thetorontostar--2020-09-02--Curfew ends in Wisconsin city ahead of visit from Joe Biden

KENOSHA , Wis. - A curfew that was in place in Kenosha for more than a week after the police shooting of Jacob Blake was lifted Wednesday , another sign of increasing calm in the southeastern Wisconsin city that has been the epicenter of the latest eruption over racial injustice .
The move came a day after the curfew was targeted as unconstitutional in a federal lawsuit and the day before former Vice-President Joe Biden planned to visit , marking his first campaign stop in Wisconsin in nearly two years .
The curfew was enacted after Blake , a Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer on Aug. 23 .
Jacob Blake Sr. on Wednesday told WGN America ’ s “ NewsNation ” that his son is out of a hospital intensive care unit .
The shooting of Blake , captured on cellphone video , sparked protests that resulted in buildings being burned and vandalized and in the shootings of three demonstrators , two of whom died .
Seventeen-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse has been charged in the Aug. 25 slayings ; his attorney says it was self defence .
Biden said Wednesday that the officer who shot Blake should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s support-the-police message when he visited Kenosha a day earlier .
The president met with law enforcement , toured some of the damage and called the violence “ domestic terrorism , ” and made almost no mention of Blake .
Biden also plans to meet with members of Blake ’ s family , something Trump did not do , and hold a community meeting .
Protests have been peaceful for more than a week , other than a few minor skirmishes during Trump ’ s visit .
“ The last several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community , and in the judgment of law enforcement , it is appropriate to remove the curfew , ” Mayor John Antaramian said .
However , he held out the possibility that the curfew may return , saying “ criminal activity will not be tolerated.
” The about-face came after four people who were arrested during the protests filed a federal lawsuit alleging that local law enforcement arrested only those protesting against police brutality , not “ pro-police protesters and militia ” who were armed with rifles .
“ In Kenosha , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that applies to those who protest police brutality and racism , and another for those who support the police , ” the lawsuit said .
Sam Hall , attorney for Kenosha County , said the county will seek immediate dismissal .
He said the sheriff ’ s department “ has worked tirelessly to bring order back to the community and has been careful to protect the rights of all citizens throughout that process.
” North Carolina civil rights lawyer Kimberly Motely , who is representing those arrested , said she thought the lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision to lift the curfew .
There are no immediate plans to drop the suit , which also seeks damages for those arrested , Motley said .
She also represents Gaige Grosskreutz , who prosecutors say was shot in the arm by Rittenhouse .
Rittenhouse ’ s attorney John Pierce tweeted a video of him Tuesday speaking by phone with Rittenhouse from jail in Illinois , where he was arrested .
“ I just want to thank every single one of you from the bottom of my heart for the underlining support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rittenhouse said from the phone held up by Pierce .
“ I want to thank all of you for the mail I ’ ve been receiving .
It ’ s been really helpful .
I just want to let you all know that I ’ m going to be out of here soon and stay strong .
And I hope to see you guys soon.
” On Monday , Trump defended Rittenhouse .
BuzzFeed News , citing since deleted social media , reported that Rittenhouse sat in the front row at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a TikTok bio page of his included the slogan “ Trump 2020.
” During his visit to Kenosha , Trump highlighted a camera shop that was destroyed during protests .
But the shop ’ s owner , Tom Gram , said the president used his store for political gain by appearing with a former owner of the business .
Gram said he bought Rode ’ s Camera Shop from the Rode family eight years ago , though John Rode still owns the property .
Gram said he rejected an offer to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trump ’ s references to Rode as the owner of the business were deceptive .
“ I think everything he ( Trump ) does turns into a circus and I just didn ’ t want to be involved in it , ” Gram told Milwaukee station WTMJ-TV .
The White House noted Wednesday that Rode and his family founded and built Rode ’ s Camera Shop before World War II and still own the building that houses the shop .
Trump didn ’ t visit the site of the shop , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away and appeared at a roundtable later in the day .
“ I just appreciate President Trump coming today , everybody here does , ” Rode said .
“ We ’ re so thankful we got the federal troops here .
Once they got here things did calm down quite a bit.
” “ A day earlier we would have saved your store , “ Trump responded .
” One day earlier.
” Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers deployed the National Guard to Kenosha to quell demonstrations .
Trump has sought to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day before Trump demanded they be used .
This story has been corrected to indicate that the White House statement about the business was made Wednesday , not Tuesday .
The quote from Rittenhouse has been corrected to say ‘ mail ’ instead of ‘ meal .
’

Michael Tarm And Scott Bauer - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-02--CDC tells states: Be ready to distribute vaccines on Nov. 1

PROVIDENCE , R.I. - The federal government has told states to prepare for a coronavirus vaccine to be ready to distribute by Nov. 1 .
The timeline raised concern among public health experts about an “ October surprise “ — a vaccine approval driven by political considerations ahead of a presidential election , rather than science .
In a letter to governors dated Aug. 27 , Robert Redfield , director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , said states “ in the near future ” will receive permit applications from McKesson Corp. , which has contracted with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and local health departments and hospitals .
“ CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities and , if necessary , asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by November 1 , 2020 , ” Redfield wrote .
He wrote that any waivers will not compromise the safety or effectiveness of the vaccine .
The Associated Press obtained the letter , which was first reported by McClatchy .
The CDC also sent three planning documents to some health departments that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be available .
The documents are to be used to develop plans for early vaccination when the supply might be constrained , according to one of the documents , which outlined a scenario in which a vaccine could be available as soon as the end of October .
“ The COVID-19 vaccine landscape is evolving and uncertain , and these scenarios may evolve as more information is available , ” the document reads .
Another of the documents says that limited COVID-19 vaccine doses may be available by early November and that supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also states that initially available vaccines will either be approved by the Food and Drug Administration or authorized by the agency under its emergency powers .
The documents encourage health officials to work out now which groups to prioritize for a vaccine , identify providers who will administer vaccine , and take other steps to prepare .
The planning documents were first reported by The New York Times .
Redfield told Yahoo Finance that officials were preparing “ for what I anticipate will be reality , is that there ’ ll be one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November , December.
” James S. Blumenstock , a senior vice-president at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials , said the CDC was offering “ an aggressive but necessary timetable “ and that public health agencies were mobilizing to prepare detailed plans .
Several public health experts pointed out that final stage trials of experimental vaccines are still recruiting , and are at best halfway through that process .
The vaccines are two doses , and each is given a month apart .
The experts told the AP they did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on whether the vaccines work and are safe before Nov. 1 .
“ Being ready is reasonable .
Cutting short phase 3 trials before you get the information you need isn ’ t , ” said Dr. Paul Offit , a Children ’ s Hospital of Philadelphia immunization expert who sits on the FDA ’ s vaccine advisory committee .
Peter Hotez , dean of Baylor University ’ s tropical medicine school , said he was “ very concerned ” about whether the FDA would use an emergency use authorization to approve a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is safe .
“ It gives the appearance of a stunt rather than an expression of public health concern , ?
Hotez said .
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn previously said the agency wouldn ’ t cut corners in evaluating vaccines , though it would aim to expedite its work .
He told the Financial Times this week that it might be “ appropriate ” to approve a vaccine before clinical trials were complete if the benefits outweighed the risks .
Unlike a therapeutic that is given to sick people who may have no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy people , “ so you have a much higher burden of proof , ” said Ashish Jha , dean of Brown University ’ s public health school .
“ I think it ’ s reasonable to be communicating to hospitals and saying — at some point late in the fall or winter , “ Jha said .
“ November feels awfully early.
” Michael Osterholm , a University of Minnesota infectious disease expert , said he was concerned about an “ October surprise ” with a vaccine being rushed through ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community wants a safe and effective vaccine as much as anybody could want it , ” Osterholm said .
“ But the data have to be clear and compelling.
” He said there was a “ credibility gap ” between doctors and the FDA about how rigorously products are being evaluated during the pandemic .
Some state officials said Wednesday that they were working on next steps while still awaiting details from CDC , and some sounded a cautious note .
Kris Ehresmann , Minnesota ’ s infectious disease director , told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ once we know it is safe.
” She said they would take their lead from the CDC ’ s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices , which she said “ will only recommend a vaccine that has met the safety criteria.
” The Oregon Board of Pharmacy said it would expedite McKesson ’ s applications but wouldn ’ t waive requirements necessary to maintain public health and safety .
Its executive director , Joe Schnabel , said in a statement that the board didn ’ t have enough information on how distribution would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be fully operational by November 1st.
” The office of Pennsylvania Gov .
Tom Wolf , a Democrat , said state officials don ’ t know yet what is being asked of them , and will first need to do “ an extensive review of the potential benefits or pitfalls of such waivers.
” New Mexico Human Service Secretary David Scrase said the state was preparing to administer coronavirus vaccines on a limited basis starting in November to health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities .
The broad public vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said current vaccine provider networks are robust and adequate for the COVID-19 effort .
Regarding the timing of the CDC request to expedite or waive permits for distribution centres to open Nov. 1 , Scrase said , “ I can ’ t tell you about the political motivations on that.
” A spokesman for Tennessee Republican Gov .
Bill Lee said the state was reviewing its next steps .
“ News of a vaccine is encouraging and a testament to the power of American innovation , ” said the spokesman , Gillum Ferguson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ron DeSantis said he wasn ’ t aware of the CDC news , but he said people shouldn ’ t think that the virus will be gone in two months once a vaccine is released .
“ I would hope that the federal government would kind of take the lead on that , ” said DeSantis , a Trump ally .
“ Hopefully they have a plan to do it and will really focus on those vulnerable among us.
” AP writers Marc Levy , Brendan Farrington , Morgan Lee , Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .

Michelle R. Smith - The Associated Press

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thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Xi praises resistance spirit in marking end of Pacific War

BEIJING - China on Thursday commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific , during which it endured a brutal invasion and occupation of much of its territory by Japan .
Communist Party leader and head of state Xi Jinping led government officials in a minute of silence and presentation of floral wreaths at a memorial hall dedicated to soldiers and civilians who participated in the struggle .
Japan launched a full-on invasion of China in 1937 , marked by urban warfare and atrocities such as the notorious Rape of Nanking .
While armies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of the major battles , Communist Party guerrillas under Mao Zedong forced Japan to divert soldiers and resources from battlefields elsewhere with low-level engagements .
Although Japan formally surrendered aboard the USS Missouri on Sept.2 , 1945 , China marks the end of the war on Sept. 3 when it first held nationwide celebrations .
The Communists swept to power in 1949 following renewed civil war against the Nationalists and continue to uphold the struggle against Japan as a source of their legitimacy to rule .
Chiang relocated his Republic of China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enjoy strong though unofficial U.S. support after making a transition to full democracy more than two decades again .
The relatively low-key commemoration reflects social distancing rules in place during the coronavirus outbreak and contrasts sharply with how China has marked other significant anniversaries , including a lavish military parade through the centre of Beijing last Oct. 1 to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People ’ s Republic .
Earlier on Thursday , Xi told Russian leader Vladimir Putin that he wanted to work for “ international fairness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News Agency reported .
The exchange of messages was intended to commemorate the joint struggle of China and the former Soviet Union against the Axis powers , and also underscores the close co-operation over recent years between China and Russia in resisting the influence of Washington and the democratic West .
The two nations should use the 75 anniversary of the war ’ s end as an “ opportunity to lead their countries towards deeper comprehensive strategic co-ordination , “ Xinhua quoted Xi as saying .
“ He also suggested that the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community to actively uphold and practice multilateralism , “ Xinhua said , referencing China ’ s standard term for resisting American and Western influence .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Hyundai, Kia recall vehicles for leaks that can cause fires

DETROIT - Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 591,000 vehicles in the U.S. to fix a brake fluid @ @ @ @ @ fires .
The recalls cover more than 440,000 Kia Optima midsize sedans from 2013 through @ @ @ @ @ from 2014 and 2015 .
Also covered are 151,000 Hyundai Santa Fe SUVs from 2013 @ @ @ @ @ automakers say brake fluid can leak inside a hydraulic control unit for the anti-lock brakes @ @ @ @ @ short that can lead to fires .
Kia ’ s recall will start Oct. 15 @ @ @ @ @ will start Oct. 23 .
Dealers for both companies will inspect the control units for @ @ @ @ @ needed at no cost to owners .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Bodies of 5 children found at apartment in Germany

BERLIN - The bodies of five children have been found at an apartment in a western German city , police @ @ @ @ @ ’ t say who found the bodies in Solingen , near Cologne , news agency @ @ @ @ @ gave no immediate information on the cause of death or on any possible suspects .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Jobless claims fall to 881,000 but layoffs remain elevated

WASHINGTON - The number of laid-off Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a still-elevated 881,000 last week , evidence that the viral pandemic keeps forcing many businesses to slash jobs .
The latest figures , released Thursday by the Labor Department , suggest that nearly six months after the eruption of the coronavirus , the economy is still struggling to sustain a recovery and rebuild a job market that was devastated by the recession .
In the previous week , more than 1 million had sought jobless aid .
All told , the government said that 13.3 million people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , up from 1.7 million a year ago .
The nearly 1 million people who keep applying for unemployment aid each week point to a sluggish pace of improvement .
Before the pandemic struck the economy in March , the number of people seeking jobless aid had never topped 700,000 in a week , not even during the depths of the 2007-2009 Great Recession .
The economy has recovered 9.3 million , or only 42 % , of the jobs that were lost in March and April .
Thursday ’ s figure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of jobless claims since the viral pandemic first paralyzed the economy in March .
But In Thursday ’ s report , the department tweaked the way it adjusts its calculations to account for seasonal changes , thereby making it difficult to compare last week ’ s figure with previous weeks ’ .
Unadjusted for seasonal variations , though , the numbers show that 833,000 Americans applied for benefits last week , up from 826,000 the week before .
On Friday , when the government issues the jobs report for August , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added roughly 1.4 million jobs last month .
That would still leave the economy about 13 million jobs short of the number it ’ s lost to the pandemic .
Still , the auto and housing industries have made solid gains , bolstered by rock-bottom loan rates .
American factories , too , have been on the upswing for three straight months .
Yet many companies across the spectrum — from small businesses to hotels , restaurants , airlines and entertainment venues — remain deeply hurt by a loss of customers .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has heightened concerns that many job losses will end up being permanent .
Ford is offering buyouts to try to shrink its U.S. white-collar workforce by 1,400 .
MGM Resorts is laying off 18,000 , about a fourth of its U.S. staff .
Coca-Cola , heavily reliant on entertainment venues , is offering buyouts to 4,000 .
United and American airlines , hurt by diminished air travel , said they will cut thousands of jobs unless the government provides additional aid to help cover payroll costs .
Salesforce is cutting 1,000 jobs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economists warn that mass layoffs will continue and that any recovery will likely falter as long as the virus rages and Congress doesn ’ t extend another round of rescue aid for the unemployed and for state and local governments .
The recovery remains fragile because of a still-elevated level of confirmed COVID-19 cases and the government ’ s failure to enact another emergency rescue package .
The recent expiration of a $ 600-a-week federal jobless benefit has deepened the difficulties for America ’ s unemployed .
The Trump administration is now providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 300 a week — though not all the unemployed will qualify for it .
In addition to the laid-off people who applied last week for state benefits , 759,000 others sought jobless aid under a new program that has made self-employed and gig workers eligible for the first time .
That figure isn ’ t adjusted for seasonal trends , so it ’ s reported separately .
But including that group , the Labor Department said 29.2 million people are receiving some form of unemployment benefits , though that figure might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The now-expired $ 600-a-week federal jobless benefit had helped sustain Chuck Caple after he was forced to close his hair salon in Richmond , Virginia , and a side business training hair stylists .
“ With the $ 600 , ” Caple said , “ it made a difference .
Everything got back on track.
’ ’ With that weekly check having lapsed , he is relying on income from his wife ’ s job and collecting just $ 158 a week in state unemployment benefits .
“ That ’ s like lunch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s money you give kids for a paper route .
’ ’


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Businessman acquitted in murders of Slovak reporter, fiancee

PEZINOK , Slovakia - A panel of judges in Slovakia on Thursday acquitted a businessman accused of masterminding the 2018 slayings of an investigative journalist who had written about him and the journalist ’ s fiancee .
The judges cleared the businessman , Marian Kocner , and one co-defendant of murder in the killings of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee , Martina Kusnirova , both 27 .
Judge Ruzena Sabova at the Specialized Criminal Court in Pezinok said there was not enough evidence for the convictions .
A third defendant was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ verdicts in the country ’ s Supreme Court .
The International Press Institute , an international media freedom group based in Vienna , called the acquittals “ a major setback for justice and the fight against impunity.
“ “ We are hugely disappointed by this verdict , which repeats a tragic pattern we see worldwide : the hit men go to jail while those ultimately responsible for the murder of journalists remain free , “ said International Press Institute Deputy Director Scott Griffen , who attended the trial .
The parents of Kuciak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reading of the sentence was completed .
“ The only thing I can say is I ’ m disgusted , ” the journalist ’ s father , Jozef Kuciak , told reporters .
Kuciak was shot in the chest and Kusnirova was shot in the head at their home in the town of Velka Maca , east of Bratislava , on Feb. 21 , 2018 .
Kocner had allegedly threatened the journalist following publication of a story about his business dealings .
In total , Kuciak published nine stories about the businessman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ threats in 2017 and had claimed that police failed to act on it .
He had been investigating possible government corruption when he was killed .
Two other defendants previously were convicted and sentenced .
Former soldier Miroslav Marcek pleaded guilty to shooting Kuciak and Kusnirova and was sentenced to 23 years in prison in April .
Prosecutors said Kocner paid Marcek to carry out the killings .
Another defendant who had acted as a go-between , Zoltan Andrusko , agreed to co-operate with prosecutors in exchange for a lesser sentence and received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He testified that Kocner ordered the slayings .
The killings prompted major street protests unseen since the 1989 anti-Communist Velvet Revolution and a political crisis that led to the collapse of the government .
After the verdict , President Zuzana Caputova walked to a small memorial to Kuciak and Kusnirova at the site of the protests in the capital , Bratislava , to pay respect to them .
“ I have to say that I was shocked by the verdict , “ Caputova said , adding that she nonetheless fully respected the judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I am thinking about the parents of the two young people , “ Caputova said .
“ We all need to know the truth.
” The organizers of the previous street protests said they were not planning to rally again even though “ many of us feel angry or disappointment .
In these moments , it is necessary to keep your head cool , even though it is very difficult.
“ They called on people to light a candle for the slain couple , which the president did .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Ex-Michigan Gov. Snyder is latest Republican to back Biden

