soldier in the unit, and Hollywood paid its respects in 1962 with the movie “Merrill’s Marauders.”
Surviving members consider the congressional medal the highest honor they could receive as a unit.
“It was a hard job but we went in there and did our best,” said Gilbert Howland, 97, of Hamilton, New Jersey. “I just feel that the Marauders deserve it.”
As young corporal in charge of 16 Marauders manning two machine guns, Howland got wounded by artillery fire when their battalion was surrounded by Japanese fighters. While recovering at a hospital in India, Howland and other wounded Marauders received a desperate order to return to the fight.
The Marauders had captured the airfield that was their key objective, but Japanese forces had mounted an effort to take it back. The remaining Marauders were too few and too exhausted to hold it.
Howland rejoined his machine gunners, but the airfield was thick with mosquitoes and he soon came down with malaria. He remained at his post until he passed out with fever. He was evacuated on a stretcher and flown back to India, then sent home to the U.S.
“They we getting ready to discharge me,” he recalled. “Then my mother said, `Why don’t you stay in? You put all this time into the Army.’”
So Howland re-enlisted. He served another 25 years, including combat tours in Korea and in Vietnam. He still says the Burma mission was the toughest of them all.
___
Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.
___
This story has been corrected to show that Vincent Melillo died in 2015, not 2007.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Philippine military says no risk from China-backed towers

MANILA , Philippines ( AP ) - The Philippine military chief said Tuesday there is virtually no risk that towers and communications equipment to be put up in military camps by a China-backed telecom firm can be used for espionage .
Gen. Gilbert Gapay said installing the towers and equipment of Dito Telecommunity Corp. , a Philippine firm in which Beijing ’ s China Telecom has a 40 % financial stake , in camps would allow the military to better monitor its operations .
“ We don ’ t see any security risk , it ’ s very low and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside because we could have unannounced inspections .
We could inspect them at midnight , ” Gapay told reporters in a video news conference .
Dito was accepted by the Philippine government as the third major player in the local telecom industry .
The company is controlled by Filipino businessman Dennis Uy , a supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte , who has long complained about poor internet connections and cellphone services in the country .
Critics and some lawmakers have raised concerns that China may be able to spy on the Philippines through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ installed in military camps given the long-raging territorial disputes of the Asian neighbors in the South China Sea .
The Philippines is a treaty ally of the United States .
The Trump administration has wanted its allies to exclude Chinese companies like telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Ltd. , which Washington regards as a security risk , as they upgrade to fifth-generation , or 5G , technology .
Chinese officials have accused Washington of discrediting and oppressing Chinese companies without any evidence .
Dito officials have said such fears over possible espionage are misplaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavily on cybersecurity and would never be a threat to the country ’ s national security .
Dito is negotiating to set up communication towers and equipment at 22 sites in a proposal the military will closely scrutinize , Gapay said .
The two other major Philippine telecom companies have set up towers and equipment in military areas after hurdling the same military review , he said .
Telecommunication towers have been erected in military-controlled areas in the past for security .
Communist and Muslim guerrillas have bombed and toppled down such towers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The military uses a classified communication system to link up units across the country , Gapay said , adding that the military has established cybersecurity units to protect its communication system .
The Philippine military , meanwhile , plans to obtain radars and drones from Japan , including some that would be used in offshore areas to help monitor Manila-claimed territories in the disputed South China Sea , Gapay said .
The Philippines has struggled to carry out naval and air patrols to protect its territorial interests in the contested region , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He cited China ’ s recent firing of a missile during an exercise and its militia forces “ practically swarming ” many areas of the strategic waterway .
The U.S. military has pressed its freedom of navigation campaign with a “ show of force , ” he said .
“ It is really a potential flashpoint in this part of the globe , ” Gapay said .

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Philippine military chief said Tuesday there is virtually no risk that towers and communications equipment to be put up in military camps by a China-backed telecom firm can be used for espionage.
Gen. Gilbert Gapay said installing the towers and equipment of Dito Telecommunity Corp., a Philippine firm in which Beijing’s China Telecom has a 40% financial stake, in camps would allow the military to better monitor its operations.
“We don’t see any security risk, it’s very low and we find it better that they are inside because we could have unannounced inspections. We could inspect them at midnight,” Gapay told reporters in a video news conference.
Dito was accepted by the Philippine government as the third major player in the local telecom industry. The company is controlled by Filipino businessman Dennis Uy, a supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, who has long complained about poor internet connections and cellphone services in the country.
Critics and some lawmakers have raised concerns that China may be able to spy on the Philippines through Dito’s communications equipment to be installed in military camps given the long-raging territorial disputes of the Asian neighbors in the South China Sea.
The Philippines is a treaty ally of the United States. The Trump administration has wanted its allies to exclude Chinese companies like telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Ltd., which Washington regards as a security risk, as they upgrade to fifth-generation, or 5G, technology.
Chinese officials have accused Washington of discrediting and oppressing Chinese companies without any evidence.
Dito officials have said such fears over possible espionage are misplaced, saying the Philippine company has invested heavily on cybersecurity and would never be a threat to the country’s national security.
Dito is negotiating to set up communication towers and equipment at 22 sites in a proposal the military will closely scrutinize, Gapay said. The two other major Philippine telecom companies have set up towers and equipment in military areas after hurdling the same military review, he said.
Telecommunication towers have been erected in military-controlled areas in the past for security. Communist and Muslim guerrillas have bombed and toppled down such towers, including government-maintained power transmission towers.
The military uses a classified communication system to link up units across the country, Gapay said, adding that the military has established cybersecurity units to protect its communication system.
The Philippine military, meanwhile, plans to obtain radars and drones from Japan, including some that would be used in offshore areas to help monitor Manila-claimed territories in the disputed South China Sea, Gapay said.
The Philippines has struggled to carry out naval and air patrols to protect its territorial interests in the contested region, which Gapay said remains “very tense.” He cited China’s recent firing of a missile during an exercise and its militia forces “practically swarming” many areas of the strategic waterway. The U.S. military has pressed its freedom of navigation campaign with a “show of force,” he said.
“It is really a potential flashpoint in this part of the globe,” Gapay said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Germany, France call for UK concessions in EU-UK trade talks

BRUSSELS ( AP ) - Germany and France on Tuesday pressured the United Kingdom to make concessions in three key areas of Brexit trade negotiations or face a no-deal situation as of Jan. 1 which would hit hard a U.K. economy already hurt by the pandemic .
EU negotiator Michel Barnier left negotiations in Brussels to travel to Luxembourg where EU ministers are meeting to debrief on the state of play and make sure the 27 member nations keep a united front , something which they have done ever since the U.K. decided to leave the EU four years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Roth , stressed that as the deadline to have an outline deal on a basic trade relationship has whittled down to days and weeks instead of months , key priorities still need to be addressed by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
“ Frankly speaking , we are at a very critical stage in the negotiations , ” Roth said .
“ Time is running out .
That ’ s why we expect substantial progress ” in key areas centering on rules to ensure fair economic competition , legal oversight of any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French counterpart , Clement Beaune , said that particularly on access of U.K. companies to the EU market , the bloc had to be very strict in making sure British firms would not be able to undercut their continental rivals because of minimal regulation and excessive state subsidies .
“ Otherwise we would have unfair competition which is not backed by our citizens , companies and workers , ” Beaune said .
Johnson has long billed the two-day EU summit that starts Thursday as an ultimate deadline , while the 27-nation EU is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ craft a deal , however basic .
Since last month , the member states have also become ardent in demanding legal guarantees on governance of any deal since Johnson in September introduced legislation that breaches the Brexit withdrawal agreement he himself signed with the EU only last year .
The EU has said that any agreement will take about two months for legal ratification , translation into the many EU languages and for approval from the EU parliament , making for an effective cutoff date around Nov. 1 .
Follow all AP stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //apnews.com/Brexit .

