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Page 8 Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper On Parkland anniversary, Biden calls for tougher gun laws

Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Sor- row reverberated across the country Sunday as Americans, including President Joe Biden, joined a Florida community in remembering the 17 lives lost three years ago in the Parkland school shooting massacre. “In seconds, the lives of doz- ens of families, and the life of an American community, were changed forever,” Biden said in a statement released Sunday. The president used the oc- casion to call on Congress to strengthen gun laws, including requiring background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons. In this Feb. 15, 2018 file photo, people comfort each other as they sit and mourn at one of seventeen crosses, after a candlelight vigil for the victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Fla. Continued on Page 2 Associated Press A2 Monday 15 February 2021 UP FRONT

On Parkland anniversary, Biden calls for tougher gun laws

Continued from Front The Republican governor day. We miss them. There’s also noted some of the nothing we can do to bring There was no time to wait, school safety measures en- them back. The only thing the president said. “We acted since the tragedy we can do is move for- owe it to all those we’ve three years ago, including ward and try to honor their lost and to all those left be- money to install panic alert memories and make sure hind to grieve to make a systems at schools across this doesn’t happen to any change. The time to act is the state and to strengthen other families,” he said. now.” programs meant to pre- But critics of the governor Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered vent violence before they and Republican-controlled flags be lowered to half occur. Legislature say guns are staff from sunrise to sunset The panic alert measure too easily accessible and across the state to honor was dubbed “Alyssa’s say more needs to be those who perished when Law,” in honor of 14-year- done to keep assault-style a former student of Mar- old Alyssa Alhadeff, one guns away from potentially jory Stoneman Douglas In this Feb. 18, 2018 file photo, people light candles at a of the students killed three bad actors. opened fire on campus makeshift memorial outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High years ago. “The passage of time has with an AR-15 rifle on Val- School, where 17 students and faculty were killed in a mass Parkland parents have done little to heal the entines Day in 2018. shooting days earlier in Parkland, Fla. been divided over how heartbreak we felt upon Associated Press When the gunfire ended, lawmakers should respond. hearing the shocking news 14 students and three staff day of remembrance, De- edy, reminding us just how Ryan Petty, whose daugh- three years ago today, nor members were dead, and Santis asked fellow Florid- strong and united Floridians ter Alaina was 14 when she dulled our sense of outrage 17 others were wounded. ians to pause for a moment can be in the face of such was killed in the shooting, at the lack of consequen- The suspect, Nikolas Cruz, is of silence at 3 p.m. Sunday. devastating loss,” the gov- addressed the president in tial legislative action from still awaiting trial. “The Parkland community is ernor said in his proclama- a tweet Sunday. lawmakers since that hor- In his proclamation for a resilient in the wake of trag- tion. “Mr. President, thank you rible morning — laws that for remembering the loved would prevent another ones taken from us 3 years Parkland from ever hap- ago,” he wrote. “Alaina pening again,” said Manny loved this country and the Diaz, the chair of the Flori- freedoms it guarantees. da Democratic Party. Common sense tells us that Over the years, deadly honoring her life does not violence targeting schools require infringement on the has shaken the nation rights of law-abiding citi- — including the Virginia zens.” Tech shootings in 2007 that In an interview Sunday, claimed 32 lives and the Petty said the president’s Sandy Hook Elementary proposals won’t prevent School massacre in 2012. more tragedies. Even before the Parkland “It’s wrong to focus on the tragedy, there was already weapon,” said Petty, who is plenty of anguish in Florida now a member of the state over gun violence. Less school board. “For those than two years before, an- who understand what other gunman shot up the happened that day, there Pulse nightclub in Orlando, were mistakes. This was the killing 49 people. most preventable school None of the deadly events shooting in the history of our produced comprehensive country. The warning signs gun laws. Mass shootings were there. It was clear the have galvanized gun con- killer had intentions to at- trol advocates, who have tack the school.” been met with resistance Petty remembered his from Republican lawmak- daughter as a friend to ers and their 2nd Amend- everyone, and recounted ment allies. It remains to how important community be seen what will be done service was to her. on the federal level, de- “For those of us who lost spite Democratic control of loved ones that day, it’s the White House and both pretty much like any other chambers of Congress.q A3 U.S. NEWS Monday 15 February 2021 'Obamacare' sign-ups reopen as Democrats push for more aid

uptick in interest. Although ment. Under Biden, there would pay $85 a month for her agency had not started will be a special emphasis a standard plan instead of advertising, appointments on reaching Black and La- the current $195. for enrollment assistance tino communities that have The Democratic proposal booked up quickly. Volun- borne a heavy burden from would allow more solid teer counselors are being COVID-19. middle-class households to called back. Across the country, people qualify for financial help. For clients, "it's their last in the 36 states served by On the opposite end of the chance probably to en- the federal HealthCare. scale, those who've expe- roll in health insurance for gov marketplace will be rienced unemployment 2021," Hattemer said. able to apply. Addition- would qualify for extra-gen- One is Jacklindy Barradez, ally, most states that run erous subsidies. a housekeeper and restau- their own marketplaces are Republicans who tried rant worker unemployed matching the federal ef- but failed to repeal the since the start of the pan- fort, giving it the feel of a law under President Don- This screen grab from the website shows the main web page for demic. Her husband hung national campaign. ald Trump are calling the the HealthCare.gov. on to his maintenance job, The appeal for uninsured Democratic plan a waste Associated Press but the couple and their people could become of taxpayer dollars. But two children are uninsured. much clearer if Congress many Democrats see it as By RICARDO ALONSO- said Katherine Hempstead Barradez said a friend told increases premium subsi- merely a down payment ZALDIVAR of the nonpartisan Robert her about the health law dies as part of its next virus on a more ambitious health Associated Press Wood Johnson Foundation. and she intends to follow relief package. care agenda. WASHINGTON (AP) — "The administration is doing through. "That would be a great in- The Obama health law now HealthCare.gov's market more than having open With no health insurance centive to get people in covers more than 20 million for subsidized health plans enrollment here, they're as the pandemic stretches the door," said Tara Straw, people through a combi- reopens Monday for a spe- saying they want to make into its second year, Bar- a health policy analyst with nation of subsidized private cial three-month sign-up this coverage more afford- radez is uneasy. "We are the Center on Budget and plans and, in most states, window as the Democrat- able." While policy experts not exempt from having Policy Priorities, which ad- expanded Medicaid. ic-led Congress pushes a like Hempstead are tak- something happen to us," vocates on behalf of low- Experts agree that job loss- boost in financial help that ing note, it's unclear how she said in Spanish, her first income people. More gen- es during the pandemic could cut premiums by uninsured Americans will language. "Not having the erous help would be avail- have led to more uninsured double digits. respond. Former President means to respond is ex- able not just to the newly people, but it's unclear This enrollment period dur- Barack Obama's health tremely worrisome." enrolled, but to all who are how many more. Some es- ing the coronavirus pan- law has been on the books The Biden administration is covered through the law's timates range from 5 million demic is an early test of over a decade, but sur- going the extra mile to try marketplaces. to 10 million, while the Con- President Joe Biden's strat- veys consistently show that to sign up people such as By the budget center's cal- gressional Budget Office egy to use the Affordable many people lacking job- Barradez. culations, a family of four suggests a lower number, Care Act as a springboard based insurance do not HealthCare.gov will be making $50,000 would pay more like 3 million. toward health coverage realize they may qualify. accepting applications $67 a month in premiums Chris Sloan of the consult- for all. Advancing on a The Congressional Budget through May 15, a period for a standard plan, instead ing firm Avalere Health parallel track, the new CO- Office estimates that about about twice as long as an- of an average of $252 cur- says it's likely that many VID-19 relief bill from House 33 million people are unin- nual open enrollment. The rently, while also qualifying who became unemployed Democrats would offer a sured this year. Centers for Medicare and for help with deductibles in the pandemic had no generous, though tempo- At Foundation Communi- Medicaid Services, which and copays. The boost in job-based health insur- rary, increase in subsidies ties, an Austin, Texas, non- runs the program, has a $50 premium assistance would ance to begin with. That for people covered by profit that serves low-in- million advertising budget, be available for this year means they represent the the law known as "Obam- come working people, pro- five times what the Trump and for 2022. demographic for which the acare." "It is a hugely im- gram director Kori Hatte- administration would spend Similarly, a single person health law was originally portant signaling move," mer says she's seeing an on annual open enroll- making $30,000 a year designed.q Imprisoned ex-FBI agent who worked with Bulger seeks release

