washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Miami Beach has issued $14,400 in fines to mask violators

MIAMI BEACH .
Fla. ( AP ) - Police and city officials in Miami Beach have issued $ 14,400 in fines to people who weren ’ t wearing facial coverings to help stop the spread of COVID-19 .
One man was issued a citation after he had taken his mask off to answer his phone , while another was walking alone and maskless on a quiet street , the Miami Herald reported .
The city has issued 288 $ 50 fines since July 23 , the newspaper reported .
Only four violators had paid as of Monday , officials said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay the fine , which can not be appealed to the city .
Failure to pay could result in an additional fine of up to $ 500 and a criminal misdemeanor charge of violating an executive order , which can carry up to 60 days in jail .
Body-camera footage from Miami Beach Code Compliance captured three stops from July 23 , which offers a glimpse into how the city enforces its order , the newspaper reported .
Each inspection began the same way , with a code officer taking a photo of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ask for ID to write the ticket .
“ I had no idea , ” said one man told an officer who approached him.. “ I mean there ’ s tons of people walking around with no masks.
” In another instance , a code officer threatened to call the police if a man did not provide his ID .
The man was a tourist from Louisiana who had stopped to read a restaurant menu .
He wasn ’ t wearing a mask and told the officer he didn ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He asked the code officer to apply the law consistently as he noted other people walking along the South Beach promenade without masks , the newspaper reported .
“ I understand when I sit down or if I walk into a building , I ’ ll have it to put it on , ” he said .
“ I didn ’ t know you needed it ( outdoors ) .
” In Miami-Dade County , a similar ordinance issued July 16 comes with a $ 100 fine .
So far , Miami-Dade police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Dan Gelber said in a public video address Friday that recent decreases in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Miami-Dade County should not imply that countermeasures are no longer required .
“ Just wear the damn mask , ” he said .
“ It ’ s not a political statement .
It ’ s a statement that you care enough to make this very modest sacrifice .
”

MIAMI BEACH. Fla. (AP) - Police and city officials in Miami Beach have issued $14,400 in fines to people who weren’t wearing facial coverings to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
One man was issued a citation after he had taken his mask off to answer his phone, while another was walking alone and maskless on a quiet street, the Miami Herald reported.
The city has issued 288 $50 fines since July 23, the newspaper reported. Only four violators had paid as of Monday, officials said. Each violator has 30 days to pay the fine, which cannot be appealed to the city. Failure to pay could result in an additional fine of up to $500 and a criminal misdemeanor charge of violating an executive order, which can carry up to 60 days in jail.
Body-camera footage from Miami Beach Code Compliance captured three stops from July 23, which offers a glimpse into how the city enforces its order, the newspaper reported. Each inspection began the same way, with a code officer taking a photo of the alleged violator, and then approaching to ask for ID to write the ticket.
“I had no idea,” said one man told an officer who approached him.. “I mean there’s tons of people walking around with no masks.”
In another instance, a code officer threatened to call the police if a man did not provide his ID. The man was a tourist from Louisiana who had stopped to read a restaurant menu. He wasn’t wearing a mask and told the officer he didn’t know they were required at all times.
He asked the code officer to apply the law consistently as he noted other people walking along the South Beach promenade without masks, the newspaper reported.
“I understand when I sit down or if I walk into a building, I’ll have it to put it on,” he said. “I didn’t know you needed it (outdoors).”
In Miami-Dade County, a similar ordinance issued July 16 comes with a $100 fine. So far, Miami-Dade police have issued 225 citations.
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said in a public video address Friday that recent decreases in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Miami-Dade County should not imply that countermeasures are no longer required.
“Just wear the damn mask,” he said. “It’s not a political statement. It’s a statement that you care enough to make this very modest sacrifice.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--2 killed, 1 injured in motorcycle crash near Sturgis rally

STURGIS , S.D .
( AP ) - Two people have died and a third person has been injured in @ @ @ @ @ where the annual motorcycle rally is taking place .
The South Dakota Highway Patrol says @ @ @ @ @ Harley-Davidson motorcycle was westbound on Highway 14A when he missed a curve , crossed the @ @ @ @ @ two eastbound motorcycles about 5 p.m. Monday .
The patrol says a 55-year-old man driving @ @ @ @ @ was pronounced dead at the scene .
The 22-year-old was airlifted to a Rapid City @ @ @ @ @ The 60-year-old male driver of the third motorcycle suffered serious non-life threatening injuries .
No @ @ @ @ @ , according to the patrol .

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - Two people have died and a third person has been injured in a crash west of Sturgis where the annual motorcycle rally is taking place.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol says a 22-year-old man driving a Harley-Davidson motorcycle was westbound on Highway 14A when he missed a curve, crossed the center line and crashed into two eastbound motorcycles about 5 p.m. Monday.
The patrol says a 55-year-old man driving one of the eastbound motorcycles was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 22-year-old was airlifted to a Rapid City hospital where he died. The 60-year-old male driver of the third motorcycle suffered serious non-life threatening injuries.
No one was wearing a helmet, according to the patrol.
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally runs through Aug. 16.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--China blasts US for Taiwan visit while virus spreads at home

BEIJING ( AP ) - A Chinese official lashed out at U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Wednesday for visiting Taiwan amid an ongoing pandemic back home , accusing him of putting politics ahead of the lives of the American people .
The comments came a day after Azar accused China of failing to warn the rest of the world about the coronavirus .
“ He abandoned the millions of people who are struggling with illness and visited Taiwan instead to stage a political show , ” Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how he has the confidence and courage to shamelessly criticize China ’ s anti-epidemic achievements.
” Speaking Tuesday in Taiwan , Azar said that China ’ s ruling Communist Party “ had the chance to warn the world and work with the world on battling the virus.
” “ But they chose not to , and the costs of that choice mount higher every day , ” he said .
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused China of withholding information from the World Health Organization and the international community as the virus began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge , saying it communicated information as soon as it had it .
Azar ’ s trip to Taiwan angered China because it considers the self-governing island part of its territory .
He is the highest-ranking official to visit since the U.S. cut formal diplomatic ties in 1979 , switching recognition to Beijing as the government of China .
On Wednesday , Azar visited a face mask factory and paid respect to the recently deceased former Taiwanese president , Lee Teng-hui , before leaving Taiwan .

BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese official lashed out at U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Wednesday for visiting Taiwan amid an ongoing pandemic back home, accusing him of putting politics ahead of the lives of the American people.
The comments came a day after Azar accused China of failing to warn the rest of the world about the coronavirus.
“He abandoned the millions of people who are struggling with illness and visited Taiwan instead to stage a political show,” Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing. “We don’t know how he has the confidence and courage to shamelessly criticize China’s anti-epidemic achievements.”
Speaking Tuesday in Taiwan, Azar said that China’s ruling Communist Party “had the chance to warn the world and work with the world on battling the virus.”
“But they chose not to, and the costs of that choice mount higher every day,” he said.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused China of withholding information from the World Health Organization and the international community as the virus began to take hold. China denies the charge, saying it communicated information as soon as it had it.
Azar’s trip to Taiwan angered China because it considers the self-governing island part of its territory. He is the highest-ranking official to visit since the U.S. cut formal diplomatic ties in 1979, switching recognition to Beijing as the government of China.
On Wednesday, Azar visited a face mask factory and paid respect to the recently deceased former Taiwanese president, Lee Teng-hui, before leaving Taiwan.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Train derails in Scotland; no immediate reports of injuries

LONDON ( AP ) - Police and paramedics were responding Wednesday to a train derailment in northeast Scotland , and @ @ @ @ @ from the site .
The British Transport Police force said officers were called at 9:43 @ @ @ @ @ the railway line near Stonehaven , about 100 miles ( 160 kilometers ) northeast of @ @ @ @ @ had derailed .
Police , several ambulances , an air ambulance and fire engines were @ @ @ @ @ were no immediate reports of injuries .
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted that it @ @ @ @ @ incident.
” “ I ’ ve had an initial report from Network Rail and the @ @ @ @ @ kept updated .
All my thoughts are with those involved , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ by storms and flash flooding overnight .

LONDON (AP) - Three people were killed and six others injured Wednesday when a passenger train derailed in northeast Scotland after heavy rain and flooding hit the area.
The train driver was believed to be among the dead, British Transport Police said. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said that the train conductor was also believed killed. Formal identification has yet to take place. Six people were hospitalized, but their injuries are not considered serious.
Images from the scene show that several cars of the four-carriage train had left the tracks and one had tumbled down an embankment. Smoke was seen billowing from the wreck. Air ambulances and coast guard helicopters came and went as the rescue operation unfolded.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a police investigation aims to find out what caused the derailment and ensure “nothing like this happens again.”
“As I understand there was about a month’s worth of rainfall in a very short period which undoubtedly aggravated the problem there,” he added.
Torrential rain had caused flooding and travel disruptions in Scotland, and on Wednesday morning Network Rail Scotland tweeted warnings of a landslip affecting services in the area.
It was not clear how many people were on the train, an early morning ScotRail service from Aberdeen to Glasgow.
British Transport Police chief superintendent Eddie Wylie said the derailed train was not a busy service, “and from (closed circuit television) inquiries and witness statements we believe all passengers have been accounted for.”
“However, once the area has been made safe, then a full and thorough search will be conducted, which is likely to take some time,” he said.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the derailment as a “major″ incident and said she would be convening an emergency response meeting.
The transport police said officers were called at 9:43 a.m. (0843GMT) to the railway line near the coastal town of Stonehaven, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Edinburgh and south of Aberdeen.
Local lawmaker Andrew Bowie had been in Stonehaven surveying flood damage earlier Wednesday.
“The situation was really bad this morning. The River Carron, the main river which flows through it, had burst its banks, and the heavy rain had caused flooding in the center of Stonehaven and lots of the side streets leading off it,″ he said.
Bowie added that the water had receded and it was unclear if flooding was connected to the derailment.
“We obviously don’t know why the derailment took place, but obviously we have suffered terrible weather here,” he said.
Serious train accidents are rare in the U.K. The country’s last fatal derailment was in 2007.
Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of condolence, saying “it was with great sadness that I heard of the train derailment.” She added that the entire royal family joined her in sending thoughts and prayers to the families of those affected.
The head of Network Rail cut short a family vacation to return to the UK. The chief inspector of railways, Ian Prosser, said inspectors were at the site and assisting in the preliminary investigation.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Feds paid Social Security to woman who died in 1971

