washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Trial of Diacks exposes dark backdrop of track golden era

PARIS ( AP ) - As Usain Bolt set the world ablaze , making athletics the hottest ticket at the Olympic Games , the sport was also being eaten from within .
That grim picture has emerged from a corruption trial in Paris that has shown how the thrilling era for track fans was poisoned behind the scenes by a father-son partnership at the top of the IAAF , the international governing body that organizes Olympic races and world championships .
Nine months before Bolt set the first of his sprint world records , then-IAAF President Lamine Diack signed an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own son $ 900 per day - later increased to $ 1,200 - for consultancy work .
Armed with his father ’ s name and influence as a titan of Olympic sports , Papa Massata Diack set to work negotiating lucrative sponsorship deals for the IAAF .
In the process , prosecutors allege , the Diacks got filthy rich , siphoning off revenue for themselves and lining bank accounts with hush-money allegedly extorted from athletes who coughed up six-figure sums to avoid being sanctioned for doping .
The Diacks contest the corruption , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examined in six days of hearings .
The trial highlighted governance problems that have plagued sports in their growth from what were once amateur pursuits into a global mega-industry short on effective oversight .
The Diacks ’ alleged malfeasance didn ’ t merely bite giant chunks out of IAAF revenues and trash its reputation as a leader in fighting doping , causing losses the governing body now values at 41 million euros ( $ 46 million ) .
The court heard that athletes also were handicapped and hurt financially by having to compete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for doping but instead benefitted from a crooked system dubbed “ full protection , ” paying hush-money to keep competing .
Two French former runners , Christelle Daunay and Hind Dehiba , are seeking damages .
Dehiba ’ s attorney , Florent Hauchecorne , described the trial as a milestone in ending the seeming impunity that long shielded sports administrators from criminal punishment .
“ The problem is that sport has become an industry , ” he said .
“ And in the background , there are the geopolitical interests of nations which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conclusion that the doping of athletes and helping athletes dope to win medals is no worse than employing secret services to intervene here and there.
” The trial showed how the Diacks lived large while athletes sweated for success .
Lamine Diack jetted the world and rubbed shoulders with VIPs .
Prosecutor Arnaud de Laguiche said sports leaders like Diack “ live like little emperors , they have their little courts and people court them.
” In 2011 , then-President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia presented Diack with a friendship medal .
Known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that year was starting to deal behind the scenes with the crisis that would irredeemably tarnish his nearly 16-year IAAF presidency : Rife doping in Russia .
With the Olympic Games of 2012 looming , Diack feared that punishing a large group of athletes together could hurt negotiations with a Russian sponsor , the court heard .
Diack acknowledged he intervened to quietly slow down the sanctioning process , but denied knowledge of payoffs .
Prosecutors allege the Diacks squeezed athletes for 3.45 million euros .
The World Anti-Doping Agency argued in court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by ruining athletes ’ trust in the anti-doping system .
WADA lawyer Emmanuel Daoud likened Diack to Sepp Blatter , the former FIFA president whose long tenure was also tarnished by widespread corruption among the sport ’ s administrators .
“ It ’ s like one of those American films , where the old Mafiosi sit at the back of a restaurant eating spaghetti , making or breaking lives , ” Daoud said .
“ Mr .
Diack acted like an omnipotent patriarch.
” In court , the 87-year-old Diack often provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details from his youth with clarity but repeatedly blanked when pressed on details of the case .
“ I am starting to become an old nail , ” he said .
One of his lawyers , Simon Ndiaye , said Diack feels it is “ globally unfair ” that he is answering for “ a whole system , in which lots of people took part.
” The most conspicuous absentee was his son , Papa Massata Diack , who lives in Senegal and didn ’ t travel to Paris for the trial .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart of the alleged racketeering of athletes and the creaming off of IAAF revenues .
The son had expensive tastes : Investigators found he bought watches and other luxury goods worth 1.7 million euros from a store off the Champs-Elysees .
“ He conducted himself like a thug , ” Lamine Diack said in court .
Now rebranded as World Athletics , the IAAF has turned over a new leaf under Sebastian Coe , the former middle-distance runner who has overseen reforms since he succeeded Diack as president in 2015 .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also under investigation in another French probe of bidding contests for the 2020 Olympics and other major competitions .
Prosecutors asked the court for a 4-year prison term and a fine of 500,000 euros ( $ 562,000 ) for Lamine Diack .
For Papa Massata Diack , they are seeking 5 years imprisonment , a fine of 500,000 euros and a court-ordered life ban from any activity in sport .
The verdicts are expected in coming months .

PARIS (AP) - As Usain Bolt set the world ablaze, making athletics the hottest ticket at the Olympic Games, the sport was also being eaten from within.
That grim picture has emerged from a corruption trial in Paris that has shown how the thrilling era for track fans was poisoned behind the scenes by a father-son partnership at the top of the IAAF, the international governing body that organizes Olympic races and world championships.
Nine months before Bolt set the first of his sprint world records, then-IAAF President Lamine Diack signed an agreement in September 2007 to pay his own son $900 per day - later increased to $1,200 - for consultancy work. Armed with his father’s name and influence as a titan of Olympic sports, Papa Massata Diack set to work negotiating lucrative sponsorship deals for the IAAF.
In the process, prosecutors allege, the Diacks got filthy rich, siphoning off revenue for themselves and lining bank accounts with hush-money allegedly extorted from athletes who coughed up six-figure sums to avoid being sanctioned for doping.
The Diacks contest the corruption, money laundering and breach of trust charges examined in six days of hearings. The trial highlighted governance problems that have plagued sports in their growth from what were once amateur pursuits into a global mega-industry short on effective oversight.
The Diacks’ alleged malfeasance didn’t merely bite giant chunks out of IAAF revenues and trash its reputation as a leader in fighting doping, causing losses the governing body now values at 41 million euros ($46 million). The court heard that athletes also were handicapped and hurt financially by having to compete against runners who should have been suspended for doping but instead benefitted from a crooked system dubbed “full protection,” paying hush-money to keep competing.
Two French former runners, Christelle Daunay and Hind Dehiba, are seeking damages.
Dehiba’s attorney, Florent Hauchecorne, described the trial as a milestone in ending the seeming impunity that long shielded sports administrators from criminal punishment.
“The problem is that sport has become an industry,” he said. “And in the background, there are the geopolitical interests of nations which, in the end, lead to the conclusion that the doping of athletes and helping athletes dope to win medals is no worse than employing secret services to intervene here and there.”
The trial showed how the Diacks lived large while athletes sweated for success. Lamine Diack jetted the world and rubbed shoulders with VIPs.
Prosecutor Arnaud de Laguiche said sports leaders like Diack “live like little emperors, they have their little courts and people court them.”
In 2011, then-President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia presented Diack with a friendship medal. Known to few at the time, Diack that year was starting to deal behind the scenes with the crisis that would irredeemably tarnish his nearly 16-year IAAF presidency: Rife doping in Russia.
With the Olympic Games of 2012 looming, Diack feared that punishing a large group of athletes together could hurt negotiations with a Russian sponsor, the court heard. Diack acknowledged he intervened to quietly slow down the sanctioning process, but denied knowledge of payoffs. Prosecutors allege the Diacks squeezed athletes for 3.45 million euros.
The World Anti-Doping Agency argued in court that the alleged cover-up caused lasting damage, by ruining athletes’ trust in the anti-doping system. WADA lawyer Emmanuel Daoud likened Diack to Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA president whose long tenure was also tarnished by widespread corruption among the sport’s administrators.
“It’s like one of those American films, where the old Mafiosi sit at the back of a restaurant eating spaghetti, making or breaking lives,” Daoud said. “Mr. Diack acted like an omnipotent patriarch.”
In court, the 87-year-old Diack often provided inaudible and confusing testimony. He recalled details from his youth with clarity but repeatedly blanked when pressed on details of the case.
“I am starting to become an old nail,” he said.
One of his lawyers, Simon Ndiaye, said Diack feels it is “globally unfair” that he is answering for “a whole system, in which lots of people took part.”
The most conspicuous absentee was his son, Papa Massata Diack, who lives in Senegal and didn’t travel to Paris for the trial.
Prosecutors put Papa Massata Diack at the heart of the alleged racketeering of athletes and the creaming off of IAAF revenues. The son had expensive tastes: Investigators found he bought watches and other luxury goods worth 1.7 million euros from a store off the Champs-Elysees.
“He conducted himself like a thug,” Lamine Diack said in court.
Now rebranded as World Athletics, the IAAF has turned over a new leaf under Sebastian Coe, the former middle-distance runner who has overseen reforms since he succeeded Diack as president in 2015.
But the risk of further damage looms: Diack is also under investigation in another French probe of bidding contests for the 2020 Olympics and other major competitions.
Prosecutors asked the court for a 4-year prison term and a fine of 500,000 euros ($562,000 ) for Lamine Diack. For Papa Massata Diack, they are seeking 5 years imprisonment, a fine of 500,000 euros and a court-ordered life ban from any activity in sport.
The verdicts are expected in coming months.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--New Burundi leader takes power early after predecessor died

