newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Save Election Night: There’s no reason America has to wait weeks for final results

The left and its media allies are warning Americans not to expect a winner on Election Night .
If President Trump leads on Nov. 3 , the victory will be nothing more than a “ red mirage , ” says Josh Mendelsohn , whose firm consults for the Democratic National Committee .
In the days or weeks afterward , a Trump victory will be beaten back and undone as mail-in ballots tip the election for Joe Biden , predicts New York Times columnist David Brooks .
“ Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstances , ” warns Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to paint Election Night victories as a thing of the past because of mail-in voting .
Election Night is a hallmark of American democracy .
The public should be demanding the easy reforms that will protect it .
The 2020 election is likely to come down to a few battleground states like Pennsylvania , Michigan , Ohio and Minnesota .
Unless these states reform their election laws now , on Election Night they will be swamped with uncounted mail-in votes .
States need to require that mail-in ballots are received well in advance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come in .
Otherwise , the uncertainty will drag on , voters will lose their power and the outcome will be decided in courtrooms and shady back rooms .
Or in the House of Representatives .
All states must allocate their Electoral College votes by Dec. 14 .
If even one swing state is still dithering , it ’ s possible neither Trump nor Biden will have 270 electoral votes , and the decision would be thrown into the House of Representatives .
An Electoral College deadlock hasn ’ t happened since 1876 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots could produce one this year .
Half of all ballots are expected to be cast by mail .
These ballots have to be processed by hand , and the signatures verified against signatures in the state database .
Eleven states — including swing states Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , and Michigan — bar election workers from even opening ballots and beginning the time-consuming verification process until Election Day .
That ’ s crazy .
Fortunately , election officials in Pennsylvania and Michigan are already calling for reform .
More states need to act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress should step in .
The US Constitution gives states primary authority over presidential elections , but Congress likely can still act .
Congress passed the Help America Vote Act to improve vote counting accuracy after the 2000 fiasco in Florida , when George W. Bush and Al Gore both claimed to have won .
This time , Congress should stave off a crisis by requiring all states to count mail-in ballots in time for Election Night .
Anybody who opposes these simple reforms has mischief in mind .
Many Dems don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DNC and allied groups are in court now suing to require that even ballots postmarked after Nov. 3 or lacking signatures are counted .
But why should people who mail their ballots late have their vote counted any more than people who show up at the polls late ?
US postal officials have made it clear that voters should mail in ballots seven days prior to Election Day to guarantee delivery .
States should make that a legal deadline .
Late ballots threaten to throw the choice of president into newly elected House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 .
Each state delegation would get one vote .
Republicans narrowly control a majority of state delegations in the current Congress , but that could change .
A House decision is a crap shoot for Biden and Trump .
It ’ s also a moral defeat for the voters , who will have to stand by and watch Washington pols pick the president .
Worse , it will plunge the nation into a leaderless void from early November until early January , a perilous situation .
There ’ s still time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re received and requiring that they ’ re mailed a week before the election .
How hard is that ?
Democrats and Never Trumpers who oppose these simple reforms have a different agenda : chaos in the streets , mobs demanding a Biden victory and a president ultimately chosen behind the scenes long after election night .
Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York .

The left and its media allies are warning Americans not to expect a winner on Election Night. If President Trump leads on Nov. 3, the victory will be nothing more than a “red mirage,” says Josh Mendelsohn, whose firm consults for the Democratic National Committee.
In the days or weeks afterward, a Trump victory will be beaten back and undone as mail-in ballots tip the election for Joe Biden, predicts New York Times columnist David Brooks. “Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstances,” warns Hillary Clinton.
This is shameless propaganda, aiming to paint Election Night victories as a thing of the past because of mail-in voting. Election Night is a hallmark of American democracy. The public should be demanding the easy reforms that will protect it.
The 2020 election is likely to come down to a few battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Minnesota. Unless these states reform their election laws now, on Election Night they will be swamped with uncounted mail-in votes. States need to require that mail-in ballots are received well in advance of Nov. 3 and counted as they come in.
Otherwise, the uncertainty will drag on, voters will lose their power and the outcome will be decided in courtrooms and shady back rooms.
Or in the House of Representatives. All states must allocate their Electoral College votes by Dec. 14. If even one swing state is still dithering, it’s possible neither Trump nor Biden will have 270 electoral votes, and the decision would be thrown into the House of Representatives. An Electoral College deadlock hasn’t happened since 1876, but foolish state laws regarding mail-in ballots could produce one this year.
Half of all ballots are expected to be cast by mail. These ballots have to be processed by hand, and the signatures verified against signatures in the state database. Eleven states — including swing states Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan — bar election workers from even opening ballots and beginning the time-consuming verification process until Election Day. That’s crazy.
Fortunately, election officials in Pennsylvania and Michigan are already calling for reform. More states need to act. If they don’t, Congress should step in.
The US Constitution gives states primary authority over presidential elections, but Congress likely can still act.
Congress passed the Help America Vote Act to improve vote counting accuracy after the 2000 fiasco in Florida, when George W. Bush and Al Gore both claimed to have won. This time, Congress should stave off a crisis by requiring all states to count mail-in ballots in time for Election Night.
Anybody who opposes these simple reforms has mischief in mind.
Many Dems don’t want Election Night certainty. The DNC and allied groups are in court now suing to require that even ballots postmarked after Nov. 3 or lacking signatures are counted. But why should people who mail their ballots late have their vote counted any more than people who show up at the polls late?
US postal officials have made it clear that voters should mail in ballots seven days prior to Election Day to guarantee delivery. States should make that a legal deadline.
Late ballots threaten to throw the choice of president into newly elected House, which will convene January 3, 2021. Each state delegation would get one vote. Republicans narrowly control a majority of state delegations in the current Congress, but that could change. A House decision is a crap shoot for Biden and Trump. It’s also a moral defeat for the voters, who will have to stand by and watch Washington pols pick the president.
Worse, it will plunge the nation into a leaderless void from early November until early January, a perilous situation.
There’s still time to prevent it by processing mail-in ballots as they’re received and requiring that they’re mailed a week before the election. How hard is that?
Democrats and Never Trumpers who oppose these simple reforms have a different agenda: chaos in the streets, mobs demanding a Biden victory and a president ultimately chosen behind the scenes long after election night.
Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--5 Giants not named Jones or Barkley who need to come up big

They go hand-in-hand — and not just on the snap ...

Daniel Jones must make that second-year leap, and Saquon Barkley needs to stay healthy and be Saquon Barkley. But for this to be a team Giants fans can be proud of again, they will need help.
Here are the five other Giants who must make a difference for Joe Judge, starting Monday night against the Steelers at MetLifeless Stadium.
OLB Lorenzo Carter
The Giants have a problem at cornerback opposite James Bradberry. Corey Ballentine (two career starts) is the starter with Isaac Yiadom behind him. Yiadom (nine career starts) has one interception. Bradberry might fall asleep as his counterpart will be repeatedly targeted.
It means a pass rush is critical, and this needs to be Carter’s time. He has filled out into a 6-foot-5, 255-pounder, and there are no excuses for him not to enjoy a breakout/breakthrough season. Carter registered four sacks as a rookie and 4.5 a year ago. He is a rare athlete who should be motivated enough to be a double-digit sacker. Case closed.
LT Andrew Thomas
The fourth-overall pick of the 2020 draft steps right into the deep end of the pool following Nate Solder’s decision to opt out. Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree emerged last season (11.5 sacks) as a bookend predatory threat opposite T.J. Watt (14.5 sacks), and Thomas’ rookie jitters won’t help Jones’ obsessive mission to cut down on his fumbles. “If you overplay T.J. Watt, you have Bud Dupree on the other edge and he’s just as fierce,” Judge said.
Jets LT Mekhi Becton has drawn rave reviews, but the Giants made Thomas the first tackle off the board in part because of his level of competition at Georgia.
“We are a more veteran team than probably some of the teams around the league and that is to our benefit, especially on the defensive side,” Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told The Ringer. “That group has pretty much played together for at least one year and, in some instances, three, four, five years. So I think there’s benefit there.”
Good luck, kid!
TE Evan Engram
The affable tight end is entering his fourth season and he has played just 19 games over the past two seasons, (89 catches, six TDs). In Jones’ Week 3 debut in Tampa, Engram (eight catches for 113 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown) was instrumental in the Giants’ 32-31 comeback win. In his eight games with Jones and Eli Manning, Engram was targeted 68 times. He looked fast and explosive and completely recovered following offseason foot surgery.
It is time for him to be more than a tantalizing tease. Jones will fearlessly attack down the seam more than Manning, and Engram can take pressure off the rest of the weapons, including Barkley. And at 6-3, he is Jones’ tallest target in the starting lineup.
C Nick Gates
There will be hiccups with Jones’ new, inexperienced center. Gates is 6-5, 307 and the idea is for him and guards Will Hernandez and Kevin Zeitler to be road graders to clear paths for Barkley. In a way, Gates is fortunate to have veteran Spencer Pulley around, and it would behoove him to be the kind of sponge that Jones was with Manning. He has started three NFL games — two at right tackle and one at right guard.
“[The Steelers] defense is very talented, they’re experienced, they play together, they’re tough, they’re opportunistic. They make plays up front and take advantage in the back end on the mistakes you make,” Judge said.
Good luck, kid!
S Jabrill Peppers
GM Dave Gettleman insisted Peppers be included in the Odell Beckham Jr. deal with the Browns following the departure of Landon Collins. Peppers is a pepper pot whose energy, enthusiasm, versatility and leadership earned him a captaincy.
Peppers’ first season as a Giant was cut short (back) after 11 games. At the time, he had registered a team-leading 76 tackles, with three forced fumbles, five PDs and a pick-six. The signing of Logan Ryan will allow defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to deploy Peppers as a Swiss Army knife, possibly as a moneybacker closer to the action, which is right in his wheelhouse. His training camp duels with Engram were iron sharpening iron. A champion Jersey guy from Don Bosco Prep and Paramus Catholic who loves being a Giant.
“[The Steelers are] a tough team from a tough city. They have a blue-collar mentality,” Judge said.
They are the team that Judge wants his Giants to one day be.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Missing 80-year-old hiker crashes press conference on his disappearance

