Category Archives: Freedom

NOTE: The following story originally appeared in the March 13, 2016 edition.

For the fifth time overall and first time at the 3A classification, Freedom is the NCHSAA state champion of girls basketball.

The program won the 1989, 1994, 1995 and 2002 titles in 4A.

And while it's not fair to compare any of the previous teams' runs to this one or to one another, Saturday's finals win in 53-50 fashion over No. 12 Northern Guilford (25-8) at UNC's Carmichael Arena capped a postseason run and really, a season-long run of more sheer Lady Patriots' dominance that ever before witnessed.

No. 1 Freedom (32-0) had an average margin of victory of 30.7 points in six playoff games and nearly 36 points for the season. They won every game except two by more than 16 points, were ranked atop the polls all season and won 17 games by mercy rule (40 points or more).

This year's group of Lady Patriots broke the '94 team's average playoff margin of victory record (26.4 in five games).

And they broke the will of anyone who stood in the way, becoming Freedom's eighth state champion in the sport but first to ever complete an undefeated season.

It was total superiority.

The way the game started, with Freedom ahead 17-4 at the 1:30 mark of the first quarter on junior Ariyana Williams' crossover and pull-up for her first points, it seemed the Pats may be headed for another rout.

The Nighthawks, led by 6-foot-3 sophomore Elissa Cunane, ensured it would be anything but.

"It wasn't our prettiest game, but a lot of that is a testament to Cunane," said FHS coach Amber Reddick, who has now claimed state titles as a player, assistant coach and head coach with the program.

Lady Patriots coach Amber Reddick finishes the job cutting down the nets at the team's pep rally in March 2016.

"They're a tough team and made some runs on us. I was impressed with us gutting it out at the end the way we had to. I thought our posts did a good job on her, and our guards did a good job pressuring the ball. It just came down to putting the ball in (Ariyana's) hands and letting her make free throws ... just believing in each other and making plays."

Cunane finished with game highs of 20 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks.

But Williams, who was named Kay Yow title game MVP, had an answer each time.

NG used a 10-2 run after their largest deficit (at 21-7) to trail just 23-17 when Williams drew contact in transition and made both free throws.

It was 43-38 Freedom after three periods when Williams grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast to increase the margin to three possessions once more.

At 48-44 after a Cunane bucket down low, Williams attacked the goal and her layup made it 50-44 with just under 4 minutes left.

And in the biggest spot of the year, up 50-48 with 51.6 seconds left, Williams made 3 of 4 free throws in 1-and-1 situations to seal the championship win.

Williams had 16 points, three rebounds and two assists in her 20th straight postseason game with double-digit points.

Freedom was just 6 of 13 at the foul line before Williams' late flurry; NG finished 17 for 21 at the stripe. Both teams shot just under 40 percent from the field, but FHS had 11 more attempts.

"It feels really good to be state champs and get our picture on the wall (at the FHS gym)," Williams said. "I know my teammates believe in me, and I believe in them."

Given the lopsided margins all year, how the team would perform in a close game "was a big question mark coming in," Reddick admitted.

"But down the stretch, the last 4 minutes, we really took care of the basketball."

The Freedom press rattled NG early, forcing eight turnovers in the opening six-plus minutes. But foul trouble to every post player, Amy Rhoney, Taylor Gardin and Charmee Miller, forced FHS into the halfcourt setting for most of the last three periods. FHS forced just six turnovers spanning the final three periods.

"We did let that take us out of our rhythm and the way we normally play," Reddick said.

NG coach Kim Furlough credited her team's slow start to nerves.

"Being on a big stage, as young as we are," she said, "but I was super proud of our comeback. We didn't give up, and that's the way we've been all year. They don't quit."

Freedom senior Lindsey Adams was named her team's most outstanding performer in the game after her 16 points on 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.

"Freedom did a good job on screens," Furlough added. "And Adams is a great shooter. She showed that."

As the game ended, Rhoney found Reddick and lifted her coach off the ground as they embraced.

"We went straight to each other," Rhoney said. "She's the greatest coach I've played for, and I appreciate all she did for me."