BRUSSELS (AP) - Germany and France on Tuesday pressured the United Kingdom to make concessions in three key areas of Brexit trade negotiations - fishing rights, corporate governance and fair competition - or face a Jan. 1 no-deal rupture that would further harm a U.K. economy already battered by the coronavirus pandemic.
German Europe Minister Michael Roth warned that “no one should play down the risks of a no-deal. This would be very bad news for everyone, for the EU and even more so for the United Kingdom.”
Speaking after a meeting of EU ministers that he chaired, Roth added that “it’s now up to the U.K. to make the decisive steps.”
Ireland, which is at the heart of the negotiations because it has the EU’s only land border with the U.K. and is very trade-dependent on its neighbor, predicted that Britain would let its Thursday deadline for a deal slip and would go on talking for at least two more weeks.
“Certainly, I don’t see that there will be any major breakthrough this week,” Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said in Luxembourg, where EU negotiator Michel Barnier was debriefing Europe ministers - part of efforts to ensure the 27 EU member nations keep a united front, something they have done ever since the U.K. voted four years ago to leave the EU.
Roth indicated more time would be needed since “in terms of substance, we haven’t really made progress.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has long billed the two-day EU summit that starts Thursday as the deadline for a deal, but he has been prone to let target dates slip during the tortuous Brexit negotiations. The bloc has always insisted that it’s willing to negotiate until early November to craft a deal.
Johnson’s spokesman, James Slack, insisted Tuesday that this week’s summit is still the make-or-break moment. He said U.K. negotiator David Frost would brief the prime minister before EU leaders meet about whether recent intensive talks have made a deal possible.
Johnson, who has spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU leaders in recent weeks in an effort to unblock the talks, is due to hold a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, Downing St. said.
Johnson says the EU must shift its position if it wants a deal, and insists the U.K. is quite prepared to walk away without one.
Slack said Johnson told his Cabinet on Tuesday that “while we want a deal on the right terms, if we can’t get there we are ready and willing to move forward with an Australian-style outcome, which holds no fear.” Australia has no comprehensive trade deal with the EU.
France warned, that could cost the U.K. the unfettered access it wants to the huge and wealthy continental market. Its Europe Minister, Clement Beaune, said that particularly on access of U.K. companies to the EU market, the bloc has to be very strict in making sure British firms will not be able to undercut their continental rivals because of minimal regulation and excessive state subsidies.
“Otherwise we would have unfair competition, which is not backed by our citizens, companies and workers,” Beaune said.
France is viewed, especially by Britain, as one of the nations most unwilling to compromise, especially on the issue of French boats’ access to British fishing waters.
A senior French official, speaking anonymously in accordance with the French presidency’s customary practices, said that “in the closing stretch of negotiations, there’s always a mounting stress.” He warned against the “risk that this stress leads (the EU) to make decisions that would take us away from our initial and common goals.”
Since last month, the member states have also become ardent in demanding legal guarantees on governance of any deal since Johnson in September introduced legislation that breaches the Brexit withdrawal agreement he himself signed with the EU only last year.
Coveney said that if any deal was to be approved, Johnson would need to get rid of any national legislation that contravenes the withdrawal agreement.
“That legislation will need to be removed in order for any final deal to be ratified,” he said.
The EU has said that any agreement will take about two months for legal ratification, translation into the many European languages and for approval from the European Parliament, making for an effective cutoff date of around Nov. 1.
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Lawless reported from London. Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this story.
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Follow all AP stories on the Brexit trade talks at https://apnews.com/Brexit


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Europe eyes new restrictions as virus cases hit record high

GENEVA ( AP ) - Governments across Europe ratcheted up restrictions Tuesday in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus as the continent recorded its highest weekly number of new infections since the start of the pandemic .
The World Health Organization said there were more than 700,000 new COVID-19 cases reported in Europe last week , a jump of 34 % compared to the previous week , with Britain , France , Russia and Spain accounting for more than half of new infections recorded in the region .
The increasing case numbers in Europe are partly the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. health agency noted that deaths were also up 16 % in the region last week compared to the previous week .
Doctors are also warning that while many new cases currently affect younger people , who tend to have milder symptoms , the median age could rise again , resulting in more serious illnesses in elderly populations .
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte ordered bans on pickup sports games among friends and parties in closed spaces .
Private gatherings at homes with more than six people who don ’ t live together are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Italy is also limiting nightlife , with bars and restaurants having to close at midnight , and drinking while standing at a bar banned after 9 p.m. Italy made wearing masks mandatory outdoors last week , a requirement already in place in Spain , Turkey , India and a handful of other Asian countries .
Elsewhere in Europe , such mandates are in effect in hot spot cities like Paris , Brussels and Pristina , Kosovo , and are being introduced in several German cities .
Even with virus infections rising again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total lockdowns they imposed back then that caused huge economic damage and job losses .
Wary of hurting already fragile economies , European governments have instead relied on a patchwork of regional restrictions that have sometimes caused confusion and frustration by those affected .
Still , the U.N. health agency cautioned Tuesday against a one-size-fits-all mindset when it comes to restrictive measures .
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva that lockdowns should be a “ last resort.
” Chancellor Angela Merkel has summoned the governors of Germany ’ s 16 states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time since mid-June .
Bavarian governor Markus Soeder called for “ a really clear set of rules for everyone in the coming weeks ” to prevent the situation spinning out of control .
In an effort to avoid to keep people and goods moving throughout the European Union , member countries approved a traffic light system Tuesday .
The countries agreed to not restrict people traveling between so-called green areas - where virus infection numbers are low - but EU governments will continue to set their own restrictions , such as quarantines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people coming from orange or red zones .
Under the criteria adopted Tuesday , most of EU regions would be either red or orange .
Jordans reported from Berlin .
Associated Press writers Colleen Barry in Milan , Llazar Semini in Tirana , Geir Moulson in Berlin , and Danica Kirka and Maria Cheng in London contributed to this report .

