washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Christopher Miller, acting Defense Secretary, visit spurs talk that Somalia pullout is in the works

A surprise trip by acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller to Somalia over the Thanksgiving weekend is fueling speculation that President Trump may soon pull the U.S. out of an “ endless war ” in the Horn of Africa — but there are growing fears that a hasty American exit could embolden the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab and destabilize the entire country at a delicate political moment .
The roughly 700 U.S. troops currently in Somalia primarily conduct counterterrorism missions and train Somali forces while also helping to coordinate an American anti-terror drone war that has grown more aggressive throughout Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The air campaign has kept al-Shabab — an al Qaeda affiliate estimated to control as much as 25 % of Somali territory — in check , but America ’ s limited military engagement has proven inadequate to fully defeat the group or to spur peace negotiations with the struggling government in Mogadishu .
Faced with that reality , Mr. Trump reportedly is on the verge of ordering all U.S. forces to leave Somalia .
Such a move would come on the heels of major troop drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan , scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President-Elect Joseph R. Biden assumes office on Jan. 20 .
While some American forces almost surely would remain in neighboring countries and U.S. drones would continue bombing al-Shabab targets across Somalia .
But as in other U.S. deployments in hot spots around the globe , Mr. Trump is taking flak from critics who say pulling out is worse that staying put .
Analysts warn that a U.S. withdrawal would be cast by terror groups as a major victory and serve as a serious public relations and recruiting boost .
The potential exit also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gears up for presidential and parliamentary elections in the coming months , and a significant uptick in violence could derail those contests and spark a new wave of instability .
“ The short-term ramifications are significant , ” said Katherine Zimmerman , resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who studies the region .
“ Rapid gains by al-Shabab as Somali units collapse under pressure and the counterterrorism operation tempo drops ; al-Shabab claiming victory over the U.S. , joining what might soon be a choir that includes the Taliban and perhaps the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the shift in focus toward security concerns over the upcoming [ Somalian ] election .
Limited bandwidth across the board will mean the elections [ do ] not get the attention they need.
” Mr. Miller offered few clues as to the future during his brief trip to Somalia , where he celebrated Thanksgiving with U.S. troops .
“ Honored to celebrate Thanksgiving with U.S. military personnel at Camp Lemonnier , Djibouti and in Mogadishu , Somalia , and give thanks for the sacrifices our service members and their families make to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of life , ” he said in a Twitter statement during the trip .
Mr. Miller was installed after the president fired former Defense Secretary Mark Esper earlier this month .
Mr. Miller is widely viewed as much more amenable to Mr. Trump ’ s desire to pull U.S. troops out of conflicts in the Middle East and Africa in quick fashion , and even engaged in some clandestine diplomatic outreach to al-Shabab leaders as head of the National Counterterrorism Center before getting the Pentagon post .
The initiative reportedly angered Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down .
In Somalia , terrorism is just one piece of a complex equation .
The historically difficult Somali electoral process already appears in turmoil this week after the Somali government expelled the ambassador from Kenya , alleging that its African neighbor is interfering in elections in Jubbaland , one of the Somalia ’ s semi-autonomous provinces .
Successful elections and a relatively stable central government has been at the core of America ’ s exit strategy .
U.S. military officials long have planned to turn over leadership in the fight against al-Shabab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though that timeline is now in doubt even if American troops remain inside the country .
Specialists say an American withdrawal also could lead troops with the African Union Mission in Somalia ( AMISOM ) to take a step back , giving al-Shabab even more freedom to operate .
“ Under the new U.S. military plans , attack drones will still fly from Kenya and Djibouti .
But the risks of tragic and politically exploitable civilian casualties will grow , and the air strike frequency is likely to decrease , ” Vanda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nonstate Armed Actors at the Brookings Institution , wrote in a recent analysis .
“ Fearing al-Shabab , AMISOM may bunker up in garrisons even more and reduce the number of bases , thus weakening anti-Shabab militias , ” she said .
Some former military officials warn that an emboldened al-Shabab represents a very real threat to U.S. national security interests at home and abroad .
“ The reality is , on the ground in places like Somalia and Afghanistan , there are still terrorists who would do us ill , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game on their turf , and not play it here , ” retired Adm. Mike Mullen , former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press ” program on Sunday .

A surprise trip by acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller to Somalia over the Thanksgiving weekend is fueling speculation that President Trump may soon pull the U.S. out of an “endless war” in the Horn of Africa — but there are growing fears that a hasty American exit could embolden the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab and destabilize the entire country at a delicate political moment.
The roughly 700 U.S. troops currently in Somalia primarily conduct counterterrorism missions and train Somali forces while also helping to coordinate an American anti-terror drone war that has grown more aggressive throughout Mr. Trump’s four years in office. The air campaign has kept al-Shabab — an al Qaeda affiliate estimated to control as much as 25% of Somali territory — in check, but America’s limited military engagement has proven inadequate to fully defeat the group or to spur peace negotiations with the struggling government in Mogadishu.
Faced with that reality, Mr. Trump reportedly is on the verge of ordering all U.S. forces to leave Somalia. Such a move would come on the heels of major troop drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan, scheduled to be completed just days before presumptive President-Elect Joseph R. Biden assumes office on Jan. 20.
While some American forces almost surely would remain in neighboring countries and U.S. drones would continue bombing al-Shabab targets across Somalia. But as in other U.S. deployments in hot spots around the globe, Mr. Trump is taking flak from critics who say pulling out is worse that staying put.
Analysts warn that a U.S. withdrawal would be cast by terror groups as a major victory and serve as a serious public relations and recruiting boost. The potential exit also would come as the fragile Somali government gears up for presidential and parliamentary elections in the coming months, and a significant uptick in violence could derail those contests and spark a new wave of instability.
“The short-term ramifications are significant,” said Katherine Zimmerman, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who studies the region. “Rapid gains by al-Shabab as Somali units collapse under pressure and the counterterrorism operation tempo drops; al-Shabab claiming victory over the U.S., joining what might soon be a choir that includes the Taliban and perhaps the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria; and the shift in focus toward security concerns over the upcoming [Somalian] election. Limited bandwidth across the board will mean the elections [do] not get the attention they need.”
Mr. Miller offered few clues as to the future during his brief trip to Somalia, where he celebrated Thanksgiving with U.S. troops.
“Honored to celebrate Thanksgiving with U.S. military personnel at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti and in Mogadishu, Somalia, and give thanks for the sacrifices our service members and their families make to protect our freedoms and the American way of life,” he said in a Twitter statement during the trip.
Mr. Miller was installed after the president fired former Defense Secretary Mark Esper earlier this month. Mr. Miller is widely viewed as much more amenable to Mr. Trump’s desire to pull U.S. troops out of conflicts in the Middle East and Africa in quick fashion, and even engaged in some clandestine diplomatic outreach to al-Shabab leaders as head of the National Counterterrorism Center before getting the Pentagon post.
The initiative reportedly angered Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and was promptly shut down.
In Somalia, terrorism is just one piece of a complex equation. The historically difficult Somali electoral process already appears in turmoil this week after the Somali government expelled the ambassador from Kenya, alleging that its African neighbor is interfering in elections in Jubbaland, one of the Somalia’s semi-autonomous provinces.
Successful elections and a relatively stable central government has been at the core of America’s exit strategy. U.S. military officials long have planned to turn over leadership in the fight against al-Shabab to the Somali government by next year, though that timeline is now in doubt even if American troops remain inside the country.
Specialists say an American withdrawal also could lead troops with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to take a step back, giving al-Shabab even more freedom to operate.
“Under the new U.S. military plans, attack drones will still fly from Kenya and Djibouti. But the risks of tragic and politically exploitable civilian casualties will grow, and the air strike frequency is likely to decrease,” Vanda Felbab-Brown, director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors at the Brookings Institution, wrote in a recent analysis.
“Fearing al-Shabab, AMISOM may bunker up in garrisons even more and reduce the number of bases, thus weakening anti-Shabab militias,” she said.
Some former military officials warn that an emboldened al-Shabab represents a very real threat to U.S. national security interests at home and abroad.
“The reality is, on the ground in places like Somalia and Afghanistan, there are still terrorists who would do us ill, and I want to play, actually, the game on their turf, and not play it here,” retired Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program on Sunday.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Matera loses captaincy, among 3 players suspended by Pumas

SYDNEY ( AP ) - Pablo Matera has been stripped of the captaincy of the Argentina national rugby team and suspended along with two teammates over historic social media posts which have been deemed “ discriminatory and xenophobic.
” The suspensions were announced Tuesday after an emergency meeting of the Argentina Rugby Union , and further disciplinary action may be coming .
Matera became a national hero when he led the Argentina team to its first-ever win over the New Zealand All Blacks during the Tri-Nations series in Australia three weeks ago .
Now he , veteran lock Guido Petti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pumas ’ final Tri-Nations match against Australia in Sydney on Saturday as their suspensions begin .
The board of the Argentina union issued a statement saying it “ repudiates the discriminatory and xenophobic comments published by members of the Los Pumas team on social networks.
” It said the board resolved to “ first , revoke the captaincy of Pablo Matera and asked ( the national team ) staff to propose a new captain to the board .
“ Second , order the suspension Pablo Matera , Guido Petti and Santiago Socino from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Third , open a disciplinary case to the three players mentioned , which will be handled by the disciplinary commission of the Argentine Rugby Union.
” The statement said social media posts were sent between 2011 and 2013 and “ don ’ t represent the integrity as personas all three have shown through out this time with Los Pumas.
” But it said “ the Argentine Rugby Union condemns all kinds of hate speech and consider unacceptable that those who conveyed them represent our country.
” The posts , mostly tweets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bolivian and Paraguayan domestic workers .
Matera has closed his Twitter account and expressed regret over the messages on Instagram .
“ Today I have to take ( responsibility ) for what I said nine years ago , ” Matera said .
“ I am very ashamed .
Apologies to all those who were offended by the atrocities I wrote .
At that moment I did not imagine who I was going to become .
“ I ’ m also sorry to my team and my family for the moment they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who love me for their support .
”

