thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Turkish currency hits all-time law amid market jitters

LONDON - Turkey ’ s currency dropped to an all-time low against the dollar on Thursday as the global recession created by the pandemic brings to the fore weaknesses in the country ’ s economy .
The Turkish lira fell to 7.2775 against the dollar before recovering slightly to around 7.24 , compared with the previous record low of 7.26 in May .
The drop is in part fueled by high inflation , a wide current account deficit and the government ’ s push for cheap credit to drive the economy that was already fragile before the COVID-19 pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of foreign currency through exports and especially through tourism but numbers are still low amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Unorthodox policies including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ’ s aversion to high interest rates , coupled with concern over the level of Turkey ’ s reserves , are thought to have pushed foreign capital out .
Analysts also noted rising tensions with the European Union as a risk .
Turkey faces the threat of EU sanctions over its plans to drill for natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean and the reconversion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations .
“ If tensions with the EU continue to escalate , sharper falls lie in store , ” Jason Tuvey from Capital Economics said in a client note .
The country endured a currency crisis in August 2018 , when the lira fell to 7.24 per dollar , at a time of political tensions with the United States .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Man fractures neck in diving accident; young son saves him

PENSACOLA , Fla. - A 9-year-old Florida boy is being hailed a hero for pulling his father from the water after the man fractured his neck in a diving accident .
Young Asaih Williams said he always plays a game in his head when he ’ s diving with someone .
If the other person doesn ’ t emerge from the water in a set amount of time , then the boy goes in after him .
He ’ s never had any formal swimming or lifeguard training .
It ’ s just something he does .
It ended up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weekend .
The family of five was at Quietwater Beach on Saturday enjoying a day outdoors .
Shortly after sunset , the boy convinced his dad Josh to take one last jump from a dock into the Santa Rosa Sound , which turned out to be much more shallow than expected .
“ All I remember was that he said he broke his neck and he said he was scared , ” Asaih told the Pensacola News Journal .
His dad emerged on his stomach , unable to turn over .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the two , Asaih channeled superhuman strength , and turned his dad over to prevent him from drowning .
He then slowly , agonizingly , tugged his dad to shore until bystanders came alongside them .
Audrey Williams was further away onshore with the other children , including her 1-year-old daughter .
“ Asaih saw that daddy wasn ’ t coming up as quickly as he should have and he knew something was wrong , ” Audrey said .
“ He flipped him over , because Josh was on his stomach .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t move.
” Josh Williams was transported to the hospital with a fractured neck and underwent fusion surgery Monday .
The newspaper reported the man ’ s injuries aren ’ t expected to be life-altering and he won ’ t require a wheelchair , but he ’ s still trying to regain feeling in his arms and legs .
“ He ’ s progressing pretty fast .
He lifted his head and sat up in a chair ( Tuesday ) , ” his wife said .

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thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Mayflower II cancels scheduled stop in Rhode Island

BOSTON - The Mayflower II , a replica of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to the New World 400 years ago , has cancelled a scheduled stop in Rhode Island because of new travel restrictions required of people who visit the state .
The 64-year-old reproduction is sailing from Mystic , Connecticut to Plymouth , Massachusetts after an $ 11 million renovation project .
The Mayflower II made an unscheduled stop in New Bedford this week to shelter during Tropical Storm Isaias .
It was scheduled to visit Newport , Rhode Island on Thursday .
Massachusetts Gov .
Charlie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rhode Island or who have visited the state to quarantine for two weeks because of a rising number of coronavirus cases in the state .
“ Due to Governor Baker ’ s recent change to the restrictions on travel to states including Rhode Island , Plimoth Plantation has decided out of an abundance of caution to keep Mayflower in New Bedford ... until Saturday , August 8 when the ship will make its way to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy , ” according to a press release from Plimoth Patuxet .
It is scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--AAA: Partially automated driving systems don’t always work

DETROIT - Two tests by AAA during the past two years show that partially automated driving systems don ’ t always function properly , so the auto club is recommending that car companies limit their use .
Researchers with AAA recently tested systems from five manufacturers over a distance of 4,000 miles ( 6,400 kilometres ) , and said they encountered problems every eight miles ( 13 kilometres ) .
Most of the issues involved systems designed to keep vehicles in their lane , but the tests discovered that many had trouble spotting simulated broken-down vehicles in their path .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicles hit the broken-down car , at an average speed of 25 mph ( 40 kph ) , according to the study .
It was AAA ’ s second round of tests on the systems .
Researchers said little had changed from a test of four other vehicles in 2018 , prompting the recommendation that automakers stop including the technology on more models .
“ AAA has repeatedly found that active driving assistance systems do not perform consistently , especially in real-world scenarios , ” said Greg Brannon , AAA ’ s director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work toward more dependable technology including improving lane keeping assistance.
” Also the systems , which combine control of acceleration , braking and steering , often quit working with little notice to drivers , AAA found .
That could cause a dangerous situation if the driver isn ’ t fully engaged and has to make an emergency decision .
AAA tested five vehicles at several research centres , with drivers and instruments monitoring their performance .
Included this year were a 2019 BMW X7 SUV , a 2019 Cadillac CT6 sedan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Kia Telluride SUV and a 2020 Subaru Outback SUV .
Their systems have names like Kia ’ s “ Highway Driving Assist , ” Subaru ’ s “ EyeSight , ” Ford ’ s “ Co-Pilot 360 , ” Cadillac ’ s “ Super Cruise , ” and BMW ’ s “ Active Driving Assistant Professional.
” The results were similar to those found in 2018 testing by AAA of four other vehicles including a 2017 Tesla Model S with the company ’ s “ Autopilot ” system .
BMW , General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems aid drivers and are not meant to be fully autonomous .
Messages were left seeking comment from Ford and Kia .
Subaru said its system “ is designed to assist the driver , not replace the driver , when confronting hazards , ” while GM said it designed the Super Cruise system so it makes sure the driver stays engaged .
“ Super Cruise undergoes rigorous testing and validation , and we continue to remain confident in the system , ” GM ’ s statement said .
BMW said it appears the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in AAA ’ s testing .
“ BMW requires that the driver remain fully at attention in order to intervene in the case of an emergency situation ( such as a car stopped in the lane as simulated in the AAA study ) , ” BMW said .
AAA said most owners manuals explain that the systems have trouble spotting stationary objects .
The most recent tests show that the systems aren ’ t improving much , even as automakers move them into more mainstream models .
Brannon said that can be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they first came out generally were early adopters who know more about technology , Brannon said .
But as the systems make their way into more mainstream models , people who are less tech-savvy will be driving them , he said .
“ People are really less familiar and less likely to really engage in understanding how the systems work , ” he said .
“ That just assume they do work .
That could be a really dangerous assumption.
” Also , research has shown that people become overly reliant on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the systems don ’ t work , he said .
Also , there ’ s no standardized way for the vehicles to notify drivers that the systems are disengaging .
Some just have a green light on the dash , while the Cadillac ’ s steering wheel vibrates and a green light goes to flashing red , he said .
In real-road tests , all of the systems had trouble keeping the vehicles in their lanes , and they came too close to other vehicles and guardrails , AAA said .
Test track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Telluride , BMW X7 and Subaru Outback , found that all had trouble spotting a simulated broken-down vehicle in their lane most of the time , Brannon said .
The Cadillac system couldn ’ t be tested on the track because General Motors limits use to divided highways , while the Ford system also wouldn ’ t work on the track .
But both systems had problems on real roads , Brannon said .
He said that problems with the system could slow the adoption of fully autonomous vehicles because owners who experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Weekly poems elevate New Hampshire city’s virus newsletters

CONCORD , N.H. - Valerie Rochon is eager to read her email every Monday morning , even when it makes her cry .
In addition to the endless Zoom meeting invitations , each week brings a new poem tucked into otherwise matter-of-fact messages about the coronavirus pandemic from the Portsmouth city manager .
Tammi Truax , the city ’ s poet laureate , has been contributing to the newsletters since early April , elevating the collection of public health updates and community resources with a layer of emotion and introspection .
“ I think she ’ s absolutely brilliant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portsmouth chamber of commerce .
“ I look forward on Monday mornings to getting my week started with the wisdom and beauty that she shares.
” When she was named poet laureate last year , Truax planned multiple projects around the theme “ Poetry as a Bridge , ” including using poetry to cultivate a more meaningful relationship between the residents of Portsmouth and its sister city of Nichinan , Japan .
But after a planned trip there with high school students was scrapped in April due to the pandemic , she instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students whose graduation they were supposed to attend .
And she has been highlighting Japanese forms of poetry , such as haiku — “ Some nights are so dark/that the moon alone is sure/morning will come ” — and tanka , which she described as more personal and metaphorical — “ The bramble extends/a thorny cane offering/perfect raspberries/while everywhere else I look/an imperfect world festers .
Having long believed in the power of poetry to help people through difficult times , Truax said she gladly took on the challenge of composing poems weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her usual process .
Often she doesn ’ t write the poem until the day she submits it .
“ Sometimes things are percolating all week long , and sometimes on Saturday morning I have no idea , ” she said .
“ But we are living through extraordinary times , and every week seems to provide ample material for me to respond to.
” One poem evokes the toppling of monuments — a nod to the Black Lives Matter movement — while another describes police in Madrid delivering bouquets of tulips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 holiday weekend , she produced a “ found poem ” by extracting words from an Alexander Hamilton essay .
The following week she marked the birthday of Frida Kahlo with a poem questioning what the artist , who was bedridden for months due to illness and later injury , would make of “ those of us bemoaning isolation “ and unwilling ” to forego what we want , think we need , do desire.
” The Portsmouth public library is including the poems in a “ community diary ” documenting the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses will be read at their delayed graduation ceremony in October .
“ This really does have ripples that extend out , ” said Stephanie Seacord , Portsmouth ’ s public information officer , who compiles the newsletter and came up with the idea of asking Truax to contribute , starting April 5 .
“ I thought , maybe we can offer a moment of calm in this sea of craziness , ” Seacord said .
“ But now , to me , it has a life in that it ’ s part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s part of the archive of what we ’ re all living through.
” Rochon said she was particularly touched by Truax ’ s latest poem , “ Transitions , ” in which she grieve ’ s a fellow poet ’ s impending death , hiding her tears behind her face mask and finding solace in harvesting a zucchini from her garden and baking it into bread for the young man who fixed her car .
“ We all do that , don ’ t we ?
Whether we go into work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whatever it is , we all do that , just to be able to absorb that grief , ” Rochon said .
“ It puts you in touch with something that ’ s real , and there ’ s a lot to be said for that.
” While nonstop news about the effects of the coronavirus has become commonplace , so , too , have tales of kindness .
“ One Good Thing ” is a series of AP stories focusing on glimmers of joy and benevolence in a dark time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ //apnews.com/OneGoodThing


