washingtontimes--2020-07-27--N Korea's Kim boasts of his nukes amid stalled talks with US

SEOUL , South Korea ( AP ) - North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said his country ’ s hard-won nuclear weapons were a solid security guarantee and a “ reliable , effective ” deterrent that could prevent a second Korean War , state media reported Tuesday .
Kim ’ s comments before war veterans marking the 67th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War again show he has no intention of abandoning his weapons as prospects dim for resuming diplomacy with the United States .
North Korea has previously ratcheted up fiery rhetoric or conducted weapons tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts say Pyongyang will likely avoid serious talks with Washington before the U.S. presidential elections in November as there is a chance for a U.S. leadership change .
Kim said in his speech Monday his country has tried to become “ a nuclear state ” with “ an absolute might ” to prevent another war and that it has now built such a deterrent , according to the Korean Central News Agency .
“ Now , we ’ ve changed to a country which can defend itself reliably and unwaveringly against high-intensity pressures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reactionaries and hostile forces , ” Kim said .
“ There won ’ t be any war on this land again and our national security and future will be guaranteed firmly and permanently because of our reliable , effective self-defensive nuclear deterrent , ” Kim said .
Kim ’ s speech followed recent remarks by both North Korean and U.S. officials suggesting they were reluctant to engage in a new round of diplomacy on the North ’ s nuclear program anytime soon .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim if there were real prospects of progress .
Kim ’ s sister and senior ruling party official , Kim Yo Jong , said a new summit would be “ unpractical ” for North Korea and that Pyongyang won ’ t gift Trump a high-level meeting that he can boast as a foreign policy achievement .
Kim Jong Un and Trump met three times since Kim in 2018 abruptly reached out to Washington and Seoul for talks after expressing his intent to deal away his advancing nuclear arsenals .
Many experts were skeptical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he only aimed to weaken U.S.-led sanctions and perfect his nuclear program .
The nuclear diplomacy remains largely stalled since a second Kim-Trump meeting in February 2019 in Vietnam collapsed without reaching any agreement because Trump Kim rejected Kim ’ s proposal to get extensive sanctions relief in return for a limited denuclearization step .
Kim entered this year with a vow to bolster his nuclear program and threatened to unveil a new “ strategic ” weapon .
He also said he would no longer be bound by a self-imposed moratorium on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t performed such high-profile weapons tests , which some analysts say could completely derail diplomacy with the United States .
North Korea ’ s economic difficulties were believed to have worsened due to the coronavirus pandemic , which led North Korea to seal its border with China , its biggest trading partner and economic pipeline , in January .
Kim on Friday ordered the total lockdown of the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea because a person there had suspected COVID-19 symptoms .
North Korea has so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its territory , a claim questioned by outside experts .
KCNA reported Tuesday authorities were swiftly supplying masks , medicines , test equipment , food and other necessities to Kaesong .
It said authorities have boosted their border closures .
Experts say a pandemic in North Korea could cause devastating consequences because of its broken health care system and lack of medical supplies .

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said his country’s hard-won nuclear weapons were a solid security guarantee and a “reliable, effective” deterrent that could prevent a second Korean War, state media reported Tuesday.
Kim’s comments before war veterans marking the 67th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War again show he has no intention of abandoning his weapons as prospects dim for resuming diplomacy with the United States.
North Korea has previously ratcheted up fiery rhetoric or conducted weapons tests to wrest outside concessions. But some experts say Pyongyang will likely avoid serious talks with Washington before the U.S. presidential elections in November as there is a chance for a U.S. leadership change.
Kim said in his speech Monday his country has tried to become “a nuclear state” with “an absolute might” to prevent another war and that it has now built such a deterrent, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
“Now, we’ve changed to a country which can defend itself reliably and unwaveringly against high-intensity pressures and military threats and blackmailing by imperialistic reactionaries and hostile forces,” Kim said.
“There won’t be any war on this land again and our national security and future will be guaranteed firmly and permanently because of our reliable, effective self-defensive nuclear deterrent,” Kim said.
Kim’s speech followed recent remarks by both North Korean and U.S. officials suggesting they were reluctant to engage in a new round of diplomacy on the North’s nuclear program anytime soon.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said President Donald Trump would only want to engage with Kim if there were real prospects of progress. Kim’s sister and senior ruling party official, Kim Yo Jong, said a new summit would be “unpractical” for North Korea and that Pyongyang won’t gift Trump a high-level meeting that he can boast as a foreign policy achievement.
Kim Jong Un and Trump met three times since Kim in 2018 abruptly reached out to Washington and Seoul for talks after expressing his intent to deal away his advancing nuclear arsenals. Many experts were skeptical of Kim’s disarmament commitment and said he only aimed to weaken U.S.-led sanctions and perfect his nuclear program.
The nuclear diplomacy remains largely stalled since a second Kim-Trump meeting in February 2019 in Vietnam collapsed without reaching any agreement because Trump Kim rejected Kim’s proposal to get extensive sanctions relief in return for a limited denuclearization step.
Kim entered this year with a vow to bolster his nuclear program and threatened to unveil a new “strategic” weapon. He also said he would no longer be bound by a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests. Kim hasn’t performed such high-profile weapons tests, which some analysts say could completely derail diplomacy with the United States.
North Korea’s economic difficulties were believed to have worsened due to the coronavirus pandemic, which led North Korea to seal its border with China, its biggest trading partner and economic pipeline, in January.
Kim on Friday ordered the total lockdown of the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea because a person there had suspected COVID-19 symptoms. North Korea has so far there has been no virus patient on its territory, a claim questioned by outside experts.
KCNA reported Tuesday authorities were swiftly supplying masks, medicines, test equipment, food and other necessities to Kaesong. It said authorities have boosted their border closures.
Experts say a pandemic in North Korea could cause devastating consequences because of its broken health care system and lack of medical supplies.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Bill Barr rips Portland rioters as assault on US in House opening statement

Attorney General William P. Barr slammed rioters in Portland and other cities across the country , condemning their actions as “ an assault on the United States , ” in a fiery opening statement released late Monday by the Justice Department ahead of his Congressional testimony .
Mr. Barr is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday , his first appearance before the panel in more than a year .
The nation ’ s top cop intends to use his time to assail the rioting and lawlessness that has spread across the country following the death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died while in police custody on Memorial Day in Minnesota .
“ Largely absent from these scenes of destruction are even superficial attempts by the rioters to connect their actions to George Floyd ’ s death or any legitimate call for reform , ” he intends to say .
“ Nor could such brazen acts of lawlessness plausibly be justified by a concern that police officers in Minnesota or elsewhere defied the law.
” Citing the violence in Portland , Oregon , where a huge crowd of protestors laid siege to the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr will say violent rioters have hijacked legitimate protests for “ senseless havoc and destruction on innocent victims.
” “ What unfolds nightly around the courthouse can not reasonably be called a protest ; it is by any objective measure , an assault on the Government of the United States , ” he will tell lawmakers .
The Judiciary Committee is chaired by Jerrold Nadler , New York Democrat , who dismissed the violent protests in Portland as “ a myth.
” Mr. Nadler ’ s comments came after he was confronted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on video .
“ That ’ s a myth that ’ s being spread only in Washington , D.C. , ” Mr. Nadler responded .
Mr. Barr , however , will call on committee Democrats to condemn the violence , much of it directed at federal officers .
Mr. Barr will call on committee Democrats to condemn the violence , much of it directed at federal officers .
“ To tacitly condone destruction and anarchy is to abandon the basic rule-of-law principles that should unite us even in a politically divisive time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very least , we should all be able to agree that there is no place in this country for armed mobs that seek to establish autonomous zones beyond government control.
” Mr. Barr will acknowledge that Blacks ’ concerns that they won ’ t get a fair shake from law enforcement is legitimate , but said it was an oversimplification to blame the police for racial issues plaguing the nation .
The attorney general will also defend his independence as head of the Justice Department .
The committee is filled with some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critics , who have accused the attorney general of doing the president ’ s bidding in cases against his associates .
Democrats are expected to grill Mr. Barr about the firestorm over the Justice Departments ’ sentencing of Roger Stone , a longtime friend of the President and the decision to abandon the prosecution of Michael Flynn , Mr. Trump ’ s first national security advisor .
Mr. Barr , however , intends to fire back insisting that his decisions were made in the interests of justice , not the president .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in these decisions , ” he will lawmakers .
“ On the contrary , he has told me from the start that he expects me to exercise my independent judgment to make whatever callI think is right .
That is precisely what I have done.
” Mr. Barr will say that he ’ s “ deeply troubled ” by what he perceives as the “ the grave abuses involved in the bogus ‘ Russiagate ’ scandal.
” He will tell lawmakers his independence has allowed the Justice Department to return to applying a @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Attorney General William P. Barr slammed rioters in Portland and other cities across the country, condemning their actions as “an assault on the United States,” in a fiery opening statement released late Monday by the Justice Department ahead of his congressional testimony.
Mr. Barr is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, his first appearance before the panel in more than a year.
The nation’s top cop intends to use his time to assail the rioting and lawlessness that has spread across the country following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died while in police custody on Memorial Day in Minnesota.
“Largely absent from these scenes of destruction are even superficial attempts by the rioters to connect their actions to George Floyd’s death or any legitimate call for reform,” he intends to say. “Nor could such brazen acts of lawlessness plausibly be justified by a concern that police officers in Minnesota or elsewhere defied the law.”
Citing the violence in Portland, Oregon, where a huge crowd of protestors laid siege to the federal courthouse and other government buildings, Mr. Barr will say violent rioters have hijacked legitimate protests for “senseless havoc and destruction on innocent victims.”
“What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called a protest; it is by any objective measure, an assault on the Government of the United States,” he will tell lawmakers.
The Judiciary Committee is chaired by Jerrold Nadler, New York Democrat, who dismissed the violent protests in Portland as “a myth.” Mr. Nadler’s comments came after he was confronted by a pro-Trump activist who captured the exchange on video.
“That’s a myth that’s being spread only in Washington, D.C.,” Mr. Nadler responded.
Mr. Barr, however, will call on committee Democrats to condemn the violence, much of it directed at federal officers.
Mr. Barr will call on committee Democrats to condemn the violence, much of it directed at federal officers.
“To tacitly condone destruction and anarchy is to abandon the basic rule-of-law principles that should unite us even in a politically divisive time,” he will say. “At the very least, we should all be able to agree that there is no place in this country for armed mobs that seek to establish autonomous zones beyond government control.”
Mr. Barr will acknowledge that Blacks’ concerns that they won’t get a fair shake from law enforcement is legitimate, but said it was an oversimplification to blame the police for racial issues plaguing the nation.
The attorney general will also defend his independence as head of the Justice Department.
The committee is filled with some of President Trump’s most outspoken critics, who have accused the attorney general of doing the president’s bidding in cases against his associates.
Democrats are expected to grill Mr. Barr about the firestorm over the Justice Departments’ sentencing of Roger Stone, a longtime friend of the President and the decision to abandon the prosecution of Michael Flynn, Mr. Trump’s first national security advisor.
Mr. Barr, however, intends to fire back insisting that his decisions were made in the interests of justice, not the president.
“The president has not attempted to interfere in these decisions,” he will lawmakers. “On the contrary, he has told me from the start that he expects me to exercise my independent judgment to make whatever callI think is right. That is precisely what I have done.”
Mr. Barr will say that he’s “deeply troubled” by what he perceives as the “the grave abuses involved in the bogus ‘Russiagate’ scandal.”
He will tell lawmakers his independence has allowed the Justice Department to return to applying a singular standard of justice for everyone.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Video of Texas police shooting released by Austin officials