BOSTON (AP) — The former sion spokesperson Angela John Callahan in Fort Lau- ing arrested in California in FBI agent serving a 40-year Meredith. A majority vote derdale in 1982. Trial evi- 2011, was killed in federal prison sentence for alert- would lead to Connolly’s dence showed Connolly prison in West Virginia in ing Boston mobster Whitey release, she said. tipped Bulger that Callah- 2018. Bulger that he could be Connolly’s Cambridge law- an was about to implicate Connolly’s wife and three implicated in a murder is yer, Peter Mullane, con- the gang in another killing. grown children are still liv- seeking to be released from firmed to the Boston Her- Separately, Connolly ing in the Boston area, Mul- prison on medical grounds. ald Friday that Connolly, served nearly 10 years in lane said, and they hope The Florida Commission on who is 80, is seeking to be prison after being convict- he will be allowed to return Offender Review will hear released. “He has multiple ed in 2002 of racketeering to Massachusetts. the request Wednesday melanomas and pretty and obstruction of justice “This has been a punish- from John “Zip” Connolly, bad diabetes. Two serious for protecting members of ment for the whole family, who is being held at the Re- illnesses,” Mullane said. Bulger’s Winter Hill Gang and they have suffered,” ception and Medical Cen- Connolly, who was James from prosecution and tip- Mullane said. In this Oct. 15, 2008 file ter in Lake Butler, Florida. “Whitey” Bulger’s FBI han- ping them about infor- Callahan’s wife, Mary, photo, former FBI agent “It’s on the docket for dler, was convicted in 2008 mants in their ranks. also 80, said she just cel- John Connolly listens to the the 17th and he’s seek- of second-degree murder Bulger, who spent 16 years ebrated what would have testimony during his trial in ing a conditional medical after a mob hitman killed as one of America’s most been her 61st wedding Miami. release,” said commis- World Jai Alai President wanted men before be- anniversary.q Associated Press A4 Monday 15 February 2021 U.S. NEWS No longer an outlier: New York ends commercial surrogacy ban

By DAVID CRARY economic need become AP National Writer commercialized vessels for NEW YORK (AP) — To be- rent, and the fetuses they come a father of two carry become the property daughters, New York state of others,” renowned femi- Sen. Brad Hoylman and his nist Gloria Steinem wrote to husband made cross-coun- lawmakers in 2019. try trips to California, where New York Gov. Andrew the girls were born through Cuomo, who earlier in his surrogacy arrangements. tenure pushed hard to le- At the time, New York was galize same-sex marriage, one of a handful of states argued in response that the outlawing commercial sur- surrogacy ban was “based rogacy. Now, it’s about to in fear, not love” and was become legal after years especially harmful to same- of activism by Hoylman sex couples. and a host of allies who fi- A leading surrogacy expert nally overcame tenacious in California, Parham Zar, political opposition. says gay couples and sin- Instead of being a national gle men have constituted outlier, New York will be- about half of his clientele come a leader, accord- in 20 years as managing di- ing to experts on surrogacy rector of the Egg Donor & . They say the new law, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, left, with his husband David Sigal, right, pose with their Surrogacy Institute in Bev- passed in April and taking daughters Lucy Hoylman-Sigal, 3, left, and Silvia Hoylman-Sigal, 10, both born through surrogacy, erly Hills. effect on Monday, has a Saturday Feb. 6, 2021, in New York. The institute has overseen surrogates’ bill of rights pro- Associated Press more than 1,200 surrogacy viding the nation’s stron- surrogate who is not ge- statute there says paid sur- are fees for lawyers and the births during that period, gest protections for women netically related to the em- rogacy contracts are unen- surrogacy agency, the cost according to Zar, and he serving as surrogates. bryo. An egg is removed forceable. of in vitro fertilization, plus now plans to open an of- Among the provisions: the from the intended mother, Hoylman, who was the sur- compensation and health fice in New York City. right to independent legal fertilized with sperm and rogacy bill’s lead sponsor in insurance for the surrogate. Zar says he advises clients representation, a guar- then transferred to a sur- the New York Senate, and Compensation rates vary to be braced for at least antee of comprehensive rogate — in contrast to so- his husband, filmmaker Da- widely — generally $25,000 $100,000 in costs for a ges- medical coverage, and called traditional surrogacy vid Sigal, made about 10 to $50,000. tational surrogacy. the right to make their own that involves an egg from trips to California between The first bill seeking to re- The bills can be higher. health care decisions, in- the surrogate. The gesta- them to help oversee the peal the New York ban was Andrew Kabatchnick, an cluding whether to termi- tional option is welcomed arrangements that led to introduced by Assembly- accountant from White nate or continue a preg- by many LGBTQ people the births of their daughters, woman Amy Paulin in 2012, Plains, New York, says he nancy. who want to be parents, Silvia, now 10, and Lucy, 3. the year Hoylman was and his wife, occupational “We went to California be- as well as by couples strug- Gestational surrogacy elected to the Senate. It therapist Leah Marx, have cause it had the best laws,” gling with infertility. routinely costs between floundered for years in the spent $250,000 to $300,000 Hoylman said. “Now New With the change in New $100,000 and $150,000. face of staunch opposi- on two gestational surro- York has the best law. We York, surrogacy advocates Hoylman declined to es- tion by the Roman Catholic gacy births. Their 2-year- think it’s a model for other say only Louisiana and timate the total costs in- Church and some feminists, old daughter, Sophie, was states.” Michigan have laws explic- curred by him and Sigal but who argued that paid sur- brought to term by a sur- The new law allows gesta- itly prohibiting paid gesta- said, “It was worth every rogacy led to the exploita- rogate in Alabama; a sec- tional surrogacy on a com- tional surrogacy. Nebraska penny.” tion of women. ond baby is due in June via mercial basis, involving a has no explicit ban, but a Among the standard costs “Under this bill, women in a surrogate in Arkansas.q Suspect arrested in fatal stabbings in NYC subway system NEW YORK (AP) — A stabbed to death in a sub- day. The officers brought 21-year-old Brooklyn man way car in upper Manhat- Lopez to the local police was arrested in the fatal tan. Two nonfatal attacks precinct for questioning, stabbings of two people — one involving a 67-year- McGee said. A knife was on New York City subway old man and the other in- recovered from Lopez and trains, police said Sunday. volving a 43-year-old man will be analyzed to deter- Rigoberto Lopez was taken — also occurred in upper mine whether it was the into custody Saturday night Manhattan. weapon used in the at- and was formally arrested Authorities believe all four tacks, McGee said. Sunday on charges of mur- victims were homeless. Police said they believe Lo- der and attempted mur- Deputy Chief Brian Mc- pez may have committed der, police said. Gee said officers on patrol all of the attacks. It wasn’t One of the victims was dis- in the northern Manhattan clear if he had an attorney covered dead on a train neighborhood where three who could speak for him. in Queens late Friday with of the four stabbings oc- Police leaders said they Police patrol the A line subway train bound to Inwood, after NYPD deployed an additional 500 officers into the subway several stab wounds to his curred spotted Lopez, who would deploy an additional system following deadly attacks, Saturday Feb. 13, 2021, in New neck and torso, police said. fit the description of the 500 officers into the subway York. Two hours later, a 44-year- suspect being sought in the system to guard against fu- Associated Press old woman was found attacks, at 6:15 p.m. Satur- ture assaults. q A5 WORLD NEWS Monday 15 February 2021 China fires back at U.S. allegations of lack of transparency BEIJING (AP) — China fired tory syndrome, or SARS, back at the U.S. on Sunday which originated in China over allegations from the and led to the 2003 out- White House that Beijing break of the disease. He withheld some information earlier told The Associated about the coronavirus out- Press that the WHO team break from World Health enjoyed a greater level of Organization investigators. openness than they had In a statement on Satur- anticipated, and that they day, White House National were granted full access to Security Adviser Jake Sul- all sites and personnel they livan said Washington had requested. “deep concerns about The 10-nation WHO team the way in which the early last week departed Wuhan findings of the COVID-19 in- after nearly a month. It vis- vestigation were communi- ited markets, hospitals and cated and questions about research centers, including the process used to reach the highly secure Wuhan them.” Institute of Virology that has “It is imperative that this re- been the subject of specu- port be independent, with lation because of its large expert findings free from in- The World Health Organization team is briefed outside of the Huanan Seafood Market on the third collection of bat virus spec- tervention or alteration by day of their field visit in Wuhan, China. imens. the Chinese government,” Associated Press In their comments while in he said, referring to the WHO and at the WHO it- was NOT my experience on Our quotes are intendedly China, team members said WHO mission investigating self.” @WHO mission.” twisted casting shadows they had some new insights the origins of the pandem- While it welcomed Presi- “As lead of animal/environ- over important scientific into the origins of the pan- ic in the central city of Wu- dent Joe Biden’s decision to ment working group I found work,” Fischer tweeted. demic that has killed more han, where the coronavirus reverse the Trump adminis- trust & openness w/ my Chi- The British-born Daszak, a than 2.3 million people, but was first detected late in tration’s move to leave the na counterparts. We DID zoologist who now works that major questions are still 2019. WHO, China hopes the U.S. get access to critical new in New York, affirmed unanswered. “To better understand this will “hold itself to the high- data throughout. We DID Fischer’s remarks, tweet- The mission was intended pandemic and prepare for est standards, take a seri- increase our understand- ing: “It’s disappointing to to be an initial step in the the next one, China must ous, earnest, transparent ing of likely spillover path- spend time w/ journalists process of understand- make available its data and responsible attitude, ways,” Daszak tweeted. explaining key findings of ing the origins of the virus, from the earliest days of the shoulder its rightful respon- Another team member, our exhausting month-long which scientists have pos- outbreak.” Sullivan’s state- sibility, support the WHO’s Thea Koelsen Fischer of work in China, to see our ited may have passed to ment said. work with real actions and Denmark, also said that colleagues selectively mis- humans through a wild ani- China responded Sunday make due contribution to had not been her experi- quoted to fit a narrative mal, such as a pangolin or with a statement from its the international coop- ence and implied some that was prescribed before bamboo rat. Washington Embassy that eration on COVID-19,” the comments had been mis- the work began. Shame on They said transmission di- said the U.S. had already statement said. represented in the media. you @nytimes.” rectly from bats to humans “gravely damaged inter- Following allegations of “We DID build up a good Daszak had previously or through the trade in fro- national cooperation on Chinese withholding of relationship in the Chi- worked with the deputy zen food products are also COVID-19” and was now data in The New York Times nese/Int Epi-team! Allow- director of the Wuhan Insti- possibilities, but an alter- “pointing fingers at other and other media outlets, in- ing for heated arguments tute of Virology, Shi Zhengli, nate theory that the virus countries who have been vestigation team member reflects a deep level of to track down the origins leaked from a Chinese lab faithfully supporting the Peter Daszak tweeted, “This engagement in the room. of severe acute respira- was unlikely. q Protesters say French anti-radicalism law is anti-Muslim