Pablo Matera was stripped of the Argentina captaincy and suspended with two teammates on Tuesday for historical social media posts deemed to be “discriminatory and xenophobic.”
The Argentina Rugby Union said further disciplinary action may be coming.
The sanctions were announced a day after backlash in Argentina for the low-key way the team responded to the death last week of soccer great Diego Maradona.
Matera became a national hero when he led the Pumas to their first win over New Zealand in November in the ongoing Tri Nations series in Australia. Now he, veteran lock Guido Petti and hooker Santiago Socino will miss their final Tri Nations match against Australia on Saturday in Sydney.
The UAR said it “repudiates the discriminatory and xenophobic comments published by members of the Los Pumas team on social networks” from 2011 to 2013.
The statement added the social media posts didn’t reflect the personalities of the trio while they have been playing for the Pumas, but “the Argentine Rugby Union condemns all kinds of hate speech and consider unacceptable that those who conveyed them represent our country.”
The posts, mostly tweets, reportedly were aimed at Black people and Bolivian and Paraguayan domestic workers.
Matera, who played his first international match in 2013, has closed his Twitter account and expressed regret on Instagram about the messages.
“Today I have to take (responsibility) for what I said nine years ago,” Matera said. “I am very ashamed. Apologies to all those who were offended by the atrocities I wrote. At that moment I did not imagine who I was going to become.
“I’m also sorry to my team and my family for the moment they are going through … and thanks to the people who love me for their support.”
Socino added in a statement: “I want to apologize to those who I may have offended with what I said at the time, and what I absolutely repudiate. I never realized what it could cause, and I do not seek to justify it with the immaturity with which I handled myself.”
The Pumas have gone from stars to villains at home within weeks.
The players wore black armbands in the Tri Nations test against the All Blacks, the only gesture they made after Maradona’s death last Wednesday.
That tribute contrasted poorly with that of the New Zealanders, who offered an All Blacks jersey with Maradona’s name and playing number 10 to the Argentina squad on the halfway line before their match last weekend.
The backlash forced the Argentine squad to make a public apology on Monday, before the controversial old social media posts emerged.
Matera admitted “the tribute we chose to pay Diego caused pain and disappointment in many people and we wanted to (say) that in no way was that our intention.”
“Diego was an extremely important person for us, he always supported us,” Matera said, adding that “for Argentine athletes, Diego Maradona is the greatest thing there is and he marked us all.”
___
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washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Samantha Frances Brooks, Ellen Brennan Reiche face federal terror charges over train track interfere

SEATTLE — Federal authorities in Seattle have charged two people with a terrorist attack on train tracks , suggesting they were motivated by opposition to the construction of a natural gas pipeline across British Columbia when they interfered with the operation of a railroad in Washington state .
Samantha Frances Brooks , 27 , and Ellen Brennan Reiche , 23 , both of Bellingham , are accused of placing “ shunts ” on Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks Saturday night .
Such devices consist of a wire strung across the tracks , mimicking the electrical signal of a train .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ brake and can disable railroad crossing guards , investigators said in a complaint filed Monday .
The pair are charged only in Saturday night ’ s incident , but there have been 41 such cases involving the BNSF tracks since January , with a message claiming responsibility posted on an anarchist website early this year , the FBI ’ s Joint Terrorism Task Force said .
In one , shunts were placed in three locations in northwest Washington on Oct. 11 , prompting emergency brakes to engage on a train that was hauling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ braking caused a bar connecting the train ’ s cars to fail ; the cars became separated and could have derailed , U.S. Attorney Brian Moran said in a news release .
Brooks and Reiche were arrested after triggering a game camera on BNSF property , the complaint said .
They made an initial court appearance Monday and were released pending a Dec. 14 hearing .
Their attorneys declined to comment Monday afternoon .
The charge carries a prison term of up to 20 years .
Opponents say the 416-mile ( 670-km ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage and infringe on the rights of First Nations people in British Columbia .
The message claiming responsibility for the shunts said the goal was to keep supplies from reaching the U.S.-Canada border .
“ This tactic is fast and discreet , ” the message said .
“ On a single rail track with a Centralized Traffic Control ( CTC ) system , this simple action can generate enough confusion in the system to cause big slow downs and bureaucratic delays.
” TC Energy , the Alberta company behind the pipeline proposal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the 20 First Nations that have executed agreements related to the project and has provided them an opportunity to invest in it .

SEATTLE — Federal authorities in Seattle have charged two people with a terrorist attack on train tracks, suggesting they were motivated by opposition to the construction of a natural gas pipeline across British Columbia when they interfered with the operation of a railroad in Washington state.
Samantha Frances Brooks, 27, and Ellen Brennan Reiche, 23, both of Bellingham, are accused of placing “shunts” on Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks Saturday night. Such devices consist of a wire strung across the tracks, mimicking the electrical signal of a train. The devices can cause trains to automatically brake and can disable railroad crossing guards, investigators said in a complaint filed Monday.
The pair are charged only in Saturday night’s incident, but there have been 41 such cases involving the BNSF tracks since January, with a message claiming responsibility posted on an anarchist website early this year, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force said.
In one, shunts were placed in three locations in northwest Washington on Oct. 11, prompting emergency brakes to engage on a train that was hauling hazardous materials and flammable gas. The braking caused a bar connecting the train’s cars to fail; the cars became separated and could have derailed, U.S. Attorney Brian Moran said in a news release.
“These crimes endanger our community,” Moran said.
Brooks and Reiche were arrested after triggering a game camera on BNSF property, the complaint said. They made an initial court appearance Monday and were released pending a Dec. 14 hearing. Their attorneys declined to comment Monday afternoon.
The charge carries a prison term of up to 20 years.
Opponents say the 416-mile (670-km) Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project would worsen environmental damage and infringe on the rights of First Nations people in British Columbia. The message claiming responsibility for the shunts said the goal was to keep supplies from reaching the U.S.-Canada border.
“This tactic is fast and discreet,” the message said. “On a single rail track with a Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) system, this simple action can generate enough confusion in the system to cause big slow downs and bureaucratic delays.”
TC Energy, the Alberta company behind the pipeline proposal, has said it is committed to partnering with the 20 First Nations that have executed agreements related to the project and has provided them an opportunity to invest in it.


washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Democrat concedes in US House race north of LA

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - Democrat Christy Smith conceded Monday in a knife-edged loss to Republican rival Mike Garcia , who retained his Congressional seat in the 25th District north of Los Angeles .
“ With final votes counted in this race , it ’ s clear we will not be able to close the 339-vote gap , ” Smith said in a statement .
“ This is not the end result we fought for , but I am proud of the strong , grassroots campaign we ran.
” “ We exhausted every possible option , and did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every voice in this election was heard .
Nonetheless , we came up short , ” Smith said .
Garcia had claimed victory last week but Smith had said that assertion was premature because not all of the more than 338,000 votes cast had been counted .
In a statement Monday , Garcia said he looks forward to two more years representing the district , which includes most of northern Los Angeles County and part of eastern Ventura County .
“ I remain committed to protecting the Constitution , fighting for the longevity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our public ’ s safety and our collective national security , ” Garcia said , with a short-term goal of pushing for federal relief for people and small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic .
Garcia , a former fighter pilot and unabashed supporter of President Donald Trump , recaptured a district that Democrats had only won two years ago .
Garcia won the vacant swing district in a May special election following the resignation of Rep. Katie Hill in 2019 .
Hill stepped down in 2019 after acknowledging an affair with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state Assembly member , had been critical of Trump and ran on a promise to deliver better health care .
Garcia ’ s victory marks another bright spot for Republicans in the heavily Democratic state .
They lost a string of House seats in 2018 but with Garcia ’ s victory , they have now reclaimed four in California .
Republican Young Kim defeated Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros in a district anchored in the one-time GOP stronghold of Orange County , and Republican Michelle Steel claimed the 48th District in Orange County from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Valley , Republican former Rep. David Valadao retook his old job from Democratic Rep. TJ Cox , who unseated him two years ago .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Democrat Christy Smith conceded Monday in a knife-edged loss to Republican rival Mike Garcia, who retained his Congressional seat in the 25th District north of Los Angeles.
“With final votes counted in this race, it’s clear we will not be able to close the 339-vote gap,” Smith said in a statement. “This is not the end result we fought for, but I am proud of the strong, grassroots campaign we ran.”
“We exhausted every possible option, and did everything within our power to ensure that every voice in this election was heard. Nonetheless, we came up short,” Smith said.
Garcia had claimed victory last week but Smith had said that assertion was premature because not all of the more than 338,000 votes cast had been counted.
In a statement Monday, Garcia said he looks forward to two more years representing the district, which includes most of northern Los Angeles County and part of eastern Ventura County.
“I remain committed to protecting the Constitution, fighting for the longevity of our nation and ensuring we invest in our public’s safety and our collective national security,” Garcia said, with a short-term goal of pushing for federal relief for people and small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Garcia, a former fighter pilot and unabashed supporter of President Donald Trump, recaptured a district that Democrats had only won two years ago. Garcia won the vacant swing district in a May special election following the resignation of Rep. Katie Hill in 2019.
Hill stepped down in 2019 after acknowledging an affair with a campaign worker.
Smith, a state Assembly member, had been critical of Trump and ran on a promise to deliver better health care.
Garcia’s victory marks another bright spot for Republicans in the heavily Democratic state. They lost a string of House seats in 2018 but with Garcia’s victory, they have now reclaimed four in California.
Republican Young Kim defeated Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros in a district anchored in the one-time GOP stronghold of Orange County, and Republican Michelle Steel claimed the 48th District in Orange County from Democratic Rep. Harley Rouda.
In the Central Valley, Republican former Rep. David Valadao retook his old job from Democratic Rep. TJ Cox, who unseated him two years ago.


washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Olympic rings back in Tokyo Bay; a sign of hope in pandemic

TOKYO ( AP ) - The five Olympic rings are back in Tokyo Bay .
They were removed for maintenance four months ago shortly after the Tokyo Olympics were postponed until next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The rings arrived on Tuesday after a short cruise from nearby Yokohama and are positioned on a barge in the shadow on Tokyo ’ s Rainbow Bridge .
The rings - painted blue , black , red , green , and yellow - are gigantic .
They stand about 15 meters tall and 33 meters in length - about 50 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rings will be lighted at night and herald the coming of the Tokyo Olympics , which are to open on July 23 , 2021 , followed by the Paralympics on Aug. 24 .
The rings made their first appearance early in 2020 , just a few months before the Olympics were postponed late in March .
The reappearance of the rings is the latest sign that organizers and the International Olympic Committee are increasingly confident that 15,400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes can safely enter Japan during the pandemic .
These Olympics are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They will hinge partly on the availability of vaccines and rapid testing for COVID-19 , and on athletes and other participants following strict rules that could involve quarantines , a limited number of fans in venues , and athletes leaving Japan shortly after they finish their competitions .
Organizers have been vague about exactly how the Olympics will be held .
Plans are in flux with dozens of COVID-19 countermeasures being floated involving athletes , fans , and tens of thousands of officials , judges , VIPs , and media and broadcasters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when decisions must be made about permitting fans from abroad , which will affect revenue from ticket sales .
The meter continues to run on billions in costs , with Japanese taxpayers picking up most of the bills .
Reports in Japan this week say the cost of the postponemen t is about $ 3 billion .

TOKYO (AP) - The five Olympic rings are back in Tokyo Bay.
They were removed for maintenance four months ago shortly after the Tokyo Olympics were postponed until next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rings arrived on Tuesday after a short cruise from nearby Yokohama and are positioned on a barge in the shadow on Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge.
The rings - painted blue, black, red, green, and yellow - are gigantic. They stand about 15 meters tall and 33 meters in length - about 50 feet tall and 100 feet in length.
The rings will be lighted at night and herald the coming of the Tokyo Olympics, which are to open on July 23, 2021, followed by the Paralympics on Aug. 24.
The rings made their first appearance early in 2020, just a few months before the Olympics were postponed late in March.
The reappearance of the rings is the latest sign that organizers and the International Olympic Committee are increasingly confident that 15,400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes can safely enter Japan during the pandemic.
These Olympics are sure to be like no other.
They will hinge partly on the availability of vaccines and rapid testing for COVID-19, and on athletes and other participants following strict rules that could involve quarantines, a limited number of fans in venues, and athletes leaving Japan shortly after they finish their competitions.
Organizers have been vague about exactly how the Olympics will be held. Plans are in flux with dozens of COVID-19 countermeasures being floated involving athletes, fans, and tens of thousands of officials, judges, VIPs, and media and broadcasters.
Protocols should become clearer early in 2021 when decisions must be made about permitting fans from abroad, which will affect revenue from ticket sales.
The meter continues to run on billions in costs, with Japanese taxpayers picking up most of the bills. Reports in Japan this week say the cost of the postponemen t is about $3 billion.
—
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washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Red Cross chief urges vaccine 'fake news' fight

UNITED NATIONS ( AP ) - The head of the world ’ s largest humanitarian network is urging governments and institutions to combat “ fake news ” about COVID-19 vaccines which has become “ a second pandemic ” and start building trust in communities around the world about the critical importance of vaccinating people .
Francesco Rocca , president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies , said in a virtual briefing to the U.N .
Correspondents Association on Monday that “ to beat this pandemic , we also have to defeat the parallel pandemic of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a growing hesitancy about vaccines in general , and about a COVID vaccine in particular ” around the world , pointing to a recent Johns Hopkins University study in 67 countries that found vaccine acceptance declined significantly in most countries from July to October this year .
In a quarter of countries , Rocca said , the study found that the acceptance rate for a vaccine against the coronavirus was near or below 50 percent , with Japan dropping from 70 percent to 50 percent acceptance , and France dropping from 51 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the lack of trust “ is by no means a Western phenomenon , ” citing the federation ’ s research in recent months in eight African countries — Congo , Cameroon , Gabon , Zimbabwe , Sierra Leone , Rwanda , Lesotho and Kenya — which showed a steady decline in the perceptions of the risk of COVID-19 infection .
A growing number of people indicated the virus doesn ’ t affect young people or Africans , that the disease doesn ’ t exist now but did exist and the pandemic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several African countries , we have seen a common skepticism towards vaccines in general , with a common belief being that foreigners use Africa as a medical ‘ testing ground.
’ ” Surprisingly , Rocca said , some typically vulnerable and marginalized groups aren ’ t even aware of the pandemic , pointing to a federation survey in Pakistan which found 10 percent of respondents didn ’ t know about COVID-19 .
“ We believe that the massive , coordinated efforts that will be needed to roll out the COVID vaccine in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equally massive efforts to proactively build and maintain trust , ” Rocca said .
This will require the same kind of sustained community engagement that recently defeated Ebola in Congo , he said .
The federation operates in 192 countries with almost 14 million volunteers and painstaking community outreach and engagement are at the heart of its COVID-19 response , Rocca said .
So far , Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies , with federation support , have reached 243 million people with COVID-19 activities including tracking community perceptions , responding to questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and timely information in local languages through diverse channels , ” he said .
Rocca said he has watched with concern in recent weeks “ as the imminent arrival of a possible vaccine has , at least in some countries , washed away the commitments that were made over the summer to ensure an equitable distribution of vaccines between and within countries.
” He said “ politicizing the vaccines is a huge mistake ” and strongly backed the international initiative to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to countries worldwide known as COVAX as “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the world.
” “ If a few wealthy nations insist on a ` vaccine nationalism ’ approach , then many other countries - maybe even most other countries - will not be able to access them , both because of exclusive deals between wealthy countries and pharmaceutical companies and the inevitable lag in manufacturing enough doses , ” he said.. ”

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The head of the world’s largest humanitarian network is urging governments and institutions to combat “fake news” about COVID-19 vaccines which has become “a second pandemic” and start building trust in communities around the world about the critical importance of vaccinating people.
Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said in a virtual briefing to the U.N. Correspondents Association on Monday that “to beat this pandemic, we also have to defeat the parallel pandemic of distrust.”
He said there is “a growing hesitancy about vaccines in general, and about a COVID vaccine in particular” around the world, pointing to a recent Johns Hopkins University study in 67 countries that found vaccine acceptance declined significantly in most countries from July to October this year.
In a quarter of countries, Rocca said, the study found that the acceptance rate for a vaccine against the coronavirus was near or below 50 percent, with Japan dropping from 70 percent to 50 percent acceptance, and France dropping from 51 percent to 38 percent acceptance.
He stressed that the lack of trust “is by no means a Western phenomenon,” citing the federation’s research in recent months in eight African countries — Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Lesotho and Kenya — which showed a steady decline in the perceptions of the risk of COVID-19 infection.
A growing number of people indicated the virus doesn’t affect young people or Africans, that the disease doesn’t exist now but did exist and the pandemic has ended, he said. “In several African countries, we have seen a common skepticism towards vaccines in general, with a common belief being that foreigners use Africa as a medical ‘testing ground.’”
Surprisingly, Rocca said, some typically vulnerable and marginalized groups aren’t even aware of the pandemic, pointing to a federation survey in Pakistan which found 10 percent of respondents didn’t know about COVID-19.
“We believe that the massive, coordinated efforts that will be needed to roll out the COVID vaccine in an equitable manner need to be paralleled by equally massive efforts to proactively build and maintain trust,” Rocca said.
This will require the same kind of sustained community engagement that recently defeated Ebola in Congo, he said.
The federation operates in 192 countries with almost 14 million volunteers and painstaking community outreach and engagement are at the heart of its COVID-19 response, Rocca said.
So far, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, with federation support, have reached 243 million people with COVID-19 activities including tracking community perceptions, responding to questions and suggestions, “and providing accurate and timely information in local languages through diverse channels,” he said.
Rocca said he has watched with concern in recent weeks “as the imminent arrival of a possible vaccine has, at least in some countries, washed away the commitments that were made over the summer to ensure an equitable distribution of vaccines between and within countries.”
He said “politicizing the vaccines is a huge mistake” and strongly backed the international initiative to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to countries worldwide known as COVAX as “the correct approach both for rich countries and the rest of the world.”
“If a few wealthy nations insist on a `vaccine nationalism’ approach, then many other countries - maybe even most other countries - will not be able to access them, both because of exclusive deals between wealthy countries and pharmaceutical companies and the inevitable lag in manufacturing enough doses,” he warned.