AUSTIN , Texas ( AP ) - Police in Austin , Texas , released video Monday of an officer fatally shooting an unarmed man in April as he drove away .
The video shows the killing of Mike Ramos , a Black and Hispanic man , on April 24 and recounts what police had previously described : After officers address him by name multiple times , Ramos follows orders given by police and gets out of the car with his hands and shirt raised .
Ramos turns around once in a circle toward the open driver ’ s side door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no gun in his waistband , and twice says , “ Don ’ t shoot.
” While leaning against his open door , Ramos later tells police he does not have a gun .
After imploring him multiple times to step away from the vehicle , police shoot Ramos , 42 , with a less lethal beanbag bullet , the video shows , before he gets back into his car .
Officers immediately tell him to turn off the vehicle : “ Turn off the car .
Michael , don ’ t do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least one officer fires multiple times , striking him fatally .
Officers Mitchell Pieper and Christopher Taylor were involved in the shooting , according to the video .
“ Officer Pieper fired one less-lethal round at Mr. Ramos , striking him in the upper thigh , hip area , ” Austin police said in the video .
“ Officer Taylor fired three rounds from his rifle as Mar .
Ramos drove forward.
” A 911 caller had told police people were in a car doing drugs , and that there was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a dispatcher transcript included at the beginning of the video .
Ramos was later found to be unarmed .
The video was posted Monday to the City of Austin ’ s YouTube channel and was made in accordance to a newly adopted policy requiring that Austin police produce videos of critical incidents with context for the community .
City Manager Spencer Cronk delayed release of the video in June because it did not fully comply with the new policy .
The new policy is part of a broader effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push for racial justice .
Austin Mayor Steve Adler called the shooting “ disturbing ” after viewing previously released video captured by a bystander .
Adler said Ramos did not appear to pose a threat to police .
At the time of the incident , Pieper had been with the Austin department for three months and was in his field training phase , police said .
Taylor had been with the department for five years .
Both officers have been placed on administrative duty .
Demonstrators in Austin invoked Ramos ‘ nam e @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest the May killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police .
Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore announced on July 22 that Ramos ’ case would not be seen by a grand jury until 2021 .

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Police in Austin, Texas, released video Monday of an officer fatally shooting an unarmed man in April as he drove away.
The video shows the killing of Mike Ramos, a Black and Hispanic man, on April 24 and recounts what police had previously described: After officers address him by name multiple times, Ramos follows orders given by police and gets out of the car with his hands and shirt raised. Ramos turns around once in a circle toward the open driver’s side door, as if to show he had no gun in his waistband, and twice says, “Don’t shoot.” While leaning against his open door, Ramos later tells police he does not have a gun.
After imploring him multiple times to step away from the vehicle, police shoot Ramos, 42, with a less lethal beanbag bullet, the video shows, before he gets back into his car. Officers immediately tell him to turn off the vehicle: “Turn off the car. Michael, don’t do it.” Ramos then drives away and at least one officer fires multiple times, striking him fatally.
Officers Mitchell Pieper and Christopher Taylor were involved in the shooting, according to the video.
“Officer Pieper fired one less-lethal round at Mr. Ramos, striking him in the upper thigh, hip area,” Austin police said in the video. “Officer Taylor fired three rounds from his rifle as Mar. Ramos drove forward.”
A 911 caller had told police people were in a car doing drugs, and that there was a man in the car who was armed, according to a dispatcher transcript included at the beginning of the video.
Ramos was later found to be unarmed.
The video was posted Monday to the City of Austin’s YouTube channel and was made in accordance to a newly adopted policy requiring that Austin police produce videos of critical incidents with context for the community. City Manager Spencer Cronk delayed release of the video in June because it did not fully comply with the new policy.
The new policy is part of a broader effort to overhaul the police department amid a global push for racial justice.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler called the shooting “disturbing ” after viewing previously released video captured by a bystander. Adler said Ramos did not appear to pose a threat to police.
At the time of the incident, Pieper had been with the Austin department for three months and was in his field training phase, police said. Taylor had been with the department for five years. Both officers have been placed on administrative duty.
Demonstrators in Austin invoked Ramos’ nam e when they took to the streets to protest the May killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore announced on July 22 that Ramos’ case would not be seen by a grand jury until 2021.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Prosecutors to consider death penalty in soldiers' case

FORT MYERS , Fla. ( AP ) - Federal prosecutors suggested on Monday that they will seek the death penalty against one of two men accused in the shooting deaths of a Florida couple so they could finance a trip to Venezuela to fight the socialist government .
Attorneys for both sides held a video hearing for defendant Alex Zwiefelhofer , who along with fellow Army veteran Craig Lang is accused of arranging the deadly robbery of Serafin and Deana Lorenzo in April 2018 to finance the Venezuela trip .
U.S. Attorney Josephine W. Thomas suggested a discussion with defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the case in regard to the strongest mitigating factors to help determine how they intend to proceed .
Thomas said there are a lot of aggravating factors , and with the facts of the case , it ’ s likely prosecutors will seek the death penalty .
Defense attorney D. Todd Doss said he didn ’ t feel prepared for such a discussion because of an inability to investigate the case , as well as the defendant ’ s history .
The two sides agreed to having the case continued to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference scheduled for November .

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Federal prosecutors suggested on Monday that they will seek the death penalty against one of two men accused in the shooting deaths of a Florida couple so they could finance a trip to Venezuela to fight the socialist government.
Attorneys for both sides held a video hearing for defendant Alex Zwiefelhofer, who along with fellow Army veteran Craig Lang is accused of arranging the deadly robbery of Serafin and Deana Lorenzo in April 2018 to finance the Venezuela trip.
U.S. Attorney Josephine W. Thomas suggested a discussion with defense attorneys to determine how they would proceed with the case in regard to the strongest mitigating factors to help determine how they intend to proceed. Thomas said there are a lot of aggravating factors, and with the facts of the case, it’s likely prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
Defense attorney D. Todd Doss said he didn’t feel prepared for such a discussion because of an inability to investigate the case, as well as the defendant’s history.
The two sides agreed to having the case continued to the December trial term with a special status conference scheduled for November.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Police: Man told to wear mask shoots at employees

NEW ORLEANS ( AP ) - Authorities in Louisiana said an enraged man shot at convenience store employees after they @ @ @ @ @ a mask .
New Orleans police said the shooting happened Sunday night at Brother ’ @ @ @ @ @ , news outlets reported .
Police said the employees asked the man to wear some @ @ @ @ @ he came into the store .
The man stormed out of the store and returned @ @ @ @ @ multiple rounds at the employees , police said .
No one was injured in the @ @ @ @ @ fled in a black Buick sedan .
Police said they were looking for the man @ @ @ @ @ information to contact detectives .