PARIS (AP) — Activists rallied recent attacks. and far-right voters ahead Sunday in Paris to demand President Emmanuel Ma- of next year’s presidential that the French govern- cron’s centrist government election. ment abandon a bill aimed argues that the bill is need- “It’s not worth attacking a at rooting out Islamist ex- ed to protect French values whole community because tremism that the protesters like gender equality and one person did a horrible say could trample on reli- secularism, and to prevent act,” said Zeyneb Bouabidi, gious freedom and make radical ideas from taking a woman from the Paris all Muslims into potential root and inspiring violence. suburb of Conflans-Saint- suspects. But those at Sunday’s pro- Honorine, where teacher French lawmakers hold a test said France already Samuel Paty was behead- key vote Tuesday on the has legal tools to do this, ed in October after show- draft law, which is expect- and that the bill stigmatizes ing his class caricatures of An activist holds a placard reading « Freedom guides all ed to win approval in both the country’s No. 2 religion the Prophet Muhammad people » during a gathering in Paris, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. houses of parliament. The even though the majority published in satirical news- Associated Press legislative debate comes of French Muslims do not paper Charlie Hebdo for a tion at university and in her “They make comments like amid lingering fears of ex- espouse extremist views. discussion about free ex- jobs because of her Arab- ‘go back to your country.’ tremist violence after an Some described it as a pression. sounding name, and fears But I am in my country! I Islamic radical beheaded political ploy by Macron Bouabidi described fac- laws like this one could was born in France,” she a history teacher and other to win over conservative ing occasional discrimina- make matters worse. said.q A6 Monday 15 February 2021 WORLD NEWS Firefighters battle Afghan-Iran border blaze for a 2nd day

By HAMED SARFARAZ and were assisting in extinguish- TAMEEM AKHGAR ing the blaze, according Associated Press to Iranian state television. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Afghan side of the bor- Firefighters struggled for a der crossing has its own fire second day Sunday to bat- department, but officials in tle a massive fire that be- Herat said they were never gan when a fuel tanker ex- in control of the blaze. ploded at a major crossing Iran sent 15 firefighting units in Afghanistan’s western to the Afghanistan side to Herat province on the Ira- help. The Islam Qala bor- nian border, officials said. der crossing is around 120 At least 20 people were kilometers (75 miles) west injured and many of the of the city of Herat and is a more than 500 trucks lined major transit route between up at the Islam Qala cross- Afghanistan and Iran. ing carrying natural gas The Afghan government is and fuel were still ablaze, working on an alternative according to Afghan offi- to resume trade between cials and Iranian state me- the two countries, as Af- dia. ghanistan is mostly depen- Herat provincial Gov. Wa- dent on imported goods hid Qatali said first respond- from neighboring countries. ers were quickly over- Iranian firefighters work on a burning tanker carrying fuel at the Islam Qala border with Iran, in Iran officials say that they whelmed Saturday by the Herat Province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. will accelerate the custom Associated Press huge, out-of-control fire. process at other border “When each cylinder was sanctions against Iran. Sat- explosion and fire started estimated the losses were crossings with Afghanistan. exploding it was flying 100s ellite photos taken Satur- when provincial customs twice that much. The fire continued to burn of meters high,” he told The day before the explosion employees were inspecting Qatali, the provincial gov- Sunday and the explo- Associated Press. showed dozens of tankers a gas tanker. But an investi- ernor, said the investiga- sions shut down the power Two explosions at the bor- parked at the border cross- gation into the cause of the tive team will inspect video grid between Iran and Af- der crossing were power- ing. fire continued Sunday. footage of the area but ghanistan, leaving Herat in ful enough to be spotted Qatali said officials were “If the government would Wakel Ahmad Karokhi, a the dark, said Wahidullah from space by NASA sat- concerned that windy have invested the income Herat provincial council Tawhidi, spokesman for the ellites. One blast erupted conditions Sunday could of a single day of customs member, said the customs Afghan Ministry of Power around 1:10 p.m. Afghan fan the flames and spread (tariffs) in the firefighting facility was entirely con- Supply. time (0840 GMT), the next the fire to even more fuel- department this chaos sumed by the fire. According to ISNA, Iranian around a half-hour later at laden trucks in the area. He wouldn’t have happened,” The fire spread Saturday to authorities allowed 2,000 1:42 p.m. local (0912 GMT). said the government was Qazizada said. the Dogharoon customs trucks to move into the Ira- The United States allows able to save more than Iran’s semi-official ISNA facilities on the Iranian side nian side from Islam Qala Afghanistan to import fuel 1,200 trucks. news agency reported an of the border and first re- to prevent further damage. and oil from Iran as part of Herat’s chamber of com- estimated $50 million loss of sponders — including the Seven of the injured were a special concession that merce and industries chief goods and consignments in fire department, the Iranian transferred to hospitals in- exempts Kabul from U.S. Younus Qazizada said the the catastrophe. Qazizada army and border forces — side Iran.q Brazil Carnival goes online with street parties banned

side Freddy Krueger, Poison forced Rio to shut down its Supergirl, aka Carla de Frei- Ivy and Captain America famed festival and threat- tas, 38. “We want everyone and they kicked off, into en legal action against to be healthy and protect- song. those who defy the ban to ed to have fun in peace”. That idiosyncratic lineup is a party. So groups like Des- Brazil is still recording an typical sort of lineup for the liga — the name is a Por- average of more than Carnival street band Desli- tuguese language play on 1,000 deaths a day from ga de Justica, but this year “Justice League” — turned the pandemic and as in they were facing cameras to online events for their many countries, immuniza- in a studio and the fans backers, streaming music tion campaigns have been were scattered across the and dances via YouTube lagging. The Sambadromes internet instead of dancing and other social media of Rio de Janeiro and Sao in the streets during one of platforms. Paulo that normally throb the world’s most iconic cel- This year, all members of with partying this time of ebrations. the band took a PCR test year after being used as A member of the “Desliga da Justica” street band gets dressed “Everybody at home, move for coronavirus on Sunday vaccination stations. in his spiderman costume in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. the furniture out of the way when they arrived at studio Rio’s mayor’s office report- 14, 2021. to dance and drink cold in the south of Rio. ed that as of Sunday morn- Associated Press beer,” called out the wom- “When everyone is im- ing, it had closed four night- By MARCELO SILVA DE SOU- Supergirl came out of the an dressed as Poison Ivy, munized, we are going to clubs that broke restriction SA and DIARLEI RODRIGUES dressing room ready for ac- who began the show with have the biggest Carnival rules and imposed seven Associated Press tion as usual. a traditional Carnival song. that Brazil has ever seen. fines for social distancing RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — She took her place along- The COVID-19 pandemic Wait for us until 2022,” said violations.q A7 WORLD NEWS Monday 15 February 2021 Women fleeing Burkina Faso violence face sexual assault