Social Security was still paying benefits this year to a woman who died nearly 50 years ago , and her nephew had been cashing the checks , federal prosecutors said Tuesday , collecting a staggering $ 459,000 over the years .
The government also paid out a $ 1,200 coronavirus stimulus check this year to the woman , who according to records would have to have been 114 years old — the second-oldest person on Social Security .
In actuality the woman , identified only as AV in court documents , died in Brooklyn in 1971 .
But the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1977 , and she was listed as filing a change of address form in 1989 , nearly two decades after her death , according to Scott Jones , a special agent with Social Security ’ s inspector general , who investigated the case .
Prosecutors say in reality her nephew , George Doumar , was cashing the checks — one a month , or more than 500 of them over 43 years — and keeping the money .
According to court documents , he admitted the fraud .
“ What happened was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away ] and yes , I ’ ve been collection her Social Security , ” he told investigators .
Mr. Doumar said he did report his aunt ’ s death in the early 1970s , and the checks stopped , but they started again later in the decade , so he began to cash them .
Agent Jones says Social Security has no record of AV ’ s death , or of Mr. Doumar ’ s report , in its files .
Mr. Doumar said over the decades there were times he wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ d be caught if he did that , so he continued cashing his aunt ’ s checks .
He also made the address change for her when he moved from New York to Oregon in 1979 .
He also admitted to cashing her stimulus payment in May .
Social Security began investigating after the agency ’ s anti-fraud office singled out AV as the second-oldest person drawing checks , yet she had no updates to her records since the 1989 address change .
Investigators tracked down two nieces who confirmed AV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them recalled a nephew who ’ d been the beneficiary of her life insurance payout .
Agent Jones said he found Mr. Doumar , 76 , in Social Security ’ s systems and found he was collecting Social Security under his own name , too — at the same address listed for the deceased aunt .
It was a parcel collection business in Klamath Falls , Oregon , which he owned , helping him hide the fraud .
Budget watchdogs say the government regularly sends checks to dead people .
In the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million payments , totaling $ 1.4 billion , were made to dead people in the rush to get the money out the door .
The IRS and Treasury Department had initially argued they didn ’ t have the legal ability to stop checks going to people who ’ d paid taxes in recent years .
But after a review , the IRS decided it did have the power — and would , in fact , cancel any uncashed checks already issued .
The U.S. attorney for Oregon charged Mr. Doumar with mail theft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison .
Chances are he would serve far less if convicted .
A New Jersey man who collected and cashed his dead grandmother ’ s checks from 2004 to 2015 , totaling $ 96,000 , got 10 months ’ home confinement .
And a Texas man who died in 1997 had his checks cashed up through 2015 .
His daughter was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison .

The Social Security Administration was still paying benefits this year to a woman who died nearly 50 years ago, and her nephew had been cashing the checks — collecting a staggering $459,000 over the years, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.
The government also paid out a $1,200 coronavirus stimulus check this year to the woman, who, according to records, would have been 114 years old — the second-oldest person on Social Security.
In actuality, the woman, identified only as AV in court documents, died in Brooklyn in 1971. The government began paying Social Security benefits six years later, in 1977.
The woman was listed as filing a change of address form in 1989, nearly two decades after her death, said Scott Jones, a special agent for the Social Security Administration’s inspector general who investigated the case.
Prosecutors say George Doumar, the woman’s nephew, was cashing the checks — one a month, or more than 500 over 43 years — and keeping the money.
“This case represents one of the highest fraud amounts we have ever seen from a deceased beneficiary case,” said Gail S. Ennis, the inspector general for the Social Security Administration. “This should stand as a warning to anyone who is receiving and misusing Social Security benefits intended for someone else.”
Mr. Doumar admitted the fraud, according to court documents.
When investigators caught up with Mr. Doumar last month, he told them: “What happened was, well she’s passed [away] and, yes, I’ve been collecting her Social Security.”
Mr. Doumar said he did report his aunt’s death to the Social Security Administration in the early 1970s. He said Social Security checks stopped arriving but started again later in the decade, and he began to cash them.
That version didn’t tally with the Social Security Administration’s records, which showed that the woman asked for benefits to start in 1970 though she didn’t become eligible until 1977 — years after her death. Mr. Jones said the Social Security Administration has no record of AV’s death, or of Mr. Doumar’s attempt to report it, in its files.
Mr. Doumar said there were times over the decades when he wanted to stop cashing the checks but figured he would be caught if he did.
He made the address change for his aunt when he moved from New York to Oregon in 1979.
He also admitted to cashing his aunt’s stimulus payment in May.
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, said the inspector general recommended in 2012 that the Social Security Administration use data from Medicare and other federal programs to bolster its death records.
That didn’t happen until last year, he said.
“It is disgraceful that this simple process of reporting information from one federal agency to another was not adopted earlier,” he told The Washington Times. “The SSA needs to tighten its review of benefits and the Death Master File system needs to be modernized. The SSA’s inability to remedy these issues in a timely manner has unnecessarily wasted the taxpayers’ money.”
The Social Security Administration told The Times it couldn’t publicly detail its fraud detection tactics but said it does have methods to try to spot bogus payments.
According to court documents, the agency flagged the case after its anti-fraud office singled out AV as the second-oldest person drawing checks, yet she had no updates to her records since the 1989 address change.
Investigators tracked down two nieces who confirmed that AV died decades ago. One of them recalled a nephew who was the beneficiary of her life insurance payout.
Mr. Jones said he found Mr. Doumar, 76, in the Social Security system and discovered he was collecting Social Security benefits under his own name, too, at the same address listed for the deceased aunt. He owned a parcel collection business in Klamath Falls, Oregon, that helped him hide the fraud.
Budget watchdogs say the government regularly sends checks to dead people.
Nearly 1.1 million coronavirus stimulus payments totaling $1.4 billion were sent to dead people in the rush to get the money out the door.
The IRS and the Treasury Department initially argued that they didn’t have the legal authority to stop checks from going to people who had paid taxes in recent years. But after a review, the IRS decided it did have the power and would cancel any uncashed checks issued.
The U.S. attorney for Oregon charged Mr. Doumar with mail theft and theft of public funds. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Chances are he would serve far less time if convicted.
A New Jersey man who collected and cashed his dead grandmother’s checks from 2004 to 2015, totaling $96,000, was sentenced to 10 months of home confinement.
A Texas man who died in 1997 had his checks cashed up through 2015. His daughter was convicted of cashing his checks and sentenced to six months in prison.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Over 1,000 detained in latest Belarus election protests

MINSK , Belarus ( AP ) - Police detained over 1,000 people in Belarus during the latest protests against the results of the country ’ s presidential election , officials said Wednesday .
Rallies took place in 25 Belarusian cities on Tuesday and overnight , Interior Ministry spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova told The Associated Press .
Thousands have demonstrated in the capital of Minsk and several other cities for three nights to contest the election results .
The Central Election Commission reported that President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth term in Sunday ’ s election with 80 % of the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had attracted massive crowds at campaign events where voters expressed frustration with the authoritarian Lukashenko ’ s 26-year rule , got just 10 % .. Police deployed to break up the post-election protests used batons , stun grenades , tear gas and rubber bullets .
One protester died Monday amid the crackdown in Minsk , and scores were injured .
Belarusian human rights group Viasna said many people were afraid to seek medical help , fearing prosecution for participating in the protests .
“ We have information that medical workers are obligated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police , and doctors see the protesters not as victims but rather as enemies of Belarus ‘ stability , ” Viasna lawyer Pavel Sapelko said .
Earlier this week Belarus ‘ Investigative Committee launched a criminal probe into mass rioting .
Some 3,000 people were detained after Sunday ’ s protests and another 2,000 after rallies that started on Monday evening and lasted well into the night .
Belarusian state news agency Belta reported Wednesday that police detained “ coordinators of mass riots ” in the capital of Minsk .
The detained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters and were accused of paying them to participate in the unrest , Belta said.. Nearly 30 journalists are among those detained , the Belarusian Association of Journalists said Wednesday .
Three already were sentenced to 10 to 15 days of administrative arrest and 25 more remain in custody , awaiting their turn to face a court .
During the protests on Tuesday night , reporters from several Belarusian and international outlets were beaten up .
Officers seized memory cards from a group of photographers , including one for The Associated Press , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crackdown .
“ A deliberate hunt for journalists with independent Belarusian and foreign media has begun , ” said Boris Goretsky , vice president of the journalists ’ association .
Lukashenko , who has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1994 , has derided the political opposition as “ sheep ” manipulated by foreign masters and vowed to continue taking a tough position on protests .
Tsikhanouskaya , 37 , a former English teacher who entered the race after her husband ’ s jailing in Belarus , left the country for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hours after publicly disputing the vote results and submitting a formal request for a recount .
Her campaign said she made the move under duress .
Her departure from Minsk didn ’ t discourage the protesters from taking to the streets again .
Several told the AP that the rallies will continue .
The actions by police this week has drawn harsh criticism from the European Union and the United States .
Developments in Belarus will be on the agenda of an urgent meeting of European Union foreign ministers on Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The meeting was called a day after Borrell said that the 27-nation bloc would review its relations with Belarus and whether to take “ measures against those responsible for the observed violence , unjustified arrests , and falsification of election results.
” In 2016 , the European Union lifted most of the sanctions it slapped on Belarus in 2004 after Lukashenko , once dubbed “ Europe ’ s last dictator in the West , ” freed political prisoners and allowed protests .
This year the economic damage caused by the coronavirus and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , which he airily dismissed as “ psychosis , ” has fueled broad anger , helping swell the opposition ranks and prompting the Belarusian leader to unleash a renewed crackdown on dissent .
Tsikhanouskaya , who lacks any prior political experience , entered the race after her husband ’ s arrest .
She managed to unite fractured opposition groups and draw tens of thousands to her campaign rallies - the largest opposition demonstrations in Belarus since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union .
On Wednesday , nearly 200 women marched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters , chanting “ Shame !
” and carrying flowers .
“ We stand for a peaceful protest , ” Ksenia Ilyashevich , a 23-year-old IT specialist , told the AP .
“ We worked up the courage and came out to rally , ” she said .
“ Hundreds and thousands of Belarusians express solidarity with us , but are afraid ( to come out ) .
We stand here for all.
” Daria Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report .