NAIROBI , Kenya ( AP ) - A new president took power Thursday in Burundi two months early after the abrupt death of his predecessor , whose 15-year rule ended in deadly repression and a sharp rejection of outside scrutiny .
Now the country waits to see if more of that will follow .
Evariste Ndayishimiye won the May election as the ruling party candidate and was set to take office in August , but the death of Pierre Nkurunziza from what the government called a heart attack threw the East African nation into uncertainty .
Ministers turned to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be sworn in as soon as possible .
This is the first time a Burundian president has been sworn in before the people and not parliament .
With little sign of face masks or social distancing at Thursday ’ s ceremony , it appeared there was no immediate change in the government ’ s belief that divine protection would largely suffice for the coronavirus .
That ’ s despite suspicion that Nkurunziza died of COVID-19 .
Some regional leaders and human rights groups expressed hope that the new president , an ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways of his predecessor .
South Africa in a statement said that “ President ( Cyril ) Ramaphosa looks forward to working with President Evariste Ndayishimiye as he leads the people of Burundi to a better life.
” In a separate statement , Amnesty International called on Ndayishimiye to rein in the Imbonerakure youth wing of the ruling party , accused of killings and other abuses , and urged the immediate freeing of imprisoned journalists and others jailed for exercising their human rights .
The rights group also urged Burundi ’ s new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed Nkurunziza ’ s decision in 2015 to pursue a third term , which many called unconstitutional .
The United Nations human rights office reported more than 300 extrajudicial killings during the turmoil and was later kicked out of the country after outgoing U.N. rights chief Zeid Ra ’ ad al-Hussein called Burundi one of the “ most prolific slaughterhouses of humans in recent times.
” Burundi ’ s government has denied allegations it targets its people , calling them malicious propaganda by dissidents .
Angered by scrutiny , it became the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court .
“ Evariste Ndayishimiye has a chance to improve Burundi ’ s appalling human rights record , ” said Deprose Muchena , Amnesty ’ s director for Eastern and southern Africa .
“ We urge President Ndayishimiye to end the repression that characterized the previous government ’ s tenure .
”

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Burundi’s new president upon his swearing-in Thursday declared that his rule will respect human rights but he warned that “outsiders should not dictate what to do.”
President Evariste Ndayishimiye took power two months early after the abrupt death of his predecessor, whose 15-year rule ended in deadly repression and a sharp rejection of outside scrutiny. Now the country waits to see if more of that will follow.
“Burundians should feel free to speak out. Burundians should be able to listen to each other, but outsiders should not dictate what to do,” Ndayishimiye said, and he accused colonizers of introducing social divisions.
“All Burundians are equal before the law,” the new president said. He invited those in exile to return and take part in building a new Burundi, and he said his government is ready to resume talks with all other political groups to reach a peaceful solution: “Nothing can be impossible because we believe in democracy.”
The 52-year-old Ndayishimiye won the May election as the ruling party candidate and was set to take office in August, but the death of Pierre Nkurunziza from what the government called a heart attack threw the East African nation into uncertainty.
Ministers turned to the constitutional court, which said the president-elect should be sworn in as soon as possible. The court earlier had rejected a challenge to the election results by opposition leader Agathon Rwasa, who alleged irregularities.
No heads of state of other East African countries attended the swearing-in.
With little sign of face masks or social distancing at Thursday’s ceremony, it appeared there was no immediate change in the government’s belief that divine protection would largely suffice for the coronavirus. That’s despite suspicion that Nkurunziza died of COVID-19.
Some countries and human rights groups expressed hope that the new president, an ally of Nkurunziza, might break with certain ways of his predecessor. South Africa in a statement said that “President (Cyril) Ramaphosa looks forward to working with President Evariste Ndayishimiye as he leads the people of Burundi to a better life.”
The U.S. State Department noted the peaceful transfer of power and urged the new government to “include a broad representation of political stakeholders; to release members of political parties, civil society, and journalists arbitrarily arrested for election-related activities; and to investigate and pursue accountability for allegations of voter intimidation.”
Amnesty International called on Ndayishimiye to rein in the Imbonerakure youth wing of the ruling party, accused of killings and other abuses, and urged the immediate freeing of imprisoned journalists and others jailed for exercising their human rights.
Ndayishimiye in his speech Thursday said that “Burundians who committed crimes should face the law.”
The rights group also urged Burundi’s new leader to investigate the deadly violence that followed Nkurunziza’s decision in 2015 to pursue a third term, which many called unconstitutional.
The United Nations human rights office reported more than 300 extrajudicial killings during the turmoil and was later kicked out of the country after outgoing U.N. rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein called Burundi one of the “most prolific slaughterhouses of humans in recent times.”
Burundi’s government has denied allegations it targets its people, calling them malicious propaganda by dissidents. Angered by scrutiny, it became the first country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.
“Evariste Ndayishimiye has a chance to improve Burundi’s appalling human rights record,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty’s director for Eastern and southern Africa. “We urge President Ndayishimiye to end the repression that characterized the previous government’s tenure.”
___
Ssuuna reported from Kigali, Rwanda.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--'Dreamers' symbol of broken immigration system

Some DACA recipients are high school valedictorians or serve as nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Others smuggle drugs or illegal immigrants , have been accused of murder or convicted of drunken driving .
The hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant “ Dreamers ” protected by Thursday ’ s Supreme Court ruling are living the full range of the American experience .
“ I ’ m not sure I ’ ve ever seen such a cohort of people about whom so much has been written and on whom so much praise has been bestowed , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Jessica Vaughan , policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies .
“ Certainly , many are fine people , but many are not , ” she said .
“ A few thousand are working in health care generally , but an even greater number have apparently been working in crime , including human smuggling and gangs .
About 10 % have a criminal history , which is probably more than the number who have graduate degrees.
” To immigrant rights activists and some congressional Democrats , they are trailblazers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper.
” To many of President Trump ’ s backers , they are more complicated , serving both as a sympathetic population but also a symbol of a broken immigration system .
Thanks to the high court ’ s ruling , they can continue to live in the legal limbo that is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals , or DACA .
That ’ s the program President Obama created in 2012 to grant them stays of deportation and work permits , entitling them to some taxpayer benefits .
In the years since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American politics , unable to vote themselves but wielding immense sway over Washington .
Dreamers took to social media to celebrate the Supreme Court ruling , though many of them acknowledged they were surprised the case turned out that way .
“ We always knew this was close , and we were proven right with the 5-4 decision , ” said Cesar Vargas , who was granted DACA status early in the program , attended law school and later became one of the first illegal immigrants to join the bar and practice law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their attention to Capitol Hill , where lawmakers have been stalemated for two decades on granting full legal protection .
“ We now have to focus on Congress so we can secure a permanent path to citizenship for Dreamers and for our 11 million undocumented family and neighbors , ” Mr. Vargas said .
Over the years , Dreamers have become the gateway for the broader illegal immigration movement .
It was Dreamers who , late in the Bush administration , began to “ come out ” as in the country illegally and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , going public became a kind of surety against deportation .
According to the Center for American Progress , a liberal think tank that surveys DACA recipients each year , 85 % say their earnings have improved , 60 % say they bought their first car , and 6 % started their own business after getting approval .
Of those 25 and older , 1 in 5 have a professional license .
Those who graduated at the top of their high school class are regularly celebrated in the halls of Congress .
Jin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. from South Korea when he was 7 , made headlines when he became the first DACA recipient to win a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University .
But Ms. Vaughan , citing research by a Harvard University professor , said the number of DACA college graduates is about the same as the number who started college but didn ’ t finish .
An equal number didn ’ t complete high school .
Economically , DACA recipients look much like other immigrants , she said — generally lower education than the population as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential .
If they do earn citizenship , they will be more likely to use government assistance .
“ There may be strong political or emotional arguments for legalizing the DACA population , but there are not strong economic arguments for it , ” she said .
All told , U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services has approved more than 825,000 people for DACA over the eight years it has been in effect .
As of the end of 2019 , DACA still covered 649,070 people .
About 80 % are from Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three key Central American countries of Guatemala , Honduras and El Salvador .
Outside of the Western Hemisphere , South Korea has the most DACA recipients with about 1 % of the total .
About 12 % of DACA recipients have criminal records , though most of those weren ’ t enough to prevent them from joining the program .
A small number have been ousted for criminal behavior , including 760 in 2016 and 820 in 2017 .
USCIS says it hasn ’ t run those numbers since then .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen instances of Dreamers arrested at the southern border on suspicion of smuggling illegal immigrants .
According to court documents , they were getting paid anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per person .
In one incident from February , Border Patrol agents saw an SUV pick up illegal immigrants .
As agents began to chase the vehicle , the driver stopped to let the migrants out and tried to flee .
Agents had to use a tire deflation device to bring the SUV to a halt .
When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agents smashed a window to pull him from the car .
Oscar Iram Morales-Valencia told agents he was a DACA recipient and smuggled for a living , getting $ 500 per person , according to court documents .
Several DACA recipients have faced murder raps over the years .
In a prominent case in North Carolina , a Dreamer was charged with killing four people , including a one-time contestant on the reality show “ America ’ s Next Top Model.
” That man , Emmanuel Jesus Rangel-Hernandez , had gang ties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the program , but he was approved anyway .
His arrest in 2015 forced the Obama administration to make changes to prevent Dreamers with gang associations from gaining status .