By SAM MEDNICK shelter for women and the Associated Press lack of access to quality KAYA, Burkina Faso (AP) health care,” said Jennifer — A 20-year-old woman Overton, West Africa re- could no longer live in her gional director for Catholic village amid the rising vio- Relief Services. lence caused by Islamic Earlier this month, a woman extremists. But she needed in Kaya said she had sex to return and retrieve the with a community leader family’s cows in hopes of twice, in June and Novem- selling them. ber, because he promised If her husband went, jihad- he could add her name to ists would almost certainly a list to receive food. “I re- kill him. She went instead, gret it, but I thought I’d get and was dragged into the food and I never did,” she bush, beaten and raped at said, who spoke on condi- knifepoint. tion of anonymity for her “I screamed, but I couldn’t safety. overtake him, so I cried,” Before the violence, Burki- she recalled in a phone na Faso didn’t have spe- interview from Barsalogho cialized services focused town in the Center North on sexual assault. Now hu- region where she now lives. manitarians are struggling The Associated Press does Displaced women prepare food Monday Feb. 8, 2021 in the Kaya camp, 100 kms North of to cope, said Awa Nebie, not identify victims of sexu- Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. a gender-based violence Associated Press al violence. specialist with the United The extremist violence in cases increased from two said Kotim Sawadogo. The they carry guns and wear Nations Population Fund. Burkina Faso linked to al- to 10 during a three-month 37-year-old fled Dablo in masks. Sometimes after as- This year the humanitarian Qaida and the Islamic period last year, according August and struggles to af- saulting the women, the ji- response plan for Burkina State group is fueling an to a report by humanitar- ford food for her four chil- hadists burn their food, and Faso estimates that more increase in sexual assaults ian groups including the dren. In September 2019, yet some women are so than 660,000 people will against women, especially United Nations. Some 85% her niece was raped by desperate that they return need protection against those displaced by attacks. of survivors were internally jihadists while farming out- the next day to salvage it, gender-based violence, Many are preyed upon as displaced people mainly side the village, she said. she said. Nebie said. they attempt to collect be- living in makeshift camps “They won’t be killed but Aid groups say jihadists are Since August, the organi- longings they left behind. in Barsalogho and Kaya they’ll be raped, which not the only perpetrators zation has created six safe The violence killed more towns, it said. is like being killed inside and that there has been spaces in the Center North than 2,000 people last year, Women in Kaya told AP anyway,” said Fatimata an increase in domestic vi- to help women and girls according to the Armed they feared being at- Sawadogo, who was dis- olence and exploitation of speak freely about their Conflict Location & Event tacked while going to fetch placed last year from Dab- displaced women by host experiences, but it’s inade- Data Project. It also dis- firewood for cooking. lo to Kaya and knows wom- communities. quate, she said. And some placed more than 1 million “I won’t go more than 4 ki- en who have been raped “This reality is made worse areas of the country like people. lometers (2.5 miles) outside by jihadists while farming. by the lack of economic the Sahel and East regions In Burkina Faso’s Center of Kaya to farm because Women often assume the opportunities for women, are hard to access due to North region, sexual assault I’m afraid for my safety,” rapists are jihadists because the shortage of food and insecurity. q Regional Catalan vote could confirm separatists’ power By JOSEPH WILSON ed that the pro-secession The goal of separatists is to Associated Press Republic Left of Catalonia not only maintain their slim BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — is to likely win the election majority of the Catalan Political parties supporting with between 36-38 seats. parliament based in Barce- the secession of Catalonia It suggested that the pro- lona, but also try to break from the rest of Spain seem union Socialists would likely the 50% barrier of the pop- to be poised to maintain come in second with 34-36 ular vote for the first time. their hold on that regional seats, followed by the pro- The wealthy region, with parliament after an elec- secession Together for Cat- its own language spoken tion on Sunday. alonia with 30-33. alongside Spanish, has A survey of voters conduct- Salvador Illa, Spain’s health been the source of Spain’s ed ahead of the election minister until last month, biggest political crisis in published by Catalonia was the leading candidate decades since separatists public television as polls on the ticket of Prime Min- leaders failed in a 2017 se- closed suggested that the ister Pedro Sánchez’s So- cession bid in defiance of three parties supporting in- cialist Party. Illa was hoping court warnings that it was A woman working at a polling station set up in a market, is dependence for Catalonia to end the hold that pro- unconstitutional. Several of taken the temperature during the regional Catalan election in may increase their slim ma- independence lawmakers those leaders ended up in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. jority in the 135-seat Barce- have held in the regional prison, while others fled to Associated Press lona-based legislature. parliament for the past de- other European countries. The survey by Catalonia’s cade. Virus fears, rainy weather pared to the last election p.m., turnout was 45% com- public television based on Some 5.3 million people and the relatively calmer in December 2017 tamped pared to 68% four years 8,000 phone calls predict- were eligible to vote. political climate com- down on turnout. By 6:00 ago.q A8 Monday 15 February 2021 LOCAL MedCare’s Fit2Fly COVID-19 Testing Centers: Antigen & PCR-testing in the high-rise area; by walk-in and appointment. At your convenience!

PALM BEACH — MedCare’s Fit2Fly COVID-19 Testing At your hotel Center is your best option for the post vacation CO- For a selection of hotels/resorts in Aruba, MedCare has setup Testing Centers on site. The VID-19 test which is now required by the U.S. before hotels/resorts at which we have a testing site are: Divi All Inclusive, Divi Dutch Village, returning home. All passengers coming to the United Divi Golf, Divi Phoenix, Divi Tamarijn, Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort, Hyatt Regency, States, including U.S. citizens, are required to have a Renaissance, and the Ritz-Carlton Resort. Please contact your front desk for more infor- negative (antigen or PCR) COVID-19 test result maxi- mation on our Testing Centers at these properties. mum three days prior to boarding the flight, or docu- mentation of recovery from COVID-19. MedCare’s testing centers in and close to the hotels provide you with an easy and secure solution. At this moment we are the only lab that offers the more convenient and cheaper Antigen Test!

MedCare Clinic, a high-quality medical clinic that is spe- cialized in care for tourists and that has been appointed as the national COVID-19 clinic for tourists, and Labora- torio di Servicio, a full-service modern medical laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment, have partnered up to provide fast and reliable COVID-19 testing to all. Labo- ratorio di Servicio is ISO-15189:2012 accredited by the Dutch Council for Accreditation (M317).

Just steps away from you The general Fit2Fly COVID-19 Testing Centers are located at the Cove Mall and at the Mill Resort, two locations at a stone’s throw from your resort, condominium, or other va- cation accommodation. Contact them to make an ap- pointment, or just walk-in when it is convenient to you. It is recommended that the tests are done timely, as the neg- ative test is only accepted if taken up to three days be- fore boarding your flight. MedCare Fit2Fly Testing Center at the Cove Mall is opposite the Holiday Inn and is open every day for walk-ins from 8am through 10pm. Med- Care’s other location is situated at The Mill Resort, across the street from the RIU Hotel and is open every day from 8:30am until 12:30pm. Naturally, if you wish to arrange an appointment for your tests before coming to Aruba this is also possible by contacting us.

Costs and timing Passengers must be tested with a viral test that could be either an Antigen Test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), such as the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The costs for the Antigen Test are only $50, and the PCR Test is available as well, for a higher charge of $125. At this moment, only MedCare offers the easier and substantially cheaper Antigen Test that is acceptable for travel to the U.S. as per the CDC guidelines. Pre-travel testing is not covered by the Aruban visitor insurance. Please contact your insurance company to verify if testing costs are insured. Results are e-mailed to you within 24 hours of testing.

Testing at home We also offer testing at your house/hotel room for a one-time extra fee of $120. This fee covers testing up to 10 people (one appointment, at one location and a specific time). Additional persons will be charged $10 per personq

To book your test in advance, please contact: Phone: +297 280 0630 Email: [email protected] For more information on MedCare Testing Centers: https://medcare.aw/en/covid-19-testing A9 LOCAL Monday 15 February 2021

Aruba welcomed 31.368 tourists in January: Slow recovery in process January. The RevPAR which is the tion from the Centers for Disease revenue per available room de- Control and Prevention (CDC) on creased with 73.9 % from $ 286.60 the approved protocol in relation in 2020 to $ 74.70 in 2021. The ho- with COVID-19 for the cruise indus- tel occupancy shows a decline of try. The cruise ships you might ob- 67.4 % in comparison with January serve in Aruba’s port are here for a 2020, this year’s occupancy was so-called ‘warm lay-up’ which can 25.1 % in January. The numbers be translated as being standby AHATA provides are based on the in case of a restart of operations. information from 19 resorts and 6 This activity generates a certain in- time share resorts representing the come for Aruba’s economy among majority of the hotels with the ex- others because the ships purchase ception of the Hilton Aruba Carib- the needed products from our lo- bean Resort & Casino. cal market. There are no tourists on board of these ships, the ships are What to expect for the remaining manned by a skeleton crew who first quarter of 2021? follow the local and international Based on the different current de- COVID-19 protocol strictly. velopments and also by analyzing the aerial transportation status, we Tourism credits / Central Bank of can conclude a conservative sce- Aruba ORANJESTAD — Aruba Tourism Au- high-rise hotel while 6.7 % booked nario which is applicable to the first Informed by the Central Bank of thority (A.T.A.) informs the com- a low-rise resort. 39.9 % were time quarter of 2021 and projected for Aruba the ‘tourism credits’ (previ- munity about the latest situation share resort guests and 26.3 % February and March. The scenario ously named ‘tourism receipts’) regarding our tourism industry in- chose for an alternative accom- pictures a total of 34.000 tourists in for the first six months of 2020 con- cluding the most updated figures. modation. The age of the majority February and a total of 42.000 tour- tributed AWG 1.174 million to our of the visitors during the month of ist for March. The expected projec- economy which is 40 % less com- Tourism ‘stay-over’ January was between 20 and 49 tion for February and March is in pared to the same period in 2019. During the month of January 2021 years old (15.624 persons) and be- line with the conservative scenario This of course is due to the world- our island welcomed a total of tween 50 and 59 years old (5.923 concluding that we close this first wide pandemic of COVID-19 31.368 ‘stay-over’ visitors. Out of persons). quarter of 2021 with the conserva- where Aruba had to close their this group, 26.860 were coming tive outlook. borders temporarily from March from the northern part of the US Hotels/Aruba Hotel and Tourism 2020 to July 2020. Like other desti- and 1.843 flew in from different Association (AHATA) Cruise tourism nations our island is experiencing European countries. 2.665 tourists According to AHATA the ‘Average The cruise industry is paralyzed challenging times in regards to the were arriving from regional desti- Daily Rate’ (ADR) in the month of since the beginning of the pan- current pandemic. It is important nations. January was 20 % lower than in the demic and there is still no concrete to follow the protocol informed same month in 2020. January 2020 date of an operational restart of by several organizations because Visitors and accommodations showed an ADR of $ 371.78 while this sector in the Caribbean. The together we can overcome and 27.1 % of the visitors stayed in a this year the ADR was $ 297.45 in cruise industry is pending informa- have our tourism flourish again. q Aruba to me ORANJESTAD — You are back and we would like to portrait you! By inviting you to send us your favorite vacation picture while enjoying our Happy Island.