GENEVA (AP) - Governments across Europe are ratcheting up restrictions to try to beat back a resurgence of the coronavirus that has sent new confirmed infections on the continent to their highest weekly level since the start of the pandemic.
The World Health Organization said Tuesday there were more than 700,000 new COVID-19 cases reported in Europe last week, a jump of 34% from the previous week. Britain, France, Russia and Spain accounted for more than half of the new infections.
The increasing caseload is partly the result of more testing, but the U.N. health agency noted that deaths were also up 16% last week from the week before. Doctors are warning that while many of the new cases are in younger people, who tend to have milder symptoms, the virus could again start spreading widely among older people, resulting in more serious illnesses.
Italy and France are restricting parties and putting limits on restaurants and bars. The Netherlands went further and ordered the closing of all bars and restaurants, And to discourage partying at home, it banned the sale of alcohol after 8 p.m.
The Czech Republic is closing all schools until Nov. 2, while Latvia is ordering teenagers to switch to distance learning for a week. And Britain unveiled a three-tiered system for deciding what restrictions to impose, based on how severe the outbreak is in certain areas.
Those moves reflect a new approach to containing the virus among governments wary of hurting already fragile economies. Officials are eager to avoid the total lockdowns they imposed in the spring that resulted in heavy job losses. Instead, they are relying on a patchwork of regional or targeted restrictions that have sometimes caused confusion and frustration by those affected.
The U.N. health agency appeared to support the new approach, with WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic saying lockdowns should be a “last resort.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a European Union advisory body Tuesday that she is watching the rising infection figures “with great concern.”
“We must not squander now what we achieved through restrictions in recent months,” Merkel said in a video address.
“None of us found it easy to impose those restrictions,” she added. “Many people lost their lives, and so it is all the more important that we ensure now that a further lockdown won’t be necessary, that our health system isn’t overstrained again.”
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte ordered bars and restaurants to close at midnight and banned pickup sports games among friends and parties in enclosed spaces. Private gatherings at homes with more than six people who don’t live together are also discouraged.
“Our objective is clear: We must prevent our country from plunging back into a generalized lockdown,” Conte said.
Italy reported more than 5,900 people tested positive over the past day and 41 people died, bringing the country’s official COVID-19 death toll to more than 36,200, the second-highest in Europe after Britain.
The outbreak has spread to the annual Giro d’Italia, which was thrown into chaos after several top riders withdrew from the cycling race following positive tests for the coronavirus.
Italy made masks mandatory outdoors last week, a requirement already in place in Spain, Turkey, India and a few other Asian countries. Elsewhere in Europe, such mandates are in effect in many places in Poland and hot spot cities like Paris and Brussels, and are being introduced in several German cities.
In France, which has seen a rapid increase in infections, Paris, Marseille and seven other large cities have been placed under maximum alert, resulting in the closing of bars, gyms and swimming pools. Public parties are banned, and restaurants have to maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) between tables, with groups of diners limited to six people.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki urged the country’s citizens to observe social distancing and wear masks as he himself went into quarantine following contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19. He said in a video message that his government was working as usual and that he had no symptoms.
Poland, a nation of about 38 million, has seen a sharp spike in newly recorded infections, with close to 5,100 cases and 63 deaths reported Tuesday. Over the summer, new daily cases were around 600.
Some doctors are warning that Poland’s chronically underfunded health care system may collapse if the current rate of new cases continues.
In Britain, which has suffered the deadliest outbreak in Europe, with a toll of more than 43,000, officials defended their new system as striking the right balance. Under the plan unveiled this week, Liverpool is in the highest-risk category, and its pubs, gyms and betting shops have been shut.
“The prime minister has to balance protecting people’s lives and the NHS (National Health Service) from the virus while also prioritizing things that matter to us as a society, like education and keeping as many people in employment as possible,” Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC.
Britain’s number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases has more than tripled in the last three weeks, with infection rates rising across all age groups and regions.
In an effort to keep people and goods moving throughout the European Union, member countries approved a color-coded system Tuesday.
The countries agreed to not restrict people traveling between green areas - where infection numbers are low - but EU governments will continue to set their own restrictions, such as quarantines or mandatory testing upon arrival, for people coming from orange or red zones.
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Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten reported this story in Geneva and AP writer Frank Jordans reported from Berlin. AP writers around Europe contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Man arrested for 'brutal' fatal stabbing in North Carolina

GALAX , Va. ( AP ) - A man accused of fatally stabbing a woman and wounding her son in a “ brutal ” attack inside their North Carolina home has been arrested in Virginia .
Edward Eugene Snipes , 55 , was taken into custody Monday in Galax , Virginia , about 143 miles ( 230 kilometers ) northwest of the victims ’ home in eastern Orange County , the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Office said in a news release .
Deputies said the son , Lakota Franklin , was able to escape and run to a neighbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Snipes stabbed him several times .
Emergency responders treated Franklin , 22 , at the scene before he was transported to a hospital .
Authorities said Franklin then notified responders about his mother , Jennifer McFalls , who was back at the home .
She was found dead in the entryway of the home with multiple stab wounds .
“ This was a particularly brutal attack with obvious signs of a struggle , ” Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said .
Authorities said robbery appears to be the motive of the attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a longtime family acquaintance of the victims .
Snipes was convicted of second-degree murder in 2005 and released from prison last year , The News & Observer reported .
It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney who could comment on his behalf .

GALAX, Va. (AP) - A man accused of fatally stabbing a woman and wounding her son in a “brutal” attack inside their North Carolina home has been arrested in Virginia.
Edward Eugene Snipes, 55, was taken into custody Monday in Galax, Virginia, about 143 miles (230 kilometers) northwest of the victims’ home in eastern Orange County, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Deputies said the son, Lakota Franklin, was able to escape and run to a neighbor’s home for help Sunday night after Snipes stabbed him several times. Emergency responders treated Franklin, 22, at the scene before he was transported to a hospital.
Authorities said Franklin then notified responders about his mother, Jennifer McFalls, who was back at the home. She was found dead in the entryway of the home with multiple stab wounds.
“This was a particularly brutal attack with obvious signs of a struggle,” Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said.
Authorities said robbery appears to be the motive of the attack by Snipes, who was described as a longtime family acquaintance of the victims.
Snipes was convicted of second-degree murder in 2005 and released from prison last year, The News & Observer reported. It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--JPMorgan's 3Q results improve as bank sees few loan losses