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Authorities in Louisiana said an enraged man shot at convenience store employees after they told him to put on a mask.
New Orleans police said the shooting happened Sunday night at Brother’s Mart on Bullard Avenue, news outlets reported.
Police said the employees asked the man to wear some type of face covering when he came into the store.
The man stormed out of the store and returned with a gun, firing multiple rounds at the employees, police said. No one was injured in the incident.
The man later fled in a black Buick sedan.
Police said they were looking for the man and have asked anyone with information to contact detectives.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Top North Dakota GOP officials disavow anti-LGBT language

BISMARCK , N.D. ( AP ) - Top North Dakota Republican officials on Monday disavowed an anti-LGBT resolution that was passed by hundreds of the party ’ s delegates and denounced by the state ’ s GOP governor .
State Republican Chairman Rick Berg said the party ’ s executive committee voted to disavow the resolution ’ s “ harmful and divisive language.
” “ North Dakota Republicans welcome all those who support less government and greater freedom .
As leaders of the State Party , we would like to offer a sincere apology for the inclusion of these unacceptable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official business , ” Berg , a former U.S. representative , said in a statement .
Republican North Dakota Gov .
Doug Burgum last week denounced the resolution .
“ There ’ s no place for the hurtful and divisive rhetoric in the NDGOP resolutions , ” Burgum said .
The resolution was part of a package of party policy statements approved by delegates 621-139 in a mail-in vote in April .
Delegates were asked to vote on over 50 resolutions as a whole .
No one resolution was considered individually .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s planned convention was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The state GOP ’ s executive director , Corby Kemmer , earlier issued a statement apologizing for the language in that resolution , which was first reported on by The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead .
The North Dakota Republican Party earlier said it would reevaluate the resolution .

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Top North Dakota Republican officials on Monday disavowed an anti-LGBT resolution that was passed by hundreds of the party’s delegates and denounced by the state’s GOP governor.
State Republican Chairman Rick Berg said the party’s executive committee voted to disavow the resolution’s “harmful and divisive language.”
“North Dakota Republicans welcome all those who support less government and greater freedom. As leaders of the State Party, we would like to offer a sincere apology for the inclusion of these unacceptable, hurtful sentiments as part of our official business,” Berg, a former U.S. representative, said in a statement.
Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum last week denounced the resolution. “There’s no place for the hurtful and divisive rhetoric in the NDGOP resolutions,” Burgum said.
The resolution was part of a package of party policy statements approved by delegates 621-139 in a mail-in vote in April. Delegates were asked to vote on over 50 resolutions as a whole. No one resolution was considered individually. The mail-in vote was organized after the party’s planned convention was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The state GOP’s executive director, Corby Kemmer, earlier issued a statement apologizing for the language in that resolution, which was first reported on by The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.
The North Dakota Republican Party earlier said it would reevaluate the resolution.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--County board candidate drops out after controversial tweet

WHEATON , Ill. ( AP ) - A candidate for the DuPage County board in northern Illinois withdrew from the race after being criticized for a tweet in which she said she laughed while watching a video of a police officer getting hit in the face by a projectile during a protest .
Democrat Hadiya Afzal narrowly won nomination in the March primary to run in DuPage County ’ s 4th District .
Afzal , 20 , announced her withdrawal from the race late Sunday , saying her post was in poor taste and didn ’ t represent the values @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve been watching this on repeat for fifteen minutes and laughing every single time , ” Afzal wrote in her tweet .
It wasn ’ t clear which video of protests the DePaul University graduate was watching .
Afzal , who says she is Muslim and wears a hijab , said she was targeted by a “ harassment campaign ” after Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz posted on Twitter that her comment was “ hateful and sick.
” “ My post was in poor taste and doesn ’ t reflect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dear .
I do not support or condone violence in any form .
I appreciate and support the role that law enforcement plays in keeping our communities safe , ” Afzal said in a statement release on Twitter .
“ I sincerely apologize for the irresponsible tweet.
” Afzal told the Chicago Tribune on Monday she dropped out of the race on the recommendation of the local Democratic Party .
She said she did not want to be a distraction in the fall election .
Democratic Party of DuPage Chairwoman Cynthia Borbas said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet and the reaction to it , which she said were Islamaphobic and unacceptable .
Democratic committee members will vote in mid-August on a replacement for Afzal on the ballot , Borbas said .

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) - A candidate for the DuPage County board in northern Illinois withdrew from the race after being criticized for a tweet in which she said she laughed while watching a video of a police officer getting hit in the face by a projectile during a protest.
Democrat Hadiya Afzal narrowly won nomination in the March primary to run in DuPage County’s 4th District. Afzal, 20, announced her withdrawal from the race late Sunday, saying her post was in poor taste and didn’t represent the values with which she was raised.
“I’ve been watching this on repeat for fifteen minutes and laughing every single time,” Afzal wrote in her tweet. It wasn’t clear which video of protests the DePaul University graduate was watching.
Afzal, who says she is Muslim and wears a hijab, said she was targeted by a “harassment campaign” after Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz posted on Twitter that her comment was “hateful and sick.”
“My post was in poor taste and doesn’t reflect the values I was raised with and hold dear. I do not support or condone violence in any form. I appreciate and support the role that law enforcement plays in keeping our communities safe,” Afzal said in a statement release on Twitter. “I sincerely apologize for the irresponsible tweet.”
Afzal told the Chicago Tribune on Monday she dropped out of the race on the recommendation of the local Democratic Party. She said she did not want to be a distraction in the fall election.
Democratic Party of DuPage Chairwoman Cynthia Borbas said the party condemns the Afzal’s tweet and the reaction to it, which she said were Islamaphobic and unacceptable.
Democratic committee members will vote in mid-August on a replacement for Afzal on the ballot, Borbas said.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Non-retro: Rangers new home next-gen park with classic touch

ARLINGTON , Texas ( AP ) - There is a series of high brick arches along an outfield concourse reminiscent of their old stadium and asymmetrical outfield walls in the new home of the Texas Rangers .
Still , Globe Life Field is no retro ballpark .
When fans are finally able to go there for games , they just have to look above , and look around , to see that - after walking through the big shaded porch-like entrances to get inside .
Those 223 transparent panels in the retractable roof and the walls of windows allow in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seating levels , both in the lower and upper decks , offer full views of the field from wide concourses .
“ Our stated goal from the very beginning was to do the first next-generation ballpark , ” said Bryan Trubey , the executive vice president for HKS who oversees the sports practice for the Dallas-headquartered architecture company that designed the $ 1.2 billion facility .
“ We did not want to do a retro ballpark .
That ’ s been done , with some incremental changes over time.
” Old ballparks don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over right field , like the one in Globe Life Park that is about 40 feet inside the field of play and surely a potential target for a long Joey Gallo home run , though his first one didn ’ t hit it .
“ It ’ s a very beautiful ballpark , ” Gallo said before becoming the first player to homer in the new place when he pulled a deep drive down the right-field line .
“ I assumed it would be a pitcher ’ s park .
… You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to play really , really deep.
” Then there are those field-level luxury suites and clubs , behind home plate and then extending down both lines past the dugouts .
Those suites are similar to the field-level seating at neighboring HKS-designed AT & T ; Stadium , a new concept when the home of the NFL ’ s Dallas Cowboys opened in 2009 .
That stadium has its own huge videoboard hovering over a 60-yard stretch of the field .
“ The goal here was to do something that really defined , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NFL ( stadiums ) , and so a big part of that is the fan-facing environment , ” said Trubey , who was once told by a colleague that the Cowboys field suites were never going to work .
HKS also designed Miller Park in Milwaukee , and was the architect for the NFL home stadiums of the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings , and the soon-to-open new Los Angeles stadium where the Rams and Chargers will play .
When the Vikings stadium opened in 2016 , the roof of the colossal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be covered solely by transparent material known as ETFE , the same that is incorporated into the largest single-panel retractable roof in the world that is above the Rangers ’ field .
The new stadium in Los Angeles will have open sides and a fixed ETFE roof .
At Globe Life Park , the roof provides relief from the Texas heat , such as when the Rangers finally opened their pandemic-delayed season with their first game last Friday night , nearly four months after they had expected to play their inaugural season opener @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at first pitch , but a pleasant 72 in the ballpark .
While having a roof was a big reason for the Rangers to move across the street after 26 seasons , Trubey said the goal wasn ’ t for the new ballpark to just be about the roof , but rather the architecture and transparency of the building .
Limestone , brick and steel were prominently used in the construction , with those materials coming from Texas and providing a true feeling of the Lone Star State , along with those entries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from outside to inside , even when the roof is closed .
“ Intentionally designed to look like this ballpark could only be in Texas , ” Trubey said .
When fans walk in , they will be able to see all the way into the field and all the way across to the other corner of the ballpark - about a quarter-mile away .
There is a feeling of openness even when the roof is closed and all of the seats , about 40,300 of them , are closer in relation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Transparency , that ’ s the one gift you get inherently with the old ballparks , ” Trubey said .
“ As much as we did not want to be a retro ballpark , there were things we wanted to emulate from the original old ballparks .
They were very open.
” There is also a porch high above left field , an area with oversized rocking chairs that has a spectacular view of the field - and the entire ballpark .
While no fans have been able to watch a game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A day after winning the season opener , Lance Lynn was joined by fellow starters Corey Kluber , Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles as they enjoyed a couple of innings from that perch .