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Even amid pandemic, these Texas students say chance to show livestock at State Fair is hard to pass

Even amid pandemic, these Texas students say chance to show livestock at State Fair is hard to pass up

DALLAS—For Savannah Robison , the State Fair of Texas ’ s youth livestock competitions this fall will be bittersweet .
After graduating , the incoming senior at Lake Dallas High School in Corinth won ’ t be eligible for another chance to participate .
“ My last year , it ’ s something really special to me , ” the 17-year-old said .
“ I know I can always come back and visit , but this is gon na be my last time showing in the show ring .
I won ’ t get that feeling again.
” The State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s largest and longest state fair , with over 2.5 million visitors over 24 days in 2019 .
Last year , there were more than 3,500 participants in the market week shows for Texas youth , and over $ 1.3 million ( U.S. ) in scholarships and prize money were awarded on auction day alone .
But after this year ’ s Fair was cancelled for the first time since the Second World War due to the coronavirus pandemic , students are deciding whether they want to bring the animals they ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in some cases , years — to Fair Park for a select number of scaled-down competitions .
For her final shot at taking home a State Fair champion banner , Robison said she ’ s put in more money than ever before , and has been trying to save half of her income from her job at Chick-fil-A for her pigs .
Since mid-May , she ’ s spent two hours feeding , walking or bathing her three pigs every day .
“ If I couldn ’ t show them , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruined , honestly — all of that would just go to waste , ” Robison said .
“ I ’ d be really sad and aggravated.
” Organizers of the Minnesota State Fair , Eastern States Exposition and Great New York State Fair have either completely cancelled youth livestock shows or announced an intention to explore the possibility of virtual events or other alternatives .
Of the nation ’ s five largest state fairs , only the Tulsa State Fair and the State Fair of Texas currently still plan to hold in-person events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of youth market livestock shows are currently scheduled to take place from September 23 to October 2 , with some breeding shows set to happen later in October through a partnership with Waco ’ s Heart O ’ Texas Livestock Show .
Daryl Real , the State Fair ’ s senior vice president of agriculture and livestock , said a Fair Park team will remind all attendees to abide by required masks and social distancing rules .
“ We don ’ t want to be a part of the spread , ” Real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undergo daily temperature checks .
“ We want to be a part of the solution , to allow folks to get to participate in a healthy and safe way.
” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the risk of animal-to-person transmission of the coronavirus is considered low .
However , CDC guidance advises fair and agricultural show organizers to consider the potential for COVID-19 to spread from person to person , person to animal , and potentially animal to animal .
Real said social distance will be created by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , preventing barns from being filled to capacity , and scheduling competitors to come in at different times .
Those who feel sick are also encouraged to stay home and watch livestreams of the shows .
“ There ’ s a lot of unknowns , ” market steer judge Jirl Buck said , acknowledging that some students may still be weighing whether to come this year .
“ But I think they should go give it 100 per cent , and prepare their animals , and look forward to the opportunity to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Over the past decade , Buck has judged at multiple state fairs across the country , as well as other livestock shows in Texas .
He said the Lone Star State is “ extremely competitive ” compared to many other states .
Texas boasts the largest number of members by state in both the National FFA Organization and 4-H .
Participation in one of these programs is a qualification requirement for youth livestock contests at most state fairs .
“ Anytime you go to Texas , you expect high quality , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an honour , from a judge ’ s standpoint , to judge a major livestock show of that quality.
” Rylie Hardin , an incoming Lake Dallas High School senior who has competed in shows around the country , said there ’ s just a sense of pride to winning in his home state .
The 17-year-old who first stepped foot in a livestock arena at three years old has had multiple champion pigs at the State Fair , and wants to see his efforts pay off in his final year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not too worried about getting COVID-19 , and trusts that the Texas State Fair ’ s precautions will create a safe environment to compete in .
“ I worked hard for this , I want to do it , and I don ’ t think it ’ s too risky for me , ” said Hardin , who attended a socially distanced show in Iowa earlier in July .
“ I ’ m very comfortable going .
So it ’ s all a matter of preference — if you don ’ t feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I personally feel safe.
” Robison said she also isn ’ t overly concerned about COVID-19 , noting that she has masks and hand sanitizer if needed , and trusts the people who will be around her .
In Fort Worth , however , incoming Arlington Heights High School senior Addison Guymon is a little less sure about whether she ’ ll attend .
This September would be 17-year-old Guymon ’ s second time at the State Fair .
She ’ d been looking forward to showing her three heifers and competing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , but now plans to monitor the pandemic situation before committing to returning to Fair Park .
“ If cases started to spike , that would definitely scare me and my family , ” Guymon said .
“ I think that ’ s the only thing that would keep me from going , is if it just got really bad , and there was nothing we could really do but stay home to try and help it.
” Guymon said she ’ s attended two shows this season where masks weren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyway .
Even though she ’ s been upset about other show cancellations , Guymon said she understands that lives are more important than a livestock show .
But she said she ’ s glad that the State Fair is providing an opportunity to participate in her last year of eligibility .
She has until August 25 , when online entries close , to consider .
“ When it ’ s just taken away from you , it ’ s very , very heartbreaking because you had no say , ” Guymon said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I want to go or not , which makes me feel a lot better.
” Of course , all schedules remain tentative .
The shows could still be cancelled if health orders related to the pandemic are issued by local , state or federal agencies , which happened in March to Rodeo Austin and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo , two other Texas livestock majors .
If the State Fair ’ s fall events end up getting called off , Hardin said his dad is prepared to join others in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own .
According to Hardin , his parents never once asked whether he still wanted to show or not because of the pandemic .
“ They know I want to , ” he said .
“ This is what I love to do .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--European court adviser sides against German McCann suspect

BERLIN - A legal adviser to Europe ’ s top court issued an opinion Thursday that could make it easier for Germany to keep in prison a new suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann , the British toddler who vanished from a Portuguese resort 13 years ago .
In the non-binding opinion , Advocate General Michal Bobek said that the European Court of Justice should rule that German prosecutors were within their rights to try Christian Brueckner for a separate case — the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal , even though he had been extradited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another alleged crime .
Brueckner ’ s attorneys are appealing the rape conviction , arguing that since he was extradited on a warrant related to drug trafficking he should not have been tried for the rape .
Among other things , the German court said Italy had agreed for him to be tried for rape as well as part of the extradition proceedings .
McCann was 3 at the time of her 2007 disappearance from an apartment while her family vacationed in the seaside town of Praia da Luz in Portugal ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they had identified the 43-year-old German citizen as a suspect in the case and were investigating him on suspicion of murder .
They have said , however , that they do not currently have enough evidence to hold him in prison on that suspicion alone .
It was not immediately clear when the European Court of Justice would formally rule , but the Luxembourg-based tribunal tends in most cases to follow such opinions from legal advisers .
A German court would then review the official decision .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Police: Man spit at boy who refused to remove his mask

TREASURE ISLAND , Fla. - A Florida man was arrested after confronting a child wearing a mask at a restaurant and spitting in his face when the boy refused to take it off , police said .
Jason Copenhaver approached the child ’ s table Sunday and asked the boy if he was wearing a mask , according to Treasure Island police .
Authorities did not release the boy ’ s age .
Police said the 47-year-old then told the child to take it off .
He then grabbed the boy ’ s hand tightly and put his face next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boy he now had the coronavirus , according to police reports .
“ Victim stated that ( Copenhaver ) was in such close proximity that spit particles from ( Copenhaver ’ s ) mouth landed in his face , ” an officer wrote in the police report .
Restaurant workers asked Copenhaver to sit down , saying he appeared drunk and wasn ’ t wearing shoes .
The police report said he also tried to hit an employee .
News outlets reported that he was charged with simple battery and disorderly conduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 650 bail .
It was not immediately clear whether Copenhaver had an attorney who could comment on the charges .
Police said Copenhaver told them he didn ’ t know if he had coronavirus and has never been tested .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Pope on Hiroshima: Possession of nuclear weapons “immoral”

