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$260 million deal averts 1st federal trial on opioid crisis By J. SMYTH/G. MULVIHILL Associated Press CLEVELAND (AP) — The nation's three biggest drug distributors and a major drugmaker agreed to an 11th-hour, $260 million settlement Monday over the terrible toll taken by opioids in two Ohio counties, averting the first federal trial over the crisis. The trial, involving Cleveland's Cuyahoga County and Akron's Summit County, was seen as a critical test case that could have gauged the strength of the opposing sides' arguments and prodded the industry and its foes toward a nationwide resolution of nearly all lawsuits over opioids, the scourge blamed for 400,000 U.S. deaths in the past two decades. Continued on Page 2
Attorney Mark Lanier gets a hug outside the U.S. Federal courthouse, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, in Cleveland.
Associated Press
A2 UP
Tuesday 22 October 2019
FRONT
$260 million deal averts 1st federal trial on opioid crisis Continued from Front
The agreement was struck in the middle of the night, just hours before a jury that was selected last week was scheduled to hear opening arguments in federal court in Cleveland. Drug distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson will pay a combined $215 million, said Hunter Shkolnik, a lawyer for Cuyahoga County. Israeli-based drugmaker Teva will contribute $20 million in cash and $25 million worth of generic Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addiction. "People can't lose sight of the fact that the counties got a very good deal for themselves, but we also set an important national benchmark for the others," Shkolnik said. The deal contains no admission of wrongdoing by the defendants. Across the U.S., the pharmaceutical industry still faces more than 2,600 other lawsuits over the deadly disaster. Participants in those cases said the Ohio
Attorney Joe Rice speaks outside the U.S. Federal courthouse, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, in Cleveland.Â
deal buys them time to try to work out a nationwide settlement of all claims. It could also turn up the pressure to work out such a deal, because every partial settlement reached reduc-
es the amount of money the companies have available to pay other plaintiffs. The barrage of lawsuits was brought against drug manufacturers, suppliers and sellers by state and local governments, Native American tribes, hospitals and others. For nearly two years, a federal judge in Ohio has been pushing the parties toward one big settlement. The only defendant left in the trial that had been scheduled for Monday is the drugstore chain Walgreens. The new plan is for Walgreens and other pharmacies to go to trial within six months. The settlement enables both sides to avoid the risks and uncertainties involved in a trial: The counties immediately lock in money they can use to deal with the crisis, and the drug companies avoid a possible finding of wrongdoing and a huge jury verdict."There's no amount of money that's going to change the devastation and destruction that they've done to families not only all across our county but all across the country," said Travis Bornstein, who was preparing to testify in the Cleveland trial. But he said the settle-
ment should help provide services for people who are struggling. Bornstein said his son, Tyler, became hooked on opioids as a teenager after receiving a prescription following surgery on his arm. He died of a heroin overdose five years later, in 2014. Ohio in 2017 had the second-highest death rate from drug overdoses in the U.S., behind only West Virginia. In a statement, the three major distributors said the settlement money should be used on such things as treatment, rehab and mental health services. The settlement also means that the evidence prepared for the trial won't be fully aired. Lawyers for the counties were preparing to show the jury a 1900 first edition of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," featuring the poppy fields that put Dorothy to sleep, and a 3,000-yearold Sumerian poppy jug to show that the world has long known the dangers of opioids. Those suing the industry have accused it of aggressively marketing opioids while downplaying the risks of addiction and turning
Associated Press
a blind eye toward suspiciously large shipments of the drugs. The industry has denied wrongdoing. Industry CEOs and attorneys general from four states met Friday in Cleveland, where the offer on the table was a deal worth potentially $48 billion in cash and addiction-treatment drugs to settle cases nationally. Those attorney generals reiterated Monday that they have worked out a "framework" for a settlement. They said they hope other states and local governments sign on. But the reception wasn't promising. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost called the idea "a pile of lumber," not a framework. And Paul Hanly, one of the lead lawyers for the local governments, said the companies should be forced to pay more. OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, often cast as the biggest villain in the crisis, reached a tentative settlement last month that could be worth up to $12 billion. But half the states and hundreds of local governments oppose it. It remains to be seen whether the settlement will receive the approvals it needs.q
U.S. NEWS A3
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Trump urges GOP to 'get tougher and fight' impeachment By JILL COLVIN and MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump called on fellow Republicans on Monday to "get tougher and fight" against the quickly moving House impeachment inquiry as Democrats blocked a GOP bid to censure Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, a leader of the impeachment inquiry. Trump, defending his conduct at a rollicking Cabinet meeting, insisted his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that sparked the impeachment inquiry was entirely unproblematic. And he accused Democrats of proceeding with impeachment only to bolster their chances in 2020. Trump also called out Republicans for not sticking together, pointing a finger at Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who has emerged as his most notable GOP critic. While eviscerating Democrats' policies, Trump said he respects members of the party for sticking together. "They don't have Mitt Romney in their midst," he said. "They don't have people like that. They stick together. You never see them break off." Hours after Trump spoke, Democrats blocked a bid by House Republicans to censure Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a leader of the impeachment inquiry. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., sponsored the resolution, which criticizes the way Schiff is conducting the investigation. Biggs and other Republicans say Schiff misled voters when he "manufactured a false retelling" of a conversation
between Trump and Zelenskiy at a committee hearing last month. Schiff has said his words were meant as a parody. "Chairman Schiff deliberately misled the American people during a high-profile hearing last month, and he has persistently used his perch on a vital committee to spread falsehoods about President Trump," Biggs said. Republicans also complained that Schiff's office met with a whistleblower in the case and said the inquiry is being conducted in secret and they've been unable to see transcripts of closed-door interviews. The interviews include discussions of some classified material, and Schiff has said depositions must be conducted in private. Witnesses are being separated to prevent them from coordinating testimony or concealing the truth, he said. Democrats say that Schiff has acted in a fair and bipartisan manner and that redacted transcripts of the depositions will be released. The House voted 218-185 Monday along party lines to postpone a vote on the GOP resolution. Justin Amash, a Republicanturned-independent from Michigan, voted with the Democrats. Schiff, D-Calif., tweeted after the vote that House Republicans "lacked the courage to confront the most dangerous and unethical president in American history" and instead "consoled themselves by attacking those who did" confront Trump. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Schiff a great patriot. "What the Republicans fear most is the truth," Pelosi said in a statement. "The president betrayed
the oath of office, our national security and the integrity of our elections, and the GOP has not even tried to deny the facts. Instead, Republicans stage confusion, undermine the Constitution and attack the person of whom the president is most afraid." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Schiff has fallen short in his duty and "demonstrated a pattern of lying to the American people on matters of intelligence." The vote blocking the Republican censure attempt "only further illustrates the Democrats' ignorance to Chairman Schiff's reckless behavior and underscores their blind determination to damage this country," McCarthy said.
President Donald Trump speaking during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, in Washington. Associated Press
Trump, meanwhile, said some GOP lawmakers "are great fighters. But they have to get tougher and
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fight because the Democrats are trying to hurt the Republican Party for the (2020) election."q
A4 U.S.
Tuesday 22 October 2019
NEWS
AP-NORC poll: Americans agree on many aspects of U.S. identity By ANITA SNOW and HANNAH FINGERHUT Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Majorities of Americans agree diversity strengthens the country and that values such as constitutional rights, a fair judicial system and the American Dream are key to the nation's identity, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. But the poll also reveals a striking division on some aspects of national identity by partisanship and racial or ethnic background. Americans are closely split over whether it's better for immigrants to embrace a single U.S. culture or add their own variations to the mix. Immigration and identity have been a major part of the national conversation under President Donald Trump, who has cracked down on people entering the United States illegally and promoted construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump recently pushed down the annual cap for refugees allowed into the U.S. to a historic low of 18,000. The poll finds majorities of white, black and Hispanic Americans all say diversity makes the country stronger, and the share of Americans saying diversity strengthens the country has grown slightly over the last year, from 53% to 60%. About three-quarters of Democrats think diversity makes the country stronger, compared with about half of Republicans. Jerry Perry, 63, of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, is a greatgrandson of slaves and lifelong Democrat who thinks diversity is a positive. "It makes the country a lot richer as it brings together
In this Jan. 21, 2018, file photo, tourists ride the Staten Island Ferry to get a view of the Statue of Liberty in New York. Associated Press
all the tribes from all over the world," said Perry. "No one should be afraid of that. God needed to have a place where every nation could be represented." But the poll finds division on how Americans think immigrants should contribute to the mix. Fifty-one percent of Americans say there should be an essential U.S. culture and set of values that immigrants assume upon arrival, while 46% say the country should be comprised of a blend of cultures and values that changes as new people arrive. Still, Americans are somewhat more likely to say recent immigrants to the U.S. have retained their own cultures than that they have adopted an essential American one, 54% to 43%. Tracy Torres, 33, a Democrat living in Palm Springs, California, says she thinks new cultures brought by immigrants make the United States better. "I don't think people should whitewash or forget their heritage," said Torres, whose parents came to the United
States from Mexico. "There is a lot of fear that comes with the word 'immigration,' but I think we should celebrate our differences." Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say that immigrants should adapt to a shared American culture, 77% to 32%, while Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say recent immigrants actually have done that, 57% to 28%. "I believe that immigrants need to come to America legally and they need to understand our culture, the Constitution and our laws," said Sandy Raisanen, 56, of Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to think a shared use of the English language or a shared culture and set of values are very important. And more than twice as many Republicans as Democrats call it important for the nation's identity that culture is grounded in Christian religious beliefs, 59% to 24%, or brought to the country by the nation's early European immigrants, 51% to 22%.
White Americans are slightly more likely than black or Hispanic Americans to say a culture established by early European immigrants is very important, 37% versus 27% and 28%. Americans nevertheless agree on several aspects of the nation's identity. At least three-quarters of Republicans and Democrats say a fair judicial system, liberties defined by the Constitution, and "the ability of people living here to get good jobs and achieve the American Dream" are very important. Wide shares of white, black and Hispanic Americans say the same. Majorities across political and demographic groups also call shared use of the English language important, though some are more likely to say so than others. The poll shows that support for increasing legal immigration has ticked up from a year ago: 35% of Americans now say the number of legal immigrants to the U.S. should be increased, up slightly from 29% in Au-
gust 2018. Immigration remains a weak point for Trump, with 40% approving and 59% disapproving of how he's handling the issue. Republicans overwhelmingly approve of Trump on immigration and Democrats overwhelmingly disapprove. There are also stark differences by race and ethnicity, with white Americans divided on the president's handling of the issue, while roughly 8 in 10 black Americans and Hispanics disapprove. "He has not shown an inkling of mercy" toward immigrants, said Perry, who's among the African Americans who disapprove of current immigration policies. Fernando Rivera is a Republican who enthusiastically supports Trump and his immigration policies, even though Rivera's own father was a Mexican immigrant. He is among the 38% who support construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Forty-six percent of Americans are opposed. Rivera, 48, says he believes immigrants today are treated much better than his father was when he came to the U.S. and there is a danger they can become a burden on safety net programs. Now working for Texas state agency for vocational rehabilitation, Rivera said the oil refinery jobs in his hometown of Grove, Texas, now go largely to Hispanics from countries ranging from Cuba and the Dominican Republic to Chile. "I've always felt I was at the bottom of the totem pole, and then here came some more people to knock us out," said Rivera. "Sometimes it feels very crowded here."q
U.S. NEWS A5
Tuesday 22 October 2019
U.S. takes step to require DNA samples from asylum-seekers By COLLEEN LONG Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is planning to collect DNA samples from asylum-seekers and other migrants detained by immigration officials and will add the information to a massive FBI database used by law enforcement hunting for criminals, a Justice Department official said. The Justice Department on Monday issued amended regulations that would mandate DNA collection for almost all migrants who cross between official entry points and are held even temporarily. The official said the rules would not apply to legal permanent residents or anyone entering the U.S. legally, and children under 14 are exempt, but it's unclear whether asylumseekers who come through official crossings will be exempt. The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity before the regulations were published. Homeland Security officials gave a broad outline of the plan to expand DNA collection at the border two weeks ago, but it was unclear then whether asylumseekers would be included or when it would begin. The new policy would allow the government to amass a trove of biometric data on hundreds of thousands of migrants, raising major privacy concerns and questions about whether such data should be compelled even when a person is not suspected of a crime other than crossing the border illegally. Civil rights groups already have expressed concerns that data could be misused, and the new policy is likely to lead to legal action. Justice officials hope to have a pilot program in place shortly after the 20day comment period ends and expand from there, the official said. The new regulations are effective Tuesday. Trump administration officials say they hope to solve more crimes committed by
In this Thursday, April 18, 2019, file photo, a sign for the Department of Justice hangs in the press briefing room at the Justice Department, in Washington. Associated Press
immigrants through the increased collection of DNA from a group that can often slip through the cracks. The Justice official also said it would be a deterrent — the latest step aimed at discouraging migrants from trying to enter the United States between official crossings by adding hurdles to the immigration process. Currently, officials collect DNA on a much more limited basis — when a migrant is prosecuted in federal court for a criminal offense. That includes illegal crossing, a charge that has affected mostly single adults. Those accompanied by children generally aren't prosecuted because children can't be detained. President Donald Trump and others in his administration often single out crimes committed by immigrants as a reason for stricter border control. But multiple studies have found that people in the United States illegally are less likely to commit crime than U.S. citizens, and legal immigrants are even less likely to do so. For example, a study last year in the journal Criminology found that from 1990 through 2014, states with bigger shares of migrants have lower crime rates. Alex Nowrasteh, director of immigration studies at the Libertarian think tank Cato Institute, which has also studied the issue, said it was unnecessary. "Finger-
prints and current biometrics are more than sufficient to identify criminals and keep them out of the United States. Collecting DNA is expensive, will be done poorly, and doesn't make Americans any safer," he said. Immigrant rights advocates were immediately critical. "This proposed change in policy is ... transparently xenophobic in its intention," said American Civil Liberties Union senior policy and advocacy attorney Naureen Shah. "It seeks to miscast these individuals, many of whom are seeking a better life or safety, as threats to the country's security." Curbing immigration is Trump's signature issue, but his administration has struggled in dealing with the surge of people trying to enter the United States, mostly Central American families fleeing poverty and violence. Authorities made more than 810,000 arrests at the border during the budget year that just ended in September, a high not seen for more than 10 years. Officials say numbers have since fallen following crackdowns, changes in asylum regulations and agreements with Central American countries, but they remain higher than in previous years. DNA profile collection is allowed under a law expanded in 2009 to require
that any adult arrested for a federal crime provide a DNA sample. At least 23 states require DNA testing, but some occur after a suspect is convicted of a crime. The FBI database, known as the Combined DNA Index System, has nearly 14 million convicted offender profiles, plus 3.6 million arrestee profiles, and 966,782 forensic profiles as of August 2019. The profiles in the database do not contain names or other personal identifiers to protect privacy; only an agency identifier, specimen identification number and DNA lab associated with the analysis. That way, when people aren't a match, their identification isn't exposed. The only way to get a profile out of the system is to request through an attorney that it be removed. Federal and state investigators use the system to match DNA in crimes they are trying to solve. As of August 2019, the database produced about 480,000 hits, or matches with law enforcement seeking crime scene data, and assisted in more than 469,000 investigations. Justice Department officials are striking a line in the regulations that gave the secretary of Homeland Security discretion to opt out of collecting DNA from immigrants because of resource limitations or operational hurdles.
