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September 18, 2024
Russia goes all-out with covert disinformation aimed at Harris, Microsoft report says
U.S. and Russian national flags wave on the wind in Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, Russia, April 11, 2017 to welcome a U.S. dignitary. Associated Press
By ALI SWENSON Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The video was seen millions of times across social media but some viewers were suspicious: It featured a young Black woman who claimed Vice President Kamala Harris left her paralyzed in a hit-and-run accident in San Francisco 13 years ago.In an emotional retelling from a wheelchair, the alleged victim said she “cannot remain silent anymore” and lamented that her childhood had “ended too soon.” Immediately after the video was posted on Sept. 2, social media users pointed out reasons to be wary. The purported news channel it came from, San Francisco’s KBSF-TV, didn’t exist.
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A quick snack
for the road: Learn how to make
the Aruban
Pastechi!
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Continued from Front
A website for the channel set up just a week earlier contained plagiarized articles from real news outlets. The woman’s X-ray images shown in the video were taken from online medical journals. And the video and the text story on the website spelled the alleged victim’s name differently. The caution was warranted, according to a new Microsoft threat intelligence report, which confirms the fabricated tale was disinformation from a Russialinked troll farm. The tech giant’s report released Tuesday details how Kremlin-aligned actors that at first struggled to adapt to President Joe Biden dropping out of the race have now gone full throttle in their covert influence efforts against Harris and Democrats. It also explains how Russian intelligence actors are collaborating with pro-Russian cyber “hacktivists” to boost allegedly hacked-andleaked materials, a strategy the company notes could be weaponized to undermine U.S. confidence in November’s election outcome. The findings reveal how even through dramatic changes in the political landscape, groups linked to America’s foreign adversaries have redoubled their commitment to sway U.S. political opinion as the election nears, sometimes through deeply manipula
tive means. They also provide further insight into how Russia’s efforts to fight proUkrainian policy in the U.S. are translating into escalating attacks on the Democratic presidential ticket. The report builds on previous concerns the U.S. has had about Russian interference in the upcoming election. Earlier this month, the Biden administration seized Kremlin-run websites and charged two Russian state media employees in an alleged scheme to secretly fund and influence a network of right-wing influencers. Russia-linked actors have spent several months seeking to manipulate American perspectives with covert postings, but until this point, their efforts saw little traction. Notably, some of the recent examples cited in the Microsoft report received significant social media engagement from unwitting Americans who shared the fake stories with outrage. “As the election approach
es, people get more heated,” Clint Watts, general manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center said in an interview. “People tend to take in information from sources they don’t really know or wouldn’t even know to evaluate.” Microsoft explained that the video blaming Harris for a fake hit-and-run incident came from a Russianaligned influence network it calls Storm-1516, which other researchers refer to as CopyCop. The video, whose main character is played by an actor, is typical of the group’s efforts to react to current events with authentic-seeming “whistleblower” accounts that may seem like juicy unreported news to U.S. voters, the company said. The report revealed a second video disseminated by the group, which purported to show two Black men beating up a bloodied white woman at a rally for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The video racked up thou
sands of shares on the social platform X and elicited comments like, “This is the kind of stuff to start civil wars.” Microsoft’s report also pointed to another Russian influence actor it calls Storm-1679 that has recently pivoted from posting about the French election and the Paris Olympics to posting about Harris. Earlier this month, the group posted a manipulated video depicting a Times Square billboard that linked Harris to gender-affirming surgeries. The content highlighted in the report doesn’t appear to use generative artificial intelligence tools. It instead uses actors and more oldschool editing techniques. Watts said Microsoft has been tracking the use of AI by nation states for more than a year and while foreign actors tried AI initially, many have gone back to basics as they’ve realized AI was “probably more time-consuming and not more effective.” Asked about Russia’s motivation, Watts said the Russia-aligned groups Microsoft tracks may not necessarily support particular candidates, but they are motivated to undermine anyone who “is supporting Ukraine in their policy.” Harris has vowed to continue supporting America’s ally Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion if elected president. Trump has demurred when asked about whether he wants Ukraine to win the war, say
ing in the recent presidential debate, “ I want the war to stop.” At a forum in early September, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to suggest jokingly that he would support Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming U.S. election. Intelligence officials have said Moscow prefers Trump. The Harris campaign declined to comment. The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. Earlier this summer, Microsoft found that Iranian groups have also been laying the groundwork to stoke division in the election by creating fake news sites, impersonating activists and targeting a presidential campaign with an email phishing attack. U.S. intelligence officials are preparing criminal charges in connection with that attack, which targeted the Trump campaign, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Microsoft’s new report also touches on how a Chineselinked influence actor has used short-form video to criticize Biden and Harris and to create anti-Trump content, suggesting it doesn’t appear interested in supporting a particular candidate. Instead, the company said, the China-aligned group’s apparent goal is to “seed doubt and confusion among American voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election.”q
UP FRONT Wednesday 18 september 2024 A2
Russia goes all-out with covert disinformation aimed at Harris, Microsoft report says
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, WilkesBarre, Pa. Associated Press
U.S. NEWS A3 Wednesday 18 september 2024
By DAN MERICA Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation Tuesday that would prohibit political campaigns and outside political groups from using artificial intelligence to misrepresent the views of their rivals by pretending to be them. The introduction of the bill comes as Congress has failed to regulate the fastevolving technology and experts warn that it threatens to overwhelm voters with misinformation. Those experts have expressed particular concern over the dangers posed by “deepfakes,” AI-generated videos and memes that can look lifelike and cause voters to question what is real and what is fake. Lawmakers said the bill would give the Federal Election Commission the power to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in elections in the same way it has regulated other political misrepresentation for decades. The FEC has started to consider such regulations. “Right now, the FEC does not have the teeth, the regulatory authority, to protect the election,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican who cosponsored the legislation. Other sponsors include Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat; Rep. Derek Kilmer, a Washington Democrat; and Lori Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican. Fitzpatrick and Schiff said the odds were against the bill passing this year. Nevertheless, they said they don’t expect the measure to face much opposition and could be attached to a must-pass measure in the waning days the congressional session. Schiff described the bill as a modest first step in addressing the threat posed by deepfakes and other false AI-generated content, arguing the legislation’s simplicity was an asset. “This is really probably the lowest hanging fruit there is” in terms of addressing the misuse of AI in politics, Schiff said. “There’s so much more
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., during a hearing at the Capitol in Washington, on June 21, 2022.