CHARLOTTE , North Carolina ( AP ) - JPMorgan Chase saw its profits improve marginally in the third quarter , a notable change after the nation ’ s largest bank had to set aside billions in the last two quarters to cover losses from the coronavirus pandemic .
The New York-based bank said Tuesday that it earned a profit of $ 9.44 billion , or $ 2.92 a share , in the July to September period .
That ’ s up from a profit of $ 9.08 billion , or $ 2.68 per share , in the same period a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ expectations for earnings of $ 2.23 a share , according to FactSet .
The biggest surprise in JPMorgan ’ s results was the bank ’ s decision not to set aside any significant funds to cover potentially bad loans .
JPMorgan had $ 611 million in loan loss provisions this quarter , a fraction of the $ 10.47 billion the bank set aside in the second quarter .
Since the pandemic spread across the U.S. in March , banks like JPMorgan had been setting aside billions to cover loans that once were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the economic shutdowns .
Banking executives argued that they were aggressively trying to mark down loans in the early months of the pandemic , in an effort to not surprise investors and regulators with chronic losses over several quarters .
Further , many economic indicators have markedly improved since the pandemic shutdowns of April and May .
Unemployment , albeit still high , is down from historic records earlier in the year and many states have done phased re-openings of their economies over the summer .
This has led a good number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - at least economically - the worst is over when it comes to the pandemic .
“ It is as if Covid-19 never happened , ” said Octavio Marenzi , CEO of Opimas , a management consultancy firm .
Along with fewer loan losses , JPMorgan also had a solid quarter in its investment bank .
The division reported profits 52 % higher than a year earlier , helped by a surge of revenue from its trading desks .
JPMorgan is the first of the major banks to report its results this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premarket trading .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Two of the nation’s biggest banks - JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup - said Tuesday that their profits improved markedly over the summer, as the U.S. economy tried to bounce back from the coronavirus shutdowns that were imposed earlier this year.
Even so, both New York banks warned that much uncertainty remains about where the U.S. economy is headed, and top bank executives bluntly said there is a need for another economic stimulus package to keep the economy from slipping into recession again.
“A good, well-designed stimulus package will simply increase the chance we get better outcomes,” said JPMorgan’s Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon in an conference call with reporters.
Both Citi and JPMorgan set aside fewer funds to cover potentially bad loans, contributing to the improvement in their third-quarter results. These loan-loss reserves, as they are known, are funds banks put aside when borrowers stop paying on their loans or there are economic signals that show a potential for more loans to go bad.
In the first months of the pandemic, banks set aside tens of billions of dollars to guard against bad loans as state and local economies came to a halt and millions of workers were laid off. Citi itself reserved about $15 billion over the first two quarters of 2020.
But in the third quarter, many cities and states started reopening their economies in phases - restaurants were allowing diners to sit outside and businesses brought limited numbers of workers back to the offices, among other actions. Many economic indicators have markedly improved since the pandemic shutdowns of April and May. For instance, unemployment, albeit still high, is down from historic records earlier in the year.
This has led a good number of investors and economists to predict that - at least economically - the worst is over when it comes to the pandemic.
JPMorgan had $611 million in loan loss provisions this quarter, a fraction of the $10.47 billion the bank set aside in the second quarter. Meanwhile Citigroup’s provision for credit losses was $2.26 billion in the third quarter compared to $7.9 billion the quarter before.
“It is as if COVID-19 never happened,” said Octavio Marenzi, CEO of Opimas, a management consultancy firm, talking about JPMorgan’s loan loss reserves.
But the optimism may be short lived. While Dimon said that if things keep improving, the bank was “over-reserved by $10 billion,” he warned that if the U.S. economy slips back into recession “we are under reserved by $20 billion.” A $30 billion swing in loan-loss reserves is massive for a bank whose quarterly revenue in the third quarter was roughly $29 billion.
JPMorgan reported a profit of $9.44 billion, or $2.92 a share, for the July to September period. That’s up from a profit of $9.08 billion, or $2.68 per share, in the same period a year earlier. The results beat analysts’ expectations for earnings of $2.23 a share, according to FactSet.
Along with fewer loan losses, JPMorgan also had a solid quarter in its investment bank. The division reported profits 52% higher than a year earlier, helped by a surge of revenue from its trading desks.
Citi said its third-quarter net income fell to $3.23 billion from $4.91 billion a year earlier. Per-share earnings for the latest quarter were $1.40. That result topped Wall Street expectations.
JPMorgan and Citi were the first of the major banks to report its results this week. Bank of American and Wells Fargo, the consumer banking giants, will report their results on Wednesday. Investment bank Goldman Sachs will also report its results.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Hong Kong orchestra quarantines after member contracts COVID

HONG KONG ( AP ) - About 100 members of a Hong Kong orchestra are being quarantined after one of its members tested positive for the coronavirus .
A bass clarinet player for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra was infected , according to a Facebook post by fellow orchestra member Andrew Simon .
Simon , the orchestra ’ s principal clarinetist , said he would be taken to a government quarantine camp for two weeks .
All members of the orchestra must undergo quarantines to contain any risk for other performers and audience members , the South China Morning Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra had begun its new season of performances last Friday with a sold-out socially distanced concert due to coronavirus restrictions .
In a statement Tuesday , the orchestra said it would cancel four upcoming performances and issue refunds to those who had bought tickets .
It also said that some orchestra members and backstage staff would be sent to quarantine centers and undergo testing , and its offices will be closed and disinfected over the next few days .
Hong Kong reported eight new coronavirus cases on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 105 deaths .

HONG KONG (AP) - About 100 members of a Hong Kong orchestra are being quarantined after one of its members tested positive for the coronavirus.
A bass clarinet player for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra was infected, according to a Facebook post by fellow orchestra member Andrew Simon.
Simon, the orchestra’s principal clarinetist, said he would be taken to a government quarantine camp for two weeks.
All members of the orchestra must undergo quarantines to contain any risk for other performers and audience members, the South China Morning Post reported, citing an unidentified government official.
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra had begun its new season of performances last Friday with a sold-out socially distanced concert due to coronavirus restrictions.
In a statement Tuesday, the orchestra said it would cancel four upcoming performances and issue refunds to those who had bought tickets.
It also said that some orchestra members and backstage staff would be sent to quarantine centers and undergo testing, and its offices will be closed and disinfected over the next few days.
Hong Kong reported eight new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. It has confirmed 5,202 infections, including 105 deaths.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Joe Biden: I'm 'not a fan' of court-packing

Joseph R. Biden said Monday that he ’ s “ not a fan ” of adding seats to the U.S. Supreme Court — the clearest answer on the issue that the Democratic presidential nominee has given in weeks .
“ I ’ ve already spoken on [ it ] — I ’ m not a fan of court-packing , ” he told WKRC-TV in Ohio .
“ But I don ’ t want to get off on that whole issue .
I want to keep focused.
” Previously , Mr. Biden had explicitly declined to answer whether he would support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans press forward with confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the current vacancy this close to the election .
Mr. Biden had also said voters would find out his position on the matter after the election and said the GOP push to confirm Judge Barrett is unconstitutional .
“ Never before , when an election has already begun and millions of votes are already cast , has it ever been that a Supreme Court nominee was put forward , ” the former vice president said .
“ One of the reasons is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people get to determine who will be on the lifetime appointment [ on ] the Supreme Court or federal courts is when they pick their senator and their president .
”

Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden partially ended his stonewalling on Supreme Court-packing this week, saying he’s “not a fan” of the practice that liberals are calling for as payback for confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court.
It was his boldest statement on the issue in weeks but did little to clarify whether he would actively oppose such an effort from a Democratic-controlled Congress — or veto a court-packing bill if it lands on his desk.
“I’ve already spoken on [it] — I’m not a fan of court-packing,” he told WKRC-TV in Ohio. “But I don’t want to get off on that whole issue. I want to keep focused.”
Since winning his party’s presidential nomination, Mr. Biden repeatedly refused to take a position on whether Democrats should expand the number of seats if President Trump and Senate Republicans push through Judge Barrett’s nomination.
During the presidential primary contest, Mr. Biden had warned against expanding the court, saying Democrats could “rue that day” if it came back to bite them.
His latest answer leaves him enough wiggle room to avoid gifting Mr. Trump an issue with little time left before Election Day, according to Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf.
“It’s vague enough to keep the focus on Trump,” Mr. Sheinkopf said.
Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a top Biden ally, said it’s no secret that Mr. Biden has been opposed in the past to increasing the size of the court to more than nine justices.
“But these recent circumstances where over the last four years Majority Leader [Mitch] McConnell, President Trump have jammed hundreds of conservative, young, in a dozen cases demonstrably unqualified judges onto the courts — that constitutes court-packing,” Mr. Coons said. “And he was saying, I’m not a fan of court-packing.”
Senate Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin said there is no “active” conversation about changing the court’s composition more broadly.
Asked if Mr. Biden’s weighing in was a distraction, Mr. Durbin said the former vice president is free to speak his mind on the issues.
“Most of the time I’m going to agree with him,” said the Illinois Democrat. “Sometimes I won’t.”
Mr. Sheinkopf said that from a political perspective, Mr. Biden is trying to avoid giving Mr. Trump ammunition.
“If he gets into it, he gives Donald Trump an issue, he loses votes,” he said. “The trick here is to keep Donald Trump on the defensive on COVID and the economy wherever you can, but primarily COVID.”
Mr. Trump’s team has criticized Mr. Biden for equivocating, saying that his reluctance to engage is tantamount to endorsing the practice.
“I mean, you all get it. Out here in the heartland, we might have been born in the morning but we weren’t born yesterday morning,” Vice President Mike Pence said while campaigning in Wisconsin on Tuesday. “I mean, the only explanation about why they aren’t answering the question is [because] Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are planning to pack the court with liberal judges if they win this election.”
At Judge Barrett’s confirmation hearing Tuesday, Sen. Mike Lee, Utah Republican, questioned where things would end up if lawmakers tried to push to add seats to the court.
“You’d end up increasing it incrementally,” he said. “Before long it looks like the Senate in Star Wars where you’ve got hundreds of people on there.”
Aziz Rana, a professor at Cornell Law School, said Tuesday that a Supreme Court’s stifling or blocking popular legislation from a Democratic-controlled Congress might ultimately force the party to become more aggressive on the issue.
“I think probably before that, it’d be hard-pressed to imagine somebody like Biden being willing to take on … more radical proposals,” Mr. Rana said.
Mr. Rana was speaking at a forum hosted by Yale Law School and organized by Take Back the Court, an advocacy group that is pushing to expand the number of seats on the Supreme Court.
In addition to court-packing, Mr. Biden has stiff-armed the far left on several other issues, including health care and defunding the police.
For now, many liberals are pulling their punches to try to ensure that Mr. Biden gets across the finish line.
Sen. Cory A. Booker of New Jersey, who tangled with Mr. Biden in the primary contest, said he doesn’t want to start doling out unsolicited advice at this stage in the game.
“He is earning people’s trust — they trust him more than the guy who’s in office right now,” Mr. Booker said on CNN when asked about court-packing. “Far be it for me to ‘should’ all over him.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Cyprus cancels maligned 'golden passport' scheme

NICOSIA , Cyprus ( AP ) - Cyprus on Tuesday scrapped a lucrative program granting citizenship to wealthy investors amid new allegations that a top state official and a veteran lawmaker were implicated in attempts to bypass strict vetting rules and issue a passport to a fictitious investor with a supposed criminal record .
Cyprus government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said the Cabinet accepted a recommendation by the minsters of the interior and finance to cancel altogether the “ golden passport ” program that has netted billions of euros over several years .
Koushos said the decision was based on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weaknesses , but also the abuse ” of its provisions .
He said the government would in due course look at different ways of attracting foreign investment .
The allegations surfaced in an hour-long undercover report by Al Jazeera ’ s investigative unit that used hidden cameras to show Parliamentary Speaker Demetris Syllouris and lawmaker Christakis Giovanis pledging “ full support ” to granting a passport to a fictitious Chinese investor , despite a money laundering conviction against him .
The report also showed lawyer Andreas Pittadjis , real estate agents and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representative for the Chinese investor different ways to skirt background checks , including a name change or granting citizenship through his wife .
Both Pittadjis and Giovanis strongly denied the allegations , saying they were fully aware that the approach was bogus and that they only played along to extract more information from the “ representative ” in order to file a report with Cypriot law enforcement authorities .
European Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said the bloc ’ s executive body is looking into launching infringement proceedings against Cyprus .
“ We watched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European citizenship for financial gains , ” Wigand told reporters in Brussels .
European Commission “ President ( Ursula ) von der Leyen was clear when saying European values are not for sale.
” Wigand said the Commission had frequently raised concerns about such investor citizenship schemes and also directly with Cypriot authorities .
Outraged Cypriots took to social media to heap scorn on the officials , with many calling for Syllouris ’ resignation .
In a statement on Tuesday , Syllouris said that he would step back from his duties as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He apologized for the “ unfortunate picture ” and upheaval that the “ staged and fragmented ” report gave and which allowed his reputation and that of the institution of House Speaker to be sullied .
The program has attracted many foreigner investors because a Cyprus passport automatically grants its holder citizenship access to the entire 27-member European Union .
Around 4,000 Cypriot passports have been issued to investors under the program , generating more than 7 billion euros ( $ 8.25 billion ) .
The Cyprus government has conceded that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up eligibility criteria in recent years .
The most recent changes that lawmakers approved in August include new anti-money-laundering vetting rules and making it easier to revoke the citizenship of investors involved in or convicted of a serious crime .
Despite the stricter rules , the program continued to be hounded by allegations of corruption , kickbacks and favoritism .
Cyprus ’ Audit Office last month urged lawmakers to rethink legislation that empowered the government to grant citizenship to investors ’ family members .
Cyprus Security and Exchange Commission recommended last month that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submitted forged documents in their application .
An independent committee has been set up to probe thousands of applications that were made since 2007 .
The investment program had gathered pace after 2013 , when a financial crisis nearly brought Cyprus to bankruptcy .