Junior Amaryah Corpening added six points and six rebounds for Freedom, Rhoney had seven points, a team-best eight boards and two blocks and senior Madison Ervin had four points, four rebounds and four steals.

"It still hasn't really hit me that we actually won," Ervin said. "We came out with a purpose to get that big lead, and we needed it. ... Our fans were huge too."

Reddick seconded that: "Our fans, school, administration and athletic director are amazing. We had so much support coming down here. I looked up and saw that sea of red up there, and it was so special."

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STORIES OF THE DECADE: Freedom girls go perfect in 2015-16 for programs 5th title - Morganton News Herald

By: Editorial | Published: December 31, 2019 12:20:14 am A government with a strong mandate like the Modi-led NDA 2 hasnt signalled so far that it has the desire or the appetite to go down that road.

IT is a reflection of the state of the Indian banking industry today, specially state-owned banks which dominate the landscape and are marked by a virtual freeze in lending, that the countrys finance minister had to reach out to bankers to assure them that they need not fear the three dreaded Cs Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission and Comptroller and Auditor General. At a meeting with bankers over the weekend, Nirmala Sitharaman while conceding that decision-making in banks was getting impacted because of the fear of the 3Cs attempted to assuage the apprehensions, saying that the government and its investigative agencies have put in place measures to address their concerns. Notably, Sitharamans predecessor, Arun Jaitley, in early 2019, had cautioned against the overzealousness of state agencies, warning of the dangers of the banking system grinding to a halt.

The Indian Banks Association, too, had protested a while ago after senior officials of the Bank of Maharashtra were arrested by the state police and following several cases dating back a decade or more being filed by agencies. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has blamed what he termed as the malafide unless proven otherwise doctrine of governance of the NDA Government for the breakdown of trust between institutions and the government. Bankers may tend to agree, especially when basic questions such as the definition of a bonafide decision and who should sit in judgement on loan approvals granted by banks years ago remain unclear even now. Little will be achieved through incremental moves. An enduring solution requires a significant lowering of state holding by the government in scores of banks well below the threshold of 51 per cent to free bankers from the purview of the three Cs, or privatisation.

A government with a strong mandate like the Modi-led NDA 2 hasnt signalled so far that it has the desire or the appetite to go down that road. The second best but sub-optimal solution would be to empower bankers and professional bank boards to decide on whether a decision to approve a loan was bonafide or malafide. It is a fact that the seeds of the current mess in Indian banking were sown during UPA 2 but that doesnt absolve the Modi government which was late in addressing the crisis during its first term. The perceived morality play reflected in punishing so-called rogue bankers and businessmen a political response to Rahul Gandhis suit boot sarkar jibe has already hurt banking and industry. With India set to end the fiscal with a multi-decade low in bank credit, the longer the government takes to unveil a roadmap and walk the talk to boost the confidence of bankers, the more elusive will be the economic recovery.

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Freedom from 3Cs - The Indian Express

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People have struggled to find the best way to fight poverty since the earliest societies, but the answer is obvious if we just look at history.

From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution to modern times, poverty has been eased in the most radical and rapid way whenever people are free to work in the profession of their choice, to keep the fruits of their their work, to acquire and maintain private property and to rely on legal to protect their personal and economic freedoms.

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In recent decades, this age of relatively free enterprise and world trade has led to an unprecedented reduction in poverty.

This may surprise many who have heard the story, popular in the media and some academic circles, which claims that not only the rich get rich, but the poor get poorer.

Indeed, when a survey by Hans Rosling for Gapminder asked people whether the portion of the worlds population living in extreme poverty had a) almost doubled, b) remained about the same, or c) almost divided halved in the past 20 years, only 5% of Americans correctly answered that it had been cut in half.

According to World Bank estimates, the proportion of people living in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $ 1.90 a day, has declined steadily from 36% in 1990 to 10% in 2015 (and to about 8.6% in 2018) the lowest level in recorded history.

In total, 1.1 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty in just a quarter of a century an extraordinary achievement!

In addition, 80% of those who remain in extreme poverty are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, mainly in countries characterized by war, corruption and lack of economic freedom.