washingtontimes--2020-11-30--San Francisco public utilities chief charged with corruption

SAN FRANCISCO ( AP ) - The head of San Francisco ’ s Public Utilities Commission , which oversees millions of dollars in city contracts , was charged with bribery Monday in an ongoing federal probe of corruption .
General Manager Harlan Kelly was indicted for honest services wire fraud for allegedly accepting meals , cash and other gifts from a San Francisco construction company in exchange for providing insider information on public contracts .
Kelly , who isn ’ t in custody , denied wrongdoing but resigned his position on Monday .
“ I am not guilty of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement reported by the San Francisco Examiner .
“ It is painful for me to end a 35-year career as a result of false allegations , but it is simply not possible for me to do my job to the best of my ability while also defending myself.
” Kelly is accused of having a “ long-running bribery scheme and corrupt partnership ” with construction company executive and permit expediter Walter Wong .
Wong gave Kelly money and paid for meals and international trips including a family vacation to China as he sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The trip expenses included the plane flight , jewelry and the $ 2,000 cost of a Hong Kong hotel room .
Kelly ’ s wife , San Francisco City Administrator Naomi Kelly , was on the trip .
She hasn ’ t been charged with a crime .
Prosecutors contended that after the China trip , Kelly texted Wong : “ Thank you for the best family vacation ever !
A little something for everyone !
” In the end , Wong withdrew from the contract bidding .
He has pleaded guilty to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors .
Kelly had been general manager of the Public Utilities Commission since 2012 .
The commission issues water , power and sewer contracts .
Deputy General Manager Michael Carlin will take over as acting general manager during a national search for a replacement , Mayor London Breed said .
The allegations are “ disturbing and unacceptable for anyone serving in our government , let alone the leader of one of our largest departments , ” Breed said in a statement .
“ As public officials , we have to hold ourselves to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good before all else.
” Nearly a dozen people have now been charged in an ongoing corruption probe of City Hall that began in January with the arrest of former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru , who resigned his post after being charged with fraud and lying to the FBI .
A slew of others , including city contractors , have faced criminal charges for allegedly participating in schemes to get favorable treatment on contracts .
Multiple city department heads have been forced to resign .

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The head of San Francisco’s Public Utilities Commission, which oversees millions of dollars in city contracts, was charged with bribery Monday in an ongoing federal probe of corruption.
General Manager Harlan Kelly was indicted for honest services wire fraud for allegedly accepting meals, cash and other gifts from a San Francisco construction company in exchange for providing insider information on public contracts.
Kelly, who isn’t in custody, denied wrongdoing but resigned his position on Monday.
“I am not guilty of these allegations,” Kelly said in a statement reported by the San Francisco Examiner. “It is painful for me to end a 35-year career as a result of false allegations, but it is simply not possible for me to do my job to the best of my ability while also defending myself.”
Kelly is accused of having a “long-running bribery scheme and corrupt partnership” with construction company executive and permit expediter Walter Wong.
Wong gave Kelly money and paid for meals and international trips including a family vacation to China as he sought a streetlight contract, prosecutors said. The trip expenses included the plane flight, jewelry and the $2,000 cost of a Hong Kong hotel room.
Kelly’s wife, San Francisco City Administrator Naomi Kelly, was on the trip. She hasn’t been charged with a crime.
Prosecutors contended that after the China trip, Kelly texted Wong: “Thank you for the best family vacation ever! A little something for everyone!”
In the end, Wong withdrew from the contract bidding.
He has pleaded guilty to federal charges and has been cooperating with prosecutors.
Kelly had been general manager of the Public Utilities Commission since 2012. The commission issues water, power and sewer contracts. Deputy General Manager Michael Carlin will take over as acting general manager during a national search for a replacement, Mayor London Breed said.
The allegations are “disturbing and unacceptable for anyone serving in our government, let alone the leader of one of our largest departments,” Breed said in a statement. “As public officials, we have to hold ourselves to the highest standard and put the public good before all else.”
Nearly a dozen people have now been charged in an ongoing corruption probe of City Hall that began in January with the arrest of former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, who resigned his post after being charged with fraud and lying to the FBI.
A slew of others, including city contractors, have faced criminal charges for allegedly participating in schemes to get favorable treatment on contracts. Multiple city department heads have been forced to resign.


washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Christy Smith concedes to Mike Garcia in California House race

Democrat Christy Smith conceded her race Monday to Rep. Mike Garcia , a Republican , bringing to a close the last of California ’ s 53 races and bolstering the GOP ’ s minority in the new year .
Nearly a month after Election Day , and with some ballots still being tallied , Ms. Smith said she can no longer close a 339-vote gap with Mr. Garcia .
“ We exhausted every possible option , and did everything within our power to ensure that every voice in this election was heard .
Nonetheless , we came up short , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The seat , which includes some of Los Angeles and Ventura counties , had swung to Republicans in a special election in May , after Rep. Katie Hill ’ s abrupt resignation amid a sex scandal .
Mr. Garcia won that special election and now has won re-election .
Republicans will hold 11 of California ’ s 53 House seats next year .
After the 2018 election they held just seven .
Mr. Garcia ’ s win is yet another blow to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who had been anticipating a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watched it narrow dramatically .
As of Monday , Democrats have secured 222 seats and the GOP has 209 .
In addition to Mr. Garcia ’ s win , Iowa on Monday certified Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks as the winner of a seat there .
Her margin of victory was six votes , out of about 400,000 cast .
Republicans hold vote leads in the remaining four races , all in New York , though the Associated Press has not projected winners for those seats yet and one of the races has seen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrat this weekend , to a 12-point lead for the Republican by Monday .
Should the GOP win those four seats , that would leave Democrats with a 222-213 advantage over Republicans , which would be the narrowest House margin in two decades .

Democrat Christy Smith conceded her race Monday to Rep. Mike Garcia, a Republican, bringing to a close the last of California’s 53 races and bolstering the GOP’s minority in the new year.
Nearly a month after Election Day, and with some ballots still being tallied, Ms. Smith said she can no longer close a 339-vote gap with Mr. Garcia.
“We exhausted every possible option, and did everything within our power to ensure that every voice in this election was heard. Nonetheless, we came up short,” she wrote in a statement.
The seat, which includes some of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, had swung to Republicans in a special election in May, after Rep. Katie Hill’s abrupt resignation amid a sex scandal.
Mr. Garcia won that special election and now has won re-election.
Republicans will hold 11 of California’s 53 House seats next year. After the 2018 election they held just seven.
Mr. Garcia’s win is yet another blow to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had been anticipating a significant expansion of her majority but instead has watched it narrow dramatically.
As of Monday, Democrats have secured 222 seats and the GOP has 209.
In addition to Mr. Garcia’s win, Iowa on Monday certified Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks as the winner of a seat there. Her margin of victory was six votes, out of about 400,000 cast.
Republicans hold vote leads in the remaining four races, all in New York, though The Associated Press has not projected winners for those seats yet and one of the races has seen the lead flip from a 13-vote lead for the Democrat this weekend, to a 12-vote lead for the Republican by Monday.
Should the GOP win those four seats, that would leave Democrats with a 222-213 advantage over Republicans, which would be the narrowest House margin in two decades.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Another Michigan lawmaker tests positive for coronavirus

LANSING , Mich. ( AP ) - State Rep. John Chirkun said Monday he had tested positive for the coronavirus , becoming at least the 10th member of the Legislature to be infected since the pandemic hit Michigan more than eight months ago .
Also , two people in the Senate notified the business office of their positive tests .
It was not specified if they are senators , employees or interns .
Neither was on site during the transmission period nor had close contact with anyone in the Senate .
Chirkun is the sixth known lawmaker to be infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surging COVID-19 cases , hospitalizations and deaths among the public .
The Legislature has 148 members and is due to return this week after a two-week break .
House Democratic Leader Christine Greig said Chirkun , a third-term Democrat from Roseville , thinks he contracted the virus during a recent hunting trip .
He is “ doing well and in a very good spirits , ” she said .
She reminded people to help stop the spread of the virus by staying home as much as possible , wearing a mask in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the health officer in Ingham County - where the Capitol is based - wrote a letter to Senate officials Monday saying she had received complaints about multiple audience members not wearing masks or social distancing during a joint meeting of the Senate and House oversight committees on Nov. 19 .
The Republican-led panels heard testimony for more than three hours on reports of alleged irregularities in the Nov. 3 election .
Dr. Linda Vail included a link to the state health department ’ s epidemic order and said that as an employer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in separate workplace rules that are meant to protect employees .
“ As cases have surged to levels beyond what we have seen to date with COVID-19 , and as the holiday season brings about some of the most risky activities ( travel and gatherings ) , this is a particularly critical time to be mindful of adherence to both ” the order and the workplace regulations , she wrote to Secretary of the Senate Margaret O ’ Brien and Jordan Hantwitz , director of the Senate Business Office .
Vail expressed concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel from various corners of the state and risk bringing the virus back to their communities .
An 11th lawmaker , Rep. Isaac Robinson , died from a suspected case in March .
Democratic Lt. Gov .
Garlin Gilchrist II , who presides over the Senate , has unsuccessfully called for GOP leaders to enact and enforce a mask requirement inside the legislative chambers at all times .
Michigan ’ s rate of tests coming back positive , 11.6 % , is up slightly over two weeks .
The seven-day case average of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same period .
The average daily death count , however , is 89 - an increase from 60 on Nov. 16 .