MINSK, Belarus (AP) - Thousands of protesters rallied in Belarus’ capital and other cities for a fourth straight night Wednesday, decrying an election they say was rigged to extend the 26-year rule of the country’s authoritarian leader and the crackdown on subsequent demonstrations.
In several parts of Minsk, groups of hundreds of people formed human chains. Motorists blared horns in support and, in some areas, slowed to a crawl to block police vehicles. On one avenue, people stood on balconies, clapping in an expression of support. Riot police fired rubber bullets at them.
Similar protests were held in at least five other cities, according to the Viasna rights group, to contest the official election results, which show President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth term with 80% of Sunday’s vote and the main opposition challenger garnered 10%. Crowds have taken to the streets every night since to demand a recount.
Earlier in the day, groups of hundreds of women formed human chains in several districts of Minsk, chanting “Shame!” and calling for an end to the crackdown on the demonstrations. Hesitant to use force against all-women rallies, police dispersed them without violence.
But in recent nights, authorities have responded with a level of brutality remarkable even during Lukashenko’s rule. Police have dispersed protesters with tear gas, stun grenades, water cannons and rubber bullets and severely beat them with truncheons. Black-uniformed officers chased protesters into residential buildings and deliberately targeted journalists, beating many and breaking their cameras.
“We stand for a peaceful protest,” said Ksenia Ilyashevich, a 23-year-old IT specialist who joined other women at a Minsk protest earlier Wednesday. “We worked up the courage and came out to rally. We stand here for all.”
In three previous nights of protests, at least 6,000 people have been detained and hundreds injured, according to the official count, but even that high toll appeared to downplay the scope. Anguished relatives were besieging prisons across Belarus trying to find their missing relatives.
“Even those who were loyal saw the real face of this government during the past three days,” said 63-year-old Galina Vitushko, who stood outside a jail in Minsk, trying to find her son, a 43-year old doctor. She said that she desperately needs to give him insulin since he has diabetes.
“How can you treat your own people like that?” she asked, breaking into tears. “The real winners don’t behave like that.”
The 65-year-old Lukashenko has led the former Soviet state of 9.5 million people since 1994, relentlessly stifling dissent and winning the nickname “Europe’s last dictator” in the West.
This year, the economic damage caused by the coronavirus and the president’s swaggering response to the pandemic, which he airily dismissed as “psychosis,” has fueled broad anger, helping swell the opposition ranks - but Lukashenko has dismissed them.
“The core of these so-called protesters are people with a criminal past and (those who are) currently unemployed,” Lukashenko said during a Wednesday meeting with security officials.
His top challenger, a 37-year-old former teacher and political novice Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, managed to unite fractured opposition groups and draw tens of thousands to her campaign rallies after two top potential challengers were barred from the race. She entered the race to replace her husband, an opposition blogger who aspired to run but has been in jail since his arrest in May.
But she left for neighboring Lithuania on Tuesday in an abrupt about-face, hours after submitting a formal request for a recount. In a video recorded before departure that her associates said was filmed under pressure from law enforcement officials, she urged her supporters to end protests.
Protesters have not heeded her call, and Maria Kolesnikova, a top figure in Tsikhanouskaya’s campaign, urged the government Wednesday to “stop waging a war against its own people and begin a dialogue.”
On Tuesday in Brest, near the border with Poland, police shot at protesters who attacked them with metal rods, wounding one person, the Interior Ministry said. One demonstrator died Monday in Minsk, when an explosive device he attempted to throw at police exploded in his hands, according to the ministry.
Journalists, in particular, have been targeted. Boris Goretsky, vice president of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, said more than 20 reporters are currently in custody, waiting to see a judge, and several more have already been sentenced to jail terms ranging from 10 to 15 days.
“A deliberate hunt for journalists with independent Belarusian and foreign media has begun,” said Goretsky.
Reporters from several Belarusian and international outlets were beaten up Tuesday in Minsk. Officers seized memory cards from a group of photographers, including one for the AP.
On Wednesday, Vital Tsyhankou, a journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was severely beaten by police and detained along with two reporters from an independent Belarusian TV station after covering a protest against police violence.
The Viasna rights group said many injured protesters were afraid to seek medical help, fearing prosecution for participating in the rallies.
Eduard Kukhterin, a 56-year-old publisher, was injured by rubber bullets overnight but decided not to go to a hospital. “Medical workers report such injuries to the law enforcement,” Kukhterin told the AP.
The crackdown has drawn harsh criticism from abroad.
Speaking during a trip to the Czech Republic on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Belarusian vote was neither free nor fair. “We want the people of Belarus to have the freedoms that they’re demanding,” he said.
The European Union foreign ministers scheduled a meeting on Friday to discuss the crackdown.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the meeting a day after saying that the 27-nation bloc could impose sanctions against “those responsible for the observed violence, unjustified arrests, and falsification of election results.”
In 2016, the European Union lifted most of the sanctions it slapped on Belarus after Lukashenko freed political prisoners and allowed protests.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday condemned the crackdown, urging Belarusian authorities to immediately release all those unlawfully detained and investigate rights abuses.
___
Daria Litvinova and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Matthew Lee in Prague and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Top German diplomat: Lebanon needs 'reboot' to regain trust

BEIRUT ( AP ) - Lebanon needs a “ strong reboot ” and far-reaching economic reforms to rebuild trust with its citizens , Germany ’ s foreign minister said ahead of his trip Wednesday to Beirut , following last week ’ s massive explosion at the city ’ s port that killed at least 171 people and wounded thousands .
Heiko Maas said he was traveling to the Lebanese capital to “ find out about the situation and consequences of the explosion and express our condolences and support.
” He landed a few hours later in Beirut and was scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with members of local NGOs , as well as the country ’ s president .
Germany has pledged 20 million euros ( about 23 million dollars ) in immediate help after the catastrophic Aug. 4 explosion that tore through the Lebanese capital with such intensity that it created a tremor felt in neighboring Cyprus .
Thousands of buildings in the heart of the Beirut were destroyed and many more left homeless .
The explosion was the result of thousands of tons of ammonium nitrated that were stored in the city ’ s port @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the knowledge of top political and security officials .
The explosion has fueled outrage and protests against top political leaders , and led to the resignation of the government on Monday .
The Cabinet is now in a caretaker capacity .
Maas said he would hold talks in Beirut to see how the money can quickly get to the people who need it .
He said he would also talk to the nation ’ s political leaders and representatives of civil society about the future of Lebanon .
“ The country now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reforms .
It ’ s the only way Lebanon can create a good future for its youth .
It ’ s the only way to build the needed trust , ” he said .
Meanwhile , Lebanon ’ s caretaker Economy Minister Raoul Nehme sought to calm nerves , saying that Lebanon is not facing a bread crisis after the country ’ s only wheat silo was destroyed by the explosion .
Speaking during a tour of the port Wednesday , he said Lebanon has enough flour stock sufficient for four months and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to receive container ships .
The head of the U.N. food agency David Beasley said on Monday he ’ s “ very , very concerned ” Lebanon could run out of bread in about 2 ½ weeks because 85 % of the country ’ s grain comes through Beirut ’ s devastated port .
He said , however , that he believes an area of the port can be made operational later this month .
Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report .