LANSING , Mich. - Former Michigan Gov .
Rick Snyder backed Joe Biden for president on Thursday , becoming the latest high-profile Republican to support the Democratic nominee over President Donald Trump .
“ Joe Biden is a man of deep faith and commitment to family , decency and integrity , which will serve us all well when he is in the White House , ” Snyder said in a statement released after he announced his decision in a USA Today op-ed .
“ We must elect Joe Biden in November so that we can begin the arduous but essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back on a positive path where civility and working together help us achieve great things as a nation once again.
” In the op-ed , Snyder — who is known for staying positive — was uncharacteristically critical of Trump .
He called him a “ bully , ” saying it is “ tragedy watching our world suffer from one.
” He said Trump lacks a moral compass , ignores the truth and does not fully appreciate public policy matters .
The announcement from Snyder , who served in battleground Michigan from 2011 through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch of Republicans and Independents for Biden , a coalition of nearly 100 former and current officeholders , government officials and political operatives .
The group is affiliated and funded by the anti-Trump Lincoln Project PAC .
The coalition is the latest group of Republicans supporting Biden to come out publicly as Trump comes under criticism for his handling of the coronavirus and race relations .
Some backed Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
Snyder did not endorse a candidate in that race , when Trump became the first Republican to win Michigan in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Christine Todd Whitman , who endorsed Biden at the recent Democratic National Convention along with former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich , is chairing the group ’ s steering committee , which includes Snyder , former Massachusetts Gov .
Bill Weld and at least 20 former members of Congress .
“ More than 180,000 Americans are dead from a pandemic that , with consistent leadership , could have been contained , ” Whitman said .
“ Instead , it has been left to spin out of control by a president who ignored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American lives.
” In a tweet , Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox dismissed Snyder ’ s decision , calling him “ Mr .
Irrelevant ” and saying no voter cares whom he supports .
Trump “ won in ‘ 16 w/o him and will do in ‘ 20 !
“ she said .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--US trade deficit surges in July to highest in 12 years

WASHINGTON - The U.S. trade deficit surged in July to $ 63.6 billion , the highest level in 12 years @ @ @ @ @ a record amount .
The Commerce Department reported that the July deficit , the gap @ @ @ @ @ what it sells to foreigners , was 18.9 % higher than the June deficit of @ @ @ @ @ increase was driven by a record 10.9 % increase in imports .
Exports were also @ @ @ @ @ % .

Martin Crutsinger - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Livestock ship carrying 42 crew sinks off Japan’s coast

TOKYO - Japanese rescuers were searching Thursday for a livestock ship that a survivor said sank with 42 crew members aboard during rough weather off a southern Japanese island , the coast guard said .
A Filipino crew member was rescued late Wednesday after Japanese navy P-3C surveillance aircraft spotted him wearing a life vest and waving while bobbing in the water .
The man , who is currently hospitalized but in good health , told rescuers that the ship stalled when an engine stopped , then capsized after being hit by a powerful broadside wave and sank , coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The survivor , a chief officer , said he quickly put on a life jacket and jumped into the sea , following an instruction in an emergency onboard announcement .
He has not seen any other crew members since then , Higashi said .
The 11,947-ton Gulf Livestock 1 ship was carrying 5,800 cows west of Amami Oshima in the East China Sea when it sent a distress call early Wednesday .
The weather was rough in the area due to Typhoon Maysak .
The typhoon has since passed the area and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Higashi said .
The ship ’ s other crew members include 38 others from the Philippines , two from New Zealand and two from Australia .
The ship left the port of Napier in northeastern New Zealand in mid-August and was on its way to Tangshan on China ’ s eastern coast .
Its automatic identification system tracker gave its last position nearly two days ago , according to the ship-tracking website MarineTraffic.com .
Based on that position , it was sailing in high winds of 58 knots ( 66 miles or 107 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The ship ’ s operator , Gulf Navigation Holdings PJSC , based in Dubai , United Arab Emirates , declined to comment .
The company , traded on the Dubai Financial Market , says it owns and operates chemical tankers , livestock vessels and other ships .
This story corrects the ship ’ s departure date from New Zealand to mid-August instead of Tuesday and the port to Napier , not Nepier .
Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai , United Arab Emirates , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Britain aims for virus testing success after a wobbly start

LONDON - The British government announced Thursday that it is investing in a coronavirus test that gives results in as little as 20 minutes , touting it as the latest milestone in efforts to take the U.K. to the front of the global pack in testing for COVID-19 .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government is expanding trials of two new rapid tests — a simple no-swab saliva test and another that gives results in minutes .
Britain also is examining the feasibility of repeat testing of people without symptoms , something Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The government says it will spend up to 500 million pounds ( $ 660 million ) on efforts to achieve mass population testing , a project it has named “ Operation Moonshot.
” “ Short of a vaccine , this is the best chance we have of reducing social distancing whilst controlling the virus , especially with winter coming , with all the challenges that brings , ” Hancock told the BBC .
Britain lacked mass testing capacity when its virus outbreak began and in March abandoned efforts to track and test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , a decision authorities now say they regret .
The U.K. has hugely expanded its testing capacity since then .
Anyone with coronavirus symptoms is eligible for a test , either at home or at a testing centre , and officials say most get the results within 24 hours .
But the BBC reported Thursday that people are sometimes being directed to drive-through centres hundreds of miles away when they enter their postcodes into the government ’ s website .
Critics also say the British government is still not doing enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The government says it has the capacity to perform almost 350,000 tests each day , though only about 180,000 a day are getting processed .
It ’ s goal is to reach the capacity for 500,000 tests a day by the end of October .
A nationwide test-and-trace program designed to isolate those who had contact with infected individuals has reached 325,000 people but is still failing to find almost a third of the contacts in confirmed cases .
A phone app once touted by the government as a key contact-tracing tool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hancock insisted the system was working well despite some “ operational challenges from time to time.
” But Alan McNally , director of the Institute of Microbiology and Infection at the University of Birmingham , said he thinks the government acted too slowly .
Britain ’ s official coronavirus death toll is more than 41,500 , the highest in Europe .
“ I think the time was right to think about scaling up testing to the wider community and asymptomatic testing over the summer when we were relatively COVID-secure , knowing that autumn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a possible second wave , McNally told the BBC .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--‘The Disciple’ returns India to Venice film fest competition

SEOUL , Korea , Republic Of - A film about a classical musician ’ s struggle to balance his career dreams and life in contemporary Mumbai will this week return India to the main competition at the Venice Film Festival for the first time in nearly two decades .
Writer-director Chaitanya Tamhane ’ s “ The Disciple ” is among the 18-films selected for competition at the festival , which opened Wednesday .
The last Indian film in competition was “ Monsoon Wedding ” by Mira Nair , which in 2001 won the festival ’ s top prize , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researching , filming and editing “ The Disciple , ” which follows a would-be classical music vocalist who struggles to balance his craft ’ s centuries-old traditions with contemporary Mumbai .
His film is slated to premiere Friday and despite travel restrictions and precautions due to the coronavirus pandemic , Tamhane plans to be there .
“ It ’ s been my dream , in a way to , you know , ( to ) be in competition at the festival , ” he said .
“ You know , there would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in person at Venice.
” “ I started off almost like a journalist , you know , attending concerts , interviewing musicians and hanging out in these spaces that they inhabit .
So it took me two years to do the research , travel around the country and write the script , ” Tamhane , 33 , said in an interview last month .
“ Indian classical musicians — there is a general perception that they are very serious and , you know , and they are very sort of solemn and sombre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with them , once you start kind of talking to them , you realize that they ’ re just as normal , as ordinary as all of us , ” he said .
“ And they ’ re also in their respective field facing the same kind of issues , the same kind of problems that , you know , a journalist would be facing or an athlete would be facing.
” “ It was a process for me to arrive at that realization , ” he said .
As with his 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which takes a swipe at the Indian legal system through the trial of an aging folk singer , “ The Disciple ” reflects his concerns about society .
“ ‘ Court ’ was a lot more observational , a lot more objective .
‘ The Disciple ’ , I would say , is a lot more subjective , ” he said .
“ A lot of my observations about society and people , you know , do kind of seep into the script .
And I feel not just me , everybody should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and live in a bubble , and react and engage with what ’ s happening around us.
” “ Court ” won Best Film in the Orizzonti section that runs parallel to the main Venice Film Festival competition .
It also won Tamhane the Lion of the Future award given to best first films .
Tamhane said he can relate to people swimming against the tide .
“ I kind of think that I am on the fringe , you know , of the mainstream film industry in India , which is so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 , he took a jab at his homeland ’ s film industry with his documentary “ Four Step Plan , ” which addressed plagiarism in Indian films .
“ So when something is so popular , so dominant as an entire machinery , how do you survive ?
How do you find your own voice ?
How do you do something that ’ s not going to have , say , as big an audience and never going to make as much money or gain as much popularity ?
So then how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you find your audience , ” he said .
Those themes also run through “ The Disciple.
” Tamhane said he doesn ’ t take for granted that he ’ ll be able to continue to make movies .
“ I may not get to make the kind of things that I want to make is a constant fear in my mind , ” he said .
“ Even when I was shooting this film every single day , I would remind myself that , you know , I ’ ve been blessed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m getting to do this .
And this might not be the case in a few years .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Binoche, other French environmentalists get pope’s backing

VATICAN CITY - Actress Juliette Binoche and fellow French environmentalists received encouragement from Pope Francis at a private Vatican meeting Thursday where he told them people shouldn ’ t lose hope even when the condition of the planet can appear “ catastrophic.
” The urgency for such commitment was made plain by the COVID-19 pandemic , Francis said .
“ We understand to what point we are tied one to the other , inserted in a world whose future we share , and that maltreating it can ’ t help but bring grave consequences , not only environmental , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pontiff told his guests .
Binoche and the other activists work with the French Conference of Bishops on environmental themes , which were highlighted by Francis in a 2015 encyclical which exhorted all persons of good will to protect the Earth .
In 2018 , Binoche was an author of a letter calling on politicians to act decisively and swiftly in tackling climate change .
Francis said he was heartened that consciences were being raised about the situation ’ s urgency , and he pledged that the Roman Catholic Church he leads will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ common home.
” The Catholic Church “ wants to act concretely where it ’ s possible , and wants above all to shape consciences with the aim of favouring a deep and lasting ecological conversion ” to respond to challenges facing the planet , Francis said .
He encouraged the activists in their work to protect the environment .
“ While the conditions of the planet can appear catastrophic , and certain situations appear even irreversible , we Christians can not lose hope , ’ ’ Francis said .
A Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the work that the Father entrusted him with , like a garden to cultivate , ” the pope said .
He added that if people “ have the right to use nature for their own ends , they can ’ t in any way consider themselves its owner or despot.
” Francis has made championing the cause of the environment a major plank of his papacy , especially noting how people living on life ’ s margins are often most adversely impacted by pollution or exploitation of natural resources .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--21-year-old young adult author gets 7-figure book deal

