washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Ukraine: $6M bribe attempt to close case against gas head

MOSCOW ( AP ) - Ukrainian authorities say they have intercepted an attempt to offer a $ 6 million bribe in return for the dropping of a criminal investigation into the head of a natural gas company where the son of former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden once held a board seat .
At a Saturday news conference , Ukraine ’ s anti-corruption prosecutor Nazar Kholodnitsky said neither of the Bidens is connected to the bribe attempt .
Kholodnitsky and the head of the national anti-corruption bureau , Artem Sytnik , said the bribe was intended to encourage their offices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the head of the Burisma natural gas company and a former minister of ecology .
Zlochevsky is suspected of using his ministerial position to enrich his gas company .
Burisma , one of the country ’ s largest private gas producers , has been at the center of politically tinged allegations in the United States , where Joe Biden is the main challenger to President Donald Trump in this year ’ s election .
Biden ’ s son , Hunter , joined the Burisma board in 2014 , when his father was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of U.S. relations with Ukraine ; he left the position in 2018 .
Last year , Trump pressured new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens in a phone call that triggered his impeachment .
Former Ukrainian prosecutor-general Viktor Shokin has alleged he was pushed out by pressure from Biden , by delaying a $ 1 billion loan to the country , in order to halt an investigation into Hunter Biden ’ s role at Burisma .
But Joe Biden says he pushed for Shokin ’ s dismissal to encourage Ukraine ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including a high-ranking tax service official , have been detained in connection with the attempted bribe .

MOSCOW (AP) - Ukrainian authorities said Saturday they intercepted an attempt to offer a $6 million bribe in return for the dropping of a criminal investigation into the head of a natural gas company where the son of former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden once held a board seat.
At a news conference, during which officials displayed large bags of seized U.S. currency, Ukraine’s anti-corruption prosecutor Nazar Kholodnitsky said neither of the Bidens is connected to the bribe attempt.
Kholodnitsky and the head of the national anti-corruption bureau, Artem Sytnik, said the bribe was intended to encourage their offices to close an investigation of Mykola Zlochevsky, the head of the Burisma natural gas company and a former minister of ecology.
Zlochevsky is suspected of using his ministerial position for personal enrichment.
In a statement, Burisma said the company has nothing to do with a bribe attempt.
Burisma, one of Ukraine’s largest private gas producers, has been at the center of politically tinged allegations in the United States, where Joe Biden is the main challenger to President Donald Trump in this year’s election.
Biden’s son, Hunter, joined the Burisma board in 2014, when his father was still vice president and the main figure in U.S. relations with Ukraine; he left the position in 2018.
Last year, Trump pressured new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens in a phone call that triggered his impeachment.
Former Ukrainian prosecutor-general Viktor Shokin has alleged he was pushed out by Joe Biden’s delaying of a $1 billion loan to the country, to prevent him from investigating Hunter Biden’s role at Burisma. But Joe Biden says he pushed for Shokin’s dismissal to encourage Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts.
Three people, including a high-ranking tax service official, have been detained in connection with the attempted bribe, officials said Saturday.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--The Latest: Pakistan cricketer Afridi positive for virus

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world : “ I ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ my body had been aching badly .
I ’ ve been tested and unfortunately I @ @ @ @ @ Need prayers for a speedy recovery , InshaAllah , ” Afridi tweeted Saturday .
Afridi @ @ @ @ @ and has since played in Twenty20 leagues around the world .
Former test opener Taufeeq @ @ @ @ @ May and has made a full recovery .
A former Pakistan first-class cricketer , Zafar @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak .

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
___
A Norwich player is one of two people at two English Premier League clubs to test positive for the new coronavirus ahead of the restart of competition.
Players and club staff are being tested twice a week. On Thursday and Friday, 1,200 people were tested at the 20 clubs.
The league does not identify who tests positive for COVID-19. Norwich confirmed the positive case but did not name the player.
The league’s 100-day shutdown ends Wednesday, with Aston Villa playing Sheffield United and Manchester City hosting Arsenal.
___
An Arizona Coyotes staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolated at home in the Phoenix area.
The staffer is asymptomatic and feeling well, the team said.
All other staff members or players involved in phase 2 of the NHL’s testing protocol have tested negative as teams prepare to start voluntary small-group workouts on Monday.
NHL mandatory training camps can open July 10, pending an agreement to returning to play later this summer.
___
With curling suspended in its Canada stronghold, Hall of Famer Warren Hansen says alternate plans need to be made to at least get top competitions on television.
A few lower-tier curling tour stops have been canceled but the first top-flight event of the campaign, the Masters in Ontario, remains a go for Oct. 20-25.
But with nothing on since March, Hansen, who spent more than two decades running event operations for the national federation until 2015 and has done consulting work since, says that’s too long for curling to go without a presence. Especially with other sports coming back such as soccer, golf, and auto racing.
“Find an arena that’s close to the airport, make a deal with some hotels and try and stage the things for at least your television audience,” Hansen said from Vancouver.
With the potential for air travel skittishness or restrictions hampering transport, Hansen thinks holding events in major cities such as Winnipeg or Calgary would be a solid alternative. That way, Hansen said, most of the top curlers could probably drive to the competition in a small rink to keep costs down.
“I think you’re going to have a (TV) audience that’s so starved for any sport and starved for curling,” Hansen said. “The audiences … I think will be good regardless of what you do or how you do it.
“How it’s going to work and how it’s going to be, you’re never going to know until you try it.”
The trials for the Beijing Winter Olympics are less than 18 months away, and Hansen, “We’ve got to make sure that we do everything we possibly can to keep something forging ahead in some way, shape or form.”
___
Celebrated Pakistan cricket allrounder Shahid Afridi has tested positive for COVID-19.
“I’ve been feeling unwell since Thursday; my body had been aching badly. I’ve been tested and unfortunately I’m covid positive. Need prayers for a speedy recovery, InshaAllah,” Afridi tweeted Saturday.
Afridi quit international cricket in 2017 and has since played in Twenty20 leagues around the world.
Former test opener Taufeeq Umar contracted the virus in May and has made a full recovery.
A former Pakistan first-class cricketer, Zafar Sarfraz, died during the outbreak.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Paris braces for march for racial justice, against police

PARIS ( AP ) - Paris police ordered the closure of freshly reopened restaurants and shops along the route of a march Saturday against police brutality and racism , fearing possible violence .
The march between the Place de la Republique in eastern Paris and the city ’ s main opera house is expected to be the biggest of several demonstrations around France this weekend inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement in the U.S .
The Paris police chief ordered merchants and city officials to clear sidewalks along the march route of anything that could be set on fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Any gatherings of more than 10 people remain banned in France because of virus containment measures .
The Paris march was organized by supporters of Adama Traore , a French black man who died in police custody in 2016 in circumstances that remain unclear despite four years of back-and-forth autopsies .
They ’ re demanding “ justice for Adama and all victims of police.
” France has seen several demonstrations in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death in the U.S , and they ’ ve been overwhelmingly peaceful , though some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters .
Protests are also expected Saturday in Marseille , Lyon and other French cities .
In the wake of Floyd ’ s death and the global protests it unleashed , the French government is under growing pressure to address long-running accusations of excessive violence by police , particularly against minorities .
Researchers have documented racial profiling by French police , and investigations were opened recently into racist comments in private Facebook and WhatsApp groups for police officers .
The interior minister promised this week to stamp out racism and announced a ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French police unions held their own demonstrations Friday , saying they ’ re being unfairly labeled as racist because of a few extremist officers , and that they don ’ t have enough tools to deal with violent suspects .
After meeting with union representatives , the interior minister said Friday night that police will start experimenting with expanded use of stun-guns in the future , despite concerns about their safety .

PARIS (AP) - A few thousand people demonstrated in Paris on Saturday to denounce police brutality and entrenched racism, as France’s minorities increasingly push back against a national doctrine of colorblindness that has failed to eradicate discrimination.
Angry shouts rose from the peaceful and racially diverse crowd as a small group of white extreme-right activists climbed a building overlooking the protest and unfurled a huge banner denouncing “anti-white racism.”
Police did not arrest the counter-demonstrators, but residents in the building tore part of the banner down, one raising his fist in victory. Officers prevented people attending the main rally from approaching the far-right activists.
Police surrounded the intended march route, bracing for potential violence after scattered clashes at some previous demonstrations around France also inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyd’s death in the U.S. The Paris protest was among several in France and other countries this weekend for the same cause.
Myriam Boicoulin, 31, who was born in the French Caribbean island of Martinique, said she marched Saturday because she “wants to be heard.”
“The fact of being visible is enormous,” Boicoulin told The Associated Press. As a black woman living in mainland France, she said, “I’m constantly obliged to adapt, to make compromises, not make waves - to be almost white, in fact.”
“It’s the first time people see us,” she said. “Let us breathe.”
Saturday’s march in Paris was led by supporters of Adama Traore, a French black man who died in police custody in 2016 in circumstances that remain unclear despite four years of back-and-forth autopsies. No one has been charged in the case.
“We are are all demanding the same thing - fair justice for everyone,” Traore’s sister Assa told the crowd. She is increasingly seeking to transform the support committee for her brother into a broader-based movement for social justice, notably since Floyd’s death.
At Saturday’s protest, a huge portrait showed a face that was half Floyd, half Traore. Banners strung between trees around Republique plaza bore the names, scrawled in red, of dozens of others who have died or suffered violence at the hands of French police.
Along the march route, the Paris police chief ordered merchants and city officials to clear sidewalks along the march route of anything that could be set on fire or used by troublemakers against police. Gatherings of more than 10 people remain banned in France because of virus containment measures.
Protests were also being held Saturday in Marseille, Lyon and other French cities.
In the wake of Floyd’s death and the global protests it unleashed, the French government is under growing pressure to address long-running accusations of excessive violence by police, particularly against minorities.
Researchers have documented racial profiling by French police, and investigations were opened recently into racist comments in private Facebook and WhatsApp groups for police officers.
The interior minister promised this week to stamp out racism and announced a ban on police chokeholds during arrests. But French police unions held their own demonstrations Friday, saying they’re being unfairly labeled as racist because of a few extremist officers, and that they don’t have enough tools to deal with violent suspects.
After meeting with union representatives, the interior minister said Friday night that police will start experimenting with expanded use of stun-guns in the future, despite concerns about their safety.
Assa Traore said that when she saw images of the police protesting, “I wasn’t even angry. I was ashamed of the French police. In the whole world, the only country where police officers demonstrate to keep their permission to kill is France.”
___
Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Fans savor return of stadium sport in virus-free New Zealand