BEIRUT (AP) - Germany stands ready to help Lebanon with reconstruction and further investment after last week’s massive explosion, but any support will be linked to economic reforms and an end to pervasive corruption in Lebanon, Germany’s foreign minister said Wednesday.
Heiko Maas spoke after a tour of Beirut’s devastated port, where thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate exploded Aug. 4, obliterating the facility, killing at least 171 people and wounding thousands in the capital city.
It still was not known what caused the fire responsible for igniting the ammonium nitrate. But documents have emerged in the wake of the explosion that show the chemicals had been improperly stored in the city’s port for more than six years, apparently with the knowledge of top political and security officials.
“The dimension of devastation and destruction is almost inconceivable for people living in Germany, and therefore it was also so important for the German government to help quickly,” Maas said.
He said he brought 4 million euros to the Red Cross and the United Nations because Germany wants the money to arrive where it is needed and “not for it to disappear in dark channels of which there are unfortunately way too many in Lebanon.”
“Other than that we hope that the responsible politicians have understood the sign of the times. The rage of the people is understandable,” Maas said.
The explosion has fueled outrage and protests against top political leaders and led to the resignation of the government Monday. The Cabinet is now in a caretaker capacity.
Ahead of his arrival in Beirut, Maas said Lebanon needs a “strong reboot” and far-reaching economic reforms to rebuild trust with its citizens.
Germany has pledged 20 million euros (about 23 million dollars) in immediate help after the explosion that tore through the Lebanese capital with such intensity that it created a tremor felt in neighboring Cyprus. Thousands of buildings in the heart of the Beirut were destroyed and many more left homeless.
Maas said he would hold talks in Beirut to see how the money can quickly get to the people who need it. He said he would also talk to the nation’s political leaders and representatives of civil society about the future of Lebanon.
“I think everyone in Lebanon has to recognize that things cannot continue like this, this country needs big reforms,” he said.
Separately, France’s president spoke Wednesday to the leaders of Russia and Iran and urged them to cooperate with the rest of the international community to restore stability in Lebanon.
While Iran and Russia are important power players in the region and have offered Lebanon aid since last week’s devastating explosion, neither participated in an international donors conference Sunday organized by France and the U.N. to help rebuild Beirut.
Speaking with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, French President Emmanuel Macron said the region’s major powers should avoid interfering or escalating tensions in Lebanon as it forms a new government, according to Macron’s office.
The head of the U.N. food agency, David Beasley, announced Wednesday that the organization is bringing 17,500 metric tons of wheat flour and a three-month supply of wheat into Lebanon to help replenish the country’s food reserves. That is part of a rapid logistics operation that will also involve setting up warehouses and mobile grain storage units, according to U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric at Wednesday’s U.N. briefing:.
Beasley said Monday he’s “very, very concerned” Lebanon could run out of bread in about 2½ weeks because 85% of the country’s grain comes through Beirut’s devastated port. He said, however, that he believed an area of the port can be made operational later this month.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s caretaker Economy Minister Raoul Nehme sought to calm nerves, saying that Lebanon is not facing a bread crisis after the country’s only wheat silo was destroyed by the explosion. Speaking during a tour of the port Wednesday, he said Lebanon has enough flour stock sufficient for four months and that part of the port is ready to receive container ships.
____
Associated Press writers Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Angela Charlton in Paris and Edith M. Lederer in New York contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Maryland city gets 40,000 mask donations from Chinese city

ANNAPOLIS , Md .
( AP ) - A municipal government in China has donated 40,000 medical-grade face masks to Maryland ’ s capital city amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The donations from Changsha , China , were first offered to Annapolis city officials in April , when the need for the masks among public safety workers was high in the beginning days of the pandemic , Annapolis City Manager David Jarrell said in a news release Tuesday .
They arrived this month , with one of the boxes featuring strikers of American and Chinese flags with a message that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Annapolis !
Best Wishes from Changsha !
True unity inspires people to work as one to overcome adversity , ” The Capital Gazette reported .
Another note from Yani Xia , a representative in the Chinese city ’ s Foreign Affairs Office , accompanied the shipments .
“ We sincerely wish you and everyone in Annapolis continued good health , and the fortitude to persevere during this challenging period , ” Xia ’ s note read .
Annapolis ’ relationship with Changsha began under a former city administrator , according to the release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities .
“ These masks help in Transportation , Public Works , and Recreation and Parks , among others , ” said Kevin Simmons , director of the Annapolis ’ Office of Emergency Management .
About 20,000 masks will be distributed to public safety employees while the other half will be given based on need , the newspaper reported .
Nearly 97,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus in Maryland , and more than 3,460 have died , according to the state ’ s Health department .
In response to the donations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials another gift : a book of photographs of Annapolis .
“ International friendships like this bridge divides , ” Buckley said in the release .
“ I ’ m grateful for the gift of the masks , but I ’ m even more grateful for what it says about the hopefulness of the human condition .
”

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A municipal government in China has donated 40,000 medical-grade face masks to Maryland’s capital city amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The donations from Changsha, China, were first offered to Annapolis city officials in April, when the need for the masks among public safety workers was high in the beginning days of the pandemic, Annapolis City Manager David Jarrell said in a news release Tuesday.
They arrived this month, with one of the boxes featuring strikers of American and Chinese flags with a message that read: “Go, City of Annapolis! Best Wishes from Changsha! True unity inspires people to work as one to overcome adversity,” The Capital Gazette reported.
Another note from Yani Xia, a representative in the Chinese city’s Foreign Affairs Office, accompanied the shipments. “We sincerely wish you and everyone in Annapolis continued good health, and the fortitude to persevere during this challenging period,” Xia’s note read.
Annapolis’ relationship with Changsha began under a former city administrator, according to the release. The two municipalities are now sister cities.
“These masks help in Transportation, Public Works, and Recreation and Parks, among others,” said Kevin Simmons, director of the Annapolis’ Office of Emergency Management. About 20,000 masks will be distributed to public safety employees while the other half will be given based on need, the newspaper reported.
Nearly 97,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus in Maryland, and more than 3,460 have died, according to the state’s Health department.
In response to the donations, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley sent Changsha officials another gift: a book of photographs of Annapolis.
“International friendships like this bridge divides,” Buckley said in the release. “I’m grateful for the gift of the masks, but I’m even more grateful for what it says about the hopefulness of the human condition.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--UK govt, Ben & Jerry's in spat over treatment of migrants

LONDON ( AP ) - Relations between the British government and ice cream maker Ben & Jerry ’ s chilled Wednesday in a spat over the treatment of migrants .
The feud began Tuesday when the Vermont-based dessert brand directed a tweet at Britain ’ s interior minister , Home Secretary Priti Patel , who has vowed to stop asylum seekers crossing the English Channel from France to England in small boats .
Hundreds of people have made the dangerous crossing in the past weeks of calm summer weather .
The company tweeted : “ Hey @ PritiPatel we think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humanity for people fleeing war , climate change and torture.
” It followed up with a series of tweets suggesting the government speak to refugee organizations and saying that “ PEOPLE CAN NOT BE ILLEGAL , ” in response to some politicians ’ talk of “ illegal ” immigrants .
The Home Office hit back , saying Patel was “ working day and night to bring an end to these small boat crossings ” and was unconcerned about “ upsetting the social media team for a brand of overpriced junk food.
” James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservative Party , joined the criticism , tweeting : “ Can I have a large scoop of statistically inaccurate virtue signalling with my grossly overpriced ice cream please.
” Founded in Burlington , Vermont in 1978 by ex-hippies Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield , Ben & Jerry ’ s has long championed liberal causes .
It has been owned since 2000 by Anglo-Dutch consumer goods conglomerate Unilever PLC .

LONDON (AP) - Relations between the British government and ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s chilled Wednesday in a spat over the treatment of migrants.
The feud began Tuesday when the Vermont-based dessert brand directed a tweet at Britain’s interior minister, Home Secretary Priti Patel, who has vowed to stop asylum seekers crossing the English Channel from France to England in small boats. Hundreds of people have made the dangerous crossing in the past weeks of calm summer weather.
The company tweeted: “Hey @PritiPatel we think the real crisis is our lack of humanity for people fleeing war, climate change and torture.” It followed up with a series of tweets suggesting the government speak to refugee organizations and saying that “PEOPLE CANNOT BE ILLEGAL,” in response to some politicians’ talk of “illegal” immigrants.
The Home Office hit back, saying Patel was “working day and night to bring an end to these small boat crossings” and was unconcerned about “upsetting the social media team for a brand of overpriced junk food.”
James Cleverly, a lawmaker from the governing Conservative Party, joined the criticism, tweeting: “Can I have a large scoop of statistically inaccurate virtue signalling with my grossly overpriced ice cream please.”
Founded in Burlington, Vermont in 1978 by ex-hippies Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerry’s has long championed liberal causes. It has been owned since 2000 by Anglo-Dutch consumer goods conglomerate Unilever PLC.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Wayward emu captured running through New Jersey city

PATERSON , N.J. ( AP ) - A wayward emu was taken to an animal shelter after it was captured @ @ @ @ @ of a northern New Jersey city .
A woman spotted the long-legged bird on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ near Paterson ’ s border with Totowa .
Animal control officers managed the snare the @ @ @ @ @ 4-feet ( 1.22 meters ) tall .
The emu was placed in a large animal @ @ @ @ @ a shelter , where officials arranged for the emu to be examined by a veterinarian @ @ @ @ @ whether the bird had escaped from a farm or was just running out in the @ @ @ @ @ Officer John DeCando told NJ.com the emu appeared healthy .
He could not determine its @ @ @ @ @ but I can tell you it needs a bath , ” DeCando said .