Associated Press
Congress is gridlocked. These members are convinced AI legislation could break through
we’re going to need to do, though, to try to attack the avalanche of misinformation and disinformation.” Congress has been paralyzed on countless issues in recent years, and regulating AI is no exception. “This is another illustration of congressional dysfunction,” Schiff said. Schiff and Fitzpatrick are not alone in believing artificial intelligence legislation is needed and can become law. Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Pennsylvania Democrat, and Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican, introduced legislation earlier this month that aims to curb the spread of unauthorized AI-generated deepfakes. A bipartisan group of senators proposed companion legislation in the Senate. Opposition to such legislation has primarily focused on not stifling a burgeoning technology sector or making it easier for another country to become the hub for the AI industry. Congress doesn’t “want to put a rock on top of innovation either and not allow it to flourish under the right circumstances,” Rep. French Hill, an Arkansas Republican, said in August at a reception hosted by the Center for AI Safety. “It’s a balancing act.” The Federal Election Commission in August took its first step toward regulating AI-generated deepfakes in
political advertising when it took a procedural vote after being asked to regulate ads that use artificial intelligence
to misrepresent political opponents as saying or doing something they didn’t. The commission is expected to further discuss the matter on Thursday. The commission’s efforts followed a request from Public Citizen, a progressive consumer rights organization, that the agency clarify whether a 1970s-era law that bans “fraudulent misrepresentation” in campaign communications also applies to AI-generated deepfakes. While the election commission has been criticized in recent years for being ineffective, it does have the ability to take action against campaigns or groups that violate these laws, often through fines. q
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 18 september 2024 A4
By SUMMER BALLENTINE and STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The FBI and U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday were investigating suspicious packages that have been sent to or received by elections officials in at least eight states, but there were no immediate reports that any of the packages contained hazardous material. The latest packages were sent to elections officials in Massachusetts and Missouri, authorities said. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Elections Division received a suspicious package “from an unknown source,” spokesperson JoDonn Chaney said. He said mailroom workers contained the package and no injuries were reported. It marked the second time in the past year that suspicious packages were mailed to election officials in multiple state offices. The latest scare comes as early voting has begun in several states less than two months ahead of the high-stakes elections for president, Senate, Congress and key statehouse offices around the nation, causing disrup
tion in what is already a tense voting season. Local election directors are beefing up their security to keep their workers and polling places safe while also ensuring that ballots and voting procedures won’t be tampered with. On Tuesday, the FBI notified the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office that
postal service investigators had identified what they described as a suspicious envelope that had been delivered to a building housing state offices. The package was intercepted and isolated, according to state officials. No employees from the secretary of the commonwealth’s office had contact with the envelope,
which is now in the hands of the FBI. Powder-containing packages were sent to secretaries of state and state election offices in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Tennessee, Wyoming and Oklahoma on Monday. The packages forced evacuations in Iowa, Oklahoma and Wyoming. Hazmat crews in several
states quickly determined the material was harmless. The FBI and postal service were investigating. Oklahoma officials said the material sent to the election office there contained flour. Wyoming officials have not yet said if the material sent there was hazardous. “We have specific protocols in place for situations such as this,” Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said in a statement after the evacuation of the six-story Lucas State Office Building in Des Moines. “We immediately reported the incident per our protocols.” A state office building in Topeka, Kansas, was evacuated due to suspicious mail sent to both the secretary of state and attorney general, Kansas Highway Patrol spokesperson April M. McCollum said in a statement. Topeka Fire Department crews found several pieces of mail with an unknown substance on them, though a field test found no hazardous materials, spokesperson Rosie Nichols said. Several employees in both offices had been exposed to it and had their health monitored, she said.q
BOSTON (AP) — Two men have been charged with illegal smuggling and conspiring to violate export controls by selling equipment to Russia’s nuclear energy industry, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston
said Monday. Sam Bhambhani, 55, of North Attleboro, Mass., and Maxim Teslenko, 35, of Moscow, were each indicted on one count of smuggling and one count of conspiracy to violate and evade
export controls, commit smuggling, and defraud the United States. “This case underscores our unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export laws and safeguarding national security,” Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement. “The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a sophisticated scheme to evade export controls, deceiving the government about the true destination of sensitive technology and putting critical national interests at risk.” Cases like the one involving Bhambhani and Teslenko are relatively common. In January, a Kansas businessman pleaded guilty to illegally exporting sensitive
aviation technology to Russian companies in violation of U.S. sanctions. Two years ago, the Biden administration announced a series of criminal charges and sanctions related to a complicated scheme to procure military technologies from U.S. manufacturers and illegally supply them to Russia for its war in Ukraine. From 2015 to 2021, prosecutors alleged that Bhambhani and Teslenko conspired to export laser welding machines to the Ural Electromechanical Plant, or UEMZ, in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The export documents were allegedly falsified to conceal the fact that the equipment was going to UEMZ.
UEMZ is a subsidiary of Rosatom, a Russian state corporation that oversaw the country’s civilian and military nuclear program. No one answered at a phone number listed for Bhambhani and it was unclear if he has a lawyer. Bhambhani was arrested Sept. 9 and released following a court appearance. Teslenko remains at large overseas. If convicted, the pair face a sentence on the smuggling charge of up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The conspiracy charge carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.q
A hazmat crew from the National Guard’s Civilian Support Team investigates after a suspicious package was delivered to election officials at the Missouri Secretary of State’s Jefferson City, Mo., office on Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. Associated Press
The FBI is investigating suspicious packages sent to election officials in at least 8 states
The John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse is seen, May 13, 2015, in Boston. Associated Press
2 charged in case of illegal exports for Russian nuclear energy
WORLD NEWS A5 Wednesday 18 september 2024
By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly is considering a Palestinian resolution Tuesday demanding that Israel end its “unlawful presence” in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within a year and calling for sanctions and an arms embargo against the country. It will be put to a vote in the 193-member assembly Wednesday as Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza approaches its first anniversary and as violence in the West Bank reaches new highs. The war was triggered by Hamas attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, urged member nations to reject the measure, describing it as “an attempt to destroy Israel through diplomatic terrorism” and that “ignores the truth, twists the facts and replaces reality with fiction.” “Instead of a resolution condemning the rape and massacre committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, we gather here to watch the Palestinians’ U.N. circus a circus where evil is righteous, war is peace, murder is justified and terror is applauded,” he told the assembly. “This resolution doesn’t move
the region forward, it drags the region backward, delaying the hope for peace and advancement.” The resolution, if adopted by the General Assembly, would not be legally binding but the extent of its support would reflect world opinion. There are no vetoes in the assembly, unlike in the 15-member Security Council. It follows a ruling by the top United Nations court in July that said Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories is unlawful and must end.
In the sweeping condemnation of Israel’s rule over the lands it captured during the 1967 war, the International Court of Justice said Israel had no right to sovereignty over the territories and was violating international laws against acquiring the lands by force. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, opened the General Assembly meeting by saying Palestinians face an “existential threat.” He claimed Israel has held them “in shackles” and that it’s be
yond time Israel’s occupation ends and Palestinians return to their ancestral lands “in dignity, in peace and security.” “Those who think the Palestinian people will accept a life of servitude, a life of apartheid, are the ones who are not being realistic,” he said. “Those who claim that peace is possible in our region without a just resolution for the question of Palestine are the ones who are not being realistic.” The resolution demands
Israel withdraw its forces, immediately halt all new settlement building and evacuate all settlers from the Palestinian territories. The measure also calls for Israel to pay reparations to Palestinians for the damage caused by its occupation. It urges countries to take steps to prevent trade or investments that maintain Israel’s presence and implement sanctions, “including about settler violence.” U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas Greenfield told reporters that the resolution has “a significant number of flaws,” saying it goes beyond the ICJ ruling and doesn’t recognize both that “Hamas is a terrorist organization” in control of Gaza and that Israel has a right to defend itself. “In our view, the resolution does not bring about tangible benefits across the board for the Palestinian people,” she said. “I think it could complicate the situation on the ground, complicate what we’re trying to do to end the conflict, and I think it impedes reinvigorating steps toward a twostate solution.” Mansour told reporters this week that over 60 countries have asked to speak ahead of Wednesday’s vote.q
By SIMINA MISTREANU Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese warplanes tailed a U.S. military aircraft through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, China’s military said. The U.S. aircraft was a P-8A Poseidon patrol and reconnaissance plane, capable of conducting long-range anti-submarine warfare, according to a statement by the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command. Chinese military forces “organized warplanes to tail and monitor the U.S. aircraft’s flight and handled it in accordance with the law,” said Li Xi, a senior colonel and spokesperson for the command. “Theater command troops will remain on constant high alert and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security
as well as regional peace and stability,” he added. The U.S. Navy didn’t immediately comment on the incident. China claims the self-ruled island of Taiwan as its own territory and bristles at other countries’ patrolling the body of water separating it from the island. On Friday, Germany sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait in its first transit of the disputed waters in more than two decades, drawing criticism from Beijing. In 2001, a U.S. surveillance plane and a Chinese navy fighter collided mid-air near the Chinese island province of Hainan, resulting in the Chinese pilot’s death. The U.S. said its plane was in international airspace and the accident was the result of reckless flying by the Chinese side.q
An Israeli soldier stands at the entrance of a tunnel where the military says six Israeli hostages were recently killed by Hamas militants in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
Associated Press
U.N. considers resolution demanding Israel end its occupation of Palestinian territories
A U.S. P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane flies near Chinese structures and buildings on the man-made Fiery Cross Reef at the Spratlys group of islands in the South China Sea are seen on March 20, 2022.