These results are supported by various freedom indexes, such as Frasers annual Freedom Institute of the Economic Institute (or its index of human freedom, which includes measures of personal freedom in addition to economic freedom).

These studies consistently show an incredibly strong correlation between nations that offer greater economic and personal freedom and desirable characteristics like higher per capita income and economic growth, lower poverty levels, longer life expectancy, lower infant mortality rates, greater gender equality and generally higher levels of happiness.

So while many are focusing on the next government program that will surely be the quick fix for reducing poverty, the best solution is to simply create the conditions that allow people to prosper by eliminating government laws and regulations that exacerbate poverty by restricting economic and personal factors. freedoms.

Adam B. Summers is a researcher at the Independent Institute and a former columnist and columnist for the Orange County Register and the Southern California News Group.

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Economic freedom, not government programs, the key to poverty reduction - Orange County Register - Daily Gaming Worlld

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Soon it will be time to break out the party attire, chill a bottle (or three) of bubbly, don a pair of glittery 2020 plastic glasses, and finalize those resolutions. But with a few hours still left in 2019, we thought it apropos to take a look back at the years most-read articles at Barrons Advisor. They include simpleyet often overlookedtips for financial well-being, a previously unpublished investing manifesto by Vanguards late founder Jack Bogle, and a relatively new use for 529 plans. Enjoy.

Rules of thumb. Back in May, my colleague Karen Hube queried top financial advisors to compile a list of 10 rules for financial freedom, and the resulting article was the most popular at Barrons Advisor this year. The basic rules might seem simple, but theyre powerful, and sadly are ignored by many families, including some wealthy ones.

Bogles advice. Jack Bogle, who founded Vanguard in 1974 and died in January 2019, led a decades-long crusade against investment fees and complexity, and championed a simple yet effective way to amass wealth: a broadly diversified portfolio using low-cost index funds. He shared that recipe about a decade ago in an article he penned for a mens magazine, but the magazines top editor killed it. This year, Barrons Jack Otter, who had asked Bogle to write the piece , found it and shared it with our readers.

Power tool. The 2017 tax law has made 529 college-savings plans an increasingly popular estate planning tool. For example, grandparents can dump plenty of money into a grandchilds 529 plan without incurring federal gift taxes. In addition to helping to finance their grandchilds education, they can reduce their potential tax load.

Doomsday plan. The stock market may have logged a 2019 return worthy of a cork popping, but its hard to know when a bubble will burst, a financial crisis will explode, or a major economy will slide into a deflationary funk. Earlier this year, Barrons Reshma Kapadia surveyed strategists, fund managers, and financial advisors for their investment equivalents of canned food and bunkers for surviving a financial doomsday.

Face-off. Since President Trumps election, the U.S. economy has grown every quarter, defying some pundits 2016 predictions a Trump presidency would lead to a recession. But has the performance been better than during the Obama years? Gene Epstein, who for years was Barrons economics editor, in late May dissected the numbers. Epstein wrote, GDP gains under Trump, while encouraging, show no good evidence so far of having bettered the record of his predecessor.

Happy New Year. May 2020 bring peace and prosperity to you and yours.

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Years Best: Financial Freedom, Jack Bogle, and More - Barron's

The News Media in our Country is FAKE and in many cases, totally CORRUPT! wrote US president Donald Trump earlier this month in a tweet liked 58,000 times.

It marked the end of a bleak year for relations between the media and the US government. Under former presidents, such an accusation would have been extraordinary, sparking major controversy.

But Trumps diatribes against the media have been so regular they are now an expected, almost normalised aspect of politics under the current administration. They are widely seen to have fomented distrust and anger towards news outlets.

They have helped push the US down a global league table of press freedom, with the country only ranked 45th best in 2018 and sliding three places to 48th in 2019.

READ MORE: Daily Mail buys the i newspaper for 50m

The2019 World Press Freedom Index was compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RWB), and based on both a survey of experts and any incidents of abuses.

Britain also only ranked 33rd best in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index, making it one of the worst-ranked western European countries on the list.

Norway ranked top of the table, followed by Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark. Turkmenistan ranked at the bottom, followed by North Korea, Eritrea, China and Vietnam.