Justice and Homeland Security officials are still working out details, but cheek swab kits would be provided by the FBI, the official said. The FBI will help train border officials on how to get a sample, which shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Customs and Border Protection already collects fingerprints on everyone over 14 in its custody. The new regulations will apply to adults who cross the border illegally and are briefly detained by Customs and Border Protection, or for a longer period by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Those who come to official crossings and are considered inadmissible and not further detained will be exempt. Other exceptions are being worked out, the official said. More than 51,000 detainees are in ICE custody. Border Patrol custody fluctuates its facilities only hold migrants until they are processed and either released or sent to ICE custody. At the height, more than 19,000 people were held. Recently it was down to fewer than 4,000. The Justice Department charged the highest number of immigration-related offenses last year since the office began keeping the records: 25,426 with felony illegal re-entry and 80,866 with misdemeanor improper entry into the country.q
A6 U.S.
Tuesday 22 October 2019
NEWS
Study finds U.S. public land workers facing assaults, threats By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Federal employees overseeing U.S. public lands were assaulted or threatened at least 360 times over a fiveyear period marked by heightened tensions with anti-government groups and dwindling ranks of law enforcement officers, a congressional watchdog agency said Monday. The Government Accountability Office in a new report highlights anti-government tensions that at times have boiled over, including a six-week armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon in 2016 and other standoffs with armed protesters in Montana and Nevada. The clashes have been rooted in a deep distrust of government on the part of the protesters, who view the federal bureaucracy as unlawfully impeding people from using public land for grazing, mining and other economic purposes. Even a routine traffic stop or the collection of a park entrance fee can be enough to trigger an assault or threat, according to GAO investigators. The incidents investigators cataloged during interviews with federal workers ranged from threatening phone calls and gunshots fired over the heads of employees, to the stabbing of a Bureau of Land Management worker outside a federal building. Some of the assaults triggered FBI domestic terrorism investigations, although the precise number was
In this Oct. 11, 2019 photo, U.S. Bureau of Land Management Acting Director William "Perry" Pendley speaks at a conference for journalists in Fort Collins, Colorado. Associated Press
not disclosed because it was considered sensitive information. The report did not say whether rates of assaults and threats were increasing. But it noted a dwindling number of federal officers patrolling the nation's vast forests, parks, wildlife refuges and other open spaces, which cover more than 670 million acres primarily in 12 Western states. The report cited a 19% drop in the ranks of officers at the U.S. Forest Service between 2013 and 2018 The Bureau of Land Management saw a 9% drop and now has one officer in the field for every 1.2 million acres the agency oversees. The GAO investigation faulted officials at U.S. land agencies for failing to come up with plans to assess the security of government facilities, leaving em-
ployees at greater risk. The findings will be addressed by lawmakers during a hearing Tuesday before the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. Witnesses include AnneMarie Fennell, who directs the GAO's natural resources and environment team. A Forest Service official said increased awareness about employee security — fueled by high-profile standoffs with protesters — may have contributed to additional reporting of potential threats. But the service's internal data does not show any change in the rate of assaults and threats, said Forest Service spokeswoman Babete Anderson. She added that government workers have "millions of contacts and interactions with members of the pub-
lic each year...that are peaceful and uneventful." In a formal response to the GAO report, Interior Department Assistant Secretary Scott Cameron agreed with recommendations to carry out security assessments at hundreds of government facilities. Forest Service Chief Victoria Christiansen also agreed with the recommendation for security review. Neither gave details on when the security work would occur. "Our highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of our employees and visitors on our public lands," said Interior Department spokeswoman Melissa Brown. The security review was requested by U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat and chairman of the natural resources committee. It covered four agen-
cies: the Forest Service, BLM, Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service. Grijalva said the attacks documented underscore growing concerns over the safety of government workers on public land. The lawmaker also criticized the Trump administration's appointment of Bureau of Land Management Acting Director William "Perry" Pendley, who has expressed support for Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy. Bundy's family played central roles in a 2014 standoff over grazing fees in Nevada and the 2016 occupation of Oregon's Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. "Making a folk hero out of Bundy, that sets a dangerous precedent," Grijalva said. "At the top of the agency, they reinforce and embolden some of these actions by doing nothing and previously being in support of them." Pendley, a former property rights attorney, routinely lambasted federal bureaucrats prior to his appointment in July and warned of another populist "Sagebrush Rebellion" if the government didn't open more Western lands to development. The original Sagebrush Rebellion of the 1970s was a period of intense mistrust between some ranchers and federal land managers. It arose in part from court rulings that said public range land was being overgrazed, ushering in new restrictions for the livestock industry.q
U.S. NEWS A7
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Tornado slams Dallas; 4 killed in Arkansas, Oklahoma By JAMIE STENGLE and JAKE BLEIBERG Associated Press DALLAS (AP) — A tornado tossed trees into homes, tore off storefronts and downed power lines but killed no one in a densely populated area of Dallas, leaving Mayor Eric Johnson to declare the city "very fortunate" to be assessing only property damage. A meteorologist said Monday that people took shelter thanks to early alerts, and that it was fortunate the tornado struck Sunday evening, when many people were home. "Anytime you have a tornado in a major metropolitan area, the potential for large loss of life is always there," said Patrick Marsh, the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. "We were very fortunate that the tornado did not hit the Dallas Cowboys' stadium or the State Fair, where you would have had a lot of people that were exposed." The tornado crossed over two major interstates. "If that happened at rush hour, I think we'd be talking about a different story," he said. The National Weather Service said the tornado that ripped through North Dallas was an EF-3, which has a maximum wind speed of 140 mph (225 kph). The agency said another tornado in the suburb of Rowlett was EF-1, with maximum wind speeds of 100 mph (160 kph). The late-night storms spawned tornadoes in sev-
Women stand outside a house damaged by a tornado in the Preston Hollow section of Dallas, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Associated Press
eral states, killing at least four people in Arkansas and Oklahoma. The Storm Prediction Center said severe thunderstorms could continue through Monday night along the Gulf Coast from southeast Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, with damaging winds and a couple of tornadoes possible. In one Dallas neighborhood, Dustin and Lauren Collins said they felt lucky as they cleared debris from the yard of their largely intact home. "When other people's homes are in your front yard, you just realize — just the magnitude of the storm," said Lauren Collins, 36. Dustin Collins, 37, said he gathered his family together after receiving the tornado alert. They climbed into the bathtub and pulled a
mattress over top, huddling there with their 8-month-old son. "We just sat in the bathtub and sang songs, trying to keep everyone calm," Lauren Collins said. At a nearby shopping center, the fronts and roofs of stores were ripped away. Ruptured pipes were still spewing water Monday morning, drenching the piles of mangled drywall, insulation and steel framed inside the brick building. Nearby, Georges Benamou said he was in his bedroom when a tree branch fell through the flat roof of his single-story home and into the living room. "I heard some crack, crack, crack, and then I heard some trees falling on top of the roof," he said. Brent Huddleston, 43, said he sheltered with his 9- and 11-year-old children in a closet as the house shook
around them. They later found parts of street and shopping center signs that had been blown into their yard. "It hit really fast," he said. Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans said no firefighters were hurt when the storm made the roof of Station 41 collapse. Tornadoes are not common in October, and cities are rarely hit because they don't have a big footprint in the tornado belt, according to tornado scientist Harold Brooks of the National Severe Storms Laboratory. It's like "randomly throwing darts," Brooks said. A study by Brooks last year found that only one-third of the most violent tornadoes hit communities of more than 5,000 people. The storm system disrupted flights in the Dallas area, northwest Arkansas and at
Memphis International Airport in Tennessee, where windows were broken. One person died when a tree fell on a home in Rogers, Arkansas, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, according to the Benton County Department of Public Safety. In northeastern Arkansas, an EF-1 tornado injured at least five people in Tyronza. Authorities said severe thunderstorms were responsible for the deaths of at least three people in eastern Oklahoma. Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Brooke Arbeitman said two teenage boys died of carbon monoxide poisoning late Sunday in Weleetka, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City. She said the 14- and 15-year-old boys were using a portable gas generator in a travel trailer after the storms knocked out power. The father of the younger boy discovered their bodies Monday morning. Another person died late Sunday night when a tree blew onto a mobile home near Valliant, about 170 miles (275 kilometers) southeast of Oklahoma City, emergency management officials said. In Memphis, Tennessee, the storm downed several large trees, blocking roads in residential neighborhoods. The federal weather agency confirmed an EF-1 tornado was on the ground for about two minutes early Monday morning. An apartment complex and car dealerships and other businesses suffered damage, but no injuries or deaths were reported.q
A8 WORLD
Tuesday 22 October 2019
NEWS
Canada votes in election that could see Trudeau lose power By ROB GILLIES Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced the threat of being knocked from power after one term as the nation held parliamentary elections on Monday. The 47-year-old Trudeau channeled the star power of his father, the liberal icon and late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, when he won in 2015 but a combination of scandal and high expectations have damaged his prospects. Polls indicate Trudeau's Liberal Party could lose to the rival Conservatives, or perhaps win but still fail to get a majority of seats in Parliament and have to rely on an opposition party to remain in power. "It's a coin toss," said Nik Nanos, a Canadian pollster. Not in 84 years has a firstterm Canadian prime minister with a parliamentary majority lost a bid for reelection. Trudeau brought his wife and three kids along as he voted in his district in Montreal. Trudeau reasserted liberalism in 2015 after almost 10 years of Conservative Party government in Canada, but he is one of the few remaining progressive leaders in the world. He has been viewed as a beacon for liberals in the Trump era, even appearing on the cover of Rolling
Liberal leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau makes a campaign stop at the Hamilton Fire Department's administration and training academy in Hamilton, Ont. on Saturday Oct. 19, 2019. Associated Press
Stone magazine under the headline "Why Can't He Be Our President?" Perhaps sensing Trudeau is in trouble, Barack Obama made an unprecedented endorsement by a former American president in urging Canadians to re-elect Trudeau and saying the world needs his progressive leadership now. But old photos of Trudeau in blackface and brownface surfaced last month, casting doubt on his judgment. Trudeau also was hurt by a scandal that erupted this year when his former
attorney general said he pressured her to halt the prosecution of a Quebec company. Trudeau has said he was standing up for jobs, but the damage gave a boost to the Conservative Party led by Andrew Scheer. No party is expected to get a majority of Parliament's 338 seats, so a shaky alliance may be needed to pass legislation. If Conservatives should win the most seats — but not a majority — they would probably try to form a government with the backing of Quebec's separatist Bloc
Quebecois party. Trudeau's Liberals would likely rely on the New Democrats to stay in power. "One of the outcomes of this election might be the rise of regional division," Nanos said. Nanos said the Conservatives might primarily be a western regional party, the Liberals, an Ontario regional party, the Bloc, a Quebec regional party, and the New Democrats a British Columbia regional party. Nanos said if a minority government emerges, the big question is who will be
kingmaker, the Bloc or the New Democrats. He said Trudeau is most likely to win the largest number of seats because the Liberal vote is more efficient than the Conservatives. Scheer is a career politician described by those in his own party as bland, a possible antidote for those tired of Trudeau's flash. Scheer, 40, calls Trudeau a phony who can't even recall how many times he has worn blackface. Scheer is promising to end a national carbon tax and cut government spending, including foreign aid, by 25%. "That money belongs to you, not to them," Scheer said. Trudeau embraced immigration at a time when the U.S. and other countries are closing their doors, and he legalized cannabis nationwide. His efforts to strike a balance on the environment and the economy have been criticized by both the right and left. He brought in a carbon tax to fight climate change but rescued a stalled pipeline expansion project to get Alberta's oil to international markets. His also negotiated a new free trade deal for Canada with the U.S. and Mexico amid threats by President Donald Trump to scrap it. Pat Gill, a Vancouver retiree, said she voted for Trudeau.q
Water cut to migrant camp as Bosnian authorities feud
Migrants wait in line to receive supplies from the Red Cross at the Vucijak refugee camp outside Bihac, northwestern Bosnia, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Associated Press
By ELDAR EMRIC Associated Press BIHAC, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Local authori-
ties in the Bosnian town of Bihac on Monday cut off a nearby migrant camp's water supply, to pressure
the government into reducing the population of the overcrowded site that international organizations have criticized as unsuitable. But aid workers said the move will just cause additional suffering for the Vucjak tent camp's 1,000 residents, many of whom walked out of the site with empty plastic bottles to beg water from Bosnians living in the vicinity. Officials in the northwestern town also announced a crisis meeting to discuss what to do with the camp, which hosts migrants stopped in the impoverished Balkan country while
trying to reach Western Europe. "It is obvious that the situation must be brought to the verge of absurdity in order to be solved," complained Bihac mayor Suhret Fazlic. Both the United Nations and the European Union missions in Bosnia have urged authorities to relocate the migrants from Vucjak — which is situated on a former landfill and near minefields left over from the 1992-95 war. Camp resident Osman Ali, from Pakistan, described conditions as "bad, very bad." "I think all people here are seeking a better
situation, situation is very dirty here," he told The Associated Press. Ali and other migrants were lining up Monday for a meal from the local Red Cross. Police last week rounded up hundreds of migrants from Bihac and brought them all to Vucjak, nearly doubling the camp population. Fazlic has warned that the city will also cut waste collection services to draw attention to the camp's failings and force the government to share the burden and move some of the migrants to other parts of the country.q
WORLD NEWS A9
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Catalan head says only talks can stop protests By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Catalonia's leader said Monday that the recent massive protests in the region, which often spiraled into violent clashes with police, won't cease until the Spanish government agrees to listen to separatists' demands. "If we don't sit down to talk this won't stop," Catalan regional president Quim Torra told The Associated Press, in an interview at the medieval palace in central Barcelona that houses the restive region's government. He spoke after a week of huge peaceful protests — many followed by ugly riots in Spain's second biggest city and other northeastern towns — by people angered by the sentencing of nine leaders of their movement to prison for their role in a 2017 secession bid. The street battles over five consecutive nights between radicals and police left 593 injured — nearly half of them police — and resulted in 194 arrests. Protesters burned hundreds of trash bins and used gas-
Catalan pro-independence protesters demonstrate outside the building of the Government Delegation in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, in downtown Barcelona, Spain Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Associated Press
oline bombs, acid, chunks of pavement and other weapons to assault police. Even though the violence has waned in the past two days, authorities are concerned it could flare back up. Torra criticized interim Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who is facing a na-
tional election on Nov. 10 in which the Catalan issue will be front and center, for not agreeing to meet him when he visited Barcelona to see injured police officers on Monday before returning to Madrid. "(These) violent groups, which have caused scenes that disgust us greatly,
which we condemn and reject (...) cannot be an excuse to not sit down and talk, and for Sánchez to not answer phone calls from the president of Catalonia," Torra said. Ahead of his visit, Sánchez accused Torra in a letter of failing in his duty to protect his citizens.