NEW YORK - A 21-year-old author has agreed to a seven-figure deal for a pair of young adult novels .
@ @ @ @ @ imprint of Macmillan Children ’ s Publishing Group , announced Thursday that it would publish @ @ @ @ @ anticipated debut , the thriller “ Ace of Spades , ” in June 2021 .
@ @ @ @ @ second novel , currently untitled .
Feiwel and Friends is calling “ Ace of Spades @ @ @ @ @ Gossip Girl ” and “ Get Out , ” the story of two Black students @ @ @ @ @ school and how they get caught up in a “ disturbing and deadly game.
“ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. see that Black people belong in stories like ‘ Gossip Girl ’ and @ @ @ @ @ ’ and that above everything else we deserve happy endings , “ Àbíké-Íyímídé , a @ @ @ @ @ in Scotland , said in a statement .
Feiwel acquired North American rights to the @ @ @ @ @ release Àbíké-Íyímídé ’ s work in the United Kingdom .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Lawsuit seeks to ban Kanye West from Arizona ballot

PHOENIX - An Arizona resident has asked a judge to bar Kanye West from appearing on the state ’ s Nov. 3 ballot , accusing the hip hop artist of serving as an election spoiler and arguing that a law prohibits him from running in the state as an independent presidential candidate .
West ’ s lawyer on Wednesday reported filing just under 58,000 signatures , well over the roughly 39,000 required for independent candidates to make the ballot .
Lawyers for resident Rasean Clayton said in a lawsuit filed Monday that independent presidential candidates can appear on Arizona ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered with a recognized political party and gather enough voter signatures to nominate them .
But Clayton ’ s lawyers say West , who paid top dollar to dozens of workers gathering petition signatures in Arizona , isn ’ t qualified to be on the ballot because he ’ s a registered Republican .
Even if West is found to have submitted enough signatures , the lawsuit said the hip hop artist ’ s late-in-the-game candidacy would make no difference to his chances of winning the race .
“ West will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough states to muster enough electoral votes to prevail , ” Clayton ’ s lawyers wrote .
“ West ’ s minimal interest in playing a spoiler candidate on Arizona ’ s ballot is not enough to outweigh the factors favouring emergency relief.
” West has already qualified to appear on the ballot in several states , including Arkansas , Idaho , Iowa , Tennessee and Utah .
The rapper and music producer announced his intention to run for president on July 4 .
A Maricopa County judge is scheduled to hear arguments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Attorney Tim LaSota , who represents West in the Arizona challenge , described the lawsuit as a “ last-ditch effort on the eve of the ( signature filing deadline ) to deprive voters of a choice.
” LaSota brushed aside criticism that West is trying to be a spoiler aimed at hurting Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s chances in Arizona .
“ That ’ s just political hyperbole , ” LaSota said .
“ I don ’ t want to get into the politics of it .
But obviously I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by someone else running for president.
” Clayton ’ s attorneys said the lawsuit must be resolved quickly because the deadline for Arizona ’ s ballots to be printed is on Sept. 8 and 9 .
In a statement , Clayton described himself as a Navy veteran who cares about the November election .
“ I filed this case because I don ’ t want people to get confused voting on ballots that have disqualified people listed with everyone else who followed the law , ” Clayton said .
It ’ s unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona Democratic Party , which didn ’ t return a call Wednesday seeking comment .

ATLANTA (AP) — Putting 19 people on trial at the same time is a difficult assignment for any prosecutor — whether or not one of those defendan…


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Review: Charlie Kaufman’s ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’

“ I try to imbue my work with a sort of interiority , ” says Lucy ( Jessie Buckley ) , the artists-physics student-girlfriend of Charlie Kaufman ’ s “ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things.
” The line could hardly describe Kaufman better , all the more so because it ’ s spoken by a character that may or may not be a figment of subconsciousness .
No film writer has more regularly made his home inside the brain , treating the labyrinthine corridors of thought like sets to be peopled .
John Ford had Monument Valley .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t call it a wondrous place — though it can be .
In Kaufman ’ s melancholic films ( “ Being John Malkovich , ” “ Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , ” “ Synecdoche , New York ” ) there are streams of consciousness , rivers of anxiety , oceans of embarrassment and , hopefully , a little life boat of authenticity .
Kaufman has , in a way , already reviewed “ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things ” himself .
His recent 700-page novel , “ Antkind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film critic named B Rosenberger Rosenberg who at one point dismally rates Kaufman ’ s own films .
Of the writer-director ’ s upcoming movie he decrees : “ Whatever it is , it ’ s certain to be yet another turgid , overhyped foray into Kaufman ’ s self-referential , self-congratulatory psyche.
” It ’ s hard not to admire the self-deprecation , but I ’ d give it more credit than that .
“ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things , “ which debuts Friday on Netflix , isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( ” Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich “ ) , his most ambitious ( the remarkable “ Synecdoche ” ) or even his most gently funny/painful ( his last one , the animated “ Anomalisa ” ) .
A bleaker wintery wind blows though “ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things , ” a film Kaufman has suggested could be his last as a director .
It begins on the road .
During a blizzard , Lucy and her boyfriend of seven weeks Jake ( Jesse Plemons ) are driving to the farmhouse he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our perspective is Lucy ’ s , and she ’ s thinking the relationship has already run its course .
Pondering whether it ’ s just easier to keep going , she could be talking about breaking up or suicide .
In the car , with a mythical snowy nighttime blur around them , they talk Wordsworth ; she recites a dark poem about homecoming ; by discussing movies , viruses come up .
“ Viruses are just one more example of everything , ” says Lucy .
There ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overlapping , full of corrections and backtracks — is as much about the awkward back-and-forth as it is what they ’ re talking about .
Is this a dream ?
If it is , whose dream is it ?
Jake or Lucy ’ s ?
Someone , maybe everyone in “ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things “ is a projection .
If this is a dream world , movies have their own reckoning for their role in invading and warping our fantasies .
A maudlin mock Robert Zemeckis film makes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the house , the disorientation only increases .
Jake ’ s parents ( Toni Collette and David Thewlis , both surrealistically sensational ) are present one moment , absent another .
They appear in vastly different ages .
Even Lucy ’ s name and profession shifts seemingly haphazardly .
A picture on the wall of Jake as a child , she notices , looks just like her .
Kaufman , who famously turned his futile attempts to adapt Susan Orlean ’ s “ The Orchid Thief “ into “ Adaptation , ” is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian author Iain Reid .
It , too , was slippery with perspective and reality , but it coalesced more distinctly as from Jake ’ s point-of-view and around an incident from the past .
Kaufman ’ s “ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things ” spirals more mysteriously into the mind .
There ’ s a dance sequence down high-school halls , a staged musical and some profound lines of dialogue : “ We ’ re stationary .
Time blows through us.
” I have my theories about how this all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not convinced they matter .
Certainly some will be less enamoured with an experience that can feel like tumbling through a succession of trap doors .
It ’ s a falling that seems to lead further from epiphany , not closer to it , until you ’ re faced with , of all things , a staged performance of “ Oklahoma.
” But to me , “ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things “ nearly sustains something beautiful and sad that blends consciousness and time .
Buckley is extraordinary , whether she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fleeting presence of Guy Boyd , as an elderly janitor and possible linchpin to the whole movie , is hauntingly good .
My only wish , more than any movie that ’ s been released straight to the home these last few months , is to have watched “ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things “ with an audience .
Kaufman ’ s greatest gift , I think , is to open up to others an inner honesty that doesn ’ t often find its way on screen .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in confusion and clarity , with others .
Kaufman , like us all , contains multitudes .
“ I ’ m Thinking of Ending Things , ” a Netflix release , is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for language including some sexual references .
Running time : 134 minutes .
Three stars out of four .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Experts: Cohen may profit from criminal exploits in tell-all