ROME - Pope Francis on Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima by calling for peace and repeating that not only the use of atomic weapons but their mere possession is immoral .
Francis sent a message to organizers of the anniversary commemoration , recalling that he had prayed at the Hiroshima peace memorial during his 2019 visit to Japan and met with bombing survivors , known as hibakusha .
“ It has never been clearer that , for peace to flourish , all people need to lay down the weapons of war , and especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : nuclear arms that can cripple and destroy whole cities , whole countries , ” Francis said in the message .
He repeated what he had said Nov. 24 at the peace memorial : “ The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral , just as the possessing of nuclear weapons is immoral.
” The Holy See was among the first countries to sign and ratify the new U.N. nuclear prohibition treaty , and Francis himself went further than any pope before him in saying in 2017 that not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atomic weapons is “ to be condemned.
” Prior to that , church teaching had held that nuclear deterrence could be morally acceptable in the interim as long as it was used toward mutual , verifiable nuclear disarmament .
Francis has modified that after seeing the deterrence doctrine has essentially resulted in a nuclear status quo , with arms control treaties collapsing .
“ May the prophetic voices of the hibakusha survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki continue to serve as a warning to us and for coming generations !
” Francis said in @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Belarus’ leader of 26 years warns against election protests

MINSK , Belarus - The authoritarian leader of Belarus warned political opponents Thursday that authorities won ’ t allow any unsanctioned demonstrations following the weekend election in which he is seeking a sixth consecutive term .
President Alexander Lukashenko , who has ruled the ex-Soviet nation with an iron hand for 26 years , is facing an upsurge in opposition protests fueled by the worsening economy and the Belarusian government ’ s botched response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Election officials barred Lukashenko ’ s two main challengers from the race , leaving a former English teacher who is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the candidate trying to unseat the president .
But Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , 37 , has managed to unite the fragmented opposition in Belarus and drawn tens of thousands to her campaign rallies .
Police have detained over 1,360 participants in opposition protests since the start of the campaign in May , according to the Viasna human rights centre in Belarus .
Looking increasingly nervous in the face of the anti-government protests , Lukashenko , 65 , met with his top security officials Thursday and warned against any attempts to stage demonstrations after Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rallies after previous elections to protest the outcome as rigged , and is expected to try to do the same if the president wins again this time .
“ God save us from setting up a fire in the centre of Minsk , ” he said at the meeting .
“ We can ’ t and will not allow that to happen.
” The Belarusian leader described the protests already held as part of a “ hybrid war ” waged by antagonists , charging that the West , Ukraine and even his country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all could be interested in destabilizing his government .
“ A hybrid war is being waged against Belarus , and we should expect nasty tricks from any side , ” Lukasenko said .
Last week , Belarusian authorities arrested 33 Russian private security contractors on charges of planning to stage “ mass riots ” in the country ahead of the presidential election .
Investigators have alleged a link between them and Tsikhanouskaya ’ s jailed husband , accusations she has dismissed .
Moscow has demanded the contractors ’ quick release , saying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connecting flight to another country .
The Kremlin has been particularly irked by Belarus touting the prospect of handing over some of the contractors to Ukraine , which wants to prosecute them on charges of fighting alongside Russia-backed separatists in the country ’ s east .
Dmitry Medvedev , deputy head of Russia ’ s Security Council , accused the Belarusian leadership of trying to cast Russia as an enemy for electoral purposes and warned Wednesday that the action would have “ sad consequences ” for bilateral ties .
“ Don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
The president on Thursday invited top prosecutors from Russia and Ukraine to visit Belarus to deal with the arrested Russian contractors .
Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Lebanon probes blast amid rising anger, calls for change

BEIRUT - Lebanese officials targeted in the investigation of the massive blast that tore through Beirut sought to shift blame for the presence of explosives at the city ’ s port , and the visiting French president warned Thursday that without serious reforms the country would “ continue to sink.
” The blast Tuesday , which appeared to have been caused by an accidental fire that ignited a stockpile of ammonium nitrate at the port , rippled across the Lebanese capital , killing at least 135 people , injuring more than 5,000 and causing widespread destruction .
The blast Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by an accidental fire that ignited a warehouse full of ammonium nitrate at the city ’ s port , rippled across the Lebanese capital , killing at least 135 people , injuring more than 5,000 and causing widespread destruction .
It also may have accelerated the country ’ s coronavirus outbreak , as thousands flooded into hospitals in the wake of the blast .
Tens of thousands have been forced to move in with relatives and friends after their homes were damaged , further raising the risks of exposure .
French President Emmanuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international aid .
But Lebanon , which was already mired in a severe economic crisis , faces a daunting challenge in rebuilding .
It ’ s unclear how much support the international community will offer the notoriously corrupt and dysfunctional government .
Macron , who viewed the devastated port and was to meet with senior Lebanese officials , said the visit is “ an opportunity to have a frank and challenging dialogue with the Lebanese political powers and institutions.
” He said France will work to co-ordinate aid but warned that “ if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to sink.
” Later , as he toured one of the hardest-hit neighbourhoods , an angry crowd vented its fury at Lebanon ’ s political leaders , chanting “ Revolution ” and “ The people want to bring down the regime , “ slogans used during mass protests last year .
Macron said he was not there to endorse the “ regime ” and vowed that French aid would not fall into the “ hands of corruption.
” Losses from the blast are estimated to be between $ 10 billion to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abboud told the Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath on Wednesday , adding that nearly 300,000 people are homeless .
The head of Lebanon ’ s customs department meanwhile confirmed in an interview with LBC TV late Wednesday that officials had sent five or six letters over the years to the judiciary asking that the ammonium nitrate be removed because of the dangers it posed .
But Badri Daher said all he could do was alert authorities to the presence of dangerous materials , saying even that was “ extra work ” for him and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority was responsible for the material , while his job was to prevent smuggling and collect duties .
The judiciary and the port authority could not immediately be reached for comment .
The government said Wednesday that an investigation was underway and that port officials have been placed under house arrest .
The investigation into the explosion is focused on how 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate , a highly explosive chemical used in fertilizers , came to be stored at the port facility for six years , and why nothing was done about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the port since it was confiscated from a ship years earlier .
Based on the timeline and the size of the cargo , that ship could be the MV Rhosus .
The ship was initially seized in Beirut in 2013 when it entered the port due to technical problems , according to lawyers involved in the case .
It came from the nation of Georgia , and had been bound for Mozambique .
The stockpile is believed to have detonated after a fire broke out nearby in what appeared to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customs official , said he did not know if there were fireworks near the site .
Another theory is that the fire began when welders were trying to repair a broken gate and a hole in the wall of Hangar 12 , where the explosive material was stored .
Local news reports say the repair work was ordered by security forces who investigated the facility and were concerned about theft .
Security officials have declined to comment while the investigation is underway .
Port officials have rejected the theory in interviews with local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work long before the fire broke out .
Anger is mounting against the various political factions , including the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group , that have ruled the country since the 1975-1990 civil war .
The country ’ s long-serving politicians are widely seen as being hopelessly corrupt and incapable of providing even basic services like electricity and trash collection .
The tiny Mediterranean country was already on the brink of collapse , with soaring unemployment and a financial crisis that has wiped out people ’ s life savings .
Hospitals were already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one was so badly damaged by the blast it had to treat patients in a nearby field .
Dr. Firas Abiad , director general of Rafik Hariri University Hospital , the public hospital leading the coronavirus fight , said he expects an increase in cases in the next 10 to 15 days linked to crowding at hospitals and blood donation centres after the blast .
Authorities had largely contained the outbreak by imposing a sweeping lockdown in March and April , but case numbers have risen in recent weeks .
A renewed lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but those plans were cancelled after the explosion .
The country has reported more than 5,400 coronavirus cases and 68 deaths since February .
“ There is no doubt that our immunity in the country is less than before the explosion and this will affect us medium- to long-term , ” Abiad said .
“ We desperately need aid , not only us but all hospitals in Lebanon.
“ The explosion was the most powerful blast ever seen in the city , which has survived decades of war and conflict .
Several city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broken glass and damaged vehicles .
Authorities have cordoned off the port itself , where the blast left a crater 200 metres ( yards ) across and shredded a large grain silo , emptying its contents into the rubble .
Estimates suggested about 85 % of the import-reliant country ’ s grain was stored there .
Associated Press writers Thomas Adamson in Paris and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed .

Bassem Mroue And Sarah El Deeb - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Survivors mark 75th anniversary of world’s 1st atomic attack

HIROSHIMA , Japan - Survivors of the world ’ s first atomic bombing gathered in diminished numbers near an iconic , blasted dome Thursday to mark the attack ’ s 75th anniversary , many of them urging the world , and their own government , to do more to ban nuclear weapons .
An upsurge of coronavirus cases in Japan meant a much smaller than normal turnout , but the bombing survivors ’ message was more urgent than ever .
As their numbers dwindle — their average age is about 83 — many nations have bolstered or maintained their nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sign a nuclear weapons ban treaty .
Amid cries of Japanese government hypocrisy , survivors , their relatives and officials marked the 8:15 a.m. blast anniversary with a minute of silence .
The United States dropped the world ’ s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6 , 1945 , destroying the city and killing 140,000 people .
It dropped a second bomb three days later on Nagasaki , killing another 70,000 .
Japan surrendered Aug. 15 , ending World War II and its nearly half-century of aggression in Asia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons stockpiling of the Cold War and a nuclear standoff among nations that continues to this day .
Amid the solemn remembrances at Hiroshima ’ s peace park , Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was confronted Thursday by six members of survivors ’ groups over the treaty .
“ Could you please respond to our request to sign the Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty ?
” Tomoyuki Mimaki , a member of a major survivors ’ group , Hidankyo , implored Abe .
“ The milestone 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing is a chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Japan ’ s policy not to sign the treaty , vaguely citing a “ different approach , ” though he added that the government shares the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons .
“ Abe ’ s actions don ’ t seem to match his words , ” said Manabu Iwasa , 47 , who came to the park to pray for his father , a bombing survivor who died at age 87 in March .
“ Japan apparently sides with the United States , but it should make more efforts to eliminate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but there is not much we individuals can do.
” Even though Tokyo renounces its own possession , production or hosting of nuclear weapons , Japan is a top U.S. ally , hosts 50,000 American troops and is protected by the U.S. nuclear umbrella .
This complicates the push to get Tokyo to sign the treaty adopted in 2017 , especially as it steps up its military role amid North Korea ’ s continuing pursuit of a stronger nuclear program .
Abe , in his speech at the ceremony , said a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it has to start with dialogue .
“ Japan ’ s position is to serve as a bridge between different sides and patiently promote their dialogue and actions to achieve a world without nuclear weapons , ” Abe said .
Earlier , Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui urged world leaders to more seriously commit to nuclear disarmament , pointing out Japan ’ s failures .
“ I ask the Japanese government to heed the appeal of the ( bombing survivors ) to sign , ratify and become a party to the Treaty on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matsui said in his peace declaration .
“ As the only nation to suffer a nuclear attack , Japan must persuade the global public to unite with the spirit of Hiroshima.
” Thursday ’ s peace ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was scaled down because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The fewer than 1,000 attendees was one-tenth of those attending in past years .
Some survivors and their relatives prayed at the park ’ s cenotaph before the ceremony .
The registry of the atomic bombing victims is stored at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let all the souls here rest in peace , for we shall not repeat the mistake.
” ” The only way to totally eliminate nuclear risk is to totally eliminate nuclear weapons , ” U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a video message from New York for the occasion .
Guterres ’ expected visit to Hiroshima had to be cancelled because of the coronavirus .
“ Seventy-five years is far too long not to have learned that the possession of nuclear weapons diminishes , rather than reinforces , security , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without nuclear weapons seems to be slipping further from our grasp.
” An aging group of survivors , known as hibakusha , feel a growing urgency to tell their stories , in hopes of reaching a younger generation .
Many peace events , including their talks , leading up to the anniversary were cancelled because of the coronavirus , but some survivors have teamed with students or pacifist groups to speak at online events , sometimes connecting with international audiences .
The bombing ’ s survivors lamented the slow progress of nuclear disarmament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the Japanese government ’ s reluctance to help and listen to those who suffered .
They want world leaders , especially those from nuclear-weapons states , to visit Hiroshima and see the reality of the atomic bombing .
Pope Francis sent a message to organizers of the anniversary commemoration , recalling that he had prayed at the Hiroshima peace memorial during his 2019 visit to Japan and met with bombing survivors .
He repeated what he said Nov. 24 at the peace memorial : “ The use of atomic energy for purposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the possessing of nuclear weapons is immoral.
” The Holy See was among the first countries to sign and ratify the U.N. nuclear prohibition treaty .
Keiko Ogura , 84 , who survived the atomic bombing at age 8 , said she wants non-nuclear states to pressure Japan into signing the treaty .
“ Many survivors are offended by the prime minister of this country because he does not sign the nuclear weapons prohibition treaty , ” she said .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Germany: French man arrested in child abuse investigation

BERLIN - A French man has been arrested in connection with a child abuse investigation in Germany in which 11 @ @ @ @ @ , authorities said Thursday .
The 62-year-old suspect was arrested on Wednesday in Saarbruecken , @ @ @ @ @ police and prosecutors in Cologne said in a statement .
He is accused of sexually @ @ @ @ @ , near Cologne , in December 2018 .
Police who searched his home in France @ @ @ @ @ and a large-calibre weapon , as well as a cannabis garden in the basement .
@ @ @ @ @ was brought to him by the 27-year-old main suspect in the German case centred on @ @ @ @ @ , which emerged in June .
There are now 22 suspects in the case .
@ @ @ @ @ two previous convictions for possessing child pornography , is accused of abusing his partner ’ @ @ @ @ @ him to other men .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--World shares mixed as investors watch talks on U.S. stimulus

Stocks were mixed in Europe and Asia on Thursday as investors watched to see if lawmakers will come ahead with fresh stimulus for a U.S. economy struggling with shutdowns as new coronavirus outbreaks flare .
Germany ’ s DAX gained 0.5 per cent to 12,727.71 while the CAC 40 in Paris slipped 0.2 per cent to 4,924.39 .
Britain ’ s FTSE 100 fell 1.3 per cent to 6,024.60 .
The future for the S & P 500 edged 0.1 per cent higher while the contract for the Dow industrials picked up 0.2 per cent .
In Asian trading , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0.4 per cent to 22,418.15 while the Shanghai Composite index gained 0.3 per cent , clawing back losses in last minute buying to close at 3,386.46 .
Hong Kong lost 0.7 per cent to 24,930.58 .
South Korea ’ s Kospi added 1.3 per cent , closing at 2,342.61 after Samsung Electronics , the country ’ s biggest company , unveiled three new models of smartphones it hopes will revive its sinking sales .
Australia ’ s S & P/ASX 200 added 0.7 per cent to 6,042.20 , lifted by strong gains in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s economy is on the mend after the country largely recovered from the pandemic .
The S & P 500 index logged its fourth straight gain on Wednesday , pulling within 1.7 per cent of the record high it set in February .
It picked up 0.6 per cent to 3,327.77 as negotiators on Capitol Hill reported some progress in talks for more support for the economy as pressure mounts for quicker action .
Overall , “ stocks remain underpinned by optimism over the coronavirus relief bill .
Democrats and the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the market remains cheery an agreement can be signed off by the end of the week , ” Stephen Innes of AxiCorp said in a commentary .
A report released Wednesday suggested that U.S. hiring was far weaker last month than economists expected .
Private employers added just 167,000 jobs , according to a survey by payroll processor ADP , well below the 1.2 million that economists had forecast .
A more comprehensive jobs report from the Labor Department is due Friday .
Rising caseloads of the coronavirus remain a concern , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a relapse while numbers continue to mount in the U.S .
In Hong Kong , authorities reported 85 newly confirmed cases , almost all of them untraceable or locally transmitted .
In Japan , the governor of Aichi prefecture , where Toyota Motor Corp. has its headquarters , declared a state of emergency through Aug. 24 , saying newly confirmed cases have been rising by more than 100 daily .
Before that , daily cases had been zero for extended periods .
Gov .
Hideaki Ohmura told reporters businesses are being asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and people are being asked to stay home at night , to prevent infections from spreading .
Japan has largely sought to avoid major shutdowns , partly because of laws limiting the government ’ s powers .
In Washington , Congress and White House officials are negotiating on more aid for an economy that ’ s shown some improvement but is still hobbling .
Investors say such a package is crucial and needs to arrive quickly , with millions of Americans still out of work and $ 600 in weekly unemployment benefits from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treasury yields sipped , with the yield on the 10-year Treasury at 0.51 per cent , down from 0.54 per cent late Wednesday .
Yields have remained very low as investors have continued to worry about the weak economy and as the Federal Reserve has unleashed massive amounts of stimulus .
Gold rose even further into record territory , continuing its strong climb since the spring amid nervousness about the economy and super-low interest rates .
Gold for delivery in December , the most actively traded contract , rose $ 7.80 to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fell back , giving up 33 cents to $ 42.86 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange .
Brent crude , the international standard , lost 14 cents to $ 45.02 a barrel .
In currency dealings , the U.S. dollar was flat at 105.58 yen .
The euro fell to $ 1.1739 from $ 1.1868 .