Complete the sentence: Aruba to me is ……. Send your picture with that text (including your name and where you are from) to: news@ arubatoday.com and we will publish your vacation memory. Isn’t that a special way to keep your best moments alive? Please do note: By submitting photos, text or any other materials, you give permission to The Aruba Today Newspaper, Caribbean Speed Printers and any of its affiliated companies to use said materials, as well as names, likeness, etc. for promotional purposes without compensation. “Hello Aruba today. My husband and I have been visiting Aruba Last but not least: check out our website, Instagram and Facebook since 1993. My siblings, husband, and I have been traveling since page! Thank you for supporting our free newspaper, we strive to make 2015. We stay at the Hilton, Palm Beach. It’s always perfect. The you a happy reader every day again. grounds are pristine. The beach is unbelievably beautiful. The ser- For today we received this great picture from Maggie Bryk Kinney. She vice is amazing. We love Aruba. We plan on seeing you again says: in December 2021. Thank you Aruba! We love you! Bon Bini!”q A10 Monday 15 February 2021 LOCAL Fruit Loose & Veggie Boost

ORANJESTAD — Fresh fruit healthy immune function. that resemble grapes. Are makes a tropical holiday’s Season: year- round. sea grapes edible? Yes, picture complete. Whether they are. Animals enjoy sea you see the mango’s hang- Kenepa grapes and humans can ing from their branches or Ovoid green fruit that eat them as well, and they the fresh fruit cocktail on the grows in bunches on trees are used to make jam. They side table of your pool bed, up to 30m high. The fruit is contain very low calories the link is there: you are in related to the lychee and and sugar, enabling good the tropics. Aruba grows its have tight, thin but rigid bacterium to digest food own fruits and veggies and skins. Inside the skin is the and excrete waste quickly there are some pretty out- tart, tangy, or sweet pulp which is effective in pre- of-space local species you of the fruit covering a large venting constipation. Sea- may never had heard of, seed. The pulp is usually son: Sep-Oct. flammatory agent. Season: Long beans have a chewy, but they are very healthy cream or orange colored. March. crunchy texture–more so and delicious. Kenepa strengthens the Tamarind than snap beans–and a immune system, and pre- A delicious, sweet fruit that When it comes to veggies flavor reminiscent of the dry Mispel vents the reproduction of has a wide variety of uses the island offers a home- navy bean or asparagus. This is a fruit with a charac- bacteria and viruses in the and applications, both for grown selection. They taste Besides stir-fry, soups and ter (5-10 cm/2-4 inches). body. This fruit is highly rec- medicinal and culinary pur- delicious and have their salads, the long bean is a It does not ripe until it is ommended to treat lung poses. It is a medium-sized specific talents to boost good choice for stewing, picked or falls off the tree. infections and urinary tract bushy tree with evergreen your immune system. Start braising (to remain chewy Mispel is hard with a sand- infections. It also helps to leaves and fruit that devel- the day with a ‘batida’ and firm), sautéing, shallow paper like texture when cure insomnia and rejuve- ops in pods characterized (smoothie) enriched with frying, and deep frying. immature, soft and juicy nates the nervous system. by long, brown shells. In- a local veggie or select a when ripe. It's technically Season: the fruit typically side is a sticky, fleshy, juicy restaurant that offers local With cooking, the long a berry, but contains a skin ripen during the summer. pulp, which is the Tamarind vegetable dishes to get the bean’s bean flavor intensi- similar to that of a kiwi. It's fruit. Both sweet and sour real pure taste of Aruba. fies. Long beans are low in grainy and sweet, with a Druif in taste, the fruit contains a calories, about 45 calories light, musky flavor. The sap There is no chance you significant level of vitamin Konkomber chiquito per cup, and rich in vitamin or gum from the tree is also did not bump into one of C, as well as vitamin E, B vi- This is a sort of local squash, A and also contain vitamin a source of 'chicle' the the sea grape trees while tamins, calcium, iron, phos- but looks like a cucumber C and potassium. Season: original ingredient used to spending your vacation on phorous, potassium, man- with prickly skin. The taste year-round. make chewing gum. Rich Aruba. The sea grape plant ganese, and dietary fiber. however is bitterer than the in tannins, antioxidants is often used in ocean-side There are also a number of cucumber and the vegeta- Pompuna shown to contain anti-in- landscaping in sandy soil organic compounds that ble is smaller in size but big- In the endless summer of flammatory compounds, right on the beach and it make tamarind a power- ger in width. Inside is a soft, Caribbean living we only and vitamin C, essential for produces clusters of fruit ful antioxidant and anti-in- fleshy pulp and seeds, just have to concern ourselves like the cucumber. Konk- with a wet season and a omber chiquito is grown in dry season. Still we do in- the island and used in sal- dulge heavily in the plea- ads and ‘stoba’ (stew) or sures of pumpkin and enjoy on its own in vinegar. The Caribbean pumpkin reci- veggie contains multiple B pes year round. A popular vitamins, including vitamin dish in Aruban restaurants B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin is Sopa Di Pompuna, don’t B7 (biotin). B vitamins are miss it. This dish is made of known to help ease feel- pumpkin soup, and pars- ings of anxiety and buffer ley. some of the damaging ef- Pumpkins are rich in flavo- fects of stress. Additionally noid polyphenolic antioxi- this veggie is rich in two of dants such as xanthin, lutein the most basic elements and carotenes and also needed for healthy diges- contain vitamins. Pumpkin tion: water and fiber. Sea- seeds are a good source son: year- round. of omega-3 fatty acids, vi- tamins, minerals and pro- Bonchi' Cunucu teins. Pumpkins are used to A long, small bean, boiled make desserts, breads and for a side dish or snack. soups.q A11 business Monday 15 February 2021 Breaking down the tax implications of PPP loans

By KELSEY SHEEHY ness owners more flexibility of NerdWallet with how they spend PPP The approaching tax sea- funds. Newly covered costs son is raising fresh questions include protective equip- for business owners who re- ment, property damage ceived a loan through the and business software. Paycheck Protection Pro- Business taxes aren’t part of gram. that expanded list. So if you Can you deduct expenses use your PPP loan to pay paid with your loan funds? your business taxes, that Do you need to do any- amount won’t be forgiven. thing differently this year? YOU CAN STILL CLAIM THE And if your loan is forgiven, EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX is it considered taxable in- CREDIT come? Businesses can now claim Answers to these questions the Employee Retention have been hard to nail Tax Credit if they meet the down, in part due to shift- requirements. There’s one ing guidance from the IRS. important caveat: You But new rules spelled out in can’t claim wages paid the latest round of corona- with a forgiven PPP loan. virus relief help put an end You can, however, claim to the confusion. the credit on wages paid “Doing your taxes wasn’t This Oct. 1, 2020 photo shows a sale sign is posted outside a store in Nashville, Tenn. above and beyond the easy before COVID,” says Associated Press amount forgiven. Keith Hall, president and Paycheck Protection Pro- the IRS’ position was this: Ex- benefits for PPP loan re- To qualify for the tax credit, CEO of the National Associ- gram loans break from that penses paid with PPP loan cipients, says Roshani Pan- you must continue to pay ation for the Self-Employed. code. Congress specified, funds can’t be deducted dey, financial advisor and employees despite being “The good news is this year and the IRS clarified, that if the loan was or will be founder of True Root Finan- temporarily shut down be- isn’t going to be any harder forgiven PPP loans will not forgiven. However, that cial in San Francisco. cause of COVID-19 restric- than tax returns you’ve had count as income. This ap- changed with the corona- “The first benefit is making tions or suffering a 20% drop in the past.” plies whether your entire virus relief act signed into the loan income-tax-free,” in gross receipts compared FORGIVEN PPP LOANS ARE loan is forgiven or just a por- law on Dec. 27, 2020, which Pandey says. “The second with the same quarter in NOT TAXABLE tion. specifies that deductions is allowing businesses to the prior year. “Historically and forever, if “If it is forgiven, it will not be shouldn’t be denied simply claim income deductions These changes were ush- you have a business loan taxable income. Period,” due to the loan being for- on expenses paid.” ered in with the corona- and it is forgiven, that au- Hall says. given. That means expens- BUSINESS TAXES ARE NOT virus relief bill on Dec. 27, tomatically is taxable in- YOU CAN DEDUCT EXPENS- es paid with your PPP loan AN ALLOWABLE USE OF PPP 2020, but are retroactive to come. It’s been in the inter- ES PAID WITH A PPP LOAN are deductible. FUNDS March 12, 2020. The credit nal revenue code forever,” This one has been more of This outcome effectively The latest round of corona- is good on qualified wages Hall says. a moving target. Initially, creates two layers of tax virus relief also gives busi- paid up to July 1, 2021.q GM’s Chevy Bolt SUV joins parade of new U.S. electric vehicles

