October 31, 2019

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American students' performance lags on Nation's Report Card

By ASHRAF KHALIL, JEFF AMY and CAROLYN THOMPSON Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The latest Nation's Report Card is painting a dismal picture of math and reading achievement among American fourth and eighth graders despite a few bright spots.

Students in the nation's capital, which faced multiple scandals in its public

school system last year, made significant gains in both reading and math this year, according to the National Assessment of Education Progress. There also were major improvements in Mississippi, bucking a national trend that showed America's eighth graders falling behind in math and reading and declines among fourth graders in math.

Continued on Page 4

In this June 7, 2014, file photo, Odessa High School graduates pose for a group portrait prior to the start of the commencement ceremony in Odessa, Texas.

Associated Press

A2 UP

FRONT With DHS head departing, unclear who will be in charge Thursday 31 October 2019

By COLLEEN LONG and JILL COLVIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A day before the acting Homeland Security secretary is set to leave his job, it remains unclear who will be tapped to run the sprawling agency tasked with national security, disaster response and protection of the president and his family.

Kevin McAleenan, the fourth person to hold the job in the Trump administration, had told colleagues that he would be departing Thursday. While he could choose to stay on, a goodbye party to fete him was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm not going to discuss any pre-decisional personnel matters," McAleenan told a House Committee Wednesday when asked about plans for the department. Still, he said he was prepared to stay on if asked.

"If necessary, I'll absolutely ensure a smooth transition," he said.

For weeks, various factions

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, left, and FBI Director Christopher Wray, right, prepare to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, during a hearing on domestic terrorism.

Associated Press

have been looking for legal blocks and work-arounds as they spar over who is eligible to succeed McAleenan in the role. Federal vacancy rules that place restrictions on the position had been thought to bar immigration hardliner Ken Cuccinelli, currently the acting head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Mark Morgan, the current acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, from tak-

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ing the job.

But officials have recently identified a "loophole" in which Trump could appoint otherwise ineligible individuals by first tapping them to lead the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office — a post that is vacant. The discovery of the work-around was first reported by The New York Times.

In addition to Cuccinelli and Morgan, the White House has also been

weighing Chad Wolf, former chief of staff to exSecretary Kirstjen Nielsen, as a possible McAleenan successor. Another name that has been mentioned is Kenneth Rapuano, a longtime counterterrorism official who is currently the assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and global security, and previously served as deputy homeland security adviser to President George W. Bush.

That is according to more than a half dozen current and former administration officials and people close to the White House who spoke on condition to anonymity in order to discuss private deliberations.

Cuccinelli was asked about the job Wednesday during an appearance on Capitol Hill. He responded that he wasn't prepared to answer.

But when pressed, he said he wouldn't take any post if it violated the law.

The sprawling 240,000-person Department of Homeland Security oversees a huge portfolio that includes election and cyber secu-

rity, disaster response, child trafficking investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Secret Service.

But in Trump's universe, DHS has typically meant one thing: immigration enforcement.

McAleenan, who led U.S. Customs and Border Protection before taking on his current job, had years of experience on the border and was viewed at the White House as someone who could get the job done.

He successfully brokered agreements with Central American nations, which other secretaries could not, and oversaw a dramatic drop in border crossings during his six-month tenure.

But McAleenan often disagreed with the president's public messaging, and his style stood in marked contrast with the department's two immigration leaders — both acting — who are fervent and very vocal supporters of Trump's policies.

The jockeying for power caused friction between McAleenan and his component heads.q

U.S. NEWS A3

Thursday 31 October 2019

U.S. sued over health insurance rule for immigrant families

By AMY TAXIN A lawsuit Wednesday accused the Trump administration of preventing Americans from bringing their foreign spouses and parents to live with them in the United States by requiring those immigrants to prove they can afford health care before they get visas.

Seven U.S. citizens and a nonprofit organization filed the federal lawsuit in Portland, Oregon, over the rule that's set to take effect Sunday. It applies to people seeking immigrant visas from abroad, not those already in the country, and doesn't affect asylum seekers, refugees or children.

"Congress makes laws, the president executes them.

This is an egregious attempt to supercede and overturn congressional will, not only in the immigration realm but in the health care realm," said Jesse Bless, director of federal litigation at the American Immigration Lawyers Association who helped file the case.

A message seeking comment was sent to the State Department.

The rule is the Trump administration's latest effort to limit immigrant access to public programs while trying to move the country away from a family-based immigration system and into a

merit-based system.

Earlier this year, the administration made sweeping changes to regulations that would deny green cards to immigrants who use some forms of public assistance, but the courts have blocked that measure.

Under the government's visa rule, the required insurance can be bought individually or provided by an employer and it can be short-term coverage or catastrophic.

Medicaid doesn't count, and an immigrant can't get a visa if using the Affordable Care Act's subsidies when buying insurance.

The federal government pays for those subsidies.

The lawsuit seeks class-action status and to block the rule from taking effect.

The rule is a problem for Iris Angelina Castro, an American citizen from Springfield, Illinois. The former teacher has applied for her husband, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, to obtain an immigrant visa to join her in the United States.

He's been preparing paperwork for a consular interview, but now they doubt he will qualify because she quit her job after her son got sick and now has state health insurance, according to the complaint.

She is pregnant with her

President Donald Trump speaks during a Medal of Honor Ceremony for U.S. Army Master Sgt. Matthew Williams, currently assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group, in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, in Washington.

Associated Press

second child and wants her husband to be there for the birth of their daughter.

Other plaintiffs in the lawsuit are trying to bring their spouses to live with them from Mexico and Germany. One woman is trying to bring her parents from Nicaragua and hasn't been able to find them reasonable health insurance.

"It's an impossibility," said Bless, the attorney. "There's been no standards provided to show: 'How much money do I need to show that I can pay for my own care?'"q

A4 U.S.

Thursday 31 October 2019

Continued from Front

Nationwide, a little more than a third of eighth graders are proficient in reading and math. About a third of fourth graders are proficient in reading, while more than 40% of fourth graders are proficient in math.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the overall national results demonstrated a "student achievement crisis" that can't be fixed by pouring more money into the traditional public school system. She renewed her pitch for expanded school choice, including her proposals for federal tax credits for donations made to groups offering scholarships for private schools, apprenticeships, school vouchers and greater reliance on privately run charter schools.

"Our children continue to fall further and further behind their international peers," she said in a speech Wednesday. "If we embrace education freedom, American students can achieve. American students can compete."

In Washington, schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee credited the improved performance by the city's students to a number of factors, including the 2008 institution of universal free pre-K schooling for 3- and 4-year-olds living in D.C. That first crop of Washington preschoolers to benefit from the program would be in high school now, Ferebee said.

"Many of our students are getting a strong start in their learning," said Ferebee, who also credited Washington's commitment to comparatively high teacher salaries that "allow us to be competitive at a time when there's a nationwide shortage of good teachers."

The nationwide test is given to a random sampling of students in the fourth and eighth grades every two

NEWS

years.

Students made big gains in math in the 1990s and 2000s but have shown little improvement since then.

Reading scores have risen a little since the tests began in 1992.

The decline in both reading and math performance among eighth grade students preparing to enter high school was especially concerning, officials said.

"Eighth grade is a transitional point in preparing students for success in high school, so it is critical that researchers further explore the declines we are seeing here, especially the larger, more widespread declines across states we are seeing in reading," Peggy Carr, associate commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, told reporters during a conference call.

Both low- and high-achieving eighth graders slipped in reading, but the declines were generally worse for lower-performing students.

Daniel Willingham, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, said that it's hard to find a coherent story across different state and local school districts, but that he hoped the results would "spur us to do something a little more vigorous."

"We've just absolutely stalled," Willingham said.

One theory is that decreased performance is a residue of economic decline and spending cuts by school districts. Michael Petrilli, president of education reform group the Thomas Fordham Institute, has pointed to data showing that performance has risen and fallen on the test in the past in sync with the economy.

"What we saw is that great calamity had lingering impacts," Petrilli said. He said that could also be why "we'd be seeing particu-

In this April 18, 2019 file photo, Elize'a Scott, a Key Elementary School third grade student, right, reads under the watchful eyes of teacher Crystal McKinnis, left in Jackson, Miss.

Associated Press

larly disappointing results at the lowest end of the spectrum."

Officials noted gains in Mississippi, where for the first time in the test's history, fourth graders scored above the national average in math and at the national average in reading.

The state remained behind national averages in eighth grade but continued to improve in math and held its ground in reading despite nationwide losses.

"Our achievement is at an all-time high in Mississippi," said state Superintendent Carey Wright.

The state has been among a number with a heavy focus on improving early literacy, but Wright said Mississippi also has devoted resources to helping teachers improve math instruction after it adopted new standards.

"When you improve kids' reading ability, it's not surprising that kids' math ability falls in line," Wright said.

The nation's large-city public schools, which educate more poor students and English language learners, also saw good news. Big-

city schools still performed below the nation as a whole but further narrowed the gap. In the last 20 years, the achievement gap between big-city schools and the nation has narrowed by about 50% in reading and math, the Council of the Great City Schools said. The schools are now about five to eight points below national averages on NAEP's 500-point scale. "We still have more to do, but the

era of poor performance in our nation's urban publicschool systems has ended, and it has been replaced by results, accountability and promise," the council's executive director, Michael Casserly, said in a news release.The results are a particularly welcome victory for Washington, D.C., public schools, which endured a string of high-profile scandals at the high school level last year.q

U.S. NEWS A5

Thursday 31 October 2019

U.S. House OKs protections near historical park in New Mexico Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Walls of stacked stone jut up from the canyon floor, some perfectly aligned with the seasonal movements of the sun and moon. Circular ceremonial subterranean rooms called kivas cut into the desert, surrounded by the remnants of what historians say was once a hub of indigenous civilization.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park is at the center of a decades-long debate over how to manage oil and gas development in a sprawling area of northwestern New Mexico that is dotted by sites tied to the park but that lie outside its boundaries.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved legislation prohibiting drilling on the checkerboard of federal land that borders the park. The language was included in a spending package.

Federal land managers have been deferring interest by the oil and gas industry in parcels within a 10mile (16-kilometer) radius of the park to address the concerns of environmentalists and Native American leaders. The legislation would codify that practice, essentially establishing a buffer around the park.

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, a New Mexico Democrat, is among the sponsors. He remembers first visiting the park years ago when he was in his 20s.

"There's something incredible, magical, spiritual that you feel as you walk up to Chaco, touch those stones that have withstood the test of time and you think of all the people who came before us. It's emotional," Lujan said.

He said he is confident the legislation will have bipartisan support. He pointed to the willingness of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to defer drilling leases around Chaco while regulators prepare a new management plan for the region's resources. Bernhardt's decision came earlier this year after touring the world heritage site and meeting with leaders from

the Navajo Nation and New Mexico's pueblos.

Similar legislation to create a protective zone around Chaco is pending in the Senate.

The campaign to curb drilling in one of the nation's oldest basins has spanned at least three presidential administrations. In recent years, concerns expanded beyond environmental impacts to the preservation of cultural landmarks.

The oil and gas industry has been operating in the San Juan Basin for nearly a century. Industry representatives have said existing federal laws and policies require extensive environmental and cultural reviews before drilling can happen and that any sites designated as culturally significant as a result are respected.

Tribal leaders and environmentalists have praised the legislation, saying it would better protect irreplaceable sites beyond the park.

The measure calls for withdrawing nearly 500 square miles (1,280 square kilometers) of federal land holdings, preventing future leasing of mineral rights.

However, passage would not mean development comes to a halt. Most of the land within the protection zone belongs to the Navajo Nation and individual tribal members who would retain their sovereignty and property rights.

Still, many allotment owners are concerned their holdings will be landlocked if the federal parcels are off limits. That would mean millions of dollars in lost revenue for some families on Navajo Nation, which has struggled for years with high rates of poverty and unemployment.

Environmentalists, archaeologists and Pueblo leaders from elsewhere in New Mexico for years have called for a drilling moratorium. Pueblo leaders say their cultural ties to Chaco are still strong. Some also have concerns about pollution from increased drilling.

Some leaders met with Lujan last week while in Washington, including E. Paul

In this Aug. 10, 2005 file photo, tourist Chris Farthing from Suffolks County, England, takes a picture of Anasazi ruins in Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.

Associated Press

Torres, chairman of the All Pueblo Council of Governors.

"We need the buffer zone for sure," Torres said. "The oil wells are getting danger-

ously close to Chaco right now and that's what we do not want to see."q

A6 U.S.

Thursday 31 October 2019

NEWS

AP-NORC poll: Halloween plans, from candy to costumed pets CHICAGO (AP) — The good news for kids this Halloween: They'll likely come home with a bigger pile of candy than of healthy snacks while out trick-ortreating.

Americans have a wide variety of plans to celebrate the spooky holiday this year, from carving pumpkins to watching scary movies. Some even plan to make their dogs and cats suffer the fate of being forced into goblin or Spiderman outfits.

Those are just some of the findings of a poll conducted ahead of Halloween by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

A majority of Americans think it's unsafe for kids to trick-or-treat alone, including about a third who say it's very unsafe. Perhaps not surprisingly, city residents and people with younger children at home are especially likely to say it's very unsafe.