Associated Press
China says it tailed a U.S. spy plane through the sensitive Taiwan Strait
WORLD NEWS Wednesday 18 september 2024 A6
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Officials in Puerto Rico have rejected a petition to extend a voter registration deadline following an outcry over long lines formed by those seeking to participate in this year’s general election. The island’s two main parties, the Popular Democratic Party and the New Progressive Party, voted against the request late Monday, as did the alternate president of the elections commission. Those living in Puerto Rico have until Sept. 21 to register. Members of two other parties, the Puerto Rican Independence Party and Citizen Victory Movement, which was created in recent years, had requested that the deadline be pushed to a month before the Nov. 5 election amid concerns that people will be locked out of voting. “Not everyone can come and stand in a kilometers-long line,” said John F. Rullán Schmidt, executive director of a volunteer group called Somos Más, which seeks to promote citizen participation in politics. He noted how earlier this week, some Puerto Ricans stayed in line until 3 a.m. to ensure they could vote. He warned the group would sue to extend the voter registration deadline if no one else
does.Hundreds of people have stood in daylong lines to register for the election in recent weeks as the U.S. Caribbean territory’s two main parties, which have long dominated the political scene, face stiff challenges from other parties. “It’s very important to vote,” said Vanessa Casillas, a 56-year-old speech therapist. “Those in the government are not working for the people.” On Tuesday, she came
prepared with a chair and a cap for the sun. The estimated wait at the State Elections Commission was more than two hours when she arrived, but there was still enough seating indoors. Like many Puerto Ricans, she called for the ouster of Luma, a private company that has come under fire for chronic power outages across the U.S. territory, some of which are blamed on another company that oversees electric generation. Casillas planned
to vote for Juan Dalmau, who is running for governor for the Puerto Rican Independence Party. He faces Jesús Manuel Ortiz of the Popular Democratic Party, Javier Jiménez of the conservative Dignity Project party and Jenniffer Colón of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, who beat current Gov. Pedro Pierluisi in their party’s primary in June. Meanwhile, the Citizen Victory Movement has said it supports Dalmau as guber
natorial candidate. Dalmau and Ortiz have said they support ousting Luma, while González said she would instead appoint an energy ‘czar’ to oversee the company. Álvarez, who supports González, said she was surprised at the line Tuesday at the elections commission: “There are too many people. There are no resources.” As people waited, volunteers outside distributed snack boxes containing a hamand-cheese burrito and chips. Rullán said one reason for the long lines is the elimination of 76 of 88 permanent registration boards across the island, as well as fewer employees at the elections commission. In addition, the commission faces a backlog of tens of thousands of electronically registered voters that have not been recorded yet as they await approval. On Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union noted that chronic power outages also have forced the temporary closure of registration centers as it accused the elections commission of not providing enough resources to handle the surge of people seeking to vote. The ACLU also had called for the registration deadline to be extended. q
People wait at the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. The voter registration deadline ends Sept. 21. Associated Press
Puerto Rico officials reject request to extend voter registration deadline
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Google on Tuesday said it would halt plans to develop a major $200 million
data center in Chile to address environmental concerns, a decision reflecting growing worries about
the impact of power-thirsty projects around the world. The U.S. technology company first obtained permits in 2020 to construct the vast project in Chile’s capital, Santiago, as demand for the server farms skyrocketed across the globe, fueled by a surge in cloud-based technologies and a craze for generative AI. But months after a Chilean court partially reversed the center’s authorization over water usage concerns, Google announced Tuesday that it would revise the project to comply with more stringent environmental requirements and change its water-intensive cooling system.
“A new process will start from scratch,” Google said in its statement. “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and the way we design and manage our data centers is no exception.” Community complaints in the drought-stricken South American nation over the air-conditioned computer farm’s energy and water usage sharpened government scrutiny and prompted a local court to temporarily revoke the project’s authorization in February. The Santiago environmental court asked Google to respond to concerns that the data center could affect Santiago’s main aqui
fer.The court said it was highly possible that cooling the heavy equipment which creates the online storage for the data of millions could pull from Chile’s water resources. The country is experiencing a crippling drought supercharged by climate change, a source of outrage among locals and Indigenous groups. Google didn’t provide an updated timeline for the project and said that it would keep the location the same. It said developers had already notified Chile’s environmental regulator of the company’s decision to pause its permit application process and rethink its strategy.q
Clouds hover over the Andes Mountains in Santiago, Chile, June 19, 2024.
Associated Press
Google says it will rethink its plans for a big data center in Chile over water worries
LOCAL A7 Wednesday 18 september 2024
Papiamento words and phrases you may want to know!
(Oranjestad)—Aruba is a melting pot of different nationalities, cultures and languages. Primarily for this reason, the average Aruban can understand and speak Dutch, English and Spanish relatively well. However, as much as we pride ourselves in being able to communicate with almost everyone, we cherish our native tongue Papiamento above all else. Want to learn some common words in our language? Here are a few basic words and phrases that can get you a hat tip from an Aruban.
When you arrive at the airport in Aruba, one of the first words in Papiamento you may encounter is “Bon bini.” Bon bini in Papiamento means welcome, and is probably the most famous Papiamento word for tourists.
Hi! Bye! To be fair, there is no unique way to say “hello” in Papiamento. At least, not officially. We often just use the English “hello” or “hey”, or Dutch “hallo” to greet someone. We do however, always follow it up with “con bay?” or “con ta?” Con bay is a shortened version of “con ta bay?”, which essentially means
“how are you?”
The word “con” in Papiamento means “how?” and is pronounced with a rounder “o” sounds, like in the English word “cone”. “Ta bay” refers to how you are doing.
When we say goodbye, we use the word “ayo” (not like the Ayo Rock Formation, but also…kinda?). We may also use “te oro”, which means “see you later”.
Greetings during the day Most, if not all, languages have different ways to greet according to the time of day, and Papiamento is no different. Since Papiamento is heavily influences from Portuguese and Spanish, some of these phrases may look very familiar.