By TOM KRISHER at least 23, and Edmunds. is being updated, and will AP Auto Writer com expects that figure to compete in one of the hot- DETROIT (AP) — Whether reach 30 this year. About test segments of the U.S. people want them or not, 2.5 million electric vehicles market. Buyers also can automakers are rolling out were sold worldwide last opt for GM’s “Super Cruise” new electric vehicle mod- year. IHS Markit predicts that partially automated driver- els as the industry responds will increase 70% this year assist system. to stricter pollution regula- alone. But the changeover IHS Markit analyst Stepha- tions and calls to reduce has a long way to go. Fully nie Brinley said the new SUV emissions to fight climate electric vehicles account- is another step toward wid- change. ed for less than 2% of U.S. er adoption of fully elec- The latest offering comes new vehicle sales last year, tric vehicles, but it will take from General Motors, which and Americans continue to many more. unveiled a Chevrolet Bolt spend record amounts on “At least one element of compact SUV on Sunday. larger gas-powered trucks mainstreaming EVs must The 2022 Bolt EV, foreground, and EUV are displayed, Thursday, It comes with an estimated and SUVs. EVs make up be consumer choice and Feb. 11, 2021, in Milford, Mich. Associated Press range per charge of 250 3% of sales worldwide, GM availability of usable EVs miles (400 kilometers) and says. The new Bolt is part in a variety of segments federal EV tax credit. The credit to $7,000. a $33,995 starting price tag. of GM’s pledge to bring 30 and price points,” she said. credit is phased out after A White House spokes- The Bolt Electric Utility Vehi- new EVs to market world- “Some will have more im- manufacturers hit 200,000 man said President Joe cle will go on sale early this wide by 2035, and its goal pact than others, but there in electric vehicle sales, Biden favors restoring the summer as a 2022 model. of producing only electric isn’t one vehicle alone that and GM and Tesla have full tax credit, prioritizing Sales will start with a small passenger vehicles in 14 can turn the tide.” both passed that level. A U.S.-made vehicles and number of early versions years. It will sit taller and The Bolt SUV will come out bill from Democrats on the targeting middle-class con- priced at $43,495. have more rear-seat leg- when GM is at a price dis- House Ways and Means sumers. The spokesman It will bring the total number room than the current Bolt advantage to most com- Committee would raise the wouldn’t comment on the of EVs on sale in the U.S. to electric hatchback, which petitors due to a $7,500 cap to 600,000 and cut the sales cap.q A12 Monday 15 February 2021 TECHNOLOGY In Nevada desert, a technology firm aims to be a government

land to turn it into an indus- trial park decades ago, has supported luring technol- ogy companies to the area and growing its population. But Gilman, who worked in marketing for Blockchains LLC from 2018 to 2019, said there are many unknowns about ceding control to a new jurisdiction that falls within county borders. "(The bill) wants the host county to let it form, be- come successful, not pay them very much money, and eventually let them take over the whole coun- ty and all the operations, if it becomes successful," Gilman said. "If it doesn't become successful, who becomes responsible for all the stuff that was built in the meantime?" The county's master plan doesn't permit residential This undated illustration provided by Blockchains LLC shows a proposed "smart city" in rural northern Nevada. development in the Tahoe- Associated Press Reno Industrial Center, By SAM METZ meters) of commercial and backlash against business and revenue that go with where most of Blockchain Associated Press/Report for industrial space within 75 incentives as they struggle it." LLC's property lies, but it America years. Berns, whose idea is to fund health care and The governor's office de- allows for 3,500 homes in CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) the basis for draft legisla- education. clined to comment further Painted Rock, a subsection — In the Nevada desert, a tion that some lawmakers This proposal differs from on innovation zones. But of the company's 67,000 cryptocurrency magnate saw behind closed doors the big tax rebates they with Sisolak's backing, the acres (271 square kilome- hopes to turn dreams of a last week, said traditional have grown wary of offer- idea could garner serious ters). futuristic "smart city" into re- government doesn't offer ing, like the $1.3 billion giv- consideration in the Legis- Berns said officials told him ality. To do that, he's asking enough flexibility to create en to Tesla to build its north- lature. in an informal discussion the state to let companies a community where peo- ern Nevada battery factory "I don't know enough yet two years ago that they like his form local govern- ple can invent new uses for or the billions New York and to say whether I'm comfort- weren't interested in zoning ments on land they own, this technology. Virginia offered Amazon to able with this as the next for more homes, a meet- which would grant them "There's got to be a place build new corporate head- step or not. But, look, it's a ing that former County power over everything somewhere on this planet quarters. big idea and Nevada has Manager Pat Whitten con- from schools to law en- where people are willing to But it raises deeper issues been built on big ideas, so firmed. Berns understands forcement. just start from scratch and about increasing tech let's hear it out," said state that elected leaders in Sto- Jeffrey Berns, CEO of Ne- say, 'We're not going to do companies' grip on every- Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, a Re- rey County may not want vada-based Blockchains things this way just because day life at a time when an- publican who sponsored an experimental city in LLC, envisions a city where it's the way we've done it,'" titrust regulators and Dem- blockchain-related legisla- their backyard but believes people not only purchase Berns said. ocrats in Congress allege tion in 2017 and 2019. the idea should be a state goods and services with He wants Nevada to tech giants like Facebook If lawmakers back the pro- decision because of its po- digital currency but also change its laws to allow and Google are controlling posal, technology com- tential to "singularly define log their entire online foot- "innovation zones," where markets and endangering panies with 50,000 acres Nevada going forward." print — financial state- companies would have people's privacy. of land (200 square kilo- "We bought 70,000 acres ments, medical records powers like those of a coun- Blockchains LLC and so- meters) that promise a $1 of land in the county. What and personal data — on ty government, including called innovation zones billion investment could did they think we were go- blockchain. Blockchain is a creating court systems, im- were a key part of Gov. create zones governed by ing to do?" he said. digital ledger known mostly posing taxes and building Steve Sisolak's January three people like county The former consumer pro- for recording cryptocurren- infrastructure while making State of the State address, commissioners. The draft tection attorney said the cy transactions but also has land and water manage- when he outlined plans to legislation says two of them idea was born from how he been adopted by some ment decisions. rebuild a more diversified initially would be from the sees government as an un- local governments for ev- The prospect has been met economy after the corona- company itself. necessary middleman be- erything from documenting with intrigue and skepticism virus pandemic. In Storey County, which is tween people and ideas. marriage licenses to facili- from Nevada lawmakers, Sisolak, whose campaign home to Tesla's factory, of- "For us to be able to take tating elections. though the legislation has and affiliated political ac- ficials are waiting for more risks and be limber, nimble The company wants to yet to be formally filed or tion committee received a information before offering and figure things out like break ground by 2022 in discussed in public hear- combined $60,000 from the opinions but say questions you do when you're design- rural Storey County, 12 ings. Most in the Democrat- company, said the propos- still need to be answered. ing new products, that's not miles (19 kilometers) east of ic-controlled Legislature al would transform Nevada Commissioner Lance Gil- how government works. So Reno. It's proposing to build are eager to diversify Ne- into "the epicenter of this man, who owns the Mus- why not let us just create a 15,000 homes and 33 million vada's tourism-dependent emerging industry and cre- tang Ranch brothel and government that lets us do square feet (3 million square economy, but many fear ate the high-paying jobs bought most of the county's those things?" Berns said.q A13 science Monday 15 February 2021 HEALTH Egypt: Archaeologists unearth ancient beer dOCTOR ON DUTY Oranjestad factory in Abydos Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm Tel. 527 4000 1900s, but they couldn’t more tourists.q San Nicolas determine its location, the Imsan 24 hours antiquities ministry said. Casa del Mar 2BR/2B Tel.524 8833 With its vast cemeteries Week 2/1113 (16k); Women in Difficulties and temples from the earli- Week 5/1315 (18k); est times of ancient Egypt, PHARMACY ON DUTY Week 5&6/1521 (20k/Wk.); Abydos was known for Oranjestad: Week 7&8/1408 (18k/Wk.); monuments honoring Osiris, Sta. Cruz Tel. 585 8028 Week 8/1113; 8/1409 (17kWk.); San Nicolas: ancient Egypt’s god of un- Week 9/1218 (15k); San Nicolas Tel. 584 5712 derworld and the deity re- Women in Difficulties This photo provided by the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry Week 10/1207 (15k); sponsible for judging souls on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021 show a pottery basin, which Week 11/1419 (13k); and, OTHER archaeologists say had been used to heat up a mixture of grains in the afterlife. Weeks 13-15 also available! Dental Clinic 587 9850 and water to produce beer, in Abydos, some 450 km (280 miles) The necropolis had been Blood Bank Aruba 587 0002 [email protected] south of Cairo, Egypt. used in every period of ear- Urgent Care 586 0448 U.S. (860)992-3890 Associated Press ly Egyptian history, from the Walk-In Doctor’s Clinic ______213823 +297 588 0539 By SAMY MAGDY dences showing the use of prehistoric age to Roman Women in Difficulties Associated Press beer in sacrificial rites of an- times. EMERGENCY CAIRO (AP) — American cient Egyptians. Egypt has announced doz- and Egyptian archaeolo- British archaeologists were ens of ancient discoveries Police 100 Oranjestad 527 3140 gists have unearthed what the first to mention the exis- in the past couple of years, Noord 527 3200 could be the oldest known tence of that factory early in the hope of attracting Sta. Cruz 527 2900 beer factory at one of the San Nicolas 584 5000 most prominent archaeo- By Dave Green Police Tipline 11141 logical sites of ancient Ambulancia 911 Egypt, a top antiquities of- Fire Dept. 115 Red Cross 582 2219 ficial said Saturday. 1 9 7 6 4 Mostafa Waziri, secretary TAXI SERVICES general of the Supreme 6 3 8 7 Taxi Tas 587 5900 Council of Antiquities, said Prof. Taxi 588 0035 the factory was found in 7 6 9 Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300 Abydos, an ancient burial Taxi Serv. Aruba 583 3232 ground located in the des- A1 Taxi Serv. 280 2828 ert west of the Nile River, 5 3 2 Women in Difficulties over 450 kilometers (280 8 4 TRAVEL INFO miles) south of Cairo. Aruba Airport 524 2424 He said the factory appar- American Airlines 582 2700 ently dates back to the re- 4 2 5 Avianca 588 0059 gion of King Narmer, who Jet Blue 588 2244 is widely known for his uni- 9 3 5 Surinam 582 7896 fication of ancient Egypt Women in Difficulties at the beginning of the First AID FOUNDATIONS Dynastic Period (3150 B.C.- 4 7 8 6 FAVI- Visually Impaired 2613 B.C.). Tel. 582 5051 Archaeologists found eight 8 2 1 9 3 2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc. Alcoholics Anonymous huge units — each is 20 Difficulty Level 2/15 Tel. 736 2952 meters (about 65 feet) Narcotics Anonymous long and 2.5 meters (about Tel. 583 8989 8 feet) wide. Each unit in- Fundacion Contra Violencia cludes some 40 pottery Relacional Tel. 583 5400 basins in two rows, which Centre for Diabetes had been used to heat up Tel. 524 8888 a mixture of grains and wa- Child Abuse Prevention Tel. 582 4433 ter to produce beer, Waziri Quota Club Tel. 525 2672 said. Women in Difficulties The joint mission is co- General Info chaired by Dr. Matthew Adams of the Institute of Phone Directory Tel. 118 Fine Arts, New York Univer- sity, and Deborah Vischak, assistant professor of an- cient Egyptian art history and archaeology at Princ- eton University. Adams said the factory was apparently built in this area to provide royal rituals with beer, given that archaeologists found evi- facebook.com/arubatoday/ A14 Monday 15 February 2021 people & arts For her directorial debut, Robin Wright found ‘Land’