"There's all these kidnappings and stuff going on," said Lamar Walker, of Huntsville, Alabama, in explaining why this year he is taking his sons, 12 and 6, to a party at a church.

Such worries help explain why an army of children descend on one street on Chicago's North Side every Halloween, not leaving until each house is some 2,000 pieces of candy lighter.

Part of the attraction may be the elaborate displays, including zombies programmed to shake fences and push baby carriages down the street and skeletons digging graves. But homeowners know that parents, some of whom

In this Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019 photo, neighbors Beth LeFauve, left, and Nelson Gonzalez pose for a portrait outside their two Bernard Street homes and the Halloween decorations spanning both properties in Chicago.

Associated Press

drive from across the city, are after something else: safety.

"It's all contained and safe, and kids don't have to go into apartment buildings where it gets creepy, (and) they don't have to go down main streets," said Nelson Gonzalez, an electric engineer who is responsible for a lot of the electronics that make the displays shake, roll, scream and smoke.

While pretty much every house on Bernard Street is good for a treat, the poll shows what every kid knows: not everyone gives

out candy. In all, about 4 in 10 say they plan to do so.

Many Americans, including most people with kids under 13 at home, say they do plan to dress their kids up and take them out trickor-treating. About a quarter of adults, and a third of those with younger children, will get into costume themselves.

But the poll also indicates that by 60 years old, fewer want to spend the evening dressed like Dracula, or to spend Nov. 1 yanking out the tombstones planted in their lawns.

"I've always thought that was kind of foolish," said 76-year-old Earl Thompson, a retired northern Illinois truck driver who counts himself among the vast majority of Americans age 60 and over who have no plans to don a costume.

By comparison, close to half of adults under age 30 do plan to dress up. Younger Americans are also far more likely than older ones to have plans to decorate for the holiday, 46% to 28%.

But as long as his wife has her way, Thompson can't join the ranks of those who

have stopped putting up decorations.

"She decorates every year and as soon as Halloween is done, the Thanksgiving stuff goes up," he said.

Thompson is equally adamant that he won't be among the 7% who hand out healthy snacks instead of candy this year.

"We are a good house because we pass out the bad stuff," he said.

Peyton Helmer also is a firm "no" when it comes to the question of healthy snacks.

"This is the one day a year for candy," said Helmer, a farmer in St. Landry, Louisiana. "We are not going to give out healthy snacks."

Pets weren't asked about their feelings about Halloween, but 11% of Americans do say they plan do dress up their cat or dog.

For those facing the choice of whether to dress their critters up, a common refrain is that the decision belongs to the pets themselves.

Thompson joked his dogs would try to bite him if he ever came at them with a costume. But it's a split decision at Lamar Walker's house. "Cucumber likes it," he said of the dog's bat outfit. But, the other one, China? "She don't like it (and) she'll just sit in one spot and pee on the floor."

In Spearfish, South Dakota, Cheryl Anagnapoulos would be happy to let her Miniature Pinscher, Oliver, decide, as soon as he starts paying rent. "He fights pretty hard," she said of when it comes time to put on his sweater with the skeleton face on it. "But we feed and house him so this is the least he can do."q

U.S. NEWS A7

Thursday 31 October 2019

2 killed when small plane crashes into Atlanta townhome

By JEFF AMY ATLANTA (AP) — A small plane crashed into a townhome Wednesday morning in a leafy Atlanta-area neighborhood near a major interstate, killing two people and tearing off the home's brick exterior, authorities said.

The crash scattered wreckage and shook up nearby residents. Both the pilot and a passenger died, but there were no injuries on the ground because no one was home at the time, DeKalb County Fire Capt.

Dion Bentley told reporters.

"I'm feeling very lucky," said David Youngpeter, who lives near the townhome. "It was too close for comfort."

The Piper PA-28 plane crashed shortly after taking off from DeKalb-Peachtree Airport outside Atlanta

about 10:30 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Conditions were foggy in the area.

Jared Hauck said he was working from his home about 1,000 feet (300 meters) from the crash site because he had adopted a dog the day before.

"I heard a really loud crash and some rustling," he said.

"It didn't sound like anything normal."

Hauck said he found a piece of wreckage outside his front door.

The end of one of the airport's runways is about 1.2 miles (1.9 kilometers) from where the crash occurred, and Youngpeter said he regularly hears planes overhead.

West Hutchinson, another resident, said he heard the

Fire officials look at the scene where an airplane crashed into an apartment complex, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, in Atlanta.

Associated Press

plane struggling to gain altitude before it crashed.

"All of a sudden, I heard a really loud crack," Hutchinson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . "It was obvious that the plane had crashed because it was really loud and all of sudden went immediately silent."

Bentley said the plane crashed into a six-unit townhome and crews had trouble accessing the wreckage and reaching one of the plane's occupants.

DeKalb County Medical

Examiner Pat Bailey says officials are not yet ready to identify the victims.

An Associated Press photographer saw authorities removing a body from the site after 1 p.m.

A large section of wall and part of the roof was knocked out of a building at the townhome complex.

DeKalb County Fire Marshal Joe Cox declared the units unsafe because of structural damage and fuel vapor, according to county officials.q

Researchers: Chicago must overhaul homicide investigations

By DON BABWIN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Police Department must make significant changes in the way it investigates homicides in a city where more than half of killings go unsolved, a police research group said in a report released Wednesday.

The Police Executive Research Forum found problems in the department that included inadequate training; a lack of a detective unit devoted solely to homicide investigations; and a failure to adequately help witnesses or even have a witness protection unit that is critical in persuading people to come forward to help solve crimes.

The report shows the clearance rate for homicides in 2017, the most recent year listed, was at 36% for the nation's third-largest city, compared with 84% for

New York and 73% for Los Angeles. Chicago has a higher homicide rate than both of those cities.

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the clearance rate in homicide investigations has climbed from about 30% in 2016 to more than 46% so far this year. He credited changes the department has already undertaken, including the hiring of 300 detectives.

Other problems listed in the report include too few detectives assigned to stations in areas where slayings are committed and no "tracking mechanism to determine the exact number of homicide cases assigned to each detective." It noted that detectives and their supervisors were confused about just how many homicide cases each detective had been assigned in the past year.

In a news release, Po-

In this Aug. 20, 2017, file photo, a police detective walks past the body of a man fatally shot in the parking lot of an event center in Chicago.

Associated Press

lice Superintendent Eddie Johnson and Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the department is setting up a new team to help manage and implement the changes recommended by the research group.

"With these findings in hand, the City of Chicago is acting today to ensure that police officers and detectives have the systems of support that are required not only for solving crimes — but for preventing them from occurring in the first place," said Lightfoot.

In recent years, as homi-

cides and violent crime in Chicago received national attention and the city came under withering criticism from President Donald Trump, a companion story has been detectives' inability to arrest suspects for both homicides and non-fatal shootings. However, homicide numbers in Chicago have been trending downward over the last couple of years, after hitting a 19-year high of 770 in 2016. Police say 660 homicides were committed in 2017 and 561 were committed in 2018.q

A8 WORLD

Thursday 31 October 2019

NEWS

UK leader vows to beef up fire safety after Grenfell inferno LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Wednesday vowed to speed up efforts to make sure the dangerous cladding used in the Grenfell Tower is removed from other high-rise buildings before there is another tragic fire.

Speaking on the day a damning report into the June 2017 that killed 72 people, Johnson said the government has taken steps to remove the cladding from governmentowned buildings and will take action against private landlords who do not follow suit.

"Nearly all private high-rise residential buildings where such cladding remains are now in line to have remedial work scheduled," he said.

"Where that is not case, the government will work with local authorities to take enforcement action if landlords refuse to deal with the problems themselves."

The prime minister spoke in a solemn tone after the House of Commons

In this file photo dated Wednesday, June 14, 2017, smoke rises from a fire in the Grenfell Tower building in west London.

Associated Press

observed a minute of silence to honor the victims trapped in the inferno.

"No report, no words, no apology will ever make good the loss suffered and the trauma experienced,"

Johnson said as some of the bereaved families watched from the public gallery in Parliament.

But he said he hoped the report will bring "some measure of comfort to

those who have suffered so much."

The inquiry report published Wednesday criticized the London Fire Brigade for allowing a "stay in place" order to remain in effect even

after it became clear the safety systems were failing, leading to an increased loss of life.

It said residents of the public housing building should have been told to evacuate more quickly because the fire was spreading so fast that rescuing people from their apartments was not possible in many cases.

Nazanin Aghlani, who lost two family members including her mother to the blaze, said the death toll should have been lower.

"However brave some of the firefighters were, on the night there was a serious lack of common sense," she said. "They didn't see what was so vivid in front of them."

She said "a lot of people could have been saved" if a sound evacuation plan had been in place.

London's fire commissioner Dany Cotton said Wednesday that firefighters faced an "unprecedented" situation in the overnight tower fire. q

Activist Thunberg declines climate prize, urges more action Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, who has inspired millions across the world to stage protests urging leaders to better tackle global warming, has declined an environmental prize, saying "the climate movement does not need any more prizes."

Two fellow climate activists spoke on Thunberg's behalf at an award ceremony Tuesday in Stockholm for the regional inter-parliamentary Nordic Council's prizes, reading a statement thanking the group for the honor. Thunberg, 16, is currently in California.

But Sofia and Isabella Axelsson quoted Thunberg as saying that "what we need is for our rulers and politicians to listen to the research."

The Nordic Council hands out annual prizes for literature, youth literature, film, music and the environment, each worth 350,000 Danish kroner ($52,000).

Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, attends a climate rally, in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019.

Associated Press

It was not the first prize that the climate activist has won or been nominated for.

Three Norwegian lawmakers nominated for the No-

bel Peace Prize this year because they believe "the massive movement Greta has set in motion is a very important peace contribu-

tion."

Last year, about three months into her school climate strike campaign, Thunberg declined another

award — the Children's Climate Prize, which is awarded by a Swedish electricity company — because many of the finalists had to fly to Stockholm for the ceremony.

Thunberg notes that flights contribute to global warming, so she sailed across the Atlantic Ocean for two weeks on a zero-emissions sailboat to reach New York.

There the Swede scolded a U.N. climate conference in September , repeatedly asking, "How dare you?"

"We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and yet all you can talk about is money. You are failing us," she said. Weeks later, Thunberg won the 2019 Right Livelihood Award — known as the "Alternative Nobel" — "for inspiring and amplifying political demands for urgent climate action reflecting scientific facts."

In May 2019, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine, which named her a "next generation leader."q

WORLD NEWS A9

Thursday 31 October 2019

NATO chief lauds Ukraine's weaponry pullback in the east KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The head of NATO on Wednesday lauded Ukraine's weaponry pullback in the east, but also called upon Russia to step up efforts to bring peace to the wartorn region.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters at the Black Sea port of Odessa on Wednesday that NATO supports Ukraine's efforts to pull back heavy weapons in the east.

"We welcome all efforts to reduce tensions and withdraw forces and to make sure that we have a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine," said Stoltenberg, who visited four NATO vessels that stopped by Odessa during their Black Sea patrol.

The disengagement of Ukrainian government

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a media conference after a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019.

Associated Press

troops and Russia-backed separatists has been seen as the final hurdle before much-anticipated peace talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany aimed to put an end to the deadly conflict.

Ukrainian President Volody-

myr Zelenskiy, who was elected in April, made it a top priority of his presidency to put an end to the conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people and displaced more than a million people.

The commitment of Zelenskiy's government to pull

back heavy weapons from two areas along the line of contact in the east has triggered streets protests in the capital, Kyiv, and other Ukrainian cities where many feared the move opens the door to concessions to Russia.

The disengagement finally began Tuesday after Zelenskiy visited the area and confronted armed veterans who came there to try to hamper the troops pullback.

Asked about the move on a visit to Hungary, Russian President Vladimir Putin remained non-committal, saying it remains to be seen if Zelenskiy could overcome domestic resistance to the move.

"Mr Zelenskiy doesn't look like a Ukrainian nationalist, and it's hard for me to say

if he can manage them," Putin said at a news conference. "The question is if he can deliver what he said in public and what he considers necessary to do."

He added that he wouldn't judge Zelenskiy's tactics of engaging in an argument with those who resisted his orders.

"I don't know if he did the right thing as president and commander-in-chief to go to the line of contact to try to persuade the people who refuse to obey his orders," Putin said. "It's not such a difficult thing to separate the conflicting sides in two villages, but it has dragged on for years and it's now clear why — because the nationalists don't want to leave and don't want to let the Ukrainian troops out."q

Denmark allows Russia-Germany gas pipeline

By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark said Wednesday that it is giving permission for a joint German-Russian underwater gas pipeline to be laid to through its territory, in a blow to the United States, which had fiercely opposed the project.

The decision by the Danish Energy Agency to approve the Nord Stream 2 pipeline's route is a victory for the governments of Russia and Germany, which had staunchly supported it.

The plan is to transport natural gas about 1,200-kilometers (746-miles) through

the Baltic Sea from Russia to Europe has come under fire from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and several European countries, who argue that it could increase Europe's dependence on Russia as a supplier of energy.