An 80-year old hiker who went missing in England reunited with his family on Tuesday — by crashing a news conference his loved ones planned over his disappearance .
Harry Harvey was split from his hiking partner during a hail storm in Northeast England ’ s Yorkshire Dales on Saturday and officially declared missing the following afternoon .
More than 100 members of the Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team had been searching days for Harvey .
He was feared dead when he was spotted on the trails by a wildlife photographer , who alerted rescuers , CNN reported .
Harvey then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was safe .
He was rushed to the press conference about to start at a country pub called The Tan Hill Inn , where his family was going to ask for help to locate him .
While his family was terrified , Harvey regaled the local media with a survival adventure against “ howling gales and winds ” during a Facebook live post on the pub ’ s page .
“ I had three really good wild camping nights where I was on my own and had all the kit I needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the pub ’ s fire .
“ The only thing I was getting a bit short of was , I ’ ve got a hell of an appetite and when I get hungry I ’ ve got to get something to eat or I can ’ t go on , ” he added .
Harvey had a large bandage on his forehead , which he explained was treating an injury he said he suffered when he fell off a bridge and lost his compass .
Harvey ’ s son , Phil , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grounded ” and would have to take up a safer hobby , like bowling .
Harvey said he regrets causing so much worry among his family “ If I had known there had been all this fuss I would have made my own way home , ” he added .
“ It is not my scene at all to have a fuss .
”

An 80-year old hiker who went missing in England reunited with his family on Tuesday — by crashing a news conference his loved ones planned over his disappearance.
Harry Harvey was split from his hiking partner during a hail storm in Northeast England’s Yorkshire Dales on Saturday and officially declared missing the following afternoon.
More than 100 members of the Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team had been searching days for Harvey. He was feared dead when he was spotted on the trails by a wildlife photographer, who alerted rescuers, CNN reported.
Harvey then called his wife to let her know he was safe. He was rushed to the press conference about to start at a country pub called The Tan Hill Inn, where his family was going to ask for help to locate him.
While his family was terrified, Harvey regaled the local media with a survival adventure against “howling gales and winds” during a Facebook live post on the pub’s page.
“I had three really good wild camping nights where I was on my own and had all the kit I needed,” Hevery said as he sat by the pub’s fire.
“The only thing I was getting a bit short of was, I’ve got a hell of an appetite and when I get hungry I’ve got to get something to eat or I can’t go on,” he added.
Harvey had a large bandage on his forehead, which he explained was treating an injury he said he suffered when he fell off a bridge and lost his compass.
Harvey’s son, Phil, joked that his dad was now “grounded” and would have to take up a safer hobby, like bowling.
“He’s had a blast, we’ve had a nightmare,” Harvey’s daughter-in-law added.
Harvey said he regrets causing so much worry among his family
“If I had known there had been all this fuss I would have made my own way home,” he added. “It is not my scene at all to have a fuss.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--In de Blasio’s New York, Asians just don’t count as a minority

Asian-American small businesses have been hit as hard as any other in the city by the pandemic and the lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ as the wrong one of Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s “ two New Yorks.
@ @ @ @ @ minority-owned biz get no special handouts courtesy of the mayor ’ s “ racial inclusion @ @ @ @ @ ” co-chaired by First Lady Chirlane McCray .
Its focus is on boosting women- , @ @ @ @ @ and awarding them a special chunk of city-government business .
Her recent roundtable on the @ @ @ @ @ for entrepreneurs of color ” didn ’ t even mention the Asian community .
Or @ @ @ @ @ Koo ( D-Flushing ) puts it : “ We are sick and tired of constantly @ @ @ @ @ that we exist.
” In short , it ’ s not just schools Chancellor Richard @ @ @ @ @ consider Asians to be “ white-adjacent ” : This ugly racism is endemic in the @ @ @ @

Asian-American small businesses have been hit as hard as any other in the city by the pandemic and the lockdowns, but they plainly qualify as the wrong one of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “two New Yorks.”
You see, these minority-owned biz get no special handouts courtesy of the mayor’s “racial inclusion and equity task force,” co-chaired by First Lady Chirlane McCray. Its focus is on boosting women-, black- and Latino-owned firms — and awarding them a special chunk of city-government business.
Her recent roundtable on the city’s “support for entrepreneurs of color” didn’t even mention the Asian community.
Or, as City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) puts it: “We are sick and tired of constantly having to remind this administration that we exist.”
In short, it’s not just schools Chancellor Richard Carranza and his minions who consider Asians to be “white-adjacent”: This ugly racism is endemic in the de Blasio administration.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--$1M bond set for NYC doctor accused of abusing Andrew Yang’s wife, dozens of others

The Manhattan OBGYN who was arrested by federal authorities for allegedly sexually abusing dozens of patients pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment Wednesday night as a judge set a $ 1 million bond in the case .
Robert Hadden , who allegedly abused former presidential candidate Andrew Yang ’ s wife , will be subject to home confinement as part of his bail terms , Manhattan federal court judge Robert Lehrburger said .
At the remote arraignment , an alleged victim named Jessica Sell Chambers urged Lehrburger to remand Hadden into custody pending his trial .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many women and he needs to be held accountable for that , ” Chambers said .
“ I think the court needs to ensure he has no chance to flee or hurt himself or anything like that , ” she added .
Prosecutors asked that he be remanded , noting he ’ ll likely spend the majority of his life in prison if convicted and he has a substantial amount of cash to flee the country .
Hadden ’ s attorney argued that he ’ s not a flight risk because he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adult son .
He was arrested in New Jersey Wednesday and charged in an indictment that alleges he abused his victims , including minors , from 1993 until 2012 .
Hadden had previously been arrested and cut a deal with state prosecutors in 2016 , which allowed him to avoid any jail time while agreeing to turn over his medical license and to register as a sex offender .

The Manhattan OBGYN who was arrested by federal authorities for allegedly sexually abusing dozens of patients pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment Wednesday night as a judge set a $1 million bond in the case.
Robert Hadden, who allegedly abused former presidential candidate Andrew Yang’s wife, will be subject to home confinement as part of his bail terms, Manhattan federal court judge Robert Lehrburger said.
At the remote arraignment, an alleged victim named Jessica Sell Chambers urged Lehrburger to remand Hadden into custody pending his trial.
“He has injured many, many, many women and he needs to be held accountable for that,” Chambers said.
“I think the court needs to ensure he has no chance to flee or hurt himself or anything like that,” she added.
Prosecutors asked that he be remanded, noting he’ll likely spend the majority of his life in prison if convicted and he has a substantial amount of cash to flee the country.
Hadden’s attorney argued that he’s not a flight risk because he is the sole caretaker of his severely disabled adult son.
He was arrested in New Jersey Wednesday and charged in an indictment that alleges he abused his victims, including minors, from 1993 until 2012.
Hadden had previously been arrested and cut a deal with state prosecutors in 2016, which allowed him to avoid any jail time while agreeing to turn over his medical license and to register as a sex offender.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Andrew Cuomo going off the rails under the stress of NY’s pandemic woes

When the Liberty Belle set sail around 7:30 pm on ...

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is now in full-on flailing mode, zig-zagging wildly in the wake of New York’s coronavirus horrors.
Sometimes he seizes on common sense — as he finally did Wednesday in announcing that, yes, indoor dining can resume in New York City (though not ’til month’s end). Yet he was ranting at length just the day before about why that reopening couldn’t happen.
And this follows his bizarre, and fully premeditated, claim that “Donald Trump caused the COVID outbreak in New York.” That’s right: “caused.”
This while Cuomo is demanding the moon when it comes to a federal bailout for the state.
For the record, “caused” boils down to the president not banning travel from Europe in time — even though Democrats kept calling those bans extreme back when Trump did it.
Cuomo’s Tuesday tirade also ran to his grudge over the prez’s cap on the federal government’s state and local income-tax deduction (a gripe that, as E.J. McMahon notes, isn’t remotely reality-based) as the gov fumed that Trump “is trying to kill New York City.”
Cuomo even claimed that Trump “admitted” triggering the outbreak, though an aide could show only that some Trump officials said folks initially underestimated COVID’s spread from Europe.
Make no mistake: Cuomo spent hours planning his unhinged harangue — taking the time to prep a series of slides such as the phony headline: “TRUMP TO CITY: DROP DEAD.”
Related Video Gov. Cuomo: Trump 'better have an army' to protect him if he comes to NYC
OK, we get it: He hates being blamed for having ordered nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients, which led to so many deaths in those facilities that he’s now too scared to release the true number. And he has no idea how to handle a state budget gap that was ballooning to the multibillions even before the pandemic and the lockdowns turned the red ink into a deluge to rival Niagara Falls.
So he’s playing to the countless New Yorkers who despise the president by pretending it’s all Trump’s fault. Heck, he’s now saying that if Trump won’t bail him out, he’ll “need” to raise taxes — even after repeatedly noting wealthy taxpayers will then flee. (You were right the first time, Gov.)
Let’s just hope that Cuomo’s indoor-dining turnaround is a sign that he’s found his center again.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Stream It Or Skip It: ‘La Linea: Shadow of Narco’ on Netflix, a Documentary Snapshot of a European S

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘La Linea: Shadow of Narco’ on Netflix, a Documentary Snapshot of a European Smuggling Hotbed

