washingtontimes--2020-08-19--Far-right provocateur wins GOP primary to challenge Frankel

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. ( AP ) - A far-right social media provocateur whose hate speech got her banned from social media won her Republican primary on Tuesday and will challenge Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel for Congress in November .
Laura Loomer also won praise from President Donald Trump early Wednesday , who tweeted that she has a “ great chance.
” Frankel has been a political fixture for decades in the Palm Beach County district , which is firmly Democratic .
Loomer has been a guest on Fox News and alt-right programs after gaining followers by ambushing journalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her campaign advisor is Karen Giorno , a political strategist who worked for Gov .
Rick Scott and Trump ’ s 2016 campaign in Florida .
After trying to hoax journalists with Project Veritas , Loomer moved to direct confrontations with public figures in recent years , disrupting interviews and news conferences .
Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Medium , PayPal , Venmo , GoFundMe , Uber and Lyft have banned her , but her messages get out through tweets by supporters and other workarounds , the Palm Beach Post reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - A far-right Republican candidate banned from social media sites because of her racist and anti-Muslim speech is celebrating a congressional primary victory in Florida while embracing her role as a general election underdog in a heavily Democratic district that President Donald Trump calls home.
Incumbent Lois Frankel, 72, has been a political fixture for decades in the Palm Beach County district, where the only Republican to ever run against her, in 2016, lost by 27 percentage points.
But that didn’t stop 27-year-old Laura Loomer from trumpeting her resounding win over five other candidates Tuesday in the Republican primary. Loomer received 43% of the vote, or 14,500 votes out of a total of 34,000 votes cast.
“WE FLIPPED CANCEL CULTURE ON ITS HEAD,” Loomer wrote on Parler, a right-wing site similar to Twitter where she describes herself as the “MOST BANNED WOMAN IN THE WORLD.”
Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago residence is in the district, tweeted his congratulations early Wednesday: “Great going Laura. You have a great chance against a Pelosi puppet!” he wrote, referring to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In fact, the odds are seriously against Loomer.
The candidate “is something of a celebrity in far-right circles, which may have helped her in her primary, but this is not really a district that is competitive at the general election level,” said Kyle Kondik, an editor at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton each won the district during the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by about 20 points, Kondik noted.
According to federal records, Loomer raised $1.1 million for her primary campaign, a hefty sum for an underdog challenger. She currently has about $200,000 left. Frankel has raised about $866,000 for this campaign, but with money left over from previous elections, her campaign has more than $1 million available. Frankel, running against a political newcomer in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, received 75,000 votes, or 86% of the 87,000 votes cast.
The incumbent said Wednesday that despite her demographic and monetary advantages, she takes Loomer seriously. She noted that another conservative firebrand, Allen West, won a congressional race in that area in 2010.
“We have learned even this year that no one can take their reelection for granted,” Frankel said. “She has raised a lot of money and is getting a lot of attention.”
At a Loomer victory party Tuesday night, the guest list comprised a veritable who’s who of provocative right-wing personalities, according to The Palm Beach Post: Roger Stone, whose prison sentence for lying to Congress was recently commuted by Trump; right-wing writer and speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, who got fired by the website Breitbart in 2017 after he praised same-sex pedophilia; and Gavin McInnes, the founder of the Proud Boys, a male-only group that describes itself as “Western Chauvinist” but has been deemed a white nationalist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“Lois Frankel doesn’t know it yet, but she is going to get Laura Loomered,” Stone told the crowd, calling Loomer the “Joan of Arc of the conservative movement.”
Given Loomer’s national profile and the backing of Trump’s local supporters, “It would have been surprising if she didn’t win” the Republican primary, Florida Atlantic University political science professor Kevin Wagner said Wednesday.
But the same factors that led to her primary win will make a victory in November difficult, he said.
“She is going to have to win over Democratic and independent voters and that will be challenging,” he said.
Loomer was banned from Twitter, Facebook, Lyft and Uber after years of pushing anti-Muslim misinformation and rhetoric. On social media, Loomer regularly posted conspiracy theories and misinformation around Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress. Among them was the false claim that Omar and other Democrats were plotting to institute Sharia law in Minnesota.
During breaking news events, Loomer would wrongly identify criminal suspects as Muslims or immigrants. In one tweet, she called on her followers to create a “non-Islamic” ride-sharing company because she did not want to support “another Islamic immigrant driver.” Uber and Lyft banned Loomer in 2017.
At a 2018 campaign event for Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum at a Broward County synagogue, the synagogue’s staff asked Loomer to leave because she had disrupted previous Gillum events. When she refused, the staff had police escort her out. She yelled that her treatment was like Nazis throwing Jews out of synagogues. The internet video went viral.
Spokesmen from Twitter and Facebook told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the social media platforms had no plans to reinstate Loomer now that she is the Republican nominee for a congressional seat, as some of her supporters have asked.
____
Associated Press reporters Barbara Ortutay in Oakland, California; Amanda Seitz in Chicago; and David Klepper in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--DIY projects ramp up in pandemic, and so do sales at Lowe's

Comparable store sales in the U.S. surged 35.1 % at Lowe ’ s and online orders more than doubled with Americans spending much more time at home during the pandemic .
The report comes one day after Home Depot reported similarly explosive sales .
Lowe ’ s revenue for the three months ended July 31 climbed to $ 27.3 billion from $ 21 billion , the company said Wednesday , far better than the $ 24.85 billion analysts expected according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research .
Online sales soared 135 % , while same-store sales , including those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CEO Marvin Ellison said in a prepared statement that customers seemed mostly focused on repair and maintenance of their homes .
At the same time , many are focused on finding a new home with more space for an office from which to work remotely , or one with a yard rather than a stoop .
On Tuesday the Commerce Department reported that construction of new U.S. homes surged 22.6 % last month .
The department said that new homes were started at an annual pace of nearly 1.5 million in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above what economists were expecting .
The National Association of Realtors said last month that its index of pending sales rose 16.6 % , to 116.1 in June , its highest level since 2006 .
Lowe ’ s earned $ 2.83 billion , or $ 3.74 per share , in the quarter .
Removing restructuring costs , earnings were $ 3.75 per share .
That ’ s better than the $ 3.03 per share Wall Street expected .
Shares of Lowe ’ s Companies Inc. , based in Mooresville , North Carolina , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s Cos. became the latest big box retailer to report surging sales during the fiscal second quarter as Americans are finding more ways to improve their home during the pandemic.
Comparable store sales in the U.S. spiked 35.1% at Lowe’s, and online orders more than doubled.
The report, issued Wednesday, comes one day after Home Depot reported similarly explosive sales.
Lowe’s move to revamp its outdated online business paid off in the fiscal first quarter, as shoppers shut in because of the pandemic shifted to online services for supplies for their do-it-yourself home projects. Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison told analysts during the earnings call Wednesday that many of these projects weren’t planned on the list, but were extra projects.
“Customers are finding projects around the house,” he said. “We don’t see this as pull-forward. We see this as incremental.”
During a call with The Associated Press, Ellison said that some of the money from the government stimulus checks is spurring sales, but shoppers are also diverting their spending away from traveling and other areas toward the home.
Lowe’s revenue for the three months ended July 31 climbed to $27.3 billion from $21 billion, the company said Wednesday, far better than the $24.85 billion analysts expected, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.
Online sales soared 135%, while same-store sales, including those outside the U.S., rose 34.2%.
Ellison said in a prepared statement that customers seemed mostly focused on repair and maintenance of their homes.
At the same time, many are focused on finding a new home with more space for an office from which to work remotely, or one with a yard rather than a stoop.
On Tuesday the Commerce Department reported that construction of new U.S. homes surged 22.6% last month. The department said that new homes were started at an annual pace of nearly 1.5 million in July, the highest since February and well above what economists were expecting.
The National Association of Realtors said last month that its index of pending sales rose 16.6%, to 116.1 in June, its highest level since 2006.
Lowe’s earned $2.83 billion, or $3.74 per share, in the quarter. Removing restructuring costs, earnings were $3.75 per share. That’s better than the $3.03 per share Wall Street expected.
Shares of Lowe’s Cos., based in Mooresville, North Carolina, climbed slightly Wednesday and are hovering at around $158.
___
Follow Anne D’Innocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--UAE-Israel agreement followed many years of discreet talks