The government agency said it had granted a permit to Switzerland-based Nord Stream 2 "to construct a section of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipelines on the Danish continental shelf southeast of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea." Washington, which wants to sell its liquefied natural gas to Europe, has threatened sanctions against

companies involved in the undersea pipeline.

While the pipeline is wholly owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom, half of the project's 8 billion euro ($8.9 billion) cost is covered by five European energy and chemicals companies including Shell, BASF and ENGIE. Germany, Europe's biggest economy which is also the world's biggest importer of natural gas, already relies heavily on Russian gas.

So far, Chancellor Angela Merkel has deftly kept the pipeline off the table while imposing sanctions against Russia for its actions in Ukraine.q

In this Friday, April 9, 2010 file photo a Russian construction worker speaks on a mobile phone in Portovaya Bay some 170 kms (106 miles) north-west from St. Petersburg, Russia, during a ceremony marking the start of Nord Stream pipeline construction.

Associated Press

A10 WORLD

Thursday 31 October 2019

NEWS

Free haircuts, grilled fish as Iraq protests gain momentum

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA ALI ABDUL-HASSAN Associated Press BAGHDAD (AP) — Barbers give free haircuts to protesters. Young men grill carp fish for a national dish called masgouf and distribute to the crowds. Others play dominoes, oblivious to the chaos all around and nearby security forces firing tear gas.

Anti-government protests in Iraq gained momentum Wednesday with tens of thousands of people gathered in a central square in Baghdad and across much of the country's Shiite-majority central southern provinces.

The sound of tear gas explosions echoed throughout the day as security forces battled young men trying to advance toward the heavily fortified Green Zone through Al-Joumhouriya Bridge.

Security and hospital officials said one protester was killed after suffocating from the gas, and more than 100 protesters were injured by tear gas canisters fired by security forces in the vicinity of Tahrir Square, which has emerged as the epicenter

An anti-government protester prepares to throw a tear gas canister fired by Iraq security forces to disperse a during a demonstration, in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

Associated Press

of the protests.

The death brings the total number of people who have been killed since the unrest began Oct. 1 to 241.

The protesters have been met with bullets and tear gas by security forces from the first day — a massive security crackdown that has only served to bring out more protesters.

"We are now in Tahrir Square, which is called nowadays 'the holy land,' supporting our sons, brothers and friends who are here (protesting), to show a civilized image of the protest to the whole world," said Jenan Kareem, a middle-aged Iraqi woman who joined the protests.

Later on Wednesday, hun-

dreds of people headed to the Sanak Bridge that runs parallel to the Joumhouriya Bridge, opening a new front in their attempts to cross the Tigris River to the Green Zone. Security forces fired volleys of tear gas that billowed smoke and covered the night sky.

The protests are over deteriorating living conditions,

unemployment and corruption. Protesters have been joined by supporters of an influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has called on the government to resign, and have snowballed into the biggest security challenge Iraq has faced since the Islamic State group was defeated two years ago.

The protests are unprecedented in their scope and the fact that they are mostly grassroots, leaderless and spontaneous. In recent days, university and school students have also joined the protesters. Civil society groups have formed, including young people who clean the streets of litter left behind by the protesters.

Dozens of Tuk Tuks — or motorized rickshaws — crowd the streets around the square, ferrying protesters back and forth from homes, and the injured to ambulances and hospitals.

But that hasn't deterred the protesters from pouring into the streets. Tahrir Square, in particular, has become a beehive for activists including some who have erected tents and are staying there.q

Germany ups fight against anti-Semitism, far-right extremism

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet passed new measures Wednesday aimed at helping fight far-right extremism and anti-Semitism following an attack on a synagogue earlier this month.

The proposals include tightening gun laws, stepping up prosecution of online hate, and boosting financial support for projects fighting anti-Semitism and far-right extremism.

"The horrible attack on the Jewish community in Halle showed again what the unleashing of hatred online can lead to," Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht said at a news conference in Berlin when she introduced the bundle of measures alongside Germany's interior and family ministers.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer attends a news conference on a package of measures against far-right extremism and anti-Semitism in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

Associated Press

"We will fight far-right terrorism and anti-Semitism with all the power of the law," Lambrecht added.

Germany is still reeling from the attempted attack on a synagogue by a 27-yearold German in the eastern city of Halle on Oct. 9, who

later killed two passers-by before being arrested. The man posted an anti-Semitic screed before the attack and broadcast the shooting live on a popular video game streaming site.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said the new propos-

als include forcing internet companies to report hate speech to police and extending requirements to delete illegal content to online gaming platforms.

German gun laws will also be tightened to "do everything to make sure weapons don't get into the hands of extremists," Seehofer said.

The government also plans to devote more police and intelligence officers to tackling far-right extremism and terrorism — so that eventually the authorities will have the same amount of staff and capacities as they have in their fight against Islamic extremism.

In addition, German Families Minister Franziska Giffey announced that pro-democracy civil groups would get additional funding of 115 million euros ($127.8

million) annually for the next four years in their fight against far-right extremism and anti-Semitism.

The head of Germany's main Jewish organization welcomed the new measures, which still need parliamentary approval.

"It's high time that action is being taken," said Josef Schuster, the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, according to the dpa news agency.

The attack on the synagogue in Halle was preceded by the killing of Walter Luebcke, a regional politician from Merkel's party.

Luebcke had vocally supported Merkel's welcoming stance toward refugees in 2015 and the suspect in his killing is a far-right extremist with a string of convictions for violent anti-migrant crimes.q

WORLD NEWS A11

Thursday 31 October 2019

Myanmar court gives actors 1-year jail term for satire Associated Press YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — A court in Myanmar on Wednesday sentenced five members of a traditional theatrical troupe to a year in prison for their gibes about the military.

The members of the Peacock Generation thangyat troupe were arrested in April for performances during celebrations of Myanmar's traditional new year in which they poked fun at military representatives in parliament and military involvement in business. The military is a powerful political force in Myanmar even though the country has an elected government.

Thangyat combines dance and music with verse that often has a satirical edge.

The five were convicted under a law prohibiting the circulation of information that could endanger or demoralize members of the military.

"This is an appalling verdict.

Punishing people for performing a piece of satire speaks volumes about the dire state of freedom of expression in Myanmar," said Joanne Mariner, research director for Southeast Asia for the human rights organization Amnesty International.

"These activists are prisoners of conscience," she said in an emailed statement.

"They have already spent

six months behind bars, just because the Myanmar authorities are too thin-skinned to tolerate the mildest criticism." The offense is punishable by up to two years in prison, and release on bail is not allowed.

Seven members of the troupe face various charges related to the case, including for "online defamation" for livestreaming their performances.

"This sentencing of Peacock Generation means that the judiciary of the country is continuing the military's suppression of freedom of expression," said Maung Saungkha of Athan, a Myanmar-based free speech group.

In August, another court in Yangon found a prominent filmmaker guilty of defaming the military with his postings on Facebook and sentenced him to a year in prison for allegedly threatening to cause members of the military to mutiny or neglect their duties. Filmmaker Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, who was founder of Myanmar's Human Dignity Film Institute and the country's Human Rights, Human Dignity International Film Festival, has also been jailed since April.

Myanmar ended five decades of military-dominated government in 2016, when an elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi took office.

However, constitutional provisions adopted under military rule ensure the army a major role in government, and initial liberalization of restrictive press laws did not end official efforts to stymie free speech, with reporters and activists continuing to face legal challenges under laws covering defamation and online activities.q

Zayar Lwin, left, member of Student Union and a leader of Peacock Generation "Thangyat" Performance Group, talks as he leaves a township court along with his colleague Paing Phyo Min, right, after their trial Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, in Yangon, Myanmar.

Associated Press

A12 WORLD

Thursday 31 October 2019

NEWS

Right-wing Brazil president gives fiery Saudi Arabia speech RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Brazil's president launched a fiery defense of his far-right government on Wednesday during a visit to Saudi Arabia, blasting international criticism of his handling of blazes this summer in the Amazon that drew worldwide attention over global warming fears.

Speaking before the Future Investment Initiative forum in Riyadh, Jair Bolsonaro criticized French President Emmanuel Macron, without mentioning his name, while at the same time praising both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Donald Trump.

Bolsonaro described his birth, life and election last year as a "miracle" after surviving being stabbed in an assassination attempt during his campaign, which focused on anti-corruption.

"When I took office, the country was virtually destroyed economically and ethically and morally destroyed," Bolsonaro said

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks during the Future Investment Initiative forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

Associated Press

through an interpreter.

"The Brazilian people have placed their bets on us.

They have given us a vote of confidence."

However, human rights activists have accused Bolsonaro of giving a green light to illegal police killings, undermining anti-torture

initiatives and blocking the prosecution of groups that caused fires in the Amazon this year.

Bolsonaro repeatedly de-

scribed criticism raised against him as "fake news," channeling a common refrain by Trump, who faces a spiraling impeachment investigation by Congress.

The Amazon criticism in particular drew anger from the Brazilian leader in his speech at the investment summit, which has so far been consumed by a possible initial public offering of the kingdom's state-run oil behemoth Saudi Aramco.

"The Amazon region belongs to us," Bolsonaro said at one point. He added that Amazonian farmers "no longer want to be treated consistently as if they are cave men or women or prehistoric human beings."

Scientists say the vast rainforest is a bulwark against global warming as its lush vegetation absorbs heattrapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The moisture given off by its trees also affects rainfall patterns and climate across South America and beyond.q

Slaying of 5 indigenous leaders shocks Colombians

By CHRISTIAN ESCOBAR MORA TACUEYO, Colombia (AP) — President Ivan Duque traveled Wednesday to a conflict-ridden zone in Colombia's southwest to oversee a military offensive aimed at hunting down a band of suspected renegade rebels blamed for the killing of five indigenous leaders.

The five people from the Tacueyo reservation were killed late Tuesday when their caravan of armored SUVs was ambushed by gunmen the government says belong to a faction of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia that refused to accept the larger rebel group's peace treaty with the government.

Among those killed was Cristina Bautista, the top authority and spiritual leader of the semi-autonomous reservation in southwestern Colombia. Six other people were injured as the gunmen continued to fire at an ambulance tending to the

People gather around a car riddled by bullets on the road leading to Tacueyo, in southwest Colombia, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

Associated Press

injured.

Duque immediately condemned the "assassination" and ordered his military to step up operations in the area to hunt down the assailants.

But his expressions of soli-

darity barely registered with indigenous leaders, who have repeatedly condemned the government for standing by as a "genocide" takes place in communities caught in the crossfire of Colombia's

decades-long conflict between leftist rebels, rightwing paramilitaries and state security forces.

Dozens of indigenous and social leaders have been killed in the aftermath of Colombia's historic 2016

peace accord as illegal armed groups and dissidents seek to exert control over for former rebel territory and lucrative drug routes.

Among those killed were 14 members of tribes in Cauca state, where Tuesday's massacre took place. It is one of Colombia's fastestgrowing areas for cocaine production, responsible for about 10% of all illegal crops produced across the country last year, according to the United Nations.

"When will the massacre end?" the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia lamented on Twitter as news of the attack spread.

An initial investigation suggested the massacre came in retaliation for the capture of three members of a residual FARC front by members of the indigenous guard unit, community leaders who mete out justice in their territories. Killed alongside Batista were four members of the indigenous guard.q

A13

Thursday 31 October 2019

Happy Community Initiative is about helping youth together:

“He came to Aruba with one suitcase and a paper with a phone number on it.”

ORANJESTAD — Rafael Figuereo cares about his neighborhood and its children.

When he noticed the social issues that affected the children living in the same place he lived he started to reach out. Centro Familiar Sabana Basora is the result of a caring family that runs after school programs for children. The way Rafael reached out to these kids, we are asking you to reach out to the Happy Community Initiative in order to assure that Aruba’s children have a safe place to go to when school is out.

Sabana Basora is a neighborhood in the southern part of the island where social issues have been present from the start. The economic situation in Aruba makes it hard for single parents to come by and even for low income families paying the bills and fighting social problems is a daily challenge. We can most probably all agree that this however should never affect our children. Luckily for Sabana Basora the Figuereo family open their arms to the youth with a great after school program.

We are family The song by Sister Sledge fits perfectly to the Figuereo’s. They do this together: father, mother and the sisters. Daughter Angenette Figuereo is the foundations right hand, her father is the founder. FCCA provided a house in the neighborhood which the family converted into a welcoming place for children after school. They are open to children from all districts and as An-

genette says: “We hope to grow in a way that we can be a family center for everyone on the island. Below the bridge there is already a good chunk of foundations that are already working with teens. We want to give a change to kids above the bridge as well.” She explains that Sabana Basora has a history of criminality, social problems and drop-outs. “Gangs erased and it all grew worse. Poverty and addictions were present. My dad offered another way and he connected to them to turn this around.

We started just from home and organized pizza nights, lecturing nights about drugs and alcohol, creative workshops and so on. My dad gained their respect and we are proud to say that some of these rough neighborhood kids are now studying successfully in Holland.” Their goal is to show them opportunities and a change of life. It is important to have values in life and be a good citizen, she says. “I am proud of my dad, many thought he is working with bro-

ken good and nothing will come out of it. But he showed them wrong. He comes from a poor upbringing himself so he knows how it is. He came to Aruba with one suitcase and a paper with a phone number on it. He started from the bottom and worked his way up.”