He also called on Torra, a fervent separatist whom critics accuse of expressing xenophobic ideas about Spaniards, to firmly condemn violence and to ensure the security and rights of the roughly one half of Catalonia's 7.5 million residents who want to remain part of Spain. Torra has repeatedly called for "dialogue without conditions," trying to pave the way for Catalonia to have an authorized and binding vote on secession, despite Spanish governments rejecting such talks. Sánchez says a referendum would require changing the country's constitution, which requires a very wide majority in the national parliament. Small crowds followed Sánchez on Monday to the police headquarters in Barcelona, which are often the target of violent protesters, and a hospital where a group of doctors and nurses shouted at the prime minister "Freedom for political prisoners!" and "Go away, go away!" according to videos that quickly spread on social media.q
N Ireland laws on abortion, same-sex marriage, set to change By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Northern Ireland is set to decriminalize abortion and set the stage for legalization of same-sex marriages as of midnight Monday, bringing its laws in line with the rest of the U.K. This is happening because British lawmakers voted last year in favor of changing these laws if Northern Ireland's government wasn't up and running by Oct. 21. Under the new measures,
the U.K. government will take responsibility for putting regulations in place to provide access to terminations. Women will be offered free transportation to obtain abortion services in England in the meantime. Grainne Teggart of Amnesty International said the change would make the system more "compassionate." "From midnight tonight history will be made, these oppressive laws that have policed our bodies and our
healthcare will be brought to an end," she said. "Finally, our rights and our healthcare are being brought into the 21st century." But Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster said that the law change would not mark the end of legal efforts to prevent the introduction of abortion services in Northern Ireland. She said the party would explore legal options "This is not a day of celebration for the unborn," she said. Same-sex mar-
Pro-choice activists take part in a photo call in the grounds of Stormont Parliament, Belfast, Monday Oct. 21, 2019. Associated Press
riage will become legal in January. Northern Ireland's government has been suspended for more than twoand-a-half years amid a
dispute between the major Protestant and Catholic parties, leaving Britain's Parliament to make some key decisions. q
A10 WORLD
Tuesday 22 October 2019
NEWS
Thousands protest in Sudan, call to disband ex-ruling party By SAMY MAGDY Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Sudan on Monday to call for disbanding former President Omar al-Bashir's party, the political organ he used to control the country during his 30 years of autocratic rule before being ousted in April. Separately, Sudan's transitional government and a main rebel faction signed a political declaration amid peace negotiations that began last week, taking a new step toward ending the country's yearslong civil wars. The two sides also renewed a nationwide cease-fire for three months. The protests in Khartoum and other parts of the country coincided with the anniversary of an uprising in 1964. That push ended six years of military rule in Sudan following a wave of riots and strikes. Sudan's current transitional government came to power after a similar campaign of mass unrest, which eventually led the military to overthrow al-Bashir. The country is now ruled by a joint military-civilian administration, which must navigate a delicate path toward eventual democratic elections in just over three years.
uprising, has called for the appointment of regional governors and the formation of a legislative body. Creating an interim parliament was part of a power-sharing agreement signed in August between pro-democracy protesters and the country's powerful military. The transitional government previously said it won't appoint governors or the legislative body until it makes peace with the country's rebel groups. That would be a crucial step, since the transitional government is looking to slash military spending in order to revive the battered economy. The uprising against al-Bashir initially began against economic issues, but escalated into calls for his downfall. Mohammed Hassan alTaishi, a member of the Sovereign Council and a government negotiator, said Monday that they had agreed on the agenda for the negotiations with the Sudan Revolutionary Front, an alliance of rebel groups from the western Darfur region. He said this was the first joint cease-fire agreement in five years. In another first, he said the government agreed to allow humanitarian aid deliveries into conflict-affected areas, both from inside and from outside Sudan.q
In this May 14, 2008 file photo, then Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, Defense Minister Gen. Abdul-Rahim Mohammed Hussein, and Deputy Chairman of the National Congress Party Nafi Ali Nafi, from left to right, address a state-orchestrated rally in the capital Khartoum, Sudan. Associated Press
There were no reports of any clashes with police or casualties during Monday's protests. The marches renewed demands for independent investigation into the deadly break-up of a protest camp by security forces in June. Police blocked off main streets Monday leading to the presidential palace and the military's headquarters in Khartoum — the site of June's deadly dispersal — said Asil Abdu, an activist.
A statement by the police warned against "creating a state of chaos," which it said could lead to "unfavorable consequences." Videos circulated online showed protesters marching in the capital and other cities such as Atbara, a northern transport hub where the uprising began in December. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok gave a televised speech marking the 1964 uprising, saying: "The revolution needs greater ef-
forts to be completed and achieve its goals." The appointment of Hamdok, a respected economist, as Sudan's top civilian leader in August helped lessen fears the military would attempt to cling to power. Last week, he sacked several top bureaucrats, which pleased protest leaders who want the remnants of al-Bashir's regime purged from all state institutions. The Sudanese Professionals' Association, which spearheaded the recent
Israel’s Netanyahu gives up on forming new coalition By JOSEF FEDERMAN Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday that he had failed to form a majority government in parliament, marking a major setback for the embattled Israeli leader that plunges the country into a new period of political uncertainty. In a statement, Netanyahu said he had worked “tirelessly” to establish a unity government with his chief rival, former military chief Benny Gantz, but been repeatedly rebuffed. Facing a Wednesday deadline, Netanyahu said he was returning the “mandate”
In this Oct. 3, 2019, file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during his party's faction meeting in Jerusalem. Associated Press
to President Reuven Rivlin, who will now ask Gantz to try to form a coalition.
While Netanyahu remains at the helm of his Likud party, his announcement
marked the second time this year that he has been unable to form a government. With Israel’s attorney general set to decide in the coming weeks on whether to indict Netanyahu in a series of corruption cases, the longtime Israeli leader could come under heavy pressure to step aside. In last month’s national election, Netanyahu fell short of securing a 61-seat parliamentary majority. But Rivlin gave Netanyahu the first opportunity to form a government because he had more support — 55 seats — than Gantz, who was supported by only 54. Netanyahu had hoped to
form a broad “unity” government with Gantz, who heads the centrist Blue and White party. But Netanyahu insisted that his coalition include his traditional allies, a collection of hardline and religious parties, drawing accusations from Gantz that he was not negotiating in good faith. “During the past few weeks, I made every effort to bring Benny Gantz to the negotiating table. Every effort to establish a broad national unity government, every effort to prevent another election,” he said. “To my regret, time after time he declined. He simply refused.”q
WORLD NEWS A11
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Thai king strips his consort of royal titles for disloyalty Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's king has stripped his royal consort of her titles and military ranks for disloyalty, accusing her of seeking to undermine the position of his official wife, the country's queen, for her own benefit. The royal command by 67-year-old King Maha Vajiralongkorn, made public Monday, came just three months after he granted 34-year-old Sineenatra Wongvajirabhakdi the consort title, reviving an old palace tradition of taking a junior wife. Sineenatra had her title of Chao Khun Phra Sineenatra Bilasakalayani withdrawn, along with other royal and military titles and decorations. In May, the king named longtime companion Suthida Vajiralongkorn Na Ayudhya his queen when they were married a few days before his formal coronation. Vajiralongkorn assumed the throne after the 2016 death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years. Monday's command condemned Sineenatra in harsh terms, concluding that her actions "are considered dishonorable, lacking gratitude, unapprecia-
In this undated photo posted Monday, Aug. 26, 2019, on the Thailand Royal Office website, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn sits on the thrown with his official consort Sineenatra Wongvajirabhakdi at the royal palace. Associated Press
tive of royal kindness, and driving a rift among the royal servants, making misunderstanding among the people, and undermining the nation and the monarchy." Both the 41-year-old Suthida and Sineenatra have served as senior officers in palace security units. Suthida was previously a flight attendant with Thai Airways, while Sineenatra was an army nurse. Vajiralongkorn has seven
children by three previous marriages, all of which ended in divorce. The royal command went into unusual detail in explaining why the action was taken against Sineenatra. It accused her of misbehaving by actively seeking to block Suthida's appointment as queen in order to take the position herself, and said that when she failed to block her rival, her "ambitions and aspira-
tions" led her to continue to seek ways to promote herself. However, it said, "She wasn't satisfied with the royally bestowed position and still did everything to be equal to the queen." Further describing her alleged transgressions, it said she took advantage of her position by falsely claiming royal prerogatives to order people around, "making people misunderstand her position to gain profit and
popularity for herself" in a manner she hoped would lead to the king giving her a position equal to that of the queen. "She wasn't satisfied with the royally bestowed position and still did everything to be equal to the queen," the statement said. Sineenatra's most recent whereabouts have not been publicized, leading to rumors that she had fallen from grace. She had previously appeared openly in palace-issued media. Just two months ago, a palace website released scores of photos of her and the king, some in formal settings and others in markedly casual poses, such as taking part in flying, shooting and skydiving. Others showed her and the king holding hands, unusually intimate photos for members of the royal family. The last time a Thai monarch had an official consort was during the reign of King Vajiravudh, who died in 1925. But consorts were more common in the 19th century, when they often received their appointments as a way of cementing alliances with regional power brokers when the kingdom was still known as Siam.q
Indonesia's losing presidential candidate to join Cabinet By NINIEK KARMINI Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia's opposition leader and losing presidential candidate said Monday that he will join his election rival's Cabinet to help strengthen the country's defense, signaling a calming of political tensions in the world's third-largest democracy. Former special forces general Prabowo Subianto said he was asked by President Joko Widodo to join the Cabinet, which will be announced on Wednesday. Widodo, who was sworn in for his second term on Sunday, said Indonesians should unite after the bitter election campaign. Subianto, who is also the founder and leader of the Gerindra party, had been
negotiating with Widodo's governing coalition for Cabinet positions following the divisive April election. "We have been asked to strengthen the Cabinet in the defense area and we are ready to help," Subianto told reporters after meeting with Widodo at the presidential palace in the capital, Jakarta. "I will work hard to meet his goals and expectations." Subianto declined to say if he had been asked to become defense minister as widely speculated by local media. Subianto had initially refused to accept the election results. He alleged massive and systematic fraud, but his legal challenge was rejected by the country's top court last month.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, right, is congratulated by the Chairman of Gerindra Party who is also his former rival in April's election Prabowo Subianto during his swearing-in ceremony at the parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Associated Press
Subianto, linked to human rights abuses during the authoritarian rule of longtime President Suharto, also unsuccessfully challenged his presidential election loss
to Widodo in 2014 and has now made four unsuccessful bids for the presidency. Andreas Harsono, Indonesia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said Subian-
to's entry into the Cabinet was a conservative backlash against Widodo's efforts to address Indonesia's poor human rights record. "It's a dark day for human rights and justice in Indonesia," Harsono said. Nadiem Makarim, CEO and co-founder of ridehailing startup company Gojek, and Erick Thohir, a former owner of the Inter Milan soccer club, also said following meetings with Widodo on Monday that they will be part of the new Cabinet. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, is an outpost of democracy in a Southeast Asian neighborhood of authoritarian governments and is forecast to be among the world's biggest economies by 2030.q
A12 WORLD
Tuesday 22 October 2019
NEWS