RWB said press freedom had continued to decline in Trumps second year in office.

Rhetorical attacks from the government and private individuals alike grew increasingly hostile, it said.

It highlighted a shooting at the Capital Gazette local newsroom in Maryland in June, with four journalists and another staff member killed in a targeted attack.

Other newsrooms have seen bomb threats and suspicious packages, forcing outlets to rethink staff security and at least one White House reporter to hire private guards after receiving death threats.

RWB also highlighted record-length bans from White House briefings for certain outlets, with one reporters press pass revoked.

The UK moved up seven places on the list, but RWB highlighted a heavy-handed approach towards the media particularly in the name of national security.

It criticised counter-terrorism and crime legislation, saying they offered inadequate protection for whistleblowers, journalists and their data and put source confidentiality at risk.

The arrest of two journalists and confiscation of their materials as part of a police probe into the Loughinisland massacre in Northern Ireland also concerned the RWB.

The index analyses a wide range of issues, from independence and legislation to levels of violence to pluralism in representing diverse views.

Norway

Finland

Sweden

Netherlands

Denmark

Switzerland

New Zealand

Jamaica

Belgium

Costa Rica

Turkmenistan

North Korea

Eritrea

China

Vietnam

Sudan

Syria

Djibouti

Saudi Arabia

Laos

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US and UK fail to make top of country rankings for press freedom - Yahoo News

Host Freedom dominated the Battle of Bethlehem Duals on Saturday.

The Patriots won five duals by 23 points or more to win the event.

Freedom defeated Honesdale 63-12 in the first-place match. The Patriots won their pool with wins over Southern Lehigh (59-15). St. Josephs Prep (66-6), Neshaminy (46-23) and Abington Heights (54-18).

Going 5-0 on the day for Freedom were Chris Horvath (106), Luis Vargas (120), Reinaldo Lebron (126/132), and Mike Gomes (145). Connor Huber (126/132) and Matt Bargardo (220/285) went 4-0.

Southern Lehigh finished seventh at the event and Bangor 10th.

Get Lehigh Valley Wrestling Insider text messages from wrestling beat writer Brad Wilson: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with Brad. Plus, news, tidbits, analysis and maybe some fun every day. Sign up now.

Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

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Freedom wrestling rolls to championship at Battle of Bethlehem - lehighvalleylive.com

According to a new report from the UK-based charity Article 19 (named for one of the clauses in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), freedom of expression has reached a ten-year low globally, as a result of what the report calls digital authoritarianism and threats against journalists. Governments in a number of countries have been increasing online surveillance and cracking down on content and behavior that indicates dissent, the report says. The survey notes that while there were some improvements in the overall freedom-of-expression environment around the world between 2008 and 2013, these gains were eroded in the five subsequent years. According to Article 19s analysis, more than sixty-five countries with a combined population of over five billion people have seen their freedom of expression decline over the past decade.

The report looked at what it argues are five key metrics of freedom of expression: 1) Civic space, which looks at indicators related to the ability of individuals and civil society organizations to associate and be active; 2) Digital, which measures online censorship and freedom of online discussion and covers internet shutdowns by governments, censorship of social media, and online content moderation; 3) Media, which measures factors such as government censorship and self-censorship, laws that limit online expression, etc.; 4) Protection, which measures threats to the safety of journalists and other communicators and human rights defenders, including murders and imprisonment, as well as judicial harassment; and 5) Transparency, which looks at whether laws are transparent and enforced in a predictable manner and whether there are effective oversight bodies, impartial public administration, and so on.

Legal threats to freedom of expression continue in a number of countries, the report says, from broad and ambiguous national security laws to laws that unduly limit online expression, as well as new frameworks that delegate blocking and removal to online platforms, which often do so without transparency or accountability. That last comment is clearly directed at Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, which have been under fire for some time for their poorly communicated and often haphazard attempts to block hate speech and other bad behavior. According to Article 19, media freedom and digital free expression are both lower than they were a decade ago in every region of the world except the Middle East and North Africa. Executive director Thomas Hughes said that many of the threats are not newstate violence, judicial harassment, etc.but the group has also seen an increase in governments using digital technology to surveill [sic] their citizens, restrict content and shut down communications.