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Cyprus on Tuesday scrapped a lucrative program granting citizenship to wealthy investors amid new allegations that a top state official and a veteran lawmaker were implicated in attempts to bypass strict vetting rules and issue a passport to a fictitious investor with a supposed criminal record.
Cyprus government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said the Cabinet accepted a recommendation by the minsters of the interior and finance to cancel altogether the “golden passport” program that has netted billions of euros over several years.
Koushos said the decision was based on the Cyprus Investment Program’s “long-standing weaknesses, but also the abuse” of its provisions.
He said the government would in due course look at different ways of attracting foreign investment.
The allegations surfaced in an hour-long undercover report by Al Jazeera’s investigative unit that used hidden cameras to show Parliamentary Speaker Demetris Syllouris and lawmaker Christakis Giovanis pledging “full support” to granting a passport to a fictitious Chinese investor, despite a money laundering conviction against him.
The report also showed lawyer Andreas Pittadjis, real estate agents and others outlining to a man posing as a representative for the Chinese investor different ways to skirt background checks, including a name change or granting citizenship through his wife.
Both Pittadjis and Giovanis strongly denied the allegations, saying they were fully aware that the approach was bogus and that they only played along to extract more information from the “representative” in order to file a report with Cypriot law enforcement authorities.
European Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said the bloc’s executive body is looking into launching infringement proceedings against Cyprus.
“We watched in disbelief how high-level officials were trading European citizenship for financial gains,” Wigand told reporters in Brussels. European Commission “President (Ursula) von der Leyen was clear when saying European values are not for sale.”
Wigand said the Commission had frequently raised concerns about such investor citizenship schemes and also directly with Cypriot authorities.
Outraged Cypriots took to social media to heap scorn on the officials, with many calling for Syllouris’ resignation.
In a statement on Tuesday, Syllouris said that he would step back from his duties as of next week until an investigation is completed. He apologized for the “unfortunate picture” and upheaval that the “staged and fragmented” report gave and which allowed his reputation and that of the institution of House Speaker to be sullied.
The program has attracted many foreigner investors because a Cyprus passport automatically grants its holder citizenship access to the entire 27-member European Union. Around 4,000 Cypriot passports have been issued to investors under the program, generating more than 7 billion euros ($8.25 billion).
The Cyprus government has conceded that “mistakes” were made and has beefed up eligibility criteria in recent years. The most recent changes that lawmakers approved in August include new anti-money-laundering vetting rules and making it easier to revoke the citizenship of investors involved in or convicted of a serious crime.
Despite the stricter rules, the program continued to be hounded by allegations of corruption, kickbacks and favoritism.
Cyprus’ Audit Office last month urged lawmakers to rethink legislation that empowered the government to grant citizenship to investors’ family members.
Cyprus Security and Exchange Commission recommended last month that authorities revoke citizenship from seven individuals who submitted forged documents in their application.
An independent committee has been set up to probe thousands of applications that were made since 2007. The investment program had gathered pace after 2013, when a financial crisis nearly brought Cyprus to bankruptcy.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Malaysia's Anwar meets king in bid to form new government

KUALA LUMPUR ( AP ) - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he presented the king Tuesday with evidence that he has enough support among lawmakers to topple the prime minister and form a new government , an assertion the palace rejected .
Anwar said he showed he has the support of over 120 lawmakers , which would allow him to unseat Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin .
Anwar said the monarch pledged to abide by the constitution and would consult leaders from other parties before making a decision .
He declined to give details , urging Malaysians to be patient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review the evidence .
“ These documents made it abundantly clear that we have registered a formidable and convincing majority among parliamentarians , ” Anwar said at a news conference after the royal meeting .
“ Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has lost his majority and therefore , it would be appropriate for him to resign.
” After the news conference , however , the palace released a statement denying that Anwar provided evidence of support .
It said Anwar only told Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah how many lawmakers supported him but didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the king advised Anwar “ to abide by and respect the legal process ” based on the constitution .
Muhyiddin , who took power in March after securing enough support in Parliament to unseat Anwar ’ s reformist alliance , said later Tuesday that he would leave the matter to the king ’ s judgment .
The prime minister , who previously dismissed Anwar ’ s claim to a majority , said his priority now is to control a new coronavirus outbreak and manage the economic consequences .
Malaysia has reported more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muhyiddin currently boasts a slim two-seat majority in the 222-seat Parliament and has been grappling to maintain support amid infighting in his governing coalition .
Allies in his Malay-centric coalition also denied supporting Anwar , and branded Anwar a “ desperado ” for seeking to wrest power during the pandemic .
Anwar ’ s audience with the king was slated three weeks ago , but postponed after the king was hospitalized .
Oh Ei Sun , a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs , said the palace statement indicated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Anwar ’ s claim but that the situation is still unfolding .
“ I frankly do not think it will be a smooth and easy ride for Anwar .
For one , even if the king is convinced of Anwar ’ s command of a parliamentary majority , the king still has the alternative constitutional option of dissolving the parliament , ” said Oh , a Malaysian .
Anwar ’ s Alliance of Hope was elected in 2018 but collapsed after Muhyiddin withdrew his party and tied up with opposition parties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned in protest , saying he wouldn ’ t work with parties accused of corruption that he ousted in the 2018 polls .
Anwar said Tuesday that he extended an olive branch to Muhyiddin to discuss the political change but received no response .
He said his new government would also be a majority Muslim government , but pledged to be fair to all races and committed to reforms .
If Anwar succeeds , it would mark a dramatic comeback after his roller-coaster political journey since the 1990s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ party , Anwar was convicted of homosexual sodomy and corruption after a power struggle with Mahathir in 1998 .
He was imprisoned for a second time on sodomy charges in 2014 .
Anwar and his supporters have long denied the sodomy allegations , saying they were concocted to destroy his political career .
Rather than give up , Anwar ended his feud with Mahathir from his prison cell to forge the Alliance of Hope , which in the 2018 polls defeated the coalition that had led Malaysia for 61 years .
Mahathir became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was freed with a royal pardon days after the elections and was Mahathir ’ s designated successor before their alliance fell apart .