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) - A wayward emu was taken to an animal shelter after it was captured while running through the streets of a northern New Jersey city.
A woman spotted the long-legged bird on Tuesday morning in a residential neighborhood near Paterson’s border with Totowa.
Animal control officers managed to snare the emu, which is about 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall.
The emu was placed in a large animal cart and was taken to a shelter, where officials arranged for the emu to be examined by a veterinarian.
Officials were not sure whether the bird had escaped from a farm or was just running out in the wild.
Chief Animal Control Officer John DeCando told NJ.com the emu appeared healthy. He could not determine its age or sex, “but I can tell you it needs a bath,” DeCando said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--3 killed in southern India in clashes over Facebook post

NEW DELHI ( AP ) - At least three people were killed in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru when police clashed with hundreds of Muslims who attacked a police station and set fire to vehicles during a protest over a Facebook post considered offensive to Islam , police said Wednesday .
Senior police officer Kamal Pant said the protesters burned public and police vehicles and attacked the house of a local politician whose relative was accused of posting remarks online reportedly involving the Prophet Muhammad .
The post has since been deleted , he said .
“ Three people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 110 people have been arrested for attacking the police station , ” Pant said .
He said at least 60 police officers were injured in the violence Tuesday night in Bengaluru , also known as Bangalore .
He said police fired live ammunition in self defense to disperse the crowd after initially using tear gas and batons .
Pant said the person responsible for the Facebook post was arrested and a law prohibiting gatherings was imposed in the city , with a heavy police presence in some areas .
“ Things are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The violence flared when angry Muslims came out on the streets and started protesting outside the politician ’ s house and a police station .
The protesters turned violent , stoning vehicles and setting them on fire .
B.S .
Yediyurappa , chief minister of Karnataka state , of which Bengaluru is the capital , directed police to take strict action against those involved in the protest and appealed to the public to maintain peace .
“ The government will not tolerate such provocations and rumors , ” Yediyurappa said .
The violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riots in the national capital , New Delhi , in which more than 55 people , mostly Muslims , were killed .

NEW DELHI (AP) - At least three people were killed in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru when police clashed with hundreds of Muslims who attacked a police station and set fire to vehicles during a protest over a Facebook post considered offensive to Islam, police said Wednesday.
Senior police officer Kamal Pant said the protesters burned public and police vehicles and attacked the house of a local politician whose relative was accused of posting remarks online reportedly involving the Prophet Muhammad. The post has since been deleted, he said.
“Three people died in the police action and more than 110 people have been arrested for attacking the police station,” Pant said. He said at least 60 police officers were injured in the violence Tuesday night in Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore.
He said police fired live ammunition in self defense to disperse the crowd after initially using tear gas and batons.
Pant said the person responsible for the Facebook post was arrested and a law prohibiting gatherings was imposed in the city, with a heavy police presence in some areas.
“Things are peaceful now,” he said.
The violence flared when angry Muslims came out on the streets and started protesting outside the politician’s house and a police station. The protesters turned violent, stoning vehicles and setting them on fire.
B.S. Yediyurappa, chief minister of Karnataka state, of which Bengaluru is the capital, directed police to take strict action against those involved in the protest and appealed to the public to maintain peace.
“The government will not tolerate such provocations and rumors,” Yediyurappa said.
The violence in southern India comes months after communal riots in the national capital, New Delhi, in which more than 55 people, mostly Muslims, were killed.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--5 Things to Know for Today

5 Things to Know for Today

Your daily look at late-breaking news , upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today : 1 .
INSIDE BIDEN ’ S SEARCH FOR A RUNNING MATE He started with a list of roughly 20 contenders , including governors , senators , mayors , House members and other Democratic leaders before narrowing the list to 11 finalists and then selecting Kamala Harris .
2 .
WHAT ’ S NEXT IN COVID-19 TREATMENT Pharmaceutical companies are rushing to test drugs that deliver antibodies to fight the virus right away , without having to train the immune system to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FEELS LIKE I ’ M EXPENDABLE ’ The coronavirus has impacted Latino efforts to make inroads politically , whether it be running for office or heading to the ballot box .
4 .
AFTER BLAST , TRAUMA FOR CHILDREN OF BEIRUT Some refuse to return to homes that were damaged or go near glass windows or doors .
One 3-year-old is jumpy , is not eating well and refuses to talk to anyone .
A 6-year-old boy has recurring bursts of anger .
5 .
‘ I ’ VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a new breed of protesters - young middle-class Israelis who feel his scandal-plagued rule has robbed them of their future .

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
1. INSIDE BIDEN’S SEARCH FOR A RUNNING MATE He started with a list of roughly 20 contenders, including governors, senators, mayors, House members and other Democratic leaders before narrowing the list to 11 finalists and then selecting Kamala Harris.
2. WHAT’S NEXT IN COVID-19 TREATMENT Pharmaceutical companies are rushing to test drugs that deliver antibodies to fight the virus right away, without having to train the immune system to make them.
3. ‘IT FEELS LIKE I’M EXPENDABLE’ The coronavirus has impacted Latino efforts to make inroads politically, whether it be running for office or heading to the ballot box.
4. AFTER BLAST, TRAUMA FOR CHILDREN OF BEIRUT Some refuse to return to homes that were damaged or go near glass windows or doors. One 3-year-old is jumpy, is not eating well and refuses to talk to anyone. A 6-year-old boy has recurring bursts of anger.
5. ‘I’VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE’ Boisterous rallies against Benjamin Netanyahu bring out a new breed of protesters - young middle-class Israelis who feel his scandal-plagued rule has robbed them of their future.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Edmunds: Top picks for road trip vehicles with maximum range

Many Americans are wary of flying because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Driving is one alternative to minimize your exposure to large crowds and still get an opportunity to see some sights this summer .
You can also further reduce your social contact on a road trip by driving a vehicle with an exceptionally long range .
A typical gasoline-powered vehicle can make it about 300-400 miles before needing to stop for gas .
Edmunds ’ experts have evaluated four vehicles with significantly greater-than-average EPA-estimated ranges .
Each vehicle represents a specific category : truck , SUV , sedan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by multiplying a vehicle ’ s combined mpg estimate - it ’ s a mix of both city and highway driving - with its gas tank capacity .
A vehicle that gets 20 mpg combined and has a 20-gallon fuel tank , for instance , would have an estimated range of 400 miles .
You can also do your own math using a vehicle ’ s highway mpg number to determine if its range will help you go the distance on a trip .
There are plenty of beautiful and interesting destinations within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle with a particularly long range .
Here ’ s how to get there .
The Ram 1500 is the king of range when equipped with rear-wheel drive and two optional features : the turbodiesel V6 and 33-gallon fuel tank .
The EPA estimates a maximum range of 598 miles between fill-ups based on the Ram 1500 diesel ’ s standard fuel tank .
That range balloons to 858 miles with the optional 33-gallon fuel tank .
Edmunds ’ testing of the Ram 1500 and its diesel engine suggests that the EPA ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s likely you ’ ll be able to go 900 miles or more on a single tank .
The Ram also has impressive technology features , class-leading towing capability and a smooth highway ride .
The Ford Expedition Max is a large three-row SUV that has seating for eight passengers and cargo space galore .
That alone makes it a great road-trip vehicle for families .
As a bonus , it also comes with a massive 30-gallon fuel tank .
Stick to highway driving and you should easily be able to clear 600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Expedition Max is too big for your needs , you might also consider looking at the new 2020 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid .
This small SUV has an estimated 530 miles on just one tank , which is an impressive feat for such a small vehicle .
The redesigned Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is a spacious and stylish midsize sedan .
Its high fuel economy and big fuel tank also allow it to go quite far on a single fill-up .
The mid- and upper-trim levels , the SEL and the Limited , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The base Blue trim goes even farther - 686 miles .
The Blue trim lacks some of the Sonata ’ s nicer features , however .
Hyundai also offers the Ioniq hybrid .
It ’ s a smaller hatchback that offers a potential range of 690 miles .
But we prefer the Sonata for its extra space and comfort , which is key for a long journey .
The Tesla Model S is one of the quickest-accelerating cars you can buy .
And in its Long Range Plus form , it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an electric vehicle : 402 miles of range with a fully charged battery .
That ’ s nearly double the estimate for most other EVs .
Access to Tesla ’ s nationwide Supercharger network is another advantage .
These proprietary fast chargers make up the most populous charging network in the United States .
Twenty to 30 minutes is all you need to recharge the Model S battery enough to continue on your journey .
The Model S navigation system will even guide you to the next Supercharger station in advance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a balance among practicality , comfort and sheer endurance on a tank of gas .
Now the only thing left is to choose your destination .
This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds .
Travis Langness is a reviews editor at Edmunds .
Twitter : @ travislangness .