NEW YORK - When Michael Cohen testified before Congress last year , Republican lawmakers worried aloud that President Donald Trump ’ s former fixer would parlay the spectacle — and his criminal exploits — into a bestseller .
“ It pains me that we are sitting here adding another chapter to his book , “ said Rep. Carol Miller of West Virginia .
A year and a half later , Cohen is poised to cash in on a memoir chronicling his time as a Trump acolyte , despite state and federal laws that in many cases ban people from profiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even though Cohen will still be serving his sentence for tax evasion , lying to Congress and campaign finance violations when the book is released Tuesday by Skyhorse Publishing , New York ’ s so-called Son of Sam laws won ’ t keep Cohen from profiting from any part of his sordid story , legal experts told The Associated Press .
The law doesn ’ t apply at the federal level because Cohen ’ s crimes were nonviolent .
And more expansive state Son of Sam statutes , including New York ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s convictions , in part because “ there really is no victim to notify in this case , ” said Matthew T. Mangino , a legal analyst and former district attorney in Pennsylvania who has written about such laws .
That would be the case even if his memoir amounted to a how-to manual for tax evasion and campaign-finance violations .
Cohen has touted his tell-all as a road map to the skeletons he “ buried ” serving as Trump ’ s personal attorney — the decade in which he was Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his last call every night.
” The book , “ Disloyal : The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump , ” also will serve as a rejoinder to what Cohen recently described as his “ negative experience with the American criminal justice system.
“ Named for infamous “ Son of Sam ” serial killer David Berkowitz , who fatally shot six people and wounded seven others in New York City in the 1970s , New York ’ s law barring criminals from turning their crimes into lucrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently as last year by the New York Attorney General ’ s Office .
It argued that Anna Sorokin , who was convicted of posing as a German heiress to pull off extravagant thefts , shouldn ’ t be allowed to profit from the royalties from a planned Netflix series about her case .
“ The intent of the law was to prevent people from cashing in on criminal conduct , ” Mangino said .
“ But I don ’ t think there ’ s any limitation on Cohen profiting from or promoting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s proceeds were challenged in some forum , Cohen likely would contend the book ’ s profits “ stem from his revelations of alleged crimes of President Trump and not himself , ” said Floyd Abrams , a longtime First Amendment lawyer in New York .
Cohen did not respond to requests for comment .
He acknowledges in the book ’ s foreword that some readers will consider him “ the least reliable narrator on the planet.
” “ The one thing I can say with absolute certainty is that whatever you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you don ’ t know me or my story or the Donald Trump that I know , ” Cohen writes .
The New York Attorney General ’ s Office declined to comment .
The state Office of Victim Services said it was still looking into Cohen ’ s book .
That office pursued legal action last year on behalf of the banks Sorokin swindled .
One of Cohen ’ s convictions stemmed from his efforts to arrange payouts during the 2016 presidential race to keep the porn actress Stormy Daniels and model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged extramarital affairs with Trump , who has denied the affairs .
Cohen has said Trump directed him to make the payments .
He ultimately was sentenced to three years in federal prison and disbarred .
In the book ’ s foreword , Cohen refers to the Trump Tower Moscow project he lied to Congress about — a real estate deal he pursued on Trump ’ s behalf during the heat of the 2016 Republican campaign .
“ I stiffed contractors on his behalf , ripped off his business partners , lied to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infidelities , and bullied and screamed at anyone who threatened Trump ’ s path to power , ” Cohen writes in the foreword .
“ He crushed or cheated all who stood in his way , “ he adds , ” but I know where the skeletons are buried because I was the one who buried them.
” A federal judge ruled this summer that federal authorities retaliated against Cohen — sending him back to prison in upstate New York after he had been furloughed because of the coronavirus pandemic — for publishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cohen was released to home confinement in July and the government lifted a ban on him speaking publicly .
Cohen wrote in recent court filings that a Trump Organization attorney sent him a cease and desist letter in April contending his memoir was barred by a non-disclosure agreement .
But the Trump Organization never produced the document , Cohen wrote , adding , “ I do not believe that I ever signed such an NDA .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--NYC’s new sex crimes chief has a background in nursing

NEW YORK - The new head of New York City ’ s sex crimes unit is not only a veteran investigator , but also a forensic nurse who has conducted the physical exams and evidence collection that are vital to solving such cases .
Deputy Inspector Michael King started Monday as commander of the Special Victims Division .
Along with meeting detectives and setting his vision for a victim-centred , open-minded approach to investigations , he has gone to the hospital to assist doctors with rape kits .
A formal announcement of King ’ s appointment to the high-profile role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harrison , who became a Brooklyn borough commander this summer .
King , who has been with the New York Police Department for nearly 20 years , takes over a sex crimes unit that has gotten mixed reviews from victims , advocates and watchdogs in recent years .
Private waiting and interview rooms were set up at police stations , and all investigators were trained in compassionate interview techniques , known as trauma-informed questioning .
King says he wants to carry that way of thinking to the front lines of the police department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who are often the first NYPD representatives victims see after calling 911 .
“ The attitude of a patrol officer can make or break a victim wanting to go forward in reporting that complaint , ” King said .
King was born in raised in Jamaica , moved to New York when he was 16 and in college earned the nickname “ Doogie Howser.
“ He was younger than his classmates because high school on the Caribbean island nation finished at an earlier age than in the U.S. King joined the NYPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurse in 2005 , going to nursing school and working in city hospitals in his off hours .
Four years later , he became a sexual assault forensic examiner .
All the while , he worked his way up the investigative ranks , first in the internal affairs unit and later as a crime scene commander and the executive officer of the Joint Terrorism Task Force .
John Miller , the NYPD ’ s Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism , recommended King for the sex crimes post .
“ If we didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am not sure we could have invented him , “ Miller said , noting his career path and breadth of knowledge .
“ At SVU he can combine his experiences of helping people in trauma , his knowledge of science , forensics and investigation and his sense of justice in a way no one else — at least no one else I know — could , ” Miller said .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Mideast’s confirmed coronavirus death toll goes over 50,000

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - The confirmed death toll from the coronavirus went over 50,000 in the Middle East on Thursday as the pandemic continues .
That ’ s according to a count from The Associated Press , based on official numbers offered by health authorities across the region .
Those numbers still may be an undercount , though , as testing in war-torn nations like Libya and Yemen remains extremely limited .
The top U.N. official for Libya on Wednesday warned the coronavirus pandemic in the war-ravaged country appears to be “ spiraling out of control.
” Yemen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the nation , have refused to release virus statistics .
The hardest-hit nation remains Iran , which saw the region ’ s first major outbreak .
Over 21,900 people have died there from the virus , with over 380,000 confirmed cases and 328,000 recoveries .
Israel just recorded a record-high 3,000 new cases in a day as the country ’ s coronavirus czar is set to submit a list of more detailed recommended restrictions where infection rates have been highest .
Israel earned praise for its early handling of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But since reopening the economy in May , new cases have spiked to record levels and the government has been blamed for mismanaging the resurgence .
Pakistan ’ s numbers have continued to decline — befuddling expectations in mid-June when even the authorities were anticipating a massive increase in cases .
In Afghanistan , the government also has opened up its recreational facilities and most businesses .
But experts fear the real numbers are likely far higher than officially reported .
The United Arab Emirates , which has embarked on a mass testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new case count in over three months .
That came as schools have reopened in the country and Dubai has offered itself as a tourist destination .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--1 missing, 1 injured in fire on oil tanker near Sri Lanka

COLOMBO , Sri Lanka - A fire broke out on a large oil tanker off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka on Thursday , leaving one of its 23 crew members missing and another injured , a navy spokesman said .
The fire started in the engine room of the New Diamond , which was carrying crude oil from Kuwait to India , and then spread , spokesman Capt .
Indika Silva said .
The navy sent four ships to help the ship .
By the time they arrived , 19 of the crew members had left on lifeboats and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Silva said .
As the navy ships tried to put out the fire , the captain and two others abandoned the tanker , he said .
The remaining crew member was missing .
The injured crew member was identified as the third engineer of the ship and is being taken to land in a navy boat , Silva said .
He said two anti-submarine Russian ships anchored at a Sri Lankan port were also heading to the scene .
The Russian ships had arrived at Hambantota port for replenishment and crew rest .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had deployed ships and aircraft after the Sri Lankan navy sought its help .
At the time the fire broke out , the Panamanian-registered ship was about 38 nautical miles ( 70 kilometres ) east of Sri Lanka .

Bharatha Mallawarachi - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Trump hones law and order message in Pennsylvania