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates ( AP ) — Secret talks and quiet ties — that ’ s what paved the way for last week ’ s deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel to normalize relations .
Touted by President Donald Trump as a major Mideast breakthrough , the agreement was in fact the culmination of more than a decade of quiet links rooted in frenzied opposition to Iran that predated Trump and even Barack Obama , as well as Trump ’ s avowed goal to undo his predecessor ’ s Mideast legacy .
And the deal leaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. policy in the region : resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .
The effort to achieve that goal picked up speed 17 months ago at a U.S.-led conference in Warsaw , according to officials involved .
That February 2019 meeting , originally conceived as an anti-Iran gathering , morphed into a broader Mideast security endeavor after European objections to its agenda .
Many countries opted not to send their top diplomats , and Russia , China and the Palestinians skipped it entirely .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended , however , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
At the summit , diplomats from Saudi Arabia , the UAE and Bahrain spoke of the threat Iran posed to their security and its use of Shiite proxies in Iraq , Syria , Lebanon and Yemen .
They stressed that confronting Iran had become the top priority — ahead of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — in comments appearing in leaked video , whose authenticity was confirmed by a U.S. official who attended the gathering .
“ Iran was very high on the agenda in Warsaw because Iran ’ s foreign policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today ’ s Middle East , ” the U.S. special envoy for Iran , Brian Hook , told The Associated Press .
Four months after the summit , a secret meeting between the UAE and Israel took place on June 17 , 2019 , in Washington .
The trilateral focused on regional , cyber and maritime security , as well as diplomatic coordination and disrupting terror finance , according to a U.S. official who participated but was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity .
More meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi , culminating in Thursday ’ s Trump announcement that his administration had brokered a deal between Israel and the UAE to establish diplomatic relations and exchange embassies .
The UAE said Israel also agreed to halt its controversial plans to annex large areas of the occupied West Bank sought by the Palestinians .
Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser , told White House reporters that discussions for the deal took place over the past year and a half .
“ Look , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s an inevitability , right ?
” Kushner said , adding later : “ No Israeli has ever killed an Emirati , right ?
There ’ s not that hatred between the people.
” To be sure , Israel and the UAE have never fought each other in war and do not share borders .
Still , the agreement was far more warmly welcomed in Israel than the UAE , where the public has long viewed Israel with suspicion .
But criticism has been muted , in part because of government suppression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ composed of seven emirates run by hereditary rulers led by Abu Dhabi , will be only the third Arab nation , after Egypt and Jordan , to have full ties with Israel .
By doing so , Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed laid a path for countries like Morocco , Bahrain , Oman or Sudan to potentially follow .
There are many , though , who shun any Arab embrace of Israel .
To the Palestinians , who say they had no prior notice of the deal , the UAE turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that recognition of Israel can only come after Israeli concessions in peace talks lead to the creation of a Palestinian state .
“ I think the UAE is least beholden to these old formulas of solidarity … which gives them more strategic flexibility , ” said Kristin Smith Diwan , a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington .
“ There ’ s no question that among the broader Arab and Gulf public , this will be a very unpopular move , ” she said , adding that the agreement also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel makes in the future .
For the UAE , however , the calculus to build relations with Israel carries a number of strategic advantages beyond countering Iran and suspending West Bank annexation .
Through Israel , the UAE can build stronger ties with both Republicans and Democrats — a crucial hedge considering the uncertainty of Trump ’ s reelection chances against former Vice President Joe Biden in November ’ s U.S. presidential elections .
Another impetus was the perception among Arab Gulf states that U.S. dependability had waned , from the Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to Trump ’ s unpredictability in foreign policy .
Their views on the matter have been reflected in state-linked newspaper columns and in quiet grumbling at private gatherings .
Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also barred by Congress from purchasing billions of dollars in U.S. weapons due to the humanitarian toll of their war in Yemen , before Trump vetoed the measures .
“ Their first preference is to have the United States heavily involved in the Middle East as their primary ally .
If they can ’ t get that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not , then they ’ re going for second best , and Israel is second best , ” said Kenneth Pollack , a former CIA analyst and now Mideast expert at the American Enterprise Institute .
The Saudis and Emiratis want to build up military strength and want the U.S. to give them more freedom of maneuver in places like Libya , Yemen and the Horn of Africa .
With a stronger Emirati-Israeli alliance , “ they can count on the Israelis to also make that case in Washington , ” Pollack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration ’ s aggressive Iran policy and decision to withdraw the U.S. from the nuclear accord that helped seal the latest deal .
“ Israel and UAE felt betrayed by Obama ’ s Iran strategy .
With us , they knew we stood with our allies and partners , and that trust was a critical factor in getting this peace agreement done , ” said Hook , who was involved in the trilateral talks .
At a time when the coronavirus pandemic has eroded vital oil and tourism revenue , the UAE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deepen trade links , security cooperation and technology sharing .
Already , the UAE has deployed Israeli spyware against dissidents , according to a lawsuit brought against the company in Israel .
UAE efforts to seek better ties with Israel as a means of improving its standing in Washington dates back to 2006 , according to Sigurd Neubauer , author of the book “ The Gulf Region and Israel : Old Struggles , New Alliances.
” It began with a public-relations crisis over Dubai port operator DP World ’ s failed bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The longtime UAE ambassador to the U.S. , Yousef Al-Otaiba , held his first meeting with an Israeli official in 2008 and a diplomatic channel was established to focus on Iran , Neubauer said .
The relationship hit a snag in 2010 when the UAE accused Israeli Mossad operatives of assassinating Hamas figure Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in a Dubai hotel .
Nearly a decade later , an Israeli minister stood in Abu Dhabi and sang her country ’ s national anthem at a judo competition , shook hands warmly with Emirati officials and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a public spectacle of warming ties .
In January , when Trump unveiled his Mideast plan — which was rejected by the Palestinians — the ambassadors of the UAE , Bahrain and Oman attended the White House ceremony , which featured Netanyahu .
Senior Emirati diplomat Anwar Gargash said the relationship with Israel grew “ organically ” over the last 15 years or so .
“ Through engagement with the Trump administration , the idea … developed and percolated , and it was right to do it , ” he said .

