INTERNATIONAL TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2016 McCain slams Trump over attack on dead Muslim soldier’s parents Senator issues strongest rebuke yet

WASHINGTON: Decorated war veteran and US Senator John McCain denounced Republican presidential candidate yesterday for his attack on the parents of a Muslim US Army officer killed in the war. The Republican, a leading voice on military matters in Congress, waded into a snow- balling dispute between his party’s controversial nominee and , issuing the strongest rebuke yet to Trump from a senior Republican on the issue. “While our Party has bestowed upon him the nomination, it is not SABRATHA, LIBYA: A handout picture released on July 25, 2016, by the Sabratha accompanied by unfettered license to defame Municipal Council, shows what the council said was a migrant recovery operation off those who are the best among us,” McCain, who the coast of the western town of Sabratha. —AFP was a for five years during the , wrote in a long statement. Serbia arrests 11 people for Trump’s dispute with the Khans has dominat- ed the election campaign in recent days after smuggling migrants to Hungary Khizr Khan spoke at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night, with his wife BELGRADE, Serbia: Serbian police say allegedly transferred the migrants to standing at his side. The Khans’ son, Army they have arrested 11 people suspected of Hungary and then on to Austria. People Captain , was killed by a bomb in smuggling dozens of migrants across the smuggling has been on the rise in the Iraq in 2004, and the father spoke emotionally of border to EU-member Hungary. Serbian Balkans since nations closed their borders the sacrifice his son had made for the country as police said yesterday the arrests were the for migrants in March in a bid to stem the an American Muslim, specifically criticizing result of “intensive operational work and flow after more than 1 million asylum-seek- Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering exchange of information with the ers entered Europe in 2015. the country. Hungarian police.” Several thousand migrants have been In response to the speech, Trump said he had The statement says two of those arrest- stuck in Serbia and elsewhere in the also made sacrifices in his life. He also said that ed were the suspected organizers of the Balkans looking for clandestine routes into Ghazala Khan might not have been “allowed” to smuggling operation, while the others the European Union. —AP speak, implying her silence reflected restrictions placed on women by some traditional Muslims. The parents bristled at that suggestion and, in numerous television appearances over the sex offenders banned weekend, have said Trump is ignorant about from Pokemon Go Islam and about their family’s sacrifice. Several leading Republicans have weighed in to express WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: This file photo taken on February 9, 2016 shows US support for the family. The dispute is the latest in NEW YORK: It’s the smartphone game game, but we need your assistance to Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services a series of missteps by the freewheeling, Committee, speaking during a hearing on Capitol Hill. —AFP electrifying the world but New York took make certain that sex offenders will not unorthodox campaign of the New York business- steps yesterday to ban sex offenders from continue to use Pokemon GO by techno- man, who has never held elected political office Khizr Khan said Trump lacked the empathy to be cope with making her grief public during the using the app to potentially prey on child logically barring their use,” he said in the but who beat 16 rivals to become the a leader and chided him for throwing the first convention. victims. The game, developed by US-based letter. Republican presidential nominee for the Nov. 8 salvo in their exchange. In their interviews yesterday, the Khans software company Niantic, a spinoff of A report from two New York state sena- election. Trump’s off-the-cuff insults and contro- Trump responded simultaneously on described the outpouring of support they have Google, has been downloaded more than tors showed that children playing versial proposals such as the ban on Muslims to the parents’ morning television appearances, received during their very public exchange with 75 million times across the Pokemon have been unwittingly lured into and a plan to keep illegal immigrants out by saying he was being “viciously” attacked. Asked Trump. On Sunday, Democratic rival Hillary and has gone viral across the world. proximity of sex offenders. Their investiga- building a wall along the Mexican border, have on CNN what message he could give Trump, the Clinton said Trump had scapegoated the par- But Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered tion caught 57 Pokemon characters direct- made many in the party establishment reluctant father said he wanted to maintain his family’s ents. Leading Republicans including House New York’s department of corrections to ly outside 100 homes of registered sex backers of his White House bid. dignity and convey to Trump “that a good leader Speaker and Senate Majority Leader ban nearly 3,000 registered offenders on offenders on probation or parole whose parole from downloading, accessing or tak- crimes involved child abuse or possession has one trait ... empathy.” “It is basic character, Mitch McConnell issued statements in support Running into danger ing part in Pokemon Go as well as other of child pornography in the city of New realizing, feeling the pains, the difficulties of the of the family. Trump drew similar opprobrium a In his statement, McCain recalled how Internet-enabled games. “Protecting New York. There are nearly 3,000 sex offenders people that you wish to lead,” Khan said. “And year ago when he said McCain, who as a naval Humayun Khan died, saying that when a suicide York’s children is priority number one and, currently on parole in New York, the fourth that is missing.” aviator was shot down and taken prisoner dur- bomber aimed his vehicle toward a building as technology evolves, we must ensure most populous state in the United States. Trump has tried to shift focus from the Khans. ing the Vietnam War, was not a hero since he housing hundreds of US soldiers, the captain these advances don’t become new Since 2008, New York sex offenders have “This story is not about Mr. Khan, who is all over had been captured. told his subordinates to stay away, then ran avenues for dangerous predators to prey been required to register all email accounts the place doing interviews, but rather