Elaine Kurtenbach - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--North Korea’s escalating virus response raises fear of outbreak

SEOUL , KOREA , REPUBLIC OF—North Korea is quarantining thousands of people and shipping food and other aid to a southern city locked down over coronavirus worries , officials said , as the country ’ s response to a suspected case reinforces doubt about its long-standing claim to be virus-free .
But amid the outside skepticism and a stream of North Korean propaganda glorifying its virus efforts , an exchange between the country and the United Nations is providing new clarity — and actual numbers — about what might be happening in North Korea , which has closed its borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stream — by outsider monitors and journalists .
In late July , North Korea said it had imposed its “ maximum emergency system ” to guard against the virus spreading after finding a person with COVID-19 symptoms in Kaesong city , near the border with rival South Korea .
State media reported that leader Kim Jong Un then ordered a total lockdown of Kaesong , and said the suspected case was a North Korean who had earlier fled to South Korea before slipping back into Kaesong last month .
North Korea ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the emergency steps it took prompted immediate outside speculation that it may be worried about a big outbreak after months of steadfastly claiming it had no cases .
Foreign experts are highly skeptical of North Korea ’ s assertion of no cases , in large part because of its long , porous border with China , where the virus emerged , and its history of hiding past disease outbreaks .
In a report to the World Health Organization , North Korea said it has quarantined 64 first contacts of the suspected Keasong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities for a period of 40 days , according to Dr. Edwin Salvador , WHO representative to North Korea .
Salvador said in an email to The Associated Press that North Korea also informed WHO of the suspected first case , saying the person was tested for COVID-19 but the results were inconclusive .
Salvador said WHO has requested that North Korea share more information about the person .
Salvador said all of North Korea ’ s borders remain closed , group gatherings are banned , masks are required in public , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are on an extended summer break .
Since the end of December , North Korea has quarantined and released 25,905 people , 382 of them foreigners , Salvador said .
Many outside observers are all but certain the virus has already entered North Korea because it closed its border with China , its biggest trading partner , weeks after the world ’ s first known virus cases were recorded in China in December .
Monitoring groups in Seoul have steadfastly reported about North Korean virus cases and deaths .
A major coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Korea ’ s broken public health care system and lack of medical supplies .
But it ’ s unclear how serious North Korea ’ s current situation is .
“ Though a really extensive local outbreak might not have occurred yet , it ’ s likely that a considerable number of people has been infected , ” said analyst Hong Min at Seoul ’ s Korea Institute for National Unification .
“ Even though North Korea locks itself down , there should be suspected cases there and authorities must aggressively diagnose them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparent about whether it has such a capacity and the will to do so.
” North Korea ’ s state media have recently churned out articles thick with rallying propaganda that describe the latest anti-virus work as “ an all-people ’ s campaign ” that demonstrates the Kim government ’ s resolve to protect public safety “ at any cost.
” The articles also say that any individual carelessness or breach of anti-virus guidelines may lead to “ critical consequences.
” State media said North Korea has deployed more health workers , sanitized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to raise public awareness of the virus .
The Korean Central News Agency said Thursday that 550,000 aid items have been sent to Kaesong .
North Korea ’ s claimed emergency steps suggest that an outbreak there may have worsened , said Kim Sin-gon , a professor at Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul .
North Korea may also aim to win aid from South Korea or others , but wants to save face by saying its suspected Kaesong case is someone who had been in South Korea , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected first case , identified in South Korea as a 24-year-old man surnamed Kim , hadn ’ t tested positive in South Korea and never had contact with any patient , South Korean health official Yoon Taeho said .
The motive for his return to North Korea isn ’ t known .
More than 33,000 North Koreans have escaped to South Korea over the past 22 years for political and economic reasons , but only a handful have returned to North Korea .
Police said the man was questioned in June on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ female North Korean refugee .
The man denied the accusation .
Last month , the national forensic service told police it found DNA evidence of the assault , and police were continuing to investigate , according to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Kansas House speaker had coronavirus; governor to get tested

TOPEKA , Kan. - A top Republican legislator in Kansas was hospitalized last month after testing positive for the novel coronavirus and didn ’ t disclose it to colleagues until this week .
The state ’ s Democratic governor declared Thursday that she ’ ll get tested because the two of them attended a meeting together after he was hospitalized .
Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. ’ s delayed acknowledgment of his hospitalization — in a letter to fellow House Republicans after Tuesday ’ s primary — concerned colleagues , particularly Democrats .
Gov .
Laura Kelly called his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Statehouse “ reckless and dangerous.
” Ryckman , from the Kansas City area , is the highest-ranking official in Kansas known to have been infected .
Republican Gov .
Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma tested positive last month .
Ryckman said in an interview that he tested positive on July 13 , began showing symptoms that evening and was hospitalized for about a week starting July 16 .
He said he remained isolated , both at home and in the hospital and was cleared by a doctor to attend of the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor and eight top legislative leaders make up the council , and state law has required it to review orders from Kelly to deal with the pandemic .
“ I was hospitalized , have followed doctor ’ s orders , and self-isolated during that time , ” Ryckman , a Kansas City-area Republican , said in his letter to colleagues .
“ I am now past what doctors consider the contagious stage and am on the road to recovery.
” Ryckman ’ s disclosure roiled Kansas politics immediately after it was first reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kelly spokesman Sam Coleman said the governor ’ s office “ was not aware ” of Ryckman ’ s positive test and that Kelly will get tested “ as soon as we can set it up.
” The governor said she wishes Ryckman good health and is glad he is recovering but added that she was “ dismayed ” to learn that he ’ d been infected .
“ Speaker Ryckman ’ s decision to attend the State Finance Council meeting after being released from the hospital , while concealing his diagnosis from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking his mask off , was reckless and dangerous , “ Kelly said in a statement .
“ As elected officials , we have a unique responsibility to set the right example for the people of Kansas , and to follow the commonsense guidance from medical experts.
” Kansas saw its reported coronavirus cases reach nearly 30,000 as of Wednesday after increasing almost 93 % in July , according to state health department statistics .
The state also is reporting 368 COVID-19-related deaths .
The University of Kansas is requiring all students , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Lawrence and the Kansas City area to take a free COVID-19 test before the fall semester begins Aug. 24 , The Lawrence Journal-World reported .
Meanwhile , health officials in Wabaunsee County west of Topeka are encouraging anyone who attended the county fair on July 24-27 to monitor themselves for symptoms because one person who attended tested positive .
Kelly and Republican lawmakers have been at odds for months over how best to check the spread of the coronavirus , with the GOP preferring to allow local officials make decisions because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to vary widely .
After weeks of complaints that Kelly was moving too slowly to reopen the state ’ s coronavirus-battered economy , she lifted statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings on May 26 .
The state ’ s 105 counties now set the rules and most have opted of a July 2 order from Kelly requiring people to wear masks in public .
Also , the Republican-controlled State Board of Education blocked a plan from Kelly to delay the reopening of public and private K-12 schools from mid-August until after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall classes to 286 locally elected school boards .
Kansas House Democrats reacted angrily to the news of Ryckman ’ s coronavirus infection , tweeting on their official account that he had “ knowingly putting lives at risk.
” “ Not alerting every member of the House and Senate is indefensible , ” they tweeted .
“ He must be held accountable for his negligence.
” And Heather Scanlon , chief of staff for House Democratic Leader Tom Sawyer , sent The Associated Press a July 29 text that said was in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to phone into the Finance Council meeting .
She asked whether Ryckman was doing OK , and the reply was , “ Oh he ’ s doing fine.
“ Scanlon tweeted back , “ Oh ok good .
I heard he had covid.
” She got no reply to that message , she said .
Ryckman said he was notified July 10 by phone by that he ’ d been in contact with someone who might have the virus and began self-isolating .
He said that person did not have coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected .
As for the House Democrats ’ criticism of him , he said in a text to The AP that he understand that the unknowns surrounding COVID-19 “ make people uncomfortable.
” “ That ’ s why I listened to my doctor for my medical care and clearance before end ( ing ) self-isolating , ” he said .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Hagerty vs. Bradshaw in race to succeed US Sen. Alexander

NASHVILLE - Former U.S .
Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty and Black activist Marquita Bradshaw will face off in November to succeed retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander after their respective victories in primary elections on Thursday .
Hagerty defeated Nashville trauma surgeon Manny Sethi in the Republican primary , while Bradshaw scored an upset win over former Army helicopter pilot James Mackler in the Democratic primary , despite being far outraised by Mackler , who was endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and others .
Bradshaw will have an uphill battle : Republicans have held both Senate seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Nashville businessman , emerged from a tough challenge from Sethi to clinch his party ’ s nomination .
Last July , President Donald Trump let Tennessee voters know he would back Hagerty for the seat , months before Hagerty declared himself a candidate .
Sethi had already been running for about a month when Trump ’ s tweet turned the contest upside down .
Hagerty proceeded to ignore Sethi for most of the campaign , until back-and-forth attacks opened up a few weeks ago and never slowed down .
Hagerty leveraged Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his previous business and political ties to Mitt Romney , who was once the GOP presidential nominee and now , according to Hagerty , is a “ weak-kneed ” Republican senator who voted to convict Trump during the impeachment trial .
Hagerty had other big political names on his side beyond Trump .
He had endorsements from Vice-President Mike Pence , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , former U.N .
Ambassador Nikki Haley , Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas , while others backed him with campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PAC and former Gov .
Bill Haslam , for whom Hagerty served as state economic development commissioner .
Hagerty spent more than $ 9.6 million on the race through mid-July , compared to the $ 4.2 million spent by Sethi .
Several million more dollars combined have been spent by outside groups on both sides .
Bradshaw is a single mother who grew up in south Memphis and attended the University of Memphis .
She has worked with community advocacy groups , environmental organizations and unions , including the Mid-South Peace and Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Club and Tennesseans for Fair Taxation .
She has not held public office .
Bradshaw supports the Green New Deal , expanding Medicare , increasing the minimum wage to $ 15 per hour and universal background checks for guns , according to her website .
Bradshaw raised only about $ 8,400 and spent around $ 5,800 through March , the last time she reported any campaign finance activity , records show .
Mackler raised $ 2.1 million through mid-July , more than 250 times as much as Bradshaw .
Associated Press reporter Adrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Trump bans dealings with Chinese owners of TikTok, WeChat