Netflix puts a spotlight on a drug-smuggling hotspot in La Linea : Shadow of Narco , a four-part documentary about one particularly troubled city in Spain .
La Linea de la Concepcion sits in the shadow of the rock of Gibraltar , a natural wonder that serves as a backdrop to countless boats smuggling drugs from Morocco into Europe .
This series digs into the region ’ s social and political conflicts — and offers plenty of hair-raising real-life action by tagging along with officers trying in vain to enforce the law .
LA LINEA : SHADOW OF NARCO : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shot : A tranquil shot of a cove along the Bay of Gibraltar at twilight .
The Gist : Local cops and the civil guard patrol in boats , planes , helicopters and cars in La Linea , hoping to catch drug traffickers as they cross the strait to the Spanish coast .
Embedded camerapeople capture chases , getaways , arrests , gunfire .
Police sit down for interviews wearing bulletproof vests .
They ’ re framed as selfless hero-types intent on busting crooks , but the series takes a quick turn once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juan Franco walks the streets of La Linea .
He doesn ’ t have bodyguards , he says , but he does avoid certain areas of town .
Those areas , we soon learn , are sympathetic to the local Castana drug cartel , which , with loyalists outnumbering the cops , kind of own the town .
Franco profiles the city : 30 kilometers from Morocco , a revolving door on the police chief position , too many citizens lacking proper education , a severe lack of support from the national government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for criminals to exploit .
And boy , do they .
In broad daylight , even .
Kids on wakeboards watch as tobacco-smuggling boats zoom by .
One career smuggler-for-hire , his voice distorted , talks about how he started working the mercenary beat out of necessity — should we mention the educational and financial droughts again ?
— and stayed with it for the adrenaline rush .
Once , cops lucked out , unwittingly arresting a higher-up in the cartel , bringing him to the emergency room for treatment ; 20 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sticks , overran the hospital , overwhelmed two cops on guard and broke the guy out .
Franco says he ’ s not insinuating anything with his commentary , but by saying he ’ s not insinuating , he ’ s actually maybe insinuating that the government turns an indifferent eye to such activity for a reason .
Either way , the cops in La Linea have their work cut out for them .
Our Take : The whack-a-mole game that is the West ’ s war on drugs continues in yet another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Narco Tales , Inside the Real Narcos — the streamer ’ s menus are jammed with narco-centric stuff , and after one episode , it ’ s hard to tell if La Linea will truly stand out .
I can say it stirs up its share of intrigue and drama with and insider take on this sociopolitical conundrum , setting its hook with the terrifying ER fiasco , teasing that La Linea is a hair ’ s breadth from being a lawless Deadwood .
La Linea offers plenty of Cops-style and bodycam footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff — shots are fired , crooks on motorcycles are chased , one cop nearly gets eaten up by an outboard propeller during an arrest on the beach .
It ’ ll be interesting to see if the series is a portrait of noble futility , a subtextual argument for legalization , or if officials can actually put a dent in such rampant lawlessness .
Parting Shot : A cop on duty looks over his shoulder during a particularly dangerous situation .
Sleeper Star : The Gibraltar tourism lobbyists gritting their teeth at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most Pilot-y Line : “ You don ’ t want to kill anyone , but sometimes you get the idea that they don ’ t really care.
” — Ramon , a warrant officer , characterizes how brazen smugglers in the region can be Our Call : STREAM IT .
La Linea : Shadow of Narco offers a solid balance of staged interviews and fly-on-the-wall footage to draw in true-crime obsessives and the occasional passerby .
And at four half-hour episodes , it ’ s not a significant time commitment .
John Serba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based in Grand Rapids , Michigan .
Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter : @ johnserba .

Netflix puts a spotlight on a drug-smuggling hotspot in La Linea: Shadow of Narco, a four-part documentary about one particularly troubled city in Spain. La Linea de la Concepcion sits in the shadow of the rock of Gibraltar, a natural wonder that serves as a backdrop to countless boats smuggling drugs from Morocco into Europe. This series digs into the region’s social and political conflicts — and offers plenty of hair-raising real-life action by tagging along with officers trying in vain to enforce the law.
LA LINEA: SHADOW OF NARCO: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Opening Shot: A tranquil shot of a cove along the Bay of Gibraltar at twilight.
The Gist: Local cops and the civil guard patrol in boats, planes, helicopters and cars in La Linea, hoping to catch drug traffickers as they cross the strait to the Spanish coast. Embedded camerapeople capture chases, getaways, arrests, gunfire. Police sit down for interviews wearing bulletproof vests. They’re framed as selfless hero-types intent on busting crooks, but the series takes a quick turn once the opening credits finally roll.
Mayor Juan Franco walks the streets of La Linea. He doesn’t have bodyguards, he says, but he does avoid certain areas of town. Those areas, we soon learn, are sympathetic to the local Castana drug cartel, which, with loyalists outnumbering the cops, kind of own the town. Franco profiles the city: 30 kilometers from Morocco, a revolving door on the police chief position, too many citizens lacking proper education, a severe lack of support from the national government. It’s the perfect situation for criminals to exploit.
And boy, do they. In broad daylight, even. Kids on wakeboards watch as tobacco-smuggling boats zoom by. One career smuggler-for-hire, his voice distorted, talks about how he started working the mercenary beat out of necessity — should we mention the educational and financial droughts again? — and stayed with it for the adrenaline rush. Once, cops lucked out, unwittingly arresting a higher-up in the cartel, bringing him to the emergency room for treatment; 20 of his men, armed with knives and sticks, overran the hospital, overwhelmed two cops on guard and broke the guy out. Franco says he’s not insinuating anything with his commentary, but by saying he’s not insinuating, he’s actually maybe insinuating that the government turns an indifferent eye to such activity for a reason. Either way, the cops in La Linea have their work cut out for them.
Our Take: The whack-a-mole game that is the West’s war on drugs continues in yet another Netflix true-crime doc. Drug Lords, Narco Tales, Inside the Real Narcos — the streamer’s menus are jammed with narco-centric stuff, and after one episode, it’s hard to tell if La Linea will truly stand out. I can say it stirs up its share of intrigue and drama with and insider take on this sociopolitical conundrum, setting its hook with the terrifying ER fiasco, teasing that La Linea is a hair’s breadth from being a lawless Deadwood.
La Linea offers plenty of Cops-style and bodycam footage of law enforcement officers doing particularly dangerous stuff — shots are fired, crooks on motorcycles are chased, one cop nearly gets eaten up by an outboard propeller during an arrest on the beach. It’ll be interesting to see if the series is a portrait of noble futility, a subtextual argument for legalization, or if officials can actually put a dent in such rampant lawlessness.
Sex and Skin: None.
Parting Shot: A cop on duty looks over his shoulder during a particularly dangerous situation.
Sleeper Star: The Gibraltar tourism lobbyists gritting their teeth at home as the series debuts internationally.
Most Pilot-y Line: “You don’t want to kill anyone, but sometimes you get the idea that they don’t really care.” — Ramon, a warrant officer, characterizes how brazen smugglers in the region can be
Our Call: STREAM IT. La Linea: Shadow of Narco offers a solid balance of staged interviews and fly-on-the-wall footage to draw in true-crime obsessives and the occasional passerby. And at four half-hour episodes, it’s not a significant time commitment.
John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter: @johnserba.
Watch La Linea: Shadow of Narco on Netflix


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--The ugly privilege of rich white ‘protesters’

The FBI said a trio of protesters were charged with ...

Boy, are they awfully . . . pale for members of the “New Afrikan Black Panther Party”: We’re talking, of course, of the eight “comrades” arrested last week for rioting at a demo planned by the NABPP and its allied “Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement.”
Not just white, but, in several examples, highly privileged: Clara Kraebber, 20, is a wealthy Upper East Sider (with a second home in posh Litchfield County, Conn.) whose mom is an architect and dad a child psychiatrist who teaches at Columbia.
Elliot Rucka, 20, of Portland, Ore., is the son of a famed comic-book writer and best-selling author. Claire Severine, 27, seems to be a signed model and actress who has lived in Canada and Ireland. Etkar Surette, 27, summered in Austria as a child. Frank Fuhrmeister, 30, is a freelance art director who’s done work for Pepsi, Samsung and Glenlivet.
We’re not sure even the late satirist Tom Wolfe could top these portraits of poor little white kids trashing regular folks’ workplaces in the name of social justice.
“Every city, every town, burn the precinct to the ground!” the group chanted as it moved up Lafayette Street on Friday, smashing windows and racking up what police say is at least $100,000 in damages during a three-hour rampage.
It sure looks like these young people are just getting high by smashing stuff in the name of a good cause — relishing both the violence and a smug “moral superiority.”
They are cosplay revolutionaries, undermining the very movements they claim to represent.
Vandalism isn’t going to get new laws passed; it’s not going to “tear down the system,” either.
What it will do is win a lot more support for President Trump than for policing reform. Indeed, their comrades, who’ve kept the tragic farce going all these weeks in Portand, might as well be the Antifa Committee To Re-Elect the President.
In this, we’re on the same page as those marching: Rich white kids, quit your privileged posturing and grow the hell up.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--‘Caddyshack’ star Michael O’Keefe will caddie at 2020 US Open

Volunteers looking to work at the upcoming US Open Championship ...