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - State Rep. John Chirkun said Monday he had tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming at least the 10th member of the Legislature to be infected since the pandemic hit Michigan more than eight months ago.
Also, two people in the Senate notified the business office of their positive tests. It was not specified if they are senators, employees or interns. Neither was on site during the transmission period nor had close contact with anyone in the Senate.
Chirkun is the sixth known lawmaker to be infected in less than a month, amid surging COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths among the public. The Legislature has 148 members and is due to return this week after a two-week break.
House Democratic Leader Christine Greig said Chirkun, a third-term Democrat from Roseville, thinks he contracted the virus during a recent hunting trip. He is “doing well and in a very good spirits,” she said. She reminded people to help stop the spread of the virus by staying home as much as possible, wearing a mask in public and keeping distance from others.
Meanwhile, the health officer in Ingham County - where the Capitol is based - wrote a letter to Senate officials Monday saying she had received complaints about multiple audience members not wearing masks or social distancing during a joint meeting of the Senate and House oversight committees on Nov. 19. The Republican-led panels heard testimony for more than three hours on reports of alleged irregularities in the Nov. 3 election.
Dr. Linda Vail included a link to the state health department’s epidemic order and said that as an employer, the Legislature should be following guidelines in separate workplace rules that are meant to protect employees.
“As cases have surged to levels beyond what we have seen to date with COVID-19, and as the holiday season brings about some of the most risky activities (travel and gatherings), this is a particularly critical time to be mindful of adherence to both” the order and the workplace regulations, she wrote to Secretary of the Senate Margaret O’Brien and Jordan Hantwitz, director of the Senate Business Office. Vail expressed concern that legislators and members of the public travel from various corners of the state and risk bringing the virus back to their communities.
An 11th lawmaker, Rep. Isaac Robinson, died from a suspected case in March. Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, who presides over the Senate, has unsuccessfully called for GOP leaders to enact and enforce a mask requirement inside the legislative chambers at all times.
Michigan’s rate of tests coming back positive, 11.6%, is up slightly over two weeks. The seven-day case average of 6,854 is down from 7,235 in the same period. The average daily death count, however, is 89 - an increase from 60 on Nov. 16.
___
Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00


washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Man with Aryan Brotherhood ties pleads guilty in drug case

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - A man affiliated with the white supremacist Aryan Brotherhood prison gang pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to distribute heroin and methamphetamine inside and outside California ’ s prisons , federal officials announced .
Samuel Keeton , 41 , of Menifee , pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and to conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine , U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott said .
Between March 2016 and at least October 2016 , Keeton assisted the prison gang by picking up and distributing methamphetamine and heroin on behalf of the Aryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associates outside of prison .
He also smuggled cellphones , drugs , and other contraband into California State Prison Sacramento , in one instance with the help of a Southern California attorney , according to the plea agreement .
Keaton was one of 16 Aryan Brotherhood members and associates charged in June with directing killings and drug smuggling from within California ’ s most secure prisons by using contraband cellphones , encrypted chats , text messages , multimedia messages and email , prosecutors said .
They include nine current inmates charged with racketeering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven people outside prison accused of assisting the gang in activities in Las Vegas and as far east as Missouri and South Dakota .
Among the inmates charged is Daniel “ Danny ” Troxell , 66 , a convicted killer serving a life sentence who was known for writing a federal complaint in 2009 that eventually led California to curb the use of solitary confinement .
The charges also allege that cellmates Ronald “ Renegade ” Yandell , 56 , and William Sylvester , 51 , used smuggled cellphones to direct heroin and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving a life sentence for a double murder , is described as one of the gang ’ s three-member leadership , as is Troxell .
“ As part of his guilty plea , Keeton admitted that he knew that Yandell and Sylvester were AB members based upon his discussions with them during 2016 , including the crimes that he was asked to commit and that he agreed to commit , such as assisting in smuggling cellphones , drugs , and other contraband into prison , ” prosecutors said .
Keeton is scheduled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 29 , 2021 .
He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine up to $ 10 million .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A man affiliated with the white supremacist Aryan Brotherhood prison gang pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to distribute heroin and methamphetamine inside and outside California’s prisons, federal officials announced.
Samuel Keeton, 41, of Menifee, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and to conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott said.
Between March 2016 and at least October 2016, Keeton assisted the prison gang by picking up and distributing methamphetamine and heroin on behalf of the Aryan Brotherhood and delivering drug proceeds to their associates outside of prison. He also smuggled cellphones, drugs, and other contraband into California State Prison Sacramento, in one instance with the help of a Southern California attorney, according to the plea agreement.
Keaton was one of 16 Aryan Brotherhood members and associates charged in June with directing killings and drug smuggling from within California’s most secure prisons by using contraband cellphones, encrypted chats, text messages, multimedia messages and email, prosecutors said.
They include nine current inmates charged with racketeering, conspiracy and other charges, and seven people outside prison accused of assisting the gang in activities in Las Vegas and as far east as Missouri and South Dakota.
Among the inmates charged is Daniel “Danny” Troxell, 66, a convicted killer serving a life sentence who was known for writing a federal complaint in 2009 that eventually led California to curb the use of solitary confinement.
The charges also allege that cellmates Ronald “Renegade” Yandell, 56, and William Sylvester, 51, used smuggled cellphones to direct heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operations in California
Yandell, serving a life sentence for a double murder, is described as one of the gang’s three-member leadership, as is Troxell.
“As part of his guilty plea, Keeton admitted that he knew that Yandell and Sylvester were AB members based upon his discussions with them during 2016, including the crimes that he was asked to commit and that he agreed to commit, such as assisting in smuggling cellphones, drugs, and other contraband into prison,” prosecutors said.
Keeton is scheduled to be sentenced before by a federal judge on March 29, 2021. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine up to $10 million.


washingtontimes--2020-11-30--Alyssa Milano, Mark Hamill in Georgia for senate runoffs

A year after threatening to boycott the Peach State , Hollywood bigwigs have Georgia on their minds as they put their cash , connections and clout behind the Democratic Senate candidates in hopes of scripting a happy ending for Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer .
Those whipping up support for Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock include Mark Hamill , John Legend , Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Kerry Washington , while Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato are promoting voter registration efforts through the pro-Democrat Vote Save America ’ s Georgia Project .
“ Let ’ s Give to Georgia , Let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can do this !
” liberal filmmaker Michael Moore said in a Saturday tweet .
Even Alyssa Milano , who led the calls last year to boycott Georgia after the state legislature passed a pro-life “ heartbeat bill , ” has sought to sway the electorate .
“ We need you , Georgia ” and “ it ’ s so important to elect Ossoff & Warnock , ” she tweeted .
While the state increasingly has become a go-to destination for Hollywood production companies , thanks to its generous tax breaks , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate race may be unprecedented , driven by political stakes that could hardly be higher .
Republicans need a victory in the Jan. 5 runoff elections by one of their incumbents — Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler — to retain control of the Senate .
If they both lose , then the Senate will be split 50-50 and any tie will be broken by presumptive Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris .
“ Right now , it ’ s the only game in town for politically active celebrities , ” said John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Claremont McKenna College .
“ The upside is that they can help raise money .
The downside is that Republicans can easily paint them as left-wing Hollywood elites telling Georgians how to vote .
Expect [ President ] Trump to make that point.
” Indeed , having the stars come out on the campaign trail comes as a double-edged sword for Democrats , who benefit from the industry ’ s fundraising and exposure but risk appearing out of touch if they hobnob too closely with the Hollywood glitterati .
National Republican Senatorial Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying the celebrity support demonstrates that the Democratic candidates have more in common politically with California than Georgia .
“ Hollywood liberals are going all-in on the Democratic ticket in Georgia because they know Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock will push their most radical ideas — no questions asked , ” Ms. Lindgren said .
“ Ossoff and Warnock may be the chosen ticket for California and New York radicals , but they are too liberal for Georgia.
” Even so , interest in Hollywood has risen to the point where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Supporters had to choose Monday between a Warnock for Victory virtual event featuring director Spike Lee , or a Democratic Club of West Orange County online reception for both Democrats hosted by “ Seinfeld ” star Jason Alexander and sponsored by a bevy of industry executives , according to the Orange County Progressive .
On Thursday , Swing Left hosts a “ Flip the Senate ” virtual fundraiser featuring Samuel L. Jackson , a live performance by “ Hamilton ” star Leslie Odom Jr. and a host committee that includes Kevin Bacon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as industry insiders , as shown on ActBlue .
Two weeks ago , media titans Jeffrey Katzenberg and Byron Allen served as co-hosts for a virtual fundraiser for the Georgia Senate Victory Fund , a joint committee for the two Democratic candidates , according to CNBC .
Leading the push for liberal celebrity involvement is Fair Fight founder Stacey Abrams , former Democratic gubernatorial candidate turned Georgia power player , who began Friday holding regular calls with Hollywood executives , agents and publicists on “ how they can best help in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Hollywood Reporter .
“ I believe very much in the power of celebrity to cut through the noise of politics , ” Ms. Abrams said during a Nov. 18 Amazon-hosted Q & A for her documentary “ All In : The Fight for Democracy.
” It was Ms. Abrams who urged celebrities to get involved in Georgia politics last year rather than boycott after the legislature approved pro-life House Bill 481 , and her advice appears to have paid off .
Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden was declared the winner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a manual recount , although the Trump campaign requested again Monday a ballot signature recount .
Meanwhile , HB 481 , which bans most abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat , has yet to take effect pending a legal battle .
The Georgia attorney general ’ s office filed an appeal after a federal judge struck down the law in July .
The bill ’ s passage posed a dilemma for pro-choice filmmakers producing movies and TV shows in Georgia , which hosted 455 productions in 2018 , according to IndieWire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boycott calls as the legal battle plays out .
Georgia Republican Party spokeswoman Abigail Sigler said voters can appreciate the film industry ’ s investment while disagreeing with the filmmakers ’ politics .
“ I think Georgians really care about electing someone who ’ s going to represent them and their values rather than the liberal coastal elite values , ” Ms. Sigler said .
Conservative activist Bishop Aubrey Shines , who runs a ministry in Tampa , Florida , said he doubted most Georgia voters would be influenced by the celebrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a good laugh out of the entertainment industry ’ s belief that it is somehow an arbiter of what ’ s right and good in this country , ” Mr. Shines said in an email .
“ I wonder how millions of Georgia voters feel about caravans of celebrities riding in and telling them how to think .
Last I checked , the voters could think for themselves .
”