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Secret talks and quiet ties — that’s what paved the way for last week’s deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel to normalize relations.
Touted by President Donald Trump as a major Mideast breakthrough, the agreement was in fact the culmination of more than a decade of quiet links rooted in frenzied opposition to Iran that predated Trump and even Barack Obama, as well as Trump’s avowed goal to undo his predecessor’s Mideast legacy.
And the deal leaves behind what had been a cornerstone of U.S. policy in the region: resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The effort to achieve that goal picked up speed 17 months ago at a U.S.-led conference in Warsaw, according to officials involved.
That February 2019 meeting, originally conceived as an anti-Iran gathering, morphed into a broader Mideast security endeavor after European objections to its agenda. Many countries opted not to send their top diplomats, and Russia, China and the Palestinians skipped it entirely. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended, however, as did the foreign ministers of key Arab states.
At the summit, diplomats from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain spoke of the threat Iran posed to their security and its use of Shiite proxies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. They stressed that confronting Iran had become the top priority — ahead of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — in comments appearing in leaked video, whose authenticity was confirmed by a U.S. official who attended the gathering.
Netanyahu followed, echoing similar concerns.
“Iran was very high on the agenda in Warsaw because Iran’s foreign policy is the biggest driver of instability in today’s Middle East,” the U.S. special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, told The Associated Press.
Four months after the summit, a secret meeting between the UAE and Israel took place on June 17, 2019, in Washington.
The trilateral focused on regional, cyber and maritime security, as well as diplomatic coordination and disrupting terror finance, according to a U.S. official who participated but was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
More meetings followed in the U.S., Israel and the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi, culminating in Thursday’s Trump announcement that his administration had brokered a deal between Israel and the UAE to establish diplomatic relations and exchange embassies. The UAE said Israel also agreed to halt its controversial plans to annex large areas of the occupied West Bank sought by the Palestinians.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, told White House reporters that discussions for the deal took place over the past year and a half.
“Look, at the end of the day, it’s an inevitability, right?” Kushner said, adding later: “No Israeli has ever killed an Emirati, right? There’s not that hatred between the people.”
To be sure, Israel and the UAE have never fought each other in war and do not share borders. Still, the agreement was far more warmly welcomed in Israel than the UAE, where the public has long viewed Israel with suspicion. But criticism has been muted, in part because of government suppression of free speech.
The UAE, composed of seven emirates run by hereditary rulers led by Abu Dhabi, will be only the third Arab nation, after Egypt and Jordan, to have full ties with Israel. By doing so, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed laid a path for countries like Morocco, Bahrain, Oman or Sudan to potentially follow.
There are many, though, who shun any Arab embrace of Israel. To the Palestinians, who say they had no prior notice of the deal, the UAE turned its back on the longstanding Arab consensus that recognition of Israel can only come after Israeli concessions in peace talks lead to the creation of a Palestinian state.
“I think the UAE is least beholden to these old formulas of solidarity … which gives them more strategic flexibility,” said Kristin Smith Diwan, a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.
“There’s no question that among the broader Arab and Gulf public, this will be a very unpopular move,” she said, adding that the agreement also leaves the UAE vulnerable to whatever decisions Israel makes in the future.
For the UAE, however, the calculus to build relations with Israel carries a number of strategic advantages beyond countering Iran and suspending West Bank annexation.
Through Israel, the UAE can build stronger ties with both Republicans and Democrats — a crucial hedge considering the uncertainty of Trump’s reelection chances against former Vice President Joe Biden in November’s U.S. presidential elections.
Another impetus was the perception among Arab Gulf states that U.S. dependability had waned, from the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran, to Trump’s unpredictability in foreign policy. Their views on the matter have been reflected in state-linked newspaper columns and in quiet grumbling at private gatherings.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also barred by Congress from purchasing billions of dollars in U.S. weapons due to the humanitarian toll of their war in Yemen, before Trump vetoed the measures.
“Their first preference is to have the United States heavily involved in the Middle East as their primary ally. If they can’t get that, which … under Trump they absolutely cannot, then they’re going for second best, and Israel is second best,” said Kenneth Pollack, a former CIA analyst and now Mideast expert at the American Enterprise Institute.
The Saudis and Emiratis want to build up military strength and want the U.S. to give them more freedom of maneuver in places like Libya, Yemen and the Horn of Africa. With a stronger Emirati-Israeli alliance, “they can count on the Israelis to also make that case in Washington,” Pollack said.
Hook argues it was the Trump administration’s aggressive Iran policy and decision to withdraw the U.S. from the nuclear accord that helped seal the latest deal.
“Israel and UAE felt betrayed by Obama’s Iran strategy. With us, they knew we stood with our allies and partners, and that trust was a critical factor in getting this peace agreement done,” said Hook, who was involved in the trilateral talks.
At a time when the coronavirus pandemic has eroded vital oil and tourism revenue, the UAE will look to its ties with Israel to deepen trade links, security cooperation and technology sharing. Already, the UAE has deployed Israeli spyware against dissidents, according to a lawsuit brought against the company in Israel.
UAE efforts to seek better ties with Israel as a means of improving its standing in Washington dates back to 2006, according to Sigurd Neubauer, author of the book “The Gulf Region and Israel: Old Struggles, New Alliances.”
It began with a public-relations crisis over Dubai port operator DP World’s failed bid to manage major ports in the U.S. The longtime UAE ambassador to the U.S., Yousef Al-Otaiba, held his first meeting with an Israeli official in 2008 and a diplomatic channel was established to focus on Iran, Neubauer said.
The relationship hit a snag in 2010 when the UAE accused Israeli Mossad operatives of assassinating Hamas figure Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in a Dubai hotel.
Nearly a decade later, an Israeli minister stood in Abu Dhabi and sang her country’s national anthem at a judo competition, shook hands warmly with Emirati officials and toured the emirate’s grand mosque in a public spectacle of warming ties.
In January, when Trump unveiled his Mideast plan — which was rejected by the Palestinians — the ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain and Oman attended the White House ceremony, which featured Netanyahu.
Senior Emirati diplomat Anwar Gargash said the relationship with Israel grew “organically” over the last 15 years or so.
“Through engagement with the Trump administration, the idea … developed and percolated, and it was right to do it,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--Maryland authorities rescue 5-year-old locked in gun safe

ELLICOTT CITY , Md .
( AP ) - Authorities in Maryland were able to free a 5-year-old who became @ @ @ @ @ safe .
The child ’ s mother called 911 around noon Tuesday to report that @ @ @ @ @ trapped inside the safe , WRC-TV quoted Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services @ @ @ @ @ .
Crews managed to break a hole in the back wall of the safe to @ @ @ @ @ to photos posted by the department on social media .
Rescuers performed air monitoring during @ @ @ @ @ .
The child spent at least 40 minutes inside the safe , which did not @ @ @ @ @ time , according to the news outlet .
The child was evaluated and released by @ @ @ @ @ “ good spirits , ” the department said Tuesday .