Some DACA recipients are high school valedictorians or serve as nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Others smuggle drugs or illegal immigrants, have been accused of murder or convicted of drunken driving.
The hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant “Dreamers” protected by Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling are living the full range of the American experience.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such a cohort of people about whom so much has been written and on whom so much praise has been bestowed, but so little is really known,” said Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies.
“Certainly, many are fine people, but many are not,” she said. “A few thousand are working in health care generally, but an even greater number have apparently been working in crime, including human smuggling and gangs. About 10% have a criminal history, which is probably more than the number who have graduate degrees.”
To immigrant rights activists and some congressional Democrats, they are trailblazers and “American in every way except on paper.”
To many of President Trump’s backers, they are more complicated, serving both as a sympathetic population but also a symbol of a broken immigration system.
Thanks to the high court’s ruling, they can continue to live in the legal limbo that is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. That’s the program President Obama created in 2012 to grant them stays of deportation and work permits, entitling them to some taxpayer benefits.
In the years since, they have become a force in American politics, unable to vote themselves but wielding immense sway over Washington.
Dreamers took to social media to celebrate the Supreme Court ruling, though many of them acknowledged they were surprised the case turned out that way.
“We always knew this was close, and we were proven right with the 5-4 decision,” said Cesar Vargas, who was granted DACA status early in the program, attended law school and later became one of the first illegal immigrants to join the bar and practice law.
Mr. Vargas said Dreamers now turn their attention to Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have been stalemated for two decades on granting full legal protection.
“We now have to focus on Congress so we can secure a permanent path to citizenship for Dreamers and for our 11 million undocumented family and neighbors,” Mr. Vargas said.
Over the years, Dreamers have become the gateway for the broader illegal immigration movement. It was Dreamers who, late in the Bush administration, began to “come out” as in the country illegally and challenged authorities to deport them. Instead, going public became a kind of surety against deportation.
According to the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank that surveys DACA recipients each year, 85% say their earnings have improved, 60% say they bought their first car, and 6% started their own business after getting approval. Of those 25 and older, 1 in 5 have a professional license.
Some DACA recipients are huge achievers.
Those who graduated at the top of their high school class are regularly celebrated in the halls of Congress.
Jin Kyu Park, who was brought to the U.S. from South Korea when he was 7, made headlines when he became the first DACA recipient to win a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University.
But Ms. Vaughan, citing research by a Harvard University professor, said the number of DACA college graduates is about the same as the number who started college but didn’t finish. An equal number didn’t complete high school.
Economically, DACA recipients look much like other immigrants, she said — generally lower education than the population as a whole, which means lower earning potential. If they do earn citizenship, they will be more likely to use government assistance.
“There may be strong political or emotional arguments for legalizing the DACA population, but there are not strong economic arguments for it,” she said.
All told, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has approved more than 825,000 people for DACA over the eight years it has been in effect. As of the end of 2019, DACA still covered 649,070 people.
About 80% are from Mexico, and another 9% are from the three key Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Outside of the Western Hemisphere, South Korea has the most DACA recipients with about 1% of the total.
About 12% of DACA recipients have criminal records, though most of those weren’t enough to prevent them from joining the program.
A small number have been ousted for criminal behavior, including 760 in 2016 and 820 in 2017. USCIS says it hasn’t run those numbers since then.
The Washington Times has tracked at least a dozen instances of Dreamers arrested at the southern border on suspicion of smuggling illegal immigrants.
According to court documents, they were getting paid anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per person.
In one incident from February, Border Patrol agents saw an SUV pick up illegal immigrants. As agents began to chase the vehicle, the driver stopped to let the migrants out and tried to flee. Agents had to use a tire deflation device to bring the SUV to a halt. When the driver refused to comply with orders, the agents smashed a window to pull him from the car.
Oscar Iram Morales-Valencia told agents he was a DACA recipient and smuggled for a living, getting $500 per person, according to court documents.
Several DACA recipients have faced murder raps over the years. In a prominent case in North Carolina, a Dreamer was charged with killing four people, including a one-time contestant on the reality show “America’s Next Top Model.”
That man, Emmanuel Jesus Rangel-Hernandez, had gang ties that should have made him ineligible for the program, but he was approved anyway. His arrest in 2015 forced the Obama administration to make changes to prevent Dreamers with gang associations from gaining status.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--New Zealand police officers shot; suspect on loose

WELLINGTON , New Zealand — New Zealand police say two officers have been shot and seriously injured in Auckland and @ @ @ @ @ run .
Police said they were carrying out a routine traffic stop Friday morning when @ @ @ @ @ them before driving away .
They said the suspect ’ s vehicle hit a bystander @ @ @ @ @ Schools in the area have been put into lockdown and police have set up road @ @ @ @ @ people to stay away .
Witness Elaine Taniela told The New Zealand Herald she was @ @ @ @ @ gunshots .
She said a friend who was on his way to her house at @ @ @ @ @ officer on the ground shaking , as if he was having a seizure .
New @ @ @ @ @ gun control laws banning the deadliest types of semiautomatic weapons after a mass shooting in @ @ @ @ @ people at two Christchurch mosques during Friday prayers .
Auckland is New Zealand ’ s @ @ @ @ @ 1.7 million people .

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — An unarmed police officer was shot and killed and another was wounded after they tried to pull over a car in New Zealand’s largest city Friday morning, police said. A large search was being conducted in Auckland for the alleged shooter and another person who escaped in a second car.
A bystander was also hit by the suspect’s car and injured. By Friday evening, police said they had found a gun and were talking to two “people of interest” in the case. They said police would remain on armed alert until they had confirmed they had the suspect in custody.
While trying to pull over the car, the officers briefly lost sight of it and it crashed soon after, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said. As police approached, a man got out with a long-barreled gun and fired multiple times at the two officers, Coster said.
The officers weren’t carrying guns. New Zealand police do not routinely carry guns but typically have them available in the trunk of their vehicles.
“This is a shocking situation,” Coster told media. “It is the worst news police, and police officers’ families, can ever receive in the course of what we do.”
Coster said the injured officer was hospitalized with serious leg wounds, while the bystander also suffered serious injuries and remained in a hospital. Both were in a stable condition.
As the manhunt unfolded, eight schools in the area were put into lockdown, Coster said, and police set up road cordons. They advised people to stay away.
The second car was found abandoned. Local media reported that heavily armed police had raided at least one home near the site of the shooting and had also stopped a car.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the news of the officer’s death was devastating.
“To lose a police officer is to lose someone working for all of us, but also a family member, someone’s loved one and friend,” she said in a statement.
Police Minister Stuart Nash said the officer “was a man who dedicated his career to keeping us safe.”
Witness Elaine Taniela told The New Zealand Herald she was at home when she heard gunshots. She said a friend who was on his way to her house at the time described seeing an officer on the ground shaking.
The last time a New Zealand police officer was killed in the line of duty was 11 years ago.
New Zealand last year enacted new gun control laws banning the deadliest types of semiautomatic weapons after a mass shooting in which a gunman killed 51 people at two Christchurch mosques during Friday prayers.
Auckland is home to about 1.7 million people.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--16th inmate dies at California prison hardest hit by virus

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - Another inmate has died at the California prison hit the hardest by the coronavirus , bringing to 18 the number of prisoners who have died statewide in the pandemic , officials said Thursday .
The inmate at the California Institution for Men in Chino in San Bernardino County , died Wednesday at an outside hospital from what appear to be complications related to the virus , officials said .
However , an official cause of death has not yet been determined .
That brings to 16 the number who have died at that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of the virus among about 3,000 inmates .
Two inmates have died elsewhere , one at the nearby California Institution for Women and the other at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe .
Nearly 2,000 cases are active among inmates statewide , corrections officials said , and more than 1,300 inmates have recovered .
In addition , two corrections employees have died .
Nearly 600 employees have contracted the virus and about half have recovered .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .
The vast majority of people recover .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Another inmate has died at the California prison hit the hardest by the coronavirus, bringing to 18 the number of prisoners who have died statewide in the pandemic, officials said Thursday.
The inmate at the California Institution for Men in Chino in San Bernardino County, died Wednesday at an outside hospital from what appear to be complications related to the virus, officials said. However, an official cause of death has not yet been determined.
That brings to 16 the number who have died at that prison, which has nearly 500 active cases of the virus among about 3,000 inmates.
Two inmates have died elsewhere, one at the nearby California Institution for Women and the other at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe.
Nearly 2,000 cases are active among inmates statewide, corrections officials said, and more than 1,300 inmates have recovered.
In addition, two corrections employees have died. Nearly 600 employees have contracted the virus and about half have recovered.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--U.S. absence in Libya civil war allows Turkey, Russia proxy fight