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - There is a series of high brick arches along an outfield concourse reminiscent of their old stadium and asymmetrical outfield walls in the new home of the Texas Rangers. Still, Globe Life Field is no retro ballpark.
When fans are finally able to go there for games, they just have to look above, and look around, to see that - after walking through the big shaded porch-like entrances to get inside.
Those 223 transparent panels in the retractable roof and the walls of windows allow in plenty of natural light. The split seating levels, both in the lower and upper decks, offer full views of the field from wide concourses.
“Our stated goal from the very beginning was to do the first next-generation ballpark,” said Bryan Trubey, the executive vice president for HKS who oversees the sports practice for the Dallas-headquartered architecture company that designed the $1.2 billion facility. “We did not want to do a retro ballpark. That’s been done, with some incremental changes over time.”
Old ballparks don’t have massive videoboards towering high over right field, like the one in Globe Life Field that is about 40 feet inside the field of play and surely a potential target for a long Joey Gallo home run, though his first one didn’t hit it.
“It’s a very beautiful ballpark,” Gallo said before becoming the first player to homer in the new place when he pulled a deep drive down the right-field line. “I assumed it would be a pitcher’s park. … You can tell center field and the gaps are going to play really, really deep.”
Then there are those field-level luxury suites and clubs, behind home plate and then extending down both lines past the dugouts.
Those suites are similar to the field-level seating at neighboring HKS-designed AT&T Stadium, a new concept when the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys opened in 2009. That stadium has its own huge videoboard hovering over a 60-yard stretch of the field.
“The goal here was to do something that really defined, like AT&T did for the NFL (stadiums), and so a big part of that is the fan-facing environment,” said Trubey, who was once told by a colleague that the Cowboys field suites were never going to work.
HKS also designed Miller Park in Milwaukee, and was the architect for the NFL home stadiums of the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings, and the soon-to-open new Los Angeles stadium where the Rams and Chargers will play.
When the Vikings stadium opened in 2016, the roof of the colossal venue was the first by HKS to be covered solely by transparent material known as ETFE, the same that is incorporated into the largest single-panel retractable roof in the world that is above the Rangers’ field. The new stadium in Los Angeles will have open sides and a fixed ETFE roof.
At Globe Life Field, the roof provides relief from the Texas heat, such as when the Rangers finally opened their pandemic-delayed season with their first game last Friday night, nearly four months after they had expected to play their inaugural season opener there. It was 94 degrees outside at first pitch, but a pleasant 72 in the ballpark.
While having a roof was a big reason for the Rangers to move across the street after 26 seasons, Trubey said the goal wasn’t for the new ballpark to just be about the roof, but rather the architecture and transparency of the building.
Limestone, brick and steel were prominently used in the construction, with those materials coming from Texas and providing a true feeling of the Lone Star State, along with those entries resembling large-scale porches and a smooth transition from outside to inside, even when the roof is closed.
“Intentionally designed to look like this ballpark could only be in Texas,” Trubey said.
When fans walk in, they will be able to see all the way into the field and all the way across to the other corner of the ballpark - about a quarter-mile away. There is a feeling of openness even when the roof is closed and all of the seats, about 40,300 of them, are closer in relation to the field than the old stadium.
“Transparency, that’s the one gift you get inherently with the old ballparks,” Trubey said. “As much as we did not want to be a retro ballpark, there were things we wanted to emulate from the original old ballparks. They were very open.”
There is also a porch high above left field, an area with oversized rocking chairs that has a spectacular view of the field - and the entire ballpark.
While no fans have been able to watch a game from there, some players have. A day after winning the season opener, Lance Lynn was joined by fellow starters Corey Kluber, Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles as they enjoyed a couple of innings from that perch.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Support in House for $32B more for airlines but fate unclear

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - A majority of the U.S. House of Representatives has endorsed a provision calling for $ 32 billion to protect aviation workers from layoffs though next March , as airlines fight to survive a huge downturn in travel caused by the virus pandemic .
House backers of the aid provision released a letter Monday in which 195 Democrats and 28 Republicans endorsed further payroll aid to the airline industry .
“ Without further relief from Congress , mass layoffs among airline industry workers are inevitable -and their magnitude will eclipse those of any furloughs the industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio and other lawmakers wrote in the letter to House and Senate leaders .
The fate of the proposal is unclear , however .
Republicans who hold the majority in the Senate released a new coronavirus-relief measure that did not include the airline provision .
Thirteen airline unions endorsed the House letter .
They have been lobbying Congress for the additional payroll aid , warning of massive job cuts in October , when money approved this spring runs out .
Airlines that took the money agreed not to furlough workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sara Nelson , president of the Association of Flight Attendants , said the unions ’ effort got a boost this month when United Airlines sent furlough notices to 36,000 employees and American Airlines notified 25,000 workers .
“ This is getting people ’ s attention , and that will lead to action , ” Nelson said .
In late March , with U.S. air travel down more than 90 % , Congress provided $ 32 billion to help aviation companies cover their payrolls for six months .
Passenger airlines got the lion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The money - along with up to $ 29 billion more for loans to passenger and cargo airlines - was designed to help the industry until travel returned closer to normal levels .
But air travel remains down more than 70 % from a year ago .
The nation ’ s four biggest airlines lost a combined $ 10 billion from April through June .

WASHINGTON (AP) - A majority of the U.S. House of Representatives has endorsed a provision calling for $32 billion to protect aviation workers from layoffs though next March, as airlines fight to survive a huge downturn in travel caused by the virus pandemic.
House backers of the aid provision released a letter Monday in which 195 Democrats and 28 Republicans endorsed further payroll aid to the airline industry.
“Without further relief from Congress, mass layoffs among airline industry workers are inevitable -and their magnitude will eclipse those of any furloughs the industry has ever seen,” House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio and other lawmakers wrote in the letter to House and Senate leaders.
The fate of the proposal is unclear, however. Republicans who hold the majority in the Senate released a new coronavirus-relief measure that did not include the airline provision.
Thirteen airline unions endorsed the House letter. They have been lobbying Congress for the additional payroll aid, warning of massive job cuts in October, when money approved this spring runs out. Airlines that took the money agreed not to furlough workers or cut their pay rates or benefits.
Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said the unions’ effort got a boost this month when United Airlines sent furlough notices to 36,000 employees and American Airlines notified 25,000 workers.
“This is getting people’s attention, and that will lead to action,” Nelson said.
In late March, with U.S. air travel down more than 90%, Congress provided $32 billion to help aviation companies cover their payrolls for six months. Passenger airlines got the lion’s share, $25 billion. The money - along with up to $29 billion more for loans to passenger and cargo airlines - was designed to help the industry until travel returned closer to normal levels.
But air travel remains down more than 70% from a year ago. The nation’s four biggest airlines lost a combined $10 billion from April through June.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--71% of churches meeting for in-person worship, study finds

For most U.S. congregations , in-person worship has returned to mid-March levels despite a nationwide rise in coronavirus cases , a new report says .
A study from LifeWay Research , a publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention , found 71 % of churches led by mainline Protestant or evangelical ministers met for in-person worship as recently as July 19 .
On March 15 , 95 % of U.S. churches were meeting in-person as the coronavirus seeped its way into the Pacific Northwest and New York City .
It ’ s a striking rise since the middle of April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were meeting for in-person services .
Still , the numbers , published Friday , come as coronavirus surges across the country : On Monday , the pastor of a north Alabama Baptist church said more than 40 congregants , including himself , tested positive for COVID-19 after holding in-person services over several days last week .
LifeWay ’ s study , which counts pastors not congregants , inflates the influence of smaller churches and should be read as a snapshot , said John Dyer , a dean at Dallas Theological Seminary .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , ” Mr. Dyer said Monday .
“ Many of the largest churches of 1,000+ are not meeting.
” Nevertheless , church attendance as a whole has rallied back this summer , as governors lifted bans on gatherings and other measures throughout May and June .
The majority of churches leading the way appear to be in the South , Midwest and West , says LifeWay .
“ Resuming in-person worship services has not been reverting to worship as usual , ” said Scott McConnell , executive director of LifeWay Research .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the environment safe , but these efforts are often second-guessed by those who either want more precautions or less restrictions.
” LifeWay ’ s results , culled from over 440 interviews with pastors , also underscore the tether between charitable offerings and in-person attendance .
The largest drops in giving were seen by pastors in the Northeast , where in-person attendance is lowest .
“ Our attendance has dipped a little over time from what it normally would be , but summer attendance is always lower anyway , ” the Rev .
Guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church in Hanover , New Hampshire , said in an email Monday .
“ There is definitely Zoom fatigue , and Zoom has been much harder on young children.
” Still , only 34 % of churches surveyed say offerings in 2020 are below 2019 numbers .
However , for a small number of churches ( 13 % ) the drop in giving has been over 50 % .
While only 35 % of the churches surveyed are requiring mask use , 99 % of churches overall took at least one or more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parishioners out or conducting temperature checks .
The study shows the pandemic also has impacted congregation ’ s members , with roughly half ( 48 % ) of pastors reporting a member lost a job .
Yet 83 % of pastors also reported a new member joining the church or attending service — either virtual or in-person — during the pandemic .
More pastors of mainline congregations , such as Lutherans or Methodists , show hesitancy ( 57 % ) in rejoining for in-person worship than pastors who lead evangelical churches ( 82 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion attributes the divide to a high opinion of “ hyperpartisan ” politics arising from “ Christian nationalism ” — the belief that Christian values are essential to American identity .
Christian nationalism “ is positively associated with Americans ’ frequency of engaging in incautious behaviors , ” such as not washing hands , refusing to wear a mask or attending public gatherings , say sociologists Samuel L. Perry and Andrew L. Whitehead and psychologist Joshua B. Grubbs .