DUNEDIN , New Zealand ( AP ) - They call one section of the stadium The Zoo , and it ’ s easy to see why : thousands of university students in team colors standing on their seats , steadying trays of beer , swaying to music and erupting with joy when their team scores .
“ Craziness , ” is how 20-year-old student Charlotte Power described the scene .
“ Dancing , partying .
Hopefully no fights.
” New Zealand on Saturday became one of the first nations in the world to welcome hordes of fans back into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s remarkable success in eliminating the coronavirus .
As countries try to reopen after lockdowns , the evening rugby match marked a milestone of sorts , and its importance wasn ’ t lost on fans .
After instituting a strict lockdown in March , New Zealand has not reported any new cases of the coronavirus for more than three weeks , and says all those who contracted the disease have now recovered .
Earlier in the week , the country removed just about every remaining virus restriction , with the notable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That meant there were no masks or social distancing required when more than 20,000 fans poured into the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin to watch Saturday ’ s match between the local Highlanders and the Chiefs , who had traveled from Hamilton .
“ It ’ s massive , ” the country ’ s sports minister , Grant Robertson , said on the sidelines .
“ It ’ s a world first and it ’ s a payoff for all the hard work of 5 million New Zealanders.
” Robertson said he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond from people curious to know how professional sports can proceed without virus restrictions .
He said there ’ s something special about being at a game .
“ Anyone who ’ s a fan of live sport or even live music knows that if you ’ re there , it ’ s totally different , ” he said .
For fan Iki Uele , it was a pleasure just seeing all the people .
“ Everyone has been dying for this moment , ” he said .
“ Being locked down , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Uele said he did have concerns that somebody in the crowd might have the virus without knowing it .
But he was willing to take the chance .
German exchange student Johanna Lindner said she ’ d never watched a rugby match before , and people back home were both curious and perhaps a little envious .
“ It ’ s a great opportunity to socialize again , ” she said .
“ To bring the country together since New Zealand is turning into one bubble .
I think it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mood a little bit.
” Peter Miskimmin , the chief executive of government agency Sport New Zealand , said the return of stadium games is enormously significant , and that sports are part of the nation ’ s DNA .
“ I don ’ t think anyone has yet replicated that sense of excitement of being in a crowd , and the passions that flow from that , ” he said .
“ To be in a stadium and to feel it , and to even influence the game .
The players know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday ’ s match , the momentum , and the lead , swung back and forth .
The crowd got a laugh and a break from the mounting tension when a streaker wearing nothing but shoes braved the frigid winter weather and burst across the field .
Then , with 2 minutes left on the clock , the home team scored a go-ahead drop goal .
As the final hooter sounded and the Highlanders kicked out the ball to win 28-27 , the fans screamed and hugged .
The players slapped each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thoughts of social distancing were long gone .

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) - They call one section of the stadium The Zoo, and it’s easy to see why: thousands of university students in team colors standing on their seats, steadying trays of beer, swaying to music and erupting with joy when their team scores.
“Craziness,” is how 20-year-old student Charlotte Power described the scene. “Dancing, partying. Hopefully no fights.”
New Zealand on Saturday became one of the first nations in the world to welcome hordes of fans back into a packed sports stadium, thanks to the country’s remarkable success in eliminating the coronavirus.
As countries try to reopen after lockdowns, the evening rugby match marked a milestone of sorts, and its importance wasn’t lost on fans.
After instituting a strict lockdown in March, New Zealand has not reported any new cases of the coronavirus for more than three weeks, and says all those who contracted the disease have now recovered. Earlier in the week, the country removed just about every remaining virus restriction, with the notable exception of keeping the border closed.
That meant there were no masks or social distancing required when more than 20,000 fans poured into the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin to watch Saturday’s match between the local Highlanders and the Chiefs, who had traveled from Hamilton.
“It’s massive,” the country’s sports minister, Grant Robertson, said on the sidelines. “It’s a world first and it’s a payoff for all the hard work of 5 million New Zealanders.”
Robertson said he’s been fielding calls from India and beyond from people curious to know how professional sports can proceed without virus restrictions. He said there’s something special about being at a game.
“Anyone who’s a fan of live sport or even live music knows that if you’re there, it’s totally different,” he said.
For fan Iki Uele, it was a pleasure just seeing all the people.
“Everyone has been dying for this moment,” he said. “Being locked down, we just needed something to vent out.”
Uele said he did have concerns that somebody in the crowd might have the virus without knowing it. But he was willing to take the chance.
German exchange student Johanna Lindner said she’d never watched a rugby match before, and people back home were both curious and perhaps a little envious.
“It’s a great opportunity to socialize again,” she said. “To bring the country together since New Zealand is turning into one bubble. I think it’s really important to lift people’s mood a little bit.”
Peter Miskimmin, the chief executive of government agency Sport New Zealand, said the return of stadium games is enormously significant, and that sports are part of the nation’s DNA.
“I don’t think anyone has yet replicated that sense of excitement of being in a crowd, and the passions that flow from that,” he said. “To be in a stadium and to feel it, and to even influence the game. The players know that the crowd is there.”
Taiwan’s professional baseball league began allowing a very limited number of fans into games in May, but loosened restrictions last weekend after the government eased coronavirus measures. Fans no longer have to wear masks when they’re seated, food and drinks are now allowed in the stands, and stadiums can be filled up to half capacity.
During Saturday’s rugby match, the momentum, and the lead, swung back and forth. The crowd got a laugh and a break from the mounting tension when a streaker wearing nothing but shoes braved the frigid winter weather and burst across the field. Then, with 2 minutes left on the clock, the home team scored a go-ahead drop goal.
As the final hooter sounded and the Highlanders kicked out the ball to win 28-27, the fans screamed and hugged. The players slapped each other on their backs and embraced.
All thoughts of social distancing were long gone.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Queen Elizabeth's birthday marked with smaller ceremony

LONDON ( AP ) - Queen Elizabeth II ’ s birthday was marked Saturday with a smaller ceremony than usual , as the annual Trooping the Color parade was canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The extravagant display of pomp and pageantry , a highlight of the royal calendar that typically attracts thousands of tourists to line the streets of central London , has only been canceled once before during almost 70 years of the queen ’ s reign - in 1955 , during a national rail strike .
This year , a small number of soldiers and military musicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Castle .
The queen received a royal salute , before watching a display by soldiers who marched on the castle grounds in accordance with social distancing rules .
It was Elizabeth ’ s first official public appearance since lockdown measures were imposed in March .
The queen celebrated her 94th birthday on April 21 , but her “ official ” birthday has always been marked with the Trooping the Color parade in June .
The ‘ colors ’ refer to the flags representing the different regiments of the British Army .
The event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horses , a carriage procession by the royal family , and a Royal Air Force flypast over Buckingham Palace .
An event like this marking the sovereign ’ s birthday has not been staged at Windsor since 1895 , when a ceremony was held in honor of Queen Victoria .

