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Diamars 8 December 2020

US senator seeks update on contractor taken in Afghanistan

erichs, who is one of Duck- way to secure his return,” linois, went missing in late
worth’s constituents, was Duckworth wrote in the let- January and is believed to
discussed during those meet- ter, which was also sent to the have been taken by members
ings. White House. of the Haqqani network, a
But in the letter to Pompeo, The State Department reject- militant group aligned with
which was being made pub- ed any suggestion that Fre- the Taliban in Afghanistan
lic on Monday, Duckworth richs was not a priority, saying and designated as a foreign
complained that the family that “Khalilzad consistently terrorist organization by the
has not had any recent, direct raises Frerichs’s case during Obama administration in
communication from U.S. his foreign travel, including 2012.
peace envoy Zalmay Khalil- on his current trip.” It also Frerichs’ sister, Charlene
zad. She requested a call with said that Roger Carstens, the Cakora, said in a statement
Khalilzad before Dec. 23 to special presidential envoy to The Associated Press on
“discuss the latest develop- for hostage affairs inside the Monday that “this war is end-
ments in Mr. Frerichs’ case State Department, is in con- ing and everyone deserves to
(AP) — A Democratic sen- and how his release is being tact with Frerichs’s family. come home.”
ator is calling on the State The letter from Sen. Tammy factored into negotiations.” Representatives for Khalilzad “President Trump empow-
Department to prioritize Duckworth of Illinois comes “Especially now, as the Ad- did not have any immediate ered Amb. Khalilzad to nego-
the return of Mark Fr- weeks after Secretary of State ministration pushes forward comment on Monday. tiate with the Taliban about
erichs, an American con- Mike Pompeo held what are on an accelerated withdrawal In a series of tweets from Afghanistan,” she said. “That
tractor believed to have likely his last meetings with of troops from Afghanistan his official account last May, means he is the person with
been taken by a Taliban- the Taliban and Afghan gov- without public mention of Khalilzad said he had pressed the best chance to get Mark
linked militant network ernment negotiators trying to Mr. Frerichs’ continued cap- Taliban leaders to secure the home safely. We can only
in Afghanistan earlier this hammer out a peace deal. It tivity, his family is question- release of Frerichs. The Navy hope that he makes Mark a
year. is unclear to what extent Fr- ing what efforts are under- veteran from Lombard, Il- priority.”

Students return to NYC schools once more after virus closure

(AP) — It’s back to school again for thou- The Democrat had greeted children returning to a
sands of New York City schoolchildren who Bronx elementary school, where “even with a mask
returned to classrooms Monday after a rough- on, you could see the smiles” on their faces, he said.
ly two-week shutdown spurred by the city’s De Blasio announced Nov. 18 that public school
rising coronavirus caseload. buildings would close because the city had crossed
a threshold set earlier of 3% of all the coronavirus
Public school doors reopened for preschool stu- tests performed over a seven-day period coming
dents and children in kindergarten through fifth back positive.
grade whose parents chose a mix of in-school and The rate of positive tests is now around 5%, ac-
remote learning. cording to the city’s figures, but de Blasio has said
Miriam Petrovitch was among staffers welcoming it’s safe to reopen schools with beefed-up testing
children back at an elementary school on Manhat- protocols — in part because few infections have
tan’s Lower East Side. been linked to transmission inside schools.
“We miss them dearly,” Petrovitch, who works as Since the beginning of the school year in mid-Sep- school buildings starting Monday.
a parent coordinator, told reporters at a United tember, more than 1,740 students and 2,240 staff After closing schools in March, New York City was
Federation of Teachers union news conference. in the public school system have gotten the virus, one of the first large U.S. cities to reopen school
“There’s no school without children.” according to city statistics. Overall, the city counts buildings this fall, but the majority of parents chose
Special education students in all grades who have about 1 million public school students; most have online-only learning for their children.
particularly complex needs will be welcomed back opted to learn from home this fall. Children whose parents chose the hybrid model
starting Thursday. Middle and high school will De Blasio announced on Nov. 29 that school build- were previously inside physical classrooms from
remain all remote at least until after the holiday ings serving younger children and special-needs one to three days a week, but Schools Chancellor
break. students would reopen with coronavirus testing Richard Carranza said students in over 150 schools
“This is a good day for New York City, even against increased from monthly to weekly. Masks and so- would have in-person classes Mondays through
a tough backdrop,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Mon- cial distancing are required at all city schools. Fridays as of this week, with more schools doing
day at a virtual news conference from City Hall. About 190,000 students were eligible to return to likewise in the weeks to come.

Trump honors legendary Iowa wrestler Gable at White House

(AP) — President Don- he sought to win over Iowa that he won the election, say-
ald Trump presented the voters. The ceremony on ing at one point: “I’m 2-0 and
nation’s highest civilian Monday at the White House that’s pretty good, too. But
honor to Dan Gable, a fulfills that commitment. we’ll see how that turns out.”
renowned wrestler and Gable is one of several sports The Presidential Medal of
coach from Iowa who won figures to be presented the Freedom is awarded to peo-
a gold medal at the 1972 award during Trump’s time ple who have made excep-
Summer Olympics. in office. Gable was a cham- tional contributions to the
pion wrestler at Iowa State security or national interests
“He’s the greatest wrestler, University, compiling a 117- of America, to its culture or
probably ever,” Trump said. 1 record and winning two to other significant endeav-
“He’s made our country NCAA titles. During his ors.
very proud and he’s a true six matches at the Munich
GOAT.” Olympics, he went unscored Last week, Trump presented
Trump used an October upon. the medal to college football
campaign rally to announce Gable would go on to an in- Hall of Famer and political
the selection of Gable for the credibly successful coaching ally Lou Holtz, whose 34-
Presidential Medal of Free- career at the University of “No one has done more to said. year coaching career included
dom, bringing him on stage Iowa, where his teams won promote wrestling in Amer- Trump also used the ceremo- the 1988 national title at the
to the delight of the crowd as 15 NCAA titles. ica than Dan Gable,” Trump ny to push his false narrative University of Notre Dame.