1. Bon dia is used in the morning, up to about noon. Bon dia essentially means good morning. The word “bon” means “good”, and while “dia” does not directly mean “morning” in English, it is used often to refer to the morning time. 2. Bon tardi. In the afternoon to early evening hours, we use “bon tardi” to greet people,
which means “good afternoon”. “Tardi” actually comes from the word “atardi”, which directly translates to “afternoon”. However, the shortened “tardi” is used to keep the rhythm on the phrase. And the same could be said for our last greeting of the day. 3. Bon nochi. You guessed it, “bon nochi” means “good night”. Just like “tardi”, “nochi” is actually the shortened version of the word “anochi”. Yes…no…maybe? The affirmative and negative expression is very simple in Papiamento. Just like Spanish, our yeses are “si” and our no’s are “no”. Pretty easy right? If you want to gain
some extra points from younger locals, you can also say “se”, which is a more casual affirmative used mostly by the younger generation. However, do note: some older generations may find this improper and not respectful, so keep that in mind.
Thanks man… Lastly, a word that we can also say more often is “danki”, which means literally “thank you”. “Danki” is derived from the Dutch word “bedankt”. Though we don’t really have a translation for “I appreciate it” in English, we do use “masha danki” to convey the message. “Masha” means “a lot” or “very”, so “masha danki” means “thank you very much”. q
A quick snack for the road: Learn how to make the Aruban Pastechi!
(Oranjestad)—If you ever been to Aruba before, you probably heard of (and even tried) the Aruban Pastechi. Beloved by young and old, this tasty treat is a staple for party snacks, a quick lunch or even breakfast!
Here’s how to make the Pastechi dough.
Ingredients: 4 cups of wheat flour 1 tbsp baking powder (if using selfrising flour, omit baking powder) 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp sugar 0.5 cup of melted butter 1 cup water 1 egg
Directions: Sift your flour into a bowl and add all the dry ingredients before giving
it a quick mix. Next add the butter, water and egg and mix until thoroughly combined. At this point, your dough will start to get sticky; time for an arm workout. Knead your dough into the bowl you are using or on a clean surface with some flour lightly dusted until its surface is smooth. You'll know your dough is ready when it doesn’t
stick to your hands or the surface on which you’re kneading it. Let your dough rest covered for 15-20 minutes.
After resting, divide your dough into approximately 100 gram balls and roll it flat with a rolling pin. The thickness of the pastechi depends on your taste, but the average thinness would be around ¼ inch or so.
Filling for the pastechis varies according to your taste. The easiest and most common filling you’ll find in Aruba is a simple cheese filling. For this, we usually use shredded Gouda, but feel free to use any cheese that melts well when frying the pastry.
Place the filling on your rolled out piece of dough, fold it in half and
pinch the sides shut with a fork. If you have a folding tool, feel free to use it for this process. Your pastechi is ready for the fryer!
If you want to store some pastechis for later use, you can freeze them. A good tip is to place a piece of wax paper in between each pastechi if you are to store them on top of one another. This way the pastechis don’t stick to each other when defrosting.
Here in Aruba we enjoy pastechi at any time of the day, but it has become almost tradition to eat pastechis for breakfast on the way to work. Many roadside snack trucks sell pastechi from early morning to noon, and offer a variety of fillings like cheese; ham and cheese; ground beef and pulled chicken to name a few. q
LOCAL Wednesday 18 september 2024 A8
Stay Connected and Relaxed with SETAR in Aruba!
SETAR, the island’s premier Telecom provider, is a pioneer in shaping connectivity in Aruba. SETAR has become indispensable to Aruba’s vibrant tech landscape by delivering lightning-fast networks to local communities and visitors. The island is transforming with SETAR’s ambitious project to convert the entire island to fiber, revolutionizing how Aruba stays connected, and marking a significant leap in innovation and firmly establishing Aruba as one of the most technologically advanced islands in the Caribbean.
With stores around the island and services designed to keep all visitors connected, whether they’re coming for vacation or work, SETAR ensures you stay in touch effortlessly. Revel in the high speed Internet on Aruba’s exceptional Fixed and Mobile Networks, ensuring you’re connected wherever your adventure takes you.
Are you eager to start your experience? Start by purchasing your SETAR Tourist SIM at the TeleKiosk in the Arrival Hall of Aruba’s Airport.
Tourist SIM Paradise awaits in Aruba, and SETAR, is here to enhance your tropical adventure with our exclusive
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When purchasing the bundle for the first time at one of our stores, the Tourist SIM card is FREE and is tailored for visitors staying a few weeks in Aruba. For visitors staying longer on the island, SETAR offers a flexible Prepaid option that allows you to buy credit conveniently at any Teleshop, gas station, minimarket, or supermarket. This prepaid credit
provides you the freedom to call anytime or choose from the different Prepaid bundles SETAR offers: Data Bundles: Stay connected with high-speed Internet and choose from various data options to suit your needs. One Bundle: Enjoy the convenience of bundled SMS, Voice, and Data in one package. SETAR ensures you have the best communication experience during your time in Aruba.
Makes your Workcation in Paradise Effortless Are you planning a trip to Aruba that blends business with leisure, or perhaps seeking a remote work setup? Whether you’re coming to Aruba for business or to embrace a ‘workcation,’ SETAR has tailored solutions to ensure seamless and uninterrupted connectivity during your stay. Stay productive while enjoying the beauty of Aruba. SETAR designed flexible plans and reliable services to cater to your needs, providing you with the connectivity required for work and play. Go to the TeleKiosk in the Arrival Hall of Aruba’s Airport and ask for the Prepaid Wireless Home Internet for seamless connectivity. Enjoy the fastest Internet speeds with our Wireless Home Internet Prepaid plans
without worrying about additional charges and you can use it anywhere on the island. It is easy to use and access. Choose the bundle that suits your budget and needs.
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Imagine strolling along the Aruban beaches after a productive workday or unwinding with a picturesque sunset as your backdrop to a successful day’s work. Experience the ideal blend of work and relaxation in Aruba, supported by SETAR’s seamless connectivity. Let us make your stay in Aruba an experience like no other. 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:
[email protected] and we will publish your vacation memory. Isn’t that a special way to keep your best mo
ments 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. Last but not least: check out our website, Instagram and Facebook page! Thank you for supporting our free newspaper, we strive to make you a happy reader every day again. For today we received a lovely message from Jack C. Shearer York from Penn
sylvania, USA.
He wrote to us saying: “Aruba to me is, enjoy quality time with my wife Diane while enjoy our 28th year in Aruba. The friendliest place in the world. You hear good morning from everyone, even if you know them or not. The relaxing no stress attitude around the island is like no other. It is something that you
want to share with friends and family. This year we are introducing 4 of our friends to Aruba: Clark, Barb, Bob & Mary. All from Pennsylvania.
If you like food the island has some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean.”
Thank you for sending us this wonderful message sharing what Aruba means to you with us and our readers!q
LOCAL A9 Wednesday 18 september 2024
Aruba Tourism Authority honored loyal visitors at Barceló Aruba – All Inclusive!
The Aruba Tourism Authority recently had the great pleasure of recognizing Distinguished Visitors of Aruba. The honorees were respectively honored with a certificate for their years of visits, loyalty, and love for the island of Aruba.