Danny Noonan is going to caddie at the US Open next week.
Well, kind of.
Michael O’Keefe — the actor who played Danny Noonan, the young, impressionable caddie in “Caddyshack’’ — will carry a bag on Monday and Tuesday in practice rounds at the US Open, The Post has learned.
He won’t be on the bag for Ty Webb — aka Chevy Chase. Danny Balin will have to do.
And it won’t be at Bushwood Country Club. Winged Foot will have to do.
Danny will be caddying for Danny — Danny Balin, a 17-year Westchester resident who’s the head pro at Fresh Meadow Country Club on Long Island.
“Whenever I would meet someone and say, ‘I’m Danny,’ they’d go, ‘Danny, do you do drugs?’ ’’ Balin told The Post on Wednesday, mimicking one of the most iconic lines in the movie.
So, Danny Noonan, on the 40th anniversary of “Caddyshack,’’ has a loop at the US Open. Wouldn’t Judge Smails be proud?
The whole thing began when O’Keefe, now 65 and living in Ulster County, penned a tongue-in-cheek piece for golf.com soliciting any player playing in the US Open to hire him to caddie.
O’Keefe, who grew up in Larchmont, caddied at Winged Foot in 1971 and 1972, right before he went west to pursue his acting career. His brother Bill has been a longtime Winged Foot member and is a past president of the club.
“I thought, ‘What if there’s a golfer out there who’s willing to give me a shot to carry their bag?’ ’’ O’Keefe told The Post. “It’s not like I’m going to mess anybody up. I do know the course. It could be fun.’’
O’Keefe’s initial motivation in trying to land a loop was to be able to initiate a donation fund for caddie relief to aid the caddies who were out of work during the pandemic.
When asked how realistic he thought his chances were of getting a bag for the Open, O’Keefe said, “I think it’s absolutely as big a long shot as Carl Spackler winning the Masters,’’ referring to the Bill Murray character who was the mentally unstable groundskeeper in the movie.
Well, next week, O’Keefe will be on the grounds with a golf bag over his shoulder, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy.
“In my opinion, Michael O’Keefe is not going to be able to carry a staff bag around Winged Foot,’’ Balin said with a laugh.
Asked if he plans to bring a lighter carry bag for O’Keefe next week, Balin said, “No, he’ll be carrying the full tour bag. I’m going to put him to work.’’
Balin said he DVRed “Caddyshack’’ on Tuesday night even though he estimated he’s watched the movie “15 or 20 times.’’
“I’m going to have to watch it to get the one-liners down so I can give it to him,’’ Balin said. “Because I’m going to be all over him during this whole … stunt.’’
Michael Breed, the former Golf Channel instructional personality who now teaches at Trump Ferry Point, was the middleman in this transaction, reaching out to Balin, his fellow Met Area pro, and pitching the idea of O’Keefe caddying for him.
“I try to take this somewhat serious, so I would never do this during a tournament round,’’ Balin said. “But I was like, ‘Yeah, this will be cool. Danny Noonan. Monday and Tuesday.’ It’ll be a fun couple of days. It’ll lighten the mood up.’’
The USGA plans to have some fun with this, making it a social media event on its platforms.
O’Keefe revealed that he didn’t even play golf as a kid, that he “lied at the ‘Caddyshack’ audition when they asked if I could play and I said, ‘Yeah.’ ’’
As soon as he got the gig, O’Keefe said, he went back to Winged Foot and, with the help of then-head pro Tom Nieporte, got lessons “so when I got there [to film the movie], I at least had something that resembled a golf swing.’’
Now he comes full circle, minus the powerhouse movie cast.
“I was lucky to be in the same movie with Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight, because those guys are comic legends,’’ he said. “They were just geniuses and they were at the height of their power — all four of them. Anybody can see that all I did was just grab onto their coattails and hang on.’’
O’Keefe, though, has gone on to have an accomplished acting career, which continues today — despite the fact that he’ll forever be known as Danny Noonan.
“Actors are always pigeonholed, and I didn’t ever have a grudge about it,’’ he said. “But there was a part of me that was like, ‘Man, I wish somebody would know me for the other work that I’ve done, too.’ ’’
The world, after all, needs ditchdiggers, too.


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--‘Raised By Wolves’ Creator Explains Why That Episode 5 Torture Device is Even Crazier Than It Looks

Raised By Wolves Episodes 4 and 5 premiered on HBO Max this morning proving the wildest show on streaming could get weirder .
In Raised By Wolves Episode 4 “ Nature ’ s Course , ” Travis Fimmel ‘ s Marcus undergoes a literal trial by fire thanks to a ( possibly divine ) hot cube in the desert ?
!
?
And early on in Raised By Wolves Episode 5 “ Infected Memory ” we learn how exactly the Mithraic Church doles out punishment when the Mithraics stumble upon that creepy cleric who knocked up Tempest ( Jordan Loughran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ darkly hilarious and according to Raised By Wolves creator Aaron Guzikowski , way more meaningful than it looks at first glance .
As Raised By Wolves viewers already know , the fictional Mithraic Church made the journey to the distant world of Kepler-22b aboard a massive ark .
Church members spent the 13-year-long journey in hibernation with their minds hooked up to a digital interface .
An unnamed Heliodromus — the second-highest title the Mithraic give — woke himself up early to sexually assault women still in hibernation .
When his offense was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , he managed to survive Mother ’ s ( Amanda Collin ) bloody ambush on the ark .
So when the last remaining Mithraic find him , he is not only still alive , but wearing a very unique torture device .
He ’ s wearing a “ buckethead ” helmet that will crush his skull if he tries to escape custody before his execution .
The helmet is also tied to an android nicknamed Leash .
As it ’ s explained to Marcus in Episode 5 : “ Temper with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s head .
Mess with the android ’ s programming , it crushes the man ’ s head .
Drag the prisoner out of range of the android… ” The helmet not only performs this ghoulish act , but it also looks…ridiculous .
If anything the torture device reminds one of the same helmet worn by the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail .
But Aaron Guzikowski explained the method behind the helmet ’ s madness .
“ I think a lot of it was just the function of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no , you can ’ t see out of this thing .
It ’ s all about just being locked in darkness .
You ’ re forced to see the world as this shadowy , ugly thing .
Their religion ’ s all about light , and then inside the helmet , you only see shadow , ” Guzikowski said , before owning up to its Monty Python vibe .
“ The look of it , yeah .
There is a little bit of the Black Knight , for sure .
Absolutely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it just looks like something you wouldn ’ t want to have to wear .
I think that ’ s the most important thing.
” Guzikowski also wouldn ’ t confirm to Decider whether or not the helmet will eventually come off .
“ Well , we ’ ll see !
We ’ ll see.
” Raised By Wolves Episodes 6 & 7 premiere on HBO Max on Thursday , September 17th .
Where to stream Raised by Wolves ( 2020 )

Raised By Wolves Episodes 4 and 5 premiered on HBO Max this morning proving the wildest show on streaming could get weirder. In Raised By Wolves Episode 4 “Nature’s Course,” Travis Fimmel‘s Marcus undergoes a literal trial by fire thanks to a (possibly divine) hot cube in the desert?!? And early on in Raised By Wolves Episode 5 “Infected Memory” we learn how exactly the Mithraic Church doles out punishment when the Mithraics stumble upon that creepy cleric who knocked up Tempest (Jordan Loughran). It’s weird and darkly hilarious and according to Raised By Wolves creator Aaron Guzikowski, way more meaningful than it looks at first glance.
As Raised By Wolves viewers already know, the fictional Mithraic Church made the journey to the distant world of Kepler-22b aboard a massive ark. Church members spent the 13-year-long journey in hibernation with their minds hooked up to a digital interface. An unnamed Heliodromus — the second-highest title the Mithraic give — woke himself up early to sexually assault women still in hibernation. When his offense was discovered, he was sentenced to death. However, he managed to survive Mother’s (Amanda Collin) bloody ambush on the ark. So when the last remaining Mithraic find him, he is not only still alive, but wearing a very unique torture device.
He’s wearing a “buckethead” helmet that will crush his skull if he tries to escape custody before his execution. The helmet is also tied to an android nicknamed Leash. As it’s explained to Marcus in Episode 5:
“Temper with the helmet, it crushes the man’s head. Mess with the android’s programming, it crushes the man’s head. Drag the prisoner out of range of the android…”
“Could it be,” Marcus interrupts, “it crushes the man’s head?”
The helmet not only performs this ghoulish act, but it also looks…ridiculous. If anything the torture device reminds one of the same helmet worn by the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But Aaron Guzikowski explained the method behind the helmet’s madness.
“I think a lot of it was just the function of it had to be that there are no, you can’t see out of this thing. It’s all about just being locked in darkness. You’re forced to see the world as this shadowy, ugly thing. Their religion’s all about light, and then inside the helmet, you only see shadow,” Guzikowski said, before owning up to its Monty Python vibe.
“The look of it, yeah. There is a little bit of the Black Knight, for sure. Absolutely,” he said. “But yeah, it just looks like something you wouldn’t want to have to wear. I think that’s the most important thing.”
Guzikowski also wouldn’t confirm to Decider whether or not the helmet will eventually come off. “Well, we’ll see! We’ll see.”
Raised By Wolves Episodes 6 & 7 premiere on HBO Max on Thursday, September 17th.
Where to stream Raised by Wolves (2020)


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--‘The 100′ fans slam show as ‘worse than Game of Thrones’ after fan fave killed

Fans are keeping it “ The 100 ” on Twitter — and they are pissed that their favorite character just dropped dead .
The shocking latest episode of The CW ’ s hit sci-fi series aired Wednesday — and outraged viewers are already taking to social media to slam the show creators for killing off a beloved character .
Spoiler alert : In the brutal episode titled “ Blood Giant , ” Clarke ( Eliza Taylor ) shockingly turned against Bellamy ( Bob Morley ) — pumping a fatal bullet into his chest .
The two characters were among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a few episodes earlier , viewers watched Clarke break down after she thought Bellamy had been killed in an explosion .
Fast-forward to Season 7 ’ s latest episode : Clarke decided to murder Bellamy because he appeared bound to surrender the sketchbook that proved her adopted daughter , Madi ( Lola Flanery ) , possessed pieces of the Flame in her mind .
If the sketchbook landed in the hands of diabolical cult leader Cadogan ( John Pyper-Ferguson ) — Madi would be in grave danger .
Fans are revolting not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that he was killed by the trigger-finger of his faithful companion .
( BTW : Morley and Taylor confirmed in June 2019 that that were secretly married in real-life . )
Showrunner Jason Rothenberg attempted to defend his decision to kill off Bellamy via Twitter .
With some fans still apparently experiencing denial , he also confirmed that this is no stunt — Morley ’ s character was in fact deceased .
“ For 7 seasons , The 100 has been a show about the dark things that humanity will do to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on our heroes ’ souls , ” he tweeted Wednesday night .
“ We knew Bellamy ’ s death had to go to the heart of what the show is all about : Survival .
Who you ’ re willing to protect .
And who you ’ re willing to sacrifice , ” Rothenberg continued .
“ His loss is devastating , but his life and his endless love for his people will loom large and affect everything that comes after , to the very end of the series finale itself.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading man : “ We thank Bob for his beautiful work over these long years and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
” His explanation did little to comfort fans who quickly declared the deadly plot-twist as worse than the much-lambasted final season of HBO ’ s “ Game of Thrones.
” One Twitter user sniped : “ I am beyond disappointed , infuriated , dismayed and dejected .
bellamy blake doesn ’ t deserve this .
such an awful writing and undeniably the worst ending for a season finale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history along with game of thrones.
” Another former fan rage-tweeted : “ If bellamy ’ s death was SUCH an important part of the show , make it a sacrifice .
let him die a hero .
or at LEAST let him be on good terms with the people he loves .
what was the reason jason WHAT WAS THE REASON.
” Another angry fan chimed in : “ THE MOST RIDICULOUS CHOICE A TV SHOW HAS EVER MADE.
” Finally , one disappointed fan of “ The 100 ” summed it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waste of character .
Can you imagine building up a character for 7 seasons just to flush all their development in the toilet and then kill them off , for a reason that ultimately amounts to nothing .
”