NEW YORK - President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered an unspecified ban on “ transactions ” with the Chinese owners of the consumer apps TikTok and WeChat .
The twin executive orders — one for each app — take effect in 45 days .
They call on the Secretary of Commerce to define the banned transactions by that time .
The orders ’ wording is vague , but leaves open the possibility that hosting the apps in the Apple and Google app stores could be covered by the ban .
Trump had threatened a deadline of Sept. 15 to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ somebody else ” bought it .
TikTok , Microsoft and WeChat owner Tencent had no immediate replies to queries .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that he was expanding the U.S. crackdown on Chinese technology to personal apps , citing alleged security threats and calling out TikTok and WeChat by name .
Analysts on Wednesday questioned the legal basis for a ban on apps .
Trump ’ s order Thursday night cited legal authority from the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the National Emergencies Act .
TikTok is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular among young people in the U.S. and elsewhere .
It is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance , which operates a separate version for the Chinese market .
TikTok insists it does not store U.S. user information in China and would not share it with the Chinese government .
WeChat and its sister app Weixin in China are hugely popular messaging apps ; many Chinese expatriates use WeChat to stay in touch with friends and family back home .
The apps are owned by Tencent , a major Chinese digital conglomerate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ share data with the Chinese government and never has , and does not store international user data in China .
U.S. user data is stored in Canada .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Ohio gov tests negative after positive result at Trump visit

COLUMBUS , Ohio - Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday after testing positive earlier in the day before he was to meet with President Donald Trump , according to a statement from his office .
His wife , Fran DeWine , also tested negative , as did staff members .
They underwent a different type of test in Columbus ; one considered to be more accurate than the rapid-result test which showed DeWine to be positive for COVID-19 just ahead of a planned meeting with Trump in Cleveland .
DeWine , an early advocate among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precautions , said he took a test arranged by the White House in Cleveland as part of standard protocol before he was to meet Trump at an airport .
He had planned to join the president on a visit to the Whirlpool Corp. plant in northwest Ohio .
Instead , he received the news he was positive , called his wife , Fran DeWine , and returned to central Ohio where he took the other test that showed him to be negative .
“ A big surprise to me and certainly a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said at a late afternoon news conference broadcast from his porch on his farm in Cedarville in southwestern Ohio , where he planned to quarantine for 14 days .
Dewine , 73 , said he didn ’ t know how he would have contracted the coronavirus and that he ’ s already been spending much of his time at his farm , keeping his distance from family members and staff .
DeWine said he feels fine with no symptoms .
His only health concern is asthma he ’ s had since he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an inhaler daily .
He said he ’ d already received some “ not nice texts ” Thursday from people claiming the news proves that mask-wearing is pointless .
“ The lesson that should come from this is that we ’ re all human , this virus is everywhere , this virus is very tough , ” DeWine said before the negative result .
“ And yes you can contract it even when you ’ re being very , very careful and even when you ’ re wearing a mask.
” But , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are dramatically better ” of avoiding a positive test if people wear a mask .
DeWine , in his first term as governor , is one of Ohio ’ s most familiar politicians , previously serving as a U.S. congressman , two-term U.S. senator , Ohio attorney general and lieutenant governor .
Trump offered DeWine his best wishes and said “ he ’ ll be fine ” in remarks after arriving at the airport , where he was greeted by Lt. Gov .
Jon Husted , who tested negative .
“ A very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Trump said .
He added that DeWine “ has done a fantastic job.
” Husted said he ’ s been talking with DeWine via teleconference for weeks , and doesn ’ t expect changes in that routine or other aspects of DeWine ’ s job .
Trump ’ s visit to Ohio comes amid signs that he faces a tight race with former Vice-President Joe Biden in a state he carried by 8 percentage points in 2016 .
DeWine was the second U.S. governor to test positive for the coronavirus after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracted the virus last month .
The number of positive cases in Ohio had decreased after the first surge , hitting a low in late May .
But numbers again began to rise in mid-June as Ohio began to reopen businesses .
More than 3,600 Ohioans have died .
In recent weeks , DeWine has pleaded with Ohioans to take personal responsibility over the virus ’ spread across the state .
He had resisted a statewide mask mandate until July 23 .
DeWine ’ s first try at a statewide requirement for wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — drew backlash that led him to rescind that directive the following day , a stutter among the aggressive moves that had won him early praise in his efforts to curb the virus .
Mask-wearing also has been a point of contention at the Statehouse , where many Democratic lawmakers have donned masks while many Republican lawmakers have not .
DeWine has often found himself at odds with members of his own party on the policy .
DeWine ’ s key health adviser during the pandemic , Dr. Amy Acton , left government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she joined DeWine at daily briefings and was a popular figure .
However , backlash against state restrictions helped lead to a protest at her home and her decision to step away from the spotlight .
Since early in the pandemic , DeWine has hosted his daily briefings from a room separate from where the press corps gathers at the Ohio Statehouse .
He would appear on a television in front of the reporters , who could step up to a microphone and ask questions .
DeWine held one of those briefings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been announced for this week besides his meeting with Trump .
DeWine said he planned to give a previously scheduled coronavirus update Friday .
In at least two briefings , DeWine has shared how several friends had died from the virus , urging the public to think about their loved ones , especially grandparents .
The governor has 23 grandchildren .
Notably , DeWine and his wife had avoided political rallies or meeting with members of the White House since the pandemic began .
In June , the governor was scheduled to appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lordstown but decided against it when Vice-President Mike Pence announced he was going .
The facility is now occupied by Lordstown Motors , which plans to build electric pickup trucks there .
“ Quite candidly , throughout this pandemic , ( first lady ) Fran and I have avoided crowds , ” DeWine said .
“ We have not gone out to be close with a lot of people .
So we ’ re not going to do that.
” Sewell reported from Cincinnati .
Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Bexley , Ohio , contributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .
This story has been corrected to show the Lordstown plant is a former General Motors plant , not a current GM plant .

Farnoush Amiri And Dan Sewell - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Playing electoral defence, Trump claims Biden opposes God

CLEVELAND - President Donald Trump billed his trip to Ohio Thursday as a chance to promote economic recovery , but he quickly pivoted to a deeply personal attack on Joe Biden , even questioning without foundation the former vice-president ’ s faith in God .
Even for a president known for his blunt criticism , Trump ’ s remarks stood out and they signalled how contentious the campaign may get over the coming months .
“ He ’ s following the radical left agenda , take away your guns , destroy your 2nd Amendment , no religion , no anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s against God .
He ’ s against guns .
He ’ s against energy , our kind of energy .
I don ’ t think he ’ s going to do too well in Ohio , “ Trump said .
Biden called the remarks beneath the office he holds .
“ For President Trump to attack my faith is shameful , “ Biden said .
Trump also used his trip to Ohio to talk trade , telling workers at a Whirlpool plant , “ I will stand up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate our country.
” Barely one month after a new North America trade agreement went into effect , Trump announced his intention to reimpose 10 % tariffs on aluminum imported from Canada , saying that United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has advised him the step was necessary to defend the U.S. aluminum industry .
However , the move also sets up the possibility of retaliation against U.S. companies and producers .
“ Canada was taking advantage of us as usual , “ Trump said .
The administration said the president had exempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed as long as imports of steel and aluminum from Canada remained at historical levels .
But there has been a surge that has intensified in recent months despite a contraction in U.S. demand .
Trump also sought to remind voters of the economic prosperity that much of the nation enjoyed before the coronavirus pandemic and said that he is best suited to rebuild a crippled economy .
But his handling of the outbreak has weakened his bid for a second term , causing Trump to spend time and resources in a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be in danger of slipping away .
The virus already altered the trip even before Trump landed , with word that GOP Gov .
Mike DeWine had tested positive for the coronavirus .
DeWine had planned to meet with Trump and join the president on a visit to the Whirlpool Corp. plant in northwest Ohio .
DeWine ’ s office said the 73-year-old governor had no symptoms and was returning to Columbus ; later , it said a second COVID-19 test on the governor turned up negative .
Shortly after landing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was at that event where he veered from his economic message and attacked Biden personally .
Biden ’ s campaign issued a statement from the former vice-president in which he said his faith has been the bedrock foundation of his life and provided him comfort in moments of loss and tragedy .
“ Like the words of so many other insecure bullies , President Trump ’ s comments reveal more about him than they do about anyone else , “ Biden said .
“ They show us a man willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and someone whose actions are completely at odds with the values and teachings that he professes to believe in.
” For Trump , the Ohio trip kicked off a long weekend of fundraising that comes as Biden has chipped away at Trump ’ s financial advantage with the race entering its final three months .
The virus upended Trump ’ s plan to run on the back of a strong economy , and Biden has charged that the president has pushed to reopen states too soon in hopes of jump-starting the markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But several states have had to slow down the pace of their reopening , and officials are warily watching a rise in coronavirus cases in the Midwest , including Ohio .
When Trump swept through the region in 2016 , his economic populism argument was one of the factors that led him to narrowly capture Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania .
He handily won Ohio , which had been a swing state for decades , by eight percentage points .
He promised a manufacturing renaissance , but that has failed to materialize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years of his presidency , but the gains effectively stalled in 2019 as industrial Midwestern states such as Michigan and Ohio began to shed factory workers .
The import taxes charged by his administration hampered manufacturing companies ’ supply lines and created uncertainty .
The economy had roughly 12.85 million factory jobs at the start of the election year , compared with the 14 million before the 2008 financial crisis , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .
The pandemic only compounded the pain .
Manufacturers cut 1.36 million jobs between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on lockdown .
Hiring in May and June has pointed to a slight recovery .
But even if factories add 267,500 jobs expected in the July employment report being released Friday , the sector would still have 500,000 fewer jobs than it did before the outbreak .
Trump now finds himself severely tested in battleground states , and campaign aides have privately all but written off Michigan .
The president now has been forced to spend time in states that his campaign once thought he had locked up .
The Ohio trip comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Texas .
“ We ’ re going to win Ohio by even more this time , “ Trump claimed .
In Ohio , Trump signed an executive order requiring that the federal government purchase certain drugs from U.S. manufacturers rather than from foreign companies .
The order would instruct the government to develop a list of “ essential ” medicines and then buy them and other medical supplies solely from U.S. manufacturers .
The administration has long looked to reduce U.S. dependency on drugs made overseas , particularly in China .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to procure essential medicines and other equipment from the United States , but does not stipulate precisely which drugs would fall under the requirements .
Trump has said he wants to prepare for future pandemics by replenishing the national stockpile and bringing manufacturing of critical supplies and equipment back to the U.S. His critics have suggested that his administration was woefully unprepared for coronavirus , which has killed more than 157,000 Americans , and that Trump has faltered in mobilizing the nation ’ s resources to battle the virus .
After his trip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend at his golf club in Bedminster , New Jersey , with a high-dollar fundraiser in the Hamptons on New York ’ s Long Island and a second near the Jersey shore .
Associated Press writers Josh Boak in Baltimore and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Milwaukee chief demoted over tear-gas use, other concerns