The honorary certification is presented on behalf of the Minister of Tourism as a token of appreciation and to say “Masha Danki” to guests who have visited Aruba 10, 20, or 35 years or more consecutively.
The three levels of honor are as follows: Distinguished Visitor (10>years consecutively visiting Aruba) Goodwill Ambassador (20>years consecutively visiting Aruba) Emerald Ambassador (35>years consecutively visiting Aruba)
The honorees were: Distinguished Visitors Mr. Myron & Mrs. Linda Chronowitz from Flushing New York, United States.
Mr. Jorgino Willems representing the Aruba Tourism Authority, and staff members of Barceló Aruba – All Inclusive bestowed the certificate upon the honorees, presented them with gifts, and thanked them for choosing Aruba as their favorite vacation destination, as their home away from home.
The top reasons for returning to Aruba provided by the honorees were:
• Aruba’s people. • Aruba’s weather. • “The staff at Barceló treats us like family
and goes above & beyond” • “The beauty of the island” • “The beautiful surprises and sunsets”
On behalf of the Aruba Tourism Authority, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the honorees for their continued visits to the “One Happy Island”.q
Best spots to view the sunset
(Oranjestad)—Today we celebrate Valentine ’s Day, and what can be more romantic than surprising your partner with a date watching the sunset. Aruba’s sunset leave many speechless, and luckily, the best spots to view the sunset are entirely accessible and easy to find. Here are some of the best places to view the sunset on the island.
California Light House Of course, being one of the highest point easily accessible to locals and tourists, the California Light House hill not only offers a tremendous view of the sunset, but also a breath taking scenery of most of the island. In the distance you can spot all the hotels, the western shoreline and the wild
waves that crash on the northern side of the island.
Manchebo & Eagle Beach Speaking of the western shoreline, the best spots for viewing the sunset on the beach has to be either Manchebo Beach or at Eagle Beach, which stretch along the entire western coast of the island starting from behind Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort up to the Amsterdam Manor roundabout. The sunset on these beaches is truly breathtaking; the sky and ocean look so big and spacious, and paired with the orange/ pink hue of the sunset, the white sandy beaches and the soft sounds of waves crashing—it can only be described as an experi
ence!*
Arashi Beach Another beach that has to be considered as another great spot to view the sunset. Arashi Beach is the last beach you will find along the western coast line, just before you drive up the hill to the California Light House. A favorite for surfers and body boarders, the Arashi sky stretches out for miles, lending a spectacular canvas for the sun to create a masterpiece of orange, pink and purple hue.
Hooiberg Hill These last two options are for more active couples. If you and your partner like to hike, the Hooiberg Hill may be a great place for you to
get your daily workout in and enjoy a beautiful view of the sunset and the island as a little reward. Climb on top the 587-step stairs and reach the top to enjoy this incredible scenery.
Casibari Rock Formation If you’re a rock climber, you might enjoy watching the sunset on top of the Casibari Rock Formation. It’s no Yosemite, but it does offer a fun little exercise to get to the top. But if you prefer not to get your hands a little dirty, you can always use the stairs in the back.
Editor’s note: This spot may be my personal favorite, if you couldn’t already tell...q
LOCAL Wednesday 18 september 2024 A10
maize, soon became the catalyst of world cultures; this, together with the ordinary use of clay, slowly transformed into sophisticated ceramic artifacts. In this way, long-lasting ceremonial ornaments were created in gratitude to the sprits of life and fertility. Arubans are descendant of South American tropical-forest farmers they became the legendary Caquietian tribe and who were the Nobel people that received the Spaniards on the main land on their arrival. The same people who later introduced them to our islands and organized a trading society with the Spaniard Juan de Ampies. People were responding to the main chief, Manaure, who lived on the main land. History mentioned many of his frequent visits to our “enchanted island.” The Caquetio people lived from along the shores of Lake Maracaibo to our islands and are the island’s ancestors of the islands of Bonaire, Curacao, and Aruba. Spaniards described native Arubans as strong, tall, and handsome, while the women were beautiful with long black hair. The mainland Caquetios and those of our islands were one nation during pre-Columbian times, as archaeological and biological evidence
points towards close ties. As many as 800 souls lived on Aruba at the time of the Spanish discovery in 1499. Curaçao, Bonaire, and Aruba were declared in 1513 “Islas inutiles” (useless islands). Two years later, some 2000 Caquetios from the three ABC islands were taken hostage and transported as captures to Hispaniola to work the mines as slaves (see episode 219: “Where Aruban came from?”). Next Wednesday, Etnia Nativa will share the second part of the Aruban ancestral legacy; don’t miss it!
If you liked our native stories and are interested in learning the true identity of Aruba, a visit to Etnia Nativa would be a fantastic choice. It has been a trend setter since 1994, as a co-founder of projects such as Arikok National Park, the Archaeological Museum, and the Artisan Foundation, among others. Every week, this newspaper continues to share its valuable knowledge. Don’t miss the opportunity to feel the island’s spirit through learning real stories that are not just remembered; they resonate, they’re felt, and they stir souls. Book your visit: WhatsApp +297 592 2702
[email protected] q
Aruban ancestral legacy I Episode CCLXXI - 271
Etnia Nativa is a unique native gem on the island, combining education and entertainment to share interactive experiences with a select few. Book your private visit and tour a beautiful property made with reused materials collected by the owner, an Aruba’s cultural expert. Get to deep into the navel of the island. During this new episode, Etnia Nativa elaborates a bit about Aruba’s agro-potters ancestors, who approximately 3000 to 2500 BCA started a migration from out the South American continent. They were settlers from the Amazon-Orinoco river basins who began their journey and, in time, colonized the Caribbean island in various waves of migration using seaworthy dugout canoes.
Many of these groups chose the river systems to reach the Atlantic Ocean in order to reach the Caribbean Sea. They had to revamp their river vessels into seaworthy canoes capable of traveling alongside the coastline and the open sea. In the case of reaching our ABC islands, it was way easier since you could see Aruba from the continental coast of the isthmus of Paraguana, Curacao from out Aruba, and Bonaire from out Curacao. However, it is believed that these newcomers heard of our island through the much older hunters and gatherers that had already settled in these areas thousands of years before. These tropical rain forest farmers were Arawakanspeaking people who colonized the northern and coastal areas of South America and almost all the islands of the Caribbean Sea, transforming our island into an area where slash and burn tropical forest agricultural techniques were introduced to complement their existence. An agriculture method of clearing the land of its original vegetation for agricultural purposes associated with the cultivation of manly tubers, such as yuca, yams, and sweet potatoes. They also planted a variety of corn, beans, and squashes, as well as medicine plants used in tribal medicine, etc. They also knew that many plants that they cultivated could be grinded into flour for conservation and the later elaboration of their main staples, turning them into arepas, cachapas, ayacas, tortillas, etc., like our funchi and pan batí of today. However, we must mention that a more organized form of agriculture had developed with the later introduction of the American corn, a crop that was developed in Mexico and that changed the world. This cereal, also known as mays, Indian corn, or Zea
LOCAL A11 Wednesday 18 september 2024
In celebration of 200 years of the Aruban gold rush: Get to know the history of the gold industry on Aruba
(Oranjestad)—This year we celebrate a few milestone anniversaries on Aruba, one of them being the 200th anniversary of when gold was first discovered on the island. We have talked about the Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruin before and its brief history during the gold industry on Aruba, but get to know a little more about the history of the “Aruban Gold Rush.”