LONDON (AP) - Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday was marked Saturday with a smaller ceremony than usual, as the annual Trooping the Color parade was canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The extravagant display of pomp and pageantry, a highlight of the royal calendar that typically attracts thousands of tourists to line the streets of central London, has only been canceled once before during almost 70 years of the queen’s reign - in 1955, during a national rail strike.
This year, a small number of soldiers and military musicians paid tribute to the monarch at Windsor Castle. The queen received a royal salute, before watching a display by soldiers who marched on the castle grounds in accordance with social distancing rules.
It was Elizabeth’s first official public appearance since lockdown measures were imposed in March.
The queen celebrated her 94th birthday on April 21, but her “official” birthday has always been marked with the Trooping the Color parade in June. The ‘colors’ refer to the flags representing the different regiments of the British Army.
The event usually features hundreds of parading soldiers and horses, a carriage procession by the royal family, and a Royal Air Force flypast over Buckingham Palace.
An event like this marking the sovereign’s birthday has not been staged at Windsor since 1895, when a ceremony was held in honor of Queen Victoria.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Fire on French nuclear submarine extinguished after 14 hours

PARIS ( AP ) - After a 14-hour battle , firefighters extinguished a blaze that broke out on a French nuclear submarine during renovation work .
The Defense Ministry said no one was injured , and insisted the risk of radioactivity released by the fire is “ zero ” because the vessel ’ s nuclear fuel and all its weapons had been removed before the renovations began in January .
But it took 100 firefighters from three different emergency services as well as specialized submarine teams more than 14 hours to put out the blaze , the ministry said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ salvageable .
The fire broke out Friday morning in the Mediterranean naval port of Toulon , and was extinguished after midnight , the ministry said in a statement Saturday .
All workers and sailors aboard the submarine when the fire broke out were safely evacuated , the regional maritime authority said .
Local newspaper Var-Matin published images of white smoke rising from the port , and reported that some of those aboard fled via the submarine ’ s torpedo holds .
The submarine , named Perle , is the most recent of France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and entered service in 1993 , the official said .

PARIS (AP) - After a 14-hour battle, firefighters extinguished a blaze that broke out on a French nuclear submarine during renovation work.
The Defense Ministry said no one was injured, and insisted the risk of radioactivity released by the fire is “zero” because the vessel’s nuclear fuel and all its weapons had been removed before the renovations began in January.
But it took 100 firefighters from three different emergency services as well as specialized submarine teams more than 14 hours to put out the blaze, the ministry said. It is unclear whether the ship is salvageable.
The fire broke out Friday morning in the Mediterranean naval port of Toulon, and was extinguished after midnight, the ministry said in a statement Saturday.
All workers and sailors aboard the submarine when the fire broke out were safely evacuated, the regional maritime authority said. Local newspaper Var-Matin published images of white smoke rising from the port, and reported that some of those aboard fled via the submarine’s torpedo holds.
The submarine, named Perle, is the most recent of France’s six Ruby-class nuclear attack submarines, and entered service in 1993, the official said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--AP PHOTOS: Nursing home residents allowed comfort of family

ALZANO , Italy ( AP ) - After more than three months of separation and worry , loved ones are being allowed to reunite with residents of the Martino Zanchi Foundation nursing home in the northern Italian town of Alzano .
Alzano , close to Bergamo , is the site of one of Italy ’ s biggest coronavirus outbreaks , centered around the town ’ s hospital , and there is an investigation into whether officials failed to take swift action to make the town and nearby Nembro a “ red zone.
” It is in this context that many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nursing home staff to close on Feb. 23 , in defiance of local authorities who said the measure was too stringent .
“ It was a form of disobedience , out of common sense , that has paid off , ” said Maria Giulia Madaschi , the nursing home ’ s director .
Since May 18 , family members have been allowed to visit - at a safe distance and when possible in the nursing home ’ s garden .
Each afternoon for a couple of hours , close relatives of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was very emotional , ” Sergio Moioli , 63 , said of his reunion with his 86-year-old mother , Carmela Bergamelli .
He stood on one side of a bridge , while she sat in a wheelchair on the other .
“ She asked about everything .
… When she seems me , she can ’ t stop talking .
She has this desire to communicate .
We let her talk.
” But they avoided telling her everything .
She doesn ’ t know that her only brother died , probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Moioli acknowledged concern for his mother as the virus peaked , when a handful of people died every day in his nearby town .
Now that the contagion has slowed , and he is permitted weekly visits , the only thing missing is a hug .
“ That will come .
We need more time , ” he said .
Stefano Terzi is his mother ’ s second son , and the only one she recognizes since dementia set in .
Terzi , 52 , said he was called to the nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say farewell to his 85-year-old mother , Anna Maria Alborghetti .
She had a high fever and was breathing with difficulty .
Doctors didn ’ t think she would make it through the night .
Besides suffering dementia , she is also a heart patient .
Mother and son were dressed in surgical gear and allowed a brief visit .
“ I didn ’ t think I would see her the next day , ” Terzi said .
That night , the doctor decided to try one more therapy .
She survived .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the month of March .
None was tested for coronavirus but they showed symptoms compatible with COVID-19 , Madaschi said .
That compares with a normal death rate for March of four or five , she said .
While prosecutors are investigating many nursing homes for improper care , Madaschi said they haven ’ t received any such notification from prosecutors .
“ Fingers crossed , that it continues that way , ” she said .
For Terzi and his mother , their next reunion was more tranquil , under a blue sky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I see her very serene .
For an elderly woman with all of her problems , she is doing well , ” Terzi said .

ALZANO, Italy (AP) - After more than three months of separation and worry, loved ones are being allowed to reunite with residents of the Martino Zanchi Foundation nursing home in the northern Italian town of Alzano.
Alzano, close to Bergamo, is the site of one of Italy’s biggest coronavirus outbreaks, centered around the town’s hospital, and there is an investigation into whether officials failed to take swift action to make the town and nearby Nembro a “red zone.” It is in this context that many family members appreciated the unilateral move by the nursing home staff to close on Feb. 23, in defiance of local authorities who said the measure was too stringent.
“It was a form of disobedience, out of common sense, that has paid off,” said Maria Giulia Madaschi, the nursing home’s director.
Since May 18, family members have been allowed to visit - at a safe distance and when possible in the nursing home’s garden. Each afternoon for a couple of hours, close relatives of the 77 residents visit at 20-minute intervals.
“It was very emotional,” Sergio Moioli, 63, said of his reunion with his 86-year-old mother, Carmela Bergamelli. He stood on one side of a bridge, while she sat in a wheelchair on the other. “She asked about everything. … When she seems me, she can’t stop talking. She has this desire to communicate. We let her talk.”
But they avoided telling her everything. She doesn’t know that her only brother died, probably from the coronavirus, during the lockdown.
Moioli acknowledged concern for his mother as the virus peaked, when a handful of people died every day in his nearby town.
Now that the contagion has slowed, and he is permitted weekly visits, the only thing missing is a hug. “That will come. We need more time,” he said.
Stefano Terzi is his mother’s second son, and the only one she recognizes since dementia set in.
Terzi, 52, said he was called to the nursing home during lockdown and told to come say farewell to his 85-year-old mother, Anna Maria Alborghetti. She had a high fever and was breathing with difficulty. Doctors didn’t think she would make it through the night. Besides suffering dementia, she is also a heart patient.
Mother and son were dressed in surgical gear and allowed a brief visit. “I didn’t think I would see her the next day,” Terzi said. That night, the doctor decided to try one more therapy. She survived.
The nursing home lost 20 residents in the month of March. None was tested for coronavirus but they showed symptoms compatible with COVID-19, Madaschi said. That compares with a normal death rate for March of four or five, she said. While prosecutors are investigating many nursing homes for improper care, Madaschi said they haven’t received any such notification from prosecutors.
“Fingers crossed, that it continues that way,” she said.
For Terzi and his mother, their next reunion was more tranquil, under a blue sky in the nursing home’s garden.
“I see her very serene. For an elderly woman with all of her problems, she is doing well,” Terzi said.
___
Colleen Barry reported from Soave, Italy.
___
Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--AP Week in Pictures, Global

AP Week in Pictures, Global

This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by The Associated Press from around the @ @ @ @ @ curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York .

JUNE 6 - 12, 2020
This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by The Associated Press from around the world.
The selection was curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York.
Follow AP visual journalism:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews
AP Images on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Images
AP Images blog: http://apimagesblog.com


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Despite risks, Greek islands keen to reopen to tourists