Many Americans are wary of flying because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Driving is one alternative to minimize your exposure to large crowds and still get an opportunity to see some sights this summer. You can also further reduce your social contact on a road trip by driving a vehicle with an exceptionally long range.
A typical gasoline-powered vehicle can make it about 300-400 miles before needing to stop for gas. Edmunds’ experts have evaluated four vehicles with significantly greater-than-average EPA-estimated ranges. Each vehicle represents a specific category: truck, SUV, sedan and electric vehicle.
The EPA calculates range by multiplying a vehicle’s combined mpg estimate - it’s a mix of both city and highway driving - with its gas tank capacity. A vehicle that gets 20 mpg combined and has a 20-gallon fuel tank, for instance, would have an estimated range of 400 miles. You can also do your own math using a vehicle’s highway mpg number to determine if its range will help you go the distance on a trip.
There are plenty of beautiful and interesting destinations within reach, especially if you own a vehicle with a particularly long range. Here’s how to get there.
TRUCK: 2020 RAM 1500
The Ram 1500 is the king of range when equipped with rear-wheel drive and two optional features: the turbodiesel V6 and 33-gallon fuel tank. The EPA estimates a maximum range of 598 miles between fill-ups based on the Ram 1500 diesel’s standard fuel tank. That range balloons to 858 miles with the optional 33-gallon fuel tank.
Edmunds’ testing of the Ram 1500 and its diesel engine suggests that the EPA’s estimates are conservative; it’s likely you’ll be able to go 900 miles or more on a single tank. The Ram also has impressive technology features, class-leading towing capability and a smooth highway ride.
EPA-estimated mpg: 26 combined (22 city/32 highway)
EPA-estimated range: 598-858 miles
Starting price for this range: $33,935 (including destination)
SUV: 2020 FORD EXPEDITION MAX
The Ford Expedition Max is a large three-row SUV that has seating for eight passengers and cargo space galore. That alone makes it a great road-trip vehicle for families. As a bonus, it also comes with a massive 30-gallon fuel tank. Stick to highway driving and you should easily be able to clear 600 miles before needed to refuel.
If the Expedition Max is too big for your needs, you might also consider looking at the new 2020 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid. This small SUV has an estimated 530 miles on just one tank, which is an impressive feat for such a small vehicle.
EPA-estimated mpg: 19 combined (17 city/23 highway)
EPA-estimated range: 570 miles
Starting price for this range: $57,530 (including destination)
SEDAN: 2020 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID
The redesigned Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is a spacious and stylish midsize sedan. Its high fuel economy and big fuel tank also allow it to go quite far on a single fill-up. The mid- and upper-trim levels, the SEL and the Limited, boast an impressive range of 620 miles. The base Blue trim goes even farther - 686 miles. The Blue trim lacks some of the Sonata’s nicer features, however.
Hyundai also offers the Ioniq hybrid. It’s a smaller hatchback that offers a potential range of 690 miles. But we prefer the Sonata for its extra space and comfort, which is key for a long journey.
EPA-estimated mpg: 52 combined (50 city/54 highway)
EPA-estimated range: 686 miles
Starting price for this range: $28,725 (including destination)
ELECTRIC VEHICLE: 2020 TESLA MODEL S
The Tesla Model S is one of the quickest-accelerating cars you can buy. And in its Long Range Plus form, it can provide you with the longest EPA-estimated range for an electric vehicle: 402 miles of range with a fully charged battery. That’s nearly double the estimate for most other EVs.
Access to Tesla’s nationwide Supercharger network is another advantage. These proprietary fast chargers make up the most populous charging network in the United States. Twenty to 30 minutes is all you need to recharge the Model S battery enough to continue on your journey. The Model S navigation system will even guide you to the next Supercharger station in advance.
EPA-estimated efficiency: 29 kWh/100 miles or 117 mpg equivalent combined (121 city/112 highway)
EPA-estimated range: 402 miles
Starting price for this range: $76,190 (including destination)
EDMUNDS SAYS: These range-topping vehicles strike a balance among practicality, comfort and sheer endurance on a tank of gas. Now the only thing left is to choose your destination.
___
This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. Travis Langness is a reviews editor at Edmunds. Twitter: @travislangness.
Related links:
-2020 Ram 1500 review https://edmu.in/2Pl12GZ
-2020 Tesla Model S review https://edmu.in/3i8XxQp
-2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid review https://edmu.in/3gDLZ7v
-2020 Ford Expedition review https://edmu.in/30nq7Yc


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Turkish ship starts energy search amid standoff with Greece

ANKARA , Turkey ( AP ) - A Turkish seismic research vessel has begun surveying for energy resources in contested areas of the eastern Mediterranean , Turkey ’ s energy minister said Wednesday , amid an escalation of tensions between rivals Greece and Turkey over oil and gas exploration rights .
Turkey ’ s seismic surveying ship , Oruc Reis , was “ taking the x-ray of our seas , ” Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said on Twitter .
He said the the vessel had also lowered 1,750 kilometers ( 1,087 miles ) of seismic cables into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reis and two support vessels to undertake seismic research for energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean in an area Greece says is on its continental shelf .
The move reignited tensions between NATO allies Greece and Turkey , both of which have warships shadowing the Turkish research vessel .
Greece has called on Turkey to withdraw vessels from the area .
Turkey said Tuesday it would not back away from its search activities , adding that it plans to issue new exploration licenses for the area despite an escalating dispute with Greece over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dendias is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday in Vienna , his ministry said Wednesday .
Talks are to focus on Turkey ’ s actions and developments in the eastern Mediterranean .
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted on Wednesday that he was calling an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting for Friday , to discuss the situation in the eastern Mediterranean , as well as the presidential elections in Belarus and developments in Lebanon after a massive deadly explosion there .
Greece had called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ growing Turkish provocation and delinquency , ” and Dendias would be participating via video link from Vienna .
Turkey announced that the Oruc Reis would be operating in the Mediterranean Sea between Cyprus and Greece until Aug. 23 .
The vessel arrived in the area Monday morning , escorted by Turkish warships .
Greek warships were in the area monitoring the Oruc Reis , and the military was on alert , officials said .
Relations between Greece and Turkey have traditionally been taut , and the neighbors have long been at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The two have come to the brink of war three times since the mid-1970s , including once over drilling exploration rights in the Aegean Sea that separates the two countries .
Recent discoveries of natural gas and drilling plans across the eastern Mediterranean have led to renewed tension .
Ankara was angered by a deal Greece signed with Egypt on Thursday delineating their bilateral maritime boundaries and exclusive economic zones for rights to the exploitation of resources .
Turkish officials said the deal came as Turkey and Greece were making progress in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , Turkey signed a similar deal with the U.N.-backed Libyan government in Tripoli , sparking outrage in Greece , Egypt and Cyprus , which said the agreement infringed on their economic rights in the Mediterranean .
The EU said the deal was a violation of international law that threatened regional stability .
At the heart of the issue is how a country ’ s continental shelf is calculated and whether islands should be included in the calculation .
Turkey argues they should not , a position that Greece says violates international law @

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - A Turkish research vessel has begun surveying for energy resources in contested areas of the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s energy minister said Wednesday, amid escalating tensions between NATO allies and regional rivals Greece and Turkey over offshore oil and gas exploration rights.
The Oruc Reis was conducting seismic research in an area Greece says is over its continental shelf, and Athens has demanded the ship’s withdrawal. Both countries have warships shadowing the vessel.
“Our country never threatens but will not suffer blackmail either. This is why it does not succumb to threats or tolerate provocative acts,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised statement Wednesday evening.
Mitsotakis said Greece had deployed naval vessels to the area and placed its military on alert in response to the Turkish deployment of its own fleet.
“Let it be known: The risk of an accident lurks when so many military assets are gathered in such a contained area,” Mitsotakis said. “In such a case, responsibility lies upon the one who gives rise to these circumstances.”
The prime minister said Greece “(does) not fear even the toughest dialogue,” as it had faith in its positions, but that “dialogue becomes irrelevant in a climate of tension and provocation.”
“We will never be the ones to escalate the situation. Yet, self-restraint is only one aspect of our power,” Mitsotakis said. “No provocation will … go unanswered. We have demonstrated that we will respond, if necessary. And we will do so again if it is required.”
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said on Twitter that the Oruc Reis was “taking the x-ray of our seas.” He said the the vessel had also lowered 1,750 kilometers (1,087 miles) of seismic cables into the Mediterranean.
Greece has called on Turkey to withdraw vessels from the area. Turkey said Tuesday it would not back away from its search activities, adding that it plans to issue new exploration licenses for the area despite the escalating dispute with Greece over drilling rights.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is scheduled to see U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday in Vienna, with the meeting to focus on Turkey’s actions and developments in the eastern Mediterranean, and was to travel to Israel for talks on Thursday.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted on Wednesday that he was calling an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting for Friday, to discuss the situation in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as the presidential elections in Belarus and developments in Lebanon after a massive deadly explosion there.
Greece had called for the emergency meeting over what it termed the “growing Turkish provocation and delinquency,” and Dendias will be participating via video link from Vienna.
Turkey announced that the Oruc Reis would be operating in the Mediterranean Sea between Cyprus and Greece until Aug. 23. The vessel arrived in the area Monday morning, escorted by Turkish warships. Greek warships were sent to the area.
Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides described Turkey’s move as a serious escalation to its unlawful actions in the eastern Mediterranean a few days after another of its survey ships, the Barbaros, began a hydrocarbons search in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone southeast of the island nation.
“Unfortunately, once again Turkey has chosen the route of unilateral unlawful actions, provocatively turning its back on the prospect of dialogue based on international law and good neighborly relations,” Christodoulides told state-run Cyprus News Agency.
He said Turkey’s actions against two EU member states should be taken into account in the country’s relations with the bloc.
Relations between Greece and Turkey have traditionally been terse, and the neighbors have long been at loggerheads over a slew of disputes. The two have come to the brink of war three times since the mid-1970s, including once over drilling exploration rights in the Aegean Sea that separates the two countries. Recent discoveries of natural gas and drilling plans across the eastern Mediterranean have led to renewed tension.
Ankara was angered by a deal Greece signed with Egypt on Thursday delineating their bilateral maritime boundaries and exclusive economic zones for rights to the exploitation of resources. Turkish officials said the deal came as Turkey and Greece were making progress in informal talks brokered by Berlin.
Last year, Turkey signed a similar deal with the U.N.-backed government in strife-torn Libya, sparking outrage in Greece, Egypt and Cyprus, which said the agreement infringed on their economic rights in the Mediterranean. The EU said the deal was a violation of international law that threatened regional stability.
At the heart of the issue is how a country’s continental shelf is calculated and whether islands should be included in the calculation. Turkey argues they should not, a position that Greece says violates international law.
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Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus, contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Shake Shack shrugs off trade war, opens outlet in Beijing