MADISON , Wis. - An oversight board demoted Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales on Thursday after questioning how he handled multiple incidents , including ordering officers to fire tear gas and pepper spray at protesters demonstrating over George Floyd ’ s death .
The city ’ s Fire and Police Commission unanimously voted Thursday evening to demote Morales to captain after three-and-a-half years on the job .
The chief ’ s attorney , Franklyn Gimbel , says Morales ’ relationship with the commission has been deteriorating since he refused the chairman ’ s demand to fire an officer involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown in January 2018 .
Most recently the commission criticized Morales for authorizing tear gas to disperse protesters .
The board has also raised questions over how the department has policed Black communities .
Morales joined the Milwaukee department in 1993 and was appointed chief in February 2018 .
“ His conduct is unbecoming , filled with ethical lapses and flawed decisions , making it inconsistent with someone who has the privilege of leading the Milwaukee Police Department , ” Commissioner Raymond Robakowski said .
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Thursday night he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action and that Morales should have been given a chance to respond to directives the panel had issued .
“ The discussion surrounding this decision tonight was completely lacking in transparency .
The action taken by the commission tonight was not good government , ” Barrett said .
The decision comes as Wisconsin ’ s largest police department grapples with a surge in gun violence and plans security for a scaled-down Democratic National Convention .
A number of police chiefs across the country have left their jobs as pressure mounts to rethink American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Erika Shields in Atlanta , Jamie Resch in Portland , Oregon , and William Smith in Richmond , Virginia .
Milwaukee ’ s mayor had urged the commission to slow down , but Morales ’ attorney , Franklyn Gimbel , said the odds appeared to be stacked against the chief .
“ I ’ m unaware of him having any supporters ( on the commission ) , ” Gimbel , said .
“ There seems like a cumulative sense that they want to dump the guy.
” Gimbel declined comment to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Latino and the majority of the commissioners are Black .
His relationship with the board has deteriorated since it named him to the post in February 2018 .
Gimbel said problems began when officers arrested Brown for parking illegally in January 2018 .
Officers swarmed the Bucks guard and used a stun gun on him when he didn ’ t remove his hands from his pockets .
The commission ’ s chairman , Steven DeVougas , who is Black , told Morales to fire one of the officers involved but Morales refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there it got stressful , “ Gimbel said .
“ DeVougas viewed him as not being a team player.
” In February , the Milwaukee Police Association , which represents rank-and-file officers , filed an ethics complaint against DeVougas alleging he accompanied a real estate developer during an interview with police who suspected the developer of sexual assault .
DeVougas practices real estate law for the developer ’ s business .
The police association argued DeVougas ’ presence during the interview was a misuse of his position as commission chairman .
A city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to May and June , when Milwaukee police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse protesters demonstrating over Floyd ’ s death .
Floyd , who was Black , died on Memorial Day in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for nearly eight minutes .
The decision to use tear gas and pepper spray drew criticism from Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett .
The commission in July banned the police department from using tear gas , prompting a number of departments from across the state slated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support .
The commission on July 20 ordered Morales to produce reams of records related to multiple incidents , including the decision to tear gas and pepper spray protesters , Brown ’ s arrest and the June arrest of a Black activist on suspicion of burglary .
The panel also demanded Morales draft community policing standards , develop a discipline matrix to clarify how officers are disciplined and draft a policy requiring officers to wear face masks during the pandemic .
“ We are in the midst of an urgent overdue reckoning on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the commission said in a statement Monday .
” Only with transparency , accountability and truth will we move on as a society .
This discussion may make some uncomfortable , and may bluntly scare others.
” None of the commissioners , including DeVougas , returned messages Thursday .
The commission gave Morales a week to respond to some of the requests and threatened to discipline or fire him if he didn ’ t comply .
Gimbel has said those expectations are ridiculous ; he noted the commission gave Morales ’ predecessor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to a similar request for information on the department ’ s pursuit policy .
The police department Wednesday blasted the orders as vague , invalid and possibly illegal .
The department noted the orders weren ’ t approved during an open meeting and the requests seek information from still-open criminal and internal investigations .
The orders also could violate a 2018 settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union over stop-and-frisk policies because the department would have to release confidential information it has been sharing with a consultant group monitoring compliance with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ( orders ) attempt to paint a picture that MPD has been non-compliant or outright insubordinate with the FPC , ” the department said in a statement .
“ The manner in which business is being conducted at the FPC causes alarm.
” Barrett , the mayor , dove into the fray on Wednesday , sending a letter to the commission calling for an “ orderly review ” of the orders and the commission to remove DeVougas as chairman since he ’ s under investigation .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Humira maker to settle California lawsuit for $24 million

OAKLAND , Calif. - The maker of the drug Humira will pay $ 24 million to settle a California lawsuit that alleged it violated an insurance fraud law , the state Department of Insurance announced Thursday .
AbbVie Inc. agreed to change the way it markets Humira but continues to deny wrongdoing , according to the settlement agreement reached on July 20 .
Humira is used to treat various illnesses , including Crohn ’ s disease , ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis .
The 2018 whistleblower lawsuit was filed in Alameda Superior Court .
It alleged that AbbVie unlawfully provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California doctors to convince them to prescribe HUMIRA and used registered nurses as “ ambassadors “ to patients — ostensibly to provide support for patient care — without disclosing they were working for the company .
The company ’ s marketing practices violated the Insurance Frauds Prevention Act , leading insurers to pay more than $ 1 billion in improper claims , the suit alleged .
The company agreed to reforms that include having ambassadors disclose that they were paid by AbbVie rather than a health care provider .
Patients also will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Biden draws distinction on Black, Latino political diversity

ATLANTA - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden faces new scrutiny over how he discusses race and ethnicity after drawing distinctions between Black and Hispanic populations in the United States .
“ By the way , what you all know but most people don ’ t know , unlike the African American community , with notable exceptions , the Latino community is an incredibly diverse community with incredibly different attitudes about different things , ” Biden said to a Latina reporter from National Public Radio in an interview released Thursday .
“ You go to Florida , ” Biden continued , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about immigration in certain places than you do when you ’ re in Arizona .
So it ’ s a very different , very diverse community.
” Biden ’ s observation , part of a series of interviews with Black and Hispanic journalists , came during a back-and-forth over U.S.-Cuba policy .
The former vice-president was alluding to the dozens of national origins that make up the U.S. Hispanic population , especially in Florida , a presidential battleground .
He later clarified his remarks on Twitter .
“ In no way did I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a monolith – not by identity , not on issues , not at all , ” he wrote , adding that throughout his long political career he ’ s “ witnessed the diversity of thought , background and sentiment within the African American community ” that “ makes our … country a better place.
” That follow-up came hours after edited snippets of his interview spread quickly and became the latest example of Biden , who is white , drawing a negative spotlight when he ’ s trying to convince voters he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Donald Trump , who most Black voters see as exacerbating the nation ’ s racial tensions , according to polls , seized on Biden ’ s remarks , declaring them “ very insulting.
” He later tweeted that “ Joe Biden just lost the entire African American community.
“ Symone Sanders , a top Biden adviser said , “ The video that is circulating is conveniently cut to make this about racial diversity , but that ’ s not the case.
” The potential fallout is nonetheless frustrating for Democrats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a majority of Americans as racially divisive , the stakes magnify every Biden slip , real or perceived .
“ People are going to use this , particularly Joe Biden ’ s adversaries .
Even those who are not 100 % on board with Joe Biden ’ s candidacy are going to look for reasons not to support him , ” said Antjuan Seawright , a Democratic consultant and Biden supporter in South Carolina , an early primary state where strong Black support propelled Biden to the Democratic nomination .
In May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that any Black voter who ’ s “ got a problem figuring out whether you ’ re for me or for Trump … ain ’ t black.
” Within hours he was on a call with U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce members declaring he ’ d been too cavalier .
“ I shouldn ’ t have been such a wise guy , ” Biden said .
In a separate interview this week , Errol Barnett of CBS News pressed Biden on whether he ’ d take and release a cognitive assessment by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has challenged him to do .
Biden responded testily to the Black journalist , saying the question was akin to someone demanding that Barnett take a drug test to see if “ you ’ re taking cocaine or not ?
… Are you a junkie ?
” Biden reminded campaign donors last June that he had to work in the 1970s alongside segregationist senators , describing the “ civility ” of that congressional era even if “ we didn ’ t agree.
” He explained later that he wasn ’ t praising racists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things done even with bad actors involved .
His latest comments came as Biden decides on a running mate , with several women of colour among his finalists .
The timing increases the likelihood that his choice will be pressured to explain or interpret how Biden talks about race and ethnicity .
To be sure , polling shows Black Americans overwhelmingly support Biden over Trump .
Biden has a lead among Latinos , as well .
Both trends roughly reflect recent presidential elections , with Democrats drawing more diverse support and Republicans leaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden regularly condemns Trump for pushing “ hate and division , ” including the president ’ s defence of Confederate monuments , the Confederate battle flag and his pledge to keep the names of Confederate officers on some U.S. military bases .
Biden talks plainly of systemic inequalities and institutional racism that traces from slavery through Jim Crow segregation and the current criminal justice system and economy , links that Trump plays down or denies .
“ I know Joe Biden ’ s heart , and more importantly , he knows us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ m happy with who I think he ’ ll be as president on the issues that matter to our community.
” The question , however , becomes whether marginal shifts – a potential uptick in Trump ’ s support among younger Black or Hispanic men or a depressed turnout among nonwhite voters overall – will make the difference in diverse battleground states .
Similar movement helped cost Hillary Clinton states like Michigan , Wisconsin and Florida in 2016 , giving Trump an Electoral College victory despite Clinton winning almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s allies are keen on those undercurrents .
“ This is no accident , ” Dan Murtaugh , spokesman for Trump ’ s re-election campaign , said of Biden ’ s latest comments .
“ Now , he wants them all to agree that we all know that all black people think alike .
It ’ s nuts.
” A recent Trump ad targeting Black voters notes Biden ’ s remarks about senators elected during Jim Crow segregation and his lead role in the 1994 crime bill blamed in part for mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hispanic voters , meanwhile , are seeing an ad from a Trump-aligned political action committee that uses a false claim to sew division over Biden ’ s vice-presidential choice .
The Spanish-language ad praises the accomplishments of Latino Americans .
“ But that ’ s not good enough for Joe Biden , ” a narrator states before adding , falsely , “ He ’ s promised his party an African American vice-president .
Not a Latino.
” Biden has promised only to select a woman .
Associated Press reporters Adriana Gomez Licon in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steve Peoples in New York contributed .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Officer’s killing: Report finds violations in parole case