MYKONOS , Greece ( AP ) - Mykonos ’ newest bar-restaurant , Pelican , seemed to appear from nowhere .
Tables , coffee machines , light fittings , music mixers and staff wearing matching black face masks were still being slotted into place as Greek visitors trickled in at the start of a long holiday weekend .
Owner Vasilis Theodorou says he ’ s in a hurry to get back to business .
Heavily reliant on tourism , the country officially opens to foreign arrivals Monday .
Its hopes are pinned on prime destinations like the islands of Mykonos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where regular ferry services have already resumed and direct international flights will start July 1 .
Greece has gambled on a decision to relax COVID-19 health inspections at ports and airports to try to avoid another crippling recession , having only recently emerged from a painful financial crisis .
“ Business will be 80 % down ( this year ) .
So we ’ re waiting for the 20 % , and we ’ re happy because we know that ’ s what it will be , ” Theodorou said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it and want it , it won ’ t be more than that .
We expect that tourists from central Europe will come first , and hopefully Americans at a later stage .
They are our best customers.
” Timely and strictly enforced lockdown measures have so far kept the infection rate in Greece low and the death toll below 200 .
But reopening means islands - many with only basic health facilities and previously sheltered from the outbreak on the Greek mainland - will again be receiving visitors from around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mykonos Mayor Konstantinos Koukas told the AP that islanders feel prepared and have clear government guidelines .
“ We want to open back up and we are heading into the 2020 season with optimism , ” he said .
“ But we are fully aware that … ( it ) will be nothing like the season in 2019 - and hopefully nothing like the season in 2021.
” An island that to many epitomizes high-life and hedonism , Mykonos would normally look very different in early June .
Its winding whitewashed streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be spilling out of the bars , eyeing luxury storefronts and competing with crowds from cruise ships for a restaurant table .
VIP watchers have spotted pop star Katy Perry and soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo among a large crop of celebrities seen here in recent summers .
This year , beaches are empty , rented cars fill fenced-off lots , and most stores remain padlocked .
Stray cats and the island ’ s mascot , a large , light pink pelican , roam the streets for company .
Mosaic artist Irene Syrianou has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of customers .
“ We watch the news and hope for the best , ” she says , cracking pieces of marble into chips with a hammer .
“ Nearly all my customers are American , whether it ’ s buying pieces of art , making orders online , or attending classes I give during the summer , ” she said , before adding with a chuckle : “ So it ’ s going to be a tough year .
But I ’ m an artist and I ’ ve gone hungry before.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been criticized by the left-wing Syriza main opposition party , which argued tougher controls should be kept in place , with authorities only permitting travel to those recently tested in countries of origin .
Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias Friday insisted that a safety net had been built for the islands - with connections to each other and to mainland hospitals for testing and health evacuations .
The network of doctors and support staff will be deployed with the help of more than 100 mobile units in cars and speed boats , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force , and civil authorities .
The health ministry will also have 11 futuristic-looking “ transit capsules ” that can be used for patients heading to intensive care facilities .
“ Each island will be attached to a fully equipped mainland hospital , ” Kikilias said .
Greece ’ s gamble follows a decade of tourism growth and increasing reliance on the industry , with annual visitor numbers more than doubling since 2010 to 34 million last year and revenue up 80 % to some 18 billion euros ( $ 20.2 billion ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country teetered on the brink of bankruptcy and exit from the euro currency bloc , while Greeks endured harsh economic austerity in return for three international bailouts .
Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis , once Greece ’ s top official for tax and revenues , said Friday that the country is determined to support its tourism industry .
“ We ’ re sending a clear message to the world ’ s traveling public that we won ’ t take a step back , either in health safeguards or in opening up the country.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
___ Follow Gatopoulos at http : //www.twitter.com/dgatopoulos

MYKONOS, Greece (AP) - The Greek island of Mykonos’ newest bar-restaurant, Pelican, seemed to appear from nowhere.
Tables, light fixtures and staff members with matching black face masks were still being slotted into place as Greeks visiting the island for a long holiday weekend trickled in to check out the place. The owner expects a slow slummer but says he’s in a hurry to get back to business.
Greece is, too.
Heavily reliant on tourism, the country is officially reopening to foreigners on Monday after closing its borders to most during the coronavirus pandemic. Its hopes are pinned on popular tourist destinations such as Mykonos and the islands of Rhodes, Corfu, Crete and Santorini, where regular ferry service already resumed and direct international flights are set to restart on July 1.
The Greek government has taken a gamble in deciding to relax COVID-19 health inspections at ports and airports in order to avoid another crippling recession, having only recently emerged from an economically painful period sparked by the international financial crisis.
Pelican’s owner, Vasilis Theodorou, has a view of the situation that is more steadfast than starry-eyed. Mykonos would normally be packed in early June, but it’s beaches were empty. Tourism might be down by as much as 80% this year, “so we’re waiting for the 20%, and we’re happy,” Theodorou said.
“No matter how much we wish for it and want it, it won’t be more than that,” he said. “We expect that tourists from central Europe will come first, and hopefully Americans at a later stage. They are our best customers.”
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged Saturday that Greece is prepared for a huge drop from the 33 million visitors who came to Greece last year. Addressing foreign journalists Saturday during a visit to Santorini, Mitsotakis went on a full sales pitch, touting everything from local products to the possibilities of year-round tourism in Greece..from
“We don’t know the real impact of (a truncated tourist season) on GDP,” he said, “A lot will depend on whether people feel comfortable to travel and whether we can project Greece as a safe destination.”
Timely and strictly enforced lockdown measures have so far kept the infection rate in Greece low and the death toll below 200. But reopening means islands - many with only basic health facilities and previously sheltered from the outbreak on the Greek mainland - will again be receiving visitors from around the world far in excess of the local population.
Mykonos Mayor Konstantinos Koukas told the AP that islanders feel prepared and have clear government guidelines.
“We want to open back up and we are heading into the 2020 season with optimism,” he said. “But we are fully aware that … (it) will be nothing like the season in 2019 - and hopefully nothing like the season in 2021.”
An island that to many epitomizes high-life and hedonism, Mykonos at this time of year would normally have high-paying customers spilling out of the bars and competing with cruise ship passengers for restaurant tables. VIP watchers have spotted pop star Katy Perry, soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo and other celebrities in recent summers.
This year, rented cars fill fenced-off lots, and most stores remain padlocked. Stray cats and the island’s mascot, a large, light pink pelican, roam the streets for company.
Mosaic artist Irene Syrianou has kept her workshop open despite the lack of customers. “We watch the news and hope for the best,” she says, cracking pieces of marble into chips with a hammer.
“Nearly all my customers are American, whether it’s buying pieces of art, making orders online, or attending classes I give during the summer,” she said, before adding with a chuckle: “So it’s going to be a tough year. But I’m an artist and I’ve gone hungry before.”
The government’s reopening policy has been criticized by the left-wing Syriza party, which argued tougher controls should be kept in place and arrivals limited to those recently tested in their countries of origin.
Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias insisted Friday that a safety net had been built for the islands - with connections to each other and to mainland hospitals for testing and health evacuations. Doctors and support staff will be deployed with the help of more than 100 mobile units in cars and speed boats. The Health Ministry will also have 11 futuristic-looking “transit capsules” for patients heading to intensive care facilities.
Greece’s gamble follows a decade of tourism growth and increasing reliance on the industry, with annual visitor numbers more than doubling since 2010 to 34 million last year and revenue up 80% to some 18 billion euros ($20.2 billion).
During many of those years, the country teetered on the brink of bankruptcy and exit from the euro currency bloc, while Greeks endured harsh economic austerity in return for three international bailouts.
Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis, once Greece’s top official for tax and revenues, said Friday that the country is determined to support its tourism industry.
“We’re sending a clear message to the world’s traveling public that we won’t take a step back, either in health safeguards or in opening up the country.”
And as the prime minister noted Saturday, there’s always next year.
“Hopefully in 2021, we’ll have a vaccine; 2021 will be a bumper year,” Mitsotakis said. ___ Iliana Mier on Mykonos and Demetris Nellas in Athens contributed. ___ Follow Gatopoulos at http://www.twitter.com/dgatopoulos


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Police: Man turned away from Texas bar shoots, wounds 8

SAN ANTONIO , Texas ( AP ) - A man who was turned away from a bar in Texas shot and wounded at least eight people in the parking lot , police said .
Police were searching for the gunman , who fled the scene late Friday night , San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said at a briefing early Saturday .
The gunman was part of a small group that left a bar in northern San Antonio and walked across the street to Rebar , a large nightspot that often has live music and DJ performances .
The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were “ inebriated , ” McManus said .
The police chief said one of the members of the group responded by saying , “ Don ’ t you know who I am ?
I ’ m a UFC fighter from California.
” That man then walked back to his car across the street , got a long rifle , walked back to the Rebar parking lot and opened fire , McManus said .
The victims were five women and three men between the ages of 23 and 41 .
Their exact conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McManus characterized them as stable at local hospitals , where they took themselves .
The most serious injury was suffered by someone who was shot in the back , he said .
Two others were grazed but didn ’ t accept treatment , the police chief added .
Although the shooter remained at large , McManus said he didn ’ t believe there was any risk to the area .
Further details weren ’ t immediately available .
Rebar is about 2 miles ( 3.2 kilometers ) southeast of San Antonio International Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listed on its website was not answered .