ICYMI:The case of a viral video shows how quickly the press can abandon ethics

The organization said the number of alerts received by the Council of Europe about harassment and violence directed toward journalists has almost doubled every year since 2015, when the Councils alert program was launched. In 2018, ninety-nine journalists were killedtwenty-one more than in 2017. At the end of 2018, more than two hundred and fifty journalists were in prison (also up from the year before) and more than 10 percent of those were being held on false news charges. According to Article 19s analysis, the most alerts about harassment and violence came from Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and France, and more than half of the alerts cited the state as the source of the threat. The report also notes that 2018 saw a clear trend toward verbal abuse and public stigmatisation of the media and individual journalists in many member states, including by elected officials and especially in the run-up to elections.

One of the biggest factors in the decline of free expression and the free press, Article 19 says, is the rise of strongman politics in a number of countries, characterized by old leaders clinging to power and new leaders coming into power by ignoring or altering a countrys constitution, relying on networks of cronyism and corruption, and promoting a muscular form of majoritarian populism, which excludes, polarises, and silences, railing against the speed-bumps of democratic institutions and limits on the exercise of power. Sounds like a number of countries we could name.

Heres more on threats to freedom of expression:

Other notable stories:

ICYMI: A tweet about Kamala Harris that was reposted thousands of times turned out to be false

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Freedom of expression is at a ten-year low, study says - Columbia Journalism Review

What insanity possessed the Supreme Court to declare burning our flag as Freedom of Speech? By that criteria, the Methodist who objects to Baptist teachings could burn the Baptist Church! Freedom of Speech!

The teetotaler who objects to alcohol could burn the ABC store! Freedom of Speech!

Freedom of Speech as covered by the Constitution is word of mouth or written words. Words, folks! Not actions! Not violence! Words!

Can those so-called justices not comprehend the difference? Total insanity! How long before a hater claims Freedom of Speech as a defense for attacking a gay person, an immigrant or anyone else a hater targets.

Words, people. The Constitution protects a War of Words, not violence against a person, place or thing.

Alsie White

Anniston

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Freedom of Speech protects words, not actions - Anniston Star

Freedom

Coach: Dante Terenzio (2nd year at Freedom, 15-6; 12th overall, 177-89 at Western Wayne and Freedom)

Last years record: 15-6, 6-3 EPC

Classification: 3A

Division: EPC B

Catch them on Twitter? @FHSWrestlingPA

Key wrestlers and approximate weight: So. Connor Bevan (113); Jr. Matt Bogardo (220); Jr. Patrick Carrillo (160); Sr. Ian Connell (182); Jr. Ryan Frantz (285); So. Zamir Hill (285); Sr. Mikey Gomes (145); Fr. CJ Horvath (106); Jr. Thaddeus Howland (138); Sr. Connor Huber (126); So. Chris Jurado (170); So. Reinaldo Lebron (132); Sr. Max Marrero (195); Fr. Rayshawn Nicholas (170-182); So. Chris Nieves (132); Sr. Julious Rios (220); Sr. Shane Storm (152); Sr. Luis Vargas (120).

Top records from 2018-19: Vargas 32-11, Marrero 29-11 Huber 23-18, Bevan 20-12

Wrestler you dont know now, but will by February: Fr. CJ Horvath (106)

Outlook: Year One of the Terenzio era went pretty well, with an improvement in dual-meet wins but, perhaps even more importantly, a different aura around the Pates.The culture has steadily changed since last year at this time, and we will look to continue and upward trend, Terenzio said. With the work ethic weve gotten out of our guys in the offseason and now in season, I believe we can be a top five team in District 11. The kids did the right things in the offseason and will be rewarded soon. Will soon be this season? It could be, even if Freedom has a lot of less experienced or still-improving youngsters who will be counted on in key spots. It doesnt help that senior Jared Jenkins isnt out -- he won 24 matches at 182 as a junior -- so he can concentrate on his future career as a college quarterback, but the Pates may have enough depth up top so hes not dearly missed. Terenzio is excited about his underclassmen and his youth program, and he has good reasons to be, even if the latter wont help 2019-20, of course. In state qualifier Marrero, 77-win veteran Vargas and 20-win talents Bevan and Huber, Freedom has a solid core. With continued improvement from the promising if less proven part of the ladder, the Pates can reach Terenzios goals. We want a better record and better postseason finish than last year, he said. Individually, I feel we can send more wrestlers to regionals than we did last year (3). We should also push multiple wrestlers through to the state tournament, with hopes of finishing on the podium.

