Page 3 - aruba-today-20220720

A3
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 20 July 2022
Biden order aims to punish captors of Americans held abroad

By ERIC TUCKER It also comes as the ongo- American's release — Rus-
Associated Press ing detention in Russia of sia's invasion of Ukraine, for
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- WNBA star Brittney Griner instance, has proceeded
dent Joe Biden signed an has brought increased at- despite a wave of eco-
executive order Tuesday tention to the population of nomic sanctions from West-
aimed at increasing the Americans who are jailed ern allies — such punish-
flow of information to fami- abroad and designated ment is expected to be
lies of Americans detained by the U.S. as wrongfully used judiciously, according
abroad and at imposing detained. to one official who briefed
sanctions on the criminals, The action relies on a sec- reporters on the condition
terrorists or government of- tion of the Robert Levinson of anonymity under ground
ficials who hold them cap- Hostage Recovery and rules set by the administra-
tive. Hostage-Taking Account- tion.
It is unclear if the new order ability Act — named after Another element of the
will result in bringing home a retired FBI agent who order will direct federal
more Americans jailed in vanished in Iran 15 years agencies to do better at President Joe Biden speaks on the South Lawn of the White
foreign countries, but se- ago and is now presumed sharing information and in- House, July 11, 2022, in Washington.
nior Biden administration dead — that authorizes telligence with families of Associated Press
officials who previewed the president to impose detainees about the latest to warn travelers about and kidnapping. Officials
the action to reporters said sanctions, including visa status of their case and ef- nations where there's be- said the new risk indicator,
they regard it as an impor- revocations, on people forts to get their loved one lieved to be an elevated marked as "D" for deten-
tant way to raise the cost believed to be involved in home. risk of detention. tion, will be applied at least
of hostage-taking and to the wrongful detention of In addition, the State De- The department already initially to the following
punish captors. Americans. partment is adding a new uses foreign travel risk in- countries: Burma, China,
The executive order is be- In this case, officials said, risk indicator to its country- dicators for categories Iran, North Korea, Russia
ing announced as the ad- that could apply to gov- specific travel advisories including crime, health and Venezuela.q
ministration faces criticism ernment officials or to
from some families over a criminals or terrorists unaf-
perceived lack of creativity filiated with a government.
and aggressiveness in get- Since sanctions may not al-
ting their loved ones home. ways help facilitate a jailed

Hoover Dam transformer

explodes; no one hurt

By KEN RITTER sion and then heard a "big
Associated Press boom."
BOULDER CITY, Nev. (AP) "A ton of black smoke
— A transformer exploded just exploded in the air. It
Tuesday at Hoover Dam, looked almost like a mush-
producing a cloud of thick, room and then a fire fol-
black smoke and flames lowed," said Herro, who
that were quickly extin- posted cellphone video of
guished. No one was hurt it on TikTok. "I was really sur-
and electricity continued prised and I started filming."
to flow from one of the na- The postings showed the
tion's largest hydroelectric explosion occurred at a
facilities, authorities said. building slightly down-
"There is no risk to the pow- stream from the base of
er grid," according to Jack- the dam. The complex is
lynn L. Gould, the federal in the Black Canyon of the
Bureau of Reclamation's Colorado River.
regional director for the The cause of the fire is un-
Lower Colorado Region. der investigation and it's
The fire ignited around 10 not clear how extensive
a.m. and was out within a the damage was to the
half-hour, she said. transformer.
Hoover Dam, located on According to the Bureau
the Nevada-Arizona bor- of Reclamation, the dam
der about 25 miles (40 ki- is the second-tallest in the
lometers) southeast of Las U.S. at 726 feet (221 me-
Vegas, is a popular tourist ters). Each of its 17 genera-
destination and some of tors can supply electricity
the visitors captured the to 100,000 households.
scene on video and quickly As many as 20,000 ve-
shared it on social media. hicles a day drive across
William Herro, 13, of San the wide top of the dam,
Francisco, was on a view- which is a National Historic
ing bridge with his parents Landmark.q
when he saw the explo-