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A man who was turned away from a bar in San Antonio shot and wounded at least eight people in the parking lot late Friday, police said.
Police were searching for the gunman, who fled the scene Friday night, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said at a briefing early Saturday.
The gunman was part of a small group that left a bar in northern San Antonio and walked across the street to Rebar, a large nightspot that often has live music and DJ performances. The group was turned away at the door because they were “inebriated,” McManus said.
One of the members of the group responded by saying, “Don’t you know who I am? I’m a UFC fighter from California,” the police chief said.
That man then walked back to his car across the street, got a long rifle, walked back to the Rebar parking lot and opened fire, McManus said.
Five women and three men between the ages of 23 and 41 were hurt in the shooting, McManus said. Their exact conditions weren’t immediately known, but McManus characterized them as stable at local hospitals, where they took themselves.
The most serious injury was suffered by someone who was shot in the back, McManus said. Two others were grazed but didn’t accept treatment.
Although the shooter remained at large, McManus said he didn’t believe there was any risk to the area. Further details weren’t immediately available.
Rebar is about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) southeast of San Antonio International Airport. A call to the phone number listed on its website was not answered.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Friday Sports in Brief

Friday Sports in Brief

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Major League Baseball and its players are moving closer - to a deal or to Commissioner Rob Manfred ordering a shortened season without an agreement .
MLB offered players 80 % of their prorated salaries and a 72-game schedule beginning July 14 in an effort to start the pandemic-delayed season , according to details of the proposal obtained by The Associated Press .
Players would get 70 % of their prorated salaries during the regular season and the rest for completion of the postseason under MLB ’ s plan , given to the union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal for a 72-game season , ” Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem wrote in a letter to union chief negotiator Bruce Meyer that was obtained by the AP .
“ You should let us know by the end of the day on June 14 whether players desire to accept it.
” ST. PAUL , Minn. ( AP ) - While Major League Baseball and the affiliated minor leagues are shut down , an independent circuit is set to open on July 3 with some fans in the seats .
The American Association said Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hubs due to the new coronavirus , at least at the start of the season .
Minnesota ’ s St. Paul Saints will play home games at Sioux Falls Stadium along with South Dakota ’ s Sioux Falls Canaries .
Manitoba ’ s Winnipeg Goldeyes will be based at Newman Outdoor Field along with North Dakota ’ s Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks .
The Chicago Dogs will play home games at the Ballpark Commons along with the Milwaukee Milkmen .
All three home teams are in position to sell about 25 % to 33 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The NBA gave teams a more definitive timetable for the restart to the pandemic-interrupted season Friday , including required coronavirus testing that is set to begin this month and mandatory individual workouts in early July before training camps .
The league is still working on completing the health and safety protocols that will essentially become the rulebook for the restart at the Disney campus near Orlando , Florida - and told teams that talks with the National Basketball Players Association on those issues are continuing .
Meanwhile , a person with direct knowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who will be on the campus during the NBA restart will have to follow a long list of protocols - including constant mask or other appropriate personal protective equipment usage when in the vicinity of any NBA participants or others there for the restart , strict social distancing guidelines and a submission to daily temperature checks and symptom self-assessments .
Formula One races in Azerbaijan , Singapore and Japan were canceled on Friday because of issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic .
The sport ’ s governing body said it still hopes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rearranged 2020 season , with the first eight already confirmed starting with a double-header in Austria in early July .
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was due to be rescheduled after the postponement of its original race date on June 7 , while the Singapore Grand Prix was scheduled for Sept. 20 .
The Japanese Grand Prix , scheduled for Oct. 11 , was canceled because of ongoing travel restrictions during the pandemic .
TURIN , Italy ( AP ) - Soccer resumed in Italy in a surreal atmosphere as Juventus drew with 10-man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Italian Cup final on the away goals rule .
The first leg finished 1-1 in Milan before the coronavirus forced the season to be suspended on March 9 .
Napoli hosts Inter Milan in the other semifinal second leg on Saturday .
LOS ANGELES ( AP ) - Jockeys competing in California won ’ t be allowed to strike a horse more than six times during a race , and then only in an underhanded position , according to a new rule approved by the California Horse Racing Board .
The rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in succession using whips that must meet new board standards to soften the blows .
The board voted 4-2 on Thursday in a meeting that lasted nearly seven hours to approve the rule that was first proposed in March 2019 .
Commissioners Alex Solis , a retired Hall of Fame jockey , and Dennis Alfieri represented the no votes .
LOUISVILLE , Ky. ( AP ) - Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen became the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs on Friday , saddling Drop Dead Gorgeous to a win in the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twin Spires .
Asmussen overtook Louisville native Dale Romans , who held the record since Nov. 12 , 2017 , when he surpassed Hall of Famer Bill Mott , who was the historic track ’ s leading trainer for over 31 years .
Asmussen added to his total , winning the second race with Hulen .
Florida has cleared the way for college athletes in the state to earn money from endorsement deals as soon as next summer .
That comes even as some in college sports want to slow things down due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually work .
A bill that would allow college athletes in Florida to be paid for the use of their name , images and likenesses was signed into law by Gov .
Ron DeSantis .
By then , both the NCAA and Congress could have rules or legislation in place to lift those restrictions , too .
Florida is the third state , joining California and Colorado , to pass an NIL law targeting current NCAA rules that restrict college athlete compensation .
NEW YORK ( AP ) - Nike , the NFL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day off for Juneteenth for the first time this year , the latest example of how American employers are responding to protests that have placed additional attention on racial injustice in the U.S. Juneteenth commemorates June 19 , 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger came to Galveston , Texas , to announce the end of the Civil War and slavery .
Although slavery was already abolished more than two years earlier by the Emancipation Proclamation , it continued in some areas .
Texans began celebrating the day a year later with parades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal holiday , but most states observe it in some way , except three : Hawaii , North Dakota and South Dakota , according to a list compiled by the Congressional Research Service .
NEWARK , N.J. ( AP ) - New Jersey Institute of Technology is switching conferences , joining America East and leaving the Atlantic Sun .
America East announced its board of presidents had unanimously voted to to give NJIT full conference membership , effective 2020-21 .
NJIT will become America East ’ s 10th member and move into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ geographic fit , with school such as Hartford , Maine , Binghamton and Maryland-Baltimore County .
The Newark-based school has been competing in NCAA ’ s Division I since 2006 .
It sponsors 16 varsity sports .
FORT LAUDERDALE , Fla. ( AP ) - NFL free agent Antonio Brown pleaded no contest Friday to charges related to a fight with a moving truck driver outside his South Florida home earlier this year .
As part of a deal with Broward County prosecutors , Brown pleaded no contest to burglary with battery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mischief .
He will serve two years of probation , undergo a psychological evaluation and follow-up treatment , attend an anger management course , perform 100 hours of community service and follow a stay-away order from the truck driver and the moving company owner .
Judge Edward Merrigan Jr. withheld adjudication , meaning Brown won ’ t receive a criminal conviction on his record if he successfully completes his probation .

BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) - Major League Baseball and its players are moving closer - to a deal or to Commissioner Rob Manfred ordering a shortened season without an agreement.
MLB offered players 80% of their prorated salaries and a 72-game schedule beginning July 14 in an effort to start the pandemic-delayed season, according to details of the proposal obtained by The Associated Press.
Players would get 70% of their prorated salaries during the regular season and the rest for completion of the postseason under MLB’s plan, given to the union Friday.
“This represents our final proposal for a 72-game season,” Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem wrote in a letter to union chief negotiator Bruce Meyer that was obtained by the AP. “You should let us know by the end of the day on June 14 whether players desire to accept it.”
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - While Major League Baseball and the affiliated minor leagues are shut down, an independent circuit is set to open on July 3 with some fans in the seats.
The American Association said Friday its six teams will play in three hubs due to the new coronavirus, at least at the start of the season.
Minnesota’s St. Paul Saints will play home games at Sioux Falls Stadium along with South Dakota’s Sioux Falls Canaries. Manitoba’s Winnipeg Goldeyes will be based at Newman Outdoor Field along with North Dakota’s Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. The Chicago Dogs will play home games at the Ballpark Commons along with the Milwaukee Milkmen.
All three home teams are in position to sell about 25% to 33% of their ballpark’s capacities.
BASKETBALL
The NBA gave teams a more definitive timetable for the restart to the pandemic-interrupted season Friday, including required coronavirus testing that is set to begin this month and mandatory individual workouts in early July before training camps.
The league is still working on completing the health and safety protocols that will essentially become the rulebook for the restart at the Disney campus near Orlando, Florida - and told teams that talks with the National Basketball Players Association on those issues are continuing.
Meanwhile, a person with direct knowledge of the talks said that Disney workers who will be on the campus during the NBA restart will have to follow a long list of protocols - including constant mask or other appropriate personal protective equipment usage when in the vicinity of any NBA participants or others there for the restart, strict social distancing guidelines and a submission to daily temperature checks and symptom self-assessments.
-By Pro Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds.
AUTO RACING
Formula One races in Azerbaijan, Singapore and Japan were canceled on Friday because of issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic.
The sport’s governing body said it still hopes to deliver up to 18 races in the rearranged 2020 season, with the first eight already confirmed starting with a double-header in Austria in early July.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was due to be rescheduled after the postponement of its original race date on June 7, while the Singapore Grand Prix was scheduled for Sept. 20.
The Japanese Grand Prix, scheduled for Oct. 11, was canceled because of ongoing travel restrictions during the pandemic.
SOCCER
TURIN, Italy (AP) - Soccer resumed in Italy in a surreal atmosphere as Juventus drew with 10-man AC Milan 0-0 on Friday to reach the Italian Cup final on the away goals rule.
The first leg finished 1-1 in Milan before the coronavirus forced the season to be suspended on March 9.
Napoli hosts Inter Milan in the other semifinal second leg on Saturday.
HORSE RACING
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jockeys competing in California won’t be allowed to strike a horse more than six times during a race, and then only in an underhanded position, according to a new rule approved by the California Horse Racing Board.
The rule would allow no more than two strikes in succession using whips that must meet new board standards to soften the blows.
The board voted 4-2 on Thursday in a meeting that lasted nearly seven hours to approve the rule that was first proposed in March 2019. Commissioners Alex Solis, a retired Hall of Fame jockey, and Dennis Alfieri represented the no votes.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen became the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs on Friday, saddling Drop Dead Gorgeous to a win in the first race for his 738th victory beneath the Twin Spires.
Asmussen overtook Louisville native Dale Romans, who held the record since Nov. 12, 2017, when he surpassed Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who was the historic track’s leading trainer for over 31 years.
Asmussen added to his total, winning the second race with Hulen.
SPORTS BUSINESS
Florida has cleared the way for college athletes in the state to earn money from endorsement deals as soon as next summer. That comes even as some in college sports want to slow things down due to concerns about how athlete compensation will actually work.
A bill that would allow college athletes in Florida to be paid for the use of their name, images and likenesses was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. By then, both the NCAA and Congress could have rules or legislation in place to lift those restrictions, too.
Florida is the third state, joining California and Colorado, to pass an NIL law targeting current NCAA rules that restrict college athlete compensation.
NEW YORK (AP) - Nike, the NFL and other businesses will give their employees a day off for Juneteenth for the first time this year, the latest example of how American employers are responding to protests that have placed additional attention on racial injustice in the U.S.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger came to Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of the Civil War and slavery. Although slavery was already abolished more than two years earlier by the Emancipation Proclamation, it continued in some areas.
Texans began celebrating the day a year later with parades and parties. It’s not a federal holiday, but most states observe it in some way, except three: Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota, according to a list compiled by the Congressional Research Service.
SPORTS CONFERENCES
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Institute of Technology is switching conferences, joining America East and leaving the Atlantic Sun.
America East announced its board of presidents had unanimously voted to to give NJIT full conference membership, effective 2020-21.
NJIT will become America East’s 10th member and move into a league that is a more natural geographic fit, with school such as Hartford, Maine, Binghamton and Maryland-Baltimore County. The Newark-based school has been competing in NCAA’s Division I since 2006. It sponsors 16 varsity sports.
COURTS
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - NFL free agent Antonio Brown pleaded no contest Friday to charges related to a fight with a moving truck driver outside his South Florida home earlier this year.
As part of a deal with Broward County prosecutors, Brown pleaded no contest to burglary with battery, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and criminal mischief. He will serve two years of probation, undergo a psychological evaluation and follow-up treatment, attend an anger management course, perform 100 hours of community service and follow a stay-away order from the truck driver and the moving company owner.
Judge Edward Merrigan Jr. withheld adjudication, meaning Brown won’t receive a criminal conviction on his record if he successfully completes his probation.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--In Zimbabwe, people with albinism struggle against prejudice

