thetorontostar--2020-08-03--St Louis series at Detroit off after positive Cards tests

MILWAUKEE - Seven St. Louis Cardinals players and six staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 , causing Major League Baseball to postpone the team ’ s four-game series at Detroit .
The series was to have been played at Comerica Park from Tuesday through Thursday .
“ You think about how quickly something like this can spread , ” Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said .
“ Until it touches you , you sometimes might not believe it , but needless to say we know this is very real and we know it moves quickly and it moves silently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people fast.
” Mozeliak said that five of those who tested positive did not show symptoms .
He said the others did — headaches , cough , sniffles , low-grade fever .
“ And of those eight , it ’ s a variety of symptoms but nothing at this point requiring anything like hospitalization , “ Mozeliak said .
The Cardinals have been in quarantine since Thursday in Milwaukee , where their series with the Brewers was also postponed due to positive tests .
The Cardinals ’ situation comes after the Miami @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party that sidelined half their players , raising concerns about the viability of this pandemic-shortened season .
“ To this point , unfortunately , we ’ ve handled this the same way our country ’ s handled this , “ Brewers manager Craig Counsell said .
“ We put together guidelines that were well-intentioned and protocols , and then we handed them off to 30 individual operators , i.e .
states , and asked them to do their best .
Adherence to a set of protocols and suggestions and trying to get it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It just hasn ’ t gone well .
“ It ’ s because this virus is an incredible , difficult opponent .
It ’ s put us behind the 8-ball .
I desperately want to play and finish the season it ’ s so important for so many people and so many places .
But it ’ s not going well right now .
It ’ s not.
” Brewers outfielder Lorenzo Cain announced Saturday he wouldn ’ t play the rest of the season and cited “ all of the uncertainty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Counsell said Monday that “ it ’ s safe to say the news of the Cardinals was jarring and it may have been the final straw ” for Cain .
While all the members of the Cardinals ’ travelling party who tested positive have been returned home , the rest of them remain isolated in their Milwaukee hotel rooms .
The team is being tested daily .
“ The hope would be to travel back to St. Louis Wednesday morning , work out Wednesday afternoon and allow players to get their feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Mozeliak said .
“ And then on Thursday have a more robust workout and then play Friday.
” St. Louis last played July 29 at Minnesota and is tentatively set to resume its schedule this Friday at home against the Chicago Cubs .
Mozeliak said he wasn ’ t sure how the team might reschedule some of these games that have been wiped out with two series getting postponed .
“ I haven ’ t really even thought about our schedule much other than hopefully playing Friday , “ Mozeliak said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think about the future when you ’ re literally trying to just get through the day.
” The Cardinals are the second team sidelined by the novel coronavirus since the season started July 23..
The Marlins are set to resume play Tuesday in Baltimore following an outbreak in their travelling party that sidelined half the players .
Miami has not played since July 26 .
Because the outbreak occurred in the visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park , the Phillies were sidelined for a week while they were tested daily .
In another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game in Iowa was postponed until 2021 .
The game at a new ballpark on the cornfield adjacent to the site of the 1989 movie had been planned for Aug. 13 in Dyersville .
The Chicago White Sox originally were to host the New York Yankees , who were replaced by St. Louis because of MLB ’ s new schedule .
The White Sox will be one of the teams next year .
The opponent has not been determined .


thetorontostar--2020-08-03--Public ideas for Mississippi flag: Magnolias, stars, beer

JACKSON , Miss .
- Magnolias and stars .
Crosses and guitars .
Beer cans and crawfish .
A Gulf Coast lighthouse .
Elvis Presley and Kermit the Frog .
All appear on proposals the general public submitted for a new Mississippi flag .
Mississippi recently retired the last state banner with the Confederate battle emblem that ’ s widely condemned as racist .
A nine-member commission will design a replacement that can not include the Confederate symbol and must have the phrase , “ In God We Trust.
” The public submitted nearly 2,700 proposals , which were posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and History website .
By early September , commissioners will agree on a single design to put on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot .
The commissioners — who were appointed by the governor , lieutenant governor and House speaker — could accept one of the public submissions , combine elements from different designs or start from scratch and draw their own .
An expert , Clay Moss , told commissioners last week that the best flag designs are simple and distinctive .
He cited the Texas flag as a good example : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy to recognize .
Some of the public submissions in Mississippi achieved simplicity .
Others were complicated with squiggles , lots of stripes and flourishes including ivy , eagles , ducks , mockingbirds , deer , bees and catfish .
Some designs looked professional in their presentation .
Others were hand-drawn with crayons or pencils .
Some protested the religious slogan requirement .
One was a white rectangle with four phrases in black letters : Mississippi had used the same Confederate-themed flag since 1894 , when white supremacists in the Legislature set the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Americans gained during Reconstruction .
People who voted in a 2001 election chose to keep the flag , but the symbol remained divisive in a state with a 38 % Black population .
All eight of Mississippi ’ s public universities and a growing number of cities and counties stopped flying the state flag in recent years .
For decades , Mississippi legislative leaders said they couldn ’ t find consensus in the House and Senate to change the banner .
Republican Tate Reeves was elected governor in 2019 after saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it should only be done in another election .
Momentum shifted in early June , after the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer .
The Black man ’ s death sparked global protests against racial injustice and reinvigorated debates about Confederate symbols .
Within weeks , leaders from business , religion and education were lobbying Mississippi legislators to ditch the flag and replace it with a more inclusive design .
Two college sports organizations leveraged their power .
The Southeastern Conference said it might bar league championships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag .
The NCAA said that because of the Confederate symbol on the flag , Mississippi could not host events determined by teams ’ performances , which would affect sports such as baseball , women ’ s basketball and softball .
Reeves agreed to sign the bill to retire the old flag after it became clear that legislators had the two-thirds majority they would need to override a veto .
If voters accept the commission ’ s proposal , that design will become the new flag .
If they reject it , commissioners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will go on the ballot later .

Emily Wagster Pettus - The Associated Press

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thetorontostar--2020-08-03--Troopers: Kodiak man reports being mauled by bear

JUNEAU , Alaska - A 71-year-old Kodiak man said he was mauled by a bear while running on a mountain trail over the weekend , Alaska State Troopers said .
The troopers , in an online post , said the man , identified as Donald Zimmerman , contacted local police around 11:35 a.m. Sunday .
He was met by authorities responding to his call about a half-mile from the road on a trail and taken to a hospital in stable condition , troopers said .
Nathan Svoboda , an area wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brown bear attacked Zimmerman from behind and left the scene before returning .
Zimmerman ’ s use of a bear repellant spray when the animal returned “ quite possibly could have been the thing that saved his life.
” Svoboda said evidence suggested this was a defensive attack versus a predatory attack .
Defensive attacks often are a matter of “ bad timing , wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time sort of thing , ” he said .
The Kodiak Police Department asked residents Sunday to avoid Pillar Mountain trails near a gravel pit area , warning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area but did not find the bear .
Svoboda said signs warning people of the bear activity were posted in the area .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Argentina reports debt restructuring deal with creditors

BUENOS AIRES , Argentina - Argentina ’ s government said Tuesday it has reached agreement with its principle creditors to @ @ @ @ @ billion in foreign debt following seven months of negotiations and shifting deadlines .
The government @ @ @ @ @ the deal means “ significant debt relief , “ adjusting the dates of payments without @ @ @ @ @ capital and interest to be paid .
It said it also improved on the government @ @ @ @ @ creditors .
The government said it reached the debt exchange agreement with the Ad Hoc @ @ @ @ @ Argentina Creditor Committee and the Exchange Bondholder Group , among others .
Argentina formally defaulted @ @ @ @ @ this year for the second time in two decades .
The country ’ s economy @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic struck .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--EU regulators investigate Google’s plan to buy Fitbit

LONDON - European Union regulators say they ’ re opening an in-depth investigation into U.S. tech giant Google ’ s plan to buy fitness tracking device maker Fitbit The EU ’ s executive commission said Tuesday it ’ s concerned the deal would entrench Google ’ s position in the online ad market by “ increasing the already vast amount of data “ that the company could use to personalize ads .
EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said the “ investigation aims to ensure that control by Google over data collected through wearable devices as a result of the transaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy Fitbit in November for $ 2.1 billion .
Privacy and consumer groups have called on authorities to block the deal , citing privacy and antitrust concerns .
Google did not respond immediately to a request for comment Tuesday .
The investigation underscores the leading role European Union authorities have taken in global efforts to regulate the big technology companies .
Vestager has been at forefront of the movement to rein in the likes of Google and its Silicon Valley rivals .
During her first five-year term as competition commissioner , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in penalties for multiple antitrust cases involving its Android operating system , advertising business and shopping service .
The EU said that it was concerned the deal would expand Google ’ s “ data advantage , ” and therefore raise barriers for rivals to match Google ’ s online advertising services .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Danish prince discharged after brain surgery in France