Libya ’ s slow-burning civil war is boiling over once again as an expanding proxy war between Turkey and Russia , each of which is seeking greater influence in the oil-rich North African nation and across the region in the absence of a clear U.S. policy or role in the conflict .
While Turkey has sought to pull the Trump administration into an alliance in Libya and the Pentagon has escalated its warnings about Russian mercenary activity there , the White House has spent the past three years trying to avoid getting sucked into the power vacuum left by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decade ago .
The effort may have succeeded in keeping the U.S. out of another Middle East “ forever war , ” but critics say the administration is essentially engaged in an Obama administration hands-off balancing act that has allowed a messy war — complete with heavy civilian casualties , refugees and mass graves — to draw in countries across the region and make a political settlement unlikely .
Washington over the past year has shifted away from Russia-backed Libyan rebel leader Khalifa Haftar , a former Libyan army colonel with alleged CIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli supplied by Turkey and defended by Turkish-supplied Syrian militants , all the while complaining of Moscow ’ s increasing military and political stake in the fighting .
Libya ’ s power vacuum has drawn other players into the fight .
The United Arab Emirates , France and Egypt have lined up with Russia behind Gen. Haftar , while Qatar and Italy have aligned with Turkey in backing the Tripoli government .
Striking recent gains by the embattled Tripoli government , driving back Gen. Haftar ’ s forces from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Turkish military drones , have scrambled the situation once again .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow would now welcome any help by the Trump administration to influence Turkey into accepting a truce .
A day later , Turkey , a NATO ally , insisted that Turkish defense and intelligence agencies are eager to work more with their U.S. counterparts toward reaching a solution in Libya , even as the U.S. commanders in Africa issued another warning about Russian support for the rebel forces .
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erdogan recently offered to President Trump to collaborate in Libya , and that Mr. Trump responded positively .
“ We would like to further expand our cooperation areas , ” he said in a webinar with the U.S.-based Turkish American National Steering Committee , according to Turkey ’ s Anadolu press agency .
The White House is notably quiet about the foreign meddling in Libya roughly 14 months after Mr. Trump made headlines by holding a cordial phone call with Gen. Haftar , saying he “ recognized ” the insurgent leader ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya .
The public image of 76-year-old Gen. Haftar , who was reportedly once close to Gadhafi and played a key role in the coup that brought the obscure army colonel to power in 1969 , has since taken a beating in the Western media .
The Tripoli government ’ s forces this week said they had uncovered nearly a dozen mass graves in the Libyan town of Tarhuna just after the general ’ s “ Libyan National Army ” and its Russian backers pulled out of the town .
According to Voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including women and children , were exhumed , prompting calls for a U.N. inquiry into possible atrocities .
Libya represents a tempting but double-edged opportunity for outside actors : an oil-rich nation that sits on some of the prime migration routes from North Africa to Europe .
The chaos since Gadhafi ’ s fall has also sparked concerns that a lawless Libya would be a prime base for jihadi groups .
U.S. officials have resisted supporting Turkish military efforts to embrace the Tripoli government because some of the fighters Turkey has sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to al Qaeda and the Islamic State .
Analysts say Turkey ’ s aggressive presence in Libya is driven by the Erdogan government ’ s desire to expand its influence militarily and economically throughout the eastern Mediterranean .
Can Kasapoglu at the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies ( EDAM ) , a Turkish think tank , said Libya is “ yet another brick ” in an aggressive foreign policy strategy that Ankara has been pursuing in recent years from Syria to the Horn of Africa to now the heart of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manifestation of Turkey ’ s expeditionary posture , ” he said in a webinar this week hosted by the Jamestown Foundation , adding that Libya is viewed with particular interest by the Turkish military because of its strategic naval location .
A widened Turkish military presence just off Libya ’ s shores “ means turning Turkey ’ s traditional coastal naval deterrent into a power-projection asset — an active gunboat diplomacy asset to put pressure on adversaries , competitors [ and ] rivals to solve security problems in the wider region , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see right now , ” he said , “ one quarter of the Turkish entire frigate arsenal is actually operating in Libya.
” It ’ s a presence that has been welcomed by the Government of National Accord in Tripoli , which has spent the past seven months trying to warn the U.S. and Europe that the alternative could be an expanded and perhaps permanent Russian presence in Libya .
Government of National Accord Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha told The Washington Times in November that Russia ’ s successful intervention in favor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil war had emboldened the Kremlin to expand its operations into Libya with the goal of supplanting American and Western influence there .
President Vladimir Putin ’ s goal , Mr. Bashagha argued , was to exploit Libya ’ s chaos to expand Russia ’ s military footprint in the Mediterranean beyond the sole naval base it operates in the Syrian port of Tartus .
U.S. officials were initially skeptical of such warnings .
But the growing presence of Russian mercenaries in Libya over the past year has triggered mounting unease at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of going public with charges in late May that Moscow was shipping Russian MiG-29 fighter jets into Libya to help Mr. Haftar ’ s forces .
U.S. military officials elevated the warning Thursday , saying Russian MiG-23 jet fighters and Su-24 attack aircraft have also been flown from Russia to Libya via Syria , where their Russian markings were painted over to camouflage their origin .
The jets , which were moved in violation of a recently announced U.N. arms embargo relating to Libya , are being flown by mercenary pilots and being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Moscow , the officials said .
About 2,000 employees of the Russian-backed Wagner Group security firm are believed to be operating in Libya , and the Pentagon warned Thursday that their presence is likely only to delay political negotiations that the U.S. and others have called for between the Government of National Accord and the rebel forces .
“ Russia ’ s sustained involvement in Libya increases the violence and delays a political solution , ” said Marine Corps Brig .
Gen. Bradford Gering , director of operations for U.S. Africa Command @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned that the insertion of Russian jet fighters into Libya could change the nature of the conflict and intensify risks facing civilians caught up in the confusing struggle .
Gen. Harrigian told reporters the pilots being used by Moscow are likely retired military aviators who were pressed into service .
“ They ’ re working on their basic flying skills , ” he said , adding that their apparent inexperience is a danger when operating in a country such as Libya with congested urban settings .