RADICAL In an open letter, nearly a dozen so-called toward it. McCain thanked the Khans for coming on new victims,” Cuomo said in a state- and Internet identities with the state crimi- ISLAMIC TERRORISM and the US Get smart!” Gold Star families - families who lost relatives in to America, saying “your son was the best of ment. The governor wrote Monday to soft- nal justice services. Trump said Monday on Twitter. He has accused wars - said Trump cheapened their sacrifice and ware developer Niantic, Inc. asking them to The list is given to more than two dozen America, and the memory of his sacrifice will Mr. Khan of “viciously attacking him.” called for an apology. “This goes beyond poli- bar sexual predators from playing social networking companies on a weekly make us a better nation - and he will never be Ghazala Khan wrote an opinion piece in The tics. It is about a sense of decency,” it said. “That Pokemon. “The state has taken action to basis in order to purge offenders from their forgotten.” Washington Post on Sunday saying that she had kind decency you mock as ‘political correct- prohibit sex offenders from using this membership. —AFP In a remarks to television networks yesterday, remained silent during her husband’s remarks to ness.’”— Puerto Rico bondholders devastated but still have hope in US plan SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: Attorney tating many investors in Puerto Rico ing too much into the bond price rally, Santiago Mari sighed as he punched and on the mainland. Some have had however. “It was a momentary, reflex numbers into his calculator and saw to delay retirement, find alternative reaction as opposed to a market-mov- the result. The value of his retirement sources for their children’s college ing event,” said Jim Colby, who runs account has dropped 75 percent due funds or rejoin the workforce. “My the $2.2 billion VanEck Vectors High to the collapse in Puerto Rican bonds dream was to retire at 55 years old, Yield Municipal Index, an exchange- that make up much of his personal and I worked hard for that,” said 57- traded fund in New York. portfolio, he said. He’s long aban- year-old Eduardo Rodriguez, a former He said Puerto Rico general obliga- doned plans for an early retirement. maintenance worker who now works tion bonds, which many consider And he’s far from alone. in a supermarket. “What can I do? Puerto Rico’s safest, are trading at “You have a whole lot of Puerto They say men don’t cry, but we do.” around 65 cents on the dollar, and Ricans who invested millions of dol- that future prices might be close to lars in bonds that they’re unable to Holding on to hope that. But “there’s really no telling right sell,” said Puerto Rico financial adviser Many hold out hope that a new now what kind of haircut, what kind Jose Ivan Acosta. While hedge funds federal aid package signed by of valuation is going to be given to hold much of Puerto Rico’s troubled President Barack Obama in June will any of the bonds of any of the series debt, individual investors own an esti- at least limit their losses. The measure that are currently outstanding but not mated $15 billion in bonds - 22 per- creates a federal control board to paying their interest. “It’s going to be cent of the island’s overall $68 billion oversee Puerto Rico’s finances, super- a long time before we really have a public debt. Many eagerly bought vise some debt restructuring and clear picture,” he added. Puerto Rico bonds because they are negotiate with creditors. Puerto Rico exempt from state, local and federal bonds rallied by some 20 percent that $15 billion debt taxes and were widely considered day and remained at that level even Of the estimated $15 billion debt safe. “They made it sound like it was after the governor announced a held by Puerto Rico investors, roughly the last remaining Coca Cola in a moratorium on general obligation $7 billion belongs to the Government desert, that it was safe because it was debt, Acosta said. Development Bank, which is operat- backed by the government,” Mari said. The news has encouraged Mari ing under a state of emergency, and That changed as the US territory’s who, unlike some of his friends, has another $1 billion to the Public government and its public utilities retained his bonds. “I still have hope Finance Corporation, which was the piled on debt to cover deficits during within my despair,” Mari said. “The first government agency to default. a 10-year economic slump. New taxes solution has to come from the out- Only a small portion represents gen- and higher utility rates pushed busi- side. If it’s left in local hands, they will eral obligation debt that is expected nesses to close and the tax base dwin- plunder what little remains.” to receive top priority once the antici- dled as more than 200,000 Puerto While it’s too early to know what pated restructuring begins. Ricans left for the US mainland. With changes the control board will imple- Raymond Watson, a former direc- falling revenue, the government this ment, a restructuring process of any tor of Puerto Rico’s Highway year imposed a debt moratorium after kind would be positive, Acosta said. Transportation Authority, bought a series of defaults on bond payments “Honestly, anything is better than general obligation debt because he that began last year. Prices for Puerto what we have right now,” he said. believed it was the most secure. The Rican bonds have plummeted, devas- Some analysts cautioned about read- 80-year-old said he was aghast when the governor last month declared a moratorium on that debt even though it is supposedly backed by the island’s constitution. “That is almost as sacred as the Bible,” he said, adding that he and his wife face high medical bills and worry about being forced to declare bank- ruptcy. “We are not indulging in any kind of luxuries. We have cut back greatly on eating out, even if it’s at Burger King. We used to take a cruise almost yearly. None of that. We are now prisoners in our own home.” Watson holds out hope that the federal aid measures will help. At a minimum, they could repair Puerto Rico’s credibility by stabilizing the island’s finances and providing long- overdue transparency, which in turn could help it re-enter the market and allow people to recuperate some of their investment, Acosta said. That’s an encouraging prospect for Mari, who said some bonds he bought at $10 are now worth $1 or $2. “I am holding on SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO: In this July 26, 2016 photo, attorney Santiago until the end,” he said. “The uncer- Mari talks to a client in front of a federal courthouse. —AP tainty is killing me.”—AP