Fans are keeping it “The 100” on Twitter — and they are pissed that their favorite character just dropped dead.
The shocking latest episode of The CW’s hit sci-fi series aired Wednesday — and outraged viewers are already taking to social media to slam the show’s creators for killing off a beloved character.
Spoiler alert: In the brutal episode titled “Blood Giant,” Clarke (Eliza Taylor) shockingly turned against Bellamy (Bob Morley) — pumping a fatal bullet into his chest. The two characters were among the most emotionally connected in the series, and just a few episodes earlier, viewers watched Clarke break down after she thought Bellamy had been killed in an explosion.
Fast-forward to Season 7’s latest episode: Clarke decided to murder Bellamy because he appeared bound to surrender the sketchbook that proved her adopted daughter, Madi (Lola Flanery), possessed pieces of the Flame in her mind.
If the sketchbook landed in the hands of diabolical cult leader Cadogan (John Pyper-Ferguson) — Madi would be in grave danger.
Fans are revolting not only because a beloved character died — but that he was killed by the trigger-finger of his faithful companion. (BTW: Morley and Taylor confirmed in June 2019 that they were secretly married in real life.)
Showrunner Jason Rothenberg attempted to defend his decision to kill off Bellamy via Twitter. With some fans still apparently experiencing denial, he also confirmed that this is no stunt — Morley’s character was, in fact, deceased.
“For 7 seasons, The 100 has been a show about the dark things that humanity will do to survive and the toll those deeds take on our heroes’ souls,” he tweeted Wednesday night.
“We knew Bellamy’s death had to go to the heart of what the show is all about: Survival. Who you’re willing to protect. And who you’re willing to sacrifice,” Rothenberg continued. “His loss is devastating, but his life and his endless love for his people will loom large and affect everything that comes after, to the very end of the series finale itself.”
He signed off with praise for his former leading man: “We thank Bob for his beautiful work over these long years and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
His explanation did little to comfort fans who quickly declared the deadly plot twist to be worse than the much lambasted final season of HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”
One Twitter user sniped: “I am beyond disappointed, infuriated, dismayed and dejected. bellamy blake doesn’t deserve this. such an awful writing and undeniably the worst ending for a season finale that will go down into the television history along with game of thrones.”
Another former fan rage-tweeted: “If bellamy’s death was SUCH an important part of the show, make it a sacrifice. let him die a hero. or at LEAST let him be on good terms with the people he loves. what was the reason jason WHAT WAS THE REASON.”
Another angry fan chimed in: “THE MOST RIDICULOUS CHOICE A TV SHOW HAS EVER MADE.”
Finally, one disappointed fan of “The 100” summed it up like this: “What a waste of character. Can you imagine building up a character for 7 seasons just to flush all their development in the toilet and then kill them off, for a reason that ultimately amounts to nothing.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--Rochester officials say police union head saw Daniel Prude video in April

Rochester officials have accused the head of the city officers ’ union of lying about when he received bodycam video of the fatal arrest of Daniel Prude , according to a report .
Police Locust Club President Mike Mazzeo said during a press conference last week that he first saw the footage when it surfaced publicly just two days earlier , according to WROC-TV .
But city officials said the union chief was included in an email chain in April that contained the footage of Prude , 41 , who was confronted by police on March 23 while he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after cops placed a “ spit hood ” over his head and pushed him to the ground .
The Rochester Police Locust Club did not respond to a request for comment from the news outlet .
Meanwhile , Mazzeo on Wednesday called for Mayor Lovely Warren to resign .
“ The safety of the community can not be carried out with Mayor Warren in office , ” he said at a press conference .
The mayor , in turn , called for the union leader to step down .
“ For 30 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are cops like Mike Mazzeo that watch the video of Daniel Prude ’ s death and see nothing wrong , ” she said , according to WROC .
“ Who believe there is nothing wrong with driving Mr. Prude ’ s head into the street .
Who believe there is nothing wrong with other officers standing by , joking and failing to intervene while Mr. Prude is dying .
Who think its fine to just casually ignore him as he takes his last breath , and then callously and falsely inform his brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harmed , ” she contined .
“ Mike Mazzeo and his ilk exist only to protect and serve themselves , and certainly not the people of the City of Rochester , ” Warren added .
“ It is time for Mike Mazzeo to resign , because his archaic ways of policing are no longer wanted in the City of Rochester.
” On Tuesday , the city police force ’ s “ entire command staff ” — including Chief La ’ Ron Singletary — announced their retirement amid continuing protests over the death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an investigation into their roles the death , which has been ruled a homicide after an autopsy report said Prude ’ s cause of death includes “ complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint .
”

Rochester officials have accused the head of the city officers’ union of lying about when he received bodycam video of the fatal arrest of Daniel Prude, according to a report.
Police Locust Club president Mike Mazzeo said during a press conference last week that he first saw the footage when it surfaced publicly just two days earlier, according to WROC-TV.
But city officials said the union chief was included in an email chain in April that contained the footage of Prude, 41, who was confronted by police March 23 while he was naked and in distress.
Prude suffocated after cops placed a “spit hood” over his head and pushed him to the ground.
The Rochester Police Locust Club did not respond to a request for comment from the news outlet.
Meanwhile, Mazzeo on Wednesday called for Mayor Lovely Warren to resign.
“The safety of the community cannot be carried out with Mayor Warren in office,” he said at a press conference.
The mayor, in turn, called for the union leader to step down.
“For 30 years, the problem with policing in Rochester are cops like Mike Mazzeo that watch the video of Daniel Prude’s death and see nothing wrong,” she said, according to WROC.
“Who believe there is nothing wrong with driving Mr. Prude’s head into the street. Who believe there is nothing wrong with other officers standing by, joking and failing to intervene while Mr. Prude is dying. Who think it’s fine to just casually ignore him as he takes his last breath, and then callously and falsely inform his brother who begged for him not to be harmed,” she contined.
“Mike Mazzeo and his ilk exist only to protect and serve themselves, and certainly not the people of the City of Rochester,” Warren added. “It is time for Mike Mazzeo to resign, because his archaic ways of policing are no longer wanted in the City of Rochester.”
On Tuesday, the city police force’s “entire command staff” — including Chief La’Ron Singletary — announced their retirement amid continuing protests over the death.
The mayor has suspended seven cops pending an investigation into their roles in the death, which has been ruled a homicide after an autopsy report said Prude’s cause of death includes “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--8,000 cargo planes are needed to distribute COVID-19 vaccine, group says

Roughly 8,000 jumbo jets could be needed to distribute coronavirus vaccines around the globe — a massive logistical challenge that will require careful planning from governments worldwide , an airline trade group warns .
The staggering estimate is how many 747 cargo planes it would take to carry just a single dose of a COVID-19 inoculation for each of the world ’ s 7.8 billion people , the International Air Transport Association said Wednesday , calling the task of delivering the vaccines “ the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry.
” While some of the shots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that airlines are running on “ diminished ” capacity because they have parked planes and cut back flight networks as the pandemic depressed demand for air travel .
“ Even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land , the air cargo industry will still face its largest single transport challenge ever , ” Alexandre de Juniac , the group ’ s director general and CEO , said in a statement .
The association urged government officials to begin planning with the industry now so they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are approved .
Some 180 potential COVID-19 vaccines are in the works , including 35 that are in various stages of clinical trials , according to the World Health Organization .
In addition to a potentially huge number of planes , distribution will require temperature-controlled facilities and equipment to preserve the vaccines while they ’ re in transit along with staffers to handle them and security arrangements to make sure they aren ’ t stolen or tampered with , the group said .
Government officials should also cut red tape to help international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to IATA .
The association recommended fast-tracking overflight and landing permits for operations carrying a coronavirus vaccine and exempting flight crews from quarantine requirements , among other measures .
“ We urge governments to take the lead in facilitating cooperation across the logistics chain so that the facilities , security arrangements and border processes are ready for the mammoth and complex task ahead , ” de Juniac said .

Roughly 8,000 jumbo jets could be needed to distribute coronavirus vaccines around the globe — a massive logistical challenge that will require careful planning from governments worldwide, an airline trade group warns.
The staggering estimate is how many 747 cargo planes it would take to carry just a single dose of a COVID-19 inoculation for each of the world’s 7.8 billion people, the International Air Transport Association said Wednesday, calling the task of delivering the vaccines “the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry.”
While some of the shots will be moved over land, IATA noted that airlines are running on “diminished” capacity because they have parked planes and cut back flight networks as the pandemic depressed demand for air travel.
“Even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still face its largest single transport challenge ever,” Alexandre de Juniac, the group’s director general and CEO, said in a statement.
The association urged government officials to begin planning with the industry now so they can be ready to distribute vaccines whenever they are approved. Some 180 potential COVID-19 vaccines are in the works, including 35 that are in various stages of clinical trials, according to the World Health Organization.
In addition to a potentially huge number of planes, distribution will require temperature-controlled facilities and equipment to preserve the vaccines while they’re in transit along with staffers to handle them and security arrangements to make sure they aren’t stolen or tampered with, the group said.
Government officials should also cut red tape to help international shipments get through borders quickly, according to IATA. The association recommended fast-tracking overflight and landing permits for operations carrying a coronavirus vaccine and exempting flight crews from quarantine requirements, among other measures.
“We urge governments to take the lead in facilitating cooperation across the logistics chain so that the facilities, security arrangements and border processes are ready for the mammoth and complex task ahead,” de Juniac said.


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--‘Hammer House Of Horror’ At 40: All The Show’s Best Episodes, Ranked

In 1980 , the Hammer Horror brand was on the decline .
The legendary film studio , best known for a string of monster films that included Christopher Lee ’ s Dracula , Peter Cushing ’ s Doctor Frankenstein , and much more , had faded away due to financial decline , and it seemed the glory days of a game-changing movie studio were firmly in the past .
But as it so often did , Hammer proved that it could claw its way back from the grave , this time by embracing the storytelling power of television .
Created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts for Hammer on the television front , Hammer House of Horror was devised as a way to tell contemporary stories with a classic Hammer feel .
Though the period costumes and elaborate castle sets were gone , the blood , sex , and humor Hammer fans had grown to love would still very much be present , and while Dracula wouldn ’ t be stalking the series , House of Horror would provide a home to a number of other monsters ranging from witches and werewolves to serial killers and sinister cults @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-remembered as the monster films from the studio ’ s glory days , 40 years after its debut Hammer House of Horror still stands as a testament to Hammer ’ s versatility , scrappy determination , and willingness to go all-out for a good horror yarn .
To celebrate four decades since the anthology ’ s premiere , we revisited every episode ( all available on Amazon Prime ) and ranked them according to the highly scientific Cushing Scale , named for Hammer ’ s greatest legend , Peter Cushing .