HARARE , Zimbabwe ( AP ) - Each time Yvonne Gumbo , who has albinism , and her friends get together for a picture , she insists on being in the center .
“ I tell them I make the picture beautiful because I am special , ” she told The Associated Press at her home in Zimbabwe ’ s capital , Harare , recently .
“ I have two different colors while they have one .
I am black .
I am white , ” she said , smiling .
“ Who else can make the picture more beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old ’ s way of fighting back against the deeply rooted myths and prejudices faced by people with albinism in Zimbabwe , where they are often ostracized , laughed at and pejoratively referred to as “ white people ” among other names .
While much of the world is engrossed in the race-related outrage over the death of George Floyd in the United States , Zimbabwe ’ s young people with albinism are fighting prejudices against the color of their skin .
In nearby Malawi and Tanzania , many people with albinism are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring good luck .
No such killings have been reported in Zimbabwe , which has about 70,000 people with albinism out of a population of about 15 million .
Some people stare , whistle or verbally abuse those with albinism when they walk along the streets .
Some believe sleeping with them can cure HIV .
Many others treat albinism as a curse .
But for Gumbo , none of that bothers her anymore .
These days she carries an aura of confidence she admits was absent during the first two decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started living my life two years ago .
The stigma had gotten to me that most times .
I felt I wasn ’ t as human as the others .
I am now making up for those lost years , ” Gumbo said .
She said she only started making friends after she finished school , where she had been treated as an outcast by fellow students and even teachers .
“ I was very quiet and afraid .
Now my former classmates are shocked at how talkative and assertive I have become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newfound confidence to her membership in support groups .
Such programs include an annual Miss Albinism and Mr Albinism pageant , although it has been put on hold this year due to coronavirus restrictions .
“ We have to focus on success , not pity , ” said Brenda Mudzimu , founder of the Miss Albinism Trust , which runs the pageant .
The trust also offers career guidance workshops and support sessions for people with albinism .
“ Right now we have albinos who are doctors , nurses … success stories on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We also have to talk about them to inspire others , ” Mudzimu said .
However , the economic downturn caused by the restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19 means that many people with albinism are struggling to put food on the table , let alone afford essential items such as sunscreen , skin lotions and other medications .
The Zimbabwe Albino Association , a representative group , has been lobbying parliament to enact a law making it mandatory for government to provide free skin lotions to people with albinism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ three children , who all have albinism , by washing laundry and household cleaning for traders at a busy border town before the lockdown .
But now the border trade has stopped and Mutenje has run out of money to get skin cream for her children .
“ This is all that ’ s left , ” said Mutenje , holding two small tubes of lotion .
She hopes to make it last for two weeks by telling the children to put the lotion only on their faces .
Obey Machona , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Zimbabwe , said he is an advocate of “ taking back control of our lives as albinos.
” He said he used to support himself and his unemployed mother with part-time photography jobs .
Now those gigs have dried up due to the lockdown and items such as skin lotion have become a luxury .
“ What good is skin lotion when the stomach is empty ?
” he asked .

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Each time Yvonne Gumbo, who has albinism, and her friends get together for a picture, she insists on being in the center.
“I tell them I make the picture beautiful because I am special,” she told The Associated Press at her home in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, recently.
“I have two different colors while they have one. I am black. I am white,” she said, smiling. “Who else can make the picture more beautiful?”
It’s the 22-year old’s way of fighting back against the deeply rooted myths and prejudices faced by people with albinism in Zimbabwe, where they are often ostracized, laughed at and pejoratively referred to as “white people” among other names.
While much of the world is engrossed in the race-related outrage over the death of George Floyd in the United States, Zimbabwe’s young people with albinism are fighting prejudices against the color of their skin.
In nearby Malawi and Tanzania, many people with albinism are killed because their body parts are thought to bring good luck. No such killings have been reported in Zimbabwe, which has about 70,000 people with albinism out of a population of about 15 million.
But prejudices remain deep-rooted.
Some people stare, whistle or verbally abuse those with albinism when they walk along the streets. Some believe sleeping with them can cure HIV. Many others treat albinism as a curse.
But for Gumbo, none of that bothers her anymore. These days she carries an aura of confidence she admits was absent during the first two decades of her life.
“I only started living my life two years ago. The stigma had gotten to me that most times. I felt I wasn’t as human as the others. I am now making up for those lost years,” Gumbo said. She said she only started making friends after she finished school, where she had been treated as an outcast by fellow students and even teachers.
“I was very quiet and afraid. Now my former classmates are shocked at how talkative and assertive I have become,” she said, attributing her newfound confidence to her membership in support groups.
Such programs include an annual Miss Albinism and Mr Albinism pageant, although it has been put on hold this year due to coronavirus restrictions.
“We have to focus on success, not pity,” said Brenda Mudzimu, founder of the Miss Albinism Trust, which runs the pageant. The trust also offers career guidance workshops and support sessions for people with albinism.
“Right now we have albinos who are doctors, nurses … success stories on the frontline of the fight against coronavirus. We also have to talk about them to inspire others,” Mudzimu said.
However, the economic downturn caused by the restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19 means that many people with albinism are struggling to put food on the table, let alone afford essential items such as sunscreen, skin lotions and other medications.
The Zimbabwe Albino Association, a representative group, has been lobbying parliament to enact a law making it mandatory for government to provide free skin lotions to people with albinism.
Joyce Mutenje used to provide for her three children, who all have albinism, by washing laundry and household cleaning for traders at a busy border town before the lockdown. But now the border trade has stopped and Mutenje has run out of money to get skin cream for her children.
“This is all that’s left,” said Mutenje, holding two small tubes of lotion. She hopes to make it last for two weeks by telling the children to put the lotion only on their faces.
Obey Machona, a 21-year-old media studies student at the University of Zimbabwe, said he is an advocate of “taking back control of our lives as albinos.” He said he used to support himself and his unemployed mother with part-time photography jobs. Now those gigs have dried up due to the lockdown and items such as skin lotion have become a luxury.
“What good is skin lotion when the stomach is empty?” he asked.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--China sentences Australian man to death for drug smuggling

BEIJING ( AP ) - An Australian man has been sentenced to death in southern China for drug smuggling .
@ @ @ @ @ , the Guangzhou Intermediate People ’ s Court said in a one-sentence statement on its @ @ @ @ @ property will be confiscated , the statement said .
It did not provide any details @ @ @ @ @ Yangcheng Evening News , a state-owned newspaper in Guangzhou city , reported Saturday that Gillespie @ @ @ @ @ kilograms ( 16.5 pounds ) of methamphetamine in his checked baggage in December 2013 for @ @ @ @ @ Baiyun International Airport .