The first hint of gold on Aruba actually dates back to 1725, when rumors about gold being found in dug up treasure chests of the Spanish colonial era prompted the first official exploration for gold on the island, commissioned by the Dutch West India Company. Under the leadership of Mr. Paulus Printz, a three-year search was conducted on Aruba, to no avail. Though they found some specks of gold, it was not enough to motivate a further search, and the assignment was discontinued by Printz himself. It wasn’t until 100 years later, in 1824, when a young farmer boy named Willem Rasmijn found a lump of gold while out herding his father’s sheep in the area of Rooi Fluit on the north coast. His father took it to a local merchant who then sold the lump for $70. Unbeknownst to the boy and his father, they quite literally struck gold, and as word got out, a gold fever spread among the locals who started searching for more gold. When the colonial governor in Curacao, Governor Cantz’laar, heard about the news, he sent his adjutant, Capitan van Raders, to start harvesting gold. This was in July 1824. In august of that same year, the governor followed suit to the island, accompanied by high-ranking military officials. When citizens started swarming the area in search for gold, The Netherlands sent more troops to safe guard the gold. Prominent places where gold was found was in Daimari, Wacobana, Arikok, Rooi Fluit, Hadicouradi and later West punt, where gold ore was found. Because of a lack in advanced technology and materials to harvest the gold, the process took a more primitive approach: Clay rocks containing traces of gold were left to dry in the sun. Then, workers would start chipping the clay away on a large canvas to catch the gold particles that were left behind after the wind blew away the dust from the clay. In the harvest period of 1824-1825, there was a total of 71,000 kilos collected through commissioned harvesting. Locals themselves reportedly found about 25 pounds worth of gold in the nearby rivers. The following years after that first big harvest, commission work fell off, and in 1828, the director of the goldmines, Johan Gravenhorst, decided to halt harvesting. Almost 40 years later, the London-based Aruba Island Gold Mining Company Ltd. was granted concession. The firm built their gold mines on Bushiribana, and in the port of Oranjestad a long road that connected the gold mill to the port. The ores themselves came from Sero Plat en Sero Cristal.
By this point, workers were still using primitive methods to harvest the ores. For example, when someone had to go into the mines, there were no stairs or lifts; the person had to be brought down in a big bucket, with two or more workers holding the bucket by a thick rope above ground. Aruba Island Gold Mining Company Ltd. reportedly operated until 1899, and right after the Aruba Gold Concession Ltd. was established, coincidentally also based in London. This time, the gold mill in Balashi was built, and more mines were dug up all around the island. The gold ores that were found were transported via track engine, locally called the “trekinchi”. Despite being more equipped for the job, the Aruba Gold Concession Ltd. could not produce any real profit, and so the concession was terminated just eight years later, in 1908. A local firm, the “Aruba Goud Maatschappij” (Aruba Gold Company) took over the concession, along with all the materials and equipment. In the beginning, the company saw good profit, and for a while, the island’s economy depended primarily on the mining and harvesting of gold. But just like its predecessors, the streak of luck for the Aruba Gold Company came to an end when WWI broke out. The main reason why production stopped this time was reportedly because of a lack in dynamite for extracting the ores from the mines, as well as a lack in raw materials like German cyanide for the refining process. By the time the war ended, the equipment that was left at Balashi were too old to use again. After the war, gold production on the Aruba was left to a standstill. According to an issue in Aruba Esso News paper in 1953, Henny Eman wanted to start up digging again, this time using independent miners. He argued that there was proof of more gold to be discovered. Plus, hiring independent miners would boost the island’s employment rate. When it was proven that gold was in fact still present, the executive board on the island promised to fund the project only if the gold dug up proved to be valuable. However, nothing else was reported after this, so it could be concluded that there was no real profitable market on the island anymore.
The ruins of the Bushiribana and Balashi Gold Mills are still standing, and open for the public to visit. These structures offer a glance into the past, to a time where Aruba experienced one of its first wave of industrialization. Today, these structures are persevered as historical monuments.q
Source: 1. “De Kolibrie op de Rots (en meer over the geschiedenis van Aruba)” by Evert Bongers. 2. Aruba Esso News, 1953 issue.
Wednesday 18 september 2024 A12 service
Helpful tips for your stay on Aruba
Supermarket hours
Supermarket hours may vary depending on where you are staying on the island. Generally though, most supermarkets are open from 8am to 9 or 10pm, Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, supermarkets generally close earlier; mostly around 2pm.
Safety
Since February 2024, Aruba has been categorized as the safest country in the Caribbean by The Telegraph, and many tourist that visit have often told us how they feel safe to explore the island or walk around at night. However, rare incidents do occurs, so keep yourself and your belongings safe.
(Oranjestad)—When traveling to another country, especially for the first time, it is always better to be over-prepared than underprepared. That is why we have a list of basicbut important information that we think may come in handy to Aruba’s visitors.
Electrical power
Aruba generally operates on 110V to 127V supply voltage and 60Hz. There are also three types of out
lets used on the island: type A with two flat prongs; type B with two flat and one grounding prong, and on occasion, type F with two round prong and two earth clips on the side. However, Type A is most commonly found in homes and establishments.
Drinking water
The water that flows through the sinks of every house, hotels and other establishments is distilled and perfectly safe to drink. Aruba’s drinking water exceeds WHO’s international standards for water quality, so there is no need to buy bottled water from the store.
Cruise ship Schedule: September 03 - 24 2024
A13 Wednesday 18 september 2024 BUSINESS
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San Nicolas
Police 100 Oranjestad 527 3140 Noord 527 3200 Sta. Cruz 527 2900 San Nicolas 584 5000 Police Tipline 11141 Ambulancia 911 Fire Dept. 115 Red Cross 582 2219
Women in Difficulties PHARMACY ON DUTY
TAXI SERVICES Taxi Tas 587 5900 Prof. Taxi 588 0035 Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300 Taxi Serv. Aruba 583 3232 A1 Taxi Serv. 280 2828
Aruba Airport 524 2424 American Airlines 582 2700 Avianca 588 0059 Jet Blue 588 2244 Surinam 582 7896
FAVI- Visually Impaired Tel. 582 5051 Alcoholics Anonymous Tel. 736 2952
Quota Club Tel. 525 2672
Centre for Diabetes Tel. 524 8888
Narcotics Anonymous Tel. 583 8989 Fundacion Contra Violencia Relacional Tel. 583 5400
DOCTOR ON DUTY
Oranjestad
OTHER
Dental Clinic 587 9850 Blood Bank Aruba 587 0002 Urgent Care 586 0448 Walk-In Doctor’s Clinic +297 588 0539 Women in Difficulties EMERGENCY
Women in Difficulties TRAVEL INFO
Women in Difficulties AID FOUNDATIONS
Child Abuse Prevention Tel. 582 4433
Women in Difficulties General Info
Phone Directory Tel. 118
Oranjestad: Oduber : tel.582 1780 San Nicolas: San Lucas:tel. 584 5119
Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm Tel. 527 4000
Imsan 24 hours Tel.524 8833
facebook.com/arubatoday/
HEALTH
Aruba Food Bank Tel. 588 0002
By MAE ANDERSON Break-ins and thefts can happen at any small business, no matter how tight the security. In the retail sector alone, more than half of small businesses said they had been victims of shoplifting
Tubes of toothpaste are displayed behind a locked, plastic barrier to prevent shoplifters from stealing the products at a store in the Manhattan borough of New York on January 31, 2024.