Free program A minimum of 20 children between four and fourteen years old come regularly to the center. They come in from 3PM and participate in a creative workshop or music lessons. There is food and drinks available and after the workshop it is time to play outside on the football field.

The Figuereos offer their program completely free which is amazing. “Because of the poverty we understand that it is not possible for parents to pay. We had children here wearing the same shirt every day so how would they be able to pay an after school program?” The center provides everything and although they are being supported for a part by some organizations they are in great need of sponsors. CEDE Aruba estimates the foundation would be helped with $ 1.463 to start with. “We really want to proceed but it is a struggle only because of the fact that we are completely free. Nobody here gets paid for their job.

My dad has a paid job and does this besides it. I do not work for a salary but for the well-doing. But of course we can’t either keep on paying for all ourselves.” The family’s energy is exceptional, they are focused on creating a happy world for the children in the hope that this rubs off on the parents. During vacations and holidays the center organizes activities for the whole neighborhood. “I was brought up with love and values and that is exactly what we like to give back.”

Continued on Page 14

A14 LOCAL

Thursday 31 October 2019

Happy Community Initiative is about helping youth together:

Our Newest Column is All about YOUth and Happiness

Continued from Page 13

ORANJESTAD — Our newest column Happy Community Initiative is published bi-weekly on Thursdays in Aruba Today. We inform you about this dynamic, new projects from a different angle to give you a complete feel, so follow us and stay engaged!

“He came to Aruba with one suitcase and a paper with a phone number on it.”

The Happy Community Initiative is a visitor charity program that you can help strengthen Aruba’s community by donating to good causes. CEDE Aruba, a dynamic community foundation, the Aruba Timeshare Association (ATSA), the Aruba Tourism Authority and several companies collaborate in this platform for visitors who would like to make a donation, but also volunteer in the future. The priority is set to support projects for Aruban youths. CEDE Aruba will make sure that the donations reach meaningful projects of local non-profits, based upon quality and transparency of finances of the offered programs. In this manner, you can be assured that your donation will reach its goal!

With your donation, you support Aruban children with after school programs, mentorship activities and social support. You can donate at the kiosks in the lobby of several hotels (Costa Linda, Playa Linda, Paradise Beach Villas and La Cabana) or you can donate on the website: https://happycommunityaruba.org/donate.

Copyright CEDE Aruba

The Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the best catalyst in dissolving the ego. Most see forgiveness as a sign of weakness yet it truly is empowering oneself. The ego would love to blame or place guilt on oneself or others and this causes psychological pain to be experienced either by ourselves or towards others.

Eventually healing oneself or our relationship with others can only be experienced through true forgiveness, knowing that others only are acting according to their minds conditioning and nothing more.q Suresh Mirchumal is a spiritual writer. “Well, you can categorize it like that, although I don't call myself one. These thoughts come in effortlessly.” His aim is in a way to reach out to whoever gets inspired or has an eye opening event within them that may transcend their current state of consciousness. “Or let's say current emotional state too. If one in a thousand benefits, that is already great.” Due to the current world state, lots of struggles and stresses, we seem to lose touch with that inner peace that we long for, Suresh explains. “I wish to ease that through these small articles or tidbits.” You will find his tidbits in Aruba Today, like a sunray of the day. If you wish to make use of Suresh his services like meditation or just a talk, please email to: Thedimensionofsilence@gmail.com.

LOCAL A15

Thursday 31 October 2019

Restaurant Sunset Grille presents:

A Marriage of Fab Food & Wow Wine PALM BEACH — Sunset Grille restaurant at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino offers a great deal for a 4-course wine pairing dinner that combines culinary delight from Executive Chef Matt Boland and the newly recruited Executive Sous-Chef Katia Soujol with wines from Kendall-Jackson. Wine pairings are a thing! It is a fun way to connect wine, food and company and ensures that you’re going to have a genuinely unique experience.

The setting of Sunset Grille is a great start and promises a wonderful night. There is

the choice between dining on the romantic terrace with breathtaking views of the garden with water falls and the by palm trees harnessed beach on the horizon or you choose for the elegant indoor restaurant.

The dynamic and modern steak house has this great 4-course menu for you where you get warmed up with a delicious scallop on a bed of risotto combined with a Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay. The combination is mouth-watering and promises a successful continuation to the next

level where you are surprised with a single cut lamb chop and Vintner’s Reserve Merlot. The grilled churrasco with chimichurri sauce that follows is simply fantastic and goes perfect with the Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The chef closes this culinary trip with a sweet surprise of three dessert samples and a Quady Electra Moscato.

Kendall-Jackson Vineyard

Estates is from Santa Rosa, California in the Sonoma Valley wine country. As of 2010 Kendall-Jackson was the highest-selling brand of “super-premium” wine in the United States. The menu and wines are balanced so well that you do not feel too full but very satisfied as well as tickled by the tastings.

You are invited to enjoy the experience!q

Hilton Aruba Resort & Casino Sunset Grille restaurant J.E. Irausquin Blvd 81 Tel +297 586 6555 https://www.hiltonaruba.com/dining/

A16 LOCAL

Thursday 31 October 2019

Bohemian Restaurant: Tonight live Violinist Angela A garden full of strong trees and dressed up in New York-style industrial-look elements creates a cosmopolitan vibe while at the same time the tropical breeze and outside dining connect to the Caribbean.

Waiters with French barrettes and pant suspenders service you with a happy and loose style with on the background the sounds of underground chill music varied with French classics.

ONLY French owned Restaurant The French are famous for their culinary art.

Bohemain is the ONLY French owned restaurant on Aruba and offers you Grande gastronomy in a hip decor. French classics like Coq-au-Vin, Beef tartare, Escargot, Duck Foie Gras Terrine, Bouillabaisse Fish Soup, Tuna-Tartare, Quinoa-Salad, Rib-Eye Butter Maître-D, Crème Brulee, Chocolate Lava Cake and Pineapple Carpaccio are on the menu. Mediterranean inspired dishPALM BEACH — Avant-garde from France, nonconformist in style and ethnic in cuisine. That is what the new kid in town is about. Bohemian Restaurant is different, unconventional and a rebel with a cause. The cause is to make you feel king in this hidden garden with outstanding dishes that connect you to the European liaisons of Aruba. TONIGHT has an extra magic: the live Violinist Angela performs! From traditional French and Italian famous melodies to more upbeat pop and rock and roll. A taste for everyone.

es like Ras el Hanout Fish Kebbab, Honey and Rosemary Lamb Shank, Moroccan Lamb sausages, Mediterranean Sea Bass and Grilled Local Catch are other finger licking options. Directly imported wines from wineries in Europe make up for a perfect pairing. You are welcome to enjoy the Happy Hours and Daily Early Birds from 5 to 7 PM. Bon appetite!

Free Parking available at the parking lot in front of Barcelo Resort. q Make your reservations through their website: https://bohemianaruba.com.

Call them at 00 297 280 8448.

Facebook: Bohemian.

Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa:

Celebrating Health Week 2019 EAGLE BEACH — The health and wellness oriented Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa celebrated their Employee’s Health Week this month. During this week the resort together with their employees focused on a healthy lifestyle and celebrated their employees.

The week was packed with meaningful and health motivating activities, which started off with sunrise yoga on Monday morning by

certified yoga instructor Manja in the beautiful beach pavilion, followed by guest speaker Artur Comenencia regarding the subject Gambling and Addiction. The kick off ended with a walkathon along majestic Eagle Beach. During the week interesting topics were discussed as Healthy Budgeting and Healthy Living.

On Thursday all employees got the chance to measure their

blood pressure and overall health by the White Yellow Cross. A wide

selection of healthy food options were offered during lunch break.

Friday was the most active morning with an off road bike tour crossing the back roads of Alto Vista Chapel. The week ended with a fun filled family day at Parke Arawa.

Manchebo provides a variety of activities to keep the body moving and the mind calm. Yoga and Pilates classes are offered daily and health and wellness retreats fill the calendar.

Yoga, fitness, health and wellness experts are traveling from around the world to Manchebo offering its guests a unique and healthy vacation option. q

A17

Thursday 31 October 2019

BEAR ABLE Canelo Alvarez holds up his belts during a news conference Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, in Las Vegas.

Associated Press

Kovalev hopes to cash in on Alvarez weight jump

By TIM DAHLBERG AP Boxing Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — Canelo Alvarez is taking a big chance in his latest fight, moving up to light heavyweight Saturday night to challenge Sergey Kovalev for a piece of the 175-pound crown.

It's dangerous territory against a dangerous puncher. But Kovalev believes he has more at stake in the crossroads bout than does his red-haired Mexican opponent.

"I should defend my title, I will defend my title," Kovalev said. "If I lose, I lose more than Canelo loses. Canelo, he is trying to make his history, but I'm here. I'm in my position."

That position would be on top of the light heavyweight division — at least according to one of the ranking organizations that stake claims to legitimacy in the convoluted world of boxing.

Continued on Page 20

AD has 40 points, 20 rebounds in Lakers win over Grizzlies Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, center, tips the ball to score over Memphis Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019.

Associated Press Page 21

A18 SPORTS

Thursday 31 October 2019

Djokovic overcomes wobble to reach Paris Masters 3rd round

By JEROME PUGMIRE PARIS (AP) — Four-time champion Novak Djokovic overcame a first-set wobble against unheralded Corentin Moutet, beating the 97th-ranked Frenchman 7-6 (2), 6-4 to reach the third round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday.

The top-ranked Serb lost his serve to trail 4-3 and then needed to save two set points in order to hold the ninth game at 5-3 down.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner broke back for 5-5 against his 20-year-old opponent, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser and has never won a title, while Djokovic has 76 in his stellar career.

Djokovic, who lost last year's final and last won here four years ago, dropped serve again as Moutet broke back to 4-2 in the second set.

But he was untroubled following that, and clinched the victory with a forehand winner down the line on his first match point.

"The overriding feeling is one of disappointment. I had some opportunities," said Moutet, who drew loud cheers with one audacious shot where he flicked

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to France's Corentin Moutet during the 2nd round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

Associated Press

the ball back between his legs and lobbed Djokovic.

"I gave everything I had, and the fans helped me with that."

Djokovic, who stood to applaud that shot, next faces Britain's Kyle Edmund after he beat 14th-seeded Diego Schwartzman 7-5, 6-3.

Earlier, Dominic Thiem withstood 30 aces from big-

serving Canadian Milos Raonic to win 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-4.

The two-time French Open runner-up also saved nine break points out of 10, and then broke Raonic for the first time in the ninth game of the deciding set before serving out the match.

The fifth-seeded Austrian player, who won the Erste Bank Open in Vienna last

Sunday for an ATP Tourleading fifth title this year, next faces Grigor Dimitrov.

Seventh-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas looked more comfortable reaching the third round, serving 13 aces and facing no break points in beating Taylor Fritz 7-6 (3), 6-3. The 21-year-old Greek player next plays Alex de Minaur, a 20-year-old Aus-

tralian who lost the Swiss Indoors final to Roger Federer on Sunday.

Federer is skipping this tournament, but No. 2 Rafael Nadal was playing later Wednesday in the second round against unseeded Frenchman in Adrian Mannarino.

Another big server went out as 15th-seeded American John Isner — the 2016 runner-up — lost 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) to Cristian Garin of Chile despite having 25 aces.

Denis Shapovalov of Canada used 14 aces in rallying to beat No. 11 Fabio Fognini 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 and plays No. 6 Alexander Zverev in the third round.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka — seeded 16th — advanced with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) win over Marin Cilic and improved his record to 13-2 against the former U.S. Open champion. He plays either Nadal or Mannarino.

De Minaur upset ninthseeded Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6 (2), 7-6 (1), while in other second-round matches Dimitrov beat No. 12 David Goffin 7-5, 6-3, and Frenchman Gael Monfils won 6-4, 7-6 (4) against countryman Benoit Paire.q

Elina Svitolina qualifies for semifinals at WTA Finals

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine celebrates after defeating Simona Halep of Romania in their WTA Finals Tennis Tournament in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong province, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

Associated Press

By SANDRA HARWITT Associated Press SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Defending champion Elina Svitolina qualified for the semifinals of the seasonending WTA Finals by beating Simona Halep 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Svitolina, the only competitor in the eight-player field not to win a title this season,

last won a tournament at last year's WTA Finals.

The Ukrainian is 2-0 in the Purple Group, winning both of her matches in straight sets. Halep is 1-1 after saving a match point in her three-set victory over Bianca Andreescu.

"I try to work every single point and start from the beginning just trying to take

one point at a time," Svitolina said. "I don't really think so much about if it's good, if it's bad. "I try to step on the court and to always have positive mindset."

In the late match, Andreescu retired with a left knee injury after losing the first set to Karolina Pliskova 6-3.

Pliskova, who is 1-1, will face Wimbledon champion Halep in their final group match for another spot in the semifinals.

"I think that's going to be a great matchup for just going out of the group to the semifinals," Pliskova said.

"The tennis with her, I feel it's always good to watch."

