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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 20 January 2018

Women will march again with aim to become a political force

By MICHELLE L. PRICE said women make up half
ANITA SNOW of the state’s congressional
Associated Press delegation, including Dem-
A year after more than 1 ocrat Catherine Cortez
million people rallied at Masto, who became the
women’s marches world- first Latina in the U.S. Sen-
wide with a message of ate in 2016. Nevada also
female empowerment and has one of the highest per-
protest against President centages of female state
Donald Trump, activists will lawmakers in the country,
return to the streets this and women are mayors of
weekend in hopes of con- its three largest cities.
verting anger and enthusi- Organizers say Nevada is
asm into political force. also a microcosm of larger
The 2017 rally in Washing- national issues like immigra-
ton, D.C., and hundreds tion, as well as the debate
of similar marches cre- over gun control after the
ated solidarity for those deadliest mass shooting in
denouncing Trump’s views modern history.
on abortion, immigration, Following the October mas-
LGBT rights and more. Since sacre, the rally will be held
then, a wave of women at the University of Nevada,
decided to run for elected Las Vegas’ stadium 10 miles
office and the #MeToo (16 kilometers) southeast of
movement against sexual Jeri Burton makes a sign in preparation for a rally in Las Vegas. A year after more than 1 million the famous Strip where a
people rallied at women’s marches around the world with a message of female empowerment
misconduct became a cul- and protest of President Donald Trump, organizers will mark the anniversary with more than a gunman opened fire onto
tural phenomenon. hundred marches around the world and a rally in Las Vegas aiming to channel the activism to a concert, killing 58 people.
“We made a lot of noise,” register voters and swing elections for progressives this year. Authorities have kept de-
said Elaine Wynn, an or- (AP Photo/John Locher) tails confidential about
ganizer. “But now how do and Nairobi, Kenya, a rally Las Vegas was targeted for good chance of winning security at the 40,000-seat
we translate that noise into Sunday in Las Vegas will a major rally because it’s a the seat held by embat- stadium. Minnie Wood, a
something concrete or ful- launch an effort to register strategic swing state that tled Republican Sen. Dean nurse practitioner who par-
filling?” 1 million voters and target gave Hillary Clinton a nar- Heller and weakening the ticipated in the 2017 gath-
Along with hundreds of swing states in the midterm row win in the presidential GOP’s hold on the cham- ering in Las Vegas, said she
gatherings Saturday and elections. election and will have one ber. Wynn, president of the was left with a sense of soli-
Sunday across the U.S. and Linda Sarsour, one of the of the most competitive Nevada State Board of Ed- darity and “this feeling of
in places such as Beijing, four organizers of last year’s Senate races in 2018. Dem- ucation and former wife of almost a quickening, this
Buenos Aires, Argentina, Washington march, said ocrats believe they have a casino mogul Steve Wynn, resistance brewing.”q

Official: US offshore drilling plan isn’t final

Paradise in the Caribbean By MATTHEW DALY to offshore drilling. Zinke’s of playing politics by grant-
Associated Press Jan. 9 statement about ing the Republican gov-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Florida “stands on its own,” ernor’s request to exempt
Trump administration’s said Walter Cruickshank, Florida while ignoring near-
promise to exempt Florida the acting director of the ly a dozen other states that
from an offshore drilling Bureau of Ocean Energy made similar requests.
plan is not a formal action, Management, but there’s Florida Sen. Bill Nelson
an Interior Department of- been no formal decision on called Cruickshank’s com-
ficial said Friday in a state- the five-year drilling plan. ments “stunning” and said
ment that Democrats said Zinke’s announcement they confirm what he and
contradicted a high-profile about keeping Florida off other Democrats had
announcement by Interior the table, made during a suspected — that Zinke’s
Secretary Ryan Zinke. Tallahassee news confer- statement was “nothing
Zinke has proposed open- ence with Florida Gov. Rick more than a political stunt”
ing nearly all U.S. coast- Scott, will be part of the to help Scott run for Nel-
line to offshore oil and gas department’s analysis as son’s Senate seat.
drilling, but said soon after it completes the five-year Scott is a friend and ally of
announcing the plan that plan, Cruickshank said. President Donald Trump,
SALES OFFICE +297 2801005 info@leventaruba.com he will keep Florida “off Democrats seized on the and Trump has urged him
MOBILE +297 5927275 www.leventaruba.com the table” when it comes comment to accuse Zinke to run for the Senate.q