She's back: Argentines contemplate possible role for "CFK" By DÉBORA REY Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — She's back. At least, that was the opinion of giddy supporters who chanted "We will return!" as Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentina's former president, campaigned ahead of national elections on Oct. 27. Fernández de Kirchner, who embodies Argentina's enduring cycle of hope and despair, appears close to a return to power, this time as a candidate for vice president. So Argentines are wondering how exactly the government would run with her back in it. Naturally, views diverge over the impact of Fernández de Kirchner's outsized, polarizing persona on the leadership of a nation long starved of economic stability. It's hard to find common ground among Argentines weary of financial crashes and political convulsion. Will Fernández de Kirchner, if her ticket wins, take a back seat to her new boss, who used to work for her? Or would she be a Machiavellian figure, manipulating Argentina's possible next president, Alberto Fernández, from behind the scenes? Some analysts doubt 66-year-old Fernández de Kirchner, a senator who succeeded husband Néstor Kirchner as president in 2007 and served two fouryear terms, would try to sideline a running-mate-
In this Oct. 17, 2019 photo, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Argentina’s former president, waves to supporters during a campaign rally in Santa Rosa, Argentina. Associated Press
turned-president. "I don't see Cristina wanting to turn Alberto into a puppet, speaking over him, making her own administrative agenda," said Patricio Giusto, co-founder of Diagnóstico Político, an Argentine consultancy. "She wants to be entrenched in the Senate, which is an important pole of power, but above all she is worried about her family situation," Giusto said. The vice president is based not at government headquarters but in the Senate, over which he or she presides. If Fernández de Kirchner becomes vice president, she would be watched for any maneuvers aimed at elevating the deputy's traditionally junior role. But she faces investigations into alleged fraud, mon-
ey laundering and other crimes, although she enjoys immunity from arrest as a member of Congress, a status that would also apply as vice president. Fernández de Kirchner's biggest concern as vice president would be to ensure that the Justice Ministry treats her favorably, said Mariel Fornoni, head of Management & Fit Consultora, an Argentine research center. The former president has held few campaign events. She has often visited Cuba to see daughter Florencia, who has received medical treatment there this year. Her son Máximo is a deputy in Congress and also faces legal problems. Still, Fernández de Kirchner retains immense popularity among Argentines who view her as a champion of
the poor. Supporters wear T-shirts with her image, refer to her affectionately by her initials "CFK" and barely mention a running mate who was once Cabinet chief when she was president. "She's the one who has the votes, she makes it all happen," said Gastón Pérez, who waited more than four hours at a Buenos Aires university complex to see Fernández de Kirchner. There, she electrified the awed crowd, reflecting an emotional connection that eludes most other Argentine politicians. "If I'm a candidate for vice president, it's not because I want to be vice president. That's clear. I thought of it as a way to help shape a new majority in Argentina," Fernández de Kirchner said. The opaque remarks de-
lighted the throng, which see Fernández de Kirchner as the antithesis to conservative President Mauricio Macri. His critics link Argentina's economic misery to austerity measures that are part of a $55 billion financing deal with the International Monetary Fund. Macri lost a primary election in August, ceding frontrunner status to his opponent, Alberto Fernández. That spooked Argentines who recall how the big spending and state intervention of Fernández de Kirchner's center-left presidency got Argentina's economy into trouble. Macri's camp seeks to capitalize on that unease, portraying Fernández de Kirchner as a puppet master waiting in the wings. "She'll be the one who governs" if Alberto Fernández wins, said Miguel Pichetto, Macri's candidate for vice president. "She's the one who would have power, have no doubt." Nicolás Trotta, a top aide on the opposition ticket, dismisses such theories. He told The Associated Press in an interview that Alberto Fernández, as president, would gladly consult a deputy (the two are not related) who has "an incredible connection" with many Argentines. Argentina's next government faces massive debt, soaring inflation, deepening poverty and official unemployment of more than 10 percent.q
Renewed disturbances in Chile; many line up for food By EVA VERGARA Associated Press SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Hundreds of protesters defied an emergency decree and confronted confront police in Chile's capital on Monday, continuing disturbances that have left at least 11 dead and led the president to say the country is "at war." Police used tear gas and streams of water to break up the march of students and union members on one of Santiago's main streets Monday, but demonstrators who at first dispersed
later reformed elsewhere. Meanwhile, police and soldiers guarded long lines of Chileans who lined up before supermarkets that had reopened. Many remained closed after a weekend that saw scores of stores looted or burned. Only one of the city's six subway lines was operating because rioters had burned or damaged many of the stations, and officials said it could take weeks or months to fully restore service. Some 2 million students were forced to stay home from classes and
many people were unable to reach jobs. Conservative President Sebastián Piñera said Sunday that the country is "at war with a powerful, relentless enemy that respects nothing or anyone and is willing to use violence and crime without any limits," though he did not say who the enemy is. But his left-leaning rival, former President Michelle Bachelet, issued a statement calling for dialogue and urging all sides to work "toward solutions that contribute to calming the situation."q
Military police stand guard at a supermarket as customers are pay for their groceries, in Santiago, Chile, on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Associated Press
A13
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Make sure to attend the famous Bartender’s Brawl:
Eight bartenders to judge, eight cocktails to enjoy
ORANJESTAD — “I was the only woman competing in the Ritz-Carlton’s international bartenders competition in Mexico and I ended up within the top four”, says Emilia Lopez-Henriquez, one of the eight competitors in the popular Bartender’s Brawl organized by Renaissance Aruba. She will represent Divino Aruba, specialists in premium spirits, wines and beers. Patrick Figaroa from Divino: “We are proud to have her represent us.” Taste Aruba at his finest as Renaissance Aruba hosts top bartenders from around the island for the 5th Annual Bartender’s Brawl. This evening, Friday October 25th, you will have the opportunity to try all cocktails and judge for yourself which is the best. Bartender’s Brawl is part of eat local month- the One Happy Island culinary heritage with locally inspired dishes & cocktails. Therefore the participating cocktail should have a local ingredient to be part of the competition. LopezHenriquez is known for her local touch when it comes to her passion which is the creation of cocktails. “The last cocktail I have created for the Ritz had the local beer Balashi, the local herb Yerba di Hole (basil) and Pica di Papaya (spicy sauce) in it.” Lopez-Henriquez works as a waitress at the restaurant Casa Nonna, The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba. Making the impossible happen To her a cocktail is all about making the impossible happen and create a surprise. “Essential is the balance of ingredients. Also you need to have a good look at your audience. At this competition many locals will attend so we take that into consideration. You need to combine all together and make magic.” It is her passion and hobby to create cocktails and in 2017 she won her first Ritz-Carlton bartender’s competition. “This year I won again and I got to participate interna-
tionally for Ritz-Carlton Caribbean & Latin-American region in Mexico. There I was with only male bartenders participating so I felt already a winner in that part. I was nervous as all eyes were on me while I battled within the top four contest.” She follows trends, watches YouTube videos and is not afraid to experience. “When Divino approached me to represent them in the Bartender’s Brawl I said immediately yes. So far I did not participate in a local contest and I look forward to it.” Having good times Figaroa is sales representative for Divino and together with LopezHenriquez they decided for the cocktail creation that will be prepared by her during the Bartender’s Brawl. “She set up the basics and we tasted and evaluated if it needed changes until we all agree on the perfect mix. Emilia has been one of the greatest bartenders on
the island the last couple of years and we have no doubt she is going to win”, he says with a wink. Make sure you are present to hear, see and taste if Figaroa is right this coming Friday. Hear out the final winner of the bartender’s brawl 2019 announced by the panel of judges: Chef Urvin Croes (White Modern Cuisine), Ferry Zievinger (General Manager Divi Resorts) and Orlin Geerman (Director EPB Culinary Program) and a panel of influencers (including international influencer). Participating suppliers are: Manrique Capriles, Pepia Est, ATC – Aruba Trading Co, Tropical Bottling, Divino, la Cava and J&G Trading Co. q More info about eat local can be found at https://www.aruba.com/us/ eat-local Tickets are available online: www.renarubaevents.com, ticket includes one cocktail from each competitor and snacks. Event page on fb: www. facebook.com/events/.
A14 LOCAL
Tuesday 22 October 2019
A scientific journey across the island- Part III
Episode 40
Meanwhile the rays of the sun speedily banished these somber thoughts. As soon as it was possible we set out for Jamanota, and were astonished to see a puddle of fresh water of about three or four feet across in the slate-bed which comes to the surface there. My guide scooped some tadpoles from it. It was known to us that the frog, the so-called dori, occurred on Aruba, but everyone told us that we should not encounter it, because in the dry season it creeps into the soil, being found there occasionally at a depth of as many as six meters. This seeming contradiction was resolved the next day by our finding a grown-up frog, which according to all the natives was decidedly different from the dori, so that the island possesses two kinds of frogs, whereas they do not occur on Curacao and Bonaire at all” The dori, the species of frog the inhabitant of Aruba is familiar with appears in great masses at the beginning of the rainy season and it is therefore quite understandable that the population greatly honor him, being as he is in a manner of speaking, their redeemer from the prolonged periods of drought in consequence of which the pinch of hunger and misery is so often felt. Already on the implements of the ancient Indian population sculptured frogs figure prominently, and to this day people are wont to sing a monotonous melody about the dori once recited to me with great tenderness by an old woman: Dori, dori mako, si mi mori …ken ta dera? The Mako frog...”if I die…who shall bury me? Actually it is the “Sapo” or Cane Toad that the lady in question is referring to in this song, who happily sings all night in celebration of the coming harvest abundance. “Through the dense undergrowth of spiny Hubada and cacti, pricking our legs and feet and scratching our faces, and sometimes wrenching our hats off our heads, we struggled on in a wide curve sometimes crossing narrow brook-beds filled with rubble, in order to return to our point of departure on the north coast.” “First we arrived at Miralamar where there is a quartz passage rich in gold and where in former times a lucrative mine was worked by an English company. February 1st, 1885, Sunday, our people will not budge. The donkeys, too, are tired, and so we shall have to stay in the vicinity of Fontein till next morning: “poco, poco,” said our guide. Continued on Page 15
On the 3rdof January 1885, I received on Aruba: I have received a warning; never again travel without a hammock.
LOCAL A15
Tuesday 22 October 2019
A scientific journey across the island- Part III Continued from Page 14
“In the morning we visited the stalactite cave at no more than a few hundred yards distance from Fontein.” (Prof. Martin proceeds to give an explanation of the origin of these caves informing us that the Indians chose them as their dwellings at a later period, but that now only bats and rats inhabit them. Furthermore he describes the Indian drawings). “We continued our journey along the north coast of the island, intending to ride along the beach of Fontein to Daimari, which can now be reached from Oranjestad by an easy path enabling us to arrive there already by noon. It consists of a single house on the bay of that name and is, like all other houses of the residence, of a peculiar construction and subdivision, if one is justified in using this word at all. Two small rooms_ just large enough for a few hammocks, a crude table and primitive chairs on which, in fact, we hardly dared sit for fear of their collapsing under us that was the interior of this house.” “By the side of the house, which is spotlessly white-washed, there is a lean-to, a cooking-place open on several sides in which there is generally a seat. Daimari boasts an object of great luxury. Before the door stands a simple but usable sun-dial, and it even possesses a type of windgauge, made of two calabashes. The professor found a man here whose father was a Dutchman, and who had earned twenty-four thousand guilders as a gold-seeker, but had as soon lost them again.” …and so are the stories of Aruba in the second half of the 19th century.q
Episode 40
A16 LOCAL
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Lola: hipster Mexican Spot & a Happy Surprise
PALM BEACH — Mexican food is hotter than ever and Lola is a real-deal taqueria. In the hipster corner of the high rise strip where popular sister bar Craft already proved to be it, Lola adds a colorful, tasty, happy fla-
vor. The menu presents offthe-chart delicious tacos & more that gives you real bang for the buck. The trendy spot is full of colors and Mexican vibes that lift up your spirits and make
you smile. Happy Lola will serve you authentic Mexican food including Tacos, Quesadillas, Elote, Queso Fundido, Guacamole, Ceviche and Mexican Coconut Flan. There are also Vegan options and every Tuesday is Taco Tuesday, where you get every week another special with $ 1 tacos. Yes, this is for real! Check out the front page for the special and make your reservation as seats are limited. Don’t forget to check out Craft next door, the coolest bar around for your after dinner drink and much more.q
Fantastic weather and friendly people is what Aruba is all about! EAGLE BEACH — Aruba Tourism Authority representative, Marouska Heyliger, had the great pleasure in honoring many loyal Aruba visitors. These certificates are a way to say “Masha Danki” for continuously choosing Aruba as their favorite vacation destination. The symbolic honorary title is presented on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, as a token of appreciation to the guests who visit Aruba between 10-20-35 and more consecutive years.
Rick and Jeanne Zajac from Delaware and Marvin and Sonya Lowery from New Jersey
received the honorary title of Distinguished Visitors. They have been visiting the island for more than 10 consecutive years. The honorees love coming to the island for the fantastic weather, friendly people and beautiful beaches Heyliger together with Jenny Boekhoudt representative of the Marriott Surf Club thanked them for choosing Aruba as their vacation destination and as their home away from home for so many years.q
A17
Tuesday 22 October 2019
New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson (1) dunks as he is defended by San Antonio Spurs' Chimezie Metu (7) and DeMarre Carroll during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, in San Antonio. Associated Press
LEADER OF THE PACK
Suspense returns; L.A. teams seek Hollywood ending By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer For five years the NBA Finals have returned to the same spot, the longest run ever in one Western Conference location. LeBron James and Anthony Davis want to bring them back to Los Angeles. So do Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. With the Warriors weakened and powerhouse pairs popping up all over the place, the 2019-20 NBA season, unlike many in recent years, is a suspense story. Both L.A. teams will try to give it a Hollywood ending. When a whirlwind of player movement was finished, the real winner, as James noted, was Staples Center, which is now home to two title contenders in the Lakers (the way it used to be) and Clippers (the way it's never been.) "I agree with what Bron said," George said. Continued on Page 20
Raider’s fumble opens floodgates for Rodgers' 6-TD day Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. Associated Press Page 21
A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Switzerland's Roger Federer acknowledges the crowd after winning his first round match against Germany's Peter Gojowczyk at the Swiss Indoor tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Associated Press
Federer wins easily at Basel in 1,500th tour singles match BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Playing in his 1,500th tourlevel match, Roger Federer needed just 53 minutes to cruise past German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk 6-2, 6-1 Monday at his hometown Swiss Indoors event. The nine-time Basel champion hit 12 aces in the firstround match to extend his winning streak at St. Jakobhalle to 21 straight matches, and improve his ATP career record to 1,232 wins
and 268 losses. The 38-year-old Swiss is topseeded this week as he looks to add to his 102 career tour titles. Federer won the last four times he played the Swiss Indoors — missing the 2016 edition through injury — since a 2013 final loss against Juan Martin del Potro. He next plays 33rd-ranked Dusan Lajovic or 49thranked Radu Albot.q
Andy Murray chosen to represent Britain in Davis Cup finals
Andy Murray of Britain poses with the trophy after winning the European Open final tennis match in Antwerp, Belgium, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Andy Murray has been chosen to play for Britain in the Davis Cup finals, organizers said Monday. The three-time Grand Slam champion, who won a title
on Sunday for the first time since hip surgery in January, has not played in the team tournament since 2016. Britain will play the Netherlands and Kazakhstan in the group stage of the revamped tournament next month in Madrid. Also, Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev could meet in a repeat of the U.S. Open final after being chosen to represent Spain and Russia, respectively. The 2018 champion Croatia is also in that group. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has been named to Serbia's team, which faces France and Japan. Kei Nishikori is missing from Japan's team. An arm injury has prevented the eighthranked Nishikori from playing since his U.S. Open third-round loss to Alex de Minaur in August..q
Tiger Woods of the United States, left, and Jason Day of Australia, right, hold their hands on the 18th hole after the Challenge: Japan Skins event ahead of the Zozo Championship PGA Tour at Accordia Golf Narashino C.C. in Inzai, east of Tokyo, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Associated Press
Jason Day beats Tiger in Japan Skins _ and also with quips By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer INZAI CITY, Japan (AP) — Not only did Jason Day win the inaugural "The Challenge: Japan Skins" game on Monday, beating Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama, he also won the needling contest. Turning to Woods after receiving the trophy, Day asked how many similar events Woods had played in. "Tiger, this is what — your fifth of sixth?" Before Woods could reply, Day supplied the rejoinder. "He hasn't won one yet. I found that out today when he told me." Woods and everyone else laughed, which captured the lighthearted day at the Narashino Country Club, where the made-for-TV skins game finished under floodlights on the 17th and 18th holes. "First time I've ever finished under lights, so that was exciting," Day said, surprised the sun goes down about 5 p.m. in the fall in the Tokyo area. Day won eight skins and $210,000. Woods had five skins and $60,000 with McIlroy taking four and winning $60,000. Matsuyama won only one skin and $20,000. "I'm disappointed I had only one," Matsuyama said, speaking through an interpreter and also getting a laugh. It was Woods'
first event after surgery two months ago, the fifth on his left knee. He'll get a stiffer test at the Zozo Championship that opens Thursday — the first-ever full PGA Tour event in Japan. Wood said it was great "just being able to compete again. I haven't done this in a little bit now." By his own assessment, he started very slowly. "I did not play well at the beginning," he said. "I hit a lot of bad shots and did not putt well. Once I got into the flow of competing and feeling the round, it just got exciting. We were competitive, the banter was great, the back and forth." Woods, who had a hand in organizing the event, said he hoped "we were entertaining everyone and everyone who's watching had a good time." They probably did. On No. 4, Woods seemed to try to take advantage of the fact the Narashino Country Club has two greens on every hole. It's a tradition at some courses in Japan, alternating greens to keep them both in good shape. Woods hit a shot between two greens and Day got on him. "I asked him (Tiger) to let me know which green he was going for," Day said. "But he was in between so I still don't know which one
he was going for." Woods agreed. "I hit in between the greens, so it looked kind of like I kind of didn't know what I was doing," he said. Both greens at No. 4 will be used this week at the tournament. A hole will be cut in each and players will choose which to play to. The Narashino club is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Tokyo in Chiba prefecture. The course for next year's Tokyo Olympics will be at Kasumigaseki Country Club in neighboring Saitama prefecture. Four famous rugby players really got the match moving at No. 7 when they paired up with the pros for one hole. Matsuyama dropped a 35-foot putt for birdie, and then was embraced by his teammate — former South African rugby player Bryan Habana. The 100-kilogram (220-pound) Habana almost crushed Mastuyama as he screamed: "That's my partner." Seconds later, former Ireland rugby player Brian O'Driscoll holed another long putt, matching Matsuyama's birdie. Jason Day then holed another shorter birdie putt. Walking one fairway, McIlroy was asked by a TV interviewer about comments by Brooks Koepka about the Irishman's game.q
SPORTS A19
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Los Viejos -- The Old Guys -- help Nationals make Series By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Sports Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — NL MVP candidate Anthony Rendon surveyed his teammates scattered around the Nationals Park diamond, whoopin' it up after clinching a World Series berth. There were starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Aníbal Sánchez, each 35 — and each responsible for taking a no-hit bid into at least the seventh inning as Washington won Games 1 and 2 of the NL Championship Series. So was Howie Kendrick, 36, the second baseman who earned NLCS MVP honors with four doubles and four RBIs in the sweep. And Ryan Zimmerman, 35, the first baseman slugging .484 this postseason. "A lot of old guys on the team," Rendon observed. "They call themselves 'Viejos.'" Indeed, they do, and "Los Viejos" — Spanish for "The Old Guys" — are a big part of why the Nationals are getting ready to face the Astros in the Fall Classic, which opens Tuesday night in Houston. There's also catcher Kurt Suzuki, 36, and reliever Fernando Rodney, 42, the oldest active player in the majors. "People think we are old men and we can't do things," said Rodney, who credited Suzuki with originating the nickname. "So we say, 'Vamos, Viejos! You can do it!'" They helped make Washington the oldest club in baseball in 2019, with an average age of a tad under 31. The Astros aren't exactly spring chickens, either: With an average age of just above 30, they ranked third oldest out of Major League Baseball's 30 clubs. Just like the Nationals, their roster includes a half-dozen players who are at least 35, including rotation stalwarts Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke. Astros star Alex Bregman has noticed. "I know how they say let the kids play," the 25-year-old third baseman said Monday. "But there are some
veterans that can show the kids how to play." Makes sense to Suzuki. "Older players sometimes get devalued a little bit, just because of the age," he said. "You can call us old, but that's fine. We don't care. We feel like we can still contribute and we can still play at a high level. And I think that's the only thing that matters." Scherzer, for example, is a three-time Cy Young Award winner who followed up yet another stellar regular season by compiling a 1.80 ERA in four appearances in the playoffs; Washington went 4-0 in those games. Sánchez has made two starts this postseason with a 0.71 ERA. Like Scherzer and Sánchez , Rodney is one of a halfdozen members of the Nationals to already have appeared in a World Series (only one, little-used reliever Hunter Strickland, has won a title). Rodney has been a key part of the late-season rebirth of the team's bullpen: He has allowed two hits and zero runs in 2 2/3 innings in the playoffs. "I look at them, and they're not old to me," 55-year-old manager Dave Martinez said. "They're playing like I've seen them play when they were 27, 28." Sure, the Nationals do have a couple of kids playing key roles in starting outfielders Juan Soto, 20, and Victor Robles, 22. But there's not much else at that end of the spectrum, which is why when second baseman Brian Dozier, 32, was asked what advice he's giving the younger guys, he chuckled and responded: "Younger guys? You mean the two that's in here?" Dozier thinks it's important to have a lot of veterans at this time of year — players who have been around are used to dealing with distractions such as an increased media presence and have a better grasp of how to, as he put it, "slow the game down a lot more" when the pressure increases. "The chemistry and the experience that veteran
Washington Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman reacts with Howie Kendrick after scoring during the first inning of Game 4 of the baseball National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, in Washington. Associated Press
guys bring, you can't put that into an algorithm. You can't put a money value on it. So people don't like it. But there's definitely a place for those guys," Zimmerman said. "You can't have a team filled with old guys, either. Nobody's saying that. I'm just saying that there are spots on every team for veteran guys who have been there and done that and have expe-
rience and can teach the young, talented guys that are basically going to carry the game on to the next generation how to respect the game, how to play the game the right way." Nationals GM Mike Rizzo likes the way the older players mentor the younger ones. He also likes the production "Los Viejos" provide. "We knew we were the
oldest team in the league, and everybody said that's a negative. We just tried to flip that and made it a positive, because we know how good ... we can still play. All of us, even the old guys," Scherzer said. "For me, I don't even feel old. I feel young. I feel great and know that I can go out there and do everything I could do back when I was 25 years old."q
Astros pick Verlander for Game 2, Greinke for Game 3
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander checks the runner during the first inning in Game 5 of baseball's American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, in New York. Associated Press
HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander will follow Gerrit Cole and start Game 2 of the World Series for Houston against Washington on Wednesday.Zack Greinke will start for the Astros
on Friday when the Series resumes at Nationals Park. “Greinke gets to hit. That’s going to be fun for him,” Astros manager AJ Hinch said Monday. Greinke has a .225 batting aver-
age with nine homers, including three this season for Arizona before he was traded to Houston on July 31. Houston plans a bullpen game for Game 4 on Saturday.q
A20 SPORTS
Tuesday 22 October 2019
NBA ‘19-20: Continued from Page 17
"The Staples Center is where you want to be with the team we got and with the team they have." The finals' Western Conference headquarters had moved north in recent years, with Golden State building a dynasty in the Bay Area. But Kevin Durant is gone, Klay Thompson is injured, and even Stephen Curry's sharpest shooting might not be able to keep the run going. It wasn't good enough last season, when Durant and Thompson were hurt in the finals and Leonard led Toronto to its first championship. Leonard then joined fellow Southern California native George with the Clippers, who have never even gotten out of the second round but are now considered title favorites. Davis was traded to the Lakers, who loaded up quickly after flopping in James' first season. Those
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James congratulates forward Anthony Davis during a timeout in the first half of the team's preseason NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, in Los Angeles. Associated Press
teams meet Tuesday on opening night, when the regular season gets started after a turbulent preseason overshadowed by tension between the NBA and China . The Raptors get their rings in the first game before facing New Orleans, whose heavily hyped rookie Zion Williamson injured his knee late during exhibition play. Toronto lost two starters to Los Angeles, with Danny Green signing with the Lak-
ers. That could open the door for MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, or the Philadelphia 76ers to seize the East title. The wide-openness of the league this season is a far cry from recent years, when travel plans to the Bay Area in June could be assumed months in advance, or when James' teams in the East went to eight straight NBA Finals. "You can't call who the
NBA champion is," Hall of Fame player and TNT analyst Reggie Miller said. "Before you would have three, four teams that were deadlocked. You know they're going to be there. This year, given no injuries, a team getting hot, chemistry obviously issues, there's a lot of teams that can go for it. But the Lakers and Clippers being headliners." They're hardly alone among the contenders out West. Denver, Portland and Utah all figure to be tough. And don't count out the Warriors, who'd like their new Chase Center in San Francisco to be the same spring destination that the Oracle Center in Oakland was. This season, that will be harder than ever. "The West is stacked all the way up and down," Curry said. Some other things to know about the NBA season: REVVED-UP ROCKETS Houston acquired Russell Westbrook to join James Harden, putting two recent MVPs in the same backcourt. Westbrook's next tri-
ple-double will be his 139th and break a tie with Magic Johnson for second on the career list, while Harden will be aiming for a third straight scoring title after averaging 36.1 points last season. COACH'S CHALLENGE NBA coaches will have a chance to get calls overturned as the league implemented a coach's challenge on a one-year trial basis. Each team is allowed one per game and can challenge either a foul called on its own team, the call of an out-of-bounds violation, or a goaltending or basket interference violation. WINNING WARRIORS Golden State's NBA Finals streak is the second-longest in NBA history, behind only the 10 straight trips by the Boston Celtics from 195766. The Warriors' hopes of extending it could depend largely on the play of guard D'Angelo Russell, an All-Star last season in Brooklyn who was acquired when Durant went to the Nets.q
SPORTS A21
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Rodgers has 5 TD passes, 1 rushing score as Packers roll By The Associated Press GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers had his best game by far under new Packers coach Matt LaFleur, throwing for 429 yards and five touchdowns and running for another as Green Bay beat the Oakland Raiders 42-24 on Sunday. Rodgers completed 25 of 31 passes to eight different targets and finished with the first perfect passer rating of his career, leading LaFleur's offense to a season high in points. Even with top target Davante Adams sidelined for the third straight game with turf toe, Rodgers threw for his most touchdowns in a game since Sept. 28, 2015, against the Chiefs. Derek Carr finished 22 for 28 for 293 yards, two touchdowns and two costly turnovers for the Raiders (3-3), who lost their eighth straight against Green Bay, going back to 1990. The Packers (6-1) have scored 30plus points in each of their last five games against the Raiders. Green Bay took the lead for good on a 2-yard touchdown from Rodgers to Jamal Williams with 3:27 to go in the first half. The score capped an 11-play, 82-yard drive that took up 8:06 — the Packers' longest drive of the season — and made it 14-10. COWBOYS 37, EAGLES 10 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott ran over safety Malcolm Jenkins on his way to 111 yards and a touchdown, Dak Prescott threw an easy scoring pass on a great fake to his star running back before a TD run and the Cowboys rolled past Philadelphia. The Cowboys (4-3) won with the NFC East lead on the line while ending a three-game losing streak
that followed their 3-0 start and clouded high expectations for the defending division champs. Carson Wentz threw an interception and had two of Philadelphia's three lost fumbles. The Eagles (3-
and New Orleans improved to 5-0 without injured starter Drew Brees with a victory over Chicago. The Saints (6-1) again showed why they still see themselves as Super Bowl contenders even though
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) blocks for running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) as Philadelphia Eagles strong safety Malcolm Jenkins (27) attempts to make the stop in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. Associated Press
4) dropped their second straight game after a twogame winning streak that looked like it might get their season going. Brett Maher finished the highest-scoring half against Doug Pederson since he became coach of the Eagles in 2016, kicking a 63-yarder on the final play before halftime for a 27-7 lead. Maher, the only kicker in NFL history with multiple field goals of at least 62 yards, has three after kicking a 62-yarder last week against the New York Jets. His other from 62 was against the Eagles last season. Prescott's 8-yard scoring run was the 21st of his career, breaking Roger Staubach's record of 20 rushing TDs by a quarterback. SAINTS 36, BEARS 25 CHICAGO (AP) — Teddy Bridgewater threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns,
their star quarterback is out indefinitely because of a torn ligament in his right thumb. Bridgewater completed 23 of 38 passes, Michael Thomas had nine receptions for 131 yards, and Latavius Murray ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Besides Brees, New Orleans had to get by without top running back Alvin Kamara (ankle, knee) and top receiving tight end Jared Cook (ankle). Both players were ruled out Friday, but that didn't stop the NFC South leaders from taking down the Monsters of the Midway. The Bears (3-3) lost their second straight, with Mitchell Trubisky struggling after missing a game because of a shoulder injury. RAVENS 30, SEAHAWKS 16 SEATTLE (AP) — Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for 116 yards and
a touchdown, made key throws when necessary and led the Ravens to an impressive win over Seattle. Jackson was the best player on the field, outshining Seattle QB Russell Wilson on a day the Seahawks star finally made his first critical mistake of the season. Jackson was especially good in the second half, when he led Baltimore on a pair of crucial scoring drives. Earl Thomas made his return to Seattle after nine seasons of playing for the Seahawks, but aside from some occasional barking at the sideline of his former team and running off the field twirling Wilson's jersey over his head after the victory, the former All-Pro safety ceded the spotlight to Jackson. The second-year quarterback ran for an 8-yard touchdown late in the third quarter on fourth-and-2 to give the Ravens (5-2) the lead. On their next possession and backed up deep in their own end, Jackson made a series of highlight plays to drive Baltimore into scoring position for Justin Tucker's fourth field goal and a 10-point lead with 3:47 left. Wilson was nearly flawless for the first six games but struggled to find open receivers against Baltimore's physical secondary. Seattle (5-2) was leading 10-6 and driving when Wilson made the mistake of double-clutching and trying to throw late into the flat. Marcus Peters, traded to Baltimore less than a week ago, made a quick break on the throw, stepped in front of Jaron Brown and outraced Wilson for his fifth career interception return touchdown, the most of any player since Peters entered the league in 2015.
TITANS 23, CHARGERS 20 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jurrell Casey recovered a fumble by Melvin Gordon at the goal line with 15 seconds left, and Tennessee pulled out a victory over Los Angeles after a frantic finish. Gordon initially was ruled down shy of the goal line at the 1. Casey came out of the pile with the ball, and the Titans started celebrating. The play was reviewed and overturned the onfield ruling that Gordon was short of the goal line. The call was a fumble forced by Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard that was recovered by Casey for a touchback. Ryan Tannehill knelt down to run out the clock as the Titans (3-4) snapped a two-game skid. The Chargers thought they had scored the go-ahead touchdown not once but twice in the final 44 seconds only to lose both on review by the replay official. That official also overturned Gordon being stopped on the Chargers' final play. First, Philip Rivers' pass that Austin Ekeler took 16 yards was ruled a touchdown only to be reversed by the replay official for not breaking the plane as he was tackled by Kenny Vaccaro and Logan Ryan. After a false start, Malcolm Butler then was flagged for defensive pass interference on Mike Williams in the end zone. Then Gordon went over right tackle with 34 seconds left for what officials ruled a 1-yard TD, and the replay official then reversed the call for the second time in what became a run for no gain. That set up Gordon's final run with 19 seconds left. The Chargers (2-5) have lost three straight and five of their past six.q
A22
Tuesday 22 October 2019
SPORTS
LA Galaxy's Sebastian Lletget (17) kicks in a goal against Minnesota United goalie Vito Mannone (1) and Minnesota United defender Ike Opara (3) during the second half of the MLS first-round playoff soccer match, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, in St. Paul, Minn. The Galaxy won 2-1. Associated Press
Minnesota Wild's Zach Parise controls the puck against Montreal Canadiens' Paul Byron in the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday Oct. 20, 2019, in St. Paul, Minn. Associated Press
Wild win for 2nd time this season, beat Canadiens 4-3 By The Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Zach Parise scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and the Minnesota Wild won their second game of the season, beating the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Sunday. Jason Zucker, Marcus Foligno and Brad Hunt also scored for Minnesota, which matched its highest goal total through eight games this season. The Wild also scored four goals in a 7-4 home loss to Pittsburgh. Devan Dubnyk made 29 saves and earned his first win of the season. Phillip Danault scored twice and Tomas Tatar added a goal for the Canadiens. Keith Kinkaid stopped 29 shots in his second game of the season. Parise took a perfect pass from Zucker through traffic and sent a shot that beat Kinkaid and gave the Wild a 4-3 lead. The score came just over four minutes after Hunt tied the game on the power play. The teams squared off for the second time in a four-day span. The host Canadiens won the previous meeting 4-0. CANUCKS 3, RANGERS 2 NEW YORK (AP) — Brock Boeser and Jay Beagle scored late in a three-goal first period and Vancouver held on to beat New York. Bo Horvat also scored and Elias Pettersson had two assists for Vancouver, which bounced back from a 1-0 loss at New Jersey on Saturday to win for the fifth time in six games. Jacob Markstrom stopped 38 shots to win his third straight start after losing his first two. Jesper Fast had a goal and an assist, and Artemi Panarin also scored for New York, which has lost four straight. Henrik Lundqvist finished with 40 saves. CAPITALS 5, BLACKHAWKS 3 CHICAGO (AP) — Tom Wilson broke a tie with 8:13 left and Washington rebounded after blowing a two-goal lead to beat Chi-
cago for its third straight win. Wilson beat Corey Crawford from the right edge of the crease with his third goal after he was left open and took a cross-ice pass from Carl Hagelin to put Washington ahead 4-3. Lars Eller added an empty-netter from his own zone with 49.3 seconds remaining. T.J. Oshie, Nic Dowd and Alex Ovechkin also scored for the Capitals, who got 41 saves from Braden Holtby. Hagelin had two assists. Drake Caggiula, Dominik Kubalik and Patrick Kane scored for the Blackhawks, who rallied to tie it at 3 midway through the third. Alexander Nylander had two assists and Corey Crawford blocked 25 shots as Chicago's two-game winning streak ended. JETS 1, OILERS 0, SO WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine scored in the shootout and Winnipeg snapped a three-game losing skid. Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves and recorded his first shutout of the season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid were stopped in the shootout. Mike Smith made 23 saves for the Oilers, who had their two-game winning streak snapped. FLAMES 2, DUCKS 1 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mikael Backlund scored with 11:03 left, Cam Talbot made 29 saves and Calgary rallied to beat Anaheim. Backlund got a pass from Matthew Tkachuk on a 2-on-1 rush after a neutral zone turnover and beat goaltender John Gibson with a snap shot from the right faceoff circle. It was his second goal in two games. Michael Stone also scored for the Flames, who snapped a three-game road losing streak. Jakob Silfverberg scored for Anaheim, which lost for the first time in five home games. Gibson made 27 saves.q
Galaxy beat Minnesota United 2-1, move on to face LAFC By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The latest edition of "El Trafico" will take place in the MLS playoffs, with the pair of powerhouse Los Angeles teams set to stage their biggest matchup yet. Sebastian Lletget and Jonathan dos Santos scored four minutes apart midway through the second half, leading the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 2-1 victory over Minnesota in the first round of the MLS playoffs Sunday night to spoil United's postseason debut. Jan Gregus gave the Loons life with his goal in the 87th minute, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Galaxy hung on to advance to face top seed Los Angeles FC on Thursday in the Western Conference semifinals and set up another "El Trafico" derby between the Southern California rivals. "I think everybody is excited for this game," Ibrahimovic said. "I think everybody wanted this game. The Galaxy are 2-0-3 against LAFC, which joined MLS in 2018 and set the league record this year with 72 points by going 21-4-9 in the regular season. "It'll be a special day," Lletget said. In front of a frenzied crowd that filled up Allianz Field, the new-in-2019 stadium for the third-year MLS franchise, Minnesota had the fans roaring and groaning throughout the first half while largely owning the attack. Robin Lod had three prime chances, including a one-timer from the middle he sent sailing over the net. All those missed scoring opportunities came back to haunt the Loons, when Ibrahimovic's close-range shot was blocked by Michael Boxall, and Lletget knocked in the rebound in the 71st minute. Then in the 75th minute, dos Santos let one fly for the lower right corner that was out of a diving goalkeeper Vito Mannone's reach. The 6-foot-5 Ibrahimovic leaped to grab the crossbar and briefly swung back and forth to celebrate what turned out to be the winning goal. The fourth-seeded Loons were the only home team to lose in the first round. The five-time MLS champion Galaxy, returning to the playoffs after a two-year absence, were a tough draw despite their up-anddown regular season. "This game was the most difficult game we played this season," Ibrahimovic said. "They were good. They were confident. You could see that in their game."q
SPORTS A23
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Study raises fresh dementia concerns from playing pro soccer By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — A study of former professional soccer players in Scotland finds that they were less likely to die of common causes such as heart disease and cancer compared with the general population but more likely to die from dementia. The results raise fresh concerns about head-related risks from playing the sport — at least for men at the pro level. Researchers from the University of Glasgow reported the results in the New England Journal of Medicine on Monday. They compared the causes of death of 7,676 Scottish men who played soccer with 23,000 similar men from the general population born between 1900 and 1976. Over a median of 18 years of study, 1,180 players and 3,807 of the others died. The players had a lower risk of death from any cause until age 70. However, they had a 3.5 times higher rate of death from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. In absolute terms, that risk remained relatively small — 1.7% among former players and 0.5% for the comparison group. Former players also were more likely to be prescribed dementia medicines than
In this May 31, 2014, file photo an official 2014 FIFA World Cup soccer ball lies on the grass during an open practice by the United States in Harrison, N.J. Associated Press
the others were. The results "should not engender undue fear and panic," Dr. Robert Stern, a Boston University scientist who has studied sports-related brain trauma, wrote in a commentary published in the journal. The findings in professional players may not apply to recreational, college or amateur-level play, or to women, Stern noted. "Parents of children who headed the ball in youth or high-school soccer should not fear that their children are destined to have
cognitive decline and dementia later in life. Rather, they should focus on the substantial health benefits from exercise and participation in a sport that their children enjoy," while also being aware of the risks of head-balling, Stern wrote. English Football Association chairman Greg Clark said "the whole game must recognize that this is only the start of our understanding and there are many questions that still need to be answered. It is important that the global football family now unites to find
the answers and provide a greater understanding of this complex issue." The association and players' union sponsored the study. "We need to kick on now and understand what it means, because that's all an awful lot we don't know," English FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said. "We don't know if concussion was the cause or whether it was heading or whatever or whether it's the old heavy ball or something entirely different." But the association's medical advisory group has not
deemed it necessary to issue to change how the game is played, even reducing heading among younger age groups. "In youth football, you might want to reduce the likelihood of aerial challenges," Bullingham said. "But our research shows this has already been reduced significantly over the years as we change to small size of pitches, move to possession-based football and now rolling substitutes." Referees across all levels can stop games for three minutes to fully assess head injuries, but some experts believe that is not long enough. The English FA also is pushing soccer's global lawmaking body for the introduction of concussion substitutes, with an additional player switch or as a temporary replacement. Campaigning to discover more about the long-term impact of head injuries in soccer has been led in England by the family of former England striker Jeff Astle, whose death at age 59 in 2002 was attributed to repeatedly heading heavy, leather balls. In 2017, a British study of brains of a small number of retired players who developed dementia highlighted the degenerative damage possibly caused by repeated blows to the head.q
4x Olympian, NYC Marathon champion Shalane Flanagan retires By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer Four-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan, who ended a 40-year American drought when she won the New York City Marathon in 2017, is retiring from competitive running to become a coach with the Nike Bowerman Track Club. "I have felt my North Star shifting," the 38-year-old Flanagan said Monday on social media. "My passion and purpose is no longer about MY running; it's more and more about those around me." A native of Marblehead, Massachusetts, and the
In this Nov. 4, 2018 file photo Shalane Flanagan of the United States reacts after crossing the finish line third in the women's division of the New York City Marathon in New York. Associated Press
daughter of distance runners — her mother was the first woman to break 2 hours, 50 minutes in the marathon — Flanagan won a silver medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2008
Olympics. Her victory in the '17 New York Marathon was the first for an American woman since Miki Gorman in 1977; she finished third last year — her third time on the po-
dium in the race. She was fourth in the 2013 Boston Marathon, her best finish in four tries at her hometown race. But she said after running Boston in 2018 that it would be her last time. "I've broken bones, torn tendons, and lost too many toenails to count," she wrote. "I've experienced otherworldly highs and abysmal lows. I've loved (and learned from) it all. Over the last 15 years I found out what I was capable of, and it was more than I ever dreamed possible. Now that all is said and done, I am most proud of the consistently high level
of running I produced year after year." "I hope I made myself a better person by running. I hope I made those around me better. I hope I made my competition better," she said. "I hope I left the sport better because I was a part of it." A two-time NCAA crosscountry champion, Flanagan still holds the American records at 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters and 15K. "My personal motto throughout my career has been to make decisions that leave me with 'no regrets'.....but to be honest, I have one," she said. "I regret I can't do it all over again."q
A24
Tuesday 22 October 2019
TECHNOLOGY
In this Oct. 17, 2019, file photo Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks at Georgetown University in Washington. Associated Press
Facebook ramps up election security efforts ahead of 2020 Package carrying drones are dispatched from a launch site the company calls the "Nest" in Christiansburg Va., Friday, Oct. 18 2019. Associated Press
Google affiliate begins drone deliveries in Virginia town By RACHEL LERMAN AP Technology Writer A Google affiliate started using drones Friday to deliver customers' Walgreens and FedEx purchases in a test being run in a Virginia town. Wing, which is owned by Google parent Alphabet, received federal approval earlier this year to make commercial deliveries by drone. It was the first drone company to receive the approval in the U.S., beating out Amazon's Prime Air, which revealed its drone plans in 2013. Earlier this month, UPS also got approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly delivery drones. The company has been running delivery tests with WakeMed's hospital campus in Raleigh, North Carolina. Wing partnered with Walgreens, FedEx and local gift shop Sugar Magnolia to perform the tests in Christiansburg, Virginia. Walgreens customers in the town will be able to order from a list of more than 100 items and get them delivered to their doors by drones. The first Walgreens drone delivery customers ordered cough and cold medicine. A Wing drone also delivered a FedEx package from Dick's Sporting Goods to another family in town. Susie Sensmeier received a purple winter vest she ordered from Dicks Sporting Goods delivered by a drone to her front yard. The 81-year-old said she never thought she'd see something like it. "I didn't think I would live that long or it wouldn't come in my lifetime, I'm thrilled," she said. The drones will start with a flying radius of about 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) from Wing's distribution facility in Christiansburg. The drones are capable of flying a 12-mile (19-kilometer) round trip, and Wing expects
to widen its radius eventually, though it did not give a timeline for expansion. Wing has already launched tests in Canberra and Logan City, Australia, and Helsinki. But Friday's flights mark its first live commercial deliveries in the U.S. since receiving the air carrier certification from the FAA. Wing CEO James Ryan Burgess noted the speed with which drones can make deliveries — sometimes within minutes of ordering — and the environmental benefit of having fewer delivery trucks on roads. "We're looking at trends in cities including congestion and environmental sustainability," he said. "We see drone deliveries as a key part of solutions to these." In Wing's Australia pilot, Burgess said many of the deliveries are for food and cold medicine — things people may need when they don't want to leave the house. But another popular drone delivery item is hot coffee, which the company is delivering in partnership with a local coffeehouse. The coffee stays hot because the delivery often takes less than four minutes, he said. Privacy and safety concerns have been a concern across the U.S. as drone use increases. But Burgess stresses that Wing's delivery drones do not operate with the same intention as those flown for hobbies. The aim of Wing's drones is not to take pictures and video, he said, but rather to safely make deliveries. There are cameras on Wing's drones that are used for navigation, but Burgess said the images are processed onboard the aircraft and not streamed back to Wing's main servers. Wing has hinted it plans to expand the service to other towns, but has not revealed details.q
By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer With just over a year left until the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Facebook is stepping up its efforts to ensure it is not used as a tool to interfere in politics and democracies around the world. The efforts outlined Monday include a special security tool for elected officials and candidates that monitors their accounts for hacking attempts such as login attempts from unusual locations or unverified devices. Facebook said Monday it will also label state-controlled media as such, label fact-checks more clearly and invest $2 million in media literacy projects. The company also announced it has removed four networks of fake, misinformation-spreading accounts based in Russia and Iran. These networks sought to disrupt elections in the U.S., North Africa and Latin America, the company said. In the past year, Facebook says it has taken down 50 such clusters of accounts, a sign that efforts to use its services to disrupt elections are not letting up. "Elections have changed significantly since 2016 and Facebook has too," CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a conference call Monday. The social network was caught embarrassingly off guard during the 2016 election, having let others use its platform
to spread misinformation, manipulate voters and meddle with democracy. The company says it will also add more prominent labels on debunked posts on Facebook as well as on Instagram. It will put labels on top of what are deemed "false" and "partly false" photos and videos. But Facebook will continue to allow politicians to run ads containing misinformation . Critics say Facebook's measures don't go far enough and argue that the main problem is its business model, which depends on targeted advertisements and making sure that users stay engaged and entertained. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a leading Democratic presidential candidate and one of Facebook's biggest critics , has proposed breaking it up. Facebook also says it will add more information about the people or groups who establish or manage Facebook pages. The company said Monday it has noticed groups and people "failing" to disclose the organizations behind pages so people think it is run independently. Starting with large pages in the U.S., Facebook says it is adding a new section about "organizations that manage this page." Facebook says it will require the page's creators to add this information in order to run ads. q
BUSINESS A25
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Stocks rise as investors focus on earnings; Boeing drops By DAMIAN J. TROISE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks moved broadly higher on Wall Street Monday as investors watch the latest corporate earnings and developments in the U.S.China trade war. China's top negotiator said over the weekend that "substantial progress" was being made in its talks with the U.S., helping to inject more confidence into a market hoping for a trade deal. Investors have been shifting their focus to corporate earnings as tensions in the trade war cool with a recent tariff cease-fire. The broader market has mostly cheered financial results, with earnings season still in the early stages. About 15% of companies in the S&P 500 have reported third-quarter results so far, according to FactSet. Technology companies and banks led the early rally. Chipmakers, many of which are highly reliant on China for business, made some of the strongest gains. Nvidia rose 2.9% and Micron rose 3.3%. Apple rose 1.7% Banks benefited from a solid rise in bond yields. Citigroup rose 2.6%. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.79% from 1.75% late Friday. Higher yields allow banks to charge more lucrative interest on mortgages and other loans. Higher yields are also a sign that investors are more confident.
Traders William Lawrence, center, and Ashley Lara confer as they work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Associated Press
Utilities and real estate companies lagged the market as investors shifted their money from safe-play sectors toward holdings with more growth potential. KEEPING SCORE: The S&P 500 index rose 0.5% as of 12:10 p.m. Eastern time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 22 points, or 0.1%, to 26,790 and was weighed down by a sharp drop in Boeing shares. The Nasdaq rose 0.8%. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks did much better than other indices in yet another sign of investors' confidence. The index rose 1.2%. OVERSEAS: European markets moved broadly higher. The European Union is considering Britain's request for
an extension on its pending Oct. 31 exit from the trading bloc. Lawmakers in Britain voted for the delay. Prime Minister Boris Johnson again pushed for lawmakers to accept the latest proposal over trade and other issues, but was rejected. Stocks in Asia also rose. ANALYST'S TAKE: Analysts came into earnings season expecting another weak quarter for profit growth. So far, companies have reported surprisingly positive results. "We remain cautious for the quarter but believe that companies will continue to chin the low bar they have set and ultimately, we will end the quarter flat or up low single digits," said Katie Nixon, chief investment officer for Northern
Trust Wealth Management, in a note to investors. Earnings growth fell slightly in the first and second quarters, according to data from FactSet, which was better than Wall Street's expectation at the start of the reporting season. EARNINGS AHEAD: Monday marks a relatively quiet start to a week full of key corporate earnings. McDonald's, the world's biggest burger chain, will report its latest results on Tuesday along with shipping bellwether United Parcel Service. Investors will be closely watching Boeing's quarterly report on Wednesday for a better picture of the financial impact from its 737 Max jet groundings. Caterpillar, a key industrial company,
will also report its results on Wednesday. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, along with retail powerhouse Amazon, will report results on Thursday. TURBULENT STOCK: Boeing fell 4%. Congress is ramping up its scrutiny of Boeing as its CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, is scheduled to testify to the House's transportation committee on Oct. 30. Investors are concerned about the latest revelations surrounding its 737 Max airplanes. In messages released last week, former senior Boeing test pilot Mark Forkner told a co-worker in 2016 he unknowingly misled safety regulators about problems with a flight-control system that would later be implicated in two deadly crashes. On Sunday, the company said that it's unfortunate that messages between co-workers weren't released in a manner allowing for "meaningful explanation." OPIOID SETTLEMENT: The nation's three largest drug distributors and a drugmaker have reached a tentative deal to settle a lawsuit related to the nation's opioid crisis. The agreement comes within hours of the first federal trial over the crisis, with opening statements scheduled for Monday in Cleveland. However, the settlement does not resolve more than 2,600 other lawsuits across the country seeking to hold the drug industry accountable for the opioid crisis.q
A26 COMICS
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Mutts
Conceptis Sudoku
6 Chix
Blondie
Mother Goose & Grimm
Baby Blues
Zits
Yesterday’s puzzle answer
Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
CLASSIFIED A27
Tuesday 22 October 2019
HEALTH dOCTOR ON DUTY
Halley Time Travel
In this Oct. 1, 2015, file photo, an elephant crosses a road at a national park in Hwange, Zimbabwe. Associated Press
Zimbabwe says 55 elephants have starved to death in 2 months By FARAI MUTSAKA Associated Press HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — At least 55 elephants have starved to death in the past two months in Zimbabwe's biggest national park as a serious drought forces animals to stray into nearby communities in search of food and water, authorities said on Monday. "The problem is real, the situation is dire," said National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo.
Other animals such as lions at Hwange National Park have been affected. This is the worst drought in years in the southern African nation that also suffers from a collapsing economy. Massive food and water shortages have resulted. As animals stray from Zimbabwe's wildlife parks they destroy crops and sometimes kill people, Farawo said, adding that more than 20 people have been killed this year alone.q
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A28 SCIENCE
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Tension thaws over whale plan between lobstermen, feds By PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A group representing Maine's lobstermen says it's now willing to work with the federal government on a plan to protect right whales after withdrawing its support for the plan this summer. The Maine Lobstermen's Association is one of the key stakeholders in an effort to better protect the North Atlantic right whales, which number only about 400 and are vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear. A federal plan that's being developed to help save the whales would remove miles of lobster trap rope from the waters off Maine. The lobstermen's association issued a public statement on Oct. 11 saying it appreciates that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service has offered a "constructive response" to its concerns about whale protection. However, the statement also says the lobstermen still think the whale plan focuses too much on new restrictions for their industry. The organization said it believes NOAA Fisheries should also consider the impact other fisheries have on the whales. "Going forward, MLA will continue to insist on a science-based process informed by best available data to ensure rigorous accountability for risk to endangered whales from across the spectrum of human interactions with them," the group stated. The group hopes its letter sends a message that finding a way to save the whales is still one of its priorities, said Patrice McCarron, its executive director, in a
In this March 28, 2018 file photo, a North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth, Mass. Associated Press
telephone interview. "We were always committed to finding ways to make our fisheries safer for right whales," McCarron said. NOAA Fisheries is not commenting on the lobstering group's statement, agency spokesman Jennifer Goebel said. However, the regulators have also recently expressed desire to work with the lobstermen, who have said the whale protection plan placed too much onus on their business, which is an industry vital to Maine's economy. Chris Oliver, NOAA's assistant administrator for fisheries, said this month that federal managers are also "diligently working with our Canadian counterparts to address both ship strikes and entanglements in Canadian waters." That is another concern Maine's lobstermen have raised in recent years. The new whale protections must first go through a
rulemaking process. Maine
regulators
plan
to
hold
public meetings about proposed protections next month. NOAA must eventually propose formal rules, and that's expected in the next few months, Goebel said. The right whales dwindled in population during the whaling era and have suffered high mortality and poor reproduction in recent years. Conservationists have sounded alarms that the whales could face extinction because of a declining population of breeding females. "Entanglements in the vertical fishing lines used in lobster and crab trap/pot fisheries cause right whale death rates to rise and birth rates to fall," said Jane Davenport, a senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife, which has advocated for tight restrictions.q
Climate change making stronger El Ninos, study finds
In this Jan. 5, 2016, file photo, Chris Lene sweeps water out of one of the businesses in the building he owns that was flooded by rainwater in Sacramento, Calif. Associated Press
By SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Climate change is making stronger El Ninos, which change weather worldwide and heat up an already warming planet, a new study finds. Scientists examined 33 El Ninos — natural warming of equatorial Pacific that triggers weather extremes across the globe — since 1901. They found since the 1970s, El Ninos have been forming
farther to the west in warmer waters, leading to stronger El Ninos in some cases. A powerful El Nino can trigger drought in some places, like Australia and India. And it can cause flooding in other areas like California. The Pacific gets more hurricanes during an El Nino and the Atlantic gets fewer. El Nino makes winters milder and wetter in the United States, which generally benefits from strong El Ninos. They're devastat-
ing elsewhere. The 1997-98 event caused thousands of deaths from severe storms, heat waves, floods and drought, costing between $32 billion and $96 billion, according to a United Nations study . The shift for the origin of El Nino by hundreds of miles from the east of the International Dateline to the west of that point is important because the water to the west is naturally warmer, said study lead author Bin Wang, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Hawaii. Before 1978, 12 of the 14 El Ninos formed in the east. After 1978, all 11 were more central or western, according a study in Monday's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . Researchers did not study La Ninas, the cooler flip side to El Nino. Wang said there have been three "super" El Ninos, starting in 1982, 1997 and 2015 and all started in the west. During each of those El Ninos, the world broke new average temperature records.q
PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Tuesday 22 October 2019
For Springsteen, 'Western Stars' made sense after book, play By JOHN CARUCCI Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — "Western Stars" was just the change of pace that Bruce Springsteen needed after baring his soul over the past few years. First, he shared his darkest secrets in his memoir, "Born to Run." Then he spent more than a year telling his story five nights a week in Springsteen on Broadway. So, an album set in the American West, with an accompanying documentary seemed like the perfect bookend. "I see it like that myself, because for me, there was the book and then from the book we did the play. And out of the play really came this film," Springsteen told The Associated Press on the blue carpet Wednesday for the film's New York premiere. The film opens in theaters on Oct. 25. The album was released in June. The songs of "Western Stars" reveal characters experiencing love and loss, needing family and partners but sometimes feeling lonely and uncertain. In the film, Springsteen performs in front of a live audience under the cathedral ceiling of his family's giant old barn with a backing band and orchestra. Between each song he shares commentary and draws connections to his
Singer-songwriter and co-director Bruce Springsteen attends the special screening of "Western Stars" at Metrograph on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, in New York. Associated Press
own life. Springsteen's voice accompanies archive footage and home movies of his family. Several amusing scenes from their honeymoon touched wife, Patti Scialfa, who missed last month's world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. "I was surprised, because I hadn't seen it in so long. I hadn't even remembered that we did all those silly things. So, it's actually very, very sweet. It's really a love-
ly surprise," Scialfa said. The presence of the American Southwest is felt in the music with hints of Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb and in the vast expanses of land shown in the film. Thom Zimny, who shares directing credit with Springsteen on the film, knew they had something special. "Working on 'Western Stars' was an interesting time, because it was a different collaboration. Bruce was with
me from day one, and literally we knew we had something different. Because the sonic landscape of this music, the strings, the feeling of the West, we knew that was different than 'Springsteen on Broadway,' and all other projects that we worked with, together," Zimny said. Springsteen has no plans for a "Western Stars" tour, instead he's heading back into the studio to work on a new E-Street Band record.
Springsteen laughed at the notion of incorporating recent social and political upheavals in the lyrics of the band's new music. He's leaning toward the personal. Most of what he's written so far "ruminates a little bit about some of the things from my past," Springsteen said. "I think it's a little more forward looking than writing the memoir or doing a play," he said. At 70, Springsteen still impresses audiences around the world with his energetic concert performances, but equally as important is his ability to create an album and film like "Western Stars." At some point, even the most established artists stop making new music and begin resting on their previous accomplishments, despite having successful tours. Springsteen's manager Jon Landau said The Boss' approach to his craft is what precludes him from ever being a nostalgia act. "Never gonna happen. The magic is that he's an artist. He's an artist every day. He's not looking back, he's looking forward. I mean he loves to go on tour, and he loves to play his favorite songs. He loves for his audience to hear him. But if he wasn't pursuing new things, none of that would matter. It's the new things that keep him young," Landau said.q
2nd Sesame Street Place park opening in San Diego By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — There are plenty of sunny days to sweep the clouds away where SeaWorld is opening its next theme park. Officials with SeaWorld Entertainment and Sesame Workshop announced Monday that they are opening the country's second Sesame Place park in San Diego in spring 2021. The first Sesame Place theme park opened almost 40 years ago outside Philadelphia. The new 17-acre (6.5-hectare) Sesame Place will be an adjacent park next to Sea World San Diego. The space is currently occupied by the water park,
Aquatica San Diego, which will have its final season next year. Monday's announcement is part of an expanding partnership between SeaWorld and Sesame Street, which is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. SeaWorld's Orlando park opened a Sesame Street section earlier this year. Officials wouldn't disclose the cost of the park. Steve Youngwood, president of media and education and chief operating officer of Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, said the two brands have common objectives. "We want to engage and educate families. We mutually respect each side's ex-
pertise and we collaborate together to make it work," Youngwood said. SeaWorld announced the end of its breeding program in March 2016, after years of pressure from animal rights advocates and shifting public opinion about orcas being held in captivity. The protests intensified after the release of the 2013 documentary "Blackfish," which focused on the life of Tilikum, a killer whale responsible for killing a trainer when he dragged her into a pool in front of shocked visitors in 2010. The company in the past year, though, has seen a reversal of fortune. Attendance was up 8.6%
This undated artist rendering provided by PGAV Destinations shows a depiction of the new SeaWorld and Sesame Workshop theme park, which is scheduled to open in San Diego in 2021. Associated Press
during the 2018 fiscal year, as was revenue. For the first half of this year, attendance was up 1.7%. In the past year, SeaWorld also has been offering specialized services at its parks
for visitors with autism, and Sesame Place San Diego will also offer those services. The San Diego park will be slightly larger than the Sesame Street park outside Philadelphia.q
A30 PEOPLE
Tuesday 22 October 2019
& ARTS 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' claims No. 1 over 'Joker'
This image released by Disney shows, from left, Harris Dickinson as Prince Phillip, Elle Fanning as Aurora, Robert Lindsay as King John and Michelle Pfeiffer as Queen Ingrith in a scene from the film, "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil." Associated Press
By LINDSEY BAHR Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Walt Disney Co.'s "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" knocked "Joker" out of the No. 1 spot at the box office, but just barely. Studios on Sunday say the film starring Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning grossed an estimated $36 million in North America and $117 million internationally in its first weekend in theaters. The first film had a much stronger domestic showing, opening to nearly $70 million domestically in 2014, and the sequel was expected to earn more stateside. Although "It's not as strong as we hoped domestically, but it's a good start for October and we have a great window leading into Halloween," said Cathleen Taff, Disney's president of theatrical distribution. "Most encouraging is the fact that audiences seem to be responding very positively." The A CinemaScore — in contrast to the mixed critical reviews — suggests that the film could have a longer life at the box office.