RICHMOND , Va. - The Virginia Parole Board and its former chairwoman violated state law and its own policies and procedures in the case of a man convicted decades ago of killing a Richmond police officer , the state ’ s government watchdog agency said in a report initially withheld from the public .
Republican legislative leaders on Thursday released the six-page report from the Office of the State Inspector General about the agency ’ s investigation into the release of Vincent Martin .
That came a week after the inspector general ’ s office provided the media with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making clear at least some allegations against the parole board had been “ substantiated.
” The report said the inspector general ’ s office found the board did not initially notify the Richmond commonwealth ’ s attorney of Martin ’ s release within the required time frame .
It said the board also did not “ endeavour diligently ” as required by law to contact the slain officer ’ s family — who ultimately did have a chance to provide input .
And it said the board declined to hear from two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of the sisters of slain Officer Michael Connors called the report ’ s findings “ horrific ” and “ devastating.
” Republicans legislative leaders lambasted the Parole Board , saying the report showed a pattern of wilfully ignoring state law and victims ’ rights .
“ The degree to which the law was violated is shocking , ” House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert said .
GOP leaders said all current Parole Board members should resign , or be fired by Gov .
Ralph Northam if they refuse .
Republicans also want Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned to prison to await a new board ’ s decision on whether he should be set free .
Alena Yarmosky , Northam ’ s spokeswoman , said the review was procedural and had nothing to do with the merits of the decision to release Martin , who served a 40-year sentence .
“ Governor Northam has spoken with the new Chair of the Parole Board , and reiterated that he expects all notification procedures to be followed , period , ” Yarmosky ’ s statement said .
Parole Board Chair Tonya Chapman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to free Martin , provided a lengthy point-by-point response that said the report ’ s findings were “ based on faulty assumptions , incorrect facts , a misunderstanding of certain procedures , and incorrect interpretations of the Virginia State Code.
” Her response noted Connors ’ family was able to give input about parole for Martin , which was considered in the board ’ s decision .
But according to the report , the board ’ s former chair , Adrianne Bennett , was “ reluctant ” to contact the Connors family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared by the Victim Services Coordinator noted that Bennett stated she ‘ had been working on this case for four years and the family ’ s input was the last piece of the puzzle and the Board was reluctant to reach out , but is required by law , ’ ” the report said .
Several Parole Board employees told the inspector general ’ s office that state law and board policies and procedures regarding victim notification “ were not always followed under Bennett ’ s tenure as Chair , ” the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bennett was vocal about not wanting to contact victims and particularly not in the ( Martin ) case due to the expectation of opposition because the victim was a police officer , ” it said .
Bennett and a victim services co-ordinator met with the family via a conference call March 26 after “ neither Bennett nor any other representative ” from the board showed up for a call scheduled earlier in the month , the report said .
Bennett , now a judge in Virginia Beach , did not respond to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement in April defending Martin ’ s release and saying Martin had “ demonstrated himself over the decades to be a trusted leader , peacemaker , mediator and mentor in the correctional community.
” The report found that despite the fact that Martin , who was referred to in the report by his initials , first became eligible for parole in 1994 and received annual parole reviews , Connors ’ family was never contacted for input before this year .
The board also declined to hear from a co-defendant of Martin ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release , as well as an “ alleged prior shooting victim ” of Martin ’ s , according to the report .
On that issue , Chapman said the inspector general ’ s office had confused what the board “ may do ” and what it “ must do.
” The redactions in the initial report angered Republican lawmakers and law enforcement advocacy groups who called for all the findings to be made public .
Northam ’ s administration declined requests from The Associated Press for a full copy of the report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d probably say that we are pleased that this has finally come to light .
But at the same time , its devastating .
...
The things she did , the things this parole board did to us , and there ’ s no recourse , ” Maureen Clements , one of Connors ’ sisters , said in an interview .
Beyond the Martin case , the board has recently drawn criticism from prosecutors , other victims ’ families and members of law enforcement for both the types of offenders who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not provided according to the law .
The release of Martin , who has previously declined a request to speak with AP , drew particular condemnation from law enforcement groups .
Connors was fatally shot in November 1979 after pulling over a robbery getaway car .
Associated Press reporter Alan Suderman contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-06--Judge nixes Trump bid to delay suit from woman alleging rape

NEW YORK - A New York judge knocked down President Donald Trump ’ s bid to delay a lawsuit from a woman who accused him of rape , ruling in a decision released Thursday that the presidency doesn ’ t shield him from the case .
Pointing to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the president isn ’ t immune from a New York prosecutor ’ s criminal investigation , Manhattan judge Verna Saunders said the same principle applies to E. Jean Carroll ’ s defamation suit , in which Trump ’ s lawyers have argued that the Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in state courts .
The decision allows Carroll — who ’ s seeking Trump ’ s DNA as potential evidence — to keep pursuing her suit .
She says he slurred her in denying her claim that he raped her in the 1990s .
“ We are now eager to move forward with discovery so that we can prove that Donald Trump defamed E. Jean Carroll when he lied about her in connection with her brave decision to tell the truth about the fact that Donald Trump had sexually assaulted her , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Email and phone messages were sent to Trump ’ s lawyers about the ruling .
Carroll , who was a longtime Elle magazine advice columnist until December , went public last year with an allegation that Trump raped her in a Manhattan luxury department store dressing room in the mid-1990s .
She said it happened after they ran into each other and bantered about trying on a bodysuit .
Trump said Carroll was “ totally lying ” to sell a memoir and that he ’ d never met her , though a 1987 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a social event .
He said it just captured a moment when he was standing in a line .
Carroll is trying to get a DNA sample from Trump to see whether it matches as-yet-unidentified male genetic material found on a dress that she says she was wearing during the alleged attack and didn ’ t don again until a photo shoot last year .
Trump ’ s lawyers have argued the suit shouldn ’ t proceed at least until New York ’ s highest court decides -- in a separate case -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all state-court suits unrelated to his official duties .
Previous U.S. Supreme Court decisions have said incumbent presidents can ’ t be sued anywhere over official actions — so as to prevent the prospect of suits from influencing their decision-making — but they are subject to federal civil suits regarding private behaviour .
The high court hasn ’ t specifically addressed whether suits over a president ’ s private conduct can unfold in state courts .
Carroll ’ s lawyers , however , have argued the justices essentially settled the question when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cyrus R. Vance Jr. ’ s ability to subpoena Trump ’ s tax records for a state grand jury investigation .
“ We can not conclude that absolute immunity is necessary or appropriate , ” the Supreme Court said .
The ruling left leeway for Trump ’ s lawyers to challenge Vance ’ s subpoena on other grounds , and they are doing so .
Trump , a Republican , has called the Democratic DA ’ s inquiry into his financial dealings “ a pure witch hunt.
” Trump lawyer Marc Kasowitz has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling “ was limited to the criminal context , and its reasoning does not extend to civil actions.
” Carroll ’ s suit seeks damages and a retraction of Trump ’ s statements , saying they hurt her career and reputation .
The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly .