Page 5 - aruba-today-20200111

A5
U.S. NEWS Saturday 11 January 2020
Virginia lawmakers ban guns at state Capitol

By ALAN SUDERMAN and Democrats initially indicat- Republicans said visitors to
SARAH RANKIN ed that the new ban had the Capitol and lawmakers
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — been recommended by should be able to choose
Virginia lawmakers voted law enforcement. to protect themselves as
Friday to ban firearms at "I just have to say that this is they see fit. Some GOP
the state Capitol, the first something that's been rec- lawmakers routinely carry
in what's expected to be ommended by our Capitol guns while at the legisla-
many contentious gun Police. And I think there ture. One of them, Repub-
votes in coming weeks. are times when we sort of lican Sen. Amanda Chase,
Newly empowered Dem- have to trust what our law would not say whether she
ocrats who made up a enforcement officers are would comply with the new
majority of a special rules telling us," House Majority rules.
committee voted to ban Leader Charniele Herring Virginia's Constitution
guns at the Capitol and a said. blocks lawmakers from be-
legislative office building But Capitol Police Col. An- ing arrested during legis-
despite bitter protests from thony Pike said after the lative sessions except for
Republicans, saying the vote that he made no rec- egregious crimes, and Pike Del. Marcus Simon, D-Farifax, left, explains the new policy con-
cerning guns at the Capitol during a joint session of the House
move was needed to pro- ommendations on whether said Capitol Police will not and Senate Rules Committees at the Virginia State Capitol in
tect public safety. guns should be banned, arrest any lawmakers who Richmond, Va., Friday, Jan. 10, 2020.
"Our focus here is to keep only on how to implement violate the gun ban. Associated Press
everybody safe," said the ban Democrats want- Previously, anyone with
House Speaker Eileen Filler- ed. The new policy will re- a valid concealed hand- tally discharged in his of- part of a larger fight over
Corn. "These are policies quire that everyone enter- gun permit was allowed to fice and was stopped by guns that's set to dominate
and rules that should have ing the Capitol, except bring a gun into the Capi- a bulletproof vest hanging this year's legislative session.
passed a long, long time for lawmakers, must go tol. Weapons were banned on the door. And in 2017, With a full majority at the
ago." through a metal detector. in certain parts of the build- a Republican state senator state house for the first time
Public officials have ex- GOP lawmakers accused ing, which was designed by left his gun behind in a con- in a generation, Democrats
pressed concerns about Democrats of rushing President Thomas Jefferson, ference room. have promised significant
planned Jan. 20 rallies that through an unnecessary including the Senate gal- Virginia Gov. Ralph new gun restrictions, includ-
are set to draw huge crowds policy and then trying to lery and the governor's of- Northam has banned guns ing universal background
of pro-gun and gun-control lay it at the feet of Capitol fice on the third floor. from other state buildings, checks, a ban on assault
advocates. Gun advo- Police. One Democratic commit- continuing a policy started weapons and a red flag
cates from around Virginia "That was a deliberate mis- tee member cited two past by his predecessor, former law that would allow au-
and even out of state have representation," said GOP incidents in arguing for the Gov. Terry McAuliffe, in thorities to temporarily take
pledged to turn out in force Del. Kirk Cox. "There's just no new ban. 2015. guns away from anyone
to highlight their resistance way around that." In 2006, a Republican del- The debate on whether to deemed to be dangerous
to proposed gun-control The new policy takes effect egate's handgun acciden- ban guns in the Capitol is to themselves or others.q
measures. at the end of Friday.

Christmas ransomware

attack hit New

York airport servers

COLONIE, N.Y. (AP) — An was accessed, airport offi-
upstate New York airport cials said, nor did it affect
and its computer man- operations at Albany Inter-
agement provider were national Airport, which the
attacked by ransomware authority oversees, or Trans-
over Christmas, officials portation Security Adminis-
said. tration or airline computers.
Officials at the Albany The airport authority's in-
County Airport Authority surance carrier authorized
announced Thursday that payment of the bitcoin
the attack came to light ransom, which officials
after Schenectady-based would say only was "under
LogicalNet reported its own six figures," the Times Union
management services net- reported. It was paid Dec.
work had been breached. 30, and two hours later
From there, the virus spread an encryption key was re-
to the authority's servers ceived, allowing the airport
and backup servers, en- authority to restore its data.
crypting files. The contract with Logical-
The attack, which was dis- Net, which the authority
covered Christmas Day, has since terminated, in-
encrypted administrative cluded providing security
files like budget spread- for the airport's system, air-
sheets, but no personal port authority CEO Philip
or financial traveler data Calderone said.q