By LINDSEY BAHR were prepared with three AP Film Writer different wardrobes, just in Robin Wright used to joke case the weather took a that her directorial debut turn. had already been made. “It’s the first film that I’ve It was called “Blue Valen- ever made that was sched- tine,” it starred Michelle uled by nature,” Bichir Williams and Ryan Gosling laughed. as a couple falling apart, But Wright had some sea- it came out in 2010 and soned locals on her crew it was directed by Derek who were more reliable Cianfrance, not her. And than any app. She called she’d always assumed that them her “Calgary weath- hers would eventually be in er whisperers.” that vein, but then “Land” The “film angels” were on fell into her lap a few years their side, too, delivering ago. unseasonably early snow The film, which is now in at the perfect moment and theaters from Focus Fea- then transitioning back to tures, finds a successful Chi- autumn. And everyone cago woman leaving her was committed, especially life behind after a horrifying cinematographer Bobby tragedy for a solitary exis- Bukowski, a naturally out- tence in the mountains of This image released by Focus Features shows actor-director Robin Wright, left, and and director of doorsy spirit who went Wyoming. photography Bobby Bukowski on the set of “Land.” above and beyond to get Associated Press Wright had been dream- spectacular shots of na- ing of directing for a while. the reason Wright’s Edee around.” screen,” she said. “We ture. “The producer and She can’t exactly pinpoint leaves her life to the way Her producers gently sug- were like each other’s long I, we slept in trailers right when it started in her al- she starts to heal. gested that she consider it. lost sibling.” behind the cabin. But he most four decades in the “The beauty of human “I said, yep, I’m going to Bichir said he just wanted chose to sleep in the freez- entertainment business, but kindness that this movie be there anyway!” Wright to be part of it, “whether it ing cold cabin with all the the itch would come up has, that we all do need laughed. was playing Miguel or be- rodents that lived in there every now and then, when each other and we need For her counterpart, Miguel, ing her assistant.” so he could capture those she’d see a director unable someone to pull us out of Wright cast the Oscar-nom- He’d had his own devas- amazing shots, those vista to reach actors in the right difficult times and guide us inated Mexican American tating loss recently. His wife, shots, all of the weather, way or just have a clearer through. I just feel like that actor Demián Bichir. She’d Stefanie Sherk, had died by the rain and the snow vision for how something message needed to be been taken by his turns in suicide earlier in the year. at night, the moon time should be shot. She always told,” Wright said. “A Better Life” and “The “He said, ‘One day I will lapse,” Wright said. “That backed away, thinking she She’d never intended to Hateful Eight” and was ex- share with you my story. But was just him waking up at 2, wasn’t ready. Then, six sea- play Edee either, but noth- cited that he seemed to I need to do this movie. It’s 3, 4 in the morning to catch sons into “House of Cards,” ing was lining up with the be both thoughtful and therapy for me,’” Wright something.” she stepped up and got other actors she was con- funny. “Land,” she knew, said. They set off to Alber- Bichir, who has also direct- her own on-the-job train- sidering and suddenly they needed some levity. But it ta, Canada, in September ed, was in awe of Wright’s ing. When “Land” came had the financing and a was sealed when they met. 2019 to film a story that skills. “She’s as great as she to her, she said, it was at a start date and no lead. They were kindred spirits. takes place over multiple is as an actor,” he said. time when there seemed “We couldn’t take the risk “He walked in the house seasons in multiple years. “She knows exactly what to be mass shootings al- of would we have it cast and it was like we had It would be an understate- she wants. She is just a nat- most every week. And this in time?” Wright said. “We known each other our ment to say that the weath- ural captain, you know? script resonated in a way shot the movie in 29 days whole life. It’s the exact er was unpredictable, even She’s a great commander that none had before, from so we really couldn’t mess dynamic that you see on for Alberta. Every day they in chief.”q MTA brings celebrity voices to NYC transit announcements NEW YORK (AP) — Riders highlight the importance cial media personality of @ on New York City subways of mask-wearing and oth- newyorknico, and the ce- and buses are getting an er coronavirus pandemic lebrities were encouraged earful, thanks to some fa- safety measures. to put their own takes on mous hometown voices. “As we start to look be- them as well, the MTA The Metropolitan Trans- yond the pandemic, we said.q portation Authority on hope this new set of an- Friday launched a cam- nouncements will remind 1 9 8 2 5 7 6 3 4 paign that has celebrities our customers of what 6 2 3 4 8 9 1 7 5 including Jerry Seinfeld, makes New York so spe- Whoopi Goldberg and cial,” said interim New 5 7 4 6 3 1 2 8 9 Awkwafina making the York City Transit president 7 1 5 3 4 8 9 6 2 announcements heard at Sarah Feinberg in a state- 2 8 9 5 1 6 3 4 7 subway stations, on trains ment. 4 3 6 7 9 2 5 1 8 This photo from Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, shows riders on a subway and buses. The scripts were written in 9 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 1 train wearing protective masks due to COVID-19 concerns in New The MTA said the an- a collaboration between 3 4 1 9 7 5 8 2 6 York. nouncements will run for the MTA and Nico Heller, 8 5 2 1 6 4 7 9 3 2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc. Associated Press at least a month, and better known under his so- Difficulty Level 2/15 A15 sports Monday 15 February 2021 Like a legend: Kriechmayr wins 2 speed golds at ski worlds