Svitolina broke Halep in the final game of the first set to take the lead. She then

broke the Romanian's serve in the eighth game of the second set and held to win.

"I felt that I cannot finish the points," Halep said. "This court is not great for me, for my game. It's very soft in a way. Even if you go and hit strong, I think that I hit well today, but not enough directions on the court.

"But she played well. She didn't miss. I think she loves to play here. It's her style."

The victory was Svitolina's fifth in nine matches against Halep. On the four previous occasions in which she won, Svitolina went on to win the tournament.

Andreescu was injured while leading 2-0 in the first set, with Pliskova serving at 30-15 in the third game.

"I stepped weirdly on a return," Andreescu said. "I heard my knee crack and it kind of went inwards and putting pressure on it afterwards really bothered me I could barely bend my knee."

During a medical timeout, Andreescu had her knee taped and she played through the first set, even challenging Pliskova's serve with three break-point opportunities in the fifth game.

"I fought with the pain as much as I could but at some point an athlete has to stop and just listen to their body," Andreescu said. "It's disappointing because this is the last tournament of the year and you want to go all out."q

SPORTS A19

Thursday 31 October 2019

Winless Dolphins are again underdogs against Jets DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Nearing the midpoint in the season, the Miami Dolphins must wonder what it will take to win a game.

Their furious fourth-quarter rally against the Washington Redskins in Week 6 didn't do it. A lead in the final period against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 wasn't enough. And a two-touchdown advantage in the first quarter Monday at Pittsburgh couldn't do it.

Might the New York Jets be what the Dolphins need?

Former Dolphins coach Adam Gase and his Jets (16) visit Miami (0-7) on Sunday.

The Dolphins are underdogs, as they have been in every game, but only by five points. That suggests Miami has a decent chance to break a twoyear, 10-game losing streak that dates to the days of Gase in December 2018.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick remains confident a breakthrough will come for the rebuilding Dolphins.

"This whole thing is just a progression," he said. "We'll continue to go for it."

Here are things to know about the Dolphins as they prepare for Sunday's matchup of misery: WHAT'S WORKING As ordered by owner Stephen Ross, the Dolphins gutted the roster so they could position themselves for a draft bonanza in 2019.

They remain the favorite for the No. 1 selection, and if the season ended this week, they'd have three of the first 26 picks.

WHAT NEEDS HELP The Dolphins have been outscored 130-20 in the second half, including 17-0 at Pittsburgh.

STOCK UP Defensive end Taco Charlton has a career-high four sacks in five games for Miami. The latest came when he forced a fumble by quarterback Mason Rudolph, but the Steelers recovered and had a 4-1 advantage in takeaways.

INJURIES Miami decided Tuesday to

place cornerback Xavien Howard on injured reserve with a knee injury that bothered him in recent weeks.

He made his first interception of the season at Pittsburgh before his trouble-

some knee flared up, and he watched the end of the game from the sideline.

The loss of cornerback Ken Webster (ankle) further depleted an injury-plagued secondary.q

Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019.

Associated Press

A20 SPORTS

Thursday 31 October 2019

Sergey Kovalev poses for photographers during a news conference Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, in Las Vegas.

Associated Press Continued from Page 17

Kovalev rebounded from two losses to Andre Ward to regain a title belt and then stopped Anthony Yarde just two months ago in his native Russia to move into position for a lucrative fight with Alvarez.

There are questions about his age (36) and the wear and tear the fights with Ward took out of him. But Kovalev can still punch and, armed with new trainer Buddy McGirt, believes he still has some good days in the ring ahead of him —

beginning with his scheduled 12-round fight with Alvarez.

"This is the biggest fight of my career," Kovalev said. "I've never been in this situation, where someone is coming from middleweight. I'm not going to make a prediction, but I am going to go in there and defend my title."

For Alvarez, the fight is later in the year than his normal Mexican Independence weekend bout in September, and against an opponent who wasn't the first choice of boxing fans or

his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya. They wanted him to fight a third bout against Gennadiy Golovkin but Alvarez refused, believing his business with GGG has already been settled.

Faced with having to find a name opponent to satisfy his 10-fight, $350 million deal with the streaming service DAZN, Alvarez turned to Kovalev instead.

"Obviously I wanted to fight in September but couldn't," Alvarez said. "Things just happen."

Alvarez, whose only loss was to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013, is a 4-1 favorite to beat Kovalev and stake his claim to the mythical pound-for-pound title that boxing fans love to argue about. Should he win he would also add a title belt in a fourth weight class in a pro career that began as a 15-year-old in Mexico in 2005.

But Kovalev has some pedigree of his own, even if his stature was tarnished when he lost a close decision to Ward and was then stopped in their rematch.

Kovalev was also stopped last year by Eleider Alvarez before beating him by decision in a rematch, and he was in trouble against Yarde before coming back to stop him.

Now he is back in the ring for a huge fight just 10 weeks after traveling to Russia to beat Yarde.

"I had a short rest since my last fight. But I think that's better," Kovalev said. "My body feels really good, and I'm ready for this fight. This fight will be very interesting.

It has a worldwide intrigue."

Kovalev is confident that he will continue his improvement under McGirt, whom he turned to after his losses to resurrect his career and refine his style. McGirt said Kovalev got too comfortable while knocking almost everyone out and trying to live up to his nickname of "Krusher."

McGirt said his fighter is rediscovering some of the boxing skills he let lapse in previous fights.

"People underestimate his boxing IQ because he's always knocked everybody

out," McGirt said. "He's smarter than people give him credit for."

Smart enough to make a multimillion-dollar payday, and possibly smart enough to win the fight. Kovalev will have the advantage of being the bigger man and being comfortable at 175 pounds, but McGirt said Alvarez has an advantage in not having to lose weight just before the fight.

"He's very dangerous now because he's younger and he's not losing the weight now, so he's not losing the energy," McGirt said. "I just think that they picked the wrong veteran to mess with when they picked Sergey.

They should have found somebody else."q

SPORTS A21 Davis scores 40, hitting 26 FTs, as Lakers rout Grizzlies Thursday 31 October 2019

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis scored 40 points — including a franchise record 26 made free throws — and had 20 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 120-91 on Tuesday night.

It's the fourth 40-20 game of Davis' career and his first since 2016. The last Lakers player to accomplish it was Shaquille O'Neal in 2003.

Not a bad night for someone whose status was questionable two hours before the game due to a right shoulder injury suffered in Sunday's win over Charlotte. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said 90 minutes before tipoff that he wasn't sure of Davis' status. But the seventh-year forward did some shooting drills and was in the starting lineup.

LeBron James added 23 points for the Lakers, who are off to their first 3-1 start since winning their first eight in 2010.

The Grizzlies (1-3) led 6559 with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter when the Lakers went on a 27-2 run to close out the quarter.

Davis scored 16 during the

rally, with all but two of the points coming at the line.

The final 10 Lakers' points in the quarter came via Davis free throws.

Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 16 points while Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points and 11 boards.

HEAT 112, HAWKS 97 MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler made his first four shots and scored 21 in his Miami debut, rookie Tyler Herro scored 29 and the Heat defeated Atlanta in a game where Hawks star Trae Young left early in the second quarter with a sprained right ankle.

The 19-year-old Herro had a 19-point second quarter for Miami, while fellow reserve Goran Dragic scored 21. Bam Adebayo had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Miami and Kendrick Nunn finished with 17..

Young left with 9:56 remaining in the first half, turning his ankle when he landed on the foot of Miami's Justise Winslow. The reigning Eastern Conference player of the week — who had 102 points in Atlanta's first three games — finished with five points in 11 minutes.

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) is helped up off the court after an injury during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, in Miami.

Associated Press

John Collins scored 30 for Atlanta, including a career-best five 3-pointers, and Jabari Parker finished with 12 for the Hawks.

Butler missed the first three games of the season while celebrating the birth of his daughter Rylee. He was 5 for 11 from the floor, and went 10 for 15 from the line.

As a team, Miami was 33

for 45 from the line — compared with 16 for 24 by Atlanta at the stripe.

Herro set a Heat record for points off the bench by a rookie, topping the mark of 28 set by Michael Beasley on March 4, 2009. And Herro and Dragic became the ninth Heat duo all-time to have 20-point games off the Miami bench on the

same night.

MAVERICKS 106, NUGGETS 106 DENVER (AP) — Maxi Kleber had 14 points, seven rebounds and a key block late to help the Mavericks beat the Nuggets.

Nine Mavericks players scored in double figures on a night their two top scorers were held in check. q

Buster Douglas to promote long odds against Tyson to inspire

By JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Buster Douglas will mark the 30th anniversary of his upset boxing victory over Mike Tyson with a campaign aimed at inspiring others who face long odds.

Douglas, 59, joined organizers at the Ohio Statehouse Wednesday to announce a series of "42 to 1" events framed around his unlikely 1990 victory to raise funds for workforce development, diversity and self-help programs for at-risk youth.

"The reason we're still here today talking about Buster's 42-1 upset fight with Mike Tyson is because it transcended sports," said two-time Heisman Tro-

phy winner Archie Griffin, a backer of the effort.

He said the bout proved "nothing is impossible if you possess iron will and great determination."

James "Buster" Douglas, a Columbus native, met Tyson, the reigning undisputed world heavyweight champion, in the ring in Tokyo on Feb. 11, 1990.

Douglas prevailed in a stunning upset over a man feared for his prowess in the ring and considered the best boxer in the world at the time. He lost the title to Evander Holyfield that October.

"I went into the fight only to win," Douglas said Wednesday, "never knowing it would come out to be something as spectacular as it has been over the

years."

The Tyson-Douglas contest gained new attention with the release of an ESPN documentary, also titled "42 to 1," in December.

ESPN plans to air the documentary and send some of its personalities to participate in a celebratory gala in February.

State Sen. Jay Hottinger, a Newark Republican, said a bill establishing a "James 'Buster' Douglas 42to-1 Odds Day" is moving through the statehouse. It's among several official actions that governments are taking to mark the anniversary.

Hottinger said they give long-overdue recognition to Douglas, as well as serving to inspire all Ohioans who face tough odds.

In this Feb. 11, 1990 file photo, James "Buster" Douglas, stands over Mike Tyson who fell on his back after taking a series of blows in the 10th round of their world heavyweight title fight, in Tokyo.

Associated Press

Among the effort's goals is to raise enough money for the Brightway Center, a Steubenville-based nonprofit serving at-risk youth, to expand its operations to central Ohio. Officials said Wednesday they hope to serve an additional

400 students with life skills coaching and mentoring services. Other partners include Franklin University and MCS-T.O.U.C.H., a program that helps formerly incarcerated men and women gain life skills and find jobs.q

A22 SPORTS

Thursday 31 October 2019

Crosby, Simon lead Penguins to big win over Flyers

By The Associated Press PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby and Dominik Simon scored during an early fourgoal outburst, and the Pittsburgh Penguins drilled the Philadelphia Flyers 7-1 on Tuesday night.

Crosby, wearing a facemask as extra protection after getting hit in the head by a shot over the weekend, added two assists to boost his career point total against the Flyers to 102 as the Penguins rolled to a rare lopsided victory over their cross-state rivals.

Jared McCann, Justin Schultz, Zach Aston-Reese, Jake Guentzel and Dominik Kahun also scored for Pittsburgh. Matt Murray stopped 29 shots to win for the sixth time in his last seven starts.

Oskar Lindblom got his sixth goal for the Flyers, but Philadelphia was simply overwhelmed by the Penguins during a first-period onslaught in which Pittsburgh beat Brian Elliott four times in just more than six minutes.

CAPITALS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 3, OT TORONTO (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his second goal of the game during an overtime power play to complete a four-point night, and Washington beat Toronto.

John Carlson also scored twice for Washington. Nicklas Backstrom added three assists, while Braden Holtby made 27 saves.

Auston Matthews had two goals and an assist and Andreas Johnsson scored the other goal from Toronto, which got 30 saves from Frederick Andersen.

The Capitals were on the man advantage for much of overtime before Ovechkin scored his 11th of the season on a bullet onetime at the 4-minute mark.

BRUINS 5, SHARKS 1 BOSTON (AP) — David Krejci returned with a goal and an assist after missing five games with an injury, David

Pastrnak scored his leagueleading 12th and Boston beat San Jose.

Chris Wagner also had a goal and an assist as the Bruins won their fourth straight and improved to 6-0-2 in their last eight.

Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo also scored for Boston.

Tuukka Rask made 16 saves for the Bruins, who outshot the Sharks 41-17 and held San Jose to just six shots in each of the first two periods.

Brent Burns scored San Jose's only goal. Martin Jones finished with 36 saves for the Sharks, who lost their third straight and went 1-31 on a five-game Eastern Conference trip.

RANGERS 4, LIGHTNING 1 NEW YORK (AP) — Filip Chytil scored the tiebreaking goal in his season debut, and New York scored three times in 6½ minutes late in the third period to beat Tampa Bay. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist, and Kaapo Kakko and Adam Fox also scored for the Rangers, who had one win in their previous seven games. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 29 shots.

Nikita Kucherov had Tampa Bay's goal and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 38 saves.

HURRICANES 2, FLAMES 1 RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Andrei Svechnikov scored twice in the final 10:47, including a spectacular lacrosse-style goal that tied it, and Carolina rallied to beat Calgary.

Svechnikov earned a spot in the highlight reels by bringing the puck behind the net, scooping it up on his stick blade, lifting it to chest-level and tucking it over goalie David Rittich's right shoulder.

He followed that with a power-play connection with 7:25 remaining to help the Hurricanes win their second straight and beat ex-coach Bill Peters for the

A shot by Pittsburgh Penguins' Justin Schultz gets over Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Brian Elliott (37) for a goal as Penguins' Bryan Rust (17) stands by during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019.

Associated Press

first time in three tries.

Elias Lindholm scored against his former team for the second straight year and David Rittich made 26 saves for the Flames.

RED WINGS 3, OILERS 1 DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Larkin and Patrik Nemeth scored in the first period, and Detroit beat Edmonton to end an eight-game skid.

Jimmy Howard made 31 saves for the Red Wings, who won for the first time since Oct. 10 against Montreal.

Larkin converted on a power play 7:41 into the game, lifting the puck from the front of the crease. Nemeth, who signed as a free agent last summer, scored his first goal with the Red Wings less than a minute later.

Leon Draisaitl scored Edmonton's only goal in the third period. Filip Hronek added a late empty-netter.

PREDATORS 3, BLACKHAWKS 0 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nick Bonino had a natural hat trick, Pekka Rinne made 20 saves for his second consecutive shutout and Nashville beat Chicago.

Rocco Grimaldi had the primary assist on all three goals for the first threepoint game of his career.

Craig Smith added two assists for the Predators, winners of four straight.

The struggling Blackhawks have lost five of six.

Bonino's hat trick was the third of his NHL career and first with the Predators.

After scoring once in each of the first two periods, Bonino buried the rebound of a shot from Grimaldi from just outside Robin Lehner's crease, prompting fans to shower the ice with hats at 3:40 of the third.

Lehner finished with 48 saves.

STARS 6, WILD 3 DALLAS (AP) — Alexander Radulov had a hat trick, scoring late in the second period and twice in the third, as Dallas rallied from a three-goal deficit to beat Minnesota.

Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin also scored for Dallas, which didn't get on the board until Radulov's goal with 48 seconds left in the second period.

Eric Staal, who celebrated his 35th birthday, had a

power-play goal and an assist in the first period for Minnesota. Jason Zucker and Ryan Suter also scored for the Wild.

Anton Khudobin made 11 saves for the Stars after relieving Ben Bishop to begin the second period. Bishop stopped eight of 10 shots he faced.

DUCKS 7, JETS 4 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cam Fowler set a franchise record for career goals by an Anaheim defenseman in a win over Winnipeg.

John Gibson made 36 saves and Josh Mahura tied an Anaheim rookie mark with three assists as the Ducks broke a four-game losing streak to the Jets.

Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice for the Jets, who have lost five of seven. Connor Hellebuyck was pulled midway through the second period after allowing five goals on 19 shots, and Laurent Brossoit made seven saves in relief. Carter Rowney scored twice late in the third period for the Ducks, and Ryan Getzlaf, Adam Henrique, Troy Terry and Derek Grant also scored. Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler got the Jets' other goals.q

SPORTS A23

Thursday 31 October 2019

Sounders upset league-best LAFC 3-1 to reach MLS Cup final

By GREG BEACHAM LOS ANGELES (AP) — Although Los Angeles FC had the best regular season in Major League Soccer history, the 2-year-old club had never been this deep in the playoffs.

The tough, tested Seattle Sounders go deep almost every year, and they'll get to play for another championship after a vintage display of postseason grit and guile in the Western Conference final.

Nicolás Lodeiro scored a goal and assisted on two more by Raúl Ruidíaz, and the Sounders advanced to the MLS Cup final for the third time in four years with a 3-1 victory over LAFC on Tuesday night.

Ruidíaz and Lodeiro scored four minutes apart in the first half to claim the lead for the Sounders, who held probable MLS MVP Carlos Vela to one shot on goal while they upset the Supporters' Shield winners with a superb big-game performance.

Los Angeles' MLS newcomers have a raucous stadium and a thrilling style of play, but the Sounders have years of playoff experience that LAFC can't match.

Seattle's veterans pushed, shoved and carried them back to the one-game final, where the Sounders won the league title in 2016 and lost to Toronto FC in 2017.

"The many times that we've been to MLS Cup now has been off grit, has been off not playing pretty," midfielder Cristian Roldan said.

"It's been off winning in different ways. Today we

Seattle Sounders midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, right, celebrates his goal with teammates during the first half of the MLS soccer Western Conference final against Los Angeles FC, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles.

Associated Press

won in a different way.

We locked down defense.

We scored on our few opportunities. In other games, maybe we would play pretty. But we knew it was going to be a tough opponent away from home.

We adjusted accordingly.

Sometimes we would press.

Sometimes we would sit back. Overall, it was just a fantastic performance."

Seattle slowed down the most potent offensive team in MLS history with physical defense, sometimes on the edge of legality.

The Sounders committed 12 fouls and appeared to get away with two handballs in their box, but LAFC failed to capitalize on any of its meager chances after Eduard Atuesta scored on a free kick in the opening minutes.

Lodeiro joyously carried the conference trophy back to the visitors' locker room at Banc of California Stadium after an on-field celebration that was drowned out

by LAFC fans' singing.

"We wanted to push LAFC into areas where they were less effective," Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer said. "That was the entire game plan, just to see if we could slow down their attack. And then on the attacking side, we knew we could create chances against this team. They take many risks when they defend or counter-press. Our guys were well coached.

They did exactly what we needed to do to get into their half of the field."

Seattle will either host Toronto or visit defending champion Atlanta United

for the MLS Cup final next Sunday, Nov. 10. The Eastern Conference finalists meet Wednesday night.

LAFC reached the MLS records for points, goals and goal differential during the long MLS regular season.

LAFC then beat the crosstown LA Galaxy 5-3 last Thursday for its first playoff victory.

But Seattle largely kept the ball away from Vela, who followed up his record 34goal regular season with two goals against the Galaxy last week. Diego Rossi also was barely a factor, managing just two shots.

"Nobody expected this end for our season," Vela said.

"But we know in the playoffs, it's one game, and if they make better plays than you, you're out. In the end, I think we have to

be proud with how we've done all year, and we have to learn. We have just two years as a club. We have things to improve."

Seattle beat LAFC for the first time in five meetings.

The Sounders celebrated with the large section of visiting fans before climbing on a stage and raising the trophy despite loud songs from LAFC's indefatigable North End supporters' section.

Lodeiro followed up his outstanding performance against Real Salt Lake in the conference semifinal with another dominant offensive game. The 30-yearold Uruguayan set up Ruidíaz's goal and then scored his own in a blistering sequence late in the first half.

"We never stopped believing we could win," Schmetzer said. "We found a way to score the equalizer, and I think the second goal stunned LAFC a little bit. They were going, 'OK, what's going on here? This shouldn't happen.'"

Ruidíaz made it 3-1 in the 64th minute when Lodeiro stole an attempted clearance and fed him for a beautiful shot past Tyler Miller, the former Sounders backup goalkeeper. Ruidíaz, the 5-foot-7 Peruvian forward, has six goals in just five career MLS postseason games.

LAFC pushed in the second half but couldn't get through.

"If we play this game 10 times, we probably win nine out of 10," LAFC midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye said. "But playoffs are just different."q

Tour of California canceled for 2020, race future in doubt LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Tour of California has been canceled for 2020, and race owner AEG is reevaluating whether to bring it back in the future.

The company said Tuesday it has become "more challenging" every year to stage the cycling road race featuring men's and women's events that traverse the state.

Kristin Klein, race president

and executive vice president of AEG Sports, cited changing "business fundamentals" since the event began in 2006.

"This new reality has forced us to reevaluate our options," she said in a statement, "and we are actively assessing every aspect of our event to determine if there is a business model that will allow us to successfully relaunch the race in

2021."

The Tour of California is the only U.S.-based event with both its men's and women's races listed on the UCI WorldTour calendar and the only event of its kind to offer men's and women's stage races with equal prize money at the same time. USA Cycling says it stands ready to rally support and resources to bring the event back in 2021.q

A24 TECHNOLOGY

Thursday 31 October 2019

Concert promoters turn away from facial recognition tech

BY MATT O'BRIEN AP Technology Writer BOSTON (AP) — Concert promoters in the U.S. are stepping back from plans to scan festivalgoers with facial recognition technology, after musicians and others gave it some serious side-eye.

Although it remains entirely possible that music venues will eventually take a second look at the controversial technology.

Live-entertainment giants AEG Presents and Live Nation both recently disavowed any plans to use facial recognition at music festivals, despite earlier indications to the contrary.

Their public pronouncements have led a group of musicians to declare victory after a months-long campaign to halt the technology's use at live shows.

Advances in computer vision have enabled businesses to install cameras that can recognize individuals by their face or other biometric characteristics.

Venue operators have talked about using the technology at gateways to secure entry for select groups or to offer perks for repeat customers.

Privacy advocates worry that such uses might also pave the way for greater intrusions, such as scanning audience members in real

In this Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, file photo, festival-goers attend the Voodoo Music Experience in City Park in New Orleans.

Associated Press

time to analyze their behavior.

Both concert organizations seemed to be edging toward remembering more faces. In May 2018, for instance, Live Nation subsidiary Ticketmaster announced it was partnering with and investing in Texas facial recognition startup Blink Identity, saying in a note to shareholders that its technology will enable music fans to associate their digital ticket with their image and "then just walk into the show."

AEG, which operates the Coachella festival in south-

ern California and other major events, updated its online privacy policy earlier this year with language stating that it may collect facial images at its events and venues for "access control," creating aggregate data or for "personalization" — a term commonly used by retailers trying to tailor advertising or promotions to a specific customer's behavior.

Now, however, both organizations have done an about-face. AEG's chief operating officer for festivals, Melissa Ormond, emailed activists earlier this

month to say: "AEG festivals do not use facial recognition technology and do not have plans to implement." AEG confirmed that statement this week but declined further comment.

Live Nation said in a statement that "we do not currently have plans to deploy facial recognition technology at our clients' venues."

The company insisted that any future use would be "strictly opt-in," so that nonconsenting fans won't have to worry about potentially facing the music.

Facial recognition isn't seen in many musical ven-

ues. The biggest location known to employ it is New York City's Madison Square Garden, which confirmed this week that facial recognition is one of the security measures it uses "to ensure the safety of everyone" in the arena. It declined to say what it looks at and why. The New York Times first reported its use last year.

While the music industry paused, Major League Baseball stole a base by rolling out biometric ticketing in the U.S., usually involving fingerprints or iris scans to get into ballparks.

Authorities in some parts of Europe have bounced around the idea of using either facial or voice recognition to keep tabs on unruly soccer fans, such as those participating in racist chants. Police agencies in China have used facial recognition at concerts featuring pop singer Jacky Cheung to identify and arrest people wanted as criminal suspects.

American music event promoters this fall have been pressured to disclose their facial recognition plans by digital rights group Fight for the Future, which asked dozens of festival organizers to pledge not to use a technology it describes as invasive and racially biased.q

Apple resumes human reviews of Siri audio with iPhone update

A screen displays a notice when installing the update, iOS 13.2 on an iPhone on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, in New York.

Associated Press

By MAE ANDERSON AP Technology Writer Apple is resuming the use of humans to review Siri commands and dictation with the latest iPhone software

update.

In August, Apple suspended the practice and apologized for the way it used people, rather than just machines, to review the

audio.

While common in the tech industry, the practice undermined Apple's attempts to position itself as a trusted steward of privacy. CEO Tim Cook repeatedly has declared the company's belief that "privacy is a fundamental human right," a phrase that cropped up again in Apple's apology.

Now, Apple is giving consumers notice when installing the update, iOS 13.2. Individuals can choose "Not Now" to decline audio storage and review. Users who enable this can turn it off

later in the settings. Apple also specifies that Siri data is not associated with a user's Apple ID. Tech companies say the practice helps them to improve their artificial intelligence services.

But the use of humans to listen to audio recordings is particularly troubling to privacy experts because it increases the chances that a rogue employee or contractor could leak details of what is being said, including parts of sensitive conversations.

Apple previously disclosed

plans to resume human reviews this fall, but hadn't specified when. Apple also said then that it would stop using contractors for the reviews. Other tech companies have also been resuming the practice after giving more notice. Google restarted the practice in September, after taking similar steps to make sure people know what they are agreeing to. Also in September Amazon said users of its Alexa digital assistant could request that recordings of their voice commands delete automatically.q

BUSINESS A25

Thursday 31 October 2019

Fed cuts rates a 3rd time this year but signals likely pause WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate Wednesday for the third time this year to try to sustain the economic expansion in the face of global threats. But it hinted that it won't likely cut again this year.

The Fed's move reduces the short-term rate it controls — which influences many consumer and business loans — to a range between 1.5% and 1.75%.

A statement the Fed released after its latest policy meeting removed a key phrase that it has used since June to indicate a future rate cut is likely. This could mean that Fed officials will prefer to leave rates alone while they assess how the economy fares in the months ahead.

The immediate reaction in the stock and bond markets was muted as traders awaited a news conference from Chairman Jerome Powell.

The phrase the Fed dropped Wednesday from its policy statement had said it would "act as appropriate to sustain the expansion." This was its signal that it expected to continue easing credit to aid the economy. In its new statement, the Fed said instead that it will review the latest economic data as "it assesses the appropriate path" for its benchmark interest rate.

The statement made few

In this Oct. 4, 2019, file photo Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell listens to feedback during a panel at the Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington.

Associated Press

changes to the Fed's description of the economy, which it said was rising at "a moderate rate." It noted that job gains have been solid and pointed to strength in consumer spending. But it also pointed out that business investment and exports "remain weak."

Two of the Fed's policymakers dissented from the decision: Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren and Kansas City Fed President Esther George said they preferred to leave rates alone. Both have dissented from all three rate cuts this year.

The economy is in its 11th year of expansion, fueled

by consumer spending and a solid if slightly weakened job market. By cutting rates, the Fed has tried to counter uncertainties heightened by President Donald Trump's trade conflicts, a weaker global economy and a decline in U.S. manufacturing.

The third rate cut of the year has partly reversed the four hikes that the Fed made last year in response to a strengthening economy. That was before rising global risks led the Fed to change course and begin easing credit. Lower rates are intended to encourage more borrowing and spending.

Powell has said that the central bank's rate reductions are intended as a kind of insurance against threats to the economy. Powell has pointed to similar rate cuts in 1995 and 1998 as precedents; in both those cases, the Fed cut rates three times. He and most other Fed officials credit their rate cuts with lowering mortgage rates, boosting home sales and generally keeping the economy on track.

The Fed is also weighing the consequences of a decline in expectations for inflation.

Lower inflation expectations can be self-fulfilling.

This can pose a problem

for the Fed because its preferred inflation gauge has been stuck below its 2% target for most of the past seven years.

In the meantime, Trump, via Twitter, has renewed his attacks on the Fed for not lowering its benchmark rate closer to zero. The president has contrasted the Fed's actions unfavorably with central banks in Europe and Japan, which have slashed their rates into negative territory. Though Trump has argued that this puts the United States at a competitive disadvantage, most economists regard negative rates as a sign of weakness.

Some international tensions have eased since the Fed previously met in mid-September, which might suggest to some that further rate cuts are less necessary.

The U.S. and China reached a temporary trade truce earlier this month and are working on a preliminary agreement that could be signed soon by Trump and President Xi Jinping. It's not clear, though, how meaningful such an agreement might be, and Trump hasn't dropped his threat to impose new tariffs on Chinese goods on Dec. 15.

Another source of global tension has been Brexit, which has also eased.

The European Union has agreed to delay the deadline for Britain's exit from the trade bloc from Oct. 31 to Jan. 31. q

A26 COMICS

Thursday 31 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

Thursday 31 October 2019

New York City lawmakers pass bill banning sale of foie gras

By VERENA DOBNIK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — New York City lawmakers on Wednesday passed a bill that bans restaurants and grocery stores from selling foie gras, the fattened liver of a duck or goose considered a culinary delicacy for centuries.

The bill, which is expected to be signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, would forbid the sale of the French specialty starting in 2022.

Animal welfare activists had campaigned for a ban on the grounds that the methods used to produce foie gras are cruel, involving force-feeding a bird a corn-based mixture through a tube briefly slipped down its throat.

Farmers who produce foie gras say the birds are treated humanely and

don't suffer during the fattening process.

The final version of the bill called for violators of the ban to pay a fine of up to $2,000 for each violation.

The original bill set a fine of up to $1,000 and a prison penalty of up to one year that has been dropped.

California banned the sale of foie gras in 2012.

That law was challenged in federal court, but an appeals court eventually upheld it. Chicago banned foie gras in 2006; the ordinance was repealed two years later.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras and the La Belle Farm collectively raise about 350,000 birds for foie gras a year that bring in $15 million worth of foie gras — a third of it going to New York City. Each liver retails for as much as $125.q

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A28 SCIENCE

Thursday 31 October 2019

Study triples population at risk of climate-triggered floods

By SETH BORENSTEIN WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people threatened by climate changetriggered flooding is about three times higher than previously thought, a new study says. But it’s not because of more water.

It’s because the land, especially in Asia and the developing world, is several feet lower than what space-based radar has calculated, according to a study in the journal Nature Communications Tuesday.

So instead of 80 million people living in low-lying areas that would flood annually by 2050 as the world warms, this new study finds the population at risk is closer to 300 million people.

And if emissions of heattrapping gases continue unabated and Antarctic ice melts more in a worstcase scenario, around 500 million people could be at risk by the end of the century, according to the study

by Climate Central , a New Jersey based non-profit of scientists and journalists.

Space-based radar says 170 million are at risk in that scenario.

For big picture global mapping of flooding threats, the go-to technology for

In this Sept. 4, 2019, file photo, people hold hands and navigate their way through a flooded street as it rains in Mumbai, India.

Associated Press

elevation is NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission .

But that doesn’t accurately show ground, instead mistaking rooftops and tree canopies for ground with an average error of 6.5 feet (2 meters), said Climate Central chief executive officer Ben Strauss, a scientist who studies sea level rise.

For the United States, much of Europe and Australia, this is not a problem because

those areas use airborne lidar radar, which is more accurate about true elevation. But in flood prone Asia and other places that’s not an option, Strauss said.

So Climate Central used the shuttle radar, artificial intelligence and 23 different variables to create a computer model that is more accurate in globally mapping elevation, Strauss said. They then tested it

against the airplane-generated data in the United States and Australia and found this computer model was accurate, he said.

“This is a far greater problem than we understood,” Strauss said. “Far more people live in risky places today than we thought and the problem only multiplies in the future.”

He said the new model found “a huge difference”

in elevation in places such as Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Jakarta and Mumbai.

Five outside sea level rise experts said the study highlighted a problem with current data, especially in Asia.

“This study represents very significant progress in the understanding of the risk which climate change-related sea level will cause for hundreds of million of people before the end of this century,” said Jean-Pascal van Ypersele of the Universite catholique de Louvain in Belgium. “If hundreds or even tens of millions of people are flooded in Asia or Africa, it will create social and economic disruptions on a huge scale.”

University of Colorado’s Steve Nerem said the problem is real, but he isn’t sold on the new model yet, partly because it is based on the shuttle radar to begin with.

It does highlight an issue that needs to be fixed, said Katy Serafin at the University of Florida. “The longer we wait to address this, the less time we will have to develop adaptive and sustainable solutions to coastal flooding.”q

Dutch construction workers protest environmental rules

Dutch construction workers gather for a demonstration against the government’s environmental rules, in The Hague, Netherlands on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

Associated Press

By MIKE CORDER Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Thousands of Dutch construction workers converged on The Hague on Wednesday to protest restrictions they say are crippling their industry, the latest large-scale demonstration against the government's environmental policies.

A central park in The Hague filled up early with trucks, diggers, cranes and construction workers in orange high-visibility jackets. The demonstration disrupted traffic around The Hague for hours, forcing police to block the main highway into the city to prevent

even more trucks from arriving.

The industry is protesting government limits on nitrogen emissions and rules about transporting sand and earth contaminated with tiny amounts of chemicals known as PFAS , which are used in firefighting foam, nonstick pots and pans, water-repellent clothing and many other household and personal items.

The protests underscore how difficult it is for the Dutch government to push through reforms aimed at cleaning up the environment and reducing emissions without hurting essential industries like construc-

tion and agriculture.

In recent weeks, Dutch farmers also have staged two demonstrations against government environmental rules. German farmers held similar protests last week.

Maxime Verhagen, chairman of an umbrella organization for the construction industry told the demonstrators on Wednesday: "We want to work. Cabinet, do something about it now."

His organization carried out a survey of its members that showed some 308 projects worth more than 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) have been affected by PFAS limitations.q

PEOPLE & ARTS A29

Thursday 31 October 2019

'How to Raise a Reader' gathers dos, don'ts and book lists

By RASHA MADKOUR Associated Press "How to Raise a Reader" (Workman Publishing), by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo Whether your child is yetto-be-born, a teenager or somewhere in between, "How to Raise a Reader" has some tips and a whole lot of book recommendations for you.

Authors Pamela Paul and Maria Russo are parents themselves, as well as editors of The New York Times Book Review, and they draw on their experience in both realms in writing this book. They argue: "School is where children learn that they have to read. Home is where kids learn to read because they want to. It's where they learn to love to read."

In order to do that, however, parents need to follow some guidelines. Don't fret about when your child learns to read by himself or herself. ("There is no 'correct' age for independent reading and no special formula for getting every child to read by, say, age 5½.")

Hold your tongue when it

This cover image released by Workman Publishing shows "How to Raise a Reader," by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo.

Associated Press

comes to your child's reading choices. ("There may be some specific aspect of that book that is speaking to your child. Or maybe he just feels like reading

something less obviously challenging at the moment.") Above all, practice what you preach. ("If you want to raise a reader, be a reader.") The authors

encourage parents to get back to reading themselves if they've let that activity slide, and to foster a culture of reading in the home.

The reasons to do this are myriad. "Children who read are, yes, likely to excel academically, but there's much more to the picture," the authors write. "The latest research shows that children who read at home are also better at self-regulation and executive function — those life skills that make us happier and well adjusted: controlling impulses, paying attention, setting goals and figuring out how to achieve them." Paul adds: "Through the novels they've read, they will know more about the stories they want to be a part of, what kind of character they might be."

The book is divided by age range, and each section has advice on what to look for in books for that stage, what to be wary of and a list of recommendations.

There is also an extensive recommended list in the final section of the book, organized by theme (from "Books That Make Us Laugh"

to "Tearjerkers," and "Great Friendship Stories" to "Science and Nature").

"How to Raise a Reader" is a surprisingly easy and quick read. The authors don't delve into the research behind their advice but they do share the summaries.

Their take on why bribing kids to read can backfire: "It's an acknowledged psychological truth that 'intrinsic motivation' — having the desire to do something, such as reading, on your own — suffers when the activity is associated with 'external controls' such as reward, punishments, and requirements." Their explanation why you should always reach for the physical book instead of an e-book: "Studies have shown that children, even more than adults, absorb and retain stories better when they read them in print."

Although the authors discuss the importance of diversity several times throughout the book, some of the illustrations interspersed in "How to Raise a Reader" have the antiquated, monolithic quality that the authors decry. q

Hootie & the Blowfish return but new album blows

By MARK KENNEDY Associated Press Hootie & the Blowfish, "Imperfect Circle" (Capitol Nashville) Come roll back the years with Hootie & the Blowfish.

Their new 13-track offering will transport you to when Bill Clinton was in office and the Macarena took over America.

"Imperfect Circle," their first studio album in almost 15 years, picks off right where they left off, with earnest and yet utterly forgettable songs. They're nice when you play them but make no discernible impression.

For any younger readers, a refresher: Hootie & the Blowfish emerged from the University of South Carolina with a laid-back, postgrunge and cheerful mix of rootsy rock and country.

Saddled with a name that aged poorly — both parts

are nicknames for guys not even in the band — Hootie & the Blowfish took the best new artist title at the 1996 Grammys thanks to such hits as "Hold My Hand," ''Let Her Cry" and "Only Wanna Be With You," and then took their place with other inoffensive college brorockers like Blues Traveler and Counting Crows.

The intervening decades have done nothing to darken the Hootie vibe.

In fact, lead singer Darius Rucker seems even more disengaged, writing love songs to his longtime wife and reminding listeners he's a lucky, lucky man. "Why's a beauty queen standing here with me?" he asks Rucker's voice has a deeper baritone and a more pronounced twang, showing the influence of his years as a country chart-topper. But the songs are mushy. "Wild-

This cover image released by Capitol Records Nashville shows "Imperfect Circle," the latest release by Hootie & The Blowfish.

Associated Press

fire Love" featuring Lucie Silvas was co-written by Ed Sheeran but neither make

it spark. "Hold On" is co-written by Chris Stapleton and wastes some funky guitar.

The majority of the album was produced by Jeff Trott, who has — surprise, surprise — worked with Counting Crows. Though Rucker insists in "Change" that life is always altering, nothing on this album is fresh.

Most of the lyrics sound like what you'd find stitched onto the pillows of a hippie baby boomer — "Mondays are just Fridays in disguise," ''There ain't nothing that a little love can't get us through" and "Tell me to and I will shoot down the moon." Rucker is all about a can't-we-just-get-along ethos. The closest he gets to socially conscious is the cheerful, Hawaiian-tinged "We Are One," in which he blithely sings, "You and I, to the left or to the right/ Meet you somewhere in between."

That would be the middle — the mushy middle.q

A30 PEOPLE

Thursday 31 October 2019

& ARTS Erivo engages in imperfect but important 'Harriet'

This image released by Focus Features shows Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman in a scene from "Harriet."

Associated Press

By JOCELYN NOVECK Associated Press Legendary American heroine that she is, there are certain things for which Harriet Tubman is overdue.

One is her spot on U.S. currency: Google "Tubman" and "$20" and "Trump." Another is a major feature film based on her life: Google "Tubman" and "Hollywood" and "why so long?"

Well, that $20 bill has been delayed, but finally there's a Hollywood film, "Harriet," that seeks to honor Tubman and her extraordinary place in the anti-slavery movement.

Hollywood doesn't make tons of movies about female heroes or black heroes, let alone black female heroes. One can only imagine the pressure the creative team must have felt to get it just right. And that's exactly what comes across in the final product.

"Harriet" is built on such good intentions and such a fierce desire to get it right that it seems risk-averse creatively, a fairly formulaic biopic created more for a history classroom than the multiplex.

This is not to say "Harriet" is an unworthy enterprise, but it could have pierced more deeply than it does.

In the plus column, it marks the welcome return to the director's chair of Kasi Lemmons, who first drew at-

tention with "Eve's Bayou" in 1997. And it stars a truly singular talent in Cynthia Erivo, in one of her first major screen roles.

Erivo is a Tony-winning stage actress of such unique power and intensity that it's not overstating it to say she can thrill with a single note — she's simply one of the most talented dramatic singers alive today. If you want a hint of that, make sure to catch the closing credits; Erivo sings "Stand Up," a song she co-wrote.

And though she doesn't get to sing much in the movie — there are snippets of spirituals here and there, and if you were Lemmons, you'd find every reason to have Erivo sing, too — the actress does turn in one of the deeper portrayals. Many other characters seem one-dimensional, a failing of the screenplay more than the cast, which is filled with estimable names like Janelle Monae and Leslie Odom Jr. The main "villain" role of Gideon (Joe Alwyn), the owner's son at the plantation where Tubman grew up enslaved, feels particularly underwritten.

We begin at that plantation, in Maryland, with Araminta Ross — aka "Minty"— lying on her back in a field.

Since she was a little girl, when her head was split open in a blow from an

abusive master, Minty, now in her 20s, has suffered seizures and blackouts, during which she has visions.

On this day Minty is awoken by her husband, a free man, who surprises her with documentation he's obtained of a promise from her owner's ancestor to grant the slave family its freedom, now overdue. But the owner — Gideon's father — shreds the letter in a nasty rage.

Minty now knows she has no choice but to flee. She makes it off the plantation, only to be caught by Gideon and his posse, trapped on a bridge over a raging river. She stuns Gideon by jumping off, to a certain death.

But she survives — and makes it to Delaware, where a friend helps her to the border of free Pennsylvania. She walks the last bit by herself. This incredible achievement — imagine the obstacles she faces, covering 100 miles (160.93 kilometers) on foot — is largely hinted at, not shown. In Philadelphia, Minty is welcomed by abolitionist William Still (Odom, playing a real-life character) and given a room in a house owned by the elegant Marie Buchanon (Monae, playing a fictional one.) Offered a new name for her new life, she becomes Harriet Tubman.q

John Legend co-writes new take on 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' NEW YORK (AP) — John Legend and Kelly Clarkson, his fellow coach on "The Voice," have joined forces on a reimagined version of the oft-criticized Christmas classic "Baby, It's Cold Outside."

The song, written by Frank Loesser in 1944, is a duet that has a man trying to convince a woman to stay overnight at his home on a cold winter's night. It's been a flashpoint of the #MeToo era, with foes calling it everything from sexist to an

ode to date rape.

Legend and comedian Natasha Rothwell of HBO's "Insecure" wrote the new take, which includes Clarkson leading the lyrics: "What will my friends think (I think they should rejoice) If I have one more drink?

(It's your body, and your choice.)" Gone are such lines as, "Gosh, your lips look delicious," sung by the man, and "Say, what's in this drink?" by the woman.

The Grammy-winning Legend includes the song on

a new expanded version of his first Christmas album, "A Legendary Christmas: The Deluxe Edition," out Nov. 8.

The original song won an Academy Award in 1949 after Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban performed it in the film "Neptune's Daughter." Among the famous who have reprised it are Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan, Amy Grant and Vince Gill, and Fantasia and CeeLo Green.q

PEOPLE & ARTS A31

Thursday 31 October 2019

Prince's anticipated, posthumous memoir is ready for fans

By LEANNE ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — Panic, joy, shock: Dan Piepenbring felt them all when Prince plucked him to collaborate on his first memoir, followed by more shock and profound sadness at news of the superstar's death while the book was in its early stages.

Though the project was thrown into chaos when Prince died on April 21, 2016, of an accidental drug overdose, his estate ultimately decided to press on, allowing Piepenbring and his publishing team free access to the pieces of his life left behind at his beloved Paisley Park, including the contents of his vault.

Now, the highly anticipated collaboration, "The Beautiful Ones," is ready for Prince fans to read as many continue to mourn, propelling the 33-year-old journalist into the spotlight to explain how he sorted it all out.

"There was a sense even from the start that it couldn't really be happening," Piepenbring told The Associated Press of his involvement. "It felt very surreal. There was also just a sense of joy, I think, at the possibility of meeting someone that I held in such high regard, someone whose music had been the soundtrack to the better part of my youth."

The book out Tuesday from Spiegel & Grau includes no bombshells, though Prince very much wanted to provide some, and a mere 28 memoir pages written in his elegant script and quirky style, replacing the word "I'' with a drawing of a human orb, for instance. All told, Piepenbring spent 12 to 15 hours face-to-face with Prince in Minneapolis, New York and on tour in Melbourne.

Their last conversation was just four days before Prince died. It was focused on his parents and their conflicting influences in his life. His father, John L. Nelson, was a disciplined, God-fearing jazz musician with an explosive temper. His mother, Mattie Della Shaw, was a

In this Feb. 4, 2007, file photo, Prince performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XLI football game in Miami.

Associated Press

beautiful, fun-loving party girl with a stubborn, irrational streak — and a sneaky flair, as Prince wrote: "She would spend up what little $ the family had 4 survival on partying with her friends, then trespass in2 my bedroom, 'borrow' my personal $ that eye'd gotten from babysitting local kids, & then chastise me 4 even questioning her regarding the broken promises she made 2 pay me back."

The tumultuous nature of his parents' relationship had a lasting impact.

"The wound of Ur parents fighting is chilling when U're a child," Prince wrote. "If it happens 2 become physical, it can be soul-crushing."

Their conflicts, divorce when he was 7 and the dual impact on Prince and his work is the book's prevailing theme.

"So much of his writing is about division in some way and the fight to make oneself whole again," Piepenbring said. "There's this kind

of brokenness that he's always working to repair."

Prince writes that his first memory was his mother's eyes, describing her habit of throwing conspiratorial winks his way.

"Sometimes when my father wasn't playing piano he'd say something 2 my mother & she would wink at me. She never told me what it meant and sometimes it would be accompanied by a gentle caress of her hand 2 my face. But eye am quite sure now this is the birth of my physical imagination."

Prince had big ideas for the book, considering at one time a "how to" on making it in the music business without selling your soul. At another point, he suggested that he and Piepenbring figure out a way to end racism. At still another, he wanted to focus on the importance of creative freedom.

"I think he was really in the process of excavating his

past with a level of detail and specificity that maybe he had avoided before," Piepenbring said. "He had come to the realization that he really was in many ways the sum of his mother and father and they were the, sort of, two poles of his being."

Prince wrote on other subjects as well, including puberty (his stepfather took him to R-rated movies at a drive-in as a stand-in for the birds and bees talk), the blackouts and seizures he had as a child and his first kiss, with a girl of just 5 or 6.

They'd play house.

Piepenbring wrote a lengthy introduction explaining his encounters with Prince and how the book was completed. He wasn't allowed to take notes during their first meeting so he was forced to reconstruct the conversation. Some of their chats are printed as marginalia in the book.

There's an abundance of hand-drawn childhood

doodles and cartoons, along with lyrics Prince often wrote on whatever was handy, including a brown paper bag.

There's a photo album Piepenbring unearthed at Paisley Park that a sleepless Prince decided to put together in 1977 at age 19, only days from completing his debut album, "For You." With witty remarks written in pencil, Prince sits on the hood of his first car in one shot. In another, he snapped his first paycheck from Warner Bros.

There's also an early outline he wrote for the 1984 film "Purple Rain" with an even darker story line than the one that made it onto screens. The film, based loosely on his life, won Prince an Oscar for best original sound score. In the 1982 treatment, "The Kid" character Prince plays is a diagnosed schizophrenic who as a child watches his mother shoot his father dead, then turns the gun on herself.

Prince had envisioned playing both his mother and father in flashback scenes.

The finished film, not written

by Prince, involves a suicide attempt with a gun that the father survives.

Many of the photos in the book are familiar to hardcore fans and it includes a heavy dose of previously published interviews with Prince. From the start, it was clear to Piepenbring that Prince envisioned him as something more than a ghostwriter.

Prince was looking for a second voice to bring his vision alive in print, almost "like a sounding board," said Piepenbring, who is based in New York and was working for Paris Review when, at age 29, he was chosen for the book.

As for what might have been, Piepenbring said, "I think we would have gotten more of his story than we've ever seen, and I think we would have gotten not just this book but a number of books from him. He told me that he wanted to write a lot of books, and I really think he was serious about that."q

A32 FEATURE

Thursday 31 October 2019

Cranberry farmers want to build solar panels over their bogs

By PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press CARVER, Mass. (AP) — Plummeting cranberry prices and the country's ongoing trade wars have America's cranberry industry eyeing a possible new savior: solar power.

Some cranberry farmers in Massachusetts, the nation's second largest grower after Wisconsin, are proposing to build solar panels above the bogs they harvest each fall.

It's a novel approach to blending renewable energy technology with traditional farming that's been researched across the world but hasn't been tried before on large scale, commercial crop cultivation, according to solar power and agricultural industry experts. The basic idea is to build solar arrays high enough off the ground and in more spaced-out clusters to allow for crops to be safely grown and harvested underneath.

Cranberry farmers hope to shoulder lean times for their industry by gleaning extra revenue — in the form of long-term land leases with solar developers — while still producing the same quality berries they have for generations. An ongoing, nationwide study also suggests certain crops in particular climates can thrive under solar panels, though it's unclear at this point how cranberries will fare.

Michael Wainio, a fourthgeneration cranberry farmer, said he's sold off parts of his land, started a side business harvesting bogs for other growers, and launched a farm stand, deli and bakery operation in recent years to make ends meet.

"We're doing everything we can to diversify, and it's not enough," he said.

"If we don't get this, I'd be surprised if we made it five years."

Wainio is working with developer NextSun Energy on a project calling for roughly 27,000 solar panels over about 60 acres (24 hectares) of active bogs across three farms in Carver, near Cape Cod. The project

In this Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, photo, cranberry grower Dick Ward, of Carver, Mass., stands near a solar array in a cranberry bog on his farm, in Carver.

Associated Press

would produce about 10 megawatts of energy, or roughly enough to power more than 1,600 homes, according to NextSun. The cranberry industry has been dealing for years with the combined effects of crop surplus and weakening demand for one of its primary products, cranberry juice, said Brian Wick, executive director of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association.

The price of cranberries has plummeted 57% over the last decade, from roughly $58 a barrel (about 100

pounds) in 2008 to $25 in 2018, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data . But Wick says the cost to produce the tart red berries in Massachusetts is nearly $35 a barrel.

The USDA permitted industry to dump millions of pounds of fruit in 2017 and 2018 in order to stabilize prices, but the country's ongoing trade disputes with Europe and China are further compounding the struggles for an industry that previously exported about 30% of its product, Wick said.

"What we like about these

new solar projects is that they have a farm-first mentality," he said. "This is an opportunity to keep the industry going. This isn't about replacing farms with solar."

In Massachusetts, cranberry growers and their solar partners are hoping to take advantage of a unique new renewable energy incentive meant to encourage such "dual use" solar and agriculture projects, as the state refers to them.

To qualify, arrays must meet certain design requirements , such as being built at least eight feet (2.4

In this Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, photo, cranberries grow in a cranberry bog near solar arrays, behind, in Carvar, Mass.

Associated Press

meters) off the ground. The projects also must provide an annual report demonstrating the land under the panels remains agriculturally productive.

One proposal has already received state approval; four others, including Wainio's, are under review; and more are pending before local authorities or are in earlier stages of development, say state and cranberry industry officials.

Dual use projects have proven successful on livestock farms in Europe and the U.S., and hundreds of projects have been built on crop farms in Japan — though all those are vastly smaller than what's being proposed on Massachusetts cranberry bogs, said Jordan Macknick, an analyst at the federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado who is coordinating a nationwide study on "agrivoltaics," as the idea is also sometimes referred.

He said the impact on crop cultivation in different environments is still being researched.

In a study published in September in the academic journal Nature Sustainability, researchers at the University of Arizona found that cherry tomatoes grown under solar panels in the hot desert landscape produced higher yields and required less water.

But ongoing trials at a related site run by the University of Massachusetts have so far found that broccoli, kale and peppers are less productive growing under solar panels in the more temperate New England climate.

Other University of Massachusetts researchers are also beginning to assess the potential impact on cranberries . They erected large wooden structures meant to mimic the shading of a solar panel array on one of Wainio's bogs this summer.

On a recent visit, countless berries could be seen growing under the structures, but researchers said they'll need to assess their quality and yield when they're harvested.q