Associated Press
How small businesses can recover from breakins and theft
in the prior year, according to a 2022 survey by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. And break-ins and thefts occur across all sectors. So, it is important for small business owners to prepare in advance and have a plan for dealing with a break-in or theft, to minimize damage. Roxie Lubanovic, cofounder of Frostbeard Studio in Minneapolis, which makes candles, had her studio broken into in 2016 over a holiday weekend. Thieves stole equipment and supplies, then damaged locks and doors getting in and out. Insurance covered the losses, but it was still difficult recovering.q
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PEOPLE / ARTS Wednesday 18 september 2024 A14
By BERENICE BAUTISTA Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican pop-rock band Maná has removed its 2016 song with Nicky Jam
after the Puerto Rican reggaeton singer expressed his support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. “Maná does not work with
racists,” the group said in an Instagram post explaining the decision to remove “De pies a cabeza” from online platforms. The song is a remix of the 1992 original included on Maná’s classic album “¿Dónde jugarán los niños?” “For the last 30 years Maná has supported and defended the rights of Latinos in the world. There is no business or promotion that is worth more than the dignity of our people,” the band wrote on Instagram. Jam, known for songs such as “Travesuras,” “Voy a Beber” and the J Balvin collaboration “X” expressed his support for Trump last Friday at a rally in Las Vegas. When introducing the singer, Trump seemed to mistake him for a woman:
“Latin Music superstar Nicky Jam! Do you know Nicky, she’s hot. Where’s Nicky?” he said. Despite the confusion, Jam expressed pleasure at meeting Trump, who since his first presidential campaign has promised to close the border and espoused harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric. Maná has supported the cause of migrants in the United States for more than two decades. In 2018, upon receiving the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year award, their vocalist Fher Olvera promised: “We will continue to fight for the rights of migrants who have made this country great; in the last century, they were the difference for this country to
be as great as it is.” A representative for Jam did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment. A representative for Maná confirmed the band’s statement, but did not offer further details. Founded in Jalisco, Mexico, Maná has been awarded six Latin Grammys and four Grammys and is one of the most influential bands in Latin America. It also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In addition to Maná, a long list of artists have requested that their music not be associated with or used by Trump, including ABBA, The White Stripes, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, R.E.M. and Guns N’ Roses.q
Nicky Jam speaks as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens during a campaign event at the World Market Center, Friday, Sept.13, 2024, in Las Vegas.
Associated Press
Maná removes song with Nicky Jam in protest of his support for Trump
By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer Movie origin stories finally reach their nadir this week with “Transformers One,” the super-violent, toy-selling vehicle that tells the tale of how Optimus Prime and Megatron went from besties to foes. Did anyone ask for this? Did Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner ask for too much money? The computer-animated “Transformers One” is out of time, a throwback to a few years ago when Hollywood mined popular IP for forgotten heroes, built overly complex worlds and then ramped up the action so that the audience just got numbed to a blur of battles. But “Transformers One” isn’t good enough to watch on a plane, even a trans-Pacific flight. The inflight map is better. A map isn’t a bad idea, actually: You may need some sort of guide for this one those uninitiated to the folklore of Cybertron are flung helplessly into references to Energon, Alpha Trion, Quintessons and something called the Matrix of Leadership. You come in halfway into a conversation. The story by Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari is basically the Bible’s Cain and Abel with a detour into the Roman Empire and the Has
bro figurines’ accumulated mythology, which seems to be a series of never-ending epic battles between good and evil. Some stuff just seems downright weird, like why these robots need a gym or why after running they become breathless. The main heroes here are buddies Orion Pax and D-16 who will become mortal enemies Optimus Prime and Megatron by the end and we meet them when they are lowly miners, basically nontransforming bots digging for reserves of the energy cleverly called Energon. This is a society in which the upper class is made up of Transformers who stomp
around preening while the lower classes do dirty jobs like comb through garbage. They all serve Sentinel Prime, the leader of the subterranean Iacon City, who is not what he seems. He is apparently the last of the Primes and lives in a marble palace, giving the people below spectacles as a diversion, like an epic road race. It gives off ancient Roman Coliseum vibes. Orion Pax (voiced with puppy-dog sweetness by Chris Hemsworth) is not satisfied by this life. “There’s got to be something more I can do,” he says. “Aren’t you tired of being treated like you’re nothing?” Brian Tyree Henry voices D-16 with skepticism
and resignation. The two friends join with mining manager Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson, bland) and Keegan-Michael Key’s B-127 (who will later become fan favorite Bumblebee) to journey to the surface of the planet, find the Matrix of Leadership (a sort of necklace that might have been sold in the Sharper Image catalog) and get a hero’s welcome. But they learn some unsavory things about the ruler from the Transformer elder statesman Alpha Trion (the instantly recognizable Laurence Fishburne). Director Josh Cooley, who co-wrote the screenplay for “Inside Out” and helmed
“Toy Story 4,” never lets the action stop and that’s not a compliment. The camera is constantly swiveling and the violence assault-weapon lasers, booming cannons, light torture, martial arts crunching moves, beating a rival with their own amputated limb and ceaseless pounding is nauseating. (“Please stop punching me in the face” is a joke line here.) If Transformers ever bled, this would be an R-rated movie. The hyper-violence papers over some pretty robotic — sorry! — dialogue. Why do all these movies show the Transformers with cool upgrades like laser knives but they remain speaking in stilted, operatic prose? “I want him to suffer and die in darkness,” “They are to be your undoing” and “Cybertron’s future is in your hands.” There are some good moments, of course. When our band of misfit bots get an upgrade to Transformer status, they cutely don’t know how to do it seamlessly at first, with limbs awkwardly getting mixed with vehicle parts. Anyone who has played with the toys knows the feeling. And Key never fails to generate a chuckle, proving a masterful comedic voice actor. q
This image released by Paramount Pictures shows characters, from left, D-16/Megatron, voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, Elita-1, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, Orion Pax/Optimus Prime, voiced by Chris Hemsworth, and B-127, voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, in a scene from “Transformers One.” Associated Press
‘Transformers One,’ an origin story no one wants with brutality levels no one needs
SPORTS A15 Wednesday 18 september 2024
By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Emmanuel Clase is breaking bats and records at an almost equal rate. He’s become baseball’s grim reaper, the cream of the closer crop. Cleveland’s right-hander with a devilish cut fastball not seen since Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera’s dominant days with the New York Yankees is having a season to remember. Maybe one that includes winning the Cy Young, a rarity for relievers. On Monday night, Clase earned his MLB-leading 46th save his 33rd straight since May 20 to tie José Mesa’s single-season team record as the Guardians inched closer to an unexpected AL Central title by rallying for a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins. The game followed a familiar script: another Cleveland comeback (the club’s 40th), followed by Clase. Progressive Field may be the only place in the majors where if the bullpen door in right field swings open in the ninth inning, it’s game over. It’s been that way was all
season. Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez knows the drill. Once he hears Clase’s entrance song blaring through the ballpark’s sound system and sees his teammate jogging across the outfield grass with his braided, colored hair bouncing out of the back of his cap, there’s only one thing left to do. “I feel like I’m going to go home early,” Giménez
said. “Honestly, it’s been absolutely incredible this year, and in the last three years. It’s just unbelievable, saving 40 games each season. It’s crazy. It’s special.” Crazy. Special. Unfathomable. Unhittable. Clase is posting statistics that almost seem imaginary. He’s allowed just five earned runs in 69 1/3 innings, a 0.65 ERA that along with his conversion
percentage on saves (94%) has put Clase firmly in the conversation for AL Cy Young consideration. His advanced stats also separate Clase from most pitchers, and the fact that he’s done it for a Cleveland team that has led its division since early April makes the 26-year-old already the Guardians career saves leader an even stronger candidate.