Although it fell to second place after two weekends at the top, Warner Bros.' "Joker" continues to hold strong at the box office. It added $29.2 million in its third weekend in North America. The villain origin story has grossed over $247 million domestically. Worldwide, it's earned $737.5 million, and has already surpassed the lifetime grosses of "Justice League" and "Suicide Squad." Now the big question is whether the R-rated film will make it to $1 billion, but with a $55 million production budget, it's already a massive hit for the studio and will likely also become director Todd Phillips' highest-grossing film too. "It's already in territory that nobody thought it would get to. It's achieved a box office that is above the wildest expectations of the studio and analysts," said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore's senior media analyst. "Even if the box office stopped right now it's an absolute, unqualified success." Third place went to another new sequel, Columbia Pic-
tures' "Zombieland: Double Tap" with $26.7 million. The R-rated comedy comes 10 years after the original, reuniting Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Woody Harrelson with director Ruben Fleischer. "Three films earning over $25 million, that doesn't happen very often," Dergarabedian noted, although the weekend is down from last year when "Halloween" opened to over $76 million. In notable landmarks, "Hustlers" crossed $100 million domestically this weekend. It's the second STX film to do so this year after "The Upside." And buzzy, awards-friendly indies are continuing to thrive. "Parasite," which opened last weekend, added $1.2 million. This weekend, Taika Waititi's Nazi satire "Jojo Rabbit" opened in five theaters with a strong $350,000, the black and white Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe mindbender "The Lighthouse" earned $419,764 from eight theaters, and "Jay & Silent Bob Reboot" grossed $93,520 from one screen this weekend.q
Jim James taps orchestral sound on impressive album By RAGAN CLARK Associated Press Jim James, Teddy Abrams and the Louisville Orchestra, "The Order of Nature" (Decca Gold) A piccolo and glockenspiel delicately flutter in as the voice of Jim James echoes out. Slowly, the song builds and the breadth of instrumentation becomes clear. You find yourself in a seat at a theater, an orchestra stretching before you. Woodwinds, percussion and a choir start the opening song before strings join in at the chorus and brass swells. It all builds to one resounding point: "Love universal/ The order of nature/Hate has nowhere to grow." This is Jim James as you've never heard him. In fact, it's likely you've never heard anything quite like this. A Kentucky-native, James is joined by the Louisville Orchestra and music directorconductor Teddy Abrams for "The Order of Nature," an album that is sonically magnificent and recorded in one take during a live performance in Louisville. In their symbiotic relationship, James, who
This cover image released by Decca Gold shows "The Order of Nature," a release by Jim James with composer Teddy Abrams & The Louisville Orchestra. Associated Press
performs as both a solo artist and the leader of rock band My Morning Jacket, has given Abrams and his orchestra an edge and lyrical depth. Abrams, meanwhile, has lent James a theatrical element unmatched by anything he could have created on his own in a studio. Together, they build a story complete with expositions, arching climaxes and grand denouements. Songs roll into one another in such a way that it's not always apparent where one ends and another begins.q
PEOPLE & ARTS A31
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Ghost hunter's work gets TV afterlife in 'The Holzer Files' By LYNN ELBER Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ask the daughter of paranormal researcher and "Ghostbusters" inspiration Hans Holzer whether she's got any scary Halloween memories to share, and Alexandra Holzer doesn't disappoint. She was about 12 years old and getting ready to go trick-or-treating while her dad typed busily away in his New York City apartment, she recalled. Heading toward her bedroom to get out a favorite costume, a witch's cape, she was stopped short by a holidayworthy sight. "My black cape was floating in front of the dresser, and the drawer where I kept the cape was open. I just stood there like, 'What do I do? What am I looking at?'" she said. "I ran away into the living room and I took a deep breath. I didn't go get my father because I knew he would say, 'Go back in and investigate it.' So I bravely went back in and the drawer had been closed. The cape was inside, and I thought I was crazy." It was a mild encounter with what Holzer speculated was a mischievous spirit, certainly less hair-raising than the goings-on that
This Oct. 2019 photo provided by Alexandra Holzer shows Holzer at her home to promote her new Travel Channel series, “The Holzer Files.” Associated Press
Hans Holzer, who died in 2009 at age 89, spent decades investigating and some of which are revisited in the new Travel Channel series, "The Holzer Files" (10 p.m. EDT Thursday). The Whaley House, a historic San Diego home where visitors claimed to have encountered ghostly appari-
tions and heard disembodied voices, is the subject of this week's episode. Holzer and a medium reported contact in 1961 with the house's late residents and a 19th-century thief said to have been hanged on the site, but he felt more remained to be found. Enter the series' "dedicat-
ed paranormal team," as the channel describes researcher and radio host Dave Schrader, psychic medium Cindy Kaza and technician Shane Pittman, who search for evidence bolstering Holzer's original findings and make their own discovery. The trio is joined on the series by Alexandra Holzer, an author who has continued her father's work, and researcherproducer Gabe Roth. Take it with a grain of skepticism, or a salt mine's worth, but ghost stories are enduring. Upcoming episodes, which draw on Hans Holzer's case files that include audio tapes, letters and other material, look at places with haunted histories, including the Barnstable House in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and the Howard-Dickinson house in Henderson, Texas. Holzer was born in Vienna, Austria, and held post-graduate degrees in comparative religion and parapsychology. He wrote more than 100 books starting with "Ghost Hunter" in 1963 and including "Murder in Amityville." His account of a Long Island, New York, house where a family's 1974 killing was followed by claims of eerie events was the basis for the 1982 film "Amityville II: The Pos-
session." Holzer scoffed at the movie, dismissing it as "all Hollywood," his daughter said, while he found "Ghostbusters" to be funny and "endearing." Dan Aykroyd who starred in and co-wrote the 1984 comedy, has said he found inspiration for "Ghostbusters" in Holzer's research. Alexandra Holzer said her father was rigorous in scrutinizing reports of brushes with the dead, whom he considered fellow human beings who are troubled and unable to move on. While he used mediums in his research, he came to believe that psychic gifts are universal. "What my father had realized over the years is everybody has the ability, everybody is aware and intuitive. It's just a question of whether or not we're open enough and ready to receive that information and have a belief system that something bigger than us is around us 24/7," she said. She hopes the series introduces her dad to new generations, a feeling she's certain he shares. "He's very aware of the show ... and I'm sure he's watching very closely to see, hopefully, a good, positive ripple wave to go among those not familiar with the work," she said.q
New stories of an aging Olive in 'Olive, Again' By KENDAL WEAVER Associated Press "Olive, Again," Random House, by Elizabeth Strout It should come as no surprise that Olive Kitteridge does not mellow with age. The large, gruff woman who was the propelling force in Elizabeth Strout's book of short stories that won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for fiction — the simply titled "Olive Kitteridge" — returns in Strout's new collection of stories, "Olive, Again." As before, Olive is either a central character or plays a peripheral role in each of the 13 stories. These stories unfold chronologically, for the most part, as
Olive ages from her 70s into her 80s, increasingly hit with the physical and emotional afflictions of her years. The Olive Kitteridge of Strout's first collection of stories — a seventh-grade math teacher in a rural Maine town — was a captivating literary original. Singular and wise but rough-edged, she gave a book of short stories the range and depth of a novel. In the new collection, Olive is still a contrary woman, blunt and condescending. Some old issues — family friction, marital secrets, sickness, death — return once more. Having
met Olive already in the first book, she is no longer a fascinating new creation. But part of the appeal of this book is that Olive hasn't changed; she is still the irascible older woman in familiar Maine surroundings, whose standard cuss word is "Godfrey." As in the first book, some of the stories can stand alone without Olive. In "Cleaning," for example, Olive is little more than a conspiratorial ally of a 14-year-old girl who is experiencing the torments of family and adolescence, along with an odd and awkward sexual awakening. The story belongs to the teen. Other stories fill the gaps
in Olive's life as she grows old. These include the affections of a man who wants her to live with him, and Olive's agonizing relationship with her son and his growing young family in New York. As Olive ages, Strout doesn't spare the intimate cruelties of the body's and mind's decay. Strout's writing is fluid and straightforward, with touches of descriptive grace: "It was low tide, and the seaweed lay like combed rough hair, all in one direction. The boats that remained in the bay sat graciously, their thin masts pointing to the heavens like tiny steeples." Strout brings characters
This image released by Random House shows "Olive. Again," by Elizabeth Strout. Associated Press
from her other fiction into "Olive, Again," such as Bob and Jim Burgess from her novel "The Burgess Boys." It may be that Olive, now in her final years, will show up yet again in some other Strout fiction, but the hour is getting late.q
A32 FEATURE
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Online ordering boom gives rise to virtual restaurants By ALEXANDRA OLSON Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Frato's Pizza looks like a typical family restaurant, with its black-and-white checkered floor and red chairs. But in the kitchen, the cooks are whipping up dishes for four other restaurants at the same time. There is, of course, the gourmet pizza that patrons have come to expect from Frato's when they walk through the door. But there are also spicy chicken gyros for Halal Kitchen, barbecue chicken tenders for Tenderlicious, salmon grilled cheese for Cheesy Deliciousness, and Butterfinger milkshakes for Heavenly Shakes — all of which can only be ordered through online sites Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats. Owner Michael Kudrna launched the four spinoffs earlier this year in a matter of weeks as he races to keep his Chicago-area business ahead of a growing trend: restaurants conceived only for delivery or take-out. Thousands of restaurants are experimenting with these virtual spinoffs tucked inside their own kitchens. Others are opening "ghost kitchens," where all food is prepared to-go. Both concepts have emerged to capitalize on the rising popularity of ordering in instead of dining out. The trend also speaks to the growing power of thirdparty delivery companies, which have transformed the way many people find restaurants and raised expectations for speed and convenience. The $26.8 billion online ordering market is the fastest-growing source of restaurant sales in the United States, according to David Portalatin, a food industry adviser for the NPD group. Digital orders, while still accounting for just 5% of all restaurant orders, are growing some 20% each year. Restaurant visits, meanwhile, remain mostly flat. Kudrna says the virtual restaurants are a way to gain enough incremental revenue to offset the fees
William Burns, left, general manager of the B.Good ghost kitchen inside Kitchen United's Chicago, Ill., location prepares food for delivery on Aug. 29, 2019. Associated Press
A conveyor belt takes bags of food from ghost restaurants to a room where delivery drivers pick up orders at Kitchen United's Chicago location on Aug. 29, 2019. Associated Press
he pays to the third-party apps, which now drive onethird of his sales. Restaurants pay commission fees as high as 30% per order. "The beauty is I can create concepts and if they don't work, I can move on to try another one," Kudrna said. "I will have lost weeks of work, but not large sums of money." Chick-Fil-A, The Halal Guys and Dog Haus are among top brands that have opened ghost kitchens through Kitchen United, a start-up that builds kitchen commissaries for restaurants looking to enter new markets through delivery or take-out only. Kitchen United, backed by $50 million in funding from Google Ventures and other investors, has two locations in Pasadena, Cali-
fornia, and Chicago. It has ambitious expansion plans to open 40 more kitchens in cities across the U.S. through 2020, said CEO Jim Collins. DoorDash staked a claim to the trend last week. The delivery company partnered with four restaurant chains — including The Halal Guys — to open a bright red shared kitchen in Redwood City, California, offering delivery or pick-up in 13 suburban Bay Area markets. The idea is for DoorDash Kitchens to be a one-stop shop for restaurants looking to grow their business, said Fuad Hannon, head of new business verticals at DoorDash, although there are no immediate plans to expand. "We are really at the early
innings of this industry," Hannon said. "It's highly speculative at this point to understand where this will all go but what we know is that people love to get their favorite restaurants delivered." There have already been some notable failures. Maple, the delivery-only restaurant backed by celebrity chef David Chang, closed in New York in 2017 after two years. Pilotworks, a venture capital-backed start-up that offered commercial kitchen space and distribution services for small food businesses, abruptly closed its Brooklyn commissary in 2018, leaving nearly 200 vendors in the lurch with no warning. "I had to call all of these businesses and tell them I didn't have a kitchen. It was awful," said Liz Santiso, owner of Brooklyn Biscuit Company, who is starting over after losing her wholesale business that had delivered to Whole Foods and Dean & Deluca. Grubhub and Uber Eats say their virtual restaurant programs help small businesses compete in this landscape. Both actively reach out to restaurants with suggestions for online spinoffs based on data gleaned from customer searches — extending their influence from how people get their
food to what should go on the menu. Uber Eats has helped launch 4,000 such virtual restaurants worldwide, about half of them in the U.S. and Canada, according to Kristen Adamowski, head of Uber's virtual restaurants program. One restaurant owner, Rick Scott, said Uber saved his Brooklyn business. Scott first opened a cafe serving coffee, pastries and ice cream in Crown Heights, a lower-income neighborhood. But it was the only sit-in restaurant for blocks around and "the neighborhood just wasn't ready for it," Scott said. Sales were slumping when he reached out Uber, which told him there was latent demand for specialty burgers in the surrounding area. Scott launched Gerizim Burger Factory on Uber Eats with a Caribbean-inspired menu of jerk and calypso burgers. Almost immediately, he said, sales jumped about 75%. A year later, he has two employees, rebranded his physical restaurant and launched a second Burger Factory in the borough of Queens. "It was a 90-degree turnaround," Scott said. "It changed our whole business." But Kudrna has found he can't always rely on thirdparty suggestions. Heavenly Sweets, a desert concept suggested by Grubhub, has mostly flopped. The chefs at a training program he runs then came up with Cheesy Deliciousness and Halal Kitchen, which have so far taken off. Grubhub spokeswoman Katie Norris said sales representatives suggest virtual spinoff ideas when they see untapped demand for a cuisine in a market, but it's up to the restaurant to decide whether it makes sense for them. Virtual restaurants have the obvious benefit of testing new concepts without taking on expensive leases or hiring more staff, said Rick Carmac, dean of restaurant management at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York.q