Libya’s slow-burning civil war is boiling over once again as an expanding proxy war between Turkey and Russia, each of which is seeking greater influence in the oil-rich North African nation and across the region in the absence of a clear U.S. policy or role in the conflict.
While Turkey has sought to pull the Trump administration into an alliance in Libya and the Pentagon has escalated its warnings about Russian mercenary activity there, the White House has spent the past three years trying to avoid getting sucked into the power vacuum left by the overthrow of strongman Moammar Gadhafi nearly a decade ago.
The effort may have succeeded in keeping the U.S. out of another Middle East “forever war,” but critics say the administration is essentially engaged in an Obama administration hands-off balancing act that has allowed a messy war — complete with heavy civilian casualties, refugees and mass graves — to draw in countries across the region and make a political settlement unlikely.
Washington over the past year has shifted away from Russia-backed Libyan rebel leader Khalifa Haftar, a former Libyan army colonel with alleged CIA ties, to align increasingly with a U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli supplied by Turkey and defended by Turkish-supplied Syrian militants, all the while complaining of Moscow’s increasing military and political stake in the fighting.
Libya’s power vacuum has drawn other players into the fight. The United Arab Emirates, France and Egypt have lined up with Russia behind Gen. Haftar, while Qatar and Italy have aligned with Turkey in backing the Tripoli government.
Striking recent gains by the embattled Tripoli government, driving back Gen. Haftar’s forces from the outskirts of the capital with the help of Turkish military drones, have scrambled the situation once again. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow would now welcome any help by the Trump administration to influence Turkey into accepting a truce.
A day later, Turkey, a NATO ally, insisted that Turkish defense and intelligence agencies are eager to work more with their U.S. counterparts toward reaching a solution in Libya, even as the U.S. commanders in Africa issued another warning about Russian support for the rebel forces.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Thursday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently offered to President Trump to collaborate in Libya, and that Mr. Trump responded positively. “We would like to further expand our cooperation areas,” he said in a webinar with the U.S.-based Turkish American National Steering Committee, according to Turkey’s Anadolu press agency.
The White House is notably quiet about the foreign meddling in Libya roughly 14 months after Mr. Trump made headlines by holding a cordial phone call with Gen. Haftar, saying he “recognized” the insurgent leader’s role as a force against terrorists in Libya.
The public image of 76-year-old Gen. Haftar, who was reportedly once close to Gadhafi and played a key role in the coup that brought the obscure army colonel to power in 1969, has since taken a beating in the Western media.
The Tripoli government’s forces this week said they had uncovered nearly a dozen mass graves in the Libyan town of Tarhuna just after the general’s “Libyan National Army” and its Russian backers pulled out of the town. According to Voice of America, more than 150 bodies, including women and children, were exhumed, prompting calls for a U.N. inquiry into possible atrocities.
Picking a side
Libya represents a tempting but double-edged opportunity for outside actors: an oil-rich nation that sits on some of the prime migration routes from North Africa to Europe. The chaos since Gadhafi’s fall has also sparked concerns that a lawless Libya would be a prime base for jihadi groups.
U.S. officials have resisted supporting Turkish military efforts to embrace the Tripoli government because some of the fighters Turkey has sent to Libya are believed to have ties to al Qaeda and the Islamic State. Analysts say Turkey’s aggressive presence in Libya is driven by the Erdogan government’s desire to expand its influence militarily and economically throughout the eastern Mediterranean.
Can Kasapoglu at the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), a Turkish think tank, said Libya is “yet another brick” in an aggressive foreign policy strategy that Ankara has been pursuing in recent years from Syria to the Horn of Africa to now the heart of the Maghreb.
“It is yet another manifestation of Turkey’s expeditionary posture,” he said in a webinar this week hosted by the Jamestown Foundation, adding that Libya is viewed with particular interest by the Turkish military because of its strategic naval location.
A widened Turkish military presence just off Libya’s shores “means turning Turkey’s traditional coastal naval deterrent into a power-projection asset — an active gunboat diplomacy asset to put pressure on adversaries, competitors [and] rivals to solve security problems in the wider region,” Mr. Kasapoglu said.
“As we see right now,” he said, “one quarter of the Turkish entire frigate arsenal is actually operating in Libya.”
It’s a presence that has been welcomed by the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, which has spent the past seven months trying to warn the U.S. and Europe that the alternative could be an expanded and perhaps permanent Russian presence in Libya.
Russia’s deeper play
Government of National Accord Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha told The Washington Times in November that Russia’s successful intervention in favor of President Bashar Assad in Syria’s civil war had emboldened the Kremlin to expand its operations into Libya with the goal of supplanting American and Western influence there.
President Vladimir Putin’s goal, Mr. Bashagha argued, was to exploit Libya’s chaos to expand Russia’s military footprint in the Mediterranean beyond the sole naval base it operates in the Syrian port of Tartus.
U.S. officials were initially skeptical of such warnings. But the growing presence of Russian mercenaries in Libya over the past year has triggered mounting unease at the Pentagon, which made the unusual move of going public with charges in late May that Moscow was shipping Russian MiG-29 fighter jets into Libya to help Mr. Haftar’s forces.
U.S. military officials elevated the warning Thursday, saying Russian MiG-23 jet fighters and Su-24 attack aircraft have also been flown from Russia to Libya via Syria, where their Russian markings were painted over to camouflage their origin.
The jets, which were moved in violation of a recently announced U.N. arms embargo relating to Libya, are being flown by mercenary pilots and being used to support private military companies sponsored by Moscow, the officials said.
About 2,000 employees of the Russian-backed Wagner Group security firm are believed to be operating in Libya, and the Pentagon warned Thursday that their presence is likely only to delay political negotiations that the U.S. and others have called for between the Government of National Accord and the rebel forces.
“Russia’s sustained involvement in Libya increases the violence and delays a political solution,” said Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Bradford Gering, director of operations for U.S. Africa Command.
Air Force Gen. Jeffrey L. Harrigian warned that the insertion of Russian jet fighters into Libya could change the nature of the conflict and intensify risks facing civilians caught up in the confusing struggle.
Gen. Harrigian told reporters the pilots being used by Moscow are likely retired military aviators who were pressed into service.
“They’re working on their basic flying skills,” he said, adding that their apparent inexperience is a danger when operating in a country such as Libya with congested urban settings.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com. • Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Colombia troops free 2 foreigners held by rebels in pandemic

BOGOTA , Colombia ( AP ) - Two travelers from Switzerland and Brazil who were kidnapped along with their pet dogs by dissident rebels in Colombia at the start of the coronavirus pandemic were rescued Thursday by the military , ending a three-month ordeal .
Daniel Max Guggenheim and José Iban Alburqueque - and their Pomeranians - were freed after soldiers got wind of their location and chased after the man who was guarding them .
The men were described as healthy but said they endured a hellish ordeal that included long hours in cold temperatures and the ridicule of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traveling together .
“ It ’ s something one suffers more in the heart than the body , ” a tearful Guggenheim said as he clutched one of his dogs after being brought to a military airport in the capital , Bogota .
“ It has given me nightmares.
” In mid-March , when Colombia started instituting a nationwide quarantine , the two men were in the Pacific port city of Buenaventura , an area with a long history of drug violence that in more recent years has begun to attract tourists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Bogota using a smartphone to help determine the fastest route .
The journey took them through Corinto , in the Cauca department , where they decided to stop to and rest , Guggenheim said .
Shortly after continuing onward , they were stopped by two men on motorcycles .
One put a gun to a window of their vehicle .
“ You ’ ve arrived at the cemetery , ” he told them .
The rebels identified themselves as dissidents of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - the group that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and took them to a nearby area where coffee beans were being dried .
The rebels took the keys of their car and began rummaging through their suitcases .
Eventually the men were taken to a home where they were held in a room for four days .
The rebels demanded tens of millions in pesos , but Guggenheim said he had just $ 3,600 .
Unsatisfied , the rebels called Guggenheim ’ s daughter , asking for more .
In all the men were held in 11 different locations , Guggenheim said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said they were given food and never physically harmed .
The rebels even went to a nearby town to buy dry food for their dogs , one of which is a 13-year-old purebred Pomeranian that Guggenheim has had since a puppy .
“ We survived , ” he said , talking through a face mask .
“ It ’ s been more than a month and a half since we spoke to our families .
It was hard.
” Most of 11,000 Colombian rebels who signed the peace accord to end Latin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living as civilians , but a small number who defected or never joined the agreement are still battling the government .
The Pacific coast region including Buenaventura has seen a rise in violence as the FARC dissidents , the National Liberation Army guerrilla group and drug gangs compete for lucrative trafficking routes .
Guggenheim said he harbors no ill will toward Colombia .
“ A million thanks to Colombia , ” he said .
“ I love the country in spite of everything .
”

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Two travelers from Switzerland and Brazil who were kidnapped along with their pet dogs by dissident rebels in Colombia at the start of the coronavirus pandemic were rescued Thursday by the military, ending a three-month ordeal.
Daniel Max Guggenheim and José Iban Alburqueque - and their Pomeranians - were freed after soldiers got wind of their location and chased after the man who was guarding them.
The men were described as healthy but said they endured a hellish ordeal that included long hours in cold temperatures and the ridicule of rebels who poked fun at them for traveling together.
“It’s something one suffers more in the heart than the body,” a tearful Guggenheim said as he clutched one of his dogs after being brought to a military airport in the capital, Bogota. “It has given me nightmares.”
In mid-March, when Colombia started instituting a nationwide quarantine, the two men were in the Pacific port city of Buenaventura, an area with a long history of drug violence that in more recent years has begun to attract tourists. They decided to make their way back to Bogota using a smartphone to help determine the fastest route.
The journey took them through Corinto, in the Cauca department, where they decided to stop to and rest, Guggenheim said. Shortly after continuing onward, they were stopped by two men on motorcycles.
One put a gun to a window of their vehicle.
“You’ve arrived at the cemetery,” he told them.
The rebels identified themselves as dissidents of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - the group that signed a peace accord in 2016 - and took them to a nearby area where coffee beans were being dried. The rebels took the keys of their car and began rummaging through their suitcases.
Eventually the men were taken to a home where they were held in a room for four days. The rebels demanded tens of millions in pesos, but Guggenheim said he had just $3,600. Unsatisfied, the rebels called Guggenheim’s daughter, asking for more.
In all the men were held in 11 different locations, Guggenheim said. While they were often cold, he said they were given food and never physically harmed. The rebels even went to a nearby town to buy dry food for their dogs, one of which is a 13-year-old purebred Pomeranian that Guggenheim has had since a puppy.
“We survived,” he said, talking through a face mask. “It’s been more than a month and a half since we spoke to our families. It was hard.”
Most of 11,000 Colombian rebels who signed the peace accord to end Latin America’s longest-running conflict are now living as civilians, but a small number who defected or never joined the agreement are still battling the government.
The Pacific coast region including Buenaventura has seen a rise in violence as the FARC dissidents, the National Liberation Army guerrilla group and drug gangs compete for lucrative trafficking routes.
Guggenheim said he harbors no ill will toward Colombia.
“A million thanks to Colombia,” he said. “I love the country in spite of everything.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Suspect on run after 2 New Zealand officers shot and injured

WELLINGTON , New Zealand ( AP ) - New Zealand police say two officers have been shot and seriously injured @ @ @ @ @ is on the run .
Police said they were carrying out a routine traffic stop @ @ @ @ @ began firing at them before driving away .
They said the suspect ’ s vehicle @ @ @ @ @ was injured .
Schools in the area have been put into lockdown and police have @ @ @ @ @ They have advised people to stay away .
Witness Elaine Taniela told The New Zealand @ @ @ @ @ when she heard gunshots .
She said a friend who was on his way to @ @ @ @ @ described seeing an officer on the ground shaking , as if he was having a @ @ @ @ @ year enacted new gun control laws banning the deadliest types of semiautomatic weapons after a @ @ @ @ @ gunman killed 51 people at two Christchurch mosques during Friday prayers .
Auckland is New @ @ @ @ @ , with about 1.7 million people .