COPENHAGEN - Prince Joachim , the younger son of Queen Margrethe of Denmark , has been discharged after undergoing emergency @ @ @ @ @ for a blood clot in his brain , the palace said Tuesday .
The 51-year-old @ @ @ @ @ on vacation , was admitted to the Toulouse University Hospital on July 24 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ of the doctors that the Prince ’ s health has improved to such an extent @ @ @ @ @ be discharged , ” Lene Balleby , a spokeswoman for the royal household , said @ @ @ @ @ prince is now residing at his mother ’ s private summer residence of Chateau de @ @ @ @ @ Earlier the palace said the blood clot “ was due to a sudden dissection of @ @ @ @ @ doctors assessed that the risk of recurrence “ is very small when the artery has @ @ @ @ @ in line to Denmark ’ s throne after his elder brother , Crown Prince Frederik @ @ @ @ @ s four children .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Thai prosecutors suggest drug charge against Red Bull scion

BANGKOK - Facing renewed public outrage , prosecutors in Thailand said Tuesday that police should file drug charges against a scion of the Red Bull energy drink fortune in connection with the 2012 hit-and-run death of a police officer .
An Office of the Attorney General committee also suggested that the charge of causing death by reckless driving against Vorayuth Yoovidhya might be restored after a re-examination of the evidence .
Prosecutors dropped that charge late last month , igniting a fresh uproar over a a case that critics say highlights the impunity wealthy Thais enjoy .
The committee is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to investigate how and why charges had been dropped against Vorayuth , whose family is listed by Forbes magazine as the second richest in Thailand , with an estimated wealth of $ 20.2 billion .
“ The committee can assure you that the case hasn ’ t ended , ” a spokesman for the attorney general ’ s office , Prayuth Bejraguna , said at a news conference .
Vorayuth had been accused of roaring down a Bangkok street in his Ferrari at speeds of up to 177 kilometres ( 110 miles ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer patrolling on a motorcycle .
The officer and his mangled motorcycle were dragged for several dozen meters ( yards ) before his body fell to the road .
Police followed a trail of fluid to the Yoovidhya family ’ s nearby property .
The car , which they found there , had a shattered windshield and its bumper was dangling .
At first , a chauffeur was blamed for the accident , but Vorayuth later admitted to being the driver .
He turned himself in and was released on bail the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put off any court appearances until April 2017 , when a warrant was issued for his arrest a few days after he had left the country .
His Thai passports were later revoked .
Despite the legal threats hanging over him , Vorayuth managed after the accident to lead a busy globetrotting life , flying in private Red Bull jets to attend Formula One races , go snowboarding in Japan and cruising in Venice , among other activities .
His continuing jet-set lifestyle provoked widespread public anger when it was revealed by an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reignited lat month with the sudden news that the most serious remaining charge against Vorayuth was being dropped .
Several lesser charges had already expired .
No specific reasons were given for why the charge was dropped , but an official memo leaked to Thai media cited two new witnesses saying they had seen Vorayuth ’ s car travelling safely within the speed limit and that the police officer had recklessly cut in front of him .
Officials at Tuesday ’ s news conference said they would ask for a re-investigation of whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assure you that the ?
Office of the Attorney General is seeking the truth and is neither abandoning this case nor considering it closed , “ said Chanchai Chalanonniwat , a member of the attorney general ’ s committee .
The committee acknowledged that a fresh investigation might also exonerate Vorayuth .
Last week ’ s death in a motorcycle accident of one of the new witnesses in the case added a fresh turn to the case .
Although there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances involved , it now has itself become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the victim ’ s body ordered seized for examination .
In addition to the new investigation , the attorney general ’ s committee suggested that a charge of using Class 2 drugs be lodged against Vorayuth .
The offence is punishable by up to three years imprisonment and a fine .
News emerged last week that when Vorayuth was tested after the accident , traces of chemicals were found in his system indicating cocaine , but that police did not pursue charges after being told it came from an anesthetic used in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drugs used for dental work contain chemical compounds distinct from those found in cocaine .

Tassanee Vejpongsa - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Three New Zealand citizens killed by landslides in South Korea

SEOUL , KOREA , REPUBLIC OF—Three New Zealand citizens have died after landslides triggered by heavy rains destroyed and buried their vacation cottage near Seoul , South Korean officials said Tuesday .
They were among 14 people in South Korea who died in landslides and floods caused by days of torrential rains that began Saturday , the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said .
A ministry official identified the three New Zealand citizens as a 77-year-old woman surnamed Kim , her 36-year-old daughter surnamed Song and Song ’ s two-year-old son .
The official said they were found dead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just northeast of Seoul .
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn ’ t authorized to speak to the media on the matter .
Gapyeong police confirmed the deaths of the three New Zealanders .
A local police officer said the 77-year-old woman ran a complex of vacation cottages in Gapyeong and had been living there .
Her daughter , who had worked in New Zealand , recently came to the cottage complex with her baby son to help with her work , the officer said , requesting anonymity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak to the media .
The rainfall pounded much of South Korea , leaving 12 other people missing and more than 1,000 homeless .
All 14 deaths and most of the property damage were reported in Seoul , nearby towns and the central province of Chungcheong .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Isaias, again a tropical storm, spawns wild inland weather

SOUTHPORT , N.C. - Tropical Storm Isaias spawned tornadoes and dumped rain during an inland march up the U.S. East Coast on Tuesday after making landfall as a hurricane along the North Carolina coast , where it piled boats against the docks and caused floods and fires that displaced dozens of people .
At least one person was killed when one of its twisters hit a mobile home park .
Royce Potter , a fifth-generation seafood purveyor and owner of Potter ’ s Seafood in Southport , said he rode out the storm on a boat docked near his business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his area would be spared .
“ They got this wrong , ” he said , visibly shaken .
“ I ’ ve ridden storms out here for years.
” Instead , the storm surge and wind gusts left dozens of boats piled up against the docks , and many decks facing out on the water were smashed .
People were out Tuesday morning raking debris or picking it up with their hands and dropping it in trash cans .
North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper told ABC ’ s “ Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed and others injured when a tornado hit a mobile home park in Bertie County , about 200 miles northeast of where Isaias made landfall .
Bertie County officials said on Facebook that the tornado touched down in Windsor .
State and local officials didn ’ t immediately respond to requests for details .
The hurricane ’ s eye moved over land near Ocean Isle Beach , North Carolina , just after 11 p.m. on Monday with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph ( 136 km/h ) , and its top winds dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ km/h ) by early Tuesday .
But forecasters said hurricane-force gusts were likely in the Chesapeake Bay region , and tropical storm conditions were expected across New England Tuesday night .
“ Potentially life-threatening urban flooding is possible in D.C. , Baltimore and elsewhere along and just west of the I-95 corridor today , ” the National Hurricane Center also warned .
“ We don ’ t think there is going to be a whole lot of weakening , we still think there ’ s going to be very strong and gusty winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Northeast over the next day or two , ” hurricane specialist Robbie Berg told The Associated Press .
At least two other tornadoes were confirmed by the national weather service , near Kilmarnock , Virginia , and Vienna , Maryland .
As the heavy rains and wind felled trees , power outages spread Tuesday .
More than 650,000 customers lost electricity , most of them in North Carolina and Virginia , according to PowerOutage.US , which tracks utility reports .
Isaias ( pronounced ees-ah-EE-ahs ) toggled between tropical storm and hurricane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coast , killing two people in the Caribbean and trashing the Bahamas before brushing past Florida .
Some coastal communities in North Carolina and Virginia woke to significant damage , mostly east and north of where the hurricane ’ s eye struck land .
On North Carolina ’ s Oak Island , deputies had to rescue five adults and three children after the storm hit , causing damage along the beachfront and knocking electricity and sewer facilities offline , authorities said .
The storm set off flooding and sparked five home fires in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Debbie Smith told WECT-TV , and firefighters from Horry County , South Carolina crossed the state line to help out , their spokesman , Tony Casey , told The Associated Press .
Further up the coast , about 30 people were displaced by a fire at a condominium complex in Surf City , news outlets reported .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear if the fires were connected to the storm .
No injuries have been reported .
And in Suffolk , Virginia , near the coast , multiple homes were damaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received reports of a possible tornado .
A fire station downtown sustained damage including broken window .
A photo posted by city officials showed a pile of bricks lying next to a damaged business .
Coastal shops and restaurants had closed early in the Carolinas , where power began to flicker at oceanfront hotels and even the most adventurous of beachgoers abandoned the sand Monday night .
The Hurricane Center warned oceanside home dwellers to brace for storm surge up to 5 feet ( 1.5 metres ) and up to 8 inches ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the storm neared the shore , a gauge on a pier in Myrtle Beach recorded its third highest water level since it was set up in 1976 .
Only Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016 pushed more salt water inland .
“ All those rains could produce flash flooding across portions of the eastern Carolinas and mid-Atlantic , and even in the northeast U.S. , ” said Daniel Brown , senior hurricane specialist .
The centre was moving over Virginia toward Baltimore by mid-morning Tuesday , on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States by the evening .
A tropical storm warning extended all the way up to Maine , where flash flooding was possible in some areas on Wednesday .
Associated Press staffers Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River , New Jersey ; Jeffrey Collins and Michelle Liu in Columbia , South Carolina ; Sarah Blake Morgan in North Myrtle Beach , S.C. ; and Shawn Marsh in Trenton , New Jersey contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Reporter sues Golden Globes organization over member rules