LATROBE , Pa. - President Donald Trump on Thursday honed the “ law and order ” message he intends to wield for the next two months against his Democratic rival , Joe Biden , stepping up attacks that his campaign believes are resonating with battleground state voters .
“ Biden ’ s plan is to appease the domestic terrorists and my plan is to arrest them and prosecute them , ” Trump declared at a rally in Pennsylvania — a state that flipped in his favour in 2016 , helping to pave his road to victory .
The rally comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new signs of momentum , including in the longtime Democratic stronghold that Trump won by less than 45,000 votes in 2016 .
After months of trepidation , Trump campaign officials have been feeling encouraged in the last few weeks as Trump has responded to mass demonstrations against racial injustice by taking a hardline against protesters and painting Biden as weak .
Trump was speaking in front of a crowd of hundreds packed into an airport hangar , where people stood closely together and few were seen wearing masks , despite the ongoing pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 185,000 people and infected more that 6 million nationwide .
Pennsylvania currently restricts indoor gatherings to 25 people and outdoor events to 250 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
But Trump has been flouting both local restrictions and his own administration ’ s social distancing guidelines as he insists on campaigning in front of large crowds and tries to project the image that the virus is waning as he pushes to reopen the economy .
Trump told the crowd that he is “ all for ” wearing masks , and urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labor Day weekend .
White House and public health officials have been eyeing the date warily , concerned that it could fuel another spike in cases , like Memorial Day weekend .
“ There ’ s a tendency of people to be careless , somewhat , with regard to the public health measures that we keep recommending over and over again , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci told MSNBC Wednesday , pleading for diligence in adhering to safety measures going into the holiday .
Fauci is the government ’ s top infectious disease expert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has rarely worn a mask , mocked Biden for wearing one so often .
“ Did you ever see a man who likes a mask as much as him ?
” he asked , proclaiming that “ it gives him a feeling of security.
” “ If I were a psychiatrist , right , you know I ’ d say , ‘ This guy ’ s got some big issues.
’ Hanging down .
Hanging down , ” he said .
The rally came the same day that Biden paid a visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man , seven times .
Trump mocked Biden for visiting two days after he had , claiming : “ There was nobody there .
He was a little late .
I was going to say , ‘ Hey listen , we ended that problem.
’ ” Trump ’ s campaign believes its efforts to paint Biden as weak on crime will help Trump win back suburban voters , and especially women , who supported him in 2016 but have since soured on him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they argue the president is in a better position than he was in 2016 , citing Democrats ’ shrinking voter registration advantage .
This time , they believe their get-out-the-vote operation will result in better turnout among working-class rural voters , along with improved margins among African Americans , Latinos and union supporters .
At the rally , Trump announced that he had received the endorsement of the Boilermakers Local 154 in Pittsburgh .
To that end , Trump and his team have been paying frequent visits to the state as they work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice-President Mike Pence held a “ Workers for Trump ” rally at a construction company less than 15 miles from Biden ’ s hometown , Scranton .
“ I know we ’ re not too far from our opponent ’ s boyhood home , but it ’ s Trump country now , ” Pence told the crowd .
Trump himself held a small rally last month outside Scranton just hours before Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination .
At the event , Trump insisted Biden would be the state ’ s “ worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice-president often spotlights his early years in the northeast Pennsylvania city as evidence of his middle-class upbringing .
“ Between the record enthusiasm for this President , our unprecedented ground game , and trends in Republican voter registrations , the Commonwealth , once again , is ready to deliver for President Trump this November , ” Nick Trainer , the Trump campaign ’ s director of battleground strategies , said in a statement .
Biden ’ s campaign remains equally confident about his prospects in the state .
They have put considerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Democrats lost ground in 2016 but then watched Democratic congressional candidate Conor Lamb pull an upset in a special election .
Still , Biden ’ s path in Pennsylvania is seen as more complicated than winning back Wisconsin and Michigan , the two other “ blue wall ” states Trump won by less than 1 percentage point four years ago .
In Wisconsin and Michigan , Trump benefited from then-rival Hillary Clinton ’ s poor performance in the largest , heavily Democratic cities , Milwaukee and Detroit .
But Clinton did relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that former President Barack Obama in the Philadelphia suburbs , even in defeat .
That could put even more pressure on Biden to try to blunt Trump ’ s performance in Pennsylvania ’ s smaller cities and in rural areas .
Latrobe , the site of Trump ’ s Thursday rally , is about an hour outside Pittsburgh in Westmoreland County , which Trump won by large margins four years ago .
While Democrats still hold a significant voter registration advantage in the state , the number of new Republican registrations has far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this cycle .
Many political observers believe the state , which has many white , older voters , could become even more favourable to Republicans despite having voted Democratic from 1992 until Trump ’ s win in 2016 .
Miller reported from Washington .
Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report .

Jill Colvin And Zeke Miller - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--New York mayor suspends officers involved in man’s suffocation death

ROCHESTER , N.Y. - Seven police officers involved in the suffocation death of Daniel Prude last spring in Rochester , New York , were suspended Thursday by the city ’ s mayor , who said she was misled for months about the circumstances of the fatal encounter .
Prude , 41 , who was Black , died when he was taken off life support March 30 .
That was seven days after officers who encountered him running naked through the street put a hood over his head to stop him from spitting , then held him down for about two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Lovely Warren announced the suspensions at a news conference amid criticism that the city kept quiet about Prude ’ s death for months .
Prude “ was failed by the police department , our mental health care system , our society , and he was failed by me , ” Warren said .
The mayor said she only became aware that Prude ’ s death involved the use of force on Aug. 4 , and that Police Chief La ’ Ron Singletary initially portrayed it as a drug overdose , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witnessed in body camera video .
The mayor said she told the chief she was “ deeply , personally and professionally disappointed ” in his failure to accurately inform her what happened to Prude .
Warren said the seven officers would still be paid because of contract rules and that she was taking the action against the advise of attorneys .
“ I understand that the union may sue the city for this .
They shall feel free to do so , ” she said .
Warren did not announce any action against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Singletary declined to comment but said he would speak later .
Messages left with the union representing Rochester police officers were not immediately returned Thursday .
Prude ’ s death happened just as the coronavirus was raging out of control in New York and received no public attention at the time .
His family held a news conference Wednesday and released police body camera video obtained through a public records request that captured his fatal interaction with the officers .
The videos and other records detailed how police had gone looking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s home early on March 23 , hours after receiving a mental health evaluation at a hospital .
When officers found Prude he was completely naked , on the street in a light snow .
He lay on the ground as they handcuffed him , then grew agitated , shouting and writhing and demanding that the officers give him a gun .
Officers put a hood over his head because he had been spitting and then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes , police video shows .
The hoods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detainee ’ s saliva and have been scrutinized as a factor in the deaths of several prisoners in recent years .
The videos show Prude , his voice muffled by the hood , begging the white officer pushing his head down to let him go .
As the officer , Mark Vaughn , says , “ Calm down ” and “ Stop spitting , ” Prude ’ s shouts became anguished whimpers and grunts .
“ OK , stop .
I need it .
I need it , ” Prude says .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes when he stops moving and falls silent .
Officers then notice water coming out of Prude ’ s mouth and call over waiting medics , who start CPR .
A medical examiner concluded that Prude ’ s death was a homicide caused by “ complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.
” The report lists excited delirium and acute intoxication by phencyclidine , or PCP , as contributing factors .
In his final months , Prude , who was known to his Chicago-based family as “ Rell , ” had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been going back and forth between his Chicago home and his brother ’ s place in Rochester , relatives said .
“ My father should have been met with a mental health specialist .
He should not have been killed in the street , ” his 18-year-old daughter , Tashyra Prude , said in an interview with The Associated Press .
“ He did not deserve that .
He was treated like an animal .
And I want this to be a step toward justice for not only my father , but justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were killed by the police.
” New York Attorney General Letitia James ’ office took over the investigation of the death in April .
It is still not complete .
“ The Prude family and the greater Rochester community deserve answers , and we will continue to work around the clock to provide them , ” James said in a statement Thursday .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said in a statement that he watched video of Prude ’ s fatal encounter with police Wednesday night .
“ What I saw was deeply disturbing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , adding that he was confident James ’ investigation would be thorough .
“ For the sake of Mr. Prude ’ s family and the greater Rochester community I am calling for this case to be concluded as expeditiously as possible.
” Demonstrators came out on Thursday evening for a second straight night , about 200 of them gathering near the street corner where Prude was restrained by police .
Some activists felt suspending the officers was not enough .
“ This is a cover up and honestly our mayor , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up on criminal charges , ” said Justin Morris .
Earlier Thursday , Prude ’ s brother , Joe Prude , said all his younger brother wanted that morning was “ somebody to grab him up and help him.
” “ No matter how you look at the situation , the man was absolutely in his birthday suit , handcuffed behind his back , on the ground already , in freezing weather , ” Prude ’ s brother , Joe Prude , said .
“ How could you sit here and label that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s already cuffed up ?
How could you throw a bag over his head ?
Hill reported from Albany .
Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak , Ted Shaffrey and Jennifer Peltz in New York and Don Babwin in Chicago contributed to this report .

Carolyn Thompson And Michael Hill - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Report: Trump disparaged US war dead as ‘losers,’ ‘suckers’

DELRAY BEACH , Fla. - A new report details multiple instances of President Donald Trump making disparaging remarks about members of the U.S. military who have been captured or killed , including referring to the American war dead at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France in 2018 as “ losers ” and “ suckers.
” Trump said Thursday that the story is “ totally false.
” The allegations were first reported in The Atlantic .
A senior Defence Department official with firsthand knowledge of events and a senior U.S. Marine Corps officer who was told about Trump ’ s comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press , including the 2018 cemetery comments .
The defence officials said Trump made the comments as he begged off visiting the cemetery outside Paris during a meeting following his presidential daily briefing on the morning of Nov. 10 , 2018 .
Staffers from the National Security Council and the Secret Service told Trump that rainy weather made helicopter travel to the cemetery risky , but they could drive there .
Trump responded by saying he didn ’ t want to visit the cemetery because it was “ filled with losers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss it publicly .
The White House blamed the cancelled visit on poor weather at the time .
In another conversation on the trip , The Atlantic said , Trump referred to the 1,800 Marines who died in the World War I battle of Belleau Wood as “ suckers ” for getting killed .
Trump emphatically denied the Atlantic report Thursday night , calling it “ a disgraceful situation ” by a “ terrible magazine.
” Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign rally in Pennsylvania , Trump said , “ What animal would say such a thing ?
” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said , “ It ’ s sad the depths that people will go to during a lead-up to a presidential campaign to try to smear somebody.
” Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Thursday , “ If the revelations in today ’ s Atlantic article are true , then they are yet another marker of how deeply President Trump and I disagree about the role of the President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , honour , country — those are the values that drive our service members , ” he said in a statement Thursday night , adding that if he is elected president , “ I will ensure that our American heroes know that I will have their back and honour their sacrifice — always.
” Biden ’ s son Beau served in Iraq in 2008-09 .
The Defence officials also confirmed to The AP reporting in The Atlantic that Trump on Memorial Day 2017 had gone with his chief of staff , John Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kelly ’ s son , Robert , who was killed in 2010 in Afghanistan , and said to Kelly : “ I don ’ t get it .
What was in it for them ?
“ The senior Marine Corps officer and The Atlantic , citing sources with firsthand knowledge , also reported that Trump said he didn ’ t want to support the August 2018 funeral of Republican Sen. John McCain , a decorated Navy veteran who spent years as a Vietnam prisoner of war , because he was a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was angered that flags were flown at half-staff for McCain , saying : “ What the f—- are we doing that for ?
Guy was a f—-ing loser.
” In 2015 , shortly after launching his presidential candidacy , Trump publicly blasted McCain , saying “ He ’ s not a war hero.
” He added , “ I like people who weren ’ t captured.
” Trump only amplified his criticism of McCain as the Arizona lawmaker grew critical of his acerbic style of politics , culminating in a late-night “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act .
That vote shattered what few partisan loyalties bound the two men , and Trump has continued to attack McCain for that vote , even posthumously .
The magazine said Trump also referred to former President George H.W .
Bush as a “ loser ” because he was shot down by the Japanese as a Navy pilot in World War II .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Whitmer: Gyms can open; contact sports resume, but unadvised