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) - Authorities in Maryland were able to free a 5-year-old who became locked inside a large gun safe.
The child’s mother called 911 around noon Tuesday to report that the 5-year-old had somehow gotten trapped inside the safe, WRC-TV quoted Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services spokesman Brad Tanner as saying.
Crews managed to break a hole in the back wall of the safe to save the child, according to photos posted by the department on social media.
Rescuers performed air monitoring during the process, authorities said. The child spent at least 40 minutes inside the safe, which did not contain any guns at the time, according to the news outlet.
The child was evaluated and released by medics. He was in “good spirits,” the department said Tuesday.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--Governor praises Biden on climate, energy issues

SANTA FE , N.M. ( AP ) - The governor of a major state for energy production praised Joe Biden for his approach to combating climate change and supporting the clean energy sector , in an online appearance Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention .
Democratic New Mexico Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham stood amid an array of solar panels in northern New Mexico to assure voters that Biden would renew U.S. participation on cooperative international efforts to combat global warming if elected .
“ We have the chance this November to end two existential crises : The Trump presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Lujan Grisham , a first-term Democratic governor who previously served in Congress .
In New Mexico , Lujan Grisham has helped set aggressive mandates for increasing electricity production from renewable sources such as solar and wind , and her administration is crafting regulations aimed at containing of methane leaks and releases that contribute to global warming .
At the same time , New Mexico ’ s portion of the Permian Basin is a major center for petroleum production , and Lujan Grisham has assured oil industry leaders in public that her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the chance this November to attack the climate crisis , invest in green 21st-century jobs and embrace the clean-energy revolution , ” Lujan Grisham said Wednesday .
Earlier Wednesday , Lujan Grisham described a personal affinity with Biden that goes beyond politics to their parallel experiences as widowed parents , in a live video with Washington Post journalist Eugene Scott .
Biden ’ s first wife , Neilia , and their 13-month-old daughter died in a car crash in 1972 .
Lujan Grisham ’ s husband died in 2014 from a medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The governor credits Biden with influencing the decision of her fiance , Manny Cordova , to become a Democrat .

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The governor of a major state for energy production praised Joe Biden for his approach to combating climate change and supporting the clean energy sector, in an online appearance Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention.
Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham stood amid an array of solar panels in northern New Mexico to assure voters that Biden would renew U.S. participation on cooperative international efforts to combat global warming if elected.
“We have the chance this November to end two existential crises: The Trump presidency and the environmental annihilation he represents,” said Lujan Grisham, a first-term Democratic governor who previously served in Congress.
In New Mexico, Lujan Grisham has helped set aggressive mandates for increasing electricity production from renewable sources such as solar and wind, and her administration is crafting regulations aimed at containing of methane leaks and releases that contribute to global warming.
At the same time, New Mexico’s portion of the Permian Basin is a major center for petroleum production, and Lujan Grisham has assured oil industry leaders in public that her Cabinet works for them.
“We have the chance this November to attack the climate crisis, invest in green 21st-century jobs and embrace the clean-energy revolution,” Lujan Grisham said Wednesday.
Earlier Wednesday, Lujan Grisham described a personal affinity with Biden that goes beyond politics to their parallel experiences as widowed parents, in a live video with Washington Post journalist Eugene Scott.
Biden’s first wife, Neilia, and their 13-month-old daughter died in a car crash in 1972. Lujan Grisham’s husband died in 2014 from a medical problem after he collapsed while jogging.
The governor credits Biden with influencing the decision of her fiance, Manny Cordova, to become a Democrat.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--Huawei, long resilient, suffers under tougher US pressure

BEIJING ( AP ) - For nearly a decade , Huawei kept worldwide sales growing as Washington told U.S. phone companies not to buy its network equipment and lobbied allies to reject China ’ s first global tech brand as a security threat .
Focusing on Europe , Asia , Africa and China ’ s booming market , Huawei became the biggest maker of switching gear and a major smartphone brand .
As the White House cut off access to American components and Google ’ s popular music and other smartphone services , Huawei unveiled its own processor chips and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales rose 19 % to $ 123 billion .
Now , Huawei Technologies Ltd. is suffering in earnest as Washington intensifies a campaign to slam the door on access to foreign markets and components in its escalating feud with Beijing over technology and security .
European and other phone carriers that bought Huawei gear despite U.S. pressure are removing it from their networks .
Huawei got a flicker of good news when it passed rivals Samsung and Apple as the No .
1 smartphone brand in the quarter ending in June thanks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is plunging .
“ Huawei is losing market share quite dramatically outside China , ” said industry analyst Paul Budde .
“ Their international position is most likely going to get worse rather than better.
” In the latest blow , the Commerce Department this week confirmed rules announced in May that will bar non-American companies from using U.S. technology to make processor chips and other components for Huawei without a government license .
The president of Huawei ’ s consumer business , Richard Yu , says it is running out of chips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sept. 15 , contractors will be forced to stop making Kirin chips designed by Huawei ’ s engineers and used in its most advanced handsets .
“ This is a very big loss for us , ” Yu said Aug. 8 at an industry conference , China Info 100 .
Yu did not say how sales might be affected .
Huawei declined comment on how it was responding .
Huawei heads a growing list of Chinese tech names the Trump administration is targeting as security risks in an initiative dubbed “ Clean Networks.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as suppliers to telecom systems , undersea cables and smartphone app stores .
The White House has banned unspecified transactions with popular Chinese-owned social media apps TikTok and WeChat .
Washington is pressing TikTok ’ s owner to sell the short-video app .
In June , the Pentagon added Huawei and video surveillance company HikVision to a list of companies it said were owned or controlled by the ruling Communist Party ’ s military wing .
Last year , the Chinese owner of Grindr was ordered to sell the dating app .
Huawei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rose 13 % to 454 billion yuan ( $ 65 billion ) in the first half of 2020 .
And China is one of the biggest markets .
But after spending a decade and billions of dollars to become a leader in next-generation technology , the company that says it serves 45 of the top 50 phone carriers faces the threat of being shut out of many major markets .
That is a setback for the Communist Party ’ s ambition to make China a global tech leader .
Western companies and consumers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s creativity and network gear that can cost 30 % less than that from its rivals Ericsson AB of Sweden and Finland ’ s Nokia Corp. U.S. , European and Japanese suppliers of processor chips and other technology stand to lose billions of dollars in potential sales to Huawei .
“ It doesn ’ t benefit any country to exclude Huawei , ” said Nikhil Batra of IDC .
Huawei , founded in 1987 by former military engineer Ren Zhengfei , denies it might help Beijing spy .
Chinese officials complain Washington is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proof , to block a competitor to U.S. tech companies .
The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on European and other allies , including by threatening to withhold intelligence sharing if they allow Huawei into next-generation , or 5G , networks .
Huawei ’ s U.S. market evaporated after the company and Chinese rival ZTE Corp. were declared security threats in 2012 by a congressional panel .
Small , rural carriers still use Huawei ’ s lower-cost equipment , but Washington is prodding them to stop .
5G will expand networks supporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgery and other futuristic applications .
That makes 5G more intrusive and raises the cost of potential security breaches .
American officials say buying a 5G network from China is too risky because vendors need round-the-clock access for repairs and upgrades .
“ Clean Networks ” cites Huawei as part of the Communist Party ’ s “ surveillance state.
” “ We call on all freedom-loving nations and companies to join the Clean Network , ” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
Last year , Huawei raced to remove American components from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to U.S. processor chips and other technology including Google services .
Huawei , ranked No .
6 on Boston Consulting Group ’ s list this year of the most innovative global companies , said sales went ahead without disruption .
The White House ’ s restrictions on use of U.S. technology to produce chips and other components for Huawei is more painful .
Huawei relies on vendors such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. , the world ’ s biggest contract chip producer .
TSMC said this week it still was studying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fought back by threatening unspecified consequences against countries that block Huawei ’ s market access .
After the latest sanctions , the foreign ministry called on Washington to “ stop suppressing Chinese companies.
” “ The more hysterical the U.S. suppression of Huawei and other Chinese companies , the more it proves the success of these companies and the hypocrisy and arrogance of the United States , ” said a ministry spokesman , Zhao Lijian .
The party also is stepping up a decades-old campaign to build up China ’ s own chip-making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new tax breaks for semiconductor makers .
In Europe , which supplied one-quarter of Huawei ’ s 2019 sales , Germany and France are deciding what role it can play in 5G .
Britain agreed in January to a limited presence but changed course in July and banned Huawei from its mobile networks .
“ There is a bit of panic ” among European carriers , said Budde .
“ There are hectic negotiations ” with other suppliers .
British mobile carrier BT and Vodaphone Group PLC are removing Huawei from their European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out 5G in Europe could be delayed by up to five years if other governments impose British-style limits .
“ It would be hugely disruptive , ” CEO Nick Read said in February .
Australia has banned Huawei from 5G networks .
Japan , Taiwan and others are limiting use of Huawei technology .
American officials are promoting “ trusted suppliers ” including Ericsson and Nokia , Huawei ’ s only major 5G competitors .
U.S. officials say Washington might help Brazil and others pay for Western equipment to avoid Huawei .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other governments are discussing how to reduce reliance on China .
A bill before the U.S. Congress would spend up to $ 1 billion to develop a software-based 5G to operate over traditional networks .
Huawei celebrated , lauding its own “ exceptional resilience , ” when Canalys reported it had become the top-selling smartphone brand for the first time .
But those gains came from its home market .
Sales outside China fell 27 % from a year earlier .
Huawei has stepped up sales efforts in Russia , Turkey and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beijing , said Ben Stanton of Canalys .
Those are the “ biggest opportunities if the main bloc of Western countries turn away from them , ” he said .