BEIJING ( AP ) - Antagonisms between China and the United States didn ’ t stop Beijing ’ s burger lovers from standing in line for hours for a bite of Shake Shack ’ s snacks .
The New York burger brand opened its first restaurant in the Chinese capital on Wednesday in Beijing ’ s TaiKoo Li , a shopping area popular among young people .
Shake Shack opened its first restaurant in mainland China in Shanghai last year .
Nearly 200 customers wound around the Beijing restaurant ahead of its 10:30 a.m. opening .
Yang Fan , 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 a.m. and was first in line keen to enjoy an experience she first had while visiting the U.S. a few years ago .
“ So when I heard about Shake Shack to open a restaurant in Beijing I was very excited .
I came very early to queue up , ” she said .
Shake Shack broke ground in the capital city at a time when relations between China and the U.S. are at their worst in decades , amid disagreements over trade , Hong Kong , human rights and Beijing ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China Sea .
For Yang and others , all that took a backseat to American-style cheeseburgers , hot dogs , fries and ice-cold beverages .
“ Although we are Chinese , we should not discriminate against U.S. brands , because it ( government-level tensions ) have nothing to do with its people , ” she said .
He Xiaolin , a financial worker waiting for his first try of a Shake Shack burger , agreed .
“ What we eat should not be politicized , as long as they are delicious , ” @ @ @

BEIJING (AP) - Antagonisms between China and the United States didn’t stop Beijing’s burger lovers from standing in line for hours for a bite of Shake Shack’s snacks.
The New York burger brand opened its first restaurant in the Chinese capital on Wednesday in Beijing’s TaiKoo Li, a shopping area popular among young people.
Shake Shack opened its first restaurant in mainland China in Shanghai last year.
Nearly 200 customers wound around the Beijing restaurant ahead of its 10:30 a.m. opening.
Yang Fan, 18, said she got there at around 6 a.m. and was first in line keen to enjoy an experience she first had while visiting the U.S. a few years ago.
“So when I heard about Shake Shack to open a restaurant in Beijing I was very excited. I came very early to queue up,” she said.
Shake Shack broke ground in the capital city at a time when relations between China and the U.S. are at their worst in decades, amid disagreements over trade, Hong Kong, human rights and Beijing’s claims to territory in the South China Sea.
For Yang and others, all that took a backseat to American-style cheeseburgers, hot dogs, fries and ice-cold beverages.
“Although we are Chinese, we should not discriminate against U.S. brands, because it (government-level tensions) have nothing to do with its people,” she said.
He Xiaolin, a financial worker waiting for his first try of a Shake Shack burger, agreed.
“What we eat should not be politicized, as long as they are delicious,” He said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Virginia city council votes to remove Confederate monument

NEWPORT NEWS , Va. ( AP ) - A Virginia city council voted to remove a Confederate monument that has stood in the city for more than a century .
The Newport News City Council agreed to take down the figure in a 6-1 vote Tuesday , two months after city workers covered the statue in tarp due to demonstrations in the city , news outlets reported .
The monument , which honors a Virginia Confederate infantry unit , has stood in front of the 1884 Warwick County Courthouse since 1909 .
Nearly 50 people gathered by the monument in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the national protests against racism and police brutality .
An online petition asking the same thing has also been signed by more than 770 people .
The council took public remarks before the vote .
Andrew Shannon , vice president of the Virginia Southern Christian Leadership Conference , said in his comments that the figure symbolized “ hatred , bigotry , and divisiveness.
” Councilwoman Pat Woodbury , who voted against the measure , said removing the monument represented erasing history , and advocated for its continued presence saying it could teach people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The city will now wait another 30 days to consider possible offers to take the memorial from museums , battlefields or other organizations .
Newport News is located about 69 miles ( 111 kilometers ) southeast of Richmond .

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) - A Virginia city council voted to remove a Confederate monument that has stood in the city for more than a century.
The Newport News City Council agreed to take down the figure in a 6-1 vote Tuesday, two months after city workers covered the statue in tarp due to demonstrations in the city, news outlets reported.
The monument, which honors a Virginia Confederate infantry unit, has stood in front of the 1884 Warwick County Courthouse since 1909.
Nearly 50 people gathered by the monument in June to demand its swift removal amid the national protests against racism and police brutality. An online petition asking the same thing has also been signed by more than 770 people.
The council took public remarks before the vote. Andrew Shannon, vice president of the Virginia Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said in his comments that the figure symbolized “hatred, bigotry, and divisiveness.”
Councilwoman Pat Woodbury, who voted against the measure, said removing the monument represented erasing history, and advocated for its continued presence saying it could teach people about the past, The Virginian-Pilot reported.
The city will now wait another 30 days to consider possible offers to take the memorial from museums, battlefields or other organizations.
Newport News is located about 69 miles (111 kilometers) southeast of Richmond.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Frenchman who aided Mayan farmers killed in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY , Guatemala ( AP ) - A French aid worker was shot to death on a rural highway in Guatemala , where he had led agricultural projects for indigenous Mayan communities for 20 years .
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the killing of Benoit Pierre Amadee Maria , who represented Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders , saying in a tweet Tuesday that his “ humanistic , fraternal commitment pays honor to France.
” The killing Monday came the day after six French aid workers were killed in a giraffe park in the West African country of Niger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clarity on what happened , saying in a statement that “ Amadee Maria dedicated a large part of his life to promoting community development in favor of vulnerable populations.
” Amadee Maria was killed Monday afternoon on a rural road in the village of Pacam , the National Civil Police said in a statement .
He was traveling in a van when he was attacked by unknown individuals who shot him several times , it said .
Two police teams in the area are investigating the case , police spokesman Edwin Monroy told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which provided some funding to Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders , also joined in mourning the death .
In a July 2019 report , the U.S. organization Global Witness ranked Guatemala as No .
5 in a list of countries with the most killings of land defenders and activists .

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (AP) - A French aid worker was shot to death on a rural highway in Guatemala, where he had led agricultural projects for indigenous Mayan communities for 20 years.
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the killing of Benoit Pierre Amadee Maria, who represented Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders, saying in a tweet Tuesday that his “humanistic, fraternal commitment pays honor to France.” The killing Monday came the day after six French aid workers were killed in a giraffe park in the West African country of Niger.
Guatemalan Vice President Guillermo Castillo called for clarity on what happened, saying in a statement that “Amadee Maria dedicated a large part of his life to promoting community development in favor of vulnerable populations.”
Amadee Maria was killed Monday afternoon on a rural road in the village of Pacam, the National Civil Police said in a statement. He was traveling in a van when he was attacked by unknown individuals who shot him several times, it said. Two police teams in the area are investigating the case, police spokesman Edwin Monroy told The Associated Press.
The European Union, which provided some funding to Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders, also joined in mourning the death.
In a July 2019 report, the U.S. organization Global Witness ranked Guatemala as No. 5 in a list of countries with the most killings of land defenders and activists.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--3 Rajapaksas sworn into new Sri Lanka Cabinet after election

COLOMBO , Sri Lanka ( AP ) - Sri Lanka ’ s president swore into office a new Cabinet on Wednesday that includes two of his brothers and a nephew , after a landslide election victory last week .
The 26 Cabinet members include Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa , who also holds the finance , urban development and Buddhist affairs ministries .
Eldest brother Chamal Rajapaksa is irrigation minister and Namal Rajapaksa is the youth and sports minister .
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also appointed his lawyer as justice minister .
Ali Sabry appeared for Gotabaya when he faced court cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bureaucrat when Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier served as president .
A landslide election victory last week gave the Rajapaksas ’ political party nearly the two-thirds majority of seats required to make constitutional changes that could strengthen dynastic rule in the country .
However , analysts say any changes that unsettle the balance of power between the Rajapaksas ’ respective offices could trigger sibling rivalry .
Five members of the Rajapaksa family are lawmakers - Mahinda Rajapaksa , his son Namal , eldest brother Chamal and his son Sashindra , and a nephew , Nipuna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Namal as his heir .

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Sri Lanka’s president swore into office a new Cabinet on Wednesday that includes two of his brothers and a nephew, after a landslide election victory last week.
The 26 Cabinet members include Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who also holds the finance, urban development and Buddhist affairs ministries. Eldest brother Chamal Rajapaksa is irrigation minister and Namal Rajapaksa is the youth and sports minister.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also appointed his lawyer as justice minister. Ali Sabry appeared for Gotabaya when he faced court cases related to corruption as a top defense bureaucrat when Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier served as president.
A landslide election victory last week gave the Rajapaksas’ political party nearly the two-thirds majority of seats required to make constitutional changes that could strengthen dynastic rule in the country. However, analysts say any changes that unsettle the balance of power between the Rajapaksas’ respective offices could trigger sibling rivalry.
Five members of the Rajapaksa family are lawmakers - Mahinda Rajapaksa, his son Namal, eldest brother Chamal and his son Sashindra, and a nephew, Nipuna Ranawaka. Mahinda Rajapaksa has been promoting Namal as his heir.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Iranian hard-liners in parliament reject president's nominee

TEHRAN , Iran ( AP ) - Iran ’ s president and foreign minister lashed out on Wednesday at a revised proposal by the U.S. that would extend a U.N. arms embargo on Iran indefinitely , the latest in the Trump administration ’ s maximum pressure policy against Iran .
The U.S. on Tuesday circulated the revised draft at the U.N. , seeking to gain more support in the 15-member Security Council where veto-wielding Russia and China have voiced strong opposition .
The revised draft , which eliminated some provisions from the earlier version that diplomats said went beyond the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be put to a vote as early as Friday .
Still , with Russia and China sharply critical of the U.S. effort to indefinitely extend the arms embargo , the two will likely use their veto powers even if the draft got the minimum nine “ yes ” votes in the council , which appears unlikely .
The U.S. push to make the arms embargo permanent follows President Donald Trump ’ s 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between major world powers and Tehran , aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not seek to produce a nuclear bomb .
The nuclear deal , endorsed by the Security Council , includes a provision lifting the arms embargo on Iran on Oct. 18 .
Rouhani lambasted the revised draft , saying its “ initiators will be responsible for the consequences ” if the Security Council adopts the new resolution .
He did not elaborate on what steps Iran could take .
Zarif said the U.S. draft was a “ very illegal resolution , and in fact it uses the Security Council mechanisms to destroy the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m confident that this resolution will be rejected too , ” Zarif said .
The United Nations banned Iran from buying major foreign weapon systems in 2010 amid tensions over its nuclear program .
That blocked Iran from replacing its aging military equipment , much of which had been purchased by the shah before the 1979 Islamic Revolution .
An earlier embargo targeted Iranian arms exports .
In a separate development Wednesday , Iranian hard-liners in parliament voted against Rouhani ’ s nominee for trade minister in the first showdown between the rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May despite the struggles to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
Lawmakers rejected Hossein Modares Khiabani ’ s nomination for minister of trade and industries .
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the vote was 140-104 against the nominee .
There were 254 lawmakers at the session and 10 abstained .
The parliament has 290 seats .
The vote marked the first serious confrontation between the newly elected house , dominated by conservatives and the bloc of supporters of the relatively moderate Rouhani .
Under the law , Rouhani must introduce new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months .
Rouhani in May dismissed the trade and industry minister at the time , Reza Rahmani , as Iran faced an unprecedented economic downturn amid intense pressure from the United States after Trump pulled America out of the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on the country .
Khiabani , 52 , had since been the acting trade minister .
Iran is also grappling with the largest and deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus in the Middle East , with more than 333,000 confirmed cases and at least 18,988 deaths .
Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , contributed to this report .

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran’s president and foreign minister lashed out on Wednesday at a revised proposal by the U.S. that would extend a U.N. arms embargo on Iran indefinitely, the latest in the Trump administration’s maximum pressure policy against Iran.
The U.S. on Tuesday circulated the revised draft at the U.N., seeking to gain more support in the 15-member Security Council where veto-wielding Russia and China have voiced strong opposition. The revised draft, which eliminated some provisions from the earlier version that diplomats said went beyond the extension of the arms embargo, may be put to a vote as early as Friday.
Still, with Russia and China sharply critical of the U.S. effort to indefinitely extend the arms embargo, the two will likely use their veto powers even if the draft got the minimum nine “yes” votes in the council, which appears unlikely.
The U.S. push to make the arms embargo permanent follows President Donald Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between major world powers and Tehran, aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Tehran has repeatedly insisted it does not seek to produce a nuclear bomb.
The nuclear deal, endorsed by the Security Council, includes a provision lifting the arms embargo on Iran on Oct. 18.
Rouhani lambasted the revised draft, saying its “initiators will be responsible for the consequences” if the Security Council adopts the new resolution. He did not elaborate on what steps Iran could take.
Zarif said the U.S. draft was a “very illegal resolution, and in fact it uses the Security Council mechanisms to destroy the Security Council. “
“I’m confident that this resolution will be rejected too,” Zarif said.
The United Nations banned Iran from buying major foreign weapon systems in 2010 amid tensions over its nuclear program. That blocked Iran from replacing its aging military equipment, much of which had been purchased by the shah before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. An earlier embargo targeted Iranian arms exports.
In a separate development Wednesday, Iranian hard-liners in parliament voted against Rouhani’s nominee for trade minister in the first showdown between the rival camps since the house resumed work in May despite the struggles to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Lawmakers rejected Hossein Modares Khiabani’s nomination for minister of trade and industries.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the vote was 140-104 against the nominee. There were 254 lawmakers at the session and 10 abstained. The parliament has 290 seats.
The vote marked the first serious confrontation between the newly elected house, dominated by conservatives and the bloc of supporters of the relatively moderate Rouhani. Under the law, Rouhani must introduce new nominees to his Cabinet in the next three months.
Rouhani in May dismissed the trade and industry minister at the time, Reza Rahmani, as Iran faced an unprecedented economic downturn amid intense pressure from the United States after Trump pulled America out of the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on the country. Khiabani, 52, had since been the acting trade minister.
Iran is also grappling with the largest and deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus in the Middle East, with more than 333,000 confirmed cases and at least 18,988 deaths.
___
Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Upstate New York airport to be named for Frederick Douglass

The Monroe County Legislature Tuesday night approved the name “ Frederick Douglass – Greater Rochester International Airport , ” according @ @ @ @ @ who escaped slavery , lived in Rochester for more than two decades and was buried @ @ @ @ @ city after his death in 1895 .
He gave his famous speech “ What to @ @ @ @ @ of July , ” in Rochester on July 5 , 1852 .
“ Each time @ @ @ @ @ our airport , they will be reminded of Douglass ’ s life and legacy of @ @ @ @ @ a statement from legislators Vincent R. Felder and Karla M. Boyce .
The decision does @ @ @ @ @ by the Federal Aviation Administration , but the airport must file paperwork to report the @ @ @ @ @ .

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - County lawmakers voted to rename Rochester’s airport for abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
The Monroe County Legislature Tuesday night approved the name “Frederick Douglass – Greater Rochester International Airport,” according to WHEC-TV.
Douglass, who escaped slavery, lived in Rochester for more than two decades and was buried in the upstate New York city after his death in 1895. He gave his famous speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” in Rochester on July 5, 1852.
“Each time residents and visitors arrive to our airport, they will be reminded of Douglass’s life and legacy of fighting oppression,” read a statement from legislators Vincent R. Felder and Karla M. Boyce.
The decision does not need to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, but the airport must file paperwork to report the change to the federal agency.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Multnomah Falls reopens to the public with coronavirus rules

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - Oregon ’ s tallest waterfall and one of the state ’ s most popular attractions has reopened to the public with new guidelines in place amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Multnomah Falls opened in the Columbia River Gorge Tuesday , the U.S. Forest Service announced .
New social distancing and face mask mandates were also announced , in addition to other strategies to keep crowds down and visitors separated from one another , The Oregonian/OregonLive reported .
There will be two phases to the reopening , the forest service said .
The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first served , and allows up to 300 visitors at a time between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to check in and wait in a socially distanced queue from the parking lot to the viewing platform at the bottom of the waterfall .
The second phase , which is expected to be implemented in the next few weeks , will involve an online ticketing system allowing 300 people to visit the waterfall each hour , and will require reservations at least one day in advance .
Face coverings will be mandatory for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and signs will ask people to maintain distance from those not in their household .
The Benson Bridge viewpoint at Multnomah Falls will remain closed , along with the hiking trail to the top of Multnomah Falls .
Several other recreation areas in the gorge also reopened Tuesday , forest officials announced , including the Angel ’ s Rest and Horsetail Falls trails .

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon’s tallest waterfall and one of the state’s most popular attractions has reopened to the public with new guidelines in place amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Multnomah Falls opened in the Columbia River Gorge Tuesday, the U.S. Forest Service announced. New social distancing and face mask mandates were also announced, in addition to other strategies to keep crowds down and visitors separated from one another, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
There will be two phases to the reopening, the forest service said. The first, effective now, is first-come, first served, and allows up to 300 visitors at a time between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to check in and wait in a socially distanced queue from the parking lot to the viewing platform at the bottom of the waterfall.
The second phase, which is expected to be implemented in the next few weeks, will involve an online ticketing system allowing 300 people to visit the waterfall each hour, and will require reservations at least one day in advance.
Face coverings will be mandatory for all visitors, the forest service said, and signs will ask people to maintain distance from those not in their household. The Benson Bridge viewpoint at Multnomah Falls will remain closed, along with the hiking trail to the top of Multnomah Falls.
Several other recreation areas in the gorge also reopened Tuesday, forest officials announced, including the Angel’s Rest and Horsetail Falls trails.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Liberia vice president flies to Ghana for medical treatment

MONROVIA , Liberia ( AP ) - Liberia ’ s vice president and former first lady , Jewel Howard-Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ to for medical treatment after developing “ respiratory complications , ” her office said in @ @ @ @ @ out of Liberia on Tuesday following a four-day stay at a private medical facility in @ @ @ @ @ Solomon Ware told The Associated Press .
The Monrovia-based clinic recommended her transfer to a @ @ @ @ @ after she had been stabilized , he said .
Liberia ’ s health sector has @ @ @ @ @ ’ s civil war ended 17 years ago .
Government officials and those who can @ @ @ @ @ for medical attention .
Liberians on Wednesday called into radio stations , expressing disappointment and @ @ @ @ @ system .
Howard-Taylor , 56 , is an ex-wife of former jailed Liberian president Charles @ @ @ @ @ president to ex-footballer President George Weah in 2018 under a coalition arrangement , she has @ @ @ @ @ not treated like the second in command .

MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) - Liberia’s vice president and former first lady, Jewel Howard-Taylor, has been flown to Ghana to for medical treatment after developing “respiratory complications,” her office said in a statement.
Howard-Taylor flew out of Liberia on Tuesday following a four-day stay at a private medical facility in Monrovia, her press officer Solomon Ware told The Associated Press.
The Monrovia-based clinic recommended her transfer to a more advanced healthcare facility abroad after she had been stabilized, he said.
Ware rejected a Liberia News Agency statement linking the vice president’s ailment to COVID-19.
Liberia’s health sector has remained weak since the country’s civil war ended 17 years ago. Government officials and those who can afford it routinely travel abroad for medical attention.
Liberians on Wednesday called into radio stations, expressing disappointment and frustration over the poor healthcare system.
Howard-Taylor, 56, is an ex-wife of former jailed Liberian president Charles Taylor.
Since becoming vice president to ex-footballer President George Weah in 2018 under a coalition arrangement, she has often complained she’s not treated like the second in command.