In 1980, the Hammer Horror brand was on the decline. The legendary film studio, best known for a string of monster films that included Christopher Lee’s Dracula, Peter Cushing’s Doctor Frankenstein, and much more, had faded away due to financial decline, and it seemed the glory days of a game-changing movie studio were firmly in the past. But as it so often did, Hammer proved that it could claw its way back from the grave, this time by embracing the storytelling power of television.
Created by Roy Skeggs after years of false starts for Hammer on the television front, Hammer House of Horror was devised as a way to tell contemporary stories with a classic Hammer feel. Though the period costumes and elaborate castle sets were gone, the blood, sex, and humor Hammer fans had grown to love would still very much be present, and while Dracula wouldn’t be stalking the series, House of Horror would provide a home to a number of other monsters ranging from witches and werewolves to serial killers and sinister cults.
While it is perhaps not as well-remembered as the monster films from the studio’s glory days, 40 years after its debut Hammer House of Horror still stands as a testament to Hammer’s versatility, scrappy determination, and willingness to go all-out for a good horror yarn. To celebrate four decades since the anthology’s premiere, we revisited every episode (all available on Amazon Prime) and ranked them according to the highly scientific Cushing Scale, named for Hammer’s greatest legend, Peter Cushing.
13 "Visitor from the Grave" (Episode 11) Several Hammer House of Horror episodes follow the “person is driven mad by events they can’t explain or control” formula, but “Visitor from the Grave” is by far the most unpleasant. The story of a woman (Kathryn Leigh Scott) who kills an attacker in her house and then seems to see his shambling corpse all around her, it’s meant to build to a kind of ironic humorous twist, but ultimately just manifests as a bunch of people being inexplicably and often gratingly nasty to a woman in distress. The humor doesn’t land, and the horror is mean-spirited. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "Visitor From The Grave" on Amazon Prime Video
12 "Growing Pains" (Episode 4) Creepy kids are very often a winning formula in horror, and they work well in at least one other Hammer House of Horror episode, as we’ll soon see. “Growing Pains,” though, is a case of both too much going on in a single episode, and not enough simple horror pleasure to be found in the core concept. The episode follows a married couple who adopt a young boy after the death of their son, and the boy’s detached and peculiar demeanor soon leads to strange happenings around the house. It feels like something that should work better than it actually does. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "Growing Pains" on Amazon Prime Video
11 "The Mark of Satan" (Episode 13) Here we have a case of an amazing episode title attached to a subpar episode that never seems to rise to the potential of its premise. The story follows a mortuary worker who finds that the number nine seems to be recurring in his daily existence so often that it suggests a dark pattern. His growing obsession with the number soon points toward a dark conspiracy, and while Peter McEnery does a convincing job in the lead role, the actual horror of it all comes too little too late. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "The Mark Of Satan" on Amazon Prime Video
10 "Charlie Boy" (Episode 6) Several different cursed objects make their way into Hammer House of Horror at various points, but only Charlie Boy gets to be the star of his own episode. The title refers to an African fetish similar to a voodoo doll, which a couple picks up after the mysterious death of a family member who was the fetish’s previous owner. Throw in a little mystery, a little familial resentment over money, and the next thing you know more people start mysteriously dying, all with a connection to Charlie Boy. You can probably see where this whole thing is going right up to the final ironic twist. That doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining, but it also means the entertainment only takes you so far. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "Charlie Boy" on Amazon Prime Video
9 "The Thirteenth Reunion" (Episode 2) The contemporary setting of Hammer House of Horror meant the legendary studio could aim its darkly comic horror eye at all sorts of things, and in the case of “The Thirteenth Reunion,” the target was diet fads and health farms. The story follows a reporter (Julia Foster) desperate for more substantive work, who decides to check out an intensive new weight loss method and finds herself suddenly roped into a dark secret that builds to one of several ghoulishly humorous twist endings in the series. The ending itself is rather effective, but the time it takes to build to it makes the payoff feel a little wanting. It’s the kind of episode that feels like it could use a few more minutes just to twist the knife. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "The Thirteenth Reunion" on Amazon Prime
8 "Rude Awakening" (Episode 3) Hammer Horror is deservedly famous for being a place where distinguished English actors could get absolutely bonkers with fun genre stories, and “Rude Awakening” might actually be the best example of that in all of Hammer House of Horror. The episode stars the great Denholm Elliott as a realtor who struggles to maintain a grip on his sanity as he goes through a series of strange dreams involving a house in the country, his secretary and mistress in a state of constant evolution, and voices insisting that he’s killed his wife. The story itself is more interested in strange twists than an actual narrative arc, but Elliott’s wild performance makes the whole thing worth it. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "Rude Awakening" on Amazon Prime Video
7 "The Two Faces of Evil" (Episode 12) One of the more successful instances of horror invading simple English family life in the series, “The Two Faces of Evil” follows a married couple and their son as their holiday is interrupted by a mysterious hitchhiker who causes their car to crash. After the accident, the mother (Anna Calder-Marshall) grows increasingly convinced that something is very wrong with her husband, and it turns out she’s absolutely right. Featuring a convincing lead performance, some truly gruesome flashback sequences, and a climactic sequence that’s terrifying in its simplicity, this episode is a solid example of how the Hammer dynamic could translate to a story we might not have seen Hammer attempt in its feature film heyday. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "The Two Faces of Evil" on Amazon Prime Video
6 "Children of the Full Moon" (Episode 8) As the title suggests, this is the werewolf installment of Hammer House of Horror, and though it takes a while to rev up, it does prove to be a fairly satisfying monster story. Yet another example of horrific events colliding with modern British life, the episode follows a couple who find their car breaking down near a mysterious country house, where a kindly woman looks after a large brood of friendly but strange children. You can probably guess their secret just from the title (and the rather effective cold open) but that doesn’t stop the episode from exploding into an effective lycanthropic nightmare by the time it’s all through. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "Children Of The Full Moon" on Amazon Prime Video
5 "Carpathian Eagle" (Episode 9) Women who are as beautiful as they are deadly are a time-honored part of Hammer Horror tradition, and that tradition gets a modern spin with “Carpathian Eagle,” an episode that serves as a worthy companion to films like Countess Dracula. Though it’s ostensibly the story of a police detective (Anthony Valentine) investigating a series of strange murders, the real stars of the episode are the women behind the deaths, including a scene-stealing turn from Siân Phillips as an old woman shedding light on her family’s dark past. It’s a merging of a lot of different Hammer hallmarks into one very entertaining episode. Plus, be on the lookout for a young Pierce Brosnan. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "Carpathian Eagle" on Amazon Prime Video
4 "Witching Time" (Episode 1) The Hammer House of Horror approach was always a blend of classic Hammer period horror fun with more modern stories, so it’s fitting that the very first episode of the series involves a literal time warp. Patricia Quinn stars as a witch who manages to magick her way out of being executed in the Middle Ages, only to end up in the same place in the present day, where a lonely composer (Jon Finch) falls prey to her charms. It’s basically the story of a Hammer cinema character from the 1970s walking out of one of those films and into the 1980s, with everything that entails, and Quinn is plainly having a blast as the series’ lead-off villain. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "Witching Time" on Amazon Prime
3 "Guardian of the Abyss" (Episode 10) My personal favorite Hammer horror film is The Devil Rides Out, which deals with Satanic rituals and occult pandemonium in full Technicolor glory, so I must admit a certain partiality when it comes to the cult episode of Hammer House of Horror. That said, “Guardian of the Abyss,” the story of various parties vying for control of an antique scrying glass that just might be a doorway to a demonic presence, is one of the most classically Hammer tales in the whole series. It’s just a fun, creepy, straight-ahead occult horror story in the grand Hammer tradition, even if it does drag slightly in places. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "Guardian of the Abyss" on Amazon Prime Video
2 "The House That Bled to Death" (Episode 5) Perhaps the most famous episode in Hammer House of Horror, thanks to its delightfully over-the-top centerpiece scene, is also one of its very best. “The House That Bled to Death” follows the classic “family buys a house with a dark past because it’s cheap” formula, then twists it in wonderfully ironic ways that fit the darkly comic aesthetic of some of the best Hammer stories. What starts as a seemingly straightforward haunted house narrative soon morphs into something much more impish and playful, and while the scene that gives the episode its name might be the most effective gore moment in the whole series, what comes after is arguably even more fun. CUSHING SCALE SCORE: Watch "The House That Bled To Death" on Amazon Prime Video


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--Jets preview: How far chip on shoulder can carry this anonymous crew

We can all agree on this one , right ?
2020 has ...