BEIJING (AP) - For nearly a decade, Huawei kept worldwide sales growing as Washington told U.S. phone companies not to buy its network equipment and lobbied allies to reject China’s first global tech brand as a security threat.
Focusing on Europe, Asia, Africa and China’s booming market, Huawei became the biggest maker of switching gear and a major smartphone brand. As the White House cut off access to American components and Google’s popular music and other smartphone services, Huawei unveiled its own processor chips and app development. Last year’s sales rose 19% to $123 billion.
Now, Huawei Technologies Ltd. is suffering in earnest as Washington intensifies a campaign to slam the door on access to foreign markets and components in its escalating feud with Beijing over technology and security.
European and other phone carriers that bought Huawei gear despite U.S. pressure are removing it from their networks. Huawei got a flicker of good news when it passed rivals Samsung and Apple as the No. 1 smartphone brand in the quarter ending in June thanks to sales in China, but demand abroad is plunging.
“Huawei is losing market share quite dramatically outside China,” said industry analyst Paul Budde. “Their international position is most likely going to get worse rather than better.”
In the latest blow, the Commerce Department this week confirmed rules announced in May that will bar non-American companies from using U.S. technology to make processor chips and other components for Huawei without a government license.
The president of Huawei’s consumer business, Richard Yu, says it is running out of chips for smartphones. Yu said as of Sept. 15, contractors will be forced to stop making Kirin chips designed by Huawei’s engineers and used in its most advanced handsets.
“This is a very big loss for us,” Yu said Aug. 8 at an industry conference, China Info 100.
Yu did not say how sales might be affected. Huawei declined comment on how it was responding.
Huawei heads a growing list of Chinese tech names the Trump administration is targeting as security risks in an initiative dubbed “Clean Networks.” It wants countries to remove them as suppliers to telecom systems, undersea cables and smartphone app stores.
The White House has banned unspecified transactions with popular Chinese-owned social media apps TikTok and WeChat. Washington is pressing TikTok’s owner to sell the short-video app.
In June, the Pentagon added Huawei and video surveillance company HikVision to a list of companies it said were owned or controlled by the ruling Communist Party’s military wing.
Last year, the Chinese owner of Grindr was ordered to sell the dating app.
Huawei is hardly finished. It says sales rose 13% to 454 billion yuan ($65 billion) in the first half of 2020. And China is one of the biggest markets. But after spending a decade and billions of dollars to become a leader in next-generation technology, the company that says it serves 45 of the top 50 phone carriers faces the threat of being shut out of many major markets.
That is a setback for the Communist Party’s ambition to make China a global tech leader.
Western companies and consumers also may lose access to Huawei’s creativity and network gear that can cost 30% less than that from its rivals Ericsson AB of Sweden and Finland’s Nokia Corp.
U.S., European and Japanese suppliers of processor chips and other technology stand to lose billions of dollars in potential sales to Huawei.
“It doesn’t benefit any country to exclude Huawei,” said Nikhil Batra of IDC.
Huawei, founded in 1987 by former military engineer Ren Zhengfei, denies it might help Beijing spy. Chinese officials complain Washington is whipping up phony security fears, without proof, to block a competitor to U.S. tech companies.
The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on European and other allies, including by threatening to withhold intelligence sharing if they allow Huawei into next-generation, or 5G, networks.
Huawei’s U.S. market evaporated after the company and Chinese rival ZTE Corp. were declared security threats in 2012 by a congressional panel. Small, rural carriers still use Huawei’s lower-cost equipment, but Washington is prodding them to stop.
5G will expand networks supporting self-driving cars, factory robots, remote surgery and other futuristic applications. That makes 5G more intrusive and raises the cost of potential security breaches.
American officials say buying a 5G network from China is too risky because vendors need round-the-clock access for repairs and upgrades. “Clean Networks” cites Huawei as part of the Communist Party’s “surveillance state.”
“We call on all freedom-loving nations and companies to join the Clean Network,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Last year, Huawei raced to remove American components from its products after President Donald Trump blocked access to U.S. processor chips and other technology including Google services. Huawei, ranked No. 6 on Boston Consulting Group’s list this year of the most innovative global companies, said sales went ahead without disruption.
The White House’s restrictions on use of U.S. technology to produce chips and other components for Huawei is more painful.
Huawei relies on vendors such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s biggest contract chip producer. TSMC said this week it still was studying the new rules.
The Communist Party has fought back by threatening unspecified consequences against countries that block Huawei’s market access.
After the latest sanctions, the foreign ministry called on Washington to “stop suppressing Chinese companies.”
“The more hysterical the U.S. suppression of Huawei and other Chinese companies, the more it proves the success of these companies and the hypocrisy and arrogance of the United States,” said a ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian.
The party also is stepping up a decades-old campaign to build up China’s own chip-making industry. This month, Beijing announced new tax breaks for semiconductor makers.
In Europe, which supplied one-quarter of Huawei’s 2019 sales, Germany and France are deciding what role it can play in 5G. Britain agreed in January to a limited presence but changed course in July and banned Huawei from its mobile networks.
“There is a bit of panic” among European carriers, said Budde. “There are hectic negotiations” with other suppliers.
British mobile carrier BT and Vodaphone Group PLC are removing Huawei from their European networks.
Vodafone has warned that rolling out 5G in Europe could be delayed by up to five years if other governments impose British-style limits.
“It would be hugely disruptive,” CEO Nick Read said in February.
Australia has banned Huawei from 5G networks. Japan, Taiwan and others are limiting use of Huawei technology.
American officials are promoting “trusted suppliers” including Ericsson and Nokia, Huawei’s only major 5G competitors. U.S. officials say Washington might help Brazil and others pay for Western equipment to avoid Huawei.
The United States, Australia, Japan and other governments are discussing how to reduce reliance on China. A bill before the U.S. Congress would spend up to $1 billion to develop a software-based 5G to operate over traditional networks.
Huawei celebrated, lauding its own “exceptional resilience,” when Canalys reported it had become the top-selling smartphone brand for the first time.
But those gains came from its home market. Sales outside China fell 27% from a year earlier.
Huawei has stepped up sales efforts in Russia, Turkey and other markets that are smaller but friendly with Beijing, said Ben Stanton of Canalys.
Those are the “biggest opportunities if the main bloc of Western countries turn away from them,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--Reports: Michigan reaches $600M deal in Flint water crisis