LOS ANGELES - A Norwegian entertainment reporter on Monday sued the Hollywood Foreign Press Association , the organization that gives out the Golden Globe Awards , alleging that it acts as a cartel that stifles competition for its members .
Reporter Kjersti Flaa filed the lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles , saying that despite reporting on Hollywood for many prominent Norwegian outlets , she has been repeatedly denied membership in the organization .
Her suit contends the HFPA consistently rejects qualified new applicants like herself whose work competes with that of existing members .
The suit alleges the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , requires new applicants to pledge not to write for any publication claimed by a member or a rival of that publication , and denies applications that might compete in a market claimed by one of its members .
“ Qualified applicants for admission to the HFPA are virtually always rejected because the majority of its 87 members are unwilling to share or dilute the enormous economic benefits they receive as members , ” the suit says .
The HFPA responded in a statement , saying the suit “ seems consistent with Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the HFPA , demanding that the HFPA pay her off and immediately admit her prior to the conclusion of the usual annual election process applied to every other HFPA applicant .
The HFPA has refused to pay ransom , telling Ms. Flaa that membership was not gained through intimidation.
“ The suit says that the group ’ s members enjoy huge perks over their colleagues who do the same work but are not members , especially during Hollywood ’ s awards season , whose early months are dominated by the Globes as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Awards .
The suit says “ studios go far out of their way to accommodate HFPA members by inviting them to attend every industry function , event , and screening , and , most importantly , making their top producers , directors , actors , and other talent available for exclusive interviews with HFPA members.
” The suit says the HFPA ’ s status as a tax-exempt California mutual benefit corporation requires it to benefit all members of the class of workers it represents .
“ But it does no such thing because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enormous economic benefits membership provides , “ the suit states .
Flaa is seeking to have the California enforce the right of fair procedure it applies to a tax-exempt mutual benefit corporation like the HFPA , to have the group ’ s bylaws declared unlawful and to recover economic damages she may have suffered by her lack of membership .
The HFPA said in its statement that it “ takes seriously its obligations as an organization and its dedication to foreign journalism and philanthropy , and it will vigorously defend against these baseless @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Winfrey picks Isabel Wilkerson’s ‘Caste’ for her book club

NEW YORK - If not for the coronavirus , Oprah Winfrey says , she would be out in the streets and marching with the Black Lives Matter protesters .
She has instead found other ways to add her voice .
She is working with Lionsgate on a multimedia adaptation of The New York Times ’ “ 1619 Project ” on the legacy of slavery .
She interviewed Stacey Abrams and Ava DuVernay among others during a two-night special on her OWN network about racism and how to address it .
The current issue of O : The Oprah Magazine features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 26-year-old Black emergency room technician killed by police in her home in Louisville , Kentucky .
It ’ s the first time in the publication ’ s 20-year history that Winfrey herself has not appeared on the front .
And on Tuesday , Winfrey announced she had chosen Isabel Wilkerson ’ s exploration of race and hierarchy in the U.S. , “ Caste : The Origins of Our Discontents , ” as her latest book club pick .
Wilkerson ’ s book , Winfrey said in a telephone interview , “ could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , how we see our humanity and the structure of our world.
“ The 59-year-old Wilkerson is an author and journalist who won the National Book Critics Circle award in 2011 for her previous book , “ The Warmth of Other Suns , ” about the Black migration from the South in the early 20th century .
In “ Caste , ” she looks at American history and the treatment of Blacks and finds what she calls an enduring , unseen and unmentioned caste system — not unlike those in India or Nazi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully confronted .
“ You can not solve a problem unless you identify it and define it , ” Wilkerson told The Associated Press , adding that Winfrey ’ s endorsement means “ many more people who have not learned about this will have the chance to read about something that deeply affects us all.
” “ Caste ” was published Tuesday and already has won praise , with the Times calling it an “ extraordinary document ” and “ almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century this far.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listing it along with Robin DiAngelo ’ s “ White Fragility ” and Ibram X. Kendi ’ s “ How To Be An Antiracist ” as essential reads on racism .
“ Caste ” continues Winfrey ’ s book club partnership with Apple that began last fall and includes such previous picks as Ta-Nehisi Coates ’ novel “ The Water Dancer ” and the nonfiction “ Hidden Valley Road , ” by Robert Kolker .
Winfrey , who has self-quarantined at home in Santa Barbara , California , since March , says she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversations and podcasts with Wilkerson .
An interview with Wilkerson will air this fall on Apple TV Plus .
Winfrey said many details in “ Caste ” were revelatory for her , such as the Nazis ’ admiration for the Jim Crow system .
“ That was shocking to me , ” Winfrey said .
“ Hitler was using the racist South as a template for race purification in Germany.
” Winfrey has been a literary tastemaker for decades , in part because of her commitment to a given book .
She read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , before bound , printed copies were available .
Struggling with the digital edition Random House sent her , she asked for a physical version , however possible , and received from the publisher loose pages that she stapled together and placed in a three-ring binder .
She then bought 500 copies , which she plans to send to leaders in business , sports and politics , including all 50 state governors .
“ I am sending it to people I think will benefit from it and are open-minded enough to receive ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained .
Asked if she would mail a copy to the White House , Winfrey sounded surprised and said she hadn ’ t planned on it .
“ Who ’ s going to read it there ?
” she wondered .
Winfrey has had an eventful 2020 from the start .
Her book club choice in January , Jeanine Cummins ’ novel “ American Dirt , “ set off a debate about the representation of Latinos in the literary world that also touched upon the relatively few Latino authors Winfrey has selected for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that O would become primarily a digital publication in 2021 , though she says the magazine remains profitable .
“ Like with all magazines , the ad sales numbers have gone down , but it was still making money , ” said Winfrey , who called the focus on digital a natural evolution and one that allows O to present work in a more timely way .
She still hopes to feature more works by Latinos in her club , but for now she wants to “ focus on social justice and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Winfrey said she was in tears when she called Wilkerson to tell her she had chosen “ Caste , ” and she became emotional during her interview as she discussed putting Taylor ’ s picture on the cover of O .
“ If I could , I would be in the streets , holding up her picture , “ she said .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Zimbabwe president unapologetic about arrests of critics

HARARE , Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe ’ s president has labeled the main opposition party “ terrorist ” and vowed to continue a clampdown in which scores of opposition members and government critics have been arrested and rights groups allege security forces have carried out illegal abductions and torture .
In an address on state television Tuesday , President Emmerson Mnangagwa described critics as “ dark forces , ” and “ a few bad apples ” that should be “ overcome.
“ The arrests started last week when the military and police thwarted an anti-government protest and Mnangagwa indicated they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the destabilization of our society by a few rogue Zimbabweans acting in league with foreign detractors , ” he said , warning that “ bad apples who have attempted to divide our people and to weaken our systems will be flushed out .
...
Enough is enough.
” Mnangagwa made the speech as local and international pressure mounted on his administration over the allegations of human rights abuses .
The hashtag # Zimbabweanlivesmatter has been used in social media to draw attention to the wave of arrests .
Security agents deployed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major cities last week to foil the protest planned for Friday , resulting in empty streets that day .
Some people who tweeted in support of the demonstrations or tried to hold low key protests were arrested , and some were assaulted and tortured , according to human rights groups and Tendai Biti , spokesman for the main opposition party , the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance .
Investigative journalist Hopewell Chin ’ ono has been in jail for two weeks after he posted on social media in support of the anti-government demonstration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government corruption .
Chin ’ ono awaits a bail hearing this week .
Internationally known author Tsitsi Dangarambga was held in police cells overnight after staging a small protest .
Journalist Mduduzi Mathuthu and several members of the MDC Alliance are in hiding .
In his speech , Mnangagwa , who rights groups accuse of using COVID-19 as a cover to clamp down on dissent , said Zimbabwe ’ s security forces would not relent .
“ Security services will carry out their duties with appropriate astuteness and resolve .
The protection of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and machinations by the destructive terrorist opposition groupings , ” he said .
Mnangagwa pledged to fight corruption and fix the collapsing economy , whose poor performance he blamed on “ divisive politics of some opposition elements , illegal economic sanctions , cyclones , droughts and more recently the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
” Tensions are rising in the southern African country as the economy implodes .
Inflation is more than 700 % , the second-highest in the world , while the World Food Program has projected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be food insecure by the end of the year .
The pandemic has brought a new layer of suffering .
In public hospitals , doctors and nurses are frequently on strike and infrastructure is so dilapidated that “ unborn children and mothers are dying daily , ” according to the Zimbabwe Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--UK lawmakers urge sanctions over Hong Kong police violence

LONDON - British lawmakers urged the U.K. government Tuesday to sanction Hong Kong ’ s leader for allowing “ excessive police violence ” against humanitarian workers who tried to help people injured during pro-democracy protests .
A report by members of the bipartisan All Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong said first aid workers , doctors and nurses , have been subjected to intimidation , threats , physical violence and arrests during months of clashes between police and protesters that began in the semi-autonomous Chinese city last year .
“ The Hong Kong Police Force ’ s treatment of humanitarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have resulted in injured protesters not receiving the required medical care in time or at all , ” the report said .
Lawmaker Alistair Carmichael , who co-chairs the parliamentary group , said the violence was “ not the actions of a few rogue officers ” but instead was “ clearly a systematic and quite deliberate ” policy change that aligned more with policing in mainland China .
The report ’ s authors said they drew their conclusions after receiving over 1,000 pieces of written evidence and hearing many firsthand witness accounts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions on Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam and the city ’ s police commissioner .
Hong Kong saw violence at anti-government protests in the past year , as demonstrations against a proposed law that would allow suspects to be extradited to China grew into a much wider protest movement for democratic reform and against alleged police brutality .
Although the extradition bill was later withdrawn , the demonstrations continued for months .
Police using tear gas , pepper spray and rubber bullets to disperse protesters became common occurrences .
Beijing imposed a sweeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , raising widespread concerns that the Chinese government was cracking down on the anti-government protests .
Hong Kong has long enjoyed civil liberties not seen elsewhere in mainland China because it is governed under a “ one country , two systems ” principle in place since the former British colony reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Honda recalls 1.6M vans and SUVs in 4 different US recalls