KUALA LUMPUR (AP) - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he presented the king Tuesday with evidence that he has enough support among lawmakers to topple the prime minister and form a new government, an assertion the palace rejected.
Anwar said he showed he has the support of over 120 lawmakers, which would allow him to unseat Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Anwar said the monarch pledged to abide by the constitution and would consult leaders from other parties before making a decision. He declined to give details, urging Malaysians to be patient and give the king a chance to review the evidence.
“These documents made it abundantly clear that we have registered a formidable and convincing majority among parliamentarians,” Anwar said at a news conference after the royal meeting. “Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has lost his majority and therefore, it would be appropriate for him to resign.”
After the news conference, however, the palace released a statement denying that Anwar provided evidence of support. It said Anwar only told Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah how many lawmakers supported him but didn’t reveal their identities.
It said the king advised Anwar “to abide by and respect the legal process” based on the constitution.
Muhyiddin, who took power in March after securing enough support in Parliament to unseat Anwar’s reformist alliance, said later Tuesday that he would leave the matter to the king’s judgment.
The prime minister, who previously dismissed Anwar’s claim to a majority, said his priority now is to control a new coronavirus outbreak and manage the economic consequences. Malaysia has reported more than 16,000 cases with 159 deaths.
Muhyiddin currently boasts a slim two-seat majority in the 222-seat Parliament and has been grappling to maintain support amid infighting in his governing coalition. Allies in his Malay-centric coalition also denied supporting Anwar, and branded Anwar a “desperado” for seeking to wrest power during the pandemic.
Anwar’s audience with the king was slated three weeks ago, but postponed after the king was hospitalized.
Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said the palace statement indicated that the king isn’t yet convinced of Anwar’s claim but that the situation is still unfolding.
“I frankly do not think it will be a smooth and easy ride for Anwar. For one, even if the king is convinced of Anwar’s command of a parliamentary majority, the king still has the alternative constitutional option of dissolving the parliament,” said Oh, a Malaysian.
Anwar’s Alliance of Hope was elected in 2018 but collapsed after Muhyiddin withdrew his party and tied up with opposition parties to form a Malay-centric government in March. Then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned in protest, saying he wouldn’t work with parties accused of corruption that he ousted in the 2018 polls.
Anwar said Tuesday that he extended an olive branch to Muhyiddin to discuss the political change but received no response. He said his new government would also be a majority Muslim government, but pledged to be fair to all races and committed to reforms.
If Anwar succeeds, it would mark a dramatic comeback after his roller-coaster political journey since the 1990s.
Once a high flyer in the governing party, Anwar was convicted of homosexual sodomy and corruption after a power struggle with Mahathir in 1998. He was imprisoned for a second time on sodomy charges in 2014.
Anwar and his supporters have long denied the sodomy allegations, saying they were concocted to destroy his political career.
Rather than give up, Anwar ended his feud with Mahathir from his prison cell to forge the Alliance of Hope, which in the 2018 polls defeated the coalition that had led Malaysia for 61 years.
Mahathir became prime minister a second time. Anwar was freed with a royal pardon days after the elections and was Mahathir’s designated successor before their alliance fell apart.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Millennial Money: Use a crisis to build helpful money habits

As millennials , we ’ ve learned about money the hard way .
From the Great Recession to stratospheric student loan debt to a pandemic , there ’ s been no shortage of life giving us lemons .
While the long-term economic effects of the pandemic are yet to be fully realized , you may have noticed one positive trend in the short term : For once , your debt may have dropped .
Credit card balances fell by $ 76 billion April through June , the steepest decline on record , according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NerdWallet backed that up , finding that credit card balances carried from one month to the next dropped 9.15 % , or more than $ 600 per household with this type of debt .
Overall household debt shrank by nearly $ 1,000 among households carrying any type of debt in the same period .
If stimulus checks , paused student loan payments and sticking close to home have helped you cut down debt , here ’ s how to keep that momentum going .
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE BUDGET The idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too time-consuming or stressful in pre-pandemic times .
But if you ’ ve taken that first step of looking at your spending and saving patterns lately - as many of us have out of sheer necessity - you ’ re already on your way toward building a budget .
“ Take what you ’ ve done over the last few months and put it in a spreadsheet , ” says Luke Lloyd , a wealth advisor and investment strategist at Strategic Wealth Partners in Cleveland .
You ’ ve probably focused on essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or come up with creative solutions to have fun instead .
Lloyd says the pandemic has made it clear that “ we don ’ t always have to go out and spend all this money to entertain ourselves.
” The 50/30/20 budget is an easy guiding principle to follow .
It buckets your take-home pay into needs , wants , and savings plus debt repayment .
Use the money-saving techniques you ’ ve practiced to make this budget work - maybe you ’ re saving on restaurant meals because you ’ re cooking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been ordering a lot of takeout but saving on gas , movie tickets or a gym membership .
Take that extra money and apply it toward the needs or savings and debt buckets instead .
“ Moments like this renew people ’ s focus on financial stability , ” says Leigh Phillips , president and CEO of SaverLife , a national nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that helps people build a savings habit through game-playing processes and rewards .
Phillips says the company has seen more people sign up for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than in all of last year .
If you weren ’ t a saver before but started socking funds away during the pandemic , keep the money-saving habit going .
“ Set up an automated payment from your checking account into a savings account or investment account , ” Lloyd says .
Prioritize putting any extra money you have toward an emergency fund , because that can keep you from adding debt during a crisis .
Set an initial goal of $ 500 to $ 1,000 in emergency savings , which can insulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , like a car repair .
Next , look into meeting your employer ’ s retirement savings account match if you have access to one .
Finally , pay down high-interest debt like credit cards , personal loans or payday loans .
If you have money left over , consider applying it toward student loan payments , says Lloyd .
Federal student loan borrowers are in an automatic interest-free payment pause until January 2021 .
But you can still make payments now to make things easier on yourself later .
“ Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can lower the principal ” by making a payment , says Lloyd .
Your entire payment goes toward principal at this time , so you ’ ll have a lower balance when interest resumes and that will save you money over the life of the loan .
ASK FOR HELP Money can be confusing in the best of times , and especially so when the situation is changing every day and it ’ s hard to keep track of relief programs you may qualify for .
Don ’ t feel like you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about money and asking for help is a habit you can take with you long after a crisis is over .
For people who are concerned about what bills they can defer , whether they can negotiate with creditors or if they are protected from eviction or foreclosure , discussing these topics can be emotional , Phillips says .
“ There are great credit counseling services and financial coaching services out there , ” she says .
“ I would encourage people to get as many resources as you can.
” Credit counseling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managing your debt , building a budget or even refinancing a house .
Check the National Foundation for Credit Counseling ’ s website to find an agency close to you .
You can also check whether you qualify for assistance by calling 211 or visiting 211.org .
This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet .
Amrita Jayakumar is a writer at NerdWallet .
Email : ajayakumar @ nerdwallet.com .
Twitter : @ ajbombay .