LANSING , Mich. - Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday that gyms can reopen after 5 1/2 months of closure and additional organized sports can resume if masks are worn — lifting some coronavirus restrictions that lasted longer in Michigan than in many states .
The order , which takes effect next Wednesday , allows for the reopening of fitness centres and indoor pools in a swath of the state that is home to 93 % of Michigan ’ s population .
They were allowed to open in June in northern Michigan , which is less densely populated , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limits .
Face coverings will be required in all organized sports — except swimming — and inside gyms , including during exercise .
The governor , a Democrat whose state has seen nearly 6,800 deaths related to COVID-19 , allowed athletic competitions to resume in regions where they have been restricted .
Her administration released guidance , however , recommending against — but not prohibiting — sports involving more than occasional and fleeting contact : football , basketball , soccer , lacrosse , hockey , wrestling , field hockey , boxing and martial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available epidemiological data and the timing as many schools and universities return to campus , contact sports pose a high risk of disease transmission to athletes , coaches and the general community , and should be avoided at this time , ” the memo said .
Yet the Michigan High School Athletic Association , which had postponed football until the spring , quickly reinstated the fall season .
Games will start Sept. 18 .
The organization said three other fall sports that were limbo in much of the state — soccer , volleyball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin competition sooner .
Whitmer did not reopen movie theatres statewide , though they have been allowed to open in the Upper Peninsula and many northern Lower Peninsula counties .
Bowling alleys , roller rinks and ice rinks can open at 25 % capacity but only for the sole purpose of serving as a venue for organized sports — not more general public use .
The governor urged school districts and athletic associations to follow the guidelines issued by the state health department , which reported 36 outbreaks related to sports teams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Going forward , we will continue to work with health experts to assess the risk associated with business sectors that remain closed , ” Whitmer said in a statement .
Such operations include cinemas , performance venues , arcades , bingo halls , amusement and water parks , climbing facilities , dance areas and trampoline parks .
“ For the health and safety of our families and frontline workers , it is crucial that we proceed thoughtfully and incrementally so we can measure the effects of today ’ s actions before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the governor said .
Spectators will be limited at sporting events .
Each athlete can designate up to two guests .
Whitmer , who later Thursday extended a state of emergency through Oct. 1 , had faced pressure to ease her order .
The state ’ s per-capita case rate over the past two weeks ranks 15th-lowest in the U.S. , and deaths average 13 a day — having stabilized this summer after highs in the spring .
The Michigan Fitness Club Association , which led a Capitol rally in July , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solution to the COVID-19 pandemic , not the problem ” — noting that obesity is a factor in chronic health conditions that increase risks for people infected with the virus .
Last week , football players and parents held a “ let them play ” rally at the Capitol .
“ I will not apologize for pushing , advocating , and questioning previous decisions about how the status of fall sports was handled , ” Detroit school district superintendent Nikolai Vitti tweeted .
“ It was always about the players and families , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the MHSAA “ for listening and making the right decision in the end.
” The governor ’ s extension of the emergency keeps intact various underlying orders limiting gathering sizes , requiring masks in enclosed public spaces and protecting the jobs of workers who are infected .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--DC Police release body camera footage from fatal shooting

WASHINGTON - Police in the nation ’ s capital on Thursday released body camera footage from the officer who fatally shot a Black teenager a day earlier , leading to protests outside Mayor Muriel Bowser ’ s home and a police station .
Deon Kay , 18 , was shot in the chest Wednesday afternoon in the midst of a foot pursuit with police officers .
Early Thursday morning , the local Black Lives Matter affiliate tweeted that the “ Terror Gang has once again taken the life of a young man , ” and demanded the immediate release of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brief and chaotic scene .
As a police car pulls into the parking lot of a southeast Washington apartment complex , the officer jumps out and begins chasing someone .
The officer turns around , sees Kay running a few feet behind him and fires a single shot into Kay ’ s chest .
Police identified that officer as Alexander Alvarez , who joined the department in 2018 .
He has been placed on administrative leave .
The police video later freezes the frame and circles what appears to be a pistol in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s unclear whether Kay , who had officers in front and back of him , was intending to use the weapon or throw it away .
Immediately after the shooting , as other officers tend to Kay , the officer who fired the shot begins frantically looking for Kay ’ s gun in the surrounding grass .
The handgun was found about 98 feet away , a distance that Metropolitan Police Department chief Peter Newsham said “ does seem like a long way to throw a weapon.
” “ Everyone can go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Newsham said .
” You can stop it frame by frame and make your own determination .
We will do the same when we conduct our investigation.
” The incident drew a harsh condemnation from the American Civil Liberties Union , which blamed the MPD for an overly confrontational approach that creates dangerous and violent situations .
“ The D.C. police department ’ s approach to gun recovery has been dangerous and ineffective for years , “ said Monica Hopkins , head of the ACLU ’ s District of Columbia office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 18-year-old Deon Kay is the logical conclusion of a policy that not only meets violence with violence , but actually escalates and incites it — especially in our Black communities.
” Hopkins called for an overhaul of D.C. ’ s approach to guns on the streets to “ focus on non-police solutions that address the underlying roots of community violence instead of continuing aggressive police tactics.
” The shooting occurred at a time of nationwide protests over police killings of Black people and calls for sweeping changes in policing .
Bowser said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video “ to help the public answer some questions .
What I know is that our officer was trying to take guns off the street and what I know is that he encountered somebody with a gun.
” Authorities did not release the video from other officers on the scene .
The Associated Press was seeking to locate Kay ’ s family for comment .
Emergency legislation passed by the D.C. Council in June requires the police to release any body camera footage from any fatal shootings or use-of-force incidents within five days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make the footage public well ahead of that deadline , “ One of the reasons we put it out as quickly as we did is because there ’ s a lot of misinformation in the current climate that we have — not only in Washington D.C. , but across the country .
Misinformation can lead to some disturbances in our city and that ’ s the last thing we want to see , ” Newsham said .
Newsham described Kay as a “ validated gang member ” who had multiple run-ins with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he refused to got into specifics .
He said officers were drawn to the area by a video posted on social media that showed two young Black men , one wearing a mask , showing off handguns inside a car .
“ They knew Mr. Kay when they saw the livestream .
They knew him by name , “ Newsham said .
“ I know that he ’ s a validated gang member from the area and I know that he ’ s had multiple touches with the criminal justice system .
... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kay fell through multiple safety nets before yesterday afternoon.
” The U.S. attorney ’ s office will conduct an independent review of the shooting .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Senior Cambodian opposition figure allowed back in politics

PHNOM PENH , Cambodia - A prominent former opposition politician in Cambodia had his ban on political activities lifted Thursday after the government approved his request for political rehabilitation .
The action was made known with publication of a royal decree .
Son Chhay had been a lawmaker with the Cambodia National Rescue Party , which was dissolved by court order in November 2017 after the government accused it of treasonous activities .
The court ’ s action was generally seen as intended to assist Prime Minister Hun Sen ’ s ruling Cambodian People ’ s Party win the 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior CNRP member , was automatically banned from politics for five years .
The party , which had been the parliamentary opposition , would have been the only credible challenger in the polls , which the ruling party ended up sweeping .
Son Chhay could not be reached for comment on the lifting of his ban .
He holds both Cambodian and Australian citizenship , and since his old party was dissolved has been living quietly , most of the time in Australia .
Under a policy established by the government , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his ban lifted .
Hun Sen endorsed his application and sent it to King Norodom Sihamoni , who issued a royal decree approving his political rehabilitation .
Hun Sen is known for cracking down hard on his political enemies when he feels under threat , and over time allowing them to operate more freely when he feels he holds the upper hand .
Because he is popular and known in the international community as an opposition lawmaker and advocate for human rights , Son Chhay is one of the few Cambodian politicians who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many of his former colleagues in the opposition remain reluctant to work at all with the government and most prominent ones are in exile .
King Sihamoni on Thursday also restored the political rights of two other lower-ranking former members of the CNRP .
According to Fresh News , a local website closely associated with the government , at least 12 former party members have been allowed to resume their political activities .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Colombia targets ex US Green Beret behind anti-Maduro plot