DETROIT - Honda is recalling over 1.6 million minivans and SUVs in the U.S. to fix problems that include faulty backup camera displays , malfunctioning dashboard displays and sliding doors that don ’ t latch properly .
The problems were revealed in four recalls posted Tuesday by the government .
They cover certain Odyssey minivans and Pilot and Passport SUVs .
The largest recall covers nearly 608,000 Odysseys from 2018 to 2020 , the 2019 and 2020 Passport and the 2019 through 2021 Pilot .
Honda says critical dashboard functions such as the speedometer , engine oil light and gear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faulty software .
Dealers will reprogram the software starting Sept. 23 .
Another recall covers almost a half-million Odysseys and Passports from 2019 and 2020 and Pilots from 2019 through 2021 .
Incorrect software programming can stop the rear camera displays from working .
Honda will notify owners when updated software is available .
They can follow mailed instructions to download the updates for free or visit a dealer .
The recall also starts Sept. 23 .
The third recall covers over 324,000 2018 through 2020 Odysseys .
Water can get into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doors .
It can freeze in cold temperatures , stopping the doors from latching properly .
Dealers will replace the sliding door outer handle cables starting Sept. 23 .
The fourth recall includes over 212,000 2019-2020 Odysseys for another water problem .
It can get into the rearview camera mounting holes and distort the camera image , or it may not display .
Honda will replace the rearview camera at no cost starting Sept. 23 .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Helicopter crashes into Tennessee River; 1 dead, 3 saved

KNOXVILLE , Tenn. - One person was killed when a helicopter crashed into the Tennessee River on Monday night , authorities said .
Three others escaped the wreckage and were rescued by a pontoon boat that was on the river near Knoxville , TheKnoxville News Sentinel reported .
The survivors refused medical treatment , fire department spokesman D.J .
Corcoran said at a news conference late Monday .
Nearby residents called authorities after the crash happened around 7:40 p.m. , and the Knoxville Fire Department sent crews into the water to search for the missing victim using underwater sonar devices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the victim ’ s body was recovered within a few feet of the crash site around 9:45 p.m .
The victim was not immediately identified and it was not clear whether the victim was a pilot or a passenger , Corcoran said .
The other three people on board were also not identified .
It was not immediately known whether the aircraft , a Eurocopter EC-130 , was landing or taking off when it went down , officials said .
The National Transportation Safety Board is determining the @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Netanyahu warns Hezbollah after Israeli strike in Syria

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday warned the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group and others after Israeli forces said they thwarted an infiltration attempt from Syria by suspected militants .
The Israeli military announced late Monday that it had struck targets in Syria after the militants tried to plant explosives in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights .
Israel struck the four suspects , who were believed to have been killed .
Netanyahu , who toured a military base on Tuesday , said Israel would not hesitate to take further action .
“ We hit a cell and now we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is necessary in order to defend ourselves .
I suggest to all of them , including Hezbollah , to consider this , ” he said .
The incidents come amid heightened tension on Israel ’ s northern frontier following a recent Israeli airstrike that killed a Hezbollah fighter in Syria and anticipation that the militant Lebanese group would retaliate .
Following the airstrike , the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights was hit by explosives fired from Syria and Israel responded by attacking Syrian military positions and beefing up its forces in the area .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thwarted an infiltration attempt from Lebanon by Hezbollah militants , setting off one of the heaviest exchanges of fire along the volatile Israel-Lebanon frontier since a 2006 war between the bitter enemies .
Israel considers Hezbollah to be its most immediate threat .
Since battling Israel to a stalemate during a monthlong war in 2006 , Hezbollah has gained more battlefield experience fighting alongside the Syrian government in that country ’ s bloody civil war .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Firefighters battle large fire in downtown St. Paul

ST. PAUL , Minn. - Firefighters on Tuesday battled a large fire in downtown St. Paul that has engulfed a @ @ @ @ @ .
The building is the Seven Corners Gateway site , an apartment building and hotel @ @ @ @ @ Center , KSTP-TV reported .
There were no reports of injuries and there was no @ @ @ @ @ cause of the fire .
Several streets and interstate ramps in the vicinity have been @ @ @ @ @ of Transportation said .
DOT traffic cameras and video from the scene showed flames shooting @ @ @ @ @ be seen for miles .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Lebanese try to storm energy ministry amid power cuts

BEIRUT - Dozens of Lebanese protesters tried to storm the Ministry of Energy on Tuesday , angered by prolonged power cuts as the country grapples with a crippling economic crisis .
Security forces pushed back against the angry protesters , chasing away some who breached the ministry perimeter .
Scuffles ensued as protesters pushed the metal barricade and said they plan to set up a sit-in at the ministry .
“ We came today and we will stay “ said an unnamed protester who read a statement to the media , adding that they will liberate the ministry “ from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country into darkness.
” Lebanon ’ s economic and financial crisis poses the most significant threat to the country since a devastating 15-year civil war ended in 1990 .
The highly-indebted government is facing a rapid inflation , soaring unemployment and poverty , made worse by the coronavirus pandemic .
Amid the crisis , recurrent power outage worsened as the government failed to secure essential energy sources .
Lebanon has largely relied on fuel shipped in from neighbouring countries and imported diesel for the powerful generators cartel that provides for the incomplete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the war .
For decades , the country struggled with power cuts and a huge public debt for the national electricity company that racks up a deficit of nearly $ 2 billion a year .
But the rationing increased since June , and became so severe that residents reported only a couple of hours of electricity per day in some areas .
Generator providers shut down their machines to ration existing fuel and raised prices because of a plunging national currency .
Lebanese turned to traditional kerosene lamps and candles while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
Lebanon ’ s problems are rooted in years of mismanagement and corruption .
Nationwide protests that erupted last October subsided amid restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic and widening troubles .
But limited protests have recently returned , particularly since prolonged power cuts in the summer heat .
“ We want to send a message that we are not leaving here until there is electricity “ all day , said Ali Daher , another protester .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Where’s Juan Carlos? Spain mulls former monarch’s future

MADRID - Speculation over the whereabouts of former monarch Juan Carlos gripped Spain on Tuesday , a day after the man who served as king for almost four decades announced he was leaving the country for an unspecified destination amid a growing financial scandal .
In a letter published on the royal family ’ s website on Monday , Juan Carlos told his son King Felipe VI he was moving outside Spain due to the “ public repercussions of certain episodes of my past private life.
” Juan Carlos is the target of official investigations in Spain and Switzerland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His bombshell announcement took most Spaniards by surprise .
Neither the royal family nor the government disclosed where the 82-year-old former king was going.. Daily newspaper ABC reported Tuesday that Juan Carlos left Spain on Sunday and flew via Porto , in neighbouring Portugal , to the Dominican Republic .
The daily La Vanguardia also said he was in the Caribbean country , but only temporarily .
But El Confidencial newspaper reported that Juan Carlos could still be in Portugal , where he spent part of his childhood , or in France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and friends .
He assumed the throne in November 1975 as King Juan Carlos I , and is credited with helping Spain peacefully restore democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco that year .
But marred by scandals in the later years of his reign , Juan Carlos in 2014 abdicated in favour of his son Felipe , losing the immunity from prosecution the Spanish Constitution grants to the head of state .
Spain ’ s king is the head of state , which is a mostly ceremonial role .
Executive power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the wake of Juan Carlos ’ s announcement , some people called for the monarchy to be abolished .
The leftist political party Unidas Podemos , the junior member of Spain ’ s coalition government , wants a public debate about creating a republic .
“ There is no reason at all to keep supporting a monarchy which doesn ’ t possess minimum ethical standards , ” the party said in a statement late Monday .
But the Socialist party , which leads the government under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has declared its support for Felipe .
Even so , Sánchez recently said he found the developments about Juan Carlos “ disturbing.
” “ I think it is really bad that we let him go , ” said Sara Fernandez , a 38-year-old insurance worker .
“ He should have to stay here , return the money and do prison time , like all Spaniards when you break the law.
” But janitor Mar Verdugo , 55 , urged caution .
“ We are judging him without any evidence , so when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he has done right or wrong , ” she said .
Juan Carlos ’ s lawyer , Javier Sánchez-Junco Mans , said in an emailed statement that the former king had asked him to make clear that even though he will be outside Spain he intends to be available to co-operate with the investigation .
Juan Carlos can not be tried for alleged crimes he committed while he was on the throne because the king has immunity .
However , he could potentially stand trial for acts committed after 2014 .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office in June said it was investigating whether Juan Carlos received millions of dollars in kickbacks from Saudi Arabia during the construction of a high-speed railway there by a Spanish consortium .
Since then , Spanish media outlets have published damaging testimony from a separate Swiss investigation into millions of euros ( dollars ) that were allegedly given to Juan Carlos by Saudi Arabia ’ s late King Abdullah .
Juan Carlos allegedly then transferred a large amount to a former companion in what investigators are considering as a possible attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The companion , Corinna Larsen , is a Danish-German businesswoman long linked by Spanish media to the former king .
Spanish prosecutors have asked her to provide testimony in the case in September in Madrid .
Hatton reported from Lisbon , Portugal .
Sara Puig in Barcelona and Iain Sullivan in Madrid contributed .

Barry Hatton And Alicia Leon - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Curfew in parts of Kashmir ahead of revocation anniversary

SRINAGAR , India - Authorities imposed a curfew in many parts of Indian-controlled Kashmir on Tuesday , a day ahead of the first anniversary of India ’ s controversial decision to revoke the disputed region ’ s semi-autonomy .
Shahid Iqbal Choudhary , a civil administrator , said the security lockdown was imposed in the region ’ s main city of Srinagar in view of information about protests planned by anti-India groups to mark Aug. 5 as “ Black Day.
” Police and paramilitary soldiers drove through neighbourhoods and went to people ’ s homes , warning them to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rifles and in riot gear , erected steel barricades and laid razor wire across roads , bridges and intersections .
They patrolled largely deserted streets in Srinagar and enforced restrictions on civilian movement .
The curfew will be enforced Tuesday and Wednesday , Choudhary said in a government order .
Scores of young men were detained in the last few days in anticipation that they would organize anti-India protests in the region , a police officer said on condition of anonymity in keeping with department policy .
“ A series of inputs have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups are planning to observe Aug. 5 as Black Day and violent action or protests are not ruled out , ” he said .
Last year on Aug. 5 , India ’ s Hindu-nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi downgraded Jammu-Kashmir state and divided it into two federally governed territories .
Since then , New Delhi has brought in a slew of new laws that locals say are aimed at shifting the demographics in the Muslim-majority region , many of whom want independence from India or unification with Pakistan .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispute between Pakistan and India since the two split after the end of British colonial rule .
They each control part of Kashmir and have fought two wars over their rival claims .
Initially , the anti-India movement in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir was largely peaceful , but after a series of political blunders , broken promises and a crackdown on dissent , Kashmiris launched a full-blown armed revolt in 1989 .
After the Aug. 5 move , Indian authorities enforced an information blackout and a harsh security clampdown in Kashmir for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-freedom leaders and politicians who have traditionally supported Indian rule were arrested .
Hundreds of them are still incarcerated .
As some of the restrictions were eased , India enforced another harsh lockdown in March to combat the spread of the coronavirus , deepening the social and economic crises in the restive region .
Human Rights Watch asked that India reverse its “ abusive policies ” in the region and said it was dismayed that India persisted with “ its repression of Kashmiri Muslims ” despite the pandemic forcing the world to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims that it was determined to improve Kashmiri lives ring hollow one year after the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir ’ s constitutional status , ” Meenakshi Ganguly , the global rights group ’ s South Asia director , said in a statement Tuesday .
“ The authorities instead have maintained stifling restraints on Kashmiris in violation of their basic rights.
” Meanwhile , the president of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir urged the international community to save Kashmiri people from what he described as “ imperialism ” and said Kashmiris were being made homeless in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commented in a video message on Tuesday , a day after Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak visited a frontier village along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan .
Indian and Pakistani soldiers have traded near-daily gunfire along the highly militarized line for over a year , killing dozens of civilians and soldiers on both sides .
Each has accused the other of violating their 2003 cease-fire accord .
The rival troops again attacked each other ’ s positions along the de facto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for initiating the skirmishes .
Pakistani officials said at least 11 people were wounded in the Indian firing in Tattapani village .
The Indian military said its soldiers responded to the Pakistani shelling and reported no casualties .
Associated Press writer Roshan Mughal in Muzaffarabad , Pakistan , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Family tells AP: Iran abducted California man while in Dubai

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - A California-based member of an Iranian militant opposition group in exile was abducted by Iran while staying in Dubai , his family said Tuesday .
The suspected cross-border abduction of Jamshid Sharmahd appears corroborated by mobile phone location data , shared by his family with The Associated Press , that suggests he was taken to neighbouring Oman before heading to Iran .
Iran hasn ’ t said how it detained Sharmahd , though the announcement came against the backdrop of covert actions conducted by Iran amid heightened tensions with the U.S. over Tehran ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Iran accuses Sharmahd , 65 , of Glendora , California of planning a 2008 attack on a mosque that killed 14 people and wounded over 200 others , as well as plotting other assaults through the little-known Kingdom Assembly of Iran and its Tondar militant wing .
It aired an interview of him on state television — footage that resembled many other suspected coerced confessions broadcast by the Iranian government in the last decade .
His family , however , insists Sharmahd only served as a spokesman for the group and had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran .
Sharmahd , who supports restoring Iran ’ s monarchy that was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution , already had been targeted in an apparent Iranian assassination plot on U.S. soil in 2009 .
“ We ’ re seeking support from any democratic country , any free country , “ his son Shayan Sharmahd told the AP .
” It is a violation of human rights .
You can ’ t just pick someone up in a third country and drag them into your country.
” Iran ’ s Intelligence Ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elder Sharmahd , other than to deny he was arrested in Tajikistan .
The ministry and Iran ’ s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
Sharmahd had been in Dubai , trying to travel to India for a business deal involving his software company , his son said .
He was hoping to get a connecting flight despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic disrupting global travel .
Sharmahd ’ s family received the last message from him on July 28 .
After that , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages , his son said .
Telephone location data showed his mobile phone that day at the Premier Inn Dubai International Airport Hotel , where he had been staying .
It ’ s unclear how the abduction happened .
A hotel operator said Sharmahd had checked out July 29 .
Tracking data showed Sharmahd ’ s mobile phone travelled south from Dubai to the city of Al Ain on July 29 , crossing the border into Oman and staying overnight near an Islamic school in the border city of al-Buraimi .
On July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone travelled to the Omani port city of Sohar , where the signal stopped .
Two days later , on Saturday , Iran announced it had captured Sharmahd in a “ complex operation.
“ The Intelligence Ministry published a photograph of him blindfolded .
His son said he believed that in the state TV footage , Sharmahd hurriedly read whatever Iran wanted him to say .
“ Imagine your own father being tied up one day on television and you see that , “ Shayan Sharmahd said .
Western officials believe Iran runs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the hundreds of thousands of Iranians living in the city-state .
Iran is suspected of kidnapping and later killing British-Iranian national Abbas Yazdi in Dubai in 2013 , though Tehran has denied involvement .
It isn ’ t just Iran that maintains a presence in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates , home to some 5,000 U.S. troops and the U.S. Navy ’ s busiest port of call outside of America .
The U.S. State Department runs its Iran Regional Presence Office in Dubai , where diplomats monitor Iranian media reports and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotels long have been targeted by intelligence operatives , such as in the suspected 2010 assassination by the Israeli Mossad of Hamas operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh .
Dubai and the rest of the UAE have since invested even more in an elaborate surveillance network .
Dubai police and officials , as well as federal officials in Abu Dhabi and the Omani Embassy in Washington , did not respond to requests for comment .
The UAE has long been trying to de-escalate tensions with Iran after President Donald Trump ’ s maximum pressure campaign saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Sunday , Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a videoconference with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif .
However , over the last year , a series of escalating incidents have shaken the wider Mideast , leading to a U.S. drone strike in January that killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad and an Iranian ballistic missile attack that injured dozens of American soldiers in Iraq .
Also , there have been explosions on oil tankers off the Emirati coast that the U.S. Navy has blamed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an oil tanker seized by the UAE after being suspected of smuggling Iranian crude oil was hijacked , likely by Iran .
In June , Iran sentenced to death another opposition journalist living in Paris it detained under unclear circumstances .
For now , Sharmahd ’ s family said they contacted the government in Germany , where he holds citizenship , and the U.S. government as he ’ s lived for years in America and was on track for citizenship after the 2009 assassination plot .
The German Embassy in Tehran has asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Foreign Ministry in Berlin , hoping to understand how Sharmahd was arrested .
However , Iran doesn ’ t allow consular access for its dual nationals , considering them exclusively Iranian citizens .
The State Department , which mistakenly referred to Sharmahd in an earlier report as an American citizen , acknowledged his arrest and said Iran “ has a long history of detaining Iranians and foreign nationals on spurious charges.
” While Iran has yet to say what charges Sharmahd faces , others detained over the 2008 bombing have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son said his father suffers from Parkinson ’ s disease , as well as diabetes and heart trouble that require medication and careful monitoring .
“ He ’ s very much at risk , “ his son said .
” All of us are extremely concerned.
” ___ Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Parents unhappy with school options assemble learning ‘pods’

MIAMI - On the 4-acre farm at the edge of the Everglades where Timea Hunter runs a horse academy , she has hosted plenty of parties , picnics and workshops .
So with her children ’ s school building closed , she figured why not use it also a classroom ?
While her son and daughter will participate in distance learning at their school , she plans to hire a teacher together with the families of four to six other children who could provide supplemental , in-person instruction on the farm shaded by royal poinciana trees .
“ We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mini playground and big tables where the kids can seat under the shade and they can study there , ” Hunter said .
“ We are not educated to do this , so everybody is freaking out and saying , ‘ What are we gon na do , how we are going to do it ?
’ ” As the coronavirus pandemic has clouded hopes of reopening schools nationwide , parents who want more than remote instruction have been scrambling to hire tutors and private teachers for small groups of children .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” threatens to vastly deepen inequities in access to education .
In some cases , parents are paying thousands of dollars each to include their children in pods , promising teachers $ 40 to $ 100 an hour or more .
A Facebook group on learning pods attracted more than 30,000 members within three weeks of being formed and launched numerous offshoots in states and cities .
New sites like pod-up.com and partnerpods.org have emerged offering to connect families and instructors .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis , a Republican , has called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not an option for low-income parents .
“ We hear these different things about some parents are going to create their own learning pods and all this other stuff , and just to understand that is really going to be dependent on financial wherewithal and what income bracket they are in , ” DeSantis said at a recent education discussion .
“ When you have working-class parents , they really do need to have an option.
” Hunter said distance learning was extremely hard on her 9-year-old son .
She said the teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then left the rest up to the parents .
Now she also worries about a younger daughter who is entering kindergarten .
“ They just gave us all the projects , all the stuff we needed to do was overwhelming .
I had to sit with my son and explain everything , ” she said .
Among those considering work as pod instructors are teachers like Jeanette Matas who are leery of going back to their jobs .
Matas , a 42-year-old reading teacher in Miami , knows from seeing her 6th-grade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ siblings while also juggling virtual classes that students from lower-income families get “ the short end of the stick.
” But her grandmother died of COVID-19 after her caretaker infected her , and her own third-grade daughter has suffered from respiratory infections that kept her away from school for weeks .
So she is also considering taking a year of leave and getting hired to teach her own pod , bringing along her children .
“ It has hit too close to home , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some view the pods as a necessary and even creative solution to the crisis facing the education system .
“ It is civil society in action , ” said Lindsey Burke , director of the Center for Education Policy at the conservative Heritage Foundation , which advocates for school choice policies that allow public funding to follow students to private or alternative schools .
Tina Cheuk , an education researcher at California Polytechnic State University , said she is troubled by the trend toward learning pods and the related push to finance them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the schools .
“ That decision has implications for public education , ” she said .
Not only would it defund public education but it threatens to de-professionalize teachers , who are often “ replaced ” in pods by college students or retirees , she said .
“ You choosing to be in a pod may seem very innocent — ‘ well , of course , it makes sense .
I ’ m looking out for my family , ’ ” Cheuk said .
“ It ’ s these unintended consequences for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or we choose to ignore because our private interests trump the others that we don ’ t know.
” A group of Oakland , California , elementary school principals spelled out their concerns in open letter , reminding parents that health professionals recommend limiting in-person interactions and pointing out the potential to “ cause feelings of exclusion , especially for kids who may see or hear of their peers congregating and learning together while they remain isolated.
” Although some parents are forming learning pods with neighbours they already know , others are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast a wider net , raising questions about safety and quality assurance .
In Miami , Melissa Cedeno , 37 , who has two boys in elementary school , advertised on Facebook her search for other children and a tutor to assist students following virtual programs through their local schools .
In the announcement , Cedeno , who works in digital marketing , announced she would grant parents online access to her indoor camera and conduct background checks on the teaching candidates .
“ In another house , I would not know if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or someone who would come in .
It is so completely transparent in my house with the camera , where there is no question where your kid was , ” she said in an interview .
“ I have overseen children ministry programs and it is so normal for me to be on top of this.
” Atlanta , Georgia , parent Nikolai Pizarro de Jesus has homeschooled her 12-year-old son since he was in kindergarten and has been busy in recent weeks helping families organize more socio-economically accessible pods by matching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t necessarily need to hire a teacher .
She is hopeful that the discussions about pods will raise awareness among people who , when they send their children off to high-performing district schools , normally don ’ t think about the inequalities that have long existed in public education .
“ Whereas now , they ’ re creating very consciously this pod .
They ’ re recognizing their privilege , ” she said .
“ Now they ’ re aware of the lack of equity in schools and the lack of choices that @ @ @ @

Carolyn Thompson And Adriana Gomez Licon - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Belarus leader pledges allegiance to Russia ahead of vote

MINSK , Belarus - Belarus ’ s authoritarian leader vowed Tuesday to maintain a close alliance with Russia despite the latest tensions as he seeks a sixth term in office amid a surge of opposition protests .
In a state-of-the-nation address ahead of Sunday ’ s election , President Alexander Lukashenko said the partnership between the neighbours reflects historic ties .
“ Russia has always been and will remain our close ally irrespective of who takes power in Belarus or Russia , ” Lukashenko said .
That contrasts with Lukashenko ’ s diatribes against Russia last week , when Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security contractors at a sanitarium outside the Belarusian capital on charges of planning to stage mass riots .
Moscow has dismissed the accusations , saying the contractors were heading to another country and stayed in Belarus after missing their transfer .
Even as he vowed to preserve warm relations with Russia , Lukashenko stood his ground on the arrested contractors , dismissing Moscow ’ s claim as lies .
He asserted that those arrested told Belarusian investigators that they had been specifically sent to Belarus and told to wait for further orders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ militants ” had been sent to southern Belarus , adding that “ we will have to run through the forests to catch them , but we will get them all.
” He gave no details .
The Belarusian leader warned Moscow against trying to stoke tensions , adding that the instability could spread across the border and engulf Russia .
“ It will explode in such a way that it would reverberate all the way to Vladivostok , ” he said in a reference to Russia ’ s far eastern port city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has relied on cheap Russian energy and other subsidies and loans worth billions of dollars to shore up the Soviet-style economy in the nation of 9.5 million people .
But at the same time , he has engaged in fierce economic arguments with the Kremlin , resisting Russian attempts to take control over Belarus ’ s economic assets .
Russia this year has sharply scaled down its subsidies , saying Belarus needs to accept closer economic integration if it wants to receive Russian energy at a steep discount .
Lukashenko has described the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to subdue its neighbour .
Lukashenko obliquely referred to those arguments in his speech , lamenting that “ Russia has shifted from brotherly to partner-like relations with us.
” But he argued that Moscow needs warm relations with its neighbour to the west .
“ Russia fears losing us because it has no really close allies left except us , ” he said .
“ And the West has shown increasing interest in us.
” Throughout his rule , Lukashenko has sought to scare the Kremlin with the prospect of turning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some extent , even though Lukashenko has earned the nickname of “ Europe ’ s last dictator ” in the West for his authoritarian ways .
The 65-year-old former state farm director has stifled dissent and independent media and extended his rule through votes the West has seen as rigged .
This time , the Belarusian leader has faced the toughest challenge yet from the opposition , amid public fatigue with his rule and fallout from the coronavirus pandemic .
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya , the wife of a jailed opposition blogger , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands to her campaign rallies .
Belarusian authorities have detained more than 1,000 participants in protests since the campaign ’ s start .
In his speech , Lukashenko pointed to alleged plans to organize a “ massacre ” in Minsk — again giving no details — and sternly warned opposition supporters against holding unsanctioned protests .
“ The response will be instant and the sanctions will be harsh , ” he said .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Tropic storm Isaias whips up eastern US, killing at least 5

WINDSOR , N.C. - At least five people were killed as Tropical Storm Isaias spawned tornadoes and dumped rain Tuesday along the U.S. East Coast after making landfall as a hurricane in North Carolina , where it caused floods and fires that displaced dozens of people .
Two people died when Isaias spun off a tornado that struck a North Carolina mobile home park .
Another person died in Pennsylvania when their vehicle was overtaken by water and swept downstream .
Two others were killed by falling trees toppled by the storm in Maryland and New York City , authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 65 mph ( 105 kph ) more than 18 hours after coming ashore , but it was down to 50 mph max winds as of 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday , according to the National Hurricane Center .
The storm ’ s centre was passing through the middle of Vermont , moving north-northeast at about 40 mph ( 65 kph ) .
As Isaias sped northward , flooding threats followed .
The Schuylkill River in Philadelphia was projected to crest early Wednesday at 15.4 feet ( 4.7 metres ) , its highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By Tuesday night , the river had already topped its banks in low-lying Manayunk , turning bar-lined Main Street into a coffee-colored canal .
Aerial video by WRAL-TV showed fields of debris where rescue workers in brightly colored shirts picked through splintered boards and other wreckage of the Windsor , North Carolina , mobile home park where two people were killed .
Emergency responders searching the area Tuesday afternoon found no other casualties , and several people initially feared missing had all been accounted for , said Ron Wesson , chairman of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said about 12 people were hospitalized .
“ It doesn ’ t look real ; it looks like something on TV .
Nothing is there , ” Bertie County Sheriff John Holley told reporters , saying 10 mobile homes had been destroyed .
“ All my officers are down there at this time .
Pretty much the entire trailer park is gone.
” In eastern Pennsylvania , a 44-year-old Allentown woman was killed after encountering high waters on a street in Upper Saucon Township that swept her vehicle downstream Tuesday afternoon , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While in New York City , a massive tree fell and crushed a van in the Briarwood section of Queens , killing Mario Siles , a 60-year-old construction contractor who was inside the vehicle , police said .
A woman in Mechanicsville , Maryland , died when a tree crashed onto her car during stormy conditions , said Cpl .
Julie Yingling of the St. Mary ’ s County sheriff ’ s office .
Isaias toggled between hurricane and tropical storm strength as it churned toward the East Coast .
Fueled by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a late burst of strength as a rejuvenated hurricane with top sustained winds of 85 mph ( 136 km/h ) before coming ashore late Monday near Ocean Isle Beach , North Carolina .
Its tropical storm status was sustained , but weakened , as it headed north toward Canada early Tuesday night .
Before making landfall late Monday , Isaias killed two people in the Caribbean and battered the Bahamas before brushing past Florida .
Tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service in Virginia , Maryland , Delaware and New Jersey .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with more than 3.7 million customers losing electricity across multiple states as of 10:15 p.m. EDT Tuesday , according to PowerOutage.US , which tracks utility reports .
New York City ’ s power utility said it saw more outages from Isaias than from any storm except Superstorm Sandy in 2012 .
In Doylestown , Pennsylvania , officials said four children were treated for minor injuries after high winds partially tore the roof off a day care centre .
Also in the Philadelphia suburbs , rescue workers in Delaware County were searching for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the fast-moving water of a swollen creek , said Timothy Boyce , the county emergency services director .
In New York City , fierce wind and rain forced the Staten Island ferry and outdoor subway lines to shut down .
The New Jersey Turnpike banned car-pulled trailers and motorcycles .
Some of the worst damage Tuesday seemed to be east and north of where the hurricane ’ s eye struck land in North Carolina .
“ Fortunately , this storm was fast-moving and has already left our state , “ Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Myrtle Beach , South Carolina , the storm sent waves crashing over the Sea Cabin Pier late Monday , causing a big section to collapse into the water as startled bystanders taking photos from the pier scrambled back to land .
“ I ’ m shocked it ’ s still standing , ” said Dean Burris , who watched from the balcony of a vacation rental .
The Hurricane Center had warned oceanside dwellers near the North Carolina-South Carolina state line to brace for storm surge up to 5 feet ( 1.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 20 centimetres ) of rain .
Eileen and David Hubler were out early Tuesday cleaning up in North Myrtle Beach , where 4 feet ( 1.2 metres ) of storm surge flooded cars , unhinged docks and etched a water line into the side of their home .
“ When the water started coming , it did not stop , ” Eileen Hubler said .
They had moved most items of value to their second floor , but a mattress and washing machine were unexpected storm casualties .
“ We keep thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ And each time there ’ s a hurricane , we learn a new lesson.
” Morgan reported from North Myrtle Beach , South Carolina .
Associated Press contributors include science writer Seth Borenstein in Kensington , Maryland ; Gerry Broome in Southport , North Carolina ; Jonathan Drew in Durham , North Carolina ; Michelle Liu in Columbia , South Carolina ; Michael Kunzelman in College Park , Maryland ; Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River , New Jersey ; Shawn Marsh in Trenton , New Jersey ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson is 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 .
”

Bryan Anderson And Sarah Blake Morgan - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Federal program offers new cybersecurity tool for elections

ATLANTA - State and local officials are receiving additional tools from the federal government to help defend the nation ’ s election systems from cyberthreats ahead of the November vote , as intelligence officials continue to warn about foreign efforts to interfere in the U.S. election .
Under a $ 2.2 million pilot program that began in March , the Department of Homeland Security ’ s cybersecurity agency in partnership with the Center for Internet Security has been deploying software to election offices .
It is then placed on devices , including laptops and servers used for voter registration and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity .
The program was highlighted during a congressional hearing Tuesday .
“ This is the next step , the evolution of helping state and local entities , ” said Matt Masterson , a top cybersecurity official within the Department of Homeland Security .
“ This really advances their ability to protect their networks.
” Thirty state election offices have already integrated the so-called endpoint detection and response tools , which are routinely used in the private sector but less common at the local level .
Through the federal program , officials expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine additional states by November .
Fewer than 100 local government agencies have signed up so far .
Endpoint detection is a key component of network defence designed to detect intrusions early .
The software identifies known threats as well as suspicious behaviour that could indicate an attack .
“ The threat actors are creating over a million new strings of malware a day , ” said Michael Atkinson with FireEye , a leading cybersecurity firm that provides such software .
“ If you don ’ t have the capacity to search in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and have human cybersecurity experts work on that for you , in the end , compromise will likely be inevitable.
” Under the program , CIS analysts would receive alerts of suspicious activity , allowing them to monitor and track suspicious activity across jurisdictions with the goal of early detection and mitigation .
Officials said the effort was just the latest in steps taken to shore up cybersecurity since the 2016 presidential election .
“ While there are no guarantees in cybersecurity , I can assure you that the security defences we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improved over those in place a short four years ago , ” John M. Gilligan , president and CEO of the Center for Internet Security , told the House Homeland Security Committee .
States were left scrambling after it was revealed Russian agents had targeted election systems leading up to the 2016 presidential election .
While no evidence surfaced that any votes were altered or voter data manipulated , the actions by a foreign adversary to scrutinize the nation ’ s myriad election systems for vulnerabilities prompted changes including enhanced security protocols , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improved information-sharing across federal , state and local governments .
But cybersecurity experts say the threat has hardly been dulled .
Just a few weeks ago , Bill Evanina , director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center , released a statement noting foreign adversaries are seeking to compromise election infrastructure along with campaigns , candidates and other political targets .
He said the government continues to “ monitor malicious cyber actors trying to gain access to U.S. state and federal networks , including those responsible for managing elections.
” The pilot program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitoring devices , known as Albert sensors , that were deployed earlier by the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency and the Center for Internet Security that monitors traffic touching election networks .
Experts have said those devices have limited value in detecting nation-state hackers .
During the congressional hearing , experts noted that local election officials are being stretched to the limit due to the pandemic , dealing with a surge in absentee ballots and a diminishing force of poll workers , with many unwilling to staff crowded polling places out of fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alliance for Securing Democracy told committee members that many local election offices lack the resources to boost cybersecurity defences .
“ The coronavirus has exacerbated the problem by forcing a number of states to divert election security funding to cover other unanticipated costs stemming from the pandemic , ” Levine said .
An effort by Democrats to send $ 3.6 billion to states to help cover pandemic-related costs for elections has stalled , and Republicans ’ latest proposal for coronavirus relief did not include funds for elections .
Associated Press writer Frank Bajak @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Christina A. Cassidy - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Hiroshima survivor recalls working on tram after A-bomb

HIROSHIMA , Japan - Tetsuko Shakuda was a frightened 14-year-old when she resumed her work as a conductor on a tram line in the devastated city of Hiroshima , just three days after the atomic bomb exploded 75 years ago , badly damaging the tracks and most of the trams .
Shakuda was one of a group of young women trained for such work as the war intensified and growing numbers of male workers were drafted to fight .
The bomb that exploded on Aug. 6 , 1945 , changed everything .
As that first tram on Aug. 9 moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rubble and decomposing bodies .
“ Many different kinds of people , including the injured , were pushing to get onto the train , ” Shakuda , 89 , said in an interview with The Associated Press .
“ I remember thinking ‘ wow ’ about everything I saw.
” She recalls the time as the most harrowing of her life .
“ The ceiling of the tram was black with swarms of packed flies , ” Shakuda wrote in a memoir .
“ They buzzed around loudly .
It felt creepy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been eating those who died from the atomic bombing.
” Fares were free after the bombing , and survivors saw the train as a symbol of hope and continuity amid the devastation .
Shakuda considered her work on the tram part of a vital wartime mission for her country .
Her path to that work began when , hoping to become a teacher , Shakuda entered a home economics school for girls established by the Hiroshima Electric Railway Co. in April 1945 .
It was supposed to teach girls sewing and teaching .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on city trains .
As battles with the United States got closer to mainland Japan , food was scarce , and Shakuda recalls working on the trams while exhausted and desperately hungry , struggling to stay awake .
When the atomic bomb destroyed most of Hiroshima , 185 employees and students who worked for the Hiroshima Electric Railway died and 266 were injured .
Tracks were severely damaged by debris .
Of the 123 trams , only three were operable .
Shakuda was having breakfast in her dorm ’ s cafeteria , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the epicenter , when a bright flash filled the sky .
She crouched , thinking the ceiling was falling .
Silence followed , then waves of dust .
Classmates started crying out , “ Mom , help me !
” The survivors crawled out of the cafeteria .
“ People ’ s clothes were falling apart and their skin was drooping , ” Shakuda told AP .
She survived without any injuries — one of the few .
Over the following days , she helped nurse others .
But with no medication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could do was weep as she picked maggots off gaping wounds using chopsticks .
Despite the damage , surviving train employees , residents and soldiers began rebuilding the tracks .
Yuta Azumi , from the train planning division of Hiroshima Electric Railway , said the city ’ s power plant was also bombed after the atomic attack .
But officials managed to pull electrical lines from another power plant to run the trains .
After Japan surrendered on Aug. 15 , Shakuda left her work on the trams and returned to her home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have of that time are all painful , ” she said .
The role she and others played is now commemorated by Hiroshima Electric Railway and RCC Broadcasting Co. , which have set up a train from 1942 — Tram 653 — to show people the recovery efforts after the bombing .
Because of the coronavirus pandemic , no passengers are allowed on the train this year , but operators will make special runs of the train on Thursday , the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing , and on Sunday to mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist Emily Wang in Tokyo contributed to this story .


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Trump encourages mail voting in key battleground Florida

WASHINGTON - In an abrupt reversal , President Donald Trump now is encouraging voters in the critical swing state of Florida to vote by mail after months of criticizing the practice , and only days after threatening to sue Nevada over a new vote-by-mail law .
His encouragement follows a surge in Democratic requests to vote for mail in Florida , a state that Trump almost certainly must win to secure a second term .
Democrats currently have about 1.9 million Floridians signed up to vote by mail this November , almost 600,000 more than the Republicans ’ 1.3 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State .
In 2016 , both sides had about 1.3 million signed up before the general election .
“ Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting , in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure , Tried and True .
Florida ’ s Voting system has been cleaned up ( we defeated Democrats attempts at change ) , so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail !
, ” Trump tweeted Tuesday .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany rejected the notion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She said he supports absentee voting by mail for a reason , as opposed to states mailing out ballots to all voters regardless of whether they requested them .
Most election officials say there is little effective difference between absentee voting and voting by mail .
Trump elaborated on why he supports voting by mail in Florida , but not elsewhere .
“ They ’ ve been doing this over many years and they ’ ve made it really terrific , “ Trump said .
“ This took years to do , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t take weeks or months .
In the case of Nevada , they ’ re going to be voting in a matter of weeks .
And you can ’ t do that.
” Yet Florida hardly has a history of flawless elections , most notably in 2000 when the state ’ s disputed vote count had to be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court , delivering the presidency to George W. Bush over Al Gore .
Trump cited a New York race as an example of what can go wrong , claiming no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that race , a judge ruled Monday that about 1,000 disputed ballots should be counted .
That will likely not affect the outcome since the incumbent , longtime Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney is leading her closest challenger by about 3,700 votes .
“ I think they have to do the election over .
That election is no good , “ Trump said .
More voters during this year ’ s primary elections opted to vote by mail , and several states relaxed restrictions for voting absentee through the mail .
Trump himself voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
Five states have relied on mail-in ballots since even before the coronavirus pandemic raised concerns about voting in person , but there is no evidence to support Trump ’ s assertion that voting by mail leads to widespread fraud .
Trump has gone so far as to suggest by tweet that the November election should be delayed “ until people can properly , securely and safely vote.
” States that use mail-in votes exclusively say they have necessary safeguards in place to ensure that a hostile foreign actor doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts say voter fraud is rare in all forms of balloting , including by mail .
With Florida ’ s large retirement population , voting by mail is expected to become a more popular option this November .
Sen. Marco Rubio , R-Fla. , was asked Saturday if he had concerns about the option .
“ No , I ’ m not concerned about mail-in voting in Florida , ” he said tersely .
“ Thank you for the clarification Mr President !
This is very helpful , ” said Joe Gruters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party .
“ Florida will deliver you the 29 electoral votes !
” Florida is considered a must-win state for Trump ’ s reelection prospects .
Its presidential contests are usually close , with Trump winning by just 1.2 percentage points in 2016 , and George W. Bush winning Florida by just 537 votes in 2000 .
Nevada lawmakers have recently passed a bill that would add the state to a growing list of U.S. states mailing active voters ballots ahead of the November election .
The bill , which was passed Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Steve Sisolak , a Democrat .
Nevada joins seven states that plan on automatically sending voters mail ballots , including California and Vermont , which moved earlier this summer to adopt automatic mail ballot policies .
Trump called the bill ’ s passage “ an illegal late night coup ” in a tweet Monday morning .
He accused Sisolak of exploiting COVID-19 to ensure votes in Nevada would favour Democrats .
Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan in Tallahassee , Florida , and Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale , Florida , @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Trump says generals feel Beirut blast was likely an ‘attack’

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said U.S. military generals have told him that they “ seem to feel ” the massive explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday , killing at least 70 people , was a “ terrible attack ” likely caused by a bomb .
Trump was asked why he called it an attack and not an accident , especially since Lebanese officials say they have not determined the cause of the explosion .
He told reporters at the White House : “ It would seem like it based on the explosion .
I met with some of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel that it was .
This was not a — some kind of a manufacturing explosion type of a event .
...
They seem to think it was a attack .
It was a bomb of some kind , yes.
” Trump offered condolences to the victims and said the United States stood ready to assist Lebanon .
“ It looks like a terrible attack , ” he said .
A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on the matter Tuesday night , referring questions back to the White House .
The explosion flattened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the capital , sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky .
In addition to those who died , more than 3,000 other people were injured , with bodies buried in the rubble , officials said .
The cause of the blast was not immediately known , but initial reports suggested a fire had detonated a warehouse at the port .
Abbas Ibrahim , chief of Lebanese General Security , said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the material was ammonium nitrate .
Witnesses reported seeing a strange , orange cloud like that which appears when toxic nitrogen dioxide gas is released after an explosion involving nitrates .
Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Deb Riechmann in Washington contributed to this report .

Darlene Superville - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-04--Kansas GOP picks Rep. Marshall for Senate seat over Kobach

TOPEKA , Kan. - Kansas Republicans have nominated Rep. Roger Marshall for the Senate instead of polarizing conservative Kris Kobach .
Voters on Tuesday heeded the GOP establishment ’ s advice for keeping a normally safe out of play , even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and others could not persuade President Donald Trump to endorse Marshall .
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE .
AP ’ s earlier story appears below : Establishment Republicans sought Tuesday to thwart polarizing conservative Kris Kobach ’ s bid for Kansas ’ open Senate seat , a task complicated by President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favoured candidate in the primary .
Republicans haven ’ t lost a Senate contest in Kansas since 1932 .
But party leaders in Washington and many GOP activists in Kansas fear that the normally safe seat held by retiring four-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts will be in play if the party nominates Kobach , the former Kansas secretary of state who is nationally known for advocating restrictive immigration policies .
Polls closed throughout the state .
State Sen. Barbara Bollier easily won the Democratic nomination .
In the GOP race , Trump didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marshall in a crowded field , despite prodding from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and others .
The two-term congressman for western and central Kansas faced blistering attacks in the final weeks of the campaign , including from a political action committee with Democratic ties .
The GOP already faces a potentially tough year in trying to retain its 53-47 Senate majority with competitive races in other states , including Arizona , Colorado and Maine .
Republicans are hoping to avoid a repeat of 2018 when Kobach lost the state ’ s gubernatorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent and moderate GOP voters .
Bob and Debbie Rosenberger , said that loss was on their minds as they cast their Republican primary ballots for Marshall at a southwest Topeka church .
The retired 62-year-old postal worker and his wife , a retired , 63-year-old nursing home supervisor , said they are Trump supporters and believe Marshall will help him in the Senate .
As for Kobach , Bob Rosenberger said , “ Bottom line , I just don ’ t trust him as much as Roger Marshall.
“ Eldon Nugen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belle Plaine in south-central Kansas , voted for Kobach despite worrying about him losing in November .
He said he likes Kobach ’ s position on immigration and believes policies should be more restrictive .
“ We don ’ t need any more low-skilled workers in the United States , ” he said .
The state saw a heavy reliance on mail-in ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic , and at least 265,000 voters cast ballots in advance — more than double the number from the 2018 and 2016 primaries .
Counties could accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were postmarked Tuesday , creating uncertainty that the GOP Senate primary would be decided before then .
Many Republicans were nervous about the Senate race because Bollier has raised more than $ 8.2 million for her campaign , seeing a flood of contributions from outside Kansas .
Bollier is a retired Kansas City-area anesthesiologist and former moderate Republican who switched parties in 2018 .
Marshall raised about $ 2.9 million and Kobach , a little more than $ 1 million .
Bob Hamilton , the founder of a Kansas City-area plumbing company largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with $ 3.5 million in personal loans .
Those figures were all dwarfed by PAC spending in the primary , which totalled about $ 11 million .
Marshall , Kobach and Hamilton sat atop an 11-person field , the largest one for the GOP since the state began holding Senate primaries more than 100 years ago .
Kansas has no runoff elections , so if Kobach maintains his solid base on the right , he could emerge if the rest of the vote splinters .
Marshall and his allies made Kobach ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a key issue and argued that he was the best alternative .
McConnell ’ s first choice was U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , a former Wichita-area congressman , but while Pompeo made multiple visits to Kansas suggesting interest , he declared himself out in January .
Kobach argued that the issues he ’ s often emphasized — particularly immigration — would play better in a fall Senate campaign and said he ’ d benefit from a flood of pro-Trump voters going to the polls in November after skipping voting in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his status an an informal adviser to Trump and the White House and the first prominent Kansas official to endorse Trump ’ s presidential bid in 2016 .
Roberts declared his support for Marshall after the congressman had picked up endorsements from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , the Kansas Farm Bureau , the National Right to Life Committee and Kansans for Life , the state ’ s most influential anti-abortion group .
He also had the backing of 97-year-old political icon Bob Dole , the former U.S. Senate majority leader and 1996 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday that he voted by mail and would support Kobach if he wins the nomination .