For most U.S. congregations, in-person worship has returned to mid-March levels despite a nationwide rise in coronavirus cases, a new report says.
A study from LifeWay Research, a publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, found 71% of churches led by mainline Protestant or evangelical ministers met for in-person worship as recently as July 19.
On March 15, 95% of U.S. churches were meeting in-person as the coronavirus seeped its way into the Pacific Northwest and New York City.
It’s a striking rise since the middle of April, when only 4% of churches were meeting for in-person services.
Still, the numbers, published Friday, come as coronavirus surges across the country: On Monday, the pastor of a north Alabama Baptist church said more than 40 congregants, including himself, tested positive for COVID-19 after holding in-person services over several days last week.
LifeWay’s study, which counts pastors not congregants, inflates the influence of smaller churches and should be read as a snapshot, said John Dyer, a dean at Dallas Theological Seminary.
“After opening, many churches are closing again,” Mr. Dyer said Monday. “Many of the largest churches of 1,000+ are not meeting.”
Nevertheless, church attendance as a whole has rallied back this summer, as governors lifted bans on gatherings and other measures throughout May and June. The majority of churches leading the way appear to be in the South, Midwest and West, says LifeWay.
“Resuming in-person worship services has not been reverting to worship as usual,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “Churches are making efforts to make the environment safe, but these efforts are often second-guessed by those who either want more precautions or less restrictions.”
LifeWay’s results, culled from over 440 interviews with pastors, also underscore the tether between charitable offerings and in-person attendance. The largest drops in giving were seen by pastors in the Northeast, where in-person attendance is lowest.
“Our attendance has dipped a little over time from what it normally would be, but summer attendance is always lower anyway,” the Rev. Guy J.D. Collins at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Hanover, New Hampshire, said in an email Monday. “There is definitely Zoom fatigue, and Zoom has been much harder on young children.”
Still, only 34% of churches surveyed say offerings in 2020 are below 2019 numbers. However, for a small number of churches (13%) the drop in giving has been over 50%.
While only 35% of the churches surveyed are requiring mask use, 99% of churches overall took at least one or more precaution, including adding services to spread parishioners out or conducting temperature checks.
The study shows the pandemic also has impacted congregation’s members, with roughly half (48%) of pastors reporting a member lost a job. Yet 83% of pastors also reported a new member joining the church or attending service — either virtual or in-person — during the pandemic.
More pastors of mainline congregations, such as Lutherans or Methodists, show hesitancy (57%) in rejoining for in-person worship than pastors who lead evangelical churches (82%).
An article published Monday in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion attributes the divide to a high opinion of “hyperpartisan” politics arising from “Christian nationalism” — the belief that Christian values are essential to American identity.
Christian nationalism “is positively associated with Americans’ frequency of engaging in incautious behaviors,” such as not washing hands, refusing to wear a mask or attending public gatherings, say sociologists Samuel L. Perry and Andrew L. Whitehead and psychologist Joshua B. Grubbs.
• Christopher Vondracek can be reached at cvondracek@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Trooper resigns after being accused of falsifying report

CONCORD , N.H. ( AP ) - A state trooper in New Hampshire has resigned after he was accused of @ @ @ @ @ New Hampshire ’ s attorney general ’ s office announced Monday .
James Callahan was @ @ @ @ @ on a form following an incident in Madison , New Hampshire , earlier this year @ @ @ @ @ the investigation , the attorney general ’ s office found Callahan had also falsified information @ @ @ @ @ Specifically , he allegedly made false statements about where a K-9 drug-detection search had occurred @ @ @ @ @ .
Authorities said they had probable cause to charge Callahan with two counts of unsworn @ @ @ @ @ inconsistencies in the witness statements and reports , the attorney general ’ s office said @ @ @ @ @ ’ s resignation effective July 14 .
Callahan is also required to forfeit his certification @ @ @ @ @ New Hampshire .
He also agreed not to seek recertification in the future .
A @ @ @ @ @ not be found and it was unclear if he has a lawyer .

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A state trooper in New Hampshire has resigned after he was accused of twice falsifying records, the New Hampshire’s attorney general’s office announced Monday.
James Callahan was first accused of falsifying information on a form following an incident in Madison, New Hampshire, earlier this year. During the course of the investigation, the attorney general’s office found Callahan had also falsified information on his official report. Specifically, he allegedly made false statements about where a K-9 drug-detection search had occurred during the incident in Madison.
Authorities said they had probable cause to charge Callahan with two counts of unsworn falsification. But due to inconsistencies in the witness statements and reports, the attorney general’s office said it chose to accept Callahan’s resignation effective July 14. Callahan is also required to forfeit his certification as a police officer in New Hampshire. He also agreed not to seek recertification in the future.
A phone number for Callahan could not be found and it was unclear if he has a lawyer.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Suspect convicted of shooting Sacramento deputy who survived

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - A Sacramento County jury found a man guilty of shooting a transit deputy @ @ @ @ @ himself in a hotel for more than three hours , prosecutors said Monday .
Nicory @ @ @ @ @ with sheriff ’ s Deputy Alex Ladwig at a light rail station in June 2017 @ @ @ @ @ sentence of life in prison at his sentencing next month after jurors convicted him of @ @ @ @ @ police officer and assault with a semi-automatic firearm on a police officer .
Prosecutors said @ @ @ @ @ deputy , then lunged at Ladwig and tried to punch him when the deputy began @ @ @ @ @ not having a valid ticket .
Spann grabbed the deputy ’ s gun and shot @ @ @ @ @ missing with a second shot .
He ran into a nearby hotel and was arrested @ @ @ @ @ standoff .
The deputy was able to call for help and was released from the @ @ @ @ @ including time in intensive care .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A Sacramento County jury found a man guilty of shooting a transit deputy in the face before barricading himself in a hotel for more than three hours, prosecutors said Monday.
Nicory Spann got in a fight with sheriff’s Deputy Alex Ladwig at a light rail station in June 2017.
He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison at his sentencing next month after jurors convicted him of the attempted murder of a police officer and assault with a semi-automatic firearm on a police officer.
Prosecutors said he yelled profanities at the deputy, then lunged at Ladwig and tried to punch him when the deputy began writing him a citation for not having a valid ticket.
Spann grabbed the deputy’s gun and shot him in the jaw before missing with a second shot. He ran into a nearby hotel and was arrested after a 3 1/2 hour standoff.
The deputy was able to call for help and was released from the hospital after 11 days, including time in intensive care.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Vegas police to pay record $2.2M to end custody death case

LAS VEGAS ( AP ) - Police in Las Vegas on Monday finalized a record $ 2.2 million settlement for the family of a man who died after being chased , punched , hit with stun gun jolts and put in a neck restraint by a police officer outside a Las Vegas casino in 2017 .
A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department statement said officials hoped the payment to settle the excessive force and negligence lawsuit would bring “ closure ” to the children of 40-year-old Tashii Farmer Brown .
“ While there are still other legal matters pending , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this case , ” the department said .
Boris Treyzon , an attorney representing the family , did not immediately respond to messages .
The settlement of the case filed in federal court was outlined July 17 pending approval by the police Fiscal Affairs Committee , and officials acknowledged it was the largest in department history .
Kenneth Lopera , the officer who used the unapproved chokehold on Brown , was fired after the department said he violated use-of-force policies .
Lopera became the first Las Vegas police officer since 1990 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where police shootings and uses of force drew reform recommendations in 2012 from the U.S. Justice Department .
Charges against Lopera , including oppression under color of office , came after the Clark County coroner ruled that Brown was asphyxiated as a result of the police neck restraint .
Medical examiners noted also that Brown had an enlarged heart and methamphetamine in his system when he died .
In 2018 , criminal charges against Lopera were dropped after police union legal representatives presented evidence to a criminal grand jury that Brown ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and drug use .
The grand jury refused to indict .
A separate lawsuit filed by Brown ’ s mother , Trinita Farmer , is pending in federal court .

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Police in Las Vegas on Monday finalized a record $2.2 million settlement for the family of a man who died after being chased, punched, hit with stun gun jolts and put in a neck restraint by a police officer outside a Las Vegas casino in 2017.
A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department statement said officials hoped the payment to settle the excessive force and negligence lawsuit would bring “closure” to the children of 40-year-old Tashii Farmer Brown.
“While there are still other legal matters pending, this is an important step toward justice in this case,” the department said.
Boris Treyzon, an attorney representing the family, did not immediately respond to messages.
The settlement of the case filed in federal court was outlined July 17 pending approval by the police Fiscal Affairs Committee, and officials acknowledged it was the largest in department history.
Kenneth Lopera, the officer who used the unapproved chokehold on Brown, was fired after the department said he violated use-of-force policies.
Lopera became the first Las Vegas police officer since 1990 to face a manslaughter charge in the city where police shootings and uses of force drew reform recommendations in 2012 from the U.S. Justice Department.
Charges against Lopera, including oppression under color of office, came after the Clark County coroner ruled that Brown was asphyxiated as a result of the police neck restraint. Medical examiners noted also that Brown had an enlarged heart and methamphetamine in his system when he died.
In 2018, criminal charges against Lopera were dropped after police union legal representatives presented evidence to a criminal grand jury that Brown’s death was due to his heart ailment and drug use. The grand jury refused to indict.
A separate lawsuit filed by Brown’s mother, Trinita Farmer, is pending in federal court.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Protesters sue Trump administration over Portland tactics