A year after threatening to boycott the Peach State, Hollywood bigwigs have Georgia on their minds as they put their cash, connections and clout behind the Democratic Senate candidates in hopes of scripting a happy ending for Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer.
Those whipping up support for Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock include Mark Hamill, John Legend, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Kerry Washington, while Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato are promoting voter registration efforts through the pro-Democrat Vote Save America’s Georgia Project.
“Let’s Give to Georgia, Let’s Take the Senate! We can do this!” liberal filmmaker Michael Moore said in a Saturday tweet.
Even Alyssa Milano, who led the calls last year to boycott Georgia after the state legislature passed a pro-life “heartbeat bill,” has sought to sway the electorate. “We need you, Georgia” and “it’s so important to elect Ossoff & Warnock,” she tweeted.
While the state increasingly has become a go-to destination for Hollywood production companies, thanks to its generous tax breaks, the level of celebrity interest in a Georgia Senate race may be unprecedented, driven by political stakes that could hardly be higher.
Republicans need a victory in the Jan. 5 runoff elections by one of their incumbents — Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler — to retain control of the Senate. If they both lose, then the Senate will be split 50-50 and any tie will be broken by presumptive Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris.
“Right now, it’s the only game in town for politically active celebrities,” said John Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College. “The upside is that they can help raise money. The downside is that Republicans can easily paint them as left-wing Hollywood elites telling Georgians how to vote. Expect [President] Trump to make that point.”
Indeed, having the stars come out on the campaign trail comes as a double-edged sword for Democrats, who benefit from the industry’s fundraising and exposure but risk appearing out of touch if they hobnob too closely with the Hollywood glitterati.
National Republican Senatorial Committee spokeswoman Paige Lindgren made the point Monday, saying the celebrity support demonstrates that the Democratic candidates have more in common politically with California than Georgia.
“Hollywood liberals are going all-in on the Democratic ticket in Georgia because they know Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock will push their most radical ideas — no questions asked,” Ms. Lindgren said. “Ossoff and Warnock may be the chosen ticket for California and New York radicals, but they are too liberal for Georgia.”
Flipping Georgia
Even so, interest in Hollywood has risen to the point where the Democratic celebrity fundraisers are starting to overlap.
Supporters had to choose Monday between a Warnock for Victory virtual event featuring director Spike Lee, or a Democratic Club of West Orange County online reception for both Democrats hosted by “Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander and sponsored by a bevy of industry executives, according to the Orange County Progressive.
On Thursday, Swing Left hosts a “Flip the Senate” virtual fundraiser featuring Samuel L. Jackson, a live performance by “Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr. and a host committee that includes Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick and Billy Eichner, as well as industry insiders, as shown on ActBlue.
Two weeks ago, media titans Jeffrey Katzenberg and Byron Allen served as co-hosts for a virtual fundraiser for the Georgia Senate Victory Fund, a joint committee for the two Democratic candidates, according to CNBC.
Leading the push for liberal celebrity involvement is Fair Fight founder Stacey Abrams, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate turned Georgia power player, who began Friday holding regular calls with Hollywood executives, agents and publicists on “how they can best help in the races,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
“I believe very much in the power of celebrity to cut through the noise of politics,” Ms. Abrams said during a Nov. 18 Amazon-hosted Q&A for her documentary “All In: The Fight for Democracy.”
It was Ms. Abrams who urged celebrities to get involved in Georgia politics last year rather than boycott after the legislature approved pro-life House Bill 481, and her advice appears to have paid off.
Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden was declared the winner of the presidential race on Nov. 20 after a manual recount, although the Trump campaign requested again Monday a ballot signature recount.
Meanwhile, HB 481, which bans most abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, has yet to take effect pending a legal battle. The Georgia attorney general’s office filed an appeal after a federal judge struck down the law in July.
The bill’s passage posed a dilemma for pro-choice filmmakers producing movies and TV shows in Georgia, which hosted 455 productions in 2018, according to IndieWire. Most apparently ended up staying despite the boycott calls as the legal battle plays out.
Georgia Republican Party spokeswoman Abigail Sigler said voters can appreciate the film industry’s investment while disagreeing with the filmmakers’ politics.
“I think Georgians really care about electing someone who’s going to represent them and their values rather than the liberal coastal elite values,” Ms. Sigler said.
Conservative activist Bishop Aubrey Shines, who runs a ministry in Tampa, Florida, said he doubted most Georgia voters would be influenced by the celebrity onslaught.
“I never fail to get a good laugh out of the entertainment industry’s belief that it is somehow an arbiter of what’s right and good in this country,” Mr. Shines said in an email. “I wonder how millions of Georgia voters feel about caravans of celebrities riding in and telling them how to think. Last I checked, the voters could think for themselves.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-01--Bill Cosby's sex assault conviction gets high court review

PHILADELPHIA ( AP ) - Bill Cosby ’ s lawyers will argue Tuesday that his 2018 sex assault trial was marred by evidence and testimony that should have been excluded as they ask Pennsylvania ’ s highest court to throw out the conviction .
Cosby , 83 , has served more than two years of his three- to 10-year prison sentence for drugging and molesting a woman he met through the basketball program at his alma mater , Temple University .
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court , in oral arguments Tuesday morning , will review two issues stemming from the trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s decision to let five other accusers testify for the prosecution about their encounters with Cosby in the 1980s .
The women said Cosby offered them acting training or mentorship , but then sexually assaulted them after they were drugged or intoxicated .
That ’ s the same behavior trial accuser Andrea Constand said she experienced at his estate near Philadelphia in 2004 .
Courts have long wrestled with decisions about when other accusers should be allowed to testify in criminal cases .
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court appears eager to address the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision to let the jury hear damaging testimony Cosby gave in a sexual battery and defamation lawsuit Constand filed against him in 2005 .
The testimony was sealed for nearly a decade until The Associated Press asked a federal judge to release documents from the case as more Cosby accusers came forward .
The judge agreed , and prosecutors in suburban Philadelphia reopened Constand ’ s 2005 complaint against Cosby in 2015 - just months before the statute of limitations to arrest him would have expired .
Cosby , a once-beloved comedian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Dad , ” became the first celebrity convicted of sexual misconduct in the # MeToo era .
The AP does not typically identify people who say they are sexual assault victims without their permission , which Constand has granted .
___