MIAMI - Colombia ’ s police chief is calling on a former U.S. Green Beret behind a plot to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to “ answer for his crimes ” in the South American country .
Gen. Oscar Atehortúa made the announcement a day after police arrested four Venezuelans tied to clandestine camps where he said American war veteran Jordan Goudreau helped arm and train a small cadre of volunteers to carry out the cross-border incursion .
“ They were planning from Colombia territory , destabilizing actions with the goal of undermining our institutions , ” Atehortúa said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said the FBI and U.S. National Security Council assisted in the five-month investigation .
The Associated Press on May 1 revealed the existence of the secret camps and Goudreau ’ s involvement in the bizarre plot .
Two days later , despite being exposed , a small contingent went ahead anyway and were quickly stopped by Maduro ’ s security forces , which claims to have killed eight of the “ mercenaries ” and arrested dozens of others , including two of Goudreau ’ s special forces buddies , Luke Denman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleaded guilty to charges of weapons trafficking , terrorism and conspiracy ; they were sentenced to 20 years in prison .
Goudreau in interviews the day of the raid from Florida took responsibility for the battlefield defeat but blamed Venezuela ’ s opposition , which he said recruited him to spur regime change and then got cold feet .
Maduro , in a propaganda coup , blamed the Trump administration , which has denied playing any role in what has been dubbed the “ Bay of Piglets , ” for the 1961 fiasco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Standing next to his police chief , Duque said the plot was likely funded by Maduro ’ s “ dictatorial regime ” but provided no evidence to back the claim .
Of the four arrested Wednesday , two are brothers of Capt .
Antonio Sequea , who commanded the failed beach raid and is now imprisoned in Venezuela .
Also detained in Colombia is Rayder Russo , a civilian whom Maduro has implicated in a 2018 assassination attempt at a military parade using a explosives-laden drone .
None of the four men took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who abandoned the barren camps in January , had been co-operating with Colombian military intelligence , according to a person familiar with the probe on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive dealings .
Atehortúa saved his harshest words for the fourth suspect , Yacsy Álvarez , who he said worked with Goudreau and the plot ’ s ringleader , retired Venezuelan Gen. Cliver Alcalá , to smuggle weapons for the volunteers with illicit funding from abroad .
He said a cache of assault rifles , sniper telescopes and night vision goggles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destined for the camps , which were located along Colombia ’ s Caribbean coast .
Three days later , a New York federal court indicted Alcalá on unrelated narcotics charges .
Before surrendering , he took responsibility for the weapons , saying they belonged to the “ Venezuelan people “ in their fight to reclaim their democracy from Maduro .
Atehortúa said Colombia was taking steps to notify Alcalá in the U.S. that he is under investigation .
Alcalá never hid his intentions from Colombian authorities , who in turn kept their American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He openly touted his idea of training Venezuelan military deserters for an incursion in a June 2019 meeting with Colombia ’ s National Intelligence Directorate and appealed for their support , said a former Colombian official familiar with the conversation .
Alcalá also boasted about his relationship with Goudreau , describing him as a former CIA agent .
When the Colombians checked with their CIA counterparts at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota , they were told that the three-time Bronze Star recipient for bravery in Iraq and Afghanistan was never an agent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosts to stop talking about an invasion or face expulsion , the former Colombian official said .
Goudreau hasn ’ t spoken publicly since May and both he and his lawyer didn ’ t respond to requests for comment .
He also faces charges in Venezuela , while the FBI in the U.S. has been investigating whether he violated U.S. laws that require any U.S. company supplying weapons or military equipment , as well as military training and advice , to foreign persons to seek State Department approval .


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Biden, in Kenosha, says U.S. confronting ‘original sin’

KENOSHA , Wis. - Joe Biden told residents of Kenosha , Wisconsin , that recent turmoil following the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man , could help Americans confront centuries of systemic racism , drawing a sharp contrast with President Donald Trump amid a reckoning that has galvanized the nation .
“ We ’ re finally now getting to the point where we ’ re going to be addressing the original sin of this country , 400 years old … slavery and all the vestiges of it , ” Biden said at Grace Lutheran Church , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private session with Blake and his family .
The visit marked the former vice-president ’ s first trip to the battleground state of Wisconsin as the Democratic presidential nominee and was a vivid illustration of the contrast he offers to Trump .
While Biden spent more than an hour with the Blake family , Trump didn ’ t mention Blake during his own trip to Kenosha on Tuesday .
Where Biden traced problems in the criminal justice system back to slavery , Trump refused to acknowledge systemic racism and offered his unvarnished support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence on “ domestic terror.
” “ I can ’ t say if tomorrow God made me president , I can ’ t guarantee you everything gets solved in four years , ” Biden said .
But “ it would be a whole better , we ’ d get a whole lot further down the road ” if Trump isn ’ t re-elected .
“ There ’ s certain things worth losing over , ” he concluded , “ and this is something worth losing over if you have to — but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blake remains hospitalized after being shot in the back seven times by a white Kenosha police officer while authorities were trying to arrest him on Aug. 23 .
The shooting is the latest police confrontation with a Black man to spark protests .
It follows demonstrations that swelled nationwide after George Floyd was killed by a white Minneapolis officer in May .
Outside Grace Lutheran , Blake ’ s uncle , Justin Blake , compared Trump ’ s and Biden ’ s respective visits as he marched and chanted with a crowd .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ my nephew .
Trump didn ’ t mention my nephew ’ s name while he was here , ” Justin Blake said .
Justin Blake called Biden “ more of a unifier ” and credited the Democrat for bringing up criminal justice changes before being asked .
But Justin Blake said “ we ’ re holding everybody ’ s feet to the fire .
Nobody gets a free pass.
” Biden heard similar sentiments inside the church , where residents offered searing accounts of their struggles .
Porsche Bennett , an organizer for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s “ tired ” at just 31 years old and worried for her three young , Black children .
“ For so many decades we ’ ve been shown we don ’ t matter , ” she said , adding that she ’ s heard promises from plenty of politicians , but not “ action.
” Biden answered that , because he ’ s white , “ I can ’ t understand what it ’ s like to walk out the door or send my son out the door or my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re Black , they might not come back.
” But he compared the current era of cellphone videos of violent police actions to television footage showing civil rights protesters being beaten more than a half-century ago .
He called both circumstances a politically crucial awakening for white Americans .
Biden also stressed the disproportionate effects of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout on non-whites .
“ I think the country is much more primed to take responsibility , because they now have seen what you see , ” Biden told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeBerge , owner of DeBerge Framing & Gallery , told Biden of the deep pain exposed by the protests and how it has reached many business owners whose establishments have been burned .
DeBerge noted her shop still stands , but said , “ I just I don ’ t think I really grieved as much as I should because being a business owner , I have to keep going , I have to keep working.
” Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers , a Democrat , said that he ’ d asked both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I would prefer that no one be here , be it candidate Trump or candidate Biden , ” Evers said in a news conference .
Yet Kenosha was mostly calm for Biden ’ s visit , other than some verbal jousting outside the church between activists , including Bennett , and at least one Trump supporter .
Michelle Stauder , a 60-year-old retired Kenosha school teacher said Biden is “ here spreading the word of peace and rebuilding.
” Kenneth Turner stood nearby with a Trump-Pence yard sign .
“ Everyone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50-year-old Kenosha man said .
“ But problems here have been around a long time before Trump.
” Biden criticized Trump for his sweeping condemnations of protesters , his absolute defence of law enforcement and denials that Americans with black and brown skin face barriers that whites do not — statements aimed by the president at his overwhelmingly white political base .
During his Kenosha trip Tuesday , Trump toured damaged buildings and discussed ways to quell unrest with law enforcement officials .
Trump was greeted by supporters who occasionally mixed with and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president amplified his approach Thursday evening in Pennsylvania , another state that could decide the election .
“ Biden went ( to Kenosha ) today .
There was nobody there .
There was nobody there , ” Trump said .
At about the same time , Biden was greeted after an evening event by hundreds of supporters who chanted , “ Let ’ s go Joe !
” Trump also repeated his baseless assertion that Biden supports riots .
Biden , in fact , has repeatedly condemned violence , most recently on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for not denouncing a 17-year-old Illinois teen now charged with killing two protesters after he travelled to Kenosha armed and intent , he said , on protecting local businesses .
Biden , who enjoyed police union backing for much of his political career , has defended police officers for bravery and public service .
But he said again Thursday that policing must be overhauled .
He repeated his promise of a national commission on policing if he ’ s elected .
Biden does not want to “ defund the police , ” contrary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he proposes that local forces agree to certain best practices as a condition of federal grants .
He also wants to spend more on other public agencies , such as mental health services , to ease social problems police must handle by default .
Most police officers are “ decent people , ” Biden said in Kenosha , but he added that “ every organization ” has “ bad people.
” That , he said , gives the country “ a chance to change things , and we can.
” As he boarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Delaware home , Biden said he didn ’ t know if his trip to Kenosha was more successful than Trump ’ s .
“ But I felt good about it , ” he said .
“ I think we brought people together and I felt good about it.
” Barrow reported from Atlanta .
Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington , and Michael Tarm and Noreen Nasir in Kenosha , Wisconsin , contributed .

Bill Barrow, Will Weissert And Scott Bauer - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-03--Organizer: We won’t paint BLM on Atlantic City Boardwalk

ATLANTIC CITY , N.J. - An Atlantic City community activist who had planned to lead protesters Friday in painting “ Black Lives Matter ” on the seaside gambling resort ’ s historic Boardwalk says they no longer plan to do so .
Instead , Steve Young said he will accept Mayor Marty Small ’ s invitation to participate in a city-sponsored event Friday afternoon where the words will be painted onto the pavement of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in front of the city ’ s Civil Rights Garden .
“ We will not be painting anything on the Boardwalk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday night .
“ We want everyone to stand with us in peace and non-violence.
” Young said his event will go on as planned at 1 p.m. in front of Boardwalk Hall , except for the painting component .
“ We are proud to be part of the Black Lives Matter movement and part of that statement being made , ” he said .
Faced with the prospect of protesters defacing the Boardwalk , which Small said would be illegal , the mayor on Wednesday announced the city would hold its own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slogan would be painted prominently in a public place , hoping to co-opt the protest .
The city event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Young ’ s announcement that no one would attempt to paint on the Boardwalk appears to have reduced the likelihood of confrontation .
There have been three racial justice demonstrations in Atlantic City this year .
The first , on May 31 , was followed by theft and property destruction for which about 100 people were charged .
A second on June 6 was peaceful .
Young organized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permitted to reopen after more than three months of being shut due to the coronavirus outbreak .
He was among seven people arrested when marchers tried to block the entrance of the Atlantic City Expressway , the main route to the city and its casinos .
The city is trying to strip Young of two city posts he holds as a consequence of the July 4 protest , whose stated goal was to “ shut the city down .
”