BEIJING (AP) - An Australian man has been sentenced to death in southern China for drug smuggling.
Karm Gilespie was sentenced Wednesday, the Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court said in a one-sentence statement on its website.
All his personal property will be confiscated, the statement said. It did not provide any details of the charges.
The Yangcheng Evening News, a state-owned newspaper in Guangzhou city, reported Saturday that Gilespie had been caught with 7.5 kilograms (16.5 pounds) of methamphetamine in his checked baggage in December 2013 for a flight departing from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
___
This story was first published on June 13, 2020. It was updated on June 15, 2020, to correct the spelling of the man’s name to Karm Gilespie, not Cam Gillespie.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--North Korea tells South to stop 'nonsensical' denuke talk

SEOUL , South Korea ( AP ) - North Korea on Saturday again bashed South Korea , telling its rival to stop “ nonsensical ” talk about its denuclearization and vowing to expand its military capabilities .
The statement by senior North Korean Foreign Ministry official Kwon Jong Gun came after South Korea ’ s Foreign Ministry told reporters that Seoul will continue to work toward improving bilateral relations and reviving nuclear negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington .
The government of South Korean President Moon Jae-in had lobbied hard to set up nuclear summits between North Korean leader Kim Jong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have met three times since 2018 .
At the same time , Moon also worked to improve inter-Korean relations .
But North Korea in recent months has suspended virtually all cooperation with the South while expressing frustration over the lack of progress in its nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration .
The North over the past week declared it will cut off all government and military communication channels with the South and threatened to abandon inter-Korean peace agreements reached in 2018 .
It blamed Seoul for failing to stop activists from floating anti-Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Foreign Ministry was reacting to a separate North Korean statement late Friday that said the North ’ s confidence with the South ’ s government was completely “ shattered ” and that “ regretful and painful times ” were ahead for its rival .
Kwon , director-general of the Foreign Ministry ’ s U.S. affairs department , said it was “ preposterous to hear the balderdash of ( South Korean ) authorities , who do not have either any qualification to discuss , or the position to poke their noses into ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , including nuclear issues .
He dismissed South Korea ’ s role as a mediator between Washington and Pyongyang .
“ I want to make it clear that we will continue to build up our force in order to overpower the persistent threats from the United States , and such efforts of ours are in fact continuing at this point of time , ” Kwon said in a statement carried by the North ’ s official Korean Central News Agency .
“ We are not what we were two years ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever in a tremendous way .
It is better to stop a nonsensical talking about denuclearization.
” Nuclear talks faltered after the United States rejected North Korean demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of the North ’ s nuclear capabilities at Kim ’ s second summit with Trump in Vietnam in February last year .
Trump and Kim met for a third time that year in June at the border between North and South Korea and agreed to resume talks .
But an October working-level meeting in Sweden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described as the Americans ’ “ old stance and attitude.
” On the two-year anniversary of the first Kim-Trump meeting on Friday , North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Son Gwon said the North would never again gift Trump with high-profile meetings he could boast as foreign policy achievements unless it gets something substantial in return .

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened military action against South Korea as she bashed Seoul on Saturday over declining bilateral relations and its inability to stop activists from floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.
Describing South Korea as an “enemy,” Kim Yo Jong repeated an earlier threat she had made by saying Seoul will soon witness the collapse of a “useless” inter-Korean liaison office in the border town of Kaesong.
Kim, who is first vice department director of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee, said she would leave it to North Korea’s military leaders to carry out the next step of retaliation against the South.
“By exercising my power authorized by the supreme leader, our party and the state, I gave an instruction to the arms of the department in charge of the affairs with enemy to decisively carry out the next action,” she said in a statement carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.
“If I drop a hint of our next plan the (South Korean) authorities are anxious about, the right to taking the next action against the enemy will be entrusted to the General Staff of our army,” she said. “Our army, too, will determine something for cooling down our people’s resentment and surely carry out it, I believe.”
Kim’s harsh rhetoric demonstrates her elevated status in North Korea’s leadership. Already seen as the most powerful woman in the country and her brother’s closest confidant, state media recently confirmed that she is now in charge of relations with South Korea.
The liaison office in Kaesong, which has been shut since January due to coronavirus concerns, was set up as a result of one of the main agreements reached in three summits between Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in 2018.
Moon’s government had lobbied hard to set up nuclear summits between Kim and President Donald Trump, who have met three times since 2018. At the same time, Moon also worked to improve inter-Korean relations.
But North Korea in recent months has suspended virtually all cooperation with the South while expressing frustration over the lack of progress in its nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration.
Over the past week, the North declared that it would cut off all government and military communication channels with the South and threatened to abandon key inter-Korean peace agreements reached by their leaders in 2018.
They include a military agreement in which the Koreas committed to jointly take steps to reduce conventional military threats, such as establishing border buffers and no-fly zones. They also removed some front-line guard posts and jointly surveyed a waterway near their western border in an unrealized plan to allow freer civilian navigation.
In an earlier statement last week, Kim Yo Jong said that the North would scrap the military agreement, “which is hardly of any value,” while calling North Korean defectors who send leaflets from the South “human scum” and “mongrel dogs.”
Her comments on Saturday came hours after a senior North Korean Foreign Ministry official said that Seoul should drop “nonsensical” talk about the North’s denuclearization, and that his country would continue to expand its military capabilities to counter what it perceives as threats from the United States.
In response to North Korea’s anger over the leaflets, South Korea’s government has said it would press charges against two defector groups that have been carrying out border protests.
The South also said it would push new laws to ban activists from flying the leaflets across the border, but there’s been criticism over whether Moon’s government is sacrificing democratic principles to keep alive his ambitions for inter-Korean engagement.
For years, activists have floated huge balloons into North Korea carrying leaflets criticizing Kim Jong Un over his nuclear ambitions and dismal human rights record. The leafleting has sometimes triggered a furious response from North Korea, which bristles at any attempt to undermine its leadership.
While Seoul has sometimes sent police officers to block the activists during sensitive times, it had previously resisted North Korea’s calls to fully ban them, saying they were exercising their freedom. Activists have vowed to continue with the balloon launches.
But it’s unlikely that North Korea’s belligerence is about just the leaflets, analysts say.
The North has a long track record of dialing up pressure on the South when it doesn’t get what it wants from the United States. Its threats to abandon inter-Korean agreements came after months of frustration over Seoul’s refusal to defy U.S.-led sanctions and restart joint economic projects.
Some experts say North Korea, which has mobilized people for massive demonstrations condemning defectors, is deliberately censuring the South to rally its public and shift attention away from a bad economy, which likely has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s unclear what kind of military action the North would take against the South, although weapons tests are an easy guess. Kim Dong-yub, an analyst from Seoul’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said North Korea could also be “planning something” near the countries’ disputed western maritime border, which has occasionally been the scene of bloody clashes over the years.
Nuclear talks faltered at Kim Jong Un’s second summit with Trump in Vietnam in February last year after the United States rejected North Korea’s demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.
Trump and Kim met for a third time that year in June at the border between North and South Korea and agreed to resume talks. But an October working-level meeting in Sweden broke down over what the North Koreans described as the Americans’ “old stance and attitude.”
On the two-year anniversary of the first Kim-Trump meeting, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Son Gwon said Friday that the North would never again gift Trump with high-profile meetings he could boast as foreign policy achievements unless it gets something substantial in return.


washingtontimes--2020-06-13--Work is `almost time travel’ to famed maritime archaeologist