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - An unarmed police officer was shot and killed and another was wounded after they tried to pull over a car in New Zealand’s largest city Friday morning, police said.
The suspect and another person then escaped in a second car, sparking a large search in Auckland. By Friday night, police said they had arrested and charged a 24-year-old man with murder. He is due to make his first court appearance Saturday. Police said other people could face charges.
A bystander was also hit by the suspect’s car and injured.
While trying to pull over the car, the officers briefly lost sight of it and it crashed soon after, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said. As police approached, a man got out with a long-barreled gun and fired multiple times at the two officers, Coster said.
The officers weren’t carrying guns. New Zealand police do not routinely carry guns but typically have them available in the trunk of their vehicles.
“This is a shocking situation,” Coster told media. “It is the worst news police, and police officers’ families, can ever receive in the course of what we do.”
Coster said the injured officer was hospitalized with serious leg wounds, while the bystander also suffered serious injuries and remained in a hospital. Both were in a stable condition.
As the manhunt unfolded, eight schools in the area were put into lockdown, Coster said, and police set up road cordons. They advised people to stay away.
The second car was found abandoned. Local media reported that heavily armed police had raided at least one home near the site of the shooting and had also stopped a car.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the news of the officer’s death was devastating.
“To lose a police officer is to lose someone working for all of us, but also a family member, someone’s loved one and friend,” she said in a statement.
Police Minister Stuart Nash said the officer “was a man who dedicated his career to keeping us safe.”
Witness Elaine Taniela told The New Zealand Herald she was at home when she heard gunshots. She said a friend who was on his way to her house at the time described seeing an officer on the ground shaking.
The last time a New Zealand police officer was killed in the line of duty was 11 years ago.
New Zealand last year enacted new gun control laws banning the deadliest types of semiautomatic weapons after a mass shooting in which a gunman killed 51 people at two Christchurch mosques during Friday prayers.
Auckland is home to about 1.7 million people.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Arkansas committee rejects proposed rules to ban hog farms

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) - A committee of Arkansas legislators voted to reject proposed rules that would permanently ban medium and large scale hog farms from the Buffalo River watershed .
The Legislative Council ’ s Administrative Rules Subcommittee on Wednesday disapproved the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality ’ s proposed revisions to Rules Five and Six , the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported .
The moratorium would prohibit confined animal-feeding operations with 750 or more swine weighing 55 pounds ( 24.95 kilograms ) or more , or operations with 3,000 or more swine weighing less than 55 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were worried that the ban would create what Republican Sen. Terry Rice , called “ a chilling effect ” on agriculture in Arkansas .
“ It ’ s not that we don ’ t want the clean water .
It ’ s just the outcome of this is going to be detrimental to the next generation , ” Rice said .
“ And they ’ re already under such a strain right now , you ’ re going to have some young farmers throw up their hands and go do something else.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ H ; Hog Farms , which was located near the Buffalo River , over concerns about hog feces and other waste contaminating the water .
The farm closed in January .
In 2014 , the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission placed a temporary ban on new medium and large scale hog farms at the watershed .
The moratorium was extended repeatedly , including a five-year extension granted in 2015 .
“ The permanent moratorium for large and medium sized confined animal feeding operations in the Buffalo River Watershed is designed to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important national resources , ” Gov .
Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday in an emailed statement to the newspaper .
The Buffalo River Watershed Alliance and the Ozark Society , an environmental organization , also backed the ban .
“ I have to say , I was really disappointed that that committee can ’ t see how the Buffalo River is unique in this state , ” said Gordon Watkins , president of the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance , in an interview Wednesday .
But the Arkansas Farm Bureau opposed the moratorium mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on agriculture in Arkansas “ Our concern from our members and farmers across the state is , ‘ Well then , which watershed is next ?
‘ ” Jeff Pitchford , director of state affairs for the Farm Bureau , said in an Wednesday interview .

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A committee of Arkansas legislators voted to reject proposed rules that would permanently ban medium and large scale hog farms from the Buffalo River watershed.
The Legislative Council’s Administrative Rules Subcommittee on Wednesday disapproved the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality’s proposed revisions to Rules Five and Six, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
The moratorium would prohibit confined animal-feeding operations with 750 or more swine weighing 55 pounds (24.95 kilograms) or more, or operations with 3,000 or more swine weighing less than 55 pounds (24.95 kilograms).
Lawmakers were worried that the ban would create what Republican Sen. Terry Rice, called “a chilling effect” on agriculture in Arkansas.
“It’s not that we don’t want the clean water. It’s just the outcome of this is going to be detrimental to the next generation,” Rice said. “And they’re already under such a strain right now, you’re going to have some young farmers throw up their hands and go do something else.”
Environmental advocates fought to close C&H Hog Farms, which was located near the Buffalo River, over concerns about hog feces and other waste contaminating the water. The farm closed in January.
In 2014, the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission placed a temporary ban on new medium and large scale hog farms at the watershed. The moratorium was extended repeatedly, including a five-year extension granted in 2015.
“The permanent moratorium for large and medium sized confined animal feeding operations in the Buffalo River Watershed is designed to protect for generations to come one of our most important national resources,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday in an emailed statement to the newspaper.
The Buffalo River Watershed Alliance and the Ozark Society, an environmental organization, also backed the ban.
“I have to say, I was really disappointed that that committee can’t see how the Buffalo River is unique in this state,” said Gordon Watkins, president of the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, in an interview Wednesday.
But the Arkansas Farm Bureau opposed the moratorium mostly because of the impact it would have on agriculture in Arkansas
“Our concern from our members and farmers across the state is, ‘Well then, which watershed is next?‘” Jeff Pitchford, director of state affairs for the Farm Bureau, said in an Wednesday interview.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Mary Elizabeth Taylor, State Department official, resigns over Trump 'racial injustice' response

WASHINGTON — A State Department official resigned Thursday over President Donald Trump ’ s response to racial tensions sweeping the country over the killings of black people by police , The Washington Post reported .
Mary Elizabeth Taylor , the assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs , said in her resignation letter that Trump ’ s actions “ cut sharply against my core values and convictions.
” At 30 , Taylor was the youngest person to hold her position , and she was also the first black woman in the job , according to the Post .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial injustice and Black Americans cut sharply against my core values and convictions , ” Taylor said in her resignation letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , which was obtained by the Post .
“ I must follow the dictates of my conscience and resign as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.
” Taylor ’ s resignation follows weeks of turmoil sweeping the United States following the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis .
Protesters demanding justice for Floyd and other slain black people , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken to the streets , and the president has struggled to meet the moment .
He has referred to protesters as “ thugs , ” and his administration forcefully pushed aside peaceful protesters near the White House so he could go to a nearby church and pose holding a Bible .
The State Department declined to comment in response to a question from The Associated Press .
“ We do not comment on personnel matters , ” the State Department said in an emailed response to a request for information about Taylor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate explanation for why the State Department officials , including Pompeo and other top aides , had chosen to comment extensively on the decision to fire the department ’ s Inspector General Steve Linick in May .
In her role in the Trump administration , Taylor helped guide more than 400 presidential appointments through the Senate , including those of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and CIA director Gina Haspel , the Post reported .

WASHINGTON — A State Department official resigned Thursday over President Donald Trump’s response to racial tensions sweeping the country over the killings of black people by police, The Washington Post reported.
Mary Elizabeth Taylor, the assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, said in her resignation letter that Trump’s actions “cut sharply against my core values and convictions.” At 30, Taylor was the youngest person to hold her position, and she was also the first black woman in the job, according to the Post.
“The President’s comments and actions surrounding racial injustice and Black Americans cut sharply against my core values and convictions,” Taylor said in her resignation letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, which was obtained by the Post. “I must follow the dictates of my conscience and resign as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.”
Taylor’s resignation follows weeks of turmoil sweeping the United States following the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis. Protesters demanding justice for Floyd and other slain black people, along with reforms to address police brutality, have taken to the streets, and the president has struggled to meet the moment. He has referred to protesters as “thugs,” and his administration forcefully pushed aside peaceful protesters near the White House so he could go to a nearby church and pose holding a Bible.
The State Department declined to comment in response to a question from The Associated Press.
“We do not comment on personnel matters,” the State Department said in an emailed response to a request for information about Taylor’s resignation. There was no immediate explanation for why the State Department officials, including Pompeo and other top aides, had chosen to comment extensively on the decision to fire the department’s Inspector General Steve Linick in May.
In her role in the Trump administration, Taylor helped guide more than 400 presidential appointments through the Senate, including those of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and CIA director Gina Haspel, the Post reported.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Anthony Fauci: Widespread lockdowns no longer needed in U.S.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview Thursday that the U.S. does not need any kind of return to widespread @ @ @ @ @ .
The longtime head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told Agence @ @ @ @ @ that the daily-infection numbers have remained flat as more states open up .
But public-health @ @ @ @ @ in ways other than the mass , open-ended lockdowns of March and April .
“ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to be talking about going back to lockdown , ” he @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to be talking about trying to better control those areas of @ @ @ @ @ be having a surge of cases .
”

Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview Thursday that the U.S. does not need any kind of return to widespread lockdowns to contain the coronavirus.
The longtime head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told Agence France-Presse that officials are aware that the daily-infection numbers have remained flat as more states open up.
But public-health officials will handle local outbreaks in ways other than the mass, open-ended lockdowns of March and April.
“I don’t think we’re going to be talking about going back to lockdown,” he said. “I think we’re going to be talking about trying to better control those areas of the country that seem to be having a surge of cases.”
Mr. Fauci told the French news agency that as the U.S. returns to normal, flare-ups might happen, but the approach to matters such as school reopenings will be localized.
“Counties where there are certainly no cases at all, there’s no problem with the schools opening,” he said.
“There are other parts where there’s a modest amount of infection (where) you may delay school openings,” he explained. “There are other parts of the country where there’s minimum infection, where you want to make some modification of the process, namely: alternate days, morning versus afternoon, seating people apart from each other wearing masks.”
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Tucson police: suspect in murder case arrested in California

TUCSON , Ariz. ( AP ) - A suspect in the death of a woman in her Tucson apartment last @ @ @ @ @ California , police said Thursday .
They said 44-year-old Dante Edden was taken into custody @ @ @ @ @ a warrant for suspicion of first-degree murder , kidnapping , robbery , burglary and theft @ @ @ @ @ being held in the Los Angeles County Jail awaiting extradition .
It was unclear Thursday @ @ @ @ @ yet .
Tucson police said 28-year-old Monique Leon was found severely injured and died in @ @ @ @ @ There were no signs of a break-in and Leon ’ s boyfriend called 911 after @ @ @ @ @ according to authorities .
But police said that several days prior to the homicide , @ @ @ @ @ to temporarily live with her and her family .
Through interviews and evidence recovered at @ @ @ @ @ they identified that acquaintance as Edden .

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - A suspect in the death of a woman in her Tucson apartment last month has been arrested in California, police said Thursday.
They said 44-year-old Dante Edden was taken into custody Wednesday in Los Angeles on a warrant for suspicion of first-degree murder, kidnapping, robbery, burglary and theft of property.
Edden is being held in the Los Angeles County Jail awaiting extradition. It was unclear Thursday if he has a lawyer yet.
Tucson police said 28-year-old Monique Leon was found severely injured and died in her apartment May 21.
There were no signs of a break-in and Leon’s boyfriend called 911 after returning home from work, according to authorities.
But police said that several days prior to the homicide, Leon had allowed an acquaintance to temporarily live with her and her family.
Through interviews and evidence recovered at the scene, detectives said they identified that acquaintance as Edden.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Police chief resigns amid accusations of racial bias

UPPER MARLBORO , Md .
( AP ) - A police chief in a Maryland county near the nation ’ s capital resigned Thursday amid reports alleging racial bias and discrimination toward officers of color .
Prince George ’ s County police Chief Hank Stawinski steps down after leading the department since 2016 , news outlets reported .
County Executive Angela Alsobrooks made the announcement and said she accepted his resignation effective immediately .
Stawinski ’ s resignation comes as the local chapter of the NAACP had planned to hold a vote of no-confidence Thursday evening against Stawinski ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American Civil Liberties Union detailed what it called discriminatory practices and retaliation by the department in a 94-page report filed Thursday .
Thirteen black and Hispanic officers of the Prince George ’ s Police Department had asked the ACLU to file a lawsuit on their behalf in 2018 .
The officers said white officers would make racist remarks or use racial slurs but wouldn ’ t be punished , while minority officers who reported the incidents would be punished , according to the ACLU .
Alsobrooks planned to hold a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resignation .
Her spokesman declined to comment before then .

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) - A police chief in a Maryland county near the nation’s capital resigned Thursday amid reports alleging racial bias and discrimination toward officers of color.
Prince George’s County police Chief Hank Stawinski steps down after leading the department since 2016, news outlets reported. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks made the announcement and said she accepted his resignation effective immediately.
Stawinski’s resignation comes as the local chapter of the NAACP had planned to hold a vote of no-confidence Thursday evening against Stawinski’s leadership.
The resignation also comes after the American Civil Liberties Union detailed what it called discriminatory practices and retaliation by the department in a 94-page report filed Thursday.
Thirteen black and Hispanic officers of the Prince George’s Police Department had asked the ACLU to file a lawsuit on their behalf in 2018.
The officers said white officers would make racist remarks or use racial slurs but wouldn’t be punished, while minority officers who reported the incidents would be punished, according to the ACLU.
Alsobrooks planned to hold a news conference Friday afternoon to discuss Stawinski’s resignation. Her spokesman declined to comment before then.
Stawinski didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Scott Morrison: Australia under cyberattack from 'state-based' actor

CANBERRA , Australia — Australia is under increasing cyberattack from a “ sophisticated state-based cyber actor , ” the Australian @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Scott Morrison would not name the state , and he said he made @ @ @ @ @ awareness .
“ Australian organizations are currently being targeted by a sophisticated state-based cyber actor @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This activity is targeting Australian organizations across a range of sectors , including @ @ @ @ @ industry , political organizations , education , health , essential service providers and operators of @ @ @ @ @ he added .
Although the threat was constant , the frequency of attacks had increased @ @ @ @ @ “ This is the actions of a state-based actor with significant capabilities .
There aren @ @ @ @ @ actors who have those capabilities , ” Morrison said .

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia is under increasing cyberattack from a “sophisticated state-based cyber actor,” the Australian prime minister said Friday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison would not name the state, and he said he made the threat public to raise awareness.
“Australian organizations are currently being targeted by a sophisticated state-based cyber actor,” Morrison told reporters.
“This activity is targeting Australian organizations across a range of sectors, including all levels of government, industry, political organizations, education, health, essential service providers and operators of other critical infrastructure,” he added.
Although the threat was constant, the frequency of attacks had increased “over many months.”
“This is the actions of a state-based actor with significant capabilities. There aren’t too many state-based actors who have those capabilities,” Morrison said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--California man allegedly ran sex trafficking websites

FREMONT , Calif. ( AP ) - A San Francisco Bay Area man was arrested for allegedly running international sex @ @ @ @ @ featuring children and earned him $ 21 million .
Wilhan Martono , 46 , was @ @ @ @ @ was being held without bail until he is extradited to Dallas , Texas to face @ @ @ @ @ , money laundering and promotion and facilitation of prostitution , the East Bay Times reported @ @ @ @ @ clear whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf .
Martono set up @ @ @ @ @ for sex workers in more than 14 U.S. cities and on five continents , according @ @ @ @ @ websites offered various adult prostitution services but some ads featured victims of child trafficking , @ @ @ @ @ was rescued in Texas last November , the paper said .
The websites used Hong @ @ @ @ @ .
Payment was made electronically with bitcoins or gift cards , prosecutors said .

FREMONT, Calif. (AP) - A San Francisco Bay Area man was arrested for allegedly running international sex trafficking websites that included ads featuring children and earned him $21 million.
Wilhan Martono, 46, was arrested Wednesday in Fremont and was being held without bail until he is extradited to Dallas, Texas to face 28 federal charges including conspiracy, money laundering and promotion and facilitation of prostitution, the East Bay Times reported.
It wasn’t clear whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.
Martono set up websites allowing users to search for sex workers in more than 14 U.S. cities and on five continents, according to the indictment.
The websites offered various adult prostitution services but some ads featured victims of child trafficking, including a 13-year-old girl who was rescued in Texas last November, the paper said.
The websites used Hong Kong addresses and phone numbers. Payment was made electronically with bitcoins or gift cards, prosecutors said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center cancel fall schedules

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts have canceled their fall schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic , and the New York City Ballet called off its annual holiday presentation of Tchaikovsky ’ s “ The Nutcracker.
” Carnegie said Thursday that all performances through Jan. 6 had been wiped out and it will present its scheduled season opening concert on Oct. 7 as an online celebration .
In addition , Carnegie is placing 50 members of its administrative staff on unpaid leave while continuing health benefits .
The staff will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 .
Carnegie anticipates finishing the fiscal year ending June 30 with an $ 8 million deficit in its $ 104 million budget , spokeswoman Synneve Carlino said .
Eighty employees had initially stopped work , but Carnegie had been able to put off additional furloughs with the assistant of funding from the federal Paycheck Protection Program .
There will be additional pay reductions in the new fiscal year .
Executive director Clive Gillinson will have a 25 % cut of his pay , listed at just over $ 1.9 million in Carnegie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ending June 30 , 2017 .
Salaries of senior staff will be reduced 10 % and others making more than $ 75,000 will be lowered up to 8 % , with the provision none of those impacted will drop below $ 75,000 .
“ After consulting with medical professionals and other experts on a continuing basis , we have concluded , in the face of current government restrictions and social distancing protocols , that there is no other option but to extend the Hall ’ s closure through the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to improve , ” Gillinson said .
Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center have been closed since mid-March .
Lincoln Center ’ s fall cancellations include its Great Performers series , now scheduled to open Feb. 2 , and its annual White Light Festival .
Lincoln Center anticipates a $ 13 million revenue shortfall in its $ 130 million operating budget for the just finishing fiscal year , spokeswoman Isabel Sinistore said .
She said Lincoln Center has furloughed about half its full-time administrative employees , event staff and unionized workers .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center ’ s constituents , canceled the fall season that had been scheduled for Sept. 22 though Oct. 18 plus “ The Nutcracker ” from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3 .
The company hopes to return to Lincoln Center for performances starting Jan. 19 .
“ It has become clear that it will not be safe through the end of the year for large groups to gather safely indoors and for our artists to rehearse and interact as they would need to in order to present live performances , ” executive director Katherine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a joint statement .