As millennials, we’ve learned about money the hard way. From the Great Recession to stratospheric student loan debt to a pandemic, there’s been no shortage of life giving us lemons.
While the long-term economic effects of the pandemic are yet to be fully realized, you may have noticed one positive trend in the short term: For once, your debt may have dropped.
Credit card balances fell by $76 billion April through June, the steepest decline on record, according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Research by NerdWallet backed that up, finding that credit card balances carried from one month to the next dropped 9.15%, or more than $600 per household with this type of debt. Overall household debt shrank by nearly $1,000 among households carrying any type of debt in the same period.
If stimulus checks, paused student loan payments and sticking close to home have helped you cut down debt, here’s how to keep that momentum going.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE BUDGET
The idea of making a budget may have seemed too time-consuming or stressful in pre-pandemic times. But if you’ve taken that first step of looking at your spending and saving patterns lately - as many of us have out of sheer necessity - you’re already on your way toward building a budget.
“Take what you’ve done over the last few months and put it in a spreadsheet,” says Luke Lloyd, a wealth advisor and investment strategist at Strategic Wealth Partners in Cleveland.
You’ve probably focused on essential needs this year and sacrificed wants, or come up with creative solutions to have fun instead. Lloyd says the pandemic has made it clear that “we don’t always have to go out and spend all this money to entertain ourselves.”
The 50/30/20 budget is an easy guiding principle to follow. It buckets your take-home pay into needs, wants, and savings plus debt repayment. Use the money-saving techniques you’ve practiced to make this budget work - maybe you’re saving on restaurant meals because you’re cooking at home, or perhaps you’ve been ordering a lot of takeout but saving on gas, movie tickets or a gym membership. Take that extra money and apply it toward the needs or savings and debt buckets instead.
BUILD A SAVINGS HABIT
“Moments like this renew people’s focus on financial stability,” says Leigh Phillips, president and CEO of SaverLife, a national nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that helps people build a savings habit through game-playing processes and rewards. Phillips says the company has seen more people sign up for its savings program in the past six months than in all of last year.
If you weren’t a saver before but started socking funds away during the pandemic, keep the money-saving habit going.
“Set up an automated payment from your checking account into a savings account or investment account,” Lloyd says.
Prioritize putting any extra money you have toward an emergency fund, because that can keep you from adding debt during a crisis. Set an initial goal of $500 to $1,000 in emergency savings, which can insulate your budget from irregular expenses that pop up, like a car repair. Next, look into meeting your employer’s retirement savings account match if you have access to one. Finally, pay down high-interest debt like credit cards, personal loans or payday loans.
If you have money left over, consider applying it toward student loan payments, says Lloyd. Federal student loan borrowers are in an automatic interest-free payment pause until January 2021. But you can still make payments now to make things easier on yourself later.
“Since you can defer the interest, you can lower the principal” by making a payment, says Lloyd. Your entire payment goes toward principal at this time, so you’ll have a lower balance when interest resumes and that will save you money over the life of the loan.
ASK FOR HELP
Money can be confusing in the best of times, and especially so when the situation is changing every day and it’s hard to keep track of relief programs you may qualify for. Don’t feel like you have to figure it out alone. Talking about money and asking for help is a habit you can take with you long after a crisis is over.
For people who are concerned about what bills they can defer, whether they can negotiate with creditors or if they are protected from eviction or foreclosure, discussing these topics can be emotional, Phillips says.
“There are great credit counseling services and financial coaching services out there,” she says.
“I would encourage people to get as many resources as you can.”
Credit counseling organizations offer free or low-cost guidance on managing your debt, building a budget or even refinancing a house. Check the National Foundation for Credit Counseling’s website to find an agency close to you. You can also check whether you qualify for assistance by calling 211 or visiting 211.org.
________________________________
This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Amrita Jayakumar is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: ajayakumar@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @ajbombay.
RELATED LINKS:
NerdWallet: How to Save Money http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-money
National Foundation for Credit Counseling locator https://www.nfcc.org/agency-locator/


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--2 teenage brothers killed in German train accident

BERLIN ( AP ) - Two teenage brothers were hit and killed by a train in southern Germany on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ the tracks in an attempt to make their own connection , police said .
Barriers @ @ @ @ @ outside the station in Bruckberg , northeast of Munich , when the 13-year-old and 17-year-old @ @ @ @ @ their own train , which was already at the platform , police told the dpa @ @ @ @ @ Munich-bound train tried to brake but was unable to stop in time and hit the @ @ @ @ @ others witnessed the accident from the train station and crisis teams were sent to provide @ @ @ @ @

BERLIN (AP) - Two teenage brothers were hit and killed by a train in southern Germany on Tuesday as they apparently ran across the tracks in an attempt to make their own connection, police said.
Barriers were down across the tracks outside the station in Bruckberg, northeast of Munich, when the 13-year-old and 17-year-old attempted to cross to make their own train, which was already at the platform, police told the dpa news agency.
An oncoming Munich-bound train tried to brake but was unable to stop in time and hit the two.
Many children and others witnessed the accident from the train station and crisis teams were sent to provide counseling, police said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--China's vehicle sales pick up in September as market revives

BEIJING ( AP ) - China ’ s vehicle sales including trucks and buses accelerated in September as the industry ’ s biggest global market recovered from the coronavirus pandemic , an industry group reported Tuesday .
Sales rose 17.4 % over a year earlier to 2.6 million vehicles , up from August ’ s 11.6 % growth , according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers .
It said SUV sales set a new monthly record and purchases of other passenger vehicles also rose but gave no details .
In the first nine months of the year , sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 17.1 million , CAAM said .
That was an improvement over the 9.7 % contraction for the first eight months .
Auto sales already were suffering before China closed factories and dealerships in February to fight the coronavirus .
Consumers are uneasy about slowing economic growth and a trade war with Washington .
Last year ’ s sales fell 9.6 % in the second straight annual decline .
That hurts global automakers that are looking to China to propel sales growth .
It also squeezes cash flow at a time when global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars to develop electric vehicles under pressure to meet government sales quotas .

BEIJING (AP) - China’s vehicle sales including trucks and buses accelerated in September as the industry’s biggest global market recovered from the coronavirus pandemic, an industry group reported Tuesday.
Sales rose 17.4% over a year earlier to 2.6 million vehicles, up from August’s 11.6% growth, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
It said SUV sales set a new monthly record and purchases of other passenger vehicles also rose but gave no details.
In the first nine months of the year, sales declined 6.9% from a year earlier to 17.1 million, CAAM said. That was an improvement over the 9.7% contraction for the first eight months.
Auto sales already were suffering before China closed factories and dealerships in February to fight the coronavirus. Consumers are uneasy about slowing economic growth and a trade war with Washington.
Last year’s sales fell 9.6% in the second straight annual decline.
That hurts global automakers that are looking to China to propel sales growth.
It also squeezes cash flow at a time when global and Chinese brands are spending billions of dollars to develop electric vehicles under pressure to meet government sales quotas.


washingtontimes--2020-10-13--Greece: 225-pound heroin stash found in vacation home

ATHENS , Greece ( AP ) - Police in Greece Tuesday said they have found 102 kilograms ( 225 pounds @ @ @ @ @ vacation-rental apartment in central Athens .
The drugs , in shrink-wrapped packages and stored in @ @ @ @ @ found when police raided the apartment near the city ’ s main train station .
@ @ @ @ @ since Sept. 24 and was raided Sunday .
No one was present and no arrests @ @ @ @

ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Police in Greece Tuesday said they have found 102 kilograms (225 pounds) of heroin in a vacation-rental apartment in central Athens.
The drugs, in shrink-wrapped packages and stored in four duffel bags, were found when police raided the apartment near the city’s main train station.
The apartment had been rented since Sept. 24 and was raided Sunday. No one was present and no arrests have been made.