SEATTLE ( AP ) - Days after a legal effort by the state of Oregon failed , protesters sued the Trump administration Monday to rein in what they describe as an out-of-control response by federal agents to demonstrations in Portland .
The nonprofit Protect Democracy filed the lawsuit in federal court in Washington , D.C. , on behalf of several individual protesters as well as the anti-racist organization Don ’ t Shoot Portland and Wall of Moms , a group of mothers who have sought to insert themselves between protesters and police despite being blasted with tear gas .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal officials to protect federal property , the heavily militarized agents who have responded in Portland have gone far beyond simply protecting property .
Instead , it said , they have repeatedly fired tear gas , rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades at the crowds in an effort to quell the protests in violation of the Constitution .
“ The intent of the administration ’ s deployment of federal agents in Portland appears to be to stifle speech the president doesn ’ t like , ” Protect Democracy lawyer Deana El-Mallawany said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important to check this unlawful administration policy now , before it is allowed to spread to other cities across the U.S. ” The complaint accuses President Donald Trump of trying to create a federal domestic police force .
Trump has announced he will also send federal agents to Chicago and Albuquerque , New Mexico , to fight rising crime , despite objections from leaders there .
Portland has had nightly protests for two months since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
Trump said he sent federal agents to Portland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and local officials said their presence has inflamed tensions and they have asked them to leave .
A small segment of the demonstrators have shot large fireworks or thrown other projectiles over a fence protecting the federal courthouse .
Several agents were injured over the weekend , including one who suffered burns , authorities said .
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the lawsuit .
“ These are attacks on federal officers protecting fed property , ” acting Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you otherwise is willfully ignoring the facts or lying.
” The state attorney general had sued the federal government in an effort to restrict the federal response , saying some people had been whisked off the streets in unmarked vehicles without probable cause .
U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman ruled Friday the state lacked standing to sue on behalf of protesters .
Lawsuits have also been filed on behalf of journalists and legal observers and on behalf of medics who have treated injured protesters .
U.S. District Judge Michael Simon has ordered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or legal observers at the protests .
The federal government is due to respond Tuesday to the lawsuit on behalf of the medics .
Federal judges in Portland , Denver and Seattle have previously restricted the use of tear gas and other less-lethal munitions on protesters by local police .
Protect Democracy ’ s lawsuit argues that the administration ’ s response violates the free speech and assembly rights of the protesters , as well as the rights to due process and to be free from unreasonable search and seizure .
It argues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have driven the demonstrators several blocks from the courthouse or made arrests far from it , the notion that they are simply protecting federal property is a pretext .
“ Thousands of protesters in Portland are engaged in peaceful , creative efforts to defend Black lives and dismantle white supremacy and state violence , ” Teressa Raiford , the founder of Don ’ t Shoot Portland , said in a news release .
“ Portland police have long engaged in aggressive tactics and violence against protesters , and adding federal agents to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation .
”

SEATTLE (AP) - Days after a legal effort by the state of Oregon failed, protesters sued the Trump administration Monday to rein in what they describe as an out-of-control response by federal agents to demonstrations in Portland.
The nonprofit Protect Democracy filed the lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C., on behalf of several individual protesters as well as the anti-racist organization Don’t Shoot Portland and Wall of Moms, a group of mothers who have sought to insert themselves between protesters and police despite being blasted with tear gas.
The complaint argues that while federal law allows federal officials to protect federal property, the heavily militarized agents who have responded in Portland have gone far beyond simply protecting property. Instead, it said, they have repeatedly fired tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades at the crowds in an effort to quell the protests in violation of the Constitution.
“The intent of the administration’s deployment of federal agents in Portland appears to be to stifle speech the president doesn’t like,” Protect Democracy lawyer Deana El-Mallawany said in a news release. “It’s important to check this unlawful administration policy now, before it is allowed to spread to other cities across the U.S.”
The complaint accuses President Donald Trump of trying to create a federal domestic police force. Trump has announced he will also send federal agents to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to fight rising crime, despite objections from leaders there.
Portland has had nightly protests for two months since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Trump said he sent federal agents to Portland to halt the unrest, but state and local officials said their presence has inflamed tensions and they have asked them to leave.
A small segment of the demonstrators have shot large fireworks or thrown other projectiles over a fence protecting the federal courthouse. Several agents were injured over the weekend, including one who suffered burns, authorities said.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the lawsuit.
“These are attacks on federal officers protecting fed property,” acting Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli tweeted Monday. “Anyone who tells you otherwise is willfully ignoring the facts or lying.”
The state attorney general had sued the federal government in an effort to restrict the federal response, saying some people had been whisked off the streets in unmarked vehicles without probable cause. U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman ruled Friday the state lacked standing to sue on behalf of protesters.
Lawsuits have also been filed on behalf of journalists and legal observers and on behalf of medics who have treated injured protesters. U.S. District Judge Michael Simon has ordered the agents not to target or disperse journalists or legal observers at the protests. The federal government is due to respond Tuesday to the lawsuit on behalf of the medics.
Federal judges in Portland, Denver and Seattle have previously restricted the use of tear gas and other less-lethal munitions on protesters by local police.
Protect Democracy’s lawsuit argues that the administration’s response violates the free speech and assembly rights of the protesters, as well as the rights to due process and to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. It argues that because the federal agents at times have driven the demonstrators several blocks from the courthouse or made arrests far from it, the notion that they are simply protecting federal property is a pretext.
“Thousands of protesters in Portland are engaged in peaceful, creative efforts to defend Black lives and dismantle white supremacy and state violence,” Teressa Raiford, the founder of Don’t Shoot Portland, said in a news release. “Portland police have long engaged in aggressive tactics and violence against protesters, and adding federal agents to the mix has done nothing to improve the situation.”


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--Man says he tipped over Lee monument to prevent civil strife

ROANOKE , Va. ( AP ) - A 70-year-old man says he tipped over a Robert E. Lee monument in @ @ @ @ @ effort to prevent civil strife .
William Clay Foreman told The Roanoke Times on Monday @ @ @ @ @ intensify around the monument and that the monument ’ s defenders and detractors would clash @ @ @ @ @ week with one count of felony property damage .
He was released by police and @ @ @ @ @ The monument to the Confederate general is a stone spire in a park .
The @ @ @ @ @ for removal after the Roanoke City Council voted to start the process to take it @ @ @ @ @ a public hearing and was expected to take at least two months .
At his @ @ @ @ @ , Foreman said he couldn ’ t afford an attorney .
But his income of @ @ @ @ @ was too high for a court-appointed lawyer .
A judge said he could represent himself @ @ @ @ @ finding an attorney .

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - A 70-year-old man says he tipped over a Robert E. Lee monument in Roanoke, Virginia, in effort to prevent civil strife.
William Clay Foreman told The Roanoke Times on Monday that he feared emotions would intensify around the monument and that the monument’s defenders and detractors would clash.
Foreman was charged last week with one count of felony property damage. He was released by police and his case is pending.
The monument to the Confederate general is a stone spire in a park. The Lee monument was already set for removal after the Roanoke City Council voted to start the process to take it down. That process includes a public hearing and was expected to take at least two months.
At his arraignment in court on Monday, Foreman said he couldn’t afford an attorney. But his income of veteran benefits and Social Security was too high for a court-appointed lawyer. A judge said he could represent himself but advised Foreman to consider finding an attorney.


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--2 men who died while swimming in Rock County pond identified

AFTON , Wis. ( AP ) - Authorities have identified two men who died while swimming in a pond in @ @ @ @ @ .
The Rock County Medical Examiner ’ s Office says 22-year-old Kornnell Tucker and 23-year-old @ @ @ @ @ Beloit , were in a subdivision pond near Afton when they went under Saturday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ men from the pond and tried to resuscitate them , but they were pronounced dead @ @ @ @ @ of autopsies done at the Dane County Medical Examiner ’ s Office are pending .
@ @ @ @ @ of foul play associated with the deaths , officials said .

AFTON, Wis. (AP) - Authorities have identified two men who died while swimming in a pond in Rock County over the weekend.
The Rock County Medical Examiner’s Office says 22-year-old Kornnell Tucker and 23-year-old Dillon Geise, both of Beloit, were in a subdivision pond near Afton when they went under Saturday afternoon.
Rescuers pulled the two men from the pond and tried to resuscitate them, but they were pronounced dead at a hospital.
Results of autopsies done at the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office are pending. There’s no sign of foul play associated with the deaths, officials said.


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--Lake City police officer shot while making well-being check

LAKE CITY , Fla. ( AP ) - A Florida police officer was shot early Tuesday while making a “ well being ” check at a home that had been struck by bullets , police said .
The Lake City Police Department said in a news release that officers were sent to a neighborhood shortly after 1 a.m. to investigate reports of gunfire .
They saw visible bullet holes on the exterior of a home and went onto the porch and knocked on the door , fearing that someone may have been shot .
They identified themselves at police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired through the door from inside the home , and one officer was struck , the release said .
The officers withdrew from the porch and the injured officer was taken to a hospital in Lake City , and then transferred to another nearby hospital for additional medical treatment , police said .
Officers remaining at the scene continued to make contact with someone in the home , the release said .
The resident refused to leave the home , and police then evacuated residents of nearby homes , and the entire area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Columbia County Sheriff ’ s Office came to the scene , along with a hostage negotiation team .
They eventually made contact with Antonio Jennings , who investigators identified as the shooter , the release said .
Family members assisted officers in convincing Jennings to leave the home .
After about an hour of negotiations , Jennings was taken into custody , the release said .
Jennings was charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon .
Additional charges may be added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jennings is being held without bond .
It is not yet known whether an attorney is representing him .

LAKE CITY, Fla. (AP) - A Florida police officer was shot early Tuesday while making a “well-being” check at a home that had been struck by bullets, police said.
The Lake City Police Department said in a news release that officers were sent to a neighborhood shortly after 1 a.m. to investigate reports of gunfire. They saw visible bullet holes on the exterior of a home and went onto the porch and knocked on the door, fearing that someone may have been shot. They identified themselves at police officers, the release said.
Shots were fired through the door from inside the home, and one officer was struck, the release said.
The officers withdrew from the porch and the injured officer was taken to a hospital in Lake City, and then transferred to another nearby hospital for additional medical treatment, police said.
Officers remaining at the scene continued to make contact with someone in the home, the release said. The resident refused to leave the home, and police then evacuated residents of nearby homes, and the entire area was secured.
A SWAT team from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office came to the scene, along with a hostage negotiation team.
They eventually made contact with Antonio Jennings, who investigators identified as the shooter, the release said. Family members assisted officers in convincing Jennings to leave the home. After about an hour of negotiations, Jennings was taken into custody, the release said.
Jennings was charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Additional charges may be added as the investigation continues, police said.
Jennings is being held without bond. It is not yet known whether an attorney is representing him.
Lake City is in north Florida.