The Jets enter the 2020 season with fewer stars than a cloudy night.
Jamal Adams is in Seattle. C.J. Mosley has opted out of the season. Sam Darnold may become a star, but he is not there yet. Le’Veon Bell is trying to prove he still can be a star. But overall, the Jets’ roster is filled with players without much on their résumés.
The Jets will argue that this starless team has something to prove. They believe they are a tight-knit group that can overcome the lack of big names by playing team football. The skeptic will look at their roster and sees holes all over the field.
That is the challenge that awaits Adam Gase as he enters his second season as Jets head coach. He guided the team to a 7-9 record last year that included a 6-2 finish. Gase hopes the Jets can build off of that finish and make a push for the playoffs, a place the franchise has not been in 10 years.
General manager Joe Douglas spent his first full offseason with the team reshaping the offensive line. Douglas did not throw big money at any one player, instead choosing to spread it around on mid-level players. One of the big questions about this season is whether it will work.
Darnold is counting on Douglas’ formula being successful. The 23-year-old is now in his third season with the Jets. The No. 3-overall pick in the 2018 draft has had some good moments in his NFL career and some moments he’d like to forget. The jury remains out on whether Darnold can be the team’s franchise quarterback for the next decade and beyond. We should have more clues by the end of this season.
Defensively, Gregg Williams will be asked to work his magic again. The Jets traded away their best player in Adams. They got a massive haul in return, but that won’t help this season. Mosley then walked away, leaving Williams without his top two defensive players. There are questions at cornerback and the Jets still don’t have an elite pass rusher. It will be up to Williams to get the most out of this group.
The AFC East is without Tom Brady for the first time in two decades. Can the Jets take advantage of it? Can they have a winning record for the first time since 2015? The answers will soon be clear.
Offense
It can’t be any worse, right?
The Jets had the 32nd-ranked offense in the NFL last season. For those of you scoring at home, there are only 32 teams in the NFL. Nothing worked well for Adam Gase in Year 1. Injuries and ineffective play bogged down the offensive line and it took a solid half a season for the team to gain its footing.
They swear this year will be different. Sam Darnold is in Year 2 with Gase and they have said he is processing things quicker and ready to take the next step. The first key for Darnold will be staying healthy. He has missed three games in each of his first two seasons. If Darnold can stay on the field for 16 games, that will be good news for the Jets, who are 0-6 without him.
Darnold settled down in the middle of last season after he and Gase got a better feel for each other. Theoretically, they should be way past that at the start of this season. Darnold had 19 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions last year. If he can get those touchdowns up to 25 and the interceptions below 10, that would be major progress.
Le’Veon Bell is back for his second, and possibly last, season with the Jets. Bell reported to training camp in tremendous shape after averaging 3.2 yards per carry last year. There has been lots of positive talk about Bell’s prospects this season, but we’ll see if he can actually deliver. He is joined in the backfield by veteran Frank Gore and rookie La’Mical Perine, who had a strong training camp.
The Jets were decimated by injuries at wide receiver in training camp and it could take a while for them to develop chemistry with Darnold. Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims are the projected starters on the outside with Jamison Crowder, last year’s leading receiver, in the slot.
Tight end Chris Herndon is back after missing almost all of last season. He and Darnold showed a strong rapport in camp and he looks primed for a big year if he can stay healthy.
Douglas’ remade line begins with gigantic left tackle Mekhi Becton, the team’s first-round pick. The 6-foot-7, 370-pounder will make some rookie mistakes, but the Jets have high hopes for him. Connor McGovern, Greg Van Roten and George Fant join holdover Alex Lewis to round out the line.
Grade: C
Defense
Jamal Adams was the motor that made the Jets’ defense run in recent years — both with his excellent play and his boundless energy. The Jets shipped him to the Pacific Northwest in July and now they have to mend a giant hole in their defense.
Marcus Maye, Adams’ old running mate, has looked up to the challenge in camp. Maye has taken over Adams’ role on the defense, playing in the box and causing havoc around the line of scrimmage. No one is quite as loud as Adams, but Maye has been more vocal.
Bradley McDougald, who came over from Seattle in the Adams trade, will be the other safety with Maye. McDougald is a veteran who won’t be able to fill Adams’ shoes, but is more than capable himself of manning his position.
The Jets looked like they were trying to figure out exactly who their cornerbacks would be in training camp. Pierre Desir, one of the team’s free-agent signings, missed nearly all of camp with a hamstring injury. Brian Poole, the team’s slot corner, missed most of camp after an extreme reaction to dehydration. The Jets hope both can be full speed for Week 1 in Buffalo. The other cornerback spot looks like it will be filled by Bless Austin, who had a strong second half to last season.
Neville Hewitt replaces Mosley at inside linebacker. Hewitt filled in admirably last season for Mosley and should be more confident this year. Blake Cashman has been starting throughout training camp next to him, but it would not be a surprise to see Avery Williamson regain his starting role as he returns from last year’s ACL surgery.
Up front, the Jets have a solid defensive line, led by veteran Steve McLendon in the middle. The Jets expect a big leap from Quinnen Williams in Year 2 and a bounce-back year from Henry Anderson, who only had one sack last year.
On the outside, Jordan Jenkins re-signed after nearly leaving in free agency. He has 15 sacks over the past two seasons and is solid on the edge. Tarell Basham will be on the other side once he returns from an ankle injury suffered in camp. Kyle Phillips, Jordan Willis and John Franklin-Myers all could have roles as well.
Grade: B-
Special Teams
Sam Ficken is back as the kicker after defeating Brett Maher in this summer’s competition. Ficken was inconsistent last year, but had some good moments with the Jets.
The team drafted Braden Mann to replace Lachlan Edwards as the punter. Mann was an outstanding collegiate punter at Texas A&M, averaging 47.1 yards per punt last year and winning the Ray Guy Award in 2018 as the nation’s top punter. He has a big leg, but showed some rookie inconsistency in camp.
Vyncint Smith was expected to be the kick returner until he suffered a core muscle injury in camp that will sideline him for several more weeks. Rookie Ashtyn Davis could be the returner until Smith gets back. Davis, a third-round pick, is expected to be a major contributor on special teams.
Braxton Berrios averaged 11.4 yards per punt return last season and showed soft hands and seemed to find his groove as the season went on.
Grade: C+
Coaching
It became very clear last year that Adam Gase was unpopular with a significant percentage of the fan base. But if you take an objective view, Gase held a team together that started 1-7 and guided it to a 6-2 finish. The 7-9 record was their best finish in four years. Gase needs to be evaluated separately as a head coach and as an offensive coordinator, where his unit was poor.
The pressure is on Gase this season to bring out the best in Darnold and get this team to play better than its talent level. If he doesn’t, the Jets may be searching for his replacement in January.
Gregg Williams did an outstanding job hiding the deficiencies of his defense last year. They were pulling people from other positions to play inside linebacker, but he made it work. Williams has a strong group of assistants on his side of the ball with Dennard Wilson, Frank Bush, Andre Carter and Joe Vitt.
Brant Boyer has elevated the Jets’ special teams units every year since his first season with the Jets. He should have a good group again.
Grade: C
Two-Minute Drill
Most important offensive player: It would be easy to get cute here, but let’s not overthink it. Sam Darnold holds the fate of the Jets in his right hand. If he can make a leap in Year 3, the Jets could be better than expected. If he stumbles, the Jets may be searching for a new coach to tutor him next year.
Most important defensive player: The Jets lost their top two defensive players in the span of a week with the trade of Jamal Adams and the opt-out of C.J. Mosley. Someone needs to step into the void and become a dominant player. That should be Quinnen Williams, who was the No. 3-overall pick in 2019. The Jets need Williams to become dominant, both against the run and rushing the passer.
Rookie to watch: Third-round pick Ashtyn Davis will be all over the field for the Jets. The former track star is a freakish athlete and will be used on special teams as a returner and in coverage. He also will be a favorite of Gregg Williams, who can move him around as a chess piece in his defense. Davis can play close to the line or deep safety, in the slot and even some outside corner.
Star on the rise: Marcus Maye spent his first three seasons in the shadow of Jamal Adams. With Adams in Seattle, expect Maye to excel this year. He had an outstanding training camp and looks primed for a big season with free agency looming after this year.
Biggest coaching decision: Adam Gase needs to figure out how he is going to divide carries among Le’Veon Bell, Frank Gore and La’Mical Perine. Bell was already unhappy when he was yanked from a scrimmage in training camp. Gase trusts Gore and may end up going to him more than Bell in some games, which is going to irk Bell. It is going to be a tricky situation.
Don’t be surprised if: The Jets get off to a slow start. They have a lot of new pieces on offense that barely got to work together this offseason. The offensive line has four new starters. The wide receivers were hurt in training camp. There will be communication problems early.
Sure to make fans grumble: Adam Gase’s play-calling will surely bother some people. All play-callers face a ton of scrutiny. Gase has to find a way to keep Bell happy, make Darnold better and score points with an underwhelming cast. That won’t be easy.
Can’t miss ’em
Sept. 13: at Bills: With no preseason games, this will be our first chance to get a true read on this year’s Jets. The Bills are now the favorites in the division. If the Jets can knock them off, that would send a message.
Nov. 9 vs. Patriots: The Jets had a disastrous outing last year against the Patriots on “Monday Night Football,” with Sam Darnold seeing ghosts. The Jets face the Patriots without Tom Brady for the first time since 2008 in this one.
Dec. 13 at Seahawks: Jamal Adams will be flying high when he faces his former teammates. Le’Veon Bell expressed his unhappiness with Adams after the trade and those two will get to butt heads in this one. Pete Carroll also may have something to say to Gregg Williams.
Prediction: 7-9
On paper, the Jets have one of the worst rosters in football. But this team has a chip on its shoulder after hearing it is going nowhere without Jamal Adams and C.J. Mosley. I think the Jets will get it together after a rough start and be respectable all season. They will be in contention in December before stumbling late.


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--Pompeo: ‘Substantial chance’ Russian officials behind Alexei Navalny poisoning

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that there is a “ substantial chance ” that senior Russian officials ordered Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny ’ s poisoning .
Speaking to conservative pundit Ben Shapiro on his podcast Wednesday , the secretary of state said that the US and European Union were working to find the culprit that poisoned Navalny , one of the most prominent Russian critics of President Vladimir Putin .
“ I think people all around the world see this kind of activity for what it is .
And when they see the effort to poison a dissident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials , I think this is not good for the Russian people .
I think it ’ s not good for Russia .
“ I think people see this and say this is not the way countries that want to be powers , that want to be important and play on the global stage , this is not the way that they should engage in activity .
They ought to instead promote freedom and democracy .
I think this – these kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I think that ’ s different than 10 or 15 or 20 years ago , ” the nation ’ s top diplomat continued .
Pompeo went on to say that he believed the world “ has matured and come to an understanding that this is not how normal countries operate , and this will prove costly for the Russians.
” The secretary of state ’ s comments were not his first on the matter since news of Navalny ’ s poisoning broke .
Earlier this week he tweeted , “ My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poisoning of Alexei Navalny with a chemical nerve agent.
” “ This attack contravenes the international norms prohibiting the use of such weapons .
We call on Russia to bring those responsible for this abhorrent attack to justice , ” he added .
Navalny , 44 , had been in an induced coma in a Berlin hospital since he was flown to Germany on Aug. 22 for treatment two days after he became sick on a flight from Siberia to Moscow .
Aides believe he sipped tea at the airport laced with poison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through tests done last week that he was “ without doubt ” poisoned with Novichok , a nerve agent .
Novichok is the agent British authorities said was used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018 .