By ERIC WILLEMSEN man racer was faster on Associated Press the bottom part. CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy Only one of the remain- (AP) — Hermann Maier. ing 40 starters came even Bode Miller. Vincent Kriech- close to the leading pair mayr. but Feuz ultimately trailed A feat previously achieved by 0.18 for bronze. only by two legends of The rest of the field, led men’s Alpine skiing was by Italian home favorite matched by Austrian skier Dominik Paris and Swiss Kriechmayr at the world skier Marco Odermatt who championships on Sunday. shared fourth position, was Kriechmayr added down- at least 0.65 off the lead. hill gold to the super-G title Tied for 10th, Bryce Bennett he won three days ago to led the American team — complete the so-called followed by Travis Ganong speed double. in 12th. Fellow Austrian Maier had Aleksander Aamodt Kil- done the same in 1999, de, the overall World Cup American standout Miller champion, is out for the six years later. season with a knee injury. “Hermann Maier is an Aus- The turning section that de- trian legend and Bode Mill- Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr speeds down the course on his way to win the men’s downhill, at cided the race had been the alpine ski World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb.14, 2021. er is a legend, too. To be Associated Press sharply criticized by many on the same step is really racers after the first official amazing,” Kriechmayr said. most important in Austria,” super-G and Kira Weidle in In another frightening inci- training session on Friday. “I don’t compare myself Schröcksnadel said. women’s downhill. dent, Maxence Muzaton Organizers reset those to Hermann or Bode Miller, The race against the back- “It’s a mega feeling,” Sand- avoided a serious crash gates to make the course they were also Olympic drop of snow-covered er said. “We have a great when he caught a bump slightly more fluent, but and World Cup overall peaks in the Italian Dolo- atmosphere in the team and fell head-first after los- many downhillers still strug- champions,” said the Aus- mites lived up to its billing as after Romed got silver and ing control over his right ski gled. trian, adding it would take one of the most eye-catch- Kira as well.” at 120 kph (75 mph). It didn’t matter to Kriech- time to sink in. ing downhills of the season, Baumann was in the spot- The Frenchman used an mayr, though. “I’m rather someone who with spectacular crashes, light again right after he acrobatic recovery as he “It’s a lot of turns but Kitz- enjoys this quietly, who re- faltering favorites, a surprise finished Sunday’s race but turned around and got bühel and Wengen also flects on it later.” medalist, and the smallest this time for a nasty fall, upright while skiing back- have such turns that usu- By winning the most impor- possible winning margin. sliding skis first into the pro- wards before coming to a ally nobody would set for a tant downhill of the season, Kriechmayr edged An- tective banners and com- standstill. downhill,” he added. “It’s Kriechmayr presented the dreas Sander of Germany pletely disappearing be- Kriechmayr avoided simi- not a typical downhill, but outgoing president of the to the gold by one-hun- neath them. larly spectacular scenes it doesn’t matter to me on Austrian winter sports fed- dredth of a second, with Freed by coaches and of- when he opened the race what course I win.” eration with an ideal gift. 2017 world champion Beat ficials, he came out with and found the quickest The race was interrupted For Peter Schröcksnadel, Feuz finishing 0.18 behind blood on his face and race way through a passage when Florian Schieder who is expected to step for the bronze. suit. that included — untypically was thrown off the bumpy down in June after 31 years, Sander earned the Ger- German ski federation for a downhill — six sharp course midway through his no races are more impor- man team its third silver sports director Wolfgang turns. run. tant than the downhills at medal at these worlds, af- Maier said Baumann sus- Sander started second and The Italian was hospitalized the major championships. ter second-place finishes tained a cut on his face but soon lost three-tenths on with a suspected rupture of “Downhill gold is what’s the for Romed Baumann in escaped serious injuries. Kriechmayr but the Ger- his left knee ligaments.q Justin Turner returning to World Series champion Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jus- an $8 million signing bonus lion, four-year deal with the tin Turner is returning to and can earn up to an ad- Dodgers expired after the the Los Angeles Dodgers, ditional $4 million in perfor- World Series. He earned a announcing via Twitter on mance bonuses. prorated $7,037,037 of his Saturday night that he’s The red-headed slugger $19 million salary in 2020. ready to “run it back” with hit .320 with two homers A late-bloomer after over- the World Series champions during the World Series hauling his swing in his late after agreeing to a $34 mil- before being pulled from 20s, Turner has been an an- lion, two-year deal. the deciding Game 6 af- chor in the Dodgers’ line- The 36-year-old third base- ter testing positive for the up for most of their eight man batted .307 with four coronavirus. He infamously straight NL West titles. He hit homers, 23 RBIs and an .860 broke protocol by returning .302 with 116 homers over OPS during the pandemic- to the field after the final seven seasons in Los Ange- In this Oct. 24, 2020, file photo, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin shortened 2020 season. out and removed his mask les. Turner hits a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the Turner’s contract includes near teammates during the The Dodgers are set to first inning in Game 4 of the baseball World Series in Arlington, a club option for a third celebration. MLB decided bring back essentially the Texas. year that could raise the against punishing him. same team that won the Associated Press value to $48 million over Turner became a free 2020 title — along with NL Trevor Bauer, who signed deal with Los Angeles this three years. He will receive agent when his $64 mil- Cy Young Award winner a $102 million, three-year week. q A16 Monday 15 February 2021 sports

Down but not out, Serena Williams into Australian Open QFs

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) he wasn't playing a ma- — Serena Williams tumbled jor, he'd probably already to the ground, her heavily have withdrawn from the taped right ankle turning, event. her body contorting, her His quarterfinal will be racket flying. against U.S. Open finalist Al- This was early in the sec- exander Zverev, who beat ond set of a competitive- No. 23-seeded Dusan Lajo- as-can-be matchup in the vic 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Australian Open's fourth There were two significant round against a younger surprises in men's fourth- version of herself — stinging round action. serves, huge groundstroke Dominic Thiem — the Aus- cuts, a fierce streak — and tralian Open runner-up during a stretch Sunday and U.S. Open champion (Saturday night EST) when in 2020 — looked physically things seemed to be slip- compromised in a 6-4, 6-4, ping away. 6-0 loss to three-time major Williams quickly put up a semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov. hand to indicate she was Even more unexpected: OK, retied the laces of her Dimitrov's next opponent is right shoe and, while it took Aslan Karatsev, a 27-year- her a bit to regain control, old Russian qualifier who is she did so, just in the nick of United States’ Serena Williams falls during her fourth round match against Aryna Sabalenka of ranked 114th and the first time. Grabbing the last two Belarus at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 14, player since 1996 to reach games, Williams pulled out 2021. the quarterfinals in his Associated Press 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory over No. Grand Slam debut. Karat- 7 seed Aryna Sabalenka to temperature in the mid- from the French Open be- piped in to broadcasters' sev eliminated 20th-seed- reach the quarterfinals at 60s Fahrenheit (high teens fore the second round later feeds). ed Felix Auger-Aliassime Melbourne Park. Celsius), both Williams and that month. Williams now faces No. 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. Two years ago at this tour- Sabalenka dismissed much "I've worked really hard on 2-ranked Simona Halep, a Osaka barely advanced, nament, Williams was on in the way of subtlety or nu- my movement. Yeah, I like two-time major winner who saving two match points the verge of a quarterfinal ance. retrieving balls. I mean, ob- beat French Open cham- and grabbing the last four win when she hurt her ankle "I was OK with it, really," Wil- viously I like to be on the pion Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-1, games to top Garbiñe Mu- and ended up losing. liams said. "If she wants to offense, but I can play de- 6-4. The other quarterfinal guruza 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. "Well, my first thought was, play power, let's go." fense really well, as well," on that half of the draw will The third-seeded Osaka 'Not another ankle sprain These two hit the ball hard, the 39-year-old American be Naomi Osaka against returns to the quarterfinals in Australia.' But I knew im- over and over again in Rod said. "I didn't think about unseeded 35-year-old Hsie of a tournament she won mediately that it wasn't. Laver Arena, and Williams my Achilles. It's so good to Su-wei of Taiwan. in 2019 for one of her three Then I was more embar- was barely better. She end- not think about it. Oh, my Eight-time Australian Open major trophies. Osaka ran rassed than anything. I was ed up with more winners, goodness." champion Novak Djokovic her winning streak to 18 like, 'Oh, my goodness.' I 30-24, and more aces, 9-4, Sabalenka — a 22-year-old shrugged off a side muscle matches — a run that in- don't like falling," Williams while cranking up her best- from Belarus playing in only injury to beat Milos Raon- cluded a U.S. Open title in said. "But I was fine. I mean, in-the-game serve to as her second fourth-round ic 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a September. once I realized I didn't twist fast as 126 mph (202 kph). Slam match — was visibly night match and register "She's playing great. Big my ankle, like at all, I was When Williams needed to and audibly frustrated. She his 300th win in a Grand shots, big serve," Muguruza like, 'OK, I'm good, let me volley, she did, claiming 13 frequently would scream Slam match. said. "That gives her a lot of just get up.'" of 15 points when she went after lost points. She spiked Top-ranked Djokovic joined free points." Williams, who wore a black to the net. More important- her racket, too. Roger Federer as the only The key moment came T-shirt with "Unstoppable ly, she covered the court With the high quality of the men to achieve the mile- when Osaka was serving at Queen" in capital gold let- much in the way she did match, the only shame was stone. 15-40 while trailing 5-3 in the ters to her news confer- in her younger days, when that no fans were there to He hurt a stomach muscle final set. Muguruza could ence, moved closer to an opponents' apparent win- see it in person. That's be- when he fell during his third- not convert either chance eighth Australian Open ners were rendered mere cause this was Day 2 of round victory over Taylor to end things: Osaka de- championship and record- fodder for her own strikes. the five-day lockdown im- Fritz and there were con- livered one of her 11 aces tying 24th Grand Slam sin- And she showed no signs of posed by the Victoria state cerns he wouldn't recover at 118 mph (191 kph) on gles title overall. trouble from the left Achil- government after some in time to play Raonic. But the first; Muguruza missed Her most recent came in les tendon that hampered COVID-19 cases emerged he competed fully for al- a groundstroke on the sec- 2017, while she was preg- her in a U.S. Open semifi- at a local hotel. (Any cheer- most three hours. He was ond. nant. nal loss in September and ing or chatter TV viewers wearing tape above his Fifteen minutes later, the On a cloudy day with the forced her to withdraw heard at home was being right hip and later said if match was over.q