Michigan has reached a $ 600 million agreement to compensate Flint residents whose health was damaged by lead-tainted drinking water after the city heeded state regulators ’ advice not to treat it properly , multiple news outlets reported Wednesday .
Details will be released later this week , according to reports by The Detroit News , MLive.com and WXYZ-TV .
The offices of Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel have been negotiating for more than 18 months with attorneys for thousands of Flint residents who have filed lawsuits against the state .
Ryan Jarvi , a spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports of a deal Wednesday night .
“ We and the other parties are bound by a federal court order to maintain the confidentiality of detailed settlement and mediation communications until we reach a certain point , ” Jarvi said .
“ We have not yet reached the point where we can discuss a potential settlement.
” The settlement is intended to resolve all legal actions against the state for its role in a disaster that made the impoverished , majority-Black city a nationwide symbol of governmental mismanagement .
A state-appointed emergency manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switched its water source from the city of Detroit to the Flint River to save money .
State officials advised the city not to apply corrosion controls to the water , which was contaminated by lead from aging pipes .

Michigan will pay $600 million to compensate Flint residents whose health was damaged by lead-tainted drinking water after the city heeded state regulators’ advice not to treat it properly, an attorney involved in the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Details will be released later this week, according to the attorney, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about it ahead of an official announcement. The settlement was first reported by The Detroit News, MLive.com and WXZY-TV.
It is intended to resolve all legal actions against the state for its role in a disaster that made the impoverished, majority-Black city a nationwide symbol of governmental mismanagement, the attorney said.
The offices of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel have been negotiating for more than 18 months with lawyers for thousands of Flint residents who have filed suits against the state.
Ryan Jarvi, a spokesman for Nessel, declined to confirm the reports of a deal Wednesday night.
“We and the other parties are bound by a federal court order to maintain the confidentiality of detailed settlement and mediation communications until we reach a certain point,” Jarvi said. “We have not yet reached the point where we can discuss a potential settlement.”
Flint switched its water source from the city of Detroit to the Flint River to save money in 2014, while under control of a state-appointed emergency manager. State environmental regulators advised Flint, located about about 70 miles (112.65 kilometers) north of Detroit, not to apply corrosion controls to the water, which was contaminated by lead from aging pipes.
Residents of the city with a population of nearly 100,000 people used bottled water quickly began complaining that the water was discolored and had a bad taste and smell. They blamed it for rashes, hair loss and other health concerns, but local and state officials insisted it was safe.
Researchers with Virginia Tech University reported in summer 2015 that samples of Flint water had abnormally high lead levels. Shortly afterward, a group of doctors announced that local children had high levels of lead in their blood and urged Flint to stop using water from the river.
Then- Gov. Rick Snyder eventually acknowledged the problem, accepted the resignation of his environmental chief and pledged to aid the city, which resumed using Detroit water.
Residents used bottled water for drinking and household needs for more than a year. Researchers said in late 2016 that lead was no longer detectable in many homes.
Lawsuits against the state are being overseen by U.S. District Judge Judith Levy, who would have to approve the settlement.
Under the deal, the state would establish a $600 million fund and Flint residents could file claims for compensation. The amount awarded per applicant would be based on how badly they were harmed, the attorney told AP.
It calls for devoting 80% of the money to people who were under age 18 during the period when Flint was using river water, the attorney said.
If approved, the settlement would push state spending on the Flint water crisis over $1 billion. Michigan already has pumped more than $400 million into replacing water pipes, purchasing filters and bottled water, children’s health care and other assistance.
Other suits are pending against Flint, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and private consultants that advised the city on water issues.
___
AP reporter David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan, and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York, contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--DeRay Mckesson, Black Lives Matter activist, leads push to dismantle police union contracts

A prominent Black Lives Matter activist has started a new effort to battle police unions ’ political power by targeting union contracts and campaign contributions .
DeRay Mckesson , an activist who gained celebrity during the Ferguson , Missouri , protests of 2014 , is leading the NixThe6 push to dismantle union contracts that have thwarted activists ’ efforts to defund the police .
NixThe6 says that police unions have met privately with politicians to “ rig the system ” and is intent on developing an activist network and resources necessary to fight the labor groups .
The group ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demolishing police unions ’ power identified by the activists : police union contracts , police bill of rights laws , the unions ’ influence over budgets , unions ’ “ buying political power , ” closed-door negotiations and rehiring officers fired amid misconduct allegations .
“ In many cities , police union contracts effectively place a stranglehold on city budgets by limiting the city ’ s ability to move money/reduce staff , automatically increasing personnel costs which comprise over 80 % of the police budget , and placing restrictions on what department roles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responders , ” the NixThe6 website says .
“ By introducing a focus on police union power and police union contracts , NixThe6 is a complementary effort that removes many of the systemic barriers that prevent cities from being able to cut police funding.
” NixThe6 did not respond to requests for comment .
The police unions have signaled they will not go down without a fight .
The Protect our Police PAC , an advocacy group formed in July aimed at electing candidates opposed to defunding police , raised $ 750,000 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police officers formed the group with a five-figure investment from a local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police and quickly gained momentum .
Amid the civil unrest associated with anti-police protests nationwide , police unions have become a strong ally of President Trump and his reelection campaign .
Vice President Mike Pence visited Fraternal Order of Police Lodge # 5 in Philadelphia last month where the co-chairmen of the POP PAC were on hand .
In August , Mr. Trump was endorsed by a leading New York City Police Department union , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is working with Johnetta Elzie , another activist who gained a following during the Ferguson protests , and Samuel Singyawe , co-founder of Campaign Zero .
The NixThe6 effort is operating under the umbrella of the Campaign Zero platform , which is a hub for Black Lives Matter activists to share research and brainstorm solutions for eliminating police power .
More than a dozen other members and research advisers hailing from such institutions as the University of Chicago and the University of Oxford are also listed on NixThe6 ’ s website .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grassroots pressure campaign to achieve policing overhauls at the local level and drive pro-police candidates out of office .
The NixThe6 team has launched a campaign-contribution tracker that will reveal the politicians who took donations from police unions in the last five years .
Collectively , the activists say they have reviewed police union contracts in nearly 600 cities , largely through public records requests .
Details about Campaign Zero ’ s plans and funding have received criticism since its earliest days in the aftermath of the 2014 Ferguson protests .
Liberal billionaire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked to Campaign Zero as the primary vehicle for turning Black Lives Matter activism into a lasting protest movement in 2015 , according to BuzzFeed .