But it goes beyond the numbers with Clase, who would likely be leading the majors in broken bats if the stat was kept. He wants the ball every day, craves it. Last month, after Clase pitched on four consecutive days, firstyear Guardians manager Stephen Vogt made him stay in the dugout so there would be no chance of him pitching. The AL hasn’t had a reliever win the award since Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley in 1992. Eric Gagne was the last NL reliever to win after saving 55 games in 2003. There’s been a reluctance among writers to vote for a specialist, perhaps baseball’s equivalent to a defensive player winning the Heisman Trophy in college football. But Clase has built a strong case to end the drought. Vogt certainly thinks so. “The way I look at the Cy Young is like the MVP,” Vogt said. “It’s the most valuable pitcher, and what Emmanuel means to us and to our team, 100% he should be in consideration. But that’s my opinion on it. I don’t get to vote, and I’m a little biased.”q
Cleveland Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase pitches in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Cleveland.
Associated Press
Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase breaking bats, records, making strong case to win AL Cy Young
BOSTON (AP) — Runners hoping to qualify for the 2026 Boston Marathon are going to have to pick up the pace. The Boston Athletic Association has updated its qualifying times for the world’s oldest annual marathon, asking most prospective competitors to run a 26.2mile race five minutes faster than in recent years to earn a starting number. “Every time the BAA has adjusted qualifying standards most recently in 2019 we’ve seen athletes continue to raise the bar and elevate to new levels,” Jack Fleming, president and CEO of the BAA, said in a statement posted Mon
day. “In recent years we’ve turned away athletes in this age range (18-59) at the highest rate, and the adjustment reflects both the depth of participation and speed at which athletes are running.” The BAA introduced qualifying times in 1970 and has expanded and adjusted the requirements through the decades. Runners participating in the event to raise money for charity do not have to meet the qualifying standards. The latest change means men between the ages of 18 and 34 will have to run a marathon during the qualification window in 2 hours, 55 minutes or faster to earn
a spot in the 2026 race five minutes faster than for this year’s edition. Women and nonbinary applicants need to complete the distance in 3:25. The slowest competitors that can earn qualification are in the 80 and over age group. The men in that category must complete a marathon in 4:50, while women and nonbinary competitors have 5:20 to finish. Those numbers were not changed in the most recent adjustment. The BAA said it had 36,406 qualifier entry applications for next year’s race, more than ever before. “The record number of applicants indicates the
growing trend of our sport and shows that athletes are continuously getting faster and faster,” Fleming said. The qualifying window for
the 2026 race began on Sept. 1 and will run through the conclusion of the registration period of that race next September.q
A wave of runners start the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Hopkinton, Mass.
Associated Press
Boston Marathon lowers qualifying times for most prospective runners for 2026 race
SPORTS Wednesday 18 september 2024 A16
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — American gymnast Jordan Chiles is asking Swit
zerland’s Supreme Court to overturn a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for
Sport that stripped Chiles of a bronze medal in floor exercise at the 2024 Olympics. Chiles, with the support of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and USA Gymnastics, filed the appeal on Monday, a little over a month after CAS voided an onfloor appeal by Chiles’ coach Cecile Landi during the event finals on Aug. 5 that vaulted Chiles from fifth to third. CAS, following a hearing requested by Romanian officials, ruled Landi’s appeal came 4 seconds beyond the 1-minute time limit for scoring inquiries and recommended the initial finishing order be restored. The
International Gymnastics Federation complied and the International Olympic Committee ended up awarding bronze to Romanian Ana Barbosu on Aug. 16. Chiles’ appeal maintains that the CAS hearing violated her “right to be heard” by refusing to allow video evidence that Chiles and USA Gymnastics believe showed Landi appealed within the 1-minute time allotment. Chiles’ appeal also argues that Hamid G. Gharavi, president of the CAS panel, has a conflict of interest due to past legal ties to Romania. USA Gymnastics wrote in a statement Monday night
that it made a “collective, strategic decision to have Jordan lead the initial filing. USAG is closely coordinating with Jordan and her legal team and will make supportive filings with the court in the continued pursuit of justice for Jordan.” The appeal is the next step in what could be a monthsor years-long legal battle over the gymnastics scores. Chiles was last among the eight women to compete during the floor exercise finals initially given a score of 13.666 that placed her fifth, right behind Barbosu and fellow Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea. Landi called for an inquiry on Chiles’ score.q
Jordan Chiles, of the United States, holds up her medals after the women’s artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France.
Associated Press
American gymnast Jordan Chiles takes bid to have Olympic bronze restored to the Swiss Supreme Court
By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins placed Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after the quarterback was diagnosed with his third concussion in two years, the team announced Tuesday. Tagovailoa will be sidelined for at least four games with the designation. He will be eligible to return in Week 8 when the Dolphins host Arizona, but has to successfully complete a series of tests and assessments required by the NFL’s concussion protocol before he can return to the field. Tagovailoa was hurt in the third quarter of a Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills on a play where he collided with Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin. He ran for a first down and then initiated the contact by lowering his shoulder into Hamlin instead of sliding.
Players from both teams immediately motioned that Tagovailoa was hurt, and as he lay on the turf the quarterback exhibited some signs typically associated with a traumatic brain
injury. He remained down on the field for a couple of minutes, got to his feet and walked to the sideline. The Dolphins diagnosed him with a concussion just a few minutes later.
Coach Mike McDaniel has since cautioned against speculation on the quarterback’s football future, stressing that he’s more focused on Tagovailoa getting healthy than what this latest concussion means for the team or for his long-term career. Tagovailoa this week began the process of consulting neurologists about his health amid reports that he has no plans to retire. Others around the NFL have offered their opinions on Tagovailoa’s future, including Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, who suggested he should retire. “As far as Tua’s career is concerned, I think it’s an utmost priority of mine for Tua to speak on Tua’s career,” McDaniel said Monday. “Reports are reports. As far as I’m concerned, I’m just worried about the human being and where that’s at day to day. I’ll let Tua be the champion of his own career.”
McDaniel said Tagovailoa was at the team’s practice facility on Monday smiling with his teammates and working with trainers. “He’s doing good, man. Talked to him, he’s in good spirits,” Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle said Monday. “(He’s) got the team in good spirits and everybody praying for him and hoping (for his) health.” Head injuries have become an all-too-familiar, all-tooscary occurrence throughout Tagovailoa’s career. In a September 2022 game against Buffalo, he took a hit from linebacker Matt Milano, which caused him to slam to the ground. He appeared disoriented afterward and stumbled as he tried to get to his feet. He was cleared to return to that game and later said it was a back injury that caused the stumble. He was not diagnosed with a concussion. q
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) is assisted after an injury in the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Miami Gardens, Fla., Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. Associated Press
Dolphins place Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after latest concussion