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--Drivers hold onto cars in pandemic; average age hits record

Drivers are holding on to cars and trucks longer during the coronavirus pandemic .
The average age of a vehicle on U.S. roads rose by a month this year to a record 11.9 years .
The IHS Markit consulting firm says the pandemic has caused consumers to put the brakes on spending and hold onto their current vehicles for a longer period .
As a result , fewer new vehicles are coming onto the roads , pushing up the average age .
IHS said Tuesday that it expects the shift will create opportunities for repair shops and parts sellers because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ anticipates significant upward pressure on average age in 2020 and subsequent years as consumers work toward a new normal both economically and in how they use personal vehicles in a post-COVID-19 era , ” said Todd Campau , IHS associate director of aftermarket solutions .
Before the pandemic , U.S. new vehicle sales were expected to be a little under 17 million in 2020 , short of the record 17.55 million in 2016 , but still at a healthy level .
Now most analysts are expecting sales to be around 14 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle age has been inching toward 12 years for several years now , and the pandemic is likely to raise it by four to six months in the coming years , IHS said .
IHS says that new vehicle sales were trending down even before the pandemic .
New vehicles accounted for 6.1 % of the vehicles in use last year , compared with 6.7 % in 2016 .
This year , IHS Markit expects the percentage to fall to 5 % or less .
“ Declining new vehicle share in the overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average age growth , ” the company said in a statement .
There are about 280 million vehicles registered in the U.S. , up 1 % from 2019 .

Drivers are holding on to cars and trucks longer during the coronavirus pandemic.
The average age of a vehicle on U.S. roads rose by a month this year to a record 11.9 years.
The IHS Markit consulting firm says the pandemic has caused consumers to put the brakes on spending and hold onto their current vehicles for a longer period. As a result, fewer new vehicles are coming onto the roads, pushing up the average age.
IHS said Tuesday that it expects the shift will create opportunities for repair shops and parts sellers because older vehicles need more service. It “anticipates significant upward pressure on average age in 2020 and subsequent years as consumers work toward a new normal both economically and in how they use personal vehicles in a post-COVID-19 era,” said Todd Campau, IHS associate director of aftermarket solutions.
Before the pandemic, U.S. new vehicle sales were expected to be a little under 17 million in 2020, short of the record 17.55 million in 2016, but still at a healthy level. Now most analysts are expecting sales to be around 14 million for the full year.
The average vehicle age has been inching toward 12 years for several years now, and the pandemic is likely to raise it by four to six months in the coming years, IHS said. A decade ago, the average age was 10.6 years.
IHS says that new vehicle sales were trending down even before the pandemic. New vehicles accounted for 6.1% of the vehicles in use last year, compared with 6.7% in 2016. This year, IHS Markit expects the percentage to fall to 5% or less. “Declining new vehicle share in the overall population means fewer younger vehicles to temper average age growth,” the company said in a statement.
There are about 280 million vehicles registered in the U.S., up 1% from 2019.


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--UN says Libyan authorities shot dead two Sudanese migrants

CAIRO ( AP ) - Libyan authorities shot dead two Sudanese migrants in a western coastal town who tried to escape after they were intercepted by the coast guard in the Mediterranean Sea and returned to shore , the United Nations migration agency said Tuesday .
The two were among over 70 Europe-bound migrants , mostly from Sudan , who were returned late Monday to the town of Khoms , said Safa Mselhi , a spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration .
Khoms is about 120 kilometers ( 75 miles ) east of Tripoli .
The shooting underscores the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty to Europe amid years-long chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi .
The IOM said local authorities started shooting when the migrants attempted to escape from the disembarkation point .
There was no immediate comment from the U.N.-supported government in the capital , Tripoli .
Several calls to a spokesman for the coast guard went unanswered .
Three other migrants were wounded and were taken to local hospitals while survivors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ This is not the first time people are subjected to this senseless violence and confirms yet again that no one should be returned to Libya , ” Mselhi said .
IOM Libya Chief of Mission Federico Soda said the shooting came “ amid a lack of action to change a system that often fails to provide any degree of protection ” in conflict-sicken Libya .
Last week , an Eritrean asylum-seeker died after arriving at the U.N. refugee center in Tripoli from a trafficking center in Bani Walid in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights agency , said .
The young Eritrean arrived at the center with another Eritrean earlier this month .
They appeared to be severely malnourished , and one died before it was possible to transport him to a hospital , the agency said .
Since June , more than 100 people have arrived in Tripoli from trafficking centers in Bani Walid .
They are often in very poor physical condition and in dire need of assistance , the agency said .
In May , the family of a slain Libyan human trafficker attacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warehouse in the desert town of Mizdah , killing at least 26 Bangladeshi and four African migrants .
Most migrants in Libya attempt to make the perilous journey to European shores in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats .
The IOM said earlier this year its estimated death toll among migrants who tried to cross the Mediterranean passed the “ grim milestone ” of 20,000 since 2014 .
In recent years , the European Union has partnered with the coast guard and other Libyan forces to stop the flow of migrants .
Rights groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centers that lack adequate food and water .
The EU agreed earlier this year to end an anti-migrant smuggler operation that inolved only surveillance aircraft and instead deploy military ships to concentrate on upholding a widely flouted U.N. arms embargo that ’ s considered key to winding down Libya ’ s relentless war .

CAIRO (AP) - Libyan authorities shot dead three Sudanese migrants in a western coastal town who tried to escape after they were intercepted by the coast guard in the Mediterranean Sea and returned to shore, the United Nations said Tuesday.
The three were among over 70 Europe-bound migrants, mostly from Sudan, who were returned late Monday to the town of Khoms, said Safa Msehli, a spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration. Khoms is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Tripoli.
The shooting underscores the perils that migrants face in Libya, which has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty to Europe amid years-long chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
The IOM said local authorities started shooting when the migrants attempted to escape from the disembarkation point.
There was no immediate comment from the U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli. Several calls to a spokesman for the coast guard went unanswered.
Two migrants died at the site of the shooting and a third died of his wounds while being transported to a hospital, according to the U.N. refugee agency, which called for an urgent investigation.
Two other migrants were wounded and were taken to local hospitals while survivors were moved to detention, the IOM said.
“This is not the first time people are subjected to this senseless violence and confirms yet again that no one should be returned to Libya,” Msehli said.
The director of the International Rescue Committee in Libya, which helped receive the migrants when they arrived on shore, called the shooting “reprehensible.”
“This violence only reinforces the dangers that migrants, refugees and asylum seekers face in Libya. More must urgently be done to ensure their safety and arbitrary detention should end,” said Tom Garofalo.
The U.N.’s refugee agency, UNHCR, said in a statement it deplored the loss of life from the shootings and called for an urgent investigation.
IOM Libya Chief of Mission Federico Soda said the shooting came “amid a lack of action to change a system that often fails to provide any degree of protection” in conflict-sicken Libya.
Last week, an Eritrean asylum-seeker died after arriving at the U.N. refugee center in Tripoli from a trafficking center in Bani Walid in the northwest, UNHCR, the U.N. human rights agency, said.
The young Eritrean arrived at the center with another Eritrean earlier this month. They appeared to be severely malnourished, and one died before it was possible to transport him to a hospital, the agency said.
Since June, more than 100 people have arrived in Tripoli from trafficking centers in Bani Walid. They are often in very poor physical condition and in dire need of assistance, the agency said.
In May, the family of a slain Libyan human trafficker attacked a group of migrants in a smuggling warehouse in the desert town of Mizdah, killing at least 26 Bangladeshi and four African migrants.
Most migrants in Libya attempt to make the perilous journey to European shores in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats. The IOM said earlier this year its estimated death toll among migrants who tried to cross the Mediterranean passed the “grim milestone” of 20,000 since 2014.
In recent years, the European Union has partnered with the coast guard and other Libyan forces to stop the flow of migrants.
Rights groups say those efforts have left migrants at the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centers that lack adequate food and water.
The EU agreed earlier this year to end an anti-migrant smuggler operation that inolved only surveillance aircraft and instead deploy military ships to concentrate on upholding a widely flouted U.N. arms embargo that’s considered key to winding down Libya’s relentless war.
___
Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed.
__


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--Man accused in Delaware shooting arrested in Virginia

NEWPORT NEWS , Va. ( AP ) - A man accused in the shooting death of a Delaware man has @ @ @ @ @ Tysheen Maxwell , 25 , was captured by the U.S .
Marshals Service in Newport @ @ @ @ @ , Dover Police said in a news release .
He is awaiting extradition back to @ @ @ @ @ first-degree murder and felony firearm possession .
Police said Maxwell shot the man , Thomas @ @ @ @ @ Delaware earlier this month .
Gilbert was found with multiple gunshot wounds by officers responding @ @ @ @ @ shooting , and was pronounced dead at the scene .
It is not immediately clear @ @ @ @ @ who could comment on his behalf .

