Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 19 June 2018

Senate backs bill blocking deal with Chinese telecom firm

By MATTHEW DALY Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, Commerce said.
Associated Press the Senate's No. 2 Repub- The decision amounted to
WASHINGTON (AP) — The lican, said passage of the a death sentence for ZTE,
Senate on Monday ap- annual defense authoriza- which relies on U.S. parts.
proved a defense policy tion bill "is how we make The company quickly an-
bill that includes a pay raise sure that all of the men nounced that it was halting
for the military and would and women in uniform are operations. The ban also
block a White House plan paid, that our alliances hurt American companies
to allow Chinese telecom are strengthened and that that supply ZTE.
giant ZTE Corp. to buy com- military facilities are prop- But earlier this month, the
ponent parts from the U.S. erly modernized and main- U.S. and China reached a
The Chinese company is tained." deal that allows ZTE to stay
accused of violating trade The Commerce Depart- in business in exchange for
laws by selling sensitive ment barred ZTE in April paying an additional $1 bil-
technologies to North Ko- from importing American lion in fines and agreeing to
rea and Iran. The Trump In this May 8, 2018, file photo, a woman passes by a ZTE building components for seven let U.S. regulators monitor its
administration announced in Beijing, China. years after concluding that operations.
a deal with ZTE earlier this Associated Press the company deceived The fine comes on top of
month, but Senate leaders U.S. regulators after settling $892 million ZTE has already
have sought to reverse it by House, which approved largest in nine years — and charges last year of sanc- paid for breaking U.S. sanc-
tucking a provision into the the measure last month address shortfalls in military tions violations. Instead of tions by selling equipment
must-pass defense pack- without the ZTE provision. readiness such as pilot train- disciplining all employees to North Korea and Iran.
age. The $717 billion measure ing, maintenance of equip- involved, ZTE had paid Lawmakers from both par-
The Senate approved the would give troops a 2.6 ment and procurement of some of them full bonus- ties have criticized the
bill, 85-10, sending it to the percent pay hike — the new weapons systems. es and then lied about it, deal. q

Rendell, ex-Pennsylvania governor, says he has Parkinson's

By MARC LEVY the progression of the smashed the state's
Associated Press symptoms and that he campaign fundraising
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — continues to keep a busy records and went from the
Former Pennsylvania Gov. schedule, including working rough-and-tumble world
Ed Rendell said Monday out six days a week. of Philadelphia politics to
that he was diagnosed 3½ "It turns out I wasn't the relatively stuffy state
years ago with Parkinson's indestructible, none of us Capitol.
disease, but said he are," Rendell said. "But I can He was also the
believes that treatment has be helped. All of us can Democratic National
stopped the progression be." Committee chairman
of the disease and he has Rendell said he did not during the 2000 presidential
maintained his quality of want to reveal his condition election and a two-term
life. before he was certain Philadelphia mayor who
The 74-year-old Rendell whether treatment at the garnered the nickname
made the announcement hospital was helping him. "America's mayor" after
at Pennsylvania Hospital in "The good news is I can getting a reputation as a
Philadelphia with officials say without any fear of Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell speaks at Pennsylvania cheerleader for the city
and doctors from the contradiction at least in my Hospital in Philadelphia on Monday June 18, 2018. Rendell said who would stop at nothing
he was diagnosed three-and-a-half years ago with Parkinson's
University of Pennsylvania own mind that my disease disease. to promote it.
as part of a public service has stabilized — progression Associated Press Dr. Matthew Stern, a
message to urge people has in many ways stopped," University of Pennsylvania
who suspect they have Rendell said. "Some of in a sort of battle mode Rendell, a Democrat, was Health System neurologist,
symptoms to get diagnosed the symptoms that I was than depressed" and that Pennsylvania's two-term said the hospital is at a
and get treatment early. undergoing are better now his quality of life hasn't governor from 2003 through point where they can
Rendell said treatment than they were 3½ years changed, in terms of the 2010. The outgoing former "significantly reduce"
at the hospital, including ago." things he enjoys, what he Philadelphia mayor with the effects of Parkinson's
medication, has stopped Now, he said, he is "more eats and where he goes. a larger-than-life persona disease.q