Wilsons Wild-Guess Prediction: Freedom always seems just one step away from a massive breakthrough season, and this year seems to fit that pattern. The Pates certainly could be the best of the EPC outside of its perennial ruling class, and could win 17-18 duals if things break right. Marrero and Vargas have state-medal quality, Horvath is one of the better freshmen around and the overall athleticism is very impressive. Terenzio has boosted turnout and convinced athletes to come back out for the sport or try it for the first time, especially up top where Freedom seems very solid. But to achieve Terenzios lofty goals, the middle of the Patriot lineup will have to get a lot stronger, and against the always-rugged EPC slate -- Bethlehem Catholic, Easton, Liberty and Parkland are all in Freedoms division -- there might not be time for patient maturing. The Pates most obvious need is for a state medalist or two. Freedom has not had one since 2016 , and ending that streak is critical to the team realizing both Terenzios goals and reaching the level overall as a program it needs to be at in such a challenging environment. Improving on 15 dual-meet wins may be a stretch, but we do see at least one Patriot on the podium in Hershey, which would make for a nice step towards that breakthrough. With enough hardware-earning Pates it would be the breakthrough.

Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

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Freedom wrestling seeking breakthrough year - lehighvalleylive.com

WASHINGTON The release of Princeton University doctoral student Xiyue Wang after more than three years of captivity in Iran was the product of months of negotiations facilitated by the Swiss government, a senior administration official said Saturday.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he hoped the release would lead to other U.S captives being freed from Iran.

Wang was released Saturday in exchange for Iranian scientist Massoud Soleimani, who had been arrested by U.S. authorities on charges that he violated sanctions against Tehran. Those charges were dropped.

Were very happy to have our hostage back," President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday, according to pool reports. "The whole Princeton University community is very thrilled. And there was a one-on-one hostage swap.

I think its a great thing for Iran," he said. "It might have been a precursor to what could be done.

The swap ended an ordeal that lasted more than three years after Wang, who had traveled to Iran to conduct academic research, instead was arrested and convicted as a spy.

He is now in Germany, where he will undergo a medical examination before returning to the U.S., the official said.

Wangs wife, Hua Qu of Princeton, had fought for years for her husbands release. They have a son, Shaofan, who has lived more than half his life without his father.

Our family is complete once again," Qu said on Saturday. "Our son Shaofan and I have waited three long years for this day and its hard to express in words how excited we are to be reunited with Xiyue. We are thankful to everyone who helped make this happen.

Trump in an earlier statement thanked the Swiss government for helping to achieve Wangs release.

The highest priority of the United States is the safety and well-being of its citizens, Trump said. Freeing Americans held captive is of vital importance to my administration, and we will continue to work hard to bring home all our citizens wrongfully held captive overseas.

Later, he tweeted: Thank you to Iran on a very fair negotiation. See, we can make a deal together!

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also thanked the Swiss.

The Trump administration worked very aggressively to get him out," said Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., who spoke with Qu on Saturday after her husbands release. It didnt just fall out of the sky. It was negotiated.

Smith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, earlier had delivered a note from Qu to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to give to Trump.

Wang was studying the Qajar dynasty, rulers from 1785-1925, and learning Farsi in order to access archival material. Though he had traveled to Iran with the governments permission, he was arrested in 2016 and then convicted of espionage and sentenced to 10 years in Evin Prison, where the regime holds political prisoners.

For more than three years Iranian authorities have let him languish and kept his family, including his wife and young son, in anguish over his well-being and eventual return, said U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Qu on Saturday spoke with Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Smith earlier delivered a letter from Qu to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to give to Trump.

This has been a horrific ordeal, Smith said.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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How the U.S. was able to win Princeton University students freedom from Iran - NJ.com