NEW YORK (AP) - Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts have canceled their fall schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the New York City Ballet called off its annual holiday presentation of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.”
Carnegie said Thursday that all performances through Jan. 6 had been wiped out and it will present its scheduled season opening concert on Oct. 7 as an online celebration.
In addition, Carnegie is placing 50 members of its administrative staff on unpaid leave while continuing health benefits. The staff will be down to 220 from 350 on March 1.
Carnegie anticipates finishing the fiscal year ending June 30 with an $8 million deficit in its $104 million budget, spokeswoman Synneve Carlino said. Eighty employees had initially stopped work, but Carnegie had been able to put off additional furloughs with the assistant of funding from the federal Paycheck Protection Program.
There will be additional pay reductions in the new fiscal year. Executive director Clive Gillinson will have a 25% cut of his pay, listed at just over $1.9 million in Carnegie’s tax return for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. Salaries of senior staff will be reduced 10% and others making more than $75,000 will be lowered up to 8%, with the provision none of those impacted will drop below $75,000.
“After consulting with medical professionals and other experts on a continuing basis, we have concluded, in the face of current government restrictions and social distancing protocols, that there is no other option but to extend the Hall’s closure through the end of the calendar year, allowing health conditions to continue to improve,” Gillinson said.
Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center have been closed since mid-March.
Lincoln Center’s fall cancellations include its Great Performers series, now scheduled to open Feb. 2, and its annual White Light Festival.
Lincoln Center anticipates a $13 million revenue shortfall in its $130 million operating budget for the just finishing fiscal year, spokeswoman Isabel Sinistore said. She said Lincoln Center has furloughed about half its full-time administrative employees, event staff and unionized workers.
New York City Ballet, one of Lincoln Center’s constituents, canceled the fall season that had been scheduled for Sept. 22 though Oct. 18 plus “The Nutcracker” from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3. The company hopes to return to Lincoln Center for performances starting Jan. 19.
“It has become clear that it will not be safe through the end of the year for large groups to gather safely indoors and for our artists to rehearse and interact as they would need to in order to present live performances,” executive director Katherine Brown and artistic director Jonathan Stafford said in a joint statement.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Gov. proclaims June 19 as Juneteenth in Oregon

SALEM , Ore. ( AP ) - Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown on Thursday proclaimed June 19 as Juneteenth in Oregon and will introduce a bill in 2021 to make it a state holiday .
Brown said celebrating black freedom this year “ is fiercely important as people around the world protest systemic racism and undeniably show that Black Lives Matter.
” Juneteenth commemorates June 19 , 1865 , when the Union army brought word of the Emancipation Proclamation to enslaved people in Texas .
It is celebrated as the end of slavery in the United States .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important step .
I encourage all Oregonians to join me in observing Juneteenth by getting educated on systemic racism in this country and getting involved in the fight for racial justice ” she said in a news release .
Brown also said she would appoint a Public Safety Training and Standards Task Force to recommend improvements to the training and certification of Oregon law enforcement officers .
The task force will be chaired by the Governor ’ s Public Safety Policy Advisor , Constantin Severe , and other members will be announced soon @ @ @ @

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday proclaimed June 19 as Juneteenth in Oregon and will introduce a bill in 2021 to make it a state holiday.
Brown said celebrating black freedom this year “is fiercely important as people around the world protest systemic racism and undeniably show that Black Lives Matter.”
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the Union army brought word of the Emancipation Proclamation to enslaved people in Texas. It is celebrated as the end of slavery in the United States.
“I know this is a small, yet important step. I encourage all Oregonians to join me in observing Juneteenth by getting educated on systemic racism in this country and getting involved in the fight for racial justice” she said in a news release.
Brown also said she would appoint a Public Safety Training and Standards Task Force to recommend improvements to the training and certification of Oregon law enforcement officers.
The task force will be chaired by the Governor’s Public Safety Policy Advisor, Constantin Severe, and other members will be announced soon, she said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Teen's death prompts facility's loss of contract, license

LANSING , Mich. ( AP ) - Prompted by the death of a teen who was wrongly restrained by staff , a Michigan facility for teenagers with behavioral problems on Thursday lost its contract with the state to care for youth in the state ’ s foster care and juvenile justice systems and its license to operate .
The termination of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ’ contract with Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo came in the wake of the death last month of Cornelius Frederick .
The 16-year-old went into cardiac arrest while being restrained on April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died May 1 .
At the time , authorities said the teen was being restrained by staff after he threw a sandwich .
In announcing the termination of its contract and suspension of the operating license , Health and Human Services said an investigation of the for-profit Lakeside Academy found 10 licensing violations , including a failure to follow rules related to resident restraint and discipline .
The agency contends the revocation of the license of a child caring institution is rare and occurs when there are serious licensing violations that make closure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials did not immediately return calls for comment .
“ MDHHS continues to mourn the loss of this young man ’ s life , which came needlessly to an end at the hands of those meant to care for him ” said JooYeun Chang , executive director of the MDHHS Children ’ s Services Agency , in a prepared statement .
“ We are committed to protecting children and will not accept the completely unnecessary death of a youth who is deprived of the opportunity to grow up , complete his education , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family.
” Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Getting said Thursday his office is reviewing completed investigations to determine if criminal charges are authorized in Frederick ’ s death .
“ If charges are brought , my office will be prosecuting the cases , ’ ’ Getting said .
At the time of Frederick ’ s death , Lakeside Academy officials said in a statement the incident didn ’ t reflect the institution ’ s mission to “ serve and care for our clients with excellence.
” However , Assistant Chief David Boysen of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in the weeks leading up to Frederick ’ s death there were numerous calls for false fire alarms , runaway students and assaults .
In addition , three chaotic days followed the boy ’ s death , as students fought and fled the facility .
Just before Health and Human Services announced its moves , the Legal Rights Center in Minneapolis called for Hennepin County , Minnesota , to stop placing children in Lakeside Academy for juvenile delinquency matters .
The county removed all Minnesota children from the facility after Frederick ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that was is enough .
They contend it is time to end the practice of removing children from local communities and confining them in correction facilities “ under the pretense of providing therapeutic treatment .
”

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Prompted by the death of a teen who was wrongly restrained by staff, a Michigan facility for teenagers with behavioral problems on Thursday lost its contract with the state to care for youth in the state’s foster care and juvenile justice systems and its license to operate.
The termination of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ contract with Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo came in the wake of the death last month of Cornelius Fredericks. The 16-year-old went into cardiac arrest while being restrained on April 29 by Lakeside Academy staff. He died May 1. At the time, authorities said the teen was being restrained by staff after he threw a sandwich.
In announcing the termination of its contract and suspension of the operating license, Health and Human Services said an investigation of the for-profit Lakeside Academy found 10 licensing violations, including a failure to follow rules related to resident restraint and discipline. The agency contends the revocation of the license of a child caring institution is rare and occurs when there are serious licensing violations that make closure necessary to protect children.
Lakeside Academy officials did not immediately return calls for comment.
“MDHHS continues to mourn the loss of this young man’s life, which came needlessly to an end at the hands of those meant to care for him” said JooYeun Chang, executive director of the MDHHS Children’s Services Agency, in a prepared statement. “We are committed to protecting children and will not accept the completely unnecessary death of a youth who is deprived of the opportunity to grow up, complete his education, begin a career, and start a family.”
Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Getting said Thursday his office is reviewing completed investigations to determine if criminal charges are authorized in Fredericks’ death.
“If charges are brought, my office will be prosecuting the cases,’’ Getting said.
At the time of Fredericks’ death, Lakeside Academy officials said in a statement the incident didn’t reflect the institution’s mission to “serve and care for our clients with excellence.”
However, Assistant Chief David Boysen of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety has said in the weeks leading up to his death there were numerous calls for false fire alarms, runaway students and assaults. In addition, three chaotic days followed the boy’s death, as students fought and fled the facility.
Just before Health and Human Services announced its moves, the Legal Rights Center in Minneapolis called for Hennepin County, Minnesota, to stop placing children in Lakeside Academy for juvenile delinquency matters.
The county removed all Minnesota children from the facility after Fredericks’ death. However, center officials said that was is enough. They contend it is time to end the practice of removing children from local communities and confining them in correction facilities “under the pretense of providing therapeutic treatment.”
___
This story has been corrected to show the boy who died was called Cornelius Fredericks, not Frederick.


washingtontimes--2020-06-18--Australian prime minister says Australia is under an increasing cyberattack from an unnamed state

CANBERRA , Australia ( AP ) - Australian prime minister says Australia is under an increasing cyberattack from an unnamed @ @

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australian prime minister says Australia is under an increasing cyberattack from an unnamed state.
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