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there is a “substantial chance” that senior Russian officials ordered Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny’s poisoning.
Speaking to conservative pundit Ben Shapiro on his podcast Wednesday, the secretary of state said the US and European Union were working to find the culprit who poisoned Navalny, one of the most prominent Russian critics of President Vladimir Putin.
“I think people all around the world see this kind of activity for what it is. And when they see the effort to poison a dissident, and they recognize that there is a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials, I think this is not good for the Russian people. I think it’s not good for Russia.
“I think people see this and say this is not the way countries that want to be powers, that want to be important and play on the global stage, this is not the way that they should engage in activity. They ought to instead promote freedom and democracy. I think this — these kind of things put real black marks on countries. And I think that’s different than 10 or 15 or 20 years ago,” the nation’s top diplomat continued.
Pompeo went on to say that he believed the world “has matured and come to an understanding that this is not how normal countries operate, and this will prove costly for the Russians.”
The secretary of state’s comments were not his first on the matter since news of Navalny’s poisoning broke.
Earlier this week, he tweeted, “My G7 counterparts and I strongly condemned the poisoning of Alexei Navalny with a chemical nerve agent.”
“This attack contravenes the international norms prohibiting the use of such weapons. We call on Russia to bring those responsible for this abhorrent attack to justice,” he added.
Navalny, 44, had been in an induced coma in a Berlin hospital since he was flown to Germany on Aug. 22 for treatment two days after he became sick on a flight from Siberia to Moscow.
Aides believe he sipped tea laced with poison at the airport, and German chemical weapons experts confirmed through tests last week that he was “without doubt” poisoned with Novichok, a nerve agent.
Novichok is the agent that British authorities said was used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018. Both survived.


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--Three National Guard members dead in plane crash during off-duty flight

Three National Guard members who were spending a day off together this week died when their small plane crashed near a Tennessee airport , officials said .
Lt. Col. Shelli Huether , Capt .
Jessica Wright , and Senior Master Sgt .
Scott Bumpus were all aboard a single-engine Piper PA-28 airplane that crashed Tuesday near Warren County Memorial Airport in McMinnville .
The plane took off from the airport and witnesses said it appeared to be trying to return when it crashed in a nearby field , National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said .
The trio were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Surveillance , and Reconnaissance Group and were having fun on a scheduled day off , according to Maj. Danielle Parton , a spokeswoman for the 118th Wing .
It was not immediately clear who was flying the plane .
“ Words can not begin to explain the shock , grief , pain and dismay we feel having lost three remarkable members of our Guard family , ” said Col. Todd Wiles , commander of the 118th Wing .
“ All three were dedicated to the service of our nation.
” Heuther was director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Squadron , and Wright was her assistant director , while Bumpus was chief of current operations for the 236th Intelligence Squadron , Parton said .
All three lived in Middle Tennessee and leave behind children as well as spouses , two of whom are also in the 118th Wing , Wiles told WKRN .
“ The loss of those three … it ’ s going to leave an empty space and a lot of our hearts , ” Wiles told the station .
The plane is registered to the nearby Lebanon Flying Club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the station ’ s messages for comment .
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash .

Three National Guard members who were spending a day off together this week died when their small plane crashed near a Tennessee airport, officials said.
Lt. Col. Shelli Huether, Capt. Jessica Wright, and Senior Master Sgt. Scott Bumpus were all aboard a single-engine Piper PA-28 airplane that crashed Tuesday near Warren County Memorial Airport in McMinnville.
The plane took off from the airport and witnesses said it appeared to be trying to return when it crashed in a nearby field, National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said.
The trio were all members of the 118th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group and were having fun on a scheduled day off, according to Maj. Danielle Parton, a spokeswoman for the 118th Wing. It was not immediately clear who was flying the plane.
“Words cannot begin to explain the shock, grief, pain and dismay we feel having lost three remarkable members of our Guard family,” said Col. Todd Wiles, commander of the 118th Wing.
“All three were dedicated to the service of our nation.”
Heuther was director of operations for the 118th Intelligence Support Squadron, and Wright was her assistant director, while Bumpus was chief of current operations for the 236th Intelligence Squadron, Parton said.
All three lived in Middle Tennessee and leave behind children as well as spouses, two of whom are also in the 118th Wing, Wiles told WKRN.
“The loss of those three … it’s going to leave an empty space and a lot of our hearts,” Wiles told the station.
The plane is registered to the nearby Lebanon Flying Club, WTVF said. Nobody there responded to the station’s messages for comment.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--Huge fire breaks out at Beirut port a month after massive explosion

A huge fire broke out Thursday at the port of Beirut , sparking fears among residents in the Lebanese capital @ @ @ @ @ month after a massive blast in the area killed more than 190 people , according @ @ @ @ @ source told Reuters that a warehouse of tires caught fire in the duty-free zone of @ @ @ @ @ column of black smoke was seen billowing skyward as flames leaped from the ground .
@ @ @ @ @ was not immediately known .
There were no early reports about any injuries .
TV @ @ @ @ @ douse the flames at the port , where nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated @ @ @ @ @ the massive explosion that sent shockwaves throughout the city .
About 6,500 people were injured @ @ @ @ @ catastrophe , which destroyed and damaged thousands of buildings .
The stockpile of ammonium nitrate @ @ @ @ @ the port after being confiscated from an impounded Russian cargo ship .

A huge fire broke out Thursday at the port of Beirut, sparking fears among residents in the Lebanese capital a little more than a month after a massive blast in the area killed more than 190 people, according to reports.
Army officials said the fire started in the port’s duty-free zone at a warehouse with containers of tires, cooking oil and other flammable materials — sending a column of thick black smoke billowing skyward as flames leaped from the ground.
Port director Bassem al-Qaisi told Voice of Lebanon radio the fire started in the warehouse but spread nearby to where tires were piled.
“It is too early to now if it is the result of heat or some other mistake,” al-Qaissi said.
There were no early reports of any injuries.
TV footage showed firefighters trying to douse the flames at the port, where nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated Aug. 4, setting off the massive explosion that sent shockwaves throughout the city.
About 6,500 people were injured in last month’s catastrophe, which destroyed and damaged thousands of buildings.
The stockpile of ammonium nitrate was stored for years at the port after being confiscated from an impounded Russian cargo ship.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Firefighters respond to a huge blaze at Beirut port. Getty Images Firefighters respond to a huge blaze at Beirut port. Getty Images Advertisement
On Thursday, panicked residents — still reeling from last month’s explosion — cracked open windows and called and texted each other to warn them of the latest incident to hit the city.
Some residents hid in bathrooms, while others dropped what they were doing and rushed home.
“We opened all windows and are in the corridor right now,” said Dana Awad, a mother of two girls who recalled the tremor that preceded the recent blast. “I am still feeling the earth shake. Living a flashback.”
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-09-10--Mom falls through ceiling during daughter’s audition, video goes viral on TikTok

A freshman at a Big Apple dramatic arts college was recording herself as she practiced for a school audition – but was upstaged by her own mom , who came crashing down through the ceiling .
Liz San Millan , who attends the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts , was facing the camera as she sang “ Kindergarten Boyfriend ” from “ Heathers : The Musical , ” when she heard a crash in her parents ’ home in Denison , Texas .
The shocked student turned around to the sight of her mother ’ s leg dangling through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a chunk of insulation and pieces of drywall .
“ There was a loud noise … I turn around and all of a sudden , my mom ’ s leg is through the ceiling , ” Liz told “ Good Morning America.
” “ My dad said , ‘ Did you just fall through the ceiling ?
’ and [ my mom ] said , ‘ You ’ re not going to ask if I ’ m OK ?
’ She was a little sassy about it , actually , ” added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clip on TikTok , where it went viral .
“ We laughed for like 30 minutes straight , ” she told ” GMA.
” “ She was not against posting it , and thought it was hilarious.
” The musical theater student , who recently moved to the city , told BuzzFeed News she was recording herself as practice for placement auditions when her mom tripped in the attic while looking for luggage .
“ Right before she fell , you can see the irritation in my face due to her banging around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Liz told the outlet .
“ There are wooden beams in the attic that you ’ re supposed to step on , but she tripped and stepped right into my ceiling.
” She added : “ She was shocked at first , which is why she didn ’ t make any noise or move around , but she is completely fine !
Not even a scratch.
” Her dad , Lance , has been working on filling the big hole .
“ I thoroughly enjoyed the responses to my video , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has absolutely loved reading the comments and watching the duets .
”

A freshman at a Big Apple dramatic arts college was recording herself as she practiced for a school audition – but was upstaged by her own mom, who came crashing down through the ceiling.
Liz San Millan, who attends the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, was facing the camera as she sang “Kindergarten Boyfriend” from “Heathers: The Musical,” when she heard a crash in her parents’ home in Denison, Texas.
The shocked student turned around to the sight of her mother’s leg dangling through a hole in the ceiling – along with a chunk of insulation and pieces of drywall.
“There was a loud noise … I turn around and all of a sudden, my mom’s leg is through the ceiling,” Liz told “Good Morning America.”
“My dad said, ‘Did you just fall through the ceiling?’ and [my mom] said, ‘You’re not going to ask if I’m OK?’ She was a little sassy about it, actually,” added the student, who posted the hilarious clip on TikTok, where it went viral.
“We laughed for like 30 minutes straight,” she told ”GMA.” “She was not against posting it, and thought it was hilarious.”
The musical theater student, who recently moved to the city, told BuzzFeed News she was recording herself as practice for placement auditions when her mom tripped in the attic while looking for luggage.
“Right before she fell, you can see the irritation in my face due to her banging around while she knew I was filming,” Liz told the outlet. “There are wooden beams in the attic that you’re supposed to step on, but she tripped and stepped right into my ceiling.”
She added: “She was shocked at first, which is why she didn’t make any noise or move around, but she is completely fine! Not even a scratch.”
Her dad, Lance, has been working on filling the big hole.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the responses to my video,” Liz told BuzzFeed. “My mom has absolutely loved reading the comments and watching the duets.”
“Always love the background dancers,” one TikTok user wrote.