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) - A man accused in the shooting death of a Delaware man has been arrested in Virginia.
Tysheen Maxwell, 25, was captured by the U.S. Marshals Service in Newport News, Virginia on Friday, Dover Police said in a news release. He is awaiting extradition back to Delaware to face charges for first-degree murder and felony firearm possession.
Police said Maxwell shot the man, Thomas Gilbert, in Dover, Delaware earlier this month. Gilbert was found with multiple gunshot wounds by officers responding to a call about the shooting, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
It is not immediately clear if Maxwell had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--Trump again pushes unproven drug as COVID-19 treatment

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - A week after appearing to project a more serious tone about the coronaviru s , President Donald Trump is back to pushing unproven claims that an anti-malaria drug is an effective treatment and challenging the credibility of the nation ’ s leading infectious disease expert .
Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed back Tuesday , saying he will keep doing his job .
Numerous studies , meanwhile , have shown that the drug , hydroxychloroquine , is not an effective treatment for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
And the U.S. Food and Drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the drug ’ s use as a emergency treatment for COVID-19 .
Yet overnight , after returning from a trip to North Carolina where he promoted efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine , Trump retweeted a series of tweets advocating for hydroxychloroquine .
The president also shared a post from the Twitter account for a podcast hosted by Steve Bannon , a former top White House adviser to Trump , accusing Fauci of misleading the public over hydroxychloroquine .
Fauci , a leading member of the White House coronavirus task force , pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ Good Morning America.
” “ I go along with the FDA , ” said Fauci , the longtime director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
“ The overwhelming prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it is not effective in coronavirus disease.
” It ’ s not the first time Fauci has come under attack from Trump and those close to him .
The president ’ s top trade adviser , Peter Navarro , who has clashed with Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack on the doctor that was published by USA Today .
The newspaper later said the opinion piece did not meet its standards .
In recent nationally televised interviews , Trump himself has described Fauci as “ a bit of an alarmist ” and accused him of making “ mistakes ” in his coronavirus guidance to the American people .
Asked if he can continue to do his job when Trump continues to publicly question his credibility , Fauci said Tuesday he ’ ll press ahead “ no matter what ” because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t tweet .
I don ’ t even read them , so I don ’ t really want to go there , ” Fauci said .
“ I just will continue to do my job no matter what comes out because I think it ’ s very important .
We ’ re in the middle of a crisis with regard to an epidemic , a pandemic .
This is what I do .
This is what I ’ ve been trained for my entire professional life and I ’ ll continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been misleading the public , Fauci said : “ I have not been misleading the American public under any circumstances .
”

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump issued a stout defense Tuesday of a disproved use of a malaria drug as a treatment for the coronavirus, hours after social media companies moved to take down videos promoting its use as potentially harmful misinformation.
The president, in a marked shift from the more measured approach he’s taken toward the virus in recent days, took to Twitter to promote hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and to amplify criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. In a White House briefing, Trump defended his decision to promote a viral video of a group of doctors promoting the use of the drug Monday, even though his own administration withdrew emergency authorization for its use against the coronavirus.
“I think they’re very respected doctors,” Trump said, adding they believed in the drug. “There was a woman who was spectacular in her statements about it.” The doctors, members of a group called America’s Frontline Doctors, took part in an event organized by Tea Party Patriots Action, a dark money group that has helped fund a pro-Trump political action committee.
Scientific studies have shown hydroxychloroquine can do more harm than good when used to treat symptoms of COVID-19.
Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr., and others shared video of the event on Facebook and Twitter, prompting both companies to step in and remove the content as part of an aggressive push to keep the sites free of potentially harmful information about the virus - though not before more than 17 million people had seen one version of the video circulating on the web.
The decision to remove the videos sparked conservative claims of “censorship,” with Simone Gold, one of the doctors, tweeting that “there are always opposing views in medicine.”
“Treatment options for COVID-19 should be debated, and spoken about among our colleagues in the medical field,” she wrote. “They should never, however, be censored and silenced.”
Others stressed the differences between medical opinion and peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Many high-quality studies have found no evidence that hydroxychloroquine, when used with or without the antibiotic azithromycin, as touted many times by Trump, helps treat coronavirus infection or prevent serious disease from it. They include studies commissioned by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization and universities in the U.S. and around the world.
Because of the lack of benefit and the risks of serious side effects such as heart rhythm problems, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently revoked its brief authorization of emergency use of the drug for COVID-19. NIH treatment guidelines also specifically recommend against hydroxychloroquine’s use, except in formal studies.
In addition to sharing the video, Trump retweeted several tweets that attacked the credibility of Fauci, a leading member of the White House coronavirus task force.
Later, Trump appeared to back away from his criticism of Fauci, saying, “I get along with him very well” and even appearing envious of his widespread approval rating.
“He’s got a very good approval rating, and I like that,” Trump said, adding that Fauci and White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx work for him, “And yet they’re highly thought of but nobody likes me.”
Fauci has become an off-and-on target of Trump and some of his White House aides and outside allies, who disagreed with the doctor’s early recommendation to shut down the economy as a way to slow the virus, which is surging again in parts of the country, mostly in the South and West.
Trump, in recent interviews, has described Fauci as “a bit of an alarmist” and accused him of making “mistakes” in his coronavirus guidance. But Trump also says he gets along with the longtime head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Fauci said Tuesday that he’ll deal with the attacks by keeping his head down and doing his job. He also backed the conclusions of the FDA and others about hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19.
Asked if he can do his job while Trump publicly questions his credibility, Fauci said the stakes are too high not to stay involved.
“We’re in the middle of a crisis with regard to an epidemic, a pandemic. This is what I do,” Fauci said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “This is what I’ve been trained for my entire professional life and I’ll continue to do it.”
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube began scrubbing their sites of the video of the doctors on Monday. Conservative news outlets, groups and internet personalities shared it.
Facebook said the video is “sharing false information about cures and treatments for COVID-19,” according to spokesman Andy Stone.
Twitter also said it was working to remove the video. The company also took down a tweet from Donald Trump Jr. describing one version of the video as a “must watch!!!” and temporarily halted him from tweeting.
In the video, Dr. Stella Immanuel, a physician from Houston whom Trump described as spectacular, promotes hydroxychloroquine as a sure-fire cure for the coronavirus. She claims to have successfully treated 350 people “and counting,” including older patients and some with underlying medical conditions.
“You don’t need masks, there is a cure,” Immanuel says in the video. But in videos posted to her Facebook page, Immanuel regularly wears masks while preaching during religious events.
“I thought her voice was an important voice, but I know nothing about her,” Trump said of Immanuel, sidestepping questions about her history of dubious medical claims.
Trump initially flouted guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on wearing face masks, saying he wouldn’t be doing it - and he didn’t in public until this month.
After multiple polls showed the public disapproved of his handling of the coronavirus, Trump recently began encouraging people to wear face coverings and tried to project a more serious tone as the virus has surged again, primarily in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.
Trump wore a face mask in public on Monday in North Carolina, just the second time he has done so during the pandemic.
Last week, he said the situation would probably worsen before it gets better, and he cited the virus as a reason for canceling GOP convention events scheduled for August in Jacksonville, Florida.
More than 4 million people in the U.S. have been infected by the coronavirus and the death toll is nearing 150,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
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Seitz reported from Chicago. Associated Press writers David Klepper in Providence, R.I., and Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--Person standing on Omaha sidewalk killed when autos collide

OMAHA , Neb .
( AP ) - A man standing on a south Omaha died after being hit when @ @ @ @ @ intersection , police said .
The crash happened Monday afternoon when an eastbound car ran @ @ @ @ @ a southbound pickup truck , police said .
The force of the crash caused the @ @ @ @ @ , hitting Edgar Badillo , 44 , of Omaha , who was standing on the @ @ @ @ @ , police said .
Badillo was declared dead at the scene .
Police said none @ @ @ @ @ were hurt in the crash .
Charges are pending against the 24-year-old driver of the @ @ @ @ @

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A man standing on a south Omaha died after being hit when two vehicles collided at an intersection, police said.
The crash happened Monday afternoon when an eastbound car ran a red light and hit a southbound pickup truck, police said. The force of the crash caused the truck to spin and roll, hitting Edgar Badillo, 44, of Omaha, who was standing on the southeast corner of the intersection, police said. Badillo was declared dead at the scene.
Police said none of the vehicles’ occupants were hurt in the crash. Charges are pending against the 24-year-old driver of the car, police said.


washingtontimes--2020-07-28--2 women arrested for attacking senator during protests

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) - Two women have been arrested for attacking a state senator during a chaotic @ @ @ @ @ state Capitol last month .
Madison police say the women , ages 26 and 33 @ @ @ @ @ afternoon and were taken to the Dane County Jail .
Sen. Tim Carpenter was beaten @ @ @ @ @ of protesters the night of June 23 .
His phone and glasses were taken and @ @ @ @ @ out as a group of 200 to 300 people protested the arrest of a Black @ @ @ @ @ customers through a megaphone while carrying a baseball bat .
Protesters toppled two statues outside @ @ @ @ @ a Molotov cocktail into a government building .
Police spokesman Joel DeSpain said the two @ @ @ @ @ on tentative charges of substantial battery and robbery with use of force , the State @ @ @ @ @ Carpenter , but he decided against going to the hospital .

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Two women have been arrested for attacking a Wisconsin state senator during a chaotic night of violence near the state Capitol last month.
The women, ages 26 and 33, turned themselves in Monday and were taken to the Dane County Jail, Madison police said.
Democratic Sen. Tim Carpenter was beaten after taking cell phone video of protesters the night of June 23. His phone and glasses were taken and later returned.
Violence broke out as a group of 200 to 300 people protested the arrest of a Black man who shouted at restaurant customers through a megaphone while carrying a baseball bat. Protesters toppled two statues outside the state Capitol and threw a Molotov cocktail into a government building.
Police spokesman Joel DeSpain said the two Madison women were being held on tentative charges of substantial battery and robbery with use of force, the State Journal reported.
Paramedics treated Carpenter, but he decided against going to the hospital.