JACKSONVILLE , Fla. ( AP ) - In 42 years as a maritime archaeologist , James Delgado has dived to the wreck of the Titanic , descending into the dark ocean for hours inside a nickel-steel sphere .
He ’ s explored ships sunk at Pearl Harbor and during atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll .
He helped identify the last ship that brought Africans to labor as slaves in America .
He ’ s dived in Japan on Kublai Khan ’ s invading Mongol fleet , in the Mediterranean on Venetian and Roman shipwrecks and in the Arctic on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s explored Alcatraz Island , Central American temples and an underground Soviet sub base in formerly Communist Albania .
On the Titanic , he saw passengers ’ shoes , still tied in knots , on the sunken bow .
On a Roman wreck , he saw the dishes and cups sailors used for their last meal .
That illustrates his guiding principle of archaeology : It ’ s not just about finding old things .
“ Archaeology for me is about people , not things - things made by people , altered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thrown away by people , ” he said .
“ It ’ s all about people.
” Delgado , 62 , lives with his wife , Ann , in an old house in Avondale .
He moved to Jacksonville three years ago to become senior vice president of Search Inc. , a leading cultural resource management research firm with an office in the city .
He was recruited for the position after retiring from the government .
For him it was an easy decision .
“ I ’ m not done yet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely he ’ ll ever be done .
He ’ s been hooked on archaeology since his early teens , when he roamed the countryside of California ’ s Silicon Valley before it was known as that .
He sought out the stories of old-timers , including settlers born just after the Civil War , and he went on cattle round-ups with ranchers and cowboys .
At 14 , as workers built a new subdivision near his home in San Jose , he spotted human bones and tools , evidence that the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area ’ s Native inhabitants .
He began mapping his finds on a blueprint of the site given to him by the construction supervisor and eventually fell in with a group of graduate students who took over much of the work .
“ My mother suffered daily with a dirt-caked , dusty son coming home and promptly disappearing in the bathroom to gently wash the finds he carried with him , ” he wrote in an email .
“ My parents worried but were comforted by the fact that their weird child was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at school.
” Even then he was already trying to painstakingly piece together the stories of long-gone people .
That , he says , became his mission .
“ Even when it ’ s archaeology of the more recent past , it always has surprises , and it ’ s an opportunity to physically connect to things you ’ ve read in history books - and sometimes an opportunity to add to history books.
” His resume could go for pages .
In brief , he ’ s hosted TV shows for National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s written numerous books , including “ The Encyclopedia of Underwater and Maritime Archaeology , ” an authoritative text studied by those aspiring to his field .
He was head of the Maritime Heritage Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and head of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology .
His expeditions to the Arctic led to him being elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in London and then a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society .
“ I take exploration , especially scientific exploration , seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s also fun , which I remind myself of when I ’ m in 27- to 29-degree water in a dry suit - that has an occasional tiny leak.
” Chuck Meide is a maritime archaeologist based out of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum .
He ’ s known Delgado for 20 years but first got to know him through the books he wrote on underwater archaeology .
“ He literally wrote the encyclopedia , right ?
” Meide said .
“ I studied that in grad school.
” Delgado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an accomplished public speaker and TV ambassador for maritime archaeology .
But Meide said he ’ s driven by the same thing that motivates any archaeologist .
“ There is an urge to discover , ” Meide said .
“ To be the first to find something no one ’ s touched in centuries , to solve a mystery that ’ s befuddled others.
” Delgado ’ s latest big discovery took place in May in the Pacific Ocean - though the entire time he remained in the socially distanced office space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Arbuthnot and Michael Brennan .
They were after the battleship USS Nevada , which , after barely surviving the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , was repaired and went on to fight in several landmark battles in World War II .
It then became a target in 1946 for Bikini Atoll atomic bomb testing .
Two years later the Navy sank it some 65 miles off Pearl Harbor , though it took more than four days of bombing to get the old ship to the bottom .
It was known to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so Delgado , working for Search , called new partners Ocean Infinity , which had a quarantine ship ready to leave Hawaii .
He talked to them about “ targets of opportunity ” to look for , including the Nevada .
So the ship went looking , while Delgado and colleagues watched on screens in Jacksonville .
“ It was a question of sitting down , logging in and diving in as they dived , ” he said .
“ Whether it ’ s conducted at an office desk and so deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaches , it never gets old.
” When the wreck was found , Delgado recognized the hull of the ship , which was upside down , but couldn ’ t be completely sure it was the Nevada .
Then an underwater robot went into the debris field and found the stern .
“ The name was scraped off by an anchor chain , but right there was the ( ship ’ s hull ) number , 36 , ” Delgado said .
“ Yes !
” He said he wanted to find the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these troubled times .
“ We thought we could find it , and that it was important for people to remember , ` Hey , we ’ ve been through tough times before , ’ ” he said .
“ Nevada really came to represent resilience , stubbornness , getting back up and getting into it.
” In Jacksonville , Delgado has spoken on the area ’ s rich history , including the 16th-century clash between the Spanish and French over Fort Caroline .
“ That ’ s world-significant in terms of events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ It changed the history of the New World , not just Florida.
” Then there ’ s the wreck of the Maple Leaf , a Union troop transport sunk in 1864 by a Confederate mine in the St. Johns River in Mandarin .
Delgado calls that wreck “ a national treasure.
” For Delgado it will be yet another archaeological adventure in a lifetime of them .
“ You ’ re looking at evidence of people , of human activity , with all of that .
It ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel at times , when you ’ re an archaeologist , that with a little luck , some travel , and a little bit of imagination , based on study , you can almost time-travel .
”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - In 42 years as a maritime archaeologist, James Delgado has dived to the wreck of the Titanic, descending into the dark ocean for hours inside a nickel-steel sphere. He’s explored ships sunk at Pearl Harbor and during atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. He helped identify the last ship that brought Africans to labor as slaves in America.
He’s dived in Japan on Kublai Khan’s invading Mongol fleet, in the Mediterranean on Venetian and Roman shipwrecks and in the Arctic on doomed exploration and whaling missions. He’s explored Alcatraz Island, Central American temples and an underground Soviet sub base in formerly Communist Albania.
On the Titanic, he saw passengers’ shoes, still tied in knots, on the sunken bow. On a Roman wreck, he saw the dishes and cups sailors used for their last meal.
That illustrates his guiding principle of archaeology: It’s not just about finding old things.
“Archaeology for me is about people, not things - things made by people, altered by people, kept by people, thrown away by people,” he said. “It’s all about people.”
Delgado, 62, lives with his wife, Ann, in an old house in Avondale. He moved to Jacksonville three years ago to become senior vice president of Search Inc., a leading cultural resource management research firm with an office in the city. He was recruited for the position after retiring from the government.
For him it was an easy decision.
“I’m not done yet,” he told them.
It seems unlikely he’ll ever be done. He’s been hooked on archaeology since his early teens, when he roamed the countryside of California’s Silicon Valley before it was known as that. He sought out the stories of old-timers, including settlers born just after the Civil War, and he went on cattle round-ups with ranchers and cowboys.
At 14, as workers built a new subdivision near his home in San Jose, he spotted human bones and tools, evidence that the site was an ancient burial ground for the area’s Native inhabitants.
He began mapping his finds on a blueprint of the site given to him by the construction supervisor and eventually fell in with a group of graduate students who took over much of the work.
“My mother suffered daily with a dirt-caked, dusty son coming home and promptly disappearing in the bathroom to gently wash the finds he carried with him,” he wrote in an email. “My parents worried but were comforted by the fact that their weird child was not on drugs and was studying hard at school.”
Even then he was already trying to painstakingly piece together the stories of long-gone people. That, he says, became his mission.
“Even when it’s archaeology of the more recent past, it always has surprises, and it’s an opportunity to physically connect to things you’ve read in history books - and sometimes an opportunity to add to history books.”
His resume could go for pages. In brief, he’s hosted TV shows for National Geographic, Discovery and other networks. He’s written numerous books, including “The Encyclopedia of Underwater and Maritime Archaeology,” an authoritative text studied by those aspiring to his field.
He was head of the Maritime Heritage Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and head of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology.
His expeditions to the Arctic led to him being elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in London and then a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
“I take exploration, especially scientific exploration, seriously,” Delgado said. “It’s also fun, which I remind myself of when I’m in 27- to 29-degree water in a dry suit - that has an occasional tiny leak.”
Chuck Meide is a maritime archaeologist based out of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. He’s known Delgado for 20 years but first got to know him through the books he wrote on underwater archaeology.
“He literally wrote the encyclopedia, right?” Meide said. “I studied that in grad school.”
Delgado is a high-profile figure in his field, an accomplished public speaker and TV ambassador for maritime archaeology. But Meide said he’s driven by the same thing that motivates any archaeologist.
“There is an urge to discover,” Meide said. “To be the first to find something no one’s touched in centuries, to solve a mystery that’s befuddled others.”
Delgado’s latest big discovery took place in May in the Pacific Ocean - though the entire time he remained in the socially distanced office space of Search Inc. in Jacksonville with colleagues Michael Arbuthnot and Michael Brennan.
They were after the battleship USS Nevada, which, after barely surviving the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, was repaired and went on to fight in several landmark battles in World War II. It then became a target in 1946 for Bikini Atoll atomic bomb testing.
Two years later the Navy sank it some 65 miles off Pearl Harbor, though it took more than four days of bombing to get the old ship to the bottom.
It was known to be in an area of 100 square miles, so Delgado, working for Search, called new partners Ocean Infinity, which had a quarantine ship ready to leave Hawaii. He talked to them about “targets of opportunity” to look for, including the Nevada.
So the ship went looking, while Delgado and colleagues watched on screens in Jacksonville.
“It was a question of sitting down, logging in and diving in as they dived,” he said. “Whether it’s conducted at an office desk and so deep in the ocean that the sun never reaches, it never gets old.”
When the wreck was found, Delgado recognized the hull of the ship, which was upside down, but couldn’t be completely sure it was the Nevada.
Then an underwater robot went into the debris field and found the stern. “The name was scraped off by an anchor chain, but right there was the (ship’s hull) number, 36,” Delgado said. “Yes!”
He said he wanted to find the Nevada as a sign of hope in these troubled times.
“We thought we could find it, and that it was important for people to remember, `Hey, we’ve been through tough times before,’” he said. “Nevada really came to represent resilience, stubbornness, getting back up and getting into it.”
In Jacksonville, Delgado has spoken on the area’s rich history, including the 16th-century clash between the Spanish and French over Fort Caroline.
“That’s world-significant in terms of events, people and sites,” he said. “It changed the history of the New World, not just Florida.”
Then there’s the wreck of the Maple Leaf, a Union troop transport sunk in 1864 by a Confederate mine in the St. Johns River in Mandarin. Delgado calls that wreck “a national treasure.”
For Delgado it will be yet another archaeological adventure in a lifetime of them.
“You’re looking at evidence of people, of human activity, with all of that. It’s been fascinating,” he said. “I feel at times, when you’re an archaeologist, that with a little luck, some travel, and a little bit of imagination, based on study, you can almost time-travel.”