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Pennsylvania’s highest court questioned Tuesday whether Bill Cosby’s alleged history of intoxicating and sexually assaulting young women amounted to a signature crime pattern, given studies that show as many as half of all sexual assaults involve drugs or alcohol. Cosby, 83, hopes to overturn his 2018 sex assault conviction because the judge let prosecutors call five other accusers who said Cosby mistreated them the same way he did his victim, Andrea Constand. The defense said their testimony prejudiced the jury against the actor and should not have been allowed.
“That conduct you describe - the steps, the young women - there’s literature that says that’s common to 50% of these assaults - thousands of assaults - nationwide,” Chief Justice Thomas G. Saylor asked a prosecutor during oral arguments in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. “So how can that be a common scheme?”
The prosecutor, in response, offered more precise details about the relationships, saying Cosby used his fame and fortune to mentor the women and then took advantage of it. And he sometimes befriended their mothers or families.
“There was a built-in level of trust because of his status in the entertainment industry and because he held himself out as a public moralist,” said Assistant District Attorney Adrienne Jappe, of suburban Philadelphia’s Montgomery County, where Constand says she was assaulted at Cosby’s estate in 2004.
“The signature was isolating and intoxicating young women for the purpose of sexually assaulting them,” Jappe said.
Cosby has served more than two years of his three- to 10-year prison sentence for drugging and molesting Constand, whom he met through the basketball program at his alma mater, Temple University.
Courts have long wrestled with decisions about when other accusers should be allowed to testify in criminal cases. It’s generally not allowed, but state law permits a few exceptions, including to show a signature crime pattern or to prove someone’s identity. The state’s high court appears eager to address the issue, and in doing so took on the first celebrity criminal case of the #MeToo era. The court typically takes several months to issue its opinion.
Judge Steven T. O’Neill had allowed just one other accuser to testify at Cosby’s first trial in 2017, when the jury could not reach a verdict. The #MeToo movement took hold months later with media reports about movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and other men accused of sexual misconduct.
O’Neill then let five other accusers testify at Cosby’s retrial in 2018, when the jury convicted him of drugging and sexually assaulting Constand.
Cosby’s appellate lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, said prosecutors exploited “all of this vague testimony” about his prior behavior and his acknowledgement that he had given women alcohol or quaaludes before sexual encounters.
“They put Mr. Cosby in a position where he had no shot. The presumption of innocence just didn’t exist for him,” Bonjean said in the arguments Tuesday, which were held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Constand went to police in 2005, about a year after the night at his home. The other women knew Cosby in the 1980s through the entertainment industry, and they did not go to police.
The defense also challenged the trial judge’s decision to let the jury hear damaging testimony Cosby gave in a lawsuit Constand filed against him in 2005, after then-prosecutor Bruce Castor declined to arrest Cosby.
The testimony was sealed for nearly a decade until The Associated Press asked a federal judge to release documents from the case as more Cosby accusers came forward. The judge agreed, and Castor’s successor reopened the case in 2015, just months before the statute of limitations to arrest him would have expired.
Cosby, a once-beloved comedian and actor known as “America’s Dad,” has said he will serve his entire 10-year term rather than admit wrongdoing to the parole board.
Criminal law professor Laurie Levenson believes it’s important for the court to scrutinize Cosby’s conviction given the publicity the case attracted, the legal questions it raised and the potential influence of the #MeToo movement.
However, she was less sure there’s data to show that intoxication was as prevalent in sex assault cases in the 1980s through 2004 as it is today.
“We have heard a lot more about doping types of sexual assaults (recently), but I’m not sure how common it was at the time of this offense,” said Levenson, of Loyola Law School. “I think the court’s doing the right thing, which is asking, ‘Did he get convicted on legitimate evidence?’”
The AP does not typically identify sexual assault victims without their permission, which Constand has granted.
___
Follow Maryclaire Dale on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Maryclairedale.


washingtontimes--2020-12-01--Reports show Vermonters hiked during pandemic

More people took to Vermont ’ s hiking trails during the coronavirus pandemic , according to recent reports .
The average daily use count on the Long Trail rose 35 % this year , according to the Green Mountain Club .
And in September , alone , overnight shelter use jumped 80 % from last year , Vermont Public Radio reported .
“ I think this was definitely a year where the value of having these outdoor resources in Vermont , and having them open , really came through , ” said Green Mountain Club Field supervisor Isaac Alexandre-Leach .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who hadn ’ t been out in the outdoors , or hadn ’ t been as involved with the Vermont outdoors as they normally had , yeah , that was really special.
” There also was more than twice as much pedestrian traffic on the West River Trail in Brattleboro this fall , according to findings from a recent use survey .
Robert Peeples , who used to get most of his exercise at a gym , now walks on the trail regularly .
“ It ’ s a certain peace that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he told VPR .
“ Nothing like walking near water , or being near water that soothes the soul , so to speak .
It ’ s consoling during this time of great anxiety and isolation .
”

It’s too soon to know the impacts of Thanksgiving gatherings on the spread of the coronavirus in Vermont but Gov. Phil Scott said Monday that, based on initial data, he was feeling “cautiously optimistic.”
Data shows that over the past two weeks Vermonters have decreased their movement, spending more time at home and commuting less often to work, which reduces the chances of spreading the virus, said Michael Pieciak, the Vermont commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation, who has been monitoring the statistics during the pandemic.
While the weekly regional cases have increased for the 14th consecutive week, the rate of new case growth has slowed, he said.
“These sacrifices have resulted in not only a slowing of cases here in Vermont but, in fact, decreasing from a seven-day high of 105 to 70 cases today,” Pieciak said at the governor’s twice-weekly virus briefing. A surge of cases in Washington County also seems to have calmed down and it’s no longer one of counties with the highest active case count in the region, he said.
But he and the governor urged Vermonters to stay vigilant with significant risk around Vermont and more active cases in the state than ever before.
“We have tough days and months ahead and we are not out of the woods yet but we are at a point where we can see that light more clearly than we have throughout the pandemic,” Scott said.
“And we have to keep focused on it so we can get through this dark tunnel as strong as possible. We can’t give up when we’re finally seeing a way out,” he said, referring to vaccines.
The governor’s ban on multi-household gatherings remains in effect.
___
TESTS NOT PROCESSED
Over 200 tests taken at the Barre auditorium were not delivered to a lab in Massachusetts in time to be processed, Human Services Secretary Mike Smith said.
The 246 samples were collected on Friday and arrived at a UPS facility in Somerville, Massachusetts, but were not delivered to the lab until 50 hours later, he said.
“As a result the samples were spoiled and could not be tested,” he said.
Compounding the problem, a letter that went out to those tested asking them to be retested listed all the available email addresses of everyone that had been tested, he said.
“Let me apologize personally for this incident. None of this should have happened,” Smith said.
He said he asked the Health Department to immediately get additional testing sites in the area if needed and to expedite the tests of the people impacted. Smith said he has also asked the agency general counsel to investigate what happened with the UPS delivery and if any privacy violations occurred. The agency will also be reviewing its notification processes to avoid sending out information that could identify an individual, he said.
“We cannot let this mistake happen again,” he said.
A UPS spokesperson said the company is “investigating the situation and determining the levels of service used for this shipment.”
“Healthcare authorities, hospitals and other testing entities have a variety of services available to them for critical healthcare packages,” the company statement reads. “We recommend the use of these services for Covid-19 test kits and other time-sensitive medical shipments.”
___
TESTING SITES
Vermont is adding more permanent testing sites around the state with day, evening and weekend hours, Smith said.
“We had initially had a goal to have 14 of these new on-demand testing sites by the end of November and we have hit that mark,” he said.
The sites are in Bennington, Brattleboro, Stratton Mountain, Newport, Rutland, Berlin, Burlington, Northfield, St. Johnsbury, Fairlee, Waterbury, Springfield, Middlebury and Waitsfield. They are in addition to pop-up sites and existing hospital and pharmacy locations. The state will soon be adding sites in Hardwick, Springfield, Morrisville and Island Pond and later in Wells River and Richford, Smith said.
“Providing local easy accessible testing to Vermonters is crucial to our success in keeping Vermonters healthy and safe,” Smith said.
The most efficient way to get tested is to register on the Health Department’s website. Vermonters may also call 211 or the Health Department, he said.
The state is also issuing rapid antigen testing to long-term care facilities that don’t have it and will soon offer twice weekly PCR testing for employees of skilled nursing facilities that request it, Smith said.
___
THE NUMBERS
Vermont reported 63 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, for a statewide total to date of 4,239.
There have been three new deaths related to long-term care facilities over the past three days for a total of 72 deaths since the pandemic began, Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine. Two women in their 90s and a man in his 70s died, he said.
“The virus is entering these facilities as a silent traveler the majority of the time, present in the nasal passages of staff who have yet to develop symptoms and are unknowing vectors,” Levine said.
A total of 28 people were hospitalized with two in intensive care, the Health Department reported Monday.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 84.71 new cases per day on Nov. 16 to 65.43 new cases per day on Nov. 30.


washingtontimes--2020-12-01--Woman dies weeks after being run over while defending son

POLK CITY , Fla. ( AP ) - A Florida woman has died weeks after a group of teenagers intentionally ran over her as she defended her son , who had been assaulted by the teens , deputies said .
Suzette Penton , a librarian in Polk City , died last week from injuries suffered in the Nov. 9 crash , according to the Polk County Sheriff ’ s Office .
An arrest affidavit said the crash left Penton with a traumatic brain injury and several broken bones .
Investigators said she was run over by a van carrying 18-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ages 14 , 15 and 16 .
They were initially charged with attempted murder and deputies said upgraded charges are pending following Penton ’ s death , news outlets reported .
According to investigators , the teens went to the woman ’ s home because of a “ romantic entanglement ” between the teens and Penton ’ s son .
Polk County Sheriff ’ s spokeswoman Carrie Horstman told WFLA that the teens attacked the woman ’ s son .
Penton then went outside to confront them , and to take pictures of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They purposely and intentionally ran her over and critically injured her , ” said Horstman .
“ They had ample opportunity and space to get out of that area as she stood there in the street to take pictures of them to give to law enforcement .
Instead , they ran her down in the road .
”