A prominent Black Lives Matter activist has started a new effort to battle police unions’ political power by targeting union contracts and campaign contributions.
DeRay Mckesson, an activist who gained celebrity during the Ferguson, Missouri, protests of 2014, is leading the NixThe6 push to dismantle union contracts that have thwarted activists’ efforts to defund the police.
NixThe6 says that police unions have met privately with politicians to “rig the system” and is intent on developing an activist network and resources necessary to fight the labor groups. The group’s mantra refers to six obstacles to demolishing police unions’ power identified by the activists: police union contracts, police bill of rights laws, the unions’ influence over budgets, unions’ “buying political power,” closed-door negotiations and rehiring officers fired amid misconduct allegations.
“In many cities, police union contracts effectively place a stranglehold on city budgets by limiting the city’s ability to move money/reduce staff, automatically increasing personnel costs which comprise over 80% of the police budget, and placing restrictions on what department roles can be eliminated or reassigned to alternative responders,” the NixThe6 website says. “By introducing a focus on police union power and police union contracts, NixThe6 is a complementary effort that removes many of the systemic barriers that prevent cities from being able to cut police funding.”
NixThe6 did not respond to requests for comment.
The police unions have signaled they will not go down without a fight.
The Protect our Police PAC, an advocacy group formed in July aimed at electing candidates opposed to defunding police, raised $750,000 in its first three weeks. Former Philadelphia police officers formed the group with a five-figure investment from a local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police and quickly gained momentum.
Amid the civil unrest associated with anti-police protests nationwide, police unions have become a strong ally of President Trump and his reelection campaign. Vice President Mike Pence visited Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5 in Philadelphia last month where the co-chairmen of the POP PAC were on hand. In August, Mr. Trump was endorsed by a leading New York City Police Department union, the NYPD Benevolent Association.
Mr. Mckesson is working with Johnetta Elzie, another activist who gained a following during the Ferguson protests, and Samuel Singyawe, co-founder of Campaign Zero.
The NixThe6 effort is operating under the umbrella of the Campaign Zero platform, which is a hub for Black Lives Matter activists to share research and brainstorm solutions for eliminating police power. More than a dozen other members and research advisers hailing from such institutions as the University of Chicago and the University of Oxford are also listed on NixThe6’s website.
The Black Lives Matter activists are building a grassroots pressure campaign to achieve policing overhauls at the local level and drive pro-police candidates out of office.
The NixThe6 team has launched a campaign-contribution tracker that will reveal the politicians who took donations from police unions in the last five years. Collectively, the activists say they have reviewed police union contracts in nearly 600 cities, largely through public records requests.
Details about Campaign Zero’s plans and funding have received criticism since its earliest days in the aftermath of the 2014 Ferguson protests. Liberal billionaire George Soros’ Open Society Foundations first looked to Campaign Zero as the primary vehicle for turning Black Lives Matter activism into a lasting protest movement in 2015, according to BuzzFeed.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--Hillary Clinton warns: 'Joe and Kamala can win by 3 million votes and still lose'

Hillary Clinton on Wednesday urged voters to learn from her experience that winning the most votes doesn ’ t mean winning The White House .
Speaking during the Democratic National Convention , Mrs. Clinton said that voters must send an undeniable statement in the November election .
“ Don ’ t forget Joe and Kamala can still win by 3 million votes and still lose , take it from me .
So we need numbers so overwhelming so Trump can ’ t sneak or steal his way to victory , ” Mrs. Clinton said .
Ms. Clinton appeared during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Joseph R. Biden , saying that there were lessons to be learned from her stunning loss in the 2016 election , including the importance of getting as many people as possible to vote .
“ For four years , people have said to me , ‘ I didn ’ t realize how dangerous he was , I wish I could go back and do it over.
’ Or worst , ‘ I should have voted , ’ ” Mrs. Clinton said .
“ Well , this can ’ t be another woulda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats turn out in force in November then it will mark a big step toward healing the nation and “ redeem the soul and promise of our country led by President Jose Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris .
”

Hillary Clinton on Wednesday urged voters to learn from her experience that winning the most votes doesn’t mean winning The White House.
Speaking during the Democratic National Convention, Mrs. Clinton said that voters must send an undeniable statement in the November election.
“Don’t forget Joe and Kamala can still win by 3 million votes and still lose, take it from me. So we need numbers so overwhelming so Trump can’t sneak or steal his way to victory,” Mrs. Clinton said.
Ms. Clinton appeared during the third day of the convention on behalf of Joseph R. Biden, saying that there were lessons to be learned from her stunning loss in the 2016 election, including the importance of getting as many people as possible to vote.
“For four years, people have said to me, ‘I didn’t realize how dangerous he was, I wish I could go back and do it over.’ Or worst, ‘I should have voted,’” Mrs. Clinton said. “Well, this can’t be another woulda coulda shoulda election.”
She said if Democrats turn out in force in November then it will mark a big step toward healing the nation and “redeem the soul and promise of our country led by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--Gabrielle Giffords: Joe Biden 'was there for me,' and 'he'll be there for you, too'

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona made an emotional pitch for Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden on the third night of the modified Democratic National Convention on Wednesday .
“ We must elect Joe Biden .
He was there for me - he ’ ll be there for you , too , ” Ms. Giffords said in a video segment .
Ms. Giffords was shot in the head by a deranged gunman at a constituent event in January 2011 in an incident that left her with significant impairments to her speech and movement .
“ My recovery is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger , ” she said .
“ America needs all of us to speak out , even when you have to fight to find the words.
” The former congresswoman also played the french horn in the video .
Her husband Mark Kelly , who is running for U.S. Senate in Arizona this year , said on Twitter that the speech was the longest one she has given since she was shot .
Ms. Giffords ‘ remarks on Wednesday evening were part of a segment that also featured comments from DeAndra Dycus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and left paralyzed at the age of 13 , and Emma González , a survivor of the 2018 Parkland , Fla. school shooting .
“ Until one of us or all of us stand up and say I can ’ t do this anymore , I can ’ t sit by and watch the news treat these shootings like acts of God , gun violence isn ’ t just going to stop until there ’ s a force fighting harder against it , and I ’ m going to do something to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a video .
Gun control activists are banking that the issue will be a winning one for Democrats this year .
Mr. Biden has vowed to support new controls and gun bans , taking a similar position on the issue as Hillary Clinton did in 2016 after Democrats had labored to avoid being painted as anti-gun in earlier presidential election cycles .
Ms. Giffords had led the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National Convention in 2012 as she was accompanied by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida .
Ms. Giffords and Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Convention in Philadelphia .
“ Speaking is difficult for me , but come January I want to say these two words : Madam President , ” Ms. Giffords said then , referring to Mrs. Clinton , the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee .

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona made an emotional pitch for Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden on the third night of the modified Democratic National Convention on Wednesday.
“We must elect Joe Biden. He was there for me - he’ll be there for you, too,” Ms. Giffords said in a video segment.
Ms. Giffords was shot in the head by a deranged gunman at a constituent event in January 2011 in an incident that left her with significant impairments to her speech and movement.
“My recovery is a daily fight, but fighting makes me stronger,” she said. “America needs all of us to speak out, even when you have to fight to find the words.”
The former congresswoman also played the french horn in the video.
Her husband Mark Kelly, who is running for U.S. Senate in Arizona this year, said on Twitter that the speech was the longest one she has given since she was shot.
Ms. Giffords’ remarks on Wednesday evening were part of a segment that also featured comments from DeAndra Dycus, whose son DeAndre Knox was accidentally shot and left paralyzed at the age of 13, and Emma González, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland, Fla. school shooting.
“Until one of us or all of us stand up and say I can’t do this anymore, I can’t sit by and watch the news treat these shootings like acts of God, gun violence isn’t just going to stop until there’s a force fighting harder against it, and I’m going to do something to prevent it,” Ms. González said in a video.
Gun control activists are banking that the issue will be a winning one for Democrats this year.
Mr. Biden has vowed to support new controls and gun bans, taking a similar position on the issue as Hillary Clinton did in 2016 after Democrats had labored to avoid being painted as anti-gun in earlier presidential election cycles.
Ms. Giffords had led the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National Convention in 2012 as she was accompanied by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.
Ms. Giffords and Mr. Kelly also appeared at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
“Speaking is difficult for me, but come January I want to say these two words: Madam President,” Ms. Giffords said then, referring to Mrs. Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--Johnson hits 6 3s, sets rookie record in Mystics' win

BRADENTON , Fla. ( AP ) - Stella Johnson set a Washington rookie record with six 3-pointers and scored a season-high 25 points , Myisha Hines-Allen added 23 points , and the Mystics beat the Atlanta Dream 98-91 on Wednesday night to snap a seven-game losing streak .
Johnson , who was making her first career start , was 6 of 9 from 3-point range , breaking Keri Chaconas ’ s rookie record of five for Washington in 1998 .
Johnson was one 3-pointer off the WNBA rookie record and two points shy of tying the Washington rookie record , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ariel Atkins added 13 points , Emma Meesseman had 12 points and 10 assists , and Leilani Mitchell also scored 12 points for Washington ( 4-7 ) .
Betnijah Laney and Courtney Williams each scored 30-plus points to lead Atlanta ( 2-10 ) .
Laney was 14 of 24 from the field for 35 points and Williams made 13 of 22 for 30 points as the Dream shot 55.7 % .
They are the second Dream duo to score 30 points in a game , joining Iziane Castro Marques and Angel McCoughtry on @ @ @ @ @

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) - Stella Johnson set a Washington rookie record with six 3-pointers and scored a season-high 25 points, Myisha Hines-Allen added 23 points, and the Mystics beat the Atlanta Dream 98-91 on Wednesday night to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Johnson, who was making her first career start, was 6 of 9 from 3-point range, breaking Keri Chaconas’s rookie record of five for Washington in 1998. Johnson was one 3-pointer off the WNBA rookie record and two points shy of tying the Washington rookie record, set by Nikki McCray in 1998.
Ariel Atkins added 13 points, Emma Meesseman had 12 points and 10 assists, and Leilani Mitchell also scored 12 points for Washington (4-7).
Betnijah Laney and Courtney Williams each scored 30-plus points to lead Atlanta (2-10). Laney was 14 of 24 from the field for 35 points and Williams made 13 of 22 for 30 points as the Dream shot 55.7%. They are the second Dream duo to score 30 points in a game, joining Iziane Castro Marques and Angel McCoughtry on July 7, 2010.
Atlanta has lost nine straight games.


washingtontimes--2020-08-19--California takes step to protect leatherback sea turtles

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - California took a step Wednesday toward placing Pacific leatherback sea turtles under state protection as the species faces potential extinction from human-caused problems .
The state Fish and Game Commission voted 5-0 for the species to become a candidate for threatened or endangered status under California ’ s Endangered Species Act .
That triggers a year-long review before the commission makes a final decision .
The turtle will receive state protection during that time .
“ Leatherbacks have traveled across the Pacific for millions of years .
California has now committed to ensuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threats to their existence , ” said Catherine Kilduff , an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity , which petitioned for the action along with the Turtle Island Restoration Network .
Pacific leatherback turtles are the deepest-diving and largest turtles , reaching 6.5 feet ( 2 meters ) in length and weighing nearly 2,000 pounds ( 900 kilograms ) .
They are the only soft-shelled sea turtles .
Leatherbacks can swim more than 10,000 miles ( 16,000 kilometers ) a year between nesting and foraging grounds .
The turtles eat jellyfish and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Ugoretz , pelagic fisheries and ecosystem program manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife .
However , it is estimated that the leatherback population has declined by more than 80 % since the 1980s and by some estimates could become extinct within 20 years .
An average of 178 leatherbacks were spotted in California waters each year between 2005 and 2014 but just 50 have been seen annually in recent years , Ugoretz told the commission .
The turtles are vulnerable to being hit by ships , swallowing plastic or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines , climate change and other human-caused threats , Ugoretz said .
The turtles have been protected under the federal Endangered Species Act since 1970 but critics say they are threatened by a Trump administration effort to end a federal ban on longline fishing off the California coast .
Longlines stretch for dozens of miles and have thousands of baited hooks .
Last year , a federal judge in Oakland blocked the government from issuing exempted fishing permits , saying the administration had failed to adequately analyze threats to leatherback sea turtles .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California took a step Wednesday toward placing Pacific leatherback sea turtles under state protection as the species faces potential extinction from human-caused problems.
The state Fish and Game Commission voted 5-0 for the species to become a candidate for threatened or endangered status under California’s Endangered Species Act.
That triggers a year-long review before the commission makes a final decision. The turtle will receive state protection during that time.
Conservation groups applauded the move.
“Leatherbacks have traveled across the Pacific for millions of years. California has now committed to ensuring they survive reckless fishing practices and other threats to their existence,” said Catherine Kilduff, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, which petitioned for the action along with the Turtle Island Restoration Network.
Pacific leatherback turtles are the deepest-diving and largest turtles, reaching 6.5 feet (2 meters) in length and weighing nearly 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). They are the only soft-shelled sea turtles.
Leatherbacks can swim more than 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) a year between nesting and foraging grounds.
The turtles eat jellyfish and California provides critical foraging habitat, said John Ugoretz, pelagic fisheries and ecosystem program manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
However, it is estimated that the leatherback population has declined by more than 80% since the 1980s and by some estimates could become extinct within 20 years.
An average of 178 leatherbacks were spotted in California waters each year between 2005 and 2014 but just 50 have been seen annually in recent years, Ugoretz told the commission.
The turtles are vulnerable to being hit by ships, swallowing plastic or tar balls, entanglement in commercial fishing lines, climate change and other human-caused threats, Ugoretz said.
The turtles have been protected under the federal Endangered Species Act since 1970 but critics say they are threatened by a Trump administration effort to end a federal ban on longline fishing off the California coast. Longlines stretch for dozens of miles and have thousands of baited hooks. Last year, a federal judge in Oakland blocked the government from issuing exempted fishing permits, saying the administration had failed to adequately analyze threats to leatherback sea turtles.