POLK CITY, Fla. (AP) - A Florida woman has died weeks after a group of teenagers intentionally ran over her as she defended her son, who had been assaulted by the teens, deputies said.
Suzette Penton, a librarian in Polk City, died last week from injuries suffered in the Nov. 9 crash, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
An arrest affidavit said the crash left Penton with a traumatic brain injury and several broken bones.
Investigators said she was run over by a van carrying 18-year-old Elijah Stansell and three other teens, ages 14, 15 and 16. They were initially charged with attempted murder and deputies said upgraded charges are pending following Penton’s death, news outlets reported.
According to investigators, the teens went to the woman’s home because of a “romantic entanglement” between the teens and Penton’s son.
Polk County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Horstman told WFLA that the teens attacked the woman’s son. Penton then went outside to confront them, and to take pictures of their van to show to police.
“They purposely and intentionally ran her over and critically injured her,” said Horstman. “They had ample opportunity and space to get out of that area as she stood there in the street to take pictures of them to give to law enforcement. Instead, they ran her down in the road.”
A lawyer for Stansell wasn’t listed on court records.


washingtontimes--2020-12-01--Newt Gingrich: Stacey Abrams 'dominates' 'subsidiaries' Brian Kemp, Brad Raffensperger

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says Stacey Abrams , the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial candidate and voting rights activist , is the one currently calling the shots in the Peach State as he joined a number of Trump allies in slamming GOP Gov .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger .
“ She dominates Governor Kemp .
She dominates Secretary of State Raffensperger .
In effect , they are subsidiaries of Stacey Abrams , ” Mr. Gingrich said Monday on Fox News ’ “ Hannity.
” “ It ’ s clear the governor should be asking the state election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and find out some of her claims.
” Georgia is in the process of wrapping up a second recount after certified results showed presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden win the state over President Trump by about 12,600 votes , or 0.25 % .
Mr. Trump has directed his ire this week at Mr. Kemp , calling the Republican governor “ hapless ” and saying he regrets endorsing him in 2018 .
The president says he wants Mr. Kemp to step in and “ overrule ” Mr. Raffensberger , whose office certified the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office says the governor does not have that authority .
The president ’ s team says there can not be a true recount unless there ’ s a signature match done on all absentee ballot applications and absentee ballot envelopes .
Mr. Raffensperger has said the current system already has multiple layers of signature matching in the absentee balloting process .

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says Stacey Abrams, the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial candidate and voting rights activist, is the one currently calling the shots in the Peach State as he joined a number of Trump allies in slamming GOP Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Mr. Gingrich said Ms. Abrams deserves “a lot of credit.”
“She dominates Governor Kemp. She dominates Secretary of State Raffensperger. In effect, they are subsidiaries of Stacey Abrams,” Mr. Gingrich said Monday on Fox News’ “Hannity.” “It’s clear the governor should be asking the state election board to bring Abrams in under oath and find out some of her claims.”
Georgia is in the process of wrapping up a second recount after certified results showed presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden win the state over President Trump by about 12,600 votes, or 0.25%.
Mr. Trump has directed his ire this week at Mr. Kemp, calling the Republican governor “hapless” and saying he regrets endorsing him in 2018.
“Do something @BrianKempGA,” the president tweeted on Tuesday. “You allowed your state to be scammed. We must check signatures and count signed envelopes against ballots. Then call off election. It won’t be needed. We will all WIN!”
There are two U.S. Senate runoff contests in Georgia next month that will decide which party controls the chamber in the next Congress.
The president has also said he wants Mr. Kemp to step in and “overrule” Mr. Raffensberger, whose office certified the results last month.
Mr. Kemp’s office says the governor does not have that authority.
The president’s team says there cannot be a true recount unless there’s a signature match done on all absentee ballot applications and absentee ballot envelopes.
Mr. Raffensperger has said the current system already has multiple layers of signature matching in the absentee balloting process.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-01--UN: Food has run out for nearly 100,000 refugees in Ethiopia

NAIROBI , Kenya ( AP ) - The United Nations says food has now run out for the nearly 100,000 refugees from Eritrea who have been sheltering in camps in Ethiopia ’ s northern Tigray region , which has been cut off from the world for nearly a month amid fighting .
“ Concerns are growing by the hour , ” U.N. refugee spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday .
“ The camps will have now run out of food supplies – making hunger and malnutrition a real danger , a warning we have been issuing since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are also alarmed at unconfirmed reports of attacks , abductions and forced recruitment at the refugee camps.
” Wednesday marks a month since Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that fighting had erupted in the Tigray region between federal forces and regional ones , as each government now regards the other as illegitimate due to a dispute over holding elections during the pandemic .
Communications and transport links to the Tigray region of 6 million people have been severed , and the U.N. and others have pleaded for access to deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies .
Abiy , last year ’ s Nobel Peace Prize winner , has rejected the idea of dialogue with the Tigray regional leaders , who are on the run but say they continue to fight even after Abiy over the weekend declared victory in the deadly conflict .
Under growing international pressure , Abiy on Monday said that “ my message to friends of Ethiopia is that we may be poor but we are not a country that will negotiate our sovereignty .
Threatening Ethiopia for coins will not work.
” Ethiopia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create and manage a “ humanitarian corridor ” for the delivery of aid , but the U.N. wants access that is neutral , unhindered and immediate .
The U.N. has said some 2 million people in Tigray now need assistance - a doubling from the number before the fighting - and some 1 million people are displaced , including more than 45,000 Ethiopians who have fled into Sudan as refugees .
The 96,000 Eritrean refugees are in an especially precarious position .
They are in camps in Ethiopia near the border of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and reports of have emerged that some have been attacked or abducted .
The U.N. refugee chief has warned that , if true , any such actions “ would be major violations of international norms.
” Eritrea has remained almost silent as the Tigray leaders accuse it of joining the conflict at Ethiopia ’ s request , which Abiy ’ s government has denied .
Some 1,000 of the Eritrean refugees have arrived in the Tigray regional capital , Mekele , looking for food and other help , the International Committee of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ For almost two decades , Ethiopia has been a hospitable country for Eritrean refugees but now we fear they are caught in the conflict , ” Baloch said .
“ UNHCR appeals to the government of Ethiopia to continue to fulfill its responsibility in hosting and protecting Eritrean refugees and allow humanitarians to access people who are now desperately in need.
” In Mekele , which the Ethiopian military has said is under its “ full control ” after its offensive last week , “ aid workers report that people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to survive following the damage and destruction of water infrastructure , ” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Monday .
“ Our humanitarian colleagues are also warning that it is critical that essential supplies and services be restored immediately in Mekelle and across the Tigray region.
” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored that need in a phone call with Abiy on Sunday , Dujarric said .

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - The United Nations says food has now run out for the nearly 100,000 refugees from Eritrea who have been sheltering in camps in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, which has been cut off from the world for nearly a month amid fighting.
“Concerns are growing by the hour,” U.N. refugee spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday. “The camps will have now run out of food supplies – making hunger and malnutrition a real danger, a warning we have been issuing since the conflict began nearly a month ago. We are also alarmed at unconfirmed reports of attacks, abductions and forced recruitment at the refugee camps.”
Wednesday marks a month since Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that fighting had erupted in the Tigray region between federal forces and regional ones, as each government now regards the other as illegitimate due to a dispute over holding elections during the pandemic.
Communications and transport links to the Tigray region of 6 million people have been severed, and the U.N. and others have pleaded for access to deliver badly needed food, medicines and other supplies.
Abiy, last year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, has rejected the idea of dialogue with the Tigray regional leaders, who are on the run but say they continue to fight even after Abiy over the weekend declared victory in the deadly conflict.
Under growing international pressure, Abiy on Monday said that “my message to friends of Ethiopia is that we may be poor but we are not a country that will negotiate our sovereignty. Threatening Ethiopia for coins will not work.”
Ethiopia’s government has said it will create and manage a “humanitarian corridor” for the delivery of aid, but the U.N. wants access that is neutral, unhindered and immediate.
The U.N. has said some 2 million people in Tigray now need assistance - a doubling from the number before the fighting - and some 1 million people are displaced, including more than 45,000 Ethiopians who have fled into Sudan as refugees.
The 96,000 Eritrean refugees are in an especially precarious position. They are in camps in Ethiopia near the border of their homeland, Eritrea, which they fled, and reports of have emerged that some have been attacked or abducted. The U.N. refugee chief has warned that, if true, any such actions “would be major violations of international norms.”
Eritrea has remained almost silent as the Tigray leaders accuse it of joining the conflict at Ethiopia’s request, which Abiy’s government has denied.
Some 1,000 of the Eritrean refugees have arrived in the Tigray regional capital, Mekele, looking for food and other help, the International Committee of the Red Cross said over the weekend.
“For almost two decades, Ethiopia has been a hospitable country for Eritrean refugees but now we fear they are caught in the conflict,” Baloch said. “UNHCR appeals to the government of Ethiopia to continue to fulfill its responsibility in hosting and protecting Eritrean refugees and allow humanitarians to access people who are now desperately in need.”
In Mekele, which the Ethiopian military has said is under its “full control” after its offensive last week, “aid workers report that people have been forced to rely on untreated water to survive following the damage and destruction of water infrastructure,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Monday. “Our humanitarian colleagues are also warning that it is critical that essential supplies and services be restored immediately in Mekelle and across the Tigray region.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored that need in a phone call with Abiy on Sunday, Dujarric said.